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

cletus

If it were me, I'd be looking to see if there are position/timing sensors located on or near that lead screw. I'd want to clean them down, as well as the stepper motor itself. Can of contact cleaner (sometimes called switch cleaner) is your friend here.

Bluejohn1

So if I just use Elites free ride mode in their app, I pedal fine and adjust the resistance for each step. As soon as I close the app the problem returns and the resistance ramps up top max until I stop pedaling.

I've tried having the app open and connected by bluetooth and then connectings by ant to Rouvy. While it will connect in Rouvy, no power is recorded. I'll just tide myself over in the Elite app until I get a replacement.

Can get the Avanti for €470 or the Justo 2 for 800 from Mantel or not go with Elite again….

So had another go at trying to see what the issue is. Uninstalled/resintalled both apps, added the trainer again and calibrated. Now its works fine 🤔

JMcL

I've something similar in the older Elite Direto. Using it in ERG mode over BT and starting off in Trainerroad is often like trying to go from a standing start in the big ring well up the cassette on a 10% slope (minus of course the accompanying sideways fall of shame). It ramps down over about 10 revolutions of the cranks to something more reasonable. It's in the annoying but not show-stopper category for me

Thargor

The disk brakes on my mothers ebike are gone incredibly spongy, is there any quick fix I can do to tighten them up? Dont know anything about them and Youtube tutorials all seem to be for different looking ones to these:

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123796654#Comment_123796654

First thing I'd try is the barrel adjuster, take some slack out of the cable

Fighting Tao

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123796654#Comment_123796654

As Cletus said, try the barrel adjuster first. If that doesn’t work then you can move the inside brake or closer to the disc. To do this you’ll need a 5mm (I think) Allen key. Go to the drive side, and look through the spokes at the calliper. You should see the hole for the allen key. Give it a little turn clockwise.

Thargor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123796743#Comment_123796743

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123797276#Comment_123797276

Yes that was common advice when I was researching but I dont see anywhere to put an allen key and the barrel adjusters just spin and do nothing. Ill take more detailed pics in the morning, thanks though.

I knew I was going to get landed with a load of crap when the rest of my siblings bought this thing for her without asking me first, straight from the factory the tyres punctured every time she rode it, the spoke dimples were literally sharp enough to pop the tube, they ignored the 50+ Amazon reviews stating this and just left me to deal with it (4 sets of rim tape that took me 2 hours per wheel to get on and had to lift it with the loader on my fathers tractor to work on it). Ive had to fix the brake sensors on the handlebars aswell since they fell apart after a few rides.

cletus

@Thargor

If the barrel adjuster is just spinning;

loosen off the retaining bolt for the cable,

unscrew the barrel adjuster fully,

Check that the outer sleeve turns independently of the inner barrel,

Lubricate if necessary

Replace it back on the caliper, and wind it out maybe half a turn

Re-tension the cable

Check if to can adjust with the barrel

Regarding the caliper, take a few more photos from different angles, there should be some way to move the piston in.

Other things to check;

Does the cable actually activate the brake? Can you see it moving towards the disc? If there's as many issues as you say, perhaps the mechanism is no longer functioning.

Is there still some meat left on the pads themselves?

slideshow bob

I have a barrel adjuster that I have to lift before i turn it. It's a bit awkward but it functions. Yours might need the same technique.

ofthelord

Hi - has anyone here installed a Brand X Ascend dropper post recently that might be able to help me? I got one deliveryed yesterday but it came with no installation instructions in the box and all of the videos I can find on youtube seem to be for a different connection point where the cable connects to the seatpost. And i cannot find any instruction document online that matches the one i have received.

See below couple of pics, I'm just not sure how I am meant to connect the cable to the metal hook and then the hook to the metal pulley on the post… Any guidance much appreciated. Thanks

this.lad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123796600#Comment_123796600

I had a similar issue with my elite suito. Emailed elite, they sent me a new control board, popped it in, job done.

Their support was excellent.

CantGetNoSleep

I'm getting rid of a wheelset with DT Swiss 370 road hubs (the older 3-pawl ones). The buyer wants to run them on SRAM XDR. I have a new SRAM XDR freehub body that I've swapped over, but I noticed that both end caps (drive and non-drive side) say 11-speed road. Do I need to swap these too for SRAM XDR? Assuming both bikes are running standard 12mm thru axles. I don't have a SRAM bike to test them out unfortunately.

sbs2010

Hi,

How much kit do I need to be able to refill a hydraulic brake line?

