What Does A Bicycle Tune-Up Consist Of

What Does A Bicycle Tune-Up Consist Of

If your bike has been in the garage for a while and you want to ride it again, or you have been using it and need some kind of service, you must make sure that you are doing the right thing to keep the bike in good condition.

Bicycle adjustment may be just what is needed. Although a bicycle mechanic may be best suited to do the job for you, you can actually do the bicycle tuning on your own with the right guidance.

So what does a bicycle Tune-Up Consist Of?

Bicycle adjustments include:

Remove any dirt, oil and old grease from the bicycle.
Check the gear and derailleur for damage and alignment
Check whether the drive chain is stretched or kinked
Check the wear and grip of the brake
Check the tires for wear, cracks or swelling
Perform all and any tension adjustments required for various cables
Check the alignment of the wheels and the frame
If necessary, check and tighten wheel spokes (if any)
The headstock and seatpost must be checked for accidental movement
Every nut and bolt must be tightened to ensure that the bicycle is stable while riding.
Apply appropriate oils and greases to moving parts when needed

Bicycle tuning basically means adjusting your bike to the perfect shape for your use. The range of tunes can range from basic tunes to thorough overhauls.

The correct type of adjustment for a bicycle depends on its current state, the degree of wear on the different components, and how you intend to use the bicycle.

Clean bike

Before starting the adjustment procedure, you need to make sure that your bike is clean. This will ensure that you have a better view of the bike during the inspection.

In addition, cleaning the bicycle helps to extend the life of its components. You can use any basic biodegradable cleaner, old toothbrushes and dry towels to help you clean.

Dip the towel in the water and wipe the entire length of the bicycle; for more stubborn stains, you can use a toothbrush to remove the stains.

Use as little water as possible and make sure that all parts such as seats, brakes, pedals, derailleur, frame, transmission system, sprockets, etc. are not dirty. Remember to remove the seatpost and apply a little grease before putting it back into the frame.

The other key components of the chain drive system should also be treated with high-quality lubricants after drying.

Tools needed

To carry out a comprehensive and successful bicycle commissioning, you need to have the right tools for the job. Before you begin, make sure you have the following tools:

Micro pump
screwdriver
Tire lever
clamp
Chain tool
wrench
Bike rack
Chain whip
grease
Multi-function tool

Check the cable

The cable is made of tightly coiled metal wire in a plastic housing. They connect the brake and shift lever on the handlebar to the derailleur and brake pads.

Those connected to the brake help to stop the bicycle, and those connected to the gear lever help to move the chain between gears through the derailleur.

You want to check the cable and its rubber coating for any crimps, cracks, rust and looseness. Replace all worn cables with new cables. If the brake cables are loose, adjust them to an appropriate length and tighten them as needed.

If you do not have special tools, you can ask a friend for help so that one person can fix the caliper in place and the other person can tighten the cable with a small wrench.

After confirming that the cable is tightened, squeeze the lever to check whether there is a gap in the line. The brand new cable may stretch a bit and may need to be re-adjusted.

Check the wheels

The wheels on the bicycle should be able to rotate freely, with no signs of shaking, and should not come into contact with the brake pads when rotating.

Most wheels have a quick release lever located at the hub to facilitate disassembly of the wheel. If the wheel has lateral play, the external tension of the wheel bearing must be adjusted.

Run your fingers across the bicycle spokes and check for any loose, broken or missing spokes. Replace damaged spokes with new ones and tighten loose spokes to straighten the rim.

Don’t forget to check the tires for cracks, tears or flat spots and replace them if they are worn. If the pressure is not correct, use a bicycle pump to make the tires reach the correct pressure.

Check gears and brakes

Gears and brakes are an important part of adjustment. You need to spend time coaxing the gears to adjust smoothly. Make sure that the chain is moving the gear up and down smoothly.

Also make sure that the brake pads are aligned to avoid squeaking when contacting the rim. If the cushions are worn out, I suggest you replace them.

Adjust the tension of the brake cable and the position of the brake arm so that both brakes can stop the wheels firmly. If the brakes make a rubbing sound after aligning, you may need to sand them to the right size.

The noise indicates that the cushion hits the rim too high or too low. Sanding them ensures that they hit the correct spot. You can use fine sandpaper or steel wool to accomplish this.

Check, clean and lubricate the drive chain

If you use a bicycle frequently or have cheap parts, you may find that certain parts of the transmission system particularly need to be replaced frequently. For example, no amount of lubrication can restore the function of wear. chain.

In fact, a worn-out chain caused excessive wear on the rear derailleur flywheel, gears and sometimes the front sprocket. The power transmission system plays an important role in transmitting the power generated by the rider to the rear wheels.

If you have a person who puts the bicycle on the stand for this part of the adjustment. Raise and rotate the rear wheel when shifting gears to ensure smooth and easy shifting.

Inspect the drive chain for any damage; dents, scratches, dirt or excessive wear. Clean any stains on the drive chain and lubricate with grease to eliminate any friction during movement.

Apply lubricant evenly to the chain and slowly rotate the pedal counterclockwise.

Don’t forget to lubricate the pivot points on the brake lever, derailleur and any exposed cables. Wipe off any excess oil used as a lubricant. Remember that smaller sprockets wear out faster than larger sprockets, and the chain is the most frequently replaced part of the drivetrain.

