Replacing the drivetrain on a 2003 Cannondale Bad Boy

[americancyclo]

I picked up a 2003 Cannondale Bad Boy two years ago from a local seller of auctioned bikes, and it’s now got a little over 3,000 miles on it. It’s served me well towing the kid, romping through mud, snow, and an unplanned trip through wakefield. It’s my rain bike and my metro bike, so it’s loved, but also very neglected. It needed some TLC when I bought it, and according to my Strava parts log, I’ve only upgraded the wheels, tires, saddles and brakes.

Inevitably I knew I was going to replace the drivetrain, and now that time has come. The big ring on my triple chainring has started to skip under load, the chain is embarrassingly red from rust, and the rear cassette is screaming out in pain, I’m sure.

For all I know, the parts are all 10 years old. most of them say Deore or Deore XT on them.

I’m thinking an Alivio groupset, but wanted to ask if anyone had any advice. I have the tools to install the cassette, chain, and brakes, but don’t have the tools for the BB or the Crankset. I’d also need to get some cable housing as well.

Also considered asking on DC Used Bicycle Marketplace for cheap parts, but that might be too much of a grab bag.

It’s been a while since I’ve worked on anything more than brakes and cable tension, so it there anything that I’m completely missing?

Thanks!
[IMG]http://bikearlingtonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7974&stc=1[/IMG]

Topic

[ShawnoftheDread]

Why not just replace the worn ring, chain, cassette, and cables?

[paulg]

If the chain is skipping in the big ring it’s probably time! You’ll have to replace everything from chain rings and/or crankset , chain and cassette. if you try to use one of those worn parts the new parts don’t play well with them and it skips like mad.

Make sure the speeds of your new cassette match the old one for shifter and possibly hub compatibility.

You can maybe get away with just changing the chain rings of the crankset but you still have to pull the crankset off the BB which you would need the a tool that you don’t have. A bike co-op type place might help you out with tools or you can probably get a crank puller fairly cheaply.

If you are replacing cables, it’s well worth getting a proper cable cutter with curved shears.

Lubing the chain every now and again helps too. :o)

[TwoWheelsDC]

Looking at the Deore stuff, it looks like they use the Hollowtech external bearing BB, and my BB tool should work for that, so you’re welcome to borrow it. If it turns out to be an older square taper BB, I have a tool for that too (which would also work for installing Alivio BB, which uses a different BB than Deore from what I can tell). You’ll also need a torque wrench, which you’re also welcome to borrow. What I don’t have is any spare parts that would be of any use to you….

[peterw_diy]

“I’ve only upgraded the wheels, tires, saddles and brakes.”

“the chain is embarrassingly red from rust”

No chain replacements??? Sheesh!

You need to go read this at least twice before Dismal and I revoke your license to own a bicycle: http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

[rcannon100]

@americancyclo 109821 wrote:

[IMG]http://bikearlingtonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7974&stc=1[/IMG]

Hey, nice bike dude!

[DismalScientist]

@peterw_diy 109836 wrote:

You need to go read this at least twice before Dismal and I revoke your license to own a bicycle: http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

That’s funny. I was going to suggest this article: http://sheldonbrown.com/chainclean.html

[americancyclo]

@ShawnoftheDread 109826 wrote:

Why not just replace the worn ring, chain, cassette, and cables?

middle chainring is looking pretty bad too, although it doesn’t skip under load *yet*

@paulg 109827 wrote:

If the chain is skipping in the big ring it’s probably time! You’ll have to replace everything from chain rings and/or crankset , chain and cassette. if you try to use one of those worn parts the new parts don’t play well with them and it skips like mad.

Make sure the speeds of your new cassette match the old one for shifter and possibly hub compatibility.

You can maybe get away with just changing the chain rings of the crankset but you still have to pull the crankset off the BB which you would need the a tool that you don’t have. A bike co-op type place might help you out with tools or you can probably get a crank puller fairly cheaply.

If you are replacing cables, it’s well worth getting a proper cable cutter with curved shears.

Lubing the chain every now and again helps too. :o)

I’m looking to stay 9sp so it should all line up.

@TwoWheelsDC 109829 wrote:

Looking at the Deore stuff, it looks like they use the Hollowtech external bearing BB, and my BB tool should work for that, so you’re welcome to borrow it. If it turns out to be an older square taper BB, I have a tool for that too (which would also work for installing Alivio BB, which uses a different BB than Deore from what I can tell). You’ll also need a torque wrench, which you’re also welcome to borrow. What I don’t have is any spare parts that would be of any use to you….

It’s Dore from 2003 though, and bikepedia lists it as being a squre taper BB. It looks pretty different from the hollowtech on my ultegra setup.
@peterw_diy 109836 wrote:

“I’ve only upgraded the wheels, tires, saddles and brakes.”

“the chain is embarrassingly red from rust”

No chain replacements??? Sheesh!

You need to go read this at least twice before Dismal and I revoke your license to own a bicycle: http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

yeah, it’s a beater/bad weather bike. I paid 1/10th of what I paid for my nice bike, and i take care of it about as well too.
@rcannon100 109839 wrote:

Hey, nice bike dude!

thanks! and no mounts for Disc. too old.

[DismalScientist]

It may be cheaper to replace the entire crankset than individual chain rings. Still, there’s no reason to switch derailleurs if they work fine.

[Crickey7]

@rcannon100 109839 wrote:

Hey, nice bike dude!

Bad boys unite! 37k on mine and still rolling.

[americancyclo]

@Crickey7 109856 wrote:

Bad boys unite! 37k on mine and still rolling.

so after 37k miles, have you done any upgrades? What parts have you replaced that seem the most worth it?

[Crickey7]

@americancyclo 109858 wrote:

so after 37k miles, have you done any upgrades? What parts have you replaced that seem the most worth it?

The stock wheels were useless. I bought a set of 29-inch rims this fall and I’m running small block 35 mm cyclocross tires, which have been great this winter in terms of traction without much loss of speed.

At this point, I have replaced every part at least once except the crankset and the handlebar, and the crankset’s next. Not that much upgrading.

[Crickey7]

I stuck with Deore XT, which seems like a decent component groupset for the price. I replaced both front and rear derailleurs myself. Wasn’t too bad. I’ve replaced all the chainrings myself, though it’s getting harder to find ones that match the spacing on the older crankset–I have to get Vuelta brand, which are only so-so in terms of durability. I leave the BB to the LBS. Last year I fianlly got a professional chainwhip, a necessity when you’re dealing with bikes that maintained less often that they should.

[vvill]

Given that this is a beater bike I’d just replace the chain / cassette (can never get away from that on any bike), and the big ring. If you find out the BCD, it’s pretty easy to do and not that expensive if it’s just a 9 speed (?) – I think you can use any unramped/pinned ring for a 3/32″ chain (but I’m not 100% sure).

FWIW my MTB beater still has the original shifters, chain, crankset, BB – and it skips too. I did get new 7 speed cassette a couple of years ago, but only because the original rear wheel used a freewheel. I did upgrade the wheels and brakes (and I guess brake cables in the process). Sometimes I think about all the thousands and thousands of neglected bikes in regular daily abusage in other parts of the world, and I figure mine isn’t that different. I keep meaning to get a new chain though then I’d probably need a new cassette.

[Author]

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