Mission Successful

This weekend I went looking for parts for the 1200. After going to a few bike shops previously, I figured that the group I wanted to put on it, shimano 105, would cost about $900. While this might sound like a lot, it's actually less than I would have paid if I bought the group online rather than through the shop. In addition, my family gets a discount because we are Potomac Pedalers. 

However, when we went to The Bike Club, we were surprised to learn that we could get some older parts for less, a lot less. We were able to pick and choose what we wanted, and we bought parts that were a little worn, but still good. In fact, we got shimano 600, the predecessor to ultegra, for $240, including labor. 

There is an important caveat. We got a $100 credit for the parts that came off the 1200 and two wheels that we no longer had any use for. In the end, we paid $200 cash along with the $100 credit. 

The mechanics at The Bike Club were extremely helpful, and they let me help mount many of the components on the frame. They were knowledgable and I recommend them to anyone trying to restore a bike. They have many, many older components collected over the years by their owner. 

Looking for parts in the shop is like a treasure hunt and a history lesson all in one.  

Your Emergency Kit

When you ride you should always have an emergency kit with several key tools and extras of items you may need to replace on your bike. Included is a list of the items you will need and links to Amazon where you can find the best of them.

You will need-

Kit- hangs on the back of your seat or fits into a corner on your frame. Where you put all of your emergency stuff.

Topeak Aero Wedge Pack with Buckle (Medium)

Tire Irons/Tire Levers- for changing your tires or tubes. Some people can use just their hands, but most of the time it is easier to remove the tire with these.

Minoura Tool Alloy Set Tire Levers

Patch Kit- repairs holes in your tubes and saves you from having to carry extra tubes, although it is a good idea to have some.

Park Tool VP-1 Vulcanizing Patch Kit

Tubes- size will depend on your bike. Check with your local shop if you don't know what size or type you need.

CO2 Pumps- quick and easy pump. Inflates your tires in no time and lasts the duration of your ride. You will want to empty your tires when you get home and fill them with regular air.

Innovations Ultraflate Plus CO2


Hand Pump- if you run out of CO2 or have to change many tubes, pumps are an easy and efficient way to fill your tires and get going again. This pump will mount to your water bottle cage and is an easy install.

Hurricane Micro Mini Pump

Recommendation

If you are interested in knowing more about your bike, cleaning, repairing, or you just want to know the names of the parts so you can explain your problems you NEED to get The Park Tool Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair. It tells you what tools you need for the components on your bike and is extremely helpful with all your bike needs. 

Manual

We scored the "Big Blue Book Of Bicycle Repair" written by C.Calvin Jones today. It looks very comprehensive while slightly biased to Park Tools, but with good reason since the sub-title is A Do It Yourself Bicycle Repair Guide from Park Tool.

It will be a great source of information on tools and other things we'll need to set up our bike repair shop in the garage.

It's a great start and we have already started reading through it with intent to take the bottom bracket out of my old Trek 1200 frame.

Where to Find Those Essential Tools

You can find the more common tools at your local Home Depot, Lowe's or on Amazon.com but you may need to go to your local bike store to find the bike-specific tools such as multi-tools or pedal wrenches. My personal favorite tools are ParkTools, the link for their website can be found under the "resources" tab.

Essential Tools

There are a few tools that you must have to complete the simplest bike repairs, many of which you can find already in your house, especially if you have a standard tool kit. In fact, I don't even have a bike-specific tool kit, but I can get by because of my common bike knowledge, videos on Youtube and by borrowing a few of my friend's and neighbor's tools.

The most important tools that you can own are hex, or Allen wrenches, as well as regular wrenches of many different shapes and sizes. Other important tools to have are screwdrivers, both Phillips and Flat-Head types. But perhaps the most used tool in my house is my multi-tool. It has screwdrivers and hex wrenches of different sizes and types and comes in handy when you are looking for an easy to use tool. On top of that they are small and convenient to carry (I bring mine almost everywhere) and can offer more torque than a conventional hex wrench or screwdriver when tightening or loosening screws.

Brake Adjustments

The brakes, one of the hardest adjustments you can make on your bike. Whether your brakes are rubbing or you need to remove them for cleaning, here are a few tips to help you out.

Tools needed: Depends on your brakes, you may need a wrench, or a hex wrench.

Adjusting your pads: 
1) Loosen the pads with the wrench or unscrew the whole mechanism with the hex wrench for easier adjustment
2)Pull the pads farther away from the wheel and tighten (this may take a lot of time to get right and requires patience)
3)Check to ensure the pads are not rubbing, but are not so far away that they are ineffective

If this doesn't work you may need new pads, which can be purchased at a bike store and replaced there.

Removing your brakes:
1)Disengage your brakes (There will be a lever on the mechanism or a button on the brake lever on your handlebars)  
2)Unscrew the nut that holds the brake mechanism to your frame using the hex wrench
3)Remove from your bike, but make sure you keep all the parts, which will be needed later

Reinstalling your brakes:
1)Position the brakes over the wheel
2)Make sure they are on in the right direction
3)Tighten with the hex wrench, ensuring that the brakes are attached securely but are not damaging your frame   

Adjusting your brake lines:  
*May require two people*
(If your brake lines are loose)
1)Unscrew the nut that clamps the brake line
2)Pull the line and tightening the nut