the 'there's no such thing as a stupid question' bike maintenance thread

Roadtoad

Roadtoad wrote: »

Chain wheel nut remover tool: The gadget at the back of the chain wheel nut (Torx or hex at the front, pathetic slotted thingy at the back)

Has anyone any magic or homemade way of removing this? Kitchen spoon, 5c coin etc. failed, although four of the five came out nicely.
Ultimately I'll either buy a proprietary tool or fit different nut/receiver, but there's none locally.

Shimano 105, about 12 years old.

I'm not 100% clear either which part you mean, have a look at this though maybe it might give you an idea. https://youtu.be/e8tZUS6bq6U


I have used this method to remove shimano cassettes with a hex bolt and vice grips. I haven't done what he did to get at the bearings though.

CrowdedHouse

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm not 100% clear either which part you mean, have a look at this though maybe it might give you an idea.

I think it's chain rings he's changing

cletus

Roadtoad wrote: »

Cletus: Friction held it while I turned the Torx side. There's always one, isn't there?
I tried making some 'soft' tools using brass, coins but to no avail.

Will the slot not take a broad headed screwdriver? That's what I've used in the past. You don't really need the little tab on the proprietary tool that sits into the bore

07Lapierre

Roadtoad wrote: »

Chain wheel nut remover tool: The gadget at the back of the chain wheel nut (Torx or hex at the front, pathetic slotted thingy at the back)

Has anyone any magic or homemade way of removing this? Kitchen spoon, 5c coin etc. failed, although four of the five came out nicely.
Ultimately I'll either buy a proprietary tool or fit different nut/receiver, but there's none locally.

Shimano 105, about 12 years old.

Your talking about chainring bolts?

I've used a very wide flathead screwdriver and a Hex key. As yours is 12 years old, i suspect they are not going to come off without a fight!

For the sake of €6 (and your knuckles), if it was me, id buy the correct tool for the job.

https://www.alltricks.com/F-11929-outillage/P-79250-var_chainring_bolt_wrench

cletus

I presume this is what you're talking about?

Roadtoad

Cletus: Spot on.
The bolt part prevents using a straight screwdriver mechanism across the slots, it need3 a slight belly in the middle, and I have so far failed to improvise.

cletus

Roadtoad wrote: »

Cletus: Spot on.
The bolt part prevents using a straight screwdriver mechanism across the slots, it need3 a slight belly in the middle, and I have so far failed to improvise.

Ok. If you can't wait for alltricks to deliver, the easiest thing to do is take a sacrificial screwdriver that fits the slot, and grind away a section in the middle of the blade till it fits.

It won't be any good for anything else, but it will do precisely that job


Edited to add: if the bolt is protruding through the bore of the nut, the alltricks tool above won't work, as it's designed with a tab that sits into the nut

magicbastarder

do you have an LBS you could ask to do it for you? they may only charge a fiver for it.

hesker

Where are you based. Someone on here surely has the tool. I know I have one but unlikely live near you

Roadtoad

Thanks hesker, that's exactly what happened.
One of our group PM'd me with a generous offer. I look forward to reporting a satisfactory closure to this challenge in due course.

crosstownk

My bike has developed a loud clicking noise on the downstroke of the left crankarm. I initially suspected the BB but as it's relatively new, I explored other possible offenders. On closer inspection it appears I've lost the thin spacer/washer that fits between the non drive side crank and the BB and the crank is making contact with the BB cup.

Where would I get this washer? I can't seem to find it on the usual websites. Maybe I'll drop down the LBS and see if they can help.





It appears that #5 has been lost during some previous maintenance.



It's also quite possible that I overtightened the plastic preload screw (1) when I last removed the cranks.

Mr. Cats

Am fitting a one piece carbon bar-stem on a road bike. I put in top cap cap bolt to spec’d torque and then tightened the two stem bolts that pinch stem into fork steerer. Again at the recommended torque (5nm). However the stem still rotates around the steerer without two much effort. The stem fits tightly around steerer so I’m sure they are right size for each other. Any ideas what I’m doing wrong? I thought about maybe just adding some carbon paste?

Type 17

crosstownk wrote: »

My bike has developed a loud clicking noise on the downstroke of the left crankarm. I initially suspected the BB but as it's relatively new, I explored other possible offenders. On closer inspection it appears I've lost the thin spacer/washer that fits between the non drive side crank and the BB and the crank is making contact with the BB cup.

