101 Secrets of the World's Greatest Wrenches
The 5 mechanics you're about to meet have fixed tens of thousands of bikes. They're prodigies on the far end of innovation and legends steeped in tradition. They're masters of the most intricate procedures yet still appreciate the marvel of bike maintenance: That the simplest fixes keep bikes running best. That 10 minutes of maintenance saves two hours of repair. Now, step into their workshops and make your bike perfect.
101 Secrets Easy-to-follow advice for every kind of fix.
OVERHAULS & TUNE-UPS
1 I overhaul a bike every evening after a race. I don't completely break it down; I wash and clean it, relube the drivetrain and verify that everything works. I also make sure there are no loose bolts. But be careful: I did not say, "tighten every bolt." If you tighten every bolt every time you give your bike a tune-up, you'll strip bolts and break parts.
--Julien Devriese
2 Tune from the top down. Check seat bolts, handlebar bolts and headset, then work down to the crankset, bottom bracket and derailleurs.
--Gravy
3 For quick tune-ups, slip cable housing out in as many places as possible, slide it up or down the cable, lube with light grease and replace.
--Gravy
4 Replace cables and housing at least once a year to maintain crisp shifting. Don't lube inside the housings if you live in a dry, dusty area.
--Jenny Skorcz
5 When disassembling your bike, align parts on a clean surface in the order and orientation you removed them.
--Jeremiah Boobar
6 Every time you lube the chain, lube the fork and shock seals. Non-wax-based lubes work best. Apply the lube, push on the suspension five times to lift dirt out, then wipe the seals dry.
--Boobar
7 It's better to run cables a little long than a little short. If you need to raise your stem, you have the slack and won't have to re-cable.
--Peter Chisholm
STRANGE SOUNDS 8 Seatpost creak is sometimes caused by movement between the seatpost collar and the seat tube. Remove the collar, clean the robe with rubbing alcohol, then apply a couple drops of blue Loctite inside the collar.
--Jenny Skorcz
9 Humming or vibration from the wheels could be a loose presta nut or reflector bolt.
--Skorcz
10 Eliminate brake squeal by cleaning pads and rims, toeing in brake pads and sometimes even reversing the toe angle on the pads.
--Skorcz
11 To stop the thump between a brake pad and an off-center rim seam, reverse the rim rotation (front wheel only) or sand the seam down.
--Skorcz
12 Slip a creaking handlebar out from the stem, clean with alcohol, dab on a few drops of blue Loctite and reinstall. Also grease the mounting bolts.
--Skorcz
13 To eliminate crankarm creak, remove the cranks, clean the square taper or spline and the crank bolts, then put a few drops of blue Loctite on the surfaces (including bolts) and reinstall to manufacturer's specified torque.
--Skorcz
14 If you hear a creak from the bottom bracket, don't dive into the BB. First, check your cleats for wear. Replace metal cleats if the edges are shiny and worn.
--Peter Chisholm
15 Mysterious creaking up front? Pull off your fork, then clean and grease, including all bolts, headset, spacers and stem.
--Jeremiah Boobar
CLEANING 16 Clean your bike in sections--cleanest to dirtiest. That way, you avoid sloshing dirt on clean parts.
--Jeremiah Boobar
17 Keep your bike away from the power spray at the car wash--it blasts away oil and grease. Dust your bike off with soft-bristle brushes and wipe it down with clean rags. If you must use water, keep it in a bucket and apply it with a sponge.
--Jenny Skorcz
18 The single most important thing: Keep your bike clean.
--Julien Devriese
19 For chain cleaning and maintenance, don't use WD-40. Buy degreaser and lubricant. WD-40 isn't a lubricant; it displaces lube and accelerates wear.
--Skorcz
20 Never spray degreaser at components with internal grease, such as hubs, headsets or bottom brackets. To degrease your chain, spray solvent straight down onto the chain, then tilt the drivetrain toward the ground when you rinse.
--Skorcz
21 Blue Dawn dish soap has the highest strength and best grease-cutting action.
--Gravy
22 Use three brushes: a long bottle brush for details; a flat, wide brush for drivetrains; and a large, soft-bristle brush for tires and wheels.
--Gravy
23 Pull the wheels off. You get the frame and wheels cleaner, faster.
--Gravy
24 Use cold water. Hot water can melt the grease right out of bearings.
--Gravy
25 After washing, dry your bike with cotton towels, then put a few drops of oil on the moving parts of the quick-releases to keep them in good condition.
--Gravy
NEVER WALK HOME
26 Slip alcohol prep pads in your seatpack so you can clean the disc-brake rotors if they're accidentally touched. Oil from your fingers can contaminate pads, dramatically reducing braking power.
--Jenny Skorcz
27 Carry a real chain tool (not just a multitool) on rides. I've never regretted the extra weight, and I've lent it to many frustrated riders who were trying to fix a chain with a cheap, broken tool.
--Skorcz
28 Carry an energy bar so you can use the wrapper as a tire boot. Fold the wrapper in half twice, then install it between the inner tube and the hole in the tire.
--Skorcz
29 Quick-release levers make excellent tire levers.
--Skorcz
30 If you don't have a patch kit or a spare tube, stuff your tire full of leaves, dirt or newspaper--whatever's available to give it enough shape to ride on without damaging the rim.
--Skorcz
31 If your rear derailleur breaks off, turn your bike into a singlespeed. Break the chain, unthread it from the derailleur and wrap it around the small chainring (middle ring if the terrain is flat) and a middle rear cog. Remove excess links and what's left of your derailleur, reattach the chain and pedal home.
--Skorcz
32 Everyone has a good story about duct tape saving the day. Wrap some around your seatpost so you're never without it.
--Skorcz
33 The cure for bad chain suck: Lay the bike on the non-drive side, stand on the chainstay and pull the crankarm from the frame while a buddy removes the chain.
--Skorcz
FRAME
34 Lightly sand surface rust off your steel frame, then coat the spot with clear nail polish. Repaint it when the touch-up spots cover more of the flame than the original paint.
--Jenny Skorcz
35 Drill a 1/8-inch hole in your bottom bracket shell to let water escape.
--Skorcz
36 An 8- to 10-inch strip of old road fire makes an excellent chainstay protector. Use four or more zip-ties to keep it in place.
--Skorcz
37 Cut a foot-long strip from a 2-liter plastic bottle, punch two holes in the top and two in the bottom, string zip-ties through it and fasten it onto the down tube for a homemade mud guard.
--Skorcz
38 About every three months, remove and lube the seatpost if you're riding aluminum or steel. For carbon posts or frames, remove the seatpost and wipe away grit and grease with a dry rag.
--Gravy
39 Use nylon bolts to fill unused water bottle braze-ons. They're lighter than metal ones.
--Jeremiah Boobar
40 Check derailleur hanger alignment if you have difficulty with rear shifts.
--Boobar
WHEELS
41 When you remove tires, check the rim strips for tears, movement, exposed spoke holes or spokes that poke through. This could save you from a nightmare day of flatting.
