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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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El Tarangu

Type 17 wrote: »

It's a nice flat-on shot, so it's possible to measure it on-screen, and it looks like a 58 - I screenshotted the pic on my desktop, scaled it until the bead diameter of the wheels was about 62mm (622mm in reality), and then found that the centre-to-centre of the top tube was 58mm (580mm in reality).

Very clever! thanks

You were right; in the end the size was right, but now having bought it I've decided that it's a bit too heavy for my needs, so I think I will sell it on again - oh well.

Pa ElGrande

Today my left crank arm fell off. It's Shimano Deore FC-M591-L. On inspection I could see the security tab had popped up at both sides so when I got home I loosened the pinch bolts, the only thing holding the security tab was the grease. This should be easy to fix, the spline seems to be ok. Does anyone know any local bike shops in Dublin that stock said part (Y1FU98120)?

rayman1

caviardreams wrote: »

So I finally got a bell but it seems to be too small for teh handlebars of my road bike (30mm or so). Most bells I have seen online are 22-25mm - is it hard to find one that fits 30mm that doesn't cost a fortune (I saw a nice knog one) or is there some way to make the smaller ones fit?

Or are my road bars very chunky and in need of a diet?

This bell fits around my 30mm bars without any problem. Held in place by strong elastic band.

tomasrojo

I included the nuts that came with the new bolts. The inside of the hole of the bell fitting is threaded anyway, but I thought no harm reinforcing it with extra nuts.

caviardreams

Oh thanks - longer bolts would probably do the trick alright! Much appreciated.

tomasrojo

caviardreams wrote: »

So I finally got a bell but it seems to be too small for teh handlebars of my road bike (30mm or so). Most bells I have seen online are 22-25mm - is it hard to find one that fits 30mm that doesn't cost a fortune (I saw a nice knog one) or is there some way to make the smaller ones fit?

Or are my road bars very chunky and in need of a diet?

I can't remember what my handlebars are, but I just had to get some longer bolts for this fairly standard bell to fit. I wrapped a bit of electrical tape around so the fitting wouldn't abrade the tape.

caviardreams

So I finally got a bell but it seems to be too small for teh handlebars of my road bike (30mm or so). Most bells I have seen online are 22-25mm - is it hard to find one that fits 30mm that doesn't cost a fortune (I saw a nice knog one) or is there some way to make the smaller ones fit?

Or are my road bars very chunky and in need of a diet?

Type 17

No, you're right about it not being possible to take it apart - you can dribble some heavy oil onto it (3-in-1 style, rather than thin WD-40 stuff), but if there's a lot of play or some crunching that the oil doesn't fix, then it's done...

cletus

This is more a confirmation of what I already think, rather than a question, but can anyone say if the pedal in the pictures can be serviced. The pedal axle looks to be peined in, and the cage is riveted, so I'm thinking no, unless anyone can offer some insight

Type 17

magicbastarder wrote: »

from my understanding, two things have changed to influence this; having say six or seven gears with a cassette sizing of 11-28 would have resulted in massive gaps between the gears, but the increasing number of indexed gears at the back has certainly facilitated a usable jump in the size of the cassette sprockets.
the second was a move to the 'spin to win' ethos where it's less taxing to keep cadence high, than it is to grind up hills.

And cassettes arrived because a freewheel with more than 6 sprockets and a standard hub, leads to axles snapping at the drive-side cone (most bikes shops do a few 7-speed axle-replacements a week).

You're right about the gaps though - I'm used to my good bike having an 11-speed cassette, and now I'm also riding a 9-speed cassette bike, and the bigger gaps are pretty annoying...

Type 17

It's a nice flat-on shot, so it's possible to measure it on-screen, and it looks like a 58 - I screenshotted the pic on my desktop, scaled it until the bead diameter of the wheels was about 62mm (622mm in reality), and then found that the centre-to-centre of the top tube was 58mm (580mm in reality).

El Tarangu

To someone who is good at eyeballing frame sizes - does this look more like a 56cm than a 58cm?

82951183_10157721318863458_1709401786889734183_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_sid=b9115d&_nc_ohc=NB_czI4UhcIAX-qq3cC&_nc_ht=scontent-bru2-1.xx&oh=17180b22085bc512e23ff2a25eae94d3&oe=5F217B5B

82951183_10157721318863458_1709401786889734183_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_sid=b9115d&_nc_ohc=NB_czI4UhcIAX-qq3cC&_nc_ht=scontent-bru2-1.xx&oh=17180b22085bc512e23ff2a25eae94d3&oe=5F217B5B

magicbastarder

swarlb wrote: »

cassette sprockets were reasonably new, and a rear sprocket bigger than 21 or 23 on a racer was probably unheard of

from my understanding, two things have changed to influence this; having say six or seven gears with a cassette sizing of 11-28 would have resulted in massive gaps between the gears, but the increasing number of indexed gears at the back has certainly facilitated a usable jump in the size of the cassette sprockets.
the second was a move to the 'spin to win' ethos where it's less taxing to keep cadence high, than it is to grind up hills.

cletus

Weepsie wrote: »

I have the cutting guide tool, hack saw and a file. It's not the cutting so much as the cutting it too much.

