Hybrid Repair and Maintenance Guide

[Peter Salt]

Fair enough, good to hear given discounts on the bikes are pretty much non existent and prices through the roof

Fair point, fair point. We did end up getting a Spesh hybrid from Evans, actually reduced from 950 to 700 so not too bad.

 

[Loueese]

If it's a new bike, pretty sure you can take it to the bike shop how often you like for the first year or so and have it maintained/repaired for free.

Also, will come with a manual

There's only one free service and the sales guy said the 'manual' is very generic. Can't expect much for a low cost bike these days.
Louise

 

[bonzobanana]

Lots of free instruction manuals as pdf's on various bike brand sites. You can always print out the pages you actually need for adjustments on your bike. Not sure who is best Raleigh used to do a good instruction manual. I wonder if some of the direct sellers like Canyon do a good manual as their customers have no retail support (unless they pay for it). I think the Giant manual is pretty good so you might be happy with the instructions that come with the bike.

 

[Peter Salt]

There's only one free service and the sales guy said the 'manual' is very generic. Can't expect much for a low cost bike these days.
Louise

I guess it's a digression, but that's not the info we got in Liv store in York. The very helpful lady there told us price doesn't matter - whether you get a £10k TT bike or 0.5k hybrid the service is the same and as I described in my earlier posts.

 

[Loueese]

Lots of free instruction manuals as pdf's on various bike brand sites. You can always print out the pages you actually need for adjustments on your bike. Not sure who is best Raleigh used to do a good instruction manual. I wonder if some of the direct sellers like Canyon do a good manual as their customers have no retail support (unless they pay for it). I think the Giant manual is pretty good so you might be happy with the instructions that come with the bike.

Ah yes, I see Liv have a few guides on their site: https://www.liv-cycling.com/gb/campaigns-bike_diy

Louise

 

[Loueese]

I guess it's a digression, but that's not the info we got in Liv store in York. The very helpful lady there told us price doesn't matter - whether you get a £10k TT bike or 0.5k hybrid the service is the same and as I described in my earlier posts.

I'll check with the shop when I pick it up
Louise

 

[DCBassman]

I have the Haynes and the Park Tools books. Park tools is far better.

 

[Alex321]

The Park tools book is available for £23.

https://www.worldwidecyclery.com/products/park-tool-bbb-4-big-blue-book-of-bike-repair-4th-edition

It may be over the top for what you need, but it means basically that anything you have the tools for, you will be able to do.

 

[Alex321]

Loueese: "Ah, it's the more expensive Alight 2 City that has hydraulic disc brakes" (Tektro HD-R280)
Don't come and spoil it! Let's pretend you actually bought a Liv Alight 3 disc.
The point @vickster (who is one of Cycle Chat Mechanics & Repairs ' leading ladies, and farther afield) was checking is that if you have hydraulics you need a book which covers those reasonably well because (my comment) that's the item that will likely give you most maintenance grief (reaches for helmet).

That hasn't been my experience with them to date.

Drivetrain has needed much more maintenance than hydraulic brakes, on both my last (Boardman hybrid) and current (Cube road) bikes. I've just changed the pads on my current bike (after ~2500 miles), but they have needed zero maintenance otherwise.

 

[Loueese]

That hasn't been my experience with them to date.

Drivetrain has needed much more maintenance than hydraulic brakes, on both my last (Boardman hybrid) and current (Cube road) bikes. I've just changed the pads on my current bike (after ~2500 miles), but they have needed zero maintenance otherwise.

The Liv doesn't have hydraulic brakes so no worries anyway.
Louise

 

[Loueese]

The Park tools book is available for £23.

https://www.worldwidecyclery.com/products/park-tool-bbb-4-big-blue-book-of-bike-repair-4th-edition

It may be over the top for what you need, but it means basically that anything you have the tools for, you will be able to do.

I don't have any tools - yet! Well, nothing specific for a bike. I'm not sure if anything might come with it? I expect I'll have to look for a basic set.
Louise

 

[vickster]

I essentially have a standard multitool, a few sets of tyre levers and a set of these which are extremely solid and easy to use at home compared to a multi tool (similar may be available elsewhere).
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-pro-coloured-allen-key-set
or https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-allen-key-x-9-ball-end-set

I also hang onto magnum ice cream sticks which are great for checking the inner tube isn't trapped after fitting and before inflating, just run around between the tyre and rim!

Anything that actually needs changing like chains or cassettes or brake pads, fixing like spokes, wheel buckles or adjusting like gears or brakes is done by my LBS, I have more money to pay than I have the patience, enthusiasm and skills to do I'm happy to admit that I generally find anything technical like a YouTube bike maintenance video utterly befuddling and actually quite stressful to follow!

 

[DCBassman]

I don't have any tools - yet! Well, nothing specific for a bike. I'm not sure if anything might come with it? I expect I'll have to look for a basic set.
Louise

Should you decide to go for it, Decathlon do some great basic sets for not too much money.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

For tools, if you wanted a full kit you could get a half decent one fairly cheaply (30 to 40 pounds) from Argos, I've got one of their Guild kits and it's not bad at all. The downside is that it isn't bike specific and will be missing a couple of bits you need, and you might not use half the items... I think I've used about 8 of the items in mine. What many amateur mechanics do is to start with a few really commonly used tools and later add in each tool IF they need it. The economics of one over the other is up for debate. What most people are agreed on is to avoid the very cheapest tools (that might last one job before bending or stripping), and try to get the best tool you can afford.

I'd start with:
A good multitool.
A track pump (they're very good for home use but you'll want a mini pump for when you're out).
Tyre levers
A good set of allen keys.
Couple of appropriately sized screwdrivers - depending on your bike fittings. (Check the heads though, you might have all / nearly all allen bolts).

Later you can add others, I've found good wire cutters and a decent pedal spanner to be my most useful additions.

 

[T4tomo]

The 3 pointed 4mm 5mm 6mm allen key wrench are a nice luxury, i have both those plus proper long allen keys to supplement the multi tool (which is bike carried).
chain tool is useful when it comes to chain replacement
ditto cassette tool, adjustable spanner to hold it and a chain whip for cassette replacement

that said, I have reasonable fleet of bikes that come under my maintenance obligations.

My mate has nothing but a multi tool, pump and tyre levers, and my phone number for anything remotely technical....