Some idiot questions...

[pepecat]

I have three daft questions:

If you go out for a ride and stop for a tea/cake break, presumably you lock your bike up...... how/where do you carry your lock? I've only ever done non stop rides so have never needed to take a lock with me. I have a D lock (fairly heavy) and a big mother of a chain lock thing (even heavier) so don't really want to carry them.....is it a case of taking a rucksack?

Have any of you ever re-sprayed/painted a bike, and how easy is it? Do I have to take everything off so it's just the frame?

How does one measure the size of seatpost if the size is not on the seatpost itself? I have a rather old MTB which I'm fixing up as a second bike, and need a longer seatpost, but don't know what size to get. Some places I've seen them talking about these calipers to measure cos apparently you have to be VERY accurate in measuring.....

 

[kewb]

i have a ball bearing style lock (bit like a chain in a clear hosepipe ) if i take it i wear it like a belt under my top .

yes ive re sprayed a mtb remove everything you can get off frame and mask the rest take your time at this stage a rushed masking might result in a vissible eyesore forever .




take old seatpost along as a guide for new one simples .

 

[rockyraccoon]

I always carried my in a rucksack. I attached the lock to the top frame and seat tube using velcro tie. Problem solved!

 

[abbie]

I have a lock that sounds like the one Kew mentions, it doesn't take up much room in my handlebar bag so I tend to take it out as my 'just in case' lock and try and not leave it out of sight.

 

[Globalti]

When we stop at cafes around here the bikes are never out of our sight and in any case we are deep in the Ribble valley or Bowland Forest so bike theft is less likely than in a town.

To respray strip the bike right back to the bare frame.

Take the frame along with you when buying a seatpost as there's variation even between manufacturers in the same size.

 

[gbb]

Spraying the bike depends on how good you want the job to be pepe...
Ive done my sons MTB quite successfully, i just emery papered the rough stuff off the frame, which also gives a key for the new paint.
Spray with etching primer, then a couple of topcoats then laquer. Its lasted very well.
How much equipment you take off is up to you. The more the better but brakesand cables are a must really. Seatpost etc are easy to remove anyway. You can get away with leaving the cranks on and cover them with a bag, mask off the headset, etc if you want a quick job. Everything depends on how good you want the job to be.

By the same token, i used the same technique on another cheap bike..it was awful.

 

[Matthames]

I have a really chunky lock, when I am using it I tend to tie it down on my pannier rack.

 

[dellzeqq]

I have three daft questions:

If you go out for a ride and stop for a tea/cake break, presumably you lock your bike up...... how/where do you carry your lock? I've only ever done non stop rides so have never needed to take a lock with me. I have a D lock (fairly heavy) and a big mother of a chain lock thing (even heavier) so don't really want to carry them.....is it a case of taking a rucksack?

Have any of you ever re-sprayed/painted a bike, and how easy is it? Do I have to take everything off so it's just the frame?

How does one measure the size of seatpost if the size is not on the seatpost itself? I have a rather old MTB which I'm fixing up as a second bike, and need a longer seatpost, but don't know what size to get. Some places I've seen them talking about these calipers to measure cos apparently you have to be VERY accurate in measuring.....

the first thing is - these are not daft questions. Far from it.

Locks - if you are going to be able to keep an eye on your bike then you could do worse than a sheathed chain with a combination lock. I use them for all my bikes, but I'm very careful about where I put them and in areas that are dodgy I always keep an eye on them. The advantage is that you can sling it round you - over one shoulder like a bandolier. I hardly know it's there.

Yes, and you do have to take everything off. Spraying with car paint does work, but it's not particularly long-lasting. Consider this... http://www.cycle-finishes.com/

Seat posts - there is a handy little calibrated cone device that should be in most bike shops. You take out the seat post, drop in the cone, and, hey presto!

 

[pepecat]

Thanks for the replies - I figured that was the case with re spraying.... can car paint be used (i'm thinking of the cans of stuff you get in places like halfords)?

I have a road bike so no pannier rack or handlebar bag...and can't really put the lock in the triangle cos bottle cages are there. Am intruigued by the seatpost/saddle thing - might try that. Otherwise I'll have to take a small rucksack (grrr).

 

[kewb]

 if you keep trying it around the bike frame you will soon find a spot for it ,

hang it in the triangle from top bar or attach it to seatpost are two likely spots id try .




same problem was one of the reasons i went to chain type locks ,at least you can wear them over shoulder or around waist failing that they coil up 

and fit most spots on the frame (wrap around seatpost was good on my old road bike but new one doesnt have the space )

 

[battered]

Resprays - don't mess abuot with the aerosols you get in car shops. They contaion next to no paint and you will need to spend a fortune. Unless you are skilful it will look awful. I have resprayed stuff with a spraygun and compressor with decent results but that's different. In my youth I resprayed 3 cars, but aerosols are for localised repairs only.

The bike in my avatar was blasted and powder coated for £25. I stripped it, he sand blasted it back to shiny metal and added the powder coat (which is baked on). He charged another £5 for a metallic lacquer. £30, and it looks fantastic. That's my route next time I need to recondition a frame. Aerosols would cost more and be rubbish, and if you broke out the compressor, decent base plus colour plus lacquers would cost all of £30. Add papers, thinners and you are north of £40. OK, this will do a couple of bikes, but you are only doing one.