Finished my project bike! - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

02-24-2005, 08:05 AM

I was given a mountain bike in pretty sorry condition as a project bike. I
stripped it down to the empty frame and rebuilt it one piece at a time (with
the help of some bicycle repair books). Along the way I learned a ton about
how bikes are put together and some of the little "tricks" to getting them
to work right. Yesterday, I finished putting the new cables on the
derailleurs and I actually got them to work correctly!

I highly recommend this approach to learning how to work on a bike. By
removing a lot of the tension involved in working on a good bike, I wasn't
afraid to goof it up. But, now, I have confidence I could replace the
cables and cable housing on my good bike. I now see the way to fix that
front derailleur that has been auto-shifting from the middle chainring to
the granny gear by itself. And, as a bonus, I have a sense of
self-satisfaction that comes from working with my hands and brain to create
something of value---that actually works!

Don't get me wrong---I am not an accomplished "wrench" after doing this. I
spent about $100 on tools and supplies, and it took about 2 weeks to do,
working in spare time. Still, I have a good, workable, front-suspension
mountain bike without rust and grime on it. Everything works!

Pat in TX

02-24-2005, 08:31 AM

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 10:05:35 -0600, "Pat" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>I was given a mountain bike in pretty sorry condition as a project bike. I
>stripped it down to the empty frame and rebuilt it one piece at a time (with
>the help of some bicycle repair books). Along the way I learned a ton about
>how bikes are put together and some of the little "tricks" to getting them
>to work right. Yesterday, I finished putting the new cables on the
>derailleurs and I actually got them to work correctly!
>
>I highly recommend this approach to learning how to work on a bike. By
>removing a lot of the tension involved in working on a good bike, I wasn't
>afraid to goof it up. But, now, I have confidence I could replace the
>cables and cable housing on my good bike. I now see the way to fix that
>front derailleur that has been auto-shifting from the middle chainring to
>the granny gear by itself. And, as a bonus, I have a sense of
>self-satisfaction that comes from working with my hands and brain to create
>something of value---that actually works!
>
>Don't get me wrong---I am not an accomplished "wrench" after doing this. I
>spent about $100 on tools and supplies, and it took about 2 weeks to do,
>working in spare time. Still, I have a good, workable, front-suspension
>mountain bike without rust and grime on it. Everything works!
>
>Pat in TX
>

Excellent idea. I don't even have to go far to find a junker. There
are one or two in my garage.

02-24-2005, 08:31 AM

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 10:05:35 -0600, "Pat" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>I was given a mountain bike in pretty sorry condition as a project bike. I
>stripped it down to the empty frame and rebuilt it one piece at a time (with
>the help of some bicycle repair books). Along the way I learned a ton about
>how bikes are put together and some of the little "tricks" to getting them
>to work right. Yesterday, I finished putting the new cables on the
>derailleurs and I actually got them to work correctly!
>
>I highly recommend this approach to learning how to work on a bike. By
>removing a lot of the tension involved in working on a good bike, I wasn't
>afraid to goof it up. But, now, I have confidence I could replace the
>cables and cable housing on my good bike. I now see the way to fix that
>front derailleur that has been auto-shifting from the middle chainring to
>the granny gear by itself. And, as a bonus, I have a sense of
>self-satisfaction that comes from working with my hands and brain to create
>something of value---that actually works!
>
>Don't get me wrong---I am not an accomplished "wrench" after doing this. I
>spent about $100 on tools and supplies, and it took about 2 weeks to do,
>working in spare time. Still, I have a good, workable, front-suspension
>mountain bike without rust and grime on it. Everything works!
>
>Pat in TX
>

Excellent idea. I don't even have to go far to find a junker. There
are one or two in my garage.

02-24-2005, 09:15 AM

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 10:05:35 -0600, "Pat" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>I was given a mountain bike in pretty sorry condition as a project bike. I
>stripped it down to the empty frame and rebuilt it one piece at a time (with
>the help of some bicycle repair books). Along the way I learned a ton about
>how bikes are put together and some of the little "tricks" to getting them
>to work right. Yesterday, I finished putting the new cables on the
>derailleurs and I actually got them to work correctly!

Yeah!

>I highly recommend this approach to learning how to work on a bike. By
>removing a lot of the tension involved in working on a good bike, I wasn't
>afraid to goof it up. But, now, I have confidence I could replace the
>cables and cable housing on my good bike. I now see the way to fix that
>front derailleur that has been auto-shifting from the middle chainring to
>the granny gear by itself. And, as a bonus, I have a sense of
>self-satisfaction that comes from working with my hands and brain to create
>something of value---that actually works!

Yeah!

>Don't get me wrong---I am not an accomplished "wrench" after doing this. I
>spent about $100 on tools and supplies, and it took about 2 weeks to do,
>working in spare time. Still, I have a good, workable, front-suspension
>mountain bike without rust and grime on it. Everything works!

Yeah!

Great way to start: Be brave, it's already broke.

Another convert to the DIY way of truth and beauty.

Ron

02-24-2005, 09:15 AM

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 10:05:35 -0600, "Pat" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>I was given a mountain bike in pretty sorry condition as a project bike. I
>stripped it down to the empty frame and rebuilt it one piece at a time (with
>the help of some bicycle repair books). Along the way I learned a ton about
>how bikes are put together and some of the little "tricks" to getting them
>to work right. Yesterday, I finished putting the new cables on the
>derailleurs and I actually got them to work correctly!

Yeah!

>I highly recommend this approach to learning how to work on a bike. By
>removing a lot of the tension involved in working on a good bike, I wasn't
>afraid to goof it up. But, now, I have confidence I could replace the
>cables and cable housing on my good bike. I now see the way to fix that
>front derailleur that has been auto-shifting from the middle chainring to
>the granny gear by itself. And, as a bonus, I have a sense of
>self-satisfaction that comes from working with my hands and brain to create
>something of value---that actually works!

Yeah!

>Don't get me wrong---I am not an accomplished "wrench" after doing this. I
>spent about $100 on tools and supplies, and it took about 2 weeks to do,
>working in spare time. Still, I have a good, workable, front-suspension
>mountain bike without rust and grime on it. Everything works!

Yeah!

Great way to start: Be brave, it's already broke.

Another convert to the DIY way of truth and beauty.

Ron

02-24-2005, 09:44 AM

Pat wrote:
> I was given a mountain bike in pretty sorry condition as a project
bike. I
> stripped it down to the empty frame and rebuilt it one piece at a
time (with
> the help of some bicycle repair books). Along the way I learned a
ton about
> how bikes are put together and some of the little "tricks" to getting
them
> to work right. Yesterday, I finished putting the new cables on the
> derailleurs and I actually got them to work correctly!
>
> I highly recommend this approach to learning how to work on a bike.
By
> removing a lot of the tension involved in working on a good bike, I
wasn't
> afraid to goof it up. But, now, I have confidence I could replace
the
> cables and cable housing on my good bike. I now see the way to fix
that
> front derailleur that has been auto-shifting from the middle
chainring to
> the granny gear by itself. And, as a bonus, I have a sense of
> self-satisfaction that comes from working with my hands and brain to
create
> something of value---that actually works!
>
> Don't get me wrong---I am not an accomplished "wrench" after doing
this. I
> spent about $100 on tools and supplies, and it took about 2 weeks to
do,
> working in spare time. Still, I have a good, workable,
front-suspension
> mountain bike without rust and grime on it. Everything works!
>
> Pat in TX

That is so cool! Congratulations, Pat!

02-24-2005, 09:44 AM

Pat wrote:
> I was given a mountain bike in pretty sorry condition as a project
bike. I
> stripped it down to the empty frame and rebuilt it one piece at a
time (with
> the help of some bicycle repair books). Along the way I learned a
ton about
> how bikes are put together and some of the little "tricks" to getting
them
> to work right. Yesterday, I finished putting the new cables on the
> derailleurs and I actually got them to work correctly!
>
> I highly recommend this approach to learning how to work on a bike.
By
> removing a lot of the tension involved in working on a good bike, I
wasn't
> afraid to goof it up. But, now, I have confidence I could replace
the
> cables and cable housing on my good bike. I now see the way to fix
that
> front derailleur that has been auto-shifting from the middle
chainring to
> the granny gear by itself. And, as a bonus, I have a sense of
> self-satisfaction that comes from working with my hands and brain to
create
> something of value---that actually works!
>
> Don't get me wrong---I am not an accomplished "wrench" after doing
this. I
> spent about $100 on tools and supplies, and it took about 2 weeks to
do,
> working in spare time. Still, I have a good, workable,
front-suspension
> mountain bike without rust and grime on it. Everything works!
>
> Pat in TX

That is so cool! Congratulations, Pat!

02-24-2005, 09:48 AM

Yeah I agree with you Pat! I went one step further and cut up two old bikes
and built myself a short wheel based recumbent!
And yeah you definately will learn alot, I know I did.

Ken

"marco007esq" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:1109267065.049528.34320@o13g2000cwo.googlegro ups.com...
>
> Pat wrote:
> > I was given a mountain bike in pretty sorry condition as a project
> bike. I
> > stripped it down to the empty frame and rebuilt it one piece at a
> time (with
> > the help of some bicycle repair books). Along the way I learned a
> ton about
> > how bikes are put together and some of the little "tricks" to getting
> them
> > to work right. Yesterday, I finished putting the new cables on the
> > derailleurs and I actually got them to work correctly!
> >
> > I highly recommend this approach to learning how to work on a bike.
> By
> > removing a lot of the tension involved in working on a good bike, I
> wasn't
> > afraid to goof it up. But, now, I have confidence I could replace
> the
> > cables and cable housing on my good bike. I now see the way to fix
> that
> > front derailleur that has been auto-shifting from the middle
> chainring to
> > the granny gear by itself. And, as a bonus, I have a sense of
> > self-satisfaction that comes from working with my hands and brain to
> create
> > something of value---that actually works!
> >
> > Don't get me wrong---I am not an accomplished "wrench" after doing
> this. I
> > spent about $100 on tools and supplies, and it took about 2 weeks to
> do,
> > working in spare time. Still, I have a good, workable,
> front-suspension
> > mountain bike without rust and grime on it. Everything works!
> >
> > Pat in TX
>
> That is so cool! Congratulations, Pat!
>

02-24-2005, 09:48 AM

Yeah I agree with you Pat! I went one step further and cut up two old bikes
and built myself a short wheel based recumbent!
And yeah you definately will learn alot, I know I did.

Ken

"marco007esq" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:1109267065.049528.34320@o13g2000cwo.googlegro ups.com...
>
> Pat wrote:
> > I was given a mountain bike in pretty sorry condition as a project
> bike. I
> > stripped it down to the empty frame and rebuilt it one piece at a
> time (with
> > the help of some bicycle repair books). Along the way I learned a
> ton about
> > how bikes are put together and some of the little "tricks" to getting
> them
> > to work right. Yesterday, I finished putting the new cables on the
> > derailleurs and I actually got them to work correctly!
> >
> > I highly recommend this approach to learning how to work on a bike.
> By
> > removing a lot of the tension involved in working on a good bike, I
> wasn't
> > afraid to goof it up. But, now, I have confidence I could replace
> the
> > cables and cable housing on my good bike. I now see the way to fix
> that
> > front derailleur that has been auto-shifting from the middle
> chainring to
> > the granny gear by itself. And, as a bonus, I have a sense of
> > self-satisfaction that comes from working with my hands and brain to
> create
> > something of value---that actually works!
> >
> > Don't get me wrong---I am not an accomplished "wrench" after doing
> this. I
> > spent about $100 on tools and supplies, and it took about 2 weeks to
> do,
> > working in spare time. Still, I have a good, workable,
> front-suspension
> > mountain bike without rust and grime on it. Everything works!
> >
> > Pat in TX
>
> That is so cool! Congratulations, Pat!
>

02-24-2005, 01:38 PM

Thu, 24 Feb 2005 10:05:35 -0600, <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
"Pat" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> concluded:
\snip
>
>Don't get me wrong---I am not an accomplished "wrench" after doing this. I
>spent about $100 on tools and supplies, and it took about 2 weeks to do,
>working in spare time. Still, I have a good, workable, front-suspension
>mountain bike without rust and grime on it. Everything works!

Congratulations on a good job well done!

After that bike is long gone you'll still have the knowledge.
Rebuilding salvaged bikes is rewarding on so many levels watch out you
don't become obsessed with it. That's when storage becomes a problem.

Now that you have the tools it's amazing how quickly the odd-bits
multiply for the next project bike.
--
zk