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

cletus · 02-12-2020 7:52pm

CramCycle wrote: »

Not yet but my lame excuse for a bench vice in my office can't do it and slips, so I ma off to a bigger vice in the workshop which is bolted to the table.

BB does say 1.37 x 24T so I hope that means it is definitely English threaded.

Colombus tubing but no sticker (has the nice detailing at the lugs).

Frame is light guessing SLX tubing by the weight.

You've a bench vice on the desk in your office??

Colour me very impressed. I've 4 bench vices, but I never thought to put any of them on my desk...

grogi · 02-12-2020 8:51pm

velo.2010 wrote: »

Hmm. Many 'roadies' including myself are riding in the small ring at this time of year. My gearing is 36-13/36-14 at 90 RPM or so, on mostly flatish roads. If your managing that sort of cadence in your biggest gear (38-11) on a gravel bike then your going well!

However, I suspect your cadence is lower at about 60 RPM which is typical for beginners. If that's the case you should work on improving cadence in smaller gears and you won't need to replace the chainring.

Cadence of 90 rpm with 38/11 and 27.5" wheel (typical for a gravel) is 42 km/h. Not something I could maintain for long on a flat, but certainly something I would see myself going over.

I myself am riding 46-30/34-11 on a gravel and often go above 100 rpms with the 46/11 gearing.

cletus · 02-12-2020 9:06pm

grogi wrote: »

Cadence of 90 rpm with 38/11 and 27.5" wheel (typical for a gravel) is 42 km/h. Not something I could maintain for long on a flat, but certainly something I would see myself going over.

I myself am riding 46-30/34-11 on a gravel and often go above 100 rpms with the 46/11 gearing.

[Pedantism]The bike has 700c wheels, so closer to 40km/h. Everything else stands[/Pedantism]

CramCycle · 02-12-2020 9:37pm

cletus wrote: »

You've a bench vice on the desk in your office??

Colour me very impressed. I've 4 bench vices, but I never thought to put any of them on my desk...

I do a lot of lab work so I try to build stuff for the lab in my office before I go in so I don't have to wear PPE , lab stuff is expensive but generally relatively easy to build or fix if you are in anyway handy. Also makes my office a workshop for bikes as well since my two office mates have been kicked out since covid stuff started.

JerryHispano · 03-12-2020 12:45pm

velo.2010 wrote: »

Hmm. Many 'roadies' including myself are riding in the small ring at this time of year. My gearing is 36-13/36-14 at 90 RPM or so, on mostly flatish roads. If your managing that sort of cadence in your biggest gear (38-11) on a gravel bike then your going well!

However, I suspect your cadence is lower at about 60 RPM which is typical for beginners. If that's the case you should work on improving cadence in smaller gears and you won't need to replace the chainring.

I've been tracking cycles on MapMyRide and I'd be in and around 36kph for a significant minority of the time (80 RPM going by calculators). So something I need to work on, but the gearing would be a problem regardless.

JerryHispano · 03-12-2020 1:03pm

TychoCaine wrote: »

You'll find some stuff on eBay, but it's of questionable quality. If it was me, I'd swap out the bottom bracket for a modern external bearing BSA model, and you have a lot more options when looking at cranks.

Have you any advice on what to go for or where to shop? BB standards seem to be the exact opposite of standardised.

Large bottle small glass · 03-12-2020 10:30pm

JerryHispano wrote: »

Have you any advice on what to go for or where to shop? BB standards seem to be the exact opposite of standardised.

Try Spa cycles. They have some square taper single chainsets.

Email to check regarding suitable bottom bracket to keep your chainline and that it's suitable for 10 speed

grogi · 04-12-2020 11:22am

Large bottle small glass wrote: »

Try Spa cycles. They have some square taper single chainsets.

Email to check regarding suitable bottom bracket to keep your chainline and that it's suitable for 10 speed

When it comes to single speed chainrings, they are compatible with any speeds. Chainline will not be a big issue either, as there is no front derailleur reach. Sure, there might be a bit of chain flex, but nothing that cannot be fixed with different BB axle length.

