Preventative Bicycle Maintenance the EASY WAY! Giant Anyroad gets a basic tune and a couple tweaks!

This is something all cyclists should know how to do, at home, themselves! Aside from a flat tire and some loose bar tape, this Giant Anyroad is primed for some basic preventative maintenance with just a couple quick adjustments along the way.
BECOME A MEMBER OF THIS CHANNEL!
/ @bkefrmr
My Wife's AWARD WINNING DEBUT NOVEL! (print, kindle and audiobook!)
STILL TRUE by Maggie Ginsberg - amzn.to/3uSBGbn
Park Tool AK-5 Advanced Mechanic Tool Kit - amzn.to/3S0oeLZ
My favorite TOOLS and JUICES and stuff!
Hozan JIS Drivers - amzn.to/3TqIqYj
Hozan BB Pliers - amzn.to/3REHMFb
Hozan Cable Cutter - amzn.to/3tc2zH1
Pledge Polish - amzn.to/3TiI0TV
Dawn PowerWash - amzn.to/4ak8KJS
Tri Flow Bottle - amzn.to/41lHxST
Tri Flow Can - amzn.to/3REsJvc
Finish Line One-Step - amzn.to/3uWkWjH
Finish Line Speed Degreaser - amzn.to/3GDNxga
Bondhus Allen Keys - amzn.to/41jd9Zo
Park Tool Grease - amzn.to/4afWbz7
Hozan Spoke Threader - amzn.to/3TF3s5R

[@gregtitus2467]

My 2 cents...as part of my post-ride routine maintenance, first thing I do for drivetrain cleaning is take a scrub brush (used dry, no solvent) and scrub the rear cassette. Gets off a lot of road grime, which prevents a dirty cassette from re-contaminating a freshly cleaned and lubed chain. Thanks for posting a good, sensible tune-up routine. I've been doing essentially the same routine as what you posted, for years. I get great mileage for my chains, cassettes, and rings. And I start every ride with a clean bike, pristine drivetrain, & tested brakes. Takes about 10 min to hit the important stuff post ride. Over time, you get to really know your bike well, and can catch problems early so they don't surprise you on a ride. Having a workstand really makes the routine easy. That was a good suggestion!

[@nathanmead140]

A better way to check for inner tube leaks is to fill a sink or a mop bucket with soapy water, inflate the tube, dunk it and rotate it until bubbles appear, where the bubbles are coming from is where the hole is, I've done it many times when patching tubes it can be done on the side of the road too if there's clear water in a pond or ditch.

[@pentiuman]

Or in any toilet!

[@ianross-bain3515]

Or the Birmingham and Fazely canal on a freezing morning!

[@MTNMAX88]

By the time you go through that hassle, you might as well just put in a new tube. Especially if you’re on the clock like he is.

[@demonsteps]

​@pentiuman well yes, but no 😅

[@mikec8815]

If i cant find a small hole in a tube i just cut a big hole in it so i know where the hole is and then replace the tube.

[@pentiuman]

He should show us home users, how to true a wheel while it's on the bike! That, would be amazing.

[@christianb.1028]

If you have rim brakes, you can use the brake pads. Clamp down on the brakes a bit, for example with a zip tie, so that it's just rubbing. Or, even better imo, attach a zip tie to the frame next to the rim, cut it down to the right length so it's barely touching the rim and use it as a gauge. That works really well actually, up to a run out of only tenths of millimeters, which is plenty good enough. There's tons of videos out there already on how to do it.

[@spitt0110]

you can use a zip tie or a cute invention that you can attach to your seat stay, but its not ideal for a proper wheel true because there's a lot more to wheel true than just wobble. and that can stem a longer rabbit hole. If you are looking to improve your skills, having a truing stand is worth it. or if your wheels go out of true a lot.

[@stevebarnes9345]

He has shown us before as well- probably will again someday

[@djsonfire0001]

True to that!

[@peterwillson1355]

​@@spitt0110I've never had a truing stand in 40 years of building wheels. You don't " need" one.

