Hot Bicycle How-Tos « Bicycle

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: 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: This DIY Arduino Bicycle Safety System Includes Turn Signals, Brake Lights, Strobe, and More!

As dedicated bicyclists are well aware, riding can be very dangerous. Now that daylights savings time has ended in the United States, darkness appears quicker, and the night is especially dangerous for cyclists because of the low visibility that drivers have. Not only is darkness a danger, but also fog, blizzards, and heavy rain—all wreaking havoc on the vision. To combat this, bikers attach reflectors: clear front reflectors, red rear reflectors, amber pedal reflectors, and clear side reflec...

How To: Cut lugs and miter tubes for a bicycle frame

Building a custom Oswald bicycle frame using hand powered tools. This shows you how to lug cut and tube miter.

How To: Change the handlebar grips on your beach cruiser bike

Good handlebar grips can make your bike ride much more enjoyable. In this tutorial, learn how to remove the current grips on your cycle and replace them with better, comfier and more stylish versions.

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: 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: 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: 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: Adjust your beach cruiser bike to fit you & be comfy

Finding the perfect seat and handlebar height on your bicycle can mean the difference between a comfortable and irritating riding experience. In this tutorial, Ryan from BeachBikes.com, shows you how to make sure your bike is the perfect size for your body so you aren't slipping and sliding while you try to ride.

How To: Remove a wheel & 3 speed shifter from your bike

In this clip, learn how to remove a back wheel and the three speed shifter on any beach bike. This clip, hosted by Stephan, will show you specifically how to remove the Shimano Nexus Internal 3 Speed Shifter and the entire rear wheel. He will also show you how to put it back together safely.

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: 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: 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: 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: Need a Place to Store Your Bike? Try One of These Cheap and Simple DIY Bicycle Racks

If you bike a lot and live in a small room or apartment, it can be tough to find the space to store your wheels. There are tons of bicycle racks and mounts you can buy, but where's the fun in that when they're so easy to DIY? Here are some of the best inexpensive solutions for your bike storage woes.

How To: Recover your bike seat by sewing your own drawstring seat cover

If your bike seat is wearing out, or you want to protect your bike from the elements, you can make your own drawstring bike cover. This tutorial shows you how to get the pattern and then sew the drawstring cover to slip over your bike seat.

How To: Fix a flat with a CO2 cartridge

In this tutorial, we learn how to fix a flat with a CO2 cartridge. Start out by grabbing the bag that is underneath your bag, which has everything you need to fix your flat tire. After this, take the wheel off and find out where the hole is located. There will be a hissing sound coming from this spot where the air is escaping. First you will remove the tube from the wheel, then replace it with a new one. Once you're finished, use a CO2 tube to fill the tire back up with air. Replace this back...

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: Perform leg exercises to help build endurance and power when cycling

If you're having a hard time going up hills or being able to ride a bike for a long time, you may need some help. Performing leg exercises away from your bike can be a great way to help build endurance and strength.

How To: Build a bicycle wheel

This is a five part series on how to build a bicycle wheel. It will cover lacing and truing a wheel. There is nothing like crafting something with your bare hands, especially if that something is a bike wheel. There is something inherently rewarding and zen like about wheel building hub using a 36 hole rim.

How To: Decorate Your Bike with Fur for Burning Man

This is a Burning Man tutorial on how to add fur to your bike. Halycon's Tips guide you on the Playa and the crafting tricks for decorating your bicycle. Get your bicycle prepared for Burning Man by watching this video today!

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: 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.

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.

HowTo: Snow-Proof Your Bike Tires For Dirt Cheap

For the low cost of a bag of zip ties, you can easily survive any Snowpocalypses this winter by blizzard-proofing your bicycle tires. Says the MacGyver behind the ingenious hack, Fritz Rice of the Dutch Bike Co.:

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...

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: 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: 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...

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: Illuminate Your Bike at Night with These Super Bright DIY Rim Lights

Riding your bicycle at night is dangerous on busy streets, especially if you've got no bike lights. In most states, it's illegal to ride your bike at night without any lights because drivers on the road won't be able to see you until it's too late. Plus, how is anybody going to notice your sweet ride without a little illumination?

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: Properly remove a freewheel

In this video we learn how to properly remove a freewheel with Sasha. First, remove the skewer and then put the end back on. Now, identify the proper tool to remove the free wheel. Use the type of remover for your wheel, then place it over the axle and slide it in. Then, take the skewer, replace it, and slide it in tightly. Now grab a wrench and turn it counter clockwise to take the freewheel off. Once you are finished, your freewheel will be removed and you can clean it or use it how you'd l...

How To: Remove your bike wheels with quick release axles

If you own a bicycle with front and rear quick release axles, knowing how to remove your tires can be important. If you get a flat tire and have no idea how to do it, you may have to pay someone, which could be costly.

How To: Properly set the seat height on your bicycle

In this clip, learn all about how to adjust your bike from NAIT personal fitness trainer, Ken Riess. Ken will show you how and where to set your seat for the most comfortable and easy ride. You want to make sure your legs are extended properly and your saddle is at the right height so that you can easily start and stop along your route. Check out this clip and grab a friend to help you measure yourself as you follow along.

How To: Mount a wire basket to the front of your beach bicycle

In this clip, learn how to mount a wire basket to the front of your beach bike so you can carry your towels, suit and whatever else you may need to bring with you this summer. Pete from BeachBikes.com will show you the quick and easy way to hook up a basket for all your carrying needs.

How To: Fix a bike flat without a patch kit

Show the world just how resourceful you are next time you get a flat bike tire. With the help of some local plant life and some gusto you too can ride your bike to safety without the help of a standard repair kit.

How To: Change a 700Cx38 bicycle tire with baby powder

In this how-to video, you will learn how to change a 700Cx38 bicycle tire with baby powder. You need a tire tool, a new tube, new tire, baby powder, a bag, and a bicycle that needs a tire change. Run the tire tool around the rim to remove the tire Remove the old tube from the tire and check the tire for foreign objects. Take out a brand new tube and place it in a bag with baby powder. This will help the tube move around freely once installed. Inflate the tube a tiny bit, find the label on the...