by Jess Evans
May 13, 2019
I have been riding a bike since elementary school or earlier. I do not remember learning how to ride a bike, but I remember riding one at a very young age. In the spring, my siblings and I would ask my dad or mom to pull the bikes out of the shed and pump up our tires so we could hit the driveway. We rode up and down our sandy, hilly half-mile long driveway. On the way down to the road, there were two hills to climb. On the way back to the house, we had to climb three hills, with the second hill being quite long. As we got older, we would venture off the driveway and down the dusty roads. We would ride down Meridian to Walker and then Black Squirrel or maybe down Evans to Eastonville. I dreamed of riding my bike all the way to my Grandparents in Black Forest 10 miles away, but I never got that far.
In 2015, I bought my Cannondale 29er. I fell in love instantly, and we are still quite happy together. We have adventured in 15 states and Alberta, Canada so far. Upon buying my Cannondale, a friend showed me how to care for the bike. While I have been riding since before the dinosaurs, bike maintenance was a new concept to me. It was years before anyone taught me I needed to maintain my bike. Of course, now it seems to be a ‘no brainer’, but when I first started learning about cleaning the drive train, I was shocked no one bothered to tell me this all these years. How do you keep your bike moving smoothly? Clean it!
There is plenty I do not know, but I feel I can get by, at least minimally. As I learned in the 361° Adventures AR Clinic earlier this year from Mike’s Hike and Bike, taking a bike mechanic class is super helpful. That is still on my “To Do” list. This class can help all of us be prepared for infield repairs during races or bikepacking trips. Mike also gave advice on what needed to be done to prep for a race. Prepping our bikes for an adventure race should include filling tubeless tires, lubing the chain, getting fresh cables, tires that are free from abrasions and cuts, lubricant on gears, and a clean bike. During a race, racers should carry a bike multi-tool, duct tape (the magical all repair tool), zip ties, patch kit, spare cable, chain lubricant, rag, spoke wrench, derailleur hanger, and chain quick link, to name a few items.
As usual, the more I learn about bikes, adventure racing, nutrition, and a bunch of other things, the more I realize I do not know squat about anything. I am slowly learning to be a better bike owner and rider. That is all I can hope for, to continue learning. Happy adventuring!
