With the arrival of warm, spring temperatures, I returned to riding my bike for purposes of commuting, exercising, city exploration, and simply the pure joy of riding a bike in good weather. I was soon reminded, however, that my commuter bike squeaked and that my road bike was in need of some new parts; it was about time that I equip myself with some practical bike knowledge, including basic maintenance. I found the perfect opportunity in May, which is “Bike Month” in New York City. Some of the highlights of Bike Month are: the “Five Boro Ride,” the “Bike Film Festival,” and a host of other rides, events, and activities for bikers of all ages.

Among the activities were free “Bike Repair Workshops” offered by TIME’S UP!, a New York City-based not-for-profit direct-action environmental group whose mission is to use “events and educational programs to promote a more sustainable, less toxic city.” The Bike Repair Workshops comprise either informal lectures or sessions involving hands-on bike repair. The lectures are a recurring monthly series, with weekly lectures covering “Basics,” “Cables and Housing,” “Cups, Cones, Bearings,” and “Wheels and Spokes,” held not just in May, but also throughout the year. In the hands-on bike repair sessions, participants practice freely on their own bikes, with supervision by volunteer mechanics.

The informal lectures were held at the TIME’S UP! Lower East Side location, in a basement workshop. Each week, there were about twenty people in attendance, listening to volunteer mechanics speaking about specific bikes held up on bike stands. The mechanics also demonstrated on the bikes of attendees, which resulted in those bikes getting tune-ups for the topic spoken about. The atmosphere was casual, with much useful information conveyed during question-answer periods.

For the recreational bike rider, I will briefly relate what I learned at the first lecture, which covered the basic maintenance of a mechanically sound bike. The following lectures covered all the parts of the bike that can be overhauled (brakes and gearing, hubs/bottom bracket/headset, and wheels and spokes). The summary misses on the visual aspects, detailed explanations, including physics and mechanics, question-answer interaction, and humor, which is gained from attending the actual workshop.

There are three main ways to keep a working bike in good running order. 1, Pump tires to the recommended pounds-per-square-inch (psi). Check the specification for your tire on the Internet, or check your tire sidewall. Either the recommended psi or the maximum psi—which is a little higher than the recommended psi—is listed. Keeping your tires pumped to the recommended psi prevents flats and unnecessary tire wear and allows you to go faster. Inflation of tires to the recommended psi requires a floor pump with a gauge. Road bikes require a pump that can accommodate Presta valves; mountain bikes and hybrids use Schraeder valves (same as those on car tires). Most pumps can handle both types of valves. The mini-pump will not typically allow the tire to be inflated to the recommended psi; it’s really only for fixing emergency flats on the road and providing enough air pressure to enable you to return home.

2, Lubricate the chain frequently, since several pieces of the chain move and rub against each other as the chain moves. A squeaking chain is good indication that the chain needs lubricating. How do you lubricate a chain? Drop lubricant onto the chain as you spin the wheel, allowing the lubricant to “get inside” the chain. After generous lubrication, it is important to get rid of excess lube on the outside of the chain (hold the chain with a rag as you spin the wheel) since ironically, lube also attracts dirt, accumulation of which inhibits mechanical movement. (Incidentally, lubricating the chain on my bike solved the “squeaking” issue; it now rides smoothly and quietly.)

3, Clean your bike after each ride. Wiping off dirt from the frame and moving parts prevents rust, extending the lifetime of your bike. In addition, removal of dirt buildup due to infrequent cleaning requires more effort than frequent cleaning. It is also very helpful to keep your bike indoors, away from the elements.

Finally, one key basic skill is the ability to change a flat. For this, you need a pump, tire levers, and a patch kit. The basic steps are: remove the wheel from the bike; remove the tire from the rim; pull out the tube; find the hole; patch the hole; clear the inside of the wheel (in other words, check the inside of the wheel in case the object that caused the flat had pierced the tire and is still lodged within); replace the tube (with a little bit of air) inside the tire; replace the tire onto the rim; pump the tire; reattach the wheel.

To find the hole, pump air into the tube, and either listen or feel for escaping air. To patch the hole, first rub the area around the hole with the tiny square of sand paper provided in the kit. Patch kits come in two types—permanent patches utilizing vulcanizing fluid and temporary sticker patches. If you are using the former, apply the vulcanizing fluid, let it dry, and then apply the permanent patch; if using the latter, just apply the temporary sticker patch. Applying a permanent patch requires only a few minutes longer, the time it takes for the vulcanizing fluid to dry.

Removing the wheel is the only tricky part since some tires are extremely rigid. The air valve is a convenient guidepost for tire removal and replacement. It is easiest to start removing a tire off the rim on the side opposite the air valve, and easiest to start putting a tire back on the rim by starting at the air valve and moving away from it. To remove the tire, insert the tire lever between the tire and the rim, and then run your other lever around the wheel, essentially peeling the tire off the rim. Sometimes it’s possible to pop the tire back on the rim simply by stretching it over the rim; if not, use the lever to pop the tire over the rim.

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