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Shifting bad after transit

Old 11-20-22, 07:36 PM
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afrowheels
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Shifting bad after transit

So I got my LHT rebuilt successfully, it's looking great (https://www.bikeforums.net/22716616-post35.html) and was shifting great before it got put in a box for a flight. After putting it back together on arrival the shifting is bad. (Note: it's now a 3x9 setup with friction shifting on the front and indexed on the rear, using the Gevenalle setup). It sometimes shifts two gears instead of one and mostly jumps when significant pressure is applied. What are the most likely culprits? Since I have a new chain, new rear cassette and one new front ring my guess is:
1. The gear cable got yanked in transit (the handlebars had to be taken off so it's quite possible)
2. The derailleur hanger got bent (it was supposed to be taken off and wrapped but the bike shop guys forgot...)
3. The chain has stretched (because of the gear combinations they needed to add four links to a 114L 9-speed Shimano chain)
4. The remaining front rings are too worn (but surely that would have been a problem already?)

Would welcome more expert opinions and suggestions on how you would approach it. I have eyeballed the rear derailleur but not sure I trust myself to be able to tell if it's been bent or not.*

*If anyone thinks they can tell by eyeballing I could try to take some decent pictures.

Last edited by afrowheels; 11-20-22 at 07:37 PM. Reason: Added information
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Old 11-20-22, 08:36 PM
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Sounds like a bent derailer hanger. Is why I learned to take off the R derailer when shipping.
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Old 11-20-22, 09:55 PM
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1. Removing the handlebars is not likely to impact the cable. I've done that dozens of times and never had issues. Do you notice similar problems with the brake cables? If not, you can probably assume that the shifting cables are ok.
2. Well... this could explain that... (how did this happen??) But you seem to be unsure about this. You may want to read here.
3. You mean that links have been added to the chain. This shouldn't create any problem, assuming that the additional length can be handled by your deraillers. (i.e. no rub in small-small)
4. This is not simple. I'd suggest testing shifting solely on the new components at first. I'd adjust mid-mid until there is no noise suggesting that the chain doesn't sit where it should. Then up one / down one cog. Adjust cable tension until it shifts smoothly.
  • If you can't get the mid-mid to run smooth, find a friendly LBS.
  • If you can, expand until you can shift from the largest to the smallest cog.
    • If you can't - LBS
    • If you can - try to adjust the front derailleur. If all was good on mid, and all hell breaks loose on the small ring, perhaps get a new small to determine if wear is the culprit. If a new small ring does the trick, repeat with the large.

Last edited by gauvins; 11-21-22 at 12:08 AM.
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Old 11-20-22, 10:15 PM
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The cable was unlikely yanked unless other cables are also preforming poorly. It sounds like a bent hanger so I would take it to a place that knows how to properly use a hanger alignment gauge and ask them to align it properly or get one yourself and use it properly. Unless things have changed a LHT doesn't have a removable hanger so it couldn't have been removed, certainly you can remove the derailleur but the hanger is there luckily it is steel and can likely be bent back

How does a chain stretch? It can get worn down over time which increase the diameter of the bushings but nothing actually stretches and travel won't cause that only while riding. Adding links doesn't stretch the chain it just adds more links which I have had to do on my touring bike in order to do a 48/34 without issue and is not an uncommon thing. Heck one of my co-workers once put 4 DURA ACE chains on a bike because it was a recumbent for a wounded soldier. More links is not uncommon and won't cause issues if they are the correct number of links.

Worn chainrings take a long time so if they weren't worn beforehand they could not have worn without riding. If they need to be replaced than I would do that but it could simply just be the bent hanger needing to be aligned by a professional as stated above.
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Old 11-20-22, 11:12 PM
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Originally Posted by afrowheels
....It sometimes shifts two gears instead of one and mostly jumps when significant pressure is applied. What are the most likely culprits? Since I have a new chain, new rear cassette and one new front ring my guess is:

1. The gear cable got yanked in transit (the handlebars had to be taken off so it's quite possible)
2. The derailleur hanger got bent (it was supposed to be taken off and wrapped but the bike shop guys forgot...)
3. The chain has stretched (because of the gear combinations they needed to add four links to a 114L 9-speed Shimano chain)
4. The remaining front rings are too worn (but surely that would have been a problem already?)
.
1. possible. check that the cable end bushings are properly seated in all the cable stops and shifter & derailler housing, and there are no spots where the housing runs over a bolt head. could also be that the housing wasn't properly seated BEFORE the trip, but now it's correct, so cable might need adjusting.

