Advice needed on parts and tools to renovate my bike

[Asa Post]

I have a Kona Koa MTB, 1996 vintage. I've never been too good at looking after it , but after reading on here about how easy most maintenance jobs are I thought I'd check the bike over and see what needed doing.

As I had expected, the chain has stretched. Job 1: replace chain.
But are the sprockets OK? No, they're not. Worn, broken, and damaged teeth. How has the bl**dy machine kept working for so long? Job 2: replace cassette.
While I'm at it, I may as well check the chainrings. Oh, sh*t, they're worse than the cassette. Job 3: replace chainrings.

Now, I've never done anything like this before, and my toolset is basically Allen keys, screwdrivers and spanners, so I need the specialist tools as well as the parts. This is where you lot and your amazing breadth and depth of knowledge and experience come in. Please cast an eye over my shopping list, and see if it's reasonable.

The bike is a 21-gear triple – 42/32/22 up front and 11-28 on the back. Square taper bottom bracket and a freehub rather than freewheel. I'm happy to keep it like that, or as near as dammit. So I was thinking:

• Shimano Alivio Chainset square taper M410,
• Shimano HG 50 7-Speed 12-28 cassette (I know this will reduce the top gear from 93” to 85”, but I don't ride the bike for speed, so it's not a problem),
• KMC X8 93 chain (the page says that 8-speed chains will work on a 7-speed system).

As for tools:

• Park Tool cassette lockring tool,
• Xtreme chain whip,
• Park Tools Chain Brute chain tool,
• Ice Toolz crank removal tool,
• Park Tool anti seize assembly grease.

Will these parts and tools do the job(s)? Have I overlooked anything? Are there better options?

I was also wondering about the bottom bracket. It seems to be fine. No looseness, and no nasty noises. But, as I'm doing all the rest of the stuff, should I replace it anyway? I don't know if this is good practice, or not. Advice, please.

If the consensus is to fit a new one. I was going to go for the Shimano UN26 68mm Shell English Thread Sealed Cartridge Square Taper Bottom Bracket 113mm, and I'd also need an IceToolz ISIS / Shimano bottom bracket tool.

Amazingly, by shopping around, I think I can do all this for a little over £100, which I suspect is considerably cheaper than my LBS would charge.

 

[Manonabike]

I had a quick look at the tools you are suggesting and I think you are spot on. That's all you need.

You could buy a tool kit and save yourself a few quids I think

 

[rusty bearing]

'Amazingly, by shopping around, I think I can do all this for a little over £100, which I suspect is considerably cheaper than my LBS would charge'

For changing those things plus setting up the gears you would pay £27.00 plus parts in our workshop. Quick look on the web will give you parts prices of around £51.00 in total, of course you wont have the fun of getting covered in oil, skinning knuckles etc but hey, you can't have it all.

I'm all for diy and looking after your bike but if you don't support your LBS or mobile mechanic they won't be there to fix it when it all goes base over apex!

 

[Asa Post]

I had a quick look at the tools you are suggesting and I think you are spot on. That's all you need.

You could buy a tool kit and save yourself a few quids I think

That's a good find!
Most of the extra stuff would duplicate what I already have, but as it wouldn't cost any more overall I think I'll go for it.

Thanks

 

[Asa Post]

For changing those things plus setting up the gears you would pay £27.00 plus parts in our workshop. Quick look on the web will give you parts prices of around £51.00 in total, of course you wont have the fun of getting covered in oil, skinning knuckles etc but hey, you can't have it all.

Yeah, I priced the parts at just over £50 and the tools at just under £50. My LBS would charge over £80 for the parts! Even if their labour charges are the same as yours (and I don't think they are) I'd still be out of pocket. Maybe I ought to move to Chorley.

 

[rusty bearing]

I suspect they need a bigger profit margin as their overheads are higher than ours, business rates etc. I used to think about movin' over your way when I were a young climber................

 

[andrew_s]

If you replace the BB, you'll also want a large spanner to work the BB tool with - a 12" adjustable or similar size.
You will need reasonable leverage so anything small won't do.

On the whole, I'd leave the BB until it did start making noises or developing play. They will usually soldier on for quite a while after they do start to give end of life symptoms.

 

[Asa Post]

If you replace the BB, you'll also want a large spanner to work the BB tool with - a 12" adjustable or similar size.
You will need reasonable leverage so anything small won't do.

On the whole, I'd leave the BB until it did start making noises or developing play. They will usually soldier on for quite a while after they do start to give end of life symptoms.

I have a couple of spanners that I hope would do the job, but I suspect that your second point is right. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Thanks for the advice.