Tasks you hate :-)

[andrew_s]

I think I've found a task that I hate for a change, peeling off the old stuck bar tape; I suppose it'll be worth it in the end. What tasks do you detest?

I used to hate that too, so now I use Bontrager or Profile cork tape, which has a sllicone band on the back similar to the gripper strip on shorts or armwarmers. It doesn't slip and unwraps easiely, so there's only the finishing tape that's sticky.

 

[slowmotion]

I think I've found a task that I hate for a change, peeling off the old stuck bar tape; I suppose it'll be worth it in the end. What tasks do you detest?

If you want to get rid of the vile sticky goo that is left behind, try this stuff..


http://www.electrolube.com/docs/maintenancemain.asp?id=152


My current hate is removing silicone sealant from around the shower tray, in preparation for replacement. A happy hour in hopelessly cramped conditions with a chisel and some Stanley knife blades, while cursing the idiot builders who screwed up 10 months ago. The silicone removing chemicals will probably attack the GRP tray quite shortly....

 

[presta]

Servicing cup and cone bearings.

It's a pain to get that extra fine balance balace between free running and no side-to-side sway.

My second hate is replacing gear cables - always a pain to get the gears perfect.

This sums up the problem with doing almost anything on a bike. Virtually every fixing doubles up as an adjustment, so you can't dismantle anything without having to faff around readjusting it when you put it back.

FWIW the way I deal with cones is first screw them all the way down finger tight. Now put the spanner on and back them off using the spokes as a protractor to note the angle you've turned them through (10 deg per spoke). Once you've found the right setting, note down what the angle is and then you can reset them again and again using the same angle without the trial and error.

Bear in mind that the skewer also affects the cone adjustment by compressing the axle, so you need to tighten the skewer consistently too using a similar method.

 

[Maz]

Servicing cup and cone bearings.

Oh, a definite +1 to that!

 

[summerdays]

On the bike ... bike maintenace in the cold!!! ... much nicer in summer time ... doesn't tend to be so mucky either.

Off the bike ... being organised/paperwork etc. My life always seems to be playing catch up!