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

[Larry King]

regarding putting grips on. hair spray sprayed into the grip works really well

Who still uses hair spray???????

[Slowbee]

What sort of prices are you guys payng for nitrile gloves ? I could also get latex gloves as well as latex, which are powder free.

 

If I can get hold of them would you guys be interested in one or two boxes each ?

[The Ouzo]

Who still uses hair spray???????

geriatrics

 

my wife had an old sample can of the stuff stuck in the far back of a cupboard. Stuff was so old there is signs of rust on the can, I even wondered if there was any gas left in there when she handed it to me.

Its now with my bike tools.

[nox1111]

1. Measure steerer tube properly before cutting. Measure three times before cutting. Include top cap, spacers stem and headset cap in that measurement and then take around 5mm off that overall length to make sure that it is good to go.

 

2. As the other guys said - don't do a big race or day out on a freshly serviced or newly built bike. Ride it at least once before to settle in and suss out issues.

[Red Bird]

Do NOT do your friend (who knows nothing about bikes) a favour by taking her kids’ bikes to the LBS, deal with them on what needs to be done, even if she is paying (R2000). She thought that only the tyres needed to be inflated, but upon some investigation, I realised the bikes needed new gear & brake cables, chains (they were RUSTY) etc... After she got the bikes back, her kids were very excited and rode it all weekend. A week later we chatted about said bikes and so she revealed that one of the brakes aren’t working again because she dislodged one of the brakes (again) because they only need one brake ????????‍♀️ It was fixed due to wheel rub. Handlebars were ridden backwards at some stage (she complained about her daughter’s knees touching the bars) and I almost gave her a spare stem before she figured out what was wrong.

 

Edit: I feel like I have to show them the ropes a bit, but will see how well the advice is taken.

Edited August 19, 2019 by Track_please

[Max Headroom]

Never do final tightening with the ball end of the allen key.

Always make sure something isn't going to go SPROING when you loosen that final bolt.

Bwahaha ...... yup happens all the time - followed by crawling on the floor to find it

[m-squared]

Bwahaha ...... yup happens all the time - followed by crawling on the floor to find it

 

I have a huge old speaker magnet that I keep in the garage for just this reason!

[Mojoman]

If you do your wheel bearings on a Shimano hub and its the loose ball bearings type (i.e ballbearings are not in a cage), hold a magnet nearby the hub as you pull out the axle...also remove the axle at a slight angle so only one lot of bearings can make a break for it....I hold the wheel in a vice (old shorts/cloths etc around the rim). DONT undo the nuts at BOTH ends of the axle or its pain in the ass to get right and balanced again..(newbie move!). A bent ear bud is also great to clean out the bearing race inside the hub if your fat little fingers dont get in there...like mine

And keep a packet of the two bearings sizes in your tool box....eventually, oneday, one of the little sods will manage to escape somehow....somewhere...

One of my best tools....a little magnet stuck on the end of a telescopic aerial...

Edited August 19, 2019 by Mojoman

[droo]

I have a huge old speaker magnet that I keep in the garage for just this reason!

 

Until you lose an alu part...

[WrightJnr]

My number one rule if it has a circuit board.....”Don’t ever let the smoke out the box” because once it comes out, you can’t put in back in!!

[BigDL]

Removed the jockey wheels to clean the gunk out before race day, stripped the thread when putting it together, ended up with a small bolt throught the cage to get race done.

 

A side note: never do maintenance on your bike the day before a big ride or race.

 

Putting engine oil on a chain. - Not a good idea, did this as a kid though

Engine oil = best thing for a chain

[MORNE]

Until you lose an alu part...

made me think of this

[Dirkitech]

What sort of prices are you guys payng for nitrile gloves ? I could also get latex gloves as well as latex, which are powder free.

 

If I can get hold of them would you guys be interested in one or two boxes each ?

If it is cheaper than dischem, definitely a box (of 100?) for my account please!

[droo]

Engine oil = best thing for a chain

 

If you apply it properly. 1 drop per link, and wipe off the excess after a few rotations.

 

More than that and it becomes a muck fest.

[MudLark]

Strangely enough, based upon what I read it seems wax lube results in the lowest chain friction, not oil. Dunno.

[MrJacques]

1. In general - it is better to do-over than to overdo.

 

2. I have gotten a bearing press stuck in a frame after pressing in chainstay bearings... and I had to get in a second opinion to come up with a plan to get it out. There's a lesson in there - make sure the press removes to the outside, not the inside of the stays.

 

3. After getting silicon sealant on my rear rotor, there's only one way to get it off (and I tried everything else first).

Get a small plate, douse brake pads in around a shot of spirits and burn them with the brake surface up. Wait for flame to go out completely (this is important - otherwise you will end up without facial hair). And redo. Redo another three or four times. You'll hear them boil and see the bubbles and eventually they burn silent. Then, wait to cool, sand lightly with 350grit and wipe off dust with a paper towel.

Then also burn your rotor brake surface 2 or 3 times - until it is clean - you can actually see the contaminant burn off.

Fit and go (don't touch the brake surfaces again with your fingers) - best braking I've ever had!

3B. Apparently silicon sealant makes a moeruva good lubricant.

 

4. Soldering cut cable ends (I hear superglue works just as well and is easier).

 

5. I still (to the irritation of my colleagues and riding partners) fit my tyres wrong way around pretty often... but can not tell the difference on the trail tbh, so I just leave them that way.

 

6. Emergency valve core in your spares can save you a long walk home.

 

7. Building solid & straight wheels are actually easy - the 5th time around.

 

8. Calculating spoke lengths for said wheel is not in my list of talents.

 

Re No 3: Won't silicon sealant just dry and come off?

 

Anyway, I've tried the burn method with contaminated brake pads and just a word of warning - it doesn't work so well with resin pads - I ended up 'cooking' the resin out and the pads crumbled while on the trail. It should be fine with metal sintered pads.