Type 17 · 04-12-2020 4:14pm

grogi wrote: »

When it comes to single speed chainrings, they are compatible with any speeds...

Careful here, as the link above shows a gravel bike with a 10-speed rear cassette, so the chain will be pretty narrow - you might get away with a 9-speed compatible chain ring, but 8-speed and lower (wider teeth) will probably cause the 10-speed chain to jam onto the teeth.

You should also measure the distance from the chainring to the seat tube and try to keep within 2-4mm of that distance, to avoid altering the chainline too much (assuming that Decathlon got it as good as possible in the design).

TychoCaine · 04-12-2020 5:27pm

Type 17 wrote: »

Careful here, as the link above shows a gravel bike with a 10-speed rear cassette, so the chain will be pretty narrow - you might get away with a 9-speed compatible chain ring, but 8-speed and lower (wider teeth) will probably cause the 10-speed chain to jam onto the teeth.

You should also measure the distance from the chainring to the seat tube and try to keep within 2-4mm of that distance, to avoid altering the chainline too much (assuming that Decathlon got it as good as possible in the design).

You can use any 1x chainring with any chain. The *inner* width of a chain (i.e. the roller width) is standard 2/32" regardless of the speed of the chain. The only thing different between an 8s and 10s+ chain is the *outer* width. Basically the side plates get thinner, leading to an overall thinner chain as you increase up from 8s.

Only 2x & 3x chainsets are speed specific, where the spacing between the 2 or 3 rings needs to match the width of a chain. There's a risk of a chain dropping between the chainrings if you use a 10s chain on a 2x8s chainset. if you use a 8s chain on a 2x10s chainset then you have the chain fouling on the inside surface of the big ring when it's on the small inside ring.

Type 17 · 04-12-2020 5:58pm

Fair enough, I forgot about the inner dimensions being similar, especially when I was thinking of issues with 3/32" chain (8-speed) not working with ⅛" chainrings (single-speed) - those inner dimensions are very different.

TychoCaine · 04-12-2020 6:11pm

Type 17 wrote: »

Fair enough, I forgot about the inner dimensions being similar, especially when I was thinking of issues with 3/32" chain (8-speed) not working with ⅛" chainrings (single-speed) - those inner dimensions are very different.

Actually, Google is contradicting me. The link below says 5s - 8s has a roller width of 3/32", and 9s - 12s has a roller width of 11/128". How will I ever live down the shame of it!

https://bike.bikegremlin.com/1220/1-bicycle-chains-compatibility/

tdf7187 · 04-12-2020 10:17pm

Sorry if this is a stupid question but after a rear derailleur and chain replacement, I noticed that my rear derailleur moves back and forward depending on the gear am I in. Is this normal or is the position supposed to be constant relative to the cassette?

Type 17 · 04-12-2020 10:20pm

All fine, it swings back to take up the excess chain that results from using smaller sprockets/chainrings.

Here, let Calvin Jones tell you more.

[nerd mode] I love rear derailleurs - they're over 100 years old as a design, and many look almost organic (no straight lines). I brought a broken one to school back in the day, as a still life item and the art teacher liked it so much, he asked if I would donate it to the art class, which I did.[/nerd mode]

tdf7187 · 04-12-2020 10:28pm

Great, thanks Type 17.

a148pro · 05-12-2020 10:24am

a148pro wrote: »

Ok, problem on my bike and just wondering what went wrong

Got cranks replaced recently, and I think part of the bottom bracket. For some reason however the cranks are now jamming when I'm in the small ring. This seems to happen in the two easiest climbing gears. It doesn't happen all the time, I was a good hour or two into a cycle when it happened first. I can hear an occasional sound similar to the sound when a chain comes off but everything is otherwise spinning perfectly. While looking down to see what was going on I could see that the RD was popping forward a bit every so often, like bobbling towards the front of the bike a couple of inches. Then every so often the cranks totally jam. I'm not sure what happens below at this point, I think the RD goes fully forward, but it feels like the feeling when you're about to break your RD by forcing it through (if that makes any sense). It doesn't seem to be catching a spoke.

