Know when your bike is talking to you
4 things your bike is trying to tell you--and why you should do something about it.You could spend 50 bucks on a carbon-fiber bottle cage, and save yourself 20 grams for the sole purpose of gaining a little speed. Or you could pay attention to that unusual feeling you've been getting from your bike to warn you that it has lost its edge. You know to keep air in your tires and crud off your frame, but there's more you can do to keep your ride happily rolling. Stop, and take the time to feel what your bike feels. It's trying to tell you something.

WHAT YOU FEEL: Your bike continuing to move forward even after you've hit the brakes. WHY YOU SHOULD PAY ATTENTION: It's possible that your rims just need to be cleaned, but there's a good chance you should replace your brake pads, too. Inspect pads periodically so you have an idea of how much life they have left. Buy new pads ahead of time, and use them as a gauge to compare the wear on the ones currently on your bike. Most pads have a wear indicator on them in the form of a line or a pattern. If your pads are worn to within a millimeter of that line, or there are several silver flecks of rim debris on more than one spot on your pad, replace them. When disc pads become unevenly worn (the top of the pad is noticeably thinner than the bottom of the pad), get new pads and readjust your calipers. WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF YOU DON'T: Even if you've had the same brake pads for five years, and they look like they did the day you bought them, replace them. Over time, the rubber compound hardens and glazes, losing stopping power.

WHAT YOU FEEL: Something moving around inside your head tube, or resistance when you try to turn your handlebar. WHY YOU SHOULD PAY ATTENTION: When your headset, which controls your steering, is out of adjustment, it can throw your bike off balance, and you out of control. Lift your bike by its seat and tap the front wheel on the ground. If it sounds like a sprung diving board, it's loose. On the flipside, if the handlebar doesn't turn freely, the headset is too tight. Loosen the stem-clamp bolts, then tighten or loosen the hex bolt on the top of the stem). WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF YOU DON'T: A headset that's too loose can rock inside the head tube, causing your head tube to become ovalized. When that happens it won't be able to hold the headset in place, and it (or your frame) could crack. Too tight, and you'll pound the bearings into the cups, causing your headset to not want to return to center.

WHAT YOU FEEL: Your brakes drag and your shifting feels sluggish. WHY YOU SHOULD PAY ATTENTION: A dry, dirty cable won't move freely. Put a few drops of chain lube on your cables where the wire enters the housing. WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF YOU DON'T: Cables that aren't lubed cause friction and put stress on the shifters. Dry brake cables may cause the brake to stick closed and drag on the rim.

WHAT YOU FEEL: Your chain jumping from gear to gear, or getting hung up on one gear. WHY YOU SHOULD PAY ATTENTION: Your rear derailleur cable keeps your chain aligned directly under the cog it should be in. It's too slack if you have to shift twice to get into the next gear. It's too tight if you shift once and the derailleur moves more than one gear. Turn the barrel adjuster out half a turn at a time to tighten the tension, in to loosen. WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF YOU DON'T: Your derailleur and dropout may be damaged. Check that both derailleur pulleys are in line and on the same plane as the cogset. If the derailleur is angled in, it could end up in your spokes, damaging your derailleur, chain and wheel.

You can get all of these handy items at Bikeland.