# Componentry > Bike component tracking and maintenance management software that helps cyclists know exactly when to service, charge, or replace every part on their bikes. This file contains the complete content of Componentry's documentation, plus recent blog posts and changelog entries. Entries that exceed this file's size budget are listed as links rather than omitted — fetch those URLs directly, or see https://www.componentry.app/llms.txt for the complete index. ## Documentation - [Account settings](https://www.componentry.app/docs/account-settings/account-settings): Your profile, sign-in email and password, two-factor sign-in, linked sign-in methods, release notes and deleting your account. Your account settings live on the **Profile** page. Open it from **Profile** under **Settings** in the sidebar. ## What's new The **What's new** card shows the version of Componentry you're using. Choose **See what's new** to read the release notes for it, and **Read the full changelog** for earlier releases. After an update, the release notes also open by themselves the first time you load the app. Close them with **Got it** and they won't show again for that version. ## Profile picture and name - **Your Profile Picture**: choose the placeholder and pick a photo. It shows next to your name in the sidebar. - **Your Name**: change it and choose **Update Profile**. ## Language, units and formats The **Locale** and **Units** cards set your language, timezone, number and date formats, and the units Componentry shows distances, elevation, temperature and tyre pressure in. See [Units and locale](/docs/account-settings/units-and-locale). ## Change your email address - In **Update your Email**, enter your new address. - Choose **Send Email Code**. - Enter the code we send to the new address. Your sign-in email changes once the code is confirmed. ## Change your password In **Update your Password**, enter the new password twice and choose **Update Password**. ## Turn on two-factor sign-in **Multi-Factor Authentication** adds a code from an authenticator app to your sign-in. - Choose **Setup a new Factor**. - Give it a name you'll recognise, such as the phone it's on. - Scan the QR code with your authenticator app. - Enter the 6-digit code the app shows and choose **Enable Factor**. From then on, signing in asks for a code from the app. Your factors are listed in the card, and you can remove one from there. ## Linked sign-in methods **Linked Accounts** lists the ways you can sign in to this account, such as your email address. Under **Available Methods** you can link another, such as Google, so you can sign in either way. When more than one method is linked, you can unlink one with **Unlink Account**. Linking a sign-in method is separate from connecting Strava or a bike computer for your rides. That's done on the **Apps** page. See [Getting started](/docs/getting-started/getting-started#connect-where-your-rides-come-from). ## Delete your account **Danger Zone** at the bottom of the page lets you delete your account. - Choose **Delete your Account**. - Enter the one-time code we email you to confirm it's you. - Confirm the deletion. Deleting your account removes all your data, including your bikes, components, rides and service history, and cancels any active subscription straight away. It can't be undone. ## More settings - [Units and locale](/docs/account-settings/units-and-locale): language, timezone, number and date formats, and units. - [Billing and free trial](/docs/account-settings/billing): your trial, subscription and referral code. - [Notifications](/docs/notifications/notifications): which notifications you get and where. - [AI Assistants](/docs/ai-assistants/ai-assistants): connecting Componentry to Claude or ChatGPT. - [Billing and free trial](https://www.componentry.app/docs/account-settings/billing): How the free trial works, subscribing and managing your plan, subscriptions bought in the mobile app, and earning free months with your referral code. ## Free trial Every new account gets 60 days free with everything included. The **Free Trial** card at the bottom of the sidebar shows how many days are left, with **View Plans** to subscribe at any time. When the trial ends, the app's pages show **Keep tracking your kit** with a **Subscribe Now** button until you subscribe. Your bikes, rides and history are kept, and everything is back as soon as you subscribe. ## Subscribe Open **Billing** under **Settings** in the sidebar. - Under **Currency**, choose USD, EUR, GBP or AUD. - Under **Choose your billing interval**, choose **Billed monthly** or **Billed yearly**. - Check the plan and its price. - Choose **Proceed to Payment** and complete the payment. The plan covers unlimited bikes, components, activities and reminders. See [Pricing](/pricing) for current prices. ## Manage or cancel your subscription Once you've subscribed, **Billing** shows **Your Plan** with its status and renewal date. Choose **Visit Billing Portal** under **Manage your Billing Details** to change or cancel your plan, update your payment details or download invoices. If you subscribed in the mobile app, **Your Plan** says it's managed through the App Store or Google Play. Manage or cancel it there, using the **Manage subscription** link. ## Earn free months Once your subscription is active, **Billing** shows your referral code under **Share & Earn**. When a friend signs up with it and starts their subscription, you both get a month free, for every friend who subscribes. - **Copy Code** copies your shareable link. Anyone who opens it has your code applied when they sign up. - **Generate New Code** replaces your code with a new one. - The card counts your referrals and the credit you've earned. Subscribers also see a **Share & Earn Free Months** button at the top of the dashboard, which opens **Billing**. Before you subscribe, the card is called **Earn Free Months** and shows **Subscribe to unlock your referral code**. - [Units and locale](https://www.componentry.app/docs/account-settings/units-and-locale): Choose your language, timezone, number and date formats, and the units for distance, elevation, temperature and tyre pressure. Two cards on the **Profile** page control how Componentry shows things to you: **Locale** and **Units**. Each has its own **Update Profile** button, so save one card before moving to the other. ## Locale SettingOptions**Language**English (UK), English (US), German, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese**Timezone**Your local timezone**Number format**`1,234.56`, `1.234,56` or `1234.56`**Date format**`DD/MM/YYYY`, `MM/DD/YYYY` or `YYYY-MM-DD`Each number and date format shows a sample next to it so you can see the effect before saving. - **Timezone** is set from your browser the first time you sign in. It decides the time of day reminders fall due, such as the 9:00 insurance renewal reminder, and which day your rides count towards. - **Number format** applies to every distance, elevation, temperature, price and premium. - **Date format** applies to ride dates, fitted dates, service history, reminders, purchase dates, insurance dates, predicted replacement dates and Race Day dates. Until you choose a number or date format yourself, Componentry picks one to suit your language. ## Units SettingOptions**Distance Unit**Kilometres (km) or Miles (mi)**Elevation Unit**Metres (m) or Feet (ft)**Temperature Unit**Celsius (°C) or Fahrenheit (°F)**Tyre Pressure Unit**PSI (psi), Kilopascals (kPa) or Bar (bar)Changing the distance, elevation or temperature unit only changes how figures are shown. Your rides, wear and reminders are stored the same way whichever unit you pick, so you can switch back and forth freely. Where you type a distance, such as a reminder interval or a bike's distance before Componentry, you enter it in your chosen unit. **Tyre Pressure Unit** is different: changing it changes the label only, and saved pressures aren't converted. A tyre saved at 72 psi shows 72 bar after you switch to bar, so re-enter your pressures after changing it. See [Tire pressure](/docs/components/tire-pressure). These settings are saved to your account, so the mobile app uses the same ones, and you can change them there too. - [Activities](https://www.componentry.app/docs/activities/activities): See every ride Componentry has synced, check which bike and profile it counted towards, and find rides with search and filters. Every ride that reaches Componentry lands on the **Activities** page. Each ride adds wear to the components on the bike it's assigned to, so this is where you check that rides went to the right bike and fix the ones that didn't. Rides arrive from the apps you connect (Strava, Garmin, Wahoo, Hammerhead) or from FIT files you upload. If the page is empty, start with [Connecting apps](/docs/activities/connecting-apps). ## The activities table Rides are listed newest first, 25 to a page. Each row shows: - **Activity**: the ride name, with a small logo showing where it came from (Strava, Wahoo, Garmin or Hammerhead). - **Date**, **Type**, **Distance**, **Elevation** and **Duration**. - **Bikes**: the bike the ride counts towards. A small letter next to the bike name is the first letter of the ride's profile (for example **T** for Training). **Not linked** means the ride has no bike and adds no wear. - **Weather**: the conditions and average temperature, when available. - **Tags**: up to two tags, with **+1**, **+2** and so on for the rest. [Hidden tags](/docs/activity-tags/hiding-activity-tags) aren't shown. A Strava logo here means the ride is linked to a Strava activity. The bin icon in **Actions** deletes a single ride. Deleting can't be undone, and wear on that bike's components is recalculated. ## Finding rides Use the bar above the table: - **Search activities** matches ride names. - **Activity Type** narrows to one type, such as Road Ride or Virtual Ride. - **Bikes** shows one bike's rides. When that bike has profiles, a **Profile** filter appears next to it. - **Tags** lets you tick one or more tags. It searches all your rides, and the ride count and pages reflect the filter. Hidden tags aren't listed. See [Activity Tags](/docs/activity-tags/activity-tags). Active filters appear as chips under the bar. Select **×** on a chip to remove it. ## Activity details Select any row to open its details panel. The panel shows: - **Activity Information**: date, type, distance, elevation, duration and **Source**. For rides from a bike computer, the device name appears under the source logo. - **Strava**: pair the ride with its Strava activity, or change or disconnect an existing pairing. Shown for rides that didn't come from Strava, once Strava is connected. See [Pairing a ride with Strava](/docs/activities/pairing-with-strava). - **Weather**: condition, temperature, humidity, wind and gusts, cloud cover and any precipitation. - **Reported Electronics**: the battery level of each device your bike computer recorded on the ride, such as electronic shifting, power meters and heart rate straps. - **Bikes** and **Tags**: change the ride's bike, profile and tags. See [Editing activities](/docs/activities/editing-activities). ### Weather Componentry looks up the weather for each ride from its start location and time, usually a few hours after the ride. Rides without GPS, such as most indoor rides and rides with a hidden location, have no weather. Rides in rain, snow, strong gusts, extreme heat or below-freezing temperatures are also tagged **Wet**, **Snow**, **Windy**, **Hot** or **Cold**. ### Reported Electronics Each badge is one device. Green means the battery is fine, amber means low, red means critical and grey means the device didn't report a clear reading. If you've added the device on the **Sensors** page, the badge shows your name for it. Otherwise it shows the name the device reports; select the badge to copy the ID rides use for that sensor, which you can use to add it as a sensor. See [Sensors](/docs/sensors/sensors). ## How a ride gets its bike When a ride arrives, Componentry picks its bike in this order: - **Sensors**: a sensor recorded on the ride that's linked to one of your bikes. - **Strava bike**: for rides from Strava, the bike you chose on Strava, when that Strava bike is linked to one of your Componentry bikes. Importing your bikes from Strava links them. - **Indoor bike**: for indoor and virtual rides, the bike with an indoor profile, when exactly one bike has one. - **Default bike**: your default bike, if you've set one. If none of these apply, the ride shows **Not linked** until you assign a bike. The profile is picked the same way each time: a profile matching the ride's indoor or outdoor setting, otherwise the bike's default profile. To set up matching so rides land on the right bike without any work, follow [Auto-matching rides to bikes](/docs/sensors/auto-matching-rides-to-bikes). For how profiles work, see [Profiles](/docs/profiles/profiles). The Componentry mobile app also lists your activities and lets you change a ride's bike. ## In this section - [Connecting apps](/docs/activities/connecting-apps) - [Uploading FIT files](/docs/activities/uploading-fit-files) - [Editing activities](/docs/activities/editing-activities) - [Pairing a ride with Strava](/docs/activities/pairing-with-strava) - [Connecting apps](https://www.componentry.app/docs/activities/connecting-apps): Connect Strava, Garmin, Wahoo or Hammerhead so rides sync automatically, import past rides, and avoid counting the same ride twice. Rides reach Componentry through the apps you connect on the **Apps** page (**Settings → Apps** in the sidebar). Once an app is connected, new rides sync on their own; you can also import rides you've already done. ## What each app brings - **Strava** syncs your rides and lets you import your Strava bikes with **Import Bikes**. Strava only shares ride summaries, so a Strava-only account gets wear tracking but not personalised predictions. - **Garmin**, **Wahoo** and **Hammerhead** send the full ride file from your bike computer. That adds the sensors seen on the ride (used to pick the right bike automatically), the battery level of your electronics, and the detail that powers personalised predictions. These cards carry a **Powers predictions** badge. Only cycling activities are imported. Runs, walks and gym sessions are skipped. ## Connect an app - Open **Settings → Apps**. - Select **Connect Strava**, **Connect Garmin**, **Connect Wahoo** or **Connect Hammerhead**. - Sign in on the provider's page and allow access. - You're returned to the Apps page and the card shows **Connected**. New rides start syncing straight away. To stop syncing, select **Disconnect** on the card. ## Import past rides Each connected card has an **Import Activities** button. How far back you can go depends on the provider: AppWhat you can importStravaLast 30, 60 or 90 days, last 6 months or last yearWahooYour last 7, 30, 60 or 90 workoutsHammerheadYour last 7, 30, 60 or 90 activitiesGarminThe last 30 days (Garmin's limit per request) When the import finishes you'll see how many rides were imported, skipped and failed. Garmin works differently: Componentry sends Garmin a request, and rides appear on the **Activities** page as Garmin delivers them. To go further back than these limits, [upload your FIT files](/docs/activities/uploading-fit-files). If you use Strava, import your bikes before your rides. That links each Strava bike to a Componentry bike, so imported rides land on the right bike. ### Garmin needs one extra permission for past rides Garmin only releases past rides if you ticked **Export Your Data** on Garmin's consent screen when connecting. If it's missing, the Garmin card says so and **Import Activities** stays disabled. To fix it, select **Disconnect**, connect again, and tick **Export Your Data**. New rides keep syncing either way. ## Using Strava with a bike computer If Strava and a bike computer (Garmin, Wahoo or Hammerhead) are both connected, the bike computer is where your rides come from. The Strava card shows **Strava will match but not import activities**, and the bike computer's card shows **Your activities will sync from** that provider. What that means in practice: - Each ride appears once, from your bike computer. When Strava publishes the same ride, Componentry links the two: the ride picks up Strava's route, and if the ride's sensor is linked to a Strava bike, Componentry sets that bike on the Strava activity. See [Auto-matching rides to bikes](/docs/sensors/auto-matching-rides-to-bikes). - If you imported your Strava history before connecting a bike computer, each bike computer ride replaces its Strava copy when it arrives, keeping the Strava title, route, bike and tags. The ride only counts once towards wear. - **Import Activities** on the Strava card skips rides your bike computer already recorded, so importing Strava history later is safe. If a ride didn't link to its Strava activity on its own, you can [pair it yourself](/docs/activities/pairing-with-strava). You can also import past rides from the Componentry mobile app. - [Editing activities](https://www.componentry.app/docs/activities/editing-activities): Change a ride's bike, profile and tags one at a time or in bulk, and delete rides you don't want counted. A ride adds wear to the components on its bike and profile, so fixing a ride that landed on the wrong bike keeps your wear figures right. You can edit one ride from its details panel, or many at once from the **Activities** table. ## Change one ride's bike or profile - On the **Activities** page, select the ride to open its details. - Under **Bikes**, choose the bike. Choose **No bike linked** to take the ride off every bike. - If the bike has profiles, a second list shows the profile. It fills in automatically: the profile matching the ride's indoor or outdoor setting, otherwise the bike's default. Pick a different one if needed, or **No profile**. - Select **Save Bike**. Wear is recalculated as soon as you save, on the chosen bike and on the bike the ride moved off, including when you choose **No bike linked**. See [Profiles](/docs/profiles/profiles) for how profiles decide which components a ride counts towards. ## Change one ride's tags - In the ride's details, open the list under **Tags**. - Tick or untick tags. They're grouped into **System Tags**, **Strava Tags** and **Personal Tags**. Hidden tags aren't listed. - Select **Save Tags**. **Save Tags** saves exactly what's ticked, so unticking a tag removes it from the ride. Hidden tags already on the ride stay on it. See [Activity Tags](/docs/activity-tags/activity-tags). ## Edit many rides at once Tick the box at the start of each row, or the box in the header to select every ride on the current page. A toolbar appears at the bottom of the screen with the number selected and three actions. ### Assign Bike - Select **Assign Bike** and choose a bike, or **No bike** to take the rides off their bike. - If the bike has profiles, choose a **Profile**:- **Auto (match per ride)** gives each ride the profile that fits it (its indoor or outdoor profile, otherwise the bike's default). - Pick a named profile to put every selected ride on it. The bike's default is marked **(default)**. - Select **Assign to** *n* **activities**. Wear is recalculated for every bike affected. Re-assigning rides to the bike they're already on, with **Auto**, is a quick way to reset their profiles. ### Apply Tags Select **Apply Tags**, tick one or more tags and select **Apply to** *n* **activities**. Tags are added to the rides; existing tags stay. Hidden tags aren't offered. ### Delete Select **Delete** and confirm. Deleted rides can't be recovered, and wear is recalculated for the bikes they were on. Selections only cover the page you're on. Moving to another page clears them. ## Delete one ride Select the bin icon at the end of the ride's row and confirm. Wear on that ride's bike is recalculated. ## Reprocess a ride If a ride synced from a bike computer looks wrong, open its details, right-click anywhere in the panel and choose **Reprocess**. Componentry fetches the ride file again and processes it from scratch. The option is greyed out for rides without a ride file, such as rides imported from Strava. - [Pairing a ride with Strava](https://www.componentry.app/docs/activities/pairing-with-strava): Link a bike computer ride to its Strava activity by hand, take the Strava title, and change or disconnect the pairing later. When Strava and a bike computer are both connected, Componentry links each bike computer ride to the matching Strava activity on its own. If two rides started close together, or Strava was slow to publish, the link can be missed. You can then pair the ride yourself. A paired ride gets the same as an automatic match: the Strava route and start and end points, weather if the ride didn't have it, and the ride's bike set on the Strava activity when that bike is linked to a Strava bike. Pairing is for rides that came from a bike computer or a FIT upload. Rides imported from Strava are already Strava activities, so they don't show the option. You need Strava connected on the **Apps** page (see [Connecting apps](/docs/activities/connecting-apps)). ## Pair a ride - On the **Activities** page, select the ride to open its details. - Under **Strava**, select **Pair Strava activity**. - Choose the Strava activity from your 20 most recent. The one whose start time is nearest the ride is marked **Closest match** and, if it isn't linked to anything yet, already selected. - If the Strava title differs from the ride's name, **Rename this ride to** appears, ticked. Leave it ticked to take the Strava title, or untick it to keep the current name. - Select **Pair activity**. Badges in the list tell you what each Strava activity is already linked to: - **Imported**: it's already in Componentry as a ride imported from Strava. - **Already paired**: it's paired with another ride. - **Currently paired**: it's paired with this ride. If you pick one that's **Imported** or **Already paired**, a note warns that pairing links it to both rides. If that imported copy is the same ride, it's now in Componentry twice. Delete the copy you don't need so the ride only counts once towards wear. ## Change or disconnect a pairing Once paired, the **Strava** section shows the Strava activity's title and start time. - **Change** opens the same list so you can pick a different Strava activity. - **Disconnect** removes the link. The ride itself stays, with its bike, weather and wear. A small Strava logo in the ride's **Tags** column on the **Activities** page shows it's linked to Strava. - [Uploading FIT files](https://www.componentry.app/docs/activities/uploading-fit-files): Backfill years of riding by uploading FIT files from Garmin, Wahoo, Hammerhead or Coros in bulk. Connected apps only let Componentry import a limited stretch of history. To bring in older rides, upload the FIT files your bike computer recorded. Uploaded rides are handled exactly like synced ones: matched to a bike, added to component wear and, when the file has GPS, given weather. ## Upload files - On the **Activities** page, select **Upload FIT files** (top right). - Under **Where did these files come from?**, pick **Garmin**, **Wahoo**, **Hammerhead** or **Coros**. Componentry uses this to read the ride type correctly and to spot rides you've already synced from that provider. - Drag your files onto the drop area, or select **Choose files**. You can add as many as you like at once. Each file must be a `.fit` file of up to 5 MB. - Follow each file under **Recent uploads**. The list refreshes itself while files are in progress. Select **View** on a finished upload to open that ride's details on the **Activities** page. ## Upload statuses - **Pending**, **Queued** or **Processing**: waiting or being read. - **Completed**: the ride has been added to your activities. - **Skipped**: the ride is already in Componentry. The note says why: **Already uploaded** for a file you've uploaded before, or **Already exists from** a provider when that ride has already synced (for example from Strava). Nothing is added twice. - **Failed**: the file couldn't be used. The most common reason is a non-cycling activity, such as a run, which Componentry doesn't import. FIT uploads are on the web app only. Rides you upload appear in the mobile app as normal. - [Activity Tags](https://www.componentry.app/docs/activity-tags/activity-tags): Label rides with tags such as Group ride or Intervals, and see which rides Componentry has tagged for wet, windy, hot or cold weather. Tags are labels on your rides. Use them to mark the rides that matter to you (group rides, interval sessions, a trip away) and find them again with the **Tags** filter on the **Activities** page. Tags don't change wear or predictions. You manage tags on the **Activity Tags** page (under **Configuration** in the sidebar). It lists every tag, its type, a short description and how many of your activities carry it. ## Tag types - **System**: **Wet**, **Snow**, **Windy**, **Hot** and **Cold**. Componentry adds these automatically when it looks up the weather for a ride: rain or drizzle, snowfall, strong gusts, an average temperature above 35°C (95°F) or below freezing. Rides without GPS, such as most indoor rides, get no weather and so no weather tags. - **Strava**: **Commute**, **Race** and **Workout**, ready-made tags named after Strava's ride types. You apply them yourself; they aren't copied over from Strava. - **Personal**: tags you create. Only personal tags can be renamed, hidden or deleted. You can tick any tag, of any type, on a ride. System and Strava tags can't be edited or deleted. ## Using tags - [Create a tag and apply it to rides](/docs/activity-tags/creating-activity-tags), one at a time or in bulk. - [Rename or delete a tag](/docs/activity-tags/editing-and-deleting-activity-tags). - [Hide a tag](/docs/activity-tags/hiding-activity-tags) you no longer use without losing it from past rides. ## Finding tagged rides On the **Activities** page, open the **Tags** filter and tick one or more tags. Rides with any of the ticked tags are shown from across all your rides, with the count and pages updated to match, and each tag appears as a chip under the filters. Hidden tags aren't listed. Select **Clear** in the filter, or **×** on a chip, to remove it. The Componentry mobile app shows your tags on each ride and can filter activities by tag too. - [Creating Activity Tags](https://www.componentry.app/docs/activity-tags/creating-activity-tags): Create a personal tag and apply it to one ride or many at once. Personal tags are yours to name. Create one for anything you want to find later: group rides, interval sessions, races, a training block or a trip. ## Create a tag - Open **Activity Tags** in the sidebar. - Select **Create Tag**. - Enter a **Tag Name**, and optionally a **Description** to remind you when to use it. - Select **Create Tag**. The tag appears under the other tags with a **personal** badge and **0 activities**. Each name can only be used once among your personal tags. ## Tag one ride - On the **Activities** page, select the ride. - In the details panel, open the list under **Tags**. - Tick the tags you want. Your tags are under **Personal Tags**. - Select **Save Tags**. **Save Tags** saves exactly what's ticked, so this is also where you take a tag off a ride: untick it and save. ## Tag many rides at once - On the **Activities** page, tick the box at the start of each ride, or the header box to select the whole page. Searching first (for example for "Wednesday") makes this quicker. - In the toolbar at the bottom, select **Apply Tags**. - Tick the tags and select **Apply to** *n* **activities**. Bulk tagging only adds tags. Tags already on those rides stay. To remove a tag from a ride, untick it in the ride's details panel. For the other bulk actions, see [Editing activities](/docs/activities/editing-activities). - [Editing and Deleting Activity Tags](https://www.componentry.app/docs/activity-tags/editing-and-deleting-activity-tags): Rename a personal tag, change its description, or delete it from every ride. You can edit and delete your personal tags. System tags (Wet, Snow, Windy, Hot, Cold) and Strava tags (Commute, Race, Workout) are fixed, so they have no edit or delete buttons. ## Edit a tag - Open **Activity Tags** in the sidebar. - Select the pencil icon on the tag's row. - Change the **Tag Name** or **Description**. The **Hide Tag** switch is here too; see [Hiding Activity Tags](/docs/activity-tags/hiding-activity-tags). - Select **Update Tag**. Renaming a tag renames it on every ride that has it. ## Delete a tag - Select the bin icon on the tag's row. - Confirm with **Delete**. The tag is removed from every ride that had it. The rides themselves aren't affected. Deleting can't be undone, so if you might want the tag again, [hide it](/docs/activity-tags/hiding-activity-tags) instead. To take a tag off a single ride without deleting it, untick it in the ride's details panel and select **Save Tags**. - [Hiding Activity Tags](https://www.componentry.app/docs/activity-tags/hiding-activity-tags): Hide a personal tag you no longer use while keeping it on past rides. Hiding is for tags you've finished with, such as last season's training block, but still want on the rides that have them. A hidden tag stays on those rides and can be shown again at any time. Only personal tags can be hidden. ## Hide a tag - Open **Activity Tags** in the sidebar. - Select the pencil icon on the tag's row. - Turn on **Hide Tag**. - Select **Update Tag**. On the **Activity Tags** page, a hidden tag has a crossed-out eye instead of an open one, and keeps its activity count. On the **Activities** page, a hidden tag is left out of the **Tags** filter, the tag list in a ride's details, **Apply Tags** in the bulk toolbar and the tag chips on each ride. It stays on the rides that have it, and saving a ride's tags doesn't remove it. The Componentry mobile app also leaves hidden tags out of its tag filter and tag picker. ## Show a hidden tag again Open the tag with the pencil icon, turn off **Hide Tag** and select **Update Tag**. - [AI Assistants](https://www.componentry.app/docs/ai-assistants/ai-assistants): Connect Componentry to Claude to ask about your bikes, component wear and maintenance, and to set up bikes and log services from the conversation. Connect Componentry to Claude and your bike records come into the conversation. Ask what needs attention before the weekend, how long your chain has left, or when a bike was last serviced, and the assistant answers from your own Componentry data. ## What You Can Ask Once connected, the assistant can look things up in your Componentry account while you chat. Some examples: - "What needs attention on my bikes this week?" - "How worn are the components on my gravel bike?" - "When will I need a new chain?" - "What's driving the wear on my brake pads?" - "When was my road bike last serviced, and what was replaced?" - "Show me my rides from the last two weeks." - "I've got an event in a month. Which parts should I order now?" - "Will my gravel bike be ready for the race on 15 November if I taper for two weeks?" Answers often include a small card showing the same figures you'd see in Componentry, such as wear bars for each component or a list of what's due. ## What the Assistant Can See The assistant can look up: InformationExamples**Bikes**Name, discipline, distance ridden, number of components**Components**Wear, distance and time in use, expected life**Predictions**Predicted life left and what is driving the wear**Reminders**What is overdue, due soon and coming up**Service history**Services and maintenance checks, parts replaced, notes**Rides**Recent rides with distance, climbing, duration and bikeIt cannot see your payment details, password, documents, photos or the accounts you've linked for ride syncing. See [Privacy and Permissions](/docs/ai-assistants/privacy-and-permissions) for the full picture. Distances are shown in the unit you've chosen in Componentry. ## Setting Up Bikes in Chat You can also ask the assistant to get a bike into Componentry for you: - "Add my new bike: a 2024 Canyon Grizl, gravel, disc brakes." - "Set it up with the complete set of parts, all fitted on 1 March." - "Add a bottom bracket to my road bike." - "Rename my winter bike and make it my main bike." - "The cassette on my gravel bike is a SRAM one, fitted two weeks ago." You can ask it toWhat happens**Add a bike**The bike is created with a chain to start tracking, just as in the app**Add a set of parts**The same basic, complete and detailed sets the app's bike setup offers, skipping anything the bike already has**Add one component**Starts from the expected life Componentry uses for that kind of part, with its standard reminders if you want them**Edit a bike or component**Name, manufacturer, model, year, discipline, main bike, fitted date and expected lifeBefore anything is saved the assistant shows you exactly what it is about to add or change and asks you to confirm. Nothing is written until you say yes. ## Logging a Service in Chat Tell the assistant what you did and it records the service for you: - "I fitted a new chain and cassette on my road bike yesterday. The old chain was about 80% worn." - "Log a service at my local shop for next Friday on the gravel bike." - "I've done the torque check and lubed the chain, tick those off." - "Note on that service that the rear brake pads were glazed." - "Mark the spring service as done." You can ask it toWhat happens**Log a service**Planned, booked or completed, with a date, who did the work and a summary**Replace a part**The old part is retired at the condition you give, the new one takes its place, and the old part's reminders move across, exactly as when you replace a part in the app**Fit or retire a part**Add a part during a service, or retire one without a replacement. A retirement made by mistake can be undone**Add a note**A note about one component, kept with that service**Tick off reminders**Repeating reminders roll forward to their next due point, and can be recorded against the service**Create a reminder**On a bike or one component, repeating on a schedule, every so much distance, every so many rides, or a mix. Reminders can also be renamed**Complete a service**Marks it done and stamps the dateAs with setting up a bike, you see what will be saved and confirm it first. The assistant cannot delete anything: not a bike, a component, a service, a note or a reminder. It also cannot change how often a reminder repeats, or attach receipts and photos. Do those in Componentry. ## Race Day in Chat Give the assistant an event date and it runs the same projection as the [Race Day](/docs/predictions/race-day-readiness) page: each component's wear on the day, with what to replace beforehand. You can ask it to assume your normal riding, a build block, or a two or four-week taper. Nothing is saved when you do this. ## Shortcuts Assistants that show a connector's prompts will list three from Componentry: **Pre-ride check**, **Plan my next service** and **Race day readiness**. Some cards also carry a button, such as **Plan a service** under the list of what's due, that asks the follow-up question for you. ## Predictions in Chat Predicted life left comes from Componentry's predictive modelling of how you ride, exactly as it appears in the app. If a component doesn't have a prediction yet, the assistant will say so rather than guess. See [Unlocking Predictions](/docs/predictions/unlocking-predictions) for what it takes. ## What You Need - A Componentry account on an active subscription or within the free trial - A Claude account that supports connectors ## Get Connected Open **AI assistants** in the sidebar, under **Settings**. It lists the assistants you've connected and when, each with a **Disconnect** button, followed by the steps and the two values you need to add Componentry to Claude. ChatGPT is listed as coming soon. - [Connecting Claude](/docs/ai-assistants/connecting-claude) ## Need Help? Email [support@componentry.app](mailto:support@componentry.app) and tell us which assistant you're using and what you asked. - [Connecting Claude](https://www.componentry.app/docs/ai-assistants/connecting-claude): Add Componentry to Claude so you can ask about your bikes, wear and maintenance in chat. Connecting takes about a minute. It works in Claude on the web, the desktop app and the mobile apps; connect once and it's available everywhere you use Claude. ## Connect Open [AI assistants](/home/mcp) in Componentry (in the sidebar, under **Settings**) and keep it to hand: it has the two values you need to copy, each with a **Copy** button. - In Claude, open **Settings → Connectors** and choose **Add custom connector**. - Name it **Componentry** and paste in the server URL from that page. - Open **Advanced settings** and paste in the OAuth Client ID. Leave the client secret empty. - Select **Add**, then **Connect**. - Sign in to Componentry if you're asked to. If you use two-step verification you'll be asked for your code as usual. - Review what Claude will be able to do, then select **Allow access**. You'll be returned to Claude with Componentry connected. On a Team or Enterprise plan, an owner adds the connector for the organisation first; everyone else then connects their own Componentry account. ## Try It Start a new chat and ask: > What needs attention on my bikes? The first time, Claude may ask permission to use a Componentry tool. Under **Settings → Connectors → Componentry** you can choose whether Claude asks each time or is always allowed. ## Tips - Mention the bike by the name you use in Componentry, for example "my Tarmac" or "the gravel bike". - Ask follow-up questions. "What about the cassette?" works after you've asked about a bike. - If Claude answers from general knowledge instead of your data, say "check Componentry". ## Disconnect You can disconnect from either side: - **In Claude:** Settings → Connectors → Componentry → Disconnect. - **In Componentry:** [AI assistants](/home/mcp) → Disconnect. See [Privacy and Permissions](/docs/ai-assistants/privacy-and-permissions) for what happens when you disconnect. - [Privacy and Permissions](https://www.componentry.app/docs/ai-assistants/privacy-and-permissions): What an AI assistant can and can't see in your Componentry account, how your data is handled, and how to disconnect. Connecting an assistant is your choice, and you can undo it at any time. This page explains exactly what the connection allows. ## You Approve the Connection An assistant can only reach your Componentry account after you sign in to Componentry and select **Allow access**. Componentry never sees your Claude password, and the assistant never sees your Componentry password. ## What the Assistant Can See Only what it needs to answer questions about your bikes: - Your bikes and their components, including wear and expected life - Predicted life left for components, and what is driving their wear - Maintenance reminders and their status - Services and maintenance checks, including parts replaced and notes you've written - Your rides: name, date, distance, climbing, duration and which bike was used - Your email address, so the assistant can confirm which account is connected - Your unit preferences, so distances are shown the way you expect ## What the Assistant Can Change Only when you ask, and only after it has shown you what it is about to save and you've agreed: - Add a bike - Add components to a bike, with their standard reminders if you want them - Edit a bike's details or make it your main bike - Edit a component's name, manufacturer, fitted date or expected life - Log a service, and mark it planned, booked or completed - Replace, fit or retire a component as part of a service, and undo a retirement - Add a note about a component to a service - Tick off maintenance reminders, create a new one, or rename one ## What the Assistant Cannot See or Do - It cannot delete anything: bikes, components, services, notes or reminders. - It cannot retire a bike, change a reminder's schedule, or change your settings. - It cannot see payment details, invoices or your subscription's billing information. - It cannot see your password or two-step verification settings. - It cannot see documents, receipts or photos you've uploaded. - It cannot see bike fit measurements or insurance details. - It cannot see or use your Strava, Garmin, Wahoo or Hammerhead connections. - It cannot see GPS routes or where you rode. ## Where Your Data Goes When you ask a question, the assistant requests the relevant records from Componentry and uses them to write its answer. Those records become part of your conversation with that assistant, and are then handled under Anthropic's privacy policy and your settings with them: - [Anthropic's privacy policy](https://www.anthropic.com/legal/privacy) for Claude Componentry only sends data in response to a request made during your conversation. It does not send your data to Anthropic at any other time, and it does not receive the content of your conversations. Componentry records that a lookup happened (which kind of lookup, when, and whether it succeeded) so we can keep the service reliable. We do not record what you asked or what was returned. ## Disconnecting You can disconnect from either side: - **In Componentry:** [AI assistants](/home/mcp) → Disconnect - **In the assistant:** remove Componentry from its connectors settings After you disconnect, the assistant can no longer sign in to your account. Access it already holds can take up to an hour to end. Anything already written into a conversation stays in that conversation; delete the chat with the provider if you want it removed. ## Subscriptions AI assistants are available on an active subscription or during the free trial. If your trial has ended, the assistant will let you know and point you to [billing](/home/billing). Your connection stays in place, so everything works again once you subscribe. ## Questions Email [support@componentry.app](mailto:support@componentry.app). See also our [Privacy Policy](/privacy-policy). - [Bike Fit Measurements](https://www.componentry.app/docs/bike-fit/bike-fit): Record your bike fit measurements for each bike, keep every fit as a version, and compare versions to see what changed. Bike Fit keeps a record of your position on each bike: the numbers from a professional fit, or the ones you measured yourself. Each set of measurements is saved as a version, so after a saddle swap or a new fit you can see exactly what moved. ## Opening Bike Fit - On a bike's page, choose **Bike Fit** in the header, next to **Race Day** and **Settings**. - On the **Bikes** list, choose the ruler button on a bike's card. Bike Fit is for bikes you still ride, so it is hidden on retired bikes. ## What you can record Measurements are grouped into six categories. Fill in only what you have; every field is optional. - **Body Measurements**: height, inseam, torso, arm and leg lengths, sit bone width. - **Frame Geometry**: seat tube, effective top tube, stack, reach, head and seat tube angles and more. - **Component Specs**: crank length, stem length and angle, handlebar width, drop, reach and rise, saddle width and length, spacer stack. - **Position Measurements**: saddle height, setback, fore/aft and tilt, handlebar height, saddle-to-bar drop and reach, handlebar rotation. - **Cleat Position**: fore/aft, medial/lateral, rotation, stance width. - **Biomechanical Angles**: knee angle at the bottom and top of the stroke, hip, torso and elbow angles, KOPS. Each measurement has a number and a short description of how it is taken. Lengths are entered in millimetres or centimetres and angles in degrees, whatever your distance units. ## Versions Every measurement set is a version with a date, an optional name such as "Pro fit — March 2026", and optional notes. The page shows the latest version first. You can: - Switch to any earlier version. - Compare two versions side by side, with changed values highlighted and the difference shown. - Edit a version in place, or save your edits as a new version to keep the history. - Delete a version. See [Using Bike Fit Measurements](/docs/bike-fit/using-bike-fit) for step-by-step instructions. Bike Fit is also available in the mobile app, under each bike's **Setup** section. - [Using Bike Fit Measurements](https://www.componentry.app/docs/bike-fit/using-bike-fit): Record, edit and compare bike fit measurement versions in Componentry. This page walks through recording your first fit, updating it after a change, and comparing versions. For an overview of what Bike Fit records, see [Bike Fit Measurements](/docs/bike-fit/bike-fit). ## Record your first measurements - Open the bike and choose **Bike Fit**. - Choose **Record First Measurement** (or **New Measurement** once the bike has a version). - Set the **Date** of the fit. It defaults to today. - Optionally add a **Name**, such as "Pro fit — March 2026", and **Notes** about the session. - Open a category, for example **Position Measurements**, and fill in the values you have. The badge on each category shows how many of its fields are filled. - Choose **Save Measurements**. The new set is saved as the next version number: v1, v2 and so on. ## Update after a change When you change something, such as a new saddle or a shorter stem, start from the current numbers rather than typing everything again: - Select the version to start from and choose **Edit**. - Change the values that moved, and update the **Date**, **Name** and **Notes**. - Choose how to save:- **Save** updates this version in place. Use it to correct a mistake. - **Save as New Version** keeps the original and creates a new version with your changes. Use it for a real change to your position. ## Switch between versions Use the **Version:** menu to pick any version. Each entry shows its number, name and fit date. The page shows that version's notes and every measurement it recorded, grouped by category. ## Compare two versions - Pick the version you want to look at in **Version:**. - Pick the one to compare against in **Compare with:**. Each category gains a column for the comparison version. Rows that differ are highlighted, and the difference is shown beside the older value: green for an increase, red for a decrease. A dash means that version has no value for the measurement. Choose **None** in **Compare with:** to go back to a single version. ## Delete a version Select the version, choose the red bin button next to **Version:**, and confirm **Delete**. This cannot be undone, and the other versions keep their numbers. - [Adding a bike](https://www.componentry.app/docs/bikes/adding-a-bike): Add a bike yourself or import your bikes from Strava, give a bike a name, and edit its details later. You can add a bike by filling in its details, or import the bikes you already have on Strava in one go. ## Add a bike yourself - Open **Bikes** and choose **Add Bike**. - Fill in the details:- **Model** (required), for example "Aspero". - **Name** (optional), what you call the bike, for example "Sunday bike". - **Year** (optional). - **Manufacturer** (required). If yours isn't listed, choose **Missing one? Let us know** to email us. - **Discipline** (required), such as Road, Gravel or MTB. - **Brake Type**: **Disc** or **Rim**. - **Setup Template**: a starting list of components (see below). - **Color**: used for the bike's avatar and in the riding history graphs. - **Make this my default bike**: rides that can't be matched to a bike any other way go to your default bike. It's ticked for your first bike. - Choose **Add Bike**. ### Setup templates A template pre-fills a list of components for you to confirm straight after the bike is created. Componentry suggests one from the discipline and brake type you pick, and you can change it: - **Basic**, or a basic set for a road, MTB or gravel bike - **Complete** - **Detailed** - **None / Custom** skips the list. The bike starts with just a chain so there's something to track wear on, and you add the rest yourself. After you choose **Add Bike** with a template, you land on the setup page: pick a manufacturer and installed date for each component, untick any the bike doesn't have, and create them. You can also choose **Skip for now** and come back later. See [Components](/docs/components/components). ## Import your bikes from Strava If you've connected Strava, you can bring in the bikes from your Strava account: - Open **Apps** and choose **Import Bikes** on the Strava card. If you have no bikes yet, the **Import from Strava** button on the **Bikes** page takes you there too. - Tick the bikes you want. Each shows the distance Strava has recorded for it. - If you don't have a default bike yet, pick one under **Default bike**. - Choose **Import** (the button shows how many bikes, for example **Import 2 Bikes**). When the import finishes you see what was imported and what was skipped, with the reason for each skipped bike, such as a bike that's already imported or one you've retired. Choose **Done** and the Bikes page lists the new bikes with a **Set up components** button for each. Each imported bike: - keeps the name you gave it on Strava, with the model from Strava's details - is matched to a manufacturer from its Strava brand when Componentry knows it, and otherwise shows the manufacturer as not set - starts as a Road bike, which you can change with **Edit** - starts with a chain so wear tracking can begin - stays linked to the Strava bike, so rides you record on Strava are matched to it - carries the Strava distance as its starting odometer (see [Distance ridden](/docs/bikes/distance-ridden)) If you removed an imported bike and want it back, import it again. It reconnects to the same Strava bike. ## Edit a bike's details Choose **Edit** in the **Bike Information** card on the bike page, on the bike's settings page, or the pencil button on its card on the Bikes page. The edit sheet has the same fields as **Add Bike**, plus the **Purchase** and **Distance** sections (see [Purchase and receipts](/docs/bikes/purchase-and-receipts)). Choose **Save changes**. ## Bike names A name is optional. When a bike has one, the name is its title everywhere it appears: the dashboard, the Bikes page, activities, reminders and service logs. The year, model and manufacturer show underneath. Without a name, the model is the title, with the year beside it. You can also add and edit bikes in the Componentry mobile app. - [Bike settings](https://www.componentry.app/docs/bikes/bike-settings): Add a bike image, choose your default bike, assign sensors, recalculate wear, and retire, reactivate or remove a bike. Each bike has a settings page. Open the bike and choose **Settings** in the top right, or choose the gear button on the bike's card on the Bikes page. ## Add a bike image - In the **Image** card, choose the round **Profile image** placeholder. - Pick a photo. The image is cropped to a square automatically and shows as a round avatar next to the bike's name on the dashboard, the Bikes page and the bike page. Choose **Clear** to remove it. Images added in the mobile app show on the web too, and the other way round. ## Edit the bike's details The **Bike information** card shows the model, year, manufacturer, discipline and whether the bike is active. Choose **Edit** to change them. See [Adding a bike](/docs/bikes/adding-a-bike). ## Choose your default bike Your default bike is where new rides go when Componentry can't match them to a bike any other way. A ride is matched by its [sensors](/docs/sensors/sensors) or its Strava bike first, and only goes to the default bike when neither matches. - To make this bike your default, choose **Set as default bike** in the **Default bike** card. - To stop using it as the default, choose **Remove as default**, then **Remove default**. Only one bike can be the default. Setting a new one replaces the old one. The default bike has a **Default** badge on the Bikes page. You can also tick **Make this my default bike** when adding or editing a bike. ## Pair sensors **Paired sensors** lists the sensors paired with this bike. Choose **Unpair** to unpair one. **Pair a sensor** lists bike sensors that aren't paired with any bike; heart rate monitors and trainers aren't offered. Choose **Pair** to pair one. Rides recorded with a paired sensor are matched to this bike. Pairing or unpairing here clears any profile pinned to the sensor. To pin one, use the **Sensors** page. See [Pairing a sensor with a bike](/docs/sensors/linking-device-to-gear). ## Recalculate wear Under **Bike status**, **Recalculate wear** works out the wear on every component on this bike again from its rides. You can recalculate each bike once a day. ## Retire or reactivate a bike Retire a bike you no longer ride, such as one you've sold, to take it out of your active bikes while keeping its history. - Under **Bike status**, choose **Retire bike**. - Confirm with **Retire**. A retired bike: - moves to the **Retired** tab on the Bikes page, showing the date it was retired - is marked as retired on its own page, where **Race Day** and **Bike Fit** are hidden - keeps its components, wear, service history and sensors - keeps its rides in your history - can't be your default bike. If it was, the default is cleared so you can choose another. To bring a bike back, open the **Retired** tab on the Bikes page and choose **Reactivate** on its card, or choose **Reactivate bike** on its settings page. It returns to your active bikes with its history intact. ## Remove a bike Removing a bike deletes it for good. It can't be undone. - Under **Remove bike**, choose **Remove bike**. - Check what the dialog says is deleted and kept, then confirm with **Remove bike**. This deletes the bike with its components, service logs and maintenance checks, reminders, profiles, bike fit, insurance, receipts and documents, and photos, including the files you uploaded. Your rides and sensors are kept: rides stay in **Activities** and sensors stay on the **Sensors** page, no longer linked to any bike. If you only want the bike out of the way, retire it instead. - [Bikes](https://www.componentry.app/docs/bikes/bikes): Your bikes in Componentry: the Bikes page, each bike's own page, and where its components, rides, paperwork and settings live. Every component, ride, reminder and service in Componentry belongs to a bike. Each bike keeps its own components and their wear, the rides matched to it, the sensors linked to it, and its paperwork: when you bought it, the receipt, and its insurance. ## The Bikes page Open **Bikes** in the sidebar to see every bike you track. At the top, **Riding History** shows the days you rode over the last year, coloured by bike. Below it each bike has a card showing: - its name or model, year, manufacturer and discipline, and a **Default** badge on your [default bike](/docs/bikes/bike-settings) - **Aggregate Wear**, the overall wear of its components, turning amber and then red as parts wear out - chain power loss, when there is a chain wear estimate for it (see [Chain power loss](/docs/predictions/chain-power-loss)) - **Ridden**, the bike's total distance (see [Distance ridden](/docs/bikes/distance-ridden)) - how many **Components** and **Devices** it has - a line about its insurance, only when the renewal is within 60 days or has passed Choose **View** to open the bike. The buttons beside it edit the bike's details, open **Bike Fit**, and open the bike's **Settings**. Once you've retired a bike, **Active** and **Retired** tabs appear at the top, each with a count. See [Retiring a bike](/docs/bikes/bike-settings#retire-or-reactivate-a-bike). To add a bike, choose **Add Bike**, or import your bikes from Strava. See [Adding a bike](/docs/bikes/adding-a-bike). ## The bike page Choose **View** on a bike card to open its page. The header shows the bike's name, year, manufacturer and discipline, with three buttons: - **Race Day**: project every component's wear to an event date. See [Race-day readiness](/docs/predictions/race-day-readiness). - **Bike Fit**: record your fit measurements for this bike. See [Bike Fit](/docs/bike-fit/bike-fit). - **Settings**: image, default bike, sensors, retiring and removing. See [Bike settings](/docs/bikes/bike-settings). **Race Day** and **Bike Fit** are hidden on a retired bike. Below the header: CardWhat it shows**Bike Information**Model, year, manufacturer, discipline, purchase date and price, **Ridden** distance and receipts. **Edit** changes the bike's details and **Add receipt** attaches a file. See [Purchase and receipts](/docs/bikes/purchase-and-receipts).**Component Wear**The **Highest** and **Average** wear across the bike's components, and wear **By Component Group**.**Insurance**The policy and its renewal date. See [Insurance](/docs/bikes/insurance).**Riding History**The days this bike was ridden over the last year.**Connected Sensors**Sensors linked to this bike. See [Sensors](/docs/sensors/sensors).**Profiles**Setups for swapping parts, such as race and training wheels. See [Profiles](/docs/profiles/profiles).