None of this happened before the cranks were replaced. Wondering if the bike shop made a balls of it or could the derailleur have hit something while I put it in a car recently?

It doesn't happen in the big ring at all, the only thing that happens there is in the easiest climbing gears there's a kind of rattle from the chain, this was here before.

Any ideas, its probably something very simple I'm just useless when it comes to maintenance

So I couldn't recreate this for the LBS but the chain was a little dry and unlubed, so I lubed it and did 60k without incident the other day

Could this have just been caused by the chain being too dry?

a148pro · 05-12-2020 10:27am

And while I have you, I used a kind of strap thing to fix a pump to my crossbar recently, but unbeknownst to me it was rubbing. There are now these kind of dry dusty scratches on the frame that go away when you wet them but come back thereafter, but more importantly, there's a kind of "scab" through the paintwork where the pump was rubbing the down tube.

I think I've seen little circular patches you can buy to protect these further, can anyone recommend? Google isn't being very helpful

Very annoying that for want of a pump mount this happened

CramCycle · 05-12-2020 10:45am

a148pro wrote: »

So I couldn't recreate this for the LBS but the chain was a little dry and unlubed, so I lubed it and did 60k without incident the other day

Could this have just been caused by the chain being too dry?

The only time I have had similar was when the chain might jam in the rear derailleur on one of the jockey wheels. If the chain was gunked up or stiff it would happen far easier. It could be a sign that the chain is slightly too long, but more likely the jockey wheels/chain are worn/dirty, or the actual part that holds the jockey wheels is slightly out of line. Long story short, if this was your issue, a clean and a lube would sort it out for the most part.

cletus · 05-12-2020 10:46am

a148pro wrote: »

So I couldn't recreate this for the LBS but the chain was a little dry and unlubed, so I lubed it and did 60k without incident the other day

Could this have just been caused by the chain being too dry?

It might, but it can be hard to say. Just keep an eye on it

Here's a link to frame protection patches

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/ie/en/lifeline-frame-protection-patch-kit/rp-prod150265?gs=1&sku=sku547859&istCompanyId=0f15660a-f13e-4c09-a701-b55d8c3f2e59&istFeedId=21ccdaa5-24f7-4b32-9ec6-ac7081b9b50b&istItemId=iwxrpplpt&istBid=t&pgrid=55940684581&ptaid=pla-414380983900&utm_source=google&utm_term=&utm_campaign=PLA+All+Products&utm_medium=base&utm_content=mkwid|s7kyjyVQ4_dm|pcrid|294740729975|pkw||pmt||prd|547859IE&gclid=CjwKCAiA_Kz-BRAJEiwAhJNY7-dFZcIzQbZTgOfqrbnOJFlTNkA1ma0I36UEuOqmEDlQWzS4TRN1nhoCB_IQAvD_BwE

a148pro · 05-12-2020 11:53am

cletus wrote: »

It might, but it can be hard to say. Just keep an eye on it

Here's a link to frame protection patches

I think I'm looking for something slightly different - a patch to go over a damaged bit of frame, i.e., not see through, black probably or matched to the frame colour

CramCycle · 05-12-2020 12:17pm

a148pro wrote: »

I think I'm looking for something slightly different - a patch to go over a damaged bit of frame, i.e., not see through, black probably or matched to the frame colour

What is the frame material? If its steel, a light buff and some nail polish of the right colour. Aluminium, straight on with the nail polish (or simply leave it if you don't mind the aesthetics.

CormacH94 · 05-12-2020 1:26pm

I know this question has been done to death but - new bike or upgrade components?

Looking at upgrading a Tiagra Alloy Frame to Ultegra & New Wheels. Did some number crunching and allowing 800 for mechanical Ultegra and 500 for wheels/tires that's 1300, I'd be doing the work myself so no shop costs.

Am I mad to be spending that over a whole new bike? I know I could probably get Ultegra and Carbon frame for 2k but I'm not sold on carbon as I'm a bit rough and ready with my bikes and don't have very clean/safe storage (i.e, my bikes tend to get a bit knocked around) and it would I think it would kill me to be treating a carbon bike like a piece of glass.

