The Recyclery Collective: Complete Overhaul 101

Week 1

Shop space / types / Tools

Shop space & The Recyclery

Mission Statement: "The Recyclery Collective seeks to build community through the restoration of donated and discarded . We share resources and knowledge in order to support an affordable, independent, and sustainable mode of transportation. In this spirit of education and mutual aid, we encourage discussion about how our transportation choices affect the health of our communities and our environment."

While we do have a small paid staff, we are primarily run by volunteer labor. Volunteers do everything from running bicycle sales, picking up donated bicycles, repairing bicycles for sale, helping run open-shop, cleaning and rearranging the shop, etc. The small staff is Jesse who does bookkeeping and mechanics as needed to keep up with bike sale demand.

Youth Classes - Howard Area Community Center and Project NIA

Complete Overhaul 101 - Advanced Repair Course. Income goes back into improving the shop and supporting our mission. Participants are encouraged to volunteer and spread the word about the Recyclery to friends and family!

FreeCyclery - By connecting with social service organizations in our area, we build relationships and donate bicycles to those in need free bikes provide needed self-sufficiency and practical transportation to individuals with low incomes, mental illness, or homelessness.

Chicago House Connections for the Homeless Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago Expanding Lives Franciscan Outreach Association Goldie’s Place Heartland Alliance Howard Area Community Center Inspiration Corporation LIFT Chicago Refugee One Stockton School Thresholds Youth Organization Umbrella

Open Shop - We provide a valuable resource and environment in which people can repair their own bicycles, aid others in bicycle repairs, or volunteer their time to repair bicycles for the collective. Many people became regular volunteers by coming in at open shop and getting involved with the organization. The $10/hr suggested donation helps fund the organization's activities and assures the health of the facilities for everyone's use. Used Bicycle Sales - In order to help fund the organization, we sell donated bicycles that we repair. Every Saturday from 10-12 we have bicycles available for sale in the storefront. The average price is $100, they start at around $50, this helps us fulfill our mission to make bicycling an affordable mode of transportation.

Rules for using space

Types of bicycles

Road - designed for speed, lightest and most efficient, drop bars allow aerodynamic position, narrow tires, higher gears, harder on your back

Mountain - built for rough terrain, wide tires means greater rolling resistance and thus are less efficient, wider handlebars allows for greater steering control, suspension allows for comfort but is less efficient, easier on your back

Hybrid - a hybrid of a road bike and a mountain bike, gearing, tire size and tread, and riding position are generally between road and mountain, easiest on your back depending on geometry of the frame

Cruiser - for cruisin'

Others BMX, trials, recumbent, what else?

Types of bicycle tube materials

Steel Aluminium Other crazy metals (titanium, scandium, etc.) Carbon Fiber

Material Modulus (stiffness) Yield Point (ability to Specific flex w/o damage) Gravity(weight) Aluminum 10-11 11-59 (4-22 annealed.)168.5 Steel 30 46-162 490 Titanium 15-16.5 40-120 280

Tools and rules for using tools

It is important to use the right tool for the task. It will make the task easier, will keep the tools from getting damaged, and will keep you from damaging the bicycle. If you don't know which tool is right, or how to use a tool, ask someone. Using the wrong tool can lead to injury (you, the bike, the tool) so don't hesitate to ask questions.

Mechanical advantage, tools create a lever that pivots on the bolt or nut, form the smallest angle possible to get the most mechanical advantage.

Lubrication decreases friction and prevents corrosion and should be used where metal touches metal to prevent damage and corrosion. If grease is contaminated by dirt it becomes ineffective and requires replacement. Week 1 (part 2) Bottom Brackets & Cranks

Types of bottom brackets (two and three piece cranks):

Adjustable or Cup and Cone Sealed Cartridge External Bearing

Types of (three piece) Cranks:

Square Taper (two standards, JIS, and ISO) Splined type (multiple standards and brands, not interchangeable)

The bearings of the see the most wear of any bearing system on a bicycle because they take the most load. They are also the lowest point of a bicycle and any water that enters the frame will collect in the bottom bracket shell and collect there, corroding the threads and bearing surfaces which will shorten the life of the bottom bracket.

Bearings and bearing surfaces are made of hardened steel and have curved surfaces known as races for the bearing to rotate on. It is normal that these bearing systems will have a bit of drag due to the friction of the bearings rolling on the surfaces.

There are two major bearing systems, adjustable, and sealed cartridge. Adjustable bottom brackets (also known as cup and cone) are serviceable and can be fixed when parts wear out, cartridge systems cannot be serviced and the whole cartridge must be replaced. Servicing a bearing system is know as "overhauling" it.

