What Have You Fettled Today?

[Veronese68]

Replaced then adjusted headset bearings in the old Chesini, loose balls rather than caged. Then tried to free up the front mech the is a bit stiff and occasionally needs a push with my heel since riding on gritted roads some time back. Works perfectly in the stand of course. Oiled all the pivots just in case. It an old Nuovo Record so easy to get to everything. Had already stripped and rebuilt the rear so that’s all working well, thought the front might need th same but hopefully all is well.

 

[avecReynolds531]

Removed a previous square taper bb, cleaned the threads & shell, and replaced with a TangeSeiki LN-3922. Alongside their Levin headset, appears to be another quality component - the cranks are spinning well free.

Note: the frameset was made with pinning* - wouldn't be the first time I've stupidly lost blood around that bb shell, and likely not the last...
* https://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/classic_builders/pinning-in-classic-frame-building/

After a fairly nightmarish stubborn experience several years ago - (bb had been in place for many gritted UK winters, without any attention, & a last resort breaker bar had to be used), the Pedros socket holder is happily recommended. Now makes bb work a lot easier: https://pedros.com/products/bb-socket-holder-ii

 

[KneesUp]

I thought I just had the finishing touches (ha! bikes are never finished) to my Peugeot to do. A list that consisted of the bar tape being a bit rough and the tyre on the front t wheel being mounted in reverse.

Decided the bar tape is fine for now.

Lost some skin on a knuckle removing the very reluctant tyre.

Pinged the bead eventually only at that moment to think ‘it’s the front. I could have just put the qr skewer in the other way’.

Put the tyre back on. Gave the wheel a spin. Decided it felt pretty rough - I bought the bike secondhand and I’ve never serviced the hubs. Took the hub apart to find that

a) the Campag hub does not have a Campag axle. Seems to be the correct cones though.

b) It had 21 ball bearings, one of which looks smaller than the others.

I’ve left the whole lot in a Lurpak tub with some meths. I’ll have a proper look later when I have more time.

 

[Veronese68]

Replaced then adjusted headset bearings in the old Chesini, loose balls rather than caged. Then tried to free up the front mech the is a bit stiff and occasionally needs a push with my heel since riding on gritted roads some time back. Works perfectly in the stand of course. Oiled all the pivots just in case. It an old Nuovo Record so easy to get to everything. Had already stripped and rebuilt the rear so that’s all working well, thought the front might need th same but hopefully all is well.

Tried to ride the bike to the old dear’s today. Front mech better, but not quite perfect. But that’s not a problem because I got a flat in the rear, didn have a pump. Walked to my cousins to borrow a pump, tyre hissing quite loudly. Got a lift back, now i have to learn about repairing tubs or build a set of clinchers.

 

[raleighnut]

Pinged the bead eventually only at that moment to think ‘it’s the front. I could have just put the qr skewer in the other way’.

You can have the QR on either side just by taking it out and swapping ends,

 

[ColinJ]

The chain stayed on throughout a 30+ km test ride. I will be doing 50+ km over rough roads and long descents tomorrow so let's see if there are any chain problems on that.

No problem.

I looked down on a bumpy descent and threw the chain down to the 12 tooth sprocket. I could see what the problem would have been without the old front mech standing guard... The rear mech and chain were bouncing about and I spotted the chain trying to climb off the chainring during the rear gear change but the front mech pushed it back on.

(The following was more 'adjusting' than 'fettling'!) The awful road surfaces on today's ride were battering me and the bike. I had the tyres fairly hard to give lower rolling resistance and protection against pinch punctures but efficient bikes without punctures are no use if you can't stand to ride them! I stopped and let a bit of pressure out front and rear. It made a huge difference! As I rode over the rough surface the sound made by the tyres had become wuff-wuff-wuff rather than the earlier BAP-BAP-BAP!! I had to be extra careful to avoid big holes and ruts, but they should always be avoided anyway.

 

[HLaB]

Well I think that fettle was a fail. I rotated the bars up on my gravel bike but I think it pinched my wrist too much or the vibrations don't agree with my right rib, shoulder, elbow and palm. So I've rotated them more towards where they were and angled my saddle up slightly. Hopefully it sorts things out but a proper gravel specific bike fit might be in order. I was quite comfy on my previous gravel bike, the big difference with the current one has 40cm bars ( the same as my road bike bars which have probably done over 60,000 miles across two bikes), maybe that's the solution 🤔

 

[richardfm]

Today was my volunteering day at Cardiff Cycle Workshop. As a volunteer I service donated bikes to be sold.

