Big Bike Thread

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I'd lke to learn to maintain and repair my bike in more advanced fashion than adding oil to sensible places, and adjusting the screws on the derailleur system. For example, I'd like to know how to take the hub apart to change grease, take forks apart to replace failed components. Change bearings, rebuild hydraulic brakes. That sort of thing.

The local bike shops don't fancy taking on an apprentice for a couple of months, so can anyone recommend a fairly comprehensive textbook? I'm an engineering undergrad, so would if anything rather appreciate a mathematical content, and a discussion of what happens when you get things wrong.

This seems as good a place to ask as any, so please suggest something. Cheers
 
JonJ678 said:
I'd lke to learn to maintain and repair my bike in more advanced fashion what what
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Youtube, Sheldon Brown web site, Park tools web site, and manufacturer's web sites have how to guids. Failing that there are a couple of mechanics in here that will give advice. 1 works for Halfords but don't let that put you off.
 
@ichabod crane: That's planned as step 2, it's difficult to guess things like torque (and tolerance on it) and (importance of) types of grease. Trial and error would get me there in the end, but I think I'd rather damage the bike in the process.

@weescott Didn't realise manufacturers released datasheets, I'll go and read a few. So far I've been learning things as and when required, mostly via google. I'd rather learn how to fix things before they break rather than after though.

edit: Is it a fair guess that bolts on shimano's technical documents that don't have a torque written next to them are to be done up by hand? Images like the following would certainly help taking things apart, but doesn't really go beyond that.

4izts4.jpg


I like the spare parts list for example, but am not terribly clear on how to judge which part(s) have been giving trouble.

edit: Just discovered the repair-help section of park tools, reading that will keep me entertained for a while. Cheers
 
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Berger said:
Had a little ride out this morning, was going to go to Gisburn but didn't really get up early enough.

Went up to Rivington Pike / Winter Hill instead so could do the San Marino descent (youtube it). Had quite a bit of rain overnight, but it was holding off this morning. What I hadn't thought about was the moors holding all the water and it running down the track.

Ended up descending down San Marino riding a river of water, sand, gravel and cobbles. Had a minor off when a rocky section that looked solid wasn't and it swallowed my front wheel, apart from that all good!

Went up to the top of the Pike after too, then descended that down the side rather than the climb up which I didn't try last time.

Brakes were showing their limitations, they went a bit soggy towards the end of the San Marino descent, but should be upgrading to Elixir 5s next week and ill probably step up to 180mm rotors all round.

Very pleased I chose to get SPD pedals, as I can't see flats giving the same control in the wet as I had today on the rough ground. Plus the shoes work well at keeping the water out, wet ankles but below the shoe line was bone dry.
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Never been to Rivington on the bike, just never been that way keep it east side, my MTB is is on its last legs so having looking at the footage dont want to do that and get stuck 10 miles from home.

Spotted a few bruises from my fall, mainly right side where most of the impact happend, knee was fine it didn't swell up, hand was fine, just felt bit stiff, shook me up more than anything and made me realises how hard the ground is and to take it careful, because no matter how fast you go or how good you think you are, mavity never stops working and the ground is hard.

Easing off the bike now and sticking to running.
 
JonJ678 said:
For example, I'd like to know how to ... rebuild hydraulic brakes. That sort of thing.
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Buy some brakes being sold as faulty on ebay. Hydraulic brakes are really simple but a lot of people are scared of them for some reason :confused:
In my experience, most of the ones on ebay will have leaking seals (usually the piston seals in the caliper where dirt has got in). Get a rebuild kit, fix them up, rebleed them and then stick them back on ebay, Careful which ones you buy tho, some (most :( ) manufacturers charge an awful lot for rebuild kits/other spares.
 
kieranv said:
I got one of those lidl's stands last weekend, seems to work fairly well, i've had to add in some bolts and replace some with stronger ones though[/IMG]
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Did you add a bolt into the join between the main vertical pole and the arm so that the bike can be held at any angle? If so what did you use and was it successful?
 
JonJ678 said:
I'd lke to learn to maintain and repair my bike in more advanced fashion than adding oil to sensible places, and adjusting the screws on the derailleur system. For example, I'd like to know how to take the hub apart to change grease, take forks apart to replace failed components. Change bearings, rebuild hydraulic brakes. That sort of thing.

The local bike shops don't fancy taking on an apprentice for a couple of months, so can anyone recommend a fairly comprehensive textbook? I'm an engineering undergrad, so would if anything rather appreciate a mathematical content, and a discussion of what happens when you get things wrong.

