Bike Maintenance Course?

chronyx

This may sound silly, but is there such a thing as a bike maintenance course? Or even just a book you would recommend?

The annoying thing is, if it has an engine I'm fine , but working on push bikes usually leaves me in fits of rage (This morning was no exception, adjusting, well attempting to, the front derailleur)

prj45

chronyx wrote:

This morning was no exception, adjusting, well attempting to, the front derailleur)

Maddening isn't it, thing is every adjustment you make adjusts another adjustment.

rjeffroy

I went on the two day course from here:

http://www.downlandcycles.co.uk/courses.htm

highly recommended.

Gambatte

Theres a seies of books referred to as "Zinn". I've got the one that covers MTBs specifically
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zinn-Art-Mounta ... 469&sr=8-1
Well worth the money. I'd stay away from the 'Haynes' manual

chronyx

prj45 wrote:

chronyx wrote:

This morning was no exception, adjusting, well attempting to, the front derailleur)

Maddening isn't it, thing is every adjustment you make adjusts another adjustment.

Exactly!! :x :twisted:

Thanks for the links, guys!

dav1

I use parktools and sheldon websites. then get busy with my tools. Anything i dont know how to do i post in workshop and tech board then go do it. Start out small then you can do the harder stuff as you gain confidence.

Totalnewbie

I went to CTUK's maintenance course in South London, it was a one day course and cost about £50.

If you are not very confident like me it does help give you the confidence to take stuff apart. Otherwise books are fine.

However I will say that some of what I learned on the course, I already knew from here, but then I do spend a bit too much time here :shock:

redddraggon

I'm about to start building my own bike. All the stuff which requires cheap(ish) tools I'm going to do myself, all the stuff requiring expensive tools like facing parts and fitting the headset I've left to the LBS.

It doesn't look that hard, and it should be doable with Zinn's book, park tool website and the campag instructions that came with the groupset.

It's seems to me that the cost of these courses are far more than they are worth when you can get a book £17 and you generally get the instructions with the stuff.

nicklouse

info here http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12534925

magicroundabout

Don't be afraid of your bike shop! I was a bit nervous about replacing 4 spokes the other week. I explained what I was trying to do and the guy was really helpful and sold me the spokes and a spoke key. It may help to promise to bring the bike in to get them to fix it if you mess up.

I have actually have a copy of Haynes' The Bike Book, which I found pretty good and it's given me the confidence to do a lot of work that I wouldn't have otherwise done!

There are obviously better books out there though.

MR

chronyx

That's a useful link, thanks!

I have ordered that Zinn book and a couple of others that are specific to MTB's.

Will these books cover a bike like the Giant SCR? as I am still in two minds whether to buy one or another MTB.

nonnac85

http://www.getmountainbiking.co.uk/bike ... nance.html

Not been on the maintenance course but have been on other courses run by this company and i would highly recommend them.

Drfabulous0

redddraggon wrote:

It's seems to me that the cost of these courses are far more than they are worth when you can get a book £17 and you generally get the instructions with the stuff.

£50 for a day course is about the same price as 2 hours labour at the LBS, that seems like a bargain to me. Although you could just ask the friendly folks at the bikeshop, if someone buys a bike from me I'm usually happy to give them some instruction when they come in for a tune up.

redddraggon

Drfabulous0 wrote:

£50 for a day course is about the same price as 2 hours labour at the LBS, that seems like a bargain to me.

It's cheaper to require neither. I've not done a course and I can build a bike. The only thing you should need an LBS for is to do the jobs that require the expensive tools (£450+) for reaming headset cups and facing the BB etc.

1892

I've just ordered a DVD guide from www.probikekit.com sounds quiet good I'll let you know when it arrives if it's any good

Random Vince

chronyx wrote:

This may sound silly, but is there such a thing as a bike maintenance course? Or even just a book you would recommend?

The annoying thing is, if it has an engine I'm fine , but working on push bikes usually leaves me in fits of rage (This morning was no exception, adjusting, well attempting to, the front derailleur)

i take it you've not tried to balance a 3 twin choke carb set up on a triumph GT6 race car then?

that was an interesting week.


anyway, to bikes

the best way to learn is to take it apart!

the books and links other people have posted are good (i don't rate the hanes book personally, there are some inacuracys in there)

with regard types of bike, i've always had mountain bikes until I pulled my dad's old road bike from the shed, the knowlage is transferable, its just road bike parts are lighter than mountain bike ones (so put the hammer away)

the hardest two jobs i've done on the road bike is fitting the bar tape and building a set of wheels (first wheels i've built)

a few years ago I was asking a similar question to you.

daniel_b

1892 wrote:

I've just ordered a DVD guide from www.probikekit.com sounds quiet good I'll let you know when it arrives if it's any good

1892 - assuming this is the same DVD - it'd rather cheaper from here, don;t know if you can cancel your other order?

http://www.drivenandridden.com/Mountain_bike_repair_and_maintenance_DVD.html

I'm quite tempted myself.

Or there is this one here:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?ProdID=5360021966&referid=Frogoog Although it gets panned on CRC!

Or this Zinn one here: http://www.cordee.co.uk/CTD817.php

Totalnewbie

redddraggon wrote:

Drfabulous0 wrote:

£50 for a day course is about the same price as 2 hours labour at the LBS, that seems like a bargain to me.

It's cheaper to require neither. I've not done a course and I can build a bike. The only thing you should need an LBS for is to do the jobs that require the expensive tools (£450+) for reaming headset cups and facing the BB etc.

I think it really depends how confident you are. No one ever showed me how to do that kind of thing and I was scared to even take off a wheel. Having someone confirm that I was doing something the right way gave my confidence a big boost, and now I can do the rest from books.

magicroundabout

Could buy a dirt cheap, second hand old "banger" (is there a bike equivalent?), and rip it apart to:

a) See how it fits together
b) Get some confidence

You could probably find one at a scrap yard, or alternatively, look up the thread on abandoned bikes.

1892

Daniel B wrote:

1892 wrote:

I've just ordered a DVD guide from www.probikekit.com sounds quiet good I'll let you know when it arrives if it's any good

1892 - assuming this is the same DVD - it'd rather cheaper from here, don;t know if you can cancel your other order?

http://www.drivenandridden.com/Mountain_bike_repair_and_maintenance_DVD.html

I'm quite tempted myself.

Or there is this one here:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?ProdID=5360021966&referid=Frogoog Although it gets panned on CRC!


Or this Zinn one here: http://www.cordee.co.uk/CTD817.php

Thanks for the info yes it is the same one but it's already been dispatched

1892

1892 wrote:

I've just ordered a DVD guide from www.probikekit.com sounds quiet good I'll let you know when it arrives if it's any good

:roll:

I've watched the DVD bit disappointed really, it didn't tell me anything that I didn't already know. It's alright if you want to start with the real basics, there are a few good books available for less cash that are more detailed.

FatBlokeFromFelixstowe

The sheldon brown website really is excellent and well worth a read up.

xcracer

I agree with the comments about the Haynes manual. I find the descriptions a little half-baked.

Park tools are much easier to follow and more 'complete'...and it's free!