Hello! New member in Hampshire

[KeepRolling]

Hello from Hampshire.
Great to be here! Started using my old Marin Mill Valley hybrid bike a lot more, as car of the road, and really enjoying it. I bought it back in 2004 and am so glad I have kept hold of it! The gearing is too high and the handlebar stem extends too far forward. I'd like to lower the gearing by putting smaller chainrings in place, and get a shorter handlebar stem as I don't have to reach so far forward. It's years and years since done any work on a bike but quite like to do it myself so thought I'd join this forum. Hopefully I'll be able to post some photo's of the bike soon!

 

[Chris S]

 

[KeepRolling]

Thank you! This is good! I can now upload some photo's of my bike.

 

[Aristotle Kristatos]

Hello
You will need some basic but essential tools.
Some chainrings will be easy enough to buy. It looks like you can move the front mech enough to accommodate the lower gearing.
Stem change and possibly a set of riser bars should also be easy enough.
I would be able to do that conversion job in a couple of hours at home.
You might have to shorten the chain a few links.

Tools.,..
Crank puller
Chain tool
Allen keys
Screwdriver.
Hairspray for sticking the handle grips back on.

Moving the front mech is a simple job but does need attention to be correctly aligned.
The bolt pattern for the chain rings looks like 110. But you will have to confirm that.
You might find you could just change the rear cassette to a slightly different ratio giving you a lower gearing.
Tools for this job will be a cassette tool and chain wip. Also a large spanner to put on the cassette tool.

Nice bike so worth setting up how you want it as buying something like that these days is very expensive.

Good luck

 

[biggs682]

Welcome fellow Marin rider

 

[KeepRolling]

Hello
You will need some basic but essential tools.
Some chainrings will be easy enough to buy. It looks like you can move the front mech enough to accommodate the lower gearing.
Stem change and possibly a set of riser bars should also be easy enough.
I would be able to do that conversion job in a couple of hours at home.
You might have to shorten the chain a few links.

Tools.,..
Crank puller
Chain tool
Allen keys
Screwdriver.
Hairspray for sticking the handle grips back on.

Moving the front mech is a simple job but does need attention to be correctly aligned.
The bolt pattern for the chain rings looks like 110. But you will have to confirm that.
You might find you could just change the rear cassette to a slightly different ratio giving you a lower gearing.
Tools for this job will be a cassette tool and chain wip. Also a large spanner to put on the cassette tool.

Nice bike so worth setting up how you want it as buying something like that these days is very expensive.

Good luck

Thank you very much for this information Aristotle. I think I will hunt about for the original specs for the Marin Mill Valley as this will help inform what I buy to get the gearing right. I will also try and locate/buy some tools as well. Once I've got the gearing sorted out I'll try and sort out the steering stem. Again, thanks for all your feedback!

 

[KeepRolling]

Welcome fellow Marin rider

Thank you! Yes, I am very pleased with the bike. It was a demo model I picked up 20 years ago at a very good reduction. Looking forward to getting it working nicely and properly fitted to me.

 

[KeepRolling]

Thank you! This is good! I can now upload some photo's of my bike.

Thanks for the welcome Chris. I've ordered the Todd and Downs book on Bicycle Maintenance to help me start getting a handle on what to do!