Owning a bike means maintaining it. Here are the best tips for repairing your mechanical bike and electric bike at low cost.
Owning a bicycle – electrically assisted or not – can be very pleasant on a daily basis: going to work without the rush of public transport, making a purchase in a nearby store without taking your car, going for a walk on the weekend, etc. However, a bicycle requires regular maintenance as well as being prepared to carry out certain repairs: puncture of a tire, derailment of the chain or even re-centering of the front wheel.
While getting your hands dirty won’t put off mechanics at heart, not all cyclists are equipped with the right tools, nor are they all DIY enthusiasts. Here is an overview of the best tips for getting your bike repaired at a lower cost.
How to get the 50 euros to repair your bike?
Unfortunately, the Bicycle Repair Boost has no longer been in effect since March 31, 2021. Previously, it allowed you to obtain financial assistance of 50 euros to carry out an overhaul of your cycle at a lower cost. More than 1.7 million bicycles have benefited.
How to get your bike repaired for free
Self-service repair terminals
The most common maintenance on a bicycle is none other than inflating the tires. It is important to check the pressure regularly to avoid premature wear of the tire, damage to the rim, or risk pinching of the inner tube. Note also that underinflated tires affect the cyclist’s performance, a phenomenon that is particularly noticeable on a non-electric bike.
Most large cities are equipped with self-service repair stations. These are generally placed along cycle paths and provide users with inflation pumps equipped with a pressure gauge, repair tools such as Allen keys of different sizes, supports for the bicycle while it is repaired, etc.
In Île-de-France, we welcome with open arms the initiative of the Paris En Selle association, which has created a map listing self-service stations on its website.
Solidarity and participatory repair workshops
Workshops specializing in repair are multiplying in France. Often present in large cities, they provide access to tools and help to repair your bike.
- Vélocipaide: this association made up of volunteers offers free entry without membership to any individual wishing to maintain their bicycle. Each participant is invited to contribute to a participatory fund, according to their means, to cover the cost of parts for the repair. The Vélocipaide workshop is located in Paris at 38 rue des Apennins in the 17th arrondissement.
- Cyclofficine: in the same vein as Vélocipaide, Cyclofficine offers self-managed workshops throughout the Île-de-France region.
- Since France is not limited to the Paris region, the L’Heureux Cyclage platform lists all the participatory and solidarity workshops present in the territory. This map is accessible on the dedicated page of the association’s website.
Have your bike repaired by a professional
If the option of repairing your bike yourself, or using participatory workshops, does not appeal to you, it is possible to take your bike to a professional to benefit from a turnkey service.
The case of after-sales service for bicycles under warranty
Some repairs can be carried out under the warranty of a bicycle purchased new. If the service is free, it is good to know that certain elements of the cycle are generally not included in the context of a guarantee:
- Replacement of wearing parts (tire, brake pad, etc.);
- Damage after a fall;
- Damage linked to poor maintenance on the part of the user.
Depending on where the bike was purchased and the repair to be carried out, the waiting time may lengthen considerably. This is one of the reasons why buying a bike on a website that does not have a physical point of sale is not a decision to take lightly.
Does Decathlon repair bikes?
The famous brand dedicated to athletes equips its stores with a repair workshop. Each service is carried out following a price list, which you can also find on the Decathlon website. If the prices are affordable, we will regret the handling time which is generally longer than for a small store.
It seems useful to point out that Decathlon repairs all bicycles in its workshop, even those purchased in another store. On the other hand, a service on a third-party brand bicycle could be refused in the case of specific parts not marketed by Decathlon.
The point of non-common parts is illustrated with the VanMoof brand electric bikes: equipped with non-standardized parts, the latter prove particularly difficult to repair. In France, the network of repairers approved to work on cycles of this brand is very limited.
Bike maintenance: go to a bike dealer
Bicycle dealers can be a good choice for bicycle maintenance and repairs. There are a large number of small shops specializing in bicycles in cities and in the provinces. In addition to “helping local business”, repair times are usually shorter than those of major brands and prices can be more affordable. Bicycle dealers often repair electrically assisted bicycles as well as conventional bicycles.
Call a home repair service
Some companies offer bicycle owners maintenance and repair services at home or at the workplace. This formula, although a little more expensive, saves time on planning and is particularly convenient when you have a flat tire when arriving at work in the morning. Often fast and flexible, traveling repairers will be able to carry out the service the same day, particularly in large cities.
Where to learn how to repair your bike?
Repairing your bike at home saves time and money. However, it is necessary to equip yourself with a minimum of equipment and to follow some short training courses, depending on your prior level in mechanics. Here are some ideas in this direction.
Learn cycle repair with an association
In a similar vein to participatory repair workshops, certain associations organize bicycle repair courses. These aim to enable any individual to acquire the skills necessary to maintain their bicycle in complete autonomy.
Learn to repair your bike with YouTube
With the Internet, everything can be learned, even how to repair a bike! Many tutorials are available on the YouTube platform to understand the common maintenance actions of a cycle. In the search bar of the platform, you enter a query such as: “How to inflate a bicycle tire”. However, we note that not all videos are equal and that it will sometimes be necessary to watch several in order to understand a concept.