Getting bike ready for this season...What should I do?

Bicycling
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As someone who doesn’t ride very often in the winter, my bike is pretty much in storage unless we get warmer weather from time to time.

As spring is approaching, I want to get it ready for another season of riding and was wondering what I should be getting done. Should I have the whole thing overhauled, meaning fork and shock taken apart and rebuilt, headset, BB, hubs and other parts repacked, etc. or go with something less expensive and more basic???

I ride a Marin XM7 full suspension, and put a fair bit of mileage on it last season riding everything from Shubie Park with the kids to endless laps around Fight, so it definitely gets used. I also make sure it is tuned up regularly and checked for wear and tear.

Just wondering what others do in terms of maintenance to get their rigs ready for riding each season…

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If you haven’t done any of this in the last year you should. Some of your parts like the BB will be cartridge bearings so they can’t be repacked. All suspension linkages, bearings and bushings should be checked for wear as well.

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Check yer cablez!

Cheap and easy to replace derailleur cable(s) and housing.
Check all bearings are roughness/grittiness - replace as needed (I always do them in pairs).
Fork seals and oil depending on when they were last done (check manufacturer specs).
Check spokes for tension and straightness of wheels.
Check your brake pads.
Check chain for stretch. If still within spec, clean and re-lube.

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