Embarrassing Bike Questions

lost_in_thought

Hey Cori, no, my LBS guy looked at me like I fell from the sky when I asked him about those, and I have been away too much to ask anywhere else!

Would definitely be interested!

And Always-tyred it's actually on the Bowery, not the rubbish roadie! I don't mind it I suppose, but it's a bit unnerving. Any suggestions of slightly more rigid materials/bars?

Furthermore on the brakes topic, I bought some shiny new pads and took them home to fit, looked at teh bowery and had NO IDEA how to fit them. It seems to have pads which bolt directly to the calipers, but have a thread rather than a screw... or am I mad? Can you get things to put the pads in? Do I need to use the same fixing? Confusled.... :oops:

nicklouse

Always Tyred wrote:

Coriander wrote:

Yet another embarrassing question :oops:

On my frame is a hole where a screw goes to fix my rack and mudguards in place. On the chain side this hole seems to have lost its thread - the screw tightens then slips a little and is untight again. I'm losing a screw a day (I'm sure there's a double entendre in there somewhere).

Is it possible to put thread in the hole again? If so, do I need to take it to a bike shop?

You can re-tap it, but then you'll find that normal sized bolts don't fit. Personally, I'd just get a small nut and bolt from a hardware store. Space might be tight on the inside of the fork, but its worth a try because its going to be cheaper.

get a new longer countersunk bolt and fit it from the inside and put the nut on the out side if you have clearance issues.

Coriander

I'm sorry - I seem to have hijacked this thread, but I am really stupid when it comes to technology.

On Friday evening the general consensus was that I'd go quite a bit faster with thinner, less bobbly tyres. If I get thinner tyres would I need new wheels as well - surely the width of your tyre is dictated by the width of your wheel???

nicklouse

biondino wrote:

nicklouse wrote:

Commuters of the world a question.

Would you like your own commuting tech section or are you happy with this topic as is?

I haven't noticed a tech section being lacking, though it might make things a bit tidier? No feelings either way really.

just a thought.

biondino

It's a good thought! I hope other people give you their thoughts.

Cori - most rims can take a fairly wide range of tyres, so unless you're already using the thinnest tyres they can take you're likely to have at least a few mms to take advantage of. And a slicker tyre in itself will make a big difference even if it's not thinner. On the other hand if you have a cyclocross bike and put road tyres on it it's hard to see why you wouldn't have chosen a road bike to begin with

cjcp

Coriander wrote:

I'm sorry - I seem to have hijacked this thread, but I am really stupid when it comes to technology.

On Friday evening the general consensus was that I'd go quite a bit faster with thinner, less bobbly tyres. If I get thinner tyres would I need new wheels as well - surely the width of your tyre is dictated by the width of your wheel???

Correct. Which wheels do you use?

always_tyred

Coriander wrote:

I'm sorry - I seem to have hijacked this thread, but I am really stupid when it comes to technology.

On Friday evening the general consensus was that I'd go quite a bit faster with thinner, less bobbly tyres. If I get thinner tyres would I need new wheels as well - surely the width of your tyre is dictated by the width of your wheel???

To a certain extent, but you could have some scope for going to a narrower tyre. One for the LBS though, who'll be able to determine which rim you have and ensure that you don't get something too narrow for your rim.

Going from knobblies to slicks would make a huge difference. I don't know if you have knobblies and I'm too polite to ask.

Do you have knobblies? (I lied).

Coriander

Am nobbly enough to be interesting!

CJ - I've no idea what size wheels I have (I love your faith in me, that you still ask me these questions).

My lbs is shite - was in there on Saturday and they are terrible. But the men in Evans are always very friendly, will ask them...

Littigator

nicklouse wrote:

Commuters of the world a question.

Would you like your own commuting tech section or are you happy with this topic as is?

Yes pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze, that'd make it much easier to post specific queries on subjects and follow/find them

lost_in_thought

Littigator wrote:

nicklouse wrote:

Commuters of the world a question.

