Bicycle — community help for cyclists and bike maintenance « Bicycle

How To: Add LED Turn Signals to Your Bike for Safe Road Cycling

In the past few weeks, you've already learned how to make your bike light up at night with some DIY rim lights and handlebar lights. But how about something a little more functional? Instead of using those tedious hand signals (which drivers don't even understand), spruce up your ride with some do-it-yourself LED turn signals.

How To: Make a Super-Simple Smartphone Mount for Your Bike or Motorcycle Using Plastic Clamps

There are plenty of ways to make a camera mount for your car, but what if you don't have a car? If you use a bicycle or motorcycle to get around, you can still take smooth videos with this awesome DIY mount for your iPhone (or any other smartphone) by antoinebugleboy.

How To: Identify vintage bicycles styles

Old bicycles are a great collectible for cyclist lovers everywhere. Learn how to identify vintage bicycles by tires, frames, accessories and more in this free video series from an experienced vintage bike dealer.

How To: Adjust your front brakes

This video tutorial is in the Sports category which will show you how to adjust your front brakes on your bike. The brake pads are very adjustable. It has 360 degrees rotation which helps in installing it on the bike easily. First install the brake arms. Then loosen up the brake pad screw and lower it to bring it in line with the rim of the wheel. Now hold it in place and tighten the screw. Thereafter you can any vertical and horizontal adjustments. You can then repeat the same procedure for ...

How To: Fix squeaky bike brakes

Squeak, squeak, squeak… SQUEAK! How annoying. Squeaky brakes on your bicycle. An idyllic bike ride can quickly be ruined by those squeaky bike brakes. Here’s a checklist of common squeaky brake culprits and how to fix them.

How To: Adjust a rear derailleur using the limit screws

This video explains how to adjust a rear derailleur using the limit screws in a bicycle. There is a limit screw which has low and high gear. When the limit screw is turned in, the pulley moves inboard and when turned out, it moves the other way. The derailleur moves along with the inboard. When turned in, it travels with the inboard and holds the chain. Care should be taken not to turn much deeper as the derailleur might throw the chain off. The viewer will get some useful information upon wa...

How To: Adjust SRAM internal 3 speed hubs on your bike

In this tutorial, learn how to adjust multi-speed internal hubs on your beach bike. This particular video is for SRAM hubs, so make sure you are adjusting the right one. Pete from BeachBikes.com will walk you through everything you need to know to get started with your tune up!

How To: Remove the rear wheel from your bike

Don't know how to take that rear wheel off of your bike? Is the chain making things difficult? Check out this instructional cycling video that demonstrates how to remove your rear wheel if you have to change your bike tire or fix a flat. This is a VERY BASIC and non-technical tutorial for the absolute beginner who has never taken their rear-wheel off before. It will just make life easier. Sure, you can muddle through it your first time and curse the chain as to why it's being belligerent into...

How To: Make Your Night Bike Glow in the Dark with Phosphorescent Paint

With gas prices constantly digging into your wallet, biking will always be a cheap and easy alternative for getting around—and it's a perfect way to get in a little exercise. But with the fall season about a week away, it is going to start getting dark a lot earlier and that ride home might be a little more dangerous. So to save yourself an unexpected trip to the ER, take a little time to make your bicycle impossible to overlook.

How To: Spruce Up Your Bicycle with This Wooden DIY Riser Handlebar

Looking for a way to make your bike stand out? You could light it up with LED rim lights or turn signals. Or if you're looking for something a little less flashy, you could make your own set of custom wooden handlebars like these by furniture designer David Moore. To actually make these wooden handlebars, you will need some woodworking tools, not to mention some actual woodworking skill, or at least the tools and some knowledge on bending and forming wood. In his video below, David shows exac...

How To: Change a tire on a folding bike

In this tutorial, we learn how to change a tire on a folding bike. First, you need to know how the bike goes together so you can take the tire off correctly. Once you have taken the tire off of the rim of the bike, you can discard with it. You can use either strong fingers or a wheel lever to help you take the wheel off if it's difficult. Next, you will need to slightly inflate the tire and add on the rim to the tire. Once it's on, you will need to inflate it and then place on the bike! Now y...

How To: Remove & install a rear bicycle wheel

In this video from Intown Bicycles, demonstrates how to easily remove and to reinstall a rear bicycle wheel from a bicycle equipped with a quick release axle. There are three different common types of bicycle braking systems, and you will learn first how to disengage each of them, so that the wheel will drop out easily. Also, you will be shown how to operate the quick release system, and remove the wheel. Once you've completed this step, you are shown how to reinstall the wheel, engage the br...

