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

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    #2852
    fixXxer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,283 ✭✭✭fixXxer


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    as above, but worth noting it's more fiddly getting the wheel back on the bike if you've disc brakes as you've to be more precise lining it up.

    It does have break discs. I've seen puncture resistant tyre mentioned in a few places. Are they genuinely a benefit or a marketing gimmick?


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    #2853
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,741 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    I guess you just want to change the inner tube?

    You also have the option of patching the tube without taking the wheel off. There are videos on how to do that too. On most bikes it's easier just to put in a new tube though.

    Punture-resistant tyres do work. They can't prevent all punctures, but you do get noticeably fewer when you switch from regular to puncture-resistant. If you check the tyres for glass and debris every so often and remove the glass and debris you get even fewer punctures.


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    #2854
    Deano12345
    Registered Users Posts: 1,594 ✭✭✭Deano12345


    fixXxer wrote: »
    It does have break discs. I've seen puncture resistant tyre mentioned in a few places. Are they genuinely a benefit or a marketing gimmick?

    I also find wearing gloves while doing the job isn't a bad idea, the grease from your hands can make the discs squeal if it gets on them.


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    #2855
    68 lost souls
    Registered Users Posts: 3,980 ✭✭✭68 lost souls


    Type 17 wrote: »
    When looking at a derailleur to see if it is bent, check whether there is good parallel alignment between the surface that faces the hanger, and the surface at the bottom of the parallelogram section of the derailleur that interfaces with the plate of the swing-cage (red lines in the pic). If these two surfaces are not fully aligned across every potential gear position (observe whilst operating it with your hands), then the parallelogram section is twisted, and the derailleur is toast. If the parallelogram is ok, but the swing-cage is not fully aligned (the one in the pic is a bit crooked), it can usually be realigned by clamping the hanger-bolt tightly in a bench-vice (align the derailleur carefully with the vice's jaws, so you can use the vice as a reference point) and using a water-pump pliers to gently align the cage in stages, working in one direction/plane at a time. To align the jockey wheels themselves, if required (they can still be crooked even when the cage they're in is straight), grab the two ends of the jockey wheel bolts tightly (while the derailleur is still in the bench-vice) with the water-pump pliers, and twist them into alignment.

    Picked up the new hanger today. didn't come with any screws so have ordered screws as I lost one when the hanger snapped.

    Chain and old derailleur have got a bit of a deep clean and took the jockey wheels out to clean and replace. Need to do put some grease into the bushings on the jockey wheels next. There was a few gauges out of the jockey wheels caused by the chain twisting but things might be moving a little better. Cant reallytell till I put it back together.


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    #2856
    CramCycle
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,446 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    fixXxer wrote: »
    It does have break discs. I've seen puncture resistant tyre mentioned in a few places. Are they genuinely a benefit or a marketing gimmick?

    There is only one I know that are completely resistant and they are Tannus, simply because there is nothing to puncture they are filled through. I have Schwalbe marathons and have never had a puncture, remember Audax riders years ago who would get over 25000km out of them. Remember tough, their grip isn't as good as race tires in the wet and they are slower although the difference for most of us would be unnoticeable (hands up I barely notice the difference commuting). In the narrower versions, they are definitely more uncomfortable ( I used ot have 23s), but my current ones are fine (28s).


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    #2857
    brownian
    Registered Users Posts: 1,741 ✭✭✭brownian


    Hi all,
    I've been asked to fix up an old Muddy Fox kids bike. It has V brakes - the kind where the cable goes through a 'noodle' at the end. Anyway, the brakes are mounted on bosses (small sticky-out bars on the frame). One of these is snapped off. The stump (and the non-snapped neighbour) both resist my vice-grips charms; neither has the flat sides you'd hope for, to take a spanner.
    Should I
    - keep trying the vice grips
    - pour on petrol or chain lube, wait and hope
    - apply heat or cold
    - apply a drill with a HSS bit
    - cut a slot and try a flat-head screwdriver
    - try to cut two flattish sides?

    The frame is painted,the brake-bosses not, so I don't THINK that they are a continuous piece of steel (BTW, why on earth are kids' bikes much heavier than adults' bikes?).

    Advice most welcome!!


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    #2858
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,741 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    The brake is snapped off, or the boss is snapped off?

    For the two bikes I had that had v-brakes, you used an allen key to remove a bolt that went through the brake arm and into the centre of the hollow boss, and once that was off, the brake arm would come off fairly easily.

    EDIT: Oh yeah, I get it. You want to remove the boss from the fork. Ok, sorry.

    This any help?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P54TWF-BaDI


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    #2859
    brownian
    Registered Users Posts: 1,741 ✭✭✭brownian


    Ooo - it didn't occur to me that the boss (which is snapped - with about 10mm sticking up of a stump) might be hex-centred. That would be great, were it true... Will try tomorrow. Thank you.


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    #2860
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,741 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    brownian wrote: »
    Ooo - it didn't occur to me that the boss (which is snapped - with about 10mm sticking up of a stump) might be hex-centred. That would be great, were it true... Will try tomorrow. Thank you.

