BIKE CARE & TIPS PAGE

Sponsored by: Memphis Bargain Bicycles

Contributions welcome. Use the E-MAIL LINK or go to the INFO PAGE. Only first names will be used without your express permission.

WARNING: Do not store bikes in a laundry area or room. Airborne chemicals (lye, bleach) attack & corrode metal, get under paint
MAINTENANCE TIP: DO NOT use motor oil lube on the chain. Dirt sticks to it. Lube regularly with Liquid Wrench's Silicone Lube (in a yellow can) available at Auto Zone for under $4.00 including tax. It's as good as any bought at a bike shop but you get 2x as much at half-the-price.
STOLEN BIKES: Let me anticipate a question often asked: Where do you get your bikes?
Answer: ALWAYS from legitimate sources. I've experienced first hand the emptiness followed by the pain when something of value turns up missing.

I hate thieves!! 

Do you have the Serial # of your bike saved somewhere?  Police will need it to track down a stolen bike. Legitimate pawn shop dealers report traceable info to the police who can then match up the item to your report of the theft. You'll be required to reimburse the honest pawn broker the amount it was pawned for but that's fair & is usually not that much compared to what the bike may be worth.

I do take trade-ins. I'm offered bikes or buy them from various sources where ownership is without question.
Finished bike prices reflect costs, parts & labor without regard to profit. The idea is to be paid for the work at what is, in fact, a very low rate. You get a good deal no matter how you do the math.

 
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BASIC BIKE MAINTENANCE: Use a damp cloth in dry weather to wipe down your bike. DO NOT hose it down. Water can seep into the bearings, rust the chain, etc. If you've ridden in the rain, a dry one. Weather & dirt do more damage to a bike than just about anything else. If you store a bike outside or in a carport, cover it with a ground-cover style tarp. They're inexpensive.

RACE ADJUSTMENTS: Races on rims & bottom bracket need to be very finely tuned so there's just a tiny "click" when jiggling the axle. Turn the axle while holding it between your fingers. This allows bearing lube to circulate, reduces wear, gets the best "coast".
You can buy a crank puller for about $10. Worth it. A crank may seem to spin freely with the weight of the crank on in but when you spin the axle with your bare fingers it may tell a different story. Almost always the left race is too tight. Make the same check with rim axles, bare of nuts or skewers. Almost always need adjustment to get just the right tension on the races. They should spin freely using your bare fingers, wiggle & there should be just a tiny "click". After adjusting and tightening the keeper nut spin again, the race may have moved from your first setting. There should be no resistance, binding or drag.


PEDAL CARE: Properly serviced & adjusted pedals can make a huge difference in the way your bike rides & responds. How long has it been since you took them off & oiled them after removing the cap on the end? Do your pedals spin freely? Quality pedals are both rebuildable & adjustable. Remove the cap. There should be a 12mm size nut inside. Adjust with socket. Remove to rebuild. Oil, replace cap.
Lightly stripped pedal threads in a crank arm can be salvaged, saving you the cost of replacing the crank set. Properly install the pedal from the BACKSIDE. Tighten firmly with a wrench, then remove pedal. Carefully start the pedal from the front (use your fingers before wrenching). This works if just a few front threads have been messed up.

BAR GRIPS & WRAP: A quick & easy way to install new foam grips: Use the high pressure nozzle with an air compressor. Insert it under the leading edge of the grip. You'll get the idea.

Wrapping Made Easier: Use a hair dryer to heat up a section at a time. You'll get a nice, tight fit. It adds to the length so you won't run out of tape, less likely to break when you're pulling on it.  Start the tape at the grip end, secure it with one wrap-around matching the edge of the bar grip & begin the wrap. Use electric tape at the stem end. Insert plugs without all the hassle of having to get the wrap-end in the hole. (Electric tape in red, white, yellow, green and blue is available at discount stores. It's used by electricians to mark wires.)

TUBE & FLAT TIPS: Inner tubes that last longer, hold air longer, new or used:  While somewhat inflated, spray them to a "wet" stage with Armoral (or equivalent available at discount stores). Work it in with your bare hands. Wipe down your hands, then wipe off the tube with a rag, removing the excess while drying it down. This has the additional benefit of reducing wear on the tube due to rub, gets rid of dirt that pits the tube therby causing leaks. Use same rag to wipe down inside the tire before reinstalling tube.

