Thread To Tell Everyone What Fettling You've Just Done

rubertoe

plenty of life left in them

Kieran_Burns

SMUT Part 2:

Another 2 hours of cleaning the clean bits that weren't as clean as the previous clean suggested. All in all, the previous clean simply seems to have removed a layer of oil / dirt / dead bodies revealing another burgeoning dirt civilisation underneath. I swear there were screams as I cleaned the not-so-clean clean bits, but that might just have been me.

Retrieved some koolstop pads that I bought 2 years ago to replace the heavily worn pads that I seem to have successfully used for another 2 years. Fitted them and was surprised to realise that the outgoing pads were the originals from when I bought the bike back in 2009.

Also retrieved and fitted the replacement bottom bracket which made me remember that I hadn't cleaned the chainset yet. Ar5e. That was not so much caked as oiled in dirt. You could plough this stuff. So I did.

45 minutes of scraping, spraying, washing, rinse and repeat revealed a black (and unfortunately: silver) triple chainset. Heavily worn but still viable, possibly. So that's now fitted and how I did laugh when I fitted the left side crank arm at 90 degrees to the right. Sigh.

Of further note is the unexpected shower when I turned on the hose not realising it had rolled round to point straight into the garage, not outside like I had left it. Oh, how I laughed again.

The final job was to clean the rear cassette properly by removing it from the wheel. Hell, I'm an expert at this. No problems... It's seized. Proper seized. Seized to the point that when you use a rubber mallet to smack the spanner while holding on to the chain whip; you lose grip and the spanner bounces off the floor, the chain whip exits vertically, you whack yourself in the shin and the chain whip narrowly misses your head. Oh how I did laugh.

So that's now soaking in enough GT85 to sink a small destroyer.

Oh I invented a new word: wankingarsebollocks. I'm so proud.

asprilla

Leading the Burls to someone this weekend so just given it the once over;

Change brake blocks
Change tyres
Remove guards
Changed front mech cable

itboffin

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Operation "Save My Unloved Tricross" (SMUT) started last night.

Things did not look good, there were growths on places things should not grow, the frame colour was uncertain, things that are meant to move don't and things that aren't, do.

I had considered performing the last rites and consigning the old girl to the great scrapheap in the sky but watching too many zombie and vampire films made me realise I could create an undead bike (non-sparkly) nosferatu stylee...

Bike on the stand, wheels not spinning; brakes seized; bottom bracket... well.... green; chain fluffy, rear mech also seized (and fluffy) front mech partly seized, bottom bracket shell eating the cables, wheels with at least one broken spoke (sob), cassette is black (which I guess is better than green), triple chainset looks like a road surface (black, covered in tar, mud and full of potholes)

I look over at the 2 x 5l tubs of muc off cleaner and wonder if it will be enough...

So everything removed from the dead bike...

Wheels off, count broken spokes (sob) lean them outside, wet them and spray with muc off
Chain off, not sure what to do with this... it's VERY greasy so should just need a thorough clean
Chainset and pedal off, likewise leant outside soaked and covered in muc off.
BB out and mowed, sorry... cleaned. Turns out to be in remarkably good condition. I suspect vampirism and soak in holy water. Did not melt and scream so use degreaser instead and it comes up sparkly. F*ck, I have a twilight BB.... Put to one side and think about using the spare BB anyway.

Spend 2 hours with the hose and muc off on the bike when encroaching darkness stops my fun and I move everything back inside to start again tomorrow.

I'm not saying the bike was bad, but there was an oily sheen on the drive afterwards.

More SMUT later.

This POST is useless without pics you dirty tease

itboffin

vorsprung wrote:

when the wheels were off I noticed that the front brake blocks were pretty much non existent



So they were replaced

and you also noticed that they're not setup correctly as well?
left is more worn for a reason dont you know, tsk! :roll:

veronese68

Loose cranks on the EPO's station hack. Quick investigation revealed a loose and nutless cotter pin. After much digging around in the garage I could not find an appropriate nut so went down to Evans in Kingston. I asked if they had a nut to fit but if necessary I would splash out and buy a whole new cotter pin and nut assembly. Lovely chap found me a suitable nut and washer after much digging around.
I must confess they really are very helpful if you don't turn up on a Saturday in spring when it's absolutely heaving in there.

redvee

rubertoe wrote:

plenty of life left in them

Took a set of pads off in January when they were 0.6mm thick. Running out of thread on the adjuster mad me look at the thickness of them.

asprilla

Asprilla wrote:

Leading the Burls to someone this weekend so just given it the once over;

Change brake blocks
Change tyres
Remove guards
Changed front mech cable

I also put flat pedals on.

rolf_f

redvee wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

plenty of life left in them

Took a set of pads off in January when they were 0.6mm thick. Running out of thread on the adjuster mad me look at the thickness of them.

