Mattonsea
Über Member
- Location
- New Forest
Cleaned the bottom bracket ceramic bearings , ready to meet my new 105 crank
What Have You Fettled Today?
- Thread starter threebikesmcginty
- Start date
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Adjusted my left cleat, as part of tracking down the cause of my left knee pain.
Weird thing was, I use the same shoes and cleats on two bikes and only happens on the nicer one.
Anyway, adjusted angle by 1mm and noticed that the right cleat was then at the same angle, but further to the left, so brought the shoe in closer to the crank.
Adjusted to match on left cleat and test rode the same 20 mile route as last week, when pain hit after 6 miles...
...zero pain tonight and I really pushed it on the short steep digs too. Even into the wind on return leg. Result!
Weird thing was, I use the same shoes and cleats on two bikes and only happens on the nicer one.
Anyway, adjusted angle by 1mm and noticed that the right cleat was then at the same angle, but further to the left, so brought the shoe in closer to the crank.
Adjusted to match on left cleat and test rode the same 20 mile route as last week, when pain hit after 6 miles...
...zero pain tonight and I really pushed it on the short steep digs too. Even into the wind on return leg. Result!
Tightened cables, raised saddle and stem a touch as didn't feel totally comfortable. Added rim-tape, it's surprising how easily it is to overlook when building a bike up for the first time 
but 2 punctures on the run into work in exactly the same place... Tomorrows job is to patch the two tubes.
but 2 punctures on the run into work in exactly the same place... Tomorrows job is to patch the two tubes.
I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
Getting a clicking noise when pedalling so once home from the commute decided to try out my new KMC missing link pliers to remove the chain while I check out the BB bearings.
Pliers worked a treat and avoided the usual mucky fingers which result from wrestling with the link bare handed. Only problem was that due to an oversight on my part I let go of the loose end of the chain while it was under tension from the rear mech and the resulting flick of the chain sent half of the quick link bouncing across the driveway and under the car. I found it after only around 10 minutes of looking
Turns out the Hollowtech II bottom bracket is on it's last legs. Also checked the chain for wear and found it was just at 0.75% wear so that is another job to do over the weekend.
Pliers worked a treat and avoided the usual mucky fingers which result from wrestling with the link bare handed. Only problem was that due to an oversight on my part I let go of the loose end of the chain while it was under tension from the rear mech and the resulting flick of the chain sent half of the quick link bouncing across the driveway and under the car. I found it after only around 10 minutes of looking
Turns out the Hollowtech II bottom bracket is on it's last legs. Also checked the chain for wear and found it was just at 0.75% wear so that is another job to do over the weekend.
Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
Bought new grips in Peoria, changed grips and saddle on Specialized Sirrus for the Metric Century on Saturday. As well as cleaning mulberries from the frame. I also added a water bottle cage.
Mullered seatpost clamp bolt drilled out and replaced with a shiny new pair of bolts on the Defy2.
A job I've been meaning to do for ages (since I realized one bolt could not be undone a year or so ago. (Can't rush these things, you know!))
Seatpost unseized, post and interior of frame cleaned and lightly lubed. Seatpost re-inserted, but 1.5 cm less as I want to try a higher saddle position.
A job I've been meaning to do for ages (since I realized one bolt could not be undone a year or so ago. (Can't rush these things, you know!))
Seatpost unseized, post and interior of frame cleaned and lightly lubed. Seatpost re-inserted, but 1.5 cm less as I want to try a higher saddle position.
Tom B
Guru
- Location
- Lancashire
Bought myself some Ergon Grips for the commuter....
Spent the last week fiddling with the angles to get them suiting me....
Still not perfect, but better
Spent the last week fiddling with the angles to get them suiting me....
Still not perfect, but better
DCLane
Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
- Location
- Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
Today I tested the 3 main road bikes; Carrera Virago, Spesh Secteur and Wilier Izoard.
It told me what I thought but didn't want to know: the Carrera isn't the bike to time-trial this weekend. So on the Wilier this evening ...
I've Ultegra 6700 shifters plus 105 rear derailleur to fit so it's moved to 10-speed, with Spesh Tarmac bars but not this weekend.
Oh, and the Carrera's TT days are over. It's back to commuting for this magnesium bike. Ex-Halfords team it may be, but time has moved on.
It told me what I thought but didn't want to know: the Carrera isn't the bike to time-trial this weekend. So on the Wilier this evening ...
