upthebikepunx

i just bought a bike at a thrift store the other day, and it rules!


it was 20 bucks, and it runs great. super smooth.

HOWEVER - maybe somebody here can help me with this. it has lots and lots of trouble getting into the highest gears. it verrrrry rarely clicks into the smallest rear gear, and it's pretty difficult for it to make it onto the largest gear in the front.
here is a picture of the rear derailleur. that's the one i'm really having trouble with.



also - the brakes don't really stop me. they just slow me down a little. yesterday i was going down a hill that wasn't THAT steep and there was lots of city traffic, and i just couldn't stop. i ended up having to use my feet + front brake to get me down to a reasonable speed. i shouldn't have to do that.
i've tried screwing that little screw attached to the brakes to give me more pull, but it still doesn't stop me very well.
here's a picture of what types of brakes i have, maybe this will help you to help me:



i'm probably going to take it to a bike shop and see if they can give me some pointers on how to fix these things, but i was wondering if anybody here could help me with it. i don't really know many technical terms for the parts. i've read some other bike posts, and lots of times i have no idea what you guys are talking about. however, i'm eager to learn!

seely

Thats a pretty cool bike, whatever you do though, don't loose the seatpost!!! As I recall they are a REALLY bizarre size that you will never find. We had one at a shop I used to work at, and one of the guys wanted to make into a singlespeed, but wound up throwing it out because no one could figure out what sized seatpost it was, or find something that would fit.

Anyways it looks like its in pretty good condition. Go through and replace the cables. Get an aerosol can of lube with a little straw nozzle (like the kind WD40 has... but don't use WD40), and blast all the gunk out of the housings before you replace the cables. Its an easy job, and if the deraillers are adjusted all you have to do is worry about cable tension and not even touch the limit screws.

I bet it will shift better with new cables, and if it still doesn't shift quite right after the cables are installed (they should be taught, but not tight) then its time to adjust the limit screws on the derailleur. If you dive in headfirst you will learn fast, especially if you are somewhat mechanically inclined.

khuon

The cables are probably quite slack on both the rear derailleur and brakes. also those brakepads probably need to be replaced too. How old is the bike? Does it have index shifting or just friction? It probably just needs a general tuneup. You might want to have them check the rear wheel trueness too. Also, if the chain is stretched, you'll want to replace that as well.

upthebikepunx

i'm not sure exactly how old the bike is, but i found one on ebay that looks identical and it was an '88. i know that's not a very accurate way of judging the year, but it's better than any of my other guesses.

also - the rear wheel is sliiightly bent. how much does it cost to get a wheel trued? i'd really like to get that done, but as of the last 9 months i've been unemployed, and am running low on what i had saved up! until i get a job again, i'd really like to not spend more than $50 or so, just getting this thing in safe condition.

i'd also really like to get the general tuneup done, but again, money was sort of an issue. i got my mountain bike tuned up at a Jax Bicycle Shop near my house, and it was $80 for the tuneup + $20 for new brake cables. is it normally that much? should i try to find a cheaper place? i live in irvine, orange county, california. if anybody has any suggestions for my area, i'd appreciate those as well.


seely - thanks for the advice on the seatpost!! i'm going to search the forums for more advice on replacing the cables, that sounds a little scary to me. thanks again for the advice!

Astra

Nice bike but the chain could use some oil .

Also - just thought - if the cable housing stops are slotted, set the gears so it's on the biggest cogs front and rear and then move the gear shift levers right back the oppsite way. This will allow you to remove the gear wires and housing. By sliding the housings (or outers) up and down the wire, you should be able to rub some wax based lube into all the gear cables (or inners). Then just reseat all the cables, move your shifters back the other way and 'hey presto' better, smoother shifting.

seely

I actually have had much better results using a Teflon/PTFE based lube in cable housings vs. the traditional wax lubricants. The Teflon penetrates much better and doesn't leave a gunky buildup like wax has a tendency to do (and harden for that matter).

supcom

First of all, get the brakes working correctly! It's hard to ride a bike when you're in the the hospital.

Get new brake pads, cables, and housings. That should fix up the brakes.

twahl

Not sure why I didn't catch this the first time...are you talking about the screw on the brake levers? If so, that won't give you more pull, it just adjusts how far out the lever itself goes. It's a stop screw, very useful for people with shorter fingers so that they can keep the brake levers within reach.

So for the brakes...you have a nut there on the brakes themselves that holds the cable. Loosen that and pull a little slack then tighten the cable back. You'll want to hold the brakes pretty close to the rim when you do this. Some strong rubber bands can help with this. It might be a good dea to replace the brake pads before you start, as they could be glazed over or deteriorating depending on the age.

jlin453

wow I gotta start looking at thrift stores more often

upthebikepunx

UPDATE: the gearing problem was fixed! i went to the park tools website, and it taught me how to adjust the "L" and "H" screws on the derailleur. now it goes through all the gears perfectly fine. it's a little rough on spots, but i'm guessing i might just need to lube up the chain. i haven't done that yet.

i think before i make any major brake adjustments, i might need to get the back wheel trued. it has a slight wobble, which doesn't allow me to have the brakes as tight as i should have them. like, it will be loose everywhere and then clamp down on one section of wheel and stop me, if i have it any tighter. i also think the brake pads are pretty glazed over, so i'll be replacing those.

anyways, thanks everybody for the help!! it's very much appreciated!!

AndrewP

The spot on the rim where the brakes grab, was cuased by hitting the curb which splayed out the walls of the rim. They can be squeezed in with a pair of visegrips, but you have to do this very gently as the power of visegrips can destroy a bike in a fraction of a second. If the rim wall is spayed out on one side put a flat pice of metal under the jaws on the side that isnt splayed out to spread the force over a wider area.

The wobble can be taken out with a spoke wrench which only costs a few $.

John E

Try replacing the brake pads with a set of salmon-colored KoolStops. They worked wonders on my UO-8, which has a Peugeot-branded Weinmann centerpull caliper in back. New brake cables and housings, as mentioned above, are also highly recommended.