Which bit of a bike excites you the most and which the least
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Corduroyboy
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Re: Which bit of a bike excites you the most and which the l
Wheels least exciting? You Kerrazy! What could beat lacing NOS rims to fancy hubs using new nipples?
orange71":1sfb8mpc said:
Wheels least exciting? You Kerrazy! What could beat lacing NOS rims to fancy hubs using new nipples?
Back wheels I quite like - there's more mechanically going on. Front ones are the poor relation I'm afraid.
Iwasgoodonce
Old School Grand Master
There seems to be no love for bottom brackets. Being very dull allow me a small defence.
Back in 1993 I replaced my old cup and cone effort for one of those new fangled sealed XT units. I fitted it in about one minute and its still there now. Not very exciting I'm sure you'll agree.
Fast forward a decade and a half and I'm building a bike from scratch for the first time in ages. Stew-B sold me a very nice XT cup and cone BB which I unwrapped without any strong feelings.
And then, there it was. A relic from the past. Something that hasn't changed since the dawn of pedal cycles. I prefer loose bearings to caged ones so bought some from my local factors. All those parts rolling around. The inner workings exposed for my pleasure. Now to get the little monkies into place without them disappearing into the frame for ever.
A thin smear of grease on the cup that sticks them in place. I used thin plastic tweezers to place them with almost surgical precision whilst keeping grit and dirt out. Next, I loaded a 10cc syringe (donated by a puzzled vet) with my favourite grease, and gently covered the shiney bearings in a snug duvet of loveliness. Carefully now, screw the cup into the drive side and tighten with my recently rediscovered Campagnolo BB tools.
The axle goes in smoothly so as not to dislodge anything and then repeat the procedure for the non-drive side. Two shiney Campagnolo tools are needed now to hold the cup in the lovingly hand adjusted correct position whilst the locking ring is tweaked tight with another piece of Italian metal work.
Now, smugly wipe your hands clean and its done. Every turn of the pedals will be a little more personal and I will be able to repeat it all in six months time!
I'm off to lie down in a darkened room and take my medication.
Back in 1993 I replaced my old cup and cone effort for one of those new fangled sealed XT units. I fitted it in about one minute and its still there now. Not very exciting I'm sure you'll agree.
Fast forward a decade and a half and I'm building a bike from scratch for the first time in ages. Stew-B sold me a very nice XT cup and cone BB which I unwrapped without any strong feelings.
And then, there it was. A relic from the past. Something that hasn't changed since the dawn of pedal cycles. I prefer loose bearings to caged ones so bought some from my local factors. All those parts rolling around. The inner workings exposed for my pleasure. Now to get the little monkies into place without them disappearing into the frame for ever.
A thin smear of grease on the cup that sticks them in place. I used thin plastic tweezers to place them with almost surgical precision whilst keeping grit and dirt out. Next, I loaded a 10cc syringe (donated by a puzzled vet) with my favourite grease, and gently covered the shiney bearings in a snug duvet of loveliness. Carefully now, screw the cup into the drive side and tighten with my recently rediscovered Campagnolo BB tools.
The axle goes in smoothly so as not to dislodge anything and then repeat the procedure for the non-drive side. Two shiney Campagnolo tools are needed now to hold the cup in the lovingly hand adjusted correct position whilst the locking ring is tweaked tight with another piece of Italian metal work.
Now, smugly wipe your hands clean and its done. Every turn of the pedals will be a little more personal and I will be able to repeat it all in six months time!
I'm off to lie down in a darkened room and take my medication.
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