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So, you’ve been riding your bike a while, and after mile 15 you let your mind wander and start thinking… “How does this magical wonder-steed work?” But, that never really happens. Something usually feels off or something just stops working. And for those moments, you now have this thread. Use this as a resource for questions about undertaking any repairs yourself, or if you're having a problem with your bike. Though most bike related repairs can be performed at home, be sure to research how to do something BEFORE YOU DO IT. Set aside plenty of time, make sure you have the tools and parts you need before undertaking a new project. Know that there's no substitute for an experienced hand and tutelage when it comes to Bicycle Repair, but hopefully this thread will be the next best thing. If after posting in here, you don't feel comfortable working on your own bike, take it into an LBS or visit a local Bike Co-Op, ask them for advice and have them walk you through the process. While some of us are very experienced bike mechanics, without actually servicing your bike in person we can't insure that things are done safely and correctly, so when in doubt consult a professional. As a general disclaimer, we assume no liability for you screwing things up and getting hurt as a result, if you're not sure, or you aren't convinced that something is done properly than just go to a bike shop and have a professional service your bike. Tools There are many tools that you can get “Bike Specific” versions of, while these are often a bit more specialized for bike purposes ( ie Allen Wrenches or Box End Wrenches) any decent brand will work, and can often be had for a lot less than their Bike-Specific counterparts. Bike Specific Tool Brands These are the Specialty Tools for Bike Specific Purposes
Basic Bicycle Toolbox If you ride a bike, you should have at LEAST these tools.
Bigger, Better Bike Box Some Good Examples are: The Nashbar Beginner Toolkit Park Tool - Advanced Mechanic Tool Kit These are more as-needed.
Don't Buy These Unless you're planning on opening your own bike shop, it's easier to have a shop or go to a co-op to use these tools.
Common Bike Fix Problems How to Wrap Bar Tape https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhXeSJQtoWU Adjust a Front Derailleur Set Up the Angle  Set up Height  Once it's aligned properly, you can set the cable tension and lever throw. Step 1 - Grab the FD Cable and while pulling it, let out all the slack in the front shifter, if there is any slack in the cable, then you need to re-tension the cable (Continue to Step 2). Step 2 - Loosen the Front Derailleur's binder bolt and pull the cable taut, then screw it down again. Step 3 -  That's it, you're done. Go ride your bike, or if you just got back grab a beer or something.True a Wheel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww48YLhAiRI Adjust a Rear Derailleur: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j1gSwhsVN8 Dial in Brakes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAHrHDTsu5U Adjust a Threadless Headset https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87idYGmg77k How to Mount a Tire https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XUFVrl0UT4 How to Measure a Chain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuhHn7HaZcQ Resources and Guides Sheldon Brown's Website Park Tool.com
Ohio City Bicycle Co-op - Shop Manual - A Wiki that covers Tools and Service Bike Co-Ops If you're interested in striking out on your own, check to see if you can volunteer at a nearby Bicycle Co-Op. Often times they'll have free classes and clinics and will let give volunteers free time with Tools and Repair stands in exchange for their time. Here is a listing of such organizations. CopperHound posted:I made a tutorial to share with aspiring wheel builders for calculating spoke lengths. e.pilot fucked around with this message at 20:22 on Sep 29, 2020 |
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Jul 25, 2020 15:36
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Picking up the last 'open ticket' from old thread:ExecuDork posted:I'm trying to get back into biking for my commute, after not having done that for a decade. My wife and I went to the local tip (municipal waste dump, we're in Australia) and visited the Tip Shop, where they rescue still-useable stuff from the landfill / recylotron and sell it for cheap. We got two bikes plus a bunch of other stuff for $120 and now I'm in the process of restoring a literal piece of garbage back to rideability. kimbo305 posted:You're probably looking at 27" aka 630mm (old standard) rims on your bike and replacement tires for 700C aka 622mm rims. ExecuDork posted:Thanks, that's quite helpful! Yes, 8mm difference seems about right. The 700C rims are in good shape but the way they attach to a frame is different from the rims that came on the bike. The bike - and its wheels - being an older standard makes sense. I've certainly seen my share of inner tubes that can hold air when the tires are dry rotted, but I suspect many would have issues like my own junk bike pulled from a pile of leaves. The inner tube held up for a few months (!) before it split open at the valve. If your current rims are steel, you should consider trying to upgrade to aluminum, as it's gonna let you stop faster. And look at what kind of brake pads you have (how they would be replaced) and what condition they're in. New pads on steel rims would still have a chance compared to bad ones. You might want to invest in a set of brake pads with replacable inserts, depending on how long you intend to keep the bike.
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Jul 25, 2020 16:34
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What's the derailleur hanger used on the Journeyman? Mine got bent after a clipless related fall.
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Jul 26, 2020 14:41
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iospace posted:What's the derailleur hanger used on the Journeyman? Mine got bent after a clipless related fall. Wheels #25. Go buy 2. Trust me.
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Jul 26, 2020 15:35
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EvilJoven posted:Wheels #25. Go buy 2. Trust me. Done. Quick question though, grease the threads or no when I change it out?
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Jul 26, 2020 21:43
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What do you guys think? Scotch tape or maybe some kind of glue? 
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Jul 26, 2020 22:43
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iospace posted:Done. Yup. Salt Fish posted:What do you guys think? Scotch tape or maybe some kind of glue? Also yup.
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Jul 27, 2020 00:14
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I personally would recommend the pedals that aren't designed to break in half. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-QNAwUdHUQ
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Jul 27, 2020 00:17
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kimbo305 posted:Picking up the last 'open ticket' from old thread:  kimbo305 posted:I've certainly seen my share of inner tubes that can hold air when the tires are dry rotted, but I suspect many would have issues like my own junk bike pulled from a pile of leaves. The inner tube held up for a few months (!) before it split open at the valve. Good points. I'll ask the bike shop when I call them today about rims, after I go out to the garage and see if I can figure out what my current rims are made of. Presumably there's a way to make sure I get rims that fit my bike (and the rear sprocket can migrate). If I have to go that way, getting modern wheels (i.e. new standard 700C) is probably worthwhile, too. Brakes are high on the list of fix-it-before-riding-it stuff, new pads are almost certainly in the cards. Thanks again for your pulled-from-leaves insight, that's exactly the kind of previous experience I was hoping to learn from. EDIT: out of curiosity, the better stopping power of Al wheels is from greater friction, rather than lower weight, right? The difference in weight between steel wheels and Al wheels must be outweighed by a bigger-than-average breakfast in this space of commuting on cheapness.
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Jul 27, 2020 00:56
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ExecuDork posted:EDIT: out of curiosity, the better stopping power of Al wheels is from greater friction, rather than lower weight, right? Yeah, just the surface finish. Most steel rims are chromed, which makes them too smooth, especially in the wet.
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Jul 27, 2020 01:13
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I've always been curious about that myth. In the BMX world, everyone knows it's the opposite. Chrome rims provide far superior stopping power than anodized. I've definitely experienced garbage performance on cheap beach cruisers with chrome rims though. Does anyone know what's actually going on there? Because it's not as a simple as chrome/not-chrome.
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Jul 28, 2020 21:14
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eSporks posted:I've always been curious about that myth. Back in the cyclocross dark ages when we used cantilever brakes we would sometimes score our rims with a box cutter perpendicular to the wheel rotation to get better stopping......
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Jul 28, 2020 21:38
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eSporks posted:I've always been curious about that myth. The stopping power difference becomes much more noticeable in wet conditions. You need the iron oxide based brake pads to get wet steel rims to do anything more than just sorta slow you down a little. Some steel rims are textured for increased brake performance: 
CopperHound fucked around with this message at 21:55 on Jul 28, 2020 |
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Jul 28, 2020 21:51
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Scoring braking surfaces is apparently pretty common among trials riders, too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I38U75yePM
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Jul 28, 2020 22:31
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Getting three different wheel sets with hubs from different manufacturers to cooperate across two different bikes involves a lot of time patience and a handful of 0.5 and 1mm 6 bolt rotor spacers. But it's better than realigning calipers every other ride. Edit: itd be only 1 spacer if not for the shitry Joytech hubs on the Journeyman 650 wheels. Gonna be a lot easier to run multiple wheels when those die and I get more hopes. Hell I'm thinking of ordering 2 sets and just building wheels over winter. EvilJoven fucked around with this message at 18:36 on Jul 29, 2020 |
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Jul 29, 2020 18:29
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Hah, to stop the front brake rubbing on one of my bf's bikes we've had to pack around 1.5mm of shims between the LH hub bearing and end cap on both sets of wheels he has for it. Otherwise even with the caliper pushed out hard against the screws the outer pad rubs the disc constantly. I originally thousht it was a poo poo hub that came with the OG wheels but now the second wheelset does it too I'm leaning towards the caliper mounts being out of position vs. the dropouts. At least the shims are easier/saner than my early ideas of putting a custom bend in the disc or taking a dremel to the caliper.
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Jul 29, 2020 22:14
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 I don't think hangers are supposed to look like that (front of bike perspective).
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Jul 29, 2020 22:47
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CopperHound posted:Judging by the few BMX bikes I've worked on, stopping power is not a concern that designers give much thought to. Have you tried a side by side comparison of different wheels on same bike?  That pic is actually me, I have lots of experience with chrome and ano rims on identical set ups. Its common knowledge in the BMX world. quote:The stopping power difference becomes much more noticeable in wet conditions. You need the iron oxide based brake pads to get wet steel rims to do anything more than just sorta slow you down a little. Mid to high end BMX rims are aluminum that is first coated in a primer, usually copper or zinc, and then chrome plated. I am not sure why or if that makes a difference in braking power, but I am certain a high end BMX chrome rim performs better than a high end ano rim. I've always been bothered by this myth about chrome rims. It does have merit, and is certainly true about low end chrome rims, but its not true across the board. Something else has to be at work. Flatland Crusoe posted:Back in the cyclocross dark ages when we used cantilever brakes we would sometimes score our rims with a box cutter perpendicular to the wheel rotation to get better stopping......
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Jul 29, 2020 23:54
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eSporks posted:Scuse me? I want to see more close up pics of your bike that actually has functional brakes.
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Jul 30, 2020 00:11
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There's definitely a huge gap between kids "bmx bikes", low end bmx completes in the 200-500 dollar range, and then the pro level stuff. I think part of it is that if you ride bmx as a serious sport the bikes are mechanically simple enough that you're probably not going to need a shop very often.
Salt Fish fucked around with this message at 00:22 on Jul 30, 2020 |
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Jul 30, 2020 00:18
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jammyozzy posted:Hah, to stop the front brake rubbing on one of my bf's bikes we've had to pack around 1.5mm of shims between the LH hub bearing and end cap on both sets of wheels he has for it. Otherwise even with the caliper pushed out hard against the screws the outer pad rubs the disc constantly. And chance the end caps aren't the same for left and right and all this time you've been running with the caps in wrong?
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Jul 30, 2020 00:21
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eSporks posted:I am really curious if the rim being steel is a factor here. I can definitely confirm that every chrome steel rim I have encountered has poor brake performance. I submitted a q to Lennard Zinn's Q&A column in VeloNews; just need to remember to keep checking.
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Jul 30, 2020 02:11
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CopperHound posted:It could be that I mostly deal with BMX shaped objects, but between stamped steal cailpers, u-brakes, a gyro, and the front brake cable making a u-turn, they seem mostly vestigial.  Housing stop in topcap, cable runs through the steerer and out a hole in the crown.  Center pull cantilevers, with a spoke yolk for maximum stiffness. kimbo305 posted:I submitted a q to Lennard Zinn's Q&A column in VeloNews; just need to remember to keep checking.
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Jul 30, 2020 04:39
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EvilJoven posted:And chance the end caps aren't the same for left and right and all this time you've been running with the caps in wrong? Nah the caps match side to side, I measured them when I was checking the shims would still allow the caps to fully engage in the bearings.
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Jul 30, 2020 21:06
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I thought the thing with chrome vs. aluminum rims was that they both worked ok when dry, but chrome became useless when wet while aluminum just became "not great".
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Jul 31, 2020 18:08
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What's a good vendor for inner tubes? I need to replace a Schwalbe #19 tube that fits a 700x48c tire. Looking for something heavy duty, since the last tube developed a pinhole leak on the seam after about 200 miles.
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Aug 1, 2020 20:02
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I just use Q-tubes. They are qbp's house brand and appear to be repackaged Kenda tubes. Tubes are just a commodity to me though. I get whatever is cheapest and not labeled as extra light or heavy duty.
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Aug 1, 2020 22:38
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I like Conti tubes well enough, they seem pretty reliable and the Presta ones have removable valve cores which are useful to steal for blocked tubeless valves.
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Aug 1, 2020 22:49
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jammyozzy posted:I like Conti tubes well enough, they seem pretty reliable and the Presta ones have removable valve cores which are useful to steal for blocked tubeless valves. Contis valves aren't as long as q-tubes long valves and don't seem to be available longer.
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Aug 1, 2020 22:53
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nm posted:Contis valves aren't as long as q-tubes long valves and don't seem to be available longer. Fair enough, I don't own any rims that are even close to deep and haven't bought a tube in ~2 years so I'm a little out of the loop. 
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Aug 1, 2020 23:36
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If I have 700x48 tires, am I asking for trouble using a 700x28-35 tube?
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Aug 2, 2020 00:51
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Yeah that's a bit of a stretch. Tube will probably tear along a "seam" or at the valve stem after awhile.
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Aug 2, 2020 00:57
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Safety Dance posted:If I have 700x48 tires, am I asking for trouble using a 700x28-35 tube? I carry down a few sizes as a spare for storage size reasons, but for general use I figure stick with the full size tubes. When I use a smaller size it seems to have trouble seating the bead. jamal posted:Yeah that's a bit of a stretch. Tube will probably tear along a "seam" or at the valve stem after awhile. I see what you did here.
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Aug 2, 2020 00:58
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Safety Dance posted:If I have 700x48 tires, am I asking for trouble using a 700x28-35 tube? Yes. I'm running 29x2 tubes. Rather go slightly oversized than undersized
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Aug 2, 2020 02:55
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nm posted:Rather go slightly oversized than undersized
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Aug 2, 2020 05:26
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do any of you have some weird old tricks for unseating tight beads from rims? Im getting a wicked forearm workout from trying to remove this conti gp 5000 tire, but its not coming off 
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Aug 2, 2020 09:29
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Did you drink a beer? One beer per rim.
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Aug 2, 2020 09:30
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Salt Fish posted:Did you drink a beer? One beer per rim. this seems like it warrants further research and test trials
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Aug 2, 2020 09:34
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You can try to get some soapy water in there to reduce friction. And drink a beer.
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Aug 2, 2020 10:34
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| # ? Apr 19, 2024 07:58 |
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MacPac posted:do any of you have some weird old tricks for unseating tight beads from rims? Im getting a wicked forearm workout from trying to remove this conti gp 5000 tire, but its not coming off
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Aug 2, 2020 10:48
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