# Re-drop and re-gear Scott AFD Expert



## DCBassman (12 Feb 2020)

This is a to-do for the latter stages of recovery from spinal surgery, typing from hospital. 
The bike began life with me as a course freebie from a co-op in Plymouth. It was completely stock, so far as I could tell, with Sora/Ritchey 8-speed 52-42-30 and 12-26t at the back.
Was then converted to flat bars, with an Alivio RD-M410 mech and 11-34t cassette. 
Currently, it remains the same, but using the original medium cage RD and a hanger extender. 
The plan is to return to drops and go to 9-speed, in order to get to 36t at the back. 
As far as learning goes, this will be my first time wrapping bars. I'm thinking the neighbours might learn a few new swear words from that...
Medium-term: needs new wheels, so I'll be looking for something as light as the current Shimano R500s, possibly with a few more spokes! Although these have not remotely complained at my weight or the crappy roads hereabouts.
Can't wait to get started!


----------



## fossyant (12 Feb 2020)

PS how's tho op gone, or are you 'waiting' ?


----------



## raleighnut (12 Feb 2020)

Pictures ?


----------



## carlosfandangus (12 Feb 2020)

of the bike or the op.
Get well soon DCBassman, and don't forget the pictures...... whatever they are of


----------



## roadrash (12 Feb 2020)

as said , don't forget pictures of your tinkering , good luck with op recovery, any word of when you get discharged , when I had fusion/discectomy/facetectomy I had it on Monday and home Thursday I think it was


----------



## figbat (12 Feb 2020)

I was new to bar wrapping until my first go. 

I watched a couple of YouTubes and researched a bit on forums then went at it. I had to re-do one side of my first attempt as I had wrapped too closely and ran out of tape, but the tape came off easily and went back on with no issues. Since then I have done it a few more times and it's a ten minute job. Have a think about how you will finish the ends - you often get a decorative finishing tape with the bar tape but sometimes this isn't the best so some electrical tape steps in well. Also useful for holding the cables against the bars before you wrap. There are a couple of ways of wrapping around the levers - I go for the cheaper/easier method of using a cut-off of tape to cover the clamp then wrapping around the lever. There is a more involved 'figure-of-eight' method which uses far more tape and IMHO looks a bit bulky when done (especially with thicker types of tape).


----------



## DCBassman (13 Feb 2020)

Forgot to add: have the new 9-speed mech, an Alivio Shadow RD-M4000


----------



## DCBassman (21 Feb 2020)

While I'm sat around thinking, the work list has expanded to include a strip and regrease of both hubs and the headset. The headset I now have some idea about, but it will be a first doing wheel bearings. I believe Shimano hubs are standard cup-and-cone?


----------



## DCBassman (31 Mar 2020)

A selection of parts.
Chain and cassette as previously fitted to the Merida Big Nine 40 D, now rehomed.
Bars from @Yellow Saddle .
Sora 3x9 brifters from the Bay of E.
Alivio RD-M4000 from my son for birthday. 
Crivit light set from Lidl.
Have retrieved the bike from storage, and if the C19 really ramps up, will do this work instead of riding it. Only missing bit is bar tape, on order.


----------



## DCBassman (1 Apr 2020)

Oh, and new tyres, if they will fit!


----------



## DCBassman (2 Apr 2020)

You know, I've got or ordered all the bits now. 
But it rode so enjoyably today, I'm getting into "it ain't broke, don't fix it" mode...
Must resist...modification must be done...must fettle!


----------



## DCBassman (5 Apr 2020)

Starting tomorrow, April 6th. 
Probably a bit ambitious, but I'd like to ride it on Tuesday!


----------



## DCBassman (6 Apr 2020)

Ok, scrub that. Fire in this block last night, burning uPVC caused a lot of smoke damage, so today is clean-up day.
Rats.


----------



## DCBassman (8 Apr 2020)

Ok, the victim:




Next: will 28s fit?




That'll do nicely!





First job done then. More tomorrow!


----------



## DCBassman (8 Apr 2020)

Looking from the front, it's easy to tell that this was my first ever re-cabling job.
A bit loopy, what?


----------



## DCBassman (9 Apr 2020)

OK, here's the bits to be changed:





Cassette and rear mech.





Bars and shifters.






All gone! I leveled the saddle too, while I was at it...





Basic bits together shot.










A comparison of the two cassettes shows the nice even spread on the 9-speed, and the huge gap between 1st and 2nd on the 8-speed.
It's 11-13-15-17-20-23-26-34T - 26 to 34 in one jump!
By comparison, the 9-speed is 12-14-16-18-21-24-28-32-36, much easier steps.

I've started cabling, the brakes are done, just got to sort out gears. Job for tomorrow morning. If I manage it, might get a ride in tomorrow afternoon!


----------



## DCBassman (10 Apr 2020)

Well, an 'interesting' day.
First, fitting gear cables to STI brifters. Took several hoes on each before they were seated and pulling right. Cable up front mech, no problem, it's working with the shifter it was made for. All good.
Now, this damned RD-M4000...no good at all, just would not shift cleanly either way. After a couple of hours, I gave up and fetched the Trek out of storage. Swapped the RD-M4000 for the RD-M410 Alivio. Set it up. Works perfectly. Hmmm...
Set ip the 4000 on the Trek. Definitely easier to shift, but no more able to clean shift than the Scott. Took it off, put it in spares bin, from which I retrieved an Altus RD-M310, salvaged from an 8-speed Norco hybrid. Threw it on without even bothering with a hanger extender to clear the 36t.
Works perfectly.
The spring tension on the new changer is much heavier than the older mechs. So presumably there's a mismatch that my research didn't reveal.
So the Trek is now peachy, and has the shorter, lighter bars and semi-ergo grips from the Scott. I may switch it back to 38c tyres too, but another day. 
And talking of tyres, is this pushing it?




There is enough wobble to make the little hairy bits around the seam touch the tube. Will this settle, ot get worse, do you think?
Return to 25s looking likely...


----------



## AndyRM (10 Apr 2020)

Hm. That's very, very tight (which is ). But any sort of build up on the seat tube, or something sticking into the tyre in an inconvenient place may cause issues. I'd go down to 25 personally.


----------



## DCBassman (10 Apr 2020)

AndyRM said:


> Hm. That's very, very tight (which is ). But any sort of build up on the seat tube, or something sticking into the tyre in an inconvenient place may cause issues. I'd go down to 25 personally.


Yup, I chickened out and put the 25s back on!
I consoled myself by fitting new tubes...
Tomorrow is shopping, then my first ever go at bar taping...
Wish me luck!


----------



## DCBassman (10 Apr 2020)

Of course, I now need an n+1 road bike that can take 28s...


----------



## DCBassman (14 Apr 2020)

Awaiting bar tape





Trek dashboard with 50mm narrower bars and semi-ergo grips




















It's a wrap. Jeez, what a horrible job that is...
Just need to do a shakedown ride on each bike to check all is well.


----------



## DCBassman (16 Apr 2020)

Shakedowns completed, and all is well. But pretty cheesed off that the RD-M4000 seems to be useless. i need to do some reasearch on what it will match up with, I obviously got that all wrong! Ah well...


----------

