the 'there's no such thing as a stupid question' bike maintenance thread

Type 17

The three big spokes don’t have to meet the hub near the ends of the axle, like a traditional spoked wheel, so the wind resistance is much lower as the spokes “hide” behind the width of the tyre.

Milk_Tray

Type 17 wrote: »

The three big spokes don’t have to meet the hub near the ends of the axle, like a traditional spoked wheel, so the wind resistance is much lower as the spokes “hide” behind the width of the tyre.

Why wouldnt everyone use one? Whats the negatives of something like that I guess..

triggermortis

I put my new(to me) wheels on my commuter bike today. Swapped over the cassette but found I couldn’t get all my gears. Spent an age fiddling trying to index them. Rode around the garden a bit to see if that made any difference - it didn’t. When I applied the back brake - to avoid running over the cat - the brake didn’t release.
The bike has been sitting for a while unused so I figured it just needed a good clean. Took the brake off and cleaned it all up. Refitted it and nothing had changed. Cable runs ok but the brake sticks on. When it’s in my hand it opens and closes fine.
Gave up in frustration and cold and took it to my lbs as I had to go pick kids up from school. I’ll see what the story is later...

triggermortis

Milk_Tray wrote: »

Why wouldnt everyone use one? Whats the negatives of something like that I guess..

Cost? Looks? I just don’t like the look personally

Type 17

Costs and cross-winds (which is why full-disc wheels faded from fashion very quickly).

Cee-Jay-Cee

triggermortis wrote: »

I put my new(to me) wheels on my commuter bike today. Swapped over the cassette but found I couldn’t get all my gears. Spent an age fiddling trying to index them. Rode around the garden a bit to see if that made any difference - it didn’t. When I applied the back brake - to avoid running over the cat - the brake didn’t release.
The bike has been sitting for a while unused so I figured it just needed a good clean. Took the brake off and cleaned it all up. Refitted it and nothing had changed. Cable runs ok but the brake sticks on. When it’s in my hand it opens and closes fine.
Gave up in frustration and cold and took it to my lbs as I had to go pick kids up from school. I’ll see what the story is later...

Replace the cables, inner and outer for both brakes and gears. If the bike has been lying up a while then condensation/moisture will cause corrosion.

triggermortis

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Replace the cables, inner and outer for both brakes and gears. If the bike has been lying up a while then condensation/moisture will cause corrosion.

Cables are all good. The brake had corrosion that I didn’t see as I didn’t fully take it apart. The wheel turns out to have an 11 speed hub on, which I didn’t realise. There was a 9 speed cassette on it, which I replaced with mine - not seeing any spacer there and that was the reason for not being able to get all my gears. Spacer fitted, gears now good

Macy0161

Will a 9 speed cassette fit on 10/11 speed hub (assuming compatible hub)? Will I need spacers or will it be straight on and then locknut?

triggermortis

Macy0161 wrote: »

Will a 9 speed cassette fit on 10/11 speed hub (assuming compatible hub)? Will I need spacers or will it be straight on and then locknut?

Yes. There is a spacer you need to put on before the cassettte. I received one with a new wheel set for my winter bike.
Just got one fitted to my commuter bike. The wheel previously had a 9 speed cassette so I might have a spare spacer I didn’t notice still with the cassette if you need one, or your lbs should have them

Milk_Tray

Looking for Cassette help for a TT bike..

So presuming the rear is a standard 11/25, the front crank would be either 50/34 or 52/36. Whats the difference? Is the 52/36 designed at being able to faster downhill with hard cycling but more tougher going uphills?

Borderfox

50-34 = Compact
52-36 = mid compact
53-39 = Double

Milk_Tray

Borderfox wrote: »

50-34 = Compact
52-36 = mid compact
53-39 = Double

what are the meaning of those terms?

magicbastarder

the bigger the rings, the more 'traditional' the chainwheel is. as you mention, the smaller rings make it easier in the hills, but if it's a TT bike, you're probably not so concerned with hauling yourself up mountains on it?

dermabrasion

I took a spill few days back landing on my right side. The derailleur hanger did not break off, but the drop-outs took the force and bent inwards. I only noticed that the cassette skipped upper cogs. Anyway, the frame is aluminium. The bike show said they were wary of bending the drop-out back (about 4 degrees)as this would effect the integrity of the aluminium. Aluminium does not like to be bent back unlike steel. They bent it back on my instruction.
So, my question: Is the frame likely weakened by bending back the rear right dropout?

Type 17

4 degrees isn't insignificant, but it's not disastrous either - was the bend tight (concentrated on a particular point, usually the narrowest, or was it spread over a bigger/longer area?)

