Day 146 - Maintenance Day

I had to forgo a ride out this morning to spent a few hours stripping my Specialized Crosstrail Sport back to its frame for a deep clean .. chain and cog de-greasing, hydraulic brake fluid top up and wax application. The build up of grime and oil which over 600 miles of dusty lanes and rough cycleways had caked itself to the wheels, chain, hubs and chainrings needed to be cleaned away.

A can of engine de-greaser spray and 3 in one oil was procured for this delicate operation. The morning also saw my first attempt to remove the rear wheel .. daft as it may seem, this was something I had not been looking forward to. I spoke 12 days ago about the Bike Kitchen which had opened in London to help people get to know their bikes, assisting them with maintenance and build projects and this would have been perfect for me. Being a little too far from Devon, however, I turned to the next best thing, YouTube! Here I found a knowledgeable guy who showed me the steps to take - easy when you know how.

Wheels off, I took the opportunity to remove my long mudguards, which with the absence of the rear wheel finally afforded me access to one of the previously hidden bolts. It now looks considerably more sporty, but rest assured the guards will probably be reaffixed later in the year when it undergoes its winterisation. 

The degreasing agent worked a treat and the previously thick black oil coated chain has been returned to its former silvered finish with just a light internal coating of oil where it is needed. I also noticed the rear brake unit weeping a little hydraulic fluid and the leaver noticeably spongy. Back on the web, I learned of a very complex way to bleed and refill the reservoir, reminding me of my car maintenance days. I had, however, no 'bleeding kit' so popped the top of the reservoir and applied 3 applications of my 3 in one which, whether right or wrong, returned firmness to the leaver. This is something I am going to have to keep an eye on and get checked out when next in for a professional service. This also got me thinking. When I used to spend hours under the bonnet of cars, before they became 'smart', I'd refer to the very handy Haynes Workshop Manual. While I can find no such manual for the Specialized model itself and probably there's no need for such a specific publication, I have come across Haynes's The Bike Book: Complete Bicycle Maintenance which may be quite a useful general reference. I'll have to add it to my birthday wish list!

Finally, and mainly for my future reference, I've copied my full bike features & specification below to save me scratching around for this at some later point.

SPECIALIZED CROSSTRAIL - CROSSTRAIL SPORT DISC 2013

Features

• A1 Premium aluminium frame plus custom 60mm-travel alloy Suntour NEXi lockout fork for lightweight confidence on any surface, with mudguard/rack braze-ons for versatility
• Specialized Trigger Sport 700x38c tyres roll fast, yet have enough bite for the trail
• Triple-ring crankset has all the gears necessary for varied terrain, with protective chain guard to keep clothes clean
• BodyGeometry XCT grips are anatomically designed to keep hands pain-free and comfortable on long rides
• Tektro Draco hydraulic disc brakes with dual pistons and forged callipers assure precision braking and durability
• Sporty yet comfortable BodyGeometry Targa Sport fitness saddle
• Durable, double-walled 700c alloy rims roll fast and can handle varied terrain

Specification

COLOUR	Graphite / Black
SIZE	Small
FRAME	Specialized A1 Premium Aluminium, w/ mudguard and rack braze-ons, forged dropouts, kickstand mount
REAR SHOCK	---
FORK	SR Suntour NEXi Coil, Aluminium lower, custom integrated fork crown, mechanical lock-out, 60mm travel
HEADSET	1-1/8" FSA Ahead, semi-integrated, 8mm cone spacer
STEM	Melt-forged alloy, 4-bolt, 10-degree rise, 25.4mm clamp
HANDLEBARS	Specialized 25mm XC alloy riser bar, 25.4mm, 8-degree back bend
GRIPS	Specialized BodyGeometry XCT Men's, dual compound
FRONT BRAKE	Tektro Draco, hydraulic disc brake, dual piston, 160mm rotor
REAR BRAKE	Tektro Draco hydraulic disc brake, dual piston, 160mm rotor
BRAKE LEVERS	Tektro Draco hydraulic brake lever
FRONT DERAILLEUR	Shimano M390, top-swing, dual-pull
REAR DERAILLEUR	Shimano Acera, 9-speed
SHIFT LEVERS	Shimano SL-M390, Rapidfire
CASSETTE	Shimano 9-speed, 11-32
CHAIN	KMC X-9, 9-speed, reusable Missing Link
CRANKSET	SR Suntour, XCR, 9-speed, square spindle, w/ chainguard
CHAINRINGS	48/36/26, w/ chainguard
BOTTOM BRACKET	Cartridge bearing, square spindle w/ crank stop right side, capless bolts
PEDALS	Composite plastic body, loose ball w/ reflectors
RIMS	Alloy, double-wall, DISC, 32h
FRONT HUB	Disc hub, double sealed, ground race, dual lock nuts w/ 17mm contact side, 5mm QR, round disc mount
REAR HUB	Disc hub, loose ball, double-sealed, ground race, dual lock nuts w/ 19mm contact side, QR
SPOKES	Stainless, 2.0mm (14g)
FRONT TYRE	Specialized Trigger Sport, 700x38c, 60TPI, wire bead
REAR TYRE	Specialized Trigger Sport, 700x38c, 60TPI, wire bead
INNER TUBES	Specialized Schrader valve
SADDLE	BodyGeometry Targa Sport, 155mm
SEATPOST	Alloy, 2-bolt head, 12.5mm offset, 27.2mm
SEAT BINDER	Alloy clamp