Learning curve. Doing stuff on our own bikes.......

recumpence

recumpence

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Hey Guys,

I know I am a bad person to be starting this thread because I have a machineshop and can make pretty much anything (mechanical) I want. However, I am not 100% familiar with every aspect of bicycles and/or electronics. So, I have been bugging certain people with tons of questions (thanks Miles, John, AJ :wink: ). Anyway, I am beginning to venture out into doing more and more of my own work. I already do nearly everything myself. However, for my new build, I found myself stressing over building my wheels because I found the hubs at one vendor, and my rims at another. Actually, one rim from one vendor, one rim form another, and the hubs and spokes at yet another vendor. So, I am stuck getting my wheels built up somewhere. It has been 25 years since I built a wheel and even then I already had the correct spokes on-hand for it. I was bugging John about this and finally I just decided to spend last evening on-line researching wheel building and I am up to speed (thanks youtube :D ). I also found an on-line spoke calculator for my spoke length and learned how to use it!

Anyway, long story short, how many of you guys have gotten the bug to do more and more work on your bikes with your own two hands? I know some things are kind of specialized and must be done by a pro. But, there are alot of things we could each do on our own bikes.

Thoughts?

Matt
 
recumpence said:
Anyway, long story short, how many of you guys have gotten the bug to do more and more work on your bikes with your own two hands? I know some things are kind of specialized and must be done by a pro. But, there are alot of things we could each do on our own bikes.
Click to expand...

sheldonbrown.com, parktools.com and even youtube are great for looking up how to install, adjust, or repair things on a bike. You can also pick up great second hand books on bicycle repair and care. Even if the book is 5-10 years old it's still 90% relevant to modern bikes.

I can install/re-install everything except headsets (a proper headset press is expensive). If a problem comes up, like a bottom bracket shell on a frame needs facing, then I've got to go to a bike shop. I built my bafang front hub wheel but let the bike shop do the final truing and de-stressing. Mantaince and adjustments are easily done at home once you understand how the component works and what it's limits are.

I have a bike repair stand which I consider a mandatory tool as well as an inexpensive truing stand for wheels. A torque wrench is also an invaluable tool for not destroying expensive bikes. I can't see any reason why regular riders would not want to become confident home mechanics.
 
I am sure that you can do a headset too, Voicecoils, Even if you don't have a loooong screw...
bike_headsetpress.jpg
 
When I was 12 I got a big thick book about bicycle maintenance. It served me well as I never had to use the services of a bicycle mechanic. Ever since then I have bought the factory service manual for every vehicle I have owned, partially because they weren't under warranty. Even if I don't have the time or tools to fix something myself, I at least know what's getting fixed.

I'd encourage anyone with the time and inclination to arm themselves with the requisite technical reference and tools to wrench on their ride. There's a lot of satisfaction to be had in the ability to keep things tuned correctly. Then there's always the situation where someone is better off spending their time making money at their job and leaving the wrenching to their LBS.
 
With all the online resources these days, books are about obsolete, but if you like to do the book thing:

http://www.amazon.com/Bicycle-Wheel-3rd-Jobst-Brandt/dp/0960723668

Picked this up after the suggestion from someone on the Yahoo groups, great reading, well written and goes over all the aspects of wheel building.

I love doing my own stuff.. 8)
 
recumpence said:
Hey Guys,

I know I am a bad person to be starting this thread because I have a machineshop and can make pretty much anything (mechanical) I want. However, I am not 100% familiar with every aspect of bicycles and/or electronics. So, I have been bugging certain people with tons of questions (thanks Miles, John, AJ :wink: ). Anyway, I am beginning to venture out into doing more and more of my own work. I already do nearly everything myself. However, for my new build, I found myself stressing over building my wheels because I found the hubs at one vendor, and my rims at another. Actually, one rim from one vendor, one rim form another, and the hubs and spokes at yet another vendor. So, I am stuck getting my wheels built up somewhere. It has been 25 years since I built a wheel and even then I already had the correct spokes on-hand for it. I was bugging John about this and finally I just decided to spend last evening on-line researching wheel building and I am up to speed (thanks youtube :D ). I also found an on-line spoke calculator for my spoke length and learned how to use it!

