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Eejit
Howard
Today's progress was still trying to strip the Dahon. It's pretty much gone as far as I can go
First order of business was finding out that I do indeed need a crank puller to remove the cranks. I'm going to take it to the LBS to do + remove the pedals because I can't really bring myself to ask all of my bike friends if they've got a 'crank puller' and i can't remove the pedals anyway, they're really seized up.
It was pretty hard work trying to remove the chainrings, apparently you need a special tool for that too. I made do with a screwdriver before giving up and youtubing it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6SCwijgdyQ
(dunno how to embed)
I found this video which gave me a passable method that eventually worked on all but one of the bolts, which sheared whilst I was trying to remove it. I was forced to seek guidance from my dear friend M.Allet again and between the two of us we managed to persuade the chainrings away from the crank. Hopefully my physical enthusiasm hasn't compromised the cranks in any way. I didn't hit them very hard.
Anyway after that I had a bugger of a time trying to work out how to remove the chain. I spent some time trying to open the 'master link' by using some 'bog standard needle nose pliers' and didn't really get much luck. I made an executive decision and cut the chain with some bolt cutters. I'm going to assume it was 'badly worn' and would have 'needed replacing' anyway. I will add 'master link pliers', 'crank puller' and 'chainring bolt tool' to my Christmas list.
Anyway the upshot was I freed the derailleur
I guess it's an 8 speed tiagra? I've seen people take derailleurs apart and spruce them up, is that something I should be bothering with here? Should I even be bothering to save this derailleur? The front one is totally seized up so I'm willing to let that go. It seems like I should save this one and use it as a hacky 1x set up with a new narrow/wide chainring at the front. I know I wouldn't get much range but some range is better than nothing, no? There doesn't seem to be such thing as a wide range 8 speed cassette and even if there was I assume this mech wouldn't fit it. Would love some advice here. This build is meant to be cheap where possible, but I'm not trying to be a total skinflint. If I could get a replacement derailleur + cassette off the bay or elsewhere for not much then I might as well do that. Answers on the back of a postcard please.
Hopefully tomorrow the LBS will free the cranks, I'll throw the Dahon at an enemy and start building up the orange next week.
FAQ
Why have you done things in the wrong order, the wrong way round, with the wrong tools and with the wrong motivation in your heart?
I don't know. I'm very green, please let me know if there's something I could have done better here.
I see a cat bed but no cat, what gives?
Please see my avatar for a picture of my cat, Monkey.