After spending €165.69 I can finally change gears

Pompous

Every time I tried to shift my front derailleur up to the big ring, my chain would come off. It was very annoying and I decided to get it fixed in time for my 30km daily commute starting on Monday (back to school).

I brought my bike to Eurocycles, who agreed to fix it if I paid €20 for a full service. They then told me the chain had to be replaced so I told them to go ahead. Then with the new chain, the cassette needed to be replaced. Then they pointed out the chainset was worn out too. Basically I had cycled 10,000 km without replacing anything, and my entire drivetrain had worn out. Badly. I asked them to put the old chain back on and left with the bike in the same condition as when I arrived.

I almost bought a new bike for €300 from Halfords out of laziness. Instead I bought a cassette, chain, and chainset. I didn't really know what I was doing but thankfully you guys were answering all my rookie questions. When fitting the parts I realised I had bought the wrong kind of chainset, and had to replace the bottom bracket to make it compatible. So I bought a new BB and the hollowtech tool + wrench needed to fit the new BB. The costs just kept piling up...

Once all the parts were finally in place I tried to tune my gears. Then I realised my cable housing was worn out and Eurocycles had cut one of the cables too short to allow any adjusting. So I bought new inner and outer cables, and a cable cutter tool.

I've been working on this project non-stop since Friday afternoon and I just took the bike out for a spin. In the 2 years I've been cycling it, it has never felt so good and worked so well. Last week I knew very little with regards bicycle maintenance. Now, I will never have to use a bike shop for maintenance again. I have the knowledge and tools necessary to build my own bike!

Many thanks to this community for always answering my questions. Below is a list of my expenses. I think it's funny how one thing led to another over such a (seemingly) small issue. It's cringe-worthy how many times I went to Eurocycles last year and paid €20 just to have them essentially tighten the front derailleur cable again

Eurocycles - €20
Cassette - €17.49
Chain - €21.49
Chainset - €72.48
Wrench - €8.45
Bottom Bracket - €30.00
Hollowtech Tool - €20.99
WD40 - €6.30
Bike cleaner - €6.99
Gear cables - €8.99
Cable cutter tool - €24.99

Luxman

Pompous wrote: »

Every time I tried to shift my front derailleur up to the big ring, my chain would come off. It was very annoying and I decided to get it fixed in time for my 30km daily commute starting on Monday (back to school).

I brought my bike to Eurocycles, who agreed to fix it if I paid €20 for a full service. They then told me the chain had to be replaced so I told them to go ahead. Then with the new chain, the cassette needed to be replaced. Then they pointed out the chainset was worn out too. Basically I had cycled 10,000 km without replacing anything, and my entire drivetrain had worn out. Badly. I asked them to put the old chain back on and left with the bike in the same condition as when I arrived.

I almost bought a new bike for €300 from Halfords out of laziness. Instead I bought a cassette, chain, and chainset. I didn't really know what I was doing but thankfully you guys were answering all my rookie questions. When fitting the parts I realised I had bought the wrong kind of chainset, and had to replace the bottom bracket to make it compatible. So I bought a new BB and the hollowtech tool + wrench needed to fit the new BB. The costs just kept piling up...

Once all the parts were finally in place I tried to tune my gears. Then I realised my cable housing was worn out and Eurocycles had cut one of the cables too short to allow any adjusting. So I bought new inner and outer cables, and a cable cutter tool.

I've been working on this project non-stop since Friday afternoon and I just took the bike out for a spin. In the 2 years I've been cycling it, it has never felt so good and worked so well. Last week I knew very little with regards bicycle maintenance. Now, I will never have to use a bike shop for maintenance again. I have the knowledge and tools necessary to build my own bike!

Many thanks to this community for always answering my questions. Below is a list of my expenses. I think it's funny how one thing led to another over such a (seemingly) small issue. It's cringe-worthy how many times I went to Eurocycles last year and paid €20 just to have them essentially tighten the front derailleur cable again

Eurocycles - €20
Cassette - €17.49
Chain - €21.49
Chainset - €72.48
Wrench - €8.45
Bottom Bracket - €30.00
Hollowtech Tool - €20.99
WD40 - €6.30
Bike cleaner - €6.99
Gear cables - €8.99
Cable cutter tool - €24.99

25 quid for a cable cutter ? Is it gold? What about the squeezy inside bit of a pliers

ford2600

Luxman wrote: »

25 quid for a cable cutter ? Is it gold? What about the squeezy inside bit of a pliers

25 is a bit cheap. If you want to make a bollix of fitting new cables use the "squeezy".

