On a tour of the garages in the neighbourhood, the status report from the mechanics and sales staff was exactly the same with regard to the order books: Anyone who puts their name down on the waiting lists for an inspection, maintenance or repair now can expect a lead time of four to six weeks. After the coronavirus period, almost all businesses are suffering from an enormous shortage of staff. In the branch of a very large chain from Hamburg, there are even cards with QR codes at the service counter, behind which do-it-yourself videos are stored.
Although this means that they are losing out on easy money, customers are motivated to carry out simple checks and maintenance work themselves, or to put it another way, the frustration caused by long waiting times should be kept in check.
Spring bike check: often just minor details
However, the idea of DIY instructions is not so far-fetched. In spring in particular, a good two thirds of all workshop appointments are for simple checks and light maintenance work that only require basic knowledge and a little screwdriver talent. Sometimes it is even done with a little cleaning and oiling, reports one of the mechanics. As long as the bikes are not left outside much, the signs of wear are minimal, but it obviously gives the customer a good and secure feeling to get the go-ahead from a specialist once a year. This is particularly understandable for bikers who go on tours far away from home or transport their children by bike, for example.
Our checklist for a safe and stress-free start to the cycling year is not intended to replace the mechanic, but rather to postpone the expert's visit to a time when the queues are not winding around the whole block. The following list consists of cleaning and maintenance work as well as a few small tests. These, in turn, can mean a trip to the shop or service centre - sometimes you just can't do without them. The entire procedure takes less than 90 minutes. Apart from a cleaner, cloth and pump, all you need is some precision engineering oil. A 13 and 15 mm open-end spanner and a set of Allen tools could also be helpful.
You should have these aspects / components checked before the start of the new season
Chain / sprocket (DIY)
A dirty, sticky drivetrain easily costs 20 watts, which corresponds to 15 to 25 per cent of the average pedalling power! Chains with rust can theoretically still be ridden, but the gears suffer as well as the shifting comfort. In this case, maintenance is usually no longer worthwhile. We showed you how to replace such a chain in issue 5/23. Before you oil a chain, the old oil and anything stuck to it must be removed! Depending on the "persistence" of these residues, a cloth with chain cleaner from the bike accessories may be sufficient; we also use it to clean the entire bike.
If there is a lot of sand between the limbs, use a brush and/or an ear stick. It's worth the effort! With derailleur gears, the sprockets and the spaces between them also need to be cleaned, which is best done with the rear wheel removed. Lubrication with a low-viscosity oil or a dry lubricant called "Dry Lube", which absorbs less dirt, is only carried out via the chain. To do this, jack up or hang up the bike, turn the crank forwards and lubricate the chain. Shift through all gears several times while moving, applying another thin film of lubricant in between. For the sake of the environment, please dab off any drops of oil that form and keep the oil rags for hazardous waste!
Control bearing (check)
The headset is the contact point between the frame and fork. So that it can rotate freely, there is a ball bearing at the top and bottom of the frame tube through which the fork runs to the handlebars. These can be too tight or too loose in each other due to rust or forces when braking, both of which give an unsafe feeling when steering. To test this, grasp the frame, lift the front wheel and turn the handlebars back and forth.
The handlebars should turn easily and without a grinding noise. Then park the bike again and apply the front brake firmly. With the second hand, firmly grasp the upper and lower headset bearings one after the other, pushing the bike forwards and backwards with the front wheel stationary. You should not feel any movement of the components against each other, except of course a rotating movement. If the bearings are rough or too loose, we recommend that you consult a specialist.
Bike spring check: cleaning electrical contacts (DIY)
The plugs on the lights and dynamo do not like the damp climate in cellars and garages in winter and tend to tarnish, which means they get a greenish-white crust that conducts poorly. Even if the lighting system is still working, spring cleaning is an opportunity to carefully clean the contacts.
To do this, carefully remove the plugs - don't worry, the plugs are different widths and will not fit if the polarity is incorrect. Don't forget the dynamo as well as the front and rear lights! It is best to clean the contacts with some 1000-grit sandpaper and a wooden stick, like the ones you get for coffee to go. If you want, you can spray a touch of WD-40 on the contacts before reassembly; special spray for contacts is better, but quite expensive.
ATTENTION: For pedelecs, remove the battery first! The contacts of the drive are either very deep inside and inaccessible or they harbour the risk of a short circuit. Only carry out a visual inspection here and, in the event of a green crust, call in a specialist!
Spring bike check: spoke tension (check)
There is a lot of weight on the spokes! However, they do not provide support, but are used more like ropes under tension. If a spoke is too "slack", the neighbouring spokes are subjected to more tensile force, which can set off a cascade of fractures. Therefore, mothballing is a good opportunity to check the spoke tension, but should be done regularly.
To do this, grasp a pair of spokes that cross each other with one hand and grip them firmly. Note the approximate resistance and repeat this on ALL pairs, taking hold of each pair at the same distance from the rim. Only professionals are able to analyse the correct tension, but if all pairs feel the same, there is a high probability that it is correct! You can also find broken spokes this way. You have to go to the workshop straight away, but you can certainly wait a few weeks for minor deviations.
Bell and reflectors (DIY)
Both the bell and reflectors to the front, rear and side are part of the necessary safety equipment of a bike that complies with the German Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO). The mechanism of the bell can become corroded over the winter; rust remover or lubricant such as WD-40 sprayed inside almost always helps here. Bells with "only" one spring as a clapper, which no longer sound, generally need to be replaced. Clean the entire surface of the reflectors; in the case of tyres with reflective strips instead of spoke reflectors, do not forget the tyre sidewall.
