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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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Type 17

Good job

You were also lucky that you had just had the bolt out, so the threads weren't seized and/or rusty - I was involved in the removal of several snapped exhaust manifold studs from a 50-year old aluminium cylinder head, and it was no fun at all...

LollipopJimmy

Type 17 wrote: »

Good job

You were also lucky that you had just had the bolt out, so the threads weren't seized and/or rusty - I was involved in the removal of several snapped exhaust manifold studs from a 50-year old aluminium cylinder head, and it was no fun at all...

I find working on heads strangely therapeutic. There's nothing like lapping in a valve by hand

Well done John, having the correct tools makes the world of difference

Type 17

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

I find working on heads strangely therapeutic. There's nothing like lapping in a valve by hand

I agree, working on engines (or any other part of older bicycles or cars) is lovely - except when trying to remove snapped-off, rotted, seized, corroded or rounded-off parts

North of 32

My disc brakes are making an almighty racket. My bike sounds like a 1920s steam engine train when I slowly come to a stop.

I've brushed down the actual discs with an aluminum scrubber to shift the small rust spots but no improvement. I'm guessing I have to clean the pads?

Type 17

Oil contamination on the pads - remove them and sandpaper them with the sheet of sandpaper on a flat surface. Clean the discs with a degreaser/solvent (not white spirit). If it still squeals, the pads are soaked through and need replacement.

Future tip: never lube the bike with an aerosol spray, use a dribble nozzle bottle of lube.

magicbastarder

One thing I do (without much knowledge of how much effect it actually has) is to use a heat gun on the pads.

saccades

John Hutton wrote: »

Desperately need help folks.

Spent the day servicing my bike.

Fixed up my cantilever brakes with nice new pads, cleaned and greased everything. Spent a million years getting them set up *just right*

Was screwing the rear cantilever back on and it was just about tight enough and the head of the screw snapped off.

So now I have most of a screw stuck in the cantilever boss.

It's not sticking out or even flush but slightly recessed.

What on earth do I do? (Aside from cursing and feeling sorry for myself, I'm doing loads of that).

Massive internet high five for anyone who can help me out with any ideas.

So so so pisssed off.

Bolt/thread extractor. It goes lefty tighty to dig into exposed bolt and do a lefty loosey on the original so you can extract it.

Type 17

magicbastarder wrote: »

One thing I do (without much knowledge of how much effect it actually has) is to use a heat gun on the pads.

I'd say that a heat gun would work well (I use a blow-torch, and it's great) but either method only works well if the contamination is mild or moderate (like accidental overspray from chain lubing, etc) - I've found that if the pads are soaked in oil*, or brake fluid (especially for a long period, from a leak), there is no solution other than pad-replacement.

*Some people have come into the shop, saying that their disc brakes were squealing, and that they oiled them, but that it didn't help :eek:

North of 32

Type 17 wrote: »

I'd say that a heat gun would work well (I use a blow-torch, and it's great) but either method only works well if the contamination is mild or moderate (like accidental overspray from chain lubing, etc) - I've found that if the pads are soaked in oil*, or brake fluid (especially for a long period, from a leak), there is no solution other than pad-replacement.

*Some people have come into the shop, saying that their disc brakes were squealing, and that they oiled them, but that it didn't help :eek:

The thing is, I cannot think of a time when I exposed the pads to a contaminant.

The noise started after a very wet ride and leaving the bike in the shed for 2 weeks untouched.

I guess I could have picked up the contaminant during the wet ride?

Type 17

Possibly, if the ride was in an urban area, some of the water splashed up can be contaminated with diesel particulates or oil leakage (rainbow puddles).

Ray Bloody Purchase

Can anyone recommend a good set of puncture resistant tyres for my hybrid commuter?

I'd a puncture this morning in the wettest, sh1ttest conditions. Little shards of glass in my tyres from cycling around Dublin CC. :mad:

John Hutton

Ray Bloody Purchase wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a good set of puncture resistant tyres for my hybrid commuter?

I'd a puncture this morning in the wettest, sh1ttest conditions. Little shards of glass in my tyres from cycling around Dublin CC. :mad:

Scwalbe marathon plus or regular marathon

tnegun

Any tips for removing stuck pedals? Tried heat and a proper pedal spanner but just rung it

other side it stuck hard too but didn't try too hard as I didn't want to ring it too.

CrowdedHouse

Only experienced it once but I squirted WD40 on the join and left for 2 or 3 days.

