http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Entertaining failures at cycle maintenance en Thu, 21 May 2026 08:08:37 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9067#post-93578 Wed, 05 Dec 2012 21:38:23 +0000 Cyclingmollie 93578@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The cranks on my road bike were creaking so I wrapped PTFE tape around the threads, smeared them with grease for good measure and tightened them up as hard as I could. I asked the Bicycleworks to replace them with a compact set a year or two later and even holding the cranks in the vice and using the bike as a lever they couldn't get them off again. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9067#post-93571 Wed, 05 Dec 2012 19:00:21 +0000 wee folding bike 93571@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I can do that much on Bromptons in a normal week but they don't need much time spent on them. The other machines are even more fit and forget. </p> <p>They don't gleam though. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9067#post-93568 Wed, 05 Dec 2012 18:37:08 +0000 Baldcyclist 93568@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"strweth! Your bikes must be gleaming! "</p> <p>Nope, I'm just mechanically incompetent! I do over 100miles most weeks so the commuter needs much fettling especially at this time of year. Wash, or dry wipe to get the worst off, degrease, re-lube every week. Some sort of indexing most weeks, back brake seems to need adjusting most weeks. The mudguard clamp broke, the chain needed replaced, ya de ya de ya, always something. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9067#post-93566 Wed, 05 Dec 2012 18:28:19 +0000 stiltskin 93566@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>When I was a kid I manage d to fit the Lefthand thread side of the BB by tightening the normal way. It stayed in too.( for a while) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9067#post-93562 Wed, 05 Dec 2012 17:55:10 +0000 ARobComp 93562@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I LOVE fiddling with my bikes. </p> <p>I've hacked together bikes in various forms. My favourite was spending 2 hours truing a wheel on tour using the brakes and ended up with a more borked wheel than when I started. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9067#post-93541 Wed, 05 Dec 2012 15:32:29 +0000 crowriver 93541@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Baldcyclist. Surely fettling with bikes is one of the attractions of cycling? For me, anyhow. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9067#post-93539 Wed, 05 Dec 2012 15:26:28 +0000 Smudge 93539@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Baldcyclist, strweth! Your bikes must be gleaming! :-o<br /> My Surly got a cable adjust after about 100miles, the brakes get adjusted if/when they need it (not often), gets washed when it rains and I degunged the geartrain after last winter, to be fair I give the chain and sprockets a clean with a rag if they're getting really bad... But high maint it isn't, could easily be done by a local shop/mechabic if I didn't choose to do it myself. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9067#post-93537 Wed, 05 Dec 2012 15:23:49 +0000 Baldcyclist 93537@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Back on topic, In the mid 90s I once 'serviced' my Kona MTB before a Glentress outing. When I say 'service' I mean strip it down to the frame, clean and lube each component individually and build it back up.</p> <p>On the way down one of the runs, my front wheel came off sending me over the handle bars, then after sorting all of the allen bolts which hold the spider together popped out 1 by 1 leaving me unable to pedal, and the rear brake didn't work. #SomeThingsBestLeftAlone </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9067#post-93536 Wed, 05 Dec 2012 15:19:29 +0000 Smudge 93536@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Rushing to finish a job (isn't it always the way?) I fed the chain around the derailleur jockey wheels and connected the soft link only to discover I'd fed it over one of the guides instead of under and around the jockey wheel,</p> <p>Take it off and start again... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9067#post-93535 Wed, 05 Dec 2012 15:18:37 +0000 Baldcyclist 93535@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've often wondered if cycle maintenance is one of the things which makes cycling in-accessible / unattractive to a lot of people. I know one of my pet hates is the hour (sometimes more) that I spend in the garage fettling with my bike every Sunday evening. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9067#post-93530 Wed, 05 Dec 2012 14:57:17 +0000 Darkerside 93530@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I failed to fully tighten a stem once on the MTB, which loosened whilst bouncing down some steps. Handlebars stayed in a normal position, the front wheel speared left, and I ended up in a bush.</p> <p>Guy behind couldn't work out why I appeared to suddenly decide to go off piste. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9067#post-93529 Wed, 05 Dec 2012 14:52:15 +0000 Snowy 93529@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@kaputnik Ditto that one, after replacing a tube at the top of Cultins Road on a wet day. Not a mistake you make twice. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9067#post-93525 Wed, 05 Dec 2012 14:23:37 +0000 kaputnik 93525@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>forgetting to reconnect a cantilever brake after repairing tube, then setting off down a hill... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9067#post-93517 Wed, 05 Dec 2012 13:44:57 +0000 splitshift 93517@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I did once change the front forks on an old cluncker,they were bent, so i quickly chucked a new pair in, threw some bearings and grease and tightened the whole lot up. All ok untill mucking about at David Marshall lodge in the Trossachs, over a wee bump and the forks fell out the frame ! A bit of grit, or a missing bearing or whatever had actually cut the fork mounting tube in half ! Redneck engineering never looked so wrong, or so sore ! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9067#post-93516 Wed, 05 Dec 2012 13:43:25 +0000 Cyclingmollie 93516@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>There used to be an item on Sheldon's site (I think) which described how to judge various torque settings. It went something like; easy, moderate, tight, really tight, no way this one's coming off, oh b****r. I've done that so many times... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9067#post-93473 Wed, 05 Dec 2012 11:13:07 +0000 Darkerside 93473@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Splitting off from the ice thread then...:</p> <p>Spent two hours over the last two nights trying to arrange the front mudguard around spikey tyres on the Fuego. Clearances are...tight...and there was a constant rubbery clunking noise on rotation.</p> <p>Long story short, it turns out if you haven't secured the hub properly in the fork, the dynohub clunks in a manner which sounds *exactly* like rubber hitting plastic.</p> <p>I discovered this at half eleven last night, when I removed the guard completely in a bit of a strop and spun the wheel, only to hear the sound continue.</p> <p>Doh... </p> <p>Anyone else feel like joining the confessional? </p>