What happens when your playabike craps out on the playa?

[euphoria101]

Hi There! First timer this year - curious about bicycle maintenance on the playa!! I already have a bike set aside for my use - it's been out to the playa at least once before (although I have not) and is a definite beater bike. I'll have it in my possession by the end of next week, and I'm not really all that great with bicycle self-maintenance, although I aspire to do this myself. I'm curious about three bike-related things:

1) what do you all recommend I look at for pre-playa tuneup in a post-playa bike?

2) what bike tools have you found useful on the playa?

3) what the heck happens if your bike craps out on you in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere? I've heard of bicycle maintenance camps, but I think it's wrong to go out there depending on their goodwill, hence questions #1 & #2.

[Ratty]

Basic bike tools are readily available. I bring an extra tube, tire, seat and peddles. That's overkill. Bring a tire tube or 2 and a tools to install. Good chain lube is a plus. Make your seat difficult to steal by obscuring it with tape or fur. Maybe a replacement link for your chain. There are several threads about this if you use Google to search eplaya. See ya in the dust.

[euphoria101]

Thanks Ratty! I searched manually in the bikes & transportation section by year, but google search would have done it. D'oh!!

I'm curious about seat -furring, though. How does this discourage people from stealing your bike seat?

[Eric]

Worst case scenario - you walk. It happened to me one year when part of the frame rusted through. You'll live.

Best case scenario - if it's beyond the basic bike maintenance supplies Ratty mentioned, walk it over to one of the bike repair camps (either check the guides or ask around) and see if they can help. Their good at most basic maintenance, even for those of us who have no bike skills, and there's usually someone on hand to give a bit of guidance (just expect to do the dirty work though )

[euphoria101]

Oh hey, that's good news! Two miles isn't so bad, after all, BRC seems like it's also walkable! I was planning to do a bit of both anyway; there are benefits & drawbacks to both biking and walking, and I'd like to try both!

Wait a minute... your bike rusted through??? Dang, playa, you crazy! Most importantly, did you repair the bike & use it again??

[EGAZ]

You talk to Elliot's Naked Bicycle Service, Piano Bar of course!

[Ratty]

euphoria, Welcome to the world of half-baked ideas. From the top...
You don't usually ride a bike so your butt will hurt.
Some of the more scummy humans will go looking for a more comfortable bike seat.
If you have a large and inviting seat someone may try to steal it.
Make it a bit more difficult for them to remove it.
Wrap tape or FUR around the nuts and bolts that hold it on.
Now that you've heard this, you'll notice all the bikes laying around with no seat.

Lock your bike every time. When you leave camp secure all valuables in a locked vehicle, stash alcohol, put enticing items out of sight. Be smart and enjoy your burn.

[Elliot]

.
You rang?

... ... ... I've heard of bicycle maintenance camps, but I think it's wrong to go out there depending on their goodwill, hence questions #1 & #2.

Aaaaannnnnd... we have a winner! Thank you for thinking right.

Worst problem we have... is people bringing crappy bikes and showing up in our camp right after they arrive, to have us make the bleeping thing rideable. Frankly, I have tossed a couple such doofuses out on their... assumptions.

Inspect the tires carefully. Any sign of cracking... replace.
Regardless, install brand new THORN RESISTANT inner-tubes. And bring a spare. And a pump (though, we have air available 24/7).
Inspect the pedals. If they are plastic, replace with metal pedals. Never mind the plastic ones "seem just fine".
If it has hand brakes, replace parts until they WORK.
Same with rear gears, if it has gears. But remove the front derailleur completely, and leave the chain on the middle sprocket (if applicable).
Schwinn-brand four-cable kit is ten bucks at K-mart and other stores. (Avoid Bell brand.)
Inspect chain. If it shows any sign of rusty-frozen links after a dousing of WD-40, replace.
If it has a one-piece crank, test for smoothness. Replace bearings if in doubt. These fail A LOT. This may be a job for a pro.
Inspect the entire bike for loose bolts and whatnot.
Look closely at the clamp that holds the seat-post -- while you make sure you can adjust the height to fit you.
In that neighborhood... consider buying a $35 "cruiser" saddle for comfort, unless you are a practiced cyclist. Do NOT buy cheaper Schwinn brand saddle -- they fall apart in couple days. Electra brand should be good -- and only $29.99.

