What Have You Fettled Today?

[Andrew Brown]

Not exactly fettled as I haven't fitted them yet. I needed new brake lever hoods for my Raleigh as the originals were brittle and cracked. I didn't realise the price of the hoods. I used to have a new pair but months ago I gave them to someone on here for his bike. Anyway searching through Ebay I came across this offer : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/380629096644?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649 I ordered them yesterday and received them first thing this morning. The seller said the hoods were dirty. Maybe placed along pristine ones they may be a bit dull but on their own they are fine as is. Anyway I have new levers and new hoods for less than the price of hoods on their own so am well pleased. I am going to use black bar tape unless anyone with more colour sense then me has good ideas (not that back and yellow stuff thank you).

I would think if you have white hoods, white tape, or a light colour at least, might look a bit weird on black tape?

 

[compo]

More on my Raleigh: I have this morning fitted my front and rear brake calipers which I stripped and polished a few days ago. I also fitted my new (to me) gear mech and also the front mech. I will probably change the front mech for a Shimano when funds allow. I fitted my downtube shifters then found that the 6 speed one doesn't work properly so have ordered a brand new new pair. One minor issue on the front brakes. I am sure it should have two washers with concave faces to fit the curve on the fork where the brake mounts, one each side. I only have one. No great problem. I have also put the brake levers on the bars. I am now at a standstill until the postie has made a few visits with odds and sods I have on order.

Came home to a big box this morning containing two nice wheels and another small package containing a new set of gear levers. Gear levers fitted in seconds. Wheels are OK. I had to adjust the hubs as the bearings were tight. Then I found the rear wheel QR wouldn't lock down properly. I had to mount a washer each side of the spindle to stop the spindle protruding outside the dropouts. It was only a very tiny amount but it was enough to cause a problem which the washers sorted completely. I am now waiting for tyres, tubes, rim tape, handlebar tape to drop through the letter box. I already have cables and outers so things are gradually coming together.

I guess it's almost time for an update photograph.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

no ride today - feeling poorly so tracked down a rattle coming through my bars when breaking... also cleaned and oiled the chain, something i was too tired to do last night when I got back home after dark...

 

[billy1561]

Spent the day in the garden getting a bit of a tan as i cleaned 3 bikes! Full wash and dry then a mickle of the chains. They look great. Very therapeutic when you have the time.
Just a shame my road bike bottom bracket is knackered. I seem to have worn it out with the thrashing its had in April

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Painted the mudguard extensions on the knockabout bike. They are now black which I think looks better.

My sister brought me a can of retro-reflective paint earlier in the year which I hadn't had a chance to try yet, so I've also put a few coats of this over the black. The effect is slightly strange in daylight (it would work better over white or silver) but it should help make the bike a bit more visible in car headlights.

 

[Falwheeler]

Spent the morning sorting out my twenty seven year old Dawes Ranger. Haven't ridden it for many years but came up quite well. Lending it to a friends niece from Germany while she visits.

 

[lozcs]

Stripped and rebuilt my first hub today (or that should be yesterday now).

Me too!

Last minute thing - only meant to replace tube due to valve leaking but noticed how rough the rotation was decided to give it a go...

No major problems other than having to pull out the washing machine to retrieve a ball bearing I'd dopped.. doh.

See how it rides tomorrow!

 

[Fuzzball]

Just fitted ultremo zx tyres to my road bike, fulcrum racing 5 wheels. Gator skins were a bugger to get off, and gave the bike a quick clean and the chain cleaned and oiled. That's the gators away till October though I am not sure why as I live in Glasgow in a permanent stay of just rained, raining, or about to rain. And yes couldn't resist colour coded blue to match frame!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

• started this afternoon working on my triban 3. gears needed re-indexing big time after a run in period with the new cassette, chain & wheels.
• then started on my OH triban 3. he needed the stem flipping,over so it was a 6 degree rise rather than drop (lower back pain) and also some tlc was needed on his brake cable which without an end cap had started to unravel but was otherwise completely fine and with plenty of spare cable, I simply re-ravelled the individual wires, chopped off an inch or two off the end and added an end cap
• Next I moved over to my mountain bike - the seat post keeps sinking, so was removed, cleaned, the seat clamp removed, cleaned (lots of gravel & grit) and the inside of the seat tube (?) wiped out as much as possible - also lots of grit... reassemble and seemed OK. chain & cassette and bike also had an clean.
• Finally I moved over to my OH's mountain bike and instantly could tell it was going to be trouble. there was front wheel knock, rear wheel knock - stripped both hubs down & found major damage to one of the cones (could be the cup, its the one that unscrews with the bolt...). found another one off a spare wheel that was the same size and not as badly damaged... not ideal but until I can source a new one... regreased, reassembled and now no knock on front wheel. repeated with the rear wheel and cleaned out the cassette whilst I was at it. Much smoother and no knock...

over-ran on the timing badly, OH came home whilst I was doing it and evening meal is more than an hour late, but at least 4 of the 6 bikes have had their maintenace done today. the other 2 will have to wait for another day. Also managed to make 2 batches of chocolate chip scones somewhere around my road bike... so all was not lost...

 

[Diggs]

Me too!

Last minute thing - only meant to replace tube due to valve leaking but noticed how rough the rotation was decided to give it a go...

No major problems other than having to pull out the washing machine to retrieve a ball bearing I'd dopped.. doh.

See how it rides tomorrow!

Yep bike is back together now but prob will need some fine tuning. I won't make the ballbearing mistake again after I tried to service a pair of pedals out in the garden

 

[DCLane]

Fitted the new Romin Evo Pro saddle to the Secteur.

 

[cyberknight]

Replaced the diaphragm in the toilet flusher, had to take the whole cistern off the wall and dismantle the lot to change a £1 bit of plastic.
Hopefully changing the saddle on 2 bikes today, only had the saddles since tuesday but the family think all my time should be spent waiting on them hand and foot

 

[ziggys101]

Major Fettling session, new wheels arrived so decided to do a complete overhall at the sometime and get everything off the bike and give it a good old clean.. Hopefully be fully finished by Tuesday

 

[The Brewer]

Replaced the diaphragm in the toilet flusher, had to take the whole cistern off the wall and dismantle the lot to change a £1 bit of plastic.
Hopefully changing the saddle on 2 bikes today, only had the saddles since tuesday but the family think all my time should be spent waiting on them hand and foot

Those diaphragms are a right pain, I gave up on mine and fitted a complete new gubbins just to save time fixing it every other month

 

[cyberknight]

Got round to taking the saddle off and promptly dropped the bolt down a gap between the house wall and the drain
Had to make a trip to Gasp ! Halfords as the LBS was shut for an m6 bolt.
lesson learned today, get more than 4 or so hours sleep a night might make things a lot easier to do ...