Bike Maintenance

The single most important cycling skill. Get stranded with a flat and no repair kit, and you're walking home. Practice at home before you need to do it roadside in the rain.

Spongy brakes, rubbing pads, or levers that pull to the bars, all fixable in minutes. Covers rim brakes (caliper and V-brake) and a basic disc brake pad check.

A clean, lubed chain is the single biggest factor in how long your drivetrain lasts. A dirty chain wears out chainrings and cassettes prematurely, components that cost £50-150 to replace. 15 minutes of care saves hundreds.

Skipping gears, chain falling off, or noisy shifting? Usually just cable tension. The barrel adjuster on your rear derailleur is the magic dial, quarter turns solve most problems. (Fixie riders: skip this one, you've transcended gears.)

The right pressure transforms your ride, too high and you bounce off every crack, too low and you get pinch flats and sluggish handling. Check before every ride. It takes 30 seconds.

A monthly clean keeps your bike running smoothly, reveals problems before they strand you, and extends the life of every component. It's also oddly satisfying.