Since the pandemic began in March 2019 the bike maintenance industry has seen exponential growth as more and more people rekindle their love of cycling. That’s why now is the ideal time to become a mobile bike mechanic.
Are you struggling to get out on your favourite bike trail as often as you’d like?
Whether it’s pandemic lockdowns keeping you indoors, or the threat of unpleasant weather, you’re
probably left wishing there was a way to get your feet back on the pedals.
Fortunately for today’s tech enthusiasts, there could be a solution. Virtual cycling is a growing trend
that exploded into the spotlight during 2020. Virtual riding involves using a smart app to track your
work and a bike trainer to bring your cycling experience indoors.
Electric bikes are a great way to spend more time outdoors, cycling further, and building your fitness. In a word; they are FUN. If you have bad knees or a bad back, you can build some strength bit by bit to go further and join in with your riding buddies. There are now more and more riders on e-bikes.
Come along and take a free test ride on an electric bike. Guaranteed to make you smile.
Tom rides for Vredestein Basso and covers around 30,000km a year, so he burns his way through components at quite a rate - we've just replaced his big chainring, chain, cassette and brake pads.
Cycle Tech UK is advising cyclists to have a home visit when their new bike arrives to have it set up and explain how everything works. Cycle Tech UK also can arrange the fist service to make sure everything is running smooth, items like cables, crank bolts and steering require adjustments at 30 days.
It is very important to have your new bicycle built/set-up correctly, for safety reasons, for brakes and gears to work correctly/smoothly and to give you years of enjoyment.
Many bicycles are now brought on the Internet and are delivered in a box.
When looking for a bargain, it is likely these days that you will turn to eBay for a second-hand bike. While there are bargains to be had, when buying a second-hand bike, you need to be careful, because you may have a large repair bill to go with the bargain price. Even if the person is not intending to be dishonest, their idea of the perfect condition may mean clean but worn out. In recent weeks two of our repairers have given out bills of well over £100 to make a bike usable, even though they were described as "good as new".
How to look after your chain, check the wear and know how often you should replace before it wears out other components or snaps while riding. The major cause of chain stretch is wearing away of the metal where the rivet rotates inside the bushing and not the side plates of a chain.
Bike out of the box. More than just turning the handle bars and fitting the peddles. Professional assembly of your bicycle purchased online It may be your first or a repeat online purchase, but it is vital your new bicycle is professionally assembled before using it. This is known as a Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) that requires proper assembly of your new bike from a box. Parts require checking using a torque wrench and checks must be made to ensure critical components are set up correctly. This will ensure the bike is safe, giving it long-life and for you to have continued enjoyment. The internet is where most people go to for the best deal When you buy your new bike online it will be shipped in a box. A supplier will advise to; "Just turn the handle bars, fit the peddles and you are ready to go" Are you? It is essential that a professional checks your bike first. Checks before dispatch by the supplier, do not guarantee your safety after handling in transit. Consider this very carefully as bicycle accidents can hurt! Tip: When buying your new bicycle factor in the service and maintenance costs. Pose a real danger to yourself and others Doing it yourself means you need the correct tools. A torque wrench or know the feel for how tight the bar stem/bars, the steering, peddles and seat post bolts should be. Know how to set up the ride potion, to know if a component is functioning correctly, requires adjustment or has been damaged when being delivered. Cyclists call us when it goes wrong Quit often a customer brings a new bike in for repair they just brought online, saying the gears are not working correctly. On a closer inspection, the bicycle shows up more issues; misalignment of critical components, brakes rubbing, rounded of hex key bolt heads, loose steering and even the wrong size bike. Our Technicians are always on-hand to get you back on the road, as soon as possible in a safe manor. The way we can get involved with a bike that has not been PDI'd by a professional, means carrying out a full PDI to make sure the bike is safe to be used on public roads after being seen by one of our Cycle Technicians. Part of the PDI processes is the hand over, making sure the rider knows how to use the gears, when to check the tyre pressure and to what pressure, how often the chain needs oiling/cleaning and when the bike requires servicing. For ebikes; advice is given on charging and storing the battery for reliability and long-life. Or this can mean an expensive non-warren replacement, if not maintained as manufactures recommendations. 'Good Practice' The bike trade also recommends a first service at 30 days from date of purchase, to make sure everything is running smoothly and make miner adjustments of brakes and gears, plus check the steering, wheels, crank for fitment and correct operation. Its even more essential that ebikes are inspected more often. Particular the brakes and chain for wear. ebikes are much heavier on the brakes and drive-chain and require replacing parts more often, before wearing other associated components or complete failure, resulting in a expensive overhaul to bring the bike back to good working order. This Is What Cyclists Are Saying When They Contact us: "The pedal come out! Its only 6 weeks old." "Had gear issues for ages, had a new derailleur fitted few weeks ago, still felt dodgy, bikes only 3 months old, just bought new shifter and cable and need them fitting and gears sorting, new headset, and rear wheel bearings looking at" "Bike has got stuck in highest gear. Thought the suspension lever was the gear lever. Never heard of that before"