Search found 81 matches

by printedland
10 Jul 2023, 8:35am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Wheel dishing problems
Replies: 23
Views: 1218

Re: Wheel dishing problems

531colin wrote: 9 Jul 2023, 7:58am How does the tension compare with a "known good" wheel?
I've been plucking the spokes to gauge tension, and comparing them with a Spa cycles wheel build (same spokes, same size rim). The drive side is similar, but the NDS is still perhaps slightly under.
by printedland
8 Jul 2023, 7:21pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Wheel dishing problems
Replies: 23
Views: 1218

Re: Wheel dishing problems

531colin wrote: 8 Jul 2023, 7:42am
Perhaps the OP will let us know how many turns he ends up tightening the drive side spokes.
Thanks to you all for really helpful comments. I used the card guide technique recommended by @NickJP - very helpful. That showed I need to move around 5mm to the drive side.
@531Colin called it correctly. I slackened the non-drive side by 1/2 turn, then progressively tightened the drive side. 2.5 turns in total took me to within a mm or two of my target markings. By that point, the spokes were 'bottoming out' in the nipples and the drive side sounded painfully tight, so I was reluctant to go any further. But I've had a short ride this afternoon and everything has held.
by printedland
7 Jul 2023, 1:49pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Wheel dishing problems
Replies: 23
Views: 1218

Re: Wheel dishing problems

531colin wrote: 7 Jul 2023, 1:41pm My 5p says it’s a simple tension problem.
Driveside spokes need to be very much tighter than non driveside, in the ratio 3:2
….,but it feels more than that, specially if you are nervous

This all works best if you have the right length spokes and run the nipples up until the spoke thread just disappears in the nipple…. Then you start with a wheel almost round true and dished from the get go.
That is really helpful, thanks Colin. I will use the approach @DevonDamo suggests, or slacking on the non-drive side and tensioning on the drive side by the same amount before the final truing
by printedland
7 Jul 2023, 1:48pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Wheel dishing problems
Replies: 23
Views: 1218

Re: Wheel dishing problems

slowster wrote: 7 Jul 2023, 1:05pm How did you check the dish during the course of building the wheel and tensioning the spokes?

I didn't check the dishing during the build. I got all spokes to zero out on the threads, then put it into the frame to use that as a wheel jig - a bit rudimentary, as I don't have a dedicated wheel jig
by printedland
7 Jul 2023, 1:46pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Wheel dishing problems
Replies: 23
Views: 1218

Re: Wheel dishing problems

DevonDamo wrote: 7 Jul 2023, 12:33pm
printedland wrote: 7 Jul 2023, 12:11pmAnyone got any ideas?
how did you determine what length spokes you'd need on each side?
I used three different online calculators, just to make sure they all agreed! I measured the hubs using a ruler, and then used the quoted ERD for the new rim
by printedland
7 Jul 2023, 12:11pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Wheel dishing problems
Replies: 23
Views: 1218

Wheel dishing problems

So I had my first attempt at wheel building. The lacing went fine, but once I've trued the wheel, it is seriously out of alignment in the frame (see the photos below)
I suspected that I had stupidly put the drive side spokes on the non-drive side, but I've removed a spoke from each side and measured it - seems to be right.
The tension in the spokes is, if anything, slightly tighter on the drive side, so it can't be a simple tension problem.
Anyone got any ideas?
IMG_1027.JPG
IMG_1028.JPG
by printedland
23 Jun 2023, 10:21am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Cassette - to replace or not?
Replies: 12
Views: 812

Re: Cassette - to replace or not?

Excellent advice - thanks all!
by printedland
23 Jun 2023, 9:54am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Cassette - to replace or not?
Replies: 12
Views: 812

Cassette - to replace or not?

Found an absolute bargain at the local auction rooms - a Dawes Horizon circa 2010 for £50

Everything seems okay, but it's filthy and needs a complete overhaul. I'll replace the chain, but not sure whether I'll get away with this original cassette
IMG_1023.JPG
IMG_1024.JPG
Hard to know how much mileage the bike has done. FWIW, my guess is that these are original tyres, where the back one is worn smooth but the front one is perfectly okay, so I guess it's done a low thousand of miles

Any thoughts welcome!
by printedland
6 Jun 2023, 2:58pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: New rims, or just re-lace the old ones?
Replies: 13
Views: 709

Re: New rims, or just re-lace the old ones?

mig wrote: 6 Jun 2023, 9:00am what size are the original rims ? 700c? or 27 inch?
They are 700. My guess is one of the first years when Raleigh moved from 27" to 700....
by printedland
6 Jun 2023, 8:36am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: New rims, or just re-lace the old ones?
Replies: 13
Views: 709

Re: New rims, or just re-lace the old ones?

