What Preps are you doing this week? Part 5.

How are you preparing
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Deeps
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 5.

Post by Deeps »

ukpreppergrrl wrote:So today I dug my mountain bike out of the shed...where it's languished for the 16 years I've been in this house, not that it was used much in the 9 years before that when I bought it! The problem has always been that the reach is too long for me - I feel like I'm doing push-ups when I ride it which is very tiring. The frame is the right size, it's just the reach. I've been toying with buying a new bike which fits me better, but finances are not going to permit this. It seems a waste of a resource to have it sitting there in an unusable state when it could be quite a valuable asset at some point. So, after much googling, I've purchased a short quill stem for it (took some time to find out what it was called so that I could look for it!) which is 30mm as opposed to 90mm in length front to back, thus reducing my required reach by 6cm! Two new tyres and inner tubes (they're somewhat flat! :shock: ) and for £40 all in I'm hoping to have a bike that I may actually ride occasionally...and will be there as a useful form of transport should the need arise! Planning to clean and lube the bike over Easter and fit the new parts as they arrive! :D
Sounds like you've resolved the issues, as I started reading I was going to suggest a different set of handlebars, I'm in a similar position, got a bike that isn't fit for the road anymore, used to be a big rider over the years ( ;) fnarr fnarr) but its very much decorational not operational these days. Her Maj will only ride a bike on proper cycle paths and not roads so its a bit surplus although she does go through the odd phase...
Yorkshire Andy
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Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm

Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 5.

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

Deeps wrote:
ukpreppergrrl wrote:So today I dug my mountain bike out of the shed...where it's languished for the 16 years I've been in this house, not that it was used much in the 9 years before that when I bought it! The problem has always been that the reach is too long for me - I feel like I'm doing push-ups when I ride it which is very tiring. The frame is the right size, it's just the reach. I've been toying with buying a new bike which fits me better, but finances are not going to permit this. It seems a waste of a resource to have it sitting there in an unusable state when it could be quite a valuable asset at some point. So, after much googling, I've purchased a short quill stem for it (took some time to find out what it was called so that I could look for it!) which is 30mm as opposed to 90mm in length front to back, thus reducing my required reach by 6cm! Two new tyres and inner tubes (they're somewhat flat! :shock: ) and for £40 all in I'm hoping to have a bike that I may actually ride occasionally...and will be there as a useful form of transport should the need arise! Planning to clean and lube the bike over Easter and fit the new parts as they arrive! :D
Sounds like you've resolved the issues, as I started reading I was going to suggest a different set of handlebars, I'm in a similar position, got a bike that isn't fit for the road anymore, used to be a big rider over the years ( ;) fnarr fnarr) but its very much decorational not operational these days. Her Maj will only ride a bike on proper cycle paths and not roads so its a bit surplus although she does go through the odd phase...

Bear in mind there are two common size quill stems 1" and 1 1/8"

If you haven't fitted it yet

Wd40 with a straw and a thin screwdriver (push driver up the back of the grip squirt in wd40 grips slippy off easy ;)


When you come to removing the stem from the forks slacken off the 6 mm (usually,) bolt a few turns .... Then tap the bolt down with a hammer to free the quill wedge....


When refitting the rubber grip clean with soap and water dry both bars and grip... Then spray both the bar and the inside big the grip with hair spray..... (Once this dried the grips won't slip)

The short stem makes slow speed turns easy and quick but can be twitchy at speed..


Inswept bars can be good too https://m.bikester.co.uk/humpert-stuttg ... 28195733:s
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
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Deeps
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 5.

Post by Deeps »

Always a good chance there will be someone who knows, well done Andy.
Yorkshire Andy
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Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm

Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 5.

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

Deeps wrote:Always a good chance there will be someone who knows, well done Andy.





Someone used to work in a bike shop ;)
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
grandad
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Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2015 4:49 pm

Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 5.

Post by grandad »

Hello again everybody ,just checked when i last logged on,almost 2 yrs ! Family member has had serious illness and been to and fro hospital,sometimes 5 days a week,plus doing their shopping etc,time flies by, :shock: Food preps have been invaluable lately as self employed means no work equals no pay,Started my lists to do today,food preps to replenish,rotate,planning container grown veggies and fruit.So much to do,so little time now back at work,stay safe everyone.
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ukpreppergrrl
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Location: London

Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 5.