1a. handlebars were taken off and re-installed. are the bars in the same position as before? could you have mounted the bars at a different angle, putting the shifter in a different position? is the cable housing running the same as before----which side of the head tube did it pass before and now?

1b. did you get a new rear gear cable when you got the other new stuff installed? was the cable end properly seated when the fixing bolt on the derailler was tightened down when adjusted after installing the new parts?

2. put your head on the floor behind the bike.......does the derailleur body seem straight? is the body loose? is it tightened down fully to the hanger? did it install easily or did you have to crank the wrench-----any chance you cross-theaded when putting it on? take some photos.

2a. when you re-installed the derailleur, you may have accidentally turned the adjuster barrel where the cable housing fits.

3. chains don't "stretch." the bushings wear down.......over a thousand miles----not sitting in a box for a day. you might check that the rear wheel is properly seated in the dropouts. easy to tighten down the QR skewer a little off when the fenders are blocking your view. you don't have a disc brake rotor to scream at you if the wheel is off-center.

4. should have shown up already. how does the new chain shift on the NEW front chainring?
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Old 11-21-22, 07:15 AM
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If a bike shop packed it and did not follow instructions, left the rear derailleur on, I suspect hanger.

I suspect you need to have a bike shop straighten the hanger. Where are you? Columbia? Do you know where there is a good bike shop?

With fenders on the bike, it would be hard to see from a photo if it is straight, as you can't see if the derailleur cage is parallel with the wheel. But take some photos anyway, so you can later ask the local bike shop that packed it to cover your costs to get things fixed, etc. I doubt if it would help, but you can try to get some money back. Some small businesses can be really obnoxious if asked to pay for someone else that repaired their mistake. But if they are a good bike shop, they do not want anyone local badmouthing their work, so maybe?

LHT has a steel frame and hanger is part of that frame, should be easy for a shop that has an alignment tool to adjust it quickly. But it would take a few minutes for them to remove derailleur, etc., to do that. So, there is some shop labor time.

There is a tiny chance that the rear derailleur cage is bent instead of the hanger, but that is unlikely. Just mentioning it as a possibility if a bike shop says that the hanger is good.
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Old 11-21-22, 10:15 AM
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Originally Posted by afrowheels
3. The chain has stretched (because of the gear combinations they needed to add four links to a 114L 9-speed Shimano chain)
Chains don't "stretch". They wear. That is, the apparent elongation is due to the chain wearing-out.
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Old 11-21-22, 10:27 AM
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The shifting is out of adjustment. Go to www.partktool.com and learn how to adjust your shifting.
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Old 11-21-22, 10:36 AM
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Try adjusting with your barrel adjuster
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Old 11-21-22, 08:59 PM
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Thanks for all the responses.

Bent hanger seems the general response but I still think it could be something else.

Originally Posted by Tourist in MSN
If a bike shop packed it and did not follow instructions, left the rear derailleur on, I suspect hanger.

I suspect you need to have a bike shop straighten the hanger. Where are you? Columbia? Do you know where there is a good bike shop?

Yeah, Colombia. I've seen a couple of shops that look decent and cycling is pretty big here so I reckon I can get someone to try and sort it out if it is a hanger issue. Will just need to figure out the right terminology in Spanish...

With fenders on the bike, it would be hard to see from a photo if it is straight, as you can't see if the derailleur cage is parallel with the wheel. But take some photos anyway, so you can later ask the local bike shop that packed it to cover your costs to get things fixed, etc. I doubt if it would help, but you can try to get some money back. Some small businesses can be really obnoxious if asked to pay for someone else that repaired their mistake. But if they are a good bike shop, they do not want anyone local badmouthing their work, so maybe?

Yeah, I will drop them an email. It was confusing to see the derailleur on after I'd had a long chat with the guy in charge about the pros and cons of taking it off. I'd even taken a video of him reinstalling it so that I knew what to do on the other end. Then found it still on when I unboxed the bike!

LHT has a steel frame and hanger is part of that frame, should be easy for a shop that has an alignment tool to adjust it quickly. But it would take a few minutes for them to remove derailleur, etc., to do that. So, there is some shop labor time.

Yeah that should be okay - just hope I don't have to buy a new derailleur...

There is a tiny chance that the rear derailleur cage is bent instead of the hanger, but that is unlikely. Just mentioning it as a possibility if a bike shop says that the hanger is good.

