Thread To Tell Everyone What Fettling You've Just Done

andy9964

Callipers stripped, cleaned and greased appropriately
Hubs dismantled, cleaned, greased and reassembled.
Apparently, I've tightened them too much, it can wait until tomorrow as its too cold now

My clicking BB turned out to be a broken quick link, so I now have a spare BB bearing (It'll come in useful eventually - BB30)

Manc33

First thing I do when I get a new chain is take that quick link out completely and use a chain tool to connect it "properly".

I say properly because those quick links have not and will never work - I don't know why anyone perseveres with them, they don't work, I repeat, they don't work.

The outer plate just gets gnarled.

Then you're left with an immovable quick link whereas the old way, you could just use a chain tool to sort it. You can't get a gnarled quick link off even WITH a chain tool. How are you gonna change gears and stop that quick link getting pushed against the sides of both of the derailleurs? It might be fine for 500 miles but what about after 2000 miles when the metal is all blended together?

The irony of it is you'll then need a chain tool when you can't undo the quick link because its all fused/gnarled. :shock:

Just another marketing gimmick people fall for. :roll: You can have a chain tool and a quick link, you can have a chain tool only, you can't have a quick link and no chain tool, so why have the quick link lol, you're just introducing a weakness. There's no payoff to it, or convenience. Its just easy to think they work when you first use them because for a time they do.

Kieran_Burns

Manc33 wrote:

First thing I do when I get a new chain is take that quick link out completely and use a chain tool to connect it "properly".

I say properly because those quick links have not and will never work - I don't know why anyone perseveres with them, they don't work, I repeat, they don't work.

The outer plate just gets gnarled.

Then you're left with an immovable quick link whereas the old way, you could just use a chain tool to sort it. You can't get a gnarled quick link off even WITH a chain tool. How are you gonna change gears and stop that quick link getting pushed against the sides of both of the derailleurs? It might be fine for 500 miles but what about after 2000 miles when the metal is all blended together?

The irony of it is you'll then need a chain tool when you can't undo the quick link because its all fused/gnarled. :shock:

Just another marketing gimmick people fall for. :roll: You can have a chain tool and a quick link, you can have a chain tool only, you can't have a quick link and no chain tool, so why have the quick link lol, you're just introducing a weakness. There's no payoff to it, or convenience. Its just easy to think they work when you first use them because for a time they do.

Did you just have a bad time with a quick link?

menthel

Just fitted a brooks cambium c15 to the Italia. Looks nice!

In other news, quick links are great!

desweller

Replaced drive-side cone, bearings and freehub on the roadie. Might have to get a hanger alignment tool though, the derailleur seems to be toeing in.

Manc33 wrote:

I'm too mechanically inept to use a quick link.

Seemed like you were having trouble articulating your problem, so I've summarised for you. HTH.

Manc33

"A bad time" with a quick link infers that it doesn't happen much when it will happen invariably with these links, if the chain is used enough. Kinda like saying a guy running out of diesel in his car is "just having a bad time with it" when the reality is it wrote off his engine and would do the same if anyone else ran out of diesel.

Bad time doesn't come into it. First time it happened was on a stock bike so it wasn't me tinkering with the chainline or whatnot. Figured "this is what they do" and never used one again because that happens. They work if you cut the expected life of your chain down by about 6 times. Chains outlast quick links, its easier just having a chain tool and a chain properly fixed together. Isn't a chain tool always needed anyway in case something happens to any one of the other 50 odd links? :roll:

I even bet they end up ditching Di2 in the end. :P "A problem with his electronic shifting" says the commentator... seems like another gimmick to me. Let me guess, he was having a bad time, it doesn't "usually" happen. No, but it does happen and so its just silly to expect it to work.

desweller

Except it only happens to you. Like a lot of the stuff you post.

My quick links last (and are regularly used for) years.

menthel

My quick links are all fine too. Reusable and makes cleaning a manky chain very easy!

Manc33

So you're suggesting I pedaled the bike differently somehow?

timothyw

Manc33 wrote:

Bad time doesn't come into it. First time it happened was on a stock bike so it wasn't me tinkering with the chainline or whatnot. Figured "this is what they do" and never used one again because that happens.

Er so you used a quicklink once and happened to have an issue with it on that one occasion ergo quicklinks are always awful?

