Cycling pros and gods I need your help

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Looks like the cage is bent or as Vantage says, been re-fitted cross threaded. A replacement would be about 20quid but you might be able to rescue it if you're on a budget, cages can be straightened in a vice or very coarsely, with a hammer. It's difficult to tell about the rest as it's so dirty, as has been said, use a degreaser to clean it all. Even so, a new chain and rear sprocket would be about £30 but you'd need some basic tools.

All of it is doable, it depends on your own skillset or your willingness to have a go. I wouldn't say you needed a new groupset, just the usual wear items and maybe that rear derailleur, possibly a front chainring, maybe some new cables but parts shouldn't be more than than 50-70 quid for all of that but you need to do the work .
 

nickAKA

Über Member
Location
Manchester
You should be able to pick up a second hand derailleur better than that one cheap enough, but I'd buy a new chain & cassette - they are 'consumables' in reality.
Ebay or ask on here in the wanted forum.
 

I like Skol

A Minging Manc...
OK guys here are the pics the main issue is it can change gears while stationary but can't change cogs on the front derailleur, as soon as you try and ride it and change gears it throws the chain or just gets jammed up, loads of noise and jumping about from the back derailleur and that hanger doesn't look like it's the correct part not sure how much affect that will have View attachment 469808 View attachment 469809 View attachment 469808 View attachment 469809
Wow, somehow i managed to miss these pictures altogether.....
That sure is a neglected/abused bike! As i already said, it needs a chain, cassette and rear mech. Also the big chainring is dead, the hanger does indeed look like the wrong part so needs replacing. All cables are desperate for renewal.
Before you spend a single penny on that bike you need to check the state of everything else. What is the condition of the hubs/headset/bottom bracket etc? All things can usually be repaired, but at a cost. It might be that it just doesn't make financial sense to fix this bike and for less money than the overall repair cost you could find a loved, well looked after secondhand bike that will serve you well.
Your friends generous donation, although well meaning, may not have been the gift he intended?
 

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
this one ?
https://www.mcconveycycles.com/3768/products/specialized-gear-hanger-f.aspx
2011 Allez Allez Comp C2 105
2011 Allez Allez Comp Frameset
2011 Allez Allez Comp M2 Apex
2011 Allez Allez Elite C2 Tiagra
2011 Allez Allez Elite Int C2
2011 Allez Allez Elite Int X3
2011 Allez Allez Sport C2
2011 Allez Allez Sport Int C2
2011 Allez Allez Sport Int X3
2011 Allez Allez Steel X2
2011 Allez Allez X2
2011 Allez Allez X3
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nb1

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
Wow, somehow i managed to miss these pictures altogether.....
That sure is a neglected/abused bike! As i already said, it needs a chain, cassette and rear mech. Also the big chainring is dead, the hanger does indeed look like the wrong part so needs replacing. All cables are desperate for renewal.
Before you spend a single penny on that bike you need to check the state of everything else. What is the condition of the hubs/headset/bottom bracket etc? All things can usually be repaired, but at a cost. It might be that it just doesn't make financial sense to fix this bike and for less money than the overall repair cost you could find a loved, well looked after secondhand bike that will serve you well.
Your friends generous donation, although well meaning, may not have been the gift he intended?
+1
unless you know what your doing it could cost you a fair bit to get it roadworthy.I would suggest a good clean, new mech hanger and a recable 1st and go from there .
Mate gave me a bike to strip for parts as hes taller than me which i built onto a smaller frame for commuting using 8 speed sora , does the job for me but i just had to buy replacement wheels after 6 months as the rear hub was that worn the bearings had worn a groove into it .
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/building-a-rat-bike-built-photos-as-the-end.239970/page-2
 
OP
OP
Nb1

Nb1

Regular
Thank you everyone for your advice so far. Today's job will be to give it a good clean. I have managed to pick up a second hand btwin hybrid bike in good working order for 30 quid from shpock so my rush to get a commuter is solved, I had originally set aside 150 to buy a new group set for this bike so if people think I Could pick up replacements for this for around that or under I'll give it a go repairing this. I don't mind do the work I have plenty of tools so yeah I'll start on the parts you guys mentioned.

I like skol the hubs headset and bottom seem OK at a glance but I'll find out more as I strip it down. I'll keep you posted guys
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I would seriously consider that singlespeed option!

I only built mine for fun to use up old spare parts, including a gift of the frame and fork. It turned out to be a very enjoyable bike to ride.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Did you confirm the provenance of the £30 bike? I.e. Check it was actually the sellers to sell? I'm a cynic when it comes to decent modern bikes being flogged so cheaply...it could well be
legit but with so many bikes stolen, I'd be checking
 

SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
Did you confirm the provenance of the £30 bike? I.e. Check it was actually the sellers to sell?

Realistically, you can't easily do this, can you?. It's not like bikes have registration numbers and logbooks proving ownership. I've bought cars without paperwork, never mind bikes.
When I'm buying used online I try to get a feel for the seller, based on previous feedback and what other stuff they might also be selling. I try to work out if the seller is a regular private person having a clearout, a bric-a-brac trader who does property clearances, or someone who gives off bad vibes and is possibly a rogue.
I bought a virtually mint 1997 Raleigh hybrid for £25 earlier this year, from a girl living in a house that was worth the thick end of £2 mil. She said the bike was her grandad's from new, which was entirely plausible. I somehow doubt she needed to go out stealing bikes off the street to make ends meet! A lot of people will sell quality stuff cheap because they attach no value to it. have no idea of the secondhand market, or just want rid ASAP. It doesn't mean it's bent, unless maybe you are buying it from a total stranger who just walked into the pub for cash - in which case it probably is stolen.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Realistically, you can't easily do this, can you?. It's not like bikes have registration numbers and logbooks proving ownership. I've bought cars without paperwork, never mind bikes.
When I'm buying used online I try to get a feel for the seller, based on previous feedback and what other stuff they might also be selling. I try to work out if the seller is a regular private person having a clearout, a bric-a-brac trader who does property clearances, or someone who gives off bad vibes and is possibly a rogue.
I bought a virtually mint 1997 Raleigh hybrid for £25 earlier this year, from a girl living in a house that was worth the thick end of £2 mil. She said the bike was her grandad's from new, which was entirely plausible. I somehow doubt she needed to go out stealing bikes off the street to make ends meet! A lot of people will sell quality stuff cheap because they attach no value to it. have no idea of the secondhand market, or just want rid ASAP. It doesn't mean it's bent, unless maybe you are buying it from a total stranger who just walked into the pub for cash - in which case it probably is stolen.
I always ask the history of the bike. And for a receipt. And for a seller’s signature. If a seller isn’t prepared to do that, I won’t buy. I’m sure the lady in the £2m house would be happy to. And selling from the home address or a mutually agreeable public place and not a pub carpark would be any condition for my purchase.

When I’ve sold bikes on, I’ve given the receipt as I wouldn’t buy without and also signed a receipt and had the buyer do likewise
There are plenty of honest bikes out there. Bikes have serial numbers, and there are databases that you can check against.
Your lady would pass my provenance check
 
Last edited:

SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
There are plenty of honest bikes out there. Bikes have serial numbers, and there are databases that you can check against.
Your lady would pass my provenance check

I've run some of my frame numbers through the Bike Register database out of curiosity, and never had a hit - even on a bike that had a prominent warning sticker on the top tube saying it was registered! That I find very odd, unless the frame number wasn't recorded correctly - in which case even if the bike was stolen there would be no way of knowing or proving it one way or the other. That bike was £12 so I won't worry unduly about it. If I was buying bikes in three or four figures I would take a less casual approach, but I generally don't pay much over £20 for a used bike, so it doesn't represent much criminal profit potential.
 
Top Bottom