| When you first get a new bike it feels crisp and tight. | | | | probably need to replace your chain and cassette. |
| Everything is smooth and it just flows when you | | | | Chains wear at the pins causing a lengthening know as |
| pedals. Due to wear and tear this feeling slowly goes | | | | chain stretch. Once a chain is worn too much it doesn't |
| away. Your bike still works OK but it doesn't have that | | | | mesh with the gears properly. This leads to rough |
| new bike feel. Don't despair, you can get that loving | | | | shifting and the chain skipping on the gears. If you |
| feeling back. | | | | replace your chain regularly you can probably avoid |
| Most of the things that slowly wear are easy to adjust | | | | replacing your cassette. Check chain wear with a |
| or replace as needed. Some of my suggestions | | | | chain checker or measure across the pins. 12 full links |
| require specialty bike tools which you can get or get | | | | should be 12 inches. Once it's more than 3 mm beyond |
| your local shop to take care of it for you. | | | | that you need to replace your chain. If your chain is |
| Clean and Lube your Drive Train and cables | | | | worn beyond this then a new chain won't mesh with |
| Grit in your chain and cables increases drag and noise. | | | | your old gears and your have to replace both. To do |
| Give you chain a good cleaning on the bike with a | | | | this yourself you will need a chain tool, a chain whip |
| snap on chain cleaning device or take your chain off | | | | and a cassette tool. |
| the bike to clean it. If you take your chain off, put it in a | | | | Put on a New Pair of Tires |
| plastic tub with varsol, put on the lid and gently shake | | | | Tires wear just like anything else. Nothing makes a |
| to work out the dirt. If your chain is particularly dirty | | | | bike ride better than new set of tires. When you |
| then your may have to repeat this a couple of times | | | | replace your tires, it's a smart move to upgrade them |
| with clean varsol. | | | | over the stock tires that come on the bike. It's beyond |
| As far as you cables go you can drip lube on the | | | | the scope of this article to get into what tires to go to |
| cables where they go into the housings. It helps to tip | | | | but choose a set with a high thread count casing (120 |
| the bike so that gravity will pull the lube into the housing. | | | | TPI) and good rubber. For a road bike going from the |
| When you do this, shift through your gears and | | | | stock tires that come on most bikes to a fast race tire |
| squeeze your brakes to get the lube to work into the | | | | like the Kenda C2C makes the bike roll faster and |
| housing. Make sure to wipe off any excess that has | | | | corner better. |
| Adjust Brakes and Gears | | | | Replace your cables with a sealed cable system |
| As cables stretch and things get a little out of | | | | When lubing your cables doesn't get them working like |
| alignment you'll find your brakes and gears don't feel | | | | new consider upgrading to a high quality cable system |
| like they didn't when your bike is new. If your bike shifts | | | | like the Jagwire Ripcord or Gore Ride-On cable |
| but sounds a little noisy then often a half turn counter | | | | systems. The combination of sealed cable housing and |
| clockwise on the rear derailleur barrel adjuster will | | | | coated cables really decrease cable drag for shifting |
| realign things to work much smoother. If your chain | | | | and braking. The added bonus with sealed systems is |
| rubs on the front derailleur in some gears it's often just | | | | that they tend to last longer because they keep out |
| in need of some cable tightening. | | | | the crud that fouls up cables. Friction is the enemy on |
| Check to see if your brakes are dragging. A little bit of | | | | a bike(except your brakes) so we want to reduce it |
| brake drag is noisy and will make it harder to pedal. | | | | where ever we can. |
| Depending on the type of brake you have, how you | | | | Overview |
| recenter them will vary but you want the wheel or disc | | | | Sometimes when you are craving a new bike it's |
| rotor running through without drag. | | | | because your old one just needs some tender loving |
| Replace your chain and cassette | | | | care. Follow these tips and you'll get many more happy |
| When lubing your chain and adjusting your gears | | | | years out of your current bike. |
| doesn't get your drivetrain purring like new you | | | | |