Kalkhoff Folding Bike Finished

Hello and Welcome, As I am typing this the Kalkhoff Folding bike is 98% finished. By the time I publish this it will be complete. We finally had another warm front come through. So I got busy in the shop/garage cleaning up the remainder of the reusable parts.

Above: Cutting off the damaged part of the chain guard went pretty well. Now it reminds me of the chain guards that were popular when I was but a wee lad. Reusing the original guard spared me the hassle of trying to retro fit a universal guard. Not to mention it kept the cost down. For cutting the plastic I used a hand held electric jig saw. For blade selection I chose a metal cutting jig saw blade with small teeth, similar to a hack saw blade. This is the same blade I used when cutting plexiglass when I made new fixed rear side windows for the Ford Ranger.
Above:I cleaned up the original German made pedals using a fine brass wheel brush in combination with a fine brass detail brush. Then I polished the metal parts with Turtle Wax Chrome Polish and Rust Remover. For cleaning up the blocks I used a fingernail scrub brush. This type brush is perfect for cleaning up rubber pedal blocks.
Above: I`m not sure if everyone knows what type of brush I meant. So here is a picture. This little brush works like it was designed for scrubbing dirty old pedal blocks. And I just want to make sure you get the right one :)
Above: This is the removable chain guard mounting bracket typically used on wrap around type chain guards. I cleaned this up quickly using a fine brass wheel brush on the high speed DeWalt keyless chuck drill. While wearing my Safety Glasses of course.
Above: The original kickstand, Made in Italy. Also cleaned up using the fine brass wheel brush on the DeWalt high speed drill. For polish I used Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish.
Above: For cleaning up the touring brake levers I also used Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish. I could have made these look better it I had wire brushed them. But the aluminum tends to bleed out more after it is brushed. Probably not a good thing for brake levers to do. So I chose the lesser of the two evils.
Above: I had to cut off the original brake lever mounting bolts and nuts. So I took my $5.00 certificate and went to Peter's True Value on M59 on the far west side of our little town. I hit the bolt section just as "the bolt guy" was there taking inventory. He found the perfect replacements in about 30 seconds. While I was there I grabbed another jar of Mother's.
Above: I cleaned the grips using the fingernail brush and hand soap. They look virtually unused. That's a real bonus! Usually at least one of the grips (if not both) are in rough shape. This will save me a few more bucks.
Above: This is basically the same Velo Tempo Z Saddle I originally put on the Kalkhoff. But this saddle does not have another bike manufacturers logo on it. And it is not all "girly" looking either. They really are the same Velo saddle, both have the memory foam and the exact same size and shape. I refuse to install a huge farm tractor saddle on this cool little bike.
Above: Of course I have two fork mount generator lights that are designed to work on the left fork leg or blade. And this bike has the generator mounting bracket on the right fork blade or leg. And yes I really did try to make it work. Time to get a look at what all of this stuff looks like on the bike.
Above: The side pull caliper brakes are looking good, all hooked up with new Jag Wire Basics cables and housings and shoes.
Above: The brake levers with the new mounting bolts and the grips all cleaned up. Of course the new Wald handlebars really make the grips and levers look better as well.
Above: The alloy kickstand and the left (cotter) side of the 2 piece crank. You can also see the detachable chain-guard bracket we were talking about on the Face Book page.
Above: The new chain and cleaned up pedals and chopped chain guard. The new rear 20 inch tire is looking good as well. You may notice the shift linkage hanging from the rear hub. At this point I am still awaiting delivery of the new seat post and Sturmey Archer 3 speed Shifter. I also need to clean the main tube with Goo Gone and install the faux Kalkhoff decals. I will hold off posting any more full side shots until the bike is 100% finished.
Above: The tall micro adjust seat post is an awesome upgrade for this little bike. Even if the original post had been in better shape I think I would have made this upgrade. I think a micro adjust post is one of the best upgrades you can make for about $15.00 US or less.
Above: Here I am getting the vinyl sticker ready to be applied. Using my True Value card I rub over the decal applying pressure. This helps make sure the vinyl does not stick to the backing when you peel it off.
Above: Once I have applied the vinyl sticker, first I rub it by hand to make sure it has adhered itself to the tube. Then I peel the clear plastic off on a sharp angle. I am not pulling the plastic away as much as I am pulling it down. It is done this way "again" to help prevent the vinyl from coming off with the clear plastic. The link to "Stickers By Design" is on the links list in the right column of this page. Detailed instructions will come with your vinyl stickers. Make sure you let them which font and color you want.
Above: The new Sturmey Archer shifter was a simple installation thanks to Sheldon Brown. I did look up his instructions again, just to be sure I got it right. The only problem I had was seeing what the #@!! I was doing. The light in the basement (not unlike the shop/garage) leaves much to be desired. I finally got the shift cable end seated into it's little slot inside the shifter everything went smoothly after that.
Above: Not exactly like the original stickers, but I think they look pretty damn good. I believe the total cost for 4 stickers including shipping was about 7 dollars. If you ask me, that is a fair price for personalizing your bike or advertising on your custom build or resto-mod.
Above: I am very satisfied with the way this Kalkhoff folder came out. I test rode it today with the Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub hooked up for the first time. And it functioned perfectly. Also the "wrong side" generator light works fine. Although I would supplement it with a battery operated L E D Bicycle light Set before I rode it at night.
Above: A shot of the port side of the bike. If I still lived in the "old neighborhood" this little bike would be perfect for riding uptown. (which was only a mile from our house) Around here it would be more of a novelty than a "ride into town" bike. But it is a blast to ride! But there is "no way" that I am keeping it.
Above: I added one of my blog stickers to the port side chain stay. Is it still called the chain stay even though it is on the opposite side from the chain?
Above: No doubt, a badge is better. But I still like the Kalkhoff delta logo. There is something very familiar about this logo, I just can't put my finger on it. I was in the "Delta Section" in junior high school? No that's not it...hmm. I am sure it will come to me latter.
Until Next Time Please RIDE SAFELY and Always Remember to....RESCUE, RESTORE & RECYCLE
Cheers, Hugh
Above: I forgot to mention, I added this Bell Trunk Bag. It just seemed to be the perfect fit for this little Kalkhoff folding bike.
A Special THANK YOU to those of you have been checking out Hugh's Online Bike Shop. You probably noticed that I am now adding word links to components, tools and supplies ect ect that I mention in my blog posts. Like the Store these links are powered by amazon.com . I am doing this to make it more convenient to purchase things that interest you on the blog. Also if you are new to bicycle work, and you are not sure what I am talking about? You can click on the word link just to see some examples of what I am referring to. I look at this as a positive change and I hope you do too.
Thanks, Hugh

Kalkhoff Restoration / Fenders, Wheels & Tires

Hello and Welcome, The Kalkhoff folding bike restoration is coming along nicely. Now that the brake calipers are cleaned up and installed it is time to do see what can be done with the mudguards and struts.
Above: Initially I tried polishing the fenders with Mother's Mag & Aluminum Polish. While the mudguards did look much better after polishing, there was still some discoloration. I`m not really sure if you would call it oxidation? But for lack of a better word, I`ll go with that. I decided to brush the fenders. I did this using a Fine Brass wheel-brush on my high speed DeWalt 3/8 keyless chuck drill.
Above: When it comes to protecting the freshly brushed aluminum I am going to try using "Eastwood Metal Protect" . From the reviews I have read this sounds like a good economical choice. Having the mudguards anodized clear would probably be too expensive. I also read somewhere you can use a "silicone based" lubricant like TriFlo spray lubricant. But I have not read any reviews yet about using that method.
Above: I also cleaned up the struts, again using the fine brass wheel brush (high speed drill) and a little fine automotive grade sand paper. To dress up the installation a little I added leather washers at the connection point (above). The struts will also need to be protected. to protect the struts I will use Turtle Wax Chrome Polish & Rust Remover. There was a slight bend in one of the rear struts. I was able to hammer it out using my Ball Pein Hammer on the anvil part of my bench vise.
Above: The front wheel was rusty, but it looked savable. First I brushed between the spokes using a brass detail brush. Then I polished it using Turtle Wax Chrome polish & Rust Remover. Afterwards I touched up around the spoke nipples using the brass detail brush. Then hand buffed the rim with with a clean rag. I brushed the side of the rim (braking surface) using the fine brass wheel brush. For the spokes I used Armor All cleaning Wipes, and fine automotive grade sand paper on the nasty looking spokes.
Above: I cleaned the flanges and outer hub using the brass detail brush and the wheel brush on the high speed drill. Fortunately the bearings still had some grease so the cups cleaned out fairly easily using Armor All Cleaning Wipes. on hand, I went ahead and replaced them anyway.
Above: Thanks to the Sturmey Archer internal 3 speed hub with the oil port, the rear wheel was in much better shape. The oil tends to splatter and coat / protect the rear wheel. (and anything else it gets on) I added a few drops of multi weight oil to the rear hub. There are different opinions as to which type oil to use in an older Sturmey Archer hub. Some claim a lighter clear oil is best. Others say a heavier oil is better, as it will stay in the hub and splatter less. I say any oil is better than none. I "think" my little oil bottle has some left over 20W 40 motorcycle oil in it. The rear wheel cleaned up the same way as the front, only much easier :) when I spin the rear wheel while holding the freewheel cog in place and manipulate the shift chain linkage by hand, I can hear the hub is functioning properly. Please! Do not do this with the chain in place (just in case). And be careful to keep your fingers out of the spokes! Consider yourself CAUTIONED.
Above: After the wheels were cleaned up it was time for some fresh rim strips. I found if I warm up these strips first they are a little bit easier to stretch. After installing the tape I had some spots where the tape had folded over or was off center. To fix this I carefully slid a small screwdriver under the tape spanning across the rim. As I slid the driver along under the tape I could work out the folds and manipulate the tape to one side or the other. When I was finished doing this the rim strips looked sweet. Now I am ready for new tubes and tires.
