General Cycling Discussion - Best way to strip and clean bike

Hi everyone,

I hope this is the correct thread to post in.
I was given an old Nishiki road bike by a friend as I want to start cycling again (mainly for transport here in Vancouver). It hasn't been ridden in about 3 years, or rarely anyhow, and it needs a good clean and tune up.

Can anyone send me a link as to how I can do this myself? - (if possible) as I'd like to learn how to do so, ideally.

It needs to be a fairly detailed site/explanation as I'm pretty much a novice.

Thanks

Hi everyone,

I hope this is the correct thread to post in.
I was given an old Nishiki road bike by a friend as I want to start cycling again (mainly for transport here in Vancouver). It hasn't been ridden in about 3 years, or rarely anyhow, and it needs a good clean and tune up.

Can anyone send me a link as to how I can do this myself? - (if possible) as I'd like to learn how to do so, ideally.

It needs to be a fairly detailed site/explanation as I'm pretty much a novice.

Thanks

Go to Cyclomania's Thread about " Painting a Road Frame with Most Parts Intact"...

Other than that, just remove all the parts. Leaving only the frame and fork. Separate the frame from the fork. Seal all holes so that paint won't go into bottom bracket, head tubes, etc.

Now follow either methods 2 or 3.

Before you do anything, take pictures of everything on the bike so you know where everything goes and what it's supposed to look like when you put it back together.

If you don't have a camera, a cell phone won't do, get one.

Tear it down, get the frame and fork powder coated. better than paint, more durable.

tear it down, get the frame and fork powder coated. Better than paint, more durable.

Ditto!

As for sites to help:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/

http://www.parktool.com/

I don't think he was talking about painting the bike. It sounds like it when he said 'strip', but I think he was talking about taking it apart.

If it ain't broke, don't worry about it yet. Get it to where it works, then little by little start taking components one at a time off so you can clean and lube them.

Spray WD-40 on bolts that you plan on taking out, but away from your chain and bottom bracket (the WD-40 would remove the lubricating grease from those). It will help a lot when is time to take them off.

Look at the stuff that if left unattended will further damage the bike; loose spokes, loose bottom bracket, play on the wheel hubs, and anything that is not tighten down.

An article about How to Properly Clean Your Bicycle from here (http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Properly-Clean-Your-Bicycle&id=5259866).

http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/FREE_SITE_1/FREE_SITE_4_WORKSHOP.htm

Park tools and Sheldon Brown as mentionwed are also great resources.