In this blog we are going to teach you how to adjust limit screws. Every front and rear derailleur will have two screws that control how far it moves at its limits. Without them the derailleur wouldn’t be able to stop when reaching the highest and lowest gear pushing the chain of the cogs. On rear mechs the limit screws are usually placed either at the back or at the front of the derailleur body. Front derailleurs have the limit screws at the top. How to adjust limit screws when you can’t see which is H and which is L: How to adjust limit screws when you can’t see which is H and which is L ..read more

Knowing how to adjust bike disc brakes is a useful task that will definitely come in handy if you are a regular cyclist. It is one of those tasks that is simple to learn but requires patience to master. Don’t give up! Before you attempt to adjust your disc brakes, you will need to ascertain if you have any problems that will stop you achieving perfect adjustment. If you have cable disc brakes, check if the cable moves the caliper arm and allows it to spring back.  If not, then you will need to change the cable. We have a great blog post and video on bike brake cable replacement. Now chec ..read more

Buying a bike online means that it will be delivered to you partly assembled. In this blog we are going to look at assembling a bike so that it is safe and comfortable to ride. Stay relaxed, take your time and learn how to assemble a bike the Cycle Maintenance Academy way. You might even enjoy it! If your bike comes in a very large box, over 120cm, then both the wheels will be in place. Have a look at the box. The inspection holes should be at the top and there might be other information such as where the front and back of the bike is and where to open it.  Step 1 of how to assemble a ..read more

To make your brakes work to their optimum, there are 3 bike brake adjustment. Learn everything you need to know about bike brake adjustment with the team at Cycle Maintenance Academy. Pad position– To achieve the maximum braking power the whole surface of the pad should hit the rim. Too high, and it may rub on the tyre causing premature wear. Too low, and not all of the pad will touch the braking surface, wearing unevenly and causing the brake to catch the underside of the rim.  Caliper position- The correct position for the brake arms is where the rim is equidistant between both pads ..read more

If the chain on your single speed or hub gear bike keeps falling off or if it feels loose then it may need to be tightened. The chain gets loose over time because it wears and stretches. In this guide we explain how to tighten bike chain correctly.  The bike chain can only be tightened if it doesn’t have the derailleur. If the chain on your derailleur is loose or slipping then that is a different problem. How to tighten bike chain- preparation If you have a BMX or a child’s bike, you will need to make sure that the saddle is high enough to lift the rear wheel off the floor when the ..read more

The type of bottom bracket generally found in a BMX is often referred to as “one piece” or “Ashtabula”. One piece refers to the crank and axle as they are a single unit and Ashtabula refers to Ashtabula County in Ohio where the BMX bottom brackets were made along with other bicycle parts. Preparation Lift the saddle all the way to the minimum insertion mark. Turn the bike upside down. Loosen the rear wheel nuts. If you have tug nuts, loosen them as well. Now drop the chain from the chainring. Adjusting the BMX bottom bracket Work from the left hand side. You will see a thread the ..read more

If you have bought your bike online, then it will need to be put together. You will need some tools, time and patience.  Follow our guide on how to build a bike and you’ll be able to be riding that new bike and not just looking at a cardboard box. Tools required Bike stand- The bike can be put together without one but some tasks like gear adjustments can be difficult. Set of allen keys- Most of the bolts on the bike and some pedals use allen keys. Set of metric spanners– Some budget bikes use hex nuts and bolts to secure the wheels, saddle and seatpost.  14mm socket- Might be useful ..read more

In this article we explain how to install caliper brakes on bicycle and answer some of our most frequently asked questions on caliper brakes. Many of us are used to seeing powerful “v” brakes and disc brakes on bicycles, so what bikes are fitted with the humble caliper brake and why?  Vintage bikes: Most bikes that preceded mountain bikes had caliper brakes bolted through holes in the brake bridge and fork crown. The brakes have a central spring. The cable squeezes the arms together and the spring allows them to come away from the rim when the lever is released. The pads could be moved u ..read more

Bicycle brakes are an integral part of a bike because they are what stops it from moving. If they don’t work properly, they will need to be fixed before you can safely use your bike again. A bike brake stops the bicycle from moving by jamming rubber (rim brakes) or metal and fibres (disc brakes) against the rotating wheels. Most of the bike brakes are operated by a cable that’s been pulled when pressing the lever, compressing the callipers onto the rim or pistons onto the disc rotor. There are a number of reasons why bike brakes don’t always work, such as, the calliper being broken, pads ..read more

Spokes are an integral part of a wheel, if they become faulty or damaged, they should be replaced. Learn how to replace a spoke from the Cycle Maintenance Experts. They cross over each other to create triangular patterns offering a strong, lightweight structure.  Depending on how many times one spoke crosses over or under is the reference to the cross spoke pattern. Whether a wheel is built one, two, three or four cross is based on preference and practicality. Spoke crossings 0 cross or radial– These are not as strong as other wheels and only found on the front. They give a slight aerod ..read more