Cycling Web | Take care of your bike

cycling

Resources

Take care of your bike yourself!

cycling holidays
british cycling
cycling shoes
cycling clothing
cycling plus
cycling clothes
cycling weekly
cycling shorts
cycling time trial
cycling accessory
cycling equipment
cycling club
cycling shop
cycling news
cycling jersey
cycling apparel
cycling ireland
cycling in france
adidas cycling shoes
cycling glasses
cycling holiday france
cycling helmet
british cycling federation
cycling holidays uk
cycling injury
cycling holiday in france
discount cycling clothes
cycling uk
cycling in holland
nike cycling
bike cycling
cycling scotland
cycling turbo
cycling clothing uk
cycling softies
cycling tour
specialized cycling clothing
nike cycling shoes
sidi cycling shoes
cycling training
cycling gloves
cycling vacation
cycling magazine
cycling gear

Cycle mechanics can be quite expensive. If you think that anything mechanical is out of bounds for the beginner, you're wrong. With the right tools, right information and some patience, you’ll be on your way to becoming a cycle mechanic on your own.

Some of the cycle repair tools should form a permanent part of your cycling kit. Never leave home without them. If you want to maintain your bike, invest in all the required tools. A good tool kit will save your money and will ease the maintenance of your bike in the long run.

A good roadside tool kit should contain a pump, spare inner tube, and puncture repairing kit, multi tools, adjustable spanner, piece of wire or cable ties and a spoke key.
A home tool kit for your personal workshop could contain a large number of tools. However, at the minimum, it should contain a vice, a crank extractor, Allen keys, chain rivet extractor, headset spanners and pin and ring spanners.

It is definitely easier to fix your bike at home rather than on the roadside. Use the checklist below before you set out into the blue yonder.

Check your tires. They tend to lose air gradually and need to be refilled before you set out for your ride.
Check your brake pads. Some brands have a wear limit. Judge whether they will remain intact till the end of the ride, if not, change them.
Squeeze your brake levers hard. If they touch your handles, change them.
Inspect the treads of the road tires carefully for tiny glass pieces and flints. Your safety depends on road tires-replace them if they’re worn out.
Check for stiff chain links by backpedaling and watching the rear mech.
Lift the wheel and spin it. If the brakes rub, it means that a spoke is broken.
If your saddle has dropped at the nose, remove the bolt/nut and apply some grease to bolt thread. Tighten the nut/bolt with a spanner. Check the saddle height.
Moving parts need lubrication to keep them moving. So be sure that your cycle is well lubricated before starting off anywhere.

After a long ride you bike is subject to as much wear and tear as you are. So it is important to ensure that no part of the bike is neglected. So spend some time with your bike before you store it.

After the ride, clean your bike. Wash it with warm water with a brush. Clean your chains with a separate brush.
Remember a majority of bicycles have a double triangular frame. Different bikes are made of different metals. Some steel, some aluminum, some titanium, some carbon fiber, and some metal matrix. The area around the bottom bracket is prone to corrosion. Its here that water collects and condensation takes place. Owners of quality lightweight frames can protect unprotected inner part of the cycle with mineral oil around 40w such as 2-stroke engine oil.
It is inevitable that chips of paint will come off. It is unavoidable but easy to touch up. Using a color similar to your bikes, wipe the area to be touched up, and dab the paint on. Leave to dry and then apply further paint until the touch up of layers is higher than the rest of the paint. Using wet and dry sandpaper, lightly sand up the paint until it is flush with the rest of the paint.

Your bike is a very important to you. So take out the time to give it a little attention. It will serve you faithfully and long.