Bike Repair & Maintenance For Dummies® Read online

  Bike Repair and Maintenance For Dummies®

  Table of Contents

  Introduction

  About This Book

  Conventions Used in This Book

  What You’re Not to Read

  Foolish Assumptions

  How This Book Is Organized

  Part I: Getting Started

  Part II: Basic Bike Repairs

  Part III: Shifting into a Higher Gear: Advanced Bike Repairs

  Part IV: Keeping Your Bike on the Road

  Part V: The Part of Tens

  Icons Used in This Book

  Where to Go from Here

  Part I: Getting Started

  Chapter 1: Channeling Your Inner Grease Monkey

  Starting down the Road of Bike Repair and Maintenance

  Before, During, and After Your Ride

  Before you ride

  While you ride

  After you ride

  Making Repairs

  Performing Maintenance

  Monthly maintenance

  Annual maintenance

  Chapter 2: Bike Physiology: Understanding How Your Bike Works

  Gross Anatomy: Identifying the Parts of a Bike

  Getting Your Bearings

  Don’t Screw This Up: The Threading System

  Tightening enough, but not too much

  When fasteners come loose

  Shopping for threaded fasteners

  Considering How Cables Control a Bike

  Gearing Up

  Making Sure You Don’t Get Derailed

  The Quickest Release in the West

  Other Bike Parts to Keep in Mind

  Chapter 3: Setting Up Shop: Repairing Your Bike at Home

  Tools of the Trade

  Assembling your bike-tool starter kit

  Specialized tools for advanced bike jobs

  Setting Up Shop

  Considering how much space you need

  Factoring in ventilation

  Looking into the light(ing)

  Wrangling a workbench

  Focusing on storage

  Banking on a bike stand

  Chapter 4: Making like MacGyver: Handling Repairs on the Road

  When You Can’t Call AAA: Handling Your Own Bike Repairs on the Side of the Road

  Repairing a bent rim

  Replacing a broken spoke

  Fixing flats and torn tires

  Repairing a broken chain

  Extracting a jammed chain

  Dealing with the derailleur

  Knowing When You Should Walk Home

  Inspecting Your Bike after an Accident

  Looking for looseness

  Checking the alignment

  The All-Purpose Repair Tool: Duct Tape

  Chapter 5: Help! When You Need Professional Assistance

  What to Look for in a Bike Shop

  Shopping at Your Bike Shop

  Buying a bike

  Buying accessories

  Recognizing the Repairs You Need Help With

  Repairing frames

  Installing a new headset

  Truing a wheel

  Working on suspension

  Part II: Basic Bike Repairs

  Chapter 6: Burning Rubber: Tires and Tubes

  Why Flat Tires Happen to Good People

  Fixing a Flat

  Grabbing yourself a wheel

  Removing the tire or at least half of it

  Finding the puncture

  Patching the tube

  Inspecting the tire

  When it’s more than just a flat

  Ready to Roll!

  Putting on the tube and tire

  Attaching the wheel

  Coming to a screeching halt: When you get another flat right away

  A Pound of Cure: Preventing a Flat

  Chapter 7: Hugging the Curb: The Wheels

  The Spin on Wheels

  Shopping for new wheels

  Caring for your wheels

  Inspecting the wheels for problems

  Taking off a wheel

  Repairing dents in the rim

  Installing the front and rear wheels

  Hubba-Hubba: Working on the Hubs

  Overhauling the hubs

  Reassembling the hubs

  Adjusting a hub

  I Spoke Too Soon: Working on the Spokes

  Replacing a spoke

  Truing a wheel

  Chapter 8: Stopping Short: The Brakes

  Types of Brakes

  Inspecting the Brakes

  Removing and Installing Brakes and Brake Pads

  Removing brakes and brake pads

  Installing brakes

  Adjusting Brakes

  Adjusting brake-pad position

  Centering and tensioning brakes

  Silencing those squeaking brakes!