How To: Reset a Mavic Wintech

This video tutorial is in the Sports category which will show you how to reset a Mavic Wintech. After you have installed the battery and you notice you have a blank screen, use the reset button inside the computer to reset it. This is not mentioned in the Mavic Wintech operating manual. For this, remove the battery and you will see a little compartment with a little silver button. It looks like a starter, but that is the reset button. Press the button with a sharp object and place the battery...

How To: Install a seat post

This is a video tutorial in the Sports category where you are going to learn how to install a seat post on your bike. This is pretty easy. But, it's important that you get proper measurements for the inside and the outside diameter of the tube using a caliper. Now find the correct seat post and the seat clamp. Fix the clamp on the tube. Put generous amount of grease on the bottom part of the seat post and on the inside part of the tube and slide the seat post inside the tube. There is a minim...

How To: Dish a rear bicycle wheel

In this video, Mike shows us how to dish a rear bicycle wheel. First, you need to measure the distance from the wheel to the hub and axle. Do this on both the non-drive and drive side. Set the dish on both sides, then find the gap from each of the side. Now you will know if the rim needs to be pulled more to one side. Loosen the non-dry spokes and tighten on the dry side spokes. Do this by loosening the non-dry a quarter turn each all the way around, then tighten the dry side a quarter turn e...

Lube No More: Chainless Bike Operates With Pulley System

The forefront of bike technology has delivered bikes without hubs, bikes as flexible as Gumby, and invisible steering. The latest to enter the field rethinks the bicycle chain. As in... who needs it?

How To: Remove and reinstall the rear wheel of your bike

The rear wheel of a bicycle is the more complicated to work with of the two because of it's position in the frame. If you have quick releases, it's still pretty easy to remove and reinstall. This video will show you how to do it step-by-step, and should have you back on the trail again in no time.

How To: Install an LED light on your bicycle.

Safety is important. If you are going to be riding a bike at night, make sure you are wearing light colored clothing and that you have lights. Lights help cars and other cyclists see you in the dark so you stay safe.

How To: Avoid cross-chaining

Active Expert Gale Bernhardt explains the problems with cross-chaining in this instructional cycling video. This is a common error for new cyclists and puts the chain in a lot of tension across the bike. Learn a few techniques to avoid cross chaining in this cycling tutorial video.

How To: Keep Your Bike Chain Clean on Rainy Days with This Super Easy DIY Mud Guard

Nasty weather is bad enough when you drive, but if you ride your bike to school or work, it's really not a pleasant way to start the day. And if getting soaked isn't sufficient, a wet commute means your bike chain is going to be caked with mud and all kinds of other gross stuff.

How To: Make the Most Brilliant Bike Light Ever with This LED Handlebar Mod

If you ride your bike at night frequently, you've probably had at least one close call with a car, pedestrian, or some other moving obstacle because of reduced visibility. Not only is it dangerous to ride at night without lights, it's illegal in a lot of places. Make sure no one can miss you with these DIY handlebar lights from Becky Stern at Adafruit. What You'll Need

How To: Change Your Bicycle's Tire, Inspect for Damage, and Detect Hidden Problems

Many things cause a bike tire to deflate. Glass, sharp rocks, tacks, and nails can pierce the tire and puncture the tube within. A tube can be pinched between the rim and tire causing the tube to split when inflated. If a tire has a hole in it, the tube, which is filled with air pressure, will bulge out of the opening and pop. As well, the valve holding the air pressure in the tube can be damaged or faulty.

How To: Skid to stop on a fixed gear bicycle

So, you've got a brand new fixed gear bicycle and you're having a great time riding it, until you try to stop. Fixies don't have brakes, so you need to know how to control your bike and skid to a stop. Check out this video to learn how.

HowTo: Build a Parasitic Bike Pump That Steals Air From Car Tires

Aleksi of Instructables has a genius idea. Bike tires out of air? Not a problem. That big old car down the street has some air to spare. Just insert Aleksi's pilfering emergency bike pump into any random car tire (make sure you're out of eyeshot, a look-out may be necessary) and siphon away.

