Originally Posted by lanty
Greetings
I’ve just had delivered a new Trekking handlebar and a pair of shimano 9 speed shifters to replace what came standard on the my Bianchi Volpe ( drop handlebars etc).
I was wondering if changing the set up of the gears to the shimano shifters would be something that I could take on myself ( no funds left) or should I let my LBS tackle the job?
Lots of people do it. That doesn't mean you can or should. There's no way we can guess at your experience or mechanical ability. It's harder than changing a tire and easier than building a wheel.
Originally Posted by lanty
Also any recommendations of books that cover the basics of Bike repair so I can get myself educated before I take a long summer bike trip.
Bicycling magazine has one that's a pretty good starter guide. Also check out the Park tool website and, of course, Sheldon Brown's web pages.