Attempting to resurrect £5 Carrera Subway 1...help!

paulmay

Hi everyone, this is my first post and no doubt not my last. I've been advised by my doctor to take up cycling after I busted my knee running. I came across a Carrera Subway 1 in my local freeads stating needing some TLC, COST £5 (What did I have to loose). I'm completely new to bike maintenance so was hoping with the help of the internet and a Haynes manual I could resurrect this machine and gain a skill or two.
Straight away I can see the obvious tyres need replacing, derailuer has corrosion, there is NO chain, and there is some corrosion on the outer sheaths of the brake cables. The frame itself is in excellent condition.
First query, there are only 2 chain rings, but the grip shift shows 3 positions - am i missing a chain ring?
Where should I be buying budget parts? and is it easy to identify them?

navrig

OK I'll bite.

Might be better posting here:

viewforum.php?f=40004

Also suggest you post some photos and be prepared for some suggestions that you may be wasting your time and money.

Thereafter you need to check that the bits you have got for your £5 actually work and are safe.

Inspect the frame thoroughly for cracks and dents.

Check the wheels are true, not buckled and running smoothly.

Check the pedals spin smoothly.

Check that the steering is sound and smooth.

If any of these are doubtful then the bill will go up or it may even be beyond repair.

Once you are satisfied that what you have is OK then you can start to clean and check the gears/brakes.

Purchasing bits - loads of places but you need to check and double check that you buy the right bit for your bike. Hence the suggestion to post in the workshop and post some photos.

ForumNewbie

Your doctor advised you to take up cycling, not bike maintenance from scratch. If you were to buy a cheap new or decent 2nd hand bike as a starter, you will learn bits and bobs about maintenance as you go - but at least you will be cycling. The best you could do with the £5 bike is take it to a local bike shop and ask them how much for them to get it roadworthy for you. If you want to get cycling soon, I doubt that you can hope to fix the bike up yourself any time soon without any experience.

craker

How much did you spend on your last running shoes

If doc. says take up cycling, think about what you'd recommend a newbie runner ie buy a decent pair of shoes.

So don't be tight, drop a couple of gees on a superlight carbon roadie + loads of gear and you're away.

paulmay

Guess I didn't explain fully, I have a roadworthy bike but this came along also. I can see many of you rolling your eyes :roll: but just wanted to see if it was possible to bring the old girl back to life. I'm in no state to run or cycle at the moment so thought I would divert some attention to this. Bike and wheels are all straight however the pedal's don't spin. Easy enough to say spend a few gees on a new bike but this is far what this is all about.

MichaelW

parktools.com has some great repair advice with pictures.
All MTB style front gear controls are 3 speed but some city bikes only need 2 rings. You set the end stops of the front derailleur and one of the control stops becomes excess to requirements.
Its best to replace all the cables and cable outers.
Some pedals can be maintained, you really need 3 hands or a bench vice. It is the easiest cup and cone bearing to service and a good place to start.
If the crank arms don't spin easily, you need to replace the bottom bracket cartridge; this needs special tools and is best done in a bike shop.
Check the hub bearings: the front is easiest to do so start there.
If you need a new chain, you probably need a new rear cassette (cogs) : see the shark's tooth profile of the cogs. Again, special tools so best done by a bike shop, unless you want to buy a mid-level bike tool kit.
You need some bike grease, solvent (kerosene or WD40), ball bearings of correct size (best not to reuse worn and deformed balls).
Many cities have a bike-repair workshop or evening class or Dr Bike.

navrig

paulmay wrote:

Guess I didn't explain fully, I have a roadworthy bike but this came along also. I can see many of you rolling your eyes :roll: but just wanted to see if it was possible to bring the old girl back to life. I'm in no state to run or cycle at the moment so thought I would divert some attention to this. Bike and wheels are all straight however the pedal's don't spin. Easy enough to say spend a few gees on a new bike but this is far what this is all about.

By the time you buy the tools (if you don't have them already) and the bits needed for repairs you may be as well to buy a cheap 2nd hand bike which is already roadworthy.

