GT85(!) Question

[Tom B]

I only bought one last time, which should have lasted but Mr K has been spraying it around the engines of both cars.

It's two quid at allfrauds but you have to get it online, then collect to get it for that price. You might get bc discount too - that would make it pretty much wholesale price.

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-maintenance/bike-lube/gt-85-bike-lubricant-400ml?cm_mmc=Google+PLABike+MaintenanceBike+Lube477653&_$ja=tsid:60494|cgn:GoogleShopping|kw:477653&istCompanyId=b8708c57-7a02-4cf6-b2c0-dc36b54a327e&istItemId=liipip&istBid=tzit&_$ja=tsid:35522|cid:344520484|agid:25437473884|tid:aud-80976661309la-264903592746|crid:89798789164|nw:g|rnd:6798173514168640573|dvc:m|adp:1o1&gclid=Cj0KEQiA88TFBRDYrOPKuvfY2pIBEiQA97Z8MTm1cpUpNbqvp4yf9P77oUYbp07IXCxKDjacq2mnRf0aAm9d8P8HAQ

 

[mmmmartin]

Wow - @robgul - these are very useful points and worth some sort of "sticky" thread. 1 I knew, 2 I try to avoid by buying a Park Tools cable cutter, 3 I bodge by putting grease in the allen key hole and putting a ball bearing in there - but also have an old bit of brake cable held by a small cable gip n a bodged "saddke saver" type thing, 4 i had never thought of and 5 is sheer genius that had never occurred to me.

Do I get a prize?

There are other obvious tips that serve me well . . .

1 Position the valve on the inner tube in line with the name/logo on the tyre so that if you get a puncture in the tube you can look at the alignment and get an idea where the nail/thorn etc might be in the tyre.

2 When you cut new brake or gear cable inners coat the area you're going to cut with superglue (and let it dry) before cutting - reduces the risk of the cable fraying.

3 If you have a Brooks/expensive saddle - when you have the height and angle to your liking use hot glue to stick a ball bearing in the Allen screw head to prevent theft (ditto the seat clamp) - just need some gentle heat to get the ball out if necessry.

4 If you use those little rubber donut things on bare gear/brake cables to prevent chafing the frame a small dob of glue on the cable will hold them in the right place and stop them slipping down to the end.

5 When patching a tube (at home) clamp the tube with the glued patch area between two flat pieces of wood in a vice for about 15 minutes - it really forces a good seal.

Rob

 

[robgul]

Wow - @robgul - these are very useful points and worth some sort of "sticky" thread. 1 I knew, 2 I try to avoid by buying a Park Tools cable cutter, 3 I bodge by putting grease in the allen key hole and putting a ball bearing in there - but also have an old bit of brake cable held by a small cable gip n a bodged "saddke saver" type thing, 4 i had never thought of and 5 is sheer genius that had never occurred to me.

Yep - although even with a super quality pair of cable cutters fraying can occur. If you want some other bodges and ideas have a look at www.beewee.org.uk and the Rob's Briefings section (menu link on the LH side) - there's also other stuff on this "hobby" website although some of the rides stuff is not up to date. The collection of bikes is current

Rob

 

[GlenBen]

Yep - although even with a super quality pair of cable cutters fraying can occur. If you want some other bodges and ideas have a look at www.beewee.org.uk and the Rob's Briefings section (menu link on the LH side) - there's also other stuff on this "hobby" website although some of the rides stuff is not up to date. The collection of bikes is current

Rob

I want that garage.

 

[ColinJ]

Wow - @robgul - these are very useful points and worth some sort of "sticky" thread. 1 I knew, 2 I try to avoid by buying a Park Tools cable cutter, 3 I bodge by putting grease in the allen key hole and putting a ball bearing in there - but also have an old bit of brake cable held by a small cable gip n a bodged "saddke saver" type thing, 4 i had never thought of and 5 is sheer genius that had never occurred to me.

I do '5' all the time. Well, every time that I am fixing a puncture - I don't make a habit of clamping tubes for the sake of it!

