mikjames

Alright so let's say I do figure out how to upgrade the parts. What else would need to be upgraded? I imagine the breaks should probably be replaced with something that doesn't wobble back and forth, contacting the wheels at random. What do people generally upgrade when they buy cheap Supercycle bikes? I'd be lucky to get 100$ for the bike, so if I can put another 100$ in and actually have a competent bike, would it be worthwhile to avoid buying something better?
There's a review that says the bearings went on the rear wheel and pedals within a month, do you think that's because they didn't account for the incompetent bike builders at Canadian Tire, or would that be a flaw with the frame/components itself? If the bad reviews can be accounted for by cheap components and incompetent in store assembly, then I don't mind putting some money into it. I like the frame style, wheel size, etc.

Aubergine 

Happy Feet

This is a case where an older family oriented shop may be of better service. Newer shops, which can be highly rated, or those that sell newer bikes, sometimes have mechanics that are newer and more used to selling brand/model specific parts or upgrading bikes rather than finding creative solutions. A more experienced mechanic (in the sense of working on a wide spectrum of varying valued bikes), can often think a little outside the box.

A little side note about non removable derailer hangers:

At one time many nice steel frames had quality forged dropouts that included non removable derailer hangers. The cheaper, stamped dropouts of department store quality bikes had removable hangers and could also be used as cross over frames for 3 speed or coaster brake bikes.

Modern quality frames made of Al or CF now have removable dropouts because no one wants to replace a frame just because of an accident that bends or breaks the hanger and department store brands now have the solid hangers.

Old solid hanger

Happy Feet

Ps. I would not spend a lot on replacing parts on that bike. Fix the derailer if possible but by the time you upgrade brakes wheels etc... you will have spent more than enough to buy a decent bike.

One problem is you admit you don't have mechanical skills or want them. That means you will pay mechanic fees on top of parts which will be too expensive.
I like to rebuild bikes for a hobby so yes.. I could fix up that bike for cheaps using bin parts etc... but if I charged for my labour then no.
One option for the rebuild route would be to buy a used donor bike and swap the parts across.

As I said before, when you want to buy a better bike post in the commuter/hybrid section. People there will be more helpful in the sense that they are riders who are in that user group / price range. $600 CAD will get you a decent average joe bike.

clengman

I'd check out Long Alley Bicycles. https://longalleybicycles.com/ They sell refurbished bikes. Took a look at their gallery and it seems like they probably have a good selection in a range of prices. I bet they'd be willing to help you get your bike working, or sell you a quality used bike if it's not practical to fix the one you have.

They have a refurbished Garneau hybrid (that may or may not still be for sale) that probably originally retailed for somewhere around $5-600. Refurbished I would think it'd be $300-400-ish? You could do better shopping on craigslist on your own for a used bike, but it's nice that you'll know it works and they offer a warranty on their used bikes. It'll be a nicer bike than the one you have now. They also have a refurbished Jamis explorer (current MSRP $429) I think something like this would fit your needs well.

Just the fact that they would put a refurbished lower midrange bike on their floor leads me to believe that they wouldn't give you a hard time about trying to fix up your current bike.

Happy Feet

Good reference. This is even on their "about" page:

"Welcome to Long Alley Bicycles. Halifax’s newest, freshest, super-freakiest bike shop. Apart from repairs and service we specialize in selling good, refurbished bicycles. There are few things more satisfying than building a bike and finding it a soul mate. If it wasn’t too anthropomorphic we’d be calling ourselves a bicycle adoption agency. For the record, as things stand now we’re not calling ourselves that. We build really sweet bikes… but we don’t discriminate. We’ll even fix your supercycle."

mikjames

I'm not against developing mechanical skills over time, all skills are worth learning. I was just responding to the trolls who seemed to think becoming a bike mechanic is the be all end all of life, and that it should be mandatory study in grade school.
For now I'm probably going to go with having the bike shop install parts, as they don't charge that much for labor around here. The more components I buy the more worthwhile it is to upgrade the brakes as well. The frame is fine, the wheels are fine. The bike shop employees weren't concerned about the safety of it, at least not after they tightened all the bolts and re-aligned everything the local Canadian Tire had screwed up during the initial build. I removed the rear derailleur myself, so no point in going back now. There is no point in selling it without upgrading the components, the only person who would buy it would be someone who knows about after market components. There is also zero reason for me to go hunting for used bikes without some kind of warranty, because I have no idea what to look for or what to avoid. What we have here is a viable frame with wheels attached, might as well let them turn it into a bike.

