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...BICYCLE CONTENTS
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HANDICAPPER

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Do you need a bike
trailer but you can't afford to spend as much for the trailer as you
did for the bike (or more)? You might like this option, a $15 dollar
trailer made from a thrift store walker and some spare parts. It
not only looks nice, but it works surprisingly well. I wouldn't
want to
trust if to carry all my supplies across country, but with a little
alteration I suppose even that isn't out of the question.
Click the image for the "rest of the story."
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BIKES I'VE KNOWN
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Over the years I've owned a few bikes. If you have absolutely nothing
better to do and want to waste your time reading about something that
will teach you absolutely nothing, you might give this page a try. Then
again, you might like to brows the pretty pictures of bicycles.
(Note, if there's any
page I should have, and wish I had, left out of this section of my
site, it's this one. If you read it you'll understand why. I hadn't
intended this to be an autobiography but rather a helpful hints
resource.)
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The terrain of my property is rather steep and covered with gravel. I
count on my kick stand for support, which doesn't like sloping ground
and soft surfaces. When I come home from shopping my bike has a hard
time staying upright once I'm not astraddle of it. To keep the bike
upright I made this little bike stand out of scrap lumber. I don't
think I have to describe it, the picture should do that.
One problem I had was
keeping the rack from falling over. This I accomplished with a simple
screw holding it to the porch. The angled pieces not only serve for
support for the rack, but also for the wheel of the bike.
Be sure to measure the
width of the widest tire you plan to fit into this rack. I
didn't, and there are some bikes that just plain won't fit this rack.
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Something not pictured. My
driveway is steep and ends abruptly. There have been times I was unable
to come to a stop and swing off my bike without falling over. This is
especially true when my back is giving me trouble. To overcome this
problem I set a couple concrete blocks, end to end, with a thick board
cut the same size as the two blocks and laid across the top, near the
end of the drive, along side the rear tire of my van and next to a
canopy post. When I reach the end of my drive I ride up next to this
step, rest my left foot on the step, and swing off the bike. It's a
lifesaver, literally. |
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A rack of another color.
This rack
fits into my trailer hitch. It was given to me by a friend, and it's
more of a help than she could imagine, for some reasons I'll tell you
about in a moment. Racks such as these are not only handy for carrying
your bike, but for fixing it as well. When working on a bike one of the
most needful things is getting it off the ground so it's at a
comfortable working height, and that allows the wheels to rotate. This
configuration serves both of these capacities.
If you
don't have a rack like this you might consider purchasing (maybe from
a thrift store if you can find one (two) there), some metal brackets or
the like that can be mounted to a wall and protrude far enough so your
pedals are free to rotate. I have some of those that came from a
hardware store that I planned on using, but ended up with this setup
instead. I use the brackets to hold spare wheels and tires, something
it's well suited for.
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For years this is how I carried my bike. A rack in the front of a
vehicle is not visible for many reasons. But until I was given the
rack previously shown I had no choice. What I want to show you here is
how I have the crossbar of the bike wrapped as it sits in the rack.
Even though the rack has a rubberized coating on the surface, as the
car moves, the bike rocks in the rack. This movement, even though
slight, wears away the paint on that part of the frame. And if cables
run under the cross member, the problem is intensified.
If you
don't want to wrap your frame in towels, then you might consider taping
a thick sock over the working end of your rack, something that will
cushion the ride as well as move with the bike rather than wear against
it. This advise isn't only for carrying the bike on the road, but when using the rack for a bike stand for working on it.
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I have problems with poor circulation in my hands and feet. Riding just
a very few miles causes my hands to become numb and painful. I took
some pipe insulation and cut it in half, and to length as you see here,
and taped it at the ends to my grips. This works out very well, but
after a few weeks use the cover looses its cushion and has to be
replaced. Also it tends to try to rotate on me if I didn't tape it well
enough.
This
bike, my Urban Xpress, came with grips I especially like. You can buy
them at your local store, at least I've seen them here at the
department store in the bike section. This flat surface give better
support to the palm of the hand and doesn't bite into the flesh like
round ones do.
If you
have trouble with circulation or numb hands, as you ride try
alternating the position of your hand, rotate them so your wrist is
straight rather than bent as in normal riding. Hold the grip with your
finger tips for a while so blood can circulate through your palm.
