What Have You Fettled Today?

[overmind]

In attempting to true the back wheel on my son's bike I came across two spokes which I was unable to tighten with a spoke key. The reason was that they had been rounded off.

I had to use a mole-wrench to gradually unscrew the spoke nipple, which was partly seized onto the spoke. In the process, it took away about 50% of the metal but I managed to replace both in the end. It was like a kind of micro version of removing a stuck seat post. Worst case would have been to snap the existing spoke and then remove it.

With both spokes repaired I re-trued the wheel successfully. It is debatable whether it was worth my time but learning wise it was worth it.

 

[si_c]

With both spokes repaired I re-trued the wheel successfully. It is debatable whether it was worth my time but learning wise it was worth it.

For me, I find there is a certain zen-like almost meditative effect from working on wheels.

 

[Thomson]

In the workshop today At lunch I took off my two jockey wheels they were covered in gunk. Really amazed me how dirty they were. Cleaned them up. Felt Quicker cycling home probly just in my head tho. :-).

 

[ADarkDraconis]

I put fresh sealant in my tubeless disc wheel and swapped the brakes on the tt bike from US (reverse) to UK. The initial stuff was done quickly despite the internal routing but lol, I spent most of the night fettling the brakes so they are sharp but loose enough to open the QRs on the v brakes.

Are our brakes reversed? I thought everyone had the rear brake on the right and front on the left, same as motorcycles.

 

[Salty seadog]

Are our brakes reversed? I thought everyone had the rear brake on the right and front on the left, same as motorcycles.

Right= front brake, left= rear over here.

 

[si_c]

Are our brakes reversed? I thought everyone had the rear brake on the right and front on the left, same as motorcycles.

You tend to have the brakes the wrong way around, it's better to have your dominant hand controlling your more powerful brake. Of course if you are left handed you are fine

 

[arch684]

Are our brakes reversed? I thought everyone had the rear brake on the right and front on the left, same as motorcycles.

It all depends on which side of the road you drive/cycle

 

[GravityFighter]

Summer bike has been in for an overhaul (wishful thinking, I know)!

Full service, new bar tape and Hunt wheels on with tubeless Hutchinson tyres. An 11-32 on the back for a couple of hilly sportives I have, just in case I need the bailout gear.

Yet to ride in anger but she looks like a new bike.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

View attachment 400202
Summer bike has been in for an overhaul (wishful thinking, I know)!

Full service, new bar tape and Hunt wheels on with tubeless Hutchinson tyres. An 11-32 on the back for a couple of hilly sportives I have, just in case I need the bailout gear.

Yet to ride in anger but she looks like a new bike.

I've got mine to do next week, I brought the stuff I need this week, I just need to have a good look at the inner chainring in case that needs changing.

 

[GravityFighter]

I've got mine to do next week, I brought the stuff I need this week, I just need to have a good look at the inner chainring in case that needs changing.

Good stuff. My winter bike is now on the turbo as I got addicted to Zwift over the last few months. So if I decide to brave the weather it has to be on this!

 

[ADarkDraconis]

You tend to have the brakes the wrong way around, it's better to have your dominant hand controlling your more powerful brake. Of course if you are left handed you are fine

For most righties it seems convenient to have the brake that you use most often on that side. Rear brake is usually used first and more often in my experience. Generally it is used for slowing and is applied by itself at times, where you wouldn't do so with a front brake so as not to go rear over tea kettle but would apply it in conjunction with the rear. I am ambidextrous so dominance doesn't come into play for me, but I am used to things being outfitted for right-handers. It makes sense the way it is set up here, but maybe that's because I am used to it.

Then again, our gearshifts are on the right, making it easier for right-handed drivers to shift.

 

[si_c]

For most righties it seems convenient to have the brake that you use most often on that side. Rear brake is usually used first and more often in my experience. Generally it is used for slowing and is applied by itself at times, where you wouldn't do so with a front brake so as not to go rear over tea kettle but would apply it in conjunction with the rear. I am ambidextrous so dominance doesn't come into play for me, but I am used to things being outfitted for right-handers. It makes sense the way it is set up here, but maybe that's because I am used to it.

Then again, our gearshifts are on the right, making it easier for right-handed drivers to shift.

I rarely use my rear brake these days, always the front as it's more powerful. I've always been told that around 80% of stopping power comes from the front brake, so I use that. If you pull on the brake so hard that you go over the handlebars, then that's a braking technique issue rather than a problem with the brakes themselves.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Good stuff. My winter bike is now on the turbo as I got addicted to Zwift over the last few months. So if I decide to brave the weather it has to be on this!

I swap from gears to fixed at the end of October when the clocks change, ride fixed through the winter and get the geared bike out at the end of March when the clocks change again and ride gears through the summer.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

For most righties it seems convenient to have the brake that you use most often on that side. Rear brake is usually used first and more often in my experience. Generally it is used for slowing and is applied by itself at times, where you wouldn't do so with a front brake so as not to go rear over tea kettle but would apply it in conjunction with the rear. I am ambidextrous so dominance doesn't come into play for me, but I am used to things being outfitted for right-handers. It makes sense the way it is set up here, but maybe that's because I am used to it.

Then again, our gearshifts are on the right, making it easier for right-handed drivers to shift.

On the bike I rarely use the back brake, most of the time I use front only, I only use the back when it's slippery.

 

[ADarkDraconis]

I rarely use my rear brake these days, always the front as it's more powerful. I've always been told that around 80% of stopping power comes from the front brake, so I use that. If you pull on the brake so hard that you go over the handlebars, then that's a braking technique issue rather than a problem with the brakes themselves.

On the bike I rarely use the back brake, most of the time I use front only, I only use the back when it's slippery.

This is very unlike most cyclists here (that I know of.) I only ever use my front brake when coming to a full stop usually or slowing from a very high speed quickly, and then it is always still with my rear brake. I was always taught that back is used first and for regulating speed, and front is for stopping. Amazing how everyone is so different in their riding techniques (probably as different as our bikes, haha!)