Bicycle Maintenance Checklist - Before and After Ride, Monthly, Yearly

If You Want To Keep Your Bike in Tip-Top Shape, You Should Follow This Daily, Weekly, Monthly, and Yearly Maintenance Checklist

Perhaps you just bought a new bike. Or maybe you have been riding for quite some time now— either way it is important to make sure that your bike is operating properly all the time!

Of course, the type of riding, the frequency that you ride, and the terrain you ride on all play a role in determining your maintenance schedule. If you ride 150 miles a week through mud and rain, you will need to be much more vigilant about keeping your bike in good working order. Conversely, if you are a recreational rider that only rides a few days out of the week, you can be a little more relaxed in your routine. But don't get too relaxed!

BEFORE EVERY RIDE:

• Check tire air pressure
• Check brakes and cables
• Make sure your crank set is tight
• Make sure your quick release hubs are tight

AFTER EVERY RIDE:

• Inspect tires for glass, gravel shards, and cuts on tread and sidewall.
• Check your wheels to see if they are still true
• Clean the bike's mechanical parts as necessary. Once a week or every 200 miles. Lubricate chain (with dry lube; or every other week/400 miles with wet chain lube).

 ONCE A MONTH:

• Completely clean the bike, including the drivetrain if necessary
• Inspect and lubricate brake levers, derailleurs, and all cables.
• Inspect pedals and lubricate SPD style cleats. Inspect tires for wear, rotate or replace if needed
• Inspect and check for looseness in the:

   → Stem binder bolt
   → Handlebar binder bolt
   → Seatpost binder bolt (or quick release)
   → Seat fixing bolt
   → Crank bolts
   → Chainring bolts
   → Derailleur mounting bolts
   → Bottle cage bolts
   → Rack mounting bolts
   → Brake and derailleur cable anchors
   → Brake and shifter lever mounting bolts
   → Brake mounting bolts

EVERY THREE MONTHS:

• Inspect frame and fork for paint cracks or bulges that may indicate frame or part damage; pay particular attention to all frame joints
• Visually inspect for bent components: seat rails, seat post, stem, handlebars, chainrings, crankarms, brake calipers and brake levers.

EVERY SIX MONTHS:

• Inspect and readjust bearings in headset, hubs, pedals and bottom bracket (if possible; some sealed cartridge bearings cannot be adjusted, only replaced

ANNUALLY:

• Disassemble and overhaul; replace all bearings (if possible); and remove and if necessary replace brake and shift cables. This should be performed at 6,000 miles if you ride more than that per year. If you often ride in the rain or mountains you may want to overhaul more often.

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