What frustrates you the most when it comes to maintaining your bike?
#26
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When something which should take only a short time cascades into more and more because I messed something up.
For instance, last night I figured I'd recable the bike because it's time, I had a hour to spare, and I wanted to lengthen the cable housing for the rear shifter a bit because it was a hair short, impeding how far you can turn the bars just a bit more than I'd like. Anyway, I can't push the cable in the cable liner, figure it's because it's old, I've got spare liners so why not put a fresh one, shouldn't take more than five, ten minutes extra. Optimism. Right. So, getting the cable through I use a strong magnet to locate the cable... but it falls into the frame (clumsy, I know) and gets stuck who knows where. Merde.
It ended with me punching out the bottom bracket (figured since I've had a BBinfinite unit sitting on a shelf for a year plus, might as well change the Praxis unit which was holding out surprisingly well, but apparently the BB hole on my bike, while generally well made without any faults I can spot, is just a hair on the tight side, which makes the job a chore*; fortunately I won't have to deal with this again because with the BBinfinite you just punch out and press in new bearings when the old ones die).
Basically, when things turn out to be more complicated / take longer than I expected. On the other hand, changed tires a few days ago, was over in 10 minutes, yay for modern tubeless standards!
*Don't buy the cheapest bearing press. Mine isn't long enough so I had to improvise with a hammer.
For instance, last night I figured I'd recable the bike because it's time, I had a hour to spare, and I wanted to lengthen the cable housing for the rear shifter a bit because it was a hair short, impeding how far you can turn the bars just a bit more than I'd like. Anyway, I can't push the cable in the cable liner, figure it's because it's old, I've got spare liners so why not put a fresh one, shouldn't take more than five, ten minutes extra. Optimism. Right. So, getting the cable through I use a strong magnet to locate the cable... but it falls into the frame (clumsy, I know) and gets stuck who knows where. Merde.
It ended with me punching out the bottom bracket (figured since I've had a BBinfinite unit sitting on a shelf for a year plus, might as well change the Praxis unit which was holding out surprisingly well, but apparently the BB hole on my bike, while generally well made without any faults I can spot, is just a hair on the tight side, which makes the job a chore*; fortunately I won't have to deal with this again because with the BBinfinite you just punch out and press in new bearings when the old ones die).
Basically, when things turn out to be more complicated / take longer than I expected. On the other hand, changed tires a few days ago, was over in 10 minutes, yay for modern tubeless standards!
*Don't buy the cheapest bearing press. Mine isn't long enough so I had to improvise with a hammer.
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#27
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Keeping things clean.
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#28
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It's not the frame necessarily. Just get wider-rimmed wheels so that wheel and inflated tire are about the same width.
#31
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hate/love relationship with tubeless tires.
love:
when you get a tiny hole and you see it self seal.
hate:
maintaining 10+ tubeless tires/wheels. it's pain constantly checking sealant level
when the sealant does not work, having to remove the tire on the side of the road and clean all that sealant out before installing a tube
swapping tubeless tires for another tire at home. it's such a pain to try and remove all the sealant off the rim and tire, insert new tubeless tire and save the semi cleaned used tubeless tire
love:
when you get a tiny hole and you see it self seal.
hate:
maintaining 10+ tubeless tires/wheels. it's pain constantly checking sealant level
when the sealant does not work, having to remove the tire on the side of the road and clean all that sealant out before installing a tube
swapping tubeless tires for another tire at home. it's such a pain to try and remove all the sealant off the rim and tire, insert new tubeless tire and save the semi cleaned used tubeless tire
Why even remove the sealant before installing a tube? You'd only need to install a tube if you had no sealant. If you had spare darts & extra sealant you wouldn't even need a tube.
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I shouldn't have to "make myself more visible;" Drivers should just stop running people over.
Car dependency is a tax.
#32
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What frustrates you the most when it comes to maintaining your bike?
When my valet cleans my bike but misses a spot under the bottom bracket.
When my valet cleans my bike but misses a spot under the bottom bracket.
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#33
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Bike #1
When my centre pull brakes won't stay centred.
Bike#2
When my rear deraillieurs won't reach the limits of the limit screws and the chain keeps falling off anyways.
When my centre pull brakes won't stay centred.
Bike#2
When my rear deraillieurs won't reach the limits of the limit screws and the chain keeps falling off anyways.
#35
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Wrapping my road bike handlebars always causes me anxiety. I’m a perfectionist and cannot stand it when the overlap pattern is not consistent, or when there is a loose or crooked spot anywhere. I understand the concepts involved, and I am capable of getting it right when I take my time. Still, I hate doing this task.
#36
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It's not impossible but that's a lot of hours on the bike.
However the GP5000 should last longer than the above estimate. The GP series is pretty hard wearing.
