Bikes!!!! (MTB, Road, etc... just no motors)

Good stuff!


Got the hitch shipped for the second time. Prob will install it after the Dragon mini meet but I still need to buy the rack.
 
I decided a while back to make my MTB a 1x9 as I never use the lower or high chainring. I wanted to do this as cheap as possible because the MTB gets no money thrown at it. It's there for a workout tool only.

Origin8 UL chain guide
Blackspire MonoVeloce chain ring

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Man you guys are making me jealous. It's still too cold/too wet/muddy to go ride much here. The streets are bare but there is still way too much road salt in most places and when it is warm enough, there are rivers crossing the streets from the melt. Ugh...I can't wait to get out....
 
:yeahthat:

I've been working out at the fitness center faithfully to build up my muscles and get my cardio back to where it once was. Maybe start looking for a decent used MTB soon.
 
Got back on the mtn bike today for an 11 mile ride on paved paths.
 
Got a paint scheme in my head for the road by bike. Just need to squeeze some time to do it or find someone to do it. Bike has a couple little rust spots and some scratches so might as well do a fresh re-paint.

Looking to do a flat black base with either highlighter yellow/green or candy apple green in certain sections and a pearl white highlight color. Prob leaving part of the CF showing on the front fork and seatpost.
 
So I tried to ride this past weekend......
Buh, Im so sick of the fork on my main bike. It's a 2010 S-Works enduro and it came with the specialized E160 fork. It's great cause it's got a ton of adjustments and its all air sprung, and it has a tapered carbon steerer so it's super light. The lightest 160mm fork out there. Im ready to replace it. At least $1000 for something comparable.

It sucks though cause it's ALWAYS BROKEN!!!!!
It doesn't hold air. (No big deal I check pressure every ride)
It constantly loses air from the negative air spring. (this makes the fork "top out" with a harsh uncontrolled clunk over every bump!)
Its like $500 to send in for service, it's done this 3 times already, it's out of warranty,........ I hate it.

Most expensive bike I ever buy and I can never ride it. The rear shock has been equally unreliable. Seriously in 3 years I have put 50 miles on it. It's broken every single time I try to use it. I pay to get it fixed, or do it myself, get a quick "test ride" in and then the next time I go to ride something else is wrong. FFFFFFFFFFF.

I've been riding old junk or pushing my heavy *** DH bike. I can buy a new fork but the rear shock is "proprietary" fitment so I have no other option than to keep replacing seals.
 
Damn...that sucks. Would parting it out to sell make any sense?

How hard is it to remove the bottom bracket? Do I need to get the special tool to remove it?
 
Nah theres no part out.

Which bike are you removing the BB from? What kind of cranks are on it? There is generally a special tool for BB removal but its just like a big socket. You can use a regular crescent wrench with it.
 
Damn...that sucks. Would parting it out to sell make any sense?

How hard is it to remove the bottom bracket? Do I need to get the special tool to remove it?
Nah theres no part out.

Which bike are you removing the BB from? What kind of cranks are on it? There is generally a special tool for BB removal but its just like a big socket. You can use a regular crescent wrench with it.

I would be removing the bb on the road bike. Doesn't look like a reg socket type nut on there.
 
Which bike exactly? Year/brand/model. I can help narrow it down for you. It's usually a $20 tool that once you remove the cranks it fits into teeth around the edge of the BB. Then you can just turn the tool with a wrench. Crank removal tool is around $20 also.

The newer external type BB shells you can probably get out by hand and the cranks are easier to remove also.

Once you remove the cranks you should see indentations around the edge and the teeth on a tool like this one will fit into it. They are all a little different so it depends on which BB. Another one of those tools that bike shops have like 50 of in their tool box but only one for sale on the wall. The large flat areas are where you put the wrench.

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It's the gray/black Giant you posted a pic of previously?

It looks like a newer external style BB with a hollow center. You should be able to remove the non-drive side crank by loosening the two pinch bolts. They are probably 4mm or 5mm. Everything is metric. There might also be a small "dust-cover" on that side. It's also used for preload on the bearings so carefully unscrew that once the bolts are loose.

