Fixing a (used) Bicycle

[SangerRainsford]

so i have this new bike, i think it's a "street" bike (27" tires, gears, etc), it's some 80's or 90's huffy ( i know i know ), but i have almost no idea what im doing lol! need help

i should mention that im a complete noob to this, so at this point im just trying to make it solid for rides of like 10-20 ;P

Sizing- this bike is huge for me , is that a 'real' problem? as in dangerous, or seriously hindering my riding? (the frame rapes me if i put my heels to the ground)

handlebars- the (original?) foam gripping is all tattered, and i just replaced a tube, so i was just gonna slice that in half and use it as a grip - ill-advised?

weight- this thing feels heavy compared to the bike i normally ride, although that one (not mine) has no gears/brakes and is some expensive 'lager track bike'. just how much heavier are the older bikes? you can't even remove the kickstand from this thing, only thing i can think of is removing gears (i don't use them), but not sure i have the tools for it / not sure it'd make any notable difference)

Aaaaand, most importantly!
Securing the front tire- ive always had an extremely irrational fear regarding the front wheel staying secure (i know, i know). this bike has the forks that get extremely skinny at the end where you affix the front tire, and the 27" front tire is a biatch to get seated perfectly flat. it's seriously degrading my enjoyment of riding it at this point. is it okay for the front tire to feel like it's not sitting perfectly flat when you affix it? im talking millimeters off at most, maximum. unless i have fat bmx forks and socket wrenches like 5X stronger than needed, this freaks me out- plz tell me this is irrational

 

[panic in paradise]

oh geez,
;-D

i would go to a thrift store with $20-50 and getting something fixed.
but
yes the size will make a big difference, well you should just be able to rest a foot flat on the ground while sitting.

if you are comfortable with the handle-bars then fuck it.

bikes will come in all sorts of weights, some built and weighted strategically, others light for the sake of being light - some manufacturers just want to sell the things and have them ride-able for some amount of time.
thats a big bike so id expect some weight to it, especially considering the year and make etc.

are you wanting to ride 10 or 20 miles?
if so, i would not try it on this, and especially with out any gears - if the front wheel is actually wobbling a noticeable amount its going to work against you in the long run, maybe bend the rim or something. there might be some play in the spacing, but it should be fairly clear if its not fastened properly or cant be.

if you have done all you can and its wobbling still ( as in the tire is pointing different directions, not the whole tire sliding a mm or two L-or-R ) it could be a busted bearing in the hub.

the design of the frames of bikes is very specific, the narrowness of the front fork is intentional, and the standard for this type of bike, they have had years to perfect the geometry of this - dont worry, and you wont after a few rides.


what do i know though?!?
haha
;-)

 

[socko]

Start here: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/
It's an online bicycle repair encyclopedia. It has everything and is a great way to learn everything from building to repair to training. The way to do it is to go down your list (i.e. handlebars, brakes, weight, wheels, and everything else as it comes up) and read the entry for it.

Here's my take. I've built and repaired my own bikes for the last 15 years so I know a little bit about the topic.

Size: You don't want something too bid becasue when you have to stop at a light or something, you risk busting your nuts on the top tube of the frame.

Handlebar tape: I've never seen this before, but using a section of inner tube sounds like a good idea. You might want to "glue" it on by spraying the inside with hairspray first.

Weight: Not a big deal if you're not racing or riding more than 10 or 20 miles. Riding a heavy bike will make you stronger faster.

Squirrelly front wheel: Is it wobbly or loose? If it is, fix it. Possible go to a second hand bike store and replace the front wheel. You can get a good used front wheel for $25 or less. If not, do the 2 inch test. You pick up the bike 2 inches off the floor and drop it. If nothing falls off, you're good to go. Well, at least you should be safe enough to test ride the bike around the block or something.

That said, it sounds like after some repairs and tuning you will have a great "bar bike" or commuter bike.

 

[addictivepersona]

Just my two cents: I've always been told you should just be able to touch the ground with your toes while sitting on the seat and that your leg should be almost fully extended while sitting on the seat and riding.

HL has a biking thread that may be of use for some of your questions, though you seem to be getting some good answers thus far!

