Treadlies_ Victoria's North-Eastern RailTrails

[Williamson]

More importantly, maybe you can teach me how to set up/adjust the derailleurs properly!?

It'll cost you a coffee.

Maybe a drop of cable-lube might do some good, too. More

Just a few drops of some light oil, too much just collects more dust.

YouTube. There are plenty of on line videos. Make sure it is for the derailleurs you have. They are not like motorcycles a quarter of a turn can make a huge difference. I have always been able to get the ones on the full size bikes right but I buggered if I can get the Brompton ones correct.

Yeah, YouTube can be a friend. And same make / model of derailleur is better, but if you don't find one to match, any number of others will be a help, the principles are generally the same - probably even Brompton, although I'm not familiar with them.

 

[glitch]

It'll cost you a coffee.

Happy to go Vienna Coffee, rum+whipped cream included

 

[glitch]

Just a few drops of some light oil, too much just collects more dust.

Maybe I should get some new outers, too....they're about 14 y/o, replaced the cables (stainless) a few times.

 

[K1W1]

Bromptons have a two gear wheel rear cluster with a derailleur that is as you say is pretty standard they all work on the parallelogram principle but they also have a three speed Stumey Archer rear hub to give 6 ratios in total. They just seem ultra fiddly to get right.
The Shimano XTR rear derailleur on my mountain bike is easy in comparison.

 

[Williamson]

Bromptons have a two gear wheel rear cluster with a derailleur that is as you say is pretty standard they all work on the parallelogram principle but they also have a three speed Stumey Archer rear hub to give 6 ratios in total. They just seem ultra fiddly to get right.
The Shimano XTR rear derailleur on my mountain bike is easy in comparison.

Yes, sounds unnecessarily complicated. If your XTR is the basic design as as the original XTRs, it's the same basic concept that (as I recall) being on an uncle's bike back in the 50's. Probably pretty complicated in those days, but simple, reliable and easy to work on by today's standards.

 

[glitch]

A closer inspection (first after 13 years and a good 20.000km+ on that thing) has brought to light a bag of other issues.
Most of the cogs of the 9-speed cassette are badly damaged/ teeth missing and metal shaved thinner than a blade, cracks etc., the chain has stretched to a point where it barely sits on the top 30% of the sprockets, the rest riding the teeth all the way around. That even goes for the longest 11-tooth top-cog...the bottom headstem bearing is just about dust, the top notchy as buggery.

New Cassette and chain ordered, trying to chase the head-bearings tomorrow, new gear cables and cleanup/ lubing done (brake-cables to follow).
I'm sure there'll be more. Parts are getting hard to come by, all old stuff.

Why fix instead of replace (it's a friggin pushie, c'mon!)
A sentimental thing really.
That cheap, old China-junker was the way out of my close-call cardio-predicament 13 years ago when my cozy, little world was coming adrift....I owe big-time!

More learning to do....truing wheels.

 

[Williamson]

New Cassette and chain ordered, trying to chase the head-bearings tomorrow, new gear cables and cleanup/ lubing done (brake-cables to follow).
I'm sure there'll be more. Parts are getting hard to come by, all old stuff.

More learning to do....truing wheels.

You'll need a cassette tool and a chain whip, which I have, otherwise ....



Wheel truing, straight forward if the rim isn't damaged, otherwise ....

We can have a workshop day in my garage.

 

[glitch]

You'll need a cassette tool and a chain whip, which I have, otherwise ....



Wheel truing, straight forward if the rim isn't damaged, otherwise ....

We can have a workshop day in my garage.

Sounds good.

Got the tool/ whip etc for that job.
Rim's healthy, maybe about 3mm out in some places, also has a height wobble (~1-2mm). Peel the rubber off for truing or leave it on?

 

[Williamson]

Rim's healthy, maybe about 3mm out in some places ..

Probably just tweaking the spokes, a bit of trial and error - turn the spoke nipple 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 or full-turn, if it gets better, your on the right track, gets worse, turn the other way.

... also has a height wobble (~1-2mm). Peel the rubber off for truing or leave it on?

Not as easy, but the same principles. Easier with rubber off, put wheel back in drop-outs, set-up a coupla guides - this is the high-tech part - wooden clothes pegs & rubber bands.

L & R front wheel spokes are same size, rear wheel L will be longer than R - take one of each (front & rear) to a local bike shop shop, get some spares.

Edit: Mmmm.....might be different with a disc brake, I'll check.

 

[glitch]

No discs

Front wheel is fine. Got a new cassette today, just fitted. New chain in the mail, new pedals in the mail (first thought the crank-bearings were shot, but turned out just the pedal bearings rusted out).
Cleaned up the rear derailleur getting a kilo of gunk off, front will follow.