What Have You Fettled Today?

[ColinJ]

I've had a couple.

We never managed to get the swarf out. Very annoying!

 

[raleighnut]

We never managed to get the swarf out. Very annoying!

Like I said I wish I could find decent quality single wall eyeleted rims still, even John (my wheelbuilder) reckons they don't really exist anymore other than in really cheap wheels, he said something about twinwall being easier to make due to them being able to use a 'fillet' joiner piece that fits inside the chamber as opposed to having to weld/machine the join.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

We'd suspected that might be the cause in my case too. The pal in question once had a wheel with a bit of swarf trapped in the rim. You could hear it tumbling about inside the rim as the wheel rotated.

I have managed on the odd occasion to drop a spoke nipple into the void whilst replacing a broken spoke, cue a fishing session trying to fish it out.

 

[redvision95]

Changed the discs and pads on the car, I was going to try and get away with just doing the pads but the discs were too far gone, Cleaned the calliper up and gave it a quick coat of paint to tidy it up. Cleaned the wheel arches out while the wheels were off.

Also I've noticed my brakes on the Raleigh have been very vague lately, Pads were shot. Only put new ones on a few weeks ago. Also the front left calliper arm was stiff so it wasnt bouncing back like it should have been. Swapped the front callipers out for some cheap BSO ones I had in the parts bin, New brake pads. Bish bash bosh, I've got brakes that work again. Need to grab some new wheels for the Raleigh too but I'll try to make these ones last as long as possible.

 

[Tom B]

New brake disk fitted, new chain fitted, oily bits cleaned.

Other bike taken to Halfords for a warranty issue (loud cracking/knocking from rear shock) to be addressed. Young mechanic identified issue quickly and accepted bike for repair and part to be sent to RS for repair.

 

[Jenkins]

New front tyre fitted on the Van Nick after getting a sidewall cut on today's outing...

 

[DCLane]

Been playing with the Eastway winter bike. Woodrup Cycles re-threaded the bottom bracket as it was stuffed and I fitted a new Shimano square taper bottom bracket along with the Shimano 2300 crankset.

Then started to clean up a lot of bits - it looks OK and the wobbly rear mech hanger is tightened. I can't get the rear mech off to replace it so simply cleaned this thoroughly and fitted a new gear cable: it now works.

Just a new chain and bar tape and it's then ready a) for sale or b) to keep for next winter. I don't mind which.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I was cleaning my bike this morning, planning to do only the cleaning, and replacing the 2 pairs of brake cables. In a few weeks time I'd planned to do a full brake and gear cable replacement, including replacing the handlebar tape, but it turns out I'll be doing it this weekend instead. I thought I might as well, considering that the bike's front tyre now looks like this:

View attachment 350990

I don't know how I avoided a puncture. Thank you, Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres!
So as well as cleaning the bike and replacing the brake pads, I'll be replacing the brake cables, gear cables, handlebar tape, and now the tyres also. Major fettling!

One part of replacing the cables I always dread is the threading of the gear cables through the STI shifters, because it's almost always very difficult, and I tend to get frustrated, and use some very, very bad words. . I was astonished to find it only took a few minutes per cable, with the help of a pair of tweezers and a torch, and now the cables are threaded on both sides of the bike (here's the left side, below):

View attachment 350991

These Shimano STI shifters (or brifters, rather, since they're brake and shifter combined) are amazing. Apart from the frame and the handlebars, they're the only original part on this bike, on which I've done approximately 105,000km over 8.5 years. Somehow the brifters still work perfectly, through countless gear changes (I've done a great deal of hill-climbing over those years), and I've never oiled or cleaned them!


I also tested a new bicycle workstand for the first time. I saw this little beauty at a local bike store several months ago, priced at about $120, about half the cost of the one I had, a ParkTools workstand (the blue one in the photo background below) which weighs heaps, takes up too much floor space, and doesn't hold the bikes steady enough. The new one works really well, and weighs a lot less, so I'm happy with it:

View attachment 350992

Now, I just need to finish the maintenance, cutting new outer cables, threading the inners through them, and of course brake and gear cable, and brake pad, adjustments. I have accumulated a nice bicycle tool collection over the years:

View attachment 350993

Above, from left to right:

• the old outer cables labelled so I can cut new ones of the same length, because these lengths are perfect for this bicycle.
• new handlebar tape.
• my ParkTools toolbox with heaps of tools in it, some I got with the box, and others added over the years.
• the tools I'm using for this maintenance, such as the tweezers, torch, 4th-hand tool, cable cutters, pliers, multi-tool, Allen keys, and the old brake shoes and pads and new brake pads.

Happy fettling, all!

I finally recovered from that sudden attack of procrastinitus (must've been something I ate... ), and finished the parts replacements for the commuter bike, my cherished Vivente World Randonneur tourer (a 2008 model). I replaced the 4 brake pads, brake and gear cables, handlebar tape, and both tyres.

Amazingly enough, after I clamped the gear cables, the only adjustment required for both derailleurs was a few turns of the high limit screw on the front, and the shifting is really good. I took the bike out for a quick test ride along my local street, to check it. I hope it stays that way: it's common for follow-up adjustments to be needed, especially for new cables, and adjusting derailleurs is by far my least favourite bicycle maintenance task.

Tomorrow, if I get around to it, I'll be replacing the chain rings, chain and rear cassette on the road bike (a 2012 model Specialized Roubaix Expert SL4), as they're showing signs of major wear (e.g. occasionally-slipping chain), and so I got the tourer working again not a moment too soon.

 

[overmind]

Changed/degreased/repacked the bearings in my rear hub (700c racer). I had to replace both cone nuts as they were pitted.

Picture below.

 

[delb0y]

Fitted new brakes, blocks, and cables to the rear of the mtb.

 

[si_c]

Checking over the bike this afternoon and oiling the chain before going out with my Dad, noticed a twist in one of the links of the chain, the plates rotated around by 30degrees or so. New chain fitted.

 

[delb0y]

Fitted new brakes, blocks, and cables to the front of the mtb.

 

[overmind]

Checking over the bike this afternoon and oiling the chain before going out with my Dad, noticed a twist in one of the links of the chain, the plates rotated around by 30degrees or so. New chain fitted.

The same thing happened on my daughter's bike. I twisted it back and it seemed fine. Is there a risk in doing this ?

 

[si_c]

The same thing happened on my daughter's bike. I twisted it back and it seemed fine. Is there a risk in doing this ?

I'm not sure, but I didn't want to risk it as I have a 25mile daily commute and I don't want a broken chain. @Yellow Saddle will no doubt have a definitive answer for you.

 

[overmind]

I'm not sure, but I didn't want to risk it as I have a 25mile daily commute and I don't want a broken chain. @Yellow Saddle will no doubt have a definitive answer for you.

Sensible. I would do the same.