What have you fettled today?

[PaulF]

Yesterday I noticed that my Peregrine had a flat tyre so I (rather than dig out a new tube) patched the tube. The good thing about the 'slime' filled tubes is that it makes it easy to see where the hole is. Unfortunately the tyre was flat again today . Checking in a bowl of water showed that the valve was now leaking

Could the puncture fixing 'gunge' make the valve leak?

[GruB]

I so love a relaxing fettle on the weekend.
Cleaned the Etape.  She was very dirty after a week of commuting in poor weather.

A week?  I'm not going to clean the Inbred until at least mid-April, and I first built it up at the end of November    The chain has been done a couple of times, but there's no point in cleaning the rest of it; there is so much construction work going on round here that the roads are watery mud (with the usual horse poo to add dietary fibre to the mess).

Yeah but that week was 250 miles worth.  If I don't clean it I miss things like brake pad wear and it is so easy to pick up crud that will shred my rims.  Plus a clean ti bike looks much better than a muddy one I reckon.

[gordon taylor]

I collected the new frame for my daughter's bike. My plan is to build her a new bike - using this frame and all the spare bits I have in the garage.

Unfortunately, the old Nexave crankset which was part of the masterplan, looks tatty. So I suspect I'll end up buying lots of new bits too.    Oh well, that's another proof positive that the economics of bike building are dire, especially when the rider is someone you love so deeply that it hurts.

The bike is a commuter - 2 miles downhill to the station and two miles uphill on the way home. She wants a step-through ladies frame with a basket on the front and a rack on the back... and a "couple more" gears than her present Sturmey three-speed.

I can do that - with nice wheels too. 

[jogler]

Oh well, that's another proof positive that the economics of bike building are dire, especially when the rider is someone you love so deeply that it hurts.

so true
I have taken the "clean hands" option & promised my geedee a visit to Isla Rowntree about Easter time.This might be her first drop bars/STI gears bike.

[MSeries]

Unfortunately, the old Nexave crankset which was part of the masterplan, looks tatty. So I suspect I'll end up buying lots of new bits too.    Oh well, that's another proof positive that the economics of bike building are dire, especially when the rider is someone you love so deeply that it hurts.

Yebbut you add that special ingredient that can't be bought

[MSeries]

Started to make a single speed chain tensioner from an V brake that longers donated, an axle, a jockey wheel and some bolts + nuts. Looks like it'll work. Thus I removed a mech, cable and chain. Next I'll sort out the sprocket, chainring and chainline then fix it all up.

I didn't take an pictures during contruction, I was too excited, but I'll blog it once done.

[MSeries]

Cleaned and lube my Dolan.

[Wobbly John]

Last night, put new secondhand Mavic bars, brake levers and cables on the Time Trial bike. Nipped out on it today and the tri-bars need a bit of re-positioning.

I'll post some pictures when I've had a chance to clean the greasy fingerprints off it - it's white  

[citoyen]

Finally got around to restoring the Brompton to roadworthy status with the replacement chainset kindly donated by MV. Soon realised that the new chainset is actually a bit larger than the old one. I could have sworn the old one was 54t but it turns out it was a mere 50t. And so I had to lengthen the chain - lucky I kept the spare links when I shortened it to fit before. This means I have gained a few gear inches, but that's not such a bad thing.

Also fitted the new Brooks B17 to replace the old one, which I've moved to the Audax bike (the old one is well and truly broken in and I have a hunch I'll need the extra comfort on the Audax bike more than on the Brompton).

d.

[dasmoth]

Put the tandem pack together after the Kennett Valley ride yesterday, and decided it needed a bit of attention.  New front brake blocks.   Back off and adjust the disk brake (did peer suspiciously at the pads but they'll do for a couple more rides).  Try to get the drivetrain somewhat clean (it's quite impressive how shiny you can get an old cassette once you break out the degreaser and a toothbrush).  New chain just about to go on.

And I think I've worked out why the rear derailleur suddenly went out of adjustment just after Hungerford, but that'll need a bit more testing...

[RichL]

Replaced front pads on the Shogun - ancient steel MTB with slicks and tidy LX group/Mavic wheels - this is my general commuting / looks scruffy / park it in town bike.

