[Bike Maintenance Class:](Bike_Maintenance_Class "wikilink") Week 1,
Introduction and Flat Repair

## Component Identification and Basic Terminology

### What's What on a Bike


![Image:bikediagram.gif](bikediagram.gif "Image:bikediagram.gif")

### Drive Side and Non-drive Side

The right side of the bike is referred to as the drive side while the
left side is the non-drive side.

### How to talk about gearing

Gears closer to the frame are referred to as *inner* gears while the
ones furthest from the frame are the *outer* gears. High and low in
relation to the gears describes the relative mechanical advantage of the
gearing. An easy mnemonic for this is **H**igher gears are **h**arder
while lower gears are easier. The inner gears on a bike are always going
to be the lower gears and the outer gears are the higher gears.

### Right-hand vs Left-hand Threading

Almost every threaded component on a bike is going to be right-hand
threaded, which means that turning it clockwise will tighten it and
turning it counter-clockwise will loosen it. Pedals and bottom bracket
cups are examples where you would run into left-hand threaded
components. To identify the *handedness* of a component hold it in front
of you as in the picture below. The direction that the threads slant up
too corresponds to the components handedness.

<figure>
<img src="LineDrawingofLeftandRightHandedSquareThreads.png"
title="LineDrawingofLeftandRightHandedSquareThreads.png" width="200" />
<figcaption>LineDrawingofLeftandRightHandedSquareThreads.png</figcaption>
</figure>

Left-handed Right-handed

### Valves: Schrader and Presta

The two types of valves you will see on 99% of bikes in America are
schrader and presta. Schrader valves are the same type of valve that you
see on cars and most other pneumatic tires. Presta valves are
<img src="valvetypes.jpg" title="valvetypes.jpg" width="150"
alt="valvetypes.jpg" />

## Basic Upkeep

### Inflating Tires

<figure>
<img src="valvedeflate.gif" title="Image:valvedeflate.gif" />
<figcaption>Image:valvedeflate.gif</figcaption>
</figure>

### Cleaning and lubing the chain

## Flat Repair

- Understanding brake and wheel quick release mechanisims
- How to remove a tire with tirelevers
- Identifying puncture source (don't forget to keep everything lined
  up!)
- Patching

## Hands On

Repairing flat tires on demo wheels.

## **Resources**

More than you really need to know about flats: [Sheldon Brown Tells
All](http://www.sheldonbrown.com/flats.html)

[Category:Bike_Maintenance_Class](Category:Bike_Maintenance_Class "wikilink")