Tip for using the barrel adjuster on the rear derailleur. The derailleur will move in the direction that the top of the barrel moves, so clockwise turns will move the derailleur to the right (outside), while cc turns will move the derailleur to the left (in towards the spokes).
I absolutely love your channel guys. Since I started watching you I realized that cycling and maintenance isn't realy hard, got myself a road bike and cycling makes me happy more than anything else nowadays. Thank you
Xcellent tip about not adjusting limit screw on derailleur!! That probably saved me many hlurs of frustration! It makes perfect sense when you think about it. Once they're set correctly it shouldn't change.
Good info, i have never had those horrible problems with the fork tube. I suppose that when people don’t do the maintenance on their own these are common mistakes. It’s common sense as soon as you spend time with the bike, otherwise just do a quick search and learn. In my experience, in MTB the most important parts are the chain, bottom bracket, cables, disk brakes and rear (and front) derailleur, in that order, very sensitive parts to muddy conditions, otherwise just the chain and the cables.
For oiling my chain, I rest my right hand with the bottle on the chain stay, and then slowly rotate the rear wheel backwards with my left hand. This pulls the chain at a very easily controllable speed. I can keep my right hand still, and just dab oil onto every roller as it comes past. With my particular workstand, this seems about the most efficient/easiest/most-accurate way I can come up with.
"don't mess with the limit screws" -- i'm guilty of that. my mechanic gave me a funny look, "someone messed with this and didn't know what they were doing." he knew what i had done haha!
The worst thing is stripping the limit screws. I hat that shimano use phillips or what I thought was phillips and turned out to be JIS, I'm going to have to buy new bolts.
I have 3 gears 8 speed, hybrid bike 700quid,, nice ride for a fatman like me until I lose fat - but I changed my front derailleur and got a nice one and STILL it rubs the sides even when setup correctly on my bike on the extreme ends (1st gear target front cog- or- smallest rear gear and smallest front cog) and even with limit screws totally undone! Im shocked that someone hasn't invented a new type of slightly wider derailed so as no sound whatsoever in any extreme gear. All a learning curve thank god for the UA-cam instructions!
For shifting issues- AGREE! Never touch those limit screws! For shifting issues, cable tension could certainly be a culprit. Also, checking to make sure the cable isn't corroded, the housing isn't contaminated or that the outer sheath has not compressed, and that your derailleur hanger is straight. In my area, it's usually a cable/housing or hanger issue causing the issue.
#5 - correction. Adjust your limit screws if the derailleurs are going to far (correct) OR if they are not able to travel far enough (also a common problem I've seen tuning drivetrains).
I'm previously guilty of touching the limit screws when indexing was out. GCN helped set me straight a couple years ago though. Maintenance Monday for the win!
The thing I always need to be reminded of is to dry the drivetrain (before lubing) and hex bolt heads. It's no fun coming back to a what you thought was a spotless bike to find a rusty chain, cassette, or stem bolts!
2:08 -- Another trick you can do with keeping track of what link you started lubricating on is to use a magic marker to mark the side. I do this because I can never find the joining pin, it looks too much like all the others.
I was told by a mechanic that the best rag to use is an old t-shirt or something. Towels are actually bad because the stringy part might get caught in components and/or leave stringy residue behind.
Great video as always. One thing that might be helpful to newer home mechanics, however. Drivetrain being dry-It may be best to wait overnight for your chain to be dry enough in order to lube properly.
Tip for #1: Remove your rear wheel and use a chain keeper so that you eliminate all risk of dropping lube, liquid or aerosol, on your brake discs or track. Same for degreasing the chain. Takes a moment and it can save you from a huge headache.
good solid advice for little above amateurs, I've been doing bike maintenance on my own since i was in high school learned so much along the way. Now my bike is always in perfect shape. Not even the bike shops does the job right because they tend to rush for quantity and miss details. moral of the story, get enough tools to be able to completely disassemble your bike and reassemble it and do it on a practice bike because the first few times you are always gonna mess something up. You don't want to over tighten your seat tube derailleur clamp or your carbon steerer headset on your $5000 bike. you will get your money back from those tools after doing 2 bike shop worth of maintenance.
_Great mistakes to avoid!_ *Here's some more help for headsets* -- If the headset is loose, a good starting point for tightening it back up is to tighten the top cap compression bolt to a torque of 2.5 Nm. Naturally, this should be done with the stem loose or the stem may consume some of the tasty torque. 2.5 Nm is a fairly "light" torque and it should be very close to the torque you'll need to eliminate unwanted play without over-tightening the bearings. If memory serves, I think I heard this tip from the famous bike mechanic, Lennard Zinn, several years ago. Another tip: To prevent your headset from loosening again in the future, apply a little medium-strength thread locking compound to the stem bolts that tighten the stem to the steering tube. Remember, the top cap compression bolt sets the tightness of the headset. But the stem steering tube bolts are what _maintain_ that tightness.
D.Eldon I replaced my stem yesterday and planning a long ride tomorrow, I read your comment and decided to check my headset and it's a little loose. Thanks for saving my trip! That size wrench is not on my multitool but it's now in my bag.
You should pull the front brake and rock the bike gently back and forth, while nipping up the top cap bolt. That takes the slack right out, without applying any significant torque to the bolt.
Dan Pedersen I couldn't remember and decided it didn't matter that much which I tightened first, but now I know. Thanks for the tip on holding the brake and slowly getting it tight, by the way my muti tool has a 5, it was covered by a slip over 9, I thought was cool. Thanks man, you really helped me out!
I take exception to the advice that the chain lubricant should be kept to the inner rollers and pins because it leaves the rest of the chain exposed to corrosion. This is a huge issue for me since I ride year around in all kinds of weather.
