Saturday, August 06, 2011

Midsummer's Night Bike Maintenance


After a long first half of the riding season and with the cool fall rides to come, my Puck has come to put the bikes back to rights.

Regular maintenance requires some regular tools and this time, rather than hang the bikes off the back-of-the-car bike rack we thought it time to get a Home Mechanic Repair Stand. For reference, Puck uses the Park Tool BBB-2 The Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair - 2nd Edition. He's not sure if he needs the Park Tool Advanced Mechanic Tool Kit, seems like it'd be better just to buy the tools we need, when we need them. Of course I already have the  Park Pedal Wrench (which has been to Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg), a Chain Tool , a spoke wrench and the ubiquitous, ever-useful Muli-tool. What more could you need? (oh, Puck says you also need Tire Levers)

And while Puck is busy fixing, I'm just going to buy things. Like a new set of Time Iclic Cleats. I love the Time i-Clic Pedal. They are really easy to get in and out of and give just the right amount of play. The cleats however, wear down really fast. I try not to walk in them too much but after a little over a year, it is well past time to replace them.

If we the bike professional have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you may ride your bike so dear
But until thou does repair it, it is clear
That all between you and machine
May appear no more than a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend:
if you pardon, we will mend:
And, as he is an honest Puck,
The bike will run years more with luck.

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