They're both touring frames, so want them fairly relaxed.

I cheapest out on the star nut tool too but will give that a go.

If you have the tools, then take of the top cap, arrange the spacers and stem how you would like them, and mark around the steerer tube using the top edge of the top spacer as a guide. Figure out the actual height of your top spacer, and make the cut somewhere between the top mark you made, and height of the top spacer. 2mm in the difference should be fine to get the clamping force you need

cletus

Bikes, like every other technology, are always changing. There's no one discernible point where the Modal T turned into a Tesla, where Del Boy's portable phone turned into an iPhone, or where your steel racer turned into a carbon fibre di2 road bike.

What you will find is that there is a certain cache for bikes like the one you pulled out of the shed, steel being real, and all that.

swarlb

A query more than anything, but can anyone point out when bikes 'changed'...
The last time I raced a bike was late 80's, and the last time I rode a bike in any reasonably long distant event was the last of the Dublin Belfast mar- cycles of the early/mid 90's.
Back then virtually all bikes were steel, with a few exceptions of Vitus and Alans... but basically everything was 'the same'.... cassette sprockets were reasonably new, and a rear sprocket bigger than 21 or 23 on a racer was probably unheard of, as was an inner ring smaller than 40 on the front, and you changed gear on the down tube. Tyres were 19mm wide, and disk brakes were on cars or motorbikes.
I dragged my old bike out of the cobwebs during the lockdown and went for a few spins. On chatting to a few people I met, I was curious at the width of tyre, and amused (maybe not the right word) at electronic gear shifters....
I feel like Rip Van Winkle in a strange new world....

magicbastarder

if they were aluminium, i have a mitre saw with a blade that can cut aluminium.

Tony04

cletus wrote: »

Just thinking, a plumber's pipe cutter might be a good way to get a clean and level cut

Yeh they're the best option if you dont have a vice, although some cheaper ones are designed for pvc so mightnt be strong enough. Definitely better than holding a hack saw with the fork between your knees. Although if your cutting carbon you might want a carbon specific blade, for a better cut, you mightnt find on a pipe cutter.

Also be careful of carbon dust meant to be a bit dangerous to inhale.

cletus

Weepsie wrote: »

I have 2 frames to be done including fork. I wish to both support them and save money.

Just thinking, a plumber's pipe cutter might be a good way to get a clean and level cut

cletus

Weepsie wrote: »

I have 2 frames to be done including fork. I wish to both support them and save money.

What needs to be done with the frames

magicbastarder

i paid derek humphries €15 to do mine. to be fair, it was a carbon fork so i was taking no chances.

cletus

Tony04 wrote: »

You've got to cut a few mm for top cap to compress properly as far as I'm aware, gmbn tech do a nice video on it.
Measure twice, cut once!

It's this. That's why I was wondering if your spacer was only 1mm, you'd want to be pretty accurate with your cut.

Essentially, you need to make sure the cup is compressing on the spacer, not the top of the steerer tube

devonp

smallest spacer i have or seen are 3mm...

Tony04

You've got to cut a few mm for top cap to compress properly as far as I'm aware, gmbn tech do a nice video on it.
Measure twice, cut once!

cletus

Weepsie wrote: »

Cutting a fork (or2)

Spacers are on, bars on.
I'd normally have a small 1mm spacer between bar and top cap too. Do i cut fork where itlines up with bars, or do I leave a few mm, or have it under a few mm.

Does it matter that much?

Is there only a 1mm spacer between stem and top cap?

dermabrasion

Thanks Lads
I know I can put a bigger cassette on like a 11-36, but its the top-end I was looking to change. Currently my chain ring is 42T, which on my 11/28 spins out when I hit around 48-50kph. The 3T cassette has a narrow range in the 28-40kph zone (ie.racing speed) but it has a bailout cassette for climbing. The simplicity of just changing the free-hub and cassette appealed.
So, if I stay with shimano, then I need to change both the chain-ring and the cassette to have a downhill gear and a climbing gear.
So, I could put a 46T with 11/34.

Tony04

Shimanos derailleur capacity recommendations are known to be conservative but I dont know why you cant put a mtb 11-36 cassette or even a sram road 11-36 cassette on

magicbastarder

the GRX RD comes in two versions - one with a 34 tooth max, the other with a 42 tooth max, so 34T should be fine. however, it has a min of 11 teeth, not 9.

dermabrasion

Question about 1 x11drives
I have a 1 x11, with an 11/28 cassette and a 42T narrow wide chain ring (GRX). The top end is obviously pretty limited.
I have a Bontrager Aeolus wheel set.
Question: Is it a big deal to change the free hub to an XDR on the bontarger? The plan would be to put a 3T 9/34 cassette on.

Tony04

If your bike has through axles on a road bike the standard is the exact same 12x142 12x100 so any thru axle road bike wheelset should fit.

If it has quick releases it most likely uses 5x135 in the rear 5x100 in the front. Alot of thru axle wheel sets come with qr adapters so you should be able to change it if you need so