Little bit of help please...

[Tater]

DF just got his final shipment of household goods from Bahrain and in this shipment is his bike. Now, this was due to be delivered eight years ago but somehow, everything got lost. Anyway, I now have a Scott touring bike in pieces on the living room floor. I would love to see the look on DF's face when he gets home tonight and sees his bike put together and in working order. I know I need to check out the brake and shifter cables, tires and tubes just for starters. The chain and such looks good, just needs to be cleaned and lube-ed up. Is there anything else that I need to look at on a bike that has been in storage for the last eight years? Thanks!

[maillotpois]

If it's really been in storage for 8 years, it may need more serious work on things you can't see - hubs, bottom bracket, etc. - before it can be ridden too far. Certainly you can get it put together, tube/tires and lube, check cable tension and shifting/braking, but I would suggest that within the next few weeks you get it to the LBS to have them do an overhaul. It would not be good to do damage to something like a BB or hub because all of the lube leaked out of it during storage time.

[Dianyla]

Seconding the recommendation to repack the grease into the bearings in the hubs, crank, headset, etc. It might be fine, or it might have gone dry, or it might be fossilized sludge by now. Better safe than sorry.

[Tater]

Yup, I agree with you ladies and will be taking the bike into the LBS just to be safe. Yes, it actually was in storage for eight years, but is in surprisingly decent condition. DF is so excited to get out and ride with me, I don't want something to happen to him or the bike, so into the shop in goes!

Thanks!