THE BOY OUTSIDE

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 90, 12 October 1929, Page 18

THE BOY OUTSIDE

You cannot stay indoors with such golden spring sunshine flooding the land, such a glorified countryside calling you to explore it. So you go down to the toolshed to get your old "mangle"! There "she" is; covered in cobwebs with patches of rust here and there on the nickel.' "She" goans in all her joints as you shift her, and squeaks plaintively as she is wheeled out. Poor old "grid," winter time hag done its worst, and yet. ... 1

You can save "her" life, though she looks past all hope. Here is the way. Take your bicycle out on to a strip of lawn or grass and turn the hose on it. Then wipe it down with a piece of onion or emery paper. Most of the dust and mud will have washed off, but oil and dust still remain in corners. Scrape these patches with a broken peg, and then 'saturate a rag with kerosene and rub the whole frame with it. . Then clean off all the kerosene with a dry cloth—watch the "bus. shine up! So much for the outside frame. Now for the vital parts—the squeaky joints, bearings, and chain!

With a "cone" spanner unloosen the nuts of the front wheel cone and pour a fqw drops of kerosene into the "axle," then lying the wheel horizontally, spin it several times. Now pour in a little lubricating oil. That's that! Do the same to the back wheel, being careful, if your bike is of the freewheel type, not to over-oil the backbrake band. Eemove the chain and place it in a tin of kerosene to soak while you take off the pedals, and driving wheel. -Smear the pedal bearings with a film of vaseline. (Be careful not to lose any of the ballr bearings.) Then drain the chain, wipe it, and put it back_ on the sprocket wheels and rub a piece of candle up and down it several times. Then oil your tteering fork and saddle joints. Loosen all the nuts and bolts on the framework and replace them if at all rusted. Smear film of vaseline on each nut and bolt to preserve it. Leave the grid standing for an hour to let the warm sun and oil do their work. Gradually tighten the cone-nuts, spinning the wheels to get them "true."

Then tighten every nut on the frame with n light spanner. Stand the bike on its wheels and go over the whole frame again with a heavier wrench,. Replace yourperished tubes with new ones. Inflate the tires. Your "bus" is now ready for hills and dales, mud and bitumenl ' .'""'■: