Basic bike maintenance

thedudeinthehat said:

Hi Folks,

I've finally managed to get a hybrid bike for commuting and longer
weekend jaunts. Am delighted with the buy but was wondering what
general maintenace is expected for day to day use on a bike doing
between 200-300 k per week.

I have a bottle of chain lube and obviously that goes without saying.
Anything else though? or a book maybe that is very good on this thing?

There area multitude of books on the subject, one that springs to mind
is "Zen & the Art of Bicycle Maintenance"

You could do worse than peruse the articles on Sheldon's website:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/

Another good website is the Park's Tools website, Parks are a major
player in the provision of bicycle specific tools. Look in the repair
help section: http://www.parktool.com/repair/

--
Don Whybrow

Sequi Bonum Non Time

Hackers make toys. Crackers break them. (Peter Seebach)

Don Whybrow said:

thedudeinthehat said:

Hi Folks,

I've finally managed to get a hybrid bike for commuting and longer
weekend jaunts. Am delighted with the buy but was wondering what
general maintenace is expected for day to day use on a bike doing
between 200-300 k per week.

I have a bottle of chain lube and obviously that goes without saying.
Anything else though? or a book maybe that is very good on this thing?

There area multitude of books on the subject, one that springs to mind
is "Zen & the Art of Bicycle Maintenance"

You could do worse than peruse the articles on Sheldon's website:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/

Another good website is the Park's Tools website, Parks are a major
player in the provision of bicycle specific tools. Look in the repair
help section: http://www.parktool.com/repair/

Oh, I should have added that it is not necessary to go out and buy a
full set of tools from scratch. Unless you can afford it, it is better
to build up gradually as you take on more of the maintenance yourself
and your confidence grows. As a starting point, you will need a puncture
repair kit and a decent set of tyre levers. Other than that you should
be able to manage with screwdrivers, spanners etc. you already have. The
first tool that I bought was a pedal spanner, followed by a small set of
tools. Most of the tools in the set are OK, but others have had to be
replaced as they were not up to the job or did not fit my bike. My next
purchase was a wheel stand so I could at least fix broken spokes and get
a true wheel. I have yet to build a wheel from scratch, but it is only a
matter of time. The last thing I got was a work stand for the bike. I
got mine second hand from a colleague who was upgrading to a more
expensive one.

Have I been doing this long, no. I got back into cycling about 4 years
ago, but until about a year ago I would have taken even a flat to my
local bike shop (LBS). Reading this group has given me the confidence
and information to now take on most of the work myself.

--
Don Whybrow

Sequi Bonum Non Time

"There is a wicked pretense that one has been informed. But no
such thing has truly occurred! A mere slogan, an empty litany.
No arguments are heard, no evidence is weighed. It isn't news at
all, only a source of amusement for idlers." (Gibson-Sterling,
The Difference Engine)

Don Whybrow said:

thedudeinthehat said:

Hi Folks,

I've finally managed to get a hybrid bike for commuting and longer
weekend jaunts. Am delighted with the buy but was wondering what
general maintenace is expected for day to day use on a bike doing
between 200-300 k per week.

I have a bottle of chain lube and obviously that goes without saying.
Anything else though? or a book maybe that is very good on this thing?

There area multitude of books on the subject, one that springs to mind
is "Zen & the Art of Bicycle Maintenance"

*Zinn*.

'Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance' is not very factual on Zen.
Or motorcycles. It's a good read though.

Two recommended books from me.

For the bike, the big blue bike maintenance book from Haynes

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1844250008/203-6528258-3068702

For you, cyclecraft:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cyclecraft-Skilled-Cycling-Techniques-Adults/dp/0117020516/sr=1-1/qid=1172407748/ref=sr_1_1/203-6528258-3068702?ie=UTF8&s=books

Jc.

Following on from thedudeinthehat's message. . .

Quoted message said:

Hi Folks,

I've finally managed to get a hybrid bike for commuting and longer
weekend jaunts. Am delighted with the buy but was wondering what
general maintenace is expected for day to day use on a bike doing
between 200-300 k per week.

I have a bottle of chain lube and obviously that goes without saying.
Anything else though? or a book maybe that is very good on this thing?

If it's not broken don't fix it.

Proper chain lube is definitely worth it IMHO.

I would keep an eye on the brakes (do they work, are they /getting/
worn, could they do with a bit of adjustment.)

During the first 250-500 miles you're quite likely to need to check the
bike all over at least once for loose bolts etc. After that you can
extend your inspections perhaps taking special care if you've found a
little problem.

Things that go wrong with bikes fall into two categories
(a) Those you can spot getting worse or showing rust eg brakes & cables
(b) Those that just happen eg fractured seat bolt
A lot depends on the make and model.

--
PETER FOX Not the same since the cardboard box company folded
[email hidden]
www.eminent.demon.co.uk - Lots for cyclists

Peter Fox said:

During the first 250-500 miles you're quite likely to need to check the
bike all over at least once for loose bolts etc. After that you can
extend your inspections perhaps taking special care if you've found a
little problem.

Apparently, bikes are supplied with pre-stretched brake and gear cables
nowadays so that they don't go out of adjustment.

They still stretch.

in message <[email hidden]>,

thedudeinthehat (') said:

Hi Folks,

I've finally managed to get a hybrid bike for commuting and longer
weekend jaunts. Am delighted with the buy but was wondering what
general maintenace is expected for day to day use on a bike doing
between 200-300 k per week.

I have a bottle of chain lube and obviously that goes without saying.
Anything else though? or a book maybe that is very good on this thing?

The important thing with chains is keeping them clean. A mixture of oil and
grit makes a good grinding paste. Techniques for cleaning and lubricating
chains are discussed here regularly, and there is some variation in
technique. I find running the chain through a wad of kitchen paper or a
dry rag on a frequent basis (after every ride) is a good thing - removes
dirt from the outside of the chain. A thorough clean and relube is
required before it squeaks - but ideally /just/ before it squeaks, because
every time you do it you're bound to get some grit into the rollers. In
between these thorough relubes adding a little lube, sparingly, to the
chain on a couple of occasions is debatably a good thing. Obviously a
mountain bike is going to need a thorough chain clean and relube after
virtually every ride, whereas a bike used on the road in dry weather may
go for months without much attention.

Remember that on a new bike cables will take a couple of weeks to bed in
and will then need some adjustment. Also, fasteners may come loose in the
first few weeks and should be checked.

After that, there should be nothing for a long time. Do not splash oil on
your bearings, it will wash the grease out. They will need to be regreased
occasionally, but that's probably a job for the annual service (unless you
are doing regular deep fording). The cage of the rear derailleur needs to
be stripped, cleaned and reassembled occasionally. Some suspension forks
require regular attention.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

my other car is #<Subr-Car: #5d480>
;; This joke is not funny in emacs.

Don Whybrow said:

Don Whybrow said:

thedudeinthehat said:

Hi Folks,

I've finally managed to get a hybrid bike for commuting and longer
weekend jaunts. Am delighted with the buy but was wondering what
general maintenace is expected for day to day use on a bike doing
between 200-300 k per week.

Oh, I should have added that it is not necessary to go out and buy a
full set of tools from scratch. Unless you can afford it, it is better
to build up gradually as you take on more of the maintenance yourself
and your confidence grows. As a starting point, you will need a puncture
repair kit and a decent set of tyre levers

And a pump, and a spare inner tube.

Quoted message said:

Other than that you should
be able to manage with screwdrivers, spanners etc. you already have.

(metric) Allen keys if you don't have them.

IMHO the main thing to keep an eye on is the brakes, check they are
working every day. If they are rim brakes clean the rims more regularly
than I do, otherwise expect them to not work so well when it rains.

Martin.

"Martin Dann" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

IMHO the main thing to keep an eye on is the brakes, check they are
working every day. If they are rim brakes clean the rims more regularly
than I do, otherwise expect them to not work so well when it rains.

