Using the good advice on CC

[snorri]

Checking that everything is tight -

My bike gives an audible warning if anything is not tight.

 

[ColinJ]

My bike gives an audible warning if anything is not tight.

Or even overtight! On a very fast rocky descent, my MTB started making a creak-creak-creak noise which I ignored, meaning to see to it when I got home. I got to the bottom of the bridleway and slowed down to take a drink at which point the source of the creaking revealed itself. One of the two bolts holding the front plate on my handlebar stem must have been overtightened because it ripped the thread out of the stem and my handlebars promptly rotated through 90 degrees !!! Fortunately I was by then going slowly enough to stop without falling off.

Two things to learn from this:

1. Bolts must be tight enough, but not overtight.
2. Don't ignore strange noises from your bike - something BAD could be about to happen!

 

[goo_mason]

Well, it was replaced.

I told the guy I'd been fiddling with the limit screws, so they'd be out. He hadn't thought to check and he did a quick run up and down the gears and they appeared OK (as the chain didn;t drop off at either end).

However, on the way home the indexing seemed way off, and I realised after a few stops / starts at lights that I wasn't getting onto the big ring at the back, and it was very tight trying to get to the second biggest. The reason was because the derailleur's movements were limited by way-out limit settings (and a suspect a little cable-stretch).

It'll be up on the stand tomorrow when I get time, and set-up properly.

Oh - and got my replacement wheel this morning. I handed in a bare wheel (cassette removed, tyre and tube off), and since they lost that one, I got a wheel with tyre, tube and cassette fitted. Obviously meant for another bike though, as the cassette was an 8-speed SRAM and not a 9-speed Shimano, and it has a plastic protector fitted 'twixt cassette and spokes. It's also got a cheap Michelin tyre on and not the Kendas that came on the SCR2.

Still, the original Alex DA22 wheels are now spares as I bought Aksiums in May, so I'll use the cassette as a spare for the MTB (which is fitted with 8-speed SRAM already).

So -in the end, same old Halfords quality service. Still, it was all free....

 

[HJ]

So -in the end, same old Halfords quality service. Still, it was all free....

Should we be preparing to put that on your gravestone?? They might have helpfully adjusted the brakes too...

Don't trust they get it checked by someone who kens what they are doing

 

[goo_mason]

Should we be preparing to put that on your gravestone?? They might have helpfully adjusted the brakes too...

Don't trust they get it checked by someone who kens what they are doing

Gave the bike a good going over this afternoon just to make sure they'd not 'adjusted' anything else. The rubber hood hadn't been put back on properly and was sticking up, so fixed that. Looked like they'd also poured a lot of 3-in-1 or something on the chain - it was covered in fresh, thick oil. I had to wipe that all off. It had spattered all over the chainstay as I rode home on Friday, so that got wiped off too.

Thankfully the brakes hadn't been touched, and were still functioning as they were when I tweaked them the other week once the new blocks had bedded in.

Fingers crossed that I'll never have to hand the bike or any part of it back to Halfords ever again. Hopefully work will end their Bike2Work deal with them and go with someone else before I get another bike in future.

 

[Keith Oates]

Well, it was replaced.

I told the guy I'd been fiddling with the limit screws, so they'd be out. He hadn't thought to check and he did a quick run up and down the gears and they appeared OK (as the chain didn;t drop off at either end).

However, on the way home the indexing seemed way off, and I realised after a few stops / starts at lights that I wasn't getting onto the big ring at the back, and it was very tight trying to get to the second biggest. The reason was because the derailleur's movements were limited by way-out limit settings (and a suspect a little cable-stretch).

It'll be up on the stand tomorrow when I get time, and set-up properly.

Oh - and got my replacement wheel this morning. I handed in a bare wheel (cassette removed, tyre and tube off), and since they lost that one, I got a wheel with tyre, tube and cassette fitted. Obviously meant for another bike though, as the cassette was an 8-speed SRAM and not a 9-speed Shimano, and it has a plastic protector fitted 'twixt cassette and spokes. It's also got a cheap Michelin tyre on and not the Kendas that came on the SCR2.
Still, the original Alex DA22 wheels are now spares as I bought Aksiums in May, so I'll use the cassette as a spare for the MTB (which is fitted with 8-speed SRAM already).

So -in the end, same old Halfords quality service. Still, it was all free....

I would chase them to give you back what was originally the wheel set up, if they don't then write to the head office in very strong terms!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[goo_mason]

It's the same wheel handed in, they've just given me a free tyre, inner tube and cassette...

Knowing my luck, if I tried it on they'd ask for the 'extras' back and I'd lose out