What have you fettled today?

[Gandalf]

Done that.  Most of us probably have.

Now get some quick links 

I don't know if I can admit this....... the chain in question already has quicklinks! 

It sounds daft now but I thought I could just slacken off the screws slighty and wrangle the chain inside the cage plate.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

I did worse than that when I first took the chain off of my old Trice recumbent.  When I put the chain back on, I put it the wrong way around, so you had to pedal backwards to move forwards! 

Sort of moonwalking by bike?

[TimO]

Sort of moonwalking by bike?

A bit, but easier to do, and the Trice is a tricycle, so actually not the same.

It does feel very odd.

[tonyh]

Well, yesterday.
Replaced chain after 2400 miles. Avoided the mistakes this time.
Looked over tyres and found a flint which had got half way through the tube.
First experience of the "tie the tyre down into the well (when it's hard to get it over the rim)" technique, only just learned from here (appeared in CTC mag on same day). It's good.

[nuttycyclist]

After a lovely front wheel loss, and catch!, on black ice I thought it was time to break the Windcheetah out again.

Tyres pumped.
Chain lubed.
Lights adjusted.
Brakes checked.
Got on for test ride and went nowhere.  Pawls not engaging in freehub.

To get the cassette tool on you need to remove the gear hanger (two bolts, accessed through the wheel).

Cassette off.  Freehub off.  It's working fine 

Spun for ages in my hands, then plenty of oil drizzled in to flush out the pawls.

Reassembled.
Gears aligned.

Went out for a test ride and started getting really sideways on the iced roads .  Junction treatment is lean back in the seat, brake hard, front wheels lock and then as they start drifting down the camber take the weight off the back of the seat, boot the pedals and get the back wheel spinning up.  Drifting can be controlled via balance of brakes, steering and rear wheel spinning.

Mind you, starting a wheelspin when you're already doing 20mph is interesting


I'm going to have to get up early so I can commute to work the long way on the iced roads and hope the gritters don't start on more than just the main routes.

[andygates]

New chain on Dave.  Shifting is now nice and positive, but it's still skipping under torque, especially on the common sprockets.  Looks like I have to do the cassette as well.

[mike]

I've built my first wheel!!! 

an alfine hub gear for my 29er mountainbike so I can ride for more than 200 yards without it getting clagged up with mud.  It was flddly but pretty straightforward, thanks to uncle Sheldon and FWNs photos.  Havent actually tried it yet, and it may end in tears tomorrow, but it *looks* like a wheel!

then I fitted it to the mtb with the new shifters and cables.  Just need a brake disc, chain and some rim tape and I'm away!

[Oscar's dad]

My fettling skills are on a par with my map reading skills - pants.

Therefore, I am rather proud of myself. I have just fitted new rather natty red Koolstop brake blocks to Claud.  There was no swearing, I didn't loose any bits and everything works just fine! 

[Torslanda]

Am I allowed to claim a 'fettling moment' a week late? If so I can claim to have fettled Martin 109's VW Golf.We treated it to a new (Weber) carburettor with manual choke, water pump fan belt, and antifreeze.

Initial response was a lighter and more responsive throttle, better idle and performance. Replacing the water pump and fan belt made the engine run a lot quieter due to very knackered bearing. A couple of days later Martin reported it seemed to be more economical as well.

Extremely pleased with the result. Made a bad day good again.

luv'n'stuff

J

[andygates]

Nero /mode=velodrome

In particular: a good scrub, brakes and moustache bars and road-junk off, pista bars on, tyres swapped to even up wear, 15t cog slapped on.

[Notsototalnewbie]

I *would* have been attempting to remove my freewheel, but since the ebay seller saw fit to send me a Shimano cassette lockring tool instead of the Shimano freewheel remover in the listing, I'm not.

I take it I am right in assuming they are not interchangeable?  Have twice emailed seller but they are ignoring me.

[GruB]

Took the cranks off and turned the middle and little ring around.  I have been unhappy with the way the chain is feeling all week so tomorrow I'll test it again and see if that has solved the problem.  Not skipping, just not gliding.

