The Old Guy Bicycle Blog

Last Updated: December 2025 Cycling “Nuts and Bolts” Books: Repair, Training, Fit, and Touring (Commonly Recommended) If you want the practical side of cycling — fixing things, training smarter, riding pain-free, and doing longer rides with fewer surprises — books can beat random videos. They’re slower, clearer, and they don’t disappear when a platform changes. Important note (honest + simple): I’m sharing these as well-regarded, widely recommended cycling reference books — not as personal “I used this exact one” endorsements. Use this list as a strong starting point, then pick the one that matches what you’re trying to learn. 1) The Park Tool Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair A classic home-workshop repair guide. This is one of the most commonly recommended “start here” repair references because it’s structured, visual, and step-by-step. 2) Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance Frequently recommended for road cyclists who want a deeper, more detailed maintenance...

Quick fixes that keep you rolling. Last updated: November 7, 2025 Quick Answer: You don’t need a mechanic for every squeak or skip. With a few basic tools, these five simple fixes will solve most common ride stoppers and save you time and money. Disclosure: I may earn a small commission from links on this page at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 5 Bike Repairs You Can Do Without a Shop Visit These are the fixes I actually perform on the roadside or in my garage. They’re simple, repeatable, and don’t require a full workbench. Learn them once and you’ll ride calmer, farther, and cheaper. 1) Fix a Flat Tire (Tube or Tubeless) Carry the basics: two tire levers , a spare tube , a patch kit , and either a mini pump or CO₂ inflator . Tube setup: pop off one bead with levers, remove tube, check the tire for thorns/wire, install new tube with a little air, re-seat bead, inflate. Tubeless: spin t...

Last Updated: February 11, 2026 Quick Take: When a ride flips into survival mode , stop chasing pace. Choose the most direct, safe route home, lower your effort, fuel and hydrate, manage the problem (mechanical, physical, or weather), and call for help if it isn’t improving. Finishing safely beats forcing a training plan on a bad day. That moment when the mission changes from training to getting home safe. Some rides start like any other—good legs, good plan, good weather. Then somewhere around mile 10… 20… or 40, the switch flips. Your training ride becomes a mission: just get home safely . Pace, speed, and ego are off the table. This is survival mode. What “Survival Mode” Really Means It’s not laziness and it’s not weakness. Survival mode is the moment you accept reality and make smarter choices. You change the route, lower the effort, manage the problem in front of you, and keep enough margin to get home in one piece. Why Rides Flip Into Survival Mode Physical: vira...

I’ve written before about why I believe cyclists should support their local bike shop. That post told the story of how my Specialized AWOL frame cracked after 33,000 miles — and how my local shop, Velocity Bikes in Lubbock, Texas , stepped in to help. They reminded me that Specialized offers a lifetime warranty on frames and took care of the entire process. The AWOL was out of production by then, so Specialized replaced it with a brand-new Specialized Diverge . That was five years and 22,000 miles ago, and I’m still riding it. That experience earned my loyalty — but it’s far from the only reason I keep going back. Let me break it down. 🚲 1. Local Bike Shops Take Care of Their Customers When you buy a bike from a local shop, they usually take care of you in ways that big box stores and online retailers never will. Many local shops offer: Discounts on accessories and parts Reduced prices on service , often half off A basic tune-up that might cost $40 could drop to $20 simp...

From San Diego Dreams to a Lubbock Reset I trained for nearly a year — over 6,000 miles in the saddle — with one big goal: to ride from San Diego to Las Cruces But sometimes life throws a wrench into your derailleur. On that long tour, I had a freak accident that broke my bicycle and forced me to cut the ride short and head home. It wasn’t the ending I trained for, but I wasn’t about to stop pedaling. While my bike was in the shop (for what would turn out to be two weeks), I didn’t miss a beat. I swapped the open road for my indoor trainer and just kept riding. Not glamorous — but it kept my legs moving and my spirit grounded. Biopsy, Broken Crank, and Broken Momentum The day I got my bike back, I had a six-month checkup — and the doctor did a biopsy on a suspicious spot on my lower leg. That same afternoon, I tried riding outside again, but my gears were all over the place. Back to the shop I went. The next day they called with more bad news: my crank needed replacing. The part would...

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....

Last Updated: December 19, 2025 Quick Take: If your tire blows out and leaves a hole in the sidewall, a simple dollar bill can act as an emergency tire boot. It won’t be perfect, but it can hold a tube long enough to limp home—if you know how to use it and don’t overinflate. If you ride long distances, something is eventually going to go wrong at the worst possible time. That’s not negative thinking—it’s just what happens when you spend years on two wheels. I’ve had my share of flats and mechanicals over 150,000+ miles, but one day really stands out. I was about forty miles from home, out in the middle of nowhere. No houses, no traffic, no phone signal. Just me, the road, and then a sudden, violent BANG . My tire exploded. Not a slow leak, not a pinhole, but a full-blown sidewall blowout with a decent-sized hole right through the casing. I knew I could put a spare tube in, but there was a problem: the new tube would simply balloon right thr...

Last Updated: July 2026 - Added 5 New Tips Quick Answer: The most important cycling safety habit is to ride as though drivers have not seen you. A helmet, bright lights, reflective clothing, a rearview mirror, bicycle radar, predictable riding, and proper emergency gear all help reduce the risks—but none of them replace staying alert and expecting the unexpected. I have been riding bicycles seriously for more than 50 years, and one thing has become very clear: experience does not make you invincible. In fact, the longer I ride, the more cautious I have become. I still love long rides, bicycle tours, country roads, city streets, and the feeling of covering miles under my own power. But I also understand that cyclists are vulnerable. We do not have a steel frame, airbags, or several thousand pounds of vehicle surrounding us. That means we have to do everything we reasonably can to protect ourselves. Some cycling safety advice is obvious. Wear a helmet. Use lights. Obey tr...

Buying a new bike or upgrading your cycling gear can be both exciting and overwhelming. With countless online options and big-box stores offering steep discounts, it’s easy to overlook your local bike shop. But let me tell you — there’s something you won’t find in those places: personal service, expertise, and relationships that go the distance. I’ve been cycling for decades, and I’ve learned the value of a good local shop the hard way — and the right way. 🔧 My Personal Story: How a Local Shop Helped Me Replace My Bike for Free I once rode a Specialized AWOL that had over 30,000 miles on it — a bike I purchased from a local shop I trust and use regularly. One day, the chainstay cracked in half. I took it in, just hoping they could tell me if it was fixable. The shop owner asked me to leave the bike with him so he could investigate. A few days later, he called back with incredible news: Specialized had a lifetime warranty on the frame , and they were honoring it — even after all t...