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

magicbastarder

is there a simple list of chemicals which you should not get near disc brake pads? i.e. would even something like a detergent cause issues with contamination; i was wondering as i was cleaning the bike earlier if i can be overcautious in cleaning the bike near the brakes.

any tips on looking after a steel frame? my latest purchase has mountings for racks and also a couple of unthreaded holes - should i tape those up to keep water out, or leave them uncovered to let the water out should it get in?

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Icyseanfitz

Hey guys, trying to fix up a gt sanction 2014 for a friend. I replaced the bushings in the i-drive pivot near the bb as there was play in it, cant find play in any of the other bearings or bushing in the frame.

When the rear brake is locked or used heavily there is a massive vibration up through the frame, regardless of positioning on the bike. it starts at the rear but is so strong it can be felt up through the bars.

The bearings in the rear wheel have no play and ive tightened the axle way up. I tried a different wheel with a different rotor (that i know to be good) and it slightly reduced the vibration, im putting that down to bigger volume tyre though.

I also tried a different brake and that made zero difference, ive clamped the caliper bolts way past recommended torque no difference. I also over tightened the headset (bearings need replacing but theres no play in it) to see if that could be it but no.

I fix up mtb's for a living part time so im not completely clueless (i think Big Grin ) but this is completely throwing me, ive checked everything to the best of my abilities and ive found no solution. Anyone here have any ideas? I would appreciate anything at this stage.

g0g

Too lazy to read entire thread and when I google I get loads of different answers.

Shimano 105 10 speed front brake bad is rubbing tyre on one side. Fixed it before but can't remember how.
1) Checked wheel looks to be sitting correctly in the fork and spinning straight
2) Tried just "rotating" it slightly around the thingy that mounts it to the fork but no luck
3) Pad looks to be as low as it'll go in the brake unit already

So I'm guessing it's that screw thing at the top of the brake or maybe the twisty yoke at the end of the brake cable?

Type 17

The centering screw on top of rhe brake arm is for final tuning, but is often used (in error) for more gross adjustments, which leads to the brake arm on one side becoming too high.

Re-adjust the centering screw until the surcaces ofthe two brake arms around it are roughly level with each other or the screw is roughly level with the brake arm surface (it varies by brake model/generation).

Pull the whole brake assembly around its frame-mount bolt so that the pads are roughly centred over the rim.

Align the pads’ height, placing them as low as possible, to allow for the fact that, on dual-pivot calipers, the pads’ surface tends to creep up towards the tyre as it wears.

g0g

Type 17 wrote: »

The centering screw on top of rhe brake arm is for final tuning, but is often used (in error) for more gross adjustments, which leads to the brake arm on one side becoming too high.

Re-adjust the centering screw until the surcaces ofthe two brake arms around it are roughly level with each other or the screw is roughly level with the brake arm surface (it varies by brake model/generation).

Pull the whole brake assembly around its frame-mount bolt so that the pads are roughly centred over the rim.

Align the pads’ height, placing them as low as possible, to allow for the fact that, on dual-pivot calipers, the pads’ surface tends to creep up towards the tyre as it wears.

Nice one thanks. Will check centering screw, although it was serviced recently so hopefully that's not the case! Assuming it's not this, your second two points are what I said I did - I rotated it to test if that made a difference plus checked pads was as low as possible. Is that all options then?
(I'm probably missing something obvious here:o)

Type 17

Apart from the adjustments above, the only other likely issues are wrong wheel size (700c wheel in a frame meant for 27” wheels) or the wrong caliper (did the bike come from the factory with those calipers?), or a bent front fork (would need to be very bent before this issue arose).

g0g

Type 17 wrote: »

Apart from the adjustments above, the only other likely issues are wrong wheel size (700c wheel in a frame meant for 27” wheels) or the wrong caliper (did the bike come from the factory with those calipers?), or a bent front fork (would need to be very bent before this issue arose).

Cool thanks. No nothing has changed at all, same wheels since I got the bike (Canyon Roadlite). I fell off it yesterday but I think it was rubbing before that too so don't think that changed anything.

07Lapierre

Deano12345 wrote: »

Edit : hit post by mistake

I’ve recently gotten a new bike and it’s fantastic, not really looking to upgrade with anything particular but I have a query about the brakes. It runs disks and my options for wheels are pretty limited it seems, I’d love to go carbon but I can already feel my wallet crying.

