Cycling UK Forum

bluespeeder

I think in this case no level of maintenance would prevent the damage being caused and as you rightly point out once the damage is done there seems little done to fix it. I agree that longitudinal cracks are by the biggest peril for narrow tyres.

bluespeeder

Nearholmer wrote: ↑16 Jun 2023, 2:29pm One possible outcome of all this, of course, is that the engine and the ways it’s being driven may be perfectly legal, but that the road isn’t in a condition to carry all the forms of vehicle permitted to travel over it ……. Which is a bit like a lot of roads.

Are you saying it is illegal to drive on the road if it is not up to it? It astounds me that we allow this type of damage to the road surface. Who is responsible if it causes an accident?

bluespeeder

Nearholmer wrote: ↑16 Jun 2023, 2:21pm In the above photo of a loco in a town centre, the loco appears to have resilient, or at least smooth, over-tyres fitted to the front wheels, but not the rear (driven) wheels, although I think I can see marks where such tyres have been fitted in the past.

It is the rear tyres causing the damage. The weight of the vehicle is causing indentations in the road surface which causes a lot of vibration when you cycle over it and it can be difficult to avoid.

bluespeeder

The consensus seems to be this is legal. I have attached some images of the damage being caused (taken in December).

bluespeeder

Bonefishblues wrote: ↑16 Jun 2023, 1:54pm
Nearholmer wrote: ↑16 Jun 2023, 1:41pm It is legal to use a locomotive with non-resilient wheels on the Highway provided speed is maintained below 5mph. Many traction engine owners fit resilient over-tyres to the wheels, because that lets them go up to 20mph, but looking at yours, I don’t think it has them.
I think they are over tyres on it - previous images up to 3-4 years ago show it with smooth metal wheels.

The traction engine on the front doesnt match the registration, I have attached a previous image with the correct reg

bluespeeder

I cycle in north Shropshire and am on the road most days. Today I came across a steam engine on one of my routes which is leaving indentations on the road surface which makes it like cycling over a rumble strip.
This vehicle (registration YA9576) seems to be used a few times a year for local shows. I have twice complained to the local council about the damage it causes but they seem uninterested.
It previously was used before christmas and the road is breaking up in places where the tracks have been left.
Is it really legal to drive a vehicle on the road which causes this level of damage? If not who should I contact.

bluespeeder

maximus meridius wrote: ↑5 Jun 2023, 5:58pm So, I thought I had wheel hub adjustment, on cup and cone bearings, nailed. Even made myself a special little, er, thing. To create an axle clamp. Well, it's a piece of angle iron with a hole in it, and some penny washers and the QR.

But I just did a rear hub yesterday which for various reasons wouldn't succumb to my usual method. So I was reduced to setting it up with a little play, putting it in the frame, doing up the QR and seeing if it still had play. Repeat until no play. Thought I had it sorted.

Then today, as part of my "what a fantastic job I've done truing my wheel look at how straight it is" self congratulation I noticed there was actually a tiny bit of play.

I really can't face taking the cassette off and doing it all again.

Solution - just do up the QR a bit tighter. Play disappears!! I'm not an olympic powerlifter, I haven't got the strength to exert a huge amount of force. So I'm comfortable I've not "overtightened" it. What would that be anyway, with a QR? Break the QR rod? It's one of those crappy open to the elements QRs. I'll replace it with a proper Shimano enclosed one sometime.

Good thing is I know the play has only just been taken out. Which is probably ideal, yes?

It should be possible to adjust without removing the cassette (on the non drive side). I find my wheels have some play which comes and goes as you rotate the wheel so I set up so the play just disappears at some points and accept a bit of play at others. I'm not sure if this is uneven cone wear or cheap ball bearings but they run fine and always settle with the valve at the top (I think this is due to how the rim is joined with steel pins, this has been done opposite the valve to minimise imbalance)

bluespeeder

I have used road shoes (shimano) with SPD's when they came with 5 screw holes so you could chose between SPD and SPD/SL. The metal to metal contact is sufficient to support the shoe providing the shoe is stiff enough. Great for float which I need, but tricky for walking.
On my present shoes (lake MTB) the rubber contacts the pedal so I have filed a small amount off to allow float.

bluespeeder

I seem to remember in the days before threadlock and nylock, being taught to distort the threads of a bolt using a small hammer to stop it from shaking loose!

