From USAToday.com
By George Petras and Janet Loehrke
Here are a few simple steps to help even nervous mechanics get their bicycles roadworthy for exercise, commuting and plain old fun.
Looking to dust off your bicycle and get it back on the road after ignoring it all winter? Even for those who prefer riding to wrenching, it’s not that difficult, bike mechanics say.
Assuming you don’t have serious mechanical problems that a bike shop should handle, a few simple tools and some care will have you on two wheels in no time.
And if you’re one of many Americans who rediscovered bicycles during COVID-19, you’ll find that bike parts, and even new models, are much more available now. Things have changed since the pandemic-induced shortages of a few years ago.
“It’s a very different story today,” Stephen Frothingham, editor in chief for Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, told USA TODAY.
“The supply has caught up with the demand for most bikes. There’s an ample supply of just about any kind of bike you’re looking for.”
Bike shop mechanics remain busy, but the pace isn’t as frantic as before. “Right now, we have about 35 or 40 bikes out back for repair,” says Mike Hulett, owner of Broadway Cyclery in Bedford, Ohio. That’s down from about 60 in July 2020.
If you’re looking for a new bicycle, you can probably find one at a nearby dealer. But if you have a bike you want to repair or maintain yourself, you can do it!
