Upgrading the gear system?

Hi, I've got an old Falcon Stealth mountain bike. I've been thinking of
investing in a new bike, as the gears are a bit rusty and won't go into all
the gears properly. However, there's absolutely nothing wrong with the
frame - so now I'm thinking of just changing the gear system. How hard is
this to do? I'm a newbie to fixing bikes, but I'm good with that kind of
thing (ie. working with cars, building things, etc). If it's a viable thing
to do, where's the best place to get the parts? Is the gear system designed
specifically for a particular model of bike? Or are they quite generic?
Would I be able to find the parts at a standard local bike shop?

Thanks for any info,
Dan.

Dan wrote:

Hi, I've got an old Falcon Stealth mountain bike. I've been thinking of
investing in a new bike, as the gears are a bit rusty and won't go into
all
the gears properly. However, there's absolutely nothing wrong with the
frame - so now I'm thinking of just changing the gear system. How hard is
this to do? I'm a newbie to fixing bikes, but I'm good with that kind of
thing (ie. working with cars, building things, etc). If it's a viable
thing
to do, where's the best place to get the parts? Is the gear system
designed
specifically for a particular model of bike? Or are they quite generic?
Would I be able to find the parts at a standard local bike shop?

Thanks for any info,
Dan.

Parts are standard, but the expense will put you off. Buying a new
drivetrain will cost you almost as much as replacing that Falcon of yours

Considering the cost, why not get a better frame, wheels, brakes, &c at the
same time as a new?

--
www.livejournal.com/users/ouij
Photos, Rants, Raves

Hi, I've got an old Falcon Stealth mountain bike. I've been thinking of
investing in a new bike, as the gears are a bit rusty and won't go into
all
the gears properly. However, there's absolutely nothing wrong with the
frame - so now I'm thinking of just changing the gear system. How hard
is
this to do? I'm a newbie to fixing bikes, but I'm good with that kind
of
thing (ie. working with cars, building things, etc). If it's a viable
thing
to do, where's the best place to get the parts? Is the gear system
designed
specifically for a particular model of bike? Or are they quite generic?
Would I be able to find the parts at a standard local bike shop?

Thanks for any info,
Dan.

Parts are standard, but the expense will put you off. Buying a new
drivetrain will cost you almost as much as replacing that Falcon of yours

Considering the cost, why not get a better frame, wheels, brakes, &c at
the
same time as a new?


Thanks for the quick reply. Do you mean buy all the bits and build it
myself from scratch? Or just buy a new one anyway? A local bike shop has
some special offers on at the moment, so I might just bite the bullet and
buy a new one. Also, one more question - I remember someone telling me a
while back that suspension on a bike wasn't a good thing, and was just a
gimmick. Is this true, or did they not know what they were talking about?

Thanks again,
Dan.

Dan,

A complete new bike will not cost that much more than the parts you
need to upgrade an older one yourself. IMHO, the best deal possible is
to find a decent lightly-used bike at a reputable shop -- it will have
been recently tuned up and checked out, and you can get some amazing
bargains. I recently bought a road bike from the consignment shop down
the road, and it basically worked out that the bike cost slightly
*less* than the major component group and wheelset would have cost me,
with the frame being a "freebie."

Suspensions are very much a hot issue around here, and elsewhere in the
cycling world. They do have their place in offroad (or rough road)
terrain; where people disagree is on their utility for urban riding.
Personally, I've found that the lighter weight and simplicity of a road
bike make for what I consider a better ride, but it's very much a
matter of personal preference.

Looking from the "bang for your buck" angle, though, you'll find that
it's probably more difficult to find a great deal on a used mountain
bike. They're usually much more heavily worn, due to the types of
terrain that even light recreational riders take them on.
Just my $0.02,

Lennon

"Dan" wrote ...
Thanks for the quick reply. Do you mean buy all the bits and build it
myself from scratch? Or just buy a new one anyway? A local bike shop has
some special offers on at the moment, so I might just bite the bullet and
buy a new one. Also, one more question - I remember someone telling me a
while back that suspension on a bike wasn't a good thing, and was just a
gimmick. Is this true, or did they not know what they were talking about?

Thanks again,
Dan.

