How do you care fore and maintain a bike in Toronto?

Question

Yes, I am talking about good ol' man powered bike.

Before buying one I want to get a scoop from the experience of all the bikers out there.

In a city where stealing of bikes is quite common, how do you prevent theft of bikes; specially when you use it to go to a mall and lock it up out side by a bike-stand and the possibility is when you'd come back you might find just front wheel or nothing?

More over where do you get your bike repaired without paying outrageous amounts in labour?

The common maintenance problems, in my experience, could be:

Flat or punctured tire (probably most common)

Bent wheel (after minor collisions)

Wheel or handle alignment (after minor collisions)

Chain alignment (could be caused by any reason)

Broken chain

Broken brake strings

broken gears and/or their strings

(when) You need new tires

Answer 1

The same as you would any where else.

Here are two sites that can answer all your maintenance issues.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/

http://www.parktool.com/