There seems to be quite a good selection of second hand carbon wheels for rim brakes, so is it possible to change the hubs to run disks, or am I starting off down a long expensive path doing that ?

A long expensive path I'd say.

Macy0161

7 Speed cassette on an 11 Speed Hub - am I right in thinking 4.5mm spacer on top of the 8/9 speed spacer? And then adjust the limit screws? I'm thinking of having the old beater as a permanent turbo bike. It's a smart direct drive turbo, so came with the 8/9/10 speed spacer. Any reason it wouldn't work?

In erg mode, and going on sheldon, I could probably mix and match cassette and chain with the 7 speed chainset and derailuers as I wouldn't have to change gears, but I haven't ruled out a go at zwift, which I think would require having gearing...

Paul_Mc1988

Macy0161 wrote:

7 Speed cassette on an 11 Speed Hub - am I right in thinking 4.5mm spacer on top of the 8/9 speed spacer? And then adjust the limit screws? I'm thinking of having the old beater as a permanent turbo bike. It's a smart direct drive turbo, so came with the 8/9/10 speed spacer. Any reason it wouldn't work?

Macy0161 wrote:

In erg mode, and going on sheldon, I could probably mix and match cassette and chain with the 7 speed chainset and derailuers as I wouldn't have to change gears, but I haven't ruled out a go at zwift, which I think would require having gearing...

If all your using is erg mode it should be fine. If free riding in zwift im not sure how accurate the shifting would be. Might as well give it a try.

Macy0161

Paul_Mc1988 wrote:

If all your using is erg mode it should be fine. If free riding in zwift im not sure how accurate the shifting would be. Might as well give it a try.

Ordered the cassette and spacers, so we'll see. Loving erg mode so far - only have to change gear for spin downs as I'm spinning out!

Paul_Mc1988

Macy0161 wrote:

Ordered the cassette and spacers, so we'll see. Loving erg mode so far - only have to change gear for spin downs as I'm spinning out!

I love doing sweetspot training on zwift in erg mode. Boosted my fitness higher than its ever been.

magicbastarder

i've just picked up a pair of zondas and a new groupset. i suspect i'll soon be putting the mb in "mb's 'no such thing as a stupid question' bike maintenance thread".

magicbastarder

so - carbon newbie here. what torque setting is typical for the bolt attaching the brake calipers to the frame?

Flaccus

To degrease chain or not !! Recently got one of those KMC DLC chains cause I like the colour

Now it's time to clean it and KMC say not to use degreaser especially with a chain cleaning machine. Apparently the factory grease is injected into the bearings before the chain is assembled and this stuff can be washed away with degreaser and can never really be replaced. I think they only recently changed the wording to 'aggressive' degreasers. Does mucoff bio chain cleaner count as aggressive or should I stick to fairy liquid ?

http://www.kmcchain.eu/MAINTENANCE

Type 17

magicbastarder wrote: »

so - carbon newbie here. what torque setting is typical for the bolt attaching the brake calipers to the frame?

Parts of the frame like brake calliper mounting areas will have a metal insert inside the carbon, so the torque requirements should be similar to an aluminium frame.
The parts of a carbon frame which are torque-sensitive are those where it's not possible to have any metal inserts, and you really are clamping on carbon - typically the back of the stem (if the fork steerer is carbon), the front of the stem (if the bars are carbon) and the seat clamp.

magicbastarder

cheers - i'd figured that must be the case, but obviously wasn't going to work on that assumption without confirmation!

seven stars

My pressfit BB was creaking under load, so I got a press (the Lifeline one) and a removal tool (the Park Tool one) and set about replacing it. I thought I'd done a pretty good job. I cleaned the shell, and applied Loctite to the new BB, since I'd heard that's how you ensure there's no creak.

But it didn't ensure there was no creak. In fact, the creak was worse.

So I got a new BB, and replaced it a second time, this time using grease instead of Loctite.

The creak isn't as bad as it was with the Loctite, but it's no better than it was to begin with. It's a road bike with a Shimano BB94 bottom bracket.

Can anyone recommend a decent time machine so I can go back and strangle whoever invented pressfit BBs?

TychoCaine

seven stars wrote: »

My pressfit BB was creaking under load, so I got a press (the Lifeline one) and a removal tool (the Park Tool one) and set about replacing it. I thought I'd done a pretty good job. I cleaned the shell, and applied Loctite to the new BB, since I'd heard that's how you ensure there's no creak.

