You can be your own mechanic!

Even after a nasty face-plant, getting your bike back on the trail is easier than you think.

While some of you may not have a million acres of land to ride in, breaking down in your local park may require a walk out to the truck. But in many cases, that can be avoided with a little know-how. Most things are still going to require a professional mechanic, if you take care of your bike from day one, you can maintain it well and minimize the trips to the shop. You can even be your own bike mechanic and save a lot of money. Here are some tips for do-it-yourself -bike repair:

Keep Your bicycle Spic and Span

Do you remember how your bike looked when you first bought it? Yes, it was brand new and shiny. To maintain that look, make sure you keep your bicycle clean. Just get a cloth, a bucket of warm water with a bit of detergent, and you can give your bicycle a brand new look. You should know how to clean the tricky parts so you don't smash them up.

Keep Your bicycle Well Lubricated

It's important to keep your bike lubricated. You don't want the metal parts to grind against each other and give you a bad biking experience. Make sure you clear up the old lubricant residue before you apply a new one. Layers of old lubricant can prevent the effectiveness of the new layer. The friction between metal parts can cause damage to your bicycle. In such a case, you can take your bicycle to the bike shop.

Keep a Regular Check on the Wheels

Surprisingly, most bike owners forget to pay attention to the most important part of the bike, the wheels. It is the wheels that are most used and come in contact with the road. Make sure to check regularly for a flat tire to avoid any inconvenience during the ride. Also, check for any mud build up, or other damage to the wheels.

Store Your bicycle Properly

If your part of the world has bad climate, where your bicycle can go all rusty in no time, make sure you store it properly. Storage of the bicycle is an extremely important part of bike maintenance. Bad weather can cause damage to your two-wheeler. If you think your bike is in bad condition, instantly take it to the bike shop.

Know Your bicycle

Each bicycle is different. The maintenance requirement is also different. You should know how your bike works and how frequently you need to maintain it. There may be some parts of the bike that require more frequent maintenance than others. Be your own bike repair person and keep a regular check on your bike to avoid any visits to the shop that can cost you hundreds of dollars.

Too simple, but what now?

These are the simple more common sense principles - but what about the more complicated maintenance items - well fret not, thanks to The Gravity Garage - we will be putting on simple videos and articles on how to "Get it Done!"