Some bits for the Kona build arrived.

kvragu wrote: ↑Tue Oct 04, 2022 10:51 pm Some bits for the Kona build arrived.

Got a link to that nifty wee bike stand...?

Boab wrote: ↑Wed Oct 05, 2022 11:33 am

kvragu wrote: ↑Tue Oct 04, 2022 10:51 pm Some bits for the Kona build arrived.

Got a link to that nifty wee bike stand...?

Yup, got it from Spa. Not super stable, but great for what it is.
https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m13b0s159p8 ... Flashstand

Got some mushroom plugs to do permanent repairs to the pinch puncture I got on the BB300. Actually managed to break the bead of a Ranger with my thumbs! Interestingly I found two other thorn punctures in the rear tyre and as well as the two thorns I'd noticed getting picked up in the front tyre, I found two more. So a total of 8 holes front and rear....
Oddly I didn't find anything that caused the puncture in the horrible muddy bit on the big climb - not even the hole....

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 10:07 pm Got some mushroom plugs...

Do these need any adhesive to fit, or do you just rely on the sealant?

Bearlegged wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 10:40 am

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 10:07 pm Got some mushroom plugs...

Do these need any adhesive to fit, or do you just rely on the sealant?

They are like puncture patches so you peel a backing paper off but they aren't self adhesive. I use rubber solution for belt and braces but pressure / sealant would probably be enough.

Attempted to put new seals into a shimano caliper, but failed...
Problem 1 - sliced the new seal pushing the piston back in.
Problem 2 - couldn't get the other piston out despite much fiddling with the compressor. Normally I screw a car tyre valve into the bleed nipple screw hole and pump it out with a shock pump but the stupid wee shimano bleed nipples preclude this.

Back together with the old seals whilst I decide what to do. To be honest I think the new seals are a waste of time as it looks like it's the pistons that are causing the faint leak - they are quite scuffed.

So heading towards new calipers or Hope....

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 4:11 pm

Bearlegged wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 10:40 am

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 10:07 pm Got some mushroom plugs...

Do these need any adhesive to fit, or do you just rely on the sealant?

They are like puncture patches so you peel a backing paper off but they aren't self adhesive. I use rubber solution for belt and braces but pressure / sealant would probably be enough.

I've just bought some of these as well and mine came with some glue, it's just the same vulcanising rubber solution as you use with normal patches. FWIW, I've never failed to fix a cut or tear in a tyre using normal patches on the inside (sand the inside of the tyre, clean thoroughly with meths and apply patch as normal then put a tube in for a day or two to press the patch onto the tyre, take tube back out and go tubeless as normal). Some folks will tell you it's not possible or tricky but it's really not. I got the mushrooms just in case but I'm not sure if I'll ever have to use them.

Jurassic wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 7:21 pm

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 4:11 pm

Bearlegged wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 10:40 am

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 10:07 pm Got some mushroom plugs...

Do these need any adhesive to fit, or do you just rely on the sealant?

They are like puncture patches so you peel a backing paper off but they aren't self adhesive. I use rubber solution for belt and braces but pressure / sealant would probably be enough.

I've just bought some of these as well and mine came with some glue, it's just the same vulcanising rubber solution as you use with normal patches. FWIW, I've never failed to fix a cut or tear in a tyre using normal patches on the inside (sand the inside of the tyre, clean thoroughly with meths and apply patch as normal then put a tube in for a day or two to press the patch onto the tyre, take tube back out and go tubeless as normal). Some folks will tell you it's not possible or tricky but it's really not. I got the mushrooms just in case but I'm not sure if I'll ever have to use them.

Aye, I've used big patches in tyres plenty times, just thought I'd give these a whirl as the holes were quite big. Supergluing a bit of tyre inside works well also.

Checked they were still in the shed.
Not turned a wheel in a month :( though I have had the 'Vid ...
Mojo currently very low.

Recently swapped everything from my cracked Spa Cycles Elan frame onto a Genesis CdF frame. Almost everything was the correct 'standard' so it was a simple and cheap job.

The CdF frame required a different mudguard mount on the rear though, and the bracket rattled, so I machined a new one and bolted it on.
Before

After

Nice and solid now

Neat. I tend to use bits of bent metal. If only I had a milling machine.....

Fortunately theres a well equipped machine shop at work.

