JBarry

I have an old Diamondback Response(1998/2002?) from when I was about 10, never did away with it but unfortunate circumstances ended up with the gears rusting and the chain, of course.

When I looked over it today, I noticed that it has mounts for disc brakes on the front fork and on the rear frame, which confuses me since it's supposedly from 1998 or close to thereabouts, blue/black paint job with some yellow stickers, it has an Insync 266? fork but the brand is scuffed off, 3x8 gears that badly needed replacing from wear when riding it, old Alex Y2000 wheels, rear needs truing and the front is spot-on still.


I wanted to basically do a teardown and replace the 26" wheels with disc wheels, replace the Shimano Acera derailleurs and the gears, and maybe swap to maybe a newer or at least rebuild the bottom bracket.


Biggest thing I'm running into so far is that I'm not sure what to get on the wheels, I'd prefer something durable over light weight, and it doesn't have to be new. My other issue with this bike was that the 27.2mm seat tube will slide down on any kind of impact when properly tightened, it seems to be an aluminum tube but isn't bent or deformed.

Bill Kapaun

You should be able to narrow down the year (which can help us figure out more precisely what you have) here-
https://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/...model=Response
You can select different years from the left.

Possibly the same frame/fork is used on a different named model(s)?
I'd skip the disc brakes. If the old calipers are "tacky" you can get new ones that may be much better than original for pretty cheap. Upgrading to disc may give you problems with rotor rub etc. that may be peskier to solve.

IF you are going to change the shifters, you may as well move up to 9 speed. A minimal amount of $more when you plan on replacing the chain & cassette. 9 speed chains/cassettes are a minimal amount more than 8.
9 speed gives a much wider availability of cog USEFUL combinations.
IF you never need an 11T cog, you can get a cassette with a 12 or 13 smallest cog and actually use your highest gear.
Ditto on the largest. IF you never need it, go to the smallest you think you ever need + a tooth or 2.
My bikes use a 12-27 on my "grocery getter" and either 12-23 or 13-25 on my hybrid, depending on my conditioning.

JBarry

According to Bikepedia it's a 2001, I can't post the link since not enough posts yet, but their sample picture for a 2001 Diamondback Response is it exactly but in blue where the white is.


I did want to try to add the disc brakes, I've liked them quite a lot more since I got my Giant Roam 3, so I wanted to carry that over if possible. There's plenty of room in the back, I believe I measured 135mm. As far as the front, I was thinking of getting a newer fork since I likely can't get any seals or anything to rebuild this one, and I'm sure it likely needs it since it's last service was 2005 at the latest.

If it's not much more, I wouldn't be adverse to going to a 9 speed. I believe the current wheels would require changing regardless since I recall the local shop telling me that the cassette was made onto the hub, though I could be wrong, or he could've been trying to upsell, so take that with a grain of salt. The current gearing has probably seen 5,000 miles or so, I would ride it for 2-3 hours a day non-stop on flat ground year round before I started working and I wanted to get back into that shape.

dedhed

Once you're talking about replacing wheels, drivetrain, brakes you'd honestly be better off monetarily buying a used bike with what you want, or look at bikes direct, and buy new.
I get the nostalgic bike from your youth part, and if that's the case, I'd just fix what you have and not upgrade. Check local bicycle co-ops for cheap parts.

https://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/b...066478938.html

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...tain-bikes.htm

Bill Kapaun

8 & 9 speed cassettes use the same hub. Not sure about "Mountain" 10?? 10 speed starts adding additional expense/frailty. A thoughtfully chosen 9 speed may actually be better than getting stuck with an 11T cog you can't use on a 10.
IF you intend on "multi use" where you need "mountain" gears sometimes and "street" gears the other, just get a couple cassettes and swap when needed.

This must be an act of love, because the expense is going to be high, considering you have a bike designed to compete with entry level LBS bikes. Maybe a bit heavier and down on the food chain slightly, but probably a better bang for the buck for the average purchaser of such bikes.

As for wheels-
I'd get at least low level Deore quality.
Rims are somewhat dependent on the tire size you intend to use.
If you stay with your 1.95's or smaller, a Sun Rims CR-18 is a strong, lower cost wheel without too much weight. If you are going to go wider, I'd look for a wider rim.

tyrion

If the front wheel dropouts are pointing down and aft (like most old bikes are), I think a disc brake might tend to push the wheel out of the dropouts*, so be sure the front skewer is always good and tight.

*or was that just urban myth?

madpogue 

Try a set of Kool-Stop salmon brake pads with your V-brakes (it's V-brakes, right?). Properly adjusted, they'll stop well enough that you might rethink going disc.

JBarry

Well, on reading up on the quick releases and a few nightmares, I might get a new set of quick releases...cause that seems like a bad time. At the least, might ask the local shop while I'm in there.
The derailleurs are frozen front and rear, so maybe a swap to 9-speed and new crank gears along with some used Shimano derailleurs of some type, getting the rear wheel trued, and fixing up the v-brakes like has been recommended a few times.

Anyone have any tips in regards to the aluminum seat post sliding down? At one point I attempted tightening it and sent a sheared quick release into my palm at full strength, soo...pretty sure tension isn't the problem.

Bill Kapaun

Maybe a new post has a better "texture" machined into it?

madpogue 

Sounds like the wrong size seat post.

Have you tried any degreaser, etc. on the derailleurs? "Frozen" usually just means "gummed up". A little component malfunction shouldn't automatically mean a replacement.

dedhed

Often it's the cables that are frozen. Something like PB Blaster/Kroil and working the derailleur by hand will free up rusty units.

Sounds like the wrong size seat post

2old

I've seen seat tubes improperly sized on some bikes. However, you should be able to shim the post (maybe start with a beer can and double your pleasure). Also agree that some lubricant and new cables/housing on the derailleurs should eradicate that problem, and Kool Stop pads will provide adequate braking performance.

JBarry

Well, I stopped by a bike shop a bit further from me today since I was in the area, they had some nice used 26" rimbrake wheels, a used but good condition Shimano 8 speed cassette, and some used mountain bike tires.
Dude was super nice and I wish I was closer so I could go more often. He even put the cassette on for me, so when I get everything else sorted, I can just put a tire on the wheel and be rolling.

Also did some more disassembly, the freehub is crunchy and needs a rebuild or replacement on my old wheel, so that'll take care of that at least. Also turns out that my gears are riveted to my crank, so I might end up trying to just find a whole crank and a replacement cartridge bottom bracket or a newer bottom bracket...currently it is a square crank, would it be worth trying to upgrade to something like a hollowtech crank?

Also got some Evapo-rust and some wet lube to go along with the simple green I have, next thing I'll probably work on will be to try to free up the old derailleurs.