'New' bike - need help fixing it up a bit

I would not like to say - as i am not sure, no doubt there is someone who will provide the answer. I suspect they will work but wait for confirmation by a knowledgeable member.

Yup pretty universal you just need one of these:



To get a straight replacement ie another Huret one should not cost you much, prob no more than £10. You could take the opportunity to upgrade now to something better it's upto you. Used prices are say from £10 - £lot's. Please don't slap on a modern generic one though as you'll ruin the aesthetics of the bike

Hanger: http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/product ... nger-plate

Not mine - Sachs Huret Eco Rear Derailleur - £7.00.

If you're lucky you'll be able to unbolt your knackered mech from it's hanger and save yourself £5....

As it turns out a friend of mine has a direct replacement I am can have!

One last question - is it possible to get any kind of hood on these weinmann brakes? Would tidy it up a bit If anything would fit

By 'hood' I mean a flexible cover that can go over the brake to hide the edges of the bar tape around the brake levers

Hey guys, been having a wiked time on this bike, only thing im thinking of doing now is upgrading the wheels as they are a bit out of shape. Im not terribly fussed about lightness or anything i just want something that is going to be tough as i regularly do stupid things like ride my bike down stairs etc

Will probably get a second hand set on ebay but i dont know what i should be looking for? my bikes 12 speed so is there anything in particular i should look for or can you swap gears onto the back wheel easily enough?

Any makes that are known for being tough?

thats the wrong sort of bike for stairs, maybe swap it for a mountain bike, they have tougher wheels. otherwise , dont kerb it and learn how to keep your wheels true with a spoke key.

Probably just as easy to get the originals straightened - certainly cheaper. My chap charges me £12 a rim for full service/tighten/etc. Where do you live?

Replacement wheels - modern stuff will often have a wider rear spindle/axle, which will mean cold-setting the rear forks to fit (bending it using a bit of wood basically, surprisingly easy to do).

Then there's the potential problem of cassette type rear cogs - most, if not all, modern 700c road wheels will be cassette type hub, whereas the Dawes may have screw-on type hub. The difference being is the rear cogs slide on, and are then held in place on the hub by a collar, whereas the screw on type screw the hub face. - tricky to explain without photos.

If you're going to ride a roadie down stairs, just get the steelies straightened and then stick with them. They'll warp easier than alloy rims, but you'll get far more corrections out of steel than aluminium.