Bike Maintenance 101 – Anatomy, Pre/Post-Ride Checks, and Trailside Repairs

OVERVIEW

The winter is long and about to get colder. In times like these, the brutal freeze-thaw cycles ravage the trails and even the most weathered riders are forced inside. But, this leaves plenty of time to hole up in the garage and be totally neurotic about maintaining your whip.

But why should I learn about my bike? Learning to do some basic maintenance on a bike can help you: be safer by identifying problems with your bike before it falls apart underneath you; save money by identifying the basic fixes you can handle yourself; be able to explain a problem and understand what the heck the mechanic is talking about when you do have to take it in to the bike shop; and be able to keep it running in a pinch when you need to get somewhere. More than all that, however, the bicycle is a fascinating machine, endlessly complex and elegantly simple, a constantly evolving challenge of engineering and design, and an elemental, life-affirming complement to the human body.

This workshop is designed for the total beginner – if you can tell the wheels from the handlebars, you’ve met the prerequisites.

In this workshop, we’ll cover:

A: the anatomy of the mountain bike in detail and how all the parts work together in harmony, the various flavors of bikes and critical differences between them, and basic sizing/fit

B: Pre-ride routine and post-ride checks – what you should do to your bike before and after every ride, some important service tasks to do periodically, and how to identify potential problems before they deteriorate, leave you stranded, or kill you

C: Trail- and road-side repairs – how to change a flat tire, patch a tube, get home on a busted chain/derailleur, and some basic principles to apply that might save you a long walk home

You don’t need to bring anything but an open mind, but if you’ve got a bike, multitool, or other gear, feel free to bring it with you – especially if it needs attention – and we can work on it.

I expect this to take about four hours, alternating between instruction/demonstration and hands-on practice. But, I’ve never done this before and it could take more or less time depending on the prior knowledge of the attendees. If we go over and you need to leave at five, no biggie. Either way, I’ll be available afterwards to answer questions, look at your bike, or talk shop.