bluespeeder

I found a 9spd chain a bit smoother on a 8spd cassette during shifts but caused problems on the front shifts. Occasionally it would drop between the rings for half a revolution before engaging so I have gone back to 8spd chains. This may be due to the fact I have a biopace inner ring, and may have been curable by changing the spacing between the rings. Best to try it and see.

bluespeeder

cyclop wrote: ↑7 Feb 2023, 7:52am Setting up cup and cone bearings is a bit "suck it and see".I clean and assemble with a small amount of play which is then taken up by the quick release.How much play?well,suck it and see.It may take a couple of tries.Having the correct ,thin spanners for the lock nuts is essential.Some degree of skill/practice required but stripping/cleaning/checking for wear and reassembling hubs can be a satisfying/challenging/frustrating experience.Tips?separate the ballbearings into rt/left side ,clean and return onto the same side.Apart from the technicalities involved,good work practice is essential for the job i.e.clean rags,containers and,for final assembly,clean hands.DONT LOSE YOUR BALLS.!!!

A good tip on ball separation. I failed to do this and find the play comes and goes on my rear wheel as you rotate the wheel, maybe the right and left bearings have worn slightly differently and I have mixed them up. New balls please!

bluespeeder

Jupestar wrote: ↑5 Feb 2023, 2:17pm I would suggest there is not one single cause for this, but the oval to round is probably reducing the tolerances...

I agree that it is probably a compatability problem (possibly between chainring/chain/oval small ring) combined with wear/burrs.
I dont want to ditch the biopace small ring as I think it reduces knee problems for me. I know this system can work because it has done for about 20 years without problem until recently. The recent changes have been chainring and chain make so I suspect tolerances between these are not helping.
I inspected the chainringl again this morning in strong sunlight and found another burr which I removed. I had no chainsuck while out today so I have my fingers crossed. Meanwhile the front mech will be replaced when the "new" one arrives - this is worn to the point where a pin hole has appeared in the side plate. Failing this I will go back to the old chainring to see what happens.

bluespeeder

mumbojumbo wrote: ↑4 Feb 2023, 5:26pm Use a newer chain.

I have just measured the chain wear. 1/40th inch in 10 inches which is .25% which is about half way to .5% when I usually swap. The rollers do look worn though.

bluespeeder

peetee wrote: ↑4 Feb 2023, 6:53pm
Mick F wrote: ↑4 Feb 2023, 6:39pm Worn front mech.

Been there, seen it and felt it, and sorted it ............ with a new mech.
This. And could be an easy solution if your front mech has a press-in nylon shift ramp on the cage plate as spares are available.
So, what is the front mech and how well used is it?

Time for fleabay shopping, the mech has seen a lot of wear the last few weeks with muddy roads.

bluespeeder

Nearholmer wrote: ↑4 Feb 2023, 5:57pm If the small ring is oval(ish), and the large round, isn’t there a condition under which, as the chain transfers from big to small the distance between the two points of contact increases markedly during the transit, pulling the chain tight and causing it to snag on the teeth of the larger ring?

I think there is another condition under which the distance between points of contact decreases during the transit, risking a sort of “hump up” of the chain and a twang as the chain finally releases from the big ring.

If both are the same shape, and in the case of ovals and other unusual shapes in phase, then the transit distance will be constant throughout the transit.

Try doing it slowly on a workstand, initiating the change at different points on the small ring, to see if I might be right.

The oval ring could be a factor although I have run it with a standard big ring for many years without problems.
I do not see how the points of contact can increase in distance while both part of the same crankset. Having said that, on the downshift when the chain drops to the small ring it will land on the teeth differently depending where the shift is made. It may mesh perfectly or it may land with the rollers sitting on the tops of the teeth. This has me thinking if standard chainring combinations are effected by this also.
Big ring teeth 360/53 degrees apart, small ring teeth 360/40 degrees apart so only 1 pair will line up. But if the chain lands say 5 teeth back will this distance always be the same?
I feel there is some compatibility issue with the current components - maybe teeth shape or width and maybe chainplate shape. Added to this wear is probably a factor also.
I have also just realised the front mech position would have been set originally for an oval ring hence the larger than usual gap.
This only happens roughly 1 shift in 100 so hard to reproduce, I will start replacing parts to see if I can eliminate the problem.

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