There's nothing better for your bike's longevity than to take it to a local bike shop for its yearly tune up. Not only do the trained mechanics clean, degrease, relube and adjust parts, but they also check for any dangerous issues like lose bolts or cracks in the frame.
But what about all the other times throughout the year? How can you, yourself, take care of some of the "everyday" issues with your bike without taking it to the shop whenever you hear a creak or a squeak?
Do-it-at-home bike maintenance is easier than you'd think. Many cyclists are often afraid to wrench on their bike due to a lack of knowledge or fear they might make the problem worse, but basic bike maintenance can be surprisingly simple and straightforward.
We gathered some of our favorite online bike maintenance resources that cover just about any issue (or prevent any issue) you might face. These sites include both step-by-step articles and easy-to-understand videos to make at-home bike maintenance more manageable than ever.
Of course, if you're ever unsure if you're doing the right thing, it's always safest to take your bike back to your LBS and have the experts double check your work.
Bicycling.com
You likely already know and love Bicycling for its print magazine and well-written online content. The "bike repair" section of the site is also super engaging and helpful. With headlines like "A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Clean a Bike" and "7 Things You Should Do After You Ride in the Rain," it provides not just in-depth tips for bike maintenance issues but also covers the little things that will keep your bike on the up and up for many miles to come.
Read more, here.
Liv Cycling
Liv, Giant's line of bikes and accessories for women, created an easy-to-navigate site for a wide range of common bike maintenance topics. Are your disc brakes squeaking? Are you not sure how to set up mountain bike suspension? There are videos and article for those issues and plenty more. The videos are quick, easy to digest and are perfect for both beginners who are unfamiliar with the tools and more advanced cyclists who need a bit of a technical refresh.
Read more, here.
Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Technical Info
Strap yourself in, this website is a serious blast from the past! If you've ever Googled a bike-related maintenance issue, Sheldon "Wrench" Brown's site likely showed up in the results. He and his team have compiled a massive knowledge base that includes everything from a bike glossary to do-it-yourself tips that are still as relevant today as they were 20 years ago.
Read more, here.
Bike Forums
Oftentimes, many of the issues you'll come across with your bike are highly specific to your model of bike or groupset. While general how-to articles and videos are a great start, sometimes you'll need to drill down a bit and get your hands dirty on cycling forums. These are great hubs of information compiled through community engagement on a wide range of topics--from MTB to road bike issues and more. If you can't find what you're looking for, create a post and see if anyone has a solution to your issue.
Check out Pinkbike, BikeRadar and Road.cc here.
Park Tool
Park Tool has become a staple in the cycling industry not just for its well-made cycling tools with blue handles but also because the site is a treasure trove of repair help and bike maintenance tips. You're able to search for your specific issue, filter your results based on topics (bottom brackets, for example) or use the "where is the problem?" tool where you use a virtual bike illustration to diagnose the issue. Its content includes pictures and videos (as well as tool suggestions) that make at-home repairs as simple as possible.
Read more, here.
ACTIVE.com
You know we had to not-so-humbly include ourselves on this list! ACTIVE.com is more than a hub of running, cycling and triathlon races and events--our cycling articles have you covered with basic bike maintenance (for example, this video on how to wrap your handlebars), cycling-specific workouts, training tips and more.
If you're looking for something bike maintenance-related and can't find it on our site, let us know in the comments below--we always appreciate new ideas!
Read more, here.
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