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Workshop tools

Maintaining a bike is essential for prolonging its life and that of its components.

With careful study and the right information, many regular maintenance tasks can be completed by yourself.

  • new chain and rear cassette
  • adjusting or replacing stem and handle bars (and handle bar tape)
  • replacing saddle and adjusting seat post
  • replacing brake pads (rim and disc)
  • replacing disc brake rotors
  • replacing peddles

Maintenance Stand

A good quality stand enables the bicycle to be placed in many different positions to make maintenance of the whole bike easier.

Hex wrenches

A set of Hex Wrenches (Allen Keys) will cover most of the maintenance tools.

Ratchet wrench recommended

Use a ratchet wrench to speed up the tightening and loosening of bolts. An extension bar will help reach the more restrictive parts of the bicycle.

Torque Wrench

A torque wrench measures the amount of force used to tighten bolts and components onto the bike.

Set the torque wrench to the recommended amount of torque for the specific component.

Exceeding the maximum torque setting for a component can damage that component and more importantly damage the bicycle itself, often in ways that are very expensive to repair.

Handle bars, stem, seat posts and thru axles all have recommended torque values that should not be exceeded.

Grease

Grease in the correct places can prevent components from seizing, improve weatherproofing and generally make maintenance simpler.

Dont grease everywhere

Although grease can provide protection, in the wrong places it also attracts dirt and promotes additional wear.

Grease should not make contact with the gear rings and chain. Rim and Disc brakes should be grease free too.

Carbon Paste

Where carbon components connect together, a grippy paste can be used to provide a stable connection without having to exceed torque levels.

Common examples:

  • carbon stem holding carbon handle bars.
  • seat post and frame

Slipping Seat Posts solved with plastic covering

Where a seat post keeps slipping into the frame, wrap the post with a thin plastic to add a little more thickness to the post.