Now the rest of ya add to the list, please.

[lvictory23]

At the very least bring a few tubes, a few master chain links and a bike pump. There are small kits you can get that have basic bike tools and make replacing tube easier. Try it out at home.

[gaminwench]

My playa ride sports a flag with lights on the pole.
A basket or panniers.
Old knit scarves wrapped around the frame for color.
A stuffed animal for seat comfort.
Bells.

I use a long bungee cord through the tires as a theft deterrent. (I also don't visit large crowd experiences with my bike)

It's a 70's Schwinn, no gears and has been to the playa for ten years (I do maintenance when I get home, vinegar bath and chain oil).

I love my sparklepony, she's sturdy and kinda ugly, and she works really hard.

[motskyroonmatick]

If your bike breaks down near the 3:00 and B Plaza you could visit us at Black Rock City Welding & Repair. Were pretty adept at making things work for you for the rest of the burn.

Edit

Eliot... Believe what he says. He's got serious know how about pedal power. I might add if you want to splurge on yourself... Get a multi speed fat tire bike. One that costs around or a little over $200. They are awesome! Pay attention to the brake adjustment though when you put it together. Take some time on that. However don't expect any of us bike repair shops to stock the oversized tubes. They are really expensive and we can buy more than 10 mountain bike tubes to make 10 burners days for the same investment.

[Lonesomebri]

Ha, speak of the devil, and here he is!!!!!!!!
I'm pitching to this original poster about joining my rag-tag camp, in a message I just told them about how when my bike chariot completely broke, bam, a six pack later I was on my way thanks to YOU!!!!! Motsky at Black Rock City Welding and Repair.
Thank you thank you thank you
YOU saved my Burn
The playa provides!
Man.... love it.

[Elliot]

About that Motsky.... Believe what he says. I really am that good.

And he just explained why my camp still owes thousands from last year: We stock the 4" tubes. In both Shrader and Presta.

Which brings us to.... Avoid Presta valves. They are wonderful from a serious cyclist's standpoint, and highly inconvenient for the rest of us.

I’m posting two photos showing Shrader and Presta valves.




Most commonly, a Shrader valve is black rubber. And a Presta is always bare threaded steel, and thinner than a Shrader.





But some Shraders are also bare threaded steel, so please concentrate on what you are looking at.

Shrader is just like on a car, and most pumps will fit.
Presta is a European bicycling thing -- think Tour de France. Few people on Playa can pump those up.

And yes... for anything beyond simple bicycle repair, Motsky is your mechanical magician!

One more thing.... Never ride on a poorly inflated tire. Riding on a soft tire is the "best" way to make it a completely flat tire!
.

[motskyroonmatick]

Ha, speak of the devil, and here he is!!!!!!!!
I'm pitching to this original poster about joining my rag-tag camp, in a message I just told them about how when my bike chariot completely broke, bam, a six pack later I was on my way thanks to YOU!!!!! Motsky at Black Rock City Welding and Repair.
Thank you thank you thank you
YOU saved my Burn
The playa provides!
Man.... love it.

Thanks for the reminder of one of my favorite repairs. Love it. Come see us for the hell of it. If I give you the blank stare I am super worn out from fixing and mayoring. Gently remind me but... I'll probably recognize you.... We have a bar now.


Where do you get those big tubes Elliot? I may pick up a few to have on hand if i have the funding.

Heed that advice about under inflated tires. It's probably the number one reason for punctured tubes. If you need air walk your bike to a repair camp or borrow a megaphone and beg to borrow a pump. I usually run full inflation psi cause that's what I do with my car, trailer and truck.

