What Have You Fettled Today?

[Racing roadkill]

Righto, I've spent the last few minutes sorting stuff out.

That's the Aksiums and the new cassette done. A quick fettle of the indexing has got it running sweetly.

I found these in a box, I don't usually run flat plats, but these are quite nice (I have no idea where or when I bought these). Job jobbed .

 

[ColinJ]

When we racing then Col?

Are you trying to finish me off?

I think CX is probably the worst possible cycle sport for me to try! I can't really cope with extreme intensity and my bike handling skills are poor ...

I'm thinking more in terms of my meandering scenic forum rides, only with less road!

 

[swee'pea99]

Fixed a puncture. Or, not really a puncture. A flat though, definitely. Damn thing just suddenly blew up, for no apparent reason. I wasn't within 20 feet of it at the time. Don't think it's used to a splash of sunshine...

 

[dan_bo]

Are you trying to finish me off?

I think CX is probably the worst possible cycle sport for me to try! I can't really cope with extreme intensity and my bike handling skills are poor ...

I'm thinking more in terms of my meandering scenic forum rides, only with less road!

Pffft.

 

[zacklaws]

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?

Keep an eye on the headset Colin, what you are describing sounds like what is called "Notching" and it can be caused by the bearing in the headset being "Brinnelled" and if its the case then it will need replacing. I had one doing it once and it was awful, you did'nt steer round corners, you tacked, constantly altering your steering line, not so bad on your own, but turning in a group made it even more noticable. Hopefully it may have just been overtightened and there is plenty online about the problem to help, Just rotating the bearing in the headset resolved it for me but only for a short while as it would start again eventually, the LBS looked at the bearing and straightaway condemmed it.

 

[ColinJ]

Keep an eye on the headset Colin, what you are describing sounds like what is called "Notching" and it can be caused by the bearing in the headset being "Brinnelled" and if its the case then it will need replacing. I had one doing it once and it was awful, you did'nt steer round corners, you tacked, constantly altering your steering line, not so bad on your own, but turning in a group made it even more noticable. Hopefully it may have just been overtightened and there is plenty online about the problem to help, Just rotating the bearing in the headset resolved it for me but only for a short while as it would start again eventually, the LBS looked at the bearing and straightaway condemmed it.

I must admit that it wouldn't surprise me. I hope to get out on the bike later today once I have found out how to adjust the brakes, and checked the pads for wear.

Oh, I forgot to put the weight of the bike in my other post ... without pedals, bottle cages, mudguards or GPS - about 10 kg/22 lb. I can see it ending up at 11 kg/24 lb. That is slightly heavier than I expected but no big deal since I am a pretty big rider and I will not be racing. It is a LOT lighter than the MTB it will be replacing on many rides.

 

[Karlt]

Replaced old 1980s brake levers and downtube levers on a late 1980s Raleigh with nice new comfy Claris brifters picked up from Ebay for £30 and a pair of cable end stops. Scored the gear cables from Halfords for £2 each including the outers and ferrules. Rear derailleur is a bit imprecise so I probably need to shorten the run from shifter to cable end stop but otherwise a massive improvement. I think the only original parts on this bike now are the frame, derailleurs, bars, headset and stem. Decided at the beginning it was not a good enough nick frame to warrant preservation so went for modernisation.

 

[Jenkins]

Not really fettled as nothing needed changing, but I spent around 4hrs this morning & afternoon cleaning all 6 bikes and then mickling all the chains.

 

[DCLane]

I collected the Eastway R4.0 frameset I'd bought last month from the LBS. Having tried and failed to fit a bottom bracket, as it just wouldn't screw in, I got them to fit one of theirs and the crankset for me. They're getting used to my odd eBay purchases. Originally it looked like this:

This afternoon I spent a bit of time with my youngest fitting some bits I'd collected for the build. Most are from my old damaged Raleigh Airlite, which subsequently went on the Ridgeback Platinum. They've been in the way of other stuff in the shed so fitting them onto the bike before something got damaged/I got damaged by SWMBO seemed sensible. So ...

• Front and rear derailleur fitted (ex-Raleigh/Ridgeback). The rear that was in the box had a stiff screw and wouldn't go on so I swapped it for a spare.
• Handlebars fitted (ex-Raleigh/Ridgeback) as the ones on are from a Spesh Tarmac and will be going on the Wilier
• Shimano R501 wheelset fitted
• White bottle cage fitted
• Brake drop checked with wheelset in; Miche Performance rear and Tektro R539 front fitted, both with red pads
• gear cables in, outers to do

Still to be done:

• SKS Longboard mudguards to order and fit
• Cable outers - I've blue but red/white also might look good
• Brake cable inners
• Chain
• Blue rear tyre to match
• Bar tape
• Adjust and test

It's to be a winter commuter for November onwards so there's no hurry.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Spent yesterday afternoon fixing up three work bikes (two BSO MTBs and one okay-ish Giant MTB). Much fettling was required!

New pedals on one bike
New inner tube on one wheel
Straighten out and then true up a rear wheel (this was a first for me, but went really well)
Full set of new brake blocks on one bike
Adjust the brakes on all bikes to be functional (I hate setting up cantis/V-brakes)
Tighten up the BB on two bikes to fix badly wobbing cranks (one required one of those Shimano tools which I didn't have - used a hammer and screwdriver)
Tighten up the hub locknuts on two rear wheels
De-gunking drivechains and re-lubing cables/chains/de-railleurs/brake pivots etc

One problem left: one of the freewheels is no longer really freewheeling... it keeps sticking, dragging the chain and RD with it. GT85 and a drop of chain oil in the bearings didn't seem to do the job either. If anyone's got any fixes I'd love to hear and give them a go, otherwise I guess just replace it.

Quite a satisfying afternoon, and they all run a lot better than when I started. I suspect I am now going to be inundated with requests to have a look at everyone's personal bikes though!

 

[Levo-Lon]

So after deciding not to give this frame away for silly money..i went on ebay and spet £120...
I have some nice wheels on way and new tyres and tubes...brakes and flat bar levers..few bits and bobs and a headset..
ive fitted it out as a 9 speed slx deore mix with a 36f 34r set up for now as ive got no 44t chain wheel.
should be a decent nip to bike..

 

[Arjimlad]

A rude awakening for me today... my son went out with his Explorer scouts on a bike ride last night, and one of them had a puncture so he was very late home as he walked back with his mate.

My son gets up at 6.30 to do a paper-round on his bike.

I got out of the shower at 7am to find him moaning that he had a puncture & couldn't fix it fast enough to be on time for his paper round.

So there I was, sat outside the house in my dressing gown swapping the tyre and tube over for him at 7.10am. Lovely morning !

 

[Chris S]

I needed to tighten up my propstand but didn't have an 8mm Allen key. I just bent an 8mm bolt through 90 degrees and used that.

 

[bpsmith]

Fitted Blue Shimano cleats and they rock!

 

[si_c]

Spent last night teaching myself how to use "proper" puncture repair kits, got a couple of old tubes that needed patching as I hadn't got round to them, quite easy once you've practiced a bit. Got one tube that now has half a box of patches on

Also put some new tyres on the road bike, the ones on previously had no puncture protection at all, and the rear tyre had a deep gash in it and I could almost see the inner tube through it. Put on some Vittoria Rubinos, cheap but as long as they stop the punctures on the commute thats fine by me for now.