Tips n Trix

[SwissGuy]

I cried a little bit when he used an angle grinder to remove the badge. ;(

Yeah, me too... Especially as it was a really nice one!

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Here’s an interesting snag I’ve never run into before. .

"The pedal threads of the crank were so corroded that I couldn’t install the new pedals. The old POS pedals came off ok. But the new left one fought me all the way on, and I couldn’t get the right one started at all. So I took the bike to my LBS to have them tapped. The left side cleaned up fine and the pedal went on smooth. But he couldn’t even start the right one. So I attacked it from the inside. He got 3/4 of the way through and it felt like he hit a wall. You can see where the clean threads end at the corroded threads"

"So I came up with the idea of giving it an evaporust soak. So I brought it home to soak it"

I keep two sets of old spindles from discarded pedals to use as thread chasers.

"When pedals don't fit the 'right' way, nail them from the opposite direction. Have not ruined the tools or the crank arms yet."

Great work, guys.

 

[Ulu]

It would be nice to have a left-hand tap for that. I’ll bet they are widely available. I have lots of taps and dies, but I don’t have a single left hand tap or left hand drill bit.

 

[RustySprockets]

It would be nice to have a left-hand tap for that.

Precisely why I kept the pedal guts. The non-drive side is left cut...and the pair was free!

 

[RustySprockets]

Whipped up this handy little gadget because I don't like workbench clean-up. Nothing more than a yogurt container, broken spoke, a strong magnet from a dead hard drive, and a dab of JB Weld.

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

It would be nice to have a left-hand tap for that. I’ll bet they are widely available. I have lots of taps and dies, but I don’t have a single left hand tap or left hand drill bit.

I have a Park Tools set from the 80s when I modded a set of Ofmega cranks from 172.5 to 145mm length for roller racing.

 

[93EXCivic]

Saw this how to on making a bike rack out of an old skateboard.

https://bikepacking.com/gear/skateboard-front-rack/

 

[Captain Awesome]

Saw this how to on making a bike rack out of an old skateboard.

https://bikepacking.com/gear/skateboard-front-rack/

 

[SwissGuy]

Laura always rocks! She's a RatRodder without knowing it!

 

[Captain Awesome]

Laura always rocks! She's a RatRodder without knowing it!

100%

 

[us56456712]

A Wald 13/16 inch replacement 15 1/2 inch long seat post. These suckers are light and bend. I believe it’s 3/8 inch galvanized plumbing pipe I use to reinforce it. Cut off threads on one end, remove burs, slather the galvanized pipe with JB Weld to act as a lubricant, place the seat post on a wood block and spend about 10 minutes hammering the galvanized pipe into the seat post. Cut off what you can’t hammer in. I got about 12 inches in. Alternately you can bench grind a little off the plumbing pipe.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

ingola sent me a link on leather saddles

https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/leather-saddles-the-definitive-guide/
"Helpful information" he calls it,
"More Brooks propaganda" I say.

 

[RustySprockets]

NEVER use compressionless housing on your brakes! Fortunately, this was on my grip shifter.

 

[Ulu]

Good tip!

That brake cable could easily have 10 or 20 pounds of pull on it, compared to just 10 ounces for the less stiff shifter cable.

 

[user 35233]

The laid back seat post might be the answer, a little more legroom but still can get up on the pedals. You'll have more reach to the handlebars but that might be a good thing.
On Karate Chicken Industries Orange bike, see how the BMX bars are situated forward? Plenty of room to stand and pedal. A laid back seat post might work well on that bike, if you can get one in 13/16ths.
The lowered center of gravity is good as long as you can shift your weight, as Matti stated. On a recumbent it's different, it has little flexibility when it comes to shifting your weight. I don't like how it feels like you're on the very edge of falling over on those bikes. No way can you ride with no hands on a recumbent. You can't turn to look behind you because it throws off your balance. I had a Bike E recumbent that had the seat a little higher but still wasn't a stable ride. The pedal forward design is similar to that, but not as pronounced. Good for leisure. The best riding bike is the classic over the pedals design. I think that's why the geometry hasn't changed that much for a hundred years.
View attachment 196159

