I recently found this older bike on the side of the road with the garbage that was missing a front wheel. Got permission from the owner to snag it. Went to my co-op, got a solid axel 26”, two tubes and tires, and now with some TLC it’s a perfectly functional bike.
The only thing I’ve run into is it slows itself down pretty fast. The rolling resistance is just terrible compared to the other bikes in similar condition I’ve worked on with free hubs or cassettes. I don’t think I’ve wrenched the axel on too tight because the wheels don’t feel “crunchy” rotating the way they do when the bearings are overly compressed or the pre-load is too high. The tread isn’t so aggressive you can hear it, only so much as it can do well on rainy streets and over debris. I rolled the fenders so there’s clearance for the 26×2.00 tires I put on there and they aren’t rubbing.
What should I look for in getting this thing to actually coast worth a damn?
by ThatWayneO
4 Comments
The two things that impact rolling resistance the most are tyres and wheels. Tyre pressure is also important.
A slick wheel will have lower rolling resistance, and contrary to popular belief, bikes can’t aquaplane. For grip, you are better off using a tyre with no tread.
The pattern you see on most road bike tyres is purely decorative.
New wheels are probably out of the question, but you could try fresh ball bearings and a lighter grease to pack them.
Is the coaster brake adjusted properly? That’s the first thing I would be looking at.
Probably not empirically true, but I’ve always felt that coaster hubs had a lot of inherent drag. Maybe [overhaul the internals](https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/coaster-hub-overhaul-pedal-brake-hub)?
Turn the bike upside down and spin the wheels, do they slow down quickly? That will be an indicator of tight or bad bearings. Make sure your tires are inflated to the highest recommended pressure. Some bike weight a lot, you can put the bike on a diet by losing anything that is not necessary. Spinning mass is another energy parasite, the lighter the wheel set the faster you can accelerate and brake. Good luck