Tag: maintenance
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Tire Sealant, Love, and Other Things That Dry Up Too Soon
I had a puncture the other day. A nasty one. The kind that makes you reconsider your life choices. Turns out, my tire sealant had dried up like my last relationship—three months in and suddenly, nothing left. So there I was, on the side of the trail, swearing at my bike, at the sealant, at…
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Tips for Preventing Front Mech Chain Rubbing
You’ve tried everything, haven’t you? Adjusted the derailleur a thousand times, twisted the screws, even played around with the trim feature. But that pesky chain rub on your front mech is still there, mocking you. It’s like a bad joke you can’t escape, no matter how hard you pedal. Sounds familiar, right? It’s like trying…
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Why Having a Chain Breaker on Your Multi-tool Is Essential
I once knew a guy who thought he was invincible. Rode his gravel bike everywhere, through mud, over rocks, into places where the sun forgot to shine. He had legs like tree trunks and lungs like a furnace, but he didn’t have a chain breaker. One day, deep in the woods, his chain snapped. No…
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Broken Tip of a Presta Valve? Do This.
So there you are, standing in your garage, staring at your bike like it’s a disloyal dog that bit you. The tip of your Presta valve just snapped off, and you’ve got that sinking feeling in your stomach. It’s like when you were young, you bent your mom’s favorite spoon out of sheer curiosity, and…
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Your Bike Was In Sleep Mode For a Year (Do This Before Taking It Out)
Ever let your bike hibernate for a year? It’s like sending it off to a mental health retreat for a break, and now you’re back, ready to take it out for a spin. But hold up. You can’t just hop on and hope it works like it did last time. No, no. That bike’s been…
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I Wouldn’t Get a Bike Tune-Up Before Selling a Bike
You ever wonder why we do things that don’t make sense? The whole “getting a tune-up before selling the bike” thing is one of them. It’s like buying a brand new suit for a second-hand clothes sale. It’s overkill. I don’t know if it’s about impressing someone or some weird sense of responsibility. I bought…
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Truing Stand Investment: Essential or Overkill for Your Mileage?
You’ve been riding hard. Your legs ache, your chain hums, and your wheels spin true—until they don’t. One day, there’s a wobble, a shimmy, a betrayal from the machine you trusted. You could take it to a shop, but that means parting with your bike and your cash. Or you could get a truing stand.…
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The Case for Chain Protectors on Road Bikes (and Hybrids)
I see you, road bike purists. You, with your sleek machines, your marginal gains, your $300 bib shorts that make you feel like a superhero on two wheels. Chain protectors? Pfft. That’s for mountain bikers and people who keep training wheels on until they’re nine. But let me tell you something. You ever hear the…
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The Decline of Tubular Tires in Road Cycling as Tubeless Technology Takes Over
Once upon a time, there was a tire. Not just any tire, but a tire made for kings—tubulars. It gripped the road with the ferocity of a lion, whispered promises of better performance, and cost a fortune in time and money. But now? Well, let’s just say, things aren’t looking so great for old tubies.…
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The Risks and Fixes for an Over-Tightened Thru Axle
You went for a ride. The road was smooth, the wind was at your back, life was good. Then you got home, tried to take off your wheel, and—nothing. Your thru axle won’t budge. It’s stuck like an old man in a broken lawn chair. You pull. You twist. You curse the bike shop, the…