Keeping your mountain bike well maintained is not only important for its lifespan, but more importantly, your safety. Its timely service will help prevent untimely corrosion of parts and components.

From checking tire pressure to bleeding the brakes and suspension, the below mentioned tips will help ensure a consistent performance of your mountain bike without compromising your safety:

Regular Cleaning

Dirt and grime can corrode the body of the bike which is why it is important that you clean up your bike properly once a week. If possible, try and remove the mud and grime on the same day and carry out a thorough clean-up once a week. Make sure that you use bike cleaner to prevent damaging the moving parts or finishing in the frame. Check for any rubbing, loose or clicking parts along with any cracks on the frame or wheels, after you are done cleaning the bike.

Hubs, Cranks and Headset

Make sure the hubs are tight, clean and greased properly as they directly affect the wheels. Adjust the cranks accordingly so that the chain does not get strained while paddling. If the cranks shift around or click, then it is important that you service then thoroughly. Grease the headsets and tighten them up according to your convenience and safety requirements.

Brakes

Mountain bikes with disc brakes or calipers need to be serviced on a regular basis so that you can stop when you need to while riding. Check if the rotor of the disc brake is warped. A warped rotor makes it difficult to apply the brake. Get a bleed kit to prevent rotor contamination. Check the bleed adaptors and fitting. Refill the brake fluid if required. For caliper brakes, you need to check the pad of the brake in order to detect any wear and tear. Spin the wheel by lifting it slightly up in the air to check whether the brake stops the moving wheel and if there is any obstruction caused to the wheel when the brake is not pressured. Unscrew the worn out brake pads and replace them with the new ones if you find that the existing pads are not stopping the wheel properly. For the disc brakes, the replacement should be done when they are less than 1mm thick.

Mechanical brakes including the calipers use cables to operate and therefore necessary precautions are required to keep the cables working in perfect condition. When servicing the brakes, make sure to check the cables too. Sluggishness while applying the brake calls fall the change of the cables. Similarly, bleeding the disc brakes can prevent faulty breaking.

Shifter Cables and Cassettes

Damaged and finicky shifter cables will not move the chain up and down the gears with the required swiftness and precision. Therefore, they should be replaced with the new ones. Make adjustments to the derailleur and keep it in line with the gears. Cassettes of a bicycle need a change when they have sprocket edges, causing the gears to shift poorly. Only some lubrication can solve the matter, but in the case of worn out parts, it is necessary that you replace the cassette with a new one.

Tires and Wheels

Make sure that the tires run properly, without touching or rubbing any component of the bike. The same thing goes for the wheels. Check for any broken spokes, worn-out hubs, or rim damage.

Any cuts or tears on the tires invite for replacement. Check whether there are potential puncture causing elements stuck in the tire or not. Worn out tyres should be immediately replaced.