You can take every precaution on the road to ensure your safety—riding with traffic, wearing a helmet, keeping a spare tire on hand, carrying money if you get stranded somewhere—but when it comes to truly making sure you have a safe ride, the first place you should look is your bike. There are numerous common issues that could send your wheels spinning if they’re not taken care of, so be on the lookout for the below problems and address them before your next outing.
1. Your chain keeps falling off
One slipped chain can be fixed pretty quickly, but if the problem keeps on happening, it might be because of a bigger issue. Your chain could be too big, which means you need to remove links. It’s a simple process if you have a chain tool and have experience repairing bikes, but if you’re a beginner, it’s best to take your ride to a professional. Otherwise, you could find yourself with a slipped chain and a skinned knee (or worse) on the side of a road.
2. Your wheels are creaking
The culprit for noisy wheels is usually loose spokes. While you can always tighten them with a spoke wrench, it’s actually best to leave this task to a professional if you’re not 100 percent confident in your bike mechanics. If you accidentally over-tighten the spokes, you could cause the wheel to curve. The bike mechanic may have to bend the wheel back into the correct position before they can tighten the spokes properly again.
3. Some bolts are loose
Over time, the nuts and bolts that hold your bike frame together can come loose; it’s bound to happen as you put more miles on your bicycle. But before you go out for your next ride, make sure that everything is tight. Focus on your handlebars, stem, and seat post—those places experience the most pressure and tension, loosening things faster. They’re also spots where loose bolts can mean accidents while cycling. If you tighten things yourself, be sure not to over-tighten the bolts, which can damage the bike’s threads, leading to an even bigger repair bill down the road.
If you’re not comfortable making these fixes at home and want a walk-through from a professional head on over to Bay Area Bicycles in Corpus Christi. They provide free safety inspections and can educate you on diagnosing frequent bike issues. Even if you don’t need help with these common problems, it’s a good idea to take your bike in for a professional tune-up at least once a year.
The shop has been locally owned and operated since 1987 and the staff there can help you with everything from maintenance to repairs, finding the right bike for you, properly fitting your bicycle to your body, and so much more. Visit them online at BayAreaBicyclesCCTX.com, in person at 6020 S Padre Island Drive, or call them at (361) 993-7000.
Corpus Christi. TX 78412
(361) 993-7000
Custom Bike Fit Services
Our experts at Bay Area Bicycles offer custom bike fit services to reduce your chances of form-related injuries and make your riding experience much more enjoyable. We believe that getting the perfect fit is so important that we employ two certified bike fitting technicians to fit your bike.
Repair Services
Whether you need your derailleurs adjusted, a broken spoke replaced, or a complete overhaul that makes your bicycle run and look even better than new, our experts have the experience, knowledge, and factory training to provide you with expert bike repair services.
About Us
Tom Neagli owned and managed Bay Area Bicycles from 1987 until his retirement in January 2018. Following Tom’s retirement, Wayne Eden purchased the store and continues exemplary customer service and great product offerings. The passionate and skilled team at Bay Area Bicycles, believes in empowering the community and encouraging a healthy lifestyle through exercise and movement. Our entire team at Bay Area Bicycles looks forward to serving the community of Corpus Christi for many years to come.