Elliot's Bicycle Service & Tap Room

[chuckularone]

Two bicycles coming right up. That makes the total reservations... 37! ...which may be enough -- but there is sure to be a couple cancellations. I'm trying to cap it at 40.

If you have room on the reservation roles I'd love to reserve one. I'm hoping to buy one off Craigslist in Vegas before I drive up, in which case I won't need a loaner, but I'd love a backup plan. I'm also pretty handy and would gladly do a shift or two of tube patching, chain mending and pedal replacement with you!

[Elliot]

If you have room on the reservation roles I'd love to reserve one. I'm hoping to buy one off Craigslist in Vegas before I drive up, in which case I won't need a loaner, but I'd love a backup plan. I'm also pretty handy and would gladly do a shift or two of tube patching, chain mending and pedal replacement with you!

Best if you buy your own, yes. And if you buy a cheap one off Craigslist, set aside a day in Vegas to repair it. Precious few cheap CL bikes are in usable condition. But I'll pencil you in as a maybe borrower.

Oh yes, I would love some help with repairs! I don't patch tubes in the desert, I just replace them. Pedal replacement is common, yes. There is surprisingly little trouble with chains, but we must be prepared for that, yes.
I will try to set up a shift schedule at the beginning of the event.

[FIGJAM]

Bring spare tubes to donate to Elliots tireless efforts to keep people rolling!!!

[Canoe]

Apart from bringing spare tubes in one's own bike's size (fat bike for me), if one wanted to bring an assortment for others to use, what sizes are most likely to be in demand?

[Fidget]

I could always pop by one day and help out truing wheels if you see much of that? I've got a couple decent spoke keys and can usually true up a wheel in a few mins.
I'd imagine with all the pot holes out there some people must be warping their rims..

I'm also charming, witty, apparently easy on the eyes and I possess a wealth of knowledge generally revolving around vintage video games and Transformers (those last two don't seem to come in handy nearly as much as I'd like, though).

[chuckularone]

set aside a day in Vegas to repair it. Precious few cheap CL bikes are in usable condition. But I'll pencil you in as a maybe borrower.

I've got 3 days in Vegas prior to the drive up. 1 day to build a monkey hut. 1 day to build a swamp cooler. 1 day for misc. (including bike) maintenance.

[Elliot]

I could always pop by one day and help out truing wheels if you see much of that? I've got a couple decent spoke keys and can usually true up a wheel in a few mins.
I'd imagine with all the pot holes out there some people must be warping their rims..
...

You are on, Sir! I have little practice in truing wheels, so your skill is most welcome. (I tend to swap the wheel out if it is too wobbly.)
I might even bring my supply of wobbly ones for you to true up for future re-use! The cheap "Chinamart" cruisers all seem to come with loose spokes from the factory, and they warp so easily.
I will try to set up a shift schedule board at the beginning of the event.

[Elliot]

Apart from bringing spare tubes in one's own bike's size (fat bike for me), if one wanted to bring an assortment for others to use, what sizes are most likely to be in demand?

The most common size is for adult mountain bikes and cruisers:
26 x 1.95
26 x 2.125
26 x 2.25, or even...
26 x 2.35 or so.

Often, you will see a size marked something like 26 x 1.95 - 2.125, which means it should work with either width tire.

The second most used is 24 in the same widths.

Anything narrower than 1.95 is not suitable for the Playa.

Make sure they have Schrader valve stems, not Presta.

I bring a couple of the less common sizes, and a few with Presta stems -- for the fancy European set.

I suppose I may need a few Beast tubes this year.

Of course, ANY tube is very welcome -- it will get used sooner or later.

[cosmic-honey]

Can I just say that I am STILL so excited to hang out and help fix bikes with y'all?! Good idea on the shift board.

[Elliot]

Can I just say that I am STILL so excited to hang out and help fix bikes with y'all?! Good idea on the shift board.

Thanks! Now all you have to do is maintain that excitement for half a year.
I figure I will hang up a whiteboard at the beginning of the week, divided into the days, and maybe hours, and each of you can sign up as you please. I don't expect perfection -- just some slight order to the chaos.

[sadie]

Anything narrower than 1.95 is not suitable for the Playa.

Hmmm... Last Spring I scored a free bike that had been sitting in my cousins garage since the late '80's. It's an old Montgomery Wards 12 speed that didn't have very many miles on it. I took it to a local bike shop and got it all tarted up with new tires, new seat, new handle bars, new brakes, gear tune up, a nerdy basket, etc. I told the shop owner where I planned to take it, and asked for the widest tires possible. They made several attempts at this request but ended up only being able to put 1.75's on it. Am I doomed?? Is a bike with not-so-fat tires better than no bike?

[Elliot]

You will probably be all right, Sadie -- specially since this bicycle has sentimental value and you want to enjoy some use out of it. Those tires are a bit narrow, yes, but not hopeless. And this bike is certainly better than no bike. And everything works well on it! So I'm thinking you ought to consider this a slight disadvantage, but a good compromise.

The tires will probably lose most of their pressure over the next six months, and it would be a shame to damage the new tires. So you may want to store the bike so there is no weight on the wheels.

[sadie]

Ah! A good suggestion on storage. Thanks! I ride it when I can around the neighborhood, but it is otherwise living room decor. I will rig something to get the tires in the air.
I would love a tricycle, but the price was right on this bike, and logistics of transporting a trike seem difficult at best.
On the topic of air pressure, is it true that I should let some pressure out of the tires before transporting it to higher elevations? Would just letting off a little pressure be sufficient?

[Elliot]

If the bike lives in everyday view, you don't need to lift the tires off the ground. Just keep an eye on them, and if they get low, pump them up. You just don't want the tire to be pinched against the ground by the rim.

Living at only 1.500 feet, I have lost several inner tubes -- including brand new ones -- going over mountains, so now I make sure they are all a bit low when I leave the house. How low? Your guess is as good as anyone's. Just a bit low. 20 psi should be very safe.

On that note.... Every bicyclist should have a good pump, and not be afraid to use it. Riding around on low tires is a recipe for flats.

[cosmic-honey]

Thanks! Now all you have to do is maintain that excitement for half a year.

I can maintain the excitement, believe me! I've already been seriously planning every detail for like eight months...and it's still all I talk about...

[FIGJAM]

Ah! A good suggestion on storage. Thanks! I ride it when I can around the neighborhood, but it is otherwise living room decor. I will rig something to get the tires in the air.
I would love a tricycle, but the price was right on this bike, and logistics of transporting a trike seem difficult at best.
On the topic of air pressure, is it true that I should let some pressure out of the tires before transporting it to higher elevations? Would just letting off a little pressure be sufficient?

Turn your bike upside down!

I blew 2 new tires and tubes on my trike on the way to the playa.

Elliot saved me!

[sadie]

On the topic of air pressure, is it true that I should let some pressure out of the tires before transporting it to higher elevations? Would just letting off a little pressure be sufficient?

Turn your bike upside down!

I blew 2 new tires and tubes on my trike on the way to the playa.

Elliot saved me!

Of course! Duh...

[unjonharley]

Went GoodWillHunting.. Saw some stuffed toys that were suitable to be straped unto seats.. Could run elastic through the feet and hands.. Over the back just under the skin.. Pull it up pretty tight.. Making a nice seat pillow..

This is a needed item in the camel toe dept..

edit: chage the elastic to para cord.. It can tie back on top of the seat..

[Meat Hunter]

Sadie & Elliot,

I live almost at sea level. Thanks for the tip regarding letting air out of bicycle tires before heading to a higher elevation.

Last week, I installed tire liners and thorn resistant tubes. Since I will be riding a tricycle, I also purchased three spare tubes and a hand pump.

[Elliot]

Sadie & Elliot,

I live almost at sea level. Thanks for the tip regarding letting air out of bicycle tires before heading to a higher elevation.

Last week, I installed tire liners and thorn resistant tubes. Since I will be riding a tricycle, I also purchased three spare tubes and a hand pump.

You are doing it right!

[Elliot]

NOTICE: I'm at 40 reservations for Loaner Bicycles, so I must ask anyone else to do all they can to bring bikes for themselves. Thanks!

