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

tomasrojo

Roberto_gas wrote: »

Lads how to fix loose spoke ?

Check it's not broken first. It usually snaps near the hub. If it's not broken, you can just tighten it, by turning the rectangular part at the other end of the spoke, feeding into the rim. It's righty-tighty, as you look down from the tyre to the hub. If you don't have a spoke key, you can use a small adjustable wrench, but make sure it's good and tight and turn it slowly. You don't want to destroy the edges of the rectangle.

If it is broken, you need a new spoke and, if it's the rear wheel, you'll have to take off the freehub/freewheel, if you have a derailleur bike. Unless you're very keen to try it yourself, a bike shop might be better in this second scenario.

doozerie

Weepsie wrote: »

I need to invest in new cable cutters as mine just keep leaving a jagged edge on the housing.

All cutters that I have tried, which includes some good ones, will leave that jagged edge, it's just the nature of the construction of that outer (the metal spiral). The solution is to file down the jagged edge.

The flatter you get the end of the housing the better the housing sits in/bears against all housing stops, which makes a difference to the quality of movement of the cable = better modulation of brakes and better gear changes.

What poor quality cutters will do though, is crush the housing while cutting it, and good quality cutters are worth the cost if your existing cutters are doing that.

cletus

A Dremel with a cut off wheel works too. Still needs a run of a file though

Roberto_gas

tomasrojo wrote:

If it is broken, you need a new spoke and, if it's the rear wheel, you'll have to take off the freehub/freewheel, if you have a derailleur bike. Unless you're very keen to try it yourself, a bike shop might be better in this second scenario.

It's just loose and creaks at times

DeepBlue

I'm running 25/12 on my bike and would like to stop my practice of coming to a near standstill when tackling the steeper sections of climbs. Currently running 53/39 (or maybe 52/39) on the big ring.

Would something like 30/11 do the trick or 32/11? Is it simply a case of trial and error?

tomasrojo

Roberto_gas wrote: »

It's just loose and creaks at times

Just give it a little tighten. You can get fairly cheap multi-size spoke keys that do all the common sizes. Use the smallest one that'll fit. Don't tighten too much.

If the wheel has a bit of a wobble in it, then you're into the territory of wheel truing, but if it's pretty straight, you can usually get away with tightening the spoke until it feels as if the bendiness is gone out of it.

magicbastarder

DeepBlue wrote: »

I'm running 25/12 on my bike and would like to stop my practice of coming to a near standstill when tackling the steeper sections of climbs. Currently running 53/39 (or maybe 52/39) on the big ring.

Would something like 30/11 do the trick or 32/11? Is it simply a case of trial and error?

what rear derailleur do you have? there's a strong chance it can't handle a 32 tooth sprocket.

DeepBlue

magicbastarder wrote: »

what rear derailleur do you have? there's a strong chance it can't handle a 32 tooth sprocket.

I'd have to get a new longer rear derailleur if I went to 32.
Edit to add that I'm happy to get a new derailleur as well. My issue is trying to judge what level to go to. Is there any disadvantage in picking 30 vs 32 for example?

C3PO

DeepBlue wrote: »

I'd have to get a new longer rear derailleur if I went to 32.
Edit to add that I'm happy to get a new derailleur as well. My issue is trying to judge what level to go to. Is there any disadvantage in picking 30 vs 32 for example?

I run an 11/30 with 53/39 and a short derailleur - it works fine! Rather than changing the rear derailleur and going 11/32 I would consider a semi-compact crank. I have this set-up on another bike and it certainly makes life easier on the climbs!

magicbastarder

i read somewhere (so this is hearsay, don't blame me if you lunch your derailleur), the limitation on sprocket size up to 30 teeth is more to do with the range of chain length a RD can handle rather than the issue of the guide pulley mashing into the sprocket.
i.e. there's a greater 'swing' demanded on the RD going between big-big and small-small; that if you have the chain the right length to handle big to big with a 30 tooth sprocket, it'll be too long to handle small to small, and the chain will go limp.
the more problematic situation is having the chain the right length for small to small, which will destroy your RD if you go big to big.

someone please correct me if this is wrong!

