How to fix your bike when you're miles from home

Transcription

1 How to fix your bike when you're miles from home

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12 1. Small and medium zip-ties 2. A small piece of cut-down Biro casing wrapped with a length of duct tape 3. One or two SRAM Power Links, 9 and/or 10- speed, depending on your bike and those of people you ride with if you want to be Bicycle Repair Man. These links will work with most chains 4. A small length of malleable wire (copper wire that can be twisted by hand is best) 5. Some 20p or 50p coins 6. A piece of tyre casing or other suitable material cut down to about 5cm square 7. Optionally, a spare 5mm Allen bolt or two, about 2.5cm in length, and 4mm and 6mm Allen bolts if you have enough space to fit them in your container 8. A St Christopher medallion or lucky charm!

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17 2 large plastic tote boxes ( clear see through labeled with contents) Tool box which must contain at least allen keys 2-10mm, cable cutter, cone wrenches 12-19mm, hammer, spoke wrenches, phillips and slotted screw driver, chain whip, chain pin tool, bottom bracket tool (for your bike), pedal wrench, torque wrench and sockets, and shock pump Floor pump Repair stand 2 spare wheel sets (inflated and complete with tires, tube, and rear cassette). Have one pair set up for mud. 1 complete cable set (pre-cut and ready to install) Front and rear derailleur (cable stops already set) 2 rear derailleur hangers 2 or 3 sets of brake pads (use sintered pads, organics tend to wear out too quickly when wet) 4 tubes or more (I keep mine in a zip lock bag with baby powder) Lubricants and cleaners (chain lube, grease, WD-40, bike wash), brushes and picks (for getting the crud out)

18 Replace a couple of your shorter 5mm bottle-cage bolts with longer ones that are 3-4cm; these can be used on many modern twin bolt seatposts or clamps. Fill your tubes with tyre sealant such as Slime, Tubless with a top up of stan s This can be extremely effective at warding off the debris from recently trimmed hedgerow. You can buy pre-filled tubes or inject sealant into Schrader or two-piece Presta valves. To treat tubes with one-piece Presta valves, you can cut a hole in them (as small a possible!), inject the sealant and fix it afterwards. Buy a couple of spare normal spokes of the right length, with nipples, and tape them or zip tie them tightly under the left chainstay to keep them out of sight they are handy to have in reserve. Now you're all set, here's how to use your emergency kit to deal with common problems

19 Jockey wheels have an annoying habit of coming loose, usually because they weren't tightened correctly after cleaning. That piece of copper wire or the 5mm bolt you've got can now do its thing. Just loop the cable through the centre of the jockey wheel to keep it in place. Use your handy survival kit duct tape and install a slightly larger piece overlapping the bead of the tyre, thus anchoring it securely when inflated. You might want to put a second layer, or even use the piece of cloth or tyre casing, which you also happen to have in your box of tricks.

20 Re-attach a saddle to a seatpost when the clamp bolt has broken using zip-ties, but sit on it gingerly for the ride home. It's not perfect but better than sitting on a seatpost. Carefully tear the tube apart at the puncture, then tightly knot both ends; or do the same with your handy zip-ties. The tube will expand back into the tyre upon infl ation, but go easy on the pressure.

21 Place the bent rear mech into the smallest cog and big ring, then carefully and slowly pull the derailleur back into position. The cage of the rear mech should be in line with the smallest sprocket and check that it's pointing in a perpendicular direction to the ground. Be careful when selecting the lowest gear while riding afterwards though, as the derailleur might no longer be as well adjusted and could get caught in the spokes. If your derailleur or hanger is broken beyond repair, you can remove it entirely and then shorten your chain using the SRAM Power Links in your survival kit. This repair depends on a bit of luck and preparation having a multi-tool that includes a chain breaker will make life a lot easier, though you might not be able to get ideal chain tension if you have vertical dropouts. Try to get the chain line as straight as possible.

