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Like all bikes, a Bike Friday needs regular maintenance. If you're not well-versed in the art of bicycle maintenance, it's a very good idea to take your bike in to your local shop for a tuneup about 30 days after your purchase, then every 1500 miles or whenever your bike is not operating as it should. However, there are also some things you can do at home.
 Symptom #1: Hesitation when you try to shift up, or even a failure to shift at all. Also poor braking. Barrel adjustment corrects for "cable stretch", also known as New Bike Syndrome. The cables are not really stretched; it's just that the cable housing has settled into the ferrules, so that the cables become slack. To correct brake cable stretch, simply turn the adjuster on the brake cable until your brakes are returned to your desired tension. To correct your shifting, turn the shifter cable's adjuster barrel counter clockwise (as you are standing behind the bike) one quarter turn at a time until you reach the desired tension. You should cause the derailleur's two pulleys to line up underneath the cog your chain is wrapped around. Barrel adjusters are generally found on the levers, the brakes, or derailleurs (fig 1a, 1b, 1d respectively). Any time one is not found in those locations, Bike Friday adds an in-line adjuster (fig 1c). In most cases, this is all that's necessary to get the bike back into "like new" shape. |
Symptom #2: Squeaky chain, bike may be harder to pedal, chain feels dry or sticky to the touch
When: Depends on climate and terrain. Every week in rain, less often in dry weather.
Cure: Oil your chain.
Squirt a small amount of oil on top of the full length of chain as you rotate the crank 5 times. Wipe off the extra oil with a cloth. You may want to turn the bike upside down to do this.
Symptom #3: Low tires
When: Tires typically lose some of their pressure within a few days.
Cure: Check your tire pressure by feel or with a gauge after every couple of rides. Add air whenever necessary.
 Symptom #4: Sloppy shifting, chain slips off the gears (though no symptoms may be present) When: About every 1500 miles. More often in dirty riding conditions or if the rider is heavier, a strong climber, or carrying heavy loads. Over time chains can stretch or wear, but don't always show noticeable symptoms. Check your chain after the first riding season and then about every 1500 miles. Continuing to ride a stretched or worn chain causes wear on your casette, chainrings, or derailleur jockey wheels. Fortunately, a chain is relatively cheap and easy to replace, and a new chain can make a world of difference. |
"Many people don't realize that they need to keep their new bike tuned up." says service manager Markus Bethel.
If you have additional shifting problems that barrel adjustment does not solve, or anything else that is keeping your bike from operating smoothly, we encourage you to visit your local bike shop for a tune-up. The shops are typically quite happy for the business, whether or not the bike was purchased through them.
If you wish to learn to do your own maintenance, visit Sheldon Brown's web site. The gears & drivetrain section addresses some "new bike syndrome" issues. Also, be sure to visit the document library and service guide on the Bike Friday web site for Bike Friday-specific maintenance tips.
Emailable link to this article: http://www.bikefriday.com/bf/4pointcheckup