Mountain Bike Crank Maintenance

Crank systems have become more complex in recent years.

Mountain bike crank maintenance. Since most modern crankset systems contain sealed bearings you don t need to lube the area or regrease the bearings. Remember the nut screw isn t actually doing anything to hold the crank on the bike being wedged on the taper does that but you still need to remove the nut screw before doing anything else. Inspect your crankset to make sure it s clean. Cranks are levers that connect the pedals to the bottom bracket spindle.

If the bottom bracket is a cartridge type then the non drive side uses the same torque. Simply wash the bike after each ride. The best way is to perform regular mountain bike maintenance. Most mountain bike bearing cups tighten counter clockwise on the drive side and clockwise on the non drive side.

Crankbrothers is the leading brand of pedals wheels dropper posts pumps tools and accessories. The cranks are fitted with toothed sprockets called chainrings that drive the chain. Most chain rings are triples a setup consisting of three chain rings usually with 44 32 and 22. The best mtb crankset for you might even be one that simply fits you better regardless of the features.

I ll discuss non cartridge bottom brackets in a separate article. This video will direct you to the appropriate walk through for installing and removing the crankset on your bicycle. Cranks usually have a nut screw or bolt attaching them to the bike. The drive side should be torqued to about 35 50nm.

The crankset of crank system is a major dirt magnet and keeping it clean is necessary for maintaining a smooth pedaling bicycle and is a key step in your weekly monthly maintenance. However be sure not to spray water directly at the bearing area. If you don t know what type of crank you. New cranksets promise better pedaling efficiency higher speeds and smoother shifting.

Here s our guide to solving it. Failing to grease and clean components can result in a noisy ride at best. Cranks may be removed to replace cranks or chainrings service the bottom bracket bearings or to clean the chainrings. Dirt and grime quickly build up and may affect your bike s performance.

However it is important to note you do not have to remove the entire crankset from the bottom bracket each time you clean. Cranksets vary in chain ring size and number and in crank arm lengths. Dirt and grime corrode both the frame and the components.