Which parts need care and how much?

Some bike parts are wear parts. But you can do a lot to prolong their lifespan and increase performance at the same time!

Chain: 

Keep your chain clean by wiping it off with a cloth after riding. Use oil or other lubricants to re-lubricate the chain. A chain should be replaced after approx. 1.500km to prevent a too high wear of the cassette. With a special measuring tool you can measure if you should already replace your chain. 

Cables

Cables should be kept clean and lubricated to guarantee a long lifespan. When buying a new bike, the cables will have to be retensioned after some short period of use. 

Cranks, cassette and sprocket wheels

The lifespan of these components depends on riding-style and care. In general you should replace these parts when you notice a decrease in performance. Note that if you change the cassette, you should change the chain as well. 

Brake fluid

There are two different fluids being used: depending on the manufacturer of the brake it's either DOT fluid or mineral oil. The main difference between these fluids is their boiling temperature: 

DOT3: 205°C

DOT 4: 230°C

DOT 5.1: 260°C

Minteral oil: 190°C

As you can see the boiling point of DOT oil is higher than of mineral oil, but at the same time it attracts water - therefore it should be replaced at least once a year or when noticing a shifting centre of pressure. Replace mineral oil when noticing a decrease of brake performance. Have a look on the manual of your brakes to see which fluid you can use for bleeding your braking system. 

Brake pads

Brake pads should be free of dirt, after some muddy trail shredding you should definitely clean them. If your brake pads aren't clean it will wear much more and the performance suffers. Dirty brake pads can be the source of squealing noises. 

Pedals

The pedals' threads should be lubricated well before mounting them on the bike. Otherwise they might cause crackling noises. Don't lock the pedals with more than the torque allowed, especially when using carbon cranks. 

Grips

The rubber mixture of the grips will suffer from UV-light and some sorts of hand lotion. If the rubber is getting porous or slippery, the grips should be replaced. 

Rims / spokes

Please check your rims and spokes for axial and radial runout from time to time. If you notice that your tires are drawing wave forms, you should have the rims repaired. Either you can have this fixed by a repair shop or you can fix it by yourself using a spoke wrench and a truing stand. 

Tires / tubes

Tires should always have a proper tread depth for generating an optimum amount of traction on the road or on the trail. If you notice a damage of the side wall, check how bad the damage is and in case of doubt replace the tire for a new one. If you're suffering a flat tire / a puncture while riding, either change the tube or repair it by using a special repair kit or patches. 

Paint / finish

We're using different painting methods for our bikes, some bikes are being anodized. Please don't use solvents to clean your bike, instead you can use water and mild soap. If your bike is exposed to direct sunlight for a long time, this might bleach / discolor the paint because of UV-radiation. 

Batteries

We equip our pedelecs with newest generation battery technology. Eventhough they are built to last a long lifespan with only low maintainance, they are designed for a limited number of charging cycles. The range of the battery heavily depends on the chosen level of support, terrain and battery age.