--Gravy
42 Clean the threads of a loose spoke and apply a dab of blue Loctite. Let it dry before retightening and retruing.
--Gravy
43 Reinstall wheels with the bike on the ground so the wheels seat correctly in the drops.
--Gravy
44 Some seamless rims have an internal piece that can break loose. (It'll sound like a stone is inside the wheel.) The fix: Remove the rim strip, squirt silicone or caulk into the hole near the rattle and let it set.
--Skorcz
45 If you don't have a dishing tool, remove the wheel from your frame, flip it around and remount. Distance from rim to frame should be the same both ways.
--Jeremiah Boobar
46 Work around the wheel truing major warps, then focus smaller.
--Boobar
47 Repack loose-ball hubs after long rides in the rain.
--Julien Devriese
DRIVETRAIN
48 Check your chain for wear every 3,000 miles.--Peter Chisholm
49 Don't swap out for an 11T cog. You lose a middle-range cog, which is more useful.
--Chisholm
50 Buy the least-expensive compatible chain.
--Chisholm
51 Lube your chain after a ride, not before. This way the lube can dry. (But if it squeals, lube immediately.)
--Chisholm
52 Reshake a bottle of paraffin-based chain lube after applying it to about 10 links.
--Skorcz
53 For faster shifting, lube every pivot point on derailleurs.
--Gravy
54 No matter what, don't touch the screws on your derailleurs unless you absolutely, positively know what they're for.
--Skorcz
55 Don't grease square-taper bottom brackets. It voids the warranty on most cranks and causes them to loosen more often.
--Gravy
CONTACT POINTS
56 Wash your hands before you wrap bar tape. What's the use of putting on new tape if it's already dirty?
--Julien Devriese
57 Experiment with your saddle. Eddy Merckx was always changing his position up, down, forward or back. Greg LeMond, who liked to ride with his saddle pretty far back, would set his position at the beginning of the season and not touch it. Lance likes his seat forward, with the nose pointed a little down.
--Devriese
58 Road cleats are for riding. If you often walk, get a recessed cleat/shoe system.
--Peter Chisholm
59 When buying a saddle, go for most comfy. Not most trendy.
--Chisholm
60 For easy in and out, keep your clipless pedal platform clean and lubed.
--Jenny Skorcz
61 Hair spray is worthless when wet and should not be used to install grips. Spray-lacquer won't slip, wet or dry, but you have to destroy grips to remove them.
--Skorcz
62 Put a nickel inside the ends of grips to prevent the handlebar end from popping off the rubber tip.
--Skorcz
63 Bar-ends slip if the handlebar gets crushed from the clamping force. Saw off the crushed end, then install a reinforcement plug before putting the bar-ends back on.
--Skorcz
64 Use hot glue to tack down leather that peels from the underside of the saddle.
--Skorcz
65 Lightly sand shot-peened handlebars; this gives grips a better surface to bond to.
--Gravy
66 If your grips don't stick to the bar, put brake cleaner inside them and cinch them down with safety wire.
--Jeremiah Boobar
HEADSET
67 To detect a loose headset, bounce the front wheel on the ground and listen for fork rattle. If you feel notches as you slowly turn the bar from side to side, your headset is too tight.
--Julien Devriese
68 Unstable bike? Check the headset; it's likely too tight or too loose.
--Peter Chisholm
69 Make sure there's 1--3 mm between the top cap of the headset and the top of the steerer tube; otherwise you won't have good headset adjustment, and you'll probably ruin the headset.
--Gravy
SUSPENSION
70 Use isopropyl alcohol to clean your fork's internals.
--Jeremiah Boobar
71 When you remove your fork's lowers, place them in a trashcan to drain out excess oil. This keeps you from dumping oil everywhere.
--Boobar
72 Use isopropyl alcohol to remove fork bumpers from DH forks.
--Boobar
73 When removing a rear shock, wrap a bungee cord from the rear wheel to the seat to keep the wheel from going past the shock's top-out point, damaging linkage and pulling on derailleur cables. This also makes it easier to get the shock back in.
--Boobar
74 A barbecue skewer is great for getting rags in and out of lowers. Bend the end into a little hook.
--Boobar
75 If you have lockout, run suspension softer than normal. This increases your speed in technical sections without sacrificing climbing or start speed.
--Boobar
76 Use a toe strap to cinch your disc brake caliper to your handlebar when working on the fork. This keeps pads away from the oil.
--Boobar
77 When disassembling suspension, move your wheels away from your work area. You never know when you'll drop a tool in your oil pan and make a splash.
--Boobar
78 Use blue Loctite on shock mounting bolts to keep them tight without overtorquing.
--Boobar
79 When screwing the shock pump on, turn until the pressure registers, then another half turn. Any more and you could wreck the pump's O-ring.
--Boobar
80 Parking-lot tests are not a great way to evaluate suspension setups on longer-travel bikes. These bikes are designed to ride down steep hills, so in true application more of your weight is on the front wheel while your body is positioned mostly behind the bottom bracket. Do a run on your bike to get the final evaluation.
--Boobar
BRAKES
81 Calipers should be completely closed against the rim before the brake levers hit the bar.
--Peter Chisholm
82 Inspect rim-brake pads periodically for embedded aluminum slivers. The tip of a safety pin works well for removal.
--Jenny Skorcz
83 Don't fasten brake levers so tight that they won't move if you crash You d rather have them move than break.
--Chisholm
84 File or sand brake pads about once a month to keep your brakes strong, and clean rims or rotors at least every other ride.
--Skorcz
85 Inspect brake pads for uneven wear and readjust pad angle accordingly. This makes pads last longer and improves braking.
--Gravy
TIRES
86 In a race, you change a flat quickly. In the shop, it's opposite. Take your time; inspect the wheel and tire.
--Julien Devriese
87 Before you ride, clean your tires so no debris works its way in when you're racing along at high speeds.
--Devriese
88 To seat tubeless tires, use a water bottle to squirt soapy water onto the tire bead. It also helps the tire pop into place as you add pressure.
--Jenny Skorcz
89 For a softer ride, get fatter tires.
--Peter Chisholm
90 One good tire and one worn tire? Put the best one up front. Steering first.
--Chisholm
91 Repair small cuts in the rubber (not the casing) with dabs of superglue. Cuts in the casing means it's time to go tire shopping.
--Gravy
92 Be sure the tire seats without pinching the tube or rim strip. To help seat it, pinch the sidewalls together all the way around the rim.
--Gravy
93 When installing a tube, don't use those little valve nuts on the stem. But if you're using tubeless wheels, you need the nuts (or whatever anchoring system the wheels use) to secure the valve.
--Gravy
WORKSHOP WISDOM & SMART ALECK ADVICE
94 Bike maintenance is more art than science, more feeling than instruction.
--Julien Devriese
95 Most-common mistake: not keeping bikes clean and not keeping the toolbox or workbench in order.
--Devriese
96 If it costs more than $1 per gram, it's not worth the price.
--Peter Chisholm
97 Ask the wrench what works, not the sales guy.
--Chisholm
98 If a wrench does you a favor, buy him a Six-pack.
--Chisholm
99 All good service areas have beer in the fridge, not wine.
--Chisholm
100 Don't use lithium grease on titanium parts or hardware; use copper-based grease.
--Gravy
101 There's no such thing as "good enough." If you work on your bike, spend the time to do it right. Wrenching in your shorts with your friend anxiously waiting is a great way to make mistakes.
