What Have You Fettled Today?

[EckyH]

Changed the tyres on the Enik Makalu from historical Maxxis Wormdrive 42-622 (real 39mm) to antique Schwalbe CX Pro 30-622 (real 29mm). Now the bike is remarkably more nimble. Probably the optimum tyre width for this bike is around 34mm.

Changed the Hollowtech bottom bracket of the 1x1 to a square taper BB with a 113mm shaft.
Fortunately the shaft is long enough for the ancient FC-M900 with a 36 teeth chain ring.
Unfortunately the right pedal body (Shimano PD-M980 with only 150km or so) suddenly fell off on the test ride around the block. Shimano, we are not amused.
So I had to change the pedals as well and because I switched to a 36t chain ring instead of the previous 40t chain ring I shortened the chain, too.

E.

 

[Punkawallah]

Changed the tyres on the Enik Makalu from historical Maxxis Wormdrive 42-622 (real 39mm) to antique Schwalbe CX Pro 30-622 (real 29mm). Now the bike is remarkably more nimbler. Probably the optimum tyre width for this bike is around 34mm.

Changed the Hollowtech bottom bracket of the 1x1 to a square taper BB with a 113mm shaft.
Fortunately the shaft is long enough for the ancient FC-M900 with a 36 teeth chain ring.
Unfortunately the right pedal body (Shimano PD-M980 with only 150km or so) suddenly fell off on the test ride around the block. Shimano, we are not amused.
So I had to change the pedals as well and because I switched to a 36t chain ring instead of the previous 40t chain ring I shortened the chain, too.

E.

I found a noticeable lack of ‘spright’ when I tried 38mm tyres on my ‘70’s Dawes - reverted to 35mm and once again it was sprightly.

 

[EckyH]

I found a noticeable lack of ‘spright’ when I tried 38mm tyres on my ‘70’s Dawes - reverted to 35mm and once again it was sprightly.

If I get it right, then marginal factors of bigger tyres sum up and cause a more steadily handling: more weight and that farther away from the hub, bigger tyre patch on the ground and more trail due to the bigger diameter of the tyre.
Perhaps there is also some kind of tipping point so that the transition from spright to steady isn't a linear function. 🤷‍♂️

E.

 

[scragend]

All four rivnuts on the bottle cage mounts had been loose ever since I bought the bike second hand a couple of years ago. Finally got round to sorting it yesterday.

I cut the bolt heads off with a Dremel and then ground down the outer lip of the rivnuts till they fell inside the frame.

Will be setting new rivnuts today (once they get delivered). Looking forward to being able to put bottle cages on without having to use aftermarket strapped on mounts.

 

[sevenfourate]

All four rivnuts on the bottle cage mounts had been loose ever since I bought the bike second hand a couple of years ago. Finally got round to sorting it yesterday.

I cut the bolt heads off with a Dremel and then ground down the outer lip of the rivnuts till they fell inside the frame.

Will be setting new rivnuts today (once they get delivered). Looking forward to being able to put bottle cages on without having to use aftermarket strapped on mounts.

Did you manage to retrieve the rivnut bodies from inside the frame ?

 

[scragend]

Did you manage to retrieve the rivnut bodies from inside the frame ?

Not yet. Watch this space!

 

[cyberknight]

Finally got the replacement wheel set up on the commuter after I replaced the disc rotor so I could set up the brake so it wouldn't rub.I go through rotors faster than brake pads even with twin piston set up they warp.
I haven't tested it to see if it's solved the creak as it was dark by the time I was done but at least the tyre was easier to do than the btwin wheel

 

[sevenfourate]

Fingers crossed 🤞 ive invested 1 minute (?) of my time today; further trying to solve an annoying noise on the Son’s Carrera Subway 1 after having an epiphany. And succeeded !!!

**Well - a 6.5 mile ride this Morning was ‘faultless’. I’m saying no more before I jinx myself 🤣🤣

 

[EckyH]

Replaced the bottle cages of the Enik Makalu with Elite Ciussi Gel - much better.

The old Asista branded cages held the metal bottles very tightly. Therefore I had to use sort of violence to convince the bottle to leave the cage. Eventually I got the bottle out but nearly every time I hit the top tube with the thumb basal joint. It could be I've heard some giggle from the bottle cage area when that happened.

E.

 

[CXRAndy]

Not me personally other than stripping down wheels for the wheel builder. I've had my wife's dynamo hub swapped onto her new bike wheel. The old wheel rim I kept the spokes and hub, so have had that relaced. I will build this bike up her old Columbus RD for sale or give it away if no one is interested in paying me a million pounds for it

 

[CXRAndy]

Did you manage to retrieve the rivnut bodies from inside the frame ?

Simple if tedious job. Pull bottom bracket

 

[scragend]

Simple if tedious job. Pull bottom bracket

This is where the hold up is - I expected to be able to remove the bottom bracket with my usual tool. But no, my tool is 44mm and this bottom bracket needs 39mm. Because bikes

I sent for a new tool (along with some other stuff) from Amazon on Saturday, which was being delivered yesterday. At 6 pm it still hadn't arrived and I had to go out. Sod's Law decrees that it turned up at 6.15 pm... and the Amazon driver just left it on the doorstep and buggered off. (I saw this on my CCTV cameras)

The order tracking on Amazon said "parcel was handed to resident". Oh no it wasn't!

When I got home at 9 pm there was no evidence of a parcel. I checked the cameras to see where it had gone and annoyingly the camera that shows the front door hasn't saved any footage since 6.22 pm. It is still working live but has stopped saving.

This morning I checked with the neighbours in case any of them had taken in the parcel or had seen what happened to it. None had, which isn't surprising as it was dark and they would have had their curtains closed so wouldn't even have known it was there. I can only assume some nice passer-by has liberated it

To be fair to Amazon, when I contacted them they refunded me without a problem. I have re-ordered the tool but I have to wait till tomorrow for it to arrive now.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Not today, but yesterday, swapped over the horizontal tandem stem for one with a rise, and fitted the ortlieb bar bag mount, which is a bit of a PITA.

 

[cyberknight]

Picked up a bike frame yesterday for the princely sum of £10
carrera vanquish disc bike without wheels , in a very dirty condition and one size too big for me but the shifters and mechs all seem to work so i bit his hand off as i now have a full set of spares for my commuter once cleaned , half a mind to strip the lot and keep the forks then bin the frame

 

[ColinJ]

... then bin the frame

Is it completely useless? It would be a shame to bin it if it had some useful life left in it.

I was in a charity bike shop today and they said that they are always happy to receive donated parts which they can either sell or build into bikes. Maybe one near you could use it?