Cycle Repairing and Adjusting
With a Chapter on building a Bicycle from a Set of Parts

64 CYCLE REPAIRING remove, no harm will be done if they are left in the cranks ; but the platers prefer them removed. Removing Handle Grips.—Tyres must, of course, be removed from the rims and grips from the handle-bars. The latter is a job that requires care, as the grips may very easily be spoilt in getting them off the bars. They are generally fixed on with solid-tyre cement hot, and must therefore be made hot to remove them. One way to do this is to hold the bar in the gas flame, as near to the grip as possible without burning the grip. They are mostly celluloid now or celluloid tipped, and therefore very in- flammable. Do not hurry the job, but let the heat work up to the end gradually, then twist the grip off with the hand. Another way is to put it into hot water until the cement is softened ; but as this also softens the celluloid, care is required in taking off, or the grip is spoiled. If the grips are of the cork variety and somewhat the worse for wear, it will be advisable to fetch them off without ceremony and fit new ones ; they are cheap enough. Preparing Parts for Plating.—It is not necessary, as is sometimes commonly imagined, to polish up the parts with emery-cloth before sending to the plater’s. It is only necessary to wipe the greasy parts, and take every part to pieces that is possible. Remove all nuts, pins, screws, etc., and send them detached. Do not put nuts back on the spindles, etc., but leave them loose. Taking Wheels to Pieces.—If it is decided to have the hubs replated, this will necessitate taking the wheels to pieces and, of course, rebuilding them. If this is con- sidered too difficult a job, and the plating is not very badly