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How embarrassing

Old 08-13-20, 10:38 PM
  #1  
sfrider 
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How embarrassing

My Canyon had exhibited this strange rattle when going over poor pavement ever since I got it. But only sporadically; it would be quiet for weeks and then have this super annoying loud rattle all of sudden. Like a handful of loose bolts inside the seat tube or something. I had checked everything I could think of - brake pads, water bottle mount, headset spacers, peered inside the seat tube and steerer, even checked the brake rotors - nice and snug. It wasn't the derailleurs, and it wasn't chain slap. Then it would go away and I'd forget about it.

Today it was back in force. On a hunch I checked the cassette - loose and all wiggly!!! Checked the lock ring, which at least was finger tight, so felt I could finish my ride. Of course, after that I noticed the weird clunky shifting sounds, and somewhat slow shifts. How didn't I ever notice that before?

After the ride, after showering and eating something, I pulled the wheel off the bike and put it on the bench. The entire cassette was loosey-goosey, and I could make it rattle by just moving the wheel around. But the lock ring was tight... Removed the lock ring and then the 11t - and noticed the 11t was misaligned! Put it back on right and tightened down the lock ring, and the cassette is now all nice and snug. How could this possibly have escaped me for months now? Or worked reliably? Or even silently, most of the time? It's actually kind of embarrassing since I'm the one who installed that cassette myself!
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Old 08-14-20, 04:20 AM
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Glad you solved the problem.

More embarrassing is noticing a loose bar end plug and trying to hit it in while riding.

p.s. don’t try this trick at home
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Old 08-14-20, 04:42 AM
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Originally Posted by datlas
More embarrassing is noticing a loose bar end plug and trying to hit it in while riding.
Erm... yeah. How silly. I have NEVER done that. There were no witnesses and you cant prove anything.

(I also once tried giving a push to a buddy and nearly flung myself off the road).
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Old 08-14-20, 04:51 AM
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I happened upon a loose cassette when swapping to a new wheel set. I didn't realize I needed to install a spacer for my set up. But I noticed the looseness within a mile on the first ride and turned around. I'm glad you got yours figured out before causing any damage.
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Old 08-14-20, 05:16 AM
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If you are like me and live by Murphy’s Law, it can happen!
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Old 08-14-20, 06:54 AM
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So who was responsible for the misaligned cassette?
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Old 08-14-20, 07:23 AM
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Originally Posted by datlas
Glad you solved the problem.

More embarrassing is noticing a loose bar end plug and trying to hit it in while riding.

p.s. don’t try this trick at home
Many years ago I heard a rattle from the exhaust pipe of my BSA....
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Old 08-14-20, 08:42 AM
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Originally Posted by datlas
Glad you solved the problem.

More embarrassing is noticing a loose bar end plug and trying to hit it in while riding.

p.s. don’t try this trick at home
Yep and then your first thought is how stupid was that. lol
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Old 08-14-20, 10:55 AM
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Originally Posted by jadocs
So who was responsible for the misaligned cassette?
No one to point fingers at here other than myself. I pulled off the original cassette when I got the bike to put it on a Kickr Core trainer and when I got a second cassette put that on the bike. Obviously I wasn't giving it much attention...
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Old 08-14-20, 10:58 AM
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Originally Posted by datlas
Glad you solved the problem.

More embarrassing is noticing a loose bar end plug and trying to hit it in while riding.

p.s. don’t try this trick at home
BTDT, stayed upright but can confirm the PSA.
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Old 08-14-20, 12:07 PM
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Another buffoon here. I too have made the bar end plug mistake. What is worse, I have made the same mistake more than once, each time convinced that my new, improved technique will prevail. Fail, total fail each and every time. Little doubt in my mind, the next time a plug wiggles loose, I’ll make the mistake again. Something, something about repeated actions and insanity.
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Old 08-14-20, 01:48 PM
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Lock ring worked loose some time after initial install.
Got loose enough for the 11t to partially come off, rotate on the spline and bind up on the lock ring.
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Old 08-14-20, 04:01 PM
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Yeah, I made the bar plug mistake. Twice. Didn't fall either time, but wobbled like a drunk.

Years apart, though. And immediately after doing it the second time I remembered doing it the first time and felt REALLY stupid.
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