The guide to maintaining your MTB properly

Your MTB is a technical machine, equipped with precision parts that need regular maintenance to function properly. As a dedicated and passionate rider, you should know that regular MTB maintenance (cleaning and servicing its components) is absolutely necessary to keep it in good condition for as long as possible.

Because a clean bike, free of mechanical faults and strange noises, is always more motivating, Probikeshop shares here all its advice for cleaning and maintaining your MTB properly.

Why maintain your MTB?

No rider can afford to neglect MTB maintenance, at the risk of reducing the lifespan of its components. Water, mud, salt, dust and other contaminants are the enemies of the most fragile MTB parts, such as the drivetrain and suspension. These contaminants can create corrosion points or cause friction that will prematurely wear the chain, sprockets, chainring and jockey wheels, or scratch the fork stanchions. A rider who does not look after their MTB will have to replace certain parts well before the expected time.

These avoidable costs can be prevented by cleaning your bike regularly, paying particular attention to its most wear-prone components. Not merely cosmetic, cleaning is part of basic mountain bike maintenance. General MTB upkeep also involves checking the wear level of essential parts (brakes, chain, tyres) and following manufacturers' recommendations regarding the periodic servicing of the fork and shock absorber.

Regularly cleaning and maintaining your mountain bike keeps it performing well in the long term. It also helps you preserve your settings and prevent any major faults. By looking after your MTB, you have the opportunity to examine it from every angle and inspect its various components. You must make sure that no faulty part is compromising your safety, so you can ride with peace of mind and without holding back!

All the useful equipment for cleaning and maintaining your mountain bike

Specialist bike maintenance brands offer effective cleaning products, tools and practical accessories to make your job easier. Probikeshop has put together a list of useful equipment for each stage of MTB maintenance (cleaning and basic technical upkeep).

MTB cleaning products:

Degreasers;

Cleaners;

Lubricants;

Cleaning kits.

Accessories for MTB cleaning:

Work stand;

Ground mat;

Low/medium pressure washer;

Chain cleaner;

Brushes, sponges and microfibre cloths;

Workshop gloves.

Products for MTB technical maintenance:

Brake fluid;

Suspension oil;

Puncture sealant.

Tools for MTB technical maintenance:

Bleed kit;

Chain wear indicator.

Cleaning your MTB in 5 steps

Probikeshop presents here a tutorial on "how to clean your MTB", covering a complete bike clean. You can easily adapt the steps described below according to the level of dirt on your bike and the equipment you have available.

A few important tips to start with:

- Avoid overly powerful cleaning products that could damage your equipment;

- Opt for bike cleaners suited to your equipment;

- Absolutely avoid using a high-pressure washer;

- Avoid pointing a jet of water directly at the bearings;

- If you have no hose or portable washer, use the classic bucket of water and sponge for rinsing.

Step 1: prepare the MTB for cleaning

Place the MTB on the work stand, having removed its accessories (computer);

Remove the wheels, which will be cleaned separately;

Fit a dummy rear hub to keep the chain in place and allow it to rotate;

Prepare a set of clean cloths/rags dedicated to drying the different parts;

Wet the wheels and the MTB from top to bottom to loosen the dirt and remove the worst of it.

Step 2: degrease the MTB drivetrain

Protect the brake calliper from grease splashes;

Apply the degreaser to the chain, sprockets and chainring;

Clean in detail with suitable brushes (stiff bristles, chain cleaner) the various components, not forgetting the jockey wheels;

Rinse the drivetrain to remove degreaser residue.

Step 3: clean the MTB thoroughly

Apply your bike cleaner to the frame, fork, peripherals and wheels;

Clean in detail with a soft-bristle brush or a sponge;

Rinse the bike completely;

Dry the bike completely.

Step 4: lubricate the MTB chain

Make sure the drivetrain is completely dry before applying lubricant;

Lubricate the chain links with a product suited to your use (dry or wet conditions);

Leave the oil to penetrate for a few minutes then remove the excess.

Step 5: finish the MTB clean

If necessary, clean the brake callipers with a specific degreaser;

Clean the dust seals on the fork;

Refit the wheels;

Apply a polish product to the frame, making sure to cover the callipers and discs well.

MTB technical maintenance in 4 points

The end of the MTB clean, when the bike is still suspended on the work stand, is the right moment to carry out a few routine maintenance operations.

Point 1: lubricating the components

Chain lubrication is the final step of the clean. You can also regularly lubricate the small pivot points on the derailleurs with a specific product (fitted with a precision tip). Cleaning the dust seals on the fork can also be accompanied by lubricating the stanchions (always with a suitable product).

Point 2: checking tyre, chain and brake pad wear

We recommend checking the condition of your tyres, brake pads and chain at regular intervals. Also remember that hydraulic disc brakes need regular bleeding.

Point 3: suspension servicing and maintenance

Fork and shock absorber brands have a precise maintenance schedule for their products. Find all of Probikeshop's explanations on MTB fork maintenance and MTB shock absorber maintenance.

Point 4: all routine checks on an MTB

The following operations will help you identify a technical fault that may warrant a minor adjustment/setting or the intervention of a specialist:

Tyre pressure;

Tightening of wheel axle fixings;

Tightening of brake callipers and disc;

Tightening of cockpit components;

Play in the headset;

Play in the bottom bracket;

Play in the fork;

Play in the hubs and wheel trueness;

The condition of the frame.

How often should you clean and maintain your MTB?

MTB cleaning and maintenance operations follow the rhythm of your rides. If you ride intensively, they will be frequent; if you ride occasionally, they will be more spread out. Above all, do not wait until you can see dirt to take care of the cleaning. Do not wait for a strange noise to appear before checking the condition of components either. When it comes to MTB maintenance, it is better to anticipate and follow good discipline.

Clean your MTB as often as possible

Very regular cleaning (ideally after every ride) prevents dirt from building up and makes subsequent cleans easier. Degreasing the drivetrain, cleaning the bike and lubricating the chain are the basic MTB maintenance operations, which should be repeated as often as possible. Recommended after every ride, a full clean is essential after a trip in rain/snow, mud, or winter conditions (due to de-icing salt).

Regular technical maintenance of the MTB and its components

MTB technical maintenance also follows a regular schedule, corresponding to the rhythm of your riding. Basic checks (tightening of axles and cockpit) can easily be integrated into a pre-ride routine (along with checking tyre pressure). Wear checks (pads, chain, tyres) are carried out throughout the season. Bleeding the hydraulic circuit addresses a drop in brake performance (at least once a year). Always make a note of and respect the service intervals set by manufacturers for suspension servicing (oil change & full service with system bleed and seal kit replacement).