Fit and forget

07/07/03

If you're just getting into MTBs, the last thing you need is to have to make really important decisions based
on limited information right up front. But that's exactly what you have to do when you buy a bike. You don't
just have to get the right bike for your budget, you have to get the right size too. Get one too small and you'll
be all scrunched up and your knees'll explode from over-articulating. Get one too big and it'll feel like a
supertanker and you'll probably end up bruising your tender bits on the top tube.
Unfortunately, things are made more complicated by the sheer variety of bikes available. There are two
main difficulties. First, there's no standard way of measuring bikes. Some makers measure from the centre
of the bottom bracket to the top of the seat tube, some from bottom bracket to the center of the top tube and
some don't measure at all and just call them Small, Medium or Large. So already you've got the possibility
of one "18in" bike being taller than another one.
It doesn't end there. Some manufacturers make long bikes, some make short ones. Even if two bikes are
the same size (bearing in mind that the same size might have different names) one could easily be an
inch longer than the other.
Confused yet? We'll try and guide you through the minefield Bear in mind that this is for all-round bikes "specialist" bikes for DH, trials or what have you have their own idiosyncracies.

Standover
The "traditional" way of sizing an MTB is to stand astride it, shoes on, feet flat on the floor and check that
you've got at least three inches of clearance between the top tube and your bits. This worked Okish ten
years ago, but these days you'll encounter high bottom brackets on full suspension bikes, extravagantly
sloped or curved top tubes and all sorts of other weird anomalies that make it less than satisfactory. It's still
obviously worth checking that you're not going to clothesline yourself on the frame if you come off forwards,
but standover isn't the primary consideration.

Reach
Reach, however, is. Reach is the distance from the seat to the bars, or the length of the "cockpit". This is an
easier one to come up with a useful rule of thumb for, and here it is. Sit on the seat (with the seat at the
correct height) and put your hands on the bars with your arms straight. Your arms should be at about 90
degrees to your body, with arms and body at about 45 degrees from vertical (or horizontal). You'll need
someone else (or a mirror) to check this.
If the bike feels a bit long or short, you can move the seat fore and aft a little to compensate. Don't go mad,
though. If you end up with the seat right back, the bike's probably too long and vice versa. You can swap
handlebar stems for slightly longer or shorter ones too, but again, if you need to go more than 10mm or so
either way try the next size bike - big changes in stem length have correspondingly big changes in handling.

Seat height
We mentioned you'd need the seat at the right height to check the reach, but what's the right height?
There're all sorts of equations and measurements and ratios of seat height to leg length knocking around,
but the simplest way is to get on the bike, turn the pedals so one pedal is pointing straight down and put
your heel on it, wearing the shoes you'll be riding in. Your leg should be completely straight at this point,
which equates to slightly bent with the pedal under the ball of your foot.
If the seatpost won't extend far enough to get the seat to the right height (they have a minimum
insertion/maximum height line on them that wants to be inside the frame), the bike's too small. Conversely,
if you find the seat's right down near to the frame, it's too big.

Bear in mind that some bikes have higher bottom brackets than others - you might not be able to
comfortably reach the ground when in the saddle. If this unnerves you, just drop the seat half an inch from
the ideal position until you've built confidence.

Bar height
The final variable in fit is bar height, with the key thing being how far below the saddle they are. XC race
bikes will have very low bars, recreationally-oriented bikes higher ones. On most all-rounders you'll probably
find the bars fall an inch or two below the seat. The quill stems of old allowed you to move the bars up and
down to find a comfy spot, but most bikes now have threadless headsets and clamp-on stems. Some
manufacturers thoughtfully leave spacers below the stem, allowing you to lower it a bit. Otherwise you're
looking at swapping stems or bars - bars can have anything from zero to a couple of inches of rise, and can
make a big difference.
Of course, if you're a first-time bike buyer, you'll probably find that it all feels a bit weird anyway. It shouldn't
feel actively uncomfortable, though. It's a good idea not to fiddle too much at first. If the bike falls within the
basic parameters here, then it fits. Ride it as it is, get used to it and then start to think about making small
changes.
We'll look more at customising the fit of your bike and adapting it for different purposes in future episodes

FITTING A DISC BRAKE

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UPDATE YOUR STOPPERS

Before you start fitting discs, its important to check with your bikes manufacturer/importer as to which discs are
designed to work on your bike theres nothing worse than having to battle to fit a disc system that isnt intended to
go on your bike. Its also worth having your disc mount/dropout alignment checked over, and the mountings re-faced
by a bike shop.
To prepare the bike for disc fitting, you should clean it and remove the old brake system and wheels. Wed also
recommend that you fit hydraulic discs, because cable discs rarely show any improvement over V-brakes.
Tools for the job: Small flat screwdriver; 8mm and 10mm spanners; pliers; threadlocking compound; cable ties;
2mm, 3mm, 4mm and 5mm allen keys; adjustable spanner; sharp knife (such as a Stanley knife)
1. LEVER AND CALIPER Slide the brake lever onto the bar and nip up the lever bolt. Then feed the brake hose round
the front of the fork and through the space between the fork leg and where the wheel will go. Then fit the caliper to
the mount/ dropout with three spacing washers (this will need re-adjusting, but three is a good start point). Dont
tighten the bolts up just screw them in enough to hold the caliper while allowing it to move freely from side to side.
2. FIT THE ROTOR The next stage is to fit the disc rotor onto the hub and tighten the bolts with an allen key use a
drop of threadlock but remember not to get any on the face of the rotor or hub because this could cause the disc to
become misaligned. Then fit the back wheel onto the bike without forcing the rotor into the caliper, as this could
damage the pads. If youre running an open brake system, like our Hope discs, dont pump the lever as this may cause
the pads to move together. If this does happen, youll need to remove the pads and lever the pistons back into the
caliper with a 13mm spanner.
3. CENTRE THE CALIPER (and check the rotor for buckling) With the disc rotor fitted, you need to start tightening
the caliper onto the mount; add or remove spacing washers to ensure it is aligned over the centre of the rotor. Once
the caliper is centred you should now be able to spin the wheel without the disc hitting either the caliper itself or the
pads. If you find that the rotor is buckled at this stage, you can straighten it by clamping it in the jaws of an adjustable
spanner and bending the rotor slightly. Dont use mole grips or a tool with knobbly jaws because you could damage the
rotor.
4. MAKE IT SHORT Unless youre running a lot of travel at the front, youll probably need to shorten the brake hose.
To do this, you need to remove the brake pads from the caliper to prevent contamination from stray brake fluid. (You
might want to wear goggles for this bit.) To remove the pads, use an 8mm spanner to loosen the aluminium shroud
nut on the caliper, and this will reveal a brass olive. Gently prise the olive open with a small flat-bladed screwdriver
and slide the nut and the olive halfway down the hose so that you dont forget to put them back on later.
5. CUT THE HOSE To shorten the hose, cut it 2cm above the point where it joins the caliper; this will ensure you dont
accidentally cut off the barbed connector that sticks out of the caliper and into the hose. You should then use a pair of
pliers to pull off the little bit of hose thats left on the barbed connector; the outer will come off and leave a plastic
liner on the connector which youll have to cut to remove. Then, with your finger over the open end, cut the hose down
to the required length. Use the excess fluid in the off-cut to put a blob of fluid onto the open end of the brake hose
and the barbed connector on the caliper this will prevent any air bubbles getting into the system.
6. NOT TOO HARD To reconnect the hose, you should re-fit the brass olive and shroud nut before checking that all of
the connectors between the caliper and lever are tightened this includes all the unions, washers and shroud nuts.
When reconnecting the hose to the disc, its important to remember not to squeeze it, as this will damage the hose and
cause fluid loss. Make sure the hose is properly secured with zip-ties, and check that your chosen cable routing allows
for full suspension travel you dont want to stretch the hose and tear it. Finally, pop your pads back in to the caliper
and go through the bedding in process with some easy rides.
Grime Time is sponsored by

TRUING A WHEEL

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JUST TAKES PATIENCE

Check the condition of your hub, it shouldnt be loose and it must turn smoothly. Check for broken or damaged spokes
and any rim damage, especially around the welds. Also, look for cracks in the braking surface or around the nipples.
You need to replace any damaged parts before you start to true the wheel.
One of the most common mistakes is to turn the spoke nipple the wrong way, making the buckle worse. Keep a spoke
and nipple next to you to refer to so you get the correct tightening and loosening direction.
Tools for the job:Truing jig (or pencils and zipties); Spoke keys; Spokes and nipples
1. IDENTIFY THE BUCKLE
Spin the wheel in the jig (if you havent got a truing jig, use brake blocks or pencils ziptied to your frame as a guide)
and move the pincer shaped indicators (at the bottom of the wheel) inwards until they rub on the rim. Mark the centre
point of the buckle with a permanent marker. This makes it easier to identify the part of the wheel you are working on,
and also to identify the pair of spokes nearest to the centre of the buckle.
2. ADJUST TENSION
If the buckle is to the right, then tighten the left spoke a quarter turn by turning the spoke key anti-clockwise. Then
loosen the right spoke a quarter turn by turning clockwise. If the buckle is to the left, tighten the right spoke and
loosen the left one. The more you practise, the more you will learn how much to turn the spoke key for any particular
buckle. But for now, lets keep it simple and only use a quarter of a turn at a time. Then all you need to do is come
back to the buckle and keep tweaking until its straight.
3. UPS AND DOWNS
If you have really strong rims, abandon all hope. Your wheel may have some up and down movement too. If its up to
10mm, depending on the rim, you should be able to remove it. Move the truing jig indicators above and below the
wheel and give it a spin. If you have a small up or down movement over a large area, it can be straightened, but if
you have a large up or down movement over a small area... then its game over.
4. TAKE AWAY THAT TREMBLE
Give the wheel a spin and identify high and low spots of up and down movement. Mark them on the rim to identify the
pair of spokes youre working on. If your rim moves downwards, tighten both the left and right spokes a quarter turn.
If your rim moves upwards, loosen the left and right spokes a quarter turn. Give the wheel another spin and locate
any high or low spots. After truing up and down movement, you need to check and true side-to-side movement again.
5. STRESSED OUT

Remove the wheel from the jig. Lean on it, holding it on either side. Your weight will stretch the spokes, and release
any wind-up. Repeat all around the rim at each point where two parallel spokes bisect the rim. Repeat on the other
side (the wheel might make a ping-ping noise.) Then, pop the wheel into the jig and true it again. Do this a few
times and it will need re-truing less often, because youll be able to get a more evenly tensioned wheel. If the spokes
creak or nipples round off, your wheel is under too much tension.
6. FINAL CHECKS
With the correct spoke tension, the spokes should feel strong and firm. If yours move under reasonable pressure, you
need more tension. Tighten every spoke half a turn, and, if available, compare with a good wheel built by a quality
wheel builder. After any tension adjustments, you should repeat steps 1 to 5 again. Any protruding spokes must be cut
and filed away smooth, as they could puncture your tubes. Always use good quality rim tape. If you dont have any,
then use two or three layers of insulating tape.

CHANGE YOUR FORK OIL

Picture Simon Dodd, photographer

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ELIMINATION OF CONTAMINATION
After a season of riding, your fork could be feeling pretty ropey any amount of dust, water and dirt can contaminate
your fork oil. Extremes of temperature can introduce condensation, which will affect your forks performance and break
down your fork oil. As the fork gets more abuse, the oil will begin to cavitate or foam and your damping control will
start to deteriorate. Quite often, though, a simple oil change will bring the fork back to life again. Most manufacturers
recommend an oil change every 100 hours or so, or every six months, whichever comes first.
Its important that you use good quality tools, not the rusty ones at the back of the shed. Always use the correct size
socket or ring spanner that 16in adjustable in dads toolbox will only round off nuts and make it more difficult and
costly next time.
Tools for the job:5mm and 6mm allen keys; 21mm socket and ratchet handle; rubber mallet; rags (old T-shirts);
shock pump; GT85; fork oil; grease; small screw-driver; oil-catching vessel; small tape measure
1. Clean them
Drop the fork out of the bike and remove the brakes: its much easier to service the fork on its own. Using a soft
brush, wash your forks in soapy water to remove any build up of dirt, then spray them all over with water-displacing
fluid, such as GT85, and wipe clean. Pay particular attention to the underside of the brake arch, the fork seals and
around the top caps dirt tends to lurk in these areas and if not properly cleaned could contaminate your fork
internals.
2. Big let down
If you have an air fork, remove the dust caps and carefully release the air from the Schrader valves with a small
screwdriver. Hold a cloth over the valves this will stop you getting a face full of oil when the air comes rushing out. If
you have one, use a Schrader valve core remover to check and clean the air valves. If there is any damage to the seal,
replace the valves. Theyre available from any car spares supplier.
3. Out with the old
Undo the top caps with a socket and ratchet, then turn the fork upside down to drain the oil. Use an old bucket or
washing-up bowl to catch the oil, and pump the fork to empty the cartridge fully. Give the top of the fork another wipe
over to remove any old oil, and check that the rubber seals on the air caps are clean and damage free. You are now
ready to start replacing the oil.
4. Fill her up mate
Fully compress the fork and fill the legs up with oil. On this Marzocchi, the oil should be 40-45mm from the top of the
stanchions with the fork fully compressed. Gently extend the fork and recompress to expel any air bubbles, and then
top up the oil to the correct height. If you find the damping too fast or slow, this is a good chance to rectify matters.
7.5wt is the normal weight on this fork. A heavier 10wt oil will slow things down, and a lighter 5wt oil will speed up the
fork action. Check in your manual for recommended oil weights and amounts. If you dont have one, you can usually
get one from the manufacturers website.
5. Seal
Refit the top caps, making sure you dont over-tighten them (20Nm if you have a torque wrench; otherwise, just nip
em up). Smear a little grease on the rubber o-rings before fitting, this will allow the o-rings to seat properly and
ensure a good seal. Compress your fork to check the amount of travel youre getting. If you find youre not getting full
travel, whip off the top caps and lower the oil height a little. Likewise, if you want to reduce your travel, put a bit more
oil in.

6. Pump it baby
Screw on your shock pump and inflate your fork to around 40psi for starters. Check the fork thoroughly for any leaks
and wipe away any excess oil. Pop a little grease into your headset while the fork is out, and attach it back onto your
steed. If you find the fork too soft, just increase the air pressure 5psi at a time. If its too hard, decrease the air
pressure. Your forks sorted, now get out there and ride

CHANGING CARTRIDGE BEARINGS ON HOPE HUBS

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KEEPING THEM SMOOTH

Youve spent a large amount of your hard-earned cash on the latest, smooth-operating Hope cartridge bearing hubs
and, after a few years of thorough thrashing, theyve started to make grinding noises and no longer turn smoothly. But
dont worry, you dont need to buy new hubs, all you have to do is replace the cartridge bearings. Before you start
changing the bearings, you need to give both wheels a good wash and check the spokes and rims for damage, as
theres no point fixing the hub if the whole wheel is damaged. You then need to remove the cassette from the rear
wheel so you can get to the rear hub (check out Februarys Grime Time.) If youre not confident about removing the
cassette, most local bike shops will do it for a small charge. You might also find a vice or soft alloy tube, and some wet
& dry paper will be handy additions to the tools below...
Tools for the job: Large flat-bladed screwdriver; internal circlip pliers; 15mm cone spanner; 20mm socket wrench;
20mm deep socket wrench; rubber-faced hammer.
1. Strip down
The following instructions focus on just the rear hub, but they apply equally to the front as well. Firstly, use a 15mm
cone spanner to gently prise off the hub flanges. Make sure that the spanner has no sharp edges and use a rag to
protect the anodised areas from getting scratched. While youre taking the hub apart you should clean each
component, laying them out on a work surface in the order that you remove them. The freehub body should now be
removed; as you pull the freehub away from the hub body, rotate it to stop the pawls from tearing the hub seal. This
should be done over a washing-up bowl to catch any springs or pawls that fall.
2. Remove bearings
Now that the freehub has been separated from the rest of the hub, you may find that the bearings do not need
replacing. In such a case, you should just skip steps 2 and 5 and give the hubs a service. However, if the freehub
bearings are rough or have any play, you need to replace them. Firstly, you will need to remove the old bearings
Place the freehub body on a hard surface with the outer bearing facing downwards, and gently tap the first bearing out
using a screwdriver. Make sure that you tap the bearing out in a straight line to prevent any damage to the hub body.
Then remove the spacer and circlip, before knocking the second bearing out.
3. Remove the axle (to reach the hub seal)
Remove the bearing spacer from the hub axle and support the hub body on top of a vice or alloy tube with the freehub
side facing down. Then gently hit the axle with a rubber mallet until it pops out. Clean off any corrosion with some fine
wet and dry paper. Now that the axle has been removed, you can gently prise the freehub/hub body seal out using a
flat-bladed screwdriver be very careful not to tear it. Make sure you give the seal a good clean and inspect it for
tears. If you notice any damage on the seal, it will need replacing. You can now tap the remaining bearings out using
the aforementioned screwdriver and hammer technique.

4. Fit new bearings

To fit the new bearings you will need to use two 20mm socket wrenches, including one deep socket (we found a 14mm
spark plug socket to be ideal). The wrenches need to be big enough to press on the outside of the bearing housing,
but not so big that they stick into the hub body (any pressure on the centre of the bearings or seals will damage them,
so take it easy). Put the freehub side bearing in first and tap it into place with a socket and mallet. Then put the axle
back in from the non-driveside and place a new bearing over it. To do this, you should use a socket wrench to stop the
driveside bearing from being pushed out, and gently tap the bearing into the non-driveside with the other socket
wrench.
5. Add the Spacer
Next, place a bearing into the freehub body and, using a deep socket wrench, tap the bearing to the bottom with the
pawl side facing down. To make sure that the bearing is fully seated, check that the groove for the circlip is clearly
visible. Then replace the circlip and put the easily forgotten bearing spacer into place (if you get the two spacers
mixed up, the larger one goes in the freehub body). Adding a smear of grease to the ends of the spacer will stop it
from rattling around. You then need to place the second bearing into the freehub body and tap it in using the smaller
socket wrench.
6. Replace the pawls
Now put the pawls back in the freehub Attach the springs into the holed side of the body, then locate the pawls on
their rounded sides in the recess. A blob of grease will hold everything in place. Slide the spacer onto the axle and
replace the seal (use grease). Slide the body on to the axle while holding the pawls down (slowly rotating the freehub
will help it pass by the seal). Finally, smear grease on the outside of the bearing seals and put the hub flanges/spacers
back.

FITTING SPD CLEATS

Picture Simon Dodd, photographer

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HOW TO DO IT CORRECTLY...
Shimano Pedalling Dynamics is the name of Shimanos clipless pedal system. SPD is a system that uses a cleat on the
base of the shoe and a sprung-loaded jaw mechanism on the pedal, into which the cleat locates. This means that once
a rider is clipped in, the foot cannot leave the pedal and so none of the riders pedalling energy is lost.
Having a fixed cleat that locates into a sprung jaw means that most SPD-type systems have minimal lateral
movement. Therefore, correct set-up of the cleats is extremely important.
Tools for the job: Grease or anti-seize; correcting fluid; cleats; 4mm allen key
1. Angle of dangle
Everyone has different body geometry, which means you need to align the cleats to your riding stance. So you have to
find the angle at which your leg sits. Start by sitting on the edge of a work surface and allowing your feet to dangle
naturally. Youll probably find your feet dont sit perfectly straight something you need to keep in mind when
positioning the cleat.
2. Mark it up
Now add the pedal to the equation. Sit on your bike and put your foot on the pedal. See how your foot is naturally
positioned. Mark on the side of the shoe roughly where the cleat will sit. Now get off, take the shoe off and, from your
guesstimates, mark on the bottom of the shoe where the cleat will be positioned. As a rule of thumb, the cleats should
be in line with the ball of your foot.
3. Fine tuning
Take the cleat and screw it dry into the bottom of the shoe using your marks to get it in about the right place. Do the
bolts up snugly, so that the cleats wont move about, but dont go mad otherwise the cleats will dig in to the sole of
the shoe and you wont be able to change their position. Now click into the pedals to try them out. The cleat should be
under the ball of your foot and have equal amounts of lateral movement each side. Adjust the position until theyre
right.
4. Mark it again
Once youve found the exact position you want your cleats in, mark on the bottom of the shoe again to show where
they need to be installed properly. These marks will also mean that if at some point you need to change the position of
the cleats youll be able to easily see where you started from.
5. Lock and seal
Its imperative that you now use anti-sieze on the cleat bolts, as it will protect them from corrosion. If you dont treat
the bolts, water, dirt and assorted trail mank will quickly cause them to sieze solid. Then when it comes time to replace
the cleats you wont have a hope of undoing the bolts and youll have to get the Black and Decker out
6. Finished
Finally, make sure the bolts are all done up tightly and theyre in good condition. If youve slightly rounded the heads
of the bolts when you screwed them in, replace them now as theyll only get worse walking on hard surfaces. When
the cleats are in the pedals, follow the instructions that came with the kit to set the tension. Start loose and then get
tighter as you learn to use the system properly.

FITTING A FORK

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GET FORKTASTIC!
When upgrading your bike, usually the first part to get replaced is the fork, and more often than not it gets swapped
from a rigid to a suspension version. Many MTBers will buy forks from bike shops, and for a little extra cash the shop
will fit it for you there and then. But in an age where buying on-line is common practice, fitting the fork yourself is a
procedure you need to know (although we do recommend you get it fitted by a professional mechanic). Its a fairly
easy process, especially if you follow our step-by-step guide.
When following our steps, take your time and make sure you use the correct tools. The two common things people get
wrong are cutting the steerer tube too short, and not fitting the crown race straight. Doing this wont allow proper
adjustment of the headset, and can risk damaging the bearings. So bearing these hot spots in mind, get fitting
Tools for the job: File; small flat blade screwdriver; hammer; 5mm and 6mm allen keys; grease; crown race seating
tool; rubber mallet; saw; saw guide; star-nut fitting tool; headset spacers
1. Replacing race
Firstly, remove the race from your old fork. Do this by using a blunt screwdriver to tap the underside of the race. Keep
tapping all the way round until the race becomes loose and you can take it off. Now slide it over the steerer of the new
fork. To fit the new race securely, youll need to use a seating tool. Its important you use this tool, as it has an
aluminium collar so it wont damage the bearing surfaces. The steerer tube is tapered slightly at the bottom to ensure
the race stays in place. Using the seating tool, smack the race until it sits evenly all round
2. Measuring steerer
Now youve fitted the crown race, the steerer tube has to be cut to size. But before you do that you need to measure it
out correctly. To find out exactly where to cut the tube, sit the lower bearings on the crown race and the upper
bearings in the top cup. Keep them dry at this point to make the job cleaner and quicker. Slide the fork into the frame,
fit any stacking spacers you want, and slide on the stem. Change the height of the stem using the spacers until you
find the most comfortable position for riding.
3. More measuring
Now score a line with a screwdriver where the top of the stem sits. Once youve scored the tube, remove the washers,
stem and bearings, and remove the fork from the frame. To ensure you can preload the bearings on your headset, the
top of the steerer must sit 3-4mm below the top edge of the stem, as when you tighten the top cap the steerer tube is
pulled up. If the steerer is flush with the stem, the bearings cant be adjusted and youll have a loose headset.
4. Cutting steerer
Take the fork out of the bike again, measure 3-4mm below the first line and score around the steerer. Place the fork in
a vice and, using a saw guide, cut the steerer at this point. Make sure that you cut it as straight as possible. File both
the inside and outside of the steerer until its smooth enough to run a finger round. Make sure any metal swarf doesnt
remain on the steerer or near the bearings.
5. Adjust headset
There are two ways of adjusting aheadsets. Firstly, with the traditional, star fangled nut and secondly with a headlockstyle device. If youre using the latter, you can fit the forks now. However, if youre using a star nut, its important you
fit the nut straight inside the steerer tube. Screw in the star-nut fitting tool and hammer the tool in until it stops flush.
Screw in a 5mm steel bolt, and tap the nut into place (approx 1cm deep) until its straight. This makes sure that when
preloading the nut, it pulls the steerer tube up, and not just the nut.
6. Greasing
All done now, so all you need to do is grease the headset cups and bearings, and refit the fork. Slide the spacers and
stem on, and with the top cap in place, screw in the bolt. Now gently do it all up until the bolt resists turning dont
make it too tight. Lift the front end of the bike and turn the bars to see if youve over-tightened the headset it
shouldnt have any resistance, but when rocking the bike back and forth using the front brake, there shouldnt be any
play. Once adjusted, tighten the stem bolts and check the whole front end for loose bolts. Now youre done.

BLEEDING DISC BRAKES

Picture Simon Dodd, photographer

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KEEP THEM WORKING AT THEIR BEST

A hydraulic brake provides a consistent feel with one exception. Brake fluid tends to absorb moisture. Heat from the
calipers causes that moisture to expand, which makes the brakes pump up, creating a harder lever feel. Most
manufacturers have dealt with this you can adjust the pads, backing them off when they pump up, or you can have
an open system, which allows the fluid to expand, so the brakes remain consistent.
The ingress of water and dirt gradually renders the brake fluid ineffective, so its important to replace it every few
months (or whenever you start experiencing fade or pump) to ensure the system works to its optimum. When
replacing the fluid or shortening the hoses, you need to bleed the brakes to make sure theres no air in the system.
Different brakes need slightly different bleeding techniques, but all are based on the same principles. Weve used a
Hope Enduro 4 for our step-through
Tools for the job: Pliers; 4mm and 5mm allen keys; rag; M5 bolt; adjustable spanner; 10mm spanner; clear plastic
tubing and container (or disc brake bleeding kit); correct brake fluid (in this case, DOT4/5; but check as some systems
use mineral oil)...
Tip
Oil spills: If you spill brake fluid (or oil) on a hard surface, wiping it up will leave a slippery residue behind. To
effectively clean it, simply cover the area in flour and wait for it to absorb the spill. Once soaked, the area can be

wiped clean.
1. Getting ready
Arrange your bike at a convenient working height (ideally using a workstand). Its a good idea to put some old
newspaper on the floor to catch any spills. Remove the wheel and take the brake pads out so nothing gets
contaminated with oil. Remember that DOT brake fluid is nasty stuff dont get it on your hands.
2. Insert tube
Using an adjustable spanner, remove the top cap from the brake lever and gently screw the M5 bolt into the master
piston finger tight. Using the 10mm spanner, undo the bleed nipple and slide on the bleed tube. Direct the tube into a
container to collect the fluid.
3. Start bleeding
Pull the piston out of the master cylinder using the M5 bolt. Do this slowly and smoothly so you dont get oil
everywhere. Fill the master cylinder with brake fluid and, while opening the bleed nipple, squeeze the brake lever until
it reaches the handlebars. Hold the lever at the bars and close the bleed nipple.
4. Complete bleeding
Repeat step three. Watch the tubing for air bubbles and keep topping up the master cylinder while youre doing this.
This process will have to be repeated about five times to completely fill the system. When there are no more air
bubbles flowing down the tube, your brake has been bled. Now you need to fill the master cylinder once more before
preparing to remove the tube.
5. Finishing off
With the bleed nipple open, gently push the piston back into the cylinder until its about 1mm below the top. The last
bit of brake fluid will drain out of the bleed tube. Tighten the bleed nipple and remove the tubing. Wipe off any excess
oil from the area and replace the brake pads. Dispose of old fluid at your local tip.
6. Pump the system
Remove the M5 bolt, and screw the top cap back on. Make sure you dont over tighten it. With both ends of the system
closed, refit the wheel to your bike and squeeze the brake lever several times to pump the system and centre the
pads. Job done.

REPLACING A SHIMANO FREEHUB BODY

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

KEEP IT SMOOTH
Time: 30 mins
Cost 20
Tools
Chain whip; Degreaser; 10mm allen key; Cleaning cloths/rags; Flat-bladed screwdriver; 1/4in or 3/16th bearings ;
13/15/17mm cone spanners; High-quality waterproof grease; Large adjustable spanner or vice; New cones for the hub
(if necessary); Shimano-pattern cassette lock-ring tool
How to do it
1 Remove the wheel from the bike and take off the quick release lever. Then, in a clockwise direction, wrap the chain
whip around the cassette on the second sprocket. This holds the cassette still while you use the lock-ring tool and
spanner to undo the lock-ring. Sitting the tool in a vice and turning the whole wheel is a good idea, as it gives more
leverage.
2 Gently prise the rubber seal from the hub with the flat-bladed screwdriver. Clean the seal and keep it safe. Then,
using the correct cone spanners, undo the locking nut from the hub, remove the other nuts and any washers, and
remove the hub cones. Give the cones a clean with a rag: take care not to damage them.
3 Slide the axle out of the hub and clean it thoroughly. Inspect the cones for pitting or any other damage and replace
if necessary. Then roll the axle on a flat surface to check its straight. If theres any hint of a bend, replace the axle, as
the bend will make adjusting the bearings difficult, and can damage the surfaces.
4 Being careful not to damage the bearing surfaces, remove the bearings with a screwdriver. Take care not to drop
them into the hub body. Some hubs have a lip on the inside that catches the bearings, and it can be very annoying
trying to retrieve them.
5 Use the 10mm allen key (turning anti-clockwise) to undo the bolt inside the freehub body. Then remove the bolt,
clean it and put it aside. The freehub body should now slide off the hub. Bin the old freehub body.
6 Clean the hub (use degreaser if necessary) and make sure any degreaser is flushed out properly after. Also look for
damage to the bearing surfaces on the left-hand side, and pay attention to where the freehub body connects with the
hub.
7 After cleaning everything, inspect the cones carefully, they should look smooth and shiny. Run one of your fingernails
round the surface of each cone; if theres any pitting or darker areas that feel rough, replace the cone.
8Slide the new freehub body onto the hub it should sit in nicely. Gease the thread on the freehub bolt and slide it
back in the body, taking care not to cross-thread the bolt.
9 Smear a generous amount of grease on to the bearing surfaces. Do this with your finger, as you can evenly coat the
bearings. You can use a grease gun, but doing the greasing manually allows you to coat the surfaces properly.
10 Using a small blob of grease on the end of your finger to keep each bearing steady and lubricated, fit the new
bearings into the hub and make sure theyre seated. Theres room for nine bearings in Shimano hubs, so make sure
youve fitted the correct number of bearings and smear a thin layer of grease over them to keep them in place.
11 Take the clean axle and slide it back into the hub from the drive side. Be careful not to unseat the bearings as
youre re-fitting the axle. Once the axle is in the hub, make sure it rotates freely before screwing on the remaining hub
cone, washers and nuts (in reverse order to how you took them out).
12 Tighten the inner cone nut until theres no play. Then tighten the lock-ring against the cone to hold it in place. If
this process has been done correctly, there should be no play in the axle, and only a smooth resistance when turning
it. If there is still play in the axle, tighten the inner cone nut and lock-ring further. Finally, replace the rubber cover,
chain and quick release skewer. Now its time to ride

Mounting tubular tires

Level of Difficulty: Advanced

Typical Tools and Supplies Needed*

Truing Stand to hold wheel. Use rags to protect stand from glue drips

Acid brush or other clean narrow brushes, such as old tooth brush

Acetone or other strong solvent

Floor pump

Knife or scraper

This article will discuss the mounting and gluing of tubular tires. The tubular tire is made from a tire
casing that is then sewn around an inner tube. The stitching is covered with a strip of cloth called
"base tape". The tubular is then glued to a special rim, called a tubular rim. The tubular system is not
interchangeable with the common "clincher" system.

Rims for tubular tires have a concave bed

where the tyre is glued into place and lack the
A tubular tire with most of the base tape
(visible left) removed to show the stitching that hooked sidewalls found in rims intended for
clincher tires.
holds together the tire carcass,
Tubular tires 101

The tubular tire system, even when mounted properly, is still susceptible to failure during use.
Every precaution should be taken when bonding the tubular to the rim. At this time there are
no industry standards for tubular mounting.
The basic principles that apply to gluing and adhesive bonding apply to tubular mounting. Generally,
there should be enough adhesive to bond the tire and rim but not excessive amounts of glue.
Excessive amounts of glue can become especially susceptible to failure from heat. There will be limits
on the strength the bond between rim and tire.
The tubular tire shape may not be a good match with the radius of a particular tubular rim. The
tubular bond strength comes from the outer edges of the rim more than the center. If the tire is too
small for the rim, there will not be good contact at the outer edges. In the cross section image below,
there will be poor contact between tire and rim at the outer edges.

Contact cements tend to soften and loose strength when they are heated. Hard braking during a

descent can cause enough rim heat build up to soften tubular glue.
Wet conditions tend to weaken the bond. Never glue a tubular out in rain or when the base surfaces
are wet. Use care when washing tubular and avoid scrubbing the rim/tire interface.
The tire is held on to the rim by glue, tension from the cord, and by air pressure. If a tire flats, the grip
to the rim is weakened, and the tire is susceptible to coming off the rim.
During use, the wheel and tire are subjected to several different types of stresses. The worst stress for
the tubular system is a lateral load or lateral impact. Hitting bumps during a corner, where the wheel
comes of the ground and then lands with an impact tends to push the tire sideways. This may cause
the tire to come off the rim, either partially or entirely, which may result in a crash of the rider.
Most bicycle tubular glues are variations on contact cements. Tubular cement must hold the tire to the
rim, but yet be somewhat flexible and giving when the tire is impacted laterally. Expoy or hard glue
would tend to shatter when impacted rather than yield during a shock. Tubular cements tend to use
volatile solvents that must bleed or dry out before the bond is fully secure. While the application
technique is critical to maximum bonding strength, glue brands will vary in quality and adhesive
strength. For more detail on tubular bonding see a technical article by Dr. Colin Howat, see the Kurata
Thermodynamics Laboratory
The safety of the rider depends on the best possible gluing procedures. A clean work area is important,
as is time and patience. Ideally, it would be best to have three days to bond a tubular to the rim. This
would allow for full drying of base coats. It is possible to glue a tire in a shorter amount of time, but it
is important to undertand that tubular adhesive requires time for proper curing. The bond strength
increases after the tire is initially mounted.
Gluing Procedure- new or bare rim

As with all bonding procedures, clean surfaces are important. Use a clean rag and a solvent that will
not leave an oily film, such as acetone or alcohol, to clean the rim surface. An oily surface will tend to
reply the adhesive. Allow rim to dry completely before continuing. NOTE: Do not use strong solvent
to wipe carbon fiber rims. Wipe with a clean cloth only. If necessary, use soap and water to remove oil
and allow drying completely.
The tubular tire can be a tight fit to the rim. It can help to stretch the tire on a dry rim and inflate it to
full pressure. Allow wheel to sit overnight. If time is an issue, the tire can be manually stretched by
placing it over your back "bandoleer" style. Place a knee in the tire and stretch, using your back.
Inspect base tape. If the base tape is covered with latex, attempt to scrape clean with a sharp edge. If
scraping does not appear to remove any glue, do not scrape further. If scraping appears to clean and
clear the tape, continue until full width of tape is finished.

Apply a single coat of glue to the base tape. Inflate

tubular until base tape rolls outward. Handle the tire
by the sidewalls. Pinch tire in the middle to form a
"figure 8". Apply a bead of glue a few centimeters at a
time, and spread evenly across the base tape. Continue
until entire base tape is coated, including the area at
valve.

Use care not to get glue on sidewall of tire. However,

if glue does get on sidewall, do not remove with
solvent. Simply allow drying and leave it alone. Hang
tire off ground in a dust free environment allow to dry
completely. A dry tire will be easier to handle when
mounted to the rim.

If rim has no base coat, apply a first coat. Spread an

adhesive bead a short section of rim, then spread
evenly the full width of the rim with a clean brush.
Allow this first coat to completely dry, ideally
overnight.

Apply an additional coat and allow this coat to dry as

well. The third and perhaps final coat will be used to
mount the tire while it is tacky, and not completely dry.
If there is a poor fit between tire shape and rim shape,
more coats may be required.
It is important the adhesive be applied fully to the
edges of the rim. Most of the holding power will come
from the outer edges of the tubular rim.

Test edges for glue.

After applying the final coat the rim, allow to partially

dry. This may take from a few minutes to one half
hour, depending upon the glue and atmospheric
conditions. Deflate the tubular until it is soft, but leave
enough air so the tire holds its shape. This will help
keep the sidewalls clean during mounting. Find a clean
floor area to work on, such as tile, or even a toolbox
lid. Do not mount on carpet, grass, or any surface that
may contaminate the rim. Place the wheel vertically
and place the valve in the valve hole.

Begin to pull outward on the tire, holding the tire

approximately 12-inches (30cm) to either side of the
valve. Work the tire on a section at a time, while
continuing to maintain pressure on the tire.

The last section may be especially tight and difficult to

get on the rim. Use thumb pressure to force tire onto
rim.

After the tubular is mounted, IMMEDIATELY begin

to true and align the tire on the rim. Sight the base
tape on both sides of the rim. Generally, the base tape
should appear even and centered. Check that the
center of the tire is if fact centered on the rim. Pull and
twist the tire as necessary. It can help to deflate the tire
further to align, but re-inflate to check final alignment.

Checking adhesion

Check proper adhesion at this time. Roll the tire back in several places and inspect the glue at the
rim and tire interface. Glue should be apparent at this area. The first image above is adequately
glued, but the second image shows lack of glue, called a "starved joint". Remove tire and apply more
glue to the rim.
After the tire is aligned, inflate tire fully. High tire pressure will help press the base tape fully in the
radius of the rim. It can also help to roll the tire along the floor while applying downward pressure.
Clean braking surface of any glue. Use a strong solvent and a rag is the rim is aluminum. For carbon
rims, wipe off glue as best possible without solvent.

Lastly, the tire MUST be allowed to fully cure. This will require time for the glue solvent to bleed
out. It is recommended that a tire be allowed to cure for 24-hours. Gluing and using a tire in a short
amount of time will not allow proper bonding, and can lead to failure, no matter the brand of glue.
Mounting to Used Tubular Rims

The gluing procedures will vary depending upon of the condition of the used rim. If the rim already
has a base coat, it typically can be re-used. The old tire, once removed, will give indications of the
previous gluing. In the image below, the base tape shows very minimal contact.
There will often be a layer of dirt on the edges of used
rims. Use a scraper and remove this glue and dirt.
Remember, it is the edges that do most of the holding.
It may be necessary to build up the previous coat. It is
also possible that the old coat is thick in some area and
bare in other. Apply glue accordingly. If the base coat
is very old, or if it is dirty and contaminated, it should
be stripped off. It is possible to use heavy-bodied paint
removers. Use a bio-degradable remover when
possible, and follow stripper directions.

NOTE: Do not use paint stripper or other strong

solvents on carbon rims. Any solvent strong enough to
cut the old glue will be strong enough to potentially
damage the matrix of the carbon fiber. If there is
excessive glue build up, apply a thin coat glue and then
scrape off excess, effectively using the new glue as a
"solvent".
The base tape of a tubular is adhered to the tire with
glue. If the base tape comes loose from the tire, it is
difficult to repair to a "like new" condition. Use a thin
coat of glue on the base tape. Install tire to a dry rim
and inflate fully to push tape to rim.
It is impossible to fully inspect the mounting of a
tubular without its removal. This of course is not
practical. Roll the tire back away from the rim to
inspect the glue at the rim/tire interface. If popping
and cracking is heard, it is an indication the bond is old
or there was inadequate glue in the bond. The tire
would be suspect.

Suggested Park Tools

PCS-1 or PCS-4 Truing Stand

PFP-2, or PFP-3 floor pump

More beers than gears

23/06/03

Dedicated followers of Bikemagic's regular maintenance articles will have noted that the last couple were to
do with that milestone of home mechanicking, building your own bike up from scratch. The articles may
have presented the impression that such builds are well-organised, almost surgical procedures where good
planning and the use of the correct tools ensures that little can go wrong.
In the real world, of course, it doesn't usually work like that. In face it works a little more like this...

Why?
A reasonable and straightforward question. The answer is neither of these things. In the old days, a
Saturday night would see me outing my dancing trousers in a vain attempt to woo some slapper with a
pulse and her own flat, before collapsing much later, contents of love sack unmolested, socially confused in
a local gutter. Sorry, that's probably far too much information. Whatever, we now have the internet for that
kind of thing which saves on embarrassment, inappropriate trousers and wear and tear on mouldy chat up
lines. It also delivers almost unlimited opportunities to spunk (is that the best choice of word? Probably not,
but press on...) money you don't have on things you don't need.
So one Saturday night, marinated in a heady cocktail of post-ride dopamine and Belgian wife-beater, I
foolishly bid on-line for a 1998 steel Kona frame. With the source being Singletrackworld, about twenty
other people offered ludicrous sums of money which they had no intention whatsoever of parting with. So it
came to pass that once the bullshitters had all gone home to their mums, it was left to me to honour my
commitments and ponder the answers to the two perennial questions any such purchase prompts: "What
the hell am I going to do with it?" and "How do I break this to
'er indoors?". The second question was met with, "Oh God,
not another one," doubtless a familiar refrain to many.
Enough of that, firstly what did I actually own?
This. Ignore the child's book and dodgy carpet square. The
18 inch Caldera frame had never been built and was
completely unmarked. Lovely. The next step was to find
things to go on it. In the oft-travelled and hopelessly
optimistic path of part hoarders everywhere, I tramped to
the shed to discover that, aside from a couple of dodgy
yellow semi-slicks and a novelty saddle, there was nothing
that would constitute even the beginnings of a bike build.

Old, yet shiny

>

It was here that the singlespeed decision was made. No gears in the shed, no gears on the bike. The same
logic could not, unfortunately, be levelled at other major component groups so my innocent 1994 rigid
Claude was pillaged for wheels and cranks. STW came to the rescue again with the currency of unwanted,
possibly purchased while drunk, parts being devalued to the point where a set of 400 forks cost me 70, a
pair of XTR Vs made only a 40 dent in my wallet and the most stunning of all purchases a set of 'cowhorn'
27in bars were mine for a tenner. In a piece of negotiation worthy of a Marrakesh rug market I guilted a
mate into selling me his Avid Levers for 15 on the grounds that he could buy some new ones for himself at
only 25 quid. Then I borrowed a couple of bits "to try out" from soon to be ex-friends and only succumbed to
buying a new bottom bracket, Singulator and other SS-specific malarkey. Oh, and a pair of tyres as of the
eleven spares kicking around, none were suitable. Obviously. Now I had a frame and a box of bits - only a
robust pair of patellas and any mechanical know-how whatsoever separated me from the righteous way of
the singlespeeder.

How?
Up until this point, the process by which the transformation from concept to reality was to be achieved had
been little considered. What was certain was that I'd need help, and someone else's toolkit. Justin is well
known for making decent tea and owning a set of matching hammers so seemed a good choice until his
son made an ill-timed appearance, freeriding out of the womb, leaving poor old fruity to an eon of dirty
nappies and broken nights.
Swiftly transferring my allegiance, I installed first reserve Nick as my new best mate, turning up at his door
on a drizzly Friday night with a six pack (of beer, not a well-formed torso. What do you mean, you
guessed?), two frames, assorted bits and a perturbed expression. He took it all in his stride, cracked open a
couple of beers and confidently surveyed the job in front of him. In a fit of enthusiasm and comedy
competence, I whipped the cranks off the ever-so molested Claud (before chucking it, broken and useless,
into the car) and grasped a chain tool with the look of a man who'd possibly seen one before.

First job was to render the Claud's wheels sprocketless. Nine

Years/No Lube - a simple couplet that doesn't begin to describe the
man versus cassette competition spanning three hours with full
accompaniment of gurning, hyperventilating, swearing and frequent
application of the big hammer.
All this after Nick's SO had abandoned him to my frame and his
children with the warning, "nothing abrasive on the new flooring
please". I would offer that bouncing up and down on an adjustable
spanner whilst smacking the lock nut with a hammer isn't strictly
abrasive. But we did still dent the new floor. Sorry Laura. No really.
Swearing and gurning not pictured
Notice in the picture the large hammer which featured heavily in the
final round of the bout and lead to eventual triumph. I punched the air before lapping the room, lockring
raised triumphantly above my head chanting, "You never had a chance you little
f*ck*r," whilst Nick got on with the more technical tasks.
There are many worthy souls on bike forums everywhere who lambast those of
us lacking the necessary tools and skills to perform even basic maintenance
tasks. Nick has a wonderfully dismissive attitude to these keepers of all things
anal and fitted the headset with nothing more than a rubber mallet and a vice
disguised as his stomach. A man clearly confident in his ability as he whacked
seven shades of shit out of the headset cup clasped 4mm away from his wedding
tackle.

Crazy circus tricks

He did however read the instructions for a while as can be seen here. But to
add spice to an already spicy cocktail of beer and bikes, he only studied the
Albanian and Latin versions. Headset installed, we took one look at the fork
steerer length and decided the big hacksaw wasn't required. This was not much
to do with riding positions, weight distribution or geometry but more allied to the
likely trauma of removing and refitting of the star-fangled nut. We
congratulated ourselves on a job well avoided and
cracked open another beer.
The forks were now in the frame after Nick had
precision engineered the crown race by the simple
method of selecting the largest screwdriver and largest hammer and applying the
latter to the former. On went the stem, with an appropriate length of steerer tube
rapidly sheathed in a collection of spacers stolen from Nick's tool box. Now we
were ready for the 'back end' so to speak. I'll spare you the sordid details of the
multiple wheel swaps as we struggled with the cassette and Nick tried to pass off a
totally wrecked STX wheel as something that'd "probably be ok for a while". Yeah
Something useful could be
right, if it had gone round. Or was round, come to that. The freehub growled a bit
stored in that axle
but we growled right back at it and before you could say, "another beer, what a fine
idea," we had a single sprocket on our wagon. And all this before Frasier came on the TV.
It's all Greek to me

The uncharacteristically new bottom bracket was fitted, and on went the crank. See
that lovely crank? Without wishing to tend to narcissism, I built that, bolts and all. I
know I know, it's a thing of beauty and all my own work. As I wouldn't let Nick near
the camera since he was getting very dirty, much of my worthy yet unglamorous
work has not been captured. Trust me, I was awesome. Apparently I also have that
disorder that forces me to lie all the time as well. Oh yeah - notice the well placed
Stella there.

Professional at work. But not in

this picture

Pizza in the oven, beers in the fridge (we'd moved to the large bottles now), our next challenge was fitting
the cowhorn bars to the itty-bitty stem. Nick wielded the Allen keys with much skill before we both fell about
laughing at the 2in rise and general silliness of these ape-hangers. Never mind, they'll do for the moment.

Oh, and see those fantastically fitted grips and brake levers? I don't need to tell you whose handiwork that
is do I? Pukka job.

Like handlebars, only higher

We almost had a bike missing only brakes and a chain. This

seemed an ideal time to supplement our diet of hoppy liquid
with spicy pizzas. We collapsed into chairs admiring our
handiwork so far and prayed to the deity of all things mountainbikey that the worst was behind us.

Zerospeed - one step too far?

Pizzas consumed, we ripped lovely new XTR cables from their

packages, so glad we had no gears to build and index, and
reacquainted ourselves with noodles and suchlike. Nick has a
patented method of setting up V-brakes. It's very impressive, I
can tell you, but unfortunately I missed it being on a very
important mission
to the fridge whilst
it was being done.