This seems as good a place to ask as any, so please suggest something. Cheers
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Do a search for "Barnetts Manual of Cycle Repair" which goes into very technical detail.
 
I'd lke to learn to maintain and repair my bike in more advanced fashion than adding oil to sensible places, and adjusting the screws on the derailleur system. For example, I'd like to know how to take the hub apart to change grease, take forks apart to replace failed components. Change bearings, rebuild hydraulic brakes. That sort of thing.
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I have "Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance" which is very comprehensive and includes torque figures etc at the rear of the book.

Never been to Rivington on the bike, just never been that way keep it east side, my MTB is is on its last legs so having looking at the footage dont want to do that and get stuck 10 miles from home.
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Where abouts do you ride around Wigan?



Also; Would anyone have a front mounting bracket to suit Avid? After either a 185mm or 203mm bracket or both post mount. :)
 
jaybee said:
Can you email me that GPX file...what is one anyway? lol I have a picture someone posted online of the trails but it's only a guide and not very accurate. We normally do a loop that includes Labrynth, baby Maker, Satans Grotto, Stickler, Corckscrew, Bomb Hole, Tank Traps, Gully jumps. Not necessarily that order mind.


Yeah we do "that bit". It's called the Labrynth. :) Phew, I thought it was just me that couldn't do those jumps. You have to carry so much speed through that section to be able to jump them. There's another vid on youtube of a guy doing them with relative ease. I will try to find it. My mates are so quick on that bit they leave me for dead. I think my technique is poor or I just don't have the balls for that bit as they always have to wait for me down the bottom clearing.

Maybe we have seen you up there? We normally go on Mondays or Thursdays about 6-8pm. My mate rides a silver specialized stumpjumper full suss, my other mate a specialized hardrock silver, and me I ride my mates specialized hardrock in black/red at the mo till I buy a bike.

Nice bike that and I am local to you. Tempting indeed thankyou but I can't justify spending more than about £500 second hand, because I can get a 1k bike on cycle to work scheme for equivalent of about £600 ish and it's interest free for a year. :)
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I sent you a message via trust, reply to it so that I can send you the GPX files. You can open GPX files in google earth or any other mapping software and it will show you a track on the map.

I normally just load it onto my smartphone as a guide to where the interesting trails are while I am roaming about in the forest.

I normally go early Saturday morning so probably not likely to have seen you. I now ride a GT I-drive in baby blue :o. It looks so ridiculous that you won't miss it. I will be going tomorrow morning though as I am on holiday at the moment. Looking like it is going to be a wet one.
 
I spent a rainy sunday afternoon building my first wheel:

Nukeproof Generator hub on DT Swiss EX 5.1D. Total cost: £24

bullit_wheel.jpg



Ichabod Crane is going to be the test crash dummy when I eventually get the Bullit built. :p
 
Been enjoying my riding this past week, just need that golden thing, more time!

More time and fitness, and can't get one without the other!

Front splash guard is on the list of things to buy this week since the British summer has come to an end!

I also need a front tyre that grips as well as my Fat Albert, but rolls better, lose so much speed if I stop pedalling!

I didn't get on with using a Nobby Nic on the front (but on the back it works a treat), didn't give me enough confidence in the front end, perhaps this was because I was gaining speed a lot faster with it!

Thinking Maxxis Advantage 2.25" or Minion 2.35"?
 
And........ Finally gone 1x10 on the Epic. I have been to the Mendips today for 4 hours riding. 1200m climbing and not a problem.
Oh and it was very WET :( I got caught out in a thunder storm.
Its 34/34



Oh and you may of noticed but the Gold bling wheels have gone. Spesh replaced them for free as they started to ping spokes. New ones seem to roll on for ever.
 
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Hi all,

Went round Delamere today on the bike and notice that i've got a creak coming from my crank area. It only seems to happen though when theres a high load going through the pedals so mostly on the uphill ascents and when pushing along in a high gear.

I think it may be my bottom bracket so i'm going to remove it and possibly replace but I need to know if theres an easy way to find out which type and size of bottom bracket I have so I can get the correct tool and replacement? There seems to be a cup on the none drive side with notches around the inside.

Also do the crank removal tools work on all cranks or are they make/type specific to?

And finally, I need to remove the front wheel to fit my bike in the car which means undoing the bolts every time. Are quick release skewers compatible with all hubs or do I need to get specific hubs?

Sorry to be so vague with the description but i'm only just starting to learn all this stuff and want to do it all myself so I can learn at the same time.

Thank you!
 
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