What Does a Full Bicycle Service Include?

If you’ve ever booked a “full service” and still picked your bike up thinking, that feels… exactly the same, you’re not alone. The problem is the phrase full bicycle service means different things depending on the workshop, the bike, and what needs attention.

Here’s the straight answer:

A full bicycle service is a complete safety and performance reset. The bike is cleaned and inspected, the drivetrain is properly degreased and lubricated, brakes and gears are tuned, wheels are checked and trued, and key bearings are inspected and serviced where needed (hubs, headset, bottom bracket). Any worn parts are flagged and quoted separately.

Now let’s break that down properly, so you know what you’re paying for and what you should expect to feel afterwards.

What a “full service” should cover, the real definition

A proper full service focuses on five things:

1. Safety
2. Smooth running
3. Reliable braking
4. Accurate shifting
5. Stopping wear from getting expensive

That last one matters more than most riders realise. A neglected chain can quietly chew through a cassette and chainrings, then you’re paying for a drivetrain replacement instead of a service.

1) Full inspection and safety check

This is the baseline, and it should be non-negotiable.

A full bicycle service should include:

• Frame and fork inspection (damage, cracks, dents, loose hardware)
• Wheels checked for play, wobble, and spoke tension
• Tyres checked for cuts, embedded debris, and wear
• Brakes tested for power and control
• Steering checked (headset play, stiffness, alignment)
• Bolts checked and tightened properly where needed

If a workshop doesn’t start here, it’s not a full service, it’s a quick tune.

2) Drivetrain deep clean and lubrication

This is where most “services” fall apart. Wiping the chain and spraying lube on top is not a drivetrain clean.

A full service should include:

• Degreasing the drivetrain properly (chain, cassette, chainrings, derailleurs)
• Cleaning the jockey wheels and derailleur pivots
• Checking chain wear (so you don’t trash the cassette)
• Re-lubricating with the right lube for the season

If your bike is noisy, gritty, or feels like it’s dragging, it’s usually here.

3) Brakes checked, adjusted, and made consistent

A full service should cover:

• Pad inspection (wear, glazing, contamination)
• Calliper alignment and adjustment
• Cable condition check and tension set (for cable brakes)
• Hydraulic inspection and bleed if needed (for disc brakes)
• Rotor inspection (wear, rub, straightness)

Brakes are one of those things riders tolerate until they suddenly can’t. A full service should bring them back to a predictable feel, not just “good enough”.

4) Gears tuned properly, not “close enough”

Indexing gears well takes time. A full service should include:

• Gear indexing and limit screw checks
• Derailleur hanger check (bent hangers cause constant bad shifting)
• Cable condition check (frayed, stretched, corroded)
• Drivetrain wear check to prevent skipping under load

If your gears slip when you stand up to climb, that’s not a “quirk”. It’s a sign something’s off.

5) Wheels trued and bearings checked

A full service should include:

• Wheel truing (side-to-side and hop)
• Spoke tension check
• Hub bearing check for play or roughness
• Headset bearing check for play or notchiness
• Bottom bracket checked for play, stiffness, and noise

This is the difference between a bike that feels “fine” and a bike that feels tight and fast again.

What’s usually extra (and why that’s normal)

This is where people get annoyed, but it’s not a scam, it’s just reality.

A service is labour and care. Parts are separate because the workshop can’t predict what your bike will need until it’s inspected.

Parts commonly quoted after inspection:

• Chain, cassette, chainrings
• Brake pads, rotors
• Cables and housing
• Tyres, tubes, sealant
• Bearings (if worn, not just dry)

If a shop promises a fixed price “full service including everything”, they’re either cutting corners or they’re guessing.

How often should you get a full bicycle service?

Depends on how you ride. Here’s the honest guide:

• Regular riding in fair weather: every 12 months
• Year-round riding, rain, grit, off-road: every 6–9 months
• Training for sportives / long rides: service 2–3 weeks before the event
• Bike hasn’t been serviced in years: book it now, you’re already paying interest

If you’re hearing creaks, grinding, or constant chain noise, you’re past “maintenance”. You’re heading into “replacement”.

Free full service checklist you can do at home

If you want a quick reality check before you book, run through this:

Quick safety check (5 minutes)

• Do the brakes stop hard without pulling to the bar?
• Do the wheels wobble when you spin them?
• Any side-to-side play in the wheels when you push them?
• Does the headset knock when you rock the bike with the front brake on?
• Any obvious cuts or bulges in tyres?

Performance check (5 minutes)

• Does the chain sound dry or gritty?
• Do gears shift cleanly across the full cassette?
• Does it skip under load?
• Any crunching feeling through the pedals?

If you’re ticking “yes” to more than one, a full service isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s the sensible move.

How White Horse Cycleworks handles servicing

We keep it simple and honest.

• Bronze Service is for a basic safety check and adjustments.
• Silver Service is the deeper reset most riders want yearly.
• Gold Service (£140) is the full strip-and-refresh where the bike gets proper bearing attention and hydraulic brake work where needed.

Collection is free within fifteen miles, and after inspection you’ll get two quotes for any extra recommended work, so you can decide what’s worth doing.

If you want your bike running smooth and reliable again, book it in before a long ride, winter miles, or any event where a mechanical will ruin your day.