1) Overhaul your hubs, bb and headset regularly. Some people say it's overrated to do so, but that's a foul non-truth. If your bike is being stiff, overly loose or making noise imagine it is alive and complaining to you.

2) Keep your chain clean and properly lubricated; don't overlube. I prefer Finish Line Dry Lube used sparingly, regularly.

3) Periodically grab your wheels and try to rock them side-to-side while secured in the dropouts. Feel some play? Tighten your damn cones! (Check your bearings if you have never done this before or if they are particularly loose.)

4) Check your bolts regularly! This means every one! Make sure your stem, hubs, chainring and crankarms are firmly in place!

Your bike should run silently! Any creaks, clicks or rattles should be investigated and addressed! It is also very important that when you deal with any threaded piece on your bike you are certain that it is properly greased and tourqued to specifications - this is especially important to us who run brakeless rides and depend on our drivetrains to keep us safe!

Now get away from internets and ride!

1. Get the chainline laser-straight. Reduces friction and with proper lubrication (see below) your ride is whisper quiet.

2. Use chain tensioners. I have a pair of MKS tensioners on my track ends and swear by them. After cleaning the drivetrain, I hand-adjust chain tension to the point where there is little slack and the chain is still quiet when I turn the cranks. You get maximum power transfer with minimum wear on the gearing.

3. Keep the chain cleaner by not using extra lubricant. To clean, snake the chain into an empty Gatorade bottle with hot water and a couple teaspoons of Simple Green. Screw the cap on, shake vigorously and let sit a few minutes. Rinse and wipe clean. Then put the chain in a plastic oil drain pan and apply light machine oil to each link, making sure the entire chain is wet. Let sit for a bit to let oil get into the pins and plates. Then wipe it off. Now the chain is lubed the way it was at the factory, which is the best. Install the chain on your clean bike and don't lube it again. If your chain gets noisy from grit, clean it -- don't squirt more lube on it.

4. Check bolt tightness before you ride. Takes 2 minutes and will save your life. I check the stem bolts, crank bolts, axle bolts and seat pin. Pump the tires up hard and ride.

This is a great forum, thanks for making this available to us.

-- Michael from Paso Robles, CA

i jammed an old presta valve into my rear brake hole. then put a presta valve adapter on it, so i always have a presta valve adapter with me.

My favorite new maintenance trick is the no wrench track cog tightening. Remove the chain from the ring but keep it around the bb shell. Double the chain back over the top of the cog and rotate the wheel anti-clockwise. simple

for detailed instructions visit:
http://204.73.203.34/fisso/eng/schpignone.htm

get rid of unnecessary parts like extra chain links, spokes, leather straps on toe clips, file off every other tooth on the chainring, and strip anything with that requires allen keys so it will stay put and save some weight.

Take these parts and put them into a box, you might need some of them later. make sure you recycle all scrap metal properly.

In your bag, keep a 15mm socket and a freewheel so you can coast home after discovering the end of the spring water corridor is someone's gravel driveway.

clean and grease threads
invest in good tools

Take gaffer's tape and double it back onto itself (sticky side to sticky side). Cut it to the length of the diameter of your tire. Inert between tire and tube. You can also keep a piece of this in your tool bag as a sidewall boot in case you ever split your sidewall. A dollar bill works fine [temporarily] for this, too.

would washers help add to the loose space between my chainring and bolts? i just dropped one of them and im worried about the slack, chain, teeth, etc.

I love this stuff. I'ts probably hyper-carcinogenic but it takes crap off muy quick and leaves it ready for lube. Somewhat expensive though; I go through about two cans a year for all my bikes at about .00 a pop.

Stare at your bike. Literally. Put it somewhere you can always see it so that you increase the chance of spotting a problem. I keep my two on a shelf track system in my living room and whatever I'm riding to work parks next to my desk.

I've been known to walk by and spin the cranks or test the action of the shocks, or 'touch' my bikes way too many times in one day. Spinning cranks or squeezing brakes puts your eyes and ears on the drive-train or cables, or rims, and it sure is fun!

