bike maintenance

OK so it is obvious that I know little about bike maintenance from my
rusty chain post, in my defence it was dp's bike that I am having cause
its too big for her! (halfords size advice!!) she is getting a new one.
So I need a book or manual so I can learn how to do basic maintenance
(this thing needs some tlc) and I know the puncture fairy has done her
stuff.
Any recommendations for LBS in Machynlleth or nr would be good.
Then I can get the family out and about as dd 7 is nagging to do more.
ttfn
Jane

"Jane" wrote in message
...
OK so it is obvious that I know little about bike maintenance from my
rusty chain post, in my defence it was dp's bike that I am having cause
its too big for her! (halfords size advice!!) she is getting a new one.
So I need a book or manual so I can learn how to do basic maintenance
(this thing needs some tlc) and I know the puncture fairy has done her
stuff.
Any recommendations for LBS in Machynlleth or nr would be good.
Then I can get the family out and about as dd 7 is nagging to do more.
ttfn
Jane

A good online resource for all sorts of bicycle guidance is Sheldon Brown

http://sheldonbrown.com/repair/index.html
http://sheldonbrown.com/glossary.html

Cheers, helen s

wafflycat Wrote:
"Jane" wrote in message
...
OK so it is obvious that I know little about bike maintenance from
my
rusty chain post, in my defence it was dp's bike that I am having
cause
its too big for her! (halfords size advice!!) she is getting a new
one.
So I need a book or manual so I can learn how to do basic
maintenance
(this thing needs some tlc) and I know the puncture fairy has done
her
stuff.
Any recommendations for LBS in Machynlleth or nr would be good.
Then I can get the family out and about as dd 7 is nagging to do
more.
ttfn
Jane

A good online resource for all sorts of bicycle guidance is Sheldon
Brown

http://sheldonbrown.com/repair/index.html
http://sheldonbrown.com/glossary.html

Cheers, helen s

Also www.parktool.com has tips on how to do just about everything.

It has to bve said most bit of bike maintenance can be donw very
easily. Just remember to check the brake block regulalrly and leep the
chain clean. :-)

Bryan


--
Bryan

Also www.parktool.com has tips on how to do just about everything.

s/tips/step-by-step ullustrated instructions.

I still get hopelessly confused thobut.

Jane wrote:
OK so it is obvious that I know little about bike maintenance from my
rusty chain post, in my defence it was dp's bike that I am having cause
its too big for her! (halfords size advice!!) she is getting a new one.
So I need a book or manual so I can learn how to do basic maintenance
(this thing needs some tlc) and I know the puncture fairy has done her
stuff.

Bikes aren't complicated. Take it slowly and work it out. Punctures
can be fixed in minutes with practice. Chain maintenance is a slop of
your favourite oil when it starts to look a bit 'tired'. To many
punctures, probably a new tyre is in order.

Nearly everything is replaceable, so if the cables are fraying, just
change them. The brake blocks worn, new ones. Funny click from BB, new
one.

Ok, so you may need some spanners and stuff. Get a cheap tool box and
start putting *only* bike things in it. Start with a spanner set, allen
key set, tyre levers and, well, that's about it. Problem on the bike,
grab the box.

This has worked for me for years and I've built bikes from scratch and
got it wrong, built wheels badly, tinker till I've broken it, but now,
mostly, the LBS is just a souce of parts, not expertise.

embarrassed Ok, tyre sizes are *still* a bit of a mystery.

On Mon, 26 Jun 2006, Tosspot wrote:

Jane wrote:

OK so it is obvious that I know little about bike maintenance from my
rusty chain post, in my defence it was dp's bike that I am having cause
its too big for her! (halfords size advice!!) she is getting a new one.
So I need a book or manual so I can learn how to do basic maintenance
(this thing needs some tlc) and I know the puncture fairy has done her
stuff.

Bikes aren't complicated. Take it slowly and work it out.

Some bits aren't complicated less so than others. I can do tyres and
chains, and my one attempt at tuning my gears worked reasonably well (i've
left the L screw in a position where i can't get into bottom, but my
bottom is absurdly low anyway, so it actually leaves me slightly faster
away from the lights - i'll get round to fixing it at the weekend,
prolly), but brakes are still a black art. I understand the general idea,
but getting everything tensioned so that it all behaves right *under load*
is beyond me - i follow the instructions and get everything sorted, then
after a few minutes of riding, the blocks are dragging, or i've not got
enough grip, or something.

tom

--
Why did one straw break the camel's back? Here's the secret: the million
other straws underneath it - it's all mathematics. -- Mos Def

Tosspot wrote:
Ok, so you may need some spanners and stuff. Get a cheap tool box and
start putting *only* bike things in it.

