Before the advent of plastic-lined cables, it was necessary to regularly use heavy oil or grease to lubricate the cables inside brake and derailleur cable housings. Thanks to plastic-lined cables, this procedure is largely obsolete. There are however a few points on the modern bicycle that can use an occasional oiling. The small section of cable near the rear derailleur and the sharp bends in cantilever brakes are two points on the bicycle that merit some attention to lubrication.

The front derailleur pushes the chain from one chainring to another. It works very similarly to the rear derailleur by shifting the chain so that it falls onto a smaller chainring, or so that is pushes against a larger chainring and eventually catches the teeth. A properly adjusted front derailleur will shift between chainrings without allowing the chain to slip off in either direction.

A freewheel makes it possible to coast on a bike. When you are pedaling, the freewheel engages the sprockets, but it allows the rear wheel to turn when the pedals are at rest.

- A bicycle stand is always recommended
- A special tool designed specifically for your particular freewheel, known as a “freewheel puller”
- An adjustable wrench compatible with the hexagonal section of your freewheel puller
- You may need a bench-mounted vice for particularly stubborn freewheels

A freehub is attached to the rear hub of your bicycle. It is a spinning mechanism designed to hold the cassette. Coasting when the pedals are at rest and pedaling are possible thanks to the freehub.

Start by removing the cassette. To remove the cassette:

The easiest way to differentiate between a caliper brake and its counterpart, the cantilever brake, is to look where the brake is attached to the frame of your bicycle. If the brake is attached at two points, you have a cantilever brake. If the brake is attached by a single, centered bolt, you have a caliper brake. This article will discuss adjustments of the caliper brake.

Chainrings are the one, two or three large sprockets attached to the drive side of your crankset. Shifting from one chainring to another gives you different gearing options while riding.

A chainring is ready to be replaced when its teeth have become worn from use. Typical signs of the need for replacement are slippage of the chain and (rarely) excessive noise.