Bicycle Repair Manual [Paperback]

Chris Sidwells (Author)

Book Description

Series: Bicycle Repair Manual | Publication Date: May 19, 2008

DK's Bicycle Repair Manual is a comprehensive, practical guide to the essentials of bike maintenance, designed to teach the beginning cyclist how to perform basic tasks and the experienced cyclist how to carry out advanced repair techniques. In clear, straightforward detail, the book explains the evolution of the bicycle and the maintenance needs of different bikes, shows how the parts of a bike fit together, and tells you how best to use your tools to perform basic tasks such as cleaning and lubricating.

Sidebars such as Servicing Charts, Troubleshooting Charts, and Toolboxes help you diagnose problems before they occur, and deal with them accurately and efficiently. Each spread is supported by graphics, photographs, and a Step Locator, to help you easily locate problem areas. This edition, updated with 23% new material, is pocket-sized for portability, with flaps to easily mark your page.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Chris Sidwells is a cycling enthusiast, a racer of road, mountain, and motocross bikes, and a regular contributor to Cycle Sport magazine and other cycling publications. He is also the author of DK's Complete Bike Book. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: DK ADULT; Rev Upd edition (May 19, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 075663394X
• ISBN-13: 978-0756633943
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #314,094 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #36 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Individual Sports > Cycling > Bike Repair

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This one worked for me., October 17, 2004

By 

James H. McDuffie (Huntsville, Alabama United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bicycle Repair Manual (Paperback)

I have looked at just about every bike repair/maintenance book out there. I don't like any of them. Either they are too vague and basically are advertisements for professional repairs or they are outdated even in the latest editions. Or, worse yet, expensive advertisements for tools and gimicks. The Bicycle Repair Manual is really all anybody needs. If you need much more than this then you are repairing junk which should be replaced. This manual allowed me, in the space of just a few hours, to go from knowing nothing about derailleurs to completely removing, reinstalling, and perfectly adjusting the gear system on an old bike I bought at a garage sale for a few bucks. It now operates better than some I could spend a couple of hundred times as much on. And all because of this book. I cannot think of a better recommendation to give a book of this kind. The only thing it lacks is wheel building, gear tables, and information on fancy mods.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully-Ilustrustrated but Overly-Simplified, October 19, 2005

By 

Ronald W. Satz (Trevose, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bicycle Repair Manual (Paperback)

Like all of publisher DK's books, this one is very beautifully-illustrated and very reasonably-priced. It's suitable for a teenager or an adult just getting back into cycling. It's also small enough to fit in some saddle bags. However, it's not detailed enough for semi-pro or pro bicycle mechanics, who will certainly continue to use Barnett's Manual. The index of Sidwells' book is OK, but the glossary is far too brief. Overall, the book is better for amateurs than other such books, but just not detailed enough for really serious work.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very clear and precise, July 3, 2006

By 

Sean Seymour - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bicycle Repair Manual (Paperback)

This book is a great little gem. It is extremely readable and provides just enough information to get the job done without overwhelming the reader with an excessive amount of information. The pictures are well done and there is always exact information about what tools you will need.

I would recommend this for people starting out on bicycle maintenance and routine repairs/fixes. If you want a more detailed book, you should check out "The Bicycling Guide to Complete Bicycle Maintenance and Repair" by Todd Downs. I found it much more readable than "Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance".