On your Bike

[RichardW]

Er, I seem to have a(n excess) pedal problem !!

[RichardW]

I have a new bike...



It's someone's birthday soon and this is a massive milestone - her first proper bike

We took her to Halfrauds in the week to choose and to measure her up for the right size of bike. As soon as we got into the bike showroom she leapt upon the first bike she saw and rode off around with massive confidence!

The bike above comes with stabilisers but I predict they won't be on for long - that's my girl!

Has she had a balance bike? If so, then stabilisers only required for learning to pedal (like 5 mins or so....!); if not, then best to take the pedals (and stabilisers) off and let her ride it as a balance bike till she sorts out the balance, then pedals back on, and away she will go!

[CitroJim]

Has she had a balance bike? If so, then stabilisers only required for learning to pedal (like 5 mins or so....!)

Oh yes Richard She's very accomplished on a balance bike!

[CitroJim]

New cleats fitted to my cycling shoes...

That job was well overdue... I think I may have got maximum value from the old ones

[CitroJim]

Yesterday I had new bottom bracket bearings fitted to my Propel...

On this particular carbon framed bike, it's a job that needs a few special tools that I don't have. Fortunately a friend of mine does

Although now I've seen them, I could easily fabricate them...

I cold not resist dissecting one of the old bearing assemblies...

Shimano BB Assembly Dissected...

In doing so I discovered the actual bearing bit is a standard ballrace that can be quite easily replaced with nothing more than a small blind bearing puller. And for a lot less money than the Shimano assembly...

The bearings are very heavily loaded and suffer failure from galling. They manifest failure by making a ticking noise under heavy load such as when standing on the pedals going up a steep hill or going for a sprint finish...

An interesting morning