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So, this is a bit of a rant, about nothing / no one in particular, just how things conspire to make cycling more complicated than it needs to be. (It's also partly therapy for the only-slightly-competent-and-oft-incompetent mechanic / tinkerer in me ...)
None of my 4 bikes are running sweetly ...
The new, best, Ti gravel bike needs a new BB. It's a GXP which has given up after 4 months and 1000k of riding. Spent 2 hours last night botching an installation of an XT BB (with adaptor to fit the Rival cranks) to find it didn't work, line up, get spaced out properly. Then decided to Google "the difference between road/MTB cranks and BB's." Who knew they were different? 🙄 Uninstalled the XT and reinstalled the wobbly GXP and will continue to ride until the Uberbike Stainless Steel BB's are back in stock.
FS has a leaking brake hose. Have only just finished building this up from second hand bits & pieces, and in doing so (partially) learnt some skills that I've failed / avoided before (setting up tubeless, indexing gears, bleeding brakes - all of which took hours to sort properly). Didn't have the hose seals/olive/barb kit, and just fed up of spending frustrating hours on the bike,not totally mastering how to do it properly. So dropped into LBS. 2 weeks until they can get it in, because of course, everyone else is riding/needing bikes fettling due to the good weather ...
Commuter ... It's so old, and been well used, that there's always something needs doing to it. Rear disc brake needs adjusting, but the hex bolt that winds in the adjusting dial is rounded off. Need to source a replacement. Odd, random clicking noises in the last few weeks. Stripped down the chainset, regreased the bolts, BB etc. Sorted one set of creaks. But now another, irregular creak has put in an appearance, managed to identify it as coming from the freehub on the way into work yesterday, but of course, having loaded it onto the car to drop off at the LBS (with my FS), the creak disappeared ..
HT Rigid SS ... Having gloated at this being my low/no-maintenance winter hack for the last few muddy months, the freehub is partly seized up, and the Deore brakes, despite working perfectly over winter, have developed brake squeal and are barely slowing me down.
So, none of my bikes are running sweet. They can all be ridden, but having to ride around their respective problems does take the edge off a little. And knowing that my engineering limitations (and time) get in the way of me being competent to properly sort it, just adds to the frustration.
There ... That's better!
Oh. Forgot to add that the pack of chainring bolts the bike shop sold me the other day (to replace the one that fell off the Rival crank) are the wrong size, despite me presenting them with a specimen (taken from aforementioned crank!) ...
My Scout feels like a bit of a nail (to me anyway) at the moment...
Vaults need rebuilding
GX rear mech clutch is failing so it's rattling like a good 'un plus the jokey wheels are shot
Gear cable needs replacing but the inrternal routing is a pain in the arse so I'm holding off as long as I can
GXP BB is on the way out and creaking
Tyes need topping up with sealant (loosing air a wee bit)
Dent needs bending out of the rear rim
Valves are a bit gunked up and need cleaning out / replacing
I used to be just like this but have got (marginally) more competent over the years - take your time, do plenty of research and don’t rush stuff. I also find it helps watching good mechanics at work - watch loads of vids even if the job itself is not relevant you’ll pick up lots of tips on how to do it right.
Main thing I’ve learnt is that you don’t need to do bolts up mega tight all the time. Also get the best tools you can afford.
Also focus on one bike at a time!
Great stuff! Its all part of the learning journey, and think of all the amazing bits of knowledge and skill you have now collected. Awesome 🙂
And you will keep learning new stuff every time.
(i'm a glass half full kinda guy, can you tell?)
My step into the unknown recently was servicing lowers and replacing seals on a sus fork. I now know to remember to put the wee springs on the wiper seals BEFORE you put the lowers back on the forks. Nipple.
Agree with timbog's statement above about watching others - I find watching youtube videos, at least once all the way through before I start, much more effective than using my old 'Zinn and the art of bicycle maintenance' book which was my starting point. Still got that book!
Wish I had four bikes ....
I agree ... most of the time ... with b_s_n. It IS satisfying when you manage to do something successfully that you've either not attempted before, or failed! Setting up the FS tubeless was a recent example for me, and successfully indexing gears.
Brake bleeding was a bit more mixed. Tried several times, seemed to have got the bubbles out, lever felt solid against the bleed block. Removed the syringes etc, and it all goes floppy 😣. Finally sorted it on Sunday, which was when I then discovered the hose leak.
To be honest having 5 bikes and commuting all year round I am always having to do something to one bike or another. Built up a decent tool kit.... You don't have to spend loads / made tools to suit out of old ones etc.
Always make sure the serviceable bits are in stock In the shed... Jockey wheels / gear outer inner /pads and lots of bolts from the local hardware store (pennies for m4/m5/m6 cap heads in a range of sizes)
Keep a decent brake bleed kit (made mine out of syringes from the pharmacy and fish tank hose). Engine oil for the lowers and shinano (big jug) mineral oil for the bodge of xt/deore /slx / alivio / rs685 brakes.
Old steel forks mounted in block of wood and zip ties for wheel building stand.
Only "proper" tools I have really are bb removal and crank pulleys. Oh and measuring tape and set of manual verneers for bearing measurement.
YouTube vids and park tools for learning.
I find it very therapeutic with a beer sorting out the bikes. Just replace stuff when worn...swap the chain and cassette round to the least used bike when it wears a bit. Often find I go through periods of riding one bike more than the other.
Feel your pain though but think of all the money you will save doing it yourself 🙂
Daviek ... Only recently built up to 4 in my collection, the FS and SS HT builds were each put together for a total of around £200-400! Amazing what deals you can get on
Of course, N+1 does solve some of the that-bike's-broken-I'll-ride-this-one-instead problem ... but only up to a point. Then you've got 4 bikes to fix / get fixed rather than 2!