When the trails start calling, be ready to answer. To make sure that you rip them instead of the other way around, it’s important to take care of your equipment with a basic bike tune from a Castle Rock bike shop.
If it’s been a while since you’ve had your road or mountain bike serviced, it’s time to start looking for places near you that can do a quality bike tune. No matter what time of year it is, it’s always a good time to make sure your ride sings.
COMPONENTS OF A BIKE TUNE
A bike tune is more than pumping air in the tires and aligning the handlebars. This important service includes a variety of maintenance tasks that improve the rideability and performance of your bike. In terms of importance, tuning your bike is on par with changing the oil in your car.
Below, you will find an overview of the various services included with a basic tune by our qualified bike mechanics in Castle Rock:
1. ADJUST DERAILLEURS & BRAKES
Derailleurs shift the chain from cog to cog. Over time, derailleurs move out of alignment and can lead to an unrideable bike. They are complex, and adjusting them requires experience and know-how. If you’re a DIY rider, here’s a link to a guide that can help you adjust them. But if you’d like to skip the hassle, make sure to schedule a tune at your local Castle Rock bike shop.
With brake adjustments, the goal is to optimize performance by tuning three components: pad position, caliper position, and cable tension. Brake adjustment is necessary to get the most stopping power and prevent premature brake pad wear.Â
Most mountain bikes these days come with hydraulic brakes and need yearly bleeding to keep them optimal. If you haven’t had your brakes bled in a while and they feel squishy or have weak stopping power, we recommend bringing your mountain bike to our Castle Rock bike shop and talking with one of our qualified bike mechanics.
2. TRUE WHEELS
An essential part of your bike tune, wheel truing involves using a spoke wrench to tighten or loosen spoke tension and achieve a straight-spinning, wobble-free wheel. The heavy impacts of trail riding wreak havoc on the equilibrium of your wheels, and having them trued about once a year will keep your bike singing sweetly.
3. DE-GLAZE PADS & ROTORS
Whether it’s from extreme temperatures or sheer usage, your brake pads will eventually develop a glossy sheen called a glaze. If you can’t see the glaze, you’ll definitely hear it. If you squeeze the brakes and hear a high-pitched screaming sound, it’s time for a de-glaze.
Brake deglazing can be performed by cleaning pad and rotor surfaces with isopropyl alcohol, wiping with a clean towel, and then lightly sanding with a fine-grit sandpaper. After de-glazing the surfaces, it is important to bed in the pads and rotors, or else they’ll be prone to re-glazing.
4. LUBE CABLES & HOUSING
Poor weather conditions and old housing can bring friction to your cables. This reduces the reliability of your brakes and increases shifting difficulty. Properly lubed cables don’t only perform better, but they’ll also be less prone to breaking. Using the incorrect lube could do more harm than good, so be sure to consult with your local Castle Rock bike shop.
5. ADJUST SERVICEABLE BEARINGS
Eventually, your bearings need to be replaced, but servicing them regularly will prolong their life and keep your wheels spinning smoothly. Water and grime can gunk up the bearings, which gives you unwanted drag and can lead to structural damage. Removing, cleaning, greasing, and reinserting the bearings will help bring flow back to your sessions.
6. LUBRICATE chain & check WEAR
The chain is typically the grimiest part of your bike. Keeping it clean and lubricated will prolong the life of your drivetrain, which adds up to saved money and more riding. Here’s a quick rundown of the steps:
1) Clean individual links with a chain cleaning tool or an old toothbrush coated with degreaser.Â
2) Remove any excess degreaser with soapy water and rinse clean.Â
3) Precisely drip a small amount of lube onto each roller of the chain.Â
We recommend replacing a chain regularly when it begins to stretch and wear. Replacing a chain more often can prolong the life of your other components that generally cost more, such as chain rings and cassettes.
7. CLEAN BIKE
Although dirt is a badge of honor for having tamed the wild trails of Castle Rock, there’s something to be said about pulling a pristine bike from your rack. Once our bike mechanics finish tuning your bike, the final, icing-on-the-cake step is to clean off any dirt and muck. Not only does a clean bike look nice, but it also helps preserve the grease and lubrication applied during the tune.
 GETTING A BIKE TUNE FROM A CASTLE ROCK BIKE SHOP
Successfully tuning your bike involves a lot of work and specialty tools. Although it is possible to complete the steps on your own, getting the help of a bike mechanic in Castle Rock makes the process stress-free and guarantees an expertly done job. With bike tune services starting at $125 and locations in Denver and Castle Rock, Base Camp Cyclery is here to take care of your bike maintenance needs.