Ziay!

popartgrrl

I'm moving to the city in the fall for school and I'm not bringing my car, so to have more options than public transportation, I'd like to bring my bike with me. The only problem is, it's been sitting in my shed for the last 3 or 4 years and definitely needs maintenance. The chain is rusty (it appears to be superficial- I'm not sure if it's safe to just oil it or if I should replace it), the tires definitely need attention, one of the handlebars is bare metal, etc.
I've never done any maintenance on a bike before, so I'm not sure how expensive/serious much of it is. Would it be best, considering my inexperience, to contact my local bike shop and have them do the repairs? Could I probably handle some simpler matters (replacing the tires, for instance) even considering my lack of experience (with good directions, of course)?

Any help or advice is much appreciated. Also suggestions on other things that I may have overlooked that probably need repairs. Thanks!

JustAnotherEngineer

The chain is probably fine. Turn the bike over, and spray the chain with a good cleaner / lubricant (WD-40 should work) and turn the pedals for a while. It should clean right up. If that doesn't clean it up, it's not superficial and should be replaced.

Replace the grips on the handlebars. You should be able to find several choices at any bike shop.

Tires are harder than they sound. You'll want to read the size off the side of the existing ones and go to your bike shop and buy tires, tubes, and a tire changing kit (small levers for pulling the tires on and off). You may want to buy an extra tube right up front too. If you're riding a lot in the city... you WILL have flats.

Beyond that, you may still need to do a tune up if the bike has been out of service for a while. The derailleurs probably need some tuning, and you may need to adjust the brake cables. Those are things you probably don't want to touch if you don't know what you are doing. Once the tires are good, ride it. If the shifts aren't quick and sharp or the brakes take too much pressure, get it tuned up. But you'll at least have saved the expense of the simple stuff.

MadMonkey

Bike maintinance is relatively easy, if it's working well to begin with.

First, take it to a shop for a tune up. They'll probably want to replace the chain, the tires, and all the cables. This is recommended for a bike that has been stagnant for so long. I wouldn't allow them to replace brake pads or gears (chainrings, freewheel, or cassette) unless they can prove they are not usable.

Then go buy a bicycle repair book such as 'cycling for dummies', 'Zinn and the art of bicycle maintinance' or any other bike repair manual from amazon.com.

The books will tell you what special tools you need to do specific jobs, how to handle different adjustments, etc.

As you find things going out of adjustment, or breaking (such as flat tires) consult the books as a guide. It would be good to practice fixing a flat (replacing a tube) _before_ you actually have to.

It's not hard stuff to do, it just takes patience to understand how things work, and the books will be a good guide to that.