#37
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My ability to displace things while working on bikes, and making a disorganized mess in my work areas. I really try to stay organized, but it just gets away from me, I don't even realize I am doing it, until I cannot find something, or, I stop, then see the total mess I have created. I get better at it for a while, then fall right back into the same behavior. It seems to be getting worse as I approach being a septuagenarian.
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#38
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https://www.amazon.com/Piece-Assorte.../dp/B018B7D05K
#39
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The darned tires need inflating periodically.
#41
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hate/love relationship with tubeless tires.
hate:
maintaining 10+ tubeless tires/wheels. it's pain constantly checking sealant level
when the sealant does not work, having to remove the tire on the side of the road and clean all that sealant out before installing a tube
swapping tubeless tires for another tire at home. it's such a pain to try and remove all the sealant off the rim and tire, insert new tubeless tire and save the semi cleaned used tubeless tire
hate:
maintaining 10+ tubeless tires/wheels. it's pain constantly checking sealant level
when the sealant does not work, having to remove the tire on the side of the road and clean all that sealant out before installing a tube
swapping tubeless tires for another tire at home. it's such a pain to try and remove all the sealant off the rim and tire, insert new tubeless tire and save the semi cleaned used tubeless tire
I have 14 tubeless tires. Haven't checked the sealant level yet this year. Actually I never check the level. Just spin the tire to make sure I hear some inside swooshing around.
Why do you need to clean the sealant out before installing a tube?
Removing the sealant off the tire and rim is optional, not mandatory.
#42
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Put it back together and it was wider than the dropouts by a little and didn't look right. Took it all apart again and matched up the cone, looked good, even took a micrometer to a few of the balls, .250". After futzing with it some more I dropped it at the LBS and he had it for a while and eventually told me to just ride it like it is and don't worry about it. Nope. I found an axle kit on flea bay so I got that and put it in, same result.
I let it sit and just rode my other bike. A friend of mine found a Bontrager wheel on the freeway and he gave it to me so I could ride that bike again. One day I took it apart and took a micrometer to all of the balls and found 5 of them were .015" oversize, or .265". WTAF? I took them back to the store and he just gave me some new ones. I don't know if he even believed me that they were an odd size. Anyway, it's fixed.
tl/dr I'm a dumbass and tried to make the wrong parts work.
#43
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Another frustration: finding a compatible replacement part for a bicycle that is more than 3 years old.
This week, it's finding chainring bolts of the right length to accommodate a compatible chainring, because the crankset manufacturer (*cough* FSA) no longer makes matching chainrings.
This week, it's finding chainring bolts of the right length to accommodate a compatible chainring, because the crankset manufacturer (*cough* FSA) no longer makes matching chainrings.
#44
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When I've done semi-loaded touring I wear out a rear tire in 1000 miles. I first noticed this when the cords were showing and the shape of the tire was distorted from cords breaking. This was with a total weight of about 275-280 pounds.
When I've used softer compound tires for club rides I get around 1000 miles or sometimes less on the rear. Rubino Pros, maybe 2000 miles? Maybe less.
I now have GP5000 tires on there, So far, so good.
When I've used softer compound tires for club rides I get around 1000 miles or sometimes less on the rear. Rubino Pros, maybe 2000 miles? Maybe less.
I now have GP5000 tires on there, So far, so good.
#45
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Another frustration: finding a compatible replacement part for a bicycle that is more than 3 years old.
This week, it's finding chainring bolts of the right length to accommodate a compatible chainring, because the crankset manufacturer (*cough* FSA) no longer makes matching chainrings.
This week, it's finding chainring bolts of the right length to accommodate a compatible chainring, because the crankset manufacturer (*cough* FSA) no longer makes matching chainrings.
#46
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When I've done semi-loaded touring I wear out a rear tire in 1000 miles. I first noticed this when the cords were showing and the shape of the tire was distorted from cords breaking. This was with a total weight of about 275-280 pounds.
When I've used softer compound tires for club rides I get around 1000 miles or sometimes less on the rear. Rubino Pros, maybe 2000 miles? Maybe less.
I now have GP5000 tires on there, So far, so good.
When I've used softer compound tires for club rides I get around 1000 miles or sometimes less on the rear. Rubino Pros, maybe 2000 miles? Maybe less.
I now have GP5000 tires on there, So far, so good.
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#47
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SRAM Force/Rival/Apex 50T 10-Speed 110mm Black Chainring
#48
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A bolt fell out of my Campagnolo crankset and I went into a shop and the guy gave me one he had in his toolbox. Lucky.
#49
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https://www.performancebike.com/fsa-...RoCQWgQAvD_BwE
https://www.performancebike.com/fsa-...BoCdS8QAvD_BwE
https://www.jensonusa.com/FSA-Torx-A...RoC_fEQAvD_BwE
#50
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