Bicycle Mechanics - mechanical question

hi everybody, I'd like to learn how to fix and maintain my bike. I bought a CCM Ecco and the pedal jumps ahead as I'm peddling. Someone told me the gears were messed up and that it would have to be taken apart and put back together. Is it one for the bike shop or will someone teach me. :) Another thing is I left it outside too long at the beginning of winter, now the tires won't hold air too long. Hmm do I just replace the tubes or look for leaks? ~ thanks, great forum :D

98% of bike maintenance is simple, easy to figure out adjustments with simple tools
and perusal of sites like the www.parktool.com where there is button for "Repair
Help" on the left. Shimano has the instructions, as does SRAM on their web site
usually in PDF form for install and adjusting their components online. Ditto for bike
computers. There is Barnetts guide at the top of this page (Bike Mechanics forum)
which has >400 pages of how to do it in pdf form, more than you will want to know.
Pedal jump could be kink in the chain or maladjustment of the derailleur so it jumps
between two cogs. As to the tires you need to clean the tires thoroughly and then
take a close look at the entire inflated tire for cuts or foreign object penetration and for dry rot. Rubber goes bad after a number of years and begins to crack. If external
close inspection is not helpful, take the wheel off the bike and, inflated to near the
usual riding pressure put a few inches of wheel under water and look for air bubbles.
Rotate wheel so entire circumference is checked. If one or more sites of air bubbles
occur then you have to recheck the tire at each point for subtle damage. Then
unmount the tire and inspect the tube, keep track of where the tire leaked and where the tube was in relation to that leak, use chalk or something to mark them. Now inflate the tube to say 5# pressure and check for hissing, if none immerse part of tube in water and rotate looking for bubbles. Repair if feasible and depending on type and number of damage spots and leaks found decide on tire/tube replacement or repair.
Dont forget to check the inside of the tire for objects penetrating the tread and not visible externally. Do this visually and then by lightly running your finger over the inside of the tire for palpable, not visible perforators. Steve

Steve, thanks for the link :)