If necessary, use recommended oils, greases and other lubricants.

Note: If the gear shift is not smooth, it is best to take the bicycle to a repair shop to adjust the transmission.

Tighten everything

Make sure that all nuts and bolts that hold the bicycle together are properly tightened.

Even correctly tensioned bolts can loosen on their own over time. If necessary, use a torque wrench to confirm that each bolt on the bicycle is ok; pay close attention to the stem bolts. Also consider bolts on seatposts, handlebars, pedals, etc.

Be careful not to overtighten the bolts, otherwise the threads on the bicycle may eventually be damaged.

Purchasing a torque wrench may be a worthwhile investment because it eliminates any guesswork in the adjustment process.

How to adjust bicycle brake pads

For new cyclists or novices, adjusting the brakes can be problematic and difficult. Whether it’s a basic commuter bike, mountain bike or modern road bike, it’s all different.

Below we will “break down” the different types of brakes you may have, and list some steps that can help you solve any problems you may encounter.

First of all, I suggest you take a few simple steps before adjusting the brakes; these few steps will help improve your cycling efficiency and may save you a lot of time.

The first is to check whether your wheels are properly installed in the rear fork. To do this, loosen the quick release on the hub and move the wheel from side to side, and do so until you are sure that the wheels are aligned.

Next, see what type of brake pads are installed on your bicycle. Please also note that the appearance of different brands and models may vary, but they are usually the same.

The tools you need

You don’t need many tools to adjust your brakes, so it should be achievable for novice or novice riders. A set of allen wrenches, pliers, adjustable wrenches and/or ring wrenches and some anti-stop grease for the threaded area will do the job effectively.

Caliper brake

Caliper brakes are mainly used for road bikes, but can also be used for mountain bikes. On road bikes, you can only make fine adjustments on the barrel adjuster on the caliper.

On mountain bikes, you can adjust to two different increments; one on the caliper and one on the brake lever. This allows you to make adjustments more easily while on the go.

Please follow the steps below to adjust your caliper brake pads:
Center your brakes. Make sure that the distance between each side and the rim is equal. You can usually judge this by squeezing the brakes with your eyes, and pay attention to whether the brake pads are in contact with the rim at the same time.

If one of the brake pads pushes the rim onto the other brake pad, then your brakes are not centered. To make adjustments, loosen the rear bolts, realign the brakes at equal distances and tighten the bolts to secure.

Next, let’s check if the distance between the cushion and the rim is equal. This will boil down to personal preference; there is no fixed measurement for this location.

To make adjustments, hold the brake caliper with one hand, loosen the bolt again, loosen or hold the cable and gently squeeze the brake caliper. Ensure the adjustment by tightening the bolts. Then test the feel of the brake by squeezing the lever and repeat this operation until you are satisfied with the lever.

The positioning of the lever is to allow for tire clearance to ensure easy disassembly of the wheel. At this stage, make sure that the lever point is in the downward position.

At this stage, you have adjusted the brake caliper position, cable tension, and aligned the brake pads. The positioning should be centered on the braking surface and do not touch the sidewall of the tire.

Turn the wheel with your hand or pedal, and then check the alignment in the entire direction with your eyes. Make adjustments if necessary.

Once you have adjusted the pad position and cable tension, you can begin to perfect the tuning of the barrel regulator. First, turn the barrel clockwise to remove the cushion from the rim, and then alternately approach in a counterclockwise direction.

You can use this process to perform cable tension maintenance without having to reset the cable tension. This also allows slight adjustments in the saddle.

Disc brakes

It is understandable that disc brakes may be more complicated than basic brakes such as V brakes or cables. In this case, we will look at common problems that may occur so that you can maintain them yourself. This can reduce future problems, extend your rest time and prevent mechanical failures while riding.

The disc brakes on road bikes are cable-driven, which means they still use cables, but have better modulation and braking power. They also have a barrel adjuster on the caliper, but not on the lever. These can also be hydraulic versions, but it is much more difficult to adjust.

For mountain bikes, the cable disc brakes on the calipers and levers are also available in hydraulic versions.

One of the most common problems with this type of brake is friction. If your disc brake is rubbing, you may hear it. Once this problem occurs, be sure to solve it as soon as possible to prevent it from getting worse and possibly damaging your wheels. The most common reasons are:

– The brake calipers are not aligned properly
– The wheel alignment is incorrect.

Your first step is to loosen the quick-release fork, check with your eyes whether the wheel is placed straight in the hook, adjust if necessary, and fix the position by replacing the quick-release fork. If this does not solve the problem, the brake itself may be the problem.

Disc brake calipers can be connected in many ways-mounted on the front fork or column on the frame, or more commonly, they are fixed to the disc brake adapter.

Please refer to the following steps:

Loosen the bolts on the brake caliper, but do not loosen them completely. When twisting the caliper, you only need to move it left and right slightly.

At the same time, squeeze the spare brake lever firmly, and then re-tighten the bolt to fix it. Now when you spin the wheel, there should be no contact, and your wheel should be able to move freely. If you have not succeeded, just repeat these steps; this may require several attempts.

It may indicate that there is a gap on both sides of the rotor. Loosen the bolt again and realign the caliper by hand. At the same time, fix it firmly in the desired position, and fix the bolt with your other hand.

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