LEL - Emergency repair equipment

[Hummers]

How often  do you break cables and spokes ? Do you really need all that stuff ?

I am 16st and this comes at a cost to the bike.

I have had two separate occaisions where I have lost one and even two spokes on the rear wheel.

Both were Audaxes, one I managed to get it fixed (3 Moors 300), the other resulted is a DNF (Dorset Delight). Both drive side.

I now carry spare spokes taped to the frame and Spa's Next Best Thing.

I also carry SRAM power links and a chain tool as I go through a chain in about 9 months.

Before LEL, I am going t replace the brake and gear cables.

H

[Panoramix]

do you need to remove the cassette to use those fiber fix spokes ?

You can cheat and loop it round the elbow a spoke on the wrong side if you can't get the cassette off.   Cracker only weighs 30g though.

Just discovered it's been sat in some water and rusted - will have to check it works tomorrow.

Can you find those in the uk.

[simonp]

do you need to remove the cassette to use those fiber fix spokes ?

You can cheat and loop it round the elbow a spoke on the wrong side if you can't get the cassette off.   Cracker only weighs 30g though.

Just discovered it's been sat in some water and rusted - will have to check it works tomorrow.

Can you find those in the uk.

spa cycles stocked it, but not any more

however they stock this now:

NBT2 (next best thing) Cassette lockring remover 2008 :: £17.00 :: PARTS & ACCESSORIES :: Tools :: Spa Cycles, Harrogate - The touring cyclists specialist.

[MSeries]

do you need to remove the cassette to use those fiber fix spokes ?

You can cheat and loop it round the elbow a spoke on the wrong side if you can't get the cassette off.   Cracker only weighs 30g though.

Just discovered it's been sat in some water and rusted - will have to check it works tomorrow.

One of the draw backs of cassettes with lockrings is that one needs  a lockring tool. Do you remember Shimano Uniglide cassettes ? One could remove the threaded end sprocket with a large screw driver and a hammer, one can always find them on the road or something equivalent. That reminds me I once rejoined a broken chain, the pin had come out, with a couple of rocks.

 will the same happen again?

Unlikely. I once broke a rear mech, but I don't carry a spare.

[nuttycyclist]

How many times have I worn out the tread on a tyre during a Randonnee?  Once.

Fit a new tyre now, it'll last 1400km

I dropped into a puddle at the side of the road once when stopping.

The broken glass/knife/whatever slashed right through the sidewall and all temporary boots failed, resulting in getting through 3 inner tubes (and I patched some of those too) in the 10 mile ride home.  I think we spent over an hour stopped in all.

It was a brand new tyre.

[MSeries]

How many times have I worn out the tread on a tyre during a Randonnee?  Once.

Fit a new tyre now, it'll last 1400km

I dropped into a puddle at the side of the road once when stopping.

The broken glass/knife/whatever slashed right through the sidewall and all temporary boots failed, resulting in getting through 3 inner tubes (and I patched some of those too) in the 10 mile ride home.  I think we spent over an hour stopped in all.

It was a brand new tyre.

It's happened once so unlikely to happen again, that was just plain bad luck !!  DOn't drop into puddles again

[Really Ancien]

If you do carry a spare tyre, and I do. The best place is behind the top tube and the stays. I used to attach it with cable ties, but experience has shown that a whole lot of swearing results from trying to cut through the ties with the screwdriver bit of a multitool. The best course is to use a toe-strap. The toe-strap can then be used to fashion a neck support in time honoured fashion.

Damon.

[simonp]

Oooh, that's a good idea.  That gives me more space for stuff on the saddle bag straps.

 

[Really Ancien]

Oooh, that's a good idea.  That gives me more space for stuff on the saddle bag straps.

 

How very CTC.

Damon.

[MSeries]

If you do carry a spare tyre, and I do. The best place is behind the top tube and the stays.

Do you mean behind the seat tube ?

