Tom and Mark,
I learned some of my so-called skills as a passable home bike mechanic the hard way, without books or help from others. It's an expensive way to learn.
But I have also been blessed with the help of many excellent bike shops and mechanics along the way. All I had to do was ask:
"Do you think I could do this myself?"
"Could you please show me how to do that?"
The shops have been happy to sell me the tools and parts needed for the job, show me how to do it, and even check my work when I was finished.
I still do not true my own wheels (never quite figured out all those complicated spoke-to-rim relationships), and I still need help some times with with fine-tuning derailleurs, headsets, and such, but can overhaul most parts on a bike, and I have lots of fun doing it, even if I am slow.
It never hurts to make cookies or a pie or buy an occasional lunch, pizza, or beverages for your LBS, either. Not to mention publicizing them to all your friends and acquaintances... :-)
Jon Spangler who is happy to have two great LBS' that I love nearby in Alameda, CA USA
On Oct 2, 2009, at 2:18 PM, <classicrendezvous-request@bikelist.org>
<classicrendezvous-request@bikelist.org> wrote:
>
> Message: 10
> Date: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 14:18:06 -0700
> From: Mark Petry <mark@petry.org>
> Subject: [CR] how can you learn (was care of vintage bikes)
> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Message-ID: <02bc01ca43a5$db70d470$92527d50$@org>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Tom Sacco wrote:
>
>
>
>> A related question is how do you learn to do the work yourself...
>
> Tom, wonderful question. There might be something on youtube or even
> bikeforums, but I would suggest that you get a good book - there
> are many
> books out there on bike repair and a list can be found here
>
> http://www.ibike.org/
>
> and then start doing little things. First get a feel for your
> tools, so
> that they feel comfortable in your hands. Then take small steps -
> Learn to
> replace and adjust a brake cable, adjust a derailleur limit screw,
> take the
> chain off and clean it.
>
> As you get more comfortable you can move up to more complicated
> repairs,
> like repacking hubs or installing a bottom bracket.
>
> There's very little on a bike that is hugely complicated; given
> reasonable
> care and some advice most maintenance and repair tasks can be learned
> easily.
>
> Also I'd recommend getting good tools. Don't try to fix a bike you
> care
> about with a multi-tool and a pair of vice grips. You don't need a
> complete
> bike shop, but certainly a set of allen wrenches, combination
> wrenches in
> 8,10 and 13mm (plus 9 and 11 if your bike has Mafac brakes) a good
> pair of
> pliers and one of those screwdrivers with interchangeable bits will
> make
> things much easier. On top of that the spanners to fit wrenching
> flats on
> the headset and pedals, and cone wrenches are certainly useful.
> All of this
> can fit into a cheap plastic tackle box from the hardware store.
>
> I think you'll find that if you invest in tools, you'll start
> tackling more
> repairs and your skills will grow.
>
> Good luck
>
> Mark Petry
> Bainbridge Island, WA
>
>
>
>
Jon Spangler Writer/editor Linda Hudson Writing
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