What Have You Fettled Today?

[dimrub]

Today was a day full of frustrations. With the Favorit, I discovered that the calipers I ordered do not seem a good fit. The front one's bolt is too short, so it can't be mounted properly - even if I forgo the front mudguard. As for the rear one, it interferes with the rear rack. I'm thinking of borrowing calipers from one of the other bikes I got for free - and figuring them out later (if at all). While at it, I'm thinking of maybe borrowing the rear hub from the Starkenburg. It's the same SA 3 speed (or a very similar one), and the rear wheel there will need to be rebuilt anyway, so why not - I can finish the Favorit this way, and equip the Starkenburg with a new one, when it finally arrives.

The GT DHi - I couldn't find a fitting front caliper adapter, but noticed the holes are aligned, so just bolted it to the fork (this is going to an exhibition, so why not). Managed to attach the rear derailleur (figuring out how to attach the hanger took a while) and the pedals, I'm now waiting for Alon to get me the tire and the stem to complete this. There are still some things to figure out, for example, I'm not sure I understand how the gear cable is routed. I think it's some kind of internal routing, but don't have photos with high enough resolution to be sure. Also, how the front brake cable is attached. On the photos I've seen it goes straight from the caliper to the lever, which is strange to me - surely it should be attached to the fork's lower at its high point?

The Turner - well, I haven't really done much with it, except attempting to connect the front derailleur and realizing the seat tube is too thick for it. How so? I thought front derailleurs should just mount, no problems, but apparently not.

The Brompton guy wasn't in, and tomorrow is an election day, so the movement in the sprockets is still there, and will wait till Wednesday. Perhaps I can fashion some kind of spacer myself, out of some spare headset rings I have around, because this dangling sprocket is annoying as hell.

 

[EckyH]

Changed the pedals of the commuter: the creaking noise of the vaude Pavei 2.0 shoes and Shimano PD-ES600 conspiracy drove me crazy. The new old PD-M505 seem to be silent - at least I couldn't hear any noise at the short test ride.

E.

 

[dimrub]

Passed by the Brompton Junction, they replaced the spacer on the sprocket, it's all snug and smooth now. While at it, replaced the pedals for a new pair. Assaf (the owner) said there's going to be some kind of announcement next week, but didn't tell any more than that. A new model is coming?

Also, sorted all of my small bits and bobs - bearing balls, bolts, quick links etc into 2 new tackle organizers I recently received.

 

[DCLane]

Added gear cables and a new chain to the Raleigh Team/fake Geurciotti and the original Campag Nuevo Record components work nicely. It'll need a couple of adjustments but is otherwise OK:

Once I've sourced Campag Nuevo Record brakes, pedals, seatpost and headset plus some Raleigh Team forks it'll get a re-spray. I will also need a saddle and more appropriate wheelset. For now I'll probably just ride it as is.

And getting it back to original is proving costly. I know they're worth something but still ... the Campag Avanti derailleurs, Stronglight drillium crankset and Shimano 105 shifters will be sold to cover expenses.

 

[dimrub]

Put a new derailleur on the Giant. The old one had a bent outer plate. We tried righting it, my son and I, and he snapped it right in half, so now the new one is here and I put it - using the old cable: it looked fine, and was long enough, thanks to whoever installed it. While at it I noticed that the seat clamp is sheared, so ordered a new one. All that remains is to put on a new chain one it arrives, and then I need to figure out what to do with it. I haven't used it for quite a few years. It's been on a loan to a woman who used to help us when my wife's granddad was visiting, after the war in Ukraine started, then my younger son was using it, and now neither of them need it, and neither do I. I might end up selling it, if only to know it's being used.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Volunteered at local repair cafe today. Normally hardly anyone turns up with bikes, but fixed three today (minor fettles), and to my own amazement, a chainsaw, which I assumed would be impossible and something I've never even touched before, let alone fettled.

 

[Jenkins]

Fettling on three bikes today
First & easiest - new tyres fitted to the Planet X. Don't know how long the old ones had been on there or what sort of mileage, but probably 5 years+ and 5000+ miles and this was the state of them before being replaced with some Jack Brown Race tyres brought cheap from from Planet X a while ago.

Secondly was the Van Nicholas that has been the main commuter bike for the past eight years. As i took early retirement last week and no longer need to commute, it got treated to a new set of Mavic Aksium wheels and a pair of part used GP4000 tyres (picked up on CycleChat). I was just going to re-use the old chain & cassette, but these got binned when I saw how worn a couple of the cogs on the cassette were and a part used chain & cassette (also picked up on here) have been fitted.

(I know the grass needs cutting, but it just wont stay dry long enough)
Finally was the bargain Triban I won on Ebay last week.
The only permananet work I've done on this was to replace the clipless pedals it had with a pair of flat pedals and to set the saddle height & angle. Pending the delivery of a flat handlebar to replace the drops, I test fitted an MTB riser bar to get an idea of the fit and how much shorter I need to go on the stem (probably 80mm to replace the 110mm one fitted). When done, this will become a flat bar with a SRAM 11 speed 1x drivetrain replacing the 8 speed triple.

 

[cyberknight]

easy job yeah ?
i got some light inner tubes on sale and decided to replace the ones on the giant retromod so i also put the lighter super star wheels on , which meant i had to reindex the gears , reset the hl stops , adjust brake pad reach and bite along with truing the back wheel.
This was all so i could get the bog standard tubes out for the commuting bike to save buying some more

 

[Jenkins]

Not so much a fettle, more of a bodge this afternoon. I test fitted the Superstar Components 46T narrow/wide ring to the Rival crankset due to go on to the Triban above and it turns out that it's about 1mm thinner than the SRAM original so the chainring bolts don't quite hold it tight. I've managed to bodge a solution using some washers on three of the bolts and different chainring bolts and thin nuts used as washers on the other two. It's not a pretty result, but thankfully can't be easily seen as it's on the inside of the chainring.

 

[november4]

Ordered a new tyre, as noticed the rear had sealant weeping through carcase beneath a cut. Wheel has been off while bike on trainer.

This week will be clean out and new sealant for 3 bikes. Roll on good weather

 

[EckyH]

Laced the rear wheel for the incoming conversion-from-a-90s-Enik-Makalu-ATB-to-a-singlespeed-cyclocross-bicycle project.

E.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Fettled this onto the car (body post holes and wheel arches cut) Then Stickered it

 

[Jenkins]

Replaced the bottom bracket on the 29er - eventually.
After its last muddy & wet ride it just got stuck in the shed and left, resulting in the bearings seizing solid so a new DUB BB was ordered last week. As it looked just like the normal GXP/Hollowtech type I thought nothing of it until I went to remove the old ones this afternoon and the standard tool didn't fit. Turns out it needs a slightly different tool to remove which, of course, I don't have so bodging to the fore again. Eventually both cups were released with the aid of some sort of adjustable wrence that I found in my tool box, brute force, a lot of swearing and bruised fingers and palms of my hands. Not pretty, but at least it's done and shouldn't need doing again for a while given how little I use this bike.

 

[biggs682]

That's what the squeak is then

 

[DCLane]

After fitting new tyres on the Superstar Components wheelset, for my Viner Minus winter bike, they wouldn't move. It turns out Pirelli Cinturato Road tyres are a tiny bit taller than Pirelli Cinturato Velo . Serves me right for running an older carbon rim-brake frame with Raceblade Long mudguards as a winter bike.

Anyway, I swapped the wheels with an old Fulcrum 5 pair that have used Vittoria Rubino tyres. They will do until it warms up and I'm back on the summer bike.