# Service Intervals...how often?



## wilso_ac (Jan 31, 2007)

Ok, question for the service people

I want to know how often my bike needs a service? I know, I know "it depends on what type of riding you do etc. etc" 

So here is the rub 

I've got a 2007 Giant XTC2 and I ride it mostly to work on the road, although I take it for a bash on the weekends the majority of the riding is done on the tarmac.

I currently ride about 80km per week and the k's are starting to get up there.

How often should I be taking the bike in for a 'major service'?

I clean and lube the chain every day (Pedro's Ice wax, I don’t think I'll be buying it again!) and keep everything tight and reasonably well adjusted.

So I guess the main question is how often do the big things need to be done?

Bottom bracket service/repack
Wheel bearing repack
Shock service/rebuild (Recon 351)
Cluster service/bearings etc
chain/gear replacements
and anything else I’ve forgotten

Thanks


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## bubbrubb (Jun 10, 2004)

A major overhaul 1x a year is all I think it would need. 
That would be a service that includes greasing the bearings, changing cables, and a tune up.

I'd have the bike checked over every 2 months by a mechanic, and I'd change the chain as needed.


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## trailville (Jul 24, 2006)

There is a huge difference between road miles and trail miles (or KMs in your case) in relationship to maintenance. I have run my road/touring bike for over 5,000 (about 8,000 KM) miles at a time with just cleaning and basic lubing and a couple sets of tires. Get one of those chain guages to measure your chain wear and replace as needed, servicing the wheel bearings every year or two will probably be plenty, I'm not sure what kind of BB you have so I don't know if it's serviceable. Replace cables and housings as you start to notice resistance (once again, road miles are very easy on cables unless you ride where there's salt). Check to see if you can grease the bearings in your pedals. As to lubing the chain and cables, search this forum and you'll find numerous arguments/discussions on those topics (please don't start a new one). 

Suspension is a different story, you need to check manufacturer's recommendations for that. Brakes, I still run rim brakes so I can't comment on discs (assuming that's what you have)


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## wilso_ac (Jan 31, 2007)

Thanks for the advice

The BB is a race face XC external bearing and the pedals are shimano M520's

I think I'll just take it in once a year for a major service..


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## bikefun (Jun 15, 2006)

Major service I would say at least one a year, depending on how much and how hard you ride. Try to tool yourself so you can stretch it out longer.


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## anirban (Apr 20, 2006)

wilso_ac said:


> I clean and lube the chain every day


Holy smokes.... I salute you, o purist!

I think degreasing and lubing the chain everyday might be an overkill, especially since most of your riding is on the road. If you keep everything maintained properly, then a major overhaul once a year should be enough.


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## wilso_ac (Jan 31, 2007)

anirban,

The second part of that sentence read "Pedro's Ice wax, I don’t think I'll be buying it again!".

I don’t know if you've ever used it but I'm not a big fan. I made the fatal mistake of walking into my LBS and asking for a good lube, the enthusiastic sales rep handed it straight to me with the highest recommendations. I went home and did the cleaning and lubing routine as specified on the packaging, lubed the chain and left it till the next morning.

I reckon about 10K's into the morning commute the chain started to sound like it hadn't been lubed at all, I can see the point of a dry lube, and yes it does keep the drivetrain clean, but as far as keeping it lubricated its rubbish.

Pedros recommend that the chain be lubed every ride, part of the lubing procedure is putting it on then wiping it off to clean the chain, you then relube it and leave it to dry, hence the chain is 'cleaned and lubed everyday' I use as much as I can so the bottle will run out quickly and I can buy something else.

read about it in the 'products' section on here, I didn't read it till after I bought it...Someone likens it to drinking salt water i.e. you drink because you thirsty, but it makes you more dehydrated, 

"if you think about the logic it doesn’t work, a degreaser and lubricant all in one??? its like drinking salty water, it will either dehydrate you or quench your thirst but not both." 

So, after all that, yes I do it, but I wouldn't if I didn't use this rubbish product.


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## spencer the kalmyk (Dec 6, 2006)

wilso_ac said:


> anirban,
> 
> The second part of that sentence read "Pedro's Ice wax, I don't think I'll be buying it again!".
> 
> ...


I'm curious if you thought about switching to Dumonds...That is entirely to much work on a chain!!

S the K


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## wilso_ac (Jan 31, 2007)

In all honesty I haven’t thought about what lube I will use next, just which one I wont be purchasing. 

I'm in Aus and we dont seem to have all the products available in the US.

If you can give me some details I'll have a look on ebay.

Thanks


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