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Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair
The Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair is a comprehensive manual of over 130 bicycle repairs and maintenance procedures. It is written by Calvin Jones, one of the top bicycle mechanics in the country, and published by Park Tool, the world's leading manufacturer of bicycle tools. The book is written for the novice to expert home mechanic and features hundreds of color pictures to assist the reader in a step-by-step fashion. It is current with the latest technologies and makes allowances for variations by manufacturer.
233 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
April 21, 2012
I read through this before attending UBI (United Bicycle Institute) for their Professional Bicycle Repair and Shop Maintenance class. The book was a great primer, and I highly recommend UBI for the home mechanic or someone seeking employment (I just landed a job at my local bike shop!).
June 23, 2015
Love this book for bike operations! It has lots of pictures, which is handy, and step-by-step guides to doing your own wrenching. If you have a bike and want to take care of yourself, this is highly recommended. Compared to Zinn's book on road bike maintenance, this one is more heavy on pictures instead of diagrams, and is wider in scope – not just road bikes, and not just high-end stuff, either. Eminently practical.
December 27, 2016
I have the 3rd edition of this book. I like to repair my bike, not so much for the fun but to get it done. I have bought about 15+ books on bicycle repair over the years. This one stands out, descriptive pictures, good balance of instructions. If you buy only one book on bike repair, this should be it.
June 18, 2021
An excellent book for anyone who wants to try bike repair; or having tried it, to do it better. Bicycles keep getting more complicated, as vendors keep finding new ways to literally reinvent the wheel and everything else on the bike. Parts don't always get better, but they surely do get different. If you learned to fix old bikes you'll need to keep reading new books. And buying new tools. At least this book pretty clearly tells you what tools you need.
The book's overall quality is outstanding. I found a dozen-odd typos but nothing that clouded the meaning. I even learned a trick for fixing a piece of utility equipment: I have a hand truck with a slow-leaky pneumatic tire. The tire is tubeless, and when it went completely flat I couldn't pump it back up with my hand pump. With no pressure in the tire, the bead wouldn't get a seal against the rim, and I couldn't pump faster than the air would blow out. The Big Blue Book tells how to fix the same problem with tubeless bike tires - put a compression strap around the circumference of the deflated tire, to squash the bead against the rim enough to give it a seal so you can start pumping. I didn't have a proper compression strap, but I improvised with a bungie cord around my hand truck tire and it worked like magic, holding air from the first pump stroke.
It would be hard to improve on this book, but I have one suggestion. When Jones talks about tire boots, he mentions that using the old trick of a dollar bill is not reliable. He recommends Park's purpose-made TB-2 Emergency Tire Boots. I imagine they work well, but the free solution is pretty good too. For years I've been cutting up old tires to make tire boots. Just cut both beads completely off an old worn-out tire, then cut sections of the casing between 6 and 12 or so cm long. They fit inside a slashed tire, covering from bead to bead, for on-road emergency repair and will temporarily patch a hole of a size you wouldn't think you'd be able to ride home on. I've saved myself and a few riding partners over the years. They also rubber-band neatly around a multi-tool for carrying in the on-bike tool bag, protecting other items (such as tubes) from any sharp edges of the tool.
The book's overall quality is outstanding. I found a dozen-odd typos but nothing that clouded the meaning. I even learned a trick for fixing a piece of utility equipment: I have a hand truck with a slow-leaky pneumatic tire. The tire is tubeless, and when it went completely flat I couldn't pump it back up with my hand pump. With no pressure in the tire, the bead wouldn't get a seal against the rim, and I couldn't pump faster than the air would blow out. The Big Blue Book tells how to fix the same problem with tubeless bike tires - put a compression strap around the circumference of the deflated tire, to squash the bead against the rim enough to give it a seal so you can start pumping. I didn't have a proper compression strap, but I improvised with a bungie cord around my hand truck tire and it worked like magic, holding air from the first pump stroke.
It would be hard to improve on this book, but I have one suggestion. When Jones talks about tire boots, he mentions that using the old trick of a dollar bill is not reliable. He recommends Park's purpose-made TB-2 Emergency Tire Boots. I imagine they work well, but the free solution is pretty good too. For years I've been cutting up old tires to make tire boots. Just cut both beads completely off an old worn-out tire, then cut sections of the casing between 6 and 12 or so cm long. They fit inside a slashed tire, covering from bead to bead, for on-road emergency repair and will temporarily patch a hole of a size you wouldn't think you'd be able to ride home on. I've saved myself and a few riding partners over the years. They also rubber-band neatly around a multi-tool for carrying in the on-bike tool bag, protecting other items (such as tubes) from any sharp edges of the tool.
August 15, 2015
Snažím se už svou knihovnu držet zkrátka, ale tuhle knihu si do ní pořídím. A to i přesto, že se do většiny oprav pouštět nebudu, prostě jsem se přiučil, jak věci fungují. Kéž by existovaly podobné knihy i na jiné oblasti kutilství. Oceňuji spoustu obrázků a kvalitní překlad.
Někomu by se mohlo zdát, že jde o marketingový materiál nářadí ParkTool, ale koupit si přeci můžete cokoliv jiného.
V druhém vydání jsou i informace o řazení v náboji, tlumičích a kotoučových brzdách.
Někomu by se mohlo zdát, že jde o marketingový materiál nářadí ParkTool, ale koupit si přeci můžete cokoliv jiného.
