In this book, Lennard Zinn explains and demonstrates how to completely and properly maintain every component of a mountain bike, including chains, derailleurs, shifters, wheels, brakes, cranks, bottom brackets, pedals, saddles, seatposts, suspension systems, handlebars, stems, headsets, forks, and frames. He describes and rates every repair and counsels the novice bike mechanic how to decide whether or not to take the bike to a bike shop for professional attention. Extensive line drawings show how parts fit together and illustrate the tools required for every type of bike. Also explained are emergency on-trail repair tricks.
Detailed and helpful for hybrid bikes as well as mountain bikes. I have two main problems with getting bike repair info from the Internet. One, it's like drinking from a fire hose; too much at once. Two, half the time I don't even know what I need to look up. A book like this is extremely helpful for me because it is organized (unlike a Google search) and has a helpful sequencing of tasks, which are ranked from one wrench to three wrenches. And that also corresponds to the tool kit given in the beginning--some tasks are Level 3 not so much because of difficulty as because they require an expensive, unitasking tool.
My first day with the book, I discovered that my tires were underinflated and my brakes were crooked. My second day, I fixed a nagging gear-slippage problem. I looked through the whole book to get a sense of what's in it (that was the author's advice) and plan to, as time permits, familiar myself with one bike system every week or so and maybe do basic maintenance on it.
With this book in hand I went, in the space of a summer, from being someone who barely knew how to fix a flat to being someone who stripped his bike down to the frame and replaced every last component for the sheer fun of it.
It's written with deep love and knowledge of the subject, accompanied by hundreds of simple, clear illustrations.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. If you have a mountain bike, and want it to be something other than a black box that you pay the folks down at the shop to maintain, buy yourself a copy.
My bible of bike repair and maintenance. Zinn not only knows everything about bikes, he explains what to do in a wonderfully clear, concise manner, easy to read and understand and sprinkled with a little humour. The book covers everything from basic maintenance, through emergency repairs to stuff that almost everyone will take the bike to the repair shop for. Add to this an excellent set of appendices, troubleshooting tips and a superb index, and this book should be on the shelf of any mountain bike owner.
Bought and read the same day. The first few chapters were fascinating. Especially Chapter 3 "Emergency repairs: How to get home when something big breaks or you get hurt." That chapter made the book, and I had to read the rest of it right away.
In truth, I skim read much of the rest of the book. I really don't need to read right now details such as how to repair all the different kinds of front shocks that have been made. Again, the chapter on emergency repairs really made the book.
Probably the more-referenced of the two bike repair books on my shelf. Tells you just what you need to do, why, and when to do it. If I had to pick on over the other it would be this one. Being someone who bikes every day (and has dropped sixty pounds over the past two years to prove it) this is indispensable, since whatever can go wrong with your bike probably WILL go wrong, if you're not watching...
I had eyed this book for a while since we have copies of it sitting in the shop that i work at. To say the least, this was informative to even myself, a seasoned bicycle mechanic who has worked in a shop for over a year and has worked on bikes my entire lifetime. The knowledge is down to earth and available, and there is not one page that goes to waste.
I really just wanted to know how to properly adjust a front derailluer, but it's great to learn the "right" way to do basic bike maintenance. Plus it's got me covered for any future upgrades/repairs. Nicely illustrated and comfortably written.
On its own the walk through of any repair is easy to understand. Pair this book with any video you find on YouTube and you are able to fix anything that could possibly go wrong on the bike! I now know more than my husband! LOL
Super comprehensible guide for people who don't want some asshole at a bike shop to rip them off when doing repairs. Very entertaining and informative.
In my opinion, this is one of the best bike maintenance manuals available. It is simple enough for the average Joe but is thorough and complete. Very good stuff.