[@whichypoohs]

Down to earth solid advice. Cycling is fun and this great channel reminds men of that. I’m tired of posh bikes and all the useless gadgets.

[@trekkeruss]

I am sure it is obvious to you and me, and I imagine you have covered it in other videos, but before making derailleur adjustments, check the chain for wear; a worn chain will definitely impact shifting performance. Then, for the rear derailleur, it must be confirmed that the hanger is not bent, the hub bearings are not loose, and if it is a freehub, the cassette lockring is torqued so the cassette is not loose. Also, for a front derailleur, the bottom bracket must not have bearing play, and the cage is confirmed to be parallel and mounted at the proper height. It amazes me how many bikes come from the factory with the front derailleur improperly mounted.

[@williamhilliard7386]

Off by a quarter inch

[@enriquevillasenor9386]

Thank you. Despite some of the comments, this has to be the most concise, intelligent, and entertaining preventative maintenance videos I have ever listened to. I look forward to "flossing my nether regions" next time.

[@Tinker1950]

For many years I've regularly sprayed WD40 on my chainset/derailleur and then used a rag to remove the excess. It seems to keep it rust free and running like a sewing machine.

[@davemeise2192]

I used to use Pledge furniture polish on my motorcycles as a final clean/wax. I didn't realize I could use it on my cycle. Awesome, thank you. 🙂 I've just finished watching the whole video and you're totally right. It's what I do with my bikes although I usually only do it once per year and adjust as needed. Once a month is a good idea and maybe I will change to a few times per year as I'm probably too lazy to be committed enough for every month. Life kind of gets in the way but a great idea.

[@garrettnievin5812]

It's popular with small airplanes, too. The Lemon Pledge (gotta be lemon) on the leading edges before flying really make it easy to wipe off the bugs and junk afterwards. Some people also use it to polish the plastic windscreens on small planes. If you go to small plane fly-ins like the one in Oshkosh, WI, you'll get a good whiff.

[@Williamottelucas]

I once cleaned an entire bike with an old-school handkerchief. Flossing heaven!

[@bennyhill4228]

"slicker than snot on a door knob " that made me chuckle, new subscriber 👍

[@SamanthaNickole02]

I’m no bike mechanic, but I’ve restored, maintained, and rebuilt enough bikes to hear that the gears needed some fine tuning. Excellent video. Thank you!👍🏼

[@dedmouse]

Thanks for a great video (and channel)...freshly subscribed. I've been riding for almost 60 years with various bikes but had to take a 3 year hiatus due to retiring and moving and life in general...I dragged my bikes out a week ago and they were dirty! broke them down a cleaned them up, made needed adjustments etc. One thing I learned from trying to clean between the gears in the cassette was to use a piece of 3/16ths rope (or whatever size fits snugly between the gears) soaked in degreaser...simple green or whatever. I use it to "floss" the nether regions and it works great. It doesn't get caught on the gears like a rag. I had to learn to do most of my own wrenching because the only decent repair shop in the area I lived in had a 3-4 week backlog almost all the time and as a kid, I barely had enough cash to buy a tube repair kit. Where I moved to (southern Missouri) has like one or two bike shops inside a hours drive but they are booked solid as well.

[@kondor921]

Dawn power wash and furniture polish are new to me. Love it.

[@ClintDowd]

Thanks for clarifying your confidence in budget Shimano components. I'm not a brand loyalist so it's nice to hear what "works" especially when one is flipping bikes.

[@jack002tuber]

I have the same drivetrain on my Trek and it works very well.

[@patrickkelly4400]

fastest bar tape wrapping ever lol good job... easy to understand and informative video. i feel like i can do some of that stuff

[@Kelekona_808]

Enjoyed seeing a tune on a modern bike with disk brakes and internal routing. Don't have any of those bikes yet, but glad I've seen how it works.

