When To Service Your Bike? | Mileage And Must-Do Checks

Knowing the right service rhythm saves parts, money, and rides. Set a baseline schedule and act fast when warning signs pop up. This guide shows intervals that work for most road, gravel, and mountain bikes, how conditions change the timing, and the red flags that mean “book the stand now.” Keep a light log to avoid surprise bills.

When To Service Your Bike? Intervals By Mileage And Time

Use this at-a-glance plan to set your calendar. It blends mileage and time so you don’t overthink it. Adjust earlier if you ride in rain, mud, winter grit, salty air, or heavy dust. Also move earlier if you carry cargo, tow a trailer, or live in steep terrain.

Component Or Task	Typical Interval	Notes
Tyre Pressure Check	Every ride	Top up; inspect sidewalls and tread cuts.
Chain Clean + Lube	150–250 km, or after wet rides	Clean first; lube sparingly; wipe excess.
Chain Wear Check	500–800 km	Replace at ~0.5–0.75% wear to save cassette.
Brake Pad Inspection	Monthly	Swap at ~0.5 mm remaining or if contaminated.
Brake Rotor True/Wipe	Monthly	Light rub, pulsing, or squeal means attention.
Gear Indexing Check	Monthly	Re-tension cable; micro-adjust if shifts wander.
Wheel True And Spoke Tension	Quarterly	Small wobbles grow; fix early.
Hub/BB/Headset Play Check	Quarterly	Any knock means adjust or service bearings.
Dropper Post Wipe/Function	Weekly	Keep stanchion clean; act on slow return.
Suspension Lower-Leg/Air Can	50–100 ride hours	Dust wipers and fluid refresh.
Full Service (Cables, Housing, Flush)	12 months	Replace housing, cables, and fluids.

How Riding Style Changes The Schedule

Riding hard or riding in harsh grit shortens every interval. A city commuter in winter slush needs more frequent chain care than a fair-weather weekend rider. Mountain bikes that see long descents and creek crossings need fresh pads and earlier suspension service. If you train on a turbo, sweat and salt still attack bearings and bolts; wipe and re-grease contact points each season.

Road And Commuter Use

On paved routes, tyre wear, chain stretch, and pad life swing the most. If you run rim brakes, watch the wear lines on the pads and the braking surface on the rim. For discs, check pad thickness and rotor straightness. Wet grit polishes chains fast; change lube sooner and check wear more often.

Mountain Use

Long descents heat rotors and fade pads. Inspect pads after muddy days. Keep stanchions clean, and plan lower-leg or air-can service on time. Check pivots for play; a small click can become a bearing job.

Clear Signs Your Bike Needs Service Now

Calendars help, but symptoms decide the day. If you hear, feel, or see any of these, fix the source before a small issue becomes a parts bill.

Shifting Changes On Its Own

If gears wander on flat ground, cable tension likely drifted. A quarter-turn at the barrel can clean it up, but also check hanger alignment and chain wear.

Brakes Rub, Pulse, Or Squeal

Light rub can be a misaligned caliper or a bent rotor. Pulsing points to a rotor that needs truing. Squeal that returns means glaze or contamination. Replace pads before the backing plate meets the rotor.

Clicks, Creaks, Or A Dull Knock

Noises travel through a frame. Start with pedals, crank bolts, and the seatpost collar. If you feel play at the front when braking, check the headset. If the rear feels vague in corners, confirm wheel dish and spoke tension.

Spongy Lever Feel

Hydraulic brakes should feel firm and return quickly. A soft lever or long pull suggests air or old fluid. Bleed the brakes and inspect hoses. On mechanical discs, sticky housing can mimic the same feel; replace housing and cable if drag returns.

Set A Simple Plan You’ll Actually Follow

Keep the plan short: one quick check before rides, one monthly tune, and one seasonal service block. Convert ride hours to the service targets you use most.

Your Quick Before-Ride Check

Roll wheels and scan tyres. Squeeze both brakes. Spin the cranks and listen. Shift across the cassette; if the chain skips, add a touch of barrel tension. Bounce the bike; odd clicks point to loose bolts.

Your Monthly Tune Block

Clean and lube the chain, confirm pad thickness, wipe rotors with alcohol, and re-index shifting. Check chain wear and tyres for cuts. Feel for play at hubs, bottom bracket, and headset. On gravel and mountain bikes, top up sealant.

Your Seasonal Deep Service

Replace cables and housing if friction crept in. Refresh brake fluid on hydraulic systems. Re-grease pedals, seatpost, and threaded interfaces. True wheels and even out spoke tension. For suspension, book lower-leg or air-can service on the hour mark you choose.

Why Chain Wear Timing Saves Money

A stretched chain grinds the cassette. Swap the chain on time and you delay cassette cost. A simple gauge shows when to change; many riders do well at roughly half to three-quarters percent wear. See the clear walkthrough on chain wear measurement.

Brakes: What Counts As “Soon”

Resin pads are quiet and bite early; they fade when very hot. Metallic pads last longer and handle heat better; they can sound harsher. Replace pads before pad material reaches the backing plate.

Suspension Service Without Guesswork

Forks and shocks use hour-based service. If you ride three hours a week, you’ll hit 50 hours in four months. Fresh lower-leg oil or an air-can clean keeps seals happy. Wet climates should bias earlier.

Tires, Pressure, And Puncture Control

Pressure checks take seconds and prevent flats. If you run tubeless, refresh sealant on a schedule. If cuts show casing, retire the tyre. Pick pressures that protect the rim while keeping grip.

Red Flags And Fast Fixes

Use this list when something feels off. It pairs common symptoms with a likely source and an action you can take today.

Symptom	Likely Cause	What To Do
Squeal At The Brakes	Glaze or contamination	Clean rotor; sand or replace pads; re-bed.
Wandering Shifts	Cable stretch or bent hanger	Add barrel tension; check hanger; check chain wear.
Soft Brake Lever	Air or old fluid	Bleed system; check for weeps at fittings.
Knock Under Load	Loose bolt or headset play	Tighten to torque; re-set bearing preload.
Vague Rear End	Low tyre pressure or wheel out of true	Air up; true wheel; check spoke tension.
Slow Dropper Return	Dirty stanchion or worn bushing	Clean; add service; consider rebuild kit.
Pump Track Thunk	Dry fork/shock lowers	Book lower-leg or air-can service.
Chain Skips Under Power	Worn chain/cassette	Measure; replace worn parts together.

Tools And Small Habits That Stretch Component Life

A floor pump with a gauge, a quality lube, alcohol wipes for rotors, a torque wrench, and a simple chain checker cover most home needs. Keep bolts at spec and grit out of moving parts.

Anchor You Can Trust

For suspension timing, match hours to the manufacturer’s page, like the official RockShox service intervals.

When You Need A Shop

Some jobs need tools and experience. Hydraulic brake bleeds, suspension damper work, wheel builds, and internal routing warrant a pro bench.

Bottom Line Without FAQs

Use a mileage-and-month cadence, treat grit as a time shortener, and act the moment you hear a new noise. Using that script, you’ll never wonder when to service your bike? again.

One last nudge: write the phrase “when to service your bike?” on your maintenance note. Seeing it each month prompts action and keeps rides smooth today consistently.