I'm 47 now, but when I was 9 my neighbour Wilf, about 70, taught me fully how to service my bike and properly repair punctures. Never learned anything better since. Even on my Bolton IM training ride with a group of 20 I was the only one with a puncture repair kit when someone's spare innertube didn't fit! (Short valve vs deep wheels!). Sad times
It's been 2 years since the video. I miss the way jon presenting the contents. Love his accent and passion for bicycle. Perhaps gcn tech will provide us with his personal collection tour.
Really helpful! I love learning how to keep my bike in super working order. I made the mistake #1, too much lube on the chain. great tips on how to do it like a pro. Thanks ~
There isn't a more toxic substance in the bike world than teflon. Sure it does the trick but you're contaminating your environment a LOT with that stuff.
I use LPS 842 or LPS "Chain Mate" Molybdenum Disulphide, dry lube for about 30 years now. Drivetrain stays clean because it doesn't attract dirt like oil does. Chain lasts at least 5000 mi.
After de-greasing/scrubbing the chain I'll still go back with a handful of Q-Tips and clean out the spaces in between each roller. It's amazing how much gunk is still in there. Then, I'll spray some more de-greaser or even a fine spray of water to rinse off and clean that gunk I loosened with the Q-Tips before lubing.
Aaron David ... /... , try with gasoline ,,, then be kind enough to let us know how it worked [ that gunk out ] . Be sure it won't drop any ,,, onto the bearings of the drive-train .
1. Lubing too much of too little 2. Always check tyre pressure before going out for a ride 3. Headset too loose/tight 4. Poor cable setup 5. Don't touch limit screws: use barrel adjuster instead
Good video. I use an electric toothbrush to clean the chain rollers and that is probably of the best tool you can use to do use for the chain. For lube I use WD40 wet bike chain lube on a syringe with a curved needed tip to get into the rollers crevices. Problem with Canada is road salt with destroys the bike chains. A little W40 helps to remove the rust bits.
If you're gonna talk about headset adjustment you might mention that torquing it until you crack the steerer can make your next ride unusually exciting.
I had a mechanic at a local bike shop say not to use any degreaser on the chain. Just clean it by adding more chain lube and wiping it until its clean.
@@bicyclist2 best way is to use petroleum naphtha or whatever it's called - it dissolves grease and then evaporates so I rinse and wipe off the dissolved dirt and then let it dry evaporate, I then apply lube as described in this video
Thanks for another helpful video. Really find the ones where its going through mistakes to be very helpful and I guess its reassuring to know that your not the only one who forgets to do things! I think that perhaps the chain is sometimes my worst habit out of these but good to see some others where it can all go wrong! Keep it up Jon!
@@i528DNA Tyre is the UK English spelling, so he is correct; tire is used in US/Canadian spelling. (Tire meaning "to become tired" is, of course, used in both.)
Notice how the correct screwdriver/tool helps adjusting limit screws? I do all our bike maintenance myself. Ran into a problem with the wife's hybrid where it would not go down into the smallest chainring. After much fiddling, it was the FD fouling the seatpost. The factory had fitted a (square taper) BB that was too narrow (probably a parts-bin clearout) so as it wore in and the cranks moved ever-so-slightly closer together, the FD just could not move in to compensate. New BB sorted it
Cables don't stretch as much as the housing compress's. Check upper limit screw by grabbing rear derailleur while turning crank and push inward as far as possible. You might discover the chain will jump past the large cog by force into the spokes where normal shifting will never give any indication the limit screw is not set correctly. We check every new Trek bike this way and while most are perfectly dialed, you do find some that are just not right. Now add to the fact bikes get dropped in use on the derailleur side and bends the hanger making this situation even worse.
Chain cleaning and lube, Many opinions on this. My opinion, and from my experience with bearing/chains etc, when you clean them out, all you do is wash out the manufactures lube and allow grit to get in, then you are trying to put stuff back in there which generally doesn’t work from my experience, so you have a dry scratchy bearing/chain. I would suggest, just remove the excess and apply a little normal grease, as comes on the chain. I find I still get the rated life if not more. Easy.
Wayne Softy P Manufactureres , they use a preservative 'oil' to store it for long time in big-department-stores , before it arrives to the customer : it is a wax to protect ( from rust , moisture , salty corrosive elements ) [ but not exactlly to lubricate or diminish drag ] , no .
Also with people touching the limit screws its probably a bent hangar. Idk how many times Ive worked on bikes and straightened the read hangar to find that the limits and tension have been adjusted to the bent hangar to make it work.
Oiling I used to put oil on the rag then back peddle the chain through the rag leave to soak in once covered then back peddle once every 10mins then after 40 mins of this get a clean rag and back peddle chain through rag until outer chain is dry, this way the inner moving parts remain oiled whilst the outer chain is finger dry, however this does all depend on what weather i am riding in
Another mistake is throwing out old inner tubes, they have so many uses and the valve cores are a valuable spare if you run tubeless. Oh, and when lubing the chain, remove the wheels and use a chain keeper; remove the risk of contaminating braking surfaces and pads. Contaminated disc pads are a bloody nightmare and may require the "Disc-o inferno" treatment.
My guess is your chain and cassette are brittle after grinding without oil and in 1000 miles you'll have to buy a new chain, cassette, and more for about 300 bucks. 😉
Ive put a lot of miles on plenty of bikes with little maintenance. But no maintenance doesnt mean it didnt have its flaws like bad brakes or shifting being difficult. But i will note 90% of the time one of my bikes started having lots of issues is when i started abusing it. Leaving it in the rain or riding in the rain. Not putting on a lick of lubricant or dropping the bike instead of setting on a kickstand. Ruined a pretty good bike by abusing it. Ive still got the bike and it still rides but it needs just about everything replaced besides the frame, forks, handlebars and seat. And she still shifts but doesnt like it and still brakes but takes a minute😂
Here's one: Do not spray degreaser anywhere near your hubs! I've seen some GCN presenters spraying it on their cassettes while still on the wheel, and it's not a great idea. I did it once, and a bit must have gotten into my hub bearings, and just wrecked the grease in there. My free hub body was dead after that... happened straight away, sealed bearings and everything Just don't do it and have to replace your free hub body like me!