If you are looking to keep yourself busy whilst recuperating then give it a go but don't expect too much from the finished product. The bike was budget end to start with and no amount of amatuer TLC will change that.

If you do decide to make it rideable then it is worth being patient and trying eBay for spares and repairs, just make sure you research what are you are buying.

mattmaximus

yes, it originally had a triple on the front.

What's your current bike? I'm not sure I'd be spending a heap of time and money restoring a £200 hybrid, unless it stands to be better than what you've already got.

Could you look at tinkering with the original bike, if it's bike maintenance you're after? Spending money upgrading tyres and contact points (or maybe some good quality clothing/shoes) might make waiting for the day you get on the bike more bearable.

Above all - if you're after a project - I'd look out for a nice old school steel road bike in your size and spend my time on that, then you could potentially end up with something great at the end of the process.

rolf_f

Navrig wrote:

paulmay wrote:

Guess I didn't explain fully, I have a roadworthy bike but this came along also. I can see many of you rolling your eyes :roll: but just wanted to see if it was possible to bring the old girl back to life. I'm in no state to run or cycle at the moment so thought I would divert some attention to this. Bike and wheels are all straight however the pedal's don't spin. Easy enough to say spend a few gees on a new bike but this is far what this is all about.

By the time you buy the tools (if you don't have them already) and the bits needed for repairs you may be as well to buy a cheap 2nd hand bike which is already roadworthy.

So far, the OPs diagnosis is all cheap stuff (missing chainring aside) and barely more than normal service items anyway.

So, assuming the OP is the sort who can actually learn how to maintain a bike (and clearly the will is there) then it's a bit wrong to imply that money spent on tools is money wasted. Ultimately, this is a £5 bike that might actually be a good deal. Money spent on a cheap 2nd hand bike that is already worthy normally turns out to be money spent on a cheap second hand bike that still needs quite a few things spending on it that you didn't bargain for.

What do these go for on Ebay? Mostly about £80 to £140 in decent condition so there's a fair bit of outlay available before it becomes a loss.

navrig

Rolf F wrote:

So far, the OPs diagnosis is all cheap stuff and barely more than normal service items anyway.

So, assuming the OP is the sort who can actually learn how to maintain a bike (and clearly the will is there) then it's a bit wrong to imply that money spent on tools is money wasted.

Fair point however many people build up tools as they progressively take on repairs, servicing and maintenance. Generally this also means that the individual is committed to cycling and that they will get value from the tools. This way the cost of the tools is not such a big hit. Buying many at one time can be expensive especially if the individual subsequently doesn't do his own servicing.

Rolf F wrote:

Ultimately, this is a £5 bike that might actually be a good deal. Money spent on a cheap 2nd hand bike that is already worthy normally turns out to be money spent on a cheap second hand bike that still needs quite a few things spending on it that you didn't bargain for.

Also a good point which is why I suggested he posts some pictures for us to, at least, get a view of the suitability of the bike for restoration.

Rolf F wrote:

.... on a cheap second hand bike that still needs quite a few things spending on it that you didn't bargain for.

True however there is a good chance you wont buy a bike which immediately needs the BB replacing requiring the OP to pay someone to do so or buy a BB extractor which he is not likely to use very often. That is why I also suggested that if he is looking for a project to keep busy.....

paulmay

Its unlikely I'm going to be spending the sort of money which buys bike quality. All i require is a Bike that I can do a few miles on each week while enjoying the ride, my "ready" Raleigh Pioneer will do that. I will upgrade to something more superior in the future if my needs desire it, even then I would cap a £500 budget. I see no issue tinkering with a bike in need of TLC while learning without the threat of ruining anything "expensive". Purchasing a few tools might not be such a bad thing and cant see where I would be wasting money. Looks like i might be fighting a loosing battle here, however I do appreciate all of your comments.

navrig

paulmay wrote:

Looks like i might be fighting a loosing battle here, however I do appreciate all of your comments.

Not at all - no battle intended.

Your initial post was fairly light on information - photos, skills? budget? existing bike(s) and so on. You will always get opnions from people and when they have to make assumptions they may not be what you expect.

