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

Large bottle small glass · 27-01-2022 5:50pm

If you are talking about aluminum seat post in a steel frame all of those tools are too big; I have 3 steel bikes and they are all 27mm seat posts (external)

cletus · 27-01-2022 6:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118541529#Comment_118541529

What's the I/D of those, do you know? There are smaller adjustable reamers that start around 19mm

nicksnikita · 27-01-2022 8:06pm

I’d be surprised if that couldn’t be solved with a bench vise. That would save sourcing a tool or risking damaging the frame.

Clamping the seatpost vertically with the frame upside down has never failed me. Especially when it’s had a chance to soak in oils etc. and yours has.

Should be easy enough to find a man with a vise...

cletus · 27-01-2022 8:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118542172#Comment_118542172

You'll have to go to America for that. We only have vices here 😀😀

Weepsie · 27-01-2022 8:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118542172#Comment_118542172

My next door neighbour probably does. He seems to have all sorts of tools and his shed is huge so who knows what's in there. I must ask him when i next see him

nicksnikita · 27-01-2022 9:09pm

No brainer. Bonus if it works and if it doesn’t, no harm done!

cletus · 27-01-2022 9:11pm

Well, if he doesn't have a bench vice, you could throw the frame on your back, and take a trip down the Grand Canal...

magicbastarder · 27-01-2022 9:21pm

i know someone with a bench vice, very mechanically minded, and used to enjoy a bit of cycling. must ask him.

Weepsie · 27-01-2022 11:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118542460#Comment_118542460

This is the bike I'd use to go down the grand canal. Could strap it on to a bike back and take one of the others.

cletus · 27-01-2022 11:38pm

If you make it as far as Rathangan, let me know

KAGY · 28-01-2022 3:15pm

Could you drill a 10mm hole through the seat post and put a steel bar through it to get enough torque to turn it

cletus · 28-01-2022 5:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118545791#Comment_118545791

The issue there is holding the frame.

That's why a bench vice is ideal, you can rotate the frame around the seat post

DaveyDave · 29-01-2022 5:08pm

Hard to get a good pic and apologies it isn't spotless, can anyone tell me the condition of this cassette? It's from my road bike with approx 4,500km on it. I'd like to put it on my ebike Winter wheels rather than buy a new cassette if possible.

magicbastarder · 29-01-2022 6:26pm

it's very hard to tell how worn a cassette is by looking at it, but you should be able to get three times that mileage out of one if you look after your chain(s).

Paul Kiernan · 30-01-2022 10:23am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118550772#Comment_118550772

+1 on this. You should get 4000km+ per chain and 12000km+ per cassette so 3 chains to each cassette. Even then the third chain can be used until it starts slipping and then you change both. Slipping usually starts in one or two middle cogs so it's more of an inconvenience than a catastrophe!

magicbastarder · 01-02-2022 9:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118542503#Comment_118542503

i think he assumed the seat post was old style, a tube with an open top, but he suggested that it might be possible to get a bar where a few inches of it would just fit inside the seat tube, but then a shoulder on the bar would seat (pun intended) up against the end of the tube, and giving a good hard rap with a lump hammer on the end of the bar - might force the seatpost part way into the seat tube but could break the bond.

he also suggested that depending on how much seat tube is sitting proud, you could even try holding the frame by the seat tube, off the ground, before giving it a good hard rap. would mean you'd hopefully still get a good percussive jerk on the seatpost without putting any undue stress on the rest of the frame.

if you're resigned to the seat post being unrecoverable, i guess you could just take the saddle off and the clamp and give it a whack like that anyway.

cletus · 01-02-2022 9:31pm

Impact might work, but you'd still need some way to secure the frame. Any movement in the frame means the impact is being transferred through the frame, rather than just through the seatpost

magicbastarder · 01-02-2022 9:36pm

i see what he means though about not securing the frame; holding it proud of the ground, and holding onto the seatpost. you'd still get a good bit of percussive force transferred but it sounds like the seatpost is too badly stuck for it to work.

regardless, the shock would be transferred straight down the seat post and seat tube which would be least likely to cause them issues, but you'd need to be careful how you anchor it, e.g. if you just had it sitting on the ground you could dent the BB shell.

cletus · 02-02-2022 10:42am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567628#Comment_118567628

I wouldn't be suggestiong that the frame is rested on the ground either. Again, any impact would travel through the frame and as you say into the ground, which, being a much stronger spring than the frame, would damage the bottom bracket.