With the shimano pads I had to clean the rims every day it rained. Since
changing to KoolStop salmon and black pads I have not *needed* to cleam them
in a couple of months.

Jc.

Martin Dann said:

Don Whybrow said:

As a starting point, you will need a puncture
repair kit and a decent set of tyre levers

And a pump, and a spare inner tube.

I'm a bit curious about this, having started riding a few months ago.
Why would I actually need the tyre levers? As I understand it, they're
for getting a tube off a wheel when it's fully inflated, but (a) usually
if I want to get a tube off it's gone flat anyway, and (b) if it has to
come on or off when it's not flat, I can just let it down half-way and
then pump it up fully when it's back on.

What nobody recommended to me, but I have added to my toolkit, is a
spanner suitable for getting the back wheel off. My bike-bag also holds
random short bungies in case I need to tie something down to the rack, a
fluorescent vest, a map or two, and a towpath cycling permit (yes, I
actually printed one out).

R

Roger Burton West said:

Martin Dann said:

Don Whybrow said:

As a starting point, you will need a puncture
repair kit and a decent set of tyre levers

And a pump, and a spare inner tube.

I'm a bit curious about this, having started riding a few months ago.
Why would I actually need the tyre levers? As I understand it, they're
for getting a tube off a wheel when it's fully inflated,

The tyres on both my current bikes need tyre levers to get the tyre on
and off when flat. either that or someone with a lot stronger hands than
mine. The wheels on a previous bike did not need tyre levers to remove
the tyres.

Secondly it is probably a bad idea to remove a fully inflated tyre (if
you can). The word BANG springs to mind.

Quoted message said:

What nobody recommended to me, but I have added to my toolkit, is a
spanner suitable for getting the back wheel off.

Most new non-cheapo bikes these day have QR squewers that don't need a
spanner to remove the wheel. If you need a spanner, get a dedicated
fixed size for that wheel nut size, rather than an adjustable, you are
less likely to round the nuts.

Quoted message said:

My bike-bag also holds
random short bungies in case I need to tie something down to the rack, a
fluorescent vest, a map or two, and a towpath cycling permit (yes, I
actually printed one out).

R

Many thanks everyone.

Ill definitely loook up your tips- There is alot to be said for
getting confident about all of this.

Mind yourself

Andreew

in message <[email hidden]>, Roger Burton

West (') said:

Martin Dann said:

Don Whybrow said:

As a starting point, you will need a puncture
repair kit and a decent set of tyre levers

And a pump, and a spare inner tube.

I'm a bit curious about this, having started riding a few months ago.
Why would I actually need the tyre levers? As I understand it, they're
for getting a tube off a wheel when it's fully inflated, but (a) usually
if I want to get a tube off it's gone flat anyway, and (b) if it has to
come on or off when it's not flat, I can just let it down half-way and
then pump it up fully when it's back on.

No, they're not for getting the tube off the wheel at all. That is not
normally a problem. They're for getting the tyre off the wheel. Some tyres
are tighter fitting than others, of course, but generally speaking this
isn't possible for most people without a tool.

Quoted message said:

What nobody recommended to me, but I have added to my toolkit, is a
spanner suitable for getting the back wheel off.

Ah. Most people here use wheels with quick release skewers, which don't
need a spanner.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; It appears that /dev/null is a conforming XSL processor.

In article <[email hidden]>, Roger Burton
West
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

I'm a bit curious about this, having started riding a few months ago.
Why would I actually need the tyre levers? As I understand it, they're
for getting a tube off a wheel when it's fully inflated, but (a) usually
if I want to get a tube off it's gone flat anyway, and (b) if it has to
come on or off when it's not flat, I can just let it down half-way and
then pump it up fully when it's back on.