[Elliot]

Recently, we discussed how to adjust wheel bearings. (If not on this thread, then somewhere around here.)
The tricky part is that it really takes three hands to do it. So I rigged up a replacement for the third hand: I simply cut one leg off a plain front fork from a dirt-cheap bike. By fastening one end of the axle to the remaining leg, you can hold the fork with a foot or a knee -- or a vice, of course -- and work unhindered with the cone wrench and the 17 mm regular wrench for the lock-nut.

The cannibalized bike donated its wheels and other parts to future repairs of other bikes, so nothing went to waste. The frame and other scrap go to recycling.

[Canoe]

Neat!
And the bottom bearing is held in place (preloaded) by the weight of the wheel while the upper bearing should fall into place with gravity (grease allowing) and a little gentle wrench turning.
Give the wheel a slow spin, gently turn wrench for bearing load, test with another spin, adjust to optimum, lock in place?

[Elliot]

That's pretty much it. Except I don't feel it is necessary to think in terms of gravity preload. I adjusted this one with the tool in the vice and the wheel upright. You just feel for resistance and back off a hair. I expect everyone will develop their own feel for it. Keep it slightly on the loose side for the Playa Dust.
The main benefit of the tool is that it keeps the axle from turning while you are fooling with the adjustment.

[unjonharley]

I plan to camp near or across the street from The great Bike Shop..

I will bring a air tank and a foot pump... So people can fill there own tires and not be climbing over the repair shop.. They will be able to air up and requested to pump the tank up in trade..

Working on some seat pillows.. Already have about 30 stuffed bears/animals for bottom pillows.. Should I name it: The Bear "bottom-pillow" Camp

[Elliot]

Like last year, it will be an honor to have you next door, Jon!

Today's bicycle mechanic tip:
Bicycles these days use almost exclusively metric fasteners.
When you buy a set of metric combination wrenches, or sockets, be sure the set has all the sizes you need. Some sets skip "little used" sizes, but you need some of those on bicycles. I have a set that skipped 9mm, and we definitely need that.
So buy a set that covers 8mm to 17mm. If you cannot find a complete set of that range, you can probably get away with skipping 11, 12 and 16. But not 9!

You should also include domestic 1/2" in your bicycle tool kit, as some bikes still use that for handlebar and saddle adjustments.

You will also need metric Allen wrenches, but I have not seen a set that did not include what we need, which is from 2.5mm to 8mm.

[MyDearFriend]

Went GoodWillHunting.. Saw some stuffed toys that were suitable to be straped unto seats.. Could run elastic through the feet and hands.. Over the back just under the skin.. Pull it up pretty tight.. Making a nice seat pillow..

This is a needed item in the camel toe dept..

edit: change the elastic to para cord.. It can tie back on top of the seat..

I get great results with elastic cord and a cord stop, both of which can be cannabalized off of worn-out kids' back packs. I select wide-butt stuffed friends for my bike seats. Slit the belly and stuff the seat up inside. Adjust the stuffing, punch a few holes for the cord, thread it through the cord stop, pull it tight and I am good to go, with Comfy-Butt Bunny's head right up in my crotch.

[unjonharley]

Went GoodWillHunting.. Saw some stuffed toys that were suitable to be straped unto seats.. Could run elastic through the feet and hands.. Over the back just under the skin.. Pull it up pretty tight.. Making a nice seat pillow..

This is a needed item in the camel toe dept..

edit: change the elastic to para cord.. It can tie back on top of the seat..

I get great results with elastic cord and a cord stop, both of which can be cannabalized off of worn-out kids' back packs. I select wide-butt stuffed friends for my bike seats. Slit the belly and stuff the seat up inside. Adjust the stuffing, punch a few holes for the cord, thread it through the cord stop, pull it tight and I am good to go, with Comfy-Butt Bunny's head right up in my crotch.

I'm concerned with moop a.k.a. bunny guts..I figure on running to para cord right through the bodies.. The para cord is flat and wont wear on a soft crotch or inner thigh.. These would be gifts to sore asses..

[unjonharley]

Bumping this thread.. Keeping it in the headlines..

Parting out a couple of bikes today. Saving nuts, bolt, bearings, and spring and things..

[Elliot]

On that note, I paid $4 for a kid-size bike at the flea market yesterday -- just to get the tall "BMX style" handlebar. Most of the Loaners get the tall handlebars for comfort.