Before you can really have the ultimate riding experience your machine must run at its optimum. When I started my cycling career in outback Australia aged 9, I really didn’t have the best equipment. In fact, far from it! The other thing I didn’t have was a local bike shop to help me fix my bike or indeed make it run at its best. I learnt how to fix bikes the hard way… through trial and error.
I went on to spend many years racing bikes on the track, road and off road with the ultimate point being representing my country. I was acquiring skills, knowledge and experience that would be the foundation of my career. I have raced at the highest level, ran workshops for prestigious manufacturers, commuted distances you wouldn’t believe. Along the way I learnt how a bike truly operates in relation to itself and the rider. I have a passion for building and fixing bikes I want to share with you.
It’s the little things you do to your bike that makes it feel and perform much better.
Hi there, can you advise? I’ve just replaced my cassette, chain and rear derailleur. All Shimano 11 speed 105. But mainly on the large chain ring and under pressure/incline, the chain jumps quite badly. I’ve been told the teeth maybe warn on the large ring.
I really like your videos. I have been a shop mechanic and now retired do all my own bike work. I am puzzled why you show a womens breast mannequin in the intro. Your excellent videos could be off-putting to some people because of this one item. Keep up the excellent repair/tuning videos . Thanks !
Hi. Thank you for this from a new subscriber that loves to tinker with his bikes. Your no nonsense approach is great. Greetings from the Netherlands 🇳🇱
There were moments while watching this when I saw equations floating in front of me and I could feel knots tightening inside my skull. However, by the end it all came together for me. I have to admit I've never thought as much about the B screw. Now I will. Thanks, Ashley!
Fantastic video. I have been mountain biking 30 years and I still learned something. I use my chain checker regularly but not in the largest sprocket on the cassette. It does put the chain under more tension and gives a more accurate reading just as you say. Thank you very much, that is how I will check the chain from now on.
Nice job here from BB, Ah Ha factors: 1) leading edge of cogs curved to (cassette/chainrings) sharp point, 2) Don't over oil the chain! and keep it clean of muck. Sometimes I get a skip of the chain "when standing on the pedals" during a power sprint, up a short incline. Also, I'll get the chain checker, Thanks from Fullerton, California
I have an old Giant chromoly frame with a mishmash of components. It will skip out of first to second under extreme load. I dont have all my bike tools at that location so I just live with it. Pretty sure it is just a bit of frame flex, as the wire is routed under the bottom bracket. It only happens at a 100 yard long extremely steep hill, which starts at the bottom of a river gorge, and of course starts with a turn just by the bridge. The way to get across, is to put the gear in first riding down the gorge, and let the brakes up when nearing the bottom for max speed, but not so much speed that you fall in the river. Then, spin as fast as possible with as light a touch on the pedals as possible, to get to the top, and after that take it easy for a minute to bring the pulse down from hummingbird to human levels. Any deviation from this method will mean walking that hill, or worse, go for a swim.
The guy knows his stuff but I find the music a bit of pain. Like trying to pay attention to the details of a divorce settlement while the Judge calls it out on the dance floor to an ear splitting baseline of WE ARE FA MI LY.
I’m probably the only one who switched the front disc from 180mm to 160mm on my xc mountain bike. All other tips worked so good in reducing the noise. Love your videos, thanks!
Haha moment: once in a while, rotate a bit your chain rings relative to the crank. No wait… that’s too much work. Note that on some casettes, cogs 1-2-3 maybe also 4 can be replaced: uses these as much as possible. Another note: I have over oiled one of my bikes with plenty of motor oil and it lasted forever. Never clean, always oil, excess and gunk falls off. The bike is now 50 years old, a Peugeot touring bike, on its original chain.
I once had three punctures in less than a mile. It was because of a thorn in the tire that I couldn't see or feel from the inside or the outside of the tire while it was off the rim. Somehow, after patching the tube, then mounting the tire and inflating, that thorn then punctured my tube again (twice). This was a kiawe (Kee-AHH-vay) thorn, in Hawaii. So much fun.
i use metallic pads on the back and they tend to get really noisy , i dont think the copper slip will help me much in my case as the vibration is so great it goes through my entire frame and only happens at low speed so i think in my case its just the pad material and cheap cup and cone hubs exacerbating the vibration all good tips , ill try filing on chamfers the next time i service my bike
I was taught to use coppaslip for motorbike mechanics. Thanks for that confirmation. Love my discs but not when it squeals like a banshee. I'd rim brakes fail in a flood so won't go back.
Crap advice - copper slip will just contaminate your pads. Shimano pads have this edge shape already. The main considerations are brake mounts being perpendicular, pistons moving freely and caliper centred properly (by eye and ear - not by braking and tightening).
This. Pads worn in when installed on an unfaced and poorly machined brake interface will be a bear to recentre too. The frame just needs to be prepped and faced once, then it's easy disc brake living for the rest of its lifetime.
Cartridge bearings has factory built in "adjustment". Much easier to work with. Industry standard bearings will always be avaiable rather than a propetary cone. Good luck finding an old XTR cone. Moreover if (for some reason) the cup surface has some damage the hub is junk. It's not about which one is better. It's about what is easeier to maintan. Both systems are good when rolling fresh. (Especially for an average mortal people.) Shimano recently started to make cartridge bearing hubs. (Most) People don't service their bikes unless it has some major issues. Most of the time it's too late for those cones.
if you put too much and they get REALLY hot , he put on a bit much in the video , can get good results from using less , and depending on the brake caliper design it may end up not really doing much as its really just there to act as a glue , at my engineering job we often use a dollop of grease to keep keys from sliding out of thier ways , like putting water bewteen 2 panes of glass will glue them together , same concept here
Excellent, I now know loads more about disc brakes. Just wish I knew how to stop my vintage Modolo front rim brake squeeling. It's the loudest I've ever heard and immune to all the adjustments I've tried so far.
