I hose the wheels, forks, mudguards, chain and pedals and parts of the frame away from holes and bearings.
I avoid the headset, motor crankshaft, cable entries to the frame and electrics.
Lubricate the chain after cleaning to avoid rust.
In winter I bring the bike inside the house to dry...
We've got bikes that are well suited to the riding we do so there's no need to waste money on a new bike, though I might be tempted if a killer deal comes along (at least 40% off).
The Rise is light and nimble, great for general trail riding.
The Stereo 120 is great for slugging up very steep...
imho the minimal rattle is one of those first world issues that gets more attention than it deserves. Power is fine unless you're riding long, steep uphills, then the Bosch CX can be more desirable. If you have health problems the extra CX power may be more desirable too.
The CX has stronger...
For budget conscious Australians, Marzocchi Z2 forks of various specs, $399 plus 10% off if it's your first purchase: Suspension
A few other forks there too.
My Trailcross GTX are more or less waterproof except for the neoprene cuff. Light spray with the hose doesn't go through the goretex toe but does go through the neoprene. They're well suited to damp conditions but they're not heavy duty waterproof.
Hard-to-find bearings for the top shock mount on my Cube Stereo (12x21x7mm)
I couldn't get these from local bearings suppliers or from the local bike shop or 99Bikes where I bought the bike. Plaig Bearings was the only internet site in Australia where I could find them.
Five Ten Trailcross Gore-tex are my current favourites. The high ankle keeps gravel out, the shoe is somewhat waterproof (neoprene upper part isn't) and the tread is decent for walking up steep pinches. Before these I had Shimano GR7's which I liked, but the Trailcross GTX are better.
If the shop you want to buy from sells more than one brand, you can ask them which manufacturers are easier to deal with for warranty support. Specialized and Orbea seem to be at opposite ends of the scale regarding support.
The Bosch CX4 seems to be the safest bet (powerful, reliable and...
The young and invulnerable have no use for armor. Us elderly citizens with a collection of injuries know better :)
Coincidentally I had a hard fall this morning landing on my hip and shoulder so the impact shorts were helpful. Got a bent spoke from the stick that jammed my rear wheel and a bent...
I don't like chamois and started using the Leatt 3 impact shorts recently - sufficiently comfortable that I don't notice them after a short time and I can drive the car with them on. I'll pick up a second pair eventually.
Lets call it a work in progress :)
I'm feeling inadequate and in awe at the pictures of well organised garages - I'm not sure who's got the diagnosable condition though :)
Nice selection of wheelie trolleys in Steve's link above. I've got a Stanley branded trolley with 4 drawers - when the car is out of the garage I work on bikes and wheel the trolley over to the bike. The bike tools are in the drawers and the top is used as a shelf. It's very convenient and has...
Regarding the above, dropping to the lowest gear on the Rise will get you up any hill. If you're not using turbo much on the CX then the EP8 should be fine.
85nm is a nominal figure for indicating the actual power of the two motors. The Bosch CX4 is clearly more powerful than the Shimano EP8 and tends to keep pulling when you move from the flat to an incline whereas the Shimano needs you to change gears (as a rough example). Whether that matters to...
You can ask the dealer to load the 85nm EP8 software onto the Orbea Rise before delivery, so you get the lighter bike but with standard EP8 power. That's what I did and the Rise is a very nice Trail bike. When I'm doing long, steep rides up the side of a mountain I prefer the Cube/Bosch CX which...