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CopperHound
Feb 14, 2012

I used to do all sorts of asinine stuff to mount tires. Now I just add more layer of tape if I can't set them with a floor pump. I stopped being stingy with tape since I learned about this stuff:
https://tapesmaster.com/collections/green-powder-coating-tapes

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Clark Nova
Jul 18, 2004

spf3million posted:

I spent $80 a couple years ago on a pump with a large side cylinder and a switch next to the valve to release the compressed air from the cylinder into the tire all at once. Works great.

I have Specialized's standalone canister and it works pretty well. I've used it to mount tires (marathon supremes first and foremost) that I was completely unable to get to seal otherwise, even after using a tube to seat the bead one side, soapy water, etc. I'll admit I've never tried more than a couple of layers of tape.

Flatland Crusoe
Jan 12, 2011

Great White Hunter
Master Race

Let me explain why I'm better than you

kill me now posted:

This is not entirely true, I’ve set up tubeless on 2 bikes one 38c and one 28c with a floor pump.

Just seat the tires with tubes and leave them overnight to set in. As long as you don’t pop both beads when you take the tube out you will probably be able to get it to seat tubeless with a floor pump.

If that fails soapy water should do the trick.

This takes me back to yelling at my wife to pump the floor pump faster in an attempt to seat tubeless tires without some sort of surge mechanism while about half a bottle of Stans No Tubes ends up on the hardwood floor.....

Without a compressor or surge tank it’s always roulette with tires and wheel combo’s and it gets worse with higher volume tires and more supple sidewalls. I’ve had the same tire and rim combinations where one is fine throughout its whole life and the other requires a huge wrestling match every time it’s aired down.

I have definitely seated plenty of tubeless tires with only a pump but I’ve ended up with plenty of frustrating messes as well. It’s also involved midnight trips to Walmart to buy 10 co2 cartridges trying to seat tires the night before a race after a cross country flight where TSA decided to unseat my tires during the bike bag repack.

Not having a reliable way to seat tubeless tires also means making the poor decision to inject sealant thru valve stems which never ends well either.

CopperHound
Feb 14, 2012

Flatland Crusoe posted:

also means making the poor decision to inject sealant thru valve stems which never ends well either.
You know you're supposed to take the valve core out first, right?

Flatland Crusoe
Jan 12, 2011

Great White Hunter
Master Race

Let me explain why I'm better than you

CopperHound posted:

You know you're supposed to take the valve core out first, right?

Yeah but it will always kill the stem a lot faster than breaking the bead to add sealant.

I’ve seen some injectors now with a need that goes thru the entire stem which would probably eliminate the issue.

Levitate
Sep 30, 2005

randy newman voice

YOU'VE GOT A LAFRENIÈRE IN ME
I’ve done through the stem for years without issues. I end up bending my valve cores while trying to inflate tires before they get clogged or something (I need a new pump)

nm
Jan 28, 2008

"I saw Minos the Space Judge holding a golden sceptre and passing sentence upon the Martians. There he presided, and around him the noble Space Prosecutors sought the firm justice of space law."

CopperHound posted:

I keep seeing people saying this, but I am yet to see any evidence of it being effective.

Works for me. I'm running basically compass thin Soma Shikoros.
I have absolutely had it work, pull out a goathead, hisses for a second and stops. It is absolutely not as effective as real tubeless, but it is better than nothing.
For everything but touring (or infrequent use bikes), I'm on the tubeless train, but there still is a place for tubes particularly in touring.

nm fucked around with this message at 05:32 on Aug 4, 2020

TobinHatesYou
Aug 14, 2007

wacky cycling inflatable
tube man

Flatland Crusoe posted:


Not having a reliable way to seat tubeless tires also means making the poor decision to inject sealant thru valve stems which never ends well either.

Some sealants like Bontrager TLR just never clog valves at all. Orange Seal can clog valves, but it's not hard to deal with. Take an old spoke or similar and ream the inside of the valve stem.

Also just a reminded to never inflate your tubeless tires with the valves at 6 o'clock. Do it from 4 or 8 o'clock.

bicievino
Feb 5, 2015

Levitate posted:

I’ve done through the stem for years without issues. I end up bending my valve cores while trying to inflate tires before they get clogged or something (I need a new pump)

Yeah, this is standard practice. No idea how you could break a valve stem by putting sealant in.

Levitate
Sep 30, 2005

randy newman voice

YOU'VE GOT A LAFRENIÈRE IN ME
I don’t even use a real injector just a syringe that happens to fit inside them stem

e.pilot
Nov 20, 2011

sometimes maybe good
sometimes maybe shit

CopperHound posted:

Okay. Maybe a stupid question, but I only ask because I've seen it before: Is your tube or the tire holding the air in?

Yes.

Pooper Hero
Sep 11, 2001
The costumed crapper

CopperHound posted:

Okay. Maybe a stupid question, but I only ask because I've seen it before: Is your tube or the tire holding the air in?

The tire holds the tube in, which holds the air in.

TobinHatesYou
Aug 14, 2007

wacky cycling inflatable
tube man
I wouldn't say there's great synergy between latex-based sealants and butyl tubes, but Slime and other brands have made a business out of it for a couple decades. Latex-based sealants work better with latex tubes, but I wouldn't pre-fill a latex tube with sealant because it works a little too well. If you let a latex tube fully deflate/collapse, the sealant will pretty much glue the walls of the tube together, and since latex tubes deflate over a few days, it can be a chore to keep them inflated.

An option would be to carry a small sample-sized 2oz or 4oz bottle in your tool roll or saddle bag and inject the sealant after the puncture takes place.

evil_bunnY
Apr 2, 2003

CopperHound posted:

I keep seeing people saying this, but I am yet to see any evidence of it being effective.
It works great, with the caveat that you can't use tubeless plugs for larger punctures. For small rocks/pins/goatheads it's effin' great.

e.pilot
Nov 20, 2011

sometimes maybe good
sometimes maybe shit

evil_bunnY posted:

It works great, with the caveat that you can't use tubeless plugs for larger punctures. For small rocks/pins/goatheads it's effin' great.

e.pilot top tip:
if you get a puncture that won’t quite seal, unseat the tire and reseat it so the tube and tire puncture aren’t lining up, I’ve sealed a hilarious puncture by doing that

Withnail
Feb 11, 2004
Has anyone used a rivnut to replace a water bottle mounting nut in a carbon frame? I watched a few people do it on youtube, but I have a feeling if something went wrong it could be bad.

Currently the nut is just missing and there is little or no damage to the carbon...

jammyozzy
Dec 7, 2006

Is that a challenge?

bicievino posted:

Sure, but like, a rip that bad would've hosed up any tube, too, maybe too bad to patch/boot?

Oh yeah totally, I was mainly poking fun at my lack of preparation. Ride what you like and have fun, it doesn't matter, but take a spare tube. :shobon:

beep-beep car is go
Apr 11, 2005

I can just eyeball this, right?



I bought myself a Covid bike during lockdown to get back into riding and be able to ride with my kids. Just a GT from Richards(Dicks) and I’m not expecting much out of it, but it was cheap and the components seem decent, and it got good reviews from third party bike sites - mostly in the U.K. for some reason. I adjusted the brakes and derailleur after getting it but about a month into it, I noticed a creaking from around the BB area. I could take it to a LBS but:

A: they’ll laugh at me for buying a box store bike
B: it’s a pandemic
C: I’m interested in fixing it myself.

So I’m trying to troubleshoot it. I remember hearing that “creaking around the BB” can be any number of things, but what should I check before I try and take apart my crank?

Salt Fish
Sep 11, 2003

Cybernetic Crumb
Post the exact model you have as GT makes a huge range of bikes.

TobinHatesYou
Aug 14, 2007

wacky cycling inflatable
tube man

beep-beep car is go posted:

I bought myself a Covid bike during lockdown to get back into riding and be able to ride with my kids. Just a GT from Richards(Dicks) and I’m not expecting much out of it, but it was cheap and the components seem decent, and it got good reviews from third party bike sites - mostly in the U.K. for some reason. I adjusted the brakes and derailleur after getting it but about a month into it, I noticed a creaking from around the BB area. I could take it to a LBS but:

A: they’ll laugh at me for buying a box store bike
B: it’s a pandemic
C: I’m interested in fixing it myself.

