Anyone starting out with working on bikes knows the advice: 'just check YouTube.' However, estimates suggest there are around 10 billion videos on YouTube, and that number keeps growing. It's easy to get lost in the sheer volume of content. Don't worry, I'll guide you. I've selected five channels that I believe feature excellent repair videos. Take advantage of them and don't forget to check out the previous parts of this series as well.

© YouTube

1. Park Tool

The channel of the American tool brand Park Tool is, with its 863 videos, an absolute treasure, even if you're using tools from another brand. The mechanic often featured in Park Tool's YouTube videos is Calvin Jones, a highly skilled (and sometimes humorous) mechanic who explains things clearly and calmly. The Park Tool channel is very up-to-date; you'll also find videos about the latest equipment.

2. RJ The Bike Guy

This YouTube channel is run by a true DIY enthusiast and certainly doesn't have the polished video quality seen elsewhere. But don't be fooled; the content is excellent. Another plus is that most of the tinkering involves fairly ordinary bikes. It's a handy channel for working on older materials.

3. GCN Tech

Whatever repair you're looking for, you'll quickly come across videos from GCN Tech or its parent channel, GCN. Often, there are multiple videos: for example, a search for "change cassette" yields no fewer than four videos. In the early years, I wasn't a big fan of their repair videos, but since the dedicated GCN Tech channel was launched, the content has significantly improved. However, be prepared for a lot of product placement and ads.

4. GMBN Tech

The MTB-focused sibling of GCN Tech. It focuses specifically on mountain bikes. Besides repair videos, you'll also find other interesting content. Good to know: working on MTBs involves much more complexity than road bikes. Beginners should steer clear of working on droppers, forks, and dampers.

5. The official channels

Never forget to check the official channels. If you're riding with SRAM, always look at the official SRAM channel. There, you'll find simple and short instructional videos. Similarly, Campagnolo has a channel with how-to videos. Shimano is on YouTube, but you won't find technical videos on their channel. However, Shimano's website offers very useful and clear written manuals (the so-called 'Tech Docs') that you can download for free.

The above also applies to other components such as handlebars, valves, or cranksets. Official videos are a must and should always be checked—if they are available, of course.