Author Topic: What have you fettled today? (Read 2205290 times)

Jurek · « **Reply #16500 on:** 28 December, 2021, 08:08:00 pm »

Quote from: Mrs Pingu on 28 December, 2021, 05:58:13 pm

You could be right, Super glue was what I had available though so I tried that first for shits & giggles.

Actually you've just reminded me, my brother left us some mastic tube of adhesive in the garage, that might have worked.

^
Potentially, a good alternative.

Jurek · « **Reply #16501 on:** 28 December, 2021, 08:31:21 pm »

At least you won't need to clean off the superglue. It is so inert that adding another adhesive on top of it should be fine.

SteveC · « **Reply #16502 on:** 29 December, 2021, 03:26:45 pm »

I have washed the bike, lubricated the chain and pumped the tyres up. The lights are currently charging on my desk as I type.
This would not be worth a mention by most of you, but I haven't ridden the bike since the day after the first lockdown was announced when I went into work, coming home with a laptop.
I intend a gentle pootle tomorrow, assuming MrsC doesn't have other plans.

offcumden · « **Reply #16503 on:** 29 December, 2021, 04:09:37 pm »

Quote from: SteveC on 29 December, 2021, 03:26:45 pm

I have washed the bike, lubricated the chain and pumped the tyres up. The lights are currently charging on my desk as I type.
This would not be worth a mention by most of you, but I haven't ridden the bike since the day after the first lockdown was announced when I went into work, coming home with a laptop.
I intend a gentle pootle tomorrow, assuming MrsC doesn't have other plans.

Welcome back!
Gently does it. The journey of a thousand miles.... etc.....

T42 · « **Reply #16504 on:** 30 December, 2021, 09:06:01 am »

+1.

Meanwhile, I haz fixed a flat, second in two rides and both caused by quasi-identical shards of quartz. Some years back the municipal oaves who "maintain" our local cycle path were inspired to fill the space between tarmac and ~~verge~~ mud with peerless white chippings, which of course migrated onto the path proper and have been the bane of cyclists ever since. Idiocy, thy name is authority.

Furthermore removed & degreased my current chain yesterday, prior to dunking it in wax and leaving it to cook while I fitted the new chain I had already prepped a couple of weeks ago. A wonderful

moment ensued, because the new chain hung down like a pregnant sow's belly. I discovered this morning that Probikeshop, rather than the two x 116-link chains I had ordered, had sent 1x116-link and 1x138-link. I now have an extra 22 links to play with.

Sorta washed the bike too, natch, but only sorta 'cos next time out it'll be filthy in 20 metres. Ah, winter!

rafletcher · « **Reply #16505 on:** 30 December, 2021, 03:55:29 pm »

A new printer onto the home network. To be fair, all it required, apart from lugging it upstairs and removing all the transit packing, was to turn it on and enter the WiFi password. Oh, and replacing its predecessor on the MacBook.

Kim · « **Reply #16506 on:** 30 December, 2021, 03:56:15 pm »

Quote from: rafletcher on 30 December, 2021, 03:55:29 pm

A new printer onto the home network. To be fair, all it required, apart from lugging it upstairs and removing all the transit packing, was to turn it on and enter the WiFi password. Oh, and replacing its predecessor on the MacBook.

Yeah, but will it still work next time you want to print something?

rafletcher · « **Reply #16507 on:** 30 December, 2021, 04:34:35 pm »

Quote from: Kim on 30 December, 2021, 03:56:15 pm

Quote from: rafletcher on 30 December, 2021, 03:55:29 pm
A new printer onto the home network. To be fair, all it required, apart from lugging it upstairs and removing all the transit packing, was to turn it on and enter the WiFi password. Oh, and replacing its predecessor on the MacBook.

Yeah, but will it still work next time you want to print something?

It’s worked twice in a row

. And to be fair, it’s predecessor (another Brother) only lost connection once in 10 years. Well, only once I know about anyway.

T42 · « **Reply #16508 on:** 30 December, 2021, 04:44:34 pm »

Not really a fettle, but... The cold tap of the mixer on our kitchen sink had been getting more & more difficult to turn for the last few months, and last week I decided that once Christmas past I'd put in a complete new unit. Then a couple of days ago it was suddenly silky-smooth again.

