Blake and Neil make jokes that Doddy (this presenter) is all about tech, not about the rides. He was a wild rider back in the days of low quality parts and got road rash on his face because of not maintaining the bikes, that's why he made 4 jokes about "using your face as a break"... He just went from one extreme to the other. Go ahead and continue riding your bike like usual, just take it to get serviced at your next opportunity if you're still scared.
993mike yeah my old lady flipped when I picked up my Scott Big Jon last weekend. I’m not going to put my Trek Full Stache on the back of my Jeep to ruin all my pivot points with the salt and shit they put on New England roads. I think I was justified 😝
I told my wife. You’re a lucky woman because I’m not an alcoholic or a drug user and I don’t have a side chick. All I heard was crickets inside my garage when I said that but she loves and adores me😂
Fuck if I said that to mine she'd shoot me with her 20 gauge!,but i need a Titanium hardtail babe!haha makes me jump 80ft of a 2ft kicker to!better rider with an expensive bike-course it does.......so she thinks! Stay safe guys and girls,covid is real just as wd40 sticks to brake discs!
1:50 DO NOT EVER use WD-40 as a lubricant on bearings. if you look closely hes actually using break cleaner to clean them, not standard WD 40 to lubricate them. if you make that mistake you'll ruin your bearings.
@@schunacher you can CLEAN ur bearings with it, although there's probably a million different solvents better than wd40 for cleaning. problem is you have to re grease/ re lube the bearings after using it, which is often overlooked. cuz wd40 is not a lubricant.
@@kieranslawson6516 Haha! It's mainly naptha with a little light oil. It's great for cleaning and unsticking things but only is a very light lubricant so can't handle loads and is gone almost instantly. It contains NO WATER. and Zeoanchropolis is correct on the origins of its name
yes, the point is not to waste the lifespan of your overpriced performance components commuting to work because, it's totally unnecessary and wasteful. use your expensive sport bike for sport and your cheap commuting bike for commuting, ain't that complicated fam
I dunno about frame 'protection'. I ride the shit out of my bikes, and they get beat up. No amount of tape or rubber is going to help (having tried that). I just accept that my bike is going to get dings and scratches and worn. Those are character marks, in my book.
Just buy a car paint touch up pen for paint chips. I am going to be even more anal and buy a model airbrush kit to get a professional finish. Not even that expensive and can be used for many other things that need painting touch ups. I have 2018 Kona Honzo and the bronze paint is beautiful but chips so god damn easily. Cable rub on front headstock is where a sticker is definitely needed. I dont really want to cover my bike in these patches to be honest, I think learning to repair the paint to an acceptable standard yourself is the way to go. Its gonna get scratched and chipped. That way instead of having a big cry like a did when I dropped my new bike on day one is no longer such a drama!
some frame protection isn't too bad. You'll still get scratches (and if your bike is aluminum, then it's naturally corrosion resistant too. But I'd rather keep my paint looking nice for as long as possible before I have to break out the touch up pen, so my AL comp is getting some covering on the more common wear areas at least.
It is the sad part of a beautiful paint job. It doesn't last forever. You see it on cars too where many now vinyl wrap theirs to protect the paint a bit longer for possible better resale value. So you buy an expensive car but never get to look at it in all its glory due to the wrapping.
10:28 “Some people are more precious abou this than others” proceeds to show Sam Pilgrim washing his eeb(e-bike) with a monny(monster energy drink) and a frickin broom.
Anyone else remember when you bought a bike, rode it all day everyday, once in a blue moon cleaned it and sprayed the chain with WD-40 and it run sweet as a nut ? Now you need to stripe everything and rebuild your forks every 40 miles 😂
I still do that, works perfectly fine. Chain needs to snap or frame need to break before i start to do something probably.. If the chain starts to slip due to worn out teeth, just use another gear :D
Thanks for an excellent vid but I'd like to add something about looking after suspension forks. I used to have a set of those Fox TALAS forks and the owner's manual stated that the foam rings under the seals are there to ensure the small amount of lubricating oil (usually around 10ml per leg as you said) is between the seals and bushings when you ride (you soak them in oil when servicing the fork). To this end they recommend storing your bike upside down when not in use which I always did religiously as well as wiping the stanchions and seals with GT85 on a rag after every ride. When the time came to get my TALAS fork serviced for the 2nd time after 2 years' use, the shop I sent them to (TF Tuned in Westbury) commented most of the TALAS forks they see that age are worn out like the ones in this video; however, later that day they called me to say my stanchions had NO visible wear AT ALL and all they needed was a full service. A lot of modern MTB forks like Rock Shox etc have these foam rings impregnated with lubricating oil because the damper unit is a sealed cartridge; if they use this system, store your bike upside down and the fork will last a lot longer. Also getting a chain cleaner for £5 from LIDL massively increases your drivetrain life and is every bit as good as the £££ "brand name" alternatives
Many a headset or BB will be wrecked by over tension of bearings and misuse of preload. You can also debate the value of pulling blind bearings to clean and repack. Very hard to do without damaging the bearings.
Time is money. You can spend hours every week meticulously cleaning and checking every bolt with an allen key, etc; in the hope that it lasts for 6 years rather than 5. Then it gets nicked, or you have a crash, or the technology is outdated and you can't get the parts for it anyway. Or you can just wait till stuff breaks and replace it.
@@alkaholic4848 seriously replacing parts over time isn't super expensive if you're not using super high-end stuff. My last two bikes got stolen, but my current bike, I intend to make into Theseus' bike.
Ride enough and the rotor will wear. Definitely worth swapping out before it gets too thin. Usually youve changed your brake pads more than 6 times before you start to worry about this.
@@rupedog The calliper's just going to measure the thickest thing it's placed around, regardless of which part of the jaw happens to be there. As shown, that will be the never-wearing rotor arm. Better to point the calliper more in the direction of rotation, rather than towards the hub centre and ensure it only contacts the wearing surface.