- I've changed the seatpost and saddle, saving 300g
- Sora 3500 50/34 crankset removed and Ultegra 6700 53/39 crankset fitted, saving 140g
I've Ultegra 6700 shifters plus 105 rear derailleur to fit so it's moved to 10-speed, with Spesh Tarmac bars but not this weekend.
Oh, and the Carrera's TT days are over. It's back to commuting for this magnesium bike. Ex-Halfords team it may be, but time has moved on.
Racing roadkill
Guru
I encouraged the wheel reflectors to fall off, and removed the toe straps (fitted as standard), on my new steed. It looks a little less 'special' now. Its already running Hollowtech II cranks and chainrings, so straight on with the better cranks / chainrings then 
Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
Put new shifters on the Fuji Tourer, now to sort the brakes.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I have just taken delivery of a used Cannondale CAADX cyclocross bike and have been reassembling it this afternoon. I stopped to make myself a coffee and thought I'd write an interim fettling report!
NOTES: When removing the bike from the box, I discovered that the axle of one hub had put a small scratch on the down tube of the bike. It isn't a problem for me because the bike is 'pre-loved' and already bore the scars of its former life. I knew that when I bought it. Well, now it has 7 or 8 scratches, small dents and chipped paint patches, rather than 6 or 7 ... The kind of thing that any 1 year old used CX bike would have. Having said that - if you are boxing up a bike for sale or to take on holiday, it would be a good idea to put pipe lagging round the main frame tubes to protect them, and perhaps slip and extra sheet of cardboard either side of the box to stop the axles breaking through if the box gets manhandled, which it probably will!
Job #1: I put the wheels back on so I could stand the bike up to work on it.
NOTES: I had been told by the previous owner that he had swapped out the original Schwalbe Sammy Slick tyres before they'd had much use. He put them back on for me and they look as though they have only been ridden once! The wheels look very clean too, but I suppose that is one advantage of disk brakes - no rim wear.
Job #2: Reattach the handlebars. The bars had been removed from the stem so the bike would fit in the box.
NOTES: All the cables were still in place. I have never used Shimano road shifters before so the Tiagras will take some getting used to. I normally use Campagnolo shifters which use an inner lever like a Shimano STI shifter, but it does the job that the outer lever does. I reckon I will be doing accidental upshifts for a while when I am trying to do downshifts! These shifters still use external gear cables which look plain, er, messy! I am used to nice tidy hidden cables. The hoods do feel pretty comfortable though. I'll see how I get on with the bike. I might upgrade to a better groupset in the future.
The bars are good and 'chunky', a much bigger diameter than I am used to. Nice new bar tape too.
The stem looks shorter than what I am used to, but it has a different angle too. I will have to ride the bike to see if it suits me.
Job #3 was to reattach the rear derailleur which had been removed from the frame for its own protection in transit.
NOTES: I would have wrapped it in bubblewrap or in a Jiffy bag and ziptied that inside the rear dropouts, but it had been left loose. Again, not a problem this time but prevention is better than a cure - wrap and secure that mech!
Job #4: Reattach the seat post and saddle.
NOTES: The original saddle has been replaced with what looks like a Charge Spoon. I know that some people really rate those saddles but I have never ridden one. I'll see how I get on with it. If it suits my a*se then it stays. If not, I'll put on a Planet X Arione clone which I have in my spares drawer.
Job #5: Put a pair of SPD pedals on the bike.
NOTES: It came with some cheap, nasty Wellgo flat pedals. I'll keep those for when my nephew visits. He is about the same height as me but is not really a cyclist. He might want to cycle with me but I don't think he would take to riding my spare bike in SPDs.
Job #6: The headset seemed knackered, but it turned out to be just over-tight. I adjusted it and all seems ok now.
NOTES: I'm not sure how the bike was ridden the way that headset was - it had 'digital' steering rather than 'analogue'! I.e. the bearings were so tight that steering could only be done in discrete steps instead of a smooth and continuous turning motion. Maybe the stem took a knock in transit, upsetting the headset adjustment?
Job #7: Remove 4 reflectors.
NOTES: Yes, I know, they don't weigh much and the day might have come where somebody might have spotted them on a gloomy ride, but they just didn't look right!
Job #8: Weigh the bike!
NOTES: The bike isn't quite finished yet, but I gave way to curiosity ... It does feel pretty light compared to my chunky steel mountain bike. Much closer in weight to its cousin, my CAAD5 road bike. As it stands now, the answer is ...
