Dudes

The top puller is the Rawl bolt tightened to fit the 12 mm ID bearing. Tap out from the rear. The lower contraption is the 10 mm bolt made to jam into 10 mm ID bearing by tapping a screwdriver into a cut slot on the bolt (if you look carefully, you may see the slot where the screw driver touches the bolt). The bearing is then pulled out by holding the end hex with a spanner and turning the other hex nut with a similar spanner, thus extracting the bearing into the socket. Any questions?

This is a hardtail though.

My creeeeking was the bearing just above the BB on the dual suspension. First serviced the BB and then realized it was the pivot bearing. Viola

Bearing removal the inexpensive way. You buy a rawl bolt from the hardware store for a few bucks. Tighten that into the bearing and then tap the bearing out from the back by tapping on the stuck rawl bolt. When the one is out then you do not need the rawl bolt to get the other side out as now the punch can reach the other side bearing (from the back). Quick and easy. Then I got to the swing arm bearings. They also cannot be punched out from the back because there is no lip to work with. The ID of those bearings are smaller than the other pivot bearings (10 mm) and my rawl bolt described above is 12 mm. Also, it was weekend so the shops were closed to buy a smaller rawl bolt. Here I got a tip from a you tube clip. I took a 10 mm bolt and sliced a +- 5 mm slot vertically down the threaded side (opposite to the head side) with a hacksaw blade. You insert the bolt into the bearing you want removed and you then tap a screwdriver into the cut slot from the back, which expands the bolt like a rawl bolt so that it fits tight into the bearing. You then turn the bolt out using another nut added onto the bolt and a socket which can acomodate the outer diameter of the bearing. Also very simple and inexpensive. Took 5 minutes! If you need, I can paste a few photos.

Quick links don't work on my 10 spd MTB and many other 10 spd mtb bikes. They slip on the small gear at the back. They great for when you need to fix a break on a ride but you need to replace with a proper 10 spd pin when you get home. THEREFORE, I clean my chain by removing the rear wheel and by having the chain both front and rear on smallest chainring and bike on stand. Half fill an icecream tub with petrol. By moving the jockey wheel forward with your hand and turning the pedals you can easily get the a large section of chain to wash through the petrol. Try it, you'll see what I mean. It cleans easily because the chain drops into the tub vertically and then goes horizontal and then climbs out vertically so you get lots of link movement. Just turn the pedals slowly with the links clunking through the petrol. The links come out clean and spotless with a whole load of grit deposited in the icecream container! So simple. It may take a few minutes to rig up the first time, but when you have it a cracked it is a breeze every other time. Dry the chain by letting it travel through a cloth and then let it stand for 10 minutes and the remaining petrol will evaporate. Now for the lube. Wheel now fitted and bike upside down. With a nice thick oil like Dr Phils, put one small drop per link. Some people think I'm crazy to do this but I think it takes about 2 minutes (count the links - there are not that many!). I used to just turn the chain and the same time apply the oil. This is a real dirt trap for off road as you all know. After accurately applying the oil, spin the chain a few times and then wipe off excess oil with a cloth (spin holding a cloth). THEN. apply squirt liberally and keep applying squirt on a regular basis (maybe weekly). After a month or even two, repeat the process. Best of both worlds. Well lubed chain (oil) and anti clogging and silkiness of squirt.