Post by ukpreppergrrl »

I remain amazed and impressed at the knowledge this forum possess at the drop of a hat! :D I'm pretty sure mine is the smaller 1" quill stem. Well that's what I've bought, if it doesn't fit, I buy another and chalk it up to "measure better next time"! They are surprisingly not expensive (ok I'm sure you can buy expensive ones...). Today is to be spent trying to locate all the bike tools I purchased when I got the bike (like the tyre lever thingies)! I know they're there as I never throw these things out, it's just a matter of where did I put them...! :lol: I did find the Haynes Bike Book last night though :D

The inswept bars look good! If the shorter stem doesn't make riding it more comfortable then I'll look at those! Ta! :D
Blog: http://ukpreppergrrl.wordpress.com
التَكْرَارُ يُعَلِّمُ الحِمارَ "Repetition teaches the donkey" Arabic proverb
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the cat in the hat
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 5.

Post by the cat in the hat »

This weeks preps have been, buying a fire starter with a flint thingy, just because whenever I buy lighters they vanish. I hatched some eggs at the weekend so have baby chicks to look after too which has been hard work, also got more in the incubator. So they will hopefully provide me with some eggs at some point unless they are cockerals in which case they will provide me with roast chicken. I have a local auction which sells all sorts of tat and cheap tools so I went to that last night and brought a couple of axes and some rope to keep in my camper. I got some bolts which I am looking to put on the chicken pen which I am going to have a bash at making myself, I am no carpenter but I will have a go and post photos when it is done. Unless I can find a really cheap one for sale at the auction or online. I also applied for a bookers card. I have compared the prices to amazon and there is not much in it on some items, They have some large catering items like 4 kg mash potato which I want to add to my food storage. I wanted to start some seeds off for my veg patch. but have been a bit poorly so have slept a lot this week.
jansman
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Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 5.

Post by jansman »

ukpreppergrrl wrote:I remain amazed and impressed at the knowledge this forum possess at the drop of a hat! :D I'm pretty sure mine is the smaller 1" quill stem. Well that's what I've bought, if it doesn't fit, I buy another and chalk it up to "measure better next time"! They are surprisingly not expensive (ok I'm sure you can buy expensive ones...). Today is to be spent trying to locate all the bike tools I purchased when I got the bike (like the tyre lever thingies)! I know they're there as I never throw these things out, it's just a matter of where did I put them...! :lol: I did find the Haynes Bike Book last night though :D

The inswept bars look good! If the shorter stem doesn't make riding it more comfortable then I'll look at those! Ta! :D
A bike that age is almost certain to be a quill stem.
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

Robert Frost.

Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

Me.
Yorkshire Andy
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Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm

Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 5.

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

ukpreppergrrl wrote:I remain amazed and impressed at the knowledge this forum possess at the drop of a hat! :D I'm pretty sure mine is the smaller 1" quill stem. Well that's what I've bought, if it doesn't fit, I buy another and chalk it up to "measure better next time"! They are surprisingly not expensive (ok I'm sure you can buy expensive ones...). Today is to be spent trying to locate all the bike tools I purchased when I got the bike (like the tyre lever thingies)! I know they're there as I never throw these things out, it's just a matter of where did I put them...! :lol: I did find the Haynes Bike Book last night though :D

The inswept bars look good! If the shorter stem doesn't make riding it more comfortable then I'll look at those! Ta! :D

Quill is older technology making assembly harder and to some extent service needing more tools the modern A-head system is simpler and most use sealed cartridge bearings also most ahead stems have a open face clamp meaning no need to strip the handle bars to replace / remove the stem


Anyway enough rambling

This one is in the sale

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobi ... prod159538

;)


This is a good website for bike repairs

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
pseudonym
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Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 10:11 am
Location: East Midlands

Re: What Preps are you doing this week? Part 5.

Post by pseudonym »

grandad wrote:Hello again everybody ,just checked when i last logged on,almost 2 yrs ! Family member has had serious illness and been to and fro hospital,sometimes 5 days a week,plus doing their shopping etc,time flies by, :shock: Food preps have been invaluable lately as self employed means no work equals no pay,Started my lists to do today,food preps to replenish,rotate,planning container grown veggies and fruit.So much to do,so little time now back at work,stay safe everyone.

Welcome home. :)

Hope all is resolved and OK.
Two is one and one is none, but three is even better.