Now, you are probably coming here to read about how to service your own bike by yourself. Sorry, this isn't the post for that, that requires a much longer and more detail instruction than I can provide in a simple blog post although I will eventually post tips on how to do minor servicings.
What I really can't stress enough is - GET A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE!!
I'm fairly tech savvy and quite good at fixing mechanical things etcetera (I do have a degree in engineering after-all) but I don't have the appropriate tools for a complete bike service beyond the basics like chain cleaning, tire/tube changing and minor brake tightening. Your local bike shop has these tools, and most importantly an experienced mechanic who knows how to use them. I'm talking here about a top quality torque wrench (you NEED one of these if your bike is carbon or you risk destroying it completely), wheel truing devices that have very close tolerances (No point truing a wheel with one unless you can get close to factory spec trueness) as well as all the smaller things that become costly quickly if you try to purchase them yourself, like a chain-whip and chain breaker, .
Your local bike shop technician also has a wealth of knowledge about common problems that you might not even know you have, like knowing how much life your chain has left or why the gear keeps skipping from the 16t to the 14t and ruining your cadence rhythm completely.
The final thing I want to say about getting a professional bike service is they can clean your bike like new. I like my bike shiny and clean it after most rides, but no matter how much I clean it, it never looks clean.
In summary, you don't need to get your bike serviced all the time if you take good care of it and regularly clean it and keep the chain and cogs well lubricated, but you should really consider getting it serviced every few months (2-6 months max) depending on your usage. As a general rule I get my bikes professionally serviced every 2500km, putting in around 200km per week.
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