Do Mtbs need regular servicing?

Coopz

Likes Dirt
Had my hardtail Cell Awaba for over 4 years now, I don't ride it everyday but it goes out at least once a week for a 30-60m ride. I do chain maintenance, tyre pressures, check the nuts n bolts are tight occasionally and the the odd shock adjustment but the bikes never had a proper checkover or service, yet it rides fine, shifts well and has never given me a issue. Yet a guy I go riding with gets both his duelie and hardtail serviced professionally every 6 months regardless of the usage.
I'm saving up for a duelie (jarred my back the other month..) do these things need any more care and love? I do keep my bike clean and shiney.
 

c3024446

Likes Bikes and Dirt
From personal experience- no. Ive Only bled brakes when they were spongy or the pistons wouldnt retract enough to put pads in. Fork lowers, when i fell like its been too long. Damper - only when it fails.

Keep doing what you’re doing mate


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stirk

Burner
Bikes that are ridden hard in tough terrain and at high speed do need attention to keep the bike working optimally and without issues. Don't ask me how I know...

Learn how to do it yourself or take to a bike servicing professional or end up in the fuckwits thread for lack of maintenance.


Also knowing how your bike works can save you on the trail if you have issues many kilometres from home.

Have you ever split a chain and rejoined?

Can you try and single speed a 10 speed cassette if your derailleur is toast?

Get filthy with ya bike!
 

brendonj

Likes Dirt
There are different philosophies in the professional world where people manage billions of dollars of assets (e.g. mining machinery). So when it comes to bikes...

My approach is a mixture of preventative, condition based plus time/use based. I also focus on riding and not my bike looking pretty :)
Eg
  1. preventative - Lube the chain, clean dirt of key areas, check spoke tension etc to minimise wear and tear.
  2. Condition based - Replace brake pads, bearings, drivetrain, seals, cables etc based on condition.
  3. Time/use based - brake fluid and suspension oil and internals because you don’t know how they are going. The insides could be chewing themselves up. But obviously use feel and performance for signs of something going wrong early.
 

Isaakk

Likes Bikes and Dirt
What you're currently doing sounds mostly fine. With a dualie it's much the same, though add in checking linkage and shock hardware/bushings every now and then.

Brendonj's approach is pretty much how I go about it & would recommend. Bought a hardtail 29er recently and whilst it rode well on inspection, having had it for a couple months now there's quite a few things i've had to replace that wouldn't have been an issue with regular maintenance - so stuff definitely adds up.

In the end I was up for a chain (was in shocking condition, actually snapped on me), shifter inner & outer cable (inner cable frayed and broken in multiple places, outer full of muck and rusted, shifted like garbage), derailleur hanger (bent), BB press-fit bearings (completely shot). All of which wouldn't have been issues with proper care.
 

Calvin27

Eats Squid
Riding your bike more regularly and not cleaning it as often
I took apart my xc dually suspension pivots that has been the main rig for about 4 years and a secondary rig for about another 3. Mint as anything and in all that time I think I washed it twice. Once because it was still 1 month old and I was being precious about it and second time was so that my other half would let me bring it into the apartment to work on. Anyway pivot bearings all mine and I just greased then up a bit more. The only issues I;ve had are the lower headset which you ca buy a few products for because that area seems to get a lot of mud and duct flicking towards it.
 

Nambra

Definitely should have gone to specsavers
I'd have to say loose ball hub bearings are the main ones that need regular attention and plenty of grease. A pitted or rusty inner race means your hub is toast (or forever noisy and rough) as it's often not replaceable.
 
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