[andrewc]

I've not been near a bike today, but I've finally put some shelves in the hall cupboard to give me more storage space.

The bike toolbox, box of spares & the panniers have been relocated from the bedroom 

[Jasper the surreal cyclist]

I *would* have been attempting to remove my freewheel, but since the ebay seller saw fit to send me a Shimano cassette lockring tool instead of the Shimano freewheel remover in the listing, I'm not.

I take it I am right in assuming they are not interchangeable?  Have twice emailed seller but they are ignoring me.

Do you want them killed?


New chain for the Wilier today. My trusty Park Tool chainbreaker came apart, but I sorted it. Went for a ride, no slipping so the cassette lives another day.

[andygates]

Arse, the bloomin' sprocket won't come off.  Fettling postponed until tomorrow to blag the LBS's chain wrench...

[tonyh]

I *would* have been attempting to remove my freewheel, but since the ebay seller saw fit to send me a Shimano cassette lockring tool instead of the Shimano freewheel remover in the listing, I'm not.

I take it I am right in assuming they are not interchangeable?  Have twice emailed seller but they are ignoring me.

This might be useful perhaps:

Shimano Cassettes & Freehubs, by Sheldon Brown

Worth a look, anyway. But you probably know all that already.

[Notsototalnewbie]

Thanks tonyh. I remain fairly sure that they are not the same tool (unless anyone can tell me otherwise?)

To add to the fun, the seller has sent what looks like an automated email asking me to leave feedback even though I have already emailed them to give them a chance to fix things. I could leave feedback, cut my losses and just buy one from elsewhere, I was trying to be fair, but this seems a bit much...! 

[campagman]

I started off changing my frt cantilever pads but sheared a bolt when tightening. The brake is scrap now but luckily I already had a long-reach caliper brake that will fit to the same forks. I was a bit rushed because it was getting dark and the temp was dropping so I fitted the brake to check for any possible alignment problems and hopefully I will change the cable tomorrow eve. It is my fixed wheel work bike and only has a frt brake. I wanted to keep the canti brake because it has more power but the caliper brake that I have fitted is dual pivot so shouldn't be too much worse.

[Gandalf]

Just fitted some FSA ceramic jockey wheels and did some gear fettling....I know, I know but they're cool and red and everything and are guaranteed to make you more attractive to members of the opposite sex, plus I had a £5 Wiggle voucher.

[Mrs Pingu]

This week Pingu built me a new wheel with a nice shiny unsticky hub and an extra gear  . Today he replaced my brake cables. So my bike is all ready to ride like a dream.
Whenever I'm fit to get back on it, that is 

[robgul]

Arse, the bloomin' sprocket won't come off.  Fettling postponed until tomorrow to blag the LBS's chain wrench...

..... hope you got this sorted or you'll be on a hire bike on Monday!

Rob

[Mr Larrington]

Commenced changing the Ken Rogers from flats / Rabidfires to drops / down-tube shifters.

Only remembered halfway through that making use of the huge blue lump of ironmongery with "Park" writ large thereupon would mean that my spine would not feel as though it needed a 10,000 mile service.

Bah!

[bikenerd]

My neighbour helped me lengthen the hose and bleed my recently acquired Magura HS33 brakes.
Just have to wait for a couple of parts to arrive then I can mount them and finally have a back brake that works on the Moulton! 

[Paul]

I *would* have been attempting to remove my freewheel, but since the ebay seller saw fit to send me a Shimano cassette lockring tool instead of the Shimano freewheel remover in the listing, I'm not.

I take it I am right in assuming they are not interchangeable?  Have twice emailed seller but they are ignoring me.

YHPM

[Jasper the surreal cyclist]

New brake blocks on the Tifosi. Wear indicators on wheel rims are a nice idea, but this time of year they get crap in them which slices up your brake blocks. I gave the rims a good clean as well and de-crapped the mudguards while the wheels were off.