I've used quicklinks many many times, the chain has always stretched sufficiently to warrant replacement before any issue has been experienced. Another chain I'm using at the moment got a sticky link on a ride - I had a chain tool with me (any serious rider should) - I replaced it with a quick link. That chain is still running with two quick links. It hasn't exploded yet.

You need a chain tool to shorten new chains to length. It has nothing to do with quick links.

The one time I had a chain fail completely, it wasn't the quick link that failed. Go figure.

Stop spreading FUD with absolutely no basis.

And in case you haven't figured it out, you replace the quick link at the same time you replace the chain...if you don't do that of course it will fail eventually.

andy9964

Hubs now running smoothly. Realigned and adjusted the.calipers, they now bite properly, may have contaminated the discs or pads as they don't seem to stop as they should. New pads ordered and alcohol wipes at the ready.
Chain was left in Gunk overnight, now rinsed and fitted, along with a new quick link - that's the "living on the edge" kind of guy I am

secretsam

Old red steelie 531 back from the menders avec fully functioning 10-speed Tiagra, as bought on the parts bin forum here.

Sirrus commuter still in dock, awaiting spokes

Adjusted saddle on Cinelli to see if I can stop it hurting the inbetweenie bit. We shall see. A Charge Knife awaits if not.

il_principe

Manc33 wrote:

I even bet they end up ditching Di2 in the end. :P "A problem with his electronic shifting" says the commentator... seems like another gimmick to me. Let me guess, he was having a bad time, it doesn't "usually" happen. No, but it does happen and so its just silly to expect it to work.

:roll:

asprilla

Mrs announced at 11am yesterday that she'd arranged a family cycle ride along the river path with some friends who live nearby. Yeay, family cycling trip, what would be better?

Cue much swearing as I shiver in the cold frantically fitting mudguards to the Mrs bike, my SS hybrid and bodging something together for the tag along.

It was fun though.

arthur_scrimshaw

Cleaned my commuter yesterday as it was manky, hot soapy water and a brush, hosed down and left to air dry. Two miles into the commute and the cracking/popping sounds start. Get off and spin the wheels, front wheel bearings rough as hell. Decide to carry on and phone daughter to bring me in the cone spanners (she was working for me today anyway) so later today I'll be in the maintenance shop stripping and regreasing the front wheel bearings.
Rule 1 - never clean your bike.

Ok and technically I haven't fettled yet.

graeme_s-2

I had a mobile bike mechanic coming out to pick up my road bike this morning to replace the headset. He was coming at 8, so while I was waiting I thought I'd give my fixie commuter a quick fettle. Retensioned the chain, which was the usual fiddle and faff. When I'd finally got it just right I decided to pump the tyres up. Undid the valve on the rear wheel which promptly exploded and ejected the valve core across the garage. Gave up at that point and decided to work from home. Will have to go and replace the tube and then redo the tensioning at lunch - might actually give the bike a proper wash while I'm at it.

keyser__soze

Scary screeching noise from somewhere when descending at speed the last couple of rides. Managed to trace it down to freehub. Saw reports of the infamous Mavic screech of death which was a bit worrying, but stripped it down to find no serious wear to the bushing but quite a chunky sliver of metal in there. Removed it, bit of oil and repacked and seems fine. Getting rather adept at stripping down Mavic wheels now

ugo.santalucia

Keyser__Soze wrote:

Saw reports of the infamous Mavic screech of death which was a bit worrying, but stripped it down to find no serious wear to the bushing but quite a chunky sliver of metal in there. Removed it, bit of oil and repacked and seems fine.

Ignoring the disease is always the best cure... maybe the sliver of metal is part of something useful... or maybe it's just part of the decoration... :roll:

keyser__soze

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Ignoring the disease is always the best cure... maybe the sliver of metal is part of something useful... or maybe it's just part of the decoration... :roll:

I did inspect the hub/pawls/springs, couldn't find anywhere where it could've shaved off from, so it's either something external that's worked its way in there somehow or something small internally that I couldn't see. What should I have done, fitted a brand new freehub/pawls just in case? Not sure why a :roll: is necessary in your reply, but here's one back for balance. :roll:

kinioo

GELERT Strider 2L Hydro Pack @ Millets

http://www.millets.co.uk/equipment/1265 ... -blue.html

arthur_scrimshaw

kinioo wrote:

GELERT Strider 2L Hydro Pack @ Millets

http://www.millets.co.uk/equipment/1265 ... -blue.html

err... wrong thread??

