What Have You Fettled Today?

[Andy in Germany]

I had to drop something off at work today so I stayed and finally got Middle Son's bike 95% ready for him:

I'd hoped to get away without changing the chain wheel, which is made for a 9spd chain, but unfortunately it argues with the 8spd chain occasionally so I'll have to swap it. Other than that though the bike works.

 

[Mike_P]

Lmao. Task and tools are irrelevant. It’s the swearing that’s a constant 🤣🤣

You had more success than me. Cannot get the fixing nut undone so after far too long of struggling resorted to phone a plumber

 

[cyberknight]

replaced 2 fence panels
easy job right?? the old ones had plants growing though them so i had to rip them out and then none of the new one fitted as the posts have settled so much sawing , swearing and 3 of us just to get them in .Then it took ages to clear up the mess made .
Couldnt wear gloves due to the nature of the work so hands suffered,

 

[ColinJ]

I intend to organise a CycleChat offroad forum ride early in the spring but my ancient MTB has been out of action since before the pandemic so it is well past time for me to sort it out!

One of the bike's old Hope disk brakes had died. I never really liked those brakes anyway because they use a sealed hydraulic system which overheats on long descents with lots of braking so I decided to replace rather than repair. I had been given a pair of SLX disk brakes which I am going to replace the old brakes with. I had already put the front brake on and that works really well. The thing that stopped me doing the rear brake was having to faff about with the hydraulics of both the rear Hope (to get it off) and the rear SLX to feed the pipe through the frame mounts (the brake had been taken off another bike with its hose intact and connected). I decided to do a temporary bodge job for now and fit it properly later if that ends up bothering me...

I cut the hose of the Hope to get that off, and fitted the SLX without feeding the hose through the frame mounts, instead cable-tying it to them. I was all set to bolt the calliper on when I discovered that the MTB has the old IS mounts and the SLX calliper has the newer incompatible type of mount. That is what we call an afternoon fettling show stopper!

I have now ordered a mount adapter which I will use to fit the brake next week.

I wouldn't be surprised if the transmission needs TLC but I haven't looked at that yet. I will check it tomorrow and order any parts that I need.

I have a replacement saddle and new bar grips to fit.

The rear tyre is good. The front tyre has plenty of tread left on it, but it is over 15 years old and the rubber is showing signs of perishing so I will replace that. I will get the biggest tyre I can this time. The fork only has 80 mm of travel so a bit more give in the tyre would be handy.

Speaking of that fork... Considering that it is 22 years old and it has never been serviced, it still seems to be working pretty well, but it needs more air pressure in it. I don't have a shock pump but I know someone who has a suitable one so I will ride over to see him once the other jobs have been completed.

I'll report on progress over the next week or so, and finish planning my forum ride route. It won't include any of the gnarlier downhills round here because I don't want to have to scrape myself or any other CycleChat member off our local millstone grit boulders, or have to scramble 50 metres down a 30% slope to rescue them from some dark, dank ravine!

 

[Andy in Germany]

Lmao. Task and tools are irrelevant. It’s the swearing that’s a constant 🤣🤣

In any language. German seems to be very effective.

 

[ColinJ]

The thing that stopped me doing the rear brake was having to faff about with the hydraulics of both the rear Hope (to get it off) and the rear SLX to feed the pipe through the frame mounts (the brake had been taken off another bike with its hose intact and connected). I decided to do a temporary bodge job for now and fit it properly later if that ends up bothering me...

I cut the hose of the Hope to get that off, and fitted the SLX without feeding the hose through the frame mounts, instead cable-tying it to them.

I found some little plastic clips on Amazon and eBay that are designed to avoid that cable tie bodging. I will definitely buy some. but not the ones I saw - over £10 is OTT! If I can find some for about £3, okay. (I did see some for that kind of price but they were in China and might take many weeks to get here.)

 

[fossyant]

I found some little plastic clips on Amazon and eBay that are designed to avoid that cable tie bodging. I will definitely buy some. but not the ones I saw - over £10 is OTT! If I can find some for about £3, okay. (I did see some for that kind of price but they were in China and might take many weeks to get here.)

If you are lucky, you may be able to disconnect the hose, re-route and join without a bleed, or a minimal bleed.

 

[Tom B]

Finally got around to rebuilding the wheel that failed in Decembers mini ice age. Having finally assembled the parts i finally found the time to rebuild it.

Fitted and tightened the two spokes mentioned earlier, was pleasantly surprised to find it wasn't too much out of true so got it the best i could with my absence of truing stand.

Recleaned the bearing cups, degreased everything and put it back together only loosing 10mins tracking down one of the new bearings. Fitted it to the bike, relieving it of the ice spike tyres that i've been pushing around for 10 weeks.

Replaced the brake pads all around, noted the tyre is reaching the end if its life also remembered that the jockey wheels were worn out last July and need a new chain.

Took the bike for a spin and was impressed by how much better it felt with a more sensible tyre and wheel.

Found a spare brake caliper that i got given a few months ago, im assured it works and was just really really grubby so put it in a jam jar with some brake cleaner (having first removed the jam) and sat the whole lot on the Mrs Ultrasonic Cleaner. No idea if that did any good, it didnt do me any good when she saw it so ive left it soaking in the boot of the car to get agitated and try and clean off some of the caked grubbynesss

 

[Fredo76]

Bought the basis for my next project off the bay, and a brake for it.





I think I have almost everything else. Drop bars, white cables, white Tressostar envisioned. Might get blacker and more Franken elsewhere though. We'll see.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Bought the basis for my next project off the bay, and a brake for it.

View attachment 680345

View attachment 680347

I think I have almost everything else. Drop bars, white cables, white Tressostar envisioned. Might get blacker and more Franken elsewhere though. We'll see.

Ooo. Nice.

 

[ColinJ]

If you are lucky, you may be able to disconnect the hose, re-route and join without a bleed, or a minimal bleed.

I don't think that the 'olives' would fit through the frame bosses.

I am starting to get excited at the thought of going off-road again. We have loads of good bridleways round here that will get me away from the valley traffic. I don't do 'gnarly' though, at least not downhill - I would rather climb the tricky stuff than descend over it.

 

[fossyant]

I don't think that the 'olives' would fit through the frame bosses.

I am starting to get excited at the thought of going off-road again. We have loads of good bridleways round here that will get me away from the valley traffic. I don't do 'gnarly' though, at least not downhill - I would rather climb the tricky stuff than descend over it.

It's practice that makes descending better, looking way ahead and planning the route. But, it's best to get to the bottom in one piece - not fun falling onto rocks. Makes a nice change to just road all the time, and doesn't need to be gnarly - most of my commute is off road now, it's very pleasant, and that's into Manchester.

 

[CXRAndy]

Indoor race setup needs new bearings in the BB. Hambini sending me a set

 

[ColinJ]

It's practice that makes descending better, looking way ahead and planning the route. But, it's best to get to the bottom in one piece - not fun falling onto rocks. Makes a nice change to just road all the time, and doesn't need to be gnarly - most of my commute is off road now, it's very pleasant, and that's into Manchester.

I didn't use to avoid ALL the rough stuff but when there are big drop-offs, boulders, ruts, gravel, and wet slick rock on a steep descent... my survival instinct just kicks in!!

I start having visions of ambulances, surgery... What you had to go through! I don't want to mess my body up any more than years of neglect, clots and ageing already have, so I descend fairly cautiously now.

 

[Jameshow]

I intend to organise a CycleChat offroad forum ride early in the spring but my ancient MTB has been out of action since before the pandemic so it is well past time for me to sort it out!

One of the bike's old Hope disk brakes had died. I never really liked those brakes anyway because they use a sealed hydraulic system which overheats on long descents with lots of braking so I decided to replace rather than repair. I had been given a pair of SLX disk brakes which I am going to replace the old brakes with. I had already put the front brake on and that works really well. The thing that stopped me doing the rear brake was having to faff about with the hydraulics of both the rear Hope (to get it off) and the rear SLX to feed the pipe through the frame mounts (the brake had been taken off another bike with its hose intact and connected). I decided to do a temporary bodge job for now and fit it properly later if that ends up bothering me...

I cut the hose of the Hope to get that off, and fitted the SLX without feeding the hose through the frame mounts, instead cable-tying it to them. I was all set to bolt the calliper on when I discovered that the MTB has the old IS mounts and the SLX calliper has the newer incompatible type of mount. That is what we call an afternoon fettling show stopper!

I have now ordered a mount adapter which I will use to fit the brake next week.

I wouldn't be surprised if the transmission needs TLC but I haven't looked at that yet. I will check it tomorrow and order any parts that I need.

I have a replacement saddle and new bar grips to fit.

The rear tyre is good. The front tyre has plenty of tread left on it, but it is over 15 years old and the rubber is showing signs of perishing so I will replace that. I will get the biggest tyre I can this time. The fork only has 80 mm of travel so a bit more give in the tyre would be handy.

Speaking of that fork... Considering that it is 22 years old and it has never been serviced, it still seems to be working pretty well, but it needs more air pressure in it. I don't have a shock pump but I know someone who has a suitable one so I will ride over to see him once the other jobs have been completed.

I'll report on progress over the next week or so, and finish planning my forum ride route. It won't include any of the gnarlier downhills round here because I don't want to have to scrape myself or any other CycleChat member off our local millstone grit boulders, or have to scramble 50 metres down a 30% slope to rescue them from some dark, dank ravine!

Glad it's not just me!!