Old bikes - the ones with fixed front to rear sprocket ratio (1 gear), back pedalling brakes, and swept back handlebars (the sort of handlebars elaborate moustaches were named after).
No cables, no levers, no derailleur, no brake callipers (or disks) - these should in fact be the ultimate streamlined bike.
Did you have one at any stage in your life? Did you ever fix a puncture on the back tyre?
First you have to tackle the rusted up bolt on the thing that stops the wheel moving backwards in the frame.
Then you contemplate these doo-dads that stop it moving forward in the frame (which would loosen the chain). They too are rusted up.
I finally got the nuts off the ends of the axle after two days soaking them in penetrating oil.And finally resorted to this which punches a rivet out of the chain (because it was easier than trying to slack the chain to extract the wheel)
And then found the joining link that was hidden away in the chain guard somewhere. (It did come up clean and shiny after some degrease and the application of a brass wire brush.)
Goodness knows when this was last apart. The tape that covers the ends of spokes was rusted stained rotted fabric. These days neoprene or woven nylon tape (or some synthetic rubber).
After getting the tube out the problem proved to be a slow leaking valve (and I have no replacements for the antique valve) so it got a new inner tube anyway.
A tyre change or puncture repair on a modern bike takes about 10 minutes tops; faster if I just replace the inner tube.
And then there was the reassembly.
Leaving aside the two days to get the wheel nuts off, the tyre job still took me the best part of two hours. No wonder there is this lasting image of fathers of my youth taking entire evenings to fix punctured bike tyres.
It was a good opportunity to clean the chain and sprockets and grease the hub. I haven't had to use a grease gun on a bike since I was a kid.
No one wants this bike. I'm just doing it up because it's cute and I wish I had something that cool when I was a kid. These days the handlebars hit my knees and I still haven't found a seat stem that fits it properly so I am going to have to fabricate a way of making something metric fit a very imperial English bike.
And then I will torture the grandkids with it๐ I can hear them now..." but there's a hill and it hasn't got gears".
Some history for you..
That's a labour of love.
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteI once had the loan of a back-pedal braker.... I had never, (nor since) fallen off a bike, except that one! Dreadful machine. It was either going, or it wasn't - no subtelty of slowing or coasting. Downhill? Get off and walk if you don't to break a limb. Uphill? Pedal like a lunatic then just jump off to stop. Flat? Moderate the pedalling and just slow the cadence well ahead of destination - or pay the "road landing tax"! YAM xx
the only bike I had was just like this, I was 8 and daddy got a used one for $7. I did learn to ride it but kept falling over, so eventually it went somewhere else. I have balance problems, could never skate, or bike ride without falling, and have had motion sickness so bad could not fly or float
ReplyDeleteoops forgot to say you are really good at this and perseverance must be your middle name
ReplyDeleteI have vivid memories of fixing punctures on my bike, with patches. That was my advanced three speed! With a light fuelled by a back wheel dynamo. More or less.
ReplyDeleteCutest bike in the world, so worthy of doing up! YOU, The Repair Shop! I think it is exciting- a project that gets my heart pumping! No gear and no brske bikes are sll the fad in bike friendly Portland Or. - you are on target!
ReplyDeleteThat one is a classic bike!
ReplyDeleteWell done for persevering with it.
Btw. Havelock Football teams will be at the Stayplace here soon !
That one is a classic bike!
ReplyDeleteWell done for persevering with it.
Btw. Havelock Football teams will be at the Stayplace here soon !
Looks like alot of work. I've never done that by when my oldest was a teenager he use to take bikes apart and put them back together.
ReplyDelete