To overhaul a bearing system: remove all the parts clean them of all old grease check the bearings and rolling surfaces for imperfections good bearings will be shiny, bad ones will appear dull (typically 11 bearings per side of 1/4" for square taper, but check using ball bearing sizing ruler) use a ball point pen over the races of the bottom bracket to feel for imperfections; anything that is not smooth should be replaced reinstall parts in correct order being sure to use plenty of grease

Removal of an adjustable bottom bracket:

Remove lock ring from left side of bike using lockring spanner (Right Hand Thread) use a pin spanner or appropriate tool to remove adjustable cup remove bearings and spindle, noting if right or left side of spindle is longer remove dust sleeve (if present) remove bearings from right side cup (inside shell) remove fixed cup from right side using fixed cup spanner (Left Hand Thread) clean all parts well using a rag and solvent and allow to dry

Now you can check all the parts for wear and damage. If the bearings are dull, replace them with new bearings. If the spindle has imperfections (use ball point pen) it must be replaced. Installation of adjustable bottom bracket:

Check BB shell threads for corrosion, clean the with brass wire brush if necessary Heavily grease inside of fixed cup and place bearings into grease Grease the threads well and hand tighten the cup into place before using tool, this will help you not cross the threads Install fixed cup on right side, make sure it is firmly in place Inspect bearings from left side of BB shell to make sure they are still in place Install spindle into fixed cup from left side making sure to orient the spindle correctly Install dust sleeve, if any Heavily grease adjustable cup and place bearings into grease Hand thread adjustable cup into place Tighten until you feel the cup and bearings press against the rolling surface of the spindle Install but do not tighten lockring onto adjustable cup

Adjusting bottom bracket:

Install right side crank arm, this will act as a lever to test the adjustment of the BB Gently tighten adjustable cup clockwise until you feel the cup press the bearings onto the spindle Hold the adjustable cup firmly in place with the spanner and use the lockring spanner to tighten lockring fully Check for knocking in the spindle using the right crank arm, rotate the crank arm to different positions and feel for knocking If there is no play, the adjustment may be too tight. Loosen lockring and adjustable cup slightly (1/32 turn) and re-tighten lockring while holding the adjustable cup in place Check again for knocking using the crank arm Repeat process until there is no knocking, but you are reasonably sure that the BB isn't overtightened Older BBs may be worn such that it is impossible to adjust it perfectly

Week 2

Stems, Headsets

Stems

Types: Quill - binder bolt, stem wedge, handlebar binder, quill Threadless handlebar binder bolts, stem binder bolts

To remove quill type stem, loosen stem binder bolt (top of stem), attempt to turn handlebars side to side. If stuck, try tapping stem binder bold with hammer to loosen wedge from steering column. Turn back and forth, pulling up and out of steering column until quill is removed; it may be necessary to remove brake cables and/or shifting cables to avoid damaging them.

To remove threadless type stem, loosen stem bolts, stem should remove from fork steering tube; it may be necessary to remove brake cables and/or shifting cables to avoid damaging them.

Headsets

Threaded - Has threaded races that thread onto the steering tube of the fork Threadless - Works in conjunction with a threadless fork steerer tube, the threadless stem, and a star nut to hold the in place.

Disassembly of threaded headset: Follow above steps to remove stem. Pay attention to orientation of all parts during removal. Using wheel as lever between legs, use thin headset wrench on the lower threaded race to hold this race in place. Use large adjustable wrench on top locknut to loosen locknut and remove it from the fork. Remove wheel, hold fork in place as you unthread and remove the remaining race. The fork is now able to be removed by lowering out of (watch for falling bearings if loose-packed). Remove bearings from top and bottom cups, checking for wear on all surfaces and to see that the bearings are still shiny and smooth. Bearings are the last part of this system to wear out, so check closely all rolling surfaces (use ballpoint pen).

Installing threaded headset: Grease top and bottom cups and place loose bearings into cups, leaving a 2-3 bearing sized gap so bearings can move freely (if using cage, press cage into greased cup). It is easiest to rotate the bike in the stand so that the head tube is parallel with the ground. Install fork into head tube, being careful not to move any bearings in the process. Grease threads on top of fork steering tube and thread on top race. Install any spacers or accessories, thread on locknut making sure that steering column does not touch inner lip of locknut.

Adjusting threaded headset: Tighten threaded race with hand until it presses against bearings. Turn race back 1/4 turn and hold in place while tightening locknut fully. Check for play by pulling fork back and forth to feel for knocking. There should be some play at this point. Loosen locknut while holding race in place, once locknut is loose, tighten (clockwise) the threaded race 1/32 turn and re-tighten the locknut. Check for play again and repeat this process until play is gone.

