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

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121956399#Comment_121956399

Yep, that's the one, found it too, but it turns out you need a proprietary tool to remove the bearing, because reasons.

Think I'll just buy a new bb...

nilhg

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121956513#Comment_121956513

You don't have to be too gentle taking our the dying bearing, you need to be more careful with the installation of the new one. I just happen to have some tools that might be of help, feel free to message me if you decide to go that way.

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121956605#Comment_121956605

I made a bearing press, and I can turn any size drift I need in work.

The issue with the removal seems to be only a small lip of the inner race is showing. So the drift to remove it combines a wedge to keep pressure on the race to push the bearing out.

Anyway, thanks for all the responses, Nilhg, and I think I've dragged the thread off topic enough.

I'll update with whichever route I take.

mewso

I've been looking for a rear pannier rack for my ADV 8.9 but what confuses me is how to know what size rack I need. The wheels are 700x38 but looking at racks on bike24 as an example I can only see sizes going as high as 29". Am I reading this all wrong? Seems to be very little info. out there on how to chose the right size rack. Any help appreciated.

Unrealistic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121970785#Comment_121970785

700mm wheel is approximately 27.5" in diameter.

Mundo7976

You'll only need from roughly the dropout up, so about half the wheel size.

mewso

Ok that makes sense thanks folks. Amazing that isn't spelled out anywhere you look. One of those things where it's assumed if you have ever sat on a bike you'll just know by osmosis.

Trekker09

So, I've ordered a torque wrench!

traco

I've a Felt QX65 that I want to make more comfortable for touring. Planning on changing the saddle to a Brooks C17 as the current Felt one has some padding so get a bit of numbness after a while. I also want to change the stem to pull handlebars back and get a bit more upright. Current one says 110mm 7 degrees. Handlebar diameter is 25mm

Is there any way to be sure of the head steer size or will I have to just take off the current one and measure? This one has H1009B E:110 7 degrees on it and its OD on where it clamps to the steering tube is 35.5mm.

I was hoping to pick up something like 60mm 25 degrees from amazon as a cheap test to see if it worked and if it did get a better quality one.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122057006#Comment_122057006

Saddle will only be more comfy if it fits your sit bones right. Do you wear padded bibs already, definetly do if you don't? Measure your sit bones might give you an indication if the Brooks is for you but there are different widths.

Shortening the stem will make steering more twitchy, not ideal for long days in the saddle IMO. Certainly wouldn't go for that steep an angle or short a stem. Can you add any spacers underneath the stem, and maybe only bring it back to 90cm.

How high is your saddle now, the wrong height can also lead to numbness.

The last option to consider is if the bike is the right size or suitable to the job, the cost a new Brooks is almost the same price as you would buy a Felt QX65 second hand, might be worth sticking up frame size/leg length and overall heidth to see does it fall in range

CramCycle

Last point is that it is a commuter/hybrid based on a quick google, it is not designed for long touring, but that doesn't mean it can't achieve it.

jethrothe2nd

Is there actually any reason to cutting the steerer tube to size other than aesthetics? I've recently lowered my stem and have the spacers sitting on top. Having done a few spins since, I want to leave it that way, but I hate the look with the spacers on top. I'm not confident enough to do it myself and I'm trying to decide if it is worth getting the lbs to do it, or just suck it up and leave it as is.

traco

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122057196#Comment_122057196

Thanks @CramCycle I know its not an ideal tourer but I don't know if touring is for me. I'd just like to get this set up and try a weekend of two or three 60-100km days as a trial. I am hoping that some minor twaeking here and there will get it good enough without going crazy as it rides well and with the new cables its feels nice and slick just not comfy longterm.

My Brompton has a Fizik Aliante R7 saddle and very little padding on it and I find that comfy with no padded shorts. It might be worth swapping them over and testing or adjusting the tilt on the felt one and see. They are both about 140mm wide but Felt one is softer.

I just did a quick check there and the handlebars seem about 50mm lower than the saddle. Its a Felt QX65 58cm frame, I'm 6'4" and 34" leg. I also pulled teh cap and steering tube is 28mm and current stem is already a bit over the top so no room for any additional spacers. I did find that on a longish spin over teh weekend that I was getting some wrist fatigue, like I was bearing too much weight on them hence the idea of swapping the stem.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122057406#Comment_122057406

Starting out, are you sure your saddle is not too high? Your bum is for sitting on, not your arms, they are for a steering and you should not be putting much weight at all on them. Could you consider a handlebar extender, I don't like them but it would be a cheap way to raise your bars, you cold then lower your seat a bit, or move it forward it there is space too. Maybe call into an LBS to see do they have any. A good rule of thumb is your legs should never be fully outstretched in a pedal stroke, should be an angle of roughly 30 degrees in your knee at the bottom of the stroke

Do you have drop bars? Important to move hands around to stop numbness developing. You can also get clip on grips as well if you want to keep it cheap.

