Best Bicycle Repair Guide -Big Blue Book Review

If you are already doing your own bike repairs or would like to learn how, this is the only book you need.

Already being a big fan of Park Tool it was a no brainer to check out their instruction guide as well.

The Park Tool Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair is a phenomenal guide that will explain in simple terms how to repair just about any part of your bike.

I know a lot more now than when I first started doing my own repairs however in the beginning this book was my guide in every way. Even several years later I still refer to it constantly.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

This book contains step-by-step instructions as well as excellent pictures and diagrams for repairing:

• Road bikes
• Mountain bikes
• BMX bikes
• Single speed bikes
• And everything in between (including vintage bikes)

I have recently upgraded to the latest version (4th edition), which include new topics, techniques and equipment.

Written by Calvin Jones, the Park Tool Director of Education, the Big Blue Book is ideal for the novice right up to the expert home mechanic.

DIY MADE EASY

In my opinion if you are a do-it-yourself kind of person and want to save money that would have otherwise been spent on a mechanic, this bicycle repair book is simply a must!

The absolute best price I have found is at Amazon.com for just under $20. It is totally affordable, especially considering how much is jammed packed into this book. At the time of this writing it has an average rating of 4.5 stars from over 32 reviewers at Amazon.

Live in Canada? Head on over to Amazon.ca. The kindle edition is the best price if you want to go that route.

I personally found that I prefer to have the actual book laid out in front of me when doing the repairs. I think I would have found that much harder using a kindle.

It is especially useful if you use a Park Tool Bike Stand.

Park Tool Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair Table of Contents

Below is the complete table of contents so that you can get an idea as to what this book covers.

CHAPTER 1 – BASIC MECHANICAL SKILLS

• Threaded Fastener Tension & Torque
• Lubrication, Thread Lockers, & Cleaners
• Diagnosing Mechanical Problems
• Tools and Tool Selection
• Repair Stands
• Home Shop Set Up

CHAPTER 2 – TIRES & TUBES

• Removing Wheels
• Removing Tire & Tube from Rim
• Inspecting the Inner Tube
• Inspecting the Tire
• Rim Strip
• Repairing Inner Tubes
• Pre-Glued Patch Repair
• Repairing Inner Tubes with Self-Vulcanizing Patches
• Inner Tube Sealants
• Tire Liners
• Temporary Repair of Tire with Tire Boot
• Inner Tube Valves
• Tire & Tube Sizing
• Installing Tire & Tube on Wheel
• Installing Wheels on Bike
• Installing Front Wheels with Disc Brakes
• Solid Axle Types
• Through Axle System
• Tubeless Systems
• Tubular Tires

CHAPTER 3 – REAR SPROCKETS

• Cassette Sprocket Removal & Installation
• Freewheel Sprocket Removal & Installation
• Rear Sprocket Inspection & Cleaning
• Fixed Gear

CHAPTER 4 – HUBS

• Bearing Service-cup and cone adjustable
• Disassembly-cup and cone adjustable hubs
• Parts Inspection-cup and cone adjustable hubs
• Assembly-cup and cone adjustable hubs
• Hub Adjustment-cup and cone adjustable hubs
• Hub Adjustment-Solid Axle-cup and cone
• Campagnolo® and Shimano® Dura-Ace 7800 and 7801 Oversized Hub Service
• Parts Inspection
• Campagnolo® Oversized Axle and Shimano® 7800/7801
• Adjustment
• Freehub Removal & Installation
• Cartridge Bearing Hubs
• Mavic® Hub (Level 1 Type)

CHAPTER 5 – WHEEL TRUING

• Wheel Truing Overview
• Truing Procedures
• Lateral Truing
• Radial Truing
• Wheel Centering (Dishing)
• Spoke Tension
• Replacing Broken or Damaged Spokes
• Wheel Wear, Damage & Repair

CHAPTER 6 – WHEEL BUILDING

• Common Misconceptions
• Wheel Building Class
• Spokes
• Hub
• Rim
• Spoke Cross Patterns
• Wheel Lacing
• Wheel to Rim Transfer

