You are reading a single comment by @platypus and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
platypus
The rear derailleur works! As long as I don't shift too low. The big cogs all seem to want to kick the chain back down to a smaller one. I'm going to blame the lack of those little cable endy things that are meant to go into the cable guides. I only had two so some of the cable ends are just pushed into the guides I guess I can get them from the bike shop? I'll have to ask for little cable endy things. Do bike shops like it when you buy stupid tiny components from them or do they just consider you annoying? Should I just order them from somewhere? Can I make my own out of sugru or 3d printed ABS plastic? Answers on a post card.
Took me a while to get the gears sorted. First I didn't have the wheel properly mounted (the one thing that seems harder to do in a bike stand than if the bike is upside down) then I didn't have the jockey wheels properly tightened, then my ball headed allen key got stuck inside the bolt/axle holding one of the jockey wheels in somehow. It was pretty embarrassing but I persevered in the end to an extent.
Had a little go at putting the front rack on but I guess the vbrake studs are in place for a 26 rim and thus are too low for the fork mount. Having it mounted as in the pic below is not a good idea unless I find out we also have a CNC machine as well as a 3D printer in the office.
I could just mount a wald rack on the mid fork eyelets I guess. Bit annoying about this rack though. Also when i tighten the bolts my brakes stop working. Is there some technique to this? I put washers either side of the rack. It's a moot point seeing as I can't mount it on the fork crown but I still kind of want to know in the mean time. Not sure what to do with the rack. Might throw it at an enemy.
Rode the bike to work today though and I think...the bars aren't even. They're some cheapo ergotech ones I got from I think..ebay? Ages ago. but whilst riding they definitely seem skewed. I'll have to change them for some random wide riser bars I have kicking about. I would take a photo so you guys could judge but we all know the basic premise of this thread is that the photos are useless.
Other than the brakes not working, the gears not working, the steering not working and the front rack not working the bike is ready to go.