If it’s painted, did the paint crack?

If it’s not, are there any marks in the aluminium? (stretching/cracking/crazing)

If possible, post a pic, so we can see the shape/size of things.

magicbastarder

dermabrasion wrote: »

So, my question: Is the frame likely weakened by bending back the rear right dropout?

i'm no expert, but surely as long as the bend was purely on the derailleur hanger, that's what could potentially be compromised, and sure it was anyway by being out of kilter?

Milk_Tray

magicbastarder wrote: »

the bigger the rings, the more 'traditional' the chainwheel is. as you mention, the smaller rings make it easier in the hills, but if it's a TT bike, you're probably not so concerned with hauling yourself up mountains on it?

so if you want more speed downhill you should go for the likes of 52-36 or 53/39? Iv seen some TT bike with 56/42 so id imagine thats a nightmare with uphills but a dream going down lol

cython

Milk_Tray wrote: »

so if you want more speed downhill you should go for the likes of 52-36 or 53/39? Iv seen some TT bike with 56/42 so id imagine thats a nightmare with uphills but a dream going down lol

Useful website for this here: http://www.machars.net/bikecalc.htm

Adding an extra tooth on the big ring has a surprisingly small benefit when you work out the maths there. All else being equal, 52x11 as opposed to 50x11 yields an extra 1-3 km/h for cadences ranging from 50 rpm up to 120rpm. In reality the difference will be somewhere in the middle. 53 vs 52 will be less pronounced again.

Worth noting in all of those figures though, on a proper steep downhill, you'll get more speed out of an aero position and easily spin out plenty of combinations.

At the opposite end, if you find hills tough, then the difference between 39, 36 and 36 on the small chainring will be more noticeable (simply because the 2-3 teeth is greater percentage change. Ditto for using a larger large sprocket on the cassette.

Realistically if you want as wide a range as possible, and are happy to have slightly gappy then 52/36 at the front and 11-32 cassette probably gives you the most options. However, very few courses you'd do on a TT bike are apt to warrant that low of gearing. Similarly, a TT bike is ill suited to proper fast descending (upright on the brakes, so an air brake, and poor control/no brakes on the extensions when aero), so you should really be gearing such a bike towards speed on the flat, and modest enough inclines, and not extreme uphills/downhills.

Milk_Tray

cython wrote: »

Useful website for this here: http://www.machars.net/bikecalc.htm

Adding an extra tooth on the big ring has a surprisingly small benefit when you work out the maths there. All else being equal, 52x11 as opposed to 50x11 yields an extra 1-3 km/h for cadences ranging from 50 rpm up to 120rpm. In reality the difference will be somewhere in the middle. 53 vs 52 will be less pronounced again.

Worth noting in all of those figures though, on a proper steep downhill, you'll get more speed out of an aero position and easily spin out plenty of combinations.

At the opposite end, if you find hills tough, then the difference between 39, 36 and 36 on the small chainring will be more noticeable (simply because the 2-3 teeth is greater percentage change. Ditto for using a larger large sprocket on the cassette.

Realistically if you want as wide a range as possible, and are happy to have slightly gappy then 52/36 at the front and 11-32 cassette probably gives you the most options. However, very few courses you'd do on a TT bike are apt to warrant that low of gearing. Similarly, a TT bike is ill suited to proper fast descending (upright on the brakes, so an air brake, and poor control/no brakes on the extensions when aero), so you should really be gearing such a bike towards speed on the flat, and modest enough inclines, and not extreme uphills/downhills.

Great, thank you

dahat

What tool I need when swapping a Stages PM between bikes?

crosstownk

dahat wrote: »

What tool I need when swapping a Stages PM between bikes?

It will depend on the make & model of crank you are swapping. With a Shimano Hollowtech (105, Ultegra, DA) you'll need the plastic preload tool and an allen key(s).

Cee-Jay-Cee

Borderfox wrote: »

50-34 = Compact
52-36 = mid compact
53-39 = Double

46/30 - sub compact (found on some gravel bikes)

dahat

crosstownk wrote: »

It will depend on the make & model of crank you are swapping. With a Shimano Hollowtech (105, Ultegra, DA) you'll need the plastic preload tool and an allen key(s).

Thanks! It's the pre load tool I need to get.

crosstownk

dahat wrote: »

Thanks! It's the pre load tool I need to get.

This is the tool. It's so inexpensive that you'll need to order something else to avail of free delivery

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/shimano-crank-install-tool-hollowtech-ii/rp-prod3785

cdaly_

You can also manage without it. Use a large allen key but turn it only finger tight.

terencemc

Hi there, I have a canyon nerve mtb from 2011. I got the suspension serviced in 2014 before moving abroad. I have only used the bike once or twice since. I know the official line is to get the bike serviced every year. What are your thoughts on using it again without a service?
Also someone told me to invert the bike to let the lubricant reapply itself to the pistons - has anyone else heard this?

