Recommendations Please

[Quillfred]

Hi

I just got a WSD Trek 1500 after much thought and research and I'm very happy. I am fortunate enough to be able to ride to work as I live and work close to a major bike trail in Seattle (I am very street-shy and car-paranoid).

I am looking for recommendations on maintenance and servicing. I bought a book by H Zinn but it mostly addresses bike fit. I need very simplified instructions by book, video, DVD or websites.

Thanks in advance for both this forum and any good tips I might receive.

Carole

[CorsairMac]

first welcome to the board quill - bop on over to the "getting to know you" thread if you haven't already, gives you a chance to meet us and tell us some more about you!

Now regarding your ??: Zinn also has a book on basic bike maintainence. I didn't like it very much as all the pixs were sketches but Bicyling Mag also has a bike maint book that has maint for everything from road to bents and has real photos so you can find the pix that match your bike and see what they're talking about. It has become my bible for working on my bikes. I would ask tho: did you buy your bike from a bike shop?....most LBS's offer free basic maintainence on the bike for the life of the bike, so you might want to check with them.

and congrats on your new bike!! I'm jealous!

[DeniseGoldberg]

....most LBS's offer free basic maintainence on the bike for the life of the bike, so you might want to check with them.

Hey Corsair -
You're making me feel like I'm missing out here... I've never heard of a bike shop offering free basic maintenance. I have gone into a shop (one that I do business with on a fairly reguilar basis) and had a mechanic help me out with a simple problem without charging me, but free basic maintenance? Nope! Maybe I ought to move out there with you!

and Quill -
Welcome to the board! There is definitely a lot of good information shared here.

--- Denise

[CorsairMac]

really??.....I bought 2 bikes from my LBS and both of them will be cared for by any one of their shops for the life of the bike. It only applies to basic maintainence but they recommend I bring them in about every 30 days for a going-over.

[DeniseGoldberg]

really??.....I bought 2 bikes from my LBS and both of them will be cared for by any one of their shops for the life of the bike. It only applies to basic maintainence but they recommend I bring them in about every 30 days for a going-over.

Wow - I'm impressed! In my experience, the first 30-day going-over (and adjustments) is free, but other services are not. Of course if you pay for a tune-up or an overhaul and something isn't right, that is covered, but maintenance on an ongoing basis isn't. Or maybe your (or their) definition of maintenance is different than mine. To me, basic maintenance is not just putting air in the tires and making sure the chain is lubed, the bike is clean, etc., but also tuning up the bike (adjusting derailleur, brakes, cables, etc.). Guess you should count yourself lucky!

--- Denise

[Carm]

Hi Carole,

Among the two repair books that I have, I like the Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair published by Park Tool in 2005. The pictures are in color and the instructions are pretty clear. Park also has a website www.parktool.com which provides repair and maintenance type information if you don't want to buy the book. One of our bike shops in the area is also offering the Park Tool School of Repair/Maintenance. You can go to the Park website and see if a LBS near you is offering the class.

My LBS offers 3 years of free maintenance. I can bring it my bike in anytime that I think something needs fixin. The other LBS that sells Trek offers life time free maintenance. With all this free maintenance, I still want to know how to fix my bike just in case I break down on the road or its not convenient to drive to the store.

Hope this helps.

[Quillfred]

Thanks for all the great tips!

My LBS stated a 90-day free adjustment. They explained that cables stretched when new, etc. I just haven't been able to tear myself away from the bike to allow a 4-5 day break

I suppose now that the weather here is about to turn damp, it won't be so difficult.

I do need to take a quick repair course and hope to do so this fall.

Carole

[brok]

of basic "maintenance" - adjusting derailleurs, brakes, cables, etc they even trued (sp??) the wheels when they adjusted the brakes. Suggested was after 30 days of riding and then when needed if something wasn't quite right. I just popped in the other morning for a brake that was hanging up - fixed and on my way with the wheel trued in about 10 min. No appointment needed. Guess I have a good deal going.

[DirtDiva]

I got/get free services at 1 month, 6 months and 12 months. The great part is that my LBS has very little storage space, so as long as it's run of the mill it's a same-day service.

[SalsaMTB]

I stumbled across this site while ago. It could be helpful if you're you're looking to learn some basic repairs.


http://www.jimlangley.net/wrench/wrench.html

[Quillfred]

Thanks, Salsa! What an awesome site. It is a great start as I haven't found the right Zinn book yet.

Carole