My wife and I just bought two Sun EZ 1 recumbent bikes and are enjoying them very much. With the front wheels removed, they fit nicely inside our E and we've enjoyed some good trail rides. However, the bike shop where we bought them charges $35 for annual tuneups, which we feel would be a good idea to keep them running well. But I also thought it would be beneficial in many ways to learn bike maintenance and do all my own tuneups, etc. Is this a good idea? Better left to experts? Any good books, videos on the subject? Investment in tools prohibitive? Any insight would be appreciated!

learn to do it yourself....learn to use all of the microadjusters on the brakes and derailleurs...they are the keys to adjusting...make sure to keep it nice and clean and lubed...if you get good enough learn how to true the wheels...if you need any tips let me know i can tell you some things...ive worked on my mountain bike and road bike for a few years now...i love the fact that i can just get the parts i need and install them myself

I would also like to know if there's a good book or video to help with this kind of stuff. I dont sdo much of my own work, but would like to.

the bike shop i used back home in athens, ga...had some good links to maintenance...www.hubbikes.com...also try www.ask.com...type in what you wanna do and usually can get you some answers....sometimes the best thing is to play around...but dont touch the little screws on the drailleurs...those are last resorts...unless you want to tear down your entire drivetrain...and rebuild like i did

To do a thorough tune-up, you really need to have a bunch of different tools and a good understanding of bikes. I used to work at a bike shop and we would see many bikes/parts brought in by those who tried to do things themselves (disassembled hubs, suspension forks, etc). Unfortunately, sometimes the cost of repair was more than if they just brought in their bikes for a regular tune-up.

I'm not trying to dissuade you though. I would definitely start learning things on your own...just start small and work your way up. Brake and derailleur adjustment are fairly easy to do and can be learned quickly. The bike shop I worked for would hold free bike mechanic classes geared toward those who were just starting. So maybe check your local bike shop(s). If they are friendly enough, some will let you watch them work on a bike during regular hours...and possibly explain what they are doing.

If you start buying tools, most every bike shop uses Park (http://www.parktool.com). Some good tools to start with are: repair stand (home versions are sufficient), hex wrenches (I like the 3-way ones from Park), screwdrivers, and spoke wrenches. Park also makes a good book of bike repair (http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=19&item=BBB%2D1).

I can answer any questions you may have. Good luck and have fun!

First let me recommend two web sites.

www.roadbikerider.com They have a wonderful free weekly e-newsletter and at least 20 e-books.

http://www.bicycling.com/channel/0,6609,s1-5-0-0-0,00.html?location=_*topnav*

Second, If you bought your bikes at a Local Bike Shop (LBS) they should offer a free 30 day tuneup. If they do, make sure you take advantage of it.

At your library, you should be able to find a book from the '80's called 'Everybodies Bike Repair Book'.

Most of the annual stuff you can do yourself. Checking the free-play in the wheel bearings, looking for rust on the cables, lubricating cables, chain, etc.

Problems with spokes and wheels out of round or out of true require a professional. A spoke wrench in the hands of an amature is a dangerous thing.

Thank you very much for all of the replies. It would seem that those of you in the know recommend learning some basics but leaving the advanced techniques to the pros. The local bike shop where we bought our bikes have already performed the free 30 day tuneup and are very accomodating people. I guess I'll try to find a few books at the library, learn basics of lube, etc. and leave the spoke and wheel adjustments to the shop for now. Now, it's time to load the bikes in the E, head for the local bike trail and have some fun!

this is a good book to get going with: (zinn and the art of bike maintenance)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1884737706/104-1894051-9623929?v=glance&n=283155

and the best maintenance is to clean and lube your chain, as well as adjusting cables. this is probably all that the LBS does for $30 'tune-up'.

what you will need after that will require bicycle-specific tools: change chain every 6m to year, change cables, true wheels, etc

Another great book is by a guy named Zinn who writes for several bike publications. He's got several books, but Zinn and the Art of Bicycle Maintenance (or something like that) covers most stuff and has great illustrations. Also on the park tools website listed above they have how-to illustrations & videos for many items.

You should really learn basic stuff like how to adjust the derailleurs, brakes, etc. Bad shifting or rubbing brakes usually need adjusting when you're nowhere near a bike shop and can ruin a perfect day for riding :-(

First, let me say that these are my opinions based on my experience, and others may not share them, which is perfectly okay with me. Hopefully, I'm providing some food for thought.

1) A $35 "tuneup" from a bike shop usually won't include anything that you couldn't do yourself at home in 30 minutes or so, and would be quite easy to learn. The chain should be cleaned and lubed, pivot points on moving parts will likely be lubed, shifting and brakes will be checked and adjusted. If you're really lucky, they may actually wash and clean the entire bike. You really should ask for a breakdown of what will be done. Chances are, if anything needs to be replaced (like brake pads or a cable), that will cost you extra.

2) The flip side of the coin: I have been doing maintenance on my bikes and cars for over 30 years because a) early on I couldn't afford to have the work done by others, and b) I wanted to be sure the work was done to my satisfaction. If you normally have others do your routine maintenance now, and if $35 isn't much money to you, and if you don't care to get all greasy and dirty, and if you trust those who do the work, then maybe going through the effort to buy and learn what you need to do the maintenance work is more than you wish to invest. I don't know, but it's something to consider.

3) If you ride more than a few miles a week during the "season", periodic maintenance on your bikes may need to be performed more often than once a year. Chains and gears will last MUCH longer if they are cleaned and lubed frequently, like every 50-100 miles or so. How dirty or rusty things get can depends on where you live (perhaps a dusty environment or a rainy one like Seattle) and what types of roads or trails you ride on (pavement vs. dirt).

4) Not only will doing things yourself save you money because you won't be paying labor costs, you can also save money on parts by buying them yourself online BEFORE you start the work. Things like cables, tires and brake pads/shoes are available online for a fraction of what bike shops charge, although you may have to buy several to really save a bundle.

Thanks again for some thoughtful replies. I checked out a few books and was surprised to see how many specialized tools are needed for bike work. With the stand for holding the bike and all of the tools, it would appear to be quite an investment. I would imagine I'd recoup this if I live long enough to ride the bike for many years! I guess, as I stated before, I'll do the cleaning, lube work and general maintenance (fix flats, etc.) myself and leave the highly technical adjustments to the shop. The owner is a friend of my daughter and son-in-law and I trust him ... so I think I'll be OK. thanks again!

If you have a good LBS that you trust, then talk to them about maintenance. Most good shops have friendly mechanics that will share with you what needs to be done and when. In fact, when they know your interested, they usually will share with you what is needed so they don't have to clean/fix a neglected bike later.
Lubing the chain regularly is the #1 think you can do to prolong the life of your drive train. The rest of the bike will usually go a year between major services. Just knock off the big chuncks regularly and wash it up after you get caught in a rain shower.

Happy riding!

The best suggestion that gets thrown around is to show up at the shop on a slow day, bring a 6-pack of upscale microbrew, and ask a wrench to show you how to do basic cleaning/maintenance and how make the basic roadside adjustments. Mainly think braking/shifting woes and tire/wheel changes. All that stuff just requires a basic folding tool set (which all bikers should carry) that contains allen wrenches & screwdrivers and some tire levers. most maintenance involves degreasers/cleaners, a scrub brush, the proper lubes and knowing what wear to look for. shop guys really get helpful when a $10 sixer appears :D