Bike Parts to Bring

[SippyCupODoom]

Hi Y'all. I am good at riding a bike but not repairing one. I was hoping wiser people could suggest additional parts to have on hand for 2019?

I have an older Electra Beach Cruiser (2007), single speed. this will be it's sixth burn. Except for changing out the chain once, not much has been done to service it except a good cleaning when I get home after each burn. Currently, I have an extra chain. Two inner tubes.

Seeing the current playa condition reports and reading about the potato chip surface and its potential to mess with bikes bearings, what additional parts would people suggest to bring along?

Thanks!

[spacetime]

You can bring parts, and at least replacement tubes is good.

However, the best thing you could probably do is take your bike in for a bottom bracket service from a local bike shop now.

It is worth calling around and asking for pricing on the bottom bracket service of a cruiser. It shouldn’t be too much.

You could otherwise bring bearing rings for bottom brackets and ask a service camp for help if / when yours go out, you’ll know and you’ll hear bikes screeching, with maybe a mile or two before they give out.

But you kind of need practice and tools to fix this and it would be better to handle it before the burn.

[SippyCupODoom]

thank you. I was wondering what service would be good.

If I bring bearing rings, is there anything else that is needed? Grease? Tools?

I would take it all to a bike camp and ask for their help but would get in there to do the work if the bearings go out.

[Ratty]

Look for a bike co-op. I went to one in Berkeley a few weeks ago and got my bottom bracket cleaned greased and tightened. I have the same bike as you do. I had also neglected it for a half dozen years. It's better to get it serviced now. I did the brake in the rear hub myself. Most bike guys don't know about those kind of brakes. To bring a spare bottom bracket you'll need some measurements. I love my old Electra.

[Skuzzy61]

Bringing a couple of old Huffy's we picked up this summer and I rebuilt. Switched them to a 36T chain ring, from the default 44T. Put some Schwalbe Fat Man tires on them. I took the wheels to a bike shop to have the spokes checked and wheels trued.

Spare parts include, a chain, half a dozen master links, tire pump, tools to remove the handlebars and hub set, and some grease. The crankset catches most of the dust abuse as it gets kicked up by the front tire so be ready to have to pull it apart, clean and grease it again depending on how much you ride. I am trying moly grease out to see how it copes with the dust. Standard wheel bearing grease dries out too fast. I have been told white lithium is a good grease to use.

Oh, put the crankset together with more play than you would normally use for street use. It helps to allow the dust a place to go and not grind up the bearings and cups.

[spacetime]

This video shows how to do this and the tools you need. Only a little bit of grease is needed. Too much attracts dust.

[Ratty]

If you end up not overhauling your bottom bracket this year do it after the burn. Mine was so rusted that it barely came off with lots of muscle. I'll do it more often in the future.

[SippyCupODoom]

These are all great tips. Thank you.

I am working out a place to service my bike this weekend just to be safe.

[Skuzzy61]

For some reason I cannot quote you spacetime, but I am thinking that too little grease is not the way to go.

Dust is going to get into the crank hub, no matter what. I would think more grease would act as a barrier to penetration. Less grease would allow more penetration to the bearing surface.

[Popeye]

For some reason I cannot quote you spacetime, but I am thinking that too little grease is not the way to go.

Dust is going to get into the crank hub, no matter what. I would think more grease would act as a barrier to penetration. Less grease would allow more penetration to the bearing surface.

I agree with Skuzzy here. While it's true that you can overpack a bearing we need to remember where we are and what conditions we will be working under. Priority goes to keeping the dust out. The more grease and the thicker it is the better it will keep dust out.
I just picked up a new Huffy, crank and wheel bearings had a thin layer of oil on them. Has been replaced with a thick laye of grease.

[Skuzzy61]

Well, I consider this years bike prep a success! Only troubles I had were a bungee cord dropping into the rear hub causing the chain to pop off. Suffered two flats on Saturday (nail and machine screw), before the burn. I had brought two tubes. Luckily, no more flats after that.

The dry lube I used on the chain worked wonderfully. Even used it to save some other burners from hub blowouts so they could get to Elliot's. The moly grease worked great. Did not have to lube or clean anything on the bike and we rode them everyday, miles at a time.

I have to say I think the tires played a role as they did a great job of moving through the dust without kicking up a lot of it.

Very happy with my prep this year.

[dragonpilot]

I've been bringing the same 1989 Specialized Stump Jumper to the playa since 2005. Over that time tubes and tires have been replaced, and maybe the chain one time. The bottom bracket is sealed so it needs virtually no maintenance. When they fail, they fail. It gets as much punishment on the playa as most bikes. Every year, a day or two after arriving back to my default home, it gets a good scrub down from top to bottom, chain and cables dry lubed, tires dressed. Takes an hour max and it's ready to go again.

[unjonharley]

Threadless forks are NOT adjustable ...