2023-08-26 11:26:50
Do you care about your Gravel like the apple of your eye and want to enjoy it for as long as possible?
Regular maintenance, thorough cleaning in the event of a dirty exit and the replacement of worn parts will allow you to extend the life of your faithful adventure companion.
If you’re not sure what to do or how often, here’s everything you need to know to take care of your Gravel ride after ride.
Gravel: what you should check before every ride
A well-maintained Gravel is a Gravel that lasts.
To avoid any bad stress during your outing, check before your departure that the following components are in good condition:
Shelving; Tires; Chain ; Brake pads; Derailleur.
Also check the tightenings at the level of the pedals and the cockpit. Finally, top up your tire pressure if necessary.
After a ride on very dry bitumen, there’s no need to grind your beautiful machine for hours.
A small passage under the jet of water followed by a good drying is enough to remove the thin layer of dust deposited on the components.
However, if your outing has taken you down steep, muddy, dusty paths, etc., a thorough cleaning is in order.
The equipment needed to clean your Gravel
A garden hose (or high-pressure cleaner); A bucket of hot water with soap; Degreaser; A sponge ; Clean microfiber cloths; A toothbrush or a special chain brush; A brush with a small head to reach difficult places; Lubricant; A bike stand (optional, but handy).
Step by step cleaning
Rinse your Gravel with a jet of water (low pressure) paying particular attention to the chain and the cassette; Wash your Gravel with a sponge soaked in soapy water or a special bike cleaner. Use a small brush to clean the places inaccessible with the sponge. Apply a suitable degreaser to the transmission. Scrub the chain links with a toothbrush (or special brush). Thoroughly wash your wheels, spokes included. Rinse your Gravel again. If you have removed your wheels to carry out a deep wash, take the opportunity to check the wear of your brake pads. Dry it with a clean microfiber cloth. Apply lubricant to all transmission components avoiding the brake system. Check the wear of the tires, the chain and the absence of shocks on the frame.
If you ride regularly, you will usually need to replace your brake pads once or twice per season.
Rides on rough terrain in wet conditions, however, will tend to degrade their condition more quickly.
As for the discs, there is no need to change them as long as they are not warped, rusty or stained with grease.
How often should mechanical and hydraulic brakes be serviced?
If your bike is equipped with a mechanical disc braking system, check (or have a professional check) the condition of the sheaths and cables at least once a year.
If you are equipped with hydraulics, an overhaul is necessary when you lose bite.
A simple visual inspection of the fittings is sufficient.
If you see the metallic surface of your pads, replace them without delay.
When to replace the transmission system of your Gravel?
Chain
The chain is the part of the drivetrain that wears the fastest.
In Gravel practice, its replacement generally occurs between 3 000 km and 6 000 km.
If your chain shows signs of fatigue, replace it quickly. Otherwise, you could damage your entire transmission system, with the key to a hefty bill!
Read also: Bike chain: everything you need to know about its operation, maintenance and buying advice
What are the parameters that impact the lifespan of a chain?
Transmission adjustment: a well-adjusted transmission prolongs the life of a chain; The way you shift your gears: shifting gently wears the links less; The frequency of chain crossings: driving in small sprocket/large chainring or large sprocket/small chainring puts more strain on the mechanism; The stress exerted on the Gravel: the higher your weight, the more the chain will be stressed; Practice: committed terrain accelerates the aging of the transmission system; Maintenance: frequency of lubrication, lubricant used, storage conditions, etc. The quality of manufacturing materials.
How do you know if you need to change your channel?
There are certain signs that should alert you to the impending replacement of your chain.
If you have trouble shifting your gears or if your chain jumps for no reason, look into the matter! To check the status of your channel, two solutions are available to you:
Perform a visual check. To do this, place your chain on the largest chainring and the smallest sprocket, then pull it towards you. If it comes off completely at the tray, you need to replace it. Use a wear monitor (or wear indicator). Over time, the retaining pins and the links between the links loosen. Composed of two hooks, the wear indicator is an inexpensive and very practical tool for monitoring the progress of the gap. If the hook sinks between the two sprockets, your chain is good for the dump!
The tape
A cassette generally has a lifespan of between 10,000 km and 15,000 km on the gear side. The plateaus can sometimes be pushed up to 25,000 km.
Again, it all depends on the maintenance and how you treat it during your rides!
How do you know if you need to replace your cassette?
Unlike the chain, the cassettes are not standardized. There is therefore no universal control tool.
However, certain indications make it possible to identify the favorable moment for its replacement. Choose new equipment if:
You have already changed your channel twice; Your gears become unstable even though your chain is in good condition and your transmission is well adjusted; The teeth of your chainrings or sprockets no longer end in a bevel, but in a point.
How often should gravel tires be changed?
Your preferred surfaces will have a significant impact on the lifespan of your tyres, as will the quality of the model used to equip your wheels.
Usually count a replacement every 3,000 to 6,000 km.
In tubeless, a regular check of the liquid level is essential. However, a good product can last six months without any problem.
Good to know: the rear tire tends to wear out faster than the front tire. You can therefore swap them to extend them.
Checking and changing the other components of your Gravel
Crankset: annual review, to be kept as long as there is no play or crack; Wheels: annual inspection, to be kept as long as the heads of the spokes are in good condition and the wheel is not warped; Handlebar tape: change if worn or when bleeding your brakes; Hanger: to be checked each time the tape is changed, to be kept as long as there are no cracks, rust spots, etc. Updated by Manon on: 08/26/2023
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