http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Forum: Stuff - Recent Posts en Sun, 25 Oct 2026 03:46:18 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=17#post-386122 Thu, 15 Oct 2026 14:54:30 +0000 bakky 386122@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@LaidBack nice work! </p> <p>More spark-based enjoyment today, I have successfully broken it and fitted the new one before a jaunt to Morningside and the aptly named 'POP' cafe to see @ShuggieT about some Pedal on Parliament admin and a chinwag.</p> <p><a href="https://freeimage.host/i/nhMuHmP"><img src="https://iili.io/nhMuHmP.md.jpg"></a></p> <p>The 'london underground logo'-shaped washerthing in the photo depressed on its right side to free the plug-in chain, which is now merrily plugged into my new O-lock. Angle grinder still slightly terrifying to wield but clearly of high utility and will have to get a grinding disc for it too. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=17#post-386121 Thu, 15 Oct 2026 14:39:09 +0000 LaidBack 386121@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@bakky "shall try and post some pics from my dissection of the Abus Shield 5755L."</p> <p>Yes... removal of these is a sparky affair. I had to do one last year at a 'secure' underground car park off Leith Walk. Failed UA theft that left lock detached from frame. So biked down with mains grinder and protection borrowed from BW. Customer looked away and held the lock steady while I cut through. Afterwards she rode back up to shop on my e-cargo and I did manual only on the UA as they'd damaged controller and battery lock.<br /> Plus side was she discovered the York Place path and back routes.I<br /> Parts were replaced and bike went back out. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=17#post-386116 Wed, 14 Oct 2026 14:56:25 +0000 bakky 386116@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ha! I like 'O-lock' also. I noted the difference between Abus Plus and Abus XPlus is the latter is supposed to be harder to pick.</p> <p>Hanging out in the international Urban Arrow Owners &amp; Riders group is also the reason I have a Lockride steel cage around the battery, having seen trivially simple videos of folks batteries being stolen off their bikes from the Dutch cohort. Fortunately not much of a thing here. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=17#post-386115 Wed, 14 Oct 2026 14:39:41 +0000 Frenchy 386115@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I was once speaking to a Dutch lecturer who told me that when he lost they key for his bike's O-lock, he mentioned the problem to some of his students. One student offered to take a look and managed to unlock it suspiciously quickly. "I don't think it was the first time he'd done it...", said the lecturer. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=17#post-386114 Wed, 14 Oct 2026 14:15:31 +0000 bakky 386114@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>A wee bit about my setup first;</p> <p>Bakky the Urban Arrow has a stock ‘cafe lock’ that goes through the rear wheel. It stays permanently mounted and retains the keys en-route, and then when parking up one removes the key which passes a locking shaft betwixt the spokes and into the other side. We like these well enough that we’ve since added aftermarket options from Abus and Axa to the other adult bikes in the pen. </p> <p>These also take a small plug-in chain, which is an easy way to keep a quick release on the seat post but have the saddle / post secured to the bike (being an e-cargo, security &gt; lightness). </p> <p>Yesterday morning I went to set off, twisted the key to unlock the back wheel and as quietly as anything the key snapped off in hand. Some jimmying was attempted with both the remaining key half and a driver, and then some quick recalculating of the day’s plans. </p> <p>As such yesterday’s movements ended up involving two buses, two trams and four Voi rides (not in that order) and the purchase of a surprisingly cheap (but reassuringly branded and built) DeWalt Angle Grinder (£40). Ordinarily such things would be borrowed from Edinburgh Tool Library, but they had closed before I realised and also require you to provide your own discs and time was of the essence I get _very_ twitchy the minute I’m off the road as the bike is not only my main transport but by far the fastest and most efficient. </p> <p>Nearly late for a meeting due to Department Q filming at Lady Lawson St and having exhausted the ethically questionable ‘end ride at a full parking zone via chat’ quota (good to see them cap that off, it was research guv honest) I later in the afternoon grabbed another Voi and set off to Haymarket for a tram via conference square, at the exact moment the heavens opened and an absolute monsoon came down. I had a decent waterproof on but my troos and shoes were saturated. Otherwise the trip to Hermiston Gait for B&amp;Q was uneventful and switched back to Voi via Murrayfield and Russel Rd.</p> <p>A few more transport loads later and I'd made it back home, and eventually donned enough layers and PPE to decide I just needed to go for it. Mrs Bakky honoured me with a careful eye monitoring proceedings just in case, and after un-affixing and rotating the rear lock as far as I could through to one side of the bike for clearance (and a quick test cut of an old bolt for an idea of handling / kick-back) it was time.