Question for Bike Mechanics

[mustang1]

Not sure if this comes under "home mechanic" but let's see....

Some years ago, I came out of my house and started walking towards the shop. I saw my neighbour pumping his bike tyre and I have him a cheery "hey going on your bike wave/nod/gesture".

It was an leisurely stroll to the shop so half an hour later I came back and the neighbour is still pumping the same bike tyre but in a real sweat and quite frustrated so I put the shopping down and went over to have a look.

The air pump sounded strange as soon as I walked over and I instantly knew the problem. "Hey hold on there" I told told him and I closed the lever thingie at the end of the air pump tube so it makes a solid connection to the presta valve of his bike tyre and said "now have a go...."

He pumped and this time could feel resistance in the air pump. The sheer joy on his face was priceless!

 

[Profpointy]

Putting the forks on upside-down.

I'd reassembled my bike after a total strip down but something didn't look quite right, then I twigged

Duh !

(I really do mean upside down, not backwards)

 

[rogerzilla]

The Royal Navy advert where the guy fits cranks at a curious angle to each other. Then they let him work on helicopters.


View: https://youtu.be/DSegIu9IgB0?si=dIy4SB7_UYh1RrOw

 

[Big John]

I reckon the most common mistake is thinking we know it all when we don't. Is it just me or do we all have those head scratching moments when we've tried everything we know and it still hasn't put things right? Even the time served more 'senior' pro mechanics get it wrong sometimes.

 

[cyberknight]

Discussion elsewhere currently where someone swears the pre load bolt on ht2 cranksets is what holds the left crank arm on and he's "fixed" lots of friends bikes that didn't have one and wondered why the crank arm was falling off.

 

[Punkawallah]

I reckon the most common mistake is thinking we know it all when we don't. Is it just me or do we all have those head scratching moments when we've tried everything we know and it still hasn't put things right? Even the time served more 'senior' pro mechanics get it wrong sometimes.

I used to know everything, but it got boring.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Trying to hold two ends of a new chain as you insert a quick link. Then watch the carefully threaded chain roll into a twisted pile on the floor undoing the last few minutes work.

Servicing bearings on a patio with cracks between slabs, with nothing to catch the bearings below wheel / headset / pedals etc.

Not greasing things, so when it comes time to undo or service everything is seized.

 

[All uphill]

I used to know everything, but it got boring.

I'm not young enough to know everything.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Trying to hold two ends of a new chain as you insert a quick link. Then watch the carefully threaded chain roll into a twisted pile on the floor undoing the last few minutes work.

And the clip on the link pinging across the floor, not to be found for three years until you are searching for the cable end cap that's just pinged across the floor.