I have a problem, I know, I know...

Use a small flatblade screwdriver or diddy penknife and dig all the glass etc. out of your tyres periodically, especially in winter.
Make sure your sidewalls are in good nick as well

It's been said a couple times already so I won't stress the importance of cleaning and keeping things greased up. If you ain't keepin your ride slick than what are you doing on a bike nerd website like velospace?

I will say to fools out there ridin a Nagasawa to the coffee shop every day you need to get that chain tension sorted out!
Man you wouldn't believe the crazy ass chains we see every day here in Portland. Either the thing looks like cooked spaghetti draped over the chainring or the poor chain is holding itself together for dear life while the rider wonders why it's so hard to get any speed outta that oh-so-attractive trackstand.
I'm not gonna go into a step by step of how to tension your chain right. If you ride a fixed gear bike you probably already know how. Alls I'm sayin is pay attention to it. Loose chains slip off (how would you like to be riding down the Burnside hill brakeless and have the chain come off?) and tight tight chains will wreck your brand new hot-pink-and-gold-used-to-be-NJS-certified chainring. If yah don't know ask somebody (that means google search).
Man I like this idea! A forum where us monkeys can tell each other how to do things!

Ps. To those of you ridin duurty on your 1982 Centurion Kids bike with an excersize bike rear wheel and a Surly cog soldered to the hub, please make sure your chainline is at least almost straight. I know it's a lot to ask but I don't wanna see you all mangled on the side of the road. You kids are people too!!!

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Hey, does this rag smell like chloroform to you?

When something goes wrong, deal with it immediately. Brake acting funny, wheel out of tru, something squeaking? Whatever it is, no matter how small, it's best to deal with it right away.

Not only might it prevent greater problems, it will be easier to deal with just a single problem at a time and you will always enjoy a smooth ride.

Oh, and grease, grease and more grease. Every screw or anywhere metal contacts metal, keep it well greased. More than you think you need.

1st is to keep the beast clean

2nd is to keep that chain clean

3rd is to makesure things are snug

4th is to makesure nothing is over tightened

5th make sure wheels stay straight

-EDGE

best maintenance tip i've found is to

TAKE THE TIME TO WASH YOUR RIDE!

i know it sounds simple enough, but i've headed off at the pass more potential problems by just finding gremlins while going over the frame with a soapy sponge.
things like: cracked frame lug, worn pads, frayed cables... and just more stuff you don't see from just the cockpit view.

everything i know about washing the bike i learned from the opening sequence to jorgen leth's a sunday in hell

clean drive train first
1. de-greaser (pick your brand)
2. a munchkin deluxe baby bottle brush (sweet b/c of the round head of bristles and the little detail brush, but make sure your kid's off the bottle first
3. i've used one of those phallic looking chain cleaning baths. they're ok, especially if you're just cleaning off the chain. but if you're cleaning the whole bike anyway, don't monkey with it. just go with the de-greaser on the munchkin

next, sudz the bike


4. a bucket
5. a sponge (like a big grouting sponge is great)
6. warm water
7. dawn dishwashing liquid (takes grease out of your way!)
8. a hose

I would never use a degreaser for chain cleaning, seriously! ...

1. purchase el duke's degreaser
2. remove chain
3. put chain in a container with a small amount of el duke's and let sit.
4. crack open a fermented beverage of your choice and wait 15 minutes
5. remove chain from pool of gross
6. wipe down

Another minute tip:
If you still have bearings that are caged, remove them. Free balling allows for smoother rolling and it will change your life.

Living in Chicago means that the streets are full of grunk and crap. This stuff ends up on my chain, especially after riding through the rain.

My preferred way of cleaning the chain:

1. wipe chain down with rag until very little grit/grime shows up
2. put some degreaser on another rag and wipe until very little grit/grime is coming off
3. dribble some chain lube (White Lightning) on each link
4. lift up the rear wheel, give the cranks a solid push and let the chain run for 10-15 revolutions
5. wipe down the chain again to take off excess lube
6. ...
7. profit!