Swapped the cantis on the Tricross Singlecross fixie back to V's (Avis single-digit 5's). Teflon-coated cables and guides.  Very pleased to have decent braking on it - now much better than the originals, let alone the cantis before I realised that not all brake levers are the same I'll be commuting Bristol-Swindon bike/train/bike on it this week to make it a bit more of a work-out than using a geared bike.

Swapped the double-sided SPD pedals from the Dahon Mu Uno singlespeed folder to the Tricross. Can't understand why the Dahon isn't getting much use 

[clarion]

Over the weekend, I cleaned my bike, removed, cleaned and oiled the chain, adjusted the rear brake where the spring cover had broken, and oiled the relevant parts of the brake mechanism.

I also sorted out the primitive SIS gearing on a bike we're giving to a niece.  I'd already roughly fitted the mudguards, but I adjusted them, sorted out the rear brake, and then spent ages swearing at the front brake, which seems to want to drag forever.

I'll have another go later.

Oh - and I put Superstoker's Trek back on the turbotrainer, so he can have a bit of a spin.

[alecstilleyedye]

i noticed that the rear mech was very slightly rubbing on the spokes in the lowest gear, so i've bent the gear hanger out a tad to stop it (steel frame, can't do that with alu…)

[border-rider]

Put a new rim on the old back wheel for the winter audax bike.  I'll do the final truing when my new wheel jig arrives

[jogler]

Just drilled two 5mm dia. holes @ 63.5mm centres in the shank of a 15mm combination  spanner then fitted to seat tube,using spare bottle cage braze-ons. The Langster now has a track-nut spanner permenantly on board.

[CommuteTooFar]

Replaced the brake pads on Dawes Discovery 101.  Now I will be able to stop as expected and avoid the accident if I didn't.  One thing I noticed was the pin that came with the brake pad (Clarks) was too large to fit in the hole on the LX brake shoe.

The old pads still had some rubber on them, but only a sliver. The new pads cost me £4 per pair but I used a LBS so the price is fair.

   

[tom_e]

Could the puncture fixing 'gunge' make the valve leak?

Yes, IME.  I gave up on the gunge after too much spitting out all over the place.  I'd forgotten it made the valve untrustworthy too.

[Biggsy]

Faced and reamed the head tube of my Raleigh Timet and refitted the headset.  That's about as advanced fettling as I want to do.

Virtually no instructions came with the Cyclus tool, and I didn't really know what I was doing, but nevertheless the headset now works ok, whereas before I could never get it adjusted right.  

[GruB]

Seat alignment.  Can't get it right by eye so I have used a sight line.

[gordon taylor]

Fettled? I should be so lucky. I'm swapping a rim and have discovered that my spokes have shrunk. A SON dynohub with Open Pro rim needs 291mm spokes (3x). So how the hell did I manage to build it previously with 287mm spokes? There's no way this wheel will go back together... it's as tight as a camel's arse in a sandstorm with only half the spokes in place. I've even tried longer nipples. Aaaarrgh. I'm an idiot, somehow, and I have no idea what I've done wrong.

I'm off to find some neat whisky and the wire-cutters.  I may be some time....

[rogerzilla]

Cleaned the Inbred for the first time ever.  De-rusted the chromed steel parts and smeared them with vaseline to stop it happening again.  Fitted a new chain, since the old one was definitely stretched.  BB still OK after 500 miles (not always the case with my bikes).  Fitted teensy emergency lights as the days are now long enough not to need the Smart 1/2 watt and the Hope Vision 1.

[GruB]

I have modified the IQ Fly bracket and installed it onto the Etape, ready for the E3 Triple.

[numbnuts]

I've just come from my garage and looked at my bike after my first off the handle bars are all bent and the mirror is missing, but I can't do anything until wiggles get their finger out and send me my order

[John Henry]

Fitted some new brake blocks. Found out why the brakes had been sounding like a cement mixer (and been fairly ineffectual) for a week or so. Let's just say that I got my money's worth from the old blocks... 

[GruB]

I've also got the MTB ready for Center Parcs.  Off with the snow tyres and on with the knobbies so I can keep up with my boys.  I've put some proper rim tape on and used some Specialized tube sealant too.

I have also fitted a basket to Mrs G's Specialized so she can keep her handbag in view