Chain on with the bete noir of every singlespeeder, the

chainline, looking almost perfect. But we were quite pissed by
then so it could have been anything from zero to about 15
degrees off. Nothing else for it but a quick spin round the block
so we wheeled it into driving rain for a splash and dash under
the streetlights. First impressions were very good - smooth
handling backed up by a drivetrain that was spot on, brakes
Remember these?
squealing like a pig suffering a particularly unpleasant sexual
experience and forks that were, and I'm being charitable here, in need of some TLC. A second ride with
toed in pads (I was tired and a bit drunk by now so thought Nick said he was going to put a toad in the pads
which I just assumed was some dark mechanical art similar to waving a dead chicken over the completed
bike) and some air in the forks confirmed the positive impressions of the first outing.
We flopped onto sofas, cracked celebratory beers and regaled Laura with stories of our mechanical
prowess in an attempt to divert attention from the floor. Build time was four hours. Bullshitting time was a
further three and since driving was something that had passed into illegality some three beers before, I
gratefully accepted Nick and Laura's offer of the spare bed only to be awoken some four hours later by their
small child alarm.
The weather, as your would expect near June, was bloody awful the entire day. I arrived home mildly
hungover but appropriately steeled to a day of opening presents for the four year old's birthday. Justin
turned up later offering advice, direction and eventually after much faffing on my part, hands-on fettling
including fitting Singulators and pouring oil into neglected parts of forks. The bike was ready to ride, but was
I?

Well?
It was pretty damn good actually. We made an inauspicious start where a lack of Singulator tension saw the
chain make four separate breaks for freedom in a similar number of miles but a zip tie soon shackled it
back onto its sprockety prison. The downside of the mod meant it was even harder to pedal but hey - that's
the ethos of the whole singlespeed experience isn't it? The test loop was one I know well and, in preparation
for the exploding knee scenario, its one I've been riding in the middle ring on the hardtail.
This is in no way the same as riding singlespeed - you just don't have any choices, climbs have to be
attacked brushing granny-ringers aside in a desperate attempt to retain momentum. Flats can be dealt with
by spinning like an epileptic hamster under a strobe light or chilling out and admiring the scenery (normally
a mud-splattered vista of your multi-cogged mates disappearing into the distance). And downhills are about
the same again with retention of momentum being everything.
Yet, there is a certain charming simplicity to the whole experience. I enjoyed it way more than I expected
but it was also a hell of a lot harder. 23 miles later, the car was a welcome sight and my hours of reaching
for non-existant shifters were over for now. Sure, there are some sections that will always require the use of
the 24in gear (think about it...) but it's been well worth it and I've no regrets. To all of those who say
singlespeeds are a stupid idea, let me tell you this: dressing up in dodgy Lycra skinsuits and riding around in
circles is hardly the act of sane individuals either. Subsequently, I ached in unexpected places (shoulders)
and expected ones as well (knees, anything connected to knees) but stairs were still well within my
capabilities the following day.
It's not a tool for everyday use but I'll be back on it out this
weekend grunting, grinning, spinning and just generally
windswept and interesting in a way that only a singlespeeder
can.
Let me finish with this. I've just fitted the remains of the XTR
brake cable to complete my daughter's 14in wheeled steel
singlespeed. I'm getting her started early on the "more beers
than gears" ide

Lovely

customer.service@profile-design.com <customer.service@profile-design.com>

Level of Difficulty

to

TM-1 Spoke Tension Meter Use

This article with discuss the use of the TM-1 Spoke Tension Meter. See also related articles:

Wheel Truing

Wheel Dishing or Centering

The TM-1 can be used to accurately and reliably measure the tension of each spoke in a wheel. The
TM-1 will also measure the average tension of all the spokes in a wheel, and the relative tension
between all the spokes in the wheel. It works on nearly any bicycle spoke, no matter what the

diameter, material, or shape. The TM-1 Tension Meter is a precision measuring instrument and
should be used and stored with care. To avoid damage, it is recommended that the TM-1 be stored in
its original packaging or suspended from a bench hook. It should always be kept clean and dry. As
new spokes are developed, check the TM-1 Tension Meter page for updated reading conversion
tables.
Wheels that are strong, reliable and long-lasting have spokes that are properly tensioned. Tension is
the amount of force pulling on a wheels spokes. Spokes that have low tension will continue to
loosen as the bike is ridden, resulting in shortened spoke life and a wheel that requires continuous retruing. As the wheel rotates while in use, the spokes that are on the bottom next to the ground
actually lose tension momentarily. This loosening each revolution is a "stress cycle", and low tension
wheels actually see a greater stress cycle than wheel with relatively greater tension. A high stress
cycle fatigues the metal and leads to spoke breakage.
Spokes that have too much tension can result in deforming and/or cracks near the nipple holes of the
rim, as seen in the image below. Notice crack at red arrow.

Too much tension can also lead to failure of the hub flange. The wrench flats of the spoke nipple can
become deformed and rounded by forcing the nipple to turn while the spoke is at too high tension.
In addition to achieving proper spoke tension, it is also important for all the spokes in the wheel to
have approximately the same relative tension. Relatively great differences in tension between each of
the spokes will result in a wheel that is not laterally stable and that will come out of true more easily
and more frequently.
The recommended tension for spokes in bicycle wheels can be as low as 80 Kilograms force (Kfg)
and as high as 230 Kilograms force. As a rule of thumb, it is best to set tension as high as the
weakest link in the system will allow, which for a bicycle wheel is usually the rim. Therefore, to
obtain a spoke tension recommendation for a specific wheel, it is best to contact the rim
manufacturer.

Rim true, or run-out, is dependent upon spoke tension and on the original manufacturing tolerances of the rim hoop
before the wheel is even built. Good quality rims may vary in round less than 1mm before being built.
Measuring Tension of a Spoke

1.

Measure the diameter of the spoke using the included spoke diameter gauge. The smallest slot the spoke fits
into determines the diameter. A measuring caliper can also be used to measure the spoke diameter.

2.

Squeeze the TM-1 at the handle grips (ref. #17). Place the spoke between the two fixed posts (ref. #3) and the
moveable post (ref. #4). Gently release handles. With butted spokes, position the posts so they rest on the
narrowest portion of spoke. With aero/bladed spokes, position the posts so they rest against the wide, flat side
of the spoke.

3.

With the TM-1 engaged on the spoke, the pointer (ref. #14) will be pointing to a number on the tools
graduated scale. This number is a deflection reading that is used in conjunction with the TM-1s conversion
table to determine the actual tension of the spoke.

4.

Using the conversion table, find the column corresponding to the material and diameter of the spoke being
measured. Follow the column down to the row corresponding to the spokes deflection reading (as determined
in step 3). The number at this intersection is the actual tension of the spoke in Kilograms force (Kgf).

The TM-1s conversion table converts the tools deflection reading into Kilograms force. Other units
of force sometimes used are Newtons and pounds force. One Kilogram force is approximately equal
to 10 Newtons or 2.2 pounds force. As an example, a spoke tension is 105 Kgf. This spoke would be
equal to approximately 1050 Newton or 210 pounds force.
The conversion table is based on the diameter and size of the spokes. The table does not refer to
"gauge" sizes, commonly used in the bicycle industry. Gauge systems are arbitrary assignments of
numbers to the relative size of the wire or material. Gauge sizes are often used for sheet metal,
needles, shotgun size, and wire. There are several systems used depending upon the specific industry.
For example, in the electrical industries, wire gauge is determined by a formula based on resistance
per unit length. In the wire weave industry and the bicycle industry, the gauge system is Washburn &
Moen Company, where the numbers are arbitrary and have no particular meaning other than relative
size. The gauge system can be confusing because the size of the wire diameter decreases as the
gauge numbers get larger. Relatively smaller gauge numbers mean a relatively larger wire.
Gauge systems often result in confusion for manufactures and users. Two well known spoke
manufacturers give different millimeter diameters for what they both call "16 gauge" spokes. Because
of this, it is best to simply use the measured diameter sizing of the spoke. The TM-1 conversion chart
has tension columns for different spoke diameter, measured in the middle of the spoke where the
TM-1 engages.
There are four bladed or "aerodynamic" steel spokes. The end of the spokes are not concerned in the
tension reading, only the middle. Measure both the thickness and width of a blade (major and minor
measuresements). When taking a TM-1 reading measurement on a bladed use care to hold to tool
square to the blade profile. If the tool is held crooked it will not give an accurate reading

Measuring Average Spoke Tension

The average tension is the sum of the individual spoke tension measurements, divided by the number of spokes
measured. Each wheel has two averages, one for the left side spokes and one for the right side spokes. If the spoke
hole flanges of the hub are centered between the locknuts of the hub, it is possible for the left and right sides to have
nearly equal average tension. However, if the spoke hole flanges are not centered between the locknuts of the hub.
Most rear wheels and front wheels with disc brake mounts will have different tension between the left and right side
spokes.

To determine average tension:

1.

Take deflection readings of all the spokes on the right side of the wheel. Record these numbers.

2.

Add the recorded numbers together.

3.

Divide the sum of the recorded numbers by the number of spokes measured. This number is the average of the
deflection readings.

4.

Use the conversion table to convert the average deflection reading into the average spoke tension in
Kilograms force.

5.

Repeat steps 1 - 4 for the left side of the wheel.

Using the TM-1 Tension Meter Conversion Table

The Coversion Table may be downloaded as an Adobe PDF file here. This table will be updated as new spokes enter
the market.

The TM-1 is calibrated for 16 different types of spokes. Round steel spokes are calibrated regardless
of brand. Some of the bladed on odd sizes are proprietary designs, and these are noted below. The
blade sizing is based on measurement, not on manufacturers nominal names:
1.

2mm round steel

2.

1.8mm round steel

3.

1.7mm round steel

4.

1.6mm round steel

5.

1.5mm round steel

6.

2.3mm round steel

7.

2.6mm round carbon (Spinerg Spox)

8.

2mm round titanium

9.

3.3mm round aluminum (Mavic Zircal)

10. 3.2mm x 1mm bladed steel (DT New Aero)

11. 2.6mm x 1.4mm bladed steel(Shimano blade)
12. 2.1m x 1mm bladed steel (Sapim CX Ray)
13. 2.2m x 1.4mm bladed steel (DT Aero Speed)
14. 2.6m x 1.3mm bladed titanium (Cane Creek, Marwi)
15. 4.3mm x 2.1mm bladed aluminum (Mavic)
16. 5.3mm x 1.8mm bladed aluminum (Mavic)

Below is a simplied Conversion Table showing only three spokes. The deflection readings that are
read off the tool are the left most column. The corresponding kilograms force is listed below each
spoke diameter.
TM-1 Deflection
Reading

2mm Round
Steel

1.8mm
Round Steel

3.2mm x 1mm
Bladed Steel

14

89

15

54

99

16

59

111

17

51

65

125

18

56

72

142

19

62

80

161

20

68

89

183

21

76

99

208

22

85

111

239

23

95

124

24

107

138

25

121

155

26

137

175

27

156

28

179

29

Notice that there may be some blanks for extreme low and high readings. If a 2mm spoke reads 16
or less from the tool, the tension is below 51 Kilograms. This spoke would be quite loose. However,
a 3.2mm x 1mm bladed steel spoke is 89 kgf when the tool reads 14.
The table does not include separate columns for butted spokes. In testing spokes at the Park Tool
Company, it was determined there was no sigfinicant difference between straight diameter spokes
and butted spokes. A butted spoke is basically considered a shorter straight gauge spoke.
The pointer of the tool will point at a number on the scale. For more accurate tension results, the
tool can be read to finer precision. If the point repeats just off a number, the reading can be
quartered. For example, the image below shows an example of a 24, a 24.5, a 25 and a 25.25. The
25.25 show the pointer just off the 25 mark.

Tension Balancing and Relative Spoke Tension

Relative tension is the tension of a spoke in comparison to the tension of one or more other spokes. A wheel with
spokes that are within plus or minus 20% of the wheels average spoke tension is generally considered to have
acceptable relative tension. As explained above, the spokes on one side of a wheel may be tensioned differently than
the spokes on the opposite side. Therefore, it is important to only compare the tension of a spoke relative to spokes on
the same side of the wheel. To determine relative tension:
1.

Determine the average tension of the spokes on the right side of the wheel.

2.

Multiply the average tension by .8 and by 1.2. The resulting two numbers will provide the acceptable relative
tension range.

3.

Use the TM-1 to take deflection readings of each individual spoke and use the conversion chart to convert the
readings into individual tension measurements.

4.

Determine if the individual tension measurements fall within the acceptable relative tension range from step
2.

5.

Repeat steps 1 - 4 for the left side of the wheel. If the spokes are not within the acceptable range of relative
tension, adjustments need to be made to the tension of the spokes.

Tension Recommendations

Rim manufacturers have set tension recommendations from as low as 80 Kilograms Force to as high as 230 Kilograms
force. Generally, the heavier and strong the rim, the more tension it can handle. A light rim may be weight from 280
grams to 350 grams. A heavy rim may be said to weigh 450 grams or more. Additionally, rim eyelets may help
distribute the load on the rim wall. A lack on eyelets on a light rim may imply less spoke tension is required. Always
consult the rim manufacture for the most up to date specifications. Below are some specifications:
Brand or
Manufacturer

Model

Front wheel
NOTE: measure rotor side
if a disc hub

Rear Wheel- right side

(chain side)

Bontrager

Race X Lite Aero Carbon

91 to 136 Kgf

122 to 181 Kgf

Race X Lite Aero

91 to 136 Kgf

122 to 181 Kgf

Race X Lite

94 to 136 Kgf

122 to 181 Kgf

Race Lite Tandem

100 to 159 Kgf

100 to 150 Kgf

Race Lite

77 to 127 Kgf

86 to 159 Kgf

Race X Lite ATB

50 to 132 Kgf

not availabe

Race Lite 29-inch ATB , Race Lite 29inch Disc Compatible

2003 Race Lite Tubeless, Race Lite
Tubeless Disc Specific
50 to 132 Kgf
Race Tubeless, Race 29-inch Disc
Compatible
Select Disc Compatible, Select ATB
Select Hybrid, Select road

50 to 132 Kgf

Superstock 29-inch Disc Compatible

54 to 132 Kgf

54 to 132 Kgf

Superstock Disc Compatible

54 to 132 Kgf

54 to 132 Kgf

Superstock

54 to 132 Kgf

54 to 132 Kgf

Campagnolo

Eurus Wheel

60-80 Kgf

95-115 Kgf

Campagnolo

Neutron Wheel

60-70 Kgf

120 to 140 Kgf

Campagnolo

Hyperon Wheel

60-80 Kgf

110 to 130 Kgf

Campagnolo

Proton Wheel

50 to 70 Kgf

120 to 140 Kgf

Campagnolo

Scirocco Wheel

60 to 80 Kgf

85 to 105 Kgf

Campagnolo

Zonda

tangent spokes 60 to 80 Kgf

radial spoke 75 to 95 Kgf

90 to 110 Kgf

Mavic

Crossride Ceramic

70 - 90 Kgf

70 - 90 Kgf

Classics SSC

80 - 100 Kgf

80 - 100 Kgf

Crossroc UST, Crossroc UST

Disc

90 - 120 Kgf

90 - 120 Kgf

Cosmic Elite

110 to 140 kgf

110 to 140 kgf

Crossmax UST Disc

110- 140 Kgf

120 - 150 Kgf

Ksyrium Elite

140-160 Kgf

140-160 Kgf

Crossmax UST

70 - 90 kgf for a front

Crossride or Cosmos

110 - 130 kgf

Cosmic Carbone SSC

Ksyrium SSC

90 - 110 kgf

130 - 150 kg

Crossmax UST

100 - 120 kgf

130 - 150 kg

WH-M959, WH-M575, WH-M540

98 to 118 Kgf

105 to 128 Kgf

WH-M7701 (also for carbon)

105 to 160 Kgf

98 to 140 Kgf

Shimano Wheels

Calibration

The TM-1 Tension Meter is calibrated at the Park Tool manufacturing facility. Generally we do not recommend
readjustment of tool. If the tool is worn or damaged and appears to be inaccurate, return to Park Tool for recalibration.
Park Tool will recalibrate and return the tool for a reasonable charge.

It is recommended for professional mechanics and service departments use a non-riding wheel to
help in tool calibration. Remove the axle from a wheel so that it is not rideable. Mark a spoke as a
reference spoke and measure this one spoke. Write the date of the measurement directly on the rim.
This same spoke can be used to double check the original calibration. If the tool is reading different

than this "reference spoke", the spring tension can be changed. If the tool is reading low, take the
tool off the spoke and turn it upside down. Remove the spring from the fixed moving stud, and then
thread the adjusting screw inward toward its stud. This will decrease tension on the TM-1 spring,
resulting in a higher deflection reading. If the TM-1 is reading high, increase tension at the adjusting
screw.

Special Thanks
The Park Tool Company would like to thank Colin S. Howat of the KTL Lab, Lawrence, Kansas, for his assitance and
help in developing the TM-1 and the conversion table.

Build your own - Part 2

16/06/03

Last week we gave you a brief run-down on the possible pitfalls that you may encounter when embarking
upon building up your own bike from a bare frame. This time around we're looking at all the clusters of
components and pointing you in the direction of the relevant how-to's - we've already covered fitting and
adjusting most things so there's no point repeating ourselves. We've also got a couple of handy hints and
tips to make the whole project go swimmingly...
As with so many things in life, preparation is everything. A bit of
effort up front pays dividends. To that end, it's a splendid idea to
get hold of everything you'll need first - there are few things
more irritating than almost finishing your new bike late one
evening but being stymied by the lack of nine inches of cable
housing or something.
In most cases the frame itself will need some preparation
before you start bolting bits to it. Some are better than others,
but generally you'll want to have the bottom bracket threads
chased and the ends of the shell and headtube faced. If you're
going to fit discs, having the disc mounts faced will make life a
lot easier too. All of these things need expensive tools that
you'll rarely need, so pop to your friendly local shop. We'd
suggest getting them to fit the headset while they've got the
bike, too - you can certainly fit it yourself but they should make
a better job of it.

If you don't already have one, a good workstand is a must-have

for bike building projects. Well, OK, you can get away without
one but it's about a thousand million billion times easier with
one. Some frames don't like having their thin-walled tubes
clamped, so fit the seatpost before anything else and put the
post in the stand. Then work from there.

If you're following the well-trodden path of putting stuff of your

old bike onto a new frame, then you'll have wheels already. If
you're genuinely building from the ground up you've got a
couple of choices. You can get your wheels built, either by
buying prebuilt wheel packages from the likes of Mavic or
Shimano or by getting your choice of parts assembled by a
wheel builder. Or if you're feeling brave you can build you own.
Of course, you'll need to fit tyres too. And it's always nice to use
nice new inner tubes on a new bike. Sticking old patched ones
in just doesn't feel right, somehow.

The order in which you attach things is pretty much up to you, really. We like to fit the forks first, followed by
the bar and stem and then the wheels so it looks like a bike quicker. Then it's bottom bracket and cranks,
front and rear mechs, chain, shifters and brakes . Finish off with all the little finishing touches - cable end

caps, bottle boss bolts, handlebar plugs - and you're ready to go. Have a shake-down run before venturing
out on a proper ride, as something's bound to come loose or need tweaking...

TF TUNED TECH TIPS (To help you get the best from your suspension)
Tech Tip 5 - Spring Preload - second of 3 on the subject of Springs
Spring preload is normally adjustable by the spring preload collar, on rear shocks or via the topcap
adjuster on forks. These adjusters compress the spring and should be used to fine tune the correct
amount of sag. Turning the spring preload collar to compress the spring will decrease the amount of
sag & vice versa. They will increase or decrease the hardness of the suspension but should be used
with care or damage can occur. To little preload & the spring will rattle & possibly damage
surrounding components, to much & it's liable to snap.
On front forks turning the adjusters will usually increase or decrease the amount of spring preload by
between 5-10mm or 0.2-0.4". So if you had a 60lb springrate (see tech tip 4 below) you would
increase the initial force required to compress the fork by 12-24 lbs & similarly the ending spring rate
would increase by the same amount. This may seem like a large increase & therefore many people
think adjusting the preload will make a huge difference but in reality it doesn't. So if the fork was a
5" travel model the ending springrate would increase from 300lbs to 312lbs or 324lbs this as you can
see is only a 4-8% increase. If however you were to go to the next springrate, say 70 lbs, you get an
increase of 14% & the ending rate would be 350lbs or with preload 364 to 378lbs.
On rear shocks the spring preload collar is infinitely adjustable (with a little help from some
pipegrips!) so in theory you could get the ending rate you want. The only problem here is the limited
space for the spring. As you screw the preload collar down to compress the spring the gaps between
the coils become smaller. These gaps must add up in total to a value higher than that of the shock
stroke. Ideally they should be 10% greater otherwise premature failure of the spring will occur. This
is why all coil over shocks have a maximum amount of allowable preload. This amount is usually
between 3-8 turns & is counted from the moment the spring collar contacts the spring & begins to
compress it.

As most suspension is supplied for Joe Average who is 170lbs or 70kg you will usually need to take
different springs if you are more than 10% ether side (assuming the manufactures called the
springrate right in the first place!) if you want the ultimate ride.
Coming soon we will be the checking how to measure & the importance of sag (If you own a Giant
NRS you wont like what I have to say)
Tech Tip 4 - Spring rates - first of 3 on the subject of Springs
What do those numbers on the outside of rear shock springs mean? Usually designated in the
imperial system (well for the 3 brands I deal with anyway) rear shocks have 2 numbers (e.g. 600 x
2.00). The first number (600) is the spring rate. The rate of a spring is the amount of force necessary
in pounds to compress the spring one inch. In our example it takes 600 lb. force to compress the
spring one inch. So it will take another 600 lb. (total 1200) to compress it the second inch.
The second figure (2.00) is the travel of the spring in inches & corresponds to the maximum travel of
the shock.
Fork springs are also available with different spring rates but only have one number (e.g. 60). This is
the spring rate; 60 lb. force to compress the spring 1 inch. Fork springs have much lower spring rates
as they are connected directly to the wheel with no mechanical leverage involved. Rear shocks
normally work with ratios of between 2 and 3.5 to 1. So on a bike with a 3:1 ratio, when the rear
wheel moves 3 inches the rear shock moves 1 inch. If a 600 x 2.00 spring was fitted it would take
200 lb. of force at the rear wheel to move that inch. The front fork on the other hand, with its 60
lb/in spring rate would take 180 lb. to move the same 3 inches.
Coming soon, we'll discuss preload & you'll find out if you have the right spring(s)...
Tech Tip 3 - Pump it up!
If you've got air suspension then here's a few pointers when pumping it up. If your suspension uses
standard Schrader valves you can damage the pumps coupling seal by screwing it in too far. As soon
as the gauge registers pressure, screw coupling turn more and pump to the desired level. When
you unscrew the coupling to remove the pump, the hiss you hear is the air from the pump & hose,
not the fork or shock (as long as the coupling seal is good) Likewise, when you attach the pump, the
opposite happens and air from the fork/shock chamber fills the pump, reducing the pressure
registered on the gauge. All perfectly normal and no need to change your desired pressure settings.
Tech Tip 2 - Keep your baby smooth
This one's for all you peeps with RockShox Judy's (post '01), SID's, Duke's & Psylo's. All these forks
rely on oil bath lubrication to keep them smooth. This small amount of oil or Red Rum tends to
collect at the bottom of the lower tubes after several hours of riding. It's pretty useless here as it's
meant to be up between the bushings & the upper tubes. A simple tip is to leave you bike upside
down when stored. This way the oil/Red Rum can get back up between the bushings & upper tubes
to give you a smoother ride. It also increases the service life of your fork.
Tech Tip 1 - Lube it up!
It's pretty mucky out there at the moment so my tip this week is about giving your fork a little love
after your ride. You know how is is... You get in from a ride, quickly wash the bike & then it's time
for a cup of tea. Whilst your supping your tea you remember to lube the chain otherwise it will be a
stiff rusty mess the next time you go to ride. Well, whilst your lubing your chain, with that sweet
Teflon enriched oil, just put a couple of drops on your forks upper tubes. Push them up & down a
few times & then wipe off the excess with an oily rag. So now next time you ride both your chain &
your fork will be silky smooth before you hit the first puddle!

Road Tire Selection Guide

If you are not sure what size tire you need, www.sheldonbrown.com has an informative web
site on the subject. In terms of tire width, most road cyclists ride 23mm (usually referred to
as 700x23) finding that they offer the best trade-off between performance and stability.
Those looking for the highest performance and lightest weight often ride on 700x20.
If you are not sure which tires are best suited to you, let us make a couple of suggestions
based on our experience. Comparing models we carry;
Continental Attack/Force are an exciting, new addition to the Conti line. With a specially
designed tire for front and rear, you get the best clincher performance possible.
Continental Grand Prix 4-Season are specially designed to provide extra grip in wet
weather and feature unmatched sidewall and tread puncture protection against road hazards.
If you are planning a cross-state or (better yet) cross-country ride, consider 4-Seasons.
Continental Dual Sport 1000 are the newest addition to the Conti product line. A folding
tire with a Kevlar bead, these extremely lightweight tires are an excellent selection for
training or touring.
Continental Grand Prix 3000 are a great all-weather training and racing tire. You can not
go wrong with GP3s and with a wide choice of sizes and colors, they look great too.
Michelin Pro Race have replaced the popular Axial Pros as Michelin's top-of-the-line
clincher. They have received excellent reviews from riders and are said to resist road hazards
better than Axial Pros.
Michelin Axial Carbon represent an excellent balance in durability, performance and
economy. The high carbon content makes these the longest-lasting tire in the Michelin line.
We've heard of cyclists getting over 3000 miles on a pair.
Michelin Axial Pro Light are one of the lightest racing clinchers around. The trade-off is
puncture resistance- if your roads are in good shape and you count grams on your wheels, try
a pair of these.
Vredestein Fortezzas and Tricomps are the most affordable clinchers rated to 145 psi. If
you pump your tires before every ride and like the feel of them at over 110 psi, you should
try these- the rolling resistance is much lower and the price is right.

Tips
Here are a few tire tips we've gathered from our riding experience- if you have a good tip to
share, please email it to us and we'll add it to the list.
Folding clinchers (all of what we sell besides tubulars) require hooked rims. The term 'hooked'
refers to the ridge on the inside of the rim the holds the kevlar bead of the tire in place. Most
contemporary rims are 'hooked'. If you have doubts, refer to your rim's specifications.
Dust your tubes with baby powder before installing them to help them seat more easily.
To extend the life of your tires, swap the front and rear tires as soon as the rear tire shows
signs of wear. Usually the front tire is still very close to new at that point.
Tires with black treads will generally last longer than any other color due to their carbon
content.
If a road hazard damages your sidewall while on a ride, a folded dollar bill can be inserted
between the tube and the tire to keep the tube from ballooning out.

Build your own

09/06/03

There's a well-established progression to bike ownership. You start by buying an inexpensive bike. You ride
it. Gradually you begin to feel the need (or want, which is to all intents and purposes the same thing) for
better bits. So you start to upgrade - tyres here, bars there, forks, cranks... Sooner or later you find yourself
with an entry-level frame with components that are deserving of something spanglier.
It's at this point that what you should really do is buy a nice frame and then assemble it yourself. Sounds a
bit daunting, but it's no harder than fixing them and by putting a bike together you'll find you're much more
au fait with how it works and how to sort it if it goes a little bit
wrong.
So, fairly straightforward then? Yes, but there are some
potential pitfalls that are worth avoiding before you start. Not
least of which is making sure all the bits will actually fit.
Fortunately most parts are entirely interchangeable, but there
are a few that you need to watch out for...
First up is the bottom bracket. The first thing you need to do is
check how wide the shell on the frame is. On mountain bikes
it'll be either 68 or 73mm unless you've got something
exceptionally odd. Simply measure between the two faces to
find which one it is. Having established that, you'll need to get
the right length axle. This depends largely on what cranks
you're using, although wider shells need correspondingly wider
axles. If you're using cranks off another bike and the shells are
the same width, chances are the axle will need to be the same
too. Otherwise refer to the instructions that came with your cranks.
Once upon a time it was hard to find a frame that you could bolt
disc brakes on to. Nowadays it's hard to find one that you can't,
and some frames can't have V brakes fitted to them... Make
sure that your frame has the right mounts for the brakes you
want to use. If you've got an IS mount (like this one here) you're
laughing. Don't lose hope if you find yourself with a Hayes
mount (two threaded bosses close together on the chainstay),
though - adapters or alternative calipers are available to sort
out most things, although sometimes you'll find a caliper that
just won't fit in the space available. The easiest way is just to
run Hayes brakes, which are actually rather good.
The front mech (if you're going to use one) is a potential
minefield. For a start, there are three different clamp diameters
in common use. And then the cable may be routed along the
top tube and meet the mech from above (top pull), or go under
the bottom bracket and meet it from below (bottom pull). And
finally, Shimano mechs come in top-swing (where the mounting
clamp is below the cage) or bottom-swing (with the mounting
clamp above the cage) variants. They're usually
interchangeable but some suspension designs get in the way of
top-swing ones. The easy way around most of these issues is
just to get a Shimano Deore front mech. They come with a
system of spacers to fit any seat tube and you can route the
cable in either direction. And they're cheap.
The vast majority of MTBs use a 1-1/8in fork steerer tube, while
most road bikes use a 1in size. Threadless headsets are pretty
much universal now, so just pick one you like. There are some
other headset sizes out there, though. For instance, this Giant
needs a 1-1/8in steerer but the frame is designed for a
recessed headset rather than the more familiar type with the
bearings outside the frame. Or you may encounter a frame built
for a 1.5in steerer. You can put a 1-1/8in fork into a 1.5in
headtube with a special reducing headset, but not the other way

Got cables?
Since the weather's turned nasty, maintenance on bikes has become something
other than blowing dust off them. One of the ways to improve
shifting/braking [1] performance is to keep your cables clean. While
cleaning and lubing is possible, eventually the cables will need replacing.
Equipment needed:
Cable cutters.
New cables + end caps
File
Soldering iron/solder or superglue.
Dremel (every job needs a Dremel!)
A small spike (needle, tack, etc.)
First up, use cable cutters. It's technically possible to use side cutters
or a dremel, but it's very hard to get a nice clean cut. That nice clean
cut affects how easy it is to get the cable through the outer, and the
various devices to which you attach the cable. A slight fray at the start
can catch and result in having to replace the cable again.
These instuctions deal with conventional cables - Gore "Ride-On" cables are
similar, but any instructions here dealing with lubrication should be
disregarded in favour of the manufacturer's advice.
Replacing outer cables
Generally you'll only need to replace the inners, but occasionally the
outers will be sufficiently rusty/dirty to require replacing as well. The
easiest way to test this is to try pushing a bit of clean inner through if it feels "grabby" or "gritty" you should replace the outer as well. The
tight arse option is to try flushing the outer with WD-40 or an aerosol
silicon lubricant. This can extend the life of an outer, but not
indefinitely.
Choose the right kind of outer cable. This is very important! Under the
plastic coating, the internals of brake and gear outer cables differ
considerably. A brake outer has a helical (like a corkscrew) wrap of
relatively thick metal that is reasonably incompressible, with very strong
sidewalls. Gear cable outer has a series of thin wires running the full
length of the wall. This is extremely incompressible, but the sidewall can
split if excessive force is applied. Since gears need precision changes
with not much force this cable is suitable, while brakes need much higher
amounts of cable tension. Using brake cable outer in place of gear cable
lead to sloppy shifts (if you can make it shift). Using gear cable outer in
place of brake cable outer could be lethal. Be aware that very old gear
cable had a similar construction to brake cable - this may still be
available in some areas, but should be thinner than brake cable.
Cut the cable to length. Any bends should be as wide as possible without
the cable needing to curve back (imagine a question mark). Too tight a
curve and there'll be extra friction. Too long a curve and the cable will
bend back, as well as having extra friction due to being longer. Also
remember that you'll need to allow for the handlebars to turn freely. As a
guide cut the outers to the same length as your previous outers, but be
aware that these may well be slightly too long or too short.
If you don't have proper cable cutters, cutting outers is reasonably easy
with a Dremel, or similar tool. If you use anything else, like side
cutters, you'll definitely need to file the ends flat. This isn't a bad
idea to do anyway, since it's a really easy way to clean up the end of a
brake cable, where the end of the helical wrap tends to form a small hook
when it's cut. After cutting, and optionally filing, use a small spike to
open out the inner plastic sleeve. A small strand of old cable can be
useful for this.
Put an end cap anywhere it's required (note that some bikes have "special"
end caps for various locations, or are designed to simply have the cable

put in without a cap), thread the cable in through the cable stops, and
you're ready to run the inners. It's possible to get end caps with a small
o-ring that helps to keep the inners gunk free. A small amount of grease in
the end cap can also help the cables move freely, though it can also hold
dust in place.
Running a full length outer.
One way to help prolong the life of a cable is to wrap the entire length in
an outer. Some people find this makes for increased cable compression, or
that gunk tends to kill an entire outer rather than a small length, but
it's certainly an option to consider. It's also trickier to push an inner
cable back through since there are no exposed lengths to grab mid way, but
this is generally not a major problem. Running a full length outer
generally involves drilling out the cable stops to turn them into cable
guides. Since this is an irreversible change and potentially a warranty
voiding exercise, try zip tying the outer in place until you're sure you
want to proceed.
The first stage is to drill out the cable stops. This is easiest with a
small grinding attachment on a Dremel - the flexible neck helps to get
parallel with the tube. It's also possible with a conventional drill, or
even a rat tail file. Be really careful not to take too much material, and
not to drill into the tube/stay. Once the stop is opened out, ensure the
inner surface is free of any burrs or ridges that could catch the outer if these are the wrong shape they can act as a ratchet, and pull the outer
through as it vibrates. Eventually you end up with a tiny loop at one of
the cable and a huge on at the other, and woeful shifting.
If you are running a full length outer, it's worth using o-ring end caps,
and/or putting a small amount of grease in the end cap to stop water
getting in to the main length of cable.
Replacing Inner cables
Inner cables are sufficiently cheap some people treat them as a throw away
item. Whether you try to clean your inners or simply replace them, they're
worth maintaining regularly. A quick wipe with a lubricant soaked rag, or a
touch of a "dry" lubricant often helps. Wet lubricants and grease are
commonly used, but can attract dust. Some cables are teflon coated so as
not to require lubrication.
Brake cables and gear cables differ in their thickness and the swaged on
ends. Brake cables tend to have a large low cylinder with the cable coming
out of the side. Gear cables tend to have a small high cylinder with the
cable coming out one end. Road brake cables tend to look like a larger gear
cable with an extra, larger cylinder on the end. The easiest way to get it
right is to look at your existing cables, or ask your local bike shop for
the right type.
Most brake levers have a slot through which you can remove the cable unhook the brakes and pull the cable out. Now unbolt the cable from the
clamp. Gears require the cable be detached first, then pushed through. This
normally requires the shifter to be at one extreme, and generally the
removal of some kind of cover. If you can't determine the access method by
inspection check with the manufacturer or your bike shop. Once the cable is
removed, check it for any major rust patches or kinks - these could be
signs the outer needs replacing as well.
Once the old cable is out, thread the new cable through. Pull out any
slack, then loosely clamp the cable. Ensure that the outer is correctly
routed and through all stops, and that the inner is correctly threaded. Now
adjust the gears/brakes until they're working correctly and clamp the cable
properly. Two good resource for adjusting gears and brakes are
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/index.html and
http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/FAQindex.shtml. Cut the cable about
3-5cm from the clamp. Most cables are provided with crimp on end caps.
These stop the end of the cable fraying. A more elegant solution is to
solder or superglue the last 3mm or so of the cable. This stops the cable
fraying while leaving the end thin enough to pull back through the outer

for maintenance. Be careful not to glue the cable to your frame, or melt
various components with a soldering iron - if you're a bit fumble fingered
end caps are probably safer.
Dave - who probably could have just pointed out the two URLs for
everything, but snuh.
[1] Assuming your shifting [2] and/or braking system uses cables.
[2] Shimano Airlines, or this hack:
http://weightweenies.starbike.com/articles.asp?ID=28

Adjust your cones

27/05/03

Bikes and rattles often seem to go together. It's well worth keeping an ear out for any clonks, bangs or
rattles - they usually mean something's come loose. And loose parts do not a happy ride make. A common
yet often overlooked culprit are the hub cones. On conventional hubs (that is, ones with loose balls inside
them), the cones are the outer bearing surface and can be adjusted to take up slop. They can work loose,
introducing play into the bearings and leading to a rattly wheel. You can check for loose cones by simply
grabbing the top of the wheel and trying to move it sideways. If the rim moves and the hub axle doesn't, the
cones are probably loose. Confirm it by taking the wheel out and wobbling the axle - you'll be able to feel
any play.
Many aftermarket hubs use replaceable cartridge bearings instead of loose balls and adjustable cones. If
these develop play it usually means replacing the bearings, although a few hubs can have the end-load
adjusted.
If the cones are loose there's a fair chance that the hub could
really do with a strip, clean and regrease, but for now we'll just
look at tightening the things back up to get you back out there...
Cones are very narrow and you'll need special thin cone
spanners to reach them. There are a few different sizes
depending on what hubs you have. Shimano fronts are 13mm,
rear 15mm. You may find it useful to have another spanner to
hand to fit the locknuts - 15mm for the front, 17mm for the
back.
Having established that you've got loose cones, take the quick
release skewer out of the axle - it just gets in the way. Pop the
spring and nut back on the shaft, they have a tendency to roll
off under things.

Many hubs (including most Shimano ones) have a rubber seal

covering the cones. Carefully lift this out with the aid of a small
screwdriver. Mind you don't damage it.

Now you're at the cones. There's a cone each side although

generally you only need to adjust one side. They're kept in
place by locknuts, so the first task is to back the locknuts off the
cones. Put your cone spanner onto the cone behind the locknut.

Tuning suspension
Caveat - I'm no suspension engineer!
Ok, so you've splashed out on that brand new fork, or complete bicycle even,
and have run out of things to play with. So your mind turns to the fork. The
problem is, playing around with the fork can turn something that works well
into something that barely works at all.
Where to start
I'd suggest the best thing to do for a start is a service on the fork, if
you feel comfortable doing it yourself it isn't very hard. Assuming you have
the manual follow the instructions to do this. One point I'd like to make is
that a change to a lighter weight fork oil can help make a fork more
responsive - especially if you are fairly light, say <75kg. In this case you
might want to try 5wt oil.
If you're a heavy brute then you might want to consider heavier weight oil,
but bear in mind sometimes heavier weight oil can have problems being
circulated through the damping cartridge. You probably don't want to exceed
15wt oil. Any good synthetic motorcycle fork oil such as Fuchs (Silkolene)
will do.
Adjusting
Start at the factory recommendations found in the handbook. This way you at
least have a reference, and if you totally bugger up this stage can go back
to something you know worked ok.
Sag is important, but sometimes with an air fork it is a compromise between
the correct sag level and the air pressure required to allow the fork to
work properly through the compression stroke. Your handbook has a guide for
sag, but you generally want around 25% of the total travel available to be
taken up in sag. Use the preload adjustment on a coil sprung fork to set
this measurement properly.
Compression. Well, this is fun. If you have an air fork, the compression
rate is infinitely variable. Basically you set it up so that the fork uses
all of its travel occasionally. But what you don't want is the fork to
bottom out on every medium sized undulation in the trail or gully.
On the other hand, a fork that is only getting two thirds of available
travel is not working effectively either. Let some air out man!
If you're doing a XC race though, for example, you might want to run a bit
more air pressure. This will make it less responsive and reduce 'bobbing'
which some riders feel gets more of their power to the ground, but at the
expense of some comfort. For a shortish XC race this is no problem.
The same applies to a coil sprung fork, but changing the compression is a
bit more difficult here. Yep, you'll need new springs. This isn't a problem,
as manufacturers make a range available. As a rough guide, Marzocchi forks
generally have too heavy a spring for the average rider and Manitou forks
have too light a spring.
Rebound is where problems can occur. There's a range of methods to get the
correct rebound, but the one I use is to find a favourite, mid speed corner
and ride around and around.
When you're doing this, change the rebound slightly for each try. If the
front wheel want to 'push' away, you have too much rebound (it pushes back
too quickly).
If the front wheel wants to 'tuck' under or 'fold' there isn't enough
rebound damping.
How do you know when you've got it right? That's easy, you don't think about

it any more...
To sum up, slight adjustments can make an enormous difference, for good and
for bad. Don't go changing multiple things at the same time or you won't
know what did work and what did not.
Get the compression right first, and the rebound adjustments last. Go west,
young men and adjust.
'The Fiddler'

Wheel truing basics

02/12/02

From hearing people go on about wheel truing you'd think it was some sort of black magic, with
practitioners relying on mysterious incantations and foul-smelling potions to transform the wobby wheel
back to miraculous straightness. Well, it isn't. There's a knack to it, but there's nothing mysterious about the
process. Anyone can true a wheel. It's a good idea not to start
out by trying to straighten out wheels made with swanky parts,
though. Try and find an older, tattier wheel to practise on, then
move on to your good stuff when you're confident
There's only one essential tool for wheel truing - the spoke key.
There are plenty to choose from although the Spokey shown
here is our favourite for reliable nipple engagement and ease of
use. The important thing is to make sure you're using the right
sized key. Most wheels have 14 gauge nipples, while
lightweight wheels may have 15 gauge nipples. Using the
wrong sized key is a quick route to rounded-off nipples aplenty,
which is as bad as it sounds.
The only other thing you need is some way of telling which way
the wheel's wobbling, and where. The best way of doing this is
with a wheel truing stand - this is a Park TS-7. A truing stand
lets you sit comfortably, see what you're doing and generally
make a better job of things. The downside is that they cost
money (lots of money in the case of the heavy-duty
professional models) that you might not wish to spend for the
sake of occasional wheel-truing duties.

The cheap-and-cheerful alternative to a pukka truing stand is

your bike. Stick it in a workstand so the wheels will spin and
there you go. Use a rubber band or some Blu-Tac to stick some
kind of pointer (an Allen key or a pencil or something) on the
stay and you're sorted. If you're out in the middle of nowhere
and have rim brakes, you can just use them to show where the
wobbles are. Whatever you use to true the wheel, it makes
things a lot easier if you take the tyre off first.

Wheels are pre-stressed structures - they rely on tension in the

spokes to keep them in shape. The tension in the spokes varies
as the wheel rotates and as it rolls over things. The idea is that
the static spoke tension is sufficiently high that even when
loaded the spokes don't actually go slack. If they go slack the
nipples can unwind and the spokes become loose, which makes
the wheel go out of true. So to make it straight again, we need
to adjust the spoke tensions which we do by turning the spoke
nipples.
The first thing to get your head around is which way to turn
them. To tighten a spoke nipple, you need to turn it clockwise
looking at the spoke end-on, ie from where the tyre would be.
Although don't actually look at it end-on, as occasionally a spoke will break as you tighten it and half a
spoke may ping through the rim at high speed.
Right, down to business. Put your wheel in your chosen stand
and move the pointer so it just clears the sidewall of the rim.
Spin the wheel and peer intently at the gap betwixt rim and
pointer. With any luck you'll be able to see that it's generally
straight with a couple of wobbles in it. Spin it back and forth
until you've identified the biggest wobble. It doesn't matter if it's
wobbling towards or away from the pointer.

You'll notice that the spokes are staggered either side of the
centreline of the rim with the spokes coming from the right hub
flange being offset to the right and vice versa. To bring the
wobble back into line, first check to see if one of the spokes
near the wobble is a lot looser than the others. If it is, tighten it
until it's somewhere near and check the wobble again.
To move the rim over to the left, tighten the spokes on the left
side 1/4 turn and loosen the ones on the right by the same
amount. Work on four spokes at a time, two in each direction.
Try to keep all the nipples aligned so that the spoke key is
either perpendicular or parallel to the rim - it makes it easier to
judge how much you're adjusting them. If your wheel has butted
spokes, they're likely to twist as you tighten them. To get around this, turn the nipples slightly too far and
then back them off to the desired position.
Spin the wheel again and the wobble should have got smaller.
If it's still the biggest wobble, repeat the tightening/loosening
thing until another wobble becomes bigger. Repeat the
procedure, always working on the biggest wobble. In theory if
you tighten and loosen spokes by equivalent amounts the
wheel should stay round, but chances are that it'll develop a bit
of a 'hop' with high and low points around the circumference.
So when the lateral trueness is looking good, move the pointer
so it's across the rim and check for up-and-downiness.
Correcting hops is a similar theory to correcting wobbles,
except that instead of tightening and loosening opposing
spokes, you tighten (or loosen) left and right spokes together. If
part of the rim bulges outwards, tighten the spokes at the bulge.
If part of it drops inwards, loosen them. Start at the highest (or

Freehub replacement
06/01/03

There's nothing like a constant cycle of getting your bike filthy and then cleaning it in a hurried fashion to
show up any component deficiencies. And during the winter months several bits of bike are likely to give up
the ghost. One of the most common fatalities is the humble freehub body. And without that working, you're
going nowhere. There are two main failure modes. Either the freehub will stick so that it doesn't freewheel,
leading to the chain tangling up every time you stop pedalling, or it'll stick so that it freewheels both ways
with the obvious detriment to power transmission. What you do about it varies according to your hub. Hope
and some other high-end hubs have freehubs that can be dismantled, cleaned out, relubed and rebuilt.
Regular Shimano freehubs can, in theory, be stripped down like
this but in practice it's a lot easier just to replace them. You only
have to replace the actual freehub mechanism, not the whole
hub, and it's a pretty straightforward job.
This is one of those jobs for which cleaning your bike is a must.
This is a uniquely grimy bit of the bike...
This job's spannertastic. You'll need a big adjustable spanner to
drive the cassette lockring tool, a chainwhip, a 10mm Allen key
and a selection of cone spanners (15 and 17mm for Shimano
hubs), plus some grease.

First job is to remove the back wheel and take the cassette off.
Refer to our previous articles on those topics if you don't know
how. And marvel at all the gunk that accumulates behind the
cassette sprockets. Mmmmm.

Next you need to take the axle out of the hub. You'll need to
gain access to the cones, which (depending on your hub) may
mean removing a rubber seal. Carefully lift an edge with a
small screwdriver and lift the seal off, pausing only briefly to
admire the corrosion on your disc rotors.

This is where the fun starts. Choose a pair of suitable cone

spanners and place on on the cone (the inner flats) and one on
the locknut (the obvious hexagonal thing on the end of the axle)
on the non-drive side. Arrange the two spanners so that you can
pull them together with one hand to crack off the locknut. It may
be a bit reluctant - you can try putting another spanner on the
opposite locknut and undoing them that way.

