AF had a need for a kid so I got out a lineup - he took a bunch!
Giving stuff away might be the way to lighten the load.
The remainder are the worst, AF is no fool :)
The latest adventures in Bicycle Fleet Maintenance
AF had a need for a kid so I got out a lineup - he took a bunch!
Giving stuff away might be the way to lighten the load.
The remainder are the worst, AF is no fool :)
Darth Santa is no joke - its big but thankfully does pedal uphill better than Santa Creme. Mission Accomplished.
But why? And is it really bigger?
The Link:
At least an inch longer, V3 info a little sparse.
Lots of bike fleet maintenance going on
All Mendicino weekend the growing creek ached on my mind, and troubled my soul.
I assumed it was bottom bracket, so finally we got the replacement and after a violent evening of rubber mallets and not quite the proper tools for removal, I got the old SRAM DUB BB out, and new one in.
The bearings in the removed unit were rough, but not actually loose or damaged. Maybe try, but not enough for the creaks I was hearing.
I test rode anyway on the commute to work - besides getting sweaty, I remained creaky.
Its not the BB, or chainring... |
I jumped on forums and found I was not alone - everything from seatposts to manufacturing flaws were blamed. I went to Yeti's support site, they sent me to the local dealer who I emailed. I poked my Yeti guru in a work meeting, who navigated the option of parts and presses I might need to deploy. The complex looking links scared me, but I would dig in over the long weekend...
I found I could reproduce the creak statically at 9 and 3 oclock under load, the internet full of testing suggestions applying load and stretching positions for the Yetis. Chain and cassette being brand new, I suspected chainring! I could swap the exact newer unit from the Intense 951 (still for sale) and so I immediately did so when I rode home. Still creeking after the swap, so I swapped back.
On the theme of swapping parts, I FINALLY decided to swap the 12speed wheel from the Intense, AND then...silence.
It was the wheel hub - Shimano 12sp wheel no less, duh! But this was my SLX champion, a replacement for known XT 12sp issues.
Then I recalled the mysterious looseness of the new cassette install, I even took a video of it for Todd's Bike Shop that I need to edit. I might not now, but none the less, lets take a look at the hub after referring to some oldish Youtube videos on the topic.
Off came the newish rotor and newish cassette and then the dustcap, which was way too sticky and did not simply "pop" off as in the nice clean video examples.
See the tiny bearings raining down and out of the freehub? That is not good. |
Tiny bearings sprayed out onto the floor. Some chunks too but mostly these tiny round bearings that apparently hold the free-hub together! I was shocked, I expected proper sealed bearings. Lots of rust and dirt, too much washing?
The axle and freehub removed together - they seem to be fused now, usually the freehub should pop right off but not here! |
Rather then easily popping off, the freehub was very stuck to the axle. I went well beyond the instructional videos online to rubber mallet and tapping out the entire axle. More shock for me, I see round old school ball bearings hanging out in the SLX hub, cone bearings hiding in there.
This is how Shimano sells a hub for $75 - good old cone bearings inside. So then I wondered what was inside the XT 12speed hub in my parts bin - note I rejected this good looking hub previously FOR A REASON (ie CREAKING) so I decided to explore and see if the XT guts were compatible with the SLX. |
Yes, it was amazing. We had hero dirt from the rain, excitement from a bear visit in the rain, cooking and conversation but being the KT, mostly riding up and down big hills quickly.
I rode Peak Bike, worked great but the bottom bracket needs to be replaced. At one point, my crank tried to fall off, fortunately I caught it during lunch. New one is on order.
Big Tree of Big Trees |
KT and a Big Tree |
The Man! |
No time for the Beach, this is KT MTB |
More KTs |
Happy Birthday to the Organizer D |
Peak Bike aka the Pseudo Cruz |
Subi Cowl on the Curve |
Hammering in PB's WRX so Cool |
Fitness Trends - Shoulder and Covid |
Prepping for the Carpool - Tesla S to WRX |
Drying out the camping gear |
The decision was made, parts came in, and now they are on the bike.
Eccentric 30mm BB For Sale for 24mm Axles (Shimano Hollowtech + some Raceface), it actually might be worth something.
I had awakened all fired up to ride at 6:30 in the morning all by myself,
So my shoes were still wet from BBC All Club ride, a 70+ mile ordeal that included big stints in the rain along the Bo-Fax climb, 7 Sisters, Pan-tol highway all the way into Mill Valley. Complete soakage, but I survived it and felt better the longer the ride went.
The dirty White Lines (Ridley Fenix) was still in the stand, ready to go with a few wipes and chain lube, but my shoes were still wet. I could not easily find/see my trainer shoes and took the mental leap to lets just take Old Blue! Tires were aired from Wednesday, and the brakes, I love those brakes!
So I get to Strada Cafe around 7:30, get a Cappuccino and wait for the lazy crew. But no, I get Mike S. Tough hammer Mike S. I had concern because Old Blue is undergeared and over-rubbered and is not used to the hammering life, serving mostly donut-Fridays and Treasure Island Tuesdays. Mike wants the flats and promises to wait so what could go wrong?
It began with a creaking at mile 20 or so after I took a big pull on San Pablo. Mike pointed out there was not much gap on the left side of the tire in the frame - maybe the wheel was out of the dropouts? Nope, continue on.
Sisis, we stop for a nature break and I perform a general bolt check. All tight, check the rear-wheel dropouts again.
Then the chain went around mile 28, gently when I began to stand up on the pedals up the hill Fortunately I had a great park chain tool in the saddle bag, waiting for this day. 2 links out and we were off again. Additional noise but I carefully rode up Pinehurst, left Mike at Tunnel and rode home.
All the way I though about What Do I do with Old Blue? Fix it? Sell it as is? Remove the parts/sell the frameset?
History of Old Blue:
Old Blue before she was stripped and put up for sale at TPC (The Pros Closet), then acquired by me in 2015. This picture might become an important reference since
the Raleigh company is apparently gone, purchased by KKR in 2022.
Dishing A Wheel The Proper Way by Park Tool, which I have one of, the nice blue one
https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/wheel-dishing-centering