mikjames

Yeah they're on the list of places I've been looking into. I'll let you folks in on a little secret though....Halifax is more expensive than Dartmouth, in just about everything. South Dartmouth is also a nicer place to live than anywhere in Halifax, for half the price. I can get an apartment for half the price, a pint of beer for half the price, and bike repair labor for half the price. I'm not against Halifax repair shops per se, but why bother when The Bike Pedaler is closer, cheaper, better established and well reviewed? I just got off the phone with them and they told me that they believe the derailleur hanger is flimsy, but now I understand what they actually mean by that. It's a steel tab 1/6" thick, the way they were talking it sounded like a light breeze would knock it out of alignment. I don't do any "Xtreme" riding, and I'm not 10 years old. I haven't wiped out significantly in years and I don't intend to start doing so now, it should be fine for the intended use. I've learned how to at least align the fine tuner on the derailleur, so that should at least buy me another few months if it does go slightly out of alignment over time.

clengman

I thought the Bicycle Pedaler looked like a nice shop, too. Good luck! Hope everything works out. I started out looking for bike co-op type places in your area, but wasn't able to find one. If you can, that would be a great place to go to learn more about maintenance and repairs if you're so inclined.

fietsbob

Buy another used bike for its components and cannibalize it , is a cheap way to go...

Of course you still must own the tools for the various jobs.. involved...

BlazingPedals

Dept store bikes typically come with under-tensioned wheels, which quickly get out-of-true, and that's likley the issue with yoru brakes. pick the wheel up off the ground and spin it while watching the brake pads. The pads probably don't move but the rim wobbles from side to side. Around here it's about $15-20/wheel to adjust them.

If you had a $5 spoke wrench, you could probably adjust the trueness -- and end up with a wheel that's true but out-of-round.

dedhed

https://wheelsmfg.com/ds-1.html

mikjames

Never mind possessing the mechanical know how to actually do the work. Something I've already admitted I don't have... I don't have the time to learn everything required to do all of this correctly. Right now I have the time to learn minor maintenance tasks like adjusting the brake alignment/tension, and realigning the derailleur using the fine tuner. The labor at the bike shop is like 25$ an hour. Not exactly an arm and a leg for the peace of mind in knowing that I haven't skipped something important. They also cannibalize used bikes and trade ins for components at the bike pedelar, and they are honest about offering the used parts at a significant discount.

mikjames

Nah the wheels are true, the bike shop aligned them along with brakes. The problem is that the brakes don't actually have any mechanism in place to keep them firmly in place on either side of wheel. Every time you squeeze the brakes they end up in a slightly different position, creating drag on the wheels.

fietsbob

Read Books on the topic from the Public Library..

mikjames

Lol, yeah if only there were some form of technology that would allow me to find the exact information I need efficiently. Something that allowed us to instantly share pertinent information on a specific topic... Oh well, maybe some day in the distant future. For now I'll just head down to the local library and burn a few hours finding the info I need

fietsbob

To Bring the book home , You get a library card..

you children forgot everything , and got helpless .. now that the phones got so smart..

Homebrew01

The brakes may be sticking and just need lube & adjustment. Recently improved my son's mtb that way.

Also, quality pads can improve stopping performance..

Can you post close up pictures of the brakes and rear derailleur?

Homebrew01

Also, consider adding your location to your profile. You may get extra help about shops or coops in your area.

BlazingPedals

I've decided that trying to help him diagnose his BSO and then fix it himself, all remotely, is a hopeless task. I'm bowing out.

I suggest using this new-fangled invention called "Google" to search for helpful videos. There are a zillion of them out there. Imaginative search criteria like "v-brake maintenance" or "adjust rear derailleur" might return something useful, and no library card is required.

mikjames

I'm not sure what you don't understand here, would it help if I restate everything we have determined throughout the thread in bold?

Here goes:


THE BIKE SHOP IDENTIFIED THE REAR DERAILLEUR TAB IS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME AND IS SOMEWHAT THIN/FLIMSY.


FORUM MEMBERS HAVE POINTED OUT THAT THIS ISN'T AS BIG A PROBLEM AS I ASSUMED, REPLACING THE REAR DERAILLEUR IS A SOLUTION.