Would you like your own commuting tech section or are you happy with this topic as is?

Yes pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze, that'd make it much easier to post specific queries on subjects and follow/find them

Agreed!

And maybe a beer/help session from time to time... those who are helped have to buy beers! Must start saving up.... :?

Coriander

"lost_in_thought wrote:

And maybe a beer/help session from time to time... those who are helped have to buy beers! Must start saving up.... :?

jeeez, I'll just hand over my salary now to the barmen...

But, yep, thanks are due.

always_tyred

lost_in_thought wrote:

Hey Cori, no, my LBS guy looked at me like I fell from the sky when I asked him about those, and I have been away too much to ask anywhere else!

Would definitely be interested!

And Always-tyred it's actually on the Bowery, not the rubbish roadie! I don't mind it I suppose, but it's a bit unnerving. Any suggestions of slightly more rigid materials/bars?

Furthermore on the brakes topic, I bought some shiny new pads and took them home to fit, looked at teh bowery and had NO IDEA how to fit them. It seems to have pads which bolt directly to the calipers, but have a thread rather than a screw... or am I mad? Can you get things to put the pads in? Do I need to use the same fixing? Confusled.... :oops:

Nothing obviously spindly on the giant. Are you sure you aren't just immensely strong?

Re- the brakes, you should be able to use the screws on the brake bads you have. I'd advise that you go to a quiet room, take the existing pads off and then begin swearing and throwing allen keys around in a strop as you struggle to get the new ones aligned (tip, use the brakes themselves to hold the bads against the rims in the right position). It gets easier with practice, I promise.

cjcp

Coriander wrote:

Am nobbly enough to be interesting!

CJ - I've no idea what size wheels I have (I love your faith in me, that you still ask me these questions).

My lbs is shite - was in there on Saturday and they are terrible. But the men in Evans are always very friendly, will ask them...

Cori - what are the wheels called? They should have the name written on the rims? As AT and BD said, your rims should allow you to fit a variety of tyre widths (my response was admittedly a bit too b&w).

If you've got a Tricross, you might have Alex rims with 700x32 tyres. You should be able to get thinner tyres. However, as said, not having nobblies will make a big difference (and will also get rid of any annoying road "hum"). You could opt for the 32mm Marathon Pluses.

Littigator

Always Tyred wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Hey Cori, no, my LBS guy looked at me like I fell from the sky when I asked him about those, and I have been away too much to ask anywhere else!

Would definitely be interested!

And Always-tyred it's actually on the Bowery, not the rubbish roadie! I don't mind it I suppose, but it's a bit unnerving. Any suggestions of slightly more rigid materials/bars?

Furthermore on the brakes topic, I bought some shiny new pads and took them home to fit, looked at teh bowery and had NO IDEA how to fit them. It seems to have pads which bolt directly to the calipers, but have a thread rather than a screw... or am I mad? Can you get things to put the pads in? Do I need to use the same fixing? Confusled.... :oops:

Nothing obviously spindly on the giant. Are you sure you aren't just immensely strong?

Re- the brakes, you should be able to use the screws on the brake bads you have. I'd advise that you go to a quiet room, take the existing pads off and then begin swearing and throwing allen keys around in a strop as you struggle to get the new ones aligned (tip, use the brakes themselves to hold the bads against the rims in the right position). It gets easier with practice, I promise.

LiT, I put Aztec replacement cartridges on my Bowery which fitted fine but as At mentioned need a bit of fiddling around to get the alignment right.

do NOT whatever you do buy replacment insert blocks and try and save a quid or two. Trying to get pads into the cartidges is a NIGHTMARE and will result in broken nails, missing skin and lots of swearing. I'll never do it again.

biondino

Littigator wrote:

broken nails

Litt really empathises with the female bikeradar contingent, it's sweet.

lost_in_thought

Aztec replacement cartridges... right, I'm going to get some on Wiggle. And thanks for the tips, I'm sensing that fitting these is going to involve a lot of swearing, a minor tantrum, and I'll cut my nails in preparation!