</p> <p>It is incredibly how much spark is generated, and also by how powerful (particular a corded grinder) is for this. I would stand by the utility of a cafe lock as it's not hugely practical to cut without first unaffixing (could use security bolts there also) and is more of a 'I've got three locks and the guy over there only has one, leave me alone' approach.</p> <p>Had anticipated needing to make two cuts, but actually only one was required at the side the locking shaft emerges from, and the loose piece will then just slide out. A bit of a battle to get the lock past the bike's 65mm fender (especially with a bit of sharp lock shaft still poking out) and so a full deflate of the rear tyre won the day.</p> <p>At this point I realised I was halfway there, but dinner called and the light was fading. The rear wheel is free and I can use the bike (huzzah!), but right now I have a severed cafe lock — with intact plug-in chain still locked to my saddle — cable tied to my pannier rack at the back, which is... fun.</p> <p>I shall have to next fix down the old cafe lock and go at it with a mixture of the grinder, the dremel and my multi-tool to see if I can break it well enough to free the chain. I already have a new cafe lock waiting, however unlike my old one it won't be keyed alike with my big chain.</p> <p>(When I originally got the bike I tried to get a single key for cafe lock, big locking chain. Abus disc lock that goes over the battery and the battery lock itself - I ended up with two anyway as the chain and cafe lock use the 'XPlus' system and they don't make an XPlus diskus lock, only a 'Plus' one - so I'm already at three keys including my ('angle-grinder-proof') D-lock, might as well make it four keys instead of waiting for a keyed-alike one.</p> <p>So there you go, far too much information. I shall try and post some pics from my dissection of the Abus Shield 5755L.</p> <p>Given the advised levels of face covering and setting about bike locks with a grinder, I believe I have nearly earned my 'balaclava boy' patch. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=468#post-386096 Mon, 12 Oct 2026 15:07:14 +0000 MediumDave 386096@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thanks for all the recommendations/suggestions. I am currently assembling a Frankenpedal from the corpses of several PD-M545 and attempting to epoxy the two broken halves of my existing pedal back together. Hopefully one of these efforts will succeed. The raged induced by failing to clip in and/or slipping off the LOOK pedals spurs me on :)</p> <p>PS admins I think I broke the thread with an emoji in an earlier post. Sorry! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=468#post-386075 Fri, 09 Oct 2026 11:18:00 +0000 mcairney 386075@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've still got an unused set of Shimano M324 SPD pedals sitting in a box if you want to gouge chunks out your shins- I've currently got ES600's on my gravel bike which I haven't managed to kill yet and my journeys in normals shoes are short/infrequent enough that I can cover them without resorting to switching to a flat pedal.<br /> I suspect my next set of pedals for the gravel bike will be the fancy Favero Assioma power-meter pedals for the Strava stats... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=468#post-386074 Fri, 09 Oct 2026 10:52:21 +0000 Arellcat 386074@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The Looks look a lot like the Shimano Deore XT T780 trekking pedals, which I have and which I can confirm are similarly slidey unless you're wearing Chuck Taylors or something from Five Ten. And similarly annoying in not having pedal wrench flats.</p> <p>Shimano's follow-up pedal is the Deore XT T8000 which has pins for extra grip (or alternatively for shinjuries).</p> <p>I never found the single-sidedness much of a problem; I can usually clip in without looking as I know how the pedal will be hanging after half a crank revolution. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=468#post-386073 Fri, 09 Oct 2026 09:47:36 +0000 MediumDave 386073@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thread necromancy!</p> <p>After cracking one side of my beloved M545 pedals in half due to Awesome Power (ha!) I acquired a set of Look X-Venture gravel pedals for cheap. These are single sided, with a cage and reflector. </p> <p><a href="https://www.lookcycle.com/uk-en/products/pedals/gravel/gravel-adventure/x-venture" rel="nofollow">https://www.lookcycle.com/uk-en/products/pedals/gravel/gravel-adventure/x-venture</a></p> <p>Not a fan of single sided really (I've tried it in the past, didn't like the faff and having one side of my 545s broken allowed me to experience it again) but the pedals were cheap so I thought I'd give it a go with the "proper" cage hopefully making pedalling on the non-clip side acceptable.</p> <p>Sadly not. Though the pedals are well made and the cage wide, the cage material is so slippery! It's very hard to keep your foot on them. Worse than riding on the cage in normal shoes on the M545s (which are double sided and have the cleat poking up). </p> <p>This in addition to the fankle of flipping the pedals over to get clipped in. I was riding on road, in the dry, with various different shoes. Can't imagine what they'd be like to use for actual gravel riding with mud etc. </p> <p>I can't recommend them. Into the spares box they go and I think I'll try cannibalising some parts from some differently-broken 545s to get those working again. </p> <p>Also for some insane reason Look didn't put wrench flats on the outboard side of the pedal spindle so an allen key has to be used from inside of the crank (rather than just providing a point to set the torque). Makes changing pedals much more of a faff compared to "normal". </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19434&page=10#post-385742 Fri, 04 Sep 2026 22:00:06 +0000 the canuck 385742@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>On Thursday, successfully patched and reinflated an inner tube.