[@pentiuman]

I bought the cheapest RockBROS bike stand ~ $36, attached it to my wooden workbench, and just returned it for a West Biking Bike Stand. - About $9 more, but probably worth it, as the RockBROS stand couldn't hold my bike level when attached to my seatpost. - It would allow the front end to within an inch or two of the floor, as the joint where the Vertical Arm met the Horizontal Arm didn't have a groove, (unlike the clamp to Horizontal Arm connection), and couldn't keep the horizontal arm from twisting under the weight of my Diamondback bike. I probably could've attached the clamp to my Down Tube and had better luck keeping it level, but I originally did it that way, and was concerned the clamp may be restricting my shifter cable - just enough to make my rear derailleur cable adjustment off. - I'm not sure that was happening, but once I got the doubt in my mind, I couldn't not worry about it. I did post a review and about 10 pictures of the RockBROS Bike Stand, with a title like, "Best for rear wheel adjustments". RockBROS sent me an email, saying they could address my concerns, inviting me to contact them back. I almost did, until I realized that, my review and complete pictures should've been enough for them to come back w/ at least one suggestion. EX: They could've stated something like, "You need to tighten the clamp more." or perhaps, "You've got a defective unit. Lets replace it." But No. I got the impression they just replied because they didn't care for my review that rated it at just 3 stars, and thought maybe their attention to me would somehow improve my review. It didn't, because it wasn't a problem w/ Customer Service, or Product Instructions, or anything to do w/ my product choice or use.

[@garrettnievin5812]

Is there any risk of getting that Dawn nuclear wash into the bearings and acting as a degreaser when you're spraying it all around there? I'm guessing not, since you're doing it, which I find exciting, because that stuff really does the job.

[@pentiuman]

Based on The Bike Farmer's suggestion, I bought a 4-pack of Dawn Powerwash. - And it works so well, gets so much dirt from my wheels, almost every wipe, one after another, that I have to wonder if it removes a lot of rubber particles from the tires. - And I also like his One Step product suggestion, but wonder, how could it possibly both clean AND lubricate? Huh? I also bought a big bottle of Tri-Lube I think it's called. The problem with it, is, as long as the straw is attached to it, the bottle falls over and starts leaking out of the bottle at the drop of a hat. So, I have to store it in a coffee cup, so it won't get knocked over. I'm learning so much from this channel, I could open my own bike shop!

[@shovelgun]

Nothing cleans and lubes at the same time. His drive train work is sus. Use a solvent to clean your chain and a lube to lubricate it.

[@jack002tuber]

On the bar tape with no sticky, I use some masking tape on the edge that hides, it won't show and holds down the bar tape

[@matsim0]

I had a flat tire like this last year on my brand new bike - couldn't find the hole by listening, it seemed to keep the air - but was flat again the next day. Found the hole with water, and luckily I could find the place in the tire (had marked the valve position): there was a small small thorn sticking from the outside, you couldn't even feel it from the inside! I assume it pressed into the tube during the ride making the small hole. So: it is _always_ a good idea to find the hole if possible!

[@jerrygreen3818]

No

[@isaiahwelch8066]

@BikeFarmer: Andy, a question about the electrical tape you used: Have you ever thought about using hockey grip tape for finishing tape? I've used hockey grip tape before, and it works wonders for other things.

[@rug212]

I thoroughly enjoy watching your tuneups. Keep up the good content man.

[@thesouthbaybikerider]

Great episode! Thank You!

[@roamingscooterguy2786]

Thanks a bunch, this really helps to get my ride ready for some touring this spring...

[@Mr.Fox2023]

Thank you BikeFarmer- love your sense of humour!

[@Daniel-yf9iy]

I like my Park bike stand.

[@RobertFlagg-mc5ov]

Great video! I learned a a lot. Thank you for sharing.

[@gregorypusz2739]

Love your videos brother, just found your channel. Keep it up man!!!!!

[@ironray123]

Personally I like to apply Armour All on the knobs of my tires. It makes riding more challenging.

[@RenghisKhan]

'How to try to jinx yourself in the first ten seconds of a video' 😂 Thanks for the furniture spray tip! Just one thing, the reflector in the back wheel wasn't exactly on the opposite side of the valve, it would have driven me crazy...but unnecessary reflectors alone will have that effect on me. That being said the owner of the bike probably isn't riding the smooth dedicated bicycle paths I am used to.

