Today closes with two more bikes in my possession than there were this morning..

[wafter]

Nowt too exciting...

Lunchtime I went to the shops and returned with a Greggs cheese and onion bake (£1.80, planned) and a battered Cannondale Caad (£0, unplanned). Pubtime saw me charged with inspecting a beater a mate had just been given, which inevitably needs sorting out. And is now in my shed.

The Cannondale's evidently been nicked and dumped when the RD hanger snapped. It's a pretty tatty low-end ally model with 9sp Sora and a few go-faster bits. A cursory glance suggests it needs at least a new hanger, cable set and tyre... potentially a good deal more. I very much doubt it's worth doing up to sell and I don't need another bike. That said, in the absence of a folder to go in the car a real beater that could be left locked up somewhere has been mooted; however in reality I doubt this would last long before getting robbed (again).

I've checked the frame number against various stolen bike databases with no hits and it's currently listed on a local lost and found group. If nobody claims it I'm erring towards banging it on Gumtree as a project as there's nothing individually worth much to warrant breaking it while the frame seems sound (and is surprisingly light!) if tatty.


The mate's bike appears just the right side of a BSO - a steel Apollo ladybike with 7sp low end stuff on gripshifts and V-brakes. So far it looks like it needs rim tape and ideally re-cabling; however I want to keep costs to a minimum so will see what I can do with what I've got. It's destined to lead a hard life (and potentially end up getting robbed like it's predecessor) so a strictly functional, budget approach is planned. So far I'm looking at rim tape, shortening and lubing cables, cleaning, lubing and setting up brakes, truing back wheel and generally making sure everything works as best as practiable. Fingers' crossed it's not a can of worms...


As if I didn't already have enough to do..

 

[Emanresu]

I've checked the frame number against various stolen bike databases

Where are these? I had a very nice Marin full-sus stolen from outside my local Town Hall (no CCTV) and would have loved being able to check. Plod were not interested at the time.

Family had an e-bike stolen a short while later from local station (CCTV available). Plod were again not interested at the time.

 

[Punkawallah]

Apparently only one crime in 20 results in a charge. Not a prosecution, or a conviction, a charge.

 

[wafter]

Where are these? I had a very nice Marin full-sus stolen from outside my local Town Hall (no CCTV) and would have loved being able to check. Plod were not interested at the time.

Family had an e-bike stolen a short while later from local station (CCTV available). Plod were again not interested at the time.

Here are the two I'm familiar with:

Bike Register

Find a Bike

You can search by frame number on both... still a bit of a long shot but worth a go.

Apparently only one crime in 20 results in a charge. Not a prosecution, or a conviction, a charge.

I think the figures I've read have been slightly more optimistic, but still low. That of course is reported crimes too; considering most know the Polis won't do anything about most lower-level crimes I suspect many go unreported too. I can see the appeal to those devoid of morals or conscience

 

[Ajax Bay]

however I want to keep costs to a minimum so will see what I can do with what I've got. It's destined to lead a hard life (and potentially end up getting robbed like it's predecessor) so a strictly functional, budget approach is planned.

This is an age-old dilemma with bikes that, with some TLC, could be a satisfactory fit for you or someone else.
However any more than cursory TLC e.g. a good clean (for free) tends to demand expenditure.
Just some cables and maybe outers (for safety and/or effective function of gears/brakes), and the free or recycled bike overall cost (zero labour/love charge) starts pushing up not against what it's worth (subjective) but what it would sell for (objective). As soon as one's tempted to replace even little things like bolts and noodles because they are (and look) rusty and costs mount up.

 

[wafter]

This is an age-old dilemma with bikes that, with some TLC, could be a satisfactory fit for you or someone else.
However any more than cursory TLC e.g. a good clean (for free) tends to demand expenditure.
Just some cables and maybe outers (for safety and/or effective function of gears/brakes), and the free or recycled bike overall cost (zero labour/love charge) starts pushing up not against what it's worth (subjective) but what it would sell for (objective). As soon as one's tempted to replace even little things like bolts and noodles because they are (and look) rusty and costs mount up.

