Update: Tinkering with an 80s BMX bike showed me how repair has changed

I finally got around to cleaning up an old BMX bike I found in a shed. Remember when we just used basic hex keys and adjustable wrenches for almost everything, lmao. Now you need specific tools for every part, like cassette lockring tools or bleed kits for hydraulics. Trying to true those old steel rims without a proper stand was a real pain, but it taught me a lot. It's funny how back then, fixes were more about feel and less about precise specs. I guess that's why some old-school tricks still come in handy today. Just sharing from my weekend messing around in the garage.

3 comments

3 Comments

beth_baker692mo ago

Heating a lockring sounds like a great way to ruin the heat treat, @troyp37.

nathan8512mo ago

My buddy tried to fix an old freewheel with pliers last month.

troyp372mo ago

Disagree, in my experience a good pair of locking pliers can loosen a stuck freewheel if you heat the lockring first. I've done this on a 70s Schwinn where the proper tool just rounded off. It's not ideal, but for a quick fix it beats buying a specialty tool you'll use once. Just go slow to avoid stripping the threads.