22 You can pinch a bolt from a place on the bike where it can be spared, and use it where it's more critical in an emergency. If you lose a stem bolt, for example, you can borrow one from a rack strut or from a water bottle cage bolt. But be careful and go easy until a permanent replacement can be found, especially if you think carbon parts might be damaged. Run a cloth lightly over suspect areas to check for a cracked surface any small cracks will pull the cloth's threads. If replacing a spoke won't do or isn't an option, a pretzeled wheel can be straightened sufficiently to get you home with a bit of technique and brute force. Place the wheel with the axle and high point of the buckle against the ground, then firmly push with substantial weight while gripping the rim on either side of the bent zone. You can focus and increase your leverage by using your feet in place of hands and body weight, along with a stone or raised surface feature such as a kerb. Exceptions might be if you have a delicate carbon frame with tight clearances, where a few miles of tyre rub could not only result in a blowout, but put a hole in your chainstays, seatstays, or fork blades. Those spare coins might come in handy now if you forgot your phone or ran out of battery charge.

23 A useful trick is knowing how to remove a tyre without the aid of tyre levers. First, make sure all the air is removed, then lean over the wheel, holding it vertically against the ground. Starting with both hands at the top, pinch and manipulate the tyre beads into the centre of the rim channel simultaneously, with both hands working downwards. As your hands meet towards the bottom you'll find that you've gained a substantial amount of slack, which should be enough to just pull the bead over the rim flange. If it's still a little tight, remove your quick-release skewer and use the lever it works! Check the tyre for any debris before fitting the new inner tube. Run your hands all the way round the inside of the wheel rim to feel for anything that may have pierced the casing such as a thorn or piece of glass, taking care not to cut your fingers. If you break a gear cable, it's most likely to be the rear one, in the lever itself or near the head-tube where most friction occurs. Remove your front derailleur cable and carefully thread it through the right lever (you'll probably have to twist it in the direction of the winding to stop the strands from fraying). Tie it using a square knot onto the cable attached to the rear mech, about halfway along the downtube. Before tying the knot, push the mech up onto the big cog. This will take up any slack when it's released though with a multi-tool you can take up the slack in the usual way. You can also immobilise the derailleur in a specific gear if all cable options are gone jam a twig or piece of debris in the parallelogram, after placing it into the desired gear.

24 If your front mech s inner cable breaks, find some wood to wedge between the bottom of the seat tube and inside edge of the front mech cage. Make it wide enough to hold the front mech open to the point where you run the middle ring, then simply zip-tie together. Brake lever pivots If one of these takes a suicide leap from your bike, find the lever in the bushes. Use a zip tie or a short piece of wire and thread one end through the hole. With the lever attached via the tie or wire, you can twist the two ends together and snip them off.

25 First, take the wheel and tire off to find the hole or rip. Depending on the size of the damage, you may be able to cover the hole to get you home. WHO NEEDS BIKE PATCHES! Step 1: Find an alternative patch Peal a sticker off your bike, water bottle or helmet. Step 2: Use this as your patch. Sand the hole, glue it and stick the patch on, apply pressure until dry and get yourself home

26 Step 1: Cut the tube at each end of the hole/slice. You can do this either with a blade or using a sharp chain ring on the bike. Step 2: Tie a knot at both ends making sure it s as tight as possible. Make sure you don t leave too much slack that you can t get the tube back on the wheel. Step 3: Pump some air before you put the wheel back on to test for leakage. Be patient as this may take a few goes. You could use zip ties to help make the seal more secure. Step 4: Stretch it over the wheel and pump to a low pressure, just enough to get you home and to not damage your wheel.

27 TUBELESS TIRE OR JUST TUBELESS! This is your last resort! Proven to work by my friends and I in Ireland while it was pouring with freezing rain. This is not pretty, but it will work, given a little time and patience. Make a tube Step 1: Grab piles of grass, leaves or anything soft around you. Step 2: Evenly pack the tire with as much as possible. Step 3: Once you can t pack any more, compress the tire with a short ride and continue the packing process. You will have to do this many times before the bike can be ridden and you may need to repeat the process on the way home. Be careful not to damage your wheel by cycling on the rim. My friends and I made it home after riding 10 miles. Not comfortable, but it works.

28 A broken derailleur is normally caused by a bent hanger forcing the derailleur into the spokes. If you are unable to bend it into place, then you have no option but to take it off and continue with single speed. Most likely your chain is bent and will need shortened. Step 1: Use your chain breaker to push the chain link at the start of the bent chain. DO NOT take the pin completely out. Only push the pin far enough so you can clip the chain apart, keeping the pin attached to one side of the link. Step 2: Take the chain off. Step 3: If the derailleur is damaged unscrew the gear cable and take the derailleur off. Secure the gear cable to the frame with a zip tie or duck tape. Step 4: Chose a light, comfortable gear that is easy to ride (e.g.- middle chain ring to middle cassette ring). Step 5: Measure the chain length by wrapping the chain around the chosen gear, using the pushed pin as the starting pin. Step 6: Shorten the chain to the correct length. Step 7: Hang the chain on the bottom bracket so it s loose. Connect the chain. If the link is stiff, bend it back and forth until it is loose.

29 Step 8: Reattach the chain to the chain-rings and adjust to give it tension. Remember: DON T USE YOUR GEARS.

30 Normally caused by a sharp rock, resulting in your tube popping out. It s unlikely you will be carrying a tire boot, so you will have to be creative. If you have dental floss you could stitch the gap. If not, you will have to patch it. A friend of mine once used an energy bar wrapper and some duck tape to hold it in place. I have also heard of money notes and race number plates being used. Remember it s just to get you home. Step 1: Find a patch strong enough to hold in the tube. Step 2: Use duck tape, glue etc to hold the patch in place. Step 3: Refit the tube and pump it slowly to a low pressure. Ride slowly and keep checking the repair.

31 Fix torn sidewalls, large punctures and little nagging leaks that can ruin your day - and your walletfix torn sidewalls, large punctures and little nagging leaks that can ruin your day - and your wallet Tubeless tires users who run liquid sealant can often run a tire until the tread is nearly burned off the carcass without suffering a flat. When something large enough to defeat the sealant slashes into the tire, however, the usual option is inserting a tube for the remainder of the crippled tire's life. The thought of slugging around with a tube in my tubeless is almost worse than throwing away a nearly new, 60-dollar tire just because it has a sidewall rip. Luckily, there are ways to successfully repair fairly large holes and tears in tubeless tires. Armed with this week's Tech Tuesday and a little sleuthing at an auto parts store, you should be able to repair substantial damage to your tires and return them to service.

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37 Should You Accidentally Poke Your Tire With a Knife...

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39 Sidewall Slashes, They're the Worst

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41 Before you start this job it is important to figure out what make of chain you have on your bike. If you have a Shimano chain on your bike you'll either have to reconnect it by using another company's reusable link, or by inserting one of Shimano's new pins. If you do not have either of those items you can still follow the steps below in order to get your bike back on the trail and yourself out of the bush, but be sure to be careful as the new connection will not be as strong as if you had used the new pin and could fail. I would recommend taking it to your local shop to have them fix it before you hit the trails again. There are a number of reasons why your chain could have broken and there are many riders out there who swear by one brand over another. The truth is that any and all chains can break, but there is always a good reason for it. The causes could range from a bad shift under load that caused an outer plate to separate from the pin, large amounts of wear, or even incorrect installation in the first place. Despite a lot of riders insistence that it must be down to their leg strength, this is never the case as there is always an underlying cause. The chain may have broken while you were practicing your gate starts, but your meager amount of ponies wasn't the root cause of the problem! 1. The first thing to do is to remove the broken chain from your bike. This will make it much easier to remove the damaged links and check for any others that may be twisted and cause your bike to skip under load. When you look at the breaking point on the chain you may see a number of different things. Depending on how the chain snapped, you may be left with any number of combinations of male (inner links) and female (outer plates), but to put it back together without using a replaceable link you'll need to use your chain tool and make one end a male end and the other a female end.