Holding brakes to check for play in the headset is a Rookie Mechanic way of doing it. Play in the brakes themselves can be mistaken for play in the headset. The best way to check is to have the bike on the ground and put one hand on the top of the front tire and other on the handlebar stem. Next, push the tire forward and backwards while pushing and pulling the handlebar stem in the opposite direction. You are checking for play while leaving the brakes out of it.
@GCN Tech Hi, I am just getting into cycling. After putting on degreaser onto the chain, we're supposed to wait until it is dry before applying lube. However, how do we know when it is dry and is there a method to quicken that drying process? Also, what happens if we apply lube before degreaser dries up? Thanks!
I would never wipe away the excess chain lube, which explains why my chain seemed to always get ridiculously dirty in no time. Good to know that tip now.
Embarrassed to say, I had previously wondered why I couldn't get those gears changing quite perfectly again, from adjusting.... ...what turns out to be just limit screws. I'd assumed the derailleur automatically operated evenly within the range set by the screws, but now I see if you don't adjust the cable tension to suit then no it won't. Time to try that barrel adjuster.
I agree with those using a combination of paraffin and motor oil or some other kind of wet lubricant. I've been doing this for nearly 20 years. Since I'm almost exclusively a roadie, the chain never gets dirty so when it's time to relube, I just dip the chain in the hot lubricant and I'm good to go in about 15-20 minutes. And there is NO BETTER lubricant. Those who have used this procedure correctly will know that. Now if one is dripping lubricant on the chain, it's best not to do it while the chain is on the bike. First of all this procedure is mind-deadening. Second, I'd be willing to bet that some dripping is inevitable. The best approach is to hang the chain up and let gravity do a bit of the work. If you put too much lube on a link, the excess will drip onto the next link.
I also used paraffin (candle) and motor oil, but after some time my jockey wheels (the small wheels next to the cassette) weren't moving so good, and in free run the chain tried to move to another gear from itself. After good cleaning and using only oil on the chain, everything is fine.
Always tilt the bike 45 degree to the drive side, let the saddle rest on your shoulder, when kneeling beside it and lubing while back pedaling with you other hand. Nothing ends up on the frame or wheel rims. Lean the bike at something, at the same angle, and let it soak in for a while and then clean away the oil on the outside. Use jamacian oil types that are one of the few that actually go between metal objects that are tight together and not just on top of it. It's more expensive but also works on rusty bolts that get stuck and other things that are hard to lubricate. WD40 and CRC5-56 doesn't work as good as Omega 636 and similar products.
A question to Jon, if you let me: Every car maintenance manual recommends use of anti seize paste to avoid problems with disassembling. Actually, they say that a regular lubricant not only does not prevent seizing, it can make things even worse over time. How come that you always recommend using a lubricant on threads like bottom brackets or pedals?
Using grease makes it so the threads work smoother. If your threads are smoother you will be able to put more torque on them to tighten them up fully. I mean sure you COULD use something like loctite or anything on them but it's not worth it. Everything properly tightened on a bike shouldn't really work loose on it's own. BUT! The worst thing you could really do is going in dry, it's never a fun and great experience.
Limit screws do not move by themselves, so if your chain starts shifting off the cassette or chainring, look to see what else might have changed before adjusting the limit screws. A rider in our group was unable to shift to the big ring. Turned out the clamp bolts on the left crank were loose and the crankset was falling out!
They will move by themselves on a mountain bike if they don't have any thread adhesive on them. Had it happen to me last summer. Reset them and blue Loctite to prevent reoccurrence.
I like the warning against fiddling with the limit screws because doing so may really screw things up. Pun intended. Adjusting these are, most times, not required and takes a bit of patience to get it right.
I'm not even an amateur-grade rider, but I was able to avoid all of the mentioned, except for maybe wiping the chain. I even constructed a simple contraption that I use to slowly clean, and then lubricate the chain (i made it out of old drill and printer parts, slow-rotating motor from microwave oven, two cut bottles and ultrasound mist generator). Very low-tech, and takes hours to clean (and then lubricate), but works for me...
Just wondering with the Shimano 105 rear derailleur on the bike, is that an out-of-box hanger or a direct mount hanger that has been specifically changed to? details of the hanger can be seen around 5:12. Lots of thanks if anyone could answer that. Been thinking about swapping to a direct mount rear derailleur hanger for my da 9150 di2 on my pina f10 however having a hard time tracking an exactly fit part.
Best way to do Bike Maintenance: 1/ Download the Manufacturer Manuals for every part of the bike. 2/ Read the Manuals 3/ Do what it says in the Manual. I can't repair all the damage the local bike shop mechanic's ignorance caused to my brand new Cannondale but at least I have now been able to make everything work properly. Lucky for you if you find a mechanic you can trust who doesn't rip you off, but they still won't be riding your bike. You'll be able to tune a bike better to you if you read the manuals yourself and understand how everything is supposed to work and can spot all the niggles yourself. 👍
Yeaa i made the mistake of touching some of the limit screws for the front derailleur when i was having some issues going into lthe lowest gear and it made going into higher gears so stiff. Ive tried everything to reset it back to normal and nothing. Second and first are fine but it does not like to pull into third and the grip shift wont even move all the way to 3 but will still get it to shift to highest gear. Once its in the highest gear it doesnt have any issues going back down. Wont touch that again after i get this fixed😂😂 And i wont watch another video and try to act like that gave me enough knowledge to know wtf im doing😂
FYI, best way to lubricate chain is to submerge it in oil. For real. Heat up a bowl of oil (not too much, you can destroy heattreat of your chain) and submerge it for couple of hours. I'm personally doing it as a first thing when starting maintenance of my bike, and take it out of oil bath at the end. It works as a charm!
