peaches123

Hmmm... I actually have a dremel. I have to find it though, haven't used it since moving.

Retro Grouch 

A common medical saying is: "First, do no harm."

A bicycle is a simple machine and I think that anybody who has average or better mechanical ability can probably do all of their own maintenance and repairs. Some people, however, shouldn't be allowed to touch anything tools. There's a lot of wisdom in knowing where you fit on that range.

peaches123

Okay, another question. In the current installation, there is no cable housing. Just bare cable. Is this a problem? Should I add housing? The brake cables have it but not the shifter cables.

FBinNY 

No, housing is only indicated where a cable has to span an unsupported flexible distance, as in from the handlebar to the frame, or the short loop from the frame to the RD. The purpose of housing is to fix the distance between the two ends, so the totla length of the cable run is constant, and the inner wire can carry tension.

In your case the frame does that (except from chainstay to RD)

HillRider

Absolutely true but, in this case, the OP was interested enough to post his question on a bike mechanics forum which implies at least a willingness to learn and become involved. So for him the advice to learn the basics, and perhaps beyond, is probably warranted.

To the OP: As FB noted, your bike need no housing for the front derailleur cable. however, there should be a guide of some sort under the bottom bracket shell where the cable makes the U-bend to go up to the derailleur's clamp bolt. Most current under-the-bottom-bracket guides are plastic but some older bikes have a metal tube or even just a groove in the shell as a guide.

peaches123

I answered my own question. No on housing for front derailleur, yes for a small section on the back.

Drew Eckhardt 

The huge difference in that situation is that the plumber makes house calls which don't impose on the surgeon's time like a round trip to a bike shop.

Traveling mechanics would work well for a lot of people and a Google search actually turns up a few around here

For example, this guy charges just $10 - $20 to travel to nearby parts of the San Francisco Bay Area

https://www.gotbikes.com/2013/03/25/service-call-fees/

and this guy has $15 house (or presumably office) calls

https://www.thebikedoctor.net/

FBinNY 

You're right, but it doesn't change the fundamentals, only the economics. It still boils down to a cash vs time cost, and the desire or ability to DIY. There's no right or wrong choice, only what makes sense to each person.

Crescent Cycle

I think you're generalizing a bit much and assuming most people are filthy rich without taking into consideration a person's financial situation or even considering someone of average income. One of the more reasonably priced shops here charges $60/hour for misc work. That means the person has to make at least $60 per hour after taxes. Then consider there's 4 trips of a modest ~15 minutes each way, or two round trips, one to drop off the bike, and one to pick up the bike. So that adds an hour of their hourly wage equivalent to the cost of getting the bike services at the shop.

For a 2 hour job, that costs $120 plus an hour's worth of wages. You can figure out whether or not that makes financial sense for your income. Even if you make $100 per hour after taxes, you could spend two hours yourself for $200 worth of time, or you could spend $120 in labor and $100 in time driving, which comes to a total of $220.

Keep in mind, average per capita income in the USA is $28,051. Now if you want to err on the side of fewer hours, full time work is 2000 hours per year. That's just $14 an hour, before tax. Average Joe can afford tools, time learning, and being slower at that income level if he plans on tuning up a bike more than once in his lifetime.

If the average Joe is handy and capable of fixing up his own bike, it really does not make financial sense for him to take it to the shop. If you're taking in a million dollars each year, things might be different. I'm no surgeon, and I don't make $100 per hour after taxes, and I'm fairly handy.

FBinNY 

I'm not making any assumption at ll. Just saying that it's a cash vs. convenience choice everybody needs to make for himself.

There's also the questions of whether one likes working on bikes or not, or has the skills or physical space to indulge in the hobby. I might argue the question of work quality, but unfortunately that's a non starter with many shops doing poor quality work, though I've also seen disastrous consequences of DIY.

It's analogous to eating out vs.a home cooked meal, or just about any other spending decision we all make every day.

