Advice needed for a beginner!

[ajo1992]

Hello,

I've just learnt to ride a bike with a trainer. I have been given a rather lovely dutch style bicycle that is also rather rusty. How should I make sure this bike is okay to ride, and how do I clean the rust off?! Are there also any essentials I should have in my new role as a bike rider, I obviously have a helmet and high vis.

Thanks!

 

[Spinney]

Hi ajo1992 - welcome to CycleChat!

You will find that the use of helmets and high vis can start all sorts of arguments on these forums, and as such discussion of helmets is confined to this thread (if you are interested!). Some think they are essential, some think they are useless! But wearing one (or not wearing one) is up to individual choice.

If you have no mechanical skills, you might be best finding a local bike shop (often called an lbs for short) to check it over, make sure the brakes are working etc. Having working brakes is the most important thing safety-wise, but having a properly oiled chain and gears that work properly will make your riding so much more pleasant.

If you are a beginner, ride in what is comfortable!

 

[Absinthe Minded]

Good for you. What do you want to clean the rust off of; frame, chain, components? What type of gears does it have, and for essentials you want to start with a multitool, spare inner tubes, a pump, lights, puncture repair kit. I can link you to some stuff if that helps?

Obviously, you need to make sure its roadworthy, i.e. gears work properly (if it has them), it is properly lubricated, brakes work, nothing too mysterious.

 

[ajo1992]

Thank you both for the help! There is rust on all of the above, a google search said to use white vinegar, but I'm a little worried about corroding the metal. I'm not entirely sure how to tell what gears it has! A link would be great, thanks.

 

[mjr]

http://cyclingfortransport.com/plan/maintenance/ describes how to do basic checks. Search youtube for instructional videos if needed. Lidl put some £25 workstands on sale on Monday (so there might not be any left) which aren't essential but make working on a bike easier.

Taking it into a local bike shop may be good, but not all will work on all bits of a Dutch-style bike, as I know from experience.

Whatever happens, I hope the bike is fun for you!

Some think they are essential, some think they are useless!

And some think they may be worse than useless

 

[MichaelW2]

Do a quick M safety-check of your bike.
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/change-y...aintenance-made-easy/11-steps-check-your-bike

If the wheels spin freely, just oil the chain. Put one drop on each pivot. Apply to the lower run as you rotate the chain. Aim to get oil inside the moving parts, rather than over the outer surfaces.

 

[Spinney]

Do a quick M safety-check of your bike.
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/change-y...aintenance-made-easy/11-steps-check-your-bike

If the wheels spin freely, just oil the chain. Put one drop on each pivot. Apply to the lower run as you rotate the chain. Aim to get oil inside the moving parts, rather than over the outer surfaces.

And if you spill any onto the rim of your back wheel while you are doing this, make sure you wipe it all off completely!

 

[Spinney]

Thank you both for the help! There is rust on all of the above, a google search said to use white vinegar, but I'm a little worried about corroding the metal. I'm not entirely sure how to tell what gears it has! A link would be great, thanks.

Can you take a photo of it and post it here? Close-ups of things like the chain might also help folks to see whether the chain just needs cleaning or if you need a new one!

 

[Jayaly]

Taking it into a local bike shop may be good, but not all will work on all bits of a Dutch-style bike, as I know from experience.

Speaking as the owner of a new one which hasn't had a service yet, this worries me. Is it a case of having to tackle it yourself or travelling some distance to find somebody who will?

 

[mjr]

Is it a case of having to tackle it yourself or travelling some distance to find somebody who will?

It's only really the Shimano hub gear I've had objections to and even in King's Lynn, there's at least one shop who I think will work on it (just not the one I thought would). I see you're in Herts and I know Bicycle Ambulance in Cambridge list a price to service it.

I've chosen to tackle it myself and switch to monthly-ish preventative greasing of the rear Shimano hub gear, rather than waiting for the official service interval that is reportedly a bit long for our climate... but my hub is out of warranty anyway and I'd probably simply replace it with my preferred robust Sturmey AW if it died.

 

[sidevalve]

It's a bicycle - don't be afraid of it. If you work on one brake for example there is always the other to copy from. Rust is subjective [and of varying importance] depending on where it is and how bad. On chrome handlebars - try rubbing with some alloy foil [no really] or maybe some wire wool and a little oil. If the rims are rusty you have steel rims - these can be a problem as they make for poor braking in the wet but they quite rare now. If cables are rusty disconnect one end [one at a time] and gently drip oil into them. Change the brake blocks - they cost very little and you don't know what sort of life [and contaminants] they have faced - it's just one nut per block, remove one and replace with another. Best of all sit down and move things and WATCH HOW THEY WORK you may be surprised at just how simple it all is.

 

[Absinthe Minded]

A link would be great, thanks.

OK, here you go:
Multi tools.
Inner tubes. You'll need to work out which size you need.
Lights.
Pumps.
Puncture repair kits and tyre levers.

Hope that helps you.

 

[jefmcg]

@ajo1992 if you know nothing about bike maintenance, a course like this one https://tencommercial.org.uk/product/bicycle-maintenance might be a good place to get started. Usually these courses (I mean in general, I have no idea about this school) have you working on your on bike, so you might very well get some advice about general restoration of your ride as well as the topics on the syllabus.

 

[Absinthe Minded]

It's a bicycle - don't be afraid of it. If you work on one brake for example there is always the other to copy from. Rust is subjective [and of varying importance] depending on where it is and how bad. On chrome handlebars - try rubbing with some alloy foil [no really] or maybe some wire wool and a little oil. If the rims are rusty you have steel rims - these can be a problem as they make for poor braking in the wet but they quite rare now. If cables are rusty disconnect one end [one at a time] and gently drip oil into them. Change the brake blocks - they cost very little and you don't know what sort of life [and contaminants] they have faced - it's just one nut per block, remove one and replace with another. Best of all sit down and move things and WATCH HOW THEY WORK you may be surprised at just how simple it all is.

And what @sidevalve said ^^