Embarrassing Bike Questions

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  • zanes
    zanes Posts: 563
    Right, SRAM chains?

    I put one on my bike in october, and it's now rusted to hell.

    My question, is it the following;

    1. My cleaning routine is not good enough for winter (roughly weekly cleans, and maybe oiling twice a week)

    2. SRAM chains are vulnerable to corrosion- the previous shimano i had on lasted from october 2007

    3. I'm an idiot.
  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    zanes wrote:
    1. My cleaning routine is not good enough for winter (roughly weekly cleans, and maybe oiling twice a week)

    If this is the case we're all doomed!! (sorry, I don't have a sensible answer)
    My Focus / My Bob Jackson
    Blog (incl. bikes)
  • OldSkoolKona
    OldSkoolKona Posts: 655
    zanes wrote:
    Right, SRAM chains?

    I put one on my bike in october, and it's now rusted to hell.

    What are you using for oil (and likewise what are you cleaning it with?

    I've run exclusively with SRAMs for some time now, no 'silly black link Shimano chain faff' and haven't had any issues - don't tend to clean it as frequently as that, lube it once a week.
  • zanes
    zanes Posts: 563
    Finish line wet lube, clean it either with some cleaner (finish line) on a piece of rag, or else if it's really mucky I use park tools chain cleaner with the same bike cleaner.
  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    Right. As far as I am aware my cassette is 12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21-24-27. However, I tend to cruise at a speed which would make 50/18 the ideal combination. Bearing in mind I am not willing to sacrifice my low end sprockets, could I take out, say, the 13 sprocket and insert an 18 in the appropriate place and expect everything to just work?
    My Focus / My Bob Jackson
    Blog (incl. bikes)
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    re cassette sizing, yes it will work, but you'll want an 18t sprocket with shifting ramps, and you'll want to lose either the 19 or the 17
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    No no, I don't want to lose either the 17 or the 19! That's my main range so I'd probably feel almost as handicapped if I didn't have one or the other. Hence my questions about losing the 13 and turning it into 12-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-24-27.

    If I do have to lose the 17 or the 19, can you explain why?
    My Focus / My Bob Jackson
    Blog (incl. bikes)
  • _Brun_
    _Brun_ Posts: 1,740
    The difference in diameter between the 12 and 14 sprockets is much bigger in relative terms than between 17 and 19. Might it be too big a climb for the chain?

    I've no idea if this is possible given the setup of Shimano cassettes, but maybe you could swap the positions of the 13 and 14 sprockets and check how it shifts from 12 to 14?

    Oh, and I meant check in the house with the bike upside down. Probably not a good idea to try and ride it with gears all back to front.
  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    But the difference in mm in diameter between 12 and 14 is less than between 24 and 27 (I think?) and that works okay...
    My Focus / My Bob Jackson
    Blog (incl. bikes)
  • zanes
    zanes Posts: 563
    Right, after CRCs inability to implement a stock control system, and KMC's odd naming system , I have a question;

    7 and 8 speed chains *are* totally interchangeable, aren't they? KMC seem not to think so, but I'm sure I've read elsewhere they are.

    Basically, I'd be fine fitting this;
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=25425
    To my 8 speed shimano casette. Or would I be better going for a HyperGlide (shimano) chain?
  • OldSkoolKona
    OldSkoolKona Posts: 655
    zanes wrote:
    Finish line wet lube, clean it either with some cleaner (finish line) on a piece of rag, or else if it's really mucky I use park tools chain cleaner with the same bike cleaner.

    Is the bike stored out in the rain (ie is it getting rusty over time or after a particularly heavy rain fall) My bike is undercover both sides of my commute, but does get a little rusty if its been particularly heavy rain and the roads are wet and I don't lube it after I get back in.

    One thing to bear in mind in comparison between the Shimano chain rustyness and the SRAM chain is what time of year you are comparing it over. There is a lot of salt on the roads at the moment, and rust forms faster in salt water (salt water acts as an electrical conductor called an electrolyte, which speeds up the oxidation process that causes rust)
  • zanes
    zanes Posts: 563
    Under cover at home, under an overhang at univeristy. I suspect the rust has formed due to salting, so I'm ordering a new chain (see above!!) and I've got a new, closer ratio casette to change.
  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,715
    biondino wrote:
    No no, I don't want to lose either the 17 or the 19! That's my main range so I'd probably feel almost as handicapped if I didn't have one or the other. Hence my questions about losing the 13 and turning it into 12-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-24-27.

