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

«‹›3 »

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

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

Leave it out to bake in the sun for a bit. When you go at it make sure the bead side opposite the one you're pulling on is in the trench in the middle of the rim.

# ¿ Aug 2, 2020 10:48

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ Apr 23, 2024 22:51

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.

# ¿ Aug 4, 2020 10:04

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

# ¿ Aug 5, 2020 14:15

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

Ciaphas posted:

Anyone else in here with discs, how often do you end up loving around with those things because they loosened/got squeaky/whatever else?

Literally never? Mech discs on road levers are pretty useless IMO (I only use them because my commuter's brifters predate road hydro) but still better than pads in the cold/wet.

# ¿ Aug 27, 2020 19:54

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

e.pilot posted:

mech discs should be immediately replaced with TRP HY/RDs

Yeah, pretty much. I like mine OK.

FogHelmut posted:

How does the Hy/Rd compare to a full hydraulic setup?

Depends on how well they're adjusted on the cable end, but maybe 70% as much power and lever feel compared to decent hydros. Much, much better than full mechanicals.

evil_bunnY fucked around with this message at 11:26 on Aug 28, 2020

# ¿ Aug 28, 2020 11:11

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

bicievino posted:

I dunno. Personally if I have reasonably functioning mechanical discs, I'm not gonna spend $150 (plus new compressionless housing) to swap to something that is only slightly better. I'd rather spend $200-$350 (depending on what group you're matching to - apex 1x is hella cheap, 105 2x is a bit spendy but still quite reasonable) and go all the way.

I changed the front on my road/commuter bike to hy/rd's, it took all of 20mn and it was an impressive improvement over well adjusted BB7r's.

# ¿ Aug 28, 2020 21:06

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

afflictionwisp posted:

My main guy brought up the idea of slapping a bit of protection onto the frame.

DT shields are legit useful but there's good reasons they're generally not made of loving carbon fiber, it's got really rear end abrasion and impact resistance.

# ¿ Sep 15, 2020 21:13

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

Clark Nova posted:

"go to your local bike shop for service" says the OEM, when your local bike shop is forty five minutes away and cannot affix a crank arm to its spindle

Lumping all LBS'es together is like lumping all OEMs in the same basket. I know exactly where to stay away from in my town.

3 of my bikes were stolen about a week ago and our LBS just lent me their test cargo bike for 5 days no questions asked until I could get a replacement for school runs. They wouldn't even take my money (I brought whisky and biscotti instead).

# ¿ Sep 20, 2020 12:18

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

To me quick links are the tool-requiring ones, and connex the specifically toolless links.

# ¿ Oct 2, 2020 22:23

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

LordOfThePants posted:

What's the consensus on bike repair stands? Looking at the PCS10.2 from Park Tool.

I've used a prs-25 before it worked as advertised :-|

# ¿ Oct 5, 2020 08:52

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

e.pilot posted:

Personally I like weird builds (look at my folding bike for example) and absolutely love the hunt for parts and the tinkering once all the parts come in, the extra cost associated with building a bike from the frame up are more than worth it for me.

To me those are the only justifiable reason to build something up. If you're going to build something up to resemble an OEM build kit what's the point.

# ¿ Oct 30, 2020 23:20

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

tylertfb posted:

I don't mess with that rotary broaching dark magic I would if we had the tools in the shop

The first time I saw one in the wild it took me a bit to understand (because it was in a lathe, and I'm a moron).

TOT has a good 'splainer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-3gPWl6wfU

# ¿ Nov 5, 2020 10:51

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

Cheap shimano 12speed is a great value but I doubt it�ll fit in any old bike.

# ¿ Nov 9, 2020 09:43

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

e.pilot posted:

luke warm take: If HY/RDs fit your frame there is pretty much zero reason to not have them.

yass. Just carry a spare caliper.

# ¿ Nov 24, 2020 14:50

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

VelociBacon posted:

Is this a troll post? Why are you putting sealant in tubes?

I don't know about DIY'in it but self-sealing tubes are a thing.

# ¿ Dec 24, 2020 11:52

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

Dren posted:

with flash

That's still visibly caked in sand? Your cogs look fine-ish. Start by swapping your chain after actually cleaning your drivetrain.

# ¿ Dec 25, 2020 11:32

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

Crumps Brother posted:

It's exactly as easy to setup as a standard clincher would be and you get the puncture protection benefits of sealant. I'm surprised it's not more common.

I've tried riding with slime tubes on my cargo bike in the winter because WGAF about road feel on studded tires, and also, studded tires.
This winter I didn't bother cause it's hardly snowed at all.

# ¿ Dec 27, 2020 00:17

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

e.pilot posted:

I would go with some HY/RD calipers honestly, unless you�re looking to upgrade your entire groupset it�s not as easy as just swapping the levers if you�re bike is currently 2x9.

Yeah on a 2x9 bike I'd go Hy/Rd (in the front) or just change bikes.

# ¿ Jan 10, 2021 17:02

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

VelociBacon posted:

Maybe they just had 1 set on hand and figured the fronts needed it more than the rears?

if your shop isn't crewed by assholes this is the explanation.

In other news, got my hub back from the LBS (the nexus 5 di2 that crunched itself after all of 3 months). Verdict is water ingress allowed a one way bearing to oxidize, and rust got into the top 2 gearsets. Now on the plus side Shimano was easy to work with and expressed us new internals but on the other hand IT'S loving 3 MONTHS OLD WHAT THE gently caress YOU TURDS.

# ¿ Feb 1, 2021 20:56

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

EvilJoven posted:

Eh maybe it's the torx wrenches we use. They seem to get mangled a little too easily and the park one also has a habit of snapping.

Yeah, torx owns in general but as with everything else, quality/tolerances means more than what fastener type you use.

sweat poteto posted:

Front caliper bolt clearance is indeed crap, at least with 160mm rotors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsk3zAZyLaQ

# ¿ Feb 12, 2021 10:09

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

EvilJoven posted:

Hydros are just cursed. If it isn't that it's Levels/Guides that break and lock up after a few months of use it's Shimanos that leak from the caliper out of the box or Tektros with brand new levers that pull to the bar because of blown seals.

My cargo bike's TRP have been "OK" so far.

Let me introduce you to our lord and savior Hope Technology Ltd.

Al2001 posted:

Interestingly these brackets work fine on my steel bike, but shake loose within a month when mounted on aluminium. By interesting I mean extremely annoying. Anyone have a fix for this?

Stick a layer of inner tube in between.

EvilJoven posted:

Never seen someone have to skip a ride because their BB7 decided it just didn't want to work that morning.

The one bike with those I've ridden recently had a front brake that'd freeze solid in the cold from water ingress in the housing.

evil_bunnY fucked around with this message at 18:42 on Feb 12, 2021

# ¿ Feb 12, 2021 18:38

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

Stitecin posted:

Thank you, and all others who have replied. I was thinking that if the frame isn't in peril maybe a 1� conversion in stead of the carbon repair. How is the 1� road tech in 2021?

I'm gonna be the party pooper here and say that you can't know how much damage you've done to the seat tube without NDT, and additional riding can totally propagate cracks as they're stress concentrations once they start.

# ¿ Feb 15, 2021 15:02

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

VideoGameVet posted:

I snapped this alloy fork putting the bike into a rack:

Replacing it with a steel one. The frame (recumbent) is steel anyway.

Are you putting a good brake on it while you're in there?

# ¿ Feb 17, 2021 13:46

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

amenenema posted:

Why are Thomson posts so highly regarded? Their hardware is soft as pudding, they seem to popularize zero offset posts that help virtually no one with fit, and their setbacks are so goddamn ugly. Plus, their collars suck too. No consistency on sizing at all. Are branded seatpost shipping bags what people think is worth the price of admission?!?

They're also a PITA to work with according to the bike MFG I know.

# ¿ Feb 18, 2021 11:25

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

Dedicated road/MTB bikes don't get kickstands but everything else does.

# ¿ Apr 9, 2021 08:29

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

gwrtheyrn posted:

Tires: Schwalbe marathon plus 700c x 35

Unless you live in a true wasteland you'll be better served with supremes than plus. Modern marathon plus aren't as garden-hosey as a few years ago but they're still not great.

# ¿ Apr 11, 2021 11:14

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

bicievino posted:

For dynamos - Shutter Precision is what crapped the bed on me literally one month after warranty, and then were lovely about service (essentially it was going to be more expensive to service than to buy a new one). SON is overpriced (even from Germany) but it's great.

Isn't SON running SP internals? It's good that you're happy with them at least.

# ¿ Apr 12, 2021 08:11

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

He's probably riding MTB tires on mostly pavement, which will do that.

# ¿ Apr 15, 2021 10:38

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

bicievino posted:

I think if you want any more specific advice we'll need to know the details of your current drivetrain.

this, and whether you actually use the top end.

# ¿ Apr 19, 2021 12:08

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

VelociBacon posted:

I'm trying to think if I lubricate any bolts on my bikes and I'm pretty sure I don't. Bolts that I do lubricate (with anti-seize) includes car stuff like lug nuts that will be adjacent to the brake rotor, and other assorted large diameter bolts that get fastened very tightly that I don't want to fight the next time I remove them.

Pedals are the only threads I grease AFAICR

SimonSays posted:

Y'all are talking like people who've never had to remove seized bolts from a bike someone sweat on. Please grease stem bolts.

Anti-seize will do that too without loving with the torque specs.

# ¿ May 7, 2021 10:48

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

Bottom Liner posted:

I had a doozy of a mechanical on a bikepacking race this weekend. 240 miles in at 1 am I hit a big rock on a long gravel descent, bounced around pretty good, and ended up catching a branch in my wheel. It bent the valve stem about 60 degrees and caused an air leak. We tried to bend it back and the plan was to hopefully add sealant/super glue to hold the leak but the stem snapped. Upon unseating the bead, the inner rubber of the valve stem had popped off in the tire and the root of the stem was pulled down into the hole and was seemingly too big to fit back through or be pushed through the other side (tried using an allen wrench to push it through both ways). Had a 5 hour walk down the mountain that night and it didn't help that it was 40 degrees and I was sweating from the previous 9 mile climb when it happened, so I had to just keep walking to keep from getting hypothermic. Towards the end of trying to fix it I was shaking so bad I couldn't even get the thru axle back in . Currently waiting to hear back from the shop about their plan to extract it.

That some good old type 3 right there, loving hell.

# ¿ May 18, 2021 22:07

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

evil_bunnY fucked around with this message at 08:22 on May 24, 2021

# ¿ May 24, 2021 08:12

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

vikingstrike posted:

Depending on budget, Shimano SLX brakes are a nice sweet spot in price and functionality.

If you get the metallic pads and 4pots calipers.

Voodoofly posted:

Question about Shimano hydraulic breaks: I have a couple cms of slack in the brake lever before the brakes engage. Once they bite they bite hard, but is there a way to adjust them so that the breaks start biting on even the lightest feather of a pull on the lever? The levers don�t go to the bar or anything so I don�t think it�s air. I know there is the tiny screw to adjust the arm position but that doesn�t seem to affect when the engage happens (or maybe I�m an idiot and didn�t do it right). I�ve finally forced myself to switch to one finger breaking but now that I have that first couple of centimeters of play is way more noticeable so anything to make the brake lever more responsive would be nice.

Higher end shimano levers have a "free stroke" adjustment but it doesn't do that much. Since free stroke is mainly defined by the retraction IMO even thicker rotors only help when pads are new, and you have a recent bleed. I like the way shimanos feel but it's not everyone's cuppa.

Shadowhand00 posted:

2. Once you get a stuck seatpost out (it took a year of riding on the frame on a trainer constantly moving it to get it out), are you supposed to clean out/hone the inside of the frame?

Clean out (and anti-seize) always. Honing sounds way too aggressive unless you have the equipment to do it at CNC precision IMO, otherwise you're just going to eat into your walls for no reason.

evil_bunnY fucked around with this message at 08:25 on May 24, 2021

# ¿ May 24, 2021 08:22

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

Oldsrocket_27 posted:

3. Grind the corners off the offending parts of the chainring. Also not a fan of this either since I would probably have to go far enough to hit the screws holding the ring on.

Don't grind the corner, grind the whole thing flat.

# ¿ Jul 6, 2021 00:16

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

I've never reused pins. In your case I'd just pop the reused pins out and stick a second quicklink on the chain.

# ¿ Aug 5, 2021 12:19

evil_bunnY: Apr 2, 2003

Cuntpunch posted:

Yep, couldn't find my spare quicklink, so rode on the reused chain the 4km round trip to the nearest shop and back to just grab a new chain. Expensive lesson learnt. And have ordered the Blue Book, a quicklink tool, and chain stretch-checker from Park Tools for next time.

These are all great to have IMO. I also pack a portable QL tool on the bike.

# ¿ Aug 6, 2021 10:24