What have you fettled today?

[T42]

Decided to replace my FD cable, which was 90% through above the fixing screw and pointy with it. Chopped through it, unscrewed it, peeled back the shifter hood and tried to persuade the nubbin on the end to come out through the available hole on the side. Nyet. Dismounted the shifter from the bars, leaving the brake cable connected, turned it over then shoved the hood down and removed the master pingfuckit screw and the two small plastic covers to get at the nether hole, and eventually managed to force the nubbin straight down and out.

Dear Lord, what sadistic clown designed this piece of prime shittery?

The new cable had a nubbin on each end, one stamped C and the other S, presumably for Chimano and Sampagnolo, so I chopped off the C one. And guess what, the S nubbin won't go into the beast's nether hole.

I have scratched the name of Shimano on a sheet of lead, spat on it three times and smeared it with the blood of a half-eaten hamburger, then folded it up into a small package and shoved it into a crack in the cemetery wall, the while chanting the 999 names of the Grete Beeste and turning widdershins (first catch your widder).

Tomorrow I shall try again.  This afternoon is for sulks.

[Mrs Pingu]

Tired of tyres that don't let you know which direction they want to be fitted in, until after you fit them incorrectly, I painted that part of the new tyre on the front of my CX, and then did similar to the rear tyre. In retrospect I should have cleaned the rear tyre (and the bike) first.

That's a good idea, though I'm thinking I might do it on the pressure range details on less frequently used tyres (like the spiky ones)

[campagman]

I noticed y'day that the left spd pedal was not spinning very well, pretty rough. So today I took it apart disassembled the axle, cleaned then reassembled. It's not perfect but a lot better than it was. I think that I may have a spare, I'll check out tomorrow. I also got some replacement forks for the ones I bent the week before last. Will have a go at fitting them tomorrow.

[Kim]

That's a good idea, though I'm thinking I might do it on the pressure range details on less frequently used tyres (like the spiky ones)

I'm curious to see how durable it turns out to be.

On a related note, I used my label printer to make labels for the Red Baron's rims, giving the diameter for computer calibration purposes.  Could also be used for tyre pressure, but unfortunately not direction.

[rogerzilla]

Further to my above post, I had a nose around B&Q this morning and every pedestal basin on display had clearance for a 110mm pipe behind the pedestal.  I managed to choose the only one that didn't.

[T42]

New FD cable & housing onto the Trek, adjusted and functioning.

Discovered in passing one great disadvantage of the sloping top tube: you can't get your head in to eyeball FD clearances without taking off the bottle cages.  But modernity cares nowt for serviceability.

[JefO]

I'm curious to see how durable it turns out to be.

On a related note, I used my label printer to make labels for the Red Baron's rims, giving the diameter for computer calibration purposes.  Could also be used for tyre pressure, but unfortunately not direction.

Yes, not sure how durable it will be this time, I have done it before to good effect, with different paint.
This time I am using hammerite smooth, very sparingly (as I don't want it to attack the tyre).
Nowadays, I have a better feel for tyre pressures and unless the maximum pressure is much less than I would have envisaged, I don't bother highlighting the tyre manufacturer's pressure range. I do write the tyre pressures on the frame on bikes that don't get much use though (because I forget what works well between rides otherwise), in permanent marker, but even that fades, and needs redoing occasionally.

Surely tyre size is the important thing in computer calibrating - rather than rim size? Or am I missing something?

[Kim]

Surely tyre size is the important thing in computer calibrating - rather than rim size? Or am I missing something?

It's hard to stick labels on tyres.  Works much better on rims (or shrink-wrap aero wheel covers).  I have two sets of wheels, so it's better to mark the wheels than the bike.

At some point I'll expand this labelling to tyre and air shock pressures, because I also forget what the sweet spots are for loaded/unloaded, especially when not used for a while (peers at cobwebs on Reasonably Priced Mountain Bicycle).

Did I mention that Brother TZE laminated labels are a thing of joy?  Incredibly durable, even in Weather, yet easily peelable.

[JefO]

 

[T42]

My rule of thumb is that the sipes point forward at the top of the tyre. Of course, in the absence of sipes...

Anyway, today I haz cut a few bits more for the kitchen island I seem to be building. A few details are still hazy, and as crabbed age encroaches it's getting harder and harder to visualize them. Arse.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Replaced the SPDs with worn-out bearings on my fixed with a set from garage stock.

[rogerzilla]

Fixed the flush in the downstairs (currently only) toilet.  It has a crappy siphon which requires the water level to be an inch higher than the line in the cistern for reliable operation without frantic pumping of the handle, and the level needed tweaking.  These shite silent valves not only cause water hammer, you also have to take them out of the cistern to adjust the level, which requires siphoning out the cistern with aquarium pipe, disconnecting the water and unbolting the valve

Then got the dead bits of plaster off the wall around the bath and gave it a coat of SBR sealer ready for the backing boards.

