Started by Paul NEW at 19/06/2009, 01:43pm
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I found an old bike in a cellar of a property I was renting 20 years ago. I was broke, so decided to make it rideable on a shoestring. I'd done nothing like it before but, being unemployed, had nothing better to do and all day to do it in.
It was a steep learning curve, and the end result was not great (It handled like an oil tanker, needing several hours notice to start, stop or turn), but I learned a lot.
I now do all my own maintenance, except for framework (replacing/repairing tubes/welds). It's usually cheaper (even when you have to buy specialist tools), but that's only part of it. I actually enjoy doing it, and I'm much happier knowing that I've done the work on my bikes myself (I've had some good and some bad experiences of bike shop repairs).
Any other home mechanics (or aspiring home mechanics) out there? Or good/bad stories of DIY, or shop repairs?
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Kjbuchan NEW at 14/09/2009, 05:14pm
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Two good books to get are zinn and the art of road bike maintenance and zinn and the art of mountain bike maintenance cost about £18.00 each, but cover everything you need to know about repairs wheel truing, (shows you don`t need a professional jig , a pen ?pencil, tape on the rear stay is good enough for minor wobbles)and has grades of difficulty, very informative includes gear ratios,and has an index with all the terms you would come across , and has saved me lots of money being able to do it myself, the only thing i haven`t done is removed a freewheel hub, but that`s due to not having the space in my flat, I have two bikes mountain bike with hydraulic brakes and judt forks, and road bike
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Paul NEW at 16/09/2009, 03:27pm
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Yeah - a book of any sort is worth it. I only discovered this after many years of suck-it-and-see maintenance. I shan't tell you how long it took me to realise that some threads on bikes (pedals and bottom bracket) are reversed. Boy - that was a lesson hard learned. I have the Zinn road bike book you mention, but my favourite is still Richard's bicycle book. Quite out of date now, I suppose, but then so are most of my bikes, and I love the way it is written.
Sheldon Brown (now, and sadly, departed) produced a wonderful online resource full of brilliant stuff. It's usually worth looking at - even if you think you already know the answer:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/
| This post was modified by paul on 30/09/2009, 02:24pm |
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Cycle Divas NEW at 30/09/2009, 02:24pm
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As a female cycle instructor and 'wannabee' cycle mechanic, I've just about given up hope of getting onto a formal cycle maintenance course (not the basics, but the full kit and kaboodle). The cost is so preventative but thankfully, a really good mate of mine, who is a mobile cycle mechanic, is patiently showing me the whys and the wherefores of intricate bike maintenance.
The reasons are many for wanting to become a cycle mechanic but the main reason is that I'm a little peeved at the way I've been treated by staff in cycle repair shops, who speak to me as though I've got no place in the shop, let alone asking questions about my bike!
I've considered getting a book but I'm the type of person that has to be shown rather than just read it in a book. I must admit that I too find Sheldon Browns' resources really worthwhile and have learnt quite a bit from that but maybe there's an opportunity for us budding mechanics to meet up and share experiences??
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