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Does everyone go through a phase when their bike has problem after problem? Currently getting very frustrated with the number of lbs trips I am making with my main bike. Being useless at DIY work on the bike is not helping my stress!
2 problems at the moment:
1. Invested in a pair of new hope tech *cough* enduro wheels, 2 rides in and my rear wheel is already out of true. Lbs said this would probably happen after a few rides on the new wheels and to bring them in for adjustment. Fair enough. I presume this is standard procedure with new hoops.
2. Knocking through my headset with the front brake pulled on. Noticed it massively tonight and it's not pleasant. Okay easy just adjust the headset...oh brilliant one of the stem clamp bolts has a rounded head. The dilemma is should I keep riding anyway or go to the shop and see if they can quickly fix it.
Who knows what will be next. Tell me I'm not alone in experiencing the repetitive mechanicals!
Moan over. Went out tonight post Bertha and actually enjoyed the mud and need for a helmet light. Good old winter on the comeback...
OK that bad really, factory wheels often need a tweak after a couple of rides, assume the shop did this as part of after sale service?
How did the stem bolt get rounded?
DIY helps a lot. At least in knowing what needs doing next or what's wrong with it. Shops have limited time and with not much information will go by the symptoms described and may not get it right first time. Doing it yourself you learn what everything does on the bike and its quirks.
It's a constant thing though if you ride it a lot. One thing wears out, you sort that out and the next is waiting for you.
A second bike lets you ride while you fix the other one. Further bikes better still, especially if they have interchangeable parts.
And then you learn to order spares in advance when it gets frustrating waiting for something to be delivered or worse is out of stock everywhere just when you need it.
2 weeks abuse in the alps with a new set of Tech Enduro wheels and they're still arrow straight. But it is normal for new wheels to need a quick true after a few weeks use. That's why most shops say bring your new wheels or bike in after a few weeks for everything to be tightened again.
Bad luck about your stem though. Have you tried tapping a torx into the rounded off bolt and see if that can undo the bolt? Often works when Allen bolts are rounded. Then all you need to do is replace the bolt.
with the stem bolt, tighten the other bolt but be careful
This will take the pressure off the rounded bolt but be careful not to round both off.
but if you have a new allen key, it should be ok in the rounded bolt
A well built wheel shouldn't need much attention... But many factory wheelsets aren't all that well built. Passable but not great. But if your LBS is going to see you right, that's nothing to worry about imo.
Yes, there are times when things go wrong one after another. Its frustrating, that's for sure.
Multiple bikes can either be the solution or a problem of nX! Having several bikes allows you to just put the bike aside instead of fixing the problem. Eventually, every bike needs something fixed on it...
That doesn't really sound like a string of [I]Disaster[/I] TBH OP, just a requirement for some basic preventative maintenance...
Two relatively easy to sort issues, but certainly don't ride a loose headset, Sancho's suggestion may well let you get the rounded bolt out, you'll still need a replacement bolt then, alternatively ask LBS for help.
If you don't think you can true the wheel, then yes again pay your LBS to do it, would you rather spend a few more quid on some skilled labour, or knacker your nice new bicycle parts?
As for your limited DIY skills, why not ask if they organize or know of somewhere else where you can take a bike maintenance course...
What JoeG said. All three of my bikes could do with £100-200 of bits and pieces sorting. Could buy a new bike in the sales for not much more.....
I presume this is standard procedure with new hoops
no its not
MCTD. Then you'd have one working bike not 3.... Bikes? Try motorbikes. I just had a new ECU (£££'s) after months of fault finding. Went to ride yesterday and the battery is now kaput. Bolleaux. However, 13 years from a battery int bad and stuff does wear out/need replacing.
I reminded myself of this when it was still flat 70 Miles from home and in bandit country (aka Norfolk)....
always seems the more you spend the more trouble you have 🙁 and the more pissed off you get. always some creak or click or chatter to do my head in...
Pawsy_Bear - MemberI presume this is standard procedure with new hoops
no its not
Thats funny, every time I've bought wheels from the LBS, they always say bring them back after a few rides.