Reading this conversation I feel like I must be doing something right since positioning on all my rides seem to provide the stated benefits and none of the problems. Having seen other builds here I'm wondering if at least some of the issues, (where bananas are concerned) aren't simply a matter of letting go of OEM sissybars with limited hole placement. I find it far easier to turn my head and look at traffic sitting upright than craned forward. Heck, most of the time I'm not even looking forward. I'm always the fastest out of the gate, as someone mentioned, and the unintended benefit from using your arms and back to accelerate is a ripped stomach. My stem is about level to my seat with 25" wide x 15" rise handlebars. My seats are always the longer 24" so theres plenty of room for me to sit up or lay back. Not having my head in the crumple zone of my vehicle is infinitely safer and allows me abrupt stops without throwing me over the front. My back, shoulders and neck no longer strain from hunching over. The angles allow that I never have to dismount at lights, with the ability to turn at 45 degrees I just hover like a fixie all day. This is of course particular to my cruiser/speed demons and the terrain it travels but I appreciate the originally intended bicycle seating angle so much that I'll never go back. I believe the racing position design that the industry got stuck in is not unlike the automobile industry's modern amorphous grey blobs. Without small producers theres no need to compete for design rather than make minimal adjustments, research & development wanes and discomfort became the norm by which we measure all else. But to my original suggestion.. couldn't some of these issues be more fluidly tended to by making better sissybars? I was lucky enough to score two custom sissys and they're my mainstay from build to build (when I inevitably crack each frame and why I'm looking for support).

 

[Kevin B]

Well put, a vertical riding position works best for me. I think you have articulated why that is preferred for some of us.

 

[user 35233]

Reading this conversation I feel like I must be doing something right since positioning on all my rides seem to provide the stated benefits and none of the problems. Having seen other builds here I'm wondering if at least some of the issues, (where bananas are concerned) aren't simply a matter of letting go of OEM sissybars with limited hole placement. I find it far easier to turn my head and look at traffic sitting upright than craned forward. Heck, most of the time I'm not even looking forward. I'm always the fastest out of the gate, as someone mentioned, and the unintended benefit from using your arms and back to accelerate is a ripped stomach. My stem is about level to my seat with 25" wide x 15" rise handlebars. My seats are always the longer 24". Not having my head in the crumple zone of my vehicle is infinitely safer and allows me abrupt stops without throwing me over the front. My back, shoulders and neck no longer strain from hunching over. The angles allow that I never have to dismount at lights, with the ability to turn at 45 degrees I just hover like a fixie all day. This is of course particular to my cruiser/speed demons and the terrain it travels but I appreciate the originally intended bicycle seating angle so much that I'll never go back. I believe the racing position design that the industry got stuck in is not unlike the automobile industry's modern amorphous grey blobs. Without small producers theres no need to compete, research wanes and discomfort became the norm by which we measure all else. But to my original suggestion.. couldn't some of these issues be more fluidly tended to by making better sissybars? I was lucky enough to score two custom sissys and they're my mainstay from build to build (when I inevitably crack each frame and why I'm looking for support).

I forgot to mention the enormous benefit of never fearing erectile disfunction!
Seems a no-brainer. Pun intended

 

[One-eyed Sailor]

A Wald 13/16 inch replacement 15 1/2 inch long seat post. These suckers are light and bend. I believe it’s 3/8 inch galvanized plumbing pipe I use to reinforce it.

This is gold. Thanks!

 

[Ulu]

To use pipe in a smaller diameter post, you can slit the pipe lengthwise.
It will go in like a big roll pin without getting stuck.
A grinder with cut-off wheel will do it, or even a hacksaw. Iron pipe is pretty soft.
This will be plenty strong, because the pipe will be in compression.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I recently made an upgrade of safety to my 2023 build off bike, The Hellion

"
I recently made an upgrade to my 2023 build off bike, The Hellion. I swapped out the Shimano 3 speed freewheel I built for a Sachs Torpedo 3 speed with the coaster brake... A problem arose when I wanted to mate the Shimano 333 3 speed shifter cable to the Sachs hub attachment. Not a universal size. So I decided to swap the threaded attachment to mate the two together. Another problem arose, and that was attaching the threaded housing to the cable. Originally, some brass tubing was crimped on the end. I tried to replicate this, but the force of shifting pulled the cable stop off. So I went to Solderseal connectors and this was the winning solution! I tried the two smallest sizes, and the 22-18 AWG worked well. You could step up another size for more of a solder build up. Once the solder had melted and cooled, the plastic sleeve slid right off. This also works well for cable fray, if you ever have to cut cable. The solder can be sanded down if needed. I used a heat gun to melt the connectors, but a lighter or cigar torch could work also. I used a spare piece of cable to try out this idea before attempting the fix on the Hellion. I will post an update once the job is done. Throw some of the solderseal connectors in your bike repair kit!"

Love that bike, Shrunken Head