Anyway, long story short, how many of you guys have gotten the bug to do more and more work on your bikes with your own two hands? I know some things are kind of specialized and must be done by a pro. But, there are alot of things we could each do on our own bikes.

Thoughts?

Matt
Click to expand...

Video series: Bicycle Wheel Building
http://www.ehow.com/video_2363029_tools-building-bicycle-wheel.html
Watch all 12 videos.
 
A bike is probably the best way to become confident with tools if you have little or no experience. Most parts are simple and inexpensive. Start on a cheap bike and work your way up. All you need is a basic set of combination wrenches (all metric, handy), a couple of screwdrivers, a set of allen keys (metric again), a socket set if you want (get deep well sockets), and you are away. As you get more confident, the LBS always sells the specialty wrenches and tools once you get to removing cranks, adjusting bottom brackets and hubs. Most of which are not very expensive. The best part is bikes are simple, there are only a few moving parts. Jump in and push your limits, you'll wonder why you ever paid the LBS for a basic tune up. I've worked at several bike shops as a mechanic and I am always amazed at how a bike confuses people, even the high school kids that work on the sales floor. Get your hands dirty.
 
HAL9000v2.0 said:
I am sure that you can do a headset too, Voicecoils, Even if you don't have a loooong screw...
bike_headsetpress.jpg
Click to expand...


Yeah, I do headsets in my Vice. Two blocks of wood and away you go.

Building and truing wheels isn't rocket science either, despite rumors to the contrary. Just takes patience.
 
Some headsets press in quite easily, some are tighter and can cause trouble. DIY options should work most of the time but just a caution, an incorrect headset installation can turn your frame into an expensive paperweight.

It's not an expensive job to get a bike shop to do and they should use the proper tool:
hhp2.jpg
 
haha Mark_A_W thats an awesome 'ghetto' setup for pressing in headsets nice job ;)

The internet does make finding guides a hell of alot easier thats for sure, with plethora of forums on anything and everything and people so willing to film and upload their experiences to youtube it almost takes the challenge out of DIY doesnt it hehehe...

Still wish i had your machine shop in my basement (if i had a basement) though recupence LoL baaastard hehehe :p Good to hear your building your own wheels up too mate. not that difficult is it, I bet you have fabbed up some exotic looking truing stand to, at least more elaborate than my upside down MTB forks held ina vice with a couple of nuts and bolts with a point ground on the end with an angle grinder tacked either side hehehe... prolly something milled out of solid alloy billet with turned guides on a base with sealed bearings hehehe...

Kim

Apprentice Gangsta 8)
 
I worked at a bike shop for several years as a teenager. So I have experience with everything that existed in that era... but a lot has changed since the 1980's so there are still parts here and there that I have not dealt with.

My first wheel build was in about 1976. :)
 
AussieJester said:
haha Mark_A_W thats an awesome 'ghetto' setup for pressing in headsets nice job ;)

Kim

Apprentice Gangsta 8)
Click to expand...


That's not mine, it's HAL9000's. I use a vice.
 
I like finding out how to do things on my own. I remodelled my house 2 years ago. I did a bunch of on-line research and ended up designing the entire kitchen myself, laying the slate tile, doing all cabinet mounting, all flooring throughout the house, wiring, plumbing, and I even had to enlist the CNC to make a faucet shim. I also designed and welded a moving LCD TV mount to swing the TV 4 feet to one side for better viewing. :D

At any rate, I am really having fun with this latest build. I am using a BMX frame, trials forks, trials hubs, a unicycle rear rim, a SUN front rim (normally a rear rim installed on the front), large guage black spokes, Hope 4 piston brakes with my own billet rear caliper mount, FW cranks, unique half link chain, etc, etc, etc.

I love the research and learning curve as much as the build itself.

Matt
 
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