I am far from an expert at bike maintenance. I can happily change a tyre, replace a saddle and clean or replace a chain. I can even fit a new cassette and change a set of caliper brakes, although I'd be less confident about how well I had done it. Anything else I go to my local bike shop where they check that I haven't tried to change the ball bearings in the bottom bracket myself before charging me a decent chunk of change (this is central London) for keeping my bike on the road.
I'd like to be better at looking after my bike. But lack of time and lack of training restricts me and often even if I did have the time then I think I'd be better off leaving it to the experts.
Reading Bike Mechanic: Tales from the Road and the Workshop you realise quite how much expertise (and equipment) a fully qualified bike mechanic needs. It reminds me of a time when about ten years ago I went on a professional training day for sushi chefs. I was a very amateur home cook who was possibly on the wrong course. At the start of the day they asked us to divide into groups of people who had worked in a sushi kitchen for more than 10 years and those who had worked for less than that. Those who had less than 10 years experience were labelled 'beginners' by our Japanese instructors (and the ones with experience were called 'learners'). It was a fascinating day but I left realising that unless I gave up my job and family there was pretty much zero point in ever trying to make sushi myself rather than going to eat it in a restaurant, given the level of skill and learning required.
The book, a Rouleur publication, is almost a love story to the generally unacknowledged men (and a few women) behind the scenes looking after the pro riders' bikes. As the blurb of this book says "The on-tour mechanic is the roadie of the cycling world, working the longest hours of any member of a professional team". Rouleur founder Guy Andrews, who is sadly no longer part of the Rouleur family after a change of ownership, provides the words and Taz Darling, a well known photographer who has done a lot of work in the cycling world, provides the pictures. But it is mechanic Rohan Dubash, also known as Doctor D, who really is the star of this book with his expertise. As Andrews says in his introduction, "Rohan has forgotten more about bicycles than most of us know".
Bike Mechanic is divided into three sections: On The Road, Hardware and The Bike. On The Road is about the daily grind, the bike washing (both names of chapters) and how mechanics support their riders before, during and after a day race or a longer tour. Andrews talks to mechanics and gets under the skin of the team set up to show how important the mechanics are in the smooth running of a successful pro cycling operation. It's a fascinating read.
The second section is Hardware and deals with the tools needed for a good workshop ('cheap tools do cheap jobs' we are warned) and lists one by one the attributes of a good workshop tool and offers recommendations for brands recommended for those wanting to emulate the pro mechanics. It is the shortest part of the book but the one that is most likely to get you reaching for your wallet to add to your personal cycling tool collection. There are some fantastic photographs of mechanics' workshops, where the common theme seems to be highty organised chaos (every tool has its place but to the outsider it sure doesn't look like that).
The second half of the 266 page book is titled The Bike. This is where I learned the most. This is all about how a bike fits together and the importance of how all the components work together. Starting with the frame ('the frame and the fork are the heart and soul of a bike') and taking in the bottom bracket, wheels, tyres, brakes and the drivetrain, it covers all the components that makes up your bike and then looks at contact points and cleaning and lubrication. In every section I learned something new, whether it be about why I am an idiot to neglect my cleats to why talcum powder is essential when changing a tyre (at least in the workshop, I am not so sure I am going to carry any on my club ride). The cleaning and lubrication section made me (and I suspect most everyday riders) feel extremely guilty about not spending more time on tending to my bikes after every ride.
As with all things Rouleur, Bike Mechanic is beautifully presented. The hardback book is filled with wonderful photography that really gets behind the scenes of the pro teams and in the mechanic's workshop. If you're looking for a birthday or Christmas present to give to a serious cyclist, this is absolutely perfect. Not only is it a good read but it will be used for years to come and I am sure, at least in my case, will be a well thumbed reference book in 20 years time.
Bike Mechanic: Tales from the Road and the Workshop by Guy Andrews and Rohan Dubash with photography by Taz Darling
Published by Bloomsbury
£30 RRP (available for just over £20 in the usual online retailers).
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