I recently took a really decrepit looking bike from my neighbors curbside garbage pile.  It’s a decent Gary Fisher bike that I want to convert into a second touring and running errands around town bike.  I don’t do major work on any of my bikes but there are some things that those of us who like to tour should be able to fix or replace. We can’t carry tools and all the parts for our bikes but there are a couple of things every biker should be able to accomplish.  Fixing flats is a no brainer, but one of the easier tasks that many won’t even attempt is breaking the chain to replace, clean or repair.  A broken chain on a long  ride can be a catastrophic failure for some, and that should not be the case.

With winter coming, now could be the ideal time to do some practice and learn some basic bike maintenance skills. Toward the end of the last century I purchased a bike maintenance book that is still considered the go to place to fix our machines. Youtube has made things so much clearer and there are some really good authors that really simplify these tasks. Below is a good chain video. Take a look and try replacing a chain yourself. It’s easy.