OK so I haven't ridden my bike in about a year and I need to get it back in shape to ride. It has been outside on the porch. Any suggestions?
We talking steel frame, aluminum...? Your wheels; steel will be rusty but so long as it's not out of true then you should be OK there. Tires - dry rot? Tubes probably in similar shape. Add air & dunk 'em in the bathtub to see if they bubble up (or spray a soapy water mix to see if there are any bubbles). What about your other components; the gooseneck, crank, pedals rear derailleur, etc? Rust there will cause system failure @ worst & make it really difficult to pedal or steer @ best. Your grips might have crusted up by now & may need replacing. All of this is just about as important as the frame if not moreso.
If it has been sitting outside exposed to the weather, my guess is it is a cheap bike.... and it may not make a lot of sense taking a 100 dollar bike to get a 50 dollar tune up. Everything is probably rusted or rotted...
The bike is a GT Aggressor 3.0 Upon visual inspection the only thing that has a small bit of rust is the chain. Otherwise there is none. Tires are flat so they probably need to be replaced. Brakes seemingly work OK. Would any bike shop perform a tune-up? This is mostly for some casual riding, nothing serious. thanks for the input.
It may be just fine. DO go to a bike shop and get a big can of spray lube. Spray it liberally on the chaain and other moving parts. Let it sit a few hours, then wipe it off real good. Pump up the tires to recommended pressure (do you have a pump w/ guage/) It'll probably be okay, but be careful and safe.
What K-Man said. Air and lube. Tubes go flat over time, so they may not need to be replaced at all. Air them up one morning and check them the next - if they're holding air, you should be good for short rides at least. Don't go more than a mile or two away from your house until you're sure nothing's going to fall off.
buy some degreaser along with some lube. remove the chain and soak it a pan w/ the degreaser, go at it w/ a brush and then wipe it clean so you get all the accumulated dirt, rust, and gunk off. then slap it back on and apply some lube on the chain, chain ring, and casette. You're not going to get any spray lube into your bottom bracket or wheel hubs so don' t bother, all you'll end up w/ is a gooey mess which will soon become a muddy gooey mess. apply some lube to your cables and derailleurs too. make sure you dont get lube on your brake surfaces
