redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Wed Apr 03, 2024 8:35 pm Satisfying new pads. Hope they don't squeal like nasty Shimano!!

I found some part worn replacements in the spares bin and they're squealing like owt! Possibly contaminated, mind, as I've no idea where they came from.

I reckon I usually get a couple of thousand km from pads, so think these could just be cheap or unsuitable. I'll try some Galfer ones as I'm I remember hearing that they make the Hope ones I use on my other gravel bike.

Bloody sqeals n squaks. Worse on road bike but I reckon some softer pads next should sort it... Hope the Galfer work for you

Gone tubeless. No more psssing punctures for me.

gecko76 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 07, 2024 10:36 am Gone tubeless. No more psssing punctures for me.

Beautiful. Remember, when/if you do get a puncture you might have the tendency to want to stop and explore it. Don't... Just ride through it until the sealants done the job. Then careful pump and on you go. Obviously, if it's safe to do so (ie. side walls not been taken out).

Bamboo coloured tyres,

Thanks Shaf, good advice. I've been avoiding tubeless for years and got away with it, but four punctures in as many months decided me.

Presumably you have to give the bike a run/tyres a spin regularly?

gecko76 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 07, 2024 12:20 pm Thanks Shaf, good advice. I've been avoiding tubeless for years and got away with it, but four punctures in as many months decided me.

Presumably you have to give the bike a run/tyres a spin regularly?

Not really. If the bike's been stood a while then the sealant will settle at the bottom of the tyre but as soon as you ride it then the sealant gets spread around the inside again. If you are paranoid then take the wheel off, let it stand in one position for a while to let the sealant settle again then without rotating the wheel hold it close to your ear and shake it from side to side. If you hear sloshing then it's more than likely you are good to go. If you hear clunking then either the wheel is too close to your ear or you have Stanimals and will need to replace the sealant.

Depending on temperatures you will need to top up the sealant at regular intervals/before big trips. For the UK about every six months would be about right but if you lived in Spain then it might be three months.

Thanks Bob

Also, I've found everything can vary from sealant to sealant. On lower pressures (as in mtb) I've hardly ever had to top up pressures but on the road bike with 60 to 70psi I regularly find the need to. But also I am using the evil crushed olive stones sealant which seems to not have worked for many people (so I get mine free ). It's not like Stans nasty vulcanising stuff (but maybe I'm talkin the first years of that) and hence stays fluid for longer (and doesn't puncture protect as efficiently (for some ).

Congrats on comimg to the Tubeless side btw. Hopefully you never go back, but do have a decent action plan of how you'd untubeless on a dark and windy night. Can make all the difference in the love/hate relationship. I've only needed to consider it twice in the past 10 (or has it been 15 yet since Stans released his 'paradigm shift'). Put it this way, you'll remember the time it fails (for life)... Actually, 3 times of failure but only the twice I had to resort to tubing.

Got meself a slug plug repair kit which will hopefully deal with most issues. If it comes to popping in an inner tube, that's a problem for future me. Will be sure to let you know how it goes.

Today's bike tinkering was the first step in weight reduction/minimalist gearing on the road bike... Been running 34-50 with an 11-25 cassette for ages, but never felt quite right (too many front shifts needed) was thinking of switching back to 39-53 with 12-30 or 11-28 cassette. I then spotted a deal on a 46t narrow wide chainring and thought I'd give that a go. Currently setting it up with the 12-30 cassette, but will probably go to an 11-36 soon... I know that people find the jumps too big between gears, but I've never been in particular about this and often double or triple shift on the 11-25.

Hopefully it'll end up about 300g lighter and much quieter without the rattling and rubbing from the front mech... Although part of that could be because I've just realised I've been running a campagnolo front mech with a Shimano shifter for the last 4 years!

Today's job was to replace the Magura Mt master cylinder that I broke in a crash.
Went Ok apart from a) not realising there was an olive already in the replacement master cylinder which I crushed and then slightly damaged the threads fro the hose entry while levering it out. Ended up having to retap them.
Not 100% convinced on "carbotecture" - seems like cheap plastic to me.

This time I did the mounting bolts up just tight enough that the brakes would rotate in a crash - hopefully avoid having to do that again.

Did notice the pads were 99% done so was a spot/chance to get them changed since I had to fill/bleed the system anyway. I do like their magnetic pads system though.

