Tune up your bike!

Greetings!  So today let's learn about how to do a basic "tune-up" on a bike. Most importantly is to be safe.  Check your brakes before riding and always be cautious.  A main thing to do is clean as much you can. A towel is good, maybe a flat-head screwdriver to clean tight spots.

   Brakes; add a bit of oil. Check for any fray or heavy rust on cables. If it seems unsafe don't ride and get it checked out first. Check that the wheel can turn without the brake pad stopping it. Adjust as necessary.  Make sure, usually with an Allen wrench, that all the screws are tightened.  Keep the part of the wheel the brake makes contact with clean of dirt and oil.

 Tires; make sure there are no visible holes or tears in your tire. If there are you are likely to keep getting flat inner tubes or won't hold air if tubeless.  New tires are reasonably priced, patching is difficult and makes your tire off balance a bit. Also check the bolts and make sure the wheels are firmly secured to the frame.  Check the wheels for roundness and that the bearing are intact. Clean and oil.

  Tires/wheel size and pressure; both tires and rims should have sizes on them, ex: 26in. x 1.5 other common sizes are 700cc x 2.  First number is the diameter width of the rim.  Second is the diameter of the tube.  Check the compatibility.  Some are tubeless. On the tire for tubes it will have a min and max p.s.i. Higher psi will be less rolling resistance, so brake sooner, more likely to get flats.  Lower psi will be a smoother ride.  Be careful not to be too low where hitting bumps could damage the rim, tube and tire.. The min and max are good for proper wear on the tire.

  Gears; now clean the gears and derailleur. Wipe the chain with a towel then add bike grease or motor oil.  Get a bit of oil in the axles and clean off more.  The chain should be on snug, enough to move easily and not fall off.  The rear derailleur usually takes care of this. Some bikes don't have them.  Adding or removing links to a chain is easy with a tool designed for it.  Then turning the bike upside-down can be helpful to check the gears. Make sure all gears can be shifted through without shifting the gear off track.

 Enjoy 

Public Transportation

      Taking the bus to work can save a lot of money.  Here's a good link with a chart showings saving by city: Bus vs. Car 

      After adding up the price it seems a great deal could be saved.  In my city it cost around $40 dollars for a monthly bus pass with unlimited rides.  Plus you will get some exercise in walking to bus stops.  Also the stress of driving is taken out of your day, allowing you to arrive at work in a great mood.

     I think this is a good choice as the funding will help develop more public transportation.  Can't forget to mention a bicycle.  Then you will be getting a good amount of exercise.  Most buses have bike racks that are pretty easy to use.  I found it quite useful.

The At Home Workout Plan

Are you like many people these days and have a busy daily life?  While wanting to improve your health, you don't seem to find the time. Well here's an easy 3 in 1 solution.  Turn your lawn into a garden!  Instead of driving across town and/or paying to work out, why not start a garden and get the exercise while doing something you enjoy.  Also you can get tasty vegetables to add to home cooked meals.  


Start small and use fallen leaves or grass clippings to amend the soil. Then pick up seeds from local hardware stores and begin your vegetable or flower garden.  You will quickly feel the exercise even just moving around a bit more.  The fresh air is great and the various activities are good for building core muscles and endurance.  There are many resources online for stuff like this.  Try searching Backyard Gardening or similar keywords.


After a few months of consistent work you can get nutritious vegetables, herbs etc...  This will make your work easier as you get natural vitamins. 


There you have it, an at home workout with a built-in nutrition plan.  You can spend as much or as little time as you'd like.