**Components**Every part on the bike with its wear, and retired parts on a separate tab. See [Components](/docs/components/components). ## In this section - [Adding a bike](/docs/bikes/adding-a-bike): add a bike yourself or import it from Strava, and edit its details. - [Purchase and receipts](/docs/bikes/purchase-and-receipts): record when you bought it and keep the receipt with it. - [Distance ridden](/docs/bikes/distance-ridden): how the bike's total distance is worked out. - [Insurance](/docs/bikes/insurance): keep the policy with the bike and get a reminder before it renews. - [Bike settings](/docs/bikes/bike-settings): bike image, default bike, sensors, retiring and removing a bike. Bikes, their details and insurance are also available in the Componentry mobile app. - [Distance ridden](https://www.componentry.app/docs/bikes/distance-ridden): How a bike's Ridden total is worked out from your rides in Componentry plus the distance it had done before, and how to correct it. Every bike shows a **Ridden** figure: how far it has really been ridden. It appears in the **Bike Information** card on the bike page and on the bike's card on the Bikes page. **Ridden** is two numbers added together: - **Rides in Componentry**: every ride stored in Componentry for this bike. - **Distance before Componentry**: how far the bike had gone before you started tracking it here. This total is the bike's odometer everywhere in Componentry, including [reminders](/docs/reminders/reminders) set by distance on a whole bike rather than on one component. ## See how the total is made up When a bike has a distance from before Componentry, a line under **Ridden** reads "Includes … before Componentry". Choose it to see the arithmetic. **Set by you** marks a figure you entered yourself rather than one Componentry worked out. ## Bikes you added yourself A bike you added yourself starts with nothing before Componentry. If it had already done some distance: - Open the bike and choose **Edit** in the **Bike Information** card. - Scroll to **Distance**. - Enter **Distance before Componentry** in your distance unit. - Choose **Save changes**. Rides logged in Componentry are added on top of this figure. ## Bikes imported from Strava For a bike imported from Strava, Componentry works the starting figure out for you: - It takes the **Strava odometer at import**, the distance Strava showed for the bike when you imported it. - It subtracts the **Rides Strava had already counted**: rides Componentry imported afterwards that took place on or before the import, which are already part of Strava's odometer. What's left is the distance before Componentry, so no ride is counted twice. To correct it, open **Edit** and change either **Strava odometer at import** or **Not covered by rides in Componentry**. Leave the second field blank to keep the calculated figure, or choose **Reset to calculated** to go back to it after entering your own. The mobile app shows the same total, and lets you correct it, under a bike's **Details**. - [Insurance](https://www.componentry.app/docs/bikes/insurance): Keep a bike's insurance policy and documents with the bike, and get a reminder before the policy renews. Each bike has an **Insurance** card for its policy. Record the insurer, renewal date and premium, keep the policy documents with the bike, and Componentry reminds you ahead of the renewal date every year. ## Add a policy - Open the bike and find the **Insurance** card, next to **Component Wear**. - Choose **Add insurance**. - Fill in the policy:- **Insurer** (required) - **Policy number** - **Starts**, the start date - **Renews** (required), the renewal date. It must be after the start date. - **Premium** and its **Currency** - **Remind me**: 7, 14, 30 or 60 days before the renewal. The default is 30 days. - **Notes**, for example what's covered and the excess - Choose **Save**. Each bike holds one policy. To change it, choose **Edit** on the card. ## The Insurance card The card shows the insurer and policy number, the **Renews** date, the start date, premium and notes, and the policy documents. The renewal date gets a badge as it approaches: - **Renews in … days** in amber, once you're inside your reminder window - **Renews today** - **Lapsed … days ago** in red, once the date has passed On the Bikes page, a bike only mentions its insurance when the renewal is within 60 days or has passed. ## The renewal reminder Saving a policy sets a reminder for the bike, named after the insurer, due at 9:00 in the morning in your timezone on the day you chose ahead of the renewal. The bottom of the card shows when it's set for, with a link to **View reminders**. - Changing the renewal date or **Remind me** moves the reminder. - The reminder repeats every year. - Completing the reminder means you've renewed: the policy's renewal date moves on a year, and next year's reminder is set to match. See [Reminders](/docs/reminders/reminders) for completing reminders and how you're notified. ## Add policy documents Choose **Add document** on the card to attach the policy schedule or certificate. Documents follow the same rules as receipts: PDF, JPEG, PNG or WebP, up to 5 MB each, up to 10 per policy. Choose a document to open it in a new tab, or the **×** to remove it. ## Remove a policy Choose **Remove insurance** at the bottom of the card and confirm. The policy, its documents and its renewal reminder are all deleted. You can manage a bike's insurance from the **Insurance** tile in the mobile app too. - [Purchase and receipts](https://www.componentry.app/docs/bikes/purchase-and-receipts): Record when you bought a bike and what you paid, and keep the receipt with the bike for warranty, insurance claims and resale. Each bike can keep its purchase date, the price you paid and the receipts. It's the record you reach for when you make an insurance claim, ask about a warranty or sell the bike. ## Record the purchase date and price - Open the bike and choose **Edit** in the **Bike Information** card. - Scroll to **Purchase**. - Enter the **Purchased on** date and the **Price**, and choose the **Currency** you paid in. - Choose **Save changes**. The purchase date can't be in the future. The currency starts as the one for your language and region, and you can pick any other. The date and price then show in the **Bike Information** card as **Purchased** and **Price**, in your chosen date and number format. ## Add a receipt - Open the bike. - Choose **Add receipt** in the **Bike Information** card, or drag a file onto the button. - Pick the file. Receipts appear under **Receipts** at the bottom of the card. **File types**PDF, JPEG, PNG or WebP**Size**Up to 5 MB per file**How many**Up to 10 receipts per bikeA file that's too large, the wrong type or over the limit is refused by name, with the reason, before anything is uploaded. Files are checked for what they really contain, not just their name. ## Open or remove a receipt - Choose a receipt to open it in a new tab. - Choose the **×** beside it to remove it. You're asked to confirm, and the file is deleted for good. Receipts are private to your account. They're deleted when you remove the bike. ## Related - [Insurance](/docs/bikes/insurance) keeps the policy and its documents in their own card. - Service logs have their own **Receipts & invoices** card for workshop invoices. See [Service Logs](/docs/service-logs/service-logs). - The **Distance** section of the same edit sheet sets how far the bike had gone before Componentry. See [Distance ridden](/docs/bikes/distance-ridden). You can record the purchase and add receipts from a bike's **Details** in the mobile app too. - [Adding Components](https://www.componentry.app/docs/components/adding-components): Add a single component to a bike, with its manufacturer, profile, life limits and any wear it already has. Use **Add Component** to add one part at a time: a new chain, a second set of wheels, a power meter battery. To add a whole bike's worth at once, use the [setup wizard](/docs/components/setting-up-with-a-template) instead. ## Add a component - Open **Bikes**, pick the bike, and click **Add Component** on the **Components** card. - On the **Primary Details** tab, fill in:- **Component Name**: what you'll recognise it by, such as "Shimano Dura-Ace CN-M9100 Chain". - **Manufacturer**: pick from the list. Type the first letters of a brand to jump to it. If the brand isn't there, click **Missing one? Let us know** to email us and we'll add it. - **Profile**: shown only when the bike has [profiles](/docs/profiles/profiles). Leave it on **Default (all activities)** for parts that are always on the bike. Pick a profile for parts you swap, such as race wheels, so they only wear on rides using that profile. - **Component Type**: grouped into Wheels / Tires / Tubes, Groupset, Brakes, Frameset, Electronics, and Cables / Fluids / Bar Tape. - **Installed Date & Time**: defaults to now. Set it to when the part went on. Rides on the bike after this date count towards its wear. - Check the **Life Limits**. Picking a type fills in a default **Distance Limit**, **Duration Limit** and **Time Limit**. Change them if you know better, or set a limit to 0 to ignore it. - Click **Add Component**. ## Automatic reminders Some types come with maintenance reminders. When you pick one, **Automatically create reminders for this component** appears, ticked, with a preview. For example: - Chain: **Check chain wear** and **Lube/Wax chain** - Tires: a regular tire wear check - Brake pads and rotors: a wear check - **Derailleur Cage / OSPW**: **Check pulley wheels and bearings** - Batteries: **Charge groupset battery** Untick it to skip them. See [Reminders](/docs/reminders/reminders) for how they work. ## Type-specific details A few types ask for extra details on the form: - **Tires**, including track tires: a **Pressure** field. See [Tire pressure](/docs/components/tire-pressure). - **Chain**: a **Waxed** / **Lubricant** switch. See [Chains](/docs/components/chains). ## Track wheels and tires Under Wheels / Tires / Tubes, choose **Alloy Track Wheel - Disc**, **Carbon Track Wheel - Disc**, **Front Track Tire** or **Rear Track Tire**. These types have no default life limits, because track wear varies so much between riders and events. Enter your own **Distance Limit**, **Duration Limit** or **Time Limit** under **Life Limits**. ## Parts that aren't new If the part has been used before, on another bike or before you started using Componentry, open the **Initial Wear** tab and enter the **Initial Distance**, **Initial Duration** and **Initial Time** it already has. Componentry adds your riding on top. ## Derailleur cages and oversized pulley wheels An aftermarket derailleur cage or oversized pulley wheel system (OSPW) can be tracked separately from the derailleur. Choose **Derailleur Cage / OSPW** under **Groupset**. It has its own default life, the **Check pulley wheels and bearings** reminder, and personalised predictions once you have them. The pulley bearings usually wear out long before the cage itself. ## After you add it The component appears in the list straight away, and Componentry works out its wear from the rides already on the bike since the installed date. To change anything later, use the edit button on its row. See [Editing and removing components](/docs/components/editing-and-removing-components). When you replace a worn part during a service, add the new one from the service log instead so it's linked to the part it replaced. See [Retiring and replacing components](/docs/service-logs/component-retirement-replacement). You can also add components from the mobile app. - [Chains: Wax, Lube and Stretch](https://www.componentry.app/docs/components/chains): Record whether a chain is waxed or lubed, log chain stretch readings, and keep its lube reminder up to date. A chain is tracked like any other component, with a few extras. You can record whether it runs on wax or lubricant, log chain checker readings, and see an estimate of the watts its condition is costing you. ## Wax or lubricant Wax stays clean far longer than most drip lubes, so the choice changes how quickly Componentry expects the chain to pick up dirt. - Open the bike and find the chain in the **Components** card. - Click the link under the chain's name. It reads **Add details** until you've set it, then **Waxed** or **Lubricant**. - Turn the **Waxed** switch on for a waxed chain, or off for lubricant, and click **Save**. The same switch is on the **Add Component** and **Edit Component** forms, and you can record it in a service note, a maintenance check, or when you retire a chain. ## Chain stretch Chain stretch is a service-time reading, so you record it in a [service log or maintenance check](/docs/service-logs/service-logs) rather than on the chain itself. Add a note for the chain and fill in **Chain stretch**. Enter the reading as a whole number: a chain checker reading of 0.67 is entered as **67**. Readings above 1% are out of range and won't save. Once the service or check is completed, the reading replaces Componentry's own estimate of stretch in the [chain power loss](/docs/predictions/chain-power-loss) figure. Without one, stretch is estimated from your riding. ## Lube reminders A chain added with automatic reminders gets two: - **Check chain wear**: a regular reminder to measure the chain. - **Lube/Wax chain**: repeats by distance or every two weeks, whichever comes first. **Lube/Wax chain** is a lubrication reminder. Marking it complete tells Componentry when you last cleaned and lubed the chain, which resets the power-loss estimate. See [Completing reminders](/docs/reminders/completing-reminders). When you replace a chain in a service log, its reminders move to the new chain once the service is completed, with the schedule starting from the day it went on. ## Watts lost to the chain Chains show a purple chip in the component list, for example **Loss 3.6 watts · Recoverable 3.2 watts**: - **Loss**: everything the chain's condition costs you compared with a clean new chain. - **Recoverable**: the part a clean and fresh wax or lube wins back. **est.** after the figures means the estimate uses assumptions, usually because the chain has no lubrication reminder yet, or you have fewer than 10 rides from a bike computer. The chain's detail panel breaks the figure down. [Chain power loss](/docs/predictions/chain-power-loss) explains how it's worked out. ## Replacing a chain A new chain goes on in a service log, where you retire the old one, record its stretch, and fit the replacement in one step. See [Retiring and replacing components](/docs/service-logs/component-retirement-replacement). The mobile app has the same Waxed switch, stretch readings and power-loss figures. - [Components](https://www.componentry.app/docs/components/components): How Componentry tracks wear on each part of your bike, and how to read the wear figures on the bike page. A component is any part on a bike that you want to track: chain, cassette, tires, brake pads, wheels, derailleurs, bar tape and so on. Each one belongs to a bike, and Componentry adds up the riding done on that bike since the part was installed to work out how worn it is. Components live on the bike page. Open **Bikes**, pick a bike, and scroll to the **Components** card. ## How wear is measured Every component has up to three life limits, filled in from sensible defaults for its type when you add it: - **Distance**: how far the part should last. - **Duration**: how many hours of riding it should last. - **Time**: how long it should last in years and months, however much you ride. Useful for tires, bar tape and batteries that age on the shelf. Wear on each limit is the amount used as a percentage of the limit. The component's wear figure is whichever of the three is highest. A limit set to zero is ignored. Only rides assigned to the bike count. If you use [profiles](/docs/profiles/profiles), a component attached to a profile only picks up wear from rides using that profile. Once you have [personalised predictions](/docs/predictions/predictions), a predicted lifespan based on how you ride replaces the manufacturer's distance limit. Duration and time limits still apply, and the highest figure still wins. ## Wear status Each component shows a coloured bar with a status label and its wear percentage: StatusWear**Excellent**under 20%**Good**20–39%**Fair**40–59%**Worn**60–79%**Replace**80% and aboveThe percentage turns purple when the figure on display comes from your personalised prediction rather than a manufacturer limit. ## The Component Wear card Near the top of the bike page, the **Component Wear** card sums up the whole bike: - **Highest**: the most worn component on the bike. - **Average**: the mean wear across all components. - **By Component Group**: the most worn part in each group: Frameset/Suspension, Groupset, Brakes, Electronics, Chain/Cassette and Wheels/Tires. Bars turn amber at 75% and red at 95%. The card works from the manufacturer limits, so a figure here can differ from a component's row when a personalised prediction is driving that row. ## The component list The **Components** card lists every part on the bike. Use the **Active** and **Retired** tabs to switch between parts on the bike now and parts that have come off, and the sort menu to order by **Highest wear first**, **Lowest wear first**, **Newest installed** or **Oldest installed**. Each row shows the name, manufacturer and type, the wear bar and status, the distance ridden on the part and its installed date. Depending on the part you may also see: - a profile badge if the component belongs to a profile - a sparkles badge if it has a personalised prediction - **Pressure** on tires (see [Tire pressure](/docs/components/tire-pressure)) - **Waxed** or **Lubricant** and the **Loss · Recoverable** watts chip on chains (see [Chains](/docs/components/chains)) The buttons on the right of each row are, from left to right: retire, delete, view details and edit. See [Editing and removing components](/docs/components/editing-and-removing-components). ## Component details Click the eye button on a row to open the component's detail panel. It shows: - **Wear Status**, with the measure currently driving it (for example "using Distance" or "using Predictive") - a bar for each limit: **Distance**, **Duration**, **Time**, plus **Predictive** when a prediction exists - **Replace by**, a predicted replacement date, when a prediction puts it within the next two years - the **Personalised Prediction** and, on chains, **Drivetrain power loss** cards - **Component Information**: name, type, manufacturer and installed date, plus retirement details for retired parts The prediction cards are explained in [Personalised wear predictions](/docs/predictions/personalised-wear-predictions) and [Chain power loss](/docs/predictions/chain-power-loss). ## Worn parts on the dashboard Any component at 80% wear or more also appears in the **Component Wear Alerts** card on your dashboard, so you don't need to open each bike to spot it. The Componentry mobile app shows the same components, wear figures and detail view. ## In this section - [Setting up a bike with a template](/docs/components/setting-up-with-a-template) - [Adding components](/docs/components/adding-components) - [Editing and removing components](/docs/components/editing-and-removing-components) - [Tire pressure](/docs/components/tire-pressure) - [Chains: wax, lube and stretch](/docs/components/chains) - [Editing and Removing Components](https://www.componentry.app/docs/components/editing-and-removing-components): Change a component's details or limits, retire it through a service log, bring it back, or delete it. Each row in a bike's **Components** card has four buttons on the right: retire, delete, view details and edit. Retired parts have reactivate, delete and view details instead. ## Edit a component - Click the edit (pencil) button on the component's row. - Change anything on the **Primary Details** tab: name, manufacturer, profile, type, installed date and time, life limits, and the **Waxed** switch on chains. - To correct wear the part had before it was fitted, use the **Initial Wear** tab. - Click **Update Component**. Componentry recalculates the component's wear from your rides as soon as you save, so a new installed date or limit shows up straight away. The bike's **Component Wear** card updates too. Only active components can be edited. To change a retired part, reactivate it first. ## Retire a component Retiring takes a part off the bike but keeps its history. Retirement happens inside a service log, so every part that comes off is recorded with the wear it came off at, a note on why, and the part that replaced it. - Click the retire (power) button on the component's row. - In **Retire in a service log**, click **Start a service log**. A new service log opens for that bike. - Retire the part there, and add its replacement in the same step if you're fitting one. The full steps are in [Retiring and replacing components](/docs/service-logs/component-retirement-replacement). When the service is completed, a replaced part's reminders move across to its replacement. A part retired with nothing fitted in its place loses its reminders. Retired parts move to the **Retired** tab on the **Components** card, where each one shows the wear you recorded when you retired it and the date it came off. ## Reactivate a retired component If you retired a part by mistake, or you're refitting it: - Open the **Retired** tab on the **Components** card. - Click the reactivate (play) button on the row. - Confirm with **Reactivate Component**. The part becomes active again, its retirement date and recorded wear are cleared, and wear tracking carries on from where it was. ## Delete a component Deleting removes a component and everything recorded against it, permanently. Use it for parts added by mistake or duplicates. For a part that has worn out, retire it instead so its history stays. - Click the delete (bin) button on the component's row. - Confirm with **Delete Component**. The mobile app has the same edit, retire and delete actions on the component screen. - [Setting Up a Bike with a Template](https://www.componentry.app/docs/components/setting-up-with-a-template): Add a whole bike's worth of components in one go with the setup wizard. The setup wizard adds a full set of components to a bike in one pass. You pick a brake type and how detailed you want to be, and Componentry pre-fills a list of parts. Each row only needs a manufacturer and an installed date. Wear limits and service reminders come from each component type's defaults. ## Where the wizard starts - **When you add a bike.** The **Add Bike** form has a **Brake Type** and a **Setup Template**. Pick any template other than **None / Custom** and you land in the wizard as soon as the bike is saved. See [Adding a bike](/docs/bikes/adding-a-bike). - **On a bike that only has its starter chain.** Bikes added with **None / Custom**, or imported from Strava, start with a single **Chain** so wear tracking can begin straight away. While that chain is the only active component, a full-width **Set up with a template** button appears inside the **Component Wear** card, and another sits next to **Add component** at the top of the **Components** card. - **On a bike with no components.** The empty **Components** card offers **Set up with a template** alongside **Add component**. ## Pick a template - Choose the **Brake type**: **Disc** or **Rim**. - Choose the **Setup level**:- **Basic**: the parts that wear fastest. Chain, cassette, front and rear tires, front and rear brake pads. - **Complete**: adds chainrings, front and rear derailleurs, front and rear wheels, front and rear brake rotors on disc bikes, and bar tape on road and gravel bikes. - **Detailed**: adds the frame, bar/stem/seatpost, saddle, crank and pedals, plus suspension on mountain bikes. - Check the list of components that will be pre-filled, then click **Continue**. Tire and wheel types follow the bike's discipline, so a gravel bike gets gravel tires. If the bike has no discipline with a default set, the picker says so. Change the discipline with **Edit** on the bike's **Bike Information** card and try again. ## Fill in the rows The wizard lists one row per component with a **Name**, **Manufacturer** and **Installed** date. - Use **Apply to all rows** to save typing: - **Manufacturer (fills empty rows)**: pick a brand and click **Apply to empty rows**. Rows you've already set keep their manufacturer. - **Installed date (overwrites all rows)**: pick a date and click **Apply to all rows**. Handy when everything came on the bike when you bought it. - Change any row that differs, for example tires from a different brand, or give a part its model name. - Untick any row you don't want to track. - Leave **Auto-create reminders for components that have presets** ticked to add the standard reminders (chain wear and lube, tire checks, brake pad checks and so on). The row shows how many reminders it will create. - Click **Create N components**. Every row needs a manufacturer first. Click **Skip for now** to leave without adding anything. You can come back later. ## Parts already on the bike The wizard skips any component type the bike already has, so the starter chain isn't duplicated. If a bike already has everything in the template, the wizard shows **Nothing left to add**. Add extra parts one at a time with [Add Component](/docs/components/adding-components). Default limits and names can be changed afterwards with the edit button on each row. See [Editing and removing components](/docs/components/editing-and-removing-components). The mobile app has the same setup wizard when you create a bike. - [Tire Pressure](https://www.componentry.app/docs/components/tire-pressure): Record the pressure you run in each tire and see it on your bike cards. Every tire component has a **Pressure** you can fill in. It's saved against that tire, so you can check what you run before a ride, and it appears on the bike's card on your dashboard and on the **Bikes** page. ## Set a tire's pressure - Open **Bikes** and pick the bike. - In the **Components** card, find the tire and click **Set pressure** under its name. Once a pressure is saved, the link reads **Pressure: 75 psi** (or whatever you entered) and you click that to change it. - Enter the pressure and click **Save**. To remove a pressure, empty the field and click **Save**. You can also enter **Pressure** when you add a tire, or change it with the edit button on the tire's row. Changing the pressure doesn't need a service log and doesn't affect wear. ## Where pressures appear Bike cards on the dashboard and the **Bikes** page show a small **F** / **R** row with the front and rear pressures. If the bike has a default [profile](/docs/profiles/profiles), the pressures come from the tires on that profile, so race wheels and training wheels can each carry their own pressures. Bikes without a default profile show their first pair of tires. ## Pressure units Choose **PSI**, **Kilopascals (kPa)** or **Bar** with **Tyre Pressure Unit** in your account settings under **Units**. See [Units and locale](/docs/account-settings/units-and-locale). Pressures are saved as the number you type. Changing the unit changes the label only; saved pressures aren't converted. A saved 72 psi shows as 72 bar after switching to bar, so re-enter your pressures after you change unit. ## Choosing a pressure Componentry records the pressure you run but doesn't recommend one. The [tire pressure guide](/resources/tire-pressure) explains what affects the right pressure and links to a calculator. The mobile app shows the same pressures on its bike cards and lets you edit them from the component's measurements. - [Getting started with Componentry](https://www.componentry.app/docs/getting-started/getting-started): Create an account, connect where your rides come from, add your first bike and find your way around the app. Componentry tracks the wear on every component of your bikes from the rides you actually do. Your rides come in from Strava, Garmin, Wahoo or Hammerhead, each ride is matched to a bike, and the distance, time and conditions are counted against the parts fitted to that bike. You see how worn each part is, get reminded when something needs attention, and keep a record of every service. ## Create your account - Go to [componentry.app](https://componentry.app) and choose **Sign up**. - Enter your email address and a password, or continue with Google. - Confirm your email address from the message we send you. Every new account starts with a 60-day free trial with everything included. See [Billing and free trial](/docs/account-settings/billing) for what happens after that. The Componentry mobile app for iOS and Android uses the same account. It also lets you sign in with Apple or with Strava. ## Your dashboard After signing in you land on **Home**, your dashboard. Once you're set up, the dashboard shows: - **Reminders**: anything overdue, due soon or coming up, with a **Complete** button on each. - **Active Bikes**: each bike with its overall wear. - **Component Wear Alerts**: parts that are close to or past the end of their expected life. - **Upcoming Services**: service logs you have planned or booked. - **Last 7 Days Summary**: distance, elevation and time ridden, and your most used bike. - **Advanced insights**: progress towards personalised predictions, shown when you've connected a ride source. - **Recent Activities**: your latest rides and the bike each was matched to. ## The setup checklist A new account's dashboard opens with a **Set up your bikes** checklist. It lists the five steps that get your bikes fully tracked, with a count of how many you've done: - **Connect a data source** - **Add your first bike** - **Set up your components** - **Sync your first activity** - **Set a maintenance reminder** The next step is expanded with a short explanation and a button that takes you straight to it. You can start any step in any order. Steps tick themselves off from your real data, so there's nothing to mark by hand. When all five are done you get a short confirmation you can dismiss, and the checklist doesn't come back. The mobile app shows the same five steps. ## Find your way around The sidebar on the left has three groups: GroupPages**Application****Home**, **Activities**, **Bikes**, **Reminders**, **Service Logs****Configuration****Sensors**, **Activity Tags**, **Notifications****Settings****Profile**, **Apps**, **AI assistants**, **Billing**The bell at the top of the sidebar opens your in-app notifications. Your name at the bottom opens the account menu, where you can also sign out. ## Connect where your rides come from Open **Apps** in the sidebar and connect one or more services: - **Strava** syncs your rides and can import the bikes you've set up on Strava. - **Garmin**, **Wahoo** and **Hammerhead** sync rides straight from your bike computer. Rides from these include the detail from the ride file, which is what powers personalised predictions. These are marked **Powers predictions**. New rides arrive automatically once a service is connected. Use **Import Activities** on a connected service to bring in rides you did before joining. If a bike computer and Strava are both connected, Componentry takes the ride from the bike computer and uses Strava only to match it, so nothing is counted twice. You can also upload a ride file yourself from the **Activities** page. See [Activities](/docs/activities/activities). ## Add your first bike There are two ways to add a bike: - **Import from Strava**: on **Apps**, choose **Import Bikes** on the Strava card and pick the bikes to bring in. - **Add it yourself**: on **Bikes**, choose **Add Bike** and fill in the model, manufacturer and discipline. Adding a bike yourself lets you pick a **Setup Template**, which pre-fills a list of components for you to confirm. Full steps are in [Adding a bike](/docs/bikes/adding-a-bike). ## Where to go next - [Bikes](/docs/bikes/bikes): the bike page, purchase records, insurance and bike settings. - [Components](/docs/components/components): adding parts, wear, and retiring or replacing them. - [Activities](/docs/activities/activities): how rides are imported and matched to your bikes. - [Sensors](/docs/sensors/sensors): linking sensors so rides go to the right bike automatically. - [Reminders](/docs/reminders/reminders): maintenance reminders by distance, time or number of rides. - [Service Logs](/docs/service-logs/service-logs): recording services, parts fitted and work done. - [Predictions](/docs/predictions/predictions): personalised predictions of when each part will wear out. - [Account settings](/docs/account-settings/account-settings): units, language, date formats and sign-in. - [Managing Notification Preferences](https://www.componentry.app/docs/notifications/managing-notification-preferences): Choose which notifications you get on the web, by email and on your phone. Every notification type can be switched on or off separately for each channel. ## Change Your Preferences - Select **Notifications** in the sidebar, under **Configuration**. - Find the notification in the list. Each row has three switches: **Web**, **Email** and **Mobile**. - Flip a switch. The change saves immediately; there is no Save button. If a change can't be saved, the page shows "Failed to save preferences. Please try again." and the switch goes back to how it was. The switches only control notifications. Turning off **New Reminder**, for example, doesn't pause your reminders: they still come due and still appear on the Reminders page and your dashboard. To stop one reminder coming due for a while, [pause it](/docs/reminders/editing-deleting-reminders#pause-a-reminder) instead. ## Choosing What to Keep A few things to weigh up: - **New Reminder** and **App Token Refresh** are the ones worth having somewhere you'll see them away from Componentry, by email or on your phone. A missed reconnect means rides stop arriving. - **Activity Processed**, **Components Processed** and **Bike Matched** arrive with every ride. If you ride most days, keep them to one channel or switch them off. - **Low Battery Warning** is most useful on your phone, where you'll see it before the next ride. ## Mobile Notifications The **Mobile** switches apply to the Componentry mobile app. To receive them, install the app, sign in with the same account and allow notifications when your phone asks. - [Notification Types](https://www.componentry.app/docs/notifications/notification-types): The seven notifications Componentry sends and what triggers each one. These are the seven notifications listed on the **Notifications** page. Each can be switched on or off separately for Web, Email and Mobile. See [Managing Notification Preferences](/docs/notifications/managing-notification-preferences). ## Activity Processed A new ride has been received from a connected app or a file you uploaded, and Componentry has finished processing it. Useful as a confirmation that syncing is working. ## Components Processed The components on one of your bikes have been recalculated for wear, usually straight after a new ride on that bike. The notification names the bike and how many components were updated. ## Bike Matched A new ride has been put on one of your bikes automatically: either a paired sensor on the ride identified the bike, or no sensor matched and the ride went to your default bike. Check it if you ride more than one bike, because wear is counted on whichever bike the ride is on. See [Sensors](/docs/sensors/sensors). ## Low Battery Warning A sensor on your last ride, such as a power meter or electronic shifting, reported a low battery. The notification names the sensor the way you named it on the **Sensors** page, and the bike it was on. ## New Reminder A maintenance reminder has come due: - **Time-based** reminders when their due date and time arrive - **Distance-based** and **activity-based** reminders after the ride that reaches them is processed Insurance renewal reminders arrive this way too. See [Reminders](/docs/reminders/reminders). ## App Token Refresh Your Garmin, Strava or Wahoo connection has stopped working and needs to be reconnected. Until you do, new rides from that service won't arrive. The notification has a **View Apps** button that takes you to the **Apps** page to reconnect. ## Strava Matched A ride recorded on your head unit has been matched to the same ride on Strava, and Componentry has set the bike on the Strava activity. This keeps Strava's gear totals in step with Componentry. It needs a sensor linked to a Strava bike; see [Setting Your Bike on Strava Automatically](/docs/sensors/linking-device-to-strava-bike). ## Your Subscription and Notifications Notifications are sent the same way whether you're subscribed, in your free trial or your trial has ended. What a notification shows can differ between those, so it always matches what your account can do. - [Notifications](https://www.componentry.app/docs/notifications/notifications): What Componentry notifies you about, the three ways it can reach you, and where to choose which you get. Componentry notifies you when something happens that you may want to act on: a ride has been processed, a reminder has come due, a sensor needs charging, or a connected app needs signing in again. You choose which notifications you get, and where. ## Where Notifications Arrive ChannelWhere you see it**Web**The bell at the top of the sidebar in Componentry. A red badge shows how many are unread**Email**The email address on your account**Mobile**Push notifications from the Componentry mobile app, once you've signed in and allowed notifications on your phoneSelect the bell to open your notification feed. Filter it with **All**, **Unread** or **Read**, and use **Mark all as read** to clear the badge. Some notifications carry a button, such as **View Apps** on a reconnect alert. ## What You Can Be Notified About NotificationSent when**Activity Processed**A new ride has been received and processed**Components Processed**A bike's components have been recalculated for wear**Bike Matched**A new ride has been put on one of your bikes automatically**Low Battery Warning**A sensor on your last ride reported a low battery**New Reminder**A maintenance reminder has come due**App Token Refresh**Your Garmin, Strava or Wahoo connection needs to be reconnected**Strava Matched**A ride has been matched to the same ride on Strava and its bike set on StravaSee [Notification Types](/docs/notifications/notification-types) for the detail of each. ## In This Section - [Notification Types](/docs/notifications/notification-types) - [Managing Notification Preferences](/docs/notifications/managing-notification-preferences) - [Troubleshooting Notifications](/docs/notifications/troubleshooting-notifications) - [Troubleshooting Notifications](https://www.componentry.app/docs/notifications/troubleshooting-notifications): What to check when a notification doesn't arrive on the web, by email or on your phone. ## Start Here - **Check the switch.** Open **Notifications** in the sidebar and make sure that notification is on for the channel you expect. See [Managing Notification Preferences](/docs/notifications/managing-notification-preferences). - **Check the event happened.** Notifications only go out when their trigger happens. A reminder notifies when it comes due, not when you create it; **Activity Processed** only follows a new ride. See [Notification Types](/docs/notifications/notification-types). - **Check your connections.** If rides have stopped arriving, look on the **Apps** page for a connection that needs reconnecting. ## Web - Web notifications collect behind the bell at the top of the sidebar. Select it to see them; the feed lists everything, read or not. - Filter the feed with **All**, **Unread** or **Read** if something seems to be missing. ## Email - Check your spam or junk folder and search for "Componentry". If you find a notification there, mark it as not spam so the next one reaches your inbox. - Check the email address on your account is the one you're looking at. ## Mobile - Make sure notifications for Componentry are allowed in your phone's settings, and that Do Not Disturb or a Focus mode isn't holding them. - Make sure you're signed in to the mobile app with the same account as on the web. Signing out stops push notifications to that phone. - On Android, set the app's battery usage to unrestricted if notifications arrive late. - Update the app, then sign out and back in. Signing in registers your phone for notifications again. ## Still Stuck Email [support@componentry.app](mailto:support@componentry.app) with the notification type, the channel, and roughly when you expected it. - [Chain Power Loss](https://www.componentry.app/docs/predictions/chain-power-loss): How Componentry estimates the watts a chain's condition is costing you, and how cleaning and re-waxing win them back. Componentry estimates how many watts your chain's condition is costing you and, more usefully, how many of them a clean and fresh wax or lube would win back. It works for every rider, including Strava-only accounts, with accuracy that improves as you ride with a bike computer. ## Where you'll see it - **Component list**: the chain's row carries a purple chip, for example **Loss 3.6 watts · Recoverable 3.2 watts**. - **Bike cards**: on the dashboard and **Bikes** page, each bike shows the chip for its chain. If a bike has more than one chain, for example one per profile, it shows the chain with the most to recover. - **Chain details**: open the chain with the eye button to see the **Drivetrain power loss** card. Losses under a watt read as **<1 watt**. **est.** after the chip means the figure leans on assumptions (see How to sharpen the estimate, below). ## What the numbers mean - **Loss** is the whole penalty against a clean new chain. - **Recoverable** is the part you get back with maintenance alone: a clean and a fresh wax or lube. The gap between them is chain stretch, which only a new chain fixes. The **Drivetrain power loss** card leads with the recoverable watts, labelled **Recoverable by cleaning & re-waxing** or **re-lubing** to match your chain, with the total **Loss** underneath. Click the card to expand **What's costing watts**: - **Contamination (dirt & grit)**: usually the biggest and most variable part, and the one cleaning recovers. - **Lubrication state**: how fresh your wax or lube is. It worsens with distance and days since you last lubed. - **Chain stretch**: mechanical wear. Small, and only recovered by a new chain. Below the breakdown you'll see how far and how long it has been since the chain was last lubed, or "Estimated from typical lubrication habits" if Componentry doesn't know yet. ## How to sharpen the estimate **Tell it wax or lube.** A good wax stays cleaner for much longer than most drip lubes, so the model treats them differently. Set the **Waxed** switch on the chain. See [Chains](/docs/components/chains). **Keep the lube reminder going.** The estimate is at its best when Componentry knows when you last cleaned and lubed. That's what the chain's **Lube/Wax chain** reminder records. Mark it complete after you do the job and the estimate restarts from a fresh baseline: it drops straight away, then climbs again as distance and wet rides build up. If the chain has no lubrication reminder, the card suggests adding one. See [Completing reminders](/docs/reminders/completing-reminders). **Record chain stretch.** A chain checker reading logged in a completed service or maintenance check replaces the estimated stretch with your measurement. **Ride with a bike computer.** With fewer than 10 rides from a bike computer, the card shows a **Reduced accuracy** badge and scales the estimate against typical values. Once you pass 10, it reads your own power and conditions directly. When you replace a chain in a service log, its lube reminder moves to the new chain, so the estimate carries on from the right baseline. ## How we built this, and what we don't show The model is grounded in independent laboratory testing of drivetrain efficiency, not marketing figures. That research shaped how we present the number: - The mechanical penalty from a stretched chain is real but **small**, a watt or two at replacement thresholds. The large figures people associate with "a worn chain" come from a chain that is worn, dirty and poorly lubed all at once. We keep those effects separate. - **Contamination and lube state are the big, recoverable levers**, which is why we lead with recoverable watts and with cleaning, not replacement. - A worn chain's most expensive consequence is usually the **cassette** it wears out, not the watts it costs. That's a durability question, handled by the chain's wear tracking and predictions rather than this estimate. The exact formula and coefficients are Componentry's own, and we don't publish them. ## Sources - CeramicSpeed / Friction Facts: Drivetrain Efficiency Test, Old vs. New. - Velo (Dave Rome): lab testing on dirty vs. clean chains. - SILCA: the science of chain efficiency. - Zero Friction Cycling: chain longevity and real-world friction testing. - Park Tool: when to replace a chain, and cassette-life effects. - Spicer et al. (2001), *Journal of Mechanical Design*: bicycle chain-drive efficiency. The mobile app shows the same chip and **Drivetrain power loss** card. - [Personalised Wear Predictions](https://www.componentry.app/docs/predictions/personalised-wear-predictions): Read the Personalised Prediction card and the predictive wear figure on a component. Once predictions are unlocked (see [Unlocking predictions](/docs/predictions/unlocking-predictions)), supported components get a personalised prediction: how far this part will really last on your bike, given how you ride. ## Open a prediction - Open **Bikes** and pick the bike. - In the **Components** card, look for the sparkles badge next to a component's name. - Click the eye button on that row. At the top of the panel, **Replace by** gives the predicted replacement date when it falls within the next two years. Below it, the **Predictive** bar plots the distance ridden against your personalised lifespan, next to the manufacturer's **Distance**, **Duration** and **Time** bars. ## The Personalised Prediction card The card opens collapsed, showing the two figures most riders want: - **Distance remaining**: how much further the component should last on this bike. - **Vs manufacturer**: how its predicted life compares with the manufacturer's rating: a percentage **shorter** or **longer**, or **On par**. Click the card to expand it: - **Predicted replace by**: the date you'll reach the end of its life at your recent riding rate, or **2+ years** when it's further out. - **Adjusted lifespan**: the total distance the part should last for you. - **What's driving wear**: the parts of your riding wearing it faster than average. See [Wear factors](/docs/predictions/wear-factors). - **Confidence**: how much data sits behind the estimate. It rises as you log more bike computer rides. While you're at the **Early estimate** stage, the card carries an **Early estimate** badge. Treat those numbers as a guide to which parts are wearing fast rather than a date to plan around. ## How the prediction feeds the wear figure A component's wear figure is normally the highest of its distance, duration and time wear. With a prediction, the predicted lifespan takes the place of the manufacturer's distance limit. Duration and time limits still apply, and whichever is highest wins. The **Wear Status** heading says which measure is driving it, for example "using Predictive". The component list shows the same figure, and the percentage turns purple when the prediction is the one in charge. ## Why the date moves The predicted date uses your recent riding volume. A big training block brings it closer, and a quiet spell pushes it out. The distance remaining and adjusted lifespan move less, because they depend on how you ride rather than how often. Predictions refresh on their own as new rides come in and whenever you add or edit a component on the bike. ## Components without a prediction - **Unsupported types**, such as the frame, saddle, bar tape or batteries, show "Personalised predictions aren't available for this component type" in their detail panel and keep standard wear tracking. - **Components on a bike with too few recent rides** may show no replacement date until there's enough recent riding to work out a rate. ## Replacing a part When a part is replaced in a [service log](/docs/service-logs/component-retirement-replacement), its replacement starts its own prediction from zero, based on the same riding profile. The mobile app shows the same Personalised Prediction card on its component screen. - [Predictions](https://www.componentry.app/docs/predictions/predictions): How Componentry's predictive modelling estimates when each component will wear out, based on how you actually ride. Manufacturer wear limits assume an average rider. Componentry's personalised predictions look at how you actually ride, including how far you ride each week, how hard, how much you climb and descend, and the weather you ride in, and estimate how long each component will really last on your bike. ## What predictions give you - **Distance remaining** on each supported component, and how that compares with the manufacturer's rating. - **A predicted replacement date**, based on how much you've been riding lately. - **What's driving wear**: the parts of your riding that are wearing the component faster than average. - **Race-Day Readiness**: every component's projected state on the day of an event, and what to replace before it. - **Chain power loss**: the watts your chain's condition is costing you, and how many a clean and re-lube wins back. ## Where you'll see them - **Component list**: a sparkles badge next to a component's name means it has a personalised prediction. When the prediction is the figure driving the wear bar, the percentage turns purple. - **Component details**: open a component with the eye button to see **Replace by** at the top, a **Predictive** wear bar next to the distance, duration and time bars, and the **Personalised Prediction** card. - **Race Day**: a button at the top of each bike page. See [Race-Day Readiness](/docs/predictions/race-day-readiness). - **Advanced insights**: your progress towards the next level of prediction, on the dashboard, the **Apps** page and the **Riding History** cards. Predictions sit alongside the manufacturer figures rather than hiding them. The detail panel always shows the manufacturer's distance, duration and time limits next to the predictive one. See [Personalised wear predictions](/docs/predictions/personalised-wear-predictions) for how the two combine into one wear figure. ## What you need Personalised predictions use the detailed ride data in FIT files from a bike computer: power, cadence and elevation streams. Connect Wahoo, Garmin or Hammerhead from the **Apps** page, or upload FIT files. Strava on its own still tracks your rides and wear, but it isn't enough for personalised predictions. Predictions appear once you have 10 rides from a bike computer and sharpen as you ride more. See [Unlocking predictions](/docs/predictions/unlocking-predictions). Chain power loss and Race-Day Readiness work before that, with lower confidence. ## What predictions cover Predictions cover components whose wear mostly comes from riding: chains, cassettes, chainrings, derailleurs (including cages and oversized pulley wheels), cranks, spiders and pedals, wheels, tires and tubes, brake pads, rotors and calipers, cables, brake fluid and other fluids, and suspension. Parts that wear mostly with age or aren't driven by distance, such as the frame, bar/stem/seatpost, saddle, bottom bracket, bar tape, electronics and batteries, keep their standard wear tracking. Their detail panel says personalised predictions aren't available for that type. ## How they stay current Predictions are worked out for each bike from the rides on that bike, so your gravel riding doesn't skew your road bike's chain. They refresh automatically whenever the bike's wear is recalculated: when new rides come in, when ride weather is added, and when you add or edit a component. A chain's power-loss estimate also refreshes when you change its **Waxed** setting or complete its lube reminder. ## Privacy Predictions are calculated from your own rides. Your ride data stays in your account and isn't shared. The mobile app shows the same predictions, prediction cards and Race-Day Readiness. You can also ask a connected [AI assistant](/docs/ai-assistants/ai-assistants) about them. - [Race-Day Readiness](https://www.componentry.app/docs/predictions/race-day-readiness): Project every component on a bike to an event date and see what to replace before it. Race-Day Readiness answers one question: will this bike's components last until my event, and if not, what do I replace first? Pick a date and a training plan, and Componentry projects each component's wear on that day. ## Open it Open **Bikes**, pick the bike you'll ride at the event, and click **Race Day** at the top of the bike page. Each bike has its own page. Retired bikes don't have one. Race-Day Readiness works on any active bike. It uses the same predictive modelling as your component predictions, so it gets more confident as you log more rides from a bike computer. ## Project your event - **Event date**: pick the day of your race, sportive, tour or trip. It starts about eight weeks out, and any future date works. - **Training plan**: how you'll ride between now and then.- **Normal — keep current volume**: your recent riding carried forward. - **Build — +20% volume**: a block where you ride a fifth more than usual. - **Two-week taper**: normal volume, then half volume for the last two weeks. - **Four-week taper**: normal volume, then half volume for the last four weeks. - **Components**: which parts to include. **All components** covers everything on the bike. If the bike has [profiles](/docs/profiles/profiles), pick the one you'll race on to project just its components plus the parts shared across profiles. **No profile** shows only the shared parts. The menu is greyed out on bikes without profiles. - Click **Project**. Your choices stay in the page address, so reloading the page, or coming back to it from your browser history, projects again against your latest rides. **Reset** clears the projection. ## Read the result ### The headline The top card gives the one action that matters most, for example "Replace your chain before 29 Nov 2026. Everything else looks good." It also shows how many weeks away the event is and how far you're projected to ride before it. ### Status counts Below the headline, every component falls into one of four groups by its projected wear on the day: StatusProjected wear on the day**Good**under 60%**Monitor**60–84%**Replace before**85–100%**Overdue**over 100% ### Component readiness Each component gets a card, most urgent first, with: - its status and a recommendation. For **Replace before**, that's to swap it one to two weeks before the event. - **Projected wear** on the day, and wear **Today** - **Remaining on race day**: the distance it will have left - **Replace by**: the date it's projected to reach the end of its life, when there is one - **Confidence** for this projection Components without a predictive model, such as the frame, saddle or bar tape, aren't listed. ### What we assumed The last card shows the inputs behind the projection: **Components in scope**, **Weekly distance** (from your recent rides), **Volume modifier** and **Taper** from your training plan, **Weather** (mostly dry, mixed, or wet and cold, based on your recent rides), and **Rides on record**, the number of rides with bike computer data. If the weekly distance is well below what you'll actually ride, choose **Build** or check the projection again after a few more weeks of riding. ## Confidence Each card's confidence starts from the component's prediction confidence and drops by about 2% for every week until the event, to a floor of 30%. Projections a month out are much firmer than ones four months out, so check early to order parts, then check again closer to the day. ## What it doesn't do - It projects wear, not breakages. Snapped spokes and sudden bearing failures are out of scope. - It only knows about parts that are recorded. If you've fitted a new chain, record it in a [service log](/docs/service-logs/component-retirement-replacement) so the projection starts from the new one. The mobile app has Race-Day Readiness on each bike too, and a connected [AI assistant](/docs/ai-assistants/ai-assistants) can run the same projection for you. - [Unlocking Predictions](https://www.componentry.app/docs/predictions/unlocking-predictions): What you need to connect, and how many rides it takes, before personalised predictions appear. Personalised predictions unlock in stages as Componentry collects rides with detailed data from a bike computer. This page covers what to connect, what counts as a ride, and what you see at each stage. ## Connect a bike computer Predictions need the detail in a bike computer's FIT file: power, cadence and second-by-second elevation. Strava's activity data doesn't include it, so Strava alone isn't enough. - Open the **Apps** page. - Connect **Wahoo**, **Garmin** or **Hammerhead**. Each of these carries a **Powers predictions** badge. - Import past activities from that provider to build up your ride count faster. You can also upload FIT files from your bike computer on the **Activities** page. See [Activities](/docs/activities/activities). Without a bike computer, everything else keeps working: distance, duration and time-based wear, reminders, service logs, chain power loss (at reduced accuracy) and Race-Day Readiness. ## Ride count stages Componentry counts every ride on your account that has a FIT file, from a connected bike computer or an upload. The count is shared across all your bikes. Rides with a FIT fileStageWhat you see0–9**Getting started**Standard wear only.10–24**Early estimate**Predictions appear on supported components, with an **Early estimate** badge on the prediction card.25–49**Full predictions**The **Early estimate** badge goes and confidence rises.50+**High confidence**The most confident predictions.Each stage raises the confidence shown at the bottom of the prediction card. Stages change automatically as rides arrive. There's nothing to switch on. ## Track your progress The **Advanced insights** card shows your stage and how many rides you have towards the next one, for example **4 of 10 rides**. The count is the same everywhere it appears, including on each bike page, because it covers all your bikes. Once a bike computer is connected but before your first 10 rides, the card says predictions start after 10 rides with ride data. - **Apps page**: the card sits beside your connections. - **Dashboard**: the card appears once you've connected Strava or a bike computer. Click it for an explanation of how predictions work, or dismiss it with the cross. It retires itself once you reach **High confidence**. - **Riding History**: on the **Bikes** page and each bike page, a small **Advanced insights** progress bar links to the **Apps** page. If only Strava is connected, the card reads **Unlock advanced insights** with a **Connect a bike computer** button. ## Multiple bikes The ride count is for your whole account, but each bike's predictions are worked out from the rides on that bike. For them to be right, rides need to land on the correct bike and profile. Pairing your sensors helps. See [Sensors](/docs/sensors/sensors) and [Profiles](/docs/profiles/profiles). ## Troubleshooting **My ride count isn't going up.** Check the provider still shows as connected on the **Apps** page and that the ride has synced to Componentry. Rides that reach Componentry only through Strava don't count, even if they were recorded on a bike computer. Connect the bike computer's own account as well. **I have enough rides but a component has no prediction.** Check the component type is supported. Its detail panel says so if it isn't. See [What predictions cover](/docs/predictions/predictions). **Predictions look off for one bike.** Make sure rides are assigned to that bike and not another. Predictions follow the rides on each bike. - [Wear Factors](https://www.componentry.app/docs/predictions/wear-factors): What the 'What's driving wear' list on a prediction means, and what each factor measures. Every personalised prediction explains itself with a **What's driving wear** list: the parts of your riding that are wearing the component faster than an average rider's would. ## Where to find it Open a component with a prediction (eye button on its row), then click the **Personalised Prediction** card to expand it. **What's driving wear** sits under the predicted date and adjusted lifespan. ## Reading a factor Each line has: - **A label**, such as **Weekly volume**. - **A percentage**: this factor's share of the extra wear. The shares add up to 100%, largest first. - **A detail line** comparing your figure with the baseline, for example "136.2 km/week vs 70.0 km/week baseline (95% above average)". Only factors where you're above the baseline are listed. If you're at or below average on everything, the list doesn't appear and the prediction will be on par with, or longer than, the manufacturer's rating. ## The five factors - **Weekly volume**: how far you ride each week, against a baseline of a typical recreational rider. - **Power / intensity**: how hard you ride relative to a steady baseline effort. - **Climbing load**: how much you climb for each unit of distance. - **Descending volume**: how much you descend for each unit of distance. - **Weather exposure**: how wet, cold and gritty your rides are, from the actual weather at your ride's time and place. ## Why different parts show different factors Each type of component is sensitive to different things: - **Chains and cassettes**: weather exposure first, then intensity and climbing. - **Derailleurs**: weather exposure, then climbing. - **Chainrings**: intensity. - **Brake pads and rotors**: descending, then weather (rim pads and rotors) or intensity (disc pads). - **Brake calipers, cables and fluids**: weather exposure. - **Tires and disc-brake wheels**: weekly volume, then climbing. - **Rim-brake wheels**: weather exposure and descending. - **Suspension**: climbing load, then descending. Which factors actually appear still depends on where you're above average, so the same rider can see intensity at the top of the list for a cassette and descending at the top for brake pads. The same part on two bikes can also differ, because each bike's predictions use the rides on that bike. ## What to do with it The factors explain the rate. They aren't a warning or a score. - **Weather exposure high?** Clean and re-lube the chain after wet rides, and check pads after gritty ones. Keeping the chain's lube reminder up to date also sharpens [chain power loss](/docs/predictions/chain-power-loss). - **Climbing, descending or intensity high?** That's how you ride. Expect to replace those parts sooner than the manufacturer says and let the replace-by date guide you. - **Weekly volume high?** You ride more than most, so parts come round faster. The list refreshes with the prediction, so a wet month or a big climbing block shows up in it. - [Assigning Components to Profiles](https://www.componentry.app/docs/profiles/assigning-components-to-profiles): Put the parts you swap into a profile so they only wear on the rides they were fitted for. Once a bike has profiles, each component either belongs to one profile or to none. That decides which rides it wears on. ## Profile or no profile? **Leave a component with no profile** (**Default (all activities)**) when it's on the bike for every ride: frame, bars, stem, seatpost, groupset, brake pads, cables, bar tape. It wears on every ride on the bike. **Put a component in a profile** when you swap it in and out: wheels, chains, cassettes, or tyres you move with a wheelset. It only wears on rides with that profile, plus rides with no profile while its profile is the bike's default. ## Choose a profile when adding a component When the bike has profiles, the **Add New Component** sheet has a **Profile** field. - On the bike's page, click **Add Component**. - Fill in the component details. - Under **Profile**, choose a profile, or leave **Default (all activities)**. - Save the component. See [Components](/docs/components/components) for the rest of the form. ## Change a component's profile - On the bike's page, click the edit (pencil) button on the component. - Change **Profile**, or set it to **Default (all activities)** to take it out of any profile. - Save. Componentry recalculates the component's wear against its new set of rides straight away: - **Into a profile**: only rides with that profile count, so wear can go down. - **Back to no profile**: every ride on the bike counts, so wear can go up. - **To a different profile**: only rides with the new profile count. ## See which profile a component is in In the bike's component list, a component in a profile has a badge with the profile name next to it. Components with no profile have no badge. The Profiles card also shows how many components each profile has. ## Example: road bike with training and race wheels ProfileComponents**Training** (default)DT Swiss front and rear wheels**Race**Zipp 404 front and rear wheels**Indoor** (tagged Indoor)none: the wheels come off for the direct-drive trainerNo profileFrame, chain, cassette, derailleur, brake pads, bar tapeTraining rides wear the DT Swiss wheels, race rides wear the Zipps, indoor rides wear neither, and everything with no profile wears on every ride. - [Creating and Managing Profiles](https://www.componentry.app/docs/profiles/creating-profiles): Create, rename and delete profiles, set a bike's default profile, and tag a profile for indoor or outdoor rides. Profiles are managed on the **Profiles** card on each bike's page. Open **Bikes**, choose the bike and scroll to **Profiles**. ## Create a profile - Type a name in the name field, such as "Training", "Race", "Indoor" or "Chain A". On a bike with no profiles yet, the field reads **Profile name**; afterwards it sits under the list as **New profile name**. - Optionally choose a **Default activity**: **Indoor**, **Outdoor** or **None**. - Click **Add Profile** (or **Add**), or press Enter. The profile appears in the list with a count of its components. Profile names must be unique on a bike. ## Set the default profile Choose a profile from **Default profile** at the top of the card. It saves straight away and gets a **Default** badge. New rides matched to the bike get the default profile unless a sensor pin or an Indoor/Outdoor tag applies first. Change it when you swap setups, for example when the race wheels go on. Choose **No default** to clear it; new rides then get no profile unless a tag or pin applies. ## Tag a profile Indoor or Outdoor The **Default activity** setting makes a profile claim rides of that type ahead of the default profile. - Set it when creating the profile, or click the settings (cog) button on an existing profile, change **Default activity**, and click the tick to save. - Each bike can have one **Indoor** and one **Outdoor** profile. A type already used on the bike is greyed out. - A tagged profile shows an **Indoor** or **Outdoor** badge. Unless it's also the default, a note underneath reminds you it takes priority over the default profile. Only tag profiles for a real indoor/outdoor split. If all your riding is outdoor, an Outdoor profile receives every ride and the default never applies. For rotations such as Chain A and Chain B, leave every profile on **None** and switch the default. An Indoor profile also helps rides find the bike: if only one of your bikes has an Indoor profile, indoor rides no sensor can place go to that bike. ## Rename a profile - Click the settings (cog) button next to the profile. - Edit the name and press Enter or click the tick. Press Escape to cancel. Renaming doesn't change which components or rides belong to the profile. ## Delete a profile - Click the bin button next to the profile. - Click **Delete** to confirm. When a profile is deleted: - Its components go back to having no profile, so they wear on every ride on the bike. Their wear is recalculated. - Rides that had the profile are treated as having no profile. - A sensor pinned to it goes back to **Auto**. This can't be undone. If you only want a different name, rename it instead. Profiles are listed in the order you created them. - [Profiles and Activities](https://www.componentry.app/docs/profiles/profiles-and-activities): How rides get their profile, how to change it on one ride or many, and what that does to wear. Every ride on a bike with profiles carries one profile, or none. That profile decides which of the bike's profiled components wear on the ride. ## How a new ride gets its profile First Componentry picks the bike (see [Auto-matching rides to bikes](/docs/sensors/auto-matching-rides-to-bikes)). Then it gives the ride the first of these that applies: - **Sensor pin.** The ride was matched through a sensor pinned to a profile. - **Activity type match.** The bike has a profile tagged **Indoor** or **Outdoor** that matches the ride. Strava, Wahoo, Garmin and Hammerhead each describe rides differently; Componentry reduces them all to indoor or outdoor. - **Default profile.** The bike's default profile. - **No profile.** An indoor ride that reached the bike because it's your only bike with an Indoor profile gets that Indoor profile. This applies however the ride arrives: from a head-unit app, a FIT upload, Strava, or a Strava import. ## See and change the profile on a ride - On the **Activities** page, click the ride to open its details. - Under **Bikes**, choose the bike if it doesn't have one. The profile below it fills in the same way as for a new ride: the Indoor or Outdoor profile that matches, otherwise the bike's default. - Change the profile if the ride used a different setup. **No profile** is also an option. - Click **Save Bike**. The profile list only appears for bikes that have profiles. In the activity list, the **Bikes** column shows the first letter of each ride's profile. ## Change the profile on many rides - On the **Activities** page, tick the rides. - Click **Assign Bike** in the bar at the bottom and choose the bike. - Under **Profile**, keep **Auto (match per ride)** to give each ride the profile that fits it (Indoor/Outdoor match, otherwise the default), or pick one profile for all of them. The default is marked **(default)**. - Click **Assign to** *n* **activities**. Re-assigning rides to the bike they're already on, with **Auto**, is a quick way to re-apply profiles after you add an Indoor or Outdoor tag. Choosing **No bike** clears both the bike and the profile. See [Activities](/docs/activities/activities) for more on bulk actions. ## What a profile change does to wear After you save, the bike's wear is recalculated: - Components in the old profile stop counting the ride. - Components in the new profile start counting it. - Components with no profile aren't affected; they count every ride. ## Rides with no profile A ride with no profile counts for: - components with no profile, and - components in the bike's **current** default profile, since a ride without a profile is assumed to have used the default setup. Other profiled components don't wear on it. If the bike has no default profile, only components with no profile count it. Because this follows the current default, changing the default later moves these rides' wear to the new default's components the next time wear is recalculated. ## Common workflows **Swapping setups.** Fit the race wheels, then set the bike's **Default profile** to **Race** before you ride. Switch it back when the training wheels go on. **Forgot to switch.** Open the ride, change its profile and click **Save Bike**. For a week of rides, select them all and use **Assign Bike** with that profile. **Trainer and road on one bike.** Tag one profile **Indoor**. Indoor rides pick it up without you touching the default. - [Profiles](https://www.componentry.app/docs/profiles/profiles): Use profiles to track interchangeable setups on the same bike, so each part only wears on the rides it was fitted for. Profiles let you track more than one setup on the same bike. If you swap between training and race wheels, rotate chains for waxing, or take the wheels off for an indoor trainer, profiles make sure each part only wears on the rides it was actually on the bike for. Without profiles, every component on a bike wears on every ride that bike does. That's right when the setup never changes, and wrong as soon as you swap parts. **Where profiles help:** - **Training and race wheels.** Race wheels that only come out for events shouldn't wear on daily training rides. - **Chain rotation.** Each chain in a waxing rotation should only wear on the rides it was fitted for. - **Indoor trainer.** On a direct-drive trainer the wheels are off the bike, so they shouldn't wear on indoor rides. ## How profiles work ### Components with and without a profile - **Components with no profile** wear on every ride on the bike. Use this for parts that never change: frame, bars, brakes, groupset. - **Components in a profile** only wear on rides that have that profile. Use this for parts you swap: wheels, chains, cassettes. ### The default profile Set one profile as the bike's **Default profile** and new rides get it automatically. Keep it matched to what's on the bike right now, and change it when you swap. A ride with no profile counts as the default setup: components in the current default profile wear on it too. ### Indoor and Outdoor profiles A profile can be tagged **Indoor** or **Outdoor** with its **Default activity** setting. A tagged profile claims rides of that type ahead of the default profile. Use this for a genuine indoor/outdoor split. If all your riding is outdoor, a profile tagged Outdoor gets every ride and your default never applies, so leave rotation setups (such as Chain A and Chain B) on **None**. Each bike can have one Indoor and one Outdoor profile. If only one of your bikes has an Indoor profile, indoor rides that none of your sensors place go to that bike. See [Auto-matching rides to bikes](/docs/sensors/auto-matching-rides-to-bikes). ### Profiles pinned to a sensor A sensor can be pinned to a profile on the **Sensors** page, for example a speed sensor on your race wheel hub pinned to **Race**. Rides matched through that sensor always get the pinned profile. See [Pairing a sensor with a bike](/docs/sensors/linking-device-to-gear#pin-a-profile-to-a-sensor). ### Which profile a new ride gets The first of these that applies: - **Sensor pin**: the profile pinned to the sensor that matched the ride - **Activity type match**: the profile tagged with the ride's type, Indoor or Outdoor - **Default profile**: the bike's default - **No profile**: only components with no profile wear, plus those in the current default profile To check your own setup, click **How profiles work** on the Profiles card. Pick what your next ride is (**Outdoor**, **Indoor** or **No indoor/outdoor data**) and the panel shows which step wins, which profile the ride would get, and which components would wear on it. It also names any sensor pinned to one of the bike's profiles. ## Where else profiles show up - **Activities**: the **Bikes** column shows the first letter of each ride's profile. Filter by a bike and a **Profile** filter appears. - **Race Day**: the **Components** selector projects readiness for one profile's parts. See [Race-day readiness](/docs/predictions/race-day-readiness). - **Mobile app**: create and edit profiles, set the default and Indoor/Outdoor tag, and pick a profile when assigning a ride to a bike. ## Getting started - [Create profiles](/docs/profiles/creating-profiles) on the bike, one per setup, and set the default. - [Assign components](/docs/profiles/assigning-components-to-profiles) you swap to their profile. - Change the default profile whenever you swap setups, or let Indoor/Outdoor tags and sensor pins do it for you. - Fix any ride that got the wrong profile from the ride itself. See [Profiles and Activities](/docs/profiles/profiles-and-activities). - [Reminders on bikes and components](https://www.componentry.app/docs/reminders/assigning-reminders-gear-components): Choose whether a reminder belongs to a bike, one of its components, or nothing, and how reminders follow parts that are replaced or retired. When you create or edit a reminder you choose a **Bike (Optional)** and a **Component (Optional)** on that bike. That choice decides what distance it counts, whether completing it can start a service record, and what happens when the part is replaced. ## Choosing What a Reminder Belongs To Belongs toUse it forDistance countedRides counted**A component**A job on one part: chain wax, bar tape, brake padsThe component's own distanceRides on that component**A bike**A job on the whole bike: brake bleed, bolt check, fork serviceThe bike's total distance riddenRides on that bike**Nothing**A general job, like topping up a workshop supplyNoneNoneTo put a reminder on a component, pick the bike first; the component list then shows that bike's current parts. Retired parts aren't offered. A reminder that belongs to a bike (directly or through one of its components): - shows up when you [filter the Reminders page by that bike](/docs/reminders/editing-deleting-reminders) - offers to record the work as a maintenance check or service log when you [complete it](/docs/reminders/completing-reminders) - appears on that bike's service logs and maintenance checks, so you can tick it off there A reminder with no bike only has time-based rules to go on, and completes straight away without the service prompt. ## When You Replace a Part Replace a component in a [service log](/docs/service-logs/component-retirement-replacement) and its reminders move to the new part when you mark the service completed. They keep the same schedule, with the clock and the distance starting again from the day the new part went on. Names follow the part too: "Old chain: Lube/Wax chain" becomes "New chain: Lube/Wax chain". While a service is still open, the service log warns you when a retired part carries reminders. ## When You Retire a Part Without a Replacement Retire a part with nothing fitted in its place, in a service log or anywhere else, and its reminders are removed with it. Nothing is left attached to a part that is no longer on the bike. Services that already completed those reminders keep their record. ## Lubrication Reminders on Chains When the component is a chain, a **Lubrication reminder** switch appears. Turn it on for a lube or wax job. Each time you complete it, Componentry treats the chain as freshly lubed and recalculates its [power loss](/docs/predictions/chain-power-loss). Without one, the power-loss figure is an estimate based on typical habits. ## Standard Reminders for New Parts When you add a component, Componentry offers the standard reminders for that type, already attached to the new part. See [Creating Reminders](/docs/reminders/creating-reminders). - [Completing Reminders](https://www.componentry.app/docs/reminders/completing-reminders): Tick off a reminder, or turn it into a maintenance check or service log, and see how its next due point is set. Complete a reminder when you've done the job. It moves back to **Scheduled** and counts down to its next due point. ## Complete a Reminder - Select **Complete** on the reminder, either on the **Reminders** page or in the **Reminders** card on **Home**. - If the reminder belongs to a bike, choose how to record the work:- **Maintenance Check**: a quick inspection record. The reminder is completed and linked to the check, and you can add notes and wear readings for the bike's components. - **Full Service Log**: a full service record. The reminder is completed and linked to the log, and the log lists the bike's other open reminders so you can tick those off in the same session. - **Just complete**: ticks off the reminder without creating a service record. Choosing a check or a service log creates it and takes you straight to it, with the reminder already ticked. Reminders that don't belong to a bike skip the prompt and complete straight away. Recording the work as a check or service builds a history you can show a mechanic or a buyer. See [Maintenance checks](/docs/service-logs/maintenance-checks) and [Completing Reminders from Service Logs](/docs/service-logs/completing-reminders-from-service-logs). ## Complete Several at Once Open a service log or maintenance check for the bike and tick every reminder the work covered in its **Reminders** section. Each one is completed and recorded against that service, so the log shows exactly which jobs it took care of. ## When It Comes Due Next Completing starts every rule on the reminder again from that moment: - **Time-based:** the next one falls a full interval from the day you complete it, at the hour you set. Finish a monthly job five days late and the next one is a month from today, not a month from the missed date. - **Distance-based:** the full distance again from where the part or bike is now. - **Activity-based:** the ride count goes back to zero. ## Undo a Completion A reminder that's done for this cycle shows **Undo** on the Reminders page. Select it to put the reminder back in your list as not done. Completing it again counts from the new day; it never skips a cycle. ## Lubrication Reminders Completing a **Lubrication reminder** on a chain, on its own or through a service log, updates the chain's [power-loss estimate](/docs/predictions/chain-power-loss) straight away. ## On Mobile In the Componentry mobile app, swipe a reminder or tap **Mark as Complete**. The same Maintenance Check, Full Service Log or Just complete choice appears for reminders on a bike. - [Creating Reminders](https://www.componentry.app/docs/reminders/creating-reminders): Create a maintenance reminder for a bike or a component, and choose when it comes due. Create reminders from the **Reminders** page. Every reminder needs a name and at least one rule for when it comes due. ## Create a Reminder - Open **Reminders** in the sidebar and select **Create Reminder**. - Enter a **Reminder Name** that says what to do, such as "Check tubeless sealant" or "Bleed rear brake". - Set the **Start Date**. For a time-based reminder this is the day it first comes due. - Choose a **Bike (Optional)**, and if the job is for one part, a **Component (Optional)** on that bike. See [Reminders on bikes and components](/docs/reminders/assigning-reminders-gear-components) for how this choice changes the reminder. - If you picked a chain, you can switch on **Lubrication reminder** for a lube or wax job. - Under **Reminder Schedule**, switch on the rules you want and fill them in:- **Time-based reminders**: a **Frequency** (Daily, Weekly or Monthly), how many to count (**Every**), and the **Hour (24h)** and **Minute** it falls due. - **Distance-based reminders**: how far between each one. - **Activity-based reminders**: how many rides between each one. - Select **Create Reminder**. Time-based reminders are switched on by default. Switch them off if you only want the distance or ride rule. At least one rule has to be on before you can save. A new reminder starts in **Scheduled** and moves up the list as it gets closer to due. See [Reminder schedules](/docs/reminders/time-duration-reminders) for how each rule counts. ## Reminders That Are Set Up for You **When you add a component.** Many component types come with standard reminders, such as "Check chain wear" and "Lube/Wax chain" for a chain or "Check brake pad wear" for brake pads. The add-component form shows a preview and a checkbox to create them. The bike setup wizard has a matching **Auto-create reminders for components that have presets** option. Each one is named after the part, for example "Chain: Check chain wear", and you can edit or delete it like any other reminder. **When you record insurance.** Adding an insurance policy to a bike sets a reminder for the number of days before renewal you choose, repeating every year. See [Bikes](/docs/bikes/bikes). ## Tips - Name the job, not the part. The bike and component already show on the reminder. - One job per reminder. "Service suspension fork" and "Check tubeless sealant" are easier to tick off separately. - For a job you only need to do once, create the reminder and delete it after you've done it. Every reminder repeats. - You can also create reminders in the mobile app, or ask an [AI assistant](/docs/ai-assistants/ai-assistants) to do it. - [Finding, Editing and Deleting Reminders](https://www.componentry.app/docs/reminders/editing-deleting-reminders): Search and filter your reminders, see a reminder's full schedule, change it, or delete it. Everything on this page happens on **Reminders** in the sidebar. Each reminder has five buttons: **Complete** (or **Undo**), pause (or resume), view details, edit and delete. ## Find a Reminder - **Search** matches reminder names, bike names and component names. Type "chain" to find every chain reminder across your bikes. - **Filter by bike**: the button next to the search box starts on **All bikes**. Pick a bike and the page shows only its reminders, with a count such as "Showing 7 reminders for Vincent Ti". Choose **All bikes** again to clear it. The bike filter shows reminders that belong to that bike, including reminders on its components. Reminders that aren't linked to any bike only show under **All bikes**. ## See a Reminder's Details Select the eye button to open **Reminder Details**. It shows: - **Schedule**: when it was created and the next due point for each rule (date, distance remaining, rides so far) - **Associated Equipment**: the bike and component it belongs to - **Repeat Configuration**: only the rules the reminder has, such as its frequency, distance interval or activity interval. A distance-only reminder shows just its distance interval. - **Completion**: whether it is still waiting to be done or already done for this cycle ## Pause a Reminder Pause a reminder you want to keep but don't need for a while, such as a job on a bike that's off the road for the winter. - Select the pause button on the reminder, or **Pause** in its details. - The reminder is marked **Paused** and sits in **Scheduled**. A paused reminder won't notify you or fall due until you resume it. To resume, select the play button on the reminder, or **Resume** in its details. ## Edit a Reminder - Select the pencil button on the reminder, or **Edit** in its details. - Change the name, start date, bike, component or schedule. - Select **Update Reminder**. Saving restarts the reminder's count from now: a distance rule counts its full distance again from where the part or bike is today, and a ride count goes back to zero. ## Delete a Reminder - Select the red bin button on the reminder, or **Delete** in its details. - Select **Delete** in the **Delete Reminder** dialog to confirm. Deleting can't be undone. Services and maintenance checks that already completed the reminder keep their record of it, so your [service history](/docs/service-logs/service-logs) stays intact. You don't need to delete reminders when you replace or retire a part in a service log: they move to the new part or are cleared automatically. See [Reminders on bikes and components](/docs/reminders/assigning-reminders-gear-components). - [Reminders](https://www.componentry.app/docs/reminders/reminders): Set maintenance reminders on a bike or a component that come due by date, by distance ridden or by number of rides. A reminder is a maintenance job that repeats: bleed the brakes every year, check tubeless sealant every three months, wax the chain every six rides. Componentry tracks each one against the calendar and your riding, tells you when it comes due, and moves it on to the next due point when you complete it. ## What a Reminder Can Track Each reminder has one or more rules. It comes due as soon as any of them is reached. RuleComes dueExample**Time-based**Every so many days, weeks or monthsService suspension fork every 12 months**Distance-based**Every so much distance riddenReplace bar tape every 5,000 km**Activity-based** (Beta)Every so many ridesWax chain every 6 ridesA reminder can belong to a whole bike, to one component on a bike, or to nothing at all. Distance is measured on whatever it belongs to. See [Reminder schedules](/docs/reminders/time-duration-reminders) and [Reminders on bikes and components](/docs/reminders/assigning-reminders-gear-components). A reminder on a chain can also be marked as a **Lubrication reminder**. Completing it tells Componentry the chain has just been lubed, which sharpens the chain's [power-loss estimate](/docs/predictions/chain-power-loss). ## How Urgent Each Reminder Is The **Reminders** page (in the sidebar) sorts every reminder into four groups, most urgent first: GroupMeaning**Overdue**A rule has been reached: the date has passed, or the distance or ride count is used up**Due Soon**Within 3 days, about 50 km (30 miles), or 1 ride**Upcoming**Within 7 days, about 300 km (190 miles), or 3 rides**Scheduled**Further away than that, already done for this cycle, or [paused](/docs/reminders/editing-deleting-reminders#pause-a-reminder)Each line on a reminder is coloured by its own rule, so you can see whether it is the date, the distance or the ride count that is pressing. ## Reminders on Your Dashboard The **Reminders** card on **Home** shows your Overdue, Due Soon and Upcoming reminders, most urgent first, with a **Complete** button on each. It shows five at a time; **View All** opens the Reminders page. When nothing is close, the card reads **All caught up!** When a reminder comes due you also get a **New Reminder** notification on the channels you've chosen. See [Notification Types](/docs/notifications/notification-types). ## Reminders Created for You You don't have to set everything up by hand: - When you add a component whose type has standard reminders (chains, tyres, brake pads and others), Componentry offers to create them. - Adding an insurance policy to a bike sets a yearly renewal reminder. - Replacing a part in a service log moves its reminders to the new part. ## In This Section - [Creating Reminders](/docs/reminders/creating-reminders) - [Reminder schedules: time, distance and rides](/docs/reminders/time-duration-reminders) - [Finding, Editing and Deleting Reminders](/docs/reminders/editing-deleting-reminders) - [Reminders on bikes and components](/docs/reminders/assigning-reminders-gear-components) - [Completing Reminders](/docs/reminders/completing-reminders) Reminders work the same way in the Componentry mobile app, and you can also create and tick them off through an [AI assistant](/docs/ai-assistants/ai-assistants). - [Reminder schedules: time, distance and rides](https://www.componentry.app/docs/reminders/time-duration-reminders): How time-based, distance-based and activity-based reminders count down, and how to combine them. A reminder can come due by date, by distance ridden, by number of rides, or any mix of the three. You set the rules under **Reminder Schedule** when you [create](/docs/reminders/creating-reminders) or edit a reminder. ## Time-Based Reminders Pick a **Frequency** of Daily, Weekly or Monthly, and how many of those to count with **Every**: You wantFrequencyEveryEvery two weeksWeekly2Every three monthsMonthly3Once a yearMonthly12**Hour (24h)** and **Minute** set the time of day it falls due, 9:00 by default. The first due date is the **Start Date**. Suits jobs that age with time whether or not you ride: tubeless sealant, suspension and brake servicing, a bolt check, insurance renewal. ## Distance-Based Reminders Enter how far between each one in **Repeat every**, in your own distance unit: the label shows it, for example **Repeat every (km)** or **Repeat every (mi)**. The reminder then shows the distance left in the same unit. If you ride in miles and set up or edited a distance reminder on the web before the end of September 2026, the number you typed was saved as kilometres. Open **Reminder Details** and check its **Distance Interval**; edit the reminder if the figure is wrong. Distance is counted on what the reminder belongs to: - **A component:** that part's own distance, so a reminder on a new tyre starts from the tyre's distance, not the bike's. - **A bike:** the bike's total distance ridden. - **Nothing:** there is no distance to count, so give it a bike or component if you want a distance rule. The reminder shows how much is left, for example "35 km remaining", and becomes due when that reaches zero. Distance goes up as your rides are processed, so a distance reminder moves after each synced ride. Suits wear from riding: chain checks, bar tape, brake pads, tyres. ## Activity-Based Reminders (Beta) Enter how many rides between each one in **Repeat every (activities)**. Each ride processed on the linked bike or component adds one, and the reminder shows progress such as "4 / 6 activities". Activity-based reminders need a bike or component. Suits jobs you do after a set number of rides regardless of their length, like waxing a chain. ## Combining Rules Switch on more than one rule and the reminder comes due on whichever is reached first. "Every 300 km or every 2 weeks" catches both a big week of riding and a quiet one. Its place on the Reminders page follows the most urgent rule. ## What Happens After You Complete One Completing a reminder starts every rule again from that moment: - **Time:** the next one falls a full interval from the day you complete it, at the hour you set. Finish early or late and the schedule moves with you. - **Distance:** the next one is the full distance from where the part or bike is now. - **Rides:** the count goes back to zero. See [Completing Reminders](/docs/reminders/completing-reminders). ## One-Off Jobs Every reminder repeats; there is no one-time option. For a job you only need to do once, complete it when it's done and then [delete it](/docs/reminders/editing-deleting-reminders). - [Auto-matching Rides to Bikes](https://www.componentry.app/docs/sensors/auto-matching-rides-to-bikes): How Componentry picks the bike and profile for each new ride, and how to set it up so you never choose a bike by hand. When a new ride arrives, Componentry picks the bike you rode and the profile it used, then adds wear to the right components. Set it up once and you don't have to choose a bike after each ride. ## How the bike is chosen Componentry works down this list and stops at the first match: - **Your sensors.** A sensor on the ride that's [paired with one of your bikes](/docs/sensors/linking-device-to-gear). For rides that come from Strava, the Strava bike on the ride, if it's [linked to a sensor](/docs/sensors/linking-device-to-strava-bike) paired with one of your bikes. Heart rate monitors and trainers never decide the bike. If the ride's sensors are paired with more than one bike, the sensor most firmly fixed to the frame wins: an electronic groupset, then a power meter, then a speed or cadence sensor. - **Your indoor bike.** An indoor or virtual ride that no sensor places goes to the bike with an **Indoor** [profile](/docs/profiles/profiles), as long as only one of your bikes has one. The ride gets that Indoor profile. If several bikes have an Indoor profile, this step is skipped. - **Your default bike.** Anything else goes to your default bike, if you've set one. If none of these apply, the ride has no bike until you choose one on the **Activities** page. A ride from a head unit whose file couldn't be downloaded is left without a bike rather than guessed. If the download failed for a passing reason, Componentry tries again on its own. ## How the profile is chosen On bikes with profiles, the ride then gets the first of these that applies: - The profile pinned to a sensor on the chosen bike - The bike's profile tagged with the ride's type (**Indoor** or **Outdoor**) - The bike's default profile - No profile See [Profiles and Activities](/docs/profiles/profiles-and-activities) for how each option affects wear. ## Set it up - **Connect your apps.** On the **Apps** page, connect the app for your head unit (Garmin, Wahoo or Hammerhead) so rides arrive with their sensors. Connect Strava too if you want your bike set on Strava. - **Pair one sensor per bike.** On the **Sensors** page, pair a sensor that stays on each bike, such as a Di2 or AXS groupset or a fitted power meter. - **Set a default bike.** Open the bike you ride most, click **Settings**, then **Set as default bike**. Rides nothing else can place go here. - **Tag your trainer bike (optional).** If you ride one bike on an indoor trainer, add a profile with **Default activity** set to **Indoor** on that bike. Indoor rides recorded in a trainer app, with none of the bike's sensors, then land on it. - **Link Strava bikes (optional).** Link each paired sensor to its Strava bike so Strava shows the right bike too. ## Check it's working After your next ride, open **Activities**. The **Bikes** column shows the matched bike, with the first letter of the profile beside it. Open the ride to see or change the bike and profile. ## Troubleshooting **A ride has no bike.** None of its sensors are paired and you haven't set a default bike, or the ride's file couldn't be read. Choose the bike on the ride, or select several rides and use **Assign Bike**. **A ride went to the wrong bike.** A sensor on that ride is paired with a different bike, often one that moved between bikes. When sensors from two bikes are on one ride, the frame-fixed one wins, so a groupset beats a wheel speed sensor. Fix the pairing on the Sensors page, then correct the ride. Pairing changes only apply to new rides. **An indoor ride didn't reach my trainer bike.** Check only one bike has an Indoor profile, and that the ride is marked as indoor by the app that recorded it. A sensor paired with another bike takes priority. **Strava wasn't updated.** See [Setting your bike on Strava automatically](/docs/sensors/linking-device-to-strava-bike#troubleshooting). - [Pairing a Sensor with a Bike](https://www.componentry.app/docs/sensors/linking-device-to-gear): Pair a sensor with the bike it's fitted to, and optionally pin a profile, so new rides are matched to that bike automatically. > Setting up automatic matching for the first time? Start with [Auto-matching rides to bikes](/docs/sensors/auto-matching-rides-to-bikes). Pairing tells Componentry which bike a sensor lives on. From then on, any new ride that records that sensor is matched to that bike, and wear is added to its components. ## Which sensors to pair Pair sensors that stay on one bike: - **Electronic Shifting** (Di2 or AXS groupset) - **Power Meter** fitted to the bike, such as a crank or spider power meter - **Speed Sensor**, **Cadence Sensor** or **Speed/Cadence Sensor** mounted on the bike or on a wheel Leave a sensor unpaired if you move it between bikes, such as power pedals you swap around. If one ride records sensors paired with two different bikes, Componentry goes with the sensor most firmly fixed to the frame: an electronic groupset first, then a power meter, then a speed or cadence sensor. The ride's profile then comes from that bike. Keep each pairing to the bike the sensor is actually fitted to so it never has to choose. Heart rate monitors and trainers can't be paired; they never decide the bike. ## Pair from the Sensors page - Open **Sensors** and click **Edit** on the sensor's card. - Choose the bike under **Pair with Bike**. - Optionally choose a **Profile** (see below). - Click **Update**. The card now shows the bike under **Paired Gear**, and the sensor drops out of the unpaired count in the menu. To remove a pairing, open **Edit** and click **Unlink**, or choose **Unpair sensor** under **Pair with Bike** and click **Update**. ## Pin a profile to a sensor If a bike has [profiles](/docs/profiles/profiles), you can pin one to a sensor. Every ride matched through that sensor then uses the pinned profile, ahead of the Indoor/Outdoor match and the bike's default profile. The classic case is a sensor that only goes on the bike with one setup: a speed sensor on the hub of your race wheels, or a power meter built into one wheelset. Pin it to **Race** and rides with those wheels only wear the race wheels. - In the sensor's **Edit** sheet, pick the bike first. The **Profile** list only offers that bike's profiles. - Choose a profile, or **Auto (use bike default)** to let the bike's usual profile rules decide. - Click **Update**. The bike and profile save together. Changing a sensor's bike clears its pinned profile, because a profile belongs to one bike. Deleting a profile sets any sensor pinned to it back to **Auto**. The bike's **How profiles work** panel names any sensor pinned to one of its profiles. ## Pair from a bike's settings You can also manage sensors from the bike itself: - Open the bike and click **Settings**. - **Paired sensors** lists the sensors paired with this bike. Click **Unpair** to unpair one. - **Pair a sensor** lists bike sensors that aren't paired with any bike. Click **Pair** to pair one with this bike. Heart rate monitors and trainers aren't offered. Pairing or unpairing a sensor here clears any profile pinned to it, so a sensor moved to another bike never brings the old bike's profile with it. Pinning a profile is only available from the Sensors page. The bike's page also shows a **Connected Sensors** card with everything paired to it. ## What happens to past rides Pairing only affects rides that arrive after you pair. Rides already in Componentry keep their bike. To move older rides onto the bike, select them on the **Activities** page and use **Assign Bike**; see [Activities](/docs/activities/activities). ## Troubleshooting **A sensor I use isn't on the Sensors page.** It appears after its first ride arrives as a FIT file from Garmin, Wahoo or Hammerhead, or from **Upload FIT files**. Rides that only come from Strava don't include sensor details. **A ride went to the wrong bike.** Check the pairings of the sensors on that ride (the badges under **Reported Electronics** show the ones that reported a battery level). A sensor that moved bikes is the usual cause. **The ride went to my default bike instead.** None of the sensors on that ride are paired with a bike. See [Auto-matching rides to bikes](/docs/sensors/auto-matching-rides-to-bikes) for the full order. - [Setting Your Bike on Strava Automatically](https://www.componentry.app/docs/sensors/linking-device-to-strava-bike): Link a sensor to a Strava bike so each new ride shows the right bike on Strava, and Strava rides land on the right bike in Componentry. Link a sensor to one of your Strava bikes and Componentry keeps the two in step: - **Head-unit rides update Strava.** When a ride from Garmin, Wahoo or Hammerhead is matched to a bike through that sensor, Componentry sets the linked bike on the same ride in Strava. No editing the activity in Strava afterwards. - **Strava rides find the right bike.** When a ride arrives from Strava with that Strava bike on it, Componentry puts it on the bike the sensor is paired with. ## Before you start - On the **Apps** page, connect **Strava**, plus the app for your head unit (Garmin, Wahoo or Hammerhead). The head-unit app sends the FIT file with your sensors in it; Strava is the account Componentry updates. See [Connecting apps](/docs/activities/connecting-apps). - [Pair the sensor with a bike](/docs/sensors/linking-device-to-gear) in Componentry. Pick a sensor that stays on that bike, such as an Electronic Shifting groupset or a fitted power meter. ## Link a Strava bike - Open **Sensors** and click **Edit** on the sensor. - Under **Strava**, open **Link Strava Bike** and choose the bike. Your primary Strava bike is marked **(Primary)**. The link saves as soon as you choose; you don't need to click **Update**. The sensor's card now shows the bike under **Strava Bike**. To remove it, choose **Unlink Strava bike**. If the list says "No Strava bikes found", add your bikes in Strava first. Bikes you imported from Strava on the **Apps** page are already linked: each comes with a **Virtual** sensor tied to its Strava bike. ## What happens on each ride - Your head-unit app sends the ride to Componentry. - Componentry matches it to the bike paired with the sensor and adds wear to that bike's components. - Componentry finds the same ride on Strava by its start time and distance, ignoring runs, walks or swims uploaded around the same time, and sets the linked bike on it. If your Strava sign-in has lapsed when a ride comes in, Componentry refreshes it and still sets the bike. For a ride that's already in Componentry, **Pair Strava activity** in the ride's details links it to its Strava copy and sets the bike on Strava in the same way. ## Troubleshooting **The ride matched in Componentry but Strava wasn't updated.** Check the sensor's card shows a **Strava Bike**, not only **Paired Gear**, and that Strava is still connected on the **Apps** page. **The ride didn't match a bike at all.** Check a sensor on that ride is paired with a bike, and that the ride appears in **Activities** from your head-unit app. **The wrong Strava bike showed up.** The sensor is linked to the wrong Strava bike, or it's on a different bike from the one it's paired with. Fix the link or pairing on the Sensors page. The mobile app has the same **Strava** option when you edit a sensor under **Settings → Sensors**. - [Sensors](https://www.componentry.app/docs/sensors/sensors): See the sensors on your rides, name them, and pair them with a bike so rides are matched automatically. A sensor is anything your head unit records on a ride: a power meter, speed or cadence sensor, a Shimano Di2 or SRAM AXS groupset, a heart rate strap or a smart trainer. Pair a sensor with the bike it's fitted to and every ride that sensor records is matched to that bike, so wear lands on the right components without you picking a bike after each ride. ## Where sensors come from Sensors appear on their own. Each time a ride arrives as a FIT file (from Garmin, Wahoo or Hammerhead on the **Apps** page, or from [**Upload FIT files**](/docs/activities/uploading-fit-files) on Activities), Componentry adds any new sensor it finds. Rides that only come from Strava don't include sensor details, so they don't add sensors. When you import bikes from Strava on the **Apps** page, each imported bike also gets a **Virtual** sensor that stands in for its Strava bike. That's what lets Strava rides land on the right bike. See [Setting your bike on Strava automatically](/docs/sensors/linking-device-to-strava-bike). ## The Sensors page Open **Sensors** in the menu. Each sensor has a card showing: - **Name** and serial number - **Type**: Power Meter, Speed Sensor, Cadence Sensor, Speed/Cadence Sensor, Electronic Shifting, Virtual, Heart Rate Monitor or Trainer - **Paired Gear**: the bike it's paired with, or **Unpaired** - **Profile**: the profile pinned to it, **Auto** when it follows the bike's usual profile rules, or a dash while it's unpaired - **Strava Bike**: the Strava bike it's linked to, or **Not linked** - **Edit** to pair it, pin a profile or link a Strava bike, and the bin button to delete it The number next to **Sensors** in the menu counts sensors that could be paired with a bike but aren't yet. With the menu collapsed, a dot marks Sensors instead; on a phone, the menu button shows the dot. ### Heart rate monitors and trainers Heart rate monitors and trainers are never used to decide which bike you rode: you wear the strap on every bike, and a trainer can carry any of them. Their cards have no pairing options and they don't count towards the unpaired number. Indoor rides can still find the right bike through an Indoor profile; see [Auto-matching rides to bikes](/docs/sensors/auto-matching-rides-to-bikes). ### Electronic groupsets A Di2 or AXS groupset shows up as **Electronic Shifting**. It stays on one bike, so it's one of the most reliable sensors to pair: rides it records go to that bike even when you move wheels or power pedals between bikes. ## Naming a sensor Your names show on the battery badges on Home and on each activity, and in low-battery notifications, in place of "UNKNOWN" or whatever the device reports. - Open a ride that used the sensor and click its battery badge under **Reported Electronics**. This copies the ID rides use to recognise that sensor. - On the **Sensors** page, click **Add Sensor**. - Enter a **Name**, pick the **Type** and paste the ID into **Serial number**. - Click **Add Sensor**. The next ride that records the sensor is matched to the one you added, so you won't see a second, unpaired copy of it. This also works for sensors you added earlier with a serial number copied from a badge. A sensor's type can't be changed once it's added. If a sensor with that serial number already exists on the Sensors page, you'll see "A sensor with this serial number already exists". ## Deleting a sensor Click the bin button on its card and confirm. If the sensor records on a later ride, it's added again, unpaired. ## In the mobile app Sensors live under **Settings → Sensors** in the mobile app, where you can add, pair, pin a profile and link a Strava bike. Each bike also has a **Sensors** card listing what's paired with it. ## Next steps - [Pairing a sensor with a bike](/docs/sensors/linking-device-to-gear) - [Setting your bike on Strava automatically](/docs/sensors/linking-device-to-strava-bike) - [Auto-matching rides to bikes](/docs/sensors/auto-matching-rides-to-bikes): the order Componentry uses to choose a bike - [Completing Reminders from Service Logs](https://www.componentry.app/docs/service-logs/completing-reminders-from-service-logs): Tick off all of a bike's maintenance reminders from a maintenance check or service log, and keep a record of which service completed them. A service rarely covers just one thing. While the chain is off you also check the pads and top up the sealant. Every maintenance check and service log has a **Reminders** card for its bike, so you can tick off everything the session covered in one go and keep a record of it against that service. ## What the Reminders card shows - **The bike's reminders**: every reminder on the bike, including those on its components, most urgent first. Each row shows what it is attached to, its status (**Overdue**, **Due Soon**, **Upcoming** or **Scheduled**) and how close it is to due in days, distance or rides. Reminders already done for this cycle are marked **Done this cycle**, and paused ones are labelled. The badge at the top counts how many are due. - **Completed in this log**: the reminders completed as part of this service. Everything is offered, not just what is due, because a service often covers work early. ## Complete reminders as part of a service - Open the maintenance check or service log. - In **Reminders**, tick the reminders the service covered. Use **Select all** if it covered everything on the bike. - Choose **Complete reminder** (or **Complete 3 reminders**, and so on). Each ticked reminder is completed straight away, scheduled for its next due point and moved to **Completed in this log**. Completing one early simply restarts its interval. Completion works exactly as it does anywhere else: time-based reminders schedule from today, distance-based reminders from the bike's or component's current distance, and ride-count reminders reset their count. On a back-dated maintenance check, the record keeps the check's date while the next due point is still calculated from today. ## Start a service from a reminder It also works the other way round. When you complete a reminder that belongs to a bike, from the dashboard, the Reminders page or the mobile app, Componentry offers to record the work as a **Maintenance Check** or **Full Service Log**. Either creates the record with that reminder already completed and opens it, so you can tick off anything else the session covered. See [Completing Reminders](/docs/reminders/completing-reminders). ## A permanent record Reminders completed through a service stay on that service's record, even if you later rename or delete the reminder. Over time this answers questions a reminder list cannot, such as when the chain was last waxed and which service did it. Reminders on a part you retire are handled separately: they move to its replacement when the service is completed. See [Retiring and Replacing Components](/docs/service-logs/component-retirement-replacement). The same Reminders card appears on maintenance checks and service logs in the mobile app. - [Retiring and Replacing Components](https://www.componentry.app/docs/service-logs/component-retirement-replacement): Retire worn components inside a full service log, fit their replacements, and keep each part's reminders when it is replaced. Taking a part off a bike happens inside a full service log. That way every retirement records the condition the part came off at, why, which service it was, and what replaced it. For the basics of components themselves, see [Components](/docs/components/components). ## Retire a component and fit its replacement - Open a full service log for the bike, or start one (see [Creating a Service Log](/docs/service-logs/creating-service-logs)). Maintenance checks cannot retire parts; use **Swap to Service Log** first. - Under **Installed Components**, choose the orange retire button on the part. - In **Retire Component**, set **Retirement Condition** with the slider, from **0% (New)** to **100%** worn, or **Broken**. It starts at the part's current tracked wear. - Optionally add a **Note** and **Measurements**, for example the chain's **Chain stretch** or the pads' **Pad remaining**. These are saved as the part's service note. - Choose **Retire Component**. The **Add New Component** sheet then opens, pre-filled from the part you retired: same type, manufacturer and name, and an install date matching the service date. Change anything that differs, such as a new model name, and save. If you are not fitting a replacement yet, close the sheet; the part stays retired. To fit an extra part that replaces nothing, choose **Add Component** at the top of **Installed Components**. ## What the service log shows - The replacement appears under **Installed Components** with a **Replacing …** badge naming the part it replaced. Its wear is calculated from rides after its install date. - The old part moves to **Retired from this Service** with its retirement date, its condition (for example **Condition: 8/10** or **Broken**) and the note and measurements you recorded. - The retirement date is the service's date, so on a back-dated service it matches the replacement's install date. The retired part's distance stops at that date. Change the service's date later and both move with it. - The Service Logs list shows how many components each service retired. ## Reminders follow the part Reminders on a retired part move to its replacement when the service is **Completed**: - The schedule, distance interval and pause state carry over, with the clock and distance reset to the day the new part went on. - Reminder names follow the part name, so "Old chain: Lube/Wax chain" becomes "New chain: Lube/Wax chain". - If the replacement already has a reminder of the same name, for example one of its automatic reminders, that reminder takes on the old settings instead of being duplicated. - A retired part with no replacement loses its reminders. While the service is still **New** or **Booked**, a notice on **Retired from this Service** reminds you that this happens on completion. If the service is already **Completed**, reminders move as soon as you retire or fit the part. When you fit a replacement, **Automatically create reminders for this component** adds the standard reminders for its type, such as chain lubrication and wear checks. See [Reminders](/docs/reminders/reminders). ## Undo a retirement In **Retired from this Service**, choose the green play button on the part and confirm **Reactivate Component**. The part becomes active again, its retirement date is cleared, wear tracking resumes, and it leaves this service's retired list. A replacement you fitted stays on the bike without its **Replacing** badge; retire it separately if you need to. ## Retiring from the bike page The retire button on a bike's component list no longer retires on the spot. It opens **Retire in a service log** and **Start a service log** takes you to a new full service for that bike, where you retire the part as above. Reactivating a previously retired part is still available directly on the bike page. Retiring and replacing components inside a service works the same way in the mobile app. - [Creating a Service Log](https://www.componentry.app/docs/service-logs/creating-service-logs): Start a full service log for a bike, record the service details, add notes and measurements for each component, and attach the invoice. A full service log records one service on one bike: what was done, when, who did it, what each component looked like, and the invoice. This page covers creating one and filling it in. For a quick inspection with no parts changed, use a [Maintenance Check](/docs/service-logs/maintenance-checks) instead. ## Start a service log - Open **Service Logs** and choose **Add Service Log**. - Under **Type**, choose **Service Log**. - Under **Select Bike**, pick the bike. - Choose **Start Service**. The new log opens with the status **New**, ready to fill in. You can also arrive here from two other places: - **Retiring a component from a bike page** opens this dialog with the bike and **Service Log** already selected, because retiring a part now always happens inside a service. See [Retiring and Replacing Components](/docs/service-logs/component-retirement-replacement). - **Completing a reminder** on a bike offers to record the work as a Maintenance Check or Full Service Log. Choosing one creates the record with that reminder already ticked off. See [Completing Reminders](/docs/reminders/completing-reminders). ## Fill in the service details The **Service Details** card holds the record itself: - **Name**: new logs are called "Service Log". Rename it to something you will recognise later, such as "Summer service: chain and rear pads". - **Notes**: starts as "General service". Replace it with what was done and anything you noticed. - **Status**: **New**, **Booked** or **Completed**. See [service states](/docs/service-logs/service-logs). - **Crash Status**: choose **Crash Related** if the service follows a crash. The log gets a red **Crash** badge in the Service Logs list and is marked "Crash-related service" under **Upcoming Services**, so damage repairs are easy to find later. - **Completed Date & Time** and **Completed By**: available once **Status** is **Completed**. Back-date the service if you are logging work done earlier, and record the shop or mechanic. Choose **Save Changes** to store your edits, then **Done** to go back to the list. **Done** only navigates; it does not change the status. The **Bike Details** card shows the bike's installed component count and its highest and average wear, with **View Details** to jump to the bike. ## Add notes and measurements to components Every installed component on the bike is listed under **Installed Components** with its current wear, distance and install date. To record what you found on one: - Choose **Add service note** on the component. - Write a **Note**. - Fill in any **Measurements** offered for that component type:- **Chain**: **Chain stretch**, entered as a whole number straight off your chain checker (a reading of 0.67 is entered as 67), and **Waxed** (on for waxed, off for lubricant). - **Brake pads**: **Pad remaining**. - **Brake rotors**: **Rotor remaining**. - **Tires**: **Pressure**. - Choose **Save**. The note and measurements then show on the component's card in this log. Choose **Edit service note** to change them, or **Delete** in the note dialog to remove them. A reading outside a realistic range is flagged on the field when you save. Notes belong to this service, so you can compare readings on the same part from one service or check to the next. ## Attach receipts and invoices Service logs and maintenance checks have a **Receipts & invoices** card. Drop files onto it or choose **Choose files**. - PDF, JPEG, PNG or WebP, up to 5 MB each and 10 files per service or check. Files that are too large, the wrong type or over the limit are refused with the reason. - Click a file to open it in a new tab. Use the cross beside it to remove it. ## Other things you can do from a service log - Tick off the bike's reminders that the service covered: [Completing Reminders from Service Logs](/docs/service-logs/completing-reminders-from-service-logs). - Retire worn parts and fit their replacements, or add a new component with **Add Component**: [Retiring and Replacing Components](/docs/service-logs/component-retirement-replacement). - Email the record to your mechanic: [Emailing a Service Report](/docs/service-logs/service-reports). ## Deleting a service log Choose **Delete** in **Service Details** and confirm. This removes the log, its component links and its attached files, and cannot be undone. Reminders it completed keep their new schedules. - [Maintenance Checks](https://www.componentry.app/docs/service-logs/maintenance-checks): Record a quick inspection of a bike, with brake, tyre and chain readings, and upgrade it to a full service log when the job grows. Not every trip to the workstand is a full service. A **Maintenance Check** is for looking the bike over and writing down what you found: pad thickness, tyre pressure, chain stretch, whether the chain is waxed. Nothing is retired or replaced, so it takes a minute to record. ## Record a check - Open **Service Logs** and choose **Add Service Log**. - Leave **Type** on **Maintenance Check** (the default) and pick the bike under **Select Bike**. - Choose **Start Maintenance**. The check opens straight away. - In **Check Details**, give it a **Name** (new checks are called "Maintenance Check"), add **Notes** on overall condition, and set the **Date**. The date defaults to now and can be back-dated. - Choose **Save Changes**. A check is always recorded as done, so it has no status, crash flag or **Completed By**. In the Service Logs list it carries a **Maintenance Check** badge. ## Record readings on components Every installed component is listed under **Installed Components**. Choose **Add service note** on a component to record a note and its measurements: - **Chain**: **Chain stretch** as a whole number from your checker (0.30 is entered as 30) and **Waxed**. - **Brake pads**: **Pad remaining**. - **Brake rotors**: **Rotor remaining**. - **Tires**: **Pressure**. Readings appear on each component's card in the check, so from one check to the next you can see how fast pads or a chain are wearing. A check also lists the bike's reminders, so you can tick off anything the inspection covered. On a back-dated check, the reminder is recorded against the check's date. See [Completing Reminders from Service Logs](/docs/service-logs/completing-reminders-from-service-logs). A check has a **Receipts & invoices** card too, for a shop receipt or a photo of what you found. It works the same way as on a full service; see [Attach receipts and invoices](/docs/service-logs/creating-service-logs#attach-receipts-and-invoices). ## Turn a check into a full service If the check turns up work, such as a chain past its limit, upgrade it instead of starting a new record: - Open the check and choose **Swap to Service Log**. - Confirm with **Swap to Service Log**. Your date, notes and component notes carry across. The upgraded log starts as **Completed**, and the check's date becomes its **Completed Date & Time**. It gains everything a full service log has: status, crash flag, **Completed By**, retiring and replacing components and service reports. Any receipts already attached stay with it. The swap is one-way. A service log cannot be turned back into a check. Maintenance checks, including the swap to a full service, are also available in the mobile app. - [Service Logs](https://www.componentry.app/docs/service-logs/service-logs): Record maintenance checks and full services for each bike, with notes, measurements, replaced parts, reminders and invoices in one place. Service Logs is your bike's maintenance history. Each record belongs to one bike and captures what was looked at, what was measured, what was replaced and what it cost. Open it from **Service Logs** in the sidebar. ## Two kinds of record **Maintenance Check****Service Log** (full service)Use it forLooking the bike over: pads, tyres, chain stretchWorkshop visits and jobs where parts come offDateA single **Date**, can be back-dated**Completed Date & Time**, set when the service is completedStatusAlways recorded as done**New**, **Booked** or **Completed**Notes and measurements per componentYesYesTick off remindersYesYesRetire and replace componentsNoYesReceipts & invoicesYesYesCrash flag, Completed By, service reportNoYesA check can be upgraded to a full service log at any time with **Swap to Service Log**. See [Maintenance Checks](/docs/service-logs/maintenance-checks). ## Service states A full service log moves through three states, set with **Status** in **Service Details**: - **New**: you have started planning the work. Nothing is booked yet. - **Booked**: the bike is booked in. The **Service Report** button becomes available. - **Completed**: the work is done. **Completed Date & Time** and **Completed By** unlock, and any reminders on parts you retired move to their replacements. You can move between states in any order, for example straight from **New** to **Completed** for work you did yourself. ## The Service Logs list - Records are grouped by month, newest first. Completed records are placed by their completed date, the rest by the date you created them. - Each row shows the bike, who did the work, how many components were retired, and a badge: **New**, **Booked**, **Completed** or **Maintenance Check**. Crash-related services also carry a red **Crash** badge. - Use the **All Bikes** filter to show one bike's history. - Click a row to open the record. ## Upcoming services on the dashboard Every full service that is **New** or **Booked** appears in the **Upcoming Services** card on your dashboard, with its bike, status and the start of its notes. **View Details** opens the record and **View All** opens Service Logs. When nothing is planned, the card collapses to a single **None booked!