Submerging in oil works great. It's what I used to do on dirt bikes. But, you don't need to heat it or wait any length of time. P.S. you are not about to effect the metal's temper with hot oil. Who told you that?
Biggest maintenance mistake I’ve made is using general purpose degreaser to clean my drive chain, especially cassette and chain rings without taking them off the bike. 4 new bearings in the back wheel and two in the bottom bracket later and I won’t be making that mistake again!
The plusher the better. Seriously. Thick terry cloth is the best. Gets in between the rollers to get as much wayward lube as possible. Work the cloth in both directions, not just backpedal as they show here. Backpedal a turn, run the cloth back and forth keeping the chain in tension, repeat until done. Repeat the rub-down process after each of the next several rides. Oil will creep out of the rollers and out onto the chain while riding.
anyone see that screw driver skip rather than turn the adjustment screw. This should be in the video because if the driver skips its also stripping the socket, sooner or later it will be difficult to turn at all. The metal shavings can also slip into the pivoting surfaces causing premature wear.
@@catherinesmyth6060 Agreed - if they're catching fire in the wash you've not added water and soap. But - best to pre-soak anything with hot water & dish soap (+ rinse) to help free it of gunk and grease build up.
When cleaning your chainrings, make sure your not putting the middle chainring of a triple crank set on backwards. Went cycling in the alps with a clean but non functioning drivetrain. Forgot to bring my crank removal tool on holiday. And then had to endure the scorn and sighs of the local Italian bike repair man when he asked me “what kind of idiot bike mechanic I went to back in Amsterdam“. 🤦🏻♂️
I mean in all honesty it isn't always as clear and it is a mistake easily and quickly made. I work at a shop and I have made the mistake before (got caught before it went out tho). Yet an other reason for going 1x :P
Did that once on my double, but was spared the grief of a mechanic, just had to stop and pull the chain out from between the chainrings after shifting from large to small. Was not a good ride that day, but been very careful to put things back together correctly since then. Lesson learned the hard way.
I dont see any need to let the lube sit for a few hours. I feel 5 to 10 mins max after back pedaling for a bit to work the lube in then wipe it off works just fine.
1. use wax and can not be too much or less of it 2. once a week check tyre pressure-it has to be enough that in corner tyre does not sway on rim 5. leave it to professionals
It's not a rocket science. You can do everything at home, from regular service to building and setting up your bike. Even lacing a wheel is piece of cake. I did even repaired a crack on cf frame and after 300km on gravel, cobblestones, bad asfalt and even tightened in turbo trainer, it looks pretty good. So, if you are really lame, don't do basic service yourself. Otherwise, learn a bit, it will come handy when you'll need it.
Tip for using the barrel adjuster on the rear derailleur. The derailleur will move in the direction that the top of the barrel moves, so clockwise turns will move the derailleur to the right (outside), while cc turns will move the derailleur to the left (in towards the spokes).
I absolutely love your channel guys. Since I started watching you I realized that cycling and maintenance isn't realy hard, got myself a road bike and cycling makes me happy more than anything else nowadays. Thank you
Nice one Pavel! Keep it up 👌
Xcellent tip about not adjusting limit screw on derailleur!! That probably saved me many hlurs of frustration! It makes perfect sense when you think about it. Once they're set correctly it shouldn't change.
Literally this channel is such a lifesaver for me since Im a total idiot if it comes to bicycles .
Good info, i have never had those horrible problems with the fork tube. I suppose that when people don’t do the maintenance on their own these are common mistakes. It’s common sense as soon as you spend time with the bike, otherwise just do a quick search and learn. In my experience, in MTB the most important parts are the chain, bottom bracket, cables, disk brakes and rear (and front) derailleur, in that order, very sensitive parts to muddy conditions, otherwise just the chain and the cables.
For oiling my chain, I rest my right hand with the bottle on the chain stay, and then slowly rotate the rear wheel backwards with my left hand. This pulls the chain at a very easily controllable speed. I can keep my right hand still, and just dab oil onto every roller as it comes past. With my particular workstand, this seems about the most efficient/easiest/most-accurate way I can come up with.
That seems needlessly awkward unless you are running a left-hand drive🤔
This is the best method
"don't mess with the limit screws" -- i'm guilty of that. my mechanic gave me a funny look, "someone messed with this and didn't know what they were doing." he knew what i had done haha!
basic mechanic logic.....
The worst thing is stripping the limit screws. I hat that shimano use phillips or what I thought was phillips and turned out to be JIS, I'm going to have to buy new bolts.
I have 3 gears 8 speed, hybrid bike 700quid,, nice ride for a fatman like me until I lose fat - but I changed my front derailleur and got a nice one and STILL it rubs the sides even when setup correctly on my bike on the extreme ends (1st gear target front cog- or- smallest rear gear and smallest front cog) and even with limit screws totally undone! Im shocked that someone hasn't invented a new type of slightly wider derailed so as no sound whatsoever in any extreme gear.
All a learning curve thank god for the UA-cam instructions!
Don't mess with the Screws? Ha! I learned that in prison.
For shifting issues- AGREE! Never touch those limit screws! For shifting issues, cable tension could certainly be a culprit. Also, checking to make sure the cable isn't corroded, the housing isn't contaminated or that the outer sheath has not compressed, and that your derailleur hanger is straight. In my area, it's usually a cable/housing or hanger issue causing the issue.
#5 - correction. Adjust your limit screws if the derailleurs are going to far (correct) OR if they are not able to travel far enough (also a common problem I've seen tuning drivetrains).
I like to apply chain lube with a small brush. Quick and neat! Make sure you wipe off the excess, clean and lube often!
