Soldato
Typical Facebook or Gumtree... complete, massive, ridiculous bargain... let me offer under the asking
Haha well you know, don't ask, don't get
Road Cycling
- Thread starter FrenchTart
- Start date
Haha well you know, don't ask, don't get
Soldato
*Beware* Facebook Marketplace Groupset Scam
Would like to make people aware of a scam that seems to be doing the rounds on Facebook Marketplace. About a week ago I fell foul of said scam. Like an absolute d***head I payed via PayPal using friends and family. And before any clever and helpful trolls call me an idiot…..I ALREADY KNOW!!!!road.cc
Nice one, same name too. Maybe the declined offer is from the real guy who's got his account back.
Luckily i'd have never used paypal, but it does confirm the old "If it's too good to be true"
Caporegime
Assume they have rounded off the bolt? If you have a dremel you might be able to cut a little slot in it for a flat head screwdriver.
Replacing a calliper and bleeding it isn't too hard but you need some tools. I just replaced my front and rear callipers along with the levers and bleed them took a little while but its not hard. Loads of videos out there to show you how. Just be patient and make sure you have the right bleed kit.
You will need a bleed kit with:
the little pot and bung that connects to the lever along with a road specific adaptor
a syringe with the correct fittings to connect to the port on the calliper
a 7mm (I think) wrench to undo the port on the calliper
a block to keep the callipers retracted while you do the bleeding.
mineral oil
I think thats it if you have shimano brakes.
Caporegime
Soldato
Soldato
I did my Shimano ones easily enough, as mentioned just take your time.
I believe i used these guys for the stuff.
Epic Bleed Solutions | The Original Bleed Kit Outlet
Bleed your hydraulic bicycle brakes for less with our range of DIY bleed kits for MTB and road bikes. Bleed kits available for all models including Avid, Formula, Hope, Magura, Shimano, SRAM & more.
epicbleedsolutions.com
Caporegime
If you have some sort of penetrating spray you might be able to loosen it enough. If you have some needle nose pliers and a small enough screwdriver you might be able to hold the head of the pin to avoid the metal distorting while you unscrew it.
Not sure why a shop would have screwed it in too tight. You have a little retaining collar on the other end to stop it coming out even if the thing unscrews.
Soldato
- Joined
- 23 Nov 2004
- Posts
- 10,646
The road calipers come with that stupid slotted screwdriver style retaining pin, it really does like to seize up in there. Most bike I work on I undo it and barely nip it up again as a precaution.
You can change it to a MTB allen key headed one or just batter a split pin in there if you want.
It isn't the hardest of jobs but you will need the bleed funnel, adapter to fit the road style hood, mineral oil and syringe/hose.
One push from caliper to the cup will usually get the lever feeling OK but I find pumping the lever until it's firm and whilst holding it open the bleed nipple when it's pressurized. They suggest a having a bag attached but I use the old bottle with coat hanger style from way back. Do this with the reservoir horizontal, 45 degrees upwards and also as far downwards as the cup will let you to get the nipple at the highest point.
You can change it to a MTB allen key headed one or just batter a split pin in there if you want.
It isn't the hardest of jobs but you will need the bleed funnel, adapter to fit the road style hood, mineral oil and syringe/hose.
One push from caliper to the cup will usually get the lever feeling OK but I find pumping the lever until it's firm and whilst holding it open the bleed nipple when it's pressurized. They suggest a having a bag attached but I use the old bottle with coat hanger style from way back. Do this with the reservoir horizontal, 45 degrees upwards and also as far downwards as the cup will let you to get the nipple at the highest point.
Not quite... They should self adjust so the 'biting point' of the pad (where it contacts rotor) should be the same through the pad life. Contamination usually is the cause of noises, but I do find humidity really seem to affect mine, but nothing quite as much as you're saying - they likely just need a good clean (of the caliper pistons too) and some alignment.
Wet or dirty weather I'd always expect more noise, but not actual noticeable resistance when riding along.
I'd be too paranoid about popping a piston seal to recommend doing this. I will admit to doing it once and thankfully 'got away with it', but the seals (and the pistons themselves) are relatively easy to damage.
Replacement Shimano pads generally come with a split pin, but calipers themselves (and therefore built bikes) come with a bolt so you hardly ever see the split pins used on road bikes. See them more on MTB though.
On road calipers that bolt can have a hex head (superior) and others a flat head. But the bolt itself easily becomes seized if done up tight and without any kind of grease on it. I tend to put a little copper grease on the threads of mine every couple of years to avoid this - but also bear in mind it does not need it to be done up tight. They're a retaining pin and not really a bolt, not exposed to very much movement, no rotational movement or stresses, so 'finger tight' is enough for them, also having the little safety clip on them too...
Bleeding is easy, certainly something getting familiar with yourself on the process and tools required without involving a caliper change in that learning curve... Different Shimano systems have a different bleed method and there are various tricks you learn when doing it.
As for getting the bolt out... See what you can do about removing it yourself without removing the caliper. Doesn't matter how much you 'damage' it getting it out, just get it out! For my flat head one I had seized (fitted too tight and likely without anything on the thread so a few winters of road salt it was stuck). I filed down the head, trying various ways to cut a flat head into it and failed, but bought a cheap set of 'long nose mole grips' as a last resort ('locking pliers'), did them up super tight and was able to break the corrosion that was holding it and get it undone. YMMV! Now I have the mole grips I use them a surprising amount.