[Elliot]

I bought the 4" tubes online. Usually, I try AmazonSmile and eBay, and generally just google what I need.
One 4" was $18, but I think I bought some pairs for a bit less per.

Now... the more common tubes... I buy at my local bicycle store, where I get a friendly price on multi-case orders.
Again... THORN RESISTANT tubes if at all possible. Very much worth the money.

This brings us to why you see so many Yellow Bikes tossed aside with flat tires -- and same with all the brand new Cranbrooks that were bought at a Reno department store on the way from the airport. Those are $69-full-retail bikes with nine cent inner-tubes -- which oooooooze 10 PSI of air out of them every 24 hours. Three days in, they are half flat; and three-days-one-minute in... they are poof.
If the loose spokes don't get'em first.

We have 32" Kent tubes also.

[motskyroonmatick]

Thanks Elliot!

[BBadger]

You might want to add something like a rack on the back (for ice, etc.) or a basket in the front for carrying your stuff. I like doing that so I don't need to haul around a backpack while I'm roaming.

I also spent some time to swap out the gears on my cruiser so it is easier to pedal. I might even reduce it more this year.

For your bike seat you can also get a cheap-ass cable lock and attach it to your bike seat. Then nobody can steal it and you'll have an extra bike lock if you forget or lose your primary. Hell, I've got one I found on the ground that fell off someone's bike. Alternatively, if your bike doesn't have an easy-remove lever for your bike seat it'll be pretty rough to steal it anyway without tools.

[Ratty]

Bbadger,

For your bike seat you can also get a cheap-ass cable lock and attach it to your bike seat. Then nobody can steal it and you'll have an extra bike lock if you forget or lose your primary.

Fabulous idea. I love my bike.

[euphoria101]

My playa ride sports a flag with lights on the pole.
It's a 70's Schwinn, no gears and has been to the playa for ten years (I do maintenance when I get home, vinegar bath and chain oil).

Two genius ideas right there! I'm gonna go mix up a batch of vinegarwater...

Some of the more scummy humans will go looking for a more comfortable bike seat.
If you have a large and inviting seat someone may try to steal it.
Make it a bit more difficult for them to remove it.
Wrap tape or FUR around the nuts and bolts that hold it on.

Pretty sure I've lost all nerve endings on my backside from my regular bike, but we'll see how a week of playa dust + sun folds into this!! Fur on bolts is sick and genius and I'm doing this.

Regardless, install brand new THORN RESISTANT inner-tubes. And bring a spare. And a pump (though, we have air available 24/7).

Will do!! Just curious - I didn't think there were many Thorns on the playa? Is this for shiny & sharp MOOP, or is the Playa just that rough?

Same with rear gears, if it has gears. But remove the front derailleur completely, and leave the chain on the middle sprocket (if applicable).

I gotta admit - this sounds like open-bike surgery, and I kind of like it!

Ya'll are great!! Seriously, thank you for all the advice, as it is gold. Two remaining (and very important!) questions:

1) Why are Yellow Bikes GREEN?

2) Who the hell brings a full welding rig to BRC?!!? Dammit, I think I love you people and I haven't even met you yet.

[Meat Hunter]

The reason that Yellow bikes are green?

Yellow bikes are green because they named them Yellow bikes first and when they finally got around to painting them, green was the only color spray paint that they had.

Or, at Burning Man, nothing is as it seems and everything across the line is different.

[BBadger]

My playa ride sports a flag with lights on the pole.

Two genius ideas right there! I'm gonna go mix up a batch of vinegarwater...
Will do!! Just curious - I didn't think there were many Thorns on the playa? Is this for shiny & sharp MOOP, or is the Playa just that rough?

To add to gaminwench's pole idea: it helps to have a recognizable "visual signature" during the day and the night. This means having a flag or some other decoration that can be spotted from a distance, and also unique lighting so that you don't look like every other bike in the crowd with blue wheels and a red blinky light. It really helps with keeping groups of friends together or finding your bike in a sea of bikes parked near the road.