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This is how the cushion would look when finished, however this one is compressed and needs to be replaced
I like the shifting
levers under the handlebars like this, only they aren't placed in such
a way as to be easily accessed. On both the front and the rear shifters I
had to almost twist down to the bars to get them to shift. It might
just be the manufacturer of this kind of shifters that creates this
problem, the shifters being of a cheap, though effective nature. I was
hurting my thumb, especially my left thumb, shifting. I used a piece
of brass and cut it to the shape of the shifters, only longer for
leverage and reach, and taped it to the shifters. This worked to a
degree, but the shifters were still too far under the handlebars for my
liking. I then took a small block of wood the same length and width of
the shifter (the brass extension) and taped this to the shifter. I only
needed about a quarter inch of build-up for the right shifter, but the
left is now a full inch closer, and is easily accessible. This solved
the problem, and in 4 years I haven't had any trouble with the
additions coming loose or slipping on me as I had expected.
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I
bought a set of inexpensive (cheap) saddle bags from the department
store. These are nice enough bags, though too small for my liking, but
for the price I really can't complain. I find it interesting that
these bags are exactly like the brand name bags sold at the bike shop
for twice the price. Hmmm.
The bags kept grabbing on something when I tried
to remove them. By the time I figured out that the board giving
support to the bottom of the bag was catching on the axle, it was too
late and the bags had torn from the bottom to the degree that I was
losing things along the road. I tried a stop-gap measure, not expecting
it to work, but I was desperate by this time. I took a heavy piece of
fabric and cut it to fit well under the bag and most of the way up the
back. I then cleaned the area with a stiff brush and sprayed it with some good glue
(contact cement probably would have worked better). Then, once the
fabric was in place, I covered the edges of the fabric, halfway on the
fabric and half on the bag, with duct tape. It looks tacky from the
back, but no one sees this side anyway.
As absurd as this sounds, it works. I've been doing
this for 2 years so far, and only have to make slight repairs, mostly
to the duct tape, once or twice a year. Not bad for a cheap fix.
I don't like the tiny zippers they put on these
bags. In my mind there might as well not be a zipper there at all since
they'll give out with not much use anyway. I leave the bags open when I
ride, but I don't like doing this for many reasons. In place of open
bags I started using large paper clips, the metal kind that have wire
handles that fold back on itself. I clamp the bag closed with these,
which works as well as anything rinki-dink.
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There's a couple things I want to show you here in this picture. First
however,r ignore the slab of wood, that's for the trailer as described in
the first article above.
Notice the small piece of wood that lays across that larger piece of wood.
The saddle bags I use have metal hooks that fasten to the rack. I don't
know how they figure those hooks will do any good since, even with
tightening them (squeezed them closer together with a pair of heavy pliers), I kept either kicking them off when I swung my foot
over the saddle, or the heel of my foot would knock the first hook off
and I'd have to get off the bike and correct the situation, or, as
was the last straw, I would ride over something and find both the bags
laying in the street behind me. Twice I've had people drive after me or
in some other way inform me that my bags were laying in the street far
behind me.
Now for the little piece of wood. This wood, held on by
small bungee cords, is used to lay across the bags so they're held
tight against the rack, holding the bags to the rack. No more wayward saddle bags. Another cheap fix
that works.
Second thing to notice is the loop attached to the struts
that hold up the read of the rack. I had problems with the saddle bags
getting in the spokes. This loop is a piece of old brake cable housing
cut so it fits across the rack struts in a loop, the loop being light,
cheap and filling in the area where the bag was not restrained. This
loop is held to the struts with black tape. It's been 4 years and I've
yet to have a problem with this setup, and the bags stay out of the
spokes.
Fenders cost an arm and half a leg. They're expensive,
and they're cheap, cheap in that they're cheaply made. I got these
fenders for half price, they were white until I painted them to match
the bike. The plastic connectors that hold the fenders to the bike
break far to easily. Several times I've discovered a fender loose on
one side or another, dragging against the wheel. It happens so often
that I carry black tape with me to make repairs on the road. This is
tacky, no doubt about that, but I use a small piece of wire or
something like an ice cream stick that reaches across the broken area,
and taped it on each side of the break. This only holds for a short
time, but as yet I haven't discovered a permanent fix.