Yes thats right, you need to be carefull not to measur the ticknes of the rotor on places where there have been no wearingout. that are the rotorarms and in some cases there is a smal grade right on the edge of the rotor.
Totally agree about having a dunger bike for running around on. It's a great way to use the partly warn or not so cool parts off your main bike and get more use out of them, and then buy new bits (guilt free) for your main bike.
Im always tinkering with my bike in the garage. Riding constantly, and checking the things you mentioned. It becomes like a hobby and you learn a lot. I feel like people who don't do this, or dont like to need this video. 🤘
alot of times i'll clean the stanchions and seals off ... put a drop of two of oil on my fork seals ... cycle it a few times ... then wipe away any dirt it's pulled up from the seals
A timely video. This morning's pre-work ride was the first really muddy one since spring. It might be time to switch back to my cheap hardtail and save the full suss bike for special events until conditions improve next year. Brake pad wear is a funny thing. One really crappy wet winter I got through three sets. Most winters I just need to replace the pads once. Every ride involved at least one stop to clean off mud with a stick just so I could keep the wheels turning. When you have heavy clay based soils and then tracks that have been surfaced with sand and fine gravel, you have the perfect recipe for worn out bike parts.
@@mamiltonhorris4476 i've got a $2k mtb, regular street clothes (denim jeans and short sleeved shirt), tennis shoes, and a cheap red helmet and cheap mtb gloves. I built the bike myself too.
I always buy the Lads in my local bike shop a coffee when I go in and they're always happy to give things a tweak for me. Plus, I've been riding bikes as long as Jonesy ( I'm 48 and could ride before I could walk ) and I'm only really learning how to properly maintain my bikes now ( Although borrowing money from the bank will always make ya look after your stuff! ) Loose headsets have always been my thing and I've always a 6mm Allen key on me. Definitely, keeping the drive chain sparkling on my Fathom e3 makes a big difference to it's performance.... Gone are the days of just keeping the oil topped up in the sturmey archer hub on me Raliegh Commando!
I discovered that a safety pin can be used to remove the seal on a bearing allowing you to clean it using solvent and air and then repack it. I also keep silicone spray handy to help repel dirt on the shock surfaces
Yeah... I used a 500 euro cube for everything and then had a year with a lot of problems getting to work. finally got a scout for the trails, an trek xcaliber for commuting and some old bike just for doing stuff in town. It´s amazing.
Correx sheets make excellent frame protection. It's a corrugated plastic sheet, similar in structure to cardboard box. Two surfaces and tubular internal structure. lightweight, cut with scissors, and is great for underside of downtube and chainstays. Fasten with tiewraps. Been using it as a chain slap guard for chainstays and bottom bracket "jacket" for years.
Those knackered bearings and grindy forks sound like me in the mornings. Sound advice. Best tool I ever bought was a chain checker, saved me hundreds of pounds replacing expensive cassettes and chain rings. Cheers Daddy.
My bb fell apart yesterday and my rear wheel has 1cm side to side play. All other bearings are fine. My chainring looks like a saw blade even though I change my chain every 2-3 months and clean my chain as often as possible.
Nice video, thanks. One thing I would add is that an analog vernier is just as good as a digital one. Digital callipers batteries eventually run out, but the analog ones still measure to 0.1mm and will be ready to go whenever you need them.
I think the ship's sailed for me on my current bike since it only cost me $125 at Walmart years ago. It was a pos then and it's had issues along the way, but it can take a beating. I still use it. Roadmaster MTB. I'm planning to get a GT Aggressor Pro, so I'll definitely start paying more attention to all of this stuff.
yup, I literally froze a mavic cross ride rear hub in Wales, had to fork out for a new one for 50 quid so I'll check it tomorrow as I've had it in a year now
I took aa bearing off my bike once... shortly later it exploded. You're educating on some precarious advanced potential detrimental things.... like you mess up the bike worse than could be by taking apart these components... for instance brake pads.... super hard to get just right after taking out.
I couldn’t agree more about the two “rat” bike solution. When I went to sell my first e-bike, an hardtail, I found to my shock that I was going to loose a truck load of money, so I decided to keep it and turn it into my daily commuter by adding a rack and pannier. It has now basically replaced my car in doing local trips to the shops etc and saved my Trek Rail for what it does best out in the trails.
Great information, although Ignorance = Bliss technique lets you get those new components that much sooner! I think danger of touching rotors/pads just with your bare hands is overstated - I've never had issues there, unless those hands are soaked in fork oil... Would be curious on opinion regarding the brake fluid changes though
This summer has been awful to my bike. Pretty much everything all decided to start failing at once. Shifter: Broken. Rear wheel: hopelessly deformed. Headlamp: stolen. Front tire: nail through it. All separate incidents occuring within a 2 week span.
Hi Doddy. I have a pair of Rock Shox Reba, 32mm dual air forks, which are about 10 years old. On the outside, they look mint. But I pumped them up to 110psi a couple of weeks ago, and they lost 40psi overnight, without any load on them. So I pumped them up again, and the same thing happened. They came on a bike that I bought 2nd hand, so not sure when, or if the forks had ever been serviced. I tried a little bit of water on the upper and lower valves, but could not see any bubbles. I then dismantled them, and submerged the upper leg air chamber in water, to just above the crimp, but no bubbles. So I removed the air chamber from the upper leg to inspect the inside of the stanchions, and found that there was slight wear on the inside, some very slight circular scoring, and some of the kashima coating having been worn away. The rest of the fork components, including all the O rings, look fine. And there is no wear on the outside of the stanchions that I can see. Being that it is the lower leg that is losing pressure, could this be the wiper and seals on the top of the lower legs that need replacing? And should I be worried about the coating being worn on the inside of the stanchions, or can they ve re coated? I could probably service them myself, if it is worth doing, but don't want to shell out almost £100 for a service kit if they are beyond repair. Thanks.
