What Have You Fettled Today?

[Gwylan]

That's possibly even more worrying.

Found the homes for the surplus screws. They should have been holding the door trim in place.
One mystery resolved.

 

[Jameshow]

Has anyone seen my cycling shoes?

I thought that I had left them next to my can of GT85, but there is no sign of them!



Nice of you to offer, but this is a ride planned some time ago for the Ribble valley and back.

Train to Blackburn, then ride to Langho, Ribchester, Longridge, Goosnargh, Inglewhite, Chipping, Whitewell, Longridge Fell, Mitton, Whalley, Read, Padiham, Burnley, Todmorden. Carefully measured to be 111 km, or 'my age in miles'.

Anyway - I had better stop messing about and get ready!

Next to my ketchup container if engine oil!

Changed tube on carbon bike then needed to true up the wheel!

Hope it's ok!!

 

[All uphill]

Six years and 10,000 miles ago I built my first pair of wheels; I remember the spokes were a tiny bit long, but the rim tape seemed to protect the inner tubes fine.

Today one of the spokes penetrated the inner tube causing a flat. I've smoothed the ends of the spokes, put in new rim tape and made a mental note to check for wear when I do my next big maintenance between Xmas and New Year.

 

[Punkawallah]

Six years and 10,000 miles ago I built my first pair of wheels; I remember the spokes were a tiny bit long, but the rim tape seemed to protect the inner tubes fine.

Today one of the spokes penetrated the inner tube causing a flat. I've smoothed the ends of the spokes, put in new rim tape and made a mental note to check for wear when I do my next big maintenance between Xmas and New Year.

Yer. I had a similar problem with a rear wheel - after sorting, added a second rim tape as a prophylactic.

 

[ColinJ]

Rather than grease, GT85 works remarkably well for precisely this issue, and lasts a surprisingly long time in dry weather. Certainly well over 100km in my experience.

The GT85 did get me through Wednesday's 115 km ride squeak-free, but it came back midway through today's 65 km ride, so about 140 km worth of relief!

I normally pedal a bit heels-down but I noticed today that I could stop the squeaks by riding more toes-down. That isn't a permanent solution though because it doesn't suit me.

I started wondering whether the pedals themselves might be contributing to the noises? So, I have just cleaned and lubed the (disgracefully mucky!) pedals. I also increased the release tensions a bit. I don't want my feet trapped on the pedals, but I reckon the tensions should still be ok.

I won't respray the shoes until after I ride again because I would like to see if the pedal work helped quieten the squeaks.

 

[Bristolian]

Changing from the middle to large chainring on my bike has been getting progressively harder to do. The little devices that are supposed to help the chain lift up and onto the big ring (don't know what they're called) had worn down to practically nothing so a new 50T chainring was ordered and fitted today using new chainring bolts.

Smooth shifting (or as smooth as 15 year old Shimano Sora 3x9 can be) has been restored The only downside is that the new chainring is black whereas the rest of the drive train is silver/grey and it looks a bit odd, but hey ho! looks aren't everything 😲

 

[HLaB]

I rotated my bars up a notch to see if it's more comfortable on my right hand. It might not be the answer though as it doesn't feel like there was too much weight on it and since chemo if its been going numb at the slightest bit of cold air 😕

Whilst I was at it I pumped up the tyres, wiped down the chain and applied some drip wax.

 

[cyberknight]

Took a wheel to the lbs to have new bearings installed as i didnt fancy twatting the bits with a hammer as i dont have a nylon mallet or any appropriate tools as im am geared for cup and cone stuff .
I did buy the bearings as i know there are a variety of sizes etc dependant of manufacturer .

 

[FrankCrank]

Not exactly me fettling, but aiding and abetting others to do so.
Dropped off the second bike donation to the local volunteer place - the Reading Bike Kitchen.
They'll fettle and service them, and find appreciative new owners I hope.
They also pass them on to Ukranian refugees, homeless folk, children's homes etc. - all good causes I think.
Gives me more room in the shed now, five remaining bikes are keepers

 

[VinSumRox]

Finished rebuilding bike on smaller frame, much more comfortable now!

 

[sevenfourate]

Polished Dia-Compe 884 Bulldog Freestyle caliper installed on the front of the 22” BMX. Along with a new Odyssey Linear Slic Kable. And to swap over from the old, boring Black version. **I’m trying to bring out more Silver / Polished colouration……

And because I’m so OCD I spent quite some time setting it all up to the enth degree - even so that the cable branding points DEAD forward 😉

Just awaiting the Polished rear caliper to arrive from foreign shores now…….

 

[DCLane]

The Merida Cyclo-Cross has received some new front disc brake pads, which turned out to have provided good value; both were almost entirely worn. The rear's are fine for now.

The Giant FCR also got a new pair of front brake pads. It may not be staying but I've been using it occasionally and the pads, despite being unused, were from 2008: a new pair would be useful.

 

[EckyH]

Fettled on the commuter: replaced the broken right dropout , changed tyres and tubes from 32mm Panaracer Gravelking Semislick with butyl tubes to 36mm Vittoria RideArmor with TPU tubes. Still have som work to do: the Vittoria tyres need some persuasive effort to sit properly.

E.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I'm rewriting the checklist for repairing used bikes at work. That's sort of fettling, right?

 

[Punkawallah]

I'm rewriting the checklist for repairing used bikes at work. That's sort of fettling, right?

We like to keep it simple:
1 - Is the stem free?
2 - Is the seat post free?
3 - Is the bottom bracket free? (Or at least not ‘rocking’)
The rest of the bike you can replace from stores, but those are the ‘time sinks’; what moves a bike from the ‘’possible’ to the ‘unlikely’ pile.