CramCycle

magicbastarder wrote: »

i read somewhere (so this is hearsay, don't blame me if you lunch your derailleur), the limitation on sprocket size up to 30 teeth is more to do with the range of chain length a RD can handle rather than the issue of the guide pulley mashing into the sprocket.
i.e. there's a greater 'swing' demanded on the RD going between big-big and small-small; that if you have the chain the right length to handle big to big with a 30 tooth sprocket, it'll be too long to handle small to small, and the chain will go limp.
the more problematic situation is having the chain the right length for small to small, which will destroy your RD if you go big to big.

someone please correct me if this is wrong!

Pretty much my understanding, chain will be too long in some scenarios if you only have a short cage and you will get jumping. I could be wrong but newer groupsets from Shimano only have medium and long, and the medium will pretty much cover everything unless you really love cross chaining, the longer one is more forgiving.

Mickiemcfist

My bike came with 32c tyres, would it be possible to switch these for 28s on the original wheels or are tyre sizes specific to wheels?
It's standard tyres with tube on this bike https://www.decathlon.ie/ie_en/triban-100-road-bike-en-s145567.html

CramCycle

Mickiemcfist wrote: »

My bike came with 32c tyres, would it be possible to switch these for 28s on the original wheels or are tyre sizes specific to wheels?
It's standard tyres with tube on this bike https://www.decathlon.ie/ie_en/triban-100-road-bike-en-s145567.html

Should be fine

cdaly_

Mickiemcfist wrote: »

My bike came with 32c tyres, would it be possible to switch these for 28s on the original wheels or are tyre sizes specific to wheels?
It's standard tyres with tube on this bike https://www.decathlon.ie/ie_en/triban-100-road-bike-en-s145567.html

Why would you? Is it too comfortable at the moment?

dahat

Any of the lads racing switched to 28mm full time? Irish roads aren't great and seriously consodering a switch to 28mm clinchers if my frame will take them.

CramCycle

dahat wrote: »

Any of the lads racing switched to 28mm full time? Irish roads aren't great and seriously consodering a switch to 28mm clinchers if my frame will take them.

I used to ride GP4000SII 25c, which actually were almost 28c when inflated. I have the newer ones, the GP5000, great tyre so far but tempted to buy the 28c the next time as the GP5000 seem to be more correctly sized. I 'd have no issue racing on them, they certainly were not hindering me in any way.

dahat

@94kgs on pretty woeful Irish roads the 28mm really appeal, i may try get a cheap ass 28mm from the LBS to check for clearance. The bike is a 2016 Giant TCR Advannced 1, a quick google seems to offer little hope.

Mickiemcfist

cdaly_ wrote: »

Why would you? Is it too comfortable at the moment?

Haha no I've got front mudguards I can't fit on, theres about 1mm in it so rather than some bodge job said this could be a solution.

magicbastarder

am 99% sure the creak i am experiencing on the bike is a creaking seatpost. any tips? carbon seatpost/carbon frame. more, or less paste?

worth noting that i had to go a shade tighter than spec tightening up the seatpost clamp, other users have also complained that the seatpost slowly drops oon them on rough roads if tightened to factory spec.

EAFC_rdfl

Having trouble shifting to the big ring, if I'm down in the middle of the cassette the front deraileur won't shift onto the big ring. I first have to shift the back in towards the wheel, and then the front will change. Any thoughts on how to sort it?

brownian

You are shifting into a lower gear (bigger ring) in order to change to a bigger ring at the front? If it was that you had to change to a smaller ring at the back, I'd guess your chain was too short.

Can you move the FD by hand when the chain is on a small cog at the back? If so, maybe your FD cable needs taking out, clean and grease, re-install?

Cee-Jay-Cee

EAFC_rdfl wrote: »

Having trouble shifting to the big ring, if I'm down in the middle of the cassette the front deraileur won't shift onto the big ring. I first have to shift the back in towards the wheel, and then the front will change. Any thoughts on how to sort it?

