Just joined to get help and advice as I'm still and wanting to learn about caring and repairing my bikes.
Have two bikes at the moment, one is a Universal Stirling 700C Hybrid Bike - Mens and the other is a Sprick racing bike.
The Universal Stirling 700C Hybrid Bike - Mens I got from argos.
I thought it would be a decent bike as it was £120.00 reduced from £260.00, but not worth the £120.00 as I found out.
Had a guy in the local bike shop check it for me and he said the best thing on it is the pannier.
The brake levers and V-type brakes are cheep and he couldn't get the rear brake working as good as he would like, but it stills stops you.
He didn't recognise the gear system and thinks it's a cheep one too.
It is a nightmare to set the rear derailer.
Saddle is ok but small and very hard and handlebar grips very cheep and not good on your hands.
The front mudguard gave me problems, slight nudge and it was rubbing the side of the tire, so I replaced them.
It had twist gear selector, 6 speed.
So I changed a lot on the bike.
Replaced the whole braking system.
Replaced the saddle with a liddle city saddle as it very cumfy.
Replaced the mudguards.
Replaced the rear derailer with a shimano one.
Replaced the Twist gears with a shimano trigger one with brake leaver.
Replaced the grips and added bar ends.
Replaced the pedals.
Replaced the chain with 7 speed chain, thinking to change the rear cog at some point to 7 speed as trigger gears were 7 sopeed, but didn't bother.
I couldn't raise the handlebars up high enough and wanted a stright handlebar, so replaced them with adjustable rise bike quill stem and carbon stright handlebar.
Put a quick release for the saddle for more easy adjusting.
Also added a kick stand.
Bike is a bit heavy and I have to go up hill to get home on it.
The other bike I have is a work in progress.
It was being thrown into the skip at work and from a quick look it was not that bad.
It's a Sprick 5 speed racer, german made I think.
Rear derailer was clogged thick with years of dirt and oil.
Chain was rusty solid mess.
Got front brake working, but not the rear brake.
Saddle was split.
One spoke broken on rear wheel.
No mudguards.
Brake cable coverings rusty looking at ends.
It's shift lever where you have to find the gear on.
Some small bits of rust on the frame, easy to rub down and treat.
Seatpost was very rusty, but cleaned it up.
Seatpost Binder bolt was rusted bad.
Pedals and wheel rims, small rusty spots.
Needed two new tyres.
It looked worse than it was.
I also got two wheels that were being thrown into the skip too.
One is a 700 x 23c quick release and looks expensive but can't post picture yet, it has a high white rim and the other a quick release mountain bike tyre.
Gave mountain bike tyre to my brother as it's right size for his bike.
Been working on it a bit at weekends and just waiting on some parts arriving and then can get it finished.
The local bike shop closed down a while back when the guy running it retired, so I'm learning and doing the work myself.
Have two bikes at the moment, one is a Universal Stirling 700C Hybrid Bike - Mens and the other is a Sprick racing bike.
The Universal Stirling 700C Hybrid Bike - Mens I got from argos.
I thought it would be a decent bike as it was £120.00 reduced from £260.00, but not worth the £120.00 as I found out.
Had a guy in the local bike shop check it for me and he said the best thing on it is the pannier.
The brake levers and V-type brakes are cheep and he couldn't get the rear brake working as good as he would like, but it stills stops you.
He didn't recognise the gear system and thinks it's a cheep one too.
It is a nightmare to set the rear derailer.
Saddle is ok but small and very hard and handlebar grips very cheep and not good on your hands.
The front mudguard gave me problems, slight nudge and it was rubbing the side of the tire, so I replaced them.
It had twist gear selector, 6 speed.
So I changed a lot on the bike.
Replaced the whole braking system.
Replaced the saddle with a liddle city saddle as it very cumfy.
Replaced the mudguards.
Replaced the rear derailer with a shimano one.
Replaced the Twist gears with a shimano trigger one with brake leaver.
Replaced the grips and added bar ends.
Replaced the pedals.
Replaced the chain with 7 speed chain, thinking to change the rear cog at some point to 7 speed as trigger gears were 7 sopeed, but didn't bother.
I couldn't raise the handlebars up high enough and wanted a stright handlebar, so replaced them with adjustable rise bike quill stem and carbon stright handlebar.
Put a quick release for the saddle for more easy adjusting.
Also added a kick stand.
Bike is a bit heavy and I have to go up hill to get home on it.
The other bike I have is a work in progress.
It was being thrown into the skip at work and from a quick look it was not that bad.
It's a Sprick 5 speed racer, german made I think.
Rear derailer was clogged thick with years of dirt and oil.
Chain was rusty solid mess.
Got front brake working, but not the rear brake.
Saddle was split.
One spoke broken on rear wheel.
No mudguards.
Brake cable coverings rusty looking at ends.
It's shift lever where you have to find the gear on.
Some small bits of rust on the frame, easy to rub down and treat.
Seatpost was very rusty, but cleaned it up.
Seatpost Binder bolt was rusted bad.
Pedals and wheel rims, small rusty spots.
Needed two new tyres.
It looked worse than it was.
I also got two wheels that were being thrown into the skip too.
One is a 700 x 23c quick release and looks expensive but can't post picture yet, it has a high white rim and the other a quick release mountain bike tyre.
Gave mountain bike tyre to my brother as it's right size for his bike.
Been working on it a bit at weekends and just waiting on some parts arriving and then can get it finished.
The local bike shop closed down a while back when the guy running it retired, so I'm learning and doing the work myself.
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in the 1980's which had a problem which lead to me getting a replacement.
