Spring Tune-Up Tips

If you're like a lot of us in the Pacific Northwest, you're probably spending the cold, rainy winter getting fat on beer and cheetos instead of riding your bike. Before you know it, though, spring will be here, and the new biking season will be upon us. Maybe your body won't be in shape for it, but if you follow these tips at least your bike will be.

Now is a great time to check the wear on components, and adjust or replace them if necessary. Let's start with your chain. If you haven't replaced your chain in a year or more, do it now. Over time, the individual parts of your chain get worn out, increasing its effective length, this is often referred to as chain "stretch." When this happens, the chain is no longer able to conform to the profile of the cog and chainring teeth, so it wears those teeth out to fit the chains profile. If you replace the chain before it stretches too much, you'll save having to replace costly cogs and chainrings.

To detect chain stretch, simply measure it. Ideally, you would measure the chain over its entire length. Of course this requires taking the chain off the bike. You can also detect chain stretch, although not as accurately, by measuring a short section, say 12 inches. Taking the measurement is easy. Pins on a new chain are exactly 1/2 inch apart. If you line up one pin with the 1 inch mark on a ruler, at the end of the ruler another pin should line up exactly with the 12 inch mark. If the chain is stretched, the pin won't line up. If you detect 1/8 inch or more stretch, it's time for a new chain. If the chain doesn't need replacement, at least give it a fresh coat of lubricant, to prevent rusting during winter storage.

Next, check the bearing surfaces on your bike. This includes your bottom bracket, hubs and headset. Each of these should turn smoothly with no discernable play in the system. Before you check your bottom bracket, be sure each crankarm is snugged down tight. then, hold onto one crankarm (don't hold on to the pedal) and wobble it back and forth. If there's any clicking or, conversely, if the crankarm feels tight or binds, the bottom bracket needs adjustment.

Do the same thing with your hubs. With the wheels off the bike, spin the hub axles, feeling for any free play or binding. Either of these indicates a need for adjustment. To check the headset, first put the newly adjusted wheels back on the bike. Next, grab the front brake firmly and pull and push the handlebars back and forth. You shouldn't detect any play. Also, if you lift the front end off the ground, the fork should turn smoothly. If it feels rough, or "indexes", meaning it always comes back to center, it needs adjustment or perhaps replacement.

While you're at it, check the condition of your cables and housing. The cables shouldn't be frayed or rusty, and the housing shouldn't be kinked or cracked. If such wear is evident, replace the offending cables or housing, otherwise, your shifting and braking will be sluggish. Last, inspect your brake pads for wear. Many pads have ridges or some sort of indicator mark to let you know when they have worn so far as to need replacement. Brake pads that are worn unevenly or simply worn out compromise both braking efficiency and safety. As long as you've got your bike dusted off and running so smooth, why not go for a ride? It's not that miserable outside!