Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair
Knowing how to repair and maintain your bike is an important skill for any Touring Cyclist if you want to break away from group tours.
If you are a natural mechanic, that is wonderful but most of us need some help. We look to our friends, the local bike shop and books for help.
I have some good news for those of you who look for help in books, Park's "Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair" (BBB-1).
This is a concise book that quickly gets to the essence of the task. Here's how Park describes the book:
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A new book on bike repair from the company that wrote the book on bike repair products. Calvin Jones, Education Director at Park Tool, provides easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for keeping any road or mountain bike running smoothly. From tire repair and derailleur adjustment to wheel truing and bottom bracket replacement, The Big Blue Book of Bike Repair provides both the novice and veteran mechanic with the information needed to perform nearly any repair. Special topics such as tool selection, bike cleaning, and on-the-trail repairs are also covered, and an appendix at the back of the book provides valuable reference materials. Up to date with the latest technology, The Big Blue Book of Bike Repair is packed four hundred photos, as well as repair tips garnered from the author's 30 years as an educator and mechanic.
Example Page
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223 pages, 13 chapters, and 3 Appendices
1 Basics
2 Tires and Tubes
3 Hubs, Rear Sprockets
4 Wheel Truing
5 Pedals, Cranks, and Bottom Bracket
6 Chains
7 Derailleur Systems
8 Rim Caliper Brake Systems
9 Caliper Disc Brake Systems
10 Handle Bars, Stems, Saddles, & Seat Posts
11 Headsets
12 Bike Washing
13 On-the-Ride Repairs
Appendices
A Tool List
B Glossary
C Recommended Torques for Bicycle Components
I like this book. It has plenty of pictures and shows the latest Shimano equipment and Avid Disc brakes as of 2005. It gets to the point quickly and clearly explains the task at hand. At around $24 it is a great buy.
This is a great book to keep with your bike tools.
The best prices I have found for the book have been on eBay but watch out for shipping costs. Some of the eBay vendors have a low ball price on this book but a very high shipping cost so be careful.
Amazon is close if you get free shipping.
