What is Reddit's opinion of Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance: The World's Best-Selling Bicycle Repair and Maintenance Guide?

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Picking parts is the most fun! Building is almost anticlimatic for me although the appreciation and attachment I have to the bike radically increases to the point that I know have built all the bikes I own!

Ebay and craigslist are great for parts. Don't be afraid to experiment as you can generally sell what you don't like as easily as you bought it. I just swapped out cranks and ended up making $50 on the transaction! Since you mentioned a gravel bike, I cannot recommend using magura brakes enough- they are super easy to bleed and maintain. If you go cable discs, SRP hybrids are the way to go as they work with everything and avoid the major hassle of shimano to sram hydraulic systems.

road or mountain? For Road, I'd recommend Zen and the art of bike maintenance https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988. It's not expensive and includes LOADS of details. Sheldon brown as recommended below is wonderful legacy from an amazing individual. Youtube is also great when you know what you're looking for and there are a few good whole bike builds. However, I would have the headset and bottom bracket installed at a shop- with modern frames it's easy for these to turn into a major issue and it's only $30 or so for a shop to do it- well worth it. I would look for a threaded BSA bottom bracket btw, so much more trouble free and easy to maintain.

As far as tools, a torque wrench and set of allen and torq sockets are a great investment. As is a chaintool, cassette socket and chain whip. Some basic lithium great as well. For most builds you shouldn't need much else.

I think you'll very much LOVE the experience. I'm glad to answer any DMs!

I built my road bike last summer and can't recommend Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance enough if you're looking for a comprehensive guide. The writing makes it very approachable and the diagrams are great.

Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance

https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988

I suggest buying either of the Zinn bikes (for road or mountain bikes) and reading it, cover to cover. This will give you a good understanding of how the pieces of your bike go together and function. You'll then have a really good understanding of where to start when things need adjusting or go sideways.

Road: https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988

Mountain: https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030597/

Leonard Zinn's books are a great place to start for learning bike repair/maintenance

https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988?ref_=ast_sto_dp

https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Mountain-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1937715477?ref_=ast_sto_dp

When I started biking, I didn't know how to change a tire. After I needed a frame up rebuild of my road bike about 2 years ago. I was entirely self taught through Youtube, Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair, and Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance. There are also good resources at the Park Tool Repair Help website.

It's scary at first, but start tackling little repairs at first. You'll be surprised at how much money you'll save. Plus, your bike will run nicely most of the time. There are certain repairs which I don't do (like true a wheel), but most can be done at home. You may just need to buy a tool occasionally. I found that a bike torque wrench (mine is a Venzo through Amazon) is worth its' weight in gold.

For the most part, just keep the chain oiled and tires pumped up. Since it's a State, I'm assuming that it's a singlespeed, so no derailleur to worry about tuning. The torque wrench which I mentioned will help to make sure that everything is tightened to spec (don't just torque everything down like I used to do). Singlespeeds are very basic and easy to maintain, which is why you'll find them everywhere on college campuses :)

> Zen and the art of road bike maintenance

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is the novel.

Zinn & the Art of Bicycle Maintenance is the "shop guide". Though I don't recommend it.

IMHO the Zinn book is in a really "anti-Goldilocks" place in that it covers many more components than the OP will need for this bike, yet it doesn't cover much of the vintage stuff in-depth enough to give them all the practical help they need. I believe they'll get more utility out of SheldonBrown.com and the Park Tool repair blog posts.

be sure to get a copy of zinn's book: https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988

If you have the time and a few basic tools, bike maintenance is pretty easy to learn. My copy of Zinn and The Art of Road Bike Maintenance has saved me a lot of money over the years! Also, youtube and r/bikewrench.

I have this book and it has everything I wanted to know thus far. Plus it is pretty easy to read and understand. Good number of pictures as well if that helps you.
I have found that this channel is a great source also.

There are a few basic tool kits out there that should do the trick for you. Of course, I had to get a few additional tools along the way. I am just starting to learn how to do my own work as well, good luck!

I have been meaning to get a copy of Zinn & the Art of Bike Maintenance

Got any recommendations? I was looking at some books on amazon, there is a dummies book for it and this http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988/ref=pd_cp_14_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=145MYQHRAZT2EZHZD6NG

Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance. Covers pretty much everything and has fantastic, detailed drawings.

http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988

You should be cleaning and lubing your chain and derailleur system ever 1 - 3 rides, depending on the riding conditions.
http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988

Given the quality components that came on most Internationals you should be able to replace all the bearing balls with new grade 25 bearings, a good local bike shop should stock the "wheels manufacturing" brand balls or a even a local bearing supply place can likely sell you all the balls you need, you can take them one of every size you pull out of the bike to get the right sizes, they are all common enough sizes, 1/4" for the bottom bracket and rear hub, 3/16" for the front hub, etc.

I would buy new brake housing and shifter housing and stainless steel cables, might as well get the colours that go well with the bike. Modern brake housing will improve the performance of the vintage brakes for sure and same with modern shifter housing, even the friction shifters will feel better. Hopefully the derailleur springs aren't worn out or anything. I would buy a new freewheel for the hub, the best one out there is the IRD defiant in whatever number of speeds were on there originally you can just get one like it. A new 3/32" chain will work fine and an 8 speed one might shift a wee bit nicer than a cheaper chain.

If the wheels are tubular you will have to learn how to glue your own tires on, it's not too difficult it just takes way more time and patience than learning how to change a clincher tire.

If I were you before jumping into this adventure I would buy "Zinn and the art of road bike maintenance" it should cover most of the stuff you will need to do and it's a good read cover-to-cover.

If you have a bike co-op nearby they can be good places to get parts but often times their focus is just on getting bikes back on the road so they might not care too much about preserving parts or they might not have high-quality old parts that would go with your bike. Someone could convince you to give up your tubular wheels with campagnolo hubs and sell you steel rims with normandy hubs just to get you on your way or something.

Zinn is your friend

1. Sheldon Brown

2. Zinn Art of Bike Maintenance Books

• Road bike

• Mountain bike

1. youtube

Here it is in USA for anyone interested.

Zinn & The Art of Road Bike Maintenance for a book. Sheldon Brown for articles. Against the chainring or crank arm? If chainring, then it sounds like you just need to lube your chain.

In general, it's good to wipe your chain down after a ride using a rag and just pedaling the bike backwards with your hand. When the chain is no longer quiet, it needs lube. Different lubes last different lengths of time, so I can't really give a schedule for this. Riding in the rain is a good way to make the lube go bye-bye. Eventually the chain will need to be cleaned. Some people clean it on the bike with something like the Park Tools contraption, and some take it off. I take it off, clean it, and lube it before I put it back on (unique to the lube I use)

This. I have a desk job, and know absolutely nothing about my truck - mechanically ignorant. I purchased the Park and Zinn books and built up 6 bikes from bare frames. You can install and adjust your own derailleurs and brakes with these two books and basic tools. Bikes are pretty mechanically transparent. It’s just a matter of having the right tool and being able to read. Sure, I am slow and make mistakes, but it is good to know you can handle basic adjustment. I like the Zinn book.

https://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988