    No, alas, I misunderstood the problem. The boss hole is almost certainly circular in cross section. That adjustable wrench-cum-vise grip in the youtube video looks like it might do the job anyway, but he implies that the boss should have flats of some sort, if it's removable.

    This video says that if's a steel frame, the boss might be welded in. It shows the flats are at the base of the boss on the bike he's working on.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgBgfNdkDj8


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    #2861
    cletus
    Registered Users Posts: 7,867 ✭✭✭cletus


    I've a feeling, if you've no flats, the bosses are either welded or brazed on. A fix then become much more tricky.

    Actually, right, this might work. If you can get a sleeve with the correct inner and outer diameter, cut it to length, and thread a bolt through into what's left of the boss, the bolt head would keep the sleeve in place, and the brake could pivot on the sleeve.

    Extra edit: if you post the internal and external diameters here, I'll turn you down a piece on the lathe and send it out.

    It's worth a shot


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    #2862
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,741 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    cletus wrote: »
    Actually, right, this might work. If you can get a sleeve with the correct inner and outer diameter, cut it to length, and thread a bolt through into what's left of the boss, the bolt head would keep the sleeve in place, and the brake could pivot on the sleeve.

    That's very clever. The bolt might gradually bend under the force of braking, but if the sleeve is flush with the remnant of the boss, maybe the sleeve would transfer some of the force to the boss.


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    #2863
    brownian
    Registered Users Posts: 1,741 ✭✭✭brownian


    Thank you, cletus (and tomasrojo!). I'll need to lay hands on a vernier caliper, but I might come back to you (cletus, thanks again, that's very generous) when I have this.

    I'll need to have some solution before C-mas.....


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    #2864
    cletus
    Registered Users Posts: 7,867 ✭✭✭cletus


    brownian wrote: »
    Thank you, cletus (and tomasrojo!). I'll need to lay hands on a vernier caliper, but I might come back to you (cletus, thanks again, that's very generous) when I have this.

    I'll need to have some solution before C-mas.....

    Where are you located?


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    #2865
    cletus
    Registered Users Posts: 7,867 ✭✭✭cletus


    tomasrojo wrote: »
    That's very clever. The bolt might gradually bend under the force of braking, but if the sleeve is flush with the remnant of the boss, maybe the sleeve would transfer some of the force to the boss.

    If there's a tight tolerance between the threads and the i.d. of the shaft, and the end of the boss is filed flat, it should mitigate some of that.

    I was trying to think of a way of machining a partial sleeve with threaded end to go into the remaining boss, and a threaded hole on the other end to receive the fastener for the brake. the allen head screw thats normally used would have to be either shortened, or replaced with a shorter one. I don't know whether it would hold up any better, tbh.

    As I'm typing this, I'm thinking the sleeve might be the better option


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    #2866
    brownian
    Registered Users Posts: 1,741 ✭✭✭brownian


    Brilliant! When I get the caliper to hand, I'll maybe post a picture or two to show the 'stump: there's about a cm or a little less of the original boss. The base 6mm or so are one diameter, the rest is slightly less (this latter being the remains of that part of the boss which passes through the actual brake).


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    #2867
    cletus
    Registered Users Posts: 7,867 ✭✭✭cletus


    brownian wrote: »
    Brilliant! When I get the caliper to hand, I'll maybe post a picture or two to show the 'stump: there's about a cm or a little less of the original boss. The base 6mm or so are one diameter, the rest is slightly less (this latter being the remains of that part of the boss which passes through the actual brake).

    If you're near Naas, I've calipers.


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    #2868
    padyjoe
    Registered Users Posts: 1,190 ✭✭✭padyjoe


    I adjusted the cleat on my left foot today. I felt the heel needed a bit more outwards. Had a second thought, I'd loose the bolt if went ahead. So went ahead and lost the bolt after 25k. Nearly fell to the ground on stopping, as the cleat was turning on the one remaining bolt, wouldn't release my foot. I managed to clip out in the very last second.
    Solution thread locker? Or should give it more tightening? I was afraid of breaking it. Maybe it was too much of an angle turned, I'd say 30 degrees form straight ahead.


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    #2869
    CramCycle
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,446 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    padyjoe wrote: »
    I adjusted the cleat on my left foot today. I felt the heel needed a bit more outwards. Had a second thought, I'd loose the bolt if went ahead. So went ahead and lost the bolt after 25k. Nearly fell to the ground on stopping, as the cleat was turning on the one remaining bolt, wouldn't release my foot. I managed to clip out in the very last second.
    Solution thread locker? Or should give it more tightening? I was afraid of breaking it. Maybe it was too much of an angle turned, I'd say 30 degrees form straight ahead.

    Are you saying you are holding the cleats on with only one bolt? That will be your problem. Get more bolts and tighten it in properly, even threadlocker won't hold it for long and you'll either fall or strip the threads.


