Cyclist0397

Hey everyone, new to the forums and completely new to biking in general.

First off, I've been scoping out craigslist and sales on bikes recently given the rise in gas prices and the fact I live pretty close to school and work...

I figured I'd start biking instead of driving when I'm roughly 5-6 miles from work/school.

Alot of people told me to stay away from used bikes, but someone offered me this Trek Multitrack 730 that fits me perfectly... For free! So I figured why not at the price of free. (It's from '96 if I believe? where are you bike geeks?!)

The problem is, it was once stolen and it is missing a few parts. I have a general understanding of what it needs but I am still confused on exactly what it needs or what I can upgrade and what is compatible, etc.

The bike is a 7 speed and has Shimano Alivio drivetrain components. What it is missing seems to be the shifters and cables, and the brake cables. I have a set of brake levers and the brakes are on there too, but I don't know where to buy parts.

Honestly, I do not want to take my bike into a shop, I'm more of a DIYer and I figured I'd learn more about the bike if I do more research and gather info and do it myself as safe as I can (I'm good with cars, so figuring out this on a bike shouldn't be bad).

I'm wondering if anyone can suggest shifters and cables and etc, from what I hear 7 speeds are more rare but I can find some on ebay that are new. I don't know how to do cabling but I have been googling for instructions and videos etc... Can I get an 8 speed or 9 speed shifter even if the gears are only 7 speed? How expensive would it be to upgrade to more speeds (but would I even need it given that I am just a commuter?)

Anywho, any suggestions are welcome, and again I'm trying to get this bike on the road for $100 more or less, I'm pretty open to getting this thing back up to shape! I do need a helment, rear light, and a seat also, but thats common sense, the other gear I'm unsure of. Thanks for reading I hope to hear from some of you

bigbossman 

Where are you located? If by chance in the SF Bay Area, drop me a PM.

caloso

If there is a bike co-op or "bike kitchen" in your locale try there.

kramnnim

You generally can't mix 8/9sp with 7... If you upgraded to 8/9, you'd need to replace the chain, rear cassette, and rear hub/wheel/freehub... You probably wouldn't benefit a lot from the added speeds...unless you're in a hilly area, or something.

Cables are easy to find...I think even Walmart has them, not the best quality of course, but they'd work... if you want to spend a little more, you could get a set online...something like Avid, or Jagwire...

Ashen

If you can find a used set of 7 speed shifters you will be in great shape. The 730 should be a nice commuting bike. Local bike co-op, or craigslist, etc, will get you back on the road.

CACycling

You can also get a set of friction thumb shifters and not have to worry about number of gears (I've got them on my MTB and they work fine and are easier to set up than indexed). A full set of brake and shifter cables with housing can be had from WalMart for $5. I assume you will need tires and tubes. There are a lot of options and there are a lot of decent tires for $15 or less (I like Performance Bike Shops VersaTrac/Ks for all around use). Make sure the brake pads are OK. Park Tools site has a lot of good info as does Sheldon Brown's site. You may find yourself needing a tool or two to do some of the work yourself but if you buy them as you need them it isn't too bad. It can be a lot of fun working on bikes and it is nice to know how they work in case you are on the road and have a problem.

cny-bikeman

Forget about upgrading to 9-10 sp rear cog. Get some help to find used compatible shifters and get the cables set up and adjusted, tune up the bike and ride it. There's no way to explain fully what to do in a thread. Get a repair manual/video as well as in person help and you should have no problem getting on the road for under $100.

kycycler

Shimano makes an integrated shifter/brake that is 7 speed rapid fire style. This should work, Retail is about $38.00, comes with cables and housing. Any good shop can get the parts and install them .

tellyho

Best way to fix is to read a lot:

https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/338432-new-posters-please-read.html

Specifcally, Sheldon's site and Park are great fix-up references.

Joshua A.C. New

This is a great first project.

Cyclist0397

Thanks everyone for the reply. Sorry it took me so long I've been super busy!

But I ordered some parts after doing research and watching tons of videos on the net.

I ordered the SHIMANO ST-EF50 shift/brake lever set for 7 speeds. The combo appealed to me, and though a friend told me it might be difficult to connect the cables, it doesn't seem any more difficult than it is doing it individually.