I'm mechanically inclined enough to adjust and dial in anything on my new bike(with a little help from all you nice UA-camrs). My real concern is not ****ing it up. These are the most important videos, to me.
Just did a wiper and seal service on a badly neglected pair of 2009 production 2010 F29 Fit RLs. The legs look pretty bad in a couple spots and the bushings are worn but with new FOX green(Not easy to get in US haha) A hone on the damaged bits of the stanchion and the seal/wiper they still feel good and are not leaking. There is a bit of play I hope replacing the bushings will help and when I do that I can service the air spring and damper which still thankfully work wonderfully. Not sure about those particular forks but I would not totally write off a pair of forks with a bit of stanchion wear especially with how much a new set could cost. Thanks for all the great tips I enjoyed the video.
I am so grateful for this information, however i don’t know how “screw up’able” is the bearing maintainance and the lower leg maintainance if you do it by yourself
I personally think that its also important to not clean your bike after every ride. A little bit of dust or some water drops won‘t be a problem to your bike. Its more demaging the bike if you always wash it because of all the bearings!
When you change your chain you can fit little colour coordinated alloy jockey wheels to your derailleur, like I did, as well. They come in a lot of different colours on eBay with bearings included. It's a little bit poncey but I think it's nice.
Good tips thanks, I'm guilty of everything lol, I only really ever do the real basics like cleaning the bike and checking for anything loose, But I don't have expensive bikes because they just get stolen ..... I'm wanting an e mountain bike soon though so need to learn to look after stuff better.
Thanks for the tips. Only doubt I have is about cleaning the bike. I have cleaned my bike several times but before every next ride, when I come to lube the chain I find rust starting to build on it and also on the rear drive set . Now I am talking about my brand new bike Giant Trance Advanced 2, although isn't among the very expensive ones out there, still isn't made of poor quality parts. Just to note that I also give the bike a fair towel wipe to dry as much as possible.
Probably obvious but the mistake here is failing to lube immediately after cleaning and drying. Don’t wait till before the ride, if you lube after cleaning you also don’t need to worry about it while you’re getting ready to go.
My Ellsworth bearings locked up and broke my rear triangle I live in eastern Oregon very sandy my forks are toast I change my chain before it wears out no more broken chain I have a comuter bike
I found riding in the summer on my old 160mm discs destroyed pads. If you can fit 205mm rotors then do it. Heat kills pads and one sure fire way to heat up pads is to use a lot of braking on small rotors on a hot day. Every factor there goes against good heat dissipation.
11:33 My bike one is rubbing the paint off the cranks when i',m riding around town in my jeans. If anyone knows where pick up some OEM shimano deore decals let me know
The crank bearings grinding like they have sand in them was a common sound on my friend's bike when I was a kid. They couldn't understand why I would go through the trouble of disassembling the crank to clean, lube, and adjust the bearings, but they couldn't keep up with me in races either! I wipe my fork down after most dirty rides, but will need to get some fork oil since this is my first suspension fork. For checking brake rotor thickness, measure just the rotor that contacts the brake bad. Having the caliper on the rotor support will be inaccurate. I always seem to get mud on my e-bike controller even when it's dry out! I'm thinking of making a splash shield, or a mud flap for the fender. If I'm done riding for the day, I'll get a damp cloth and wipe down everywhere I can reach, being careful to turn and wash the cloth frequently so I'm not rubbing grit into the paint. Fortunately, my bike came with a fabric and foam cover to guard against chain slap. I cringed at using Coke or whatever that was to douse that mid drive! Not sure if I'm riding my bike too much. Only had it for two weeks and have 263 miles on it... Thanks for the video! I learned.
This is why I started out with a cheap big box bike. It taught me everything maintenance wise.. truing the wheels, bottom bracket and wheel bearings, chain replacement, everything. Obviously the parts will be different on better bikes, but it was a worthy baptism of fire.
Hello sir. Good day to you. Thanks for sharing us your knowledge. You people are great. I have a question is it ok to spray WD 40 to my stanchion? Thanks
I'm guilty of all of these except the bearings with my poor ol' Motobecane.... Missing paint splotches, visible brake rotor scoring, I finally gave the drive train a cleanout in preparation for replacing the cassette, chain (yep, that thing was boned), and derailleur sprockets (I already replaced the chainring), the front fork is knackered and makes frightening noises, and the bike served as my commuter and "everything" bike for a few years before it got sent to the garage because I didn't yet have the skillz to repair it.
you can make custom kydex frame protectors if you want some more heavy duty protection that still looks nice. it molds easily with heat and its not horribly expensive either
Slowly been adding to my stable so I can follow the last rule. And its more fun when you have specialized bikes for different type of riding. Currently have a commuter with panniers and baskets and racks for groceries and city riding. Roadbike for the paved trail systems, Hardtail, full suspension enduro, and a full sus XC. I need a bigger bike carrier I only can hold 4 at a time, tipe to stick 2 on the roof!
I also try and ride a bit each day. Don't let it scare you, just know with use, you will up your maintenance a bit. His point is riding a 5k rig everyday to the market and such.
#askgmbntech Good tip with frame protection. Use a hair dryer or heat gun to make the frame protection more pliable and less likely to tear when applying. Also if you do it wrong it easier to remove and start over and easier to push out air bubbles.
I just put plastic wrap on my frame when going to whistler because it's cheaper than tape and you don't have to wear out the paint. Its especially useful on the frame near the chain. So you don't need degreaser for the black stuff.
Most of us are around natures grinding paste, the streets/crisp packets/chewing gum/old fruit pastels/half house bricks/smashed glass/oil patches/dog do do 😅 that's on the way out to the countryside. GREAT VID DOD 🙏🇬🇧
well, good point on the last thing with bike overuse, another good reason to have a cheaper extra bike if youve got an expensive bike - some people steal bikes, and if your bike is stolen well it ain't running well for you either. I personally use my old half-dead hardtail for commute and such whilst I ride my fully for the funsies on trails and such
So much to worry about. I now will decide to just simply purchase a new bike every Spring Season, sell off the used one. This way I never need to worry about bike maintenance. Expensive yes, but worry free.