It also reduced the chance that someone can steal your bike, but you'll be locking your bike when you're not on it without exception right?

Thorns: not thorns, but there could be sharp things and other hazards. Maybe you run over some scrap wood, or a nail, or piece of rebar.

Even without sharp objects, the tube will hold up a bit better. Many bikes come with shitty inner tubes. It'll save you some hassle to get all your bike maintenance done in the cool comfort of your home rather than waste time on the playa repairing your bike in the heat, walking your bike back home, or spending some time at a bike repair camp (as entertaining as the folks there are!)

I gotta admit - this sounds like open-bike surgery, and I kind of like it!

If you have a cruiser, you can also swap out gears for lower gearing or such. I find the gearing on most cruisers to be difficult, so I changed out the gears. If you have a new bike, especially some cheap-ass one from Walmart or wherever, you should also put some more grease into the bearing so they don't break down at the playa.

While you've got your bike in pieces, also consider adding comforts such as swapping out handle bars for more comfortable, longer bars (e.g. ape hangers) so that you're not hunched over to grip the bars; adding a horn or a bell to get peoples' attention; installing a headlight so you don't need to use a headlamp (a cheap one is like $6 or something); attaching a cup-holder; attaching a holder for larger batteries in case you want brighter lights that eat through batteries, etc.

It's your ride; pimp it out!

[Elliot]

Yup. The Thorn Resistant tubes are THICKER RUBBER, and probably better quality rubber. They hold air longer, and they resist all forms of damage better.

A spoke-nipple might have a sharp edge which has been chewing its way thru the rim-tape for umpteen revolutions and is now gnawing on the tube. There might be a grain of beach sand in there from ten years ago.

You may indeed have a thorn in the tire from who-knows-where-and-when -- pushing inward eveeeeeeeeer so slowly at the same rate as the tread wears. And one day....

I don't know about anyone else, but my time on Playa is too precious to waste a second of it on a preventable flat.

I like to remove front derailleurs with my 36 inch bolt cutters. The procedure is a Full Frontal Derailerectomy.
Of course, that's theater. No extra charge.

[FIGJAM]

When changing tube, I make a new rim tape out of the old tube.

[motskyroonmatick]

When changing tube, I make a new rim tape out of the old tube.

That's a good one FIGJAM! Going to try to remember that.

[Elliot]

You can also buy narrow Gorilla Tape, which works pretty well.

[burner von braun]

Ditto the thanks for the tip on safeguarding bicycle seats, something I hadn't considered up 'til now.

[Molotov]

I drilled my electric driven trike frame and put a bolt with locking nut through the frame and seat post-they won't get it off that way without a struggle-also prevents the seat post from slipping down on bumpy terrain. I secured the high back seat itself to the post with a doubled piece of 120 pound test braided stainless steel fishing line leader with crimp sleeves. Almost impossible to cut with standard wire clippers or bolt cutters or break it by pulling. Hopefully they will just get frustrated and move on.

Of course I always lock the trike with a high quality hardened steel cable when I step away-if even for a minute.

[motskyroonmatick]

You can also buy narrow Gorilla Tape, which works pretty well.

I've been using gaffers tape much like that!

[EGAZ]

Another option, if you know an electrician. The tape they use for high voltage mechanical connections. Its a stretchy, stick to itself, rubber tape.

A couple wraps, done. It's not cheap so its better if your electrician buddy can let you borrow his roll.....

[Cranky]

Pretty sure I've lost all nerve endings on my backside from my regular bike, but we'll see how a week of playa dust + sun folds into this!!

With normal, strenuous riding, the downward force of your legs takes much of the weight off your butt, and even a skinny saddle is comfortable. When cruising around BRC at 5 or 10 MPH, essentially all of your weigh is on your butt, and even a nerveless derriere will appreciate a wide, soft seat.