I usually only properly clean the pads/rotors/caliper/pistons when the brakes need bleeding -- once (maybe twice) a year. Not often, but not never... It seems to be worth it -- maybe the brakes pick up oil/grease/whatever from the road...?
Search found 155 matches
- 13 Jun 2022, 9:01pm
- Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
- Topic: Makes of disk rotor cleaner
- Replies: 33
- Views: 1499
Re: Makes of disk rotor cleaner
I'm no "bike expert", but I've been using Muc-Off Disc Brake Cleaner for years. It works really well... so long as the pads/rotors are rinsed off with water after using it. Given how little needs to be used, a can lasts me a few years.
- 3 Jun 2022, 10:36pm
- Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
- Topic: Gear cable housing (replace multiple sections with single length)?
- Replies: 8
- Views: 582
Re: Gear cable housing (replace multiple sections with single length)?
Ahhh! I hadn't thought of that. Now it makes sense!Tompsk wrote: ↑2 Jun 2022, 7:52am There are a couple of advantages of having less outer cable housing in any Bowden cable run
The first is that the outer compresses when the inner is under tension, less outer means less compression (the frame, which is resisting the compression between the braze ons, shouldn't compress!). This reduces 'spongeyness' in brake cables and inaccurate indexing for gears. Compressionless outer cables improve this.
The bike with exposed cables is going to be my "fair weather bike", and the other my "shopping/all-weather bike". So... I think you've all convinced me that I'm just looking for a problem that doesn't exist.
Thanks everyone!
- 2 Jun 2022, 12:52am
- Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
- Topic: Gear cable housing (replace multiple sections with single length)?
- Replies: 8
- Views: 582
Gear cable housing (replace multiple sections with single length)?
I have two pretty similar MTBs from 2010 and 2012. The gear cables on one are fully covered in outer housing (from shifter to derallieur). While on the other, the cable housing is in sections, with exposed inner-cable along the top-tube, seat-tube and seat-stay.
Does anyone know why bikes are designed like this?
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I'm just about to fix/tweak the excessive housing lengths on the bike with exposed inner-cable. I was wondering if it would be "better" to just cut a new length of housing to cover the cable from shifter to derailleur...?
Presumably, the housing wouldn't fit through the braze-on ferrule holders, so it would look a bit silly, and require many ugly zip-ties, but... well...
Ignoring aesthetics, would it be worth it...?
Does anyone know why bikes are designed like this?
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I'm just about to fix/tweak the excessive housing lengths on the bike with exposed inner-cable. I was wondering if it would be "better" to just cut a new length of housing to cover the cable from shifter to derailleur...?
Presumably, the housing wouldn't fit through the braze-on ferrule holders, so it would look a bit silly, and require many ugly zip-ties, but... well...
Ignoring aesthetics, would it be worth it...?
- 22 May 2022, 11:50pm
- Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
- Topic: Best bit of cycle kit…
- Replies: 14
- Views: 1074
Re: Best bit of cycle kit…
The ONE bit of kit I couldn't live without is my Cateye BM 500G rear-view mirror (for flat-bars). It gives a surprisingly good view of vehicles approaching from behind, although it takes a bit of practise to quickly adust it to the perfect angle.
I was a nervous cyclist to beging with, and would often panic during unexpected overtakes. I also have a stiff back, and terrible eyesight (so I can't see beyond the lens of my glasses, and there's so much angular distortion at the edge of the lens that I almost need to do a full 180 turn to really "see" anything).
As a motorist, I'm used to knowing exactly what vehicles are around me, so nothing comes as a surprise. The mirror means I can do that on a bike. It only costs about £10, but without it, I wouldn't feel safe cycling on the roads.
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My Lifeline torque wrench + hex/torx key set gets used ALL the time. It's well-made and a worthy investment.
I don't have many cycle-specific clothes, but I LOVE my Gore windproof jacket, with detachable sleeves. It takes the bite out of the wind, but is well ventilated. Rain just beads off it. I've had it for quite a few years, and it still looks like new.
I have a few synthetic/polyester Primark jumpers with a zip-neck. They're cheap, breathable, and work well over a jersey (and under the windproof jacket, if necessary).
My Ortlieb Rear Roller panniers were expensive, but they're really strong and well-made, and spare parts are easily available for repairs.
I hate the garish branding of my budget MTB. So I covered it in 3M Scotchlite 580 reflective tape -- mostly black (which reflects white). It's survived for years with little damage (just a few nicks), and in the dark, the bike glows when you shine a light at it! It definitely improves side-visibility.
I was a nervous cyclist to beging with, and would often panic during unexpected overtakes. I also have a stiff back, and terrible eyesight (so I can't see beyond the lens of my glasses, and there's so much angular distortion at the edge of the lens that I almost need to do a full 180 turn to really "see" anything).
As a motorist, I'm used to knowing exactly what vehicles are around me, so nothing comes as a surprise. The mirror means I can do that on a bike. It only costs about £10, but without it, I wouldn't feel safe cycling on the roads.
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My Lifeline torque wrench + hex/torx key set gets used ALL the time. It's well-made and a worthy investment.
I don't have many cycle-specific clothes, but I LOVE my Gore windproof jacket, with detachable sleeves. It takes the bite out of the wind, but is well ventilated. Rain just beads off it. I've had it for quite a few years, and it still looks like new.
I have a few synthetic/polyester Primark jumpers with a zip-neck. They're cheap, breathable, and work well over a jersey (and under the windproof jacket, if necessary).
My Ortlieb Rear Roller panniers were expensive, but they're really strong and well-made, and spare parts are easily available for repairs.
I hate the garish branding of my budget MTB. So I covered it in 3M Scotchlite 580 reflective tape -- mostly black (which reflects white). It's survived for years with little damage (just a few nicks), and in the dark, the bike glows when you shine a light at it! It definitely improves side-visibility.
- 22 May 2022, 8:02pm
- Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
- Topic: Swap 9 & 10 speed cassettes?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 622
Re: Swap 9 & 10 speed cassettes?
Brilliant -- that all coresponds with the table I saw. Thanks for the confirmation.
- 22 May 2022, 1:28am
- Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
- Topic: Swap 9 & 10 speed cassettes?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 622
Re: Swap 9 & 10 speed cassettes?
I don't know... The bike with the 11-speed(?) hub is a 2012 B'Twin Rockrider 8.3 I bought off eBay. Everything on it seems original -- even the inner-tubes and tyres.keyboardmonkey wrote: ↑21 May 2022, 7:54pmRight, so they are both old MTBs, but one has a rear wheel with a new(ish) freehub. Fun and games.
Crumbs! Why do bikes have to be so complicated?! Every job I eyeball as a "ten minuter" takes three days of swotting up on arcane standards and trying to figure out what I'm dealing with!keyboardmonkey wrote: ↑21 May 2022, 7:54pmI have a 10-speed set up on a *road* bike that has an 11-speed wheelset (I would have hoped you could have swerved a similar problem with your old MTBs). The road cassette is 6700 Ultegra that comes with its own spacer - as does the 11-speed freehub for when a less-than-11-speed cassette is fitted. So I have *two* spacers for that set up.
Thanks! I think it all makes sense and everything fits together perfectly again.
- 21 May 2022, 6:27pm
- Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
- Topic: Swap 9 & 10 speed cassettes?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 622
Re: Swap 9 & 10 speed cassettes?
Ah... I think I've figured it out. I came across a table at the end of this article:
https://www.slowtwitch.com/Tech/Cassett ... _3257.html
It looks like SRAM 9 or 10 speed cassettes don't require a spacer on a SRAM 9/10 hub.
But on an 11-speed hub, they both require a 1.85 mm spacer.
So... I guess one set of wheels has a 9/10 hub, and the other 11.
https://www.slowtwitch.com/Tech/Cassett ... _3257.html
It looks like SRAM 9 or 10 speed cassettes don't require a spacer on a SRAM 9/10 hub.
But on an 11-speed hub, they both require a 1.85 mm spacer.
So... I guess one set of wheels has a 9/10 hub, and the other 11.
- 21 May 2022, 4:21pm
- Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
- Topic: Swap 9 & 10 speed cassettes?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 622
Re: Swap 9 & 10 speed cassettes?
Thanks. I thought that was how it was supposed to work, but... I just tried putting the 9-speed cassette on the other hub and the gears are loose. Adding the spacer from the 10-speed hub seems to fix this.
I don't want to do anything stupid, but... I guess it doesn't really matter so long as the gears are compresed together and don't rattle...?
I don't want to do anything stupid, but... I guess it doesn't really matter so long as the gears are compresed together and don't rattle...?
- 20 May 2022, 8:27pm
- Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
- Topic: Swap 9 & 10 speed cassettes?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 622
Re: Swap 9 & 10 speed cassettes?
Yeah -- that's the idea. Swap the wheels, then swap back the cassettes. So each bike has different wheels, but the same cassette it started with.keyboardmonkey wrote: ↑20 May 2022, 8:15pmI imagined that the OP is keeping the cassette with the correct transmission, rather he’s swapping the wheels between bikes, so no need to reset/respace anything. But I could be wrong, of course.
So... it sounds like the hubs themselves are the same width?
The x10 cassette has a ~1mm spacer behind it. So I'd keep that behind the x10 cassette on the new hub...?
- 20 May 2022, 7:33pm
- Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
- Topic: Swap 9 & 10 speed cassettes?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 622
Swap 9 & 10 speed cassettes?
I have two (very similar) old MTBs, and want to swap the wheels from one bike to the other (and vice versa).
One bike has a 3x9 drivetrain, the other 3x10. Can I just swap the cassettes between them...?
One bike has a 3x9 drivetrain, the other 3x10. Can I just swap the cassettes between them...?
- 27 Aug 2021, 9:47pm
- Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
- Topic: Rear mech hanger replacement??? Rockrider 8.3 2014 MTB
- Replies: 4
- Views: 345
Re: Rear mech hanger replacement??? Rockrider 8.3 2014 MTB
Phew! It arrived today, and I'm pleased to say that it IS the right one!esuhl wrote: ↑23 Aug 2021, 11:23pm Of the thousands of mech hangers available at GearMechHanger.com, I scrolled through small handful, and the one below LOOKS identical (I think?). Is this the right one:
https://gearmechhanger.com/epages/95001 ... oducts/D69
Thanks again!