I've looked at the CAAD13 and Allez Sprint but I'm a bit fussy over components such as wheel and tires and don't like the idea of buying a build with no choice of wheels/tires etc.

Should I go ahead with the upgrades and maybe in a few years look at getting a carbon frame and moving parts over?

magicbastarder · 05-12-2020 1:34pm

what's the frame? might be overspeccing the components on an average frame.
also, why not just consider going secondhand? you'd get a nice bike S/H for that price.

(and if you're doing this on the BTW scheme, just pretend otherwise!)

CormacH94 · 05-12-2020 1:37pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

what's the frame? might be overspeccing the components on an average frame.
also, why not just consider going secondhand? you'd get a nice bike S/H for that price.

(and if you're doing this on the BTW scheme, just pretend otherwise!)

Bike is a 2nd hand Lapierre Audacio, 2013 I think bought for 300 last year.

MisterSpaccato · 05-12-2020 2:07pm

CormacH94 wrote: »

I know this question has been done to death but - new bike or upgrade components?

Looking at upgrading a Tiagra Alloy Frame to Ultegra & New Wheels. Did some number crunching and allowing 800 for mechanical Ultegra and 500 for wheels/tires that's 1300, I'd be doing the work myself so no shop costs.

Am I mad to be spending that over a whole new bike? I know I could probably get Ultegra and Carbon frame for 2k but I'm not sold on carbon as I'm a bit rough and ready with my bikes and don't have very clean/safe storage (i.e, my bikes tend to get a bit knocked around) and it would I think it would kill me to be treating a carbon bike like a piece of glass.

I've looked at the CAAD13 and Allez Sprint but I'm a bit fussy over components such as wheel and tires and don't like the idea of buying a build with no choice of wheels/tires etc.

Should I go ahead with the upgrades and maybe in a few years look at getting a carbon frame and moving parts over?

I rode ultegra and 105 and found absolutely zero difference in "feel", both shift like clockwork. Are you sure you want to pay a 300 EUR premium for a couple of hundred of grams in weight reduction? I would highly recommend 105 between the two.

Anyway if you have Tiagra 4700 series keep it, it's as good as the 105 5800 series, just with one less gear in the back. Not worth the upgrade. If you have an older tiagra version then by all means upgrade to 105 R7000, it's the best groupset ever imho.

As for wheels get something with sealed bearings and good quality serviceable hubs. I have bad experiences with cup and cone hubs, probably because i never tried the high end campagnolo/shimano stuff.

Also, no offense intended, but if you're heavier than 80kg, consider wheels with higher spoke count, like 24 front 28 rear or more. Hunt 4 seasons and Superdura would be good, but i never owned Hunt wheels, so can't vouch for them.

My favorite value wheels are Miche Reflex, they are solid, cheap and good value.

CormacH94 · 05-12-2020 2:18pm

MisterSpaccato wrote: »

I rode ultegra and 105 and found absolutely zero difference in "feel", both shift like clockwork. Are you sure you want to pay a 300 EUR premium for a couple of hundred of grams in weight reduction? I would highly recommend 105 between the two.

Anyway if you have Tiagra 4700 series keep it, it's as good as the 105 5800 series, just with one less gear in the back. Not worth the upgrade. If you have an older tiagra version then by all means upgrade to 105 R7000, it's the best groupset ever imho.

As for wheels get something with sealed bearings and good quality serviceable hubs. I have bad experiences with cup and cone hubs, probably because i never tried the high end campagnolo/shimano stuff.

Also, no offense intended, but if you're heavier than 80kg, consider wheels with higher spoke count, like 24 front 28 rear or more. Hunt 4 seasons and Superdura would be good, but i never owned Hunt wheels, so can't vouch for them.

My favorite value wheels are Miche Reflex, they are solid, cheap and good value.

Going for Ultegra as it seems to be in stock in most places, whereas 105 is not available - don't really mind spending the extra money - the winter bike has 105 so it makes sense to me that the good/race bike is better spec'd.