Indeed. My Routier is a good case in point - the bike cost me nowt but now owes me about £60-70 in necessary bits (mostly consumables - tyres, tubes, brake blocks, chain).. I saw an apparently nicer (if smaller so possibly less desirable) example sell on ebay for £45 recently.

I guess it pays to remember that everything costs something to maintain in consumables / wear parts, so these at least shouldn't be begrudged if it gets / keeps the bike on the road. For the one in question I'm thinking / hoping maybe a tenner in bits if I'm lucky, plus a few quid / pints for my time should see it in the same ballpark as what it might be worth (it's definitely a sub-£50 bike). I'm certainly not going to subject it to the same level of OCD as I do my own gear; while given its intended use there's a strong argument for keeping it looking as tatty as possible.

 

[Ajax Bay]

given its intended use there's a strong argument for keeping it looking as tatty as possible.

Yes, the tatty look while getting the bike perfect in other 'unseen' respects (brakes, gears, bearings) is a crafty balance. Of course this is skewed if it's for someone else who needs education in the merits of the 'not worth it' deterrent 'look'.

 

[wafter]

Yes, the tatty look while getting the bike perfect in other 'unseen' respects (brakes, gears, bearings) is a crafty balance. Of course this is skewed if it's for someone else who needs education in the merits of the 'not worth it' deterrent 'look'.

Yup - I guess it doesn't matter what it looks like to the smackheads who rob them to chase their dealers around town

 

[Ajax Bay]

The city must have changed since my day, or are you talking about Cowley?

 

[Jameshow]

Nowt too exciting...

Lunchtime I went to the shops and returned with a Greggs cheese and onion bake (£1.80, planned) and a battered Cannondale Caad (£0, unplanned). Pubtime saw me charged with inspecting a beater a mate had just been given, which inevitably needs sorting out. And is now in my shed.

The Cannondale's evidently been nicked and dumped when the RD hanger snapped. It's a pretty tatty low-end ally model with 9sp Sora and a few go-faster bits. A cursory glance suggests it needs at least a new hanger, cable set and tyre... potentially a good deal more. I very much doubt it's worth doing up to sell and I don't need another bike. That said, in the absence of a folder to go in the car a real beater that could be left locked up somewhere has been mooted; however in reality I doubt this would last long before getting robbed (again).

I've checked the frame number against various stolen bike databases with no hits and it's currently listed on a local lost and found group. If nobody claims it I'm erring towards banging it on Gumtree as a project as there's nothing individually worth much to warrant breaking it while the frame seems sound (and is surprisingly light!) if tatty.


The mate's bike appears just the right side of a BSO - a steel Apollo ladybike with 7sp low end stuff on gripshifts and V-brakes. So far it looks like it needs rim tape and ideally re-cabling; however I want to keep costs to a minimum so will see what I can do with what I've got. It's destined to lead a hard life (and potentially end up getting robbed like it's predecessor) so a strictly functional, budget approach is planned. So far I'm looking at rim tape, shortening and lubing cables, cleaning, lubing and setting up brakes, truing back wheel and generally making sure everything works as best as practiable. Fingers' crossed it's not a can of worms...


As if I didn't already have enough to do..

The caads are good bikes presume its an 8??

What size?

Wouldn't mind one if your selling!

 

[wafter]

The city must have changed since my day, or are you talking about Cowley?

Yup; Cowley / east Oxford is worst but there are elements of it throughout the city

The caads are good bikes presume its an 8??

What size?

Wouldn't mind one if your selling!

Will drop you a PM

 

[wafter]

Home late after yet another utterly sh*t commute, my mate's shed gave me a somewhat non-critical outlet for my nervous, unfocussed energy..

