1 for Hub Gear users.

[Chess]

Hi all,
Many thanks for all the very helpful replies. I can see I've got more to learn about the humble bicycle than I thought if I'm going to keep it in top shape for my daily commute.
Looks like I'm going for it this weekend while the £380 saving offer is on.
Picked up a bike stand today from Lidl, £20 surplus stock they had from their cycling offers a while back.
Can anyone recommend a decent bike tool kit please ?
Can't afford park tool one, they are way out of my league. £700 pound for a tool kit - really ?
I have decent chrome vanadium spanners, socket set, screw drivers and Allen key set. So just looking for recommendations of a bike specific kit.
Picked up a couple of bike repair manuals from the second hand market for £2. One is the Haynes manual and a recent edition, so plenty of reading to do. !
Cheers.

 

[MichaelW2]

Options for chain tensioning include:
Sprung tensioner: only acceptable for retro-fitting on vertical dropouts. Picks up dirt like a derailleur.
Horizontal dropouts: Light, cheap, but tension needs setting every time you undo wheel. With disk brakes, you change the disk-pad alignment and the two may interfere. Needs more axle bolt tension than vertical dropouts to stay in place.
Track ends (rear facing horizontal dropouts).
Eccentric bottom bracket: Maintains adjustment during wheel change, heavy, can squeak
held in place by:
-set screw: Can dimple the moving eccentric block, so always finds the same location.
-wedge: Can sieze in place
-self-extracting wedge: Less prone to siezing.
-external bolts: Simple and reliable but if the tabs crack off the whole frame is kaput.

Moving vertical dropouts. Can slide or pivot in frame to change position. Many designs so spares may be hard to find but probably the best method. Often designed with a break in the rear triangle for clean-running belt drive.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

The cranks are offset from centre and there will be a little screw/allen bolt in the body of the EBB, you slacken that bolt off to allow the body piece to rotate in the frame and by this rotation you move the chain ring slightly to amend the chain tension.

Edit: that'll teach me to type before refreshing the page, +1 to @Pale Rider's excellent description above.

 

[Deleted member 23692]

Can't afford park tool one, they are way out of my league. £700 pound for a tool kit - really ?
I have decent chrome vanadium spanners, socket set, screw drivers and Allen key set. So just looking for recommendations of a bike specific kit.

With what you've mentioned there you already have most of what you'll need for a new bike.

For other bits I'd recommend you get the tools specific to you bike as (or ideally just before) you need them. Many of the off-the-shelf kits contain tools that you might never use... things like a chain whip will beno use on a hub gear...so why bother?

Tools I would get are ones for when your out and about

Inner tubes
Tyre levers
Multi-tool - again check before you buy that all the bits you need are included
15mm Stubby spanner
Puncture repair kit (self adhesive patches are good)
Mini-pump/CO2 inflator or both
Chain lube

Saddle bag (or whatever) for all the above

Then for home, start with...

Track pump
Pedal Spanner
Cable cutters
Chain tool

Tools for the bottom bracket and crank removal can wait till you need them.

Finally there are plenty of Alfine specific tool that some places might suggest you need. You probably won't. I've stripped mine down for servicing a several occasion and never needed any other that basic tool (and hands)

Park tools are overpriced for what they are IMO

 

[keithmac]

I bought the Lidl stand at the weekend and it's a great bit of kit!.

I'm on with refreshing my Carrera Vengence Ultimate, fitted a Nuvinci 360 rear hub and it feels great.

As for chain tension I have to use a sprung idler as there's and electric motor going in the bottom bracket..

Only think other than basic maintenance is a good set of tyre levers and a good puncture repair kit.

 

[Mrs M]

Nice looking bike.

 

[Pleiades]

Just bought one last month - for about £440 (including discounts) I can't think of any better value Alfine bike. Seems very well built IMO, recommend at least having a look and test ride (if you can find one - they're selling them off in advance of new model)....

 

[MichaelW2]

I've stripped mine down for servicing a several occasion and never needed any other that basic tool (and hands)

How did you remove the large plastic screw-on cover on the drive side of the hub shell. I cut a hole in a piece of 1" ply, cut a slot and used a bench vice to compress the wood around the knerled circumference. It is not so kind to the plastic but it works.

 

[Deleted member 23692]

How did you remove the large plastic screw-on cover on the drive side of the hub shell.

By hand... with my very own vice like grip

Seriously though, it shouldn't be on that tight. It's only got a very fine pitch thread so doing it up 'F tight' will just knacker it.