bicycle maintenance

[Martha]

Martha, you don't need a garage to use the rope trick. Any door way would do. You need a 6 inch C-clamp or larger. The pictures show a 5 inch clamp.

Of course you would want to protect the two ends of the clamp with some cardboard to prevent damage to the wall.

Clever! I like this. I have a door. I have a C-clamp. I have cardboard. I have a rope.

 

[TromboneAl]

Here's another trick regarding bicycle maintenance: If you have a question, you can post it on the bikeforums.net Bicycle Mechanics forum, and you'll have an answer in minutes. There are guys there that live to answer questions, and if any of them live near you, they'll come over and fix it for you.

Here's an example of one of my questions:

Cable Attachment Point on Shimano 600 FD?

 

[travelover]

Clever! I like this. I have a door. I have a C-clamp. I have cardboard. I have a rope.

But you are not feeling depressed, right?

 

[Martha]

But you are not feeling depressed, right?

<snort>

 

[Martha]

Here's another trick regarding bicycle maintenance: If you have a question, you can post it on the bikeforums.net Bicycle Mechanics forum, and you'll have an answer in minutes. There are guys there that live to answer questions, and if any of them live near you, they'll come over and fix it for you.

Here's an example of one of my questions:

Cable Attachment Point on Shimano 600 FD?

So did you also try running the cable in the other groove to see what would happen?

 

[TromboneAl]

So did you also try running the cable in the other groove to see what would happen?

I didn't because I didn't wait around for all the answers. Next time I change cables, I'll try it.

One other comment about cold garages: I often put a little electric heater in there, pointing right at me. Of course it rarely gets below freezing around here.

 

[vicente solano]

I support the local economy and take it to the shop, even for punctures. A new tube, including installation, is only $10. I'll stick to LBYM on big stuff.

Same here. More so being mine an electric one.

 

[donheff]

I support the local economy and take it to the shop, even for punctures. A new tube, including installation, is only $10. I'll stick to LBYM on big stuff.

I take the opposite approach. Bike maintenance is (finally) something mechanical I can do (to some extent) without wrecking things. I can get all that self satisfaction the home repair DIYers get for very little investment in time and effort. I support the local economy by hiring craftsmen to do all the stuff I screw up

 

[TromboneAl]

A new tube, including installation, is only $10.

Only!?

I get my tubes for $2.49 each when on sale at Nashbar.com. I used to throw them away only when they had five patches on them, but since these are so cheap, I'm no longer that strict.

I've had eight punctures on one ride in Colorado, saving $72 by patching.

One can often patch a tube without removing the wheel from the bike. That is, find the leak, pull the tube out only where the leak is, patch the hole and put it back.

 

[Martha]

One can often patch a tube without removing the wheel from the bike. That is, find the leak, pull the tube out only where the leak is, patch the hole and put it back.

What is your procedure for finding the leak? The few times I've had flats I've just replaced the tube. (Thanks for the tip on cheap tubes).

I take the opposite approach. Bike maintenance is (finally) something mechanical I can do (to some extent) without wrecking things. I can get all that self satisfaction the home repair DIYers get for very little investment in time and effort. I support the local economy by hiring craftsmen to do all the stuff I screw up

Absolutely agree. I am clumsy and not mechanically inclined. But I can maintain my own bike.

 

[TromboneAl]

What is your procedure for finding the leak?

First, with the bike still on the tire rotate it slowly and look for a piece of glass or wire. This usually doesn't work, but sometimes you'll get lucky.



Next, pump it up as much as you can, then rotate it slowly with your ear an inch from the tire. You'll hear or feel the air escaping. This works about 40% of the time.

Next remove the tube, pump it up, and do the ear trick.

This works 95% of the time.

If you still haven't found it, you can fill the sink, pump up the tube, and submerge it looking for bubbles. Once you've found it this way, practice finding it with your ear.

I've had patches fail, so now that I've got a bunch of tubes that cost only $2.49, I'm more likely to just replace the tube.

 

[donheff]

Good summary Al. I get varying mileage from my patches too -- I think it is because I am a lousy DIYer and don't take the time to get them right. The biggest problem occurs at seams - you have to sand the rubber down smooth or you will get raised leaky areas. I have taken to carrying an extra tube and replacing flats with that and then doing the patches in a batch at home when I have some spare time.

