Repair Manual

[sonoray]

I'm looking to start doing some of my own wrenching and thought it would be a good idea to have a reference manual on hand. I'm torn between Park Tool Big Blue Book or Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance. Amazon.com reviews seem to be split but of course this makes it hard to decide. Anyone out there using any of these books?

[MattTuck]

I'm looking to start doing some of my own wrenching and thought it would be a good idea to have a reference manual on hand. I'm torn between Park Tool Big Blue Book or Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance. Amazon.com reviews seem to be split but of course this makes it hard to decide. Anyone out there using any of these books?

I have zinn, but have not used it for too much.

Park has a ton of stuff online. In fact, if I were faced with a wrenching task, I think my first impulse would be using the web to find a video of the repair more so than the book. I'm just a visual learner like that. YMMV.

[dave thompson]

I'll emphatically vote for the Park book. Well written, easy to read and great illustrations make for an excellent manual, it guides you step by step through the adjustments and repairs. But don't limit yourself to only one book, there's no such thing as too much information.

[jvp]

I have both, bought used, I like Zinn because it's written like he's been there and talking to you instead of dry instructions like the park book reads. But both are useful.

[firerescuefin]

Can't speak for the other...but the Zinn book has been great

[Louis]

99% of bike stuff you can figure out yourself.

For the last 1% you can use the Park Tool and Sheldon Brown web sites.

[Wilkinson4]

Barnett's IMO...

mIKE

[Peter P.]

I have both.

If you want just one, then I'd heartily recommend the Park Tool manual. The photos offer more detail than the Zinn manual, and it's written in a very orderly, technical manner.

That said, Zinn's manual has useful information that's brand specific and may help with working on particular parts such as Shimano vs. Campy vs. SRAM shifters, for example. There's also a chapter on how to measure yourself for a custom frame and derive the frame's dimensions. Good stuff.

I have more than one manual because in typical fashion, no "one" manual can contain all the answers and comparing 2 different books can often clarify a murky issue. So buy one now and consider buying a different one later.

I also have the Barnett manual set. Very expensive and hardly necessary for most home mechanics; the above 2 manuals are about 95% perfect. The Barnett manuals are for true bike geeks-like me!

[DHallerman]

Same for me.

Park #1, Zinn #2, and Barnett's Manual for those who aspire to become a full bike-mechanic geek.

Dave, who as a mechanic geek has bought tons of tools and probably should list some more for sale here soon

I have both.

If you want just one, then I'd heartily recommend the Park Tool manual. The photos offer more detail than the Zinn manual, and it's written in a very orderly, technical manner.

That said, Zinn's manual has useful information that's brand specific and may help with working on particular parts such as Shimano vs. Campy vs. SRAM shifters, for example. There's also a chapter on how to measure yourself for a custom frame and derive the frame's dimensions. Good stuff.

I have more than one manual because in typical fashion, no "one" manual can contain all the answers and comparing 2 different books can often clarify a murky issue. So buy one now and consider buying a different one later.

I also have the Barnett manual set. Very expensive and hardly necessary for most home mechanics; the above 2 manuals are about 95% perfect. The Barnett manuals are for true bike geeks-like me!

[AngryScientist]

i havent actually had to look anything up in years, but if you have computer access close to your work area, the internet is probably as good, or better than any book. the park tools site is set-up very, very well, and will contain their most up-to-date information. you can always get a feel for what you want to do sitting in front of the computer, print what you think you might need to remember and go to work. if you buy any repair manual, you likely wont ever need 60% of the contents anyway.

just my 2c

[ClutchCargo]

-- Zinn has been handy for me.

-- I have not seen the Park book, but +1 for those who like their site; when I'm looking something up in Zinn, I usually hit the Park site, too.

-- Online manuals published by Shimano, SRAM, etc. can also be useful, esp. for looking up torque values and the like. Sometimes the disclaimers are hilarious, as well! :)

-- Youtube is a great resource. SRAM has a series of vids that can be useful, as well as countless other how-to's, including some by Zinn.

[classtimesailer]

None of the books have everything you need. All of the books have many pages that you won't need. I admit that books are fun to use, but the WWW is the place for information and diy how-tos. And if you get in a jam, you can ask here.

Jeff

[wasfast]

Perhaps a bit tangential but Sutherland's is still around. I met the man himself at NAHMBS in Portland a few years ago. In the 70's, this was the best reference you could get. Making sense of all the "country" threading was a nightmare (French, Swiss, Italian, British). Not a step by step repair guide but an excellent resource.

http://www.sutherlandsbicycle.com/

[Tony T]

Get both.

[oldpotatoe]

None of the books have everything you need. All of the books have many pages that you won't need. I admit that books are fun to use, but the WWW is the place for information and diy how-tos. And if you get in a jam, you can ask here.

Jeff

Park website is very useful..the WWW??...if it's on the internet, it must be true....

A lot of useful bike info on the web..a lot of balderdash as well...imho..even on forums as well, sometimes.

[DHallerman]

Park website is very useful..the WWW??...if it's on the internet, it must be true....

A lot of useful bike info on the web..a lot of balderdash as well...imho..even on forums as well, sometimes.

Wait a minute. If it's on the Internet, and it's from a source that would be considered by most reliable even if the Internet didn't exist -- such as Park Tools -- then it's still reliable.

Perfect, no.

Reliable? More so than much that's found online.

Dave, who continues to learn various small points about bike mechanical work both online and offline such as recently reading that the pins that connect Shimano chains should be greased lightly before insertion