You can easily learn to repair your own bike

In its most fundamental form, a bicycle is a very simple machine. The basic mechanical workings of bicycles are reasonably easy to understand. While the expert knowledge of a good bike shop is indispensable, learning the basic skills of bike maintenance can still be very worthwhile.

While your bike shop will certainly have the toolset and skillset necessary for jobs that are beyond the scope of a home mechanic’s mechanical aptitude, do-it-yourself bike maintenance will allow you to stay on top of the regular maintenance routine that will not only increase the longevity of your bike, but also allow you to perform temporary fixes in emergency situations when a bike shop might not be in close proximity. You do not always need to have an expert-level [paid link] knowledge of bike maintenance to complete many basic repairs.

This article will present an overview of the most essential bike maintenance tasks as well as a list of the tools necessary tools and supplies.

A clean bike is a happy bike

A clean and dirt-free bike is much easier to work on. Cleaning your bike’s frame and components also allows you to inspect it for any cracks, dents or other problems. These may pose a safety hazard or become bigger issues with continued use.

What you’ll need:

• A small bucket with some water and some washing up liquid
• Sponge
• A stiff-bristled brush
• One or two old towels or rags

You can get fancy with bike-specific cleaning products, but since we’re talking about the essentials here, these basic household cleaning supplies will be more than adequate for the job.

How to do it:

Quickly hose down the bike. Avoid using a power washer as the high pressure can easily cause water ingress inside the various bearings on your bike, accelerating corrosion. Use the brush to scrub down the bike to loosen any stubborn dirt. Dip the sponge in the soapy water and begin cleaning your bike’s frame and components. Give the bike a rinse, and dry thoroughly with the rags. With a freshly washed and super clean bike, now is a good time to do a quick visual inspection to see if you can spot any issues that might need attention.

Note: Be careful not to use cleaning products with aggressive solvents, as this can dull the finish on your bike’s paint and metallic components.

For a more thorough guide on cleaning your bike, read this article.

If you’re looking for more details on bike chain cleaning, check out this article.

Degrease and lubricate your drivetrain

What you’ll need:

• Degreaser: you can use diluted household degreasers such as Simple Green. It is best to avoid using degreasers with powerful solvents or those which might be potentially harmful, like acetone or benzene. There are many environmentally-friendly degreasers on the market, and my own favorites are the citrus-based degreasers which seem to work very well and smell nice to boot!
• Chain lube: there are variants like wet lube [paid link], dry lube [paid link] or wax lube [paid link]. Wet lube [paid link] requires the least re-application, but can attract more dirt, so suitable for damp. Wax lube [paid link] is the least messy but requires a very clean chain to begin with. Pick a suitable chain lube based on your own riding conditions.
• Chain scrubber or a some stiff-bristled brushes of various sizes.
• Old towel or rag.

How to do it:

Step #1: Degrease

If your drivetrain is very dirty, the first step would be to degrease it. This is the perfect job for a chain scrubber, just fill it with your degreaser of choice than fit it around the chain and turn the pedals backwards to let the chain go through the degreaser solution. If you don’t have a chain cleaning device, you can simply apply the degreaser directly to your chain and cassette using a spray bottle, then start scrubbing away (if your bike is equipped with disc brakes, it would be good to cover the disc rotors with some plastic bags). Old toothbrushes work great when it comes to getting into all the nooks and crannies of your bike’s components, like derailleur cages and behind the sprockets. Once you’re satisfied that most of the gunk stuck to your drivetrain has been sufficiently loosened, give the drivetrain a good hose down (again, don’t use a high-pressure hose), and move on to the next step.

Step # 2: Dry

A wet chain will be subject to corrosion very quickly if not immediately dried and lubricated. Remove excess water from your chain by grabbing it with a rag and turning the cranks backwards. If you see black marks on your rag from residual old lube/dirt that’s OK. At this stage it should be clean and dry enough. Use the rag to floss between the sprockets to get any stuck dirt off.

Sep # 3: Lubricate:

Grab your chain lubricant bottle and apply to the inside of your chain, where the links come into contact with your cassette cogs and chainrings. If using wet lube [paid link], I usually find it best to apply roughly one drop per chain link. You only need to apply lube to your chain, not directly to your chainrings or sprockets. Let the lube work into the crevices between the links and rollers on your chain for a few minutes (or even overnight), then wipe off the excess lube and you’re ready to go!

Fix a flat tire

What you’ll need:

• A bike pump
• Two tire levers
• A new inner tube

How to do it:

You’ll first need to remove the wheel, which is easy enough as most bikes have quick-release axles. If there is any remaining air inside the tire, let it out by depressing the valve. Next, carefully wedge your tire levers below the tire and pry upwards and away from the rim to pop the tire off. Some tires are more stubborn than others, so be patient if it doesn’t come off right away. Once you have one side of the tire off the rim, it is a matter of pushing out the valve stem and removing the punctured tube. Inspect the inside of the tire for any sharp objects. Unfold the new tube and put a tiny bit of air in it to give it some shape, then install it by placing the valve in the valve hole first. Use your thumbs to pop the tire bead back (you may need the help a tire lever in the final part) and re-inflate the tire.

Tip: Putting a little bit of baby powder between the tire and the inner tube prevents excessive friction between them, and makes it easier to mount and seat the tire, with less chance of the tube pinching between the tire bead and the rim.

Perform a pre-ride safety check

What you’ll need:

• A bicycle pump
• A set of hex wrenches

Before heading out on a ride, there are a few things you should do to make sure that your bicycle is in sound mechanical condition and that it is safe to ride. This also counts as good a preventative maintenance check to catch any potential problems and perform any necessary repairs in a timely manner.

We recommend that you perform steps 1 through 3 before every ride (they take less than a minute). Steps 4 through 6 can be performed every few rides if you’re short for time.

1. Check your quick-releases: Many quick-release levers have the words “open” and “closed” marked on them which makes it easy to identify the position they’re in. It is also important to doublecheck by pulling the lever to check if it’s tightened enough.
2. Check your tire pressure: The recommended pressure for your tire is usually printed on the tires’ sidewalls. If you own a pump with a pressure gauge, it is easy to take a quick reading and add pressure if necessary. Otherwise, you can simply check by applying downward pressure to the tire using your hand. If the tire feels too soft, you will need to add some air. You will want a tire that’s on the firmer side for road riding and commuting.
3. Check your brakes: rock the bike back and forth while applying the front and rear brake independently. Your brakes should have a firm bite and be able to bring you to a stop when needed. If you do not feel like you have adequate braking power, your brake pads might require replacement or your brake system might need cable tension adjustment in the case of mechanical brakes) or line bleeding (in case of hydraulic disc brakes).
4. Check your wheels: Visually inspect your rims for any large dents or cracks. Check for any loose or broken spokes. Lift your front end of your bike and spin the wheel by hand and observe any excessive wobble. Repeat for your rear wheel. If the wheels are significantly out of true, it is best to take it to a qualified mechanic for repair. Rim brakes are significantly more negatively affected by a wheel that is out of true than disc brakes.
5. Check your crank and bottom bracket: Rotate your crank so that the arm facing you is pointing upwards. Firmly grab that crank arm and pull it towards you while keeping the rest of the bike as stationary as possible. If you feel any play or movement in the crank, it is time to have your bottom bracket and crankset assembly checked by a qualified mechanic.
6. Check your stem, handlebar and headset: Stand with the front wheel between your legs and try to turn the handlebar while keeping the wheel stationary. If the handlebar easily turns, then your stem bolts are loose and this poses a safety hazard. Check that the stem bolts where they are connected to the steerer tube are tight enough. If they’re loose, you can use the appropriately sized hex key to tighten them. Pay particular attention to not overtighten any bolts on your bike as this can result in damaged components. If you are unsure, take it to your local bike shop who will be able to use a torque wrench [paid link] for proper adjustment.