(electronic whirring)
- All right, welcome back then to another episode
of the GCN Tech Clinic, where we try and solve
your bike-related problems.
So if you've got a tech issue which has been plaguing you
and you just cannot fix it,
leave it down there in the comment section below
and I'll do my very best to try
and solve it in an upcoming episode.
Let's crack on, first question this week
comes in from Alexander Wendebo who says: Hi Jon,
I have a touring frame, with V-brakes or cantilever mounts,
and an 8-speed Claris Groupset.
Will the brakes/shifters work
with V-brakes or canties?
Have a gravel build in mind.
Right, Alexander, either type will work
with those STI levers you've got on there.
The canties, they will work most likely straight away
and don't need any modifications
or playing around with whatsoever,
because the pull of the cable works fine with that.
If you're going to go ahead and put some V-brakes on there,
because the way that linear-pull brakes work,
you're road bike brake levers won't be able
to pull quite enough cable for the V-brakes
to work efficiently, or effectively.
So, what I suggest here is to get something
called a travel agent.
I believe they're made by a company called Problem Solvers,
believe it or not.
They make all sorts of little wizardry and gadgets
to try and fix problems that we tend to find,
as we try and cross-compatibility issues with things.
So, anyway, this is a little wheel,
which routes the cable around it, so when you pull on it,
that wheel pulls more cable than intended.
It's a great little bit of gear
and loads of people do use them.
So, that's what I suggest,
if you want to put the V-brakes on there.
Okay, next question comes in from Juan Antonio Monzon,
who says Hi John!
I recently bought an old Peugeot Frame.
I need a bottom bracket,
but I don't know which kind it has on there.
I bought a standard BSA,
and just one side of the caps screws correctly in,
but the other side, doesn't at all.
Could you tell me what kind of bottom bracket I need?
I also want to build this bike with just one chainring
and 6 or 7 speed block on the back,
so that the shifting from the down tube is easier.
Which ratios would I recommend?
I was thinking to get inspired by cyclocross
and use a 48 in the front and 11-26 in the back,
as I won't be hitting any hard climbs with this bike.
I'd be really happy if you could just help out with this.
Thanks in advance!
Okay, let's talk about the ratios one first.
Whatever you can get really
with a six or seven speed freewheel.
Because, you're not necessarily going to
have that many options out there.
Providing, of course, you're not going to tackle any hills,
you should be all right.
But, when it comes to your bottom bracket question,
here we go.
Okay, BSA threats, when it comes to bottom brackets.
If you look at the bike's side arm from each side,
when I am talking about this.
Left-hand side, it tightens in a clockwise direction for BSA
or British thread, English thread,
whatever you want to call it.
On the right-hand side, anti-clockwise or counterclockwise.
Then, for an Italian-threaded frame,
both sides tighten clockwise,
if you are looking from the side.
Of course, a French frame with Italian threads,
probably fairly unlikely I got to say,
more likely to have a French-threaded bottom bracket,
which tightens in the same way as an Italian one,
but the thread pitch is different again, quite rare.
If in doubt, I'd pop along to a local bike shop,
which should have a tool which could easily identify
exactly what it is you've got on there.
But, I'd say it is unlikely to be Italian.
More likely, BSA or French.
Your French-threaded ones,
it's not going to be that easy to find,
eBay will be your friend.
Right now, we've got a question here from quincemothman,
who says Hi Jon,
I'm a bit concerned with how deep into a bike frame
you can fit the seat post.
Being of short height I ride a Wilier
that is extra small in its frame size.
This is my correct frame size
and the saddle height looks fine.
However, I still have to fit the seat post a little deeper
than the marker printed on it.
Should I have it shortened or not worry?
No one seems to talk about this, only the minimum amount.
Right, nice question.
Now, unless you're having to really ram that seat post in
for it to go down low enough,
there really is nothing to worry about.
Of course, there is an exception here.
So, if you had an aero-shaped seat tube,
so it's like a standard profile
and then maybe there's a cutout in one way or another.
If you had to put that seat post in too far,
could well pop out the actual frame tube, the seat tube.
So that is something to be aware of.
Like you say, no one really talks about
how much seat post can go inside of your frames.
It's always about how much you must have in it.
But that, sort of, maximum insertion depth.
I guess you could just cut the seat post down
a very small amount, just to allow it to go down,
and satisfy it really, so it just covers up
that bit of detailing on the seat post.
Without seeing it,
is really really difficult to actually help there.
What I suggest doing in this case,
because of obviously you don't want to
go invalidating a warranty of either component,
is take photos of the actual parts.
Send it off to the relevant manufacturers, so Wilier.
You haven't said who the seat post is made by.
Just send it off and explain the whole situation
and show, actually, you can hold the seat post
next to the frame and show how much seat post
is inside of it, by removing it of course,
and then they can advise you either way on what to do in it.
But, I can't really help any further on that one.
