Karma request - 7 speed shifters / mechs for charity?

[LittleSkink]

Hi folks - hope its okay to do this . . . some of you may know I help out with a charity in South Yorks called Comac which fixes up donated bicycles for refugees who can barely afford even a bus fare. Our waiting list is now at 150 - that's a lot of people who have no transport!

We can just about get hold of enough old bikes (more always welcome!) do struggle for mechanics (more always welcome!!) BUT our biggest problem is serviceable 7 speed trigger shifters/mechs - Grip/Revo shifters we have aplenty, but they rarely work very well

It did occur to us that folks might have usable stuff they no longer want/need and we could put it to good use - anyone have anything they would like to donate?

I am Sheffield based and get to Leeds / Manchester fairly often. If you have stuff I am sure we can get it to the workshop which is in Heeley in Sheffield

PM me or post here. Thank You

For info
http://web.sheffieldlive.org/tag/comac-bike-project/
http://www.recyclebikes.co.uk/volunteering/
http://www.assistsheffield.org.uk/news/ ... shop-comac
http://comac.org.uk/

 

[mynchiboy]

Re:

I think I might have a couple of Alivio 7 speed mechs that you can have? They worked well but are very grubby!

PM me if you want them and I'll post them on

 

[legrandefromage]

I can put a box together for the cost of postage.

 

[jonthefish]

I've a couple of mechs I can donate. Probably some other bits too - tubes, tyres, stems. Can probably get a box together. PM incoming.

For most of us bikes are a hobby. Good to be reminded they're much more than that to those that need them. Good luck with this.

 

[MarinMartin]

Re:

Trigger shifter/brake combos any good? Got a few modern and retro ones so can spare a. Couple. Anything else you especially need? Cant give away my entire collection of parts as have a fleet of bikes to maintain but can definitely provide a few bits for the cost of postage.

 

[LittleSkink]

thanks folks for all your offers of bits / support and kind wishes - I have sent some PMs and replied to others

 

[LittleSkink]

First parcel arrived earlier this week - thank you - not sure who sent it as they didnt put in a name/note but we have 2 very serviceable rear mechs and a Shimano 105 front mech

 

[Antstark]

Re:

our biggest problem is serviceable 7 speed trigger shifters/mechs -

What exactly is the issue > ... With age the grease in these type of shifter solidifies and stops them working (shifting down mainly)..if you soak the innards in a light oil (e.g WD40) and click them through the range of gears a few times most magically start to work again. A bit of spray grease keeps them fresh for years to come.

 

[slackboy]

Re:

I've got some 8-speed stuff and some brake levers you can have.

 

[LittleSkink]

Re: Re:

What exactly is the issue > ...

If only they were just mucky - while we do very occasionally get a nice, loved bike donated many are well used / abused, have been left outside, never maintained, sometimes vandalised etc. Often way beyond some of the "usual" methods of refurbishing - while my recently fitted NOS STX SE shifters from the 90s responded well to a good soaking just as you describe, the stuff we see can be well beyond that; broken, corroded solid, bits missing, even whole shifters missing, If you imagine many of our donations *could* have come out of a skip you get the idea

On arrival all donations are checked thoroughly and most everything sprayed with GT85 to see what moves and what doesn't. Damaged / unsafe frames are stripped of parts, if they are worth saving - so we have a small stock of older parts, but shifters are a perennial problem as they tend to die first. We seem to get by with 5 and 6 speed bikes, if needs be we occasionally pick up shifters like these through local bike jumble contacts/sellers for a quid or so each. Bikes with 8 speeds tend to be a bit upmarket for us so we don't see many

Its a fun charity to be involved with, but it does show you how little care some folks take with their bikes, which can be a bit disheartening when you love retro bikes - just last week we had what was once a decent spec MTrax/Dynatech, it had been brush painted with what looked like car underseal (inc chainset, seatpost, handlebar, mechs and all!) we got it roadworthy but it sure is ugly now :facepalm: