Category Archives: Bike Maintenance

Mike’s Maintenance Monday: Removing/installing a cassette

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Mike

Knowing how to properly install and change a cassette can be a very useful skill! It will not only save you time and money; it will also give you the option of changing your gears for different terrain or replacing … Continue reading →

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Mike’s Maintenance Monday: Stan’s NoTubes Tubeless Conversion Kit

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Mike

I know this is a little late, but this is a perfect post for cyclocross season! Stan’s No Tubes has a wide variety of tubeless conversion kits that take a lot of the guess work out of setting up your … Continue reading →

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Mike’s Maintenance Monday: Quick releases

Posted on June 20, 2011 by Mike

This might seem a little elementary, but I have seen too many quick releases installed incorrectly in my time working at bike shops. The quick-release skewer (often just called a ‘quick release’) is what holds your wheels to your bike. … Continue reading →

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Mike’s Maintenance Monday: Check if your wheels are true

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Mike

The performance of your wheels can either make or break a ride. When your wheels are perfectly “true,” that means there is no side-to-side or up-and-down movements. There are a couple of quick ways to check and see if they … Continue reading →

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Mike’s Maintenance Monday: Changing a tube and tire

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Mike

Last week in my tube patching post, I talked a little bit about installing a tube, but I thought some more detail on the subject could be useful. Once you learn this skill, long rides and flat tires won’t be … Continue reading →

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Mike’s Maintenance Monday: Cleaning Your Cassette

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Mike

While cleaning and lubing the chain should be done on a weekly basis, cleaning your cassette is important to do every couple of months or so when it builds up with dirt and grease. There are a couple different techniques … Continue reading →

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Mike’s Maintenance Monday: Lubricating Your Cables

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Mike

There are a lot of things that can affect the performance of your shifting, like derailleur cable tension, worn out cables and housing, or misaligned derailleurs. Often it is simply an issue of cable drag. The most common causes of … Continue reading →

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Mike’s Maintenance Monday: Pre-ride Checklist

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Mike

What should you check on your bike before you go out for an adventure? Here are a few things to look at before riding. Tools you’ll need for this job: Bike Pump Hands Check quick-releases: An obvious but often overlooked … Continue reading →

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Mike’s Maintenance Monday: Adjusting Derailleur Tension

Posted on April 25, 2011 by Mike

It’s a quick one today. The things you’ll need for this job: Fingers Every now and then, your shifting will not seem to work very well in one direction. It will go down to harder gears just fine, but it struggles … Continue reading →

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Mike’s Maintenance Monday: Checking Your Threadless Headset

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Mike

This quick tip deals with an adjustment that most people overlook. Having a properly adjusted headset will keep your steering, braking and overall performance in top form. The thing’s you’ll need for this job: 5mm allen key Torque wrench (for … Continue reading →

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