Thread To Tell Everyone What Fettling You've Just Done

Added a Smart dynamo powered rear light, fixed to the (would be) pannier attachment points on the Dawes Audax Supreme using the steel mounted rear reflector, wired up with a cable from a previous light (nicked with the mount snapped off, no use to anyone!) to the front, with bullet connectors to connect to a extension lead from my Edelux.

FeynmanC wrote:

I've bodged a tesco 3w c battery torch onto my Defy. Elastic bands, small part of an old inner tube, some pipe insulation foam and gaffer tape, plus a couple of strips of masking tape around the batteries to hold them secure in the torch, as they were rattling a little.

I took it for a ride down an unlit country lane a few minutes ago and it is plenty bright enough to do my country road commute - just have to work out how long the batteries will last and if it's worth getting a recharger and some C size rechargables - anyone got experience of this as i've only ever used AA rechargables before.

I too have a couple of Tesco torches, using the batteries that came with it I got around 1 hour of life before it started dying on me, however when riding over rougher terrain I noticed one torch kept flickering, does anyone know how to overcome this. I've no experience of C rechargables but will probably get some.

As to not divert from the original topic, I've cleaned my bike today, baby wipes and degreaser, but I'm too lazy to take it to pieces so just had a quick 15 minutes with it.

New kool stop salmons fitted and chain, rings and cassette degreased and relubed with White lightening clean ride.

First impressions are ok the lube really lifts the dirt off the rings so although it looked clean after the first application, when I wiped the excess off loads of dirt came with it. I think by next week it'll be sparkly. Then I'll need a new chain.

BTW when peeps change their chain do you do it at 0.75% or 1% strech, I'm feeling the odd jump every now and then, and I don't want to have to spring for a new cassette as well.

ChrisInBicester wrote:

prawny wrote:

BTW when peeps change their chain do you do it at 0.75% or 1% strech, I'm feeling the odd jump every now and then, and I don't want to have to spring for a new cassette as well.

I did the big overhaul at the beginning of this year which included replacing the cassette, rings & chain but I bought 2 chains, and have swapped them through the year at intervals of about 1500 miles. A bit late for you I expect, but that's a good way of extending the life of the transmission components.

Yeah i've heard of that method, unfortunately I'm too tight/broke to buy one chain let alone 2 or 3 :?

The missus' friend and her boyfriend came over yesterday afternoon, they'd asked me to have a look at his bike which "wasn't going very well". Within minutes Killboy and I had the bike was up on the workstand ready to be fettled.

Up on the workstand it became patently obvious that the cassette was missing a sprocket. Don't ask me how this happens, but it did! Fortunately I still had one of my old 7-speeders lying around (a 12-21 straight block from when I was still at Uni) - so we stuck that on.

Next problem became apparent - the mech was gummed up and the cables were so mucky the friction was crazy. A good load of PTFE lube into the deraileur pivots and a thorough clean and lube of the cables got the gears working smoothly. Next up was the brakes. More cleaning and lubing of cables plus simple adjustment of tension and trueing up the rear wheel got the bike running sweetly. A great feeling to start with a POS and a) get it humming again and b) discover that under all the clonking, squeaking and thrashing was a seriously cool old steel framed Spesh. Gave the bike back to its happy owner together with a shopping list, and some ideas for p1mping.

Next up was her bike. A recent eBay bargain Trek FX that both by description and the look of it had probably stood for a while in a damp shed. The rear deraileur just needed a small tweak to the indexing and otherwise the drive was a peach. We did find some horrors in the unbranded v-brakes - one front arm was siezed, both rears were very tight. Once again, PTFE to the rescue on the arms and cable cleaning/lubing for the sticky rear brake cable and it was all working (almost) like new.

After that, Killboy and I gave our steeds a bit of love (not that they have lacked at all this weekend). All in all a great way to spend a bank holiday afternoon.

After much turmoil, finally fitted my SKS Chromoplastic mudguards to my Tricross. The rear one didn't seem to fit, but found out that there was a fault.... a fault with the guy trying to put it on. All on now, but not a huge amount of clearance at the back, but that should not be an issue.

Finished rebuilding my Giant SCR1 as a geared commuter - added cheapo ocatalink 105 double chainset, realised the limit screws on my old front derailleur were seized, cannibalised front derailleur from good bike. Took out for spin and front tube exploded, think I had caught the tube between the rim & tyre. Realised I had run out of tubes, cycled to LBS on MTB, bought tubes and fitted. Finally sorted!

Wow.

I just changed the cups on my bottom bracket.

I had to use a hammer to unscrew them, and then use the hammer again to knock the crank out (before I did this I was wondering for at least five minute how I'd unscrew the drive side cup as that crank arm wasn't budging with just elbow grease).

I also managed to work out that the ring inside the spider arm around the shaft was not a spacer but actually the plastic cover from the inside of the bearing of the old cup, it had literally become part of the unit, but I managed to get it off with pliers and use wire wool to get all the caked grease off.

All back together now though, quick shake down ride round the block tomorrow morning before setting off to the city.

[confession]

I haven't cleaned the Viner since Wales. I'm not quite sure how to go about removing dried-on mud.

[/confession]

lost_in_thought wrote:

[confession]

I haven't cleaned the Viner since Wales. I'm not quite sure how to go about removing dried-on mud.

[/confession]

Bad Girl :evil:

Done it, the bottom bracket's in The operation went smoothly too, and I can recommend doing things like this yourself; £7.99 for a splined BB tool, probably less than I'd have paid in labour (if 'd had a LBS to charge me labour), and a warm glow of confidence from a job well done. And no more tape over the BB shell, to stop wee beasties nesting in my frame!

I got the £10 tesco 3w torch working again and redid the attachment to the stem. I've only used elastic bands at the moment, as i'm going to look into a better solution without having to spend too much.

I think it looks like a spaceship :oops:

Put my mudguards on for the winter - a much easier job than doing it last year now I have a bike stand.

Those Defy mudguards take a bit of fettling to get right - expecially with 25c's fitted.

Put a new cable on the back brake and now the back brake feels lousy compared to before the change The front brake squeals like a supergrass now I've put now blocks in and I did wipe the rim before installation. I've now got to tweak the tension in the front wheen spokes it soundls like a knock when leaning over to the left.

lost_in_thought wrote:

[confession]

I haven't cleaned the Viner since Wales. I'm not quite sure how to go about removing dried-on mud.

[/confession]

Hose bike down, leave to stand for 5 minutes. Do it again. You now have a bike covered in wet mud, which should sponge off easily.

Back on topic:

Gave commuter a thorough clean, degrease and relube. Noticed substantial play in front wheel, so stripped and serviced hub (v proud of myself for not c**king it up). Had to do slight adjustment of front brakes as a roadside repair last night (presumably didn't get axle back in precisely the same place, but now running beautifully). Next contemplating best way to deal with slightly creaking handlebars. If I take them off, should I grease the steerer before putting them back on?