Above: When ordering inner-tubes I like to order the smallest tubes that will fit. Example: If I need tubes for a 27 x 1 1/4 inch tire. I will order a tube that fits a 1 & 1/8 to 1& 1/4 inch tire. But I Would Not order a tube that fits a 1 & 1/4 to a 1 & 3/8 inch wide tire. I have found that a larger tube will be more prone to getting pinched between the bead and the rim during mounting.
Above: Here I have inflated the inner tube just enough to hold it's shape. I insert the tube into the tire with the valve located directly under the inflation info on the sidewall. You can see this tube is not over sized and sits down in the tire nice and low away from the bead. This should be a simple tire mount. There are few other things you want to make sure are correct before purchasing new inner tubes. One make sure it is the same valve type. The most common ones are Schrader valves and Presta valves. If you have taller rims you will need to make sure the valve stem length is correct as well. You can also purchase puncture resistant and self sealing tubes as well. I have heard there is another type valve on the market now as well, called a Dunlop valve. Like it wasn't confusing enough already!
Photo (above) Courtesy of -online-bikes.co.uk
Above: The three most common valve types. Keep in mind, if you change valve types you may need an adapter or need to re-drill the valve stem hole in your rim. When purchasing an air pump you will want to make sure the new pump will connect to the valves you use. My pump the "JoeBlow Sprint" will work with Schrader or Presta valves. UPDATE: I am still very pleased with my JoeBlow Sprint pump by Topeak .
Above: I like to start mounting the tire right at the valve so I can make sure the valve is straight and in the proper location. Then I flip the wheel over and start directly across from the valve stem and work the tire onto the rim by hand finishing at the stem. (as shown above) Note: Some tires are directional so check for the rotation arrows on the sidewall of the tire before you start.
Above: These tires arrived cold "like everything else around here this time of year". If your unmounted tires are cold warm them up a bit before you try to install them. This simple thing will make the job much easier. I might add.. If you are having trouble getting the tire on the rim try removing a little air from the tube. After mounting the tires I normally inflate the tires to about 20 lbs psi then let the air out and refill the tires. This should remove any kinks that you may have in the tube. Sometimes with high pressure tires I will only fill them about 65 to 75% and let them set a day or two before maxing out the pressure. Keep in mind... These are just suggestions, what works for me might might not work for you.
Above: The original rack all cleaned up. I have been amazed before by how well "what appears to be a cheaply made rack" with "less than stellar chrome work" will clean-up so nicely. Don`t be to quick to replace the old rack is the message here. A little brass brushing and Turtle Wax Chrome Polish & Rust Remover will go along way. And Please be sure to wear your safety glasses! Yesterday I literally had to remove a brass bristle from my left nostril. When that brass wheel brush is spinning at high rpm's those bristles are like little darts! I was thinking yesterday, If I had not been wearing my glasses and that little bugger had stuck in my good eye, I would have been in Deep $#!7
Above: The little chrome rack has really exceeded all my expectations. And with a little maintenance should give several more years of service . Until Next Time Please RIDE SAFELY and Remember to Always .... RESCUE, RESTORE & RECYCLE! Cheers, Hugh
Thanks again to those of you who have been checking out "Hugh's Online Bike Shop". Recently I added some smaller bikes like this 24 inch (wheel size)Diamnodback Cobra Mountain Bike. (shown above) I have also added some even smaller tyke and kids bikes as well. If you see something that is not in the store let me know (via comment) and I will do my best to get it in there. The Link to "Hugh's Online Bike Shop" is in the upper right column just below the Members/Followers. Cheers, Hugh

