Maintenance

Get these parts of your bike spinning, without resistance

Get these parts of your bike spinning, without resistance

The wheels go round and round, right? Well certainly. There are also many parts on your machine that twist or rotate. Here’s a look at things that spin on your bike and how to keep them going round smoothly.

Wheels

If your hoops aren’t moving freely, you won’t be going anywhere. With quick-releases or thru-axles tight in the frame, lightly grab a wheel and try to move it from side to side. There should be no wobbling or play in the wheel. If there is, the hubs will need adjustment or their bearings serviced or replaced depending on the type. With the bike off the ground, spin the wheels. They should be quiet with the exception of the freehub’s noise. As the wheels are spinning, put your hand on the fork and then a seatstay. If you feel a lot of vibration in either area, then the bearings are getting worn in the associated wheel. It is time to disassemble and inspect.

The rear freehub should also spin freely. If it is really hard to rotate the cranks in reverse or if the chain “backs up” or it moves the crankset easily while allowing the wheel to spin free, then it is time to remove the freehub and service it.

Headset

Although the headset doesn’t spin in a full circle, the steering tube must rotate from side to side without much force on the handlebars. When the front wheel is off the ground, the steering tube and front fork should move easily with a slight push of the bars. While moving the handlebars, you should not feel any roughness or grittiness. Feel for any hanging up or a notchy movement. If you find any of the above, disassemble and service or replace the bearings.

Crankset and bottom bracket

Remove the chain from the chainrings by shifting to the biggest ring and pulling the chain off the teeth to the side, and then back. Shift down to get the chain of the way. Then, you can rotate the crankset without the chain. The cranks should spin at least a few revolutions smoothly. As with your headset, feel for any roughness. Check for play by grabbing both crankarms with each hand and rock side to side. There should be no movement. If there is, you will need to adjust or overhaul depending on the type of crank and bottom bracket.

“Don’t be alarmed by a little play.”

Rear derailleur jockey wheels

Most riders ignore the jockey wheels on their rear derailleurs. If they do not spin nicely or are worn, not only will you be losing watts, but your shifting will be compromised. The best way to inspect these parts fully is to remove the chain so you can move the little wheels with your hand. Some fancy aftermarket ceramic models will spin like a wheel because there is so little friction, but most stock ones will not, which is normal. They should, however, move with minimal force from your fingers. Don’t be alarmed by a little play, especially in the upper wheel. This movement is built into most jockey wheels to assist with shifting. An experienced mechanic will be able to tell you how much is too much play if you are unsure. Check for teeth wear, too. Like a chainring, if the teeth on a jockey wheel are pointy, it’s time to replace.

Pedals

Check for play and smoothness. Some models are serviceable and some are not. In the worst case, the rotational part of the pedals is worn along with the retention part. Then it’s time for some new pedals.

Disc brake rotors

Hey, these spin, too! Look at a rotor straight on to check for side-to-side movement. Most of the time, a little bend in your rotor can be bent back true. There are specific tools for this repair, but a small adjustable wrench can also act as a disc truing tool. If the wobble is extreme, throw out the disc – it’s not worth fixing as you’ll never make a severely bent rotor perfect again. Look for discoloration or “bluing” of the rotor surface, which are signs of overheating. The excess heat could be the reason that the disc is warped. In severe cases, the rotor will definitely need to be replaced. The new part will spin, and come to a stop, smoothly.