Welcome to Cycle Maintenance Academy

Cycle Maintenance Academy is a team of expert cycle mechanics and instructors from Manchester. We provide tips, tricks and guides to assist you in the maintenance of your bike.  If you are wanting to learn the basics about taking care of your bike you’re at the right place. Our approach is to share as much … Read more

Putting wider tires on a road bike

If you’re a road cyclist, you might have heard the conventional wisdom that narrower tyres are better for speed and performance. Recent research has shown that putting wider tires on a road bike can offer significant advantages, including improved comfort, handling, and speed on surfaces like tarmac. In this article, our guest expert from Vittoria … Read more

Drop bar brake levers adjustment

adjusting drop bar brake lever

There may be many reasons for moving your drop bar brake levers.  Maybe you are uncomfortable with the current position, perhaps you had a crash and the lever has shifted position or perhaps the two levers are at different heights or angles. In this article we will show you how o adjust the vertically and … Read more

Shimano jockey wheels which way round?

If your old Shimano jockey wheels are worn or broken they can make an unpleasant noise and may affect gear shifting. In the worst-case scenario, they can even damage your derailleur. Shimano jockey wheels which way round do they go? When replacing pulleys you need to make sure that the new ones are compatible with … Read more

Jockey wheels compatibility

If you have worn jockey wheels on your derailleur then you may want to replace them. They will be noisy when cycling and may affect gear shifting. Finding the correct pulleys may feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. But fear not as in this article we will show you how to find … Read more

Sram parts compatibility

If any of your Sram components break, you will need to know if the replacement part is compatible. Today we are going to talk about Sram parts compatibility and whether you can mix parts from different Sram group sets and disciplines. Companies like Sram research and develop their components to offer the maximum performance. Sram’s … Read more

Bent valves on a bike wheel

bent valves

Properly Inflated tyres not only give you the most efficient ride and reduce the wear on the sidewalls, they also stop your tyre slipping round the rim and giving you bent valves. In this article we will be look at why it happens, how it happens and how to stop it happening. If you’ve spotted … Read more

V brakes detachment and hook up

v brakes

In the following article we are going to be looking at undoing and rejoining V-brakes. This is a useful skill to learn as being able to open and close V-Brakes can make wheel removal much easier. The task can seem a bit tricky, but if you work through the instructions methodically you should be able … Read more

Flat bar shifters not comfortable

If your flat bar shifters are not comfortable it could be that they aren’t in the correct position. Moving them even slightly could help you access the levers more easily, improving  gear changing  efficiency. Many flat bar shifters have an indicator showing either the gear number or whether you have selected a high or low … Read more

How to adjust brake lever reach

Brake lever too far away from handlebars? If this is the case then fear not. Brake levers are often equipped with a reach adjust mechanism. This brings the lever closer or further from the handlebars. Find out how to adjust brake lever reach in this article. Common questions about how to adjust brake lever reach … Read more