http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Forum: Stuff - Recent Posts en Thu, 05 Mar 2026 22:59:46 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=2602&page=31#post-383043 Sat, 31 Jan 2026 21:27:35 +0000 acsimpson 383043@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Would anyone like a pair kids cycling shorts. Size small (128), colour blue, brand Scott.</p> <p>Probably ideal for a 7-8 year old. Usable at 9 but to small at 10.</p> <p>Free to a home with such a child. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=17#post-382953 Thu, 22 Jan 2026 12:13:17 +0000 Arellcat 382953@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I had a lot of love for SunTour, back in the day. Their gear levers and chainrings were excellent. Still use Dia Compe brake levers; they made a lot of parts for SunTour. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=17#post-382952 Thu, 22 Jan 2026 11:51:03 +0000 chdot 382952@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“Hah! I had clipped my pump onto the frame at the wrong angle and the crank was gently knocking into the nozzle“</p> <p>‘Obviously’ it should have been obvious with a regular noise every time you turn the cranks. </p> <p>But bike problems aren’t always so simple… (even to people with a lot of experience of different bikes.)</p> <p>I started a list of “misdiagnosed maintenance problems” a while ago. </p> <p>One annoying mystery I had, similar to yours, was apparently skipping gears when in the smallest sprocket. Not an unusual thing in itself, but new freewheel, so, chain?</p> <p>Well, no. Turned out the problem was the pedal spindle. </p> <p>Skinny steel cranks with a pedal thread poking through. Changed pedals, no more ‘issue’. </p> <p>I’m slightly used to freehub problems. They don’t last forever. Usually it’s a skip caused by ‘sticky’ pawl. They are usually well sealed so a quick spray is probably optimistic - but anything to avoid dismantling/replacement. </p> <p>Problem was strangely infrequent - especially when I discovered the cause. </p> <p>I’m used to pulley wheels getting gunged up so they don’t turn smoothly, but this XT rear mech had somehow got a damaged tooth on one pulley which caused periodic chain slip - and misdiagnosis. </p> <p>I bought a bike a while ago which had not-perfect gear changes. Whole thing was a bit bitza, but a bargain, of course. <em>Eventually</em> I realised it had a 9 speed cassette and 8 speed lever. Replaced, sold, cassette!</p> <p>I had a similar problem (of my own making) with a 7 speed chain on 8 speed block. I usually find ‘mixed’ components ‘just work’ - whatever Shimano says. A ‘proper’ chain made a big difference.</p> <p>‘Usually’ Shimano mechs work fine with SunTour (remember them?) levers, but had one combination that refused to play nice. Can’t remember which one I changed. </p> <p>Then there’s non bike stuff. </p> <p>Not going to relate whole tale of the smoke alarm. </p> <p>Too long, too embarrassing. </p> <p>Different batteries, body swaps etc</p> <p>Still kept beepping </p> <p>Found a forgotten about CO2 detector saying its battery was end of life… </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=17#post-382951 Thu, 22 Jan 2026 10:25:49 +0000 Arellcat 382951@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The last couple of times I was riding my bike it had started making Yet Another Strange Noise, this being a click and a slight graunch every time I turned the pedals. I was convinced it was a pedal bearing and concluded it was the left, but then it seemed to be the right one. Sure enough, the bearings were very slightly loose, but really, on an XT SPD pedal, that I rebuilt not that long ago?</p> <p>I switched pedals and went out again but annoyingly it didn't fix anything. Hmm! I could feel the graunch each time I turned the cranks, soft pedalling or hard. I figured it must be the BB, even though it's not that old, and it's a Tange Seiki for crying out loud. But it wasn't wobbly or anything.</p> <p>Back in the garage I wondered more and turned the cranks gently. Hah! I had clipped my pump onto the frame at the wrong angle and the crank was gently knocking into the nozzle. Turned the pump a bit in its bracket, problem solved! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19434&page=10#post-382898 Mon, 19 Jan 2026 13:39:09 +0000 Baldcyclist 382898@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Actually that did work. Just loosened the drive side that holds on the rear mech, and the thru axle just slid out. Panic opver, phew!! Visions of sweat and blood, and much expense over. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19434&page=10#post-382896 Mon, 19 Jan 2026 12:35:38 +0000 Baldcyclist 382896@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>So, I thought I'd put my gravel bike on my indoor trainer instead of my road bike - for more comfiness on 2 hour training rides..