Disassembly of threadless headset: Follow above steps to remove stem. Pay attention to orientation of all parts during removal. Pull fork down slightly and push back up to remove center cone from adjusting race. Pull fork from frame and note orientation of bearing cages as they sit in headset. Remove bearings from top and bottom cups, checking for wear on all surfaces and to see that the bearings are still shiny and smooth. Bearings are the last part of this system to wear out, so check closely all rolling surfaces (use ballpoint pen).

Installing threadless headset: Grease top and bottom cups and place loose bearings into cups, leaving a 2-3 bearing sized gap so bearings can move freely (if using cage, press cage into greased cup). It is easiest to rotate the bike in the stand so that the head tube is parallel with the ground or upside down until the fork is in place. Install fork into head tube, being careful not to move any bearings in the process. Install race-centering cone onto column. Install any spacers or accessories, install stem and snug stem bolts checking for clearance of 2-3mm below top of stem.

Adjusting threadless headset: Remove top cap bolt, grease, and reinstall loosely. Loosen stem bolts, move stem to ensure it is loose. Align stem straight to wheel and gently secure top bolt. Stop when resistance is felt. Tighten stem bolts and check for play by pulling back and forth on fork. If play is felt, loose stem bolts and tighten the adjusting bolt 1/8 turn clockwise. Secure stem bolts and check for play again. Repeat process until play is gone making sure to loose stem bolts before tightening top adjusting bolt.

Week 3

Hubs, rear

Hubs are another bearing system.

Hubs are comprised of the hub shell, rolling surfaces and bearings, the axle, locknuts, washers, spacers, and a rubber seal. The axle is fixed to the frame while the hub shell rotates with the wheel. The rear sprockets allow pedaling force to turn the wheel by way of energy which is transferred from the chain. Like all bearing systems, the hubs are thoroughly greased to minimize wear. Adjustable hubs have cones which thread onto the axle. Overhauling hubs is much like overhauling other bearing systems such as the bottom bracket and the headset. It is important to pay attention to the order of the parts as you remove them from the axle and to measure the axle length protrusion to ensure a solid connection (specifically for quick release wheels). A zip-tie can be used to keep track of the orientation of different parts as you remove them from the axle.

Before you can overhaul a rear hub, you must remove the rear sprockets from rear hub. There are two types of rear sprockets, cassette type, which uses splines to keep the gears on the hub, or freewheel type which threads onto the rear hub. Cassette type hubs are called "freehub" type hubs and the clutch system is on the hub, free wheel systems have the clutch as part of the gear cluster.

Cassette removal: Remove wheel from bicycle, remove nuts or quick release axle, and determine what brand of cassette removal tool you will need. Install cassette lockring removal tool in place. You can use the quick release axle and nut to hold the tool in place. Hold gears in place with a chain whip tool and use a wrench to loosen lockring (if using quick release, only rotate lockring once before removing quick release and then finish without quick release). Be sure and note orientation of the spacers and gears in relation to the cassette.

Freewheel removal: Remove wheel from bicycle, remove nuts or quick release axle, and determine what brand of freewheel removal tool you will need. Install freewheel removal tool in place. You can use the quick release axle and nut to hold the tool in place. Use a wrench to loosen freewheel (if using quick release, only rotate lockring once before removing quick release and then finish without quick release) until it comes off the hub.

Inspect gears for signs of wear. Wear will show as a a rounding out of the gear teeth, this is also known as "shark tooth" because the teeth will appear to sharpen as they wear.

To Disassemble and overhaul hub: Remove axle nuts or quick release parts. Measure the amount of axle protrusion by counting threads or using a ruler. Remove left side locknut using a cone wrench on the left side cone and a wrench or cone wrench on the locknut. Remove any washers and spacers being careful to note orientation (use zip-tie trick if necessary). Screw off left side cone being careful to not let bearings fall out of the hub. Pull axle out through right side of wheel being careful not to drop any bearings. Use a magnet tool or fingers to remove bearings. Clean all parts thoroughly and inspect all rolling surfaces and bearings for wear as was done with other bearing systems.

To Reassemble: Replace any parts that are worn or have imperfections. Thoroughly grease cups inside hubs and place bearings into the grease. Grease over bearings with more grease, install axle through hub shell until it seats against the bearings. Thread on left side cone until it comes into contact with bearings, install any washers or spacers in the order and orientation they were in, thread on locknut. If you replaced any cones, you may need to adjust spacers and washers accordingly until the axle protrusion is the correct length.

