basics of bicycle maintenance 2014 smartTRIPS regional program TABLE OF CONTENTS The basics of bicycle maintenance Overview: bicycle components & terminology 01 Ensuring your bike is safe to ride 02 Reparing a flat tire 03 Basic bike maintenance 05 Advanced repairs: shifting systems 06 Advanced repairs: brake systems 07 Importance of bike fit 09 Lock it, or loose it 10 smartTRIPS 1435 Water Street Kelowna, BC V1Y 1J4 Tel 250 469-8817 [email protected] smartTRIPS.ca THE BASICS OF BICYCLE MAINTENANCE the basics Did you know? On a round-trip commute of 16 kilometres, bicyclists save around $10 daily... Adults who bike to work have better weight, blood pressure, and insulin levels... In a 2011 community sur vey, Kelowna Bike commuters reported lower stress and greater feelings of happiness, relaxation, and excitement than car commuters. overview: bicycle components & terminology Bicycle Typogram by Aaron Kuehn Please see http://aarline.info/hotaar/?p=1 for more details and a downloadable PDF. Page 1 smartTRIPS regional program fit’ at the end of this guide to help you fine ensuring your bike tune your bike fit to ensure a comfortable is safe to ride ride. Wheels/tires Frame Tires should be inflated to the specification Inspect all tubes for dents, bends, kinks or noted on the sidewall and should be checked cracks. Never ride a bike with a damaged monthly. Tire casing and tread should frame! Full suspension frames require not have any cracks or cuts. Rims should further inspection of moving pivots and the be free of dents, bends or flat spots and shock. Check for oil leaks on shocks or poor spokes should be evenly tensioned. Hubs performance (unresponsive, stiff, etc). Have (axle assembly) should spin freely without your frame and/or shock professionally any play. Damaged wheels or tires can be serviced if problems are found. dangerous. Replace or repair damaged wheel components or tires immediately. Brakes (front & rear) Brake levers should activate the brakes smoothly and firmly well before the lever reaches the handlebar. Cables should be taut, have no breaks or frayed ends. Hydraulic brake equipped bikes should not have any leaks and should have a firm lever feel. Brake pads should be regularly inspected for wear and replaced as required. Pads should be properly aligned and secured, and brakes should be aligned so that they do not rub on the rim or rotor (disk brake equipped bikes). Finally, brakes should be tested to ensure they effectively stop the bike with little Front fork force. Poorly performing brakes should be Inspect the front fork to ensure it is repaired immediately by a qualified bicycle straight, free of dents, cracks or bends and technician. that it is properly fixed to the bicycle. The fork should turn freely in the headset (the bearing system that attaches the frame to Bicycle components should the fork), but should not have play between be regularly inspected for the fork and bike frame. Suspension wear and tear. It is important forks require regular professional serving in order to function optimally. Inspect to remember that your bike suspension forks for leaks and upper leg should receive at least one scuffs regularly. Have your fork serviced if professional tune up and it leaks or is performing poorly. inspection each year by a professional bike shop. Do not Handlebars, Stem, Seat and perform repairs to your bike Post that you are not experienced Your handlebar and stem (part that fixes or comfortable with. A properly the bar to the bike) should be in line with functioning bike is not only your front wheel and all bolts should be safe, it’s a lot more fun to ride! tight. Holding your front wheel between your legs, try turning your bar and stem. They should not move. Grips should be Crank & pedals tight, in good condition and have handlebar The crankset (the bike’s front chain wheel) plugs installed. Replace if worn, damaged should turns freely and evenly, when spun. or missing. Your seat and seatpost should They should not feel like they are binding, be secure with your seat level to the ground and should have no bends or cracks. Chain and positioned fore and aft so that you are rings should not be bent or have any missing comfortable. See ‘The importance of bike teeth and should be inspected regularly for Page 2 THE BASICS OF BICYCLE MAINTENANCE wear associated with increased mileage third of the way through its stroke. When (pointed teeth are a sign of extreme wear). tension is set properly the lever should Pedals should turn freely and cages should begin to feel difficult to push closed over be in good condition with no cracks or the last third of its