What bike maintenance job do you dislike the most?

[User6179]

The tape is a slightly sticky one, not sure of the make (there are a few rolls in the shed, I'll have a look tomorrow) but it is just a faff getting the 2 sides to look the same.

I never said I got the two sides to look the same

I hate the sticky tape , guaranteed to make a mistake , am getting 4-5000 miles out the Shimano Pro Silcon tape and I even re-use it on other bikes underneath new tape as I always double tape the hoods .

 

[Cyclopathic]

Cantilever brakes , they need constant adjustment as the pads wear to keep maximum stopping power .

Fair point. Also it can be devilish to adjust them just right so they don't squeak. Having three hands would help a lot.

 

[coffeejo]

Cleaning the bike.

Everything else I am fine with as I just give it the lbs to do.

This. Mainly because I'm so clumsy that I invariably make matters worse, break a few more things in the process and consequently end up with a much more expensive trip to the LBS than if I'd just taken it to them in the first place.

 

[User6179]

Fair point. Also it can be devilish to adjust them just right so they don't squeak. Having three hands would help a lot.

I got rid of the squeak on the front by changing pads but it still judders

 

[slowmotion]

Adjusting the front derailler. Whenever I attempt to, it all goes horribly wrong. If anybody has a bomb-proof link on YouTube, I would be most grateful.

 

[ayceejay]

I got rid of the squeak on the front by changing pads but it still judders

I share your dislike of cantilever adjustment, even more since I discovered that a slightly untrue wheel will add to the difficulty.

 

[User6179]

I share your dislike of cantilever adjustment, even more since I discovered that a slightly untrue wheel will add to the difficulty.

I don't think cantilever and road bike shifters is a good combo also , never had the same problems with cantis on my hybrid.

Edit - could be carbon forks don't help as well .

 

[Supersuperleeds]

This. Mainly because I'm so clumsy that I invariably make matters worse, break a few more things in the process and consequently end up with a much more expensive trip to the LBS than if I'd just taken it to them in the first place.

My lbs introduce me to other customers as the man who keeps breaking his bike, when I wheel the bike in through the door the first question I get is "What have you tried to fix now?"

 

[coffeejo]

My lbs introduce me to other customers as the man who keeps breaking his bike, when I wheel the bike in through the door the first question I get is "What have you tried to fix now?"

 

[ayceejay]

I don't think cantilever and road bike shifters is a good combo also , never had the same problems with cantis on my hybrid.

Edit - could be carbon forks don't help as well .

Care to explain that Eddy

 

[User6179]

Care to explain that Eddy

On my Sirrus I had canti brakes with mountain bike brake levers and I never had any judder or squeaking ,the brake pads were a lot longer also .

The Sirrus had an alloy fork as well so I am thinking a combination of carbon fork and road shifters ( 105 ) which might have a different pull ratio is causing the front end to judder quite badly .

 

[moo]

Keeping the engine in good condition is hard work.

 

[Davos87]

Oiling my bell.

 

[User6179]

Oiling my bell.

Best done in private

 

[ColinJ]

Ooh no. No. Cleaning the bike is the best bit. It's the very essence of maintenance. It's when cleaning the bike that you can get to grips with every part of it and check it's condition.

That's why I don't like the cleaning, it usually ends up with a wallet emptying trip to the LBS

I spotted this potentially lethal problem when cleaning my bike, and it didn't cost me a penny to fix - I had an old crank lying around in my junk drawer!