Cycle shops and servicing.

[Crankarm]

I'd leave the forks. The oil in them may need changing if they are getting on but it'll take years to degrade enough to need it.

The clicking chain could be as much about adjusting the gears as the chain.

I've done most things to my bikes with the help of a Haynes, a couple of dozen YouTube videos and a few minutes spent at my LBS, who are remarkably helpful, lubricated bu the occasional ice cream & Coke. If there's something new that I'm not sure about, I'll go in and happily pay for them to do the work, but I ask if I can watch and learn. I've also spent a few hours helping them, unboxing new bikes, for instance. As the chap there knows I buy all my hardware there and the "doing favours" thing is mutual, he has no concerns sharing his knowledge, he might lose a few quid in servicing costs but he's covered it in bike sales.

Norm

 

[HeyWayne]

I've discovered a cycle store very local - Dysons Cycles in Dunstable. Anyone with any experience of them?

 

[Jodami84]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I was wondering where the best place to get the Haynes manuals was and how specific to each bike they are.

I'm in a similar position to you Wayne i.e a complete novice as regards to working on a bike, but i recently messed up my brakes and rather than take the easy and more expensive way out had a bit of a tinker and managed to fix them. Ok, im sure it was really basic, but it was satisfying to sort them out and im keen to learn more. The tools i required were cheap and easy to come by so dont let it put u off. Knowhere near as daunting as it may seem i bet.

 

[jayonabike]

I saw the haynes manual in halfords the other day

 

[rh100]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I was wondering where the best place to get the Haynes manuals was and how specific to each bike they are.

I'm in a similar position to you Wayne i.e a complete novice as regards to working on a bike, but i recently messed up my brakes and rather than take the easy and more expensive way out had a bit of a tinker and managed to fix them. Ok, im sure it was really basic, but it was satisfying to sort them out and im keen to learn more. The tools i required were cheap and easy to come by so dont let it put u off. Knowhere near as daunting as it may seem i bet.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bike-Book-F...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276193556&sr=8-1

It's a mix and match of different stuff, in some parts it's not detailed enough, but I found it useful as a beginner along with stuff off the web.

 

[Jodami84]

Cheers for that RH. As is often the case I went a bit mad and bought 3 books on bike maintenance. Bit of light reading never hurt anyone, though.