Is your bike your faithful companion for your daily commute or weekend adventures? To ensure it has a long life and to help you avoid costly repair bills, it is important to learn how to perform a few simple maintenance tasks. And if you don’t have the necessary tools, self-repair stations are available almost everywhere.
Here are 4 tips that you can easily do yourself:
Flat tire: a classic, but easy to fix
A flat tire is the most common bike problem. Learning how to change an inner tube and identify the cause of the puncture will allow you to get back on the road quickly. Tools needed: tire levers, a new inner tube and/or a patch kit, as well as a bike pump.
Squeaky or poorly functioning brakes: a safety issue
Squeaky or poorly functioning brakes can be dangerous. This problem may be caused by worn brake pads. Fortunately, checking the wear level is often easy to do without tools, or sometimes with Allen keys to remove the wheel.
Worn tires: watch out for safety
Worn tires lose grip and increase the risk of a flat tire. Check the condition of your tires regularly and replace them if necessary. Tip: the wear indicators on the tread tell you when it is time to change your tires.
Squeaky or quickly wearing chain: a maintenance issue
A squeaky or quickly wearing chain can damage the other components of your drivetrain. It is important to clean and lubricate it regularly. Tools needed: degreaser, brush, chain lubricant.
If you want to know even more tips, Relais Plein Air, in collaboration with Rack à Bécik, , organizes Bike Mechanics 101 workshops all summer long. They cover:
- Bike anatomy,
- Introduction to basic tools and equipment for maintaining your bike,
- Cleaning the bike,
- Inspection and wear of tires, chain, cassette, crankset, cables, brakes, bearings, frame and fork,
- Repairing a flat tire,
- Lubricating a chain,
- Basic positioning.
In short, everything you need to know about bikes and their mechanics to take care of them and keep them for a long time.
