Stuff you learn(t) the hard way by being your own mechanic

[ChrisF]

3 hours ago, mazambaan said:

Ok, so I have a contribution. Wheel my bike (Ginat eTrance) out at 5h15 or so for around an hour ride and the chain is off the front sprocket so I hurriedly fiddle about and, after a few impatient tries it is on but the gears are now slipping and/ or changing randomly. I get through the ride but put the bike on a stand and start inspecting. Chain is straight, no hard links. Ah, chain guide has lost some internals - pull that off for home made replacement.  Back cluster is dirty and a bit of play so pull that off for a good cleaning, including the free body. Jockey wheels packed with grass; pull them apart and re-grease.

Re-assemble; still erratic, more in some gears than others so re-check all the limit screws and adjustments. Still troubling.

Pull the chain and check it with a ruler or wear and straightness, all good. FINALLY, counting the links I spot one broken side plate on an internal link; must have been from my morning fiddling, amazed it held out. Shimano CN M6100.

Chain already has two quick links so I suspect a visit to the R1 000 shop for a new chain is the order of the day. BUT, whole day gone and a more careful chain inspection would have saved it.

Is 8100 "better" than the 6100?

 

My LBS swears by the KMC e-bike chains.

 

6 000 km on the Trance-E.

 

 

EDIT - With Shimano TRIPPLE check the number of links .... they love selling the slightly shorter chains.  TOO short for our bikes.

Edited January 31, 2024 by ChrisF

[openmind]

Sometimes, when your shifting is bad, it's not the cables, casings, worn chain/cassette, hanger alignment ....

It's just that your derailleur pivots need a bit of lube! (Next time will try that first). 

[Ispeed_V]

2 hours ago, Mark_J said:

Watch out for sharp rotors when checking if your front wheel is still running true.  
 

*removed the more gruesome pic

 

 

Why you flipping the Hub the bird....

 

[dasilvarsa]

1 hour ago, ChrisF said:

 

My LBS swears by the KMC e-bike chains.

 

6 000 km on the Trance-E.

 

 

EDIT - With Shimano TRIPPLE check the number of links .... they love selling the slightly shorter chains.  TOO short for our bikes.

Mee Too KMC is the Best Chains 

No Need to buy the Expensive one (Standard is Fine) Same Steel Chain more Chrome.

I've Clocked 16K on a KMC X10 and Changed it because it was OLD Not Worn. 

Edited January 31, 2024 by dasilvarsa

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, BaGearA said:

Usually they sell 116 but also have ebike versions with 138 

 

I got home with the 116 link box twice .... 

[Guest Mike Dewing]

Not really mechanic related.. 

but I’ve learnt that white wheels are not as cool as I thought they would be.. and painting your own wheels sucks big styles and should never be done..🤷🏼‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤣🤣

What I am excited about is the 28mm tyres.. down from 32mm.. the increase in speed is going to be epic😉🤙🏻🤣.. I’ll be taking all fourways koms like it’s no one’s business.. 🥳🤘🏻

[KB280DT]

1 hour ago, ChrisF said:

 

I got home with the 116 link box twice .... 

Things you learn the hard way shopping whilst being your own mechanic

[dave303e]

35 minutes ago, Bichael Dewing said:

Not really mechanic related.. 

but I’ve learnt that white wheels are not as cool as I thought they would be.. and painting your own wheels sucks big styles and should never be done..🤷🏼‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤣🤣

What I am excited about is the 28mm tyres.. down from 32mm.. the increase in speed is going to be epic😉🤙🏻🤣.. I’ll be taking all fourways koms like it’s no one’s business.. 🥳🤘🏻

and when you realise what a pain they are to clean it will become more apparent why it is not that common... But it does look good. Great for a bike you hang on the wall to look at though

[mazambaan]

3 hours ago, ChrisF said:

 

My LBS swears by the KMC e-bike chains.

 

6 000 km on the Trance-E.

