Depends where you ride too. And in what weather. The ‘mud’ around our neck of the woods is like grinding paste, and gets in absolutely everywhere, whatever you do! It is ever-present. Even if its not rained for weeks.
If you were going to get all anal about every grinding, crunching noise, you’d be performing complete strip-downs after every bloody ride. Life’s too short, I’m afraid.
Certain things you pick up quickly:
a) Ride a hardatil through the winter. Full sussers are a luxury to be enjoyed for the 3 dry days between the beginning of june and the end of August. Savour them. If you must insist on persevering beyond this, then budget for replacing bearings and pivots. A lot! Oh… and your bike will creak. Constantly.
b) Shimano hubs are an absolute non-starter
c) Budget for replacing the complete drive chain pretty frequently
d) Bottom Brackets come under the list of ‘consumables’. Keep a spare in.
e) Brake pads come under the list of ‘very very very consumables’ – and can last a couple of rides. Buy in bulk from Superstar, and always keep a stock in.
f) If you let things like creaking seats bother you, then you’ll spend most of your time teetering precariously on the edges of sanity.
but mainly….
d) An immaculately clean, non-creaking bike is the sign of a diseased mind 😉