Category Archives: Bike Maintenance & Repair

Maintenance, repairs, and DIY hacks to keep your bike happy and healthy.

Bar(con) Talk: A Harrowing Tale of Bar-End Shifter Corrosion by Tamia Nelson

Some things look worse — far worse — the closer you look at them. That’s the case with bar-end (or barcon) corrosion. The scourge of bar-end corrosion can happen to anyone, even to cyclists who are diligent about keeping their bikes in fine working order. It’s happened to Tamia’s Surly Long Haul Trucker. And it’s been found on a Soma Smoothie built by a mechanic friend of hers. Has it happened to your bike? You’d better check. Today. Because the consequences of not nipping bar-end corrosion in the bud can make you feel faint.
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by Tamia Nelson | December 3, 2017

I discovered the scourge of bar-end shifter corrosion when my Surly Long Haul Trucker was almost six years old, and with over 18000 miles on the clock. She’s — I named her Petra, and it suits her; she’s really been a rock — she’s my maid of all work for most everything from shopping to “amphibious” trekking. She’s held up well, despite the fact that a lot of the roads in my corner of the North Country are paved … Continue reading »

A Kickstand Support Keeps Your Bike Upstanding and It’s Absolutely Free!

Road shoulders aren’t always wide and paved. More often than not, the verge is adrift with sand, loose gravel, or unconsolidated soil. This doesn’t bode well for cyclists who use a kickstand to keep their bike upright when they pull off the travel lane to get off the bike. Why? Because you may walk away from your parked bike only to hear it topple over before you’re more than a few steps away. Luckily, there’s an easy way to prevent the slow subsidence that sometimes topples our bikes: the kickstand support. Tamia tells you how.
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by Tamia Nelson | August 11, 2017

Are you tired of having your bike’s kickstand sink into sand or slide sideways in gravel? Here’s an easy solution to this common problem, one that weighs very little and costs absolutely nothing — a stout metal jar lid. Almost any lid will do, though a wide lid works better than a narrow one.

The principle is simple. The lid spreads out the load, providing a stable base of support for the kickstand leg … Continue reading »

Fenders Good. Fenders Plus Mudflaps Better!

Winter’s lease is up. It’s spring — mud-lucious and puddle-wonderful spring. Do you have mudflaps on your fenders?
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by Tamia Nelson | April 25, 2015

To twist the words of a well-known scribbler, winter’s lease hath far too long a date. But the term of that lease is drawing to a close — at last — and spring showers are now washing away the winter’s snows. Does the rain dampen my spirits? Not a bit. That’s what fenders are for!

Rainy Day

OK. Fenders are good. But a fender with a mudflap is better. Much better. In fact, if you often ride as part of a pack, you’ll want to add mudflaps to both fenders, out of consideration for whoever ends up on your wheel. Making mudflaps is easy, and the cost is negligible. All you need is a one-liter soft drink bottle for each fender, along with a few other household items and tools. Your bike won’t win any beauty contests, but it’ll be a cleaner machine forevermore. And you’ll stay cleaner, too.

There's a Flap On!

Verloren Hoop Colophon - (c) and TM Tamia Nelson/Verloren Hoop Productions… Continue reading »

The Open Road Is Calling You… But Spring-Clean Your Bike First!

The call of the open road should never be ignored, but it pays to make sure your bike is ready.
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by Tamia Nelson | April 7, 2015

Summer sportsmen* and sunshine cyclists beware. The roads may be losing their winter garnish of snow and ice, but you don’t want to be in too much of a hurry to hop onto the saddle. If your bike has spent the last few months hanging around in your garage or cellar, it pays to take an hour or two to make sure it’s ready for the road.

In short, it’s time to spring-clean your bike. Now here’s a checklist to start you off:

  • Give your bike a complete going-over. Fix any mechanical problems you discover, and…
  • Pay special attention to the chain and drivetrain; clean it if necessary.
  • Give your bike a wash, or at least wipe it down.
  • Inspect the tires and bring their pressure up to the recommended PSI.
  • Lube all moving parts.
  • Take an inventory of the tools in your seat pack or saddle bag,
… Continue reading »