Go for it but post a before and after picture to show your handiwork

paulmay

Not sure if the pic will work, but here it goes
https://plus.google.com/photos/11460696 ... bS849eEvwE

paulmay

In regards to tools, there's a community bike project going on at the moment where we can have access to a Bike workshop for £5 per day, so that might come in handy. Need the guidance though, was/am hoping I would get some from here.

Anonymous

Well it looks absolutely immaculate.
Just replace all the cables (I imagine the inners which aren't exposed are probably fine, but best to err on the side of caution here - don't want a brake cable snapping!). That should be a 20 quid job (make sure you get a GOOD pair of wire cutters as you want to ensure a clean 'snip' to fit them through the outers).

Take off the rear mech (you can do this once you have removed the old cable), take the 2 pulleys out and give them a scrub, grease/oil whatever stick it back on with your new cables, stick on a new chain (get a quicklink one, perhaps for easy removal in future) and you're away. All this stuff is VERY simple and requires no specialist tools (allen keys, wire cutters - that's it) and there are loads of guides on the internet. The more you ride it the more you'll find bits rub and groan and creak and grind, but so long as the brakes work and there are no cracks in the frame, its good to go - you can iron the other things out as you go along
Enjoy!

p.s cute dog

craker

coriordan wrote:

, stick on a new chain (get a quicklink one, perhaps for easy removal in future) and you're away. All this stuff is VERY simple and requires no specialist tools (allen keys, wire cutters - that's it)

so also a chain tool - it's basic equipment and decent ones can be had for under a tenner. Don't skimp on the wire cutters! Cheap ones are worse than useless.

How about bearings? If your pedals are tight you could do worse than stripping them down and rebuilding them with clean grease. If it goes wrong chuck them away, pedals are cheap enough. Do you know how to check your headset (steerer) bearings? You might want to clean and grease them too.

Anonymous

why not use a quicklink one as mentioned? I also said a good pair of cutters.

Who really cares that the pedals or headset aren't smooth at this stage? That's something which can be fixed at a later date.
My point was that for the price of a new chain, cables and a set of wire cutters, that bike is good to go!

paulmay

Thanks for your suggestions, a quick link chain seems a good choice. If I'm replacing the cables are these bike specific or come in standard lengths? Could you recommend some decent cutters? Also I'm still a little confused about the cogs behind the pedals, why would there only be 2 cogs there? I assume I'm missing one, if so any recommendations on a replacement? Thanks Paul

Anonymous

There are 2 types of cables, thinner ones for gears and thicker ones for brakes. They comes REALLY long, so you fit them then snip off any excess. You'll see how they come out, and replace them the opposite way.

No idea which snippers to use, Park Tooks will probably be good (but not cheap). Get a good set from a local, reputable hardware store would be my advice, if you can be bothered.

I wouldn't worry about the cogs. From what I can see, you can't fit another one, and unless you are doing loads of heavily loaded touring (with panniers etc) you won't need one. I think it could be because it's a budget bike, they may have only 1 set of shifters for it (for a triple set up) but sell it with either a 2 or 3 ring variant.

What you do is (this is hard to explain) is adjust the 'limit screws' (which set the outer and inner extreme limits) on the front derailleur (the bit which changes the gear on the front rings). You limit the derailleur such that it can only move between the 2 chainrings you have, so that when you move the gear shifter to the '3' position, it doesn't move any more.
There are plenty of videos on YouTube about this and a bike shop will do this kind of work for you for a few quid (or free if its the same place you buy all the parts you need, if they're nice!).

ooermissus

I resurrected a bike recently for a friend - slightly better quality than yours, but older. Enjoyed it, learned a lot, and didn't spend much. The only bit I didn't do was the bottom bracket (do your pedals spin freely?) - took it to my local bike shop who had a hell of a job getting the old one out but only charged me twenty quid or so for the job. They busted a frozen seat post out for me as well. Overall the result was very good and the bike is being ridden every day. Good luck.

paulmay

Getting some really good input here guys, gonna get the tyres inflated today (that i can do..lol!) and see if we have any punctures etc. Although there are quick link chains I'm still assuming links will need to be taken out to fit, will this chain be sufficent? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Clarks-Speed-Ch ... 027&sr=8-1 . I do hope I'm not bothering people asking for guidance on the board.

