What Have You Fettled Today?

[Andy in Germany]

Easiest bottom bracket removal ever , lock ring almost came undone before I put a spanner on it, same with the non drive side cup and then same on drive side...

Completed with a Swallow branded boot.


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Was it that clean when you got it out?

 

[biggs682]

Was it that clean when you got it out?

Considering it was late 80's bike it was in very good condition, should be fine once cleaned and re greased

 

[DCLane]

Piccies??

Progress photo to date. I'll need to remove the forks to have a better look at the headset, at which point the quill stem will drop down, then decal the lot. I've a set from H Lloyd of stick-on decals which are about as period-correct as I can find:

It's far too big for me, being of shorter stature, so what I'll do with it is unknown. However, it's been a learning process ...

 

[Andy in Germany]

One Cresta ladies bike. The gear cables along the frame were not in cable housing, even though there were brazed on attachments, but the frame also didn't allow for the end of the housing to be held in place; very odd.

I ended up putting the rear cable in a new outer cable, leaving the other alone and sending the bike out for 95€.

 

[cyberknight]

Sold my Felt bike, just gave it a last adjustment and a clean before the off. Why do people turn up in rural area's with only their phone to pay ?

Several times of late as I have reduced my collection, they turn up and complain about the lack of signal. I even warned one chap and he assured me it would be okay. It wasn't and we spend ages hanging around outside as they try to connect.
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I had the same last year selling a bike as they wanted to pay with some app I have never heard of and had to find an atm

 

[Punkawallah]

One Cresta ladies bike. The gear cables along the frame were not in cable housing, even though there were brazed on attachments the cables were not in cable housing, but the frame also didn't allow for cables to be fitted any other way; very odd.

I ended up putting the rear cable in a new outer cable. leaving the other alone and sending the bike out for 95€.

Guesstimated at 95 Euro, or is there a scale of charges for what is done to the bike?

 

[Andy in Germany]

Guesstimated at 95 Euro, or is there a scale of charges for what is done to the bike?

A bit of both. We have a scale of charges based on the time spent, value, and new/used parts added, but a sub 100€ bike is outside of this; in theory, we are supposed to see if the brakes work and the gears work, pump the tyres up, and give it a polish. In practice this rather utopian ideal rarely happens; in this case I had to change an inner tube and rear gear cable and de-clog the shifters.

Normally I'd charge a bit more as it was a Nexave groupset and generally in good condition but with this odd cabling I decided to reduce it, so someone will get a very nice bike for pocket money.

 

[PeteXXX]

Ably assisted by a 6 month old Cockerpoo tidying up the old bar-tape, unaided, I wrapped the bars anew.
With 12,000 miles on the original tape, it was looking a bit tatty.

New hoods, too, but they went straight in the recycling.

 

[Gillstay]

Got given this today and looks like an easy job to make good.

I do them up then my brother takes them to a BMX club in a poor part of London to help youngsters get a better start in life.

 

[sevenfourate]

Ably assisted by a 6 month old Cockerpoo tidying up the old bar-tape, unaided, I wrapped the bars anew.
With 12,000 miles on the original tape, it was looking a bit tatty.

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New hoods, too, but they went straight in the recycling.

Unless I’m blind as the proverbial bat; you've kept him / her quiet ! Gorgeous looking pooch. And I can see the a spark of the devil in them eyes in the last pic.

Have fun together……..

 

[ColinJ]

I had a quick look at a friend's bike yesterday. I don't think she has ridden it for about 5 years so it needed checking over before we go to Cumbria with our bikes next week***.

The front gear change was iffy so I sorted that out. Surprisingly, the rear shifting was spot on.

The front brake blocks are worn right down to the limit markers. I once made the mistake of trying to squeeze 'just one more ride' out of worn blocks and ended up trashing a wheel rim; I won't make that mistake again! I ordered new blocks which arrived today. I'll fit those before we go.

The chain should last the holiday but it is very dry so I will lube it and go for a quick test ride to check all is well.

The bike has new tyres which I fitted 5 years ago and they look like they have barely been ridden. Unsurprisingly, they were flat after years of non-use. I pumped them up and I just rang my pal to see if they had stayed inflated - they have.

New hoods, too, but they went straight in the recycling.

I would have used the new ones and chucked the old ones away!

*** I promised that we will not tackle rides longer than 25-30 km and I will make sure we avoid horrendously hard climbs! We will share cooking duties during our break. If the weather is fine on the evenings when she is cooking I might nip out and get hill-and-distance-top-ups in then!

 

[sevenfourate]

Got given this today and looks like an easy job to make good.

I do them up then my brother takes them to a BMX club in a poor part of London to help youngsters get a better start in life.
View attachment 740268

Brilliant. I’m into retro BMX’s. That means you end up having loads of spares kicking around of course. I’ve built up and given away two so far. One of the recipients I met myself. He had a grin like all his Christmas’s had come at once. Great to see 😎

 

[PeteXXX]

Unless I’m blind as the proverbial bat; you've kept him / her quiet ! Gorgeous looking pooch. And I can the a spark of the devil in them eyes in the last pic.

Have fun together……..

It's our daughter & grandkids puppy. We're doggy-sitting the little bundle of mischief for the week while they're away camping..

 

[sevenfourate]

I had a quick look at a friend's bike yesterday. I don't think she has ridden it for about 5 years so it needed checking over before we go to Cumbria with our bikes next week***.

The front gear change was iffy so I sorted that out. Surprisingly, the rear shifting was spot on.

The front brake blocks are worn right down to the limit markers. I once made the mistake of trying to squeeze 'just one more ride' out of worn blocks and ended up trashing a wheel rim; I won't make that mistake again! I ordered new blocks which arrived today. I'll fit those before we go.

The chain should last the holiday but it is very dry so I will lube it and go for a quick test ride to check all is well.

The bike has new tyres which I fitted 5 years ago and they look like they have barely been ridden. Unsurprisingly, they were flat after years of non-use. I pumped them up and I just rang my pal to see if they had stayed inflated - they have.


I would have used the new ones and chucked the old ones away!

*** I promised that we will not tackle rides longer than 25-30 km and I will make sure we avoid horrendously hard climbs! We will share cooking duties during our break. If the weather is fine on the evenings when she is cooking I might nip out and get hill-and-distance-top-ups in then!

Sounds fun. Have a great trip…..

 

[ColinJ]

Sounds fun. Have a great trip…..

Thanks.

The weather might be a bit iffy but as long as we can get out every day on the bikes or on foot without getting absolutely soaked we will be happy. We won't be going up onto the fells but we hope to get to Coniston and Windermere as well as round the north side of Morecambe Bay.