Bicycle Maintenance and Repair Megathread: friction in the front, index the rear

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > The Great Outdoors > Bicycle Maintenance and Repair Megathread: friction in the front, index the rear

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.

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.

# ¿ Aug 6, 2020 04:33

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ Apr 20, 2024 04:16

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.

# ¿ Aug 6, 2020 05:07

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

Welp poo poo.

Yesterday I got a cassette removal tool and a BB removal tool.

Both were the wrong size.

That said, I still had fun playing with the roadie.

I took it down to the bare frame (sans BB) and cleaned it. I cleaned 30 years of grime off the chainrings, figured out that I have loose bearings in the cassette, and generally got a better understanding for the bike.

Then, as I was packing up to go back inside, I found a singular ball bearing.

fffuucckkk

# ¿ Aug 12, 2020 15:00

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

CopperHound posted:

Learning the difference between a cassette and a freewheel will help you buy the correct tools. Also, having the patience to put a freewheel back together after the dozens of ball bearings fall out is impressive.

Honestly, it wasn't too bad!
I used the quick-release bolt to wiggle'em into place. It probably took a grand total of 2-3 minutes.

Freewheel. feck. haha, The more you knowwwww

# ¿ Aug 12, 2020 16:47

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

I test rode my project! Still no brakes, but I've got a working front and rear derailleur with tires and everything. I had to steal T the seat off my mountain bike but I'm super pleased with this, as I've never picked up a bike tool in my life.

I'm realizing that my rear derailleur is very close to the spokes and since they're all old and beat up, some come super close to (and in some gears) touch/tap the rear mech... I haven't had time to do the homework on it, but that's my mission for tomorrow. That and buy a seat and brake cables. Then I can start plotting how I can bring this to a modern standard (threadless stem, 700c, and bar end shifters instead of downtube).

:kimchi:

# ¿ Aug 13, 2020 03:45

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

My rear derailleur wasn't straight so I bent the hanger on the steel frame, tried again.

Good. Looks perfect.

I took it out for my inaugural ride.

6 miles up the road, I come up to a friend going in the opposite direction. Path is a bit narrow so I take a moment to wheel around. When I do, I sprint, as they kept going.

On the 3rd or 4th pedal stroke, under power, my bike gets horribly wobbly, makes a loud noise (thought it was a tire going), and nearly throws me forward from the rear.

Well, first ride, first walk home.

The wheel came out of the dropouts (most likely entirely my fault for not double-checking poo poo).

The wheel left one side of the hanger, turned in the rear triangle, hit the frame, pinched with the brakes and dragged me to a stop rather abruptly.

My rim looks real rough. I might try to force it back to ~a~ shape, just to test the other components to see if they're hosed. Time to buy a new one.

I guess this gets me started on bending the 125mm(?) between the dropouts to 130mm for modern cassettes. Just wish it hadn't done it by itself. I had to bend the frame back a bit just to see if the wheel would go back on, before i realized it was bent out of shape.

I knew I would be learning quite a bit in rebuilding an old steelie, but this is some basic oversight and though frustrated, I'm still enjoying the process quite a bit. While she rode, she rode beautifully.

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.

# ¿ Aug 17, 2020 20:47

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

bicievino posted:

Cold-setting a frame to 130 isn't hard. You can make a jig with twine, two by fours, and a lead plumb. I imagine there are YouTube guides.
But, and I say this with only your own health in mind, if your mechanical aptitude doesn't currently include safely tightening your quick release skewer, you might want to have someone who knows what they're doing check what you do before you ride it.

# ¿ Aug 18, 2020 03:36

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

I'm at a strange crossroad.

Do I try to resurrect the bent rim and get it back in action or begin to modernize the roadie now, leaving it out of commission...

I think I'll try to salvage the rim simply for practice, but begin to price out the alternative as a fall project.

I know this thread is thinking I'm a dumbass, but I'm committed to this learning process. I find this fascinating.

# ¿ Aug 18, 2020 18:47

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

TobinHatesYou posted:

Show us the rim because any significant uncontrolled �bending� to an alloy rim means you should trash it.

This is where the rim bound up.
Touching the right brake caliper, and up near the bottom bracket on the left stay.

Do you need it stripped down?

# ¿ Aug 19, 2020 14:54

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

bicievino posted:

No, that's enough to see, your rim is hosed.

Guess it's time to upgrade from 27" to 700c sooner rather than later. But you shouldn't just replace the rim on that hub.

The coolest thing you could do to this bike is buy a modern groupset, like, even 105, modern wheels, and only keep the frame.
Would get you a better bike and long term be cheaper than trying to bodge it together.

Makes sense.

That's the original plan. I was hoping I'd get a few rides in with the original stuff and save up for a paycheck or two.
Thank you for the advice.

# ¿ Aug 19, 2020 15:38

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

I have a different roadie as well. The Miyata isn't my only bike.

I got the Miyata with the intent to learn this thing inside and out. Unfortunately I turned it inside out and learned the hard way to double check everything if I make an adjustment.

# ¿ Aug 19, 2020 15:44

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

kimbo305 posted:

If you want to treat it as trash and not use it for any real riding, you can try to de-taco the wheel using extreme banging into the ground:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlozmeTNim4&t=32s

I was going to keep the rims as an exercise in just that. I wasn't going to bang it into the ground, rather use some boards and body weight to straighten.

https://youtu.be/i73vVq7t138

This dude was recommended offsite by a mechanic friend a few cities over despite being completely loving unbearable.

# ¿ Aug 19, 2020 17:16

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

New rim update:

The local shop has drat near nothing in stock.

I settled for an inexpensive 27" single walled wheel. There's a strange caveat, it is a bit wider than my previous rim. I tested out the brakes and they work well without the release lever down, but with it down, it clamps onto the rim.

Am I going to destroy the brakes? It's the little lever for taking off the wheel I'm talking about.

# ¿ Aug 23, 2020 14:33

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

ExecuDork posted:

Yesterday I washed and messed around with my rescued-from-the-dump bike. The local Aldi was selling a bunch of bike-relevant stuff this weekend, and we picked up a repair stand for $40 as well as helmets and a few other odds-and-ends for not much money. I'm really happy to see the discussion here about Park Tools videos, I stumbled across them a couple of weeks ago and I quite like them. I mostly followed the "How to Wash a Bike" video, but without the solvent to get into the deraileurs and without the chain-washing tool; I just scrubbed all over with a brush, refreshed with hot soapy water from a sponge - it's little tips like that that I really appreciate.
My new to me bike by Martin Brummell, on Flickr

It was filthy, with layers of grime and dead grass embedded in places like the front cogs, and especially under the saddle. I managed to get the brakes sorted, again after watching the appropriate Park Tools video, but the drivetrain is going to take some work. It's a frankenbike, with components clearly from different bikes assembled onto one at the Tip Shop. The main employee at the Tip Shop claims he used to race bikes and is trying to turn the shop into a place where people can cheaply get what they need to get riding. I like him, and his quest. There are five cogs at the rear wheel, but the gear selector on the handlebar goes to 7. I can only get it to shift between the smallest three cogs, it won't go any larger (i.e. smaller numbers on the handlebar selector). The front deraileur was working kind-of-OK when I finished cleaning everything (and I lubed the chain), but I was messing around with it, trying to make it better, and now it won't shift out of the middle position at all.

I got the new handlebar grips put on (shove, shove, shove, rest, shove, shove, shove.... it was tiring) and took it for the shortest of test rides, just down the driveway. On my way back up the driveway (a level but bumpy path), the chain jumped off the front cogs when I put maximum force on it, starting from stopped. I put the chain back on and peddalled into the garage, I'll tackle the gears another day.

Very satisfying to just wash the bike, I highly recommend it to anyone feeling even slightly down about their ride.

My plan is to A) watch more Park Tools videos, B) try out a few ideas from the videos, and then C) take it to the local shop where I bought the new tires a couple of weeks ago; they urged me to take the bike in so they could check out what it needs and make recommendations and I'll take them up on that after I have a chance to fail at fixing things.

Sup similar-position-and-learning-to-gently caress-around-on-bike-stuff buddy! :coffeepal:

# ¿ Aug 24, 2020 15:11

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

Time posted:

Two independent problems that the bike shop near me has said they have solved twice, but haven't. bike is under a month old and I'm going to lose my mind if I cant get it fixed

1. 2x setup when im on the big cog in front and in the middle on the rear cassette, my chain will refuse to stay in gear. skipping might be the right word but its more like it just keeps trying to shift over and over. it doesnt happen all the time, but it happens and sounds like im wrecking my drivetrain

2. when I am in pedaling pretty hard in the bottom two gears on the rear cassette I get what sounds like a frog croaking on the right downstroke.

apologies if I dont even know the right words to describe my problems, im very noob when it comes to actually doing this stuff.

Does it only do it when you're putting down a lot of torque?

Sounds like something is flexing around.

# ¿ Sep 10, 2020 22:02

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

iospace posted:

You know what's great? Finding a broken spoke while lubing your chain up.

Name a single better time to find one.

# ¿ Sep 15, 2020 18:40

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

100YrsofAttitude posted:

On the ride home I got used to the idiosyncracies of this bad derailleur situation. The fifth gear (of six) is hosed and won't ever stay in place, clanks, or will shift automatically to six. Sixth works-ish, but more often that not is loud and also prone to switching by itself either into itself or back down to five. Four is stable unless I'm down-shifting from fifth which makes it shift into itself. The lower 3 seem to work fine though. So if I were to fiddle around with the derailleur screws like shown in one of the videos in the OP, would I still have to go back and adjust the 3 lower ones or can I assume they'll make it through untouched?

How they work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQmmEvt0rxs

How to unfuck it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkZxPIZ1ngY

# ¿ Sep 17, 2020 01:18

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

Literally Lewis Hamilton posted:

Cigarette Bike update:

I�ve done a little work. I started by stripping it down to the frame. The crank was pretty rough to get off. The BB unthreaded by hand.

I�ve cleaned as I went and took off some of the scuffs. Sadly, some of the scratches are through the paint, and the decals have a couple nicks. It�a a 10 footer.

So far:
- Replaced what I�m sure is the original square taper BB. What used to account for grease was rock hard.
- Replaced the cpi 3x crank with a 38T crank. With pedals it weighed nearly 4 pounds. I knocked off 10mm from the BB spindle length and I probably could have gone a little more for a better chainline, but it looks fine.
- Threw on some Kenda 2.0 tires on some 26� MTB rims I had sitting around. The previous wheels were boat anchors, and a freewheel in the back.
- New Origin8 v-brakes because I don�t want to mess with cantis.
- Installed brake levers, shifter, and grips on the bars, which I mocked up for now. The 9 speed friction shifter is the only bit I�m a little concerned about as it�s pretty cheap and rather ugly.

Still to do:
- Install new stem when it gets here. I wasn�t able to find a 1� QR stem and I didn�t want to mess with a 1� to 1 1/8� adapter, and then get a 1 1/8� folding stem, so I�ll just take the front wheel off when I need to fold it up all the way.
- Cut housing and cables to something non-ludicrous and get the brakes set up right.
- Install RD hanger. This bike doesn�t have a direct mount, so I�ve found a Sunrace hanger that uses the axle and then provides a direct mount location. I�ll be mounting a Sora RD I have sitting around.
- Replace seatpost and saddle. This seatpost is absurdly heavy, and is the outdated 26.4 pillar style.

Nice to haves:
- Install a better QR lever on the back.
- Find another 1� QR stem if it exists.
- Throw on an indexed shifter if this friction one sucks.

Anybody else want one?

https://holland.craigslist.org/bik/d/hamilton-special-edition-marlboro/7187585576.html

# ¿ Sep 18, 2020 22:26

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

I installed an externally routed dropper last week. The process went smoothly enough, but when I cut the cable after routing it through the lever, the cable went *SPROINGGG*.

I was, initially, loving mad because this sucks a bunch, but after 10-15 minutes of fiddling with it, I tucked all the stray pubes into the cap and crimped the sumbitch down anyway.

Thanks for the advice, next time I'll have a better idea.

# ¿ Sep 29, 2020 19:54

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

It's your call. If you're willing to treat it like gambling with house money, at least you'll know for servicing your next bike. The biggest cash sink is tools, in my experience. Expect to make mistakes, so some homework online as some things are easier than others to replace or remove (lots of left hand thread stuff for instance). If you want to learn, go for it. If you want it done, I'd suggest going elsewhere.

# ¿ Oct 9, 2020 00:51

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

In the age of rona, it might be more difficult but look for s local coop. You might get away with being able to use a bench and tools. That alone makes the experience less painful. Plus they'd always lend a hand.

# ¿ Oct 9, 2020 04:07

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

Cat rear end Trophy posted:

Fuuuuuucckkkk!

So the cracked spider was not the sources of the noise in my pedal stroke. I put the new one on, cleaned everything in the BB and crankset and put it all back together. Total silence. Well, for the first hour of the ride. Then the small tick kicked in, and but the end of the ride it was back to the loud crack noise that happens in the same place on every pedal stroke. It makes me hate riding the gravel bike.

So, I'm ripping the whole loving Praxis POS crankset and BB out, and putting in a thread together Wheels Mfg. BB and a GRX crankset. I'd get a Hambini BB86 1 piece, but those are $$$ and he is a huge rear end in a top hat.

That being said, keep your eyes peeled for a cheap Praxis crankset on ebay.

Figure it out?

My guess: pedal bearing!

# ¿ Nov 10, 2020 01:36

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

Cat rear end Trophy posted:

Good guess. I had checked it early in the process and it was not it. I am running egg beaters, and I did have a bearing go bad on the ones I used on my trainer bike. I had put a pair of Ultegra 3 bolts on the gravel bike, and unfortunately still had the noise.

Thanks though.

Thanks for the follow up. I had a bearing issue that was only discovered after plenty of swearing and a bottom bracket replacement. :downs:

# ¿ Nov 10, 2020 17:33

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

I bought a straight steerer rigid fork (2014 salsa firestarter steel) and want to gently caress around with my mountain bike. It currently has a tapered suspension fork. Is there a proper way to make it work? I don't have a crown race on the rigid, so that's probably my first step.
This is the mtb
https://salsacycles.com/bikes/archive/2015_el_mariachi_3_light_blue

Cane creek 10 is the headset. Could it be as easy as finding a matching bit? I'm a bit out of my element with headsets.
Eg https://www.jensonusa.com/Cane-Cree..._4aAnYWEALw_wcB

# ¿ Jun 8, 2021 02:56

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

VelociBacon posted:

So your headset is tapered, meaning the lower race has a larger diameter. Some forks have this diameter change in the steertube, where it flares out at the bottom. You need to see if the fork has that steertube or a straight steertube, where the lower headset bearing race makes up that larger diameter itself. Just pop your fork out a bit and you can see it. If it looks the same as the spare fork you bought, you can just swap the bearing race to the new fork.

E: reading your post again, yeah you just need to buy a lower race for a straight steertube fork.

Ok, thanks! I'll give it a try.

# ¿ Jun 8, 2021 13:33

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

vikingstrike posted:

Ergon grips are all use a bolt to go on/off. So they are for lazy people? You�re just be lovely and dumb in a different way. Congratulations!

He's not totally wrong, I (a person with alcohol and an air compressor) like Ergon because I'm lazy.

Maybe re-brand lazy as "easy" on this one, we might be saying the same thing.

# ¿ Jun 11, 2021 16:44

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ Apr 20, 2024 04:16

Cannon_Fodder: Jul 17, 2007; "Hey, where did Steve go?"
Design by Kamoc

I've had luck loosening the brake bolts, holding down the lever (with the wheel in place) and then retightening the bolts. After that, I let go of the lever.

I'm down to hear why that's the wrong thing to do though.

# ¿ Jun 12, 2021 04:35

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > The Great Outdoors > Bicycle Maintenance and Repair Megathread: friction in the front, index the rear