CHAPTER 7 – CRANKSETS

• Crank Removal (three piece cranks)
• Crank Removal: Octalink® or ISIS® Drive Spline
• Crank Installation—Octalink® or ISIS Drive® Splined
• Crank Installation: 3-piece Square Spindle
• External Bearing Crankset Systems
• Bearing Cup Installation
• Crank Installation & Removal of Compression Slotted Arm Cranks: Shimano® & FSA®
• Installation & Removal of Shimano® Octalink External Bearing Crank
• Installation & Removal of Race Face® X-type Cranks
• Campagnolo® & Fulcrum®: Ultra-Torque Crank
• Non-Threaded Crankset-BB30 & BB90
• Bottom Bracket Bearing System
• Bottom Bracket Tool Selection
• Cartridge Bottom Brackets
• Cartridge Bottom Bracket Removal & Installation
• Adjustable Bottom Brackets
• Adjustable Bottom Bracket Removal
• Adjustable Bottom Bracket Installation
• Adjustable Bottom Bracket Adjustment
• Chainrings
• Chainring Replacement
• Chainring Wear & Damage

CHAPTER 8 – CHAINS

• Chain Sizing for Derailleur Bikes
• Shimano® Chain with Connecting Rivet
• Campagnolo® 10-speed Chain
• Chain with “Master-link”
• Chain with Reusable Rivets
• New Chain Installation on Derailleur Bikes
• Tight Link Repair
• Chain Sizing and Tension Adjustment: Two-Sprocket Bicycles
• Chain Tension-Two Sprocket Bikes without Tension Idler Device
• Chain Tension Using Idler Chain Tension Device
• Chain Tension: Eccentric Bottom Brackets on Tandem and Single Speeds
• Chain Wear and Damage
• Chain Cleaning
• Chain Lubrication

CHAPTER 9 – PEDALS

• Common Misconceptions
• Novice Class
• Pedal Removal
• Pedal Installation
• Damage to Crank Pedal Threads
• Pedal Bearing Service

CHAPTER 10 – DERAILLEUR SYSTEM

• Cable System
• Cable Housing Lengths
• Cable Lubrication
• Shift Levers
• Flat Bar Shifters
• Twist-Grip Shifters
• Above-The-Bar Shifters
• Drop Bar Integral Brake & Gear Shifters
• Down Tube Shifters
• Bar End Shifters
• Front Derailler
• Derailleur Cable Attachment
• Height Adjustment
• Height Adjustment
• Limit Screw Adjustment
• L-limit Screw
• H-limit Screw
• Index Adjustment-Three Chainring Bikes
• Index Adjustment-Two Chainring Bikes
• Front Derailleur Performance
• Rear Derailleur
• Derailleur Capacity & Maximum Sprocket Size
• Derailleur Cable Attachment
• Limit Screw Adjustment
• H-limit Screw
• L-limit Screw
• B-limit Screw
• Index Adjustment
• Shimano® “Rapid Rise™” Derailleur—Indexing Adjustment
• Chainline
• Derailleur Hanger Alignment & Repair
• Derailleur Wear & Service
• Troubleshooting Derailleur Systems

CHAPTER 11 – ELECTRONIC DERAILLEUR SYSTEMS

• Shimano Di2 Electronic Intelligent System
• SRAM eTap
• FSA K-Force WE
• Troubleshooting

CHAPTER 12 – INTERNAL GEAR SYSTEMS

• SRAM DUALDRIVE®
• SRAM® I-Motion
• Shimano® Inter-7 or Inter-8 Hub

CHAPTER 13 – CALIPER DISC BRAKE SYSTEM

• Caliper Types
• Rotors
• Hydraulic Brake Levers
• Hydraulic Disc Calipers
• Hydraulic Brake Caliper Alignment
• Shimano® Hydraulic Brakes
• Magura® Hydraulic Caliper Brakes
• Hayes® Hydraulic Caliper Brakes
• Avid Hydraulic Caliper Brakes
• Avid® Brake Bleeding
• Mechanic Disc Calipers
• Brake Levers
• Caliper Pad Alignment & Clearance
• Shimano® Mechanical Disc Calipers.Tektro® Mechanical Disc Calipers.Hayes® Mechanical Disc Calipers
• Avid® Mechanical Brake.

