how much dose it cost to fix up an old bike?

deano77777

Hi getting back into cycling this summer, so im getting myself a new mountain bike in the 600-800 range.

Only thing is iv no one to ride with, everyone i know is skint and cannt afford any new bikes and dont have any to begin with.

Iv got two old bikes that have been setting a few years and are all rusted up. One is a rigid frame and the other is a cheap suspention bike.

My question is this, how much would i be looking at to change the parts on a bike (brakes, gears, cables, chain, paint).
They dont have to rely good parts or anything.

Is there anywhere i can go to get good second hand parts.

Morgan

http://www.rothar.ie

Daniel S

deano77777 wrote: »

Hi getting back into cycling this summer, so im getting myself a new mountain bike in the 600-800 range.

Only thing is iv no one to ride with, everyone i know is skint and cannt afford any new bikes and dont have any to begin with.

Iv got two old bikes that have been setting a few years and are all rusted up. One is a rigid frame and the other is a cheap suspention bike.

My question is this, how much would i be looking at to change the parts on a bike (brakes, gears, cables, chain, paint).
They dont have to rely good parts or anything.

Is there anywhere i can go to get good second hand parts.

For a start, don't bother fixing the cheap suspension bike, unless you can do it for under €10, or whatever you're willing to throw down the toilet.

The rigid bike on the otherhand would probably worth fixing. Chains can usually be sorted by WD40, cycling it a bit, then cleaning off the WD40 and then putting oil on it. Brake cables are easily changed, gear cables are a little harder.

If you gave us pictures and told us what's wrong we'd be much more helpful.

Tonyandthewhale

Yeah, stay away from the full susser. However if you're buying a decent mountain bike with the intention of actually mountain biking don't expect your friend to be able to keep up with you on the re-conditioned junker from the shed when you hit the trails.
Having said that it might be very much worth your while to fix up the rigid frame bike (especially if it's got a rigid fork). I recently bought a early 90's rigid mountain bike off adverts for a friend who's bike had been stolen, cost 25e because it was junk, some air in the tyres and 2e worth of gear cable and some oil on the chain and it was going fine.

Post pics and we'll be able to tell you if it's an anyway decent machine and give you an idea of how much work needs to go into it. Also beware that restoring old bikes can be like opening a pandora's box and there might be lots of little problems that come to life only after you've committed yourself to getting your hands dirty, it's a bit of gamble but no harm taking a look.

deano77777

Sorry dont have any pic of them at the moment.
Their both just cheap bikes, nothing special. Yea i know the suspention might be more bother than its worth, but i want to have a look anyway, I wont be putting any more than 20 euro into each bike.

There both need some new fittings or better yet second hand ones. All the wee bits of steel and nuts and bolts are all rusted and need changing, you know yourself, all the exposed bits of cheap metal.

Where would i go to get second hand parts.

CianRyan

www.adverts.ie could be useful.

BostonB

I think you'd better buying a working 2nd hand bike somewhere.

Fixing up an old bike quickly adds up.

I don't think Rothar is going to work, his location says Galway.