Happy Valentines from the Bicycle Mechanic!

Hey Toronto!

Happy Valentines Day!

How to make a bow out of a bicycle wheel

While it is an amusing design for how to make a bow to practice archery with, I do NOT actually recommend the bow designs shown below.

My reasoning is fairly simple. I have been doing archery since 1989. I have over 12 bows myself, and two things I have learned over the years are the following...

#1. Decurve bows do not make good bows. (The designs shown below are definitely decurve.)

#2. The bow below isn't really a bow. It is really more a kind of complicated looking slingshot using a giant rubber band.

The end result is a slingshot that really is not a bow, doesn't really work that well, and would ultimately be a waste of time for anyone who is not into slingshots.

So if you are into slingshots, go ahead and use the designs below. If you are into archery I have suggestions to make at the bottom for how a person could make a proper bow - in this case a recurve bow - using bicycles parts.

HOW TO MAKE A BOW SLINGSHOT USING A BICYCLE WHEEL

You will need...

Old Bicycle Wheel
Giant catapult rubber band - $5. (You could use a rubber inner tube, but it isn't as powerful.)
Saw to cut the bike rim
Drill and drill bits.
Scissors / Tin Snips or some way to remove the spokes from the wheel
Metal file to tidy up the cuts
Pliers for bending
Eyelets + Retainers for the eyelets (plasterboard expanding grommets work well)

The design above is pretty much self explanatory just by looking at the photo. It is basically just a frame for holding rubber band for the slingshot. The bicycle wheel does bend a bit like a bow, but it is the rubber band that does 90% of the work.

Cut the wheel, smooth down the rough edges, drill some holes in it, add the eyelets, etc, attach the rubber band and you're done.





HOW TO MAKE A RECURVE BOW USING BICYCLE PARTS

#1. Cut the wheel into quarters instead of halves.

#2. Line the quarters up like below

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#3. Weld them together to make the classic recurve bow shape.

#4. Drill holes in the top of the bow and the bottom of the bow, roughly one inch from the ends.

#5. Using bicycle cable, string the bow between the two holes.

#6. Find a sturdy way to affix the bicycle cable to the bow. I recommend drilling the holes big enough to fit a bolt through there, wrap the cable around the bolts a bit, slide the bolt through the hole, tighten with a nut on the opposite side and make it super tight so the cable won't come loose. Repeat process both ends of the bow.

#7. Wrap bicycle handlewraps around the handle where you will be gripping the bow.

#8. Optional - Make an arrow rest using random parts from a scrap bicycle.

#9. Optional - Make stabilizer using random parts.

#8. Use a crimp to add a bead on your bowstring so your arrows don't slide up and down.

#9. Practice with your new recurve bow!

#10. Send me photos of the finished product so I can show others what you did!

Gas Engine Bicycles - For lazy gasoline lovers?

I am not going to pass judgement and not talk about gasoline bicycles, but I am going to say that many cyclists see gasoline powered bicycles - and sometimes even electric bicycles or e-bikes - as a betrayal of what bicycles are supposed to be: clean and efficient means of transportation.

The video further below is an example of one such gasoline powered bicycle or g-bike.

Whether you like g-bikes, or despise them, the video is an interesting example of one way to tinker with bicycles and try something new with them.

After all, this wouldn't be a bicycle mechanic blog if I didn't showcase examples of people tinkering with their bicycles and trying something different.

RB Inc Sports is hiring bicycle mechanics

 RB Inc Sports of Toronto is hiring bicycle mechanics and sent me the email below.

:) CM

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We are looking for a mechanic. If you are interested or know someone that would be interested,  please come by around 11 till 3 for a job interview if you are interested also please send in a resume if you have one.

Full Time Bicycle Sales and Bicycle Mechanic Job Request $12 to $20 per hour depending on experience.

We are a boutique bicycle Jamis Bicycle Outlet (you can google our info) store looking for an experienced bicycle salesman that is also a good bicycle mechanic. Perfect articulation in English is important. Characteristics we are looking for: Neat and Tidy, ability to follow direction, effective sales person that can absorb information quickly and is familiar with all parts of the bicycle. Efficient bicycle mechanic that can put together a new bicycle quickly, and effectively but also one that can keep his work area clean and also not lose or break tools. Experience and ability to work on all types of used bicycles from clunkers, road, mountain, and hybrids.  Important to be friendly and deal with a variety of cyclists from professionals to leisure enthusiasts. Please understand as well no use of text messaging, skype or e-mails that are not work related during work.

Important to live close to work. The job is 5 days a week but includes Saturday and Sunday. The job also requires good and fast ten finger typing and the ability plus experience to work on iPads and Apple computers.

