Tell me your most frustrating bike wrenching experiences
02-22-15, 11:48 AM
#76
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Doing overhauls on bicycles in NYC as a kid in a LBS. When I would remove the BB or seat post, for cleaning, the Roaches would come out in hords. UCH
02-22-15, 05:18 PM
#77
All Campy All The Time
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When I removed an apparently well-cared-for Campy Record pedal from a Campy Nuovo Record crank arm, the threads from the arm came out on the pedal's threads. It was all over pretty quick. Had to find the one arm for sale.
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My C&V Bikes:
1972 Bottecchia Professional, 1972 Legnano Olympiade Record,
1982 Colnago Super, 1987 Bottecchia Team C-Record,
1988 Pinarello Montello, 1990 Masi Nuova Strada Super Record,
1995 Bianchi Campione d'Italia, 1995 DeBernardi Thron
My C&V Bikes:
1972 Bottecchia Professional, 1972 Legnano Olympiade Record,
1982 Colnago Super, 1987 Bottecchia Team C-Record,
1988 Pinarello Montello, 1990 Masi Nuova Strada Super Record,
1995 Bianchi Campione d'Italia, 1995 DeBernardi Thron
02-22-15, 06:03 PM
#78
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My winter project has a mix of 26 tpi English threads, metric, and imperial. Then I decided to put centerpulls on it when it wasn't designed for it. It is turning out well though, but I really appreciate you who deal with resurrecting the truly vintage stuff.
Close se second was trying to get a top pull triple fd working with brifters on a drop bar mtb.
Close se second was trying to get a top pull triple fd working with brifters on a drop bar mtb.
02-22-15, 06:28 PM
#79
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By far my worst was the stuck seatpost on my Kona mountain bike. My fault too, I used it as a commuter bike every day for about 3 years before attempting to re-grease the seatpost. Too late, it was stuck. I tried various chemical and mechanical methods to no avail so I finally had to resort to the old hacksaw blade down the seatpost method. Here's the kicker though, the Kona seatpost had three internal ribs so it was like the peace sign in cross section making it very tight to work inside. Plus, even if you cut a long slot in one section you can't compress the seatpost. I ended up having to cut THREE slots, one in each section. I must really love that bike because it took me about a week of evenings to butcher that thing out. Still riding the bike though.
02-22-15, 06:29 PM
#80
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As someone who's only now learning all this stuff, my most frustrating wrenching experiences have been a direct result of not having the right tool or, until recently, not having a repair stand. I've improvised and made a non-bike-specific tool work more than I'd like to admit, and head to the co-op when that plan fails. I'm slowly building my collection of bike tools though, so my frustrations are dropping at a pretty good rate.
As for an actual bike-related frustration, I've been trying for a while to remove the pedals from my wife's '64 Collegiate for a while. I suspect they've been removed exactly never, and the bike spent most of its life in Portland. It's become a war of attrition.
As for an actual bike-related frustration, I've been trying for a while to remove the pedals from my wife's '64 Collegiate for a while. I suspect they've been removed exactly never, and the bike spent most of its life in Portland. It's become a war of attrition.
Park Tool Co. » PW-4 : Professional Pedal Wrench : Pedal Tools
I haven't looked back. I balked at the price of a pedal wrench but it removed the pedals that had defeated all my other tools. It was so satisfying to feel that sudden lurch as the pedal gave way.
02-22-15, 06:38 PM
#81
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@fender1, what did you end up doing with that Trek?
02-22-15, 06:50 PM
#82
SE Wis
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Used to have this all the time repairing telephones back in the day. The can of contact cleaner was always ready to freeze them. Once had a dead roach between the bell and clapper and it woudn't ring - I "debugged it"
02-22-15, 06:55 PM
#83
Calamari Marionette Ph.D
02-22-15, 06:58 PM
#84
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Did one in an old Mazda a while back. I impressed the kids when after half the interior went out and back in I only had 2 leftover screws.
02-22-15, 07:00 PM
#85
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After trying to get a pedal out of a crank - heat,soak, rinse and repeat over a couple of days then having that DOH moment when I realized I was turning it the WRONG direction! Came right out after that.