As for changing the caliper, it is relatively easy, have done it myself, but it can be really frustrating to get all the air out of a new caliper. One of my originals cracked a piston and I changed it for a new one very easily (lucky that time). Another time one of my seals was cracked/deteriorated/damaged and it leaked fluid out of the caliper. I changed that for a new one and after multiple attempts and many hours trying to get it to bleed admitted defeat and took it to the LBS. I'd attempt it again (much like doing a complete bleed) but would make sure I had a lot of time to get it done, plus lots of extra fluid! One benefit of the Shimano fluid is you can cheapy buy a big container of it - £25-30 for 1L (compared to the cost of the small one - £8-12 for 100L) and it keeps forever. I have the small one I bought originally and I just top it up from the big one (also don't care too much about just topping it up on the bike like I used to, now I'll bleed and throw the old fluid and just replace with new).
Yup sounds about right. Epic Bleed Solutions have a good kit I always intended to get but I just use one I bodged together, was lucky to have a length of clear hose which fitted, that with a zip tie over it holds it on the nose of a syringe. I bleed into a plastic bag I then empty safely. I tend to soak mine into something then put it in with the kitchen food/waste for the bin men, probably not the best way but I know what things like that can do to water so avoid any drains (that I need to worry about) or any kind of recycling...
Shimano Road Disc Bleed Kit & Mineral Oil - £24.99
Bleed your Shimano road disc brakes with our Shimano road disc brake bleed kit including 100ml mineral oil for Shimano brakes. Compatible with all hydraulic Shimano road disc brakes including 105, DURA-ACE, GRX, Ultegra & Tiagra.
epicbleedsolutions.com
But I would say to get the little Shimano funnel thing as it makes life so much easier! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shimano-SM-DISC-BP-Funnel-Tool-Stopper/dp/B005G0BG70
There are non shimano ones loads cheaper, but they don't seem to come with the lid. The amount of moving a bike around various angles to 'tap' it and get bubbles out I really like the peace of mind of a lid on my funnel... I've even inverted mine (by mistake) and it didn't leak...
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Soldato
So, new front calliper and pads, new chain, new cassette, new shoes, new insoles... took it for a quick test ride and it's running silent and smooth all ready for tomorrow 
So, new front calliper and pads, new chain, new cassette, new shoes, new insoles... took it for a quick test ride and it's running silent and smooth all ready for tomorrow
Looking fresh. Need to give my bike a once over so its ready. 4:50am alarm has also been set.
I did a round of fund-raising for the event and it has done really well. Rather proud of what its got up to.
Associate
Quick question to those doing RideLondon tomorrow - I always struggle to fit the front handlebar race number card in a visible position for Sportives due to having an out front Garmin mount and then brake cables getting in the way so today have just tied it to the Head tube meaning its not very visible from the front
Is this just required for offical photography? Any other issues with the lack of visbility?
Is this just required for offical photography? Any other issues with the lack of visbility?
I have the same problem (also compounded with integrated bar and stem). I put it to the side and have it twisted round the cables. Are they very picky about the numbers being on display?
Soldato
I don't know how much it matters, but it's not hard, surely? Look at my photo above, I have the issues you guys have and aero bars, but it's not that big a problem 
Associate
Doesn't having it there prevent you from holding the bars?I don't know how much it matters, but it's not hard, surely? Look at my photo above, I have the issues you guys have and aero bars, but it's not that big a problem
Hope everyone out doing the RL had a good day?
My first Imperial Century ride and managed 5.25 of moving time with a couple of stops on top (plus the road closure)
Soldato
I don't know if it's me being a bigger frame than most, but I hardly ever hold the bars there. Hoods or drops for me. If I do, the number just wraps around the bar under your hand anyway.
Really enjoyed the ride, closed roads are amazing. It was funny, I know I was slower than many at 17.8mph, but starting at 9:30am I think we were mixed in with the real slower peeps, so my friend and I spent the entire day just passing people, which was kinda fun. Rode 13 miles home at the end too, so was 119 miles in total.
I was rather amazed how poor a couple of the stops were though. First stop, 32 miles in, I was hungry... and all they had was water?! Really? Not even some bananas? I had gels, of course... but we rode on and at about 40 miles was a rather popular off license
The new shoes were generally more comfortable, but last night and still this morning to an extent, I'm hobbling around on my left foot, which feels like the soul is bruised to walk on. I went Extra Wide with these Lakes. Is it possible my foot has too much space, which causes the problem?
Associate
Yeh the lack of food was a disappointment, so I had to rely on the 4 small snickers I had brought plus gels which worked out ok for me
My main challenge, as legs felt good for the most part, was cramp which only started setting in during the last 10 miles or so. I had another salt tablet I could have stopped and taken but stubbornness prevented me to power through the pain
Happy with my splits with an improved NP as race went on - 195->200->209
My main challenge, as legs felt good for the most part, was cramp which only started setting in during the last 10 miles or so. I had another salt tablet I could have stopped and taken but stubbornness prevented me to power through the pain
Happy with my splits with an improved NP as race went on - 195->200->209
Completed it in 5:31 (strava time). I crossed the start line at 8:31 with a wide mix of abilities. We spent the first 50 miles continuously overtaking cyclists, my friend wasn't quite strong enough to join a stronger group due to life getting in the way of training but I did manage to form my own bubble for 10 miles or so with three of us taking it turns on the front. I was only hoping for a sub 6 hour time so very happy with the time regardless, but am now left wondering what it would be like if in a earlier start time with a strong group. I didn't think a sub 5 hour was possible, but am starting to wonder!
Annoyingly my Strava says 99.8 miles so no imperial century for me!
Annoyingly my Strava says 99.8 miles so no imperial century for me!
Soldato
My Strava time (or, because I recorded the ride in and out in one, so my friend I rode with Strava time) was 5:44. How is my official time 6:35? I thought they'd said they were omitting stops?
This is the same as someone else I know. Any ideas how? The gps route was actually 102 miles, so you've literally lost 2 miles somehow?Annoyingly my Strava says 99.8 miles so no imperial century for me!