Bike maintenance schedule
Check tyre pressure before every ride, clean and lube the chain about every 300 km, check chain wear, brake pads and bolts every 1,000 km or monthly, top up tubeless sealant every few months and give the bike a full service about once a year. Enter your weekly kilometres and conditions for your personal schedule.
| Task | Every | For you | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check tyre pressure | every ride | before every ride | Before every ride |
| Clean and lube the chain | 300 km / 2 weeks | every week | And after every wet ride |
| Measure chain wear | 1,000 km / 4 weeks | every 4 weeks | Replace at 0.5 % (11/12-speed) or 0.75 % (≤10-speed) |
| Check brake pads | 1,000 km / 4 weeks | every 4 weeks | Disc: 0.5 mm friction material (Shimano) or 3 mm pad + plate (SRAM) |
| Check bolts, quick release and thru-axles | 1,000 km / 4 weeks | every 4 weeks | Use a torque wrench on carbon parts |
| Inspect tyres for cuts and wear | 1,000 km / 4 weeks | every 4 weeks | |
| Check cleats | 3,000 km / 6 months | every 3 months | Replace when worn or the release feels vague |
| Top up tubeless sealant | 3 months | every 3 months | Every 2 to 7 months, sooner in hot, dry climates |
| Full service: cables, bearings, headset, BB, wheels | 5,000 km / year | every 5 months | Sooner if you ride a lot in the wet |
| Replace bar tape | year | every year | Or when it is torn or slippery |
| Bleed hydraulic brakes | year | every year | SRAM DOT: yearly. SRAM mineral: every 2 years. Shimano: when the oil discolours |
Kilometre intervals shortened by 20 % in mixed and 40 % in wet conditions; whichever of kilometres or time comes first.
How the schedule works
Bike maintenance runs on two clocks. A chain wears with kilometres; sealant and brake fluid age with time. This schedule gives every task a rule in both, and tells you to do it at whichever comes first. It is one of the free LeCoach cycling calculators.
You enter two things:
- Kilometres per week. The calculator turns each kilometre rule into days for you. The more you ride, the sooner distance-based tasks come round.
- Conditions. Rain, grit and mud wear parts faster, so kilometre intervals are shortened by 20 % in mixed conditions and 40 % in wet conditions. Time-based tasks stay the same.
Add the date of your last full service and it also estimates when the next one is due.
The intervals are LeCoach rules of thumb, not manufacturer data, apart from the brake and sealant limits credited below. Real wear varies a lot with weather, care and how you ride. Use it as a reminder to check, then let the parts tell you when to replace.
The full bike maintenance schedule
| When | Task | Rule | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before every ride | Check tyre pressure | Every ride | Set it with the bike tire pressure calculator |
| About weekly | Clean and lube the chain | 300 km (185 mi) or 14 days | And after every wet ride |
| Monthly | Measure chain wear | 1,000 km (620 mi) or 30 days | Replace at 0.5 % (11/12-speed) or 0.75 % (10-speed or fewer) |
| Monthly | Check brake pads | 1,000 km or 30 days | Disc: 0.5 mm friction material (Shimano) or 3 mm pad + plate (SRAM) |
| Monthly | Check bolts, quick release and thru-axles | 1,000 km or 30 days | Use a torque wrench on carbon parts |
| Monthly | Inspect tyres for cuts and wear | 1,000 km or 30 days | Look for flat centres, cuts and casing threads |
| Every few months | Top up tubeless sealant | 90 days | Every 2 to 7 months, sooner in hot, dry climates |
| Every few months | Check cleats | 3,000 km (1,860 mi) or 6 months | Replace when worn or the release feels vague |
| Yearly | Replace bar tape | 1 year | Or when it is torn or slippery |
| Yearly | Bleed hydraulic brakes | 1 year | SRAM DOT: yearly. SRAM mineral: every 2 years. Shimano: when the oil discolours |
| Yearly | Full service: cables, bearings, headset, BB, wheels | 5,000 km (3,100 mi) or 1 year | Sooner if you ride a lot in the wet |
Replacing the chain at its limit protects the drivetrain: a cassette then typically lasts two to three chains. See when to replace your cassette.
Want this worked out for you every day? LeCoach builds your training around your own numbers.
Try LeCoach for freeThe small items
- Cleats. Worn cleats make clipping in and out vague and can shift your foot position. Check the walking surfaces and the release.