I'm previously guilty of touching the limit screws when indexing was out. GCN helped set me straight a couple years ago though. Maintenance Monday for the win!
Great stuff! Are you guilty of any others?
GCN Tech None of the others mentioned in THIS video. 😉
The thing I always need to be reminded of is to dry the drivetrain (before lubing) and hex bolt heads. It's no fun coming back to a what you thought was a spotless bike to find a rusty chain, cassette, or stem bolts!
2:08 -- Another trick you can do with keeping track of what link you started lubricating on is to use a magic marker to mark the side. I do this because I can never find the joining pin, it looks too much like all the others.
I really love your tips about chain and tyre pressure. I have been applying these on my motorcycles for years.
Great job.
I was told by a mechanic that the best rag to use is an old t-shirt or something. Towels are actually bad because the stringy part might get caught in components and/or leave stringy residue behind.
Great video as always. One thing that might be helpful to newer home mechanics, however. Drivetrain being dry-It may be best to wait overnight for your chain to be dry enough in order to lube properly.
Or do as I do: remove chain from bike to clean & dry in the oven. Simples!
Tip for #1: Remove your rear wheel and use a chain keeper so that you eliminate all risk of dropping lube, liquid or aerosol, on your brake discs or track. Same for degreasing the chain. Takes a moment and it can save you from a huge headache.
good solid advice for little above amateurs, I've been doing bike maintenance on my own since i was in high school learned so much along the way. Now my bike is always in perfect shape. Not even the bike shops does the job right because they tend to rush for quantity and miss details. moral of the story, get enough tools to be able to completely disassemble your bike and reassemble it and do it on a practice bike because the first few times you are always gonna mess something up. You don't want to over tighten your seat tube derailleur clamp or your carbon steerer headset on your $5000 bike. you will get your money back from those tools after doing 2 bike shop worth of maintenance.
You sound like a really fun customer; I wonder why the "bike shops" were in a hurry working on your bike.
thanks for linking the tutorials for each one with more specific deep dive
_Great mistakes to avoid!_
*Here's some more help for headsets* -- If the headset is loose, a good starting point for tightening it back up is to tighten the top cap compression bolt to a torque of 2.5 Nm. Naturally, this should be done with the stem loose or the stem may consume some of the tasty torque. 2.5 Nm is a fairly "light" torque and it should be very close to the torque you'll need to eliminate unwanted play without over-tightening the bearings. If memory serves, I think I heard this tip from the famous bike mechanic, Lennard Zinn, several years ago. Another tip: To prevent your headset from loosening again in the future, apply a little medium-strength thread locking compound to the stem bolts that tighten the stem to the steering tube. Remember, the top cap compression bolt sets the tightness of the headset. But the stem steering tube bolts are what _maintain_ that tightness.
D.Eldon Seems like a good tip to mee!
Thanks for that top tip D.Eldon!
D.Eldon I replaced my stem yesterday and planning a long ride tomorrow, I read your comment and decided to check my headset and it's a little loose. Thanks for saving my trip! That size wrench is not on my multitool but it's now in my bag.
You should pull the front brake and rock the bike gently back and forth, while nipping up the top cap bolt. That takes the slack right out, without applying any significant torque to the bolt.
Dan Pedersen I couldn't remember and decided it didn't matter that much which I tightened first, but now I know. Thanks for the tip on holding the brake and slowly getting it tight, by the way my muti tool has a 5, it was covered by a slip over 9, I thought was cool. Thanks man, you really helped me out!
I take exception to the advice that the chain lubricant should be kept to the inner rollers and pins because it leaves the rest of the chain exposed to corrosion. This is a huge issue for me since I ride year around in all kinds of weather.
I'm 47 now, but when I was 9 my neighbour Wilf, about 70, taught me fully how to service my bike and properly repair punctures. Never learned anything better since. Even on my Bolton IM training ride with a group of 20 I was the only one with a puncture repair kit when someone's spare innertube didn't fit! (Short valve vs deep wheels!). Sad times
It's been 2 years since the video. I miss the way jon presenting the contents. Love his accent and passion for bicycle.
Perhaps gcn tech will provide us with his personal collection tour.
Thanks for the tips on gear cable adjustment and limit screw adjustment. Good video.
Really helpful! I love learning how to keep my bike in super working order. I made the mistake #1, too much lube on the chain.
great tips on how to do it like a pro. Thanks ~
Just want to say big Thanks for your tips and also same principles apply to motorcycle chain maintenance which I do have.
1st maintenance mistake: dropping your allen set on your new carbon frame
If you live in a dry climate, I find Teflon oil is a good option for lubricating the chain - you don't get so much build-up of dust.
There isn't a more toxic substance in the bike world than teflon. Sure it does the trick but you're contaminating your environment a LOT with that stuff.
I use LPS 842 or LPS "Chain Mate" Molybdenum Disulphide, dry lube for about 30 years now. Drivetrain stays clean because it doesn't attract dirt like oil does. Chain lasts at least 5000 mi.
Looks like a good idea, but isn't Moly lubricants designed for high-temperature, high-pressure applications?
After de-greasing/scrubbing the chain I'll still go back with a handful of Q-Tips and clean out the spaces in between each roller. It's amazing how much gunk is still in there. Then, I'll spray some more de-greaser or even a fine spray of water to rinse off and clean that gunk I loosened with the Q-Tips before lubing.
Aaron David
... /... , try with gasoline ,,, then be kind enough to let us know how it worked [ that gunk out ] . Be sure it won't drop any ,,, onto the bearings of the drive-train .
