Cycling UK Forum

For a cheap and good grease gun that you can refill with grease of your choice you can't go wrong with these -
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/dua ... lsrc=aw.ds

Any play in the hub/headset bearings can also contribute to brake squeal. I have some of the newer br m750 xt brakes - fine on the back wheel but could never stop them squealing on the front so I ended up using a different front brake.

The fluid you need should be marked on the lever reservoir cap - probably dot 4/5.1 (these are not interchangeable with dot 5)

Yeesh, 14mm is a lot, and if it's offering a lot of resistance I'd respect that too. I probably wouldn't go there even on a rear triangle, let alone a fork. Pretty dangerous in my opinion.

Sealskinz socks with a pair of normal sock underneath

Cheap fairly high rise stem available from On-One: as long as your drop bars are either 25.4 or 31.8 clamp size:

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/STOO3DF/on_ ... orged_stem

Also I'd agree on trying an adjustable stem, as you can try a lot of different angles etc and then if you want to save weight buy a stem of the rise you like.

The Mechanical advantage of the old 'weinmann' type of lever where the cables exit through the top of the lever is less than the 'ergo' type where the brake cable exits the lever along the line of the bars. The pull is also in a more awkward direction if braking from the hoods which makes it harder to apply force, especially with smaller hands - it's a kind of rotating forward and down movement. You could try some old Shimano 'ergo' style levers that are not sti units as these levers are slimmer. If you want to try some out I have a cheap set you can have for the cost of postage. Of course you will have fit bar end or down tube shifters if you go this route.

wirral_cyclist wrote:

gregoryoftours wrote:Or this sort of thing? I guess a thief is even less likely to have this tool than a torx key, although it means of course that you are stuck if you don't carry one yourself.

http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/15018672 ... adtype=pla

Most torx sets are security type now, and it is easy enough to snap the pin off with a small screwdriver usually.

that's good to know

That's good to know

I've had a good look at the BB7 and MX5 which is more expensive than the MX4, and concluded that the BB7 is better. It has adjustable spring tension which can give a lighter feeling action, also the inboard pad can be adjusted without tools. Avid rotors are, conveniently for Avid, different sizes to other manufacturers' rotors. 185mm vs 180mm etc, although it may be possible to use other rotors despite this issue, check forums etc. I would recommend getting some Avid speed dial levers in any case as the mechanical advantage of the levers can be adjusted, thereby altering feel/modulation of any mechanical disc brake.

I replaced the stem on an old tourer with a significantly shorter one and it was definitely more twitchy. The innate stability of the bike doesn't change with stem length as the geometry doesn't change, but when you steer with a shorter stem smaller movements are needed to change direction than with a longer stem which acts more like a tiller, and this can definitely make the bike seem more 'twitchy'. I had the same experience when I fitted butterfly bars to a Dawes galaxy that was way too big for me (that I had previously used with straight bars). These bars reduced the effective length of the stem quite significantly meaning that very small movements on the bar had a much more amplified effect than using a straight bar. So the bike felt pretty twitchy to steer, but was nevertheless innately quite stable. This arrangement enabled me to do Jog-Le with a bike that was way too big for me!

Hi I've got a judy fork with short threaded 1" steerer. Stanchions are knackered but removable (bolted crown), the top caps are plastic and are split so I wouldn't trust them. Bushings shot and probably seals but the lowers are probably alright, and the internals may be ok. What bits do you need exactly and how long a steerer do you need?

Or this sort of thing? I guess a thief is even less likely to have this tool than a torx key, although it means of course that you are stuck if you don't carry one yourself.

http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/15018672 ... adtype=pla

Cheap deal on square taper LX chainsets 22 / 32 / 44 here at the moment (£30)- they are 170mm cranks by the way:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... 0cab6e0c23

Good if you want to have use of the 11t sprocket.

Here are the specs for different models of hg40:

http://techdocs.shimano.com/media/techd ... 608758.pdf

I bought one of these for coast to coast:

http://techdocs.shimano.com/media/techd ... 770240.pdf

Only a tenner from woolyhatshop on ebay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-Acera ... 258wt_1034

Also took us fully loaded over two of the steepest passes in England Hardknott and Wrynose (30%) again with full camping gear. Personally I don't mind about the huge jump from 26 to 34 on largest sprocket - the 26 run with a 22 ring up front is low enough for almost everything, the 34 is just there for the really extra steep stuff. I guess the 11/12t sprockets are useful if you run an mtb chainset up front as modern ones are generally 42 or 44t for the biggest ring.