What Have You Fettled Today?

[davidphilips]

New frame arrived a few minutes ago, will start changeing bits over etc, not sure what groupset to use might go for bar end shifters and dura ace for the rest? Know usual cables and seat post will be different just adds to the fun then will get rid of Etap frameset.

 

[EckyH]

Investigated the mystery of the squishy front brake on the new commuter, adjusted the brake caliper a tad and now it seems to be a bit better.
Set up the rear derailleur (9speed cassette and chain, 10speed Campagnolo Veloce Ergopowers, 10speed Shimano 105 derailleur with the cable routed around the clamp) and it works good enough. Shifting into the smallest gear needs a bit more persuasion than the other ones, but that's ok. I won't use it that much.

E.

 

[VinSumRox]

Fitted Kinesis Fend Off mudguards to the new gravel bike, pretty impressed with them, the aluminium is quite stiff and solid feeling. As usual fitting always seems to take a long time!

 

[HLaB]

Almost day light still when I left the office at 4.45pm for the short scoot round to the Station. The train when it arrived was totally packed. I managed to squeeze in opposite a wheel chair user untill most folk got off at Huntingdon (the stop before PeterB). Friday night's seem to be popular again. The Pottyboro city centre was busy with traffic too, although the ones that were around me were nice and patient. After getting 3 miles down the road I decided to have a bimble round the fairly recently built shared paths which were mostly empty at that time. I got my self into a mood that I continued bimbling a few miles past my house. But to beat the heavy rain as I had a strong tailwind I came back by road. Traffic finally died down at that point to the regular busy rather than manic. Shortly after I put my dinner in the microwave it sounds like the forecasted rain has started.

And as to the fettle my mudguard quick release is releasing too easy and Ive hopefully tightened it. Whilst I was at it I also gave the bike a wipe down and lube.

 

[EckyH]

Almost finished the new commuter: adjusted the front derailleur, finished the wiring for the lighting, rerouted the cable for the front brake and did a few file strokes on the end of the cable housing to be sure that it's perpendicular, shortened the struts for the front mudguard, shortened the steer tube and inserted the star nut (*), wrapped the bar tape and adjusted the headset.
The first few meters test ride in the basement were promising.

E.

(*) For the record: It isn't a smart move to shorten the steer tube and insert the star nut after the whole build is nearly done. Please don't ask how I learned that.

 

[Gunk]

New frame arrived a few minutes ago, will start changeing bits over etc, not sure what groupset to use might go for bar end shifters and dura ace for the rest? Know usual cables and seat post will be different just adds to the fun then will get rid of Etap frameset.

That has to win the prize for the two worst photos ever posted, they are shocking

 

[DCLane]

I cleaned the Ridley Fenix after a ride this morning, then broke the rear mudflap - - so that was mended with glue. It's a RAW squiggle in black/fluorescent yellow and I quite like it, mainly because it matches the bike.

Then attention turned to the two Giant mountain bikes I picked up earlier this week for a fiver.

The men's one looks OK-ish, but needs new gear cables and a rear gear cable outer. The left shifter isn't moving fully. For now I've got that ready to be done tomorrow. Hopefully that'll be all it needs to work properly, after which it may just be put back on sale.

The women's one was in a far worse state. Neither shifter worked, even when disconnected, and the front derailleur is badly rusted. The frame was also quite rusty. It needs [needed] a new bottom bracket plus significant other work. So ... as I only actually wanted a pair of wheels ... this has been stripped for parts to fix the men's if needed and I will keep the wheels. My guess is that this has been left somewhere with damp / a damp draught as there was a lot of dirt and rust all over, with rusty cable inners and outers.

Components off, except the shifters and the crankset which also had seized bolts, and it's outside for scrap.

The rear wheel is fine, but the front needed re-greasing so I've done that this evening.

 

[HLaB]

Still getting problems with my Emergency Quick Release for the front mudguard (It must have done at least 5000 miles maybe more (the bike is 17,000 miles old) without any problems 😵‍💫. So I stuck the bike in the stand and tighten up it front stay bolt a little more and rebalanced the mudguard stays.

Whilst I was at it, I stuck some new electrical tape on the bar tape end after retightening it (it was starting to become loose).

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Non - bike:

Creaking door handle on the lounge door. Took it off, lubed the integral spring. Removed the latch mechanism, which was very worn, so popped out to the hardware shop (5 min walk). Didn't have one the right size. Cycled 4 miles to B&Q, bought a replacement. Tried to fit, and turned out that whilst right length, the barrel was very slightly fatter than the old one and wouldn't go in the door.

Cursed.

Drove to screwfix, immediately regretted not cycling whilst sitting in traffic. Bought their version, which was slightly thinner. Went back to B&Q, asked for refund, got credit note. Asked for manager, got refund.

Fitted without issue. Also tightened up various other doors - the handles are held with very thin sleeve bolts through the door which tend to work loose.

Bike:

Tandem gears not quite indexing, thought the new cassette might not be quite fitted right. Removed, replaced, no change. Decided it was probably a bent gear hanger, but ought to replace outers first just in case (inner is brand new). Replaced outers. Now seems to be perfect, though test ride needed.

 

[fossyant]

Took my brother to look at a second hand Carrera Vengeance. Bit of a bargain it turns out. Hardly used and still had the front mech orange chainring gap sticker, tag on the brake cables and another on the QR. Came with free horse poop as it had been on a farm. £100. Most are £180 plus (which is stupidly high).

No rusty bolts anywhere, which is a giveaway.

Brought it home and adjusted the brakes and lubed chain as well as washed it. Front brake probably needs new pads as they weren't as grabby as I'd like but told my brother to ride it and then we'll see.

He also dropped off his son's bike as the gears weren't working well. Quick readjustment, fettled the brakes and touched up a couple of chips in the paint.

Nephew was well happy now he could get gear 1.

 

[DCLane]

Today's jobs were repairing a fairy visit half a mile from home on my Merida Cyclo-Cross.

Plus the second of the Giant MTB's I picked up a few days ago for a fiver. It's a Giant Boulder 500 MTB - men's 17.5" so Medium (?) - and needed tidying.

The gears wouldn't change properly. So ... new rear gear cable plus an outer from the ladies I scrapped yesterday as the outer was very frayed. The front gear cable's been adjusted. Now all 21 gears work rather than about four. Otherwise it's just been cleaning the thing, which has been sat for some time.

It'll go on sale on eBay later this week with a start price of £20, including the tyres from the ladies bike plus the seatpost and saddle from that one. I might also throw in the spares I took off as I don't need them.

The wheels from that bike are about to get some Schwalbe Ice Spiker tyres, which was why I was after a pair of 26" wheels in the first place.

 

[EckyH]

Attached a Garmin mount on the new commuter, did a test ride and adjusted saddle height and bar position.

...and laced up a new wheelset for the Van Rysel NCR AF.

E.

 

[fritz katzenjammer]

Put some Brooks leather bar tape on the 77 Centurion to match the saddle. This thing was saved from the scrap heap at a bike shop I used to work at and I’ve been slowing tarting the old lump up ever since. I think it’s finally done ( famous last words )

This thing easily rides as well as any modern bike. I work at Trek and get to try everything, this thing amazes me every time I take it out. Japanese steel at it finest. ( from the makers of Panasonic )