EraserGirl

i LOVE THIS BOOK....no really I LOVE THIS BOOK
If i could write that bigger without appearing annoying I would.

I have been picking up old bike repair books and this one is the bomb.
basically this is all you ever need for tuning vintage bikes.

Each page is full of closeup images of each step in breaking down and rebuilding
every type of bike extant to the time of publication. Fixed gear, 2 speeds, 3 speeds coaster brakes etc...

I specifically wanted the original 73 edition, so i don't know what would have changed in the revised editions like the 88, but i'm pretty happy with the 73.
I think with shipping i paid less than $10 bucks.

Glenn's Complete Bicycle Manual
by Clarence W. Coles, Harold T. Glenn
Crown, 1973, ISBN 0517500930

bikemeister

I found one at a used book store, and, when the cashier opened it to see the selling price, the binding glue let loose and about a third of the pages fell out! She hesitated selling it to me, but I insisted. She gave it to me for $2 as I recall. I just punched some holes in the pages, and put it into an old three ring binder for easy use on the workbench.
The BEST bike book. Just love the exploded views of those old 3-speed hubs. But the thing I like most about the book? I just drool over the old tools that white-haired guy is using!!!!
Especially that spoke nipple driver. Found out a few weeks ago it's an old Yankee ratcheting screwdriver with this special tip that's not made anymore. Well, I'm on a mission to find one!

noglider 

I was just looking for my copy last week. I can't find it. It is an excellent book. I remember it has a procedure for hot patching a tube. Remembering that, when I was out of glue, I did it myself, but without the book. It works! I used a cast-iron skillet as an iron.

Rabid Koala

We had a copy when I worked in the LBS back in 1974. I found a copy a couple of years ago on ebay and bought it. It is a very complete book and excellent when you have bikes of that vintage.

SirMike1983 

Does it say anything about the workings of the "Schwinn Cyclock"? If so, I'd be interested in knowing what it has to say. I have a broken key in a Cyclock that I'd like to extract at home if possible, and would love to know if it speaks as to that.

Charles Wahl

I bought one a year or so ago, but I have to say that I don't find it very interesting. Now, Sutherland's, to me that's the bomb for vintage lore.

Blue Order

+1

I think I have the '88 edition, the one with that gorgeous mystery bike on the cover. Anybody know what that bike is?

tatfiend 

I have both editions. The newer one is retitled to "Glenn's New Complete Bicycle Manual". The newer edition adds some items such as the Schwinn disc brake and drops some such as the procedures for working on Bendix 2 speed hubs.

3v1lD4v3

I thought the title sounded familiar, so I had to check the pile of recent acquisitions. Glen's Complete Bicycle Manual, 1973, ISBN 0-517-500930. Paperback with little to no dogearing. I found it on the book swap shelf at the local library. As a cyclist, I grabbed it for reference. As a bibliophile, I am now happy to know that it is a tome to be treasured.

Thanks for sharing.

redxj

I have one of the 73' copies that I picked up at a local thrift store for $0.50!!! Actually, that thrift store I produced a lot of older cycling books for me at cheap prices ($.50 paper back or $1 hardcover).

tatfiend 

BTW both editions are normally available from used book sellers that list on Amazon for reasonable prices.

EraserGirl

nothing in the book...but i found this online from John's Vintage Bikes

Fibber

My Uncle bought it new in '73 (hardcover - $7.95, ISBN ending in 922) to fix a hub or something, then promptly gave it to me, and I've treasured it ever since. The photographs are great - from white hair "Dr. Bike Mechanic", on down to "Tricky Dick". I've pulled it from the bookshelf quite often since returning repairing bicycles of that era.

My other reference book of value (purchased recently for $1) in the 1988 Bicycling Magazine's Complete Guide to Upgrading Your Bike, by Berto.

Panthers007

It would be cool (and probably illegal) for an owner to scan all the pages and download it to the net....

24tracktape

Otherwise there would be all sorts of rampant downloading of copywritten materials, such as: movies, music, tv shows, software, and of course... porn.

sonatageek

I have the 'new' Glens book that I bought last winter. It is great and brings back memories as I used to check that very book out the library when trying to fix/maintain my bike as kid. I love the detailed exploded view of things.

Panthers007

Just found a mint hardcover with dust jacket for $17 + shipping. There are guite a few good copies available on the net. Just Google the full title.

Thanks for the tip, EraserGirl! I love books from that era. Tricky Dick was President Nixon - for all you kiddies.

Fibber

And he appears twice in that book! And yet there isn't a single nattering nabob of negativism to be found in the text.... Very strange.

Panthers007

Tricky Dick just found good ol' Spiro.

"Who Knew? Agnew!"

EraserGirl

actually it wouldn't be as cool as you think, it would be asinine and unnecessary.

a digital edition does you no good when working on your bench.
you can't prop a digital edition open while holding the bike with both greasy hands.

and as i said, i bought a copy for 4 bucks and 3 bucks shipping. using www.bookfinder.com or even amazon if you must you can buy a copy for less than the price of the paper and toner to print it out. if you can't afford to spend 10 dollars for what is the equivalent of a tool, then you aren't spending your bike money wisely.

i know you meant it as a joke, and indeed diagrams and repair manuals from the actual vintage bikes should be commonly made available online, but this is just one of the many situations where a physical book is not fungible.

East Hill

Yeah, I think you'd break even on the cost .

EG, that is brilliant of you finding the information for the Schwinn Cyclock!

East Hill

SirMike1983 

Thanks for the link


I have seen that one, but was hoping this book would have an alternative method to punching into the fork plug. I'm hesitant to do anything that might lead to damage, and that method of punching in is very delicate because you can easily wreck the lock receiver doing it. I guess I'll look into key extraction through the front like a locksmith rather than opening the whole thing up. Thanks though.

EraserGirl

have you tried bringing the fork to a locksmith? i seem to remember a method they have using tiny drill bits to retrieve the broken key.

bikemeister

I really like all the exploded views of the hubs, especially the 3-speeds. And the step-by-step instructions WITH ACTUAL PHOTOS helps with reassembly. Kinda wish somebody would do a 2000 edition of a manual like this with the more modern parts. Oh, I forget, they can't do that - because nobody makes their parts to be repaired anymore!

billew

This is the best bike book! I went to a friends house when I first got into three-speeds and he pulled it out. I'm only sorry I had to give it back when I was done with it.