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Strip & Rebuild

On road, off road, Mamils, Club rides or just share your routes and tips
moorfield
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Strip & Rebuild

#88344

Postby moorfield » October 14th, 2017, 11:26 pm

These days I seem to enjoy rebuilding bikes more than I actually do riding them (I never have been a fully chipped MAMIL). On a whim today I've acquired a 1990 Muddy Fox via local Gumtree in nearly original nick for the princely sum of £30 - a steal even for just the frame and spare parts. Needless to say it didn't impress Lady M particularly cluttering up the garage with another one. So a restoration project ensues over the winter, after which I may even attempt to post a photo here on completion of my Muddy Fox Redux.

:oops:

jfgw
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Re: Strip & Rebuild

#88346

Postby jfgw » October 15th, 2017, 12:05 am

I can understand the enjoyment of rebuilding a bike but why the need to do it naked?

Julian F. G. W.

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Re: Strip & Rebuild

#88360

Postby redsturgeon » October 15th, 2017, 8:34 am

moorfield wrote:These days I seem to enjoy rebuilding bikes more than I actually do riding them (I never have been a fully chipped MAMIL). On a whim today I've acquired a 1990 Muddy Fox via local Gumtree in nearly original nick for the princely sum of £30 - a steal even for just the frame and spare parts. Needless to say it didn't impress Lady M particularly cluttering up the garage with another one. So a restoration project ensues over the winter, after which I may even attempt to post a photo here on completion of my Muddy Fox Redux.

:oops:



I have to admit to a similar fetish for buying old unloved bikes and getting them working well again. Not sure I would go down the route of an old Muddy Fox though, I generally hold out for old Specialized, Marins and Konas for my projects. I have a Marin Bear Valley and Kona MuniMula* on the go at the moment and yesterday picked up an old Fixie for £20 that just needs a new freewheel.

I can generally strip down an old bike to its frame in about 20 minutes then it's a case of cleaning, regreasing replacing and adjusting to bring the old girl back to life. Most things seem to come off OK but old bottom brackets and cranks can cause some problems, although nothing that a large engineers vice and a long lever can't fix.

Good luck with the Muddy Vixen!

*It was Kona's first use of aluminium for a bike frame hence the name (backwards American)

John

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Re: Strip & Rebuild

#88416

Postby moorfield » October 15th, 2017, 5:42 pm

redsturgeon wrote:Most things seem to come off OK but old bottom brackets and cranks can cause some problems, although nothing that a large engineers vice and a long lever can't fix.


Having spent an hour with it this afternoon what's becoming immediately ominous is a seized aluminium seatpost to steel frame that I suspect hasn't seen any movement for several years... ho hum.

redsturgeon
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Re: Strip & Rebuild

#88417

Postby redsturgeon » October 15th, 2017, 5:45 pm

moorfield wrote:
redsturgeon wrote:Most things seem to come off OK but old bottom brackets and cranks can cause some problems, although nothing that a large engineers vice and a long lever can't fix.


Having spent an hour with it this afternoon what's becoming immediately ominous is a seized aluminium seatpost to steel frame that I suspect hasn't seen any movement for several years... ho hum.


Oh yes I forgot that one! Spent a happy afternoon freeing one of those once!

John

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Re: Strip & Rebuild

#88419

Postby redsturgeon » October 15th, 2017, 5:53 pm


malkymoo
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Re: Strip & Rebuild

#88443

Postby malkymoo » October 15th, 2017, 9:35 pm

redsturgeon wrote:
Not sure I would go down the route of an old Muddy Fox though, I generally hold out for old Specialized, Marins and Konas for my projects. I have a Marin Bear Valley and Kona MuniMula* on the go at the moment and yesterday picked up an old Fixie for £20 that just needs a new freewheel.

John


I have a Marin Bear Valley, still think of it as my new bike despite buying it about 10 years ago. Great bike, one of those things that just seems "right" when using it.

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Re: Strip & Rebuild

#88807

Postby bungeejumper » October 17th, 2017, 10:22 am

Thanks guys, you've tweaked my conscience about the bicycle shaped object (think "Halfords special deal") that's been lying there in my garage for the last seven years, waiting for me to figure out why I can't get the Shimano gears adjusted properly? Every two years or so, I get it out, oil the chain, polish the shiny bits, take it for a ride up the lane, and discover that it's still jumping/missing gears. Which just makes me look/feel like a prat, especially if the neighbours are watching. :oops:

I've eased every pivot, tweaked every cable and invoked every swear word. I'd like to climb every mountain and ford every stream as well, but no chance while it's periodically stuck between gears with the chain spinning uselessly. Would it help if I stripped first? I suppose it would give the neighbours something to snigger about?

