Rhino Outcast F.S. mtb complete overhaul

Hello and Welcome, A friend contacted me the other day and asked me if I could possibly repair a friend's (of his) mountain bike . The owner needs it to get back and forth to work. He told me that they would also bring along a parts bike that might have some salvageable components.

Above: At this point I have already cleaned up the bike using about a half dozen Armor All Cleaning Wipes. I have also installed a salvaged seat post and saddle. The list of problems with this bike is long, so I won`t try to list them I will just talk about them as I go.

Above: The 26 inch mtb front wheel. The hub was very loose, (cones way out of adjustment) the tire was almost flat and the wheel needs some truing. The good news is! I pumped up the tires and they appear to be holding air. I was amazed to find grease on the bearings. And the grease did not have those hard specks I found in the grease on the New Thruster fixed gear bike. I should also mention that I inspected the tires very closely. They are still very pliable and don`t even show a hint of cracking. Also I did replace the cable housings that felt sticky do to rust. And both of the cables I took from the parts bike look like new. I did add a few drops of clear oil to the cable housings as well.

Above: After cleaning up the hub parts with White Lightning Clean Streak I regreased and reassembled it with the cones set properly (no grind/no play).

Above: I also cleaned up the hub inside and out. It now spins nicely and for quite a while. The truing needed is not that bad. I will true the wheels latter on without removing the tires. Or removing the wheels from the bike for that matter. On an entry level cruiser or mountain bike the using the wheel truing stand is not necessary.

Above: While the parts bike does look like a total p.o.s. it did prove to be invaluable before this overhaul was finished. I might add the 26 inch mtb tires and pedals on the parts bike show no wear at all. You know instead of going to the department store and paying 150.00 for a bike and then leaving it out in the yard to rust. Maybe this fool should have driven to a homeless shelter and given them 75.00 Then they would still have 75.00 and could have felt good about have done something positive for another human being. I do not mean to preach but being this wasteful is just wrong. Especially when so many are trying to get by with so little.

Above: Shown is the yellow front linear brake I salvaged from the parts bike. The original front linear brake, noodle and rubber boot were damaged. And miraculously these same parts were all in good condition on the parts bike. After some "fah nagle ing" I got the replacement front brake working pretty well. After I true the wheel I will be able to set it even tighter.

Above: I was able to regrease the headset bearings without completely removing the front end. Look closely and you can see my 1947 Western Flyer "fixed gear trike" propping up the suspension fork while I carefully wipe and re grease the lower headset bearings. I hung the handlebars and stem from the frame while doing this. I also brushed some rust off the wedge nut (stem) and smeared a little grease on it before reassembling the threaded headset /front end.

Above: The rear hub was also sloppy. Fortunately I did have the correct tool for removing the freewheel. After de greasing the axle, cones and bearings I started to reassemble the rear hub. It was at this point I noticed the rear axle was bent. This is a real kick in the a$$ because I really felt like I was making good progress. I removed the axle assembly from the parts bike and cleaned it up using White Lightning Clean streak. After matching them up I went ahead and greased the bearings and cups and reassembled the rear hub. It fit perfectly (even the spacers matched) and it is spinning real smoothly. I also cleaned and lubed the 7 speed freewheel and cleaned up the pie plate.

Above: I sprayed some WD-40 on the rusty rear derailleur springs and hinge points and wiped it off. Then I removed some slack from the cable and it is now shifting fine. I will spray some Tri-Flo on the rear D and sprocket group before I test ride it. I also sprayed some WD-40 on the rusty chain (in sections) and wiped it clean. I will put some chain lube on the chain before I ride it. I might mention, contrary what many people think.. WD40 is not a lubricant. But it is great at breaking down rust and loosening up rusty components.

Above: The Falcon front derailleur was froze up and the cable was badly frayed at the anchor point. I checked the Twist Grip Shifter and shift cable on the parts bike and they looked surprisingly good. So I carefully removed those and swapped them out with the originals on the Rhino. I found this Shimano front derailleur in my collection of salvaged front derailleurs. It seems to be straining to shift onto the largest chain ring. If this does not improve after lubrication and adjustment I will install a different front derailleur.

Above: Because the chain guide on the Falcon front derailleur was not removable I had to break down or open the chain to remove it. The little Park CT 5 Chain Tool is still working like a champ! Here I am finishing pressing the pin back into the chain. I am always careful to not remove the pin completely, this saves me a lot of aggravation. When using the tool to open the chain I always press the pin out towards me. This makes it much easier to press the pin back into place.