In regards your Brompton, are you on it long enough to develop numbness? I like Fizik Aliante saddle but I know others it destroys so it is a very personal thing, certainly can't do any harm in trying it out.

traco

Definitely have a bend in my knees at the bottom of the down stroke. I wonder if the Felt saddle is tilted up a bit so moght try and adjust that.

Brompton seat time varies and haven't paid much attention but its way more comfy than the Felt. Here is another odd one for you. Took a bit of a scenic route home yesterday on the Brompton and two hours later took teh Felt to play a game of tennis. Its not far, maybe 1/1.5kms and up a small incline. Within about 500m I could feel both claves starting to slightly cramp on the Felt so there is definitley some major difference between both setups. It has happened before but usually I feel teh calf on the court but this time it was on the bike. Weird or maybe just old age degradation???

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122057222#Comment_122057222

i got my lbs to do it. not a job i was willing to take on myself in case things went wrong.

magicbastarder

so i picked up a new cassette and chain for the old Ti MTB i bought on here late last year; it's late 90s Deore XT so i got seven speed. except the cassette that came off is 8 speed, so the 7 speed cassette is too short, it slides side to side on the freehub even with the lockring tightened on. what are my options? bite the bullet and get an 8 speed cassette, or are 7 speed hubs readily available? are there any other compatibility issues?

magicbastarder

aha, from sheldon brown. so i need to use/source a spacer. worth noting that the rear hub on the bike is obviously not the original, so was obviously replaced with an 8 speed one.

Add a 4.5 mm spacer before installing a 7-speed cassette on an 8-, 9-, or 10-speed hub

nicksnikita

@jethrothe2nd

yes there’s a good reason for it, especially if your fork has a carbon steerer.

your stem should always be clamped to the section of the steerer that is supported, from the inside, by the bung inside the steerer tube.
Having excessive spacers above the stem means it’s possible that this is not the case, thus causing a crushing effect on the steerer tube.

To counteract it, a long bung can be inserted into the steerer. Otherwise it should be cut to the correct length…

Mundo7976

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122058310#Comment_122058310

Try a plastic spacer from a cassette if you have one spare, they sometimes work, if you need more, you could file a second one down to add to it.

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122058310#Comment_122058310

If you can't get a suitable spacer, sende a message, I'll turn one down for you on the lathe

traco

If you have access to a 3D printer you could make one the reactant size with a good internal structure

magicbastarder

Cheers all - dumb question, but I assume the spacer, if I source one, is best placed on the outside of the cassette rather than the inside?

edit: i note sheldon brown's wording is to add the spacer first.

traco

Would this work?

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing%3A2064758

magicbastarder

cheers - the sheldon brown link mentions a 4.5mm spacer - i managed to find two spacers from an old 105 cassette in the box, which combine to 4.35mm so here's hoping…

traco

If it doesn't work PM me the exact dimensions I can draw one up, print it out and post it to you. No clue how durable it would be but would get you going. I'd need the inside diameter, outside diameter and then the thickness you want.

magicbastarder

thanks for that, and to cletus too!

another maintenance issue i had which i managed to figure out myself; the front brake on my folding bike (a v-brake) basically stopped working. no matter how hard i pulled the brake lever, it'd barely engage. but when i got it up on the stand, and pinched the brake closed with my fingers, all was fine. it took me a couple of minutes to figure out what had happened:

the ferrule/stop at the end of the tube had actually slid back up the tube, probably by 2cm, so the end of the tube was hitting the brake arm itself, and preventing further takeup of tension in the cable. the reason it took a few minutes to figure this out was that the protruding tube was hidden by the rubber gaiter, so i didn't actually cop at first that this had happened. that was a couple of minutes of head scratching.

CramCycle

Anyone on the new Di2. Got mine on Saturday but there is no QR code on the shifters for pairing with the app. I presume i have to plug them into the battery with the rear derailleur to pair them (R8150 12 speed). Here is my query, which I will find out soon anyway, do I have to leave them plugged in via a junction box, permanently like the old Di2 or once they are paired, I can unplug them and use them as they are advertised, almost wireless.

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122061337#Comment_122061337

Did this exact same repair on one of the kids bikes over the weekend that had just bought second hand. Front brake, material of the ferrule looked suspect, a bit "soft". (Needed to replace the whole 'noodle'-hope I am spellingthat correctly)

vintcerf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122075744#Comment_122075744

I managed to build a bike (first time doing it) in december using this guide. my shifters are running "wireless". i think for future updates I'll have to remove the seatpost and connect the shifters one at a time with a EW-SD300.

https://bettershifting.com/12-speed-di2-new-user-guide/