Figure 3-3: A tire pump is essential to maintaining proper pressure in your tires in VS .NET

Creator QR Code ISO/IEC18004 in VS .NET Figure 3-3: A tire pump is essential to maintaining proper pressure in your tires

Tire levers (see Figure 3-5): Tire levers are usually made of stiff plastic and are used to pry a tire off a wheel rim You ll probably need three levers, although on some mountain bikes the tires are loose enough that one or two may suffice

Lubricants, cleaners, and degreasers aren t technically tools, but they re essential to properly repairing and maintaining your bike With so many moving parts causing friction, a bike requires proper lubrication including specially designed oils and greases to reduce this friction and help prevent rust and corrosion

The same qualities that give oil and grease their lubricating properties and enable them to stick to external parts are also what attracts dirt and grime This means that, unlike with your car s internal parts, you can t wait 3,000 miles for an oil change Regular care for your bike requires using cleaners to remove surface dirt and degreasers to cut through heaver grime that s too strong for normal cleaners We cover lubricants, degreasers, and cleaners in the following sections

If you re an average rider, an all-purpose lubricating oil designed for bikes will be all that you need You can use oil to lubricate pivot points such as brakes and derailleurs, as well as to keep the chain lubed Some riders use a lubrication specially designed for a chain Manufacturers offer a number of quality lubes that are designed with different conditions in mind A dry wax-based lube is best for dry, summer-like conditions For the rainy season, a wet lube is the choice for many riders although a wet lube is messy and attracts dirt and grime, it holds up well to water For a great description of use of chain lubes, see Urban Bikers Tricks & Tips, by Dave Glowacz (Wordspace Press) Liquid lubricants can be applied from an aerosol can or a plastic squeeze bottle We prefer to drip a lubricant out of a bottle because we can control the flow Spray cans are much more difficult to control and can overlubricate parts When you need to loosen a seized part such as a seat post that won t budge use a light, penetrating oil like WD-40 WD-40 should not be used as a chain lubricant Although WD-40 works wonders in getting tight parts moving again, it s a solvent that will strip away existing lubrication Although it may appear to be lubricating while it s wet, as soon as it evaporates, your chain lubrication will be gone Also keep WD-40 away from shifters, because it may damage the inner parts In addition to oil, grease is needed to support the internal moving parts of your bike, particularly those that depend on bearings to reduce friction Bearings in the hubs, bottom brackets, headsets, and pedals are packed in grease When these are overhauled, the grease needs to be replaced Grease also protects the threads found on the same parts and lubricates and prevents rust from forming on the gear and brake inner wires Grease is often sold in a tube Be sure to keep the lid on at all times to prevent contamination

Buy only grease designed for bikes Grease for automobile bearings will be too heavy and thick and will gum up your bike

The simplest way to clean a bike is to rinse it off with water after a ride This will dislodge any loose dirt, sand, or grit lodged in the bike s parts When washing your bike, use a light mist spray to avoid directing water into bearing areas, such as hubs or the bottom bracket, where it can break down bearing grease A mild soap (such as dish soap) will remove dirt and grime, although it won t be strong enough to clean grease-laden parts such as the chain rings, cogs, and chains, as well as the insides of hubs, bottom brackets, and the headset Although solvents such as gasoline, kerosene, and paint thinner will cut grease and oil, we don t recommended that you use them because they re highly flammable, they emit toxic fumes, and they re very harsh on your bike Commercially available degreasers are designed to not harm bike components or you Many of them are biodegradable and environmentally friendly Citrus-based degreasers are among our favorites they re made from oil extracted from orange peels A number of green cleaners are also available not only will they clean your bike, but they don t give off the toxic fumes associated with typical solvents