Have you tried bicycle works @ejstubbs?
I wonder when the demand and supply for bicycle mechanics will balance up again
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Stuff
Today's most unsatisfactory and wholly rubbish bicycle maintenance
(216 posts)-
Posted 4 years ago #
-
@amir: Have you tried bicycle works
Not yet. I have the impression that the last report I saw on here indicated that their waiting list is longer than EBC's!
Posted 4 years ago # -
And while we're on the subject of splined cranks: does anyone have any experience of the "self extracting" crank bolts?
AFAICS these keep the actual crank bolt 'captive' inside an outer shell which screws down into the crank puller thread. To self extract the crank you just keep unscrewing the crank bolt: it pushes against the retaining cap, theoretically resulting in the crank being extracted in a single unscrewing action. As opposed to unscrewing the crank bolt, screwing the coupler for the crank puller into the crank, then screwing the extractor spindle in to that, and heaving.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@mcairney I had a similar shift related issue some time ago. No amount of fine tuning with the cable tension or barrel got me there. Took it into his Mattness at the Juni Green shop who diagnosed a bent derailleur hanger. One to check maybe?
Posted 4 years ago # -
His Mattness is often diagnosing bent hanger for me too @ Moose. Indeed might have done so again cleaning the jockey wheels yesterday. Sheesh
Posted 4 years ago # -
does anyone have any experience of the "self extracting" crank bolts?
I had Middleburn self-extracting crank bolts on my old Windcheetah. They worked like magic.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Bike was making an awful racket. I decided the pedal bearings had finally collapsed. Got new pedals and fitted them. Same appalling noise. Bottom bracket brand new but will remove and examine anyway.
Go to remove drive side crank bolt and it is loose. Crank is half off. That is the noise. Torqued it up and it went on so far I had to reset the cable on the front mech.
You'd think I'd know.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Noticed a scrunching noise and squelching when out on the MTB the other day. Got home and checked it out to find I'd sheared 2 of the 4 chainring bolts holding the chainring on to my crankset. Whoops. Definitely missed that coming loose. No idea if they would shear if they hadn't come loose.
Check your chainring bolts!
(relatively simple fix although had to use online retailers to get the 6mm bolts as nowhere in Edinburgh could get them in quickly (or, apart from bike trax, seemed that keen on actually helping me out))
Posted 4 years ago # -
I once had that, with the chainring moving sideways enough to cause the chain to switch sprockets if the friction-shifted rear mech was almost between sprockets. Fortunately spotted it before any of the bolts jumped clear.
Posted 4 years ago # -
With the abundant use and sizes of bolts used on your average garden variety recumbent bike, I have mashed many a thread. My source for all things bolt or nut is now Ebay seller Bolt Base. If they don’t sell it in exactly the length and head type you need, they will have something darn close.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Great shout @nobrakes. I have been considering a little spares cabinet with all the various fixings and items that seem to come up a lot with my bikes and accessories as the bag of loose random bolts and spares I have collated over the years is getting a little thin on the ground. This looks like an excellent place to start.
Posted 4 years ago # -
I tried to buy a selection box of stainless fasteners to no avail. You'd think that was a sure-fire seller.
I also have no idea where the plastic bags of M4,5&6 nuts and bolts I bought have gone.
Posted 4 years ago # -
I can add some bolts to your wheel order.
Posted 4 years ago # -
If you are willing to shop at Amazon, then you might consider these: 270 Assorted M3, M4 & M5 Allen Socket Cap Head Machine Screws/Bolts, A2-70 Stainless Steel
and these: 540 Assorted Nuts (Full and Nyloc) & Washers. M3, M4 & M5. A2-70 Stainless Steel
I have them. They come in nice little trays. At the rate they are going, I will have some left to share with my grandchildren.
