Thread To Tell Everyone What Fettling You've Just Done

fairweatherbiker

Last Friday morning got a puncture only 500 yards from home.
No problem, I think, I'll just walk back and use my old bike

But because it hasn;t been used since May, my old bike has no saddle, no pedals and 2 flat tyres, and probably the lights dont work (though I didn't check) briefly considered using my wifes bike, but my knees hit the handlbars on that one!
So, shame be upon me, I used the car to commute for the first time since that snow in February. :oops:

So weekend fettling was fixing puncture, and getting the old bike roadworthy. Also noticed a broken bracket on the rear mudguard, so fixed that, and off for a test ride.

The brakes on that old bike are just pants - tiny 1inch long rectangular blocks - anyone know if its worth fitting the newer long pads.

Aidy

Bought some of those Crud RoadRacer thingies.

Yes, I'm aware that this is the wrong thread for this, but bear with me...


High clearance forks, so the fit wasn't as awesome as it could be:



A bit of thought, an lid from an old puncture repair glue thingy and a zip tie lead me to:



(Can you tell what it is yet?)

Add some gaffer tape (because *everything* can be fixed with gaffer tape and zip ties), and we get:



Fit still had a bit more to go, so a few layers of gaffer tape later and:



And, finally refitted:

redvee

Did similar to get my Roadracers to fit my Tricross but used the blanking plate from an I/O panel from a PC case and some heat shrink tubing to keep in with the black stealth look of the guards.

itboffin

Nothing yet but I'm really gonna have to clean and service the CX it's running like a bag of nails

cjcp

Fitted the Durano Pluses.
Cleaning the bikes.
Got to try and sort the front brake squeal on the Kona. Grrr. The noise is a tad embarrassing. Think I need to (a) adjust the toe-in, (b) get new brake blocks, and (c) possibly adjust the position of the front brake cable hanger. Need to check what they said about all this in the latest C+.

Fireblade96

P*ncture repairs today - roadie and town bike. The PF has been on her holidays from Boffin-land and has come to visit Berkshire :-(

Also re-indexed rear rerailleur on town bike, since on the way home from the pub last night, I managed to change up into the gear that's just between the highest rear cog and the frame :roll: and ended up covered in grime and grease before managing to free it.

pmac1893

built up my tarmac sl2.

iain_j

It's not yet a month since I last did it but I cleaned my bike again today! Couldn't avoid it really as it was caked in mud and cowsh!t from Thursday's ride. It wasn't going to be a thorough clean today, just get it looking presentable again, for another ride tomorrow. But as ever I spent hours on it, getting it spotless, knowing that a ride through one puddle will undo all the hard work. Never mind

Oh and finally sorted out the rear mech's dodgy indexing which has been driving me mad for a few weeks.

cjcp

Fiddled with the brakes on the Kona. I bet they'll still squeal like a little piggy. :?

iain_j

iain_j wrote:

But as ever I spent hours on it, getting it spotless, knowing that a ride through one puddle will undo all the hard work.

sure enough, not 24 hours later, it's filthy again

greg66_tri_v2.0

Bike 1 is a disgrace. And badly needs new front pads. And a drivetrain clean. And possibly when that's done I'll find out it needs a new chain and cassette. Ekk!

I thinking I can just about ease through next week and the week after and then find some time over Xmas to sort it.

Or, alternatively, leave it in its filthy state until, ohhh, March? :oops:

itboffin

Fixed the flat I picked up Friday evening, now I remember why you should keep your bike clean

cjcp

This morning: cassette on the Kona was rattling a little - seemed loose. So, took it off and gave it a clean too, then tightened it up.

Roastie

The Pig's front hub was toast, with egg shaped balls and badly pitted bearing races. I was contemplating just buying a cr*ppy new wheel from the LBS for £20 (which, frighteningly, would have been an upgrade from the steel-hubbed original!), when a friend upgraded the wheels on his lovely old Spesh Crossroads and donated me his tired old wheels.

Stripped the hub off the donor front wheel on Friday, then gave the hub a good going over. The bearings were dry, but in good nick. After a good clean and re-greasing they were spinning smoothly.

Saturday lunchtime, after a preparatory Bombardier at my local, I set to stripping The Pig's old front wheel (the rim was still in very good nick) and then lacing up the rim and donated hub with spangly new spokes.

3 hours later I had a tight, and near-perfectly straight wheel. And all my stress relieving (as per Sheldon's instructions) seem to have paid off, because there were no pings and tinkles on the road (as I have had with other new wheels before) this morning.

So, quite proud at my first attempt at wheel building, though there are things I'll do differently when I do the rear wheel tonight .

redvee

Pulled ther rear wheel back 1/2" on my Tricross this morning as I was getting ready, looks like I'll have to put some air in the back tyre as the rear end felt a little loose as I rounded a few bends tonight.

Trailradar

Today I took off my rear lights and put in some fresh new batteries as the old ones were getting drained. The beam of light emitted from them now is nearlly three times brighter. Wow.

Annoyingly, the other rear light was accidently left on whilst i went shopping and is now completely drained so will have to do a little more fettling this week - there is just no rest for the wicked.

Am not looking forward to giving my bikes a mid-winter grease up and lube - will take flipping ages. What a way to spend the weekend. Oh well, the benefits of a good lube will outweigh the annoyance of seized up bike parts!!!

