What bike mechanic skills should I have as a bare minimum?
Grinding to a halt in a road ride or a race is the last thing we want to happen. The question is, do you know how to fix the common mechanical problems triathletes can face out on the road? Here, Coach Jon runs through some of the basic mechanical skills you really should learn before taking your bike on the open roads.
Nobody wants to be stood at the side of the road on race day wondering how on earth they will fix their bike, whilst time slips away, and countless competitors fly past. Similarly, you don’t want to be the one relying on others to provide tools and fix your bike on a group ride, whilst you stand back and watch. Before we go into the common problems you might encounter, let's look at the tools you should be carrying on your road rides (and most races).
Pump/Co2 – a good quality pump or a CO2 inflator are essential. Don’t forget; you must know how to use them!
Spare tube/tubeless tyre plugs – depending on your tyre set up a spare tube will fix most puncture issues. If you are running tubeless and want a quicker fix, tubeless tyre plugs are excellent. If you are on a longer ride it is certainly worth including some patches for your tube, in case one tube isn’t enough.
Multi-tool – a good quality multi-tool can fix a fortitude of bike problems. Many even come with built-in chain tools, spoke tools and tyre levers.
Chain link – although, very rare, if your chain breaks a chain-link can save the day. They are tiny and lightweight, a worthy addition to a riders toolkit.
Before you go out to train or race perform a bike check, here coach Trevor takes us through an article and video on what to check before your next ride. Performing Trevor’s checks and looking after your bike with some simple maintenance can help prevent roadside mechanicals and make your bike much more efficient, improving your performance:
Keep your bike clean – give your bike a regular deep clean. Even if you are only riding on the turbo - sweat can be extremely corrosive and damaging to your bike and its components.
Keep your chain clean and lubricated – A worn chain can cost you watts, but a dirty chain can cost you even more.
Check your tyre pressure – the most efficient pressure will vary depending on your tyre's volume, bodyweight, and road surface condition. Experiment with different pressures to find the optimum pressure for the conditions you expect on race day.
Get a regular service – indexed gears, new cables and greased bearings are all going to make your bike smoother and faster. If you can’t do these jobs yourself, make sure you take your bike to a reputable bike shop for a regular check-up.
Problems on the road - how many of these can you do comfortably?
Puncture - knowing how to fix a puncture on the road is top of the list. Every cyclist should know how to do it and practice it often. If you are a competitive triathlete you should practice doing it quickly on your race bike - how tight are those lightweight racing tyres on your aero wheels? You could turn practice into a bit of fun - how long does it take you to get the wheel on and off with a new tube in place? I’m sure you can beat 3:25...
Dropped chain – second on the list is a dropped chain. Not technically a mechanical skill but a common problem we all face. They are usually caused by worn or badly serviced components or bad shifting technique. A dropped chain can happen at inopportune moments, such as climbing a steep climb. They can be easily fixed by calmly and slowly shifting the front derailleur back to where you want the chain to be whilst continuing to pedal slowly. If this doesn’t work, you will have to hop off and put the chain back on manually. On a training ride, you can take your time, grabbing the chain with a leaf or empty wrapper can help keep your hands oil-free. In a race, you’re going to get dirty.
Gears not shifting properly – You should have checked this before leaving the house, but if your cables stretch on a ride the gear shifting can become erratic. If the inconsistent shifting is costing you time, you are going to have to make adjustments. Use the barrel adjuster on the rear derailleur to fix skipping gears, ¼ turn adjustments should be all that is necessary. For the front derailleur, you should be able to adjust the tension with an ‘inline’ barrel adjuster. Those with electronic shifting shouldn’t encounter this issue, but you can fine-tune the shifting on the fly if you do. Stopping at the side of the road to make adjustments is the safest course of action.
Brakes rubbing – nobody wants to hear their brakes rubbing, think of all those watts draining down the toilet. Brake rub can be easily fixed. Firstly, stop and check that your wheels are sitting in the dropouts correctly, loosen the quick release and tighten it back up again. If you have rim brakes, you can adjust the cable tension quickly with the levers on the brake callipers. Disc brake pads can be re-centred easily by loosening and retightening the housing bolts whilst applying brake pressure.
Brakes not working – a rather frightening scenario, and again, one you should have checked long before hitting the road. Cable actuated brakes can be adjusted using barrel adjusters. Hydraulic brakes may require bleeding. If you can’t fix your brakes, ride cautiously, think well ahead and call it a day if it is unsafe.
Snapped chain – snapping a chain is rare, but it can happen. It may be "race over" for many, but if you have packed a quick link, you should be able to get back on the road in a matter of minutes.
Snapped spoke – this may sound dramatic, but as long as you can secure the broken spoke, by bending or taping it around an adjacent spoke you should be quickly on your way again.
Buckled wheel – this may be related to the snapped spoke, or commonly, running into a nasty pothole. If you have a spoke tool on your multi-tool, learning how to adjust the spokes to iron out any buckles can be a useful skill. If you don’t have the tools, you may have to loosen the brake to allow the wheel to turn - use this as a last resort to get home and again stop if it becomes unsafe.
Jon has been coaching with his local triathlon club in Hertfordshire around his full-time job as an airline pilot for several years. Unfortunately, Jon lost his pilot’s licence for 11 months in 2019 due to being diagnosed with testicular cancer (read his story here). He used the time off from flying to complete his Level 2 and Level 2 BTF diploma qualifications as well as a L3 Personal Trainer qualification. With his new coaching qualifications under his belt, Jon was able to join Tri Training Harder as a coach in 2019. He has now recovered from cancer, started flying again and is training hard for the coming triathlon season.
Jon has a flexible approach to coaching and training, from his own busy lifestyle he knows how to balance training around family, friends and social commitments. Jon loves to utilise the knowledge gained on his Personal Trainer course and finds incorporating well-structured strength and conditioning sessions vital to triathlon performance.
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