Mechanics and Fixing Any Questions Answered

25.4 bars and a 26.0mm stem. Have not tried riding the bike yet but bars seems quite well held in place. The stem doesn’t feel like an area you’d particularly want to bodge though.

Should I;
A. Leave it, it’s fine
B. Shim it with a Coke can
C. Buy a £9 Nitto shim
D. Buy a 25.4 clamp stem
E. Instagram story feat. Beer can shim

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I’m not a mechanic but I’d be A then D if any issues.

Are you sure that stem is a 26 clamp tho? I got two of those stems. If you google them they seem to be advertised under both diameters. And also 25.8. So who knows.

I t think it’s fine - cos that’s a steel stem.

Test if they’ll move by leaning your body weight on the bars

Crack open a beer, or soft drink, or instagram drink.
Spend 17 minutes making perfect story on insta of you drinking the can in the sun.
Cut can into shim and insert in the gap.
Marvel at the zero creek noises.

Just searched my emails and the 2013 Planet X receipt was for a 26.0 clamp. Would be quite happy to keep this stem on there as the Columbus logo matches the frame. Otherwise I might have to shell out for a Nitto one to match the seatpost/bars

Option E now added to OP and in the lead

Deffo E.

F. Buy a $5,000 CNC machine, a posh camera and lighting set, oh and don't forget the Coke can, and become a YouTube phenomenon.

Just do it up tight and go for a ride in the park and see. It shouldn’t really be a death scenario.

After some advice.
Came flying off this bike yesterday due to the wheel slipping and hitting the frame.
Sourced some new QR axles today, but the same is happening again.
Is there a straight forward solution to this?
I have tried tightening QR as much as possible without the threat of it snapping under any pressure.

Cheers.

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put the qr through the hole at the back of the dropout rather than in the front part?

Is that a plastic QR nut?

Don't think it would fit with current rear hub.

@PhilDAS inner part touching the frame is metal with teeth.

Make sure that the hub is not protruding through the drop out. If this is the case the qr is clamping on the hub and not the drop out.

Quick fix, file some of the hub away.

Good tip, although the hub does seem to be resting nicely on the dropouts and not coming through at all.

Try without the QR volute springs. The rear axle might be long enough that your QR skewer nut is tightening against the compressed volute spring and axle end, rather than against the dropout.

Unfortunately even without springs, it stills continues to slip.
Is this a job for a chain tensioner like the surly Hurdy Gurdy, or would that not help?

Is this a job for a chain tensioner like the surly Hurdy Gurdy, or would that not help?

Unlikely to help you need to find out why it is not gripping

Open to more suggestions as to what the issue could be, or even better, what the solution could be.

Open to more suggestions as to what the issue could be, or even better, what the solution could be

I would investigate the hub again, ensuring that there is sufficient clearance for when the qr is tightened

Having done this myself....Long shot but you haven’t stripped the hub recently and rebuilt it with the knurled washer the wrong way round?

As well as what other people have said,

Clean the qr and all hub / dropout surfaces. And actually do it up tight asf, if you can close it with your hand it’s not going to snap. - also try and go with a decent closed cam QR - ie from shimano. They are better, or so I’ve read from various sources.

I'd have said this was ok for dropouts?

P.s. ignore the colour of chain. It's an old bike, currently getting done up.

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Looks ok to me - is that with the locknut flush against the inside of the dropout?

Yep.