Cycling Tips
How to stay hydrated when riding
How to lube a chain, How to air up a tire, How to change a tire
How to lube a chain
Lubricating a chain usually doesn’t have to happen before every ride. There are several indicators you need to watch for. The easiest way to tell if your chain needs lube is to look at the rollers. These are the round drum shaped pieces between the side plates on the chain. If the rollers are a dull grey you are probably ok. If they are shiny silver you need lube. Does your chain squeak? Did you ride in the rain? Did you wash your bike? If yes, you will need to lube your chain.(Always double check lube instructions on the bottle, some vary in time setup and application)
1) Shift your bike into the highest gear(large chainring on front, small cog on back). Lean your bike against a wall, car, friend, forehead or whatever you have that is handy. Take your favorite lube and give it a good shake and remove the cap. Hold the bottle over the chain above the cog on the rear wheel.
2) Spin your crank backwards several rotations to evenly coat the chain.
3) Let lube set for several minutes. Now you will want to take a rag and wipe down the chain. This is most easily done on the chain that goes from the top of the cog directly to the chainring. The more you wipe down the chain the cleaner it will stay. The only thing the lube on the outside of the chain will do is collect grime.
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How to air up a tire:
This is the number one maintenance procedure you will need to undertake. It is a good idea to check your tire pressure every time you go for a ride. It is not uncommon for a tire to loose more than ten pounds of pressure overnight. The easiest way to check is simply use an air pump with a gauge on it. The tire should have its size and pressure recommendation on the sidewall. These instructions are just the basics and tire pumps vary in the way they work. Feel free to stop by with your pump and we can give you a tutorial on it.
1) The valve on the right is a presta valve (aka French valve or European valve). It is most common on road bikes and more expensive mountain bikes. The valve on the left is a schrader valve. It is just like the valve on your car and functions in the same way.
2) To air up a presta valve, first remove the valve cap.
3) Second you will need to loosen the valve nut. This is near the tip of the valve; it is the tiny shaft at the end of the valve. Turn this counter clockwise as you look at it from the top of the valve.
4) Next tap on the end of the valve, this will free the valve and let a little bit of air out. If you hold it down, all of the air will be released.
5) Now put your pump on and inflate to the proper pressure. Next remove pump from valve, you will hear a burst of air released, this is just the air from the pump being released. Last, close the valve and put the cap back on.
If your pump doesn’t work on a presta valve or if you are using an air compressor, there are presta valve adaptors available that will make it work just like a schrader valve. Simply open the valve and thread it onto the end of the valve.
To air up a schrader valve just remove the dust cap and put the pump on. To deflate the tire, you will need to take a thin tool and depress the tip in the middle of the valve.
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How to change a tire:
A flat is the number one break down on a bike. Although not common it can
leave you stranded on the side of the road or trail. Changing a tube is much
easier than most people think.
Things you will need:
Air source (pump, CO2 inflator)
Tire levers
Proper sized new tube
Patch kit (optional)
1) Remove wheel form bike.
2) Release any remaining air from tube by depressing the valve stem.
3) Loosen tire by pushing the tire toward the inner part of the rim.
4) Insert “spoon” end of tire lever between tire and rim and push hooked end down and hook onto spoke of wheel.
5) Take second tire tool and repeat step four, two spokes down. If tire does not easily come off, repeat step four with a third lever, two spokes further down.
6) Once the side of tire is off of the rim, remove the old tube.
7) Now you will want to see what has caused the flat, so you won’t get another flat a mile down the road. Check outside of the tire for anything sticking out, (glass, thorn, wire, etc.) If you don’t see anything, feel the inside of the tire for anything sticking through. Be cautious not to cut yourself on the debris. While checking for debris, look for cuts or slices. If you find one, put your finger on the inside of the tire, over the cut. If you can see your finger through the tire, it will need to be booted. To do this you will need to put something between the tire and the tube. A patch or even a dollar bill makes a good boot.
8) Inflate the new tube to give it a little bit of form. You can do this with an air pump or if it is a presta valve you can simply blow into it.
9) Push the valve into the valve hole.
10) Push tube into the tire.
11) Center the tube over the rim.
12) Starting opposite of the valve stem, push the tire onto the rim. This is most easily done grasping the tire with your fingers on the opposite side of the tire and pushing the tire on with your thumbs.
13) Push the last of the tire back on at the valve stem. If at all possible only use your hands to put the tire on. If absolutely necessary you can use the tire levers to pry the tire back on, you will have to be very careful not to pinch the tube, other wise you will be starting all over again.
14) Push the valve stem up towards the tire to make sure the tube is not pinched between the tire and the rim. Pull the valve back down.
15) Now add air. If you use a frame pump use your foot to support pump and valve stem. This will prevent you from breaking off the valve stem as easily.
16) Re-install wheel.
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Questions about bike maintenance? Stop by our shop for a free demonstration.