No idea why, but who's complaining?

rogerzilla · « **Reply #16509 on:** 30 December, 2021, 05:40:30 pm »

I stowed 800kg of hornbeam logs. Goodness me, they burn hot.

SoreTween · « **Reply #16510 on:** 30 December, 2021, 06:36:45 pm »

Quote from: SteveC on 29 December, 2021, 03:26:45 pm

I have washed the bike, lubricated the chain and pumped the tyres up. The lights are currently charging on my desk as I type.
This would not be worth a mention by most of you, but I haven't ridden the bike since the day after the first lockdown was announced when I went into work, coming home with a laptop.
I intend a gentle pootle tomorrow, assuming MrsC doesn't have other plans.

Good luck

I was in a similar position in September. Apart from a couple of gym sessions I hadn't ridden in over a year. I agonised and procrastinated over a route for days and eventually set out. 55km later I got home with such a massive case of baboon arse I couldn't go near a bike again the rest of my 4 weeks off. Totally counter productive. When I got home at the end of Nov my total for the year still sat at 60ish km.
So this time home I tried something a bit more gentle, Dec 1 I steeled myself and went out for a small ride in the hope of riding every day of the month. Setting my targets lower than low to avoid underachievement disappointment I rode six whole km that day. Apart from the 15th when I just completely forgot I've ridden every day since. 6k, 10km, 12km, it doesn't matter so long as I do something.
It seems to have worked faster than expected, my arse is hardened again. I tested it with a 60km ride on Tuesday and was fine for a flat 15km yesterday. My total for the month has ended up much better than expected.

TLDR: Little & often seems to be the way to regain stage 1 bike fitness.

SteveC · « **Reply #16511 on:** 30 December, 2021, 06:54:28 pm »

I did get out (See here) but only for about five miles.
My legs, particularly my thighs, were telling me they're not used to that any more.
The main issue is that, before lockdown, my cycling was pretty well reduced to the commute with a very rare lunchtime pootle.
Take away the commute and the effort involved seemed too much. Running is a far more time efficient way of keeping fit.
Assuming we aren't able to go back into the office in the new year, I don't know when I will be able to get into a cycling routine again.
I really enjoyed this morning, but I am always short of time.

grams · « **Reply #16512 on:** 30 December, 2021, 07:20:05 pm »

I drilled 469 holes in the plywood ceiling of my van to match the new air vent installed above. Although I think I need to go up to 1261 to match the diameter.

Using a dremel with a wobbly snake extension and a 3d printed template it was surprising quick.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #16513 on:** 01 January, 2022, 03:46:07 pm »

Build it, and they will come...

2022-01-01_03-18-34 by The Pingus, on Flickr

2022-01-01_03-20-38 by The Pingus, on Flickr

That drill driver Pingu gave me for chrimbo came in handy there.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #16514 on:** 01 January, 2022, 04:17:27 pm »

Regreased two pairs of M737 pedals, the ur-SPD.

These have no lip seals, so need a total grease fill to exclude water. Top tip: if you have a neglected pair where the bearings are rusted out, cannibalise a pair of A525 single-sided road pedals for replacement axle units. A525 pedals are unwanted and hence cheap, plus they won't have been dunked in muddy water. The axle unit is the same part as for the M737 (which is becoming collectable and pricey).

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #16515 on:** 01 January, 2022, 04:25:48 pm »

Fitted some new-to-her Powertap dual pedals to HK’s Kinesis. She managed to slice up an O-ring while changing a battery, so pinched the O-ring from her existing Powertap single-sided pedals. That battery cap was already pretty rounded out (also purchased SH), so a new pair of battery caps have been ordered.

Finally pulled apart a worn-out wheel to temporarily use the spokes and rim to allow me to disassemble a mostly clapped-out Shimano freehub body on a reasonable hub. Disassembled an Ultegra freehub with a wornout race to see if I could swap in the race but it turns out that the race thicknesses were different, so I could not resurrect a working freehub body. All in the bin now - rim, hub, spokes and both freehub bodies. Time to return the borrowed tool and build up a new rear wheel so that I can get my GT LTS-1 working again.

