I really hate bicycle repair work. My son's bike was broken. One of the pedals had broken of.
And that seems a simple fix. Screw out the remaining axle nub and screw in a replacement.
But it was stuck. I used penetration oil. And heat. Couldn't get it lose.
Oh, well. I have another VanMoof for parts. I'll replace the complete crank and front cog.
Couldn't get it lose. Again. Bought a crank puller. Still no dice.
Fuck it. I have long covid. This is costing me to much energy. I'll take it to a bicycle repair shop.
There is one in walking distance.
They are to busy, please make an appointment on the website.
I can't figure where on the website.
Just write a mail.
No reaction.
I am calling them and when it says press 2 to make an appointment.
I press 2.
The connection gets cut.
Fuck it. I just drill out the axle. It's a pain. But I did it before, well sort of
Two days later I have a hole where the axle used to be. But the aluminium aloy has completely melted into the groove of the crank. No way I am getting that to an usable state.
Fuck it. Admitting defeat I combine the wheels, tires and mudgards with the other frame.
I hate VanMoof.
Know to find someone that can replace those cranks on the frame. So I can have two whole bikes again
#BikeRepair
Does someone knows the name of this kind of bolt and how to lose it ?
I have to go hardware store again. It's energy sucking... It's that bike again.
Protip: when replacing a wheel after a tyre or tube change, align the tyre so that the pressure info is above the valve. If you're getting someone else to work on your tyre or tube, ask them to do this!
It seems so obvious, but it's not standard practice. It just makes it so easier to find the recommended pressure when someone brings their bike in for an air top up.
Happy news, I often struggle with the narrow tyres, like the 25cs or Marathon Pluses, and usually need my boss to help, but I did several tube replacements yesterday without help!
#bikemekanik #cycling #biketips #bikerepair #bikemechanic #punctures #bikes
An unexpected change of the weather during a two day bike trip made that my "good weather road bike" had to undergo an utterly unplanned 60 km ride in the rain (it's owner, too).
Not only the brake pads needed cleaning: all of the bike had accumulated a lot of muck. This makes me think how to build a bad-weather road bike, fenders and all.
The brakes appear to be especially vulnerable. Maybe I should build a new one with disk-brakes.
Any opinions on that?
#BicycleCoalitionOfMaine - Fix-A-Bike - #KitteryME
May 1 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
"Be your own mechanic! Learn how to maintain your bike, fix a flat, pump up a tire, change a chain or cable, make shifting adjustments, and more in a hands-on learning experience. Please bring your bike and be willing to get their hands dirty. Class may take place outside, weather permitting."
Thursday, May 1, 5:00-7:00 pm
Registration Fee: Free, prior registration required, class limited to 15
Traip Academy
12 Williams Ave.
KITTERY, ME 03904
Register here:
https://kittery.maineadulted.org/course/fix-a-bike/
#ReuseRepair #SolarPunkSunday
#BicycleRepair #BicycleMaintenance #DIY #Bikes #BikeTooters #BikeRepair
#RightToRepair #ReuseRepairRecycle #TraipAcademy
#BicycleCoalitionOfMaine - Fix-A-Bike - #BangorME
April 29 @ 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
"Be your own mechanic! The Bicycle Coalition of Maine will provide the tools and instruction for this workshop. Learn how to maintain your bike, fix a flat, pump up a tire, change a chain or cable, make shifting adjustments, and more in a hands-on learning experience. This 2-hour-long workshop will take place outdoors. If the weather is inclement, it will take place in the Atrium.
"Bring your own bike, helmet, and any tools you have you’d like to practice using.
"Registration required."
https://www.bikemaine.org/event/bcm-fix-a-bike-bangor-3/
#ReuseRepair #SolarPunkSunday
#BicycleRepair #BicycleMaintenance #BuildingCommunity #Bikes #BikeTooters #BikeRepair
#RightToRepair #ReuseRepairRecycle #BangorPublicLibrary
Ayayayayay, that explains the shavings on the side of the tyres 😅
Next chapter in the “bike shit breaking” series: the axle of my Shimano XT hub broke in half, only noticed when removing the wheel for transportation. Don’t even understand how it can break as it is not a load bearing component, only holds the bearings in place. It has done 12 000 km of light to moderate terrain of mountain biking. #cycling #bikeRepair
ahh, fresh chain smoke.
cold-brew.
shaken¹, not stirred.