Where would I get this washer? I can't seem to find it on the usual websites. Maybe I'll drop down the LBS and see if they can help.

It appears that #5 has been lost during some previous maintenance.

It's also quite possible that I overtightened the plastic preload screw (1) when I last removed the cranks.

The washer (5) is there to ensure that the preload screw transfers the preload from the crank to the inner race of the bearing. Because it was missing, the crank was rubbing on the outer race of the bearing (extra mark on the inside of the crank).
The bearings might be damaged, because they wear quickly if not preloaded correctly (but they might be ok if you haven't done too many km).
The washer comes with the BB - a good LBS should have a tub of spare BB bits, so they should be able to provide a suitable washer.

Type 17

Mr. Cats wrote: »

Am fitting a one piece carbon bar-stem on a road bike. I put in top cap cap bolt to spec’d torque and then tightened the two stem bolts that pinch stem into fork steerer. Again at the recommended torque (5nm). However the stem still rotates around the steerer without two much effort. The stem fits tightly around steerer so I’m sure they are right size for each other. Any ideas what I’m doing wrong? I thought about maybe just adding some carbon paste?

Is the stem somehow clamping on some part of the top cap? (a shoulder under the main lip?)

PS: Don't rotate the stem on a carbon steerer too much - any scoring can develop into a fault/crack.

Mr. Cats

Type 17 wrote: »

Is the stem somehow clamping on some part of the top cap? (a shoulder under the main lip?)

There is a small shoulder on the underside of top cap. Just to test if this might be the issue I took top cap off and clamped stem but it’s still not gripping steerer. Does this mean I can rule out top cap?

There is still quite a lot of space left to pinch on stem when I reach the 5nm. The only other thing I can think of is that ‘barrel’ of stem or else the steerer are not straight to one another? Else could it be something to do with the expander? I’ve just tightened that by hand as my torque wrench too small, but I believe it’s very tightly tightened.

Type 17

Mr. Cats wrote: »

There is still quite a lot of space left to pinch on stem when I reach the 5nm.

If you're hitting 5Nm and the stem's not tight, then either the stem-bolts are wonky, or your torque tool is.

Try tightening the stem off the fork, but you don't want to crush the stem's fork-clamp out of shape (there should still be a 2-3mm gap when things are set up correctly), so put a few suitable-thickness coins into the gap at the stem bolts and tighten the bolts, to see if the torque tool works as expected - it should grip the coins and click out at what feels like 5Nm.

Do the bolts feel ok when tightened with a regular Allen key?

Tony04

Carbon paste is used for a reason, carbon on carbon is splippy so if you havent already use it

Check stem steerer length vs old stem as ive sometimes found I cannot tighten headsets because lengths can vary be a couple of mms, although this shouldnt effect stem clamping.

Perhaps steerer diameter on stem is slightly to wide?

Dont overtighten and damage your lovely new bars anyway...

Mr. Cats

Type 17 wrote: »

If you're hitting 5Nm and the stem's not tight, then either the stem-bolts are wonky, or your torque tool is.

Sorted! Took the stem off and there is a metal barrel with two threaded holes in it that slots in on opposite side of pinch gap to stem bolts, with the stem bolts screwing into those threaded holes. I had managed to cross thread both (!) stem bolts as the barrel must have been misaligned when I was clamping the stem bolts. Luckily I could turn the barrel around and screw stem bolts into opposite side of threaded holes. It’s rock solid now.

Thanks a lot for your help!

Mr. Cats

Tony04 wrote: »

Dont overtighten and damage your lovely new bars anyway...

I avoided this at least in my mistakes!

crosstownk

Type 17 wrote: »

The washer (5) is there to ensure that the preload screw transfers the preload from the crank to the inner race of the bearing. Because it was missing, the crank was rubbing on the outer race of the bearing (extra mark on the inside of the crank).
The bearings might be damaged, because they wear quickly if not preloaded correctly (but they might be ok if you haven't done too many km).
The washer comes with the BB - a good LBS should have a tub of spare BB bits, so they should be able to provide a suitable washer.

Thanks. That's exactly what I suspected. I refitted the crank but didn't tighten the preload as much as I normally would. The click has disappeared but I suspect that will only be temporary unless I get a replacement washer. I'll call to the LBS in the next couple of days.