Yes a punch goes in the back but the lip is too small for the punch to get a grip on. So when you hit the punch it just slides through and out!! HOWEVER I solved my problem inexpensively. You buy a rawl bolt from the hardware store for a few bucks. Tighten that into the bearing and then tap the bearing out from the back by tapping on the stuck rawl bolt. When the one is out then you do not need the rawl bolt to get the other side out as now the punch can reach the other side bearing (from the back). Quick and easy. Then I got to the swing arm bearings and had the same problem. They also cannot be punched out from the back because there is no lip to work with. The ID of those bearings are smaller than the other pivot bearings (10 mm) and my rawl bolt is 12 mm. Also, it was weekend so the shops were closed to buy a smaller rawl bolt. Here I got a tip from a you tube clip. I took a 10 mm bolt and sliced a +- 5 mm slot vertically down the threaded side (opposite to the head side) with a hacksaw blade. You insert the bolt into the bearing you want removed and you then tap a scrediver into the cut slot from the back, which expands the bolt like a rawl bolt so that it fits tight into the bearing. You then turn the bolt out using another nut added onto the bolt and a socket which can acomodate the outer diameter of the bearing. Also very simple and inexpensive. Took 5 minutes! If you need, I can paste a few photos.

Yes a punch goes in the back but the lip is too small for the punch to get a grip on. So when you hit the punch it just slides through and out!! HOWEVER I solved my problem inexpensively. You buy a rawl bolt from the hardware store for a few bucks. Tighten that into the bearing and then tap the bearing out from the back by tapping on the stuck rawl bolt. When the one is out then you do not need the rawl bolt to get the other side out as now the punch can reach the other side bearing (from the back). Quick and easy. Then I got to the swing arm bearings and had the same problem. They also cannot be punched out from the back because there is no lip to work with. The ID of those bearings are smaller than the other pivot bearings (10 mm) and my rawl bolt is 12 mm. Also, it was weekend so the shops were closed to buy a smaller rawl bolt. Here I got a tip from a you tube clip. I took a 10 mm bolt and sliced a +- 5 mm slot vertically down the threaded side (opposite to the head side) with a hacksaw blade. You insert the bolt into the bearing you want removed and you then tap a scrediver into the cut slot from the back, which expands the bolt like a rawl bolt so that it fits tight into the bearing. You then turn the bolt out using another nut added onto the bolt and a socket which can acomodate the outer diameter of the bearing. Also very simple and inexpensive. Took 5 minutes! If you need, I can paste a few photos.

Thanks. I will go and purchase one. The reason is that from the back there is no lip to punch onto as the sleeve separating the two bearings is flush - so I have tried from the back!! Cheers

Does anyone know how to remove the lower pivot bearings (the ones just above the BB) out of the frame. Mine is creaking badly and when I undo and remove the shaft (goes through the frame from the one side to the front derailer system on the other side, then I cannot seem to remove the bearings on either side held in the frame. Normally one can tap out a bearing from the rear as there is usually a small lip between the inner spacer and the bearing but with these the lip is too small to get purchase from a screw driver. A puller will also not get purchase on the small lip! So I am thinking, maybe there is no cup in the frame and both bearings along with the spacer can be removed by tapping them right through from one side but I do not want to force the issue in case there are cups holding the bearings!! Please help. Thanks

I ride with my surf baggies over my cylce pants because whenever I jump off my bike I get a hard-on as the blood rushes back. Maybe you could cut a pair of cycling pants short and then ride with a short rugby pant over them.

Modification posted above

Modification posted...

Elaborate please. The shim you mention, is that a bush to build up from 22 to 25 mm? In the Sram, its the stepdown that holds the shaft in place. I am not familiar with the Shimano BB. Is it 25 mm on both sides (inside bearing). If you build up the 22 on the non drive side the shaft will wander left and right through the BB, unless Shimano have a different way to prevent that. I will take a look at one when next at the LBS.

