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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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brownian

Alek wrote: »

If it pulls the RD, it may be the freewheel mechanism locking and tensioning the lower part of the chain.

Does it happen exactly when pedalling / applying pressure, or rather when you stop turning cranks for a moment?

When / how does it unblock?

But then it would most likely drop the chain off the front, as the top part of the chain gets loose.

As soon as I get off the bike, it seems ok again.
Locked up the back wheel entirely today - controlled skid. No harm done, but would be ugly at high speed.

magicbastarder

contamination or the pad is not aligned completely flat to the disc.
as it's the rear, i suspect contamination first, cos it gets more crap thrown at it than the front disc does. your best bet it to take the pads out and try cleaning them.

Ray Bloody Purchase

My rear disc brake is honking like a goose when i brake. What is causing this and what can i do to stop it?

Plastik

Make sure you're putting it back together in the right order - you tighten the top cap for bearing preload before you do up the stem bolts on the steerer. BTW if the bearings are shot you may never get the play out of them. Roll the bearing between your fingers, it should be silky smooth, if you can feel any roughness it's time to change.

Deano12345

S_D wrote: »

If I owned a TT bike but wanted to buy something new (Say an Sworks Shiv) Could the Di2, cranks etc all be transferred over to the new bike?

Once the bottom bracket on the old and new bike are the same; you’ll be fine with swapping the cranks over, everything else like shifters and mechs will be transferable.

I know some TT bikes use specific brake callipers too, so that might be a consideration, but from what I see, anything specific to a bike, say like the Shiv, seems to be sold as part of the frame set!

Plastik

Weepsie wrote: »

Notices a bit of wobble/judder when braking at the front. Thought it was the brakes as I got wider rims and had to adjust them a bit so figured I'd not done a great job on it.

However when I stopped and applied the front brake and rocked it there was some play in the fork. All seems to be as tight as it should be,.

Assuming something wrong with the headset, or maybe worse, something I didn't pick up when I came down in September. Could possibly be the brakes, but shouldn't be play I imagine, however marginal?

Only been out in it once since October and didnt notice anything cycling it in September/October

Headset bearings are first port of call. Take the fork off, check the headset bearings for roughness, pack the bearing races with grease and put it all back together.

S_D

If I owned a TT bike but wanted to buy something new (Say an Sworks Shiv) Could the Di2, cranks etc all be transferred over to the new bike?

Flaccus

magicbastarder wrote: »

you mean '34 to 25' as in the range of cogs on the cassette, or do you mean 34 on the chainwheel to 25 on the cassette?

if the former, it's not wasted if you're using it where it's intended to be used?

Yeah on the cassette, I never use the 34 or 30 cog with the 30 ring as I dont climb steep enough hills. I mainly use the 27 and 25 cogs with the 30 ring on climbs. Once I get to the 23 cog I move to the 46 ring which I have not spinned out yet.

magicbastarder

Flaccus wrote: »

34 to 25 is wasted except maybe on the steepest climbs.

you mean '34 to 25' as in the range of cogs on the cassette, or do you mean 34 on the chainwheel to 25 on the cassette?

if the former, it's not wasted if you're using it where it's intended to be used?

Flaccus

Guess I better work on maxing out the big ring so

TychoCaine

There's no point changing the inner ring unless you change the big ring too, and there's no point changing the big ring unless you can spin out your biggest gear. You'll just end up with more overlapping gears between the two chainrings. Stick with what you have. You'll need that 30x34 some day....

Flaccus

Bought a Cannondale Topstone 105 recently which comes with FSA Omega 46/30 rings and 105 HG700 11/34 cassette. As the BB shell is a standard BSA threaded job thinking of changing to a Shimano BBR60 BB and a 105 50/34 r7000 road setup and was wondering if this would be a good move.

I really don't do any gravel riding. I just stick to roads for now and very few hills. The cassette gearing is 11-13-15-17-19-21-23-25-27-30-34. With the 30 ring I only ever use 23, 21, 19 and 17 on flat surfaces and sure I'm in the big ring after that. 34 to 25 is wasted except maybe on the steepest climbs.

I'm thinking with a 34 little ring I would get more usage out of the cogs I am not using currently. Opinions welcome on the pros and cons of changing.

Type 17

One of the teeth on one of the front chainrings (take note of which one you’re using when it happens) has a burr on it, and when a narrow link goes down over it, it gets stuck when it should release it at the 6-o’clock position- the chain rides up past 6 and locks the cranks when the derailleur reaches full stretch. It’s random because the burred tooth may sometimes get a wide link over it (this is randomly decided when you shift the FD to the problem ring).
Find the damaged tooth and file off the burr, and you’re all set.
PS: the burr may be tiny, so make sure the chainring is clean and look closely on each side in turn.

Alek

If it pulls the RD, it may be the freewheel mechanism locking and tensioning the lower part of the chain.

Does it happen exactly when pedalling / applying pressure, or rather when you stop turning cranks for a moment?

When / how does it unblock?

But then it would most likely drop the chain off the front, as the top part of the chain gets loose.

brownian

Hi all,

I'm cycling along cheerfully, uphill or down, pedalling. Suddenly, the chain locks up. I think it pulls the rear derailleur (RD) forwards when it does this. Bike stops (when the momentum runs out, or when I brake). I get off the bike, spin the cranks - all good. What's happening here, and how do I stop it?

It's VERY intermittent - three times in 5km, then 100+km with no issue (I took the wheel on and off, which seemed to 'fix' it...until yesterday).

