Cycle Maintainance

[xane]

Seeing as how there are a few pedal pushers on this forum, I may as well exploit the fountain of knowledge.

Back in the days when I were a lad, I got myself a nice racer/tourer cycle for £75 second-hand (a lot back then), a marvellous machine with steel frame, aluminium bits and centre-pull brakes, it stood out from the Choppers.

Back then we had these strange things called "spanners" that you used to undo wheels and tighten up stuff, nowdays these implements are looked upon like the Cadbury's Smash robots look at potato masher.

I digress, to the point then, well, two points if anyone can advise;

1. my back wheel is a bit out of alignment, I took it off last night (throwing my unneeded spanner away in the process) and spun it on my fingers and it is definitely twisted, someone mentioned you tighten the spokes using a certain tool, rather than back in my day when you simply jumped up and down on it, anyone care to advise me on this please ?

2. the forks are a tiny bit loose, like you hold both brakes and can detect a slight movement when you try and push, when riding it is much more pronounced. Back in the days of steam you had a big nut where the fork met the frame but instead there is none, so the spanner stays in the bin. There is a big allen nut on the "top" of the shaft before it branches into the handlebars, I assume thats the thing to tighten up, but just to make sure ...

Ta.

 

[Gumbo]

If there is a slight wobble in the wheel, and you have a fair bit of experience at it you can take out the wobble with the wheel in the bike and the requisite tool, (a spoke key). You need to look at which side the spokes go to on the hub, and tighten and loosen them in pairs, try to visualise the spokes pulling the rim over to the side you want it. My advice would be to go to the Bike Shop and buy a new wheel, but then have a play with your old one to get a feel for it. You may well end up with a beutiful straight Rim, but I bet your first few tries will leave you with an egg shaped wheel. Whilst you try to true it in the bike you'll need the bike in a repair stand, (or hanging from the rafters in your garage), then you use the brake blocks as your point of reference whilst truing it.

The wobbly headset is going to be a bit more tricky as it could be one of two types. It sounds to me, if you don't have the big nuts where the fork appears out of the head tube that it might be a A-headset system. where the stem might look something like this

Only with a cap with an allen bolt on top. To take the play out of this, you loosen the two allen bolts on the side, then tighten the top one just until the play dissapears, then lock the whole thing back together again with the two bolts on the side. It is very important that you don't try to overtighten the bolt on the top, or you will strip the little star washer inside the stem, or pull it right out. I'm sorry I couldn't find a better picture, but I'm a bit pressed for time. If it is the old style headset then the allen bolt on top is just to hold the stem into the forks, and has nothing to do with any of the play you describe, and that would be taken out by loosening off the lock nut, tightening the nut below it, then tightening the two together again. Remember that with both systems the forks are rotating on bearings, so don't tighten them too much or the bearings will at best bind, and at worst will get crushed or the races will deform.

That's a long post isn't it?

 

[Tom]

Originally posted by xane
1. my back wheel is a bit out of alignment,

Take it to your local bike shop and have it 'trued'

There is a big allen nut on the "top" of the shaft before it branches into the handlebars, I assume thats the thing to tighten up, but just to make sure ...

That bit fastens the handlebars to the forks. If you undo it, with a bit of a shove (it will be sticky), your handlebars will come out. Use it to adjust the height.

I'm not sure about your forks, a picture might help, but once the handlebars are off, it should be quite easy to figure out whats going on. You might need to purchase a new headset (the 2 sets of bearings top and bottom of forks), which won't cost that much.

 

[xane]

Okay, I'll pay the bike shop £6 to do the wheel, but I wanted to have a go myself

I'll have another look at the fork/handlebars when I get home.

Many thanks.

 

[Testin da Cable]

It may well "just" be the bearings though. Hope for that, for if there's play in your fork with good bearings and everything tight then it's time to get a new frame/fork :/

 

[Tom]

Originally posted by xane
Okay, I'll pay the bike shop £6 to do the wheel, but I wanted to have a go myself

I'll have another look at the fork/handlebars when I get home.

Many thanks.

Don't even attempt the wheel, you may well straighten it so it runs nicely, but you'll probably end up with an oval. Its a skilled job.