  Using the brake quick release

  Replacing brake cables

  Chapter 9: Taking Your Seat: Saddles and Seat Posts

  Saddle Up! Types of Saddles

  Material

  Function

  Gender

  Removing and Installing a Saddle

  Adjusting the Saddle Fore, Aft, and Height

  Angling for the right angle

  Fore and aft, to and fro

  Chapter 10: Hitting the Links: The Chain

  A Chain Is Not a Chain Is Not a Chain: Types of Chains

  Recognizing What Can Go Wrong with the Chain

  Getting down and dirty

  Stuck in a rut: Stiff links

  Wear and tear

  Caring for Your Chain

  Keeping it simple: Cleaning and lubricating your chain

  Going deeper: Giving your chain a heavy-duty cleaning

  Replacing a Chain

  Unchain me! Removing the chain

  Measuring your new chain

  Reassembling your chain

  Chapter 11: Gearing Up: Freewheels and Cassettes

  The Dirt on Freewheels and Cassettes

  What’s so free about a freewheel?

  The best things come in packages: The cassette

  Inspecting Your Freewheel or Cassette

  Cleaning the Freewheel or Cassette

  Lubricating the Freewheel or Cassette

  Removing a Freewheel or Cassette

  Removing a freewheel

  Removing a cassette

  Removing individual the cogs on a freewheel or cassette

  Removing the free-hub body

  Installing a Freewheel or Cassette

  Part III: Shifting into a Higher Gear: Advanced Bike Repairs

  Chapter 12: Holding It All Together: The Frame and Suspension

  I’ve Been Framed: Your Bike’s Frame

  What to look for in a frame

  Types of frame materials

  Inspecting your frame

  Maintaining your frame

  Suspended in Disbelief: The Suspension

  Types of suspension

  Tuning the suspension

  Maintaining the suspension

  Chapter 13: Putting the Pedal to the Metal: The Drivetrain

  Putting the Pedal to the Metal

  Shopping for new pedals

  Identifying worn-out pedals

  Removing pedals

  Overhauling the pedals

  Installing new pedals

  Crank It Up! Working on the Crankset and Bottom Bracket

  The crankset

  The bottom bracket

  Chapter 14: Dropping It into Gear: The Shifting System

  Demystifying Derailleurs

  The rear derailleur

  The front derailleur

  The derailleur cable


  Gear Shifters

  Removing shifters

  Installing shifters

  Chapter 15: Turning on a Dime: The Steering System

  Gimme a Hand: Types of Handlebars

  Delving Deeper: Handlebar Options

  Taping Your Handlebars

  Getting Your Head around This: The Headset

  Inspecting the headset

  Adjusting your headset

  Overhauling your headset

  Part IV: Keeping Your Bike on the Road

  Chapter 16: An Ounce of Preventive Maintenance

  Before You Ride

  Assembling an emergency tool kit

  Giving your bike the once-over: A pre-ride inspection

  While You Ride

  After You Ride

  Cleaning your bike

  Giving your bike a lube job

  Storing your bike

  Chapter 17: Regular Bike Maintenance

  Monthly Maintenance

  Surveying your bike for structural damage

  Kicking the tires

  Cleaning your bike

  Giving your bike a lube job

  Tightening up

  Checking the brakes

  Examining the chain, cogs, and chainrings

  Protecting your saddle

  Inspecting the suspension

  Annual Maintenance

  Deep-cleaning the chain

  Truing the wheels

  Replacing cables and housing

  Overhauling the hubs

  Overhauling the headset

  Overhauling the pedals

  Overhauling the bottom bracket

  Cleaning the rear derailleur

  Replacing the brake pads

  Replacing the handlebar grips or tape

  Waxing the frame

  Checking your accessories

  Part V: The Part of Tens

  Chapter 18: Ten (Or So) Steps to Take before You Ride

  Take a Road Safety Skills Class

  Adjust the Handlebars

  Adjust the Saddle

  Check Tire Pressure

  Check the Brakes

  Look for Looseness

  Check the Wheels

  Grab Your Toolkit

  Wear Your Helmet and Gloves

  Improve Your Visibility

  Stock Your Emergency Gear

  Chapter 19: Ten Considerations in Fitting Your Bike

  Considering Crank Arm Length

  Going for Gearing

  Resisting the Temptation to Tilt Your Saddle

  Setting the Saddle Height

  Looking at the Saddle Fore and Aft

  Choosing the Right Saddle Type

  Sizing Up the Frame

  Focusing on Frame Dimensions

  Positioning Your Handlebars

  Getting a Handle on Handlebar Style

  Chapter 20: Ten Ways to Improve the Performance and Comfort of Your Bike

  Upgrading Your Wheels and Tires

  Ramping Up Your Rear Derailleur

  Beefing Up Your Bearings

  Pumping Up Your Pedals

  A Shoe-In: Choosing the Best Shoes for the Job

  Saddle Up! Taking Your Saddle to the Next Level

  Upgrading Your Handlebars

  Boosting Your Brake Levers

  Taking Your Clothing up a Notch

  Embracing Your Inner Geek with a Cycling Computer

  Bike Repair & Maintenance For Dummies©

  by Dennis Bailey and Keith Gates

  Bike Repair & Maintenance For Dummies©

  Published by

  Wiley Publishing, Inc.

  111 River St.

  Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774

  www.wiley.com

  Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

  Published simultaneously in Canada

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  Library of Congress Control Number: 2008943495

  ISBN: 9780470480366

  Manufactured in the United States of America

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  About the Authors

  Dennis Bailey: Dennis Bailey has been actively involved in bike repair and maintenance for over 18 years. He has worked on bikes on biking tours in the United States, Europe, and Latin America. Dennis brings a perspective on how to maintain and repair bikes, not just from within the comfort of a well-stocked bike shop or garage, but from the side of the road, where, on many occasions, he’s had to put on his MacGyver hat and improvise with whatever grab bag of supplies were available at the time. You can contact him at [email protected].

  Keith Gates: Keith Gates started as a bicycle mechanic in 1977 when he was in high school. In 1982, after going to college, he got married and went back into the bicycle business as the Service Manager for A-1 Cycling in Manassas, Virginia. He became a partner in the business in 1984 and, in 1992, took advantage of an opportunity to buy out his partners. He has been the sole owner of A-1 Cycling since then, providing personalized service and expertise to local bike enthusiasts of all ages. You can contact him at [email protected].

  Dedication

  Dennis Bailey: This book is dedicated to Randy Cronk, who showed me that the world is best explored on two wheels.

  Ke
ith Gates: This book is dedicated to Fred Landau, who originally opened A-1 Cycling and gave me the opportunity to turn my passion into a career, and to the many people throughout the years who have helped A-1 Cycling support the Northern Virginia cycling community.

  Author’s Acknowledgments

  We want to express our debt of gratitude to the many people behind the scenes who made it possible to transform an idea about helping bike riders of old and young alike into something on paper on bookstore shelves. They include our acquisitions editor Michael Lewis; our project editor and copy editor, Elizabeth Kuball; our photographer, Jean Fogle; and our technical editor, Ed France.

  Special thanks to Barb Doyen, our agent extraordinaire, who always has a way of matching the right people with the best project.

  Dennis Bailey: Thanks to my wife, Adriana, and our daughter, Valeria, who make it all worthwhile. Additional kudos to Dave Coldiron, Aaron Plank, and Brad Graley for their timely and important contributions.

  Keith Gates: Thanks to my wife, Lynn, and our children, Colin and Chelsea, and the rest of my family for their love, support, and encouragement throughout the years.

  Publisher’s Acknowledgments

  We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our online registration form located at http://dummies.custhelp.com. For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.

  Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

  Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development

  Project Editor: Elizabeth Kuball

  Acquisitions Editor: Michael Lewis

  Copy Editor: Elizabeth Kuball

  Assistant Editor: Erin Calligan Mooney

  Editorial Program Coordinator: Joe Niesen

  Technical Editor: Ed France

  Senior Editorial Manager: Jennifer Ehrlich

  Editorial Supervisor and Reprint Editor: Carmen Krikorian

  Editorial Assistants: Jennette ElNaggar, David Lutton

  Art Coordinator: Alicia B. South

  Cover Photos: © Daniela Richardson

  Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)

  Composition Services

  Project Coordinator: Lynsey Stanford

  Layout and Graphics: Reuben W. Davis, Cheryl Grubbs, Christine Williams

  Proofreaders: John Greenough, Joni Heredia

  Indexer: Broccoli Information Management

  Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies

  Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies

  Kristin Ferguson-Wagstaffe, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies