Bike maintenane book recommendations?

[Breaker]

Hi,

I plan to run some of my errands on a bike so I will need to have an easy reference book for normal maintenance.  I need very basic instruction to keep my bike on the road.

TIA
Jan   

[Russ]

online, but great resources:
www.parktool.com
www.sheldonbrown.com

Bookwise, really they're all the same. I've had a few... Park's Blue Book, A Bicycling Mag book by Jim Langley (who also has a nice website, but isn't really about DIY maintenance), and a couple others. Anything in stock at your library will be fine. Any library I've been to usually has a few. They probably won't have the nice pictures of the Park Tool site, or the infinite arcane knowledge of Sheldon Brown though.

[Russ]

Also, if you have any specific questions someone on here can usually answer.

[mjs111]

I've found YouTube to be invaluable to learn various specific bike repairs.  Actually watching someone going through the maintenance/repair process and talking you through it can be much more clear than reading about it/seeing photographic stills in a book.

Mike

[GuitarStv]

Yeah, between park tools, sheldon brown, and youtube videos I've been able to handle pretty much any bike repair I needed to do.

[somepissedoffman]

Yeah, between park tools, sheldon brown, and youtube videos I've been able to handle pretty much any bike repair I needed to do.

+1.
I own the park tools blue book.  It's a pretty good reference, but not sure it's worth paying for when compared to the aforementioned online resources.

[schimt]

YouTube for all repairs, Bike, Automotive, Home, Self-medicating (just kidding about the last one)

it's impressive how much easy to use, fairly good information is available on there, if you watch a few videos and all have the same basic recommendations.

[Breaker]

Thanks to all for your answers I will use Utube to see how to do some of the things that I need to do. 

Since I'm an older lady I don't really want to read a lot of books or articles on the computer.   I was hoping that someone knows of a small book that would give me a list of what I need to do, when I need to do it and/or how often it needs to be done. 

I used to have a book like that but must have given it away. 

I will go to the library and see what they have.

Thanks again for your help.

Jan

[schimt]

Bicycles do not have a lot of periodic maintenance required, besides checking the tire pressure regularly and keeping it towards the max written on the tire itself. Higher tire pressure reduces rolling resistance which makes it easier to ride on the street and will help prevent bending a rim when you hit something.

The only other thing you might consider, short of cleaning it from time to time by wiping it down, is to clean and lubricate the chain, any bike shop will have that for you.

Most modern bikes have sealed bearings that do not require regular greasing.

But a book will give you a better understanding about how everything works, how to adjust derailers, tighten the headset and cranks ect. And some tips on how to change a flat. All of which can be found on youtube too!

Good luck and enjoy!

[GuitarStv]

Bicycles do not have a lot of periodic maintenance required, besides checking the tire pressure regularly and keeping it towards the max written on the tire itself.

It depends on your situation probably.  Regardless of lubing schedule, I find that a chain lasts about one winter of salty/slushy cycling and a cassette is about two.  I had to rebuild the hubs too since the grease would freeze solid in low temperatures.