You mean there are tools for other things, as well?


--
Danny Colyer URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/
Subscribe to PlusNet URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/referral/
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

In article
Tosspot wrote:
Jane wrote:
OK so it is obvious that I know little about bike maintenance from my
rusty chain post, in my defence it was dp's bike that I am having cause
its too big for her! (halfords size advice!!) she is getting a new one.
So I need a book or manual so I can learn how to do basic maintenance
(this thing needs some tlc) and I know the puncture fairy has done her
stuff.

Bikes aren't complicated. Take it slowly and work it out. Punctures
can be fixed in minutes with practice. Chain maintenance is a slop of
your favourite oil when it starts to look a bit 'tired'.

If you don't clean it you're just oiling the grit.

To many punctures, probably a new tyre is in order.

Unless there's a bit of glass stuck in the tread, or a spoke sticking
through the rim tape, or they're snakebite punctures ...

Nearly everything is replaceable, so if the cables are fraying, just
change them. The brake blocks worn, new ones. Funny click from BB, new
one.

Ok, so you may need some spanners and stuff. Get a cheap tool box and
start putting *only* bike things in it. Start with a spanner set, allen
key set, tyre levers and, well, that's about it.

Apart from the chain tool, crank tool, freehub tool, spoke key, cone
spanners, puncture kit, screwdrivers for gear/brake adjustment ...

Problem on the bike, grab the box.

This has worked for me for years and I've built bikes from scratch and
got it wrong, built wheels badly, tinker till I've broken it, but now,
mostly, the LBS is just a souce of parts, not expertise.

embarrassed Ok, tyre sizes are *still* a bit of a mystery.

Why?

On Mon, 26 Jun 2006 23:04:36 +0200, Tosspot wrote:


embarrassed Ok, tyre sizes are *still* a bit of a mystery.

Ignore any number with an inch (") after it, look for a 3 digit number on
the tyre in the range 349 (small wheels) to 635 (old Raleighs with rod
brakes, etc). This is the /actual/ diameter of the rim in millimeters.
On the tyre is it probably preceded by a 2 digit number and a hyphen, this
smaller number is the tyre's width also in mm. On the rim you might find
a sticker which has the same number for diameter but a smaller number for
width, this is normal.

In widths, narrower is lighter and needs a higher pressure, so giving a
harder ride. Anything below 25mm is in racing territory, 28 to about 40
is road/touring, above 40 is specialist MTB or beach-cruiser type.

Some examples from my bikes:
37-349 touring tyres on an old Moulton, size also used by Bromptons
the size is known ar 16".

32-369 fast touring tyres on a "modern" Moulton, known as 17".

37-406 touring on the front of a recumbent, size known as 20"

40-559 touring tyre on the back of a recumbent, the very common size
known as 26".


As always there's lots about this on Sheldon Brown's site,
http://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html and Schwalbe do an informative
technical document at http://www.schwalbe.co.uk/pdf/techinfo.pdf



Mike

Hey Jane!

There are 2 bike shops in Machynlleth. Greenstiles (next to Ian Snow)
and Holey Trail (across the other side of the road near the CAT cafe).
Actually, only one of those could properly be considered a bike shop,
and that's Holey Trail - an excellent little shop with workshop
facilities at the rear. I think the guy who runs it is called John -
top fella.

I believe they'll have a few books in there too, if you don't want to
drag the laptop into the garage to do maintenance!

Have you tried the trails out of the back of Mach? What about
Coed-y-Brenin? Some excellent riding round there.

As for books, I'd recommend Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike
Maintenance by Lennard Zinn.

I'd also recommend Grime Time: "Mountain Biking UK's" Complete Bike
Maintenance Guide by Paul Smith. This one was compiled from a series of
articles in the magazine and is excellent but it's a bit old now. Still,
well worth it if you can pick it up 2nd hand from Amazon.

Whilst I think about it check the local bookshop in Mach - just along
from Holey Trail.

Hwyl fawr!

Wheelist

p.s. if you're in Holey Trail ask for one of his "Un car yn llai" (One
less car) stickers!


--
wheelist