Spring bike check: Brake pads and brake blocks (check)
With rim brakes, it is quite easy to see when brake pads are worn. The contact surfaces have grooves or indentations. If these have worn away in the direction of the bracket, a new set should be fitted, even if the rubber looks glassy and feels more like plastic! Replacing them is easy, but aligning the pads completely parallel to the rim is not so easy, so newcomers are better off taking the wheel to a mechanic. With disc brakes, the pads stand out thinly from a base plate. If the elevation is thinner than 0.5 millimetres, it is high time to change them.
A simpler method is to bring the bike in for a brake service, including bleeding, after 4000 to 5000 kilometres. This is necessary if you have to pull the lever several times until you feel a firm braking point. This should always be done by a professional. What anyone can do is clean the brake disc or rim, especially degrease it. A kitchen cleaner will do in a pinch, a cheap alternative to special products is a cleaner for the bicycle chain. Simply wipe the metal parts of the disc or rim with a cloth.
Oiling the lock (DIY)
In addition to the bike, the lock may also have been left unused for several months. Both the lock cylinder and the mechanism that ultimately locks the lock may be corroded. Before you can't use it on your first ride or, even worse, the key breaks off when you try to use it, you should check that it moves freely and, if necessary, apply a few drops of fine mechanical oil to all openings, then open and close it several times. If the lock is already completely tight, replace the oil with rust remover in step one; WD-40 is also suitable here.
Spring bike check: Tyre check (Check / Shop)
The tyre may have lost air over the winter. When inflating, you should pay particular attention to the sides of the tyre. If a brittle surface or a structure of small scales forms here as the volume increases, the tyre is too old. However, according to Steffen Jüngst from Schwalbe, unlike with cars, there is no age at which even a tyre that appears intact has to be taken off on principle.
The tread plays a lesser role on bicycles than on cars; the residual thickness of the rubber is more important for puncture protection. Under no circumstances should the textile of the carcass or even metal (even rusted) show through anywhere. After inflating, rotate the wheels and make sure they sit evenly on the rim. If there is any imbalance, release the pressure, move the tyre back and forth on the rim and re-inflate.
Helmet check (Shop)
You spend money on helmets without really wanting to use them. But what if you fall and the helmet has flaws? The helmet material actually loses structure over the years. But this is necessary to absorb impact forces. Manufacturer Abus advises replacing a helmet after five years at the latest, even without an accident, if it is exposed to a lot of UV light.
Even if the helmet has fallen from a height of more than one metre, it should be replaced. It is difficult to test its functionality: you can carefully squeeze the helmet, but if it makes squeaking or dry rubbing noises, replace it to be on the safe side. The same applies if the chin strap and inner system can no longer be adjusted.
Spring bike check: Hub play (check)
In the hubs, the wheels rotate on the axle in a similar way to the control bearing. They can also be set too loosely or become tight, i.e. rotate with a lot of resistance. To test, let each wheel rotate freely for a few laps and listen for scratching, rubbing noises from the hub. Then position it to the side of the bike, hold the frame close to the rear tyre with one hand and the tyre and rim with the other. Now try to move the wheel at right angles to the direction of travel.
Depending on the force applied, the rim may be able to be pulled and pushed by one to two millimetres, but the movement must not result from the hub, so keep an eye on the transition from the rotating to the stationary part of the hub. No lateral displacement should be visible there. Adjusting the hub play is only easy with experience, and here too we recommend a visit to the service centre - the sooner, the less consequential damage.
Ergonomics (DIY)
Neither the bike nor the rider should have changed so much over the winter that a new saddle and handlebar setup is necessary, but the "mothballing" is a great opportunity to check the contact points with the bike. Ideally, the saddle height should be set so that the knee is almost stretched out when cycling; the saddle height is often set too low. The saddle should be level and firm, it should not be possible to tilt it or move it lengthways, and its frame should not have any cracks. All of this could otherwise lead to crooked postures and thus hip and back problems.
It should not be possible to turn the grips; if they are flat ergo grips, they should be adjusted so that the forearm and the back of the hand form a line. Finally, you should turn the crank on each pedal a few times. Are all parts tight and, very important for healthy pedalling, are the pedal surfaces level throughout the entire rotation? Take the opportunity to check plastic pedal bodies for white discolouration and cracks; UV rays cause the material to age sooner and breakage usually has painful consequences.
Bike spring check: full range of accessories (check)
And while you're at it: also check the accessories, as these can also spoil a tour. Questions like: Is the pump still suitable for the frame, are the mounts still tight or are the bags still leak-proof? Incidentally, there is nothing to stop you taking rainproof bags with you into the shower. Spare inner tubes or puncture sprays are also subject to an ageing process and should be checked!
Slow down gently (DIY)
Long downtimes can cause the surfaces of brake discs and sidewalls on steel rims to develop flash rust. This is not too bad, but it can lead to unexpected braking behaviour during the first braking manoeuvres of the year. Therefore, brake carefully by either rolling slowly down a long descent with the brakes dragging or (preferably with pedelecs) riding on a straight stretch for about 400 metres with the brakes slightly applied. When applying the brakes, you will also notice whether there are any foreign objects in the brake shoes, for example, in which case you will hear a terrible scraping noise. Grinding brake discs can also be recognised. Repairs to the brakes should then be carried out by an expert mechanic.
Bike spring check: The final vibration test (DIY)
It sounds paradoxical, but the final test ride should include a cobbled section as well as the descent to brake. Please roll over the bumps quickly and with sufficient pressure in the wheels without pedalling and while standing, and listen out for rattling noises, whether from attachments such as mudguards, cables and cables or drive components. In principle, rattling is not a bad thing, but it often indicates that connections between parts are loosening. If you can locate the source of the noise and have the appropriate tools, you can do it yourself, especially with panelling. If you are not sure, you should make a note of the locations and hand the list, together with the bike, to the mechanic when the opportunity arises.
