What Have You Fettled Today?

[DCLane]

I've also been cleared to race again, although I'm massively unfit and too heavy currently, so I've pulled the track bike out. The Holdsworth Roi de Velo's had a clean-up, chain lubrication and tyres checked. Looks good to go and I'm hoping to do a track session tomorrow.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Not exactly a service but new gear cables, adjustment of the derailleurs and a general checkover for @gavgav's carbon bike. He will be pleased to know that there is no longer any chain rub when climbing in the lowest gear.

 

[SteveO69]

Replaced the pretty, but harsh Cinelli grips on the flat bar Langster. I have been getting numb little fingers since using the bike for my longer commute.

Fitted some Ergon GA3 grips, will test them tomorrow.

Update:

Tested, and….

 

[ktmbiker58]

Today I finally got around to changing the chain rings on my old Galaxy.
I need lower gearing these days. So I've gone from an ancient 54/42, to a more manageable 48/38.
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How i toured on that gearing years ago gives me a headache thinking about it.🤔

Excellent idea! I live on the edge of the Cotswolds and an awful lot of cyclists (I am guessing that visit here rather than being resident) have bikes that are over geared. It amazes my how I ever got up so many local hills as a teenager riding bikes with Sturmey Archer three speed hubs!

 

[ktmbiker58]

Strictly speaking not fettled today but with nights drawing in I did gather together my dynamo wheel and lighting set in anticipation of darker evenings. I have treated myself to the new Sinewave Cycles Beacon 2 headlight with built in USB outlet and provision to supplement the dynamo with a power bank, I bought the matching rear light and seatpost mount although that will get obscured by the Tailfin bag when I use that. I wonder if anyone has 3D printed a light mount for the Tailfin rear rack?

 

[Gunk]

I volunteered in the workshop today and worked on a lovely Mk 2 Brompton which was donated. the frame number dates it to 1990. It’s completely rust free and in real time warp condition. It just needed a deep clean and the tyres pumping up, I took it out and it’s super smooth and tight considering its now 35 years old, judging by the condition of hinges it’s had very little use and thankfully has been dry stored. It’s for sale if anyone is interested.

 

[FrankCrank]

I volunteered in the workshop today and worked on a lovely Mk 2 Brompton which was donated. the frame number dates it to 1990. It’s completely rust free and in real time warp condition. It just needed a deep clean and the tyres pumping up, I took it out and it’s super smooth and tight considering its now 35 years old, judging by the condition of hinges it’s had very little use and thankfully has been dry stored. It’s for sale if anyone is interested.

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Always good to see a trigger shifter on one of those.
I know you're not a fan of Sturmey Archer stuff, but for small wheeled bikes, especially 16", I think hub gears make sense.
The trigger shifter being icing on the cake

 

[sevenfourate]

Not sure the Wife has used her ‘Custom made’ DUNX Rockabilly bike this year ? But seeing as we’re intending to bike down to the Seafront to see my Son in a running race tomorrow - I thought I’d better check it over.

Tyres still had a surprisingly good amount of air in - but were topped up. Brake calipers centred, brakes adjusted / tightened slightly, chain stripped and re-waxed, gears micro-adjusted, bell tightened and all other fixings checked. Cleaned thoroughly from top to toe - to finish. And all points that wanted lubrication done. I’m she’ll appreciate the difference for the 1.5hrs I’ve lovingly crafted upon her steed today…….🙄

 

[EckyH]

Another one...
...changed the gearing to the lower side: The Ridley X-Bow had 46/36:14-25 previously and 44/34:13-27 now.
The test ride was promising.

E.

 

[ColinJ]

I recently bought a pair of GP5000s for my best bike after reading recommendations on the forum. I was so skint for the past 20 years that I had never put really good tyres on the bike.

It took me a few rides to settle on pressures that suit me and my bumpy local roads. The total weight of the bike, me, clothing, tools, spares, and drinks is around 91 kg. I finally put 5.75 bar (~83 psi) in front and rear yesterday and did a 75 minute test ride this evening.

I am very impressed with the tyres - they are definitely worth paying £100 for vs about £50 for the Rubino Pros that they replaced. The Rubinos will be fine for my knockabout bike but the best bike deserved better!

The question now is whether to also upgrade the tubes...? I tried latex tubes many years ago and liked the weight, feel and sound (!) of them but they didn't last long and were too expensive to keep replacing. Lighter butyl? TPU? Something else?

The bike had been making ticking noises when I hit bumps in the road. I had been thinking that it was chain slap. Some of the noise is indeed from the chain but I realised this evening that some was from the front of the bike. It turned out that the headset needed tightening so I did that before the test ride. That pretty much eliminated the noise from the headset though I did hear a couple more ticks on really big bumps. I will see if a little more tightening helps.

 

[EckyH]

TPU?

I'd give it a try.

At the moment a german online shop sells these "M-Wave" branded TPU tubes for less than 10€. I've them on several bikes and I'm satisfied with them: no failure yet, they are lighter than butyl tubes and roughly half the size in the saddle bag, come with two patches which are easier to apply than butyl patches (had to do so after a pinch flat due to insufficient pressure combined with insufficient road awareness of the rider on my bike), riding experience for me is subjectively a tad faster and perceivable more supple than butyl tubes and they keep the pressure at least as long as butyl tubes.

Currently I'm switching to TPU on all wheels for clinchers. I donate the spare butyl tubes and other parts from the fund to a swedish project which collects bicycles, repairs them and donate (and bring them!) to people in Ukraine.

E.