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What's the best book to buy for Bike repair and maintenance

10K views 25 replies 21 participants last post by  PlatyPius 
#1 ·
I am interested in buying a maintenance book *** reference manual that can be adequate for most things related to making/ bike maintenance . I have searched the threads and none actually has addressed my issue specifically.

I need a recommendation on the following issue:

Buy the Barnetts Manual at close to $100;

Or

Buy the Park Tools Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repairs at $25?

I am tempted to think that the Barnett is "overkill" for my purposes as a strictly hobbyist mechanic.

I am leaning towards the Park Tools book, as I have really liked their repairs/maintenance website.
Or
can you recommend something else ???
 
#9 ·
I would just stick with the Park Tool website, since it seems to be regularly updated, unlike any book you might buy. Manufacturers' webites are good, too.

If you're stumped by something not on the website or in the book, post your question here. There are folks here who know the answers to questions it will take you years to get around to asking.
 
#11 ·
seawind161 said:
I would just stick with the Park Tool website, since it seems to be regularly updated, unlike any book you might buy. Manufacturers' webites are good, too.

If you're stumped by something not on the website or in the book, post your question here. There are folks here who know the answers to questions it will take you years to get around to asking.
Excellent reply! The PT website it good and YEP there are people on this forum who know a ton, ton, ton of stuff about bike work. I'd say you read up on the website, read up on the forum, do a search when you have a question, and then, if you feel the need, start a thread.

I have a book and it is kind of basic; I can learn more on this forum or Park Tool.

AND, don't be afraid to read up on your own, then go ask your LBS mechanic. I'm friends with mine and he is always willing to fill me in on stuff he knows that I don't. Sometimes the LBS mechanic is just as happy to have the wacko cyclist dude do his own work rather than trying to please them! He's saved me hours of my own time by helping me with an issue I'd surely have not figured out on my own. (I like to do my own work, but also pay to have my bikes worked on when I'm low on time or the job is kind of hard/technical or when I'm lacking the tools)

I find most of my answers online. I've been an avid road rider for around six years and reading online forums and asking questions has informed my bike mechanical knowledge pretty darn well.

Tons of virtual geniuses for bike work out there:thumbsup:
(and by virtual I mean because they exist online!)
 
#12 ·
I stick to the web and manufacturers' websites. You can find a lot of half decent tutorials on Youtube as well. Are you just looking to fix up your own bike? If so, there's really not a whole lot to learn and you can find all the info you need online.

I've been able to build a couple bikes and get them running smoothly this way (I haven't built any wheels, though). Bikes really aren't complicated and you only need a few basic tools to do most anything.
 
#13 ·
I use Zinn's roadbike maintenance and find it to be good. As mentioned above youtube has some good tutorials that have come in handy. It can be easier to see it done on video than just read about how to do it.
 
#16 ·
brucew said:
I own the Big Blue Book. If you use their web site, you don't need their book. The book is a printout of the web site.
It's kinda nice to have a physical copy to look at while you're actually trying to do the work though. I suppose you could just print out the articles yourself, but you might actually save money buying the book over printing yourself if you've got a color inkjet.
 
#19 ·
I have the Zinn book and it is good. I also looked carefully through the Bicycling magazine one and that looks pretty good too, well illustrated. If I had the money to throw around, the Barnett's manual looks awesome from the excerpts I've seen online, mostly because it seems to describe the whys in detail -- I find that when I know why and how something works, it makes more sense when you're working on it.
 
#22 ·
I have the Bicycling Magazine book and I don't find it useful. It covers road bikes, hybrids, and mountain bikes and in my opinion, none of them well or in great detail. The section on adjusting the rear deraillieur is downright comical.

I just ordered the Zinn book from Amazon and will have it tomorrow. I'll update upon its arrival.
 
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