** line. ## In this section - [Creating a Service Log](/docs/service-logs/creating-service-logs): start a record, fill in service details, add component notes and measurements, attach invoices. - [Maintenance Checks](/docs/service-logs/maintenance-checks): the quick inspection record, and upgrading one to a full service. - [Retiring and Replacing Components](/docs/service-logs/component-retirement-replacement): take worn parts off, fit replacements and keep their reminders. - [Completing Reminders from Service Logs](/docs/service-logs/completing-reminders-from-service-logs): tick off everything a service covered in one go. - [Emailing a Service Report](/docs/service-logs/service-reports): send the record to your mechanic or yourself. The mobile app has the same records: maintenance checks, full service logs with the New, Booked and Completed states, component notes, retiring and replacing parts, reminders and invoices. - [Emailing a Service Report](https://www.componentry.app/docs/service-logs/service-reports): Email a summary of a booked or completed service, with the bike and its components, to your mechanic or yourself. A service report is an email summary of one full service log. Send it to the workshop when you book the bike in so they know what is fitted, or to yourself as a record of completed work. ## Send a report - Open a full service log whose **Status** is **Booked** or **Completed**. The button is unavailable while a log is **New**, and maintenance checks do not have it. - Choose **Service Report**. - Enter an **Email Address** and choose **Send Report**. The email is sent from Componentry with a subject naming you and the bike. You can send the same report to as many addresses as you like, one at a time. ## What the report contains - **The service**: its name, your name, status, the crash flag if set, your notes, and the completion date and **Completed By** once completed. - **Bike details**: name, model, year, manufacturer and discipline. - **Installed components**: each part with its type, manufacturer, install date and the distance, time and age it has done. - **Components serviced**: the parts retired in this service, with their retirement dates and final condition as a percentage worn (or **Broken**). Distances use your distance unit and dates use your timezone. Component service notes, measurements, completed reminders and attached invoices are not included. Open the service log for those. The report is an email only; there is no PDF download. Service reports are sent from the web app. ## Changelog - [Mobile v3.5.0 - October 23, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v3.5.0-october-23-2026): Connect a ride app and import your bikes and rides in one go, and each setup step now shows what it unlocks Published: 2026-10-23 ## Connect and import in one go - When you connect Strava, Componentry now takes you straight to importing your bikes and then your past rides, in one panel. Garmin, Wahoo and Hammerhead go straight to importing your past rides. - A step counter shows where you are, and you can skip any step and come back to it from the Apps screen. - Before you import rides, Componentry tells you where they will go: to the matching bike, to your default bike, or waiting for a bike if you have none yet. Rides on a bike count towards component wear. - After you import bikes from Strava, Componentry takes you to set up the parts on them. ## Improvements - Each step in "Set up your bikes" now has a gold badge that shows what it unlocks, such as rides that sync automatically or wear tracked for every part. When you finish a step, the badge fills in to show what is now working. - The setup steps have clearer names. For example, "Connect a data source" is now "Connect your ride app", and it lists Hammerhead with Strava, Garmin and Wahoo. - When you finish every step, the confirmation lists everything you unlocked. - The "Import from Strava" button on the add-a-bike step now shows only when Strava is connected. If you use Garmin, Wahoo or Hammerhead, the step offers "Add a bike" instead. - [v0.60.0 - October 23, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.60.0-october-23-2026): Connect a ride app and import your bikes and rides in one go, and each setup step now shows what it unlocks Published: 2026-10-23 ## Connect and import in one go - When you connect Strava, Componentry now takes you straight to importing your bikes and then your past rides, in one panel. Garmin, Wahoo and Hammerhead go straight to importing your past rides. - A step counter shows where you are, and you can skip any step and come back to it from the Apps page. - Before you import rides, Componentry tells you where they will go: to the matching bike, to your default bike, or waiting for a bike if you have none yet. Rides on a bike count towards component wear. - After you import bikes from Strava, Componentry takes you to set up the parts on them. ## Improvements - Each step in "Set up your bikes" now has a gold badge that shows what it unlocks, such as rides that sync automatically or wear tracked for every part. When you finish a step, the badge fills in to show what is now working. - The setup steps have clearer names. For example, "Connect a data source" is now "Connect your ride app", and it lists Hammerhead with Strava, Garmin and Wahoo. - When you finish every step, the confirmation lists everything you unlocked. - The "Import from Strava" button on the add-a-bike step now shows only when Strava is connected. If you use Garmin, Wahoo or Hammerhead, the step offers "Add a bike" instead. - [v0.59.2 - October 22, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.59.2-october-22-2026): The View button on your dashboard's recent rides opens the ride again Published: 2026-10-22 ## Fixes - The View button on a recent ride on your dashboard opens that ride's details on the Activities page. Before, it led to a "page not found" screen. - Older ride links and bookmarks open the ride on the Activities page too. - If a ride link no longer works, for example because the ride was deleted, the Activities page opens with a short message instead of an error. - [v0.59.1 - October 21, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.59.1-october-21-2026): New reminders start open, race-day dates read correctly, and dates follow your local day Published: 2026-10-21 ## Fixes - A reminder you create now starts open, so its button reads "Complete" instead of "Undo". This applies to reminders made by hand, from a component preset, from the bike setup wizard, carried over during a service and created from the mobile app. - Race-day projections show dates as plain text again instead of escaped characters. - The default date on a new reminder and a bike-fit record now uses your local calendar day, not the UTC day. Riders east of Greenwich no longer see yesterday pre-filled in the evening. - The language setting shows your current language for accounts created before the regional variants existed. - The password form clears after a successful change. - [Mobile v3.4.2 - October 19, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v3.4.2-october-19-2026): The app opens straight to your bikes instead of a loading screen Published: 2026-10-19 ## Improvements - The home screen now opens with your bikes, reminders and recent riding straight away. It shows what you saw last time, then updates in place when the latest data arrives. - All the home cards now load at the same time. Before, some cards waited for others to finish first. - Your bike cards and your riding history now each fetch only what they show, so both arrive sooner. - The app starts faster, because it now loads only the language you use. - [Mobile v3.4.1 - October 15, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v3.4.1-october-15-2026): A new bike gets one chain, and a bike with no rides shows its distance chart Published: 2026-10-15 ## Fixes - When you add a bike and pick a setup template, the bike now gets one chain. Before, it could get two. - When you add a bike with no template, the bike now gets one starter chain. Before, it could also get two. - A bike with no rides in the last weeks now shows its distance-per-week chart as a flat line at zero. Before, the chart was not shown on the home bike card or on the Bikes screen. - [v0.58.1 - October 15, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.58.1-october-15-2026): A new chain no longer shows drivetrain power loss before it has been ridden Published: 2026-10-15 ## Fixes - A new chain no longer shows power loss from dirt or old lube before you ride it. When you have not logged a lube yet, the estimate now starts from the day you fitted the chain, not from an assumed mid-cycle lube. - [Mobile v3.4.0 - October 12, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v3.4.0-october-12-2026): Cleats are now a component type, with a one-year life and a six-month wear check Published: 2026-10-12 ## Components - Cleats are now a component type. Search for "Cleats" in the type list when you add or edit a component. - A new set of cleats starts with a life of one year. You can change this when you add them, the same as any other component. - Adding cleats also offers a reminder to check them for wear every six months. Turn the switch off if you do not want the reminder. - [v0.56.2 - October 12, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.56.2-october-12-2026): Garmin rides are syncing again after an outage that started on October 7 Published: 2026-10-12 ## Garmin - Rides recorded on Garmin devices stopped arriving in Componentry on October 7. One activity that we could not read held back every ride sent after it, for all Garmin riders. Componentry now sets an unreadable activity aside and keeps taking in the rides around it. - Rides from October 7 onward that did not arrive are being recovered. If one of your Garmin rides from that period is still missing, you do not need to reconnect Garmin. - [v0.57.0 - October 12, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.57.0-october-12-2026): Cleats are now a component type, with a one-year life and a six-month wear check Published: 2026-10-12 ## Components - Cleats are now a component type. You will find them in the Groupset group, next to Pedals, when you add or edit a component. - A new set of cleats starts with a life of one year. You can change this when you add them, the same as any other component. - Adding cleats also offers a reminder to check them for wear every six months. Untick it if you do not want the reminder. ## Blog - [Best Bike Chain Lube: Wax, Drip Wax and Oil Compared](https://www.componentry.app/blog/best-bike-chain-lube): Which bike chain lube suits your riding? Hot-melt wax, drip wax and wet or dry oil compared on wear, cleanliness and effort, using independent test data. Published: 2026-10-22 | Categories: maintenance, drivetrain | Tags: chain-lube, chain-oil, waxed-chain, drip-wax, wet-lube, dry-lube, chain, drivetrain, lubrication The best bike chain lube depends on where you ride and how much time you will give the chain. For mostly dry roads and a willingness to do a bench routine, hot-melt wax wore chains the least in independent testing. If you want wax without the pot, a wax drip lube is the compromise. For wet, salty or year-round riding where you want a low-effort routine, a wet oil lube works, provided you wipe it down and apply it sparingly. Dry oil suits light, dry, dusty riding, though independent data on it is thin. This guide compares the four types on conditions, durability, cleanliness and effort, then covers how to lubricate a bike chain for each type and how your choice changes re-lube timing and chain wear. We do not name a winning product. The independent data we found ranks lube types far more clearly than individual bottles, and most of it comes from a lube seller, so we say where that matters. ## Wax, Drip Wax and Oil Compared The four common ways to lubricate a chain are hot-melt wax, wax drip lube, wet oil and dry oil. Hot-melt wax means dipping a clean chain in a pot of melted wax. Wax drip lube is a liquid, often water-based, that carries wax into the chain and then dries. Wet oil is a thick lubricant that stays liquid. Dry oil is a thinner lubricant that leaves a lighter film. Hot-melt waxWax drip lubeWet oilDry oilSuitsDry roads, gravel dust, and riders who will re-wax after wet ridesDry or mixed riding where the chain stays on the bikeRain, damp and winter ridingLight, dry, dusty ridingDurabilityAbout 300 to 400 km between re-waxes in dry weather (BikeRadar)About 200 miles in clean conditions for one SILCA productVaries by rider; one tester has seen 200, 400 and 800 km for the same lubeNo independent interval foundCleanlinessDry film, little to pick up gritDry once set, if left to cureCollects grit, especially if over-appliedCollects less than wet oilEffortHighest at first, then low; chain comes off the bikeLow, but needs hours to dryLowest to apply; wipe excess each rideLow ## What Independent Testing Shows About Wear Zero Friction Cycling (ZFC) is an independent tester that runs chains on a real drivetrain, with no cleaning during the main test. Its efficiency runs are done by a separate engineering firm at 370 W then 680 W. Two cautions apply. ZFC also sells lubricant, and its author strongly favours immersive waxing. The figures come from one lab's protocol, so read them as a strong data set rather than a final verdict. Cycling Weekly summarised ZFC's results in December 2023. After 6,000 km of testing in varying conditions, the top three lubricants were all solid waxes, and each left its chain less than 50 percent worn. The three best drip waxes ended between 80 and 133 percent worn. The best wet lube reached 147 percent. A figure above 100 percent means the chain went past its wear limit during the test. ZFC's own key learnings document, uploaded in June 2024, gives the same shape over 4,000 km, which included 1,000 km of dry contamination and 1,000 km of wet contamination: - Hot-melt wax averaged 12.7 percent cumulative wear. - The average of the top five drip lubes was 53.6 percent. - The average of all drip lubes tested was 110.2 percent. The same document says the best chain-coating drip waxes sit only a little behind hot wax in dry dust, at just over 5 percent more wear at the end of the dry block, but fall back once the chain gets wet. It also reports that factory grease wore almost five times as fast as the average top five drip lubes in the clean block, which is ZFC's reason for stripping a new chain before lubing it. Efficiency is a separate question from wear. CyclingAbout summarised lab data from BIKE Magazine in May 2026: the best wax and best oil lubes often differ by less than a single watt, and a poor lube such as a new chain's factory coating can cost 5 to 6 W more at low power. In that same lab, hot waxes lost about 1 W more than the best drip waxes at low power. CyclingAbout notes the drip and hot results came from separate tests, so they are not directly comparable. ZFC's own page concedes that for a single event on a well-prepped chain, some drip lubes can be as fast as immersive wax or slightly faster. ## Best Bike Chain Lube by Riding Conditions Choose for the conditions you ride in most often, not the best day of the year. ### Mostly dry roads or gravel dust Hot-melt wax has the best wear record in the data above. ZFC's guidance is that wax lubes resist dry dust far better than wet lubes, and that wet lubes and off-road riding are a poor match, because every particle of dust sticks to a wet chain and becomes part of the lubricant. If you ride gravel or dusty trails, that points away from wet oil. A wax drip lube is the lower-effort choice here. Park Tool describes dry oil as picking up less dirt in dry, dusty climates, but ZFC reports that traditional dry lubes contain too little lubricant and wear fast, so dry oil is the weakest-supported option in this group. ### Wet or mixed riding Water carries grit deep into the chain, and no lube prevents that. ZFC says the useful question in the wet is how quickly you can reset the contamination afterwards. A waxed chain is easy to reset: take it off, strip it and re-dip it. BikeRadar warns that a waxed chain in a wet climate needs re-waxing, or at least cleaning and drying, right after a wet ride to prevent corrosion. Park Tool describes wet oil as high-viscosity lube that performs well in humid or rainy climates. ZFC adds that wet lubes made for wet weather last, but wear starts rising from the first kilometre. ### Winter and heavy wet riding, several times a week Silca, a wax seller, still recommends its Synergetic oil for riders who are out three to four times a week in wet UK conditions, according to Cycling Weekly. ZFC also suggests keeping spare waxed chains on rotation, so a chain from a wet ride can be stripped and re-waxed while another one is on the bike. See our [re-waxing guide](/blog/waxed-chain-intervals) for how wax intervals shorten in the wet. ### Race day or a long event Drip wax needs time to set. Cycling Weekly says it needs 12 to 24 hours to solidify, so it is a poor match for topping up mid-ride on an ultra-distance event. Apply the night before. ## How to Lubricate a Bike Chain, Type by Type Every method starts with a clean chain. For a new chain, strip off the factory grease first. For a used chain, [clean it before you lube](/blog/how-to-clean-a-bike-chain). Never mix families: BikeRadar says oil added to a waxed chain makes a paste that traps contamination and raises friction and wear. ### Hot-melt wax - Degrease the chain until it is clean. BikeRadar notes a new chain usually needs two or three solvent baths, and that this step is the biggest hassle. - Melt the wax in a slow cooker. BikeRadar puts melting at 30 to 45 minutes and says the wax should not exceed 93 degrees C (200 degrees F). - Submerge the chain, then lift it out and let it dry for about 20 minutes. - Flex each link to break the wax, refit the chain and ride. To refresh a waxed chain between full cleans, SILCA says to wipe it and dip it back in the pot for 5 to 10 minutes. ### Wax drip lube - Start from a clean, dry chain. - SILCA says to put the chain in the largest chainring and cog, apply two drops per link or a steady stream while back-pedalling, then back-pedal 10 to 12 full revolutions. ZFC's guide says one drop per roller on the lower run, then at least ten back-pedal turns in the biggest and smallest gears. - Wipe the outside of the chain thoroughly with a microfibre cloth. - Leave it to set. SILCA says at least 12 hours, and 24 hours for best results. Cure time is longer in cold or humid weather, according to ZFC. ### Wet or dry oil - Apply one drop to each roller on the lower run of the chain. - Back-pedal at least ten times to work the lube in. - Wipe off the excess thoroughly. ZFC says over-application is the main problem with wet lubes, because a wet outer chain attracts more contamination. - Wipe the chain after each ride, or at least before the next lube. ZFC suggests a little isopropyl alcohol on the cloth if you ride in abrasive dust. ## How Lube Choice Changes Wear and Re-Lube Timing Most distance figures below come from people who sell lube, so treat them as starting points. For hot-melt wax, SILCA says its Secret Chain Blend typically needs a new application after about 300 miles of clean road riding, and its Super Secret drip lube about every 200 miles. BikeRadar's author suggests re-waxing every 300 to 400 km in dry weather, or after a wet ride. Cycling Weekly reports a typical range of 300 to 500 km for solid wax across manufacturers. For wet oil, ZFC says the interval is personal: the same lube could last 400 km for one rider, 200 km for another and 800 km for a third. Re-apply when the chain starts to sound and feel dry, and err on the side of re-lubing before a long ride, then wipe off the excess. Our [intervals guide](/blog/waxed-chain-intervals) goes deeper on wax. Whatever you use, measure the chain. Park Tool's replacement points are 1.0 percent wear for single-speed chains, 0.75 percent for 10-speed or fewer and 0.5 percent for 11-speed or more, and it says to defer to the chain maker's figure if it differs. A chain used beyond its limit wears the cogs and chainrings early. ZFC's advice is the same: replace by 0.5 percent. Our guides on [when to replace a bike chain](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain) and [measuring chain stretch](/blog/chain-stretch-measurement-guide) show how, and [the cost of a worn drivetrain](/blog/cost-of-worn-drivetrain) shows why it matters. A good lube slows wear but does not stop it. ## Frequently Asked Questions **What is the best bike chain lube?** There is no single best lube for every rider. Independent wear testing favours hot-melt wax for dry riding, wax drip lube as a lower-effort alternative, and wet oil for wet, salty or low-effort riding. Pick the type for your conditions first, then the product. **Is wax better than oil for a bike chain?** In ZFC's testing, yes for wear: top waxes left chains under 50 percent worn after 6,000 km, while the best wet lube reached 147 percent. Efficiency is much closer, often under a watt between the best wax and best oil. Wax costs you more setup and care, and wet weather shortens its life. **Can you put oil on a waxed chain?** Not without stripping it first. BikeRadar warns that wax and oil form a paste that traps contaminants and increases friction and wear. **How do you lubricate a bike chain?** Clean the chain, apply a drop to each roller on the lower run, back-pedal to work it in, then wipe off the excess. Wax drip lube also needs hours to set before you ride. Steps for each type are above. **How often should you lube a bike chain?** It depends on the type and the conditions. Wax is re-applied by distance, around 300 miles for SILCA's hot-melt wax on clean roads. Oil is re-applied when the chain sounds or feels dry. **Is WD-40 a chain lube?** Park Tool says household penetrating oil is not an ideal chain lubricant and should not be relied on for regular chain lubrication. ## How Componentry Helps You Track Chain Lube and Wear Lube timing depends on distance and conditions, which is exactly what a ride log holds. In Componentry you log each lube or wax as a maintenance event, set the distance you want between applications, and the app counts the distance from your synced Strava, Garmin or Wahoo rides. You get a reminder before the interval is up, so you re-lube on your riding rather than on a guess. Each chain keeps its own history, so a waxed chain and an oiled chain you swap between are tracked separately, and wear on the chain is tracked toward the point where it should be replaced. ## Recommended Resources & Further Reading **Technical Data:** - [Zero Friction Cycling: Key Learnings from Lubricant Testing, v2](https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Key-Learnings-from-Lubricant-Testing-2.3b.pdf), independent wear data and conditions guidance, from a tester that also sells lube - [Zero Friction Cycling: How to apply wax or wet drip lubricants](https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/How-to-apply-Wax-or-Wet-Drip-lubricants-v2.pdf), application steps - [Cycling Weekly: Should you be waxing your chain?](https://www.cyclingweekly.com/products/should-i-be-waxing-my-chain), a summary of ZFC wear results - [CyclingAbout: The 10 Fastest Wax Chain Lubes](https://www.cyclingabout.com/fastest-wax-chain-lubes-according-to-science/), efficiency data with comparability caveats - [BikeRadar: How to wax your own chain](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/how-to-wax-a-chain), step-by-step waxing and timings - [SILCA: How to Maintain a Waxed Chain](https://silca.cc/blogs/silca/how-to-maintain-a-waxed-chain) and [How to Apply Chain Lube](https://silca.cc/en-au/pages/how-to-apply-chain-lube), vendor guidance - [Park Tool: Guide to Bicycle Lubricants and Compounds](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/the-park-tool-guide-to-bicycle-lubricants-and-compounds), wet and dry lube basics - [Park Tool: When to Replace a Worn Chain](https://www.parktool.com/en-int/blog/repair-help/when-to-replace-a-chain-on-a-bicycle), wear thresholds **Componentry Reading:** - [What Is a Waxed Chain?](/blog/what-is-a-waxed-chain), cost, benefits and who should skip it - [How Often to Re-Wax Your Bike Chain](/blog/waxed-chain-intervals), intervals by wax type - [How to Maintain Your Bike Chain](/blog/chain-maintenance-guide), cleaning, lubrication and replacement - [The Friction Tax: How Chain Wear Costs You Watts](/blog/friction-tax-chain-wear), what friction costs you - [Why Bike Brakes Squeal and When It Means Worn Pads](https://www.componentry.app/blog/bike-brakes-squealing): Bike brakes squealing? Causes from contamination to bed-in, glazed pads, rotors and wet weather, the fix for each, and how to tell whether the pads are worn. Published: 2026-10-22 | Categories: maintenance, safety | Tags: bike-brakes-squealing, disc-brakes-squeal, squeaky-bike-brakes, brake-pads, disc-brakes, rim-brakes, bike-maintenance Bike brakes squealing usually means something is on the braking surface, or the pad and the rotor or rim are not meeting cleanly. Shimano puts it this way, as quoted by road.cc: squealing brakes usually come from grease or oil on the pad, rotor or rim, or from misaligned contact between the braking surfaces, and new pads need to bed in. Water and dirt can cause temporary noise, and a bent rotor or a misaligned caliper can cause it too. Worn pads can make noise, but squeal alone does not prove the pads are worn. Thickness is the test, and our guide on [when to replace brake pads](/blog/when-to-replace-brake-pads) has the maker limits. This guide helps you work out which cause you have and what to avoid. ## Why Do My Bike Brakes Squeal? Causes and Fixes at a Glance The table lists the usual causes for disc brakes, with the fix that Park Tool, SRAM, Shimano and other maintenance sources give for each. Start with the cheapest checks. CauseFixSourceNew pads or rotors not bedded inRun the bed-in procedure: repeated firm stops from speed, down to walking paceSRAMWater or dirt on the rotorClean the rotor with isopropyl alcoholSRAMOil or grease on pads or rotorFind the source, clean the rotor, and replace oily padsPark Tool, SRAM, ShimanoGlazed or unevenly worn padsSand the surface of the pads, or replace them if they are too far goneroad.cc, iFixitRotor condition: bent, or carrying an old layer of different pad materialStraighten a bent rotor carefully; fit new rotors when you change pad compoundroad.cc, SRAMMisaligned caliperLoosen the caliper bolts, squeeze the lever, and retightenroad.cc, ShimanoWet weatherExpect some noise; wipe the rotor with isopropyl alcohol if it starts suddenlyBikeRadar, SRAMWorn padsMeasure the pad and replace it if it is at the limitPark Tool, BikeRadar ## New Pads That Squeal: Bed-In If the noise started right after you fitted new pads or rotors, suspect bed-in first. SRAM describes bed-in as depositing an even layer of pad material onto the braking surface of the rotor, which it says gives power, consistency and quiet braking. Its guide adds a warning: > "Every time you install new brake pads and rotors, bed-in must be repeated. Skipping bed-in will reduce your system's power and increase the chance of brake noise." [SRAM: Brake Service Guide](https://www.sram.com/en/learn/brake-welcome-guide/brake-service-guide) SRAM's procedure for its road brakes goes like this. Stay seated and do not lock the wheels at any point. - Accelerate to a moderate speed, then firmly apply the brakes until you are at walking speed. Repeat approximately twenty times. - Accelerate to a faster speed, then very firmly apply the brakes until you are at walking speed. Repeat approximately ten times. - Allow the brakes to cool before any more riding. SRAM also says the caliper may need to be re-centered afterwards. These steps are SRAM's, so follow your own brake maker's instructions if you have another brand. Our guide on [how to change disc brake pads](/blog/how-to-change-disc-brake-pads) covers the fitting side. ## Contamination: The Most Common Cause Contamination is the cause that sources name most often. road.cc says the most common cause of disc brakes squealing is contamination of the rotor or pads. Park Tool lists squeal among the problems contaminated pads can cause: > "Contaminated pads may cause problems such as a squeal, extra effort at the lever to slow down, or a darkness on the rotor and pads that smears when rubbed with a finger." [Park Tool: Disc Brake Pad Removal & Installation](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/disc-brake-pad-removal-installation) Park Tool also says to look for the source, and names overspray from aerosol lubricants and a leak in the hydraulic system as common ones. Chain lube drifting onto the rotor belongs on that list, and iFixit says to take care that no chain oil reaches the rotor. ### Cleaning a Contaminated Rotor SRAM's advice for brakes that were quiet and then started to squeal is to clean the rotors with isopropyl alcohol. SRAM's service guide adds a clean rag to that and says to try it before resorting to replacement. iFixit adds a point that is easy to miss: after cleaning, do not handle the braking surface, because the oils from your skin can cause contamination. BikeRadar gives the same warning about pads. ### Pads That Are Soaked Contamination can spread from the rotor to the pads. iFixit says lingering surface contamination embeds into the pads themselves, and that often the contaminants are too embedded to remove. Its conclusion is that replacing the pads should fix the issue. Shimano, again via road.cc, says that if the grease has soaked through the pad, you might need to replace it. SRAM goes further for noise that persists: replace the pads and the rotors and repeat the bed-in. Park Tool's list of reasons to replace pads is short: worn out, contaminated, or to change pad material. Contaminated pads are a replacement job, not a thickness question. If the hydraulic system is leaking, fix the leak first, or the new pads will soak up the same fluid. Our [hydraulic fluid guide](/blog/hydraulic-fluid-lifecycle) explains the fluid side. ## Glazed and Unevenly Worn Pads Glazing and uneven wear are problems with the pad surface. road.cc says a bit of scrubbing with sandpaper can remove the top layer of residue and any glazing, and that this often works reasonably well, but if the pad is in a bad state you might have to buy new ones. iFixit describes the same reset by sanding, and says that if the pads are too far gone, with one much more worn than the other, new pads are the safest option. iFixit adds that uneven pads can point to an alignment issue or a sticky piston in the caliper, so sanding a pad without asking why it wore unevenly may only delay the noise. SRAM describes a piston massage procedure for pistons that are not moving freely. ## Rotor Condition and Caliper Alignment If the pads are clean and bedded in, look at what they bite on and how they meet it. - A bent rotor. road.cc notes that disc rotors can bend quite easily, for example in a car or on a plane, and can be straightened with careful use of an adjustable spanner or a professional tool. - A layer of the wrong pad material. SRAM says that if you switch brake pad compounds you should fit new rotors, because the old rotor keeps a layer of the previous pad material, which can create noise and reduce performance. - A caliper that is not square to the rotor. Shimano says that if your brakes judder and squeal, there is a good chance they are not meeting the rotor correctly. road.cc gives the fix: loosen the two caliper bolts, squeeze the brake lever, then tighten the bolts so the caliper sits centrally with equal clearance either side. ## Squeal in the Wet Some noise in wet weather is normal. BikeRadar says it is normal for some noise in the wet, and SRAM says water or dirt temporarily on the rotors can cause noise. If the brakes were quiet in the dry and squeal after a wet ride, a rotor wipe with isopropyl alcohol is the first step SRAM gives. If the noise is still there in dry weather, work back through the causes above. ## How to Tell Worn Pads From Other Causes Worn pads are one cause on the list, and the way to confirm them is by measuring, not by listening. BikeRadar says an ear-scraping howl when braking in the dry, low-power braking or excessive lever travel can all be symptoms of worn out or contaminated pads. The same noise can come from worn or contaminated pads, so sound alone cannot separate them. Three checks tell them apart: - Look at the pads through the caliper with the wheel off, and measure what is left. Our guide on [when to replace brake pads](/blog/when-to-replace-brake-pads) explains the thickness limits that SRAM and Shimano give and how to check them. - Look at the rotor and pads for an oily smear or dark patches. Park Tool says contaminated parts leave a darkness that smears when rubbed with a finger. - Think about what changed. New pads point to bed-in. A recent chain lube, aerosol spray or wet ride points to contamination. If the pads are thin, replace them and clean the rotor at the same time. ## What Not to Do - Do not spray lubricants near disc brakes. road.cc says it is probably best to avoid using spray lubes anywhere near a bike with disc brakes, and Park Tool names aerosol overspray as a common contamination source. - Do not put degreaser or chemicals on the pads. Shimano says, as quoted by road.cc, not to use a degreaser or chemicals on brake pads. Rotors and rims get an oil-free disc brake degreaser or isopropyl alcohol; pads do not. - Do not touch the rotor or pads with bare hands. BikeRadar and iFixit both say skin oils can contaminate them. - Do not ride on pads that are worn through. Chasing the noise while the backing plate approaches the rotor costs a rotor. - Do not ignore a fluid leak. Park Tool lists a leak in the hydraulic system as a source of contamination. Chain lube is a regular culprit. Our [best bike chain lube guide](/blog/best-bike-chain-lube) and [how to clean a bike chain](/blog/how-to-clean-a-bike-chain) cover the drivetrain side. ## Rim Brakes: Toe-In and Clean Surfaces Rim brakes squeal for related reasons, with one extra fix. road.cc names contamination from enthusiastic chain lubing or oil picked up from wet roads, and says to clean the rims with a degreaser. It also says glazed or unevenly worn blocks can be smoothed with sandpaper or a file, and that worn blocks need replacing; most have wear indicators. Park Tool explains the other cause for rim brakes: > "Squeal is a flexing back and forth of the brake caliper on the rim surface, creating a resonance." [Park Tool: Dual Pivot Brake Service](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/dual-pivot-brake-service) The fix is toe: Park Tool describes setting the pad so its front edge strikes the rim first, which tends to reduce squeal. Its advice is to ride first, and if the brake does not squeal, toe is not required. ## When to Stop Riding and See a Shop A squeal that goes away after a rotor wipe or a few stops needs no more attention. Stop riding and get a shop check if any of these apply: - You hear grinding rather than squealing. BikeRadar says pads worn down to the backing plate destroy rotors very quickly, so look before you ride on. - The brake feels weaker. Park Tool lists extra effort at the lever as a sign of contaminated pads, and BikeRadar lists low-power braking and excessive lever travel. - There is any sign of fluid around the caliper or hose. - The noise comes back soon after a clean, with new pads and rotors fitted. SRAM's guidance for persistent noise is to replace the pads and rotors and repeat the bed-in. If you are not confident doing that, a shop can do it quickly. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Why do my bike brakes squeal?** Contamination and poor contact are the usual causes. Shimano says grease or oil on the pad, rotor or rim, misaligned braking surfaces, or pads that have not bedded in are the common reasons. **Why do disc brakes squeal?** road.cc says the most common cause is contamination of the rotor or pads. Other causes are new pads that have not bedded in, a bent rotor, a misaligned caliper, and glazed pads. **Why do my bike brakes squeal when it rains?** BikeRadar says some noise in the wet is normal, and SRAM says water or dirt on the rotors can cause noise temporarily. If it continues after the rotor dries, check the other causes. **Do squeaky bike brakes mean the pads are worn?** Not by themselves. BikeRadar lists a howl when braking in the dry as a symptom of worn or contaminated pads. Measure the pads to know. **Can you clean contaminated disc brake pads?** Sources disagree on how well. Shimano says you can try sandpaper on the pads but that soaked pads may need replacing, and iFixit says embedded contaminants often keep the squeak, so replacement should fix it. Replace oily pads rather than relying on a clean. **How do I stop new brake pads squealing?** Bed them in. SRAM's procedure uses repeated firm stops from speed down to walking pace, then lets the brakes cool. ## How Componentry Helps You Keep Brake Maintenance on Schedule Componentry syncs your rides from Strava, Garmin and Wahoo and adds the distance to the components on the bike you rode. You can add a reminder to a bike or a component, by distance or by time, so a pad and rotor check comes up on a schedule instead of when something starts to squeal. When you fit new pads or rotors, log a service on the component. Each component keeps its own history, so when a brake starts to make noise you can see what was fitted, when, and how far the bike has gone since. ## Recommended Resources & Further Reading **Technical Data:** - [Park Tool: Disc Brake Pad Removal & Installation](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/disc-brake-pad-removal-installation), contamination signs and sources - [Park Tool: Dual Pivot Brake Service](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/dual-pivot-brake-service), rim brake toe and squeal - [Park Tool: Linear Pull Brake Service](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/linear-pull-brake-service), setting toe on linear pull brakes - [SRAM: Disc Brake Troubleshooting](https://www.sram.com/en/learn/disc-brake-troubleshooting), noisy brakes and the bed-in procedure - [SRAM: Brake Service Guide](https://www.sram.com/en/learn/brake-welcome-guide/brake-service-guide), rotor cleaning and compound changes - [road.cc: Stop your bike brakes squeaking and squealing](https://road.cc/content/feature/how-stop-your-brakes-squealing-188504), Shimano advice for rim and disc brakes - [BikeRadar: How to change the disc brake pads on your bike](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/how-to-change-the-disc-brake-pads-on-your-bike/), symptoms and contamination warnings - [iFixit: Bicycle Disc Brakes Squeaking](https://www.ifixit.com/Wiki/Bicycle_Disc_Brakes_Squeaking), causes and fixes **Componentry Reading:** - [When to Replace Brake Pads](/blog/when-to-replace-brake-pads): the thickness limits - [How to Change Disc Brake Pads](/blog/how-to-change-disc-brake-pads): the fitting steps - [Hydraulic Brake Fluid Lifecycle](/blog/hydraulic-fluid-lifecycle): the fluid side of the system - [Bike Tune-Up Checklist](/blog/bike-tune-up-checklist), [Quick Maintenance Check](/blog/quick-maintenance-check) and [Basic Bike Maintenance at Home](/blog/basic-bike-maintenance-at-home): the wider routine - [Carbon Frame Lifespan: How Long It Lasts and How to Check It for Damage](https://www.componentry.app/blog/carbon-bike-frame-lifespan): How long do carbon bike frames last? No fixed number applies. Impact, over-tightened bolts and heat end them, not fatigue. Here is how to check a frame, and when to retire it. Published: 2026-10-22 | Categories: maintenance, guide | Tags: carbon-frame, carbon-frame-lifespan, frame-damage, bike-safety, carbon-fibre No maker publishes a fixed lifespan for a carbon frame. Carbon does not wear out through use the way a chain does, so a well-built frame that is never crashed or over-tightened has no known end date. What ends carbon frames is damage: impacts, crushed clamp areas and hidden cracks. How long a frame lasts is mostly a question of how well you check it. Pages that rank for this question quote anything from 5 to 20 years. We found none that cite a test behind the number. This guide skips the guess. It covers what harms a carbon frame, how to check one, and when to repair or retire it. For how frame materials compare, and what a bike's other parts do to its lifespan, see our guide to [how long a bike lasts](/blog/how-long-does-a-bike-last). ## How Long Do Carbon Bike Frames Last? Carbon fibre has a good fatigue life. Calfee Design, a carbon frame builder, says carbon offers a better fatigue life than steel, titanium or aluminium in its technical white paper, which we cover in the [bike lifespan guide](/blog/how-long-does-a-bike-last). Every frame sold today also has to pass a fatigue test before it reaches a shop. So age alone is not a reason to retire a carbon frame. Roadman Cycling's care guide, updated in July 2026, says the same: the main risks are sudden impact damage and over-tightened bolts, not gradual fatigue. Its list of reasons not to retire a frame includes age by itself, forum opinion and a low-speed drop that passes a three-step check. That does not make carbon indestructible. The same stiff, light layers that make a frame efficient can separate inside when something hits them hard, and that damage can be invisible. ## What Actually Ends a Carbon Frame These are the causes worth guarding against: - **Impacts.** Trek says carbon "could break or it could conceal damage from the naked eye." A frame that looks normal after an impact is not shown to be safe. - **Crushed clamp areas.** Over-tightening a seatpost clamp, stem or bottle cage bolt can crack or crush the layers under it. Roadman names this as the second main risk. - **Repeat damage.** A frame that was hit once and never checked, or a repaired area that is hit again, is the case a specialist is most likely to condemn. - **Heat.** Resin softens when it gets hot. We found no bike maker's published temperature limit. Roadman says a car boot can reach 60 to 70 degrees Celsius and says resin used in frames resists far higher temperatures. The author gives no source for either figure, so treat them as an estimate. Keeping the bike out of a hot closed car is cheap insurance. ## When to Stop Riding and Have the Frame Checked Trek's carbon care page lists the events that should end a ride and start an inspection: - Hitting a kerb, guardrail, pothole or parked car. - An object caught in the front wheel that stops the bike suddenly. - Being hit by a car or van. - A crash after which the bike does not feel or sound right. - The bike hitting a garage lintel while on a roof rack. Trek's instruction is to stop riding, take the bike to an authorised retailer, and replace the frame or part if there is any doubt about it. Check your own maker's guidance too. ## How to Check a Carbon Frame for Damage A home check is a first screen, not a verdict. Roadman describes three steps, and they work in this order. - **Clean the frame and look in good light.** Dirt hides cracks. Check the head tube, bottom bracket area, seat tube junction and chainstays, plus the area around any scuff. A paint chip can hint at a crack under it. - **Run the tap test.** Tap along each tube every few centimetres with a coin and listen. Start on a section you know is fine to learn the tone. A clear ring is reassuring. A dull thud can mean the layers have separated. Roadman says a clear tap means that point is probably fine, not certainly fine. - **Press along the tubes.** Push firmly and feel for a soft spot or give. The limits matter. Ruckus Composites, a carbon inspection and repair shop in Portland, Oregon, notes that both sight and sound checks are subject to human error. It uses an ultrasonic gauge, which can find internal delamination without cutting the frame open. A shop with that equipment is the next step if anything looks, sounds or feels wrong, and after any high-speed crash or vehicle impact. ## What a Professional Check and Repair Cost Prices come from US shops and vary by region: ServiceFigureSourceUltrasound scan$100 to $250Roadman CyclingFull frame and fork inspection$250, with $100 credited if you go on to repairRuckus CompositesAverage repair, including paint$500Ruckus CompositesRoadman puts repair at $200 to $500. Trek runs a Carbon Care programme that discounts a replacement frame, fork or part after damage, but its page gives no figure. Check what your maker offers and whether it expires, because crash damage is often excluded from a standard warranty. ## How to Look After a Carbon Frame Most of this takes a few minutes at each service. - **Use a torque wrench.** Use the value printed on the part or in the maker's manual. Roadman lists 5 to 7 Nm for a seatpost clamp and 4 to 6 Nm for a stem faceplate as typical figures, but your parts may differ. Our [basic maintenance guide](/blog/basic-bike-maintenance-at-home) covers torque and tools. - **Use carbon assembly paste on clamped parts.** Park Tool says carbon seatposts take assembly compound, not grease, because it adds friction so you can clamp with less force. It also says not to grease the stem clamp. Our [rust prevention guide](/blog/how-to-prevent-bike-rust) covers seatpost grease for metal frames. - **Do not clamp a tube in a workstand.** Clamp a seatpost or use a carbon-safe clamp. - **Store the bike indoors.** Keep it out of hot closed cars and direct sun for long periods. - **Look the frame over at every clean.** Our [tune-up checklist](/blog/bike-tune-up-checklist) has a place for it. ## When to Retire or Repair a Carbon Frame Roadman separates cosmetic from structural damage. A chip that stops at the paint, with clean weave showing, is cosmetic. Cracks through the weave, delamination, soft spots or visible deformation are structural. Retire the frame, or send it to a specialist, when: - A crack goes through the weave and a specialist says a repair is not viable. - A significant impact was never inspected. - Delamination is confirmed over a large area or at a critical junction. - A repaired area has been hit again. If you are unsure, follow Trek's rule and replace the part rather than ride it. Do not retire a frame for cosmetic damage or age alone. ## How Componentry Helps You Track a Carbon Frame Componentry does not measure frame fatigue, count frame loading cycles or detect damage. No app can see inside a frame. What it can hold is the history a safe-or-not decision depends on. - **Log every incident when it happens.** Record the crash or drop, what you checked and what you found. A dated note is more useful than memory. - **Log torque checks and inspections** so you can see when the last frame check was. - **Set a reminder for a yearly frame inspection**, and a shorter one after a heavy crash season. - **Track the distance and ride time on the bike** from every Strava, Garmin or Wahoo ride, so the parts that wear, such as the chain, are replaced on time. That record also helps when you sell. A buyer of a used carbon bike is estimating hidden damage, and our guide to [service history and resale value](/blog/bike-service-history-resale-value) covers how a logged history answers that worry. ## Carbon Frame Lifespan: Sources and Related Guides **Related Componentry guides:** - [How Long Does a Bike Last?](/blog/how-long-does-a-bike-last): frame materials, fatigue testing and a component lifespan chart - [Bike Service History and Resale Value](/blog/bike-service-history-resale-value): why a logged history matters when you sell - [Bike Tune-Up Checklist](/blog/bike-tune-up-checklist): the home steps for a full service - [Basic Bike Maintenance at Home](/blog/basic-bike-maintenance-at-home): tools, torque and what to leave to a shop **Sources:** - [Trek: Carbon Care](https://trekbikes.com/carbon_care): what to do after an impact and the replacement programme - [Roadman Cycling: Caring for Your Carbon Fibre Bike](https://roadmancycling.com/blog/cycling-carbon-fibre-care-guide): inspection steps, torque figures and retirement criteria - [Evident: Ruckus Composites inspects thousands of bikes with one ultrasonic thickness gauge](https://ims.evidentscientific.com/en/insights/ruckus-composites-inspects-thousands-of-bikes-with-one-ultrasonic-thickness-gage): ultrasonic inspection and shop pricing (a vendor case study) - [Park Tool: Guide to Bicycle Lubricants and Compounds](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/the-park-tool-guide-to-bicycle-lubricants-and-compounds): carbon assembly compound and where not to grease - [Calfee Design: Composite Bicycle Technical White Paper](https://calfeedesign.com/technical-white-paper-1/): carbon fatigue life - [E-Bike Maintenance Schedule: What to Check and When](https://www.componentry.app/blog/e-bike-maintenance-schedule): An e-bike maintenance schedule from maker guidance: service intervals, drivetrain and brake care, battery charging and storage, and what to leave to a dealer. Published: 2026-10-22 | Categories: maintenance, guide | Tags: e-bike-maintenance, ebike-maintenance-schedule, e-bike-maintenance-checklist, how-often-to-service-an-e-bike, e-bike-battery-care, e-bike-service-interval, bike-maintenance E-bike makers set service by distance or time, whichever comes first, and the figures differ by brand. Riese & Müller says the first service is due after 400 km at the latest, then every 2,000 km or one year from the date of sale. Ecoride lists a first service at approximately 500 km or six months, then around 4,000 km or one year. Halfords recommends an interim service every six months and a major service once a year. Between services, you look after the same parts as on any bike, with extra attention to the drivetrain, the brakes and the battery. The short version, as an e-bike maintenance checklist: - Follow the service intervals in your owner's manual, and use the dealer's figures if the manual gives none. - Lubricate the chain often, and check tyre pressure and brake feel regularly. - Check the battery charge before each ride, and clean the bike with a low-pressure method only. - Store a battery you are not using at a partial charge, as your maker describes. - Leave the motor, the battery and the wiring to a dealer. Every figure here comes from an e-bike maker or an independent source, and we name it. Where figures vary by brand, we say so and send you back to your manual. We give no electrical procedure of our own: follow the maker's manual for the motor and battery. ## What Is Different About E-Bike Maintenance BikeRadar's e-bike maintenance guide says that in many senses, electric bicycle maintenance is no different from that of a non-assisted bike. The differences are about load and about the electrical parts. ### The drivetrain BikeRadar says some components, and particularly the drivetrain (cranks, chain, cassette and freehub), are subject to greater forces and increased wear. It adds that electric bike chains tend to require more frequent lubrication than non-assisted bicycle chains, and suggests lubricating after every ride, and certainly after washing and drying the bike. BikeRadar also says that if one part wears out, such as the chain, it can cause premature wear to the chainrings and cassette. That is the same reason we cover chain wear in [when to replace a bike chain](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain), and it matters more when the drivetrain works harder. ### The brakes Bike Perfect, in a 2021 piece on e-bike running costs, says brake pads might require an accelerated cycle of replacement, and that e-bikes are severe on brake pads and systems. Bike Perfect gives no interval. Riese & Müller's service workshop offers a simple check: if you can pull the levers so that they almost touch the handlebar, the brake pads probably need to be replaced. ### The tyres BikeRadar says under-inflated tyres are potentially dangerous and can also waste power, so you get less out of a battery charge. Its starting point is to keep your tyres inflated to within the recommended pressures indicated on the sidewall. ### The motor and the battery BikeRadar describes the motor as a factory-sealed unit that you should never attempt to take apart. Trek says the battery, motor and controller are sealed and not meant to be serviced with standard tools. So you maintain the mechanical parts, and a dealer maintains the electrical ones. ## E-Bike Maintenance Schedule: What to Check and When This table lists only intervals that a maker or an independent source states. Each row names its source. Where no source gives a number, the row says when in plain terms. WhatWhenSourceChain lubricationAfter every ride, and after washing and drying the bikeBikeRadarTyre pressureRegularly, within the pressures on the sidewallBikeRadarBrake lever feel and pad thicknessOn each check of the bikeRiese & Müller service workshopBattery charge levelBefore each rideTern, on Bosch batteriesBattery terminalsOccasionallyTern, on Bosch batteriesStored batteryCheck regularly, and recharge to the storage range if neededTern, on Bosch batteriesBattery storage over 30 daysStore at a 40% to 60% chargeTrekFirst serviceAfter 400 km at the latestRiese & MüllerFirst serviceAfter approximately 500 km or six months, whichever occurs firstEcorideLater servicesEvery 2,000 km or one year from the date of sale, whichever comes firstRiese & MüllerLater servicesAround 4,000 km or within one year, then approximately 7,500 km or after two years, then approximately 11,000 km or three yearsEcorideInterim serviceEvery six monthsHalfordsMajor serviceOnce a yearHalfordsThe maker figures disagree, so treat them as examples and not as a universal rule. Riese & Müller and Ecoride both write distance and time into the interval, and both say the manual or the warranty terms decide what applies to your bike. Ecoride notes that many retailers and workshops program a service reminder in the display after a certain riding distance. Specialized describes service reminders on MasterMind-supported Turbo bikes that show on the display and in its app for scheduled services such as an Inspection Check, a Health Check, an Annual Service and a Total Service. ## Chain, Brake, Tyre, Bearing and Suspension Intervals We do not repeat the wear limits and intervals for the mechanical parts here, because each has its own guide. Check whether your e-bike maker gives a different figure for your model, then use these: - Chain: [when to replace a bike chain](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain), [the best chain lube](/blog/best-bike-chain-lube) and [how to clean a bike chain](/blog/how-to-clean-a-bike-chain) - Brakes: [when to replace brake pads](/blog/when-to-replace-brake-pads), [why bike brakes squeal](/blog/bike-brakes-squealing) and [hydraulic brake fluid](/blog/hydraulic-fluid-lifecycle) - Tyres: [when to replace bike tyres](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-tyres), [tyre pressure](/blog/bike-tyre-pressure-calculator) and [tubeless sealant lifespan](/blog/tubeless-sealant-lifespan) - Bearings: [wheel bearing service intervals](/blog/wheel-bearing-service-intervals) - Suspension: [suspension service intervals](/blog/suspension-service-intervals) - The whole bike: [the bike maintenance schedule](/blog/bike-maintenance-schedule) and [the bike tune-up checklist](/blog/bike-tune-up-checklist) ## E-Bike Battery Care: Charging, Storage and Cleaning Battery care comes from the makers. Tern's guide covers Bosch batteries on its bikes, and Trek's page covers the batteries on Trek and Electra bikes. Your own manual outranks both. ### Charging Tern says to only use an e-bike charger certified by Bosch for your battery type, to keep capacity loss from repeated charging as low as possible. BikeRadar gives the same rule in general terms: use the charger specific to your bike, because an incorrect charger could damage the battery. Tern says to charge the battery at room temperature (roughly 20°C, or 68°F), on a flat surface, in a dry, clutter-free location where a smoke detector is installed. It also says to disconnect the battery and charger from the power supply after charging. Trek says its chargers will not charge a battery when temperatures are below 32F, and that its batteries perform best between 60°F and 80°F. Trek also recommends topping off the charge often, and says the old advice to drain a battery completely applied to older NiCad-style batteries and not to lithium-ion e-bike batteries. ### Storage Trek recommends a 40% to 60% charge if you plan to store a battery for more than 30 days. It says leaving a battery stored at 100% for more than a year can cause you to lose approximately 20% of its capacity. Tern gives a similar range for Bosch batteries: charge to approximately 30-60% before storing, because prolonged storage at a fully charged or fully discharged state can shorten the battery lifespan. Tern also says not to store the battery connected to the charger, and to check on a stored battery regularly and charge it back into the range if needed. Its storage temperature limits are no lower than 0°C (32°F) and no higher than 40°C (104°F). The two ranges differ slightly, which is why your own manual is the final word. ### Cleaning Trek says never to use a power washer on an e-bike, because the high pressure can cause water damage to sensitive electric components, bearings and lubricated parts. BikeRadar suggests water from a bucket or a low-pressure hose, a brush and an optional bike-specific cleaner. It also says to turn the ebike system off before washing it and to unplug it from the charger. Tern says to remove the battery from the e-bike and use a damp cloth or sponge to clean the battery, and that the battery must not be submerged in water or cleaned with a direct jet of water or high pressure hose. Tern also says the battery terminals should occasionally be cleaned, and that your e-bike dealer will help if you are unsure how or what product to use. ## What to Leave to a Dealer Riese & Müller says e-bikes are technically complex modes of transport, the safe use of which depends largely on regular maintenance by trained specialist personnel. Ecoride says electronics, motor control systems and other advanced components require professional expertise to be serviced correctly, and that taking the bike to an authorised workshop is often a requirement for the warranty to remain valid. In practice, the makers point to a dealer for these jobs: - Opening or repairing the battery, the motor or the controller. Trek says not to open any of them, and Tern says opening a Bosch battery will void any and all warranty claims against Bosch. - Motor service. BikeRadar says a good bike shop will remove the motor in a service, then clean and service it. - Checking battery health. Tern says to bring a Bosch battery to a certified Bosch e-bike dealer or service center to find the state of the battery. - Firmware updates on some systems. BikeRadar says some brands recommend an authorised dealership for any updates. You can still do the mechanical work yourself, and Trek says you can work on the mechanical components of your e-bike like a standard bicycle. For anything electrical, follow the manufacturer's manual. ## Frequently Asked Questions **How often should you service an e-bike?** It depends on the maker. Riese & Müller says every 2,000 km or one year from the date of sale, whichever comes first, after a first service at 400 km at the latest. Ecoride lists services around 4,000 km or one year, 7,500 km or two years, and 11,000 km or three years. Halfords recommends an interim service every six months and a major service once a year. Check your owner's manual for your bike. **Do e-bike chains wear faster than normal bike chains?** BikeRadar says the drivetrain is subject to greater forces and increased wear on an e-bike, and that e-bike chains tend to need more frequent lubrication. It gives no wear figure. Our guide to [when to replace a bike chain](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain) covers how to measure wear. **How do you store an e-bike battery?** Trek recommends a 40% to 60% charge for storage of more than 30 days. Tern says to charge a Bosch battery to approximately 30-60% and not to store it connected to the charger. Follow the range in your own manual. **Can you pressure wash an e-bike?** No. Trek says never to use a power washer on an e-bike, and BikeRadar recommends a bucket or low-pressure hose, with the system turned off and unplugged from the charger. **Can you service an e-bike motor or battery yourself?** Makers say no. Trek says not to open the battery, motor or controller, and BikeRadar says never to attempt to take the motor apart. Take electrical faults to a dealer. **What is the difference between an interim service and a major service?** Halfords uses the terms: an interim service every six months and a major service once a year. Ecoride and Riese & Müller use distance and time milestones instead. Ask your dealer what each visit includes. ## How Componentry Helps You Keep to an E-Bike Maintenance Schedule Several makers write their intervals as a distance or a time, whichever comes first. In Componentry you can add a reminder to a bike or a component by distance or by time, so you can set one of each for the same job. Componentry syncs your rides from Strava, Garmin and Wahoo and adds the distance to the components on the bike you rode. When a service is done, log it on the component, and each component keeps its own history, so you can see when the chain, the pads or the tyres were last attended to. For the wider routine, see the [bike maintenance schedule](/blog/bike-maintenance-schedule) and the [bike tune-up checklist](/blog/bike-tune-up-checklist). ## Recommended Resources & Further Reading **Technical Data:** - [Riese & Müller: Maintenance, wear and repair](https://help.r-m.de/en/articles/180613-maintenance-wear-and-repair), service intervals and wear parts - [Riese & Müller: E-Bike check: 10 tips from the new Riese & Müller service workshop](https://r-m.de/en-us/magazine/e-bike-check-10-tips-riese-muller-service-workshop), brake, tyre and chain checks - [Ecoride: Service intervals for an e-bike](https://www.ecoride.com/en-nl/magazine/service-intervals-for-an-e-bike-how-to-take-proper-care-of-it), distance and time milestones - [Halfords: How often do I need to service my e-bike?](https://help.halfords.com/wss/fitting-service-repair/how-often-service-my-e-bike), interim and major services - [Trek: Common Electric Bike Battery Myths & Facts](https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/ebike-battery-myths/), charging, storage and cleaning - [Tern: How to Care for Your Bosch E-Bike Battery](https://www.ternbicycles.com/en/node/348455), charging, storage and cleaning - [BikeRadar: Electric bike maintenance](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/electric-bike-maintenance/), drivetrain, washing and dealer work - [Bike Perfect: How much does an e-bike cost to maintain longer-term?](https://www.bikeperfect.com/features/how-much-does-an-e-bike-cost-to-maintain-longer-term), brake wear on e-bikes - [Specialized: Turbo Studio 2.13.542](https://content.specialized.com/?p=19836), service reminders **Componentry Reading:** - [Bike Maintenance Schedule](/blog/bike-maintenance-schedule): the full routine by time and distance - [When to Replace a Bike Chain](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain) and [When to Replace Brake Pads](/blog/when-to-replace-brake-pads): the wear limits - [Wheel Bearing Service Intervals](/blog/wheel-bearing-service-intervals) and [Suspension Service Intervals](/blog/suspension-service-intervals): the slower jobs - [How to Adjust a Derailleur: Rear and Front Step-by-Step](https://www.componentry.app/blog/how-to-adjust-a-derailleur): How to adjust a derailleur: check the hanger and cable, set the limit screws, index with the barrel adjuster, check the B-screw gap, and fix poor shifting. Published: 2026-10-22 | Categories: maintenance, drivetrain | Tags: how-to-adjust-derailleur, how-to-adjust-a-rear-derailleur, how-to-adjust-front-derailleur, derailleur-not-shifting, derailleur-limit-screws, index-gears, bike-maintenance To adjust a derailleur, check that the hanger is straight and the cable is in good condition, set the high and low limit screws, set the indexing with the barrel adjuster, and check the gap between the guide pulley and the cogs with the B-screw. This guide on how to adjust derailleur settings follows Park Tool's published procedure, which covers the limit screws and the indexing, and finishes with the B-screw. The short version of how to adjust a rear derailleur: - Look at the derailleur hanger. If it is bent, no adjustment will hold. - Check the cable and housing. Replace them if they are frayed, cracked or dirty. - Shift to the smallest cog and set the H-limit screw so the chain runs quietly there without going further. - Set the indexing with the barrel adjuster so one click of the shifter moves the chain one cog. - Set the L-limit screw so the chain reaches the largest cog but cannot go into the spokes. - Check the B-screw gap. Treat this guide as a map and the manual for your specific derailleur as the final word. We give no torque figure for the cable pinch bolt or the mounting bolt, because it varies by model. Look it up in the manual for yours. ## Derailleur Not Shifting? Match the Symptom to the Adjustment Most shifting trouble traces back to cable tension, a limit screw, a bent hanger, or worn or dirty parts. This table matches what you see to the likely cause, using Park Tool and BikeRadar. What you seeLikely causeWhat to doSourceThe chain will not move to the next cog when you clickCable tension too lowTurn the barrel adjuster counter-clockwise in small steps until it shiftsPark Tool, BikeRadarThe chain will not move to the smallest cogThe limit screw or the cable setting is stopping the derailleurBack the H-limit screw out a few turns, then try the barrel adjusterPark ToolThe chain moves two cogs with one clickCable tension too highShift back to the first cog and turn the barrel adjuster clockwisePark ToolNoise in some gearsIndexing slightly offTurn the barrel adjuster clockwise a quarter turn and listen againPark ToolDownshifts are fine but upshifts are sticky or slowDirty or old cables and housingLubricate or replace the cablesBikeRadarThe chain drops off either end of the cassetteLimit screws set poorly, or a bent hangerReset the limit screws and check the hangerBikeRadarThe chain slips, jumps or misbehavesChain wearCheck the chain with a chain checkerBikeRadar ## Before You Adjust: Hanger, Cable and Wear Start with a visual check of the derailleur hanger. Park Tool says that if it is clearly bent, your adjustments are not going to work. If you suspect a bend, our guide to the [derailleur hanger](/blog/backcountry-reliability-derailleur-hanger) explains why that small part matters so much. Then look at the cable. BikeRadar says the cable ends should not be frayed and the outer housing should not have cracks or splits, and that it is best to replace cables once a year or so. It also says to check that the derailleur mounting bolts, crankset and cassette are fastened to the manufacturer's recommended torque. Finally, check for play. BikeRadar says derailleurs can develop play or slop in the pivots or linkages over time, and suggests holding the derailleur cage to check for excessive lateral movement. It also says the ratchet inside a shifter can wear, and that a vague or dead shifting feel is often a sign of this. You need a repair stand, a screwdriver and hex wrenches. A repair stand lets you turn the pedals while you work. ## How to Adjust a Rear Derailleur: Step by Step ### 1. Set up the bike If the bike has more than one chainring, Park Tool says to shift the front derailleur to the largest chainring, then shift the rear derailleur to the smallest cog. Even if you are already in the smallest cog, Park Tool says to keep clicking the rear shifter to make sure there are no clicks left in the mechanism. ### 2. Take the cable out of the equation Park Tool says many people think the H-limit screw is set correctly, when it is really the cable pull stopping the derailleur. To rule the cable out, Park Tool says to turn the barrel adjuster clockwise another two turns, or until it is screwed in all the way, whichever comes first. ### 3. Set the H-limit screw The H-limit screw sets where the chain stops at the smallest cog. If the screws are unmarked, Park Tool says to turn one in and out while watching the derailleur: the H screw is the one that moves it. Park Tool's method is to make the setting too tight first, then back out the H-limit screw until the chain sits directly below the smallest cog. From there: - Tighten the screw one half turn and listen for excessive noise while pedaling. - Keep tightening until you hear the chain rubbing on the next cog. - Back the screw out one quarter turn at a time until the noise stops. - If two settings seem equally quiet, Park Tool says to go with the tighter one. Then turn the barrel adjuster counter-clockwise a couple of turns, to bring it back roughly to where it was. ### 4. Set the indexing with the barrel adjuster Indexing lines up the guide pulley with the cogs so that each click of the shifter moves the chain one cog. Park Tool says there is a range of acceptable adjustment, so more than one barrel adjuster position may shift well. - Start on the smallest cog, with the front derailleur on its largest chainring (or the middle one on a triple). - Pedal at a normal cadence and click the shifter once. One click should move the chain one cog. - If the chain does not reach the next cog, Park Tool says to return the shift lever to the outermost click and turn the barrel adjuster one full turn counter-clockwise, then try again. - If one click moves the chain two cogs, Park Tool says to shift back to the first cog and turn the barrel adjuster clockwise one turn. - Check each cog in turn. If you hear noise in any cog, Park Tool says to turn the barrel adjuster clockwise one quarter turn and test again. If the barrel adjuster has come out, or nearly come out, Park Tool says to thread it back in fully and then out one or two turns. Then, with the chain on the smallest cog and the shifter at its outermost click, remove the slack from the cable at the pinch bolt. BikeRadar says to wind the barrel adjuster in or out by only a quarter turn each time before re-checking. If you have had to wind the barrel adjuster out a lot, BikeRadar says it is worth undoing the cable mounting bolt, pulling more cable through and starting again. ### 5. Set the L-limit screw The L-limit screw protects the spokes. Park Tool makes it too tight first, then loosens it. Shift to the second largest cog, then try the shift to the largest cog. Park Tool says that if the chain does not make the shift, shifts slowly, or is noisy on the largest cog, the screw is too tight. Once the too-tight screw is causing symptoms, turn it out one quarter turn at a time until the symptoms go away. As a check, Park Tool says to put extra pressure on the shifter and watch the derailleur. The cage should not move inward. ### 6. Check the B-screw gap The B-screw, or body-angle screw, sets the spacing between the guide pulley and the cogs. Park Tool says to check it with the chain on the smallest chainring and the largest cog, and that the majority of road and mountain bike derailleurs require a gap between 5 and 6 millimeters. A hex wrench can gauge the distance. BikeRadar gives the same range and says a 5 or 6mm hex key works as a guide. To widen the gap, Park Tool says to tighten the B screw. To narrow it, loosen the screw. Park Tool adds that if the bike is shifting well, the B screw is probably already in the acceptable range, and that if you make significant changes to it you should double check the indexing. ## How to Adjust a Front Derailleur Some bikes have a single chainring and no front derailleur. If yours has one, the job is a little different. Park Tool says a properly adjusted front derailleur should shift the chain between the chainrings without throwing it off, and lists four adjustments: height, rotation, limit screws and inner wire tension. Two of those are easy to check by eye. Park Tool says the gap between the outer chainring teeth and the lower edge of the outer cage plate should be 1 to 2mm, and that the cage should be approximately parallel to the chain. BikeRadar adds that front derailleur cables typically need more tension than a rear derailleur does. Park Tool says to check the derailleur positioning before you check the limit screws. Follow Park Tool's front derailleur article or your manual for the full order, rather than adjusting from memory. ## When Shifting Problems Are Really Worn Parts An adjusted derailleur cannot fix a worn drivetrain. BikeRadar's troubleshooting list points a chain that slips, jumps or misbehaves at chain wear, and says that depending on how worn it is, you may need to replace the cassette and chainrings as well. If the chain skips under load even after the indexing is right, measure the chain before you touch the screws again. Our guides to [when to replace a bike chain](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain) and [measuring chain stretch](/blog/chain-stretch-measurement-guide) cover the wear limits, and [how long a cassette lasts](/blog/how-long-does-a-bike-cassette-last) and [cassette lifespan](/blog/cassette-lifespan) cover the other half. If the chain is worn, [replace the chain](/blog/how-to-replace-a-bike-chain) first. Dirty parts also shift badly, so [clean the chain](/blog/how-to-clean-a-bike-chain) before you start. A bent hanger looks like a limit screw problem. BikeRadar says that if the chain will not run to the bottom of the cassette, or goes over the big cog into the spokes, even though the gears are properly indexed, it sounds like a bent hanger that needs straightening or replacing. It says a crash is the likely cause. ## When to Take It to a Shop Take the bike to a mechanic in these cases (this is our general advice, not a figure from any maker): - The hanger is bent and you do not have the tools or the experience to straighten it. - The derailleur has visible play in its pivots, or the shifter feels vague or dead after you replace the cable. - You have worked through the steps and the chain still skips, drops off or rubs, and the chain and cassette are not worn. ## Frequently Asked Questions **How do you adjust a derailleur?