Bicycle Mechanics - bike fix handbook?

Hey all-

My girlfriend and I are leaving in 3 weeks for a "hike & bike tour". One problem is that we are total novices at riding bikes. We will most likely not have time before we leave to take a bike maintenance class, or anything like that.

Can anyone recommend a comprehensive, small handbook for how to fix any problems that may arise with our bikes. I would like to learn more about bike mechanics, however it looks like I'll be learning on the go.

Thanks in advance. :)

-Kurt

well, the industry standard pretty much revolves around Barnetts stuff, but it isnt that cheap either. If your really into it, its probably worth it. I know i was at Barnes & Noble not long ago and they have this book for 25 called something like Mountain BIke maintenance. It had a decent description of how to do stuff, with lots of photographs. There is Zinn and the art of road bike maintenance also. Check your library for the book so you know if you want to buy or not.

I have a copy of a book called "Sloane's New Bicycle Maintenance Manual" by Eugene Sloane which was "revised and updated for the nineties" (w00t!). Doesn't cover V Brakes or Carbon Fiber, but it is pretty comprehensive on just about everything else you would want or be able to fix yourself. Not too difficult to follow. Would be cool if there's a new version "revised and updated for the millenium" but doesn't look like that has happened yet.

"revised and updated for the nineties"
Doesn't cover V Brakes or Carbon Fiber,
Because we all know they weren't around in the nineties :rolleyes:.

Off the top I can't think of a "small" book that would cover the info. Perhaps if you had a PDA that you could download the Barrnet chapters (.pdf format) into? (If that's possible)

DIdnt Barnets used to be online at this forum? I remember when i first came here they had something like that for download. I really wished i had downloaded and saved them all :(.

DIdnt Barnets used to be online at this forum? I remember when i first came here they had something like that for download. I really wished i had downloaded and saved them all :(.
Yes, but Joe was asked to take them down. Copyright infringement and all that. I was able to get a set.

oh, yea i think I remember some post saying we have been asked to take these down but you can go to Barnets site. Well my main interest in the book would be the wheel parts, and they have that document about truing online which was good.

The Barnetts 4 manual set is expensive, doesn't hold its binding well, and is probably more comprehensive than you need. I'd probably recommend the Bicycling Magazine Maintenance and Repair Manual. But if there was a bicycling repair guide that specialized in "field repairs," that would be a good take-along on a trip. (anybody know of such a manual?)

can't you download the manual? I would do that if i thought it was worth it.

Hey all-

My girlfriend and I are leaving in 3 weeks for a "hike & bike tour". One problem is that we are total novices at riding bikes. We will most likely not have time before we leave to take a bike maintenance class, or anything like that.

Can anyone recommend a comprehensive, small handbook for how to fix any problems that may arise with our bikes. I would like to learn more about bike mechanics, however it looks like I'll be learning on the go.

Thanks in advance. :)

-Kurt

Hi Kurt,
There are two books that may interest you. One is called "The Bike Bag Book" (ISBN 0-89815-039-6) and the other is "Cuthbertson's Little Mountain Bike Book" (ISBN 0-89815-438-3). They are post card sized and something you can easily tote along. Cheap, too. Only $5 or $6. They cover very basic maintenance and problem solving, geared towards getting it done - in a pinch - out on the road. These are for emergency repairs and have some very interesting tips. I think I got mine at Barnes&Noble, but here's links for them on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0898154383/qid=1109901601/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/104-3599385-7839104?v=glance&s=books

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0898150396/qid=1109901670/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/104-3599385-7839104?v=glance&s=books

Easy to digest and some very funny philosophy. Both by Tom Cuthbertson

Hope this is what you are looking for ;-) Oh, if you do go looking for them in a book store, they are pretty small, so you might want to ask at the counter to see if they are in stock. Enjoy.

i have to say the dead-tree version of bartnetts is very handy. i've got a couple of bikes of different vintages and it isn't generalized to the point of uselessness.

granted, it isn't a handbook.

you might just friendly-up someone on the tour. :)

Thank you all for your help. You guys are great. If I wasn't leaving in a couple weeks to live out of a tent, I would love to stick around. I'm sure you all could turn this novice cyclist into at least an amateur. :)

Thanks again!

-Kurt
Hike & Bike Against Hunger 2005 (http://www.mercuryworm.com)

Chris Sidwell's Bicycle Repair Book is a good, clearly written and portable source for repair and adjustments. B&N.com or DK.com will have it. You ought to spend some time at your LBS putting together a decent small tool kit and repair bag (tubes, tires, brake pads, chain links etc...). If your bikes are new, you may get enough cable-stretch along the way to give you problems; Have someone give you the basics on barrel and derailleur adjustments. Decent and consistent tire pressure is also a concern. Bring a good pressure gauge and air-up your tires every day. If you're not yet "fitted" on your bike have them give you some quick pointers on seat height and position, stem height and angle (flip/flop stem). Take a (longish) 20-40 mile shakedown ride at least a week before you leave. IF you experience problems, you still have time to get them solved. (I took my bike to a month long trip to Kauai back in the early '90s and I'd just had new V-brakes put on. The first day, half my rear brake fell off. I spent the next two days on the phone, looking for a replacement. I spent the next three and half weeks on the beach - NOT riding. Not exactly a tragedy, but entirely preventable.) Enjoy your trip.

I got the Hayne's bike repair/maintenance book. Pretty good, color photographs for everything, nothing left out. They also have a good section on 'emergency' fixes.

The problem with many of the books is that they aren't small. I presume anything larger than a paperback novel will be an issue

I would take Sheldon Brown.

I would take Sheldon Brown.
He's certainly not easy to stuff in a backpack

Rob van der Plas, maybe. Smallish book, plenty of hand-drawn graphics. He has MTB and road editions.

Also go to the library and look for books by people such as Richard Ballantyne and Richard Grant. their "Ultimate Bicycle Book" has a section on maintenance which would be worthwhile photocopying and stuffing into the barbag or panniers.