<br /> Got tire/wheel reassembled in record time. Discovered, within a minute of riding, that I'd forgotten to re-set the caliper brakes, but no matter, because the tire was bulging out of the rims on both sides. (New-ish tires)</p> <p>Today, deflated, re-sat tires within rims, and reinflated.<br /> 3 times.<br /> still bulging.</p> <p>Saturday morning job? taking it all apart again.<br /> Not. Happy. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19434&page=10#post-385450 Sun, 16 Aug 2026 19:45:40 +0000 bakky 385450@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>OH and I used the afore-recommended seam grip for eldest's pannier seal, but that's still pegged up pending full cure so not claiming victory quite yet. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19434&page=10#post-385449 Sun, 16 Aug 2026 19:03:14 +0000 bakky 385449@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I never know if this is the thread for success stories, but;</p> <p>- First outing today for the new cheap-but-solid bicycle repair stand</p> <p>- First time ever replacing a gear cable (youngest's Islabikes Beinn 20L), and sorting out tension for good indexing</p> <p>- Added a kickstand also from the box o'junk</p> <p>- Fitted a replacement grip to eldest's bike</p> <p>- Fitted an Ursus Jumbo to Mrs. Bakky's steel tourer Swytch bike (Swytch front wheels are very heavy making parking with a regular kickstand rather awkward)</p> <p>PLUS I randomly found the 3D-printed tube of Very Specific Fixings™ (T-slot bolts etc) for our roof bars that I had to cobble together a spare set of at the last minute for a recent holiday trip, after ransacking the garage. Of course, it was just rolling about on the floor amongst the rubble of a well stocked but poorly organised existence slash borderline kleptomania. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19434&page=10#post-385438 Sat, 15 Aug 2026 15:54:41 +0000 gembo 385438@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Powerful meds, drugs, sleepwalking? Are other possibilities </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19434&page=10#post-385437 Sat, 15 Aug 2026 15:21:16 +0000 ejstubbs 385437@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Now this one is a bit weird....</p> <p>I spent a happy hour or so yesterday replacing the inner tubes on my mountain bike. I had it up on the stand to do the job, and all seemed well as I tidied away the tools and popped a plaster over the part-healed cut on my left index finger which had opened up again as a result of wrestling the tyres back on to the rims.</p> <p>As it was a nice evening, I decided to take it out for a decent shakedown run, and it was only then that I noticed that the handlebars were on the wrong way round! Somehow - and it still can't comprehend how - they had been rotated 180°, and the clamp bolts seemed to have been torqued back up. I hadn't touched them during the inner tube replacement, and I would certainly have noticed if they'd been the wrong way round the last time I rode it.</p> <p>I am completely baffled as to how this could have happened. The bike lives in a brick garage on the side of the house, with an electrically operated roller door to the drive, and a door with a yale lock and bolt giving access to the house. We haven't been aware of any break-ins (although I should admit that the PIR sensor in the garage for the intruder alarm has been u/s for some time). But even if someone <u>had</u> managed to break in without leaving a trace, why would they have done nothing more than swivel the bars round?? Maybe we have a bicycle repair poltergeist on the premises!</p> <p>It's all very puzzling... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21247#post-385404 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 16:22:09 +0000 ejstubbs 385404@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Agreed </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21247#post-385403 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 15:36:10 +0000 Arellcat 385403@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>For mail order fans, I can confirm that Pro Fabrics is a good company to deal with. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21247#post-385402 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 14:10:15 +0000 bakky 385402@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thank you all! I shall report back with progress. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21247#post-385397 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 13:30:43 +0000 ejstubbs 385397@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Depending on the shape &amp; size of the damaged area, it might be preferable to sue McNett Tenacious Tape <a href="https://www.profabrics.co.uk/products/mcnett-tenacious-tape" rel="nofollow">https://www.profabrics.co.uk/products/mcnett-tenacious-tape</a>, augmented with Seam Grip (per the instructions suppled with the Tenacious Tape).</p> <p>I think Go Outdoors do both products, which might be a bit cheaper if you already have a membership card (and can be picked up from their <a href="https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/pages/store/go-outdoors-edinburgh">shop in Granton</a> rather than waiting for mail order). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21247#post-385396 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 10:24:00 +0000 chdot 385396@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>In case anyone imagines g was being imaginative </p> <p><a href="https://www.profabrics.co.uk/products/mcnett-seam-grip" rel="nofollow">https://www.profabrics.co.uk/products/mcnett-seam-grip</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21247#post-385395 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 10:00:07 +0000 gembo 385395@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>McNett Seam Grip. You won’t regret it </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21247#post-385394 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 09:52:11 +0000 bakky 385394@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Can anyone make a recommendation - eldest’s Ortlieb pannier needs a wee repair as the rubber seal at the top has conciously uncoupled from the bag material, along about the middle half of its length. Looks like it was glued or taped together, any thoughts on the best kind of adhesive with which to counsel it back together? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19434&page=10#post-385266 Sat, 01 Aug 2026 11:51:50 +0000 LaidBack 385266@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Started as unsatisfactory story last week with a most satisfactory ending courtesy of @jss of this forum.</p> <p>Dutch cycle tourist phoned as riding a recliner from John O' Groats south.<br /> Looking for a new front tyre and inner but turns out it's 451 - older 20" variant size We've only ever sold 406 20" bikes - BMX size for which there's big range of rim widths and tyre choices.<br /> Also custom length spokes for 451 rear.</p> <p>Suggest he tries other shops that may have - Bicycle Works etc.</p> <p>Then I remembered that @jss has the same model (bough s/h not from LB!)<br /> So I put Dutch guy in touch with him (with permission) and apparently all got sorted.<br /> Models was this FWD one<br /> <a href="https://www.performercycles.com/bike-detail/19" rel="nofollow">https://www.performercycles.com/bike-detail/19</a></p> <p>Front wheel drive so hills and rough paths probably shredded tyre faster than expected. Yes he should have had spares.<br /> He had a colleague with car support I think.</p> <p>Big thanks to @jss for his help though.</p> <p>Joe at shop also helped find neighbours pet cat that week too! Probably best shop results of the year. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21992#post-385244 Thu, 30 Jul 2026 20:11:20 +0000 gembo 385244@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Sent PM. Pal says Yes. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21992#post-385243 Thu, 30 Jul 2026 19:57:41 +0000 gembo 385243@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Aha, ok I will ask the pal first tho her Hubbie has a good garge. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21992#post-385241 Thu, 30 Jul 2026 19:56:49 +0000 531 385241@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Relugas road is very convenient. PM me the details and I will happily drop them off! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21992#post-385240 Thu, 30 Jul 2026 19:55:55 +0000 gembo 385240@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Happy to take either or both, assume not disc brakes.<br /> Will be at Soderberg tomorrow but en Velo</p> <p>I have a pal at Relugas Road if that is nearby? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21992#post-385239 Thu, 30 Jul 2026 19:48:29 +0000 531 385239@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It's time to clear some stuff out. I seem to have many wheels. I am gifting these to anyone who will actually use them:</p> <p>1. Shimano RS-11 (road, 700c) wheelset. They are both in good functional condition. The rear has been cosmetically deteriorated by someone misadjusting a brake caliper but its not serious. </p> <p>2. commuter alloy wheels (700c, freewheel type) wide enough to take a 45mm tyre I think. These are very little used. Robust. The rear is for a quick release which I don't have. The front is nutted (solid axle).</p> <p>Located south side. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19434&page=10#post-385197 Tue, 28 Jul 2026 07:37:26 +0000 wingpig 385197@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>If it's a 2005 Revolution Continental Race I can recommend a hack using B&amp;M fork crown light brackets to enable ⅔ of a full-sized rear mudguard to be fitted. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19434&page=10#post-385187 Sun, 26 Jul 2026 19:53:58 +0000 gembo 385187@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Nice, the stuff you knew you were on fire and also another school day </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19434&page=10#post-385186 Sun, 26 Jul 2026 19:51:01 +0000 bakky 385186@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Young but also clueless. I've never had dropped bars personally so it's never come up - I was just clicking the wee paddle levers and wondering why hee haw happened.</p> <p>The theory would be the brifters go and 'regular' shifters are used, provided that's technically feasible with the other shtuff on the bike - Shimano HG gears CS-HG41-8aw with Shimano Acera derailleur.</p> <p>I did feel, in spite of the lack of gumption regarding how to shift, like I was 'getting somewhere' with maintenance in general today. Also refitted the Swytch wheel to the Mrs' steel tourer wiv the proper torque and everything. </p>