With the locknut loosened, unscrew it completely from the axle,

lift off any washers you may find beneath and then unscrew the

Rim replacement
16/12/02

Bike wheels are remarkable things. A well-built wheel will last for a long time. In fact, unless you hit it
spectacularly hard, a wheel will last until the rim wears out. Wears out? Yep. There's only so much material
in a rim sidewall, and eventually the brake pads will wear them so thin that the rim's not strong enough to
take the force exerted by an inflated tyre. At this point a loud bang occurs and a length of aluminium alloy
peels off the wheel. This is likely to be inconvenient at best, so ideally you'll keep an eye out for this
happening and catch it before it does. A simple clue is the shape of the rim. Generally the sidewalls are flat
and straight when new. If yours are noticeably concave or have curious lips, edges or grooves in the
surface, they're probably on the way out. The other, more aggressively entertaining, way of checking is with
the infamous "BANG - sh*t" test. Simply get a track pump and
inflate the tyre until something gives way. If the rim was a bit
tired, it'll go first. Stand well back...
Fear not, though, for replacing a rim is pretty straightforward,
particularly if you've already got to grips with basic wheel truing.
Note that this method works great for worn out or excessively
dented rims, but if you've had a proper stack and bent the
wheel a lot, chances are that the spokes aren't really worth
reusing. Just take the thing apart and re-use the hub - we'll
show you how soon.
Your tools du jour today are the spoke key, some tape and a
flat-bladed screwdriver. You'll also need some sort of wheel
truing stand, either a proper one or a cunning assemblage of
bike frames, pointers and rubber bands.

Here's our tragically-burst rim. This is why you should check

them regularly, otherwise this happens at some inconvenient
moment. Like, ooh, a 3am lap at the Red Bull 24hr for
example. Guess where this happened? Mm. Anyway, an
exploded rim is easy to spot, and equally easy to snigger at in a
schoolboy fashion. But we're way above that. Really.

If you haven't already, take the tyre and tube off the wheel.
Then find the end of the rim tape and peel that off too. If it's a
stretchy plastic or proper cloth tape you'll be able to use it again
if you like, so take it off carefully. If it's just a bodge job with
insulating tape then just pull it off and chuck it away.

Next get your new rim. Ideally you want one just like the old
one but new. Failing that, the two critical things are that it has
the same number of spoke holes as the old one. Yes, it's
obvious, but we don't mind admitting that we've got a fair way
into lacing 32 hole rims onto 36 hole hubs before noticing. The
other requirement is that the rim is the same depth as the old
one. If it's wildly different you'll need different length spokes
which makes this a somewhat more involved job. In fact it
makes it a different job altogether. Thing is, if the old rim died
from wear then it was a good rim, so you might as well get
another one the same and make life easier.
Now comes the clever bit. Lay the new rim on top of the old
wheel and line up the valve holes on the two rims. Then check
the orientation of the spoke holes. They're staggered left and
right, make sure both rims have the holes staggering the same
way.

Grab some tape and tape the two rims together. Don't go mad,
you're not trying to preserve them for their journey to the
afterlife, just to hold them together reasonably firmly.

Time for the fiddly bit. You need to work your way around the
wheel undoing a spoke at a time and moving it over to the
equivalent hole on the new rim. You may find this easier if you
loosen all the spokes first. To speed things up you can use a
screwdriver on the back of the nipples. Take care not to drop
any nipples inside the rim, and put a dab of oil (chain lube is
fine) on each one before you wind it back on. Put each nipple
onto the spoke two turns at first. If any nipples are extremely

Build your own wheels

20/05/03

You many never have considered building your own wheels. Too complicated, too likely to get it wrong, too
easy to get someone else to do it. All fair points, but it's not actually very difficult. The end result looks quite
complicated but getting there involves fairly simple steps...
There are all sorts of fancy spoke patterns out there, but there's no very good reason to use anything but
regular three-cross spoking so that's what we're doing here.
We're doing a front wheel, but the principle is the same for
rears.
You'll need a rim, a hub and some spokes. What they are is
relatively unimportant and can be argued until the cows have
not only come home but redecorated. The main thing is to
make sure that the rim and hub have the same number of holes
in them and that the spokes are good quality and the right
lengths. Stick to Sapim or DT double-butted spokes and brass
nipples and you won't go far wrong. Length depends on whether
you're doing a front or rear wheel and what rim and hub you're
using. If you've got a decent LBS they'll know the lengths,
otherwise there are loads of spoke length calculators on the
web - Google for "spoke length calculator". If you happen to be lacing a Mavic 618 rim to a Shimano XT
disc hub you want 260mm on the disc side and 262 on the other side...
Before you start make sure the spokes are all sorted out into lengths, and put a bit of light oil on the
threads. Chain lube'll do.
Lacing a wheel hinges on getting the first steps right.
Everything else follows from here. Take a comfy seat with a cup
of tea readily to hand, and place the rim on your lap with the
spoke hole opposite you. You'll notice that the spoke holes are
staggered up and down - position the rim so that the hole to the
right of the valve hole is lower than the one to the left. Hold the
hub in the middle of the rim with its right-hand end down.

Time to start putting spokes in. The first set are the "inbound"
spokes. These'll end up with their heads on the outside of the
hub flange. Drop a spoke of the correct length (this is the left
side of the wheel) into alternate holes in the hub flange, then
feed the threaded end of one of them into the spoke hole to the
left of the valve hole and thread a nipple on to it. Just do it up
three or four turns for now.

Work around the wheel putting the rest of the set of spokes in
every fourth hole and threading nipples on to them. Each of
these spokes should end up in a hole that's offset upwards. If
they don't, you've done something wrong...

2x9
Okay, I know what you're thinking, why would anyone bother with a 2x9 set up on a mountain bike, after all,
aren't they supposed to have a granny ring? Well yeah, but there are some subtle advantages with ditching the
granny ring. And besides, this is simply to help out those who may be interested in setting up a 2x9, if you don't
wanna try it, don't read it!
Why did I do it?
The way I set my bikes up is quite dynamic. Nothing stays too much the same for any length of time, I'm just
one of those tinkerers. I did this as an experiment, as all I needed was a 29-tooth chainring it wasn't going to be
costly.
Also, I found that I'm a bit of a wuss on hills, I'd change to the granny ring all the time whether I really needed to
or not. I knew I should be using my gears more wisely, and I figured that this might help.
You lose the full range of gears of course, but it allows to better use the spread of gears you have. Confused?
Good
What do you do to go 2x9?
Well, you lose the middle and granny chainrings, to replace them with a chainring that is smaller than the middle,
normally a 29 tooth.
Assuming you already have a 9-speed drivetrain, you don't need much at all. In fact, all you need is a smaller
middle ring. I use a 29 tooth 5 bolt Ritchey chainring. I don't know what is available in 4 bolt in that size. Maybe
you'll need to chase up a 5 bolt crankset as well? I have some old STX-RC cranks where the granny ring bolts to
the middle ring, they're prefect for the task.
In terms of your cassette, get something with RANGE! My preference is for a 11-34. A 29-34 is basically the same
gear as a 22-25, so youre really only losing the lowest 5 or so gears.
Do you need to run 9 speed? No you don't, but bear in mind you are losing your lowest gears so you want to
have as big a sprocket on the back as possible, and as such the 9 speed gives you that range. I wouldn't run 2x8
because I'm not a hill freak, and I do ride in the hills. I know someone who does though, (Hi Justin) he is younger
and fitter than me. Many people are though.
You may need to go to a bottom bracket with a narrower axle, more about that later.
How do I set it up?
Bolt up the new chainring where the middle ring once sat, and if necessary, put on your shiny, new 11-34
cassette.
The front derailleur is the next adjustment. You want to lock out the granny ring position, so put chain onto the
small chainring and onto the largest rear sprocket. Find the low adjustment screw on your front derailleur and
adjust it so that it the inner plate of the cage sits a couple of mm in from the chain. You're making ineffective the
low gear position of the shifter, it will still click to that position but you're preventing the derailleur cage from
moving when you do so.
I had some problems with the chain falling off the small chainring in the lowest gear position. This is because the
chainring that's now in the middle position is substantially smaller than the largest rear sprocket. Normally not a
problem with a normal 22-tooth chainring in the granny ring position because of a straighter chain line. In order
to improve the chain line I had to install a bottom bracket with a narrower axle. Warning, if you need to go to a
narrower bottom bracket axle, be careful it doesn't result in the big chainring hitting the chainstay!
What are the advantages of a 2x9?
The weight saving. Bwahahaha, yeah right. Maybe if you're an anal-retentive gram counting weight weenie.
You're saving the weight of the middle ring basically, so hardly worth the bother in the scheme of things. But this
isn't about weight saving. The real advantage is the gearing. Okay, you lose some low ratios, but all up you get
smarter use of your gears. In a 27-speed set up, if you were to measure the distance the bike travels for one
crank revolution in each gear, you would find a lot of duplication. A 2x9 just makes for less farting about with
shifting.
The main advantage is you tend to tackle hills with more determination. You find yourself pushing through a
slightly bigger gear than you normally would. Besides, if the terrain wins you have an excuse. I use 2x9 on my
hardtail, which is a bolt or two over 11kg and very stiff and responsive. So I can get away with that gearing on
such a nimble bike despite being ummm, pretty bloody average.

Disadvantages?
The set up can be a little finicky. And you lose your lowest gears. Finding the right inner chainring may be hard.
Oh, and answering questions as to why you've bothered.
Do I like it ?
Yes. A lot. I've cracked my first 100km day on dirt with that set up, and I use it in the 12hr and 24hr races. I find
the gearing to be quite user-friendly and the chainrings are easier to keep clean. It's well worth mucking about
with.
Hope this helps, enjoy!
Glennnnnnnnnn
Dr's note: I have run a 2x9 on and off for a while, except before Glennnn's wonderful explanation, I ran it with a
34/36 x 9. Hard work. That said with a 29 instead of a 34, it should be a breeze. The 2x9 setup is clean and
simple and if you ride a lot, you most probably do not use the granny much in anyway. With a 29 you'll be set. I
fully recommend it....

Tuning suspension
Caveat - I'm no suspension engineer!
Ok, so you've splashed out on that brand new fork, or complete bicycle even,
and have run out of things to play with. So your mind turns to the fork. The
problem is, playing around with the fork can turn something that works well
into something that barely works at all.
Where to start
I'd suggest the best thing to do for a start is a service on the fork, if
you feel comfortable doing it yourself it isn't very hard. Assuming you have
the manual follow the instructions to do this. One point I'd like to make is
that a change to a lighter weight fork oil can help make a fork more
responsive - especially if you are fairly light, say <75kg. In this case you
might want to try 5wt oil.
If you're a heavy brute then you might want to consider heavier weight oil,
but bear in mind sometimes heavier weight oil can have problems being
circulated through the damping cartridge. You probably don't want to exceed
15wt oil. Any good synthetic motorcycle fork oil such as Fuchs (Silkolene)
will do.
Adjusting
Start at the factory recommendations found in the handbook. This way you at
least have a reference, and if you totally bugger up this stage can go back
to something you know worked ok.
Sag is important, but sometimes with an air fork it is a compromise between
the correct sag level and the air pressure required to allow the fork to
work properly through the compression stroke. Your handbook has a guide for
sag, but you generally want around 25% of the total travel available to be
taken up in sag. Use the preload adjustment on a coil sprung fork to set
this measurement properly.
Compression. Well, this is fun. If you have an air fork, the compression
rate is infinitely variable. Basically you set it up so that the fork uses
all of its travel occasionally. But what you don't want is the fork to
bottom out on every medium sized undulation in the trail or gully.
On the other hand, a fork that is only getting two thirds of available
travel is not working effectively either. Let some air out man!
If you're doing a XC race though, for example, you might want to run a bit
more air pressure. This will make it less responsive and reduce 'bobbing'
which some riders feel gets more of their power to the ground, but at the
expense of some comfort. For a shortish XC race this is no problem.
The same applies to a coil sprung fork, but changing the compression is a
bit more difficult here. Yep, you'll need new springs. This isn't a problem,

as manufacturers make a range available. As a rough guide, Marzocchi forks

generally have too heavy a spring for the average rider and Manitou forks
have too light a spring.
Rebound is where problems can occur. There's a range of methods to get the
correct rebound, but the one I use is to find a favourite, mid speed corner
and ride around and around.
When you're doing this, change the rebound slightly for each try. If the
front wheel want to 'push' away, you have too much rebound (it pushes back
too quickly).
If the front wheel wants to 'tuck' under or 'fold' there isn't enough
rebound damping.
How do you know when you've got it right? That's easy, you don't think about
it any more...
To sum up, slight adjustments can make an enormous difference, for good and
for bad. Don't go changing multiple things at the same time or you won't
know what did work and what did not.
Get the compression right first, and the rebound adjustments last. Go west,
young men and adjust.
'The Fiddler'

A Comparison of Classic and

Integrated Headset Types
Cane Creek Cycling Components introduced the threadless headset to the bicycle industry in 1990
with the Aheadset brand. The original threadless headsets were fully compatible with existing
bicycles and frames, only requiring the use of a threadless fork and matching stem. This has remained
unchanged for many years. Recently, a couple unconventional headset designs have been introduced
requiring nontraditional head tubes in bicycle frames.
Cane Creek Cycling Components groups the headset designs into three categories as shown below:

While Cane Creek does offer headset models that fall into all three of the above categories, we
strongly suggest that the merits of a Classic or Zero Stack headset be considered when making
product specification decisions.
Classic

The Classic design headset fits in a traditionally designed head tube and utilizes external bearing
cups. There exist long established standards for head tube and fork interface dimensions with this
design. Historically there have been two primary sizes, 1" and 1-1/8", for the two most common fork
steerer tube outer diameters. The 1-1/8" size, historically the standard for mountain bikes, has
become the standard for road and BMX bikes as well.

Zero Stack

The Zero Stack (ZS) design headset requires a relatively large head tube and utilizes bearing cups
that are hidden or partially hidden inside the head tube. The Zero Stack headset offers a low stack
height, a clean look and the security of bearing cups.
These headsets may be used only in frames specifically designed for their use. With the introduction
of Zero Stack headsets by Cane Creek Cycling Components in 1999, an industry standard for head
tube interface dimensions was set at 44.0 mm nominal for 1-1/8" headsets. This dimension has been
widely adopted by other headset manufacturers and the bicycle industry over the last 3 years. Beware
of headsets recently introduced to the market, such as the King Cycle Group's Perdido, with a 44.5
mm nominal diameter. This is not compatible with the adopted industry standard.
Integrated System

The Integrated System (IS) design utilizes no bearing cups and requires a carefully machined head
tube to specific bearing interface dimensions. The Integrated System design is extremely dependant
upon frame quality and finishing, and is very sensitive to frame, fork and stem tolerances.
While there are unlimited options for the bearing dimensions offered by others in our industry, Cane
Creek Cycling Components has established a standard set of specific bearing dimensions in our Cane
Creek and Aheadset brand Integrated System headsets going forward. We have successfully used
the Cane Creek recommended standard bearing platform for several years. By going forward with
the Cane Creek standard we can simplify future confusion in manufacturing and customer service
caused by multiple sizes.

Bearings
The angular-contact cartridge-bearing assemblies contain 38 continuous-contact stainless steel balls
(32 on 1-inch model). These uncommonly sophisticated bearings offer low friction, high durability
and corrosion resistance, and easy serviceability. Compared to standard headsebearings, which use
carbon steel balls in a radial formation, the full-complement, angular-contact stainless steel balls of
the Cane Creek S-5 headset provide superior load handling and greater durability.

Seals
High quality surrounds and protects the bearings: Stainless steel races, waterproof grease at 100percent fill rate, and neoprene bearing seals (removable for bearing service, but with this much
protection, maintenance is quite low). To top it off, the S-5 headsets upper cover has an extra Oring seal to impede the downward momentum of bearing-wrecking moisture.

Adjustment
The tapered compression ring interfaces deeper into the bearing centerline than other threadless
headsets. It assures you of a preload adjustment as simple as threadless ought to be and is rock-solid
(no risk of "rocking"). A 5mm hex bolt sets the bearing preload.

Replace a broken spoke

12/05/03

Ah, the humble spoke. A bike component of such little significance to most riders that it barely even
registers as a component. Just the things that hold the rims to the hubs. It is the misfortune of the spoke to
have no moving parts, not to be available in a range of anodised colours and to only be made out of one
material. OK, there are titanium ones but no-one uses them (and rightly so) so they don't count.
But despite their low public profile, spokes are desperately important. How far would you get without any?
Exactly. Which makes a spoke breakage something to be dealt with urgently. A word here about what it is
that makes spokes break. You may think that they break from hitting things too hard, but that's not really the
case. They actually break from fatigue. As the wheel goes around, the spokes change tension. If there's
sufficient load on each spoke they'll gradually fatigue and eventually break. If you (or your bike) is heavy or
you carry a lot of luggage or there aren't many spokes and you cover a lot of distance, you're more likely to
suffer spoke breakages.
Usually, if a spoke breaks it's in the back wheel, because back wheels carry more weight and are subjected
to more tension-varying impacts than front ones. Furthermore, because most rear wheels are dished, most
of the loads are taken through the drive-side spokes so it's usually one of those that breaks. From all of this
you can probably see that if one spoke breaks there's a few others not far behind...
If a spoke breaks it'll be at a weak spot. Generally they'll break at the elbow where they go into the hub, or
less often at the threads in the nipple. Sometimes drive-side
spokes will break a little way up from the hub, usually because
at some point the chain's gone over the big sprocket into the
wheel and taken a gouge out of the spokes.
That's enough background. Here's how to sort it.
You'll be needing a spoke key and a screwdriver. A wheel truing
jig is handy if you've got one. Oh, and a new spoke of course.
Your bike shop should be able to tell you what length you need
if you tell them what hub and rim you're using.

The first thing you need to know is what to do when the spoke
actually breaks. They don't often break just sat in the shed,
you're usually out riding when it happens. It's a good idea to get
them out of the way. If it's broken at the elbow, you can undo
the spoke nipple and just pull the spoke out.

If the spoke broke at the threads, you'll have to unthread it from

the hub. You'll only be able to do this if there aren't any disc
rotors or rear cassettes in the way. If there are, either twist it
around a neighbouring spoke or tape or cable tie it in place to
keep it out of the way until you get home. The wheel will have a
bit of a wobble on but chances are it'll be sufficiently minor that
you can ride home on it even if you have to let rim brakes off a
bit.

Once back to base, get the old spoke out. You might have to
remove a disc rotor or the rear cassette to achieve this. If the
spoke broke at the elbow you can undo the spoke nipple and
leave it in the rim. If it broke at the threads there'll be a spoke
nipple with a bit of spoke stuck in it, so you'll need to remove
the tyre and rim tape and take it out. You might as well take the
tyre off anyway, it'll make it easier to true the wheel in a bit.

Take your new spoke and thread it through the hub. It'll either
be head out or head in. On normal spoking patterns the spokes
alternate in and out around the hub, so make the new one fit
the pattern.

Cross the new spoke over and under the other spokes (again,
look at the rest of the wheel to match the patter) to reach the
vacant spoke hole in the rim, and thread a spoke nipple on to
the end. Lube the spoke threads with something first. We

Tool-free tube change

28/04/03

Got a flat out in the wilds? You don't really want to be faffing about repairing it - just stick in a new tube.
Which means you have to carry a spare tube, so don't forget it.
Quick tube changes can save race results, but even if you're
not racing speed is good. A faster tube change means less time
standing about getting cold and more time riding. Most MTB
tyre/rim combinations can be removed and refitted without tyre
levers. You just need the knack, and here it is...
First step is to take a quick look around the tyre to see if you
can spot the thorn. If it's wet, look for bubblings. If you see the
thorn, pull it out. At this point, most of the remaining air in the
tube will escape. Let the rest out through the valve - Schrader
(car-type) valves will need the inner core pushing in, Presta
(thin) valves require the knurled brass bit to be undone and
then the core pushing in.
The trick to getting tyres off without levers is to work all the
slack in the bead around to one point. Rims are deeper in the
middle than at the edges, so use this to your advantage. Stand
the wheel up in from of you with the valve at the top and push
the tyre beads together and down into the rim.

Then use your thumbs to "push" the tyre around the rim from
top to bottom. You're trying to get the bit of slack you've
obtained from pushing the top of the tyre into the well of the rim
all the way around to the bottom. As you work your way round
you'll find yourself picking the wheel up with the valve side
resting on your upper legs somewhere.

When your thumbs meet at the bottom, you should have

generated enough slack to push the tyre sideways over the rim.
Push outwards and down with your thumbs - your legs will give
you something to push against.

With one bit of the tyre over the side of the rim, you should be
able to grab it with one hand and the wheel with the other and
pull the two apart with a flourish and a small ripple of applause.

Simple fork servicing

22/04/03

After the last couple of weeks' articles you should know what most of the bits of your suspension fork are
and have got it set up just loverley for your weight and riding style. Unfortunately it won't stay that way for
ever - suspension forks are pretty complex things and there's a lot that could go wrong. Regular fettling
keeps them sweet, though. Thankfully most forks don't need as rigorous a maintenance schedule as they
used to (when it seemed like you had to strip the whole thing down weekly) but it's still well worth spending
a bit of time on them.
We haven't gone the whole hog here - stripping apart the actual damping mechanism will be an article into
itself. Partially because it's quite involved, partially because we
didn't want to hit you with too much info at once but mostly
because we could lay our hands on a critical tool this morning...
We're looking at a RockShox Psylo SL, although the principles
are common to several other forks. We'll do articles specific to
other forks in the future.
You'll need a rubber-faced mallet (or a block of wood and a
hammer), a 5mm Allen key, some fork oil (5wt is recommended
for these forks), something to catch old fork oil in, something to
measure new fork oil in and a collection of rags.

You can take the fork out of the bike if you like, but for this level
of service you don't really need to. What you will need to do is
clean the whole thing and disconnect the brake. Unbolt the
caliper if you're running a disc or unhook the cable at the lever
if you're running a V-brake.

Keeping the fork clean is critical. The wiper seals are usually
pretty effective, but if the fork's always filthy some stuff will find
its way in and wreak havoc. RockShox recommend further seal
attention every 25 hours of riding. Lift the wiper seals by gently
prising them up with a small (but ideally quite wide) screwdriver
- wrap a rag around the stanchion to prevent any slippage
leading to nasty gouging.

Push the wiper up the leg. Underneath it you'll see a foam ring. This should be soaked in oil (most
manufacturers sell a specific oil for this purpose that's a little thicker than fork oil) which keeps the interface
between stanchion and wiper seal well lubricated and provides an extra barrier between the outside world
and the internals of the fork. If that's all you need to do, just press the wiper seals back in. If your fork needs

the next level of fettle (recommended every 50 hours) then leave them out and lift out the foam rings too.

The next step is to get the lower leg casting off. It's held on with
bolts at the bottom of the fork legs. The right-hand leg has a
rebound adjuster knob - this just pulls out. Put it somewhere
safe, and then undo the bolts on both legs four full turns. Inside
the fork the damper and spring shafts are wedged into the
bottom of the lower leg. To free them so you can get the lowers
off, tap the bolts upwards. A rubber-faced mallet is best. Failing
that, a suitably-sized block of wood and a hammer do the job.
Once the bolts have gone back flush with the lowers you can
undo them completely. Some oil might dribble out at this point,
so have something to hand to catch it with.
At this stage you should be able to slide the lower leg casting
off the stanchions. It might be a bit reluctant to come off - a
little bit of wood/hammer action usually sees them right. Once
they're clear of the damper and spring rods inside, the rest of
the oil bath oil that lubricates the bushings will come out, so
keep that receptacle handy. It'll probably be a bit manky. If none
comes out, you've left the fork alone too long...

With the fork in two bits, clean everything up. Slide the foam
rings and wipers off the stanchions and clean them. Wipe down
the stanchions, and clean out the inside of the lower legs with a
long bottle brush and some degreaser. Pay particular attention
to the bushings inside the lowers. Make sure it's all dry before
you start putting things back together.

Fork tuning for beginners

14/04/03

So you've got a new bike complete with shiny new suspension forks. Or you've got some shiny new
suspension forks on your old bike. Either way, there's a fair chance you're looking at the fork and all the
knobs, dials and valves thereupon and feeling ever-so-slightly lost. If that's you, quickly scan through our
guide to fork anatomy and then pop back here and we'll run
through Setting Up Forks For Beginners...
The idea of suspension is twofold. First, it's intended to absorb
shocks from the ground before they reach the rider, improving
comfort. Second, it keeps the wheels in contact with the ground
for more of the time, improving grip and control. The key to
achieving both of these is sag and damping.
We're working just with the adjustments available outside the
fork here, so you won't need many tools. Some zip ties and a
tape measure are essential, and you'll need a shock pump if
you've got air-sprung forks.

Setting sag
Forks work best when they're allowed to settle slightly into their
travel under the rider's weight, giving them some reserve
extension so the wheel can drop into holes and down small
drops without the rest of the bike dropping too. To achieve
correct sag, start with a simple zip tie around one leg.

Zip tie in place, push it down until it's resting on the fork seal at
the top of the slider. Then get on to the bike and adopt the
"attack position" - slightly off the saddle, weight balanced
between hands and feet, centred over the bike. You'll need
either really good balance, a helper or something to gently lean
on to achieve this. Make sure the zip tie is right down on the
fork seal and gently get off.
Now measure the distance between the zip tie and the fork
seal. Optimum sag is somewhere between a quarter and a third
of the total fork travel - on a 100mm travel you'll want around
25-35mm of sag. Run more sag if you like a soft, plush ride,
less if you like things firmer. If it's wildly out, you'll need to
make some spring adjustments...

If you've got a coil-sprung fork, your first stop should be the

preload adjuster. This usually lives at the top of at least one fork
leg - some forks will only have one, some (usually budget
models) will have two. If you haven't got enough sag, turn the
adjuster(s) anticlockwise. If you've got too much sag, turn them
clockwise. Remeasure until it's right. If you're considerably
lighter or heavier than average you might not be able to set sag
just with the preload adjusters. If you're light you may still have
insufficient sag with zero preload; if you're heavy you may have
too much with maximum preload. In either case you'll need to

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<< Return to article

Anatomy of a fork
07/04/03

While only RockShox refer to their suspension products as

Black Box Techology, we tend to treat all boingy bits as "black
boxes" - things that we just trust to get on with their job and
don't worry too much about what's going on inside. It's an
approach that works up to a point, but occasionally you'll need
to take at least a little look at the internals. Before we start
delving too deeply, though, we'll take a quick look at the
anatomy of a suspension fork including simple things you can
do to extend maintenance intervals and stuff to keep an eye on.
Here's a fork (this one's a Marzocchi MX Pro). Arguments will
doubtless rage about whether it's "a fork" or "a pair of forks" but
we're going with fork singular if only because it's quicker to
type. Most conventional forks look fundamentally the same as
this, with two legs and a steerer tube. The only exceptions are
things like Cannondale's Lefty and USE's Sub, which feature
just the one leg each.

At the top of the fork is the steerer tube. This is the bit that turns
inside the headset bearings and has the stem clamped to the
top of it. At the other end is the crown, usually a forged
aluminium part that holds the steerer and both stanchion tubes.
Once upon a time the various tubes were clamped in to the
crown with pinch bolts, but most forks these days use some sort
of press fit. As a result, there's little that can go wrong here and
no bolts to check, but any movement or damage is generally
beyond the realm of home mechanics.

The stanchion tubes (otherwise known as upper legs) are

generally either anodised aluminium or chromed steel. The top
end of the stanchions is one of the highest-loaded bits of a fork,
so it's the stanchions that get beefed up for heavier-duty work you won't encounter many forks with 1in stanchion tubes any
more, but they'll range between 28.6mm (1-1/8in) and 32mm or
even bigger on some downhill-specific forks. Keep an eye out
for any nicks or dings in the surface of the stanchions. They
need to be perfectly smooth to avoid seal damamge.

The seals live in the top of the lower legs (or sliders). The ones
that you can see are usually only half the story. They're the

Replace your shock bushings

24/03/03

These days most full suspension bikes are fairly reliable, but there's one bit that regularly gives up the
ghost - the shock bushings. You're probably familiar with the symptoms - an irritating knocking noise from
the back end, a distinct vertical looseness to the suspension... Nearly all rear shocks have pressed-in selflubricating bushes running on aluminium spacers. It's a sensible design assuming that all the loads are
along the axis of the shock - any sideways slop in the rear suspension will put off-axis loads through there
and lead to premature bushing failure. DT shocks and Fox BRAIN shock on the Specialized Epic have
spherical bearings at the ends so that can handle a bit of wibble, but most shocks don't so if you're getting
through bushings at a prodigious rate check for slop elsewhere.
Assuming the thing's just reached the end of its natural lifespan, we've always had the best results from
replacing the bushing and the spacers all at once. Generally the
low-friction coating has worn off the bushing and the spacers
have become misshapen with wear. Do the lot and you'll be
back to a delightful factory-fresh tight rear...
Don't forget that bike cleaning thing...
Tools, then. Exactly what you'll need will vary a bit according to
your bike, but Allen keys, grease and a selection of sockets will
see you right.

Before we can deal with the bushings we need to take the

shock off. At each end there'll either be a shaft with bolts
threaded into each end or a big bolt that goes right through with
a Nyloc nut on the other end. Shafts and bolts may need gently
tapping through - it makes life a lot easier if you can support the
weight of the back end so it's not trying to pull the shock open
as you remove the bolts.

With the shock out, the alu spacers should be easily removed.
They're probably all blackened and nasty, but don't chuck 'em
just yet as they may well come in handy in a moment...

Careful inspection of the bushing pushed into the shock eyelet

should reveal that it's ever so slightly over to one side. This
gives you a toehold for the new bushing - you should be able to
rest it on the end of the old one with the very end just inside the
shock eyelet.

Rear suspension set-up

24/02/03

Once upon a time mountain bikes were simple devices. Chuck suspension into the mix, though, and things
get more complicated. A lot of people don't get on with their full-suspension bikes, and sometimes that's
simply because they're not set up right. But fear not, it's not a black art... We've covered front suspension
before, and here we're running through rear shocks.
As with so many things, suspension set-up is often a compromise. You've got quite a few conflicting
requirements - you want suspension that'll soak up small bumps without being overfaced on big ones,
supple but not mushy, controlled but active. But with a few minutes' effort you can get most of the way
there.
There are no hard and fast rules for suspension set-up. What works for one combination of bike, rider and
trails won't necessarily work for the rest. Different manufacturers have different ideas about the best
approach. Riders like different things. What we'll give you here is a brief guide to getting to a good basic
set-up that'll give you the confidence to tune things more closely to your preference. If you know you can
get back to something that works, there's no harm in trying to improve it...
First off, here's the bits of the shock that we're interested in:

This is a coil shock - you may have an air shock, which is fundamentally the same except that it uses air
instead of a steel coil spring.

Setting sag
Like forks, most full suspension designs are intended to run with some sag. That is, when you're riding
along a smooth surface the suspension is slightly compressed. This allows the wheels to drop into hollows
in the trail, keeping the tyres in contact with the ground and improving traction and control. Sag is controlled
by spring rate. The harder the spring, the less sag you'll have. Different bikes and riding styles favour
different amounts of sag, but somewhere between a quarter and a third of the available travel is usual. Less
sag gives a tauter, faster feel, more sag is plusher but can be more wallowy.
The best way to measure sag is by measuring vertically from the ground to a fixed point on the bike like the
underneath of the saddle or something. You can measure it at the shock too, but there isn't necessarily a
linear relationship between wheel travel and shock travel so it might be slightly out. It's easier to measure at
the shock, though - you really need two people to measure from seat to ground.
First you need to work out your target sag. You need to know the total travel of your bike. If you've got
100mm of travel and you want 25% sag, that's 25mm of compression under your weight. Measure from

seat to ground with you off the bike, then get on it and measure it again. The second measurement should
be 25mm (or whatever figure you came up with) less than the first. If it's sagging too much, tighten the
preload collar or if you have an air shock, add some more air. If it's not sagging enough, undo the preload
collar or release some air. Repeat until you hit the mark.
If you're a lot lighter or heavier than average and have a coil shock, you may find that you can't get the sag
right by just twiddling the preload collar. If that's the case you may need to swap the spring for a lighter or
heavier one. Air shocks don't have this problem.

Rebound damping
With the sag set correctly, turn your attention to the damping. Rebound damping is what stops the
suspension just bouncing uncontrollably when you hit a bump, but it has to be adjusted correctly - too much
rebound damping and the shock won't extend fast enough to absorb successive bumps, leading to a
phenomemon known as "packing down" where the shock gets more compressed by each bump until it runs
out of travel.
To start, turn the rebound adjuster (often a red dial, sometimes labelled R) anti-clockwise as far as it'll go. If
you've got a compression damping adjuster (often blue) do the same with that. This is fully open, that is,
minimum damping and a fast shock action. Roll along a smooth surface (a road will be fine), stand up and
give the suspension a bounce. Just stand up straight and then quickly push down on bars and pedals. The
suspension should compress, re-extend slightly beyond the "resting" position and then settle back to where
it started. Turn the rebound adjuster clockwise a click at a time until it behaves like this.
Once it feels good, go for an off-road ride and pay attention to how the rear end's acting. If it feels too
bouncy and tends to get out of control or feel like it's pitching you over the front on bigger hits, add more
rebound damping. If it packs down over successive bumps, reduce the rebound damping. Eventually you'll
find a setting you're happy with. Make a note of where it is (count the clicks to fully open).

Compression damping
Most shocks don't have adjustable compression damping. If yours does, leave it fully open unless you find
yourself bottoming the suspension out even though the spring rate's correct.

Go forth and fiddle

That should give you a pretty respectably performing rear suspension. From there it's a question of
tweaking things to suit your own trails and riding style. If you like a fast, tight-feeling bike, run less sag. If
you're into big drops, run more rebound damping. Just make a note of your basic settings, fiddle around,
learn what's what and if it all goes wrong you've got something to fall back on...
Air shock maintenance

31/03/03

Given the conditions that we ask air shocks to work under, it's a wonder that they last as long as they do.
Sure, sometimes you'll get a rogue one that'll never hold air but the vast majority sit there and take
whatever you can chuck at them. But there's no point leaving it
to chance. While a full service needs to be left to the experts,
regular air sleeve maintenance keeps them sweeter for longer.
Here's how to tackle the job for Fox air shocks, probably the
most commonly found.
The eagle-eyed will notice that we didn't clean our bike. Bad us.
You'll need whatever tools you need to take the shock out of
your bike (usually Allen keys and sockets), plus a screwdriver
and some suspension-friendly grease.

Before you start messing around with an air shock, take all the
air out first. Sounds obvious, but don't forget unless you fancy
dodging some high-speed shock parts. Use the valve cap back
to front to release the air valve. Fox shocks have a negative
spring too (it's inflated from the positive spring automatically),
so when you think you've got all the air out, lift and compress
the back end of the bike a few times and release the air again there'll probably be a little bit more.

With the shock empty, it's time to take it off the bike. We
covered this in a previous article. Once it's out, pull out the
aluminium reducers. If you've been experiencing any knocks or
rattles, now's a good time to replace the shock bushings and
reducers. If all is well, move on to removing the air sleeve.

Find yourself a vice with suitably soft jaws and carefully clamp
the eyelet at the valve and rebound knob end in it. Don't crush
the air valve, rebound knob or lockout lever (if present). Pop a
screwdriver or similar implement through the eyelet at the other
end, hold it and unscrew the air sleeve anticlockwise. It's a very
fine thread, so it may not appear to be coming undone for a
couple of turns, but it is. Residual air pressure will cause it to
gently pop off when it's at the end of the threads.

With the air sleeve clear of the threads, you can gently slide it
back along the shock body. Take the screwdriver out and slide it
off. Give everything a good clean and check for damaged or
worn seals and O-rings - replace any that look like they need it.

Removing and Installing Wheels and Tires

Typical Tools and Supplies Needed

Repair stand (optional, makes the work a lot easier)

Tire levers body of various take-a-long tools.

Patch Kit

Air pump, hand pump, or air compressor.

Wheel Removal

This article will discuss the removal and installation of tires.

The wheel must be removed to replace the tube and tire. If possible, begin by mounting bike in
stand. If no stand is available, bike should be laid on its left, non-derailleur, and side when the rear
wheel is removed. Do not stand bike upright without the rear wheel in place, as this will damage the
rear derailleur.
1. Rear wheels: shift derailleur to outermost gear and innermost front chainring.
2. Release brake quick-release, if any.

Typical MTB brakes and road brake quick release mechanisms are shown above.

3. Release wheel quick-release by pulling quick release lever outward. Pull outward on end of
quick release skewer lever. If necessary, loosen quick release adjusting nut to clear any tabs at end
of fork. For wheels with axle nuts, loosen both nuts outside of dropouts.

4. Front wheels: guide wheel down and out

of fork. For rear wheels, pull back on rear
derailleur to allow cogs to clear chain.
Lower wheel, guiding the wheel down
through brake pads and forward to clear
chain and derailleur. Guide the wheel
through the brake pads and out the fork
ends.

Removing Tire and Tube from Rim

Tires can be tightly fitted to the rim. Use tire levers to pry tire bead up and over rim sidewall. Do
not use a screwdriver, knife, or other sharp object, which might damage tire or tube. Fully threaded
valve shafts may have a locking nut next to rim. Loosen and remove locking nut before deflating.
1. Deflate tire completely. Even a small amount of air left in the tube can make it more difficult to
get the tire off. For best results, press downward on wheel while depressing the valve.
2. Push one bead of tire toward rim center. The tire
bead will be pressed tight against rim. Pushing it
inwards loosens the bead from the rim. Repeat on other
bead.

3. Engage one tire lever under bead of tire. Engage second

lever 1-2" (25-50mm) from first lever then pull both levers
toward spokes to lift bead off rim. Disengage one lever.
Move it two inches (5cm) along the rim and re-engage lever
in the bead. Pull lever to lift next section of bead off rim.

4. Repeat engaging the lever until the bead loosens. Then

slide the lever along the rim under the bead.

5. Starting opposite the valve, pull inner tube from tire. Lift valve from valve hole and remove tube
from wheel.
6. Remove second bead from rim, which removes tire completely from rim. To fully inspect the
tube and tire, it is best to remove both completely.
Other tire lever options

Some tires remove easier with a thinner Some tire and rim combinations require
and wider lever such as the TL-2
a very strong steel lever, such as the
TL-5.
Inspecting the inner tube

When servicing a flat tire, always inspect tire and tube carefully to locate the cause of failure. This
will help prevent future flats from the same cause.
1. Re-inflate inner tube if possible. Inflate until tube is twice its normal width.
2. Inspect for air leaks by holding tube close to the sensitive skin of lips or by holding tube near
your ear to hear leaks. Move the tube around its circumference. If these steps do not work,
submerge tube in water and watch for bubbles at the hole.
3. If you plan to repair the inner tube, use a marking pen to mark hole. Make four marks, one to
each side of hole. Do not mark close to hole, as the mark may be sanded off.
The type of cut or hole in the tube will help determine the cause of the flat. Common causes of tire
and tube failures are:

Cut at valve core, commonly from misalignment of tube in rim or riding with low pressure. Be
sure tube is mounted straight in rim and check pressure before rides.

Leaky valve core, tighten with a valve core tool. More common with Schrader type valves, but
also possible on some Presta valves.

Blow causing a large shredded hole. These are usually not repairable. Check tire and rim as
well for damage.

Hole on inside edge of tube indicates a problem inside the rim, such as from rim strip failure, a
protruding spoke or other sharp object inside the rim.

A long cut or rip may indicate a tire blow out. Typically this is not repairable. Use care when
seating tire during installation.

A single puncture or small hole is commonly from a thorn, wire, or small nail. These may be
repairable. Check tire as well for thorn, etc.

Double slits are commonly from a rim pinch. The tube was pinched between rim and object in
road/trail. Increase air pressure or use wider tires.

V-shaped slits may be from nails or glass.

Inspecting the Tire

It is important to always inspect the tire as well as the inner tube. The cause of the flat, such as a
nail or piece of glass may still be embedded in the tire or tread. Inspect both the outside of the
rubber tread and the inside of the casing.
1. Inspect outside of tread for protruding nails,
pieces of glass, thorns, or other objects. Squeeze
any cut to look inside for objects such as slivers of
glass.
2. Visually inspect inside of tire casing for nails,
glass or debris. Wipe inside of casing with a rag, and
then carefully feel inside with fingers.
3. Inspect sidewall for rips, holes, or damaged
rubber and casing.
4. Inspect wire or fabric tire bead for damage.

Rim Strip and Rim Cavity

The wheel rim is made with holes between the rim sidewalls for spoke nipples. A rim strip covers
the holes or nipples. The rim strip can be made out of different materials such as cloth, rubber, or
polyurethane plastic. The strip protects the inner tube from sharp edges in the base of the rim and
from spoke ends and nipples that might puncture the tube.
Inspect inside the rim cavity, looking at the rim strip and for any sharp corners or protuding spokes.

The rim strip should be wide enough to cover the bottom of

the rim, but not so wide it interferes with the seating of the
tire bead. Inspect the rim strip whenever changing a tire or
inner tube. Look for tares and rips, and make sure rim strip
is centered over the nipple holes. In the image left, the rim
holes are exposed, which may cause a flat tire.

Repairing Inner Tube

Simply replacing the punctured inner tube with a new tube is always the safest and most reliable
procedure. However, it is possible in some cases to repair a small hole in an inner tube. If the hole
is quite large, it may not be possible to repair. When in doubt replace the tube.
The GP-2 Super Patch Kit uses pre-glue patches. There is no tube of glue to leak or dry up. The
VP-1 uses a vulcanizing fluid to bond the patch to the inner tube.
Installing Tire and Tube on Wheel

1. Note directional arrows of tire manufacturer, if any. Directional arrows printed on the sidewalls
indicate rotation of wheel. Not all tires have direction orientation.
2. Inflate tube enough for tube to just hold its shape.
3. Install tube inside tire. Install with tube valve adjacent to air pressure recommendations written
on tire sidewall.

4. Lower tire and valve into rim valve hole and align valve so it is pointing straight toward hub. A
crooked valve can lead to a flat tire later.
5. Install one bead at a time. Work tire bead onto rim
with hands. If tire bead will not seat using hand, use tire
lever as a last resort. Use caution when using tire levers
to avoid pinching inner tube. Engage tire lever using
same orientation as removing bead.
6. Work tube over rim sidewall and into rim cavity.
7. Install second bead onto rim. Use care if using a tire
lever.
8. Inspect both sides of tire for bead seating and for any
sign of the inner tube sticking out. Re-install if necessary.
9. Inflate to low pressure and inspect bead again on both
sides. Look for small molding line above bead. This line
should run consistently above rim.
10. Inflate to full pressure and check with pressure
gauge. It may be necessary to press downward above the
valve in order to engage the pump head. For fully
threaded valve shafts, re-install the locking nut, if any. Do
not use wrench or pliers to tighten nut. Tighten finger
tight.

Installing Wheel on Bike

The wheels must be properly mounted to the bicycle frame. Misalignment can result in problems
with shifting and bike handling. If the wheel is not securely mounted in the dropouts, it may come
out when the bike is ridden, possibly causing injury to the rider.
Quick release wheels use a hollow hub axle fitted with a shaft, a lever that operates a cam
mechanism, and an adjusting nut. The cam puts tension on the shaft and pulls both the cam and the
adjusting nut tight against the dropouts. This tension is what holds the wheel securely to the frame.
The adjusting nut determines the amount of tension on the quick release lever and cam. Lubricate
the cam mechanism if it appears sticky or dry.
The quick release is fitted with two conical shaped springs. The small end of the spring faces the
axle, and the large end faces outward. These springs make the wheel easier to install. If one or both
springs become twisted or damaged they may be removed. The springs serve no purpose once the
wheel is tight on the bike.
Non-quick release hubs use axle nuts outside the dropouts. The axle nut will have a washer built
into the nut, or a separate washer. If the washer has teeth or knurling, these face the dropout to
help secure the wheel. Lubricate the axle threads while the wheel is off the bike.
It is often easiest to install the front wheel when the bike is standing on the ground. The quick
release skewer must be fully engaged on the dropout surfaces. By placing the bike on the ground,
the axle will be fully up in the dropouts.

1. Check that the quick release skewer lever is in open position. Check that brake quick release
mechanism is open.
2. Install front wheel between dropouts with skewer on left side (from rider's point of view). Pull
wheel fully up into dropouts. For non-quick release wheels with axle nuts, washers go to outside of
dropouts.
3. Rear wheels, pull back on rear derailleur to open chain. Place smallest cog between upper and
lower sections of chain. Guide wheel between brake pads and engage smallest cog on chain.
4. Determine final closing position of
hub quick release lever. Rotate front
lever and adjusting nut so the lever will
end up just in front of fork. Position the
rear lever so it falls between the chain
stay and seat stays. Reposition the lever
as necessary if it will not fully close.

5. Adjust closing tension of quick

release skewer. For most skewers,
hold lever parallel to the hub axle,
which is half way through its swing
from fully open to fully closed.
Tighten adjusting nut snug against
dropout. Check results by moving
lever back and forth through its
swing. Lever should meet resistance
to closing half way through its swing.
Close lever fully.
6. For non-quick release wheels,
tighten axle nuts fully.
7. Close brake quick-release
mechanism. View wheel centering in
fork. Wheel should be centered
between fork blades. To adjust wheel
centering, open skewer, move wheel
either left or right until wheel appears
centered, then close skewer. For nonquick release wheels, loosen axle nuts and center wheel, then re-tighten nuts.
8. Inspect brake pad alignment and centering by closing and opening pads with brake lever. If brake
pads are not centered to wheel, see Chapter 6, Brake Systems. If wheel fails to adequately center in
frame, either the frame or wheel may be misaligned.
9. Spin wheel and double check pad alignment to rim. Be sure pads do not strike tire.
10. Orient skewer so lever will end up between the seat stay and chain stay, unless this prevents

lever from fully closing.

11. Close brake quick release or attach MTB brake release wire.
12. View centering of
wheel between chain
stays and seat stays. Also
sight rim centering to
brake pads. Open skewer
or loosen axle nuts and
adjust as necessary to
center wheel in frame. If
brake pads are not
adequately centered to
wheel re-adjust brakes. If
further attempts to align
the wheel fail to
adequately center it in
frame, either the frame or
wheel may be miss
aligned. Seek a
professional mechanic for
help.
Note: So-called "open
cam" skewers may
require more tension from
the skewer. These skewer
levers have the cam mechanism exposed, and should be lubricated often. Always check with skewer
manufacturer for specific procedures.

Temporary repair of tire with tire boot

If the tire has been ripped and the casing damaged, it may not hold an inner tube. It is possible in
some cases to make a temporary repair with a Tire Boot. A booted tire should not be considered a
permanent repair. The tire should be replaced as soon as possible.

Locate rip in tire. Compare rip to size of tire boot. Tire boot must completely overlap rip to be
effective. Wipe clean inside of tire adjacent to rip. Peal off backing of TB-1. Align patch so edges
do not extend beyond tire bead. If necessary, cut boot so it does not extend past tire bead. Press
patch to inside of casing.
Always replace ripped tires as soon as possible.

Suggested Park Tools

PCS-1 or PCS-4 Repair Stand

Tire levers TL-1, TL-2, TL-5, or body of various take-a-long tools. For professional use, TL-10.

Patch Kit such as the GP-2, or VP-1.

