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Inspect | Wrench Fu
https://wrenchfu.com/inspect
Bicycles are remarkable machines. They can be as reliable as a good car. And the most efficient transportation. But they’re built light with their parts exposed. Before your hop on a bike and ride off, give it a quick look over. Are the wheels in straight? Do they not wobble to-and-fro? Are the spokes ok? Are the wheels firmly attached to the bicycle? Are the axle nuts tight? Or are the quick release levers closed correctly? Do the tires have anything sticking in them? Do the wheels spin freely? The whee...
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Threads | Wrench Fu
https://wrenchfu.com/wrench/threads
Nyloc nuts take dry bolts. All other threads take oil, grease, thread-lock, or anti-seize. Clean and oil exposed threads before loosening nuts. The Use of Two Nuts to Prevent Self Loosening. 8212; jam nut. Click to email (Opens in new window). Click to print (Opens in new window). Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window). Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window). Leave a Reply Cancel reply. Enter your comment here. Address never made public).
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Fit | Wrench Fu
https://wrenchfu.com/fit
Riding a bicycle is an unnatural activity. Riding a bicycle should not hurt. Pleasure, comfort, efficiency, endurance, and performance come in choosing a bicycle to fit, adjusting a bicycle to fit better, and training to better use a bicycle. A bicycle is like a pair of shoes. If it fits well, you don’t notice and can go all day. If it fits poorly, you notice. Many people ride on bikes too small with the saddle too low. Some ride with the saddle too high. Many ride with the handlebar too low. Build a web...
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Maintain | Wrench Fu
https://wrenchfu.com/maintain
Basic home maintenance gives a smoother and safer ride. And reduces the cost of repairs. After riding on a wet surface, open rim brakes, floss the brake pads, and wipe the rims, or wipe the disc rotors. An old washcloth works well. Moisture helps grit stick to the brake pads. The grit wears everything down. Getting it off improves braking and helps things last longer. If the gears look dirty, clean them too. And the rear derailer pulleys get really gunky. Click to email (Opens in new window). John's...
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Tune-up | Wrench Fu
https://wrenchfu.com/wrench/tune-up
When I get my car fixed, I don’t get a tune-up. I get a recommend list of services and parts for an agreed price. Click to email (Opens in new window). Click to print (Opens in new window). Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window). Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window). Leave a Reply Cancel reply. Enter your comment here. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:. Address never made public). Notify me of new comments via email.
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Service | Wrench Fu
https://wrenchfu.com/service
Parts get dirty and wear out. Dirt gets in the chain and wears between the pins and plates, so the chain gets longer. As the chain gets longer it wears the gears. It’s much cheaper to replace a worn chain sooner rather than worn gears later. Brake pads wear down. Wheels get knocked out of true. Spoke tension gets uneven. Loose spokes will break. An untrue wheel will interfere with braking. A wheel with uneven tension won’t hold true. Cables get dirty. The brakes open slowly. The shifting gets slow. Get e...
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Approaches | Wrench Fu
https://wrenchfu.com/fit/approach
Wish I’d written this better: Comment of the week: A brief intro to bike fitting. Bicycles have substantial bilateral symmetry. Humans, not so much; we just look that way. That mismatch makes little difference for a casual ride if you feel comfortable. If you feel uncomfortable, or seek endurance or power, small changes in the fit between you and the bicycle can make a big difference given time. If the fitter doesn’t squat down and watch you from all angles, go somewhere else. Just like an exercise to ba...
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Reach | Wrench Fu
https://wrenchfu.com/fit/reach
Most bikes come with handlebars too wide for smaller riders. And the handlebars too far away. The width of a road handlebar (drops) should match the width of the rider’s shoulders. Most bikes come with handlebars too far away for riders of average or limited flexibility. Ridden on the road, any bike with any handlebar, have your hands roughly as far apart as your shoulders: you will ride longer with more comfort. You should comfortably reach all the positions. Click to email (Opens in new window). You ar...
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Ride | Wrench Fu
https://wrenchfu.com/ride
Ride on the road. Go in the same direction as cars. Ride at least four feet from parked cars: doors swing open suddenly. Don’t get close to the curb. Ride the center of the lane at narrow intersections. Have a good front light. Don’t block your ears. Have two brakes. The front one will stop you quicker. ( but. Learn to look over your shoulders without turning the bike. Have a good lock. Have a good saddle. Use the easiest comfortable gear. Get off the saddle over bumps. Point out hazards to other cyclists.