#bikefixing #bikerepair #bikecare #bikerepair #cycling #repaircafé #mastobikes #fedibikes #bicycle #bike #bikeworkshop
@JosephMeyer not true! I teach beginners all the time how to true a simple steel spoke wheel. The basics are easy to learn: find the problem, quarter turn adjustment, repeat. Getting a wheel extremely true is not hard, merely a test of patience. The very first time I worked to true a wheel both laterally and radially down to 0.1mm (that's the thickness of one sheet of paper) only took me four hours; time well spent. #BikeRepair
Fine, purchased a spoke wrench from the LBS. Hopefully don't need a truing stand to fix the slight wobble in a wheel I have. Did you know there are eight million size of spoke wrench? I bought a circular one with every size, because I had no idea which one I needed. (minor... but it's bugging me). #BikeTooter #spokes #bikerepair #bicycling
1. C Bear.
It's like poetry, it rhymes.
2. My boss said I did a really good job on the bar tape yesterday! I studied from my homie #CalvinJones (did I tell you I've spoken to him? In person? I have, you know.).
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5MzIiv7pewE
I had my notes and screenshots all in my book this time (that Calvin signed).
So my studying paid off!
3. I got a £20 tip from a customer for PDI'ing their bikes.
Oh no, my 1970s #foldingbike seems to turn into a brake-in-half-bike soon.
Any recommondations? Just clean the area and MIG #weld it? Add some reinforcement?
We had a customer in who insisted he had to talk to the owner about the issues with his bike.
So when my boss came back from his break, I told him and he got really annoyed. The customer came back a little later, and told my boss the issues. My boss got really annoyed and said couldn't the customer tell me that himself? And he mentioned an incident with his previous mechanic in the old place. The customer insisted on making the boss come up for a second opinion because he didn't trust the (female) mechanic's quote. So my boss told him the exact same thing the mechanic told him, and added a tenner to the quote for wasting his time! 😆
So now I know my boss has hired at least two female mechanics before me (one of them was the lady with us at the bike show. I do wish my boss would tell me how he knows a person when he introduces them!).
You know, I've experienced general bullying, racial abuse and religious abuse, but the only time I've experienced overt #sexism is in my current industry.
In my previous job, I'd frequently be ignored by male customers who would walk past me and look for a man. Once, both I and a female colleague asked a customer if he needed help, he blanked up both, went to a male colleague and was promptly told, "ask one of the two ladies there."
Once I had a customer completely ignore me, then actually walk into the back room. I ran after him and told him he can't just walk into staff areas. He said he needed help. I said I asked you twice if you need help, I could have helped you. When he did eventually get the male member of staff he so desired, he decided to shout at him as well. "Why are you asking be what's wrong with my bike! You're paid to do it! Why don't you tell me!"
I bet when he goes to the doctor, he just sits there refusing to tell the doctor what's wrong.
Later I told one of my homies and he gave him a lecture, and when I said" yes, actually I'm a technician and I could help you if you didn't ignore me", he basically talked over me. I told him, "You're literally ignoring me when I'm talking to you!" He didn't learn. I think women are just invisible to him.
Once I was helping a male customer choose accessories as he was planning on starting to cycle to work. There was another male customer looking towards us. He then asked the CUSTOMER if he can help him. I said, he isn't staff. The second customer ignored me and again asked my customer for help. When the customer said he doesn't work there and that I'm the staff member, he walked off to the till to my male colleague.
Once I was actually building a bike, and a lady came up to the till area asking if someone can help her choose a bike. The supervisor was busy doing admin stuff on the till, so I got up and said I can help. The lady then said, I mean I need someone who knows about bikes.
I WAS LITERALLY BUILDING A BIKE FFS.
Instead I said, yes I know about bikes and went on to show her our range and help her choose the best bike for her. At the end, she's like, you really know a lot about bikes... but of course you do, you work here!
I'm used to men patronising me, but it was a bit weird getting sexism from a female customer. She was fine at the end though. So at least I got a teachable moment out of that.
There was an interview in the trade magazine where a female mechanic had a customer who expressed surprise at seeing a female mechanic. And she thought, he was going to say something about how it's a pleasant surprise or something, instead he said she should do the repair for free since she's a woman.
#bikemekanik #bikerepair #bikeindustry #sexismatwork #mechanics
Some other bicycle woes: the thread where the pedal goes in the crank of my partner's new bicycle is somehow stripped/damaged and the pedal now won't go in. I went ahead and ordered a socket wrench so I can disassemble it and see what kind of cranks the bike has. I've never changed a crank before!
Tried to fix up my wobbly cassette by tightening the lock ring but the lock ring was already as tight as it could be. When I disassembled the casette, the freehub had a little play. So, no fix yet ...
I saw another BB/crank spin video on here earlier, since I'm taking my bike apart to pack for travel thought id share mine. #biketoot #biketooter #bikemaintenance #bikerepair
L'auto-réparation, la convivialité et la vélonomie.
Le DIY chez MolemBike c'est tout ça et beaucoup encore... Merci à tous.tes les bénévoles qui contribuent à ce projet tous les mardis soir depuis 5 années !
