What have you fettled today?

[Cudzoziemiec]

Put Surly stickers on the frame. They were an absolute !#$@€.

2020-05-22_06-21-56 by The Pingus, on Flickr

Except the other side it didn't ffffing fffit fffine and disintegrated into a million tiny pieces. (Every one of those letters and the dots are a seperate sticker).

2020-05-22_06-23-35 by The Pingus, on Flickr

2020-05-22_06-23-22 by The Pingus, on Flickr

There are another 4 stickers in the pack, but given that every letter tries to leap off the frame when you remove the application tape I decided that a) that way lies insanity and b) less is more

Yebbut if you get them in the wrong place, they're really easy to peel off... In fact, they'll do it for you.

I removed the fatties fit fine and all the other stickers from my Surly, apart from the Surly itself (which is a different font to yours) on the down tube. I've no intention of ever refitting them!

[Tim Hall]

While down the LBS earlier this weekend I spied a replacement track pump head for three and a half quid. As the valve gripping washer is leaking in my pump I thought I'd give it a go.

The gubbins that attach it to the pump hose are different and air did leak in an annoying fashion. I rummaged around in by bits box and found a brass hose insert - the sort with  barbed stem to grip the inner bore of the hose and an o ring to seal in the pump head. A good start. However the OD of the brass insert was a gnat's cock greater than the ID of the hole in the new pump head.

Dig out electric drill, clamp brass fitting in the chuck, turn on drill and carefully apply a file to the spinning brass. OD reduced to a suitable diension for a tight push fit. This Old Tony and Abom79 would be proud. Secure hose with a jubilee clip and the job's a good 'un.

[Kim]

Replaced the chain and rear barke pads on the Streetmachine, and provided further tyre inflation services to the neighbours (I also did a football for them a couple of days ago).

Lockdown top tip:  Ensure your crap track pump for lending to people actually works with Schrader valves.

[T42]

Put my horrible Decathlon workstand together again.  I'll be taking it down again this afternoon. It's horrible.

This was just the beginning of Project Skyhook...

[Dave_C]

Put my horrible Decathlon workstand together again.  I'll be taking it down again this afternoon. It's horrible.

This was just the beginning of Project Skyhook...

Hey T42, can you give us a short review please? Reasons why you don't like it. It may help others in the future.

Many thanks,

Sent from my HD1913 using Tapatalk

[T42]

Put my horrible Decathlon workstand together again.  I'll be taking it down again this afternoon. It's horrible.

This was just the beginning of Project Skyhook...

Hey T42, can you give us a short review please? Reasons why you don't like it. It may help others in the future.

Many thanks,

Sent from my HD1913 using Tapatalk

Certainly.  It's not on Decathlon's site any more but Intersport do something very similar:

https://www.intersport.fr/noir-pied_d_atelier_de_reparation_velo-nakamura-p-2248099AKU/?lgw_code=14544-2248099AKUT_U&its_medium=cpc&its_source=google&its_campaign=sea-shopping&its_content=&s_kwcid=AL!7109!3!284723495990!!!g!355645137322!&gclid=CjwKCAjwztL2BRATEiwAvnALcs6TLLp49quEQiyeH0mjauJXJep01jF6X-Lr8UCXVTeMq1h8LRPbCBoCwrwQAvD_BwE

Main bugbear is that on my Decathlon one the tube with the bike clamp tightens with a knob, and unless you've got muscles like Omar the Truss-Mocker it turns and drops the front wheel while you're working on it.  OK, so I replaced the knob with an ordinary nut and tightened it almost to the point of stripping the thread, so now it holds.  Also, when there isn't a bike on it the feet stick out at far enough to trip up the unwary (me).  Collapsing & stowing it is a 10-minute PITA, as is putting it up again.

I used to use this on my Ti bike, clamped on the top tube, and it was fine, but on the saddle post it's rather horrid.

I preferred the ceiling hooks anyway: less stress on the frame, the bike stays horizontal and the front wheel doesn't flop around.  And I could pull on a bit of string and fold the hooks up out of the way in 5 seconds.

[Dave_C]

Great review! Many thanks.

I too have a saddle hook from the garage roof and hook the nose of the saddle on.

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[rogerzilla]

On the "to do" list:

1. Fit rear mudguard to Raleigh Twenty.  Needs custom bracket at the chainstays.

2. Convert SA AM hub in Brompton to an AW toggle and clutch key.  That two-piece indicator rod has unscrewed itself too many times.

