Learn How to Maintain Your Road Bike with Zinn & the Art of Bicycle Maintenance

Rafael Ortega: Es lo que esperaba. Datos y explicaciones.

Spain on Jun 27, 2019

SaltydogMills: This is a well written, well illustrated universal manual for servicing mountain bikes. I am a retired mechanic and know about bearings and fasteners and lubrication, but bikes have particular requirements and that information is difficult to find. I like that it runs from a low level of expertise to a high level for experienced folks. The illustrations are very helpful. It is a great reference, not something you read cover to cover. The sections on suspension and drive trains is well done

Canada on Nov 21, 2018

Bredy: Lettura abbastanza semplice anche se non si è proprio ferrati in inglese, ci sono proprio tutti i consigli per riparare una bici da soli.

Italy on Nov 07, 2014

ljend0v: I'm getting really interested in road cycling and a lot of people recommended this book for home repairs and for improving the general knowledge of how road bikes work.

I am not dissapointed. I'm going to learn so much. Can't wait!

Germany on Mar 31, 2014

Cappy Jimbo: To be fair, I'm handy with tools, and have worked on my own cars, etc. for years. I've torn broken things apart, say a toaster, and tried to fix them. More than often I was able to fix things I'd never seen before, but I've also failed. And that's where this amazing book comes in.

Many of you may own a Haynes manual for your car, and if you do you know that it assumes you have some skills already. Thus their manual for cars typically runs 200 or so pages. Thus, is it surprising that the Zinn manual for bicycles runs close to 600? Sure is, but here's why:

First, it covers a wide range of road bikes, not just one or two, and their many different parts and methods. Second, it is written for BOTH newbies and for the experienced. The amount of information in this book is astounding and I rather doubt that anyone who needs to read this review will find this book exactly and completely what he/she needs.

The only thing missing - but only in part - is how to do things without special bike tools. Example: removing an old, three piece bottom bracket - this can be done with a large, adjustable wrench but you'd better be strong, careful and...

United States on Jan 15, 2014

A. Hua: I have had many years of wrenching on cars and bikes alike. I felt that this book was a great all-in-one general maintenance book for Road Bike Maintenance. It does not give every single detail that is possible for all parts (e.g. shimano brakes, it doesn't tell give you a parts breakdown like one would if you went to the manufacture site and downloaded their technical documents).

***TIP for specific instructions for bike parts: most manufactures will post up online detailed technical specifications for each part and some will even post a parts breakdown document as well.

Many of my opinions are also formed based upon my maintenance use and owner ship of the Park Tool Big Blue Book 2nd Edition (which should be the current edition). Hands down, this book is much better than the Park Tools book, for it is much more detailed in many areas that the Park Tools book lacks. This book covers most of the popular designs and manufactures (e.g. different shifting systems including campagnolo, shimano, and sram). It also details the differences between the companies as well on certain parts that need attention because of the unique design by the company....

United States on Mar 31, 2013

Aaron C Reskew: This book is a great source of information. To date my mountain bike hasn't needed any maintenance since it's first service (it's only 9 months old) but I've often been concerned about what I'd do if it did break on me. If I could get it home it's a short walk to a bike shop where they can service or fix it, but if it broke down 15 miles from home that's a long way to push or carry it back.

The guy at my local bike shop I had come to trust didn't seem to be there much and his replacement seemed more interested in selling me stuff than making sure it was the right stuff for me, so I was reluctant to ask his advice. So I bought this book. I'm balanced between a geek who wants to dismantle everything to see how it works, to being reluctant to take parts off in case they don't go back properly. But reading this makes it clear that I can do what's needed, and the tools to fix the bike to a point I can get it back home come what may aren't daunting and aren't intimidating.

Despite having precisely no experience of doing anything with a bike beyond riding it and cleaning it - the biggest adjustment I've made to date is changing the height of the (quick...

United Kingdom on Feb 13, 2010

Roland Cheah: The Good
- This is a great book for mountain bikes. Since mountain bikes have a lot of "specialised parts" that road bikes don't have, e.g. suspension, disc brakes, v brakes, etc., this book is much better than books that cover all bikes in general. They just don't have sufficient detail in explaining MTB parts.

- This may be a bit subjective. Illustrations in the book are drawings instead of actual pictures. Drawings seem to give me pretty decent understanding on what the author describes. I have used a book with actual pictures but they sometimes are unable to show all the details that a drawing sometimes can.

The Bad? ... or what should be better?
- I would have preferred more pictures to describe a particular task. Reading a whole lot of detail can sometimes be difficult.

- Sections can be categorised in a more 'reading friendly' format. The previous book I had (sorry can't remember the author) sections it very nicely and makes it very quick to find items that you like to fix.

The good plus the bad, I rate this book 4 stars.

United States on Aug 18, 2008