Important Skills

Essential Skill #1. Know how to clean a bicycle chain

Without periodic maintenance, bicycle chains undergo wear and tear much faster. Moreover, performance is compromised.

It's surprising that experts have very different ways of doing such a routine task. Below are some examples.

thebicyclechain.com: http://thebicyclechain.com/page.cfm?pageID=125 (hmm... who can be more specialist?)
Togoparts article: http://www.togoparts.com/articles/article.php?artid=156&pageid=1 (written by a local rider)
Sheldon Brown's article: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html (comprehensive, for advanced riders)
MTB World: http://www.mountain-bike-world.com/bicycle-chain-cleaning.html (more suitable for MTBs)


Essential Skill #2: Change a flat tire

You don't want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere with a flat tire! From experience, it will take a long while for taxis to come into Lim Chu Kang / Neo Tiew Area even during daytime.

Make sure that you carry the essential equipment with you. Patch Kits can be a handy alternative to replacing the tube.


Togoparts on how to replace a flat tire & using an emergency patch kit:

Doctor Danger: http://www.doctordanger.com/Mountainbiking/repair.htm

Youtube video on replacing tires:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSor9XdshM4&feature=related

Youtube video on replacing tubular tires: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IqAX2Hvrks (note: this only pertains to tubular tires, which are rare. If you don't know what they are, you probably don't have them)