--Boobar
GREATEST WRENCH
Peter At Vecchio's Bicicletteria in Boulder, CO, the workshop isn't crammed behind rows of shiny bikes. It's the centerpiece. The maestro commanding the stage is Peter Chisholm, a cofounder of the shop whose Italian name translates to "old way," a mechanic revered by old-school pros such as Andy Hampsten and Davis Phinney, and owner of a Campagnolo logo tattoo (old style, with wings) on his right ankle. "You don't need a lot of over-engineered crapola on your bike," Chisholm says. "Keep it clean and do some basic maintenance and you'll have a good machine for a long, long time."
How Peter Does It Tune Your Brakes
1. CHECK HOUSING LENGTH
The biggest brake problem I fix at Vecchio's is housing that's too short. It makes brakes feel weak and sloppy. For the front, there should be enough housing so the lower 3--4 inches are perpendicular to the ground when the caliper is closed. There's an easy way to detect short housing for rear brakes: You should be able to turn the bar all the way to the right without activating the brake.
PETER SAYS: Before you tape new housing to the bar, seat it by squeezing the lever hard 10 times. This decreases lever slop.
2. SET LEVER PULL
It's personal taste whether you want some play when you first pull the lever, or if you want immediate activation. There's just one rule: The brake calipers must be fully closed against the rim before the lever hits the bar or grip. If not, your brakes are dangerously squishy. Adjust lever pull by dialing the barrel adjusters on the brakes or levers: Out (counterclockwise) puts the pad closer to the rim; in (clockwise) opens the pads.
PETER SAYS: Always leave brake cable barrel adjusters one-quarter to one-third screwed out so you have enough range to dial them either way. If you find yourself dialing them too far out, you probably need new pads.
3. CENTER PADS
The pads should contact the rim at the same time. If one touches early, you lose braking power and responsiveness. Turn the small bolts or screws on the brake arms in or out to adjust the distance between pads and rim. For Campy brakes, use a 1.5mm hex wrench; Shimano, a small Phillips screwdriver; old side-pulls, 13 or 14mm cone wrenches. PETER SAYS: Before centering, make sure the wheel is seated properly. Set the bike on the floor, open the QR and press down on the frame.
4. POSITION PADS ON RIM
Brake pads should contact the center of the rim sidewall. Vertically, the pad should touch the rim all at once, not upper or lower edge first. If any part of the pad hangs below the rim, it'll form a lip that can keep your brakes from returning to the open position. Make sure the upper edge doesn't touch the tire.
PETER SAYS: Check pads with the wheel spinning. Sometimes minor rim hops affect seemingly well-adjusted pads.
5. TOE-IN PADS
Slightly angling your pads front to back eliminates brake squeal. One of the easiest ways to toe-in: Loosen the bolt holding the pad, then slip a business card under the rear half. Depress the lever to seat the pad against the rim (or the card, in back). This is just enough of an angle--about a millimeter of clearance as the front of the pad first hits the rim.
PETER SAYS: Don't toe-in brake pads beyond 2 mm, because it makes uneven wear that'll reduce braking power and ruin your pads.
GREATEST WRENCH
Gravy He became an off-road wrenching legend by working with the legends: Tinker Juarez, Missy Giove, Ned Overend, Alison Sydor and other world and national champions. Steve Gravenites has built more than 7,000 wheels in his 26 years as a mechanic, becoming known as the best hoop doctor in the world. He now runs his own shop, Gravy Wheels in San Anselmo, CA, and an online wheelbuilding service at gravywheels.net. "Best truing music," Gravy says: "Ernest Ranglin, an original Skatalites guitarist." Photographed by Robert Houser
How Gravy Does It True a Wobbly Wheel
1. PREP
Pull the wheel off the bike and remove the tire so you'll have a clear look at what you're working on. Put a drop of light lube, such as Pedro's Extra Dry, where each spoke enters the nipple. Wipe off excess and let the lube soak in for about 10 minutes; this makes the nipples easier to turn and helps avoid stripping them. Put the wheel in a truing stand. If you don't have one, see Step 2.
GRAVY SAYS: You must use a spoke wrench. Other tools, such as a crescent wrench, strip the nipples. Most multitools have a spoke wrench built into them. Otherwise, buy one from your bike shop for about $3.
2. MAKE YOUR OWN TRUING STAND
The only special equipment you need to true a wheel is a spoke wrench. A truing stand lets you true more precisely, but you can detect most wobbles by sighting against your brake pads or a zip-tie trimmed and attached to your seat or chainstay.
GRAVY SAYS: To make brake-sighting more accurate and detect ever-smaller wobbles, dial-in the barrel adjuster on the brakes so the pads are closer to the rim.
3. TIGHTEN LOOSE SPOKES
Pluck each spoke to find any that are significantly looser than others. On front wheels, spokes should all be close to the same tension. On rear wheels, spokes on the side of the drivetrain are tighter than non-drivetrain spokes. However, all the spokes on each side of a rear wheel should be the same tension. Tighten a loose spoke to the same tension as its neighbors.
GRAVY SAYS: The easy way to remember which way is tighter: When looking at the spoke through the rim, turn the nipple clockwise.
4. ELIMINATE WOBBLES
Spin your wheel, looking for where the rim wobbles and touches the truing arms, zip-tie or brake pads. Find the four spokes closest to wobble--two on the right side of the hub, two on the left. Loosen the two spokes on the side of the rim that's too close to the truing arm, then tighten the two spokes on the opposite side of the rim. You're pulling the wobble back toward the center. Only move the nipples a quarter-turn. Small turns go a long way; for finer truing, you'll use just 1/8 turns. Spin the wheel, re-check and repeat as necessary.
GRAVY SAYS: As you true, squeeze pairs of parallel spokes together. This de-tensions the wheel. Otherwise, spokes sometimes spin as you turn the nipple, causing them to wind up and bind.
GREATEST WRENCH
JENNY A pro mechanic or more than 12 years, Jenny Skorcz is a certified Comprehensive Mechanic and Elite Technician through the Barnett Bicycle Institute (where she also teaches), and a licensed NORBA/USCF race mechanic. She provides technical support for mountain bike camps and has trained hundreds of mechanics. She's also BICYCLING's Shop Girl (see p. 19). "I had to change a pinched tube a couple days ago on the trail and it took about four minutes for the entire process, including using a hand pump," she says. "But in the shop using compressed air, I can change a flat in 30 seconds." Photographed by Jean-François Hardy
How Jenny Does It Fix a Flat--Fast
1. REMOVE WHEEL
Disengage the brake cable from the caliper or flick up the quick-release on the brake lever. Remove the wheel from the bike; if it's stuck on the brake pads, smack it down and forward with the palm of your hand to free it. For presta valves: Loosen the small nut on the end of the stem and deflate the tire if it's not totally flat. For Schrader: Press the tip of a stick against the valve to deflate.
JENNY SAYS: Before you remove a rear wheel, shift the chain to the smallest cog. This makes it easier to remove and replace.