Have Fulcrum Racing 5's on the winter bike and love them - will probably go for Fulcrum again. Easy to service wheels.

I'm between 60 - 65kg so no problems with spoke counts. I don't think there's a lot of weight to be saved with a different alloy frame - the lapierre is 9kg, think the lightest alloy frame I've seen is 8.6kg? (Allez Sprint)

Other thing I should have mentioned is I've a bike fit booked for next month so I'm thinking would it be another waste to be set-up on the Lapierre w/Tiagra only to be buying a different frame that I haven't been set-up on?

MisterSpaccato · 05-12-2020 2:47pm

CormacH94 wrote: »

Going for Ultegra as it seems to be in stock in most places, whereas 105 is not available - don't really mind spending the extra money - the winter bike has 105 so it makes sense to me that the good/race bike is better spec'd.

Have Fulcrum Racing 5's on the winter bike and love them - will probably go for Fulcrum again. Easy to service wheels.

I'm between 60 - 65kg so no problems with spoke counts. I don't think there's a lot of weight to be saved with a different alloy frame - the lapierre is 9kg, think the lightest alloy frame I've seen is 8.6kg? (Allez Sprint)

Other thing I should have mentioned is I've a bike fit booked for next month so I'm thinking would it be another waste to be set-up on the Lapierre w/Tiagra only to be buying a different frame that I haven't been set-up on?

Fulcrum is owned by Campagnolo and they share a lot of technologies, so i'm pretty sure quality is top notch. If you're happy with cup and cone bearings, they are a good choice. Also you're light so no problem with spoke count on wheels.

You're right about the low stock of 105 part, so if you're in a hurry and don't mind to pay more, get what's available. Just be warned that 105 and Ultegra might feel exactly the same

Do you plan to race on this bike? Otherwise the weight discussion is irrelevant. Anyway the frame is the last place you want to look at to reduce weight, just for the fact that you have to move all the parts from one frame to the other

. The cheapest weight reduction can be had with tubes. Continental Supersonic tubes weigh about 55g, compared to 100g for regular tubes, so using them will save you 100g for about 25 EUR.

At a higher premium, decent weight savings can be had by replacing handlebar, stem, seatpost, and saddle, with carbon fiber components. Not sure you might want to pursue this way since you're skeptical about getting a CF frame.

a148pro · 05-12-2020 6:45pm

CramCycle wrote: »

What is the frame material? If its steel, a light buff and some nail polish of the right colour. Aluminium, straight on with the nail polish (or simply leave it if you don't mind the aesthetics.

Aluminium. Don't really mind the aesthetics but its annoying when you've kept the bike well. Just worried it would lead to corrosion or flaking off of the paint on the frame but it prob wont. Not sure my missus has nail polish, will see.

CramCycle · 05-12-2020 7:04pm

MisterSpaccato wrote: »

I rode ultegra and 105 and found absolutely zero difference in "feel", both shift like clockwork. Are you sure you want to pay a 300 EUR premium for a couple of hundred of grams in weight reduction? I would highly recommend 105 between the two.

Agreed, unless your a weight weenie, there is no discernible difference. Even for most Irish racers, if you think 105 vs Ultegra is the reason you are not winning, then, sadly for you,its not actually the reason.

a148pro wrote: »

Aluminium. Don't really mind the aesthetics but its annoying when you've kept the bike well. Just worried it would lead to corrosion or flaking off of the paint on the frame but it prob wont. Not sure my missus has nail polish, will see.

Aluminium oxidises to a stronger form so you won't damage the frame, but a quick pop into any cheap make up place for teenagers like Clairs and you will pick up a colour close enough without much hassle. You could, if really pushed, pop into Halfords and get a tester of a similar coloured paint either.

CramCycle · 05-12-2020 7:06pm

Just getting a 1X bike but the cranks are too long, If I put my 2x crankset on the frame, I resume other than the chain line not being perfect, I can just leave the chain resting on the large chainring or will it have to be one of those narrow wide ones?

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

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