Always Tyred wrote:

Nothing obviously spindly on the giant. Are you sure you aren't just immensely strong?

Er, maybe but I doubt it!! Litts do your bars flex when you use them for leverage while accelerating?

Littigator

No so much that I notice but I have carbon handlebars on a carbon frame on my race bike which I notice much more flex with. By comparison my Bowery feels like it's made of concrete.

Also remember, you have enough gear inches to make a ti frame flex when you give it some!

lost_in_thought

Hmmmm, I'm finding it hard to believe that it's just because I'm the cycling girl equivalent of the incredible hulk.... :shock:

They never flexed on the gollum bike... maybe I'll look at some new handlebars...

biondino

Phew - luck y no-one's had an embarrassing bike questions in he last 10 weeks!

Anyway, I have one. What the hell are the devices in the link below for, especially the bottom left?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/mc/Sale/14/e.th ... n_Devices/

It's kind of reassuring that the more I learn about bikes, the more I realise how much else there is to learn.

UnworthyPapaLazaru

biondino wrote:

Phew - luck y no-one's had an embarrassing bike questions in he last 10 weeks!

Anyway, I have one. What the hell are the devices in the link below for, especially the bottom left?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/mc/Sale/14/e.th ... n_Devices/

It's kind of reassuring that the more I learn about bikes, the more I realise how much else there is to learn.

I think they are for downhill bikes so when you are going pure mental down the side of cliff, your chain doesnt fall off. Like thats top of the agenda...

(could be wrong)

attica

That would be my best guess too.

Definitely a guess though

tailwindhome

Edit - Posted in Commuting General

_Brun_

UnworthyPapaLazaru wrote:

biondino wrote:

Phew - luck y no-one's had an embarrassing bike questions in he last 10 weeks!

Anyway, I have one. What the hell are the devices in the link below for, especially the bottom left?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/mc/Sale/14/e.th ... n_Devices/

It's kind of reassuring that the more I learn about bikes, the more I realise how much else there is to learn.

I think they are for downhill bikes so when you are going pure mental down the side of cliff, your chain doesnt fall off. Like thats top of the agenda...

(could be wrong)

I often go down hills on my road bike, and have occasionally reached the pure mental speed of 64km/h (sounds better than 40mph). Should I get one, and is there a much more expensive Dura-Ace type version so my uphill progress is impeded as little as possible?

cjcp

UnworthyPapaLazaru wrote:

biondino wrote:

Phew - luck y no-one's had an embarrassing bike questions in he last 10 weeks!

Anyway, I have one. What the hell are the devices in the link below for, especially the bottom left?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/mc/Sale/14/e.th ... n_Devices/

It's kind of reassuring that the more I learn about bikes, the more I realise how much else there is to learn.

I think they are for downhill bikes so when you are going pure mental down the side of cliff, your chain doesnt fall off. Like thats top of the agenda...

(could be wrong)

http://www.e13components.com/

Yep, looks like they're for downhill racing lunatics.

boy on bike

Embarrasing questions must be like busses...

I've just got some new brakes, but on starting to take the old front brake off, I found that the allen bolt-y thingy that fixes the brake to the fork is completely seized! Any tips on how to free this without trashing my forks?

Ta...

redvee

Plusgas or similar, WD40 might do overnight if the local car shop isn't open this late.

boy on bike

Thanks redvee - I'll try that tomorrow after my morning ride (old front brake still intact and serviceable at the moment)

andy jackson

boy on bike wrote:

Thanks redvee - I'll try that tomorrow after my morning ride (old front brake still intact and serviceable at the moment)

might seem odd, but try and tighten the bolt first, then it should be easier to undo! or give the allen key a tap with a mallet, just to give you a little head start.


andy

andy jackson

I have one,

will I be able to fit this on to a flip flop hub? on my Spesh tricross.

ta muchly.

redvee

It will fit but there are other, better freewheels on sale. White Industries or Surly.