** Check the hanger and cable, set the H-limit screw, set the indexing with the barrel adjuster, set the L-limit screw, and check the B-screw gap. This follows Park Tool's rear derailleur procedure. **How do you adjust a rear derailleur that will not shift into the next gear?** Park Tool says to return the shifter to its outermost click and turn the barrel adjuster one full turn counter-clockwise, then try the shift again. BikeRadar says to increase the cable tension by turning the barrel adjuster counter-clockwise, and to keep turning the cranks until it shifts. **How do you adjust a front derailleur?** Check the height and rotation first, then set the limit screws and the cable tension. Park Tool says to repeat the height adjustment until the cage plate is 1-2mm above the outer chainring. **Why is my derailleur not shifting even after adjustment?** The usual causes are a bent hanger, old or dirty cables, or a worn chain and cassette. BikeRadar lists limit screws and the hanger as causes of a chain that drops off the cassette, and chain wear as a cause of slipping and jumping. **What gap should the B-screw set?** Park Tool says the majority of road and mountain bike derailleurs require a gap between 5 and 6 millimeters. Follow the manual for your derailleur, because the right gap depends on the model. ## How Componentry Helps You Keep Your Drivetrain Shifting A well-adjusted derailleur still needs a chain and cassette that are not worn out. Componentry syncs your rides from Strava, Garmin and Wahoo and adds the distance to the components on the bike you rode, so the chain and cassette each have their own running total. You can add a reminder to a bike or a component, by distance or by time, and log a service on a component when you do the work. Each component keeps its own history, so when shifting gets worse you can see what the last service was and how far the parts have gone since. For the rest of the routine, see the [bike tune-up checklist](/blog/bike-tune-up-checklist), the [quick maintenance check](/blog/quick-maintenance-check), and [basic bike maintenance at home](/blog/basic-bike-maintenance-at-home). ## Recommended Resources & Further Reading **Technical Data:** - [Park Tool: Rear Derailleur Adjustment](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-adjustment), the procedure this guide follows - [Park Tool: Front Derailleur Adjustment](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/front-derailleur-adjustment), height, rotation and limit screws - [BikeRadar: How to adjust and index bike gears](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/how-to-adjust-a-rear-derailleur), a second procedure with a troubleshooting list **Componentry Reading:** - [Derailleur Hanger Reliability](/blog/backcountry-reliability-derailleur-hanger): why a bent hanger ruins adjustment - [When to Replace a Bike Chain](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain) and [Chain Stretch Measurement Guide](/blog/chain-stretch-measurement-guide): the wear limits - [Cassette Lifespan](/blog/cassette-lifespan) and [How Long Does a Bike Cassette Last](/blog/how-long-does-a-bike-cassette-last) - [How to Replace a Bike Chain](/blog/how-to-replace-a-bike-chain) and [How to Clean a Bike Chain](/blog/how-to-clean-a-bike-chain) - [Bike Tune-Up Checklist](/blog/bike-tune-up-checklist), [Quick Maintenance Check](/blog/quick-maintenance-check) and [Basic Bike Maintenance at Home](/blog/basic-bike-maintenance-at-home): the wider routine - [How to Change Disc Brake Pads: Step-by-Step Guide](https://www.componentry.app/blog/how-to-change-disc-brake-pads): How to change brake pads on a bike with disc brakes: tools, matching pads, removing old pads, pushing pistons back, bedding in, and what can go wrong. Published: 2026-10-22 | Categories: maintenance, safety | Tags: how-to-change-brake-pads-on-a-bike, disc-brake-pads, change-disc-brake-pads, replace-disc-brake-pads, disc-brakes, brake-pads, bike-maintenance To change brake pads on a bike with disc brakes, take the wheel out, remove any pin clip and the retaining pin, slide the old pads out, push the pistons back into the caliper, fit the new pads, refit the wheel, and pump the lever until the pads firmly contact the rotor. Park Tool, whose published procedure this guide follows, says the steps for installing pads are simply the removal steps in reverse. The short version of how to replace disc brake pads: - Mount the bike in a stand and remove the wheel. - Remove the pin clip, then the retaining pin. - Slide the old pads out, and note which way each part sat. - Check for contamination, and clean the caliper and rotor. - Press the pistons back into the caliper. - Fit the new pads and spring, then refit the pin and clip. - Refit the wheel, pump the lever, and spin the wheel to check for rubbing. - Bed in the new pads before you ride hard. Brakes are a safety system, so treat this guide as a map and the manual for your specific brake as the final word. Where a torque value matters, we say so and do not guess a number. To decide whether your pads need changing at all, see our guide to [when to replace brake pads](/blog/when-to-replace-brake-pads), which covers the Shimano and SRAM wear limits. ## Tools and Parts for Changing Disc Brake Pads Park Tool lists needle nose pliers for brakes with cotter pins or tight fitting pads, a screwdriver or a hex or Torx wrench for retaining pins and adjusters, and a tool with a flat surface for pressing in hydraulic pistons. Without a purpose-built piston tool, Park Tool says a flat non-marring tool such as a tire lever or cone wrench will do. BikeRadar's list for the same job adds three items worth having: - Disc brake cleaner or isopropyl alcohol, with a lint-free rag - Nitrile gloves - Vernier calipers to measure the remaining pad material (optional) You also need the right replacement pads. Park Tool notes that new pads come with a new spring. ## Matching the Right Pads to Your Caliper Getting the right pads is the step most likely to go wrong before you pick up a tool. Park Tool says finding the correct replacement pads for your system can be difficult, and gives three routes: - Bring the bike or the pad to a good bike shop and ask for help. - Look up your specific caliper model on the manufacturer's website to find the correct pads. - Look for a replacement pad that looks identical in shape to your old pads. Park Tool says that if it is the same shape, it will likely work on your brake. Park Tool describes three pad materials, metallic, organic and semi-metallic, and says certain rotor and pad material combinations can have compatibility issues, so check for warnings on the components or packaging. Changing material is where the makers differ. SRAM says that if you switch pad compounds, for example from sintered to organic, you should use new rotors, because the old rotor would pick up a new layer of pad material that can create noise and reduce performance. BikeRadar recommends replacing the rotor when you change pad material too, but says that if you clean the rotor thoroughly you are unlikely to have any issues. If you keep the same compound, this does not apply. ## How to Change Brake Pads on a Bike: Step by Step These steps follow Park Tool's disc brake pad removal and installation article, with BikeRadar and SRAM added where they say something extra. The manual for your brake outranks any general guide. ### 1. Remove the wheel Mount the bike in a repair stand and remove the wheel. Park Tool says to pay attention to the orientation of parts, because the process is reversed for installation. ### 2. Remove the pin clip and the retaining pin Many calipers hold the pads with a retaining pin. Park Tool shows cotter pin, threaded pin, and pin with pin clip styles. If your pin has a clip, remove the clip first. On a cotter pin, bend the ends straight to remove it. BikeRadar adds that most pads use an e-clip as a failsafe if the pin loosens, and that some older Shimano brakes use a split pin that needs its ends straightened first. ### 3. Slide the old pads out Depending on the caliper, pads come out through the top or the bottom. Park Tool points out several designs to watch for: - Springs that come out with the pads - Magnets that hold the pads against the pistons - Clipped pads, which can take some force to remove - Designs where the outer pad must come out first, which makes the inner pad come out more easily ### 4. Check for contamination and clean up Look at the old pads and the rotor. Park Tool says contaminants such as brake fluid, oil or grease can ruin pads and are not always easy to see. Contaminated pads may squeal, need extra effort at the lever, or leave a dark patch on the rotor and pads that smears when rubbed with a finger. Park Tool says to always look for the source, such as overspray from aerosol lubricants or a leak in the hydraulic system. BikeRadar says to clean the caliper with disc brake cleaner or isopropyl alcohol before the new pads go in, and to clean the rotor thoroughly, because oil or grease on it transfers to the new pads. It also says never to touch a pad with bare skin, because even skin oils can contaminate it. ### 5. Push the pistons back New pads are thicker than worn ones, so the pistons must be fully retracted to make room. For hydraulic calipers, Park Tool says to press the pistons back into the caliper body with a purpose-built tool or a flat non-marring tool. For mechanical calipers, turn the pad adjusters counter-clockwise until they stop. BikeRadar suggests pressing the pistons back before you pull the old pads, so you cannot damage the new ones. Park Tool does it after the old pads are out. For flat mount Shimano hydraulic brakes, Park Tool says to apply even pressure so you do not damage the ceramic pistons. Park Tool has one warning that applies to the whole job: > "If you accidentally squeeze your brake lever at any point in the process with the wheel removed, the pistons will come back out and you will need to repeat pressing them into the caliper." [Park Tool: Disc Brake Pad Removal & Installation](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/disc-brake-pad-removal-installation) ### 6. Fit the new pads Installation is the removal steps in reverse. If one pad had to come out before the other, put them back in the opposite order. Some springs have a correct and incorrect orientation, and Park Tool says that information should be in the pad packaging. BikeRadar notes that some pads are left and right specific. Then refit the retaining pin and any pin clip. On a cotter pin system, Park Tool says to give the cotter pin a good bend so it cannot slide out. On a threaded pin, be aware of any torque specification from the manufacturer. Park Tool says in general the pin should be snugged to the caliper body. We give no torque figure here, because it varies by brake: follow the manual for yours. Park Tool also says it is normal for correctly installed pads to have a bit of wiggle. ### 7. Refit the wheel and check lever feel Reinstall the wheel and make sure it is properly seated. What happens next depends on the brake type. - Mechanical disc brakes: after new pads, you need to align the caliper. - Hydraulic disc brakes: Park Tool says to pump the lever to move the pistons and pads back to the working position, until you feel the pads firmly contacting the rotor. Spin the wheel and inspect the pads for alignment. If there is no rubbing, Park Tool says you are done. If there is rubbing, it is likely an alignment issue, and Park Tool has a separate [hydraulic disc brake alignment](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/hydraulic-disc-brake-alignment) article. If the lever still pulls further than you would like, SRAM's maintenance guide says the caliper pistons may need a little extra movement to get going properly, and warns not to lubricate them. If the lever stays spongy, read our guide to [hydraulic brake fluid](/blog/hydraulic-fluid-lifecycle) and consider a shop visit. ## Bedding In New Disc Brake Pads New pads are not finished when the wheel goes back on. SRAM describes bed-in as controlled slowing that gradually heats the braking surface while evenly transferring pad material onto the rotor, for consistent performance and minimal noise. SRAM says it takes about ten minutes and should be done before the first ride, at home or in a trailhead parking lot. SRAM's published steps for its own brakes are: - Stay seated on the bike for the whole procedure, and never lock the wheels. - Accelerate to a moderate speed, then firmly apply the brakes until you are at walking speed. Repeat approximately twenty times. - Accelerate to a faster speed, then very firmly apply the brakes until you are at walking speed. Repeat approximately ten times. - Let the brakes cool before riding any further. SRAM also says the caliper may need re-centering after bed-in, and that bed-in must be repeated every time you install new pads and rotors. Skipping it reduces power and raises the chance of noise, per SRAM. That procedure is SRAM's, for SRAM brakes. We did not find a Shimano bed-in procedure we could open and verify, so for a Shimano brake, or for aftermarket pads, follow the instructions that come with the pads or the brake manual. ## What Can Go Wrong When Changing Disc Brake Pads **Contamination.** Oil on a pad or rotor is the classic error. Park Tool names aerosol lubricant overspray as a common source, and BikeRadar names skin oil and an unclean rotor. SRAM says that if noise is persistent, the pads may be contaminated, or poor bed-in may have left inconsistent layers of pad material on the rotor. SRAM's solution is to replace the pads and rotors and carefully follow the bed-in process before riding again. Keep chain lube and degreaser well away from the brakes, as our guide to [cleaning a bike chain](/blog/how-to-clean-a-bike-chain) explains. **Pulling the lever with the wheel out.** This pushes the pistons out, and you must press them back in before the pads or wheel will fit. BikeRadar goes further and says squeezing the lever once the rotor is out can force the pistons beyond their limits and compromise the hydraulic system, forcing a bleed. SRAM says pad spacers, small plastic pieces that ship with most new bikes and its mountain bike brakes, can keep pads in place while the wheels are off. If your brake has a spacer, use it. **Noise after the job.** SRAM's first step for noise on previously quiet brakes is to clean the rotors with isopropyl alcohol. Our guide to [why bike brakes squeal](/blog/bike-brakes-squealing) covers the other causes. ## When to Take It to a Shop Get a mechanic in these cases. This is our general advice, not a figure from any maker: - The lever feels spongy or pulls to the bar after the pads are seated and the pistons are moving. - You pulled the lever with the wheel out and the pistons came out further than expected. - You cannot identify the right pads for your caliper. Park Tool itself suggests asking a good bike shop. SRAM's maintenance guide says that if troubleshooting does not get the brakes feeling like new, it is probably time for service. ## Frequently Asked Questions **How do you change disc brake pads?** Remove the wheel, remove the pin clip and retaining pin, slide the old pads out, push the pistons back, fit the new pads, refit the pin and wheel, pump the lever until the pads contact the rotor, and bed the pads in. Park Tool says installation is the removal in reverse. **How do you replace disc brake pads without special tools?** Park Tool says that without a purpose-built piston tool, a flat non-marring tool such as a tire lever or cone wrench works, and BikeRadar suggests a plastic tyre lever. **Do you need to replace the rotor when you change pads?** Not always. SRAM says to use new rotors if you switch compounds, for example from sintered to organic. BikeRadar says rotor replacement is recommended when you change pad material, but that you are unlikely to have issues if the rotor is cleaned thoroughly. **Do you need to bed in new disc brake pads?** Yes. SRAM says to bed in before the first ride, and again whenever you install new pads and rotors. Its procedure takes about ten minutes. **Do you need to bleed the brakes after changing pads?** Park Tool's pad replacement procedure does not include a bleed. BikeRadar warns that squeezing the lever with the rotor out can force the pistons too far and require one. ## How Componentry Helps You Track Brake Pad Changes In Componentry you can log a service on the brake pads when you fit them, so the date and the bike are on record. Componentry syncs your rides from Strava, Garmin and Wahoo and adds the distance to the components on the bike you rode, so each set of pads has its own running total. Add a reminder to the pads by distance or by time, and Componentry tells you when to check them. Each component keeps its own history, so you can see how long the last set lasted before you buy the next. For the rest of the routine, see the [bike tune-up checklist](/blog/bike-tune-up-checklist), the [quick maintenance check](/blog/quick-maintenance-check), and [basic bike maintenance at home](/blog/basic-bike-maintenance-at-home). ## Recommended Resources & Further Reading **Technical Data:** - [Park Tool: Disc Brake Pad Removal & Installation](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/disc-brake-pad-removal-installation), the procedure this guide follows - [Park Tool: Hydraulic Disc Brake Alignment](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/hydraulic-disc-brake-alignment), for rubbing after the fit - [SRAM: Brake Maintenance Guide](https://www.sram.com/en/learn/brake-welcome-guide/brake-service-guide), rotor cleaning, compound changes and piston care - [SRAM: Brake Welcome Guide](https://www.sram.com/en/learn/brake-welcome-guide), what bed-in is and pad spacers - [SRAM: Disc Brake Troubleshooting](https://www.sram.com/en/learn/disc-brake-troubleshooting), the bed-in steps and noise causes - [BikeRadar: How to change the disc brake pads on your bike](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/how-to-change-the-disc-brake-pads-on-your-bike/), a second procedure with a tool list **Componentry Reading:** - [When to Replace Brake Pads](/blog/when-to-replace-brake-pads): the Shimano and SRAM wear limits - [Hydraulic Fluid Lifecycle](/blog/hydraulic-fluid-lifecycle): when and why to bleed - [Bike Tune-Up Checklist](/blog/bike-tune-up-checklist), [Quick Maintenance Check](/blog/quick-maintenance-check) and [Basic Bike Maintenance at Home](/blog/basic-bike-maintenance-at-home): the wider routine - [How to Clean a Bike Chain: 4 Methods, Step by Step](https://www.componentry.app/blog/how-to-clean-a-bike-chain): How to clean a bike chain on or off the bike: wipe, brush and degreaser, soak, or ultrasonic. Steps, what not to use, and when the chain is too worn to clean. Published: 2026-10-22 | Categories: maintenance, drivetrain | Tags: how-to-clean-a-bike-chain, chain-cleaning, degreaser, chain, drivetrain, maintenance, chain-lube To clean a bike chain, apply a bike-specific degreaser, backpedal the chain through a brush or chain cleaner, rinse it, dry it completely, and lube it straight away. Park Tool's version of this has you turn the cranks backward for at least thirty revolutions with the cleaner filled with degreaser. For a chain that is only lightly dirty, a rag and a fresh drop of lube between full cleans is enough. How often depends on conditions, and none of the sources used for this guide gives a fixed distance or number of days for cleaning. Clean the chain when black residue builds up, after wet or gritty rides, and whenever shifting turns noisy. Our [chain maintenance guide](/blog/chain-maintenance-guide) covers that timing alongside lubrication and wear. A clean chain is worth the effort. A BikeRadar article quotes Jason Smith of Friction Facts saying a dirty road chain can decrease efficiency by about 3 to 5 watts at 250 W of rider output, roughly 1 to 2 percent of your power. The rest of this guide compares four cleaning methods, walks through each, and covers what to keep away from your chain. ## How to Clean a Bike Chain: Four Methods Compared The methods differ in how deep they clean and how much setup they need. Pick the lightest one that gets the chain visibly clean. MethodWhat it involvesBest forLimitWipe and re-lubeRag over the chain, then fresh lubeLight dirt between full cleansDoes not reach inside the rollersOn-bike cleanDegreaser, brush or chain cleaner, rinse, dry, lubeRegular cleaning, no tools to remove the chainZero Friction Cycling says most traditional solvents are not powerful enough for on-bike cleaningOff-bike soakRemove the chain, shake or soak it in degreaser, rinse, dryA deeper clean, or prep for a new lube typeNeeds a quick link or chain tool, and a drying waitUltrasonicChain in a heated degreaser bath in an ultrasonic tankThe most thorough clean, and wax prepEquipment cost; TOUR magazin calls it not worth the effort for every cyclistZero Friction Cycling, an independent Australian testing group, describes the off-bike soak as its recommended approach, and says its products for on-bike prep give "those not wishing to do the recommended off bike soak" the best chance of a good result. ## Wipe and Re-Lube A wipe-down is the lowest-effort option. Run a clean rag along the chain while backpedalling, then add lube where it is needed. The trade-off is what happens if you skip cleaning altogether. BikeRadar is blunt about it: > "If you lube a dirty chain, it will only continue to attract more contaminants and not be of particular benefit." [BikeRadar: How to clean a bike chain](https://www.bikeradar.com/features/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-cleaning-your-bike-chain/) The same article also says "it's better to re-lube over a dirty chain than do nothing at all." Read the two together. A wipe and fresh lube is a stopgap that beats no maintenance, but it is not a substitute for a proper clean. ## Cleaning a Bike Chain Without Removing It Learn this on-bike method first. It needs a degreaser, a brush or a bike chain cleaner tool, and rags. Park Tool uses a chain scrubber and notes that a stiff-bristled brush is an acceptable substitute. The steps below combine Park Tool's and BikeRadar's published procedures. - Check wear first. Park Tool says that if the chain is worn past its service life, replace it instead of cleaning it. See the wear section below. - Protect the brakes. BikeRadar says to cover or remove the disc rotor, or use a chain cleaning device, and keep degreaser away from the rotor. - Set up where a mess is fine. Park Tool warns that degreaser can stain or corrode finished floors, and BikeRadar says to clean outside, not on carpet or indoor floors. - Shift to the smallest rear cog and the front chainring, as Park Tool does. - Apply degreaser. With a chain cleaner, seat the chain in the brushes and fill to the fill line, then turn the cranks backward for at least thirty revolutions. Without one, spray or dip a brush in degreaser and scrub while backpedalling. - Wait about five minutes, or the time the degreaser maker recommends, per BikeRadar. - Rinse. Park Tool uses soapy water after the degreaser, and BikeRadar rinses with water. - Wipe until the rag stops coming away black. BikeRadar suggests repeating the process if the chain is very dirty. - Dry the chain with a clean rag, then let it air-dry or blow it off with compressed air. - Lube. Park Tool says to add a small drop to each rivet and wipe off the excess. BikeRadar gives two further tips. Use a brush or rag reserved for the drivetrain so black marks do not spread to the rest of the bike. And do not leave the chain to sit overnight after cleaning, because that invites rust. ## Cleaning a Chain Off the Bike Removing the chain gets degreaser into the rollers in a way a brush on the bike cannot. You need a quick link or chain tool to take it off. BikeRadar notes that Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo recommend a new quick link each time the chain is installed, and that many riders reuse them anyway. SILCA describes a jar method for this: shake the chain in degreaser for 5 minutes, rinse, and repeat if the degreaser comes out cloudy. SILCA's examples of degreasers include Simple Green Aircraft diluted 13:1 and its own Bio Degreaser at full strength, but any bike-specific or aircraft-approved degreaser fits the same routine. Hang the chain to dry fully before it goes back on the bike, then lube it. If you are preparing a chain for waxing, the final solvent steps are different. Our [guide to re-waxing a chain](/blog/waxed-chain-intervals) covers cleaning before re-waxing, so this guide does not repeat it. ## Ultrasonic Cleaning An ultrasonic cleaner is a tank that shakes dirt loose with sound waves. TOUR magazin describes the effect this way: > "The so-called cavitation bubbles dislodge dirt particles even from the tiniest cavities." [TOUR magazin: Dynamic ultrasonic cleaner](https://www.tour-magazin.de/en/workshop/screwdriver-tips/chain-maintenance-made-easy-dynamic-ultrasonic-cleaner-for-hot-wax-enthusiasts/) For a used chain, SILCA's guide runs like this: - Wipe the chain with rags and degreaser first. - Cover the chain with degreaser in the tank and heat it to 100 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. - Run 15 to 30 minute cycles, replacing and reheating the degreaser each time. SILCA says this typically takes 2 to 5 cycles, until the degreaser comes out fairly clear. - Finish with a 15 minute unheated acetone bath, per SILCA's wax-prep process. The same review is honest about the cost. TOUR magazin says the cleaner it reviewed is "not worth the effort for every cyclist" and hardly worth the investment for a single bike. If you only ride one bike, the off-bike soak gets most of the way there. Ultrasonic suits cyclists who clean chains often, or who wax. ## What Not to Use on a Bike Chain Most chain cleaning mistakes come down to the product, the soak time, or the water pressure. - Standard Simple Green. SILCA says "We strongly suggest you don't use the standard Simple Green formula," and names hydrogen embrittlement as the reason. - Mineral spirits on a used chain. SILCA limits mineral spirits to new chains, because on a used chain the solvent "will trap any moisture on the metal," and metal plus water leads to rust. - Pressure washers. Stihl, a maker of pressure washers, says "Do not use the pressure washer on the bicycle chain" and not to aim the jet at bearings or seals, because it could force water and dirt inside and accelerate wear. BikeRadar warns that pressure washers can strip bearing grease. - Diesel, benzene, gasoline. A BikeRadar article quotes Park Tool's Calvin Jones listing these as solvents to avoid, along with acetone, which is where the sources disagree: SILCA uses acetone as the final bath when stripping a chain for wax. For an ordinary on-bike clean, follow BikeRadar and leave acetone out. If you are prepping for wax, follow the wax maker's process. - Long soaks. BikeRadar warns about "horror stories out there about degreaser corroding metal and causing surface cracks," and advises against long soaks. - Degreaser or lube near the brakes. Keep both off the disc rotor and caliper. Whatever you use, finish the way Park Tool does: lubricate the chain after cleaning, since a dry chain is not ready to ride. ## When Cleaning Is Not Enough Cleaning removes dirt. It does not take stretch out of a worn chain. Park Tool's own procedure starts by checking wear with a chain wear indicator, and says to replace a chain that is past its service life instead of cleaning it. If the chain is noisy or shifts poorly after a full clean and fresh lube, suspect wear before cleaning it again. Measure it with a gauge, using the steps in our [chain stretch measurement guide](/blog/chain-stretch-measurement-guide), and compare the result with the limits in [when to replace your bike chain](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain). SILCA adds that for an extremely dirty chain, "it might be better to start with a new chain." A chain with rust on it is a separate problem. Our guide on [how to prevent bike rust](/blog/how-to-prevent-bike-rust) covers storage and drying habits that keep a clean chain from rusting again. ## Clean First, Then Lube Cleaning and lubing are one job done in two steps. A freshly degreased chain has no lube left inside it, so the lube goes on right after the chain is dry. BikeRadar says a drip lube takes "one minute or less" to fully penetrate a rotating chain, so there is no need to wait long before wiping off the excess. It also says the minimum re-lube interval is before every ride. After the lube goes on, wipe the outer plates so the chain does not collect fresh grit. Choosing the lube is its own question. Our guide to [the best bike chain lube](/blog/best-bike-chain-lube) covers it. For the rest of a home service, see the [bike tune-up checklist](/blog/bike-tune-up-checklist) and our guide to [basic bike maintenance at home](/blog/basic-bike-maintenance-at-home). ## Frequently Asked Questions **How do you clean a bike chain without removing it?** Use the on-bike method. Protect the brakes, apply a bike-specific degreaser, backpedal the chain through a brush or chain cleaner, rinse, dry, and lube. Park Tool turns the cranks backward at least thirty revolutions with the cleaner filled with degreaser. **How do you degrease a bike chain?** Use a bike-specific degreaser, and either a chain cleaner on the bike or a shake in a jar off the bike. Zero Friction Cycling says traditional solvents typically need multiple baths and often cannot absorb enough grease for an effective on-bike clean, which is why it recommends the off-bike soak. **How often should you clean a bike chain?** No source used here states a fixed interval. Clean when black residue builds up, after wet or gritty rides, and when shifting gets noisy. **Can you clean a chain with soap and water only?** Park Tool uses soapy water as the rinse stage after degreaser, not as the cleaner. Its procedure relies on degreaser to cut the grime. **Should you lube a dirty chain?** BikeRadar says a lubed dirty chain keeps attracting contaminants, though re-lubing a dirty chain is better than doing nothing. Clean it first when you can. ## How Componentry Helps You Time Chain Cleaning A clean date is easy to forget and hard to guess. Componentry lets you log a service on the chain each time you clean it, then counts the distance you ride from your synced Strava, Garmin, or Wahoo rides. Set a reminder for the distance that suits your conditions, and you are told when it is due instead of relying on memory. The same chain record tracks wear, so when a clean no longer fixes noise or shifting you can see how much of the chain's life is used. If you ride several bikes, each chain keeps its own history. ## Recommended Resources & Further Reading **Technical Data:** - [Park Tool: How to Clean and Lubricate a Chain](https://www.parktool.com/en-int/blog/repair-help/chain-cleaning-with-a-park-tool-chain-scrubber), the step-by-step chain scrubber procedure - [BikeRadar: How to clean a bike chain in 8 steps](https://www.bikeradar.com/features/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-cleaning-your-bike-chain/), the on-bike method with warnings - [SILCA: Complete Guide to Cleaning Your Chain](https://silca.cc/blogs/silca/complete-guide-to-cleaning-your-chain), ultrasonic and jar methods, and solvents to avoid - [SILCA: How Clean Does a Chain Need to Be?](https://silca.cc/pages/how-clean-does-a-chain-need-to-be), cleaning standards for wax and oil - [Zero Friction Cycling: UFO Drivetrain Clean](https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/product/ceramic-speed-ufo-clean/), the tester's note on on-bike prep and the off-bike soak - [Stihl: Efficiently clean your bicycle with a jet wash](https://www.stihl.co.uk/en/garden-ideas-and-advice/outdoor-cleaning/vehicle-cleaning/bicycle-jet-wash), pressure washer cautions - [TOUR magazin: Dynamic ultrasonic cleaner](https://www.tour-magazin.de/en/workshop/screwdriver-tips/chain-maintenance-made-easy-dynamic-ultrasonic-cleaner-for-hot-wax-enthusiasts/), what ultrasonic cleaning does and who it suits **Componentry Reading:** - [How to Maintain Your Bike Chain](/blog/chain-maintenance-guide): cleaning, lubrication and replacement together - [How Often to Re-Wax Your Bike Chain](/blog/waxed-chain-intervals): including cleaning before re-waxing - [What Is a Waxed Chain?](/blog/what-is-a-waxed-chain): cost, benefits and who should skip it - [How to Measure Chain Stretch](/blog/chain-stretch-measurement-guide): check wear before you clean - [When to Replace Your Bike Chain](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain): the wear limits - [How to Prevent Bike Rust](/blog/how-to-prevent-bike-rust): keep a clean chain clean - [Bike Tune-Up Checklist](/blog/bike-tune-up-checklist) and [Basic Bike Maintenance at Home](/blog/basic-bike-maintenance-at-home): the wider routine - [How to Replace a Bike Chain, and What It Costs](https://www.componentry.app/blog/how-to-replace-a-bike-chain): How to replace a bike chain with a quick link or a chain tool: pick the right chain, size it, fit it, and see example prices for the parts and the workshop. Published: 2026-10-22 | Categories: maintenance, drivetrain | Tags: how-to-replace-a-bike-chain, bike-chain-replacement-cost, how-to-change-a-bike-chain, chain, quick-link, chain-tool, drivetrain, maintenance To replace a bike chain, buy a chain made for your drivetrain's speed count, take the old chain off at its quick link or with a chain tool, cut the new chain to length, route it through the derailleurs, join it, and check that it runs in every gear. The hard parts are choosing the right chain and cutting it to the right length, so most of this guide covers those two. Cost depends on where you shop. The cost section below gives example prices from retailers and workshops, each labelled with the date we saw it. Prices change, so check the shop in front of you. ## How Often to Replace a Bike Chain: Check Wear First Replace a chain because it is worn, not because it looks dirty. A chain that is only dirty needs cleaning and fresh lube, which our guide to [how to clean a bike chain](/blog/how-to-clean-a-bike-chain) covers. Park Tool's chain checker lists the limits it uses: replace 5-to-10 speed chains at or just before 0.75%, and 11-to-12 speed chains at or just before 0.5%. Our guide to [when to replace your bike chain](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain) compares the limits from several makers, and the [chain stretch measurement guide](/blog/chain-stretch-measurement-guide) walks through using a gauge. This guide does not repeat those steps. Park Tool explains why timing matters: > "It prolongs the service life of other, more expensive parts on your bike, so replacing your chain before it becomes too worn is a good idea." [Park Tool: Chain Replacement, Derailleur Bikes](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/chain-replacement-derailleur-bikes) ## Choose the Right Chain The first decision is the speed count, which is the number of cogs on your rear cassette. BikeRadar says chains are manufacturer- and groupset-specific, and come in various sizes. BikeRadar's compatibility guidance, published on 2 October 2024, breaks down like this: Speed countWhat BikeRadar says9-speed and underGenerally cross-compatible, with the exception of Campagnolo11-speedSome wiggle room between Shimano and SRAM road chains, but it is generally advisable to stick with the manufacturer and the respective road, gravel or mountain bike line12-speed and 13-speedAlmost no cross-compatibility between brands, so stick with the manufacturer and groupsetWhen you are unsure, buy from the same maker and family as your shifters and cassette. Two details are easy to miss. SRAM's latest AXS groupsets use a Flattop chain, which BikeRadar says must have its flat edge on the outside of the drivetrain. And many chains are directional, so check for writing or an arrow on the outer plates that shows the direction of travel. ## Tools and Parts You Need You need a new chain, and one of two ways to join it. - A quick link, which BikeRadar says has a set of unique interlocking side plates and is sometimes a different colour. Quick link pliers open and close it. Park Tool lists its master link pliers as compatible with 5-to-13-speed derailleur chains that use a master link. - A connecting rivet and a chain tool. Park Tool says each connecting rivet is specific to the make and model of chain, so use the one made for your chain. You need a chain tool to cut the new chain to length even if you join it with a quick link. BikeRadar says the majority of chain tools work with chains up to and including 11-speed, so check the tool if you run 12 or 13 speed. Park Tool lists its CT-3.3 as compatible with 5-speed to 12-speed chains. Campagnolo chains need a chain breaker with a peening function, with the exception of Ekar and its C-Link quick link. Have a rag and chain lube ready too. Our guide to [the best bike chain lube](/blog/best-bike-chain-lube) helps you pick one. ## How to Replace a Bike Chain: Remove the Old One Shift the rear derailleur onto the smallest cog. If your bike has a front derailleur, shift to the big chainring. BikeRadar also says to release the clutch on the rear derailleur if it has one. Taking the rear wheel off is optional, and it takes tension off the chain. Then use the method that suits your chain. With a quick link: - Find the quick link. Park Tool says to position it in the lower section of chain. - Put the quick link pliers on either side of the link and squeeze. BikeRadar says this can need force, particularly on non-reusable quick links. - Lift the chain off, either by pedalling it off the chainring or by feeding it out of the rear derailleur. With a chain tool: - Find the connecting rivet, which looks different from the others. - Choose a different rivet. Park Tool says to pick one several rivets away from any connecting rivet already in the chain. - Bring the pin of the chain tool up to the rivet and drive it out in a straight line. If the old chain is worn out and you have no quick link pliers, BikeRadar says you can drive out a rivet with the chain tool instead of unlocking the quick link. Park Tool says the same for a worn chain. ## Size the New Chain New chains typically ship longer than required, per BikeRadar, so you cut them to size. BikeRadar says a chain that is too long sags in the smallest gears and could cause damage. A chain that is too short puts strain on the rear derailleur and hanger, potentially ripping both off the frame. There are three common ways to size it, plus the maker's own rule for Campagnolo. Match the old chain. Park Tool says this works if the old chain was the correct length. Line the chains up side by side and match them rivet by rivet, outer plate to outer plate or inner to inner. Remember the old chain has stretched. BikeRadar says wear can add up to a full link or more, so do not lay the two chains end to end and trust the match. First check the old chain was the right length. Park Tool says it should shift to the largest front and rear sprockets with two slight bends at the derailleur pulleys, and in the smallest cogs it should show no slack. The big-big method. BikeRadar describes wrapping the uncut chain around the largest cassette tooth and the largest chainring, bypassing the derailleurs. Pull the ends together tightly and add four additional links. If you are using a quick link and the link to cut is an outer link, cut at the next available rivet. The small-small method. For 2x and 3x drivetrains, BikeRadar says the most accurate method is to fit the chain on the smallest cog and smallest chainring, routed through the derailleur. Pull the ends towards each other until the derailleur cage starts to move, then cut where the links overlap. With a quick link, if the overlap falls on an outer link, move to the next inner link and cut there. Campagnolo 12-speed chains. BikeRadar reports that sizing depends on chainstay length, measured from the centre of the crankset to the centre of the rear dropout. A chainstay between 405 and 415mm takes 110 links, and over 415mm takes 112 links. ## Route and Join the Chain Before routing, check whether the chain is directional. Park Tool says logos or printed letters should face out toward the mechanic on the drive side. Feed the chain through the rear derailleur, and note any tabs on the cage. Park Tool says to route the chain on the correct side of the tab. Then bring it through the front derailleur and bring both ends together. ### Join With a Quick Link Fit the two halves of the quick link into the chain ends by hand, then seat them. Park Tool says to check the link for an arrow showing direction of travel. There are two ways to seat it. Quick link pliers pull it closed. Without pliers, Park Tool says to put the link on the upper run of the chain, apply the rear brake, and push on the pedals. BikeRadar says you should hear a loud click, then check by eye. Park Tool adds that you should inspect the link to make sure it is fully engaged. To test the length first, BikeRadar says you can partly fit the quick link without clicking it into place. ### Join With a Connecting Rivet Park Tool says to lubricate the rivet and install it from the inside of the bike toward you. BikeRadar gives the reason. When the pilot tip is snapped off, it can leave a small burr, and a rivet fitted from the inside keeps that burr away from the cassette teeth, where it could cause noise. Drive the rivet in with the chain tool. BikeRadar says there are two points of resistance, and that you should stop once it is seated and match the depth of the neighbouring rivets. Then snap off the pilot tip. Campagnolo rivets need a peening step after that, which the CT-3.3 cannot do. ### Check the Chain Before You Ride Backpedal and watch for tight links. Park Tool says to flex the chain sideways at a tight link to free it. Then shift through the gears and listen for skipping. Add lube once the chain runs freely. ## What to Do With the Old Chain and the Cassette Many workshops have a metal bin for recycling the old chain, according to BikeRadar. The cassette is the bigger question. BikeRadar says it is best to change the chain at the same time as the cassette, because a worn chain will wear a new cassette out faster or lead to skipping. If you replace the chain on its own, watch for skipping on the cassette teeth, and for teeth that have become hooked or shark-finned. Park Tool says the same about skipping. After you fit the new chain, skipping could be a symptom of a worn cassette or freewheel cogs. If you are unsure whether the cassette is worn, our guides to [cassette lifespan](/blog/cassette-lifespan) and [how long a bike cassette lasts](/blog/how-long-does-a-bike-cassette-last) cover the signs. The [cost of a worn drivetrain](/blog/cost-of-worn-drivetrain) shows why replacing the chain on time is the cheaper route. ## Bike Chain Replacement Cost: Parts and Labour Examples Three costs apply: the chain, the tool if you do not own one, and labour if a workshop does it. The prices below are examples, each seen on the page on 22 October 2026, and none is a quote for your area. ItemExample listingSource and date seenShimano 105/SLX CN-HG601 11-speed chain€19.95, with an RRP of €36.95Rose Bikes, 22 Oct 2026Same chain, 126 links$35.10 on sale, listed at $38.99, shown as back orderPerformance Bicycle, 22 Oct 2026Park Tool CT-3.3 chain tool$48.95Contender Bicycles, 22 Oct 2026Workshop labour, chain replacement€25, labour onlyEmilia Sport, Tampere, updated August 2026, seen 22 Oct 2026Workshop labour, chain and cassette together€40 plus partsEmilia Sport, Tampere, updated August 2026, seen 22 Oct 2026Campus co-op, chain install$5 labour, with a $15 to $25 estimate including a chainCSUN Matador Bike Shop, 22 Oct 2026Workshop labour is a separate line from the parts. The Emilia Sport page says prices cover labour and parts are billed separately, so ask the shop whether a quoted price includes the chain. If you only ever change one chain, the example tool costs more than the example chain, which is a fair reason to pay for the labour instead. The chain prices above cover one model. Other speed counts and groupsets cost different amounts, so check the listing for your own drivetrain. We left out quick link prices because we could not confirm a current price on a page that was in stock. ## Frequently Asked Questions **How do you change a bike chain?** Remove the old chain at its quick link or by driving out a rivet with a chain tool. Size the new chain, route it through the derailleurs, join it with a quick link or connecting rivet, and check the shifting in every gear. **How often should you replace a bike chain?** Replace it when a chain gauge says it is worn, not on a fixed schedule. Park Tool's checker uses 0.75% for 5-to-10 speed chains and 0.5% for 11-to-12 speed chains. **Do you need a chain tool to change a bike chain?** If your chain has a quick link and is the right length, you only need pliers, or the brake-and-pedal method. You need a chain tool to cut a new chain to length, and to remove a chain that has no quick link. **Should you replace the cassette with the chain?** BikeRadar says it is best to change them together, because a worn chain will wear a new cassette out faster or lead to skipping. If the new chain skips, suspect the cassette. **Can you reuse a quick link?** It depends on the link. BikeRadar refers to non-reusable quick links. A Contender Bicycles listing for the SRAM PowerLock says it is reusable, but that SRAM recommends a new link if the chain is removed or broken. Check the instructions for your link. ## How Componentry Helps You Replace the Chain at the Right Time Componentry syncs your rides from Strava, Garmin, and Wahoo and adds the distance to the components on the bike you rode. Wear on the chain is tracked toward replacement, so you can see how much of its life is used before you buy the parts. Add a reminder to the chain by distance or by time. When you fit the new chain, log the service on the component. Each component keeps its own history, so you can see when the last chain went on. ## Recommended Resources & Further Reading Technical data: - [Park Tool: Chain Replacement, Derailleur Bikes](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/chain-replacement-derailleur-bikes), the step-by-step procedure - [BikeRadar: How to replace a bicycle chain](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/how-to-replace-a-bicycle-chain), compatibility, sizing methods and fitting, published 2 October 2024 - [Park Tool: CC-2 Chain Checker](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/product/chain-checker-cc-2), wear limits by speed count - [Park Tool: MLP-1.2 Master Link Pliers](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/product/master-link-pliers-mlp-1-2) and [CT-3.3 Chain Tool](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/product/chain-tool-ct-3-3), tool compatibility Componentry reading: - [When to Replace Your Bike Chain](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain): the wear limits - [How to Measure Chain Stretch](/blog/chain-stretch-measurement-guide): check wear first - [How to Maintain Your Bike Chain](/blog/chain-maintenance-guide): cleaning, lube and replacement together - [How to Clean a Bike Chain](/blog/how-to-clean-a-bike-chain) and [The Best Bike Chain Lube](/blog/best-bike-chain-lube): look after the new chain - [Cassette Lifespan](/blog/cassette-lifespan) and [How Long Does a Bike Cassette Last?](/blog/how-long-does-a-bike-cassette-last): decide on the cassette - [The Cost of a Worn Drivetrain](/blog/cost-of-worn-drivetrain) and [The Chain Stretch Domino Effect](/blog/chain-stretch-domino-effect): why timing matters - [Tubeless Sealant: How Long It Lasts and When to Top Up](https://www.componentry.app/blog/tubeless-sealant-lifespan): Tubeless sealant lasts about 2 to 6 months. How to check the level, how much to add per tyre, and when to clear it out, with maker figures side by side. Published: 2026-10-22 | Categories: maintenance, wheels | Tags: tubeless-sealant, tubeless, sealant, tyres, maintenance, stans-notubes, schwalbe, muc-off, silca **Quick answer:** Tubeless sealant lasts about 2 to 6 months in the tyre, depending on the maker, the temperature and the humidity. Check it at three months, sooner in hot weather. Top up when a cable tie dipped in through the valve comes out with less than a centimetre of sealant on it. Clear out the old sealant and refill when you find dried chunks, or when you next remove the tyre. Sealant is a wear item, though it does not wear with distance the way a chain does. Stan's says tyres weep sealant as it evaporates, and each puncture it seals uses a little up. A tyre can hold air today and still have almost no sealant left for the next thorn. This guide sets the sealant makers' own figures side by side and shows where they disagree. It also explains how to check the level in a few minutes and how much to add for common tyre sizes, so you can buy the right bottle of tubeless tire sealant. ## How Long Does Tubeless Sealant Last? Most makers give a range of months, not a distance. The figures below are each maker's own, in the units they use. MakerStated lifeCheck or top-up adviceStan's NoTubes2 to 6 months on averageCheck or refresh quarterlySchwalbe (Doc Blue)About 2,000 km or 2 to 7 monthsCheck before a race or a larger tourMuc-Off (Road & Gravel)3 to 6 monthsCheck regularly, or every 750 milesMuc-Off (MTB)Up to 6+ months in temperate climatesTop up if neededSilca (Ultimate)Up to 3 months before adding replenisherReplenisher extends life up to a yearStan's puts it plainly: > "The sealant should last an average of 2-6 months depending on factors such as: temperatures and humidity in your area" [Stan's NoTubes: Sealant Support](https://stans.com/pages/sealant-support) The makers agree on the broad answer and differ at the edges. Stan's says 2 to 6 months, Schwalbe says 2 to 7, Muc-Off says 3 to 6, and Silca expects you to add replenisher at about three months. These are claims from the companies that sell the sealant. We found no independent test that measures how long sealant lasts, so treat the ranges as the makers' guidance, not as lab results. Orange Seal's product pages give no figure in months or distance. They say only that its Endurance formula lasts "up to two to three times longer" than its regular formula. If you use Orange Seal, check the product sheet that ships with the bottle. Temperature is the biggest variable, and Schwalbe says so directly: "The period varies greatly depending on the ambient temperature." Muc-Off's hot-weather advice is to check more often: > "If using in hot conditions (+35°C) simply top up if needed and check every couple of months." [Muc-Off: Road & Gravel Tubeless Sealant](https://us.muc-off.com/products/road-gravel-tubeless-sealant-500ml) ## How Often Should You Add Tubeless Sealant? Check at three months, then top up when the level is low. That is the interval Stan's gives for most riders: > "check/refresh your sealant quarterly (every three months)" [Stan's NoTubes: Sealant Support](https://stans.com/pages/sealant-support) BikeRadar gives the same window as a top-up or replacement interval: every three to six months. Stan's adds that its Race Sealant should be inspected approximately every 2 to 3 weeks, which tells you the shorter-life formulas need a shorter loop. Use these rules of thumb: - Check at three months as a default. - Check every couple of months in hot weather, as Muc-Off advises for +35°C riding. - Check before a race, a big event or a long tour. Schwalbe recommends checking and replacing the sealant before a competition or a larger tour. - Check any time a tyre loses pressure faster than usual. - Do a full inspection with the tyre off every 12 to 18 months, which is BikeRadar's guidance. Most maker figures are in months, because the sealant evaporates whether you ride or not. Muc-Off does give 750 miles as an alternative trigger, so check at whichever comes first. ## How to Check Your Sealant Level You do not need to take the tyre off. Two checks cover most cases. The first check is a cable tie dipstick. BikeRadar's method works through the valve: - Rotate the wheel so the valve sits at six o'clock and the sealant pools at the bottom. - Let the air out and remove the valve core. - Push a cable tie through the valve stem until it touches the bottom of the tyre, then pull it out. - Read the sealant on the tie. > "if there's more than a centimetre of sealant on the cable tie, you're good to go." [BikeRadar: How often should you change your sealant](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/tubeless-tyre-maintenance/) BikeRadar's alternative is to lift one bead with a tyre lever and look inside. That shows more but is messier, and sealant is likely to spill onto the floor. The second check is a needle test. Schwalbe's check is a puncture test: > "Just pierce the tread and let the tire rotate. If the hole does not seal automatically, you will need to refill sealant." [Schwalbe: Tubeless FAQ](https://www.schwalbe.com/en/technology-faq/tubeless/) Use this test with care. It makes a real hole, so do it only when you intend to top up anyway. Stan's also notes that a tyre weeping sealant through the casing is the sealant evaporating naturally. Porous tyres may need a refresh soon after setup, so check a new tyre earlier than three months. ## How Much Sealant to Add per Tyre Top-up volumes depend on tyre width. The makers give these starting amounts, in their own units. Muc-Off's are minimums, and it suggests up to 20 ml extra for added protection on road and gravel tyres. TyreAmountSourceRoad and cyclocross2 ounces (60 ml)Stan'sXC 29er, 2.0 to 2.2 inch3 to 4 ounces (89 to 118 ml)Stan's23 to 60 mm wide60 to 90 mlSchwalbe62 to 100 mm wide90 to 120 mlSchwalbe23c and 25c road40 to 50 mlMuc-Off28c road50 to 60 mlMuc-Off30c to 45c gravel70 to 80 mlMuc-Off29 inch MTB105 to 140 mlMuc-OffThese amounts are for a fresh fill. A top-up is usually smaller, because some sealant is still in the tyre. Follow the amount printed on your bottle, which depends on wheel size and tyre width, then check the level again with the cable tie. Schwalbe adds that you can fill in extra sealant "if you don't mind the extra weight." Park Tool's TSI-1 injector adds sealant through the valve stem of a mounted tyre without unseating the bead. You still need to remove the valve core first. ## Top Up or Clear Out and Replace? Topping up is fine for a while. At some point the old sealant has dried into flakes and chunks that do nothing. Muc-Off warns that topping up without clearing out the old sealant can dilute the new. Do a full clear-out when: - You find dried chunks or flakes on the cable tie or inside the tyre. - The tyre keeps losing air after a top-up. - You are replacing the tyre, or the 12 to 18 month inspection is due. - You want to switch to a different sealant. For a clear-out, Muc-Off's method is to take the tyre off, drain what remains, and wipe out the residue and dried chunks with a cloth, sponge or brush before adding new sealant. Muc-Off's own blog recommends swapping the sealant every 4 to 6 months for the best protection against flats. Silca's two-part system takes a different route. Its replenisher page says "Up to 3 months of sealant life before adding replenisher to extend the life for up to a year." A road.cc report on the launch says that with the two-part system you only need to "clean out your tyres and reset the wheels once a year." That is one maker's system and does not apply to other sealants. ## What Sealant Cannot Do Sealant fixes small punctures, not every failure. Schwalbe states that Doc Blue is not suitable for large defects such as cuts or bursts, and that larger cuts or snake bites are cases where the fluid does not help. Carry a tube or a plug kit, and replace a tyre with a damaged casing. Our guide on [when to replace bike tyres](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-tyres) covers the signs. Pressure matters for sealant tyres too. Our [tyre pressure calculator guide](/blog/bike-tyre-pressure-calculator) helps you set pressure for your weight and tyre width. ## Tubeless Sealant FAQ **How long does tubeless sealant last?** About 2 to 6 months for most makers. Stan's says 2 to 6 months on average, Schwalbe says about 2,000 km or 2 to 7 months, and Muc-Off says 3 to 6 months for its road and gravel sealant. **How often to add tubeless sealant?** Check at three months and top up if the level is low. Check sooner in hot weather, before a race, or when a tyre loses pressure faster than usual. **What is the best way to check sealant for tubeless tires?** Use a cable tie through the valve with the valve at six o'clock. More than a centimetre of sealant on the tie is a good level, according to BikeRadar. **Can you add tubeless tire sealant through the valve?** Yes. Remove the valve core and inject the sealant, with a syringe or an injector such as Park Tool's TSI-1. ## How Componentry Helps You Track Sealant Sealant runs on a calendar, and many riders own more than one set of wheels. It is easy to lose track of which set of tyres was last topped up, and a tyre that goes soft mid-ride is a late reminder. In Componentry you can add a reminder to the tyre or wheel component and set it to a time interval you choose, such as three months. Log the date each time you check or top up, and the next reminder moves forward. If you ride a road bike and a gravel bike, each bike's tyres get their own reminder. Componentry does not measure the sealant level in the tyre. The cable tie check is still yours to do, but you will not forget when it is due. Distance still matters for other parts. Componentry adds the distance from each synced ride to the chain, cassette and tyres on the bike you rode, so those reminders arrive on time too. Our [bike maintenance schedule](/blog/bike-maintenance-schedule) shows how the calendar items and the distance items fit together. ## Where Sealant Fits in Your Maintenance Schedule Sealant is on every tubeless bike's list, but the interval changes with the terrain. These guides show where it sits for each type of riding: - [Gravel bike maintenance schedule](/blog/gravel-bike-maintenance-schedule) for low-pressure tyres on sharp surfaces - [MTB maintenance schedule](/blog/mtb-maintenance-schedule) for suspension, dropper and sealant intervals - [Bike tune-up checklist](/blog/bike-tune-up-checklist) for a full home check, including wheels and tyres ## Further Reading on Tubeless Sealant **Maker guidance:** - [Stan's NoTubes: Sealant Support](https://stans.com/pages/sealant-support) for sealant life, refresh interval and starting volumes - [Schwalbe: Tubeless FAQ](https://www.schwalbe.com/en/technology-faq/tubeless/) for Doc Blue life, quantities and the needle test - [Muc-Off: Road & Gravel Tubeless Sealant](https://us.muc-off.com/products/road-gravel-tubeless-sealant-500ml) for the 3 to 6 month range and volumes by tyre size - [Muc-Off: 5 Steps To Revamping Your Tubeless Sealant](https://us.muc-off.com/blogs/articles/5-steps-to-revamping-your-tubeless-sealant-the-muc-off-method) for a full clear-out - [Silca: Ultimate Tubeless Sealant Replenisher](https://silca.cc/products/ultimate-tubeless-sealant-replenisher) for the replenisher approach **Independent guidance:** - [BikeRadar: How often should you change your sealant](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/tubeless-tyre-maintenance/) for the cable tie check and the 3 to 6 month interval - [Park Tool: Tubeless Tire Removal and Installation](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/tubeless-tire-mounting-and-repair) for mounting and removing a tubeless tyre - [Park Tool: TSI-1 Tubeless Sealant Injector](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/product/tubeless-sealant-injector-tsi-1) for adding sealant through the valve **Componentry reading:** - [Tire Lifecycle Management: Pressure, Sealant, and Rubber Aging](/blog/maximizing-grip-and-longevity) - [When to Replace Bike Tyres](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-tyres) - [Bike Tyre Pressure Calculator](/blog/bike-tyre-pressure-calculator) - [How to Prevent Bike Rust: Where It Starts and the Routine That Stops It](https://www.componentry.app/blog/how-to-prevent-bike-rust): How to prevent bike rust: rinse off salt, dry the hidden spots, protect bolts and cable ends, treat steel frame interiors, grease the seatpost, and store the bike dry. Published: 2026-10-19 | Categories: maintenance, guide | Tags: bike-rust, corrosion-prevention, bike-storage, winter-bike-maintenance, bike-cleaning To prevent bike rust, keep water and salt off bare metal. Rinse the bike with low-pressure fresh water after wet or salty rides, dry it by hand, lubricate the chain, protect bolts and cable ends with a light anti-corrosion product, grease the seatpost, and store the bike indoors where it stays dry. Rust does not start on the paint or the frame tubes you can see. It starts where metal sits wet and out of sight: a bolt head, a cable end, the inside of a steel tube, the gap around a seatpost. A bike that looks clean can still be corroding in those places. This guide covers where rust starts, the routine that stops it, and what to do once it has begun. ## Why Bikes Rust and Where It Starts Rust needs iron or steel, water and air. Road salt makes the problem worse because it keeps the metal wet and speeds the reaction. Tern Bicycles, a bike maker, names salt as the main threat in its [guide to salt corrosion](https://www.ternbicycles.com/en/support/kb/348683/how-prevent-salt-corrosion-your-bike) and says to clean the bike with fresh water and dry it afterward. These parts rust first, because they are bare steel, they trap water, or both: - **Chain:** the plates and pins are steel, and wet lube wears off in rain. - **Bolts and fasteners:** stem, seatpost clamp, brake and cable-clamp bolts hold water in their heads. - **Cable ends and inner cables:** a frayed end or a dry housing lets water in. - **Cassette, chainrings and rotors:** steel surfaces can show surface rust after a damp night. - **Inside a steel frame:** paint protects the outside of a steel tube. [Surly's frame care guide](https://surlybikes.com/pages/care-and-feeding-of-your-steel-frame) says the inside of the tubes is vulnerable and needs its own protection. - **Seatpost and stem:** these corrode in a different way, covered below. Aluminium and carbon frames do not rust, but their steel parts do, and aluminium can corrode where it meets other metals. ## How to Prevent Bike Rust: The Routine Most of the work is washing and drying. The [Polygon Bikes rust guide](https://www.polygonbikes.com/us/protecting-bike-from-rust/), published in April 2026, and Park Tool's cleaning advice agree on the core steps. - **Rinse after wet or salty rides.