Punctures are enough to leave anybody feeling flat, but as Iain Treloar demonstrates, it’s easy to get rolling again. There are three certainties in any bike rider’s life: death, taxes and punctures. Regrettably, Ride On can’t help much with the first two. Happily, we can help with the last one. From changing tubes to preventative measures to reduce the risk of punctures
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There’s more to the humble inner tube than meets the eye, writes Stephen Huntley. An inner tube seems like such a simple and straightforward bike part that very little is ever written or said about it. But it is an important component; there is more to the tube than meets the eye, and getting the right one for your bike
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Iain Treloar demonstrates some quick, easy brake adjustments. Brake adjustment can be a daunting prospect for the novice mechanic, but fear not—it’s significantly more straightforward than it may at first appear. The following tips for the three most common braking systems in Australia don’t require fancy tools—if you’ve got a set of Allen keys, two
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Iain Treloar runs you through some quick steps to keep your bike sparkling. When bad weather creates mucky riding conditions, your chain and cassette are more susceptible to rust and wear, the underside of your frame can become caked with horrible gunk and your brakes are likely to leave ghostly grey residue all over your
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Don’t let the winter blahs keep you from getting out there on your bike. Vince Attree is here to tell you that a little preparation and a little TLC can make a world of difference. Often neglected parts of your bike can suffer in the harsh weather. This time of year can really rip a bike
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It only takes a few small adjustments to increase your comfort and improve your bike’s performance, explains Rowan Lamont. You and your whizz-bang off-the-shelf bicycle have already shared a few adventures: bonding as you rode into that killer head wind, agonising over the first scratch from leaning your bike against a wall, and sharing a spill negotiating wet tram tracks. It
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Adjusting your headset is a simple procedure that will help your braking and potentially save you money, writes Stephen Huntley. Hidden inside the tube that connects your fork to your handlebars (the head tube) are two sets of ball bearings and their accompanying components that combined make up what is known as the headset. The
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Having the right grip on your handlebars can add much joy to your riding experience, finds Rowan Lamont. There are three points of contact between a rider and their bike: feet, bottom, and hands. Unsurprisingly, people’s bottoms attract the most attention, followed by feet, and hands are often the last contact point a rider thinks about. Grips are often underrated but can
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Some bike maintenance jobs seem so basic that it’s assumed everyone knows how to do them well, but that’s not always the case, writes Stephen Huntley. With instructions supplied with bikes and their parts often impossible to understand, and riders not wanting to feel foolish by asking what seem to be silly questions, seemingly simple
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Keeping your brakes in good shape will make you a more confident, and therefore a more capable, rider, explains Stephen Huntley. Bike brakes are a very reliable and efficient mechanical device that work well even if not perfectly adjusted. For this reason, although ongoing brake maintenance is quick and simple, it is often ignored. Many
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