If you're riding the bike on pavement or well graded dirt roads, suspension
is kind of silly. For single track or really challenging jeep trails than
get maintained every year or two whether they need it or not, a front
suspension can make cycling a lot more enjoyable. For really challenging
single track or downhill biking, a dual suspension bike (front and rear) can
be a good thing to have. Keep in mind that good suspension systems that work
well and don't weigh a ton are going to cost a lot of money to buy and
maintain.
--
mark

Thanks for the quick reply. Do you mean buy all the bits and build it
myself from scratch? Or just buy a new one anyway? A local bike shop
has
some special offers on at the moment, so I might just bite the bullet
and
buy a new one. Also, one more question - I remember someone telling me
a
while back that suspension on a bike wasn't a good thing, and was just a
gimmick. Is this true, or did they not know what they were talking
about?

Thanks again,
Dan.

If you're riding the bike on pavement or well graded dirt roads,
suspension
is kind of silly. For single track or really challenging jeep trails than
get maintained every year or two whether they need it or not, a front
suspension can make cycling a lot more enjoyable. For really challenging
single track or downhill biking, a dual suspension bike (front and rear)
can
be a good thing to have. Keep in mind that good suspension systems that
work
well and don't weigh a ton are going to cost a lot of money to buy and
maintain.
--
mark


It's generally road biking that I do anyway, so I'll probably go for a bike
without suspension then. My girlfriend has just got a new bike with
suspension (front and rear). I had a go on this last night, and being
someone who likes to mess around trying to do tricks and stuff, I tried
pulling a wheelie down the road. When pulling up on the front handlebars,
as soon as the front suspension reached it's limit, there was a loud
clunking sound before the front wheel actually lifted off the ground. No
damage done, but the front suspension obviously wasn't designed for anything
but riding with both wheels on the ground. After that, and hearing your
responses, I think I'll definitely go for a bike without suspension.

Thanks for your help,
Dan.

Dan wrote:

Hi, I've got an old Falcon Stealth mountain bike. I've been thinking of
investing in a new bike, as the gears are a bit rusty and won't go into all
the gears properly. However, there's absolutely nothing wrong with the
frame - so now I'm thinking of just changing the gear system. How hard is
this to do? I'm a newbie to fixing bikes, but I'm good with that kind of
thing (ie. working with cars, building things, etc). If it's a viable thing
to do, where's the best place to get the parts? Is the gear system designed
specifically for a particular model of bike? Or are they quite generic?
Would I be able to find the parts at a standard local bike shop?

The economy really needs a shot in the arm, so I probably shouldn't
discourage you getting a new bike. But:

If there's a problem with shifting, it can probably be fixed lubing or
replacing the shift cables, lubing or perhaps replacing the chain, and
maybe replacing the rear cogs.

I'd go to the library and take out a book on fixing bikes. I'd clean
and lube the chain, and use the book to lube and adjust the derailleurs.
If that didn't fix it, I'd install new, freshly lubed shift cables,
again re-adjusting derailleurs. That will probably fix it. Cost will
be less than $5 even if your book gets an overdue fine.

Still shifts badly? Perhaps you let the chain get really bad. Try
replacing it. That's another $10, plus a maybe $10 chain tool - and now
you own that tool for the next time.

If the new chain skips on the old rear cogs, get the bike shop to
replace the cogs. Maybe $30? (I don't know, since I always do all my
own work.)

Bikes are almost endlessly repairable. You only need a new one if you
really want a new one!


Riding on the road? Forget the suspension.


--
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com.
Substitute cc dot ysu dot
edu]

Dan wrote:

When pulling up
on the front handlebars, as soon as the front suspension reached it's
limit, there was a loud clunking sound before the front wheel
actually lifted off the ground. No damage done, but the front
suspension obviously wasn't designed for anything but riding with
both wheels on the ground.

That's an indication that your GF's suspension is probably pretty "low end"
and she'd likely be better off with a rigid fork or a whole new bike.
Quality, functional suspension systems (front and rear) should easily be
able to handle the type of use you describe. What you gain in comfort and
capability, though, will cost you in terms of weight, money, and complexity.
It all depends on what you want to do. Not all forks and shocks are the
same. Suspension systems range from the barely functional found on Wal-Mart
and Costco type bikes to fantistic, light, responsive, and expensive. You
gotta do your homework.

Talk to a reputable LBS. Better yet, talk to several. Good luck.

Tom