Originally Posted by
maddmaxx
If you are like me, you have to take something apart and put it back together to understand how it works, how it is different from similar things and how it should be adjusted to work well. Bicycles are interesting in that many people ride but far fewer actually work on all elements of the bike. There seem to be more 50+ members with hands on experience on the bicycles but this may be a generational thing as the same rule seems to apply to the working world (fewer and fewer competent young folks with hands on ability).
At any rate, there are basic repair tasks that everyone should learn.....cleaning chains, adjusting brakes, fixing flats and checking for loose parts.
Beyond that it's nice to be able to change a part for something that suits your particular tastes.
If you get hooked then ultimately you will build a bike.
+1.
I have now built 4 bikes in the last 4 years (3 road + 1 MTB) and taught and helped my 14 yo son build 2 MTBs. He can now adjust and fix almost anything and he is helping his friends taking care of their bikes.
Bike maintenance is not difficult and the tools needed are quite simple and cheap to get ($35 tool kit from Performance/Nashbar and a basic workstand). Yet it is invaluable if you ride a lot, not only in money saved but mainly to get you out of a jam if something goes wrong far away from home.
Knowing how wheels are built and how to true them got me out of trouble when I broke a spoke 20 miles short of the end of a century couple years ago. The wheel became so out of true that it rubbed some carbon off a seatstay, I pulled my spoke key, released tension on a couple of spokes and could finish the ride although on a very wobbly wheel.