Long overdue maintainance

[TUG]

Hey guys,

Summer is coming and I love to spend most of it cycling to lose weight and generally just enjoy a tootle around too. However, my bike is in need of a lot of TLC but I don't know where to start and so on.

I'm not 100% on what the bike is I'm going to dig it out the shed in a sec and swap the inner tube out of the popped tire for a new one but my wheels aren't true and I'm pretty sure most the cables need re adjusting as the dials don't sit true to the selected gear. I'd love to take it apart and give it a good going over, I inherited it from my father when he passed away so it means a lot to me.

Where can I get information on how to set it all up properly? And can any of you give me some pointers and so on, I'd be really grateful of any help.

Thank you,
Ben
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[sabian92]

YouTube is a good place to see how things are done, usually in really poor quality videos unfortunately but better than nothing.

I use https://www.madegood.org/as well - all free and from what I've seen of it, it's pretty decent.

This walkthrough will probably give you some help as well. I've never used it but it covers the basics of building your own bike/doing a rebuild.

https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-Up-a-Bike/

[chris-red]

TBH MOST things on a bike are dead easy. You don't really need to be told how to do it most of it you can work out as you can see all the moving parts.


What sort of bike is it?

IMO if I was you I would do the following.

Remove the tyres and tubes and get the wheels trued by an LBS.
Consider replacing the rim tape if it isn't in good nick. Refit tubes and tyres.

Replace all cables they are only a quid each or so

The derailleur are usually pretty easy to set up, remove the cable then force the derailleur to move to either end of it range of movement i.e. move the chain to the highest and lowest gears make sure the chain run is smooth if it isn't adjust the H/L screws it on out to allow more of less movement.

On the rear H controls the smallest end and L the biggest on the front it is the reverse.

Once this is done I move the levers to the relaxed position (normally selecting the smaller chain ring on the front and the biggest on the back and fit the cables trying to make the cable as tight as I can without moving the derailleur. Once that is done you can dial it in with the adjuster, normally you just have to take up the slack while it is at rest (the loosest the cable is).

Consider getting a tool kit if you are going to buy buying a lot of tools.

I bought this
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=40997

Although for considerable less than what they are selling it for now. By the time you have bought a few of the speciallist tools you might as well have gotten a full kit.

This is also great value for money and will really make things easier to do work.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Folding-Cycle-Repair-Maintenance-SHIPPING/dp/B004GHF4YU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1368096797&sr=8-2&keywords=bike+stand
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