Basic Maintenance Flashcards
(238 cards)
Why is it essential to check your bike before heading out on a ride?
To ensure safety and avoid delays due to parts failure
Regular checks can also prevent injury risks associated with riding a poorly maintained bike.
What should you be able to do if you don’t always have a mechanic with you?
Take the wheels off and put them back on
This skill is important for transporting your bike and handling minor issues like flat tires.
What basic maintenance can enhance the enjoyment of each ride?
Keeping the chain and a few other parts clean
Regular cleaning contributes to the bike’s overall performance.
What is the focus of the chapter’s maintenance procedures?
Three cleaning and maintenance procedures that are easy to perform
These procedures are fundamental to keeping your bike running smoothly.
What is recommended for home mechanics in this chapter?
Read ‘Performing Mechanical Work’
This section provides essential knowledge for bike maintenance.
What tools are required for the work in this chapter?
No special tools beyond level 1
Basic tools are sufficient for performing the maintenance tasks.
What should you check regarding the quick-release (QR) levers or axle nuts?
Ensure they are tight
This secures the front and rear hub axles to the dropouts.
What should you check for excessive or uneven wear on brake pads?
Pad material thickness and groove wear
For disc brakes, the pad material should be at least the thickness of a dime.
How should you verify that the brakes are securely mounted?
Grab and twist the caliper or brake pads
Ensure all bolts are tight to confirm secure mounting.
What should happen when you squeeze the brake levers with rim brakes?
Pads should flat against the rims without hitting the tires
For disc brakes, pads should contact the rotor.
What should you check for after squeezing the levers to the handlebars?
Brake-cable tension adjustment and hydraulic disc-brake bleeding
Refer to sections 10-2 and 10-4 for brake-cable tension adjustment or 10-22 for hydraulic disc-brake bleeding.
What is the proper tire pressure range for most mountain bike tires?
30 to 60 pounds per square inch (psi)
Tubeless tires can run below 30 psi; fat-bike tires typically require 5-8 psi.
What should you check for on the tires?
Excessive wear, cracking, or gashes
What should you ensure about the handlebar and stem?
They are tight and the stem is lined up with the front tire
What indicates that the gears are functioning properly?
The chain should not skip or shift by itself, and each click of the shifter moves the chain over one sprocket
How often should the chain be replaced on a mountain bike?
Every 500 to 1,000 miles of off-road riding or every 2,000 miles of paved riding
What should you do after applying the front brake when testing the headset?
Push the bike forward and backward to check the headset for tightness and clunking noises
What is required for transporting your mountain bike easily?
The ability to remove the front wheel
What is the first step to releasing the brake for wheel removal?
Release the brake
What happens if you squeeze the lever of a hydraulic disc brake without a disc or travel spacer?
The pistons can pop out too far, making it difficult to get the rotor back between the pads
How do most rim brakes allow the tire to pass?
By having a mechanism to release the brake arms so they spring away from the rim
Fill in the blank: Most cantilever brakes are released by pulling the enlarged head of the _______ cable out of a notch.
straddle
What is the process for detaching a wheel with a quick-release skewer?
- Pull outward on the quick-release lever
- Unscrew the nut on the opposite end until it clears the wheel-retention tabs
- Pull the wheel off
True or False: You need a tool to detach a wheel with a quick-release skewer.
False