General Bike Thread (Desiderata, Questions, Pics)

[smittycl]

Yikes. I just squirt wet bike chain oil on chain and cassette and spin it a few times. Ugh. Hoping Domane doesn’t require too much TLC.

 

[venessian]

What do you all use for chain lube? There’s dry and wet, ceramic, Crisco, KY…

the choices are endless

I used to use White Lightning or IceWax, both very good.

This stuff is really great, the most effective I have used:
NFS NixFrixShun Ultimate chain lube.

 

[patrick_b]

sweet thanks! I’ve just been using a toothbrush and dish soap to tackle grease on the freewheel, chain, cranks and needed lube

There are dozens of degreasers that work well but I've always used the gallon jug of Simple Green. Lasts me a couple of seasons.

I'm very tempted to dry the paraffin wax method one of these days but for best results I should start with a new chain. When I wear mine out I may give it a shot.

 

[patrick_b]

Yikes. I just squirt wet bike chain oil on chain and cassette and spin it a few times. Ugh. Hoping Domane doesn’t require too much TLC.

The only thing I'd add to that routine is after you spin it a few times, let it sit for a few minutes and then hold the chain in a rag/paper towels and spin it a few more times to wipe off the excess. All the lube on the outside of the chain isn't necessary, it just attracts dirt. As long as the inside of the chain is lubed you are ?.

 

[sugarbutch]

Need to troubleshoot the new rear tire because it was completely flat after sitting for a couple days. Hoping that riding on it and distributing the sealant will take care of it. Used soapy water at the valve to check for leaks and it looked good. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[otc]

I've done the paraffin a lot. I have a little potpourri crock pot from a thrift store with a block of paraffin in it. Big enough to fit a chain in 2 stacked coils (like how they come in a package).

Take the chain off, shake it around in a jar filled with simple green a few times and then drop on top of the wax and plug it in... Fish it out when fully liquified, let drip, and then once I is sorta cool, run it back and forth over something to bend all of the links.

Always felt it worked pretty well, lasted a while and didn't pink up dirt... But... Lately I've just been squirting on a bunch of Rock and Roll Gold and wiping off excess. Much easier to do quickly when the chain looks like it needs is even if each application doesn't last as long.

 

[Fueco]

As a friend put it, “With carbon it’s not a matter of IF but WHEN it will crack, fail and/or explode.”

 

[Fueco]

How do you fill your bottles?

 

[sugarbutch]

I rode the bike maintenance struggle bus yesterday. Installed new GRX rear derailleur and new cables (which necessitated new bar tape). Took forever as I made all the rookie mistakes.

There was daylight when I started.

Also patched the rear tire that got pinch flatted and bent the ding in the rim back into shape, but air is leaking there. And the rear tire on the road bike still isn’t holding air. Not loving tubeless this week…

 

[patrick_b]

Looks great! Rear derailleur & cables isn't a quick job unless you've done it a lot. Well done ?.

I still butcher bar tape. I've learned to only buy the kind that you can unwrap a few times. The ones with super adhesive strong aren't for me. I need several tries to get it right.

 

[Piobaire]

Biden gifted BoJo a one off custom made in Philly.

 

[Fueco]

Biden gifted BoJo a one off custom made in Philly.

Solid choice. Bilenky was on A Craftman’s Legacy a while back.

 

[sugarbutch]

Deflating rear tire mystery solved:

Air is leaking through the sidewalls all the way around. Not a ringing endorsement of Specialized’s quality control…

 

[sugarbutch]

Also, a question: I used one of the conventional chain sizing methods (wrapped around big chainring and big cog, bypassing the derailleur) and it’s actually a link or so short by that measure, but in the small chainring and either of the two smallest cogs, the chain has zero tension and sags. 50-34 up front, 11-42 in the back.

Thoughts?

 

[flipstah]

How do you fill your bottles?

View attachment 1623018

That’s a bull