Cycling UK Forum

Personal taste of course but that affects value. My commuter is still QR and post mount brakes but my road bike and gravel bike are through axle and post mount. No real choice when buying new and why buck a trend when it is already reducing choice of new components and this will only get worse.
Of course you can carry on building or repairing this bike for years but the choice will become more limited and thus the market smaller and thus the value lower.

100 quid max. Whilst no worse than it ever was it is out dated and thus will have a limited appeal. Make a nice commuter I reckon.

WD40 or similar and a thin screwdriver. It does dry sticky so then keeps the grips on later.

Entertainment. Off out in 10 minutes for a couple of hours round the local gravel. It will start fast, for me, get faster in the final couple of miles dash for the pub where we spend as much time. I'll do my best to keep up with those young 40 somethings. Getting back not knackered isn't an option or desired. Can't wait for April when the time trial season when the time trials start again so that I can try to beat my mates as above.

Something I discovered by accident. A kink in the stays stopped a small rattle.

Dig it out. Probably just a groove in the paint and even if it is a bit more it will probably be fine.
Regarding the wheel, it's a cheapish bike and the wheels will not be the best part of that deal. Get a new one. Plenty of cheapie out there.

I bet it has been mentioned several times in the above pages, but I for one find that gaps between gears annoying with a single ring set up.

I expect you'll get posts saying don't bend an alloy frame. True enough but You have bent it temporarily so it may work. Can you reduce the lock nuts instead?

I suspect that it isn't a freewheel at all having counted the sprockets but I may be wrong. If it really is a cassette then maybe the locknut is loose. Seen that.

I think that every rim I have ever run tubeless has had the tape hard up against the rim wall. Works perfectly. If the set up doesn't seal add another layer of tape until it does. Just keep slapping it on. Nowadays I completely ignore any rim label that says tubeless or not tubeless and set them up this way.
I also treat all tyres like this as well. Well maybe not wire beaded ones.

Unless you have some serious health issue just ride your bike as much as possible and eat as little as possible.
Of course all sorts of sensible people will tell you to take it carefully but the only way to drop that weight is a negative calory balance. You'll drop weight quicker and will be more motivated by seeing something happen. Ride until you feel knackered then a lot more. You'll get fitter quicker as well.
This needs a positive mental approach but that's in your head.

Bet you a quid it is a technique thing. It virtually always is.
However if you tell us which rims and tyres you are struggling with we may be able to help. If you are getting pinch punctures tubeless is the way to go.
Any rim can be made tubeless as can most wider tyres . (not wire beads)

I have one and I am sure it came from a Campag cassette. It isn't older Suntour. Got one and no hub for it.
Could it have come from a cheapo Campag hub? I think I have an Avanti based wheel in the shed that hasn't got a cassette fitted. All part of a van load of junk.

I just wipe the screen first.

Putting aside the validity of cleaning a chain for a moment and going back to the original post, the nest way to get rid of oil and grease is a more refined petrochemical. Just chuck the chain in a small ice cream tub with a few mm of petrol. Leave it to soak and swill it about. Then, if you can't wait for it to evaporate dry run it under the hot tap. Diesel or heating oil work as well and do leave a slightly oily finish which stop rusting if that is an issue.