It could be that the FD cable isn't tensioned correctly or that the limits are not set up correctly.

magicbastarder

today i did something to my bike by bringing it to the LBS to do it for me. chop an inch off the steerer tube, most of which was 'waste' anyway.

anyway - i asked derek when i was picking it up how to stop my seatpost from creaking, it creaks like bejesus especially when i'm climbing while seated. the bike is silent when i'm out of the saddle, no matter how hard i push, or how much i saw away at the bars.
he looked at me and smiled and said 'it's not your seatpost'.
'really, how can you tell?'
'your saddle is slightly loose'.

doh.

Cee-Jay-Cee

magicbastarder wrote: »

today i did something to my bike by bringing it to the LBS to do it for me. chop an inch off the steerer tube, most of which was 'waste' anyway.

anyway - i asked derek when i was picking it up how to stop my seatpost from creaking, it creaks like bejesus especially when i'm climbing while seated. the bike is silent when i'm out of the saddle, no matter how hard i push, or how much i saw away at the bars.
he looked at me and smiled and said 'it's not your seatpost'.
'really, how can you tell?'
'your saddle is slightly loose'.

doh.

:eek: You really shouldn't be cycling at all, sell your bikes and buy some golf clubs.

tomasrojo

magicbastarder wrote: »

today i did something to my bike by bringing it to the LBS to do it for me. chop an inch off the steerer tube, most of which was 'waste' anyway.

anyway - i asked derek when i was picking it up how to stop my seatpost from creaking, it creaks like bejesus especially when i'm climbing while seated. the bike is silent when i'm out of the saddle, no matter how hard i push, or how much i saw away at the bars.
he looked at me and smiled and said 'it's not your seatpost'.
'really, how can you tell?'
'your saddle is slightly loose'.

doh.

I find on one of my bikes I have to oil the junction of the clamp and the saddle rails a little to stop a creak. No idea why on one bike and none of the others.

magicbastarder

cheers, will file that one away. just to clarify, the saddle wasn't rattly loose, just a half turn of an allen key loose (though i haven't ridden the bike since to confirm).

Deano12345

Got a bargain of a FSA power meter on adverts, BB30 so I figured it would mount on to my current cranks (Sram Force) with no problem, however, when installing the non drive side, it won't line up exactly 180 degrees opposite to the drive side, its probably out by 4 or 5 degrees.

I assume its just a case of having to buy a set of FSA cranks now?

Mapaputsi

How common is it for chainring bolts to creak? I’m pretty sure that mine are. I’ve recently had the bottom bracket replaced and greased up the crank in an attempt to get rid of the creak. Also greased QR skewers or front & rear wheels, removed and replaced pedals with more grease but it is still there.

Also put fresh carbon paste on the seat post to rule that out.

It seems to happen when I am in the smaller ring. I tried to remove the bolts but three of them appear to be seized and I have now stripped the Tork Bolt thread off each of them trying to get them off!

ridelikeaturtle

Mapaputsi wrote: »

How common is it for chainring bolts to creak? I’m pretty sure that mine are. I’ve recently had the bottom bracket replaced and greased up the crank in an attempt to get rid of the creak. Also greased QR skewers or front & rear wheels, removed and replaced pedals with more grease but it is still there.

Also put fresh carbon paste on the seat post to rule that out.

It seems to happen when I am in the smaller ring. I tried to remove the bolts but three of them appear to be seized and I have now stripped the Tork Bolt thread off each of them trying to get them off!

Not super-common but it can happen? Happened to me once; I now put white lithium on them, which also helps to keep them from seizing up.

If they're aluminum they drill out easily; if lucky, you can bash a larger Torx bit into it and avoid drilling.

magicbastarder

not so much a bike maintenance question, and something that has not happened me yet; i've a cheapo garmin, the edge 25 - the one that looks like the cheapo casio digital 'al qaeda' watch - if that ever runs out of battery while recording, does it have the sense to save the ride before shutting off, or do you lose it?