Best bike repair books according to Reddit

Reddit mentions of Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance

Sentiment score: 20
Reddit mentions: 33

We found 33 Reddit mentions of Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance. Here are the top ones.

Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance #2
    Features:
  • Author: Lennard Zinn
  • ISBN: 1934030597
Specs:
ColorBlack
Height11.04 Inches
Length8.5 Inches
Number of items1
Release dateNovember 2010
SizeOne Size
Weight2.73 Pounds
Width1.14 Inches
#1 of 18

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Found 33 comments on Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance:

u/mzman · 6 pointsr/bikewrench

When I asked a fellow MTBer a couple of years ago he suggested I get this book. It has been quite helpful indeed.

They also wrote a road bike one with the similar title.

http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597

u/djramzy · 6 pointsr/MTB

Just picked up this book: http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419283042&sr=8-1&keywords=zinn+and+the+art+of+mountain+bike+maintenance

I don't think there's a thing on my bike I can't fix now. You really need a bike stand and a decent set of tools and you're good to go.

u/[deleted] · 6 pointsr/bicycling

That bike will last you ages if you look after it, if you're a total beginner pick up a book called Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance it's a great book that will teach you everything you need to know.

u/Clbrosch · 5 pointsr/bikewrench

At this point I would just get a new bottom bracket. If it has run while being able to move like that at all, the bearings and races are going to be completely trashed.
You should be able to get a new one that is compatible with those cranks for cheap.

If you are interested in doing your own repairs now or in the future get a good book like Zinn's art of mountain bike maintenance.
https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499692786&sr=8-1&keywords=zinns+mountain+bike+maintenance

u/fernguts · 5 pointsr/bicycling

I use Zinn & The Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance. It's great too, and focuses on, ummm... mountain bikes.

u/drnc · 4 pointsr/bicycling

When I first started riding I was in the same position. I was good friends with a guy who'd been riding his whole life. (1) I asked him to teach me. (2) There was a bike shop that did free workshops and I would go to those. (3) Lastly I watched a lot of YouTube videos. (4) I'd also get a book like Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance. It will be trial and error at first, but eventually the basics become second nature and the more advanced repairs can be done with reference material, patience, and luck. Good luck.

u/DaveOnABike · 3 pointsr/bicycling

The Zinn books are a great hard copy reference, as well. I keep the Road and MTB editions in my garage near the tools. Great resources with excellent diagrams and descriptions.

u/aedrin · 3 pointsr/bikewrench

The sets are generally not recommended because 1) you don't need all the tools right away and 2) you generally don't need half of the tools.

There are only a handful of tools that are really important to have, the rest is to make things easier. And some tools are better left to the LBS (such as a real headset press).

To remove the chain you will need a chain tool (get a quicklink/powerlink while you have the chain off of the wheel, they're much easier). To adjust the wheels, you will need a spoke tool (assuming it isn't bent too much). Replacing a derailleur shouldn't require any special tools (screw drivers, allen keys). Although if you're going to be replacing shifter cable housing having a proper cable cutter (such as the park one) is important. You probably won't need to though. Don't forget cable ends (maybe ask for a few from your LBS).

Also, this has been helpful (and seems quite popular): http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597

The rest you can find out from videos online. There generally isn't anything you can't do yourself (although some pressurized components prevent you from reassembling).

u/PM_ME_YOUR_BlCYCLE · 3 pointsr/MTB

Awesome! Never would have found this gem without Reddit :).

Link for the lazy: http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597.

u/DF7 · 3 pointsr/MTB

Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance is a great resource. Also check out a picture like this and then google "How to install x". You'll find plenty of youtube videos that will help you along the way.

u/cscwian · 3 pointsr/MTB
  • I can't recommend this book enough: Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance. It taught me so much about bike maintenance and repair, and easily paid for itself the first time I trued wheels on my three bikes going by instructions from it (couldn't stop after just one pair, it was too much fun). So yeah, invest $16 and save lots money down the road.

