What Do You Like Least & Why?
11-26-15, 11:58 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Berwyn PA
Posts: 6,408
Bikes: I hate bikes!
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 431 Post(s)
Liked 710 Times
in
233 Posts
What Do You Like Least & Why?
This is a pretty positive and helpful place over all. I enjoy the finding, rebuilding and riding of bikes and enjoy giving rebuilt ones to friends and family etc. That said, there is one thing about this process I dislike above all others, cutting & filing cable housing. I don't know why I dislike it so much but I do. Stuck post, stuck stem frozen spoke nipples? No problem. Cutting and filing shiffter & brake cable housing makes me irritated.It always seems to take longer than it should, The edges still seem sharp to me, even after filing. The housing cutters often times don't make a clean cut and extend the whole miserable process. Completely irrational, I know. What's your thing?
11-26-15, 12:22 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NW Burbs, Chicago
Posts: 12,047
Mentioned: 201 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3011 Post(s)
Liked 3,788 Times
in
1,405 Posts
I don't like maintenance, I find it tedious.
I don't like the build much either. I hate the bike stand.
I do like the thrill of the hunt, finding the right thing at the right moment.
I do like marveling at the finished product.
I do like just riding the bike.
The irony is my professional career in new product development the exact opposite of what I wrote above is true. I love the process, I dislike the final good.
I don't like the build much either. I hate the bike stand.
I do like the thrill of the hunt, finding the right thing at the right moment.
I do like marveling at the finished product.
I do like just riding the bike.
The irony is my professional career in new product development the exact opposite of what I wrote above is true. I love the process, I dislike the final good.
11-26-15, 12:43 PM
#4
carpe diem
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Fenton, MI
Posts: 678
Bikes: CAAD 9 , Schwinn World, Prologue, Madison , Sports Tourer ; Ironman , Opus lll , Allez , Peugeot 753, Trek 531 (2) , Assenmacher ( custom)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
When putting a hub back together , I very much dislike trying to get it adjusted just the way I want it , just takes me a while .
11-26-15, 12:44 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Northern San Diego
Posts: 1,726
Bikes: mid 1980s De Rosa SL, 1985 Tommasini Super Prestige all Campy SR, 1992 Paramount PDG Series 7, 1997 Lemond Zurich, 1998 Trek Y-foil, 2006 Schwinn Super Sport GS, 2006 Specialized Hardrock Sport
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 59 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Stuck stems and seat posts are the worst.
11-26-15, 12:53 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Wherever
Posts: 16,748
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 556 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 132 Times
in
78 Posts
Trying to get my headset adjusted perfectly. Always difficult and tedious, for me.
On brake cable housings, I cut them about 3mm longer than I need, or so, then trim about 1-2 mm of the plastic off the coiled inner housing with a sharp razor knife…then hit the end of the inner coil on the 1 inch belt sander for a second or two to make it flat, and flush with the plastic covering. Then dress the inner ID of the housing with a round jeweler's file to de-burr. Almost takes longer to explain than do it.
On brake cable housings, I cut them about 3mm longer than I need, or so, then trim about 1-2 mm of the plastic off the coiled inner housing with a sharp razor knife…then hit the end of the inner coil on the 1 inch belt sander for a second or two to make it flat, and flush with the plastic covering. Then dress the inner ID of the housing with a round jeweler's file to de-burr. Almost takes longer to explain than do it.
11-26-15, 01:27 PM
#8
Senior Member
Cable housing, I just cut to length and install. If there is a burr or something, just cut it off. Fitting cables and housings is my favorite mechanic activity.
Removing dust caps from cranks. PB Blaster is my friend with this. Just hate rounding off the hex opening. Then drilling holes, and what a mess.
My solution has always been, Don't install dust caps on crank arms!
Removing dust caps from cranks. PB Blaster is my friend with this. Just hate rounding off the hex opening. Then drilling holes, and what a mess.
My solution has always been, Don't install dust caps on crank arms!
