Question ~ handlebars/stems

[sandra]

When I go to check out all of the bikes in the barn tomorrow, I'm looking for handlebars that might work on my new mixte. How can I tell what size stem I have or if one I'm looking at will fit?

Dumb question I know, but I can't learn if I don't ask.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Do you know what kind of handlebars you want for your new bike?
I would hesitate to buy an entire whole old bike just for the handlebars, even for $10.
You might want to consider taking your time and reading up on various handlebars types a bit, putting your new bike together to see if it fits you and whether you will want to keep it first.
Handlebars come in great variety these days and are not that expensive- you can take your time and learn a bit first and then get handlebars that will serve your purpose well and will FIT you too. :)
If you slow the process a little more- you'll be more likely to wind up with something that suits you to a T.

First things first- we want to see some pictures of your vintage cherry mixte! :D

And yes, you can clean the bike with Simple Green (diluted according to the bottle of course) and some big soft brushes and sponges and a hose.
But depending on how dirty it is, you may need to degrease the drive chain- the front gear rings, the back gear cassette, and the chain. You should buy a bottle of "citrus degreaser" at your bike store. Follow the directions and don't leave the full strength degreaser on your frame too long-(it can start to dissolve paint if left on!- 3 minutes max is ok) . Then you'll need to hose it and suds the degreaser OFF thoroughly with soapy water again. Then you'll need to let the chain DRY THOROUGHLY overnight. Then you will need to have CHAIN LUBE and lube your chain well, also WIPE the outside of the chain off well with rags or paper towels after lubing. If you lube the chain when still wet, the lube will not get into and coat the links properly. You only want lube inside the chain links, not on the outside of the chain where dirt will stick to it.
You will want to buy a couple of innertubes that will fit your mixte tires. Do the current tubes have Presta or Schrader valves? Do you have a pump or pump valve adapter attachment for the tubes you buy for it?

Sandra- there is LOTS of fun stuff to learn about here- take your time and enjoy learning as you go. ;)

[sandra]

Thank you Lisa. That is very helpful. The bike is a beauty. I certainly want to keep it unless it's an awful fit.

The tires look almost new. I'm going to air them up and see how they hold overnight. I won't be going far on it, just in the neighborhood, so we'll see how they do. I'll get a couple of tubes anyway. My pump has Presta or Schrader so I'm set. I think it had Schrader, but I didn't have much time and didn't look at that.

I'm going to do all of that cleaning this weekend. Good recommendations!

I want something like Albatross bars for the bike, and for $10, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a bike if I saw a good set. I wondered how you know what size stem you have or need.

[DebW]

The stem you need is almost certainly to fit a 1" threaded steerer. Most older non-American (and some American) bikes will take the same size. Make sure the stem is long enough to get the bars where you want them. There is more variation in the stem-to-handlebar size, but if you find a bar-stem combo that you like, you'll be set. When you are shopping the used bikes, you could take a caliper set to the stem diameter you want to replace. You might find a cheap caliper that would work at a hardware store, or try a large crescent wrench for sizing. If the size is different, it will be different by 1/8 inch, so high accuracy is not necessary.