[vorsprung]

Rather than carrying a zillion tons of kevlar spokes, hypercracker, spare tyres etc etc the best plan would have been to service your bike before LEL fit new chain, tyres, rims, brake blocks, cables, chainrings, sprockets as necessary

Of course it's a bit late for that now  so as you were.....

[Greenbank]

Rather than carrying a zillion tons of kevlar spokes, hypercracker, spare tyres etc etc the best plan would have been to service your bike before LEL fit new chain, tyres, rims, brake blocks, cables, chainrings, sprockets as necessary

Of course it's a bit late for that now   so as you were.....

Brake blocks I can understand, but I've had plenty of random failures within 1400km of a service, especially with new stuff. Everything on my bike is relatively new and has been run in, or has plenty of life left in it. The tyres have done about 500km, enough to show up any manufacturing defects that I've seen ruin a tyre within 100km, and easily enough to last the 1400km. I'd be twitchy doing the whole thing on a bike made almost entirely out of new stuff.

The Bottom Bracket, however, has always been dodgy so a spare one is going in my Thorne bagdrop.

[Manotea]

The Bottom Bracket, however, has always been dodgy so a spare one is going in my Thorne bagdrop.

Hmm, maybe I ought to pack a spare saddle. Its been a while since I broke a Brooks shackle/tensioning bolt. Ive got spares but it was a return to factory job last time to fit them on my then newish Team Pro.

[Greenbank]

My Swallow has a crack in the Titanium. But it's been like that for months and it's not getting any worse.

What's the worst that can happen eh?

[Really Ancien]

The Bottom Bracket, however, has always been dodgy so a spare one is going in my Thorne bagdrop.

Hmm, maybe I ought to pack a spare saddle. Its been a while since I broke a Brooks shackle/tensioning bolt. Ive got spares but it was a return to factory job last time to fit them on my then newish Team Pro.

I did PBP 1999 with a spare saddle. I'd had an infected boil, so I rode a soft saddle, and carried a different one in case it got rubbed up wrong. A great conversation starter.

Damon.

[ludwig]

Not really a spare but I have taken to carrying a pair of disposable rubber gloves so that when you get a p******e you don't get covered in all that grey, greasy road clag. As for actual spares I'm rubbish. I couldn't use most of the tools that you guys are taking even if I was at home let alone in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night. It seems to have served me ok so far as i've never packed from a mechanical problem and only ever had 1 broken cable which i now carry a spare of.

[Paul D]

Not really a spare but I have taken to carrying a pair of disposable rubber gloves so that when you get a p******e you don't get covered in all that grey, greasy road clag.

Wet wipes are a better answer. Get covered changing thetyre then wipe the clag off - removes brake clag, oil clag no problem. Wet wipes are multifunctional, gloves only have one use.

[Chris S]

Wet wipes are multifunctional, gloves only have one use.

Two if you've run out of socks for arse wiping duties  .

Another fan of wet wipes here too...

[Greenbank]

Wet wipes are also good for keeping the crotch area nice and fresh to avoid chafing.

Trying to do that with a rubber glove is just wrong.

[Chris S]

Trying to do that with a rubber glove is just wrong.

You're not visiting the right websites.

[Pip]

I will be carrying a spare saddle to seatpost bolt, having broken one on LEL 4 years ago in the middle of nowhere, and then suffering the same fate on the Beast in 2007. Both times I was rescued by members of the public, and both failures occurred at about 550kms.

[Chris S]

Hey Pip! Looking forward to stamping your card and/or serving you grub at Coxwold  .

[rogerzilla]

If you have a seat cluster pinch bolt, consider taking one of those.  They can fail without warning.

[Pip]

Hey Pip! Looking forward to stamping your card and/or serving you grub at Coxwold  .

So long as you don't stamp my grub! 

[alan]

Trying to do that with a rubber glove is just wrong.

You're not visiting the right websites.

   PMSL