Bikes are tough and modern components mean you can take them through extreme conditions. However, the chances are your bike will need some routine maintenance on any multi-day adventure. Give your bike some TLC and it will look after you in return.
Mastering a few basic skills and taking an essential repair kit on any ride will help avoid significant mechanicals and get you to safety if something more serious does go wrong. We'll cover:
For many, the repair kit starts and ends with a phone and credit card. But knowing you can get yourself out of most situations without needing help means you can take on adventures into wilder and more remote areas.
The actual tools we take depends on the journey – you'd need very different tools and spares for a round-the-world trip to a long weekend in your home country. As a starting point, our repair kit checklist for longer journeys includes:
Tools
Spares
Repairs/Maintenance
There's a joy to knowing your bike and how to maintain it. The riding experience changes and you hear how the bike is getting on and what various creaks, cracks, jolts and noises mean.
You don't need to be a Cytech qualified mechanic to undertake a multi-day ride but there are a few basic skills that will help you on your journey.
We've partnered with Bicycle Maintenance App to give you a free bike maintenance guide. Together these form an online bike maintenance course that gives you the information to master:
The less common skills that you may need but are less likely are:
Carrying out the following routine bike checks will keep your bike in tip-top condition and help prevent major mechanicals.