What maintenance intervals are recommended for my bike?

How Often

Service

Notes

Every ride

Check tire pressure.

Verify that they're inflated to your desired pressure.

Check chain, lubricate if dry.

If your chain is dry, lubricate it and wipe off any excess.

Clean bike of dirt and/or road grime.

Leaving your bike dirty can cause additional wear as the dirt and grime can work its way into the drivetrain, bearings, etc. Never power wash your bike; instead, if it's very dirty, use lower pressure water from a garden hose, and use bicycle-approved cleaners and rags to wipe it down.

Every 3-5 rides

Check brake pad life.

If you frequently are descending steep roads or trails, you'll wear through pads faster than most, same goes for riding in wet and muddy conditions. Look through your caliper to check the remaining pad material, and make sure to replace them before they're down to the metal to avoid damaging your brakes.

Perform a bolt check.

Check that bolts are all torqued to their specified value. If you're riding and something feels funny, stop and check that nothing has come loose.

Check for chain wear.

As it wears, a chain stretches, causing wear on your cassette. Replacing a chain before it's stretched too much can help prolong the life of your cassette.

Check pressure in your fork and shock.

Air suspension will slowly leak over time.

3-6 months

Thoroughly clean drivetrain.

Clean and degrease your chain, cassette, and chainrings. Clean your derailleurs and crank arms with normal bike cleaner, relubricate your chain with reinstalling it.

If using tubeless tires, check sealant.

Make sure there's no leaks, add sealant If low.

Check tire wear and look for cuts on tread and sidewall.

Worn out tread and a cut in your sidewall would warrant replacing your tires, be sure to check this as well before a big ride.

Check that your brakes feel firm, and hydraulic brakes don't feel spongy.

If your brakes don't feel firm, you may need new brake cables if they're cable actuated. If they're hydraulic, they may need to be bled. While doing this, it's also prudent to check your brake rotors for excessive wear

6-12 months

Full fork overhaul

Replace oil and seals in the lowers, fully rebuild damper and air shaft assembly. In most cases this service is done by sending in the manufacturer.

Full rear shock overhaul

Full internal and external inspection, damper rebuild, and replacement of air can seal on air shocks. In most cases this service is done by sending in the manufacturer.

Service frame

Disassemble the bike and clean the bottom bracket, headset, and linkages if it's a full suspension bike. Replace any worn bearings, and reassemble, ensuring all mating surfaces are greased.