Enduros are hard on bikes. Make sure yours is up to it the FanyLion way. If you are preparing to take part in an Enduro this year (Team FanyLion are entering several) ensure your steed is in tip top condition or else it may let you down when the going gets tough.
If you bike is already clad in mud then get a bucket of warm water, a selection of brushes/sponges, Hope Shit Shifter and get to work! Firstly spray the whole bike with water and then use the Shit Shifter on all areas of your steed paying particular attention to the chain. Using a tooth brush is a good idea for the drive-train. We at FanyLion use Sram chains, so the chain can be easily removed if need be.
On the frame and other parts use a sponge to shift the dirt and give it a few minutes for the cleaning agents to get to work and then rinse the whole bike in clean water. Turn the tap off after if you are on a water meter like myself. Finish off by drying with a rag and spraying a light water-displacing lube (GT85) on the transmission to stop it going rusty.
Once the bike's clean, go over it and check everything's as it should be. Wheels should be round (obviously) and straight, tyres not too worn and with no splits or tears. Check tyre pressures at this stage would be a good idea.
The headset should move freely with no clicking, sticking or gritching. Clean all the cables and check them for split housings or frayed inner wires. Look at the chain, cassette and chainrings for wear and make sure the shifting is smooth and accurate. Re-index if necessary.
Make sure there's plenty of life left in your brake pads. They can disappear surprisingly quickly in the wrong conditions. I would advise changing then before hand as you don’t want to be messing about mid race.
Go over all the bolts and fasteners on the bike and make sure everything's tight. If any suspension components are showing signs of air leakage or oil dribbling, get them serviced in good time. Mojo are awesome at servicing (We have Fox Forx at Fanylion) so give them a call.
If you are sure everything is fine, lube the chain (don’t over do it) pack a toolkit and some basic spares - inner tubes, patches, gear cable, brake pads, chain joining pin (Sram Powerlink), tape, zip ties - and you're ready to rock!
Happy Enduros!
Team Starkey.
The quickest way back to the car is to keep going.