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MTB Maintenance


jedimastersa

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Do a mechanics course. Check out Yellow Saddle's banners on these pages. Will pay for itself very quickly.
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Do a mechanics course. Check out Yellow Saddle's banners on these pages. Will pay for itself very quickly.
Yellow Saddle banner???

 

Yup, there are arvertising banners on these pages and they alternate between the different advertisers. You will see one for Yellow Saddle. Or go to yellowsaddle.co.za
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Ok which bike do you have currently and how do you currently maintain it?

the answer could be "I do nothing" but I need an idea of what youdoing' date=' right or wrong to be able to assist with what to do correctly. type away
[/quote']

Hi GL...

I currently have a GT Avalanche 2.0, and I leave my maintenance for the shops. I will fiddle here and there (because it cant be too difficult) and end up confusing myself.

When it comes to things like bottom brackets and wheel hubs (which are supposed to be sealed) I have learnt not to spray water directly into them, but it was only now after fetching my bike from the shop again.

Otherwise, everytime I wash my bike, I put some wax on the chain (Pedro's) and I spray some Shimano chain and cable spray into the moving parts of the derailleurs.

That is it in a nutshell... Big%20smile

 

Ok I will post something in this thread later. Too little time to type Bornman length response at the moment
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  • 1 month later...

Right... So a month ago I had my Bottom bracket replaced. Since then I have done about 400km's on my bike of which 150 was offroad. The rest was all road riding.

 

The offroad stuff: I sprayed the bike down after every ride, being careful not to spray directly onto the hubs and the BB and made sure the bike was clean afterwards. afterwards I would turn the bike upside down to make sure no water collected in the BB area. Even had the bike in front of a heater the one time (also upside down)

 

I also did 2 rides in mist rain.

 

Before the 94, I noticed a clicking sound coming from pushing down on the right pedal. checked the pedals, and they were flexing a bit. Concerned that the BB went again, and being unable to book the bike in before the 94, I rode the race with a constant clicking and every now and then a different noise. I then took the bike in yesterday to the shop, and got the call that mud and water is all over the BB...

 

I thought a mountain bike should be able to handle these kinds of things? After the last replacement, I was even paranoid about keeping the bike clean and doing everything the shop told me to do...

 

Is it possible that I got a dud? Or is it justified that I pay for a new BB after riding with this one for a month?

 

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Right... So a month ago I had my Bottom bracket replaced. Since then I have done about 400km's on my bike of which 150 was offroad. The rest was all road riding.

The offroad stuff: I sprayed the bike down after every ride' date=' being careful not to spray directly onto the hubs and the BB and made sure the bike was clean afterwards. afterwards I would turn the bike upside down to make sure no water collected in the BB area. Even had the bike in front of a heater the one time (also upside down)

I also did 2 rides in mist rain.

Before the 94, I noticed a clicking sound coming from pushing down on the right pedal. checked the pedals, and they were flexing a bit. Concerned that the BB went again, and being unable to book the bike in before the 94, I rode the race with a constant clicking and every now and then a different noise. I then took the bike in yesterday to the shop, and got the call that mud and water is all over the BB...

I thought a mountain bike should be able to handle these kinds of things? After the last replacement, I was even paranoid about keeping the bike clean and doing everything the shop told me to do...

Is it possible that I got a dud? Or is it justified that I pay for a new BB after riding with this one for a month?
[/quote']

 

Something must be wrong! my training MTB 1999 KHS Alite 3000 is still on its origenal BB. I use the power washer all the time and the bike must have done over 10 000km. Yes, I regrease the headset and hubs every now and then. Never touch the BB
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I have replaced two BB's in two years but these have taken serious abuse - all off road. This includes the Hell and Back, Karoo to Coast, Trans Baviaans.

 

 

 

Mountain bikes are notoriously heavy on maintenance. Your story about the BB sounds a little suspect...

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The offroad stuff: I sprayed the bike down after every ride' date=' being careful not to spray directly onto the hubs and the BB and made sure the bike was clean afterwards. afterwards I would turn the bike upside down to make sure no water collected in the BB area. Even had the bike in front of a heater the one time (also upside down)

 

...I then took the bike in yesterday to the shop, and got the call that mud and water is all over the BB...

 

 

[/quote']

 

You need to check if you have a hole drilled in the frame's BB shell at the lowest point when the bike is upright, on its wheels.  This is to let water that has collected in the frame run out.  If the hole is not there, drill it (or get the bike shop to).  I've had to drill it on two of my frames (Litespeed Antares and Kinesis MTB).

 

Also, try not to spray the bike if possible.  I know that gets tricky on the MTB some times.  If you have to spray, use a hose attachment that has lots of little holes on the end (like a watering can) - so you get lots of little low-pressure jets instead of a high-pressure torrent.  Don't spray near BB/Hubs/Headset/Handlebar Controls and use a brush with the low pressure water if you need to get stuck stuff off.

 

The hose pipe is the biggest killer of bicycle components.  The hose pipe is the bike shop's friend and your enemy.

ZeroPlay2008-11-18 08:36:02

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Right... I went to go look at the BB yesterday after work.

 

Very suspect is the fact that the axle is bent and you can feel the one bearing pivot on it. Worst riding that I have done is up and down the Braamfontein spruit. I can't do those big jumps either, as I am still too much of a noob... LOL

 

It is a Truvativ Powespline BB. so was the one before, and I dont think it was what the bike came out with originally. My cranks are truvativ though

 

I also spoke to the shop yesterday about drilling holes in the frame for water to run out, and they mechanic told me not to do it as it will void the warranty on the frame...

 

I am contemplating doing an upgrade to an external BB, but will only do so once the new one has packed up...

 

Poenster2008-11-18 22:39:32

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I also spoke to the shop yesterday about drilling holes in the frame for water to run out' date=' and they mechanic told me not to do it as it will void the warranty on the frame...

 

[/quote']

 

Checked my frame the other day and it has a hole in it where the BB is...

 

Not trying to be funny, but I don't see how that could make the frame weaker, yes drilling the hole could void the warranty but would save you some extra pains in the future, out of interest is the warranty not already run out on your frame?

 

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