A Great Time For Bike Maintenance

[Ted]

Unable to ride due to weather or COVID-19? It is a great time for bike maintenance. Your bike will appreciate it and you will improve your skills.

This is what I have done on my 2019 S-Works:

1) Check torque on every bolt. What? No torque wrench? An excellent time to get two. You will need a 2-20NM and a larger version for higher torque bolts like crank arms.

2) Replenish the sealant in your tubeless tires. Not tubeless yet? A great time to start.

3) Check/replace brake pads.

4) Check the thickness of your brake rotors. They wear just like pads and you do not want them to get too thin. The SRAM spec for minimum thickness on a 200mm rotor is 1.55mm.

5) Check for chain wear. Replace chain if necessary.

6) Clean and grease your rear hub.

7) Replace seals in your rear shock.

8) Replace seals in your front fork.

9) Check your derailleur hanger. Park Tool makes a great tool for this. A bent hanger can cause no end of
shifting woes.

10) Check/replace the bearings in your rear suspension. This is actually easier than you might think. My
2019 Levo has just two types of bearings (6801 and 6901). I replaced them all with Enduro Max after 2500
miles. The old ones were not bad but very dirty inside.

11) Check spoke tension and adjust if necessary. I tap each spoke with an open end wrench. All spokes on one side should sound about the same. Loose spokes will make a lower sound.

Anything else?

 

[118]

Replace worn grips?

 

[Simoto123]

I must say despite the fact my motor blowing up forced me to get very up close and personal to my levo this week, I have thoroughly enjoyed the process of stripping the motor out etc. I’ll do the headset and check/replace pivot bearings. A stand and torque wrench are a total must obviously but if you have them it’s pretty satisfying when it’s not your daily grind.
Another benefit is the more you take off the bike, the more effectively you can clean everything.(some parts can be taken to the actual sink when she’s not watching)
I had given up on my black frame and triangle ever looking clean again. You know what matte black is like. A year old now and she looks absolutely feckin mint after a thorough deep clean using a proper cloth and soap.
i just had all the drivetrain renewed luckily enough.
Stripped brakes and cassette from rims and could properly do round the hubs and spokes and disc rotors. What a difference it makes. Just time.
All very satisfying indeed, the missus even helped! Support your lbs etc but it was a brilliant diversion for us.
Knew I could do it, I’ve built winning road race motorcycles ffs, but somehow I always leg it to the bike shop with the eeb.
One intangible benefit is the confidence a self prepared bike gives you. This can honestly translate to better riding through said increased confidence.
Flip side, if you’re all fingers and thumbs your mileage may vary or death may result.
Definitely get a torque wrench though.

 

[KennyB]

I also have a torque screwdriver, 0.4-2Nm

 

[Ted]

^ Nice. Perfect for snugging up SRAM bleed ports.

 

[Simoto123]

I also have a torque screwdriver, 0.4-2Nm

Actually I’ve been coveting a very fine one after watching a you tube vid on changing Brose drive belts out of warranty. The belt tensioner device has a very low torque value, lol.