Will just have to slap on my favourite CD or tune into a radio station to take the sting out of the tail. Maybe treat self to lovely can of joy-juice afterwards too.

Roastie

The Pig's rear wheel has been very bad since the day I started riding it. Bearings in the hub were shot, and some spokes were seized so it was impossible to true the wheel.

I'd got the new spokes a few weeks ago, and refurbed a lovely old 7-spd Shimano freehub that was donated by a friend. Assembled the lot today (with the old rim that was in surprisingly good shape) - fun afternoon project, and it was a lot quicker than my first attempt at wheelbuilding!

simplesimoncardiff

Cleaned my bike, re-aligned my sisters disc calipers, sorted my sis' bf's fr & rr mechs & pop loc! Good times.

itboffin

Changing tyres on a MTB is a right PITA :evil:

redvee

Been toying with the idea of making my rear roadracer longer and was about to throw the broken front rr away when inspiration took over and along with a pair of scissors and a spare nut & bolt or two my rear rr guard now reaches the chainstays.

iain_j

What did I say earlier? What did I tell you about whenever I fettle, I break something?

Back to work tomorrow so I gave the chain some urgent TLC - after returning from the weekend away the chain was a horrible orangey, rusty colour, but after dragging it through a rag it was nice and clean again - no rust - phew.

But on oiling the chain and mechs I discovered the top pivot on the rear mech, where it bolts to the hanger, was bloody stiff. Not quite seized up, but not far off. Went to unbolt it from the frame and the bolt was just as tight. With a lot of oh-so-careful easing with the allen key I got it off the frame, but I'll be b*ggered if I can get it back on.

Any suggestions how/if a seized mech can be saved, or is it off to the shop for a new one?

UndercoverElephant

Bamboo single speed project:

I cut and heat treated the bamboo I was given by a very kind forum member. I also applied several coats of paint to the steel lugs I'm using. When I get chance, I need to coat the inside of the lugs and bottom braket shell with metal glue and let it harden. The wood glue should stick much better to the metal glue.

Fireblade96

MTB rebuilt (well, I've got to stick the seatpost and saddle back on yet) and cleared out of the kitchen in preparation for having mates round this evening and cooking for them.

They'll never detect that slight hint of WD40 in the game casserole....

gtvlusso

Pick up the Dave Russell track frame from Argos Cycles next week - all nicely refinished! Now need to rob a bank to finish the project....

Canny Jock

Been preparing the Tricross for commuting.

Fitted Marathon Plus 28's and Tortec full mudguards - both with reflective bits:



Used a Minoura Space Grip to allow me to fit lights (cheap Smart on constant and mega-bright flashing Cateye LD610) and reflectors despite having a saddle bag - hopefully reducing chance of SMIDSY:





And also a fork mounted brake hanger instead of the headset one, which stops any brake judder you sometimes get with these:



By the way - does anyone know what type of ferrule thing should sit in the hanger? As you can see I have just used the threaded one which was there as standard on the original hanger, however the new Kona style one isn't threaded. It sits OK but I would like to get the proper one.

Please excuse the nasty wallpaper - been too busy fettling the bike to decorate the house

rolf_f

itboffin wrote:

Changing tyres on a MTB is a right PITA :evil:

How come - seems easy enough for me. Prolly easier than on a road bike. :?

redvee

Canny Jock wrote:

Used a Minoura Space Grip to allow me to fit lights (cheap Smart on constant and mega-bright flashing Cateye LD610) and reflectors despite having a saddle bag - hopefully reducing chance of SMIDSY:

My rear lights are on a Space Grip but in the vertical plane as it suits the Mars 3.0 better , though I've moved this onto my Topeak saddle bag like wot you got. Have got another Cateye led but need a bracket, think it's time I ordered some Haribos from Wiggle and see of they chuck in the bracket FOC

Canny Jock wrote:

By the way - does anyone know what type of ferrule thing should sit in the hanger? As you can see I have just used the threaded one which was there as standard on the original hanger, however the new Kona style one isn't threaded. It sits OK but I would like to get the proper one.

Use a nut on the threaded ferrule for the time being then you have some adjustment on the front brake.


I've just pumped the tyres back up to their proper pressure after the snow ride last week and messed around with mounting the various lights on the bike.
Please excuse the nasty wallpaper - been too busy fettling the bike to decorate the house

Rolf F wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Changing tyres on a MTB is a right PITA :evil:

How come - seems easy enough for me. Prolly easier than on a road bike. :?

Could do a pair of MTB tyres with my thumbs, even the cheaper ones. Made the rare visits from the PF a doddle when on my MTB.

Tail end Charlie

Fell off bike on ice and the chain stays fractured at the top (it is an old frame). The local garage brazed them up for me (£10) and I've left it at the local powder coater for a nice blue finish (£35). Can't wait to get it back. The joys of a steel frame, try that with carbon !!
Replace the rear wheel bearings and sprocket.

Tail end Charlie

When I put the bike back together I'm going to replace all the bolts with allen headed ones to say thankyou to the bike as normally I spend bugger all on it.

redvee

Just put the Conti UGS back on the bike along with the crud racerguards after having the bike wearing CX tyres for the last 2 weeks due to snow etc. It seriously needs a wipe down from some baby wipes as it is filthy after the snow etc. Will no doubt fit my new XT SPDs after I get back from the pub lunch sometime this afternoon once I've sorted the tension on the new ones.