2. TAKE OUT DAMAGED TUBE
Insert the curved ends of the tire levers under the edge of the tire about 3 to 4 inches apart, directly opposite the valve stem. Pry up a section of tire bead. Hold one lever stationary and push the second along the rim, keeping the hooked end under the tire bead. Work around the rim to completely free one side of the tire. Leave the other side seated on the rim.
JENNY SAYS: To avoid damaging the valve stem, remove it first by pulling up from the rim, then yank the tube from the tire.
3. INSPECT TIRE
Visually inspect the inside and outside of the tire casing for debris (then remove it). Run your fingers along the inner casing of the tire to detect thorns or glass. Also check and adjust the rim strip so it's centered and aligned with the valve hole.
JENNY SAYS: Don't discard puncture-causing debris on the trail--it can bite you again.
4. REPLACE TUBE & RESEAT TIRE
Inflate the new tube to about 15 psi, so it has some shape. Insert the valve stem into the valve hole, and tuck the rest of the tube into the tire. Starting at the valve, work the tire bead back onto the rim using your thumbs. If the last section is difficult to get on, hold the wheel horizontally against your body with the unseated section out in front of you (at 12 o'clock). Grab the tire with your hands and roll it onto the rim using your palms. If that doesn't help, use your tire levers like shoehorns to work the bead onto the rim--but you're more likely to puncture the tube.
JENNY SAYS: If you know your tires are tough to install, carry a small bag of talcum powder to sprinkle on the tire, tube and rim.
5. INFLATE & EXAMINE BEAD
As you inflate the tire, check that the bead remains evenly inserted in the rim and that the valve stem is straight. If the tube or tire creep up over the rim, stop pumping, let out some air and work that section back in. Inflate and spin the tire and look at where the bead meets the rim; if you see any bulges, like in the photo, deflate and reseat the tire.
JENNY SAYS: If the tire won't stay seated, pinch the trouble spot between your fingers, lifting it off the rim then dropping it back into place. Also push the valve up into the tire, then pull it back into place.
How Jeremiah Does It Dial in Your Suspension
1. MEASURE FORK SAG
The most common problem with forks is incorrect sag. Sag is how far your fork compresses when you sit on your bike on a flat surface. Correct sag allows your front wheel to follow the contour of the ground as you ride. Measuring sag also shows whether your fork has the right kind of springs. Place a zip-tie on the upper stanchion at the seal. Sit on the bike in a comfortable riding position, with your elbow against a wall, then lean over to let your weight compress the fork, like you're in a normal riding position. Get off and measure in millimeters the space between the seal and the zip-tie; that's your sag.
JEREMIAH SAYS: Before you measure sag, dial your preload adjuster so there's no preload.
2. ADJUST SAG
How much sag you want depends on how you ride, and your fork's travel.
Heavier or more aggressive riders usually run sag at the low end to avoid bottoming out the fork. Some lightweight cross-country riders, or cyclists who want ultra-plush rides, run sag toward the high end; this makes the fork more active on small bumps and more responsive to light riders (who otherwise might never use all of the fork's travel).
You adjust sag by changing springs or, for air forks, adding or removing air pressure with a fork pump. For coil forks, you have to buy stiffer or softer springs. (The best time to check sag is when you buy a new bike or fork because the shop can help you swap in the correct spring for your weight and riding style.)
JEREMIAH SAYS: You also can alter sag by adjusting the preload on your fork, but swapping springs provides better performance.
3. DIAL IN REAR SAG
Use the same technique as measuring fork sag. But don't use your bike's total travel to determine sag. A 5-inch travel bike doesn't have a shock that travels 5 inches. There's usually about a 2.5:1 ratio of wheel-to-shock movement. You either need to know this ratio or the specific travel your shock has (usually 40 mm-60 mm). Change rear sag by swapping springs, adding air or adjusting preload.
JEREMIAH SAYS: I've seen way too many people ignore their rear suspension. But measuring and adjusting rear sag lets you balance the front and rear suspension so the bike doesn't ride like a hobbyhorse.
How to Calculate Sag
Sag measured in millimeters × 100/Fork's Total
Travel=Percentage Sag
How Much Sag Do You Need?
Forks with Sag should be
63 mm-125 mm of travel 10%-25% of total travel
125+ mm travel 20%-35% of total travel
GREATEST WRENCH
Jeremiah When he was 14 years old, he began spinning hexes at Maine Sport Bike Shop in Rockport, ME. In the 13 years since, Jeremiah Boobar, the prodigy who could rebuild forks faster than anyone, earned the coveted spot of maintenance guru for RockShox, managed the company's super-secret BlackBox program and has learned more about tuning suspension than anyone in the world. "It's amazing how many different ways you can solve suspension problems by controlling the way oil flows through different pistons to change how a fork feels. When you dial in your suspension, the bike will do all the work for you and you're just along for the ride." Photographed by Jean-Francois Hardy
GREATEST WRENCH
Julien He is Picasso with a crank puller, Rodin with a spanner. Julien Devriese, who's personally cared for the bikes of Lance Armstrong, Eddy Merckx and Greg LeMond, is the last word in bicycle mechanics. With 40 years of experience on the European road circuit, Julien might just be the greatest wrench who's ever lived. "First you have to love your job and whenever you love your job, it becomes an art. For me, bike maintenance is much more about feeling than science." Photographed by James Startt
How Julien Does It Get Silky Smooth Shifts
1. CHECK CHAIN LENGTH & WEAR
Put the chain in the small cog and small chainring; there should be just enough tension so the bottom pulley moves if you push up about a centimeter on the chain. If there's too much slack, remove two links at a time until it's correct. Then check chain wear by seeing if you can lift a chain link from the front of the big chainring. If you can see light between the chain and ring, it's time for a new chain.
JULIEN SAYS: An old chain that needs to be replaced will creak when you spin the pedals backward.
2. GREASE CABLES
To get your derailleur cables moving smoothly through the housing (for faster, smoother shifting), lightly coat the cables with grease. Rub in enough so you can only feel, not see, grease on the cable.
JULIEN SAYS: Move the cables through the housing a few times to coat the inside of the housing.
3. ADJUST THE FRONT DERAILLEUR
For faster shifting, set up your front derailleur so it's 3 mm above the chainring at the highest point in its range of motion. This allows enough clearance for your chain to get into the highest gear, yet is close enough to make shifts fast.
JULIEN SAYS: Another way to get quicker shifts: Angle the front derailleur 1 degree toward the center of the bike. It engages the chain faster than when it's parallel to the ring.
4. LUBE PIVOTS & SPRINGS
It's important to lube all moving points of your derailleurs. Put a drop on pivots and springs, let it soak a few seconds, then wipe off excess.
JULIEN SAYS: When I'm preparing a bike for a rainy day, I use grease instead of oil for optimum shifting even when grit and grime work into the deraiileurs.
5. CHECK CABLE TENSION
Put the chain in the big ring and smallest cog. Move the chain up to a mid-range gear, such as the 16T, then shift to the small chainring and continue clicking up the cogs. This checks the most-used gears. The final acid test: At a high cadence, see if the chain shifts quickly from the second-smallest cog to the smallest. If any of these shifts weren't sharp, put the chain in the smallest cog and smallest ring. Loosen the cable bolt and pull the cable tight. Fine-tune shifting with barrel adjusters: Dial them out (counterclockwise) if the chain doesn't shift up after a half a pedal stroke; dial in (clockwise) to shift down faster.
