Long bike rescue. Pt3. Job Done

Back to the bike and the spanners.

Over the past several years I've been doing my best to keep my bikes maintained essentially using bits and pieces scrounged from the tip shop or by cannibalizing my old bikes. Of course there are times when it's not possible to find what I need on the re-cycle heap in the time that I need it (everything turns up eventually) so I am forced to purchase new stuff.

Tip Stockpile: Not much to choose from lately

Thankfully since I've owned the long bike I have managed to keep her rolling on mostly re-cycled parts. However I have had quite a bit of trouble with the second hand bottom brackets. I think I've gone through three of them so far. They're one of those items which are doomed to wear with use. The cheaper bikes come with such poor quality bearings it's not worth using them at all!

As you could see in my recent posts about the long bike, it appeared that the bottom bracket had completely stripped its thread in the frame. I was sure my frame was stuffed and have been searching for months to find a replacement. Nothing I have found has been suitable, so I bit the bullet and went to the bike shop for some advice. They suggested that if the thread was stripped they could install a special bottom bracket which didn't require a threaded frame! Cool!

I stripped the bike down to just the frame and forks and carried it over my shoulder on my commute to work, thinking I'd have to leave it with them for a few days. The master mechanic took one look at the frame and said it'd be fine and a standard sealed bearing bottom bracket could be installed. It turned out that all the pressure I'd applied to the crank (carrying super heavy loads) had cause the cup to split and separate from the thread, or something like that.

Oh to have such a workshop!

He had the thing out in a matter of seconds, cleaned up the thread in the frame and installed a lovely brand spanking new sealed bearing unit! In 20 minutes I was riding to work with my precious frame complete with new bottom bracket slung over my shoulder and a grin on my face!

Sealed Bottom Bracket installed and ready to go

Yesterday I threw a tarp down on the pavers in the back yard and in 34 degree heat and 90% humidity put my bike back together. I sure wish I had a sheltered place to work! By the time I'd finished I had a sunburned neck and my shorts were about 500 grams heavier from the sweat! But the long bike is back on the road!

Bits of bike on my home workshop floor

Coming together

All rigged up and ready to go

Now, sinice the bike is fully functional again I've decided to install my new Xtracycle freeloaders (I'll tell more about them in another post). Looking forward to some dry season riding!