Bike Repair

Buying bike tools is kind of like stocking your kitchen with cooking supplies. There are cer­tain tools you’ll need no matter what. If you’re cooking, one of the tools you need is a spatula. But when you’re buying a spatula, you have lots of options. …

To ensure that your brakes are in good working order before you set off on your next ride, follow these steps to inspect them: 1. Examine the brake pads for excessive wear. If they’re worn down such that the grooves in the pads are not …

In general, the frame is one of the lowest-maintenance parts of your bike. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t ignore it when you care for your bike — there are a number of things you can do to make sure it lasts as long as the manu­facturer intended. …

Take a moment to check the wheels before you depart on your next trip. Wheels are the only parts of the bike that are in contact with the road; ensur­ing that they’re secure and in good working order will help ensure that you yourself don’t …

Pedals are often subject to a lot of abuse. Not only do they absorb energy from your body, but they’re low to the ground and away from the center of the bike, which means they’re often exposed to harsher conditions than the rest of the …

Even if you’re the world’s safest and most cautious biker, there’s always a chance you could end up in an accident. When you’re on a bike moving for­ward on two thin wheels, you’re completely exposed. Add in the fact that you’ll end up biking on …

Adjustments to the saddle can make a big difference in comfort when you ride whether it is a long or even short trip. After all, most of your weight is being supported by the saddle. In this section, we tell you how to adjust the …

There are a variety of different shifters available today but they all do pretty much the same thing: pulling a cable to move a derailleur in one direction and then releasing the cable to allow the derailleur spring to move it in the other direction. …

Shoes are another factor in pedaling efficiency. Many everyday riders use running, cross-training, or basic tennis shoes when riding. These shoes are designed to absorb the impact from running and walking in order to improve comfort. But on a bicycle they absorb a lot of …

Figure 2-1 identifies the different parts of a road bike, and Figure 2-2 illus­trates many of the same parts — and a few differences — on a mountain bike. Not all bikes are the same, and some parts vary from bike to bike —road bikes …