What Have You Fettled Today?

[JhnBssll]

A mudguard eyelet failed 28 miles from home this morning. It's the second time I've had one snap but the first time its happened mid-ride, it happened while I was fitting the guards first time round. Clearly this is a weakness, I'm not sure why they've used aluminium for such a small diameter thread in an area subject to cyclic loading but there we go! Here's the offending failure, photo taken at the roadside just before i phoned my wife to arrange a rescue

I managed a minor bodge that allowed me to do a further 6 miles to meet her in a pub carpark - I had to take it easy and was cooling down quite quickly so was glad to get in to the warm car

Anyway, back at home I took a closer look.

It's clearly a fatigue failue so I had a look at the other (intact) side and realised I'd inadvertently created a lever by adding a washer when I had fitted them.

The thought had been to maximise the width between stays to improve stability, I hadn't factored in forces causing fatigue of the eyelets because frankly I didn't think it would be an issue... Anyway, I couldn't leave it like this and was fairly sure the remaining eyelet would now be suspect so decided to replace them both and change how the stays attached to try and apply the force in line with the eyelet and remove the lever. In practice this was pretty easy and looks a lot neater!

The last little adjustment I made was to put a bend in each stay so that everything lined up properly; previously the stays were under bending load the whole time which may have contributed to the failure, you can just make out the new kinks in this last photo.

We shall see how it fairs up - at least I've remembered to put the cable ties back in the saddle bag so if it goes again I've got a get-me-home fix

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I managed a minor bodge that allowed me to do a further 6 miles to meet her in a pub carpark - I had to take it easy and was cooling down quite quickly so was glad to get in to the warm car

Anyway, back at home I took a closer look.

View attachment 445068

We shall see how it fairs up - at least I've remembered to put the cable ties back in the saddle bag so if it goes again I've got a get-me-home fix

Is that sort of mechanical fault one that really warrants a recovery by car though? I had a plastic "safety" stay pop out myself earlier (the ones that are supposed to come apart if a tree branch gets jammed in them). I just ignored it and finished my ride - although it was a lot less than 28 miles. That picture you posted of the broken off part would sorely tempt me to drill the frame and put a M5 nut & bolt straight through it from the outside! Maybe it's good job I don't ride anything made of carbon!
I recommend you carry a roll of electrical insulating tape in your pocket. If I'd had one in mine today I could have taped up the offending safety clip fixing en-route and stopped it popping out again.

 

[JhnBssll]

Is that sort of mechanical fault one that really warrants a recovery by car though? I had a plastic "safety" stay pop out myself earlier (the ones that are supposed to come apart if a tree branch gets jammed in them). I just ignored it and finished my ride - although it was a lot less than 28 miles. That picture you posted of the broken off part would sorely tempt me to drill the frame and put a M5 nut & bolt straight through it from the outside! Maybe it's good job I don't ride anything made of carbon!
I recommend you carry a roll of electrical insulating tape in your pocket. If I'd had one in mine today I could have taped up the offending safety clip fixing en-route and stopped it popping out again.

I'm sure I could have nursed it home, and had I remembered to re-pack the cable ties it would have been a non event. As it happened I had no ties or tape and didnt want to risk further damage to the bike for what was essentially a leisure ride

I think you'd need more than tape and cable ties to fix the resultant damage of drilling and bolting it though

 

[JhnBssll]

Just gave the Charge a wipe down, checked brakes, tires and gears and oiled the chain. All ready for the mornings commute

 

[DCLane]

Continued working on the Boardman AirPro black edition:

- Re-fitted the front derailleur cable. It works but I'm not happy with it, so there'll be some adjustment
- Fitted the chain
- Adjusted the rear derailleur cable
- Fitted the Raceblade Long mudguards and adjusted the brakes to fit
- Added a bottle cage

Still to do:

- Decide on wheels and tyres
- Adjust shifters to suit, then fit bar tape
- Work out the best fit for me, then my 14yo - probably with a shorter stem for him

If he can ride it then we'll put his Giant TCR on sale, along with his track bike and Cervelo frame. We've too many bikes to fit the storage and he's about outgrown the Giant.

 

[Leaway2]

Washed the commuter bike yesterday ready for today's ride. I haven't ridden it since Chrimbo eve. I hadn't realised how dirty it was!
As I was doing that I washed the "best" bike as well. mickled both the chains.

 

[Vantage]

I fettled the brake pads today.
After the racket they made yesterday I was sure they'd completely vaporised but nope, there's still just under 1mm on them. I'll get a few more miles out of them yet.
In sanding them and realigning them, the bike moved forward. The bars turned. The bike fell back against the stair string and that caused the front wheel to shoot forward narrowly missing my googleberries. In hitting the string the airzound went off deafening me, causing me to drop the brake pad insert pin and woke the kids. Perfect.
New inserts been ordered although I have some 'just in case'

 

[LeetleGreyCells]

I fettled the brake pads today.
After the racket they made yesterday I was sure they'd completely vaporised but nope, there's still just under 1mm on them. I'll get a few more miles out of them yet.
In sanding them and realigning them, the bike moved forward. The bars turned. The bike fell back against the stair string and that caused the front wheel to shoot forward narrowly missing my googleberries. In hitting the string the airzound went off deafening me, causing me to drop the brake pad insert pin and woke the kids. Perfect.
New inserts been ordered although I have some 'just in case'

Thanks for the comedy, I could imagine the slapstick sketch happening as I read the above

 

[HLaB]

A fettling fail for me today :-( Tried to take the dumb left crank arm off to swap it with one with a PM and the clamp bolt nearest to the frame came off easy but the outside bolt is seized solid after just two weeks. I think I've rounded it a bit now :-( It could be I've been too liberal with the bike cleaning spray (before was just wipes and its never happened). I'm trying soaking it in GT85 but as I've started to round it I'm not hopeful, might be a trip to the lbs tomorrow :-/

 

[pjd57]

Hardly a fettle, but I enjoyed it.

Two neighbours kids passed me yesterday.

1) " are you coming out on your bike "

2) " I've got flat tyres , daddy is out and Mummy has got false nails on "

Had to stop myself laughing , then get my pump out.

 

[DCLane]

Boardman AirPro black edition progress:

- front derailleur fettled and working nicely
- rear derailleur adjusted
- shifters adjusted to suit both of us
- shorter stem fitted and seatpost adjusted to fit my 14yo nicely
- bar tape fitted. I found some Selle Italia Corsa Gel Smootape which is a nice black with gold flecks at the back of the bike bits stand

Just to sort out a suitable wheel/tyre combination tomorrow and we're done. The current wheelset's a Superstar Components red pair and they don't suit - I've some Mavic Aksium's needing minor repair and they will probably be used instead when fixed. Photo's to follow.

Oh, and because it fits him well his Giant TCR can go on sale sooner than planned .

 

[DCBassman]

New Wellgo LU987U pedals fitted to the Trek 800.

 

[Jenkins]

Having done about 100 miles since changing the bottom bracket & chainrings on the main commuter, just a quick trip round with the allen keys re-tightening all the bolts now they've settled in.

 

[C R]

New tube and tire on the rear wheel. Lets hope this one does the trick.

 

[DCLane]

Swapped my 14yo's track gearing from 52x16 (done on Monday from 51x16) to 49x15 for a practice tomorrow on his new Langdale track bike.