Items14The creator’s order
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The M-Check Before You RideThe habit that catches problems while they are still cheap. The check is named for the M shape it traces over the bike: rear wheel and brake, saddle and seat post, pedals, cranks and chain, steering and controls, then front wheel and brake. Direction does not matter, as long as nothing gets…0 - 2
Setting Tire Pressure With a GaugeThe quickest job on the bike, and one that changes how it rides more than most upgrades. Every tire has a recommended pressure range printed on its sidewall. Learn which valve your bike has, Presta or Schrader, how to seat the pump head without bending a Presta valve, and how to read a gauge rather…0 - 3
Removing and Refitting a WheelAlmost every roadside repair starts here, and the rear wheel is the one that puts beginners off. Shift to the smallest rear sprocket first so the chain has slack, open a rim brake's quick release if it has one, then undo the quick-release lever, thru-axle or wheel nuts and guide the wheel past the…0 - 4
Fixing a Puncture on an Inner TubeThe skill that stops a flat ending your ride. Learn to lift one bead with tire levers, pull the tube, then find what caused the hole before fitting anything new: run your fingers carefully around the inside of the tire, because a thorn or flint left in the casing will puncture the replacement…0 - 5
Plugging a Tubeless PunctureTubeless tires seal most small holes by themselves, but not all, and the fix for the rest is quick once you have done it. First spin the wheel so the hole sits at the bottom and give the sealant a chance to work.
If it keeps hissing, push a sticky rubber plug, often called a bacon strip, into the…0 - 6
Cleaning and Lubricating the ChainA clean, lightly oiled chain shifts better, runs quieter and wears far more slowly, and this is the job that repays doing most often. Scrub off the grit with a brush or a chain-cleaning box and degreaser, rinse, and let the chain dry completely before any oil goes on.
Then the step most people…0 - 7
Washing the Bike Without Harming ItA proper wash is half maintenance, half inspection: with the grime gone, a cracked frame, a frayed cable or a worn pad is easy to spot. Start with the dirtiest part, the chain and drivetrain, using degreaser and a brush, then do the rest of the bike with warm soapy water and a soft brush or sponge,…0 - 8
Measuring Chain WearChains do not really stretch, but their pins and rollers wear, and the gaps grow until the chain starts chewing the rear sprockets. Catch it in time and you replace a chain; leave it and you are buying a cassette as well, and often chainrings.
A simple wear gauge drops into the chain and gives a…0 - 9
Rejoining a Broken Chain With a Quick LinkA snapped chain is the classic way to end up walking, and a tiny quick link in your saddle bag turns it into a ten-minute stop. Use a chain tool to push out the damaged link close to the break, fit the quick link to join the two ends, then hold the rear brake and press down on a pedal to snap it…0 - 10
Indexing Gears With the Barrel AdjusterMost hesitant or jumpy gear changes on a cable-operated bike come down to cable tension, fixed with the small knurled barrel where the cable meets the derailleur or shifter. Indexing means lining the derailleur up so each click moves the chain exactly one sprocket.
If the chain is slow to climb…0
