What Have You Fettled Today?
- Thread starter threebikesmcginty
- Start date
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bikingdad90
Guru
@CXRAndy electric underfloor heating is incredibly expensive to run. We had it fitted in our kitchen extension and over a four month period on for an hour on a morning and two on an evening the bill was over £400 and that was before the crisis. It ended up heating the concrete base, the insulation and the ceramic tiles. It was a lovely luxury but in the end we took the controls out and decommissioned the units.
If it’s not too late, can you swap to proper water pipes and concrete over the top as it’s more efficient!
If it’s not too late, can you swap to proper water pipes and concrete over the top as it’s more efficient!
bikingdad90
Guru
The solar array will certainly keep costs down. Are you going to level the floor before you fit the insulation? One thing we found between the existing house and the extension was that with a thin tile layer we could tell the difference in levels as the grouting wasn’t perfect.
You could use Dinitrol or Waxoyl to stop further corrosion. You could go and get the frame dipped to strip all corrosion then seal with above products
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Picked up a 'flat' yesterday. Traced the hole quite quickly. No thorns or anything, but I suspect the added 'anti-puncture strip' has caused it - it's the second time a tiny hole has appeared where the edge of the strip is, and you can see some wear on the tube. It's a soft finished strip, with a plastic membrane inside, so I was hoping this wouldn't cause issues, unlike more solid ones.
I ripped the tape out - still got the tape in the front as it's not subject to the same weight loading heavy panniers).
I ripped the tape out - still got the tape in the front as it's not subject to the same weight loading heavy panniers).
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Give it a light clean then coat with some grease. All my frames have been sprayed inside with a mix of waxoyl, WD40, spray oil etc over the years - smells lovely when you take the bottom bracket out.
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
I had an Apollo bike from one of my young cousins to work on at the end of last week. The brakes weren't working, the back wheel had a buckle, the rear derailleur had been bent and partially straightened and he wanted new handlebar grips fitted.
I started off servicing the wheel bearings where the bearing tracks were pretty good but the balls were dull and pitted so some new ones went in. The brakes are basic cable discs and I was expecting to find worn out pads but they look new so just needed setting up properly.
I thought retruing the back wheel was going to be a simple job but annoyingly one of the spokes broke while doing it. Fortunately I had one the correct length to hand so fitted that then detensioned the wheel and trued it from scratch, which I wish I'd done in the first place.
The rear derailleur was a bit of a mess but after dismantling it, cleaning everything, straightening the plates and replacing the cables it all works as it should. That then showed that the front derailleur wasn't brilliant - the cage is pretty worn and wouldn't shift to the small ring without touching the tyre, then at the opposite end the chain was jamming most times when trying to shift up to the big ring. I tried numerous different adjustments but in the end gave up and just bought a new one which works beautifully.
The grips were a bit long to go on with the grip shifters that are fitted but it was easy enough to trim them down and rearrange the controls. Hopefully I shall have a happy client.
I started off servicing the wheel bearings where the bearing tracks were pretty good but the balls were dull and pitted so some new ones went in. The brakes are basic cable discs and I was expecting to find worn out pads but they look new so just needed setting up properly.
I thought retruing the back wheel was going to be a simple job but annoyingly one of the spokes broke while doing it. Fortunately I had one the correct length to hand so fitted that then detensioned the wheel and trued it from scratch, which I wish I'd done in the first place.
The rear derailleur was a bit of a mess but after dismantling it, cleaning everything, straightening the plates and replacing the cables it all works as it should. That then showed that the front derailleur wasn't brilliant - the cage is pretty worn and wouldn't shift to the small ring without touching the tyre, then at the opposite end the chain was jamming most times when trying to shift up to the big ring. I tried numerous different adjustments but in the end gave up and just bought a new one which works beautifully.
The grips were a bit long to go on with the grip shifters that are fitted but it was easy enough to trim them down and rearrange the controls. Hopefully I shall have a happy client.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
New rear disc pads fitted on hydraulics. Front okay for now but likely replace in next 4 weeks.
chriswoody
Legendary Member
- Location
- Northern Germany
Well it's almost time for my annual trip away, so time to give the Kona a good fettle. First up was to drop the forks and clean and grease the lower headset bearings which had been feeling a little rough. I also checked the front wheel bearings whilst I was there and they seem all fine.
Then it was on to the back and to finally change the cassette. Whilst they may be on the pricey side, these 1x cassettes are incredibly durable, my old one had done some crazy milage in the 6 years of its life and was finally at an end. I replaced like for like, so a 10 - 42 cassette, which is pretty much the max capicity of these Sram Rival derailleurs. I also changed the front chain ring to a 28 tooth one in preparation for my upcoming trip, the easiest way to get a nice low climbing gear. The 10 tooth sprocket means I'll still get a reasonable turn of speed on the flat, I also cut a new chain to fit and cleaned up the jockey wheels, so I've essentially got a complete new drivetrain on there now.
Still to do is check the front wheel for alignment, it seems a little out of true, so I'll get it on the wheel jig and see. Also the rear bearings seem a little rough, they are a sealed cartridge bearing and I can't work out how to access them, so I need to do some research there.
Then it was on to the back and to finally change the cassette. Whilst they may be on the pricey side, these 1x cassettes are incredibly durable, my old one had done some crazy milage in the 6 years of its life and was finally at an end. I replaced like for like, so a 10 - 42 cassette, which is pretty much the max capicity of these Sram Rival derailleurs. I also changed the front chain ring to a 28 tooth one in preparation for my upcoming trip, the easiest way to get a nice low climbing gear. The 10 tooth sprocket means I'll still get a reasonable turn of speed on the flat, I also cut a new chain to fit and cleaned up the jockey wheels, so I've essentially got a complete new drivetrain on there now.
Still to do is check the front wheel for alignment, it seems a little out of true, so I'll get it on the wheel jig and see. Also the rear bearings seem a little rough, they are a sealed cartridge bearing and I can't work out how to access them, so I need to do some research there.
Andy in Germany
Guru
- Location
- Freiburg im Breisgau
I've seen this occasionally in Marathon Plus tyres if the pressure was too low.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Its an aftermarket strip (Decathlon). Got them as my route was covered in Thorns in Autumn, but it seems the movement of tyre liner and tube eventually rubs the tube causing a tiny hole. They worked whilst fitted.
Andy in Germany
Guru
- Location
- Freiburg im Breisgau
I used one of those for about a decade: I think I got away with it because I used a fairly wide MTB strip in narrow Michelin Wildgripper tyres at high pressure so it was forced around the inner tube. I remember going from 1-2 punctures a day (Hedge trimming season in Devon) to 1 puncture in 15 years...