Above: QUICK TIP... I use a Velcro strap to hold the derailleur in position to give me slack while using the chain tool.

Above: Here I have removed the three piece crank and bottom bracket assembly. Earlier in the day I noticed the dust cap on the left side crank arm was missing and the nut looked real rusty. So I sprayed it "in advance" with a little WD 40. It worked great as the nut came off easily using a 6 point 14 mm socket. I have mentioned this before so I will again.. When removing the retainer nut or bolt for the crank or crank arm use a socket that matches the nut or bolt head. It it is six sided make sure your socket is as well. These nuts and bolt heads are shallow and are not always the best quality of hardened steel. This will greatly lessen your chances of rounding off the nut or bolt head.

Above: Here I am ready to spray the bottom bracket spline and bearings as well as the left side cup. This is a rush job (that don`t pay $hit) so there is no time for the Ultrasonic parts cleaner. As usual I have lined the pot with dirty paper towels and placed the strainer in the pot. This is a very inexpensive and effective way to clean parts. Just don`t use Mom's strainer and pot! As always I will be spraying them with White Lightning Clean Streak.

Above: Here the bottom bracket is reassembled. I want to repaint the left side crank arm with Rust Oleum flat black before reassembly. Which I am going to do right after I finish here. The easy adjust seat post collar clamp is also from my collection of salvaged parts. This work was done yesterday Saturday, it is now Sunday. If I paint now I can finish the bike and this post tomorrow. See you tomorrow! Sorry the mixtie project was delayed for this and other repair work. I will hopefully get that going again Tuesday or Wednesday.

Above: It is now Sunday evening. I forgot how fast flat black paint dries. The bike is finished! I took it for a short ride (3 miles) and it performed really well "for what it is". I have been spoiled riding my DiamondBack Overdrive 29er. This bike felt like a lot more work to get where I was going.

Above: Looking pretty sweet considering that "so far" I have only used salvaged and reconditioned components from the parts bike and my own stock. I say "so far" because I will probably be installing a new multi speed chain tomorrow. Other than that, I only have some cosmetic detail work (cleaning and rust removal) to do.

Above: I was amazed riding the bike by how smooth the bike felt. I think being a department store bike I expected it to feel more clunky. Also it did not jump gears at all. And the chain never slipped on the sprocket group in any gear. Also I was pleasantly surprised by how well the brakes worked. For liability reasons I made sure that the reflectors were remounted correctly. I have no idea if this fellow is going to be riding in the dark.

Above: I have not yet had a chance to take the L.L. Bean bike out for a real good ride. Maybe I will do that tomorrow morning :) That is about all I have for now. Until next time Please RIDE SAFELY and Remember to Always..RESCUE, RESTORE & RECYCLE
Cheers, Hugh

A Special THANK YOU to those of you have been checking out Hugh's Online Bike Shop. You probably noticed that I am now adding word links to components, tools and supplies ect. ect. that I mention in my blog posts. Like the Store these links are powered by amazon.com . I am doing this to make it more convenient to purchase things that interest you on the blog. Also if you are new to bicycle work, and you are not sure what I am talking about? You can click on the word link just to see some examples of what I am referring to. I look at this as a positive change and I hope you do too.
Thanks, Hugh

Fenderbot and Sanding a lot

Hello and Welcome,
Spring is here at last :)  I have been busy cleaning up the front and back lawns and trying to get the shop/garage organized. The weather has been pretty nice as of late. And I have managed to take a few short bike rides. I wanted to do a post about installing the PDW Fenderbot reflector taillight . Somehow I never got around to it, my sincere apologies for that. And I would also like to talk about the performance (or lack there of) of the Fenderbot light.

Above: Let me start by saying I installed this Fenderbot unit for looks. The idea was to build a bike with the classic touring bike look. The Fenderbot was the only new fender mount taillight I could find. It is Not Very Bright and I would not recommend this as your only rear light. When I ride this bike (day or night) I will have a flashing Ze'Fal taillight mounted on one of the seat stays or clipped onto the tool bag.

Above: Save the card the Fenderbot comes mounted on and use it for a template to make you marks for drilling the mount holes in your mudguard or fender. You can also use the template for proper drill bit selection if need be.

Above: Here I have made my marks with a Sharpie for my mount holes. You will need to make sure your holes are high enough so the taillight will clear any strut mounting hardware. After taking a measurement I made sure to cut my template so that the holes would be high enough. This way I could rest the template on the wrap around strut mount when making my marks.