Swapped out the old Ixon-IQ headlight on my Moulton for a slightly newer Ixon Core and spent some time fiddling with the Ixon spring mechanism. The Ixon will probably end up on my trike, which doesn’t have dyno lights.

The Family Cyclist · « **Reply #16516 on:** 01 January, 2022, 08:25:09 pm »

The rear brake on one of my bikes wasn't moving away very well on one side, took off and cleaned up and much better

Couldn't get it to work at a decent power though. Absolutely loads of travel in the lever despite pads being evenly spaced and not far off rims.

Did then notice a big kink in the cable which was pulling straight under braking so will be popping to LBS for new cable tomorrow and probably some new pads as the roads are minging so even with cleaning going through pads

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #16517 on:** 03 January, 2022, 07:26:41 pm »

Reinstalled Windows and a metric fuckton of programs on the big box in the Estate Office. Even managed to find various settings, plug-ins, bits and, indeed, bobs on the most recent backup

No BSsOD yet either. w00t!

hatler · « **Reply #16518 on:** 03 January, 2022, 07:27:45 pm »

Fixed a Velux blind. Very satisfying. The internal spring had wound off (no idea how) the end screw.

Jayjay · « **Reply #16519 on:** 03 January, 2022, 08:26:08 pm »

(C*r stuff follows) Ickle Car having laid mostly idle since early October (and now with a buyer interested), the brake discs were getting crusty, so in an uncommon burst of energy I had the jack and angle grinder out to wire brush the things clean, and then even got the ramps out to fit a fibreglass engine undertray in place of the soggy horrid oil soaked felt thing I have wrestled with at every oil change since 2006. The old tray fell with a soft splat on the drive, then slumped into the bottom of the bin.

jsabine · « **Reply #16520 on:** 03 January, 2022, 10:39:25 pm »

Surely there's an equivalent of an Italian tune-up/dealer's de-coke for fettling the brakes - wouldn't that have been easier?

De Sisti · « **Reply #16521 on:** 04 January, 2022, 07:12:29 am »

Yesterday:
Successfully replaced the short cage-plates on a Campag Centaur rear derailleur with long
cage-plates from a clapped-out Campag rear mech. During the process, the "C" retaining clip
from the faulty derailleur went "twang", and launched itself, never to be found again.

No worries, and I still have a couple of spare medium sized rear derailleurs as spares.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #16522 on:** 04 January, 2022, 11:09:02 am »

Quote from: jsabine on 03 January, 2022, 10:39:25 pm

Surely there's an equivalent of an Italian tune-up/dealer's de-coke for fettling the brakes - wouldn't that have been easier?

I had to do that on an Enterprise rented Polo that arrived with no oil visible on the dipstick, a filthy exterior and interior, and brakes that were rust-pitted and barely stopped the car.

After a thrash to Northampton and back (lots of braking from 70mph for roundabouts on the A43), they were almost back to normal.

Jayjay · « **Reply #16523 on:** 04 January, 2022, 09:13:48 pm »

Quote from: jsabine on 03 January, 2022, 10:39:25 pm

Surely there's an equivalent of an Italian tune-up/dealer's de-coke for fettling the brakes - wouldn't that have been easier?

Know what you mean, done such before, but these would have taken forever (only 9kw engine) and probably seen off the tiny disc pads.
I put a mechanic's helper thing on the throttle and zap the disc as it rotates. Works really well.

Jayjay · « **Reply #16524 on:** 04 January, 2022, 09:22:23 pm »

Quote from: rogerzilla on 04 January, 2022, 11:09:02 am

I had to do that on an Enterprise rented Polo that arrived with no oil visible on the dipstick, a filthy exterior and interior, and brakes that were rust-pitted and barely stopped the car.
After a thrash to Northampton and back (lots of braking from 70mph for roundabouts on the A43), they were almost back to normal.

Hired a Nissan Urvan once. Brand new, very nice I thought. With not enough fuel in to reach the pumps about 10 yards away

Bugger this, I thought, not killing my back (which was a bit fragile at the time) pushing this on my own, and happily cranked it over to the fuel in gear on the starter motor.