[@JohnsVintageRoadBikeGarage]

I'm watching your channel learning how to do KZbin! Great work

[@loumilavec5952]

i feel you give more attention to the customers bike than most shops. Kudos to you

[@teosto1384]

To find a small hole easily I usually sink the filled tire into a bowl of water. The bubbles will come out from where the hole is. But really, with the price of the inner tubes it's usually not even worth fixing it.

[@AnalogueDrift]

I really appreciate your philosophy towards bikes. It's refreshing. Your content is interesting to me because you're just being you. I only just discovered you two days ago. Keep it up man, sending good vibes from Australia.

[@tonysadler5290]

Looking at how the bar tape is rucked up - may be they could do with a shorter stem, which would alleviate the pressure on the bars (and wrists) lower the seat a bit too. Regards Tony Sadler Wales UK 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@emilycs8823]

Also see bar tape come loose like this because it was taped loosely to begin with, or the bike got left outside in the rain a lot.

[@tonysadler5290]

@@emilycs8823 yep, that'd do it. Thank you for replying, regards Tony.

[@ghjgjihjgjyrdrgydsgr137]

Thanks for the wooden furniture polish tip!

[@aixpert291]

Great video! Thanks!

[@markpeterson8978]

Million dollar tip with the polish Brother! Well Done Sir! Cheers - M

[@joemastro4695]

Thanks for the content, I've learned alot from you, with that being said i have come across a 1993 Trek Antelope 800 26 inch that im condidering in giving it life again.

[@Brother_Pugz]

Great tips, nice bike, and good content. An ounce of prevention, as they say....Thanks again! If I lived up your way, you'd be the bike shop of choice I'd frequent. I'd probably get a Park tool thrown at me... LOL.

[@Joe_from_iowa]

Thanks for the tip on the Dawn Powerwash. Ive been using it for a couple weeks now and it even makes my shop smell better after using it!!

[@georgevavoulis4758]

Nice helpful video and great music .too

[@A3Kr0n]

Ya, some people do that. I usually wait until it's critical. I like living on the edge.

[@stephenhryncewicz8160]

Loved watching this maintenance video, especially on a Giant AnyRoad. I also give mine a clean and lube about once a month. Lovely bike. Many thanks.

[@AmusedDaffodils-mz5rw]

I use that stuff and furniture polish it works good like u said in previous videos

[@matt.eggleton]

Brother, that move at 13:30 to drop the rear shifter cable housing to lube the cable... Have I been living under a rock??? So nice, i ran out to the shop and did it on my gravel bike. Awesome new (to me) tip. Thank you!

[@markedel1009]

Thanks for this from me, too.. I've been maintaining bikes for 40 years and never realized how easily I could clean and lubricate this curved bit of cable that's critical to smooth shifting.

[@jakobvansanten2230]

Delighted to see that Machinery Row sticker on the seat tube! My Trek Pilot lives in Berlin now, but has the same one 😊 7:58

[@andrewbreese3037]

Pipe cleaners are good to floss, use them on my mountain bike pivots

[@user-rj9ui3sz8u]

Hmm, might be getting me some dawn powerwash and some behold. You are a great salesman!

[@sbook001]

Great stuff here! I just bought this very model bike a week ago. Needs Bar tape clean & tune up. The next video i watched was the Trek Mom bike restore. (my OTHER bike is a 2007 Trek 7400) Again, Great pointers.

[@jonbowman2194]

Great video, learned a lot. Still don’t get using concentrated detergent without rinsing, but it seems to work!

[@71CMM]

Waterless wash and wax spray on everything except braking surfaces, tyre tread and drive train. After a ride, mist spray from a hose get's even UK mud off. If there is any mud sticking, means the wax has worn thin, so wash and wax on that bit and you are good to go. I love the stuff.

[@vicsmart]

I use RanX waterless car wash. It leaves a nice wax like finish and makes for an easier clean up next time

[@Medyo]

That looks like a Shimano Sora STI up front. Anyhow, this is a great vid for riders that would like to tinker and know basics on maintaining their gears. I had to learn DYIs on this prior to learning the basics and newbie ways via youtube. Great stuff!

