Often, lubrication
will alleviate a problem - no repair required!
Recomended product:
Wax based lubricant
Using the proper lubricant
and keeping your bike well lubed will improve performance, help
your bike to last longer and it will contribute to your enjoyment
of riding.
Anyplace on a bike
where two parts move and are in contact with one another constitutes
a pivot point. All pivot points benefit from lubrication. That
is not to say that it is always a good idea to soak everything
with oil, in fact, we recommend avoiding petroleum based lubricants
al together.
We strongly recommend
using wax based lubricants for all pivot points on your bike,
including the chain. These modern lubricants work great, are cleaner
to work with and, reportedly, are easier on the environment. NOTE:
You'll need to apply these lubricants more often than oil. If
you hear a squeak, go ahead and lube everything (better yet, don't
wait for the squeak).
Cleaning the chain prior to lubrication
To clean your chain:
Before you apply fresh lubricants, take time to carefully clean
your chain. Simply take a towel in one hand and grasp the chain.
Spin the peddles in reverse so that the chain runs through the
towel. Change spots on the towel frequently and alter your grip
to get all sides of the chain and try to get every nook and cranny.
Lubricating chain with wax based product
To lubricate you chain:
Hold lubricant over the lower cog in the rear deraillure and spin
the peddles backwards. As the chain spins, squeeze a generous quantity
of lubricant onto the chain. Continue untill the chain is well soaked
- just dripping, then wipe excess off and go riding.
To lubricate other
pivots:
Check out your bike from front to back, observe all the moving parts
paying particular attention to the places where parts rub together
- that's where you'll want to put some wax based lubrication.
Just put a couple of
drops on each pivot point, work the parts back and forth a few times
and wipe off the excess lube.
To lubricate inside
the cable housing:
Here's a little secret that will help your bike shift and brake
better! Lubricate the inside of your cable housing.
Front and rear deraillure
cable housing:
1. Place the rear deraillure on the biggest gear.
2. without spinning the peddles, move the shifter so that
slack appears in the cable.
3. Now that the cable is slack, you can pop the cable housing ends
(ferules) out of their brackets.
4. Slide the cable housing out of the way and apply lubricant to
cable.
5. Replace housing ends into brackets.
6. Spin peddles to realign chain and rear deraillure
Brake cable housing:
1. Squeeze brakes together to create slack in cable (you may need
to remove the wheel or screw in the barrel adjustment at the brake
handle to create enough slack).
2. Pop cable housing end out of quick release bracket at the brake
3. Slide the cable housing out of the way and apply lubricant to
cable.
4. Replace housing ends into brackets.
5. Be sure brakes are reassembled properly and test your brakes
before riding!
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