I recently bought a junk bike. I want to slowly fix it up myself for two reasons: 1. To have a nicer bike. 2. To learn about bike maintenance. I’d like to improve it slowly (weeks or months) while keeping it functional. What order should I consider improvements?

I’ll elaborate. When I first bought the bike, I tuned the brakes (linear pull). I struggled. I realized brake tuning was difficult because my wheel wasn’t aligned. In retrospect, I should have straightened/replaced the wheel before tuning the brakes. I’m wondering if there are any insights you could provide about the order I should tackle this project (e.g., wheel alightment before brakes).

  • @BananaCoffeeOP
    1•3 months ago

    I appreciate your insight.

    There is minimal rust on the chain and gears. There is quite a bit if discoloration on the gears, but its not rust and doesn’t seem to be a structural concern. The drivetrain definitely needs some work, but it’s functional enough that I’ll probably work on brakes first because they are simpler.

    Sounds like I need to get these wheels straightened out first, then I’ll probably fix up the brakes, then the drivetrain.

    • @[email protected]
      2•3 months ago

      If there’s some discoloration on the gears, it’s probably worth cleaning that up. Whenever I clean my chain and rear cassette, the bike feels so much nicer to ride.

      1. buy a chain cleaner tool (like this) - $30-40 on Amazon
      2. Simple Green - $5-10 for a massive jug at a home improvement store - skip if #1 comes with some chain cleaner
      3. chain lube - $10 at your LBS

      My LBS has a kit for $40 that has everything you need, but if you decide to go the Simple Green route (it’s what I use now that the LBS stuff is used up), dilute 50/50 with water. If you’re careful to not get the degreaser in the rear hub or derailleur, you can use the degreaser and a brush to clean the rear cassette (or remove it if you’re worried). Then thoroughly rinse everything with clean water, dry it, and then apply the chain lube. If there was a lot of build-up, this can result in a much nicer ride feel.

      Also, get a chain stretch tester, or ask your LBS to check it for you. Riding on a stretched chain sucks and can accelerate wear on your drivetrain. Replacing it is pretty cheap (like $20) and most shops don’t charge much for that service since it only takes a couple minutes.

      But it’s far more important to make sure it’s safe, so getting the wheel trued and brakes tuned are the top priority. If you have a friend that likes cycling, you can probably ask to borrow that stuff.

      • @BananaCoffeeOP
        2•3 months ago

        Thanks for the advice. Hopefully I get to this stuff in the next couple weeks after the wheels and brakes.