Bike Repairs
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 8
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Bike Repairs
I am a student who is currently doing their tech NEA GCSE. If you could answer some questions it would help me greatly :
What is the main thing that you have to repair on your bike?
Any ideas for a tool that would make this easier / Prevent the problem from happening in the first place?
Thanks
What is the main thing that you have to repair on your bike?
Any ideas for a tool that would make this easier / Prevent the problem from happening in the first place?
Thanks
#2
Tragically Ignorant
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: New England
Posts: 15,613
Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM
Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8186 Post(s)
Liked 9,098 Times
in
5,054 Posts
I am a student who is currently doing their tech NEA GCSE. If you could answer some questions it would help me greatly :
What is the main thing that you have to repair on your bike?
Any ideas for a tool that would make this easier / Prevent the problem from happening in the first place?
Thanks
What is the main thing that you have to repair on your bike?
Any ideas for a tool that would make this easier / Prevent the problem from happening in the first place?
Thanks
#3
Half way there
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,956
Bikes: Many, and the list changes frequently
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 985 Post(s)
Liked 879 Times
in
526 Posts
Well, there are normal maintenance issues to attend to, like tire inflation, chain lube, etc. but those aren't really repairs. Other than tire flats, the only actual repairs I've had to do is replace brake cables that snapped. This happens every 5,000 miles +, so it's not that frequent. The repair takes about 10 minutes so not a big deal. Not much to make it easier. Of course, one could argue that cables are a maintenance issue and that I should have replaced them before they broke.
Oh, another one: My saddle cover on my commuting bike started to crack and tear. To be expected after 5 years of daily use. I recovered it and all is good.
Others here have reported problems with spoke breaking.
Good luck on your project.
Oh, another one: My saddle cover on my commuting bike started to crack and tear. To be expected after 5 years of daily use. I recovered it and all is good.
Others here have reported problems with spoke breaking.
Good luck on your project.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Pinehurst, NC, US
Posts: 1,716
Bikes: 2020 Trek Emonda SL6, 90's Vintage EL-OS Steel Bianchi with 2014 Campy Chorus Upgrade
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 452 Post(s)
Liked 162 Times
in
110 Posts
Using a definition of 'repair' as being about anything that requires the use of some kind of tool ...
In order of how often I have encountered them (roughly)
1) Flat tires partially mitigated by riding tougher tires (less comfort/other negatives), care with tire pressures, care in choosing where you ride
2) Tire replacement - some tires wear faster than others (typically a life, speed, comfort, handling trade-off)
3) Chain replacement partially mitigated by regular cleaning and lubing
4) Adjustment of shifters and brakes - seems inevitable to me
5) Broken spokes - not frequent and I am not sure how or why they happened
6) worn rear cassettes partially mitigated by proper chain replacement. Worn chains get longer and dramatically affect the life of a cassette
7) Wheel truing
dave
In order of how often I have encountered them (roughly)
1) Flat tires partially mitigated by riding tougher tires (less comfort/other negatives), care with tire pressures, care in choosing where you ride
2) Tire replacement - some tires wear faster than others (typically a life, speed, comfort, handling trade-off)
3) Chain replacement partially mitigated by regular cleaning and lubing
4) Adjustment of shifters and brakes - seems inevitable to me
5) Broken spokes - not frequent and I am not sure how or why they happened
6) worn rear cassettes partially mitigated by proper chain replacement. Worn chains get longer and dramatically affect the life of a cassette
7) Wheel truing
dave
Likes For DaveLeeNC:
#5
Senior Member
Probably repairing flats, but there's no need for any advanced tools, and the methods to prevent them are well known and work well - tires with puncture protection or going tubeless.
Other than that, it's mostly replacing the wearing parts - tires, chain, cassette, brake pads, cables.
Other than that, it's mostly replacing the wearing parts - tires, chain, cassette, brake pads, cables.
#6
Randomhead
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
Posts: 24,386
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 3,687 Times
in
2,510 Posts
just out of curiosity, does your professor encourage you to go out and spam forums instead of figuring these things out for yourself?
Likes For unterhausen:
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Pinehurst, NC, US
Posts: 1,716
Bikes: 2020 Trek Emonda SL6, 90's Vintage EL-OS Steel Bianchi with 2014 Campy Chorus Upgrade
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 452 Post(s)
Liked 162 Times
in
110 Posts
dave
#9
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,605
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10947 Post(s)
Liked 7,474 Times
in
4,181 Posts
I am a student who is currently doing their tech NEA GCSE. If you could answer some questions it would help me greatly :
What is the main thing that you have to repair on your bike?