How To: Change a bicycle tire & replace the inner tube

In this tutorial, we learn how to change a bicycle tire & replace the inner tube. First, take the wheel off of the bike. Then, see if you can find any holes on the outside of the tire. Then, remove all air from the tire tube and remove 1 side of the tire using tire levers. After this, completely remove the inner tube and then inflate the tube and check for holes. Check the inside of the tire for sharp objects, then find out which way your tire should roll. Install one bead of tire back onto t...

How To: Properly lace a 32-spoke rear bicycle wheel

You could go out and buy a bike, but what fun would that be? Make your own! One main step in making a bike is lacing your wheel. In this great two-part video you will learn how to lace the drive side and non drive side spokes on a rear 32 wheel with the right patterns. Mike goes into great detail on which holes to lace first and what patterns work the best.

How To: Properly lubricate your bike's brake and shift cables

If you own a bike that has brake and shift cables that are not protected, lubricating them is a must. riding in wet weather can cause the cables to rust and eventually become useless.

How To: Remove and install a freewheel

In this tutorial, we learn how to remove and install a free wheel. First, take out the skewer from the wheel. Then, take off the nut from the inside of the hub with a cone wrench. After this, go to the other side of the axle and loosen it up. Now place your free wheel tool onto the wheel. Firmly secure the free wheel tool onto the wheel until you're sure it won't come off, with any tools you have available. When you are finished, put your nuts and bolts back onto the axle, then use bicycle lu...

How To: Assemble & tune front & rear handbrakes on a bicycle

In this tutorial, learn step by step how to assemble and tune your front and rear handbrakes. This video, hosted by Pete, will walk you through the process of assembling your brakes so you stay safe on the road. This how-to will work for beach cruisers, mountain bike and BMX bikes, too.

How To: Change a flat clincher tire

Here we see how change a flat tire on a bicycle properly. The video says that once you understand the principles you should be able to do this in three minutes. With the tire off the frame of the bike, be sure all of the air is completely gone. Next is to take off one side of the tire, with some plastic pry tools made for bikes. With the bead of the tire over the rim you should be able to remove that tube with ease. Inflate the new tube just enough so it takes shape. The new tube goes into th...

How To: Fix squeaky bike brakes

If you're racing for time or taking a leisurely ride by the beach there's little that's more annoying than a squeaking sound every rotation of a wheel. Don't let a squeaky break ruin your biking fun when those brakes can be as good as new in no time.

How To: Cut spokes to build a bike wheel

Assemble tools and materials. You'll need a rim, a hub, and the proper length spokes and spoke nipples. You'll need a wheel truing stand, a spoke wrench, a flat screwdriver, and medium weight oil. A spoke tensiometer, a dishing tool and a nipple driver are optional. Place the rim in your lap with the valve stem hole directly across from you. Hold the hub in the middle of the rim with it axle vertical. These instructions assume you are building a front wheel 3x. Drop one spoke though every oth...

How To: Change a road bicycle tire & tube

This video from Canada Bicycle Parts shows how to change a bike tire. The tools required are a bicycle pump and tire levers. He demonstrates with the rear tire, and puts the chain on the proper cog to create less tension on the chain. He releases a lever on the brake and opens the quick release lever and lowers the rear wheel. He removes the valve cap and removes all the air from the tube. He demonstrates how to remove the tire with two tire levers. He explains how to determine what caused th...

How To: Install a bicycle computer

PerformanceBikes will show you how to install a bicycle computer. Whether you have a simple computer or a more advanced computer you be able to see the basic instructions. Start by reading the instruction, install the handle bell mounts, install the wireless transmitter. You then install your spoke magnet, then calibrate your computer for your wheel size. Make sure you have read your own particular directions. If its not working, make sure you re-read your instruction, check your set up or ch...

How To: Change a tire on a Dutch bike

This video shows you how to change a bicycle tire with your bare hands. First, he shows you how to get the tire out. Use the valve cap to let all the air out of the tire tube and then loosen the bead all the way around. Eventually you can just pop the tube off then inspect and patch it. Then you put the tire back on and pump some air into it. Make sure the tire looks like it's seating properly. That is how you change a bicycle tire.

How To: Fix a flat bike tire without tools

Simple instructions for doing a simple bike repair when you are on the road and don't have your tools. This vide shows how to take the tire off your bike rim without using tire levers. Our host demonstrates on a completely flat tire, and shows us how to leverage off the beads of the tire using only brute strength - the leverage of your hands. He then demonstrates how to put the tire back on. The final small section of bead is pushed on using his body strength. This technique is less likely to...