What Preps are you doing this week

[Yorkshire Andy]

It's a small prep, but I can now change the inner tube on my rear bike wheel. Lots of YouTube videos and a chat with the man in the bike shop and I managed it. A puncture is the most likely thing that will happen to my wheeled workhorse, so I really should know how to fix it!

Get some metal tyre levers those nylon "rim safe" ones usually snap when your miles from home

[ForgeCorvus]

It's a small prep, but I can now change the inner tube on my rear bike wheel. Lots of YouTube videos and a chat with the man in the bike shop and I managed it. A puncture is the most likely thing that will happen to my wheeled workhorse, so I really should know how to fix it!

Good on you, surprising just how few people can do minor repairs to their main transport

That also means you can replace the chain, a dropped chain is one of the other common breakdowns

I have a couple of spare tubes, so I can swap out a punctured one and repair it later rather then having to fix it on the road (I've got tyre levers and a puncture kit in my bikebag...Need to source a smaller pump)

Re: Tyre levers, I've used a couple of spoons before (ends of handles not bowls). A mate kept getting puncture after puncture, turns out he was using a screwdriver to get the tyre off

[Yorkshire Andy]

even a tyre lever can nip and puncture a tube........


trick to removing a tyre is to delfate the tyre fully (a schrada valve core remover is handy)

use finger and thumb to unseat the bead of the tyre on both sides then push the tyre inwards to the center of the rim and press the tyre and rim to the floor with your toes...

pull the top of the tyre upwards this should get you a bit of baggy to get the lever in and rim off most wheels i can do without tyre levers this way,,, but some downhill rims and heavy off road tyres can be a pain even with half a dozen levers....




(i used to work in a bike shop) so am happy building bikes from the fame up and even reasonably happy building wheels but in not an expert at that black art


Minimum trail side kit i carry when mountain biking...

Toppeak multi tool with chain link splitter (Very important)

separate spoke key to remove broken spokes

http://www.alpinebikes.com/shop/topeak/ ... ulti-tool/

I have one without spanner as all my bolts are hex

relevant "power links" to bodge a broken chain

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/sram ... rp-prod871

Pliers type multi tool for holding / bending bits back straight (leatherman blast with bit set is what i carry with a lock knife (handy to safely cut a ...)

Tyre boot patch

pump to suit valve type i like toppeak or crank brothers pumps

t25 torx bit (disc brakes)

spare tube x2

puncture outift

gear cable (can double up as a brake cable on cable brake bikes)

[Le Mouse]

Good on you, surprising just how few people can do minor repairs to their main transport

That also means you can replace the chain, a dropped chain is one of the other common breakdowns

I have a couple of spare tubes, so I can swap out a punctured one and repair it later rather then having to fix it on the road (I've got tyre levers and a puncture kit in my bikebag...Need to source a smaller pump)

Re: Tyre levers, I've used a couple of spoons before (ends of handles not bowls). A mate kept getting puncture after puncture, turns out he was using a screwdriver to get the tyre off

It'll be cheaper too - last week I spent what felt like a small fortune getting my brakes fixed so anything I can do myself, no matter how small, will save me money!

I only ended up swapping out the tube entirely because my puncture repair wouldn't work (never having done it before). Have read my ancient Haynes Bike Book and found that I was doing it totally wrong I'll practice again on the old tube to make sure I get it right for next time.

Like you said, I should be able to replace the chain - I must go and research that next!

[Yorkshire Andy]

What brakes you running?

Look here more up to date than most books on bike repair

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help


As for patching

Rough up the tube surrounding puncture

Apply vulcanising rubber adhesive wider than the size of the patch

NOW LEAVE IT TO CURE until dry if in a rush you can flash the solvents off using a lighter

Use this time to check tyre and rim for sharp foreign bodies and damage to rim tape

Peel backing off patch and apply. Put plenty of pressure on it for thirty seconds or so

Grate chalk and dust repair well

Then reassemble

[ForgeCorvus]

Yorkshire. Can you recommend one book for the Beginer/Returning cyclist

[Yorkshire Andy]

Yorkshire. Can you recommend one book for the Beginer/Returning cyclist

what sort of bike? mountain / road (mountain especially now are so diverse its unbelievable)

from the basic ridged round 26" slick tyred mountain town bike,

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pin ... e-ec055206

80mm cross country carbon fibre lightweight race hard tail

http://www.activeazur.com/magazine/moun ... tain-bikes

to a 130mm forked all mountain rigid with uprated parts for strength and survival

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... p=17155012

All the way to a 12" suspension travel front and rear full suspension with 6 pot hydraulic disc brakes down hill race bikes....

http://www.bikerumor.com/2010/05/17/rev ... tain-bike/

and thats before you get onto specific components




to be honest im a bit out of touch with publications that park link above is probably one of the best resources available for cycle maintenance

[moocher]

Didn't Haynes do a basic bike manual?

[TonyAge]

That also means you can replace the chain, a dropped chain is one of the other common breakdowns

I always carry a couple of pairs of disposable "latex" gloves - fixing chains can get quite messy

[hobo]

Finally got the rest of my wood delivered. Stacked half today. Will finish and cover with tarps tomorrow. Reckon it's about 6 weeks' worth. For emergencies only!