The past couple of days, I’ve been learning how to do some elementary bike maintenance. I’d really like to learn more about it to the point where one day I can strip everything down to the frame and build it back up again. I guess it’s my nature to like to know how exactly things work (and to be able to save money and trips to my LBS which is a good 30 miles away).

Yesterday, I replaced my own chain. I measured it using a chain checker tool and found it to be a little too stretched for my liking. I used the long formula found at the Park Tool website to find out what my proper chain link should be. I was a little surprised that my LBS had two extra links in my chain according to the formula which have now been removed. I laced the new chain through and put the new pin into it to connect the two ends, but read afterwards that there is a leading and trailing link and that the pin was supposed to go in the leading one. Luckily, I just put the pin into the leading edge by chance, so I didn’t have to take it off and remount the chain. Phew.

Today, I had to fix my cadence meter. While on my bike ride today, I noticed that my cadence was reading zero for the entire ride. I washed my bike yesterday and must not have screwed the cadence pickup together well enough because there was a little water in there when I took it apart. Oops! I dried out the water with a little canned air and the sensor started picking everything up again. Lucky for me, the water didn’t short it out or anything.

All pretty basic stuff, but I have to start somewhere.

I had a pretty short day today. An hour of swimming this morning and a short 15 mile ride and a 3 mile run. Tomorrow will be my LAST breakthrough workout of the SEASON! Woohoo! Race week should be fun!