The tires actually have a decent amount of tread on them, there's a safe amount. I did order new tubes "just in case." I just got a pump today and pumped them up to 70-80PSI which seems to be good for hybrid tires? Doesn't sound like they're leaking so they should be good to go =)

I unfortunately ordered a bike seat post and it's too big =( Does anyone know what size would fit my bike? I don't know if most hybrids have a standard or if the standard is set by the manufacture (trek) or if it just varies bike to bike...

Besides that I'm pretty excited to receive the second package Wednesday so I do all of this and I'll be back if I need anymore help

kevbo

Tires: With your bike, the concern is not the amount of tread, but the condition of the rubber. Look for cracking, or if the tread feels hard an slick rather than soft and grippy. For pavement, slicks will pedal the easiest if you decide to replace them.

A leak you can hear will flat the tire in less than an hour. You won't hear typical slow leaks. If you have to pump up the tires every day, then you will have to pull the tube out, inflate it, and hold it under water to find the leak(s).

There are so many standards for seat post diameter, that there might as well be none! Bike frames were once mostly built with fittings at the joints called "lugs" (some expensive ones still are). By using stronger steel, the tube walls could be thinner (and thus lighter). But to avoid the need for special lugs, the outside diameter was kept the same. Thus the inside diameter of the tubing varied, and that is what the seatpost needed to fit. Take it to a bike shop and they will size it for you. If you can't find the correct size seatpost for your frame, you may need to use the next smaller size and a shim to make it fit.

Thumpic

"you tube" has piles of bike repair videos too..................

Camilo

Sometimes it's worth it to get a real book for stuff like this. A good one will be comprehensive so it will answer the questions you have and the ones you find out you have as you're working along. There are diagrams and simple explanations on what to look for, how to measure, etc. You can have it right there open in front of you as you're working and it will give step by step instructions. It could very well be much more efficient than getting info on the web.

You'll notice that professional mechanics still use service manuals rather than surfing the web. Yes, the info is on the web, but not necessarily the most efficient way to get it.

It might be worth while investing $25 in a good repair manual. I believe the Zinn books have a good reputation, but you should go to a large book store and page through a couple and see if it would be worth buying one.

mishmashmusic

Here's a book I've learned a lot from...

https://www.amazon.com/Bicycling-Comp...3840142&sr=8-2

Joshua A.C. New

That one's proven to be my favorite, too. The Park one, for some reason, just doesn't say what I need to know when I'm looking through it. Plus, the Park one's got typos, which reduces my faith in it. It's not terrible, but the Bicycling Magazine one is really good.

Cyclist0397

Thanks for the tips! But honestly, I'm a very DIY kind of guy, even if you end up screwing things up!

I've built and fixed numerous computers since I was like 8 (I'm turning 20 this month but they thats still impressive) and I'm quite the computer geek, I love working on my car, painting things, taking apart things, building things... And really I learn best by getting hands on. I might take it to a bike shop this weekend to get some help but maybe I'll stop in borders and give a quick read on some important chapters. I think I've got a decent grip on installing cables...

How does everyone handle flat/punctured tubes? Just curious... Do you keep spare tubes with you? Do you like the "self healers" until you can replace them when you're home? Are there special tools I should need? (I bought a general pocket tool kit for bikes but I'm sure there are plenty other useful tools)

I'm also looking to clean this up (since my second package arrives tomorrow). What the best solution to use to clean the frame? What about things like the chain and cassette? I have bought some Tri-flow but I'd like to hear all the info I can get! THanks

Joshua A.C. New

Wait... what's not DIY here? You need to learn it yourself before you do it yourself.

Brian C.

https://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/B...=730&Type=bike

according to bikepedia your seatpost Dia. is 27.2mm

btw i have a '92 Trek 730 multitrack, it's a great bike, and worth the effort of fixing up.

johnlyons53

At the minimum carry a spare tube, tire levers, and multitool in a wedgie pack under the seat. You'll want a frame pump also. That'll take care of the flat you're going to get sooner or later. You could also throw in a patch kit for the time you get a second flat or pinch the tube installing it on the side of the road. Add fenders if it's going to be your daily driver. Enjoy.

operator

Which are relatively worthless.

Cyclist0397

You pretty much rock.

Of COURSE thers a bikepedia... How did I miss that? =P

By the way, I'm quite proud of myself, I've never really TOUCHED a bike and I've done research and learned how to install the shifters, cables and adjust the derailleurs in a simple sense. It's wants to overshift between 3-5 gears so I will need to adjust until I get it right. I've been reading the Park Tool website, so thanks for that resource!

I wanna get this guy up and running next week! =)