So I’m trying to troubleshoot it. I remember hearing that “creaking around the BB” can be any number of things, but what should I check before I try and take apart my crank?


If you suspect the BB, it's almost never the BB. If you don't suspect the BB, it's the BB. That's just how it goes. It could be anything with a new bike. Seatpost clamp, saddle clamp, chainring bolts, various drivetrain bits, pedal spindles, etc. Check all those things before you mess with the BB. Especially make sure there is grease on seatpost where it is clamped.

Also even low-end GTs are legitimate bicycles and not bike-shaped-objects, so there is that. Obviously I'd prefer to give money to a local bike shop that doesn't suck, but you gotta take what you can get right now.

beep-beep car is go
Apr 11, 2005

I can just eyeball this, right?



Salt Fish posted:

Post the exact model you have as GT makes a huge range of bikes.

It’s this one

TobinHatesYou posted:

If you suspect the BB, it's almost never the BB. If you don't suspect the BB, it's the BB. That's just how it goes. It could be anything with a new bike. Seatpost clamp, saddle clamp, chainring bolts, various drivetrain bits, pedal spindles, etc. Check all those things before you mess with the BB. Especially make sure there is grease on seatpost where it is clamped.

That’s what I figured. Seems like it would be unusual for a BB to be bad on a brand new bike. I’ll check the pedals first, that’s easy to look into.

Mauser
Dec 16, 2003

How did I even get here, son?!

TobinHatesYou posted:

If you suspect the BB, it's almost never the BB. If you don't suspect the BB, it's the BB. That's just how it goes. It could be anything with a new bike. Seatpost clamp, saddle clamp, chainring bolts, various drivetrain bits, pedal spindles, etc. Check all those things before you mess with the BB. Especially make sure there is grease on seatpost where it is clamped.

Also even low-end GTs are legitimate bicycles and not bike-shaped-objects, so there is that. Obviously I'd prefer to give money to a local bike shop that doesn't suck, but you gotta take what you can get right now.

I actually got an awful popping sound that I think is coming from my saddle or seat post. I had the bike shop guy grease up the post where it fits into the frame and I feel like it went away for a month or two, but it's been back and the post is still greasy as hell. I guess I should try greasing up the clamp now that you mentioned it.

EvilJoven
Mar 18, 2005

NOBODY,IN THE HISTORY OF EVER, HAS ASKED OR CARED WHAT CANADA THINKS. YOU ARE NOT A COUNTRY. YOUR MONEY HAS THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND ON IT. IF YOU DIG AROUND IN YOUR BACKYARD, NATIVE SKELETONS WOULD EXPLODE OUT OF YOUR LAWN LIKE THE END OF POLTERGEIST. CANADA IS SO POLITE, EH?
Fun Shoe

I often preach the benefits of always having a spare derailleur hanger on hand but especially with the GT Aggressor do yourself a favor and buy a derailleur hanger for that bike right now. Or two. We've been seeing a huge delay in getting ahold of those ones in particular. It's a nothing part most of the time but 2020 isn't most of the time. Don't want to see you posting that for whatever reason you bent your hanger and have to wait a month to get one.

Should be a Wheels Manufacturing Dropout 94. Double check it looks like the one on your bike, just in case they changed it for 2020.

Everything else about that bike is durable af and gonna offer you a fun time.

CopperHound
Feb 14, 2012

beep-beep car is go posted:

It’s this one


That’s what I figured. Seems like it would be unusual for a BB to be bad on a brand new bike. I’ll check the pedals first, that’s easy to look into.
While that is a lower end bike, it is still a REAL bike. As long as it is assembled properly a normal bike shop won't shouldn't laugh at you. I'm guessing it has a cartridge style square taper bb. If you want try tightening it yourself you'll most likely need the following (a chance that these aren't the right tools, some close up pics would help):
- 8mm allen with a long handle, not some puny multitool
- crank puller
- 20 tooth bottom bracket tool

If you are trying to build up a bike toolkit, I recommend buying park or pedros tools as you need them instead of buying any kits.


disclaimer: tightening your bottom bracket might not help your creak.

Also, read repair guides. Bikes have some stuff that is reverse threaded and it is good to figure that out before you use a cheater bar to tighten things even further.

CopperHound fucked around with this message at 01:38 on Aug 5, 2020

beep-beep car is go
Apr 11, 2005

I can just eyeball this, right?



EvilJoven posted:

but especially with the GT Aggressor do yourself a favor and buy a derailleur hanger for that bike right now. Or two.

I will do this.

CopperHound posted:

If you want try tightening it yourself you'll most likely need the following (a chance that these aren't the right tools, some close up pics would help):
- 8mm allen with a long handle, not some puny multitool
- crank puller
- 20 tooth bottom bracket tool

If you are trying to build up a bike toolkit, I recommend buying park or pedros tools as you need them instead of buying any kits.

I will do this too. Do I need to get a repair stand?

CopperHound
Feb 14, 2012

beep-beep car is go posted:

I will do this too. Do I need to get a repair stand?
Need? No. Nice? Yes, however Cranking on a stuck bottom bracket is something that many portable stands are not designed to endure.

TobinHatesYou
Aug 14, 2007

wacky cycling inflatable
tube man
Also get an adjustable torque key of some sort that goes from 4 to 6 n-m or thereabouts for all the 3-4-5mm hex and T25 bolts on your bike.

evil_bunnY
Apr 2, 2003

e.pilot posted:

e.pilot top tip:
if you get a puncture that won’t quite seal, unseat the tire and reseat it so the tube and tire puncture aren’t lining up, I’ve sealed a hilarious puncture by doing that
This is legit brilliant

beep-beep car is go
Apr 11, 2005

I can just eyeball this, right?



TobinHatesYou posted:

If you suspect the BB, it's almost never the BB. If you don't suspect the BB, it's the BB. That's just how it goes. It could be anything with a new bike. Seatpost clamp, saddle clamp, chainring bolts, various drivetrain bits, pedal spindles, etc. Check all those things before you mess with the BB. Especially make sure there is grease on seatpost where it is clamped.

It was the allen bolt holding on the crank. The left one was a little loose. Tightened it down and the creaking went away!

waffle enthusiast
Nov 16, 2007



The lockout on my rear shock no longer seems to do anything after having it serviced. Anything I should try before contacting the shoppe?

rngd in the womb
Oct 13, 2009

Yam Slacker
Missed tubeless chat, but I've got a question for this thread. I recently did a tubeless conversion on my gravel bike's wheelset, a pair of HED Tomcat Disc's. I used the magical green tape, and have redone the job a couple times because I wanted to avoid bubbling under the layers I put down.

I eventually did a nice job with my taping, but I've noticed that they will hold air pretty well for a few days to maybe a week then just flat. The front wheel does this quicker and more often than the rear wheel. I don't think the amount of sealant is the issue since I initially poured a decent amount of Orange Seal in both tires. Now that the sealant might be drying out, I'm wondering if I should redo the taping, or just add one more layer of tape on them?

FWIW, I'm running Gravelking SK 38's on them and they felt like they held air even with hard riding over rock gardens and the like.

rngd in the womb fucked around with this message at 02:51 on Aug 6, 2020

Mauser
Dec 16, 2003

How did I even get here, son?!
I just got some gravelking slicks in that size and I'm waiting for the valve stems to come in before I attempt install without an air compressor. From reading up thread it sounds like this is doable, but it'll be my first attempt at tubeless, so I'm going to give it a try with the tube/soapy water methods above

Cannon_Fodder
Jul 17, 2007

"Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc
Cross post from the Show Us Your Bike! Thread.

Cannon_Fodder posted:

I've decided to educate myself in the art of bike mechanics. I introduce to you, my new bike and new tool day combo!






Spent 3 hours cleaning it up, and teaching myself how to true the wheels on this 1988 miyata 512 that I got for $100.


This bike is meaningful to me because it's the exact make/model/year that got me into loving bikes in the first place. I sold my original one and always regretted it.


I plan on building this one up and experimenting.

First build :

Converting this to a modern groupset. I might try to retain the downtube shifters or go for bar ends. :3:

I guess it's not awful to convert from 27" to 700c either so that's on the docket too.

I'm very hyped. Expect stupid questions soon.

CopperHound
Feb 14, 2012

Congratulations on finding a good use for a non-stick skillet.

Cannon_Fodder
Jul 17, 2007

"Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

CopperHound posted:

Congratulations on finding a good use for a non-stick skillet.

Man, gently caress that gummy rear end tape they used to affix the bar wraps. Ughh. What's the preferred way of getting that off? I used mineral spirits.

kimbo305
Jun 9, 2007

actually, yeah, I am a little mad

Mauser posted:

I just got some gravelking slicks in that size and I'm waiting for the valve stems to come in before I attempt install without an air compressor. From reading up thread it sounds like this is doable, but it'll be my first attempt at tubeless, so I'm going to give it a try with the tube/soapy water methods above

If you can recruit a friend, it might be easier for one person to haul rear end on the pump and the other to use hands and feet to even out the tension/pressure on the tire to limit how fast air escapes from loose spots.

mikemelbrooks
Jun 11, 2012

One tough badass

Withnail posted:

Has anyone used a rivnut to replace a water bottle mounting nut in a carbon frame? I watched a few people do it on youtube, but I have a feeling if something went wrong it could be bad.

Currently the nut is just missing and there is little or no damage to the carbon...

If you are that worried just use some epoxy glue to stick the rivnut in place.

Oldsrocket_27
Apr 28, 2009
This old Quintana Roo popped up on facebook, and I can't help but admire those bars. No listed size, but it's listed as having 650 wheels and being "too small" for the current owner to . It looks to me like it's a 650 front 700 rear from the picture. I really don't need to throw $250 at an old TT bike that probably doesn't fit me, but a part of me certainly wants to.



E: oops, meant to put this in the main thread, but oh well.

Oldsrocket_27 fucked around with this message at 14:01 on Aug 6, 2020

Mauser
Dec 16, 2003

How did I even get here, son?!

kimbo305 posted:

If you can recruit a friend, it might be easier for one person to haul rear end on the pump and the other to use hands and feet to even out the tension/pressure on the tire to limit how fast air escapes from loose spots.

That's a good idea. I'll see if my wife can lend me a hand and a foot

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spf3million
Sep 27, 2007

hit 'em with the rhythm

rngd in the womb posted:

Missed tubeless chat, but I've got a question for this thread. I recently did a tubeless conversion on my gravel bike's wheelset, a pair of HED Tomcat Disc's. I used the magical green tape, and have redone the job a couple times because I wanted to avoid bubbling under the layers I put down.

I eventually did a nice job with my taping, but I've noticed that they will hold air pretty well for a few days to maybe a week then just flat. The front wheel does this quicker and more often than the rear wheel. I don't think the amount of sealant is the issue since I initially poured a decent amount of Orange Seal in both tires. Now that the sealant might be drying out, I'm wondering if I should redo the taping, or just add one more layer of tape on them?

FWIW, I'm running Gravelking SK 38's on them and they felt like they held air even with hard riding over rock gardens and the like.
I've had success with a single layer of the magic green tape, mount the tire with a tube, inflate to a relatively high pressure and let it sit for a week (and/or ride it). This presses the tape into the crannys nicely and minimizes the bubbles/creases. Then add sealant and sometimes it works the first time. Others it's like you described, flat in a week. I just keep pumping it back up, spinning, and gyroscoping it to slosh the sealant around. For me it seems to usually be small leaks at the bead which take a while to seal. Eventually they seem to stop leaking and then hold air. Unusual I don't bother using soapy water to find the leak because I'm probably not going to take the tire off and start over anyway.

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