Two interesting tools
 

I received two interesting tools in the past few days, and will share my experiences. Photos below, and links.

(A) I saw this on Facebook on one of my rare visits there; from a company called Alpine Extreme, their TrueTrack Alignment tool for handlebars. It clips onto the center of the bars, and shines a laser light on the front tire. No more guessing if you have the bars at 90º to the front wheel or not! Easy to use, and you’ll see in the photo my front wheel alignment was a whisker off, and I could correct it. Also, you can flip it around and check that your saddle is perfectly in line or not, although I do not think I’ve been having that problem. Notes: (1) Ships from China, takes a long time to arrive; in my case someone I presume was a U.S. handler mixed things up and we got a small vacuum cleaner instead. Getting a response took time, but they reshipped and I got the tool perhaps two months after ordering. Alas, there was a “bonus, if you order” of a F/R light set, which I intend for the wife’s bike, that did not show up… I am confident will happen… eventually. (2) Spring-loaded clamp for the bars, straightforward enough, but I am think would be happier on larger dimeter modern bars than the vintage stuff. I found the tool drooped a bit, making it hard to photograph. A very small woodworking clamp sufficed to add extra pressure and it stays where placed (or perhaps some scrap Tressostar on the insides of the clamp?). (3) I wanted a tool to do this and figured I’d have to fabricate something. I bought (from eBay) one of those old Schwinn tools that clips onto the handlebars to set the location of the brake levers; then I was going to attach two turnbuckle tension rods for a screen door, in a triangle, so that could be lowered to touch the front tire — hopefully on the centerline. The TrueTrack should be far more accurate.

(B) It was here on C&V BF that I heard of Stein Tools, and I bookmarked their site some time ago. With just about every one of y bikes being somewhat of a FrankenBike, and I was usually guessing on the chainline and/or using a length of thread to compare chainrings to sprockets. So, I ordered a Stein Chainline Checker; it took a while to contact him, but seems a nice enough guy and said he’d get right on it. Basically it a section of angle aluminum and two specialized clamps to hold it onto the chainring, aiming at the sprockets. I found installation fiddly and on a 50T ring, only one place I could get it mounted as you can see in the photo, the knobs to tighten the clamps only fit at the extreme forward end of one slot and the extreme rear of the other. This meant I could not get the rear of the bar all the way back to the sprockets. You’re suppose to use the included metal scale to measure offset between the bar and the outside of the innermost sprocket. I could not do that but could lay the scale inline from the inner surface of the bar, and compare to the sprockets. The instructions give info on taking measurements on double and triple chainrings — but not single chainrings as on my 1961 Gitane. That said, I could see that the outside surface of the sharing is about 2mm outboard of the outside of the 3rd (center) sprocket. That implies mounting a 2mm spacer behind the freewheel, but I realize the chainring is thicker and thus more material to the centerline of the teeth; so, it’s time to break out the micrometer and see if I’m closer than 2mm — and hopefully not spend hours getting the Simpex 543 derailleur to shift perfectly again. On a more conventional bike, I suspect this tool is easier to use, presuming I can figure out how to slide the bar further back so the rear is near the sprockets.

For someone who works on a lot of bikes, I would recommend either of these tools.

TrueTrack

Oddly, doesn't want that second link here so I'll put it in post #2.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2f9cb6a06.jpeg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...eeebf81b5.jpeg

Second link: Chainline

Cool tools. I like your bike stand. Please let me know the model and if you recommend.

I would think the laser alignment tool would be dependent on having your front wheel centered in the fork. Or does it include a way to check that?

Hey... Never seen these. Nice bike needs nice tools...

the bike imaged has it's wheel off-centered..... the laser also shows that fact.

flip wheel in fork to verify issue... if the off-center appears to the opposite side, the issue is the hub to rim relationship... if the off centering remains the same, the dropouts are not cut evenly.
there's a chance the fork or axle is damaged.

I do not recall, either from the Lidl or Aldi grocery chains... they are usually unusual. Alas, the most recent ones I've seen from either have 4 legs on the base, not 5... if that bothers you. Great pricing, however.

I really do not think so. You can slide the device L/R on the bars once the clamp is on.

So it is. Dishing tool says wheel is fine. Might need to tweak fork a bit. I can lose the QR, align well and tighten the QR and it's fine... but we know it won't stay that way. Had this bke 51 years, never crashed as I recall (by me, anyway!) and it seems to ride fine.

i like installing wheels with the bike upside down, and let gravity assist with the axle seating process.

I cringe every time I see somebody doing that on their roadside repair. And gravity works both ways. :50:

you can buy a Chinese version of the True Track alignment tool on AliExpress for under $20. I got one recently but haven't had a reason to use it yet.

Sounds viable IF one uses aero brake levers/cables.

Cool -- somewhat less than I paid, and I'll be OK with the difference if the bike lights arrives.

Gonna pick a rainy day soon -- I hope -- and drag all the bikes out to clean & re-wax the chains, might as well check the bar/whjeel alignment, and the chainline on each at the same time.

I find that my saddle is best when very slightly nose off to the left. right foot is 1/2 size smaller.
and humans rarely have equal length arms.

interesting tool but i just close one eye and sight.

One way to improve the ease of sighting - use long quill stems. 180s are a breeze. Just hard to find.

For me, seats are easy. Nose wants to be over about midway between (traditional steel) TT edge and center. Being off a little matters zero to my soft parts and askew is askew. Different amounts don't offend differently.

[DISPLAY OF TOTAL IGNORANCE] The tool says it gives measurements as "Outside edge to largest cog (mm)." What does this mean? Outside edge of the tool to the largest freewheel or cassette cog? Something else? [/DISPLAY OF TOTAL IGNORANCE]

Looks like mine, a $30 Aldi purchase several years ago. Mine day unopened for a long time before I gave it a whirl. Once I set it up, the Park went straight to Craigslist...

I like Stein's tools, but I think I can get by without a chainline checker. A couple measurements with your calipers and a bit of arithmetic and Bob's yer uncle...

Regarding the chainlne checker. On the Stein Tools website they show the tool mounted to the side of the chainring, in your photo you have it on top of the chainring. Maybe that is your issue with positioning.

Buncha similar stands on eBay for $30-$40. Four leg kind. I have two. Work fine.

I got one off CL for $20 and gave it to a friend.

That's what I thought, they wouldn't have made it too short.

But a length of string is cheaper, easier to use, and works just as well.

I think you are right. I was following the printed directions in the package and the drawing was not clear on that point. Will try again.

I was probably doing OK before using thread/string, I'm telling myself that this tool is more accurate :foo:. Kinda interesting that they include info on setting up 2x and 3x installations only, now that 1x are becoming more popular...

EDIT: OK, tried mounting not he outside of the chainring.
(A) The spacers on the cylindrical "clamps" are such that when in place, the bar will not touch (sit flush with) the outside of the chaining, probably by design; the difference is about 3mm so that impacts any calculations.
(B) The clamping pinches the chainring in a groove about 2mm deep at the maximum point and only a few mm across. I spent 20 minutes and could not succeed in getting both on, trying to get the second one on invariably caused the first to pop off the ring, regardless of whether I tried "front" or "rear" first, and I do not have enough hands to hold all the parts in place and tighten simultaneously.
(C) I'll try again later... or just go back to string.

I can't believe we survived all these years without these tools.

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