101 Secrets Easy-to-follow advice for every kind of fix.
OVERHAULS & TUNE-UPS
1 I overhaul a bike every evening after a race. I don't completely break it down; I wash and clean it, relube the drivetrain and verify that everything works. I also make sure there are no loose bolts. But be careful: I did not say, "tighten every bolt." If you tighten every bolt every time you give your bike a tune-up, you'll strip bolts and break parts.
--Julien Devriese
2 Tune from the top down. Check seat bolts, handlebar bolts and headset, then work down to the crankset, bottom bracket and derailleurs.
--Gravy
3 For quick tune-ups, slip cable housing out in as many places as possible, slide it up or down the cable, lube with light grease and replace.
--Gravy
4 Replace cables and housing at least once a year to maintain crisp shifting. Don't lube inside the housings if you live in a dry, dusty area.
--Jenny Skorcz
5 When disassembling your bike, align parts on a clean surface in the order and orientation you removed them.
--Jeremiah Boobar
6 Every time you lube the chain, lube the fork and shock seals. Non-wax-based lubes work best. Apply the lube, push on the suspension five times to lift dirt out, then wipe the seals dry.
--Boobar
7 It's better to run cables a little long than a little short. If you need to raise your stem, you have the slack and won't have to re-cable.
--Peter Chisholm
STRANGE SOUNDS 8 Seatpost creak is sometimes caused by movement between the seatpost collar and the seat tube. Remove the collar, clean the robe with rubbing alcohol, then apply a couple drops of blue Loctite inside the collar.
--Jenny Skorcz
9 Humming or vibration from the wheels could be a loose presta nut or reflector bolt.
--Skorcz
10 Eliminate brake squeal by cleaning pads and rims, toeing in brake pads and sometimes even reversing the toe angle on the pads.
--Skorcz
11 To stop the thump between a brake pad and an off-center rim seam, reverse the rim rotation (front wheel only) or sand the seam down.
--Skorcz
12 Slip a creaking handlebar out from the stem, clean with alcohol, dab on a few drops of blue Loctite and reinstall. Also grease the mounting bolts.
--Skorcz
13 To eliminate crankarm creak, remove the cranks, clean the square taper or spline and the crank bolts, then put a few drops of blue Loctite on the surfaces (including bolts) and reinstall to manufacturer's specified torque.
--Skorcz
14 If you hear a creak from the bottom bracket, don't dive into the BB. First, check your cleats for wear. Replace metal cleats if the edges are shiny and worn.
--Peter Chisholm
15 Mysterious creaking up front? Pull off your fork, then clean and grease, including all bolts, headset, spacers and stem.
--Jeremiah Boobar
CLEANING 16 Clean your bike in sections--cleanest to dirtiest. That way, you avoid sloshing dirt on clean parts.
--Jeremiah Boobar
17 Keep your bike away from the power spray at the car wash--it blasts away oil and grease. Dust your bike off with soft-bristle brushes and wipe it down with clean rags. If you must use water, keep it in a bucket and apply it with a sponge.
--Jenny Skorcz
18 The single most important thing: Keep your bike clean.
--Julien Devriese
19 For chain cleaning and maintenance, don't use WD-40. Buy degreaser and lubricant. WD-40 isn't a lubricant; it displaces lube and accelerates wear.
--Skorcz
20 Never spray degreaser at components with internal grease, such as hubs, headsets or bottom brackets. To degrease your chain, spray solvent straight down onto the chain, then tilt the drivetrain toward the ground when you rinse.
--Skorcz
21 Blue Dawn dish soap has the highest strength and best grease-cutting action.
--Gravy
22 Use three brushes: a long bottle brush for details; a flat, wide brush for drivetrains; and a large, soft-bristle brush for tires and wheels.
--Gravy
23 Pull the wheels off. You get the frame and wheels cleaner, faster.
--Gravy
24 Use cold water. Hot water can melt the grease right out of bearings.
--Gravy
25 After washing, dry your bike with cotton towels, then put a few drops of oil on the moving parts of the quick-releases to keep them in good condition.
--Gravy
NEVER WALK HOME
26 Slip alcohol prep pads in your seatpack so you can clean the disc-brake rotors if they're accidentally touched. Oil from your fingers can contaminate pads, dramatically reducing braking power.
--Jenny Skorcz
27 Carry a real chain tool (not just a multitool) on rides. I've never regretted the extra weight, and I've lent it to many frustrated riders who were trying to fix a chain with a cheap, broken tool.
--Skorcz
28 Carry an energy bar so you can use the wrapper as a tire boot. Fold the wrapper in half twice, then install it between the inner tube and the hole in the tire.
--Skorcz
29 Quick-release levers make excellent tire levers.
--Skorcz
30 If you don't have a patch kit or a spare tube, stuff your tire full of leaves, dirt or newspaper--whatever's available to give it enough shape to ride on without damaging the rim.
--Skorcz
31 If your rear derailleur breaks off, turn your bike into a singlespeed. Break the chain, unthread it from the derailleur and wrap it around the small chainring (middle ring if the terrain is flat) and a middle rear cog. Remove excess links and what's left of your derailleur, reattach the chain and pedal home.
--Skorcz
32 Everyone has a good story about duct tape saving the day. Wrap some around your seatpost so you're never without it.
--Skorcz
33 The cure for bad chain suck: Lay the bike on the non-drive side, stand on the chainstay and pull the crankarm from the frame while a buddy removes the chain.
--Skorcz
FRAME
34 Lightly sand surface rust off your steel frame, then coat the spot with clear nail polish. Repaint it when the touch-up spots cover more of the flame than the original paint.
--Jenny Skorcz
35 Drill a 1/8-inch hole in your bottom bracket shell to let water escape.
--Skorcz
36 An 8- to 10-inch strip of old road fire makes an excellent chainstay protector. Use four or more zip-ties to keep it in place.
--Skorcz
37 Cut a foot-long strip from a 2-liter plastic bottle, punch two holes in the top and two in the bottom, string zip-ties through it and fasten it onto the down tube for a homemade mud guard.
--Skorcz
38 About every three months, remove and lube the seatpost if you're riding aluminum or steel. For carbon posts or frames, remove the seatpost and wipe away grit and grease with a dry rag.
--Gravy
39 Use nylon bolts to fill unused water bottle braze-ons. They're lighter than metal ones.
--Jeremiah Boobar
40 Check derailleur hanger alignment if you have difficulty with rear shifts.
--Boobar
WHEELS
41 When you remove tires, check the rim strips for tears, movement, exposed spoke holes or spokes that poke through. This could save you from a nightmare day of flatting.
--Gravy
42 Clean the threads of a loose spoke and apply a dab of blue Loctite. Let it dry before retightening and retruing.
--Gravy
43 Reinstall wheels with the bike on the ground so the wheels seat correctly in the drops.
--Gravy
44 Some seamless rims have an internal piece that can break loose. (It'll sound like a stone is inside the wheel.) The fix: Remove the rim strip, squirt silicone or caulk into the hole near the rattle and let it set.
