The Ultimate Guide to Bicycle Maintenance by Guy Andrews
| The Ultimate Guide to Bicycle Maintenance by Guy Andrews | |
|
| |
| Category: Home and Family | |
| |
Reviewer: Trish Simpson-Davis
 | |
| Summary: Clear, comprehensive and well illustrated guide to maintaining and mending your bike - provided you know quite a bit already. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 196 | Date: May 2010 |
| Publisher: Dennis Publishing | |
| ISBN: 978-1907232367 | |
|
Share on: | |
|
| |
This book seemed like the answer to my husband's prayers. I've had a beautiful Gary Fisher urban bike for about ten years, but shamefully, I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I've even cleaned it. Well-used it certainly is, but I must confess to leaving all the maintenance to aforementioned husband. Having conceded that in this day and age I ought to be more independent that that, I dived into this book with great expectations for a fairer future …
Magbooks have come up with an attractive magazine format for an eclectic range of book length subjects. In this attractive guide, the layout is contemporary, subdivided into sections covering main bikey areas such as The Drivetrain and Gear Systems, and replete with useful articles and snappy inset boxes. The repair and maintenance nitty gritty is broken down into numbered sections with numerous photos to complement the advice in the text. When I sent my resident expert out to the garage he found the guidance clear and took apart his Index System with ease. And put it back together again, which is even more to the point. I'm sure a competition cyclist would find the comprehensive advice on maintenance and repairs invaluable in keeping both his bike and his finances up and running. It strikes me that this book would also make an excellent present for a teenage boy into either road cycling or mountain-biking.
I wonder where a basic level of mechanical skill is acquired, if not from the early pages of an instruction manual propped up next to the bike? As a beginner, I was fobbing round to find a starting point from which I could launch off. Sadly, I belly-flopped, because my limited bike vocabulary couldn't cope with the jargon-infested water I found. Seriously, since I don't yet know a bottom bracket bearing from a jockey wheel, I urgently needed a really comprehensive glossary to supplement the bike maps. Preferably backed up by a really comprehensive index for locating bottom brackets and jockey wheels within the text, because a manual's purpose in times of need is reference, rather than being read from cover to cover.
Actually, it was a bit scarey to find four pages on the basic tools needed for my bike since the garage is already overflowing with tools for house, garden, cars and campervans plus camping and canoeing. Six pages on the cleaning (which needs to be carried out weekly), made me realise the Serious Nature of Bike Maintenance. Maybe I should cut out weekend cycle rides so I've got time for the cleaning?
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending this book.
Suggestions for further reading:
I suggest you have a look at the website Magbooks.com which offers an enticing selection of books on leisure pursuits for all energy levels.
You can read more about this MagBook and buy the guide from magbooks.com or for the USA click here.
Comments
Like to comment on this review?
Just send us an email and we'll put the best up on the site.
