Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on March 27, 2016 at 7:53am

More basic safety and maintenance tips to restart the season.

http://m.wikihow.com/Perform-a-Daily-Bike-Safety-and-Maintenance-Check

Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on March 27, 2016 at 8:48am

A few thoughts...

I know this is a well-intended article and some of the advice is solid, there are a number of items I disagree with. I think that points to a larger piece of advice I have - be careful about the advice you receive when searching the Internet. I don't know that I would look to Chicagoist for bike maintainence tips. I don't know who Michael Una is or what qualifies him to provide the advice. I'd avoid this article if you are looking for advice. Instead, go sign up for a class at The Recyclery or West Town Bikes. And bring your bike in for a tune-up every year. Some of this article concerns me so I checked out his profile and it looks like he is a digital professional who likes to ride his bike. So here are a few thoughts in answer to the article...

1. Seat height - please don't go adjusting and readjusting your bike to fit you, hoping it won't hurt. If you are going to spend a lot of time on the bike, please go make the small investment and get a bike fit. It's completely worth it. When I bought my road bike and knew I would do a lot of miles, I had my bike fit as part of the purchase. For the thousands of miles I've put in on my bikes, bike fit has never been an issue for me. I don't know how Michael can tell you about your saddle height and bike fit when he's never measured you. When people eyeball to tell you a bike does or doesn't fit, while it's easy to spot someone who's fit is REALLY off, that's not necessarily accurate for fine-tuning.

2. Brakes  - this will be included in a tune-up. I have some bikes with disc brakes so I'll take them in occasionally to have them maintained at the LBS by a professional. 

3. Tire Pressure - Michael advises, "You will need to do this at least once a month." with regards to tire inflation and doesn't seem too bothered to own a pump with a gauge. We recommend buying a bike pump that has a gauge - preferably also have one small enough to carry with you along with a patch kit and extra tubes in case you have a flat. The bummer about flats is that they usually happen a mile or more away from the closest bike shop. Or at least that's what's always happened to me. I'd also recommend checking tire pressure far more frequently than once a month. Some times don't hold their air as well as others. High-pressure road tires tend to need to be checked fairly often - especially if you are doing longer rides (30-100 miles). 

Brett (Chainlink) just did an article, 15 Things You Need On Your Commuter Bike I'd recommend reading.

4. As Andy said, do NOT use WD-40 for your bike. Get chain lube from your LBS and talk to them about what you should buy.

5. Locking your bike - please don't lock your bike like the guy in the pic unless you want your front fork to scratched up on the pavement. Being a non-trusting sort of person, I wouldn't leave my water bottle and helmet with the bike either. I recommend reading Chainlink's, How Do You Prevent Your Bike From Getting Stolen. 

Ok, the rest of it I have less worrisome concerns. There's something to be said about your LBS being your friend. Find one you feel good about, one you can trust. I've had good, solid experiences with Comrade, Johnny Sprockets, Turin, and On The Route (OTR even gave me a reminder course in fix-a-flat). I am sure there are lots more out there that are great. If you are searching for one, ask around (here on Chainlink or your local bikey friends). Chicago LBS mechanics usually bike commute, love their bikes, and a lot of them race so they tend have lots of great ideas of what works/what doesn't. 

Permalink Reply by Paul Lazzaro on March 27, 2016 at 10:53am

I think the bike adjustment/maintenance tips are pretty worthless.  OTOH, the advice at the end of the article to follow the rules of the road, and take it down a notch rather than being in an insane hurry, is great for cyclists and even more so for drivers.

Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on March 28, 2016 at 3:26am

Agree. There is some good advice with regards to commuting.

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on March 27, 2016 at 6:50pm

http://bicycling.about.com/od/howtoride/ss/Frame_size.htm

This is an article that I feel is 'worthwhile' in understanding how to fit a bike for an individual cyclist.

The intention of this post was to be a basic information community builder for the hopeful purpose of encouraging beginners and casual cyclists a better understanding of the nuances of bicycle fitting so they would progress and enjoy their time cycling.

Yes, of course, ideally a professional fitting consultation should/could yield the best results with a bike fitting. And yes, the best and safest way is to have your bike checked out at your LBS(local bike shop). Also, if it is okay for me here to again give some worthwhile advice and make a suggestion on choosing a LBS, I would recommend seeing Jesse at Comrade or Michael at West Town.

Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on March 28, 2016 at 3:30am

It's always good to post articles because this forum is really meant to be a discussion. I do worry about articles that give advice that's off-base because someone new to cycling may or may not know the difference. I think it's great to chime in with who you recommend for an LBS.