11-26-15, 01:41 PM
#9
Senior Member
11-26-15, 01:44 PM
#10
Senior Member
I don't like fighting to get tight tires on/off rim. Always end up with missing skin somewhere on my hands.
11-26-15, 01:58 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Ocean County, NJ
Posts: 2,914
Bikes: Looking for a Baylis or Wizard in 59-62cm range
Mentioned: 65 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 374 Post(s)
Liked 344 Times
in
115 Posts
Removing stuck BB's and adjusting derailleurs, lately anything that takes me away from riding...just started a purge, need to thin the herd and ride more, wrench less.
11-26-15, 02:08 PM
#12
Senior Member
Washing a bike is my least favorite maintenance task. So I rarely do. 
__________________
I.C.
I.C.
11-26-15, 02:12 PM
#13
Senior Member
Meh!
I hate cleaning and relubing the chain and dirty sprockets (freewheel and chainwheels). It is messy, smelly, takes as long as all other maintenance combined and lasts only about 5 minutes before everything is dirty again.
Stuck seat posts and stems are in a different category, for me. I don't let them happen in the first place and seem more in a category of damage/abuse, akin to crashing,... not normally encountered.
I hate cleaning and relubing the chain and dirty sprockets (freewheel and chainwheels). It is messy, smelly, takes as long as all other maintenance combined and lasts only about 5 minutes before everything is dirty again.
Stuck seat posts and stems are in a different category, for me. I don't let them happen in the first place and seem more in a category of damage/abuse, akin to crashing,... not normally encountered.
11-26-15, 02:24 PM
#14
Senior Member
Easy...looking for that stinking tiny piece that flies off the "whatever your working on". Always not where you thought it landed and irreplaceable also.
11-26-15, 02:28 PM
#15
smelling the roses
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Tixkokob, Yucatán, México
Posts: 15,320
Bikes: 79 Trek 930, 80 Trek 414, 84 Schwinn Letour Luxe (coupled), 92 Schwinn Paramount PDG 5
Mentioned: 104 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7081 Post(s)
Liked 901 Times
in
612 Posts
I also dislike fixing flats, either in the shop or on the road. However, I just got a brand new sink built in my shop, which was designed precisely for finding the holes in innertubes. I'll throw a pic up later on.
11-26-15, 02:33 PM
#16
Banned.
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: PAZ
Posts: 12,294
Mentioned: 255 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2588 Post(s)
Liked 4,823 Times
in
1,709 Posts
Taping bars. I have OCD tendencies, so I always feel I have to clean the bar of any/all stickiness remaining from the last wrap before I put on the new. Plus, I always end up having to redo the cabling on the brakes because I also feel obliged to wrap with only the brake body clamps in place when I begin. Tedious...
On the other hand, I love overhauling BBs
DD
On the other hand, I love overhauling BBs
DD
11-26-15, 02:44 PM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Long Beach
Posts: 765
Bikes: Fitz randonneuse, Trek Superfly/AL, Tsunami SS, Bacchetta, HPV Speed Machine, Rans Screamer
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 100 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
4 Posts
Aligning the handlebars to the front wheel. Nothing ever feels perfectly aligned, and I always alternate between having the bearings right, or the handlebars right, but never both at the same time.
11-26-15, 02:45 PM
#18
Hump, what hump?
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: SC midlands
Posts: 1,934
Bikes: See signature
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 337 Post(s)
Liked 227 Times
in
145 Posts
Italian threading...
