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

Type 17 · 17-11-2017 9:59pm

Should be fit and forget, or fit and then readjust after the first ride, if play develops as something settles a little more.

Your issue sounds like something is fouling - perhaps check to see that nothing is upside down (common if there's a separate rubber seal), or pressed on slightly crooked.
Also, check if the top cap (under the spacers, usually has the maker's name on it) is touching the top of the frame (fully integrated type) or the top bearing race (semi-integrated) - if so, your LBS should have a few spare shims to separate things as required.

triggermortis · 17-11-2017 10:29pm

Type 17 wrote: »

Should be fit and forget, or fit and then readjust after the first ride, if play develops as something settles a little more.

Your issue sounds like something is fouling - perhaps check to see that nothing is upside down (common if there's a separate rubber seal), or pressed on slightly crooked.
Also, check if the top cap (under the spacers, usually has the maker's name on it) is touching the top of the frame (fully integrated type) or the top bearing race (semi-integrated) - if so, your LBS should have a few spare shims to separate things as required.

Thanks. I'll have another look at it tomorrow if I get time, or maybe mess with it tonight before I ride home (depends how cold it is..) after work.

D13exile · 18-11-2017 8:02pm

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

Are you powerhosing the bike? Or being overly generous with the hose?

No. I never use a power hose on the bike and when I wash it, I mostly use muc-off to get rid of the heavy grime and then a light sprinkle with the hose to wash the detergent off.

crosstownk wrote: »

I had similar with the bike I use for commuting. I took a apart the headset to regrease it and I was shocked to find that the lower bearing had come apart and the ball bearings were brown and rusted looking. I washed the lot in degreaser and gave it a thorough clean, regreased and put it back in as I didn't have time to wait for a new one to be delivered. That was probably 5,000km ago and it's still fine.

I put it down to having no front mudguard and all the water spray from the tyres is getting lashed into the lower bearing.

Similarly, my front hub bearing is starting to make noise - it still spins freely and stops with the valve in the six o'clock position every time. It's probably time to service the hubs after 20,000km!!

Type 17 wrote: »

The only way to prevent the front wheel from flooding the lower headset race is to fit a mudguard. I see it a lot (two today alone). It occurs to me that, for those whose bike is too cool for mudguards , someone could design a clip-on "skirt" that would prevent direct spray from the wheel from hitting the gap between the fork crown and frame.

The shop probably did index the gears, but didn't pre-stretch the inner wires - they might have forgotten or, on bikes with internal cable routing, it's harder to do - the cables finished stretching on your spin...

I use a rear mudguard on the bike but not a front one. Guess I'll have to get one to stop the water ingres into the headset in future.

22-11-2017 12:27am

Just a quick one re: shimano sti shifters, are they the same for standard breaks as for mechanical discs? Or do I need to look for a disc specific one (sora/9speed)

I'm assuming the same.

Zen0 · 22-11-2017 12:43am

Deleted User wrote: »

Just a quick one re: shimano sti shifters, are they the same for standard breaks as for mechanical discs? Or do I need to look for a disc specific one (sora/9speed)

I'm assuming the same.

Yes, the rim brake ones work fine with mechanical discs.

Milk_Tray · 23-11-2017 2:01pm

Can someone explain the advantage of a 3 spoke carbon wheel? Why use this over a normal spoked wheel etc? (Triathlon based question)

Type 17 · 23-11-2017 2:17pm

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 · 23-11-2017 2:37pm

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 · 23-11-2017 3:16pm

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 · 23-11-2017 3:17pm

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 · 23-11-2017 3:33pm

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

Cee-Jay-Cee · 23-11-2017 8:52pm

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 · 24-11-2017 12:09pm

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 · 24-11-2017 4:25pm

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 · 24-11-2017 9:58pm

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 · 29-11-2017 2:57pm

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 · 29-11-2017 4:46pm

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

Milk_Tray · 29-11-2017 8:23pm

Borderfox wrote: »

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

what are the meaning of those terms?

magicbastarder · 29-11-2017 8:41pm

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 · 30-11-2017 8:51am

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 · 30-11-2017 9:07am

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 · 30-11-2017 9:49am

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 · 30-11-2017 11:01am

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 · 30-11-2017 11:25am

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 · 30-11-2017 2:18pm

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 · 04-12-2017 8:44pm

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

crosstownk · 04-12-2017 11:20pm

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 · 04-12-2017 11:28pm

Borderfox wrote: »

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

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

dahat · 05-12-2017 1:00am

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 · 05-12-2017 10:14am

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

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

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