    If I do have to lose the 17 or the 19, can you explain why?
    Shifting from 12-14 is a massive jump in terms of gear ratios (try it on a calculator). Just take the 12 off instead and have 13 as your smallest cog.
  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,715
    zanes wrote:
    Right, after CRCs inability to implement a stock control system, and KMC's odd naming system , I have a question;

    7 and 8 speed chains *are* totally interchangeable, aren't they? KMC seem not to think so, but I'm sure I've read elsewhere they are.

    Basically, I'd be fine fitting this;
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=25425
    To my 8 speed shimano casette. Or would I be better going for a HyperGlide (shimano) chain?
    Yes, that's fine.
  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    whyamihere wrote:
    biondino wrote:
    No no, I don't want to lose either the 17 or the 19! That's my main range so I'd probably feel almost as handicapped if I didn't have one or the other. Hence my questions about losing the 13 and turning it into 12-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-24-27.

    If I do have to lose the 17 or the 19, can you explain why?
    Shifting from 12-14 is a massive jump in terms of gear ratios (try it on a calculator). Just take the 12 off instead and have 13 as your smallest cog.

    Yes, but I'll only use it when I'm going downhill, quickly, so I would rather have the leap than lose essentially 3mph from my top (pedalling) speed! So anything above 40mph would be entirely dependent on the slope, and that would be a shame.
    My Focus / My Bob Jackson
    Blog (incl. bikes)
  • zanes
    zanes Posts: 563
    whyamihere wrote:
    zanes wrote:
    Right, after CRCs inability to implement a stock control system, and KMC's odd naming system , I have a question;

    7 and 8 speed chains *are* totally interchangeable, aren't they? KMC seem not to think so, but I'm sure I've read elsewhere they are.

    Basically, I'd be fine fitting this;
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=25425
    To my 8 speed shimano casette. Or would I be better going for a HyperGlide (shimano) chain?
    Yes, that's fine.

    Thanks, that what I thought. New chain ordered!
  • zanes
    zanes Posts: 563
    Ok, so I've put my new chain on, installed a new casette, and now I have a noise on one sprocket only! It's the middlish one (5/ 8 ), up and down shifts are ok, limits look good too.
    What could be going on? (google drew a blank)
  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,715
    What kind of noise?
  • zanes
    zanes Posts: 563
    :roll: I'm an idiot!

    Sorry, noise is pretty much the ticking you get when the limit screw isn't set right and you shift onto the gear by the limit. Note my limits are fine, and it's the 5th sprocket giving me grief. I can't understand why it's only on one sprocket though!

    Equipment wise, it's a triple shimano sora set-up from a couple of years back.
  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,715
    Hmmm, that is odd. Is it occurring on all of the chainrings?

    Other things to check:
    Is the rear mech in line with the sprocket when in the noisy gear? If not, which side is it?
    Is the shifting noticeably slower in one direction or the other? For example, does the bike shift up very easily, but take a while to down shift?
    Are both of the jockey wheels in line with the sprocket, in all directions?

    I have a sneaking suspicion that your mech/mech hanger might be ever so slightly bent. The only way to check this accurately is with a jig, which can be made yourself, but will take a bit of work. If everything I've said to check looks right, and you want to build the jig, let me know and I can give you instructions for building it.
  • zanes
    zanes Posts: 563
    Hmmmm.....

    Have just been looking at it, made a small cable adjustment and it seems much improved-Slightly clicky still on middle ring, but quite acceptable. Will have to see how she rides, and whether it beds in a bit. But much happier now!
  • boy on bike
    boy on bike Posts: 139
    boy on bike wrote:
    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 wrote:
    Plusgas or similar, WD40 might do overnight if the local car shop isn't open this late.