Why would anyone want to remove a tyre with an (even partially) inflated
tube? Apart from the fact that it would be extremely difficult, it
would probably explode as soon as a bit of tube could see daylight.
With some tyre/rim combinations the tyre can be removed without tools,
indeed with some the tyre will virtually fall off as soon as you deflate
the tube, but with others tyre levers are definitely required, and
sometimes it can even be difficult to re-fit the tyre without levers
(and even then it can be difficult).
When re-fitting a tyre and tube you should first fit one bead of the
tyre and then inflate the tube just sufficiently to hold its shape
before inserting it in the tyre and fitting the other bead. If you
can't get the second bead on the rim without levers you should take
great care not to pinch the tube with the levers

Simon Brooke said:

No, they're not for getting the tube off the wheel at all. That is not
normally a problem. They're for getting the tyre off the wheel. Some tyres
are tighter fitting than others, of course, but generally speaking this
isn't possible for most people without a tool.

Fair enough. Evidently I've just been lucky and had tyres that were very
loose with a partly-flat tube. Thanks (to you and to the other people
who answered).

Quoted message said:

Ah. Most people here use wheels with quick release skewers, which don't
need a spanner.

The two bikes I've had (one nicked a couple of weeks ago and its
replacement), and my girlfriend's bike, all use hub gears and have rear
wheel nuts even though they have QR on the front. Fortunately, all of
the same size. :-)

Roger

Martin Dann said:

The tyres on both my current bikes need tyre levers to get the tyre on
and off when flat. either that or someone with a lot stronger hands than
mine. The wheels on a previous bike did not need tyre levers to remove
the tyres.

You want to get metal tyre levers not plastic ones. Plastic levers bend too
easily when you need them.

--
Stephen Patterson :: [email hidden] :: http://patter.mine.nu/
GPG: B416F0DE :: Jabber: [email hidden]
"Don't be silly, Minnie. Who'd be walking round these cliffs with a gas oven?"

Patter said:

Martin Dann said:

The tyres on both my current bikes need tyre levers to get the tyre
on and off when flat. either that or someone with a lot stronger
hands than mine. The wheels on a previous bike did not need tyre
levers to remove the tyres.

You want to get metal tyre levers not plastic ones. Plastic levers
bend too easily when you need them.

Not in my experience; you need levers which work. Too many just don't work.

I've rescued a fair number of cyclists struggling with various
conventionally designed metal and plastic levers because I carry a
Speedlever (and its quite a few years old, so they don't break that easily).
I know others who get on well with the Var lever.
Both types are plastic, and if used in the way intended will shift very
tight tyres.

- Nigel

--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

Nigel Cliffe said:

Patter said:

Martin Dann said:

The tyres on both my current bikes need tyre levers to get the tyre
on and off when flat. either that or someone with a lot stronger
hands than mine. The wheels on a previous bike did not need tyre
levers to remove the tyres.

You want to get metal tyre levers not plastic ones. Plastic levers
bend too easily when you need them.

Not in my experience; you need levers which work. Too many just don't work.

I've rescued a fair number of cyclists struggling with various
conventionally designed metal and plastic levers because I carry a
Speedlever (and its quite a few years old, so they don't break that easily).
I know others who get on well with the Var lever.
Both types are plastic, and if used in the way intended will shift very
tight tyres.

I had a speed lever once, I could never get on with it, personnally I
prefer the park tool wide plastic ones.

Martin.

Martin Dann said:

Nigel Cliffe said:

Patter said:

You want to get metal tyre levers not plastic ones. Plastic levers
bend too easily when you need them.

Not in my experience; you need levers which work. Too many just don't
work.

I've rescued a fair number of cyclists struggling with various
conventionally designed metal and plastic levers because I carry a
Speedlever (and its quite a few years old, so they don't break that
easily).
I know others who get on well with the Var lever.
Both types are plastic, and if used in the way intended will shift
very tight tyres.

I had a speed lever once, I could never get on with it, personnally I
prefer the park tool wide plastic ones.

The plastic set I use most of the time I picked up at my LBS about 5
years ago. All they say on one side is "MADE IN ENGLAND" and have stumpy
crosses that enable them to stack. I have no idea who made them but they
work a treat, never had any problems with bending.

--
Don Whybrow

Sequi Bonum Non Time

"I suppose they are vicious rascals, but it scarcely matters
what they are. I'm after what they know." (Gibson-Sterling, The
Difference Engine)