[Deleted User]

WD40 for me too recently, put it down to not regreasing properly when I put them on. Felt like I'd not get them off intact but sure enough 2 days later off them came.

Mickiemcfist

What type of grease should you put on them? I just put mine on when I bought the bike & off I went...

CrowdedHouse

Something like this

https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-maintenance/bike-lube/bikehut-teflon-grease-125ml

I have Park Tool stuff but it's much of a muchness

tnegun

Will soak it in WD for the weekend and try again Sunday night

68 lost souls

The adjuster where the brake cable is bent so won’t screw in further than it is. Will any of these adjusters fit from another series or does anyone know where I can get the correct repayment part?

They are from a 2013 trek madone 2.1. They are a Shimano off series not sure what model. The rest of the bike was 105 but crankset, cassette and brake callipers were not.

I want to sell the brakes as I have replaced them with 105 but feel I need to fix this first

Miklos

Anyone have any experience running a 30t with a short cage ultegra rear mech? Going to Gran Canaria next month and don't want to die on the climbs.

magicbastarder

6800? i've not tried it with 30t but when i was buying the groupset i was told 30t should be possible.
shimano says no, but i've read (anecdotal evidence warning) that's because if you try to go big-big with your gearing, you'd need too long a chain to be able to handle small-small.

Miklos

Cheers lads. Yeah it's a 6800. I'll probably only be using it for the week with a 36 inner ring, should get me over most climbs handily enough (I hope).

cletus

Much smaller issue here. Just noticed I've lost one of my bar end plugs. They were the push in friction fit type. Just wondering if it's worth getting the screw fit type, or just get another set of push ins

loyatemu

cletus wrote: »

Much smaller issue here. Just noticed I've lost one of my bar end plugs. They were the push in friction fit type. Just wondering if it's worth getting the screw fit type, or just get another set of push ins

screw in metal bar-ends cost next to nothing:
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/bbb-screwon-bar-plugs-bht96/rp-prod69258

cletus

loyatemu wrote: »

screw in metal bar-ends cost next to nothing:
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/bbb-screwon-bar-plugs-bht96/rp-prod69258

Cheers. For some reason I thought they were more expensive than that. I assume the are much more secure?

Mickiemcfist

Quick Chain query - I have a bike which has (bought new in Oct) covered c.2k kms commuting daily through Dublin. It came with what I can only assume is a bog standard chain which is now fairly rusty looking - I put oil on it once a week & give it a clean & oil maybe once every 5 or 6 weeks. Is rust just something to expect or should I replace with this: https://www.halfords.ie/cycling/bike-parts/gears-cables-drivetrain/clarks-anti-rust-7-8-bike-chain

Just seems too early by most accounts to change a chain but the rust has me worried it may wear other parts out faster.

Miklos

If you're giving it a bit of attention, it's probably only surface rust and should scrub off with a stiff brush and some good degreaser. There is a lot of salt on the roads at the moment which could be a contributing factor.

68 lost souls

68 lost souls wrote: »

The adjuster where the brake cable is bent so won’t screw in further than it is. Will any of these adjusters fit from another series or does anyone know where I can get the correct repayment part?

They are from a 2013 trek madone 2.1. They are a Shimano off series not sure what model. The rest of the bike was 105 but crankset, cassette and brake callipers were not.

I guess thats a negative on anyone knowing where I might get a replacement to fit or whether a different series one would fit?

I might try and get to the LBS and see if they have anything that would work.

site_owner

some proper stupid questions

i have a bar end mirror to install, but the grip on my handlebar is rubber covering the hole.
is it ok to cut the grip or do i need a different one?

one of my pedals is sliding left and right a few mm, theres a plug on one that isnt on the other, is there anyhting to stop the lateral movement? (mountain bike type pedals)

my rear brake disc seems to be 6-bolt but it is held on with a center lock (based on what i have figured out) i want to replace the disc, but is there a way to check if my wheel has been adapted before i buy the wrong thing.

the front wheel is 6 bolt, when fitting 6 bolt discs, will tightening in a criss-cross type pattern keep the disc aligned or is there more to it?

thanks!

padyjoe

My rear Durano is nearing it's end of life. I have few spots on the thread where I can see the carcass.
Am I right I have no puncture protection in those spots anymore?
Would you get more out of this tyre or change it? I don't feel anything funny happening on the rear yet. I don't want to take risks, especially on a descent.