Air pump PFP-2 or PFP-3, hand pump, or air compressor

Replace your shock bushings

24/03/03

These days most full suspension bikes are fairly reliable, but there's one bit that regularly gives up the
ghost - the shock bushings. You're probably familiar with the symptoms - an irritating knocking noise from
the back end, a distinct vertical looseness to the suspension... Nearly all rear shocks have pressed-in selflubricating bushes running on aluminium spacers. It's a sensible design assuming that all the loads are
along the axis of the shock - any sideways slop in the rear suspension will put off-axis loads through there
and lead to premature bushing failure. DT shocks and Fox BRAIN shock on the Specialized Epic have
spherical bearings at the ends so that can handle a bit of wibble, but most shocks don't so if you're getting
through bushings at a prodigious rate check for slop elsewhere.
Assuming the thing's just reached the end of its natural lifespan, we've always had the best results from
replacing the bushing and the spacers all at once. Generally the
low-friction coating has worn off the bushing and the spacers
have become misshapen with wear. Do the lot and you'll be
back to a delightful factory-fresh tight rear...
Don't forget that bike cleaning thing...
Tools, then. Exactly what you'll need will vary a bit according to
your bike, but Allen keys, grease and a selection of sockets will
see you right.

Before we can deal with the bushings we need to take the

shock off. At each end there'll either be a shaft with bolts
threaded into each end or a big bolt that goes right through with
a Nyloc nut on the other end. Shafts and bolts may need gently
tapping through - it makes life a lot easier if you can support the
weight of the back end so it's not trying to pull the shock open
as you remove the bolts.

With the shock out, the alu spacers should be easily removed.
They're probably all blackened and nasty, but don't chuck 'em
just yet as they may well come in handy in a moment...

Careful inspection of the bushing pushed into the shock eyelet

should reveal that it's ever so slightly over to one side. This
gives you a toehold for the new bushing - you should be able to
rest it on the end of the old one with the very end just inside the
shock eyelet.

Place a suitably-sized socket or spacer over the opposite side

of the shock eyelet (it needs to be big enough for the bushing to
pass inside it) and one of the old alu spacers in the new
bushing. Get the whole lot in a vice and gently squeeze. The
new bushing should drive its way into the shock eye, pushing
the old one out as it does so. It's a proper tight fit but once it's
started it should slide in relatively easy. A proper big bench vice
is a usefuly ally. Nudging the new bushing in so there's a
millimetre's gap on one side will make putting the next one in
easier.

With a shiny new bushing in place, it's time to push the new
spacers in. We took the opportunity to replace the alu spacers
with a mounting kit from TF Tuned Shox (BETD do a similar kit)
that uses a steel shaft through the bushings with an alu spacer
each side so that the bushing's running on hard steel rather
than soft alu. This should extend the life of the whole assembly
considerably. Whichever you choose, it'll be a snug fit at first
and may need pressing or tapping in (or through). Don't apply
any grease or lube to the bushing surface - it'll just cause the
coating to break down and flake off.

With everything back in place, remount the shock on the bike.

A smear of grease on the mounting bolts or shafts will help
everything slide back together easily. Do up the various bolts
and you're back to a world of non-rattly suspension happiness...

Clean your chain

17/03/03

As chores go, cleaning your chain ranks right up there alongside unblocking the toilet or creasoting the shed
for sheer unwelcomingness. But it's one of those things that has
to be done - a clean chain is a smooth-running, long lasting
chain and nothing spoils a ride like a chain that sticks and slips
and won't shift and then breaks. There are a few different
approaches to chain cleaning, so pick the effectiveness/time
compromise that suits you best...
If you happen to have a chain with a quicklink magic joining
doofer than you can undo by hand, the most effective method is
just to take the chain off and dump it in a container of suitable
degreaser. You'll probably want to use a large, shallow
container rather than, say, an empty tuna tin - if you can coil the
chain up so it lies flat you don't need much degreaser. You can
read more details about this technique here.
If you don't have a quicklink, splitting and rejoining the chain
just to clean it is a bit of a performance, so you'll have to deal
with it in situ. Shift into the gear with the straightest chainline
you can find (middle chainring and fifth sprocket on 27 speed
setups) so you can spin the cranks backwards without the chain
wandering around the place. Use degreaser and a stiff-bristled
brush to work it into the chain. It's a good idea to set aside a
brush just for chain cleaning - they get pretty oily and tend not
to get anything else very clean...

If that seems a bit longwinded, the slightly easier (and certainly

less messy) option is a chain cleaner. There are loads out there,
all essentially similar - the chain runs through a load of whirly
brushes sat in a bath of degreaser and comes out nice and
shiny.

Whichever method you choose, give the chain a good wipe

down with a suitable rag (impossibly faded bike race t-shirts
from the early 90s are a good choice). With a bit of practise you
can hold the rag around the chain and wind the pedals
backwards to run the chain through.

If you've used degreaser and a brush you may find it more

effective to rinse the stuff off with some water. If you've done
this, spray the chain with some thin water-displacing stuff like
WD-40, GT85 or X-Lube. It won't be hefty enough to actually
lube the chain, but it'll stop it going rusty.

Maintenance Monday 4
18/02/02

Weve already covered how to clean your bike, lube the

transmission and sort out your cables after a dirty weekend.
Cleaning the transmission thoroughly every month can
really prolong its life though. So this week youre giving your
chain a bath.
Even if youve been cleaning and lubing regularly, or using
a clip on chain brush bath, there are some places that just
cant reach with the chain still on the bike. So it has to come
off.
Nine speed filth trap

1.
Chain removal technique depends on the chain. If youre running a Sedis/Sachs Powerlink chain
then this is easy once youve found the special gold link. Just drop the bike into a lower gear so
you have plenty of slack and then push the links together and wiggle till it pops off.
If youve got a Shimano chain, youll need to make sure that youve got some spares of the
special joining pin they need, before you immobilise your bike and have to walk to the shop to
get one.
Otherwise just use a chain rivet tool to gently push the rivet through not all the way out until
the links can be waggled apart. Our tip is to undo the chain from the back, so that when youre
pushing it together again the rivet is being driven from the
front which is much easier to reach.
2.
Once its off, its bathtime. I use an old baking tin, and
whatever ecologically sound degreaser I can get my hands
on. In this case its Finish Line, but the stuff from Finesse,
Pedros, Weldtite etc. or even diluted Muc Off works fine.
You can even use petrol, parafin or white spirit if you really
want but theyre harder to dispose of safely and can do real
damage to your skin with prolonged contact. If youre
concerned about your hand modelling career then a pair of
latex gloves keeps your pinkies protected.

Make sure you get rid of the cake crumbs first.

Simply add enough of whatever cleaner youre using to cover the chain and let it soak a while to
penetrate the filth.
3.
Once the crap is starting to lift off its time to scrub down.
This is a splattery, filthy job so dont be tempted to do it
inside. X-Lite (pictured) Park and Pedros all do specific
chain scrubbing brushes but if youre skint, old washing up
or toothbrushes do the same job but not as quickly or neatly.
Make sure you scrub all the links thoroughly on all four
sides to chase out any crap thats hidden in there.
You are the dirtiest link; Goodbye!

4.

Get the crap out of the rest of your transmission

while the chains off too. Unless its really filthy,
use the same brush and degreaser, as you did for
the chain to save wastage.

Big rubber beaked bird was always on the lookout

for nest material.

5.
Dry the chain using a rag or kitchen towel, making sure you
wipe off any remaining craddock that might have rinsed
back on.

Always remember to wipe.

6.
If you use a dry wax based lubricant, (like Finish Line
Krytech here) then this is an ideal chance to really let the
chain soak it in and set up properly before you put it back
on the bike. Just remember to shake off the excess before
you get wax everywhere.

The money shot equivalent of mechanical porn

Now its just a case of refitting your rejuvenated chain and looking forward to riding squeak free
next time youre out.
Top Tips
Don't want to go through all this too often?
If youre looking for more running time between chain changes and new cassettes and
chainrings to match them, then try alternating two chains. If you ride each one for a month at a
time, it can slow down wear on tear on other components caused by chain stretch, which means
less replacement and more cash in your pocket!
Maintenance Monday
21/01/02

Legs still suffering from the wear and tear of the weekend's riding? Then think how your bike is feeling,
just slung in the shed without so much as a pat on the saddle. Our new maintenance Monday slot is
designed to give you the mechanical first aid knowledge you need to keep your bike ready to ride at all
times.
We figured you'll be resting not riding on Monday, but that doesn't mean you can't play with your bike.
Invest a bit of time now and it'll also pay you back handsomely in savings on prematurely worn parts.
Part 1
Working on the Chaingang
Nothing cripples your bike faster than a seized chain, and nothing
wears out cassettes, chainrings, jockey wheels and the chain itself
faster than leaving it filthy. The sooner you clean and relube your chain
after a ride, the less time it has to corrode, stiffen, and generally
degrade. Do it immediately after a ride while the kettle is boiling for a
cuppa, and it'll be a whole lot easier.
Top Tip:
Word of warning: spinning chains, grease, lube and degreaser mulch are not
compatible with delicate interior decorations. Scrub up outside or face the
consequences.

What?
There are a whole load of products available to make this easier.
While some just don't work well at all, others are best in specific
conditions - whether that means sandy, sloppy, muddy, gritty or regular
river riding. Round here (North Yorkshire) Finesse's (0800 2986116)
snotty multi -lube gets our vote for winter and their dry lube or Makt
chain lube for summer. For cleaning we normally just use a gentle
hose and brush, with Weldtite degreaser or X-lites rather savage Muc
Off saved for stubborn stains. My favourite cleaning stuff has to be the
comedy 'spray on snow' multi-cleaner from Finesse but it doesn't last
long. A quick once over with X-Lite bike spray stops rusting while in
storage.
Down south some in the office use Finish Line Wet (Madison) for winter as their dry lube rapidly goes
squeaky if it's not summer. Meanwhile Cullen proves he's king of lube with the arsenal he uses to proof his
bike from the ravages of Epping forest. "Finish Line Krytech wax or Silkolene heavy duty motorbike oil
spray on the chain though the Makt stuff is great. I clean that off with a mixture of Halfords chain cleaner
and Finish line Bio degreaser, while the rest of the bike gets a swill with Finish Line pink bike wash,
Stinky's Bike wash (cycobike.co.uk) or blue Fairy liquid before a rinse and all over spray with GT85."
Another well-liked lube is Rock and Roll chain oil (silverfish-uk.com). Otherwise we reckon the best bet is
to see whose bike squeaks least at the end of your next group ride and ask what they use. Forum
favourites we've seen recently include motorbike chain wax and chainsaw oil, so be prepared to
experiment.
Several companies also produce chain-cleaning baths with brushes
and degreaser sumps inside. Clip them on the chain, pour in the
degreaser, whirl the pedals round and out comes a clean scrubbed
chain. They're fast, clean, easy to use and last a long time making
them well worth the 20 - 25 they cost.

How
Whatever you do, read the instructions beforehand. Muc Off can strip paint off if you leave it on too long
neat, while wax lubes like Krytech need time to soak in and harden or they won't stick.

If you've used an oily lube then chances are it's collected a load of
muck that will soon form a grinding paste on your chain. Clean the
chain as thoroughly as possible with a degreaser but be careful not to
degrease suspension bearings or freehub / bottom bracket assemblies
as well. Brushes are more accurate than spraycans, and you can get
right inside all the links and spocket crevices to chase out hidden filth.
Park (Madison) and X-lite both produce special brushes for sprocket
cleaning though an old toothbrush or rag will reach most places.
If you haven't got a workstand turn the bike over to make sure you've
done behind its ears. Remember, the more thoroughly you clean, the
smoother your bike will run.
Don't forget to clean jockey wheels,
sprockets and chainrings too.

Leaving degreaser on the chain will strip off new lube just as well as
old lube, so make sure you wipe / rinse it off as thoroughly as possible.
A gentle hosing or an old rag works well, just make sure it isn't going to
leave loose threads in your transmission.

Now you're ready to oil up with your chosen lube. Remember that wet
sticky lubes will cling on but also collect crap, while dry lubes normally
just won't cut it in winter. Waxy lubricants can work really well in some
situations but are often a right arse to "set up" correctly on the chain.
WD40 and GT85 will fall off almost as fast as they spray on. As we
said earlier, ask around and see what works in your area and with your
riding / maintenance style.
As for application, if you've got a dropper bottle make sure you hit
every link, but if you've got a spray can make sure you don't lube disc
brakes and wheel rims too.
Gearing up
05/12/01

Gearing up
What?
Short of running heavy hub gears, singlespeed or one of those old Proshift or Precision Billet rear mechs that a few tarts used to run in the
anodised glory days of the mid 1990's, there's no real alternative to that
Shimano than SRAM Gripshift. If it were a road bike we'd have the
choice of Campagnolo or Mavic, but it's a very long time since either of
them made off road kit.
Which?

So SRAM Gripshift it is, and thanks to Frank @ SRAM Europe we've got one of their new ESP 9.0SL
upgrade kits in a nice shiny red box. This includes an ESP 9.0 rear mech, shifters (short or long barrel)
chain and wide range 11-34 Powershift II cassette.
Why?
We chose Gripshift because we hadn't tried it in a while and like our frameset it uses a lot of composite
parts to save weight. Shifters, much of the rear mech and even the carrier for the bigger cassette
sprockets are all composite rather than metal. Other plus points are a new improved "Rocket" shift that
uses an assist spring in the changer to 'fire' the cable through. This combines with the 1:1 cable pull to
mech. movement ratio of the SRAM ESP shifters to make shifting snappy, accurate and less dirt sensitive
- a previous criticism of old Gripshift. The only downside is that the 1:1 ratio won't work with Shimano
which is why SRAM bundle shifters and mechs together in this upgrade kit.
How?
Slide the shifters onto the bars - leaving enough room outboard for
whatever length of outer grip you want to run - then tighten the clamp
onto the bar. Then slide on the little plastic washer to stop the two
halves of the grip binding. Spray some hairspray (I did have hair once)
or something similarly sticky (paint, nail varnish etc.) inside the outer
grip section and then slide that on as well and let it dry.
Now go to the far end of the bike
and bolt the rear mech into the gear hanger. Go carefully and make
sure the bolt goes in straight. Also make sure that the small cam or
grub screw that controls the angle of dangle rests against the small lip
at the bottom of the hanger - you might need to rotate the mech
backwards to engage it properly.

Now fit the cable making sure that there's enough length to let the bars
go from lock to lock without it pulling, and also enough to cope with
suspension movement. Check that you're using gear not brake outer
too. Unlike brake outer the long spiral wind keeps the cable a constant
length even when it's flexed so your gear indexing won't be affected thanks Brant :-).
Thread the inner through the outer and with the shifters in the correct
position - the one with the most cable deployed - take up the slack and
secure the cable with the clamp bolts on the gear mechs.
Final transmission part to fit is the cassette and chain and frankly we're
wondering - like many of you - why we haven't talked about wheels yet.
Basically we were hoping to have some wheels together by now but the
tubeless rims we were after aren't available yet, so we're just running
on some Rolf stunt doubles for the time being. As soon as we get the bits we'll get our wheels together and
tell you all about them, hell, we might even learn to build them ourselves.
Anyway, cassette time
What?
The block of cogs that sit on the rear hub for the chain to go round.
Which?
SRAM ESP 9.0

Why?
They came with the upgrade set, but they're good value anyway. Even though they're steel not titanium
like XTR they are still very light thanks to a composite cog carrier. All the usual ramps and chain helping
profiles are there but we'll see whether they offer the same shifting performance as Shimano once we get
some proper miles in. The 34 tooth bottom cog gives us some serious wall climbing potential, which might
be enough to ditch the inner chainring when we're fit and fast in summer.
How?
The block slides onto the splined body smoothly, but we normally apply
a little grease to help it. The only slightly tricky bit is lining up the small
indent with the small spline on the body, otherwise it won't go on. Once
the main carrier section is on add the smaller cogs (again check the
indent so they all line up for smooth shifting) making sure you slide the
approriate spacers between them.
The lockring actually screws into the inside face of the freehub, so
grease this too.
Fitting lockrings requires another special tool. Most are toothed block
and spanner jobs but we've got a handy version that braces against the seatstay and lets you wind it on
that way. It's called a Pamir Hypercracker but unfortunately we haven't seen one for ages, so you might
have to ask around or just get your local shop to fit it. Tighten it as hard as you can, to make sure there's
no wobble in the casette.
Now you're on to fitting the chain;
What?
Long metal string of plates and rollers (normally 116 links) that links
your legs to your rear wheel. Nine speed requires it's own chain with
thinner links to fit the thinner gaps between gears.
Which?
Sachs / Sedis / SRAM PC 99 Power Chain
Why?
Even if we hadn't been trying to avoid Shimano just for fun, we'd have
gone for a Sachs / Sedis chain anyway. They've always been our
favourites in terms of reliability and no they come with an easy split
"power link" too. Beats the 'special joining pin required' Shimano chains
into a cocked hat for regular maintenance.
How?
We'd normally just match the length of a replacement chain to the
chain we were taking off, but as this is an all new bike that isn't an option. To make sure you've got enough
links to cope with any accidental gear shift you need to check it's long enough to wrap round big chainring
and big sprocket at the back.
First you'll need to thread it through the rear mech though. Always make sure it runs the right way through
the jockey wheels - Thats round the front of the top one and round the back of the bottom one - and
doesn't catch on any of the keeper tabs on the jockey wheel cage. Once it's through there shift to place it
round the largest sprocket and largest chainring. Pull the rear mech
forward as far as possible and note the point of overlap.
Drop the chain off the big cogs to give yourself some slack and then
split the chain at the marked point using a chain tool. The power chain
needs two roller ends to join it, while Shimano chains need one roller
end and one plated end, so make sure you break the chain in the right
place. Now rejoin the chain in the manufacturers approved fashion, flex
it sideways a few times to check it's secure and moving freely.

By the way don't make a habit of using that big to big gear combination
as it will wear stuff out double quick, but should you end up there
accidentally at least you know you won't bust anything.
Now all you have to do is index the gears;
Shift into the smallest cog at the back. Now click the shifter up a gear.
If it doesn't move, but just jumps and rattles, increase the cable
tension. If it moves up two gears reduce the tension.
SRAM only use a barrel adjuster at
the shifter end, while Shimano
normally have shifter and mech adjusters. A small turn on these
adjusters can make a big difference though, so go slowly and carefully.
Keep repeating this process until the gears shift smoothly through the
whole range. If you're having to wind on loads of tension, unbolt the
inner cable and pull it tighter before starting again.
To make sure the chain stays on the cassette you'll need to set thte top
and bottom 'stop screws'. These are on the main body of SRAM mechs
or the back of the knuckle on Shimano mechs. Again trial and error will
find a setting where the gears can move far enough for clean shifting
without falling off the casette and getting jammed.
We're now just a few finishing touches away from the first ride, and hopefully all the final ingredients
should arrive today. Keep watching this space.
Lube it up
10/03/03

Amble into pretty much any bike shop and youll be confronted by an almost bewildering
array of Useful Stuff In Bottles. Yes, were talking lubricants. There are dozens of different
types out there, and they dont all do the same thing. So to help you along, heres a quick
guide to what sort of lube you need for what jobs

Chain lube
An obvious one, this. Chain lube is for your chain. Which you choose depends a little on
your local conditions and preferences. Wet lubes are thick and tenacious and good for
wet and muddy conditions, but in drier weather tend to attract dust. Dry lubes are a little
less sticky and tend to stay cleaner when its dry. There are also wax-based lubes that are
designed to form a slick coating on the whole chain. Theyre effective but can be a pain to
apply you need a thoroughly clean and dry chain first.
Chain lubes tend to come either in aerosols (easy to apply but a bit wasteful) or dropper
bottles (more tedious to apply but it all goes where you want it). Small bottles are also
handy to drop into your pack should you do one river crossing too many in a ride.

Water displacers
There are loads of things like TF2, WD-40 and GT85 thin oils designed to chase water out of
things and apply a small amount of lubrication. In the case of WD-40, the lube effect is minimal
its great for getting water out (spray it on a freshly-cleaned chain to stop it going rusty) and
freeing things up, but dont rely on it for anything that actually needs oil in it. TF2 and GT85
have some Teflon in, so theyre a little more versatile brake pivots, the inside of shifters,
cables etc.

Anti-sieze
This stuff isnt really a lubricant, as its designed to go between nonmoving surfaces. As youve probably noticed, some bits of bike tend to get
firmly stuck if left to their own devices. A good slathering of anti-sieze will
prevent that by forming a barrier between the threaded object and
whatever its threading into. SPD bolts, bottom bracket cups and pedal
threads are all good anti-sieze candidates.

Bearing grease
Good, thick, sticky waterproof grease is just the thing for hubs and headsets.
Plenty to choose from, and if you think bike specific ones are a bit spendy,
look for the stuff designed for boat trailer wheel bearings cheap, plentiful
and stays where its put. Its also a good idea to grease the threads and under
the heads of bolts, otherwise they tend to gall up before theyre properly tight.
The same goes for bottom bracket spindles before the cranks go on.
Seatposts and the top of the steerer where the bits of headset slide on are
also good grease candidates.

Suspension grease
Many suspension forks are open-bath systems, meaning that theres oil
inside that circulates around the workings keeping everything smooth.
But some forks use grease to keep the outer legs sliding smoothly.
Conventional grease tends to have nasty effects when used in forks it
can break down elastomer springs and degrade bushings. So use a
suspension-specific grease most manufacturers of greaseable forks
make a grease to go with them.

Leave to dry
Then theres those odd bits that really you dont want to lubricate at all.
Most rear shock bushings disintegrate if exposed to grease and are designed to be self-lubricating so leave
them clean and dry. And sealed cable sets like Gore-Tex Ride-Ons and Avid Flak Jackets have low-friction
Teflon liners and shouldnt be lubed either lube just attracts grit and damages the liners.

9 Speed Thumb Shifter Conversion

By Si McNally

Ive used thumb shifters on my commuting bike for years now and
have always appreciated the simplicity of them. In fact so much
so, that last year I finally decided to upgrade my Marin Quake to
use thumb shifters instead of the XTR Rapidfire STIs that were
already on it.
This was to give me two advantages the first was the
opportunity to move into the now (nearly) standard 9 speed arena,
and the second to be able to fit my Hope C2 disks onto the Quake
something Id been wanting to do for longer than I can
remember. Using the equipment I had chosen also gave me the
chance to keep the XTR quality but at a much lower price than
XTR 9 speed would have cost.
The basis of the shifters were Shimano Dura-Ace bar end shifters as used on road & tourer drop handle
bars. I managed to pick up a pair from St. John Street Cycles in Bridgewater (s.com@www.sjscycles.com)
for 49.99 almost half the price of XTR shifter pods.
The next problem was trying to fit them. Id played around with CAD for a little while, trying to design a
mount for them, but everything I came up with was more than a little bit chunky and Id have the hassle of
paying someone to make it up for me. But then a flash of inspiration struck: Bar ends already have clamps
on them, so why not use some old ones that were kicking around the garage?
All that was required was to shorten the bar ends quite drastically and drill a hole through them.
Experimentation finally led me to discover that 25mm was about the right length for the bar end, and a
10mm hole put horizontally through the middle of the remaining stump was more than enough to hold the
shifter.
Fitting the shifters themselves was quite easy. Removing the expander that normally fits inside the
handlebar gives you a handy 10mm bolt that will fit nicely through the hole in the bar end and allows the
shifter to clamp tightly to the mount. This fitting also allows the user to adjust the angle of the shifters almost
infinitely, as both the mount and the shifter itself can be rotated until a comfortable position is found.
Setting up the shifters once mounted can be a bit tricky but nothing too difficult. The right hand shifter sits on
a collar that has a number of different positions, so if youre not careful when the shifter is first screwed
together (they are delivered in pieces, not as a single unit) the gear selection can be all over the place. This
is easily resolved by slackening off the cable: Undoing the screw allows removal of the shifter so the collar
can be rotated 90 degrees. This also allows the shifters to be set up for either 9 or 8 speed, which is useful if
thumb shifters were wanted now but upgrading to 9 speed was a future project.

Cable tension can be adjusted on the rear mech as there are no

adjusters on the shifters themselves, although they do come with
down tube adjuster mounts, which could probably be modified with
a bit of imagination. Tension on the front mech is much easier: As
the front shifter is friction, rather than indexed, all that is required
is for the cable to be pulled tight, moving the shifter does the rest
of the work.
I have been very pleased with the operation of the thumbies since fitting. Gear changes are far quicker, and
I'm sure more accurate, than with the previous XTR Rapidfires. And if youre a weight watcher they weigh
less as well.
The overall action is something akin to a single lever rapidfire with a satisfying clunk every time a rear gear
is changed. The front friction shifter means that chain alignment problems between top & bottom gears front
and rear are a thing of the past. If the chain is dragging slightly on the front mech cage just push the lever a
bit and it will stop.
If gear shifting at the back goes completely out of kilter its an easy thing to rectify on the trial. Just turn the
loop on the top of the right hand shifter and youve converted your 9 speed index into a friction shifter so you
can still ride. Try that if you bent a mech hanger when using rapidfire or gripshift.
I seriously believe there is still a market for thumb shifters. They may not appeal to everyone, but their
simplicity light weight & accuracy are hard to beat.
Simply put, I luv em!

Ditch your gears

By Mike Davis

We present this brief guide without prejudice. We know that a lot of people find it an abhorrent notion, but
plenty of people keep asking about it, so here it is. OK, not
entirely without prejudice - we like singlespeeds. They don't go
wrong much, they're cheap to run, they don't get clogged with
mud and they're a lot of fun. And you've already got one, albeit
one with a few surplus parts right now...
We didn't clean the bike before starting. And you know what?
We wish we had.
You'll need quite a few tools for this one. 5, 6 and 8mm Allen
keys, crank extractor, cassette lockring tool, chainwhip.

There are a number of ways to achieve the desired one-geared

results ranging from the free to the spendy. We're going for the
middle ground here with a conversion kit from Forge. It's 37
for all the bits you'll need. We'll point out the slightly
bodgetastic but often free alternatives as we go along.

The very first job is to remove both derailleurs, shifters and

associated cables. Just undo the obvious bolts and take them
off. You can get the rear mech off the chain by taking out one of
the jockey wheels, although we'll be breaking the chain in a few
minutes anyway. Then take the back wheel out and remove the
cassette. We've covered this in a previous article if you don't
know how. Put the lockring to one side, you'll need that. Once
all that stuff's gone, take a moment to heft it in your hands your bike just got that much lighter...

The Forge kit includes a single Shimano sprocket intended for

BMX. It fits on to the standard freehub splines but has deep
teeth and no shifting ramps, ideal for our purposes. If you buy
nothing else for your singlespeed project, buy one of these they're only three or four quid. It's possible to use a sprocket out
of a cassette but the shallow teeth and ramps can be
troublesome unless your chainline's exactly right. The kit also
includes very smart aluminium spacers. You can get these from
other companies too, or use loads of spacers out of old
cassettes or some bits of PVC waste pipe cut down with a
hacksaw.
Once your chosen spacers and sprockets are in place, use the
cassette lockring to hold it all in place. The Forge kit aligns the
sprocket with the outer chainring position, some kits aim for the
middle one. If you've got specific spacers generally the wider
one goes on first, then the sprocket, then the other spacer. If
you're bodging, it's easiest to aim for the middle position which
should be 20mm in from the face of the locknut.

Replace your bottom bracket

By Mike Davis

It's easy to forget about your bottom bracket. It's hidden away in the frame, all but invisible. The only time it
makes its presence felt is when it starts to tire of the endless rotations and decides to experiment with
creaks, grinds, rattles and movement in hitherto unexplored directions. None of this is good. Once upon a
time, all bottom brackets were adjustable cup-and-cone affairs that could be stripped, cleaned, regreased,
refitted and readjusted. All of which was as much of a faff as it sounds. These days most BBs are fit-andforget affairs, until they die at which point you chuck 'em and put another one in. Here's how...
We're looking at Shimano bottom brackets here, the most common type. Most others work on the same
principes, although some exotic ones have their own
installation nuances - if you've got one of those, refer to the
instructions that came with it.
This is a pretty messy job. We'll recite our "clean your bike"
mantra again. In addition, have a couple of rags to hand for
wiping things with, otherwise your trousers are never going to
be the same again.
A simple selection of tools. You'll need a crank extractor to suit
your cranks, a bottom bracket tool to suit your bottom bracket,
a big spanner to drive them with and whatever Allen key or
socket you need to undo and tighten the crank bolts.

The first step is to take the cranks off. We've covered taking the
drive-side crank off before, so we won't repeat ourselves.
Taking the non-drive-side crank off is exactly the same. Just on
the other side.

With the cranks off, it's time to turn our attention to the BB
itself. They're in two parts, with the bearing unit and axle
permanently attached to a threaded cup on the drive-side and a
removable cup to go in the non-drive-side. The cups screw into
threads cut into the bottom bracket shell on the frame. To undo
them, you'll need a suitable BB tool to engage in the splines
inside the cup.

Start with the non-drive-side. Push the BB tool into the splines
and turn it anti-clockwise. Some BB tools require you to use a
spanner, some have a hole to put an Allen key in the end and
some have a standard square-drive fitting that you can fit a
torque wrench or ratcheting socket handle thing into. If the BB's
been in a while, there's a fair chance it'll be hard to shift. You
can get extra oomph by aligning whatever handle you're using
slightly lower than the bike's chainstay and squeezing the
handle and the chainstay together with one hand. Use the other
hand to stop the BB tool falling out of the end of the bottom
bracket.
The drive-side is almost the same except for one key difference

Front mech fettling

By Mike Davis

On the face of it, the front derailleur is a paragon of crudity. It's just a couple of bits of metal pushing the
chain off one chainring and hopefully on to another. But the positive spin on crudity is simplicity.
Unfortunately, setting the front mech up isn't always all that
simple, and with narrower chains and more gears it's now
fiddlier than ever. Here's how to go about it...
We've said it before and we'll say it again, clean your bike first.
And as we've also said before, no, you're right, we didn't...
This compact set of tools will see you right for the front mech.
Cross-head screwdriver, 5mm Allen key, pliers.

As with all transmission-related fettling, and in fact most bike

maintenance jobs generally, this one's a whole load easier with
your bike in a workstand. Then you can spin the pedals with one
hand, click the shifters with the other and you've still got two
feet left to do a little dance. Or something.

As with football, pitched battles and probably some other stuff,

correct positioning is vital. There are two key axes to worry
about. Here we're looking at vertical alignment. You want to
have about 2mm between the outer cage plate and the big
chainring (with the big ring engaged). If anything, we're running
a bit close here. To adjust, loosen the mech clamp bolt and
slide the whole thing up (or down, as appropriate) the seat tube.

The other vital axis is the alignment with the

chainrings. You need to get the outer cage plate
parallel with the chainrings. This isn't as easy as it
sounds, particularly since current mechs have
intrigingly-shaped cage plates that often seem to
lack handy straight bits to line up with. If you're
resetting a well-used mech it's probably got bent
as well, but persevere. You can always tweak it
afterwards.

If you've fitted a new mech, don't put the cable on just yet. If
you're working with an old one, let the cable off. Now set the
low gear limit. This is the stop that prevents the chain from
zipping off the little ring and landing on the bottom bracket
shell. This is well worth avoiding. Chances are you won't get

Sort your seating

By Mike Davis

There's not much to a seatpost. It's just a stick with a seat on one end and a bike on the other. But while
riding without one is entirely possible, it's not something you'd want to do for any length of time. And the
humble seatpost is entirely responsible for maintaining your
seat in an efficient and comfortable position, and that's worth
putting a bit of effort into.
You don't want any grit, dirt, mud or other species of mank
going down inside the frame while you're fiddling with
seatposts, so clean your bike first.
Super-simple task, tools-wise. Equip yourself with whatever
sized Allen key the bolt or bolts on your post and seat clamp
take, plus some grease and a straight edge (or if being posh, a
spirit level).

There are two basic types of seatpost that you're likely to

encounter. This is the most basic, the layback single-bolt
microadjust type. "Layback" means that the centre of the clamp
that holds the saddle rails is offset rearwards relative to the
centreline of the post itself. Typically, this type of post just has a
single bolt. The rails are clamped between two pieces that sit in
a serrated cradle atop the post.

The other type of post is the in-line twin bolt type. You can
probably guess that "in-line" refers to the centre of the saddle
clamp being in line with the seatpost. These usually have two
bolts foreward and aft of the post. Which type you choose
depends on your bike and ride position preference. In-line posts
place you further forward, so if you've got the saddle right
forward on a layback post an in-line one may be in order.
Conversely, if you're running an in-line and the saddle's right
back, look at one with layback.

Fitting the post to the bike is pretty straightforward. The main

thing is to make sure you've got the right size. Seatposts are
available in loads of diameters, with 26.8mm, 27.0mm and
27.2mm the most common. If you're replacing a post you
should find that the diameter is stamped on the old one. If
you're building up a bare frame, contact the supplier for the
right size. Don't make do with the wrong size - 0.2mm

Replace a worn ring

By Mike Davis

Moving parts wear out, particularly moving parts that are in constant contact with other moving parts. And
even more so if there's mud and grit involved. So it is with chainrings. All that spinning away, right down low
near the goop, chain shuttling this way and that between them... It's no wonder they get a bit weary. Worn
chainrings manifest themselves in a number of ways. Increased occurrence of chainsuck (where the chain
refuses to leave the ring it's on when you shift, preferring to be carried up into the chainstay and create
unpleasant gouging) is a common symptom, along with other
related shifting maladies, noise and, if left long enough,
slippage. And you really don't want the chain to slip on one of
those steep grunty climbs. If the rings are looking shaky,
replace them.
It almost goes without saying that you should clean your bike
first. Almost, but obviously not quite.
Not many tools needed here. Just a suitable crank extractor
and 8mm and 5mm Allen keys. You might also need a flatbladed screwdriver. Oh, and some grease which clearly got
camera shy here.

Here's a middle ring ripe for replacement. The teeth are all thin
and pointy (although they haven't quite got to the "surf's up"
stage where they're so worn that they actually become undercut
on one side like a shark's tooth) and one of them has given up
the ghost altogether and fallen off. No wonder the shifting's not
all it might be.

To get at the rings we need to take the drive-side crank off. First
undo the bolt that holds it on to the bottom bracket axle.
Usually this is an 8mm Allen bolt, although they always used to
be 15mm hex bolts for which you'll need a suitable socket. The
bolts can be hard to shift, but pointing the crankarm backwards,
the tool forwards and pushing down on the pedal with one hand
and the tool with the other usually shifts them. If you can
arrange the tool suitably, grabbing the crank and the tool in one
hand and squeezing them together can be effective too.

With the bolts out, make sure any washers under the bolt heads
have come out too and use a suitable crank extractor to pull the
cranks off. These have two parts, an outer part that threads into
the extractor threads in the crankarm and an inner part that
winds in and pushes the crank off against the end of the bottom
bracket axle. Note that square taper and splined cranks need
different tools - one for a square taper just goes inside the axle
on a splined setup. There are various bodges to get around this,
but it's a lot cleverer just to get the right tool. With the tool
firmly fitted in the extractor threads, turn the inner part
clockwise until the cranks come off.

Freehub replacement
By Mike Davis

There's nothing like a constant cycle of getting your bike filthy and then cleaning it in a hurried fashion to
show up any component deficiencies. And during the winter months several bits of bike are likely to give up
the ghost. One of the most common fatalities is the humble freehub body. And without that working, you're
going nowhere. There are two main failure modes. Either the freehub will stick so that it doesn't freewheel,
leading to the chain tangling up every time you stop pedalling, or it'll stick so that it freewheels both ways
with the obvious detriment to power transmission. What you do about it varies according to your hub. Hope
and some other high-end hubs have freehubs that can be dismantled, cleaned out, relubed and rebuilt.
Regular Shimano freehubs can, in theory, be stripped down like
this but in practice it's a lot easier just to replace them. You only
have to replace the actual freehub mechanism, not the whole
hub, and it's a pretty straightforward job.
This is one of those jobs for which cleaning your bike is a must.
This is a uniquely grimy bit of the bike...
This job's spannertastic. You'll need a big adjustable spanner to
drive the cassette lockring tool, a chainwhip, a 10mm Allen key
and a selection of cone spanners (15 and 17mm for Shimano
hubs), plus some grease.

First job is to remove the back wheel and take the cassette off.
Refer to our previous articles on those topics if you don't know
how. And marvel at all the gunk that accumulates behind the
cassette sprockets. Mmmmm.

Next you need to take the axle out of the hub. You'll need to
gain access to the cones, which (depending on your hub) may
mean removing a rubber seal. Carefully lift an edge with a
small screwdriver and lift the seal off, pausing only briefly to
admire the corrosion on your disc rotors.

This is where the fun starts. Choose a pair of suitable cone

spanners and place on on the cone (the inner flats) and one on
the locknut (the obvious hexagonal thing on the end of the axle)
on the non-drive side. Arrange the two spanners so that you can
pull them together with one hand to crack off the locknut. It may
be a bit reluctant - you can try putting another spanner on the
opposite locknut and undoing them that way.

With the locknut loosened, unscrew it completely from the axle,

lift off any washers you may find beneath and then unscrew the

Rim replacement
By Mike Davis

Bike wheels are remarkable things. A well-built wheel will last for a long time. In fact, unless you hit it spectacularly hard, a
wheel will last until the rim wears out. Wears out? Yep. There's only so much material in a rim sidewall, and eventually the
brake pads will wear them so thin that the rim's not strong enough to take the force exerted by an inflated tyre. At this poin
a loud bang occurs and a length of aluminium alloy peels off the wheel. This is likely to be inconvenient at best, so ideally
you'll keep an eye out for this happening and catch it before it does. A simple clue is the shape of the rim. Generally the
sidewalls are flat and straight when new. If yours are noticeably concave or have curious lips, edges or grooves in the
surface, they're probably on the way out. The other, more aggressively entertaining, way of checking is with the infamous
"BANG - sh*t" test. Simply get a track pump and inflate the tyre until something
gives way. If the rim was a bit tired, it'll go first. Stand well back...
Fear not, though, for replacing a rim is pretty straightforward, particularly if
you've already got to grips with basic wheel truing. Note that this method works
great for worn out or excessively dented rims, but if you've had a proper stack
and bent the wheel a lot, chances are that the spokes aren't really worth
reusing. Just take the thing apart and re-use the hub - we'll show you how soon.
Your tools du jour today are the spoke key, some tape and a flat-bladed
screwdriver. You'll also need some sort of wheel truing stand, either a proper
one or a cunning assemblage of bike frames, pointers and rubber bands.

Here's our tragically-burst rim. This is why you should check them regularly,
otherwise this happens at some inconvenient moment. Like, ooh, a 3am lap at
the Red Bull 24hr for example. Guess where this happened? Mm. Anyway, an
exploded rim is easy to spot, and equally easy to snigger at in a schoolboy
fashion. But we're way above that. Really.

If you haven't already, take the tyre and tube off the wheel. Then find the end of
the rim tape and peel that off too. If it's a stretchy plastic or proper cloth tape
you'll be able to use it again if you like, so take it off carefully. If it's just a
bodge job with insulating tape then just pull it off and chuck it away.

Next get your new rim. Ideally you want one just like the old one but new.
Failing that, the two critical things are that it has the same number of spoke
holes as the old one. Yes, it's obvious, but we don't mind admitting that we've
got a fair way into lacing 32 hole rims onto 36 hole hubs before noticing. The
other requirement is that the rim is the same depth as the old one. If it's wildly
different you'll need different length spokes which makes this a somewhat more
involved job. In fact it makes it a different job altogether. Thing is, if the old rim
died from wear then it was a good rim, so you might as well get another one

Fitting your front end

By Mike Davis

For a bit of a change, there are no moving parts involved in this

week's maintenance wibble. Not in the gears/whirly bits/small
easily lost parts sense, anyway. Instead we're looking at bits of
carefully shaped tubing, largely. You may think there's not much
to a bar and stem and, well, you'd be right. But there's a bunch of
things worth remembering when you fit them...
It's Basic Tools Ahoy for this one - Allen keys, grease. You might
need a small half-round file, but then again you may not.

Stems are pretty easy. The back end clamps around the steerer
tube of the fork, the front end clamps around the bar. You'll want
to put a bit of grease on the steerer before sliding the stem on in its spare time it keeps the headset bearings correctly loaded so
it doesn't want to be sticking vertically. The bolt in the top adjusts
the headset - do that one up before tightening the clamp bolts or
it won't work.

If your stem only has one bolt on the steerer clamp just do it up.
Don't go mad, it should just need snugging down with a regular
length Allen key. If your stem has two bolts, tighten them
alternately until they're both snug. Make sure there's some
grease on the clamp bolts before you tighten them, and check
that the stem's pointing straight ahead.

Now turn your attention to the bars. Check that there are no
sharp edges around the clamp on the front of the stem - no
problems with this Race Face one, but you may find pointy
corners on some stems. If you do, get a half-round file and put a
small radius on the edges. Pointy ones concentrate stress on the
bar, which is bad.

Pop the handlebar in and put the front cap on the stem.
Generally these are held in by either two or four bolts. Again,
make sure there's grease on the bolt threads. Don't do them up
properly tight just yet - make sure the bar is central in the clamp
and just nip them up so that the bar can rotate in the clamp.

Wheel truing basics

By Mike Davis

From hearing people go on about wheel truing you'd think it was some sort of black magic, with
practitioners relying on mysterious incantations and foul-smelling potions to transform the wobby wheel
back to miraculous straightness. Well, it isn't. There's a knack to it, but there's nothing mysterious about the
process. Anyone can true a wheel. It's a good idea not to start
out by trying to straighten out wheels made with swanky parts,
though. Try and find an older, tattier wheel to practise on, then
move on to your good stuff when you're confident
There's only one essential tool for wheel truing - the spoke key.
There are plenty to choose from although the Spokey shown
here is our favourite for reliable nipple engagement and ease of
use. The important thing is to make sure you're using the right
sized key. Most wheels have 14 gauge nipples, while
lightweight wheels may have 15 gauge nipples. Using the
wrong sized key is a quick route to rounded-off nipples aplenty,
which is as bad as it sounds.
The only other thing you need is some way of telling which way
the wheel's wobbling, and where. The best way of doing this is
with a wheel truing stand - this is a Park TS-7. A truing stand
lets you sit comfortably, see what you're doing and generally
make a better job of things. The downside is that they cost
money (lots of money in the case of the heavy-duty
professional models) that you might not wish to spend for the
sake of occasional wheel-truing duties.

The cheap-and-cheerful alternative to a pukka truing stand is

your bike. Stick it in a workstand so the wheels will spin and
there you go. Use a rubber band or some Blu-Tac to stick some
kind of pointer (an Allen key or a pencil or something) on the
stay and you're sorted. If you're out in the middle of nowhere
and have rim brakes, you can just use them to show where the
wobbles are. Whatever you use to true the wheel, it makes
things a lot easier if you take the tyre off first.

Wheels are pre-stressed structures - they rely on tension in the

spokes to keep them in shape. The tension in the spokes varies
as the wheel rotates and as it rolls over things. The idea is that
the static spoke tension is sufficiently high that even when
loaded the spokes don't actually go slack. If they go slack the
nipples can unwind and the spokes become loose, which makes
the wheel go out of true. So to make it straight again, we need
to adjust the spoke tensions which we do by turning the spoke
nipples.
The first thing to get your head around is which way to turn
them. To tighten a spoke nipple, you need to turn it clockwise
looking at the spoke end-on, ie from where the tyre would be.
Although don't actually look at it end-on, as occasionally a spoke will break as you tighten it and half a
spoke may ping through the rim at high speed.
Right, down to business. Put your wheel in your chosen stand

Fitting a fork
By Mike Davis

Having shown you how to fit a headset previously, the next

logical step is to go through fitting a new fork. This is another
job in the "easy to make a pig's ear of" category, so don't tackle
it unless you're confident of your ability to cut things straight
and the like...
You'll need to wheel out a hacksaw for this job, as well as the
more usual Allen keys and grease. Something to mark steerer
tubes with is useful too.

Chances are that your bike already has a fork in it, so that'll
need to come out first. Undo the headset top cap and put it
somewhere safe. Then undo the stem clamp bolts and lift the
stem off. Slide off any additional spacers and any parts of the
headset that'll easily lift off. If you're lucky the fork'll come out
easily at this point, but usually they need a bit of gentle
persuasion with a mallet.

While you've got the fork out it's a good time to clean out the
headset, so take all the bearings and seals and things out,
making sure you know which way round and in what order they
go back in. Then you'll need to get the crown race off the old
fork steerer. We like FSA headsets as they have this split crown
race that comes off easily, but usually you'll need to rest the
steerer tube on something and use a punch or similar tool to
tap the race off.

Next you need to put the crown race on the new fork. We
covered this in our headset fitting article - split crown races are
easy, they just push on. Regular ones need carefully tapping
down with something that won't damage the bearing surface. Or
pop down the bike shop for whom it's a ten second job with the
right tool.

New forks come equipped with steerer tubes longer than

anyone will possibly ever need, so they need cutting down to
the right length. This is well worth not getting wrong. To
establish the right length, reassemble the headset, put the fork
back in, add any spacers that used to be there and put the stem
on. Don't worry about greasing things at this stage, it's all
coming apart again in a minute. Mark where the top of the stem

Fitting a headset
By Mike Davis

There are a number of jobs around your bike that are really best left to professionals. Fitting a headset is
one of them. It's a job that, done properly, involves all sorts of specialist (and expensive) tools. With the
right tools it's dead quick and easy. Without them it's a bit awkward with a high risk of permanently
damaging something.
Despite which, we're going to show you how to do it without the right tools. Partially in the hope that it'll act
as a warning not to, partially because, well, if you're going to do
it you might as well do it right. OK, not right as such, but at
least minimally wrong. If you've got an expensive lightweight
frame and/or an expensive lightweight headset, then stop now.
It's not guaranteed to work even with suitably robust tackle - if
anything looks like going wrong, bail out before it gets
terminal...
As well as typical bike tools like a selection of Allen keys and
some grease, this method of headset fitting also requires
favourite bodging equipment like a hammer and a selection of
stout lumps of wood. You'll also need a solid surface like a
workbench. Put off yet?

Before getting a new headset in, you need to get the old one
out. Unless of course you're working with a new frame. And to
be honest, if you've just spent out on a new frame then flailing
about trying to fit your own headset isn't a great idea. But if
you're confident, it didn't cost you much anyway and you're
desperate to ride it and the bike shop's shut, then go ahead.
First you'll need to undo the top cap, loosen the stem bolts, lift
the stem off the steerer and pull the fork out. It might need
some gentle percussive persuasion to shift it. Mind it doesn't
fall on your foot. Pull out all the various seals and bearings in
the headset so you're left with just the cups in the frame.
Now it's time to drive the cups out. The proper tool for this job is
the 'rocket' tool, a thing with sprung flanges at the bottom and a
solid tip that you can whack the top of and it'll apply even
pressure around the inside of the headset cup. Deprived of
such a luxury item, you'll need to use something else. We're
using an old hub axle here. Old screwdrivers are popular, but
you've got a much better chance of gouging something or
piercing your own hand with one of those. Rest the business
end of your chosen tool on the inside lip of the headset cup and
tap the other end with a hammer. Work evenly around the cup
and it should begin to ease out. If it ain't shifting, don't try too
hard - give up and take it to the shop.

