Category Archives: Children’s Bikes

Something for everyone

Our last update includes something for everyone. The Raleigh Bicycles needed some new rubber courtesy of Schwalbe tires. Chunky 20×1.9″ Black Sharks replaced the badly perished items that were threatening the bike’s safety. Mum’s bike, which is used for the odd pootle to the shops via the canal towpath was treated to a snazzy basket. Finally, the Boardman Bikes needed a new cassette (thanks Shimano-Road), a new chain (ta ever so KMC Chain Europe B.V.), replacement gear cables (indebted as ever Fibrax Limited), some replacement brake pads front and rear and an Annual Service. Fingers crossed, tackling the Tour o’f the Borders event yesterday was more fun as a result!

Ridgeback Velocity and Revolution Cairn

Quick mid-week catch-up of what’s been passing through the doors. First, a Mum’s Ridgeback and son’s Revolution that both needed a bit of tinkering with their gears. The Ridgeback’s chain would skip off the top and bottom of the cassette, whilst only 4 of the six Revolution’s gears were available. Some jiggery-pokery with high and low stops and cable tension and both were shifting smoothly.

Carrera Detonator

This Carrera Detonator wouldn’t stop stopping. And it wouldn’t allow you to change from one chain ring to another. By replacing the brake cable on the Clarks mechanical disc brake with a shiny Fibrax Limited item, and cleaning, degreasing, lubing and adjusting the front derailleur, all three chain rings became available. Hoo-hah!

Ridgebacks

Finally we have a couple of Ridgebacks which were a little worse for wear. New Fibrax Limited cabling, a new Suntour chainset, Shimano MTB bottom bracket (as you’ll see, the old bottom bracket had outlived its usefulness) and SRAM MTB twist shifter for the MX24 and new grips meant they were ready to go for a family ride (weather permitting!)

B-Twin

Why, oh why, would any retailer (mentioning no names) spec brake levers like this on a child’s bike? Anatomically incorrect and made of materials which actually create friction when applying and releasing the brake. As a result, the owner of this B-Twin struggled to apply the brakes, and when they did engage, they didn’t release correctly. New Raleigh Road levers fitted along with new Fibrax Limited brake cables. That’s more like it…according to its owner, it’s like a ‘new bike’. Just in time for Christmas too!

Muddyfox

You can tell Christmas is on its way; this is the first ‘bike in a box build’ to come through the workshop. Fully built up now and one lucky lad’s going to get a very pleasant surprise on Christmas morning.

Frog

Next up we have one of the excellent Frog bikes. A real competitor to the likes of Islabike…nice light frames with excellent componentry. This one was purchased on-line and arrived with skipping gears. Rear derailleur adjusted and cable tension amended and all gears were accessible with lightning changes.

Saracen Tufftrax

Busy week after being off for a couple of weeks convalescing. First up there’s a Saracen Tufftrax that came off second best to a chunk of rock…well, it’s rear derailleur did anyway. The gear hanger needed adjusting to bring everything back in line, and a new Shimano MTB Tourney rear derailleur fitted. Gears adjusted and it was off again.