What Have You Fettled Today?

[DCLane]

SWMBO has requested a bike to use on the smart turbo. However, the last time she asked for her bike to be rideable - it needed the tyres pumping up - she didn't use it. So ... son no. 2's Columbus X-Wing has been waiting for hand-me-down upgrades and is the only thing we have that fits her. Just, only just.

I'd planned an upgrade from the current 10-speed Sora (crankset), Tiagra 4600 (shifters), 105 5700 (rear derailleur) and Ultegra 6600 (front derailleur) set-up anyway, so moving part of it to 11 speed rather than keeping it at a 'better' 10-speed made sense as our smart turbo's set up as 11 speed for me.

It's had an Ultegra 8000 right-hand shifter plus a 105 long-cage rear derailleur and Ultegra 6800 crankset. Also, an Ultegra 6700 left-hand shifter as I don't have a spare 6800/8000 one yet - so the old Ultegra 6600 front derailleur is still there. We've added an 11-speed chain and multi-coloured new gear cable outers, plus all new black/red bar tape. Once I source a 6800/8000 LH shifter I'll do the front derailleur as well.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

From last weekend: New cables, rear derailleur, cassette and chain on @gavgav's carbon bike. As standard it was fairly high geared and Gav wanted a little more hill climbing ability. I found a Campagnolo Centaur medium cage derailleur and a matching 12-32 cassette at a good price and ordered them in.

He seems pretty pleased with how it's come out following a first test ride - if only I could order some good weather to go out and enjoy it in.

 

[Punkawallah]

I'm almost convinced - reflectors, dork disk, basket - any chance of a wing mirror?

Bar end tassels?

 

[Jameshow]

SWMBO has requested a bike to use on the smart turbo. However, the last time she asked for her bike to be rideable - it needed the tyres pumping up - she didn't use it. So ... son no. 2's Columbus X-Wing has been waiting for hand-me-down upgrades and is the only thing we have that fits her. Just, only just.

I'd planned an upgrade from the current 10 speed Sora (crankset), Tiagra 4600 (shifters), 105 (rear derailleur) and Ultegra 6600 (front derailleur) anyway, so moving part of it to 11 speed rather than 10 made sense as our smart turbo's set up as 11 speed for me.

It's had an Ultegra 8000 right-hand shifter plus a 105 long-cage rear derailleur and Ultegra 6800 crankset. Also, an Ultegra 6700 left-hand shifter as I don't have a spare 6800/8000 one yet - so the old Ultegra 6600 front derailleur is still there. We've added an 11-speed chain and multi-coloured new gear cable outers, plus all new black/red bar tape. Once I source a 6800/8000 LH shifter I'll do the front derailleur as well.

View attachment 726725

I cain't keep up!!

 

[DCLane]

I cain't keep up!!

There's just one more bike getting upgrades; my Ridgeback Platinum audax bike. The debate there is whether to keep it 10-speed and widen the gear ratios or to jump to 11-speed.

The only issue is I've nice 10-speed wheels that basically then become redundant.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The only issue is I've nice 10-speed wheels that basically then become redundant.

Get 11 speed bar ends with friction mode. You are then good for 8-12 speed at the rear as a minimum, using same shifter.

 

[EckyH]

Disassembled the Shimano BR-R650 brake set, cleansed it, greased it, reassembled it without losing my marblesany of the small bearing balls and more importantly without having a single part left over.

Adjusted the brake pad of the front brake on the singlespeed cyclocross bike to un-squeak it.

E.

 

[Fredo76]

Moved the brake cables behind the handlebars on Fredo. Used my new fourth-hand/cable puller tool, so, easy. Even re-used the cable-end thingies.

After days of gathering gumption, I de-pretzeled Fredo's chain, too, without breaking it. I was ready to take apart the master link, but then remembered it didn't have one. It got pretzeled somehow in the car with the wheels off, and I don't even remember the exact nature of the maneuver that turned it back into a loop, but it was nearly perpendicular to the chainstay at one point. Weird.

 

[Venod]

Bled the grandsons rear brake on his MTB it was feeling soft, ignored the you tube videos and did it my own way, syringe with top up connected to the lever, open the bleed nipple on the caliper, pull the lver to the bars close the nipple on the caliper release the .lever all the air is expelled feels like new.

