Contents
Bike Maintenance Basics
Types of Bikes
Parts of a Typical Bike
Bike Maintenance Tools
How to Check and Inflate Bike Tires
How to Fix a Flat Bike Tire
How to Maintain Bike Brakes
How to Replace Bike Brake Pads
How to Fix a Bike Chain
How to Clean a Bike Chain
How to Adjust a Rear Derailleur
How to Adjust a Bike Saddle (Seat)
How to Clean Your Bike
How to Find a Bike Mechanic
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Types of Bikes
The maintenance instructions throughout this guide apply to all types of bikes. Even so, you need to know which type of bike you have in order to be aware of specific maintenance steps your bike may need. And if you ever need repairs, you’ll want to seek out a mechanic who specializes in repairing bikes of your type. The three main types of bikes are:
- Cruisers
- Road bikes
- Mountain bikes
Cruisers
Cruisers have a distinctive, old-fashioned body shape.
- Special features: Often these bikes have just one gear and coaster brakes, which you operate by pushing the pedal backward to slow down.
- Typical use: Cruisers bikes’ upright seating, wide saddles (seats), and broad, curved handlebars make them ideal for short, around-town rides on flat terrain.
- Maintenance level: Low. Because of their simple design, cruisers are often the most trouble-free of the three types of bikes.
Road Bikes
Road bikes are slim, lightweight bikes designed exclusively for riding or racing on asphalt and other hard surfaces. The classic American “10-speed bike“ is an early version of today’s road bikes, which have been popularized by the racing cyclists of the Tour de France.
- Special features: All of a road bike’s signature traits result from one goal—to make these bikes move as fast as possible over pavement. As a result, road bikes have thin frames, very skinny tires, and a narrow saddle. They also usually have the highest number of gears of the three types of bikes (typically 24–30 gears). Road bikes use hand brakes, which are operated by squeezing a manual brake lever.
- Typical use: Road bikes are for bikers intent on taking long trips on pavement. Due to the premium these bikes place on speed, they’re often much less comfortable to ride than cruisers or mountain bikes.
- Maintenance level: Medium. Road bikes require more maintenance than cruisers because of their complex gearing systems and thin, flat-prone tires, but less maintenance than mountain bikes since they usually are ridden only on smooth pavement.
Mountain Bikes
Mountain bikes are big, sturdy bikes designed to be ridden off-road, on trails or other rough terrain.
- Special features: Most mountain bikes have suspension systems that provide shock-absorbing cushioning when riding over rough surfaces. Probably the most noticeable features of mountain bikes in addition to these suspension systems are their thick frames and fat, deeply treaded tires.
- Typical use: Most riders buy mountain bikes with the intention of riding on rocky trails or other rough terrain, though some riders also use mountain bikes for pavement riding as well, due to their stable, comfortable ride.
- Maintenance level: High. Since mountain bikes get banged around more than any other type of bike, they tend to require the most maintenance. They also contain intricate special parts, such as their elaborate suspension systems, that often require extra attention.
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