What have you fettled today?

[Phil]

Very nice! I particularly like that you had the presence of mind to put some clothes on before taking photos of the shiny bits on the guitar. 

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Last night I was driven crazy by three flies which couldn't find their way out of the window despite me vigorously guiding them with a TV Quick. I gave up and went to bed. Tonight when I got in there were 5. I got them outside eventually. Two minutes later, there was another 4. I got them out. And then another 2. I got them out. And then another 1.

12 flies.

They were all on or around the livingroom window, and I noticed little holes in the wooden facing above the window. I think there's a nest of them in the space above the window, so I've blocked up the holes with sealant, plus shut the vent things at the top of the window frame, and there hasn't been a new one for about 10 minutes now.

Ugh.

[steveB]

Last night I was driven crazy by three flies which couldn't find their way out of the window despite me vigorously guiding them with a TV Quick. I gave up and went to bed. Tonight when I got in there were 5. I got them outside eventually. Two minutes later, there was another 4. I got them out. And then another 2. I got them out. And then another 1.

12 flies.

They were all on or around the livingroom window, and I noticed little holes in the wooden facing above the window. I think there's a nest of them in the space above the window, so I've blocked up the holes with sealant, plus shut the vent things at the top of the window frame, and there hasn't been a new one for about 10 minutes now.

Ugh.

Is it an upstairs window?  They could be clusterflies (I hope not), although it might be a bit early in the year for them.  They have a disgusting lifestyle, lay eggs in the fields and become parasites in earthworms until they hatch, sort of an Alien thing- can't find them on Wiki.  I once had a loft full, millions of the buggers hanging in huge bunches, they kept dropping through the window frames upstairs. Ugh! and double Ugh!

[rower40]

Stop flies spreading disease - keep'em zipped up. 

[outwith]

If they're cluster flies they're inside the building, where they've been hibernating, and trying to get out.  I used to have an atticful.  They come inside in the autumn to hibernate, and then they wake up in spring and try to get out, usually dying on the way.  So if you have a room full of dead flies in the morning...  The good news is that they aren't any sort of health risk to humans.  Googling will produce various local council information sheets.

[rogerzilla]

Very nice! I particularly like that you had the presence of mind to put some clothes on before taking photos of the shiny bits on the guitar. 

No eBay-style reflectoporn here 

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Is it an upstairs window?  They could be clusterflies (I hope not), although it might be a bit early in the year for them.  They have a disgusting lifestyle, lay eggs in the fields and become parasites in earthworms until they hatch, sort of an Alien thing- can't find them on Wiki.  I once had a loft full, millions of the buggers hanging in huge bunches, they kept dropping through the window frames upstairs. Ugh! and double Ugh!

Second-floor flat. Nothing to see this morning.

[GruB]

My TCR frame was replaced in 2006 yet I had to keep the carbon fork / steerer from the earlier TCR Hybrid.  The forks have been through several winters and the headset is still the original.  It has been a bit clunky of late.
I have taken it apart before and greased the bearings etc - but tonight I went further.
I not only stripped the lube out and then repacked it, before doing so I used a light emery stick to take off some of the markings and discolouration.
I also didn't put it back together quite so tight.  After watching Mark and Tuggo fettle Arabella's bike on the BCM and saw them tilt the bars to either side to see if the movement was free enough - I copied and hey presto - much smoother head set.

I also fettled the cleats on my shoes.

[andygates]

Reassembled an old Moulton for a new home:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Nj9IpDQYNlg&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/Nj9IpDQYNlg&rel=1</a>

[Yorkshireman]

In the past month I have -
Serviced the front and rear wheel bearings (new balls and grease after a good clean) including new cones in the front as these

were knackered (my fault - I over adjusted without allowing for the little extra from the quick release  ) . Decided that I wanted slightly lower gearing, and the tripple (28, 38, 48) was looking a bit worn anyway - It wasn't too keen to come off ... but I won in the end


to be replaced with a 22, 32, 44 and new bottom bracket

Cassette changed from 14, 16, 18, 21, 24, 28, 32 "F" to custom 14, 15, 16, 18, 21, 24, 28 (based on 11-28 "ac") which seems to suit me ok.
New headset