Sorry, was just testing the water to see if there was any interest before I use up all my typing skill in 1 session! It is apparent to me how the old bikes (internal BB's) that I rode never had a BB issue in the many years I rode them so I needed to figure out what the problem was with these new ones. As you know, the drive side bearing has a plastic bush cum dust cover that sits between the bearing and the shaft, while the non-drive side bearing sits directly on the shaft. This plastic (or whatever it is) bush is the weak point and as it wears due to pressure, not due to friction as it is the bearing that turns and not the bush itself, the drive shaft develops play that allows dust and dirt to get into the bearing. My first attempts were to add a a few turns of plumbers tape between the shaft and the bush to eliminate the play. This would give me a few more weeks before I had to re - tape and so on. My final effort (permanent effort) was to buy a small piece of 316 stainless steel tubing from the boat shop (1 inch diameter: 25.4 mm) and I took it to an engineer friend who cut both the inside and the outside diameter to fit snugly but not tightly onto the shaft and into the bearing respectivly (perfect lollipop fit). He only had to machine about 1.5 cm length, the width of the bearing, and also left a small lip (the full tube diameter: 25.4mm) at the one end before cutting the new machined bush off from the bought piece of tube - so the operation was quick and easy. We used the old plastic dust cover (less the bush part) and made to fit over the new flange diameter of 25.4 mm. Addittionally, I use a soft felt washer the same size as the dust cover (I didn't have felt so I used a bit of my 5 mm wetsuit) between the cover and the chain ring to prevent dust ingress. I have opened it once (after 4 months) to inspect and the bearings are beautifully clean and dirt free. If I remember correclty, the bush outside diameter was 24.8 mm (with a small 25.4 mm lip (about 1mm wide) on the one side) and the inside diameter was 23.7 mm, leaving a wall thickness is 0.55 mm. I would need to whip it out to re-measure but you can measure yourselves when you make the bush. (The 22 mm diameter as someone has mentioned is on the non drive side). (Good idea Bogus One - I misread first time). Swift01 mentioned that the bearing itself is just not good. This is not true. The bearings are good. I have dismantled to individual casings and loose ball bearings to check them out and clean them (bit of a job getting the bearings back in the casings but I managed in time) and there is nothing wrong with them. The problem was simpy the play created by the pressurized plastic bush which lets in dirt and grime which in turn chows the bearings. Now there is no play .... can't find the lollipop .....at least there is a flange! OK my typing is up.

I have been through a number of above BB's on my 29er (four to six month regularity) and in my opinion the BB has a built in design flaw which necessitates regular replacement at a not so small cost. Since I have modified my BB I have had no more problems and I believe it will now last me for a number of years. Time will tell. The modification was very simple. THE MODIFICATION IS POSTED LOWER DOWN

I am 104 kgs. I ride an XL 29 er dual tubeless. I ride 2 at the back and 1.8 at the front. Sometimes it drops even lower before I re pump. Nice ride.

Thanks for your replies. I would not know how to buy from Specialized Int as they seem to keep a tight reign. That is, they always refer you back to ZA. So I would have a friend buy what I want, keep the invoice and then ship to me using the package company mentioned earlier. I would expect to pay VAT, however I am not a recognized importer or distributor so I doubt whether the frame would be covered under warranty, unless I post it back to the shop where it was purchased. I suppose this is the chance you take for R10 000 less. What are the chances of breaking a frame? Pretty unlikely with my rel. sedate riding: 50+ and ride for enjoyment not racing!

I don't see too many Trek (Gary Fischers) out there??

There is no way a 26 is faster up a hill than a 29. It is power to weight ratio of the rider and the gear you select. It's pure physics man. One pedal rotation = x meters. Change gear and one pedal rotation = y meters, gravitational pull is the same. At the end of the day, one person with two bikes (26 and 29) that weigh the same with the right gear ratios for each bike will get the same speed up a hill. Full stop. On technical climbs, the rollability of the 29 may be better at eating the bumps = more speed.

Specialized. I am talking in general though.

The 2011 29'er dual suspension I would like is fresh out of stock (XL frame), even though it is only April. No more shipments by that company are expected during 2011. Due to the nature of my business, I have contacts all around the world and could easily have one of my contacts buy the bike in the states or UK and have it posted across to ZA. It would also be about R10 000 cheaper. However, some suggest that it would be impossible to service here (detailed service like a shock)or have any warranty. I am a casual XC type rider and doubt whether I would need too many intensive services or replacements in the first 5 years anyway. Any opinions out there.