I have tried
- the chain is the right length, and is moving fluidly, with no stiff links.
- the RD seems fine, both jockey wheels are smooth.
- the wheel spins, even with the chain locked up, so the freewheel seems ok?

While 'new bike' or even 'new RD' or 'new freewheel body' or 'new wheel' seem possible approaches, there is nothing obviously wrong with any of the existing parts.

A look-over by the LBS also saw nothing. But maybe a boardsie had this, and will say 'ahhh....that's the extra-rido-nubbin-screw'...or whatever?

Thanks!

Type 17

Should be fine in the short to medium term - as Alek says, the textile beneath is what gives the tyre its strength.

It's the UV in sunlight breaking down the rubber, so it cracks rather than stretching.

However, in the long term (some years' time), the cracks do allow rainwater into the tyre, which eventually rots the textile cords, leading to failure. But don't worry, the rest of the tyre looks really poor by then, and it usually only becomes an issue with tyres that are constantly ridden soft and for short distances (tyres get old and weathered before wearing out through distance - it's common on ladies' shopping bikes), with cracks around the tread blocks letting a lot of water in.

Mickiemcfist

Alek wrote: »

I wouldn't worry about it. Its the textile casing that keeps the pressure in (or the tube from bursting, in other words), rubber coating on sidewalls is mostly a protective measure against abrasions. If the threads underneath are fine, these tyres have plenty of life in them.

Unless you're running them tubeless... but then you'd notice a loss of pressure and sealant before.

BTW, what is the usual pressure you're running? They are 33-35mm aren't they?

Ah thanks a lot. Yea I'm running them with a tube. The tyres have a recommendation of 60 - 87psi written on them so I aim for about 70 usually, then top up again a few weeks later when it hits 60.
32mm tyres i think.

Alek

I wouldn't worry about it. Its the textile casing that keeps the pressure in (or the tube from bursting, in other words), rubber coating on sidewalls is mostly a protective measure against abrasions. If the threads underneath are fine, these tyres have plenty of life in them.

Unless you're running them tubeless... but then you'd notice a loss of pressure and sealant before.

BTW, what is the usual pressure you're running? They are 33-35mm aren't they?

Mickiemcfist

Anyone know if I should look at changing these tyres now or have they a lot of life left in them? Theres sidewall cracks but other than that they're fine, plenty of tread & not losing much air. I've only had them for about 2k kms.

CantGetNoSleep

07Lapierre wrote: »

It depends on the size of cassette you intend using. I usually order a 116 link chain and I have a 52 chainring and 28 sprocket.

Knew there was something wrong with my original post - meant to say compact and an 11-32 cassette

07Lapierre

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

I'm putting together a bike with a compact chainset and 50-34 derailleur - how do I tell which length chain I need to order?

It depends on the size of cassette you intend using. I usually order a 116 link chain and I have a 52 chainring and 28 sprocket.

Type 17

The size of the chainset, cassette and capacity of the rear derailleur don't define the required chain length - the length of the chainstays also counts, but even measuring that won't give you an answer (there are no charts).

Unless it's an extremely long-chainstay bike coupled with a huge cassette (probably a touring frame or other long wheelbase type) and if you can fit more than three fingers between the seat tube and the rear tyre, then it might be an issue, but otherwise almost any chain you buy will work.

If it's a compact (ie: not a triple chainset) and not a huge cassette (>32t largest), then the handiest way (Shimano's method) to size the chain you're fitting is to put the derailleurs in the highest gear (big ring/smallest sprocket), thread the chain through, and then measure the overlap so that the bolts for the two jockey wheels of the rear derailleur are vertical (go a tiny bit shorter if things are less than two links out).

Miklos

I had a 50/34 and 32/11 for a hilly week away and used the same chain as I had with 53/39 and 28/11 so I'd imagine you'd probably get away with the standard length.

CantGetNoSleep

I'm putting together a bike with a compact chainset and 50-34 derailleur - how do I tell which length chain I need to order?

irishrover99

Can anyone tell me if these bearings are the right ones for a CAAD 12 and if they are any good.
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/rotor-bb30-steel-bottom-bracket-kit/rp-prod130493?gs=1

triggermortis

Ray Bloody Purchase wrote: »

I took off the mudguards on my bike. Do i put the screws back into the frame to stop stuff getting in and rattling around the place or just leave them out?

I’d leave them out. Make sure you bag them and keep them with the mudguards for when you refit them though

Ray Bloody Purchase

I took off the mudguards on my bike. Do i put the screws back into the frame to stop stuff getting in and rattling around the place or just leave them out?

TychoCaine

fat bloke wrote: »

Question:

Do direct-mount (rim, roadbike) brakes only go on a direct mount frame / fork?

Yes. You need a direct-mount specific frame

John Hutton

bsb1971 wrote: »

Seems to be coming off centre, but when I put the wheel in, I have to move it about to get it centred. Then clamp it. It seems to be spinning ok, but as soon as I try cycling, wheel goes to the left and starts rubbing off rear stay.

I had a similar problem after I cold set an old frame and it turns out that with the stays moved what looked centered actually wasn't and the wheel would slip to being "actually" centred resulting in rubbing. I didn't think too much about it and just put a smaller tire I had on it which I had planned to do anyway in order to fit fenders on.

I would suggest ditching the skewer and going old school just with bolts and really tighten it and see how you get on. As another poster said, skewers can wear out.

Peter T

Nice move Alek, freak them out and then move in with the offer