3 Essential Bike Maintenance Tips For Beginners | Maintenance Monday

If you’re new to cycling, looking after your bike may seem like a daunting task. But don’t worry as basic bike maintenance can be broken down into three main tasks: pumping your tyres, cleaning your bike and lubricating your chain. Alex talks you through each of these steps in this video!

0:00 Intro
0:49 Pump Up Those Tyres
2:46 Clean That Bike
7:37 Lube That Chain
9:13 Outro

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What other tips do you have for looking after your bike? Let us know in the comments below! 💬

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Getting Frisky - John Runefelt
Cosmic Jam - Gloria Tells
Care Package - Sarah, the Illstrumentalist

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[gcntech]

What other tips do you have for looking after your bike?

[divad]

I like to spray mine with some cologne for that final touch

[GOLTEB]

There's nothing like riding your bike on a smooth tarmac with a freshly cleaned bike and a lubed chain

[ntdyxwr]

Thank you GCN for constantly supporting the beginners. Many people around the world (including me) are discovering the joy of riding with you :)

[mphuong]

This is so helpful! I just purchased my first bike for commuting, and I was terrified by all the professional bike cleaning tutorials, they're just a bit too much for me. But u keep it simple and easy enough to follow. Thank you so much!

[seancorrigan]

Don't put your sponge on the ground!! It will pick up nasty grit which can scratch your paint :( also using two buckets, one for scuds (put your dirty sponge in here first) and then a second bucket with nice clean water :)

[billkallas]

You forgot to mention that Presta valves often get stuck, or partially stuck. Press the valve, with a finger, for a tenth of a second to free it up. If the valve becomes really stuck, you won't be able to force any air into the tire.

[BTcycle]

Clean my bike yesterday but it's nice to watch these kind of videos to make sure you didn't miss a step.

[joannehoyles]

Love your basics guides. As a complete beginner they are invaluable. Thank you.❤

[ukpaul]

Great video. thanks for the tips. Just a couple of comments - DON'T lay your sponge on the ground unless you want to risk turning it into sandpaper and secondly DON'T soak either the top or the underside of your saddle if it's a Brooks or any other leather saddle - you could wreck it. It's also worth keeping any chemicals off the tyres. They may not do immediate damage but they MAY gradually weaken tyres with repeated soakings.
Thanks again for a good video.

[darilietas]

Perfect, this is all I need to know before doing my first bike maintenance myself (instead of always going to a local mechanic, they're pretty busy when spring begins). :) Thank you!

[tonykelpie]

For beginners the tip of pushing the Presta valve in before starting to inflate; and if necessary adjusting the amount that the screw is undone. The screw works by pulling a rubber sleeve up to block the valve, and understanding this helps a lot

[KaushikNSanji]

One of the few bike cleaning videos on youtube where we get to see the non-drive side of the bike being cleaned!🙂

[leftymadrid]

A clean bike is a safe bike 🚲...
One understands this saying as time rolls by.
Helpful video for many I'm sure 😃
GCN rocks!!

[paulworth]

Thank you GCN for another solid video, however I do have a couple of thoughts to add to those already made, firstly, don't hose your bike in front of a window, they won't thank you for that, and secondly, degrease the oily bits before washing the frame otherwise you'll spray muck onto the frame and have to clean it twice.

[daveboyle]

Great video for newbies like me. I really need to clean my bike! 😬

[markpenland]

The visual framing of the presenter at 1:07 is great. More like this please.

[aliancemd]

8:54 I like to also change the gear and clean the cassette - the gear you were on, it gets oily and gathers dirt after that, if not cleaned. Credit to SickBiker for the tip

[badbunnyky]

thank you so much!!! a lot of these maintenance guides have an overwhelming amount of info and stuff to buy. this is great, simple, accessible. cheers!!

[_SpaceDad]

Dawn Ultra dishwashing detergent, the original blue formula. Safe enough for baby ducks and your favourite steed.