42 2. Now lets start by removing the damaged pieces. Some chain tools feature two different slots to put the chain in. The inner most position is strictly for fixing stiff links that may arise after you fix the chain, but you'll only ever use the outermost position to install or remove links. If your chain tool only has one position then you don't have to worry about this. One more thing to note is that some chain tools use a threaded dial to fit different width chains. If this is the case with your tool, simply turn the dial in after you've placed your chain in the slot. This will hold it in place as you work on it. As you are doing this, you'll only want to remove the damaged pieces in order to keep the chain as close to its proper length as possible. In order to produce a male end (inner link) simply push the chain pin completely through and out the opposite side. The outer plates will fall away and you'll be left with only the inner link. Take care not to let the roller (round piece that can be found between the two inner plates) fall out as they sometimes are prone to doing so.

43 3. The next step is to make a female (two outer plates) end on the opposite end of the chain. This is the tricky part. Once again, put the chain in your tool's outermost position and make sure that the tool's pin is perfectly lined up with the chain pin. Begin to push the pin, but the key is to stop before it is completely through. The goal is to push it out far enough to allow you to remove the damaged bits, and if done right you'll have to flex the two pieces to snap them apart. Once apart, you should have close to a millimeter of the pin protruding towards the inside of the female outer plates. If you happen to accidentally push the pin all the way out, you'll have to restart on a new section of chain as it's not recommended to try and reinstall the wayward pin. Leaving the chain pin protruding slightly to the inside will also make it much easier to join the chain once it's on your bike, as it will snap together and you won't have to hold it.

44 4. Now you're ready to reinstall the chain onto your bike. In order to have the least amount of chain tension to make it easier on yourself, shift your rear derailleur to the smallest cog position and your front derailleur (if you have one) to the smallest ring position. Feed the chain through on the route that it would normally take, but be sure to have the pin that you just pushed mostly out facing to the outside of the bike so it is easier to work with. 5. Join the two ends of the chain together. If you've pushed the pin on the female end just the right amount, you should be able to snap it together and not have to hold it from coming apart. If not, you'll struggle to keep it from springing apart as you use the chain tool to push the pin through. One trick is to take a 4" section of old spoke and bend it into a "C" shape, using each end to hold the chain together. Before you begin to push the pin back into the chain, take a few seconds to make sure that everything is lined up. If the chain pin is not lined up perfectly with the holes in the outer plates, it will damage them as it passes through and the chain will not be safe to ride. When you're happy that everything is lined up, begin pushing the chain pin through until there is an equal amount protruding on either side of the outer plates. Depending on your chain, the ends of the pin may be very close to flush with the outer plates. The important part is that both sides are equal. Inspect the new joint carefully for any damage to the chain such as plates that were bent out during installation.

45 6. There is a good chance that the chain does not rotate freely at the new joint. This is because the outer plates have been squeezed together in the chain tool as you pushed the pin through. You can easily spot a stiff link when pedaling backwards and watching it go through the rear derailleur's pulley wheels. There are two ways to deal with this, you can use your hands or use your chain tool to fix it. I prefer to simply use my hands. Place one hand on each side of the chain with your thumbs close to the stiff link. Using some effort, flex the chain side to side directly at the offending link. It should only take one or two tries until the new joint turns freely. The alternative method is to use the innermost position on your chain tool to give the pin at the stiff link only the slightest nudge. This is also an effective method of freeing up the stiff link.

46 7. Before you jump on your machine and start sprinting away, always check to make sure that you've done the job correctly. There should be no bowing or cracking of the outer plates at the new joint. Run through your gears and take a few cautious pedals before going out and wheelie dropping off your balcony! Keep in mind that you've removed chain links and the chain is now shorter than it was before you broke it. If the chain was already at just the right length, it may be too short now when in the bigger cogs. Be very careful otherwise you'll end up installing a new rear derailleur and hanger!