--Skorcz
45 If you don't have a dishing tool, remove the wheel from your frame, flip it around and remount. Distance from rim to frame should be the same both ways.
--Jeremiah Boobar
46 Work around the wheel truing major warps, then focus smaller.
--Boobar
47 Repack loose-ball hubs after long rides in the rain.
--Julien Devriese
DRIVETRAIN
48 Check your chain for wear every 3,000 miles.--Peter Chisholm
49 Don't swap out for an 11T cog. You lose a middle-range cog, which is more useful.
--Chisholm
50 Buy the least-expensive compatible chain.
--Chisholm
51 Lube your chain after a ride, not before. This way the lube can dry. (But if it squeals, lube immediately.)
--Chisholm
52 Reshake a bottle of paraffin-based chain lube after applying it to about 10 links.
--Skorcz
53 For faster shifting, lube every pivot point on derailleurs.
--Gravy
54 No matter what, don't touch the screws on your derailleurs unless you absolutely, positively know what they're for.
--Skorcz
55 Don't grease square-taper bottom brackets. It voids the warranty on most cranks and causes them to loosen more often.
--Gravy
CONTACT POINTS
56 Wash your hands before you wrap bar tape. What's the use of putting on new tape if it's already dirty?
--Julien Devriese
57 Experiment with your saddle. Eddy Merckx was always changing his position up, down, forward or back. Greg LeMond, who liked to ride with his saddle pretty far back, would set his position at the beginning of the season and not touch it. Lance likes his seat forward, with the nose pointed a little down.
--Devriese
58 Road cleats are for riding. If you often walk, get a recessed cleat/shoe system.
--Peter Chisholm
59 When buying a saddle, go for most comfy. Not most trendy.
--Chisholm
60 For easy in and out, keep your clipless pedal platform clean and lubed.
--Jenny Skorcz
61 Hair spray is worthless when wet and should not be used to install grips. Spray-lacquer won't slip, wet or dry, but you have to destroy grips to remove them.
--Skorcz
62 Put a nickel inside the ends of grips to prevent the handlebar end from popping off the rubber tip.
--Skorcz
63 Bar-ends slip if the handlebar gets crushed from the clamping force. Saw off the crushed end, then install a reinforcement plug before putting the bar-ends back on.
--Skorcz
64 Use hot glue to tack down leather that peels from the underside of the saddle.
--Skorcz
65 Lightly sand shot-peened handlebars; this gives grips a better surface to bond to.
--Gravy
66 If your grips don't stick to the bar, put brake cleaner inside them and cinch them down with safety wire.
--Jeremiah Boobar
HEADSET
67 To detect a loose headset, bounce the front wheel on the ground and listen for fork rattle. If you feel notches as you slowly turn the bar from side to side, your headset is too tight.
--Julien Devriese
68 Unstable bike? Check the headset; it's likely too tight or too loose.
--Peter Chisholm
69 Make sure there's 1--3 mm between the top cap of the headset and the top of the steerer tube; otherwise you won't have good headset adjustment, and you'll probably ruin the headset.
--Gravy
SUSPENSION
70 Use isopropyl alcohol to clean your fork's internals.
--Jeremiah Boobar
71 When you remove your fork's lowers, place them in a trashcan to drain out excess oil. This keeps you from dumping oil everywhere.
--Boobar
72 Use isopropyl alcohol to remove fork bumpers from DH forks.
--Boobar
73 When removing a rear shock, wrap a bungee cord from the rear wheel to the seat to keep the wheel from going past the shock's top-out point, damaging linkage and pulling on derailleur cables. This also makes it easier to get the shock back in.
--Boobar
74 A barbecue skewer is great for getting rags in and out of lowers. Bend the end into a little hook.
--Boobar
75 If you have lockout, run suspension softer than normal. This increases your speed in technical sections without sacrificing climbing or start speed.
--Boobar
76 Use a toe strap to cinch your disc brake caliper to your handlebar when working on the fork. This keeps pads away from the oil.
--Boobar
77 When disassembling suspension, move your wheels away from your work area. You never know when you'll drop a tool in your oil pan and make a splash.
--Boobar
78 Use blue Loctite on shock mounting bolts to keep them tight without overtorquing.
--Boobar
79 When screwing the shock pump on, turn until the pressure registers, then another half turn. Any more and you could wreck the pump's O-ring.
--Boobar
80 Parking-lot tests are not a great way to evaluate suspension setups on longer-travel bikes. These bikes are designed to ride down steep hills, so in true application more of your weight is on the front wheel while your body is positioned mostly behind the bottom bracket. Do a run on your bike to get the final evaluation.
--Boobar
BRAKES
81 Calipers should be completely closed against the rim before the brake levers hit the bar.
--Peter Chisholm
82 Inspect rim-brake pads periodically for embedded aluminum slivers. The tip of a safety pin works well for removal.
--Jenny Skorcz
83 Don't fasten brake levers so tight that they won't move if you crash You d rather have them move than break.
--Chisholm
84 File or sand brake pads about once a month to keep your brakes strong, and clean rims or rotors at least every other ride.
--Skorcz
85 Inspect brake pads for uneven wear and readjust pad angle accordingly. This makes pads last longer and improves braking.
--Gravy
TIRES
86 In a race, you change a flat quickly. In the shop, it's opposite. Take your time; inspect the wheel and tire.
--Julien Devriese
87 Before you ride, clean your tires so no debris works its way in when you're racing along at high speeds.
--Devriese
88 To seat tubeless tires, use a water bottle to squirt soapy water onto the tire bead. It also helps the tire pop into place as you add pressure.
--Jenny Skorcz
89 For a softer ride, get fatter tires.
--Peter Chisholm
90 One good tire and one worn tire? Put the best one up front. Steering first.
--Chisholm
91 Repair small cuts in the rubber (not the casing) with dabs of superglue. Cuts in the casing means it's time to go tire shopping.
--Gravy
92 Be sure the tire seats without pinching the tube or rim strip. To help seat it, pinch the sidewalls together all the way around the rim.
--Gravy
93 When installing a tube, don't use those little valve nuts on the stem. But if you're using tubeless wheels, you need the nuts (or whatever anchoring system the wheels use) to secure the valve.
--Gravy
WORKSHOP WISDOM & SMART ALECK ADVICE
94 Bike maintenance is more art than science, more feeling than instruction.
--Julien Devriese
95 Most-common mistake: not keeping bikes clean and not keeping the toolbox or workbench in order.
--Devriese
96 If it costs more than $1 per gram, it's not worth the price.
--Peter Chisholm
97 Ask the wrench what works, not the sales guy.
--Chisholm
98 If a wrench does you a favor, buy him a Six-pack.
--Chisholm
99 All good service areas have beer in the fridge, not wine.
--Chisholm
100 Don't use lithium grease on titanium parts or hardware; use copper-based grease.
--Gravy
101 There's no such thing as "good enough." If you work on your bike, spend the time to do it right. Wrenching in your shorts with your friend anxiously waiting is a great way to make mistakes.
