Singlespeed Chain Tensioning

The chain on a singlespeed bike needs to be tensioned manually since there's no spring loaded derailleur to automatically add tension. If you find your chain too loose after installing your rear wheel, here's a quick way to tension it. First loosen both axle nuts. Now angle the wheel in the dropouts so that it's closer to the non-drive side:

 

Now tighten the non-drive side axle nut only. Next you should pull the wheel toward the center of the frame and tighten the other axle nut:

This will increase the tension on the chain. Check that the chain doesn't bind as you turn the pedals. If you feel any extra resistance then loosen the non-drive side locknut and retighten it again to relieve some of the tension. A binding chain will likely snap if you ride it like that. Generally you want a little bit of slack, but not so much that the chain can actually fall off by itself. Here's a decent setup:

 

Also keep in mind that chainrings usually aren't perfectly round so a chain that appears loose in one spot can still bind as you turn the pedals. If you're lucky you can get the perfect chain tension in your first try, if not then you just have to play around with the locknuts a bit until it's right.

Schwinn Varsity Overhaul

I recently got a nice old Schwinn Varsity that needed some serious restoration work. I basically did a full mechanical overhaul on it, repacking every bearing with fresh grease, cleaning the cables and drivetrain, and retensioning the spokes. I also took some pictures in case you're interested. First I removed the handlebars, brakes, fork, seatpost, wheels, pedals, chain, and cranks:

Yes, I'm using an old exercise bike as a stand. After cleaning out the dried up grease (more like dirt) in the headset cups I reinstalled the fork and shifters:

 
That solid steel fork weighs a ton by the way. Next I put the handlebars and saddle back in (I made sure to grease them first) so I could work on the bike upside down:

You don't want to do this on old road bikes if the cables stick out the top of the brake levers since this will kink the brake cables. I took the cables out though, so in this case it's ok. I then cleaned out the bottom bracket cups and reinstalled the cranks:

That solid steel crankset also weighs a ton. Next I repacked the wheel bearings with fresh grease and replaced the torn up rim strips underneath the tires. Here are the wheels back on the frame:

It's starting to look like a bike again. I then reinstalled the pedals (those needed a ton of oil in them to make them stop squeaking) as well as the chain (which I soaked in detergent and then motor oil). I also reinstalled the front derailleur's cable, which was caked in grime and wouldn't move:

Finally I reinstalled the brakes after replacing the frayed rear cable:

 

Here's the completed bike again. I will replace that dry rotted rear tire soon, but for now it rides great.

Cables

Bike cables consist of an inner steel wire and an outer cable housing. The inner wire is free to slide back and forth inside the housing, while the housing serves to keep the inner wire in place. The cable assembly needs to be clean and free of sharp kinks in order to function properly. I'll show you how to clean and lubricate your cables for best braking and shifting performance. I will use a brake cable on a Schwinn Varsity for reference.

On some bikes you don't have to unbolt the cable from your brakes or derailleurs in order to clean it. If the cable stops on the frame have a cutout in them you can slacken the cable, pull the housing out of the cable stop, and slide the inner wire through the cutout:

Now you can just slide the housings over and then clean and oil the part of the inner wire that rests inside the housings. If your bike doesn't have split housing stops the you have to unbolt the cable first:

If you're replacing the cable then you'll have to do this part anyway. Once the cable is free, just slide the inner wire out of each housing piece, then unhook it from the brake or shift lever:

Now you can clean the cable or just replace it if it's frayed or really rusty. Make sure to oil the inner wire a lot before you reinstall it. On these old road bike levers you need to hook the cable end into a rotating barrel inside the lever for installation:

 Here's another shot showing how the cable attaches to an old style brake lever:

 

Once it's attached to the lever, just thread the cable through the housing pieces and reattach it to the brake (or derailleur if you're doing a shift cable). I like to hold the brake pads to the rim, then pull the slack out of the cable and bolt the brake cable down:

Test if the bolt is tight enough by pulling on the brake lever as hard as you can. If the cable slips then tighten it up some more (be careful though, these little bolts break really easily). You can use the barrel adjuster to fine tune the brake feel once it's bolted down.

Freewheel Removal

I've mentioned freewheels in earlier posts, but I thought some pictures would clarify things a bit. If your bike has a freewheel you'll probably need a special tool to remove it. Unfortunately almost every brand uses a different tool. Even freewheels of the same brand can use different tools, so have fun with this part. There's also a method of removing a freewheel without the special tool. I've done that method many times, but reassembling freewheels gets pretty tedious so I'm glad I finally have the right tool. Well let's get started:

Here's the rear wheel with the freewheel still attached. Remove any quick release skewers or axle nuts first, then slide the tool into the freewheel's splines. With the tool in place, it's a good idea the screw the axle nut or quick release skewer back on to brace the tool and prevent it from slipping off:

Now put a big wrench around the tool and give it some serious force. You can also lock the tool in a bench vise and turn the wheel by the rim to unscrew the freewheel, this works well for the really stubborn ones.

Once the freewheel breaks loose you can unscrew the nut/skewer and then unscrew the freewheel the rest of the way. Here's the freewheel after removal:

That's all there is to it. Just make sure to put some grease or oil on the threads before you reinstall the freewheel, and make sure you don't cross thread it when you screw it back on.