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I have trouble with my crotch going to sleep after
just a very few miles. I usually don't notice this until I disembark my
bike, then I can hardly walk at times. Just what causes this problem I
don't know, but it forces me to stop for a while after about 3 to 5
miles or so and let the blood circulate. My first attempt to solve the
problem is the same as everyone else I suppose, and that's to cushion
the seat with sheep's skin like in the picture. This didn't work well
enough, so I put some foam padding under the seat cover. Again, it
didn't work. I was having so much of a problem in this area that I would
ride with my leg against the seat while almost standing up. I checked
with the doctor to see if I might be having the same problem Lance
Armstrong had. My doctor said this is one cancer I've outgrown, it
being an ailment of the young and maturing. I bought a rather expensive
saddle, one with a groove down the middle and a cut-out in the back. This
makes a big difference, but it doesn't solve the problem. I no longer
have to ride side-saddle however, and I think I discovered part of the
problem.
Padding on the saddle adds to a man's problem. The
padding presses against the prostrate and causes pain in that area.
What we do to rectify a problem only makes that problem worse. A seat
needs to allow blood to circulate in the groins area, which padding
serves to block. A proper saddle has a groove that goes all the way
from the front to the back, but those things cost as much as the bike
itself. However any saddle with a cut out and groove will serve to
allow blood to flow to some degree, and the cut out in the back allows
air to circulate where most of the sweat and heat is accumulating
The things we learn, wouldn't you say?
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Looking behind you.
I don't even ride around the block without a mirror. But
I find the mirrors that attach to the handlebars less than useless. I
wear a mirror that fastens to my glasses (usually with lots of black
electrical tape). They're small, and very close so I can see a great
deal with hardly moving my head. Also, because they do turn with my
head, I can see everything, not just what happens to be in line of
sight, if the mirror on the bike hasn't been jarred out of place, or
hasn't been busted because the bike fell over.
These tiny mirrors tend to be pricey, in fact, like most
bike stuff, it's highway robbery. But if you check the web you can get
for $5 dollars or less what I paid over 16 for. Check out BlueSky
bikes. You'll have to find the web address yourself. I'm not
advertising for them, but we poor riders have to stick together... That
didn't sound right, let me try again. We riders that are poor. Does
that sound any better? |
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I hate flat tires. I suspect most
riders who aren't masochistic do. I ride (my best bike) on tires that
are very small, so they take those skinny tubes with long, skinny valve
stems. I don't like those because I keep breaking them off when I fill
the tire. I guess it's just me, but regardless of who's fault it is, I
don't like them. Another problem with them is I can't get that green
slimy stuff into them that stops flats. I want them so I don't get as
many flats. This is how I solved the problem. I bought a 21/64ths drill
bit (an odd size if there ever was one) and made the valve stem
hole the size that will fit a standard tube. Now I can install the
small thorn proof tube I want, and fill it with that slimy stuff, and
add a tire strip over tube. This of course causes my ultra-thin,
ultra-light wheel to now weigh as much as the tire of my van, but at
least there should be less flats, at least that's the theory. However,
I have had a flat with this arrangement, but the beauty of it is that I
rode 3 miles on that flat, realizing that the bike was a little hard to
peddle, and the tire or tube wasn't damaged at all. The valve stem
hadn't even moved off center. If I can ride home on my flat I'm not
near as upset with flats as when I have to carry home what should be
carrying me, especially when I'm coming home with a load of groceries.
By the way, if you try drilling out the valve stem hole,
realize that you're weakening the rim, and be sure to sand the edges of
the hole smooth so it doesn't cut into the valve stem. If you don't,
you'll be carrying that bike home again, and this time with a tube that
can't be patched. |
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A lot of bike tourist travel
the road past where I live since I live on a popular bike route. I try
to describe to these tourists what I'm picturing here, but few (if anyone) takes me
serious, most being more week-end tourists out for a long jaunt rather
than serious bike enthusiast. However one young man I told of this,
dismissed it, and he was on his way to the tip of Mexico, a route that
might well require such a safety measure as this
A broken spoke can do more than spoil your day, it can
wreck your wheel. When a spoke breaks it throws your wheel off-kilter
and (over time) forms a set, something that has to be worked against when the spoke
is finally replaced. In the meantime the other spokes are having to bear
the load the missing spoke was carrying, causing them to weaken and
break. Because of this the broken spoke should be replaced as soon as
possible. But it's not often easy or convenient to tear your wheel
apart where the spoke breaks, this particularly being true when the
spoke breaks on the rear wheel on the freewheel side. And if you happen
to be touring and carrying a load...?