 

[TromboneAl]

Yes, the ones that have failed have failed at the edge.

Here I am fixing a flat without removing the wheel from the bike:

The flat was caused by one of these goathead thorns:

 

[67walkon]

I've been riding on Continental Ultra Gator Skin tires for years. Except for last year, when I got badly injured and was in a wheel chair for 8 weeks, I put 5,000+ miles on my bike in a year. I can't remember the last flat I got on the road, but it was probably in early 2009. I change the tires at around 3,000 miles or when they start getting worn enough to worry me and put new tubes in then. But I always carry a couple of spare tubes with me on every ride.

 

[Martha]

Yes, the ones that have failed have failed at the edge.

Here I am fixing a flat without removing the wheel from the bike:

The flat was caused by one of these goathead thorns:

Looking at those thorns, I would not just want to plop down on the ground where you are sitting!

 

[Martha]

I adjusted my derailleurs without hanging up the bike from a door frame. It turns out that the place I am staying does not have trim on the doors to support a C-clamp! I had the neighbor hold up the rear end when I turned the pedals. I just could't get my head around doing the bike upside down. And the elderly neighbor was amused and fascinated by the whole process.

I need to clean my chain and lube it next and fuss with the left front brake cable.

 

[Martha]

I've been riding on Continental Ultra Gator Skin tires for years. Except for last year, when I got badly injured and was in a wheel chair for 8 weeks, I put 5,000+ miles on my bike in a year. I can't remember the last flat I got on the road, but it was probably in early 2009. I change the tires at around 3,000 miles or when they start getting worn enough to worry me and put new tubes in then. But I always carry a couple of spare tubes with me on every ride.

Are these supposed to be antiflat tires with Kevlar reinforcement or something like that? Anyone else ever use anti-flat tires?

 

[TromboneAl]

Are these supposed to be antiflat tires with Kevlar reinforcement or something like that? Anyone else ever use anti-flat tires?

Yes, exactly. That is, a small piece of glass is less likely to puncture the tube or work it's way in and cause a flat. However, nothing will help if you ride over a thumbtack, for example.

The price you pay is higher cost, some extra weight and perhaps higher "rolling resistance."

I had some "armadillos" on my bike, but I wanted something lighter, and I have the ultra gatorskins on now. They are good, but the sidewalls aren't very resistant to problems.

Flats are weird. You can go years without one, then have five in a week.

Often glass or debris will stick in your tire a little, then gradually work its way into the tube as you ride. So two things you can do are (1) after riding over some glass, put your gloved hand on each tire (as you're riding), to knock pieces off (takes practice), and (2) examine your tires after each ride to see if anything is stuck in them.

 

[donheff]

Often glass or debris will stick in your tire a little, then gradually work its way into the tube as you ride. So two things you can do are (1) after riding over some glass, put your gloved hand on each tire (as you're riding), to knock pieces off (takes practice), and (2) examine your tires after each ride to see if anything is stuck in them.

I don't know about #1 on this board Al. We are trending mature and don't want to risk tumbling off our bikes because some wise guy goaded us into stunt riding

 

[ikonomore]

I took the park tool's maintenance class this winter at the local bike shop. They used the Park Tool PCS-9 stand. It was nice.

After the class I bought the PCS-10 stand which is even nicer. It was $135 but it'll be the last stand I ever buy. It's a mechanic quality stand. You can rotate your bike on it. No tools needed for adjustment. It was also one of the cheapest bike things that I've bought.

I got mine at amazon.
Amazon.com: Park Tool PCS-10 Home Mechanic Repair Stand: Sports & Outdoors

 

[TromboneAl]

I don't know about #1 on this board Al. We are trending mature and don't want to risk tumbling off our bikes because some wise guy goaded us into stunt riding

Yeah, I regretted posting that when I was on my ride yesterday. Not because it's hard, but because if you put your hand in the wrong place, you could have a disaster.

 

[haha]

I've been riding on Continental Ultra Gator Skin tires for years. Except for last year, when I got badly injured and was in a wheel chair for 8 weeks,

I am glad you are now OK. Was the injury a bike wipeout?

Ha