</p> <p>So, took through axle out, realised bike wasnt going on trainer cos of the SRAM xplr groupset and need a different adapter.</p> <p>So put through axle back on, set torque wrench to 10Nm as prescribed. Now this is where stupidy/lack of nerves in hand/arm set in. I never fealt the click so kept tightening, and just as I thought, this feels quite tight the end on the through axle snapped. :/</p> <p>So how to I get that out now that it is overtightened?</p> <p>I'm hoping if I just undo the rear mech end to take the mech off that the whole lot will just come out the mech side - is there a fair chance of that happening? If not any ideas how to get it out? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14263#post-382326 Sat, 06 Dec 2025 20:54:04 +0000 chdot 382326@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>FOR THE RECORD </p> <p>Only person ever <em>banned</em> on CCE was the person who had curious ideas about a universal colour scheme for cycle routing. </p> <p>The ban followed abuse of people who didn’t agree with him… </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14263#post-382323 Sat, 06 Dec 2025 17:37:55 +0000 gembo 382323@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@acsimpson, many thanks<br /> @chdot many thanks for withdrawing your comment.</p> <p>I have a further phenomenon to record. Due to the threadbare pattern on the rear tyre of the second Spesh tricross I own [one year younger than the first one but not ridden for twelve years by its previous owner so well new] I find that there is a layer of pine needles covering the mudguard inside. As this progresses it becomes harder to pedal and I have to stop to poke at this layer with a stick]</p> <p>So there.</p> <p>Schwalbe Landcruiser I put on front and back after the bike came out of 12 years in the shed.</p> <p>Sold To me by a lovely man who is friends with the Mickly Pran years back in this thread before he was banned. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14263#post-382322 Sat, 06 Dec 2025 16:41:53 +0000 acsimpson 382322@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@gembo threadbare tread and rubbish thread, but first rate necrobumping! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14263#post-382248 Sat, 29 Nov 2025 09:37:54 +0000 chdot 382248@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>However</p> <p>To address yr problem </p> <p>“as they have all started wearing out at the same time“</p> <p>Not clear if this is existential or misdiagnosed in some way. </p> <p>As you will be well aware, they “wear” by being used!</p> <p>They degrade by being left in the sun or shed for a long time - especially if underinflated/flat. </p> <p>As you will also be aware rear ones wear out faster - mostly because rear is driving wheel but also carries more weight. </p> <p>Wear rate can increase due to over or under inflation. </p> <p>I’m sure there are many forums where the precision of this is argued about…</p> <p>I withdraw my comment about not riding. </p> <p>Ride less. </p> <p>Or</p> <p>Pay attention to inflation </p> <p>It <em>may</em> be recommended that rear tyres are inflated more, but that might well be argued about somewhere too…</p> <p>Practically, some people swap tyres (f/r) so they wear about the same and can be replaced as a pair. </p> <p>Some people just replace the most worn so have non-matching tyres (I’m sure that’s not you…)</p> <p>Some people wait until their tyres explode (not recommended). </p> <p>Just ride. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14263#post-382247 Sat, 29 Nov 2025 09:09:31 +0000 chdot 382247@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Was merely irony… </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14263#post-382245 Sat, 29 Nov 2025 08:21:18 +0000 gembo 382245@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@chdot what a rubbish idea </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21846#post-382244 Sat, 29 Nov 2025 08:20:04 +0000 gembo 382244@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Far better design would require the key to lock it, then if you lose you key that is on you. This whole threads is caused by bad design of the lock. See also the benefit of Mortice over Yale </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21846#post-382243 Sat, 29 Nov 2025 07:43:23 +0000 bakky 382243@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>All’s well that ends well, as they say! I hate the ‘disappeared key’ feeling with a vengeance. I once locked up the bakkyfiets with an alarmed motorcycle disc lock at St James Quarter which similarly allows fitting without the key, and then we had a taxi round-trip to retrieve the key from home as we were too short on our deadline to bus it. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21846#post-382241 Sat, 29 Nov 2025 00:10:47 +0000 LaidBack 382241@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>This was your St Andrew's Day holiday I believe. At least it was a memorable one, albeit for wrong reasons! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14263#post-382239 Fri, 28 Nov 2025 22:47:14 +0000 chdot 382239@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Stop riding… </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=14263#post-382238 Fri, 28 Nov 2025 22:20:34 +0000 gembo 382238@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@acsimpson The Rubbiish Thread Thread, I am worried abut a lot of my tyres as they have all started wearing out at the same time. I will post on the Rubbish Tread Thread. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21846#post-382235 Fri, 28 Nov 2025 21:47:59 +0000 Arellcat 382235@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Today it was my turn to be rubbish, because I failed to notice that I left the house this morning without the means to open my bicycle lock. Lest malicious readers think I own only one lock, heh, I have several, but the lock I brought with me today can be <em>closed</em> without a key. For convenience I suppose.</p> <p>Luckily* this discovery happened in the company of several CCEers. @bakky lent me a spare U-lock as extra security while @LaidBack and I went off to consider padlock destruction techniques and in search of another cafe so that I could wait for a lift home to look for the missing key. I found it, fortunately, and made sure it will Never Happen Again. Ever. Probably.</p> <p>I eventually made it back into town and rescued my bike, failed to transact any business at three shops I visited during the afternoon, so rode home into the teeth of whatever the latest storm is and later delivered Big Lock to @bakky with the help of the huge enduro motorbike because I'd had enough of cycling for today.</p> <p>* and in equal measure, embarassingly </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21800#post-381676 Wed, 22 Oct 2025 12:54:42 +0000 mcairney 381676@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I actually forgot about the competition this year so you'll have all missed out on my usual low-effort, last-minute submission.<br /> Results are available <a href="http://www.spokes.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-comp-in-order-for-web-150dpi.pdf">here</a></p> <p>Not entirely sure I agree with the voting personally but hey-ho. Also you can just about see my flat in the 4th prize submission :) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21800#post-381675 Wed, 22 Oct 2025 12:54:38 +0000 gembo 381675@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Urchaidh, I accept your apology. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21800#post-381674 Wed, 22 Oct 2025 12:47:20 +0000 urchaidh 381674@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@gembo - a bit harsh I feel! I only mentioned the puddle in passing. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21800#post-381673 Wed, 22 Oct 2025 11:09:46 +0000 gembo 381673@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Wow - the winner was my actual every day commute. I suppose it is good. Ha I can get from the house to work with only the canal to meadows link still not finished after 20 years and ran Keillor st. As my only on road sections . THe winner also took some amazing photos of the Colinton Tunnel. So even if I had submitted my commute as my favourite ride I wouldnt have won. The phot Urchaidh provided of his scone also helped him beat me even though he promised not to submit a duplicate Clubbiedean Big Puddle route I knew he would.</p> <p>The puddle abides<br /> Mon The Big Puddle </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=17#post-381508 Fri, 10 Oct 2025 12:52:27 +0000 spytfyre 381508@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>curse my metal fingers, they are too fast </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=17#post-381507 Fri, 10 Oct 2025 12:52:25 +0000 spytfyre 381507@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Found a fellow cyclist stuck with his young daughter on the corner of Harrison and West Bryson roads, chain stuck after coming off<br /> Asked if I could help<br /> "only if you are a bike genie" he said<br /> decided to give him that and not take offence then leave him to hardship (actually wanted his wee girl to get to nursery and warmth)<br /> "I am not far from home let me get tools"<br /> Chain released with pliers and screwdriver I sauntered off as he got back on the road to a "woohoo"<br /> Friday morning mental health day boosted </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19434&page=10#post-381491 Thu, 09 Oct 2025 06:55:02 +0000 bakky 381491@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Mandy, as in (loudly) “Hiya pal, you going out the night?”, and “Are you ma pal”?</p> <p>Was a frequent fixture on the 38 when I were small(er). Lovely, if intense. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19434&page=10#post-381490 Thu, 09 Oct 2025 06:29:27 +0000 gembo 381490@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Memories of the 32 never complete without talk of Hearts Mandy. A woman of indeterminate age covered in badges linked to her support of her beloved HMFC. It was imperative NEVER to meet the eye of Hearts Mandy on any bus coming out of Muirhouse. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19434&page=9#post-381479 Wed, 08 Oct 2025 07:12:32 +0000 Frenchy 381479@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The 400 is now the 18 again. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19434&page=9#post-381478 Wed, 08 Oct 2025 05:30:11 +0000 gembo 381478@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@morningsider your correction is gratefully received. [on my holidays so dont have my usual Gazzeteers and almanacs to hand] </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-381477 Tue, 07 Oct 2025 21:33:20 +0000 Arellcat 381477@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The other day I was in need of a piece of bike frame, ideally just a tube or two, in order for a work colleague to practice their security marking skillz before doing it for real on someone else's bike. I asked around for some decrepit, past-restoring bike I might cut up, and sure enough someone local offered one to me. It'd been sitting outside for a year or two and was covered in cobwebs and gradually going rusty, and the wheels didn't turn properly.</p> <p>But what's this? It's a 'muddyfox'! (not to be confused with Muddy Fox of classic UK mountain biking fame; this is the modern mass produced, made-for-children, made-to-a-price incarnation). But it has suspension front and back, and quite honestly looked much too good to take my angle grinder to.</p> <p>And so I decided to see if I could repair it: to get it working sufficiently to donate it again, perhaps to the Bike Station or something like it, or even to someone local.</p> <p>Well then.</p> <p><ul><li>The V-brakes were the usual made-from-cheese affairs and they were all nearly seized. So I took them off and derusted and regreased everything and did my best to adjust the tension of the springs.</li><li>The rear hub was wobbly on the axle, so I took the freewheel off and cones off and found almost no grease in there. New grease in and got it all running smoothly again.</li><li>The gear shifter, a little Shimano 6-speed gripshift, wouldn't move at all. It seemed completely jammed. But after undoing the cable from the derailleur, and applying my great strength to separate cable from housing, I discovered the cable was practically seized with rust. A new cable should be easy, yes? No. The gripshifter needed three screwdrivers working together to detach the prongs that hold it together and make it practically unservicable otherwise, since it doesn't have a cable port like Sram ones do. But hah! I got it working too. I deigned to put a new cable in from my stock as I couldn't derust the original sufficiently.</li><li>The bottom bracket spindle was also wobbly. Whoever built the bike in the first place couldn't have cared less because the drive side cup was crossthreaded and sat squint against the BB shell. It was, as we used to say in the EBC workshop, "tight as [Rule 2]" to remove. Just as tight was the non-drive side cup. The BB was incredibly primitive and the bearings had no grease left, so I applied lots and put it all back together properly. My three-prong Park spanner finally got a use!</li><li>The pedals are cheap plastic and the bearings are indexy and soft-gritty stiff, but they'll do for now.</li><li>The forks were stiff and a bit seized, but unseized themselves with the help of a few scooshes of GT85 and lots of bouncing.</li><li>I pumped up the tyres and everything looked good. There are people who say 'my bike's broken' when the tyres go flat or are attacked by The Faeries.</li><br /> </ul></p> <p>So, after three hours' wrenching for fun I have a little bicycle that I don't need, ready to hit the mean streets of Edinburgh again. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19434&page=9#post-381476 Tue, 07 Oct 2025 21:06:16 +0000 Morningsider 381476@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@gembo - think it was a 32, rather than a 36. Ran a circular route right round the city. It think one of the directions was changed to a number 52 in the late 80s/90s, so folk stopped getting the bus heading the wrong direction.</p> <p>The circle was eventually split in two and the 32/52 became the 18 and some other number (north Edinburgh buses a bit of a mystery to me). That then became the 400.</p> <p>Used to get the 32 early doors to get to weekend jobs many years ago. Saw it all - bloke waving a machete about, a paralytic women huckled off by the police, fella taking a dump up the back of the top deck, several folk heaving their guts up, a guy with world's worst BO. Come to think of it, no wonder I cycle everywhere. </p>