Learn bike maintenance what to check — including tires, brake pads, chain and handlebars — with simple bicycle repairs do it yourself. Whether you are buying your first bicycle, your twentieth bicycle, or you’re getting your old bike out of storage, Dave Glowacz provides the tips for riders of all ages and levels of experience.
Bike Maintenance What to Check and Simple Bicycle Repairs Do it Yourself
If you haven’t used your bike in a while, you should check a few things before riding. And even if you use your bike every day, it can get out of whack pretty quickly. This information tells you how to catch the obvious problems before you ride.
Inflation
Tires lose a little air every day. Use a pressure gauge to make sure the tire’s pressure isn’t more than five pounds under the needed pressure (printed on the side of the tire).
What to do:
Add air.
No gauge? Push each tire hard against a curb. If you can flatten it, add air.
Wheel Spin
Lift each wheel up and give it a slow spin. (Spin the back wheel forward so the pedals don’t move.) Check that it doesn’t rub against the brake pads, frame, or anything else.
What to do:
1. If the wheel rubs against the frame or the brake pads, loosen the axle nuts or quick-release lever, push the tire so it doesn’t rub, and tighten the axle.
2. If the wheel rubs against a brake pad and step 1 doesn’t work, move the pads farther away from the wheel. You can usually do this by turning an adjuster barrel located at one end of the brake cable. If it still rubs, have a mechanic true the wheel.
3. If the wheel doesn’t spin freely but it’s not rubbing, have a mechanic check the axle and/or replace the bearings.
Chain
Use your hand to pedal the chain backward.
What to do:
If it squeaks or hangs up, lubricate it. If it’s badly rusted, have it replaced or have the rust removed.
Tires
Turn each wheel slowly. Look for glass or debris embedded in the tire, and for big cuts.
What to do:
Remove glass or other debris. (A small screwdriver helps.) If you spot any big cuts, bulges, bubbles or places you can see the inner casing, replace the tire.
Valve Stem
If the valve stem doesn’t point straight at the middle of the wheel, the rim might cut it.
What to do:
Let the air out and straighten the valve.
Handlebars
Hold the front tire between your legs and try to turn the handlebars with moderate pressure.
What to do:
If the handlebars are loose, tighten the stem bolt slightly.
Shifting
At the start of your ride, try all the gears, shifting each gear lever from high to low. You have a problem if:
- the lever sticks
- you can’t shift to all gears
- the chain rubs the derailleur, or
- the chain jumps off the gears.
What to do:
Have a mechanic clean and adjust the derailleur, or replace the derailleur cable and/or housing.
Brakes
Check for any of these problems on each wheel:
When you apply the brake, one or both brake pads don’t touch the rim.
You can squeeze your brake lever all the way to the handlebars.
The brake can’t stop the tire from moving on dry, clean pavement.
What to do:
- Try moving the brake pads closer to the wheel. You can usually do this by turning an adjuster barrel, located at one end of the brake cable.
- If adjustment doesn’t work, have a mechanic check the brakes, replacing the brake cables or pads if needed.
Want to learn more cycling tips?
Check out these articles:
• Making Your Current Bike Fit You: Adjusting the Bike Seat
• Making Your Current Bike Fit You: How to Adjust Bike Handlebars to Fit
• Finding a Comfortable Bike Seat
This excerpt from Urban Bikers’ Tricks and Tips (Wordspace Press, 2010) explains the ways to get rid of riding soreness and choosing a better, more comfortable seat, is from Chapter 2, “Maintenance Basics.” Printed with permission.
