Like any machine with moving components, a bicycle needs regular maintenance to remain in peak operating condition. When your 10-speed bike is fully cleaned and all of the parts are functioning properly, you will be able to shift through the gears easily and smoothly to get the most from your riding experience. Having a regular service schedule for daily to annual repairs will also save you costly fixes at your local bicycle shop in the future.
Step 1
Insert a tire pressure gauge into the valve stem on your front tire and check it for proper inflation. Check the rear tire and fill both tires to the proper inflation before you ride. Squeeze the brakes to ensure they are operating properly. If the brake lever comes to the handlebar, it is too loose and you need to tighten the brake cables before riding.
Step 2
Wipe down your bicycle with a damp rag and a light dish detergent once a week. Inspect the wheels for any loose or broken spokes. If a spoke is loose, place a spoke wrench on the spoke's nipple and turn it counterclockwise until it has the same amount of tension as the other spokes. Check the spoke tension by plucking the spoke and comparing the sound to the other spokes.
Step 3
Place the end of a 12-inch ruler on one of the bushings in a chain link once a month. Inspect the opposite end of the ruler to see if it is on the center of a bushing 12 inches away. If the center of the bushing is farther than 1/4-inch from the end of the ruler, take the chain off of the bike and remove a link.
Step 4
Tighten any loose bolts on the bicycle once a month, including those used in the seat post, handlebar stem and brakes. If the chain is excessively dirty, take it off of the bicycle and clean it. Hold a bottle of chain oil over the chain links when it is back on the bike and drip oil onto the chain while you turn the pedal crank.
Step 5
Wipe any grime off of the rear derailleur once a month. Move the derailleur arm by hand to ensure that it is operating freely. Add a few drops of light bicycle oil to the joints of the mechanism if necessary. Take the rear wheel off of the bike and clean between the gear sprockets with a rag or specially designed cleaning brush.
Step 6
Shift your bike through all 10 gears to see if the chain is balanced properly on the sprockets. If the chain is leaning toward another gear sprocket or is falling off of the gear cassette when you shift, adjust the high and low limit screws of the derailleur until the chain shifts properly through each gear.
Things You'll Need
- Soap and water
- Rags
- Chain lubricant
- Tire pressure gauge
- Bicycle pump
- Allen wrenches
- Open end wrenches
- Spoke wrench
- Ruler
- Philips screwdriver
- Chain link removal tool
- Light oil
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