Secrets of Bicycle Home Mechanics

We all know going to the bike shop for repairs can be troublesome. But it could be even more troublesome if the repairs are minor ones. Instead of going to the bike shop and letting them charge you handsomely for a 5-minute job, why don't you prepare for these small repairs at the first place?

These items are often called the necessities of cycling. This is because sooner or later, you will need to use them during your rides, making them essential and very handy to use at dire times.

Cables for your brake and shifter

These are the bare essentials. You can have all the tools in the world. But without the "raw material" like cables, a repair work simply cannot be performed at all. A good amount of length is to bring at least wire that is 5 feet long.

End caps for the cable

This is used for covering the cable at its ends. The item looks like a cap, of course. Usually, you can purchase them in large quantities for very low price. They are like screws which can be purchased in bulk as they are small.

Chains

You must keep a supply of at least one long chain at home. You will never know when your current chain will give in and snap.

Oil for your fork

For this purpose, you need to know what type of weight oil for your fork. Different forks need different oil. For oil types, there are the low and high viscosity types. You might want to experiment with different oil viscosities here.

Inner tubes

They are cheap and yet very important. As a bonus tip, you should buy them in bulk to save your money. A punctured tube is always prevalent in every long distance cycling trip.

Strips for your rims

Strips can break over time. When they do, you will often get a flat tire. Rather than letting it happen, you should prevent a flat tire problem by replacing these rubber strips for your rims.

Sand paper

You will need this for giving the new life for your brake pads. Other usage includes removing rust that occurs from rain for your metal parts of the bike. If you ever need something more harsh, then go for the steel wool.

Tires

Keeping spare tires is obvious. You should always have one in your garage to save yourself from going to the shop.

Keeping these spare parts are essential for your bike rides. Imagine you are going for a competition tomorrow morning and you discovered your bike developed some problems the night before. But all bike stores are already closed. This is where keeping these items at your home garage is handy.