What Have You Fettled Today?

[Ming the Merciless]

Replaced a broken dual control lever with a separate brake lever and bar end shifter. Had to pop out for new outer for brake cable. Reused bar tape.

Firstly they are so much simpler to cable up than DC levers, how I remember it back in my youth. Secondly friction shifting the front triple is a joy, so much better than the DC feel. Reliable, simple, easy to fit a new cable at the side of the road if necessary.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I replaced both Marathon Plus 700x28C tyres on my Vivente tourer/commuter bike. On Monday I noticed that the rear one had an odd lump at one point on its sidewall, almost as if the tube was trying to push its way through, so I kept an eye on it all week, and it lasted the week. Since both tyres were fairly worn, I replaced them both this morning. I noticed that the lump was even larger now, and to my surprise, when I took the rear tyre off the bike, the lump was also on the inside of the tyre! Very bizarre: it was almost like an inflated air pocket had formed inside the tyre itself, and I could tell by pressing on it from either side that the air inside it was under a bit of pressure. Anyone know what could cause this?

Regards,

--- Victor.

 

[Vantage]

Busy day. Starting last night I blasted the bike with the pressure washer. Removed the chainset and bottom bracket to drain the frame of water and took the chain off.
Spent a couple hours sanding and repolishing the crankarms so theyre nice and shiny again. Removed the old 28-38-48 rings and fitted the new 24-36-46 rings.....all in silver of course
This morning I refitted the bottom bracket nice and dry. Then went on the chainset. Removed the old cassette and fitted the new one. Stripped and rebuilt the rear mech with a good clean and regrease. Fitted the new chain. Cursed, swore and cursed more at the front mech while trying to get the ba****d to shift without grinding having lowered it to fit the new rings. Took for a test ride round the block.......running smooth as Cary Grant.

 

[C R]

Cleaned and inspected bottom bracket, adjustable cup at least looks like it may not have much left in it, but no time today do any work serious work, so greased and reassembled. Spent some time adjusting the cup and bb now runs better, but not great. Will need to put some serious effort to get the fixed cup out and replace the bb.

 

[DCBassman]

Swapped Sora 8 rear mech and 12-25t cassette for Alivio and 11-34t and it's all working...but see thread in Mechanics. Possibly longer hanger needed?

Edit: and new pin pedals...

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Studded tyres taken off the hybrid, which means the nice weather forecast for next week will now not materialise. I apologise in advance.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I replaced both Marathon Plus 700x28C tyres on my Vivente tourer/commuter bike. On Monday I noticed that the rear one had an odd lump at one point on its sidewall, almost as if the tube was trying to push its way through, so I kept an eye on it all week, and it lasted the week. Since both tyres were fairly worn, I replaced them both this morning. I noticed that the lump was even larger now, and to my surprise, when I took the rear tyre off the bike, the lump was also on the inside of the tyre! Very bizarre: it was almost like an inflated air pocket had formed inside the tyre itself, and I could tell by pressing on it from either side that the air inside it was under a bit of pressure. Anyone know what could cause this?

Regards,

--- Victor.

View attachment 404172

Possible damage to the carcass of the tyre? perhaps you've clattered a pothole at some point?

 

[Smthers]

Troubleshooting click somewhere in the drive-train. Had the bike on the turbo, and noticed it was much more obvious in a higher gear where the chain was under more tension. Was beginning to suspect either a pedal spindle bearing or BB, until I noticed the click happened every time the KMC quick-link left the top of the cassette. The plates on the quick-link are a different shape to those on the Campag chain. Time to find another quick-link me thinks.

 

[LeetleGreyCells]

Yesterday was kids’ bike fettling. Indexed the gears and moved gripshifter to better position on one and adjusted the brakes on both.

 

[Arjimlad]

Took my TCR's wheels off to get the SKS Raceblades off & give the cassette a good scrub when I noticed the rear hub felt very rough.

Off with the cassette and an inspection of the cones revealed very bad pitting on both of them.

The bike's less than 18 months old and has barely been out in the rain so I am not all that impressed!

Off to the Giant store soon with the wheel to see about replacement cones.

I therefore took the tyres off & popped them onto my Shimano RS11 spare wheelset which runs beautifully smoothly. Ready for some sunny riding this coming week !

 

[mikeymustard]

I replaced both Marathon Plus 700x28C tyres on my Vivente tourer/commuter bike. On Monday I noticed that the rear one had an odd lump at one point on its sidewall, almost as if the tube was trying to push its way through, so I kept an eye on it all week, and it lasted the week. Since both tyres were fairly worn, I replaced them both this morning. I noticed that the lump was even larger now, and to my surprise, when I took the rear tyre off the bike, the lump was also on the inside of the tyre! Very bizarre: it was almost like an inflated air pocket had formed inside the tyre itself, and I could tell by pressing on it from either side that the air inside it was under a bit of pressure. Anyone know what could cause this?

Regards,

--- Victor.

View attachment 404172

Looks like something off Embarrassing Bodies! Have you contacted Dr Christian about it?

 

[Reynard]

Been teaching myself some basic bicycle mechanics the practical way this afternoon, using my old (and no longer ridden) MTB as a teaching aid.

Rear brake didn't work, so removed the caliper, took it apart, cleaned it, found that the plastic washer at the pivot point had disintegrated, replaced said washer, reassembled caliper (no, I didn't have any pieces left LOL), refitted to frame, re-tensioned cable and voila, one working rear brake.

Loads of tinkering-type stuff still to be done if I want to move her on, so need to decide what to do next.

I have good socket set, range of spanners, allen keys and my topeak multi-tool. Anything else worth adding to that in terms of useful tools?

 

[Elysian_Roads]

Been teaching myself some basic bicycle mechanics the practical way this afternoon, using my old (and no longer ridden) MTB as a teaching aid.

Rear brake didn't work, so removed the caliper, took it apart, cleaned it, found that the plastic washer at the pivot point had disintegrated, replaced said washer, reassembled caliper (no, I didn't have any pieces left LOL), refitted to frame, re-tensioned cable and voila, one working rear brake.

Loads of tinkering-type stuff still to be done if I want to move her on, so need to decide what to do next.

I have good socket set, range of spanners, allen keys and my topeak multi-tool. Anything else worth adding to that in terms of useful tools?

Planning to do the same with my old hack bike, especially around wheel bearings, spokes, bottom bracket and derailleurs. Will watch this with interest.

 

[Reynard]

Planning to do the same with my old hack bike, especially around wheel bearings, spokes, bottom bracket and derailleurs. Will watch this with interest.

Well, I have a front derailleur that's seized solid. The rear derailleur keeps dropping the chain, though that's probably user error after fitting replacement tyres a while back. Things generally are a bit wobbly and creaky; it's a tatty 30-odd year old bike and I guess things take their toll.

I want to learn, and if things do go wrong, I'm not bollixing up my good bike.

 

[C R]

I have good socket set, range of spanners, allen keys and my topeak multi-tool. Anything else worth adding to that in terms of useful tools?

That is a good start, does the multitool have a chain splitting tool? You will also need the bike specific things like cone spanners, crank extractor, freewheel, cassette and bb tools. It may be worth getting a bike specific toolkit that has those.