And if you have any links to what i need, that would be brilliant,

Thanks.

JMcL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123882647#Comment_123882647

You can buy kits on Amazon that have all you'll need like this one and with a few YouTube videos, it's quite straightforward

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00NZCEOCA

NB: Don't buy this exact one without doing some more research first! You haven't told us what type of brakes (Shimanu, SRAM, TRP, etc.) and while the kit required for each will by and large be similar, getting the type of fluid wrong will at best be an expensive mistake, at worst a painful one. The brand (Epic : https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?srs=9985642031&rh=p_89%3Aepic) ) will most likely have the right kit. Post what brake system you've got and somebody should be able to confirm which kit you need.

CramCycle

So Google tells me I should be able to use a 12 speed chain with 11 speed chainrings. It works with non Shimano 48t but on the proper GRX chainrings it's like the narrow wide stops it fitting but I can't find reference to it. Is this correct and I just need to buy a 12 speed GRX chainring if I want the official one?

JMcL

So I got a puncture the sealant wouldn't seal - it was a slow leak up to 60psi but gushed air above that. Got out the tire worm kit for the first time and it was decidedly meh. It looked like it was holding air, but I came back a couple of hours later (plugged bit having been at the bottom to allow sealant for it's job) and the tire was flat.

The sealant levels should be ok I think, I topped it up a few weeks ago, though I guess it may have been leaking. Any recommendations for next steps? Redo the worm? Patch the inside of the tire (if so with what - I've read not to use regular patches)? Worst comes to worst it's tube time, but that would leave me running tubes in both GP5000s with not much more than 1000km in them 😭

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123938566#Comment_123938566

https://www.tradeinn.com/bikeinn/en/lezyne-tubeless-repair-kit/139682116/p?utm_source=google_products&utm_medium=merchant&id_producte=19085737&country=ie&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19973735983&gbraid=0AAAAADvzHL_hVIm_ny9BtNi64hzv5fm_f&gclid=CjwKCAjwjffHBhBuEiwAKMb8pEUlLnS5AqZrgePsQ5RT-NttrnVtkVO_au0WIqs2XsmY4BYd6lt4FxoCy6wQAvD_BwE

Something like the above might work. Also, what sealant are you using? There's specific sealant for higher pressure types.

MojoMaker

I've been there before with mountain bike tyre sealant, and learned the hard way.

JMcL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123938629#Comment_123938629

I was looking at those mushroom type plugs on Temu alright, and they're probably what's needed - especially since what had been a smallish hole is now a not-so-smallish hole having gone at it with the MucOff tire plug insertion thingy. Sealant is Stans - the standard one, not the race one. Does sealant have a shelf life? I've had this particular bottle for over 3 years at this stage, which in and of itself I guess is confirmation that the tubeless setup has by and large been doing its job.

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123943413#Comment_123943413

I think it has less to do with going off, and more to to with there being a particular sealant to use at higher pressures. I'd warrant a guess at that being the issue for the non sealing

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123943413#Comment_123943413

https://www.360cycles.ie/dt-swiss-high-pressure-road-tyre-sealant-60-ml.html?source=googlebase&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22305898750&gbraid=0AAAAABVP38A4NOQlrEoBLSFvbe7YMHIHF&gclid=CjwKCAjw04HIBhB8EiwA8jGNbSadz-UxgZYouuHstKyZG7VusyjvGn0OvgUfHZgk2AwKq5_M67T84BoCLNYQAvD_BwE

Something like this, I think, is what you're looking for

JMcL

Yeah that looks like it would have done the job originally. I'm pretty sure I've read that the Stans Race Day is quite viscous and a bit of a 'mare if it starts spraying everywhere which probably is in line with this. To be fair the normal Stans has plugged a few nicks over the past few years fairly effectively - I guess this one was just that bit too big

webpal

Looking to get new pads for disc brakes, front has tektro f140 and back has tektro f160, what should I ask for in shop? Thanks

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123945812#Comment_123945812

F140 will be the adapter not the brake. Easiest would be to take out the pads in it and see what is written on the back

Fighting Tao

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123943413#Comment_123943413

Challenge and CyclOn brands of sealant are also suitable for high pressure. Possibly a bit more cost effective too.