What Have You Fettled Today?

[Big John]

Not for the first time I find myself in the ironic position of knowing names for things in German but not English. Is a Nipple Driver like a funny screwdriver with a metal bit sticking out the end to hold the nipples? If so, that's the silver thing in both pictures. I must admit though I have seen better versions of this tool, so I'll try and get one.

That's the one....a wiggly screwdriver. The one showing in your photo just looks like a screwdriver. Maybe it's the angle it's taken at. They never covered theory when I did a wheel building course. I reckon since I've retired, over six years ago now, I've built well over 100 wheels as well as truing jobs and spoke replacements for the bike project I work at. I do them all at home because my kit is better than what they've got. Tools don't last five minutes in that place. The more you build the better you get 👍

 

[Andy in Germany]

Tip, go for a low spoke count wheel, not 36 spokes 😉

I have to make a 36 spoke wheel in the exam, so it makes sense to start there...

 

[Andy in Germany]

Is this the German version of Cytec 2?

I don't know. What's Cytec 2?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I have to make a 36 spoke wheel in the exam, so it makes sense to start there...

My wheels are 36 spoke, 3 cross. I build my own wheels.

 

[Elybazza61]

I don't know. What's Cytec 2?

https://cytech.training/

I've done the online Cytech 1 but not 2 as it's expensive and was never going to be a mechanic were I worked so didn't get asked to do it there.

 

[Gunk]

https://cytech.training/

I've done the online Cytech 1 but not 2 as it's expensive and was never going to be a mechanic were I worked so didn't get asked to do it there.

Me too, 1 is basically all you need

 

[ColinJ]

I have them in size 32 C, inflated to 5.5 bar (80 psi) rear and 5.0 bar (73 psi) front.

Wow, very high pressures, unless you weigh 100kg.

I think that I might reduce the pressures by about 0.3 bar for my next ride and see how I get on.

I have now reduced them by 0.5 bar to 4.5 bar front and 5.0 bar rear. I will report back after a test ride. If I feel that further pressure reductions are possible without excessive rolling resistance or snakebite risk I will try again, say, 0.2 bar lower.

I checked the gear shifting. It isn't quite right. I am struggling to get the upshifts and downshifts to both work properly. One or the other - no problem. I think that is probably due to friction in the gear cable

Ideally, I would put new gear cable outers on but I don't have any handy so I have made do with lubing the cables.

I also lubed the pivots on the derailleur and tweaked the barrel adjuster. I got shifting performance to about 95% (tested with the bike upside down), but I am hoping that this will improve out on the road as the lube works its way in.

 

[ColinJ]

I have now reduced them by 0.5 bar to 4.5 bar front and 5.0 bar rear. I will report back after a test ride. If I feel that further pressure reductions are possible without excessive rolling resistance or snakebite risk I will try again, say, 0.2 bar lower.

Yes, @Ming the Merciless, that was an improvement. The tyres were extremely comfortable on some rough roads, and they still rolled well. I will stick with those pressures now.

Ideally, I would put new gear cable outers on but I don't have any handy so I have made do with lubing the cables.

I also lubed the pivots on the derailleur and tweaked the barrel adjuster. I got shifting performance to about 95% (tested with the bike upside down), but I am hoping that this will improve out on the road as the lube works its way in.

With the bike the right way up, the gear shifting was excellent.

I braked hard a few times to bed in the new front pads and the brake then worked well, and was quieter than with the old pads.

 

[EckyH]

Yesterday a spoke on the non-drive side of the rear wheel broke in the worst possible moment (announced to the dozening group of e-bikers in front of me that I want to overtake left: "Attention! On your left! On your *BANG!* *clinkclinkclink*...").
Replaced the spoke and trued the wheel yesterday evening.

For the record: The wheel wasn't built by me - it's the original wheel of the Van Rysel NCR AF.

E.

 

[Elybazza61]

Pumped the tyres up on everything this morning, may get the old USA steel Trek down from the loft to have a look at it.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Is this the German version of Cytec 2?

Having looked at the Cytec courses, no, it isn't: The "basic" pprenticeship to be a mechanic in Germany is normally a full-time 2 year course, where you're working in a workshop with school attendance. It's state accredited and administered by the trade guilds. For most people this includes General education in things like German, maths, economics and history.

I suppose you could compare it to a City and Guild course. Fortunately because I already have 2 qualifications I don't have to attend the college: all I need to do is pass the theory and practical exams.

This is the basic course which qualifies me as a "Fahrradmonteur": Literally translated this means "bike assembler". In English this would be a "Bicycle Mechanic". It means I'm qualified and therefore insured in a shop to fix bikes.

The next level is one more year, after which you are a "Zweiradmechatroniker, Fachrichtung Fahrrad" or a "Mechatronics engineer for two wheeled vehicles specialised in bicycles" which is a far more in depth training.

Finally, if you want to open a shop you should theoretically complete the "Zweiradmechatroniker Meisterbrief" which roughly translated as "Master Engineer for Mechatronics specialised in two wheeled vehicles". German words may be long, but they also do a lot of work.

This is two more years and qualifies you to build a bike from raw materials, including welding the frame. I have a colleague who has done this; rides a truly beautiful bike she built herself. She's also allowed to train people in her shop and/or work in a technical college.

I've kind of bypassed some of this because of my qualifications, so all I need is the basic course and I can train people and be a lot more useful in the workshop. I have absolutely no interest in going any further than the basic exam so this is just as well.

 

[All uphill]

Having looked at the Cytec courses, no, it isn't: The "basic" pprenticeship to be a mechanic in Germany is normally a full-time 2 year course, where you're working in a workshop with school attendance. It's state accredited and administered by the trade guilds. For most people this includes General education in things like German, maths, economics and history.

I suppose you could compare it to a City and Guild course. Fortunately because I already have 2 qualifications I don't have to attend the college: all I need to do is pass the theory and practical exams.

This is the basic course which qualifies me as a "Fahrradmonteur": Literally translated this means "bike assembler". In English this would be a "Bicycle Mechanic". It means I'm qualified and therefore insured in a shop to fix bikes.

The next level is one more year, after which you are a "Zweiradmechatroniker, Fachrichtung Fahrrad" or a "Mechatronics engineer for two wheeled vehicles specialised in bicycles" which is a far more in depth training.

Finally, if you want to open a shop you should theoretically complete the "Zweiradmechatroniker Meisterbrief" which roughly translated as "Master Engineer for Mechatronics specialised in two wheeled vehicles". German words may be long, but they also do a lot of work.

This is two more years and qualifies you to build a bike from raw materials, including welding the frame. I have a colleague who has done this; rides a truly beautiful bike she built herself. She's also allowed to train people in her shop and/or work in a technical college.

I've kind of bypassed some of this because of my qualifications, so all I need is the basic course and I can train people and be a lot more useful in the workshop. I have absolutely no interest in going any further than the basic exam so this is just as well.

I would have loved that kind of education.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I would have loved that kind of education.

It doesn't always work perfectly (a system based on employers naturally can vary in training quality) but one good thing is that it's coordinated, so for example, because I've completed a cabinet maker's apprenticeship, I don't need to do the "general education" part all over again.

Even better, because my graduation from my carpentry apprenticeship in 2014 meant I'd passed a German test, the naturalisation department recognised this and didn't make me do a full citizenship test in 2017 before I was naturalised, which saved a lot of bother.

 

[Fredo76]

Bought two proper wrenches, and adjusted my Campagnolo Record headset. Doing so confirmed it was pitted, so I bought a used Stronglight Spidel headset with roller bearings. It will look different, but Fredo is a mutt, anyway.