48
49
Cleaning & Maintenance
Your bike needs a break from time to time
and requires care and a good clean so that
your pride and joy lasts as long as possib-
le. Regular care can additionally reduce
damage and unusual wear. Make sure you
follow the component manufacturer‘s gui-
delines and care for all components as de-
scribed in the manual. Cleaning should be
done with lukewarm water, mild soap and
a brush. We strongly discourage the use of
high pressure cleaners.
Through use components such as the dri-
vetrain and brake pads will show wear and
need to be replaced in a timely manner. The
ball bearings in the frame are very durable
thanks to the additional seals and size, but
will also need to be replaced at some point.
We recommend checking the ball bearings
every six months for proper function.
Creak Troubleshoot
Having a quiet bike is something we’re ob-
sessed with. The only thing we want to hear
is the sound of the tires in the dirt and the
suspension doing its job. But, there are many
noises that can ruin a ride. Many of the de-
tails on our bikes help in having a quiet bike.
One is the cable routing that bypasses the
internal mysteries. Others are the design of
the pivots, the threaded BB and the shape
of the chain stays. But the reality is that there
remains plenty of sources for unwanted little
creaky noises.
First of all, it is good to understand that
noises will always come from two surfaces
that are in contact. With specific forces on
the two surfaces, they will start rubbing and
GIVING BACK SOME LOVE
generate noise. So, the general solution is to
grease these contact surfaces and tighten
the connection. It is also good to know that
a tight hardware fit will be quieter for a lon-
ger period of time than a loose fit. A tight fit
is a good fit.
We have listed the possible sources from
our frames below. But noises can also come
from one of the many components on your
bike. The best thing to do is go through your
bike step by step until the noise is gone and
learn where the noise came from.
Main Pivot
A source of noise to check can be the main
pivot. The main pivot has large contact sur-
faces that can get noisy if they are dry and
not tightened properly. Getting the axle
out is very straightforward, as well as re-
assembling. Give the axle, main frame, and
chainstay surfaces a good clean, grease all
the contact surfaces properly and tighten
the axle to 50 nm after adding a little mid-
strength Loctite to the thread.
Rocker Pivot
A second source of noise on the frame can
be the rocker pivot. The high forces and
large movement demand a lot of the axle
and can create noises if the axle is dry and
not tightened properly. The best solution
is to disassemble the axle, clean it, as well
as the main frame and rocker link surfa-
ces, and reassemble it with these contact
surfaces greased. Don’t forget a little mid-
strength Loctite on the thread and tighten
the axle to 12 Nm.
Rear Wheel Axle
Our RAAW Rear Wheel Axle is responsible
for many jobs and creates a rigid connec-
tion between the two seat stays from its key-
way shape. The whole axle, nut, and insert
on the drive side need to be clean and well-
greased on all contact surfaces to avoid
noise. The rear wheel axle nut needs to be
tightened to 15 Nm.
Bearing Change
All bearings in the frame have a limited life-
time that are affected by external environ-
mental influences such as water and mud
or cleaning supplies. With additional sea-
ling caps on all pivot points the bearings
should run smoothly for a long time. It is
recommended to check the function, smoo-
thness and wear of the bearings from time
to time and to replace them if necessary. All
bearing seats on the Madonna frame are
designed with two small recesses behind
the outer race of the bearings. The bearings
can be knocked out through these recesses
using a hammer and a punch.
The Madonna does not require specific
tools for the assembly of new bearings. Any
tools for pressing in bearings are suitable
provided that the appropriate adapter for
the bearing size is used (28mm and 52mm).
Please note that the bearing should always
be pressed in via the outer race to prevent
damage to the bearing.
