Taking care of your full suspension or hardtail mountain bike can be very simple and it will help increase its mechanical life. Below is a maintenance guide that should be considered in order to help you keep your mountain bike mechanically sound. Once you perform this maintenance plan and become familiar with the process it should take you no more then 20 minutes to complete. Let's get started:

Steps

1. Remove all of the accessories (lights, bells, etc) on the top of the handlebars.

2. Turn the bike upside down so you can remove the wheels and inspect the drive train.

3. Carefully remove the front and rear wheels to give you more room to work on the bike.

4. Clean the drive train (derailleurs, chain, and crank) with a brush and soapy water. Also use a wet soapy rag on the chain and rear derailleur. Try to do your best to clean all moving parts.

5. After you clean your bike parts make sure you dry them thoroughly with a towel so they do not rust.

6. Wash the underside, frame and front fork, of the bike and make sure all moving parts are free of debris.

7. Wash your front and rear wheels by cleaning the rim, spokes and cassette. Then put the wheels back on the bike.

8. After you put each wheel back on the bike spin them to make sure the wheels are true and also that they do not rub on the brake components. If the wheels are not true and or rubbing on the brake components make the necessary adjustments.

9. After your chain is back in place turn the pedals to check the drive train. Make sure the bike pedals smooth. If you hear any strange noises coming from your wheel bearings investigate further.

10. Turn your bike over so it is right side up and wash the top. Do not forget to dry the bike thoroughly.

11. Test your front and rear brakes and make any necessary adjustments.

12. If applicable inspect your front and rear shocks. Make sure they are in good working order.

13. Thoroughly lubricate the drive train (chain, cassettes, crank and derailleur) with the recommended type of oil. Apply the oil while moving the pedals in both directions to make sure the components are appropriately lubed.

14. Finally, reattach any of the accessories that you removed in Step 1.

- Bike Servant

Bicycles are pretty much ingrained into our culture. They've been such a big part of our lives, that most of us can't imagine a time when they simply weren't around. But like any other invention, there was a time when bikes just didn't exist. The history of the modern-day bike actually dates back to the 1800s, and it's been a wild ride ever since then.

The Hobby Horse

The first bike ever made actually dates all the way back to 1817. The Draisienne, also known as the Hobby Horse, was invented by a German fellow named Baron von Drais. The early story surrounding the invention of the first bike ever made by this German inventor is really quite interesting. It seems that the preferred method of transportation, horses, were dying off in great numbers due to a severe crop failure in 1816.

Our friend, the Baron, decided that he would take it upon himself to create a horse-alternative. According to legend, he built the first bike ever made and proceeded to take the first documented bike ride on it on June 12, 1817.

What was it Like?

If you're picturing the inventor of the first bike riding around on a mountain bike, though, you're in for a few surprises. You see, the bike that the Baron made was constructed almost entirely of wood. Historians have estimated that it weighed in at a whopping 48 pounds, and had no pedals to speak of. Many experts believe that this bike was made to be more of a walking assistance machine. So, no, the inventor of the very first bike had no idea just how much his invention would change and improve over the years.

Riding the First Bike

During the first ride, the Baron covered 8 miles in about an hour. And since he didn't have to fuss with pedals, we can only imagine that he learned how to ride his new creation relatively easier than people learn on modern-day bicycles. That first ride, though, really is an amazing thing to think about, as today bicycles proliferate the entire planet and nearly all of us learn how to ride on much more complicated versions.

Interestingly enough, there are new bikes, called Strider Prebikes, which are now available to help children learn to ride bicycles in a more natural way. Like the first bike ever made, these Prebikes from Strider have no pedals, so kids learn to naturally balance and steer, without having to use training wheels or pedals.

No one knows how much bicycles will change in the future, but it is nice to see the Strider bikes hearkening back to the first bicycle, as they are used by kids to learn how to ride their very first bikes.

- First Bike Staff