Bicycle maintenance is a very important step next riding it. Leave the complicated tasks to your bike mechanic, but try and do the simpler items yourself. The REI website has a section on "Bike Maintenance Basics" that you should find very handy. A few preventative measures will keep your steed running smoothly for years.

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GENERAL MAINTENANCE LINKS

• Expertenough.com - A Beginner’s Guide to Bike Maintenance

• ​REI.com - Bike Maintenance Basics

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FIXING A FLAT TIRE

• On most tires, you'll need to use tire levers to remove your tire(s), if some have enough slack you can probably just use your fingers. (see method at the end of the video below)

• Using the method to get as much slack as possible, try doing this before resorting to using the tire levers when installing the last part of the tire. You might have to release that last little bit of air that you put into the tube used to keep it's shape while inserting it into the tire. That little bit of air can sometimes make a difference when rolling the last bit of tire over the rim.

• Remember when installing the rear wheel to have the chain on the small chainring in the front and the smallest cog on the back. This will give you the most amount of slack in the chain, making it easier to place the wheel back into the rear dropouts. 

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GLOBAL CYCLING NETWORK video

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CHAIN WAXING

Waxing your chain with ordinary paraffin wax, rather than lubricating it, will make your chain last 5 times longer and create less wear on your chain rings (the large gears attached to your crank) and your cogs ( the smaller gears or cassette attached to your rear hub). It will also prevent dirt and dust from entering the bearings and leave no oily film on the links which will end up being a gooey surface that dirt and dust will stick to. This dirt and grime will constantly wear the chain itself and grind down both gears front and back. We all know how messy this is if we have to touch it :) Cleaning and re-oiling your chain will help it last a bit longer, but not nearly as long as a waxed one.

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• I use a Coleman stove (on low heat) and an old pot to soak my chains in. Some people just use a tinfoil plate, then discard the whole thing in the garbage when finished. 

• Make sure the chain is perfectly dry after you have cleaned it. 

• You can use a piece of wire through the middle of the chain, leaving it long enough to fit over the edge of the pot to make it easy to remove the chain from the hot wax when finished. Use pliers or gloves, as the wire will be hot. I just use needle nose pliers to remove the chain, then hang it over a nail to cool and dry.

• When cool, roll the chain in a circle and brush both sides with a wire brush to remove the excess wax left on the links. Then bag each chain in a ziploc and mark which bike it belongs to.

• When the wax starts to get discoloured (smokey grey) , it's time to dump it out and remelt some fresh blocks. That discoloured wax is now full of impurities that will make it's way into the bearing and start wearing them.

• When the chain on your bike begins to squeak, simply change it with a clean (waxed) one. This takes only minutes when you use a quick link. 

• I've use quick links on all my chains, even those the manufacturers recommend using their supplied pin and I've never had one come apart.

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Here are a few videos on chain waxing.

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