What Have You Fettled Today?

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Punkawallah

Veteran
Fixed a flat on the commuter and replaced the tyre as there was a chunk out of the rubber and the hole was large enough to be visible on the inside, cycle path I have to use eats tyres . I need something with tough rubber.

Have you considered tube-guards inside the tyres? Won’t help with the wear, but might help with the punctures.
 

Punkawallah

Veteran
Got out the spare inner tubes and gave them a few psi to see if they were all OK. Seem to have collected a few along the way, so about a dozen hanging in the garage.
 

sevenfourate

Devotee of OCD
After double-checking yesterdays crank install - it occurred to me the engagement of the sprocket bolts (Which thread directly into the Aluminium crank arms from the rear): wasn’t very much at all 😳

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Bolt lengths available seen to jump from 10.3mm (Typical Double chainring length) to 14.8mm (Typical Treble chainring length). I of course worked out I needed about 12-13mm 🙄 in order to use all the thread available on the crank arms - and end up flush at the front. So I ordered some 14.8’s off Amazon last night.

As expected and when fitted and tightened - they projected out the front by 2-3mm 🤨

So rather than going straight in from the rear with the longer bolts - I first wound a short / stubby Female half / insert: right upto the underside of the longer bolt head. So the fit of the bolt into the sprocket was better; and the shoulder of the Female part acted as a small but tight spacing shim:

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And upon tightening - the length is now absolutely perfect. Giving full bolt / thread engagement 👍

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cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
Have you considered tube-guards inside the tyres? Won’t help with the wear, but might help with the punctures.

i have tried them in the past but was not overly impressed with the ride feel , just checked the bike ready for tomorrow and the tube was flat :sad: either the patch has leaked or there is another micro hole in it so i put a new tube in just to be on the safe side
 

Cycling Badger

Active Member
Fitted mudguards to bike for coming wet weather riding. Old mudguards, new V-stays. Currently, fitted and now at the point where I have to cut the stays. Putting it off as it’s a PITA. I usually mark with sharpie then remove and cut with Drimel. Open to suggestions on how to cut in situ?

Having bought some 60 TPI tyres as alternative to Marathon Plus for winter road rides I’ve set the front up tubeless. Hoping that dropping to 35mm and 60 TPI proves more reliable with tubeless setup. My experience of 45mm and 120 TPI performance tyres has really put me off tubeless. Time will tell if experiment will change my view.

Went to do rear and realised that that the rim wasn’t taped for tubeless. So that’s on hold until I get tape on Tuesday from LBS. (Now praying that the front was taped for tubeless - I had a quick check when I whipped out tube and inserted valve - but now paranoid I didn’t check properly. Will check in morning for loss of pressure and weeping nipples 😂

With weather this bad it was definitely a weekend better spent fettling or down pub.
 

Elybazza61

Legendary Member
Had fun yesterday fitting mudguards to the Trek utility bike.

Still not finished and will probably have to swap out the mini-v's to normal v-brakes as the noodle hits the mudguards.

Now all done but had to swap the brakes out for the 'normal' v's , will possibly give it a test today if it doesn't rain too much as I have to nip out at some point.
 

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
Fitted mudguards to bike for coming wet weather riding. Old mudguards, new V-stays. Currently, fitted and now at the point where I have to cut the stays. Putting it off as it’s a PITA. I usually mark with sharpie then remove and cut with Drimel. Open to suggestions on how to cut in situ?

Having bought some 60 TPI tyres as alternative to Marathon Plus for winter road rides I’ve set the front up tubeless. Hoping that dropping to 35mm and 60 TPI proves more reliable with tubeless setup. My experience of 45mm and 120 TPI performance tyres has really put me off tubeless. Time will tell if experiment will change my view.

Went to do rear and realised that that the rim wasn’t taped for tubeless. So that’s on hold until I get tape on Tuesday from LBS. (Now praying that the front was taped for tubeless - I had a quick check when I whipped out tube and inserted valve - but now paranoid I didn’t check properly. Will check in morning for loss of pressure and weeping nipples 😂

With weather this bad it was definitely a weekend better spent fettling or down pub.

This is why you have at least one bike set up all year around for crappy weather.
 

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Über Member
Location
Hampshire, UK
Yesterday, I decided to finally get around to try swapping the Randonneur Pro on my rear Merlin Cycles Volar 2.3 wheel for my 35mm Supreme, that was taken off the gravel ebike mid summer.

Forgot just how shocking the rim strip was on that rim, loads of spoke holes partially open, how I didn't get a puncture on the Randonneur Pro was a miracle... Punctured after the tyre switch within minutes of inflating it to 65PSI! :ohmy: :laugh:

While cursing a third tube puncture at home this year, I remembered we had a Unibond 25mm tape roll in the lounge. Stuck one layer plus an extra ~3" on the Volar rim, thought I found an air tight butyl tube with an old patch, re-fitted the Supreme and all good.:becool:

Except it appears that tube has a slow puncture, flat as a pancake this morning.:cry:

I think it might be time to try at least two 32-47mm Cyclami TPU tubes with metal valves for ~£22 a pair on Amazon...:okay:
 
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Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Photo Winner
Location
Inside my skull
Having bought some 60 TPI tyres as alternative to Marathon Plus for winter road rides I’ve set the front up tubeless. Hoping that dropping to 35mm and 60 TPI proves more reliable with tubeless setup

What problem did the number of threads per inch manifest?
 

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Über Member
Location
Hampshire, UK
For reference: i bought 10 Cyclami's with 80mm Metal Valves from AliExpress - for £33 delivered a while ago.....

I'm not brave enough to try AliExpress yet! :laugh:

I'm curious to see how your 35mm GP5000 experiment goes on the (Burgament?) gravel bike, with or without the Stan's tubeless sealant. They should make the bike feel really zippy with anything except butyl tubes, but I do wonder if you can set the front pressure low enough to keep your hands/wrists happy.
 

sevenfourate

Devotee of OCD
I'm not brave enough to try AliExpress yet! :laugh:

I'm curious to see how your 35mm GP5000 experiment goes on the (Burgament?) gravel bike, with or without the Stan's tubeless sealant. They should make the bike feel really zippy with anything except butyl tubes, but I do wonder if you can set the front pressure low enough to keep your hands/wrists happy.

I've had no issues with AE. Other than a not very timely refund on one occasion. For me its been a good source. I currently have 2 orders on the go as we speak. I like it. I do hear you though !


The GP5000's in 35mm will be fitted with TPU tubes yes. Of the Gravel variety apparently (The Tubes) in order to get versions with enough volume. Standard 'Road' only generally going to 32mm volume on the box / in the specs.......

In reference to the tingling hands - since fitting narrower bars on the 'Race' Hybrid. And inner hand-holds onto the wide bars of the Carrera (To give me options if nothing else): i've suffered nothing whatsoever. Infact even the background 'feeling different' in two fingers has completely disappeared. So it seems i.....(Along with alot of help and suggestions here :cheers:) were right....and the main issue was width. And the unnatural position i put my hands in. So the Burgamont with pretty soft Silcone tape, 35mm tyre's and 400mm wide bars should all be compliant for my sensitive little :whistle: body. I hope.
 

Elybazza61

Legendary Member
Started the fork strip down on the All Road.

Aero bars removed plus right hand bar tape and di2 cables and fittings and dynamo light tucked away in the frame bag, left the hose connected as will do that just before fitting the Fairlight fork and have some spare hoses in case the current one is too short after cutting the fitting off at the lever (easier to remove the fork with the hose and calliper on), have fittings to plug the lever and hose so hopefully not too much mess (famous last words ).

Have cleaned the fork and removed all the cable guides for the dynamo cable.


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