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As our reality becomes more and more virtual, I appreciate having physical books every day. books are humble, useful, tangible and solid. when I take one with my hands, no power supply is needed, just a little light. I have a few favorite novels, several poetry and reference books, and about 80 books on cycling, mostly vintage from the 1990s and later. I love reading a 1989 mountain bike repair book as it reminds me of how simple things were back then: no electronic shifting, no thru-axles, no virtual top tubes (yes, it’s a thing). p>
The thing is, I rarely use books for technical information. Having owned my own bike shop since 2010, I know how to work on most of the bikes that grace our roads and trails, and have become adept at assessing, troubleshooting, and repairing various mechanical problems. I’ll admit I’m not an expert on mountain bike suspension systems or hydraulic disc brakes (yet) and whenever some component new to me has me scratching my head, I try to find the manufacturer’s white paper online.
You are reading: Books on bicycle repair and maintenance
Why then am I writing this post recommending books for bike maintenance? because I used them a lot when I was just starting out, and I think they are still a fantastic way to learn how to work on a particular bike component and its history. They’re also handy when you dread spending another moment looking at a bright screen. It goes without saying that books are always a great gift. So whether you’re a beginner bike mechanic or have been doing it for a while (or are looking for one), here are my proven recommendations.
best general bike maintenance book for beginners
My first choice for budding bike mechanics is the cycling guide to complete bike maintenance & repair, sixth edition, by todd downs. I have a well-used 2005 edition of this fabulous book (mine happens to be British, so tire, of course, is spelled tire). The first chapter describes how to set up a home bike workshop and the essential tools. The book methodically covers all the component groups of the bicycle, and even includes a little history and evolution of each one. this is followed by descriptions of the most common repair and maintenance tasks. each procedure is clearly designed and accompanied by black & blank photos. As well as showing you how to repair and maintain a bike, this is a nice enough book to flip through on a rainy fall afternoon, and every time I look inside I learn a new thing or two.
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The key to success is not knowing the answers to everything, but knowing how to find them…
I’ve always loved the illustrations of the exploded components in this book – super informative and clever enough to look good on the wall. I say:
Best Advanced Bike Maintenance Book for Intermediate Mechanics
If you want to skip all the fluff and get straight to the source of the problem, The Park Tool’s Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair, 4th Edition c. Calvin Jones really stands out. Many of Park Tool’s wonderful bike-specific tools are featured in the pages of this book, which is more of a shop manual than a flip book. Inside you’ll find everything you need to get most jobs done on modern bikes: the book includes plenty of instructions on tuning and servicing suspension systems, and all about the joys and frustrations of hydraulic brakes. You’ll find the big blue book on most professional mechanics’ shelves, including mine.
As a side note, the “Repair Help” section of Park Tool’s website is one of my favorite online resource for advanced bike repair procedures, and most articles are accompanied by very good videos.
best road and mountain bike maintenance books
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if you’re a more serious road or mountain biker, consider getting one of these two essential books by lennard zinn: zinn & the art of road bike maintenance and zinn & the art of mountain bike maintenance. These companion volumes have been the best-selling books in their respective categories for quite some time. Because there are two books, each can focus more on technology unique to road or mountain bikes. the new editions cover everything from the basics to 1x speed drivetrains, and even electronic and wireless shifting.
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Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance by Lennard Zinn -
Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance by Lennard Zinn
lennard zinn is a guru in the cycling community and has written many articles on technology for bike publications. plus it turns out he’s a really tall guy (6’6″) and has designed the khs flite 747 road bike, whose frame only comes in xxl/64cm and xxxl/66cm. he also builds custom bikes for taller riders under his own brand, zinncycles.
one more, just for fun: my favorite non-technical bike book
While you can learn a lot from its compact chapters packed with counterintuitive wisdom, Just Ride: Grant Petersen’s A Radically Practical Guide to Bicycling isn’t exactly a how-to book. however, it has plenty of practical advice for cyclists, especially those who may miss “the good old days” and are disillusioned with carbon fiber full-suspension mountain bikes this and that. Petersen’s lifelong quest, it seems, has been to bring cyclists back to the sheer joy of riding a bike, with a steadfast focus on what’s practical, simple and comfortable. loves the relaxed saddles, vintage steel baskets, leather saddles, and friction shifters.
This is a bike book for thinking people, with plenty of insights from the idiosyncratic petersen and plenty to laugh or scoff at. Petersen was the principal designer of many revered Bridgestone bicycles of the 1990s, and is the current owner of Rivendell Bicycleworks. his “budget” model, the clem upright city bike, will set you back $1650, but what a beautiful steel steed it is!
I would guess that 9 out of 10 copies of this book sold were given as gifts, but I actually bought my own. I have to warn you that in its pages, Petersen may try to convince you that: helmets don’t always make you safer, biking is relatively poor exercise, cycling gloves are mostly useless, and the weight of your bike doesn’t really matter much. Reading this book (or just opening at a random page) feels much like listening to your cranky uncle who knows his stuff and is generally entertaining, but over the years you’ve learned to take most of what comes out of his mouth with a grain of salt.