Day 20: Bike Maintenance and Repair

    On a recent ride with Gris i noticed that my front brake was dragging. We had pulled over to catch our breath, so it was a perfect time to talk bike and problem solve. Speaking like we knew what the hell we were doing, we decided it was the brake pad that needed to be repositioned. Not having the right sized allen wrench, we conclude it really wasn't a safety concern, and continued on our ride. Now for some the idea of repairing your bike is a scary one. The mechanics of all those gears, levers, cables, chain, and wheels can be over whelming! Oh lord, what if I don't tighten a bolt right, I may find myself screaming down a hill with no brakes! For me I found the experience to be rewarding and strangely relaxing?!
    There are so many video tutorials online that you can learn to do just about anything! Bike repair included. Just type in what you want to learn and go. Tools on the other hand is something that you will have to invest in. I had bought a more bike specific multi-tool from amazon (Crank Brothers 17 function) which now lives in my backpack, along with a spare tube, small pump, tire lever set, and a basic first aide kit. Like photo equipment, throw bike on the label and people feel like they can charge up the butt for it. So my advice:


*Never pay full price. Shop around do your research. (price point has great deals on tubes)
*Never force something tight. You will strip the threading of what ever you're working on.
*Prepare to get your hands dirty and or fork fluid in your hair.
*Don't be afraid to take something apart. worst case go to your bike shop and have them put it back together. If you end up doing that ask question, learn from your mistakes.


    For me fixing my brake pad was easy and I ended up learning a bunch from the tutorial I watched. I even adjusted the timing of my breaks, so I didn't have to squeeze so much on the lever to engage the brakes! It was vary zen to work on my bike, listen to the birds, and drink my coffee. I highly recommend it.