REMAINING JOBS:
I'll see how I get on with the gearing on the bike as it is, but I know myself and I know the rugged countryside that I ride in, so this will probably be done sooner rather than later ... The stock cassette on this bike is a 12-28 but I just checked and the one on the bike now is a 12-30. That's an improvement for my steep local climbs, but I am probably going to extend the gearing range. I have triples on my 3 other bikes so a 36/30 bottom gear isn't quite low enough for me. It will be most of the time, but not for those coming to awkward '25% offroad climb into a headwind at the end of a long, tiring ride' moments which do tend to crop up from time to time in my cycling life! I am thinking of swapping the 36 chainring for a 34 and/or the cassette for an 11 or 12 to 32 or 34 or even 36. The huge cassette might need to be made usable by replacing the 10 speed Tiagra road rear mech with a 9 speed MTB mech, which I have read work fine with 10 speed Shimano road shifters.
I need bottle cages. Red bottle cages. They would look nice with the bike's colour scheme!
The bike has mudguard and rack mounts. I don't think I want them on the bike full time, but I might buy guards for it and fit them for the winter. I have an old rack which might fit. Some bodging potentially needed to fit around the rear disk brake.
I'll see how I get on with the brakes. I have read mixed reports on the Promax Render Rs. If I don't like them, I will replace with something else. maybe Spyre Hy/Rds?
I have read mixed reports on BB30 bottom brackets too. If I get the incurable creaking problem, then a new BB would need to be found!
And that's that! I had thought that I would like to build a CAADX up to my own spec, but Cannondale do not sell the frames separately. I am looking on this as a potential 'donor' bike. I got it for over £300 below the list price so if don't like something on the bike I will be happy to buy new parts for it and sell the old bits. At the end of this process, I should have a very nice CX bike indeed!
NOTES: When removing the bike from the box, I discovered that the axle of one hub had put a small scratch on the down tube of the bike. It isn't a problem for me because the bike is 'pre-loved' and already bore the scars of its former life. I knew that when I bought it. Well, now it has 7 or 8 scratches, small dents and chipped paint patches, rather than 6 or 7 ... The kind of thing that any 1 year old used CX bike would have. Having said that - if you are boxing up a bike for sale or to take on holiday, it would be a good idea to put pipe lagging round the main frame tubes to protect them, and perhaps slip and extra sheet of cardboard either side of the box to stop the axles breaking through if the box gets manhandled, which it probably will!
Job #1: I put the wheels back on so I could stand the bike up to work on it.
NOTES: I had been told by the previous owner that he had swapped out the original Schwalbe Sammy Slick tyres before they'd had much use. He put them back on for me and they look as though they have only been ridden once! The wheels look very clean too, but I suppose that is one advantage of disk brakes - no rim wear.
Job #2: Reattach the handlebars. The bars had been removed from the stem so the bike would fit in the box.
NOTES: All the cables were still in place. I have never used Shimano road shifters before so the Tiagras will take some getting used to. I normally use Campagnolo shifters which use an inner lever like a Shimano STI shifter, but it does the job that the outer lever does. I reckon I will be doing accidental upshifts for a while when I am trying to do downshifts! These shifters still use external gear cables which look plain, er, messy! I am used to nice tidy hidden cables. The hoods do feel pretty comfortable though. I'll see how I get on with the bike. I might upgrade to a better groupset in the future.
The bars are good and 'chunky', a much bigger diameter than I am used to. Nice new bar tape too.
The stem looks shorter than what I am used to, but it has a different angle too. I will have to ride the bike to see if it suits me.
Job #3 was to reattach the rear derailleur which had been removed from the frame for its own protection in transit.
NOTES: I would have wrapped it in bubblewrap or in a Jiffy bag and ziptied that inside the rear dropouts, but it had been left loose. Again, not a problem this time but prevention is better than a cure - wrap and secure that mech!
Job #4: Reattach the seat post and saddle.
NOTES: The original saddle has been replaced with what looks like a Charge Spoon. I know that some people really rate those saddles but I have never ridden one. I'll see how I get on with it. If it suits my a*se then it stays. If not, I'll put on a Planet X Arione clone which I have in my spares drawer.
Job #5: Put a pair of SPD pedals on the bike.
NOTES: It came with some cheap, nasty Wellgo flat pedals. I'll keep those for when my nephew visits. He is about the same height as me but is not really a cyclist. He might want to cycle with me but I don't think he would take to riding my spare bike in SPDs.
Job #6: The headset seemed knackered, but it turned out to be just over-tight. I adjusted it and all seems ok now.
