Basic bike care for new cyclist?

[Peewiglet]

Hello there,

I'm a new cyclist, and have just bought a new bike. I don't want it to
get rusty and miserable like my last one, and I'm wondering what I
need to do to it on a regular basis to keep it in decent, happy
condition. I'm not a mechanically minded person - I'm hopeless with
cars - so none of this stuff is second nature to me.

Unfortunately the bike currently has to live outside, as I don't have
a garage or a shed. However, I've bought it a little stand and a
cover.

I'd be grateful for any suggestions. Perhaps there's a book I should
look out?

Many thanks for any help.


Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \ pee AT [guessthisbit].co.uk

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[Brian]

Peewiglet <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> Hello there,
>
> I'm a new cyclist, and have just bought a new bike. I don't want it to
> get rusty and miserable like my last one, and I'm wondering what I
> need to do to it on a regular basis to keep it in decent, happy
> condition. I'm not a mechanically minded person - I'm hopeless with
> cars - so none of this stuff is second nature to me.
>
> Unfortunately the bike currently has to live outside, as I don't have
> a garage or a shed. However, I've bought it a little stand and a
> cover.
>
> I'd be grateful for any suggestions. Perhaps there's a book I should
> look out?
>
> Many thanks for any help.
>
>
> Best wishes,

Hello there!

All you really need to do is keep the bike clean, especially the chain. Now
and again clean up the rims using some meths. Keep the chain clean by
regularly wiping it down with a rag then re oiling.

Also a good idea to dribble some oil down the cables now and again to keep
them moving cleanly.

Note - WD30 is not an oil! Best to use a proper bicycle oil:

GT85 for cables and pivots, and Finish Line Cross Country Lube for chain +
chainrings. Apparantly chain saw oil works well too, but I can't say I've
tried that.

Most of all, enjoy the bike, but you may find that one won't be enough!


--
Brian

 

[Sam Salt]

Peewiglet wrote:
> Hello there,
>
> I'm a new cyclist, and have just bought a new bike. I don't want it to
> get rusty and miserable like my last one, and I'm wondering what I
> need to do to it on a regular basis to keep it in decent, happy
> condition. I'm not a mechanically minded person - I'm hopeless with
> cars - so none of this stuff is second nature to me.
>
> Unfortunately the bike currently has to live outside, as I don't have
> a garage or a shed. However, I've bought it a little stand and a
> cover.
>
> I'd be grateful for any suggestions. Perhaps there's a book I should
> look out?
>
> Many thanks for any help.
>
>
> Best wishes,


These are the two sites most people are directed to in regard of bike
maintainance.

http://www.parktool.com/index.shtml

and the GOD of cycle care:-

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/index.html

Good Luck and welcome to the group.


Sam Salt

 

[Sam Salt]

Peewiglet wrote:
> Hello there,
>
> I'm a new cyclist, and have just bought a new bike. I don't want it to
> get rusty and miserable like my last one, and I'm wondering what I
> need to do to it on a regular basis to keep it in decent, happy
> condition. I'm not a mechanically minded person - I'm hopeless with
> cars - so none of this stuff is second nature to me.
>
> Unfortunately the bike currently has to live outside, as I don't have
> a garage or a shed. However, I've bought it a little stand and a
> cover.
>
> I'd be grateful for any suggestions. Perhaps there's a book I should
> look out?
>
> Many thanks for any help.
>
>
> Best wishes,


These are the two sites most people are directed to in regard of bike
maintainance.

http://www.parktool.com/index.shtml

and the GOD of cycle care:-

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/index.html

Good Luck and welcome to the group.


Sam Salt

 

[Peewiglet]

On 24 Mar 2005 07:20:56 GMT, Brian <[email protected]>
wrote:

[...]
>All you really need to do is keep the bike clean, especially the chain. Now
>and again clean up the rims using some meths. Keep the chain clean by
>regularly wiping it down with a rag then re oiling.
>
>Also a good idea to dribble some oil down the cables now and again to keep
>them moving cleanly.
>
>Note - WD30 is not an oil! Best to use a proper bicycle oil:
>
>GT85 for cables and pivots, and Finish Line Cross Country Lube for chain +
>chainrings. Apparantly chain saw oil works well too, but I can't say I've
>tried that.
>
>Most of all, enjoy the bike, but you may find that one won't be enough!
>

Many thanks for your speedy reply! I'll get hold of the things you've
suggested, and thanks for the tip about WD30 - I thought it *was* an
oil!

