Do your own bike maintenance work! [Do It Yourself Tips]

Buying a new road, mountain or gravel bike is one thing. Maintaining your bike properly is another. We all know how it goes: you have just bought a new bike and start racking up the kilometres with a fervour. After several rides, you notice a rattling sound somewhere in your bike or a less smooth feeling when shifting gears than in the beginning. These are just a few examples that indicate your bicycle needs maintenance. While many think they should let a professional bike mechanic take care of such things, this is not always necessary; with the right tools, you can easily do many jobs yourself. Below we list a number of common bike maintenance jobs and the corresponding blogs to help you get started and do the work yourself!

We will discuss the following topics in this blog:

• How do I know when to replace bike parts?
• How to clean and maintain your road or mountain bike
• How to adjust a derailleur
• Road bike breakdowns - The most common problems
• How to replace the pedals of your road or mountain bike
• How to replace MTB or road bike handlebars
• How to wrap handlebar tape
• How to replace disc brake pads and break them in

How do I know when to replace bike parts?

Before you get all excited and start tinkering with your bike, it is good to know if, and when exactly, you need to replace bike parts. So, for example, if you have noticed that gear shifting has been less smooth lately, it is unlikely that you need to replace your entire drivetrain right away. In this case a misaligned derailleur hanger could also be the cause of the decreased shifting performance. In this blog we list various bike parts and explain how to check whether they need replacing. With this information, you will be doing the right jobs and get ready for the new cycling season!

How to clean and maintain your road or mountain bike

You have probably noticed that your bike can get quite dirty after the first few rides, especially in rainy weather conditions. This is because in winter the roads are wet more often and covered with leaves. Dirt then splashes up against your bike and gets into the rotating parts. To prolong the life of your bike and its wearing parts, it is very important to clean and maintain your road or mountain bike properly. In this blog we give you tips and a checklist to help you enjoy your (new) bike as long as possible!

How to adjust a derailleur and shift smoothly again

When you have just purchased your new bike, all parts are perfectly adjusted, of course. And so during the first few rides you will find that your derailleur shifts flawlessly. As this may diminish a bit after some time, it is normal that your derailleur needs to be readjusted after your first kilometres.

With correctly adjusted front and rear derailleurs you will find that shifting feels like new again, and you can hit the road or head into the woods again knowing that they will work super smoothly. In this blog we explain step by step how to adjust your front and rear derailleurs perfectly. So go ahead and get started!

Road bike breakdowns - The most common problems

Knock on wood - let’s hope you won’t need this information! In reality, though, most cyclists have to deal with a breakdown on the road sooner or later. There are various ways of breaking down, a flat tyre being the most frequently occurring one.

Other examples of breakdowns on the road are a broken chain or a broken derailleur hanger. In this blog we list what to put in your saddle bag prior to your ride and how to deal with problems. This information just might save you a visit to your local bike repair shop!

How to replace the pedals of your road or mountain bike

Most new road and mountain bikes come without pedals. You can choose to fit regular or clipless pedals. The latter have many more advantages than standard ones. One such advantage is that you can exert much more power on your pedals, which makes you go faster! If you choose to ride with clipless pedals, you can buy them separately and install them yourself.

Having considered the pros and cons, you can decide to use clipless pedals. Read this blog to find out how to install your clipless pedals easily on your MTB or road bike.

Next, if you also want to know how to fit cleats to your road bike or MTB shoes, read this blog.

How to replace MTB or road bike handlebars

The handlebars of your road or mountain bike are very important for your cycling enjoyment, mostly because they enable you to follow your path but also because the handlebars contribute greatly to the way you sit on the bike.

After all, you rest your hands on the handlebars, which you want to be comfortable to hold. If the reach or drop is not right, you may experience physical discomfort such as numbness in your hands or pain in your neck. In such a case, it may be wise to replace the handlebars on your road bike or MTB. How best to do this is explained in our handlebar replacement blog.

How to wrap handlebar tape in only 10 minutes

Replacing handlebar tape may not be the first thing you think of when buying a road or gravel bike, but it may have to be done at some point - for instance, if you have fallen and the bar tape has got badly damaged; or perhaps you simply want bar tape in a different colour. Whatever the reason, replacing handlebar tape on your road or gravel bike is a job you can absolutely do yourself.

In this blog we explain step by step how to apply a new roll of handlebar tape. The blog also includes a checklist of the things you need for wrapping it. It’s a job you can easily do yourself!

How to replace disc brake pads and break them in

The brakes rank among the most important parts of your road or mountain bike. For your safety it is very important to ensure they work properly at all times. Because brake pads wear out over time, you should replace them in time. If you have disc brakes, this means you have to replace your bike’s disc brake pads.

This is a job you can easily do yourself and do not need a bike mechanic for. Read this blog to learn how to replace your disc brake pads yourself.

How to deal with more challenging bike jobs

Of course, it varies from person to person which of the above jobs are easy to do and which are not. In this blog, we have listed the ones we think everyone should be able to do. On our Bike Techcenter page we also offer blogs for the more experienced tinkerers. So, for example, if you want to replace your bottom brackets, read this blog. If you have heard lots of good things about riding with tubeless tyres, read this blog on how to mount tubeless tyres on your road bike.

Want to read more How-To blogs and get to work in your shed? Please refer to our Bike Techcenter page. If you’re looking for a blog on a specific topic and it is not there, let us know in the comments!