Essential bike know-how

All Beyond Biking tour guides are skilled bicycle mechanics, and daily bicycle maintenance is carried out during your trip. But it is good to be prepared for flat tyres and other issues by learning some basic bicycle repair and maintenance techniques. It will allow you to know your bike better, giving you a better understanding of how to keep it in tip-top shape.

You do not need to know how to take apart your whole bicycle and reassemble it. These short videos will help you learn the basic skills required to keep your bike running well. Most of these maintenance videos are brought to you by BikeRadar and Bike Magazine.

Basic bike maintenance and repair skills

1. How to fix a mountain bike puncture
2. How to fit tubeless tyres
3. How to quick clean a bike
4. How to clean and lube a bike chain
5. How to fix a bike chain
6. How to diagnose bike gear problems
7. How to replace a bent derailleur hanger
8. How to set derailleur limits
9. How to replace hydraulic disc brake pads
10. How to replace a spoke

Tyre choice and pressure

You’ll make the most of your bike experience if you choose the right tyres. The right mountain bike tyres make a huge difference in the quality of your ride, since they are the only parts of your bike that have contact with the ground. The right tyre can make you climb faster, have more stability on downhill sections and take better corners. A good mountain bike tyre will also provide low rolling resistance, ample grip and a degree of cushioning that will enhance the quality of your ride.

Cross country riders tend to look for fast-rolling tyres, with smoother/smaller knobs and a narrower tyre width. In wet conditions, cross country riders may look at changing their tyres to narrower profiles to increase mud clearance, as well as moving to larger profile knobs to increase traction. Besides, many manufacturers have front and rear specific tyres, so there are many options. The key is using the right tyres for the terrain. You will find answers to the most common questions about tyres in our video selection below, so please watch them if you are bringing your own bike.

1. 26 vs 29er bikes: does bicycle wheel size matter?
2. 26 vs 29 traction
3. Tube vs tubeless tyres
4. Mountainbike tyre tread and pattern guide