Above: To avoid the bit skirting around damaging the beautiful Velo Orange hammered fender while I am am trying to drill the holes I use a small scratch awl to make an indent in the center of my marks. These indentations will make it much easier to keep the bit "on target" while I am drilling.

Above: Here I am using the template to check my drill bit size.

Above: Fearing the bit might hang up or bind I chose to drill a smaller hole first, then re drill with the finish size. Quite a while back I was re drilling the holes in a rear bicycle rack mount to fit a larger old seat post clamp bolt. I was using a high speed DeWalt 8 amp drill and it bound up. I did not have the piece secured, and when it spun the piece it felt like it damn near took one of my fingers off. Fortunately it just hurt like hell, no real damage done.

Above: This is what the Fenderbot looks like mounted from the inside of the fender. The bottom nut shown is the wrap around strut mount.

Above: The "not so bright" Fenderbot tail light mounted on my Velo Orange hammered rear fender. It's not really hammered, it is more of a hammer effect :)

Above: Here is the L.L. Bean Bike finished. After adding the white piping I realized I had subconsciously built something very much like (in looks anyway) to the Parliament. Eventually I removed the wrench graphic from the fork blade. You may have noticed for the "test ride" I have another taillight clipped onto the Minnehaha Barrel Bag (tool bag).

Above: The Zebrakenko is pretty much ready for primer, just a few tiny hard to reach spots to finish sanding. It has not really been warm and dry enough to paint yet anyway. But now the weather is much better so I will be priming it this week.

I am considering leaving the head and seat post lugs unpainted and polished. I will see how shiny I can get them before I decide. I am really not sure if I should polish the lug with something or just clear coat it. I am open to suggestions. I am thinking about building another classic commuter. Or possibly a fixed gear bike, sort of a "Mixey Fixey"

The mixti frame is by far the most difficult frame I have ever sanded. Nooks and Crannies are fine if your talking about English Muffins. On bicycle frames they are just a pain in the @$$. I will not be sanding another mixtie frame any time soon. I may even look into paint strippers. Although I really do not like using any more chemicals than I absolutely have to.

This is what I hope was the last snow of the season. It did not stick, and within hours was just an unpleasant memory. I did some fast repairs on a new friends Department Store rigid mountain bike. I did not bother with pics although maybe I should have. It was cosmetically "pretty mint". Mechanically "not so good". It did have the old thumb shifters which I consider a plus. Department store twist type grip shifters are always problematic crap anyway.
That is pretty much all I have for now. So until next time, Please Ride Safely! And remember to always..RESCUE, RESTORE and RECYCLE
Cheers, Hugh

The Detroit RedWings have made the playoffs for the 22nd consecutive season! Well Done Boys!
A Special THANK YOU to those of you have been checking out Hugh's Online Bike Shop. The link to Hugh's Online Bike Shop is located on this page in the right column near the top, just below the followers / members. You probably noticed that I am now adding word links to components, tools and supplies ect. ect. that I mention in my blog posts. Like the Store these links are powered by amazon.com . I am doing this to make it more convenient to purchase things that interest you on the blog. Also if you are new to bicycle work, and you are not sure what I am talking about? You can click on the word link just to see some examples of what I am referring to. I look at this as a positive change and I hope you do too.
Thanks, Hugh

Zebrakenko Mixte Restoration Part 1

Hello and Welcome
My current project a Zebrakenko Golden Sports Mixte. The original wheel set (or the wheel set it showed up with) is gone, used on another project. I doubt they were original to the bike anyway. They seemed to lack the rust and dirt that covered the rest of the bike.

This is an interesting road bike with one of the better badges I have seen in a while. Unfortunately it has spent some time out in the elements. In fact Angie wanted me to have this bike rather than see it damaged any further. Very admirable in my opinion.

Above: And there it is the 3 D "Lions Head" head-badge. I think my friend and fellow Bike Blogger Ryan from Ryan's Rebuilds described it best as "looking like a door knocker". I think he nailed it! ltms


Above: Step one, I ran it through the gears and checked the crank and brakes as well. The derailleurs are working as well as can be expected. Same goes for the brakes, working pretty well considering the cables are semi froze up and the shoes are rock hard. There is a little grind in the crank, hopefully it is just dry and a little too tight. Good news is the crank spins straight. Headset is also stiff with a little grind, again probably just dry. I wont know for sure until I take the crank and headset apart.

