Different Systems For a Mountain Bike

Series Summary

Mountain Biking is a sport that requires strength, stamina, and a fearless approach to nature. Although riding bikes off-road is as old as the invention of the bicycle, the sport of Mountain Biking traces its inception to a few different communities in California and Colorado during the 1970's. Mountain Bikes typically have thicker wheels with higher treds, a more extensive suspension system, and a heavier frame so that they can ride more aggressive and harsher terrain than normal road bikes. Since a lot of mountain biking is done in remote areas, it is very wise to know how it works and how to fix it just in case it breaks down while on a trail somewhere.

In this free video series, watch as professional mountain biker Mickey Denoncourt teaches basic cycling maintenance for mountain bikes. Learn different type of operating systems on mountain bikes, how the brake system works, how to remove a mountain bike wheel, how hydraulic calipers work, how to bleed brakes, how to remove brake pads, how to replace brake pads, how to bed in new brake pads, how to adjust brake pads, how the headset system on a mountain bike works, how to adjust the headset, and how to adjust stem height on a mountain bike. Mountain biking can be a dangerous sport and without knowledge of how the bike works and how to fix and adjust the mountain bike on your own, it is very easy to get stranded in the middle of nowhere. So stay safe and be prepared in these free videos from the experts at Expert Village.

Video Transcript

"Todays high end mountain bikes have really sophisticated disc brakes that are really similar to the brakes that you have on a motorcycle or a car, a tractor, or really anything else. They tend to be hydraulic, meaning there's brake fluid in them. The same brake fluid you get at your corner convenience store. And they operate by having a lever which basically contains a piston like this piston. Basically, this same thing fits inside of here like that. This is a push rod. Its displace fluid goes down the line, and goes down to, this is a half a caliper, which is this thing down here. So, the fluid comes in through here. I don't know if you can see that hole where it pushes out at a piston. And that clamps on your disc brake. It's a very firm, good connection. Just like the disc brakes you have on other vehicles, it's not always a trouble free connection. It requires care, love maintenance and understanding. And for people who've been riding mountain bikes for a long time, and maybe haven't gotten a new bike in 5 or 6 years, it's a pretty confusing system. So today, I'm going to try to walk you through the basics of the systems, how you can live with your brake system a little better."