Hang on to your wrenches Ladies!

[Barb]

I just bought my first "ZINN" book. I am bound and determined to do all maintenance / repairs on my new to me road bike. Wish me luck!!! So far I have swapped out saddles and adjusted the brakes. I haven't even ever changed my own flat yet !

[fultzie]

awesome!! way to go!!!
you're at about the same point i am except, now i need to do the same for my car... those mechanics bills get pretty pricey!
oh well, who needs a car when you have a bike??
have fun tinkering with your new bike!!!

[Barb]

Thursday I am putting in my new tubes...I can't risk it any longer! fultzie we should ride some time. I'm only about 45-50 minutes from you at school (that is if you don't mind riding with an old lady!)

[annie]

You go, Barb! I can do basic maintenance, but I've never progressed beyond that. I figure that's why I have a bike mechanic. Gotta keep him in business. Besides, all the tools you need to really do it all yourself get pretty pricey. Hopefully, you can get what you need bit by bit.

[Barb]

I'm only buying tools as I need them. I'm a poor Michigan Teacher. I guess I am lucky to have a job at all It will still cost less than the shop (assuming I don't really mess up!)

[doctorfrau]

Go Ba-ARB, Go Ba-ARB, Go Ba-ARB!!!

[Adventure Girl]

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[Surlygirl]

Hey Barb,
The best way to learn is to try. I've done almost everything to my bike except the headset which I let the LBS do because you need special tools. You can always take it to the LBS and have them go over the bike after you've tinkered if you don't feel sure. My guys don't mind and it beats waiting for your bike for a week especially during their busy season. I have Zinn and the art of Road bike Maintenance, The Haynes Bicycle Book and Road bike Maintenance by Rob Van der Plas. Between all three and the pictures you can pretty much do anything. Also, Parktool.com has a great section on line.
Good luck.

[fultzie]

Barb-
definitely we should ride! i just started spring 1/2 semester and working more hours, so i'm a bit swamped, but maybe come July (when the weather is consistantly warm too!)...
my geography knowledge is horrible... i need to do the whole "palm" thing!! are you north, south, east, or west of A2?
my mom is coming to visit in a few weeks... we could all get together and ride!

[Barb]

I'm about an hour N.E. of you. I also have a place in Mackinaw, so if you or mom get up north to your place anytime soon, let me know, we could meet up! I just found a great rails to trails from Mack to Cheyboygen then it hooks up and goes around Mullet lake and heads south. I think the Michigander ride uses part of it. I am dying to get bakc up there to try. 3 more weeks

[hanhster]

Hi,

I hate to admit it but since I broke up w. my ex-boyfriend who was a bike gearhead and would have actually enjoyed cleaning and repairing your own road bike (I of course think of it as a necessary evil --but who knows that may change) I must now enter the unknown--getting to know how to repair my own bike that is.

Okay, so my question is: Do you need a bike repair workstand in order to repair your bike effectively? If so, can someone give me any feedback on what brand or type of bike workstand works best for the price?

Thanks!

[DebW]

Hi,

Okay, so my question is: Do you need a bike repair workstand in order to repair your bike effectively? If so, can someone give me any feedback on what brand or type of bike workstand works best for the price?

Thanks!

Absolute cheapest repair stand, that works great for most (but not all) things, is to use the beams in your unfinished basement to hang the bike from the ceiling. You can use rope or webbing with hooks or heavy rubber shock cords. Here's an example.

[KnottedYet]

Deb, that is a GREAT picture!

[hanhster]

Thanks Deb! Does that thing swing around a lot when you work on the bike like that?

[DebW]

Thanks Deb! Does that thing swing around a lot when you work on the bike like that?

Not if you put your body through the bike frame. Actually, depends on what you're doing and how you suspend the bike. If you use stretchy shock cord the bike will gyrate wildly when you pedal it, so avoid stretchy stuff. But the thick rubber shock cords are good, as is webbing. When I worked in a shop in 1973, our only work places were with chains hanging from the ceiling. You do have to be careful not to scratch paint or damage a saddle with the straps or hooks. An expensive stand is more solid support and more versatile, but the hanging method is perfectly adequate for anything other than fork or headset removal.

Another minimalist option is something like the Topeak Flash stand which holds the rear wheel off the ground for gear tune-ups. But you can't true the front wheel.