Yeah I thought about the cage as well: looks okay but like the hanger I don't really trust my assessment.
Originally Posted by saddlesores
1. possible. check that the cable end bushings are properly seated in all the cable stops and shifter & derailler housing, and there are no spots where the housing runs over a bolt head. could also be that the housing wasn't properly seated BEFORE the trip, but now it's correct, so cable might need adjusting.

These look fine.

1a. handlebars were taken off and re-installed. are the bars in the same position as before? could you have mounted the bars at a different angle, putting the shifter in a different position? is the cable housing running the same as before----which side of the head tube did it pass before and now?

Yeah, good questions... I should have taken photographs of the whole setup before having it boxed. I don't think the cables would have run a different way, the handlebars and stem were removed together [I should have been clearer about that] so angle shouldn't be an issue. The stem is positioned with the same number of spacers as before.

1b. did you get a new rear gear cable when you got the other new stuff installed? was the cable end properly seated when the fixing bolt on the derailler was tightened down when adjusted after installing the new parts?

Yeah they put in new cables. I don't know for sure but the guy who did the build itself seemed very experienced so I'd expect him to have gotten that kind of thing right.

2. put your head on the floor behind the bike.......does the derailleur body seem straight? is the body loose? is it tightened down fully to the hanger? did it install easily or did you have to crank the wrench-----any chance you cross-theaded when putting it on? take some photos.

Other than the usual trickiness of putting it on (at least for those of us who don't do this often) it seemed to go on fairly easily. My focus was on getting the screw to impact the hanger at the right point - this was emphasised to me by the mechanic as the thing most people get wrong. The body seems fairly stable and tightened down. The cage definitely isn't bent inwards, which is what I would expect if it had been damaged during transit. I can't be entirely confident it isn't bent outwards, but that would be weird.

2a. when you re-installed the derailleur, you may have accidentally turned the adjuster barrel where the cable housing fits.

I don't think so, but can't rule it out.

3. chains don't "stretch." the bushings wear down.......over a thousand miles----not sitting in a box for a day. you might check that the rear wheel is properly seated in the dropouts. easy to tighten down the QR skewer a little off when the fenders are blocking your view. you don't have a disc brake rotor to scream at you if the wheel is off-center.


Point taken (Also from other posters).

4. should have shown up already. how does the new chain shift on the NEW front chainring?
Will check this. Most of my attention was on the 2nd ring because that's the one I use the most in the normal course of things. But I did shift onto the 1st and third rings and had similar problems.

Originally Posted by gauvins
1. Removing the handlebars is not likely to impact the cable. I've done that dozens of times and never had issues. Do you notice similar problems with the brake cables? If not, you can probably assume that the shifting cables are ok.

Well now that you mention it...I did have to adjust the brakes after unboxing: they were too tight and the pads were rubbing against the rims, particularly on the front.

2. Well... this could explain that... (how did this happen??) But you seem to be unsure about this. You may want to read here.

Yeah. My problem is that finding advice on how to try and fix it is easy, but not much good guidance on how to tell if it is the actual problem (where it's not obvious).

3. You mean that links have been added to the chain. This shouldn't create any problem, assuming that the additional length can be handled by your deraillers. (i.e. no rub in small-small)

Right.

4. This is not simple. I'd suggest testing shifting solely on the new components at first. I'd adjust mid-mid until there is no noise suggesting that the chain doesn't sit where it should. Then up one / down one cog. Adjust cable tension until it shifts smoothly.

Thanks, will give this a try. Need to improvise a bike stand (I'm even less good trying to work on a bike upside down but obviously don't have my repair stand with me).
  • If you can't get the mid-mid to run smooth, find a friendly LBS.
If I recall the mid-mid was amongst the worst 😬
  • If you can, expand until you can shift from the largest to the smallest cog.
    • If you can't - LBS
    • If you can - try to adjust the front derailleur. If all was good on mid, and all hell breaks loose on the small ring, perhaps get a new small to determine if wear is the culprit. If a new small ring does the trick, repeat with the large.
Thanks, will add this process of elimination to the one suggested by saddlesores above and see where that gets me.
*responses interleaved in the quotes

Last edited by afrowheels; 11-21-22 at 09:10 PM.
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Old 11-22-22, 12:34 AM
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Originally Posted by afrowheels
It was confusing to see the derailleur on after I'd had a long chat with the guy in charge about the pros and cons of taking it off. I'd even taken a video of him reinstalling it so that I knew what to do on the other end. Then found it still on when I unboxed the bike!
Originally Posted by afrowheels
2. put your head on the floor behind the bike.......does the derailleur body seem straight? is the body loose? is it tightened down fully to the hanger? did it install easily or did you have to crank the wrench-----any chance you cross-theaded when putting it on? take some photos.

