[GAW] Get your bike ready for summer!

[Etherealicer]

More bike-maintenance... Reginas old lady also got some new break pads and cables. Primarily needed a wrench and the Brooks did a fabulous job.

[Etherealicer]

You guys take much better care of your bikes. Mine's at least 24 years by now (got it from my father) and it was time for some love. The chain was way worn out so that had to be changed and the textile saddle that my father added was worn out too. I have a hard time arguing myself into changing stuff since the second-hand market is filled with great bikes that would have costed me less than changing the chain and the new saddle.

Pictures:

• Before
• After
• New vs. old saddle & tools

You should choose a number and put your name in the LIST

[Fortytwo]

You should choose a number and put your name in the LIST

Right!

001 - Etherealicer
013 - rishardh
043 - Fortytwo
501 - zoidberg
741 - hiraethus

[Etherealicer]

More projects, this one is for my red oldje (Allegro 1981)...

[Etherealicer]

Few more days

Double-plus-excellent chance at winning, what are you waiting for!

[rishardh]

You should choose a number and put your name in the LIST

Right!

001 - Etherealicer
013 - rishardh
043 - Fortytwo
501 - zoidberg
741 - hiraethus

Was that a typo Forty Two?

[Fortytwo]

Was that a typo Forty Two?

How did you guess? :grin:

001 - Etherealicer
013 - rishardh
042 - Fortytwo (if it's OK)
501 - zoidberg
741 - hiraethus

[rishardh]

Was that a typo Forty Two?

How did you guess? :grin:

001 - Etherealicer
013 - rishardh
042 - Fortytwo (if it's OK)
501 - zoidberg
741 - hiraethus

Looks much better now 

[rishardh]

A guy I ride with asked me why I don't ride my nicer bike. I told him my old bike rides better but he didn't buy it. Just to please him and also because I lost the Dolly Pardon hills sprint I have to show up with a bike I had not ridden for 6 months.

Re-charged the Di2 Battery.

[rishardh]

Patched a slow leak. Had to dunk the tube in water to see where it was. Once I knew where it was I was able to locate the tiny shard (ceramic I think) biting into the tire.

Now I am ready for tomorrow's ride

[Gareth]

OK, so I just bought this in it's current condition so the faults aren't my doing.  The only blame I'll take is that I bought it at all.

Did
- general cleaning
- cleaned and lubed chain
- replaced perished front tire

Still to do
- errr....lots, but most notably it needs a saddle bracket that works.

001 - Etherealicer
013 - rishardh
042 - Fortytwo (if it's OK)
327 - Gareth
501 - zoidberg
741 - hiraethus

[Etherealicer]

Good going... three more days

@Gareth: That chain looks a lot happier with a bit of oil...
@Rishard: That is a nice bike. You race a lot?

[rishardh]

@Rishard: That is a nice bike. You race a lot?

Thanks! I have never raced. I wouldn't mind doing some sort of 24 hr or 12 hr endurance type races some day when my kid is bigger and need less of my time. Right now just trying to be in some sort of shape.

[Etherealicer]

@Rishard: That is a nice bike. You race a lot?

Thanks! I have never raced. I wouldn't mind doing some sort of 24 hr or 12 hr endurance type races some day when my kid is bigger and need less of my time. Right now just trying to be in some sort of shape.

How can you not race and still lose the Dolly Pardon hills sprint

[rishardh]

@Rishard: That is a nice bike. You race a lot?

Thanks! I have never raced. I wouldn't mind doing some sort of 24 hr or 12 hr endurance type races some day when my kid is bigger and need less of my time. Right now just trying to be in some sort of shape.

How can you not race and still lose the Dolly Pardon hills sprint

We ride as a group sharing the load and then when we get to certain sections of the route like the Dolly Pardon hills it's an unannounced sprint zone and you just take off or try to catch the front guy's wheel and hang on. It's funny come to think of it unless you are a new guy and wonder what just happened.

[Etherealicer]

Great going guys... Drawing will commence soonish, so stay tuned

[Etherealicer]

Lets get ready...

bike pump...check
dart...check
target...check

[Etherealicer]

Hit the target dead center on the first shot... I'm a true marksman

[Etherealicer]

Lots of power in this little weapon. After penetrating the armor plate it got stuck at least a foot deep in the bunker wall.

[Etherealicer]

And the winner is...
drummroll...

[hiraethus]

Blowgun?  Ace.

Well done Fortytwo, and thanks to Etherealicer for hosting.

[Fortytwo]

Thank you very much Etherealicer for hosting this, I'm usually not caring enough for my bike so the fact that this came up just when I had to replace the chain was just perfect! It's also been very nice seeing some bikes getting attention! 

[rishardh]

  Looks like you had fun drawing or darting a winner. Thanks for hosting Etherealicer and a cool prize    And congratulations to Fortytwo 

[Etherealicer]

  Looks like you had fun drawing or darting a winner. Thanks for hosting Etherealicer and a cool prize    And congratulations to Fortytwo 

Hey, that is quite an effective weapon. Used it during sword sparring (without the dart), pretty much blinds the opponent at short range, long enough to impale him...

[Gareth]

Congratulations fortytwo.

[Gareth]

Despite this being over I'm still actually working on my bike, even without the incentive of winning something.

I hasten to add that I've not worked on a bike in years so if someone spots me doing something wrong please let me know, I'll not be offended in the least.

That said I'm pretty sure that the chain shouldn't be rubbing on itself when going between the two smallest cogs, so I've taken out a couple of links to get it looking like this.  Still runs up and down all the gears.

[Gareth]

I've also adjusted the rear breaks so as they actually line up with the rim and have looked at installing the guard for the cassette/mech.

[hiraethus]

That said I'm pretty sure that the chain shouldn't be rubbing on itself when going between the two smallest cogs, so I've taken out a couple of links to get it looking like this.  Still runs up and down all the gears.

As long as the chain is long enough so it doesn't lock up when you're on the big ring at the front and the big cog at the back, you're good.

[hiraethus]

I've also adjusted the rear breaks so as they actually line up with the rim and have looked at installing the guard for the cassette/mech.

Make sure the front of the brake pad touches the rim a little before the rear (this is called toe-in and helps stop the brake from squealing) - use a piece of cardboard under the back of the pad to maintain the angle while you tighten the pad fixing  nut.  I think you've got the hardware on the brake the wrong way round - the nut should be behind the brake arm, and the pad should be in front.  It's hard to tell, but I also think the pads are the wrong way round - one end is slightly longer than the other, this should be pointing towards the back of the bike.

[Gareth]

That said I'm pretty sure that the chain shouldn't be rubbing on itself when going between the two smallest cogs, so I've taken out a couple of links to get it looking like this.  Still runs up and down all the gears.

As long as the chain is long enough so it doesn't lock up when you're on the big ring at the front and the big cog at the back, you're good.

Checked that and is all good.

I've also adjusted the rear breaks so as they actually line up with the rim and have looked at installing the guard for the cassette/mech.

Make sure the front of the brake pad touches the rim a little before the rear (this is called toe-in and helps stop the brake from squealing) - use a piece of cardboard under the back of the pad to maintain the angle while you tighten the pad fixing  nut.  I think you've got the hardware on the brake the wrong way round - the nut should be behind the brake arm, and the pad should be in front.  It's hard to tell, but I also think the pads are the wrong way round - one end is slightly longer than the other, this should be pointing towards the back of the bike.

I just had a fiddle with the alignment of the pads, so I'm not taking any blame for things being back to front.    Thanks for the advice mate, I'll have another look and adjust it to suit.