I wasn't quite ready to start another week doing work for others, so first job Monday was a selfish one. Might make a habit of it

Nice that.

Changed tyres, brake pads, cleaned chain, fork and seatpost a bit and lubed them.
Wheels are true as always (hail the carbon king), but some spokes are a bit loose, will give them a twist before I head off for likely a last ride in the mountains before the snow comes for good.

It's winter!
First time using new tubeless bud, went on OK but took 25psi to seat properly. Rear is a non tubeless one which put up a fight....

Also nearly finished project inbred 26er hardtail. Looking good....

Gravel-wankerising the old Croix de Fer.

I had thought of getting rid of the CdF, it was my commuter/winter bike but with Covid and now not commuting (well I am but shifting 50kg+ of kit 60 miles isn't that practical by bike) I thought of using it a bit more. A list of GWer bikes shows the CdF range and the geometry hasn't changed much, if at all, since I bought mine so it's become a little on-going project.

A new front tyre has gone on today, a Bontrager GR2. Unfortunately the rim (it's the original wheel) doesn't seem to be tubeless compatible, even using an Airshot at 120psi the tyre wouldn't "pop" onto them, generally with Bonty tyres they mount really easily but not this combo. Ah well, have to use a tube for now. The other front wheel has a centrelock disk mount whereas this wheel is 6-bolt, fortunately I'd a spare rotor of the required size so that went on. The tyre is a bit bigger (40c) than the existing one and it just fouls the mudguard but that's easily fixed by centring the guard.

The back tyre is the original and is a lightweight gravel tyre, it will do for now, might put on a GR1 or Panaracer Gravelking in due course.

Remaining jobs: handlebars; maybe better brake cable outers and a GWer mug mount .

If you stick with tubes Bob, Panaracer AT or speed rides are a good g***** tyre and half the price of gravelkings
Fairly puncture resistant too.

Hmm. Had another go, added another wrap of Gorilla Tape (sorry to those who don't like it) and while the tyre didn't "pop" onto the rim it seems to be holding.

Stripped a rear hub, pulled the BB out of the frame and have the front dyno hub wheel on the radiator after >200 yds through a large ford that got to the top of my wheels yesterday. You know when you can't tell how deep it'll be but your feet end up wet so you think "ah well, may as well continue" and it just gets deeper.. Impressed by how little water was in the DT 240 rear and the older style HT2 BB from the spares bin fared a lot better than expected. Over 2 hours to get home after that section so cold feet was my main regret, rather than the condition of the bike.

The other day there was dog poo on the nozzle of the bottle I'd stored beneath the downtube. Naturally I washed it off then disposed of it. Been using the bottle inside the frame (standard procedure for me as is for most on STW ) but I'm not sure if it's the fact that it's sat near the half frame bag. Crud/mud keeps catching on the teat (is there a better word for it) and each time I take a drink I need to wash it away first.

I do have a Mudhugger up front so don't get the mud in my face. Today after the ride I brought a bottle (2L milk) and decided to maybe cut it down and bolt it to the holes below the downtube. But it didn't look as though my mud problem would be fixed...

So now I'm stuck thinking I may need to invest in a crud catcher for the down tube but really don't wanna be spending more than a discarded milk carton

Off course I could use some zip ties and make a few holes in the carton but then that would look rather ugly and cheap... Wouldn't it!

water bottles with caps are your friend here
eg
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203368323735 ... BMyLWKyaxh

Lazarus wrote: ↑Fri Dec 30, 2022 8:45 pm water bottles with caps are your friend here
eg
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203368323735 ... BMyLWKyaxh

Thanks John. Yes I think Im eventually gonna have to invest in one of these

The Surly ECR has had many different configurations over the years, it had the big rack and bag on the front, and was used as a mule throughout the lock downs, where I was volunteering at the local farm.

I could never get the restrap bag to sit right last year with the old moloko bars, so I have fitted some slightly lighter bars, and re cabled the bike with longer cables.

I think that it looks a lot neater like this, and the bag is not going to move around like it did.

No excuses to not do a BAM now

Surly by Stuart McGregor, on Flickr

surly3 by Stuart McGregor, on Flickr

surly2 by Stuart McGregor, on Flickr

That looks really neat Stuart. Lovely looking bike too

Welcome to the forum btw Stuart and I'm sure you'll enjoy the company here...