emilydickinson
12-31-2004, 03:59 AM
John Barnett is in iconic figure in the tech bicycle world. If you want formal training in becoming a bicycle mechanic, there are two places you can go. UBI, my Alma Mater, or BBI, Barnett's Bicycle Institute. John Barnett is the founder and head guru at BBI, and he's been teaching people how to fix bikes since 1978. He's right up there with Sheldon Brown and George French in most everyone's opinion. Barnett's Bicyle Manual comes in a four volume set, and is the textbook for BBI, as well as an inexauhastable font of bicyle knowledge. If you want to know everything their is to know about building and fixing bikes, you need this book. Granted, it's a bit dry, it took me about 27 hours over two weeks to read it, and it's only about 450 heavily illusrated pages. It's very technical, but each procedure (ie how to properly recondition a bottom bracket) is laid out as a step by step illustrated worksheet, with reference charts for every conceivable variation in parts. He covers long extinct makes of parts, BMX and every new trend from Magura's to four link suspension. The information is complete and completely up to date. All the basics are here: how to change a tire the right way, how to dial brakes and how to put on cranks. All basic topics are explained, with at least an illustration for every step. However, the real gold found in Barnett's is the general repair theory and the obscure procedures that are explained. Need to know how to face a stripped out bottom bracket shell? It's here in amazing detail. How about getting your stronglight out your old frame? No problem. Every step is clearly explained. The sections on measurement are my personal favorites, and I really enjoyed learning about the proper way to use calipers and a thread gauge all over again. The bearing care sections are outstanding, and every known bicycle bearing and it's uses are detailed. John Barnett is a perfectionist, and more than that, an engineer and scientist. He has calculated and found the most correct and efficient way to perform every bike repair operation. He treats bike repair as a science, not an art. While I disagree with him somewhat, as I feel art is a part of building bikes, I definetly agree that his approach works flawlessly. There is a lot of relevant information for BMX'ers who love their bikes. I'm not sure how much this costs (present), but it's worth it if you love bikes and have an insatiable desire for learning about their workings. 5/5