A thread for technical Bike geek questions

Can I use a Shimano rear hub with a Shimano cassette with an otherwise campag 9-speed groupset? The same question for Mavic cassettes and wheels and are their any other options?

I'm trying to reassemble a 3-speed Shimano internal hub and having only limited success. I won't flood this page with the details, but I'm desperate for some tips to get this bitch back together. The local bikeshop people are lovely but frankly don't have time to fidget with this sort of stuff, and they'll charge me a mint so if you have any advice or a proper shop/owners' manual I'll be in your debt.

http://bike.shimano.com/catalog/global/techdocs/list.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302035909&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181202&bmUID=1121806923893

Leaf:
A coaster brake? I would make certain that the little arm thing is properly secured to the frame.
Me:
he said that he had to slam on the brakes & ever since then, they've been so stuck that he can't ride the bike anymore.
Leaf:
Sounds like the hub is fucked, but the little arm thing is a piece of metal that links the rear hub to the frame. Plus, i have no real clue how those brakes work.

Leaf:
A coaster brake? I would make certain that the little arm thing is properly secured to the frame.
Me: {also asking what the little arm thing is}
he said that he had to slam on the brakes & ever since then, they've been so stuck that he can't ride the bike anymore.
Leaf:
Sounds like the hub is fucked, but the little arm thing is a piece of metal that links the rear hub to the frame. Plus, i have no real clue how those brakes work.

I know that if you need a wheel from neutral support, Campy 9 cassettes and Shimano 9 shifters are definitely compatible, but not exactly the same spacing cog-to-cog. I found them to work ok.

The issue of cross-fitting cassettes--where the spline and overall spacing issues come into play--is one I don't know about.

rec.bicycles.tech on usenet is usually a good source of info for this type of thing.

The main reason for asking the question is if I by second hand wheels, what are my options, given that chain and casette will probably get replaced at the same time for the sake of completeness. If i get brand new wheels then I'll get campag compatible hubs, obviously.

FWIW, I tend to use more back than front brake when slowing down (and I tend to go quite quickly so the brakes do get a lot of use) - what's good braking technique?

You could try a diffeent brand of brake pad. Regular cleaning of the rim and pad is not a bad idea either (I use Pedro's oranj peelz degreaser on mine), won't really effect wear on the pads but should reduce grit wear on the rims.

I get a horrific squeal from my rear brake, but I figure it's beacause I don't use it so much, I've tried cleaning the rims and pads, filing the pads and all sorts but nothing cuts out the squeal. So you may not wish to listen to me.

Have you been adjusting the brakes as the pads wear down?

Best braking technique: don't!

Thank you both for the advice, btw. I can live with occasional pad replacement if it's happening because I'm such a fucking hardcore cyclist :)

I suspect my rear brake is squealing due to to poor truing and less poor alignment.

Which brings me onto my next question:

Wheel truing, easy to do, how, do I need an expensive, fancy truing frame?

Another possible cause for squealing (but please don't click if yr squeamish)...
http://forum.bikemag.com/photopost/data/504/1093SquirrelDisc.jpg

x-post: approximate wheel truing is fairly easy to do, just do it in little steps with a decent key and try and get the spoke tension even around the wheel. Only way to find out is to do it, so go fer it says I. Proper dishing might be dodgy without the proper tools, but you can get it vaguely right without.

Ed, it depends on what you're doing, and the volume you do. If you're just truing a wheel that's a bit out, or had a broken spoke, you don't need a stand. You can either use your brake pads as guides, or get one of the little guide things that clamps onto your stays. However, if you have a wheel that is significantly out, or has serious tensioning issues (lack of eveness), or is out of round, a stand really helps. I have worked with the nice, auto-centering bench stands, and the cheapo table tops, and well, of course the expensive ones are the easiest to work with. But I bought and use a cheapo and a dishing tool, and with it I have built wheels that are still dead right after 15,000 miles.

S'okay, will have to call a dealership or etc. Any other ideas, pls feel free to chime in.

Here's the page for 3-speed hubs...
http://sheldonbrown.com/english-3.html

Truing advice has enabled me to at least get the big kinks out of the rear wheel so that I can set my brakes up properaly so that they no longer squeal.

Now I come to a silent top, I will have to invest in a bell or a horn. I can't use the rear wheel to announce my presence any more.

So, who would like to tell me what bike to get? Comfort is KEY. But I think I'd like it to be not too heavy so that I can get it onto the metro, bus bike rack, etc. with relative ease.

In return for your advice I will name my bike after you.

Suspension is a waste of weight in my opinion.

See also:

Help me choose a bike

When I'm retired and have a little more time (hopefully), I wanna start a service where a person gives me a (really low) budget, and a description of how they'd use the bike, and I source and build the coolest thing I can scrabble together with cast off shit. Flat bar single-speeds with racks and steamers on the handlebars. Internal hub 3 speeds with riser bars and new-old-stock spinacci extensions and fenders. Fixie balloon tire cruisers with a decent drop bar position and a horn that plays the Fat Albert theme song.