[@davehollingworth5537]

Really fantastic - thanks very much ❤

[@Spork123able]

Excellent

[@spitt0110]

I do the half way build an manual seat as well. I have stopped over filling tubes though, because i'm convinced bike tubes are less stretchy than they have been, and i've blown too many tubes over inflating trying to "CHECK" where the hole is.

[@kennethkuhl1188]

Very well done; Helpful; thank you

[@bmester2536]

Well done!

[@josephlyne8290]

Thanks for the detail and for not cutting out any steps

[@Fradormat]

The cheap wood furniture polish truck is brilliant!

[@BubbaJohnson1]

Great video

[@peterdelossantos5987]

Wash your bike the way you did but use liquid detergent soap dilute in water, use toothbrush to clean the chain, drueller, cogs, pedals, sprocket… then wash thoroughly with spray water until all dirt at soap totally remove… let it thoroughly dry, totally dry… then again, use toothbrush dip in a crude oil ( spoonful crude oil is enough to clean the whole bike), brush the chain, pedal, drueller, cog while rotating your pedal mechanically until you hear that smooth sound.. wipe your bike with clean rug ( cotton) dip in crude oil.. brush bolts, expose cables w crude oil…do this after using your bike for a long ride..remember; a spoonful of crude oil is enough to clean the entire bike… i been using this method for more than 20 years by now…

[@mwsaab9]

Some good tips - thx 🙂

[@rctedford]

As always this video was entertaining also with good tips for watchers to use. I have been looking at your bike stand and have a question. I see the Park tool logo on it but it looks nothing like any Park stand I have ever seen especially with the red head on it. Could you provide some insight on what it is?

[@davidkitner4101]

What is the attachment on your air hose when pumping up a tire… I haven’t seen this at my local bike shop - maybe a good gift to say thanks for all the help over the years?

[@6479rob]

I was wondering also nice little tool.

[@Kr4zymidnight5]

Love these videos

[@connicrow9463]

Fantastic tutorial! What is the cleaning foam sprayer ?

[@dominiquenuyts8309]

Real nice and calm, almost asmr

[@CentralNH]

Best bike repair stand...other than expensive Park tool

[@miguela.8929]

Do you have any issues with the bike polish attracting dust and grime onto it? Great video as always!

[@papalegba6796]

Was thinking to myself "that's a nice bike" then checked the price new & thought "well it should be". Still, nice bike lol.

[@ayoCanada0921]

How often do you change your bicycle tires? Mine hasn't changed since 2013 I only ride my bicycle in the summer from May to September.

[@No_ReGretzky99]

I'm looking about getting into mountain biking when I get my taxes I want to get more into shape but also too I've been riding bikes and dirt bikes my whole life but I finally got almost 6 years sober off alcohol and almost 8 years clean off all drugs so I want to ride and I like trail riding and stuff because it helps with my ADHD but I'm kind of stuck at what bike to have I have roughly about 4 to 500 dollars to spend on a bike I want a hardtail for sure but I want disc brakes and everything as well but I sub to your channel and this is the only video I watched so far🎉❤❤🎉

[@tonioyendis4464]

Excellent...thanks!

[@nicholascarpineto1304]

Question: can you use furniture polish on a bike with matte finish?

[@bombero3368]

Did not know about trim shift. Next time out, I will see if my bike has trim shift. Thanks!

[@Kinnup7]

I did not know either. In addition, it would have been helpful to see video footage of where it is located and how to make that adjustment on the front derailleur. Thanks.

[@Dansplains]

What brand is the good stuff electrical tape? Thanks

[@ralphk3436]

Thanks!

[@bkefrmr]

Thanks hey!!

[@whichypoohs]

So it’s OK to use furniture Polish 😮❤

[@daltonramsey9585]

I was waiting to see if you used any sort of polish on the bike after using Dawn. I use dawn to degrease my car before I clay bar it and do a serious wash. I haven’t used furniture polish on my bike but I frequently use waterless wash and wax.

