Daily maintenance of a mountain bike only requires wiping components like the rims with a soft cloth. If necessary, you can use kerosene to remove stubborn stains. Whether it's a bicycle that costs a few hundred yuan or tens of thousands, after a period of regular riding or returning from a race, issues such as inaccurate gear shifting or brake malfunctions often arise. These problems may not immediately affect the bike’s usability, but most cyclists understand that the lifespan of a bike’s components is closely related to how often the owner maintains it. Simple daily maintenance doesn’t require professional technicians or many specialized tools. By maintaining your beloved bike yourself, you can ensure it performs “refreshed and swift” when you need it most. Below is a detailed guide you can learn from!
Cleaning a Mountain Bike
When we decide to perform maintenance on a bike, the first step is to clean it. This step is essential and will make subsequent maintenance much more effective.
1. Frame
You can clean the frame by dipping a cloth in water and wringing it out before wiping the parts. The mud stuck underneath the frame will soften upon contact with water, making it easy to remove with just a cloth. Personally, I do not recommend using a high-pressure water gun or similar to rinse off the mud on the bike, as this can cause water to enter the bottom bracket or hub, affecting the lifespan of the parts.
Pay attention to areas where mud tends to accumulate on the frame, such as the bottom bracket area. After washing off the mud with water, apply a small amount of dish soap to the cloth, rub it slightly with your hands, and then wipe the frame. For dirty spots, gently wipe back and forth a few times, and the frame will become clean. It is generally not recommended to use strong detergents like laundry powder, as many bikes are made of aluminum, and the alkaline components in laundry powder can react chemically with the aluminum. Over time, this can cause unusual discoloration on the aluminum parts. Therefore, a gentler detergent—dish soap—is definitely a better choice.
2. Wheel Set, Handlebar, and Seat Post
When washing the wheel set, you can use a shoe brush dipped in dish soap to scrub the mud and sand off the outer tire. When cleaning the rim, it’s best to switch to a cloth with dish soap and carefully wipe the areas where the brake pads have made contact. The spokes only need a simple wipe. After cleaning the hub, avoid using a high-pressure water gun to rinse off the soap. Just rinse it lightly with water and then wipe it clean with a dry cloth. When washing the seat post and saddle, be careful not to let muddy water flow into the seat post through the gap in the seat clamp. The underside of the saddle is often where the most muddy water splashes up, so carefully wipe away the mud with a cloth.
For the tires, you can use a slightly stiff brush to remove sand and dust, performing basic maintenance.
3. Shifters, Front Derailleur, and Rear Derailleur
After cleaning the above components, move on to the shifters. The inside of the shifters is relatively complex, with a lot of grease acting as lubricant. When cleaning the shifters, it’s best to gently wipe them with a cloth until they are clean. When cleaning the front and rear derailleurs, you can aim a water hose directly at the gaps between the derailleur cage and chainrings to rinse out any trapped mud, water, or sand. After rinsing, you can also use dish soap to remove any oil or grime from the derailleurs.
4. Fork, Pedals, and Brakes
Cleaning the fork and pedals is simple—the pedals just need to be washed free of mud and water. It’s best not to rinse the fork with water. When wiping the inside tube of the fork, make sure to wring out the cloth to remove excess water before wiping the inner tube. After some use, the inner tube of the fork may accumulate some debris, which can be gently removed with a cotton swab. It’s a good habit to keep the fork clean, as this is the most basic form of fork maintenance. When cleaning the brakes (using V-brakes as an example), you can rinse the mud and sand inside the brakes directly with a water hose to prepare for subsequent maintenance.
For the chainring, front and rear derailleurs, and jockey wheels, you can use a brush to remove dust and minor dirt.
5. Chainring, Cassette, and Chain
During a full cleaning session, these three components are likely to be the dirtiest, as lubricating oil attracts dust. You can start by applying dish soap to a cloth, dipping it in water, and then using it to clean the chainring. Try to clean every tooth on the chainring with the cloth. Once cleaned, rinse it with water—you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that the chainring becomes as shiny as new thanks to the dish soap.
Next is the cassette. To clean the cassette, you need to remove the rear wheel. First, release the rear brake so it doesn’t clamp the wheel. Loosen the screws on both sides of the quick release skewer, then gently tap the wheel, and it will come out. Place the wheel on the ground, carefully wipe the cassette with a cloth, and then reinstall the wheel onto the bike. Pay attention to the position of the rear derailleur, and slowly pull it outward to fit the wheel in. This process is simple and becomes clear after doing it once or twice.