Once both cups are out, you can breathe a sigh of relief. The
next hurdle is getting the new ones in. Clean out the inside of
the head tube first. If the frame's never had a headset in, you
should make sure that the ends of the headtube are 'faced' ground smooth and parallel to one another. If there's paint on
them this hasn't been done and you'll have to get a shop to do
it. And really they might as well put the headset in for you while
they're at it. If all is well, you should find that it's possible to
push a headset cup part-way into the head tube by hand. Make
sure it's straight, with any logos pointing in a pleasing direction
and that you've got the right one in the right end of the head
tube...

Get more clicks

By Mike Davis

Dissatisfied with your sprockets? Suffering gear envy? Existing transmission shot to pieces? Now may be
the time for an upgrade to n+1 speeds... We've covered replacing most of the bits of the transmission, so
here we take a look at some of the issues you're likely to encounter doing the full replacement monty.

Cassette
This is the heart of the upgrade. The most obvious difference is
the number of sprockets, but there's a host of other harder-tosee differences that may be important depending on where
you're starting from.
The first is the overall width of the cassette. If you're going from
eight speed to nine speed there's no problem - the two
cassettes are the same width so you can simply remove the
eight speed one and slide on the nine. Moving from seven to
eight (or seven to nine) is more problematic. Eight and nine
speed cassettes are both wider than seven, so you need a wider freehub body. Occasionally you'll get lucky
- if your bike is recent enough that bikes above it in the range had eight speed cassettes you may find that
you've actually got an eight speed hub with a spacer behind the seven speed cassette. This is quite
unusual, though.
A more likely scenario is that you'll need to upgrade the hub too. In theory you can just replace the freehub
body, fiddle with the spacers on the axle and redish the wheel, but that's nearly as much of a faff as it
sounds. It is the cheapest option, though. If you can build wheels, next cheapest is to get a new hub and
build you old rim onto it. You ought to get new spokes if you're doing this, though, and if the rim's a bit worn
it's possibly not worth it. Which leaves you with the pricier option of building a whole new wheel or the
priciest option of getting someone else to do it for you.
The other important differences between cassettes are connected to the overall width - the thickness of the
sprockets themselves and the distance between them:
Speeds
Seven
Eight
Nine

Spacing
5.0mm
4.8mm
4.3mm

Thickness
1.9mm
1.8mm
1.8mm

Shimano nine speed sprockets are actually a whisker thinner than eight speed ones, but the main difference
between eight and nine speed is the distance between them. Seven speed sprockets are both thicker and
further apart. These differences are where the transmission upgrade domino effect begins to happen
Cassette replacement: Walkthrough >>

Chain
As you can imagine, having the sprockets closer together means you
need a narrower chain. Or at least, you may do. Chains are pretty much
interchangeable between seven and eight speed, but you'll need a
narrower one for nine speed. If you're using Shimano chains don't forget
to drop a couple of narrower joining pins in your trail pack for
emergencies

Chainrings and front mech

The concept of nine speed chainrings may seem like a bizarre one, but all it means is that the chainrings

are narrower to work with the narrower chain. This is one of those areas where you might get away with not
changing anything. Plenty of people run nine speed chains on eight speed rings or vice versa without any
problems. But then again, plenty of people have nightmares with it. You can't go wrong with having the right
ones, though.
The front mech has a narrower cage to go with the narrower chain. Again, you might get away with it but the
shifting is unlikely to be spot on. This is an area where Gripshift scores, though - if you've got a front
Gripshift with lots of clicks you can tune the front mech to avoid rubbing, something that's impossible with a
RapidFire unit that only has three clicks.
Setting up your front mech: Walkthrough >>

Rear mech
Clearly if your sprockets are closer together, your mech needs to move
less far per click to shift from one to the next. The good news is that all
(well, nearly all - Dura-Ace is different) Shimano mechs move the same
amount for a given amount of cable pull (the 'actuation ratio'). So the bit
that makes them move less far is the shifter, not the mech. So far so
good, but you might still need to change it. Why? Well, nine speed
cassettes are available in some very wide ranges up to 11-34, so Shimano
tweaked the slant angle of the mech so that the top jockey wheel drops
further as you shift to lower gears to stop it colliding with the bigger
sprockets. If you're sticking to cassettes with 28 or 30 tooth bottom
sprockets you'll be OK. Except that the jockey wheels in nine speed
mechs are narrower to work with narrower chains. You might get lucky and
have it work fine, or you may have to change the jockey wheels.
SRAM's Shimano-compatible mech range have the same actuation ration
(otherwise they wouldn't be compatible), but their ESP stuff uses a different ratio to make the system less
susceptible to cable drag. The upshot of this is that you have to use ESP mechs and shifters together.
Setting up your rear mech: Walkthrough >>

Shifters
More gears = more clicks. The shifters are the bit that make the
mechs move different amounts to cater for different sprocket
spacing, so you're definitely not going to get away without
replacing these. Having said that, the difference between seven
and eight speed spacing is sufficiently slight that lots of riders
happily use old seven speed thumbshifters to shift across eight
speed cassettes (the end stop on the shifter acts as an 'extra
click'). The small differences are cumulative, so the trick is to
set the indexing in the middle of the cassette so they don't add
up too much by the time you get to the ends. That said, we've
never quite been able to make it work to our satisfaction.
Replacing your shifters: Walkthrough >>

Conclusion
You'll have noticed that you're potentially into a lot of new stuff here. While all sorts of combinations of eight
and nine speed stuff have been known to work, it's far from guaranteed. Just because someone else has
managed to get something to work acceptably doesn't mean it'll work for you, and that's before you
consider the subjective nature of the term 'work acceptably'. The BM threshold of acceptable is pretty high,
and we've never really been satisfied without having all the bits properly matched.
If nearly every transmission component on your bike is hammered then there's no very good reason not to
replace them all with nine speed gear. If it's just the chain and cassette that are a bit weary you might as
well just replace those

Shiny new shifters

By Mike Davis

Shifters don't actually need replacing all that often. There are two circumstances that demand replacement,
however. If they break, chances are you'll need new ones. There's a lot of bits inside a RapidFire unit and
trying to repair one is liable to drive you insane. GripShift units are mechanically simpler, but most of the
things that can break are substantial enough that it's easier to replace the whole thing. The other reason to
change shifters is if you're increasing your gear count. You need
the same number of clicks in your shifter as sprockets on your
cassette...
As Monday Maintenance tradition dictates, we suggest that you
clean your bike before starting. Remarkably we've actually
taken our own advice this time...
The 5mm Allen key always seems to crop up in the required
tools. We're dealing with cables here too, so you'll need pliers
and good cable cutters. And the humble bent spoke will deal
with your grips.

First step is to take the old shifters off. To do this you'll need to
get the grips off. Work an old spoke between the grip and the
bar, spray some lube in there and work the spoke round until
the grip can be slid off. If your grips have closed ends you'll
need to loosen the clamp bolts on the shifter and brake lever
and move them inboard a little so you can make with some
spoke action from the inside of the grip.

You'll probably find it easiest to unthread the gear cables while

the shifters are still on the bars. In theory you can reuse the
gear cables, but since you generally get a new set with the new
shifters you might as well replace the lot. Undo the cable clamp
bolts on the mechs, unthread the cables and take all the bits of
housing off. Put the housings to one side, you'll need them in a
minute.

With the cables just dangling from the old shifters, you can
slide them off the bars. RapidFire users will have to slide the
brake levers off first. Then get your lovely shiny new shifters out
of the box and slide them on to the bars. There's no reason not
to put the brake levers and grips back on at this stage, so put
all that stuff back.

Find the handful of bits of cable housing that you took off and
use them to measure off the right lengths for the new bits. Make
sure there's a ferrule on each end of every bit. If you've got a
full susser or top-tube cable routing, you'll probably find that
you didn't get quite enough housing with the new shifters, so
either get a bit more (and some ferrules) from the shop or

Junked jockeys
By Mike Davis

If you've been keeping up with our maintenance articles, you'll

have noticed a bit in the one about rear mechs that mentions
worn jockey wheels and the detrimental effects thereof. Here,
thanks to BM staff bloke Cullen, is a timely reminder. Suffering
from recalcitrant shifting from an XTR mech, Cullen checked the
jockey wheels. The one on the right is one of them. The one on
the left is a brand new one. Substantially different, we think
you'll agree. You're unlikely to draw blood handling the new one,
for a start.
Spot the difference

A quick change of jockey wheels and all was well. So if your shifting's all over the place, take a look at your
jockeys and if they look anything like this one, it's time for new ones. They're cheaper than a new mech...

Manca un capitolo

Rear mech set-up

By Mike Davis

The humble rear derailleur (or 'mech' to its friends) is a

remarkable beast. When you think about what it's trying to do
it's a wonder it works at all, let alone as well as it does. They
don't like going without periodical TLC, though, so if your
shifting's gone a bit awry here's how to sort it.
As with all maintenance jobs, this one's a lot easier if you clean
your bike first. It was cold and nasty when we were doing this,
though, so we didn't bother. Bad us.
It's a nice straightforward job tools-wise, this one. You'll need a
5mm Allen key, a cross-head screwdriver and a pair of pliers
(unless you have fingers of steel).

First things first - get your bike in some sort of stand that lets
you spin the pedals and back wheel. It makes things a lot
easier. If you don't have a workstand you can try hanging the
bike off a loop of rope, drafting in a willing volunteer or quickly
growing a third arm.

The first thing to get right is the upper and lower limits. Left to
its own devices the rear mech'll happily shift the chain beyond
the top and bottom sprockets on the cassette. This is clearly a
bad thing. Fortunately it comes equipped with two screws to
limit the throw of the mech. The high limit is the easiest to set.
Shift into the smallest sprocket (also known as 'top' or 'high')
and twiddle the high limit screw (the one marked 'H' until the
top jockey wheel is directly below the sprocket. Cable tension
may prevent it moving out far enough, in which case you can
undo the clamp bolt - we'll be setting that bit up in a minute
anyway.

In theory you should do the low limit screw next, but we always
find it easier to do that after the cable tension's sorted out. So
that's the next job. Make sure the cable's clean and running
smoothly. If it's sticky or gritty you'll never get it to work. Take a
look back at our cable care article first. Once you've got freerunning cables, make sure the barrel adjusters on the mech and
shifter are wound nearly all the way in (one turn out gives a bit
of useful scope for adjustment).

Replacing your cassette

By Mike Davis

The cassette is one of those bits that doesn't get a great deal of
ongoing maintenance. You fit it, use it until it's worn out, and
replace it. With adequate cleaning and lubrication they can last
for a fair while, so there's a chance you've never had to change
it before and don't know where to start...
The first thing to do is to gather the necessary tools. There
aren't many, but you may not have a couple of them. You're
most likely to have a big adjustable spanner, but you'll also
need a chainwhip and a lockring tool.
As with all maintenance jobs, this one's a lot easier if you clean
your bike first. Once everything's sparkly, take the back wheel
out.
With the back wheel out, undo the nut end of the quick release
skewer (watch out for the centring spring falling off), put the
lockring tool into the splines in the lockring and secure it with
the skewer nut. This will prevent the lockring tool slipping which
isn't ideal when your hands are near all these spiky sprockets.

To undo the lockring we need to turn it anticlockwise. But if you

try that, you'll notice that all that happens is that the freehub
rotates. We need some way of holding the sprockets so we can
get the lockring undone, and this is where the chainwhip comes
in. Wrap the long bit of chain around one of the larger sprockets
as shown, and pull the handle of the chainwhip down until the
short length of chain engages on the same sprocket. It's
important to get this the right way round, it doesn't work so well
back to front.

Once the chainwhip's in place, use the adjustable spanner to

turn the lockring tool anticlockwise. It might take a bit of heft, so
persevere. If you position the tools so they're opposite each
other you can push down on both of them at once.
When you've managed to shift the lockring, you'll need to take
the skewer out so you can remove it completely. Once you've
got it moving you can take the chainwhip off and just hold the
cassette with your hand.

With the lockring off, the rest of the cassette should simply slide
off the freehub body. Usually the top couple of sprockets are
separate, so don't be surprised if they drop to the floor and roll
off somewhere.
If you're taking the cassette off to service the hub or replace the
freehub, now's the time to do that. If you're refitting the
cassette, give it a good clean up including down between the
sprockets. If you're replacing it, lob it in that box of bike stuff
that's actually useless but seems too good to throw away.

Refitting the cassette is pretty straightforward. If you're fitting a

seven-speed cassette onto an eight- or nine-speed freehub
body, you'll need a spacer behind the cassette. Otherwise the
cassette just slides straight on. It's a good idea to lightly coat
the freehub body with grease (don't go mad, most of it will be
pushed out by the sprockets. The only tricky part is lining up the
splines correctly. There's one narrower spline on the freehub
body and an associated narrower slot in the cassette. These
have to match up or the cassette won't fit on.

Most of the cassette goes on in one piece. You'll need to put the
couple of separate sprockets on, er, separately. Make sure you
get them the right way round... Smear a bit of grease on the
threads of the lockring and thread it into the end of the freehub
body.

The final job is to get the lockring tool out again, fit it into the
lockring and use the big spanner to tighten it up. You can again
use the quick release skewer to hold the tool in place, although
as you've got a spare hand this time (because you're tightening
against the freehub mechanism so you don't need the
chainwhip to hold the cassette still) you can usually get away
without. The lockring will click as it tightens as there are
serrations under the face that help to prevent it from undoing. If
you've got a new cassette you'll find suggested torque settings
in the instructions, but chances are you don't have a torque
wrench so they're not much use. Snugging it down with the big
spanner is about right. You don't want it coming loose midride...
Once the lockring's tightened down, replace the quick release skewer (the springs go narrow end inwards)
and put the wheel back in the bike. Run through the gears on the workstand just to make sure everything's
lined up right. If it isn't, check the back wheel's in straight before taking everything apart again. And that's it...

Nearly Monday Maintenance: Back to basics 3

By Scoop

Between Monday Maintenance and our Scoops Scooter build up features weve covered most maintenance

and mechanical issues that can be easily sorted in the home workshop. However the summer months bring
out a whole new set of cyclists who nobody has even shown how to do the most basic bike maintenance.
Maybe the bike shop owner just popped out the front wheel, stuffed the bike in the boot and waved a cheery
goodbye. Perhaps riding partners always sort out the grinding noises and punctures that occasionally
appear. Well the trouble is, youre then through no fault of your own totally reliant on other people in
even the simplest to solve situations.
So for all those people who just get given things to hold, get tutted at, or have their biking trip ruined when
they have to walk home with a punctured tyre, its time to overcome your fear and master the basic skills
you need to keep on rolling. Sheesh, you might even enjoy it!
This week that classic cycle repair fixing a puncture.
(Anyone chuckling at the back can clear off right now and go and do something useful with their spannering
supremacy like helping out on the Maintenance section of the forum.)

What a let down

Often the biggest pain with punctures is finding out where they are and
what caused them. Before you pull the tyre and tube apart, try pumping
them up and listening where the air is coming out from. Look for thorns
in the tyre from the outside or - if the tyre is wet look for bubbles
blowing through from the inside. Air can seep out anywhere round the
tyre but this generally gives you some idea roughly where it is. If you
find the hole mark it on the tyre or rim with chalky rock or something
tied round a spoke and then take your wheels out of the bike.
Get yer tyres off!

Lever off then lever round.

The first thing to do is create as much slack as possible around the edge of the tyre and the rim. Press the
pointy bit of the valve (on pointy Presta valves youll ha e to loosen the little knurled collar slightly first)
down to release any air thats still trapped in the innertube. Now grab the tyre and pull it inwards away from
the edge of the wheel rim, working all the way round until its waggling about on the wheel. This loosens the
tyre and gives you more slack, making it easier to pull it off.
Now take the edge of the tyre and pull it up to the rim. Different tyre and rim combinations have different
levels of slack, and if its really loose you may be able to push the lip of the tyre over the rim with your
thumbs.
Otherwise youll have to slide tyre levers (use two side by side) under the tyre edge and lever it off with
them. Once youve got the levers in and the tyre is stretched over the outside of the rim, hook the hook end
of one lever round a spoke, and work round the edge of the tyre with the other until the tyre gets loose
enough to be pulled off with your fingers.
Now undo the lockring on the valve and push back through the rim before pulling the innertube out of the
tyre.
What sort of puncture?
If youre wheel went flat very quickly after hitting a big rock or kerb then chances are youve pinch flatted.
This means the innertube was squashed between the rim and the rock and probably split on both sides.
Youll have two splits on either side of the innertube (which is why these punctures are also called
"Snakebites") which are really hard to fix with repair patches. On the other hand youll know you dont have
to spend ages looking for a thorn although its always worth a quick check just in case.
If it wasnt a pinch flat then check the inside of the tyre thoroughly to see if the thorn, nail, glass or whatever
is still there, otherwise youll just puncture again as soon as you put the tube back. Try inflating the tube to
see where the air hisses out and then using the valve as a reference point see if that points to where the
sharp thing is.
Once youve checked its clear or pushed / pulled it out then its time to repair the tube.

Avoiding the issue

The first thing wed say, is if you dont have to fix the puncture, then dont bother. Always carry at least one
spare innertube and once youve checked the tyre - stick that in instead. That way you can repair the
puncture at home in your won time rather than sat on a hill in the rain.
Fixing the puncture
The instructions for your puncture kit will be on or in the packaging
somewhere, but it normally goes something like this;
1/ Find the hole/s. The bigger you pump the innertube up the larger the
hole and the hiss will be, but even if you find one obvious hole always
check for others too. If you cant see or hear the hole and there are no
handy puddles nearby to look for bubbles in, then hold the tube next to
your cheek and try and feel the air escaping that way.
2/ Use the little bit of sandpaper to roughen the tube around the hole,
and use it to rub down any nearby seams on the tube. It sounds daft but
it really does help as it takes the vulcanised outer layer off the rubber. Just dont lose sight of where the
actual hole is and make sure the rough area is bigger than the patch.
The sandpapering bit really is worth doing.

3/ Now coat the roughened area with a thin layer of rubber solution and let it dry while you get the right size
puncture patch ready.
4/ Once the solution is dry, peel the foil backing off the patch and press
it firmly on top of the hole. Hold it there for a couple of minutes.
5/ Peel the plastic sheet off the patch starting in the centre and working
out rather than lifting from an edge, as that tends to pull the patch off. If
the edge of the patch looks like it hasnt stuck we normally smear a bit
of extra glue around the outside to stick it down.
6/ Let the patch and any extra glue dry thoroughly and then inflate the
tube slightly (so it takes shape but doesnt stretch. If theres still a hiss,
check the patch and/or look for the other hole.

Mended.

Refitting the tyre

Make a second check of the inside of the tyre for any sharp objects by
running your hand all the way round it. If its clear fit one edge of it onto
the rim.

Check for lurking thorns.

Tuck the innertube inside the tyre and fit the valve through the hole (but
dont tighten the lockring yet). Now start to fit the other edge of the tyre
onto the rim, starting at the valve and working round. As you work round
try and push / pull the tyre round the rim in the direction of the unfitted
section. This will give you more slack to play with and make the final bit
of fitting easier.

However cleverly you tuck the tyre on, there will come a point where
either no more tyre will slip on, or it just starts peeling off at the far side.
If youre butch you can now use both hands to start levering the bead on
with your thumbs, but beginners are best reaching for the tyre levers.
Slide a lever under the tyre bead on either side of the section where it
stops fitting onto the rim be careful not to trap the tube under the
lever.
Work the tyre on in small stages one lever at a time using a third lever if
necessary to get the last bit on, while the other two levers hold the edge
in place and stop it twanging off again. Wed love to explain it better but
we tried and it just ended up more confusing, in practice just go slowly
with plenty of patience and dont try and lever too much tyre on in one

Mind you dont trap the tube.

go.
Now blow the tyre up to pressure (written on the side of the tyre) and check that its still sat on the rim all the
way round and that it isnt trapped in any places. Most tyres have a moulded line that sits just above the rim
when its all settled comfortably. Congratulations, you are now ready to ride again!

Monday Maintenance
By Scoop

Last week we went back to basics for both new bike owners and maintenance-shy ones, and took a look at
removing and replacing the front wheel. This week it's the turn of the rear. (Anyone chuckling at the back
can clear off right now and go and do something useful with their spannering supremacy like helping out on
the Maintenance section of the forum.)
If you haven't come across the maintenance features before, in past articles we've covered most
maintenance and mechanical issues that can be easily sorted in the home workshop. All the previous
features are linked from the bottom of this one.
Back wheel action.
Sods law dictates that most punctures occur in the more complex to
remove back wheel, normally just after youve ridden through a big load
of mud or worse. Chains, sprockets, gears and brakes all conspire to
make this a real fight if you dont know what youre doing. But fret no
more, read this and it suddenly wont seem so bad.
If youve got Vs the first step is to loosen the brakes so that the tyre can
actually move past them. Dont be tempted to force it as youll push the
brake blocks out of alignment. To undo the brake noodle (curved pipe)
or straddle cable you have to have enough slack. First move the little
rubber worm cover off the end of the noodle. Then - using one hand push the brakes together as hard onto the wheel as you can. Now pull
the noodle back (to the left if youre looking from the front of the bike) in
its little cradle and the end should pop out of the slot. The brakes will
now fall open to let the wheel through.

Pull back the mech. For more clearance.

Whipping it out
We talked about quick release levers last week so we wont repeat it
here. Instead flip your bike upside down (unless you have a workstand)
and shift into the smallest cog at the back to get ready to whip out the
wheel.
Undo the quick release lever and then pull the rear derailleur body back
to let the sprockets lift clear.
Grab the wheel (check for dog muck first!) and lift it up and forwards out
of the frame dropouts. Youll have to waggle the sprockets past the
chain and skewer but shifting into the smallest cog first makes this
easier, and hopefully you wont get too oily.
Always check which way your dropouts (the notch that hole the wheel in
the frame) face before wrestling with the wheel. Most dropouts face
down or slightly forwards but some (Klein, singlespeeds and others)
have a dropout that faces backwards. For these, again change into the
smallest sprocket to give yourself more chain waggling slack. As soon
as the wheel is clear of the dropout pull it downwards and then forwards
around the to unhook the chain. At first this is a real fight but youll soon
get the hang of the best way to do it.
Using the smallcog makes things much simpler.

Congratulations, you have now liberated your rear wheel from your bike.

Putting it back again

It wouldnt be a vast exaggeration to say that refitting the wheel is
roughly a simple reversal of the above moves, but there are several
things to watch out for to make it easier.
For a start, if you didnt shift your rear gear into the smallest cog
position (yes, we know the wheel isnt there anymore) then do it now as
it means the gears get in the way less.
Again, pull the gear mechanism back so that you have a clear shot at
fitting the axle into the dropout. Make sure that you fit the sprockets
between the top and bottom parts of the chain though, or you wont be
going anywhere.

Make sure the chain goes round the sprockets.

Monday maintenance: Back to basics - part one

By Scoop

Between Monday Maintenance and our Scoops Scooter build up features weve covered most maintenance
and mechanical issues that can be easily sorted in the home workshop. However the summer months bring
out a whole new set of cyclists who nobody has even shown how to do the most basic bike maintenance.
Maybe the bike shop owner just popped out the front wheel stuffed the bike in the boot and waved a cheery
goodbye. Perhaps riding partners always sort out the grinding noises and punctures that occasionally
appear. Well the trouble is, youre then through no fault of your own totally reliant on other people in
even the simplest to solve situations.
So for all those people who just get given things to hold, get tutted at, or have their biking trip ruined when
they have to walk home with a punctured tyre, its time to overcome your fear and master the basic skills
you need to keep on rolling. Sheesh, you might even enjoy it!
So we dont leave anyone out were starting right from the very basics putting a front wheel in. Anyone
chuckling at the back can clear off now and go and do something useful with their spannering supremacy
like helping out on the Maintenance section of the forum.
Whipping your wheel out.
Getting the front wheel off your bike makes getting it into and out of cars
or repairing punctures a load easier, but weve never seen it properly
explained.
The first step is to loosen the brakes so that the tyre can actually move
past them. Dont be tempted to force it as youll push the brake blocks
out of alignment. To undo the brake noodle (curved pipe) or straddle
cable you have to have enough slack. First move the little rubber worm
cover off the end of the noodle. Then - using one hand - push the
brakes together as hard onto the wheel as you can. Now pull the noodle
back (to the left if youre looking from the front of the bike) in its little
cradle and the end should pop out of the slot. The brakes will now fall
open to let the wheel through.

Release the brakes to release the wheel

Quick Release?
The flippable lever that holds your front wheel in place (the quick
release) is simple mechanical genius, but from bike shop and trailside
experience, many folk use skewers completely wrongly and
dangerously.
Developed by Tulio Campagnolo to replace the big aluminium wing nuts
or steel bolts previously used on race bikes, the quick release lever is a
locking off centre cam. This means as you push the lever from open to
shut it increases tension in the
skewer (long thin bit that goes
Simple but superbly effective.
through the middle of the wheel).
Then in the last part of lever movement the tension reduces to let the
lever lock into place and stop it springing back open again.
Anyway history and mechanics arent important now. To release the
wheel pull the lever open by pulling it back on itself. If youve got Pace
forks the wheel will now just drop straight out, but most forks have
safety tabs on the dropout (the slotted end of the fork) to stop the wheel
falling out accidentally. In this case you have to hold the knob at the left
hand (looking from the front) side of the fork and then unscrew the quick
release lever a few turns so theres enough space either side to pull it
out.

Safety tabs; a right pain until the moment you

need them.

Note 1: Try not to undo the skewer totally, as you can lose the little helper springs off the end.
The wheel is now free for you to do anything you want with (dont worry well be talking tyre changes and

puncture repair very soon) or just put in the boot of the car.
Getting it together again
Putting the front wheel back in is theoretically just a simple reversal of
procedures but then nothing is ever simple is it?

Enough tension to just shut tight without

wobble.

First thing to notice is where the wheel is likely to get stuck. This can be
a tyre on a brake, or a disc rotor on a disc brake caliper, but if you dont
spot whats likely to cause the obstruction its much harder to get
alignment right. Once the skewer is sitting in the dropout you need to
take off the slack that lets it past the safety tabs. Hold the nut at the far
end and tighten the lever through a few turns (but not till its tight against
the dropout) then close the lever to tighten it into the fork. Do not use
the lever as a handle and crank it shut just by winding it round as it can
easily rattle undone.

It will normally take several goes to get the tension right but persevere the lever should have just enough
movement to lock into place fully without any rattle or slack.
Note 1: Make sure the fork isnt getting in the way of properly closing
the Quick Release (or QR) or getting knocked open by accident.
Shutting it so it points backwards or vertically upwards is generally the
safest way.
Note 2: Most skewers are made curved, with a logo on the outside. The
lever will curve back towards the bike when its in the shut position.
Note 3: Make sure the wheel is sitting straight in the fork by checking
the tyre runs centrally under the fork. If in doubt hold the bike straight
and undo and re-close the QR.
Note 4: Make sure you fix the brake back into position before riding
you might laugh but weve all done it and its not funny when it happens.

Straight wheels mean straight steering.

Next week, getting the back wheel in and out.

Monday maintenance: Pedal to the metal: Part 2

By Scoop

Pedals are one of the most forgotten components on your bike, yet they have to support all your pedalling
and jumping forces with just one little axle. To make matter worse, every ride they get more filth stamped
into them and rarely, if ever, get treated to anything more than a quick rinse when you get home.
Its no surprise that they often end up wobbling all over the place, and taking your foot with them, but dont
fret its a relatively easy problem to solve. Were stripping down a pair of
old Shimano M747 pedals (which havent been opened since 1997) but
most other pedals are very similar or the same once you get inside. The
major exception, Time, will get disemboweled next week.
Exorcism
The first stage is to strip your pedals right down to their component
parts. Youll need a big vice and that special grey plastic tool that comes
in the pedal box. If youve thrown it away then your bike shop should
have one.
Everybody should have at least one big vice

Clamp the body in a vice and slide the collar tool onto the plastic axle
collar. Loosen it gently with a big spanner and then keep winding till the whole axle and bearings come out
in one piece.

If you have an aversion to really small and important bearings and fiddly collars, look away now, otherwise
its time to look at just how badly things have worn. Again, if in doubt ask your local shop all of this work
was done at Psychlosport in Harrogate. To be honest we didnt even know Shimano make a special device

which uses two sockets that sit one inside the other until Pete proudly
showed us his tool. If youre not endowed with such handy equipment
youll have to remove the two locknuts on the end of the axle spindle
with a pair of thin, appropriately sized spanners.

Beautifully maintained internals not pictured

While holding the larger, lower nut still, loosen and remove the upper,
smaller, locking nut. Now carefully loosen the lower nut, getting ready to
catch any of the tiny bearings that escape. Youll now be able to slide of
the aluminium collar to reveal the lower row of bearings just above the
plastic collar. Again, be ready to catch them if they fall.

Resurrection
Get all the various bits and clean them thoroughly with degreaser and
then check balls and all the bearing races for wear. Ideally they will still
be totally smooth and silky, but they may well be pitted and lumpy like
ours. If they are knackered you can either replace the entire axle unit,
replace the bearings, or (as we did) clean it up as best you can, smother
them in grease and hope for the best.
If you lose the plot with what goes where then use the other pedal as a
guide, just make sure you dont get the bits mixed up. Adjust the lower
nut so that the pedal spins as smoothly as possible, without any wobble.
Now while holding the lower nut in place tighten down the smaller
locking nut on top. Dont be surprised if this takes more than one
attempt but persevere, as you wont be back in here for a while if you do
get it right.

Its not out of focus we just got grease on the

lens

Make sure you clean out the inside of the pedal body thoroughly and
then repack it with loads of grease. As you screw the axle assembly
back into place this grease will be forced through the internals and out
of the far end of the plastic collar in one big purging splurge.
Then simply screw the plastic collar into place, wipe off all the excess
grease (dab a bit of the spare on the pedal / crank threads) and youre
ready to screw it all back in.
The outside bits
Theres not a great deal you can do with the external clipping
mechanism besides keeping it clean and lubricated. In theory you can
replace the central plate if it gets worn, but cleats generally wear a
whole lot faster and weve never actually heard of anyone whos kept
Dont forget the cavity search and thorough
cleansing
pedals going long enough for the plate to wear out. No doubt well get
someone saying theyve had five plates go in the space of their 20- year SPD Odyssey, but then theres
always one isnt there?
Next Week:
We'll do the same strip and rebuild with Time pedals if we can find someone to show us how...

Monday maintenance: Pedal to the metal: Part 1

By Scoop

First of all, thanks to Tom for the idea of covering pedals in our regular Monday maintenance feature.
Rather than go straight in with how to strip them down we thought wed best fill you in on how to set them
up first.
Different types
There are many different types of clipless pedal available, many of
which use slightly different clip mechanisms and cleat patterns. Some of
these are compatible with each other while others arent. Although in
theory youll only ever use the cleats that go with the pedals, having
more than one pair of shoes, more than one bike or borrowing a mate's
means you might get caught out.
Before you try stamping in and then trying desperately to escape heres
Not all cleats are created equal.
a brief guide to compatibility. Dont go blaming us if fireman have to cut
you from your bike or if youre running a combination we say doesnt work though, as its mostly from
memory;
Time, Shimano M858, Speedplay, Bebop, Eggbeater (and for retro fans Look and Tioga) only work with
their own kind.
Wellgo and VPP (this includes Scott, FPD, CODA, Ritchey and some other "own brands") sort of work OK
amongst each other but youre definitely best sticking to the genuine cleat. Shimano will clip in eventually
but youll have a really hard time getting out of them especially Shimano + Wellgo combos.
All Shimano SPD (except M858 and SPD-R road pedals, but including (M959) are intercompatible. Single
direction release (SM-SH52) or multi-release (SM-SH55) cleats are available to further tune release.
Bontrager, WTB and the very latest 2003 Ritchey pedals also work OK with Shimano cleats.

Load of cobblers
Happily all of the above cleats fit the same twin slot shoe plate design,
but check that the tread pattern allows a clean twist and release. In
particular be wary of big toothy treads on combined clipless and
platform pedals (we speak from bloodied experience!)
Some clipless compatible shoes are very shy about their slots though
and hide them under a thin section of tread rubber. If you have to take
their cherry, go very gently with a sharp knife but be careful not to slip
as it can get bloody.
Its a sole, man!

Some shoes have a sliding cleat plate built into the sole, while others
need the insole removing and the cleat adding afterwards. Whichever youve got just make sure you grease
the threads very thoroughly as nowhere comes in for more corrosive grief than your cleats.
Most cleats work on either side of the shoe, but some (Time and Eggbeaters) give a different release angle
depending on which side you put them, so check youve got it right before you bolt them loosely in place.
Now its the very important job of aligning them correctly.

Angle of dangle
Although different pedal systems give different amounts of sideways
rotation (float) before they release the angle you set the cleats at will
always govern the position of your shoe relative to the bike.
It is vital that you mimic the natural angle of your foot as closely as
possible on the bike, otherwise you are putting a twisting stress through
your knees that can cause serious joint problems. The best way to
measure this is to sit on a high stool and let you feet dangle naturally. If
they turn in or turn out noticeably, then set your shoes so they do the
same, taking the centre line of the shoe as a line running from toe
centre to heel centre.

Do your trotters turn in or turn out?

Eye on the ball

Centering the cleat under the ball of the foot is also essential to give the
most efficient push and use of shin and calf muscles.

Get on the ball for pedalling perfection.

If you grab your hoof, youll feel the ball where toes meet foot as the
widest part, but its a diagonal rather than straight line. You can site the
cleat visually by noting the centre point of this line on the shoe upper
and then bolting the cleat directly underneath or if the shoe sole is soft
you can do it by feel. Simply remove the insole and stand on a small
raised block so all your weight is supported by the cleat. Keep moving it
until it feels central to the ball of your foot.

Most cleats allow some sideways movement too, so take the opportunity to move the shoe as close to the
crankarm as possible, as the width of pedalling stance (Q factor) should be as narrow as possible to ease
stress on your knees.
Once youve got these measurements right then bolt the cleat firmly into the shoe (a few turns at a time on
each bolt rather than fully tightening one then the other) and try clipping the shoe in. Hopefully everything
should feel natural and unstressed and the centre line of the pedal axle should sit directly under the ball of
your foot.

Please release me!

If youre getting used to clipless pedals for the first time, or just dont
like the feeling of being locked in too tight then youll need to adjust the
release pressure of the pedal spring. This is done with the little screw at
the back of the pedal. Turning it anti clockwise reduces pressure, turning
it clockwise increases pressure and a little visible tab in a slot in the
pedal body (looking from above towards the back of the pedal) tells you
where you are in the scale of tightness.
Be careful not to wind it too far though or youll unscrew the spring tab
Loosen em up or lock em down.
altogether and its a right pain to re-engage. Dont go looking for an
adjuster on Time pedals either as there isnt one. Just switch cleats from left to right to change release
angles.
Youre now ready to ride off into the sunset hopefully without falling over with your feet locked in too many
times J
Next Week:
Now youve got your pedals working well tell you how to keep them that way. With pictures and everything!

Monday maintenance: V haf ways of making you stop

By Scoop

Weve been writing loads about disc brakes recently, but what about the
V brakes that most of us use? They might not be as powerful or pimpy as
good disc brakes, but theyre a lot simpler and lighter and theyre still
standard issue on most bikes.
Weve already covered installation in our Scoops Scooter build up
feature. However there are other tricks worth knowing to keep them in
perfect working order increasing their power and effectiveness and
getting them to feel exactly how you like them.
Maintenance
Brakes rapidly go downhill from new, but why and how do you stop it?
Cables are the main cause of problems in V brake systems, as only a small amount of dirt or rust can create

a big amount of friction. The answer is to either invest in a sealed (Gore Tex) or semi sealed (Avid Flak
Jackets, Shimano XTR) cable system or to strip and relube your cable regularly especially after wet or
muddy rides.
If youre re-lubing use the slotted cable mounts to help you slide the outer cable sections along to reach
every part of the inner wire. Make sure you clean filth out of the rubber gaiters, the V brake noodle and the
cable stops themselves too or itll just re-infectthe cable run straightaway. In terms of actual lube we
normally use something light that dries out without getting sticky, but Shimano use dollops of grease pre
pumped into the ends so just see what works best with your local riding conditions and maintenance
schedule.
Pad wear can be very, very quick in certain gritty areas or wet trail conditions and if you wear them down to
the metal youll lose stopping power and destroy your wheels at the same time. Make sure you always check
how much pad youve got left before you set out and if in doubt take spare pads with you.
Dont forget to check the pads for grit or other hard bits stuck into the pads, which can gouge big chunks out
of rims very quickly. A hissing scraping sound when braking is often an indicator that youre scratching as
well as stopping. Obviously pad wear isnt the only thing happening in abrasive conditions but rim wear
often gets forgotten about. Some rims have recessed marker spots that will start to wear when the rim is so
thin it needs replacing, but on most wheels youll just have to guess how knackered they are by how convex
the rim walls are compared to brand new examples of the same rim.
Power
move pads vertically much, but position the brake pad as low (near to
the brake pivot) as possible to maximise leverage. If the lever has an
adjustable cable cradle then again, move it nearer to the pivot to
increase the leverage and power of the pull. Be warned though that both
these moves can produce a softer squishier lever feel and need more
cable pull. If you find your hands are getting tired and aching then
reducing the lever reach can help you get a more comfortable, confident
and stronger grip on things. For specialist applications such as trials you
can also get soft compound pads for maximum stopping power and
static hold, but theyll just melt in normal use. Ceramic rims use titanium and aluminium oxides plasma
coated onto the rim wall to increase wear life, heat absorption and braking performance. They are double the
price of normal rims though which means they only make sense if you normally wear your hoops out rather
than bending them first.

Feel
As well as the lever adjustment mentioned above (further from
lever pivot is sharper but less powerful, nearer more powerful
but spongier) the routing of your cables can also make a big
difference to how smoothly they pull. Avoid big curved loops
of cable outer if a straighter line can be achieved as theyll
only wobble and flex when you pull the lever, but conversely
watch out for sections that are too short and squash or kink
when you turn the bars or move the suspension.
Next week
Blimey, havent thought about that yet. If you got any ideas,
mail them in.

Monday maintenance: Cable discs

By Scoop

Hurrah for the simplicity and easy maintenance of cable disc brakes the propaganda says. Well that is until
you use the damn things.
Well admit that some recent brakes such as Hayes and Avid do seem to live happy and totally fulfilled lives
without screaming for attention all the time. However, this week were looking at the ways to get the best

from earlier generation or just plain cheap - cable disc brakes that come fitted as standard on many lower
end bikes.

Set up
Cable disc brakes work by using a standard cable to pull a lever arm
that attaches to a spindle running on a spiral thread through the caliper.
On the far end of this spindle is the brake pad. By pulling the lever arm,
you turn the spindle which screws it along the thread to push the pad
onto the rotor to stop you. Its a simple system thats been used for
years (first by Shimano and then Hope) but it needs to be set up right to
work properly.

Its all in the angle of dangle.

The crucial part of setting up depends on the lever arm. While some enlightened companies (Shimano,
Avid, Hayes) have used a small cam on the end of the lever arm to pull give constant leverage on the
cable, others just use a simple straight arm and direct cable pull. This means that the lever arm has to be
perpendicular to the cable stop on the caliper at the point of pad - rotor contact to ensure maximum power.
A few degrees either way can mean the difference between decent braking and none at all, so be very
careful how you set the brake up to start with.
Well adjusted
Unlike self-adjusting hydraulic systems cable brakes also need to have their pad wear compensated for
manually. If youve got a cam arm brake, then the cable adjuster on the brake lever can be used to take up
slack, but without a cam, the leverage of the arm and therefore braking power will fall as the pads wear.
This means you need to adjust the pad spacing at the caliper to keep control.
How often and how much depends on your braking and pad life in current conditions, but weve gone from
working discs to levers to the bar without any hint of braking in the space of a relatively short downhill
before. If in doubt, check and adjust as often as you can.
Grind and bind
Cable brakes are also vulnerable to grit and cable stiffness affecting control in the same way as V brakes
are. For a start the lengths of cable are very long, and though continuous outer cable sections are better
sealed than several short pieces, they are much harder to clean once they get gritty. Long cables also
means more stretch of the inner wire / compression of the outer and more length for friction to build up in,
which means a less direct feel at the lever. Besides regular cleaning theres not much you can do, although
Avids "Full Metal Jacket" upgrade (Raw 0131 440 2010) improves feel be replacing the last length of cable
outer on the seatstay with a piece of thin steel pipe.
The cable has to pull a lever smoothly though a coarse screw thread, against the pressure of the big spring
needed to pull the pads back off the rotor. While Hayes, Avid and Shimano use decent bearings (at a weight
penalty) other brakes need stripping, cleaning and greasing regularly to keep responses smooth and
controlled. Be careful that big spring doesnt fire the guts of the brake into the far corners of the room as
soon as you try and strip it down though. We generally try and keep a firm hand or rag wrapped round the
whole assembly as we undo the main retaining bolts.
On the bright side there are no corrosive hydraulic fluids to spill everywhere.
Next Week
As weve already covered basic bouncing and stopping well probably be doing something about getting
your bike going along smoothly. Or we might just run a feature on how best to sell those cheap cable disc
brakes that came with your bike and buy some proper hydraulics instead (though well let you off if youve
got Hayes or Avid).

Monday maintenance: Living with discs

By Scoop

One of the big advantages of hydraulic disc brakes is their relative lack of maintenance requirements, but
that doesnt mean theres nothing to do to keep them operating at their best.
Heres our simple guide to keeping your new disc brakes performing at their best, with rotor cleaning and
pad changing tips weve learnt from (sometimes bitter) experience.
Pad changes
Disc brake pads normally last a lot longer than V-brake pads but they arent invulnerable and soft
compounds will still suffer fast in gritty winter conditions. If you burn pads through to the metal backing then
not only will your braking power suddenly disappear, but it can also pump enough heat through the fluid to
lock the whole system up. For these reasons always check youve got pad left before a ride, and if youre
heading out on an epic or wild weekender, take spares with you. As a rule of thumb if the pad material is
thinner than a 1p piece get some spares ready.
Once theyre looking worn out, we suggest you replace them in the
comfort of your shed, as hunting for vital small parts amongst trailside
grass is never much fun. Make sure that you have exactty the right pads
too. Nearly all brakes even between the same manufacturer use
different pads shapes sizes and even fitting mechanisms. You wont be
able to bodge one between the other.
Once thats all sorted the first stage is to remove the wheel and the disc
rotor.
Then work out how your pads are held in place. Some are just held in
Pull the pin too soon and the whole lot will
with a push fit spring clip and magnets while others are held with pin/s
explode!
that run through the top of the caliper body. If its the latter watch out for
the small metal springs that are often placed between the pads to help them spring back into place. Check
exactly where they sit now to make putting them back correctly easier. Now carefully remove any split pins
or safety wires and unscrew / pull the locking pins straight out. Now the pads can be pulled out of the
bottom of the caliper one at a time.
Now is a good time to give the inside of the caliper a quick wipe round with the corner of a rag and a bit of
soapy water. Avoid aggressive cleaners as they can damage delicate hydraulic seals.
To install new pads simply reverse the procedure, but make sure that
you avoid touching the braking surface of the pads to avoid greasy
contamination. That said, a small dab of high temperature grease (we
normally use Coppa-slip or similar) can help to stop the minute
vibrations that cause the shrill screech that plagues some brakes. If the
system uses a spring to space the pads, then its often easier to
sandwich the spring and pads together and fit them all in one go.

A dab of sauce always keeps us quiet.

Once the pads are securely in place, replace any locking pins and
spacing springs and check the pads retract away from the rotor cleanly
for a smooth spin.
If youve got a Closed system or one with pad adjustment on the
caliper itself youll need to fully open the pad spacing to give room for
the new pads. If you find they still dont fit, very carefully leak a small
amount of fluid from the caliper, but make sure you keep fluid away
from the pads and rotor.
As the pads are new youll need to allow time for them to break in and
give you full braking power. The time this takes depends on the brakes
and the pad compound, but dont go braking too late or too hard until
theyve settled.

A Monday maintenance mystery object

moment.

Pad contamination
Although they look fairly hard chunks of material, brake pads have a real weak spot for soaking up any
greasy lubricant or brake fluid that comes near them. Once
contaminated their braking power all but disappears. Rapid emergency
cleaning with rotor cleaner, or a wire wool pad can help a bit and weve
even heard of some folk getting decent results from baking the pads in
an oven to remove residue. Youre better off just making sure you keep
any sort of lube spray or fluid spills away from them in the first place
though.

Rotor cleaning
Stuck on the opposite side of you wheel from lube hungry chains and
sprockets, brake rotors are hard to keep totally greaseless. Luckily the
steel baking surface of rotors are a lot easier to clean, but using the
wrong stuff can contaminate the brake pads themselves.

Clean discs but a foggy head thats the beauty

of solvent abuse!

Motorbike and car disc brake cleaner might sound ideal, but they often leave a film of residue on the
braking surface. As car and motorbike systems use massive amounts of heat they can burn through this
residue without worry, but bike brakes will suffer. Bike disc brake cleaners might seem expensive compared
to big cans down "Auto Mart" but they are designed specifically to clean off crud and then evaporate
entirely, leaving the braking surface perfectly clean. Makt, Finesse and other bike lube companies all
produce their own blend.
If youre finding build up of mud inside the calipers a problem then it might be worth changing the shape of
your disc. Wavey outer edges like those on the Hope Mini rotors help push through mud and other debris
while the buzz saw blade design of Planet-Xs Rotorvator will probably clear small trees from your path too!
For more information on different pad compounds and rotor sizes see our opening disc brake feature.
Next Week
Although cable disc brakes generally need treating in exactly the same way as their hydraulic brothers,
there are some tweaks worth knowing to keep them performing predictably and powerfully. So tune in next
week if youre stopping with string.

Monday maintenance: Brake bleeding

By Scoop

Last week we dealt with fitting disc brakes in an ideal world where everything works out just fine straight
from the box. But what happens if you need to trim cable? And what on earth is bleeding when it refers to
brakes and not the holes in your knees and elbows?

