Head out on a group ride with a bunch of friends and one thing is certain – no two bikes will be set up exactly alike, even if they happen to be the same make and model. Brake lever reach and position, seat angle, bar width, even the level of maintenance a bike sees - they all vary depending on whose bike you're looking at. Some riders barely pay any attention to their bike at all – as long as there's a few psi in the tires they're good to go, squeaky chain, uneven brake levers and mis-shifting drivetrain be damned, while other riders need everything perfectly dialed in before their bike leaves the garage. And there's no correlation between the condition of a bike and the skill of the rider – I've seen some of the most technically difficult trails in the world ridden on bikes I'd be scared to ride to the corner store, and seen riders on $10,000 carbon wonder bikes balk at going off a three foot drop.
Jerome Clementz checks and double checks to make sure everything is in its place.In the racing world, especially at the World Cup level, attention to detail becomes a matter of the utmost importance. Races are scattered around the globe, and bikes are disassembled and reassembled multiple times throughout the season. Because of this, mechanics play close attention to ensure that their riders' setups remains the same at every event. Bar height, lever reach, shifter position - everything needs to be in exactly the same place as it was the weekend before. With races often coming down to hundredths or thousandths of a second, it's feasible that the difference between first and second place could be determined by whether or not a racer is completely comfortable on their bike. Nico Vouilloz, a ten-time winner of the Downhill World Championhips, is famous for being especially particular about his bike setup, an approach that has obviously paid off with one of the most impressive race resumes in the history of the sport.
There's no denying that today's mountain bikes can be complicated affairs. Modern mountain bikes come equipped with hydraulic brakes, dropper posts and suspension components with thousands of possible setup configurations, making it a potentially daunting task, especially for the non-mechanically minded, to get everything set up properly. For some, spending hours in the workshop huffing Tri-Flow and carefully maintaining and examining every component is almost as rewarding as a long ride. Others would rather spend as little time working on their bike as possible, focusing more on the ride itself rather than the componentry that makes the ride possible.
Where do you fall on this spectrum? Are you scrubbing your drivetrain with a toothbrush and busting out the calipers to position the brake levers? Or do you hop on and ride, barely paying attention to the bike's setup, happy just to get out of the house for a few hours?
Take the Pinkbike Poll
I'm kinda in between, still studying but working as well when study permits and I like wrenching so usually I'll fix things way beyond their normal lifespan, also out of respect for the planet (no matter how terrible that sounds).
As to the main question, I'd say between 3 and 4. Technically the bike should be in perfect working order (clean chain, no play, properly shifting and so on) but I don't mind it being a bit dirty if it's not too bad and it'll get dirty anyway in the next few days.
Remember, there's techs and shop hands that turn out to be the guys that work at SRAM, and they are the ones that compete at the Boxxer Worlds each year. Ya'll watch that, right?
Brake lever reach and throw are very personal controls and are one of the main things that have to be jusssssst right for me.......
I'd probably punch you in the nose for that comment.
I can live without tacos.......are you crazy?!
But for the mexie comment I'd kick yo when you're down.
I actually just measured how far my brakes are from the edge of the handlebar. The picture of Jerome doing it made me do it.
Let me give you an example: brakes.
Maintenance: keep them working (no air bubbles, enough pads, etc...)
Setup: lever reach, bite point, etc...
You can't skip the first one for a long time. And what you spend in maintenance would save you a lot of money in the long run for replacements.
I like riding in the mud and I love how the bike looks after it but, man it's really 5 mins to clean and lube the whole bike. The next day you'll feel the bike is brand new.
I like my bike to be in good shape and being comfortable on it, I enjoy the ride a lot more.
Not to mention if you plan to sell your bike...
Anyway, I like the feeling my bike is working for 100%. Honestly, I really do affraid of crashes, my body is getting older and older and I have still more and more responsibilities to people around me, family etc.
So my bike care philosophy is like this: The bike is the only thing that keeps you alive while you fly down a trail - so I care.
I am ODC when it comes to creaks, rattles or knocks. I have to find the culprit and fix it, or it becomes a mark of shame for me.
CLEAN YOUR BIKE! LEARN SIMPLE MAINTENANCE!
i'm currently refurbing a kids bike for a guy at work!
Which has led to me having a a mobile jet washer in the car to clean the bike. First it started with a Andy Stand to make it easy to spray down, this has led to Muc off, brushes and a chain cleaner...which in turn has led to juicy lubes disk brake cleaner and fork juice ( both great products)
I have found I actually love cleaning it down re lubing the cain, using the various Juicy lube products and even in winter applying a bit of GT85 to the downtube in attempt to keep the British mud from sticking!
Agreed I look a total dick putting my freshly cleaned bike on the car rack yet i'm head to foot covered in Sh*t ! I also disagree with any comment that a clean bike isn't a ridden bike! I trash mine 2/3 times a week, and clean every time. in short I've grown to really enjoy the routine.
Plus not surprisingly mine is trouble free unlike my mates, that constantly have some little issue or complaint during every ride, that we always have to stop and address!
1. Clean and lube chain
2. Wipe stanchions
3. Tire pressure
I don't sweat the dirt, unless it's causing grittyness in the drive train or hubs. I like my handlebars straight as I don't need any extra help to shoot off the trail. Lever position is not that big of a deal, as long as it's close. Saddle angle is a pet peeve, but it's set and forget.
Just get out and ride!
When you have bikes worth too much (2013 Remedy 9.9, 2013 Session 9.9 and a 2013 S-Works Venge) you want to look after them. They're expensive toys.
Psi check before every ride, a bit of chain lube and let's ride!!!
I can leave with some dirt, I'm not washing it after every rides, but from time to time I take pleasures to give it some loves
Maintaining bikes is fun - modern bikes are a work of art. Being an engineer, I really appreciate how modern bikes are a pretty elegant combination of my favorite engineering subjects, so maintanence is never really a chore (unless you are working on someone else's crummy bike lol).
I enjoy keeping my own bike dialed and often help with friends bikes. However, I have no problem riding a bike in poor condition, just as long as I am confident it won't break/kill me. Sometimes klunking is fun!
Post cleaning is seasonal. Summers- light dust, no need for a spray down. Every scratch hurts.
I feel bad for dirty bikes, they seem sad to me. I do as much maintenance as I can and let the guys at mt lbs do the rest. They always appreciate seeing how well I take care of my bike and to knowing it's a rider not an ornament.
What's the point of this article again? You'll find riders reaching both ends of the spectrum, and champions only on one.
all guesses
What're your fingers different lengths?!