Hi! So I recently picked up a late 80s / early 90s moutain bike off kijiji. I plan on fully restoring it and have it be my backup bike and/or winter commuter. I thought some of you guys might be interested in following along and see how it goes. I won't be explaining anything much in detail but hope to give more of a global idea. I will try to post links here and there to detailed explanations of specific things, as there is a wealth of information online concerning bike repair.
If you are new to bicycles, something like this is probably not the most economical thing to do, and definitely not the easiest. The bike itself was 25$, but I'm planning around 100-150$ of new parts to get it in tip-top shape. Especially if you are in the US, where a 300$ bikesdirect or nashbar bike would likely be a much better value.
So why would I do it? First and foremost, I enjoy it. I have a thing for working on machines, and bikes happen to be much more pleasant machines to work on than, say, cars. At the end, you end up with a bicycle that works like new, that you know like the back of your hand, and that is pretty unique, as not many people ride these vintage bikes around. Plus, you can't find a bike these days with such an awesome neon-orange splash paintjob ;-). Last, I'm Canadian, and bikes have a tendency to be 30-50 % more expensive here, making the economical argument a tad bit more sensible.
Let's start this off with the actual purchase!I'll refer you to
this great writeup by Bakari concerning picking off a decent bike off craigslist/kijiji. Let me emphasize some of the most important points however. First and foremost,
make sure the frame fits you. Second, since you're restoring this, it's not too bad if some components are damaged or missing, but do make sure the frame is in good condition. This mostly means no excessive rusting (surface rust is normal on 30 year old bikes) or other damage (cracks, things badly bent). Last, when you're checking out the bike, try to take mental notes of what components will need replacement and tally it up in your head to make sure it makes sense financially to you. Concerning components, the single largest cost is likely the wheelset, so do make sure the wheels are alloy (not steel) and in decent shape.
So this is my purchase!
Norco is one of the most recognized Canadian bicycle brands. This one has Shimano Exage components (brakes, derailleurs), which a quick google tells us were mid-range in Shimano's lineup. The frame is Tange 1000 straight-gauge cromoly tubes. Alloy Araya-branded wheels. All this points to a mid-range bike, which is an alright base for this project. Butted cromoly tubes would have made for a lighter frame and higher-end end components are always nice to have, but I find much rarer to come across. I personnally wouldn't waste my time on a bike with a high-ten frame and low-end components or steel wheels.
Now to the bad parts. It's missing a chain and grips. It's quite rusty, likely to have been left outside in the rain for extended periods. The derailleur hanger (built-in the the dropout, not replaceable like modern bikes) is pretty badly bent (see picture below) and the rear wheel has decent-sized bump in it. I hope to be able to straighten both, though it's not guaranteed.
So on to some preliminary tear down...First thing I do is generally rip off and throw out all the cables. A new set is cheap and will give much better shifting and braking that old rusty ones.
I then take off all the major external components: Handlebars & stem, brakes, derailleurs, various accessories, saddle & seatpost, etc. As I go, I throw every single part in a dedicated parts box, makes sure I don't lose anything and I know where to find something when I need it. I also jot down notes that could help for reassembly or finding replacement parts. Parts box so far:
Note the cable are still in there, I keep them to measure the length to cut the new ones.
Last thing I did now is taking apart the headset. You can see the bearings, cups and locknuts in the baggie in the box above. I do recommend reading
Sheldon's article on the subject. On old bicycles like this, as a rule, I take apart every bearing (headset, bottom bracket, both wheel hubs, maybe pedals). There's an excellent chance they have not seen fresh grease in 30 years. Ball bearings are also pretty cheap, so while I'm there, I generally replace them. I measured these to be 5/32 with my digital caliper. These are in a retainer, but they can easily be replaced by a higher amount of loose balls, which are easier to find and as a bonus usually get rid of the indexed feeling of brinelled headsets (see Sheldon's article).
So this is about how the bike looks right now. While the wheels are off, you can try turning the axles by hand. These ones feel pretty rough turning, without great surprise.
More work to be done next week. I'll likely take the frame to my bike coop to use their tools to pull off the cranks and disassemble the bottom bracket.