So although we there wont be any "explicit adult content" on here we suggest you reach for the mopping up
rag as we take a firm hold on your one-eyed braking snake.
Before we go any further, were sorry for the shortage of pictures on this, but trying to balance a camera,
brake fluid, bike and various hoses and lever pulls just didnt work in the trickier moments.
Animal, mineral or vegetable?
As always, the first thing to do is to make sure that you have the right equipment for the job. Start by
checking what hydraulic fluid your brakes use, as the wrong fluid can ruin the seals in your system very
quickly. Shimano and Magura brakes use a mineral oil which is friendlier to your paintwork and the
environment but is harder to find away from your bike shop or your local Citroen garage. Hope, Hayes and
the others use the synthetic braking fluids that most garages stock, but are less paintwork and flopsy bunny
friendly. Makes sure you get the right DOT weight (normally 4.1 or 5.1) as performance varies according to
their ability to tolerate high temperatures.
Short back and sides
The last thing you want to do when riding is to tear your delicate hose off on a big branch, so you need to
tuck it in neatly. Most brakes come pre-assembled and ready to install but as they're designed to fit even the
extra long travel forks of downhill bikes youll probably find the hose is too long for most XC bikes.
Again preparation is key so check the instructions to see if you need a new connector to plug into your
trimmed end. If you do dont try and bodge it with the old one from experience it makes a ruddy awful
mess.
Once youve got all the fluid and fixtures you need, measure the correct length making sure you leave
enough slack for the bars to twist all the way round in both directions without crimping the hose.
Slicing style depends on the brake hose. Plastic hoses can be trimmed with a very sharp knife, but hold
them steady on a chopping board to stop them flying off and creating a crooked end. The less fluid you lose
the less trouble youll have bleeding so try and keep the cut end upper most at all times. For this reason it
works best to trim the lever end not the brake end.
Avoid taking your knife to braided metal hoses though as they normally use specific weaves at the end of
the hose and are best pre-bought in the right length.
Once youve snipped, take your time to make as good a connection as possible back into the lever end, as
the last thing you want is to have it leak or pull out halfway through a ride. Most systems use the same hose
pushed over connector and then clamped on tight system as your garden hose pipe and the technique is just
the same. Ram the hose onto the fir tree as far as possible before tightening down the locking collar.

Little Bleeders!
You should now have a sealed hydraulic system thats the right length
and securely plugged in at both ends. The trouble is all that chopping
and changing will almost certainly have let some air into the system. As
the air (unlike the hydraulic fluid) can compress, this makes the brakes
feel really spongey and powerless. Any air bubbles left in will also
expand with braking heat and lock the system up very quickly, so like
central heating radiators, your brakes need bleeding. There are various
way of doing this and several manufactures even produce handy kits to
help, but this is the way that always works OK for us and has the added
advantage that you can do it with the minimum of tools in an emergency.

One reservoir, no dogs

Over time even untouched braking systems will also leak slightly, which can let in air, water or even grit into
the system, so its worth treating yourself to fresh fluid every year or so.
Whether you have an open (rather confusingly this means a system that uses a sealed self compensating
reservoir such as Hope Mini, Enduro, M4, Formula, Hayes or Shimano) or closed (systems where you
control the reservoir capacity and therefore lever reach - Hope C2, XC4, Giant MPH) the technique is the
same.
First take out the wheels and lock the frame securely into a workstand or the jaws of a passing dog of helpful

disposition, making sure the lever is as high above the caliper as possible to let bubbles rise up easily. Then
you need to find the reservoir and move the lever so that the top cap is flat and level to stop slop. As most
brake fluid is evil, nasty stuff we recommend you wrap as much of the frame, bars and brake levers
themselves with kitchen roll or similar to mop up any spillages.
Now carefully take the lid off the reservoir, and youll find a rubber seal underneath which you also need to
take out, put both of them safe and clean in a container to stop the brake fluid damaging any valuable
antique furniture.
To get any air out of the hose, start at the caliper end and start flicking the hose with your fingers to dislodge
the bubbles. Work your way up to the lever giving the hose a good tap every inch or so and you should see
bubbles rise into the reservoir. Work back and forward along the length several times to get as many out as
possible. Sometimes this "burping" is enough to clear the system of trapped wind (in which case top up the
reservoir and shut the lid) but there may be air trapped that only comes out when you flush it through
properly.

Feeling flushed
To flush the system though you need to open it at the caliper end. But
before you do anything, take the brake pads out to stop the risk of them
being covered in fluid and ruined. Then take a piece of pipe that fits
firmly and securely onto the outlet valve of the caliper (normally next to
the inlet valve with the brake hose on) and stick the free end into a jar or
something else that can hold the waste fluid. If youre worried about
knocking it over on your best shag pile then gaffer tape it to the
chainstays to hold it in place.

Just suck the bubbles out!

At this point another pair of hands is massively useful but only if theyre attached to a brain with at least the
basic ability to operate a spanner on demand and remain undistracted from this task for several minutes.
Now you just open the caliper valve enough to let fluid flow, and pull the lever gently to pump fresh fluid into
the jar, taking trapped bubbles and other choss with it. Hold the lever fully in and then get your glamorous
assistant to close the caliper valve so you suck fresh fluid from the reservoir rather than the sump jar. If the
reservoir needs topping up then do it, and keep pumping and sumping until no more bubbles or filth appear.
Pulsing the lever in and out slightly, rather than just pulling pints can help shift stubborn bubbles, but be
careful not to pull too hard and squirt fluid into your eye from the reservoir, or undo the caliper valve too
much and leak fluid all over the caliper, frame and floor.
Done job
Once youre sure youve got all the air out then top up the reservoir as full as possible and gently pop the
head seal and reservoir cap back on. If youve got a closed system with a pad adjuster dial on the top cap
then make sure that its backed off as far as possible before you put it back on.
Now carefully clean any spilt fluid off the bike or yourself, and put the disc pads and wheel back in. Check all
the valve bolts are securely closed and then have a test pull on the lever. The lever feel should be firm and
direct with little sponginess after the bite point as you apply pressure. If the lever still squidges back towards
the bar then repeat the bleed. If the pads are too close together to let the disc rotor rotate then check the
pad adjusters are backed off if its a closed system and then carefully bleed a little bit of fluid from the
caliper and re-close the valve before releasing the lever.
You should now be the proud owner of a set of perfectly operating disc brakes

Monday Maintenance: Fitting your discs

By Scoop

Now youve chosen your disc brakes its time to fit them to your bike.
Were dealing with basic simple installation with a complete preassembled system here. If youve got a separate hose and lever set up
like Shimano XT or need to unplug the hose for trimming or mounting
then well deal with that next week, when well also cover bleeding your
disc brakes.

Stopping in a box

Fitting the rotor

The first step is bolting the rotor onto the hub. Make sure you grease the
bolts and threads but be very careful not to get any grease on the
braking surface itself.

Mr Rotovator

Tighten all six bolts finger tight and then tighten them properly in an
opposed order ie one side then the
other rather than round in a circle
to keep the rotor centred and reduce
the chance of bolts shaking loose.
Give a final check round for
tightness and youre ready to roll.

Now fit the front wheel to the bike, making sure it rests straight in the
dropouts. If in doubt stand it on the floor and release and close the QR
skewer. Its also worth switching the skewer so that the lever is on the
opposite side to the disc so you dont burn your fingers trying to undo it.
Holy rotating anchors Batman!

Caliper fitting
Before you start pulling off V-brakes make sure the caliper is fitted.
Otherwise you wont be able to ride to the shop and sort out any
problems, so leave everything where it is until you have to move it.
Before you start pulling bolts and washers off, just slide the caliper onto
the rotor to see which of the various thickness spacers youre likely to
need.

Checking first can help as a spacing guide.

Then its case of trial and error adding and removing the washers until
you get a smooth running fit. If youre lucky theyll pop straight on, but if
the mount is mis-aligned or youve got a long 4 pot caliper to squeeze
the rotor through you might need to do a bit of gentle filing of the disc
tabs to even things out. If youre struggling to see the gap between disc
and rotor slip a piece of white paper behind the caliper to act as
backdrop as you squint through.

Trial and error and a lot of patience.

Lever fitting
Then its up to the far end of the hose to whip off the now redundant Vbrake lever and stick on your shiny new disc brake lever. All the usual
rules about tightening bar clamps enough to keep them in place but not
enough to stop them moving in a crash apply as does checking for
clearances on shifters and setting correct lever reach before you set
out.
Now simply secure the hose to stop if flappping and catching but
making sure the bars and suspension can still move freely - and
protecting the frame with patches anywhere the hose is likely to rub.
Levers are much nicer than the photo.

Now whip off the V-brakes and stick them in that special shoe box of things youre keeping just in case, but
will actually never use.

First ride tips

Although disc brakes are generally far more powerful than Vs you have to wait for them to bed in to get
that power so take the first ride very gently.
Although anything oily or greasy will spell death to any hope of braking power, coating the discs with wet
mud or even Coca Cola can speed up the bedding in process. Another technique is just to ride along with
them dragging slightly to help heat them up and burn them into readiness.
Although weve said braking might be poor at first bedding can occur very suddenly halfway through a
ride, so always err on the side of caution and pull the lever gently rather than grabbing a handful.
If you find the rotor rubbing for any reason we suggest you wait till you get home before adjusting as its all
too easy to lose washers if you start mucking about at the trailside.
Now weve got you rolling well be dealing with some of the problems that can occur when fitting and
fettling disc brakes and calmly guiding you through them. Be warned though it might be worth recruiting
an extra pair of hands in advance.

Monday maintenance: Disc brake basics

By Scoop

Now weve happily got you swapping and swilling oil around inside your
forks, we reckon its time to take our basic maintenance series on to
cover that other often fluid filled frightener disc brakes.
Weve abandoned our normal walk through format as where each bit
goes is pretty self explanatory. Instead were going tell you what to
watch for before you part with cash, and then discuss a few tricks to
make the whole process easier and swifter. Then well move onto
servicing, cleaning and bleeding your brakes in following weeks.
Braking: The law

What fits where?

The first essential is making sure that your chosen brake actually fits
your bike. Most brakes are designed to fit the International Standard
mounting (ISO) which uses two bolt holes on a plate aligned parallel to
the brake rotor.
With this system correct alignment relies mostly on the alignment of the
actual frame mounting. Correct spacing to prevent the pads rubbing on
the rotor is then achieved by adding or taking off thin washers on the
mounting bolt in the gap between frame and brake. As you can guess
this is a damned irritating and time consuming procedure, but its light
and you only have to do it once.
International standard mount
Some cable brakes (Avid, Grimeca, Diatech, Formula) get round this
problem by mounting the caliper itself on sliding posts fixed to the frame
mount. The brake is then moved sideways by a small thumbwheel or
just allowed to float from side to side. This makes setting up very easy,
but adds weight and potential for squeak under braking.

Hayes get round the problem of alignment by using a different mounting

standard altogether. They use a pair of bolt mounts that are
perpendicular to the rotor face, with a slotted mount on the caliper to
allow sideways movement and ensure accurate alignment. Rear Hayes
brake mounts are becoming rare now, but Manitou forks still use them
as standard up front. Shimano Deore and Avid cable brakes add a
curious twist by using an international mount that attaches to the actual
brake caliper with a Hayes style two bolt plate. Again very easy to set
up, but not for fans of minimalist mass and clean design.

Hayes post mount

Although this sounds like an absolute minefield, the good news is that there are adaptors available to fit
practically any brake to any mounting as long as there is space. Hope even do replacement caliper
segments to allow you to swap just the mounting portion of the brake rather than adding an extra bracket.

Disc size
Another fitting consideration is the size of disc rotor used. Smaller,
lighter disc rotors are favoured by the XC race set, but if you want more
stopping-power larger rotors are the way to go. As these put the braking
surface of the disc further away from the hub (and brake mounting) then
youll need at least an adaptor and possibly a new caliper to bridge the
gap, so check before you change.
Pot luck
While shopping for disc brakes youve probably bumped into two
different types. Twin pot and Four pot. Twin pots are the most common design using two opposed cylinders
to press the pads against the disc. As the pads are square and relatively narrow aligning them to stop rub is
quite easy. Four pot brakes with twin pistons on each side are a lot trickier though as pads are much longer,
leaving you less room for error in alignment.
Hope 165 and 185mm discs

No mount misery?
If youve got an older bike with no disc mount on the rear end but are desperate to use discs then all is not
lost. Hope have an adjustable disc mount that attaches to the axle of their rear hub in place of a spacer,
with an arm that bolts onto the V brake mount on the seatstay to transfer braking stress to the correct place
on the frame. Give them a ring on 01282 851200, or head for Hopetech.com.

Top fitting tips

The best tip we can give anyone fitting disc brakes is to take your time. Faffing with spacers in between
brake and frame and tightening then loosening the mounting bolts until you get the alignment right would try
the patience of a saint, but getting it right is essential.
The second piece of advice is to make sure you dont undo any bolts you dont have to. We know several
people whove pulled a caliper in half thinking it was something to do with the mounting. Not only will you
lose all your brake fluid and let air in but youll probably douse the pads in fluid and need to replace them
too.
When fitting the brakes, dab a small bit of high-performance grease between the back of the pad and the
cylinder head. This helps stop small vibrations that can cause squeal. Make sure that none of the grease
touches the pad face or rotor though.
If youre setting up a cable disc brake that uses a straight arm rather than a cam, ensure that the arm is at
right angles to the cable mount on the caliper when the pads touch the rotor. This gives maximum braking
leverage, but needs to be checked regularly as pads wear.
If youre trimming your hose, make sure you leave enough length to cope with a complete bar wrap round
without pulling the hose out of the lever or kinking it. Brakes operate at big pressures and plastic hoses will
soon split where they are kinked.
If you havent got dedicated hose guides on your bike, hoses can be attached with zip ties or purpose built
cable clips which plug into your old cable guides. If youre using a metal hose then be very careful to protect
the bike anywhere it might rub, as the braided line will soon rub through soft alloy.
Our final piece of advice is to leave removing the old V brake set up till the last minute possible. That way if
something does go wrong, youve less to bolt back on to ride to the bike shop ;-).

Monday Maintenance: VII Custom tuning forks

By Scoop

Weve covered basic set up for spring rate and damping and weve covered basic maintenance. But what
happens when you've twiddled your knob sore and the fork still isnt doing what you want?
Custom suspension tuning can become a lifetime obsession (often linked to growing a mullet and racing
dragsters) but there are some basic moves that you can do without
voiding you warranty or boring the arse off your mates. So part four of
our beginner's guide to forks deals with travel adjustment and what it
means to your riding, plus how to change your damping without a
drill.

Travel adjustment
Changing the travel of your forks seems to be this years big obsession.
Rock Shoxs Psylo U-Turn and Manitous Black series make adjustment
easy with an external lever or dial, but otherwise youre going to have to
get inside the fork to change its height.
Be prepared.
Different forks achieve travel adjustment in different ways. Some use an
additional spring section or longer replacement spring that can be added or removed, while others use a
spacer that can be inserted on the spring rod to reduce or increase travel. Before you start pulling things

apart, make sure you check the manual so you know exactly whats involved. You will often need tools (big
adjustable spanners, extra long Allen keys, rubber mallets) beyond the scope of the average bike tool kit,
some oil forks will need refilling, while Pace forks will need fresh circlips to put them back together. You
dont want to find this out when your fork is in pieces in the kitchen after the shops have shut on Saturday
and youre riding Sunday morning.
Why change travel?
The marketing men suggest that the more travel you have, the taller buildings you will instantly leap over
and the more girls (or boys) will throw themselves at your feet in adoration. Theyll even go so far as to try
and make you feel like an inadequate social outcast if you have to ride up a hill with your fork at the same
setting that you ride down the other side on.
Guess what? It aint that simple though.
Increasing the travel of your forks gives them more space to absorb an impact, so all other things being
equal they generally handle big hits better. The extra length of the fork also tips the headtube back and
slows down your bikes steering, again this extra stability is good for high speed downhill sections.
Conversely, shortening the travel makes the fork less smooth through big hits but lets the bike steer faster
with sharper responses for avoiding the rocks in the first place. Forks on shorter settings are also less likely
to twang and flex than they are at max stretch as they have more slider overlap and less leverage on the
tips.
If travel is externally adjustable, then trying out which suits you best is
obviously no problem, but we thought youd best mention that longer
travel isnt always a good thing before you get sucked in all the hype.

Changing damping
If youve twiddled all the damping knobs (or maybe you havent got any)
and still havent slowed the fork down (or speeded it up) as much as
youd like then its time to get internal with your damping.
Damping is generally controlled by oil being forced through a valve (or
set of valves) as the fork compresses and extends. The larger the valve
hole the faster the oil can get through the hole and the faster the fork
can move. Most damping adjuster knobs work by changing the aperture
size of these valves.

Change the oil to change the damping.

If the full closed or open position isnt enough for your needs, the next step is to change the thickness and
flow rate of the damping oil itself. This viscosity is generally described as oil weight (which can vary from
2.5wt to 20wt) with different forks and damping systems using different weights.
Before you do anything check that the oil is actually part of the damping rather than a lubricant, or that
opening a sealed damping cartridge wont invalidate your warranty. All you have to do then is find out the
weight of oil used as standard, pour that out of the oil bath or cartridge and refill with the exact same
amount of new oil. Moving to a heavier weight (larger number) of oil will slow the fork down, while a lighter
weight will speed it up, but a small difference in oil viscosity can make a big difference in the fork
performance so try and follow manufacturer's directions.
Where to look for more information
Different forks have widely different damping systems and particular tuning techniques and we recomend
you use someone elses experience wherever possible. Obviously the fork manufacturer should be the first
port of call, but specialist fork tuners like TFTunedshox (who specialise in Rock Shox - old and new), CVI
(who specialise in Manitou and Risse upgrade kits for older forks), or Mojo, (who specialise in Fox), all
make a living out of suspension tuning and have got far more experience and know-how than most. The
BIKEmagic forum can often be helpful, but theres also a specialist fork tweaking forum on the Angry Asian
website.

Monday Maintenance
By Scoop

Weve covered the basics of fork set up, spring rate and damping adjustments, but getting this right isnt
worth a whole heap of beans if it stops working after a couple of rides. If that sounds a bit extreme, believe
us when we say we know several species of forks that wont be at all happy after a long winter weekend of
riding.
Heres our guide to the basics of looking after your forks, what you can do with regular servicing and when
to treat your forks to a specialist suspension service.
Before we go any further a word of warning:
I thought this was going to be a lovely, easy "hey look kids, anyone can maintain their forks" sort of feature
when I started writing it sometime Friday morning.
For once I even had all the gear I needed to do the job and illustrate it properly. An hour into painstakingly
stripping down the Fox forks, I find out that because of a cunning pop out seal housing, they dont need
stripping regularly at all. This is yet another point in their favour as forks, but boy was it irritating at the time.
So I think 'Ill whip those Dukes off a test bike'. But oh no, they dont recommend you pull them apart at
home so they dont list the amount or weight of oil you need to refill them correctly. I cant be arsed to try
and judge how much Ive lost when I drain them and top them up again, so I move onto a set of Paces.
Because Ive lent someone my circlip pliers, I end up jamming a bradawl into my thumb-end trying to
remove a circlip which, by the time I've wounded myself, Im not even sure I have to remove anymore.
I end up stripping down a pair of Judy SLs.
In short what was supposedly a simple wipe, unbolt, wipe some more, squirt a bit of oil in and stick back
together job turned into a monumental nightmare. If you're at all squeamish about maintenance ask
someone who knows what they're doing, or just get some rigid forks. I
know I'm certainly very, very tempted.
That's made me feel better, now on with the feature :-)
Every ride
The worst enemy of plastic seals and smooth sliders is gritty sand.
Scratches on the stanchions (the inner legs that the outer legs slide on)
or damage to the seals can stop the fork from moving smoothly and
also lets more filth in or out, making things worse in double quick time.
Leaving water or mud to sit on the sliders and seals also causes
corrosion damage.
This is why it makes sense to wipe your forks clean after every ride. A
Be prepared.
quick rinse with a low pressure garden hose or water and soft brush will
get the worst off, then use a soft rag or cloth to wipe off the rest of the muck. Make sure you clean around
the seal thoroughly but without pushing any filth further in.
If the forks use protective boots make sure you unplug them and then slide them up to clean any crud out
from underneath. Otherwise the boots will actually hold corrosive filth against the seals in between rides
which defeats the whole point.

In winter or wet conditions, a smear of fork oil or light lube (but not one
like GT85 or WD40 that will dissolve grease) helps keep the fork
running smoothly and sensitively. Dont try this if youre riding in dusty
conditions though as its more likely to attract and collect dust.
Once youve wiped clean, give the fork a couple of pushes up and down
(or cycles). If it seems smooth and happy then it should be fine for the
next ride, so you can go put the kettle on. If it grinds, sticks or generally
feels unwell then you may as well put the kettle on anyway and get
some biscuits for moral support, as its on to the next stage of servicing.

Lovely slippery legs

Strip and lube

If the fork feels gritty or notchy chances are its filled with a grinding
paste of old lube and anything else its picked up from the trail. You
need to get that out and replace it with fresh lube. If theres wobble in
the fork that isnt caused by the headset, brake or the wheel youll also
need to replace the bushings.
WARNING: Dont start undoing anything until youve released any
air pressure positive or negative from air forks though. Weve
seen some serious scars on people whove had forks blow apart in
their face, so check and double check that all air springs are
empty.
Youll also need a clean area to put the forks parts on and enough time
to do job the properly (with a decent margin to allow for unexpected
complications). Make sure youve got any suspension oil, lubricating
fluid (plus graded syringe or measuring cup to get the right amount) or
grease youll need to put the fork back together again too.

This could have your eye out.

Getting the forks apart depends on the model. Most rely on bolts that
stick out of the bottom of the fork (or are hidden up inside on
Marzocchis). Others have bolts that can only be accessed from the
inside after youve removed the internals. Before you take a spanner or
Allen key to anything check with your fork manual.
Make sure you have something ready to collect any oil that may come
out when you undo an oil bath fork, as well as kitchen towel or an old
rag to soak up the inevitable spillage. Remember to remove the brakes
from the forks too, otherwise youll suddenly find them dangling on a
cable or hose while youre trying to juggle a tub of old oil and the rest of
the bike.
Once youve undone the bolts, slide the forks apart gently. You may get
some resistance from the seals as they pull apart, but just wiggle the
lower legs slightly and they should pop off without a problem. Start by cleaning the inside of the lower legs
with a twisted cloth. Dont use paper towels or anything that will fall
apart and stick inside. Clean carefully around the seals and top lip of the
fork, checking for any scratches, or nicks out of the seals and use a bike
light or torch to check that youve got all the old filth out.
Not all forks are housetrained.

Now remove the top cap from the spring side/s of the fork. Again go
carefully and make sure any spanner you use is a good tight fit, as an
old pair of pliers or mole grips will often mangle soft top caps. Once
thats off, pour out any old oil that is lurking in there. You can generally
just fish out the spring internals from the top, or push them up from the
far end with the carrier rod at the base of the inner leg. Try and lay them
out in the order they appeared or at least make a note of how they fit
together.

Clean all the internals thoroughly

If youve got an air fork, clean gently around all the plunger and seal sections and wipe the inside or the air
chamber. Again make sure you use a rag that isnt going to get stuck down there! For coil forks without an
oil bath youll need to check how clean the grease is on the coil itself and inside the leg. If it looks at all
grotty then clean it off completely with a degreaser, but make sure you wipe all the degreaser off with a rag
as it can damage seals and plastic innards.
Damping
Youll notice weve just talked about the spring side of things so far. For open bath forks when you
dismember them youll need to change the oil anyway, and thats generally the only maintenance needed
apart from seal checks. On forks with a separate damping cartridge, servicing depends entirely on the
model. Some can be disassembled, re-oiled and rebuilt relatively easily, others are definitely best left to the
manufacturer or an authorised service centre. Check with your manual, the manufacturers website or the
shop you bought them from before you tinker.
Seal culling
If youve noticed anything looking worn or damaged order yourself a replacement before the wear starts to
spread to more parts. If youre down to your last bit of grease, fluid or oil when you rebuild the fork, make
sure you order that too - as local shops cant be relied upon to carry every possible suspension component
or spare.
While the fork is clean make a quick check all round the structure for cracks or paint flaking, which can
show fatigue. On forks with bolted crowns or braces check that everything is done up to manufacturers
specifications.
Rebuilding
Rebuilding is pretty much a case of reversing the above procedures, but youll often find things more
difficult going back in than coming out. Never force anything, just try a gentle wobble and a dab of fork fluid
or grease on stubborn sticking points.
Greased forks generally just need plenty of suspension-friendly, low stiction plastic safe grease on all parts
and as such are the easiest to strip and clean. However, you need to be totally accurate with replacing oil in
air forks or anything with oil bath lubrication. Changing the amount of fluid or its weight can cause big
changes, from altered damping performance to complete hydraulic lock. Some forks also enjoy a small
amount of suspension fluid being added on top of air pistons to lube them, while others hate it. Again check
manuals and manufacturers.
Continue to re-assemble the fork carefully until its all back together and then check that its all operating
smoothly before you go charging headlong down your local hill. If youve re-assembled the fork incorrectly
you wont be able to claim on warranty if you destroy it or yourself.
Now its just a case of riding it round until if feels horrible again and repeating the whole process but at
least it should be easier the next time!
Where to look for more information
Different forks have widely different servicing needs and particular techniques and where and how you ride
them. Trial and error is a fine technique in some circumstances, but when youre dealing with delicate and
easily damaged fork sliders, seals and valving set ups then use someone elses experience wherever
possible. Obviously the fork manufacturer should be the first port of call. The BIKEmagic forum can often
be helpful, but theres also a specialist fork tweaking forum on the Angry Asian website. Specialist fork
tuners like TFTunedshox , CVI or Mojo, make a living out of suspension tuning and have got far more
experience and know-how than most.

Monday Maintenance: Putting the dampers on it.

By Scoop

Suspension forks are almost universal on mountain bikes these days, but just leaving them there as they
came is a waste of their potential. After all, you wouldnt leave the saddle the height the same if it didnt fit
would you?
The amount of tuning changes you can make depends entirely on the fork youve got, but were going to
cover the essentials first. We covered spring rate last week so now its time to look at controlling that spring
properly with damping adjustments. Then we'll move on to internal adjustments and servicing later in the

month.
Anyway - enough with the intro and lets take the second of 3 steps to
suspension fork heaven.
What is damping?
Damping is the process that turns your spring into a useable shock absorber by
slowing down the fork on impact (compression damping) or on its return
(rebound damping). In most forks this is achieved by pushing oil through a small
hole (valve) although some super cheap forks rely entirely on friction. By
adjusting the size of the hole (valve aperture) you can adjust the speed oil can
push through and therefore, the speed your fork can compress or extend. More
advanced forks use springy discs (shims) that act like a leaf spring, bending out
of the way with big hits to allow more oil through (speed sensitive damping) or
provide an emergency bypass route for oil (blow off circuit).
If were starting to scare you now dont worry, all you have to concern yourself
with for now are the adjusting knobs on the outside of the fork.
First consult your manual, as different forks have their adjusters in different
places. Pace, Fox and most Marzocchi forks have both rebound and
compression damping adjusters at the top of the fork (on the same or different
legs depending on model). Rock Shox and Manitou tend to have compression
damping at the top of the leg, and rebound damping at the bottom of the leg. If
youre wondering why damping is normally on the right hand side, its to keep it
away from the heat generated by the disc brake, which can make oil (and
therefore damping) faster moving if it gets really hot.

Damp day, damped forks

So thats the what and where, but what about the how?
Rebound damping
Without rebound damping your fork will fire back out from an impact as fast as it
compressed, throwing your front wheel in the air and you into a bush. However
with too much rebound damping, the fork wont return to its starting point before
the next hit. If you then show it a set of steps or braking bumps, it will just pack
down until youve got no suspension left at all. The happy medium will move
fast enough to keep the front wheel ready for any impact but keep the front
wheel on the ground all the time for maximum cornering traction.
With a bit of experience you can get an idea of rebound speed just by pushing
the fork up and down. Unfortunately its practically impossible to explain in
words. It certainly shouldnt come back so fast that it clunks on the top of the
Rebound down the bottom.
stroke or jumps your hands off the bar or wheel off the ground. There should
definitely be a feeling of at least some control of the return speed. On the other hand you dont want to
have time to put the kettle on before it comes back up.
Trial and error isnt easy when theres so much to learn about riding your bike every time you go out, but its
worth spending a bit of time dedicated to getting the fork just right for you. Find a bit of trail with bumps of
different sizes (even a big kerb will do) and some repetitive bumps like routes or steps and ride it over and
over again, changing the adjustment slightly each time. Formula One (ex Marin / Whyte) suspension expert
Adrian Ward recommends lying a ladder on the ground and riding along the rungs over and over again,
changing the adjustment until its as smooth as possible.
Once youve found your ideal adjustment then write down how many clicks or turns it is in the fork manual,
so its easier to set up again if someone messes with it. Changing the spring rate of your fork will also mean
changing the damping of the fork to cope with it. A stronger spring will generally need more rebound
damping, while a softer spring will need the opposite.
Compression damping
Simply put, compression damping slows the fork down gently to stop it slamming into the stops as soon as
you it a big lump. However with too much compression damping, the fork can dive too slow or suddenly

slow up (spike) leaving you to handle the impact not the spring. Ideally the fork should feel plush and
responsive but never bottom out hard, if youre not even thinking about what the fork is doing youve
probably got it smack on.
The repetitive riding and ladder tricks work just as well for setting compression damping. If the bottoms out
repeatedly even with maximum compression damping then you need a stronger spring. If it never bottoms
out even with minimum damping then you need a lighter spring.
Once youve found your ideal adjustment then write down how many clicks or turns it is in the fork manual,
so its easier to set up again if someone messes with it. Changing the
spring rate of your fork will also mean changing the damping of the fork
to cope with it. A stronger spring will generally need less compression
damping while a softer spring will need the opposite.
Beyond the basics
This suspension tuning series is designed to explain the basics to
beginners. We dont want to scare people by plunging them straight into
oil changes, re-shimming valve stacks, position sensitive damping and
adjustable blow-off damping just yet. Either be patient and well get
there soon, or go talk to the folks at TFTunedshox , CVI or Mojo, who
make a living out of suspension tuning and have got far more
experience and know how than we have.
Compression up the top

Next Week
Now youve got your dials where you want them how do you keep your fork working as well as when it was
new? Next week, basic fork maintenance and cleaning.

Monday maintenance: Basic suspension fork set up:

By Scoop

Suspension forks are almost universal on mountain bikes these days, but just leaving them there as they
came is a waste of their potential. After all, you wouldnt leave the saddle the height the same if it didnt fit
would you?
The amount of tuning changes you can make depends entirely on the fork youve got, but were going to
cover the first essential spring rate here. Well cover rebound
damping, compression damping and more complex and advanced set
up possibilities next week. Then we'll move on to internal adjustments
and servicing later in the month.
Anyway - enough with the intro and lets take the first of 3 steps to
suspension fork heaven.
Spring rate
To get the most from your fork, you want it to give you its full travel but
without flopping all over the place.
You also want them to have enough extension in them to keep your tyre
in contact with uneven ground through corners. The simplest way to set
this level before riding is by measuring "sag".

Unloaded height

First measure the distance between crown and lower leg seal housing with nobody on the bike.
Then sit on the bike and measure the distance again to see how much
the fork has compressed. This compression distance is the sag of your
fork.
Most XC forks are designed to work best with about 20- 25% sag, while
some downhillers run forks at 35% while other XC racers will pump forks
up to a barely moving 10% sag or less.
In this case were using a pair of Fox Float forks with 100mm of travel
for general trail riding, so around 20 25mm sag is ideal.

Loaded height

But what happens if the sag isnt right?

Forks can either use an air spring or a metal or elastomer (essentially
hi-tech micro cellular urethane blocks) spring. Each requires a different
approach to tuning. Air springs have the big advantage that they can be
pressurised quickly and easily to cope with most rider weights and
styles.
However, different forks run at wildly different pressures. Marzocchis
low pressure forks run at 30psi or so (yet the Marathon runs a
bodyweight psi negative spring) while Manitous can run around 150 psi
or more so read the instruction manual for a likely starting point.

Pump and play makes air tuning simple.

With coil or elastomer forks things arent quite as easy. Most will have
some "preload" adjustment which pre crushes the spring, making it
harder to move in the first place. The actual mechanical weight or the
size of impact / rider weight it can absorb is unchanged though. This
means that if the spring stack is significantly too heavy or too soft youll
have to buy / swap for a new one.
For this reason make sure you check sag in a shop. At the very least
check if you can slam the forks all the way to their stops too easily / only
compress them a fraction. If thats the case then ask the shop to change
- or at least order replacement heavier / lighter springs as necessary.
Checking while riding

Knob twisting can help change stiffness

Once youre out riding youll need to keep an eye on fork travel to tune it more exactly. Try using a thin zip
tie around the stanchion (exposed section of upper leg) or just watching the filth tidemark on the leg to
check whether you are getting full travel.
You should use all the available movement a couple of times a ride. If its happening more often than that
or you bottom out with a thump at the end of the stroke, then you probably need to increase the spring rate.
Before the smart arses pipe up were covering compression damping later ;-)
If youre not getting full travel, then you need to reduce the spring weight till you do.
If your fork is equipped with protective boots, you wont be able to see a grease mark or zip tie so youll just
have to go by feel when you hit the big stuff.
Next Week
Now weve got the basics of spring rate sorted, stay tuned to this channel and well bring you a basic guide
to the joys of rebound and compression damping next week.

Maintenance Monday 4
By Scoop

Weve already covered how to clean your bike, lube the transmission
and sort out your cables after a dirty weekend. Cleaning the
transmission thoroughly every month can really prolong its life though.
So this week youre giving your chain a bath.
Even if youve been cleaning and lubing regularly, or using a clip on
chain brush bath, there are some places that just cant reach with the
chain still on the bike. So it has to come off.
1.
Chain removal technique depends on the chain. If youre running a
Nine speed filth trap
Sedis/Sachs Powerlink chain then this is easy once youve found the
special gold link. Just drop the bike into a lower gear so you have plenty of slack and then push the links
together and wiggle till it pops off.
If youve got a Shimano chain, youll need to make sure that youve got some spares of the special joining
pin they need, before you immobilise your bike and have to walk to the shop to get one.
Otherwise just use a chain rivet tool to gently push the rivet through not all the way out until the links
can be waggled apart. Our tip is to undo the chain from the back, so that when youre pushing it together
again the rivet is being driven from the front which is much easier to reach.
2.

Once its off, its bathtime. I use an old baking tin, and whatever
ecologically sound degreaser I can get my hands on. In this case its
Finish Line, but the stuff from Finesse, Pedros, Weldtite etc. or even
diluted Muc Off works fine. You can even use petrol, parafin or white
spirit if you really want but theyre harder to dispose of safely and can
do real damage to your skin with prolonged contact. If youre
concerned about your hand modelling career then a pair of latex
gloves keeps your pinkies protected.
Simply add enough of whatever cleaner youre using to cover the
chain and let it soak a while to penetrate the filth.
3.

Make sure you get rid of the cake crumbs first.

Once the crap is starting to lift off

splattery, filthy job so dont be
(pictured) Park and Pedros all do
if youre skint, old washing up or
as quickly or neatly. Make sure
all four sides to chase out any

its time to scrub down. This is a

tempted to do it inside. X-Lite
specific chain scrubbing brushes but
toothbrushes do the same job but not
you scrub all the links thoroughly on
crap thats hidden in there.
You are the dirtiest link; Goodbye!

4.

Get the crap out of the rest of your transmission while the
chains off too. Unless its really filthy, use the same brush
and degreaser, as you did for the chain to save wastage.

Big rubber beaked bird was always on the lookout

for nest material.

5.
Dry the chain using a rag or kitchen towel, making sure you wipe off
any remaining craddock that might have rinsed back on.

Always remember to wipe.

6.
If you use a dry wax based lubricant, (like Finish Line Krytech here)
then this is an ideal chance to really let the chain soak it in and set up
properly before you put it back on the bike. Just remember to shake
off the excess before you get wax everywhere.

The money shot equivalent of mechanical porn

Now its just a case of refitting your rejuvenated chain and looking forward to riding squeak free next time
youre out.
Top Tips
Don't want to go through all this too often?
If youre looking for more running time between chain changes and new cassettes and chainrings to match
them, then try alternating two chains. If you ride each one for a month at a time, it can slow down wear on
tear on other components caused by chain stretch, which means less replacement and more cash in your
pocket!

Maintenance Monday: Part 3

By Scoop

Weve already covered how to clean and lube your bike after a dirty
weekend, but theres one area left that youll need to pay particular
attention too after every ride. Unless you look after your cables youll
be heading for big gearing and brake grief after only a few hours of
riding.
The trouble is that all the water and mud and grit from your ride is
pulled into the cable outers by the cable inners themselves every time
you brake or shift. Once its there
it just sits and corrodes, rapidly
seizing up the very small space
Pulling the strings
the cables have to run in. Unless
you clean out the crap and relubricate your cables rapidly you
could have to replace all your
cables after just one ride, which
makes it a very expensive day
out!.
1.
To get the cables unclipped you
system. Using your gears, shift

have to get some slack into the

into the largest sprocket at the back.

Shift into the largest sprocket at the back.

2.
Now shift down a gear but without turning the pedals or chain.
This leaves the chain on the largest sprocket, but creates cable slack
in the system.

You can always guarantee slackers on

Bikemagic ;-)

3.
Now unplug the cable outer from the stops.
Do this with every piece of outer along the cable run.
Then slide the outer along the inner to expose the bits of dirty inner
cable.

Unplug cable outer from stops

4.
Clean off the crap with an old rag. Use a degreaser too if its really
filthy or sticky.

Dirt rag time.

5.
Make sure you check dirt traps like the cable stops themselves,
otherwise youll be putting your clean cable straight back into a seizure
situation.

Maintenance Monday
By Scoop

Where's the bike?

Cleaning off all the this crud is essential for a long and happy bike life,
but like everything there's a right way and a wrong way to go about
things: Savage cleaning fluids, degreasers and power hoses will kill
your bike just as quickly as mud,
grit and salt. So, todays
Maintenance Monday is about
how to clean behind your gussets
without getting soap in those vital
seals.

After thats done you'll need to

re-lube your chain for smooth running transmission action like we
showed you last week.
When the bike is totally crud-caked we normally sluice as much filth
off as possible with a normal garden hose.
Take care with the initial hose-down
Start at the top of the bike (bars or saddle) and work downwards. Be
careful not to directly hose sealed areas though ie: headset, bottom bracket, fork, rear shock, suspension
bushings, cables etc.

Using a jetwash may be tempting - and we know people who manage to use them carefully and keep their
bikes immaculate and squeak free - however, the bottom line is that they are powerful enough to blast
water right through the seals that protect your delicate bearings. If you have to use one then make sure you
always spray parallel to the bearing surfaces of these areas and never directly at them.
However thorough you are with a hose, dirt will still cling on (especially after long rides or if youve allowed
it to dry on) so whip your brush out.
Various companies make specific bike brush sets and bike cleaning
fluids the ones shown here are the examples from X-Lite. The brushes
come in various shapes and sizes designed to reach all those hidden
crevices, and all the wire frames are coated to stop them scratching
your pride and joy: They make bike cleaning a breeze.
X-Lites Muc-Off is a very aggressive cleaning solution which shifts
any sort of grime, but make sure you follow the instructions to dilute it
and rinse thoroughly afterwards as it can start removing paint, stickers
and anodizing too. Other cleaners we use include Finesse multi
cleaner (0800 2986116) and Stinkys Bike Wash (cycobike.co.uk), so
check your local shop for options.
Specially made brush sets get into the nooks and
crannies

If your budget doesnt stretch that far (it really is a worthwhile

investment though), then old household brushes (washing up brushes,
floor brushes, toothbrushes etc.) work OK and normal washing up
liquid can even be used to cut through to the squeak.
Again make sure you rinse thoroughly though as even those kind to
your hands household cleaners are stuffed with ingredients that are
potentially very harmful to your bike.

Regular washing up liquid and brushes will do if

you're skint

So fill your bucket with whatever dilute cleaner youre using and start
scrubbing away. Start with the cleaner areas (handlebars, saddle,
frame before moving on to potentially greasy and oily areas, or youll
just smear the filth around.
Dont forget around the bottom bracket, rear stays, fork bridge / seal
area, suspension linkages, underneath saddle etc.

Scrub cleaner areas before the more grimy ones

Once youve cleaned everywhere then its time to rinse all that cleaner
off thoroughly to prevent damage. Gentle hosing (or brush down with
clean water if you havent got a hose) does the trick, but again be
careful of direct spray on bearings.

Rinse off thoroughly but watch the seals

To stop corrosion and stop big pools of water forming underneath your
bike, grab a rag and give it a quick wipe down. Again start at the clean
bits and work towards the potentially grimy areas.

Rinse off thoroughly but watch the seals

You can chase off the last bits of water and give a light protective coat
to the bike with a light lube like X-Lites Bike Spray or GT-85. This will
stop it rusting in the shed if its a while before it gets ridden again.
Exposed metal (cassette, shifters, mechs, cables etc.) is your target
priority but the whole frame will be shinier and easier to clean next

Don't get the brakes

Maintenance Monday
By Scoop

Legs still suffering from the wear and tear of the weekend's riding? Then think how your bike is feeling, just
slung in the shed without so much as a pat on the saddle. Our new maintenance Monday slot is designed to
give you the mechanical first aid knowledge you need to keep your bike ready to ride at all times.
We figured you'll be resting not riding on Monday, but that doesn't mean you can't play with your bike.
Invest a bit of time now and it'll also pay you back handsomely in savings on prematurely worn parts.
Part 1
Working on the Chaingang
Nothing cripples your bike faster than a seized chain, and nothing wears
out cassettes, chainrings, jockey wheels and the chain itself faster than
leaving it filthy. The sooner you clean and relube your chain after a ride,
the less time it has to corrode, stiffen, and generally degrade. Do it
immediately after a ride while the kettle is boiling for a cuppa, and it'll be
a whole lot easier.
Top Tip:
Word of warning: spinning chains, grease, lube and degreaser mulch are not compatible with delicate
interior decorations. Scrub up outside or face the consequences.

What?
There are a whole load of products available to make this easier. While
some just don't work well at all, others are best in specific conditions whether that means sandy, sloppy, muddy, gritty or regular river riding.
Round here (North Yorkshire) Finesse's (0800 2986116) snotty multi
-lube gets our vote for winter and their dry lube or Makt chain lube for
summer. For cleaning we normally just use a gentle hose and brush,
with Weldtite degreaser or X-lites rather savage Muc Off saved for
stubborn stains. My favourite cleaning stuff has to be the comedy 'spray
on snow' multi-cleaner from Finesse but it doesn't last long. A quick
once over with X-Lite bike spray stops rusting while in storage.
Down south some in the office use Finish Line Wet (Madison) for winter as their dry lube rapidly goes
squeaky if it's not summer. Meanwhile Cullen proves he's king of lube with the arsenal he uses to proof his
bike from the ravages of Epping forest. "Finish Line Krytech wax or Silkolene heavy duty motorbike oil
spray on the chain though the Makt stuff is great. I clean that off with a mixture of Halfords chain cleaner
and Finish line Bio degreaser, while the rest of the bike gets a swill with Finish Line pink bike wash, Stinky's
Bike wash (cycobike.co.uk) or blue Fairy liquid before a rinse and all over spray with GT85."
Another well-liked lube is Rock and Roll chain oil (silverfish-uk.com). Otherwise we reckon the best bet is to
see whose bike squeaks least at the end of your next group ride and ask what they use. Forum favourites
we've seen recently include motorbike chain wax and chainsaw oil, so be prepared to experiment.
Several companies also produce chain-cleaning baths with brushes and
degreaser sumps inside. Clip them on the chain, pour in the degreaser,
whirl the pedals round and out comes a clean scrubbed chain. They're
fast, clean, easy to use and last a long time making them well worth the
20 - 25 they cost.

How
Whatever you do, read the instructions beforehand. Muc Off can strip paint off if you leave it on too long
neat, while wax lubes like Krytech need time to soak in and harden or they won't stick.
If you've used an oily lube then chances are it's collected a load of muck
that will soon form a grinding paste on your chain. Clean the chain as
thoroughly as possible with a degreaser but be careful not to degrease
suspension bearings or freehub / bottom bracket assemblies as well.
Brushes are more accurate than spraycans, and you can get right inside
all the links and spocket crevices to chase out hidden filth. Park
(Madison) and X-lite both produce special brushes for sprocket cleaning
though an old toothbrush or rag will reach most places.
If you haven't got a workstand turn the bike over to make sure you've
done behind its ears. Remember, the more thoroughly you clean, the
smoother your bike will run.
Don't forget to clean jockey wheels,
sprockets and chainrings too.

Leaving degreaser on the chain will strip off new lube just as well as old
lube, so make sure you wipe / rinse it off as thoroughly as possible. A
gentle hosing or an old rag works well, just make sure it isn't going to
leave loose threads in your transmission.

Now you're ready to oil up with your chosen lube. Remember that wet
sticky lubes will cling on but also collect crap, while dry lubes normally
just won't cut it in winter. Waxy lubricants can work really well in some
situations but are often a right arse to "set up" correctly on the chain.
WD40 and GT85 will fall off almost as fast as they spray on. As we said
earlier, ask around and see what works in your area and with your
riding / maintenance style.
As for application, if you've got a dropper bottle make sure you hit every
link, but if you've got a spray can make sure you don't lube disc brakes
and wheel rims too.

Race Technician opens shock service for all

By BIKEmagic

Former RockShox race technician Tim Flooks is setting up a new 48-hour turn-around servicing for shocks
according to bikebiz.
TF Tuned Shox will officially start in the New Year and Tim will specialise in servicing RockShox, Fox Racing
Shox and Progressive Suspension. Tim he says that pre-1998 forks are his particular area of expertise. All
the work will be personally done by Tim himself, but he's still confident he can promise a 48-hour turnaround.

As well as servicing, TF Tuned Shox will be selling Progressive Suspensions 5th Element rear shock unit.
TF Tuned Shox
Highchurch Farm
Hemington
Radstock
BA3 5XT
For more information email Tim on service@tftunedshox.com. There wil be a website available but it isn't
yet completed tftunedshox.com.

