I don't really like fixing bikes
So perhaps it was a bit ambitious to expect to work on two and then start building another one
I started off by cleaning mrs V Super Galaxy. Then I moved on to my Roubaix. This also needed cleaning. Actually it was filthy. I'd taken it on a 30 mile round trip to the pub on wednesday night and it has no mudguards.
Then I remembered I was supposed to change the chain on the Roubaix. So I thought it would be a good idea to clean the cassette properly before fitting a new chain, So I took the back wheel out to remove the cassette. When I removed the cassette lock ring the cassette remained firmly attached. I tried levering it off with a screwdriver. The cassette came off the wheel with the cassette hub carrier too! After a bit more brute force the cassette and the carrier parted company. The problem was that the aluminium Hope carrier had got scarred by the cassette. So I had to find a metal file ( which took me about 30 minutes- it's not a tool I normally use) and sort out the horrible knackerage on it. Then I cleaned the sprockets, cleaned and regreased the pawls in the back of the carrier, checked all the bearings in the hub were still plush and reassembled everything.
Getting the hub back together wasn't the easiest thing. The seal between the carrier and the centre of the wheel was reassuringly tight.
I fitted a new chain which was pretty quick/easy
The cassette didn't look quite right. I thought I had found an extra spacer. I got a printout of the shimano tech doc but it wasn't that. Then I counted the sprockets and I realised there was still one in the soapy water. So another fiddle with the chain whip to get it back in the right place.
Then I changed the 28mm tyres on the Roubaix back to 25mm and put the Crud mudguards on it. The Crud guards are great but mudguards are always a PitA to fit.
That was it for the Roubaix
Then I cleaned the Roadrat. This was also quite dirty. I hadn't washed it for two weeks. Then I put an extra 1/4 turn of tension into the rear spokes. It's a new factory built wheel and even after the extra tightening it doesn't feel that great. Should the spokes in a 24h wheel feel much more tense than the spokes in a 32 or 36h? Even after tightening up they don't seem as tight as most of my home built 32/36h wheels. Anyway, I have bumped up the tension and every little helps
I was going to move on to building up the 1x9. I have all the parts and a fork crown puller as of Thursday. But I was fed up with mechanics. So I went and had a nice cup of tea and called it a day