But it didn't ensure there was no creak. In fact, the creak was worse.

So I got a new BB, and replaced it a second time, this time using grease instead of Loctite.

The creak isn't as bad as it was with the Loctite, but it's no better than it was to begin with. It's a road bike with a Shimano BB94 bottom bracket.

Can anyone recommend a decent time machine so I can go back and strangle whoever invented pressfit BBs?

I'm considering fitting a Wheels Manufacturing Threaded PF30 BB when the time comes to replace my PF30 BB. The two sides screw together to clamp the BB into the frame, hopefully creak-free.

Cee-Jay-Cee

seven stars wrote: »

My pressfit BB was creaking under load, so I got a press (the Lifeline one) and a removal tool (the Park Tool one) and set about replacing it. I thought I'd done a pretty good job. I cleaned the shell, and applied Loctite to the new BB, since I'd heard that's how you ensure there's no creak.

But it didn't ensure there was no creak. In fact, the creak was worse.

So I got a new BB, and replaced it a second time, this time using grease instead of Loctite.

The creak isn't as bad as it was with the Loctite, but it's no better than it was to begin with. It's a road bike with a Shimano BB94 bottom bracket.

Can anyone recommend a decent time machine so I can go back and strangle whoever invented pressfit BBs?

Are you sure its the BB and not the chainring bolts????

seven stars

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Are you sure its the BB and not the chainring bolts????

I'm not completely sure, so that's worth investigating. But the creak got much worse with BB#2, and then reverted to its previous level with BB#3. So I'm inclined to think it's the BB installation rather than chainring bolts.

07Lapierre

seven stars wrote: »

I'm not completely sure, so that's worth investigating. But the creak got much worse with BB#2, and then reverted to its previous level with BB#3. So I'm inclined to think it's the BB installation rather than chainring bolts.

But if the creak is caused by the bolts...the creak will remain regardless of the number of BB's replaced. It could also be the pedals?

magicbastarder

could be the headset. could be the spokes...

seven stars

07Lapierre wrote: »

But if the creak is caused by the bolts...the creak will remain regardless of the number of BB's replaced. It could also be the pedals?

What I'm saying is that the creak actually got worse when I changed the BB. And then improved slightly when I changed it again. I don't see how this would be possible if it was something else causing it, like chainring bolts or headset or pedals. If it was, you'd expect that changing the BB would have no impact on the creak.

It definitely feels and sounds like a BB installation issue.

[Deleted User]

GCN are worth a look

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUrwwrygfc4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEiIFbIklJg

07Lapierre

seven stars wrote: »

What I'm saying is that the creak actually got worse when I changed the BB. And then improved slightly when I changed it again. I don't see how this would be possible if it was something else causing it, like chainring bolts or headset or pedals. If it was, you'd expect that changing the BB would have no impact on the creak.

It definitely feels and sounds like a BB installation issue.

Fair enough, your probably right...it's just you've changed the BB 3 times now so if it was me, I'd start considering other possible causes.

I've had lots of creaks/squeaks/ knocking noises etc. And none of them were the BB itself. Pedals, cranks, wheels, headsets...they can all creak and they all sound like they are coming from the BB.

magicbastarder

i've had creaks from 3 different areas in the last few years (talking about the bike only here); BB (needed tightening); rear hub, and at the spoke nipples on the rim.

dahat

Not really bike maintenance but it may require an adjustment....

I'm getting friction on one side only so trying to get to the root cause of it.

Could dropping the saddle 5mm possibly help?

Macy0161

Loose cleats was one of my "BB" creaks...

smacl

Replaced a creaking BB last week (not press fit) and while it solved the problem, the BB that came out didn't look to damaged so it could have been a tightening issue. Probably obvious, but did you thoroughly clean the hole in the frame prior to putting the new BB in, as any small amount of gunk or sediment there could cause the problem. As others have said, worth checking the chain bolts and putting a different set of pedals on to eliminate them from the equation.

outfox

What's the consensus on front wheel skewer arrangement on disc brake bikes? Lever on left or right?
I've mine on the right, to 'balance' the disc, but I've spotted a few bikes lately with the lever on the left. This arguably looks better, given that the rear skewer lever is always on the left.