Commuter bike - 1x7?

Legolam

First things first. I'm a girl, and I really have no clue about bike building!

However, I've had my hardtail for about a year and have surprised myself with how much I enjoy "fettling"!

I've just changed jobs recently from one with a 130 round trip commute each day, to one that's more like 9 miles each way, with a convenient bike path door to door. So I've dug out my early 1990's Edinburgh bikes "countour 100" bike and was hoping to transform it into a serviceable commuter. This bike has not been well loved over the years, so I was thinking about converting it to a 1x7 set up to save on maintenance.

However, I don't really know where to start! I guess the front derailleur is relatively simple; I was just gonna get the superstar chain guide and take off the unnecessary components. I suspect I should also replace the chain and cassette as they feel awful at the moment and several gears are unusable.

Can anyone give me an idiot's guide to all of this? Or should I just find a nice man to do it for me?!

nicklouse

I am sure you will be able to find a nice Man to sort it for you but where is the fun in that?

you are on the right line but I would fettle a bit more and and give it a go with the set up you have now just to check you dont need/want the other gears.

see Parktools website for how tos (link below).

Note that instead of a device you can lock out the front mech with the stop screws.

Legolam

To be honest, I think I'm going to have to replace at least the rear cassette and chain as the whole thing is shifting horribly, and there are several gears I can't use! So I'd rather do the whole job at once. I have also used this bike a lot prior to getting my hardtail and I very rarely shifted the front gears.

bails87

Give it all a clean and fit new cables. Look at the Park tool link in nick's signature to see how to index your gears (if you don't know already), that might fix it.

If you replace the chain I imagine you'll also have to replace the chainrings, which might mean a whole new chainset if the rings are rivetted, rather than bolted, on.

nicklouse

Mm just been looking for images of this bike.

I would guess that it actually has a freewheel rather than a cassette. and if parts are all original there could be a fair bit of work to do like you say.

nothing requiring any special tools other that the correct tool for the freewheel removal so maybe bike shop for that.

Legolam

How can I tell if it is a freewheel rather than a cassette?

nicklouse

have a read of the info on Sheldon Browns Webby he has a good artical on the differences.

basically if it has a lock ring it is a cassette.

The Rookie

Freewheel tools can be found cheap on ebay, just make sure you get the right one (95% are Shimano).

My commuter is 1x9 (well until I changed the crankset recently it was 1x7 as the chain angle was too extreme for the 2 bottom gears!) and I use a front mech locked off with the high and low screws as a chain guide, works perfectly well and has been on there for over 1000 miles like that.

Cheap cables can be had from Wilkinsons supermarkets, my brake cables are 3 years old and still look/work fine.

Simon

Northwind

That's a proper classic that Contour, I remember just about everyone in my school had one

The Beginner is spot on, your existing mech should make a good chain guide, I use proper ones on my mtbs but the commuter (1x7) uses a rear mech of much the same vintage as yours and it works a charm.

1x7's not the best choice for a single ring setup mind as the cassettes are a bit more limited for range... But I get on fine with it, it's just much less useful all round than my 1x9 XC bike but then it doesn't have to be.

The Rookie

1x7 isn't too bad if it's cassette as an 11-26 or 11-28 will work well, if its a freewheel so 13-28 its a little more restricted.

Simon

Legolam

Will I need any specific tools to just do the front mech part ie turn it into a 1x7 using the existing rear derailleur?

nicklouse

it depends on the cranks. you will need a crank puller. and then a chain ring tool. ( a knife/screw driver can be made to work). this is presuming the rings are removable.

Legolam

Hmmmm. This is all turning out to be a bit more complex than I first thought! Going to persevere though!

I'm on night shift tonight, but will check the rear derailleur when I get home tomorrow morning. Any other components I should be checking the spec of at the same time?

Legolam

Right, I've checked the rear cogs and I think they are a freewheel. Looks like a 12-28.

Next stupid question - how do I tell if the front rings are removable?

nicklouse

have a look at how they are attached to the cranks.



Again have a good read of Parktools.

The Rookie

Beware that some cheap chainsets have what looks like an allen key hole on the front, but are in fact rivets, look for the female part on the back with the screwdriver like slot across each side as you can see in Nicks photo above.

take/post some photos of the chainest front, rear side (as above) and the front of the gears (wheel removed from frame) and we'll tell you for certain!

Oh and get some road tyres!

Simon

Legolam

Front drive side: http://www.flickr.com/photos/legolam/6059087164/
Front other side: http://www.flickr.com/photos/legolam/6058538401/
Rear cassette/freewheel: http://www.flickr.com/photos/legolam/6058537929/
Close up of front other side: http://www.flickr.com/photos/legolam/6059084524/

Think the chainset might have rivets instead of bolts.

I have semi slicks, which do the job perfectly for slightly rough bike paths!

nicklouse

not removable chain rings.

and it is a cassette.

Legolam

Cool, thanks! Maybe I'll just replace the cassette and chain then, as it is skipping gears horribly.