Major Overhaul?

[Dogmama]

When do you guys suggest getting a major? I probably have 1,500 miles on my bike from the last major - which was NOT a good major overhaul. Riding in the cold this morning, I noticed squeaks that I couldn't blame on my cleats - like maybe bearing squeaks (they didn't go away when I quit peddling). Yeah, I know next to nothing about working on my bike. I can do air, clean it, lube the chain and that's it.

Tucson is fairly dry, but I have been washing my bike with a hose (a no no? I don't squirt water directly into hubs, etc.) I'm wondering if I chingered some bearing grease or something.

Signed, clueless in Tucson.

[RdDezert]

I'm lazy, I pay my great mechanic to do major "checkup" yearly (mostly to get my bikes washed!, did I say I'm lazy?). But I'm also looking @frames holding up, roadie is 13 yrs & g*dknows how many 100,000 mi, mt bike is relatively newer, 5-7 yrs, but prior racer. I do the basics too, air & lube so that's why I take mine in. It helps to have good mechanic on your side too, easier said than done I know.
I use to know LBS in Tucson, but too much has changed. Do you have a shop you like? A tinkering buddy you can buy dinner for? Alot I think, involves how 'hard' you are on your bikes and riding in adverse conditions (like monsoon season there!). I also know the sealed bottom brackets, headsets, whatnot have made maintenance easier and things last longer too, esp. on newer bikes.
I didn't really answer your question, but I'm thinking, get a friend to ride w/you and see if they hear the same things you do, maybe it all requires a drop of lube!

[missliz]

Major overhaul? I've never heard of that- If you deal with basic maintenance as you need to and fix little things as they crop up, you shouldn't need a "major overhaul" unless you got an old beater bike that's suspect. I don't even know what that's supposed to be- with cartridge BBs and sealed headsets there's not really anything to overhaul. If it ain't broke don't fix it.
You didn't get this idea from a bike shop, did you? $$ People in the North do this themselves as an amusement in the winter, but after years of cycling I've never had a major overhaul past bringing a mt bike home in peices in baggies to dig dirt out of the components.
When you had this last major overhaul what did they do exactly?
Curious

Lizzy

Letting some squirrel screw with your bike is a good way to kill it young. Be very picky about who touches your bike! Just any twit in an LBS is NOT priveleged to lay a finger on your ride.

[Dogmama]

Major overhaul is when they repack bearings, change out cables & stuff like that. It's more than just a tune, where they do adjustments to brakes, etc. They actually take the bike down to the frame.

Yes, you're absolutely right about being picky. I spend too much time on this bike in remote places to let somebody work on it who isn't skilled.

[Irulan]

Well, I just had a major overhaul on my Kona. I figured since I'd put about 1000 trail miles on it, might not be a bad idea. I had a friend who's a good bike mechanic do it, he likes to do it for fun when he gets off his day job.

new cables, guides, brake pads
ture wheels, tighten hubs
new chain ring
new bottom bracket
new pedal spindles
true wheels
repack, rebuild rear derailler
clean and adjust everything

He even cleaned the tires... it looks so pretty now! I get a "free" adjustment after the first few rides when the cables stretch out. The whole thing wasnt' exactly free, I traded him some sewing.

Irulan