Happy wheels bike shop

How to remove and install your rear derrailleur for travelling

Stewart — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 00:19:10 +0000

Here I demonstrate how to remove your rear derrailleur for packing your bike into a box for air travel, how to protect your frame from getting bent in transit. Very importantly, you should watch very carefully how to put your derrailleur back on – a mistake my customers often make is not inserting the derrailleur at the correct angle, which leads to cross threading and damaging the tip of your frame – watch this very short clip to save your bike:

Riding and racing on wet roads

Stewart — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 05:03:21 +0000

Don’t ride at your normal high pressure because you are more likely to skid and aquaplane. Remember to let some air out of your tyres when riding in the rain – this flattens the tyre a bit, provides more rubber … Continue reading →

When and how do I check my chain for wear?

Stewart — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 04:58:37 +0000

If your chain gets too worn:

it is dangerous
you wear out your cassette
and then you have to replace both chain and cassette, increasing cost

So how do you know if your chain is worn?

There is a very inexpensive tool called a chain checker you can purchase. In this short video clip I demonstrate how easy it is to check your chain for wear and tear.

Why you have to change your bar tape

Stewart — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 13:54:22 +0000

Would you use the same sweaty towel for 6 months without washing it?

Many customers bring their bikes into us for servicing, and removing the bar tape is sometimes down-right putrid (salt, sweat, and awful smell), and an occupational health and safety issue to us from a hygiene perspective.

The photo above illustrates the extreme corrosion from sweat on bar tape that hasn’t been replaced. The corrosion led to a snapping of the handlebars.

If you don’t change your bar tape regularly, remember that when you eat on your ride, you are using the same hands that have been on your unhygienic handlebars.

SO PLEASE:
1. change your bar tape every 3 months if you ride regularly, every 6 months at the absolute latest.
2. in between bar tape changes, wash your bartape with soap and water.

Adjusting your gears using the barrel adjuster

Stewart — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 08:49:10 +0000

This is a must-see for any cyclist and triathlete – only 1minute! – very handy for when your gears go out in the middle of a ride, in a race, new cables have stretched, or after your bike has been on the plane. Presented to you by Stew (Computa) Campbell, of Happy Wheels Bicycle Service Centre, Kingsford Sydney.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMGLG7hVK5o

How to lube your bike and which ones to use

Stewart — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 05:49:13 +0000

In this videoclip, I demonstrate:

WHAT NOT TO DO when lubing your bike (this is based on what I see when customers bring their bikes in)
How to lubricate your bike, and which parts to lube
What is the difference between the different lubes (dry, wet, organic, spray, etc), and when do you use which one?

How to change Shimano/SRAM brake pads for a road bike

Stewart — Tue, 15 May 2012 02:32:17 +0000

Here Stew demonstrates how to change brake pads for a road bike – Shimano or SRAM. Changing Campagnola brake pads are a little more complicated and needs its own clip.

Anyone that needs to change their worn brake pads, OR need to change brake pads regularly between a set of carbon race wheels versus alloy training wheels, should watch this clip to save a trip to your local shop!

How to take your back bike wheel off

Stewart — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 10:17:42 +0000

Here, I demonstrate the RIGHT way to remova and install a back wheel.
This is a must-see for anyone that races, or simply wants to change their back wheel quickly after getting a puncture in the middle of a ride.

How to change a punctured tubular (for triathletes and time triallists)

Stewart — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 06:44:25 +0000

If you are riding tubulars (singles) in a triathlon or time trial and get a dreaded puncture, watch this short clip for some tips on how to change it quickly and efficiently.

NOTE for triathletes and time triallists, when I glue on tubulars, I leave a very small gap in the glue so that the tyre can be ripped off in a matter of seconds. Without such a gap, you literally need a screwdriver to wrench the tyre off, losing potentially minutes. I talk a little bit about this too in the clip. (For road and track cyclists, no such gap would be left because you are cornering at high speeds).

How to remove and install a TIGHT tyre without pinching the tube (applies to loose tyres too)

Stewart — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:49:18 +0000

Have you got the tightest tyre from hell and you are concerned about pinching the tube?
In this video clip Stew demonstrates the removal and installation with a very tight tyre, and how to put on that last bit of stretched tyre.

Of course, tips and tricks apply as equally to looser tyres.