This page is part of the PALM ARCHIVES and may include outdated information.

Is your bike in shape for a six-day tour?

If you don’t know, then your bike may need some work. For a bike ridden only on pavement, if it has been more than 5 years or 2000 miles, you may need an overhaul. All the bearings will need to be cleaned and repacked with grease. That includes the front and rear hubs, bottom bracket, headset, and pedals. You may also need a new chain, cables or brake pads.

If you are not comfortable servicing your own bike, take it to your local bicycle shop to have it tuned up and checked out. (Some shops will even pick up and deliver.) Make sure to tell your mechanic that you are going on a tour. A good mechanic will find anything that is likely to go wrong during the tour. This will give you the option of fixing it, upgrading, or possibly buying that new bike you have been thinking about.

What is in your on-bike tool kit?
The most likely mechanical problem you might have is a flat tire. So, at a minimum, you should carry a spare tube (make sure it will fit your tires), tire levers (to get the tire off and the flat tube out), a patch kit (in case you get 2 flats), and a pump or CO2 kit to reinflate the tire..
Someone in your group should also have a chain tool (in case you break or bend your chain) and a spoke wrench. You don’t want a broken chain or a warped wheel to cause you to be sagged in and miss a day’s ride. Also, carry all the Allen wrenches and screwdrivers necessary to tighten all the nuts, bolts, and screws on your bike.
Some tool kits are pretty complete and include the seat bag. Multi-tools are the “Swiss army knife” tools, and can replace many individual tools. Make sure you know how to use the tools you carry.

If you have any questions about how to prepare your bike for the PALM tour, you can email me directly.
Al Lauland
PALM Bicycle Education Chairperson
Anchor Bay Bicycle and Fitness
al.lauland@gmail.com