"How to" Videos for Home Maintenance!

Fixing a flat on a bike using an inner tube

Most older bikes, or bikes under $1000, use an inner tube to hold the air inside the bike's tires. Any type of puncture, whether from impact or a foreign object (glass, thorn, staple) will cause the tube to slowly lose air.

Some people choose to patch their inner tubes, but this will be like riding on borrowed time (as in, it might bet you home but is really not the best long term solution).

For this repair you will need the correct size replacement tube, a tire liver, and a pump, CO2 inflator, or air compressor.

Fixing a flat on a bike using a tubeless tire set up

Most newer bikes, or bikes over $3000, likely use a tubeless rim and tire set up. These rims are "taped" with a special liner to cover the many spoke holes in the rim and utilize a liquid sealant. Most punctures, whether from impact or a foreign object (glass, thorn, staple) will leak out sealant which will harden as it reacts with the air, forming an air proof plug. Usually.

In our desert conditions, sealant needs to be "refreshed" at least twice per year due to our heat and low humidity. Sometimes, a hole is simply too big and the air escapes before the sealant plug can form.

For this repair you will need a tire plug and tire plug tool, along with a pump, CO2 inflator, or air compressor.

Cleaning and Lubing your Chain

A regular quick rinse to get the dust off your bike and chain is a good idea. But after several rides in particularly dusty or muddy conditions, your chain will benefit from a cleaning a lubing.

This video demonstrates the use of a chain cleaning device, which is a great tool but not absolutely necessary to clean a chain. We do sell bike chain specific cleaners, but in a pinch a sudsy mix of dish soap along with some old brushes and rags should get the job done. When it comes to re-lubing, however, there is no substitute for a bike chain specific lube! We have several good ones we sell and recommend at the shop!