6:39 it feels good to know I'm not the only person who may have stripped the limit screws
1. Lubing too much of too little
2. Always check tyre pressure before going out for a ride
3. Headset too loose/tight
4. Poor cable setup
5. Don't touch limit screws: use barrel adjuster instead
Good video. I use an electric toothbrush to clean the chain rollers and that is probably of the best tool you can use to do use for the chain. For lube I use WD40 wet bike chain lube on a syringe with a curved needed tip to get into the rollers crevices. Problem with Canada is road salt with destroys the bike chains. A little W40 helps to remove the rust bits.
Glad you enjoyed the video! Nice electric toothbrush tip!
I used to mess with limit screws to make adjustments, but that was only because I had no barrel adjusters on the shifter or the rear derailleur.
If you're gonna talk about headset adjustment you might mention that torquing it until you crack the steerer can make your next ride unusually exciting.
Do you rate those clip on cleaning machines like Muc Off do? Or do you prefer a goo manual job to get the chain clean? Thanks in advance
After a degreaser, you have to remove the degreaser. Otherwise your new lube gets broken down by the degreaser residue...
I had a mechanic at a local bike shop say not to use any degreaser on the chain. Just clean it by adding more chain lube and wiping it until its clean.
@@bicyclist2 best way is to use petroleum naphtha or whatever it's called - it dissolves grease and then evaporates so I rinse and wipe off the dissolved dirt and then let it dry evaporate, I then apply lube as described in this video
So true. I have a system. You may wait until the next day to apply lube or use low pressure air to remove the degreaser.
Thanks for another helpful video. Really find the ones where its going through mistakes to be very helpful and I guess its reassuring to know that your not the only one who forgets to do things! I think that perhaps the chain is sometimes my worst habit out of these but good to see some others where it can all go wrong! Keep it up Jon!
John Rogers Glad you enjoyed the video John, thanks for watching!
Once again, another great video with helpful maintenance tips. Thanks for posting!
Love to listen to jon's perfect english!
Louis Morel but not his terrible grammar. He spelled “Check TYRE Pressure” instead of TIRE lol
@@i528DNA Tyre is the UK English spelling, so he is correct; tire is used in US/Canadian spelling. (Tire meaning "to become tired" is, of course, used in both.)
Notice how the correct screwdriver/tool helps adjusting limit screws? I do all our bike maintenance myself. Ran into a problem with the wife's hybrid where it would not go down into the smallest chainring. After much fiddling, it was the FD fouling the seatpost. The factory had fitted a (square taper) BB that was too narrow (probably a parts-bin clearout) so as it wore in and the cranks moved ever-so-slightly closer together, the FD just could not move in to compensate. New BB sorted it
Cables don't stretch as much as the housing compress's. Check upper limit screw by grabbing rear derailleur while turning crank and push inward as far as possible. You might discover the chain will jump past the large cog by force into the spokes where normal shifting will never give any indication the limit screw is not set correctly. We check every new Trek bike this way and while most are perfectly dialed, you do find some that are just not right. Now add to the fact bikes get dropped in use on the derailleur side and bends the hanger making this situation even worse.
Chain cleaning and lube, Many opinions on this. My opinion, and from my experience with bearing/chains etc, when you clean them out, all you do is wash out the manufactures lube and allow grit to get in, then you are trying to put stuff back in there which generally doesn’t work from my experience, so you have a dry scratchy bearing/chain. I would suggest, just remove the excess and apply a little normal grease, as comes on the chain. I find I still get the rated life if not more. Easy.
Wayne Softy P
Manufactureres , they use a preservative 'oil' to store it for long time in big-department-stores , before it arrives to the customer : it is a wax to protect ( from rust , moisture , salty corrosive elements ) [ but not exactlly to lubricate or diminish drag ] , no .
Golden nuggets of info right here. 💪👍👊
As always
Also with people touching the limit screws its probably a bent hangar. Idk how many times Ive worked on bikes and straightened the read hangar to find that the limits and tension have been adjusted to the bent hangar to make it work.
Nice one Jon, very helpful these videos. Best on the channel. Keep them coming
Steve Norris Thanks Steve.
Oiling I used to put oil on the rag then back peddle the chain through the rag leave to soak in once covered then back peddle once every 10mins then after 40 mins of this get a clean rag and back peddle chain through rag until outer chain is dry, this way the inner moving parts remain oiled whilst the outer chain is finger dry, however this does all depend on what weather i am riding in
I favor the heavier oils -like 3 in 1. They last longer than the aerosols and they don't end up all over the bike. Use sparingly.
Another mistake is throwing out old inner tubes, they have so many uses and the valve cores are a valuable spare if you run tubeless.
Oh, and when lubing the chain, remove the wheels and use a chain keeper; remove the risk of contaminating braking surfaces and pads. Contaminated disc pads are a bloody nightmare and may require the "Disc-o inferno" treatment.
Love the bike maintenance videos guys. Thanks for putting up such quality content.
Cheers from India.
Perfect timing for the video. I just replaced all four of my cables.
Great video! Would a cleanup with a cloth be sufficient to get the degreaser off the chain to get it ready for lubricant?
Can't make Maintenance mistakes if I don't do maintenance
I guess that's an easy way to avoid making mistakes!
My guess is your chain and cassette are brittle after grinding without oil and in 1000 miles you'll have to buy a new chain, cassette, and more for about 300 bucks. 😉
That's the biggest mistake of all.
Ive put a lot of miles on plenty of bikes with little maintenance. But no maintenance doesnt mean it didnt have its flaws like bad brakes or shifting being difficult. But i will note 90% of the time one of my bikes started having lots of issues is when i started abusing it. Leaving it in the rain or riding in the rain. Not putting on a lick of lubricant or dropping the bike instead of setting on a kickstand. Ruined a pretty good bike by abusing it. Ive still got the bike and it still rides but it needs just about everything replaced besides the frame, forks, handlebars and seat. And she still shifts but doesnt like it and still brakes but takes a minute😂
@@sherlockholmes2591 Not everyone is riding dura-ace
Here's one:
Do not spray degreaser anywhere near your hubs! I've seen some GCN presenters spraying it on their cassettes while still on the wheel, and it's not a great idea.
