Learning How to Fix a Bike

Wheels at New Brunswick Bike Exchange

10 April 2015

Plain Jim is a good instructor. 

He looks so much better than he did on Saturday.

He was a bad boy, though, because he wasn't wearing his wrist brace. I tried as often as I could to get him to hand off the tools to one of us. I was less than successful.

"Shoeshine, that hurts!"

"Stop. Gimme the wrench."

Here we are learning how to remove the pedals and bottom bracket. We're swapping Jim's winter SPDs for summer Looks.

I brought Gonzo in because Jim wanted to see the hub ooze up close and personal. After class he tried to open the hub but didn't have the right tools. We both spun it. Sometimes it grinds, sometimes it doesn't, which is what's been happening for years. We declared the hub dead.  

My project for the class is to put new handlebars on Gonzo. This requires a new stem, new bar tape, and new cables. I wasn't planning to have to build a new wheel as well.

Good thing I have Beaker to commute on, huh? Riiiiight.

Below is a fine example of a tacoed wheel, as in shaped like a taco. Jim's front wheel is a less dramatic version of this.

Next week's class begins with tire changing. If I get marooned in traffic again, I won't be missing anything new.