BJ

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Re: Strip & Rebuild

#88822

Postby redsturgeon » October 17th, 2017, 11:21 am

bungeejumper wrote:Thanks guys, you've tweaked my conscience about the bicycle shaped object (think "Halfords special deal") that's been lying there in my garage for the last seven years, waiting for me to figure out why I can't get the Shimano gears adjusted properly? Every two years or so, I get it out, oil the chain, polish the shiny bits, take it for a ride up the lane, and discover that it's still jumping/missing gears. Which just makes me look/feel like a prat, especially if the neighbours are watching. :oops:

I've eased every pivot, tweaked every cable and invoked every swear word. I'd like to climb every mountain and ford every stream as well, but no chance while it's periodically stuck between gears with the chain spinning uselessly. Would it help if I stripped first? I suppose it would give the neighbours something to snigger about?

BJ


Sometimes there is just no way to get a BSO working properly and the kindest thing is to put you and it out of their misery and dump it.

If it is jumping gears on the rear cog then the rear derailleur needs reseting. I would undo the cable first and screw in the cable adjuster(s). Then set the "h" set screw so that it engages the smallest rear cog smoothly. Then refasten the cable (ensuring the shifter is set to the appropriate gear) so that it is just tight. Then try one click and it should snick onto the next cog cleanly. If it doesn't shift then unscrew the cable adjuster a little until it does shift. All other gears should be OK then. Finally make sure the "L" set screw is set to prevent you going to far over the largest cog. Job done.

Turning the bike upside down while doing this saves a lot of riding up and down swearing.

If that sequence does not work then you have either a mismatch somewhere with shifter/cogs or chain or something is bent and out of alignment.

John

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Re: Strip & Rebuild

#88825

Postby bungeejumper » October 17th, 2017, 11:44 am

redsturgeon wrote:If it is jumping gears on the rear cog then the rear derailleur needs reseting. I would undo the cable first and screw in the cable adjuster(s). Then set the "h" set screw so that it engages the smallest rear cog smoothly. Then refasten the cable (ensuring the shifter is set to the appropriate gear) so that it is just tight. Then try one click and it should snick onto the next cog cleanly. If it doesn't shift then unscrew the cable adjuster a little until it does shift. All other gears should be OK then. Finally make sure the "L" set screw is set to prevent you going to far over the largest cog. Job done.

Turning the bike upside down while doing this saves a lot of riding up and down swearing.

If that sequence does not work then you have either a mismatch somewhere with shifter/cogs or chain or something is bent and out of alignment.

Thanks RS, I'll give that a go and will report back. Usable or dumped - I think the missus will be happy with either solution. ;) As to what's out of alignment, I'd say it's my expectation! :lol:

BJ

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Re: Strip & Rebuild

#88828

Postby redsturgeon » October 17th, 2017, 11:52 am

bungeejumper wrote:Thanks RS, I'll give that a go and will report back. Usable or dumped - I think the missus will be happy with either solution. ;) As to what's out of alignment, I'd say it's my expectation! :lol:

BJ


It's a dark art, setting up derailleur gears but very satisfying when you get them working smoothly. You have more chance if it is one of Shimano's named range though ie. Acera or better or Sora or better if it is a road bike. Some of the cheap Shimano mechs are a bit industrial.
Oh and the other thing is to make sure the cable is running smoothly too.
John

moorfield
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Re: Strip & Rebuild

#88881

Postby moorfield » October 17th, 2017, 3:40 pm

I'm guessing those rear gears are indexed BJ? I prefer to use friction shifters on all my bikes now which are much easier to setup + I like being able to shift high-low easily. I will be doing on this bike too.

In the meantime, here's an initial assessment of what I've found for my impulsive £30:

Stem wedge is stuck - should be able to get that out with plusgas+time+mallet
Aluminium seat post is stuck - firstly will attempt the time+ammonia/caustic soda treatment
Original cantilever brakes have been lost/replaced with V-brakes - going to try and put those back
Handlebar is a mess - grips have been sliced/torn off/on at some point, mismatching brake levers + shifters
The crankset/bottom bracket looks ok - but need to get that off to have a proper look, don't have the right tools yet.