I look forward to giving my bike a nice clean tomorrow morning



Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \

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[Peewiglet]

On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 07:29:43 +0000 (UTC), "Sam Salt"
<[email protected]> wrote:

[...]
>These are the two sites most people are directed to in regard of bike
>maintainance.
>
>http://www.parktool.com/index.shtml
>
>and the GOD of cycle care:-
>
>http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/index.html
>
>Good Luck and welcome to the group.

Thank you very much! I'll go and take a look



Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \

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[Peter Clinch]

Peewiglet wrote:

> Unfortunately the bike currently has to live outside, as I don't have
> a garage or a shed. However, I've bought it a little stand and a
> cover.

Will something like this work...
http://www.lidl.co.uk/gb/index.nsf/pages/c.o.oow.20050328.p.Bicycle_Lift

Available in Lidl from next Monday in their specials bin, note the
unhuge price tag, they'll probably disappear quite soon.

There are other wall mounting solutions available that get bikes out of
the way, though if you're in extreme space shortage you're usually
robbing Peter to pay Paul. You could always make some room by reducing
the size of the Peewiglet Rucksack Mountain![1] ;-)

Pete.

[1] sorry, I know that would be heresy...
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[Jeremy Collins]

Peewiglet wrote:

> I look forward to giving my bike a nice clean tomorrow morning

Wiping the chain with a rag is good enough for the occasional
clean (like a quick cleanup after a ride), but to get the chain
and gears really clean I recommend using degreaser. This gets
all the accumulated road crud off very easily.

You can get this at most bike shops. A handy tool for scrubbing the
chain and gears is an old toothbrush.

After degreasing, rinse everything off, let it dry and give all
the moving parts a decent oiling. As you've got a stand, after oiling
the chain, turn the pedals to let the oil penetrate and then wipe
off the excess. Excess oil will attract and mix with more nasty
black road muck, which means you'll have to clean it again sooner!


--
jc

Remove the -not from email

 

[Peter Fox]

Following on from Peewiglet's message. . .
>Hello there,
>I'm a new cyclist, and have just bought a new bike. I don't want it to
* There is standard advice for new cyclists: By the book Cyclecraft by
John Franklin. A really good way to spend a tenner.

>Unfortunately the bike currently has to live outside, as I don't have
>a garage or a shed. However, I've bought it a little stand and a
>cover.
*This will be a /major/ problem as it will spend a lot of its time with
condensation on it - ie covered in a film of water.

*Your local bike shop (LBS) should be able to suggest proper lubricants
and show you where to give a squirt. (Plain oil is not really ideal.)

* After the first 100 miles or so a new bike should be checked over for
tightness and adjustments. - See LBS.


--
PETER FOX Not the same since the deckchair business folded
[email protected]
www.eminent.demon.co.uk/wcc.htm Witham Cycling Campaign
www.eminent.demon.co.uk/rides East Anglian Pub cycle rides

 

[Richard]

Peewiglet wrote:

> Many thanks for your speedy reply! I'll get hold of the things you've
> suggested, and thanks for the tip about WD30 - I thought it *was* an
> oil!

WD40 is a water dispersant. Hence the name.

R.

 

[Tilly]

On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 06:45:38 +0000, Peewiglet <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Hello there,

Hello. I am sure you'll enjoy cycling and urc. I've always found
your posts next door in urw informative and helpful. I'm sure you'll
have a good experience here.

>I'm a new cyclist, and have just bought a new bike. I don't want it to
>get rusty and miserable like my last one, and I'm wondering what I
>need to do to it on a regular basis to keep it in decent, happy
>condition. I'm not a mechanically minded person - I'm hopeless with
>cars - so none of this stuff is second nature to me.

A drop of oil every now and then on moving parts and a weekly
tightening of nuts and bolts, and an annual brake and gear service at
your local bike shop should keep it in good working order.

It should have a service after about 6 weeks.

 

[davek]

Peewiglet wrote:
> Perhaps there's a book I should
> look out?