--Boobar
GREATEST WRENCH
Peter At Vecchio's Bicicletteria in Boulder, CO, the workshop isn't crammed behind rows of shiny bikes. It's the centerpiece. The maestro commanding the stage is Peter Chisholm, a cofounder of the shop whose Italian name translates to "old way," a mechanic revered by old-school pros such as Andy Hampsten and Davis Phinney, and owner of a Campagnolo logo tattoo (old style, with wings) on his right ankle. "You don't need a lot of over-engineered crapola on your bike," Chisholm says. "Keep it clean and do some basic maintenance and you'll have a good machine for a long, long time."
How Peter Does It Tune Your Brakes
1. CHECK HOUSING LENGTH
The biggest brake problem I fix at Vecchio's is housing that's too short. It makes brakes feel weak and sloppy. For the front, there should be enough housing so the lower 3--4 inches are perpendicular to the ground when the caliper is closed. There's an easy way to detect short housing for rear brakes: You should be able to turn the bar all the way to the right without activating the brake.
PETER SAYS: Before you tape new housing to the bar, seat it by squeezing the lever hard 10 times. This decreases lever slop.
2. SET LEVER PULL
It's personal taste whether you want some play when you first pull the lever, or if you want immediate activation. There's just one rule: The brake calipers must be fully closed against the rim before the lever hits the bar or grip. If not, your brakes are dangerously squishy. Adjust lever pull by dialing the barrel adjusters on the brakes or levers: Out (counterclockwise) puts the pad closer to the rim; in (clockwise) opens the pads.
PETER SAYS: Always leave brake cable barrel adjusters one-quarter to one-third screwed out so you have enough range to dial them either way. If you find yourself dialing them too far out, you probably need new pads.
3. CENTER PADS
The pads should contact the rim at the same time. If one touches early, you lose braking power and responsiveness. Turn the small bolts or screws on the brake arms in or out to adjust the distance between pads and rim. For Campy brakes, use a 1.5mm hex wrench; Shimano, a small Phillips screwdriver; old side-pulls, 13 or 14mm cone wrenches. PETER SAYS: Before centering, make sure the wheel is seated properly. Set the bike on the floor, open the QR and press down on the frame.
4. POSITION PADS ON RIM
Brake pads should contact the center of the rim sidewall. Vertically, the pad should touch the rim all at once, not upper or lower edge first. If any part of the pad hangs below the rim, it'll form a lip that can keep your brakes from returning to the open position. Make sure the upper edge doesn't touch the tire.
PETER SAYS: Check pads with the wheel spinning. Sometimes minor rim hops affect seemingly well-adjusted pads.
5. TOE-IN PADS
Slightly angling your pads front to back eliminates brake squeal. One of the easiest ways to toe-in: Loosen the bolt holding the pad, then slip a business card under the rear half. Depress the lever to seat the pad against the rim (or the card, in back). This is just enough of an angle--about a millimeter of clearance as the front of the pad first hits the rim.
PETER SAYS: Don't toe-in brake pads beyond 2 mm, because it makes uneven wear that'll reduce braking power and ruin your pads.
GREATEST WRENCH
Gravy He became an off-road wrenching legend by working with the legends: Tinker Juarez, Missy Giove, Ned Overend, Alison Sydor and other world and national champions. Steve Gravenites has built more than 7,000 wheels in his 26 years as a mechanic, becoming known as the best hoop doctor in the world. He now runs his own shop, Gravy Wheels in San Anselmo, CA, and an online wheelbuilding service at gravywheels.net. "Best truing music," Gravy says: "Ernest Ranglin, an original Skatalites guitarist." Photographed by Robert Houser
How Gravy Does It True a Wobbly Wheel
1. PREP
Pull the wheel off the bike and remove the tire so you'll have a clear look at what you're working on. Put a drop of light lube, such as Pedro's Extra Dry, where each spoke enters the nipple. Wipe off excess and let the lube soak in for about 10 minutes; this makes the nipples easier to turn and helps avoid stripping them. Put the wheel in a truing stand. If you don't have one, see Step 2.
GRAVY SAYS: You must use a spoke wrench. Other tools, such as a crescent wrench, strip the nipples. Most multitools have a spoke wrench built into them. Otherwise, buy one from your bike shop for about $3.
2. MAKE YOUR OWN TRUING STAND
The only special equipment you need to true a wheel is a spoke wrench. A truing stand lets you true more precisely, but you can detect most wobbles by sighting against your brake pads or a zip-tie trimmed and attached to your seat or chainstay.
GRAVY SAYS: To make brake-sighting more accurate and detect ever-smaller wobbles, dial-in the barrel adjuster on the brakes so the pads are closer to the rim.
3. TIGHTEN LOOSE SPOKES
Pluck each spoke to find any that are significantly looser than others. On front wheels, spokes should all be close to the same tension. On rear wheels, spokes on the side of the drivetrain are tighter than non-drivetrain spokes. However, all the spokes on each side of a rear wheel should be the same tension. Tighten a loose spoke to the same tension as its neighbors.
GRAVY SAYS: The easy way to remember which way is tighter: When looking at the spoke through the rim, turn the nipple clockwise.
4. ELIMINATE WOBBLES
Spin your wheel, looking for where the rim wobbles and touches the truing arms, zip-tie or brake pads. Find the four spokes closest to wobble--two on the right side of the hub, two on the left. Loosen the two spokes on the side of the rim that's too close to the truing arm, then tighten the two spokes on the opposite side of the rim. You're pulling the wobble back toward the center. Only move the nipples a quarter-turn. Small turns go a long way; for finer truing, you'll use just 1/8 turns. Spin the wheel, re-check and repeat as necessary.
GRAVY SAYS: As you true, squeeze pairs of parallel spokes together. This de-tensions the wheel. Otherwise, spokes sometimes spin as you turn the nipple, causing them to wind up and bind.
GREATEST WRENCH
JENNY A pro mechanic or more than 12 years, Jenny Skorcz is a certified Comprehensive Mechanic and Elite Technician through the Barnett Bicycle Institute (where she also teaches), and a licensed NORBA/USCF race mechanic. She provides technical support for mountain bike camps and has trained hundreds of mechanics. She's also BICYCLING's Shop Girl (see p. 19). "I had to change a pinched tube a couple days ago on the trail and it took about four minutes for the entire process, including using a hand pump," she says. "But in the shop using compressed air, I can change a flat in 30 seconds." Photographed by Jean-François Hardy
How Jenny Does It Fix a Flat--Fast
1. REMOVE WHEEL
Disengage the brake cable from the caliper or flick up the quick-release on the brake lever. Remove the wheel from the bike; if it's stuck on the brake pads, smack it down and forward with the palm of your hand to free it. For presta valves: Loosen the small nut on the end of the stem and deflate the tire if it's not totally flat. For Schrader: Press the tip of a stick against the valve to deflate.
JENNY SAYS: Before you remove a rear wheel, shift the chain to the smallest cog. This makes it easier to remove and replace.
2. TAKE OUT DAMAGED TUBE
Insert the curved ends of the tire levers under the edge of the tire about 3 to 4 inches apart, directly opposite the valve stem. Pry up a section of tire bead. Hold one lever stationary and push the second along the rim, keeping the hooked end under the tire bead. Work around the rim to completely free one side of the tire. Leave the other side seated on the rim.
