My New Kabuki bicycle has some issues...

ok, maybe not *brand* new

hi all-

I just started reworking a Bridgestone Kabuki bicycle, circa 1,000,000
BC, and I have a few problems that i would greatly appreciate some
advice on.

before anyone says anything, forget it. I love this bike- Luuuuv it. it
fits me to a t, handles like a dream, has wicked snazzy cast aluminum
lugs, you name it, i love it. screw all that titanium junk.

1)the seat post, which, i am reliably informed, has a wedge and bolt
ayatem like a headset, apparently has lost that critical wedge and bolt
part, and the post is more or less welded into the tube from rust
and/or improper fitting, i.e. someone hammered in the wrong size post.
thankfully it's a just about the right height. how do i remove it and
secure it properly? or do i need to?

2) the headset wedgie bit seems to have gone missing too. I'm fine with
that for now, but do i need to worry about a sudden decreas in steering
options?

3) are the cast aluminum diacompe centerpulls likely to explode at some
point, due to age? they are old.

4) one of my pedals suddenly got all stiff and crunchy- can i fix it or
should i fork over the 5 whole dollars for another pair?
TIa

carl

snip

1. Sounds as if you're hooped, seatpost-wise...you could try plenty of WD40
and vise grips to try and wrench the post free...but you might wanna just
leave it be unless you MUST remove it...

2.If your headset stem takes a standard size wedge and bolt, you can prolly
get one from your LBS, or fellow Old Bike Nut (heck, I got two of 'em in MY
junk box)...

3.In my experience, genuine dia-compe center-pull calipers will wear SEVERAL
sets of pads before you need to replace any springs, bushings, mounting
post, etc. I've had the pair I'm currently riding with for about 15 years.

4. Yeh, you can rebuild pedals, but really, what's the point??

On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 16:06:47 -0700, Carl Brooks wrote:

lugs, you name it, i love it. screw all that titanium junk.

I love my titanium junk, but never thought of such a personal approach.

1)the seat post, which, i am reliably informed, has a wedge and bolt
ayatem like a headset, apparently has lost that critical wedge and bolt
part, and the post is more or less welded into the tube from rust
and/or improper fitting, i.e. someone hammered in the wrong size post.
thankfully it's a just about the right height. how do i remove it and
secure it properly? or do i need to?

It may have been the right size originally. The dissimilar metals (steel
and aluminum, I*presume), in contact with water, will create a good deal
of corrosion. It builds up and glues the post to the seattube.

Try a number of things. Penetrating oil, followed by serious attempts to
rotate the saddle. Failing that, there are some odd attacks with
everything from Coke to ammonia, that might work to break up the oxide.
Failing that, saw off the post at the point it leaves the frame, then
dremel out the bottom of the post --- carefully, so you don't damage the
frame.



2) the headset wedgie bit seems to have gone missing too. I'm fine with
that for now, but do i need to worry about a sudden decreas in steering
options?

Headsets are cheap and plentiful. Get a new one. Have the bike shop
install it (after you get the seatpost out. You don't want an
over-zealous kid at the shop whamming at your frame to get the post out).


3) are the cast aluminum diacompe centerpulls likely to explode at some
point, due to age? they are old.

Nah. They are pretty good.

4) one of my pedals suddenly got all stiff and crunchy- can i fix it or
should i fork over the 5 whole dollars for another pair? TIa

Go for new. Pedals are a RPITA to service. Even good ones are hard to
deal with due to small bearings and odd design. Cheap ones are worse.

New pedals are far and away better, especially the kind for clipless
cleats. Do it, you won't regret it.


--

David L. Johnson

__o | Accept risk. Accept responsibility. Put a lawyer out of
_`\(,_ | business.
(_)/ (_) |

On 19 Apr 2005 16:06:47 -0700, "Carl Brooks"
wrote:

I just started reworking a Bridgestone Kabuki bicycle, circa 1,000,000
BC, and I have a few problems that i would greatly appreciate some
advice on.

1)the seat post, which, i am reliably informed, has a wedge and bolt
ayatem like a headset, apparently has lost that critical wedge and bolt
part, and the post is more or less welded into the tube from rust
and/or improper fitting, i.e. someone hammered in the wrong size post.
thankfully it's a just about the right height. how do i remove it and
secure it properly? or do i need to?

If it has the same size of seatpost as my Bridgestone, it's 25.4mm.
If the post that's in there isn't the original one, then you're going
to have no fun at all finding a replacement. If what's in the frame
is actually the original post but with the bolt missing, you may very
well discover the wedge sitting at the bottom of the seat tube inside
the frame should you manage to get the post out. In that case, all
you will need is a very long bolt to make it whole again, which is not
easy (since it's metric) but not impossible to get.

