Mechanics and maintenance

Bicycle maintenance

A bike's longevity, safety and reliability depend in part on regular maintenance. Maintaining your bike doesn't take much time. As long as the bike's general condition seems okay, a simple routine check is all that's needed.

Cleaning, lubrication and vigilance. Clean your bike regularly, especially after your rides. You can do this with rags, sponges, brushes and elbow grease. Use a dry cloth or brushes to scrub the parts to be cleaned. Frame, wheels and chain can also be cleaned with soap and water, remembering to rinse and dry any wet parts thoroughly, to prevent premature damage to your bike. Once clean, grease the chain so that it runs smoothly and shifts gears without a hitch. A well-maintained chain lasts five times longer. To clean your chain ecologically - and economically - there's nothing better than a brush or toothbrush to which you can add white vinegar. You can also use a toothbrush to grease the chain, or place a drop on each link to prevent excess oil. A chain that "sings" or remains dry should alert you. Cable components (brakes and derailleurs) should be lubricated regularly. In general, be alert to any discomfort or noise that may indicate a malfunction, and don't hesitate to contact a specialist (repair shop) for advice.

Tire inflation. Maintenance also involves checking and inflating tires. As a general rule, tire wear is fairly easy to determine, since the signs of deterioration are generally visible. If your tire is torn or split and you can see the inner tube, don't wait to change it, as the risk of a puncture is maximum. To check normal tire wear, look at the overall condition of the tire, such as the sidewalls. Run your finger along the bottom of the tire, and if it crumbles, it's worn. You can also lift the tire to examine its condition under the wheel. In some cases, you may be in for a nasty surprise. To obtain the correct tire pressure, take note of the indication on the side of the tire, which mentions a pressure interval, measured in PSI or Bars. Pressure depends on the type of terrain, the weather and the rider's weight. For road and city bikes, we recommend inflating tires to between 6 and 8 bars max. All you need is a suitable pump with built-in meter to administer the correct pressure. If you don't have one, you can inflate your tires at one of the bicycle inflation stations that can be found along some cycle paths, or at a bike shop.

Bike storage. A few other tips to help you enjoy your bike for as long as possible: it's essential to keep your bike away from water and sunlight. Water is your bike's worst enemy. It seeps in everywhere and destroys everything in its path. The best thing to do is to wipe it down quickly with an old rag after coming back from a shower. As for the sun, it prematurely damages tires. So it's best to protect your bike from the sun, if you don't want to end up with a puncture.

Safety and environmental precautions. Safety starts with you. You'll be advised to wear protective clothing that won't get dirty: gloves, gown, with a spot of water and soap (and possibly coffee grounds) nearby to clean your hands. It's best to carry out maintenance in a well-ventilated area, keeping the workshop clean and storing products and tools. And don't forget, when servicing your bike, to protect the floor from drips. One liter of oil can pollute a km² of water. Used oil and certain products (check labels) are special waste: contact your local waste disposal center or waste collection service to find out how to dispose of them. Don't forget to store your products and waste in rainproof, watertight containers, and label them.

Mechanics: some repair elements

Repairing your bike isn't always easy, but it's always a good idea to know a few basics. It'll save you money, and make you confident and self-reliant when it comes to cycling.

Repairing a flat tire

A puncture is the most common incident that can happen to a bicycle, and without doubt the most annoying. Repairing a puncture can take from 15 minutes to several hours, depending on your mechanical experience. First of all, you need to find the puncture, which means dismounting the tire and the tube from the rim. Here's a three-step guide to dismounting a tire:

Step 1: remove the wheel from the bike and deflate the tire by pressing on the little pin in the middle of the valve. There's no need to wait until the tire is completely deflated; if it's soft, that's enough.

Step 2: Remove the tire from the wheel. To do this, first press inwards on the tire's sidewalls. The tire simply pulls away from the sidewalls, where you can insert the tire levers between the tire and the rim at different points. You use them as levers to pull the tire out of the rim rails. Be careful not to pinch the inner tube!

Step 3: Once the tire is off the rim, simply remove the inner tube from the tire. Once you've done this, inflate the tube slightly, letting in a hiss of air to find the hole. If the puncture is very slight and doesn't hiss, simply dip the slightly inflated inner tube in water (or use saliva with your finger, if there's no water): air bubbles come out of the hole. The aim is to prepare the patch for fitting. This is the most delicate operation, and it should be noted that the quality of your repair will depend on this difficult stage! First, using sandpaper, gently sand the inner tube in the area of the hole. It's also advisable to sand the inside of the tire at the puncture point, as a thorn or piece of thorn may still be lodged in the tire and could instantly re-crease the tire. Then apply the glue to the entire surface you've sanded, and place the patch over the hole, pressing it down firmly for a few minutes without letting it slip. Once the patch is in place, re-inflate the tube very slightly to give it a relative stiffness that will allow it to slide more easily into the tire. Finally, use the tire levers as before to push the tire back into the wheel, taking great care not to pinch the inner tube. Once the tube or tire has been changed, inflate the tube to the required pressure (see maintenance section), then tighten the wheel firmly using the quick-release fasteners or nuts. The last operation before replacing the tire and wheel is to check the direction of the tire. Of course, most tires have a direction. This is indicated on the tire by a small arrow marked front/rear.

To carry out the operation, remember to bring a tool kit with you, including a puncture kit (provided by the bike rental company): hand pump, tire iron, patches, glue, scraper, wrenches, pliers, multi-tool and cloth.

Tip in the event of a puncture: use a spare inner tube and repair the damaged one (patching) in the evening, in a quiet place, once your bike ride is over.

Chain damage

When you ride, you often take a puncture repair kit with you, but rarely enough to repair the chain. It's true, the incident is rarer, but just as penalizing. Especially since the tools are simple and light: a chain rivet is enough. If the chain is broken, it is not necessary to change it. The chain can be repaired by removing the torque from the broken link. The chain will be shorter, but unless the chain has been previously shortened, this will have no effect. It is not possible to install or remove a chain from a bike without opening it. This is because the chain runs around the right rear chainstay. To determine the length of a chain, copy over the old chain, counting the number of links, as the length may be different if the old chain is worn out (lengthened over time). Then, temporarily install the chain on the bike by passing it over the large sprocket and the large chainring. The derailleur clevis should not be too tight or too loose. Remove the excess links.

Repair workshops and self-help networks

We recommend community-based repair workshops, where, for an annual fee (€30 on average), you can learn how to maintain and repair your bike. You can also learn on your own, with the help of books or tutorials. And don't forget the people around you: family, friends, colleagues. Occasionally, workshops, maintenance courses or mechanics courses can be organized (by associations, local authorities, bike shops) or during cycling events. If you're not mechanically inclined and don't like to get your hands dirty, you can always outsource this service. Bike shops are professionals who repair bicycles. Don't hesitate to entrust your bike to them. Some local authorities have also set up repair workshops as part of their bicycle systems, often in strategic locations such as railway stations.

For further information: wiklou.org, www.heureux-cyclage.org