Life In The Saddle

You have started cycling and have your first proper bike. As with many a new toy though, there are a few niggling problems—such as skipping gears, misaligned handlebars, or annoying punctures. You will need some home bicycle workshop tools—to avoid making a trip to the local bike shop every five minutes. These are your workbench essentials. Before getting on to the tools themselves, it is worth mentioning a good maintenance book—so that you have a reference point before getting to work. I have the Park Tool Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair —an in-depth tutorial of all the jobs you are likely to attempt, as well as lots of colour photos. Another excellent choice is Leonard Zinn's Art of Road Bike Maintenance and Leonard Zinn's Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance books. Make sure you know what are taking on, before you start work. In this post, I outline my recommendations for a starter bicycle maintenance tool kit. These are the kind of tools that every cyclist should have ...

We have all had that sinking feeling. Flat tyres are something you accept with bike riding, but there are several ways to prevent and reduce the chance of a puncture on a bicycle tyre. Whether you are running tubeless tyres or an inner tube there is still a risk of a puncture, and several ways to repair a flat. This blog post considers 7 Tips for preventing, fixing, and repairing a bicycle puncture on all kinds of wheel setups. Prevent Punctures – Tyre Choice The single most influential factor in preventing a bicycle puncture is your choice of tyre. Not all bicycle tyres are made equal. Most confusingly, even those with the same name are often not of an equal quality level. Some tyres feature inbuilt puncture protection belts made of Kevlar or a similar fibre—these help to avoid penetration of the tyre and puncturing of the inner tube. When looking at tyre reviews and choices, look out for those tyres with inbuilt puncture protection. It is worth noting that when you bu...

Winter, summer, off-road, on-road, gravel, mud, rain, and heat… all these things can affect the best choice of bicycle chain lube for your type of riding, in addition of course to your budget. So, what is the difference between wet lubricants and dry lubricants? What is Hydrodynamic lubrication? Are Ceramic lubricants an appropriate choice? I try and answer these maintenance questions… What Is Chain Lubrication For? Before getting into the details of types of bike chain lubrication, it is worth considering what exactly chain lubrication does. Principally, it reduces the level of friction by creating a layer of lubrication between the chain rollers and plates; it is what prevents that horrible grinding and squeaking sound that you get with an unlubricated chain—a sound that is predictably highly inefficient. However, chain lubricant adds an element of inefficiency itself, called 'stiction'. Stiction is the stickiness factor that chain lube creates; the feeling you would have tr...

Riding is tough on bikes… sand and mud grind away at components; water washes away grease and lubricants; road salt eats metal parts. The only solution is regular bike cleaning. Your wallet and your sanity will thank you for it in the long term—components will last longer, and your bike is less likely to adopt squeaks, creaks, and groans. This step-by-step bicycle cleaning and lubricating routine will help keep your bike in top condition. 1 – Drivetrain Degrease First of all, remove the worst dirt and grime—the dried on chain lube that holds grit and salt. - Use a spray-on degreaser: spraying the whole length of the chain, the chainrings, cassette, and jockey wheels. - Leave for a few minutes and then agitate all areas with a claw brush or old toothbrush - Thoroughly rinse all degreaser from the chain and components 2 – Wheels and Tyres Next, clean the mud and brake dust from the wheels and tyres. - Spray bike cleaner onto the wheels and disc brake rotors - Using a ...

Do not underestimate the benefits of bike cleaning. Your ride will not only look better; it will also be more efficient, quieter, safer; and parts will last much longer, after a good cleaning session. A bike clean may take 30 minutes of your time; but it will save you money and costly mechanicals in the long run. Juice Lubes is a UK-based company that make some of the best bike cleaners on the market. With the autumn weather bringing back mucky trails and debris-strewn roads, I decided to look at their current bike cleaner range… For a step by step guide to cleaning your bike, check out my post: ' The Ultimate Bike Cleaning Routine ' Key components of the cleaning process are the brushes, chain-bath, degreaser, and bike frame cleaner that you use.  This is the Juice Lubes offering:  Dirt Juice No Nonsense Bike Cleaner Dirt Juice BOSS Chain Cleaner Dirty Little Scrubber Chain Cleaner Big Softy Soft Wash Frame Brush Double-Ender Two Prong Brush Stiffler Drivetrain Brush...

In my Workshop Focus series, I have so far considered Essential Workbench Tools  and Intermediate Workshop Tools ; in this post things get advanced—with wheel truing and building. It took me quite a while to pluck up the courage to give wheel truing/balancing and then wheel building a go; they are certainly two tasks that take quite a bit of time and skill. As with most workshop jobs though, wheel tuning is something that is far easier with quality tools. With this in mind, I opted for the Feedback Sports Pro Truing Stand and the Master Wheel Building Kit from Unior Tools .  The Feedback Sports Pro Truing Stand Wheel building is an art, yet the Feedback Sports Pro Truing Stand is almost a work of art in itself.  I developed a bit of a lust for this anodised red stand the moment I set eyes on it. The quality, durability and performance of the products from the American brand Feedback Sports are second to none. The Pro Truing Stand has a unique ...

In my first  Home Workshop  blog piece, I wrote about  Essential Workbench Tools  that every bike mechanic should have; whether you are new to cycling or an experienced home workshop enthusiast. In this second piece, I look at the next set of tools in the spectrum—those required to perform 'intermediate' level maintenance on your bike; such as fitting new cables, cassettes, chains, and bottom brackets. These are recommendations for products that I would add to your wish list as you become more confident at servicing your own bicycle. Workstand – Feedback Sports Sprint Workstand A workstand is a vital investment as you increase your volume of home bike maintenance; it makes jobs far easier and will save your back from constant stooping.  I reviewed the Feedback Sports Sprint Workstand  in 2013, and it has remained in my workshop to this day. It folds up super small, it is made of lightweight non-rusting aluminium, and I am a great fan of...

I must admit that I was sceptical of a 'waterless bike wash'—surely the point of bike washing is to displace the muck rather than smear it across the surface? Readers of my ' Ultimate Bike Cleaning Routine ' will also know the drivetrain degrease and re-lube is by far the most important part of the procedure. Muc-Off's new Waterless High Performance Bike Wash is not aimed at drivetrain cleaning, nor will it wash away debris. But, it does promise 'Cillit Bang style' flash and polish cleaning for your frame. I decided it was worth a test and review. The Muc-Off High Performance Waterless Bike Wash is designed to be a frame cleaner for any type of bicycle; removing dried on residue without the need for water, and leaving a polished surface behind. I was skeptical, but the Muc-Off Waterless Wash is a useful addition to a home bike cleaning kit. If your ride has peppered your frame surface with dust and light soiling, then the Waterless Wash will work its ...

Bike frames, whether made from carbon fibre or steel are surprisingly robust—they can withstand big drops, heavy loads, and the constant pounding of rough terrain. What they do not deal so well with are the stone chips, cable rub, and pinpoint impacts that can occur during everyday use. These are a few simple tricks to help protect your bike frame from damage—helping to prolong its strength and life. Chips and cracks on bike frames and paintwork are most likely to occur in a few select areas. The chainstays and downtube are prime subjects; where chain slap and pebble dash bombard the frame. Luckily, there are a few inexpensive and neat tricks that you can do to protect your bike frame. Chainstay Protection Most people know that the drive-side chainstay on a bike is vulnerable to chain slap—that annoying clacking as you ride over rough surfaces and the chain bounces on the stay. At best it will chip the paint—at worst it could cause more serious frame damage. On any frame it...

A good bicycle multitool is like a Swiss army knife—you do not appreciate what an asset it is until you really need it. The new Pro Bike Tool 17-in-1 Multitool is a compact and lightweight bicycle tool, made to an exacting high-quality standard. A great companion for any ride. Much as you might not appreciate your pocketknife until the moment you need to open that package, or uncork that bottle of wine, or tighten that screw, or gut a fish… A bicycle multitool will often lay unused in a saddlebag or jersey pocket, until that moment that you really need it… When that time arises, you will appreciate having a top-quality tool. Cheaper multitools might round-off bolt heads, rust, or even snap with enough force—leaving you stranded at the side of the road or trail. A quality bicycle multitool will allow you to tighten that bolt, adjust that screw, or fix that chain—getting you back underway as soon as possible. The Pro Bike Tool 17-in-1 Multitool is a strong example of a high-qual...