Scored a hardtail for free, help me fix it up..

[AdironRider]

So was able to barter the use of my truck to move a couch a mile for a hardtail mtn bike that needs work.

Bike is a 2002 Gary Fisher Big Sur. Manitou SX front fork seems to be ok, both derailers are shot, v brakes are toast, cassettes might be salvagable, both wheels are bent, tires flat.

Looking to spend no more than a couple hundo to fix this thing up decently enough to ride around town in JHole and some light trail riding like putt putt.

Id like to convert to discs if possible, fork can take em but would need an adaptor in the rear.

So how would you guys outfit this bike on the cheap?

[AdironRider]

I should add Im a total components jong, but have enough skills from my youth to fix it myself. Havent paid attention to gear since I was like 14 though.

And the rims could most likely be trued up if the disc brake conversion is going to be to pricey.

[mntlion]

convert it to single speed, use V brakes on the rear, Disc on the F if you want.

adding parts, even cheap parts, will cost WAY more then this is worth..

If you add $300 in parts, the bike will be worth $200. Or just find a working bike for $300 and you are ahead in time/hassle.

[XtrPickels]

convert it to single speed, use V brakes on the rear, Disc on the F if you want.

adding parts, even cheap parts, will cost WAY more then this is worth..

If you add $300 in parts, the bike will be worth $200. Or just find a working bike for $300 and you are ahead in time/hassle.

That's my advice. Make it a ghetto singlespeed. Don't worry about the brakes.

[Crystal_Mt_Dreamin]

That's my advice. Make it a ghetto singlespeed. Don't worry about the brakes.

x3 to what mtnlion said. true rims, see if one or both brakes are salvageable, keep rear der for chain tensioner

[AdironRider]

I would prefer not to have a single speed.

The frame is in primo condition, its the rest of it that isnt. Is it really not worth a couple hundred bucks to fix up and have a pretty solid round town/trail ride with the fiancee bike? I already have a Giant Reign x1 for the fun stuff with the guys, looking for something more of a commuter/easy bike for around town and dont want to ride a road bike.

[CMSIV]

Another vote for a singlespeed, $200-$300 isn't going to get you too far.

[AdironRider]

I dont need top of the line stuff here guys. I just want a bike that works well enough for me to pedal around and not be screaming what the fuck at it the whole time. Think a bike you would ride to the bar or around a campus and not really worry about all that much.

Guess disc brakes are out. Ive found some avid replacement vbrakes for 30 bucks each. I think I can poach a pair of used tires from another buddy. Need cheap cassettes and derailers here people, help me out.

Just how much does it cost to true a wheel usually?

[sugarloaftrees]

Converting your bike to a singlespeed would be easier than going through the trouble of major labor involved in fixing this bike. The first thing you can do is see if your chain is "stretched" with a tool similar to this one.

Depending on how much the drivetrain has been used this tool will give you an idea of how worn out it is. Many times if the chain is completely stretched and worn out you have to change the cassette and chainrings as well. If you put a new chain on an old cassette it doesn't mesh very well and can "skip" when you put downward pressure on the cassette. Sometimes if the chainrings are shot they will also skip with downward pressure or the chain will get stuck and "suck" around the chainrings.

Keeping your original middle chainring, chain, and rear cog will mesh together fine and you can ride that singlespeed system into the ground.

On the lower end of parts a new 9 speed cassette, SRAM PG 950 is ~$35, SRAM PG 951 chain ~$26, and chainrings for ~$50 depending where you look. On JensonUSA.com you can get a deore crank for $44, and an LX external crank with BB for $90.

Are the derailleurs broken or are the cables seized in the housing? Is the rear derailleur bent in an awkward way? It could also be the derailleur hanger on the bike itself. From Jenson rear derail LX $50, front deore $35. Front derailleurs have bottom pull and top pull from the cable as well as different seat tube diameters to clamp on.

The cables could be frozen/rusted into the housing causing them not to move. Cables can be $4 a piece, and depending on shop maybe $1 or so a foot of housing. If the derailleur hanger is bent a special tool is required to re-align the hanger with your rear rim.

