Combo Challenge and Shogun update

 

We are on the cusp of Coffeeneuring 2020 and the clunker challenge is still in effect until the first week of November so I figured why not do both on the Shogun?

Before I get into what I have been doing to the Shogun to prepare for the Combo Challenge I will update other developments in the fleet;

Univega

Sold last month for $200, I did something I never do which was I delivered the bike.  I felt in late September as summer was waning that the crazy COVID bike market was drying up so I figured delivering it in order to get $200 was a fair trade.  Doubled my investment on this bike.

Giant

The part out route was not my first choice for this bike but I did eventually get $200 out of it and ended up covering my costs and even making a small amount.

Trek 420 (II)

The 420 did end up being too small for my friend and although I toyed with using it as a trainer bike myself I decided instead to just clean it up a bit, make it a functional project and sell it cheap.  I ended up making $10 and the guy buying it seemed pleased with the purchase so it all worked out..

Shogun

Since  I am doing two challenges in one I figured that servicing the bearings was necessary on the Shogun.  In addition the 10 days of horrible  air quality did a number on my lungs to the point where just walking around the block required multiple stops to catch my breath.  Fortunately things are improving but since I wasn't going to be riding this week it made sense to deal with the bearings.

First however I had to deal with a filthy bike, its not exactly clean now but its better and I don't get dirty just looking at it.

There was also splotchy rust one one fork blade so it got the naval jelly, brass wire brush and then nail polish treatment.  

With dirt and rust dealt with I could tackle the headset bearings, I had to do this with the cabling still in place but it was doable, the grease was present but old so it was nice to clean it all up and get fresh grease applied.

Since I had to do the headset with the cabling in place I found yet another use for a toe strap, it held the bull moose bars suspended from the top tube while I dealt with the headset and allowed me to keep all the cables in place.

I also replaced the absent front reflector with one from my stash of parts.

Finally I dealt with front wheel, the bearings were way too tight although the grease wasn't bad but it got cleaned up, new grease, trued up and finally a new Schwable Jet city tire.  I thought about using the original tires but because I am doing two challenges and the new tires still keep me (barely) under the clunker challenge $100 budget and my experience with old knobby 26" tires is they aren't really comfortable.

Once the combo challenge is done I have some toys for the Shogun; VO leather saddle, barely used chain and 6 speed wide range FW, Ergon grips, new cables and housing, sneaker pedals and tires.   Tires?  but Ryan you just bought new tires??!  well I really wanted some gum walls and after searching around I came across these Maxxis DTH 26 x 2.25 tires, not cheap but on bike forums these tires get lots of favorable comments and I have seen them on builds an really like how they look.  My thought on the Schwables I am currently using on the Shogun is that they may go on a bargain MTB I am yet to find for a quick clean up and flip.

Ride. Buy too many tires. Smile. Repeat.

Know when to fold'em...

I think that as important as it is to be persistent and think outside the box it is equally important to know when to walk away.  

I took the front wheel for the Giant to my LBS for a spoke replacement after I discovered a broken spoke while trying to true the wheel, what they found was that the rim was cracked.  That in itself wasn't a deal breaker but with the mounting issues for this bike I resolved that unless I could first solve the shifting I would not spend any more $$ on this bike including no replacement front wheel without the shifting working first.

 Well I did the WD-40 treatment to the shifters and I did get them to sorta kinda shift up to 5 of 8 gears but it wasn't great so I decided for this bike it was on to plan B - a part out.

Without too much fuss I got the bike mostly apart and doing some back of the napkin calculations I think I can just about break-even as Campy parts tend to be desirable.  I have already sold the rear wheel with 8 speed campy cassette.  The thing about Campy brifters is that unlike Shimano they can be rebuilt, you just need a watchmakers skill and patience, that is not me lol.  The LBS said it was about a $70 job and they could get most of the parts still for 8 speed.  I will let someone else do that.

A little more work got the cranks off, fortunately campy uses the same crank puller as I have in the tool box.

And for the BB I got to pull out a rarely used campy square taper tool I used to build up a frame with Campy 10 speed back in about 2010, that bike went to my friend Karen who still rides it.

So now I have some cleaning to do on the frame-set and parts so I can list and hopefully sell them and put this chapter behind me.

In other news the AQI was finally decent enough this morning that I could take the morning ride I have been delaying all week.  It was nice to get out on the Cresta GT something I hope to do more of if the wildfires get under control so the air quality can improve.

Ride. Know when to walk away. Smile. Repeat

Fleet Update fall 2020

 

I decided to list the Trek again before I could talk myself out of it.  I put it on CL at $375 and got the full price within a few days.   The buyer plans to commute on it and really liked the bike and as much as I debated letting it go I am glad its going to a good home where it will get ridden and not spend most of its life in a spare bedroom -lol.   I kept the leather saddle and MKS sneaker pedals that I had on it as they will both get used again.  Interestingly the buyer had looked at a Nishiki Cresta in his search but noted it was not in good shape and was barely safe to ride so I think the Trek was a breath of fresh air.

With the clunker challenge over I got the Univega ready to hand off to my barista friend.  I put the original saddle back on, not sure the one I used for the clunker challenge was much better and this saddle is fine for rides under about 6 miles.

I put a decent range cassette and new chain on the bike and some new grips since I am keeping the nice Ergons for that someday Mountain bike.  All up including purchase price I am still a shade under $100 for this bike so if my friend doesn't like it I can list it on CL but I hope it fits and he likes it.

And then there is the problem child Giant..... I should be very clear these problems are entirely self inflicted, I brought this on myself.

I did know going in the hoods had tape and were suspect but they were even worse than I thought.  I was able to find the right replacements in the UK and fortunately I had a refund at PayPal so the hoods were only about $10 out of pocket but the real cost was not cheap.  

Speaking of hoods the rear shifter is going to need some attention, down shifts are ok but up shifts are a chore at best and not all them work.  I am hopeful that a WD 40 flush and some gentle brushing to remove the gunk and then a lube, will solve that issue.

I had an inkling the tires would need replacing and I was right the ones on the bike were old and a bit brittle.  I was lucky the left over Continental tire I had that wouldn't fit on the Allez fits fine on the Giant and this bike is red too, so I only had to order one new tire.

As I think I mentioned in the last post there is a fair bit of sticker residue so I will have to spend some time with Goof Off and a plastic scrapper to remove it and get the bike a bit cleaner and more presentable.

Here is a learn from my dumb mistakes lesson.  When I unloaded the bike at home and was walking it to the apartment I noticed a hesitation in the rolling and that was because the front wheel was out of true and would scrape on the brake at one point in the rotation.  Why was that you ask?  Um broken spoke that I found when I set about trying to true the wheel.  I really should have caught that and got myself a discount.... oh well no stuck stem or seat post.  Although I could try and order a single spoke to replace the broken one I think I will bite the bullet and just go to the LBS as I did for the Univega and have them replace it.  

With any luck I can get most of the issues sorted over the long weekend and spend the rest of the month blissfully riding the now 4 bike fleet, or find a new bike mess to get myself into....

Ride. Caveat Emptor. Smile. Repeat.