Self even figured out how to put the shifter mechanism back together after it sprang apart (catapulting ball bearing under stove and requiring the moving of major appliances) and adapted the business end of the cable to meet up with the little spring arm shifting thing WITHOUT ANY DIRECTIONS.

New tubes are next and then it's ready to ride (though that will be the minimum of serviceable and I think it needs new brake cables & pads). Am worried about the difficulties of cutting cable housing. Any tips for not compressing the spring, etc etc? Do I need to buy the handy dandy tool for this purpose or will a regular wire cutter and a metal file do as well? Also, is it worth taking apart the headset and the crank to see how they work--I mean, clean them up? Or is that just a world of trouble?

Next I have to overhaul the brakes. Faugh.

I also want your help. Should I:
(a) purchase a lightly used Surly 1x1 (http://chicago.craigslist.com/bik/91434434.html)
(b) purchase a new, custom built Surly Steamroller (from yojimbosgarage.com)
(c) or purchase a new, custom built Surly Cross-Check from same
(d) or sod the Surlys and get an IRO Mark V or Kogswell Model G?

Help! I just need a bike for commuting to work/going to bars/not getting stolen. However, I like to go FAST and live in Chicago. Whatever that means.

...these Kogswells are sounding more and more appealing. All the braze-ons I'd need for commuting, but still classy single-speeds. I guess the main appeal of a Cross-Check is that I could turn it into a geared bike down the road.

xpost--MTBs are great for the mountains. Not as great for the city. Most people on these boards live in the city. The only reason I'm interested in a MTB in the city is so I could drop/jump curbs w/o fear of tacoing my wheels. Which I suppose I could do with a burlier road wheel...?

Are the frames measured in the same way?

I'm 5'11-and-a-bit and I like to sit fairly upright in the saddle as much as possible as I have neck problems that are exacerbated by curling my neck up and leaning forward.

What size frame should I get? Random googling suggests something between 18" and 21".

Look on the right for the "get sized for a bike" or something. Make sure you have measuring tape handy.

...this is the only thing about road bikes that irks me sometimes is the lack of visibility when you're in the aero position

Crystal methamphetamine's method of destroying brain cells is well documented.

But police are now coming to a startling conclusion about another side-effect of the drug -- bike thefts are skyrocketing because crystal meth users, or "meth heads," find disassembling bikes and fiddling with bike parts satisfies their need to keep their hands busy while on the drug.

Another handy hint (brought to mind by that article): write your name on a slip of paper (pref laminated, if you can) and stick it in the seat tube. That way, should your bike get stolen and you see someone riding it later you can unequivocally prove that it is yours.

Seriously, having a bike seems much like having a child to me--you're always worrying about it and buying it stuff.

Emsk, can you link to these pedals of yours?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/images/salsa%20skewers.jpg

If so, they're an absolute doddle to fit. Just make sure you get a spring at each end facing the right way round (like on that picture). Tighten it up so that the lever makes an impression on your palm when you close it, but not so tight that it's an effort to get it shut. Don't think you'll be able to buy just the spindle, you'll have to get the whole assembly and if you look at the packs of them, you'll see that they normally get sold as pairs. But any bike shop worth it's salt will have a big bucket of spare ones round the back somewhere, so just ask. Make sure it's a rear one though, cos front and back are different sizes.

question for bike geeks? my chain rubs against my derailleur when in top gear causing a horrible grating noise... i've taken it to brix cycles twice now and they've adjusted it but a lesser version of the same thing still happens. i've tried adjusting the position of the derailleur slightly myself but only succeeded in transferring the noise's incidence to bottom gear.

should i take it that i need a new derailleur or just that it's not been fitted properly... i suspect something is bent out of shape, but i (clearly) don't have the technical expertise to confirm this..

There are little adjuster screws on the mech itself as well which set the maximum and minimum derailleur position. Might help to make little adjustments there too, but I always shy away from fettling with those too much, cos it's easy to get confused.

x-post: Mark, the cables will have stretched a bit from new, so you should be able to take up the slack by fiddling with the adjuster barrels to take up the slack. Cleaning should help general shifting too though.

Puncture-proof stuff should be a bit better than a normal version of the same tyre. You can also get some sort of gunky solution to squirt in yer tubes if you're still having lots of probs though. Never tried it myself, but I know people that swear by it. (Why are decent tyres so damn expensive anyhow?)

genuine "puncture proof" tyres are those solid ones. I don't like them much, they're heavy, and heavy in the worst place, the outside edge of your wheel rim, likewise puncture sealant solution. That's the last place you want to be adding weight.

Barry, I forgot to email you about cycle computers, because I am a titanic lamer. are you still after one? I have a few in stock at the moment.

If the bike has 8 or 9 speed sprockets on the back wheel, then I fear you'll just have to put up w/a bit of chain rub on the f mec h (cut & paste & insert stock pashmina rant about how 8-9-10 speed sprockets = IDIOTIC & how shiman0 suck etc etc etc)

bikegeekz question: i know very little about bike maintenance beyond the basics but have longish-term dream of building racing bike from scratch after buying frame and parts separately... prepared to put in much trial, error and time... but is this realistic? for something like 7 or 800 quid's lay out do you reckon i could end up with a significantly better bike than if i bought a pre-fab one?

also, a friend suggested good places to get great frames cheaply are police auctions.. anyone ever gone down that route?