Crescent Cycle

The point is that saying it makes financial sense applies to a ridiculously small amount of the population that it really isn't worth throwing out there unless you know the person is rich. You're pretty much talking about 1%ers ($370,000 before taxes).

Yes, there might be other reasons someone may not work on their own bikes, as previously acknowledged. The point is for the average person, and literally 99% of the first world country of the USA, it doesn't make financial sense. The financial sense argument is pretty much out the window, and I assume most 1%ers have more money than time and this isn't even a question for them.

It's not cash vs time, it's cash vs convenience. They are not nearly the same thing. Time is money. Convenience is a commodity.

alex jb

All good info guys, but maybe over complicating things.

He asked, we told him what basic tools he needs for the job, what cables to buy (I'm voting the $10 eBay Jagwire kit not the walmart dubious stuff), now it's time to fix.

What say you OP?

fietsbob

Kind of like FB's scenario you got a 100+K$ a year Gig , would you spend your time doing the job.

or just turn it over to someone that will only get $8000 a year , but they are
experienced at the work needing to be done ..

peaches123

I ordered the cutters and cables. I got 2 so I can do the rear derailleur too if it works out. I just took the current cable off the bike and it doesn't look too hard to do. I opted to go without the cable puller, we'll see if that was a mistake.

Myosmith

Peaches, you have on your hands one of the best first timer DIY bike projects. Replacing cables on downtube shifters is a snap. Get a couple of pictures of the cable routing around the bottom bracket housing (the bottom part of the main triangle of the frame) as reference. You'll need a set of metric allen wrenches (aka hex keys) or a multitool with several sizes of the same and a decent straight or phillips screwdriver for adjusting the derailleur when you are done replacing the cable. You can get cable cutters specifically for bike cables from a bike shop or mail order (Park Tools is a good site both for ordering tools and for step-by-step guidance for repairs and adjustment). Shift your front derailleur to the innermost position (on the small chainring) and move the lever as far as it will go without forcing to leave the least tension on the cable. Loosen the screw that holds the cable to the derailleur, which in your case has a hex head. When the cable is free, use a pliers or something similar to pull the little silver cap off the cable and remove the cable. You will need a shifting cable with the same head style as the cable you removed. I don't recommend the WalMart kits for anything but kids beater bikes as the cables rust very easily an they use a universal cable for both shifting and braking. Bike shops carry stainless steel cables in bulk for a few dollars each and will often just give you a few of the silver caps to keep the cut end from fraying.

Thread the new cable starting at the shift lever and follow the same path as the old cable. Be careful not to fray the end of the cable as you thread it through guides. Consult the Park Tool site for info on attaching the cable to the derailleur and adjusting the tension and shifting (there are a few steps to it, but it isn't hard). Cut the cable to length, leaving an inch or a bit more sticking past the derailleur and cap the end of the cable. A gentle crimp in the cap and you are all set. Don't get frustrated if you have to adjust your shifting a time or two before it is just right. It takes a bit of practice. This is easier on the front derailleur than the rear, but with a little practice you can master both. Your rear cable will have a section of housing near the derailleur. You can buy new housing and ferrules (end caps for the housing) from bulk stock at the bike shop as well. In all, you should be able to replace both cables and the rear housing for $10-12. A good bike shop might even install them for a small fee and let you watch so you can do it yourself next time. They know that people who work on their own bikes tend to become long-term cycling enthusiasts who will be back for accessories, parts, tools, upgrades, and eventually a new bike (or several). Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he's hooked for life.

peaches123

My cable and cutter came in and I'm about ready to install. Another question... I have chain lube (wet). Should that work for the cable or do I need something thicker?