Other than that, the retro red/orange frame (adventurer cromo), wheels/spokes/tyres are in near perfect nick.

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Re: Strip & Rebuild

#88906

Postby bungeejumper » October 17th, 2017, 5:10 pm

redsturgeon wrote: Oh and the other thing is to make sure the cable is running smoothly too.

Okay, that's helpful too. Can I/should I lubricate the cables? (Which have probably not done 1,000 miles in 15 years so won't be worn). I used to have a pressurised cable oiler for my motorbikes, but usually I just spent a patient hour dribbling SAE30 down the cable inner and trying not to get too much of it onto the garage floor. What's the recommended technique nowadays? Or are cables maintenance-free?

Many thanks also, Moorfield. I am such a cycling klutz that I had to look up the difference between indexed and friction gear changing, and yes, it's indexed. Keeping both hands permanently on the bars is probably my safest bet. :)

BJ

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Re: Strip & Rebuild

#88907

Postby redsturgeon » October 17th, 2017, 5:17 pm

bungeejumper wrote:
redsturgeon wrote: Oh and the other thing is to make sure the cable is running smoothly too.

Okay, that's helpful too. Can I/should I lubricate the cables? (Which have probably not done 1,000 miles in 15 years so won't be worn). I used to have a pressurised cable oiler for my motorbikes, but usually I just spent a patient hour dribbling SAE30 down the cable inner and trying not to get too much of it onto the garage floor. What's the recommended technique nowadays? Or are cables maintenance-free?

Many thanks also, Moorfield. I am such a cycling klutz that I had to look up the difference between indexed and friction gear changing, and yes, it's indexed. Keeping both hands permanently on the bars is probably my safest bet. :)

BJ


I would undo the cable end at the mech and just flick the gears up and down on the shifter. You will quickly feel if it is sticky.

John

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Re: Strip & Rebuild

#100636

Postby moorfield » December 1st, 2017, 7:44 pm

And a brief update while I'm here: Stem wedge loosened with a good thump, bottom bracket off with a large wrench. Currently trying soaking the aluminium seatpost with ammonia trick while it sits in the garage over winter. I won't have a lot of time to devote to this now until the new year, after which time I'll get more heavy handed with it. :mrgreen:

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Re: Strip & Rebuild

#100646

Postby redsturgeon » December 1st, 2017, 8:29 pm

moorfield wrote:And a brief update while I'm here: Stem wedge loosened with a good thump, bottom bracket off with a large wrench. Currently trying soaking the aluminium seatpost with ammonia trick while it sits in the garage over winter. I won't have a lot of time to devote to this now until the new year, after which time I'll get more heavy handed with it. :mrgreen:


Good luck! Hopefully the whole frame won't have been eaten away over winter :)

I got really lucky last week and picked up a Charge Mixer frame with handlebars, seatpost and bottom bracket in beautiful condition, no rust on the Tange steel frame, all for £15! It was built for an Alfine hub gear and hydraulic discs. See below:

https://www.evanscycles.com/charge-mixe ... e-EV197058

I have a couple of spare 700c disc wheels and a hydraulic front brake, so my plan is to build it up as a fixie for next summer, should be around £50 to get it back on the road. Nice looking bike.

John

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Re: Strip & Rebuild

#100661

Postby moorfield » December 1st, 2017, 10:26 pm

redsturgeon wrote: should be around £50 to get it back on the road. Nice looking bike.


Nice - if you are planning to resell next summer you'd easily be able to double your money I reckon. Referring back to an earlier post, I'd love to get my hands on any old Marin, but as far as buying from local Gumtree/Ebay within 5 miles is concerned I employ a simple rule: I must be able to walk, collect, and cycle home. I am also competing against a local charity which collects/refurbs/resells for ~£60+ so those opportunities don't present themselves very often.

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Re: Strip & Rebuild

#118827

Postby moorfield » February 17th, 2018, 5:35 pm

Felt like the first day of spring so I've had this frame out of the garage today.

Unfortunately I'm going to have to dissolve the seat post out.

Argh. :x I may not bother after all.

At least I've got some spare parts out of it.


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