The first bike I worked on I quickly found the aluminium frame broken where the drive side chain stay met the rear drop out. So instead of servicing it I stripped the frame, some parts went in various parts bins to be used on other bikes. The frame went for scrap.

The second bike I found the derailleur hanger broken. It was an unusual one that we didn't have in stock, so the bike had to be put to one side until a replacement is ordered and arrives. I did remove the wafer thin brake rotors first though.

The third bike I worked on also had a broken frame, this time at the join between the drive side seat stay and the drop out. So another strip down.

While stripping bikes is quick and easy it's not as satisfying as taking a tatty bike and getting it ready for sale.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Today was my volunteering day at Cardiff Cycle Workshop. As a volunteer I service donated bikes to be sold.

The first bike I worked on I quickly found the aluminium frame broken where the drive side chain stay met the rear drop out. So instead of servicing it I stripped the frame, some parts went in various parts bins to be used on other bikes. The frame went for scrap.

The second bike I found the derailleur hanger broken. It was an unusual one that we didn't have in stock, so the bike had to be put to one side until a replacement is ordered and arrives. I did remove the wafer thin brake rotors first though.

The third bike I worked on also had a broken frame, this time at the join between the drive side seat stay and the drop out. So another strip down.

While stripping bikes is quick and easy it's not as satisfying as taking a tatty bike and getting it ready for sale.

I tend to ask clients to break down a maximum of two bikes for each build for this reason, although I have had some who are happy to just quietly take bikes to bits.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Today I actually managed to do a pre-check on a bike: the idea of this is that I get more experience and the master mechanic doesn't have to deal with all the mistakes the clients make. The client had done a good job of the bike in question, and I only had to really replace the tyres because I discovered a near invisible bit of damage on one. Once the Master Mechanic signs it off, it'll be outside for sale.

Only one problem, we're still getting the paperwork organised for rebuilds, and it turns out that despite my attempts people keep allowing customers to reserve bikes before they're repaired. This bike seems to have been "reserved" by three customers so far, which will be interesting.

Fortunately, we have two similar bikes coming along, so hopefully two customers will accept the alternatives...

 

[Jameshow]

Today was my volunteering day at Cardiff Cycle Workshop. As a volunteer I service donated bikes to be sold.

The first bike I worked on I quickly found the aluminium frame broken where the drive side chain stay met the rear drop out. So instead of servicing it I stripped the frame, some parts went in various parts bins to be used on other bikes. The frame went for scrap.

The second bike I found the derailleur hanger broken. It was an unusual one that we didn't have in stock, so the bike had to be put to one side until a replacement is ordered and arrives. I did remove the wafer thin brake rotors first though.

The third bike I worked on also had a broken frame, this time at the join between the drive side seat stay and the drop out. So another strip down.

While stripping bikes is quick and easy it's not as satisfying as taking a tatty bike and getting it ready for sale.

I find it really annoying that our local bike charity won't work on public's bikes. It creates bad air in the town and they don't get a good reputation because of it. They have thier own agenda which doesn't engage with the local community other than to sell there there bikes.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I find it really annoying that our local bike charity won't work on public's bikes. It creates bad air in the town and they don't get a good reputation because of it. They have thier own agenda which doesn't engage with the local community other than to sell there there bikes.

This was my problem near Freiburg: I don't have the qualifications to take on customer repairs so I had to refuse them. This upset some people but there was nothing I could do about it.
Fortunately in the current location we have two master mechanics so we're covered for that. Ironically I'm currently rebuilding the moribund bike recycling team.

 

[richardfm]

This was my problem near Freiburg: I don't have the qualifications to take on customer repairs so I had to refuse them. This upset some people but there was nothing I could do about it.
Fortunately in the current location we have two master mechanics so we're covered for that. Ironically I'm currently rebuilding the moribund bike recycling team.

At Cardiff Cycle Workshop volunteers fettle the donated bikes, these are then checked over by the paid staff before being sold. The paid staff also service and repair bikes commercially and deliver cycle mechanics training.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Very satisfyingly located the longstanding unfindable rattle to the STI cover whilst riding. Paused on my commute home, tightened the little screw, cycled home in silence.

Bliss.

 

[Webbo2]

Set off to go for ride only for the back tyre immediately go flat. First time I’ve taken the wheel since I got this bike, tyre came off the rim fairly easily and went back without too much of a fight. I was sure what too expect with these tyres Pirelli’s as I’ve never used before.
A rather large thorn was the issue.