Cheers
[font=Arial, sans-serif]front suspension: Fox Float Evolution RL O/B[/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]rear suspension: Fox Float Performance RP2 BSD[/font]

68 lost souls

dahat wrote: »

Thanks! It's the pre load tool I need to get.

To maintain accuracy between shifts I'm guessing a torq wrench should also be used?

Fian

Ok so my trusty commuter hybrid - a Trek Valencia, is probably reaching it's sell by date. I know the correct answer is always "get a new bike" but for the purpose of this query lets just put that aside.

The bike is about 6 years old & has done about 20,000km commuting too and from work. Tends to be left outside alot too, and where I park it nowadays it is exposed to rain/weather - until a year ago or so it was under a roof though.

In recent days it has developed a sound a bit like a coke can being slowly crushed, which comes from the axle between the pedals where they connect into the frame. (that is the "bottom bracket" right?). I expect that there is a bearing in there that needs lubrication/replacement? The noise is there whether I am pedalling or freewheeling, but it is particularly loud when i am pulling away from lights/starting up.

I could just drop it in for a service, but honestly I am wondering if it is time to give up the ghost. I figure there are many other bits ready to go soon as well. I think i have replaced the cassette and front rings at some point, so those are not on their last legs. Even so if this were a car when it got to the point that the cost of repairs exceed the value of the car i would just decide to replace it. I don't want to pay a series of €80-€100 repair bills as various pieces of the bike need to be fixed, when the bike itself is presumably worth less than €200 at this stage.

Am I right to expect that there are inevitably further repairs on the horizon - that the bike has essentially worn down at this stage? Is the sensible / cheaper thing to just replace it? I imagine i would need special tools to get at the bearing myself - assuming that a bearing is the cause of the noise.

I am quite fond of it, on the other hand I would probably prefer a bike with some faster gearing - this one never ever comes out of the big ring on front (on my flat commute) and tbh that big ring is a bit too small - it is probably 45 teeth or something, less than 50 anyway, despite being a triple. I am thinking it ditch it and get an aluminium road bike instead to use for commuting. I do have a good road bike at home for the weekends. I also have a second aluminium road bike but the back wheel on that needs replacing and that bike is too big for me as well, though i guess it would suffice for commuting. Maybe I could swap a nine speed cassette onto the back wheel of my trek (which is 8 speed - will it take it?) and stick that onto the road bike for commuting.

Anyway I guess questions are:

1 - is it a bearing that needs replacing?
2 - does that job require specialised tools?
3 - is the bike likely on its last legs anyway? Is replacing cheaper in long run?
4 - Could I put a 9 speed cassette onto the hub of my back wheel from teh trek? (i do have a cassette tool and chain whip.) Oh just remembered it is a disc back wheel so probably not a runner - can i remove the disc? the aluminium road bike is rim brakes.

magicbastarder

Fian wrote: »

In recent days it has developed a sound a bit like a coke can being slowly crushed, which comes from the axle between the pedals where they connect into the frame. (that is the "bottom bracket" right?). I expect that there is a bearing in there that needs lubrication/replacement? The noise is there whether I am pedalling or freewheeling, but it is particularly loud when i am pulling away from lights/starting up.

yes, that part is called the bottom bracket, but if the noise is there when you're not pedalling, it makes it much less likely to be the BB. could be something in the back wheel - i had a couple of instances before where i had noise, more noticeable under pedalling load, which was fixed by dabbing a drop of basic 3-in-1 style oil on each spoke nipple (the little nut which joins the spoke to the rim).
could also be a spoke about to fail?

Fian

magicbastarder wrote: »

yes, that part is called the bottom bracket, but if the noise is there when you're not pedalling, it makes it much less likely to be the BB. could be something in the back wheel - i had a couple of instances before where i had noise, more noticeable under pedalling load, which was fixed by dabbing a drop of basic 3-in-1 style oil on each spoke nipple (the little nut which joins the spoke to the rim).
could also be a spoke about to fail?

Hmm, I can see why that makes sense tbh now i think about it. Maybe I am not accurately locating where the sound is coming from, though it certainly sounds like it is coming from the BB. Will throw it up on bike stand and spin the wheels at the weekend, too dark by the time i get home to do it after work. I will also check the tension in the spokes. While i am at it i will finally get around to dropping the wheel off my old road bike in to get fixed, needs a new hub I think and i will definitely not attempt to build a new wheel. thanks for that.