Pffft! Lightweight. The ones I took off in January were negative thick. As was the shoe itself which was also negative thick. And the rim of the wheel......... Oh well, saved a bit of weight I suppose!

goonz

Veronese68 wrote:

Loose cranks on the EPO's station hack. Quick investigation revealed a loose and nutless cotter pin. After much digging around in the garage I could not find an appropriate nut so went down to Evans in Kingston. I asked if they had a nut to fit but if necessary I would splash out and buy a whole new cotter pin and nut assembly. Lovely chap found me a suitable nut and washer after much digging around.
I must confess they really are very helpful if you don't turn up on a Saturday in spring when it's absolutely heaving in there.

Not sure everyone shares your sentiments. I happened to be in their last saturday and there was an irate customer in there. It was 10 when I got in and he had been there since the shop had opened about 8.30. Still had not been seen and his complaint was about his hack which he had brought in to get fixed and once serviced his drop out had broken. He was not happy.

Kieran_Burns

itboffin wrote:

This POST is useless without pics you dirty tease

Not until it's done. Seriously.. it's embarrassing how bad a condition it was in. It's looking slightly less sorry for itself now but it's still in a ridiculously bad way.

I can see me needing a new chainset to be honest but I just want to get the old girl back on the road and see how it goes first

PerformingMonkey

I fitted a carbon top cap on my forks/steerer (£4 Amazon). Wind tunnel tests show this is worth at least an extra 5-10mph on the flat...

itboffin

Kieran_Burns wrote:

itboffin wrote:

This POST is useless without pics you dirty tease

Not until it's done. Seriously.. it's embarrassing how bad a condition it was in. It's looking slightly less sorry for itself now but it's still in a ridiculously bad way.

I can see me needing a new chainset to be honest but I just want to get the old girl back on the road and see how it goes first

if you're in the market for a new chainset i cant recommend SRAM apex enough, lovely shifting and looks cool on any bike, i'm running two now and one rival.

asprilla

itboffin wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

itboffin wrote:

This POST is useless without pics you dirty tease

Not until it's done. Seriously.. it's embarrassing how bad a condition it was in. It's looking slightly less sorry for itself now but it's still in a ridiculously bad way.

I can see me needing a new chainset to be honest but I just want to get the old girl back on the road and see how it goes first

if you're in the market for a new chainset i cant recommend SRAM apex enough, lovely shifting and looks cool on any bike, i'm running two now and one rival.

+1. The only problem is finding alternatives to the dairy product Truativ BBs that are supplied.

veronese68

goonz wrote:

Not sure everyone shares your sentiments. I happened to be in their last saturday and there was an irate customer in there. It was 10 when I got in and he had been there since the shop had opened about 8.30. Still had not been seen and his complaint was about his hack which he had brought in to get fixed and once serviced his drop out had broken. He was not happy.

Hence my bit about not going there on a Saturday in spring, also I wouldn't let them work on my bike. Some of them are good, some not so much and you don't know who will work on it. Did they give it back to him with a broken dropout or did it break later? As a chain they certainly have their failings, but they gave me very good service last night.
They are the nearest bike shop to me and I know what I'm talking about enough to cope with any knowledge shortfalls. The regular staff are pleasant and do try to do their best. I was a complete timewaster last night, but they value repeat business and looked after me.

rubertoe

Asprilla wrote:

+1. The only problem is finding alternatives to the dairy product Truativ BBs that are supplied.

They cant be any worse than FSA's philidephia made offerings.

Kieran_Burns

rubertoe wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

+1. The only problem is finding alternatives to the dairy product Truativ BBs that are supplied.

They cant be any worse than FSA's philidephia made offerings.

The problem I think is finding an alternative to the square taper internal BB so you can use an alternative chainset. I have a complete 105 triple set lying around but I don't know if I can fit it to replace the old FSA one.

rubertoe

Kieran_Burns wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

+1. The only problem is finding alternatives to the dairy product Truativ BBs that are supplied.