Finally, clean the chain. After prolonged riding, the chain tends to accumulate a lot of mud and sand. There are various ways to clean the chain; here, I’ll introduce two methods: The first is using kerosene—wrap a cloth soaked in kerosene around the chain and pull it back and forth. The downside is that it may leave an odor on your hands and clothes, along with oil stains. The second method uses dish soap. It’s important to use water at around 45°C, as this temperature enhances its cleaning power. In addition to wiping the chain back and forth with a dish soap-soaked cloth, it’s best to use a slightly coarse brush to scrub each link of the chain. Soon, the black chain will regain its original shine.
Maintenance and Adjustment of a Mountain Bike
If cleaning helps your beloved bike perform better when it matters and extends its lifespan, then bike maintenance and adjustment primarily benefit the rider.
Daily bike maintenance usually only requires a few common tools: hex keys, Phillips screws, and lubricating oil. As for lubricating oil, let me briefly explain: I generally don’t recommend using used black engine oil. Even sewing machine oil that costs 2 yuan per bottle is quite practical. If possible, consider using premium lubricating oil that costs around 30–40 yuan per bottle, typically available in large supermarkets. I usually opt for chain oil that costs about 8 yuan per bottle, widely available at many bike shops.
Lastly, before performing maintenance, make sure to dry the bike with a dry cloth, especially the chain, cassette, and chainring. If possible, wait until the bike is completely dry before starting maintenance.
1. Housing (Cable Housing)
The first component to maintain is the cable housing. First, shift the front derailleur to the third chainring and the rear derailleur to the highest gear (the largest cog). Then, without turning the wheel, shift the derailleur to the smallest gear. This relaxes the gear cable, allowing you to remove the outer housing from the frame’s cable stops. Do the same for the front derailleur. After removing the housing, use a cloth dipped in lubricating oil to wipe the inner cable. If the inner cable is rusty, repeat the wiping process.
For the brake cable housing, first loosen the screw that clamps the inner cable using a hex key, then remove it. Use a small syringe to inject lubricating oil into the housing, then move the cable back and forth.
If it’s difficult to reinsert the rear derailleur cable, simply press down on the derailleur’s outer cage with your hand to allow the housing to slide in.
Removing the Gear Cable
You can perform simple maintenance on the gear cable by applying lubricating oil.
2. Brake (Rim Brake)
After some time of use, the brake pads will be more or less worn. If you have time, it's best to remove the brakes and check whether there is any dirt or sand in the brake spring. After cleaning, apply a bit of grease for lubrication.
If the brake pads are misaligned, you’ll need to adjust them after installation. Before installing the brake, apply a little grease at the point where the brake contacts the bike frame. When installing, make sure the extending end of the brake spring goes into the second hole on the frame. The V-brake area on the frame has three small holes — the first one provides the strongest braking force, and the third offers the weakest. During adjustment, squeeze the brake to see where the brake pad sits on the rim. If it’s off-center, loosen the brake pad with an Allen wrench while the brake is squeezed, adjust the pad to the correct position, and then tighten the Allen bolt.
3. Front Derailleur & Rear Derailleur
After washing the bike, it's best to apply some lubricant to the pivot points of the front and rear derailleurs; for the two guide pulleys on the rear derailleur, you can inject some lubricant using a syringe.
There are two screws on the top of the front derailleur, marked with the letters H and L respectively. The H (high) screw adjusts the position of the chain on the largest chainring. Unscrewing it counterclockwise moves the front derailleur arm farther from the seat tube. If it’s too far, the chain may drop off when shifting to the third chainring; if it’s too close, the chain may rub against the derailleur. In either case, you can adjust the H screw. The L (low) screw controls the chain position on the smallest chainring. Unscrewing it counterclockwise brings the front derailleur arm closer to the seat tube. Unscrewing too much may cause the chain to drop off onto the bottom bracket during shifting, while screwing it in too far can make the chain hit the derailleur.
The rear derailleur also has H and L screws, similar to the front one. If the H screw is tightened too much, the chain may not be able to shift down to the smallest cog; conversely, the chain may drop off after shifting to the smallest cog. Once adjusted, make sure the smallest cog and the guide pulley on the rear derailleur are aligned on the same parallel line. When the L screw is properly adjusted, the chain can smoothly enter the largest cog. If it's tightened too much, the chain won’t shift up to the largest chainring; if too loose, it may drop off and affect the rotation of the cogs and spokes. Adjustments to the gear-shifting system can be made not only on the derailleurs but also via the fine-tuning on the shifters after the initial derailleur adjustments.
4. Chain
Once the chain is dry, reapply lubricant as you did when cleaning the chain. It's best not to drip lubricant directly onto the chain and spin it, as this may cause oil to splash onto the rims, affecting braking performance.