47 Before you begin adjusting things it is important to be sure that all of your shifting components are in good working order. You could spend the next hour following these instructions, but it will be of no use if you're using bent, damaged, or worn out parts. Take a few minutes to be sure that both your derailleur and derailleur hanger are straight. Do this by standing directly behind your bike and sighting up through your derailleur, everything should be straight and in line. Also, your chain should not be completely worn out and dry, as this will have a detrimental effect on your shifting as well. Likewise, if your cable is rusty and not moving free, all your efforts will be wasted. Once you're happy that everything is in good condition move on to the steps below. You'll be adjusting three settings during this process: cable tension, limit screws, and B-tension. Cable Tension It is exactly as it sounds. The amount of tension on the shift cable controls how much the derailleur moves with each click of the shifter. Too much tension and it will shift past the correct cog as you shift to an easier gear, as well as shift slow in the opposite direction. Too little tension and it will shift slow, or not at all, to a bigger cog, and move too far as you come down to a harder gear. The correct amount of cable tension is a balance that moves the chain up and down over your cassette at just the right amount. Limit Screws Think of your limit screws as your derailleur's adjustable stops. They only effect the amount that the derailleur is allowed to move at each extreme of its travel. There are two limit screws, one for the low range (easiest gearing) and one for the high range (hardest gearing), and are labeled accordingly with "H" being for High and "L" for low. The further you dial in the "high" limit screw, the less range your derailleur will have at the high range. If you find that your derailleur is shifting over the top of the largest cog, you'll need to apply more "low" limit until it no longer over shifts. If your shifting is good throughout the middle of your cassette, but is not able to shift to the largest cog, you may have dialed in too much limit. The same applies to the high limit adjustment. If you manage to bend your derailleur or derailleur hanger after you make these adjustments, they will no longer be effective.

48 B Tension Screw This lesser known screw adjusts how close the derailleur's upper pulley wheel follows the cassette. If it is too close, the upper pulley and chain will come in contact with the cassette, especially when back pedaling. Too far away and your shifting will be slower than you may like. Certain derailleurs will need more B Tension screw applied to keep them from bumping on large 32 or 34 tooth cogs found on some mountain bike cassettes. 1. For this process we are going to start from scratch. If your shifting is only slightly out of adjustment you may not need to start from the very beginning. Begin by shifting your SRAM rear derailleur to the smallest cog (least amount of cable tension) and then undo the derailleur's cable anchor bolt in order to release all cable tension. The cable should now be free and have no effect on the shifting. Take note of where the shift cable is clamped in relation to the bolt before you loosen it. Is there a channel or groove where the cable is intended to be clamped? You'll need to know this when the time comes to re clamp the cable.

49 2. We are going to start by setting the high limit screw to the correct position. This is an important step as some of your other adjustments will be affected by this as well. If your high limit is off, there is a good chance the rest of your adjustments will be as well. To do this, manually move the derailleur with your hand by pushing on the knuckle (not the cage!) and moving the chain up the cassette just as you would if you were shifting to an easier gear. Next, slowly release it and let it come down under it's own spring tension. It should move the chain onto the smallest cog with no hesitation, but at the same time it should not let it go past the cog and and make contact with the frame. Sight from directly behind the smallest cog, the upper pulley wheel and chain should be directly in line with the teeth for the cog. 3. If it is shifting too far and the chain and upper pulley wheel are not lined up with the small cog, or the chain is coming right off and making contact with the frame, you'll need to add more high limit. Turn the high limit screw clockwise half a turn or less and then recheck. Likewise, if the chain is not coming down onto the smallest cog, or hesitating slightly before it does, you'll need to dial out the high limit screw a small amount to let the derailleur have more range. 4. The next step is to correctly adjust your derailleur's low limit screw. This adjustment keeps your rear derailleur from shifting the chain up and over the largest cog and into the spokes. With the shift cable still loose and not clamped down, push gently on the derailleur body (not the cage!) in order to move the chain up to the largest cog just as it would if you were shifting to an easier gear. Do this slowly as if your low limit is not adjusted correctly it will over shift and possibly damage your drive side spokes. You should be able to push the the derailleur body until the chain is on the largest cog. If it doesn't have enough free movement to reach the largest cog, or is doing it slowly, you'll need to dial out the low limit screw by turning it counter clockwise a small amount. If it moves the chain up and over the cog and into the spokes, you'll need to add more low limit by turning the screw clockwise. You should be able to move the derailleur and chain up to the largest cog and feel a firm stop. Again, when sighting from behind, the upper pulley wheel and chain should be directly lined up with the teeth on the largest cog.