CHAPTER 14 – CALIPER RIM BRAKE SYSTEM

• Brake Levers Upright Bar Brake Levers
• Drop Bar Brake Levers
• Cable System.Cable Lubrication.Cable Housing Length
• Caliper Brakes Brake Pads
• Vertical Height Alignment
• Tangent Alignment
• Vertical Face Alignment
• Pad Toeing
• Cantilever Caliper Adjustment
• Linear Pull Caliper Adjustment
• Dual Pivot Caliper Adjustment
• Side Pull Caliper Adjustment

CHAPTER 15 – HANDLEBARS, STEMS, SADDLES & SEATPOSTS

• Upright Bars
• Drop Style Handlebars (Road Bars)
• Stems
• Quill Stems
• Threadless Stems
• Saddles
• Seat Post

CHAPTER 16 – HEADSETS

• Headset Types
• Headset Service
• Threadless Headset Service
• Threaded Headset Service
• Headset Replacement & Installation
• Headset Stack Height
• Headset Removal
• Pressed Headset Installation
• Fork Crown Race Installation
• Star Nut & Compression Plug Installation
• Fork Sizing and Cutting
• Unthreaded Steering Columns
• Threaded Steering Columns

CHAPTER 17 – FRAME & FORK

• Fork
• Head Tube
• Top Tube
• Down Tube
• Seat Tube
• Chain Stay
• Seat Stay
• Dropouts
• Bottom bracket shell
• Swing arm
• Frame Construction and Service
• Steel Aluminum
• Titanium
• Carbon

CHAPTER 18 – SUSPENSION

• Shocks (Dampers)
• Suspension Linkages
• Service and Tuning
• Spring Preload
• Fluid Viscosity
• Valving
• Linkage
• Cyclist Posture
• Tire Contact

CHAPTER 19 – ON-RIDE REPAIR

• Tool Choices
• Repair Procedures
• Flat Tire
• Cut or Ripped Tire
• Broken Spoke
• Dented Rim
• Broken Chains
• Chain Suck
• Twisted Chain
• Squeaky and Noisy Chain
• Rear Derailleur Shifting into the Spokes or Frame
• Derailleur not Indexing Properly
• Broken Derailleur Body, Cage, or Hanger
• Missing Derailleur Pulleys
• Front Derailleur Cage Bent or Twisted
• Crank Falling Off
• Pedals Falling Off
• Bent Crank
• Bottom Bracket Loose or Falling Apart
• Broken Derailleur Cable
• Broken Brake Cable
• Twisted or Bent Handlebars or Stem
• Bent Frame or Fork
• Bent Saddle or Seat Post

APPENDICES A-F

• A: Tool List
• B: Glossary
• C: Torque Recommendations
• D: Bottom Bracket Tool Selection
• E: Headset Standards
• F: Bike Map

REVIEWS

There are a TON of 5 star reviews on Amazon for this book. Below are just a few examples from verified buyers…

GREAT FOR ANY BIKE TECH/MECHANIC

Don’t know the difference between a seat stay and a chain stay? Regularly over haul bottom brackets and wheels? Can you adjust a derailleur in your sleep? This book is for everyone interested in bike maintenance and repair.

Well written, simple to follow directions make most jobs within reach of anyone with the correct tools and basic mechanical aptitude. The first chapter covers fasteners, the types and how to properly secure and loosen them. All types of work are covered.

When used in combination with the videos that the author has posted on YT, seemingly complex jobs become possibleI was afraid to touch my disk brakes and shifting at first but now I can change the pads, adjust the brakes, and adjust the shifting if I ever need to.

Yes, there was some trial and error (with frustration) involved, but patience and persistence won the day.

My last job was to take apart a wheel and service the hubs and bearings. Scary stuff for me but, I did it. Better yet, I had no left-over parts.

The book really breaks down what is needed so I can see why some tasks are better done at the bike shop but a surprising amount of work can be done in the home shop.

EXCELLENT FOR PROS & NEWBIES

One of the best bicycle repair and maintenence book on the market, may be the better one! Great job, mr Calvin Jones!

Every edition of this book ALWAYS has upgrates to most recent technologies and repair methods.

Fine illustrations, text easy to read. Highly recommended.

EXCELLENT INSTRUCTIONS

This book paid for itself within the 1st week after purchase.

I’ve always had a hard time adjusting my derailleurs until I bought this book. No, more taking my bike to the local bike shop and paying to have them make the adjustments.

Yes, I watched lots of YouTube how-to videos, but it just didn’t click until I read this book. I’m now fixing my kids, my neighbors and my buddies derailleurs.

There is a ton of great info w/ pictures. Highly recommend.

BEST DEAL

Live in the US? Go to Amazon.com for the best deal plus free shipping.

Live in Canada? Go to Amazon.ca. The Kindle Edition is by far the best price.