The Old Guy Bicycle Blog

When Your Wheels Spin Out: Dealing with a Bike Mechanic Mess-Up I am lucky. I have a great bike shop that always does everything it can to make my rides a little better. I have had one issue in 17 years when I went in for a tune up and found out on my ride that the bike was "not right" after my first ride. I returned to the shop and talked to the mechanic and he looked at it and corrected the issue that day. He seemed to appreciate that I came back to talk to him and let him fix the issue without resorting to bad reviews or going to another shop. That is what this post is about. What should you do if you have a similar issue that I did. We trust our local bike shop with our beloved steeds, expecting them to work their magic and send them back purring like well-oiled machines. But what happens when the tune-up turns into a nightmare, and the mechanic's magic touch leaves you with a clunking, grinding, derailed disaster? Fear not, fellow pedal pushers, for there are ways to...

Before I get into the way to perform an emergency tire repair using a dollar bill, let me tell you what happened to me. I was riding about 40 miles out in the middle of nowhere one day. I was in a place that I couldn't even get phone service. I heard my tire explode so I stopped and got off of my bike to check out the damage. The tire had as decent size hole in it. I had a blow out. I knew I could put a spare tube in it but the problem was that the tube would squeeze through the hole in my tire and would go flat. What could I do? I had read to keep a dollar bill in the bike bag because it could help fix this very thing. I used it and it actually worked. Of course, the tire was not as tight as it would normally be but I was able to air it up enough to get home and go get another tire. It is repairs like this that you need to be prepared for if you are going to ride long distances because things happen and you might have to use an emergency fix to get back home. Read on to see how to...

As a fellow cycling enthusiast, I completely understand the fear that can arise when faced with the possibility of a flat tire. When I first started riding my bike, I was always apprehensive about venturing too far away from home. I was afraid that if I got a flat tire, I wouldn't be able to fix it and would be stranded. But one day, I decided to face my fear and learn how to change a flat tire, and it changed my life. Now, I regularly travel hundreds of miles from home on my bicycle, all by myself, without any fear or hesitation. The truth is, learning how to change a flat tire is one of the most important skills you can have as a cyclist. It's not a matter of if you'll get a flat tire, but when. So, being prepared and knowing how to handle the situation can save you a lot of time, frustration, and even money. I am going to put a couple of options for tire changing kits you can purchase at Amazon down below. Some give you tools that include a mini-pump but I prefer using C...