Old Hardtail = New Commuter?

First of all, Hello! I'm new here and apologise if I do/say anything wrong in advance.

I'm about to change my base (ambulance) station to much closer to home (was 15 miles now going to be less than 3) and have decided I should try and save some pennies and increase my fitness by commuting to work on the old pushbike.

First problem being that I don't actually have a bike.

Have looked at various cycle2work schemes and other shiny new bikes I could purchase. Considered Hybrids, Road Bikes and even Cyclocross but wasn't excited about any of them or spending a fair chunk of my hard earned cash on something to just get me to work and back.

Then I remembered that my brother has my old Rockhopper FS (that I bought brand new in 199 and he said I could have it back as he doesn't need it. I'm collecting it in a few weeks time and he has already warned me that it needs a little 'TLC', which knowing my brother means its probably FUBAR!

I was wondering what (cheap) upgrades/replacements I should be looking for to rejuvenate and convert it to an everyday steed? I couldn't help myself and have already purchased some Avid Single Digit 5 brakes (F&R) and Avid FR5 levers as I know the brakes are knackered, and also some Charge Griddle grips as the current grips are almost non-existent.

Was thinking that I would need (would like) maybe the following and would appreciate any thoughts/comments please?

* Tyres - (something like Schwalbe City Slicks maybe)
* Wheels - (expecting current ones to be jiggered)
* Fork - (has Indy C's on at the moment and will probably have to stay on for a while until I can afford either steel or carbon replacement)
* Gears - (now this is an area I know nothing about, I'm hoping they work ok with some minor adjustments but at 16 years old without ever having a service and being in my little brothers lack of care, I imagine they may be TFBUNDY)
* Saddle - (really like the like of the Charge Scoop)
* Pedals - (Shimano MX80 would be nice but probably put some DMR V8's on for now).

Sorry for waffling on.

Hi Noodle, welcome.

If your commute is on the road, Schwalbe City Jets are a good idea indeed. If you plan on commuting in the winter too, I'd keep the knobbly tyres on hand.

Wheels, gears and forks are hard to tell from here. They can all be ok, but they can be ruined as well.
A bit of TLC can do miracles on parts that simply don't work due to lack of maintenance, but it won't fix stuff that is broken. The best approach depends on the condition of every individual part really.

The saddle and pedals are a personal choice. These, along with the grips, are the main contact points, so they need to feel right for you. If they look beautiful but have the wrong shape or hardness, you won't enjoy riding the bike.
example : I like the look of rather small pedals with teeth on the edges, so I bought several sets of NC-17 pedals for my bikes. They look great, but Once I started using them I noticed that they are made to be used with straps. Basically the designers made them one-sided. Half of the time I get on the bike, the pedals will be upside-down and I need to take my foot off them to rotate them 180°. After a few red lights that gets tedious. As a result, I find myself mostly riding the one bike that still has proper dual-sided pedals.

Regarding maintenance on stuff you can't do yourself : with a bike like that, I'd look for some sort of bicycle charity workshop nearby. They usually have the time and will to work on those old(ish) bikes. A regular bike shop will usually try to sell you the latest new parts or tell you to bin the bike in favour of a £5K carbon bike that'll be just as broken within a month. If I had a penny for every time I've been turned down at an LBS because my bike is "too old", I'd be able to buy a new one by now.

Thanks for the quick reply raging bulls; however it seems I may have been very premature with my post. My brother has informed me that the seat post is fused to the frame and he tried to of his local bike shops but they both couldn't help to remove it and said it would need to be heated with a blowtorch!

Therefore, back to the drawing board:-(

I will have to trawl the web and find a suitable retro alternative.

Cheers

nope, just read this and choose your methods.

http://sheldonbrown.com/stuck-seatposts.html

at worst should cost you a new seatpost...

welcome to the site by the way!!

This winter has killed my bike. Before you rush out and buy a new one, consider it'll be used in all weathers and anything nice will just fester. I'd buy Schwalbe Marathons over City Jets as they are better in the wet. If the bike was free anyway, give getting the seatpost out a go. I used a hot air paint stripper and loads of GT40 to get the last one out.

SP