Fixies

G. Oscar’s top five maintenance tips

Legendary Tulsan, photographer, and owner of G. Oscar’s Bicycles, Gaylord Oscar Herron, has been maintaining and fixing up bikes for 25 years. Here are his top five tips for competitive and recreational cyclists to keep their steeds in good shape:

Use a dry lubricant. You want a lubricant that’s oily, but still dries well. A good one to use would be WD-40 or just a dry Teflon lubricant spray.

Spoke Truing. Spoke truing is important because it’s largely beneficial to check and confirm that you have looked at the tension on your bicycle and know if the spokes are all aligned. 

Calibration. Always ensure you’re calibrating the derailers, brakes, and wheels on a regular basis. 

Bearing settings. The bearing settings on a bike can keep things loose so they’ll flow better, or you can add tension to it to make the ride different. It’s more about preference, but it’s good to be aware of your bearing settings.

Tire selection. There is such a variety of tires to choose from for your bike. Tire variety can range from speed (faster or slower), different uses (mountain biking, urban cycling, etc.), tread—there’s even bullet-proof tires! Before you select your bicycle’s tires, make sure you know the purpose of the bike and find tires to match that same purpose. 

If you’re into bike maintenance, be sure to check the Tulsa Women’s Cycling Facebook page to see about bicycle repair classes offered by Tom’s Bicycles shop. YouTube is also a good resource, with channels like Global Cycling Network and Mountain Bike Rider Magazine. 

However, if the task is still too daunting, visit G. Oscar at his shop, at 1623 S. Main St., for your bicycle-related maintenance and repair needs.

For more from BreAnna, read her article on the Creek heritage bike tour, From Creek Town to Tulsa Town.