 

[Pander Bear]

consider visiting your local bike coop. I found one in tampa...

http://tampabikecoop.wordpress.com/latest-news/page/4/

Size: for almost all situations, you should be able to stand astride the bike, forward of the seat, and have the top tube an inch or two below your inseam/taint. And, i think it bears mentioning that your leg needs to be nearly straight at the bottom of a stroke of the pedal/crank. If you're not nearly extending your leg, you're hurting your knee and pedaling inefficiently. How tall are you?

handlebars: I cant imagine that would be too comfortable. They actually sell nice grip tape at bike stores for 10 bucks, and its cushier than an inner tube.

securing the front tire: this fear is irrational. You should be much more worried about inattentive drivers and global warming. Still, it wouldn't hurt to have somebody who knows what they're doing take a look at it, hence my mention of the co-op. You wheel probably needs to be trued.

weight: the less you spend on a road/touring/track bike, the heavier its going to be. Its just much easier to engineer a bike that has ten pound more steel in it, and ya, your wheels and gears contribute to that. You certainly could replace a few parts and turn it into a single speed or a fixed gear (your hometown is pretty flat, i'd imagine, so most of those gears are going to waste). I honestly don't know how much you can do with a huffy. I've heard from people who worked at bike stores that they'd laugh people who brought them in out of the front door, because they aren't assembled with components that can be easily removed, fixed, or modified. Ask some people who know what's up (co-op again ) and see if its worth it for you to continue to fool with, or if you should just start cruising craigslist for something a little more fix-up-able.

Post pics why don't you.

HL has a biking thread that may be of use for some of your questions, though you seem to be getting some good answers thus far!

The lounge also has a pretty serious bike thread— imagine that!
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=543486

 

[Wolfmans_BrothEr]

Fuck it it's a huffy..seems to me you'll end up dropping more money fixing the thing up than just buying a new bike for $100-$200

 

[socko]

Fuck it it's a huffy..seems to me you'll end up dropping more money fixing the thing up than just buying a new bike for $100-$200

If you bring a Huffy into a high end retail shop be prepared for some shit attitudes from the employees.

That's another reason to take it to a bike co-op and not a traditional for_profit retail bike shop. If it's anything like the co-op where I used to work, the employees probably won't give him attitude for having a Huffy. We would work on Huffys all the time -- Many of our customers were students from the nearby university or kids from the nearby projects. They just wanted something basic for riding to class or the bars or the neighborhood. Also, we were happy to teach the owners and walk them through doing the repairs and maintenance themselves, no matter what kind of bike it was. The pricing was donation only (cheap).

 

[Shimmer.Fade]

Lol man. Let us know if you still have questions. Here is another good link: http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help


For the wheel. As Pander said it could be out of true, bent rim, etc... If you truly simply can't get it seated right try turning the bike upside down and just let gravity do the work. When you know it is seated on the fork correctly tighten it, and give it a spin. Does it spin straight? If no then it is probably out of your hands to repair yourself.

 

[rangrz]

Size is a huge issue to how efficient your riding is.
Buy new foam rubber grips for 5 bucks? handlebar tape?...pretty easy fix there.
I'd repack your bottom bracket and head set, just cause the thing sounds ill maintained and some fresh grease and new bearings won't hurt.
Are you seating a clincher or is this a tubeless? I'd not worry about seating a clincher too much, if it goes on, its on. A tubeless...either know how to do it, or get someone who does to do it. If the rim is warped, it's not an overly difficult repair if its just a a minor warp. google how, or bring it to a shop.
Tearing off the gears? Will I ride a single front ring and a cassette with a pile of spacers, that has only 3 on the back and have no issues..depends on your style and fitness level?
A general thing? pull the brake cable so calipers are nice and close to the rim vs having to pull the lever into the bars to stop.

 

[beagleboy]

type in questions about bike fixin' and you will see entire threads on the how-to. The buy/trade section is for buying and trading mostly used and sometimes new parts.
http://www.pinkbike.com/forum/mechanics-lounge/

select sette brand products and you will be saving money on quality products. I ride sette exclusively. Sette bikes are brans name bikes with quality componetry for resonable prices.
http://www.pricepoint.com/Default.htm

TYpe in more questions OP. And maybe post pics on here for us to help u better!

This is BL's biking nerd unite thread.
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=257528

This is a thread that Keneckie started on Bicycles. She a bike nerd to heart.
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=520252