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

Mr. Cats

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118354043#Comment_118354043

Thanks for the advice. I tried to knock the bearings out today. I did get them out but had damaged some of the bb sleeve in process. Sourced a new bb and fitted it using some washers and a threaded bar.

It was a satisfying job to do, especially when the bearings flew off. Hammering the **** out of things is about my level 😂 I’m not sure that I’d take it on with a carbon frame though where a bit more finesse than I possess is required.

The cranks are back on and all seems much smoother. I’ll take it for a spin tomorrow and fingers crossed all ok.

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118363900#Comment_118363900

Fair play, it's great to see people taking on jobs like this themselves

nicksnikita

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118363900#Comment_118363900

Tidy!

DaveyDave

So, where exactly do I stop with the saddle rails, the larger clamp on the bottom or the smaller one on top? Bottom one doesn't give much adjustment.

Idleater

Looking at the markings, it seems like if you push the saddle all the way back it will be not overly supported by the bottom of the clamp, so I would only push it back as far as it is supported by the clamp.

magicbastarder

looks like there's only about 1cm of travel possible with that combination so.

that clamp does seem particularly long though.

Large bottle small glass

I got a new hplus son archetype rim to replace the identical old one on front wheel; it's had zero servicing in about 40k km but today was the day( I have rim for at least 6 months).

Part 1

All laced and ready to take up slack

All finished and ready for the road.

The old rim, should hang on wall I suppose 😉.

Front and rear done now, not bad for a wheelset bought 2nd hand in 2014

AndrewJRenko

Finally got round to fixing my pre Christmas puncture to find this strange metal scar on the inside of the rim, rough surface, maybe 1-2mm high. I don't think I could have missed this with previous punctures, but it doesn't look like the kind of thing that could just develop. I stuck a rubber patch over it. Any other suggestions?

AndrewJRenko

magicbastarder

that's an odd one, i don't see how that could happen except at manufacture?

Dilbert75

Just before Christmas, I picked up a second hand Liv Avail SL1 for my partner. It had been bought but never used as the purchaser had an unrelated accident and was advised to never cycle again.

I didn't notice it at the time, and even if I had would have assumed an easy fix, that the saddle was misaligned - it points to the left of the steerer. It's far enough off straight to be causing her discomfort on the left side (the side it's pointing to). Only this week we took a closer look and it looks like the seat post (carbon) is most likely glued to the saddle mount, and it's not straight. There's a step at each side where it's misaligned. The seat post has a D-shaped profile - called auto align - so it's not something that can be addressed by just twisting the tube in the frame.

I can't see a way for it to be anything but a manufacturing error, but the bike was originally bought in June 20, so it's outside of warranty for components. My partner's contacted the bike shop that sold it anyway (she has the receipt) but I'm not sure the chances of a goodwill replacement of the seat post.

Question is: is it likely to be glued and is there a way of straightening it up?

magicbastarder

I suspect photos of the issue will be required...

nicksnikita

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118383488#Comment_118383488

Hmmmm, a tricky one. If it were mine, I'd have a go at straightening it but there are a number of ways of going about it (that I can think of):

1) Strike the nose of the saddle with your hand in an effort to realign it (with the seatpost and saddle in-situ in the bike).

2) Place something over the saddle (like a large diameter pipe) and use that as leverage to realign the saddle (again with the seatpost and saddle in-situ in the bike).

3) Remove the seatpost, clamp it using soft jaws in a vice and attempt to realign the saddle by hand.

It may be risky, and the above methods are only what I may attempt if I had the bike in my hands. I don't want to misguide you and take no responsibility if you damage the frame and/or components.

I believe that seatpost is common across a fair few Giant models (open to correction) so there's a good chance you could pick up a spare online. A quick look on eBay has given some potentials. I'd say the shop where the bike was bought is a good place to start anyway...

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118382819#Comment_118382819

Yeah, that was my thought too. I'm fairly sure I've previously changed a tube on the back (bike is nearly two years old now), and I doubt if I'd have failed to notice something like this.