** Use a water bottle, or a hose on low pressure with a wide spray, and work from the top of the bike down. Park Tool gives this method in its [bike washing guide](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/bike-washing-and-cleaning). Polygon says to rinse the drivetrain, brakes and the underside of the frame after winter rides to remove salt. - **Dry the bike by hand.** Park Tool recommends a towel because it also lets you look over the frame and parts. Polygon adds the hidden spots: the bottom bracket area, the seatpost and bolt heads. - **Do not blast the bearings.** Park Tool warns against pointing compressed air straight at bearings. Dry around them instead. - **Dry the chain, then lubricate it.** Run the chain through a clean dry rag first. Park Tool uses one drop of lubricant per link. Use a wet lube in rain and winter, then wipe off the excess so it does not hold grit. - **Treat bolts, derailleurs and cable ends.** Polygon suggests a light oil or an anti-corrosion spray. Tern names Boeshield, GT85 and Fluid Film as examples. Keep spray off the brake rotors and pads. - **Touch up chipped paint.** Tern's advice is to cover chips right away so rust does not creep under the paint. Do not rely on a penetrating oil such as WD-40 as your chain lube. Park Tool says it is not ideal for regular chain lubrication. ## Protect a Steel Frame From the Inside A steel frame can rust from the inside while the paint looks perfect. Water gets in through the seat tube and the bottom bracket shell, and it has nowhere to go. Surly suggests coating the tube interiors with a rust inhibitor such as Frame Saver, motor fogging oil or boiled linseed oil. Seven Cycles recommends reapplying an inhibitor inside the frame at least once a season, and more often if you ride in the wet. That interval is one maker's advice. Not every maker gives one, so check your frame maker's care page. The easiest time to treat a frame is when it is stripped. On a built bike, ask a shop to do it, or follow the product's own instructions and let the frame drain before you ride. ## Stop the Seatpost and Stem From Seizing A seized seatpost is corrosion too, but it is galvanic, not rust. Park Tool's [guide to seized seatposts and stems](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/seized-seatposts-and-stems) says an aluminium post in a steel frame bonds through an exchange of ions between the two metals. It names the same risk for aluminium in carbon, and for carbon in steel or aluminium. The fix is a barrier between the two surfaces: - **Grease or anti-seize on a metal post.** Park Tool says anti-seize is more resistant to water and corrosion than grease. Its [lubricant guide](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/the-park-tool-guide-to-bicycle-lubricants-and-compounds) says to apply it to the inside of the seat tube, not to the post. - **Carbon assembly compound on a carbon post.** Park Tool names SAC-2 for carbon seatposts as the exception to the grease rule. - **No grease on the stem clamp.** Park Tool says grease should not be used between the stem and the handlebars, or between the steerer and the stem on threadless systems. Also keep grease off disc rotor bolts, where it can creep and contaminate the brake. Park Tool says to remove the post occasionally, clean the surfaces and apply fresh lubricant. It gives no interval. A yearly look when you service the bike is a reasonable habit, but that is our suggestion, not a maker figure. ## Store the Bike Dry to Prevent Rust Where the bike sleeps matters as much as how you wash it. Polygon's storage advice: - Keep the bike indoors in a dry room with a stable temperature. - Do not leave it outside overnight, even under a cover, because dew and humidity speed up corrosion. - If you must cover it, use a light, breathable cover. A tight plastic sheet traps moisture. - In a damp garage or shed, use silica gel packs or a small dehumidifier. Do bike covers prevent rust? A breathable cover keeps rain and snow off, which helps. A sealed one can cause the condensation you are trying to avoid. ## Can You Stop Rust Once It Starts? Light surface rust on a chain, bolt or rotor is mostly cosmetic if you catch it early. Wipe it off, dry the part, and protect it. Rust that makes chain links stiff is different, because a stiff chain wears itself and the cassette faster. Check it with a [chain wear gauge](/blog/chain-stretch-measurement-guide) and replace it at the wear limit in our [chain replacement guide](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain). Treat these as stop and replace signs: - Rust that has pitted a bolt head or thread. - A seized seatpost or stem you cannot free by hand. - Rust bubbling through the paint on a steel frame. Have a frame builder or a shop look at it. - A brake rotor with deep corrosion on the braking surface. Check the maker's wear limit. Do not scrub a steel frame hard to remove rust. One forum thread on rust removal warns that removing rust also removes steel, which thins the tube. That is a forum opinion, so ask a frame builder before you try it. ## How Componentry Helps You Track Rust-Prevention Jobs Componentry cannot see rust. It tracks what you can measure: the distance and ride time from every Strava, Garmin or Wahoo ride, and the calendar time since you last did a job. That covers the chain, which is the part rust hurts most through wear, and it covers the jobs that run on a calendar. Set reminders for the jobs in this guide: - A chain lube or re-wax reminder by distance, with a shorter interval for wet winters. - A yearly reminder to pull the seatpost, clean it and regrease the seat tube. - A seasonal reminder to treat the inside of a steel frame. - A reminder to check bolts and cable ends before the wet season starts. Log each job when you do it and the counter resets. If you ride in salt or live near the coast, set the intervals shorter than a dry-climate rider would. Your service history then shows when each protective job was done, which also helps when you sell the bike. ## Bike Rust Prevention: Sources and Related Guides **Related Componentry guides:** - [Bike Maintenance Schedule](/blog/bike-maintenance-schedule): what to check every ride, month and year - [Bike Tune-Up Checklist](/blog/bike-tune-up-checklist): the home steps for a full service - [Basic Bike Maintenance at Home](/blog/basic-bike-maintenance-at-home): tools and skills for the jobs above - [Chain Maintenance Guide](/blog/chain-maintenance-guide): cleaning and lubricating the chain - [When to Replace Your Bike Chain](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain): wear limits **Sources:** - [Polygon Bikes: How to Protect Your Bike from Rust](https://www.polygonbikes.com/us/protecting-bike-from-rust/): rinsing, drying, protection and storage - [Tern Bicycles: How to Prevent Salt Corrosion on Your Bike](https://www.ternbicycles.com/en/support/kb/348683/how-prevent-salt-corrosion-your-bike): salt, cleaning and protective sprays - [Park Tool: How to Wash a Bicycle](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/bike-washing-and-cleaning): low-pressure washing and drying - [Park Tool: Guide to Bicycle Lubricants and Compounds](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/the-park-tool-guide-to-bicycle-lubricants-and-compounds): grease, anti-seize and where not to use them - [Park Tool: Seized Seatposts and Stems](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/seized-seatposts-and-stems): galvanic corrosion - [Surly: Care and Feeding of Your Steel Frame](https://surlybikes.com/pages/care-and-feeding-of-your-steel-frame): protecting tube interiors - [Seven Cycles: Steel Frame Care and Maintenance](https://sevencycles.com/steel-frame-care-and-maintenance.php): rust inhibitor interval - [Gravel Bike Maintenance Schedule: Service Intervals by Distance, Time and Conditions](https://www.componentry.app/blog/gravel-bike-maintenance-schedule): A gravel bike maintenance schedule built from maker intervals: chain, sealant, tyres, brakes, bearings and hanger checks, with what changes for dust, mud and water crossings. Published: 2026-10-17 | Categories: maintenance, gravel | Tags: gravel-bike, maintenance-schedule, gravel-bike-maintenance, service-intervals, drivetrain A gravel bike runs on several clocks at once. The chain wears with distance, and wears faster in grit. Tubeless sealant dries on a calendar whether you ride or not. Brake fluid follows the year. Hubs and bearings follow the year too, but water and mud shorten that interval. A road schedule covers the same parts, yet it was not written for a bike that spends its life on dust, mud and stream crossings. This guide sets out a gravel bike maintenance schedule from the makers' own figures, and says plainly where no maker gives a number. It sits beside our [road bike service intervals](/blog/road-bike-service-intervals), [mountain bike schedule](/blog/mtb-maintenance-schedule) and [general bike maintenance schedule](/blog/bike-maintenance-schedule). ## Gravel Bike Maintenance Schedule at a Glance PartService or checkIntervalSourceTyresCheck pressure and sidewallsBefore every rideBikeRadarThru-axles and boltsCheck they are secureBefore every rideBikeRadar, Park ToolChain (wax)Re-waxAbout every 300 to 400 km or 15 hours, sooner off-roadSilca, Zero Friction CyclingChainMeasure wear, replace at the limit0.5% on 11-speed and above, 0.75% on 10-speed and belowPark ToolTubeless sealantCheck or refreshEvery 3 months; it lasts 2 to 6 monthsStan's NoTubesBrake padsInspect, replace by wearUnder 3 mm total thickness, or 0.5 mm of friction materialSRAM, manufacturersBrake fluidBleedDOT once a year, mineral oil every two yearsSRAMHubsServiceEvery 6 to 12 months dry, every 3 months wet or muddyChris KingBottom bracketServiceAt least yearly, 5,000 to 10,000 km for standard bearingsCeramicSpeedHeadsetCheckYearly, or about 6,000 milesTrek dealer chartDerailleur hangerCheck alignmentAfter an impact, or when shifting stays poorPark ToolThe figures are maximums for moderate riding. The next section covers what changes on gravel. ## What Changes on Gravel Gravel riding adds three things a road ride rarely meets: fine dust, mud and water. Every maker below says harder conditions mean shorter intervals, but none publishes a multiplier for dust or mud. Be wary of any gravel schedule that quotes one, because we found no maker or established outlet that does. The published pairs that do exist are these: PartNormal or dryWet, muddy or harshSourceHubsEvery 6 to 12 monthsEvery 3 monthsChris KingWax on a chain250 to 350 miles on average, 500 to 800 miles in good conditionsAs little as 50 miles in the worst conditionsSilcaWax on a chain, off-roadAbout 300 km on dry roadBy the 6 to 8 hour mark at mostZero Friction CyclingTubeless sealant2 to 6 monthsTemperature, humidity and the number of punctures it has sealed shorten itStan's NoTubesBikeRadar notes that dirt acts as a grinding paste in the drivetrain, which is why the chain and its lubricant sit at the top of any gravel schedule. ## After a Dirty Ride A short reset after a gritty or wet ride protects the parts that grit and water reach first. Park Tool's advice on washing is to use only low pressure and a wide spray if you use a hose, and never to aim compressed air at bearings. Chris King adds that pressure washing, rain or submerging a hub can contaminate its lubricant and wear the bearings early. After the wash: - Dry the chain. Silca says to dry it thoroughly after riding in water because of rust, and Zero Friction Cycling says to re-wax a wet chain at once. - Check the tyres for cuts and the sidewalls for damage. BikeRadar's safety check includes sidewalls, tread, sealant and pressure. - Spin each wheel and listen for rotor rub or a rough bearing. ## The Drivetrain on Gravel: Chain, Cassette and Lube Park Tool gives chain replacement limits of 0.5% for 11-speed and above and 0.75% for 10-speed and below, and notes that manufacturers set their own specifications. Our [chain replacement guide](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain) has the full table by drivetrain. Two cautions are specific to gravel bikes. First, not all chain checkers suit SRAM Flattop chains, which are used on 12-speed road and gravel groupsets, because of their oversized rollers (BikeRadar). Use the checker the chain maker specifies. Second, chain wear in grit depends heavily on how you clean and lubricate the chain. Our [wax interval guide](/blog/waxed-chain-intervals) covers the intervals in detail, and our [measurement guide](/blog/chain-stretch-measurement-guide) shows how to read a checker. For lubricant intervals, Silca puts hot-melt wax at about every 15 hours or 300 to 400 km, and Zero Friction Cycling says off-road riders should re-wax by the 6 to 8 hour mark. These are makers and a seller describing their own products, so treat them as guides and re-wax when the chain gets noisy. ## Tyres and Sealant on Gravel Gravel tyres run at low pressure over sharp surfaces, so tyres and sealant are where the schedule differs most from road riding. Stan's says sealant typically lasts 2 to 6 months and recommends checking or refreshing it quarterly. Schwalbe says its Doc Blue stays active for about 2,000 km or 2 to 7 months depending on temperature, and that it is not suitable for large defects such as cuts or bursts, which are better fixed with a tube. Schwalbe's test is to pierce the tread with a needle and rotate the tyre, and to add sealant if the hole does not seal. Check pressure before every ride, as BikeRadar advises for gravel tyres. Schwalbe adds that sidewalls often fail before the tread wears out, mostly from low pressure, and that wear on the tread edges rather than the centre points to underinflation. We found no maker that publishes a gravel-specific tyre lifespan. Schwalbe's figure of 2,000 to 5,000 km is for standard tyres, so inspect gravel tyres after every demanding ride instead of waiting for a distance. Our [tyre replacement guide](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-tyres) covers the signs. ## Brakes: Pads, Rotors and Fluid in Grit Dirt shortens brake pad life. BikeRadar says organic pads suffer degraded performance and faster wear when conditions are wet or dirty, and that sintered pads are more consistent in wet and dirty conditions. SRAM's troubleshooting guidance says to replace pads when they are under 3 mm in total thickness, counting the backing plate. That is a different measure from the 0.5 mm of friction material that our [brake pad guide](/blog/when-to-replace-brake-pads) quotes for Shimano and SRAM, so check which measure your pad's maker uses. SRAM also warns that dirt can stop the caliper pistons moving freely, and that contaminated pads need replacing along with the rotors. Brake fluid is a calendar job. SRAM's service sheet says to bleed DOT brakes once a year and mineral oil brakes every two years, with shorter intervals for demanding terrain, climate and riding style. Our [brake fluid guide](/blog/hydraulic-fluid-lifecycle) has the maker intervals side by side. ## Hubs, Bottom Bracket and Headset Bearings are the parts riders forget. Chris King lists service every 6 to 12 months in normal, dry conditions and every 3 months in wet or muddy ones, and says to service more often after extreme or prolonged wet riding. CeramicSpeed lists 5,000 to 10,000 km for standard bottom brackets, with yearly as the minimum. A Trek dealer's chart puts the headset on a yearly check. See our [wheel bearing guide](/blog/wheel-bearing-service-intervals) and [bottom bracket service guide](/blog/how-often-to-service-a-bottom-bracket). If you cross streams or ride in heavy rain often, use the wet figure for the hubs. We found no maker that gives a separate interval for water crossings, beyond Chris King's advice to service sooner. ## Hanger, Thru-Axles and the Pre-Ride Check BikeRadar describes the derailleur hanger as a sacrificial part that bends or breaks in an impact. Park Tool says to check derailleur hanger alignment after an impact such as a crash, a fall or rough handling, and also when shifting stays poor after the indexing and limit screws have been adjusted. Our [derailleur hanger guide](/blog/backcountry-reliability-derailleur-hanger) covers what bends a hanger on gravel and bikepacking trips. Park Tool notes that a secure thru-axle is especially critical on disc brake systems. BikeRadar's pre-ride check runs from the front hub to the rear wheel in eight sections, and includes securing the thru-axle, checking the tyres and sealant, spinning the wheel for rotor rub and squeezing the levers. Spongy hydraulic brakes may need bleeding. ## Signs a Gravel Bike Needs Servicing Early Intervals are maximums. Bring the job forward when you see any of these: - The chain skips under load, or shifting becomes slow and noisy. - The brake lever feels spongy, or the brakes rub or squeal after a wash. - A hub feels rough or gritty when you spin the wheel, especially after a wet ride. - A tyre keeps losing pressure, or sealant has dried to crumbs when you open the valve. - The bike has had a crash, a fall or a hard hit on the drivetrain side. ## How Componentry Tracks a Gravel Bike Schedule A gravel bike runs on distance, time and conditions together, and a paper schedule cannot follow all three. Componentry adds the distance and ride time from every Strava, Garmin or Wahoo ride to each part on the bike you rode. You set the interval by distance or by time, and you get a reminder before the part is due. Logging a service resets the counter. Use shorter intervals for the parts that grit and water reach first, such as the chain and hubs, and set a calendar reminder for sealant, brake fluid and the yearly bearing check. Riders with a road bike and a gravel bike get a separate schedule for each. ## Gravel Bike Maintenance: Sources and Related Guides **Related Componentry guides:** - [Bike Maintenance Schedule: What to Check Every Ride, Month and Year](/blog/bike-maintenance-schedule): the general schedule for any bike - [Servicing a Road Bike: Service Intervals by Component](/blog/road-bike-service-intervals): the road schedule this one is compared with - [Mountain Bike Maintenance Schedule](/blog/mtb-maintenance-schedule): intervals by hours, months and distance - [Bike Tune-Up Checklist](/blog/bike-tune-up-checklist): the home steps for a service **Sources:** - [Stan's NoTubes: Sealant Support](https://stans.com/pages/sealant-support): sealant life and refresh interval - [Schwalbe: Tubeless FAQ](https://www.schwalbe.com/en/technology-faq/tubeless/): Doc Blue life and limits - [Schwalbe: Tire Wear](https://www.schwalbe.com/en/technology-faq/tire-wear/): pressure checks and sidewall failure - [BikeRadar: Gravel tyre pressure](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/gravel-tyre-pressure): pressure checks before every ride (sponsored by Vittoria) - [BikeRadar: How to safety check your bike](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/how-to-safety-check-your-bike): the pre-ride M-check - [BikeRadar: How to know when it's time to replace your chain](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/how-to-know-when-its-time-to-replace-your-bicycle-chain): dirt and SRAM Flattop checkers - [BikeRadar: Disc brake pads](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/disc-brake-pads): organic and sintered pads in wet and dirty conditions - [Park Tool: When to replace a chain](https://www.parktool.com/en-int/blog/repair-help/when-to-replace-a-chain-on-a-bicycle): wear thresholds - [Park Tool: Bike washing and cleaning](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/bike-washing-and-cleaning): low-pressure washing - [Park Tool: Rear derailleur hanger alignment](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-hanger-alignment): when to check a hanger - [Chris King: Boost CL hub manual](https://chrisking.com/pages/boost-cl-manual): hub service intervals and water contamination - [CeramicSpeed: Bearing Cleaning and Maintenance](https://ceramicspeed.com/pages/bearing-cleaning-maintenance): bottom bracket intervals - [SRAM: Disc brake troubleshooting](https://www.sram.com/de/learn/disc-brake-troubleshooting): pad thickness and contamination - [SRAM and RockShox: Service Intervals](https://www.sram.com/globalassets/document-hierarchy/service-manuals/sramrockshox-service-interval-counter-mat.pdf): brake fluid intervals - [Silca: Chain lube frequently asked questions](https://silca.cc/blogs/silca/chain-lube-frequently-asked-questions): wax intervals by conditions - [Zero Friction Cycling: Wax instructions](https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/?p=3657): off-road re-wax guidance - [Trek Chicago: Bike Maintenance Chart](https://www.trekchicago.com/how-to/bike-maintenance-chart-pg80.htm): a dealer's interval chart - [Servicing a Road Bike: Service Intervals by Component](https://www.componentry.app/blog/road-bike-service-intervals): Servicing a road bike runs on several clocks: distance, time and wear. Road bike service intervals for the chain, brakes, bearings, tyres and electronic shifting. Published: 2026-10-17 | Categories: maintenance, guide | Tags: road-bike-service-intervals, servicing-a-road-bike, road-bike-maintenance, service-intervals, maintenance Servicing a road bike means keeping several parts on different clocks. Clean and lube the chain monthly, or about every 500 miles. Check the bearings, bottom bracket and headset once a year. Bleed hydraulic brakes once a year on DOT fluid, or every two years on mineral oil. Replace the chain, cassette, brake pads and tyres when wear says so, not when the calendar does. No single schedule covers all of that, because chains wear with distance, sealant ages with time, and brake fluid does both. This guide sets out each road bike service interval, where the figure comes from, and which parts need a shop. It does not cover prices, which are in our [bike tune-up cost guide](/blog/bike-tune-up-cost). ## Road Bike Service Intervals at a Glance PartService or checkIntervalBasisTyresCheck pressureEvery rideDealer chartChain (oil)Clean and lubeMonthly, or about 500 milesDealer chartChain (wax)Re-wax300 to 400 km on dry roadsComponentry wax guideChainReplace0.5% wear on 11-speed and Shimano 12-speed, 0.8% on SRAM 12-speed, 0.75% on 10-speed and belowPark Tool, SRAMCassetteReplaceAfter about three chainsComponentry cassette guideBrake padsReplaceBy wear, 0.5 mm of friction material is the manufacturer limit for hydraulic disc padsManufacturersBrake fluidBleedDOT once a year, mineral oil once every two yearsSRAM service sheetTubeless sealantCheck and refreshEvery three monthsStan's NoTubesCables and housingInspectEvery six monthsDealer chart, USA CyclingHubsServiceEvery 6 to 12 months, every 3 months in wet or muddy ridingChris King, DT SwissBottom bracketServiceAt least yearly, 5,000 to 10,000 km for standard bearingsCeramicSpeedHeadsetCheckYearly, or about 6,000 milesDealer chartElectronic shiftingChargeA stored bike every 3 to 6 monthsShimanoThe dealer chart is a Trek dealer's maintenance chart, which prints distance and time together, and we read each job as due at whichever comes first. The rest of this guide explains the figures that need context. ## Which Parts of a Road Bike Wear Out, and Which Age Two kinds of service run side by side. Wear parts lose material with every pedal stroke and are replaced when a measurement says so. Ageing parts degrade with time, so they follow the calendar even on a bike that rarely leaves the garage. Wear parts are the chain, cassette, chainrings, brake pads and tyres. Ageing parts are brake fluid, tubeless sealant, cables and bar tape. Bearings sit in between, because grease degrades with time and contamination, and water gets in with distance. Servicing a road bike well means knowing which clock each part is on. A rider who covers a lot of distance in dry weather will wear out a chain long before the brake fluid needs attention. A rider who commutes through winter will reach the hub and bottom bracket intervals much sooner. ## The Drivetrain: Chain, Cassette and Chainrings The chain is the part to service most often, and the cheapest part to replace on time. Park Tool and SRAM give wear limits by drivetrain: 0.5% on 11-speed and Shimano 12-speed, 0.8% on SRAM 12-speed, and 0.75% on 10-speed and below. Our [chain replacement guide](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain) has the full table, and the [measurement guide](/blog/chain-stretch-measurement-guide) shows how to read a chain checker. A cassette lasts about three chains when the chains are replaced on time. Our [cassette guide](/blog/how-long-does-a-bike-cassette-last) puts the overall life between 10,000 and 30,000 km, and the high end only happens when the chain is never left to run long. Chainrings have no mileage figure at all. Replace them when the teeth hook, or when a new chain skips on them, as our [chainring guide](/blog/when-to-replace-chainring) explains. Wax changes the clock. A hot-melt wax lasts 300 to 400 km on dry roads, and a wax drip lube lasts 100 to 200 km, according to our [wax interval guide](/blog/waxed-chain-intervals). ## Brakes: Pads, Fluid and Rotors Brake pads are replaced by wear, and the limit depends on who sets it. Manufacturers specify 0.5 mm of friction material for hydraulic disc pads. Our [brake pad guide](/blog/when-to-replace-brake-pads) uses 1.0 mm as a working point, which leaves a margin. That is Componentry's guidance, not a manufacturer figure. Brake fluid follows the calendar. SRAM's service sheet recommends a DOT bleed once a year and a mineral oil bleed once every two years. Fluid has no wear gauge, so a spongy lever is the usual sign that a bleed is overdue. Our [hydraulic fluid guide](/blog/hydraulic-fluid-lifecycle) covers how to judge fluid by condition. Bleeding a hydraulic brake is a job to leave to a shop unless you have practised it. Rim brake bikes follow the same wear logic with different parts. The dealer chart says to squeeze the brakes and confirm the pads strike the rim, not the tyre. ## Bearings: Bottom Bracket, Hubs and Headset Bearings are the parts riders forget, because they fail quietly. The dealer chart puts the hubs, bottom bracket and headset on a yearly check, or about 6,000 miles. Manufacturers give more specific figures: - Bottom bracket: CeramicSpeed lists 5,000 to 10,000 km for standard and coated bottom brackets, and 8,000 to 13,000 km for its ALPHA type, with yearly as the minimum. See our [bottom bracket service guide](/blog/how-often-to-service-a-bottom-bracket). - Hubs: Chris King lists every 6 to 12 months in normal, dry conditions and every 3 months in wet or muddy ones. DT Swiss recommends annual service. See our [wheel bearing guide](/blog/wheel-bearing-service-intervals). - Headset: check for play yearly, by rocking the bike with the front brake applied. Treat the yearly figure as the minimum and shorten it after heavy rain. ## What Is Specific to a Road Bike Four things make road bike service intervals different from a mountain bike's. **Tubeless sealant.** Stan's says its sealant lasts 2 to 6 months, depending on temperature, humidity, how often you ride and how many punctures it has sealed. It recommends refreshing it every three months. **Narrow tolerances.** An 11-speed or 12-speed chain has less margin than an older one, so the wear limit is lower. Check the chain more often than you think you need to. **Carbon parts.** Bars, seatposts and stems need the printed torque, so a torque wrench belongs in any road bike service. Our [basic maintenance guide](/blog/basic-bike-maintenance-at-home) explains why. **Electronic shifting.** Shimano recommends charging a stored bike every three to six months. SRAM says an AXS battery lasts up to 60 hours of ride time and takes about an hour to charge. Our [Di2 battery guide](/blog/di2-battery-life-tips) explains how to track it. ## Signs a Road Bike Needs Servicing Early Intervals are maximums. Bring the service forward when you see any of these: - The chain skips under load or shifting becomes slow or noisy. - The brake lever feels spongy, or the brakes rub. - The cranks creak or the wheels rock on the axle. - The bike has been through heavy rain or been stored for months. Hard conditions shorten every interval in the table. Chris King's wet-weather figure of every three months is the clearest published example. ## How Componentry Tracks Road Bike Service Intervals A road bike runs on distance, time and wear at once, and a paper schedule cannot follow all three. Componentry adds the distance and ride time from every Strava, Garmin or Wahoo ride to each part on the bike you rode. You set the interval by distance or by time, and you get a reminder before the part is due. Logging a service resets the counter. Riders with more than one bike get a separate schedule for each. A dated service history also helps at resale, which our guide to [service history and resale value](/blog/bike-service-history-resale-value) covers. ## Sources and Further Reading **Sources:** - [Trek Chicago: Bike Maintenance Chart](https://www.trekchicago.com/how-to/bike-maintenance-chart-pg80.htm) - [SRAM and RockShox: Service Intervals](https://www.sram.com/globalassets/document-hierarchy/service-manuals/sramrockshox-service-interval-counter-mat.pdf) - [SRAM: Road AXS Welcome Guide](https://www.sram.com/en/learn/road-axs-welcome-guide) - [CeramicSpeed: Bearing Cleaning & Maintenance](https://ceramicspeed.com/pages/bearing-cleaning-maintenance) - [Stan's NoTubes: Sealant Support](https://stans.com/pages/sealant-support) - [USA Cycling: Bike Maintenance for Road Cycling](https://usacycling.org/article/bike-maintenance-for-road-cycling) **Related Componentry guides:** - [Bike Maintenance Schedule: What to Check Every Ride, Month and Year](/blog/bike-maintenance-schedule) - [Bike Tune-Up Checklist: 8 Steps to Do at Home, and What a Shop Adds](/blog/bike-tune-up-checklist) - [How Much Does a Bike Tune-Up Cost? Shop Prices by Service Level](/blog/bike-tune-up-cost) - [Bike Tune-Up Checklist: 8 Steps to Do at Home, and What a Shop Adds](https://www.componentry.app/blog/bike-tune-up-checklist): A bike tune-up checklist in the order a mechanic works: clean, drivetrain, brakes, wheels, shifting, bearings, bolts and a test ride. Plus which jobs to leave to a shop. Published: 2026-10-15 | Categories: maintenance, guide | Tags: bike-tune-up-checklist, basic-bike-tune-up, diy-bike-tune-up, home-mechanic, maintenance A bike tune up checklist has eight steps, done in this order: clean the bike, check the drivetrain, check the brakes, check the wheels and tyres, adjust the shifting, check the bearings, torque the bolts, and take a test ride. Most of it is a home job. A basic bike tune up at a shop covers the same ground, so a DIY bike tune up lets you do the checking yourself and pay a shop only for the work that needs its tools. This guide gives each step, the measurement that tells you whether the bike passes, and the point where a shop is the better choice. ## The Bike Tune Up Checklist at a Glance StepWhat you checkPassHome or shop1. CleanFrame, drivetrain, rotorsNo grit on the chain, no oil on rotorsHome2. DrivetrainChain wear, tooth shapeChain under its replacement thresholdHome3. BrakesPad thickness, caliper rubPads above 1.5 mm, no rubHome, bleed to a shop4. Wheels and tyresPressure, wobble, hub playWheel within 0.5 mm side to sideHome, rebuilds to a shop5. ShiftingIndexing, cable conditionClean shift into every gearHome6. BearingsHeadset and bottom bracket playNo play, no grindingCheck at home, overhaul to a shop7. BoltsStem, bars, seatpost, cranksTorque to the printed valueHome8. Test rideShifting, braking, noise10 to 15 minutes, no new noisesHomeWork through the bike tune up checklist once, top to bottom. Fix each problem before you move on, because a dirty chain hides wear and a loose bolt hides a creak. ## Step 1: Clean the Bike First Clean the bike before you inspect it. Dirt hides cracks, wear marks and loose bolts, and a clean chain gives a true wear reading. Use a brush and a bike degreaser on the chain, cassette, chainrings and rear derailleur pulleys. Rinse, dry the bike, then lube the chain. Keep degreaser and lube away from the rotors and brake pads, because oil on either one weakens braking. Our [chain maintenance guide](/blog/chain-maintenance-guide) covers the method in full. ## Step 2: Check the Drivetrain for Wear Measure the chain with a chain checker and replace it at the wear limit for your drivetrain. A chain that is replaced on time protects the cassette and chainrings, which cost far more. The limit depends on the number of speeds. Park Tool and SRAM figures are in our [chain replacement guide](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain): 0.5% for 11-speed and for 12-speed Shimano, 0.8% for SRAM Eagle and AXS, and 0.75% for 10-speed and below. Our [chain wear measurement guide](/blog/chain-stretch-measurement-guide) shows how to read the tool. Then look at the teeth. Hooked or shark-fin shaped teeth on the cassette or chainrings mean the parts are worn together. A new chain on a worn cassette will skip under load. ## Step 3: Check the Brakes Check pad thickness, then check that the caliper sits centred over the rotor or rim. Replace pads that are close to the backing plate. Canyon puts the replacement point at about 1.5 mm of pad material and notes that some manufacturers specify 2 mm. Check your brake maker's figure. Our [brake pad guide](/blog/when-to-replace-brake-pads) lists the thresholds by brake type. Next, spin each wheel and look for rub. Park Tool says "pad/rotor rub is the main symptom of a misaligned caliper", and an improperly seated wheel can cause the same sound, so reseat the wheel first. To centre a hydraulic disc caliper, loosen both mounting bolts, squeeze the lever, hold it, and snug the bolts. Park Tool gives about 6 to 8 Nm for the final torque. Squeeze each lever as well. A spongy lever on a hydraulic brake means air or old fluid in the system. That is a bleed, and it is the first job on the shop list below. ## Step 4: Check the Wheels and Tyres Inflate the tyres to the right pressure, inspect them for cuts, then spin each wheel and shake it for play. These checks take about five minutes. Look at the tread and sidewalls for cuts, embedded glass and worn rubber. Our [tyre pressure guide](/blog/bike-tyre-pressure-calculator) explains why the number on the sidewall is a limit, not a target. For wobble, Park Tool gives a tolerance of 0.5 mm or less side to side, about five sheets of printing paper, and 1 mm or less up and down. Its starting point for a correction is a quarter turn of the spoke nipple. If tightening the spokes does not remove the wobble, the rim is bent and needs replacement. Park Tool also says lacing a new rim onto an old hub is best left to professional mechanics. Hold the rim and rock it side to side. Play at the hub means the bearings are loose or worn. On a cup-and-cone hub, a mechanic can adjust the bearings. A cartridge hub usually needs the cartridge replaced. ## Step 5: Adjust the Shifting If the chain hesitates or makes noise in some gears, adjust the cable tension with the barrel adjuster at the derailleur. Make small changes and test after each one. Park Tool's rear derailleur guide describes the pattern. Hesitation on shifts toward the larger cogs usually means too much cable slack, so turn the barrel adjuster counter-clockwise. Slow shifts the other way point to the opposite direction. Canyon suggests about half a turn of the barrel adjuster as a typical adjustment. If adjusting does not fix it, look at the cable and housing. Park Tool lists kinked, worn, frayed or corroded cable or housing as a cause of slow, inconsistent or missing shifts. Replace them, then re-index the derailleur, because new cable stretches and settles. A bent derailleur hanger also causes poor shifting, and a mechanic can check its alignment with a gauge. Our [hanger guide](/blog/backcountry-reliability-derailleur-hanger) explains why it matters. ## Step 6: Check the Headset and Bottom Bracket Check both bearings for play by hand. A bearing that moves or grinds needs adjustment or service. For the headset, Park Tool says to apply the front brake and rock the bike back and forth with a hand over the headset, feeling for movement. Also pull the fork back and forth while turning the bars. The target is a headset adjusted "as loose as possible" with "no play". If it knocks, tighten the top cap bolt in steps of one eighth of a turn, with the stem bolts loosened first and retightened after each step. For the bottom bracket, hold the bike steady and rock each crank arm side to side, then spin the cranks and listen. Play or a gritty feeling means the bearings need attention. Sealed cartridge bottom brackets are replaced, not serviced. See our [bottom bracket service guide](/blog/how-often-to-service-a-bottom-bracket) for intervals. ## Step 7: Torque the Bolts Check the stem, handlebar, seatpost, crank and accessory bolts against the torque printed on each part. A torque wrench or torque driver gives a repeatable result. Canyon notes that most bike bolts sit between 4 and 8 Nm, and recommends tightening in three stages at 50%, 75% and 100% of the target. For stem and seatpost clamp bolts, 4 to 6 Nm is a common range, as covered in our [basic bike maintenance guide](/blog/basic-bike-maintenance-at-home). Carbon parts are the reason to follow the printed number exactly. They can fail from either too little or too much clamping force. ## Step 8: Take a Test Ride Ride the bike for 10 to 15 minutes before you call the job done. Shift through the gears, brake hard once at low speed, and listen. Canyon recommends a structured test ride of that length. Check that the shifting is clean under load, that the brakes grab evenly, and that no new noise has appeared. A creak that was not there before the tune-up points at the last bolt or bearing you touched. ## What a Shop Adds to a Home Tune-Up A shop adds tools and experience for the jobs where a mistake is expensive. The shop menus in our [bike tune-up cost guide](/blog/bike-tune-up-cost) show the pattern. A basic tune-up covers the adjustments and checks above. A standard tune-up adds a deep drivetrain clean, wheel truing and wheel bearing adjustment. An overhaul adds bearing overhauls, full cable and housing replacement, and hydraulic brake bleeding. Leave these to a shop unless you have the tools and have practised: - **Hydraulic brake bleeds.** Park Tool tells readers who are not comfortable bleeding to use a local retailer. - **Rebuilding or relacing a wheel.** Park Tool calls it work best left to professionals. - **Bearing overhauls and press-fit bottom bracket work.** They need presses and facing tools. - **Suspension damper service.** It needs specialist tools. A good plan is to do steps 1 to 8 at home through the season and book a shop for the yearly overhaul work. Shops quote labour separately from parts, so a bike that arrives with a measured chain and known pad wear gets a shorter, cheaper job. ## How Componentry Helps You Keep Track of the Checklist A checklist tells you what to check. It does not tell you when. Componentry adds the distance and ride time from every Strava, Garmin or Wahoo ride to each part on the bike you rode, so the chain, pads and tyres each carry their own wear figure. That turns steps 2 to 4 into a short list: the parts approaching their limits are already flagged before you pick up a tool. Log each service when you finish it, and the next checklist starts from a dated record instead of from memory. A dated service history also helps at resale, which our guide to [service history and resale value](/blog/bike-service-history-resale-value) covers. ## Sources and Further Reading **Sources:** - [Park Tool: How to Adjust a Threadless Headset](https://www.parktool.com/en-int/blog/repair-help/how-to-adjust-a-threadless-headset) - [Park Tool: Wheel Truing (Lateral & Radial)](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/wheel-and-rim-truing) - [Park Tool: Hydraulic Disc Brake Alignment](https://www.parktool.com/en-int/blog/repair-help/hydraulic-disc-brake-alignment) - [Park Tool: Rear Derailleur Adjustment](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-adjustment) - [Park Tool: Hub Overhaul and Adjustment](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/hub-overhaul-and-adjustment) - [Canyon: Bike maintenance checklist (updated February 2026)](https://www.canyon.com/en-us/blog-content/advice/bike-maintenace-checklist/b20022025.html) **Related Componentry guides:** - [How Much Does a Bike Tune-Up Cost? Shop Prices by Service Level](/blog/bike-tune-up-cost) - [Basic Bike Maintenance at Home: The Tools, Skills, and What to Leave to a Shop](/blog/basic-bike-maintenance-at-home) - [Bike Maintenance Schedule: What to Check Every Ride, Month and Year](/blog/bike-maintenance-schedule) - [Spring Bike Maintenance Checklist](/blog/spring-bike-maintenance-checklist) - [How Much Does a Bike Tune-Up Cost? Shop Prices by Service Level](https://www.componentry.app/blog/bike-tune-up-cost): Bike tune-ups cost about $85 to $125 for a basic service, up to $225 for a standard one and $600 for an overhaul. What each includes, and what costs extra. Published: 2026-10-14 | Categories: maintenance, cost | Tags: bike-tune-up, service-cost, maintenance, bike-shop, service-intervals Bike tune up cost is hard to compare, because a shop price list reads like a menu with no explanation. Level 1, Level 2 and "The Works" can mean different things at different shops, and the line that matters most, whether parts are included, is usually in the small print. This guide uses the published service menus of five US bike shops, checked in October 2026. It shows what a tune-up costs at each level, what each level includes, and how to choose the level your bike needs without paying for work it does not. ## How Much Does a Bike Tune-Up Cost? A bike tune-up costs about $85 to $125 for a basic service, $110 to $225 for a standard tune-up with drivetrain cleaning and wheel truing, and $225 to $600 or more for a full overhaul. These ranges come from five shop price lists checked in October 2026, and parts are usually charged on top. ShopBasicStandardOverhaulSCAT Bikes$85$110 to $155$225Phat Tire Bike Shop$92$175$384 to $600Bikenetic$100$150$250Curbside Bicycles (Madison)$119 (single tune-up)not offerednot offeredTrek Bicycle Store of Chicago$125$225$450 and upThe ranges are our arithmetic across these five shops, not a national average. Prices depend on the shop, the city and the bike, so treat them as a guide and ask for your local shop's written menu. ## What Each Bike Tune-Up Level Includes Shops name their levels differently, but the work follows the same pattern. **Basic tune-up.** Adjusting the brakes and gears, torquing the fasteners, lubricating the chain, inflating the tires and a safety check. Trek Chicago's Level 1 adds a headset adjustment and a bottom bracket inspection. Curbside's single tune-up also includes a clean, a tread check and a test ride by the mechanic. **Standard tune-up.** Everything in the basic service, plus removing and deep-cleaning the drivetrain, truing the wheels and adjusting the wheel bearings. Trek Chicago's Level 2 and Phat Tire's The Works both describe this step. **Overhaul.** The bike is stripped to the frame. The shops list overhauling the hub, bottom bracket and headset bearings, replacing all cables and housing and bleeding or flushing hydraulic brakes. Phat Tire's top tier adds suspension and dropper post service. Check the contents before the price. The same word covers different work, and one shop's "standard" can equal another shop's "basic". ## What Costs Extra in a Bike Tune-Up The tune-up price is mostly labor, so bike service cost depends on four other things. - **Parts.** SCAT says its tune-up price "does not include parts," and Trek Chicago says its packages cover labor only. Curbside also lists parts as extra, with installation at $25 each. A new chain costs about $30 to $60, so a tune-up that finds a worn chain adds to the total. - **Hydraulic brake bleeds.** SCAT lists its Level 2 at $110 and the same service with a hydraulic brake bleed at $135. A bleed is part of the overhaul tier at other shops. - **E-bikes and unusual bikes.** Curbside charges $20 more for an e-bike ($139) and $149 for recumbents, tandems and cargo bikes. - **Small fees.** Trek Chicago notes that a $3 shop charge may apply to tune-ups. SCAT also installs parts bought from the shop without a labor charge. Ask whether your shop does the same before you buy parts elsewhere. ## How Often Should You Get a Bike Tune-Up? Once a year is the common answer, and the sources agree on it. A Trek dealer's maintenance chart puts a check of all bearing systems, including the bottom bracket, at yearly or about 6,000 miles. USA Cycling lists re-greasing the headset and bottom bracket bearings among the jobs for every six months to a year. SCAT recommends its Level 2 tune-up twice a year and its Level 3 once a year for a geared bike. Ride more, or ride in the wet, and the intervals shorten. A bike that shifts badly, brakes weakly or makes new noises should go in before its next scheduled service. ## Which Bike Tune-Up Level Do You Need? Start with what the shops recommend themselves. SCAT calls its Level 3 tune-up with cleaning the annual service for a geared bike, and its Level 2 the semi-annual service. In our view, a bike that is ridden regularly and looked after between services usually fits one of those two levels. A full overhaul suits a bike that has gone years without attention, or one ridden hard in wet and gritty conditions. You can narrow the choice further by checking what is actually due: - **Chain and cassette:** measure chain wear before the service. Our [chain replacement guide](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain) has the threshold for each drivetrain. - **Hydraulic brakes:** SRAM's service sheet lists a DOT bleed once a year, and mineral oil once every two years. See our [hydraulic fluid guide](/blog/hydraulic-fluid-lifecycle). - **Bearings:** CeramicSpeed lists yearly as the minimum bottom bracket service. Our [bottom bracket service guide](/blog/how-often-to-service-a-bottom-bracket) covers it. - **The rest:** our [bike maintenance schedule](/blog/bike-maintenance-schedule) sets out what to check every ride, month and year. If most of that list is current, a basic or standard tune-up is enough. Say what you want done when you book, instead of choosing the top package by default. ## How Componentry Helps You Pay for What the Bike Needs The price of a tune-up depends on the work it finds. Componentry adds the distance and ride time from every Strava, Garmin or Wahoo ride to each part on the bike you rode. You can see which parts are approaching their limits before you book, and the next service starts from a known list. You can also log each service when it is done. A dated service history shows a buyer the bike was looked after, which our guide to [service history and resale value](/blog/bike-service-history-resale-value) covers. ## Bike Tune-Up Price Sources and Related Guides **Shop price lists (checked October 2026):** - [Trek Bicycle Store of Chicago: Service Packages and Pricing](https://www.trekchicago.com/articles/service-packages-pricing-pg57.htm) - [Curbside Bicycles: Madison Bike Tune-Up](https://www.curbsidebicycles.com/madison-bike-tune-up/) - [Bikenetic: Bicycle Tune-Ups, Repair and Maintenance](https://www.bikenetic.com/articles/bike-repair-tune-ups-pg95.htm) - [SCAT Bikes: Bicycle Tune-Up and Repair](https://www.scatbikes.com/service/services/) - [Phat Tire Bike Shop: Bike Service, Repair and Tune-Ups](https://www.phattirebikeshop.com/articles/bike-repair-bike-service-bike-tune-ups-ar-ok-phat-tire-pg364.htm) **Interval sources:** - [Trek Chicago: Bike Maintenance Chart](https://www.trekchicago.com/how-to/bike-maintenance-chart-pg80.htm) - [USA Cycling: Bike Maintenance for Road Cycling](https://usacycling.org/article/bike-maintenance-for-road-cycling) **Related Componentry guides:** - [Bike Maintenance Schedule: What to Check Every Ride, Month and Year](/blog/bike-maintenance-schedule) - [When to Replace Your Bike Chain: The Complete Guide](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain) - [How Often to Service a Bottom Bracket](/blog/how-often-to-service-a-bottom-bracket) - [Basic Bike Maintenance at Home: The Tools, Skills, and What to Leave to a Shop](/blog/basic-bike-maintenance-at-home) - [Mountain Bike Maintenance Schedule: Service Intervals by Hours, Months and Distance](https://www.componentry.app/blog/mtb-maintenance-schedule): A mountain bike maintenance schedule by hours, months and distance: suspension, dropper post, brakes, sealant, chain and bearings, with the maker intervals behind each. Published: 2026-10-13 | Categories: maintenance, mountain-bike | Tags: mountain-bike, mtb, maintenance-schedule, service-intervals, suspension, drivetrain A mountain bike does not run on one clock. The fork, shock and dropper post are serviced by ride hours. Tubeless sealant is checked by the month. The chain wears by distance, and how fast depends on how wet and gritty your trails are. Brakes and bearings go by the year. A road schedule built on distance alone misses most of that. This is a mountain bike maintenance schedule built from what the manufacturers publish, with each interval attributed to its source. For the general version that covers every kind of bike, see our [bike maintenance schedule](/blog/bike-maintenance-schedule). ## Mountain Bike Maintenance Schedule at a Glance A mountain bike needs its fork and shock serviced every 30 to 200 hours depending on the brand and service, its sealant checked every three months, its brake system bled yearly (DOT) or every two years (mineral oil), and its chain replaced at its wear limit, which comes sooner off-road than on the road. PartIntervalSourceFork and shock exteriorClean each rideFoxTubeless sealantCheck or refresh every 3 months; it lasts 2 to 6 months on averageStan's NoTubesRockShox fork lower leg service, air can serviceEvery 50 hoursSRAMFox coil fork lower legs, shock air sleeveEvery 30 hoursFoxFox air fork lower legs and fluid, shock fluidEvery 100 hours or annuallyFoxRockShox damper and spring serviceEvery 200 hours on current forks, 100 on older onesSRAMDropper postTiers from 50 to 600 hours by model and serviceSRAMBrake system bleedDOT yearly, mineral oil every two years, or as neededSRAMChainReplace at the wear limit; see the table belowPark Tool, ZFCBearings (hubs, bottom bracket, headset)At least yearly, more often off-roadTrek dealer chartThe intervals are maximums, and every maker says shorter is fine. SRAM notes that hourly intervals may vary with the product, model year and service kit, so check the sheet for your exact fork, shock or post. ## Why Mountain Bike Service Intervals Run on Hours A fork or shock wears by how many times, and how hard, it gets compressed, not by how far you pedalled. An hour on a rough descent loads the seals far more than an hour on a fire road, which is why suspension makers publish hours. Our [suspension service guide](/blog/suspension-service-intervals) covers that in detail. The brand differences are worth knowing. Fox organizes its intervals by spring type: air-spring forks need lower-leg oil, FLOAT fluid, bushing and dropout checks every 100 hours or annually, while coil forks need lower-leg oil every 30 hours. Rear shocks need an air sleeve service every 30 hours and bushing and fluid service every 100 hours or annually. RockShox splits service into a lower leg or air can service every 50 hours and a damper and spring service every 200 hours on current forks. Among shocks, SRAM's sheet lists the Monarch and Vivid families at 100 hours for the damper and air can service, and the Deluxe and Super Deluxe at 200. RockShox dropper posts have their own tiers, from 50 hours for a lower post or remote lever service up to 600 hours for a complete service, depending on the Reverb model. ## How Long a Mountain Bike Chain Lasts Mountain bike chains wear faster than road chains because of grit, mud and torque. Independent tester Zero Friction Cycling sets lubricant targets by conditions, counting chains worn to the 0.5% replacement mark per 5,000 km: RidingZFC target (chains per 5,000 km)Implied distance per chainGravel or mountain bike, predominantly drybelow 1.5about 3,300 km or moreFrequent wet conditionsbelow 2.5about 2,000 km or moreVery harsh, wet and grittybelow 3.5about 1,400 km or moreThese are test targets for choosing a lubricant, not a promise for your chain, and the last column is our arithmetic. Measure instead of guessing: our [chain replacement guide](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain) has the wear threshold for each drivetrain, and the [chain stretch measurement guide](/blog/chain-stretch-measurement-guide) shows how to read it. ## How to Adjust a Mountain Bike Service Schedule for Conditions Every source in the table says the same thing: harder riding means shorter intervals. > "If you ride in extreme conditions frequently (wet and muddy, downhill racing, winter riding, etc.), correspondingly the service intervals should be more frequent." [Fox: Service Intervals](https://tech.ridefox.com/fox_tech_center/owners_manuals/011/Content/Service_Intervals.html) A Trek dealer's maintenance chart makes the same point for the whole bike: "Bicycles ridden off road typically require more frequent and extensive service than road models." [Trek Chicago: Bike Maintenance Chart](https://www.trekchicago.com/how-to/bike-maintenance-chart-pg80.htm) CeramicSpeed lists hot, humid, sandy and consistently wet riding as conditions that increase bottom bracket maintenance, and Stan's says sealant life depends on temperature, humidity, how often you ride and how many punctures it has already sealed. None of these makers publishes a multiplier for mud or wet weather. Treat the intervals above as the ceiling, and pull them in after a wet race weekend, a bike park trip or a season of winter riding. Our [bottom bracket service guide](/blog/how-often-to-service-a-bottom-bracket) and [wheel bearing guide](/blog/wheel-bearing-service-intervals) cover the bearings in more detail. ## A Simple Mountain Bike Service Routine - **Every ride:** wipe the fork and shock exterior clean, and check tyre pressure and brake feel before you leave. - **Every month:** measure chain wear, and check the pads against your [brake pad guide](/blog/when-to-replace-brake-pads). - **Every 3 months:** check or refresh tubeless sealant. - **Every 50 hours:** RockShox lower leg and air can service, or the Fox intervals for your fork and shock. - **Every year:** bleed DOT brakes (see our [hydraulic fluid guide](/blog/hydraulic-fluid-lifecycle)), check hub, headset and bottom bracket bearings, and do any annual suspension service. ## How Componentry Tracks Mountain Bike Hours and Distance Together Suspension has no odometer, and no ride data can read the oil inside a fork. What an app can do is count the ride time and distance on each part, so the hours interval and the distance interval both have a number to work from. Componentry adds the time and distance from every Strava, Garmin or Wahoo ride to the parts on the bike you rode. Set the fork and shock to a service interval in hours, the chain to a wear limit, and the sealant to a monthly reminder. Log each service when you do it, and the next reminder reflects how you actually ride. ## Mountain Bike Service Intervals: Sources and Related Guides **Related Componentry articles:** - [Bike Maintenance Schedule: What to Check Every Ride, Month and Year](/blog/bike-maintenance-schedule): the general schedule for any bike - [Suspension Service Intervals: Why Fork and Shock Service Is Measured in Hours, Not Miles](/blog/suspension-service-intervals): the Fox and RockShox intervals in detail - [When to Replace Your Bike Chain: The Complete Guide](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain): wear thresholds by drivetrain - [Hydraulic Brake Fluid: Why It Needs Attention](/blog/hydraulic-fluid-lifecycle): bleed intervals and fluid types **Technical reference:** - [SRAM and RockShox: Service Interval Counter Mat](https://www.sram.com/globalassets/document-hierarchy/service-manuals/sramrockshox-service-interval-counter-mat.pdf): hour tiers for forks, shocks, dropper posts and brakes - [Fox: Service Intervals](https://tech.ridefox.com/fox_tech_center/owners_manuals/011/Content/Service_Intervals.html): intervals by spring type - [Stan's NoTubes: Sealant Support](https://stans.com/pages/sealant-support): sealant life and refresh interval - [Zero Friction Cycling: Understanding the Benchmark Test and Data](https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Test-website-main-data-Feb-25-v2-.pdf): chain wear targets by conditions - [Trek Chicago: Bike Maintenance Chart](https://www.trekchicago.com/how-to/bike-maintenance-chart-pg80.htm): a dealer's interval chart - [How Often to Service a Bottom Bracket (and What Service Actually Involves)](https://www.componentry.app/blog/how-often-to-service-a-bottom-bracket): Service a bottom bracket at least once a year, sooner after wet rides. Maker intervals by distance, what servicing means for each type, and the signs it is due. Published: 2026-10-11 | Categories: maintenance, drivetrain | Tags: bottom-bracket, bearings, maintenance, service-intervals, drivetrain The bottom bracket is the bearing set you never see. It sits inside the frame, under the cranks, and nothing about it announces that it is due for attention until it creaks or grinds. That makes it the easiest service on the bike to skip, and one of the most expensive to skip for too long. This guide answers the servicing question: how often to service a bottom bracket, what counts as service for each type, how to tell bearings from the frame interface, and what it costs. If your bearings are already worn and you are deciding whether to replace them, our [bottom bracket replacement guide](/blog/bottom-bracket-lifecycle) covers how long a bottom bracket lasts, the wear signs, and why a new cartridge sometimes still creaks. ## How Often to Service a Bottom Bracket Service a bottom bracket at least once a year, and sooner after heavy water exposure. For distance, CeramicSpeed's maker intervals are 5,000–10,000 km (3,000–5,000 miles) for standard and coated bottom brackets and 8,000–13,000 km (5,000–8,000 miles) for its ALPHA type. Wet, humid or sandy riding shortens both. The sources that publish a number agree on the floor and differ on the rest: - **CeramicSpeed** lists yearly as the minimum service interval for every grease type, whatever the distance. Its page adds that "riding in hot regions (average temperatures at or above 35 °C / 95 °F), high humidity climates, extremely sandy or desert-like environments, or in consistently wet conditions will increase maintenance requirements." [CeramicSpeed: Bearing Cleaning & Maintenance](https://ceramicspeed.com/pages/bearing-cleaning-maintenance) - **A Trek dealer chart** puts the check at yearly, or about 6,000 miles: "check all bearing systems: hubs, bottom bracket, headset and pedals." [Trek Chicago: Bike Maintenance Chart](https://www.trekchicago.com/how-to/bike-maintenance-chart-pg80.htm) - **USA Cycling** lists re-greasing the headset and bottom bracket bearings among its jobs for every six months to a year. [USA Cycling: Bike Maintenance for Road Cycling](https://usacycling.org/article/bike-maintenance-for-road-cycling) - **SRAM** gives no distance or time interval for its bottom brackets. It sets a trigger instead, covered below. Treat the yearly figure as the minimum and the CeramicSpeed distances as the ceiling for a bottom bracket in good conditions. These are intervals for sealed bearings that are being looked after, and the distances are one maker's figures for its own products, not a universal rule. ### Bottom Bracket Service Intervals at a Glance SourceIntervalNotesCeramicSpeed, standard and coated bottom brackets5,000–10,000 km (3,000–5,000 miles)Yearly is the minimum for every grease typeCeramicSpeed, ALPHA bottom brackets8,000–13,000 km (5,000–8,000 miles)Yearly is the minimumTrek dealer chartYearly, or about 6,000 milesA check of all bearing systemsUSA CyclingEvery 6 months to a yearRe-grease the headset and bottom bracket bearingsSRAMNo distance or time intervalClean and grease immediately after significant water exposureWet, hot, humid or sandy ridingShorter than the dry-road figureCeramicSpeed gives no number for thisNo maker we checked publishes a separate interval for e-bikes, and none splits the interval by road, gravel or mountain bike. If you ride an e-bike or race off-road, start from the wet-conditions row and shorten the interval until the bearings tell you otherwise. ## Servicing a Bottom Bracket: What It Means for Each Type "Service" means different work depending on what is in your frame. ### Adjustable cup-and-cone This is the one type built to be taken apart. Park Tool notes that "adjustable style bottom brackets allow for full disassembly, reassembly, and adjustment," and its service procedure covers disassembly, cleaning, inspection, reassembly and adjustment of the bearings. Found mostly on older and some budget bikes, it is the type where an annual service means opening it up. ### Sealed cartridge A sealed cartridge is a single pressed unit with no parts inside you can adjust or repack. For this type, service means inspecting it, keeping water out, and replacing it when the bearings are worn. Our [replacement guide](/blog/bottom-bracket-lifecycle) covers the hand-spin test that tells a worn bearing from a loose press-fit shell. ### Serviceable and ceramic bearings Some bottom brackets use bearings you can clean and regrease. CeramicSpeed describes the routine in three steps: apply cleaner to each bearing and flush out the old grease and contamination with compressed air, let it dry completely, then refit the seal and apply fresh grease. Deep cleaning, when that is not enough, means removing the bearing and submerging it in cleaner. > "Clean and apply grease to bearings immediately following any significant exposure to water." [SRAM: Road Cranksets and Bottom Brackets User Manual](https://www.sram.com/globalassets/document-hierarchy/user-manuals/sram-road/drivetrain/road-cranksets-and-bottom-brackets-user-manual-eeu.pdf) ## Bottom Bracket Standards: Which One Do You Have? Your frame's shell standard decides what service involves and what a replacement has to fit. Park Tool's standards guide lists them by the inside diameter of the shell, and the first split is threaded or press-fit. StandardTypeShell inside diameterEnglish (BSA)ThreadedApproximately 33.7 mmItalianThreaded35 mmT47ThreadedApproximately 46 mmBB86, BB92 (Park's PF41 group)Press-fit41 mm nominalBB30 (Park's PF42 group)Press-fit42 mm nominalPF30, BB386EVO (Park's PF46 group)Press-fitApproximately 46 mm[Park Tool: Bottom Bracket Standards and Terminology](https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/bottom-bracket-standards-and-terminology). The numbers in BB86 and BB92 are nominal shell widths, not the bore. Most frames use a threaded shell. SRAM's DUB is not a shell standard. It is a spindle and bearing system that SRAM lists for several shells, including BSA, BB30, PF30, BB386 and BBright, so the DUB name alone does not tell you which one your frame has. Measure the shell, or check the frame maker's specification, before you buy a replacement. ## Signs a Bottom Bracket Needs Service Before the Calendar Says So A fixed interval is a baseline. Conditions and symptoms should pull the job forward. - **After significant water exposure.