How to Tune Up a BMX or Fixed Gear Bike
Tuning up your bike can give you a lot more coasting speed. This article will help.
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What you need: bearing grease, rag, wrench (most likely 15mm), crescent wrench, needle-nose pliers, and a regular screwdriver.
1. First, you probably want to do the front tire, since it is easier, to get a feel of how to do this. First, find the right wrench, probably a 15mm, and take the 2 nuts and 2 washers off the axle. Now, start loosening one side of the bearings, it doesn’t really matter. You want to have the side your loosening facing up. When you get the 2 pieces all the way off, carefully pull out the ball bearings with a needle-nose pliers. Keep them all in one pile. Now, pull the axle through the other side, without unscrewing that side. Pull out those bearings too. Now, clean out the inside of the hub, the axle, and the bearings so that you can see bare metal. Next, put bearing grease in each side of the hub, and put your bearings in the grease. Now just replace the axle and tighten everything back up. You don’t want it too tight, just tight enough so it doesn’t wobble. Finally, just give the front tire a test spin to see if it’s too tight. If it is, just loosen up the bearing covers.
2. Now, for the back tire. Loosen the outside nuts and move the tire all the way up, to loosen the chain. now push it off the sprockets. Detach the brake cable and remove the tire. On the back tire, it is easier to start loosening the side without the sprocket. Once you get that off, just follow the instructions as you would for the front tire. Don’t put the chain back on the sprocket just yet.
3. It’s time for the crank. First of all, you need to take off one of the pedals. Remember, this is a left-hand thread. Now, use a crescent wrench and remove the first nut on the opposite side of the sprocket. You can pull it off the end of the crank. Next, use a screwdriver and take off the second nut. Pull the whole crank through the side with the sprocket. You don’t have to worry about the bearings falling off though, they are on a bearing race. Now you have to pack the bearing with grease. When you do that, replace it and tighten everything up. Just like with the tires, make sure it isn’t too tight or too loose. Now, put the back tire back on, put the chain on the sprockets, and tighten it.
I hope this guide helped you with tuning up your bike.