[@justincapek1132]

Great stuff! That chair really brings the tire changing station together. I know you're not a big fan of hydro's, but any chance you could do a pad change and bleed? I have new TRP pads ready to go, hesitant to mess with the system though..

[@emilycs8823]

Bleeding hydraulic brakes is 90% reading the service manual and following procedure. If they are really old or a model known to be problematic (Some tekrtros) its becoming common practice to just replace with inexpensive pre bled Shimano's like MT201.

[@papalegba6796]

Definitely agree with the first comment from emilycs, I'll add that turning the bike upside down to work on hydraulic brakes can mess the job up, use a stand if possible.

[@Ryan-xn3mt]

is that furniture polish safe for matt carbon frame?

[@andrewprettyquick2070]

Occasionally find an ancient bottle of turtlewax or simoniz. Sniff n' shine. Found wire wool was good to rub scratches and ground in-dirt out of hard and glossy paints

[@terrytimoruski5955]

Best way to clean the disc brake hub? Damp cloth?

[@deegee1983]

You're the man!

[@piercebrosnan6187]

Do you every use any brake cleaner for a full clean on the chain etc?

[@iamcyberpunk68]

Ever tho you smoke a shit load of green I like the vids bro.

[@CanonFirefly]

Hot tip for disc brake bikes. Don't spray anything directly on the bike. Spray it onto the rag facing away from the bike, then wipe the rag on the bike. Will help prevent your brakes sounding like a Wookie.

[@ericksaint3837]

When you turned it upright or all the way over, did you still have the stand clamped on the seat tube? I've got a stand coming but the weight of my old mid 90's mtb upright by just seat tube gives me anxiety. 😬

[@jagoss45]

Easy Peasy lemon squeezy

[@scottandlora4029]

What would you think about using something like a 3m spray adhesive on the handlebar before wrapping with tape? That should keep it from sliding.

[@bkefrmr]

Sounds like a terrible idea

[@scottandlora4029]

@@bkefrmr not that my thoughts have any effect on your world, but your thoughts (as an expert) have an effect on mine. To me it seems like a solution to a problem. Obviously you think it's a "terrible idea" but maybe you could add a word or two to say why.

[@Medicranger]

Is it ok to use automotive brake rotor cleaner spray on the disks?

[@bkefrmr]

Not recommended

[@jaria808]

We continue to enjoy your channel. Question. I got a bike for grand daughter but it was too big for her. Maybe one more year or less she will grow up. Got it brand new for her. Wanted to know what can I do to prevent it from rusting. Here in Hawaii we have rain and hot and humidity is high. I have in the basement and cover it. But I know with how the weather here in Hawaii it may get some rust. Thanks in advance and aloha.

[@papalegba6796]

Oil the chain, that's usually the worst for rust when a bike left sitting. You can just use axle grease or motor oil, get plenty on, then wipe it off when you ready to ride it again. I've used Vaseline in the past too, it's good on chromed parts & exposed cables to prevent rust.

[@jaria808]

@@papalegba6796 thank you

[@evanswinford7165]

One of the first things I do when rebuilding a street find bike is remove the wheels, break down the tire and tubes, inflate the tubes, set them aside and crack on with what ever is next. After a while if they go flat I know the need to be binned. I stopped using patch kits they just fail too much.

[@andrewprettyquick2070]

Pretty much exactly how I do it. Comes with repetition, experience. Neglected to true my wheels, at a glance they seem fine. 2600 miles coming up. May as well experiment with bracket oil. ep90.... 🤫

[@AndrogyneMichinaga]

Ooh, shiny.

[@cjwatson2445]

How much would that tune up cost?

[@dondonner1095]

I seriously doubt that most shops give the bike the detail that you do. If I lived close enough you would surely be my go to shop. Yes me and my Bike will stay tuned.

[@6479rob]

While not all bike shops are the same there are still some really good ones left , we still have some real bike nerds left in Ohio you would be surprised how much detail thay go into for just a basic repair, just like bike farmer.

[@rheinking2754]

Does every Shimano front deraileur have a "Trimshift"? I have a Shimano FD-T6000 Deore which doesn't seem to have one.