** SRAM's instruction is to clean and grease the bearings immediately after it. A bike left wet, ridden through a storm or caught in a deep ford counts. - **After a pressure wash.** SRAM's manual is blunt: "Do not clean the bottom bracket or crankset with a power washer." Water forced past the seals is how a bearing loses its grease. Clean the outside with water and mild soap instead. - **Play in the cranks.** SRAM's check is to rock the crank arms. If there is play, its manual says to "remove the crank arms and apply additional grease to the spindle," and to repeat the installation until the play is gone. - **Riding that matches CeramicSpeed's list.** Hot, humid, sandy or consistently wet riding all call for shorter intervals than the dry-road figure. - **Roughness or a creak.** A gritty feel when you spin the cranks by hand, or a creak under load, means looking at the bearing now. The cause is not always the cartridge, which is why the [replacement guide](/blog/bottom-bracket-lifecycle) walks through the difference. ## Bearings or Interface? A Two-Minute Check Not every creak is a worn bearing. To separate the likely causes before you spend money, take the chain off, rock the crank arms, then spin them by hand. What you findWhat it suggestsWhat to doPlay when you rock the crank armsPlay in the crank fitSRAM: remove the crank arms, add grease to the spindle, and repeat the installation until the play is goneGrinding or roughness when spun, on an adjustable typeWorn cups or conesPark Tool: replace the worn partsSmooth spin, creak under load, threaded shellCups or lock ring not tightPark Tool: check the cups or lock ring and tighten to at least 35 NmSmooth spin, creak under load, press-fit shellAn adapter or bearing moving in the borePark Tool: re-install the adapter with retaining compoundGritty after a wet ride or a pressure washWater past the sealsSRAM: clean and grease the bearings at once, and do not use a power washerThe Park Tool advice comes from its [noisy drivetrain guide](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/troubleshooting-a-noisy-drivetrain) and its bottom bracket service pages. The 35 Nm figure applies to threaded cartridge and thru-spindle types only; the guide gives no torque for press-fit systems. When a sealed cartridge spins roughly, our [replacement guide](/blog/bottom-bracket-lifecycle) explains why the cartridge usually needs replacing, and why a new one can still creak if the shell is the cause. ## A Simple Yearly Bottom Bracket Service Routine A yearly check does not need a workshop. Clean the outside of the bottom bracket and cranks with water and mild soap, never a power washer. Rock the crank arms side to side to feel for play, then spin them by hand with the chain off and listen for roughness. If the bearings are serviceable, clean, dry and regrease them as above. If the bottom bracket is a sealed cartridge and the spin is rough or the play will not go away, that is the point to replace it rather than service it. Write the date down when you finish. A service you cannot date is a service you will do twice or not at all, and the log is what turns the intervals above into a schedule you can keep. ## What Bottom Bracket Service Costs Published prices are patchy, so read these as examples rather than a range. ItemPriceSourceShimano BB-UN300 sealed bottom bracket£12.95 on sale (RRP £27.99)Biketart, UK retailer, seen 2026-10-17Shimano SM-BB52 Hollowtech II, 83 mm threaded£10.95 on sale (RRP £24.99)Biketart, seen 2026-10-17Adjust a bottom bracket (labour)$25.00Propel Bikes service menu, updated 2022-12-21Replace a bottom bracket (labour)$50.00Propel Bikes service menu, updated 2022-12-21The Propel prices exclude parts, and its menu does not name a currency. We found no published price for repairing a damaged frame shell, so there is no figure for that job here. In these examples the part costs less than the labour, so a failing sealed cartridge is not worth nursing along. ## Bottom Bracket Service Questions **How often should I service a bottom bracket?** At least once a year, and sooner after wet, hot, humid or sandy riding. CeramicSpeed's distance figures are 5,000–10,000 km (3,000–5,000 miles) for standard types. **Can I service a sealed cartridge bottom bracket?** Not in the way you service an adjustable one. A sealed cartridge has no parts you can adjust or repack, so service means inspecting it and keeping water out, then replacing it when the bearings are worn. **Why does my bottom bracket still creak after a service?** The bearings may not be the cause. A loose threaded cup or lock ring, or a press-fit adapter moving in the bore, can creak with smooth bearings. Use the check above, then see the [replacement guide](/blog/bottom-bracket-lifecycle). **Can I pressure wash a bottom bracket?** SRAM's manual says not to clean the bottom bracket or crankset with a power washer. **Which bottom bracket fits my bike?** It depends on your frame's shell. Identify the standard first, using the table above and the frame maker's specification. ## How Componentry Helps You Keep Track of Bottom Bracket Service Nothing in your ride data shows what is happening inside a sealed bearing. A sensor cannot read it, and neither can a tracking app. What an app can do is count the distance and time since the bottom bracket was last serviced, which is the number every interval above depends on. Componentry adds the distance from every Strava, Garmin or Wahoo ride to the bottom bracket on the bike you rode, and you log the date and details of each service when you do it. Set the interval to suit how you ride, shorter for wet or gritty conditions and longer for dry road, and the reminder arrives before the bearing has had a chance to complain. It also keeps a service history per bike, so the answer to "when did I last do this?" is a date rather than a guess. ## Bottom Bracket Service Sources and Related Guides **Related Componentry articles:** - [Bottom Bracket Replacement: How Long It Lasts and Why the Creak Comes Back](/blog/bottom-bracket-lifecycle): wear signs and the press-fit creak diagnosis - [Bike Maintenance Schedule: What to Check Every Ride, Month and Year](/blog/bike-maintenance-schedule): where the bottom bracket sits in a full schedule - [Wheel Bearing Service: When to Service High-End Hubs](/blog/wheel-bearing-service-intervals): the other sealed bearings on the bike **Technical reference:** - [CeramicSpeed: Bearing Cleaning & Maintenance](https://ceramicspeed.com/pages/bearing-cleaning-maintenance): service intervals and the clean, dry, regrease routine - [SRAM: Road Cranksets and Bottom Brackets User Manual](https://www.sram.com/globalassets/document-hierarchy/user-manuals/sram-road/drivetrain/road-cranksets-and-bottom-brackets-user-manual-eeu.pdf): cleaning, greasing and play checks - [Park Tool: Bottom Bracket Service, Adjustable Cup-and-Cone](https://www.parktool.com/en-int/blog/repair-help/bottom-bracket-service-adjustable-cup-and-cone): full service of an adjustable bottom bracket - [Trek Chicago: Bike Maintenance Chart](https://www.trekchicago.com/how-to/bike-maintenance-chart-pg80.htm): a dealer's interval chart - [Park Tool: Bottom Bracket Standards and Terminology](https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/bottom-bracket-standards-and-terminology): shell types and inside diameters - [Park Tool: Troubleshooting a Noisy Drivetrain](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/troubleshooting-a-noisy-drivetrain): threaded and press-fit bottom bracket creak checks - [SRAM: DUB bottom bracket models](https://www.sram.com/en/service/models/bb-dub-bsa-a1): the shells DUB is listed for - [Propel Bikes: Crank and Bottom Bracket Service Menu](https://kb.propelbikes.com/knowledge-base/crank-and-bottom-bracket-service-menu/): published labour prices - [Bike Maintenance Schedule: What to Check Every Ride, Month and Year](https://www.componentry.app/blog/bike-maintenance-schedule): A bike maintenance schedule by time and distance: what to check every ride, month, six months and year, plus the parts you replace by wear instead of the calendar. Published: 2026-10-10 | Categories: maintenance, guide | Tags: bike-maintenance-schedule, maintenance-schedule, road-cycling-maintenance, service-intervals, preventive-maintenance, drivetrain, brakes, tyres A workable bike maintenance schedule has four tiers plus a set of exceptions. Every ride, check tyre pressure. Monthly, or every few hundred distance, clean and lube the chain and test the brakes. Every six months, inspect cables, sealant, tyres and spokes. Every year, service bearings, bleed brakes if they are due, and service suspension. Some parts do not follow the calendar at all: chains, cassettes, brake pads and tyres are replaced when they wear out, and the wear tells you when. No source publishes one universal schedule, and the ones that exist disagree with each other. This guide uses a dealer's maintenance chart for the four tiers, manufacturer service sheets where they exist, and Componentry's own component guides for the wear thresholds, and it says where each figure comes from. Treat every interval here as a starting point, to be shortened for harsh conditions and never assumed to be exact. ## The Bike Maintenance Schedule at a Glance WhenWhat to doBasisEvery rideCheck tyre pressureDealer chart, USA CyclingMonthly, or about 500 milesClean and lube the chain, check the brakes and quick releasesDealer chartEvery six months, or about 2,500 milesInspect cables, tyres and spokes; refresh tubeless sealantDealer chart, sealant makerEvery year, or about 6,000 milesCheck hubs, bottom bracket and headset; bleed brakes and service suspension per the makerDealer chart, SRAMBy wear, not the calendarReplace the chain, cassette, brake pads and tyresComponentry component guidesThe mile figures come from a Trek dealer's chart, which prints distance and time side by side. I read them as time or distance, whichever comes first, and the section on conditions below covers when to shorten them. ## How to Use a Bike Maintenance Schedule Time and distance measure different things. Sealant dries with the calendar. Brake fluid absorbs moisture whether you ride or not. Chains, pads and cassettes wear with distance. A useful bike maintenance schedule uses both, and each job is due when the first of them runs out. Manufacturers say the same. SRAM's service sheet describes its intervals as maximums: > "Each service interval indicates the maximum number of riding hours designated for each type of recommended maintenance." [SRAM and RockShox: Service Intervals](https://www.sram.com/globalassets/document-hierarchy/service-manuals/sramrockshox-service-interval-counter-mat.pdf) It adds that terrain, climate and riding style may call for shorter intervals. The Trek dealer chart makes a similar point about off-road bikes: "Bicycles ridden off road typically require more frequent and extensive service than road models." ## Every Ride: Pressure and a Quick Look Both the Trek dealer chart and USA Cycling put tyre pressure first. USA Cycling's advice is to "check your tire pressure before every ride." The dealer chart adds a reminder to pack a spare tube, tools and a pump. A quick glance at brakes, tyres and chain takes about two minutes, and our [quick maintenance check](/blog/quick-maintenance-check) covers it. For the pressure itself, see our [tyre pressure guide](/blog/bike-tyre-pressure-calculator). ## Monthly, or Every Few Hundred Distance The dealer chart's monthly list is short and practical: - Wipe the chain and cassette clean with a rag and degreaser, then relube - Check the chain and add lube if it looks dry - Check that the wheel quick releases are tight - Squeeze the brakes to make sure they are grabbing - Check clipless pedals and cleats for loose screws Two of these have their own guides. If you run a waxed chain, the interval is set by the wax, not the month: our [re-waxing guide](/blog/waxed-chain-intervals) gives 300 to 400 km for hot-melt wax in dry conditions and 100 to 200 km for drip wax, both roughly halved in the wet. If you run oil, our [chain maintenance guide](/blog/chain-maintenance-guide) covers cleaning and lubrication. This is also the tier for measuring chain wear. Our guide to [measuring chain stretch](/blog/chain-stretch-measurement-guide) gives 300 to 500 km as the usual interval for road riders in dry or mixed conditions. It takes about 30 seconds with a chain checker. ## Every Six Months The dealer chart's six-month list covers the parts that age slowly: - Check and replace tyres if needed - Check all cables and housings for fraying, breaks, rust and corrosion - Check the wheels for loose spokes - Lube the brake, derailleur and clipless pedal pivot points Tubeless sealant fits this tier too. Stan's NoTubes says its sealant "should last an average of 2-6 months" depending on temperature, humidity, how often you ride and how many punctures it has sealed, and recommends that most riders "check/refresh your sealant quarterly (every three months)." That is a sealant maker's guidance for its own product, so check the instructions for the sealant you use. USA Cycling lists the chain, brake and shifter cables and bar tape as six-month to one-year replacements, and BikeRadar suggests replacing cables "once a year" for riders who ride frequently in all weather. ## Every Year The dealer chart puts the slow-wearing systems on an annual check: "hubs, bottom bracket, headset and pedals." Manufacturers give more specific figures for the parts they make, and our component guides collect them. - Hubs: Chris King lists every 6 to 12 months in normal, dry conditions and every 3 months in wet or muddy ones. DT Swiss recommends annual maintenance, more often in harsh conditions. Details are in our [wheel bearing guide](/blog/wheel-bearing-service-intervals). - Bottom bracket: CeramicSpeed lists 5,000–10,000 km (3,000–5,000 miles) for standard and coated bottom brackets and 8,000–13,000 km (5,000–8,000 miles) for its ALPHA type, with yearly as the minimum. SRAM gives no interval, only to grease the bearings after significant water exposure. See our [bottom bracket service guide](/blog/how-often-to-service-a-bottom-bracket). - Brake fluid: SRAM's service sheet says a DOT brake system bleed is recommended "once per year or as needed," and mineral oil "once every two years or as needed." Check what your brake maker specifies. Our [hydraulic fluid guide](/blog/hydraulic-fluid-lifecycle) takes a condition-based view, since fluid has no odometer. - Suspension: These intervals are set in hours, not months. RockShox lists lower leg service every 50 hours and full service every 200 hours on current forks, and Fox lists 100 hours or annually for air-spring forks. Our [suspension service guide](/blog/suspension-service-intervals) has the full table. - Bar tape: BikeRadar recommends "once or twice a year" for riders who ride often or indoors. Our [bar tape guide](/blog/handlebar-tape-replacement-guide) points out there is no fixed interval and that condition is what matters. - Electronic shifting: Shimano recommends charging stored bikes every three to six months. See our [Di2 and AXS battery guide](/blog/di2-battery-life-tips). ## Replace by Wear, Not the Calendar Four parts are replaced when a measurement says so, whatever the date. Our [chain stretch guide](/blog/chain-stretch-domino-effect) explains why leaving a worn chain in place wears the cassette too. PartReplace whenGuideChain0.5% wear on 11-speed and Shimano 12-speed, 0.8% on 12-speed SRAM, 0.75% on 10-speed and below[When to replace a chain](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain)CassetteAfter about three chains, or when teeth show a shark-fin profile[Cassette lifespan](/blog/cassette-lifespan)Brake padsManufacturers specify 0.5mm of friction material for hydraulic disc pads[When to replace brake pads](/blog/when-to-replace-brake-pads)TyresOn condition: worn tread indicators, cuts or casing damage[When to replace tyres](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-tyres)For chains, BikeRadar gives the same percentages: replace at 0.5 per cent on 11, 12 or 13-speed, and 0.75 per cent on 10-speed and below. Our chain guide links SRAM's own support article for a higher 0.8 per cent figure on its 12-speed chains, so follow your chain maker's guidance for your chain. Our brake pad guide uses 1.0mm as its own working replacement point rather than the manufacturers' 0.5mm, which leaves a margin. That is Componentry's guidance, not a manufacturer specification. ## Adjust for Conditions Wet, muddy and off-road riding shorten every interval. The dealer chart says off-road bikes need more frequent service, and SRAM says harsh terrain may call for shorter intervals. Chain life shows how big the effect can be. Zero Friction Cycling's lubricant targets, which our chain guide works through, imply about 5,000 km or more per chain on dry road, about 3,300 km or more on dry gravel or a mountain bike, about 2,000 km or more in frequent wet conditions and about 1,400 km or more in very harsh ones. The distances are our arithmetic on its chains-per-5,000-km targets. Wax intervals roughly halve in the wet. Chris King's hub interval drops from 6 to 12 months to every 3 months. There is no published formula that fits every part. Shorten the interval when the bike has spent a season in rain, grit or salt, and lengthen it only when a measurement says the part still has life. ## A Road Cycling Maintenance Schedule For a road bike ridden mostly in dry conditions, the schedule condenses to a few habits. Check tyre pressure every ride. Clean and lube the chain monthly, or on the wax interval if you run wax. Measure chain wear every 300 to 500 km. Replace the chain at its threshold and the cassette after about three chains. Inspect cables and tyres every six months, and service bearings and brakes once a year. USA Cycling's six-month to one-year list of chain, cables, bar tape and headset and bottom bracket greasing is a reasonable outline for the annual overhaul. ## How Componentry Turns This Into Reminders A schedule only works if you know when each interval runs out. Chain and cassette wear follows distance, sealant follows the calendar, and suspension follows hours, so one bike can have three clocks running at once. Componentry tracks each component against the interval that suits it. Connect Strava, Garmin or Wahoo and your rides update the distance on every part of every bike. You set the interval, by distance or by time, and get an alert before the part is due. When you log a service, the counter resets from that point. Riders with more than one bike get a separate schedule for each. ## Recommended Resources & Further Reading **Schedules and manufacturer sources:** - [SRAM and RockShox: Service Intervals](https://www.sram.com/globalassets/document-hierarchy/service-manuals/sramrockshox-service-interval-counter-mat.pdf), maximum hours for forks, shocks, seatposts and brakes - [Trek Chicago: Bike Maintenance Chart](https://www.trekchicago.com/how-to/bike-maintenance-chart-pg80.htm), a dealer's interval chart - [USA Cycling: Bike Maintenance for Road Cycling](https://usacycling.org/article/bike-maintenance-for-road-cycling), a road-specific overview - [BikeRadar: How to make bike components last longer](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/how-to-make-bike-components-last-longer), replacement guidance - [Stan's NoTubes: Sealant Support](https://stans.com/pages/sealant-support), sealant life and refresh guidance **Componentry Reading:** - [The Quick Maintenance Check](/blog/quick-maintenance-check): the two-minute pre-ride look - [Spring Bike Maintenance Checklist](/blog/spring-bike-maintenance-checklist): the seasonal pass and fail checks - [Basic Bike Maintenance at Home](/blog/basic-bike-maintenance-at-home): tools, skills and what to leave to a shop - [How Often to Re-Wax Your Bike Chain](/blog/waxed-chain-intervals): intervals for wax - [What Is a Waxed Chain? Cost, Benefits and Whether It's Worth It](https://www.componentry.app/blog/what-is-a-waxed-chain): A waxed chain runs on a dry wax film instead of oil. What it is, how hot-melt and drip wax differ, what it costs in money and time, and who should skip it. Published: 2026-10-09 | Categories: maintenance, drivetrain | Tags: waxed-chain, chain-wax, hot-melt-wax, drip-wax, chain-lubrication, chain, drivetrain, maintenance A waxed chain is a bicycle chain lubricated with a dry wax film instead of oil. The wax works its way into the rollers and pins and sets, so there is no wet coating on the outside for road grit to stick to. Whether it is worth doing depends on two things: how much you value a clean drivetrain, and how much time you will give a workbench routine. Getting started costs roughly $84 to $134 in one guide's price list, each re-wax takes about 20 minutes once you are set up, and it is a poor fit for riding in persistent rain. The claims around waxing tend to get run together: it is faster, it makes chains last longer, and it keeps everything clean. Those are three separate questions with different levels of evidence, so this guide takes them one at a time. For how often to re-wax, see our guide to [re-waxing intervals](/blog/waxed-chain-intervals). ## What Is a Waxed Chain? A new chain arrives coated in factory grease or oil. A waxed chain has had that removed and replaced with wax. BikeRadar describes the most thorough method plainly: > "Fully submerging a chain in a pot of melted wax. Once fully covered in wax, you take the chain out, let it dry, and install it on your bike." [BikeRadar: How to wax a chain](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/how-to-wax-a-chain) That method is called hot-melt immersion. There is also a lighter version: drip wax lubes, which are liquid products that carry wax into the chain and then dry. Both leave a dry film where an oil-lubed chain would have a wet one. A third route skips the prep entirely. KMC sells pre-waxed chains and says of its own, "The chain does not need to be dewaxed." [KMC: Care of waxed chain](https://www.kmcchain.com/en/teach/61) ## How a Waxed Chain Works An oil-lubed chain stays wet. That is how oil protects the metal, and it is also why grit sticks: sand, dust, and fine metal particles from wear suspend in the oil and travel with it through the rollers. A waxed chain stays dry. The film inside the chain does the lubricating, and nothing tacky on the outside collects dirt. The bigger advantage, according to Zero Friction Cycling, is what happens at each re-wax. Because the chain is stripped and rewaxed from clean, the routine wipes out whatever contamination built up: > "every re-wax does a brilliant near perfect re-set of any contamination in chain" [Zero Friction Cycling: Lubricant choice matrix](https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/latest-zero-friction-cycling-news-lubricant-matrix/) ZFC's 2021 write-up goes further and calls immersive waxing with top waxes "unchallenged by drip lubricants." ZFC is an independent tester, but that was a five-year-old statement about the best waxes available then, so read it as a direction rather than a current ranking. ## Hot-Melt Wax vs Drip Wax The two systems are not interchangeable, and most of the "does waxing work" arguments come from people comparing one against the other. Hot-melt immersionDrip waxHow it goes onChain is submerged in melted waxApplied link by link, then left to drySetupSlow cooker or wax pot, thermometer, solvents, wire hookA bottle, plus a one-off degrease of the chainEffort per applicationAbout 20 minutes of hands-on work, plus melting and drying timeLow; no melting, no bath after the first prepWhere it is strongThe most thorough contamination resetConvenience, and no need to remove the chainWhere it is weakSetup, time, and the chain has to come off the bikeThe film is thinner and more easily displacedThe hot-melt details come from published guides. BikeRadar puts wax melting at 30 to 45 minutes and drying at about 20 minutes. SILCA, which sells wax, gives 75°C and a 10 minute immersion for its blend. Roadman Cycling puts a later re-wax at about 20 minutes. Never mix the two families of lubricant. KMC's instruction is blunt: "Never mix wax and oil-based lubricants." ## What a Waxed Chain Costs Hot-melt waxing has a start-up cost and then a small running cost. Roadman Cycling's 2026 guide lists the following, in its own dollar prices: - Slow cooker: $15 to $25 - Wax (Silca Secret or Molten Speed): $20 to $30 - Mineral spirits: $5 to $8 - Isopropyl alcohol: $4 to $6 - Quick link pliers: $10 to $15 - Spare quick links: $5 to $10 - Second chain: $25 to $40 Adding those lines gives about $84 to $134 to start. SILCA lists its Secret Chain Blend at $40 for a 500g pouch, which is a useful yardstick for the wax line, though the price varies by seller and region. The second chain means you are not off the bike while the first one dries. Time is the other cost, and the first prep is the longest: Roadman's guide has three mineral spirits baths of two to three minutes each, a one minute isopropyl rinse, and at least 30 minutes of drying before the chain goes into the wax. After that, a re-wax is about 20 minutes. Drip wax skips most of this, which is why it is the usual middle ground. ## Waxed Chain vs Oil: Is It Faster? This is where the claims are loudest and the comparable data is thinnest. SILCA says its wax "saves up to 8w" against standard lubricants. The page states no test conditions, and SILCA sells the wax, so treat it as an upper-end claim rather than a typical result. For scale, 8 watts is about 3 percent of a 250 watt effort. Independent lab numbers exist, but they do not answer the wax-versus-oil question. Cyclingabout's 2026 summary of lab testing reports total drivetrain loss at 370 watts of 7.8 to 8.2 W for three drip waxes and 11.5 to 11.8 W for two hot waxes, then 10.4 to 11.1 W for drip waxes and 12.2 to 14.3 W for hot waxes at 680 watts. It then adds a caution that matters more than any figure: > "The results from the different wax tests are not comparable, as they were tested under slightly different lab conditions." [Cyclingabout: The 10 Fastest Wax Chain Lubes](https://www.cyclingabout.com/fastest-wax-chain-lubes-according-to-science/) So no drip-versus-hot-melt winner can be read from those tables, and the numbers verified for this guide do not put wax and oil in one test. The honest summary is that testers and vendors generally report that a well-prepared wax system loses fewer watts than a typical oil lube, the size of the gain depends on the lube, the chain, and how clean it is, and the biggest number you will see quoted is not the number to plan around. Our post on [recoverable chain power loss](/blog/chain-power-loss-recoverable-watts) covers how lubricant choice and contamination each change the figure. ## Does a Waxed Chain Last Longer? Efficiency and wear are separate questions, and the data shows they do not always move together. In the same Cyclingabout roundup, the drip wax with the lowest loss at 370 watts in its list (Smoove at 7.8 W) showed 87 percent chain wear after 5,000 km in dry conditions. Effetto Mariposa Flowerpower, at 8.0 W, showed 12 percent. That does not make one brand good and another bad. It shows that "waxed" covers many different products, and the lube with the lowest loss in a lab is not automatically the one that protects the chain best. Guides also repeat that waxed chains "have been known to last 15,000 to 20,000 km." No test is cited for that line, and SILCA's own "up to 25,000 km" is a vendor claim. Treat both as best cases from careful riders, not as what to expect. ZFC makes a cost argument too, saying the gap between top and average lubricants is "well over 1k per year for ROAD cycling." That figure comes from ZFC's own model over 10,000 km, so it shows how the maths can work for a high-mileage rider rather than a payback period for everyone. ## The Downsides of a Waxed Chain The first prep is the hard part. Wax needs a clean, degreased chain, and our [intervals guide](/blog/waxed-chain-intervals) explains why oil left inside the rollers defeats it. That is why Roadman's first session runs long. Wet weather shortens the life of the wax. BikeRadar: "If it's often very wet, this will shorten the lifespan of the wax on your chain, leading to a greater need to re-wax frequently." Manufacturers disagree about quick links. SILCA says, "We do not recommend that you wax your quick link." KMC says, "The rivets of the missing link must be waxed before closing." Follow the instructions for the chain and the wax you actually use. Finally, it is a routine you have to keep up. BikeRadar's author notes he is the only person on the staff who wax-immerses, and that most of his colleagues prefer lubricants that need minimal preparation. ## Is Chain Waxing Worth It? Who Should Wax and Who Should Not Waxing suits riders who ride in mostly dry conditions, care about a clean drivetrain, and are willing to keep a small workbench routine. The more distance you ride, the more riding the setup effort is spread across. It is a poor match for the rider Roadman describes as one who "trains through a British winter in persistent rain and road spray." That guide's suggestions are to alternate chains or use drip wax year-round. If you want to ride and forget the chain, a good oil lube is a legitimate answer, not a failure. If you are undecided, drip wax is the low-commitment way to try it. You keep the chain on the bike, skip the wax pot, and find out whether you enjoy the cleaner drivetrain before buying anything else. ## How Componentry Helps You Track a Waxed Chain Waxing works best when it happens on schedule. Log a wax as a maintenance event, set the distance you want between waxes, and Componentry counts the distance from your synced Strava, Garmin, or Wahoo rides and alerts you before the chain is due. When you tell Componentry a chain is waxed, its power loss estimate treats it that way, because wax and oil age differently. Interval figures for each type of wax are in our [re-waxing guide](/blog/waxed-chain-intervals). Componentry tells you when you have reached them. ## Recommended Resources & Further Reading **Technical Data:** - [BikeRadar: How to wax a chain](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/how-to-wax-a-chain), a step-by-step immersion guide with equipment and timings - [Roadman Cycling: Chain Waxing Guide](https://roadmancycling.com/blog/cycling-chain-waxing-complete-guide), costs, prep time, and who should skip it - [Cyclingabout: The 10 Fastest Wax Chain Lubes](https://www.cyclingabout.com/fastest-wax-chain-lubes-according-to-science/), lab figures with the caveat about comparability - [Zero Friction Cycling: Lubricant choice matrix](https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/latest-zero-friction-cycling-news-lubricant-matrix/), independent testing commentary - [KMC: Care of waxed chain](https://www.kmcchain.com/en/teach/61), the manufacturer's guidance for pre-waxed chains - [SILCA: Secret Chain Blend](https://silca.cc/products/secret-chain-wax-blend), the wax vendor's process and claims **Componentry Reading:** - [How Often to Re-Wax Your Bike Chain](/blog/waxed-chain-intervals): intervals by wax type and conditions - [How to Maintain Your Bike Chain](/blog/chain-maintenance-guide): cleaning, lubrication, and replacement for oil and wax - [Chain Power Loss: The Watts You Can Get Back](/blog/chain-power-loss-recoverable-watts): how lubricant and contamination change the number - [When to Replace Your Bike Chain](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain): measuring wear, whatever you lubricate with - [How Many Watts Is Your Chain Costing You? I Checked One Trainer Ride](https://www.componentry.app/blog/strava-componentry-claude-chain-power-loss): Strava had the measured power for a 45-minute trainer session. Componentry had the chain. Together they put a number on it: 1 watt in 124, and nearly all of it comes back with a re-wax. Published: 2026-10-06 | Categories: performance, maintenance | Tags: chain, power-loss, chain-wax, indoor-training, ai-assistants Every chain takes a little of your power before it reaches the wheel. A clean, freshly waxed chain takes the least. The number creeps up as the wax wears off and the chain picks up dirt, and again as the chain stretches. I wanted to see that number next to a ride where the power was measured, so I picked a session on the trainer. ## The Ride, From Strava It was a 45-minute tempo interval session. Strava's connector for Claude returned: - 124 W average, measured rather than estimated - 162 W for the best five minutes - 89 rpm average cadence ## The Chain, From Componentry Componentry's connector returned the chain on that bike as it stood two minutes after the session ended: - 732 km on it, with 21% of its expected life used - Last waxed 28 days and 193 km earlier - A wax reminder that was three days overdue - 1 W lost against a fresh chain - Under 1 W of that recoverable with a clean and a re-wax ## What the Two Numbers Say Together 1 W against a 124 W average is about 0.8%. Almost all of it is maintenance. Componentry splits the loss into 0.5 W from the wax ageing, 0.4 W from dirt and 0.1 W from stretch. At 21% worn the chain itself is fine, so a new chain would win back about a tenth of a watt. A re-wax wins back the rest. I can't feel a watt in a tempo session. What I can use is the direction it points: this is a re-wax job, and the reminder had been telling me so for three days. ## Why It Takes Both Strava has the ride in detail: power, cadence, best efforts. Componentry has the bike: what's fitted, how worn it is and when it was last waxed. With both connected to Claude, one question gets both: > How many watts is my chain costing me, and should I re-wax before my next session? ## What It Can't Tell You The power loss figure is the state of the chain now. There's no history behind it, so you can't ask what the chain cost you on a ride three weeks ago. It's a modelled estimate. Nobody put this chain on a test rig. Below a watt the model isn't accurate enough to print a decimal, which is why the app shows the recoverable part as "<1 watt". ## Try It Yourself Componentry's connector works in Claude on the web, the desktop app and the mobile apps. The steps are under AI assistants in your account, and [the guide](/docs/ai-assistants/ai-assistants) covers what it can and can't see. The power loss figure was already in the web and mobile apps, and the connector now returns it too. This was my own riding data, read through Strava's connector with my own account. Strava had no part in the experiment. - [Backcountry Reliability: Why Gravel Adventurers Can't Afford a Snapped Derailleur Hanger](https://www.componentry.app/blog/backcountry-reliability-derailleur-hanger): A derailleur hanger is designed to break so your frame and derailleur don't. On a supported road ride that's a $20 inconvenience. Deep in a bikepacking route, it can end the trip. Here's why hangers fail, what else carries outsized backcountry risk, and how to check before you leave. Published: 2026-10-02 | Categories: maintenance, guide | Tags: derailleur-hanger, bikepacking, gravel, reliability, maintenance, component-wear On day 11 of his unsupported 2024 Tour Divide record attempt, Lachlan Morton's rear derailleur failed on the trail, hundreds of kilometres from the nearest bike shop. The first fix didn't hold. He ended up wedging a spare spoke through the derailleur cage against the rear triangle, rigging roughly three usable gears to finish the remaining distance. By the time he crossed the line, he was also riding on brake pads worn down to bare metal. He still finished faster than anyone before him, though the run was never ratified as an official record, since course deviations and a media crew's presence broke the event's self-supported rules. That story works as folklore because the ending is heroic. It reads very differently once you swap Morton, with his mechanical instincts and a route full of dot-watchers tracking his progress, for a rider on a solo bikepacking trip who has never had to jam a spoke into a derailleur cage. Most gravel bike maintenance advice is written for the driveway: clean your chain, check your tyre pressure, lube what squeaks. None of it prepares you for the one failure that behaves completely differently once you're hours from a road. On a supported road ride, a bent derailleur hanger is a phone call and a short wait. Deep in the backcountry, it's the difference between a good story and a long walk. ## Why the Hanger Is Built to Fail A derailleur hanger is a small, replaceable metal plate that bolts to the frame and holds the rear derailleur. It exists for one reason: to break before something more expensive does. > "When there is an impact to the derailleur — for example, a crash, a fall, or rough handling around a rack or other obstacle — the hanger sustains the damage, protecting the more-expensive derailleur and frame." — [Park Tool: Rear Derailleur Hanger Alignment](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-hanger-alignment) The design logic is straightforward once you see it: a carbon frame or a $150 derailleur cracking in a crash is a genuinely expensive problem. A $15 to $40 metal plate bending instead is a cheap one. > "On almost every modern bike it is designed to be the sacrificial part — it is deliberately softer than the frame and softer than the derailleur, so that when the bike goes down, the hanger bends instead of something expensive cracking." — [PaceLineBikes: How to Tell If Your Derailleur Hanger Is Bent](https://pacelinebikes.com/bent-derailleur-hanger/) That trade-off was made correctly for the failure. It just wasn't made with the environment in mind. Near home, a bent hanger converts a frame-replacement problem into a cheap parts problem and a short wait for a shop. In the backcountry, the same "safety valve" event removes your ability to shift, and sometimes to pedal at all, with no shop reachable at any price. ## What Actually Bends a Hanger on Gravel and Bikepacking Trips Hangers don't usually fail from ordinary pedalling. They fail from specific, identifiable events, and several of those events happen more often on a multi-day trip than on a road ride from your driveway. - **Tip-overs and drops.** BikeRadar and PaceLineBikes both point to the same short list of causes: a bike tipping over onto its drive side in a parking lot or at camp, leaning it against a tree or rock, rough handling loading it onto a rack, or a knock during flights or shuttle transport. A loaded bikepacking bike is set down, leaned, and loaded and unloaded far more often than a road bike ridden straight from the garage, usually on uneven ground rather than a flat driveway. - **Chain suck and misalignment feeding on itself.** A bent hanger pulls the derailleur's lower pulley out of line until the derailleur's cage can contact the spokes in the lowest gear, which is exactly the situation that drags a derailleur into the wheel and can snap it outright. Park Tool's own alignment guidance backs up why this doesn't self-correct: a bent hanger causes shifting problems that "can generally not be accounted for by making adjustments to the indexing or limit screws." You can't tune your way out of it. It has to be straightened or replaced. - **A chain already past its wear threshold.** A worn chain is more prone to skipping and chain suck under load, which can put a sudden, abnormal force through the rear derailleur and hanger. Componentry's own [chain wear guidance](/blog/chain-stretch-domino-effect) uses the same industry-standard thresholds worth repeating here: 0.5% elongation for 11- and 12-speed chains, 0.75% for 10-speed and below. A chain that's already past that line isn't just a drivetrain-cost problem. It's one more way to load a hanger that's already doing a difficult job. ## The Preparedness That Actually Helps You can't redesign the sacrificial part. You can make sure you're not relying on luck when it does its job. Carrying "a spare hanger" sounds like enough, but it usually isn't, because hangers are almost always model-specific. > "It's a good idea to carry a spare with you when you're out riding or on a bikepacking trip." — [BikeRadar: What Is a Derailleur Hanger?](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/derailleur-hangers) The same source is specific about why the generic version of that advice falls short: hangers vary by mounting orientation and fastener type, and manufacturers can change a hanger's design mid-model-cycle, meaning two bikes of the same model year can need different parts. The advice that actually helps is narrower: look up your exact frame's hanger part number before the trip, buy that one, and carry it. A universal hanger, like the one Adventure Cycling Association stocks, is a legitimate get-home fallback if you didn't manage that, not a substitute for having the right part in the first place. Beyond the spare part itself, a few habits reduce the odds you need it: - Check the derailleur mounting bolt for tightness before a trip. It carries constant tension and can work loose over time. - Inspect the hanger visually and with a straight-edge if you've dropped or transported the bike recently, rather than waiting for shifting to tell you something's wrong. - If a hanger does fail mid-route with no correct spare on hand, the field fix isn't improvisation with a spoke. BikeRadar's [emergency singlespeed conversion](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/emergency-singlespeed-conversion-convert-to-one-gear-in-order-to-get-yourself-home) (pull the derailleur, pick a straight-chainline gear, and ride conservatively to the nearest shop or vehicle) is the deliberate version of what Morton did on instinct. Treat his spoke-jam as the story of what happens without the right spare, not as a technique to copy. ## Other Backcountry Risks a Road Ride Never Tests A hanger is the sharpest example, but the same asymmetry runs through the rest of a proper gravel bike maintenance checklist. None of these parts fail more often on gravel than on the road. They're just far harder to recover from when the nearest shop is a full day away instead of a few kilometres. - **Brake pads.** A pad that's "fine for now" on a commute can cross the wear line mid-trip with no way to swap it. Componentry's own [brake pad thresholds](/blog/when-to-replace-brake-pads) put the hard limit at 0.5mm of remaining friction material, with a 1.0mm working threshold for margin. That margin matters more the further you are from a shop, not less. - **Broken spokes.** A snapped spoke on tour usually can't wait for the exact gauge and length. This is why experienced bikepackers carry a few spare spokes stored inside the seatpost, along with matching nipples and a spoke wrench built into a multi-tool, or a Kevlar emergency spoke marketed specifically for adventure and touring riders who need to get home without the exact replacement. - **Tubeless sealant that's already drying out.** Sealant typically lasts two to six months depending on heat, humidity, and how many punctures it's already sealed. A multi-day or multi-week trip can outlast sealant that wasn't refreshed shortly before departure, meaning the flat protection you're counting on may already be marginal on day one if nobody checked. ## How Componentry Fits Into a Pre-Trip Check None of this changes the fundamental trade-off in a derailleur hanger's design, and Componentry doesn't track hangers, spoke tension, or sealant condition specifically. A hanger isn't a distance-wear item; it fails on impact, not mileage, so there's no wear percentage to calculate for it. That's a real gap, not something worth glossing over. What Componentry does track, automatically from every synced Strava, Garmin, or Wahoo ride, is the condition of the parts that do wear on a predictable schedule: chain elongation, cassette wear, and brake pad thickness, each with a predicted replacement date based on your actual riding rather than a generic mileage guess. That matters here specifically because a chain or brake pads that are already marginal are one more variable stacked on top of remoteness risk you can't remove. A gravel or bikepacking bike that's been sitting since your last trip is also worth a second look before the next one: components don't stop wearing between rides, and Componentry's [multi-bike tracking](/blog/tracking-maintenance-multiple-bikes) flags a dormant bike's aging components rather than assuming everything's still where you left it. The night before a big trip is not when you want to be guessing whether your chain is at 0.4% or 0.6% wear. [Check what's already marginal](/) before you add distance-from-help on top of it. --- **Know what's marginal before you're hours from help.** Componentry tracks chain, cassette, and brake pad wear automatically from every ride, with a predicted replacement date so you know what to check before a trip, not after something fails on it. [Get started free →](/) --- ## Further Reading on Backcountry and Drivetrain Reliability **Related Componentry Articles:** - [The Chain-Stretch Domino Effect: How One Worn Chain Destroys a $600 Drivetrain](/blog/chain-stretch-domino-effect): the wear thresholds and cascade risk referenced above - [When to Replace Brake Pads: The Data-Driven Guide for Cyclists](/blog/when-to-replace-brake-pads): the 0.5mm/1.0mm thresholds that matter more with no shop nearby - [How to Track Bike Maintenance When You Own Two or More Bikes](/blog/tracking-maintenance-multiple-bikes): why a bike that's been sitting since its last trip needs a second look **Technical Reference:** - [Park Tool: Rear Derailleur Hanger Alignment](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-hanger-alignment) - [BikeRadar: What Is a Derailleur Hanger? Everything You Need to Know](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/derailleur-hangers) - [PaceLineBikes: How to Tell If Your Derailleur Hanger Is Bent (And How to Fix It)](https://pacelinebikes.com/bent-derailleur-hanger/) - [BikeRadar: Emergency Singlespeed Conversion](https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/workshop/emergency-singlespeed-conversion-convert-to-one-gear-in-order-to-get-yourself-home) - [BIKEPACKING.com: Bikepacking Repair Kit: Essential and Auxiliary](https://bikepacking.com/gear/bikepacking-repair-kit/) - [September 2026 Update](https://www.componentry.app/blog/september-2026-update): Ask Claude about your bikes and get answers from your own records, keep receipts and insurance with each bike, pair Di2 and AXS groupsets as sensors, and reminders that follow a replaced part. Published: 2026-09-30 | Categories: update | Tags: monthly-update, ai-assistants, bike-records, sensors, reminders September brought your bike records into the conversation. Componentry now connects to Claude, so you can ask what needs attention and get an answer from your own bikes. Each bike also keeps its receipts and insurance, electronic groupsets pair as sensors, and reminders follow a part when it's replaced. Here's what shipped. ## Ask Claude About Your Bikes, and Get Answers From Your Own Records Ask what needs attention before the weekend, how worn a part is, when you'll need a new chain, or what was replaced at your last service. Connect Componentry to Claude and the answer comes from your own bikes, with the same cards and figures you see in Componentry. It works in Claude on the web, the desktop app, and the mobile apps, and you only connect once. You can also set up a bike, add or correct parts, record a service, and create reminders from the conversation. Claude shows you what it's about to save and only saves once you agree, and it can't delete anything. The steps are under AI assistants in your account, and [the guide](/docs/ai-assistants/ai-assistants) covers what it can and can't see. ## Keep Your Bike's Paperwork With the Bike The moment you need a receipt is rarely a convenient one: a theft claim, a warranty question, a resale listing. Each bike now keeps its purchase date, price, and receipts, plus an insurance policy with a reminder before it renews. You choose how much warning you want, from a week to 60 days, and the reminder repeats every year. Service logs and maintenance checks take the workshop's invoice too, as a photo or a PDF. Every bike also shows how far it has really been ridden, including the distance it covered before you started tracking it, and you can correct that starting figure. Available on web and mobile. ## Pair Your Groupset Once, and Every Ride Finds the Right Bike Your head unit already records your Shimano Di2 or SRAM AXS groupset on every ride. Componentry now lists it under Sensors as electronic shifting. A groupset stays on one bike, so pair it once and every ride it records goes to that bike, even when you swap wheels or power pedals between bikes. Sensors shows a count of anything still waiting to be paired. You can also add and name sensors yourself, and those names appear on ride battery badges and in low-battery alerts. Sensors your head unit connects to over Bluetooth, such as many power meters, now identify the bike as well. ## Reminders That Follow the Part and Stay Due Until the Work Is Done Replace a part during a service and its reminders now move to the new part, with the same schedule and a fresh start from the day it went on. A new chain keeps its lube schedule, so its power-loss estimate stays accurate. Retire a part with nothing fitted in its place and its reminders go with it. A reminder that comes due now stays overdue until you complete it, and the next one is scheduled from the day you did the work. You can pause a reminder and resume it later, and the reminders page filters by bike. ## Also Shipped This Month - **Activities open as their own screen in the app.** Your route is drawn across the top when the ride arrived from Strava with one attached. - **See what changed after an update.** Release notes appear the first time you open Componentry after an update, on web and mobile, and stay available under What's new in Settings. - **New component types.** You can now add a derailleur cage or oversized pulley wheel system as its own component, along with track wheels and track tyres. - **Every Garmin cycling profile now syncs.** Gravel, mountain bike, cyclocross, and e-bike rides come through along with the rest. Run a Garmin historical import from the Apps page to fill in any rides that were skipped. - **Paired rides count their power.** Pair a head unit ride with its Strava activity and Strava's power feeds the chain wear model, which matters most if you ride without a power meter. - **A refreshed help centre.** Every guide has been checked against the app as it is today, with new guides and screenshots throughout. - **A faster mobile app.** It starts quicker, uses less memory, and is ready for iOS 27. The minimum iOS version is now 16.4. ## A Round of Fixes - **Rides no longer appear twice after connecting a head unit.** With Strava history already imported, the Garmin, Wahoo, or Hammerhead copy of each ride was added alongside it and both counted towards wear. The head unit ride now replaces the Strava copy and keeps your title, route, bike, and tags. Affected rides have been merged and the wear recalculated. - **Every ride on a two-ride day now counts.** A second ride recorded on your phone the same afternoon was being read as the head unit ride from earlier. Rides are now matched on start time and distance together. - **Phone-recorded rides arrive on their own.** With a head unit connected, a ride recorded another way now comes in as soon as Strava publishes it. - **Turbo trainer rides count as indoor.** Trainer sessions recorded on a head unit were being read as outdoor rides. They're now classified as indoor and existing rides have been corrected, so wear lands on your indoor setup. - **Indoor rides find your trainer bike.** When no sensor identifies the bike, an indoor or virtual ride goes to the bike with an indoor profile. - **Chain lube tracking holds until you lube the chain.** A repeating lube reminder coming due was being treated as a fresh lube, which reset the distance since your last one. The clock now restarts only when you complete the reminder or log the lube in a service. - **Strava imports from your phone arrive complete**, with the route and the weather you rode in. Re-run an import over a date range and older rides are topped up without duplicates. - **Distance reminders created on the web now use your distance unit.** If yours isn't the default, check the intervals on reminders you set up on the web before this update. - **Long sessions stay steady.** Pages no longer arrive half empty after a while spent moving between bikes, activities, and service logs. ## On the Blog 13 new guides this month: - **[How to Replace Handlebar Tape: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide](/blog/handlebar-tape-replacement-guide)** — wrap direction, handling the levers, and the signs it's time. - **[Hydraulic Brake Fluid: Why It Needs Attention Even Though You Can't See It](/blog/hydraulic-fluid-lifecycle)** — how often to bleed, and why mineral oil and DOT can never be swapped. - **[Basic Bike Maintenance at Home: The Tools, Skills, and What to Leave to a Shop](/blog/basic-bike-maintenance-at-home)** — a realistic starter kit and the six skills worth learning first. - **[Best Bike Maintenance App in 2026](/blog/best-bike-maintenance-app-2026)** — seven apps compared on features, integrations, and pricing. - **[Suspension Service Intervals: Why Fork and Shock Service Is Measured in Hours, Not Miles](/blog/suspension-service-intervals)** — what Fox and RockShox mean by ride hours. - **[How Long Does a Bike Last? The Frame Usually Isn't What Fails First](/blog/how-long-does-a-bike-last)** — how steel, aluminum, carbon, and titanium each fail. - **[Bike Maintenance Resources: The Best Places to Learn, and When to Use Each](/blog/bike-maintenance-resources)** — organised by what you're trying to learn. - **[Wheel Bearing Service: When to Service High-End Hubs Like Chris King or DT Swiss](/blog/wheel-bearing-service-intervals)** — what each manufacturer publishes, and how to tell if yours is overdue. - **[How to Do Your Own Basic Bike Maintenance With Componentry](/blog/diy-bike-maintenance-with-componentry)** — turning what you know into a tracked, repeatable routine. - **[Bike Maintenance App vs Spreadsheet: What Each One Actually Requires From You](/blog/bike-maintenance-app-vs-spreadsheet)** — where a spreadsheet holds up and where it breaks down. - **[The Watts You Can Actually Recover: Componentry's Drivetrain Breakdown Comes to Mobile](/blog/drivetrain-power-loss-mobile-update)** — recoverable watts split into contamination, lubrication, and chain stretch. - **[How to Track Bike Mileage by Component, Not Just Per Bike](/blog/track-bike-mileage-by-component)** — why the bike's odometer and the chain's are two different numbers. - **[When to Replace a Chainring: Signs of Wear on the Part Nobody Checks](/blog/when-to-replace-chainring)** — what worn teeth look like when there's no manufacturer spec to go by. - [Bike Maintenance App vs Spreadsheet: What Each One Actually Requires From You](https://www.componentry.app/blog/bike-maintenance-app-vs-spreadsheet): A spreadsheet can track bike maintenance perfectly well, as long as you keep entering the data. Here's what that actually takes, where it breaks down, and what an automated system adds structurally. Published: 2026-09-28 | Categories: maintenance, guide | Tags: bike-maintenance-app, spreadsheet, maintenance-tracking, predictive-maintenance **Quick answer:** A bike maintenance spreadsheet works exactly as well as your discipline in updating it, and that's the honest limitation, not a knock on spreadsheets themselves. It requires manually logging every ride's distance, remembering to check thresholds yourself, and maintaining the sheet's own structure over time. A maintenance app's real advantage isn't the interface, it's that distance updates automatically from your rides and alerts fire on their own, which a spreadsheet structurally can't do without you doing the data entry. ## What a Spreadsheet Actually Requires A spreadsheet is a genuinely capable tool for this. Plenty of cyclists run one for years without complaint. But it's worth being precise about what "running one" actually involves, because the failure mode isn't the tool, it's the ongoing labor the tool demands. A cyclist on the Cycling UK forum, describing years of detailed upkeep on their own maintenance spreadsheet, put the honest version of it plainly: > "It is not optimised for ease of updating; I ought to write myself a User Manual." [Cycling UK Forum: Maintenance spreadsheet?](https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?t=149744) That's not a criticism of the person. It's what happens to any sufficiently detailed manual system over enough time: the sheet accumulates columns, sheets, and conventions that made sense when you built them and now require remembering. The same thread makes the second problem explicit. One user tracking maintenance without a distance column was asked directly how they'd know when a part was due: > "I'm not sure mine would have much function without the distance, are you just going to guess that?" [Cycling UK Forum: Maintenance spreadsheet?](https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?t=149744) Distance is the input that makes any maintenance schedule mean something, and a spreadsheet has no way to get it except you typing it in after every ride. ## Where a Spreadsheet Genuinely Works Fine Full credit where it's due. A spreadsheet costs nothing beyond the time to build it, keeps every byte of your data under your own control, and can be exactly as detailed or as simple as you want. For a rider with one bike, a consistent logging habit, and no interest in a subscription, a spreadsheet with a date column and a running total does the job. The forum thread above is full of people who've kept one for years and are perfectly satisfied. The honest case for a spreadsheet isn't that it's worse at maintenance math. It's identical arithmetic either way: distance since installation, compared against a threshold. The difference is entirely in who does the data entry and who remembers to check the result. ## Where the Model Breaks Down The strain shows up in three places, and they all come from the same root cause: a spreadsheet only knows what you tell it. Every ride has to be logged manually, by hand, against every component that ride affects. One ride updates a chain, a cassette, brake pads, and tires all at once, four entries from one ride if you're tracking properly. Skip a week of logging and you're reconstructing distances from memory, which is exactly the "are you just going to guess that" problem from above. The sheet itself becomes a maintenance burden of its own. More bikes, more components, more columns, more chance that a formula breaks or a row gets copied wrong. The Cycling UK poster's admission that a genuinely careful multi-year tracker needed a user manual for their own file is the natural endpoint of that complexity, not a personal failing. And nothing in a spreadsheet checks itself. Even Strava's own Gear feature, which automates distance tracking per component rather than requiring a spreadsheet, hits the same wall in a different form: it tracks mileage but never tells you when a threshold's been crossed. > "Most users might find the components tracking useful for a few days or weeks, but they'll most likely forget about it with time." [road.cc: Strava expands 'My Gear' mileage tracker for bikes](https://road.cc/content/tech-news/stravas-my-gear-tracker-expanded-bike-maintenance-286417) A system that tracks but doesn't alert has the same practical failure mode as a spreadsheet you forget to open: correct data, sitting there, that nobody checked before the part failed. ## What an Automated System Adds Structurally None of this is about a nicer interface. The structural difference is two things a spreadsheet can't do on its own: pulling distance from your rides automatically, and calculating a wear estimate specific to how you actually ride rather than a flat mileage threshold. Componentry syncs directly from Strava, Garmin, or Wahoo, so a ride's distance lands on every affected component without anyone typing it in. On top of that, the wear estimate itself isn't a flat "chain replaced at 3,000 km" rule applied to everyone. It's built from your own ride data, terrain, intensity, and weather exposure, [the physical model Componentry runs behind every prediction](/blog/predictive-component-tracking). A rider doing wet, hilly gravel rides wears a chain faster than one doing dry, flat commutes, and a flat mileage rule can't see that difference. A model built from the actual rides can. The alert is the part that closes the loop. Componentry tells you when a component is approaching its threshold, calculated from your data, rather than waiting for you to open a spreadsheet and do the math yourself. That's the entire structural gap between a well-kept manual log and an automated one: not smarter arithmetic, just arithmetic that runs itself and speaks up when it matters. ## How Componentry Fits Into This [Componentry](/) doesn't replace the logic in a well-run maintenance spreadsheet. It replaces the two jobs that make a spreadsheet a chore: typing in every ride's distance, and remembering to check the result against a threshold. Every ride you sync updates every component on your bike automatically, the wear model adjusts to your actual riding conditions rather than a flat mileage figure, and the alert fires before a part is overdue instead of after you happen to look. If you already keep a good spreadsheet and it works for you, that's a legitimate choice; this isn't an argument that manual tracking is wrong. It's a description of what changes when the data entry and the checking are no longer your job. --- **Skip the data entry, keep the discipline.