Meeting # 2 - sanding - 10/26/2015

JD, working on our dream bike's frame:

Today we continued to prepare the frame for painting, which we will start next time. We also took apart the coaster hub, cleaned it and rebuilt it. We did the same with the fork mount parts. SF and his dad are making a little welded repair on the chain guard. We found a nice vintage handlebar and stem, but we still need to find the following parts:

- one chrome spring fork (1" tube) GOT IT!
- two 26" chrome/unpainted aluminum rims to accommodate 1.75 tires or bigger
(we're hoping to recycle those from an old mountain bike) FOUND!
- two 26' rim strips FOUND!
- two 26" tubes FOUND!
- two white wall tires (26/1.75) or creme balloon tires (26/2.35) GOT IT!
- two grips GOT IT!
- one cruiser chain GOT IT!
- one 22.2 mm seat post GOT IT!
- one brown spring cruiser seatGOT IT!

We will look for vintage/recycled parts as much as possible.

1st Meeting: Oct 19, 3:15 p.m., Fab Lab

Bicycle Mechanics Club is an Upper School & Middle School design and engineering club that encourages students to understand the mechanics behind the functioning of a bicycle, and teaches them to use tools in order to repair, customize and design bicycles. Bicycle Mechanics Club will build a dream bike together, and invite members to customize their own bike. The club will also promote service through the set-up of an MPH based bike clinic, the participation in the CNY Bike Giveaway in December, and the organization of a bicycle drive to benefit refugees in the spring. The club meets every Monday after school in the Fab Lab.

Today we had our first meeting. We took apart this Firestone 500 II 1960s cruiser: the wheel, the crank, the handlebar and the fork. We learned about the tools we need to work on bicycles, like metric and standard wrenches, chain tool, spoke wrench, tire levers and more. We saw how ball bearings work as we took apart the crank and the fork. We learned about the different kinds of rear wheel hubs. We de-greased and cleaned mobile parts, shone those chromes with steel wool and sanded the frame in preparation for painting.

 

1960s Firestone 500 II

We're going to need tools to set up a permanent bike station in the Fab Lab, and funding to buy supplies. If you are interested in helping, if you want to donate used tools or share ideas, please contact Alex. Leclercq ("Email me" button, top right hand corner).