531colin wrote: 6 Jun 2023, 8:19am Theres a pair of XR2s here if you want them, near Harrogate.
They are too narrow for any tyres that I ride now, my days of riding 28s are over.
The rims are so narrow that my more than 60 year old tyre levers were tricky, levering the first bead off, the lever end caught the bead hook on the opposite side of the rim.
That's great to know - thanks Colin. I would be interested, but not likely to be near Harrogate in the near future. I'll DM you.
by printedland
5 Jun 2023, 6:31pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: New rims, or just re-lace the old ones?
Replies: 13
Views: 709

Re: New rims, or just re-lace the old ones?

TheBomber wrote: 5 Jun 2023, 6:02pm A modern rim should be stiffer (is that what you were getting at re ‘improving the ride’?) and stronger - but it wouldn’t have occurred to me that it was a way to improve braking. I’d be looking at elsewhere to fix that.

What OLD dimension is the rear hub? Do you want a cassette hub or happy with your freewheel? And what about the condition of the bearing surfaces and cones in both hubs? They won’t be sealed in any way so will have relied on quality of maintenance over their 35 year life to date.
Thanks - and thanks to the other replies too
The OLD is 100 front, 126 rear. I'm happy to continue with the 6-speed freewheel, and although I haven't looked inside the hubs yet, they feel pretty smooth.

The braking itself is not too bad. They are centre pull brakes, but I've fitted new brake levers and long brake blocks, and it's perfectly acceptable.
by printedland
5 Jun 2023, 3:39pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: New rims, or just re-lace the old ones?
Replies: 13
Views: 709

New rims, or just re-lace the old ones?

I am renovating a 1987 Raleigh Granada tourer. I want it to be functional, so not bothered about absolute authenticity.

The spokes are very worn in places, so I'll be building up a new pair of wheels. I'll use the existing Maillard hubs, but not sure about the Weinmann alloy rims. The braking has never been amazing, and I wonder if a new pair of rims would, along with all-new spokes, a) improve the ride of the bike, and b) improve the braking.

Any views? Are these old hubs of any decent quality? I see I can get a new pair of Exal rims for £28 from Spa Cycles, so it's not exactly a huge expense.
by printedland
17 Aug 2020, 3:27pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Removing headset cups and headbadge
Replies: 4
Views: 358

Re: Removing headset cups and headbadge

Brucey wrote:cups in the head tube can be shifted using a long brass rod as a drift.

cheers


Thanks for that. As a matter of interest; is there a special reason why the rod should be brass? Simply because it's softer (and therefore will not mark)?
by printedland
17 Aug 2020, 1:50pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Removing headset cups and headbadge
Replies: 4
Views: 358

Removing headset cups and headbadge

A spot of advice please:

Re-spraying a frame. How does one remove the top and bottom headset cups, and the headset race from the fork crown? They seem to be push-fit, but don't budge at all. Any top tips?

Also, if I do end up having the frame professionally re-sprayed (in case my own bodge job looks awful....), how does one remove (and then re-fit afterwards) the Raleigh head badge? It looks like it has 2 rivets into the head tube.

Thanks!
by printedland
6 Aug 2020, 1:48pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Bottom Brackets
Replies: 11
Views: 833

Re: Bottom Brackets

keyboardmonkey wrote:If you currently have a crank extractor it may be compatible with both ST and Octalink BBs.

For whatever reason I ended up getting a fiddly little ‘plug’ to use with my ST extractor: TL-FC15. Something to consider...

They cost a fiver now :shock:


I have one bike with the Octalink BB. I needed to buy a new crank puller for it, but found one pretty cheap on ebay which is of perfectly decent quality
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bicycle-Bike ... 2749.l2649

FWIW, It also happens to work (without the additional loose plug on the end) for an old Tange square taper BB where the spindle has a built-in threaded end, rather than the threaded holes for the usual BB bolts....