What Have You Fettled Today?

[alkalinekerri]

I cleaned and gave the whole bike the once over after five weeks of ownership, chain degrease, lube, polished it and everything, I don't want to ride it to get it dirty again now. Apparently I have a bump/bulge in my rear tyre, is this something I can fix myself?! They are new but have covered about 500 miles and I, too, am a newbie!

 

[Hip Priest]

I replaced the rear brake cable on my old road bike, so it is now ready to become my new commuter. It involved removing and replacing bar tape for the first time, which I thought would be a tricky job, but it was quite easy. Chuffed!

 

[Aga]

Well, I was going to do 50 miles with my friend today, he picked up his brand new bike from the shop, 10 miles later booooom , his tyre was dead!!! Oh well, there is always tomorrow

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Cleaned my bike, re-clamped both brake cables, and replaced the front tube. It has a Presta valve, and the screw-tip snapped off. I then trued my truing stand , because its calipers weren't perfectly centred. Fortunately, my commuter bike's front wheel is perfectly true (and perfectly dished), so I could use it to calibrate the truing stand. I'm preparing to do my first ever wheel building. I have all the parts and tools, so probably next weekend will involve some wheel building!

 

[Leaway2]

I have a bump/bulge in my rear tyre, is this something I can fix myself?! They are new but have covered about 500 miles and I, too, am a newbie!

I wouldn't risk it for the price of a tyre. Can you take it back and argue it has a fault? The wear should be minimal, but they could say you "mistreated it". Worth a try though.

 

[Octet]

Apparently I have a bump/bulge in my rear tyre, is this something I can fix myself?!

Could just be the inner tube pinched between the rim and the tyre wall. Deflate the tyre and give it a good feel, see if you notice anything odd around the bulge area. If you do notice something, try repositioning the inner tube (either remove it completely and re-insert it or pull the tyre wall away from the rim and stick a finger under it).

 

[Leaway2]

New cassette and chain on the Secteur.

 

[marknotgeorge]

Bah! Yesterday I bought some longer screws to adjust the brake levers on the Mad Scientist's Cuda Mayhem. Fitted one, then dropped the next one. Bent down to pick it up...

... and promptly uttered all the Anglo-Saxon I knew. I'd put my back out. So instead of going for a Sky ride this afternoon, I've been installing Nokia Suite so the Drama Queen can back up her mobile phone.

 

[Martyn H]

I replaced some very puncture prone tyres with a pair of Conti Tour Plus, repaired the inner tube with a self adhesive patch and put it back on the wheel. I later went out on an afternoon ride, only to discover a flat tyre three miles out from home. Out came the tool kit, off came the tyre only to find that the patch had partially lifted and had a layer of french chalk from the inside of the tube under it. I replaced the tube and returned home. I think I will use a traditional repair with the rubber solution glue for a stronger repair. I have used self adhesive patches without problems in the past, but couldn't help noticing how much chalk came out of the tube. Anyone else had this problem?

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

<snip> I have used self adhesive patches without problems in the past, but couldn't help noticing how much chalk came out of the tube. Anyone else had this problem?

yes - I have a single Schwalbe tube that will not patch with the self adhesive patches at all. We have had to purchase the traditional repair kit to patch that tyre. All of the other tubes (also Schwalbe) from road, mountain bikes and tourers, are all happy to patch with self adhesive patches.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I bought this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Total-Bike-Maintenance-Book-Repairs/dp/1847329802 book today for £3.99. It has some good reviews.

 

[Pikey]

Stripped the road bike down to parts to pick the insectivorous fauna trapped in every crevice, bearing and lever from having it on the roof rack whilst driving back from Scotland at the weekend.

Had to bin the bar tape, shame cos it was so comfy but it was covered in fly, wasp and butterfly guts, replaced it with some Fizik stuff I had in the garage which I have decided I hate cos it looks like the grips on my dads old golf clubs.

Looks like I'll be replacing that tape tomorrow then...

 

[Octet]

Gear cable finally changed, after a slightly embarrassing and frantic posting for help on here. Completely cleaned the bicycle, decided to swap back to dry lubricant as the wet one is so messy (for the time being at least), re-positioned the brake pads and changed the handlebar tape.

 

[HLaB]

Tried lightly greasing my freehub/pawls before as that what guides suggest but the pawls were engaging to harshly (clunk, clunk as anybody who has ridden with me will testify). So I regreased them; maybe over greased this time however I'll see how it handles tomorrow, might end up stripping it again and finding a middle ground or it might just be that the hub (7607miles old) is on the way out

 

[musa]

Front pads changed

Touch up paint on frame.