Installing tubes & tires: Always inflate tube to fit inside the tire. As you fit the tire on the rim, reduce air level. This eliminates "pinch" a leading cause of flats. Do not use screwdrivers. Press on the tire with your thumbs, working the tube over the rim as you go. Don't use a tire tool for installation unlil absolutely necessary. Tire tools are for REMOVING tires. Tire tools are available at bike shops in steel or light plastic at about $5 for a set of 3. Get an extra set to carry in the tote bag on your bike. You do have one, don't you?

Did you check to find out the cause of the flat? An easy way: Remove tube from tire with the valve-stem in top position. Set tire down, inflate tube, find leak. Note position of leak, find cause on the same section of tire.

On-the-road-flats: Have (1) new spare tube (2) tire tool set in tote bag (3) clean rag and a small tube of hand cleaner (4) small wrench for lug nuts if you don't have clincher hubs .  Air pump mounted on the bike. Follow above steps as much as possible. Ride on.

DERAILLEUR ADJUSTMENTS: Cables can stretch, etc. A smaller, straight-edge screwdriver works best even tho' the screw head will take a phillips. The inside screw prevents the derailleur from going in too far. The outside screw prevents the derailleur from going out too far.

Front derailleur is skipping a gear &/or the chain comes off when shifting:
1) Wiggle the derailleur. Pins worn (DR wiggles)?  Excessive chain wear? Get all info off the DR, incl. clamp size (some Center Posts have larger diameters) and replace. 
2) If the derailleur is sound, then check:
    a) Height on the Center Tube. It should be low enough to clear the outer ring without binding the chain.
    b)The outer part of the derailleur should be set in a staight line with the outer chain ring. Note: The rear end of the front derailleur is wider that the front with the extra width pointing to the inside gear next to the back rim.
    c) The action of tightening the clamp can cause the derailleur to swing inward throwing the derailleur out of line again. 
     d) Be sure the clamp is tightened so it is completely secure. If it isn't, shifting just  one time can alter the adjustment.
 
MAKING AN OFFER? "I CAN OFFER YOU $225 FOR YOUR BIKE.": Too much work & parts went into the bike to let it go for that. After all, it's a USA made Trek. You'll have no problem finding a Made-In-China Trek for $225 or less.
The best approach would be to come see, ride, talk, make offer. At least you'd know what you were getting. I could accept your offer, say nothing, sell you nice-looking piece of junk & you might not know the difference. 
My advice: Get to know the person selling, get bike's history. In the process they might discover what a nice person you are & make a better deal than expected.
 
BRAKE SHOES ROTATION: Pads tend to wear unevenly with the back-end getting the most wear. Following an X pattern swap them around, front to back, after about 1/3 wear is showing. This extends pad life, makes braking more effective again.
 
CRANKSET INSTALLATION: When pressing on crankset, i.e., tightening down the nuts, measure to see there's an equal distance from arms to chain stays on each side. Be sure your bike mech does this. If they're not close to being equi-distant, the axle extends too far out (or not far enough) on one side or the other. Replace.

A QUESTION OF QUALITY: Lew, I can tell from your site you're willing to share information and I've learned already. Thanks. I think maybe we're birds of a feather. I don't think people realize everything we buy is being made in China, and, I don't believe they are our friends.
I would like your opinion on Rigida rims. I think they are OK and are on my rider.   I can't see going overboard for light alloy. My theory is, take a few pounds off around the waist and save a 1000 bucks on carbon fiber.
Answer: Your Rigida rims were made in Japan. Bike stuff made is Japan can usually be trusted to be of excellent quality. The reason they cleaned up good is the quality of the chrome. Weinman (Belgium) is another high quality rim mfr. Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, England, Canada & Taiwan produced good bikes & parts. Like the commercial for the old coffeemaker "you get what you pay for". As with the USA, they have mfg. standards.
With "Made in China" you DON'T always get what you pay for in a bike. Take one apart & there's usually something substandard, hidden. (Bearings & races serve as an example. Tin used as an alloy is another.)
When USA mfr's started importing bikes from China, parts were sent there, they assembled. We re-imported. Gradually, more of the bike was made there. Get an early "honeymoon period" bike, the frame will have been made in the USA, etc. Just as with automobile mfg, parts suppliers are key to quality.
 