MIL bought me a new dynamo for my birthday so replaced this

with this

very impressed - quiet and hardly any drag. My wife bought me one of these

(to go with the new dyno) and what an improvement after this one

just walking with the bike seems to give full lighting power.
Got to thinking that the stem/bar set-up looked a bit 'ungainly' (and the fit wasn't quite right for me)

Couldn't find a replacement stem that would suit me (not in black anyway), so I bought a quill-ahead converter (I already had a stem - Halfords sale £2.00 a couple of years ago) and ended up with this

That fitted me OK, but looked a bit 'clunky', so I got a spacer (SJS) and dabbed a bit of shiny black paint here and there ... and

(I'm not sure yet ...).
Rear mech was sort of OK,

but this was going for £12.00 at UKBikestore

and looked a bit more up to date.
Had a good look at the rear lighting

and decided that it was letting everything else down. Ordered  a B+M DToplight Plus from Cycle Plus on Wednesday @ 7.30pm. Removed the home made flasher mount and light

and made a suitable mount for the new light and fitted it with pop rivetts

New light arrived at 1.30pm yesterday, and took about 10 min to fit and connect up.

I'm highly delighted with that bit of kit (and the quick service) 
Completed bike is like a new one now, and is certainly a better ride.

Just wondering what else is left to 'improve' 

[GruB]

Cripes.  You put us all to shame.  What a fettle that was.
You should start a new thread - Marathon Fettles 

[clifftaylor]

Just wondering what else is left to 'improve'

I think that the shed door could do with some TLC 

[Yorkshireman]

 
I'm still not quite used to this retirement job Grub (working conditions and hours are OK - but the pay's a bit 'lacking'). Garden's looking good, decorating up to date (the stuff that I can do anyway), housework only takes a couple of hours or so each day. Most days I get up around 4am (habit of a lifetime ) and go for a bit of a ride, and then the day is often mine to do ...  

[clifftaylor]

I have actually done some minor fettling today.
A couple of weeks ago, the Ribble was about to be put back in the garage when the front tyre went flat - almost instantly. The cause was the rim tape having migrated sideways enough to allow the innertube to kill itself by diving into the spokehole, and a deflation that rapid at 40mph didn't bear thinking about. I considered adhesive rim tape, but they all seemed to be thicker than the plastic stuff provided, and I'd had a lot of trouble getting Conti 4 Seasons on the wheels, eventually having to buy a Var lever. Then I found veloplugs, and bought some from Planet-X. They're a bit small for Shimano wheels, and I've had to stick a bit of electrical tape on top of each one (I'm trying to source the Shimano version), but I can now fit the Contis with my bare hands, which is most excellent.

[GruB]

I'm still not quite used to this retirement job Grub (working conditions and hours are OK - but the pay's a bit 'lacking'). Garden's looking good, decorating up to date (the stuff that I can do anyway), housework only takes a couple of hours or so each day. Most days I get up around 4am (habit of a lifetime ) and go for a bit of a ride, and then the day is often mine to do ... 

Good for you.  Get some miles in then - but ensure you are on Bikejournal first.  I hope I'll be like that one day too.

[GruB]

I've got veloplugs on the TCR Mavic wheels.  They didn't fit the Campag Sciroccos on the Monsta Thorn though.

My TCR looks very clean and sexy.  The Monsta Thorn had a wash too as she goes into the LBS for the new cranks next week - so at least he will not get covered in muck from my machine.

TCR has been stripped down for the Highclere Sportive tomorrow.  Essential items only  - noticably missing are my lights    I put a smaller saddle bag on too.

The Monsta Thorn is also now sporting her new Bagman supporting her Carradice Nelson ( thank you Paul ).

I can fettle to my heart's content as I am home alone as the G family have gone to Wales ( I couldn't due to the sportive tomorrow ).