Any ideas for a tool that would make this easier / Prevent the problem from happening in the first place?
Thanks
What is the main thing that you have to repair on your bike?
Any ideas for a tool that would make this easier / Prevent the problem from happening in the first place?
Thanks
Go fix that.
#10
Randomhead
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
Posts: 24,386
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 3,687 Times
in
2,510 Posts
as someone who has taught a design course at a university, I find it incredibly lazy on the part of the student. If they instructor encourages it, I am very disappointed.
It's also against the rules on bikeforums. I usually ban as spammer and they never appeal
Rules for surveys: https://www.bikeforums.net/manufactu...g-surveys.html
It's also against the rules on bikeforums. I usually ban as spammer and they never appeal
Rules for surveys: https://www.bikeforums.net/manufactu...g-surveys.html
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 3,947
Bikes: Trek 1100 road bike, Roadmaster gravel/commuter/beater mountain bike
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2281 Post(s)
Liked 1,710 Times
in
936 Posts
The most common repair I've had to deal with are, of course, flat tires. There is no tool to make repairs easier, all you need are tire levers, a patch kit, or a spare tube. I suppose if I wanted to prevent the problem in the first place I'd put liners in my tires, but it's been so long since I've had a flat I don't know that it's really necessary. Now having said that I hope I didn't jinx myself with a flat tire on my rides this weekend.
#12
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,342
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
Mentioned: 152 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6200 Post(s)
Liked 4,204 Times
in
2,358 Posts
I am a student who is currently doing their tech NEA GCSE. If you could answer some questions it would help me greatly :
What is the main thing that you have to repair on your bike?
Any ideas for a tool that would make this easier / Prevent the problem from happening in the first place?
Thanks
What is the main thing that you have to repair on your bike?
Any ideas for a tool that would make this easier / Prevent the problem from happening in the first place?
Thanks
Most every shifting problem I've run across is solved simply by taking up the slack in the derailer cables.
Other common problems are broken spokes. Use the right spokes to begin with and that problem goes away as well.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Likes For cyccommute:
#13
Pennylane Splitter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Orange County, California
Posts: 1,878
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1784 Post(s)
Liked 1,437 Times
in
987 Posts
I'll admit I was thinking this, too. The OPs question (field of research?) seems pretty simplistic for a graduate degree research project. There seem to be a lot of these types of threads, and it makes me wonder whether the OPs who post them even ride bicycles on any sort of a regular basis.
#14
Tragically Ignorant
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: New England
Posts: 15,613
Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM
Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8186 Post(s)
Liked 9,098 Times
in
5,054 Posts
as someone who has taught a design course at a university, I find it incredibly lazy on the part of the student. If they instructor encourages it, I am very disappointed.
It's also against the rules on bikeforums. I usually ban as spammer and they never appeal
Rules for surveys: https://www.bikeforums.net/manufactu...g-surveys.html
It's also against the rules on bikeforums. I usually ban as spammer and they never appeal
Rules for surveys: https://www.bikeforums.net/manufactu...g-surveys.html
Likes For livedarklions:
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,865
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2952 Post(s)
Liked 3,106 Times
in
1,417 Posts
Other than replacing consumable wear items such as chains (yes, there's a specialized tool for that), cassettes (same), and tires (same), 90% of the repairs I do can be accomplished with standard tools like hex wrenches and screwdrivers.
#16
Member
I'll admit I was thinking this, too. The OPs question (field of research?) seems pretty simplistic for a graduate degree research project. There seem to be a lot of these types of threads, and it makes me wonder whether the OPs who post them even ride bicycles on any sort of a regular basis.
That said, as someone who sat their butt in a classroom through undergraduate and graduate school while working full time, I absolutely find this the same as asking someone else to do your school work while you get the credit. I’m guessing the professor expected the student to assess for themselves what type of problems a cyclist might encounter and then develop, create, produce, and supply a device to either prevent it or fix it if it can’t be prevented and occurs...reporting at each step along the way while identifying your sources. Not sure how “Bike forums - user xxxx” goes over as a citation. Then again, I finished graduate school in 1999 at the age of 41, so it may be the norm now!
