What have you bought for the bike today ?

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lazybloke

Priest of the cult of Chris Rea
Location
Leafy Surrey
I have since bought a Hollowtech II BB, the tools to fit it, a matching drive-side crank, a new chainring, and chainring bolts.

Unfortunately, the bolts are slightly too long so I bought some washers to use as spacers.

The washers arrived today, and... they are too small! The outer diameter is correct but the diameter of the hole is not.

Never mind - I am confident that the installation should be finished by autumn 2026!

I bought a box of assorted washers in Lidl recently, knowing they would be extremely useful.

Got home and put them in my cupboard... Right next to the previous (unopened) box of assorted washers i'd bought previously!

I also have two cassette removal tools, two square-taper crank removal tools, at least three chain breaker tools, and according to my wife, too many bikes.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Unfortunately, the bolts are slightly too long so I bought some washers to use as spacers.

The washers arrived today, and... they are too small! The outer diameter is correct but the diameter of the hole is not.
I couldn't understand how I had ordered the wrong size. It turns out that I didn't!

I double-checked... I needed M10s and I ordered M10s; they sent M8s!

I have just contacted the company and asked them to send the right size. Hopefully, they won't make a fuss over a few pounds worth of washers. I said that they should send a return postage label if they really want the M8s back...
 
A package arrived from SJS Cycles today.

Which means I have the rear lighting arrangements for my Ribble CGR Ti sorted. With a rack and a Topeak MTX Trunk Bag, seatpost mounted tail lights are not an option.

I've popped a Cateye Reflex Rack tail light onto the rear rack which means the bike has a BS6102/2 compliant rear reflector and BS6102/3 compliant rear light. But that light is not bright enough for daytime visibility. It's fine at night, especially with it's large surface area. Has a fantastically long runtime on a set of AA batteries. It ticks the 'steady light' box for drivers to more usefully judge distance. My only criticism is that the batteries tend to fall out when the light is removed, so you need to be ready to catch them.

A Cateye Viz300 was ordered with a C2 belt clip so that it can be attached to the trunk bag. I don't like that, when used with the seat post mount (which it might be, on the Gas Pipe Hybrid, it can't be removed from the bracket without first taking the bracket off. At least the bracket isn't bolted on. In flashing mode, it's almost bang on 4 hz but it is off more than it is on, no doubt to conserve battery. I'd rather it flashed a bit slower and remained on for as long as it was off. It has a 45 hour runtime flashing. Daytime Hyperflash last 10 hours, flashes incredibly quickly and does 300 lumens; it is incredibly bright but I'd imagine quite horrible for anyone stuck in traffic behind you. Group Ride mode at 100 lumens with a steadier flash lasts 8 hours and I suspect is a happier compromise. The other major draw back with this light is that slightly off-axis it's far less bright relative to it's brightness on axis. The MagicShine SeeMe 100 seems a bit better in this respect, although it's not as bright to begin with. Other tiny detraction is the Micro-USB charging. Really was expecting it to be USB-C.

I also have a couple Madison Universal Light Mounting Kits which mean I can attach the SeeMe 100 to the rear most stay on the rear rack. One for the CGR and one for the Gas Pipe Hybrid. I'll keep the AAA battery powered Smart Superflash 317 0.5W LED light in the Trunk Bag as a spare for winter months and night time riding. Really wouldn't mind something of the same elk, save a bit brighter on account the whole light unit doesn't need replacing when the battery no longer holds a useful charge.

With a front reflector/pedal reflectors, all I need now is to find an affordable battery front light that meets some regulation and there's no chance of a counter claim for negligence should anything untoward happen. And some BS6102/2 spoke mount reflectors would be good, but despite having previously bought three different types, I can't find a type that will fit the wheels on this bike.

And I finally got a couple of replacement hub covers for the Carry Freedom Y.
 
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Fredo76

Über Member
Location
Española, NM
A yellow bottle cage and a 'Topeak Roadie TT mini' pump arrived today. The TT stands for Twin Turbo, a silly name for a bi-directional pumping action operating a two-stage pump, with air from an outer chamber going into one in the center, then into the tire.

Tried it out. It's small. Strokes are short and very low effort, and don't seem to get harder as the pressure rises. Makes me wonder if a longer version exists, but it pumped a 23mm Continental Giro tubular just fine. Figured out how to grip it while letting the wheel move just a bit, since valve stems are longer these days. I'm pleased; it works well. No gauge, Presta valves only.

IMG_4620 (1).jpg
 
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Bristolian

Senior Member
Location
Bristol, UK
A couple of purchases recently. Firstly, a new water bottle
bottle.jpg

After riding through a flooded lane the other day, with water up to the bottom bracket, I figured it's time too give the bike a proper service so a 1/4" drive torque wrench kit was needed.
torque wrench.jpg
 

ExBrit

Über Member
This is embarrassing. I have a Trek 520 converted to a rear-wheel drive e-bike (no, that's not the embarrassing part). Because of the motor, the rear wheel is attached with two M12 nuts. One fell off during yesterday's ride (my fault, I'm sure). So I had to finish the ride with only one nut (OK, that sounds embarrassing). I just ordered new nuts.
 
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