I don't own a vice. My technique is to put a 2p piece on top of the patch and another on the opposite side of the tube. I then use a pair of Mole Grips to clamp the coins to the tube. It works really well. (Don't adjust the Mole Grips stupidly tight - you don't want the coins cutting into the tube due to excessive clamping force.)

 

[robgul]

I want that garage.

You should have seen the barn that I had when I was into Land Rovers about 35 years ago - people thought that having 5 Land Rovers and a Ferguson TE20 tractor was excessive!

The garage I have now is fine for bikes but I'd really like a bigger space to indulge in some woodwork projects I have in mind.

Rob

 

[Pale Rider]

When I did car tubes and tyres - internal mushroom patches - we had a large, bench mounted g-clamp that was also electrically heated.

It only got lukewarm, but the rubber solution would take ages to go off in a freezing workshop,

Which is one of the reasons patching at home at room temperature works better than on the road.

I don't bother clamping bike patches, but I do use a jam jar to roll over the finished job a few times.

 

[robgul]

When I did car tubes and tyres - internal mushroom patches - we had a large, bench mounted g-clamp that was also electrically heated.

It only got lukewarm, but the rubber solution would take ages to go off in a freezing workshop,

Which is one of the reasons patching at home at room temperature works better than on the road.

I don't bother clamping bike patches, but I do use a jam jar to roll over the finished job a few times.

I assume that you're not using cockney slang to describe the method of rolling over the patch !!!!!

Rob

 

[mmmmartin]

So - @robgul - tell me about an ultrasonic cleaner - any good for chains?

 

[robgul]

So - @robgul - tell me about an ultrasonic cleaner - any good for chains?

Yes & no - yes it gets a chain back to "clean, bare metal" - the machine has a water tank (it's about as big as a small deep-fat-fryer) and I add a generous capful of Screwfix's cheapest degreaser - and depending on the chain it takes about 40 minutes with the machine running [The clockwork timer setting is 40 minutes, I just give it a full cycle]

BUT the chain is then pretty much devoid of any lube (obviously) - what I then do is put the chain coiled up, flat, in old baking tray with oil in it to just cover the chain and let it soak for a couple of days. [Being mean I use cheap chain saw oil from B&Q!] Then pull the chain out and hang it over the baking tray to run off excess oil.

That's it. Have to say I don't use the ultrasonic on the chain very often - I have a Chinese copy of the Park Tools scrubber that works pretty well.

What the machine REALLY good for is mechs and cassettes.

Rob

 

[mmmmartin]

Ah thanks. Just been looking at the four quid ones on eBay. Am wary of something so cheap....

 

[robgul]

Ah thanks. Just been looking at the four quid ones on eBay. Am wary of something so cheap....

If you mean the cheap ultrasonic machines on ebay they are usually for rings etc and are only about as big as a teacup so no use for bike parts - if you mean the Chinese chain scrubber, then I have found that to be excellent. Like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MTB-Bike-...ng-Tool-New-/182280121353?hash=item2a70bdec09 [It's almost exactly the same as the Park model]

Rob

 

[Globalti]

es & no - yes it gets a chain back to "clean, bare metal" - the machine has a water tank (it's about as big as a small deep-fat-fryer) and I add a generous capful of Screwfix's cheapest degreaser - and depending on the chain it takes about 40 minutes with the machine running [The clockwork timer setting is 40 minutes, I just give it a full cycle]

BUT the chain is then pretty much devoid of any lube (obviously) - what I then do is put the chain coiled up, flat, in old baking tray with oil in it to just cover the chain and let it soak for a couple of days. [Being mean I use cheap chain saw oil from B&Q!] Then pull the chain out and hang it over the baking tray to run off excess oil.

Dammit.... do you ever ride the bike?

 

[robgul]

Dammit.... do you ever ride the bike?

Oh yes - I have lights in the workshop so can do bike fettling in the evenings!

Rob

 

[Milzy]

Oh yeah... That was a bit Freudian.
GT85(!)! I better amend this if at all possible.
Edit: Amended

Freudian is an amazing word. Much kudos! Everybody like the post.