Had a date with Mary, Martha, Sarah, and Susan…

I had a date a few days ago with Mary, Martha, Sarah, and Susan. The Klein quadruplets. They were a little cold from being ignored for about 15 years, but once they got handled a little, they warmed right up.

When Gary Klein began producing his bikes with pressed in bottom bracket bearings and axle nigh onto over 20 years ago, he also created a set of tools to install and remove the bearings and axle. The individual tools were named Mary, Martha, Sarah, and Susan. The instructions must have been pretty fun to write with it’s suggestive innuendo.

“Put the stepped washer in the end of Mary and screw in the crank bolt until sung.” “With the nut, thrust bearing and Martha on the main screw, place the bearing against Martha and screw the main screw into the left end of the BB spindle.” A little sweat is forming on my brow so I’ll have to put the instructions down for the moment.

Anyway, I always enjoy working on bikes that require additional thought to fixing them. Such was the case with the Fisher that rolled in requiring new bearings. Usually, it’s pretty easy to punch out the bearings in this type of bottom bracket with it’s snap rings and internal collars to keep the bearings in place, but this one was rusted and corroded so out came the quadruplets.

New bearings and this 20 year old ride is ready for its next 20 years.