Mountain Bike Maintenance for Beginners

If you're a mountain bike enthusiast it's a good idea to be able to perform your own mountain bike maintenance, as this will save you money and increase your pleasure in riding.

If you feel confident in the knowledge that you can fix any breakdowns when you're out you can happily go further, for longer, although you'll be less likely to have a breakdown if ypu've been maintaining your bike well.

You will save money by doing your own mountain bike maintenance as you won't need to pay a mechanic to do it for you, and your parts should need replacing less often if you've looked after them.

One of the first issues to consider if you plan to do your own maintenance is the getting the right basic tools. As you learn more you may want to get more specialised tools for your bike.

You should also carry a tool kit with you when you ride and you can get complete basic tool kits to carry with you that are more compact than the regular tools you might use at home. Remember to test all tools at home before you take them out with you.

Before you think about getting tools the most basic maintenance you should carry out on your mountain bike doesn't require any tools, it just requires that you regularly keep it clean.

Get into the habit of cleaning your bike after every ride, either by wiping it down or washing it with a bucket of hot water and soap. Make sure you rinse it or wipe it down afterwards and this will prevent any dirt getting into places it shouldn't get into.

The next step in basic mountain bike maintenance includes occasionally lubricating the chain. This is essential to keep it functioning properly and there are lots of good lubricants available. Get into the habit of applying any lubricant the night before you ride so that it works into the chain properly.

Another important basic thing to check is the air pressure in your tyres as this will protect them and give you a better ride. You should also change the tyres occasionally as part of your maintenance routine, and make sure you know how to repair a puncture.

The next elements to remember to check as part of your regular maintenance routine are brake and gear cables. These can stretch over time and won't work as well, so they also need to be replaced every 6 months or so, depending on often they are used.

The next important maintenance task is to regularly check your brake pads as they wear out and are of course a necessary safety feature. You should also check the alignment of the brake pad against the wheel. They should rest squarely on the wheel rim when the brakes are on, but free of the sidewall when they're not applied.

Lastly on your basic maintenance list check all the nuts and bolts on your bike and tighten any loose ones with an Allen key or a spanner.

Even with regular maintenance breakdowns will happen, even to the best bikes and most experienced riders. It is just part and parcel of mountain bike riding but it's better to be able to fix breakdowns or prevent them whenever possible through regular maintenance checks.

Mountain bike maintenance is more often than not cheaper than repair so look after your bike well with regular checks. Also with just a little maintenance knowledge you can ride further for longer and feel safe that you can fix things when they go wrong.