I would leave the brakes stock and just replace the pads. Maybe another $12 dollars for the pair.

If they wheels are destroyed from a car running them over, or some kid jumping the piss out of them you probably can't true them. Slight wobble can be trued very easyily with a truing stand and could cost you ~$20 from a shop. You could also go the rigged way and put two zip ties on the chainstays and do it by eye.

Are the tires flat from sitting so long or do you need new tubes? Try pumping them up to 30psi and let them sit for a day or so and see where they are at. Pair of tubes $10 or so.

Without seeing the bike in person and riding it I think it's tough to give you a perfect estimate but this is what I came up with on the super cheap via online parts, without any labor costs...

-drivetrain is easily going to be $100 bucks
-if you need new derailleurs easily close to $100
-cables & housing if needed $14
-brake pads $12
-tubes $10

Rough estimate of $240 in online parts without even looking at it without any labor charges.

If you stick with the singlespeed idea you're looking at:
brake pads, tubes, wheels true & labor.

If you're weary about a singlespeed ride your other mountain bike in your middle chainring, and your 5th gear from the top on your cassette. That should be right around a 2:1 ratio of gearing and most times that's just about right without going up and major major climbs.

If you need any more help get at me, I'm in Wilson.

[Eluder]

List some parts you need, I have some parts I could send your way for a pretty low price.

XT V brakes
Sram 950 Cassette
Probably some wheels if needed but look into getting yours trued since shipping would be expensive and pain.
Just find some Deore level shifters, derailleurs if you really need to replace them, Ebay can get you cheap in this range. What makes you think they are toast?
No reason to let this bike die if you want to keep it.

[AdironRider]

Converting your bike to a singlespeed would be easier than going through the trouble of major labor involved in fixing this bike. The first thing you can do is see if your chain is "stretched" with a tool similar to this one.

Depending on how much the drivetrain has been used this tool will give you an idea of how worn out it is. Many times if the chain is completely stretched and worn out you have to change the cassette and chainrings as well. If you put a new chain on an old cassette it doesn't mesh very well and can "skip" when you put downward pressure on the cassette. Sometimes if the chainrings are shot they will also skip with downward pressure or the chain will get stuck and "suck" around the chainrings.

Keeping your original middle chainring, chain, and rear cog will mesh together fine and you can ride that singlespeed system into the ground.

On the lower end of parts a new 9 speed cassette, SRAM PG 950 is ~$35, SRAM PG 951 chain ~$26, and chainrings for ~$50 depending where you look. On JensonUSA.com you can get a deore crank for $44, and an LX external crank with BB for $90.

Are the derailleurs broken or are the cables seized in the housing? Is the rear derailleur bent in an awkward way? It could also be the derailleur hanger on the bike itself. From Jenson rear derail LX $50, front deore $35. Front derailleurs have bottom pull and top pull from the cable as well as different seat tube diameters to clamp on.

The cables could be frozen/rusted into the housing causing them not to move. Cables can be $4 a piece, and depending on shop maybe $1 or so a foot of housing. If the derailleur hanger is bent a special tool is required to re-align the hanger with your rear rim.

I would leave the brakes stock and just replace the pads. Maybe another $12 dollars for the pair.

If they wheels are destroyed from a car running them over, or some kid jumping the piss out of them you probably can't true them. Slight wobble can be trued very easyily with a truing stand and could cost you ~$20 from a shop. You could also go the rigged way and put two zip ties on the chainstays and do it by eye.

Are the tires flat from sitting so long or do you need new tubes? Try pumping them up to 30psi and let them sit for a day or so and see where they are at. Pair of tubes $10 or so.

Without seeing the bike in person and riding it I think it's tough to give you a perfect estimate but this is what I came up with on the super cheap via online parts, without any labor costs...

-drivetrain is easily going to be $100 bucks
-if you need new derailleurs easily close to $100
-cables & housing if needed $14
-brake pads $12
-tubes $10

Rough estimate of $240 in online parts without even looking at it without any labor charges.