They cant be any worse than FSA's philidephia made offerings.

The problem I think is finding an alternative to the square taper internal BB so you can use an alternative chainset. I have a complete 105 triple set lying around but I don't know if I can fit it to replace the old FSA one.

The 105 can be used to replace an FSA assuming they are both triple's, the BB shell will take both square taper and external type BB's

slowbike

Finished off sorting my little sis' bike last night - an 'alfrods monstrosity, but it's 2 wheels and a frame and she wants to ride it....
Test rode it round the corner and back - the gears and brakes now work and you can see the paintwork (even if it is a little bashed) ... gave it to my wife to check the saddle height as she's about the same height as my sis ... wife rides off, comes back and announces that the saddle is too low and wobbly ... how had I not noticed the wobble ?! Anyway - she puts the saddle up (quick release job) and checks why it's wobbly - ah simple bolt on part of the seat post - give her the set of tools and she's tightening it all up ...
perfect !
It's nice when you have an assistant!

Kieran_Burns

rubertoe wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

+1. The only problem is finding alternatives to the dairy product Truativ BBs that are supplied.

They cant be any worse than FSA's philidephia made offerings.

The problem I think is finding an alternative to the square taper internal BB so you can use an alternative chainset. I have a complete 105 triple set lying around but I don't know if I can fit it to replace the old FSA one.

The 105 can be used to replace an FSA assuming they are both triple's.

but you're replacing an internal square taper bb with an external hollowtech II...

ooh you git you edited that while I was typing mine :P

rubertoe

Kieran_Burns wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

+1. The only problem is finding alternatives to the dairy product Truativ BBs that are supplied.

They cant be any worse than FSA's philidephia made offerings.

The problem I think is finding an alternative to the square taper internal BB so you can use an alternative chainset. I have a complete 105 triple set lying around but I don't know if I can fit it to replace the old FSA one.

The 105 can be used to replace an FSA assuming they are both triple's.

but you're replacing an internal square taper bb with an external hollowtech II...

ooh you git you edited that while I was typing mine :P

I thought that was a given.

lancew

Last night I removed my BB as I came to the conclusion at the 68mm 122.5 was too long and causing chain rub and preventing my derailer from getting into 3rd on the front easier, so today I need to go to evans and get a 68mm 115 and a trio of 26" 1.75-2.5 tubes to go with my nice new Nobby Nic's ready for my MTB ride tomorrow.

Very tempted to get some MTB shoes and take my clip-ons with me...

Kieran_Burns

rubertoe wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

[
but you're replacing an internal square taper bb with an external hollowtech II...

ooh you git you edited that while I was typing mine :P

I thought that was a given.

There is a minor problem

The FSA crank is black, the 105 is silver...

The bike looks like:



CanI fit a silver triple to this? I think I might break a law or something.

UndercoverElephant

Kieran_Burns wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

[
but you're replacing an internal square taper bb with an external hollowtech II...

ooh you git you edited that while I was typing mine :P

I thought that was a given.

There is a minor problem

The FSA crank is black, the 105 is silver...

The bike looks like:



CanI fit a silver triple to this? I think I might break a law or something.

I think with a Tricross you're already breaking every rule invented. I say go for it.

rubertoe

I fitted a silver 105 double to my kaff when I replaced the FSA BB and cranks, it looked a bit weird to begin with but as all the mechs and shifters are silver, you can get away with it.

veronese68

What state was the chainset in before you scraped all the clag off? Could you see what colour it was?

Kieran_Burns

Veronese68 wrote:

What state was the chainset in before you scraped all the clag off? Could you see what colour it was?

I'll do photos this evening. It is the original please note... and the bike has really been through the wars.

Kieran_Burns

UndercoverElephant wrote:

I think with a Tricross you're already breaking every rule invented. I say go for it.

As I own 2 CX bikes I think I need to remind you...

"I am a colossal pervert. Animal, vegetable, or mineral I'll do anything TO anything"

itboffin

wear something tight and sexy

Kieran_Burns

SMUT part 3 is postponed now the Felt is complete again. I *will* have it completed before the weekend is through though as I really want to make sure I have a backup commuter.

That and the idea of fitting the 105 set is intruiging.