Adjusting hubs: Quick release hubs should feel too loose when the quick release is removed, but should not have any play when the skewer is tight with the wheel installed on the bicycle. Hubs with axle bolts should not have any play before installation. Adjust hubs in the same manner as a threaded headset. There should be play in the bearing system before the locknut is tightened fully against the cone. Removing play before tightening down locknut will result in a hub that is too tight. Err on the side of too loose rather than too tight, as an over tightened hub will wear out faster than a hub with a small amount of play.

Week 4

Wheel Truing

Wheels are composed of a rim that is suspended around a hub by . Wheels have four different adjustments that can be made when truing: lateral truing, radial truing, rim centering over the hub (dish), and tension. Lateral truing is changing the amount of side to side movement that the rim makes. This is most noticeable when looking at a wheel as it moves between the brake pads. A rim that is out of true will move back and forth between the brake pads. Radial truing is the amount of up and down movement that a rim has in relation to the hub. This can be felt as bumps while riding, and would look like the wheel isn't perfectly circular. Radial imperfections are most noticeable if you look at a bike from the side while the wheel is spinning. If the wheel appears to "hop" as it spins, it may be out of radial true (this can be mimicked if a tire is not on the rim properly, so check that the tire is on correctly before radial truing). Rim centering or dish is the amount of offset a laterally true rim has from being centered over the hub. If a wheel has poor dishing, the rim will not be centered between the frame or fork, and needs to be "redished" by pulling it to one side or the other. Spoke tension refers to the tightness of each spoke. In an ideal world, each spoke on a front wheel will have equal tension. There are some factors that make perfect spoke tension unlikely (rim seams, the opening, etc).

Each spoke is under tension and pulls on a limited section of rim. Spokes on the left side of the hub flange pull the rim to the left and spokes on the right hand side of the hub flange pull the rim to the right. Spokes are arranged in a right left right left pattern to equally pull the rim in both directions. Having spokes tight with relatively even tension makes the wheel spin straight. In order to straighten wheels that are out of alignment (out of true) one needs to change the spoke tension. This process is called wheel truing. The spokes are threaded at the end, effectively making them a long, thin bolt. At the end of their threads is the nut, which is called a . Changes to spoke tension are made by adjusting the spoke nipple.

It is important to use the correct size spoke wrench when adjusting spoke tension. Using the wrong size can easily round the corners of a spoke nipple increasing your work exponentially.

Spokes are threaded in a normal right hand thread, but when we true wheels in the stand using a spoke wrench we are looking at the spoke upside down. Spoke threading and turning direction therefore becomes counter-intuitive, so it is useful to think of the top of the spoke nipple as the head of a screw which we are turning with a screwdriver at the opposite end from where the spoke wrench contacts the nipple. Confused yet?

Lateral Truing: Before checking truing, it is important that your hub is correctly adjusted. Truing a wheel with a poorly adjusted hub is a good way to waste time, but not an effective way to true a wheel. Remove tire and tube from wheel and place wheel in truing stand. Slowly adjust calipers in toward rim while spinning wheel until a caliper comes into contact with the rim. This area is the largest lateral deviation. Find the center of this lateral deviation by rotating the rim back and forth over the caliper and locate the spoke that runs to the opposite side hub flange. Tighten the spoke nipple 1/4 turn (90 degrees) on this spoke to pull the rim toward that opposite side hub flange. Repeat the process of spinning the wheel and find the next most out of lateral true spot on the same side of the rim. Once you've adjusted three spokes on the same side of the wheel, move to the other side of the wheel and adjust the lateral truing on this side of the wheel in three spots. Switching back and forth between each side of the wheel will help maintain the dish of the wheel. Week 5

Brakes

There are four major types of rim caliper brakes: Cantilever, linear pull, side pull caliper, dual pivot caliper, and center pull caliper.

Rim caliper brakes all work using the same concept. Friction of a brake pad on the rim braking surface slows the wheel down. In order for a brake to work properly, you must be able to apply adequate friction to the rim by pulling on a brake lever. Energy is transferred from the brake lever through a brake cable which runs through cable housing from the handlebars of the bike to the brakes. The less friction there is in the cable housing, the more energy you will be able to transfer from the brake levers to the brakes.

Check for damage:

Old, rusty, cracked, or dirty brake cables and housing will lessen the ability of the brakes to work correctly. It may be necessary to replace damaged brake cables and housing. Visually check for rust and cracks, also check for kinks in the cable as this will minimize the ability of the cable to move freely in the cable housing.

Check for wear:

Brake pads wear out over time and need to be replaced. There is often a “wear” line on the brake pad that tells you when you need to replace it. Brake pads also become less efficient when they are old; if your brake pads are more than ten years old, it may make sense to replace them. Incorrectly installed brake pads will wear unevenly, check to make sure that they are evenly worn and do not require replacement.

Check for alignment:

Brake pads work best when they are aligned correctly. Most brake types allow you to adjust the alignment of the pads to the rim in four different orientations:

Height alignment: Brakes move on an arc toward the rim. The pad should aligned to the top of that along that arc as it wears.

Tangent alignment: The pad should be evenly spaced in line with the curve of the rim along the arc along the rim since the pad moves length of the brake pad. Vertical face alignment: The plane of the brake pad should match the plane of the rim.

Pad toeing in: To minimize squeaking in brakes, toe in may be necessary. This keeps the brake pads from vibrating back and forth as you brake, which is what creates the squeaking sound.

Adjusting the cable tension: Once the brake pads and cable housing has been checked and is properly adjusted, the cable tension may be adjusted. All brakes need there to be a small clearance between the brake pads and the rim to allow for the brakes to have the ability to work well. Using a fourth hand tool and a wrench to loosen the pinch bolt located on the brake, tighten the brake cable as needed. Brakes may need to be centered if there is a larger gap on one side of the wheel.

Week 6

Derailleur systems

Cables and housing: housing should be compressionless. This differs from brake housing, which allows for some compression. Compression in derailleur housing will create shifting problems. Use end caps for all derailleur housing, to ensure proper adjustment and allow for the best possible shifting. Cable housing length should allow for the least amount of friction, this means it shouldn't be too long or too short, though it should be as short as possible in an attempt to minimize friction. There should be a straight line where the housing leads the cable into the rear derailleur body, where it leads out of the shift lever, and where it comes into any cable guides on the frame. Any kinks or bends in the housing will increase friction which will lead to poor shifting.

Index vs Friction shifting: Index shifting "clicks" the chain into place at the shift lever, friction shifting requires the rider to manually select the gear by moving the shift lever into the correct location for each gear.

Front derailleur: The front derailleur shoves the chain off one chain ring and onto another. There are four adjustments one can make to a front derailleur: height, rotation, limit screw settings, and derailleur cable tension. Height is how high on the seat tube the derailleur is set. Set height of derailleur so that the outermost top of the derailleur cage is 1-2 mm (penny thickness) above the outermost front chainring teeth. The derailleur should be rotated such that the plane of the cage is parallel to the plane of the chain when the chain is on the outermost front and rear sprockets. Set derailleur cable tension by shifting the chain to the innermost chainring, pull the cable slightly with the 4th hand tool and tighten the pinch bolt. The limit screws limit the distance the derailleur can move. If they are set too tight, the front derailleur will not shift the chain. If they are too loose, the chain will likely be pushed off of the chainrings. Set the limit screws to their tightest range that will still allow for smooth shifting. When adjusting limit screws, shift the front and back gears to their outermost position for the "H" screw and their innermost position for "L" screw. Cable should be fairly loose when adjusting the "L" screw, if there is too much tension in the cable, moving the "L" screw will not change the limit of the derailleur because the cable will hold the derailleur in place.

Rear derailleur: The rear derailleur is a more complicated mechanism which allows for gears to be selected on the rear sprockets. There are three main adjustments for rear : derailleur cable tension, limit screws, the b-screw, and the barrel adjusters. Release the pinch bolt holding the cable in place, this should allow the rear derailleur to rest on the outermost gear. When setting cable tension, allow the derailleur to fall to its resting position on the outermost gear. Shift the front derailleur so the chain is in the biggest gear. Turn the "H" limit screw clockwise until you start to hear a pinging of the chain against the next gear; back the screw 1/4 turn counter clockwise. This sets the "H" limit screw to its tightest tolerance. Turn barrel adjuster clockwise until it is fully into derailleur and then back it out two full turns. Fit cable into notch guide and tighten pinch bolt with moderate tension on the derailleur cable. Turn the pedals and make sure the chain stays on the highest gear. Shift the front derailleur until you are in the middle chainring. Pulling rear derailleur cable tight with your hand.

Compatibility issues/other problems: Different manufacturers have their own specifications and most are not compatible with each other. Also, indexed shifting systems are typically not compatible with one and other. For example, a shift lever with nine clicks or index settings will not work with a rear cassette that has 8 gears. Dirty cables or corroded housing will cause poor shifting. Bent derailleur hangers will complicate shifting and will make shifting into the spokes possible. Always check for bent derailleur hangers.

At the end of week 6, whatever work still needs to be completed is to be done during a regular open shop, this gets students involved with the way The Recyclery works and introduces them to other volunteers.