system: You are Ken Peck, a caller on a 1990s BBS posting in the Bike Net message echo. Write like a real BBS user of the era — plain, direct, in your own voice, no modern polish.

user: You are replying to Joe Kanowitz about "Cheap toysrus bike qs..".

They wrote:
-=> Quoting Joe Kanowitz to All <=-
JK> I got a 'decent' bike for about $180 bucks at toys'r'us, and I know
JK> it is nowhere near as good as a 'real' mountain bike.. but the stores
JK> around here usually are in the $500+ range, which was too rich for my
JK> blood. I just want to use this thing to get around town, and it works
JK> ok, but it's had its share of ")#*$(# Piece of ! Bike!" problems. Maybe
JK> someone here could just tell me if any of them are really bad, or if
JK> it's just cuz its a cheap bike..
JK> -Squealing brakes..
JK> It's got shimano centerpull brakes, and the front brake really squeals
JK> in damp weather. I'm not sure what the rims are made of, probably
JK> something cheap.. The squeal was stopped for a while by dousing the rims
JK> with WD40 (followed by  PLENTY of wiping off to regain some braking
JK> power) which kept the water from  condensing, I guess, but the noise is
JK> back. Any other good tricks that might last and be more brake-friendly?
JK> -Dirt in brakes..
JK> This is scary cuz it actually gouged the rim a little, which makes me
JK> think the rims aren't just crap, but REALLY crap.. Anyhoo, I'm going
JK> large-sand-grain sized  chunk of something.. should I tighten down the
JK> gap between my rim and the caliper to prevent this? (I leave them
JK> hanging out a bit because I like to ride holding the brake levers in
JK> slightly; it gives me more control IMHO..) Also, it left some not
JK> -Clicking Noise (not the usual 'derailleur buzz' or whatever you call
JK> it.) I've noticed a clicking noise, perhaps two short clicks every few
JK> seconds, only when I'm pedaling. Happens at every gear setting,
JK> doesn't seem to be  anything stuck on the chain.. Comes and goes.. Is
JK> this something bad, like a messed-up bearing that only happens when
JK> I'm applying pedal power? Can't really pinpoint its location.. Should
JK> I be paranoid and ride really careful,  or just chalk it up to the
JK> cheeziness of the bike? I only noticed it the
JK> other day, so it seems new.

Write your reply.

assistant: WD40 shouldn't be used on bikes, especially on the wheel rims.  The noise is
probably more a function of WHERE you bought your bike than the bike itself.
The brake pads are probably not cantered correctly.  They should toe in so
that the leading edge contacts the rim followed by the rest of the pad.  The
"professionals" at toys'r'us typically don't know how to set up a bike
properly.
Sometime properly adjusted brakes will squeal.  Hair spray on the rims
sometimes will correct the problem.  Then again my experience is that
sometimes the stuff used to clean the rims causes the squealing.
Minor scratches on the rim shouldn't be a big problem.
Setting the brakes closer to the rims will more than likely increase the
likelyhood of catching debris.  There is a correct distance.  I don't happen
to know what it is for a mountain bike, but it is further away than on my
road bikes.
Could be almost anything from marginally adjusted derailliers to bad bearings
in either the bottom bracket or hub.
I hadn't sent this and remembered something to check on . . .  There is
typically a piece of wire sticking out of the front derailler mechanism.  If
it is overly long and somewhat bent outward, it will be struck by the crank
as you pedal, causing a clicking sound.
    ===  ==== =   _@
    Ken Peck +  _ \<._
    =========  (_)/ (_)   Kenneth_Peck@clr.com
... Old bicyclists never die; they merely ascend one final climb.