Bike Painting Procedure - Revised:
1. Make sure that you know exactly how to put back the bike when you take it apart. Take pictures and make notes. Be organized when taking your bike apart.
Clean the bearings and internal mechanisms as you remove them. You will have a more thorough job in greasing them when reassembling the bike.
2. Use a degreaser (TSP in 1 qt. jugs available at Sears) all over the frame. Further degloss by rubbing out old paint with a 0000 Finishing Grade Steel Wool pad. Use 220 sandpaper to smooth out rough spots.  If your bike has a carbon frame, do not sand the carbon.
Repainting your bike is also a great opportunity to fix dents. Use knifing putty to fill in dents. Sand it down afterward.
Consider using matching touch-up to cover small nicks and scratches. Sand after quick-dry Use degreaser again.
3. Put on painter’s tape on pieces that you don’t want to be painted or should not be painted. These include the bottom brackets, the parts with the threads and the bolts themselves (but it is better to have them removed). Cut tape to size to fit over decals to be saved.
Use a degreaser all over the bike (fingers leave oils behind).
Dry (I use air-spray nozzle with my compressor).  You are ready to paint.
4. Use an old and sturdy coat hanger to hang your bike from the head tube where you have a 360 degree access to the bike. (I've installed brake-stap hangars on the inside-bottom of my garage door, bent old spokes into hooks to use as hangars.) Hold frame with clean, dry rag in one hand while hanging.
5. Put on your protective gear.
6. Spray on clear primer (Adhesive Promoter available at Auto Zone) in thin, even coats, starting from the joints and the bottom bracket.  Cover thoroughly during each coat but not heavily in any one place.
7. Once you’re done with the primer, within 5 minutes follow with 2 color coats, then 3 clear coats. Carefully remove tape on decals before applying the clear coats.
DO NOT ALLOW PAINT TO DRY BETWEEN LIGHT COATS. THERE'S NO NEED TO SAND BETWEEN COATS!  Properly applied, there will be no runs.
8. Let paint harden for at least a couple of days to a week, then wax.  Reassemble bike being careful not to unnecessarily touch or put finger pressure on the surface.
9. After the paint is cured for at least 30 days, you can rub out overspray with 0000 Finsihing Grade Steel Wool followed by a mild rubbing compund (I use White's), then wax again.

Spray painting technique: Release spray button at the end of each stroke.
 
I always try to paint the same color as original. Carry the fork to the store when buying paint in order to get the best possible match. If I'm repainting to a different color, I strip the frame to bare metal, sand it down and degrease before starting to paint, again without sanding or allowing the paint to dry between coats as outlined above.
Simon: I rewrote tips from the link you sent me, using his procedure as the skeleton so if credited I might be accused of plagiarism. My motivation for doing so was your comment about the messiness of repainting and his recommendation to let coats dry and sand between coats. Make sure paints of different brands are compatible with each other by comparing the chemical ingredients, do not mix lacquers with enamels.

My proven procedure of laying one coat on top of another avoids "lifting" the previous coat. See instructions on the can. If you somehow fail to keep painting within the time allowed for the next coat, allow at least 7-10 days drying before attempting to proceed (the longer the better). With paint that is fully dry, light sanding is OK. I prefer 0000 Finishing Grade Steel Wool.

Q: Lew, I'm going to invest in a few basic bike tools: crank-arm puller, freewheel removers, chain remover. What do you recommend? A: I've found some USA tools sold in the bike shops around here. Bike-specific tools like those you listed, thin race tools, chain tools, etc., are best bought at bike shops. Stay away from  discount stores for bike tools of any kind. However, K-Mart carries the Craftsman line which I can recommend for your other standard tools. As to made in China tools, not much can be done. As with everything else, there's little choice.Wear out, replace.

                                                                                                                                            This site offers a lot of other repair tips as well.