It makes sense really, you can bed them in to a degree whilst in the jig, but riding the wheel is the best way settle new spokes and nipples. So I think I'll disagree with you on that point.
your lbs must love youTell me I'm not alone in experiencing the repetitive mechanicals!
tbh we've come to expect things to work faultlessly but ime bikes aren't one of those things. 100 off road miles without anything needing attention is pretty good in my book. It's mostly preventative maintenance but it still needs doing
Wheels truing, headset adjustments...all part of biking's rich tapestry
Rounded bolts...tut tut
Never done that and I have had wheels from just riding along, mavic and sram not once have they needed to go back after a few weeks for any work. Normally 12 - 18 months of riding yes they require some TLC. How do just riding along and the rest of the internet suppliers manage to provide wheels that dont need a two week tweek?
my bike works at 95% efficiency. one thing is fixed as another starts to wibble. if it was perfect I'd be terrified.
always seems the more you spend the more trouble you have and the more pissed off you get. always some creak or click or chatter to do my head in...
That's me in a nut shell! @jaffejoffer
I appreciate all the comments! I am pretty inept at looking after my own bike maintenance so a course of some sort is probably a great idea.
My lbs told me they would sort the wheels out after a few weeks so they'll be fine all being well.
I'm not sure how the headset bolts rounded off, it's not something I've adjusted myself from memory. Not recently anyway. I'm going to take a look at it this morning and see if I can get the bolt out. Then hopefully I will just need a replacement bolt as someone mentioned earlier.
But generally if I suspect a loose headset then I shouldn't be riding it? The frustration comes from having these problems and just wanting to ride the thing with no issues. Had to get a replacement chainstay from specialized earlier this year, took them 2 months to get it to me! Also charged me £200 for the trouble. Lads I ride with think I'm a walking disaster haha.
But generally if I suspect a loose headset then I shouldn't be riding it?
You'll knacker the bearings riding it loose, thus adding to the costs you're keen to keep down...
I feel your pain, seems to have been one thing after another for the last few months, culminating in a cracked frame last week.
Was hoping a new frame would bring a change of luck but a phone call saying it will be delayed because of them having no swapout bolts in stock would suggest otherwise.
You'll knacker the bearings riding it loose, thus adding to the costs you're keen to keep down...
+1
get it checked by the shop ASAP...if the bearings do go then the next thing to get damaged could be the headset bearing cups...which will mean a new headset altogether.
re: wheels, its not unusual for spokes on a newly built wheel to bed in over a few rides then needing a retension
how long you ride a wheel before needing to retension depends on how well it was built in the first place as well as what type of terrain it was ridden on and how much of a wellying its had
Have had a mare this year back in the Spring, I clipped a tree and cracked the carbon brake lever on my FS. Swapped over to the HT jumpbike only to crash it and break the lever clamp on it. I had three weeks out due to crash injuries but still hadn't found a replacement brake lever for my FS in that time. Got everything working again for the sunny weather and then bought and fitted a new back wheel/cassette/chain except now the whole thing grinds away in bottom gear like it's all about to let go! 😈
All is not lost! I managed to get the stem bolt undone using a different allen key, the head wasn't as damaged as I first thought. So I've gone through the process of adjusting my headset...its better than it was; i.e not lose but there's some clear grinding when I turn the bars. I reckon the bearings either need re-greasing or more likely replacing.
Anyhow it'll do for now, you never know the rain might stay away tonight as well
its better than it was I.E not loose but there's some clear grinding when I turn the bars.
May have overtightened it. The single nut on top should only have fairly light pressure applied to bring the headset 'together', the stem bolts then keep it there.
Too tight and you'll damage the bearings as much as having it loose.
How to;
[url= http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Tech-Tuesday-Service-and-Re-Grease-a-Cartridge-Bearing-Headset.html ]cheap/quick fix[/url]
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/threadless-headset-service
http://sheldonbrown.com/headsets.html
Some YouTube vids available
You can replace the bearings if you know make/type of headset but sometimes just as easy due to availability to replace whole unit. Best to use the proper tool. If you were tool savy it can be done with some basic tools. Done wrong and you can vocalise your headtube!