__________________
2010 AB T1X ** 2010 Cannondale SIX-5 ** 1993 Cannondale RS900 ** 1988 Bottecchia Team Record ** 1989 Bianchi Brava ** 1988 Nishiki Olympic ** 1987 Centurion Ironman Expert(2) ** 1985 DeRosa Professional SLX ** 1982 Colnago Super ** 1982 Basso Gap ** 198? Ciocc Competition SL ** 19?? Roberts Audax ** 198? Brian Rourke ** 1982 Mercian Olympic ** 1970 Raleigh Professional MK I ** 1952 Raleigh Sports
2010 AB T1X ** 2010 Cannondale SIX-5 ** 1993 Cannondale RS900 ** 1988 Bottecchia Team Record ** 1989 Bianchi Brava ** 1988 Nishiki Olympic ** 1987 Centurion Ironman Expert(2) ** 1985 DeRosa Professional SLX ** 1982 Colnago Super ** 1982 Basso Gap ** 198? Ciocc Competition SL ** 19?? Roberts Audax ** 198? Brian Rourke ** 1982 Mercian Olympic ** 1970 Raleigh Professional MK I ** 1952 Raleigh Sports
11-26-15, 02:52 PM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,892
Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder
Mentioned: 129 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4792 Post(s)
Liked 3,918 Times
in
2,548 Posts
This is a pretty positive and helpful place over all. I enjoy the finding, rebuilding and riding of bikes and enjoy giving rebuilt ones to friends and family etc. That said, there is one thing about this process I dislike above all others, cutting & filing cable housing. I don't know why I dislike it so much but I do. Stuck post, stuck stem frozen spoke nipples? No problem. Cutting and filing shiffter & brake cable housing makes me irritated.It always seems to take longer than it should, The edges still seem sharp to me, even after filing. The housing cutters often times don't make a clean cut and extend the whole miserable process. Completely irrational, I know. What's your thing?
Ben
11-26-15, 03:19 PM
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: STP
Posts: 14,491
Mentioned: 74 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 821 Post(s)
Liked 255 Times
in
142 Posts
The builds for me have become very difficult.
Everything about them.
I love to ride though, as well as helping others find interesting new bikes.
That's still a groove.
Everything about them.
I love to ride though, as well as helping others find interesting new bikes.
That's still a groove.
11-26-15, 03:53 PM
#22
Standard Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Brunswick, Maine
Posts: 4,257
Bikes: 1948 P. Barnard & Son, 1962 Rudge Sports, 1963 Freddie Grubb Routier, 1980 Manufrance Hirondelle, 1983 F. Moser Sprint, 1989 Raleigh Technium Pre, 2001 Raleigh M80
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1294 Post(s)
Liked 935 Times
in
487 Posts
I don't mind challenges that I can comprehend: I know it's going to take time. I know it's probably going to require luck. I know I'll have to use some chemicals that will get on my skin. I know there will probably be some surprises and setbacks.
The only thing I don't like is when I can't figure out what the problem is!
198
The only thing I don't like is when I can't figure out what the problem is!
198
__________________
Unless you climb the rungs strategically, you’re not going to build the muscle you need to stay at the top.
Unless you climb the rungs strategically, you’re not going to build the muscle you need to stay at the top.
11-26-15, 03:54 PM
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: North, Ga.
Posts: 2,401
Bikes: 3Rensho-Aerodynamics, Bernard Hinault Look - 1986 tour winner, Guerciotti, Various Klein's & Panasonic's
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 159 Post(s)
Liked 375 Times
in
162 Posts
I hate driving more miles to a ride than I actually get to ride.
11-26-15, 04:02 PM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: northern michigan
Posts: 13,317
Bikes: '77 Colnago Super, '76 Fuji The Finest, '88 Cannondale Criterium, '86 Trek 760, '87 Miyata 712
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 659 Post(s)
Liked 595 Times
in
313 Posts
I love to clean, regrease and adjust hubs. I really dislike getting that perfect touch on a hub but really dislike seeing the process reversed when clamping the QR. Sometimes I get it right the first time but it's a rare occasion.
11-26-15, 04:09 PM
#25
Senior Member
Do you have what is called in Portland the "pokey tool"? A sharpened 14 ga spoke with a bend to form a handle. (I like T bends.) Inserting this pokey tool in the housing very quickly pushes all burrs far from the cable. Then a quick filing to keep your fingers safe and you are done. Every mechanic here has got one.
Ben
Ben