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Tim Link is one of the Service Team who get to see and wrench it all. Read their findings and make sure your Friday doesn't suffer a fate worse than gravel rash.
Bicycling, whether commuting or crossing continents, is tough on equipment - imagine if you had to carry 180 lbs over mountains and potholes - and that's not including the kitchen sink that some cycletourers insist upon!
To make sure your Bike Friday continues to carry you safely from Alaska to Botswana, we urge you to watch for the following signs of wear and tear - and take preventative action promptly. These notes are provided by Tim Link of the Bike Friday Service Team - who has seen and wrenched it all ...
1) WORN RIMS. Check the sidewalls, which become worn thin from braking excessively (especially down steep hills), or simply years of riding and never paying attention to them. Little wheels rotate more to go the same distance as a regular sized wheel - it could be argued that they wear slightly faster.
Worn rims will feel concaved when you run your fingers over the sidewalls. If they wear through, you can be in for a nasty fall. Get into the habit of checking your rims before during and after rides, making sure there are no rocks or grit caught between the brakes and the metal. When riding down steep hills and mountains, never hold the brakes continuously. Freewheel, brake, freewheel, brake .. that will prevent your rims from overheating.
2) EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST. This appears as streaking lines lifting up the paint below the surface. Excessive rust can compromise the strength of the frame. All chromoly bicycles suffer from some oxidation, especially those located closer to the sea. Wipe your bicycle down after rain. Use a lubricant like Boeshield to protect the surfaces (do not use on brake surface areas). We put Boeshield inside the frame, spraying through the bolt holes for water bottle holders etc - this is a preventative step you can do periodically yourself.
3) WORN/RUSTY QUICK RELEASE MECHANISMS on the frame and stem. Dry, rusty quick release mechanisms will not tighten down correctly. A sign that they need replacing is that they may feel tight without actually clamping down like they're supposed to. We recommend you use the heavier but stronger steel quick releases rather than the lighter aluminium ones. That will ensure your seat hinge does not give out if you happen to lift up the bike.
4) CRACKS IN THE FRAME or other components. A visual inspection can often spot a crack before it leads to a catastrophic failure.
5) LOOSE QUICK RELEASES AND BOLTS on the frame, stem or wheels. To reiterate 3), it's easy to forget to tighten them down when you're folding and unfolding your bike. BOLTS holding rear racks are notorious for coming loose, especially down near the rear hub, and can cause a rack stay to jam into your cassette. Use LocTite tape if you rarely remove the rack. Check before each ride.
6) LOOSENESS AND ROCKING IN THE FRAME AND STEM. The bike should feel like one solid piece. Check the hinge pin tightness often (that's the one at the base of your seat mast).
7) UNUSUAL POPPING OR CREAKING SOUNDS Cracks in the frame or components will often make noises for a while before the part fails completely.
8) CHAIN SKIPPING AND SLIPPING. This can indicate a worn chain, cogs, or a stuck link. A sudden slip in the drivetrain (chain) can cause an accident. Have this checked at your local bike shop.
9) FORK AND HANDLEBARS THAT DON'T TURN SMOOTHLY. The headset should be tight enough to prevent play, but not so tight as to impair the handling of the bike. To test: Hold front brake. Rock handlebar back and forth. If it does not rock, it's good. If not, then it's loose. To fix: You ideally need two of the inexpensive simple wrenches that we provide. Note: Petite models, Pocket Tourist, and older Nomads and Metros need this wrench.
The lower nut needs to be tight but not too tight - no grinding, but just shy of loose. Hold the bottom wrench steady and then tighten the top against it, tight. It's tight enough when both wrenches cannot be loosened simultaneously. The handlebars should turn smoothly and easily. Check with your local bike store.
10) UNUSUAL HANDLING AFTER A CRASH. Many bikes can become mis-aligned after getting bumped while on a car rack, or even while packed in the suitcase if the case was severely mishandled. An out-of-alignment frame can be dangerous. Check with your bike shop, or call us if you suspect this to be the case.
Ride safe!
MORE READING
4 point checkup - 4 absolutely, gotta-be-checked places you should check before you pedal off into the wild blue yonder
Bike Friday Service Document Library - contains useful information and answers to common questions
Goof Proof Gearing on a Friday
Manuals - instruction manuals for Bike Friday models
Emailable link to this article: http://www.bikefriday.com/bf/maintenance
For more information, follow this link http://www.bikefriday.com/serviceDocumentLib.cfm.