Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance

Lennard Zinn explains that it doesn't take special skills to learn how to care for one's bike, only "a passion for spreading new grease on old parts." Clearly, his ambition is to share with newcomers the Zen-like joy of bike maintenance. But it's seasoned bike mechanics that should be tripping over each other for a copy of this comprehensive and ambitious manual. Zinn differs from other how-to books by guiding readers--with plain-speaking text--through almost every imaginable repair on almost every imaginable part. He covers everything from rebuilding hubs, to loosening seized stems, to installing six different types of bottom brackets. He even risks cycling blasphemy by walking mere mortals through the art of wheel building--an intimidating task that can take years to perfect. Although best suited for the old pros, his guide is user- friendly, funny, and essential to anyone willing to love their bike. --Ben Tiffany