Time for a new chain...

cdaly_

Yeah right...

So I got my new X-tools chain wear indicator last week along with a new 8sp chain. Trotted down to the bike to check the chain. First I tried the 0.75% (need to replace soon) side. It fitted nicely. Then I tried the 1% (need to replace immediately) side. It fitted too. Then I tried moving it sideways <rattle> <rattle> <rattle>... Ah bugger.

Fitted the new chain, adjusted everything up and hopped on for a spin. <clonk> <clonk> <clonk>... Slipping like mad on every sprocket. Double bugger!

Back to CRC to order a nice shiny new 9sp chain and a 11-28 HG61 cassette. These arrived two days later. Arrrgh! I mistakenly (I presume) ordered the 11-34 cassette (which my derailleur won't fit). Triple bugger!

Sent that back and ordered the 11-28 yesterday. Still waiting for that.

In the meantime, I went to check rim wear on the wheels. Quadruple bugger! Ordered a set of Mavik Aksiums (thanks for the pointer blorg) yesterday which arrived lunchtime today.

Now I just have to wait for the correct cassette to arrive and a spare hour to change over tyres, tubes, spoke reflectors, light and computer magnets and fit new brake blocks (might as well start with new for the new rims) and re-wire the derailleur. My EUR14 replacement chain has somehow magically transformed into EUR190...

IM0

when is that movie on?

Morgan

Your chainrings are probably worn out too...

Raam

Morgan wrote: »

Your chainrings are probably worn out too...

And your bike, best get a new one... just in case.

cdaly_

So. Monday arrives and a shiny new cassette awaits me on my desk. Wait impatiently for lunchtime then gallop eagerly down to the carpark to start fitting stuff.

Lightly grease freehub and lockring and on with the cassette. No torque wrench with me so I'll tighten that just so when I get home.

Front wheel off, swap over tyre, tube (had to use levers to get the tyre on), magnets. Spoke reflector won't mount on the new spokes. Back on the bike to discover no brakes. Ok, just the new rim is slightly narrower than the old. Quick adjustment and all is well.

Back wheel. Chain - check. Chain tool - <rummage> <rustle> <search> - crap. Where did I put it. Pretty sure I had it in the bag... Nope not there. Panier?... No. Searches desk... Not there either. Quintuple bugger at this stage. Can't really afford to fit the new wheel with the old chain until I get home. No point in starting the cassette wear that soon...

Still, front wheel is done. Will search diligently at home tonight for that elusive chain tool.

blorg

You don't really need a torque wrench for cassettes, presuming you have a normal enough length wrench on your lockring tool you want to basically lever the lockring as tight as is humanly possible. (Note also that a torque wrench that will do 40Nm will not be suitable for basically anything else on the bike other than bottom brackets.)

Are you changing from 8 speed to 9 speed? You need to change your shifter if so.

tomasrojo

This reminds me that I want to service the rear hub of my bike soon. I've never had a freehub before, so I understand that I need a lockring tool, plus a chain whip or Pedros Tool.

It's a Shimano eight-sprocket cluster. Anyone happen to have a good link to get tools for that?

Borneo Fnctn

tomasrojo wrote: »

This reminds me that I want to service the rear hub of my bike soon. I've never had a freehub before, so I understand that I need a lockring tool, plus a chain whip or Pedros Tool.

It's a Shimano eight-sprocket cluster. Anyone happen to have a good link to get tools for that?

I managed to improvise a chainwhip using one of these and a length of chain.

It's fine for a once off or for occasional use. It worked for me anyway.

blorg

I would consider getting a tool kit, it is substantially cheaper than buying tools individually. I got mine when I figured out that if I bought three of the tools individually I would end up paying more.

cdaly_

blorg wrote: »

You don't really need a torque wrench for cassettes, presuming you have a normal enough length wrench on your lockring tool you want to basically lever the lockring as tight as is humanly possible. (Note also that a torque wrench that will do 40Nm will not be suitable for basically anything else on the bike other than bottom brackets.)

Clamped the lockring tool in a vice and turned the rim to tighten. I have the torque wrench for the cars anyway so no worries there. For any of the lighter torques I just use my on-board torque wrench.

Are you changing from 8 speed to 9 speed? You need to change your shifter if so.

I already changed to 9sp tiagra shifters when I did the drops conversion so it's just a matter of re-routing the gear cable to get back to 9sp indexing (current routing gives me 8sp indexing from a 9sp shifter.

blorg

cdaly_ wrote: »

Clamped the lockring tool in a vice and turned the rim to tighten. I have the torque wrench for the cars anyway so no worries there. For any of the lighter torques I just use my on-board torque wrench.

It's for the lighter torques that you really need the torque wrench! Arguably more critical on carbon parts but I have stripped stem threads once before. You can get a Ritchey 4mm hex pre-set to 5Nm for under a tenner that is suitable for most bars, stems and seatposts (not just Ritchey ones.)

Fair enough with the shifter, makes sense to go to nine speed if replacing all that anyway.

tomasrojo

blorg wrote: »

I would consider getting a tool kit, it is substantially cheaper than buying tools individually. I got mine when I figured out that if I bought three of the tools individually I would end up paying more.

I have a load of tools already, so I probably won't go getting that toolkit. Mind you, I'll have a good look at it first.

Do Shimano clusters/freehubs all use the same lockring tool, by the way?

tomasrojo

Just noticed the price of that toolkit. That's very surprisingly cheap!

cdaly_

FFS! Bloody chain tool isn't at home either!

Last I saw it was when I had to put the old chain back on on the way out to Howth Summit for the start of Mockler's Day. Did that in the front garden and said "I'll put the chain tool in the bag so I have it for the new chain". Not there now... I have a suspicion it's resting quietly in a gutter somewhere on the way up Howth...

It'll come some day...

Beasty

So it's all Mockler's fault? I think his ban should be extended for this:)

blorg

tomasrojo wrote: »

Just noticed the price of that toolkit. That's very surprisingly cheap!

Yes, and they all fit together neatly in a box. The one I got was actually this one which includes cable cutters, I notice the PBK one doesn't have that and they can be reasonably expensive. I paid a bit less for it, it was on sale. Around £30 I think.

ten speed racer

blorg wrote: »

I would consider getting a tool kit, it is substantially cheaper than buying tools individually. I got mine when I figured out that if I bought three of the tools individually I would end up paying more.

Wow, that's great value. I'm now regretting my very recent purchase of a bottom bracket tool, my fairly recent purchase of new cable cutters, and not too long ago purchase of a chain whip and cassette tool.

blorg

10% off this Park one in the January sale

cdaly_

So, having searched diligently for the chain tool, I gave up and orered a new one from CRC on Tuesday. This had still not arrived this morning so I gave up in disgust and headed down the road to Rothar where the nice folks gave me the use of a stand and tools and I've just arrived home on my new wheels driven via a new 9-sp 11-28 cassette by the new chain that started all this... Whooosh!!!

tomasrojo

blorg wrote: »

10% off this Park one in the January sale

If only I had five grand to spare!

tomasrojo

blorg wrote: »

Yes, and they all fit together neatly in a box. The one I got was actually this one which includes cable cutters, I notice the PBK one doesn't have that and they can be reasonably expensive. I paid a bit less for it, it was on sale. Around £30 I think.

As it happens I have cable cutters, so I think I will get that toolkit next week. It's nice to have back-up tools and there are a few tools in there I don't have, and, as you say, it'll cost as much to get the few I don't have as to buy the whole toolkit.

Thanks!

tomasrojo

I got the budget toolkit and it's very nice, thanks blorg.

Just one thing puzzles me.

This picture is a correct summing up of what's in the toolkit, but the product description mentions a chainring nut wrench.

Does anything here resemble a chainring nut wrench? I've identified every other tool mentioned in the product description.

DirkVoodoo

This is the chainring nut wrench I have:



Any tool with that shaped head is what you are looking for, it looks like the one on the right in the middle of the picture.

Explosive_Cornflake

It's just the standard allen key as far as I remember, and you use a flat head screw drive on the other side.

Edit: I see the tool dirk mentions, yeah, that'd be it. I was thinking of something else.

Edit2: I have this tool kit and it the first red one, from the bottom on the left.

tomasrojo

I was expecting to see something like one of those two tools, but there's nothing really like that in there.

Ah well, it's not important really. I can work around it.

DirkVoodoo

It's a tool I have probably only used once or twice, if you need one:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=14305

Or try an LBS.

tomasrojo

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

It's a tool I have probably only used once or twice, if you need one:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=14305

Or try an LBS.

Very kind!!

But I'm ok for now; an allen key on its own seems sufficient at the moment. I was really just a bit puzzled.

This is the first bike I've had that would require such a tool, as my previous bikes have all been so cheap that the chainrings and crank were one inseparable piece.

Planet X

For what's it's worth. (Can't beat a bit of Retro)

I laid my Winter trainer (Giant SCR3 apparently) into Hollingsworth, Kilmacud, needed a new chain, cassette, brake blocks, Bottom Bracket, rear wheel / bearings. Took the Look pedals off. I had an issue with the drivetrain side pedal. Couldn't get it off.
E150.
Happy enough.

cdaly_

cdaly_ wrote: »

So, having searched diligently for the chain tool, I gave up and orered a new one from CRC on Tuesday.

So, as I was locking up the shed the other day, I turned my head and spotted the old chain tool sitting quietly on the wall beside me...

tomasrojo

cdaly_ wrote: »

So, as I was locking up the shed the other day, I turned my head and spotted the old chain tool sitting quietly on the wall beside me...

Isn't it always the way!