- Tubeless sealant. Stan's NoTubes says its sealant performs for about 2 to 7 months, less in dry climates. Shake the wheel and listen, or check with a dipstick through the valve.
- Brake bleed. SRAM recommends bleeding DOT brakes at least once a year and DB8 mineral oil brakes at least every 2 years. Shimano says to replace the oil when it is noticeably discoloured. A spongy lever is a reason to bleed sooner.
- Cables. Gear and brake cables are part of the full service. Replace them sooner if shifting gets sluggish or you see fraying.
- Bar tape. Replace it yearly, or once it is torn, slippery or soaked through with sweat.
- Bib shorts. Replace them when the chamois has flattened, the fabric has gone thin or shiny, or the shorts no longer hold their shape.
- Helmet. Replace after any crash, and otherwise about every 5 years. See when to replace a bike helmet.
Common mistakes
- Waiting for something to break. By the time a chain skips, the cassette is often worn too.
- Only counting kilometres. Sealant, brake fluid, bar tape and helmets age with time, even on a bike you rarely ride.
- Ignoring conditions. One wet winter month can do the wear of several dry ones.
- Over-tightening bolts. Carbon parts can crack. Use a torque wrench.
- Spraying lube or cleaner near the brakes. Contaminated pads lose power and usually need replacing.
When the schedule changes
- Winter and wet riding: everything distance-based comes round sooner. Lube after every wet ride.
- Gravel and MTB: dust and mud wear chains, pads and bearings faster. Check pads and the chain after muddy rides.
- Indoor season: trainer riding spares tyres and brakes, but sweat reaches the headset, bolts and bar tape.
For running kit, see when to replace running shoes. Ask LeCoach anything about your riding and race preparation, and it answers from your own rides.
Sources
- Park Tool. Chain wear and replacement. Repair help: 0.5 % and 0.75 % wear limits.
- Shimano. Dealer's manuals, hydraulic disc brakes: pad wear limit of 0.5 mm; replace mineral oil when noticeably discoloured.
- SRAM. Disc brake service: pad wear limit of 3 mm pad plus plate; bleed DOT brakes at least yearly and DB8 mineral oil brakes at least every 2 years.
- Stan's NoTubes. Sealant guidance: about 2 to 7 months, less in dry climates.
- US Consumer Product Safety Commission and Snell Memorial Foundation. Helmet replacement guidance.
- LeCoach maintenance intervals: rules of thumb used by this calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I service my bike?
Give the bike a full service about once a year, or every 5,000 km, whichever comes first. In mixed or wet conditions, this calculator shortens the distance by 20 to 40 %. At 200 km a week in mixed conditions, that means a full service roughly every 5 months.
What should I check before every ride?
Check tyre pressure before every ride. It also pays to squeeze both brakes, check the wheels are secure and listen for anything rattling. These checks take under a minute. Everything else in this schedule runs on a weekly, monthly or longer cycle, depending on your distance and conditions.
How often should I clean and lube my chain?
About every 300 km or two weeks in dry conditions, and after every wet ride. In mixed conditions the schedule uses the same rule as the chain lube calculator, about every 210 km with wet lube, so at 200 km a week you clean and lube about once a week. The interval also depends on your lube type: see the chain lube calculator.
How often should I check brake pads and chain wear?
Every 1,000 km or once a month, whichever comes first, and sooner in wet conditions. Replace disc pads at 0.5 mm of friction material (Shimano) or 3 mm pad plus plate (SRAM). Replace an 11 or 12-speed chain at 0.5 % wear and a chain with 10 speeds or fewer at 0.75 %.
How often should I top up tubeless sealant?
This schedule says every 3 months. Stan's NoTubes says its sealant performs for about 2 to 7 months, and less in hot, dry climates. Check sooner if a tyre loses pressure faster than usual, and always before a big event or a trip.
How often should I bleed my hydraulic brakes?
SRAM recommends at least once a year for DOT brakes and at least every 2 years for its DB8 mineral oil brakes. Shimano says to replace the oil when it is noticeably discoloured. Bleed sooner if the lever feels spongy or travels further than normal.
Want to learn more about bike maintenance?
You can ask cycling coach LeCoach anything, from keeping your bike race-ready to planning the weeks before your next event.
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