Stupid mechanic errors you have made

[EltonFrog]

I’ve done the chain thing too.

I’ve told this story before.

I spent an hour removing the complicated Ortlieb handle bar bag mount from my hybrid to put it on my new hybrid. Only to realise that having got it off the old bike, I had actually put it back on the old bike instead of the new one.

You don't get more twonkish than that.

 

[slowmotion]

A flat tyre developed overnight at home so I had to fix it in a hurry before doing my daily commute through quite busy west London traffic. As usual when I arrived at work, I carried it up the staircase. The front wheel fell off and bounced down to the landing. I hadn't tightened up the skewer.
It could have been interesting if I had attempted a wheelie.

 

[ColinJ]

I was putting some new bars on my singlespeed bike when I was distracted by a phone call. I finished the call and decided to go out for a test ride. All was well until I tried turning down a side street... The bars turned just fine but the bike carried on in a straight line - I had forgotten to tighten the bolts holding the stem on the steerer!

Fortunately, I was able to coast to a stop and sort the problem out. It's a good job that I hadn't been doing one of the fast downhills round here when the problem manifested itself...

 

[Jameshow]

I was putting some new bars on my singlespeed bike when I was distracted by a phone call. I finished the call and decided to go out for a test ride. All was well until I tried turning down a side street... The bars turned just fine but the bike carried on in a straight line - I had forgotten to tighten the bolts holding the stem on the steerer!

Fortunately, I was able to coast to a stop and sort the problem out. It's a good job that I hadn't been doing one of the fast downhills round here when the problem manifested itself...

I met up with a mate just beyond leeds Bradford airport.

Got CX bike out put both wheels in and off we went down poole bank 1/4 hill squeezed brake levers - nothing fast faster faster red traffic lights ..

Feet down slowed the bike enough to put it into the verge minor gravel rash but could have been so much worse.

 

[bladesman73]

Update. So I contacted the bike mechanic I use tonight. Told him what I had done and he said 'why didnt you just remove the jockey wheels and fit the chain through that way?'. My lord, why didnt I think of that? Thats why it's his job and why I am a very dodgy amateur. 🤣🤣

 

[DaveReading]

My lord, why didnt I think of that?

Probably because removing and refitting a quicklink is arguably faster than removing and replacing both jockey wheels.

 

[ColinJ]

Probably because removing and refitting a quicklink is arguably faster than removing and replacing both jockey wheels.

Some quicklinks are one-use only!

 

[Reynard]

My MTB uses one of those old style multi-piece saddle clamps that fits onto the top of a basic seat post. You need two 13mm spanners to tighten the thing good and proper - one to hold onto the bolt and one to do up the nut. Not only that, all the bits of the clamp need to be correctly aligned with each other.

I'd put a new saddle on, and it was fine on a short road test. My next ride is a trip to drop off the parental's prescription via the gravel trackway between the fields. The first few bumpy bits were fine, and then three miles into a ten mile ride, the saddle started to tilt backwards. I had to get off a few times to shove it back into place - sans spanners, I only had a multi-tool with me. I ended up riding the last four miles with one hand holding down the nose of the saddle to stop myself from being shipped out of the back door.

You can guess what two mistakes I made...

 

[cougie uk]

Stupid is my middle name. I think possibly the stupidest, and most dangerous, was fitting some front brake blocks the wrong way round so when I braked they ejected the brake pads. At least I think that's what I did, I forget. If not exactly that, it was something stupid that resulted in my front brake suddenly becoming not a brake any more.

Mate got a bike shop to change his blocks. They put them in backwards and he only realized on an off road ride when he descended off a mountain at great speed and hurtled through about 20 riders awaiting their pals, across a country lane and used a hedge to stop. Hilarious.

I've definitely missed out that little bit of the rear mech cage and been annoyed by my now noisy chain for about 5 miles before I realized.

And if you notice your bar plug is working it's way out - don't bang it back in as you ride along. The bike doesn't like it.

 

[bladesman73]

Probably because removing and refitting a quicklink is arguably faster than removing and replacing both jockey wheels.

Not if you dont have the quick link tool...I'm waiting for mine to be delivered! And I have tried all of the known ways that people use to remove the quick link without the tool...none worked.

 

[slowmotion]

Not if you dont have the quick link tool...I'm waiting for mine to be delivered! And I have tried all of the known ways that people use to remove the quick link without the tool...none worked.

It's really odd. Sometimes they come apart easily just by squeezing the plates and sliding the links.......other times they refuse to budge. There are a few Youtube clips out there showing how to be clever by using the chain ring and whacking them.
I bought the quick link tool.

 

[Arrowfoot]

Forgotten to tighten the rear wheel skewer twice. And both times I noticed it when the rear wheel fell off when I came to a stop kerbside and lifted the bike onto the pavement. And both times covered over 12 kms.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Was in a rush fitting a KMC quick link chain the other day. Measured it up using the method of chain around large cogs at back and front, bypassing the rear derailleur...all good so far. Then without thinking I joined the quick links...before I have threaded it through the rear deraiileur!! 🤣🤣 Share your schoolboy error mechanic fails with me...

I never heard of that method: I learned to put the chain through the mech when measuring it, which probably saved me doing exactly the same as wha you described.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I've picked up two odd habits; one is to forget to release the brakes before removing a wheel; I'll do this in the front wheel of a bike, swear, feel stupid, and then do the same on the back wheel thirty seconds later.

Another one is when taking a bike out of the maintenance stand, I occasionally open the quick release on the saddle post instead of the stand, with predictable results.

 

[Chislenko]

I never heard of that method: I learned to put the chain through the mech when measuring it, which probably saved me doing exactly the same as wha you described.

Must admit I just count the links on the chain I have taken off if like for like swap (no change of crankset / cassette teeth amount)