MeghanIsMe

I spent all of today so far, with the exception of a dog walk, working on my bike.

Yesterday, I applied so much force to the tool that slots into the gears on the rear wheel to unscrew them from the hub that it split in two. I'll have to see if Park Tools will warranty-replace it. I brought the wheel to the local shop this morning and they put it on a bench vise and got it all off. For free!

After that, I cleaned the gears up with Simple Green and a brush. I took the chain off, put it in a soda bottle with Simple Green, and shook it around. Repeating that until the liquid came out mostly clear gave me a mostly clean chain. I reassambled all of that and oiled it. I removed the chain by pushing a pin out with a chain-breaking tool. I only realized after cleaning it that I actually had a quick-release link on the chain. Oops. I think I may need a new chain soon anyway. It shows some wear, and I also slightly deformed the link I pushed the pin out of and now it's stiff.

I put new brake pads on and adjusted the brakes. I fixed the issue with the front derailleur not wanting to shift to the lowest chainring by rotating the derailleur ever so slightly on the seat tube.

I put some nice cloth rim tape around the back wheel to replace the old rubber stuff. I got the new spoke installed and, with time, care, and internet instructions, got the wheel basically trued using the brakes as references. I also patched a flatted inner tube and installed it on the back wheel.

That work stand is worth every penny and then some.

And finally, I mounted a front basked that I got at Aldi. I put a blanket in the bottom, put Piper inside it, and went for a ride around the block with my puppy-dog! It went well enough that I'm going to bike down to the lakeshore with her a few times for walks in the near future. Until she's adopted, anyway. Riding around with my dog makes me happy!

I was going to relax with a computer game, but our sink has developed plumbing problems I need to try to look into first. Home ownership....

Earlier today, I was going to go outside and do some work on the bike I'm going to be selling. I got out to the parking lot and only stayed long enough to oil the chain on my Giant, Longing. It's cold out there today. Don't wanna, don't hafta.

I feel like the sale bike ought to have a name too, but I'm hesitant to give it one for the same reason, I suppose, that farmers don't name their food animals. I'd feel too connected to it. I already feel kind of connected to it. It has classic road bike looks; red and white paint, beautiful white-wrapped drop handlebars, friction-shift levers on the stem, a lugged steel frame, the maker's name, Takara, embossed into the top of the seat stays. I've never owned such a sporty-looking bike. It makes me wish I had room to keep it.

My dad and I picked it up at a Goodwill for $20. It was sitting next to a Schwinn priced at $30, but I do believe the Takara was a higher quality bike. I didn't have money for it, but I was pretty sure the frame was worth at *least* $20, and expected I could get $100 or so for the bike. So he bought it, I'm going to do a little work and sell it, and we'll split the proceeds minus parts. I figured inner tubes woudl be first, but amazingly enough, the tires and tubes held air when I pumped them up last week. It needs some cable adjustments and lubrication, but everything seems to work just fine.

But it will wait for a warmer day.

My brothers Tim and James got me stuck on Stellaris. James even bought a copy for me; I was touched. It's a great game, and I may have gotten Danae stuck on it now. I hope we all get to play together!