I think she got a new set of winter studded tyres included in that £200 and i can find nothing else needing touched on the bike – brand new looking disc pads properly set up, all bearings fine, indexing spot on

Oh dear – its in the coke bath now!

uwe-r
Free Member
I’d put a new chain on that.

Then no doubt it’ll skip on the worn (out) cassette… 🙄

Then no doubt it’ll skip on the worn (out) cassette…

I think it would be fine – i’m guessing she isn’t mashing up climbs putting out massive watts. New chain will wear into the old cassette after a wile and the whole thing will last longer than keeping the old rusty chain that will be wearing the cassette massively.

I’n not offering to pay for said chain though so there is that.

I think lots of people have had this experience.

I certainly have had it numerous times over the years… I always try to be helpful but sometimes the most helpful thing is to say “go buy a new bike for £300 from Halfords”.

I always say I’ll take a look but don’t guarantee being able to fix anything as some of the cheap shite that people buy from the likes of Argos is a complete nightmare to work on even if you can get parts.

I have got it running OK. still a we bit sticky on one link but it runs without skipping just the odd click over the jockey wheels

I think that will do her for now

Time for her second bike to now come out of the shed before you think it’s home time. 😆

I think lots of people have had this experience.

My last one was a reasonable (but weighed 50lb+ or so it felt) Voodoo full suss. The pedals were a bit wobbly… the square taper BB had turned to dust.
Ah, I knew I’d kept those 3 1990s square taper XT BBs in my spares tub for a reason! Still running as smooth as when new, but none were the right size! Had to buy some cheap thing off ebay.

Its brilliant isn’t it. 5 seized links. I have freed off all the seized links and now its in the putoline – lets see how magic it is!

I’ve been astounded at how robust old 7-speed and 8-speed stuff is with steel chainrings and cassettes. I’ve sorted out some old commuter bikes that had been unridden for months or years with chains rusted solid. A good soaking in CRC, some brute force to free up the seized links, lube the cables, ride around the block, and they’re sorted. A good coating of lube and they’re good for a few more years of neglect.

This is why making friends is a bad idea though. Leading them to think that their friends are your friends is a catastrophic mistake. Next thing you know, you won’t even be able to drink a beer down the pub without strangers wanting to make conversation.

Before and after pics?

commutes 6 miles each way on it 5 days a week

she must be as fit as they come, commuting 6 miles with a seized chain. Well impressive.

The only difference with the after pic would be the chain is now black not orange!

I’ve sorted out some old commuter bikes that had been unridden for months or years with chains rusted solid.

I’m dreading when my daughter heads back to uni as her bike has been locked up outside these last few months. I can see one of our old saucepans getting repurposed

This so reminds me my experience years ago. Bloke I worked with said ” I’ve just bought a new bike could you just take a look before I ride it please”
I resisted for ages but he kept on ” You only live round the corner, I’ll make it worth your while 🤔”
Took about 1 1/2 hours of turd polishing, of course no Allen bolts, he said it came with a spanner, how quickly do they fold in half 🙄
Eventually the catalogue special overwhelmed me, I’d made it as good as I could so I walked away. He called after me” I said I’d make it worth your while ” produced a can of cider! 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 Not even decent cider at that, I could have thrown it at him! 😠

TJ- ok, thanks. Guilt assuaged!

That original picture looks rather like the boss’ winter bike here. Every April I get handed it with the instruction make it work, it’s usually around £50-£100 in trade cost parts and 3 hours labour to sort.

Apparently a rinse with the hose and then a good coating with bike-prep spray is too much like hard work after every ride!

I have got it running OK.

Good work TJ. Your halo must be shining bright.

I’m starting to think that a decent retirement plan is tinkering in the garage fixing bikes for the kids in the village. By then I hope my own kids will have learnt to fix their own bikes (and have left home).

Its happened again – another pal has asked me to look at her bike. Been in a shed for a “while” 🙂

TJ, post pics and an account of your findings!

Ian

Been in a shed for a “while” 🙂

That’s Covid for you. Some people have really been isolating… 🙃

No pictures but it was a dreadful BSO complete with those plastic brake levers! 15 mins tho and its working as well as it every has – it ad been oiled before putting away so the chain was Ok – just needed to adjust the brakes and lube the cables

My next door neighbour just asked me to ‘take a look’ at his bike.

Perished tyres, rusted wheels, spokes and cables, wildly rocking bearings. I told him I thought it would cost as much to get it running as he paid for it, and it would take me days of work if I had to do it. I don’t think he believed me.
Anyway, I pointed him in the direction of our local bike charity and recommended he donated this and bought a refurbished bike from them.

I’m dreading when my daughter heads back to uni as her bike has been locked up outside these last few months. I can see one of our old saucepans getting repurposed

It’s been 8 months but I’m no closer to riding a saucepan..

I feel your pain.

I’ve been given 4 bikes to sell for charity at work (I was supposed to be trekking in Vietnam, but Covid obv said no) and tbh I’d rather just put up what I’ll be able to sell them for myself, as they are heaps of shite.

Neighbour asked me to look at non indexing gears and she has a nice summer road bike so I said ok. Chain had no a spot of rust, mind you it was hard to see under the black greasy oily sludge. Eventually had whole drive set off trying to get back to metal. She wanted me to have a look at the other 4 bikes in the garage but I was suddenly busy.

Slightly off topic but this thread reminds me of a Facebook message I received from a friend a few years back. She wanted a bike “like yours” but was borderline shirty that she wasn’t going to pay more than £200 for it, but could I find her one?

I politely explained that if I could find a Specialized Enduro for less than £200, I wouldn’t have spent £1,500 on mine.