How Much Money Can You Save With DIY Repairs?

“Greg
Written by
Greg Kaplan,
Just how much money can you save by doing your own bike maintenance? We broke it down with beer.

The cost of bike service, parts and accessories, as well as the cost of beer, are all market driven. You might be able to get better value than we did by performing your own bike maintenance.

You can shop online for bike gear and maybe save a few dollars when you perform your own bike maintenance, but we suggest leaving complicated service and repairs to the mechanics at your local bike shop.

We understand the cost of cycling gear—and beer—varies by brand and locale. For the sake of argument, we’re assuming $5/pint.

Please note we neither condone nor endorse consuming alcohol while operating a bicycle.
Flat Tires, Not Flat Beer
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Got a flat tire? If you buy your inner tubes in bulk and also change flat tires on your own, you could save up to $10/wheel.

Tube Change Per Wheel: 🍺🍺
Find:
Your Next Race
Shift Into Gear
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If your bike's shifting is not 100 percent, you're losing speed, risking dropping your chain, spending more effort to go the same speed and probably not having fun on your bike. Tune your bike's shifting so you instantly and precisely find that gear every single time you shift.

Shifting Adjustment: 🍺🍺🍺
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Your Next Race
Drivetrain Clean and Lube
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Dirt and grime will accelerate wear on your drivetrain. Keep your drivetrain clean and shiny, and you'll roll faster with less effort.

Drivetrain Clean and Lube: 🍺🍺🍺🍺
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Your Next Race
Put the Brakes On
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Swapping brake pads is a straightforward process: Pads are marked to indicate side and direction of insertion. Adjusting your bike brake tension is such a simple task, you'll wonder why you didn't learn the skill sooner.

Brake Adjustment: 🍺🍺🍺
Find:
Your Next Race
Get A Grip
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Installing new bar tape on your bike is one of the easiest and safest home bike maintenance tasks you can do.

Wrap Handlebars: 🍺🍺🍺
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Your Next Race
Tried and True
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Wiggly wheels? True them up. You only need a spoke wrench and some time with your bike.

True Wheels: 🍺🍺🍺🍺
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Your Next Race
Ride Off Those Calories
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With all the extra beer money you'll save by doing your own bike maintenance, you'll also have extra motivation to ride more so you can enjoy those post-ride beers. #BeerWatts

Riding Off Beer Calories: FREE!
Find:
Your Next Race
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Find:
Your Next Race

About the Author

“Greg
More by Greg» Greg Kaplan, Freelance Writer
A lifelong endurance sports athlete, Greg raced bikes on the road as a junior prior to changing his athletic focus to rowing. Upon retiring from elite rowing competition, Greg revisited his passion for racing bikes and also added some swimming and running into the mix, competing at the ITU Age Group World Championships on multiple occasions. He and his wife Shannon—also a rower, bike-racer, and triathlete—enjoy traveling, learning about wine and keeping up with their rescue cats when they are not training or racing.