My "ride"

[rbeggy]

So, here’s the scoop…

May – 2010 I bike to work once to see if it is a feasible way to work out. I did this on a used Next, All-Terrain Pro mountain bike with sidewall damaged MB tires (5-miles one-way)…

How I made it three weeks on these tires is shocking. After they gave out I purchased a set of Road Geax with thick tubes and liners. I was also rather proud of the WD-40 “BATH” I gave everything that moved… sigh.

June I finally decide that if I can commute 5 days a week on the MB then I can start thinking about an upgrade. I pulled it off. I start to investigate bikes and by the end of July I purchased my Specialized Secteur. I’ve since canceled the car insurance and if I can make it through the Florida version of a winter commute then I will sell my car.

After getting hooked on this narcotic you all call cycling, I decided to take apart and repair the MB. After all I’m the son of a Carpenter… How hard could this be, right?...

Yeah, I ate those words 1 hour into the process. I stared at a chain for an hour looking for the non-existent quick release…

I’ve learned my lesson but that won’t stop me. My plan is to:

1) Gut the bike to the frame

2) Strip, prep, prime, paint, & clear coat the frame, handlebars, stem, etc.

3) Take everything apart within reason (shocks, derailleurs etc are out of my league for now, but they are coming off the bike). I’m rather pleased to add, I just overhauled the wheel hubs.

4) Clean and grease/lubricate/oil everything.

5) Rebuild the bike with a few replacement parts (new seat, grips, pedals, shifters, cables, bearings, proper MB tires, and potentially a new bottom bracket).

I’m starting this thread as the “Before.” Depending on the cost, I plan to have a completely re-built mountain bike in 6-12 months. So far I’ve been able to do everything solo by using the videos on bikeride.com and a few borrowed tools from fellow bicycle junkies. Wish me the best folks… I’ll need it.

So, here's my "ride"
[attachment=1479]

Ryan

PS. I could use some help with the name. Painting it a crackled black & grey

PPS. Having trouble with the picture upload, so if this doesn't work, I'll try again later.

[qwilder]

What kind of bike is it??

[rbeggy]

(09-02-2010, 12:25 PM)qwilder Wrote:  What kind of bike is it??

Brand = Next
Type = All-Terrain Pro Mountain Bike (aka Walmart special)

[Jordan300]

It looks like you did really well taking the bike apart. Did you buy any bike tools to do it? It looks like you at least have a crank puller.

[rbeggy]

(09-02-2010, 10:52 PM)Jordan300 Wrote:  It looks like you did really well taking the bike apart. Did you buy any bike tools to do it? It looks like you at least have a crank puller.

Thanks! It took me a couple days to get that far and then a day or two to take care of the wheel hubs. I ended up borrowing the tools from a fellow junkie at work. That being said, I'm saving up for the AK-37 from Park.

Ryan

[X-RAY]

That bike is complete junk, your best bet is to box it up and ship it to me! just kidding, of course. I'm so tired of people putting down cheaper bikes. i believe proper maintenance and sensible use will make them last. my son is a tough customer, and he hasn't destroyed one yet! i like your enthusiasm and desire to learn. i especially like how you bag parts up, no chasing spiders out of the corner to find that lost washer or nut. good luck with your build, keep us posted. oh,yeah, unlike a narcotic addiction, admitting your hooked on bikes doesn't help it go away!

[rbeggy]

lol. Thanks for the warning... I mean advice. I'll tell ya what... I started this journey as a "If I screw it up, who cares..." My original intent was to learn how to do my own repairs and possibly end up with a nice mountain bike. Now I'm just as attached to the 45!! pound mountain bike as I am to the 20 pound road bike... yeah, I'm hooked.

If there is one thing I've learned it's that good maintenance can make the difference. Aside from that I sure do love the fit of this bike. I suspect this will only be the first of many bikes I rebuild for fun. Considering doing it for charity as well. Sure is fun. Later guys,

Ryan

[X-RAY]

i got back into it cause my son made me. looked on the net for new wheels, saw the prices, and looked into truing instead. the rest is history.

[rbeggy]

Just thought I would post an update. I sold enough junk on ebay to earn enough $ for my tool kit, AND... I've managed to completely strip and prep the frame, etc for painting. The picture below shows only the parts I've done so far. I'm still working on prepping the front shocks/fork. The handlebars and stem are painted with Rustolleum's "Hammered, Dark Grey" finish with a coat or two of clear coat. Thanks again all!

[attachment=1516]

[Bill]

Wow very nice job stripping the frame of the paint!!! Also I admire how you bagged the parts up. The ak-37 is an awesome tool kit to start with. One of my beginner bikes was a next power climber, though I really wasn't confident enough to take off the paint then. I'm really curious of how the hammered paint is gonna look as it's new atleast to me, please keep updates going

[rbeggy]

Thanks for the comments. Yeah, the tool kit hasn't arrived... I'm chomping at the bit. As for the paint, so far it looks awesome. I have a 2010 Secteur and the "Hammered" paint is nearly identical. I'm also curious how the new paint will handle my commute. I'm a month or two off from finishing, but I'll be sure to post an update letting everyone know what the paint looks like after my 10 mile daily commute.

Ryan

[Jordan300]

That's going to be a one-of-a-kind bike. I can't wait to see the finished product.

[rbeggy]

Another update. I finished the painting / clear coat on the Frame, Fork, Stem, and Handlebar.
[attachment=1530]

Here is a close up of what the paint looks like. I am very pleased thus far, again, I'll be sure to post an update after I break 100 miles.
[attachment=1531]

Additionally, I got the VERY stuck freewheel removed. It took about 3-4 days of attempts. I tell ya what, the chain whip tool from park with the sprocket remover (SR-1) was worth it's weight in gold. I tried everything on that and finally it took two of us cranking in opposite directions to get it free.

I have the bearings out of everything (headset, bottom bracket, and wheel hubs). I'm getting those replaced and will be greasing / rebuilding those components next. Then I will officially start to put things back together. More to come, and thanks again all for the comments / support.

[Darrenjs92ni]

this is basically what i started to do to my bike

[Bill]

Actually looks kinda cool . Awesome job again!

[hcjg1]

well done.

[Jordan300]

I really like what's going on here.

[Bill]

Just make sure you check the bearing races/cups for wear as well. If they are worn then it is an easy process to remove and replace. Quite a few here can help ya out on the process if needed

[Jordan300]

Have you been keeping track of expenses for this project? I'd love to see your cash flow on this one. Every time I do a project I document every penny I spend on that specific bike so that I know exactly how much went into it and eventually what will come out. It makes it a little more interesting for me.

[jinxy72]

great thread m8