Richard Browne President
RB Inc
www.rbinc-sports.com
79 Wingold Ave Unit 10
Toronto Ontario Canada
M6B1P8
tel 416 787 4998
fax 416 787 2709

12 Unusual Bike Racks

How to Fix a Slipping Chain and Gears

Tools You Will Need

Bike stand
Chain tool
Small screwdriver

One of the most important things to maintain on your bicycle is the drivetrain. This includes the shifters, chain, front and rear derailleur, the cassette and crankset. They all work together. Several of these parts can be responsible for slipping gears, making it important to perform regular maintenance of you bicycle. A well maintained bicycle increases the safety and enjoyment of your ride and decreases the chances of getting a gear stuck, jammed, or the chain slipping right off the gear cassette.

How to Fix a Slipping Chain and Gears

Step 1

Place your bike in a bicycle stand. This will allow you to clearly access all the parts and spin the pedals to see how the drivetrain is performing. If you do not have a bicycle stand, put the bicycle upside down and rest it on the seat and handlebars.

Step 2

Look over the chain for excess wear or bent links. Using a chain tool, slip each of its ends through the links of your chain and check your chain against its wear indicators. If the chain is worn out, replace it. Don't bother trying to fit it, once a chain is worn out it is no longer good for using on a bicycle. If a link is bent, either replace the link or the entire chain.

Step 3

Check your gear sprockets. The sprockets are under pressure from the chain, especially when climbing. If any of the edges are no longer rounded at the ends and instead resemble a shark's tooth, it's time to replace the cassette because it's probably causing your chain to slip.

Step 4

Examine your rear derailleur. If the chain and sprockets are fine, chances are this ghost shifting is caused by either a bent derailleur hanger or the derailleur is out of alignment physically. This is common, especially as new cable stretches, often causing the derailleur to shift incorrectly.

Step 5

Inspect the derailleur hanger from the rear. The pulleys should line up. If they appear out of alignment, the derailleur hanger is likely to blame for your poor shifting. This is a cheap and easy part to replace, but change it as soon as possible to decrease the chances of it breaking off or flying into your spokes.

Step 6

Adjust the limit screws on the derailleur with a screwdriver. If the hanger looks straight, adjusting the screws is the next logical diagnostic tool. There is a high- and low-limit screw on the derailleur as well as a tension-adjustment screw. These are marked by an "L," a "B" and an "H." These screws set the parameters on where the derailer can move.

Step 7

Adjust the B screw until the pulley is rubbing against the largest sprocket. When it is adjusted to just clear the chain, tighten the screw.

Step 8

Turn to the H-limit screw. First, relieve any pressure on the cable by loosening the cable adjuster. Examine how the chain is riding on the smallest sprocket. If it's rubbing on the next gear, loosen it until it's centered. If it appears to be moving toward the axle, tighten the screw. Readjust the cable tension and see if this solves the problem.

Step 9

Shift down to your lowest gear and check the L-limit screw if you are still experiencing problems. If the chain is pulling toward the axle as it rides on the sprocket, tighten the screw clockwise until it is lined up underneath. If the opposite is happening and the chain is pulling down, loosen the screw. Before riding, run through all the gears to ensure the derailleur will not shift into the axle.

Tada! You're done!

Keep on riding!

12 Step Derailleur Tuning

Want to learn how to adjust and fix your derailleurs? Here is the 12 step program as set forth by Jerzy "Smokey" Dymny of the Quadra Bike School.

1. Rear derailleur. Shift to high gear (small ring) and disconnect DR cable. (If DR has a reverse-rise spring the DR travels in opposite direction when released. In that case reverse these instructions for high and low cogs.)

2. Set high limit screw. Chain must travel smoothly on smallest cog but not go past it.

3. Check the complete cable path and reconnect rear derailleur cable.

4. To tune rear shifting, shift chain to middle chainring in front & tighten rear barrel adjuster until each shift click produces one clean downshift in the rear.

5. Adjust the low limit screw to let the chain reach large (low) cog but not shift past it. Check guide pulley spacing and adjust “B” screw to increase spacing if necessary.

6. Test up shifts. Turn barrel adjuster slightly in, if any shift is slow. Repeat till perfect.

7. Leave rear DR in low (large). Disconnect front cable. Adjust height of front derailleur 1–3mm above large ring.  Set front DR low limit screw. Tightening low limit screw pushes derailleur outward from frame.

8. Check complete cable path. Reconnect front cable.  Leave front DR in small ring. Test rear DR shifts up to second highest cog.

9. Shift front DR to middle ring. Test rear DR shifts through all gears.

10. Place Chain/String tool on smallest rear cog and largest chainring. Rotate front cage to match the cage engagement gap to the string angle.

11. Shift to the large ring. Set high limit screw. Test rear shifting to second lowest cog.

12. Check that front derailleur shifts through whole range & downshifts quickly.

© 2012, Quadra Bike School