Next up, we've got Andrew Bruce who says,
Hi Jon, I've picked up an old Gitane Tandem
for very little money
which I intend to refurbish and restore, however,
I don't know whether it would make more sense
to upgrade the components to more modern ones
to cope with the demands of modern roads,
or stick with the old tech of the '80s
and stay faithful to the era,
or a combination of both old and new,
i.e. old cranks with modern mechs, shifters, and brakes.
What do you think would be more desirable
by the wider audience?
Right, okay, Andrew,
you've got to go with what you want to go.
Don't listen to all the other people around you.
But, ultimately,
my experience with tandems is relatively limited.
And I know there are a few compatibility things
to work out there, too.
Maybe you've got HUB brakes on there,
so they're different of course to disc brakes or rim brakes.
Things like that have to be considered.
But, ultimately, the newer components are going to
really work better.
Because let's face it, technology has moved on quite a bit.
You've said it's come from the '80s,
so just be aware of that.
You know '80s tech was good,
but well modern tech is even better, I reckon.
So, I'd go ahead with that,
but where compatibility limits it, well,
you're going to be limited there, aren't you, really?
Send in a picture of it,
because I'm loving the idea of a retro tandem build.
Right, next up is Nilo Neumann, who says,
Is it a bad idea to store a non-steel road bike
in the bathroom?
Would the moisture do any damage to the bike?
Right, funny you say this.
A couple of mates of mine,
who used to rent a house together,
they used to actually have a bike on a turbo trainer,
set up in their bathroom.
What their thought process was, I do not know.
Well, it's on the screen right now.
Really odd memories, of going around to their house ever.
But, I would say,
it probably would have a slight adverse effect
on any metal components on your bike.
Because, you've said there, it's a non-steel road bike.
But generally,
moisture tends to be attracted to the coldest things.
So on your bike, it's going to be your drivetrain,
possibly your levers, your bottle cages.
I don't know, whatever is on it, which is going to be cold.
Because, if you think, really, inside of a cold house,
moisture always seems to form on windows,
bits of steel in the bathroom, things like that.
So, I wouldn't have it laying around in your bathroom.
That's just one word of advice.
Right, next up is Vincent Noppe, who says,
Hi Mr. Cannings, I have got two questions.
Right, we'll tackle them in turn then, I think.
I want to clean and re-grease my headset,
but my fork is stuck and I can't get it out of my bike.
I can wiggle it after removing everything,
as in your How to video, but it won't come loose.
What to do?
Hammer it out?
Right okay, good question as well.
You are going to use a little bit of force here.
So, you haven't said if it's got a carbon steerer,
or anything, but, remove as much of the headset,
the actual stem and everything like that, as possible.
Get yourself a decent bit of wood, quite sturdy,
and put that on top of the steerer tube.
And with, you know, not a big hammer.
Don't go using an ax or a sledgehammer,
or anything like that.
But, use what I like to call a toffee hammer,
or just like a midway hammer.
Give it a few taps on that bit of wood.
That should free it up, and then the fork should come out.
Of course, here you want to make sure,
that if it does do that, if it does eventually come out.
If the headset bearings are shot in the lower part
of the headset cup, that they then fly out everywhere.
Because you may well need to know exactly the size of them,
and everything, for the replacements to go in there.
So just be cautious of that.
Maybe put down a big sheet, so that anything that falls down
can easily be found and not going to roll away,
and get lost anywhere.
Anyway, second question,
I recently got myself a new shiny gold chain.
Well done.
After I put it on
and fine tuned the gearing on the 105 5800 groupset,
the shifting is perfectly smooth.
But not when the chain is on
one of the two smallest sprockets on the cassette.
Then it jumps up a little bit,
as if there is a bump on the cogs.
What do you think of this?
Right, firstly, let's make sure that the hanger
is nice and straight, so the gear hanger.
Cause, it could well just be playing havoc
with those last two sprockets.
Also, make sure that the inner cable
is possibly not kinked or bent at all,
and that it's not getting caught up,
and it's not allowing the derailleur
just to move into that perfect position.
And I guess something as well to consider here,
you got no stiff links in the chain.
So, very smoothly around, so very slowly around backwards,
with your bike either on a workstand, or on the floor,
and just have a look.
Because, quite often, you can detect, a stiff link there.
If you've got one, hold the chain in your hands, like so,
and flex it back and forward, so laterally in its plane.
And, what else can I suggest to you with this one?
Sounds silly, make sure that the sprockets
are on in the correct orientation.
Because you can fit them in reverse,
because the splines will likely line up.
Well, it could possibly do, anyway.
And the shifting ramps, they may not be working correctly.
So, try out those ones and let me know how you get on.
Right next up, we've got Laszlo Zsolt Hurda.
I hope I've said that one correct.
Hi Jon!
Indoor training season is on,
and I just ordered my first ever trainer,
a direct drive one.
Is there any preparation I should do
that stress and sweat won't damage my pride and joy?
You don't want to damage that.
Also, should I use the trainer with a brand new cassette
or with the one that's currently on the rear wheel?
Your professional tips and thoughts are highly appreciated.
Right okay, I'd get a new cassette
for the direct-drive trainer.
Reason being, you don't have to worry about
swapping it backwards and forwards,
and also, it's going to last you a pretty long time.
