Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.Anthonidas
05-11-09, 10:49 PM
What's going on all?
Long story short, I'm a 22 year old USU sophomore. I've been feeling the cycling ache for a while now (I haven't ridden a bike for a good six or eight years), and I discovered an interesting fact: My dad has a relatively nice mountain bike in the shed. I took it out earlier today to find it was in rather terrible shape--he hasn't ridden or maintained the bike for years. The chain's all rusted and, well, I'd describe more about it if I knew anything at all about bikes and bike maintenance.
Point being, I'm going to restore it and start riding it; it'll be my summer project. I've spent the last few hours doing research and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the vocabulary alone, not to mention the nightmare that fixing this beast up can become, apparently. However, I am determined to learn.
My first problem is that I'm not too sure what kind of bike this is. I know it's a Schwinn, and it has to be 4 or more years old. I was not able to find a model number anywhere, so here's a pic if you guys could help identify it (as well as a pic of the tools that were attached to it in a little bag); see below.
Now, aside from the obvious chain replacement and tire inflation, I'm wondering if you guys could give me a few tips on what to look for, where to begin, and what projects a supreme newbie can start on without having to pay the LBS to do it for me (although I'm certain I'll make quite a few trips down there in the next week or two), since my ultimate goal is to learn how to fix and maintain the bike myself.
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/3023/imgp1109l.jpg
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/7821/imgp1118xvb.jpg
Long story short, I'm a 22 year old USU sophomore. I've been feeling the cycling ache for a while now (I haven't ridden a bike for a good six or eight years), and I discovered an interesting fact: My dad has a relatively nice mountain bike in the shed. I took it out earlier today to find it was in rather terrible shape--he hasn't ridden or maintained the bike for years. The chain's all rusted and, well, I'd describe more about it if I knew anything at all about bikes and bike maintenance.
Point being, I'm going to restore it and start riding it; it'll be my summer project. I've spent the last few hours doing research and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the vocabulary alone, not to mention the nightmare that fixing this beast up can become, apparently. However, I am determined to learn.
My first problem is that I'm not too sure what kind of bike this is. I know it's a Schwinn, and it has to be 4 or more years old. I was not able to find a model number anywhere, so here's a pic if you guys could help identify it (as well as a pic of the tools that were attached to it in a little bag); see below.
Now, aside from the obvious chain replacement and tire inflation, I'm wondering if you guys could give me a few tips on what to look for, where to begin, and what projects a supreme newbie can start on without having to pay the LBS to do it for me (although I'm certain I'll make quite a few trips down there in the next week or two), since my ultimate goal is to learn how to fix and maintain the bike myself.
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/3023/imgp1109l.jpg
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/7821/imgp1118xvb.jpg