stroke. It should leave bends. Damaged components should be an imprint on your palm when closing it. replaced immediately. Worn chain rings When you close the skewer, your hand indicate a fully worn drivetrain (rings, strength is accomplishing two things: It’s chain, rear cog/cassette). applying a clamping force to the skewer, and it’s overcoming the mechanical friction Chain of the mechanism. The chain should be free of rust, not over oiled and inspected for wear regularly. Accessories Chains stretch over time and require All accessories on your bike should be replacement. Catching this in time can properly fixed to the bike and should save you money on other more costly be functioning. Test kickstands, light drivetrain components (chain rings, cogs/ systems, bottle cages, fender sets, rack cassette). Your local bike shop can check and bag systems, etcetera to ensure all are the rate of chain stretch or purchase your functioning properly and are not impeding own gauge. Chains should be lightly oiled safe operation of the bicycle. as needed using a bicycle specific lubricant. Be sure that oil does not come into contact with your brake components! Repairing a flat tire Derailleurs/shifters Be prepared to change a flat! Both front and rear derailleurs should During a ride you’ll require some basic be inspected to ensure they are not tools and some before hand knowledge and bent, cracked or seized. When shifting practice of the procedure. You’ll require becomes erratic or rough the cause may the following tools: tire lever set (3), spare be derailleur damage, cable/housing tube and/or patch kit, tire pump, cell phone damage or stretching, lack of lubrication or or bus pass (optional/last resort tools!) drivetrain wear and tear. Inspect all related components. Your derailleurs and STEP 1: Inspect the damage. Can you see shifters should operate smoothly and what cause the flat? Was it road debris shifts should be crisp and accurate. like glass, etc? A pinch flat from hitting a Regular lubrication of pivot points and square edge sharply? If there is obvious shifter internals help to maintain top significant tire damage it may be time to performance. use that phone and call for help or find your nearest bus stop! Quick Releases Bikes equipped with quick release wheels STEP 2: Remove the wheel -- practice this or seat posts require regular inspection. at home before you need this skill! On Ensure all levers open and close smoothly rim brake equipped bike and that they are closed tight. Quick release you will first need to open levers are a cam system and consist of your brake mechanism. a nut on one end and lever on the other. This requires pulling the When the lever is opened the tension that is cable through a slot in holding your wheel or seat post is released. the brake arm to release In closing the quick release properly you the arms away from the tighten the nut wheel (take a look at side slightly TIP: For removing your bike and try this at home as it varies but not fully. the rear wheel, by brake type). If you You will know shift bike to the intend to patch your you have the lowest rear gear punctured tube, you correct setting first. This allows may be able to do so on the nut the wheel to slide without removing when the lever, out of the frame the entire wheel but as it’s closed, rather following begins to feel past the rear the steps below to tight about a derailleur easier. Page 3 smartTRIPS regional program remove one side of the tire only to allow the With your pump put one or two strokes of tube to be exposed for repair. air into your new tube to shape it then place it into the tire. There are two common valve STEP 3: Release the air if the tire is not types on tubes, Schrader or ‘American’ fully flat (you may need to do this before valve (like those found on vehicles) and you remove the wheel) as it helps to freely Presta or ‘french valve’ commonly found remove the wheel from the bike (and from on road bikes. Presta values are narrower your brake if you can’t open it easily). and include a locking threaded tip. Most modern bike pumps will accommodate both valve types. Ensure your spare tube is the ”Of all the bike maintenance skills I’ve correct size and valve type for your bike. acquired over the years, repairing a flat tire has been the one I’ve gotten STEP 6: Insert the tube valve through to practice the most!” the valve hole in the rim ensuring it is 90 Mike Kittmer, Active Transportation degreess to the rim, not angled. Pull the tire over the rim, working one side at a time. It Coordinator is best to work the bead over the rim evenly around starting opposite the valve.