50 5. Now it is time to re clamp your shift cable, but first you should make sure that it is moving free through your shift housing. To do this shift as if you were shifting to the largest cog/easiest gear. Now hold onto the cable end with your hand and shift back down one click at a time. The cable should move freely and not bind at any point. If it does you'll need to replace your cable before continuing. If you are happy with it then move on to the next step. 6. It is very important to make sure that the derailleur and chain are in the smallest cog/hardest gear position before you re clamp your shift cable. Also, be sure to take note of where exactly the cable is supposed to be clamped. Certain models of derailleurs may need to have the cable clamped in different positions. Have a close look and you should be able to see a channel or knurled surface that defines the clamping area. If you position the cable in the wrong spot it will not shift correctly as the cable pull ratio will be off. Before clamping the cable, have the barrel adjuster at the shifter dialed two turns out from full in. With the derailleur in this position, pull the shift cable snug with your hand and clamp it in the correct position under the cable anchor bolt. When doing this be sure to pull all of the slack out of the cable. With practice you'll be able to know just how hard to tug on the cable so that you won't have to make drastic, if any, tension adjustments after it's clamped.

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52 7. Now you're ready to check your shifting and see if any adjustments are needed. While pedaling shift the rear derailleur up one gear at a time towards the largest cog/easiest gear. If it's adjusted correctly, one click of the shifter will move the chain up to the next cog without hesitation and without it over shifting to the next cog. When checking your shifting be sure to shift one gear at a time as it can become confusing if it's out of adjustment and you're doing multiple jumps. The first couple of tries may result in not enough tension, with the symptom being that the derailleur is not able to move enough to bring the chain up to the next largest cog. If this is the case, you'll need to add more tension by dialing the barrel adjuster at the shifter out/counter clockwise. Only turn this adjuster 1/8 to 1/4 turn at each go and then recheck. If you find that it is over shifting and moving the chain too far, you'll need to remove some tension. Do this by dialing the barrel adjuster in/clockwise 1/8 to 1/4 turn and then recheck. Another technique to fine tune your shifting is simply to listen to it. A rear derailleur that is out of adjustment will "tick tick tick" as you pedal, while a properly adjusted one should be nearly silent.

53 8. Before taking your bike off the stand the last thing to check is the B-Tension screw adjustment. To check this, shift your bike to the largest cog/easiest gear, and pedal forwards and in reverse. The derailleur's upper pulley and chain should not come in contact with the large cog, but be roughly within 5-6 mm of it. If you find that it is rubbing you'll need to add more B-Tension, do this by dialing the screw in/clockwise three to four turns. If it is too far away, your shifting may be slower than it needs to be. If it is too close you could damage the upper pulley wheel as well as not be able to pedal backwards or freewheel correctly. 9. Once you are happy with how your bike is shifting while on the rack be sure to take it for a spin outside before heading up to the mountain. The drive train may react differently during riding because it is under far more load when pedaling with your legs than it was in the rack. You may need to make further adjustments to have it perform optimally, but by using the steps above you should be able to dial it in to perfection.

54 When freehub bodies fail, the cassette will have no ability to drive you forward. You can fix the cassette to the drive side spokes in the rear wheel by attaching a zip tie to the spokes and holes in the cassette sprockets. Pedal carefully to avoid breaking your fix, though. Headset Stacked Spacer You can add to the total stack height of your headset spacers by wrapping a single zip tie around the steerer tube

55 You can store a few useful odds and ends inside your seat post tube. Popular stash items are a few zip ties, your address, a plaster, a split magic chain link, a cleat bolt and a glueless puncture patch. You can pick and choose what you think you ll need, although all of this is so light that you won t notice it, and it shouldn t rattle around. Use a whittled-down cork as a bung to keep the items secure.

56 Back in 1958, engineers Robert Thomas and Hobart Betts invented the Ty-Rap for securing aircraft cabling, and the zip tie (or cable tie or whatever you want to call it) has gone on to dominate everything from bodging to kidnapping. But did you know you don t have to cut them off? Pull the loose end right over and slide a thumbnail in to push the ratchet away and it ll slide apart. Lamp posts, telephone poles and so on are a great free source!

57 At some point in my formative years, I heard someone say, "If you have duct tape, it ain't broke." THE END!