    Well, I finally (!) tracked down some Plusgas and gave it a whirl... that stuff sure has a high canine testicular component! 1 squirt, waited approx 30 seconds, then the rusted solid bolt came cleanly undone. I will now proceed to go around all the household's bikes undoing everything that has rusted solid over the years...
    Road - FCN3

    Town - FCN8

    Play
  • Jamey
    Jamey Posts: 2,152
    On the subject of brakes... How come you can get everything adjusted perfectly while the bike's in the workstand, with no rubbing at all, then as soon as you take the bike down from the stand and give it a quick test the brakes are rubbing all of a sudden?

    I seem to spend half of my time on Sundays re-adjusting brakes. It doesn't help that I like the pads to sit as close to the rim as humanly possible so the bite is as early as can be, but still.
    My photography // My helmet cam videos // My bike
  • el_presidente
    el_presidente Posts: 1,963
    Jamey wrote:
    On the subject of brakes... How come you can get everything adjusted perfectly while the bike's in the workstand, with no rubbing at all, then as soon as you take the bike down from the stand and give it a quick test the brakes are rubbing all of a sudden?

    I seem to spend half of my time on Sundays re-adjusting brakes. It doesn't help that I like the pads to sit as close to the rim as humanly possible so the bite is as early as can be, but still.

    Flexing frame forks & wheels. It can happen if you are a big guy, you like your frames to be reasonably comfortable and your brakes usable
    <a>road</a>
  • Jamey
    Jamey Posts: 2,152
    When I say "test" I don't even mean riding the bike. I just mean putting it on the ground, lifting up the front/back and spinning the wheel without even sitting on the bike.

    I's some kind of black magic, I tell thee.
    My photography // My helmet cam videos // My bike
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    Jamey wrote:
    When I say "test" I don't even mean riding the bike. I just mean putting it on the ground, lifting up the front/back and spinning the wheel without even sitting on the bike.

    I's some kind of black magic, I tell thee.
    Sounds like the wheels aren't in quite right on the stand and they are being pushed into place when the bike rests on them.
  • ratherbeintobago
    ratherbeintobago Posts: 636
    Stupid questions department:

    While riding across Bury town centre, I hear an enormous bang - one of the spokes on my back wheel had let go (which may have had something to do with rear wheel/my foot interface while trying to unclip :oops:)

    Assuming it's a 36-spoke 2-cross wheel, how safe is it to ride on? I am thinking only of going to the LBS to get it fixed (which is admittedly 10 miles away across Ashworth Moor) without taking it off & driving there.

    Many thanks for any assistance.

    RBIT
    On twitter
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    Always Tyred wrote:
    Jamey wrote:
    When I say "test" I don't even mean riding the bike. I just mean putting it on the ground, lifting up the front/back and spinning the wheel without even sitting on the bike.

    I's some kind of black magic, I tell thee.
    Sounds like the wheels aren't in quite right on the stand and they are being pushed into place when the bike rests on them.

    I have the same problem - I have a persistent high pitched squeak which stops for a short time after I apply the back brake - put the bike on the stand and spin the wheel and nothing - take the bike off and push it - nothing - only squeaks when I'm actually on the bike :x
  • PinkPedal
    PinkPedal Posts: 180
    Embarrassing question re wheels and tyres, Coriander had a similar query earlier in the thread.

    How do I know what different tyres I can put on my wheels? Mine are worn and I would maybe like to replace them with something kevlar-lined as had yet another visit from the p-fairy last night.

    Apparently I have Alex DF-23 32h black w/CNC sidewall rims (genesis vapour xcross bike) and it currently has 700x35c tyres. Do I have to replace them with tyres that are also 700x35c and if not how do I know whether they will fit? Looking on websites last night there didn't seem to be many different kinds of tyres available in 700x35c size.

    thanks
  • girv73
    girv73 Posts: 842
    @PinkPedal - look at the spec of your rims:
    http://www.alexrims.com/product_detail. ... at=4&id=87

    Any 700c tyres that fit into the 15.7mm rim width should work. You'll need to check tyre specs to see which sizes that includes. I had to do the same when choosing slicks for my commuting MTB.

    Read this: http://sheldonbrown.com/tire_sizing.html ... "Width Considerations"
    At a guess anything down to 700x28 should be fine, maybe 700x25's, but check first eh?

    Now my question: what's so special about anti seize compound? Would ordinary grease or WD40 do the same job?
    Today is a good day to ride

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