Bicycle Repair Manual [Paperback]

Richard Ballantine (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 1994

Easy-to-follow photographic sequences, accompanied by detailed text, along with a handy troubleshooting guide, offer solutions to every repair and maintenance task--from simple roadside repairs to complete overhauls--for every sort of bicycle. Original.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA-A well-illustrated guide for the repair and maintenance of all types of bicycles, with understandable instructions, including monthly and annual service guides, emergency repairs, and a trouble-shooting chart.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

This follow-up to the authors' beautiful Richards' Ultimate Bicycle Book ( LJ 4/1/92) has the same visual impact. Not for those with no familiarity with bicycles or tools, it can be used to great advantage as a quick reference by those with some prior knowledge. Repairs are divided into chapters covering brakes, wheels and tires, transmissions, bearings, and routine maintenance chores. The explanations for mechanical processes are excellent, with many sections employing photographs or illustrations to detail the repair steps. Although it is not as detailed as Tom Cuthbertson's Anybody's Bike Book (Peter Smith Pubs., 1988), the working photos and illustrations are much better. In fact, these two books can serve most libraries' needs for bicycle repair guides.
- Lisa J. Cochenet, Winfield P.L., Ill.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: DK ADULT (March 15, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564584844
• ISBN-13: 978-1564584847
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,751,673 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Information for Greater Biking Enjoyment!, January 11, 2001

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bicycle Repair Manual (Paperback)

Reading this book made me want to go out and buy new bikes for the whole family!

There's nothing quite like the pleasure of riding out of a beautiful bike showroom on a great bicycle! Yet within months, I always noticed that the feel was gone. Pretty soon, I wasn't riding as much.

Now from reading this book, I know that all bikes need regular maintenance to keep that top-performance feeling. And I know what to do. It's a wonder that my bikes and my children's bikes ran at all before reading this book!

My idea of bike repair was to patch a puncture, adjust the seat and handle bars, and get a new chain if it broke. That's about 3 percent of what you really need to know.

The book is also useful as a guide to what type of bike to buy in the first place. The pros and cons of various types of materials and structures are well developed.

For those who enjoy mastering physical tasks, this book also offers much potential pleasure. "Keeping your bike in tip-top shape is very satisfying -- and makes riding more enjoyable."

Although I am far from being a mechanical person, I could clearly do everything in the book. But I do need different tools. No problem! The book shows you just what to buy, with many choices (more kinds of bike stands than you ever knew existed, as an example). Not only that, it tells you which ones to take with you on a long touring ride. If you don't have the right tool, it shows you how to improvise with materials usually found along the side of any road. This was fascinating! In fact, the paperback is just the right size to take along on a ride, so you can figure out what to do if you bend a rim.

One of the real insights for me was to realize that all of the bearings are meant to be rebuilt once a year. And there are a lot of bearings on any bike.

Where a bike might have different types of equipment (such as for brakes and transmissions), you get descriptions of what to do with all the major types.

Many pictures show you what each part looks like, and the steps to go through for maintenance. This is the main drawback of such a compact book. Some of the images can be a little small. But I see no way around that if you are to have a truly portable guide to repair and maintenance.

Most people will decide to still get some maintenance and repair at the local bike shop. But this book can show you what's involved so you can figure out what it might cost in time and money to do the work yourself.

One of my favorite parts of the book was the Troubleshooting Chart to give you an idea from the symptom you have observed what is a likely cause, the solution, and where the information is found to implement that solution.

I suggest that you both get this book and try doing some of the maintenance. If you enjoy this, it could become a very satisfying hobby. You could also do maintenance for other people to help cover the cost of the tools. I suspect that less than 1 bike in 50 is properly maintained.

If you have children who like to learn to fix and maintain things, this could be a fun family activity. My dad was very good at such things when I was a wee lad, so good that I never learned how to fix anything. Be sure to pass along what you know and learn instead.

But whatever you do, be sure you get out and enjoy biking with loved ones! That's the ultimate payoff.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars great pictures and proceedures, lacking in new features, January 24, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Bicycle Repair Manual (Paperback)

The book is well thought out, well illustrated, and very entertaining for all levels of bike enthusiasists. It did not cover A-heads or V-brakes showing little about anything out in the last 5 years. For an overall view of bike repair it is wonderful, for a techinical manual on new equipment and their repair is is seriously lacking.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful help, December 11, 2001

By 

Deangela S. Chastain (Gillsville, Georgia United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bicycle Repair Manual (Paperback)

I have been able to take apart and repair all of the children's bikes. I has saved us a bundle as we have eight. At $40 a bike plus parts I have repaired and rebuild for the time and cost of parts and my children have learned to do for them selves as well. It's a great book to have.