I am definitely overusing my e-bike. I ride it everywhere.. At 1100kms I had to change the cassette and chain, that was 10 days ago... I rode about 400kms since, guess I need to order the next set soon.
The front forks on my Specialized Expedition circa 2005 roughly are seized. Like they may as well be rigid forks at this point. I am not sure I want to tear them apart. Is there an oil I can use to lubicrcate the seals a bit and maybe unseize them? WD40 I think would deteriorate the rubber seals. As long as they have a bit of give I am good with them them as I do put a lot of miles on my bikes but not a lot of trail riding. Mostly I like them for smoothing out the moon craters on the streets where I live. Or do I need to do a complete tear down and rebuild?
I didn’t properly screw my front wheel so I was racing on a flat road with my friend and my wheel just started wobbling.. not a nice feeling. Remember to screw things properly!
Yep, good point. When I wash my bike, I dry it with a towel to get the majority of the water on the frame, then I use an air compressor and blow any water out of the tight spots and the components, always making sure it's completely dry.
when I bought my current bike 2 yrs ago I considered keeping my old bike which was a very cheap Walmart dual sus Mongoose that I purchased in 2013 for around $150. My current bike is a 27.5 with an XL frame, by old bike was a 26 inch. I considered keeping my old bike for use in the winter but tbh I didn't enjoy riding that bike. I never looked forward to going out on it so I gave it to a thrift store to sell, I think someone was probably very happy with it considering I did put about $300 worth of upgrades into it. I actually look forward to riding my current bike (Upgraded GT Aggressor Pro). I ride it year round and it's been solid so far with just very minimal maintenance and cleaning (a wipe down every now and then with a soapy rag).
I now have severe anxiety about my bike.
Blake and Neil make jokes that Doddy (this presenter) is all about tech, not about the rides. He was a wild rider back in the days of low quality parts and got road rash on his face because of not maintaining the bikes, that's why he made 4 jokes about "using your face as a break"... He just went from one extreme to the other.
Go ahead and continue riding your bike like usual, just take it to get serviced at your next opportunity if you're still scared.
Same.
Just don't ride it. Problem solved!
Severe? You won't last a sec with that attitude!
Alright I’m going to stop the video before I continue cause I have cheap ass mountain bike.
I’ll have to show this to my wife that purchasing my second mountain bike was so I don’t “overuse” my main bike!
993mike yeah my old lady flipped when I picked up my Scott Big Jon last weekend. I’m not going to put my Trek Full Stache on the back of my Jeep to ruin all my pivot points with the salt and shit they put on New England roads. I think I was justified 😝
I told my wife. You’re a lucky woman because I’m not an alcoholic or a drug user and I don’t have a side chick. All I heard was crickets inside my garage when I said that but she loves and adores me😂
Fuck if I said that to mine she'd shoot me with her 20 gauge!,but i need a Titanium hardtail babe!haha makes me jump 80ft of a 2ft kicker to!better rider with an expensive bike-course it does.......so she thinks! Stay safe guys and girls,covid is real just as wd40 sticks to brake discs!
Yeah, American women sound like fun 😳
Mtb riders are clowns
1:50 DO NOT EVER use WD-40 as a lubricant on bearings. if you look closely hes actually using break cleaner to clean them, not standard WD 40 to lubricate them. if you make that mistake you'll ruin your bearings.
WD-40 can be used to clean bearings
@@schunacher you can CLEAN ur bearings with it, although there's probably a million different solvents better than wd40 for cleaning. problem is you have to re grease/ re lube the bearings after using it, which is often overlooked. cuz wd40 is not a lubricant.
@@kieranslawson6516...lol, no it's not
@@kieranslawson6516 LOL wtf, WD literally stands for "water displacement"
@@kieranslawson6516 Haha! It's mainly naptha with a little light oil. It's great for cleaning and unsticking things but only is a very light lubricant so can't handle loads and is gone almost instantly. It contains NO WATER. and Zeoanchropolis
is correct on the origins of its name
"You could be wearing out your bike prematurely by riding it all the time."
Dude...
No bike = no maintenance = no cost 😅
@@jevieyt true but you need to replace your running shoes somewhere from every 500-1000 miles and your hips every 10k miles.
Spend 5k on your mtb and then drive a piece of junk to work. Sure thing.
@@MisuracaAntonio I like to cycle something that looks kinda junky but is functional despite being simple.
yes, the point is not to waste the lifespan of your overpriced performance components commuting to work because, it's totally unnecessary and wasteful.
use your expensive sport bike for sport and your cheap commuting bike for commuting, ain't that complicated fam
I always brake with my face. Never have to replace my brake pads:)
When he said that I lol'd for real. Hahaha
Brakes are for fakes. Brakes are death. Ride brakeless fixed!
@Anoniem Not at all. Matter of fact I also safe on shaving cream and razor blades. And everybody knows that chicks dig scars!
robertthenobert how does the ground taste
I brake using my mates face, saves replacing my face.
I dunno about frame 'protection'. I ride the shit out of my bikes, and they get beat up. No amount of tape or rubber is going to help (having tried that). I just accept that my bike is going to get dings and scratches and worn. Those are character marks, in my book.
Just buy a car paint touch up pen for paint chips. I am going to be even more anal and buy a model airbrush kit to get a professional finish.
Not even that expensive and can be used for many other things that need painting touch ups.
I have 2018 Kona Honzo and the bronze paint is beautiful but chips so god damn easily. Cable rub on front headstock is where a sticker is definitely needed.
I dont really want to cover my bike in these patches to be honest, I think learning to repair the paint to an acceptable standard yourself is the way to go. Its gonna get scratched and chipped.