Above: The crank smoothed right out as soon as I loosened it up, even though the grease is pretty much shot. The same goes for the threaded headset. The cups and bearings look fine. It just sat so long the hardened and dried up grease has stiffened everything up a bit. After a real good cleaning and re greasing I am positive every thing will be really smooth. I may be replacing the road crank set if it does not clean up really well. It looks cheap to me. And if it does not improve 100% after refurbishing, then it is gone.
Above: Not everything here will be refurbished. But I will keep it all somewhat organized until I can figure out what will be refurbished and what is going to the metal recycling guy and what might be saved. Quick Tip: Before you toss a broken or damaged component, remove any small parts like barrel adjusters or limit screws, springs, cable anchors etc. etc. You will be glad you did. I am constantly making good use of little bits I have saved over the years.

Above: I have decided to repaint the mixti frame and fork. For this reason I have removed the head badge and the frame mounted barrel adjuster for the rear brake. The barrel adjuster mounted approximately mid top tube(s)is unique to the Mixte style frame. (as far as I know)

Above: To remove the head badge I first removed the upper and lower head-tube bearing cups. Then using a half round metal file, I filed down the rivets from inside the head tube. Next I use an old set of feeler gauges to make a small gap between the head-badge and the head-tube. Now I can slip my mini pry bar behind the badge next to the rivet and gently pop the badge off. When I say mini pry bar, I mean mini. The pry bar including handle is probably less than 3 inches long. It came with a free set of promotional screwdrivers. If I can find one, I will post where it is available. It is an awesome little tool.

Above: I started to wet sand the frame this afternoon. Unfortunately I only had 1/3 sheet of 180 grit wet/dry sanding paper. So I did not get very far. Tomorrow morning I am off to Peter's True Value on M59 just west of town to get some more. I will try to get a pic of the mini pry bar and add it to this post tomorrow. Actually latter today (it is getting late) Until next time please Ride Safely and remember to Always...RESCUE, RESTORE & RECYCLE
Cheers, Hugh
P.S. I will proof read this again tomorrow, hopefully it is not totally incoherent :)

Kalkhoff Folding Bike Finished

Hello and Welcome, As I am typing this the Kalkhoff Folding bike is 98% finished. By the time I publish this it will be complete. We finally had another warm front come through. So I got busy in the shop/garage cleaning up the remainder of the reusable parts.