I did it once, and a bit must have gotten into my hub bearings, and just wrecked the grease in there. My free hub body was dead after that... happened straight away, sealed bearings and everything
Just don't do it and have to replace your free hub body like me!
Patrick Noble
... /... , how do you do , then ?
Holding brakes to check for play in the headset is a Rookie Mechanic way of doing it. Play in the brakes themselves can be mistaken for play in the headset. The best way to check is to have the bike on the ground and put one hand on the top of the front tire and other on the handlebar stem. Next, push the tire forward and backwards while pushing and pulling the handlebar stem in the opposite direction. You are checking for play while leaving the brakes out of it.
Also holding the brake will engage fork flex which feels like headset play.
@GCN Tech Hi, I am just getting into cycling. After putting on degreaser onto the chain, we're supposed to wait until it is dry before applying lube. However, how do we know when it is dry and is there a method to quicken that drying process? Also, what happens if we apply lube before degreaser dries up?
Thanks!
It's always, "A friend of mine"!
He's a friendly guy.
Good video great advice interesting, any advice is always very helpful
I would never wipe away the excess chain lube, which explains why my chain seemed to always get ridiculously dirty in no time. Good to know that tip now.
Embarrassed to say, I had previously wondered why I couldn't get those gears changing quite perfectly again, from adjusting....
...what turns out to be just limit screws. I'd assumed the derailleur automatically operated evenly within the range set by the screws, but now I see if you don't adjust the cable tension to suit then no it won't.
Time to try that barrel adjuster.
I always wax my chain. Never will go back to lubricant. So satisfying and easy to maintain.
I agree with those using a combination of paraffin and motor oil or some other kind of wet lubricant. I've been doing this for nearly 20 years. Since I'm almost exclusively a roadie, the chain never gets dirty so when it's time to relube, I just dip the chain in the hot lubricant and I'm good to go in about 15-20 minutes. And there is NO BETTER lubricant. Those who have used this procedure correctly will know that.
Now if one is dripping lubricant on the chain, it's best not to do it while the chain is on the bike. First of all this procedure is mind-deadening. Second, I'd be willing to bet that some dripping is inevitable. The best approach is to hang the chain up and let gravity do a bit of the work. If you put too much lube on a link, the excess will drip onto the next link.
I also used paraffin (candle) and motor oil, but after some time my jockey wheels (the small wheels next to the cassette) weren't moving so good, and in free run the chain tried to move to another gear from itself. After good cleaning and using only oil on the chain, everything is fine.
Always tilt the bike 45 degree to the drive side, let the saddle rest on your shoulder, when kneeling beside it and lubing while back pedaling with you other hand. Nothing ends up on the frame or wheel rims. Lean the bike at something, at the same angle, and let it soak in for a while and then clean away the oil on the outside. Use jamacian oil types that are one of the few that actually go between metal objects that are tight together and not just on top of it. It's more expensive but also works on rusty bolts that get stuck and other things that are hard to lubricate. WD40 and CRC5-56 doesn't work as good as Omega 636 and similar products.
Very helpful video!
Thanks for the concise advice
Solid. Thanks Jonny Tech.
I'm just about to index my gears so will leave those limit screws alone, thanks.
A question to Jon, if you let me: Every car maintenance manual recommends use of anti seize paste to avoid problems with disassembling. Actually, they say that a regular lubricant not only does not prevent seizing, it can make things even worse over time. How come that you always recommend using a lubricant on threads like bottom brackets or pedals?
Using grease makes it so the threads work smoother. If your threads are smoother you will be able to put more torque on them to tighten them up fully. I mean sure you COULD use something like loctite or anything on them but it's not worth it. Everything properly tightened on a bike shouldn't really work loose on it's own.
BUT! The worst thing you could really do is going in dry, it's never a fun and great experience.
Limit screws do not move by themselves, so if your chain starts shifting off the cassette or chainring, look to see what else might have changed before adjusting the limit screws. A rider in our group was unable to shift to the big ring. Turned out the clamp bolts on the left crank were loose and the crankset was falling out!
They will move by themselves on a mountain bike if they don't have any thread adhesive on them. Had it happen to me last summer. Reset them and blue Loctite to prevent reoccurrence.
Agreed. What I meant was you should look for other causes before you go twisting the limit screws because the so seldom move on their own.
I like the warning against fiddling with the limit screws because doing so may really screw things up. Pun intended. Adjusting these are, most times, not required and takes a bit of patience to get it right.
Excellent video, thank you.
I'm not even an amateur-grade rider, but I was able to avoid all of the mentioned, except for maybe wiping the chain. I even constructed a simple contraption that I use to slowly clean, and then lubricate the chain (i made it out of old drill and printer parts, slow-rotating motor from microwave oven, two cut bottles and ultrasound mist generator). Very low-tech, and takes hours to clean (and then lubricate), but works for me...
I'd LOVE to see this... apparatus working! :D
Just wondering with the Shimano 105 rear derailleur on the bike, is that an out-of-box hanger or a direct mount hanger that has been specifically changed to? details of the hanger can be seen around 5:12. Lots of thanks if anyone could answer that. Been thinking about swapping to a direct mount rear derailleur hanger for my da 9150 di2 on my pina f10 however having a hard time tracking an exactly fit part.
Very informative video...
Avoid these maintenance mistakes and your bike will always be in excellent condition!
Omaris Bhumiriady You could write the video description 😉
I know right? (^_-)
Excellent advice!
When cking tire pressure, wipe the tire clean with a clean rag. Then take a quick look for any embedded debris. Do the same at your donut stop.
Best way to do Bike Maintenance:
1/ Download the Manufacturer Manuals for every part of the bike.