 

 

EDIT - With Shimano TRIPPLE check the number of links .... they love selling the slightly shorter chains.  TOO short for our bikes.

Thank you but I have just popped for a new XT chain, eish.  I would have done the KMC for sure as I have had them before.

[Guest Mike Dewing]

12 minutes ago, dave303e said:

and when you realise what a pain they are to clean it will become more apparent why it is not that common... But it does look good. Great for a bike you hang on the wall to look at though

Yeah just all together a bad idea.! 😰🤣

only upside I can think of is I’ve maybe made myself a bit more visible.🤷🏼‍♂️

 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

3 minutes ago, Bichael Dewing said:

Yeah just all together a bad idea.! 😰🤣

only upside I can think of is I’ve maybe made myself a bit more visible.🤷🏼‍♂️

 

As a tjop, yeah...

[Guest Mike Dewing]

Just now, Captain Fastbastard Mayhem said:

As a tjop, yeah...

you mean I’ve increased my tjop factor from what we already look like.?😳😰🤣🤣

well, F&$K.!😡🤣🤣

[MrJacques]

On 1/12/2024 at 11:31 AM, ChrisF said:

One for the books ..... 

 

Do a proper strip down and rebuild major service .... front tyre has an out of balance weight .... open and see a big ball of sealant.

 

Remove the tyre and pack out the high pressure jet.

 

Tyre over the chopping block and the sealant is removed easy enough.  What the heck, remove the rear tyre and quickly clean it as well.

 

Step back and clean the area around the chopping block with the pressure hose.

 

Few bits of grass from the weed-eater stuck to the sliding door .... while I am at it might as well clean the sliding door..... and the window above it ..... and the gutter and facia above it ....

 

Ooo-damn .... cant have ONE clean gutter ..... next door, window, gutter and facia ....

 

Last section of gutters at the back ....

 

Same along the side of the house ....

 

Just one short gutter at the front, might as well wrap it up.

 

Damn .... the plaster band around the garage door is looking worse for wear .... actually looks very nice now, especially with the paving also cleared of a few bits of moss .....  

 

Actually, few bits of paint came off .... so the plaster band will have to be repainted ....

 

 

 

And the plan was to just top up the sealant ..... 

 

 

En ek moet nog die fiets weer aanmekaar gaan sit .... 

 

Guess I was 'lucky' that I could peel and rub this off. Takes a long time though, and sore fingers. Using a pressure sprayer might have been fun

Probably not necessary either, but I wanted a clean start with fresh sealant. I'll probably have to use a bit more to seal the sidewalls again.

 

Edited February 3, 2024 by MrJacques

[RobertWhitehead]

36 minutes ago, MrJacques said:

Guess I was 'lucky' that I could peel and rub this off. Takes a long time though, and sore fingers. Using a pressure sprayer might have been fun

Probably not necessary either, but I wanted a clean start with fresh sealant. I'll probably have to use a bit more to seal the sidewalls again.

 

Now you mentioned this, what's the theory for cleaning the old sealant, I've always wondered 

[MrJacques]

11 minutes ago, RobertWhitehead said:

Now you mentioned this, what's the theory for cleaning the old sealant, I've always wondered 

The other one had dried sealant in the shape of blisters which I didn't like. 

Maybe a small effect on wheel balancing from slightly uneven distribution, not carrying the excess weight (which is minimal) and not mixing different sealant types, even though it's already dry. In all likelihood unnecessary to remove it and probably not things I'd notice while riding, just like you wouldn't notice a slight tyre wobble. The new sealant will probably re-create similar conditions. It's just nice to have them clean

Edited February 3, 2024 by MrJacques

[ChrisF]

29 minutes ago, RobertWhitehead said:

Now you mentioned this, what's the theory for cleaning the old sealant, I've always wondered 

 

On my MTB I use the tyres quick enough, no need to clean out the sealant.

 

 

On the roadie the tyres last much longer.  After 5 000km and regular topping up it had formed a ball big enough to cause the wheel to be out of balance on the truing stand 😵