Men’s mountain bikes go through a great deal of dirt and mud and all the suspension, gear and braking components end up with lots of mud and silt deposits. Besides corrosion from drinking water and dirt about the moving parts, the force from multiple impacts from the rough terrain takes strain on all of the mountain bike components. It’s important to maintain your bike clean and ensure that all the elements are fastened correctly. This can save cash in the long run.
Most mountain bikes are fairly sophisticated in terms of their gearing systems. While it isn’t recommended to try and service and set the gears yourself, fundamental care in terms of cleaning is required and can be done safely by you. Mountain bike gears have to be really resilient to dirt and moisture. When fine sand and grit particles are deposited about the gears and chain of the mountain bike, they combine with water and lubricants about the metal to form a type of grinding paste. If left unattended for a number of riding sessions, the damage from constant dirt abrasion adds up and speeds up the deterioration from the gears.
It is a great idea to use a bicycle stand when cleaning the bike. This allows for simple access to parts from the frame. The shock absorbers need to be cleaned to avoid dirt getting trapped in the seals and wearing them out. To clean your bike effectively, you should use a normal hose pipe and soapy drinking water. Don’t use a high pressure hose. Usually remove as a lot loose dirt and mud as possible with water from the hose, before wiping and scrubbing the frame and components. Don’t scrub as well difficult on the frame, the paint work can be damaged. The gears could be gently cleaned with a tooth brush to get rid of mud stuck in difficult to reach places. Use the pedals to run the chain backwards and forwards via the cassette and get rid of any dirt you see. It is essential to not spray water directly into the bearings. This will strip away the lubrication and grease required to maintain them running smooth.
As soon as the bike has been cleaned and dried, you have to lubricate all joints and pivot points. Use only recommended lubricants on your gear sprockets. There is a great deal of debate over what kind of lubrication your chain requires. If the lubricant is as well sticky, it attracts more dirt and this wears out your chain quicker. Some cyclists use old motor oil to lubricate the mountain bicycle chain, claiming that it has the right balance of properties to repel moisture and keep the chain lubricated, without attracting too much dirt.
When cleaning and lubricating a men’s mountain bike, it’s important to avoid getting oil or grease onto the disk brakes. This will interfere with the operation from the brakes and prevent the bicycle from stopping as normal. Once you’re finished using the basic mountain bicycle maintenance routine, bounce the bicycle around a bit and turn the wheels and pedals to make certain that everything moves and rotates without squeaks or even grinding sounds.