Scoop's scooter - Fixtures and fittings

By Scoop

Sorry, that took longer than expected and you're getting the finishing touches after we've ridden the beast
but here we go with the final fixtures and fittings.
First we need somewhere to stand;
Pedals
What?
The bit your feet go on. I've been riding flatties more since I trashed my
ankle, but I'm still a clipless addict at heart.
Which?
Time ATAC Equipe Pro 150, RJ Chicken 01582 873329
Why?
I've ridden SPD's and SPD compatible copies since the came out, purely
because that's what test bikes nearly always come with and I can't be
arsed to switch cleats all the time. I've been wanting to try the legendary mud proof performance of Time's
for ages though, so mid winter seems like a smart season to give them a whirl. And to keep the scooter in
the manner to which it is becoming accustomed, our wallet took another stinging (yes, we really did pay for
them - but thanks for the deal Cedric) as we went for the top line Equipe Pro titanium, in all it's ultralight
glory.
How?
Very simple as long as you've got an 8mm Allen key (crank sized). Grease the pedal threads and wind them
in, remembering that both threads turn forwards to resist crank rotation unscrewing. Time's don't have 15mm
bolt faces but most other pedals do, so check which works for yours before you get home and get
disappointed.
Then we need somewhere to sit;
Saddle
What?
Your saddle, survives countless hours of grinding away under gritty buttocks, gets bounced off rocks and
walls on a regular basis, and we still want it to be light and comfy.
Which?
Flite Genuine Gel Ti 49.99, RJ Chicken 01582 873329
Why?
We briefly toyed with fitting our all leather Brooks Swift retro classic, which is just getting comfy after years

of breaking in. On the plus side those copper rivets would match the Avid brakes, and we know it will still be
going strong centuries from now, but even with titanium rails, it weighs the best part of a pound, which
negates a whole lot of R+D weight saving elsewhere. As hard saddle fans (in case you hadn't guessed)
we've always loved the basic Flite titanium for lightweight comfort but we thought we'd give the Gel version
a whirl. There's a bunch of emdroidery (which we often don't get on with) and the gel adds 100g but if it
makes a difference to our derriere we won't give it the bums rush. .
How?
Saddle choice, angle and position are a very personal thing so be prepared to play around a lot to get really
comfy. We normally end up nose down, while others ride nose up, but it's probably best to start straight and
level. Don't forget that sliding the saddle backwards and forwards can also have a big effect on not just
handlebar reach, but also on how much front wheel grip you have for climbs and corners.
Rolling stock
What?
We still haven't decided on wheels yet or whether to run tubeless or
conventional tyres, but for the moment our stand in pair of Rolf's need
some rubber.
Which?
Panaracer Trailblaster 1.8 Zyro PLC, 01423 325325
Why?
We don't need much carcass size cushioning because of the soft and flexy frame, and so we can run lighter,
thinner tyres. Most light, thin tyres are really compromised on survivability and traction though and we don't
want to spend all our time tip-toeing round corners or mending flats. Thankfully Panaracer's skinny 1.8"
version of the Trailblaster tyre not only has better wet weather grip than its more summer specific big
brothers plus the same very fast rolling performance, but it keeps the Anti Snake Bite bumper next to the
rim. All for a measly 420g. Hurrah - a proper lightweight tyre.
How?
Pretty much the same as a normal tyre, just make sure that the ASB rubber is sat evenly round the rim.
Wrestling the tyre about once it's half inflated normally does the trick. As for pressure we've been running
around 35-40 psi on these for ages with no problems. If you're a big rider on big rocks don't try extra
pressure, just get a bigger tyre to start with.
Then we need to know how long we've been sitting in the saddle, how hard we've been pressing on the
pedals and how far the tyres have rolled.
Computer
What?
Like those little peg and cog milometers, but electronic and a lot
cleverer.
Which?
Cateye Cordless II 29.99 Zyro PLC 01423 325325
Why?
The worst thing about computers - especially with suspension forks - are the cables. All that ziptie and tape
nonsense just upsets us and never looks neat. Plus we're probably going to be switching forks about till we
find the one we like best.
We chose Cateye, because we've used them for years and they've never given us any grief, the display is
big enough to read easily, and the new cordless version has a 70cm range to cope with longer forks and riser
bars (on this note it's worth mentioning, the new long range version only comes in black, the coloured ones

still only have a 45cm range.

How?
Once you've got the unit where you want on the handlebars, then fit the sensor to the forks so that you get
the right close clearance on the wheel magnet. Extra marks to Cateye, for the 'one size fits all' handlebar
and fork mounts but particularly for the new thumbscrew spoke magnet. Then follow the instrcutions to set
time, date, wheel size etc. Again Cateye score points for actually having a realistic wheel measurement
chart in the instructions but this isn't always the case. Check it by rolling the wheel along the floor and
subtracting about 10mm for the sag compression caused when you sit on it.
Check the fastenings one last time, spin the wheel to check the computer works and you're ready. Be warned
though, as with any computer, you've never gone as far or as fast as you think you have.
So can we go for a ride now?
Yes you could, but another five minutes spent now will stop your bike looking second-hand after only half an
hour.
Yes kids, it's cable patch time;
What?
Little protective patches to stop jiggling cables from trashing your
paintwork.
Which?
We've used all sorts of stuff, from black Duck/Gaffer tape on the carbon
bits, silver tape on the fork crowns, sticky backed plastic on the frame
and the proper Gripshift chainstay protector on the chainstay. There are
all sorts of packs of scuff patches from the covers of old magazines,
cards hanging in your local bike shop or even pimpy carbon effect ones from Pace. The real items look and
work a lot better than Fablon (sticky backed plastic) or Sellotape, but making sure they cover the point the
cables actually rub, rather than where you think they will/where looks neatest is more important.
Don't forget cables rubbing on shocks, fork crowns etc. either. We wrap gaffer around the cables themselves
to slow down the abrasion, but make sure you check it regularly.
So that's it, with a few scrag ends of gaffer tape giving a somewhat ignominious end to the birth of Scoop's
Superscooter, it's finally time to hit the trails.

Gearing up
By Scoop

Gearing up
What?
Short of running heavy hub gears, singlespeed or one of those old Pro-shift or Precision Billet rear mechs
that a few tarts used to run in the anodised glory days of the mid 1990's, there's no real alternative to that
Shimano than SRAM Gripshift. If it were a road bike we'd have the choice of Campagnolo or Mavic, but it's
a very long time since either of them made off road kit.
Which?
So SRAM Gripshift it is, and thanks to Frank @ SRAM Europe we've got
one of their new ESP 9.0SL upgrade kits in a nice shiny red box. This
includes an ESP 9.0 rear mech, shifters (short or long barrel) chain and
wide range 11-34 Powershift II cassette.
Why?

We chose Gripshift because we hadn't tried it in a while and like our frameset it uses a lot of composite parts
to save weight. Shifters, much of the rear mech and even the carrier for the bigger cassette sprockets are all
composite rather than metal. Other plus points are a new improved "Rocket" shift that uses an assist spring
in the changer to 'fire' the cable through. This combines with the 1:1 cable pull to mech. movement ratio of
the SRAM ESP shifters to make shifting snappy, accurate and less dirt sensitive - a previous criticism of old
Gripshift. The only downside is that the 1:1 ratio won't work with Shimano which is why SRAM bundle
shifters and mechs together in this upgrade kit.
How?
Slide the shifters onto the bars - leaving enough room outboard for
whatever length of outer grip you want to run - then tighten the clamp
onto the bar. Then slide on the little plastic washer to stop the two halves
of the grip binding. Spray some hairspray (I did have hair once) or
something similarly sticky (paint, nail varnish etc.) inside the outer grip
section and then slide that on as well and let it dry.
Now go to the far end of the bike and
bolt the rear mech into the gear hanger. Go carefully and make sure the
bolt goes in straight. Also make sure that the small cam or grub screw
that controls the angle of dangle rests against the small lip at the bottom
of the hanger - you might need to rotate the mech backwards to engage
it properly.

Now fit the cable making sure that there's enough length to let
the bars go from lock to lock without it pulling, and also
enough to cope with suspension movement. Check that you're
using gear not brake outer too. Unlike brake outer the long
spiral wind keeps the cable a constant length even when it's
flexed so your gear indexing won't be affected - thanks
Brant :-).
Thread the inner through the outer and with the shifters in the
correct position - the one with the most cable deployed - take
up the slack and secure the cable with the clamp bolts on the
gear mechs.
Final transmission part to fit is the cassette and chain and
frankly we're wondering - like many of you - why we haven't
talked about wheels yet. Basically we were hoping to have some wheels together by now but the
tubeless rims we were after aren't available yet, so we're just running on some Rolf stunt doubles
for the time being. As soon as we get the bits we'll get our wheels together and tell you all about
them, hell, we might even learn to build them ourselves.
Anyway, cassette time
What?
The block of cogs that sit on the rear hub for the chain to go round.
Which?
SRAM ESP 9.0
Why?
They came with the upgrade set, but they're good value anyway. Even though they're steel not
titanium like XTR they are still very light thanks to a composite cog carrier. All the usual ramps

and chain helping profiles are there but we'll see whether they offer the same shifting performance
as Shimano once we get some proper miles in. The 34 tooth bottom cog gives us some serious
wall climbing potential, which might be enough to ditch the inner chainring when we're fit and fast
in summer.
How?
The block slides onto the splined body smoothly, but we
normally apply a little grease to help it. The only slightly tricky
bit is lining up the small indent with the small spline on the
body, otherwise it won't go on. Once the main carrier section is
on add the smaller cogs (again check the indent so they all
line up for smooth shifting) making sure you slide the
approriate spacers between them.
The lockring actually screws into the inside face of the
freehub, so grease this too.
Fitting lockrings requires another special tool. Most are toothed block and spanner jobs but we've
got a handy version that braces against the seatstay and lets you wind it on that way. It's called a
Pamir Hypercracker but unfortunately we haven't seen one for ages, so you might have to ask
around or just get your local shop to fit it. Tighten it as hard as you can, to make sure there's no
wobble in the casette.
Now you're on to fitting the chain;
What?
Long metal string of plates and rollers (normally 116 links) that
links your legs to your rear wheel. Nine speed requires it's own
chain with thinner links to fit the thinner gaps between gears.
Which?
Sachs / Sedis / SRAM PC 99 Power Chain
Why?
Even if we hadn't been trying to avoid Shimano just for fun,
we'd have gone for a Sachs / Sedis chain anyway. They've
always been our favourites in terms of reliability and no they
come with an easy split "power link" too. Beats the 'special
joining pin required' Shimano chains into a cocked hat for
regular maintenance.
How?
We'd normally just match the length of a replacement chain to the chain we were taking off, but as
this is an all new bike that isn't an option. To make sure you've got enough links to cope with any
accidental gear shift you need to check it's long enough to wrap round big chainring and big
sprocket at the back.
First you'll need to thread it through the rear mech though. Always make sure it runs the right way
through the jockey wheels - Thats round the front of the top one and round the back of the bottom
one - and doesn't catch on any of the keeper tabs on the jockey wheel cage. Once it's through
there shift to place it round the largest sprocket and largest chainring. Pull the rear mech forward
as far as possible and note the point of overlap.
Drop the chain off the big cogs to give yourself some slack
and then split the chain at the marked point using a chain tool.
The power chain needs two roller ends to join it, while
Shimano chains need one roller end and one plated end, so
make sure you break the chain in the right place. Now rejoin
the chain in the manufacturers approved fashion, flex it
sideways a few times to check it's secure and moving freely.

By the way don't make a habit of using that big to big gear
combination as it will wear stuff out double quick, but should
you end up there accidentally at least you know you won't bust
anything.
Now all you have to do is index the gears;
Shift into the smallest cog at the back. Now click the shifter up
a gear. If it doesn't move, but just jumps and rattles, increase
the cable tension. If it moves up two gears reduce the tension.
SRAM only use a barrel
adjuster at the shifter end, while Shimano normally have
shifter and mech adjusters. A small turn on these adjusters
can make a big difference though, so go slowly and carefully.
Keep repeating this process until the gears shift smoothly
through the whole range. If you're having to wind on loads of
tension, unbolt the inner cable and pull it tighter before starting
again.
To make sure the chain stays on the cassette you'll need to set
thte top and bottom 'stop screws'. These are on the main body
of SRAM mechs or the back of the knuckle on Shimano
mechs. Again trial and error will find a setting where the gears can move far enough for clean
shifting without falling off the casette and getting jammed.
We're now just a few finishing touches away from the first ride, and hopefully all the final
ingredients should arrive today. Keep watching this

Transmission time for Scoop's Scooter

By Scoop

First up is the bottom bracket.

What?
The axle and bearings on which the cranks spin.
Which?
Race Face ISIS BB 69.95 www.silverfish-uk.com'
Why?
We've always found Race Face bottom brackets reliable, and it matches
the chainset. We've gone for the new ISIS splined axle - rather than
conventional square taper - as it increases stiffness and strength at a
point where we've always been plagued with problems. This actual unit has been running on a singlespeed
(albeit not used much) for the last six months and has so far held up fine, which was more than we can say
for all the previous cranks and BB's.
We have to say in retrospect we'd be tempted by the new titanium version. Not so much because of the 30g
weight saving but more for the new double layer seals and best of all - grease guard injection!
How?
First check the required bottom bracket shell width (68 or 73mm) and then the axle length you need
(anywhere between 109 and 122mm, though 113mm is pretty standard these days). Once you've got that
sorted check the threads in the frame are smooth and clear from metal swarf and crud. Most bottom bracket
cups now come ready-treated with Loctite or similar to hold it in place once fitted but we normally ease initial
entry by greasing the first part of the threads. Check you have the bottom bracket the right way round by
looking for a small R or L indicator. Be very careful not to cross thread the bottom bracket / frame as it's a
pain to get re-threaded. If you need to check you're screwing straight and true look from the far side to

ensure that the axle is aligned dead centre of the shell and doesn't
oscillate as you screw it in. You'll also need to get the correct tool for
screwing in the bottom bracket, which makes this another job worth
leaving to your local shop if you're unsure.
Different brackets have different instructions but we normally screw in
the main body most of the way first, before adding the support cup from
the far side. Then screw in the main body till it lies flush with the edge of
the frame. We actually had to leave ours slightly proud for reasons we'll
explain later. To lock the bottom bracket in place you then need to tighten
the support cup firmly against the main body.
Bang goes the non-Shimano build up.
Normally the chainset slides on next, but oh no not on the STP. That big
swooping bottom bracket moulding means a conventional front mech.
clamp won't fit. Instead its designed to use an 'E type' front changer that
bolts into a boss on the frame, with a carbon fibre support plate that
encircles the bottom bracket cup.
Unfortunately for our non-Shimano
project only the big 'S' make this sort
of mech., and unfortunately for our
wallet it only comes in an XTR
version.
So bang goes a possible SRAM front
mech. (which we'd have used on any other frame) and on slides the XTR
unit (with the inevitable dab of copper slip anti-seize grease on the bolt
and it's receiver in the frame.
One good thing is that it bypasses all the conventional set up strife. For
the record here's what to do with a conventional front mech. Find right
size clamp for your seat tube (no, not seat post) diameter, or use Deore
which uses a series of spacers to fit anything. Clamp it lightly in place
and then move it up and down the frame until it's at a level where the
outer plate just clears the outer ring by about 2mm. Then look from above and rotate the mech. parallel with
the chainrings to minimise chain rub.
Once that's set, bolt the clamp firmly.
Now it's back to the chainset.
What?
The chainrings and crankarms group.
Which?
Race Face ISIS Turbine 164.95 Rings 72.95
Why?
There are a lot of chainset options out there, but the only widely available ISIS splined (Shimano use a
different Octalink spline pattern) chainsets are from Race Face and Truvativ.
The Turbine is not as light as the Shimano Hollowtech units but it is stiff, gets a long lasting steel inner
chainring and comes with a reassuring lifetime warranty. Yes, we did consider the very sexy carbon and
aluminium Race Face Next LP chainset, but it only saves 50g for 115. If we need to lose weight that badly
we'll just take the inner chainring off this one. For those wanting maximum Britishness run a Middleburn
chainset on a square taper, Middelburn, Hope or Royce bottom bracket.
How?
If the rings and cranks come separate like this unit, you'll need to bolt them together. Think lots of grease on
all screw threads and make sure the rings are correctly aligned with the chain peg or small marker tab in line

with the crank arm. Check the rings are the right way round too. Any pins
and ramps should be on the inside, while any lettering should be facing
outwards.
Tighten each chainring bolt a few turns before moving onto the opposite
one, as doing each bolt up in one go, or in a rotary progression can
cause misalignment. If the bolts spin hold the back part with a broad
screwdriver (or if you really have to get the proper Shimano tool for the
job). Before you even start to fit the chainset we'd recommend using self
extracting bolts, as not all bike shops have ISIS crank pullers for
removing your chainset. These use a bolt to screw the crank onto the
axle as usual, but they also have a collar that screws around the outside of the bolt so that when you
unscrew the bolt it pushes the crankarm off. The bolts for the hollow bottom bracket are specific to splined
units, but you can use the screw in collar off any old self-extracting set which saves the high price for
Shimano or other replacement units.
Opinion is divided on this one. but we'd also advise lightly greasing the axle and crank splines to stop
squeaking in use. One last point before you start installing these cranks is to make sure that the steel washer
that sits between the bolt and the crank arm is in place or you risk destroying the crank by just winding the
bolt through the soft aluminium. Not that we'd ever do that, ahem.....
Having checked all that, push fit the cranks onto the axle, grease the self extractor bolt and screw it in with
your trusty big 8mm Allen key. Close fit tolerances that keep the crank in place means this can be hard work
but just go slow and smooth and watch your knuckles on the chainring teeth. In terms of leverage we always
find it works best to squeeze the Allen key and cranks together (think ten past three on a clock) rather than
pushing down on opposite sides (quarter to three).
ISIS units screw right up to the axle stop, while Shimano and square taper units generally have some of the
axle taper still showing, it should be obvious when the crank is 'home' though.
Our last piece of 'sucking eggs' advice is to always check the cranks on either side are in line before you
tighten them up and make a proper fool of yourself 'galloping' down the trail.

Scoop's scooter goes on the pull

By Scoop

We've fitted brakes and we're just about to fit gears, but if you don't add the cables that join controls to the
actual mechanisms they aren't a fat lot of good.
What?
Control cables use multi strand steel wire inners - often impreganted with some kind of lubricant - running
inside cable outer. Brake cable inners have a barrel (for MTB levers) on one end and a pear shaped nipple
(for road levers) on the other. Makes sure you leave the right one on. Gear cable inners just have a very
small barrel end that fits MTB or road shifters. The outers can be recognised by looking at the end section
where they've been cut. To stop them compressing and spoiling shifting, gear cable outers use a gradual
spiral so you can see the end of all the strands in section. Brake cable outers normally use a more flexible
coil wound outer where you can just see the end of one coil in section.
Which?
Avid Flak Jacket cables 19.99, 031 4402010
Why?
Not just because they match the handlebars, mainly because they are fairly well weather sealed, which
means you don't have to strip and rebuild them after every winter ride. Gore Tex cables are better sealed but
are harder to fit and less tolerant of tight cable guides and the like, so we'll see how we get on with these.
Shame about those gaudy red liners though, what with the copper brakes as well, the Scoopmobile is
starting to look like a right dogs dinner.

How?
The cleaner the cable cut the better the cable will sit in position. Always
use the best quality cable cutters you can rather than an old pair of
pliers. Park and Shimano are great, and a good investment in the long
run. Supporting the cable on both sides of the cut also stops it twanging
sideways.

Make sure you cut the right end off the brake cable too. That's
leave the barrel end on and junk the pear end for mountain
bikers. For the cables to run smoothly the outers have got to
be the right length. Big loops can catch branches and stuff,
while if the cables are too short to cope with bars turning right
round in a crash etc. they just rip out or kink. Cables with
really sharp turns in them won't run smoothly either. Always
double check outer cable length before you cut and if in doubt
err on the long side.
Once you've cut the cable outers, make sure you open the
plastic liner back up inside, with something pointy like an awl
or ball point pen nib. Then you can slip the cable ends on.
On the top tube stops and other sections where the inner
would normally be exposed, the Flak jackets use end caps
with extended liner sleeves that the extra sheaths (the red
bits) slip over to stop dirt getting in. Normal end caps are used
at the shifter ends, while outer that inserts into V brake
noodles never uses cable ends. That's probably not as clear as
it should be but there's instructions on the Avid packet if you
get lost.

Now you have to cut the sheaths that fit in between the outers.
Again, the sharper the cut, the better. A dab of grease on
either end of the sheath holds them in place and helps stop
water seeping in too.

You are now ready to thread the inner through. To make it

easy slide it through each section at a time rather than trying
to push it through the lot. If it sticks don't force it or you'll fray
the innner, just pull it out and work out what the obstruction is
(normally a flattened liner at the end of the outer).
Different mechs. / brakes have different routing patterns so
refer to them for fitting
instructions. Make sure
you capture the cable
firmly, and use any tabs or
grooves that are there to help you. If you get two guide
noodles (as you do with Avid) choose the one that gives you
the smoothest line. Make sure all the outer is securely seated
into the cable guides along it's length before you tighten things
up.
If you're fitting to brakes we find winding the lever adjuster

halfway out and then tightening the cable with the brake blocks pushed against the rim. Then
when you unscrew the lever adjuster your brakes will have enough clearance to let the wheel spin
freely.
Once it's right snip off the inner, leaving about 5cm or so that
can be tucked behind the brake arm out of the way. Don't
forget the end nipple to stop it fraying either.
We'll do gear cable and attatchment when we get to gears
next.....

Scoop's Scooter gets steering and seating!

By Scoop

So here goes with the first bits on the bike. The Aheadset bearings, forks and
seatpost. Yes you read that right - seatpost. Before we start I'll freely confess I
wasn't the best bike shop mechanic ever (apologies to anyone who frequented
Richard's Bikes in Exeter in the early 90's). There are probably some superb
mechanics out there with some great tips or reasons that we're doing stuff wrong /
not as easily as we could. Please pitch in at any point with suggestions on
postcards / pedal wrenches etc.
Seatpost first?????
What?
Plugging the seatpost in first means you have a handy handle to clamp in work
stands and stuff while building the rest of the bike. It's most useful on really light
bikes where tubes can be crushed by work stand clamps, or curious shaped
suspension bikes where there is nowhere else to clamp them.
Which?
We went for Thomson's Elite post. 59.95 from E Reece 0121 4462600
Why?
Light enough, but a sturdy fore and aft two bolt clamp. Before you ask,
yes it is bent. It gives the correct layback of the saddle but still keeps the
two bolt security. It also helps to hide the slightly disjointed look of the
SID shock back end. We'd also definitely be tempted by Easton and
Race Face, but we'll probably be using them elsewhere. How?
Check you've got exactly the right diameter for your frame - it's printed
on the seatpost, and check it's long enough to give the right saddle
height. Slap on some grease to stop it seizing into the frame, plug it in
and bolt up the collar. Job done.

Before we forget.
Work stands are really useful for build ups and ongoing maintenance.
We've got a Minoura one www.zyro.eu.com, which has been great but
there are loads of other height/weight/clamp design options. In terms
of lube, I can't actually remember what is in the grease gun at the
moment, but the 'home-grown by real mountain bikers' range of
Finesse stuff seems to work great. Makt and Rock 'n' Roll also come
recommended.

Aheadsets
What?
The bearing that sits in the headtube of your bike to give
smooth steering. A game of two halves, it comes with a lower
cup which press fits (tight squeeze no glue or bolts required)
into the bottom half of the headtube. The lower race is press
fitted onto your fork just above the crown. Smooth rolling
bearings sit between them. The same two race set up plugs
into the top, but the upper race slides onto the fork steerer. To keep the
set up from wobbling a bolted cap then fits into the top of the fork
which screws into a 'star fangled nut inside the fork crown. Tightening the top cap into this presses
down the stem, washers and upper bearing race for a smooth running set up. (more later)
Which?
Chris King No-threadset 127.99, Evolution Imports 0208 2900807, www.bromleybike.com
Why?
In the land of MTB legend there is only one headset to consider - Chris King. Stories of eternal
silky smooth motion, princesses saved from dragons, same headsets being used on seventy
consecutive bikes by four generations of the same family etc. Race Face, FSA, Dia Compe and
others make some great headsets, and we very nearly plumped for the brand new unit from Hope,
but there's only one company that actually manufactures its own bearings - hence the high cost.
The bottom line is I trash headsets, the only one I've never touched is the Chris King on my road
bike and I've had that 3 years. Several component killers I know also say the same. Knackered
headsets can ruin rides and frames so think of it as an investment. Besides I felt like spoiling
myself with some jewellery, OK!
How?
If you're careful you can slam in headset cups with a rubber mallet and a couple of pieces of
wood, but that didn't seem right when we're dealing with 120 of precision engineering. Plus if you
don't get the two cups in exactly level, the headset will never turn smoothly however expensive it
is. Proper headset presses are well beyond home toolbox prices, so we swallowed our pride and
took it to our local bike shop - thanks Boneshakers of Ripon. They even had the special caps
needed to fit Chris King units without crushing the bearings. Job done, quality assured.
Getting forked
Next step is fitting the fork - which also includes getting the right stem and working out what
height you want your handlebars.

Project Scoop's Scooter

By Scoop

So here it is - the bike I've been meaning to get round to building after
years of just dragging out whatever test bike was in the kennel at that
moment.
The idea is a sort of informal fly-on-the-wall bike build up, explaining how
to fit various bits and also why we chose to fit those particular bits. We'll
explain from the start that we're deliberately avoiding Shimano gear
where possible. This isn't because we don't rate Shimano gear - quite the
opposite - but primarily because Cullen is building a full 9 speed
Shimano upgrade onto his veteran Klein which you'll hear about shortly,
but also because we want to see how the alternatives shape up over
Scales of justice
time.

Just under 4lb for a large frame complete with

SID shock. We're aiming for around 22-23lb for
a complete trail bike (rather than fragile race
freak) build up. Light enough then!

Why?
Because bike and component choices are subjective and
personal I reckon a few details about the subject personage
might be useful.

Dropouts - our only niggle.

Slightly basic for the asking price, and no
disc mounts for two reasons. 1/ This is
designed as a flyweight race bike and 2/
heat build up could melt the glue -though
they've since got round this on the Sugar
and Fuel.

In the months since I passed 30 it's suddenly becoming clear

that I'm not the pup I once was. Skin tears off rather than just
scuffs, ribs crunch rather than bounce back and even those
'not really a crash' ejections suddenly leave you with a loud
bang and a severely sprained ankle. Add to that a back that's
now remebering previous archaeological and rowing abuses
and it had basically become clear that I needed some sort of
orthapaedic soothing.

However as a skinny (sub 11stone) rider who never

hucks (not on a first date anyway) and who wanted to
still feel and cope with the terrain themselves rather
than just watch it flow smoothly underneath, plush full
suspension just
Trek Soft Tail Pro
seemed to take
Because it's a soft tail not a hardtail and er it's used by
too much
pro's (including most of the British WCPP squad). Look at
challenge out of
that lovely 120gm per metre multi directional carbon weave
peering through the lacquer.
the biking
equation. It's not that we don't love, Truths, Superlights,
Whytes, Visions, Sub 5s, Fuels, Sugars, FSRs, Tracers or all
the other well sorted suspension rigs out there they just take
away a lot of the sense of achievement that makes me ride.
This led me into the small often ignored family of softails - a
strange, semi sprung lightweight breed lurking somewhere
between full suspension and hardtails.
What?

SID Shock just over an inch of air travel with

completely tuneable positive and negative
pressure and rebound damping for taking the
edges off the big lumps.

Having ridden hundreds of different bikes from mainstream

manufacturers and small scale specialists alike there was one
that had grown on me more everytime I'd tested it. The Trek
STP. Designed to ease the back pain of Fisher team XC
queen and double Olympic gold medallist Paolo Pezzo the
OCLV carbon frameset had been gifted back to sister brand

Trek (the spritiual and technological home of OCLV carbon) as Fisher already had the Sugar to
launch that year (2000) while Trek were still making do with the VRX.
Trek are the only major manufacturer still producing complete carbon bikes (Giant are only doing
framsets now) and they've been handmaking their OCLV (Optimum Compaction Low Void basically all the bubbles are squeezed out) frames for over 8 years now. They're superlight,
they're highly shock absorbing and we only know of one that's broken and that was because a car
ran over it.
If you want a full ride review go look here but there's
some key points under the picture captions.
What? Trek STP 400 frameset
From? Trek 01908 282626
How much? 1,299.99
So that's the frameset we're building onto, now keep
watching this space for the rest of the week as it goes
from exotic towel rack to fully functional push bike.
Lovely swoopy carbon bottom bracket area
Might be waggy elsewhere but the bottom bracket is rock
solid for cranking out the power.

Schizophrenics include bike repair into treatment

By BIKEmagic

Each year Eli Lilly, a pharmaceutical company, present an award to those primary healthcare professionals
who have have done most to integrate people with schizophrenia into their local community, reports today's
edition of The Times.
This year that award has been given to a Glagow community project run by GP Colin Gunthrie and Dr
Alastair Wilson, the community psychiatrist.
What makes this story interesting to us as cyclists, is that the project in question is a bike shop owned and
run by the doctor's schizophrenic patients.
The shop, situated in a poor area of Glagow, has proved to be a valuable asset to the community: they don't
charge children for repairs, nor do they charge adults for small repairs. As well as giving the staff new skills
and a feeling of self-worth, the shop has made a profit of around 1200 per month from repairs and bike
sales.
This sounds like a fantastic scheme to us and we'd like to take this opportunity to offer our congratulations
on its present, and continuing, success.

Maintenance Classes
By David Green

There are many good books on bicycle maintenance, but nothing builds confidence like hands-on
experience. Our courses are designed to give you the knowledge and skills needed to keep your bicycle in
good mechanical condition. This allows you to avoid unexpected and inconvenient problems before they
arise by knowing just what to check for. Furthermore, knowing how to handle common mechanical mishaps
gives you the confidence to make more use of your bike.
What courses are offered?
During the year, we offer a variety of evening and daytime courses designed both for beginners and for more
experienced bicycle repairers. The current courses are as follows:
Bicycle Maintenance
This hands-on course is aimed at people with little or no previous experience of bicycle maintenance who

want to get started. It gives you the confidence and knowledge needed to handle the most common bike
maintenance tasks. Five structured evening sessions teach you how to: correctly adjust saddle and
handlebar height; fix punctures and change tyres; fit new brake blocks and cables, and adjust your brakes;
adjust your gears, and how to remove, lubricate and fit the chain. A useful (and fun!) practical course which
is ideal preparation for a Bicycle Maintenance Improvers course.
Bicycle Maintenance Improvers
For people with some experience bicycle maintenance who are keen to learn more. This course builds on
the basics (as covered in the Bicycle Maintenance Beginners course). In five structured evening sessions,
you get the confidence and knowledge needed to move on to less common bike maintenance tasks, such
as: servicing and adjusting hub bearings; removing and fitting freewheels; replacing broken spokes and
basic wheel truing technique; replacing cranksets and pedals; adjusting headset and (adjustable) bottom
bracket bearings. A useful (and fun!) practical course which puts thorough bike servicing within your reach.
Bicycle Maintenance Beginners (1-day workshop)
This workshop doesn't aim to turn you into an expert, but it will give you the skills and confidence to start
tackling common bicycle tasks yourself. The day is structured in sessions which teach you how to: correctly
adjust saddle and handlebar height; fix punctures and change tyres; clean and lubricate your chain; adjust
your brakes for optimum performance and how to adjust your gears. This is a practical workshop where you
should, quite literally, expect to get your hands dirty! A useful (and fun!) day which is ideal preparation for a
Bicycle Maintenance evening course.
Bicycle Wheel Building (1-day workshop)
A knowledge of wheel building can be invaluable to any cyclist who wishes to do his or her own maintenance
and repair. This is a practical workshop where you learn to lace, build and true handbuilt wheels. You will
learn sound wheel building principles and skills by building durable 'standard' 36 spoke wheels in a cross-3
pattern. Practice components (hubs, spokes and rims) are provided. Apart from being prepared to get your
hands dirty, you should anticipate having a satisfying and enjoyable day, after which you will have sufficient
knowledge and skill to start building front and rear wheels from your own components.
How are these subjects taught?
These are all practical courses where (apart from the Wheel Building course) you work on your own bicycle
in a friendly and informative atmosphere. Class numbers are restricted so you get all the assistance you
need from an experienced trainer.
Will I need special equipment?
The information sheets for each course give details of any particular requirements. Generally, you only need
to bring along a bike to work on, and a few common bike tools. Advice on specific tools which you ought to
get is provided during the course. Tools, lubricants and any necessary cleaners are provided in the
workshop.
Where are courses held?
Coleridge Community College, Radegund Road, Cambridge CB1 3RJ.
Course Dates

17 Mar 2001 Bicycle Maintenance Beginners 1-day Saturday workshop

1 May 2001 Bicycle Wheel Building 3 weekly evening sessions

12 Jun 2001 Bicycle Maintenance 5 weekly evening sessions

18 Sep 2001 Bicycle Maintenance 5 weekly evening sessions

30 Oct 2001 Bicycle Maintenance Improvers 5 weekly evening sessions

Where can I get more information?

If you would like to get a course information sheet, check dates and fees, or reserve a place on a course,
please call the Community Education Office in Coleridge Community College on (01223) 712340 / 712341,
or call-in in person. For specific information about a course, contact the trainer David Green on 01223
449304 or by email david.green@smallworld.co.uk.

Chain suck
By Jonathan Levy

This summary provides a glimpse into the substantial investigation done to

unravel this frustrating problem. Numerous field and workshop tests were
involved. Causes and mechanisms were confirmed ; practical solutions were
found. Follow links for more information including diagrams & photos .....
WHAT IS IT ?
Chain-suck is THE major issue when you experience it. Pedal action comes
to an abrupt binding stop, and you fall over into the dirt. It can be tenaciously
difficult to eliminate during a ride and keeps recurring once initiated.
It usually occurs when the chain and cogs get muddy or wet and gritty (but
can also occur in clean conditions), and is worse on steep hills. You can end
up walking up the hills, pushing your bike.
The chain fails to disengage from the bottom teeth of a front chain-ring ;
instead the teeth carry it up and around the full circumference of the ring, to
wind back onto itself, and to jam between the chain-ring and chain-stay.
Because it usually occurs during forceful pedalling, the chain can become
permanently twisted, teeth can be damaged, and chain-stays of aluminium
or carbon-fibre also damaged by the chain being wedged hard against them.
It affects mountain bikes more frequently, but does also affect road bikes.

There are two main forms of chain suck :

1-ring suck : the chain hangs-up on a single ring during normal

pedalling (usually the "granny-ring", but sometimes the middle-ring)
2-ring suck : the chain hangs-up across two rings when changing
gears (usually from the middle-ring to the "granny")

WHAT CAUSES IT ?
For a chain to disengage easily from a chain-ring :

Links and rollers must be completely free of pedalling load when they
reach the bottom teeth ; this allows the chain to float freely away
from these teeth ; and it is the desired situation.

Pressure-faces of the teeth must be properly shaped ; this allows the

rollers to disengage even if load does remain on the bottom teeth ;
in this case the link continuously sheds the chain's pedalling tension
as its roller moves down off the tooth.

But if tooth pressure-faces become loaded at the bottom of the chain-ring at

the same time as becoming adversely shaped and possibly also subjected to
friction, then disengagement becomes more difficult, and can fail.
Tooth-Wear, and Low-Stretch (New) Chains, and High Friction (eg Mud),
when present in various combinations, cause the chain-ring's bottom teeth to
become loaded or overloaded by the chain's pedalling tension, and also
cause resistance to disengagement of the chain. The rear-derailleur spring
cannot provide enough tension, and the chain does not have enough weight
to disengage itself from the bottom teeth of the chain-ring. The links are
carried up the rear of the chain-ring under continuing load ...the chain
"sucks" !!
Wear on the tooth's pressure-faces (not burrs on tooth sides or thickened
teeth) is the MAIN CAUSE of 1-RING-Suck, and sometimes 2-ring suck,
which is however a bit more complex.

Adverse rotational alignment of teeth across adjacent rings is more

usually the MAIN CAUSE of 2-RING-Suck. It results in the tooth which needs
to dispatch the transferring chain to the adjacent ring, remaining under load
even when it reaches the bottom of the chain-ring (just a different means by
which the bottom tooth becomes loaded) ; thereafter the mechanism of
sucking is similar to 1-ring.
To understand chain-suck in more detail, read about :

Methods for RESOLVING CHAIN-SUCK PROBLEMS

Mechanisms of the CHAIN-SUCK-TRIANGLE in detail

Field testing, and simulating chain-suck in the workshop

Popular myths contrasted with real causes of chain-suck

Why 1-ring and 2-ring suck can occur on new drive-trains

Why lubrication does not help when mud triggers chain-suck

Many other interesting and useful details about the phenomenon

.... by following the link below.
Copyright Jonathan Levy, Cape Town, 2000. All rights reserved.

Chain-Suck : in a NUTSHELL ...comprehensive summary and solutions

.... and by delving further into its links to :
Chain-Suck : the OVERALL picture ...details of mechanisms & solutions
Chain-Suck : the DETAILED Investigations ...field & workshop testing
Chain-Suck : the FIELD TEST ...field testing method for identifying
causes

Chain-Suck : Restoring Worn Tooth Pressure-Faces ...by filing them

A little tinker goes a long way...

By Kevin Hodgson

Which bike will be the nicest to ride: a 300 entry level MTB, or a 3000 top of the range? Well, if the 3000
bike is set up like a bag of spanners and the 300 as sweet as a nut, then the cheaper one will ride better.
No amount of flashy, expensive components can offset the horror that is rusty cables, brake blocks half
missing the rim and a loose headset. I see this all the time, expensive bikes which, for the need of a tweak
of an allen key may as well be a pile of rusty scrap.
Im not so much talking about maintenance here, as set up. Small, effortless and most of all free
adjustments that can transform any bike from a bag of nails to a singletrack monster. I like things that are
free, and Im sure many of you do also. So, by application of the sacred northern art of fettling, here are a
few tips on how to provide your steed with an almost Zen-like ride quality. For free! (just thought Id say it
again!)
Bars and controls
Your brake levers should be in line with your arms when seated on the bike. That way theyll lie most
comfortably in your grip when applied. Similarly with the gear lever, whatever type you use try to achieve
the minimum hand movement or wrist strain when operating them. If in doubt loosen all your controls and
slide them around the bars while sitting on the bike until you find the most comfortable angles. Position
Rapidfire return triggers (the ones in front of the bars) so that they are easy to tap, but not continually
rubbing against or getting in the way of your fingers when braking or simply holding on. Many people have
personal (or even strange) preferences for brake/gear positions set them up how you like, but putting a
little thought into the subject will remove a little thought needed to operate them.
If your cycle computer has a long enough lead, try to position it just inboard of one of the grip so that you
can operate it without one hand having to move almost to the stem where it can provide no leverage if you
hit a rock or pothole.
Headset
Dont ride with a loose headset please! This is the number one cause of that bag of nails ride quality.
Every bump or application of the brakes produces a nasty clunk and wobble right at the business end of your
bike. With modern Aheadsets there is also no excuse for running a loose headset, as it only requires a single
5mm allen key to adjust. If you are unsure whether it is your headset, fork bushings or brakes that are
rocking backwards and forwards then simply place a finger over the seal in either headset race. When you
rock the bike to and fro on its brakes you will feel any movement very easily.
Fork Firstly, try to get the correct spring rate for your body weight (25% to 35% sag depending on preference
and usage) BEFORE playing around with preload or damping. Set damping levels (especially compression
damping) as low as possible to provide supple movement. There is no point owning a 100mm fork that only
moves on big hits and never uses more than 30mm of travel! Keep the internals well greased, whether that
be during servicing or external grease-ports and clean around the seals with a clean rag as often as
possible. If anything else goes wrong, Im afraid that a zero-cost fettle will not help you!
Wheels
Well built wheels should never need re-truing or spokes replaced unless you stack badly or get a foreign
body in your spokes. If you are having to re-true wheels regularly then get a better wheelbuilder and/or rim.
Many people never check to see where punctures emanate from. If they did, they will discover than an
alarming amount come through the tyre sidewall or the spoke heads inside the rim. Therefore a good quality
rim tape such as Velox or Michelin (OK then, not zero cost, but low cost) is a must.
Check hubs for side-to-side wobble. If they are non-adjustable cartridge bearing hubs then leave them until
they get really nasty, then replace the bearings. If they are adjustable hubs, such as Mavic or Shimano,
retighten the cones to remove play but even better, loosen the cones a little and inject some fresh
waterproof grease in there before re-adjusting them.
Tyres/tubes
Just how old are your tubes? How many patches are on them and did you make a decent job of the repair in
the first place? A rotten tube or dodgy old patches are an avoidable puncture waiting to happen. Replace
tubes after a given time span and/or number of patches, whichever comes first.
Also check tyres for sidewall damage and deep cuts. As the tyre, not the tube, provides the major puncture

protection large openings will lead to punctures sooner rather than later. If the tyre is almost worn out then
holes can be patched with park tyre boots they only last a few months so if a newish tyre is badly ripped
then it is needle and thread time, or new tyre.
Find a tyre pressure that you like and maintain it. Soft tyres and hard tyres both have their disadvantages so
find use you prefer. Remember that narrow tyres need higher pressures to achieve the same feel so dont
flinch at running 1.8 mud tyres at 60psi nor 2.3 monsters at 30.
Brakes
A really major cause of woe. Cantilever brakes were a nightmare of cables angles to achieve. Conversely it
is childs play to set up V-brakes to achieve maximum power. Blocks, however are still a major problem!
Brake blocks should hit the rim squarely (in both directions) and with just a little toe-in. For the wobbly, rattly
parallelogram Shimano Vs a little extra toe-in helps due to the movement in the linkage. Also be extra sure
that the brake block is far enough away from the tyre sidewall, the wobble in the linkage can provide up to
2mm of movement which can easily lead to slashed tyres. If the linkage rattle really annoys you then a
couple of tiny cable ties around them will put that to bay. The beauty of replaceable pads is that all this
faffing need only been done once.
If your back brake has difficulty in pulling back the long cable run, then the rear springs can have their
strength boosted by bending them outwards about 30 degrees with a pair of pliers (you can do it over your
finger mid-ride, if you can stand a little pain).
Centralise the brakes to stop them from rubbing, and take up pad wear at the barrel adjuster and/or cable
pinch bolt. Having the levers coming back to the bars mid ride is disconcerting!
The occasional scrub with emery paper benefits both rim and disc brake pads, as does cleaning of the
rim/disc with meths or similar.
Disc brakes hate oil, and even a blue smoke exhaust from the car in front when driving to the MTB venue
can cause enough contamination to render brakes ineffective. What mis-sprayed WD40 can achieve is truly
frightening! A simple diagnosis of disc brake failure is as follows:Brake lever solid and no brakes. = contamination on pad and/or disc, or useless pads. Clean pads and disc
and try again. If still no joy try new pads / type of pads. BLEEDING WILL NOT HELP.
Brake lever spongy = leak or air lock. Bleeding necessary, and/or new seals.
Cables
If you can select bigger cogs/rings but not smaller cogs/rings then you very probably have a sticky cable. If
you are using a Gore-Tex type PTFE lined cable then remove the inner and search for frayed PTFE. By
removing the frayed material, or replacing the inner cable with a normal one, usual service should be
resumed. Add a little light oil or WD40 to prevent water ingress. With normal type cables the culprit is
usually grit, muck, gunk or rust. Clean up the inner (with light emery paper if rusty) and replace, adding a
little light oil. If the outer is rusty then unfortunately youll need to dip into your pockets for a new set.
If the cables are new but exhibiting this non-return problem then there may well be a burr on the end of one
of the outer runs. Dismantle, check, locate and remove the offending article with wire cutters.
Make sure cable outer runs are just the right length to provide the smoothest curves, and check what
happens at full-lock of your steering. Having the outer cable just before the rear mech quite a lot longer than
normal helps provide a much smoother action.
And lastly, fit cable end stops or solder the tips. Theres nothing worse than frayed inner cables.
Pedals & shoe plates
Shoe plates have adjustment - so use them! Dont just bolt them up willy-nilly. Find the most comfortable
and efficient position for you and stick to it. Old cleats leave behind a distinct mark in the shoe sole, so lining
up the next pair is easy. Try to use bolts with 4mm allen-key heads and smother the threads and heads with
copper grease. Or the only tool thatll be getting those cleats off is made by Black & Decker!
Drivetrain & Gears
Ensuring that all the limit screws on both mechs are set correctly minimises the chances of a shipped chain
the worst offender is the low gear limit on the rear, which can also cause spoke gouging.
If you get chainsuck then replace the offending chainring (NOT the chain, else it will get even worse!) Inner
chainrings have no special teeth so when they become hooked they can often be reversed to provide twice
the life.
Try to keep the whole caboodle relatively clean and lightly lubricated. If you find the chainring shifting not up
to standards it can be improved dramatically by filing away parts or even whole teeth. Rather than attack
your chainrings randomly with a dremel it is best to copy from an existing ring that shifts well.
Saddle & Seatpost
Before investing in a new saddle, try adjusting the one that you already own. Perfectly flat, or a very slight
forwards tilt are usually the most comfortable settings over a long distance (radical tilts may feel better for

the first 2 or 3 miles only). It is amazing how much differenc

movement can make to your comfort.
The height of your saddle (extension of seat pillar) can also
low to provide extra security while riding steep descents. An
WELL GREASED. Or itll be a trip to borrow the 6 foot long

So after all this training in Yorkshires only martial art (feel th

your soul feel 100% better? Are your brakes snappy and po
Gears all functioning perfectly through smooth cables? Hop
complaining! So in future resist that temptation to spend, sp
of fettle upon your machine. Achieve Karma by allen key.
Kevin Hodgson
Feb 2001

The benefits of
By Stuart Nicolson

Gary Ewings recent article on the if it aint broke dont try to fix it school of maintenance has got me
thinking what are the real benefits of regular maintenance? Im not for one minute advocating taking
manufacturers ideas of ideal maintenance to heart. Lifes too short to strip forks every 10 hours of muddy
riding as suggested by some manufacturers and servicing headsets and hubs every month isnt my idea of
fun. Garys point that over-frequent maintenance is almost worse than none at all is a good one; fork seals
get looser every time the forks are dismantled and who can say, hand on heart, that they get perfect preload
on wheel bearings every time?
But while Im not an obsessive bike tinkerer, I like things to work and I like to have an idea when they are
going to stop working. The good clean is the heart of this. Jetwashes are the devils own invention as far as
bikes are concerned and will knock out grease from bearings. If you doubt it, do an experiment with an old
hub. A good clean for me means using one of those brush things that goes on the end of a hose and
getting most of the muck off most of the bike, making sure wheelrims and drivechain get a thorough goingover. This way, theres no high pressure water jets to kill bearings and youre close enough to notice when
things arent quite right. Little things that are easy to overlook like damage to tyre sidewalls, hairline cracks
in wheelrims and loose spokes will lead to big problems if neglected. Its also an opportunity to do things like
check chain, tyre and brake pad wear, all of which are much easier to do on a clean bike.
As for a servicing schedule, a new chain every few months helps make chainrings and cassettes last longer.
Cables get oiled when they start to show signs of sticking and replaced when oiling does no good. By the
time things are seizing, rattling or grinding, they have been left too long and the damage is starting to be
done. Cup and cone hubs get serviced when theres a fair bit of mud underneath the outer seals, and the
wonderful invention that is the WTB Greaseguard headset gets taken apart once in every blue moon. Forks
will get a service midwinter and Easter. Sealed bottom brackets get replaced when the wobble becomes
disconcerting and any metal bits get replaced if creaks just wont go away or cracks and wrinkles appear.
All this takes maybe on average half an hour after each ride and costs next to nothing. Like your granny
would say, a stitch in time saves nine. If only I could be so diligent with my house

Bike Maintenance
By Gary Ewing

I was watching the brown water in the washing machine turn black, when I thought I really ought to do
something about the state of my bike.
Looking around at other peoples bikes at the start of a ride is always entertaining. You can tell a lot about
the person and how they will ride, from the way their bike is set up, which components have been changed,
and which have been left alone. Take my bike for instance. 5 seconds staring at it will tell you Im a bit of a
lazy sod. I oil the chain, and service the rest just before it stops working completely. The frame tubes see a
stiff brush if theyre lucky, the Salsa quick release occasionally gets a dab of oil when it reminds me, and
thats about it.

