Messages

1

General Discussion / Re: Cleaning A Bicycle

« on: November 10, 2012, 03:33:18 pm »

The chain is the main thing requiring lubrication. However, you might occasionally put a drop on the jockey wheel bearings, the derailleur pivot points, and brake lever pivot points.

Hubs, bottom brackets, headsets, and cables may also require periodic grease.

Park Tool has good online maintenance instructions:

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/tag/Maintenance

And you might want to pick up Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance.

http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1884737706

Thanks John

2

General Discussion / Re: Cleaning A Bicycle

« on: November 10, 2012, 02:04:48 pm »

There are many ways to wash a bicycle. If you Google "washing a bicycle", you'll find different options. Personally, I get a bucket of soapy water and a rag and wash it like you'd wash a car. I use an old toothbrush to clean the dirtiest and hard-to-reach parts, such as the chain, gears, jockey wheels and derailleurs. I use Simple Green as the cleaner, but you can use almost any detergent. I rinse the bike off with a hose without a spray attachment.

You could use 3-in-1, but I'd recommend visiting a bike shop and picking up a bottle of lube specific for bicycle chains. If you're a cheapskate, you can make your own out of a mixture of motor oil and mineral spirits--Google will help there too. I don't recommend starting a discussion of lubes, as such discussions always go on forever and everybody recommends something different.

You might consider cheap furniture polish (e.g., a "Pledge" knock-off for about $1 a can) to shine up the tubes.

John,

Thank you.

Just one more question?  Does anything else on the bicycle require lubrication?

Bob

3

General Discussion / Cleaning A Bicycle

« on: November 10, 2012, 11:25:45 am »

Hi All,

I just purchased a Schwinn bicycle from the Voyageur 2 series and it could use a good cleaning.  I presume that it is as simple as dousing it with water, drying it and lubricating the chain with 10 to 20 drops of 3 in 1 oil.

Am I correct?

Thanks in advance.

Bob

4

General Discussion / Tire Pressure

« on: October 22, 2012, 02:36:45 pm »

Hi All,

I just purchased a Schwinn bicycle from the Voyageur 2 series and the tire pressure noted on the tires should be 44 to 73 psi.  All my riding is done on paved streets.  Considering that, could you please recommend a more exact pressure for my tires?

Thanks in advance,

Bob

5

Gear Talk / Re: Gear Shifting

« on: October 21, 2012, 07:23:41 pm »

John,

Thank you.

Bob

6

Gear Talk / Gear Shifting

« on: October 21, 2012, 01:26:07 pm »

Hi All,

I just purchased a Schwinn bicycle from the Voyageur 2 serious and I absolutely love it.  I am 67 years old and this is the first time in my life I've owned a decent bicycle.

That said, I don't understand the gearing.  The left handlebar has a switch with three positions and the right has one with seven positions.  All my riding has been with the left switch in the second position and I control the gearing by changing the right position switch through the seven possibilities.

This is all I do because I don't understand the gearing.   Please tell me what the settings should be in order to go from the lowest to the highest through all 21 possibilities.

Thanks in advance,

Bob