JENNY SAYS: To avoid damaging the valve stem, remove it first by pulling up from the rim, then yank the tube from the tire.
3. INSPECT TIRE
Visually inspect the inside and outside of the tire casing for debris (then remove it). Run your fingers along the inner casing of the tire to detect thorns or glass. Also check and adjust the rim strip so it's centered and aligned with the valve hole.
JENNY SAYS: Don't discard puncture-causing debris on the trail--it can bite you again.
4. REPLACE TUBE & RESEAT TIRE
Inflate the new tube to about 15 psi, so it has some shape. Insert the valve stem into the valve hole, and tuck the rest of the tube into the tire. Starting at the valve, work the tire bead back onto the rim using your thumbs. If the last section is difficult to get on, hold the wheel horizontally against your body with the unseated section out in front of you (at 12 o'clock). Grab the tire with your hands and roll it onto the rim using your palms. If that doesn't help, use your tire levers like shoehorns to work the bead onto the rim--but you're more likely to puncture the tube.
JENNY SAYS: If you know your tires are tough to install, carry a small bag of talcum powder to sprinkle on the tire, tube and rim.
5. INFLATE & EXAMINE BEAD
As you inflate the tire, check that the bead remains evenly inserted in the rim and that the valve stem is straight. If the tube or tire creep up over the rim, stop pumping, let out some air and work that section back in. Inflate and spin the tire and look at where the bead meets the rim; if you see any bulges, like in the photo, deflate and reseat the tire.
JENNY SAYS: If the tire won't stay seated, pinch the trouble spot between your fingers, lifting it off the rim then dropping it back into place. Also push the valve up into the tire, then pull it back into place.
How Jeremiah Does It Dial in Your Suspension
1. MEASURE FORK SAG
The most common problem with forks is incorrect sag. Sag is how far your fork compresses when you sit on your bike on a flat surface. Correct sag allows your front wheel to follow the contour of the ground as you ride. Measuring sag also shows whether your fork has the right kind of springs. Place a zip-tie on the upper stanchion at the seal. Sit on the bike in a comfortable riding position, with your elbow against a wall, then lean over to let your weight compress the fork, like you're in a normal riding position. Get off and measure in millimeters the space between the seal and the zip-tie; that's your sag.
JEREMIAH SAYS: Before you measure sag, dial your preload adjuster so there's no preload.
2. ADJUST SAG
How much sag you want depends on how you ride, and your fork's travel.
Heavier or more aggressive riders usually run sag at the low end to avoid bottoming out the fork. Some lightweight cross-country riders, or cyclists who want ultra-plush rides, run sag toward the high end; this makes the fork more active on small bumps and more responsive to light riders (who otherwise might never use all of the fork's travel).
You adjust sag by changing springs or, for air forks, adding or removing air pressure with a fork pump. For coil forks, you have to buy stiffer or softer springs. (The best time to check sag is when you buy a new bike or fork because the shop can help you swap in the correct spring for your weight and riding style.)
JEREMIAH SAYS: You also can alter sag by adjusting the preload on your fork, but swapping springs provides better performance.
3. DIAL IN REAR SAG
Use the same technique as measuring fork sag. But don't use your bike's total travel to determine sag. A 5-inch travel bike doesn't have a shock that travels 5 inches. There's usually about a 2.5:1 ratio of wheel-to-shock movement. You either need to know this ratio or the specific travel your shock has (usually 40 mm-60 mm). Change rear sag by swapping springs, adding air or adjusting preload.
JEREMIAH SAYS: I've seen way too many people ignore their rear suspension. But measuring and adjusting rear sag lets you balance the front and rear suspension so the bike doesn't ride like a hobbyhorse.
How to Calculate Sag
Sag measured in millimeters × 100/Fork's Total
Travel=Percentage Sag
How Much Sag Do You Need?
Forks with Sag should be
63 mm-125 mm of travel 10%-25% of total travel
125+ mm travel 20%-35% of total travel
GREATEST WRENCH
Jeremiah When he was 14 years old, he began spinning hexes at Maine Sport Bike Shop in Rockport, ME. In the 13 years since, Jeremiah Boobar, the prodigy who could rebuild forks faster than anyone, earned the coveted spot of maintenance guru for RockShox, managed the company's super-secret BlackBox program and has learned more about tuning suspension than anyone in the world. "It's amazing how many different ways you can solve suspension problems by controlling the way oil flows through different pistons to change how a fork feels. When you dial in your suspension, the bike will do all the work for you and you're just along for the ride." Photographed by Jean-Francois Hardy
GREATEST WRENCH
Julien He is Picasso with a crank puller, Rodin with a spanner. Julien Devriese, who's personally cared for the bikes of Lance Armstrong, Eddy Merckx and Greg LeMond, is the last word in bicycle mechanics. With 40 years of experience on the European road circuit, Julien might just be the greatest wrench who's ever lived. "First you have to love your job and whenever you love your job, it becomes an art. For me, bike maintenance is much more about feeling than science." Photographed by James Startt
How Julien Does It Get Silky Smooth Shifts
1. CHECK CHAIN LENGTH & WEAR
Put the chain in the small cog and small chainring; there should be just enough tension so the bottom pulley moves if you push up about a centimeter on the chain. If there's too much slack, remove two links at a time until it's correct. Then check chain wear by seeing if you can lift a chain link from the front of the big chainring. If you can see light between the chain and ring, it's time for a new chain.
JULIEN SAYS: An old chain that needs to be replaced will creak when you spin the pedals backward.
2. GREASE CABLES
To get your derailleur cables moving smoothly through the housing (for faster, smoother shifting), lightly coat the cables with grease. Rub in enough so you can only feel, not see, grease on the cable.
JULIEN SAYS: Move the cables through the housing a few times to coat the inside of the housing.
3. ADJUST THE FRONT DERAILLEUR
For faster shifting, set up your front derailleur so it's 3 mm above the chainring at the highest point in its range of motion. This allows enough clearance for your chain to get into the highest gear, yet is close enough to make shifts fast.
JULIEN SAYS: Another way to get quicker shifts: Angle the front derailleur 1 degree toward the center of the bike. It engages the chain faster than when it's parallel to the ring.
4. LUBE PIVOTS & SPRINGS
It's important to lube all moving points of your derailleurs. Put a drop on pivots and springs, let it soak a few seconds, then wipe off excess.
JULIEN SAYS: When I'm preparing a bike for a rainy day, I use grease instead of oil for optimum shifting even when grit and grime work into the deraiileurs.
5. CHECK CABLE TENSION
Put the chain in the big ring and smallest cog. Move the chain up to a mid-range gear, such as the 16T, then shift to the small chainring and continue clicking up the cogs. This checks the most-used gears. The final acid test: At a high cadence, see if the chain shifts quickly from the second-smallest cog to the smallest. If any of these shifts weren't sharp, put the chain in the smallest cog and smallest ring. Loosen the cable bolt and pull the cable tight. Fine-tune shifting with barrel adjusters: Dial them out (counterclockwise) if the chain doesn't shift up after a half a pedal stroke; dial in (clockwise) to shift down faster.
Source: Bicycling
posted by James at 12:24 AM
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