Books

Rad2474

I've been thinking about getting a maintenance book seen a couple on amazon anyone got experience of the two i've looked at? Zinn and the art of mountain bike maintenance and total bike maintenance book. Thanks.

cooldad

Save your money and read Parktools below. Comprehensive and regularly updated.

Rad2474

I'll have a look thanks.

rockmonkeysc

Park tools website is better than any book. It's regularly updated and has instructions for servicing different brands of various components.

mike hunts alpine

Park tools big blue book of bike maintainance

mike hunts alpine

3rd edition

cooldad

Which will be out of date soon.

mike hunts alpine

Depends on the bike and spec though wether its outdated?

rockmonkeysc

The Park Tools website is kept up to date and is free and won't get covered in greasy finger prints.

paul.skibum

No but your computer will....

rockmonkeysc

Good point. And I've only just got all the tipex off the screen.

Woodmonkey

If you like balancing your laptop or Ipad in your garage or shed with your tools and oily bits then park tools is fine, by the time your book is out of date you will have learned most stuff and any developments and updates in standards will be pretty easy to understand having the knowledge you do. A £20 book or a grands worth of laptop? No contest for me

cooldad

Most of the stuff you just have to read - it's not rocket science.

The Northern Monkey

Woodmonkey wrote:

If you like balancing your laptop or Ipad in your garage or shed with your tools and oily bits then park tools is fine, by the time your book is out of date you will have learned most stuff and any developments and updates in standards will be pretty easy to understand having the knowledge you do. A £20 book or a grands worth of laptop? No contest for me

Got a printer?

Chunkers1980

Got a internet display device costing less than a grand? I have several.

Woodmonkey

The Northern Monkey wrote:

Woodmonkey wrote:

If you like balancing your laptop or Ipad in your garage or shed with your tools and oily bits then park tools is fine, by the time your book is out of date you will have learned most stuff and any developments and updates in standards will be pretty easy to understand having the knowledge you do. A £20 book or a grands worth of laptop? No contest for me

Got a printer?

Have you seen the price of toner!!!!!

Chunkers1980 wrote:

Got a internet display device costing less than a grand? I have several.

I'd rather have a book and a decent tablet/computer

rockmonkeysc

Usually a quick read online before starting the job is enough. There's nothing complicated on a bicycle 9ther than the suspension and no book has instructions for a fork rebuild.

mike hunts alpine

Some people prefer in depth detail with pictures step by step.
Different learning styles I suppose and I dare say some things on the tinterweb won't be 100% trustworthy with the book you know you're dealing with years of experience and knowledge from the best.

cooldad

And the chaps at Parktools aren't trustworthy with years of experience?

Seeing as you recommend their book.

mike hunts alpine

Miswrote \ read I was meaning internet might not be fully trustworthy but the book will be. Due to park tools experience and knowledge.
Schoolboy error on someone's part

Chunkers1980

That's the thing. Everything is there on the Park website, bar suspension, so there is no need for anything else. Read it, print it, watch it before, take it to the garage if you dare!

rockmonkeysc

So is the Parktools website not trustworthy? It certainly has in depth instructions with lots of photos.

mike hunts alpine

Surely not everything is on there otherwise why release a book ? Not saying that I ment like some YouTube vids or website might offer incorrect instructions or advise, if you understand what I mean. And I mean some and not all. There loads of good stuff on the web. But personally I'd have book on hand as well.
Also I have no printer.

Woodmonkey

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Usually a quick read online before starting the job is enough. There's nothing complicated on a bicycle 9ther than the suspension and no book has instructions for a fork rebuild.

I was assuming the op had little or no basic knowledge, and could do with something to hand to help them along with the basics until they were confident

cooldad

mike hunts alpine wrote:

Surely not everything is on there otherwise why release a book ?

Er..... for money. From people who prefer books.

chrisw333

let the lad buy a book if he wants. I agree, it's nice to have to browse and refer to without always having to go to the net.

If you can afford it buy it, then use whichever you prefer, or both.