If poorly organised and bad at washing people irritate you, look away now pls

Last rode this bike from Bristol, Oxford, Cambridge and back via Gloucester. 313 miles and about 2h of sleep. Kept it 'ready for riding' ever since I think. Well, it obviously didn't work. This reminds me, I'll be getting some oil based lube from now on and am done with all the 'cutting edge' tat!! All this corrosion after being in a locked and dry car boot. It was a winter ride in December (so alot is my fault).







When it was last riddne the chain was brandnew and managed the 300 miles with the same lube. No corrosion whatsoever. Now I'll be using the micro chain tool - little test of it's skills - to remove this utterly siezed chain.

Lots of cleaning to follow and scrubbing that sprocket is (not) gonna be fun! Good news is that the tubeless tyres with the olive-stones sealant (by effetto) are still inflated... (Goes to splosh em about), though I can't hear any splosh. So they might need checking on!

Yeah, 3-4 months of being covered in road salt will do that. Not sure directing your ire at whatever lube you used is the most productive use of your energy.

Sorry, didn't mean to offend anyone chain lube choices. For me the dry lube or various iterations just doesn't cut the winters. No matter how much cleaning (this was just an extreme case, and my bad, agreed).

Now I'll be using the micro chain tool

Let me know how it goes as have looked at that tool.
Bear is correct, unless you lubed it after the ride it was bound to rust.

Lazarus wrote: ↑Tue Apr 09, 2024 12:45 pm

Now I'll be using the micro chain tool

Let me know how it goes as have looked at that tool.
Bear is correct, unless you lubed it after the ride it was bound to rust.

I had you in mind for this very thing and was about to text ya. The chain is siezed solid (my fault, I know sorry for causing any aggro) and I could've used the industrial Pedros. But, this little micro tool did it's thing like a trooper.

Didn't wind the thread/tool locker in far enough first - one end slides ober the chain and engulfs it and then it's male part winds into it, before you use the allen key to wind the rivet tool into the chain - and the lightweight alu stripped it's threads a little.

Started the process again by winding the male fully into the main black unit. Wasn't sure it would handle the torque (not much, but in relative terms for it's size) and assumed them threads would just strip further. But, just a little pinch and link undone

If you want numbers then a firm 9/10 from me. Maybe if there was ti parts and less threads stripping it'd be cooler. But mainly user error. Light and small as anything and you could probably make it smaller by foregoing the allen key and using you multi tool.

Review pics here John https://imgur.com/gallery/OMPXEjz

Finally finished off the 'new' town bike build. All built with bits swapped from the old Inbred 69er town bike, and spares from the shed. Some are a bit too nice, like the V12 mag pedals and SLX chainset, but otherwise it rides well enough. Had to do some jerry-rigging of the mudguard, but it turned out very well using an old direct mount front mech adapter, some Axiom axle runner adapters I had in a drawer for ages, and use of the Ragley 'r' on the seatstay bridge. It's based on a large Bigwig V1 frame from 2013 which I bought for peanuts. Only downside so far is that it feels quite short in length, but not really a problem for a town bike.

You can go get some pizzas now Faustus Very nice bike and rack.

Thanks! That rack (and whole front end) was on the old town bike, it's a fairly useful rack with the cargo net for soft or bulky items from the shops!

Got it out of the garage for the first time in a month and dug around the garage in prep for the WRT. It looks like we have a mouse because it’s eaten a hole in my wildcat drybag which happened to be in an open box with some energy bars that have also all been nibbled.

PaulB2 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2024 10:28 pm Got it out of the garage for the first time in a month and dug around the garage in prep for the WRT. It looks like we have a mouse because it’s eaten a hole in my wildcat drybag which happened to be in an open box with some energy bars that have also all been nibbled.

Oh dear

PaulB2 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2024 10:28 pm Got it out of the garage for the first time in a month and dug around the garage in prep for the WRT. It looks like we have a mouse because it’s eaten a hole in my wildcat drybag which happened to be in an open box with some energy bars that have also all been nibbled.

Little bleeders, twice I've had them gnaw through feed pouches after my snacks. Last time was when I was bivvied up Glen Cassley in the NW, on the Highland trail last year - one must have fancied my crisps as when I pulled the packet out later, the remains of the crisps fell out, along with shreds of plastic. Instead of opening the draw cord the little bugger just chewed through the side of the bag

Fitted a new crank to the road bike ultegra 50/34.