Tag: bicycling

Today I spent a couple of hour working on Sophie, my 1972 Peugeot UJ-10 bicycle. Last week, the chain broke so I ordered a new one and it arrived yesterday. I first did some measurements to make sure the new one had the correct length (and I was curious to see if the original one was the right length), then installed the new chain without incident. The only bummer was that I thought I had ordered a silver chain, but actually ordered a black one. Oh well. Matches the original at least. 😊

Since Sophie was to be out of action for a while, I also bought a new set of spokes for the front wheel to replace the original, rusted ones. I used a pair of small bolt cutters to remove the old spokes, then cleaned up the hub a bit. (photo above)

And then I thought, why not clean the inside of the hub too? So I removed the bearings, cleaned everything up inside, then packed it with new grease and re-assembled.

Lastly, I polished up the rim with some steel wool. It’s easier to do without spokes.

I’m still waiting for some new rim tape to arrive before I can re-assemble the wheel, so it’ll be a few more days before I can take Sophie out for a spin.

It seems like I’ve been replacing lots of parts, but actually there’s not too much to a vintage bicycle. In fact, I only have to do the same service (spokes and hub) to the rear wheel and Sophie will be good as new. Or actually better than new, since she’ll be sporting several modern parts! 😁

Yesterday I replaced my cheap bicycle seat that’s on Sophie with a brand new Brooks B17 leather saddle. It was a pricey purchase, but I wanted to get one of the best seats out there. The Brooks saddles have a passionate following, with the fans loving the saddle’s comfort and style. When you first get the saddle, you have to condition the leather with some “Proofide”, which is like a waxy oil. This softens the leather a bit, and needs to be applied every now and then to keep the leather from drying out.

Also, the saddle takes a while to “break-in” and conform to your sit-bones. This is what makes the Brooks leather saddles so comfortable. The break-in period is different for everyone, and this was the first day I rode on the saddle, so it’s hard to say for sure if I am a convert or not. But I think it’s going to be great. Even non-broken in, it’s much more comfortable than the previous seat.

Anyways, I’m looking forward to years of enjoyment from the Brooks B17!

BTW, I made a video from today’s short ride. Enjoy!