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

[NewcastleFalcon]

I myself have been paddling around the world of bicycle mechanics and hub bearings in particular.

Our youngest has acquired a NSCYCLES "Movement" what I think is a "Dirt Jumper Bike" from his Uncle. No faffing with Derailleur Gears...No gears.

The rear wheel has a wobble, which I interpret as worn hub bearings.

From a small amount of research, and probably a smidgen of AI of dubious accuracy, my conclusion is that it probably has "cone" type bearings. for which a dismantling, throw away the old ball bearings, a bit of grease and some new ball bearings of 1/4" or 3/16" in a little packet should result in a more stable rear wheel.

Don't think I have been that impressed with some recent dalliance into "Bike Shop" maintenance, or its pricing so on the verge of DIY, should have the transferrable skills from many years of car fixing. Thing is I have had my roadbike for over 40 years and it has never gone anywhere near a "bike shop" tyres/brakes DIY, but mechanically as good as the day I bought it!

I have also watched videos on the Cartridge type bearings, which may not apply in this case. Yes I saw the array of expensive professional tools, and some cheaper but still too expensive this largely one-off job in my view. I don t think it has the cartridge type bearings but if it does, how about a cheap rawl bolt for removing "blind cartridge type cycle hub" bearings , if you can't easily get behind them due to the "compression tube" to whack them with more rudimentary hammer and drift!

Neil

Post Script..... Discovered the delightful Fred's Shed.....according to the comments the best video on the internet for adjusting cone hub bearings on a bicycle. Love the accent and the honest down to earth content!

[CitroJim]

My bike has cartridge wheel and freehub bearings Neil and they need replacing...

That Rawlbolt may just do the trick

My cycling friends and I lament the loss of cup and cone bearings. They were so much easier to deal with...

One of my friends bought some super-cheapo cartridge bearings for his wheels and they lasted precisely two minutes before failing

[RichardW]

https://www.parktool.com/en-int/product ... HXrJ58ejwF

Over £300 though

[CitroJim]

https://www.parktool.com/en-int/product ... HXrJ58ejwF

Over £300 though

Luckily, I have a very good friend who has all the necessary special tools Richard He is to bikes what I am to Xantias and AXs

[Rp0thejester]

I used to use those Rawl bolts to bolt a diamond drilling rig to the wall, roughly 45kgs of horizontal load on it. Then add in the force of me turning a handle to drill into the structure and drill through concrete and steel. Then add the weight of the resulting core at 900mm diameter and 400mm thick. Those Rawl bolts can hold alot of weight when installed correctly and reusable.