Then the new chodbin and basin were delivered, so I offered it all up and it does fit around the pipework.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Replaced a broken plastic piece on a Shimano brake lever with something salvaged from a wornout lever. Cleaned the chain on my fixed, currently 0.75% worn. Tweaked the rear spokes, flint-mined the tyres and glued a rear light into its fitting after it was broken in work’s bike room. Glued the front mudguard into its fitting to stop it gradually slipping through and tightened the front mudflap.

Refitted the second taillight to HK’s Greenspeed trike.

Replaced the front tyre and disc brake pads on my Trykit. I need to realign the brake to get full contact of the pads but some metalwork is required. Went to replace a rear tyre but I need to replace the rim tape first.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Fixing a chain I put by. It’s seized with gunk but not rusted and has little wear. To be used on the Zwift project bike.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Replaced a broken plastic piece on a Shimano brake lever with something salvaged from a wornout lever. ..

Yeah, me too!

For the Zwift project ordered a pair of brake levers 'good working order, cosmetic defects as photos'. In fact the plastic cover over the hinge was broken but the seller had carefully photographed the item so as to obscure the damage. Luckily I had a replacement cover, easily fitted.  ..

It just goes to show - never throw anything away, sell it on ebay.

[T42]

Nowt, but I looked very hard at a DeWalt table saw.  Good fence.

[FifeingEejit]

I have some grass now, so I also decided to blooter the mess seen in the previous pictures between the gate and porch and have discovered that it's a rock bordered area that appears to have been in the past a herb garden and somepoint either before or after a fleurery bit.

Teh Grass



Teh mess,
I think my plan is to use the various excess slabs lying around to put a path round it, and to procure some more rocks to go round it too but make a continuous border of rocks,

I will then decide what to put in the middle....
I need to dispose of the many weed roots that are in there and under the path.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

HK’s orange Trykit now has a different tyre on the new thru-axle dyno wheel, a disc-braked fork and a Juin Tech cable/ hydraulic caliper fitted. One of the TRP mini-V brakes was reused. New front mudguard fitted, along with the old mudflap.

My Trykit has new rear tyres and new rim tape on one rear wheel. Fitted a new disc brake dyno wheel and added a Cyo taken from HK’s Roberts which will be battery lights only now.

[JefO]

Gear cable broke on the Scott CX10 when I was riding in the road outside Halfords, in the first 3 km.

Fitted a new one and completed the 100km ride with the excess cable coiled at the derailleur.

https://dgtzuqphqg23d.cloudfront.net/nJuM4Pmnid4KZn1p0nmuuzaczlYOoxOAJCZ6TuPSUXs-1536x2048.jpg

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Got the Zwift project bike up and running using mostly stuff from eBay or the spares bin. Cost c. £100, not including value of saddle or pedals. Can’t test it with Zwift as I have paused my subs for the summer.

[rogerzilla]

Primed the newly plastered walls for tiles.  Filled the big holes in the others with repair plaster so the backing board has something to rest on.

[JefO]

Hardly the greatest fettle ever, but when looking after a lung op patient you have to take what you can get, and the tiny shelf pictured below was a win. I had to do the job without drilling into the brickwork (so as not to wake sleeping beauty), so had to work with the two holes that were already there.

The wall angle is less than 90degrees, so the shelf needed to be built with that in mind, and by cunningly enlarging the screw holes getting the shelf to mimic the levelness of the brickwork was possible. The screw holes in the brickwork were pre-existing and not necessarily on a level plane!





That was all yesterday. The milkman (yes, really) delivers eggs on a Friday morning (around 2-3am) and he left them on the shelf, without being told what to do, so I was over the moon, because that is why I had put the shelf there!

[offcumden]

The milkman (yes, really) delivers eggs on a Friday morning (around 2-3am) and he left them on the shelf, without being told what to do, so I was over the moon, because that is why I had put the shelf there!

And that, presumably, was why you'd written 'EGGS' on the edge of the shelf 

[drossall]

Not today, but this week I've used a couple of products that the local shoe repair place sold me, with very satisfactory results.

First I had a tear in the nose of a saddle, where the fabric was dividing. The shop recommended Stormsure glue, which has done a really good job and sealed it all down so the damage is hardly visible. Then there was a Shimano shoe where the fabric in the toe box was coming away from the "leather" "frame" of the shoe. They sold me a patch that you apply from inside the shoe. Again, the damage is now barely visible.

It's frustrating to throw away stuff over minor damage, so I'm happy.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Talking of throwing away stuff, my garden waste shredder is dead. I’ve taken it apart and by-passed the mechanical safety gubbins to directly press the switch unit and complete silence. So I called a self-proclaimed repair shop. They said “what’s a garden shredder?”  I don’t think I will take up any more of their time!