First bike in 30 years!

[BLX74]

Hopefully Mr BLX can find a decent bike and get tools to fix it himself. The beauty of bikes is just how simple they are. Plenty of videos on youtube to work out how to fix things and a few decent books out there.

Thanks David

Found myself a fantastic 2nd hand and went for my first ride today.
10kms return, with 140m Altitude gain overall
Quite pleased with myself considering I haven't been riding since I was a teenager...

Pleasantly surprised how light the bike is. smooth gear changes, and with 30 speeds available, I always had a combination that would fit my pace and fitness levels!
I can see myself riding everyday, improving my fitness.

re tools, I'm a big fan of quality tools, and I agree for the ones you're gonna use once a year, a lower quality level tool is enough.

At this stage, I'll be looking at basic maintenance so probably will wait for Aldi specials to get myself a stand and basic maintenance kit (chain stuff, torque wrench, ...) I already own quality screwdrivers, Allen keys etc...

As I build up confidence with basic bike maintenance, I'll get out of my comfort zone.
Plenty vids out there to help, especially the Park Toll website.

All the best!

[DavidS]

Yeah, the Park Tools videos are good. I had never wrapped bar tape until about a year ago, watched the video, no probs.

Good luck with the bike, great way to get around and get fit while you're at it.

DS

[Andy01]

If you want to get a torque wrench, wait for the Supercheap 30% off for members sales and get a Toledo - I got a 3/8" model and a set of adapters to use it with ¼" and ½" sockets. The 3/8" model (from memory) covers from 7Nm up to about 100Nm which seems to cover just about eveything on a bike. There are some smaller parts that have screws that go down to 3Nm which I just tighten with an allen key.

From memory, the ¼" wrench didn't go high enough to cover the larger bolts around pedals, cranks, cassettes etc, and the ½" only goes down to 14Nm which is too large for ¾ of the screws and bolts on a bike.

Ideally you probably need a ¼" and a ½" to cover everything, but I was trying to find a cheaper compromise

Edit: I just checked at Supercheap, and they are all $70 (down from $100), which is as low as I have seen them. I think I paid about $74 for mine.

https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/tol ... CA01130416

This is the socket adapter which allows you to adapt most ways.

https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/too ... 15994.html

[Tim]

I beg to differ on the Toledo 3/8" drive torque wrench being the best for bicycle applications.
The most torque critical fasteners on a bike all fall below the 7Nm minimum reading on the Toledo. Typically these are fasteners attached to carbon or crush sensitive locations such as (carbon) seatpost clamps and stem to (carbon) steerer tubes. Normally between 5 - 7Nm. Overtightening these can result in serious damage and a safety hazard.
High torque applications such as pedals, cassette lock rings and saddle clamps are far more forgiving and I just rely on feel to gauge the appropriate torque. Nothing's ever come loose or broken on me. That "feel" comes with time and experience. An acquired and necessary skill for any mechanic. The "feel" isn't very accurate on low torque settings but adequate for higher readings eg. tight, very tight, f***en tight, stripped.
My 1/4" drive torque wrench measures 3 - 15Nm, covering everything I need it to.

[DavidS]

Must say I have never felt the need to have a torque wrench for a bicycle, then again, I have never owned a carbon bike. My 2 bikes are a steel framed touring bike and an aluminium flat bar - it has carbon forks but I have had no reason to mess with them on either frame that bike has had - 21K on the first frame and 24K on the second so far.

If dealing with carbon I would either get a torque wrench or get a bike shop to deal with it.

When I finally get an inheritance due a while ago I might get a titanium bike, just not sure if I will need a torque wrench for that.

DS

[Thoglette]

Must say I have never felt the need to have a torque wrench for a bicycle, then again, I have never owned a carbon bike.

Same same. Been messing with bikes for decades. (I own a torque wrench but it's for engines and gearboxes)

[baabaa]

Pleasantly surprised how light the bike is. smooth gear changes, and with 30 speeds available, I always had a combination that would fit my pace and fitness levels!
I can see myself riding everyday, improving my fitness.
They are a fine bit of bicycle - my daughter has the same but the older women speced with rim brakes - she loves it for its simplistic biking, kinda like an old bike but not. Think these things would been above $10,000 if you could get the very same back in the 1990s.
I am pretty keen in the old 30 speed setups. Easy to use, robust and low maintenance plus they are much quieter than anything 1 x bikes - the sounds of chain origami being tortured and stretched side ways (the way they are not designed for) drives me crazy!! Will be sticking with my 2 x set ups for a while.
Enjoy your biking journey, feel free to take your bike on rides and roads you think it should be not doing; you will both be fine.

[Andy01]

I have never had a carbon bike. and it is not an issue for aluminium tubing. I can certainly see how it could be a problem if someone was using a socket set to tighten a small 3-5mm allen head screw on a carbon tube.

I usually just use a allen key (never a socket set) on these small screws and just "nip" them tight. 3-5Nm is pretty minimal (5Nm is only 0.5kg applied at 1m, or 5kg applied at 10cm, which is not very much). I feel that I have got a better feel of the small bolts than the big ones that require larger torques.