Those of you who cringe at the thought of this neglect and uncaring, heartless behaviour read on - Theres a
sound logic to my madness...
In around 1995/6 when I was getting heavily into this mountain biking I noticed that one lad always seemed
to suffer from mechanical problems, and the really curious thing was that he really cared for his kit. If he had
a spare evening hed strip down his bearings, pack them with new grease, and then tut tut at the people who
hadnt stripped down their headset once in the last 4 months.
Over the years Ive noticed that if you dont oil your cables regularly, they seize. Likewise with your chain
(although it does go a nice auburn colour). I have noticed that headsets are quite resilient, and that my old
LX parralax (Sounds like a very strong constipation remedy dont worry Mr Smith, your legs will start
working again soon.) hubs could manage with just two strip downs a year, if you ride more than 25 miles a
week you might want to get greasy more often, but bear in mind that the easiest way to break any
component is by putting it back together wrong. A hub might be designed to handle some very heavy riding,
but tight manufacturing tolerances mean it might not withstand being taken apart after every race.
Thats why I strongly believe in the just in time method of bike maintenance. I might be a little close to
crossing the wilful neglect line at times, but I reckon Im just on the right side of that line. And to those
people who reckon full suspension needs more care and attention, I say my Santa Cruz has been working
perfectly for over a year now, but then its never been jetwashed, has only seen a sponge when it really
needed it, and hasnt been taken apart yet.
I once rode for months on a bottom bracket that was steadily chewing up its bearings, until one day the
crank arms started hitting the chainstays. So what if it made nasty grinding noises, it wasnt damaging
anything other than the bottom bracket itself But at the time I was delivering newspapers on a cheapo
Emmelle

Team Kona Ford Focus mechanic wanted

By Kona

Fancy going racing every weekend? Fancy being responsible for Team Kona Ford Focus' bike preparation?
Fancy being paid for it?
You do?
You'll need to be an experienced, competent mechanic who knows how to set up full suspension and dual
bikes. If you get the job you'll be working v. hard around the British and world cup down hill circuits all next
season.
Send your CV to:
Russell Carty Team Manager Team Kona Ford Focus Second Level Sport Clock House Lane Bedfont
Feltham Middlesex TW14 8QA
Or for further info mail Russell@Kona.

Bicycle repair man - your country needs you!

By Scoop

The BCF WCPP has a vacancy for a World Class Cross Country mechanic. They need a skilled mechanic
with International experience to work with the top GB riders. The mechanic will work at World Cups, World
Championships, training camps and also give domestic support to the WCPP riders.
So if you fancy freeing yourself from the chains of your darkened workshop and getting some sun on your
spanners to twiddle forks to the desires of hysterically race fraught riders 10 minutes before their start time,
this could be your big break.
For more information get yourself to the WCPP site El Pronto, as applications have to be in before the 24th
of November.

Creak & Groans

By Kevin Hodgson

After reading the forum, it seems

that many of you have problems
with creaks and groans. We all
do! And there are a million
different causes. But before you
start replacing everything in a
frantic search for the cause,
consider these tips
. Any two metal surfaces placed together dry will
creak with only the very slightest relative
movement. Only rarely is the creak caused by a
crack.
. There is usually no need to replace a creaking
component (e.g. crank or bottom bracket),
simply grease the two surfaces.
. Copper grease is superb at stopping creaks. Coat both surfaces with a thin smear of copper-cote and
reassemble. If you don't want to grease the surfaces (e.g. crank tapers) then try a dot of mild loctite instead.
. You have to locate the creak first! Stand up, if the creak continues then it can't be your saddle or seat post
can it?
. Stop pedalling. If the creak continues then it isn't your drive train!
. If the creak is in your drivetrain, is it once a pedal rev? If so, check the chainring bolts, crank spider
lockring, axle taper and BB. If you suspect the pedals, pedal one-footed to try and identify which one. Often
it could just be a little grit in your spuds.
. If the creak increases with cycling speed - not pedalling speed, then it could be where the cassette fits on
the freehub.
. If the creak increases with cycling speed even when not pedalling, it could be the hub bearings.
. If the creaks occur when going over bumpy ground, and not smooth ground then look at your suspension
pivots and shock pivots.
. If the bike creaks under heavy braking and/or full fork travel, then look at the fit of the headset lower ring
onto the steerer, check the fork bushings for play and check all the bolts in the crown are tight.
. If the creak almost has a mind of its own, check the frame very carefully for cracks, normally found around
the welds and the headtube.
. If you do find a loose fitting bearing, before you go demanding a new frame or component, try loctite
bearing fit. Surprisingly enough it is used to fit bearings! It is fairly permanent, but can often cure the creak.
. Remember, grease or loctite any suspect mating surfaces, before resorting to the credit card. You only
need to replace a component if worn-out bearings or a crack is identified as the cause.
. Happy hunting!!!
. Still no joy? Try earplugs!

Editors note: I guess, if we were really smart and could be bothered, we could do a wonderful cg
click-where-the-noise-is type graphic thing. But I don't know how. If anyone out there could be bo
off you go...

Got fork problems?

By Brant

Got trouble with your suspension fork? Then you've got to drop along to AngryAsian.com and see if
he can help you...
Great site design, helpful instructions, this is a quality site the like of which we haven't seen for a while.
There's a nice quote on there, which we particularly liked, explaining how
Murphys Law doesn't HAVE to apply to suspension...
"Now there are plenty of mechanics out there to help you with virtually
everything that ails your bike. Suspension tuning, however, seems to have
been lumped in with wheelbuilding into the "black art" category. That's why
I'm here. A lot of the content of this site deals with some fairly basic
maintenance and tuning issues, but the advanced tuning sections are
Rock Shox, Marzocchi, Manitou and Englund
what make this site special. There's where you'll find all the things that
cartridges are all covered at AngryAsian.com
"the man" won't tell you: the stuff that doesn't officially exist but is out
there, the things that aren't supposed to work but do, the little tweaks and mods that don't come in a neat
little plastic bag and header card. After all, suspension is a great thing, but ONLY if it's tuned properly.
Otherwise, you may as well use a rigid fork.
So read on, turn the volume up a tick or two, and give Murphy a good swift kick in the head. He's a little
bastard, anyway."

Long tall SID

By Brant

The Rock Shox SID Race 63mm forks are 20mm longer than last year. We found this out after a chat with
John North from Karrimor/Raw Experience.
Apparently lots of the pro riders at this weekends RAV 4 race were having trouble with the length of their
forks.
"I fitted them and I thought I'd cut the steerer too long or something," said John. "But then I thought about it
for a moment and I realised that it's the forks that were 20mm longer than the ones I'd taken off.
Chris Young also had trouble with his forks, and ended up with his bike looking like a chopper and his saddle
point ing up in the air like a "phat jump bike".
The measurements are:Rock Shox SID 63mm race
99 model - specified ride heigh of 428mm
2000 model - ride height 445mm.
It seems as if the stanchions are the same units as on the 80mm travel fork, and the travel has been
shorted.
Rock Shox are aware of the problem and have changed the 2001 model ride height of 432mm, but that's
including the -ve travel of 4mm (so that should bring the fork down to 428mm).
All is not lost for riders of the 2000 model. Rock Shox have brought out a kit to drop the fork down to
428mm,. The only trouble is they do it by limiting the travel... you only get 46mm of compression!
See your local Rock Shox dealer for more.

Suspension - It used to be easy

By Brant

IT USED TO BE EASY
Years ago, full suspension, indexed gears
and V brakes didn't exist and bike set-up
was a doddle. Buy a bike and ride it. The
only problem was that in those early days,
bikes didn't actually work very well, and
magazines were obsessed with things like
'handlebar buzz', subtle nuances in tyre
compound and weld type minutely altering
ride quality.
Then suspension arrived. Rockshox,
Offroad and Manitou suspended the front
of bikes, and everything went mental.
Cannondale added new bottom brackets
halfway up the seat-tube and used them to
mount a swingarm on. They flexed so
much the front mech would rub on the rear
tyre. Suspension on bikes these days has
such an air of simplicity that it's puzzling
Jump straight to it...
why it's taken us so long to get there. Oversimplicity in early bikes, with corners cut on
What should it feel
bearing and shock materials, made bikes
like?
that stank like the dogs they were. These
Springs and things
days we're used to coil-over shocks,
Virtual Pivot Points
metallic rolling-element bearings and the
Bob - what is it?
like. Everything's getting much better. One
Pro Setup Tips
reason things have moved on so much is
Oval Chainrings
set-up. Early bikes used stiff springs and
-how?
binary damping circuitry, and it was all just
guesswork really. Early Rockshox forks
remained locked out unless you hit a big
rock. Compare that to the modern breed of low-stiction fork that'll sag under the
weight of the unloaded bike. As softer spring rates and damping settings have
come into play suspension has been adopted by more people. Suspension
requires a learning process to get the most out of it though. No more sprinting
up hills, or nose-diving off rocks. Now fast riding is all about smooth power and
wheelying off drop-offs.

What should your suspension feel like?

The best suspension bikes gobble up the trail without worrying the pilot. Any
obstacles smaller than the amount of travel your bike has can be ridden over
without a thought. Anything larger than the available travel can be ridden over
with far less weight shift than you might expect. All this is a bit surprising at first.
It's often only when you have an unplanned crash, or take a line you didn't
expect to, that you find the upper limits of your suspension. Hitting foot-high
rock steps square on is possible on some of the longer travel forks - but you'd
never believe it until you've seen it. We're not saying you should go out and
crash your bike to determine whether your suspension is working properly. A full
suspension bike might not necessarily be more comfortable, but you'll end up
riding harder trails faster until the bumps you're getting through the bars feel the
same. To achieve this level of performance, a bike needs to be set up properly.
Some bikes can be set up 'more properly' than others. And herein lies a
problem.
Compromising positions
The process of transferring power from your legs to get the back wheel turning
is difficult enough without having to move the back wheel up and down as you
ride over over bumps. Simply having enough gears and getting those gears to
work in muddy conditions is remarkable enough - look at the trouble Shimano
are having with their nine-speed system - but having it all happen with up to
eight inches of travel is quite a feat, though it's achievable. Many manufacturers
claim that their suspension systems isolate rider pedalling action from the
suspension movement, but it's a hopeless cause. All powered vehicles react
differently whether being driven or decelerated. Putting a spring at each end
affects everything. And, besides, who says it's bad? By placing your pivots
cleverly, you can affect the way the suspension moves when the power is
applied. If the pivot point of the bike is above the chainline, then the suspension
will be extended under power. If the chainline is above the pivot, then the
suspension will be compressed. Some bikes with pivots below the chainline use
four-bar linkages - other pivots within the rear triangle - to modify the path that
the wheel axle travels through, thereby modifying where the 'effective'
swingarm 'effectively' pivots from. These instantaneous centres of rotation
follow the same rules as real pivot points, it's just harder to spot where they are.
But it's possible - see page 58. Then there are two different designs:
conventional and Unified Rear Triangle (URT). URT bikes have the bottom
bracket (and cranks, chainrings and other gubbins) all mounted on the
swingarm. The pivot point can be close to the bottom bracket, around the
bottom bracket, or a long way from the bottom bracket, depending on the model
of bike. All these things have an effect too. Does your head hurt yet?
But why should that matter?
The location of the swingarm pivots has an effect on the suspension set-up.
How the swingarm pivots and how the shock compresses have an effect. You
don't need to be an expert to set your bike up right for you, but it helps to have
a number of things clear in your mind. As we said before, a bike with a pivot
point below the chainline compresses the shock when the power goes down.
Add to this, the other force that's being put into the suspension - your legs
flapping up and down - and the bike will bounce down the trail. A bike with a
pivot point above the chainline can, in the best case, eliminate bob by
countering the force that your legs moving downwards exert on the suspension
with an upward force generated by chain tension. Match these properly and
you'll have a rear end that doesn't move under pedalling pressure, within a
limited range of gearing. The problem is that suspension designs can't yet
detect what gear you're in, and so though a gear combination of middle
ring/large sprocket might give the same gearing as a small chainring/other
sprocket, the way that the suspension reacts to that combination is very
different. Because the chainline is lower, the resultant force on the shock will
alter. This increases the further away the chain is from the pivot point. To get
the bike to work properly for you, the amount of spring rate, type of spring and
amount of damping all need to be tailored to your weight, riding style and the
type of riding.

ButJARGON
don't bikes
come set up like that?
BUSTER
You may imagine that suspension manufacturers spend huge amounts of cash
Preload
and
resources in tuning suspension for different people. After all, only boy
Addingshell
a loading
racers
out foronto
new springs and shocks on their cars - normal men in the
the
spring
in
its static
street don't have
to set their cars up for their weight, do they? The difference is
position
to create
that
a bike
weighsaa fraction of what the rider does, and it's one of the lightest
force against
suspended
vehicles. The result is that a small change in rider weight requires a
suspensionchange in suspension set-up, and a similarly small change in rider
significant
movement.
Doesn'tcan also affect suspension performance. So not only do you
weight
positioning
increase
the
have to take spring
into account how much you weigh, but also how you ride and how
'weight'
your
bikebut
is does
set up - small wonder manufacturers don't offer pre-tuned bikes for
increase the load
sale.
needed to start it
moving. Normally
Springs
and springing
done by winding
Everyone
knows collar
what a spring is, and thankfully, the bike industry is, to date,
(rear
coil
shocks)
or
free from the complexities
of torsion bars and leaf springs. We use 'simple' coil
top
cap
adjuster
springs - actually wound-up torsion bars, but let's not worry about that - and air
(forks) down
onto
springs.
Coil springs
can be wound to give a continuous rate - add a force and
spring.
they
compress a given amount, double that force and they double their
compression. Or they can be progressively wound - double the force and they
Negative spring
compress
75 per cent of the initial amount, for example. Air springs are
A spring thattoo.
pushes
progressive
Setting the spring rate is the most important aspect of
the shock back
past its Without the correct spring rate, the dampers will have
suspension
performance.
static
position
when
to
support
the machine's
weight, leading to a lumbering ride with frequent
unloaded.
Creates
bottom-outs and thea possibility of blown seals.
plusher feel and
allows it
wheel
extend
When
goestowrong
quickly
into
If you're the owner of a bike with a steel-sprung shock, you might be feeling
depressions
better
pretty
smug. for
You've
heard that air shocks aren't as plush as coil-over ones, and
traction.
you're happy that you're getting a better ride. But what happens when the spring
in your coil-over shock isn't right? Air shock users simply add more air whereas
Spring weight
you've got to buy a whole new spring. If your spring doesn't give you the sag
The force needed to
you require it's time for a new spring. But how much stiffer do you nee
compress a given
spring one inch.

Stiffness and the Sean Kelly paradox

Spring rate

The change in
effective weight of the
spring as leverage
within the suspension
system changes under
compression. A rising
rate system will
increase its 'weight' as
it compresses - often
described as 'ramping
up' or 'progressive'. A
straight rate will
remain constant, and
a falling rate will
decrease.
Coil springs can be
wound specifically to a
rising, straight or
falling rate, while air
shocks will always be
rising rate.
Leverage

The ratio between the

travel of the rear
wheel and the
movement of the
shock.
Sag

The amount of travel

By Keith Bontrager

Stiffness and the Sean Kelly Paradox

Stiffness. You mash down on your pedals. The bike snaps

forward, leaping by your structurally deficient competition. Stiff
is good, stiffer is better. What more is there to say?
Even though it seems downright simple to almost anyone, I am
not convinced. I'd understand it at this point if you thought that I
was a bit thick, but please keep in mind that I'm getting paid for
this, and at least hear my case.
Stiffness relates the deflection of an mechanical structure to
loads that try to distort it. The applied loads must be small
enough to avoid permanently altering the structure's shape or
we have to start talking about strength. Stiffness and strength
are not the same. If the structure is stiff, its shape doesn't
change much when the loads are applied. If it is not stiff
(flexible), its shape will change quite a bit when loaded. How
much "doesn't change much" and "changes quite a bit" actually
are depends on the structure and the application; we're talking

sits on the bike in a

static position. Again
allows the suspension
to extend into
depressions,
increasing traction and
creating a far more
fluid, plush ride.bikes
We here, eh? Simple.
recommend around
20-25 per cent sag
forspring has stiffness, and it's referred to as it's spring
A coil
XC work and upconstant
to 50 if you push in the right direction. Push a little, and the
per cent for downhill
spring squashes down. Push a bit harder and it shortens a bit
traction
more. Stop pushing and it returns to its original length. While a
bicycle is much more complex than a coil spring, the analogy is
Damping
useful. To think about the meaning of it all we need to figure out
A resistance applied
what to
the loads on the bike are like, what complexities there are
the shock's movement
in its structure that might spoil the analogy, and how the bike's
to prevent pogodeflections
stick
affect its performance. I'd like to start this rant with
lunacy. Can be tuned
a simple basis for distrusting the common version of modern
at manufacture stiffness
in
dogma, the version out on the streets. I'll talk more
elastomer springs
or the physics later.
about
provided by parts of
the shock moving
First of all, I'm suspicious, in principle, about anything technical
through oil.
that is common knowledge and therefore considered obvious
Compression damping
by folks without a technical background (like magazine
is the resistancestaffers). I know, I know. I'm a skeptic; what can I say?
against the
compression (impact)
Here's a good reason for this. Solid, resilient, lively, dead,
of the spring to responsive, mushy, snappy, supple ... all the adjectives that are
prevent it divingcommonly
too
used to communicate thoughts about a bicycle's
fast.
stiffness are imprecise, and are very subjective. This makes it
Rebound damping
difficult to communicate a connection between the stiffness of a
controls the return
of and performance in a quantifiable way. But this is how
bicycle
the spring to stop
it of us have come to respect the attributes of a stiff bicycle.
most
throwing you from
theit troublesome to trust the opinions that I hear or read
I find
bike.
(except in MTB Pro of course).
I'm not completely senseless though; I can't ignore sensory
An extra link in inputs.
the
I agree that a very stiff bike can "feel" quicker when you
suspension
sprint. And I agree that, at first glance, it should accelerate
system used to infinitesimally
take
better in principal. hile I've felt this, I haven't
structural stressobserved
away
a definite, consistent change in actual sprinting or
from the shock. climbing
A four- performance. I know I'm slow, but I'm not just making
bar linkage can excuses.
be
A snappy feel is not the same as a real, significant
used to alter theimprovement
path
in mechanical efficiency. Sorry for what seems
of the rear wheel
like hair splitting; I hope the difference will become less murky
under compression.
later.
Also allows the shock
to be repositioned
My introductory paragraph, the one that seemed to confirm
around the frame,
and
what
you knew all along about a stiff bike, the one that had you
the leverage and
rate contentedly while you were reading it, was rife with
nodding
of the shock to be
bad assumptions. I believe that our perceptions of
modified to designers'
performance, gotten while riding, are not always very accurate
needs.
(back to the snappy feel is not the same as real changes in
efficiency comment). I picked up this invaluable observation
Air/oil
while working on motorcycles. My job was to develop fast
Air spring damped
motorcycles. I would go out to a track with very skilled riders,
with oil.
world championship caliber riders, and test with parts and
tuning combinations in order to determine whether they could
Coil/oil
go faster. We tried the setups and solicited opinions from the
Coil spring damped
rider, asking him how the bike worked and whether he thought
with oil.
he was going faster than the last time around. Of course, I
would measure the rider's performance with a stopwatch as
Elastomer
well. So I had two indications of performance, the rider's
Chewy, springy rubber
opinion and the clock's version of the story.
available in different
weights.
When the results from the two methods were compared, the
Linkage

rider's view and the clock's account often differed. Test

configurations that seemed fast to the rider weren't always
A shock where the
good
damping reservoir
is according to the clock, and parts that made the rider think
Piggy back

mounted on a mount
above the shock.
Remote reservoir

The damping oil or air

linked to another
frame-mounted
chamber to increase
the volume and
decrease
progressiveness.
he was slow could actually be making fast lap times. The
stopwatch earned its keep.
Comparing the rider's opinion of a given part's performance
characteristics and what he thought should happen proved
interesting as well. If the rider didn't have any hints about the
upcoming test, his description of the result often differed
considerably from what I actually did to the bike. The riders
couldn't always tell what was happening from what they felt as
they rode. On he other hand, if the rider knew beforehand what
should happen in the test, his report was much more likely to
be in agreement with the changes we performed. A good way
to get a uniform, consistent, but potentially useless evaluation
of a part was to discuss the anticipated result with the test rider
before the test. Sound familiar?
I know my methods were imperfect in many ways; we were
under time constraints. But I believe it supports my point that
even a skilled rider's perceptions are not always reliable and
can be influenced by what they think before the test. Objectivity
is tough to come by, maybe impossible, and I think that this is
more or less the case when it comes to evaluating the relative
merits of stiffness while riding, especially when the opinions
come from a magazine writer or acquaintance.
Of course, our image of the off road bicycle is not often
affected by the unbiased and insensitive (with respect to
designer's, advertiser's or rider's feelings) criticism of the stop
watch. But until it is sorted out, you know where I'm putting my
money. Of course, if anyone has the money and desire to sort it
out, you know where to find me.
And whenever the subject comes up in a discussion, I'm
haunted by images of Sean Kelly in his prime, shooting by a
handful of thick legged Italian and Belgian sprinters on his
wimpy glued aluminum Vitus, to win a sprint in a classic. If ever
there was a contrary example, this is it, and it sticks with me.
Detractors will quickly point out that Kelly (while not a sprint
specialist himself) was simply much stronger than all of the
sprinters that day. The fact that the frames involved in the
sprint could have differed in stiffness by a factor of two or
more, to Kelly's disadvantage, would just be one more
noteworthy aspect of Kelly's remarkable physical superiority. I
revere Kelly, but I don't buy it.
So, at a minimum, I should have called the popular dogma on
the subject of stiffness into question in your minds. Think of
Kelly's wet noodle of a Vitus frantically carving out a drunken
sinusoidal path through the pack whenever you waiver. In
coming months I'll discuss how stiffness can affect
performance, a very crude method that you can use to
evaluate how the stiffness of individual parts can affect the
stiffness of the bicycle overall and what is likely to happen due
to stiffness variations in the most important specific load cases
on a bike.
Until then have fun in the mud; I'll be thinking of you from
sunny Santa Cruz

Top tips for Hope disc users

By Kevin Hodgson

They get very hot

Don't touch them to see how hot they are, get your mates to touch them
instead, it's much safer!
Use all three pad types
Gold, green and red. It only takes 10 minutes to swap them over. Golds for
mid winter, reds for mid summer, and greens for the rest.
Make sure you have
enough adjustment at the
lever. Gold pads especially
can generate a lot of heat,
and the fluid expands. I you
ride a dry, tarmac descent
with gold pads in, you could
find the brakes locked on at
the bottom, with no more
adjustment. Let a bit of fluid
out to make sure this
doesn't happen to you. Also
some Hope pads seem to
be thicker than others, and
I've had to let fluid out to
get new pads in.

Pic Matt Wenham 1999

Red pads are incredible

They don't much like water, and only last one summer, but they have power
and modulation like nothing else. They also transmit very little heat to the fluid.
Spoil yourself and use them in the dry months (if we get any).
Heat can be a problem
It is worst on steep Tarmac, as there are no bumps to slow you down. My worst
experience was at the bottom of the tarmac bit of Walna Scar, where both
myself and a mate had purple-blue glowing discs, a burning smell, and
significant fade. If you are going to the Alps to do 2000m descents then use
red pads and the biggest heaviest disc you can find, the heavier the disc, the
cooler it will run (check your physics). I have an ancient 185mm 200g disc for
such Alpine forays.
Oil is your enemy
Oil or WD40 on the disc means no brakes. The worst offenders are shock oil
from leaky forks, and the WD40 spray can. The mags say throw your pads out
if this happens, but they cost 14 don't they. Try cleaning disc and pads with
meths or similar, if this doesn't help put the pads in the oven for an hour or so.
Brakes a little weak?
Apply generous quantities of mud to disc, find big hill, brake hard a few times.
Brakes will be fine again.
d the spring to be? Spring rates are dependent on many things - rider weight,
on-bike position, the shock length, the leverage ratio of the bike, the type of

riding you'll be doing... all complex stuff. To this end, we've calculated various
different things through and graphs accompanying this article (see left) will give
you an excellent starting point to set up your suspension with the correct spring
rate. You'll already know the travel of your shock, from the above sums, but
you'll also need to measure the travel at the rear wheel. This can be calculated
reasonably accurately by measuring from the centre of the rear wheel to a point
on the back of the saddle at full extension and full compression. From there, it's
a matter of looking at the graphs (left). Because spring rates are shockdependent, look at the graph that gives you the length of shock you have and
compare it to the amount of travel your bike has. Read off, along the bottom,
your weight (we've allowed 10lb for clothing) and see where the lines intersect.
This gives you the spring rate you need, which you'll have to take in increments
of 50lb to your local shop who'll order you up a spring to suit. Of course, if
you've an air spring, you're laughing. Simply pump more air in and it'll be
sorted. All you've got to do is fiddle with the pressure and get the sag right.
Simple!
But that's only the beginning
Damping next: the damping has to be as light as possible. As we've already
mentioned, the fact that the bike is so light when compared to the rider means
that any additional force slowing down the movement of the suspension will
hinder the operation of the suspension. Damping circuitry is designed to control
the movement of the shocks, but should be kept a minimum. Compression
damping is hardly needed by light riders, and only needs to be increased with
heavier riders. There's no hard and fast rules for applying damping - if your
shock will let you change it anyhow. But if you're still bottoming the bike out
despite the correct spring rate, then you're going to need more damping. Either
dial it in on the shock, or send it away for a service. Rebound damping governs
how fast the shock returns. It too should be set as light as possible. Too much
rebound damping causes the back end to pack down over repeated bumps, but
more often makes the bike feel sluggish at the back. Wind off rebound damping
until the bike's kicking up at the back over big hits and then wind it on a little
more.
Want to find the spot your linkage bike is actually pivoting about?
Firstly, check you've got a linkage bike in the true sense of the word. Some
models use a linkage to drive the shock via a swingarm. Others mount the rear
wheel on part of a true four-bar linkage. You can spot this by looking at the bit of
the swingarm that connects the wheel to the frame. Is there a link between the
rear wheel axle and the main pivot? If yes, then you're looking at a four-bar
linkage design where the rear wheel doesn't pivot about a simple arc around the
main pivot - it follows a 'modified path', modified by the addition of the extra
linkage. Think Spirograph, but with straight lines rather than circles... Find the
centre point of the modified arc, then project lines through the top and bottom
arms of the four-bar link. Where they cross is the instantaneous pivot point.
This point will move, as the suspension compresses. Where it is relative to the
chainline will provide the same outcome as if it was a real pivot point. But why a
moving pivot point? It allows precise control of the axle path of the rear wheel
to keep chain tension exactly as they want. However, most virtual pivot points
provide an axle path very close to that which most single-pivot bikes are settling
for. Strange.

There are things that can be done to that help you tweak and tune your
suspension easily. Things that you can do to make your bike work better if it's
like one we're describing. Keep them as your armoury of shock-setting
knowledge, and use them as you see fit.
URTs

Because of the way a URT works, the spring rate you need when you're
standing up is different to that when you're sat down. When you're sat, most of
your weight is going through your saddle, into the main frame. When you're

stood up, all your weight is going through the pedals onto the swingarm. When
you stand up on a URT bike, the shock extends, as there's less weight bearing
on it from the main frame. Setting the spring rate so that there's the right
amount of sag when you're stood just off the saddle means that you get a great
dual-purpose ride. When you're sat down, meandering along, you'll be using
lots of the travel. Stand up, the bike stiffens and you'll be able to take those big
hits too. The bike should just bottom out when you slam your weight down on
the saddle as you're going along. URTs are different beasts, and work well
when set up in this softer manner, as opposed to setting up 'normally' and then
becoming harder when you stand.
"You've got it in the wrong hole"

Lots of bikes out there have different holes to mount the shock in. It allows you
to change the rate of the shock and the amount of travel. Generally, dropping
the back of the shock increases travel and dropping the front of the shock
changes the rate. A rate change means that the shock will tend to compress
more easily in the early part of the stroke, stiffening up at the end. This can
make the bike feel a little wooden - particularly with an air-shocked bike as an
air spring is itself a rising rate system. By dropping the shock down (or raising
the front up) you can set the shock up to tend to be a falling rate system,
counteracting the rising rate of the shock, giving a more comfortable straight
rate bike. We've used this trick to good effect on a few SID-shocked bikes and
got a plusher feel.
Faster rebound

If your shock has no rebound damping adjustment and your spring is a little
soft, then wind on some preload and get something approaching the ride you
need. It's not perfect, it's not the answer to all your problems, but it will give
you a better ride.
Harder, yet softer

This last trick - winding on preload to speed up rebound - is one way that a
stiffer spring can make a bike feel softer. If the shock is returning faster, with a
stiffer spring or one under more compression, then the shock will be able to
react faster. If you're not getting the ride you want then add preload and see
where it gets you.
Spotting correct rebound

When a suspension system is correctly damped, you'll feel 'one and a half
overshoots'. Hitting a simple bump, like a kerb (either up or down) you'll feel
the suspension compress, then extend, then compress to its median level. If
you feel one thud then it's wrong, you should feel down-up-down. If you can
actually feel, or see yourself bouncing multiple times after hitting an obstacle,
then you've not got enough rebound damping wound on.
Setting correct rebound - 2

Of course, as we've mentioned at the top of this article, because the chain
tension changes with pedalling load - or in the case of URTs, the weight
distribution changes - the bike will bob. Low pivots do it, all URTs do it. What
this means is you'll have to crank on more rebound damping than you need for
correct suspension action. Either that or pop the sea-sickness tablets.
Oval chainrings

Though no one uses them for the reason they were invented any more - to
smooth out the pedal stroke - we've used oval chainrings to tame bounce on a
couple of suspension bikes. They work by changing the chain tension and
chainline throughout the pedal stroke, and can totally eliminate bob and
actually increase traction throughout the stroke. We're not pursuing it because
of the chop and change of test bikes and the nice way Shimano chainrings
shift. Anyone care to take up the cause and cut us in on a tidy share of the
profit?

Top tips for Hope disc users

By Kevin Hodgson

They get very hot

Don't touch them to see how hot they are, get your mates to touch them
instead, it's much safer!
Use all three pad types
Gold, green and red. It only takes 10 minutes to swap them over. Golds for
mid winter, reds for mid summer, and greens for the rest.
Make sure you have
enough adjustment at the
lever. Gold pads especially
can generate a lot of heat,
and the fluid expands. I you
ride a dry, tarmac descent
with gold pads in, you could
find the brakes locked on at
the bottom, with no more
adjustment. Let a bit of fluid
out to make sure this
doesn't happen to you. Also
some Hope pads seem to
be thicker than others, and
I've had to let fluid out to
get new pads in.

Pic Matt Wenham 1999

Red pads are incredible

They don't much like water, and only last one summer, but they have power
and modulation like nothing else. They also transmit very little heat to the fluid.
Spoil yourself and use them in the dry months (if we get any).
Heat can be a problem
It is worst on steep Tarmac, as there are no bumps to slow you down. My worst
experience was at the bottom of the tarmac bit of Walna Scar, where both
myself and a mate had purple-blue glowing discs, a burning smell, and
significant fade. If you are going to the Alps to do 2000m descents then use
red pads and the biggest heaviest disc you can find, the heavier the disc, the
cooler it will run (check your physics). I have an ancient 185mm 200g disc for
such Alpine forays.
Oil is your enemy
Oil or WD40 on the disc means no brakes. The worst offenders are shock oil
from leaky forks, and the WD40 spray can. The mags say throw your pads out
if this happens, but they cost 14 don't they. Try cleaning disc and pads with
meths or similar, if this doesn't help put the pads in the oven for an hour or so.
Brakes a little weak?
Apply generous quantities of mud to disc, find big hill, brake hard a few times.
Brakes will be fine again.

Brake blocks
By mmb

It's a fit up...

Do I really need a new pair?

Most brake pads have wear indicators - grooves in the pad or a small
line on the side of the block. If they're worn out it's time to go
shopping, or risk damaging your rims - probably terminally. If your
pads don't have indicators you have to be more careful and regularly
check they're not wearing anywhere near the metal under the braking
surface.
What should I replace them with?

If you don't already have V brakes then make the upgrade. A new set
of brake blocks will set you back 6-9 per pair. Usable V brakes start
at 25 per wheel - worth the difference if you can afford it.
Compounds

Different manufacturers have their own, closely guarded braking

compound secrets, each supposedly offering superior performance in
wet or dry conditions. In truth, there's not much between them. If you
have ceramic-coated rims then buy hard pads to counter the extra
abrasion. Generally, the more abrasive the compound the quicker it
will stop you, and the quicker your rims will wear out.
Different types

Sooner or later everyone will

need to fit some new brake pads.
It's a relatively simple procedure
if you don't fancy shelling out for
a bike shop to do it for you.
Cartridge pads:

1. Remove the retaining pins and

slide out the worn pads.
2. Slide the new pads into the
holders, replace the pins and
back off the barrel adjuster on the
brake lever.
One-piece V and cantilever pads:

1. Undo the brake block clamps,

remove the old blocks and keep
any fixings that come away.
2 Put the new pad into the clamp.
NB: V brakes with a threaded
stalk, spread the washers out so
that the brake arms are vertical
when the pads hit the rims.
3. Adjust the pads so that they hit
the rims square and central. Toe
the front of the pad in by a couple
of mm and tighten them.
4. Slacken the cable clamp and
adjust the cable as required.

The best way for you to buy the right ones is to take your old blocks into the shop. Standard cantilever
brakes are usually threadless. Consider upgrading to threaded if you want to cut down on hassle when
you're setting the brakes up.
One-piece brake blocks have an all-in-one mounting post and pad. You can buy these in threaded and
unthreaded varieties.
There are two main varieties of V style brake pads which are both usually threaded: cartridge and noncartridge. Cartridge pads slide into a reusable shoe that stays in place on the brake arm. Well-designed and
-fitted V brakes don't need readjusting as the pad wears; slack in the cable can be taken up with the barrel
adjuster on the brake lever. All you have to do is back the barrel adjuster on the lever off to its starting
position when you slide the new pads into place. Upgrading to cartridge pads will cost about 20.
.

What tyres?
By Mel

What difference do different tyres make? They seem to be sold as separate fronts and rears. And those halfbald ones look scary. Sponsored riders seem to ride whatever theyre told to, and a 12 tyre looks pretty
much the same as a 35 one in the shop. How should I decide which tyre is best for me? Im currently using
a pair of IRC Mythos, which seem fine but are starting to look a bit ragged. Sorry if this is a stupid question.
Beth Hebdige, Hebden Bridge
Its not a stupid question at all. Front tyres look different to rear tyres simply because they do different jobs: in
a nutshell, the back tyre has to have traction to push the bike forward, while the front tyre needs to be able
to force the bike around corners. The knobbles on the back generally run across the tyre and dig into the
ground as you pedal. But the tread on a front tyre runs along the line of the wheel, only creating resistance
when you apply a turning force.

Next thing you need to consider is that different riding conditions suit different tread patterns. Tall, thin
knobbles dig into soft mud and grip well. But use them on hard ground and the tyre will squirm around.
Making the knobbles out of a denser material helps, but then the tyre can get heavy.
I used to use a tyre that got around this by combining dense knobbles and a lightweight carcass.
Unfortunately, the knobbles didnt like the carcass and dropped off in droves. In dry, hard-packed or dusty
conditions, big, chunky knobbles packed close together give excellent grip. The trouble is that theyll pick up
mud as soon as look at it. A chunky tyre like this will soon become clogged, heavy and ultimately useless in
muddy conditions.
Rubber quality makes more of a difference than most people think, which is why a 35 tyre will behave
differently to a 10 copy with an identical tread pattern. The general rules for choosing tyres are to pick a
reputable make, buy a matching pair and replace them frequently. Clean, sharp profiles always grip better
than worn ones, so replace your tyres as soon as they start to get worn.

Creaky cranks?
By Mel

I have an ongoing problem with my left crank. It started off with a mild creaking. I didn't know what caused it
at first so I tried tightening everything. Eventually, I got hold of an Allen key the right size for the crank bolt I
didn't have one that big myself and tightened it up. It cured the problem, but only temporarily. Now it seems I
have to tighten the crank up every time I go riding. I'm tightening it pretty hard and don't know what else to
do.
Neil Bevan, St Albans
Cranks have a tapered, square hole which mates onto a matching square taper on the bottom bracket axle.
When the two holes are exactly the same size and shape, tightening the bolt squeezes the crank up the axle
taper until its firmly fitted. The pair become as one. If the joint is allowed to work even a little bit loose, the
crank moves on the axle as you pedal. The corners of the steel axle dig into the softer (alloy) faces of the
crank. As time goes on, the joint fit gets worse and the axle digs in further until the crank is only good for
scrap.
Once things have gone this far, replacement is the only option the crank taper will be so deformed it'll never
fit securely on the axle again. Before things go that far, its worth trying to clean up the two surfaces.
Remove the crank arm and use a degreaser, but be careful not to get any into the bottom bracket. Rinse off
the degreaser. Lightly grease the crank bolt. Refit the crank and tighten firmly Shimano recommend a torque
of 40-45Nm. You won't be able to tighten the bolt enough with a normal short 8mm Allen key, so use one
that's at least as long as the crank. If need be, slip a short piece of pipe over the Allen key to extend it.
If the crank still works loose, be sure to replace it before the damage spreads to the axle. A new crank arm
will set you back upwards of 13. If you leave it until the bottom bracket axle is damaged, you'll be looking at
an additional 15 for a new bracket at least.

Dodgy discs
By Mel

I decided to upgrade the front brake on my GT with a brand new Magura Louise disc system. I fitted
everything to my bike a new wheel complete with disc, the caliper and lever. I expected to be blown away by
the new braking power, but I wasn't. Maybe my expectations were too high, but the braking doesn't seem to
be any better than my old XT V brake set-up. The lever seems to be working fine, it stops about halfway
back from the bar but the bike just kind of slows down. Are disc brakes overrated?
James, Penzance, Cornwall
You have to run discs in. Performance is always disappointing straight out of the box. Start by riding round
the block a few times with the front brake on, count it as part of your training programme. This'll take the first
scrub off the brakes and they should start to work. Then you'll need to brake from faster speeds. Magura

recommend braking down from 30kph, 30 times, to fully bed them in.
You obviously need to find yourself a bit of clear space to do this. The brake will become increasingly
powerful and progressive as you go. It's well worth doing this before you need the brakes in anger. When
you come to fit new pads you'll need to run them in as well, if not as much.

SID fork adjustment

By Mel

I bought a new pair of 99 Rockshox Sid XCs to replace my ancient Mag 21s that I've had forever. They feel
light on the front end of my bike (a Marin Pine Mountain), but they also feel harsh. They're OK when Im
working them really hard, but over smaller stuff, like bridleways with loads of horses hoof prints, I get lots of
judder. What should I do to make them feel better? I weigh 10.5 stone. I put 60psi in the main and the
negative air chambers.
Caroline Elliott
The 99 forks are adjustable in six ways. Most adjustments can be made externally, allowing you to adjust your forks up without
ripping them apart. The most important thing is to make a note of the set-up you're using, and record all changes. Never change
more than one thing at a time.
Try increasing the air in the negative spring (thats the valve at the bottom of the left leg). For your weight, try 90psi in the negative
chamber and leave the main chambers at 60psi. This should give you a plusher ride. Back off the compression damping as well the
knob at the bottom of the right leg. Pull it out to adjust the compression damping, and turn it in single click increments.
Find a rutted piece of ground that you can ride over repeatedly to gauge the effect your adjustments are having. The compression
damping affects how quickly the fork can react to being compressed if its too high, the fork wont take up small bumps. Turn yours
anticlockwise to reduce the compression damping.

Data-Logging
By Brant

For bikes built by Formula1 engineers, the Marin

range of FRS bikes are remarkably normal
looking. A single pivot on the rear triangle, a
simple tube layout to get the stresses away from
where they shouldn't be, it does what it's meant to
in a clean simple way that belies it's complexity
like most things that work well. But a well
designed bike is only half the story - setting the
machine up for the rider and course is as
important as the frame design you're working
with, which is why for nearly a year now, Adrian
Ward has been part of the Marin development
team.
Coming from another fast two-wheeled sport,
motorcycle road racing, Adrian's worked with Carl
Fogarty, Jamie Whitham and others, and is well
used to tuning suspension to get the riders more
speed round a circuit. Marin drafted Adrian in to
work with Dave Hemming on the downhill scene,
and develop shock designs to make their bikes
work even better. Dave's had a long downhill
career, dating back to a bronze medal in the
Junior World Champs in 1989, aboard a fully rigid
Klein Attitude! Many had discounted Dave as a
serious competitor for years, and he made his
living as a Marin rep, stunt and test rider for
magazines and general bike-whore. All that
changed when he got a 2nd to Steve Peat at
Eastridge in 1998, aboard his Marin DH bike.

So bike, bloke or both? What made the difference?

It's an urban myth that downhillers don't bother to train and practice. Most of the top
downhillers take plenty of time planning for their run. World Cup downhill riders typically
spend a week learning the course. By the time race day comes they'll know every rock,
root, rut and bobbly bit on the course. They'll also know how each different terrain reacts to
braking, pedaling and cornering forces.
UK downhillers don't have a week to practice on a course even
though competition is often just as stiff. Also, UK tracks are incredibly
varied, so as well as having to learn the route, competitors also have
to set up their bikes differently for each one. From the rocks and
roots of a Scottish course, to the green field of a BMB race, each
course needs different bike preparation as well as learning. Time is of
the essence, as the riders unpack their stuff on a Friday morning with
Saturday afternoon, and at best Sunday morning, start times. And it'll
probably rain at least twice during the weekend, completely changing
course conditions.
Mapping the course is the first stage.
Many riders walk the course. For Adrian and Dave, it's just the
start..."When we get to a track, we first walk it together,"
explains Adrian. "I draw a map and Dave paces out each
section to get the measurements right. We will look at each one
in isolation and how the speeds will change as we tune the bike
through each section, and what the suspension has to do to get
through it." The datalogger allows them to record bike speed,
pedal speed and the amount of front and rear suspension
movement, all recorded against time. "It's not top speed through

whole course. That could mean the rider takes one corner slowly
to keep a line through the next series of corners
which they wouldn't be able to do otherwise."
"Getting the spring rate right is half the battle,"
continues Adrian. "You want your bike fully
bottoming out three or four times on a run.
Anything less than that means the springs are too
stiff and you're not using the travel. There's no
pointLights
in dragging around six inches if you don't
DIY
use
it. We switch springs rather than fiddling with
By
Brant
the pre-load. On Dave's run at the Nationals we
switched from the 450lb spring he'd been running to a 600lb one, because the bike was
bottoming out. Then we dropped the forks through 5mm, lowering the front of the bike and
putting
on thedrawing
front endinto
improve the
steering
Oncetheir
the bike
Now
the more
nightsweight
are actually
noticeably
faster,
manyperformance."
people are turning
attention towards
was balanced
its springs,
the next
thing
many suspension tuners would change would
lighting
systemsonwhich
allow them
to ride
longer.
be the damping of the shocks. Not these chaps.
"Then we
start
playing
with
the tyre
adds it's
Adrian.
Dave's
run as
19psi
in
Though
there
are
a stack
of light
setspressures"
on the market,
possible
to build
uplittle
youras
own
bike-light
kit from
his front
tyre on parts,
a run. saving
At the Nationals
ranSeveral
20psi insites
the front
and 22psi
in are
the around
rear. I to help you do this.
readily
available
a stack ofwe
cash.
and mailing
lists
only pump the tyres up when Dave complains they're squirming about on the rims," says
Cyber
a mailing
list, exclusively
Adrian.Cyclery
"All therun
time,
we're looking
at the wayabout
the bike is handling with the datalogger. We
bike
lighting,
at is lifting on braking, or pumping down on repeated hits, and tune it
can see
if thelocated
rear end
http://www.cyclery.com/lists/bikecurrent/.
It also But, Dave's improvement over the last
accordingly." The results have been impressive.
covers
info on
cycle
and
otherset-up,
wierd,but
wired
few months
can't
onlycomputers
be down to
better
when you're competing at the highest
gadgets.
levels, every last bit helps.
uk.rec.cycling regular Myra Van Inwengen has an
excellent set of articles on her homepage, located at
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mvi20/bike/tips.html, and
particularly these articles
How to make your own high-powered lightset
(Technical)
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mvi20/bike/lights.html
How to make your own high-powered lightset (Easier)
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mvi20/bike/home-brew.html
Then there are a couple of manufacturer sites for looking at batterys. High
capacity, hi-tech Nickel-metal-hydride batteries are available mail order
http://www.cpc.co.uk. Lighter but more expensive than regular Ni-Cads,
NiMh batteries are what the new and funky mobile phones use to give
week-long standby times.

Chargers and Ni-cad batteries plus other stuff are available on line at
http://www.maxim-ic.com, though we had trouble with their secure server
connection.

A bloke called "Fat Hippy" has a website in Australia

with lights on it, amongst other things. Check it out at
http://www.hawkesbury.uws.edu.au/~fathersa/mtb.htm
BIKEmagic member Neil Hardiman writes
"I use a Mag Light for lights you can buy a special aluminum mount and
the Mag Light has a wide beam and spot so you don't need two The whole
set-up costs about 20."
If you've anything to add to this feature, drop me a line.
Brant
brant@bikemagic.com

Disc brake pad replacement

03/03/03

There's no shortage of consumable items on a typical mountain bike, and brake pads are amongst the most
consumable of the lot. Lots of riders have moved over to disc brakes, which can offer better pad life
(although occasionally they just crumble to nothing for no adequately explained reason). They'll still wear
out eventually, though. Fortunately replacing them is a piece of cake, especially if you've grown
accustomed to the three-handed faff of replacing rim brake pads...

You need to be able to see the brake calipers to change the

pads, so clean your bike before you start.
Ease yourself into the job by popping the bike in a workstand
and taking the appropriate wheel off.

The majority of hydraulic brakes are self-adjusting and

automagically maintain correct pad clearances as the pads
wear. This means that there'll be no room for unworn pads, so
the first step is to push the pistons in the caliper back out. The
easiest way to do this is with a broad screwdriver or similar. If
you prise the pistons apart with the old pads still in place there's
little risk of damaging the pistons themselves. Owners of
brakes with manually-adjustable clearances (like Hope C2s and
most varieties of mechanical disc) will need to wind the
relevant adjusters out.

Caliper designs vary between brakes, but most have a threaded

pad retaining pin. To stop it undoing itself, there's usually some
sort of clip on one end. We're pretty good at losing these out on
the trails, but if by some chance yours is still there, pop it off
with pliers and then undo the retaining pin with a suitable Allen
key (3mm on Shimano brakes, 2.5mm on Hope Minis).

With the retaining pin out, the pads and pad return spring (if
present) should just slide out of the caliper. On this Hope Mini
caliper they come out of the bottom, on Shimano brakes they
lift out of the top. Either way, take them out and admire your
pad wear handiwork. If your new pads didn't come with a return
spring, hang on to it - you'll need it in a minute, assuming that
you haven't let the pads get so worn that the prongs have all
snapped off the spring. Which is something we'd never do. Not
at all. Ever.