Genuis Hour with Edward

I think I deserve a nice clean 88 because of these reasons:

My project wasn’t exactly easy, as many things can go wrong when working on bikes. Although I had backround experience with some off the things I did, I had no experience with painting

I think my project went better than last time as I wasn’t as stressed for it, it definitely wasn’t great or anything but still an improvement

This time I also had an expert last time I never got around to that part, although the wasn’t my first choice I still consider him an expert. I have seen him work magic on my bike, whether it’s finding out what’s wrong with my shocks telling me what brands to buy, etc.

So yeah there is my great explanation

I am gonna make a presenttaion so this will be short blog. Over last weekend I went ot Valemount BC and I went biking with my friends dad ( the expert) and watched him fix and ride bikes. I also rode bikes with him and his son. I have videos that will be in the presentation.

This weekend I am headed to Valemount British Colombia. (Near Japser). I will be with my expert (friends dad) and I will bike with his son. Over this weekend I was absolutly swamped. But I did get a new bike helmet. I am staying loyal to Giro. I went on a bike ride this weekend to the bird sancutary over by the northside (close to rundle). Although it was a road ride it was nice to get out for a long ride. I know it was at least over 20km. This weekend I was locked done by wedding shopping as my sister Ivy is getting married. So I got a bunch of fancy clothes when I should have been biking.

This week I spent some time looking for an expert and tuned my bike. But I was pretty busy this week with yard work, getting more driving experince, playoff hockey (poor oilers) and varius extra curriclulars, whether that may be softball or football. And I was fixing my families boat and prepping it for water, while also spending a day playing golf. I was pretty busy and didn’t have a done of my brainpower focused on genius hour so I will try to contact many people this week for and expert, it will probaly end up being my friends dad but I will try to go to a bike shop.

Over this weekend I finished the bike project build sort of. Everything that needed to be added, replaced, painted has been done because I added the brake this weekend. I bought some zip-ties and watched a youtube tutorial. It really wasn’t hard, I just got delayed by not having zip-ties and personal lack of effort. Here is how it went. I took off my grips, slid on the brake lever and put the grip back on. Then I but the wire through the lever, put some caps on the cable housing (usually black platic and metal cover) slid the housing onto the brake cable. Had to cut a little housing. After some time and effort I got the system the makes the brake work be able to get the wire in (its a confusing story). Then I cut the cable to size and but a cap on it. Now I have a working brake! There was great lighting for these photos so enjoy.

After a lot of hard work in the sun, the bike has been painted and reesembled. I spent the whole saturday preparing the bike with masking tape and then painting the frame. I started off with using the rest of my first paint can on the frame. I found out that the drop sheet was not the move; the wind kept blowing it, even with rocks on the corners. Since the wet paint was on the frame, it stuck to the sheet and peeled off. Then I the rest of the coats in a cardboard box. I had to stop and get another paint can then I contiued thriugh the rest of the day. Once everything was done I put the bike up on the stand and began the process of putting it back together. I put the fork back in and put the handlebars on to make the fork stay on. I had a friend help me with the rebuilding process by the way. I put the tires on and tried tirusly for 2 plus hours trying to re-link the chain with no luck. Once I got the link in I took the bike of the stand and put in a crank to little to no suprise the chain snapped. Because I was annoyed and my Mom was already going to the shop I asked to get a chain put onit for me. I went out for a ride, noticing most everything was loose I went back home made everything tight and now I need to get some stickers to cover up the iffy paint job. On my ride I also noticed that a brake would be pretty useful. And for a cherry on top my moutnain bike got a flat tire so I also changed that this weekend. Here are some photos.

This weekend I was funded my resources to paint the bike, so my dad and I went to Canadian Tire and bought a drop sheet a rough sander brush thingy to rough up the bike surface and of course some spray paint. I got white and a gloss coat spray bottles. To be safe I started with the fork. I roughed up the surface then painted I think 3 coats might be 4. see below.

After it dried I search the entire house trying to find a chain tool to remove the chain from the frame to prepare for painting. And I also but masking tape over the parts on the bike that can’t be painted.

It was quite the process but I removed the cranks and then the brake (which isn’t connected yet) and removed the handle bars so now its only the frame.

This week I removed all the stickers on the bike frame and prepared it for sanding. I removed the wheels and am going to remove the handle bars. I set myself a deadline for the paint job, I hope to finish by may. I plan to paint the frame a soft white (spun cotton if possible). Here is a photo of me trying to remove the stickers. I would use a hair dryer to heat the stickers and then would peel them off.

It was not possible to work on my genius hour project over the break as I was 6 hours away in Fernie skiing. Now this would have been good if this was last genius hour, I had lots of fun skiing (this time no backflips). I have seen some videos on how to paint a bike in my youtube feed, I will use these as instructions once I have bought my spray paint. I have an extra chain lying in my garage and Im going to use that on my the project bike I just have to find my chain tool.

Over the past week I changed the grips, tube and cleaned the bike. I changed the tire after 2 days (the bolt was ceased) I have changed tubes before so once I removed the wheel from the frame it was quite easy. The grips were real easy to change, just had to use and alan key. I did the best cleaning I could do with the weather, if it were hotter I could let the bike air dry and use the hose. But since its not summer yet I dried with a towel and used a bucket. (see below)

The cleaning agent is this car exterior cleaner (I already used all of the ral bike cleaner last summer) I mix it with water and fill the spray bottle, I use a variety of tools, cloths, brushes, and a toothbrush to clean the chain. I rode the bike around a little bit and now I definitly know I need to change the pedals, the ones currently on have little to no grip.

This what it looks like, with flat tire, old grips, and after it changed out