Your Guide To Bike Maintenance

Recently I asked the Femme Cyclist community what their biggest challenge was as it relates to cycling. One of the most frequent answers? Bike maintenance.

From total beginners to seasoned riders, we’ve discovered that many folks don’t know how or are intimidated by the idea of working on their own bike. The good news is that bikes are actually pretty simple machines.

You don’t have to be an incredibly mechanically-minded person to work on your bike. (I’m certainly not).

Bike maintenance skills are something that you can learn (and get good at!) with a little practice, some lessons, and the right tools. In this article, we share the what and how: what you should know, what tools you need, and how to gain bike maintenance skills.

But first….

Why You Should Learn To Work On Your Bike

• It’s cheaper than taking it to a bike shop.
• You’ll be able to keep it in tip-top shape so it runs smoothly and doesn’t need expensive repairs later.
• You’re less likely to get stuck on the side of the road or trail if you know to do simple fixes.
• It’s empowering. It feels good to know how your bike works and how to fix it.

Things To Check Before Each Ride (ABCs)

The bike community has developed a clever acronym to help you remember what to check before each ride. ABCs stand for “Air, Brakes, Chain.”

Every time you go for a bike ride, you should check these things first.

A Is For Air

Check your tire pressure. If your tires are too low you could pinch flat (it’s never fun having a flat tire), or even crash.

The ideal tire pressure for your bike depends on the type of bike, the terrain, and your weight. Always check the sidewall of your tire for the manufacturer’s recommended pressure range and adjust based on your riding style and conditions.

Initially, I recommend using a guage to check your tire pressure. This might be built into the pump you’re using, or you can use a separate hand held tire gauge.

As you become more comfortable with your bike, you’ll be better able to determine if you have enough air pressure without even using a gauge. In this case, squeeze the sidewalls of your tire. The tire should feel firm and not too squishy. You can also put your weight on the bike and look at the tire. Does it look low? Is the rim close to the ground? If so, add air!

If you need a little help on pumping up your tires, our post/video on using a pump will help.

B Is For Brakes

Squeeze your front and then your rear brake lever to make sure they are working properly. If your levers are pulling to the bar, or they aren’t engaging the brakes, then it’s time to service them.

You could also take a quick spin around the parking lot or driveway. Pick a couple of obstacles and try to stop before you get to them. It’s better to discover that your brakes aren’t working well while you’re still close to home or to your car, then out on the trail or open road.

C is For Chain

Is your chain cleaned and lubed? If not, make sure to give it a quick wipe down and lube before you take off.

I like to wipe and lube my chain before every ride and give it a deeper cleaning once a month (or more often if riding in muddy or dirty conditions).

Bonus: Quick-Releases

In addition to the ABCs, I think you should also always check your quick-releases. If you have quick-release skewers on your wheels, make sure they are tightened and firmly closed.

It’s also not a bad idea to check the quick-release on your seatpost collar. There’s nothing worse than having your seat slowly sink downward.

Learn The Parts Of A Bicycle

When learning to work on your bike, the first place to start is learning the names of all of the parts of your bicycle. It’s a heck of a lot easier pulling up a YouTube tutorial when you know what to call that “thing-a-ma-bob.”

Bike Maintenance Tasks You Should Learn

Tasks that are bold are things that I believe you should learn right away. All other items can be learned over time as you gain experience and confidence.

Tires

• Check your tire pressure
• Pump up a tire
• Fix a flat
• Add sealant (if running tubeless tires)
• Use a tubeless plug (if running tubeless tires)
• Replace worn tires

Wheels

• Check your wheel for loose spokes
• True & tension wheels

Brakes

• Check pads for wear
• Change brake pads
• Bleed brakes (if hydraulic)
• Replace cables & housing

Drivetrain

• Clean your drivetrain and lube your chain *
• Inspect & tighten crankset
• Check your chain for wear
• Fix a broken chain
• Replace a chain
• Replace a cassette
• Replace chain rings
• Replace cables & housing
• Replace a bottom bracket

Fork And Shock (On Mountain Bikes)

• Set and adjust air pressure *
• Service suspension seals
• Clean and grease suspension pivots
• Replace shock oil

Other

• Replace grips or bar tape
• Check and tighten bolts *
• Service dropper post (on mountain bike)
• Add, replace, or swap out pedals *

Bike Maintenance Classes And Clinics

One of the best ways to learn bicycle maintenance is directly from a professional. You can do this by taking a class or clinic.

I’ve listed some popular classes below, but chances are a local bike shop or continuing education organization near you offers classes as well. We recommend reaching out to your local womens bike club or organization to ask if they know of any classes.

You can also try googling “bike maintenance class near me.”

• REI bike maintenance classes (all over the U.S.)
• Park Tool School (all over)
• United Bicycle Institute (Ashland, Oregon – worth traveling to)

Bike Maintenance Videos

If you can’t go to an in-person bike maintenance clinic, then the next best thing is watching YouTube videos. Of course, you can always just do a Youtube search for the skill you want to learn, but here are some of our go-to channels:

• Femme Cyclist (that’s us!)
• Park Tool
• Bike Shop Girl

Books And Other Resources

Years ago (before the internet was a helpful resource), I learned everything I know about bike maintenance by reading books. Here are a couple of invaluable ones.

• Zinn And The Art Of Mountain Bike Maintenance*
• Zinn And The Art Of Road Bike Maintenance*
• Park Tool Big Blue Book Of Bicycle Maintenance*

Bike Tools You Should Have On Hand

It’s time to start building your arsenal of bike tools. There are a couple of ways to do this.

You can go ahead and buy a pre-made kit, but that can be spendy. Another option is just to buy tools as you go, and over time you’ll amass quite the collection.

Basic Tools To Get Started

At a minimum we recommended having these basic tools.

• Allen wrench set
• Chain lube and cleaner
• Chain brush (or toothbrush)
• Rags (you can use old t-shirts)
• Tire levers (do yourself a favor and invest in steel-core ones)
• Spare tube(s)
• Tube patch kit
• Floor pump with gauge
• Pedal wrench
• Work stand (ok, this one isn’t mandatory but it sure makes life a lot easier)
• Shock pump (if you have a mountain bike)
• Grease

Tools To Collect With Time

• Crescent wrenches (6 to 12mm)
• Needle-nose pliers
• Bleed kit and oil (if you have hydraulic disc brakes, specific to your brand)
• Rotor truing tool
• Torque wrench
• Screwdrivers (multiple sizes of flat-head and Phillips)
• Cable cutters
• Chain tool
• Chain pliers
• Chain wear indicator gauge
• Cassette lockring remover
• Chain whip
• Crank puller (make sure to get the right one for your bike)
• Bottom bracket tool (make sure to get the right one for your bike)
• Truing stand
• Cone wrenches (13, 15, and 17mm)
• Spoke wrench
• Spoke tension gauge
• Dish tool
• Air compressor
• Derailleur alignment gauge

On The Bike Toolkit

You can’t take all the tools from your garage on every ride, but you can build a comprehensive tool kit to take with you on the bike. This should include items like a mini pump, multi-tool, spare tube, tire levers, and more. Read my article on how to build a comprehensive on the bike tool kit for a full list.

More Stuff You Might Like

• Our How-To Guides and Tips
• 19 Different Types of Bikes And How to Pick The Best For You
• Suspension Set Up And Maintenance With Faith Mata From Jenson USA

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