What Have You Fettled Today?

[Accy cyclist]

Well yesterday.

Refurbished an old set of Sora 3300 calipers.

From this (I did the first one before grabbing the camera) old and tarnished 20 year old dull ally.

Not sure if I am going to fit them to the bike. Current calipers are non branded (I think pro-stop or something similar) and wondering apart from the aesthetics if there is any benefit on doing so. Both sets are identical size wize so the question is do I swap the almost brand new ones for 20 year old ones?

Nice work! Can i ask how you got them so shiny?

 

[Accy cyclist]

I got my old Carrera Virtuoso back from the LBS. I've had a new rear wheel and new brake blocks fitted plus a general cables etc tidying up. Some might question why i didn't buy and fit them myself but the lad there does a good job and charges minimal labour,and it's nice to drop off your old cluncker and get it back a week later looking like new! ! Anyway the only downside were the pedals. I wanted him to fit some pedals with chrome clips i had from another bike, but he couldn't get the originals off(they've not moved in 17 years)so i spent an hour and a half back home unscrewing the fiddly seized up nuts off the chrome clips,then fitting them to the original pedals and threading the leather straps through the pedals.The next job is de-greasing(many years of muck)the gears and chain and polishing the bike up.

 

[Colin_P]

Nice work! Can i ask how you got them so shiny?

Nothing more than some Autosol metal polish and Dremel with a felt bob.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Nothing more than some Autosol metal polish and Dremel with a felt bob.

Would Duraglit or Brasso do the job?

 

[Colin_P]

Should do but you will have to use a lot of elbow grease!

 

[Accy cyclist]

Should do but you will have to use a lot of elbow grease!

Ok thanks.

 

[raleighnut]

Would Duraglit or Brasso do the job?

Autosol leaves a waxy coating on the surface to protect it, Duraglit may but Brasso does not and I'd avoid it like the plague, or spray with Pledge after polishing.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Autosol leaves a waxy coating on the surface to protect it, Duraglit may but Brasso does not and I'd avoid it like the plague, or spray with Pledge after polishing.

We used to swear by Duraglit when we had "loads of chrome" bikes as children. Perhaps we got it wrong?

 

[raleighnut]

Unprotected aluminium and roadsalt is not a pretty sight.

 

[martinclive]

Bought a second hand winter commuter to replace my single speed (SS) - spent 3 hours doing the following last night (SS being sold Monday)

Spd Sls off new bike (NB) (save them for summer) Spds off the SS and onto NB and old wellgos on SS
Moved the pump mount under the bottle cage, garmin mount and the light brackets etc from SS to NB
Took old cut up Bontrager race lites off the SS and took the Schwabe Luganos off NB and put them on SS, put new Gatorskins on the NB
Swapped the saddles over
Removed the old mudguards from the SS
Thought about putting new brake pads on the SS but changed my mind as old ones have some life
Cleaned up the SS as best as possible for the sale
Hoovered the kitchen to get rid of the mess I'd made!
NB in car to go to bike shop to get the rear wheel trued ready for riding next week
Just need to fit new race blades to the NB once back and will be ready to go
I'm not particularly good or knowledgeable on this stuff but was very satisfying to see the two bikes sorted and finished!

 

[Racing roadkill]

Bought a second hand winter commuter to replace my single speed (SS) - spent 3 hours doing the following last night (SS being sold Monday)

Spd Sls off new bike (NB) (save them for summer) Spds off the SS and onto NB and old wellgos on SS
Moved the pump mount under the bottle cage, garmin mount and the light brackets etc from SS to NB
Took old cut up Bontrager race lites off the SS and took the Schwabe Luganos off NB and put them on SS, put new Gatorskins on the NB
Swapped the saddles over
Removed the old mudguards from the SS
Thought about putting new brake pads on the SS but changed my mind as old ones have some life
Cleaned up the SS as best as possible for the sale
Hoovered the kitchen to get rid of the mess I'd made!
NB in car to go to bike shop to get the rear wheel trued ready for riding next week
Just need to fit new race blades to the NB once back and will be ready to go
I'm not particularly good or knowledgeable on this stuff but was very satisfying to see the two bikes sorted and finished!

Pretty much bang on there. Top bombing

 

[Accy cyclist]

Nothing more than some Autosol metal polish and Dremel with a felt bob.

Well i bought some and i've used it. Yes it does a good job! Unfortunately i stood on the tube and it flew out onto the carpet! Damn! it took some effort to get it off!

 

[Colin_P]

Well i bought some and i've used it. Yes it does a good job! Unfortunately i stood on the tube and it flew out onto the carpet! Damn! it took some effort to get it off!

I know it is a cliche but ....... pictures or it didn't happen. I'm not talking about polishing your carpet but the bike bits your have shined up.

It is an amazingly satisfying activity.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I know it is a cliche but ....... pictures or it didn't happen. I'm not talking about polishing your carpet but the bike bits your have shined up.

It is an amazingly satisfying activity.

I wish i could post some pics! After Christmas when i get my new phone i'm going to post pictures galore but until then you'll have to take my word for it. The bike's not complete yet but as soon as it is i'll post some pics...after Christmas of course.

 

[Eribiste]

New bar tape applied yesterday, once the rain stopped long enough to get out and have a go. I haven't done this before with modern hooded brake levers, so I watched a few youtube vids to get some idea of what to do. Then I did it a different way. I note that pretty well all the videos start from the bar ends and finish by the stem, which requires some insulation tape to secure the bar tape. Following a suggestion by Nigelnaturist I started from the stem, which obviates the need for the insulation tape. Wrap direction was from inside to outside, so my grip on the drops should apply self tightening forces.