The bike works (touch wood) - so now it's time to go and ride it to places.
I have to say I was a little nervous when first setting off into traffic on a bike again. I rarely rode on anything other than country lanes, and relatively quiet towns were about as hectic as I encountered back in the day.
Since then I have had a motor bike and several cars - so am aware that there are very real dangers out there for the uninitiated.
I figure that staying safe on a bike is a similar principle whether you are powered by an engine, or your legs. In my opinion, the best thing you can do is be aware - anticipate problems and ride with confidence. Owning your own piece of road, while being mindful that some other road users are insanely impatient, and choosing a window to let them by - that is also safe for you - is sometimes just a case of holding your nerve, but figuring out your escape route is not always a bad plan!
It has truly amazed me how few people are wearing bike helmets while riding round the city streets.
In order that I was suitably petrified before I went back out onto the roads, I went and frayed my nerves by typing 'cycle crash' into Youtube - this was silly, but I just could not resist.
One of the first videos I watched was a really nasty one (link here - but be advised, there is blood and it's not nice viewing). As the rider in the video hit the tarmac, I got a full sensory flash back - I could smell the unmistakable smell of tarmac at close proximity - and feel the heat of fresh skin sliding across it - and just how hard a road surface is when you fall onto it. Moments later I was compelled to head once more to the cycle shop to invest in a decent helmet and a pair of gloves, just in case gravity decides to give me a quick reminder of who is the boss.
I had borrowed an old brain bucket that my dad had lying around when first retrieving the bike from its slumber, but immediately found that it was past its best. The straps did not stay done up, and it was not the best fit to start with - and would be akin to the usefulness of a chocolate fire guard in any unfortunate circumstance. So a new bonce protector is a must for me. My skid lid of choice is a Bell XLV - so far it has been great - light with enough ventilation that even in my un-bike-fit state I have not yet boiled over.
Tuesday, 29 May 2012
Monday, 28 May 2012
Riding to work
While trying to become a cyclist again, I have found some interesting stuff on the web. I have plans to start riding to work, and on that note I have found this great publication on www.issuu.com.
Its US based, but the principals still work for the UK and indeed the rest of the world. Its a very interesting read with some really fantastic photography and design, and sums up how I am feeling about getting back on my bike at the moment. This is not the only publication by this obviously talented designer - for more, have a look at katiekingrumford.
Its US based, but the principals still work for the UK and indeed the rest of the world. Its a very interesting read with some really fantastic photography and design, and sums up how I am feeling about getting back on my bike at the moment. This is not the only publication by this obviously talented designer - for more, have a look at katiekingrumford.
moving not stopping - stopping not moving!
It appears in my haste to get back on the road again, I have neglected one very critical part of the process.
Brakes are very useful things if you want to survive the open road. I had set the brakes up so they apparently worked well (with shiny new cables), but it appears that the life expectancy of a almost new (in terms of ware), but 14 year old set of brake blocks is about two days - or 8 miles, before they are turned to dust. Fortunately my carelessness did not result in finding this out while at high speed and was drama free.
It seems there is not a whole lot of choice when it comes to replacement cantilever brake blocks. After checking a few suppliers online, I found that the actual shops in my area only stocked one type of block that would fit my somewhat antique set up. Furnished with new front and rear braking power from a set of Aztec Control Canti B Blocks - the bike stops properly again.
The bike may stop, but now it is refusing to go!
Believing I was now in possession of a fully functional bike once more, I set out on my first proper ride in over a decade. Half way through my 18 mile loop I noticed the pedal was grinding a bit. A few miles (and hills) later it seized completely. Cue a new and interesting riding style that involved a constantly fluctuating foot position, some strange looks and a bit of pushing for safeties sake once I hit heavier traffic.
On closer inspection once home and dry, I can see that my freshly serviced pedals have a problem that I had missed. Two almost inperceptable ball bearing shaped dents in the inner side of the bearing race are causing all sorts of two at a time issues.
The pedal is a lost cause (the inner race is part of the pedal body), so a new set have been sourced and fitted. Hopefully this time I will manage more than 26 miles before something else falls off or decides it would rather be a static object than a moving component. Such are the joys of getting long term unloved machinery in working order again.
Brakes are very useful things if you want to survive the open road. I had set the brakes up so they apparently worked well (with shiny new cables), but it appears that the life expectancy of a almost new (in terms of ware), but 14 year old set of brake blocks is about two days - or 8 miles, before they are turned to dust. Fortunately my carelessness did not result in finding this out while at high speed and was drama free.
