Repair the bike or buy a new bike?

[vickster]

The pictures which look to have been removed by OP did not paint a pretty picture of the chain and cassette. For £15 for cassette and a tenner for new chain plus fitting, I’d see it as worthwhile given the OP is a self proclaimed perfectionist. Otherwise he could scrub them clean.
Given the state of neglect of the bike generally, I’d suspect chain and cassette are worn. If the parts aren’t needed, he can just hang onto them and fit when they are worn 👍

 

[Ajax Bay]

Looks OK to me and Shimano hub (but definitely 9 sprockets yet Claris 'shifters'):
Edited: [Image removed at OP's request - showed a 9sp cassette on a black Shimano hub. I didn't think it looked dirty, btw.]
But needs an 8 speed cassette so therefore a new chain. Not an issue, and easy to buy.

 

[jay clock]

Looks OK to me and Shimano hub (but definitely 9 sprockets yet Claris 'shifters'):
View attachment 522474
But needs an 8 speed cassette so therefore a new chain. Not an issue, and easy to buy.

utterly filthy which suggests general poor maintenance

 

[Ajax Bay]

Think that 'utterly' is harsh but inference is likely valid. Or maybe just judging other's rear hubs by your own high standards. And this is the OP's brother's bike. Is he his brother's keeper?
Reread the OP and Post #8.

 

[BigMeatball]

Is that the OP's cassette?

It's just filthy but doesn't look in bad shape. Maybe the OP should try to be a perfectionist in the degreasing and brushing department

 

[vickster]

Looks OK to me and Shimano hub (but definitely 9 sprockets yet Claris 'shifters'):
View attachment 522474
But needs an 8 speed cassette so therefore a new chain. Not an issue, and easy to buy.

So he does need a new cassette and chain or new 9 speed shifters

 

[Ajax Bay]

I think an 8 speed is a 'perfect' cube.

 

[LemonJuice]

Good evening everyone,

I do apologise if I have come across as a bit of a pain in the arse and taking the piss a bit, but I have not been doing it deliberately.

I have only ever ridden mountain bikes, but after becoming attached to sorting out my brother’s bike, I want to get it sorted to perfection or to as near as can be. I am going to be riding the bike, not my brother. He doesn’t care about it anymore and told me that I’m welcome to it. How charming. Nevertheless, he has said that he will pay for whatever it costs to get it all sorted.

I admit to having no experience with road bikes, I don’t have a clue how to do even the most basic things on a bike. As soon as the book I bought arrives then I’ll be riding it ferociously so I can start to understand a bike and how to fix things on a bike. Many of you on here have years and years of experience, but we all have to start somewhere! I’m not a young lad and my friends in the 1980s and 1990s were really into bikes, but I was never really interested.

I told the guy on the phone that the chain does not stay on any of the cogs, two spokes need replacing on the front wheel and the gear cables need replacing.

But, I have noticed that the cassette is a 9-speed and not an 8-speed (as it should be) so I don’t really mind paying the money to get things sorted once and for all. I don’t want to buy the wrong parts (who does?), but I don’t mind buying a new chain, cassette, etc.

My intention is to get the bike sorted and start riding it for a few months and then buy a brand new bike for £1000-2000.

I hope some of you can empathise with me that I want things to be clean, efficient and of good quality. Is that really too much to ask?

 

[LemonJuice]

This is getting painful to watch

Can you please explain to me why?

The bike would not be in the condition it is now if my brother had not neglected it and I had been given it ages ago. I hate dirt so I plan on cleaning the bike after every ride! My brother has actually made me very angry for letting the bike to get into the state it is in now.

Forgive me for wanting to have new and clean essential parts on the bike e.g, a new chain and a new cassette. It’s not like buying those two things is going to break my bank. I’m unable to fix the things at the moment myself and others on here have pointed out that a person who knows what he or she is doing needs to fix the problems, but I do hope with time that I’ll be able to fix most things myself.

I want to get the bike running with good quality parts and not just getting by, if that makes sense. Then, I want to ride the bike for a few months and then buy a bike for £1000+ and keep the other bike to work with so I can gain experience on fixing little things at first on a bike, etc.

 

[jay clock]

I agree about an immaculate clean perfectly running bike. But just take the thing to a specialist, say "please get this into perfect order and clean it" and hand over the cash. Don't buy the mechanic his parts.

 

[Globalti]

Yes plenty of good advice on here. Honestly OP you say you're not a youth but you do come across like a youth chatting with his mates about upgrading your car, motorbike, computer, HiFi while not really understanding the complexities or the costs and pitfalls.

Take the advice given here, don't buy parts online, which might be wrong for the bike. Take it to the mechanic and ask him for an appraisal of the bike and an estimate. After nine pages of chit-chat you might find that the cost of getting the bike sorted exceeds the cost of a decent entry-level bike and the kit like pedals, clothing, shoes and cleats, pump etc. If that's the case go and buy a new bike and ask the seller to supply you with some appropriate pedals and shoes and you'll be on the road for the summer with no further hassle.

I think the more experienced members on here are getting frustrated because you are ignoring their advice to get a professional opinion, saying you want a quality job while fantasising about buying parts you don't understand.

A couple of questions:

How do you know the bike is the right size for you?

How sure are you that your brother will pay the cost of the repairs? He's probably thinking it will be fifty quid but I think you'll be looking at a couple of hundred or more. Blithe assurances are one thing but getting cash out of people is another.

Once you've had the estimate why don't you phone your brother and check if he's willing to pay that much?

 

[jay clock]

well said @Globalti . I am not going to engage in further comment but hope you end up with a sparkling bike soon that runs well

 

[Nigelnightmare]

Reading through this thread today was not made easy by the pictures being missing, BUT....


...I have read a lot of good advise on here that doesn't seem to have been taken by the OP.
My view is :-
If you don't know and ask for help/advise at the very least respond to it, even if you don't act upon it.
It just seems rude to ignore it and then ask more Q's.

If on the other hand you know what you're doing, get on with it.
Then let us know how it turns out.

 

[roadrash]

@LemonJuice is correct, we do all have to start somewhere, but the op also needs to understand the fact that he states he knows nothing about road bikes and yet wants to buy numerous parts, @LemonJuice I hope you get sorted and stick around cyclechat ,maybe you will come to realize that good advice is being offered and consider this advice before dismissing it , particularly about buying parts you are unsure of and then expecting a mechanic who hasn't even seen the bike to work his magic, stick around and before long you could be offering someone similar to yourself, the advice that they need.

 

[LemonJuice]

Is the rear derailleur damaged? I looked at the derailleur on my mountain bike and on road bikes online and none of them looked like the derailleur on the road bike.

I’ve phoned up the local bike shop and told him that I’m going to buy a new cassette, chain and derailleur.

Am I right in thinking that a new derailleur is required? Or, is it positioned the way it is because there are no cables?