Weekend Tinkering

t4tomo

Spent various bits of saturday tinkering with Mrs T old Puchs (story behind as to why she has 2 - I bought an identical vintage puch to the one she rode at uni as her original was just about beyond getting safe and rodeworthy.

Basically I was taking any bits (tyres, saddle, basket mount) off the crappier one that were better than the equivalent bit on the replacement one, plus giving it a general clean, strib down, degrease and relube. Managed to get son & 1 daughter helping for odd bits of it.

Few observations:

- Isn't it relaxing just tinkering around with stuff?

- All of this stemmed from her moaning that the basket when full of books rubbed on the front wheel, and hence I expanded the task to fill the time available.

- Pleased to see that daughter pretty much managed to chage a tyre over single handedly once shown what to do.

- children left with spanners whilst you're back is turned will probably not be able to reassemble and correctly adjust a front brake. It will then take you longer to retrieve the situation than if they'd left well alone.

- my efforts were appreciated

whilst you may have wasted half of yesterday messing about with this to avoid tidying the house, it doesn';t half ride a lot better now.

- any suggestions for getting oily residue out from under my finger nails?

pangolin

t4tomo wrote:

- Isn't it relaxing just tinkering around with stuff?

Very! Usually. The other times it's the complete opposite.

whilst you may have wasted half of yesterday messing about with this to avoid tidying the house, it doesn';t half ride a lot better now.

t4tomo wrote:

- any suggestions for getting oily residue out from under my finger nails?

I usually resort to cutting my nails. If they're already cut a nail brush and soap. Repeat 8 or 9 times. Then wash off the blood. Most of the grease will be gone by now. Remind yourself to use some free gloves from the petrol station next time, then don't. Repeat.

Headhuunter

t4tomo wrote:

- Isn't it relaxing just tinkering around with stuff?

I wish I felt this way, I find the mechanical fiddling side of cycling an annoying necessity and would love to know someone who just loved tinkering with my bike and bringing it up to optimum performance....

veronese68

t4tomo wrote:

Isn't it relaxing just tinkering around with stuff?

Yes, but only when it's non essential. I've rebuilt cars and motornikes, as well as bicycles and it's great to just tinker. But if something's broken and it needs fixing asap to keep me, or worse the EPO, mobile it sucks out any enjoyment.

joelsim

I don't have any intention of doing anything more to my bike than adding a new Knog Frog front and back. That's enough tinkering for me.

phy2sll2

t4tomo wrote:

- any suggestions for getting oily residue out from under my finger nails?

Swarfega

cee

phy2sll2 wrote:

t4tomo wrote:

- any suggestions for getting oily residue out from under my finger nails?

Swarfega

or just washing up liquid and sugar.

rjsterry

And a really decent stiff nail brush - don't touch it up: scrub it!

t4tomo

Apparently we don't have a nail brush in the house, maybe need to try with Mrs T's toothbrush and washing up liquid.

ooermissus

cee wrote:

phy2sll2 wrote:

t4tomo wrote:

- any suggestions for getting oily residue out from under my finger nails?

Swarfega

or just washing up liquid and sugar.

Why sugar?

rjsterry

Works as an abrasive to get into all the little ridges and grooves without completely stripping the skin off.

SimonAH

No! Cooking oil (no water), gently with the nailbrush and then washing up liquid and gently with the nailbrush.

No pain, no blood and clean nails.

Believe me. I've guitar playing fingernails and my theme.song is "we love to tinker" by T-Rex.

SimonAH

Oh, and if you're going to make a habit of it invest in a can of barrier cream too. Work a bit into your hands first and it makes the clean up twenty times easier.