It seems there is not a whole lot of choice when it comes to replacement cantilever brake blocks. After checking a few suppliers online, I found that the actual shops in my area only stocked one type of block that would fit my somewhat antique set up. Furnished with new front and rear braking power from a set of Aztec Control Canti B Blocks - the bike stops properly again.
The bike may stop, but now it is refusing to go!
Believing I was now in possession of a fully functional bike once more, I set out on my first proper ride in over a decade. Half way through my 18 mile loop I noticed the pedal was grinding a bit. A few miles (and hills) later it seized completely. Cue a new and interesting riding style that involved a constantly fluctuating foot position, some strange looks and a bit of pushing for safeties sake once I hit heavier traffic.
On closer inspection once home and dry, I can see that my freshly serviced pedals have a problem that I had missed. Two almost inperceptable ball bearing shaped dents in the inner side of the bearing race are causing all sorts of two at a time issues.
The pedal is a lost cause (the inner race is part of the pedal body), so a new set have been sourced and fitted. Hopefully this time I will manage more than 26 miles before something else falls off or decides it would rather be a static object than a moving component. Such are the joys of getting long term unloved machinery in working order again.
Saturday, 26 May 2012
Its working!
It all works! New crank fitted, new cassette on the back, new chain, new cables and borrowed wheels and tyres. Pedals, headset, bottom bracket front and rear mech have all been taken off treated to a liberal coating of grease or oil. Brakes and gears adjusted.
Turn pedals - bike moves! Move shifters - gears change! Pull leavers - bike stops! What more could you want.
Its amazing how the familiar sensations and sounds that were so easily forgotten over time come straight back to you. All this time, somewhere in the recesses of my mind have lurked the familiar hum of the tyres on the road - fluctuating with every pedal stroke, the exhilarating rush of air past your ears as you collect speed, the clunk and clicks of the gears as you shift (precision clunks and clicks obviously), the noise of the freewheel ticking away and letting you know that you can stop peddling for a few seconds!
Today the sun is shining, I am back on my bike and I feel free! Today is a good day.
Turn pedals - bike moves! Move shifters - gears change! Pull leavers - bike stops! What more could you want.
Its amazing how the familiar sensations and sounds that were so easily forgotten over time come straight back to you. All this time, somewhere in the recesses of my mind have lurked the familiar hum of the tyres on the road - fluctuating with every pedal stroke, the exhilarating rush of air past your ears as you collect speed, the clunk and clicks of the gears as you shift (precision clunks and clicks obviously), the noise of the freewheel ticking away and letting you know that you can stop peddling for a few seconds!
Today the sun is shining, I am back on my bike and I feel free! Today is a good day.
Thursday, 24 May 2012
Almost road worthy again
Finally located a left hand crank that will fit the bike, courtesy of my local Leisure Lakes bike shop. They were really helpful, and after having a look at the bike managed to track one down in the stock room straight away. One step closer to fully operational. Just need to take the pedals off and give them a service to see if I can get them spinning freely again, fit the other parts I have tracked down - then give the bike a once over to make sure nothing else is going to fall off and I should be riding again!
Shopping lists and left hand cranks
The bike moves - but is not really safe to use yet. After a quick visit to a few local bike shops I have managed to get hold of a new rear cassette and spacer so the gears and cogs will match.
I have also bought and replaced all the cables on the bike after snapping the front and rear brake cables on my first test ride.
The main problem is getting hold of a left hand crank. I have got a few strange looks when asking for 'just the left side'. I have considered swapping out the whole front drive train with one from another old bike that was sharing garage space with mine - but have found that nothing is compatible due to the very small front cog set on the bike compounded by the bottom bracket mounted front mech.
To use the kit from the donor bike would mean swapping out - the front cogs, front mech, bottom bracket, cranks and pedals. I would also have to change the shifters to match the new kit, the brake levers on my bike are a one piece, so they would have to swapped too - and for good measure the rear derailleur would also have to be swapped to match the new shifters. After closer inspection I have also noticed that the front mech on my bike is top loading - and the donor bike is bottom. There are no set cable routes on the bottom of my bike - so buying a new front mech is going to be easier than trying to fit these.
I would gain a few extra gears for all this trauma - but I think on balance I would prefer to have a few more strange looks from bike shops a find a compatible crank!
I have also bought and replaced all the cables on the bike after snapping the front and rear brake cables on my first test ride.
The main problem is getting hold of a left hand crank. I have got a few strange looks when asking for 'just the left side'. I have considered swapping out the whole front drive train with one from another old bike that was sharing garage space with mine - but have found that nothing is compatible due to the very small front cog set on the bike compounded by the bottom bracket mounted front mech.