Kalkhoff Restoration / Brakes, HeadSet & Crank

Hello and Welcome, For the past month or so the weather here has been pretty brutal. I have been doing some of my bike work in the basement. However, do to fumes and dust etc. etc. some of the work has to be done in the shop. Because of the harsh weather, not much "shop work" has been getting done around here lately.
But there is good news! Today we are supposed to be back in the mid to upper 40's Fahrenheit. When the temp gets up around 40+ degrees F the heaters can get it up well over 50 degrees in the shop. The shop/garage is not insulated and has thin metal overhead doors. So basically when it is in the mid to low 20's F it is impossible to get it anything close to comfortable in there.
Above: The Kalkhoff looking pretty much the same as did did the day I found it (I guess) about 3 years ago . I remember thinking, Where in the hell am I going to find a stem that long? I was not aware until recently that tall stem quills are actually fairly common, and not all that hard to find. So that is what happens when I "go negative". I just set the little bike aside, not wanting to deal with "what turned out to be no real issue at all". There is a message in there somewhere.
Above: Once I had stripped the bike down to the frame I moved the frame inside and cleaned it up in comfort using Armor All Cleaning Wipes. My plan was to do the dirty work in the shop, then bring the components inside as they are finished. This all seemed like a really good plan. And it was, at least until the temp dropped way down below freezing.

Above: I decided to start with cleaning up the brake calipers. This would give me a chance to try out the new Kendal 160 Watts Ultrasonic Cleaner.

Above: Here I have placed the parts into the basket and put the basket into the tank. Then filled the tank with warm water (this saves heat up time) and added about 10% Simple Green Biodegradable All-Purpose Cleaner . Then I ran it through 3 or 4 full cycles. Note: I have not placed any plastic parts into the cleaner. And I will put the top on the cleaner before running it through the cycle(s).

Above: Here the caliper brake is re-assembled. Notice the barrel adjuster and some of the smaller bits look a little dull. It is also pretty obvious that the caliper will still need to be polished with Mother's. The caliper on the left is untouched and is shown only for comparison.

Above: Although polished, I will still need to clean up the barrel adjusters using the fine brass wheel brush on the high speed drill. I might add that pre cleaning the caliper parts made it much easier (and quicker) to polish up the caliper brakes. And I used much less Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish than I normally would.

Above: Both calipers finished, including polishing and cleaning up the barrel adjusters and smaller bits using the fine brass wheel brush on the DeWalt keyless chuck high speed drill . A low speed drill will also work fine. It was cold in the shop and I wanted to get the wheel-brushing done as quickly as possible. On the right is the front brake caliper with the barrel adjuster mounted up top. This is because the Jagwire Basics Galvanized Brake Cable is routed to the caliper from above. The rear brake caliper (on the left) is reversed because with the step through frame the cable is routed so that it comes to the caliper from below. I deliberately showed this process in steps to illustrate just how important each step is. I have also installed new Jag Wire brake shoes. Once the levers are polished and the new Jag wire cables and housings are installed, the brakes should look (and work) like brand new when finished.

Above: Here I have mounted the rear bicycle brake caliper on the bike. It makes sense (to me anyway) to mount the caliper before the mudguard (fender). I can adjust the position of the fender, I can not adjust the location of the brake caliper. The two holes above the caliper are for attaching the rack. I hope the scratches I can see there will be hidden when the rack is installed.

Above: I have decided to do rebuild the Head Set next reusing the headset bearings and cups (A&B). Fortunately there was still some grease on the bearings and the cups are not scored. Now I can see if the Ultrasonic Cleaner can do what I really wanted it for. And that is to degrease and clean some old cartridge bearings. I will clean the Head Set bearing cups in place. Since they are fairly clean and undamaged, I see no real upside to removing them.

Above: Here are the Headset (H) and Bicycle Bottom Bracket Bearing (C) all cleaned up. Also the hardware for the left side crank (LC), And the top threaded race, spacer and cap nut (HRC) for the Headset. On these the Kendal Ultrasonic Cleaner worked Great! This cleaner should pay for itself "if it holds up". The White Lightning Clean Streak I usually use for this is really wonderful stuff. But it's not cheap and does get expensive after a while.

Above: The Threaded Headset is typical except for a few little odd things. First, after the cap nut is installed there is about an inch or so of threaded Steerer tube exposed at the top. Second there is a clamp that fits over the exposed Steerer tube (as seen above). Also the Steerer tube is slotted so the clamp actually constricts or clamps the Steerer tube to the stem.
Above: The stem is also secured to the inner steer tube by way of a wedge nut. Although this one has more the "cork shaped" type nut. On this type stem the bottom of the stem is also slotted. So as the cork shaped nut is pulled up into the stem (by tightening the stem bolt located at the top of the stem) it expands the bottom of the stem securing it to the inside of the Steerer tube. And there is still one more rather odd thing about this stem.
Above: The Stem bolt (Red Arrow) also acts as a clamp bolt for the handlebars. This would explain the extra clamp on the top of the exposed threaded Steerer tube. Otherwise if you wanted to adjust the angle of the handlebars you would have to loosen up the stem as well. Normally I am amazed by German Engineering. In this case I am baffled and confused..ltms
Above: Due to some severe rust that was beyond "simply removing & polishing" I had to replace the stem. The new stem has a typical wedge nut and a separate bolt for the handlebar clamp. I like this set up much better. However, I do understand that with the longer than usual stem attached to a shorter than usual headset the extra clamp on top of the the Steerer tube "might" be a good idea.
Above: This part is for the newer folks :) Not all stems are the same diameter (or height) so take your measurements carefully. Then measure them again.
Above: The original handlebars were also rusted too badly to be saved. I replaced them with these Wald Handlebars which are very affordable.
Above: Another quirky or interesting thing about the little Kalkhoff is this 2 piece crank. The left side crank arm is a typical cotter type. While the drive side arm, chain-ring and bracket spline are all one unit. I do nor recall running across one of these before. This unit cleaned up fairly easily using the fine brass wheel brush and a brass detail brush for rust removal. Then I polished it all up using Turtle Wax Chrome Polish & Rust Remover.
Above: This pic shows how the outer race and cap are incorporated into one unit with the bracket spindle and the crank and drive side arm. Much easier to install than a one piece crank, that's for sure. For what it is, I think this 2 piece crank is really cool.
Above: Here I have cleaned up the inner races (which are in really fine shape) and repacked and installed the crank or bracket bearings. Looking at this bearing cartridge in place I was thinking "THIS does not look right at all". I was wrong, it went back together just fine.
Above: This looks a little "smudged up" from my greasy fingers. The crank is actually very bright and shiny!
Above: Yours Truly On vacation "Up North" a few years ago. Next time I will pick up this restoration with the mudguards, wheels, rim strips, tires etc. etc. Until Next Time Please RIDE SAFE and Remember to Always......RESCUE, RESTORE & RECYCLE!.......................................... Cheers, Hugh
Thanks again to those of you who have been checking out "Hugh's Online Bike Shop". Recently I added some smaller bikes like this 2013 Diamondback Cobra 24inch Mountain Bike. I have also added some even smaller tyke and kids bikes as well. If you see something that is not in the store let me know (via comment) and I will do my best to get it in there. The Link to "Hugh's Online Bike Shop" is in the upper right column just below the Members/Followers. Cheers, Hugh