V druhém vydání jsou i informace o řazení v náboji, tlumičích a kotoučových brzdách.
January 2, 2024
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to repair a bicycle. If you like riding a bicycle like I do all year around, this book that will help you maintain it. Park Tool is a trusted brand. This book is filled with useful and necessary information for the cyclist that wants to do maintenance and repair on their own bikes. This book is well illustrated, very straightforward, and easy to read with step-by-step instructions.
Now you say why should I waste my time when all I have to do is go to you tube to get all my information. Yes, there are you tube videos that Calvin has from Park tool that go into greater detail. Are they worth watching? Yes. Do they serve as a good replacement for having a book open, in front of you, while both your hands are busy affixing something to the bike? No. You can lay this baby right out on the floor as you read how to become expert on bottom bracket replacement, disk brake adjustments, replacing the front and rear derailleur, adjust the shifting, hubs, bearings the list goes on. You will never have to take your bicycle to a repair shop again.
This book deserves to be same shelf as Steinbeck, Hemingway, Fitzgerald and all those great writers you never want to throw out. The KINDLE version of this textbook works well for those older eyes that like to zoom-in on images, so to get a clear picture of what’s being explained. This book has really helped me learn how to repair my bike and save money in the process. I highly recommend it.
Now you say why should I waste my time when all I have to do is go to you tube to get all my information. Yes, there are you tube videos that Calvin has from Park tool that go into greater detail. Are they worth watching? Yes. Do they serve as a good replacement for having a book open, in front of you, while both your hands are busy affixing something to the bike? No. You can lay this baby right out on the floor as you read how to become expert on bottom bracket replacement, disk brake adjustments, replacing the front and rear derailleur, adjust the shifting, hubs, bearings the list goes on. You will never have to take your bicycle to a repair shop again.
This book deserves to be same shelf as Steinbeck, Hemingway, Fitzgerald and all those great writers you never want to throw out. The KINDLE version of this textbook works well for those older eyes that like to zoom-in on images, so to get a clear picture of what’s being explained. This book has really helped me learn how to repair my bike and save money in the process. I highly recommend it.
March 22, 2022
I wasn't sure how to rate this. I must admit I was influenced by all the high ratings. I found it just a little more technical or perhaps geared for a level of experience above entry-level. It often specifies Park tools. It bugs me that it doesn't have an index. You can find what you are looking for in the very good table of contents, but that isn't usually where I look first. Excellent illustrations. I would probably rather recommend The Bicycling Guide to Complete Bicycle Maintenance and Repair: For Road and Mountain Bikes(Expanded and Revised 5th Edition)
by Todd Downs because it is perhaps a bit more comprehensive and has a nice index.
by Todd Downs because it is perhaps a bit more comprehensive and has a nice index.
June 16, 2024
Calvin Jones is the GOAT and there is no denying it. This review also serves for me as a way to appreciate the Youtube videos by Park Tool which I highly recommend.
PS: If you are an absolute beginner, I would maybe suggest going for another book. Jones is throwing around technical terms with the gloves off.
PS: If you are an absolute beginner, I would maybe suggest going for another book. Jones is throwing around technical terms with the gloves off.
July 18, 2023
Love Calvin's YouTube videos and book. Detailed and accessible is a difficult balance to hit!
March 7, 2025
Excellent reference for all bike repairs and maintenance. Even if you don't do the work yourself, this will help you understand the work that is being done.
January 6, 2026
Good Book. Good general overview of bicycle repair/maintenance.
For covering such a broad swath it is kind of thin. It doesn't go into a ton of depth but does hit all the basics.
For covering such a broad swath it is kind of thin. It doesn't go into a ton of depth but does hit all the basics.
June 29, 2007
This book is fantastic! Not only does it have tons of information on bicycle repair (covering just about every inch of your bike), it also has tons of pictures that make it much easier to understand what you're reading. Includes sections on maintaining your bike, and even washing your bike. A must have for anyone who wants to save a few bucks and avoid the bike shop.
September 26, 2014
Great book with step by step guide unlike some book skipping throught some portion which leave me in doubt on what to do.
Save me alot of time when I am repairing my bike.
The best bicycle repair book I have come across.
I read this book in years 2012 and am still using it for reference every time I need any repair or major maintenance.
Save me alot of time when I am repairing my bike.
The best bicycle repair book I have come across.
I read this book in years 2012 and am still using it for reference every time I need any repair or major maintenance.
April 6, 2014
This book is precious to me because it was a gift from friends during a happy time in my life.
The contents of the book are damn handy. Easy to read. Fairly easy for a non-mech to read and grasp.
Good illustrations.
The contents of the book are damn handy. Easy to read. Fairly easy for a non-mech to read and grasp.
Good illustrations.
January 13, 2008
lots of info, very clear instructions
Read
February 24, 2008I kinda can't put this down. It goes everywhere with me.
December 27, 2013
99/100 YouTube is going to be a better resource. But for that last time, when you're not quite sure what to Google, this book can be a life saver.
September 24, 2009
I'm sure I'll be using it and reading it over and over.
November 27, 2010
Great book - helped me fix many things on my bike I would otherwise never had been able to - it's my brothers book so should really give him it back and buy the 2nd edition :-)
August 22, 2020
This is an ongoing read, as such I will never really be done with it.
August 23, 2022
Detailed full color illustrations of parts and tools of a Bicycle
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews