What Have You Fettled Today?

[C R]

Cheers. That's one headache less. And now I know what tools to get for that as well.

Axle is properly seated in the dropouts and the bolts fastened nice and tight, but the wheel's got a generous half inch of play from side to side.

That should be easy to fix too, sounds like the cones are loose. Check youtube on how to service cup and cone bearings for a bicycle wheel, only special tool you will need for this is a cone spanner.

One thing just to be sure, half an inch of play is a lot, can you rattle the wheel in the axle by that much?

 

[Reynard]

That should be easy to fix too, sounds like the cones are loose. Check youtube on how to service cup and cone bearings for a bicycle wheel, only special tool you will need for this is a thin spanner called a cone spanner.

Thanks Think this bike is going to give me a thorough education in fettling.

 

[ADarkDraconis]

Chain and gears cleaned and lubed in preparation for my first ever group ride tomorrow (a night ride they do monthly at the LBS, this is the first one of the year!) I had been meaning to get around to it for a couple of days so now she is quiet again and running like, well, like a well oiled machine! Wish me luck!

Also on the getting rid of an annoying noise topic, I (under the advice of my brother) hit my bell with a socket wrench this evening. Well... he may have told me to use a hammer, but I couldn't find the hammer and the wrench worked fine . My bell was making an irritating jingle every time I rode over anything even remotely unsmooth (I ride quite a bit on a dirt & gravel trail for my commute and that noise is my least favorite thing about my ride) and it had done that since I got the bike in December. I just thought that type of bell was a loose cap type and particularly annoying, turns out it just needed a whack or two on the pin to get it nice and settled! I was on the verge of taking it off because i didn't want to drive everyone crazy on the towpath tomorrow.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

After fitting a new chain, onto the CGR, a couple of weeks ago, I lubricated it yesterday afternoon, when I got back from a ride on the Gran Fondo
Even though I had cleaned the chainrings/cassette/derailleurs, when I fitted the chain, I hadn't actually got in behind the spider - even with the petrol running there


So, even though I'm almost embarrassed to show it, out came the cotton-buds, & then removal of the rings, for easier access/inspection
There was some compressed chain-grease/muck behind each arm, so 'job done'

 

[Reynard]

One thing just to be sure, half an inch of play is a lot, can you rattle the wheel in the axle by that much?

Yep.

Suspect something is broken rather than just simply needing tightening up. Might also explain the issues with the rear caliper, but then that could also just have been simple wear-and-tear.

 

[C R]

Yep.

Suspect something is broken rather than just simply needing tightening up. Might also explain the issues with the rear caliper, but then that could also just have been simple wear-and-tear.

A broken axle maybe? Replacing the axle is just slightly more difficult than servicing the bearings, and axles are cheap.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Rear brake, average speed seems about 0.5mph slower now.

 

[Reynard]

A broken axle maybe? Replacing the axle is just slightly more difficult than servicing the bearings, and axles are cheap.

Guess we'll see what the problem is when I take the wheel off to have a look. I do need to acquire the correct tools first though.

 

[ADarkDraconis]

Since I had to raise the seat slightly with the new saddle changeover, I had to raise the handlebars as well. Did that this evening after my ride and am pleased at how she feels now. Also super pleased with the new saddle, longest ride on it yet tonight and no sore booty!

I did not fettle, but a buddy did this one. This evening my bike started shifting by itself randomly. She would always shift smoothly when I changed gears, but would also take it upon herself to shift for me, haha! That was definitely a first, and is apparently known as 'ghost shifting'! This went on for the entire second half of the ride until we got back to the LBS (which had been our starting point.) Buddy tightened up the barrel at the shifter and showed me how to adjust it if this happens again in the future, and all is well.

 

[raleighnut]

Since I had to raise the seat slightly with the new saddle changeover, I had to raise the handlebars as well. Did that this evening after my ride and am pleased at how she feels now. Also super pleased with the new saddle, longest ride on it yet tonight and no sore booty!

I did not fettle, but a buddy did this one. This evening my bike started shifting by itself randomly. She would always shift smoothly when I changed gears, but would also take it upon herself to shift for me, haha! That was definitely a first, and is apparently known as 'ghost shifting'! This went on for the entire second half of the ride until we got back to the LBS (which had been our starting point.) Buddy tightened up the barrel at the shifter and showed me how to adjust it if this happens again in the future, and all is well.

Might need a drop or 2 of oil on the cables at their entrance/exit points of the outers, it can't hurt em.

 

[Leaway2]

I have had trouble shifting the last few days, so I replaced the cable. Good job I did

Noticed some play in the rear wheel so cleaned re-greased and adjusted the bearings.

 

[the stupid one]

After yesterday’s metric 50 I felt better than the bike did, which was a nice surprise. So today I gave the bike a good soap down then:
Adjusted the rear brake;
Tweaked the spokes of the rear wheel to reduce a little lateral wobble;
Tightened up the fork/headtube/stem arrangement - the quill stem sank yesterday in an entertaining way, and there was some play in the set-up;
Raised the seat 5 mm;
Fiddled with the mudguards;
Lubed the chain etc.

 

[GuyBoden]

Changed the old winter tourer to a 26-36-46 MTB chain ring, that should help the old legs when going up-hill or into the wind.

 

[Vantage]

Did a bit of mountain biking on Friday and bollixed the front mudguard....the plate where it bolts to the fork bridge cracked the plastic and caused it to rattle....I don't like rattles.
Soooooo, I made a new front mudguard. I say made as I use rear mudguards and trim them to fit.....more coverage you see. Stays polished and straightened prior to refettling and about an hour of head scratching and cursing to get the thing aligned.
Front mech stop screws were adjusted as there was minor rubbing on the cage when using the 11t and 34t sprockets and the downshift from the 46 to 36 rings required a crapload of force on the STI to release it. Too much tension in the cable.
Now I just need to locate that bloomin annoying squeak that's popped up lately. I'm thinking headset rubber wedge thingy needs greasing.

 

[cosmicbike]

The front shifter on my commuter cracked loudly a couple of weeks back, and stopped working. Stripped it down yesterday and found a little washer in there loose. I think it fell off the brake reach adjuster as the circlip was missing too. That must have jammed the mechanism, it is all rather tight in SRAM Apex brifters.
New cables for brakes and front/rear gears, can't complain as the originals have been on 9400 miles. New bar tape this morning too.