This trick is not something I thought up, I read it in a
bike magazine some 40 years ago, so it's not some hidden secret, it
just isn't talked about for some reason. Take a spoke (I carry at least
three with me) that's longer than those on your bike. Place the spoke
along side one that fits your bike, the threaded ends matching (also
make sure the threads are the same by trying the nipple of one spoke on
the other spoke). Then
where the spoke bends, bend the new, long spoke. Using needle-nose
pliers, again bend the spoke in the original direction, as in the
illustration. Now clip off the head of the spoke,
leaving only maybe 3/8ths of an inch. (The spoke on the left is one
with the head broken off) The head of a spoke is what tends
to break on a spoke. If a spoke breaks in the middle it's usually
caused by flexing as the wheel comes around and touches the ground
because it's too lose. Heads of a spoke are what bears the full weight
of the spoke, and it's the weakest point. By eliminating the head,
you've effectively overcome this weakness. I have spokes on my bike
I've replaced in this way almost 40 years ago. I've yet to have one
break on me or give me any trouble whatever.
Now, when a spoke breaks, remove the spoke and replace it
with your manufactured spoke. Even if the broken spoke is on the
freewheel side you don't have to remove the freewheel because you don't
have to thread the spoke through the hub from the outside. If it's a
spoke that should extend from the freewheel side of the hub,
ignore that fact and insert it from the inside. It will serve its
purpose just as well. The freewheel side of a hub takes more pressure
than any other part of the wheel because it has to be "dished," causing
it to be stretched (the spokes) more than any of the others, so it's the
most likely to break, especially if carrying a load as would be the case
with a tourist.
Tape these extra spokes along the rear stays (the bottom
part of your bike that leads to the hub of the rear wheel), where
they're fully out of the way, but easily accessible. And don't forget
to share your knowledge with other travelers. They may not listen to
you at the time, but when they break that first spoke on the freewheel
side, they'll probably try real hard to remember what you had told them.
A final note: normally when replacing a spoke you would
remove the tire and tube and rim strip, and replace the nipple as well.
At this time you would make sure the spoke didn't protrude beyond the
nipple and puncture your tube. You won't be able to do this, nor to
file down the spoke if it's too long. so for this reason you want to
make sure the replacement spoke you've made is no longer, and maybe
even a hair shorter than the spoke you've used as a sample. |
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Here's some general tips for checking your bike to see if it needs repair
or adjustment. This might save you having to pay $40 to a bike shop
to do the same thing, and hope they did what you're paying for. I
used to work at a bike shop, and I taught adult education bike repair
for two colleges, besides my own experience and the experience I gained
from leading long bike tours. This said to show that I'm not just
talking from book learning, I've been there.
First take your bike and lock the front brakes by squeezing the brake lever. Rock your
bike forward and backwards. There should be no movement other than
a little flexing of the brakes as they rock with the wheel. If the
brakes move too much, or if they seem to be loose at the attachment
screw, tighten them until they move freely but don't feel loose.
Now lift the front wheel and let the handlebars go
freely. The wheel should turn to one side or the other with no binding.
If it binds or moves slowly because of resistance, the bearing are either dry, worn out, or too tight. I'm
not about to try and teach you how to make repairs, there's a lot of
other resources much better equipped than I am to do this. I just want
to show you how you can keep tabs on the safety of your bike, and its
rider.
Check the brake pads. If they're too worn, replace them,
and make sure they're adjusted correctly. A poorly adjusted set of new
brakes can be more dangerous than a properly adjusted set of worn
brakes.
