Advice for a total novice please!

[LucyT]

Hi. I am quite new to cycling (after having a break for a number of years) and I need a bit of advice. When I have cycled in the past I have always had a dad/boyfriend to tinker with my bike when I invariably broke it/got a puncture. At the moment I am single/not living near dad and feeling a bit blonde when it comes to anything to do with adjusting gears/brakes etc. Pretty essential knowledge really

So what I want to know is - can anyone point me in the directions of a really easy to follow website/book where I can teach myself the basics?

Otherwise, does anyone know of a good bike shop near to me (Wakefield/Leeds area), I got my bike from Halfords but will obviously not be going there for any advice for obvious reasons.

 

[Hilldodger]

Try this, it's one of the best.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Richards-21st-Century-Bicycle-Book/dp/0330377175

Oh, and have a look at Velo Belle below!

 

[Dayvo]

This is a good site:

http://bicycletutor.com/

Welcome to CC, BTW!

 

[Anthony]

Hi. I am quite new to cycling (after having a break for a number of years) and I need a bit of advice. When I have cycled in the past I have always had a dad/boyfriend to tinker with my bike when I invariably broke it/got a puncture. At the moment I am single/not living near dad and feeling a bit blonde when it comes to anything to do with adjusting gears/brakes etc. Pretty essential knowledge really

So what I want to know is - can anyone point me in the directions of a really easy to follow website/book where I can teach myself the basics?

Otherwise, does anyone know of a good bike shop near to me (Wakefield/Leeds area), I got my bike from Halfords but will obviously not be going there for any advice for obvious reasons.

Hi Lucy.

I use a number of web sites to learn up about bike things.

http://bicycletutor.com/ - a great web site with lots of videos

http://www.parktool.com/repair/ - loads of info about how to fix/repair any part of your bike.

youtube.com - people post loads of good videos

 

[Anthony]

This is a good site:

http://bicycletutor.com/

Welcome to CC, BTW!

You just beat me to it!!

 

[GilesM]

The late Sheldon brown is always a great source of knowledge.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/

 

[swee'pea99]

You reminded me of this, received recently...

 

[Crankarm]

[quote name='swee'pea99']You reminded me of this, received recently...

[/QUOTE]

Stop it swee'pea.

Lucy wecolme. I can second Sheldon Brown's site or alternatively just ask on here and you are bound to get 10 different anwers . Make sure your next boyfriend has cycling maintenance skills ..... .

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Agree with all the recommendations above. However if you want a hardback that covers pretty much all the basic maintenance/repair requirements including nice, clear colourful photos this is well worth £8.77 in my view.

 

[al78]

Agree with all the recommendations above. However if you want a hardback that covers pretty much all the basic maintenance/repair requirements including nice, clear colourful photos this is well worth £8.77 in my view.

I have that book, it is very good.

 

[LucyT]

[quote name='swee'pea99']You reminded me of this, received recently...

[/QUOTE]

Hey - that's my car!!!

Thanks for all the links guys. I will trawl through them tonight. I gave my bike a right good clean tonight so I reckon I'll have a mess with it tomorrow.

So tomorrow night I will be posting asking for help how to put it all back together again......

 

[briank]

Hi Lucy

All/any specific problems you hit are probably easiest resolved by another question or two posed to this forum: there's a lot of experience here!
You'll get a precise reference to Sheldon's page and/or detailed feedback on how to proceed - and not just from see'pea!

Hope to see those questions coming.

 

[powla]

Hiya

Can't recommend anything more then what everyone has suggested, but the local library should stock some bike maintenance books for you to flick through and I find You Tube kinda handy.

 

[threefingerjoe]

Lucy,

Congratulations on trying to learn maintenance! One of the truly great things about the machine is it's simplicity! I consider basic maintenance to be part of riding. Don't fall into the mindset that a lady can't do it! Most bike maintenance doesn't require the skills of a professional machinist or mechanic. A bike is, for the most part, "user-friendly". Learn as much as you can, and do as much as you can, and, if you run into anything really major...well, you can take that chore to a bike mechanic, and feel chuffed that you will be able to intelligently discuss the problem with him, and know that many blokes have taken bikes to him for something as simple as repairing a puncture! Believe it or not, puncture repair is a COMMON bike shop job!