To use the kit from the donor bike would mean swapping out - the front cogs, front mech, bottom bracket, cranks and pedals. I would also have to change the shifters to match the new kit, the brake levers on my bike are a one piece, so they would have to swapped too - and for good measure the rear derailleur would also have to be swapped to match the new shifters. After closer inspection I have also noticed that the front mech on my bike is top loading - and the donor bike is bottom. There are no set cable routes on the bottom of my bike - so buying a new front mech is going to be easier than trying to fit these.
I would gain a few extra gears for all this trauma - but I think on balance I would prefer to have a few more strange looks from bike shops a find a compatible crank!
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Getting tooled up
Its been so long since I took a bike apart, I had forgotten that almost every component has its own specific tool in order for you remove anything.
My bike mechanics is a little rusty - but I remember the basics - and the big advantage now compared to 14 years ago is the internet - within seconds you can find and be involved in a bike repair refresher course on youtube or a magnitude of other excellent bike specific sites. I even found some make and model specific info on www.retrobike.co.uk.
Getting the crank off is my first challenge - the video below from youtube was massively helpful.
My bike mechanics is a little rusty - but I remember the basics - and the big advantage now compared to 14 years ago is the internet - within seconds you can find and be involved in a bike repair refresher course on youtube or a magnitude of other excellent bike specific sites. I even found some make and model specific info on www.retrobike.co.uk.
Getting the crank off is my first challenge - the video below from youtube was massively helpful.
Monday, 21 May 2012
The re-build challenge
So, the re-build is underway. The bike now actually moves but not convincingly!
There is a major problem with the crank - bottom bracket and pedals. I spent a little time re-adjusting the brakes to work with the new borrowed rims - rolled down the road to see how they worked and promptly snapped both brake cables (I have seen some sites that recommend you swap brake cables out every year regardless of use, and now I can see why). The brake blocks look new, but not sure if they will be any good after all this time.
I have too many gears on the borrowed back wheel for the old shifters, so I am going to have to get a new rear cassette at some point, and I think judging by the somewhat solid consistency of the chain a new one of those is going to be on the list too. Hopefully a industrial size pot of bike grease, a couple of tools and a little time will be able to sort most of the rest - but we shall see.
The challenge
Looking around on the web I was amazed at how cheaply you can actually buy a bike now. I have set my self the challenge to get the old machine running in the same budget that buying a new one would set me back (and hopefully end up with something as good or better than buying new.
The best deal I have spotted so far was on the Halfords online bike shop - and will only leave me UK£69.99 to play with - Considering this is the price of a fairly decent looking adult bike, I don't think I will look any harder for one cheaper - this may actually be a lot harder than I thought!
There is a major problem with the crank - bottom bracket and pedals. I spent a little time re-adjusting the brakes to work with the new borrowed rims - rolled down the road to see how they worked and promptly snapped both brake cables (I have seen some sites that recommend you swap brake cables out every year regardless of use, and now I can see why). The brake blocks look new, but not sure if they will be any good after all this time.
I have too many gears on the borrowed back wheel for the old shifters, so I am going to have to get a new rear cassette at some point, and I think judging by the somewhat solid consistency of the chain a new one of those is going to be on the list too. Hopefully a industrial size pot of bike grease, a couple of tools and a little time will be able to sort most of the rest - but we shall see.
The challenge
Looking around on the web I was amazed at how cheaply you can actually buy a bike now. I have set my self the challenge to get the old machine running in the same budget that buying a new one would set me back (and hopefully end up with something as good or better than buying new.
The best deal I have spotted so far was on the Halfords online bike shop - and will only leave me UK£69.99 to play with - Considering this is the price of a fairly decent looking adult bike, I don't think I will look any harder for one cheaper - this may actually be a lot harder than I thought!
Friday, 18 May 2012
We can re-build it, we have the technology
So, after peeling back over a decades worth of dust and grime from the bike with the use of a pressure washer and some engine cleaner I can finally see exactly what I am dealing with. The first issue of wheels has been solved when my brother kindly donated a set of old ones that he had 'surplus to requirement'. The bike now at least looks like a bike again - although the wheels are probably worth more than the sum of the rest of its parts.
I should explain that my ride was retired all those years ago after I managed to crash it - in a big way.
It was a regular occurrence back in the day for a group of us to disappear into the countryside in various parts of the UK for a weekend away biking. It was on one of these trips when my ambition clearly out weighed my skill on a kicker jump at the bottom of a long steep hill. I remember taking off - I remember being upside down, and the clear thought in my head that this was not going to end well!
When I had stopped kart wheeling and finally slid to a stop several meters later, I found that indeed it had not. I got off rather lightly with a dislocated shoulder and a few cuts and brusies - but the bike had faired slightly worse.
