Learining to maintain & repair ... a newb's guide

DrWorm

Hi,

I've got back into cycling after several years off(the usual tale etc etc). My circumstances have left me without a car so I bought a cheap Felt mtb at Christmas time and have been using it daily for a short (3 mile each way) commute. I've also been discovering the local green lanes, bridalways etc at weekends and have managed several hundred miles in the last 4 months.


Now I know after that sort of time/miles the bike will be requiring maintenance, not to much yet but still. Now I have a bit of a clue about bikes, adjusting brakes, etc but none of the more involved things. So what I would like to know is:


1) What needs doing and how often?
2) What is the best way to learn about maintenance/repair... books/websites?


Money is tight and I don't have many tools but I'm keen to be able to be self-sufficient for 90% of my bike problems.


Any help mucho appreciated.


DrWorm

supersonic

I would buy a book called Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance - all you need to know in there!

Alternatively try the park tools website or a search of threads here, as it has been coverd many times before.

DrWorm

supersonic wrote:

I would buy a book called Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance - all you need to know in there!

Alternatively try the park tools website or a search of threads here, as it has been coverd many times before.

Thanks, I'll take a look at that book.

Oh and sorry that this has been asked before (I knew it would have!) but the search function kept timing out on me. My internet tubes must be clogged!

powder_monkey

This book seems to get good reviews, but it looks like it might be out of print (so a bit pricey).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mountain-Bike-M ... 674&sr=8-3

Anyone tried it, as it seems like just the thing for someone as clueless as myself?

dav1

I used a combination of park tools webby, sheldon brown, watching my bike being fixed in the LBS (for the faster jobs) and advice here.

I am not quite confiendent in most things (most challenging thing to date was rebuilding my fork)

For me it was a case of getting some good guides, then learning by doing.