What Have You Fettled Today?

[Zigzak789]

Picked up a 1999 Trek 830 last night because it was steel framed and had some okay looking parts on it (tyres are relatively new and the front suspension was upgraded by the owner many years ago) so I spent a few hours cleaning it last night and took it out, it needs new brakes as the current v brakes are terrible and the gears need indexing, I've never changed brake/gear cables before so this will give me to opportunity to learn a new skill - I managed to get the bike for 40 so if I can keep the remaining bits 60 or under I should have a decent light trail bike for 100 all in which I can't complain about

 

[Spiderweb]

I gave my Tricross a fettle yesterday. A good clean, different bottle cages, new 10 speed SRAM chain, new rear mech cable with a slightly longer cable outer housing.
No more lag when dropping gears, shifting is perfect now👍

 

[DCLane]

Having ... erm ... not performed well ... last night at grasstrack racing I've had a look at my gearing, which was always a bit high. Once I got going it was quick, but by then I'm just chasing everyone else. The gearing is what came with the bike and is 49 x 17.

So, having found a 45T chainring I've swapped it with the 49T that was on there and an initial brief test showed it much quicker to accelerate, with the chain shortened a bit as well to adjust. I may do a bit better next time ...

 

[Oldbikefan]

Finally had a ride on the Pioneer after upgrading it with a Suntour XC-E triple chainset I took off a bike I saved from being scrapped. Left pedal was clicking so I thought I'd investigate. First problem was the pedals are seized solid to the cranks, so I stripped them in situ only to find the bearings and surfaces are badly pitted and beyond saving. So the heavy steel double chainset and pedals have been refitted. Back to square one.

 

[Rusty Nails]

Changed the gear cables on my Genesis Datum today. A slow job as it is internally cabled. I had to partially take off the bar tape as well.

I have been having some troubles recently with the 11 speed rear mech being a bit "sticky" when moving from big to small rings on the cassette. Fairly new cassette and chain. I am convinced that inner cabling, because of the extra length of narrow liner tubing, has more potential for sticking than the old style smaller runs of outer. I get all my other bikes with external cabling to change up and down through the gears smoothly.

 

[Chislenko]

Major fettling today having finally brought my old Allez Sport back from Portugal after seven years. First job obviously strip it down to bare bones. Having taken the front forks off I could now turn the frame on end and get the annoying broken rivnut out of the downtube. It's been in there about five years. Next clean up all the headset area and grease where needed.

Next fitted a new bottom bracket and then some new 50-34 chain rings I bought off someone on here circa three years ago. New 11-32 9 speed cassette and chain came next, slight lube and then a few revolutions up and down the gears to get the lube around. I should add this is not as expensive as it sounds as I purchased the components about three years ago, pre pandemic / shortages / price rises.

Finally to fit was a good as new Spesh Toupe seat I bought at a very good price on here recently. My old seat had cracked all around the edges causing inner thigh chaffing!

Only thing left a bit of spit and polish and I have an as good as new ten year old bike that is still my favourite ride.

 

[geocycle]

About to fettle the cassette. Currently 11 speed 11-32 Shimano 105, thinking of replacing with an 11-34. Chainset is Spa 44/28. I can manage with 28-32 combo on most hills but wondered if the 34 tooth sprocket might help in the Lake District rides I sometimes do. Anyone think of a reason not to swap to the slightly wider spaced cassette?

 

[DCBassman]

About to fettle the cassette. Currently 11 speed 11-32 Shimano 105, thinking of replacing with an 11-34. Chainset is Spa 44/28. I can manage with 28-32 combo on most hills but wondered if the 34 tooth sprocket might help in the Lake District rides I sometimes do. Anyone think of a reason not to swap to the slightly wider spaced cassette?

You can't have too low a bottom gear. Do it.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Gave up on the first project; it was an old MTB with mudguards and early proto-v brakes, with a V arm and Cantilever blocks and holders. The rear ones were sticky and gluing and dismantle/rebuild didn't solve the issue so I took them off and dug up some elderly V-Brakes.

Incidentally having all the canti and V-Brakes in one large storage box was bad enough, not taping the pairs together was the work of a sociopath.

Eventually I found another set of V-s, slightly better quality, same again. By this time what with replacements and finding new brakes, plus an interlude to sort the pairs and throw the oddballs, I'd been working for over two hours so I dismantled the bike for any useful spares (not many) and took the frame to the skip.

My goodness it was heavy; what did they make it out of?

Second bike was a check of a client's rebuild which was supposedly "ready for sale". This rapidly ended up a reset of the rear canti's (any suggestions how to quickly set canti's appreciated) gears and complete dismantle / clean / rebuild of the shifters. Friday I'll also have to tighten the rear axle...

 

[GuyBoden]

I've be fettling, creating something that's new and will probably be a revolutionary advancement in cycling.

But, due to the negative comments about my recent triple setup on this forum, I won't be posting any of my ideas on this forum.

 

[si_c]

a revolutionary advancement in cycling.

I see what you did there.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Several days of fettling last week:

Firstly I had a go at the Kingpin. Shortly after getting it I discovered that the front hub had probably never been serviced. What little grease was in there was like glue and pretty much the whole bearing track on the cones was pitted. At the time I just regreased to keep them going but recently I took a punt on the cones from a hollow axle conversion kit being a decent enough match to work. The cones are ideal but unfortunately I hadn't banked on the original axles being a smaller diameter than the 9mm standard. I had a suitable axle and the fork dropouts needed some filing to make it fit. After an adjustment to the rear hub as well the bike felt smoother to ride on a short test and I look forward to trying something a bit longer in the near future.

Next up was @gavgav's Genesis which I had in for a service. As suspected, the chain was worn and a new cassette was also wanted as it had been marginal last service. Front brake pads were replaced last time and still have plenty of life left but the rears were nearly worn out so some new ones went in. The front hub looked almost as though it had only been serviced last week so I just rebuilt it with fresh grease. The rear hub though wasn't as good with the drive side being the colour of congealed blood. The winter has not been kind to it and there is damage from water ingress. Rebuilt with new balls and grease I'm confident it'll go to the next service at least, but in the slightly longer term I think it'll be needing a new hub not simply the cones.

I put in new gear cables and after adjustment everything worked beautifully on the stand, however on a road test there was an odd creaking noise that I traced back to the beginnings of chain-suck on the small chainring so it'll need a new one of those as well (on order).

With Gav's on hold I turned my attention to my brother's bike. This had a very small pit on the rear non-drive cone at the last service and I've been meaning to fit a replacement. I actually ordered an axle assembly which made for a very easy swap and it runs as smoothly as a brand new hub again. Hopefully I can get Doug out to do some test miles on it fairly soon.

For what it's worth; I couldn't find a complete axle or the drive-side cone in stock for this Shimano Deore T610 hub. After much research, the axle parts from the Deore M590 are a match even though they don't all appear on Shimano's interchangeability listing.

A follow up to the above: The new chainring came and has been fitted. All runs very nicely now.

It's not the most worn out chainring I've seen, but enough to cause issues.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

About to fettle the cassette. Currently 11 speed 11-32 Shimano 105, thinking of replacing with an 11-34. Chainset is Spa 44/28. I can manage with 28-32 combo on most hills but wondered if the 34 tooth sprocket might help in the Lake District rides I sometimes do. Anyone think of a reason not to swap to the slightly wider spaced cassette?

Low gears are a definite help in the Lake District. I'd do it.

I trust it is within the capacity of that derailleur?

 

[DCBassman]

Low gears are a definite help in the Lake District. I'd do it.

I trust it is within the capacity of that derailleur?

I've not yet had problems exceeding specified capacity by a tooth or three, but never gone beyond that.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Fitted new pedals with a bit more of a platformm, rear derailleur and new rear gear cable.