3. Rebuild Brompton front wheel with a hub that is concentric and isn't junk.

4. Various mods to the singlespeed to make it better to ride.

[Ashaman42]

On the Trek Crossrip today:

• Stripped handlebar light and GPS brackets.
• Removed Bagman support.
• Removed rear lights (battery and dynamo), and front dynamo light.
• Removed wired computer bracket and sensor.
• Removed mudguards front and rear, marked and cut rear stays to fit end caps as per front which I did aaaaaages ago.
• Removed Avid BB5s, rear derailleur, pedals, cranks, and bottom bracket. And some skin in the process. The last was unintentional.
• Wiped pedals over with baby wipes.
• Removed and binned chainrings, cleaned cranks and chainring bolts.
• Cleaned frame and forks. And front derailleur in situ.
• Vaguely washed mudguards. Need at least one more pass.
• Cut new chain to length and degreased ahead of trying Squirt chain lube. Currently hanging to dry from a screw I stuffed in the side of our swing seat.
• Tidied away most of my mess and tools. Having a sundowner with my better half before finishing up the tidying.
• ~~~~~ Time Passes ~~~~~~
• Finished tidying up

Tomorrow (and maybe Wednesday depending how I go).

• I'll give the frame, forks and mudguards another pass. I'm never going to get them spotless as I lack the patience but I'll get them a bit better. There's a bit of discolouration on one fork leg that I want to make sure is dirt and not damage. Seven year old carbon forks so we'll see.
• Then have a go at the brakes and rear derailleur. I have new jockey wheels so will just bin the current ones.
• Strip off the rear cassette and bin.
• Clean the wheels and fit a new front disc and pads. I have a new rear disc coming but it'll probably be the end of the week so I'll hold off on the new rear pads. I'm not sure the discs strictly need doing but it'll probably not hurt and they were just over a tenner each. I need to order some more pads but the ones I get are currently out of stock. I've enough for this change and that's it. I'll assess the current discs tomorrow when I remove them to clean the wheels.
• Drop the forks and give the headset a poke and prod. It feels fine in use but probably worth a look.
• Whip Wrestle off the Marathon Pluses that I bought for commuting just before starting a new job and cycling a lot less/buying another bike specifically for commuting and camping (Carrera Subway).
• Fit new GP5000s  I've heard good things so let's see how they do.
• Possibly get some epoxy or somesuch and sort out the chainstay mudguard boss. It twiddles around in its hole and does hold the guard but maybe worth trying to secure it - hopefully without gumming up the thread.

I'm impressed with the current drivetrain. I bought the bits to do this service back in 2015 as a few squeaks and clatters had started but what with studying and working (and riding the damn thing instead of working on it) I kept putting it off. Whilst a couple gears are grumbly nothing actually slips and it's just all worn into itself nicely. I suspect just a new chain would slip over everything else though.

The bottom bracket doesn't even feel graunchy, it just has a slightly mangled thread on one side from a dodgy bottom bracket tool mangling it when I was only getting it out to see what size I needed to order. It works just with a different crank bolt from the other side. I may even keep the new one as a spare. Or fit it and keep the old one for emergencies! Then again it's a UN55 which is £11 so why not just have all new for once.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Removed right hand bar tape prior to fitting new brake levers.

[CAMRAMan]

To cure the sticky downshift on the Cube's Deore drivetrain I bought a new chain and a teflon-coated inner cable. I took off the rear mech, cleaned it and lubed the pivots and pulley wheels. After removing the old cable, I found the new one's diameter was too large to fit in the shifter. Ho hum. So the old one was reused with a couple of small kinks straightened as best possible. It was then coated with GT85 and a generous splash was squirted down both cable ends. The new chain was cleaned, made to length and oiled prior to fitting.

After that the bar end positions were tweaked. Test ride after lunch to see if all's well. I suspect a new inner cable of the correct diameter is what's really needed.

[rafletcher]

Puzzling that, AFAIK all gear inners are of the same diameter (1.2mm), as are all brake inners (1.6mm), the differences being in the shape of the blobs of white metal on the ends that seat in the levers.

[T42]

Looked at RD idlers on Trek, came in and ordered new ones.  Now I know why I've been having shifting problems.

[Jurek]

While down the LBS earlier this weekend I spied a replacement track pump head for three and a half quid. As the valve gripping washer is leaking in my pump I thought I'd give it a go.

The gubbins that attach it to the pump hose are different and air did leak in an annoying fashion. I rummaged around in by bits box and found a brass hose insert - the sort with  barbed stem to grip the inner bore of the hose and an o ring to seal in the pump head. A good start. However the OD of the brass insert was a gnat's cock greater than the ID of the hole in the new pump head.