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    #2870
    padyjoe
    Registered Users Posts: 1,190 ✭✭✭padyjoe


    Yes. But not going to. I will replace the missing bolt. I was just wondering are there other means not to drop the bolt to the road when it worked itself loose.
    And the other thing, I reckon had the cleat at out of normal range angle, that's the reason for why it got slack so soon.
    Oh, sorry, I'd have mentioned that this an SPD system, due to liking more float on my roadbike.


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    #2871
    lissard
    Registered Users Posts: 531 ✭✭✭lissard


    I have to say I have never experienced the bolts falling out of SPD cleats - normally they are well stuck what with the grit that comes up off the road/track. Did you tighten them using the appropriate torque (5Nm)? I use a torque wrench to get mine right.


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    #2872
    cletus
    Registered Users Posts: 7,867 ✭✭✭cletus


    Prior to dropping the bolt, did you have two bolts in your cleat? Once the bolts are seating flush, the angle of the cleat shouldn't make any difference. Whern you get the new bolt, take a picture of the cleat position, and the bolts as you have them positioned

    It could just be a case that the bolt wasn't nipped up tight enough. A dab of blue threadlock should remove any doubt


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    #2873
    padyjoe
    Registered Users Posts: 1,190 ✭✭✭padyjoe


    lissard wrote: »
    using the appropriate torque (5Nm)?

    No, I tightened them by hand. I'd have paid more attention to it though.
    cletus wrote: »
    Prior to dropping the bolt, did you have two bolts in your cleat?

    Yes, I had 2. To be honest I've used for a long time without an issue. I'm partially putting the blame on this: the cleat serrated edge leaves marks in the sole as it bites into it. If I change the position, some of the teeth go into an unmarked surface, the others grip into existing holes. This way allows more movement on the marked side, even it feels tight on screwing, it could let go under stress.


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    #2874
    cletus
    Registered Users Posts: 7,867 ✭✭✭cletus


    padyjoe wrote: »
    No, I tightened them by hand. I'd have paid more attention to it though.



    Yes, I had 2. To be honest I've used for a long time without an issue. I'm partially putting the blame on this: the cleat serrated edge leaves marks in the sole as it bites into it. If I change the position, some of the teeth go into an unmarked surface, the others grip into existing holes. This way allows more movement on the marked side, even it feels tight on screwing, it could let go under stress.

    Seems likely. Once you have them back in and positioned correctly, I'd be inclined to check them after maybe 10km, and nip them back up if necessary


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    #2875
    padyjoe
    Registered Users Posts: 1,190 ✭✭✭padyjoe


    You are right there, cletus! It has never crossed my mind, it will settle after a while and needs to be checked again. True.


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    #2876
    AndrewJRenko
    Registered Users Posts: 28,363 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    Speaking of stupid questions, I did an 'emergency' removal of my front wheel when I had to call for the broom-wagon to rescue me. I forgot about the dynamo connections until I got home.

    Can anyone advise the mechanically challenged how to reconnect these?
    534193.jpeg
    I think it is this connector; https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m20b0s133p1914/SHIMANO-Dynamo-connectors

    Do I need to pop out the white part of the connector? How do I get access to the clip, which seems to be tight up to the body of the hub?


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    #2877
    Type 17
    Registered Users Posts: 2,730 ✭✭✭Type 17


    Pull the whole plug off, which consists of the grey inner and black outer part.

    When you get it off, separate the two parts by pressing the trigger in with something small and pointy.

    Touch the wires off the contacts on the hub while turning the wheel, to check which way around the wires should be (polarity) and then confirm which way to feed the wires back into the grey part.

    Feed two wires back into the grey inner bit and fold the ends over into the grooves provided, and then slip the black part over the grey one, and press it back onto the hub.


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    #2878
    cletus
    Registered Users Posts: 7,867 ✭✭✭cletus


    Could you take a picture of the other side of the grey/white connector once you have it removed?

    *Edit* or just do what type17 said...


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    #2879
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,741 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    Type 17 wrote: »
    Pull the whole plug off, which consists of the grey inner and black outer part.

    When you get it off, separate the two parts by pressing the trigger in with something small and pointy.

    Touch the wires off the contacts on the hub while turning the wheel, to check which way around the wires should be (polarity) and then confirm which way to feed the wires back into the grey part.

    Feed two wires back into the grey inner bit and fold the ends over into the grooves provided, and then slip the black part over the grey one, and press it back onto the hub.

    That's handy. I had my own way of doing it, as I didn't realise you could separate the grey and the black part, but my way is very hit-and-miss, and this sounds way easier.


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    #2880
    Effects
    Registered Users Posts: 9,761 ✭✭✭Effects


    A friend of mine recently had his bike serviced, he got a "whole new drivetrain". The drivetrain alone was €200, which I thought was a bargain for a Claris setup. Turns out €200 gets you a fitted new rear cassette, chain and jockey wheels!


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    #2881
    Type 17
    Registered Users Posts: 2,730 ✭✭✭Type 17


    If that is correct, it's time to get some comparison pricing from other shops, and re-visit the place he got that done, and discuss their pricing...


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