Haynes Bike Book:
<url:http://tinyurl.com/3lheg>

and/or whichever of the Zinn And The Art Of... books is appropriate:
<url:http://tinyurl.com/4adjp>
<url:http://tinyurl.com/4y9n2>

I have the Haynes book and it's fine, though the Zinn books are
generally reckoned to be the business. But tbh you can't go far wrong
with Sheldon Brown's website and the Park Tools website, as already
mentioned.

d.

 

[Call me Bob]

On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 06:45:38 +0000, Peewiglet <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Hello there,

Hello

>I'm a new cyclist, and have just bought a new bike. I don't want it to
>get rusty and miserable like my last one, and I'm wondering what I
>need to do to it on a regular basis to keep it in decent, happy
>condition. I'm not a mechanically minded person - I'm hopeless with
>cars - so none of this stuff is second nature to me.

The good news is that most bike related jobs are pretty simple, even
if you aren't (currently) very mechanically minded. There are
excellent online resources available, two of which I see Sam has
already pointed you towards. Even better, between us here in the group
we've already cocked up and bungled every bike job imaginable, and so
can offer you solid advice on which silly mistakes to avoid.

Ongoing maintenance is really not much of a chore. On a bike of modest
quality most of the sensitive parts should be reasonably well sealed
against the elements, so as long as you don't jet wash it or take it
bog snorkeling it will look after itself most of the time. Your main
priority will be to keep the drivetrain in good clean shape (the
chain, cogs and gear changers). The rest of the bike can collect as
much grime and road **** as is wise in your particular area for added
theft deterrent purposes.

If the bike is new the chain will have a coating of good oil on it for
the moment and should be fine for a little while but after that you'll
want to oil it every now and then. The more often you ride in wet
conditions the more often you should apply oil. As others have
mentioned, don't be too heavy handed with the oil, less is more. Oil,
let it soak in, wipe off excess.

Does the bike have mudguards? If not, think about fitting some.
They'll not only keep you much drier and cleaner when out in the wet,
but will do the same for the drivetrain, meaning you have to clean it
less often. The front wheel kicks up a stream of spray right onto the
chain and front rings and a proper mudguard stops that.

>Unfortunately the bike currently has to live outside, as I don't have
>a garage or a shed. However, I've bought it a little stand and a
>cover.

This isn't ideal, as I'm sure you know. Lots of us don't have garages
either, so the bikes live in halls, kitchens, front rooms and even
boudoirs... this really isn't an option for you?

If the bike has to stay outside then it is going to be more
susceptible to things sticking and seizing. Hopefully the shop you
bought it from did a proper job of setting the bike up, and that will
mean that components like stem and seatpost, as well as many of the
fastener threads will have been greased prior to assembly. This is
important on a bike that will be living outside, and it might save you
some ball ache in the future you to double check that now. We'lll
gladly help out with some pointers if you need a bit of advice on
this. I'd also be tempted to get some grease into most moving bits of
a bike that is going to have to live outside. Brake pivot points,
levers, derailleurs etc. This sort of thing should have been done at
factory and shop, but it's often not, even on expensive machines.

Finally, if it's outside don't forget the bloody huge lock you'll need
to keep it safe.

And the lion, obviously.




--

"Bob"



Email address is spam trapped.
To reply directly remove the beverage.

 

[Peter Clinch]

Call me Bob wrote:

> The rest of the bike can collect as
> much grime and road **** as is wise in your particular area for added
> theft deterrent purposes.

Caveat: come next winter if the roads have been gritted it /is/ worth
cleaning off that sort of road **** because salt corrodes stuff rather
effectively :-(
I even washed the car a couple of weeks ago to dispense with it's salt
crusting!

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[Pete Biggs]

Peewiglet wrote:
> Unfortunately the bike currently has to live outside, as I don't have
> a garage or a shed. However, I've bought it a little stand and a
> cover.

My advice is to park it in your house/flat if you possibly can. I
appreciate the inconvenience that can cause but it really does extend the
life of the bike and cut down on maintenance.

Othwerwise, keep it clean and well lubed (particularly the chain)... and
well ridden! You mention rust, well, hopefully your new bike will
have less steel on it to rust. Alumnium corrosion can still be a problem
sometimes, though.

To prevent seizure, remove, regrease* and refit seatpost, handlebar stem**
and pedals at least twice a year, and perhaps sooner rather than later for
the first time in case they weren't greased intially.

