6 Days to Fix A Bike!

 It has been almost a week since my last post on how I was planning on fixing my bike.   It certainly needed a little TLC...  And a LOT of new parts!   The only problem was the person putting it all together was ME.   And I'm kind of stupid.  

WARNING:   Techno jumble language follows!   Even I found it difficult to follow after re-reading it.  No amount of "sentence clear up" will help either.   Continue reading at your own peril. 

Oh!  Don't get me wrong.   I don't actually  "know" I'm stupid until after the fact.   In fact,   I'm one of those people who does not know what they don't know, but think they know everything there is to know about something. (or at least enough to be mostly competent.)  And by the time I discover I don't know anything,  it is too late.  

But enough "Obama Speak,"  here is what happened over the last few days:  

First,  I just want to say I wasted most of my time "waiting for parts to arrive."   Sure,  Blame the Amazon drivers.   ( I will... I did!)   Not only did they take several days to get my order to me,   they also LOST an item and didn't tell us until the day it was to arrive!(Thursday)  Cheryl had to order a replacement part ASAP.  The cassette arrived today. 

Dismantling the bike.

In the mean time,  I took my bike apart all the way down to the frame.  I left the pedals and the front fork attached, (because I am  never going to take them apart ever again!) 

Bike Snob Terms.

 Incidentally,   You would think that the parts of a bike are pretty straight forward,  but NOOOOoooo!   There are all these "techno- labels" that the bike snobs use to describe parts.    What is wrong with the front bike part thingy?   OR that part that moves the thing up and down?   I know what those parts are...   Why doesn't Google or World of Bikes?

But I digress!  

Old brake outer tubing.

Old Derailer

In addition to dismantling my bike and cleaning up what I could.  I have also been watching loads of You-Tube videos to help me not look so hopeless.   The instructors tell me over and over again that "It's not as hard as it looks."   Really?   Tell that to my rear bike tire!  Before breaking anything else,  I would like a few tools to limit the damage this time. 

Essential TOOLS for "simple"
bike repair.

Cheryl purchased several items for me that are supposed to make  life a lot easier.  Or at least the part of life that requires "fixing a Bicycle."  I have to say, the clippers were a GODSEND!   Try cutting braided metal cable with a needle nose plyers and you will understand.  ( Something "old Stupid Ethan"  would have attempted...)   I actually think I tried it sometime in the past. Luckily,  the Wisdom of those events have stayed with me. 

New Derailer!

I also got a chain breaker,  A cassette wrench set, and a new cassette removal bolt.   (I actually don't know if that is the right name.   It's the thingy that fits inside the cassette and that I used a breaking bar to remove cassette...  or break the bike  rim while trying.) 

Gear lever opened.

Yesterday was spent setting up my gear cables.   "So easy... Anyone can do it!"  or so the tell me in the video.   Whenever anyone tells me that,  my BS detector goes on high alert!   Nothing is Idiot proof!  And they are constantly making newer and better idiots...  Like me.   I think of myself as a "crash test dummy"   for all things "super simple."   If I can do it... Then it can possibly go to market 

 

New cable kit

I set out the cables and used the old ones as measuring tools to cut the pieces.   Measure twice.. cut once!  Right?  

Gear Cable Tubing cut. 

 And since there is no redo if you cut things too short,  I had better make sure I do it properly the first time.   Otherwise it will be the last time.  For this reason,   I took ALL DAY to make the cuts.    Call me superstitious.     Call me overly cautious.  Call me chicken. I'm sure all of those things apply.   And here is where I got Super Lucky! 

You can't tell they are different.

Unbeknownst to me,  the two gear cables were different sizes.  Luckily,   I tried to wire up the rear derailer first and HAPPENED to stumble upon the LONGEST CABLE.   I made my cuts,  strung it up, and wrapped up the excess cable for final cuts and end caps.  

Gear cable inserted in lever.

I then moved on to the front derailer and discovered that cable was the shorter of the two.   Had I switched them... and cut the long cable before wiring up the back gear, I would have had a cable that would not have been able to reach.   It was only after the fact that I realized how lucky I was. 

Rear Brake Cable attached!

Measure out the Tubing.

Using that experience today,  I rolled out both brake cables FIRST before setting them up.   I was rewarded by discovering that,  YES!  The two cables are also different lengths.   I set the longer one for the back and short one for the front... as was intended, but NOT instructed by all of those You-Tubers!

With gear and brake cables done,  The Cassette finally arrived and I was able to install that.   

Spoke guard.  NOT universal.

One little workaround that no one bothered to mention.   Turns out,  that "Spoke Protector Thingy" that fits between your Cassette and bike tire...  is not a universal fit. 

My "workaround" idea.   So far so good.

 I installed it, but the cassette rubbed against it because it would not fit flush with the spokes.    I ended up drilling holes in the plastic part and zip-tying it to the spokes. It looks bad, but...    So far, it looks like it will work.  

Cassette tool thingy.

My cassette is still a little loose and wobbles a bit. But the gears change fine.   My old one did as well, so maybe it is just one of those things that requires a little time to settle in.   I still have to fine tune the breaks and gears a bit in the near future, but for now...  after test driving it in -6 degree temps,  I think the word "good enough" comes to mind.  

Old chain lined up with new.

With the tire finally assembled and on,  I could finally attach the bike chain.   Again,  not taking any chances,  I measured out the old chain and tried to match it.  

Cut Chain HERE!

Chain cutting in progress.

 Even then, it turns out I had to cut the chain a second time, but at least it was not too short.   I was actually impressed how easy that part was, given that all the other steps scared the crap out of me over the last two days.   

Chain Attached!

In the end,   I "fixed" the bike.   Upgraded... Maintained... Whatever!    I didn't have to pay anyone to fix it for me.  And it seems to actually work... which is shocking!  My greatest fear is not really being incompetent.   It is admitting defeat and having to drag my bike parts into World of Bikes so they can fix it. 

  I can only imagine the conversation around the watercooler  about another "You-Tube Mechanic" making a video that "anyone can do."   And some do-it-yourself-er actually tried to do it.... and then they all laugh. 

End caps for Cables.

Hey!  Maybe those are the guys who make those videos!   So it is a conspiracy... Hmm.    So they are not really honest when they tell me "It is so simple, Anyone can do it."  They leave out certain details so you will eventually have to bring it in to your local mechanic.  Diabolical!

Crimp crimp crimp!

Well the joke is on them!   I figured out their mad scheme and fixed my own bike..  using their own  knowledge against them.  That gives me a certain level of satisfaction.   Like finding a coupon glitch, or Cadbury Creme Eggs on sale the day after Easter.

Victory!

So...  that is what has been going on over the last 6 days here at Allenbrite Studio.   The Great Ethan Allen wrestles with bike parts, bike videos, cold weather, and self-doubt to claim victory over adversity!  And.... Fix my bike!           Mostly.                At least in the short term.... until the weather warms up and I can fine tune the details.    But I still consider this  a victory!   Because I'm Awesome!   And  a Winner!

P.S.  I don't actually think the "World of Bikes" guys are bad.  Or that they are even aware of my self-proclaimed one-sided rivalry.  They are mostly helpful whenever I do drop in from time to time.  And any "snobbery" that is perceived is most likely only on my side.    I'll admit it here.. At the end of this blog post,  so I don't hurt any feelings.   And, after such a long post, it is highly unlikely anyone will read this far.   If so....Thanks for stopping in.