Is a rubber patch the best or only option here? Can't see how I could sand down something that small without doing other damage.

jimm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118384442#Comment_118384442

Could you get wider rim tape that would cover that spot?

magicbastarder

Or file it if it's ragged and stick a puncture repair patch over it.

cletus

I'd be suggesting filing it too. It'll be tricky to get a hand file on there, but if you have, or have access to, a Dremel, that would be the easiest solution

Dilbert75

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118384400#Comment_118384400

It's proper name is Giant D-fuse composite.

IMG-20211229-WA0004.jpg

IMG-20211229-WA0003.jpg

The fact that it's composite with no visible means of adjustment makes me think it's glued, in which case forcing it might just break the bond and make it fully unusable. The step is slightly visible in one if these pics.

IMG-20211229-WA0007.jpg

IMG-20211229-WA0005.jpg

IMG-20211229-WA0006.jpg

cletus

Probably not the solution you're looking for, the replacements are available, particularly if you decide to try and adjust it and it doesn't work out

https://www.bike-onlineshop.de/Parts-Components/Seatposts/Giant-D-Fuse-Carbon-Seatpost-25-offset.htm?shop=bike_en&SessionId=&a=article&ProdNr=GIA150000092&p=87

magicbastarder

€75 for a new one on bike24 - if they had them in stock, but they don't. as nicksnikita suggested, i suspect if you ask nicely in the shop the bike was bought in, it might be one of the more fruitful options.

magicbastarder

not a question, just a pleasant maintenance task completed - i took the fork off the winter bike to check the headset, which is original to the bike (bought new in late 2014 AFAIK); and it's a task i'd had on the mental checklist for probably a year or two, it's been at *least* two years since i last looked. so i was thinking 'what horror awaits here' and i was pleasantly surprised to find it's still pristine; didn't even need new grease.

RugbyLover123

Has anyone picked up a bike gps from Decathalon? If so, would you recommend? I saw for €50 today, I’d only want one to tell me distance and time really. I got on on Amazon for like €30 a few months back and it only last 3 rides.

magicbastarder

If you just need distance and time, you probably don't even need gps, just a basic bike computer which calculates distance and speed using a sensor counting wheel revolutions. Gps - especially if you can upload to one of the fitness tracker sites - may be more useful though.

CianRyan

Yeah if you don't want anything fancy I'd just use Strava and stick it in your pocket.

If you want it on your bike, you can get very good phone mounts.

I presume it was something like this?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08M3S1MJZ/ref%3Dcm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_NTKHX8ZWTZHR8T7QE9WD?psc=1

A dedicated GPS dose have a major advantage over a phone which is battery life no way a phone would last anywhere near as long a dedicated GPS unit plus when you pair it with a speed sensor it's more accurate than just relying on GPS for speed and distance.

magicbastarder

my cheapo garmin would not last nearly as long on a charge as my phone does.

a speed sensor, one based on a magnet on the wheel, will be more accurate for speed over short (or very short) distances, but GPS will be more accurate over long distances.

Large bottle small glass

Covid idleness got the better of me and I said I'd see how much rims had worn.

They felt concave and front wheel braking felt odd.

It is hard to know how much of surface is left without getting hacksaw out

Quite a bit but not sure if it was enough!

Circa 0.9mm wear and about the same left.

Yeah I know I need a new blade 🙂

magicbastarder

i wouldn't be riding on that rim again if i were you.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118384503#Comment_118384503

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118385197#Comment_118385197

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118385229#Comment_118385229

Thanks for the suggestions. I've put a patch over it, so hopefully that will be enough. I'm due back at the dentist next week, so I'll ask them to have a go at it with the Dremel maybe? ;-)

Almost looks like a drop of solder or something, but I can't think how it got in that location, and how I didn't notice it for two years!

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118409782#Comment_118409782

I've a Dremel, and like every other offer I've made on boards, if you're anywhere near Naas, pm and we can sort something out