Most of the rear spokes were gone or bent - the rear derailleur had found its way through them before being torn off and travelling round the chain smashing the front mech too!
The bike had gone sideways, and started to low side me (with the rear wheel locked by the carnage) - that is until the off slide pedal dug in, changing the plan to a high side. The impact had bent the crank and left a crack right across the back of it.
As well as all of this, the handle bars had done a 360, taking off a lot of the paint from the top of the frame and bending them into a new and interesting shape in the process. The front wheel was also somewhat banana shaped, as was the rear brake lever.
The only plus for me here, is that I bought most of the replacement parts and had actually started to fit them in the weeks after the crash. I was still a little sore in the shoulder, so riding off road was out for a few weeks, and at the time I had just bought my first motorbike. As I let the engine dictate my routes more and more, the bike never did make it back to a fully operational state - until now that is.
I should explain that my ride was retired all those years ago after I managed to crash it - in a big way.
It was a regular occurrence back in the day for a group of us to disappear into the countryside in various parts of the UK for a weekend away biking. It was on one of these trips when my ambition clearly out weighed my skill on a kicker jump at the bottom of a long steep hill. I remember taking off - I remember being upside down, and the clear thought in my head that this was not going to end well!
When I had stopped kart wheeling and finally slid to a stop several meters later, I found that indeed it had not. I got off rather lightly with a dislocated shoulder and a few cuts and brusies - but the bike had faired slightly worse.
Most of the rear spokes were gone or bent - the rear derailleur had found its way through them before being torn off and travelling round the chain smashing the front mech too!
The bike had gone sideways, and started to low side me (with the rear wheel locked by the carnage) - that is until the off slide pedal dug in, changing the plan to a high side. The impact had bent the crank and left a crack right across the back of it.
As well as all of this, the handle bars had done a 360, taking off a lot of the paint from the top of the frame and bending them into a new and interesting shape in the process. The front wheel was also somewhat banana shaped, as was the rear brake lever.
The only plus for me here, is that I bought most of the replacement parts and had actually started to fit them in the weeks after the crash. I was still a little sore in the shoulder, so riding off road was out for a few weeks, and at the time I had just bought my first motorbike. As I let the engine dictate my routes more and more, the bike never did make it back to a fully operational state - until now that is.
Thursday, 17 May 2012
Time is not always a healer
I can confirm that 14 years at the back of a garage, under piles of boxes, bits of wood and other forgotten bits of life's lost paraphernalia - does not do bikes any particular favours. The first part of my journey back into biking is to have a bike that moves. Rather essential to this idea is wheels - and that is the first of a somewhat long list of issues that stand between me standing looking at some bits of metal that have the potential to be a bike, and me actually having one!
When first looking at my old machine I must say the idea to just get a new one and start from scratch did cross my mind, and I am sure that as I put new parts on and others fall off (which I remember being a somewhat regular occurrence, even when the bike was in what you might call one piece all those years ago), the decision to rebuild rather than replace may be one that I come to regret, but a new bike would just not be the same, I have a lot of happy memories with this bike, we have done a lot of miles together and I feel like the old girl deserves another chance. Besides, where am I going to find another set of the classic "Mint Sauce" stickers from the mid nineties!
When first looking at my old machine I must say the idea to just get a new one and start from scratch did cross my mind, and I am sure that as I put new parts on and others fall off (which I remember being a somewhat regular occurrence, even when the bike was in what you might call one piece all those years ago), the decision to rebuild rather than replace may be one that I come to regret, but a new bike would just not be the same, I have a lot of happy memories with this bike, we have done a lot of miles together and I feel like the old girl deserves another chance. Besides, where am I going to find another set of the classic "Mint Sauce" stickers from the mid nineties!
Welcome to The Second Cycle.
In the past few weeks I have resurrected a old friend. A Saracen Hardtrax mountain bike first purchased almost 17 years ago. This once faithful travelling companion has been languishing at the back of a garage for a good 14 years, progressively decomposing back into its original elemental state - that is until a flight of fancy, a nostalgic synapsis firing (and to be honest the price of petrol) must have coincided with some kind of planetary alignment and the decision to save the bike and re-kindle my old passion of riding up and down steep hills in the middle of nowhere was taken. I hope to once again be a cyclist!
The climate for cycling seems to have changed a lot since I last used peddle power (I am definitely older, and hopefully even a little wiser), and in this blog I hope to share some thoughts about whats changed and what is the same, and what cycling is like the second time round.
The climate for cycling seems to have changed a lot since I last used peddle power (I am definitely older, and hopefully even a little wiser), and in this blog I hope to share some thoughts about whats changed and what is the same, and what cycling is like the second time round.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)