http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Tag: maintenance - Recent Posts en Wed, 13 May 2026 02:07:21 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=17#post-382953 Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:13:17 +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 12:51:03 +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 11:25:49 +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=18718&page=17#post-381508 Fri, 10 Oct 2025 13:52:27 +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 13:52:25 +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=18718&page=16#post-381477 Tue, 07 Oct 2025 22:33:20 +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=18718&page=16#post-379730 Wed, 21 May 2025 18:53:45 +0000 Frenchy 379730@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Left Waverley with my bike last night and realised my dynamo lights weren't working, although they had been when I cycled to Queen Street station before getting on the train. Thought maybe I'd switched them off, but pushing the switch did nothing.</p> <p>Finally concluded that the local youths had been prodding at my bike whilst it was briefly locked outside Queen Street and had pulled out one of the wire connections and then put it back in incorrectly. Suppose I should probably be glad that the bike itself was left intact... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-376164 Mon, 12 Aug 2024 19:33:41 +0000 mfcity 376164@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thanks kindly. @dave I'd also like to use alcohol or a degreaser which would be less harmful than white spirit first.<br /> Yes, there would be grime to dispose of, but it's at least possible, theoretically, to avoid dissolving it in a volatile fluid with an ultrasonic device (according to one of the helpful mechanics at the Bike Station).<br /> I have used white spirit previously in this situation, but found household waste centres weren't able to accept the dirty results afterwards. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-376143 Sun, 11 Aug 2024 19:57:34 +0000 mcairney 376143@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>GT85 also contains PTFE (teflon) so definitely keep it well away from brakes! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-376142 Sun, 11 Aug 2024 16:06:58 +0000 ejstubbs 376142@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><strong>@neddie</strong>: "I find WD40 (mostly butane) a good solvent for chain cleaning."</p> <p>Given that butane vapourises at around freezing at normal atmospheric pressures, isn't it there primarily as a propellant rather than an active ingredient? There are other <a href="https://files.wd40.com/pdf/sds/mup/wd-40-multi-use-product-aerosol-low-voc-sds-us-ghs.pdf">things in WD40</a> but they're very coy about giving :specific chemical identities and percentages", claiming that they are a "trade secret". (Though I suspect that most people actively working in that trade have a pretty damn good idea what goes in to WD40.)</p> <p>As it happens, butane also appears on the <a href="https://sichdatonline.chemical-check.de/Dokumente/3275/45797_0007_31-03-2022_EN.pdf">safety data sheet for GT85</a> - as does white spirit (as "Stoddard Solvent").</p> <p>My bottle of Evans "citrus bike degreaser" lists limonene as an ingredient, but only under "fragrance components". </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-376140 Sun, 11 Aug 2024 11:52:05 +0000 Dave 376140@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I use alcohol based as the first line, with white spirit for a fallback. You can probably get green detergent for ultrasonic cleaners, like limonene (?) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-376137 Sat, 10 Aug 2024 17:40:58 +0000 gembo 376137@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Apparently WD40 is terrible but GT85 is fine. They seem similar to my untrained eye, though I do not snort them. And as @neddie says, keep away from Hubs </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-376136 Sat, 10 Aug 2024 16:56:45 +0000 neddie 376136@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Wouldn’t an ultrasonic cleaner still need some kind of solvent? The ultrasound just shakes the dirt off, but it still has go somewhere, and I’m not sure water is going to cut it. </p> <p>I find WD40 (mostly butane) a good solvent for chain cleaning. Then apply your dry lube or wet lube of choice. WD40 probably has bad climate warming potential - raw butane 20x worse than when it’s been burnt into CO2 (guesstimating based on methane)</p> <p>Make sure to keep the WD40 well away from the hubs and brakes </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-376135 Sat, 10 Aug 2024 16:16:05 +0000 mfcity 376135@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Question for locals: has anyone found a way around nasty solvents like white spirit to clean really grimy drivetrains?</p> <p>Also wondering if anyone would consider splitting an ultrasonic cleaner among Marchmont neighbours, for example. I think a 3L size would hold a cassette, not to mention a chain for deep cleaning.</p> <p>Any advice from other chain pathological people appreciated. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-374768 Tue, 30 Apr 2024 17:49:46 +0000 chdot 374768@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>“Today's satisfactory bicycle maintenance”</p> <p>I suppose it depends how satisfactory is defined. </p> <p>Assuming it can include setbacks and disappointments as long as it results in a rideable bike, then satisfactory is ok - but still things to do!</p> <p>Bought a mountain bike on eBay (not for me) described as ‘in working order, but needing new middle chainring’. </p> <p>I can cope with that. </p> <p>Decent equipment inc Hope front hub and Deore rear. </p> <p>Paid less than i thought it would go for so ‘bargain’ (still think so). </p> <p>First ride (has <em>very</em> long seat so I can ride it) confirmed middle ring needed replacing. Hard to understand how it could get THAT worn. Basically unrideable in middle ring. </p> <p>Almost inevitably chain also long past any sort of realistic function - though it coped on other rings. </p> <p>First problem was that chainset is a compact and I don’t have any rings. </p> <p>So I swapped it for a normal Shimano MTB triple. </p> <p>Didn’t realise they were so different that front mech won’t move chain onto lowest ring!</p> <p>Problem for another day. </p> <p>Replaced the chain with new SRAM 8 speed - still in box. </p> <p>BUT i couldn’t get the quick link to work - or the two spare pairs clearly stamped 8. </p> <p>Weird. </p> <p>Fixing chain in ‘normal’ way was delayed as I’d ’lost’ the pin on chain tool a few days ago. </p> <p>While doing this i noticed cassette was loose. </p> <p>No problem, tightened it up. </p> <p>Then realised it was a 9 speed block (8 speed levers). Though as I’d just replaced the chain i assumed I’d need to replace the block anyway. </p> <p>Went for a ride. </p> <p>Basically it all runs pretty well. Only one sprocket slipped under pressure (ok not able to try with smallest ring yet). </p> <p>Just hope I can find a middle ring in the Bike Station… </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-365646 Wed, 04 Jan 2023 00:39:04 +0000 Arellcat 365646@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I promised I wouldn't take out my nice Orange Five in the wintertime on salted roads but I didn't have a choice recently, so I availed myself of a pair of those <a href="https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FSPXMG/planet-x-front-and-rear-mudguard-set">cheap clamp-on plastic mudguards from Planet X</a>.</p> <p>The rear one was simplicity itself to install on the seatpost. And the front one? Ah, well you see it plugs into the bottom of the steerer tube using a little wedge, like a quill stem or a bar end mirror, and Planet X thoughtfully included two different sizes for bigger or smaller steerers. Well the small one was something like 16mm and I was surprised that it didn't even fit. The Fox 36s have a big steerer but it's reinforced at the crown, and it turns out the hole is only 14mm in diameter.</p> <p>So today I made a quill and wedge that was the right size. I'd bought <a href="https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/142328936934">a piece of acetal rod</a> in the correct diameter. Acetal you might know by its other popular name, Delrin. It's stiff, low friction and it cuts/machines nicely; chain idlers on recumbent bikes are often made from it.</p> <p>All I needed to do was drill a hole exactly down the centre of the rod for about three inches, tap the first inch to M5, then cut that piece off at 45 degrees and cut the second piece off square at about two inches. If I had a chuck for my lathe's tailstock, or a decent vice for my pillar drill, I'd've done it more accurately but after marking the start position I just used my cordless drill and a 4mm woodworking bit. It went a bit squint because I always find it hard to drill exactly vertically, but didn't matter too much because I reamed out the longer piece anyway, to about 7mm. You can cut acetal with a metal hacksaw or a woodworking saw; I just used my old tenon saw.</p> <p>And, it worked great! My Orange now looks like a motocross bike. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-355056 Mon, 27 Sep 2021 10:00:43 +0000 MediumDave 355056@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>One or two skinned knuckles? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-355051 Mon, 27 Sep 2021 09:09:55 +0000 fimm 355051@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Actually, MediumDave, the wee screws came out fine. Sliding the blocks out of the shoes was a different matter... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-354995 Sat, 25 Sep 2021 08:14:15 +0000 ejstubbs 354995@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Having decided that my brake levers were starting to come back rather too close to the handlebar before having the desired deceleratory effect, I set to yesterday to give them a thorough overhaul. Surprised myself by completing the the job - cleaning pistons, replacing worn pads, bleeding, and re-aligning calipers - without any major swearing incidents. Thanks in large part to Park Tool and Epic Bleed Systems for their quality products and helpful documentary and video guidance. A shakedown run out along the canal and back along the WoL confirmed brake performance was back to what it should be. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-354869 Tue, 21 Sep 2021 15:26:46 +0000 MediumDave 354869@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Oh those marvellous tiny grub screws/split pins. Heavily corroded and covered in Skog(TM). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-354867 Tue, 21 Sep 2021 15:16:38 +0000 fimm 354867@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yes, it turned out that I could get the brakes off without removing the wheel. Getting the blocks out of the shoes was more of a pain, but I managed it in the end. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-354863 Tue, 21 Sep 2021 13:44:22 +0000 Murun Buchstansangur 354863@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I had that once amir. Quite misleading (for me) as it happened in sync with crank rotation. See also seatposts </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-354859 Tue, 21 Sep 2021 12:39:07 +0000 amir 354859@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I think I found the source of a creak! A problem with both my bikes - seems the headset was a bit loose. The issue is to tighten enough but not too much.<br /> Phew! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-354857 Tue, 21 Sep 2021 11:10:20 +0000 Arellcat 354857@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Glad you were able to sort the Brompton, fimm! I took my calipers apart once or twice to lubricate all the pivots, too. I seem to remember one of them nearly seizing after one winter too many or general non-maintenance (or both). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-354850 Tue, 21 Sep 2021 09:50:44 +0000 fimm 354850@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I managed to fit a new Marathon Plus tyre, and two new sets of brake blocks (on two different bikes) without too much swearing and only getting my hands totally covered in oil once.</p> <p>When I used the brakes on the Brompton this morning, the bike actually stopped! Oh, yes, I had forgotten I'd done that... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-354686 Thu, 16 Sep 2021 14:09:14 +0000 MediumDave 354686@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>After riding around with the Microshift bar-end for a few weeks, I can confirm it is excellent. Very solid feel, less "plasticky" than the Ultegra bar-end it replaced, very accurate shifting. Marvellous. </p> <p>I then soaked the failed Ultegra bar end in some solvent for a few days. The indexing has returned but feels gritty and loose. Good enough for the bits box! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-354099 Fri, 27 Aug 2021 12:21:04 +0000 chdot 354099@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yeah electrical connectors…</p> <p>(Not just bikes.) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-354098 Fri, 27 Aug 2021 11:40:14 +0000 MediumDave 354098@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Added dynamo lights to the folder last night, involving bodging some brackets from steel strip, old handlebar tape and machine screws. The aesthetic is "rustic" but it works.</p> <p>My first experience with Axa lights: an Echo 30 Steady; Slim Steady on the rear and an Axa Duo generator rather than B&amp;M gear connected to a dynohub. The lights themselves are decent (cheers StVZo) but there's an almost complete absence of information and the connectors are a pain. There are four different connector types in the system: spade terminal, 4 pin modular jack (only 2 pins in use), wire-wrap plug and some kind of weird spring clip on the rear light. B&amp;M manage with just spade terminals and the wire-wrap plugs for the dynamo end of things. Still you get what you pay for: at £30 for the whole system I can't really complain. A decent B&amp;M front light alone costs double that. </p> <p>About the weird spring-clip thing on the rear light. What kind of sadistic &lt;rule 2&gt; designed THAT!? I can't even see how it's cheaper to fit than a couple of screw or spade terminals. It took me an hour at least to figure out how to get the wire in so that it stayed in and even now I'm not sure that I've done it right. Kind of weird in that the front light has perfectly sensible connectors (albeit not the kind I'm used to). Given there's some tidying up/weatherproofing still to do I may yet solder some sensible terminals to this light. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-354035 Wed, 25 Aug 2021 17:09:30 +0000 Greenroofer 354035@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Some old things are more available than others, I think. It does rather feel as if Shimano IGH's have definite obsolescence built in: while I can (and am) getting some <em>parts </em>from SJS Cycles*, the only like-for-like replacement hub I've found was on <a href="https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265259103261?hash=item3dc2acb41d:g:tW4AAOSwGLxhD~p4">e-bay</a> and the pictures suggest that is just a lump of rust inside. The only option for a defective hub more than a few years old is to replace the whole thing at &gt;£150.</p> <p>*For example the rubber bungs for the grease ports on the roller brakes because the current ones are rock hard. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=18718&page=16#post-354022 Tue, 24 Aug 2021 22:37:26 +0000 chdot 354022@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Probably right thread, but NOT bicycles. </p> <p>Someone I know is planning to sell various bits of old model railways. </p> <p>Doing some basic web research, not only am I surprising how much is still available/in use, but also that you can still get spares (there’s enough of user base for it to be worthwhile making ‘replicas’) for things more than 60 years old!</p> <p>To some extent it’s the same for bikes with the availability of things like chains and tyres that (largely) haven’t become ‘obsolete’, but spares for Shimano items, etc… </p>