Tony04

Ive a back wheel that ive been running all winter, that isnt running as true as id like.
Gave it a slight true the other day but it doesnt seem to have made a difference.
Im starting to suspect the bearings as the buckle is kind of smooth and long ie no loose spoke, dent on the rim etc.
I can move the wheel from side relative to the brake pads but the bearings feel smooth and the cones arent loose, bearings are cartidge.
Should i replace bearings or just true wheel?

CantGetNoSleep

I'm putting together a 1x set-up for the first time. I've no idea about mtb cassettes but need an 11-speed 11-42. I'm looking for Shimano 105 level - would the Shimano Deore CS-M5100 be the best option or is there anything else I should look at?

https://www.bike24.com/p2372370.html

Or am I better off going with an Shimano SLX M7000 which is sold stock on some gravel bikes?

Tony04

Deore is perfectly fine, just heavier and maybe slightly less rust proof, uses steel large sprockets rather than aluminium.
Go deore or maybe sunrace, which would be the best alternative. Dont know what sram offers.
Imo if weight really is an issue other than just being a weenie youd be looking at a smaller range cassette, i.e cx racing

CantGetNoSleep

Tony04 wrote: »

Deore is perfectly fine, just heavier and maybe slightly less rust proof, uses steel large sprockets rather than aluminium.
Go deore or maybe sunrace, which would be the best alternative. Dont know what sram offers.
Imo if weight really is an issue other than just being a weenie youd be looking at a smaller range cassette, i.e cx racing

Thanks - I may go a level up in that case.

Is it true that I need a 1.85mm spacer to run an 11-speed MTB cassette on a Shimano 11-speed road freehub? Would this typically come with an MTB cassette or do I need to order separately?

wheelo01

Tony04 wrote: »

Ive a back wheel that ive been running all winter, that isnt running as true as id like.
Gave it a slight true the other day but it doesnt seem to have made a difference.
Im starting to suspect the bearings as the buckle is kind of smooth and long ie no loose spoke, dent on the rim etc.
I can move the wheel from side relative to the brake pads but the bearings feel smooth and the cones arent loose, bearings are cartidge.
Should i replace bearings or just true wheel?

If you mean that you can move the wherl from side to side while the wherl is bolted/quick release/skewered into place (ie. Attached to bike correctly) it would suggest that the bearings aren't right. If they are loose bearings (oh to be back in my youth) it would suggest the cones aren't correctly adjusted, in a cartridge/sealed bearing situation, it would suggest replacement - I have recently had 2 different bearing problems resulting in changing bearings on both front and rear wheels, and it's a job relatively easy to attack for yourself.

ednwireland

fulcrum racing 6 wheels developed play in the front wheel, tried tightening the bearing with the little collar with 2.5mm allen key didnt make a lot of difference, very dry bearing sound form the wheel only a year old.

ordered new bearings but is there anything else ?

Type 17

ednwireland wrote: »

fulcrum racing 6 wheels developed play in the front wheel, tried tightening the bearing with the little collar with 2.5mm allen key didnt make a lot of difference, very dry bearing sound form the wheel only a year old.

ordered new bearings but is there anything else ?

Most designs of cartridge bearings (on bikes, almost all BB and wheel-hub ones) need the preload correctly set, and many hubs have means of doing this (see second vid below).
On Hollowtech and similar BBs, the preload cap on the end of the non-drive side spindle sets the preload before you lock it by tightening the LH crank arm.

What is pre-load? (20 seconds of the vid, from 0:48 to 1:18)

Typical front hub setup (adjustment nut with pinch-bolt fixing - video starts at 1:00)

If your bearings only lasted a year, it may be that the preload was wrong (too tight or too loose), or they may have been contaminated (bad weather, flooding).

ednwireland

Type 17 wrote: »

or they may have been contaminated (bad weather, flooding).

eeeeerm i live in donegal :rolleyes::rolleyes: wet weather riding is the norm

Type 17

ednwireland wrote: »

eeeeerm i live in donegal :rolleyes::rolleyes: wet weather riding is the norm

Well, I meant riding through floodwater, rather than standard Irish (or even DL) weather

If buying cartridge bearings for a bike, where they're available, get the versions where the reference number ends in 2RS (2 x rubber seals) for better weather protection.

breezy1985

Just got a new road bike with 700x25 Bontrager tyres but my old bike has some pretty new Schwalbe Durano Plus- SmartGuard 700x23.

Should I go to the hassle of swapping them over (I hate changing tyres) or are 25s much better