Hey All! I'm a begginer when it comes to bikes but I am very hands on. I was wondering if I could get some help/suggestions. Bike was sitting at a family member's for over 3 years outside. All I know is that it's a Tokyobike. The brakes work. The chain is rusted and the pedals won't move (im assuming because of the rust?) Can someone help me out figuring out what tire size I need for this and chain? (links would be amazing!) Any suggestions would greatly help! and anyone have experience with tokyobike's? Is it worth fixing?
by Anonymous-Los
10 Comments
yeah seems that way! you got lucky man. make sure you check the cables for rust and try get the rust off the gears.
Not sure about the tire size, maybe 700 x 35/40?
Yes, new chain and probably freewheel as well. At least it looks like a freewheel. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to check, or replace, the bottom bracket. It’s also been my experience that the white cable housing tend to dry out and crack before disintegration.
You need an 8 speed chain. Anyone you buy should be long enough, though you will have to trim it to size. The tires should be marked with a size. Stop by a local bike shop and they should be able to get you going. Good for you for getting it on the road again.
There could be all sorts of issues. Does the seat post move when you loosen the bolt? How about the steerer height?
The brake blocks are probably hard and dead, I’d be looking at replacing the brake cables for safety reasons. Then there’s bearings in the wheels, bottom bracket, headset, pedals which could be OK but after three years outside I’d probably disassemble and regrease.
Take off the tire and inspect the rim. You’ll likely find some measuring there. You can also identify the tire measurement from the walls. Inspect the chunks you pull out.
I would replace the pedals and take the wheels to a bike shop to have the hubs looked at
New chain, tubes, and tires may be all you need, but I would check the brake and shift cables too. New cables and housing are a pretty cheap upgrade, and easy enough to do yourself.
Check out bikefarmer on YouTube. He does a lot of basic refreshes and tune ups on normal bikes, that should be good info to get you started. Park Tool has good instructional videos too.
As others have mentioned, you’ll need an 8 speed chain. I could guess that you’ll need 700c tires around 35mm or smaller, but I’d take it into a shop to be sure.
I would also replace the shifter cable – the rear portion near the derailleur and the bit from the cable stop up to the shifter are falling apart.
I’d then check the brake cables – if the shifter cable is disintegrating then the brake cables may be rusted as well. Make sure the cable isn’t rusted and the housing is still in good condition.
Check the brake pads and make sure they haven’t gone brittle and there’s still plenty of pad left.
If you’re replacing the chain then I’d probably also replace the cassette at the same time – the lock ring looks like it’s mostly rust and the smallest cog is pretty bad, so it’ll just wear your new chain out quicker if you keep using that old cassette.
Shimano CN-HG40 is the chain you want (or any Shimano 8 speed chain)
Shimano CS-HG50 is the cassette you want.
Your local bike shop should be able to sell you the cables you need – tell them you need two road brake cables and a shift cable.
Tokyo Bikes are quite a premium brand and it being a steel frame means that if you replace those consumable components then you’ll be able to ride it for a long long time! Nice find!
If the pedals crank, chain moves, etc. Just get some tires and tubes. Minimal investment if it all comes apart in a few days.
If it has been left outside and has been rained on, you really should check just about everything that could have rusted in place. You should check whether you can adjust the seat height. The same goes for the stem, you should unto the stem bolt and see if you can adjust the height.
Also before you ride it you need to check the hubs, whether or not there is any play in the wheel axle or they feel rough. Ideally you should do a hub overhaul.