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Bike Repair

This is a guide with videos and books to help you adjust and repair your bike. You can also use it to learn how bikes work and how to fix them.

Know your brakes

In the Idea Lab, we have tools for fixing and adjusting rim brakes. Rim brakes are brakes that have small pads that press against the rim of your bike to slow it down. We do not have specialized equipment for disc or hydraulic brakes.

There are a few different kinds of rim brakes. Watch the video below to learn about them and identify what kinds of brakes you have. Then, use the caliper mounting and adjustment videos to learn to adjust your brakes. If you need to replace pads or redo your brake cables, levers, and housing, watch those videos as well.

Caliper mounting and adjustment

Pads, Cables, Levers, and Housing

Watch the two videos below to see how to mount and just brake levers and cables for drop bar handlebars. If your bike's handlebars look like the handlebars in the video, you're in the right spot! If they don't, try the other tab for upright bars.