** Componentry updates every component's mileage automatically from your connected Strava, Garmin, or Wahoo rides, and alerts you before a threshold is overdue. [Get started free →](/) --- ## Further Reading **Componentry Resources:** - [The Same Distance, a Different Wear Story: How Componentry Now Predicts Your Component Lifespan](/blog/predictive-component-tracking): the wear model behind the automated alerts - [How to Track Bike Mileage by Component, Not Just Per Bike](/blog/track-bike-mileage-by-component): why total bike mileage and per-component mileage are different numbers - [Strava Bike Maintenance](/blog/strava-bike-maintenance): how Componentry's Strava sync works in full **Technical Reference:** - [Cycling UK Forum: Maintenance spreadsheet?](https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?t=149744): real cyclists on what keeping a maintenance spreadsheet actually involves - [road.cc: Strava expands 'My Gear' mileage tracker for bikes](https://road.cc/content/tech-news/stravas-my-gear-tracker-expanded-bike-maintenance-286417): why tracking without an alert has the same failure mode as a spreadsheet - [The Watts You Can Actually Recover: Componentry's Drivetrain Breakdown Comes to Mobile](https://www.componentry.app/blog/drivetrain-power-loss-mobile-update): Componentry's new Drivetrain Power Loss feature is live on mobile and web. It splits recoverable watts into contamination, lubrication, and chain stretch, instead of one vague number, so you know what's actually costing you power. Published: 2026-09-28 | Categories: performance, maintenance | Tags: drivetrain, chain, power-loss, mobile, product-update Ask a cyclist what a worn chain costs in watts, and you will usually get a number. Ask where that number comes from, and the answer gets vaguer. That is because "chain wear" has quietly become shorthand for three different things happening at once: the chain mechanically elongating, grime building up between the rollers, and the lubricant breaking down. Only one of those is actually wear. The other two are most of why an overhauled drivetrain feels faster than a worn one, even when a chain checker says the difference is small. Componentry's Drivetrain power loss feature, now live in the mobile app and on the web, is built around that distinction. Instead of one number claiming to represent "the cost of a worn chain," it shows three, and tells you which one is the actual problem on your bike. ## Where the Watts Actually Go Independent lab testing gives a clearer picture than most cycling folklore does. CeramicSpeed's Friction Facts testing isolated mechanical wear by ultrasonically cleaning and identically re-lubricating every chain before measurement, so the results reflect elongation alone, with dirt and lubrication held constant. The finding: chain stretch adds roughly 2 watts of drivetrain friction per 1% of elongation at 250 watts. ([CeramicSpeed: Drivetrain Efficiency Test](https://ceramicspeed.com/pages/drivetrain-efficiency-test-old-vs-new)) At 0.5% elongation, the point most riders replace an 11- or 12-speed chain, that works out to roughly 1 watt above a new chain. Push it to 1%, well into cassette-damaging territory, and the mechanical penalty alone is still only around 2 watts. That is a smaller number than most riders expect, and it is not the number responsible for making an old chain feel slow. The larger, more variable losses come from contamination and lubrication. SILCA's testing puts a clean, well-lubricated chain at around 6 watts of friction at 250 watts of rider input, and notes that dirt and grit alone can take a chain that would otherwise be losing 3 to 4 watts up toward 15 to 20. ([SILCA: Science of Chain Efficiency Explained](https://silca.cc/blogs/silca/science-of-chain-efficiency)) A chain run dry, with no meaningful lubricant left, can lose 20 watts or more compared with the same chain freshly lubed. And because a worn chain's surface holds contamination differently than a new one, Zero Friction Cycling's real-world testing on used-but-cleaned chains finds the practical, on-the-bike penalty for elongation runs higher again than the lab-isolated figure. ([Zero Friction Cycling](https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/)) So when a rider replaces a chain and the bike feels noticeably faster, most of that improvement was rarely the stretch. It was the grime and the tired lubricant leaving with it. ## What Componentry Shows You Now This is the model behind the Drivetrain power loss card that now appears on every chain in Componentry. Rather than folding contamination, lubrication, and mechanical stretch into one number, the card leads with a single figure: the watts a clean and re-lube would realistically win back, based on your own ride history. Tap it, and it opens into the three-part breakdown, contamination, lubrication state, and chain stretch, each with its own figure. Take a rider who spent most of a wet spring without re-lubing, then finally cleaned and lubed the chain in June. Before the clean, the breakdown might read something like 2 watts from stretch, 6 watts from contamination built up over those wet rides, and 4 watts from lubricant well past its useful life, a recoverable total around 12 watts. After the clean and re-lube, the card drops to whatever the stretch alone still costs, often a watt or two, and stays quiet until contamination or lubrication creep back up. The same recoverable-watts number surfaces higher up too, on the home bike card, on the bike's Components tile, and next to the chain in the component list, so you see it before you go looking for it. A chain with nothing worth recovering shows no badge at all. The card is there to flag what needs attention, not to fill space with a number close to zero. The estimate sharpens the more Componentry actually knows about how you maintain the bike. Mark a reminder as a lubrication reminder, and the model uses your real re-lube history instead of assuming typical habits, the difference between guessing you lube every few hundred kilometers and knowing the exact date you last did it. On the web, the same figure shows up as a plain-language chip: "Recover 3.1 watts," for example, rather than a label you have to interpret. Anything under a watt reads as "<1 watt" instead of a decimal the model cannot really stand behind. ## Also New This Week The power loss breakdown landed alongside two other mobile changes worth knowing about. Component detail moved out of a bottom sheet and onto its own full screen, so a chain's predicted replacement date, wear factors, and linked reminders have room to actually be read instead of scrolled past in a cramped panel. Edit, retire, and delete now live in the header, and leaving an edit returns you to the component instead of dropping you back at the top of the list. Reminders got a similar edit toward showing less, more usefully. The home screen's Reminders card now surfaces only what is overdue, due soon, or genuinely coming up, inside a week, 300 kilometers, or three rides, instead of every unfinished reminder regardless of how far off it sits. A service due in eight months no longer competes for attention with one due tomorrow. And a day later, a smaller but welcome addition: new installs now open with a five-screen tour of what Componentry actually does, shown once and then out of the way, available in all nine supported languages. ## The Number That Actually Means Something None of this changes what Componentry has always tracked: distance, duration, and the activities that update it automatically from Strava, Garmin, Wahoo, and Hammerhead. What changes is the honesty of the number attached to your chain. Not "your chain is costing you power," which is true but unhelpful, but which part of it is, and what doing something about it is actually worth. The Drivetrain power loss card is live now for every chain in Componentry, on iOS, Android, and the web. ## Recommended Reading **Related Componentry posts:** - [The Friction Tax: How Drivetrain Efficiency Costs You 5-10 Watts Before You Notice](/blog/friction-tax-chain-wear) - [Drivetrain Efficiency: Why Your $1,000 Cassette Requires 0.5% Precision](/blog/drivetrain-efficiency-cassette-precision) - [The Same Distance, a Different Wear Story: How Componentry Now Predicts Your Component Lifespan](/blog/predictive-component-tracking) **Further reading:** - [SILCA: Science of Chain Efficiency Explained](https://silca.cc/blogs/silca/science-of-chain-efficiency) - [CeramicSpeed: Drivetrain Efficiency Test — Old vs. New](https://ceramicspeed.com/pages/drivetrain-efficiency-test-old-vs-new) - [Zero Friction Cycling](https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/) - [Park Tool: When to Replace a Chain](https://www.parktool.com/en-int/blog/repair-help/when-to-replace-a-chain-on-a-bicycle) - [How to Track Bike Mileage by Component, Not Just Per Bike](https://www.componentry.app/blog/track-bike-mileage-by-component): Your bike's total odometer and your chain's actual mileage are two different numbers. Here's why that distinction matters, how Strava's own component tracking handles it, and what full automation looks like. Published: 2026-09-28 | Categories: maintenance, technology | Tags: mileage-tracking, component-wear, strava, bike-computer, maintenance-tracking **Quick answer:** Tracking bike mileage by component means recording distance separately for each part, chain, cassette, brake pads, tires, starting from the date each one was installed, rather than relying on one running total for the whole bike. A bike's total odometer keeps climbing forever. A component's mileage resets to zero every time it's replaced. Strava's own Gear feature supports basic per-component tracking, but setup is website-only and there are no automated alerts when a component crosses its service threshold, which is the part that actually prevents surprises. ## Why Total Bike Mileage Isn't the Number That Matters A bike computer or a cycling app is very good at answering one question: how far has this bike gone since you started using it? That's a useful number for training load, but it's the wrong number for maintenance. A chain installed 2,000 km ago and a cassette installed 8,000 km ago live on the same bike, sharing the same total odometer, wearing on completely different clocks. The bike's lifetime total tells you nothing about either of them. What you actually need is: how far has each part gone since it went on the bike, measured against the threshold for that specific part. That's a different data structure entirely, one where a single ride updates several independent counters at once instead of one shared number. ## How Strava's Gear Tracking Handles This, and Where It Stops Strava has supported basic component-level tracking since 2021, breaking a bike's Gear entry down into individual parts so each one can carry its own mileage. > "[You can] break that down into all of the components attached to that bike." [road.cc: Strava expands 'My Gear' mileage tracker for bikes](https://road.cc/content/tech-news/stravas-my-gear-tracker-expanded-bike-maintenance-286417) It's a real feature, and it solves the core problem this post is about: a chain and a cassette get their own running totals instead of sharing the bike's lifetime number. But the setup lives on Strava's website rather than the mobile app, and readers reacted to the launch by immediately asking for the piece that was missing: > "Most users might find the components tracking useful for a few days or weeks, but they'll most likely forget about it with time," one commenter wrote, asking for "alerts when they have hit that mileage." [road.cc: Strava expands 'My Gear' mileage tracker for bikes](https://road.cc/content/tech-news/stravas-my-gear-tracker-expanded-bike-maintenance-286417) That's the actual gap. Per-component mileage without a threshold and an alert is just a number you have to remember to go check. This is also a separate feature from Strava's newer automatic gear assignment, which matches an activity to a bike based on the activity type (a mountain bike ride auto-assigns your mountain bike) but doesn't touch component-level distance at all. The two are easy to conflate; only the older Gear breakdown handles individual parts. ## What Full Component-Level Tracking Actually Requires Getting this right takes three things working together, not just one. The first is a per-component odometer that starts at zero on the install date and counts every ride from there, independent of whatever the bike's total reads. Replace the chain, and its counter resets. The cassette, the brake pads, the tires each keep their own count running in parallel, all fed by the same rides. The second is a threshold specific to that component and your drivetrain, not a generic calendar reminder. A chain's replacement point depends on wear percentage and speed count, not a flat number of months. A brake pad's depends on thickness in millimetres. Different components need different math behind the same underlying distance data. The third is an alert that fires on its own, before the threshold is crossed rather than after. This is exactly the piece the road.cc commenters were asking for in 2021: tracking without a proactive alert is data you have to remember to check, which is the same failure mode as not tracking anything at all. ## What This Looks Like on a Single Ride To track bike mileage by component in practice, one ride has to update several independent numbers at once, not just add to a single total. A 60 km gravel ride, for example, adds 60 km to the bike's lifetime distance, 60 km to a chain installed three weeks ago, 60 km to a cassette that's been on the bike for a year, and 60 km to a set of brake pads fitted last month, each of those four numbers measured against a different threshold and sitting at a different point in its own service life. The bike's total is one line. The maintenance picture is four separate ones, updated from the same 60 km. ## The Multi-Bike Version of This Problem Everything above assumes one bike. Add a second or third bike to the mix and there's a related but distinct problem: making sure each ride's distance lands on the correct bike in the first place, and that components moved between bikes don't lose their history in the swap. [How to Track Bike Maintenance When You Own Two or More Bikes](/blog/tracking-maintenance-multiple-bikes) covers that side in full. ## How Componentry Tracks Mileage by Component [Componentry](/) builds the per-component odometer, the drivetrain-specific threshold, and the proactive alert into one system, synced automatically from Strava, Garmin, or Wahoo. Every ride updates every component on the relevant bike at once: the chain, the cassette, the brake pads, the tires, and anything else you've registered, each against its own installation date and its own configured threshold. Replace a part, log it once, and its counter starts fresh while everything else on the bike keeps its existing history intact. When a component approaches its threshold, Componentry alerts you before it's overdue rather than leaving a number for you to remember to check. The distinction that matters is the one this whole post has been about: your bike's lifetime mileage is a training statistic. Your chain's mileage since installation is a maintenance decision. They're different numbers, and only one of them tells you when to act. --- **Track every component's own mileage, not just your bike's total.** Componentry updates the odometer on every part, automatically, from your connected Strava, Garmin, or Wahoo rides. [Get started free →](/) --- ## Further Reading **Componentry Resources:** - [How to Track Bike Maintenance When You Own Two or More Bikes](/blog/tracking-maintenance-multiple-bikes): the bike-level version of this problem, for multi-bike households - [When to Replace Your Bike Chain](/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain): the wear thresholds a per-component odometer needs to check against - [Strava Bike Maintenance](/blog/strava-bike-maintenance): how Componentry's Strava sync works in full **Technical Reference:** - [road.cc: Strava expands 'My Gear' mileage tracker for bikes](https://road.cc/content/tech-news/stravas-my-gear-tracker-expanded-bike-maintenance-286417): how Strava's own component tracking works, and what it's missing ### Further blog posts (not inlined) - [When to Replace a Chainring: Signs of Wear on the Part Nobody Checks](https://www.componentry.app/blog/when-to-replace-chainring): There's no manufacturer mileage spec for chainring wear, unlike chains and cassettes. Here's what worn teeth actually look like, why 1x narrow-wide rings wear on a faster clock, and the practical test that replaces a missing number. - [How to Do Your Own Basic Bike Maintenance With Componentry](https://www.componentry.app/blog/diy-bike-maintenance-with-componentry): You know the basics and where to learn more. Here's how Componentry turns that knowledge into a tracked, repeatable maintenance routine for your bike. - [Wheel Bearing Service: When to Service High-End Hubs Like Chris King or DT Swiss](https://www.componentry.app/blog/wheel-bearing-service-intervals): Chris King, DT Swiss, and Industry Nine each publish their own hub bearing service intervals. Here's what they actually say, and how to tell if yours is already overdue. - [Bike Maintenance Resources: The Best Places to Learn, and When to Use Each](https://www.componentry.app/blog/bike-maintenance-resources): Video tutorials, written standards, lubrication science, and manufacturer docs. Where to learn bike maintenance, organized by what you're actually trying to learn. - [How Long Does a Bike Last? The Frame Usually Isn't What Fails First](https://www.componentry.app/blog/how-long-does-a-bike-last): How long does a bike last? No frame material has a fixed lifespan number, and the parts wear out first. A lifespan chart with replace-or-service points for each part, from the makers. - [Best Bike Maintenance App in 2026: Componentry vs Geer vs ProBikeGarage vs WatchMy.Bike](https://www.componentry.app/blog/best-bike-maintenance-app-2026): A comprehensive comparison of the best bike maintenance apps in 2026. We compare Componentry, Geer, ProBikeGarage, WatchMy.Bike, Velo Buddy, MainTrack, and Bikerly on features, integrations, pricing, and who each app actually suits. - [Suspension Service Intervals: Why Fork and Shock Service Is Measured in Hours, Not Miles](https://www.componentry.app/blog/suspension-service-intervals): Fox and RockShox publish suspension service intervals in ride hours, not distance. Here's what those hours actually mean, the cost of skipping service, and why distance tracking alone misses the signal. - [Basic Bike Maintenance at Home: The Tools, Skills, and What to Leave to a Shop](https://www.componentry.app/blog/basic-bike-maintenance-at-home): The realistic starter tool kit, the six skills worth learning first, and which jobs to leave to a shop. Basic bike maintenance at home, done properly. - [How to Replace Handlebar Tape: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide](https://www.componentry.app/blog/handlebar-tape-replacement-guide): How to replace handlebar tape correctly: the tools you need, wrap direction, how to handle the levers, and the condition-based signs that tell you it's time. - [Hydraulic Brake Fluid: Why It Needs Attention Even Though You Can't See It](https://www.componentry.app/blog/hydraulic-fluid-lifecycle): Hydraulic brake fluid degrades even though it's sealed. How often to bleed bike brakes, the signs it's due, mineral oil vs. DOT, and why the two can never be swapped. - [August 2026 Update](https://www.componentry.app/blog/august-2026-update): Chain power loss splits into LOSS and RECOVERABLE watts, completed reminders become permanent service records, and every bike can carry its own name. - [Bottom Bracket Service: How Long It Lasts and Why the Creak Sometimes Comes Back](https://www.componentry.app/blog/bottom-bracket-lifecycle): Bottom bracket service intervals, wear signs, and the real reason a fresh cartridge doesn't always stop a creak — with the diagnostic test to run before you buy another one. - [Bike Tyre Pressure: Why the Number on Your Sidewall Is the Wrong One](https://www.componentry.app/blog/bike-tyre-pressure-calculator): Rolling resistance falls as pressure rises, until it doesn't. Past the breakpoint, 10 psi too much costs around nine watts and 10 psi too little costs about one. Here is the science, and the calculator worth using. - [Why Most Bike Maintenance Reminders Get Ignored (And How Urgency Fixes It)](https://www.componentry.app/blog/bike-maintenance-reminders-urgency): Most maintenance reminders treat every task as equally urgent, training you to ignore all of them. Here's how Componentry's reminders now sort by what needs you first, on web and mobile. - [Chain Power Loss: The Watts You Can Get Back Without Buying a New Chain](https://www.componentry.app/blog/chain-power-loss-recoverable-watts): A dirty, poorly-lubed chain costs real watts, and most of that loss has nothing to do with wear. Here's what the research says, and how Componentry turns your synced rides into a chain power loss estimate. - [Tyre Pressure Sensor Wheels: What Zipp's New Sensor Actually Changes](https://www.componentry.app/blog/smart-wheel-tyre-pressure-sensors): Zipp built a tyre pressure sensor into its new wheels. Here is what is genuinely new, what already existed, and what it means for tracking your bike. - [How to Run a Full Service and Clear Every Reminder in One Session](https://www.componentry.app/blog/full-service-clear-reminders): A full bike service works best as one session, not a string of one-off fixes. Here is the order to work in, how to use your open reminders as the checklist, and how to leave a real record behind. - [Stop Ticking Boxes: Turn Every Reminder Into a Bike Maintenance Log](https://www.componentry.app/blog/reminders-to-service-records): Most riders dismiss maintenance reminders. Learn why a bicycle service log catches wear early, keeps intervals honest, and pays off when you sell your bike. - [Where Your Drivetrain Watts Actually Go: Contamination vs. Lubrication vs. Chain Stretch](https://www.componentry.app/blog/drivetrain-power-loss-tracking): Chain friction isn't one number. See how contamination, lubrication state, and chain stretch each cost separate watts, and how Componentry now quantifies all three for your own bike. - [July 2026 Update](https://www.componentry.app/blog/july-2026-update): Drivetrain power loss shows the watts a dirty chain is costing you, plus a five-step setup checklist, reminders sorted by urgency, and chain wax tracking. - [Garmin Bike Maintenance App: The Only Tracker That Connects Without Strava](https://www.componentry.app/blog/garmin-wahoo-bike-maintenance-app): Every bike maintenance app requires a Strava account. Componentry connects directly to Garmin Connect and Wahoo Cloud — sync your components without Strava in the loop. - [How Much Does a Worn Drivetrain Actually Cost? The Full Price of Neglect](https://www.componentry.app/blog/cost-of-worn-drivetrain): A worn chain isn't just a performance problem — it's an expensive cascade. Here's the real cost breakdown of neglecting drivetrain maintenance, from chain to cassette to chainrings, with real component prices. - [How to Track Bike Maintenance When You Own Two or More Bikes](https://www.componentry.app/blog/tracking-maintenance-multiple-bikes): Multi-bike ownership creates a maintenance tracking problem that single-bike systems can't solve. Here's how to manage component wear across road, gravel, indoor, and seasonal bikes without losing track. - [Cassette Lifespan: How Many Kilometres Before You Need to Replace It?](https://www.componentry.app/blog/cassette-lifespan): How long does a cassette last? The answer depends on material tier, drivetrain speed, chain replacement history, and riding conditions. Here's the data to make the right call. - [Electronic Shifting Battery Tracking: Know Exactly When Your Di2 or AXS Will Die](https://www.componentry.app/blog/di2-axs-battery-tracking): Electronic shifting batteries fail without warning. Learn how to predict Di2 and AXS battery life for any upcoming ride, and how automated tracking eliminates the anxiety across multiple bikes. - [June 2026 Update](https://www.componentry.app/blog/june-2026-update): Maintenance Checks for a quick bike look-over, battery status for your electronics, support chat on every mobile screen, and a round of fixes. - [Di2 Battery Life: How to Track, Extend, and Never Get Caught Dead on a Climb](https://www.componentry.app/blog/di2-battery-life-tips): Electronic shifting battery failures happen at the worst moments. Learn Di2 and AXS battery life expectations, charging practices, and how to track battery health across multiple bikes. - [How Often to Re-Wax Your Bike Chain: 300 to 400 km](https://www.componentry.app/blog/waxed-chain-intervals): BikeRadar says re-wax every 300 to 400 km or after a wet ride. SILCA gives about 200 miles for its drip wax. Published intervals and the signs of a dry chain. - [Your Service History Is Your Resale Value: The Case for a Digital Bike Log](https://www.componentry.app/blog/bike-service-history-resale-value): Documented maintenance records command measurable price premiums on used bike marketplaces. Here's what buyers pay for, what sellers leave on the table, and how to build a service history that pays dividends. - [The Quick Maintenance Check: Catching Brake, Tire and Chain Wear Early](https://www.componentry.app/blog/quick-maintenance-check): A quick maintenance check on your brakes, tires and chain catches wear early and turns one-off glances into a trend you can act on. Here is how to do it. - [May 2026 Update](https://www.componentry.app/blog/may-2026-update): One-pass bike setup, full-history FIT import, tire pressure tracking, an iOS home-screen widget, in-app live chat, and Dutch language support. - [Strava Bike Maintenance: What Your Favourite Riding App Can't Do (And What Fills the Gap)](https://www.componentry.app/blog/strava-bike-maintenance): Strava tracks every ride but not what those rides do to your components. Here's how Componentry bridges the gap — and why serious cyclists need both. - [The Same Distance, a Different Wear Story: How Componentry Now Predicts Your Component Lifespan](https://www.componentry.app/blog/predictive-component-tracking): Distance-based component tracking treats every rider the same. Componentry's new predictive system accounts for your terrain, power output, weather exposure, and riding volume to produce a lifespan estimate that reflects how you actually ride. - [How to Tell When Your Bike Tyres Are Worn Out (Beyond the Tread)](https://www.componentry.app/blog/when-to-replace-bike-tyres): Replace bicycle tires when the wear indicators are gone, the casing shows through, or you find a bulge or a cut to the casing. How to check tread and casing, with published lifespan figures. - [Automatic Indoor and Outdoor Profile Matching](https://www.componentry.app/blog/bike-profile-activity-type-matching): Profiles can now auto-match to indoor or outdoor activities. Set it once and the right profile activates based on your ride type. - [How Long Does a Bike Cassette Last? 10,000–30,000 km](https://www.componentry.app/blog/how-long-does-a-bike-cassette-last): A rule-of-thumb cassette lifespan is 10,000–30,000 km, and chain replacement timing is the biggest factor. See the wear signs and how to extend yours. - [When to Replace Brake Pads: The Data-Driven Guide for Cyclists](https://www.componentry.app/blog/when-to-replace-brake-pads): Worn brake pads compromise stopping power before you notice. Learn the exact measurements, mileage thresholds, and warning signs that tell you it's time to replace. - [Spring Bike Maintenance Checklist: Everything to Check Before Riding Season](https://www.componentry.app/blog/spring-bike-maintenance-checklist): The complete spring bike maintenance checklist with exact thresholds — drivetrain, brakes, tyres, wheels, suspension, and electronics. Know what needs attention before your first big ride. - [How to Measure Chain Stretch: The 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1% Thresholds Explained](https://www.componentry.app/blog/chain-stretch-measurement-guide): Learn exactly how to measure chain stretch using a chain checker, understand the 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1% wear thresholds, and know which threshold applies to your specific drivetrain. - [The Chain-Stretch Domino Effect: How One Worn Chain Destroys a $600 Drivetrain](https://www.componentry.app/blog/chain-stretch-domino-effect): Understand how worn chain damage cascades to cassette and chainrings, the real cost of delayed replacement, and exactly when to act before the domino falls. - [March 2026 Update](https://www.componentry.app/blog/march-2026-update): Hammerhead integration, activity-based reminders, Garmin historical import, provider improvements, and bike profiles on the horizon. - [When to Replace Your Bike Chain: The Complete Guide](https://www.componentry.app/blog/when-to-replace-bike-chain): Learn exactly when to replace your bike chain with wear thresholds by drivetrain speed, five warning signs, mileage benchmarks, and cost comparisons. - [February 2026 Update](https://www.componentry.app/blog/february-2026-update): Mobile apps for iPhone and Android, weather-enriched activities, real-time Strava sync, bulk activity management, and predictive intelligence on the horizon. - [Aero Efficiency: Why Clean Components Are Faster Than Dirty Ones in the Wind Tunnel](https://www.componentry.app/blog/aero-efficiency-clean-components): Dirty drivetrains cost more watts than most upgrades save. Wind tunnel and lab data reveal how clean components make you measurably faster. - [Ceramic Bearing Longevity: Tracking the Hidden Wear of OSPW Systems](https://www.componentry.app/blog/ceramic-bearing-ospw-longevity): Ceramic bearing maintenance for OSPW systems is critical but invisible. Learn service intervals and why mileage tracking prevents costly replacement. - [January 2026 Update](https://www.componentry.app/blog/january-2026-update): Bike fit tracking, Wahoo activity import, component measurements, seven languages, and unit preferences. - [The Lifecycle of a Watt: Where Your Cycling Power Loss Actually Happens](https://www.componentry.app/blog/lifecycle-of-a-watt): Discover where cycling power loss occurs in poorly maintained bikes. From chain friction to brake drag, learn how neglected maintenance costs 30+ watts and what to fix first. - [Drivetrain Efficiency: Why Your $1,000 Cassette Requires 0.5% Precision](https://www.componentry.app/blog/drivetrain-efficiency-cassette-precision): Premium cassettes demand stricter chain maintenance. Learn why 0.5% wear is the breaking point for 11-12 speed systems and how precision tracking saves $740 over 15,000 km. - [The Friction Tax: How Drivetrain Efficiency Costs You 5-10 Watts Before You Notice](https://www.componentry.app/blog/friction-tax-chain-wear): Discover how a worn chain costs 5-10 watts in power loss before skipping starts. Learn when to replace chains, the cascade effect on cassettes, and how automatic tracking saves performance and money. - [What Is a Digital Twin for a Bike? A Physical Model, Not a Black Box](https://www.componentry.app/blog/digital-twin-bicycle-maintenance): A digital twin is a virtual model of your bike's components. Here's what Componentry's actually models, from the five measured inputs to how confidence builds as you ride. - [Race Week Bike Prep: What to Check Weeks Before, Not the Night Before](https://www.componentry.app/blog/optimizing-your-race-preparation): A mechanic's pre-race checklist covers the drivetrain, brakes, tires, and bearings, done weeks out rather than the night before. Here's what to check, why the timing matters, and how to automate the projection. - [Tire Lifecycle Management: Pressure, Sealant, and Rubber Aging](https://www.componentry.app/blog/maximizing-grip-and-longevity): Tread wear isn't the only thing that ends a tire's life. Here's what pressure precision, tubeless sealant intervals, and rubber aging actually cost you, with the sourced numbers. - [How to Maintain Your Bike Chain — Tips, Tools & Best Practices](https://www.componentry.app/blog/chain-maintenance-guide): A comprehensive guide to bike chain maintenance covering cleaning methods, lubrication techniques, wear measurement, and when to replace your chain. Learn the differences between oil-lubed and waxed chains. ### Earlier releases (not inlined) - [v0.58.0 - October 12, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.58.0-october-12-2026): Every component type has its own icon, drawn from a bike built part by part - [v0.56.1 - October 9, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.56.1-october-9-2026): Two sign-in fixes: no false error after a successful Google, Apple or Strava sign-up, and no false invalid code message after a correct email code - [Mobile v3.3.0 - October 8, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v3.3.0-october-8-2026): A wear dial on every bike, and a distance-per-week chart above your riding history - [v0.56.0 - October 8, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.56.0-october-8-2026): A wear dial on every bike card, and a new distance-per-week chart above your riding history - [Mobile v3.2.0 - October 5, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v3.2.0-october-5-2026): A clearer message when Strava is connected without activity access, a battery icon for head units, and a short feedback survey during your trial - [v0.55.2 - October 5, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.55.2-october-5-2026): Renaming a ride on Strava now renames it in Componentry too, including rides recorded on a head unit - [Mobile v3.1.0 - October 1, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v3.1.0-october-1-2026): See every device connected on a ride, with battery levels charted over the ride and a warning when one is running low - [v0.55.0 - October 1, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.55.0-october-1-2026): See every device connected on a ride, with battery levels charted over the ride and a warning when one is running low - [v0.54.1 - September 30, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.54.1-september-30-2026): Bluetooth sensors now identify your bike, and matched rides set the right bike on Strava more reliably - [v0.53.2 - September 29, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.53.2-september-29-2026): Reminders that come due now show as overdue on your dashboard until you complete them - [v0.54.0 - September 29, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.54.0-september-29-2026): Pause and resume reminders, back-dated service retirements, sensor matching and a round of fixes across bikes, activities and components - [Mobile v3.0.1 - September 28, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v3.0.1-september-28-2026): Pause reminders, track wheels and tyres, and fixes to match the web app - [v0.52.2 - September 28, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.52.2-september-28-2026): Your bike reaches Strava on more rides, and runs and swims stop renaming your rides - [v0.52.3 - September 28, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.52.3-september-28-2026): Indoor rides find your trainer bike, and choosing a bike for a ride picks the right profile - [v0.53.0 - September 28, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.53.0-september-28-2026): A refreshed help centre with new guides for bikes, components, activities and account settings, and every guide now illustrated - [Mobile v2.15.0 - September 25, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.15.0-september-25-2026): Add and name sensors from the app, and see your names on ride battery badges - [Mobile v3.0.0 - September 25, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v3.0.0-september-25-2026): Under-the-hood update: new app foundation, faster startup - [v0.52.0 - September 25, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.52.0-september-25-2026): Name your sensors, copy a sensor's serial number from a ride, and keep serial numbers from Wahoo recordings - [v0.51.3 - September 24, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.51.3-september-24-2026): Opening an activity shows the bike it's on, and no ride is matched to a guessed bike - [Mobile v2.14.0 - September 23, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.14.0-september-23-2026): Shimano Di2 and SRAM AXS groupsets are named properly in Sensors, and Settings shows how many sensors still need pairing - [v0.49.3 - September 23, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.49.3-september-23-2026): Rides recorded on your phone are no longer mistaken for a head unit ride you did earlier the same day - [v0.50.0 - September 23, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.50.0-september-23-2026): Shimano Di2 and SRAM AXS groupsets now appear as sensors you can pair to a bike, and the Sensors link shows how many are still unpaired - [v0.50.1 - September 23, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.50.1-september-23-2026): Rides you record without your head unit now arrive on their own when you have a head unit connected - [v0.50.2 - September 23, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.50.2-september-23-2026): Take the Strava title when you manually pair a ride - [v0.51.0 - September 23, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.51.0-september-23-2026): Ask Claude about your bikes, and set them up or log a service from the conversation - [v0.51.1 - September 23, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.51.1-september-23-2026): New accounts now land in their workspace after signing in - [v0.51.2 - September 23, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.51.2-september-23-2026): Planned Wahoo workouts keep the time you rode them, and no longer appear twice - [v0.49.2 - September 22, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.49.2-september-22-2026): Rides recorded on a Garmin, Wahoo or Hammerhead no longer appear twice when Strava was connected first - [v0.49.1 - September 18, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.49.1-september-18-2026): Chain lube tracking and wear modelling now follow a ride when it is moved or updated after import - [v0.49.0 - September 17, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.49.0-september-17-2026): Five dedicated feature pages on the marketing site, reachable from a new Features menu - [v0.48.0 - September 16, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.48.0-september-16-2026): Dedicated landing pages for Componentry's social content - [v0.47.1 - September 15, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.47.1-september-15-2026): Gravel, mountain bike, e-bike and other Garmin ride profiles now sync - [v0.46.3 - September 14, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.46.3-september-14-2026): Turbo trainer rides from Strava are now recognised as indoor - [v0.46.4 - September 14, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.46.4-september-14-2026): Pages no longer load with missing data during a long session - [v0.47.0 - September 14, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.47.0-september-14-2026): Filter your reminders by bike, and both list pages now read properly on a phone - [Mobile v2.13.0 - September 13, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.13.0-september-13-2026): Subscribers may now be asked to rate the app, at most once every six months, plus VoiceOver names for every button in the bike screens' navigation bar and six languages filled in across setup, filters and profiles - [v0.46.2 - September 13, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.46.2-september-13-2026): Rides imported from Strava on your phone now arrive with their route and weather, and a paired ride's power counts toward chain wear - [Mobile v2.12.1 - September 12, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.12.1-september-12-2026): Activities now open as their own screen with your route drawn across the top, plus a clearer bike picker and retired parts out of the reminder list - [v0.46.1 - September 12, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.46.1-september-12-2026): Reminders now retire with the part they were set on, and the mobile app is handed everything it needs to name a bike properly - [Mobile v2.12.0 - September 8, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.12.0-september-8-2026): Details and Insurance join the Setup section of every bike: purchase date and receipts, an insurance policy with a reminder before it renews, invoices on service logs and checks, and the bike's true total distance - [v0.46.0 - September 8, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.46.0-september-8-2026): Each bike now keeps its purchase date and receipt, its insurance policy with a reminder before it renews, invoices on every service, and an honest total for how far it has been ridden - [Mobile v2.11.3 - September 6, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.11.3-september-6-2026): Chain power-loss figures update as soon as you complete a lubrication reminder, service logs tell you that reminders on retired parts move to their replacements, and the app now shows you what changed after an update - [v0.44.0 - September 6, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.44.0-september-6-2026): Reminders now follow a replaced part, so a new chain keeps your lube schedule and its power-loss estimate stays accurate, and Componentry now shows you what changed after an update - [Mobile v2.11.2 - September 4, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.11.2-september-4-2026): New components pick up their life limits from the component type, activity cards stay readable when a bike has a long name, and dates follow the language and date format you've chosen - [Mobile v2.11.1 - September 1, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.11.1-september-1-2026): Track a derailleur cage or oversized pulley wheel system as its own component, plus bottom brackets on your phone and a bar tape fix - [v0.43.0 - September 1, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.43.0-september-1-2026): Track a derailleur cage or oversized pulley wheel system as its own component - [v0.41.0 - August 23, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.41.0-august-23-2026): Pick a profile when bulk-assigning rides to a bike - [v0.42.0 - August 23, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.42.0-august-23-2026): Notifications now adapt to your subscription status - [v0.42.2 - August 23, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.42.2-august-23-2026): Named bikes now show their year and model alongside the manufacturer - [Mobile v2.11.0 - August 22, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.11.0-august-22-2026): Name your bikes, and a new Match System appearance option that follows your device's light or dark mode - [v0.39.2 - August 22, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.39.2-august-22-2026): Re-import a Strava bike you previously removed - [v0.40.0 - August 22, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.40.0-august-22-2026): Give your bikes a name of their own - [v0.39.0 - August 20, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.39.0-august-20-2026): A new Resources section, starting with a guide to getting your tyre pressure right. - [v0.37.0 - August 18, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.37.0-august-18-2026): New comparison pages: see how Componentry stacks up against other bike maintenance apps, feature by feature. - [v0.38.0 - August 18, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.38.0-august-18-2026): Comparison pages now lead with predictive modelling — watts lost, personalised lifespans, and replacement dates. - [Mobile v2.10.3 - August 17, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.10.3-august-17-2026): Chain stretch is now recorded as a simple whole number, with clearer guidance while you type - [Mobile v2.10.2 - August 15, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.10.2-august-15-2026): Your chain now reports what it's costing you as well as what you can win back, the Components card runs the full width of your bike screen, and the same two figures follow you down to the component list - [v0.36.2 - August 15, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.36.2-august-15-2026): Faster mobile app loading with quicker responses across the mobile API - [v0.36.3 - August 15, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.36.3-august-15-2026): Chain stretch is now recorded as a simple whole number, with clearer guidance and more reliable power-loss estimates - [v0.36.1 - August 13, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.36.1-august-13-2026): Wear now counts every ride, including ones imported after the fact - [Mobile v2.10.1 - August 10, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.10.1-august-10-2026): Recoverable watts move onto a full-width readout across the bottom of your bike cards, your component list now says what's due as well as what's worn, and Home gets out of the way on the days there's nothing to do - [v0.36.0 - August 10, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.36.0-august-10-2026): Retired bikes are easy to find again, and bringing one back is a single click from your bike list - [v0.35.1 - August 8, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.35.1-august-8-2026): Importing rides from Strava now skips anything your head unit already recorded, so the same ride can't count twice - [Mobile v2.10.0 - August 6, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.10.0-august-6-2026): Retire and replace components from your phone, inside a full service, and turn a maintenance check into a full service when the job grows - [v0.35.0 - August 6, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.35.0-august-6-2026): Retiring a component now happens inside a full service, so every part that comes off leaves a service record behind - [Mobile v2.9.0 - August 5, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.9.0-august-5-2026): Full service logs come to mobile, and completing a reminder now offers to record the work as a maintenance check or service - [v0.33.3 - August 5, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.33.3-august-5-2026): Garmin tells you up front whether past rides can be imported, and rides that were missing weather now get it - [v0.34.0 - August 5, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.34.0-august-5-2026): Completing a reminder now offers to log the work as a maintenance check or full service, and service logs can tick off all of a bike's reminders at once - [v0.33.2 - August 3, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.33.2-august-3-2026): Connecting a fitness account that is already linked elsewhere now says so - [📱 Mobile v2.8.1 - August 02, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.8.1-august-02-2026): General fixes and improvements. - [v0.33.1 - August 2, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.33.1-august-2-2026): FIT file imports work again, and reminders reschedule from the day you complete them - [v0.32.1 - July 30, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.32.1-july-30-2026): Rides from your Karoo now record the right ride time and the right start time - [v0.33.0 - July 30, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.33.0-july-30-2026): Pair any ride with its Strava activity yourself — and unpair or re-pair whenever you need - [📱 Mobile v2.8.0 - July 29, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.8.0-july-29-2026): A proper welcome: a five-screen tour of what Componentry does, shown once on first open. - [v0.32.0 - July 29, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.32.0-july-29-2026): Reminders sort themselves by urgency, chain power-loss reads straighter, and the prediction cards open only when you want them - [📱 Mobile v2.7.0 - July 28, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.7.0-july-28-2026): See what a clean chain is worth in watts, a component detail screen with room to breathe, and reminders that stay quiet until they matter. - [v0.30.0 - July 28, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.30.0-july-28-2026): A setup checklist on your dashboard, so you can see the whole journey at once - [v0.27.0 - July 24, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.27.0-july-24-2026): See the watts a dirty chain is costing you — and win them back - [📱 Mobile v2.6.0 - July 23, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.6.0-july-23-2026): Record whether your chain runs on wax, plus measurements for more component types. - [v0.26.0 - July 23, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.26.0-july-23-2026): Record whether your chain runs on wax - [📱 Mobile v2.5.1 - July 20, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.5.1-july-20-2026): Fixes an empty home screen for brand-new accounts and caps far-future replacement predictions at 2+ years. - [v0.24.0 - July 20, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.24.0-july-20-2026): A new interactive explainer shows exactly which profile your next ride will get — and the Profiles card now makes the assignment order clear. - [v0.24.1 - July 20, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.24.1-july-20-2026): Bulk bike assignment now updates each activity's profile too. - [v0.25.0 - July 20, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.25.0-july-20-2026): Component wear now blends your personalised prediction into one headline figure — the same number you see on mobile. - [📱 Mobile v2.5.0 - July 17, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.5.0-july-17-2026): The bike screen gets a cleaner layout, and reminders are regrouped by what's overdue, due soon, and still to come. - [📱 Mobile v2.4.0 - July 15, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.4.0-july-15-2026): New-user setup is now a clear, at-a-glance checklist — see every step to get your bikes fully tracked, and how far along you are. - [📱 Mobile v2.3.1 - June 21, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.3.1-june-21-2026): Sensor battery status is now accurate across activity views and the home-screen widget — healthy sensors are no longer mislabelled as low battery. - [v0.23.1 - June 21, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.23.1-june-21-2026): See the battery status of your electronic shifting, power meters and sensors from your recent rides — right on your dashboard and in each activity's details. - [v0.23.0 - June 18, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.23.0-june-18-2026): Maintenance Checks — a lighter, faster way to log a quick look over brake, tire and chain wear, with the option to upgrade to a full service log when the job grows. - [📱 Mobile v2.3.0 - June 11, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.3.0-june-11-2026): Signing in just got easier — continue with Apple, Google or Strava straight from the sign-in screen, with your email code still available as always. Strava sign-in also connects activity sync in one step. - [📱 Mobile v2.2.0 - June 09, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.2.0-june-09-2026): Support is now one tap away — a chat button sits in the header of the Activities and Bikes views and across every bike section (Components, Profiles, Sensors, Reminders, Service History, Bike Fit, and Race-day Readiness). - [📱 Mobile v2.1.1 - May 30, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.1.1-may-30-2026): Dutch joins the language picker, setup wizard CTAs surface on the home view, bike detail, and components list when a bike has only its auto-seeded Chain — the wizard now skips components you've already added, and the component detail's measurement editor is scoped to tires. - [v0.21.0 - May 30, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.21.0-may-30-2026): Componentry is now available in Dutch. Switch to Nederlands from your account settings. - [v0.20.1 - May 27, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.20.1-may-27-2026): New 'Set up with a template' shortcut on the bike detail page for bikes that only have a starter Chain, plus the wizard now skips anything already on the bike. - [📱 Mobile v2.1.0 - May 17, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.1.0-may-17-2026): New iOS home-screen widget, tyre pressures on every bike card, and a measurements editor for component-level readings like pressure, chain stretch, and pad remaining - [v0.20.0 - May 17, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.20.0-may-17-2026): Track tire pressure on your tires and see it on every bike card, plus a new pressure unit setting (psi, kPa, Bar). - [v0.19.1 - May 14, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.19.1-may-14-2026): Fixes for the service-log retire flow, the Add Component sheet, and date handling across timezones. - [📱 Mobile v2.0.0 - May 11, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.0.0-may-11-2026): Major behind-the-scenes upgrade — faster transitions, smoother navigation, and a fix for back-button issues on iOS 26 - [📱 Mobile v2.0.1 - May 11, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v2.0.1-may-11-2026): Fix for onboarding and quick-action buttons on Android that didn't take you to the right screen - [📱 Mobile v1.14.0 - May 08, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.14.0-may-08-2026): Bike setup wizard — pre-fill components from a template during create-bike, with reminders auto-generated - [v0.19.0 - May 08, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.19.0-may-08-2026): Set up a whole bike's worth of components in one go with the new template wizard - [v0.18.0 - May 03, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.18.0-may-03-2026): Backfill your full cycling history by uploading FIT files in bulk - [📱 Mobile v1.13.1 - May 02, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.13.1-may-02-2026): Bug fixes for the activity bike picker, the component installed-date picker, and stale wear data after editing components, plus consistent numeric typography across the bikes view - [v0.17.1 - May 2, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.17.1-may-02-2026): Pairing a sensor with a bike and profile now saves in one go, full translation coverage, and mobile component edits now refresh wear immediately - [📱 Mobile v1.13.0 - April 29, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.13.0-april-29-2026): Sensor management — pair power meters and other sensors to bikes, profiles, and Strava bikes from your phone - [v0.17.0 - April 28, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.17.0-april-28-2026): Pin a profile to each sensor so the right components get the wear, automatically - [📱 Mobile v1.12.0 - April 22, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.12.0-april-22-2026): Number and date format preferences for consistent locale-aware display - [v0.15.2 - April 22, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.15.2-april-22-2026): Pick which profile to race on, more accurate race-day projection for mixed-profile bikes - [v0.16.0 - April 22, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.16.0-april-22-2026): New Locale card with number & date format preferences; distances now use proper thousand separators - [📱 Mobile v1.11.0 - April 21, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.11.0-april-21-2026): Predictive modelling: tier-aware insights, personalised component predictions, and race-day readiness - [📱 Mobile v1.10.0 - April 18, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.10.0-april-18-2026): Bike profile images and an editable colour picker - [v0.15.0 - April 18, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.15.0-april-18-2026): Upload a profile image for each of your bikes - [v0.15.1 - April 18, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.15.1-april-18-2026): Bike profile image polish, and a custom hex colour input on the add/edit bike form - [v0.14.0 - April 17, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.14.0-april-17-2026): Timezone support across the platform and improved activity graph - [📱 Mobile v1.9.0 - April 16, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.9.0-april-16-2026): Activity graph, bike colour indicators, and user timezone support - [v0.13.0 - April 14, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.13.0-april-14-2026): Profiles auto-match to indoor and outdoor activities - [📱 Mobile v1.8.0 - April 13, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.8.0-april-13-2026): Assign indoor or outdoor activity types to bike profiles for automatic matching - [📱 Mobile v1.7.0 - April 08, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.7.0-april-08-2026): Set a default bike for automatic activity assignment - [v0.12.0 - April 8, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.12.0-april-08-2026): Set a default bike to auto-assign new activities - [📱 Mobile v1.6.0 - April 04, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.6.0-april-04-2026): Bike profiles for interchangeable component setups and component list filtering - [📱 Mobile v1.5.0 - March 14, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.5.0-march-14-2026): Activity-based reminders for tracking maintenance by ride count - [v0.11.0 - March 14, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.11.0-march-14-2026): Activity-based reminders that trigger after a set number of rides - [Mobile v1.4.6 - March 12, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.4.6-march-12-2026): Hammerhead and Garmin activity import support - [v0.10.1 - March 12, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.10.1-march-12-2026): Improved provider disconnect cleanup, Hammerhead support, and Garmin activity import - [v0.10.0 - March 10, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.10.0-march-10-2026): Hammerhead integration for syncing activities and tracking component wear - [v0.9.11 - March 4, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.9.11-march-4-2026): Mobile app download banners and usage tracking - [v0.9.10 - February 24, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.9.10-february-24-2026): Component changes now correctly trigger gear wear recalculation - [Mobile v1.4.5 - February 23, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.4.5-february-23-2026): Edit components, analytics, haptic feedback, and bottom sheet improvements - [v0.9.9 - February 22, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.9.9-february-22-2026): Import bikes from Strava directly from the gear page - [v0.9.8 - February 20, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.9.8-february-20-2026): Multi-select and bulk actions for the activities table - [Mobile v1.4.4 - February 17, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.4.4-february-17-2026): Improved sign-out reliability and session cleanup - [v0.9.7 - February 17, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.9.7-february-17-2026): Full Strava webhook support for real-time activity syncing - [v0.9.6 - February 15, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.9.6-february-15-2026): Automatic weather enrichment for activities - [Mobile v1.4.3 - February 14, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.4.3-february-14-2026): Activity provider fixes for Strava, Wahoo, and Garmin plus a design uplift - [📱 Mobile v1.4.1 - February 03, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.4.1-february-03-2026): Set reminder start dates and component installation dates on mobile - [📱 Mobile v1.4.2 - February 03, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.4.2-february-03-2026): Unit preferences support for distance and elevation across the mobile app - [v0.9.5 - January 28, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.9.5-january-28-2026): Bike fit measurement edit improvements and UI fixes - [v0.9.4 - January 27, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.9.4-january-27-2026): Bike fit measurements tracking for your cycling gear - [v0.9.2 - January 26, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.9.2-january-26-2026): Expanded language support to German, French, and Italian - [v0.9.3 - January 26, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.9.3-january-26-2026): Language preference persistence through sign-up flow - [📱 Mobile v1.4.0 - January 09, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.4.0-january-09-2026): Add and edit bikes directly from the mobile app - [v0.9.2 - January 09, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.9.2-january-09-2026): Edit bike details directly from the gear list - [🖥️ v0.9.1 - January 08, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.9.1-january-08-2026): Activity sync source clarity, time-based wear fix, and Wahoo import support on mobile - [📱 Mobile v1.3.1 - January 07, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.3.1-january-07-2026): Wahoo activity import, improved sync status messaging, and autofill support - [🖥️ v0.9.0 - January 07, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.9.0-january-07-2026): User unit preferences for gear and components with automatic conversion - [🖥️ v0.8.0 - January 06, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.8.0-january-06-2026): Wahoo activity import and unified processing pipeline - [🖥️ v0.6.1 - January 04, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.6.1-january-04-2026): Authentication fix for magic link sign-in flow - [🖥️ v0.7.0 - January 04, 2026](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.7.0-january-04-2026): Service log notes, component measurements, and enhanced retirement workflow - [🖥️ v0.6.0 - December 30, 2025](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.6.0-december-30-2025): Component wear grouping fix and enhanced wear breakdown UI - [🖥️ v0.5.3 - December 28, 2025](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.5.3-december-28-2025): Mobile responsive improvements across the application - [🖥️ v0.5.2 - December 27, 2025](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.5.2-december-27-2025): Low battery notifications and notification preferences update - [📱 Mobile v1.3.0 - December 26, 2025](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.3.0-december-26-2025): Redesigned home page with improved activity summary, custom typography, battery notifications, and better Android support - [📱 Mobile v1.2.0 - December 24, 2025](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.2.0-december-24-2025): Connect Strava, Wahoo and Garmin accounts, import bikes and activities, and improved reminders - [🖥️ Web v0.5.1 - December 24, 2025](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.5.1-december-24-2025): Improved reminder display on home page with better filtering and status badges - [🖥️ Web v0.5.0 - December 23, 2025](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.5.0-december-23-2025): Componentry now speaks your language with support for English, Spanish, and Polish - [📱 Mobile v1.1.0 - December 20, 2025](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/mobile-v1.1.0-december-20-2025): Magic Link authentication for passwordless sign-in - [🖥️ Web v0.4.0 - December 20, 2025](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.4.0-december-20-2025): Manage your notification preferences across Web, Email, and Mobile - [🖥️ Web v0.3.0 - December 17, 2025](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.3.0-december-17-2025): Share your referral code and earn free subscription months - [🖥️ Web v0.2.0 - December 13, 2025](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.2.0-december-13-2025): Import your bikes and activities directly from Strava - [🖥️ Web v0.1.0 - December 11, 2025](https://www.componentry.app/changelog/v0.1.0-december-11-2025): Distance-based reminders, automatic processing when component wear is calculated ## Optional - [Features](https://www.componentry.app/features): Complete overview of Componentry's capabilities - [Pricing](https://www.componentry.app/pricing): Subscription plans and pricing - [Contact](https://www.componentry.app/contact): Get in touch with questions - [Privacy Policy](https://www.componentry.app/privacy-policy): Data handling and privacy - [Terms of Service](https://www.componentry.app/terms-of-service): Service terms