NyteBlade

Sorry about the vagueness of the topic. You guys have been an awesome help before, so I've come for another consultation so to speak. First off, this bike is probably from the stone age. I have no idea when ANYTHING has been replaced besides the tubes. After adjusting the actual gear tensions, I had a few majors problems...
1) The front derailleur would not actually go far enough to move the gear shift to the larger cassette (hah, learning terminology!)
2) The bike would actually get stuck in between gears and make a really nasty grinding sound. I'm not too sure if this is bad, or simply the downfall of the black lever-type shifters that just slide up and down.
3) The bike would ghost shift every once in awhile, and even a normal shift sounded/felt pretty clunky.

I think the bike probably needs a new chain and certainly needs to have a lot of oil dumped on it as it hasn't received any TLC for years. I decided to start by adjusting the front derailleur tension so it moved far enough to shift to the higher cassete. It worked for about 5 minutes riding around, and then this...

I know that's a bad picture, but the chain literally somehow came off the casette and got wedged in between the casette and the big metal petal shield. Did I just adjust the derailuer screws too far? I have to see if I can get the thing unwedged, but that was a pretty big "oh ****".

Next, how often should the chain be replaced? Is it true that you should replace the casette/cogs with it, or is that just going overboard?

Second to last, someone in my last question thread posted a very nice overview of what should be oiled. I have White Lightening chain oil, but that's it. I know that should be used on the chain. Should I clean everythinge else with WD-40 and use Silicone Lubricant everywhere else? What should be used where?

Finally, given the fact that I have to spiff the thing up a bit...
Will standard issue tailights (Superflash etc.) mount where the reflector is now, or do I have to do some MacGyvering?


Thanks!

DMF 

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NyteBlade

Thanks for the reply dmf. I looked over that thread, but I guess I missed about half of it! I'll keep reading and searching - sorry for the error.

NyteBlade

This is a little more un-basic.

Could anyone tell me whether the part on my bike is a freewheel or a cassette, and whether it's possible to replace it cheaply?

It might just need a lot of lube.

Panthers007

That has to be a freewheel. 5-spd on it, yes? New freewheels are available. And a new chain should also be installed with it.

NyteBlade

Yeah, the back has 5 speeds, and the front has 2 speeds (chainring the correct term?), so I guess it's a 10-speed road bike. I was tinkering with the thing earlier and figured out some of the chain links had seized up (won't bend at the junctions), so I think replacing the chain, freewheel, and the chainring if needed are good starts. The derailleur looks a little rough and ancient too, but first things first I think.

NyteBlade

Would the best option here be to find another 5-speed freewheel and replace the existing one (does this require any sort of conversion, or should any 5-speed freewheel fit?), upgrade to a 6-speed freewheel, or just replace the chain and go from there? Is upgrading to a 6-speed freewheel from a 5 speed something a relative newbie could do easily, or should I call in the LBS for reinforcements?

jimn

Just concentrating on the freewheel question, I'd take the wheel off, clean it, lube it, and see if it spins freely in the direction it's supposed to spin, and grabs the other way. If so, and it seems to be relatively rustless (it looks fine in the picture and not too worn out), I'd next turn to the chain (get it cleaned and lubed) and adjusting the derailers.

That bike's old, and likely hasn't had a lot of TLC. The cables will be old, and might not slip through the housings easily, which can lead to lousy shifting. So, look there. You might save some money and be able to keep your existing parts.

WD-40 is not recommended. It's more for cleaning and loosening parts. Silicone lube - not sure. There are bike-specific lubes that will work, or maybe 3-in-1 oil (mineral oil) if you are really cheap. Some people use a lightweight motor oil, but that can be a lot more viscous than you want. The lube question is a whole ball of wax that's been discussed in this forum many times, if you search for it.

Panthers007

You shouldn't have any trouble going to a 6spd. freewheel. You may need to adjust the rear-derailleur. Which isn't difficult to do. You'd need a Phillips-head screwdriver.