Try the tips on Sheldon Brown's site for ideas on extracting the post.

2) the headset wedgie bit seems to have gone missing too. I'm fine with
that for now, but do i need to worry about a sudden decreas in steering
options?

If you're speaking of the stem wedge, good grief, yes! Road stems in
that size are still easy to come by; replace it.

3) are the cast aluminum diacompe centerpulls likely to explode at some
point, due to age? they are old.

Mine are still hanging together.

4) one of my pedals suddenly got all stiff and crunchy- can i fix it or
should i fork over the 5 whole dollars for another pair?

Do the math. How much is your time worth given that even if you get
it freed up, you *know* that it's not in good shape inside anymore?
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Rebuilding some pedals, like nice quality KMS Japanese pedals (wouldn't
be surprised if this brand is on the bike) or old fashioned "rat trap"
touring pedals is super easy.

New pedals indeed are often better, but harder to rebuild in my
experience.

Werehatrack wrote:
even if you get it freed up, you *know* that it's not in good shape
inside anymore?

I was riding on cheap pedals several weeks ago and a pedal busted while
I was standing on it. Trust me, you don't want that happening to you.

RFM

Fritz M wrote:

I was riding on cheap pedals several weeks ago and a pedal busted while
I was standing on it. Trust me, you don't want that happening to you.

RFM


.... not when your road bike is just a hair too large, like mine is.

Brian Sanderson wrote:
snip

1. Sounds as if you're hooped, seatpost-wise...you could try plenty
of WD40
and vise grips to try and wrench the post free...but you might wanna
just
leave it be unless you MUST remove it...


doubtless some of my, uh, weightier considerations will, at some point,
cause it to loosen and slide right into the tube, and my problem will
have solved itself. hopefully not too far from home

2.If your headset stem takes a standard size wedge and bolt, you can
prolly
get one from your LBS, or fellow Old Bike Nut (heck, I got two of 'em
in MY
junk box)...

thanks- mostly curiosity on my part on what happens when you ride
around on a headset w/no wedge. it does have the old style locking
collars.


much appreciated,

Carl


3.In my experience, genuine dia-compe center-pull calipers will wear
SEVERAL
sets of pads before you need to replace any springs, bushings,
mounting
post, etc. I've had the pair I'm currently riding with for about 15
years.

4. Yeh, you can rebuild pedals, but really, what's the point??

David L. Johnson wrote:
On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 16:06:47 -0700, Carl Brooks wrote:

lugs, you name it, i love it. screw all that titanium junk.

I love my titanium junk, but never thought of such a personal
approach.

well, given an appropriately sized seat tube and some balancing, new
worlds await you.

Headsets are cheap and plentiful. Get a new one. Have the bike shop
install it (after you get the seatpost out. You don't want an
over-zealous kid at the shop whamming at your frame to get the post
out).


I have a replacement i want to try out- mostly it was curiosity about
how such a thing occurs and what effects are.


Go for new. Pedals are a RPITA to service. Even good ones are hard
to
deal with due to small bearings and odd design. Cheap ones are
worse.

New pedals are far and away better, especially the kind for clipless
cleats. Do it, you won't regret it.

thanks; I'm off to BNB to see if i can't scrounge up some longer
cranks, so heck,i'll splurge on the pedals, too. I've never used the
clipless, only toeclips, so i'll stick with that until i am a lean ol'
cycling machine.


thanks,

Carl

1)the seat post, which, i am reliably informed, has a wedge and bolt
ayatem like a headset,

If it has the same size of seatpost as my Bridgestone, it's 25.4mm.
If the post that's in there isn't the original one, then you're going
to have no fun at all finding a replacement. If what's in the frame
is actually the original post but with the bolt missing, you may very
well discover the wedge sitting at the bottom of the seat tube inside
the frame should you manage to get the post out. In that case, all
you will need is a very long bolt to make it whole again, which is
not
easy (since it's metric) but not impossible to get.


nothing rattles when i tip the bike over- does that mean that the wedge
is corroded down in there or more likely that it was removed?


Try the tips on Sheldon Brown's site for ideas on extracting the
post.


i might just get a 2" post extender when needed and call it a day. i'd
like to have several bar configurations available for long rides, trail
rides, etc, and might like to get the saddle up and down a bit.



3) are the cast aluminum diacompe centerpulls likely to explode at
some
point, due to age? they are old.

Mine are still hanging together.


the bike was a trash pick- it looks like everything was well maintained
until it was forgotten in the basement somewhere- no frame rust, good
looking chain, thick coating of greasy dust all over the bike, even the
cables were relatively untouched. the brake levers and derailleurs have
to go, they show the worst effects of age.


thanks,

carl