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Today's satisfactory bicycle maintenance

(470 posts)
  • Started 5 years ago by Greenroofer
  • Latest reply from Arellcat

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  1. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    That wheel now be sweet and true.

    https://twitter.com/overlandertheb1/status/1259876093059833856

    I discovered why my Lezyne track pump was not working well - I'd inverted two almost identical o-rings in the piston head when I greased it last. Daftie.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  2. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Following on from the Great Crank Debacle the same pal phoned me up in a bit of a sweat.

    Had a Boardman carbon framed road bike where the rear mech had stopped responding to the Tiagra STI shifter. The shifter clicked but the cable did not move.

    Spotting an opporchancity to redeem myself/show off to girls I headed over and began diagnostics. Five years since I touched an integrated shifter so fired up Shimano tech docs for the exploded diagram based on the product number. Caution for once.

    Deduced that the cable end had come adrift from the slot that connects it to the shifter ratchet. Not possible on an MTB shifter of course. The cable end was wedged in the run that goes over the top of the shifter before turning round to head backwards onto the bars.

    Bar tape off, shifter off the bars to get proper access. Multiple attempts with improvised tools to get hold of the cable end. No joy. It won't move backwards or forwards. Cutting the cable will be fatal.

    Consult with pal. Tell her what will happen in a bike shop if she decides to hand it over. Tell her how we can fix it. She decides to allow me to go ahead. Here we go.

    Consulted the exploded diagram. Drilled into the side of the shifter to expand the slot through which the cable end is visible. One millimetre at a time. Easy does it. Eventually the cable can be pushed out and replaced in its slot.

    Bar tape back on, hoods folded back to hide the drilling we have a repair.

    Phew.

    Root cause: Halfords mechanic hadn't engaged the cable in its slot properly.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  3. gembo
    Member

    Karma

    No need for the Hail Marys now

    Posted 3 years ago #
  4. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    You have your spiritual streams crossed but thanks.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  5. gembo
    Member

    That would be an ecumenical matter

    Posted 3 years ago #
  6. steveo
    Member

    Not sure if this should be here or the "other" maintenance thread.

    Finally fitted the correct rear mech, fitted and indexed in less than an hour (once I worked out that the angle adjust screw had missed the mech hanger bit.

    So having replaced most of the drive train
    Its still slipping under power. I suspect the free wheel is also knackered. Hub is in desperate need of being repacked too.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  7. gembo
    Member

    @steveo I hate when that happens

    Posted 3 years ago #
  8. steveo
    Member

    That's what I get for going off the clients diagnosis.

    So who's got a spare mtb 26" rim braked rear wheel they could swap for a sram x4 rear mech.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  9. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @steveo

    Sometimes freewheels can be brought back to life if just filthy or corroded. Take it off the hub and soak in WD40, drain that out and get oil in. Has worked for me in the past.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  10. gembo
    Member

    @IWRATS, good advice, I am banking ten Hail Marys for future sins. Meaning absolution will be free and heaven is your oyster

    Posted 3 years ago #
  11. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    I had a mojito in the garden with a friend after we changed the balls in his top head bearing. Fresh mint from the garden and Havana Club.

    His rear wheel fell out in the street after I did the hub service on it previously.

    Pinnacle Lithium 2015, they all got recalled. What for? Rear wheel falling out. Did you take it in? No. Take it in.

    Not sure who does the penance on that one?

    Posted 3 years ago #
  12. gembo
    Member

    No one as The Who sang (or maybe Stones, i will google, in Wes Anderson film Rushmore, I watch it often, and is fab)

    You are Forgiven

    Is actually called A Quick One wHILE YOU are away by the Who

    Fischer feeds flies into Bill MUrrays hotel room, bill drives hie rolls Royce over Fischer’s bike (which looks exactly like a @CHDot special). Fischer then cuts brake cables on the rolls Law involved

    Posted 3 years ago #
  13. Snowy
    Member

    Sometimes freewheels can be brought back to life if just filthy or corroded. Take it off the hub and soak in WD40, drain that out and get oil in. Has worked for me in the past.

    Indeed, I was once very lucky and managed to bring one back to life with a few sharp taps from an adjustable wrench*.

    *it was a field repair and this was all that was available.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  14. steveo
    Member

    Managed to find a suitable replacement LX wheel in the loft must be from my old orange bike, it was actually a decent wheel in its day. Also found a very concave rim attached to a hub with a working freehub so I've rescued that as a spare.

    I've tried repairing a free hub but it was never quite right.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  15. steveo
    Member

    You know those jobs you wish you never agreed to...

    Swapped the running gear onto the new wheel. Assembled into the bike and opposite problem, freehub isn't. Ratched must be seized on. It has been in my dad's loft for 10+ years

    Posted 3 years ago #
  16. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    WD40 and thyme?

    Posted 3 years ago #
  17. steveo
    Member

    Used a big spanner to errrm mobilise it and its spinning okay now but there are some bad noises coming from there, hub might just need repacked.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  18. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Bad noises? Silence them. Mashed banana.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  19. steveo
    Member

    Haha. Old mechanics trick?

    Its slipping under power seems okay in first so might just be the indexing but the barrel adjuster isn't.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  20. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Aye, automatic gearboxes back in the day.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  21. wingpig
    Member

    My stiff/grating headset on the geared bike turned out to just be the light bracket scraping away at the bottom of the headset, which was pleasingly simple to fix. I was also concerned that having been in the shed unused since whenever the grating occurred that the chair ln would be solid but I must have given it a protective oiling before stowing it and going to the singlespeed. I can now address the broken mudguard in the singlespeed without the pressure to finish the work the same evening and will also be able to properly sort out the light bracket which caused he mudguard to break.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  22. steveo
    Member

    Went to the bike station to try and get a chain ring, what a queue! Gave up and got a Gregs instead.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  23. chdot
    Admin

    In Edinburgh, we have a two in two out policy and two queues – one for bike sales; the other for parts, minor repairs and warranty enquiries.

    https://thebikestation.org.uk

    Saturdays only makes it worse!

    Posted 3 years ago #
  24. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Cramond with one 'm', Greggs with two 'g's. Three 'g's.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  25. amir
    Member

    When fettling my bike yesterday in preparation for the weekend, I found my front wheel was moving laterally. I got a spare wheel out, and took the tyre off ready to change over. And then found I could screw the hub nice and tight, with fingers, and problem solved. :)

    [edit: I should probably now tighten up the end caps with an allen key - just found the excellent Hope video]

    Posted 3 years ago #
  26. steveo
    Member

    Would some kind soul lend me a square taper crank puller? Sadly I have misplaced my old friend and I truly hope this is the last time I should need to gaze upon square taper!

    Posted 3 years ago #
  27. gembo
    Member

    Caused blank stare in halfords today (Mrs Garto Was shopping for primer for plastic bit of car, to enable her to paint an IKEA Billy Book Shelf)

    Gembo - do these grips fit all handlebars?
    Mechanic - yes, but they are for grip shifters. Does the bike have grip shifters?
    Gembo- no sturmey archer
    Mechanic - blank look

    Posted 3 years ago #
  28. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Not even I really know how life conspired to have me fix the front mudguard off @gembo's winter hack but I just did. Fabricated an alloy bracket, drilled out the old rivets put in two new ones and super-glued the cracks.

    Reduce, repair, reuse, recycle.

    Posted 3 years ago #
  29. gembo
    Member

    Flow

    Is

    How it

    Happened.

    Many thanks

    Posted 3 years ago #
  30. steveo
    Member

    The cursed bike rides!!!

    Front mech and chainset do not get on so it will only use the first two rings but I've been at it for 3 hours now so it's finished!

    Next time something happens to this bike I'm going to buy my dad a new one and drop this off at the bike station with a chuckle.

    Posted 3 years ago #

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