Dig out electric drill, clamp brass fitting in the chuck, turn on drill and carefully apply a file to the spinning brass. OD reduced to a suitable diension for a tight push fit. This Old Tony and Abom79 would be proud. Secure hose with a jubilee clip and the job's a good 'un.

Guerrilla lathe work. 

[robgul]

A few odd bits and pieces today:

Re-arranged the contents of the shed having built 2 bays of shelving (designed to hold plastic bins acquired from a well-known oline purveyor of groceries)
Sorted bike storage in said shed for the 2 machines that can't accompany the 3 in the garage/workshop
Connected the water feed to the softener and filter in readiness for the return from being serviced of the super-spangly coffee machine - including drilling a hole in an outside wall for the overflow using a VERY LONG drill bit.   

Tomorrow's task is drilling a hole in a granite worktop for the feed and overflow to connect to the machine (machine has not been installed in this house before)

Ordered 2 water filter cartridges for said filter - only to find we have one in stock 

Rob

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Fitted new brake levers to the mid-80s British Eagle. The old levers are Modolo but the hoods were badly perished and split. The new ones are very smart.

Now only the frame, forks and handle bars are original.  Will put new tyres on next.

[Dave_C]

Fitted new brake levers to the mid-80s British Eagle. .... now only the frame, forks and handle bars are original...

Triggers bicycle?

I had a red British Eagle in the 90s which was nicked.

Sent from my HD1913 using Tapatalk

[Kim]

Puzzling that, AFAIK all gear inners are of the same diameter (1.2mm)

Apart from the 1.1mm ones (Rohloff & SRAM, possibly some Campag?)

[CAMRAMan]

Puzzling that, AFAIK all gear inners are of the same diameter (1.2mm)

Apart from the 1.1mm ones (Rohloff & SRAM, possibly some Campag?)

Just checked the fleabay listing and the teflon-coated part is 2mm. They are obviously old stock from Halfords, as they aren't on that company's website any longer.

[Deano]

Just about finished a pair of wheels, sitting in the garden in the sun.

[robgul]

Puzzling that, AFAIK all gear inners are of the same diameter (1.2mm)

Apart from the 1.1mm ones (Rohloff & SRAM, possibly some Campag?)

I think you'll find that Campag and Shimano have the same thickness of cable but the nipples are different - Campag being slightly smaller - you can get a Campag cable in a Shimano STi lever and it works - you can get a Shimano cable in a Campag lever . . . but just the once!  (It actually takes quite a bit of digging out to remove the nipple from its housing)

IIRC Sturmey Archer cables are thinner too.

Rob

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Fitted new brake levers to the mid-80s British Eagle. .... now only the frame, forks and handle bars are original...

Triggers bicycle?

I had a red British Eagle in the 90s which was nicked.

Sent from my HD1913 using Tapatalk

Bought mine to replace a mid-80s Eclipse Routier that was nicked.  There's something about the way bikes from back then handle.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Replaced Schwalbe Marathons with Durano folding.

[Legs]

Hack bike hadn't been cleaned or maintained for ~10 years, so I cleaned everything down.  Rear mech had been overthrowing and clattering on the spokes in the 25T sprocket, so I'd been limited to 39x23 when riding with my 3yo in the Hamax seat - not ideal for getting up steep Staffordshire hills!  Adjustment screws had turned to cheese and rear mech was generally knackered, so I installed a new 9spd Sora medium cage mech which works okay.  9spd cassette had been 12-25, but I wanted something a bit smaller, so I dug out a 28T and a spacer from the box-o-bits, took off the 12T, and swapped the 13T sprocket for a top-sprocket version.  It's a bit of a mish-mash, but it runs without jumping, and indexes fine now.  I feel like I could ride up the side of a house in 39x28 - I've never had such a small gear on a road bike!

Fitted some Vredestein Fortezza Tricomp tyres - I hope they're as nice to ride on as when I last had some, 20 years ago - and a new stem, because my old one was a MTB stem, bodged to work with road bars (I know, I know...)

[T42]

New idlers in Trek RD, with the usual "ok, that one goes up there that way round, and that one goes down there that way round. Or does it?" It took longer to decrud the wee arrows on the old ones* than it did to fit the bits.  Still, once together it made like untrue love and ran smoooooooth.

While I was doing that, one of the Labs tried to make off with a bit of kitchen paper spotted with Loctite 243. Weird bugger.

* Yog-Sothoth & C°.