Working on your own bike

[Smokin Joe]

Is the growing up on a farm part mandatory to being able to fix a bike?

You could also just accept that some people are not mechanically minded or capable. I am virtually useless with my hands and no amount of YouTube videos about bike maintenance will enable me to suddenly overcome my deficiencies - in fact I have tried many times before and usually ended up making things worse.

But I can do all sorts of clever things with computers and I probably run rings round most people in that area, but I have no desire to berate others for their lack of knowledge in my field of choice, telling them how simple everything is really if only they realised. Everyone has their skills and there is no shame in passing on a problem to an expert rather than struggling with it yourself.

^^This^^

For my part I've never had a fear of spanners or been worried about getting things to fit back together again after I've taken them apart, whether I'm dealing with cars, motorcycles or bikes. I just find mechanical processes logical and straightforward, that's how my mind works.

My brother on the other hand has written a couple of books, been a journo on a couple of broadsheets and lectured on philosophy but is completely the opposite when it comes to mechanical skills. He has never ridden a bicycle in his life even as a child, doesn't drive or has ever shown any interest in doing so and if you put a screwdriver in his hand he'd probably end up in A&E.

What is an easy skill to one person is advanced rocket science to another. That's just how it works.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

This reminds me of something that happened to me years ago.

I came to quite a steep hill and was faffing around with my gears when I heard a crash behind me. A rider (who I did not know) had slowed so much behind me he'd fallen off. My first instinct was to check if he was OK but as he was shouting insults at me (seemingly it was my fault he'd fallen off) I decided against it. He later passed me on the hill without a word, which suited me.

Ah yes, bit like the wheel suckers who attach themselves without asking, then complain when you don’t point out pot holes.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Why would I want to?

May not have a choice in the midst of a long event. You take what spare wheel you can.

 

[overmind]

For me, the worst thing about working on my bike is the crap I get all over my hands.

I could use latex gloves but: I am lazy, a bit of a cheapskate and I find less sensation in my fingers through the gloves.

Learning bike mechanics to me was an absolute revelation. I am almost happy when I get a mechanical problem with the bike.
Last week I broke a rear spoke on the way to work. Travelling home, I disconnected the rear V brakes so the wheel did not rub.

Once home:
- Wheel off
- Removed cassette to allow access to spoke
- replaced spoke
- re-trued wheel
- Gave everything a good clean
- reconnected rear V brake

I don't think I will ever need to replace my bike unless I crash it or it is stolen (probably the latter is most likely).

 

[Dadam]

For me, the worst thing about working on my bike is the crap I get all over my hands.

I could use latex gloves but: I am lazy, a bit of a cheapskate and I find less sensation in my fingers through the gloves.

I'm a convert to latex (nitrile in fact) gloves. I have a pack of the thin blue ones but find my thumbnails come through quite quickly, so got these
for £8 for 100 pairs in a recent sale. Thicker so I guess even less sensation but I don't find it a problem and the texturing is really good for grip.

 

[presta]

At the weekend I was behind a bunch of guys and we were travelling down hill and about to go up a 6% uphill. I could have carried on up the hill but was stuck behind these guys that were so busy changing their gears I almost came to a stop.

Have your hand ready on the gear lever, and keep you cadence and momentum up by changing early.

For me, the worst thing about working on my bike is the crap I get all over my hands.

Rozalex.

 

[Venod]

Rozalex.

That brings back memories, we used to have large tubs, it was a pre work ritual applying it to the hands, never used gloves for repairing machinery etc, only used them for gas cutting welding grinding etc.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

these guys that were so busy changing their gears

Nowt to do with mechanical or electronic. Some people are just pretty rubbish at anticipating what gear they need to be changing into and when.

 

[CAESAR AVGVSTVS]

Nowt to do with mechanical or electronic. Some people are just pretty rubbish at anticipating what gear they need to be changing into and when.

For me the electronic gears are so much better and quicker just by having it set up ready for the hills. I simply press both levers and the chain jumps to the granny gear and moves two cogs down on the back. No more changing to the granny gear and going up a gear by mistake when fatigued. (Everyone’s done that!)
Another great thing is, no more looking down at my feet to see what front gear I’m in, on my Garmin, the gears are displayed.
I’ve no doubt there are guys that can change those gears seamlessly but the electronic gears have the edge imo.
Someone was talking on about running out of battery power and being left stranded? That can’t happen with my set up as my Garmin or my phone will tell me the battery’s are getting low before I ride. If I had no phone or Garmin and that issue arose, I’d simply swap the battery’s over (front to back) and off I go again, but no granny or big ring gear would be the price for not charging.

 

[Venod]

For me the electronic gears are so much better and quicker

I still haven't tried electronic gears, I have nothing against them and they have the geekiness I would enjoy (setting up to preference) but every time I consider them I think about the ease of shifting, press a button and the chain moves to a different sprocket or chain wheel, then I think hang on a minute, I press a lever and the chain moves to a different sprocket or chain wheel, so for me the only advantage I see is the combination shifting (front and rear together) I would benefit from not having to maintain cables, but would gain batteries to maintain.
So far I haven't convinced myself to change but never say never, the new Shimano wireless setup may pique my interest.

 

[CAESAR AVGVSTVS]

I still haven't tried electronic gears, I have nothing against them and they have the geekiness I would enjoy (setting up to preference) but every time I consider them I think about the ease of shifting, press a button and the chain moves to a different sprocket or chain wheel, then I think hang on a minute, I press a lever and the chain moves to a different sprocket or chain wheel, so for me the only advantage I see is the combination shifting (front and rear together) I would benefit from not having to maintain cables, but would gain batteries to maintain.
So far I haven't convinced myself to change but never say never, the new Shimano wireless setup my pique my interest.

Totally agree with you, I was the same.
I needed a new road bike and I found a tarmac at a great price online. It came with the electronic gears.
I love the fact you can adjust the micro shift on the go or you can hang the bike in a stand and micro shift it using your phone app.
I wouldn’t pay to have the electronic gears fitted to an existing bike due to the price.
I have an MTB bike with cable shifters, nothing wrong with it, so it stays the way it is. 👍

 

[albion]

Similar, I went for these, opting for the heaviest ones I could find.
No tears as yet so they do work. The price I paid was a little less.
Amazon product ASIN B0C3MRWJG8View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C3MRWJG8

 

[presta]

I simply press both levers and the chain jumps to the granny gear and moves two cogs down on the back.

Too much all in one go. I change one gear at a time as the bike slows down so that my cadence increases smoothly.

they have the geekiness I would enjoy (setting up to preference)

The problem with systems that can be programmed to do what you want automatically is that you need to know and predict what you need. When they do what you don't want it becomes a PITA fighting a running battle to stop them.

 

[albion]

It is one gear change. When you switch to a smaller chainwheel you need to also change at the back in order to prevent a large cadence change.

 

[DogmaStu]

May not have a choice in the midst of a long event. You take what spare wheel you can.

Any Support I have would have compatible wheels - this goes for Neutral Support too.

That said, I've not been Sponsored to the level I have had a Support vehicle, nowadays I have to hope I can do my own repairs in the event of an issue!