If you stick with the singlespeed idea you're looking at:
brake pads, tubes, wheels true & labor.

If you're weary about a singlespeed ride your other mountain bike in your middle chainring, and your 5th gear from the top on your cassette. That should be right around a 2:1 ratio of gearing and most times that's just about right without going up and major major climbs.

If you need any more help get at me, I'm in Wilson.

I think you pretty much nailed it. The bike looks like its sat outside for a year or 5, so I imagine everything you listed would be about right. Ill have to look at it a bit more when its not raining outside. Im right in Wilson as well. Next sunny day Ill be breaking it down to see what really salvagable. Thanks.

[drsmonkey]

Hoff's might have some used parts for cheap that could help you out as well.

[dumpy]

I converted an old bike (actually a Fisher as well, a 93, maybe 94, Montare) to SS and I ride it all the time. It's fun as hell and it serves double duty as my around town bike and beater MTB. The lack of a fragile drivetrain makes it a great muddy day ride.

Out of the three bikes (2 MTB, 1 road) I own, this one gets ridden the most. partially because it needs almost zero maintenance, when my other bikes are up on the workstand, this one gets broken out then too.

I went a little more all in (new crank/BB, SS specific chain ring/rear cog, new brakes, etc) than it sounds like your planning to, but even with what I did it was still relatively cheap.

[Missiongravity]

If you are dead set on not having a single speed, do a ghetto two speed. Use rear mech as a tensioner, run a double up front so you get a granny gear. One shifter and two brakes is pretty dang simple. True the wheels as mentioned before unless they are mega-wonky. Other than that tires can be had for cheap or free generally. I have an XT disc hub front wheel laced to Mavic 321 I think that could be used to convert the front to disc. I also probably have a metric crap ton of parts that could be used for a build.

[jm2e]

Good luck. Sounds like a cool project/hobby and good way to get way better at bike maintenance. Have fun.

[bbense]

Bike is a 2002 Gary Fisher Big Sur.

Here's the OEM specs

http://www.bikepedia.com/Quickbike/B...+Sur&Type=bike

Manitou SX front fork seems to be ok, both derailers are shot,

Derailers don't break unless they get bent. Take them off, clean them up and replace
the shifter wires. The shifters might have crapped out, if so I think you're unlikely to fix it for $300. I've got MTB detailers from 1989 that still work just fine.

v brakes are toast,

Brakes rarely go bad either, just need new pads and cables and a general clean up. Replacing the housing might be required as well.

cassettes might be salvageable,

This is one part that actually does wear out pretty quickly if the bike is not maintained. You can get Shimano HG50 cassettes cheap and they work just fine.
If you replace the cassette, replace the chain at the same time.

both wheels are bent, tires flat.

If the rims are actually bent, you'll need to replace them. If they are just wobbly, that can be fixed by truing them. The bike itself makes a perfectly fine truing stand.

Looking to spend no more than a couple hundo to fix this thing up decently enough to ride around town in JHole and some light trail riding like putt putt.

So how would you guys outfit this bike on the cheap?

Fixing old bikes isn't cheap, unless you've already got a garage full of spare parts.
The cheapest thing would be to troll some yard sales and craig's list and find a bike
that has the parts you need. Unless you really like the frame, you can get a bikes direct bike and learn bike repair for the money you'll spend fixing this bike.

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/..._cliff4700.htm

Heck, buy that and swap the parts over and it would still be a lot cheaper than
buying new parts retail for that bike.

In the era of mass produced Alu alloy frames, the frame of a hardtail is actually one of the cheapest parts.

- Booker C. Bense

[Scree Shredder]

I don't know about trying to run a single speed set up using the original cassette on the back. I've done this before in a pinch when I've snapped a derailer out in the woods a couple times. It doesn't ride so smooth. It wants to try and shift up the cassette and the chain gets all tight. If shit aint bent and broken take it apart clean it and grease it. Should work just fine for a town bike. Get someone that knows what they are doin to true the rims, and do the rest yourself. I bet you can get out of the whole deal spending about $50 for some truing and new cables, housing, and brake pads.