Besides taking your mountain bike to a shop for regular tune-ups every year or two, there is maintenance you can perform yourself. Routine mountain bike maintenance for women doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. You only need a few essentials, such as an air pump, cleaning supplies and lubrication products, to keep your bike in top shape, even if you ride often and on rough terrain.
Tires
Tire pressure is a key component of regular mountain bike maintenance. If you've ever seen other women struggling on low tires, or you have struggled yourself because you didn't realize your tires were low or that one was damaged, you realize how important it is to take care of your tires. Always check tire pressure before and after a ride and look for damage or leaks. Depending on your bike, its tires and your normal riding conditions, tire pressure for mountain bikes can vary. Check the tire sidewall for recommended tire pressure. Mountain bike tire pressure is typically between 30 and 50 pounds per square inch, or PSI. To keep tires clean, use a rag to wipe them down or a gentle degreasing product.
Shocks
Check your shocks and other bike parts regularly, and if you ride often, perform overall checks and maintenance once a week. Keep your shocks filled appropriately with a shock pump, which you can find at any bike shop or sporting goods store. Fill all your shocks according to your mountain bike manufacturer's guidelines, but depending on typical ride and terrain conditions, shocks should give or sag about 20 percent. Clean your mountain bike shocks with a product that doesn't damage the gaskets, such as Tri-Flow lubricant.
Chains
Clean and lube your mountain bike chain often, and do so weekly if you ride once or more a week. Use a basic cleaner and degreaser to clean your bike chain, but wipe it down well and make sure you've gotten rid of all the dirt and gunk before lubing it. Look for a chain lube product that resists moisture and won't collect dust, dirt and grit on your rides. Regular chain maintenance will make changing gears easier.
Brakes
You can use basic rubbing alcohol to clean your disc brakes, according to Mountain Bike Maintenance 101. However, make sure a technician checks your brakes when you take your mountain bike in for tune-ups. Just keeping your brakes clean won't fix damaged parts. If you notice problems with your brakes, get them checked immediately by a professional to avoid serious accidents and injury.
Seats
An improper seat adjustment can make for a miserable ride. It's important to adjust your mountain bike seat according to manufacturer instructions, as well as to your height and leg length. You can have this done by a bike technician, but you can also adjust the seat yourself, especially if your mountain bike seat has a quick-release lever on it. Otherwise, you'll need a wrench to loosen and adjust your seat. You can use a measuring tape to find the correct seat height. With your usual riding clothes and shoes on, hold yourself against a wall with one arm while sitting straight on your bike. With the pedal in the down position, or bottom of the pedal stroke, check to make sure your leg is bent at approximately a 20- to 25-degree angle.
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