HillRider

At most, you want a light oil on cables, not grease or anything very thick. For good quality lined housing, actually no lube of any kind is needed.

peaches123

Great, thanks! I'll let you all know how it turns out.

turky lurkey

I've found that if I wrap the cable tightly with electrical tape before cutting it, then cut in the taped portion, even using basic lineman's pliers I get no fraying. You can actually do many bike repair jobs with basic regular hand tools if your don't have the money to buy all of specialty tools at once and are careful as well as patient. For example I have overhauled many bottom brackets using channel locks and a rag to remove the lock ring and a big crescent wrench to remove the drive side. So one doesn't need to wait until he/or she has all the tools to begin the hobby, especially if not working on a particularly valuable bicycle. The main bike specific tools I found I needed to have right away to do full overhauls were cone wrenches for hubs, a crank puller, chain tool, and free wheel (or cassette) removal tool (brand specific). However, it is clear that having the right tools for the job makes things much nicer and easier. I finally bought some bottom bracket tools, and the B.B. overhaul I did today went much easier and faster than previous ones. I have found these bike forums to be an extremely useful tool/resource for learning bike mechanic skills, especially when it comes to specific questions about brand or size compatibility. I think one of the most difficult things about bicycle mechanics is knowing what parts you can use with other components or which frames will accept certain components, and there are always many people around here that know the answers to those questions, often more so than when I go to LBS to get advice.

nymtber

Once you get proper bike cable/housing cutters, you will NEVER use anything else again...

I got cheap ones, and for the home mechanic, they do all I need them to. And, they work GREAT on guitar strings!

DIY bike mechanic stuff is fun. Nearest bike shop for me is 30 minute drive. Too far...

Kopsis

+1



Looks a lot like the list I started with. You can go far with that list and a basic set of hand tools. If you find that you love working on bikes (I certainly do) then gradually start adding the specialized tools that make the tasks easier/faster.

rydabent

DIY is really not a big deal. I grew up on a farm and was working on machines from an early age. By the time I was 12 give or take a couple of years I was packing bearings every year. Bikes are actually really simple machines. A how to do it book, if you dont really know much at all about bikes, and a few simple tools are all you need.

Granted there are a few things a LBS might have to do if a problem comes up that a high priced tool is needed. By this I mean tool for facing the bottom bracket and headset, or the tool to align the RD hanger. IMO the best way to start doing your own adjustments and repair is to acquire special tools as needed. If I do my own work, I know it is done right, and I save my self a lot of money.

scott967

On traditional style bike like this, I always put bike grease on the exposed cable and wipe off excess. I also pull the shifter when changing the cable and clean/grease it. I pay particular attention to the area under the BB shell where the cable has to make the turn. Often it gets pretty dirty in the cable guide, and subject to rust on steel bike. If I have time will also pull the FD and clean and lube it. This I think is one advantage of DIY -- you get to inspect closely your components and identify possible problems. In particular clamp-on FD you can see paint problems under the band and take preventive action before rust sets in.

scott s.
.

KlingOn

There was a lot of unnecessary semantics on economic analysis and the capacity for a hominid in the 21st century to string a piece of a wire and place it under tension over the past ~50 posts. You Americans appear aggressively confrontational and seem to make arguments out of little provocation.

However, decent cable cutters DO serve the exceptional purpose of cleanly trimming my guitar and mandocello strings!! A "precision stringed instrument cutter" imported from the UK costs 110 Euro here. Why bother when the Park Tool is only 35 Euro and does everything equally well??

Amesja

You really don't need any books because between The Sheldon's Excellent Site and the Park Tools Repair Help section of their website books are pretty much not necessary. They do help though, to keep your laptop/tablet from getting all greasy & grimey though. It's nice to be able to see stuff right there in front of you and depending on how close your computer is to your shop or if you have WiFi in there a book might be handier to page through as you work.

As for Books the two I like are Glenn's New Complete Bicycle Manual for older/vintage bikes and Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance / Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance for newer bikes with tech that Glenn's doesn't cover.

[h=2][/h]Glenn's is so cheap you should just pick one up for the $4 or so it costs to have one delivered to your house if you ever intend to work on a bike made before y2k. The Zinn books are new and will cost a bit more but not so much more. A lot of folks like the Park Blue Book. Meh, to each their own. The Zinn books are newer, with the latest edition coming out just last year.