Bike Repair and Maintenance For Dummies

by Dennis Bailey, Keith Gates

The nuts and bolts of bike repair for bicycle commuters, serious cyclists, and casual riders Bike Repair & Maintenance For Dummies provides expert guidance and tips for bicyclists who are hitting the bike trail or just spinning around the neighborhood. If you have a little or a lot of experience in using tools on your bike, this book can show you how to keep your bike in top working order, from tires to handlebars, without all the technical jargon. If biking is already a part of your life ― or you'd like it to be mdash; this book can help you tackle your own bike maintenance and repair, so you don't have to take it to the shop for routine tune-ups or call for help if you break down in the middle of nowhere. Of course, sometimes you'll need to seek expert help, so the book covers when to attack a problem yourself and when to call in the pros for backup. And although this book is written in easy-to-understand language without a lot of biking jargon, Bike Repair & Maintenance For Dummies is still a comprehensive guide. Seasoned bike riders looking for additional tips and tricks to keep their bikes in top condition won't be disappointed. This book will help you repair ― and, if necessary, replace ― the parts on your bicycle. You'll discover how to make basic bike repairs, such After you nail the basics, you can dive into advanced repairs and maintenance, Get your copy of Bike Repair & Maintenance For Dummies to learn all of that, plus tips on staying safe, ensuring your bike is always a good fit for you, and improving your bike's performance.

Genres: Reference, Cycling, Nonfiction, Bicycles

368 pages, Paperback

First published February 9, 2009

Reviews

[Matthieu Wegh · Rating 4 out of 5]

? Mijn fiets is erg belangrijk voor mijn werk als postbode, dus ik probeer soms wat zelf te repareren en/of te lezen wat er onderhouden danwel vervangen moet worden. Deze uitgave van mijn bieb is daarbij handig. Deze keer is het een trapper die vervangen moet worden, waarbij ik toch de hulp van een fietsenmaker ingeroepen heb.
🤔Deze uitgave heet overigens Fietsreparatie en onderhoud voor Dummies en heeft ervoor gezorgd dat ik mij iets minder een dummie voel dus ;-)
MW5/8/24

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've ever read any of the "for dummies" books you'll know what to expect. This was no different: well-structured, with a clear layout and plenty of diagrams/photos to illustrate the actions in the text. They covered the topics well, and reasonably thoroughly, which should allow even the newest beginner to gain confidence and be able to handle small repairs and maintenance, gradually working up to more advanced issues.

My main criticism was that the structure of the book (going through each section of a bicycle in turn, showing you all the different parts and common problems/maintenance/repair issues) meant that terms would often come up and be used repeatedly without an explanation of what they meant. ("Headset", for example.) Eventually you'd get an "Aha!" moment when you reached the appropriate section, but it was a little confusing, and unnecessary in an ebook format - just create a footnote or a link to the section, and everyone will know what you're talking about.

[Augustus Huang · Rating 4 out of 5]

-get stiff bottomed shoes to maximize transfer of energy to the pedal
-clipless pedals can greatly improve efficiency, and some pedals are double-sided so you can pick which side to use depending on what shoes you're wearing
-Avoid storing your bike outside. If you must, use a cover/tarp
-carry an emergency toolkit
-leave some tape at the end of the handlebars when putting on new tape, this end will get tucked in
-leather saddles require more maintenance, but can conform to the shape of your butt
-a helpful trick is to mark where on the seatpost is your proper fit so you can always go back to it after making adjustments
-Chromoly steel is extremely durable material for a frame. Titanium is also nice but is extremely expensive
-downshift well before you get to the steepest part of a hill to avoid strain on the bike
-rattling sounds or "clunks" when pedaling are signals of the chain needing maintenance
-biking gloves can greatly increase hand comfort for long rides by absorbing impact
-If you must approach a bump, get out of the saddle and use your arms and legs to absorb the impact like a jockey on a horse
-threads should be tight, but not too tight to avoid damage
-in a properly adjusted saddle, your toes/balls of the feet should barely be able to touch the ground when your butt is touching the saddle
-when putting on pedals, regardless of whether it's the left or right pedal, always tighten by screwing towards the front of the bike. Pedals are designed this way because forward pedaling naturally tends to tighten the pedal, rather than loosen them

[Jacques Paganel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bike Repair and Maintenance For Dummies is true to its title: it offers a comprehensive introduction to the different types of bikes, their components and, of course, how to repair them when in need. Although mostly focused on, well, repair and maintenance, I read it to get some recommendations on how to choose and properly ride a bike, and I was more than satisfied. A potential re-release of the book (originally published in 2009) would benefit from extending the scope to electric and folding bikes (popularized in recent years) and complementing the repair how-tos with more images, Watching YouTube videos is probably a more efficient way to learn about such a practical matter.

[Daniel Te · Rating 2 out of 5]

In terms of content, this book seems to go over generally most repairs you would do for a bicycle. However, I do think it needed a lot more diagrams to go along with the explanations - often repairs would be explained with blocks of step-by-step text, which while passable, is a little bit hard to follow along when bike repairs is such a hands-on activity. The part of tens section also had a lot of information that I think would be better to have an introduction section, as much as the part of tens is a For Dummies tradition.

[P A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty the same info exposed by the global cycling network maintenance videos on YouTube (and other bike related channels). This doesn't mean that both are correct but at least they are consistent.


Why not 5 stars? Because I was expecting some digression as well instead the author is pretty to the point and sometimes there is not much to say.

[Garrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

A handy book on bicycle repair. Would be a handy reference and guide.

[Dumpster Baby · Rating 4 out of 5]

i needed this book.

[Peze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent how-to book.

[Cfgk]

Not like I would have really read it, but it's a great reference book!

[Franz Klotsche · Rating 4 out of 5]

No pre-knowledge needed. Also gives some depth insights. Good book.

[Ben Kellermann · Rating 4 out of 5]

By coupling step-by-step instructions and detailed photos and illustrations, Bike Repair & Maintenance For Dummies gives readers the information they need to keep their bikes in working order, often without taking it to the shop.

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