The Old Guy Bicycle Blog

Last Updated: March 2026 Quick Answer: If you can clean your bike, lube your chain, check tire pressure, and inspect your brakes, you can prevent most common cycling problems and extend the life of your bike for years. I’ve ridden for over 50 years. And I’ll be honest — I’m not mechanically gifted. I still rely on my local bike shop for anything complex. But after decades of riding, I’ve learned something the hard way: a few simple habits prevent most roadside disasters. This is the basic bike maintenance I actually do — the stuff that keeps a bike running smooth, quiet, and safe. Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. 1) Clean Your Bike (Because Dirt Is Expensive) A dirty bike isn’t just ugly — it wears out faster. Road grit grinds down chains, dust chews up cassettes, and sweat can corrode bolts. Cleaning doesn’t need to be fancy....

Cycling is not only a great way to stay active and explore your surroundings, but it can also be a powerful tool for improving your mental and emotional well-being. By practicing mindfulness while cycling, you can enhance your experience, reduce stress and anxiety, and boost your overall sense of well-being. If you had told me way back when I started cycling that I would be talking about mindfulness I would laugh at you but here I am all those years later doing it. Cycling does change as you age and I find practicing mindfulness pretty cool. This may sound hokey to some of you but I find it serves me well. Understand that I am no longer a competitive cyclist. I do not enter races trying to place high in the standings. If I enter a race nowadays it is just to enjoy the fact that I can ride, meet some cool people, and see if I can finish it. Most of my riding today involves getting ready for multi-day adventures. I don't go fast. It is about endurance but it is also about stopping an...

Updated July 2025: I’ve often wondered what bicycling will look like 50 years from now. After all, I started riding seriously half a century ago — and while the bikes have changed, it’s not as dramatic as you might expect. Sure, frame materials have improved, and components are more efficient and lighter, but the essence of cycling — the connection between rider and road — remains much the same. That might not be true for the next 50 years. When I started researching what experts are predicting for the future of cycling, I found some surprising, even mind-blowing possibilities. If you're interested in reading more, I’ve included citations at the end of the article. Of course, predicting the future is always uncertain. But if current trends continue, here are a few changes we might see: ⚡ Electric Bikes Will Rule the Road As battery tech gets better — lighter, longer-lasting, and faster to charge — electric bikes (e-bikes) will become even more popular. Expect longer-range mod...

I stumbled across a YouTube video that featured a man named Dean Nicholson cycling the world with a very unexpected travel companion: his cat, Nala. Their journey is one of the most heartwarming things I’ve seen in a long time — and it’s a story every cyclist and animal lover should know. From Welder to World Traveler Dean, a 31-year-old from Dunbar, Scotland, had long dreamed of traveling the world. In 2018, he quit his job as a welder, loaded up his bike, and began riding across Europe. His original goal? To make it all the way to Australia — then fly to Argentina and ride north to Canada. But the trip took a surprising and beautiful turn in the hills of Bosnia. A Meow That Changed Everything While climbing a steep mountain pass in Bosnia, Dean heard a tiny meowing sound. Curious, he stopped, looked around, and found a stray kitten on the roadside. She was all alone, barely old enough to survive — and she walked straight up to him. He named her Nala , and that was that. She rod...