Other than the usual trickiness of putting it on (at least for those of us who don't do this often) it seemed to go on fairly easily. My focus was on getting the screw to impact the hanger at the right point - this was emphasised to me by the mechanic as the thing most people get wrong. The body seems fairly stable and tightened down.
Originally Posted by afrowheels
2a. when you re-installed the derailleur, you may have accidentally turned the adjuster barrel where the cable housing fits.

I don't think so, but can't rule it out.
did the mechanic REMOVE the deraileur before packing? you said you opened the box to find it still attached, yet you explain how you were careful to reinstall the derailleur body onto the hanger. it can't be both.

which is it?

Originally Posted by afrowheels
1b. did you get a new rear gear cable when you got the other new stuff installed? was the cable end properly seated when the fixing bolt on the derailler was tightened down when adjusted after installing the new parts?

Yeah they put in new cables..
well, okay then!

forget the bent hanger. you have a new gear cable. that will "stretch"......like a chain, not really. the woven cable wires tighten up making the cable a bit longer......but probably only noticeable after the first hundred miles or so.

you've got a new cable, installed and adjusted, but then the rear derailler was taken off and re-installed...........at least twice.

adjust the damn cable already!
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Old 11-22-22, 12:46 AM
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Originally Posted by afrowheels
Need to improvise a bike stand (I'm even less good trying to work on a bike upside down but obviously don't have my repair stand with me).
you're in a hotel? got a couple of chairs in the room?
call housekeeping and ask to borrow a broom or a mop or a really skinny maid.
stick broom handle under the top rail of the rack, suspend on the top of the chairs.
tie the front wheel to the downtube, stick it in the corner to stabilize.
don't forget to stick some packing material between the wheel and wall to prevent stains.

or if you've got a balcony, there should be some eye-hooks or chains in the ceiling.
can you find a couple meters of light rope?
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Old 11-22-22, 04:57 PM
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Originally Posted by saddlesores
you're in a hotel? got a couple of chairs in the room?
call housekeeping and ask to borrow a broom or a mop or a really skinny maid.
stick broom handle under the top rail of the rack, suspend on the top of the chairs.
tie the front wheel to the downtube, stick it in the corner to stabilize.
don't forget to stick some packing material between the wheel and wall to prevent stains.

or if you've got a balcony, there should be some eye-hooks or chains in the ceiling.
can you find a couple meters of light rope?
I just pick up the bike with one hand and turn the crank with the other hand. It's a derailleur adjustment, takes all of five seconds.
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Old 11-24-22, 11:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Yan
I just pick up the bike with one hand and turn the crank with the other hand. It's a derailleur adjustment, takes all of five seconds.
Yeah, this is really unhelpful advice given that I need (at the very least) to shift the gears to check that any adjustment has actually worked... And I dare say most cyclists I know are far from this adept at tuning anything.

Originally Posted by saddlesores
you're in a hotel? got a couple of chairs in the room?
call housekeeping and ask to borrow a broom or a mop or a really skinny maid.
stick broom handle under the top rail of the rack, suspend on the top of the chairs.
tie the front wheel to the downtube, stick it in the corner to stabilize.
don't forget to stick some packing material between the wheel and wall to prevent stains.

or if you've got a balcony, there should be some eye-hooks or chains in the ceiling.
can you find a couple meters of light rope?
Good ideas: this is along the lines of what I had in mind, but just haven't had time to experiment. I have a couple of bungee cords that could be useful.

Originally Posted by saddlesores
did the mechanic REMOVE the deraileur before packing? you said you opened the box to find it still attached, yet you explain how you were careful to reinstall the derailleur body onto the hanger. it can't be both.

which is it?

well, okay then!

forget the bent hanger. you have a new gear cable. that will "stretch"......like a chain, not really. the woven cable wires tighten up making the cable a bit longer......but probably only noticeable after the first hundred miles or so.

you've got a new cable, installed and adjusted, but then the rear derailler was taken off and re-installed...........at least twice.

adjust the damn cable already!
Clarification: the derailleur was supposed to be taken off, when I unboxed it wasn't but the shifting seemed off and I thought it may not have been remounted properly so I decided it was best to take it off and mount it as I had been shown - to be sure it was put back on properly.