2/ Read the Manuals
3/ Do what it says in the Manual.
I can't repair all the damage the local bike shop mechanic's ignorance caused to my brand new Cannondale but at least I have now been able to make everything work properly.
Lucky for you if you find a mechanic you can trust who doesn't rip you off, but they still won't be riding your bike.
You'll be able to tune a bike better to you if you read the manuals yourself and understand how everything is supposed to work and can spot all the niggles yourself. 👍
Yeaa i made the mistake of touching some of the limit screws for the front derailleur when i was having some issues going into lthe lowest gear and it made going into higher gears so stiff. Ive tried everything to reset it back to normal and nothing. Second and first are fine but it does not like to pull into third and the grip shift wont even move all the way to 3 but will still get it to shift to highest gear. Once its in the highest gear it doesnt have any issues going back down. Wont touch that again after i get this fixed😂😂
And i wont watch another video and try to act like that gave me enough knowledge to know wtf im doing😂
FYI, best way to lubricate chain is to submerge it in oil. For real. Heat up a bowl of oil (not too much, you can destroy heattreat of your chain) and submerge it for couple of hours. I'm personally doing it as a first thing when starting maintenance of my bike, and take it out of oil bath at the end. It works as a charm!
Submerging in oil works great. It's what I used to do on dirt bikes. But, you don't need to heat it or wait any length of time. P.S. you are not about to effect the metal's temper with hot oil. Who told you that?
Maybe I have the makings of a world CX champ, I prefer my brakes to be quite loose. Something to do with not locking the bike up by accident.
Biggest maintenance mistake I’ve made is using general purpose degreaser to clean my drive chain, especially cassette and chain rings without taking them off the bike. 4 new bearings in the back wheel and two in the bottom bracket later and I won’t be making that mistake again!
splashing acetone all over the bike works best.. paint loves it! :)
Thanks
Cool .. thanks mate 👌
Whats the best way to get the stem and wheel in absolute alignment instead of just eyeing it.
Thank you!
GCN, what tire pressure do you suggest for Crit racing, 80KG guy??
When wiping off your chain, is it required to use a plush new premium quality handtowel? 😳
The plusher the better. Seriously. Thick terry cloth is the best. Gets in between the rollers to get as much wayward lube as possible. Work the cloth in both directions, not just backpedal as they show here. Backpedal a turn, run the cloth back and forth keeping the chain in tension, repeat until done. Repeat the rub-down process after each of the next several rides. Oil will creep out of the rollers and out onto the chain while riding.
I got used to “bad brakes” aswell... if they are 100% sensible I can brake more than I wanted... and that’s dangerous
Then its not bad, the fact is you can adjust the sensitivity as well, if its too loose its bad brake.
anyone see that screw driver skip rather than turn the adjustment screw. This should be in the video because if the driver skips its also stripping the socket, sooner or later it will be difficult to turn at all. The metal shavings can also slip into the pivoting surfaces causing premature wear.
Best fluffy white towel.. not any more!
I've screwed up the derailleur alignment a couple times and the chain went into the wheel.. potentially expensive
Super helpful!
Great info.
That bartape is THICC!
what brand, is it a doublewrap?
Another very common mistake I've see is that brakes are set up too tight. They work well BUT you can't actually take your wheel out when you need to.
Some #leverstickers would look great on them levers. Thanks for all the great hints and tips, always well put together videos
custom printed shrink wrap ;) cheap on ebay and you get a free ability to grip the levers included
What do I do with my dirty, oily towels? Is it OK to put them in the washing machine?
Catherine Smyth
Fire hazard !!! .... google oily rags “ spontaneous combustion “
Stuart Nicholls that's absurd. The rags would be in water.
@@catherinesmyth6060 Agreed - if they're catching fire in the wash you've not added water and soap. But - best to pre-soak anything with hot water & dish soap (+ rinse) to help free it of gunk and grease build up.
As always, an agreable presentation to teach me how to ;o)
When cleaning your chainrings, make sure your not putting the middle chainring of a triple crank set on backwards. Went cycling in the alps with a clean but non functioning drivetrain. Forgot to bring my crank removal tool on holiday. And then had to endure the scorn and sighs of the local Italian bike repair man when he asked me “what kind of idiot bike mechanic I went to back in Amsterdam“. 🤦🏻♂️
I mean in all honesty it isn't always as clear and it is a mistake easily and quickly made.
I work at a shop and I have made the mistake before (got caught before it went out tho). Yet an other reason for going 1x :P
Did that once on my double, but was spared the grief of a mechanic, just had to stop and pull the chain out from between the chainrings after shifting from large to small. Was not a good ride that day, but been very careful to put things back together correctly since then. Lesson learned the hard way.
David Crow I ended up with a broken chain on the other side of a mountain. Had to hitchhike back.
I don't have a master link in my chain. Maybe I tie a loop of mental floss to a link
Is it necessary to take a couple of hours for the dry lube to penetrate into the chain pin? I usually wait only a couple of minutes and wipe it off.
Jeesoo Lee spin the cranks a few times so it works its way in
I dont see any need to let the lube sit for a few hours. I feel 5 to 10 mins max after back pedaling for a bit to work the lube in then wipe it off works just fine.
1. use wax and can not be too much or less of it
2. once a week check tyre pressure-it has to be enough that in corner tyre does not sway on rim
5. leave it to professionals
It's not a rocket science. You can do everything at home, from regular service to building and setting up your bike. Even lacing a wheel is piece of cake.
I did even repaired a crack on cf frame and after 300km on gravel, cobblestones, bad asfalt and even tightened in turbo trainer, it looks pretty good.
So, if you are really lame, don't do basic service yourself. Otherwise, learn a bit, it will come handy when you'll need it.
Installing a chain but looping inwrong and finding that your chain is grinding like crazy into a 10km ride