Cycling UK Forum

Hi,

I have a Ridgeback Supernova, which I primarily use for a relatively short commute to work and to get around in general. I occasionally use it for rides at the weekend, but nothing too intense (although I do really enjoy having a comparatively decent hybrid to be out and about on).

Annoyingly, my chain just broke, doubtless in large part due to slightly neglectful care on my part. I tried to keep it lubricated with a silicon based lubricant, but as I have to keep it outside, it always seemed to be very rusty. I had a good look at the chainrings and the cassette, and a lot of the rings seem to be pretty worn down. It therefore seems like a good option to get a bit of a fresh start, particularly as from my reading on the web, old rings and new chains tend not to be very happy. However, I am a little lost as to how to proceed, and would love some advice!

Specifically, I am quite keen to give replacing the set of components a go and learn some bike maintenance along the way. Sadly, I don't have any specialist tools, and as a student, have a somewhat limited budget to buy them. Is it worth buying them, and if so, what makes a good minimal set? - I have access to allen keys, a rubber mallet, and screwdrivers, but do not have torx wrenches and the more specific tools etc. If it is a lot more expensive to buy the tools, I guess I will have to take it to a bike shop.

And secondly - a.) should I replace everything? I think at least two of the chain rings need to be replaced (and I'm guessing a chainset will be almost as cheap at this point). The cassette is a bit better, but definitely very worn down on some of the rings. b.) Is it best to stick with only shimano components, or can I get away with some cheaper ones at minimal penalty?

The current spec of the bike is:

Chainset: Shimano M521
Chainrings: 48/36/26
Bottom Bracket: Shimano Octalink
Cassette: Shimano Cassette 11-32 9sp
Chain: HG53

Thanks in advance for any tips!

Cheers,

Peter

chain, cassette and two chainrings can be had for about £60 if you shop around. Shimano cassette, KMC chain, stronglight chainrings, for example.

Aldi and Lidl do a bike tool kit a couple of times a year; it cost less than £20 and has most of the tools you will need for this job.

Alternatively get the cassette removed and retightened at the LBS, and get the chain shortened there too (if it needs it). Everything else can be done with allen keys and fingers. KMC chains (and several others) come with a quicklink so assembly is a finger job provided it is the right length.

If in doubt about procedures, check the park tools website, and/or Sheldon brown.

BTW silicon based lubes don't resist UK winter conditions IME.

cheers

Thanks for the quick response! Good to hear that I can give it a go for a reasonable price, looking forward to getting my hands dirty.

Cheers,

Peter

Searching on Utube will bring up lots of "how-to" videos.
Re-newing chains, re-newing cassettes, re-placing chainsets, etc.

If replacing the chain then a chain splitter will be needed.
Chances are the new chain will need shortening and that requires a rivet to be pushed out.
Then use one of the "quick-links" that Brucy mentions to join the chain.
**Take care that you don't remove too many links as re-placing them is not easy.**

Often, when a chain is worn, it wears the teeth on the cassette and sometimes the chainrings.
These may need replacing. If the teeth are worn then a new chain will skip/jump on the worn teeth.
Cassettes tend to wear quicker than chainrings.
First check that you have a "cassette" on the bike and not a "freewheel".
Freewheel or Cassette? :- http://sheldonbrown.com/freewheels.html

If you don't want to wait for ALDI/LIDL. Halfords essential tool kit: RRP £34.99, currently on sale for £27.99 http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_242558.

BUT... scroll down to the bundle deals and somehow it's £24.79 bundled with 400ml of GT-85. Has all the tools you need and has to be worth a punt at the price?

see

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/104-bcd-4-arm-dept497/#page=1&page=1&order=PRICE%20ASCENDING

for chainrings. FWIW I think 8s ones will work OK on your cranks with a 9s chain. So less than £25 for a pair then.

cheers

Does your university (etc) have a bike club?
Is there a community workshop in your town? (like http://pedallers-arms.org/)

531colin wrote:Does your university (etc) have a bike club?
Is there a community workshop in your town? (like http://pedallers-arms.org/)

What a fantastic idea. I'm not sure how I had managed to not learn about these projects before

As you noted in your original post a complete chainset may be almost as cheap as a couple of chain rings particularly if you shop around. One option would be to get a low cost chainset, possibly non-octalink, with chain rings that match the bolt circle diameters (BCD)s of your existing chainset, and then transfer the rings from the new chainset to your old one. This may give you additional options in finding low-cost chainsets/chain rings.

Also if you get a chain with a quick-link, such as the KMC or SRAM ones, then this will make future maintenance easier. You will need to check but some designs of quick-link are only intended for use a limited number of times although I suspect quite a few people use them more.

If you already have access to allen keys of the appropriate sizes then one option is just to buy the extra tools you need for the jobs you currently want to do. This could well be a lower cost option than buying a complete tool set and you may be able to get better versions of some of the tools than you may find in the cheaper tool sets.

For replacing the chain you will probably need a chain splitter / chain tool for shortening the chain even if you use a quick link for the final joining. It would be worth checking the length of your current chain and the various alternatives available as it is possible that you may get one of the right length (number of links) and so avoid having to get a chain splitter / chain tool although it will be a tool you may well need in the future. There are special pliers for opening quick-links but you can often get away without and do not need them for the initial joining. The special pliers are not particularly expensive but as an exercise, and as I had access to a grinding wheel, I modified a pair of very cheap (circa £2) long nosed pliers to do the job instead.

For changing the cassette you will need an appropriate cassette lockring remover and a chain whip (to stop the cassette turning as you try to undo it). Depending on the lock ring remover you will probably also need a suitable large (adjustable ?) spanner.

Finally did you mean a torque wrench - used for doing up threaded connectors (nuts, bolts etc) to a specific tightness normally specified in Nm (newton-metres) of ft lbs (foot pounds) or torx wrenches which are similar to allen keys / allen wrenches but have a cross-section that is a six pointed star rather than a hexagon. There have been several threads on torque wrenches, one of which is definitely currently active.

phumphreys wrote:Specifically, I am quite keen to give replacing the set of components a go and learn some bike maintenance along the way. Sadly, I don't have any specialist tools, and as a student, have a somewhat limited budget to buy them. Is it worth buying them, and if so, what makes a good minimal set? - I have access to allen keys, a rubber mallet, and screwdrivers, but do not have torx wrenches and the more specific tools etc. If it is a lot more expensive to buy the tools, I guess I will have to take it to a bike shop.

You can do pretty much all of your day-to-day maintenance work with a set of allen keys, a screwdriver and a set of allen keys. Jobs like replacing chainrings and cassettes would require a couple of extra tools. Oh and a pump and tyre levers.

This is a pretty good all-in-one selection:

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TOJWTK/jobsworth-tool-kit

at £34.99