That way instead of having a big cry like a did when I dropped my new bike on day one is no longer such a drama!
Battle scars as I like to call them.
some frame protection isn't too bad. You'll still get scratches (and if your bike is aluminum, then it's naturally corrosion resistant too. But I'd rather keep my paint looking nice for as long as possible before I have to break out the touch up pen, so my AL comp is getting some covering on the more common wear areas at least.
It is the sad part of a beautiful paint job. It doesn't last forever. You see it on cars too where many now vinyl wrap theirs to protect the paint a bit longer for possible better resale value. So you buy an expensive car but never get to look at it in all its glory due to the wrapping.
First thing I do with a new bike or helmet, is drop it. Kills the anxiety right there
10:28 “Some people are more precious abou this than others” proceeds to show Sam Pilgrim washing his eeb(e-bike) with a monny(monster energy drink) and a frickin broom.
Nice Pilgrim-English-Pilgrim translations ;D
I wanted to comment exactly the same, way too funny 😂😂😂😂
I was about to comment this haha
“sand it on the curb” and “wack it with a brick”
That Pilgrim chappy is just an animal ... end of. ....but I wish I could send it like him.
Checking spoke tension is always a good thing to do regularly
This and bearings are two things I constantly forget about until I see a reminder on the internet and proceed to freak out and check them out, thanks
@ Michael Stewart
I needs to learn that ☝
Rode around with a loose one for months before I found it.
Michael Stewart how?????
@@sethmeistergee
I want to learn that skill, too. 😵 cornfusing
Anyone else remember when you bought a bike, rode it all day everyday, once in a blue moon cleaned it and sprayed the chain with WD-40 and it run sweet as a nut ? Now you need to stripe everything and rebuild your forks every 40 miles 😂
I remember using WD and having my chain rust 😭😭 .
I still do that, works perfectly fine. Chain needs to snap or frame need to break before i start to do something probably.. If the chain starts to slip due to worn out teeth, just use another gear :D
Thanks for an excellent vid but I'd like to add something about looking after suspension forks. I used to have a set of those Fox TALAS forks and the owner's manual stated that the foam rings under the seals are there to ensure the small amount of lubricating oil (usually around 10ml per leg as you said) is between the seals and bushings when you ride (you soak them in oil when servicing the fork). To this end they recommend storing your bike upside down when not in use which I always did religiously as well as wiping the stanchions and seals with GT85 on a rag after every ride. When the time came to get my TALAS fork serviced for the 2nd time after 2 years' use, the shop I sent them to (TF Tuned in Westbury) commented most of the TALAS forks they see that age are worn out like the ones in this video; however, later that day they called me to say my stanchions had NO visible wear AT ALL and all they needed was a full service. A lot of modern MTB forks like Rock Shox etc have these foam rings impregnated with lubricating oil because the damper unit is a sealed cartridge; if they use this system, store your bike upside down and the fork will last a lot longer. Also getting a chain cleaner for £5 from LIDL massively increases your drivetrain life and is every bit as good as the £££ "brand name" alternatives
Wow, jackfrags is a man of many trades I see
Didn’t even think about it until you pointed it out!
"This is an old one, for demonstration." *Proceeds to show a fork from the same year as mine*
Was going to write the same comment :D Mine might even be older - 2008 Talas, still going strong.
Yeah i have one from 1800
mines from last century...
I have the very same model and color. Fox Talas 32 RLC from way back 2009. Still kickin to this day! I use it on my trail videos.
mine has ISO mount still.
Many a headset or BB will be wrecked by over tension of bearings and misuse of preload. You can also debate the value of pulling blind bearings to clean and repack. Very hard to do without damaging the bearings.
just ride your bike, the one you love and when shit wears out excuse for upgrade, don't let this dude get you down.
Mines 2g 🤣🤣 I’m not upgrading anytime soon. I am buying a single speed for exactly that. To maintain longevity of my main bike
Ride it and take care of your stuff
@@drnapalm7605 of course. My point still stands, I will use two bikes. Lol
Time is money. You can spend hours every week meticulously cleaning and checking every bolt with an allen key, etc; in the hope that it lasts for 6 years rather than 5. Then it gets nicked, or you have a crash, or the technology is outdated and you can't get the parts for it anyway. Or you can just wait till stuff breaks and replace it.
@@alkaholic4848 seriously replacing parts over time isn't super expensive if you're not using super high-end stuff. My last two bikes got stolen, but my current bike, I intend to make into Theseus' bike.
My Yeti bike gets more love than my 2010 Honda Civic🤦🏻♂️
That's how it should be.
And they cost about the same
10:05 That's measuring the thickness of the rotor arms. Pretty sure they'd don't wear. Just measure the braking surface.
Ride enough and the rotor will wear. Definitely worth swapping out before it gets too thin. Usually youve changed your brake pads more than 6 times before you start to worry about this.
Clearly measuring the braking surface...correctly (where possible) using the main mid part of the caliper jaw, not the tip
@@rupedog The calliper's just going to measure the thickest thing it's placed around, regardless of which part of the jaw happens to be there. As shown, that will be the never-wearing rotor arm. Better to point the calliper more in the direction of rotation, rather than towards the hub centre and ensure it only contacts the wearing surface.
perhaps he's measuring the arm to get a baseline of how much wear is on the brake surface.
Yes thats right, you need to be carefull not to measur the ticknes of the rotor on places where there have been no wearingout. that are the rotorarms and in some cases there is a smal grade right on the edge of the rotor.
ive learned so much from ur vids just getting back into biking and finding out fast how expensive a hobby it is ...
Totally agree about having a dunger bike for running around on. It's a great way to use the partly warn or not so cool parts off your main bike and get more use out of them, and then buy new bits (guilt free) for your main bike.
Im always tinkering with my bike in the garage. Riding constantly, and checking the things you mentioned. It becomes like a hobby and you learn a lot.