 

[fritz katzenjammer]

Did you say it’s a customer order, or just a display model?

Customer order, four grand worth of paint, plus ceramic bearing bottom bracket and higher spec carbon wheels upgrades.

but no pedals, dork disc or reflectors. ☹️

 

[DCLane]

Or mirror. Or pink tassles.

Imo it'd look good with pink tassles.

 

[Punkawallah]

Or mirror. Or pink tassles.

Imo it'd look good with pink tassles.

Pink and purple, please.

 

[ColinJ]

My 6-speed (former singlespeed) bike has developed another one of those mysterious, annoying, and worrying clicking noises when I am pedalling hard. I checked a few things yesterday evening...

The bottom bracket was new last year so that should be okay. It certainly felt ok when I took the chain off and turned the cranks by hand, and tried to rock them from side to side.

The crank bolts were tight, as were the chainring bolts.

The chain is in good condition - no significant wear or stiff links, and it is clean and lubed.

I thought I would check the bearings in the rear wheel and freehub. They all felt ok.

The splines on the freehub are fine.

My DIY 6-speed cassette is made up of sprockets from old 10-speed cassettes. I use the 15-tooth sprocket over 95% of the time, riding the bike as if singlespeed except on steep climbs that I need lower gears on. The 15 looked okay, but I replaced it anyway just in case. I haven't ridden the bike again yet, but I don't think that will have stopped the click...

I haven't checked the (MTB-type) SPD pedals yet but I have had one of those cause clicking problems before now. I can easily swap pedals with another bike and see if the clicks follow the pedals. If they do, then I will do my first SPD pedal service. Last time I just bought new pedals! (I will service the old pedals too while I am at it so I have a spare pair.)

Another thing that I can try is using the rear wheel from my CAAD5. If the clicking stops, then it WAS something on the old wheel. If the bike clicks with the new wheel then the old wheel was NOT to blame.

If it turns out not to be the wheel or the pedals then I would be back to the BB/cranks/chainring. I will shortly be changing the bike over to Hollowtech so all of those will be replaced anyway.

If it stops raining before dark I will nip out for a quick test ride to see if the bike still clicks. I am fairly sure that it WILL.

 

[Dadam]

First time trueing a wheel.

Commuter is a home converted ebike with a rear hub motor. Motor was supplied laced into a wheel with the kit. It wasn't very true; 1.5mm-2mm out in places. It bothered me a little but hadn't got round to doing anything about it. It rode fine and is disc braked so wasn't too much of an issue. Fixing my mudguard the other day I noticed it was suddenly wobbling 5-6mm! So I have a look today. What could cause that, thinks I? Oh there's a broken spoke. Bike upside down, put cable ties on the chainstays as pointers and set about fiddling with spoke keys. After about half an hour I got it to within 1mm laterally and about 1.5mm out of round. I called that a win with a broken spoke.

Now need to source a suitable replacement and do the same again, so I left the little yellow cable ties in place just twisted out of the way!

 

[DCLane]

I've been into the parts shed today tidying wheels. Or rather, sorting out which wheels to keep and which to go as I've a stack of old wheels I don't use.

The result is about 10 wheels to be sold; a Mavic Ksyrium SSC wheelset I've hardly used, another tubular cyclocross wheelset, the spare CX wheels for my old Avanti Circa commuter that'll not get used. Also in the pile is a front Superstar Components wheel and the front Mavic Module E from the Raleigh Pioneer after the rear was stolen a few days ago.

Those, and a load of other stuff that are left over from the upgrades we've recently done, goes live on eBay at 7pm this evening. No bikes being listed though.

And the result is a lot more space. There may be a couple of other wheelsets to go if I decide to go 11 speed with my Ridgeback Platinum rather than the current 10 speed as the two American Classic wheelsets I use for audaxes only go up to 10 speed.

Also adjusted the front derailleur on my NeilPryde Nazaré ahead of a 100 mile ride next weekend and swapped wheelsets. Last Sunday I was out on a 64mm deep carbon set and got buffeted badly, so I've swapped to a mixed 38/50mm set for a bit. The 64mm DT Swiss set needs new tyres, which are going on later today: I've a pair of Pirelli Velo Race black/brown tyres that can go on. Oh, and it also had a full set of new Swissstop brake pads.