Inquiry #6 – Bike Maintenance
This week I decided to delve into the world of bike maintenance. If I am planning on going on any sort of bike adventure, I think it would be responsible to learn how to take care of my bike. It also came at a good time, because I was having shifting issues and my gears sounded really crunchy. Since this is the nicest bike I’ve ever had, and the owner before me took great care of it, I am determined to do the same and prolong its life for as long as I can.
My existing bike trouble shooting knowledge basically stops at putting the chain back on and pumping up the tires. My dad taught me how to replace a tube when I was young, so somewhere way in the depths of my brain is a vague memory of doing that. So, I hung my bike up in the garage and tried my best.
It makes sense why people have bike stands….. the free floating method was annoying, ineffective, and overall quite silly. I tried to brace it against my leg but was unsuccessful. I ended up flipping it upside down like my dad showed me when I was young, I was just trying to avoid any wear on the handlebars/shifters.
Now, from my previous biking experience and being around people who really like bikes (my brother, friends, dad, etc.) I know that a shifting issue is most likely a derailleur tension issue. That being said, I don’t really know how to fix it. I knew that I was having issues shifting into my lowest gears, and at other times it sounded very rough and like I was in between gears. While my bike was suspended, I pedalled forward and shifted through the gears, trying to figure out where the issue was. I started spinning the barrel adjuster on the derailleur to change the cable tension, and could get the clunking to stop but couldn’t figure out how to allow the whole spectrum of shifting. It is finicky, and I was worried I was putting it even more out of whack.
This video was really helpful and clearly explained. But for some reason I still couldn’t get it to the right spot. I started worrying. “Am I messing this up even more?” “Is this bad for the gears?” “What do I do now?”
Luckily, the aforementioned bike friends are very nice people and willing to help with any issues I seem to have. I loaded my bike into my van, drove it over to my friend’s place, and he took a look (on his beautiful, stable bike stand, might I add). I was in fact barking up the right tree! It was the derailleur tension! And the barrel adjuster was the appropriate fix! I just wasn’t quite able to finesse it. He fixed my bike in 5 minutes whereas I spent an hour the night before trying to find the sweet spot. Its really great to have knowledgable friends who are willing to help.
And the best part is that now I know how to fix it the next time! I am sure I will need to fine tune my gears sometime in the future, and am confident I can do so now. I will add it to my repertoire of skills.
There are some bike maintenance class options that would be super helpful! Recylistas offers one that could be awesome. There are lots more offered in Vancouver, but not as many in Victoria. I also find that the majority of shops I go into have really helpful staff, and are willing to give you a few tips.
I found this “Pre Bike Packing Maintenance” checklist from trusty bikepacking.com and think its a great resource. I will definitely try to do this (and ask my friends for help) before my trip.
I remember adjusting my derailleur (bike upside down – I didn’t care about scuffing things as it was well used). It was not easy, and even if I thought it was good, when I started riding, it was not quite where I wanted it. So, I learned to fine-tune slightly, jump and check again. It is tricky, but once you get the hang of it – all is good.