02-22-15, 07:02 PM
#86
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Here are two quick hints for those of you who, like myself, tend to drop small parts, nuts, washers, etc. When looking for them, hold a flashlight very close to or touching the floor and sweep it back and forth. Also hold you head down at floor level as you sweep your eyes. Small things are very easy to see that way because you reduce the search problem from two dimensions to one.
Mechanic's magnet. Sweep it under furniture, cabinets, etc. You'd be surprised at the things you can pick up this way!
Mechanic's magnet. Sweep it under furniture, cabinets, etc. You'd be surprised at the things you can pick up this way!
02-22-15, 07:04 PM
#87
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02-22-15, 07:24 PM
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Current frustration - my non C&V Tiagra-equipped alloy frame Ridgeback Genesis hybrid. I bought this really cheap as a beater and it's a really great ride. However, I like to strip all my bikes, grease threads and adjust all parts. The Shimano caged pedals have no spanner flats on the shafts where they screw into the cranks, they are round cone shaped at this point - just a hex key socket on the back. I've broken three allen key bits so far and they haven't moved a smidgen yet. Tried penetrating oil but not yet heat, I have a propane blow torch and electric hot air g-n but am nervous about making thing worse . I really don't NEED to remove the pedals, they are fantastically smooth running, but don't like the thought that I can't. Any other ideas?
02-22-15, 08:04 PM
#91
What??? Only 2 wheels?
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Current frustration - rigging the front aero brake on my sweeties Terry. The trouble with aero brakes is you have to get all the lengths just right. There is little margin for error. Ferrules get stuck up inside the levers where you can't get the housing to fit smoothly if you accidentally pull it out. Inotherwords, it is a PITA. You can't even raise or lower the handlebar by a few mm without the housing length being not quite right.
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Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
Last edited by jimmuller; 02-22-15 at 08:38 PM.
02-22-15, 08:22 PM
#92
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One word...... French.....
02-22-15, 08:46 PM
#93
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02-22-15, 10:28 PM
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I really don't NEED to remove the pedals, they are fantastically smooth running, but don't like the thought that I can't. Any other ideas?
02-22-15, 11:41 PM
#95
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I think all I need to say is Quill Stem.
Had to cut the stem and cut vertically into the stem.
I then proceeded to bend the wings I created in and try pounding it from the other side.
No... fun.
Was about to drop it Sodium Hydroxide until one last good thung with a rebar got it out.
What am I doing with a rusty Raleigh Grand Prix as a resto project anyway? lol
Had to cut the stem and cut vertically into the stem.
I then proceeded to bend the wings I created in and try pounding it from the other side.
No... fun.
Was about to drop it Sodium Hydroxide until one last good thung with a rebar got it out.
What am I doing with a rusty Raleigh Grand Prix as a resto project anyway? lol
02-23-15, 06:13 PM
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I had to put air in my tires a few days ago, the bike has been sitting for a while. Putting air in my tires turned into cleaning and greasing the wheel bearings, which turned into cleaning and greasing the bottom bracket, then somehow the brakes got involved and those had to be pulled off and cleaned, and next thing I knew my bike was completely disassembled and I was repainting it, and $300 is missing from my bank account and boxes of bike parts keep showing up at my house in the mail. I never knew putting air in my tires would be so much work.
02-23-15, 06:17 PM
#97
What??? Only 2 wheels?
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02-23-15, 06:55 PM
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I had to put air in my tires a few days ago, the bike has been sitting for a while. Putting air in my tires turned into cleaning and greasing the wheel bearings, which turned into cleaning and greasing the bottom bracket, then somehow the brakes got involved and those had to be pulled off and cleaned, and next thing I knew my bike was completely disassembled and I was repainting it, and $300 is missing from my bank account and boxes of bike parts keep showing up at my house in the mail. I never knew putting air in my tires would be so much work.
Welcome to where we are.
02-23-15, 06:58 PM
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I suggest replacing the car. Even Click and Clack refused to drive those. I think it's the state vehicle in Maine. Open the trunk, a spare can of gas and 15 gallons of oil....
The only thing that I can recall being a pain in the ass, was installing some fenders last year. Not real difficult, but the time involved vs. my patience threshold...
However, my worst wrenching experience ever: A while back I had to replace a heater core in a Volvo 240. I believe replacing the whole drivetrain on that car would be much easier..
However, my worst wrenching experience ever: A while back I had to replace a heater core in a Volvo 240. I believe replacing the whole drivetrain on that car would be much easier..