[Yorkshireman]

Just wondering what else is left to 'improve'

I think that the shed door could do with some TLC 

Ah! That 'shed door' (if it's the one behind the bike) is the garden gate. It's finished in what's known in the 'trade' as Stressed Woodland Green, with the fittings being in Gas-tar Black with Rust Relief and I'm going for the 'Rustic' look  , though there's a large container of B+Q Woodland Green Sprayable Fence Paint somewhere at the back of the garage. I'm waiting for a bit of decent weather - to see if the spare (unused) pump up weedkiller spray thing will work with the paint (looks just the same as the B+Q item - including the nozzles). I've still got loads of shiny black paint left as well 

[alan]

Solved the problem of intermittent failure of the computer on the Longstaff.The fork mounted transducer was creamcrackered so a new one was fitted.

[David Martin]

Finally finished the kitchen sink. Removed the old worktop with sit in sink. Removed the thin bit of wood under the windowsill that acted as a splashback. moved the centre pillar for the sink unit over 10cm. Cut the top to fit. Installed taps. Did plumbing stuff. and got it all connected up except the waste.

Off to B&Q. I should have gone by bike. It would have been quicker.

Back to B&Q for the one adapter I needed but didn't have for the waste pipe, this time by bike.

Back again to B&Q for the other bits I had forgotten.

All connected and working. Most of the woodwork done (just got to take a few mm off the plinth piece - the units were lowered about 8mm to get the new sink splashback (it is a sit on rather than a sit in) )

All done and I am tired.. a few bits to tidy up.

..d

[MattH]

After months of thinking about what to do, I finally got around to replacing the chainset on my audax bike. I'd spent ages looking at the merits of different bottom bracket systems, considering if I should aim to move fully Campy (using the very tempting Bikeplus Record triple offer), or move to outboard bearings and modern Shimano stuff (with the retooling and frame facing costs).

Eventually I just bought a rather nice TA Vega square taper triple set from Wiggle (at a rather nice price of a few pence over £100, assuming you use a £5 voucher gained by updating your mailing list preferences and want 170 26/36/46, which was exactly what I was after).

Building it up from the kit of parts of you are supplied is a very satisfying way of spending an evening in front of the telly; kind of like working on a bike, but without the oil and dirt. I like having a big pile of shiny bits that gradually reduces in size as the thing your are building takes shape. Then getting to the end and not having any bits left over is the icing on the cake
The only irritating part was needing a special spanner to attach the crank to the spider (or bodging it like I did).

The I spent some time yesterday swapping it all over, moving the front derailleur down, new chain and tweaking the gears so everything is running sweetly and silently.
Now I just need to actually replace the front derailleur with a top swing one; the existing one's band now fouls the bottle cage.

A satisfying job, but perhaps I should have done it before going on the Irish Mail 

[Gandalf]

I spent a fair chunk of yesterday trying to make  my son's Halfrauds hybrid roadworthy.  I'm disgusted that he would ride something in that state.

Both brake cables, rear mech cable and freewheel totally cattle trucked, several broken spokes in rear wheel and rear mech dangerously loose.

Isn't getting old freewheels off a wizard wheeze? In the end I had to resort to the old scaffold pole trick.

It was also the first time I had attempted to change a gear cable on SRAM twist grip shifters, which was a right caper.  As I opened it up to expose the cable end it did a Zebedde on me and catapaulted the spring come ratchet thingy which does the indexing.

[GruB]

My fettling yesterday paid off.  No issues today.  Silent stealth machine she was.  Well done girl. 

[alan]

Another computer
This time the one on Marj's Trice.Fortunately it was only a two minute fettle.I suppose it could be natural justice taking it's course on me for riding Marj's machine at a time when she can't

[pdm]

Replaced the bearings on my summer commuter's eggbeaters and re-greased them.
The bearing on the right pedal disintegrated on the way home last evening and that meant a slow 10 miles through the peaks due to the whole pedal mechanism coming apart. Cue (mainly) single pedal cycling up and down the hills 
On average, eggbeater bearings last me 10-15,000k

[TimO]

Fettled some new brake pads onto the rear, and moved the Space Grip again so that the computer, GPS, and spare front lamp no longer partially blocks the main front lamp to people on my left.  Right, that's me ready for the Zombocalypse now!