I feel like people who don't do this, or dont like to need this video. 🤘
alot of times i'll clean the stanchions and seals off ... put a drop of two of oil on my fork seals ... cycle it a few times ... then wipe away any dirt it's pulled up from the seals
I like the full name of the scrap parts box in the background (before it was masked out & then opened)!
This is an excellent channel, especially for a noob rider like me! Thank you for the wealth of information!! Cheers from the US!
overusing bike!? not mad at all, you have just justified me buying a new whip! This was just the push I needed, Thanks!
I needed a good source for learning self-repair and maintenance, and you are it. Many thanks. I am now subscribed.
A timely video. This morning's pre-work ride was the first really muddy one since spring. It might be time to switch back to my cheap hardtail and save the full suss bike for special events until conditions improve next year.
Brake pad wear is a funny thing. One really crappy wet winter I got through three sets. Most winters I just need to replace the pads once. Every ride involved at least one stop to clean off mud with a stick just so I could keep the wheels turning. When you have heavy clay based soils and then tracks that have been surfaced with sand and fine gravel, you have the perfect recipe for worn out bike parts.
Well my 2012 is still going strong so I must be doing something right 🤟
13:49 yuuupp that's me. 8000km per year rain or shine in Finland
Yesterday I fixed gear derailleur and made my bike like the first day and now learning more for caring of bearings
How not to destroy your bike?
Dont use them. Just display 😅
once a week group ride with the cleanest blingest bike money can buy. thats cool
Rubber rots. Metal corrodes. Paint fades. Better to wear it out
@@stopglobalswarming just kidding but having a bike not about it looking good hanging up in the living room
Damn wannabes. $8000 mtb, a grand in cloths shoes and helmet. Walking the bike down the street so I don't get dirty
@@mamiltonhorris4476 i've got a $2k mtb, regular street clothes (denim jeans and short sleeved shirt), tennis shoes, and a cheap red helmet and cheap mtb gloves. I built the bike myself too.
I always buy the Lads in my local bike shop a coffee when I go in and they're always happy to give things a tweak for me. Plus, I've been riding bikes as long as Jonesy ( I'm 48 and could ride before I could walk ) and I'm only really learning how to properly maintain my bikes now ( Although borrowing money from the bank will always make ya look after your stuff! )
Loose headsets have always been my thing and I've always a 6mm Allen key on me. Definitely, keeping the drive chain sparkling on my Fathom e3 makes a big difference to it's performance.... Gone are the days of just keeping the oil topped up in the sturmey archer hub on me Raliegh Commando!
Due to work i do,nt get to ride my bike as often as id like, this makes me feel a bit better.
I discovered that a safety pin can be used to remove the seal on a bearing allowing you to clean it using solvent and air and then repack it. I also keep silicone spray handy to help repel dirt on the shock surfaces
3:25 Does the blurred writing say "worn out shit" or something else :D
Look at the box at the start of the video and it says worn out shit
Yeah... I used a 500 euro cube for everything and then had a year with a lot of problems getting to work.
finally got a scout for the trails, an trek xcaliber for commuting and some old bike just for doing stuff in town. It´s amazing.
Correx sheets make excellent frame protection. It's a corrugated plastic sheet, similar in structure to cardboard box. Two surfaces and tubular internal structure. lightweight, cut with scissors, and is great for underside of downtube and chainstays. Fasten with tiewraps.
Been using it as a chain slap guard for chainstays and bottom bracket "jacket" for years.
Those knackered bearings and grindy forks sound like me in the mornings. Sound advice. Best tool I ever bought was a chain checker, saved me hundreds of pounds replacing expensive cassettes and chain rings. Cheers Daddy.
doddy
@@mrfrogg46able Cheers, a classic case of predictive text I do believe.
I would argue most bikes don't get enough use. I've never heard of anyone overusing their bike...
You obviously need to ride more.... lol
not true I've cracked a frame before
I think the advice was not to ride your expensive bike every day through dirt and salt, but insead get a cheap beater for commuting.
thecrazyracoon But you are the crazy raccoon man! 😅
im still using my old chopper, 35 years
I ❤️ UA-cam because I can always find incredible content for just about anything!!!
My bb fell apart yesterday and my rear wheel has 1cm side to side play. All other bearings are fine. My chainring looks like a saw blade even though I change my chain every 2-3 months and clean my chain as often as possible.
Nice video, thanks. One thing I would add is that an analog vernier is just as good as a digital one. Digital callipers batteries eventually run out, but the analog ones still measure to 0.1mm and will be ready to go whenever you need them.
Also, I think it's difficult to measure rotors like that, there can be a flange on the edge causing the reading to be very wrong.
I think the ship's sailed for me on my current bike since it only cost me $125 at Walmart years ago. It was a pos then and it's had issues along the way, but it can take a beating. I still use it. Roadmaster MTB. I'm planning to get a GT Aggressor Pro, so I'll definitely start paying more attention to all of this stuff.
yup, I literally froze a mavic cross ride rear hub in Wales, had to fork out for a new one for 50 quid so I'll check it tomorrow as I've had it in a year now
I took aa bearing off my bike once... shortly later it exploded. You're educating on some precarious advanced potential detrimental things.... like you mess up the bike worse than could be by taking apart these components... for instance brake pads.... super hard to get just right after taking out.
I couldn’t agree more about the two “rat” bike solution. When I went to sell my first e-bike, an hardtail, I found to my shock that I was going to loose a truck load of money, so I decided to keep it and turn it into my daily commuter by adding a rack and pannier. It has now basically replaced my car in doing local trips to the shops etc and saved my Trek Rail for what it does best out in the trails.
Great information, although Ignorance = Bliss technique lets you get those new components that much sooner! I think danger of touching rotors/pads just with your bare hands is overstated - I've never had issues there, unless those hands are soaked in fork oil... Would be curious on opinion regarding the brake fluid changes though
This summer has been awful to my bike. Pretty much everything all decided to start failing at once. Shifter: Broken. Rear wheel: hopelessly deformed. Headlamp: stolen. Front tire: nail through it.
All separate incidents occuring within a 2 week span.
Yeah I've run a tube wrap on my Chain Stays. When you see the beating that takes you're thankful you did, lol. And overuse is a good thing
Hi Doddy. I have a pair of Rock Shox Reba, 32mm dual air forks, which are about 10 years old. On the outside, they look mint. But I pumped them up to 110psi a couple of weeks ago, and they lost 40psi overnight, without any load on them. So I pumped them up again, and the same thing happened.
They came on a bike that I bought 2nd hand, so not sure when, or if the forks had ever been serviced.
I tried a little bit of water on the upper and lower valves, but could not see any bubbles.
I then dismantled them, and submerged the upper leg air chamber in water, to just above the crimp, but no bubbles. So I removed the air chamber from the upper leg to inspect the inside of the stanchions, and found that there was slight wear on the inside, some very slight circular scoring, and some of the kashima coating having been worn away. The rest of the fork components, including all the O rings, look fine. And there is no wear on the outside of the stanchions that I can see.
Being that it is the lower leg that is losing pressure, could this be the wiper and seals on the top of the lower legs that need replacing? And should I be worried about the coating being worn on the inside of the stanchions, or can they ve re coated?
I could probably service them myself, if it is worth doing, but don't want to shell out almost £100 for a service kit if they are beyond repair.
Thanks.
I'm mechanically inclined enough to adjust and dial in anything on my new bike(with a little help from all you nice UA-camrs). My real concern is not ****ing it up. These are the most important videos, to me.
Just did a wiper and seal service on a badly neglected pair of 2009 production 2010 F29 Fit RLs. The legs look pretty bad in a couple spots and the bushings are worn but with new FOX green(Not easy to get in US haha) A hone on the damaged bits of the stanchion and the seal/wiper they still feel good and are not leaking. There is a bit of play I hope replacing the bushings will help and when I do that I can service the air spring and damper which still thankfully work wonderfully. Not sure about those particular forks but I would not totally write off a pair of forks with a bit of stanchion wear especially with how much a new set could cost. Thanks for all the great tips I enjoyed the video.
Thanks just got a 2021 fox factory fork 32 this really helps 👍👍
I am so grateful for this information, however i don’t know how “screw up’able” is the bearing maintainance and the lower leg maintainance if you do it by yourself
I personally think that its also important to not clean your bike after every ride. A little bit of dust or some water drops won‘t be a problem to your bike. Its more demaging the bike if you always wash it because of all the bearings!
When you change your chain you can fit little colour coordinated alloy jockey wheels to your derailleur, like I did, as well. They come in a lot of different colours on eBay with bearings included. It's a little bit poncey but I think it's nice.
Good tips thanks, I'm guilty of everything lol, I only really ever do the real basics like cleaning the bike and checking for anything loose,
But I don't have expensive bikes because they just get stolen .....
I'm wanting an e mountain bike soon though so need to learn to look after stuff better.
Thanks for the tips.
Only doubt I have is about cleaning the bike. I have cleaned my bike several times but before every next ride, when I come to lube the chain I find rust starting to build on it and also on the rear drive set . Now I am talking about my brand new bike Giant Trance Advanced 2, although isn't among the very expensive ones out there, still isn't made of poor quality parts.
Just to note that I also give the bike a fair towel wipe to dry as much as possible.
Probably obvious but the mistake here is failing to lube immediately after cleaning and drying. Don’t wait till before the ride, if you lube after cleaning you also don’t need to worry about it while you’re getting ready to go.
My Ellsworth bearings locked up and broke my rear triangle
I live in eastern Oregon very sandy my forks are toast
I change my chain before it wears out no more broken chain
I have a comuter bike
It would be nice if you'd add links to your other videos (maintenance videos that are mentioned)
I found riding in the summer on my old 160mm discs destroyed pads. If you can fit 205mm rotors then do it. Heat kills pads and one sure fire way to heat up pads is to use a lot of braking on small rotors on a hot day. Every factor there goes against good heat dissipation.
This video was very informative, useful and easy to understand. Im now all the more wiser. Kudos to GMBN!
11:33 My bike one is rubbing the paint off the cranks when i',m riding around town in my jeans. If anyone knows where pick up some OEM shimano deore decals let me know
Have you tried slick graphics they had some xt ones for mine with same issue
Ik im a bit late but if u want heavy duty frame protection try gnartech they make feame and fork protectors
Excellent video, very good tips! Thank you and cheers from Brazil!
The crank bearings grinding like they have sand in them was a common sound on my friend's bike when I was a kid. They couldn't understand why I would go through the trouble of disassembling the crank to clean, lube, and adjust the bearings, but they couldn't keep up with me in races either!
I wipe my fork down after most dirty rides, but will need to get some fork oil since this is my first suspension fork.
For checking brake rotor thickness, measure just the rotor that contacts the brake bad. Having the caliper on the rotor support will be inaccurate.
I always seem to get mud on my e-bike controller even when it's dry out! I'm thinking of making a splash shield, or a mud flap for the fender. If I'm done riding for the day, I'll get a damp cloth and wipe down everywhere I can reach, being careful to turn and wash the cloth frequently so I'm not rubbing grit into the paint. Fortunately, my bike came with a fabric and foam cover to guard against chain slap. I cringed at using Coke or whatever that was to douse that mid drive!
Not sure if I'm riding my bike too much. Only had it for two weeks and have 263 miles on it...
Thanks for the video! I learned.
New Zealand gets a mention, that's a thumbs up from me!
Yeah....places like Queenstown have some great rides.
This is why I started out with a cheap big box bike. It taught me everything maintenance wise.. truing the wheels, bottom bracket and wheel bearings, chain replacement, everything. Obviously the parts will be different on better bikes, but it was a worthy baptism of fire.
