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Virgin
Over the winter, I made a goal for myself. I decided this year I'd try…
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2006 Primal Quest Utah
With just under four days to go until the gun goes off on Sunday at…
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How to Maintain Rear Suspension
If you spot excessive oil on the shock (trace amounts are okay), or the stanchion…
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How to Maintain Disc Brakes
Make sure the rotors are true. Spin the wheel and, sighting against the pads, watch…
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How to Maintain Rim Brakes
If your rim brakes squealed on your past few rides, one (or all) of these…
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Crankset Maintenance
Grab the crankarms and wiggle them toward and away from the frame. There should be…
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Fork Maintenance
1. Stand beside your bike and push down on the fork. If it feels sticky,…
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Spring Biking Fitness
Unless you're a total stooge who did nothing but play PS3 over the winter, it's…
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Spring Break For Cyclists
When I was growing up in Miami, crews of cyclists came down from the Northeast…
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Race-Ready In Six Hours a Week
In the spring of 2006 Taylor Carrington and his wife, Megan, had their first child,…
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Virgin
2006 Primal Quest Utah
How to Maintain Rear Suspension
Check the tightness of the pivots and linkage bolts. It is important to use a torque wrench here—too tight, and the rear suspension won't work properly. Too loose and things could come apart on the trail. Lube the pivots and linkage according to the manufacturer's specs after every 10 hours of riding, or after every muddy or wet ride.
How to Maintain Disc Brakes
- Make sure the rotors are true. Spin the wheel and, sighting against the pads, watch for wobbles. If the rotor clears the pads and caliper, the bend probably isn't worth straightening. If you spot a warp, try to straighten it by clamping a clean adjustable wrench along the rotor and bending toward true. Make sure everything that touches the rotor is clean. You don't want any grease there to reduce grippiness.
How to Maintain Rim Brakes
- 1. Clean the brake pads and rims with an alcohol-based product.
- Use a scrub pad or file to clear the brake pad of glazed-on gunk. Check to see if the pad is glazed beyond saving: If you can't scratch into it with a fingernail, you need new brake pads. (While you're down there, check pad thickness: Most pads have wear indicator lines, but if not, use the grooves as your indicator. If they're gone, the brake pads need to be replaced.)
Crankset Maintenance
- Grab the crankarms and wiggle them toward and away from the frame. There should be no play. If you detect slop, determine if the axle is moving with the cranks, or if the cranks are moving on the axle.
IF THE WHOLE SHEBANG IS MOVING and you have a sealed-cartridge bottom bracket (on most bikes since '92), the BB is probably toast. Try snugging the retaining cup/ring, which might have loosened. The axle should spin effortlessly, or with some hydraulic resistance. If it feels (or sounds) dry, the diagnosis is confirmed: Replace it.
Fork Maintenance
1. Stand beside your bike and push down on the fork. If it feels sticky, sloppy or too fast on the rebound (as it uncompresses), you need to lube the lowers, stanchions and seals, and maybe change oil as well. This is a good test because you can often detect blips you don't notice while you're riding.
Spring Biking Fitness
Unless you're a total stooge who did nothing but play PS3 over the winter, it's safe to assume that you're heading into spring with at least a little fitness. Even so, as riding season is about to hit full swing, what can you do to be sure you're performing at your peak-?especially if you're short on riding time?
Spring Break For Cyclists
Race-Ready In Six Hours a Week
In the spring of 2006 Taylor Carrington and his wife, Megan, had their first child, a beautiful girl named Sally. After pretty much not training through the summer, Taylor approached his CTS coach with a lofty goal: to finish in the top 20 in the elite division at cyclocross nationals that December. On top of it all, due to his job and his desire to spend time with his new baby, training would be restricted to six hours a week.Impossible?