We’ve all been there, out on the road and something happens that we’re not quite prepared for. So, we’ve outlined some of the most common bike problems and fixes for each one. Whether it’s a flat tire or a squeaky pedal, hopefully, a couple of these tips will help out.

Fix a Flat Tire

A flat tire is something that all cyclists encounter, which is why a bike pump and repair station should always be readily on hand. Flats are an easy fix if the tire is simply low on air. You’ll need to open the brakes and remove the wheel first of all. Then using your tyre levers, take one side of the tyre off the rim.

Once that’s done you’ll be able to take out the inner tube and inspect it for puncture. At this point, it’s often helpful to run your fingers around the inside of the tyre to make sure the thorn or glass or issue isn’t still stuck inside. After a good inspection, replace the tube, add some air, pop the tyre back on and give it a full inflate with your pump. This one is worth practising as this is one of the most common bike problems.

Recurring flat 

If your tire keeps going flat, there’s something going on other than just bad luck.  When you pull the tube out to replace it, make a note of where the hole is. If the tube is repeatedly being punctured along the top, the culprit is most likely an object stuck in the tire. If the hole is repeatedly occurring on the bottom of the tube, your rim strip might be out of position and the spokes may be to blame.

Jumping gears

This is one of the more common bike problems if you’ve got a new bike that you’ve used a few times. The cables stretch slightly so you might find that the chain starts to skip around the cassette or take longer than it should change gear. Often you’ll just need to tighten the cable by screwing the barrel adjuster a few turns anti-clockwise.

Loose Bolts 

The major problem areas that get affected by this problem are handlebars, seat post and stem. Increased friction could cause the bolts in these areas to loosen up a bit. You shouldn’t count this problem by over-tightening the bolts as that would damage the bike’s thread and that is likely to necessitate a repair job that costs a lot.

To solve this problem, you should get a torque wrench. That is quite accurate and will not cause you to keep guessing how much to tighten the bolts. You don’t have to repeat the procedure recurrently, only when you hear a rattling sound of loose bolts.

Skipping chain

Often, a skipping bike chain is due to a cable stretch. When using a new bicycle, the cables stretch the most during the first few rides. They can also stretch over time as you ride.  It takes cable tension to open a derailleur, which shifts the chain between gears. Adding tension to the cables will prevent cable stretch.

To fix a skip in the rear derailleur, shift the chain into the smallest ring on the rear cassette (hardest gear), and the middle or bigger ring on the front derailleur. Press the shifter once. If the bike chain does not move up a gear, add tension.

Twist the right barrel adjuster, which is on the brake laterally opposite from the brake lever. The brake cable passes through it as it enters the shifter. Unscrew the adjuster by turning it away from you half a turn.

Then shift down into the smallest ring in the rear cassette again and press the shifter again to check if the bicycle shifts properly. If it still does not shift, repeat the whole process. When the first cog shifts properly, continue to move through the gears in the cassette, fine-tuning with the barrel adjuster as you go.

Squeaky brakes

Squeaking noise when you brake usually signifies debris trapped on the brake pad. Clean the brake pads and the wheel rim with a simple acetone solution. If this doesn’t fix the situation, the debris may be embedded in the pad. You can attempt to clear it out by sanding the pads with 220-grit sandpaper, but if the squeaking continues, you might have to take the bike into the shop so they can test that the pads are definitely toed in.

How can the Public Bike Pump & Repair Stand  Save your Bike?

Our public bike repair stand with an integrated pump provides cyclists with a stable workstation to tune their bike and make quick repairs.

Hanging the bike from the arms of the hanger covered by rubber allows a comfortable and correct handling of the bike. It includes all necessary tools to fix up a bike (pump to inflate the wheels, Allen keys of 3,4,5mm, spanner, pliers, screwdriver, Philips screwdriver, 2 levers to remove the wheel cover). The tools are attached to the stand through steel cables.