Channeling Your Inner Grease Monkey

In This Chapter

^ Entering the world of bike repair and maintenance ^ Caring for your bike before, during, and after you ride ^ Making emergency, basic, and advanced repairs ^ Performing monthly and annual maintenance

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Ш ust as you’d bring along a map if you were heading off for a trip on your bike into an unfamiliar area, you should have a roadmap for your venture into the world of bike repair and maintenance. The journey you’re about to take or have already started can be fulfilling and bring lifelong rewards as long as you have a guide to help you get where you’re going. We’ve written this book to be your guide — to take the mystery out of bike repair and maintenance.

In this chapter, we open up the roadmap and examine all the different routes that are possible when it comes to caring for your bike.

Starting down the Road of Bike Repair and Maintenance

When it comes to bike repair and maintenance, the starting point is knowing the various parts of a bike, their function, and how they work together (see Chapter 2). When you know the various parts of the bike, you know

✓ How bearings reduce friction when you ride

✓ How to tighten threads an appropriate amount

✓ Why cables for brakes are different than shifters

✓ What combination of gears is best for your bike

✓ How springs drive derailleurs

✓ How to make sure a quick release wheel doesn’t become dangerous

When you’ve figured out all the parts of your bike and how they work together, you’re ready to get started on your journey. But wait! First you need a shop where you can work (see Chapter 3). Working on a bike doesn’t require a lot of space, but it helps to have a location where you can operate comfortably. You’ll want enough space for tools, a drop cloth to protect the floor, good ventilation, and lighting.

If you’re serious about bike repair and maintenance think about two major additions to your shop:

✓ A workbench with a flat surface where you can work

✓ A bike stand that will hold your bike off the ground

Good news! You don’t have to run out to the store to start your tool set.

Many of the tools you need are probably in your house. If you have a variety of wrenches, Allen wrenches (hex keys), screwdrivers, pliers, and a hammer, you’ll be able to perform a number of basic procedures on your bike. As you move into more advanced procedures, you’ll need some specialized tools.

You may want to wait to buy a specialized tool until you have to actually per­form the procedure it’s used for. For example, you may need a crank extractor to remove a crank arm. Instead of running out to the store and buying a crank extractor right now, wait until you do your annual maintenance on your bike and actually need that tool.

When you do decide to purchase tools — such as a chain tool, chain whip, freewheel tool, or spoke wrench — you need to decide whether to buy them on the cheap or invest in a more expensive brand that will likely last longer than your bike. In Chapter 3, we give you some options.