NOTES: I'm not sure how the bike was ridden the way that headset was - it had 'digital' steering rather than 'analogue'! I.e. the bearings were so tight that steering could only be done in discrete steps instead of a smooth and continuous turning motion. Maybe the stem took a knock in transit, upsetting the headset adjustment?
Job #7: Remove 4 reflectors.
NOTES: Yes, I know, they don't weigh much and the day might have come where somebody might have spotted them on a gloomy ride, but they just didn't look right!
Job #8: Weigh the bike!
NOTES: The bike isn't quite finished yet, but I gave way to curiosity ... It does feel pretty light compared to my chunky steel mountain bike. Much closer in weight to its cousin, my CAAD5 road bike. As it stands now, the answer is ...
REMAINING JOBS:
I'll see how I get on with the gearing on the bike as it is, but I know myself and I know the rugged countryside that I ride in, so this will probably be done sooner rather than later ... The stock cassette on this bike is a 12-28 but I just checked and the one on the bike now is a 12-30. That's an improvement for my steep local climbs, but I am probably going to extend the gearing range. I have triples on my 3 other bikes so a 36/30 bottom gear isn't quite low enough for me. It will be most of the time, but not for those coming to awkward '25% offroad climb into a headwind at the end of a long, tiring ride' moments which do tend to crop up from time to time in my cycling life! I am thinking of swapping the 36 chainring for a 34 and/or the cassette for an 11 or 12 to 32 or 34 or even 36. The huge cassette might need to be made usable by replacing the 10 speed Tiagra road rear mech with a 9 speed MTB mech, which I have read work fine with 10 speed Shimano road shifters.
I need bottle cages. Red bottle cages. They would look nice with the bike's colour scheme!
The bike has mudguard and rack mounts. I don't think I want them on the bike full time, but I might buy guards for it and fit them for the winter. I have an old rack which might fit. Some bodging potentially needed to fit around the rear disk brake.
I'll see how I get on with the brakes. I have read mixed reports on the Promax Render Rs. If I don't like them, I will replace with something else. maybe Spyre Hy/Rds?
I have read mixed reports on BB30 bottom brackets too. If I get the incurable creaking problem, then a new BB would need to be found!
And that's that! I had thought that I would like to build a CAADX up to my own spec, but Cannondale do not sell the frames separately. I am looking on this as a potential 'donor' bike. I got it for over £300 below the list price so if don't like something on the bike I will be happy to buy new parts for it and sell the old bits. At the end of this process, I should have a very nice CX bike indeed!
The rear derailleur on the road bike has come to the end of it's 30 year life. I was tightening the gear cables as they have loosened over the last week or so, and unfortunately the thread on the derailleur where I screw in the bolt has completely gone. I knew it was a bit ropey, but there is nothing there now.
Fortunately wiggle has a sale on, 105 10spd rear mech for £20. Popped into cyclesurgery down the road and they price matched. Gonna put it on tomorrow, not sure how I feel about a modern rear mech being used with friction shifters, the 105 doesn't have the same vintage look. I'd rather have gone for something a bit more in keeping, but it'll do.
Cleaned up the MTB as well, pumped up the tyres and whatnot.
Fortunately wiggle has a sale on, 105 10spd rear mech for £20. Popped into cyclesurgery down the road and they price matched. Gonna put it on tomorrow, not sure how I feel about a modern rear mech being used with friction shifters, the 105 doesn't have the same vintage look. I'd rather have gone for something a bit more in keeping, but it'll do.
Cleaned up the MTB as well, pumped up the tyres and whatnot.
Racing roadkill
Guru
Game on.
dan_bo
How much does it cost to Oldham?
When we racing then Col?I have just taken delivery of a used Cannondale CAADX cyclocross bike and have been reassembling it this afternoon. I stopped to make myself a coffee and thought I'd write an interim fettling report!
NOTES: When removing the bike from the box, I discovered that the axle of one hub had put a small scratch on the down tube of the bike. It isn't a problem for me because the bike is 'pre-loved' and already bore the scars of its former life. I knew that when I bought it. Well, now it has 7 or 8 scratches, small dents and chipped paint patches, rather than 6 or 7 ... The kind of thing that any 1 year old used CX bike would have. Having said that - if you are boxing up a bike for sale or to take on holiday, it would be a good idea to put pipe lagging round the main frame tubes to protect them, and perhaps slip and extra sheet of cardboard either side of the box to stop the axles breaking through if the box gets manhandled, which it probably will!
Job #1: I put the wheels back on so I could stand the bike up to work on it.
NOTES: I had been told by the previous owner that he had swapped out the original Schwalbe Sammy Slick tyres before they'd had much use. He put them back on for me and they look as though they have only been ridden once! The wheels look very clean too, but I suppose that is one advantage of disk brakes - no rim wear.
Job #2: Reattach the handlebars. The bars had been removed from the stem so the bike would fit in the box.
NOTES: All the cables were still in place. I have never used Shimano road shifters before so the Tiagras will take some getting used to. I normally use Campagnolo shifters which use an inner lever like a Shimano STI shifter, but it does the job that the outer lever does. I reckon I will be doing accidental upshifts for a while when I am trying to do downshifts! These shifters still use external gear cables which look plain, er, messy! I am used to nice tidy hidden cables. The hoods do feel pretty comfortable though. I'll see how I get on with the bike. I might upgrade to a better groupset in the future.
The bars are good and 'chunky', a much bigger diameter than I am used to. Nice new bar tape too.
The stem looks shorter than what I am used to, but it has a different angle too. I will have to ride the bike to see if it suits me.
Job #3 was to reattach the rear derailleur which had been removed from the frame for its own protection in transit.
NOTES: I would have wrapped it in bubblewrap or in a Jiffy bag and ziptied that inside the rear dropouts, but it had been left loose. Again, not a problem this time but prevention is better than a cure - wrap and secure that mech!
Job #4: Reattach the seat post and saddle.
NOTES: The original saddle has been replaced with what looks like a Charge Spoon. I know that some people really rate those saddles but I have never ridden one. I'll see how I get on with it. If it suits my a*se then it stays. If not, I'll put on a Planet X Arione clone which I have in my spares drawer.
Job #5: Put a pair of SPD pedals on the bike.
NOTES: It came with some cheap, nasty Wellgo flat pedals. I'll keep those for when my nephew visits. He is about the same height as me but is not really a cyclist. He might want to cycle with me but I don't think he would take to riding my spare bike in SPDs.
Job #6: The headset seemed knackered, but it turned out to be just over-tight. I adjusted it and all seems ok now.
NOTES: I'm not sure how the bike was ridden the way that headset was - it had 'digital' steering rather than 'analogue'! I.e. the bearings were so tight that steering could only be done in discrete steps instead of a smooth and continuous turning motion. Maybe the stem took a knock in transit, upsetting the headset adjustment?
Job #7: Remove 4 reflectors.
NOTES: Yes, I know, they don't weigh much and the day might have come where somebody might have spotted them on a gloomy ride, but they just didn't look right!
Job #8: Weigh the bike!
NOTES: The bike isn't quite finished yet, but I gave way to curiosity ... It does feel pretty light compared to my chunky steel mountain bike. Much closer in weight to its cousin, my CAAD5 road bike. As it stands now, the answer is ...
REMAINING JOBS:
I'll see how I get on with the gearing on the bike as it is, but I know myself and I know the rugged countryside that I ride in, so this will probably be done sooner rather than later ... The stock cassette on this bike is a 12-28 but I just checked and the one on the bike now is a 12-30. That's an improvement for my steep local climbs, but I am probably going to extend the gearing range. I have triples on my 3 other bikes so a 36/30 bottom gear isn't quite low enough for me. It will be most of the time, but not for those coming to awkward '25% offroad climb into a headwind at the end of a long, tiring ride' moments which do tend to crop up from time to time in my cycling life! I am thinking of swapping the 36 chainring for a 34 and/or the cassette for an 11 or 12 to 32 or 34 or even 36. The huge cassette might need to be made usable by replacing the 10 speed Tiagra road rear mech with a 9 speed MTB mech, which I have read work fine with 10 speed Shimano road shifters.
I need bottle cages. Red bottle cages. They would look nice with the bike's colour scheme!
The bike has mudguard and rack mounts. I don't think I want them on the bike full time, but I might buy guards for it and fit them for the winter. I have an old rack which might fit. Some bodging potentially needed to fit around the rear disk brake.
I'll see how I get on with the brakes. I have read mixed reports on the Promax Render Rs. If I don't like them, I will replace with something else. maybe Spyre Hy/Rds?
I have read mixed reports on BB30 bottom brackets too. If I get the incurable creaking problem, then a new BB would need to be found!
And that's that! I had thought that I would like to build a CAADX up to my own spec, but Cannondale do not sell the frames separately. I am looking on this as a potential 'donor' bike. I got it for over £300 below the list price so if don't like something on the bike I will be happy to buy new parts for it and sell the old bits. At the end of this process, I should have a very nice CX bike indeed!