Grasp the wheel(s) at the top and move the wheel from side to side. There should be no
"play," movement, in the hub at all. Now, while you have the wheel in
hand (and off the ground), turn the wheel until the air valve is at the
top, and a little to the right or left of top dead center. Let go of
the wheel. The wheel should roll until the air valve is at the bottom,
and possibly even rock at that point a little. Unless you have some
counter weight on the wheel such as a reflector, the wheel that doesn't
act in the way described indicates the bearings are too tight or they're worn.
Stand behind or in front of the bike and turn the wheel.
(I'm assuming at this point you either have your bike upside down, or
preferably in a bike rack suitable for working.) Watch the wheel as it
turns past the brake pads. The wheel should run
straight with no "humps." If the wheel doesn't run true it needs to be
adjusted. Unless you really know what you're doing, don't try to adjust
the wheel because you will ruin it. Bike shops gain a large part of their income by repairing what the novice has destroyed by trying to save money.
Back to your handlebars. Make sure the bars don't move in
the forks. Block the front wheel against something like a wall and try
to turn the bars. They shouldn't move. If they do move in the fork they're liable to
turn on you when you're riding and you'll end up head over heels in the
road. Now, lift up and press down on the bars. Again they shouldn't
move.
Check the adjustment of your brakes. If the brake levers
are moving too close to the grips, they need adjustment, or the pads
need to be replaced.
Check the cables. If they're rusted or frayed they should
be replaced. As a stop-gap measure you can wire brush the rusted part
and apply a little oil to the area. Frays are dangerous, being sharp
wires that puncture, and should be covered with some electrical tape
until you're able to replace them. Keep in mind that rust and frays
weaken the cable, and will eventually leave you without brakes or gears.
When you replace the cables, cut the cables with sharp
wire cutters or diagonals. Cut at an angle rather than straight across.
If you replace the housing, which you should, make sure you cut between
the coils and don't squash them, and clean the end of the housing with a file so it sits
straight across. Clean out the inside of the housing with something
like the tapered end of the file (the tang that inserts into the handle) or a large nail so there's no sharp edges to rub
against the cable and cause it to wear and break. Use some good grease
on the cable so it doesn't have resistance as it passes through the
housing. If the loop of the housing is too large the brake or whatever
will be spongy because it has to compress the curved part of the
housing before it can apply the brakes. Try to make the loop as small
as possible, accounting for the turning of the handlebars, yet not so
tight they kink. A little forethought can make a world of difference as
to whether you end up with a fun riding, safe bike, or one that's a
headache.
Your seat should be fairly straight across, flat, not
angled
down at the nose or leaning back. Adjustment makes the difference
between a bike you want to ride, and one you try to avoid riding. All
bikes, even expensive ones, come with cheap saddles since they expect
the rider to buy a seat of their choice. So don't expect your new bike
to have a good riding saddle, it probably won't. And if you ride much,
you'll probably spend as much on your seats as you did your bike as you
buy and reject them in your efforts to find just the right saddle Keep
in mind however that part of choosing a
good seat is a matter of getting used to it, not replacing it. People
don't break in saddles like they do shoes, they break themself into the
saddle, and that requires time and riding (and sores and calluses at
times).
Make sure your seat is secure on the seat post, and that
the seat post is tight. Move the seat from side to side and up and
own. It shouldn't move. Make sure the seat is properly adjusted. A seat
too far forward or backwards, too high or too low, can not only mean
the difference between a good ride and a bad, but it effects your
knees, ankles and other parts of your anatomy, which will eventually
tell on your health and well-being. Seek advice on this topic from web
sites and your neighborhood bike shop.
Check your gears, ruining them through their course as you turn the pedals. Do all the gears work properly?
While your hands are on the pedals, rock the crank to see
if the bottom bracket (the part that houses the crank) moves at all.
It should have no play at all. Turn the crank and check to see that it
moves freely, while listening to see if there is any sound that might
indicate dry or worn bearings. Feel the peddle and see if there's any
looseness.
An often overlooked measure is to grasp the pedals, one in
each hand, and press them in opposite directions, checking for
looseness in the crank where it attaches to the bottom bracket. Now
press the opposite direction (pressing hard). Often when there's some
play in this area there will also be a sound such as a mild squeak, but
not always. Once the crank begins to wear, if not caught right away,
the crank (being aluminum unless it's a cheap bike) will wear beyond
repair and will have to be replaced. It's a good idea to tighten the
bolts that hold the crank to the bottom bracket even if you feel no
looseness. I've had occasions when a bike I was riding came loose in a
crank and I had to ride home with one pedal in order not to destroy the
loose crank, and I then carried the tool to tighten it if it ever came
loose again.