If it was assembled properly with grease or anti-seize you should be able to remove that side by hand just pulling and wiggling the crank arm. Then pull the drive side crank arm off. You may have to tap the hollow shaft sticking out the side you just removed. Use a rubber mallet or the plastic end of a screwdriver.

With both sides off you should see the indentations for the BB tool. With the external BB's you will need this tool or something similar:

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The plastic wheel on the end has a "star" shape to remove the preload dust cap on the non drive side. Im guessing its a shimano BB on the bike. Just see if there is a sticker that says hollowtech or hollowtech 2. If it's a different brand of crank the shop should be able to figure out which tool you need. You could have a SRAM crankset. If so just let them know.
 
Nomar06 :This would have been easier than typing all that. Here are two videos. These are real easy to follow.

1) Remove cranks:







2) Remove BB:




 
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It's the gray/black Giant you posted a pic of previously?

Yeah, it is the Giant bike I posted before. After looking at the vids and some research it looks to be an external BB like you mentioned. I don't think it will be too difficult to work with.

Do you think it is worth it to buy a new BB? the bike has over 1k miles on it(bought it used). Saw some BB for around $30 for Shimano ones. The bike shop that did the tune on it had mentioned replacing the front rings and the rear cassette. Might look into doing those also.

Also thinking of buying the headset since it is making a clicking noise when I turn the wheel alot when walking the bike and when hitting some bumps at higher speeds.

Opinions?
 
If you are changing the cluster in the rear get new chainrings and a new chain. Changing one part will only press the old wear pattern into the new parts. Price out new rings and a new crank. Sometimes it is cheaper to buy a whole new crank than just chainrings. It's stupid but its just like the whole it's cheaper to buy a new computer printer than ink.

Is is skipping gears on you at all or slipping? The bike shop should have a chain wear/chain stretch measuring tool. Have them check that first. See if you just need a new chain. Cogs and rings last a long time. If there are no issues just clean them and throw a new chain on once a year. I usually don't replace cogs until the chain starts slipping on worn teeth, which is waiting too long, and I don't replace chain rings unless the teeth are bent, no longer holding the chain, won't shift smooth, or they start not releasing the chain properly at the bottom. ( I have been known to take a file to the teeth to make them work right again)

BB should be fairly cheap. Is it making a creaking noise or a tick? If nothing is really wrong or loose, run it until it dies.



Headset: Loosen the bolts on your stem and tighten the bolt in the top cap. Just a little bit at a time. 1/4 or maybe 1/8 turn. It's just bearing preload. Don't over do it. But tighten it a bit then snug your stem bolts back down and see if it still makes noise.

Also if you lift the front wheel off the ground and move the handle bars from side to side, see if the noise you hear is from the headset or from the cables hitting the frame or each other. It could be time to replace it.

Let me know what you find.
 
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Back in Oct? when I bought the bike I took it in to have a tune/wash. At that time they told me the chain was bad/stretched. He showed me with the measuring tool. He mentioned about changing the rings and casette at that time but he said to wait till spring due to the weather conditions of winter riding. Since then, I have put 200ish miles with no skipping of gears or any issues on the drive train, it is all smooth. Just the noise in the headset and I could tell it was loose since the bars moved when I applied the front breaks. You helped me with that, lol. Maybe I can just replace the chain...I haven't seen any bent or rounded teeth.

The noise happens when the wheel is at 45 degree or more. It's a click/grind noise. I will try to mess with it again tonight or tomorrow and see what I come up with.

I figure since I am going to be taking the bike all apart, I could do the upgrades when putting everything back together. If there is no need then there is no point on spending that cash.
 
Ah ok cool. Yeah just replace the chain and clean everything real well. You should be able to get another year out of it all. Chains are like $20. They will probably charge you $20 to put it on or you can buy a chain tool for $20 and do it yourself forever.
Nice work on the headset!

So the noise is from the headset at 45 or the BB? If the BB clicks at a certain spot everytime the crank goes around it's a bad bearing and you can definitely replace it. Same goes for the headset. Decent BB/Headsets start at $30. BB you can install with that one tool. Headset - have the shop put in it.
 
The noise is from the headset alone. The BB is good.
 
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