You have to bear in mind that the big bike companies are buying all their components in at crazy low bulk prices, so it's kind of hard to compete with the quality of the kit on their bikes and stay in budget if you get stuff bit by bit. I think that a lot of the Treks and Specializeds and so on are pretty great value for money. So, hmmm, probably not... unless you're really shrewd or if you can pick up bits as and when you see then cheap/secondhand. Was looking at this build kit the other day which seems like a hell of a bargain. £500 for full top-end groupset plus tyres, saddle, bars and seatpost and whatnot. You still need to get frame, fork and wheels though, which could cost the best part of another half a grand if you want bits of a similar quality.

Having said that, over the next few months, all this year's bikes are going to get flogged off cheap to make way for next year's stock, and I think you'll probably be really hard pressed to beat the prices on those.

http://www.planet-x-bikes.com/road/images/pagemaster/UJ_side_500.jpg

i have a city/hybrid/road-bike that i'm perfectly content with for my daily commute, so i'd want this more for doing longer day-rides in the countryside and mebbe a lil bit of racing..

I was wrong!.

http://www.raceface.com/apparel/btb-layer/cortina.htm

the guy in evans yesterday said they'd had some 3/4 length green cargo pants that sounded ideal but they'd sold out and it was the end of the line... any ideas anyone?

check out http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ the selection at condor is always pretty good.

Thx.

my question: WHAT. THE. FUCK. !?!?!?!?!?!?!

Usually when I see a broken crank, it breaks off right near where the pedal screws in.

Hey Pash, am I still expecting an email from you?

:(

WHICH IS GONNA BE $$$$$$$$$$$$.

Am writing email now, Barry. Sorry for lameness.

Why will you have to replace the B/B? Isn't it just regular square-tapered?

No, no I'm not. Just propping it up with my hard-earned ;o)

its a stock BB from a 2002 bianchi pista (black)...if anyone knows.

I snapped a bottom bracket axle once, a steel one.
That hurt.

http://img303.imageshack.us/img303/3414/03240001sml8en.jpg

english threaded, square taper, 107 spindle & 68 shell...

ANY HELP WOULD BE HUGE, THX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The stem was pretty overbuilt in appearance for the road, actually--they even had a version with a different bar clamp diameter for xc mtb. And not very light. I had always figured it was recalled because it was issued with titanium bolts, which I had replaced. Frankly I just would NOT use Ti bolts to hold the face clamp of my stem. For the steerer clamp, maybe for one season. I don't know exactly the reason for the failure here, but it looks like the welding heat compromised the surrounding tubing?

It was a team-issued stem anyway, and Profile was very, very good about replacement with a top-of-the-line LAVA stem, even these many years later. The LAVA stem is much lighter, your standard shot-peened looking modern racing stem, adequately stiff for me (a non-sprinter) at least.

If you need to replace the whole thing. FSA MegaExo crank and BB stuff seems to come highly recommended, except the only single speed they do is the Vigorelli which looks amazing, but is isis drive and looks very expensive. Campag Record Pista?

...or does my shiny chromed-out blingy kit break less? Either way: eep. Glad you didn't get hurt.

I just ordered a new shimano crank w/a TA chain ring....the bottom bracket stays....although the setup Ed is talking about sounds hot.

I am on a pretty limited budget.....rent and all.

thx for the help fellas.....now to get through the next couple of days w/out riding...sigh!!!

http://www.fullspeedahead.com/flyimage.aspx?nm=CK_Vigorelli.jpg&big=true

I'm thinking 16 fixed/17 free, although I'm not sure what advantages there might be to a smaller cog; I expect to ride mostly freewheel until winter and then mostly fixed thereafter, owing to the usual weather-related factors.

From today's New York Times:
In a bluntly worded editorial with the articles, Dr. Steven Schrader, a reproductive health expert who studies cycling at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, said he believed that it was no longer a question of "whether or not bicycle riding on a saddle causes erectile dysfunction."

Instead, he said in an interview, "The question is, What are we going to do about it?"

Should I attempt it? Who has snowbiking experience? Should I take off the fenders so they don't pack up?

Just put on a good coating of oil and it won't rust anymore, what little rust there is will be worn/cleaned off very quickly in normal use as soon as you start riding it again.

You should also check your cables are oiled, as if they're dry they might rust solid over the winter.

I need a bike in London!! Help!

How much have you got to spend?

(hi Ed, it's gbx)

i'm staying in W2

think i have fucked the police auction thing, for some reason i thought it started at 2.30 but it seems to be 10.30 :( how do these things work?

i've gotta go look at old buildings and stuff with my sis, but will check back later.

thanks for the help, guys!

xp you are tall, Ed

Lbs would not overhaul bb because they said if the axle was pitted, they couldn't replace it. Now I'm killing myself with a hammer, slowly deforming the chainring-side cotter pin end because I can't hit it center-on. FUUUUUCK

WAIT OKAY! Would anyone like to advise me on heating up the pedal arm to try and loosen the stuck pin?? Because that's what I'm going to do next.