Bicycle Mechanics - Hacks that saved you from misery/money and you are proud of

Do you have any?

My recent one that works great and I'm very proud of is the replacement of an old brakes bolt with messed up threads with a regular bolt and two washers (one was bent to hold the metal spring).

http://i40.tinypic.com/2di1xc9.jpg

Interesting "fix" but be sure the nuts used to adjust the arm clearance are locked together firmly or the arm adjustment can change leaving you with brakes too tight or too loose to work properly. There is a reason real brake bolts are shoulder bolts.

I like to cut a slot in crown races for cartridge bearing headsets.

Haven't had an issue and can swap forks myself without having to create a kludge to get the race off the old fork and a kludge to get on the new one.

I like to cut a slot in crown races for cartridge bearing headsets.

Haven't had an issue and can swap forks myself without having to create a kludge to get the race off the old fork and a kludge to get on the new one.
FSA provides "split" crown races on some of their headsets, obviously only those with cartridge bearings. Easy on, easy off.

Interesting "fix" but be sure the nuts used to adjust the arm clearance are locked together firmly or the arm adjustment can change leaving you with brakes too tight or too loose to work properly. There is a reason real brake bolts are shoulder bolts.

To tell you the truth I don't know how much loose or tight should be the brake system screwed on the frame. Shall it feel a bit 'wobbly' or solid?

To tell you the truth I don't know how much loose or tight should be the brake system screwed on the frame. Shall it feel a bit 'wobbly' or solid?
It's a bit like bearing adjustment; no play but no binding. There shouldn't be any perceptable wobble but the arms must move freely. The problem with your fix isn't so much getting that adjustment as being sure it doesn't change in use.

It's a bit like bearing adjustment; no play but no binding. There shouldn't be any perceptable wobble but the arms must move freely. The problem with your fix isn't so much getting that adjustment as being sure it doesn't change in use.

Ok, I see what you mean. I've put two nuts on the other side of the bolt to make sure it wont get anywhere (I hope!).

manipulating cassette spacers to allow shimano/suntour component mixing
-shimano has hyperglide cogs, while suntour has the superiour barcons/dt shifters

Combine Deore 3-speed shifter with dual FD-2200 front derailleur (supposedly 50t max), 6 speed chain and 9 speed Shimano 105 53/39t chainrings.

Minoura back of the saddle, double water bottle cage holder ,
as a method of mounting a Carradice big saddle bag on non brooks ,
non leather so foul weather resistant, saddles.

Mounting a headlight on the folding stem of my Bike Friday Pocket Llama,
using the Nylon mount made to go on threaded 1" heads sets,
but instead jamming on the quill of a 9/8"
threaded headset type component , noting it tapered a bit wider at the top.

friction fit , so bumping the light taking off the bags only results
in the light moving aside, not bending anything..

piercing webbing with the mounting screws to pair up Ortlieb Panniers,
to act like a saddle bag rather than 2 independent bags.

mounting a B&M rack mount taillight, low behind the water bottle cage
of same Bike Friday,
(using zefal mudguard struts.)

It's wired to the Hub dynamo via the headlight, and head light and taillight low enough
to not be covered by my cycle rain cape ,
which has turned riding thru a wet winter
" reasonably comfortable " :thumb:

Do you have any?

My recent one that works great and I'm very proud of is the replacement of an old brakes bolt with messed up threads with a regular bolt and two washers (one was bent to hold the metal spring).

http://i40.tinypic.com/2di1xc9.jpg

You need a locknut on the front of the brake for safety! You shouldn't screw around with brakes. A new caliper can be had for very little $$. If that rig-job came apart, it's pretty much an instant crash......

You need a locknut on the front of the brake for safety! You shouldn't screw around with brakes. A new caliper can be had for very little $$. If that rig-job came apart, it's pretty much an instant crash......
I believe what you are looking at is the head of a bolt, not a nut. So you would not need a locknut on that end. I understand what the Op did, he used a bolt in place of the original brake mounting assembly.

I believe what you are looking at is the head of a bolt, not a nut. So you would not need a locknut on that end. I understand what the Op did, he used a bolt in place of the original brake mounting assembly.

OK. I can see that. I just don't get spending time on these kinds of hacks when most shops have boxes of old brake calipers for less than $10. It's not like this is a part that is no longer in production, so it requires a hack. I had to do a rig job on an old lawnmower because the muffler is NLA. That made sense- why pitch a completely fine lawn mower over a single part? But there are thousands of homeless calipers out there.....

OK. I can see that. I just don't get spending time on these kinds of hacks when most shops have boxes of old brake calipers for less than $10. It's not like this is a part that is no longer in production, so it requires a hack. I had to do a rig job on an old lawnmower because the muffler is NLA. That made sense- why pitch a completely fine lawn mower over a single part? But there are thousands of homeless calipers out there.....
When you are at home and fixing up a bike and you just want to get out there and try it, you will resort to doing things like that.

I had rebuilt a crashed bike that was given to me. The front double pivot brake mounting bolt was bent on my bike. I spent about 45 minutes getting it as straight as possible even though I knew I could go to my local bike coop a few days later and get a replacement mounting bolt. I just wanted to try it out, dammit! Eventaully I did end up getting a nice unbent replacement for it from my coop but in the meantime, the slightly bent bolt worked.

I cut up a Bud can to shim my seat post.

Three hundred miles and counting.




Tom

i bolt a steel245673 bookend to the mounting clip doohicky on my handlebar bag
(inside the lining if possible) for support, because those flimsy plastic
stiffeners tend to crack when riding rough surfaces.

1)I sucked a Nuovo Gran Sport derailleur resulting in a twisted parallelogram and seriously bent back plate. I managed to bend it back into working order until I could find another.

I made a drop bolt for both single and dual pivot brakes out of a cable ferrule. It worked but I gave up on the idea for safety reasons.

245674

245675245676new frame wouldn't accept my old rack, didn't want to buy a new rack with
extendos (that break) for disk brake frames. cast-off aluminum billet from
the motorcycle junk pile looks lovely.

When you are at home and fixing up a bike and you just want to get out there and try it, you will resort to doing things like that.

I had rebuilt a crashed bike that was given to me. The front double pivot brake mounting bolt was bent on my bike. I spent about 45 minutes getting it as straight as possible even though I knew I could go to my local bike coop a few days later and get a replacement mounting bolt. I just wanted to try it out, dammit! Eventaully I did end up getting a nice unbent replacement for it from my coop but in the meantime, the slightly bent bolt worked.

Yes, that's the mentality.

Also, this is an old italian bike (crazy Italians they like to make things their own beautiful way), it's very difficult to find a new brake calipers that fits. I've asked in few shops and noone could help.

I cut up a Bud can to shim my seat post.

Three hundred miles and counting.


Tom

I didn't understand the hack, do you have a photo?

Needed to reuse fenders from a 26" bike on a 700. Stays were to short front and back so I extended them. having a joint there actually made it very easy adjusting them. working well for two years now. The rack extensions are another story.

http://inlinethumb13.webshots.com/46732/2199878880037547136S600x600Q85.jpg (http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2199878880037547136iKIDjz)

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