Because remember, it's not going to get dirty.
Is it on an indoor trainer?
So, go ahead and do that one.
As for stress, I've never seen a bike break, personally,
you know firsthand through stress on a direct-drive trainer,
or anything, I know people out there have said
they've seen it,
but while I've never seen one in all my years.
As for sweat, yeah, be really, really cautious about this.
Because, once sweat gets in there,
and it starts to work away on your components,
it could well be bad news.
So, after using it,
your direct-drive trainer and your frame, get a fresh towel,
not the one you've been mopping up your face,
and get rid of all that sweat.
Because, that's going to be covered in sweat.
And if you wipe the bike down with it,
all you're doing is just transferring it back onto the bike.
So, get a fresh towel or a bit of cloth,
something like that, and wipe it away.
And use something like WD-40, or Muc Off MO-94,
I think it's called.
Just spray bolt heads and things like that with it.
I always do that, just as a bit of prevention,
because it's amazing how that sweat can get down
and start corroding away, at your headset for instance.
And you don't know even realize it's happening.
Right then, the next one comes in from,
possibly one of the weirdest usernames ever,
mybrotherisnotapig has said,
Jon keep up the good work!
Large dilemma here, I have a Shimano Tiagra groupset
and I've replaced plenty of Hollowtech II bottom brackets
during owning the bike.
But my last bottom bracket, I made a blunder
and I forgot to add grease on the threads,
and now my left-hand bb is seized shut!
Same thing happened a year ago
and my local bike shop managed to hacksaw
the bottom bracket cup from the frame.
The removal tool they used was like the Park Tool BBT-9,
which is very thin and the teeth ate through it.
Right okay, this one, a bit of dilemma here.
Always let that be a lesson.
Grease those threads, but it's too late.
It's interesting, you've done this twice, as well.
So, something you could do is lean that frame,
or lay it down, so it's on the left-hand side.
Before you do it though, get yourself some gaffer tape,
or some very-strong tape, and cover up the hole
the crank or the axle would normally push through
on that left-hand bottom bracket cup.
So, cover that up.
Sounds daft, maybe you could try this one,
right, first of all.
Pour some Coca-Cola in there.
What's going to happen there is,
it could well break down the seizure
that you've had inside that bottom bracket shell.
Cause Coca-Cola has a tendency just
to work its way through anything.
Of course, if you do that,
you want to make sure after you've done all that,
that you wash the bike really, really carefully,
inside as well.
So you're going have to hose it all down.
So it's a bit of a daft thing to do, but it could well help.
But, like you say, using a spinner like that
is all well and good, but in your case,
it sounds like it is really stuck in there.
So what you want is one that you can attach to a socket,
or even inside of a vice.
Quickly, just going to pick one up,
actually from the work station behind me.
So, this one here is deeper,
so it's going to go all the way over that bottom bracket.
So, go ahead, shut that into a vise.
You can get them as well with a square, external square,
rather than the internal like this.
But, either way, you can probably fit a 3/8, you know,
bit in there and put it inside your vice.
Cause, that's what you're going to need, a vice.
So you're going to pull it, so that the vice like so.
Then, you're going to lay the frame down on it.
And while it's in the actual socket there,
you're going to use the frame like its a giant lever,
all right, so then you're going to just turn it like that,
best impressions now and it should free it up.
Failing that, you could, again use something like this.
Cause it's not going to slip off the bottom bracket.
This is what's so important.
Get it through.
You want it to be locked in place, almost.
So, maybe you have to have a friend who's just helping you,
because you have a tendency, you know, to slip a little bit.
That sort of thing.
Get yourself a ratchet on there,
and make you're going in the right direction.
That's the most important thing,
when you're doing anything like this,
that you're going in the right direction.
Then, with your ratchet bar, even put an extension on it.
I've done some ridiculous looking things before to try
and free up stuck parts, and it's nearly always worked.
But, you're going to use some penetrating fluid,
something like that first of all.
And allow it to soak in there before you tackle it.
That way, it's just going to try
and help free up that nightmare that you've created,
if you're not using grease.
Now, you get on mate.
Right, the final question this week
comes in from Andrew Ferguson.
Jon, question for you.
Layback seat posts look better than a straight one.
Right, this is all subjective, but I know what you mean.
Is there a benefit to it, or is it purely aesthetics?
Yeah well, a laid-back one,
you get a slightly laid-back position.
So, those straight ones really, they're designed for people
who possibly have a shorter upper body,
so they want to get a little bit further forward.
You know, because their natural proportions
don't allow them to do it.
But yeah really,
it's about finding the right position on your bike.
You can get, you know, 40 mm layback,
if you really look around.
But most tend to be like 25,
or inline is becoming increasingly popular,
as people trying to just creep forward a little bit
in their positions.
But, ultimately, it's all about finding the right position.
And, some people, I guess, would say it's all about looks,
but don't let that influence your decision.
Right, I hope that I've been able to help try
and solve your bike problem.
Like I said at the start, if you've got one,
leave it down there in the comments section below.
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