If your bearings need lubed, make sure you use a good
lubricant. Some greases are too thick, or designed for high speed,
which heats up grease and causes it to flow properly. Bikes need a soft
grease, such as a Phil Woods lubricant, which tends to be expensive. A
friend of mine suggested boat trailer grease, that not only is soft,
but resists moisture as well. I've been using this for over 30 years,
and when I re-lube my bearings, I find the grease to be just as clean and soft as
the day I installed it. In the can it doesn't separate, even after 30
years, nor does it change in consistency at all. And, for us poor
folks, there's lots of it in the can, and it's cheap. I use it on everything, including my cables. Regular grease
tends to dry and become more of a grinding dirt after a while, as you
may have found out if you've taken apart an old bike.
While turning the crank, look down at the chain rings and
check
to see if any of them (or all) move from side to side. They should runs
cleanly and smoothly with no wobble at all. Any wobble will cause the
chain to run awkwardly through the front derailer and possibly knock
the chain off the chain ring.
While turning the crank and shifting the front gears, see
that the chain doesn't try to creep up on any of the teeth. If it does
a tooth is probably out of line. Now, while the chain is on the outer
ring, lift the chain away from the ring. There should be none to very
little lift. If the chain lifts very far away from the ring it's an
indication that either the chain is worn (which is probably the case)
or the teeth of the chain ring is worn. Replace the chain if you
have any doubts about it
at all. Make sure your chain is the right length or it will have
difficulty reaching some gears, or it will be too slack when in others.
If the chain is dirty, but ok, clean it with a good stiff brush,
remembering
that dirt is a chain's worst enemy. A dry chain will wear quickly, so
keep it lubed. Motor oil or 90 weight oil is suitable, and when you
oil the chain, place a drop on each link as it runs past you , on
the
outside chain ring. Spin the crank to work the oil into the link, then
use a rag and wipe of the excess, this also serving to oil the outside
surface of the chain while keeping oil from getting on your
clothes or collecting dirt and grime. While your at it, clean and lube
your
derailers, they collect dirt as well. WD40 or silicon lube can be
used here. Don't forget those brakes and levers, they need lubricating
too. Make sure you remember to
clean the gunk off the chain rings and the small wheels of your rear
derailer. They collect the bulk of the dirty grease. I use a
screwdriver for this, when I don't tear them apart to clean them.
Don't forget your front chain rings, they're collectors of dirt as
well.
I replace my chain, on both my bikes, every summer. I put
on about 3 to 4,000 miles on my bikes, both of them together, not on
each, and that tends to wear the chains down to replacement point.
Those who ride farther may have to replace your chain more often to
avoid wearing the gears and chain rings as well as the chain.
If when you replace the chain it skips a tooth it means the ring that
skips is worn and needs to be replaced. Usually the last two or three
gears
of the rear freewheel are the most likely to need replaced because they
receive the most wear, being small. Replace the entire freewheel, it's
cheaper and more cost-effective than trying to replace the single
ring. This might hold true of the front chain rings as well, Compare
prices, the model and make of your bike can make a big difference in
this case.
Other than checking for paint problems and rust, something
that strongly effects those of us who live near the ocean, that's about
all you need to do to keep your bike in safe operating condition. Keep
in mind that rusty spokes can ruin a wheel. I have to steel wool mine
and paint them on occasion. Rust, once it starts, can only get worse,
and weaken the metal it's effecting.
A good coat of wax is also advised. When waxing or
polishing you bike, remember that it's painted the same way as your car.
Don't use harsh soaps to clean it. I use baby shampoo, on my bikes and
my van. It does the trick without harming the paint.
As a final note, don't forget to check all the nuts and
bolts for tightness, remembering your rack, baskets and any other
addition you've made to your bike
What I've presented here is a rough outline, things that
come to mind as I write. Check the web for more detailed and
better laid out lists of suggestions and instructions. |
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