Thanks - at least in part - to a now-deceased four-pack of Corona the following has been achieved:

- Front and rear wheels stripped, rough bearings cleaned with paraffin, re-lubed with moly grease and correctly pre-loaded
- New rim tape applied to both wheels and tyres inflated

The front bearing is now silky-smooth, rear is still a bit rough but nowhere near as bad as it was. The cause seems to be mostly old dried grease (now lacquer) and to a lesser extent corrosion:

The bearings are cup-and-cone with the balls contained in separate cages.. hardly cutting edge but looks pretty decent for something so cheap tbh. Water-proofing is shocking however - with maybe 1mm gap between the inner race and the hub. Back together with some moly:

The rim tape was a welcome use considering it was left over from the OFO and I never plan to have another bike with 26" wheels.. while the innertubes apparently hold air and while not ideal for the road the original tyres at least appear serviceable.

The freewheel was removed to get the axle out and I was surprised to find it Shimano branded; even if it is made in China. I suspect the axle spacing is probably 120mm - so I could conceivibly fit a similar (salvaged?) 7sp cassette to my currently-5sp Routier; chain and RD permitting..

Rear bearings stripped..

So far the job's been nice and straightforward, using the assortment of tools I've accumulated for other jobs; and feeling like I'm somewhere reasonably close to having a sufficient compliment of tools to cover most tasks. The Park cone spanners have been great and show no signs of deformation despite their minimal bearing areas; suggesting that they're decent quality

Stuff left to do:

- True both wheels
- Clean, tidy and lube cables (too tight to replace unless absolutely necessary)
- Clean, lube and adjust brakes
- Smother chain in thick, grotty oil
- Check / adjust gears

I'm purposefully not doing anything cosmetic as this will be a waste of time. So far this job owes me about 1.5hrs and has been a welcome, OCD-light distraction..

As it was left tonight; would be great if I could get it sorted tomorrow since, as usual I have a million and one more pressing / important things to get done..

 

[Ajax Bay]

Will be a 126mm OLD. Spokes, rims and rear caged bearings look shiny. I've seen rubber 'cones' that would friction fit onto both sides of the front axle to offer some level of 'seal'. Lose the dorc-disc.
What power was your OCD-light?

 

[wafter]

Will be a 126mm OLD. Spokes, rims and rear caged bearings look shiny. I've seen rubber 'cones' that would friction fit onto both sides of the front axle to offer some level of 'seal'. Lose the dorc-disc.
What power was your OCD-light?

Thanks - measured up at about 125mm earlier. Dork disk is staying as it's protection against one more thing going wrong!


As per my other thread this potentially rewarding, easy-going favour for a mate has turned into a nightmare. Many things about this bike are utterly terrible.

The front wheel really doesn't want to stay straight; I've spent literally hours trying to adjust it which as been even more fun thanks to the slightly over-size nipples meaning that the key was difficult to get on and off... however I've done this operation so many times now the nipples appear to have worn in..

Correctly adjusting the hub bearings seems impossible - I've done both wheels many times now and while initially setup so they spin freely but have negligeable free-play, after a little time on the bike, bizarrely the slop returns with maybe 3-4mm of lateral play at the rim. TNot sure exactly what's causing this, but the hubs are evidently very poor quality as evidenced by visible eccentricty when the wheels are spun.

The bottom bracket is also making unpleaseant noises; think it's just a cup-and-cone effort to hopefully adjustable, however it looks like it requires an internal splined tool to remove which I don't have, nor will be buying just for this job. I do have some BB-related tools coming for my Router soon, so hopefully I can get the pedal off for a closer look and will at least be able to re-fit the lockring.


On the up-side the brakes now work correctly - both cables have been greased and the cable position adjusted. In addition the rear needed a bent bit of cable outer at the lever chopping off as this was causing a lot of drag, while the noodle mount on brake arm needed hammering back into shape as it'd somehow got deformed.

I've adjusted the gears as they weren't selecting the lowest at the rear and done various other little things - cleaning and greasing the seatpost, lube the chain..

Was hoping to get this all done in a morning but as usual that's not happened, and am a bit concerned that even after all of my efforts the bike will turn out to be unserviceable due to the issues with the rim straightness and hubs; but I can only do my best I guess..

 

[biggs682]

Sometimes you can be surprised how well those kind of things ride but then other times not.
Good luck