markm75

Yep thats the plan.. i've gotten better at dealing with brakes recently, so i can probably handle it.. i think the local shop will also tune/repair for $35, but maybe that doesnt include actual fixes, but i feel i can pretty easily deal with this, assuming they are the only issues (gulp).. i do now have a bike repair stand which makes life 10x easier. I thought about putting some white rustoleum on the rust spots, but that would be messy looking, i think the only sure fire way of dealing with those is to sand it down and repaint which is too much for right now, someone else may not mind the spots.

That was the plan, take the rack from the giant, return the unused one back to amazon, a win there at least.

Yeah I still have the Diamondback serene.. i've listed it at 200 firm, but at this point im not getting much interest which is somewhat odd considering its built and ready vs being shipped like it was to me. To ship it back to the company would probably prove costly + 10% restocking fee, i'd end up with about 150 back i think. I had one interested party who has texted me 2 times over two days, but hasnt committed.. it will get sold eventually i'm sure.

Ill post some pictures of all of our bikes at some point soon in this thread for completion sake

Patriot1 

markm75

Ahh ok, i think i mistook the 28's on the tires in your photo as meaning 28", my bad, but yes that trek is a beauty as well.. thanks for the link to the phone mount.

markm75

A few new things today..

On that old GT bike.. i'm fairly certain the back wheel doesnt spin freely enough, i think i ruled out the quick release causing an issue, adjusted a few times, the same no matter what.. if i spin it, it goes around once then stops.. i dont recall how this works, or maybe i do.. i think there is grease inside the shaft is it? that probably dried up, not even sure thats something that can be replaced.. though its probably good enough to not worry about it on a fast resell.. i fixed the rear tire and i managed to clean up and oil the chain pretty well.. most of the rust is gone but i think ultimately that chain has to be replaced by the next user, cant get rid of it entirely.

On the front of the Giant Boulder SE.. i'm realizing the tires are a bit big and knobby compared to my other bikes.. which have less knobs and around 1.95 vs 2.25 i think on this one.. i guess i need to search amazon for a decent trail riding tire and replace them (or local shop if not much more)..
I had a question that is dumb.. the seat has a screw going into it.. i've never seen this.. i bought a seat off amazon for my wife but it has the standard slide over the post mount.. not sure what i need to make it work or do i need a seat that takes the screw? I think i might just need to remove the post adapter from the new seat, provided the mount fits the bars underneath.


Then on the front handlebars.. i cant tell, though i losened the main bolt to try to raise the bars.. it didnt budge.. i'm guessing they just dont raise on this model.. she was complaining they seemed a tad low, so i did now change the angle of the drop bar more towards her, hopefully helps.. here is a pic of the stem.. not sure how to know if its movable or not.


EDIT: maybe i just needed to remove the center bolt completely before yanking up, i think there are spacers below it, as i saw in one video.

On the shocks on this boulder se.. im guessing they are sealed and no air can be added or removed to make it stiff or bouncy.. unlike the GT which has air nozzles on the top.. though the tabs on each side did seem to turn, but i didnt want to mess with them, perhaps adjustments.


Here is a shot after i moved the rack over and added the bag to it

katsup

The stem is threadless, it does not move up like a quill. The spacers are already under the stem so it is as high as it will go. You have to replace stem with one with a steeper angle or handlebars with a higher raise. If you order one, make sure you order the correct steerer and clamp size.

Most modern saddles only need a 5 or 6mm allen wrench to remove. You have a photo?

Bill Gem

markm75

Tilting the handlebars forward a bit seems to have been the trick at least on a sitting test according to my wife.. shall see.

I got the new seat on.. its a sunlight cloud 9 from amazon (oversized type, 10.5x10.5), to me seems huge, but we shall see how she likes it.. i may try one about 70% this size as well.. (i may give this bikeroo a shot or this c99)

I'm slightly concerned about the clamping of the metal pieces that they arent completely around the bars of the seat.. see the picture in the end here (sorry one was blurry), i think maybe i can just tighten some more, it may be fine:







On the tire front i think i might try these tires for her bike.. Kendra Komfort 1.95x26 should be a good mix for both pavement/loam, but maybe mud not so much, but similar in treadwear to my bike right now.

The only other issue i'm having with this bike, is.. a second water bottle holder.. where to put one and how.. the type of wrap around bottle holders might work on the top bar, unsure.. or i guess the only recourse is hopefully the rear of the bag, the holder is big enough and not too lose. (she doesnt want a camelback pack)

02Giant 

The clamp on the seat rails is fine as-is, that is the way it is intended to clamp. If there isn't a torque spec., tighten enough that it doesn't slip. You don't want to crack the clamp.

I've never ridden that tire, for what it's worth, 92% of the reviews are 4 or 5 star.