- 26 Aug 2021, 9:08pm
- Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
- Topic: Measure/identify seat-post diameter...?
- Replies: 12
- Views: 898
Re: Measure/identify seat-post diameter...?
Ahhh!!! The old bike's seat post has "29.8" engraved on one side and "29.8/350" printed on the other. It's 350mm long, so 29.8mm must be the diameter! I'll have a look at the other bike tomorrow and see if I need verniers.
^^ It looks like paper was a bit more accurate than twine!
Cheers
- 25 Aug 2021, 11:22pm
- Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
- Topic: Measure/identify seat-post diameter...?
- Replies: 12
- Views: 898
Re: Measure/identify seat-post diameter...?
Now you mention it... using twine wasn't one of my best ideas... Paper sounds much more sensible.
Ohhhh! I think my previous measurements were absolutely bonkers! Let's try again. I measured with paper, and with an old adjustable spanner with 1mm marks up to 29mm...
Old bike: 29.8mm dia. (paper) // 29.0mm (spanner)
New bike: 31.7mm dia. (paper) // 31.0mm (spanner)
That sounds a lot closer to what I'd expect, but still pretty inaccurate.
Thanks! Is it best to get digital calipers, rather than the old sliding-rule style...? I'll use them so rarely I'd need a new battery every time!
Oh, no!!! Haha! I have a hoard of different stems of different lengths and angles that I've accumulated via the "suck it and see" method! I don't want to do the same with seat posts!
So... probably best to keep the seat post in the new bike and not go "looking for problems that don't exist", then...? I'll concentrate on fixing up the old bike, then...
Thanks everyone
- 25 Aug 2021, 10:03pm
- Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
- Topic: Measure/identify seat-post diameter...?
- Replies: 12
- Views: 898
Measure/identify seat-post diameter...?
I have two mountain bikes, and I want to replace the seat posts with longer ones. So... how do I accurately measure/identify the diameter of the seat posts...?
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I've roughly measured the circumferences with a bit of twine (+/-1.5mm?), and calculated the diameters (+/-0.5mm?):
Old bike: b'Twin Rockrider 8.1 2010 (seat post circumference = 100mm // dia. ~31.8mm)
New bike: b'Twin Rockrider 8.3 2014 (seat post circumference = 115mm // dia. ~36.6mm)
But there seem to be a lot of different post-size "standards". I'm not sure my measurements are accurate enough.
I've seen you can buy measuring cones... but none go up to 36mm. Or vernier calipers... but there are so many available. Would cheap calipers like these be "good enough":
Vernier caliper £7.43 on Amazon
Digital vernier caliper £22.95 on Amazon
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The old bike (~31.8mm) split round the top of the seat tube, so I REALLY need a longer seat post to have any chance of making it safe (after a bit of welding, and retiring it to short/slow local trips in the village).
The new bike is actually fine... The seat post is safely inserted, and perfectly snug. I guess I'm just worried about the same thing happening again. But if the tolerances and measurements are so precise, and the seat post I have fits so well... maybe it would be safer to leave that bike as it is...?
Cheers
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I've roughly measured the circumferences with a bit of twine (+/-1.5mm?), and calculated the diameters (+/-0.5mm?):
Old bike: b'Twin Rockrider 8.1 2010 (seat post circumference = 100mm // dia. ~31.8mm)
New bike: b'Twin Rockrider 8.3 2014 (seat post circumference = 115mm // dia. ~36.6mm)
But there seem to be a lot of different post-size "standards". I'm not sure my measurements are accurate enough.
I've seen you can buy measuring cones... but none go up to 36mm. Or vernier calipers... but there are so many available. Would cheap calipers like these be "good enough":
Vernier caliper £7.43 on Amazon
Digital vernier caliper £22.95 on Amazon
---
The old bike (~31.8mm) split round the top of the seat tube, so I REALLY need a longer seat post to have any chance of making it safe (after a bit of welding, and retiring it to short/slow local trips in the village).
The new bike is actually fine... The seat post is safely inserted, and perfectly snug. I guess I'm just worried about the same thing happening again. But if the tolerances and measurements are so precise, and the seat post I have fits so well... maybe it would be safer to leave that bike as it is...?
Cheers
- 24 Aug 2021, 3:06am
- Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
- Topic: Rear mech hanger replacement??? Rockrider 8.3 2014 MTB
- Replies: 4
- Views: 345
Re: Rear mech hanger replacement??? Rockrider 8.3 2014 MTB
Thanks... It looks like that one has been cast, rather than CNC cut (which I'd prefer). But... it really does look the same as the one on gearmechhanger.com...
Thanks... There are SOOOOO many hangers!!! I did look at quite a few, and found many that were similar. I stopped because... I really think this is the one. And I really can't bear to scan through another few thousand images!
If I zoom in on the hanger I linked to, and hold my old one up to the screen... and squint through one eye... I can't see any difference.
Ahhhhh... I've just ordered one. Fingers crossed, eh?