However, the frame would still need to be held securely, preferebly by the seat tube, so that the impact you create doesnt disipate through movement in the frame.

Really, though, I think torque appled to the frame, while the seat post is clamped, is most likely to free it up.

nicksnikita · 05-02-2022 4:39pm

Issue with Ultegra 6700 shifting on rear.

Chain on smallest sprocket, try to shift one gear, rd barely moves. It takes excessive tension to get the chain to step up to the next sprocket and shifting thereafter is no good in either direction.

What I’ve tried so far:

fitted new rear gear cable inner; fitted new outer casing from bottom frame stop to rd; checked outer cable from shifter to top frame stop (seems A1); fitted new chain and cassette as part of rebuild; tried 2 different rds.

Gear cables are routed internally; could they be fouling each other or could they be twisted inside the frame causing hassle?

Anyone got any other suggestions?

Paul Kiernan · 05-02-2022 5:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118586842#Comment_118586842

I'd imagine it's either the cable run or the shifter itself so you need to work that out. If the cable could the outer be snagging the inner? This happens easily enough when you cut the outer and the end closes in over the hole!

stevencn88 · 05-02-2022 5:49pm

Noticed today that the gears aren't shifting down correctly in the middle of the cassette. Have to double shift to get the chain to move. Put the bike in the stand when I got home and they seem to be moving perfectly for each shift up and down, and everting seems to be lined up I.e no bent mech. Thoughts? Suggestions? Chain and cassette only fitted in November. It's a 105 set up.

68 lost souls · 09-02-2022 11:00am

Hi folks, new seatpost on the way as saddle keeps changing angle, I think the clamp section is worn out. Alluminium seatpost and frame. Wondering what is best to a apply to the new seatpost when fitting in terms of a grease/antiseaze/grip for it.

I have a tube of Fenwicks Copper Anti Seeze or should I be looking at Park Antiseaze, or super grip or some sort of other grease?

cletus · 09-02-2022 11:21am

For parts I don't want to move after assembly, I normally use copper slip, because I have some. Otherwise, any generic lithium grease will be fine. I definitely wouldn't be paying a premium to get whatever branded one

68 lost souls · 09-02-2022 11:37am

Cheers the copper anti seeze I have will do so

BKWDR · 10-02-2022 1:00pm

I have a Trek 1.2 Road Bike.

Using for commute now so looking, after a few trips, to get rid of the bag on my back and put a set of panniers, cheap and cheerful on.

Was considering dropping the bike into decathlon and asking them for a service and maybe to just install a pannier rack or is there anything else i need to consider or place to go?

Thanks

68 lost souls · 10-02-2022 3:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118610066#Comment_118610066

I'm pretty sure that the 1.2 Trek bikes don't have mounts for a pannier so your options are somewhat limited (basing it off my 2013 Trek 2.1) A seatpost pannier rack can hold an amount of weight (Decathlons says 10kg) and you need to account for your laptop plus lunch plus gear etc.

I'd be interested to know how you get on.

BKWDR · 10-02-2022 5:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118610850#Comment_118610850

I am using a Decathlon commute bag which is 25L at the moment which on most days is packed full (without laptop!) so will be a challenge, but I think its more about the hassle i have as i can shower but its in a different building which causes problems with shoes etc.

I probably need to be smarter with what and how im bringing it in.

Nigzcurran · 10-02-2022 6:38pm

I’ve seen the bag that goes on the handlebars and that would work well with the seat post bag if you were carrying a lot

magicbastarder · 11-02-2022 12:44am

any tips for finding a slow puncture in a tube? i have one which takes about 24 hours to go from 80psi to about 20, and i suspect the sort of pressure you'd pump an inner tube to outside a tyre isn't enough to expose the leak under water easily.

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

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