"Overusing your bike"
Yes, I'm guilty =/
Yeah but at least you're fit, right?
Excellent video. Keep up the great work.
Don't drag the mud off the frame with your hands . . great way to scratch the paint!
Hello sir. Good day to you. Thanks for sharing us your knowledge. You people are great. I have a question is it ok to spray WD 40 to my stanchion? Thanks
i builded me self a rat bike, a racer from 1977..it went so beautiful so i put it up on my wall and still riding my regular one :X
I'm guilty of all of these except the bearings with my poor ol' Motobecane....
Missing paint splotches, visible brake rotor scoring, I finally gave the drive train a cleanout in preparation for replacing the cassette, chain (yep, that thing was boned), and derailleur sprockets (I already replaced the chainring), the front fork is knackered and makes frightening noises, and the bike served as my commuter and "everything" bike for a few years before it got sent to the garage because I didn't yet have the skillz to repair it.
Just buy more bikes for your collection to ride and that equates to less wear.
@Tj Semeniuk true
This was a decent watch and plenty straightforward. Didn't get too technical, so anyone can watch out for these things.
you can make custom kydex frame protectors if you want some more heavy duty protection that still looks nice. it molds easily with heat and its not horribly expensive either
Slowly been adding to my stable so I can follow the last rule. And its more fun when you have specialized bikes for different type of riding. Currently have a commuter with panniers and baskets and racks for groceries and city riding. Roadbike for the paved trail systems, Hardtail, full suspension enduro, and a full sus XC. I need a bigger bike carrier I only can hold 4 at a time, tipe to stick 2 on the roof!
That last point scared me, I try to ride my bike daily... I should also tru to be on point with maintenance.
I also try and ride a bit each day. Don't let it scare you, just know with use, you will up your maintenance a bit. His point is riding a 5k rig everyday to the market and such.
#askgmbntech Good tip with frame protection. Use a hair dryer or heat gun to make the frame protection more pliable and less likely to tear when applying. Also if you do it wrong it easier to remove and start over and easier to push out air bubbles.
askgmbntech is for asking something not for giving them advice.
As a bikemech... The last point/advice is golden.
Top tip, after cleaning the fork stanchions wipe some fork oil (same weight as what you use in the lowers) on them and work it into the wiper seals.
I just put plastic wrap on my frame when going to whistler because it's cheaper than tape and you don't have to wear out the paint. Its especially useful on the frame near the chain. So you don't need degreaser for the black stuff.
@1:52 "...putting some more grease..." while spraying WD40 which actually dissolves grease. Never use WD40 as a lube.
Most of us are around natures grinding paste, the streets/crisp packets/chewing gum/old fruit pastels/half house bricks/smashed glass/oil patches/dog do do 😅 that's on the way out to the countryside. GREAT VID DOD 🙏🇬🇧
well, good point on the last thing with bike overuse, another good reason to have a cheaper extra bike if youve got an expensive bike - some people steal bikes, and if your bike is stolen well it ain't running well for you either. I personally use my old half-dead hardtail for commute and such whilst I ride my fully for the funsies on trails and such
Lol @ the box of "worn out sh*t" in the background! 🤣
So much to worry about. I now will decide to just simply purchase a new bike every Spring Season, sell off the used one. This way I never need to worry about bike maintenance. Expensive yes, but worry free.
I broke the bearing on my Walmart mtb by going 30 mph
I am definitely overusing my e-bike. I ride it everywhere.. At 1100kms I had to change the cassette and chain, that was 10 days ago... I rode about 400kms since, guess I need to order the next set soon.
I keep a soft bristled paint brush that only gets used, once the bike is dry, to brush of the dried mud, dust and grit from the moving parts.
The front forks on my Specialized Expedition circa 2005 roughly are seized. Like they may as well be rigid forks at this point. I am not sure I want to tear them apart. Is there an oil I can use to lubicrcate the seals a bit and maybe unseize them? WD40 I think would deteriorate the rubber seals. As long as they have a bit of give I am good with them them as I do put a lot of miles on my bikes but not a lot of trail riding. Mostly I like them for smoothing out the moon craters on the streets where I live. Or do I need to do a complete tear down and rebuild?
I didn’t properly screw my front wheel so I was racing on a flat road with my friend and my wheel just started wobbling.. not a nice feeling. Remember to screw things properly!
3:15 which video is that clip from? Looks like fun
When cleaning your bike, do not put it away wet, dry it with a towel or microfiber cloth. Don't use anything that can scratch your frame.
Yep, good point. When I wash my bike, I dry it with a towel to get the majority of the water on the frame, then I use an air compressor and blow any water out of the tight spots and the components, always making sure it's completely dry.
when I bought my current bike 2 yrs ago I considered keeping my old bike which was a very cheap Walmart dual sus Mongoose that I purchased in 2013 for around $150. My current bike is a 27.5 with an XL frame, by old bike was a 26 inch. I considered keeping my old bike for use in the winter but tbh I didn't enjoy riding that bike. I never looked forward to going out on it so I gave it to a thrift store to sell, I think someone was probably very happy with it considering I did put about $300 worth of upgrades into it. I actually look forward to riding my current bike (Upgraded GT Aggressor Pro). I ride it year round and it's been solid so far with just very minimal maintenance and cleaning (a wipe down every now and then with a soapy rag).
Great close-ups! Thanks.
Is there a video on how to clean disc brakes/pads
4:41, the stanchions can be polished and be like new.
So the N+1 rule applies to how many bikes should I own to keep from over using my bike. That's solid advice.
Im 55 i no longer do jumps or wheelies just the odd Dirt Track and mainly roads so i hope my Full susser EMTB will last a bit longer then yours !
About the hello, I just made what about cleaning the stanchions with brake cleaner as well then lubing up with WD-40 or similar product