Author Topic: I'm new to all this and I seem to have bought a purple bike  (Read 10913 times)

I'm new to all this and I seem to have bought a purple bike
« on: 03 November, 2014, 09:14:23 pm »
Hello all, I couldn't see a newbies section so though I'd post in here as I've bought a mountain bike in the hope of getting into cycling.



That is a, frankly, pretty crap photo of what £30 can buy you if you're not picky. It is a Giant ATX 840 with rigid forks which my research (Google) seems  to suggest is a 1996 model. It is currently in bits as I attempt to change the rear bearings but otherwise is in good condition.

Would anyone care to venture an opinion on whether its a decent bike, decent for the money or an outright shed? Either way it should get me around town with the occasional bit of light mud.

Re: I'm new to all this and I seem to have bought a purple bike
« Reply #1 on: 03 November, 2014, 09:25:12 pm »
Good evening and welcome.

Before long (if you spend any time here) you might find yourself wandering over to this thread or possibly even this one.

For £30 that looks pretty good value to me, though that is all dependent upon the state of all the bits.

Giant don't have a reputation for making crap bikes so that should go well I think.

There again, it might be the gateway to an extremely expensive habit.
Rust never sleeps

Re: I'm new to all this and I seem to have bought a purple bike
« Reply #2 on: 03 November, 2014, 09:31:53 pm »
I *might* have already been eyeing up the fatbike thread.  ::-)

Re: I'm new to all this and I seem to have bought a purple bike
« Reply #3 on: 03 November, 2014, 10:13:44 pm »
Welcome.   :) From the pic that looks like £30 well spent. Good conversation advice and temptation aplenty to be found here!...
not so much a gravel grinder.... more of a gravel groveller


Re: I'm new to all this and I seem to have bought a purple bike
« Reply #4 on: 03 November, 2014, 10:42:46 pm »
Thirty quid and not even a full sus!

Erm...actually looks rather nice.

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: I'm new to all this and I seem to have bought a purple bike
« Reply #5 on: 04 November, 2014, 11:32:41 am »
I *might* have already been eyeing up the fatbike thread.  ::-)

Purple is a perfectly acceptable colour for a fatbike ;)

(click to show/hide)

Re: I'm new to all this and I seem to have bought a purple bike
« Reply #6 on: 04 November, 2014, 11:57:20 am »
Looks like a bargain, seems pretty tidy from the photos.

Vince

  • Can't climb; won't climb
Re: I'm new to all this and I seem to have bought a purple bike
« Reply #7 on: 04 November, 2014, 12:20:19 pm »
Looks good value for money.
Once you get it back together, spend some time getting the saddle position correct. Makes cycling more enjoyable and your knees are less likely to hurt.
216km from Marsh Gibbon

Re: I'm new to all this and I seem to have bought a purple bike
« Reply #8 on: 04 November, 2014, 06:59:43 pm »
I need some help folks.  I've changed the rear bearings and it is still grinding,  badly,  but only when it is freewheeling.

Is it likely that I've just made a hash of changing the bearings or could it be something else?

This is totally new to me so I'm just learning as I go.

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: I'm new to all this and I seem to have bought a purple bike
« Reply #9 on: 04 November, 2014, 09:31:26 pm »
If it's only happening when coasting, the problem might be the ratchets/pawls in the freehub/freewheel. However, you can't assume that the change of bearings means it's not that. If the bearings were very tired, the races (the surfaces the bearings run on) may have been damaged to the extent that new bearings will not fix that problem.

Now, if you like bike maintenance, replacing the hubs (which will mean taking the wheel apart entirely and learning how to rebuild it) should ensure that the bearings there are okay. Likewise, dismantling the freehub/freewheel and replacing the pawls/ratchets (I can never remember which is which) should fix that if that's the problem. But, in reality, those two jobs will take quite a lot of time (even for a reasonably competent mechanic) and that's assuming you have/can get (and afford) all the tools, and can get replacement (compatible) components.

I prefer to make do and mend where possible, but reluctantly I would suggest that it might be cheaper, certainly quicker and definitely easier to replace the whole wheel and freehub/freewheel. Chances are someone here will have a workable replacement for £notmuch if you tell us what you have size-wise etc.

Plan B might be to ride this one in to the ground and if - once it's there in the ground and dead and buried - you like this cycling thing (fingers crossed), invest a bit more in something a bit better.

I made my first bike from a frame I found in the basement of a rented house. It was horrible, but I learned a huge amount from working on it. A frankenbike is a great way to learn.

And purple is the best colour.
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

Re: I'm new to all this and I seem to have bought a purple bike
« Reply #10 on: 05 November, 2014, 07:10:39 am »
The freehub also includes bearing with the ratchet assembly, and IME these do start to grind long before any other signs of wear. Unfortunately, they're not generally designed to be serviceable - there are ways of forcing lubricant in, but once it's grinding it's bit late anyway. If it's not causing enough drag to create problems when freewheeling (ie, driving the cassette fwd and dragging the rear derailluer out) then I'd just live with it. If you really can't stand it, just keep pedalling!  :P

It's also possible to replace the freehub, but on a bike of this vintage finding one to fit would be a challenge, so as Paul says, a replacement wheel is probably the pragmatic answer.
Life is too important to be taken seriously.