Maintenance

There are some fixes to leave to an expert

When to take your bike to a pro mechanic

There are some bike maintenance tasks that are easier than others. Some require specialized tools and knowledge. Others, not so much. But when do you dive into a fix yourself and when do you enlist the skills of a professional mechanic? By professional mechanic, I mean someone who actually works on bikes for a living (and has done so for years), not a part-time enthusiast or hobbyist. I stress this difference because nothing replaces the vast experience a mechanic gets from being a full-time wrench working on a wide variety of components. Being able to perform tasks properly and efficiently is only learned through years of experience – not though parttime dabbling.

Steering Tube and Headset

Let’s say you’re well-versed in adjusting your headset, but you can’t figure out why there is still play and knocking. There are many things to consider here, such as compression-plug condition, spacer placement and bearing condition. Go to your mechanic with as much information as possible regarding your symptoms. A good wrench will know exactly what to look for and recommend options right away.

Another scenario: you adjusted your position and now there is too much steering tube exposed. You’ll have to put a spacer above the stem or you’ll need to cut the steering tube down. Leave the trimming to the pros. Cutting a carbon steering tube is a delicate procedure. If you cut it too short or you splinter the carbon during the process, you’ll ruin an expensive component.

Shifting and Drivetrain

You can index your rear derailleur perfectly in most cases. Your friends even come to you for help. But this time, no matter what you do with the barrel adjuster, you still hear noise and some gears get skipped. A possible culprit is a misaligned rear derailleur hanger. With today’s 11- and 12-speed systems, the alignment has to be perfect for flawless operation. You could get away with less-thanperfect back in the day with wider chains and fewer cogs. But not anymore. Your local pro will have the right tool to realign the hanger. This is not something that should be done by eye on today’s systems. The experienced mechanic can check this in fewer than three minutes as well as other areas that might be causing your troubles, such as cable condition and drivetrain wear.

Post-crash

You went down. Afterward, you checked out your bike and found a few items that might be broken. Also, the frame has a mark on it that concerns you. Is it a crack in the carbon or paint damage? You can take a chance: ride your bike after replacing the damaged parts. But why not get an expert opinion? It’s probably best to get some coffee and pastries and head over to see your local experienced mechanic (to whom you are loyal, yes?). The advice you get will either bring you peace of mind, or possibly save your skin.

“A good wrench will know exactly what to look for and recommend options right away.”