THE BIKE SHOP HAS ALIGNED EVERYTHING ON THE BIKE, INCLUDING THE WHEELS AND BRAKES. THE BRAKING MECHANISM IS NOT PRECISE ENOUGH TO RETURN TO A CENTRAL POSITION REGARDLESS.


LASTLY AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, I AM HERE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM SO THAT QUALIFIED TECHNICIANS CAN PROVIDE A SOLUTION, WHICH I AM WILLING TO PAY FOR.

I'M AWARE OF GOOGLE, FIETSBOB AND I WERE JOKINGLY REFERENCING GOOGLE/THE INTERNET JUST BEFORE YOU ANNOUNCED YOUR NOBLE DEPARTURE FROM THIS DISCUSSION

I HOPE THIS CLEARS EVERYTHING UP FOR YOU BLAZE, SO THAT I AND OTHERS DON'T NEED TO KEEP REPEATING OURSELVES. I'M NOT SURPRISED THAT YOU DON'T BELIEVE YOU CAN BE HELPFUL WHEN YOU DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT OTHERS SAY, PROVIDE THE INCORRECT SOLUTIONS, AND THEN INDIGNANTLY GIVE UP ON SOLVING PROBLEMS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN SOLVED.


THANK YOU TO EVERYONE ELSE FOR PAYING ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEM AND HELPING ME FIND A SOLUTION

mikjames

This would be problematic. Since The Bike Pedaler techs have already adjusted and presumably lubed the brakes twice already, they are either not doing their job, or the brakes are of poor quality. It's the same thing with the rear derailleur tab. They tell me it's flimsy and will bend when "bumped". What they didn't tell me is that it's a solid steel tab that is impossible for me to bend by hand. So it's possible that the Bike Pedaler employees are intentionally misleading me, though their 4.7 star rating doesn't indicate a history of this behavior. It's unlikely that they would be misleading me to make more money, because I have always been willing to buy parts off them, and have them install them. It's possible that they have an anti Supercycle vendetta and/or just want to sell me a better bike, but they've directed me toward other bike shops in Halifax as well.


So I'm not sure what to make of all this. Do you think The Bike Pedaler would intentionally poorly align/maintain brakes just to maintain an elitist attitude against cheap bike brands? That doesn't seem very likely to me. I'm leaning towards the components being of poor quality. Though I will admit to their initial reluctance to install quality components on a Supercycle, even though they believe it is roadworthy/safe to ride it. If anything that indicates a desire for their customers to spend their money wisely, and an understandable conclusion that an upgraded Supercycle probably isn't the smartest financial investment.


The good news is that I'm not a complete idiot. I didn't pay 400$ plus tax for this adequate frame/wheels with inadequate components attached. I got for 40% off, with the understanding that Hybrids models are less common and generally more expensive. I also didn't know Trek existed at the time. Upgrading a cheap bike with good components was always a potential part of the plan. I tend toward the philosophy of "Buy something adequate at a significant discount", and upgrade only if it is necessary. It has served me well, because these days you most certainly don't always get what you pay for.

Homebrew01

Pictures would help, so we know exactly what you have.
If there's a 2nd shop nearby, you could get a 2nd opinion.

VegasTriker

This purchaser of the Supercycle bike reviewed below got the same 40% off but has a far different view on the value of buying a reduced price bike. It points out two of the reasons many of us do not recommend buying a bike from a mass merchandiser. You have no idea how competent the person who assembled the bike will be. It could be someone who was stocking the shelves in the same store. Most bikes sold by mass merchandisers are called Bicycle Shaped Objects because they are often more suited for other uses (like weight lifting) than for riding. The reviewer below may have gotten a bike with the axle cones poorly adjusted (loose) so the bearings will chew themselves up in very few miles. It is also a factor in poor braking because the wheel wobbles side to side as it turns.

mikjames

Yeah no argument here, there are certainly downsides to buying a bike from a big box store. Lucky for me it can be effectively mitigated by having a bike shop fix the problems and install better parts, but there are downsides nonetheless. It was actually quite a shock to me that this is even allowed to happen. Here in Canada cyclists follow the same rules as drivers, yet they wouldn't let an unsafe motor vehicle on the road. I guess I assumed there would be some regulation involved in the build/sale of bikes. I don't know why I believed that given how incompetent governments are at regulating things.