Wheelspinner

Perhaps we need a Fettling Fails thread, as that seems to be my main achievement these days.

Had a whole pile of parts which I fettled into another bike to add to the collection I don't ride much. I am now firmly convinced internal cable routing is the work of Sadists, with a special category for the ones that also design frames with internal hydraulic brake line routing. Barstewards, the lot of them.

Sorted that lot, installed mech, chain etc and went for a short ride. All good till I shift into the top two cogs on the cassette, at which point I think a bag of spanners has got stuck in the jockey wheels judging by the noise. Gears 1 - 8 seem fine, indexing pretty well, and no noisier than "normal". Gears 9 & 10... horrible. Grrrrrrrrrr

Group pootle scheduled for tomorrow morning means my Friday evening will be spent in the shed trying to sort it.

Still, at least the wheels I built appear to have held up to the first outing.

graeme_s-2

Graeme_S wrote:

When I'd finally got it just right I decided to pump the tyres up. Undid the valve on the rear wheel which promptly exploded and ejected the valve core across the garage

So what I'd actually done is just unscrew the valve core by accident and all I needed to do was retrieve it from a corner of the garage and screw it back in. Annoyingly I'd already removed the inner tube by the time I worked that out :roll:

First.Aspect

A whole load of fettling and the bike still works. This is rare.

New rear mech, chainset, bb, front mech and chain. New hydro-mechanical sti levers and brakes connected, bled and installed. 10 of 11 gears installed on 10 speed freewheel. Anyone want an 18T sprocket?

No death on test ride. Brakes - check. Gears work great - almost unheard of. Damn this new Shimano stuff is well engineered.

Only slight frostbite.

itboffin

Had a quick look at my London commute post accident damn the left brake lever is totally bent inwards, when I finally get back on the bike I think a full strip down and rebuild is in order.

Kieran_Burns

Using a VERY long breaker bar, an inordinate amount of grease and GT85, my entire weight and a ridiculous amount of pressure I finally managed to unseize the bottom bracket (Praxis conversion kit) that I'd over-tightened when fitting. Still got the other half to release, so that's on soak as well. Got a BB30 tool, a long chisel and a bloody big yommer for that later on.

In the meantime I swapped the 10-speed cassette on the Felt and re-fitted the tyres. Got a new chain to fit but that's not going on until the crank is re-fitted

Man Of Lard

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Using a VERY long breaker bar, an inordinate amount of grease and GT85, my entire weight and a ridiculous amount of pressure I finally managed to unseize the bottom bracket (Praxis conversion kit) that I'd over-tightened when fitting. Still got the other half to release, so that's on soak as well. Got a BB30 tool, a long chisel and a bloody big yommer for that later on.

My tip for this situation - if you have a workbench/workmate with a vice... clamp the BB tool in the vice (vertically), lie the bike over it and use the frame as the leverage - you may need to get someone additional to hold it down on the tool, but you can get a lot more consistent leverage this way than bouncing on a breaker bar.

If you don't have a workbench with a vice - get one

Kieran_Burns

Man Of Lard wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Using a VERY long breaker bar, an inordinate amount of grease and GT85, my entire weight and a ridiculous amount of pressure I finally managed to unseize the bottom bracket (Praxis conversion kit) that I'd over-tightened when fitting. Still got the other half to release, so that's on soak as well. Got a BB30 tool, a long chisel and a bloody big yommer for that later on.

My tip for this situation - if you have a workbench/workmate with a vice... clamp the BB tool in the vice (vertically), lie the bike over it and use the frame as the leverage - you may need to get someone additional to hold it down on the tool, but you can get a lot more consistent leverage this way than bouncing on a breaker bar.

If you don't have a workbench with a vice - get one

Good tip. I did actually almost do a faceplant the first time I tried to remove the BB and the BB tool slipped off.

Man Of Lard

You can also rock it back and forth (sometimes the counterintuitive motion of tightening will break any corrosion "weld" and allow it to loosen more freely). If there's no extra person available, you can use a bag of something to hold it down (I used a 15kg bag of dry dogfood rather than have the ear-bashing that comes with SWMBO)

MonkeyMonster

This weekend I know I will be cleaning my bike... Front wheel seems to have a small wobble in it too!