6 minute read
BIKE CARE
TOP TIP
This adventure road bike has hydraulic disc brakes. They’re powerful and easy to control, but not as easy for the home mechanic to maintain as traditional rim brakes.
TYRES
Always keep the tyres inflated properly – there should be a recommended maximum or range of pressures given on the side of the tyres. Once a week or so, check the tread for any sharp objects which could cause a puncture. Remove whatever you find.
CHAIN
Keep the chain clean and running smoothly with lubricant from the likes of Finish Line or TF2. A dirty chain will wear out quickly and reduce the life of other components. Some degreaser and a stiff wire brush should shift the grime, or you could buy a chain cleaner.
CABLES
Check for any fraying or wear. If the cables are worn either replace them yourself or get a professional mechanic to do it for you.
WHEELS
If there’s a slight wobble as the wheel rotates then it’s out of true. Check for loose spokes and tighten them evenly. It’s not especially difficult to true a wheel but it does take patience, so if in doubt head to your local bike shop who should fix the wheel for a few pounds.
OR HOW ABOUT...
... going tubeless? Some modern wheels and tyres can run without inner tubes, meaning no more pinch punctures to worry about, and adding sealant fixes small punctures as you ride.
BRAKES
On a bike with disc brakes spin the wheel to check the rotor isn’t bent or warped. If it is the wheel won’t rotate smoothly. With rim brakes, make sure the brake blocks are hitting the rim of the wheel not the tyre when you pull on the lever. Be sure to clean away any grime.
HEADSET
The headset is the set of bearings on which the fork moves within the bike frame so the rider can steer. If the headset is too tight the handlebars won’t turn smoothly and freely. Too loose and you’ll feel a knocking through the bars.
... a job in the bike trade? If you enjoy fixing your own bike, consider training as a mechanic. A qualification from Cytech (www.cytech. training) could open up a whole new career.
YOUR BIKE LOOK AFTER
Take care of your bicycle and it should give many miles of reliable cycling
BIKES AREN’T THAT complicated. With a few tools it’s not hard to keep a bicycle working well, although for more complex tasks or anything safety-related it makes sense to turn to a professional mechanic.
Prevention is better than cure, so regular cleaning together with checking the brakes, tyres and cables will save hassle – and money – in the long run.
Even more involved home maintenance isn’t difficult with practice. There’s something satisfying about hitting the road on a bike which is riding perfectly, and knowing that’s down to your own efforts.
That said, plenty of riders would no more adjust bicycle gears than they would strip down the engine of a car. If that sounds more like you, then your local bike shop will be happy to sort any niggles. They’ll want paying of course, but a basic service adjusting the gears, brakes and truing wheels will cost around £40.
OR HOW ABOUT...
HOW TO FIX A FLAT TYRE
Sooner or later, you’ll pick up a puncture. The good news is punctures are easy to fix. These nine simple steps will soon have you back on the road:
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If the puncture is on the back wheel, shift into the smallest chainring and the smallest sprocket on the back wheel. This slackens off the chain so the rear wheel can be taken out easily without catching on the rear derailleur (the gear-shifting mechanism by the back wheel).
Take the wheel out of the frame by loosening the quick release (the mechanism which clamps the wheel to the frame) and slackening off the brakes (there’s usually a lever on the side of the brake which opens up the space between the brake and the wheel so it will drop out without snagging). If your bike has disc brakes there’s no need to bother, it should drop through without catching on anything. If the inner tube valve is fitted with a collar, unscrew it so that the valve can be pulled through the valve hole.
Unhook one side of the tyre from the wheel rim using tyre levers (you can buy these for a few pounds from any bike shop). Insert the scooped end of one lever under the tyre and attach the other end to a spoke, then insert the second lever a few centimetres further around the tyre. Push the second lever along, prying the side (or bead) of the tyre off as it goes.
Remove the old tube and examine it for the cause of the puncture. Check the tyre too, and carefully remove any thorn or flint which may have pierced the tyre and tube.
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Put a small amount of air in the replacement tube to give it shape, which makes it easier to fit under the tyre.
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Insert the valve in the valve hole, and feed the tube under the tyre.
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Put the wheel back in the fork or frame. Tighten the quick release, make sure the wheel is centred properly, and if you slackened off the brakes in step two be sure to tighten them again. Keep the punctured inner tube so it can be fixed with a repair kit at home when you have more time to spare.
DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT...
■ 1 Spare inner tube (x2) ■ 2 Puncture repair kit ■ 3 Tyre levers ■ 4 ID ■ 5 Pump ■ 6 Mobile phone ■ 7 Multitool.
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Be sure that one side of the tyre is securely on the wheel, then begin to hook the other side onto the rim. Start at the valve hole and work your way around using both hands so they meet at the far side. The last part of bead may need strong thumbs or some persuasion with a tyre lever, but be careful not to pinch the tube. Check carefully that no inner tube is poking out, then pump the tyre back up to the correct pressure.
