My trusty old bike has now survived more than 20 years with me. Over that time, virtually every part has been replaced at some point, often several times (I think the frame might be the only remaining component of my original purchase…).
Part of its longevity can be attributed to dutifully looking after it via regular maintenance and running repairs. And this is where it is useful to know when you can do something yourself, and when to take it to a bike shop for their expert help.
Looking after a bike is a bit like looking after a car. I know how to do the basics of car maintenance, such as changing a flat tyre, checking and filling up motor oil, even jump-starting the engine if need be. But for the more specialised problems, or where I will need some replacement parts, then it’s time to find myself a mechanic.
With a bike, it’s rather similar. Ideally you should teach yourself how to at least change a flat tyre (or how to prevent that happening in the first place…). If you want some advice on both puncture prevention and treatment, have a look at this post from some time ago.
And it can also be useful to get into the habit of regularly doing a bit of a check over the various parts of your bike to ensure they’re in fairly good shape. Dirt and grime can build up over time (even more so on wet days), so making sure that the various parts of your bike are clean, free of gunk, and well lubricated is pretty important to minimise problems further down the line (this is where having a few old rags on hand is quite useful…).
You might be able to pick up a few useful tips and guidance on basic bike maintenance and repairs from some online videos. But for several people still just dabbling on the journey of bike ownership, at some point even your skills and resources may require external help. How to adjust my bike derailleur gears? Yeah, beyond me… Need a new bike chain or brake cable? Time to get the right stuff from a bike shop…
There are several bike shops around Christchurch that can help you with general servicing and also specific repairs and parts replacements – have a look at our Bike Shops page for more information. It can be helpful too if you let them know about anything that you’d like them to check a bit more carefully (e.g. if something is looking a bit worn, or making a funny noise when riding). Hint: it’s also good form to give your bike a bit of a clean-up before you take it in too!
Sometimes you have to book sufficiently in advance (even more so as people get into spring or summer and demand for bike servicing ramps up). Prices for general servicings are usually pretty reasonable (a bit more sometimes for e-bikes), but if you have to replace a few parts then it might start to add up.
At some point soon I suspect, my old faithful may have outlived its usefulness and I might have to look at something new – maybe an e-bike this time…
What have you learned over the years about maintaining your bike?
RAD – the non-profit community bike workshop, is a great place to get parts and expert advice. Especially for a bike that has been cobbled together over the years. Brilliant place to find an older bike, donate your kid’s old bikes, and to get training so you can do even more work on your own bike.
Open on Sunday afternoons and some evenings during the week, RAD has recently (November 2025) found a new home at 54 Howdon Street, Sydenham.
More information on the RAD website. https://www.radbikes.co.nz
Thanks David, I belatedly thought to add mention of them too!
Further to the comment about RAD they are often able to help repair bikes that a bike shop might tell you is not economic to fix or that new parts are too costly or even unobtainable. They have a stock of good secondhand parts along with some new parts as well. These are sold at very reasonable prices. You can also use their tools and equipment for a koha.
They are given many different bikes over the course of a year. Many are repaired and renovated to be sold which also helps keep RAD running. Others are recycles for parts which are then used for repairs. Unwanted parts are sorted into metal types and sold for scrap. Very little ends in landfill.