Above: Cutting off the damaged part of the chain guard went pretty well. Now it reminds me of the chain guards that were popular when I was but a wee lad. Reusing the original guard spared me the hassle of trying to retro fit a universal guard. Not to mention it kept the cost down. For cutting the plastic I used a hand held electric jig saw. For blade selection I chose a metal cutting jig saw blade with small teeth, similar to a hack saw blade. This is the same blade I used when cutting plexiglass when I made new fixed rear side windows for the Ford Ranger.
Above:I cleaned up the original German made pedals using a fine brass wheel brush in combination with a fine brass detail brush. Then I polished the metal parts with Turtle Wax Chrome Polish and Rust Remover. For cleaning up the blocks I used a fingernail scrub brush. This type brush is perfect for cleaning up rubber pedal blocks.
Above: I`m not sure if everyone knows what type of brush I meant. So here is a picture. This little brush works like it was designed for scrubbing dirty old pedal blocks. And I just want to make sure you get the right one :)
Above: This is the removable chain guard mounting bracket typically used on wrap around type chain guards. I cleaned this up quickly using a fine brass wheel brush on the high speed DeWalt keyless chuck drill. While wearing my Safety Glasses of course.
Above: The original kickstand, Made in Italy. Also cleaned up using the fine brass wheel brush on the DeWalt high speed drill. For polish I used Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish.
Above: For cleaning up the touring brake levers I also used Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish. I could have made these look better it I had wire brushed them. But the aluminum tends to bleed out more after it is brushed. Probably not a good thing for brake levers to do. So I chose the lesser of the two evils.
Above: I had to cut off the original brake lever mounting bolts and nuts. So I took my $5.00 certificate and went to Peter's True Value on M59 on the far west side of our little town. I hit the bolt section just as "the bolt guy" was there taking inventory. He found the perfect replacements in about 30 seconds. While I was there I grabbed another jar of Mother's.
Above: I cleaned the grips using the fingernail brush and hand soap. They look virtually unused. That's a real bonus! Usually at least one of the grips (if not both) are in rough shape. This will save me a few more bucks.
Above: This is basically the same Velo Tempo Z Saddle I originally put on the Kalkhoff. But this saddle does not have another bike manufacturers logo on it. And it is not all "girly" looking either. They really are the same Velo saddle, both have the memory foam and the exact same size and shape. I refuse to install a huge farm tractor saddle on this cool little bike.
Above: Of course I have two fork mount generator lights that are designed to work on the left fork leg or blade. And this bike has the generator mounting bracket on the right fork blade or leg. And yes I really did try to make it work. Time to get a look at what all of this stuff looks like on the bike.
Above: The side pull caliper brakes are looking good, all hooked up with new Jag Wire Basics cables and housings and shoes.
Above: The brake levers with the new mounting bolts and the grips all cleaned up. Of course the new Wald handlebars really make the grips and levers look better as well.
Above: The alloy kickstand and the left (cotter) side of the 2 piece crank. You can also see the detachable chain-guard bracket we were talking about on the Face Book page.
Above: The new chain and cleaned up pedals and chopped chain guard. The new rear 20 inch tire is looking good as well. You may notice the shift linkage hanging from the rear hub. At this point I am still awaiting delivery of the new seat post and Sturmey Archer 3 speed Shifter. I also need to clean the main tube with Goo Gone and install the faux Kalkhoff decals. I will hold off posting any more full side shots until the bike is 100% finished.
Above: The tall micro adjust seat post is an awesome upgrade for this little bike. Even if the original post had been in better shape I think I would have made this upgrade. I think a micro adjust post is one of the best upgrades you can make for about $15.00 US or less.
Above: Here I am getting the vinyl sticker ready to be applied. Using my True Value card I rub over the decal applying pressure. This helps make sure the vinyl does not stick to the backing when you peel it off.
Above: Once I have applied the vinyl sticker, first I rub it by hand to make sure it has adhered itself to the tube. Then I peel the clear plastic off on a sharp angle. I am not pulling the plastic away as much as I am pulling it down. It is done this way "again" to help prevent the vinyl from coming off with the clear plastic. The link to "Stickers By Design" is on the links list in the right column of this page. Detailed instructions will come with your vinyl stickers. Make sure you let them which font and color you want.
Above: The new Sturmey Archer shifter was a simple installation thanks to Sheldon Brown. I did look up his instructions again, just to be sure I got it right. The only problem I had was seeing what the #@!! I was doing. The light in the basement (not unlike the shop/garage) leaves much to be desired. I finally got the shift cable end seated into it's little slot inside the shifter everything went smoothly after that.
Above: Not exactly like the original stickers, but I think they look pretty damn good. I believe the total cost for 4 stickers including shipping was about 7 dollars. If you ask me, that is a fair price for personalizing your bike or advertising on your custom build or resto-mod.
Above: I am very satisfied with the way this Kalkhoff folder came out. I test rode it today with the Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub hooked up for the first time. And it functioned perfectly. Also the "wrong side" generator light works fine. Although I would supplement it with a battery operated L E D Bicycle light Set before I rode it at night.
Above: A shot of the port side of the bike. If I still lived in the "old neighborhood" this little bike would be perfect for riding uptown. (which was only a mile from our house) Around here it would be more of a novelty than a "ride into town" bike. But it is a blast to ride! But there is "no way" that I am keeping it.
Above: I added one of my blog stickers to the port side chain stay. Is it still called the chain stay even though it is on the opposite side from the chain?
Above: No doubt, a badge is better. But I still like the Kalkhoff delta logo. There is something very familiar about this logo, I just can't put my finger on it. I was in the "Delta Section" in junior high school? No that's not it...hmm. I am sure it will come to me latter.
Until Next Time Please RIDE SAFELY and Always Remember to....RESCUE, RESTORE & RECYCLE
Cheers, Hugh
Above: I forgot to mention, I added this Bell Trunk Bag. It just seemed to be the perfect fit for this little Kalkhoff folding bike.
A Special THANK YOU to those of you have been checking out Hugh's Online Bike Shop. You probably noticed that I am now adding word links to components, tools and supplies ect ect that I mention in my blog posts. Like the Store these links are powered by amazon.com . I am doing this to make it more convenient to purchase things that interest you on the blog. Also if you are new to bicycle work, and you are not sure what I am talking about? You can click on the word link just to see some examples of what I am referring to. I look at this as a positive change and I hope you do too.
Thanks, Hugh