Lol. Happy to give this a go and will be thrilled if it's the case. But it is amusing that it seems obvious to you and a few others, but the very experienced mechanic I spoke to said nothing about the possibility. (For what it's worth, I had mentioned in earlier posts and threads that the bike had been rebuilt from butterfly bars with an 8-speed rear cassette to drop bars with a 9-speed cassette, so I just took it as given that they had to put in new gear cables).
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Old 11-25-22, 12:56 AM
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Originally Posted by afrowheels
Clarification: the derailleur was supposed to be taken off, when I unboxed it wasn't but the shifting seemed off and I thought it may not have been remounted properly so I decided it was best to take it off and mount it as I had been shown - to be sure it was put back on properly.
Is this what you britz call "taking the piss"?

Originally Posted by afrowheels
.....And I dare say most cyclists I know are far from this adept at tuning anything.
I see.

Here at bikeforums, we call it "midnite micturating."



and i'm out.
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Old 11-25-22, 10:20 AM
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Originally Posted by afrowheels
...
... I had mentioned in earlier posts and threads that the bike had been rebuilt from butterfly bars with an 8-speed rear cassette to drop bars with a 9-speed cassette, so I just took it as given that they had to put in new gear cables).
I would expect that any mechanic would install a new cable when changing shifters.
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Old 11-25-22, 11:09 AM
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Originally Posted by saddlesores
Is this what you britz call "taking the piss"?

I see.

Here at bikeforums, we call it "midnite micturating."

and i'm out.
Just trying to answer your questions. Thanks for the useful suggestions. As for sarcastic and unnecessary stuff....the less said the better. Some of you guys seem to have issues you should deal with elsewhere.
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Old 11-26-22, 07:15 AM
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Originally Posted by afrowheels
Just trying to answer your questions. Thanks for the useful suggestions. As for sarcastic and unnecessary stuff....the less said the better. Some of you guys seem to have issues you should deal with elsewhere.
If you are starting a 10 month tour, you really need to learn more about bike maintenance and adjustment. On youtube, Park Tools has excellent videos. There are a few others that also have very good videos, but a lot of the others are less reliable. If you need help, go to a Park Tools video first.
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Old 11-27-22, 07:03 PM
  #19  
afrowheels
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Some progress

Originally Posted by saddlesores
you're in a hotel? got a couple of chairs in the room?
call housekeeping and ask to borrow a broom or a mop or a really skinny maid.
stick broom handle under the top rail of the rack, suspend on the top of the chairs.
tie the front wheel to the downtube, stick it in the corner to stabilize.
don't forget to stick some packing material between the wheel and wall to prevent stains.
or if you've got a balcony, there should be some eye-hooks or chains in the ceiling.
can you find a couple meters of light rope?
Did something like this. Used a balcony rail and table with a broomstick and mop, worked well 👍

Originally Posted by saddlesores
well, okay then!
forget the bent hanger. you have a new gear cable. that will "stretch"......like a chain, not really. the woven cable wires tighten up making the cable a bit longer......but probably only noticeable after the first hundred miles or so.
you've got a new cable, installed and adjusted, but then the rear derailler was taken off and re-installed...........at least twice.
Adjust the damn cable already!
This seems to have worked. Setting up the bike static I only had to do about a half turn of the barrel to get the shifting better. When I took the bike for a long spin today the problem was still there, including the skipping with pressure on the drive train. So I gradually turned the barrel, cycled, turned, until the shifting seemed stable. Had one skip towards the end so may need to tighten a little more. Will see how short rides go this week.

Originally Posted by Tourist in MSN
If you are starting a 10 month tour, you really need to learn more about bike maintenance and adjustment. On youtube, Park Tools has excellent videos. There are a few others that also have very good videos, but a lot of the others are less reliable. If you need help, go to a Park Tools video first.
Yeah, I would be happier to be more mechanically competent but in this instance it doesn't make sense to delay the tour to achieve that. Before my first tour I spent some time trying to do this. Main problem is that theoretical learning doesn't work that well for me - I just don't remember things. I did figure out most of the important things about 10 years ago to build the previous version of my bike but forgot most of that subsequently. But I will at least skim through the videos to remind myself of some of the things and download a bunch to have on hand.

Last edited by afrowheels; 11-27-22 at 07:04 PM. Reason: correction
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Old 11-27-22, 08:28 PM
  #20  
indyfabz
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Can’t wait to see photos during the trip!
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