  • Try as many different kinds of riding as you can. Hit the local trails, go down to a skate park, check out local dirt jumps and the pump track, try yourself at some lighter DH sections. That Trek 3500 should carry you through most of it (I started with a crappy Walmart bike, then moved onto Trek 4300 which proved to be an excellent "real" starting point). I find that my dirt jumping and skatepark background helps immensely when it comes to "flowing" down trails, pumping, jumping over rooty/rocky sections, and overall confidence on the bike. These skills translate directly into freeride riding, DH, AM stuff. Basically, the more you ride, the better you'll get. Added variety speeds up this process quite a bit.
u/msgr_flaught · 3 pointsr/MTB

All good advice. I second the thought that buying from a shop is better than buying from Dicks or whatever for a lot of reasons, especially if you are a relatively new rider. And that Diamondback does not look that good for actual trailriding. The components on the Felt are just ok, but the Diamondback is not very good. If you are serious about riding I'd suggest trying to get something 1 notch above the Felt, but if that is the price limit that is okay too.

For bike maintenance one of the standard books is: Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance . Although I think you can get by for the most part with the internet these days, it is supposed to be a good book and the author is very knowledgable. For internet resources, there are many, but Park Tool's website has some very good guides available.

u/c0nsumer · 3 pointsr/MTB

I strongly suggest that you buy this and begin by reading it cover to cover. This will give you the basics for everything, then you can learn the specifics from there.

u/mrt416 · 2 pointsr/MTB

I would take it back and have them do some more work on it. I'd avoid using soap/water on the chain unless you plan on putting more lube on it. Also use a soft rag or towel rather than toilet paper. Look into this book, it will help you out a lot.

http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597

u/Sasquatch_Squad · 2 pointsr/MTB

I'm no expert mechanic but this is a really good book.

Regular maintenance mostly includes stuff like lubing your chain, keeping everything clean, checking bolt tightness, and making minor adjustments to keep your drivetrain and brakes working smoothly. Occasionally you'll need to do something more in-depth like bleed your hydraulic disc brakes or replace suspension seals - your local shop will be happy to do that stuff if you don't want to mess with it.

u/PigFarmington · 2 pointsr/bicycling

Buy this book: Zinn & the Art of Mt. Bike Maintenance
Best mechanic guide out there. (Take it from me... I'm an ex-mechanic) There's a road bike one too, however much of it is applicable to all bike drive-trains.

One thing I would never skimp on is a quality saddle. Buy a slightly cheaper chain, shifters, whatever... but never settle on a saddle.

You should be able to get a road bike for £500-600. However, it will be entry level so a year or two into it's life (depending no how much you ride) there will be replacements. You could always get a rigid hybrid for the road too if you want to save some money. Here's an example Trek FX Hybrid line

Lights...One thing to know about lights. Unless you're spending $100 on a front light, they're meant so you're seen, not so you can see the road ahead. If you want to see the road, here's an example of what to get Niterider

One final note on a helmet. They all pass the same safety tests. The price increases due to other factors. Comfort of pads and straps, ventilation, etc.

u/why-not-zoidberg · 2 pointsr/bicycling

A tool kit (or a good bike multi-tool) is fairly inexpensive, and is incredibly useful for maintaining, repairing, and upgrading bikes. It's not going to directly affect your ride to and from work, buthelp you keep your bike in top condition so that your ride is easy and safe.

Something like this kit, or this one would be a good place to start, and supplement with individual tools as you need them.

A fairly comprehensive multi-tool like this one would also work for infrequent repairs, though they can be somewhat cumbersome to use at times.

Lastly, a good repair book might not be a bad idea. I like Lenard Zinn's Zinn and the Art of (Road/Mountain) Bike Maintenance. However, there are also man great websites and youtube tutorials (park tools has some excellent guides on their site) that will fulfil the same role.

u/AmbassadorOfZleebuhr · 2 pointsr/Rochester

Tryon Bike

Join their wrench club & buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597

Ask lots of questions (bike people are nice folks) and try to become self sufficient with basic repairs because it's all pretty simple and walking home sucks!

u/Phalangical · 2 pointsr/bikehouston

Just pick up a Zinn book and then start wrenching, covers everything you could possibly want to know. If you want mountain bike specific try this one, https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597

u/sparklekitteh · 2 pointsr/bicycling

If you want to learn bike repair and you're flying solo, check out this book-- you can probably find an older edition for about five bucks on Half or at your friendly local used bookstore. It has tons of diagrams and explanations and I've found it extremely helpful for understanding how everything works!

u/Myownepitaph · 2 pointsr/MTB

Buy this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1310172528&sr=8-2

Read it and you'll never pay a bike mechanic again. I podiumed XC races back in the day on a wheelset I built by hand using what I learned from this book.

u/annodomini · 2 pointsr/bicycling

The easiest would be to just go to a local bike shop, ask them what needs to be done, and have them do it.

It sounds like you are interested in getting your hands dirty and doing the work yourself. In that case, the usual advice would be to get to your nearest bike coop, take one of their bike maintenance classes or rent space in their shop and have someone help you out figuring out what you need to do and how to do it. But it looks like your closest bike coop might be in Sacramento, which is a bit of a hike. There is apparently a guy in Chico who is in the process of starting a bike coop, so you might want to try contacting him.

Beyond that, you can try striking out on your own. A few good resources for learning about bike maintenance are Sheldon Brown's website (ignore the crappy 90's style design, he has tons of good information on his site) and the Park Tool website (they have lots of good repair info, and they will sell you all of the tools you might need). If paper is more your thing, then good beginning books would include Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance, Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance, or the Park Tool book. And I know you've already been redirected to /r/bicycling from AskReddit, but for bike repair questions, /r/bikewrench might be more helpful (check out the sidebar here on /r/bicycling for links to FAQs and other relevant subreddits).

As far as not riding like a douchebag, if you ask 10 cyclists you'll probably get 11 different answers (and if you ask non-cyclists, you will probably get a lot of dangerous advice). There will be endless debates as to whether it's OK to run red lights, whether you should pass on the right or split lanes, whether bike lanes are a good thing or not, whether you should wear a helmet, etc. Some of the more universal tips: ride with lights at night. Don't ride on the sidewalk. Don't be a bike salmon (riding the wrong way in traffic). Be predictable. I find that BicycleSafe.com has some practical tips on safety without getting too much into the endlessly debatable points.

And finally, welcome to cycling! I hope you enjoy it; it can be a lot of fun, get you some exercise without even really trying, and is so much cheaper and less hassle to deal with than driving a car.

u/taylorfausak · 1 pointr/FixedGearBicycle

I used to think building and truing wheels was some kind of black magic. Then I decided to build my own wheel and it turned out to be pretty simple. I followed in instructions in Zinn's guide with a Park Tool TS-8 truing stand. Now I build and true all my wheels. It's pretty quick, too: about an hour for building and less than five minutes for truing.

u/talkingwires · 1 pointr/bikewrench

I only briefly flipped through the Mountain Bike edition, but saw that it does cover flat bars and disc brakes, so I'd probably go with that version. Amazon has a preview of the book if you're not sure.

u/theclassybass · 1 pointr/cycling

Not sure if this is applicable, but Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance is really good. I just picked up a copy and have been slowly making adjustments to my bike. It's really helpful.

There is also one for Mountain Bikes as well, which may better serve you.

u/_Curious-Guy_ · 1 pointr/bikewrench

>Zinn and the art of mountain bike maintenance

Ha! There is such a thing!

https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597

I honestly thought it was a typo for Zen, and there is a billion "Zen and the art of something..." out there, and just figured that was one of those. And I was going to pass on yet again, another philosophy of life outlook. Read one, read them all. LOL.

Cool. Thanks.

u/michaelasnider · 1 pointr/everymanshouldknow

Look into getting some reference books, this book is a great one for mountain bike maintenance, and there is also a road bike equivalent.

You'll also need some fairly specialized tools, something like this would be more than enough, but if you get more serious you will want to replace items with the Park Tools equivalent.

You will also need a work stand, but in all honesty I just use something like this, but would not be a great option to work on long term. You will need something that clamps the bike in place, like this Park Tools stand.

TLDR; Bike maintenance requires a decent investment (for a 17 year old) for anything beyond changing a tube.