Although many people think so, Wd-40 is not a lubricant. It is designed to loosen rusted bolts and allow them to be turned. It does not remain on the part you use it on or offer any kind of water protection. You will actually remove any lube you do have on the chain with wd-40 and then leave it bare. Not a good thing. What you want to use is a bike specific lube, something like tri-flow or white lightening. These lubes have wax or Teflon bases that protect the chain from water and make it smoother. Plus these lubes are no more expensive than wd-40. We always use tri-flow on our repairs and on our personal bikes. Come on in and pick up a bottle today, we always have several different types in stock.

July 2006 Tip:

We have all been there before, you're riding along, everything is great, you are just getting your second wind when all of a sudden you notice your tire looks a little wider where it meets the road than it did when you started. You stop and hop off and feel the tire, sure enough FLAT! Now what do you do? Well if you planned ahead you will have a spare tube, a patch kit and a pump. Why do I need a tube if I have a patch kit you ask? Well patches were really only designed to get you a short distance so that you could replace your tube properly. Even if they seem to be working for a long time they will eventually fail leaving you in the same situation again. Since you are going to have your tire and tube off anyway, why not just put a new tube in and forget it? It is still good to carry a patch kit just in case you or an unprepared friend has another flat. Now you have your spare tube out and you're ready to start pulling the tire off. Lets see what we have in our toolbox to get the tire off. Oh I have a screwdriver that will work right? Wrong, I have seen MANY instances where someone has damaged a rim or cut their tire by using a screwdriver and its almost a given that you will pop the new tube when you put it in and then use a screwdriver to get the tire back on. Well what do I use then? The best thing to use would be a set of tire levers but if you don't have a pair of those then you can use the back of a pair of wire cutters or the handle of a crescent wrench, just remember it has to be smooth, nothing sharp. Hopefully you wont have it happen very often but you need to be prepared for a flat at any time. One way to prevent flats in the first place are thorn proof tubes that are about 6 times thicker than a standard tube. There are also pre-slimed tubes which have a liquid inside them that seals punctures when they happen and keep you ridin' on!

August 2006 Tip:

Q. How do I know if I need new tires?

A. Inflate your tires to their max psi to show the most defects and wear signs. Then inspect the tires for splits, holes, or sidewall threads. Also if your tires have a large enough cut for the tube to stick through then your tire will need to be replaced. If the bead is separating from the rubber anywhere on the tire it is definitely time for a new one. On “gum wall” tires, which refers to tires with a yellowish sidewall, drying out is your worst enemy. These tires tend to dry out in the yellowish section and begin flaking and eventually splitting. To check these tires run a finger along the yellowish portion of the tire and see if any flakes or chunks come off. If they do it is time to replace the tire.

September Tip

Q. What kind of tire do I need for my bike?

A. Well the first place to start is what size tire fits your bicycle. On the side of your old tire it will say something like 26x1.95, this would mean that you have a 26 inch tire that has a width of 1.95. The width numbers do not transfer straight to inches, example a 1.75 is not a 1 and 3/4 inch tire. There are 26x1 and 3/4 but the tire would be a completely different size from a 1.75 so make sure you know the exact sizing. Width is not a huge issue for example you can put a 2.3 on a rim that had a 1.5 tire on it. The considerations here would be the width of the frame and whether it would clear or not. The next consideration is what type of riding you want to do. If you are doing all on-road riding you would want a slick tire, if you are doing off-road riding then you want a knobby tire, if you are doing a combination of the two there are tires that can facilitate that as well.  So if you need a new tire come on down to Spokemotion and we will help you determine the best tire for the riding you want to do.