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Southeast US
Posts: 921
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 318 Post(s)
Liked 149 Times
in
104 Posts
Not necessarily a repair problem, but the biggest pain I face is adjusting my seat to a desired fore-aft and pitch-up/pitch-down setting. That's because there are two-bolt posts that (are said to) make this easier but those are out of my price range. This leaves me with one-bolt posts and the cheap posts you find on department store bikes. Both of those suffer from the problem that while you're tightening down from a good position, the seat can/does shift and your adjustment is lost. Also sometimes that the amount you can adjust pitch by is limited to a large number of degrees (maybe 6 degrees) and I want greater precision than that, like 2 degrees or even 1 degree.
If there were something I could buy that sat on top of a cheap seat post (which is a simple tube with a separate clamping head that sits on top of it) that allowed for precise and easy adjustment of the seat, even if it added ounces, I'd be interested. In other words, a better clamping head.
Also, registration marks, so it's repeatable.
If there were something I could buy that sat on top of a cheap seat post (which is a simple tube with a separate clamping head that sits on top of it) that allowed for precise and easy adjustment of the seat, even if it added ounces, I'd be interested. In other words, a better clamping head.
Also, registration marks, so it's repeatable.
#18
vespertine member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Land of Angora, Turkey
Posts: 2,476
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 687 Post(s)
Liked 220 Times
in
163 Posts
Just like everyone else, most of my repairs involve replacing wear items (tubes, tires, derailleur and brake cables, brake pads, chains) and truing wheels.
All of these items require only cheap tools and/or tools all people should probably own, along with a decent bike pump.
In the spirit of trying to be helpful, I do know people who will fix flats and change tires, but are paranoid about replacing cables and chains and adjusting derailleurs/brakes on their own. I'm not sure what kind of tool might make that intuitive for more people; some people are just convinced that they are not mechanically inclined.
All of these items require only cheap tools and/or tools all people should probably own, along with a decent bike pump.
In the spirit of trying to be helpful, I do know people who will fix flats and change tires, but are paranoid about replacing cables and chains and adjusting derailleurs/brakes on their own. I'm not sure what kind of tool might make that intuitive for more people; some people are just convinced that they are not mechanically inclined.
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,857
Bikes: Road bike, Hybrid, Gravel, Drop bar SS, hard tail MTB
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1218 Post(s)
Liked 298 Times
in
214 Posts
Welcome to 2019
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 289
Bikes: Masi Giramondo, Trek 830 monstercross build, Raleigh Gran Sport, Lemond Tourmalet
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 121 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 19 Times
in
12 Posts
The ops question is fine, unterhausen. He or she is doing the most straightforward and useful thing they can do: Posing a question to a forum of users. This is exactly how you find out what to ask and who to ask. Though I would suggest they post to the bike mechanic forum instead.
Likes For bcpriess:
#21
Tragically Ignorant
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: New England
Posts: 15,613
Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM
Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8186 Post(s)
Liked 9,098 Times
in
5,054 Posts
I'll admit I was thinking this, too. The OPs question (field of research?) seems pretty simplistic for a graduate degree research project. There seem to be a lot of these types of threads, and it makes me wonder whether the OPs who post them even ride bicycles on any sort of a regular basis.
#22
SE Wis
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 10,501
Bikes: '68 Raleigh Sprite, '02 Raleigh C500, '84 Raleigh Gran Prix, '91 Trek 400, 2013 Novara Randonee, 1990 Trek 970
Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2741 Post(s)
Liked 3,388 Times
in
2,051 Posts
The best tools for bike repair are google & Youtube
Likes For dedhed:
#23
Member
Some of these answers are ridiculous. We don't know what level of experience the OP has with bikes. The OP is simply doing research and asking experts for their opinions based on experience which is valid research. Asking questions to form baseline knowledge which leads to in depth research is certainly recognized as appropriate.
Perhaps someone who wants to write about the effects of combat on soldiers post combat psyches shouldn't interview soldiers but should enlist, volunteer for combat and then write. Reporters shouldn't ask sources for information nor should they interview witnesses and victims. If they want to know about conditions in jail they should get arrested. If they want to know about criminal assault, they should get beaten up. Maybe the OP should buy a bike and ride until it needs a repair (perhaps years later) and then report. Again...RIDICULOUS!
The REAL SPAM ON THIS SITE is the non-responsive posts that merely criticize but ADD NOTHING to the discussion.
BTW...I'm a university professor who has done and sponsored research so I write from fact based experience, not opinionated supposition.
+1 on the suggestion that the OP post to the bike mechanic forum instead.
