Customer Reviews

Bicycle Repair Manual

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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 Either they are too vague and basically are advertisements for professional repairs or they are outdated even in the latest editions.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.

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.

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".

As a kid growing up, I rode bikes all the time. However, when I received my drivers license, I put the bikes away. Some 25 years later I decided to ride again. I bought a new bike and it wasn't long before it needed a little maintenance. Instead of carrying it to the bike shop, I bought this book. It more than paid for itself with the first tuning of my rear derailleur. Since then, I've made adjustments to the front derailleur and rear brakes. I'm sure I could have found this info on the net. But, it's really handy to just be able to pick up this reference book and find what you need. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to maintain their own bike.

Just got "spammed" by Amazon to write a review, so here we go:

Content: This book gives you an overview of most parts of the bike, with the most common variations on a part (usually mountainbike, road bike and hybrid or BMX). It is not exhaustive and not entirely up to date, but it will give you an idea of how a bike works. It is NOT a "repair" manual, it is however a "bike parts for dummies" book and a bit of basic maintenance.

What it did for me: I did not know much about bikes before the weekend, today I walked into a store and ordered an entire bike part by part. The book allowed me to understand the basics, the internet filled me in on the specifics.

In short: if you already know what a bottom bracket, a V-brake and a crankset is and if you can tell apart a threaded headset from an unthreaded, stay away from this book. If not, and you don't want to look stupid on your next visit to the bikeshop, lay out the 11 bucks. It will also help you a bit on basic maintenance, but not on repairs.

3 stars because it's good value.

I found this book too brief. It covers very well bicycle parts and their construction, but doesn't provide many practical "tips and tricks" which you may need for your repair. I guess, it tries to squeeze too much into the small volume. With respect to photographs and design it is very-well done!

The manual is good in that it teaches you the different components of a bicycle to help you understand why you need to maintain this or fix that. I enjoyed that. However, in some areas it left the impression that you just had to "tinker" with a component for its maintenance. I wanted something more definite but I guess the bicycle isn't that complicated of a machine and as the manual suggests, you can mess around with it. So, good manual, but know that you are getting definite answers for some things if you wish.

Excellent starting place to learn about basic bicycle repair. Good pictures and easy to follow instructions.

I am used to fixing my bike, so I know a lot of the stuff in this book, so I want a more extensive piece. It does the job for a introduction level book, but if you are a mature bike repairer or just want a more extensive piece go somewhere else.

With over 159 glossy colored pages, this handy manual for
bicycles covering everything that is new upto 2006, such
as Shimano Deore derailleurs, MTB, hybrids, front suspensions, hubs, wheels, pedal, and more ......is extremely well priced for the information contained.

Of course, the book's brevity, and size (handbook size) is intended more for bicycle store management and sales people, who need to understand the workings, part names, bike styles, and overall mechanics to be able to do their jobs. Indeed, if someone doesn't know the proper name of parts, how can they function ? e.g. chainring, crank arm, cassette, freehub, wheel jig, etc.

It also compares different types of brakes (v brakes, disk, etc.) and gives their pro's and con's, and explains the principles underlying their functionality.

Some specific mechanic repairs or adjustments are well explained, such as optimizing the spokes and rims, headsets, and also provides advice to ride safely.

Overall, as said, worth the investment. However, if you really
need step by step, detailed walk thu's of disassembly and reassembly of parts, and work as a mechanic, I suggest looking elsewhere, as you are not a novice.