I've just looked up the company on Amazon. They seem like an OK outfit. They even do a box of bike bolts.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Oh, that looks like a good deal. Thanks.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Local(ish)
Posted 4 years ago # -
Best website (bolt-related or not) ever;
Posted 4 years ago # -
If you, like me, don't want to give business to Amazon, eBay will also provide a million combinations of bike bolts.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@Arellcat my work-related grrr today was being sent "communicate like a leader" materials from HR that push various business "gurus" who have written obnoxious airport business book bestsellers and who we should definitely trust to shape public sector work practices because they've advised a laundry list of corporations whose main goal is to... make extraordinary amounts of money. (While often insisting they should also be recognised as the only ones who are smart enough and rich enough to solve all the worlds problems despite not having made a lot of progress to date...)
NB I am not "Leaning In".
Posted 4 years ago # -
I plan to communicate like Benny Higgins.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@Arellcat - is that a Red Dwarf reference I see?
Posted 4 years ago # -
It's an oldie but a goodie.
Posted 4 years ago # -
I need some advice. Am rebuilding and sorting out sister's mother in law's bike. It's an old step through hybrid type thing. 3x7 old shimano gear. Suspect bought at some point in the very early 2000's/later 90's from EBC. I have cleaned and sorted out the whole thing EXCEPT...
The Front Derailleur is particularly troublesome. It will EITHER not make loads of noise rubbing constantly OR will change to all three chainrings. Not both. Basically seems to be that to get it to change to all three chainrings you need to have the chain literally rubbing against the front derailleur cage in most gears.
The other issue is that the routing of the cable means that it takes many twists and turns and is frankly very hard to shift into the big ring.
So questions
1) Is there a simple process I can follow to try and get these gears shifting correctly or at least in the best way possible
2) Would replacing the gear cable likely reduce the effort needed to shift the gear or is it likely to have just the same issues?Posted 4 years ago # -
Hmm. Is the front shifter an indexed one or more 'analogue' ?
(I'm sure there's a proper term for it)It sounds like the cable just isn't moving in a large enough range. Might be a bit stretched, or might be a bit gummed up at contact points?
Edit: I meant to say that I assume it has outer limit screws that you've adjusted as far as they'll go?
Edit2: Friction shift! That's what I meant.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Did it work seamlessly and smoothly when new?
If it's technically capable of being a triple and has successfully worked as one before, fresh cables all the way and going at the hinges on the mech with cotton buds and so on to get it moving as freely as possible could help. Possible that it doesn't have the correct length of bottom bracket to allow the min/max extents of the front mech cage to be in the right places, or the mech is at the wrong height. Has either the mech or shifter been replaced at any previous point with something other than the original (again assuming it once worked properly)?Posted 4 years ago # -
So I managed to get it working properly last night utilising a significant amount of cleaning, some liberal application of beer to myself, and new cabling. It still pushes against the chain guard so I can only assume that it's poorly designed or indeed that the bottom bracket is too wide or similar. It still makes some noise but it is reasonably decent overall. I think I will change the rear derailleur cable and also the brake pads and then declare it as fixed as I can get it.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Suspended seatpost went crack! and started wobbling. Bushings and keys I put in have collapsed. Must have put them in wrong somehow.
Now spins me right round baby right round.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Walk of shame back from the LBS today. Had fitted a new BB and cranks a few weeks back but have since had an issue with the crank working loose. Took it in to the LBS for some advice. A micrometer (non-nazi so far as I could tell) was produced, air was sucked in through clenched teeth and the bike was taken into protective care to ensure both its and my safety.
#1 - Not actually today's rubbish maintenance, I clearly bollocked the job when I 'fitted' it and it's taken until now to come to light.
#2 - Actually today's excellent bicycle maintenance as a text from the LBS says I can collect it tomorrow.Posted 4 years ago # -
Great confession @urchaidh. Sorry to hear the micrometer was politically incorrect.
Saw 'Urchaidh' on a road sign yesterday and crashed in confusion.
Posted 4 years ago #
Reply »
You must log in to post.
posts
