Secondhand Raleigh Junior Rigid MTB: lemon or worth a punt?

[Reynard]

Can you get in there with a Dremel?

I would if I had one...

I know I have drill bit attachments to do the same job, but can I find them? Like the heck...

 

[Reynard]

A few strokes with a 'half round' or 'rat tail' file should be plenty to remove the slight 'bulge' sufficiently. Just make sure to give it a good smear of Vaseline to prevent corrosion afterwards DO NOT use grease, the soap in it will not protect the bare metal from rusting nor will it stop galvanic corrosion from 'sticking' the post whereas Petroleum Jelly does an excellent job.

Already clued up with the Vaseline, as you mentioned it upthread.

I managed to file some of it back this morning. But it's Law of Sod that the only files I have that fit inside the tube are just too fine to do any real good. Good for putting a smooth finish on something, but as useful as the proverbial chocolate teapot when you need to take stuff back some.

Have managed to get the post in further, but I've now scratched it, so can't in good conscience return it.

Aaaargh!!!

 

[12boy]

How much post do you need in the tube......most minimum insertion points I've seen are about 2 inches. If you don't want to shorten the post, files are still fairly cheap and you could get one with more robust teeth.

 

[raleighnut]

Already clued up with the Vaseline, as you mentioned it upthread.

I managed to file some of it back this morning. But it's Law of Sod that the only files I have that fit inside the tube are just too fine to do any real good. Good for putting a smooth finish on something, but as useful as the proverbial chocolate teapot when you need to take stuff back some.

Have managed to get the post in further, but I've now scratched it, so can't in good conscience return it.

Aaaargh!!!

You could polish the scratch out with a bit of Emery Paper*, might even help the post go in easier.

*120-180 grit should do.

 

[12boy]

Wrapping cloth type sandpaper around a bit of dowel has worked for me before.

 

[Reynard]

How much post do you need in the tube......most minimum insertion points I've seen are about 2 inches. If you don't want to shorten the post, files are still fairly cheap and you could get one with more robust teeth.

I'm not sure how much. Yet.

What I do know is that the post that came with the bike is marginal on the insertion. When it's at the right height for me, it's pretty well much at the limit, and as it's one of those straight ones with the old-style clamp, there isn't enough backwards saddle adjustment either. Hence the need for a longer post with a layback clamp.

I'm going to get me one of those files that you can use with a drill. One of the things I've been struggling with is the fact that I can't apply enough "welly" to the files I've been using. That's where you blokes have a big advantage over me.

 

[Reynard]

You could polish the scratch out with a bit of Emery Paper*, might even help the post go in easier.

*120-180 grit should do.

The scratches (now read plural) I've put into it won't polish out. Not without fubaring the finish.

 

[raleighnut]

The scratches (now read plural) I've put into it won't polish out. Not without fubaring the finish.

Did you go for black then ?

 

[Reynard]

Did you go for black then ?

Yeah.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I think I'd much rather lose two teeth on the biggest sprocket and get a more sensible progression right across the whole range. When it's really windy here, I tend to spend a fair bit of time on the middle ring (on the hybrid), so that's another factor I have to consider. It's not all about the biggest and smallest gears.

i don't like massive jumps between the cogs on my freewheels either. 4 tooth steps at the bottom reducing to 2 tooth steps in the high gears is user-friendly. 6 or 8 tooth jumps are not. It tends to result in more double-changes involving front & rear gears, because the ratio steps are enough to make a big difference to the required leg input torque, then if you add a bit of gradient or headwind into the mix, the increase in load after changing up one gear makes it unsustainable, so you end up changing again. The way I see it, if you need a massive low sprocket on the back, that's because you've got chainrings on the front that are too big. There's definitely no need to have super wide range freewheels when you're running a triple up front either. In fact you can run closer ratio freewheels and enjoy better incremental gear steps.
Personally, I've never seen any need for smaller than a 28T on the back and a smallest 28T chainring on the front, that gives you whatever your wheel size in gear inches as your lowest ratio, in my case 26" on MTB and 27" on hybrid.

 

[DCBassman]

There's definitely no need to have super wide range freewheels when you're running a triple up front either. I

Come live in Devon...

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Come live in Devon...

I prefer Cornwall myself... That's not hilly either.

 

[DCBassman]

I prefer Cornwall myself... That's not hilly either.

Camel Trail is the only flat bike ride, for sure!

 

[Reynard]

i don't like massive jumps between the cogs on my freewheels either. 4 tooth steps at the bottom reducing to 2 tooth steps in the high gears is user-friendly. 6 or 8 tooth jumps are not. It tends to result in more double-changes involving front & rear gears, because the ratio steps are enough to make a big difference to the required leg input torque, then if you add a bit of gradient or headwind into the mix, the increase in load after changing up one gear makes it unsustainable, so you end up changing again. The way I see it, if you need a massive low sprocket on the back, that's because you've got chainrings on the front that are too big. There's definitely no need to have super wide range freewheels when you're running a triple up front either. In fact you can run closer ratio freewheels and enjoy better incremental gear steps.
Personally, I've never seen any need for smaller than a 28T on the back and a smallest 28T chainring on the front, that gives you whatever your wheel size in gear inches as your lowest ratio, in my case 26" on MTB and 27" on hybrid.

Ah, but you keep forgetting that you have more than a foot in height on me, are close to double my weight and have far longer legs! You have the ability to put our far more "oooomph" than me, hence your choice in gearing.

And hence my choice in gearing too. I've used my other bikes as a datum to select something that should be suitable. Oh, and there's the small matter of parts supply issues too.

 

[Reynard]

No work on the bike today, and won't be for a few days I wouldn't think, as I'm a bit pawly with sinusitis.