What Have You Fettled Today?

[Jenkins]

Chains day today. As it's been dry for so long round here I've not cleaned any of them for over a month, so I had an afternoon in the shed listenting to the radio and cleaning and lubricating the chains on 6 of the bikes (the other is brand new with only set up mileage on it.

 

[DCBassman]

Scott not working well gears wise, needs investigation. So for the present, will relegate it to standby status IF the new brakes work well on the mixte.
So, the plan:
Swap wheels between the two bikes. Lots of work here, as the tyres cannot be swapped between them.
Fit new brakes to mixte, and test. I will also swap the Koolstop Salmons from the Scott.
Swap saddles also.
This will leave me with the Scott returned to how I originally got it, bar the 105 brakes, and needing some serious front derailleur/shifter fettling, and the mixte as an all-out Silver Machine! Hopefully start later today, pictures will be taken!

 

[JPBoothy]

After months of deliberation 'and probably much to the disgust of a few purists) I finally took the plunge on Saturday and converted my second Cannondale CAADX to flat/riser bars from the original drops. I have tried different frame/stem combinations over the years and have even had professional bike set-ups but my neck and drop bars just don't get along for rides over 2hrs.. I appreciate there is a lack of hand positions without the drops but it feels very nice to ride and more importantly I now want to ride it again. Besides, I still have my drop bar SS Genesis for when I fancy a short 'real' ride.. I'm only joking with the 'purist' and 'real ride' comments by the way, as it's each to their own

 

[Deleted member 1258]

After months of deliberation 'and probably much to the disgust of a few purists) I finally took the plunge on Saturday and converted my second Cannondale CAADX to flat/riser bars from the original drops. I have tried different frame/stem combinations over the years and have even had professional bike set-ups but my neck and drop bars just don't get along for rides over 2hrs.. I appreciate there is a lack of hand positions without the drops but it feels very nice to ride and more importantly I now want to ride it again. Besides, I still have my drop bar SS Genesis for when I fancy a short 'real' ride.. I'm only joking with the 'purist' and 'real ride' comments by the way, as it's each to their own View attachment 585878 View attachment 585879

That looks very nice.

 

[DCBassman]

Well, I installed the brakes on the mixte, but that was it. Too much backache. Here's some pics:

Rear: all good, cable run is neccesarily loopy, but I can live with that and the cable ties.

Front: needs revisiting with a longer cable! It doesn't help that I set it with the QR open. D'oh...
But I was in too much pain to fuss.
The point is, it stops! Quickly!
So it will get a spin tomorrow.

 

[JPBoothy]

Well, I installed the brakes on the mixte, but that was it. Too much backache. Here's some pics:
View attachment 585970
Rear: all good, cable run is neccesarily loopy, but I can live with that and the cable ties.
View attachment 585971
Front: needs revisiting with a longer cable! It doesn't help that I set it with the QR open. D'oh...
But I was in too much pain to fuss.
The point is, it stops! Quickly!
So it will get a spin tomorrow.

I found TEKTRO caliper brakes to be the sharpest and most reliable that I've had. Better than any of my Shimano.

 

[DCBassman]

The Scott originally had Tektros of some sort, still in a box somewhere. Good brakes. But 105s are as good and look better! Certainly these R559s will transform the Revell from a slightly dubious proposition to a well-usable bike.

 

[DCBassman]

A couple of other minor bits I managed yeserday:
Slight play in the Revell headset: tweaked.
Checked LH shifter on the Scott to see if it is the source of the ring selection problems. No obvious faults or fraying cables.
This morning: checked Revell over pre-ride, and reset the front brake cable. Needs a new inner, though...

 

[roley poley]

Took Bromie's back wheel off then the toggle chain out the hub gear to pour oil in,twiddle and repeat ..black gunge mopped up as it came out the other side ..much smoother now thankyou

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Actually from Sunday as I haven't been on the site for a few days:

New front cones and a new-old-stock freehub body on the Dawes Galaxy together with fresh ball bearings all round. The bike is still on its original Shimano Parallax hubs so it was nice to be able to find the parts to bring them back to being like new. With the rims being in great condition (not the originals I suspect) it hopefully gives me a few more years before I need to think about buying new wheels. While at it I've also replaced the outer chainring which doesn't look very worn but has been causing problems with chain suck when trying to shift gear.

The Raleigh also had a wheel bearing service - the front wheel bearings are fine but at the rear the non-drive side cone is pitted, the cup in the freehub body is getting worn and the pawls have been known to slip (very infrequently). I've got some oil inside the freehub which made it sound better straight off. With these being non-branded hubs that have done plenty of miles I think replacement wheels will be the solution in the not too distant future.

 

[gavgav]

Actually yesterday, but after @Rickshaw Phil quite rightly condemned my road tyres on the Carbon, I ordered up a couple of Vittoria Rubino’s and fitted them. A bit of a faff, as always seems to be the case with new tyres, but they’re on. Had a bit of trouble getting the rear wheel to sit correctly again, which also seems to have affected the gears and brake alignment. Meddled with both and they appear better, but it needs a test ride now to be certain.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I took the chain-rings off my CGR, to clean them/wipe between the teeth, when I got home from work this afternoon
During reassembly, somehow I sheared a chain-ring bolt

I don’t think l’ve broken one in the past 20 years
Removing the threaded portion without damaging the outer-ring took some lateral thinking
Curiously, a 4mm Allen-key fitted into it, to unscrew it!

Thankfully, I kept bolts from past chainsets

 

[Reynard]

Fitted new saddle to Max the MTB and tweaked height and position to satisfaction.

The old-style saddle clamps are a right faff compared to the newer ones though. Get it not-quite-right and suddenly you're chasing bits of it all over the floor...

 

[DCBassman]

The old-style saddle clamps are a right faff compared to the newer ones though. Get it not-quite-right and suddenly you're chasing bits of it all over the floor...

Yup, the mixte has one...will be looking soon to get a one-piece jobby, but the vintage size won't help.

 

[Reynard]

Yup, the mixte has one...will be looking soon to get a one-piece jobby, but the vintage size won't help.

Shim needed then, huh?

But likewise me. Not always convenient to stick two 13mm spanners in one's pocket / bar bag / whatever... And the original seat post is rather scruffy to boot. Looks rather incongruous given how smart the rest of the bike is now.