Bike repair for dummies

Melanie Kramers

02 June 2011

I started cycling to work last summer after nearly a decade without getting on a bike. It's been a steep learning curve.

My road safety has come a long way since a bus driver yelled 'Go and read the Highway Code!' at me in my first wobbly week.

I've got over my bike theft paranoia and happily leave my trusty steed shackled to lampposts around London.

And I've figured out the optimum skirt-length for pedaling - neither flasher short nor so long it gets stuck in the oily spokes.

But I've managed to maintain a near total ignorance of how the bike itself works.

Yes, annoying punctures have brought me to a halt. But I've either been handily opposite a cycle shop or walked all the way home. I've now upgraded to puncture-proof tyres, deciding prevention is better than cure.

When my bike began making alarming rattling noises, a kind work friend helped me with some general maintenance (thanks Neil).

I think he enjoyed the chance to show off his array of different-sized Allen keys. But I'm a bit embarrassed about my lack of repair skills.

Bike DIY boot camp

So I'm testing the waters of cycle DIY, with the help of this new Bike Repair Manual.

I'll admit, its talk of 'bottom brackets' made me snigger. But a troubleshooting section outlines common problems and solutions in clear, non-patronising terms. And helpful step-by-step photos show you exactly what to do.

Cleaning the chain with 'Clean Chain', an ecological degreaser, was much easier and less messy than I'd imagined. And if my puncture-proof tyres let me down, I reckon I could now handle replacing the inner tube.

I'm getting back on my bike with grubbier hands but more confidence. If all goes well, I might even sign up for a leg of our London-Edinburgh cycle challenge next year.

But at the very least, I'm road-ready for a summer of city cycling.

Melanie Kramers, Communications and Media Officer

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