Mechanics and Fixing Any Questions Answered

Have you tried hairspray and some twisting?

Anyone seen this before? I know there's been some Bitex hub chat recently.

This Bitex hub has only done 700-1000 km. Entire freehub assembly moving inboard/outboard by 2mm. What is causing this, and what's the solution?

The axle bearings have also developed slight play, i.e. I can wobble the rim sideways for a little clink/clunk.

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Cone/lock nuts that hold the freehub to the axle will have backed out from underneath the freehub itself. Don't know that hub exactly but usually have to take cass off, then adjust and lock off the nut under there. Sometimes there is a nut and a lock nut (cone hub style), and other times its one nut on the end of an axle tha tyou have to put a big allen key in from the other end. Just had a new style fulcrum wheel where there is no way of holding the axle as you loosen/tigthen the freehub retaining nut, had to use a suspension fork/ tube clamp. Normally there is an allen key inside or a cone spanner on the outside of the axle kind of an affair.

box style handlebar grips

Not sure what this is. Photo? With those big long foam grip guys, either yeah poundland hairspray and be quick, some light contact adhesive and be quick, compressed air. Combination of the above. When you get the right solution they just glide on, then set solid and only way to get them off is to cut them off

Hairspray and hot water

It could be the freehub spacer missing. Or a cassette spacer missing. Or the end caps not being tight enough.

I forgot to mention that the cassette is nice and tight, and no play between cassette sprockets. But I'll check the end caps or freehub spacer (not totally sure where that goes, if it's not a cassette spacer).

Thanks for this. I'll do some surgery and have a look for a way to tighten it up.

Behind the freehub if it's the hub I'm thinking. Just a small metal cilinder to stop the freehub contacting the hub.

@snottyotter @Netakure cheers, sounds like faff that I don’t need so going to just hold out for Shimano or not bother replacing what I already have…

I was thinking I wanted 165mm external bb cranks as I got tired of square taper track cranks creaking and fitted some 105s that I had kicking about to my fixed bike as an experiment to see how the chainline was, its fine but they are 172.5 and I was a bit worried about them being so long but having done a decent run on them today I’m thinking it’s not such a problem really.

There was a couple sets of 165mm FSA cranks on eBay that we’re looking cheap but they ended up going up at the end of the auction anyway.

TLDR: thought I needed 165s, probably happy with the 172.5s I have.

I'm cobbling together a flat bar 'touring' bike out of my parts bin and am getting stuck/frustrated/confused with compatability. So, hive mind, what front mech do I need/can get away with? I cannot emphasise enough that cost is a factor here!

I have a 3x9 Altus trigger shifter up front. I also have an old Sora triple crankset (50-something to 32). Obviously I suck at reading the Shimano compatability chart, because I can't work out which 3x9 FD would work.

Minor point, am I likely to easily find a cheap MTB(?) FD that can clear a 50ish tooth big ring?

Thanks!

Best front mechs are the recent side swing jobs. There are some 9, 10 and 11 speed ones. Think the latter two use dyna sys cable pull ratio though.

There will be claris/sora 8 and sora 9 triple front mechs floating around people's parts bin. Most mtb mechs get weird if you put more than 46t under them, but still mostly do the job, just not well. I think there was an LX triple conventional fd that went upto 48t in around 2005 /12 sort of era, no idea on its code though

Thanks, that's super helpful.

I think it might be worth trying to find a cheapish crankset that's more suitable, rather than trying to bodge a road crankset under a MTB derailleur.

Orrrr.... do I stick the road crankset and front mech back on (so I know the mech will take the rings) and go for a friction shifter thumbie? Seems like the cheapest/easiest/most compatible option available.

I think?

I would suggest this option. Especially for low cost.

I'd try the road mech and the current trigger shifter first, you may get lucky.

I've lost the spring on the barrel adjuster for a rear Shimano 105 Derailleur.

Does anyone know if a spring from a Sram derailleur will work?

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its just a spring, if it fits it will do the job

That's a VERY common (generic to Shimano) part, your LBS will be sure to have a used one you can have.

Thanks @Dogtemple and @The.Gren!

I'm setting this mech up with a 32 front ring
Says it can handle 36t at the back. Could I push this to 40 without to much fuss (without a hanger extender)?
https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/component/deorext-m780/RD-M786-SGS.html

Probably but might depend on the bike.

Oooo I would like to know the answer to this too. Out of interest why does it depend on the bike @snottyotter? Does derailer hanger position vary?

It can do a bit, yeah.

Centre lock rotor shims then ? Who uses them and where did you get them from? Syntace says the web but non available anywhere.