Perhaps someone who wants to write about the effects of combat on soldiers post combat psyches shouldn't interview soldiers but should enlist, volunteer for combat and then write. Reporters shouldn't ask sources for information nor should they interview witnesses and victims. If they want to know about conditions in jail they should get arrested. If they want to know about criminal assault, they should get beaten up. Maybe the OP should buy a bike and ride until it needs a repair (perhaps years later) and then report. Again...RIDICULOUS!
The REAL SPAM ON THIS SITE is the non-responsive posts that merely criticize but ADD NOTHING to the discussion.
BTW...I'm a university professor who has done and sponsored research so I write from fact based experience, not opinionated supposition.
+1 on the suggestion that the OP post to the bike mechanic forum instead.
Last edited by MAK; 09-07-19 at 02:39 PM.
Likes For MAK:
#24
Tragically Ignorant
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: New England
Posts: 15,613
Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM
Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8186 Post(s)
Liked 9,098 Times
in
5,054 Posts
Some of these answers are ridiculous. We don't know what level of experience the OP has with bikes. The OP is simply doing research and asking experts for their opinions based on experience which is valid research. Asking questions to form baseline knowledge which leads to in depth research is certainly recognized as appropriate.
Perhaps someone who wants to write about the effects of combat on soldiers post combat psyches shouldn't interview soldiers but should enlist, volunteer for combat and then write. Reporters shouldn't ask sources for information nor should they interview witnesses and victims. if they want to know about conditions in jail they should get arrested. If they want to know about criminal assault, they should get beaten up. Maybe the OP should buy a bike and ride until it needs a repair (perhaps years later) and then report. Again...RIDICULOUS!
The REAL SPAM ON THIS SITE is the non-responsive posts that merely criticize but ADD NOTHING to the discussion.
BTW...I'm a university professor who has done and sponsored research so I write from fact based experience, not opinionated supposition.
+1 on the suggestion that the OP post to the bike mechanic forum instead.
Perhaps someone who wants to write about the effects of combat on soldiers post combat psyches shouldn't interview soldiers but should enlist, volunteer for combat and then write. Reporters shouldn't ask sources for information nor should they interview witnesses and victims. if they want to know about conditions in jail they should get arrested. If they want to know about criminal assault, they should get beaten up. Maybe the OP should buy a bike and ride until it needs a repair (perhaps years later) and then report. Again...RIDICULOUS!
The REAL SPAM ON THIS SITE is the non-responsive posts that merely criticize but ADD NOTHING to the discussion.
BTW...I'm a university professor who has done and sponsored research so I write from fact based experience, not opinionated supposition.
+1 on the suggestion that the OP post to the bike mechanic forum instead.
Silly responses, however, are always welcome.
Likes For livedarklions:
#25
Pennylane Splitter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Orange County, California
Posts: 1,878
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1784 Post(s)
Liked 1,437 Times
in
987 Posts
Some of these answers are ridiculous. We don't know what level of experience the OP has with bikes. The OP is simply doing research and asking experts for their opinions based on experience which is valid research. Asking questions to form baseline knowledge which leads to in depth research is certainly recognized as appropriate.
Perhaps someone who wants to write about the effects of combat on soldiers post combat psyches shouldn't interview soldiers but should enlist, volunteer for combat and then write. Reporters shouldn't ask sources for information nor should they interview witnesses and victims. if they want to know about conditions in jail they should get arrested. If they want to know about criminal assault, they should get beaten up. Maybe the OP should buy a bike and ride until it needs a repair (perhaps years later) and then report. Again...RIDICULOUS!
The REAL SPAM ON THIS SITE is the non-responsive posts that merely criticize but ADD NOTHING to the discussion.
BTW...I'm a university professor who has done and sponsored research so I write from fact based experience, not opinionated supposition.
+1 on the suggestion that the OP post to the bike mechanic forum instead.
Perhaps someone who wants to write about the effects of combat on soldiers post combat psyches shouldn't interview soldiers but should enlist, volunteer for combat and then write. Reporters shouldn't ask sources for information nor should they interview witnesses and victims. if they want to know about conditions in jail they should get arrested. If they want to know about criminal assault, they should get beaten up. Maybe the OP should buy a bike and ride until it needs a repair (perhaps years later) and then report. Again...RIDICULOUS!
The REAL SPAM ON THIS SITE is the non-responsive posts that merely criticize but ADD NOTHING to the discussion.
BTW...I'm a university professor who has done and sponsored research so I write from fact based experience, not opinionated supposition.
+1 on the suggestion that the OP post to the bike mechanic forum instead.