Anonymous

not at all!

look at chain reaction cycles for chains - they are quite cheap and offer free postage. SRAM chains come with quicklinks.

Something like this would be perfect :

(these are quicklinks- see how the slot together - http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=25439) check you get the right 'speed' for your bike (8/9/10 - depending on the number of rear cogs)

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Cate ... egoryID=79 for chains. Again, match the speed of your bike (I would hazard a guess at 8. If it is 7, an 8 speed chain will work fine)

Anonymous

EDIT: Actually that one you found looks perfect

daniel_b

£5 looks a bargain - I have an 05 Subway, and that one looks to be something like an 07 vintage or there abouts.
Good solid bike, and it will not be worth the money or hassle trying to fit a third cog at the front, unless you live in the alps you would not need it anyway.

For the cost of the bike, I would go for a super cheap chain personally, and get one of these as suggested above:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=38332

You might want to consider a new cassette as well - judge the current one by eye as to how worn it is I guess - again these are pretty cheap from CRC or similar, a tenner or a bit more.
That would also require a chainwhip and a cassette removal tool however, so more expense, but useful tools to have in your arsenal.

Not quite the same league of bargain that you have there, but we bought a £500 Trek Hybrid from ebay for £180, replaced the chain, made derailleur adjustments, brake and gear adjustments, fitted a rack etc, and gave it to my gf's Dad as a Birthday present - it's quite satisfying making a good buy and spending a bit of time making it road worthy again.

montyburns56

Are there actually holes in the chainset where a missing third chainring would go? It is possible that it was designed as a 10 speed, as I don't think you can buy a SRAM 2 speed twist shifter so they would have had to fit a 3 speed one instead.

cyberknight

ooermissus wrote:

I resurrected a bike recently for a friend - slightly better quality than yours, but older. Enjoyed it, learned a lot, and didn't spend much. The only bit I didn't do was the bottom bracket (do your pedals spin freely?) - took it to my local bike shop who had a hell of a job getting the old one out but only charged me twenty quid or so for the job. They busted a frozen seat post out for me as well. Overall the result was very good and the bike is being ridden every day. Good luck.

These bikes were sold with only 2 cogs dependant on age and model , i had one that was the same colour with 2 chainrings and it even had a triple shifter but worked fine .

terryrodgers

]i got myself a carrera subway one for £100.00 i stripped it down over a one yeare period and replaced every single part if youre macanacly minded its a good thing to do as you learn a lot and you can go on you tube for tips if you get stuck the main thing is to make sure the parts you buy are compatable with youre frame converted mine to a 27 speed mtb for xc use if youre frame is in good condition its worth doing but it as cost me about 7 to 8 hundred pound to compleate and i am just about to replace the rigid dics forks i paid £80.00 for with some suspension forks but it is a one of origanl bike custom built for my spesifics building a bike can take over and become an obsesion but its all fun good look.

gllewellyn

FYI, I've seen that on Thursday, Lidl are selling their bike tool kit again for £25 (http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/SID-4D2BF ... il&id=1533). They are not the best quality tools in the world, but they are a good starting point and will allow you to do most jobs (plus they are identical to kits sold by other retailers for twice the price).
If you don't have many tools atm, I'd suggest getting this set, and then upgrade specific items to Park or equivalent as you need/want to.

Regardless of what the nay-sayers on here say, I reckon fixing up an old bike is a great way to learn all the skills for when you want to do a more serious build - just be realistic about costs and the fact that you're still starting from a fairly cheap bike as a basis.

Huntergatherer

Hi a few years late on this post. How did the bike end up?

I've just been resurrecting a free Carrera subway one UX - Gloss black with little blue text...
I'm pretty pleased with the look of mine now but gears need sorting..

cooldad

Good luck with that. OP hasn't been back since 2013.