With five bikes in my stable, it's probably about time I learned how to do my own basic maintenance. What is a good book or online resource for basic things? I'm talking about how to adjust derailleurs and things of that sort. I used to have my BF do all this stuff, but after we broke up, I've just fended for myself when it came to my bikes. lol.


right now the one little problem I'm trying to deal with is why my bike won't go into the two lowest gears. I don't always need them but sometimes it's nice to sit and spin up a steep climb. The bike had a tune up about 3 months ago and shifted fine until 3-4 weeks ago. The cables were replaced during the tuneup, so I'm assuming the shifting problem is from cable stretching. If that's the case, how would I adjust the derailleur so that I can use all the gears? The bike "tries" to go into the gears but either just skips repeatedly or "hops" to a harder gear.

Go to the Park Tool website. They have excellent tutorials on how to do most/all bike related repairs and adjustments.

+1 Park tool site is excellent. There really is not a need to buy an expensive book anymore. There are also endless repair tutorials on youtube. Derailleur adjustment is explained well at Parks Tool site, along with many other places. Google is your friend. Sounds like you need a very minor barrel adjustment on that derailleur.

https://www.parktool.com/repair/

Thanks everyone. I will try the Park Tool website

https://bicycletutor.com/

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/

Also, adjust the "barrel screw" on your rear derailleur (unscrewing it a little bit will increase cable tension on the cable, which should let you get into those two gears).

Also, depending on where you are in NorCal, going to / volunteering at a bike co-op / collective - https://www.bikecollectives.org/wiki/...ons#California - may be the best / cheapest way to learn how to fix bicycles.

Park and Sheldon. Plus, Zinn's books are good too.

https://bikeforums.net

I'll second this one -

https://bicycletutor.com/

And the rest.

Find another single cyclist in your area that could show you how?

Parktool.com, sheldonbrown.com, here, for a book Zinn and the Art of (Mountain Bike)(Road Bike) Maintenance...

I also like https://bicycletutor.com/

This guy is very easy to understand and has evrything broken down in detail depending on what your repairing or tuning. He has a good tutorial on derailer adjustment, rear always needs to be adjusted 1st, then front.