I have fgfs type straps right now, because the strap from my one toe clip broke a few days ago. And I tightened my chainring bolts, so I'll see if that fixed it and let you know after riding home from work

Shoes rubbing on the crank?

/notscrod

How do you go about telling a customer that their bike is not safe to ride? I have been getting more of these since summer is coming in and I work by the beach. I try say it very plainly but it seems like some people dont really get it or ignore it because they dont want to buy another bike.

It's usually pretty tough to tell someone their bike isn't worth fixing. I've had customers literally dump hundreds of dollars into their Walmart Special mountain bike that have been sitting outside behind the shed for three years instead of wanting to buy a new bike. I also had a guy come in to the old shop where I worked with an old Schwinn Varsity that looked like it had been pulled from the bottom of the river and he only wanted new tires - "The cheapest ones you've got" - and I refused to touch it.

I'm usually just cut and dry with them, as I am in most situations. Not being a jerk about it, but being honest. If they don't want to hear it or try to skirt around it, they can exit the same way they came in.

It sucks to see someone riding a bike that isn't safe but if I try to help them and they choose to ignore it, it's really not my problem.

+1

This happens to me a lot and it drives me nuts

/stillnotscrod

thanks

Shoes wouldn't cause the kind of squeak that I've been hearing.

i have this weird thing happening with my headset (?) where my fork sorta settles into the center position (i.e. going straight)
if i hold the bike up and turn the bars a bit and let it just spin it finds its way back to that same spot

for reference, im using the headset that came stock with my eighthinch scramber, and yes i also know that its junk

i noticed it a few days ago so i took the whole front end apart and cleaned and regreased everything, but im still having the issue, albeit a bit less than before
i didnt notice any "indexing" that sheldon brown talks about on either of the cups or the top/bottom races

before i cleaned and regreased everything my steering felt a bit weird, almost like a cross wind was blowing into my front wheel at times, now not so much but its still weird and is making me a little paranoid, any ideas as to what this is?

Are your caged bearings installed the right way? The balls should be facing the cups. If so, either your bearing cups are pitted, your headset is too tight or both.

bearings are both facing cups and the cups arent pitted either, probably just too tight then

am i just going by feel or is there a good rule to follow for tightness?

https://www.probikekit.com/us/token-a...oogle_base_usd

Any opinion on these cranks?

Need a new set of 165mm's and they seem to fit the bill pretty closely, that and sturmey archer ftc66; but can't find them in 165mm =[

Caged-bearing headsets can be tricky sometimes. Tighten it only until you feel there is no slack in it.

I've never seen them in person so I have no idea, really. They do look a lot like the EighthInch 144bcd track crank we just got in at the shop (which is nicer than I had expected) and I wouldn't be surprised if they're the same thing.

roger that, thank you friendly internet mechanic

No prob!

was definitely over tightened, seems good so far
gonna take it for a few laps around the park after i finish stuffing my face and see how it is after

/edit: wow thats what its supposed to feel like! was doing it wrong the whole time, feels like a whole new bike

So, some of my chainring bolts were a little loose, but not overly so. Tightened em up before heading to work. Rode home tonight, and the squeaking continued. Just as bad.

Is there a thread less stem with a drop that is shorter that 90mm in length? I'm having a hard time coming across one.

What clamp diameter? Mine is fairly short, and I want something longer. Tradesies?

You may not be looking hard enough. 70/80mm stems are common.

Almost all that I've come across have less than 6 Degrees of drop at 70mm including the selection on your website. I'm guessing there is a functional reason to the shorter stems not have much of a drop?

I missed tha part of your post regarding drop.

Why don't you just take some spacers out from under your stem?

I currently have a Cinelli Mash Stem with a 31.8mm diameter in nearly new condition. Would definitely be open for tradesies.

Keep it in the marketplace.