The object of exercise is to limit friction not create it.

OP best of luck. GCN on YouTube is great as is Park Tools website. The willingness to have a go is essential, which you seem to have.

Next time I'd spend more on cables and less on a Hollowtech II bb; I change Tiagra bb every winter even if it's not gone. Fit in right and they seem to last. 10000km plus for me

Eamonnator

Well done Pompous.
For what it's worth, I think you were right to buy the cable cutter, much neater and cleaner.

Darkglasses

Nice job Pomp! Want to fix my bike too?

crosstownk

Fair play for taking it on yourself. DIY can be both therapeutic and rewarding. You may also find your use of expletives gets better when things go wrong or spanners slip and knuckles graze.

Once you have the tools they'll probably last forever as you won't be using them regularly. It'll also save you money long term and no longer will you be without your bike while it's in the shop for repair. The only person you can blame for delayed and/or poor repairs is you!

onthefringe

All money well spent ... You've learnt a lot .... Priceless

Pompous

ford2600 wrote: »

GCN on YouTube is great

Agreed! They have a video for everything, with really good production value and they don't waste your time.

ford2600 wrote: »

Next time I'd spend more on cables and less on a Hollowtech II bb

Thanks for the tip on the cables. I realised the BB was a bit overpriced, but I was on foot walking around Swords (since my bike was disassembled) and I was just happy to find the part at such short notice. Neither Halfords nor Eurocycles had a hollowtech BB of any kind.

Eamonnator wrote: »

Well done Pompous.
For what it's worth, I think you were right to buy the cable cutter, much neater and cleaner.

Thanks! Yeah the GCN guys on youtube advised against using a pliers. And I decided what the hell, if you're going to do a job you might as well do it right.

Darkglasses wrote: »

Nice job Pomp! Want to fix my bike too?

Thanks man Sure I'll fix it... for the right price

OldBean

Fair play learning how to do it yourself. You'll also be a lot more confident at fixing your bike at the side of the road if anything ever happens; know what goes where and why.

GCN and Parks Tools websites were already mentioned, but Sheldon Browns website is a great resource of general info, tips and guides on putting bikes together and taking them apart.

Carawaystick

Good stuff, there's no magic just a methodical working through.

You'll need new brake blocks next, and bar tape, and ...

Pompous

Carawaystick wrote: »

Good stuff, there's no magic just a methodical working through.

You'll need new brake blocks next, and bar tape, and ...

I know, I've opened pandora's box. I really do want a new everything now! Wheels are next on the list...

Johnny Jukebox

crosstownk wrote: »

Fair play for taking it on yourself. DIY can be both therapeutic and rewarding. You may also find your use of expletives gets better when things go wrong or spanners slip and knuckles graze.

I always wear an old pair of full fingered MTB gloves, saved my knuckles many times over at this stage....

Carawaystick

Pompous wrote: »

I know, I've opened pandora's box. I really do want a new everything now! Wheels are next on the list...

I've a hankering to build a wheel, but I'm awful heavy for something to go wrong.

packedin

With a family and about 8 bikes around the place getting them serviced was an expensive option. It's fun learning how they all work and with so much online you can never be stuck. Keep at it and you will be happier with your work than most service options.

Pompous

Carawaystick wrote: »

I've a hankering to build a wheel, but I'm awful heavy for something to go wrong.

If I had the money to burn I'd give it a shot myself, but it does seem like a very daunting task. Just imagine the satisfaction if you got it right though...

68 lost souls

FairPlay to you for getting stuck in. I would just like to also recommend in future go to a LBS rather than a big box store. In Swords go to Richies in the Plaza rather than Halfords (an expensive motor factors that stocks bikes) or Eurocycles (a pram shop that stocks bikes). The guys there will be more helpful in my experience and have better spare parts selections as well as more in depth bike knowledge.

Qualitymark

I must have imagined it, but I could have sworn Richard's Bicycle Book, by the late Richard Ballantine, had been made into an app.