* with general-purpose waterproof grease

** if tradtional quill or threaded type (see Park Tools)

~PB

 

[Paul Rose]

"Peewiglet" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello there,
>
> I'm a new cyclist, and have just bought a new bike. I don't want it to
> get rusty and miserable like my last one, and I'm wondering what I
> need to do to it on a regular basis to keep it in decent, happy
> condition. I'm not a mechanically minded person - I'm hopeless with
> cars - so none of this stuff is second nature to me.
>
> Unfortunately the bike currently has to live outside, as I don't have
> a garage or a shed. However, I've bought it a little stand and a
> cover.
>
> I'd be grateful for any suggestions. Perhaps there's a book I should
> look out?
>
> Many thanks for any help.
>
>
> Best wishes,
> --
> ,,
> (**)PeeWiglet~~


Hi PeeWiglet

Welcome to uk.rec.cycling. We've met on uk.rec.walking ) Are you planning
some epic journeys on two wheels also? )

--
Regards, Paul (R)
My Lake District walking site:
www.lakelandwalker.co.uk

 

[Judith]

On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 09:07:35 +0000, Peter Clinch
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>There are other wall mounting solutions available that get bikes out of
>the way, though if you're in extreme space shortage you're usually
>robbing Peter to pay Paul. You could always make some room by reducing
>the size of the Peewiglet Rucksack Mountain![1] ;-)
>
>Pete.
>
>[1] sorry, I know that would be heresy...

Don't get her started - she'll be needing a new tent to take the bike
soon!

I have a similar problem with my bike. It's in the shed but the shed
is chockablock with all sorts of rubbish, so I can't just wheel the
bike in and out. Perhaps if I got rid of my other bike?! (But that's
not been ridden for at least ten years and I doubt I could sell it
...... and I can't bring myself to throw it away.)

Judith

 

[the.Mark]

Peter Clinch wrote:
> Peewiglet wrote:
>
>> Unfortunately the bike currently has to live outside, as I
>> don't have a garage or a shed. However, I've bought it a
>> little stand and a cover.
>
> Will something like this work...
> http://www.lidl.co.uk/gb/index.nsf/pages/c.o.oow.20050328.p.Bicycle_Lift
>
> Available in Lidl from next Monday in their specials bin, note
> the unhuge price tag, they'll probably disappear quite soon.

At 3.99GBP I'm sure they will disappear quickly. The new EBC catalogue has a
similar solution at 39.95GBP.
--
Mark

1x1 wheel, 3x2 wheels & 1x3 wheels.

 

[Roos Eisma]

Judith <[email protected]> writes:

>>There are other wall mounting solutions available that get bikes out of
>>the way, though if you're in extreme space shortage you're usually
>>robbing Peter to pay Paul. You could always make some room by reducing
>>the size of the Peewiglet Rucksack Mountain![1] ;-)
>>
>>Pete.
>>
>>[1] sorry, I know that would be heresy...

>Don't get her started - she'll be needing a new tent to take the bike
>soon!

Well, there's panniers. And cool foldable tool sets. A jacket for every
type of weather. A pump for at home and one for on the road. And then you
find out you need a folder as well. And a trailer. And a recumbent. And a
house with a shed.

BTW, ever tried sea kayaking?

Roos

 

[Judith]

On 24 Mar 2005 21:38:06 GMT, Roos Eisma <[email protected]> wrote:

>>Don't get her started - she'll be needing a new tent to take the bike
>>soon!
>
>Well, there's panniers. And cool foldable tool sets. A jacket for every
>type of weather. A pump for at home and one for on the road. And then you
>find out you need a folder as well. And a trailer. And a recumbent. And a
>house with a shed.
>

Oh please! Stop!

I've been lurking here for a week and am being reminded of how much I
want a new bike. I've wanted what I would call a Tourer for so many
years. I mean a bike that I can load up with my camping gear and do a
bit of travelling round the country. It might sound odd but I'd like
to pedal the length of the A41 one day.

Unfortunately there are other things that I need to spend my money on,
so the bike stays on the wish list. I shall make do with my old,
3rd-hand, 3-speed (Sturmey Archer) bone-shaker.

>BTW, ever tried sea kayaking?

I consider it every time Knoydart send me their catalogue!

Judith