Mechanics and Fixing Any Questions Answered

Thanks very much for all the suggestions. I admit I have, in the five months or so that I've had this wheel (and I got it secondhand), never taken the hub apart. Have also slightly rounded the hub nut by trying to overtighten it thinking it was loose. @lynx only the drive side nut seems to have this issue, I can loosen it if the other one is done up tight, and the wheel spins absolutely fine; should I take the hub apart anyway?

@Chaley what's the issue with the Aerorages in particular that makes them do this?

IMO it’s none of the three things you mention. Rather just shitty threads on the axle and nut. And maybe wear to the knurling on the locknut.

Mavics do it a lot, American Classics are terrible for it though they have a slightly different, female axle/bolt set up.

New nuts might help, new axle and nuts and lock nuts probably the best way to sort it.

If you can figure out the axle thread diameter and pitch then you might be able to find an lbs with a die or just buy one off eBay. That and new nuts maybe the most cost effective?

100% it’s just the threads. It sounds like @youClown has the same use case as me. Thrash them to death. This is the replacement axle kit https://www.halowheels.com/shop/spares/hub-spares/tk-hub-120mm-axle-kit/ they are just M10 so a tap would be a cheap as chips. As are the nuts.
Why do they do this? I think it’s just we don’t look after them and well that’s the only reason. That and you always tighten the drive side nut a bit more than the non drive side.
Mavics are good because you can pop a hex key in the end of the axle to remove the nut.

Thanks - very reassuring. Mainly concerned with not being able to do roadside repairs but as long as it's just the drive side I'll content myself with just undoing that one first and replacing the axle and locknuts when the issue worsens.

@M_V likewise I thought it was an issue of the knurling wearing down!

+Chaley +youClown I have a spare 130 (yep!) which will also fit a 120mm sitting in the parts bin if you ever need an axle.

I'm thinking of converting my partners bike from drops to flats - it currently has 105 5800 with mechanical disc brakes.

Which flat bar levers and brakes will be compatible with the existing callipers and mechs?

Are there any other considerations I might be overlooking?

The geometry is: Seat Tube C-T 54cm / Top Tube 56.5cm / Head Tube 15.8cm

Cheers fella :)

Which flat bar levers and brakes will be compatible with the existing callipers and mechs?

https://productinfo.shimano.com/en/compatibility is your friend, but a slightly awkward one.

SL-RS700 shifters and BL-R780 levers seems to be the approved combo for flatbarring a bike otherwise equipped with 5800

Is there any reason why I shouldn’t use a Hope Head Doctor in a carbon steerer with an alloy sleeve in it (ie one that would usually take a star nut rather than a compression plug)?

Is there any reason

No

Do you guys service your external bb's? This is what my Shimano one looked like... No grease at all anymore...

1 Attachment

Never, the cost of servicing it outweight the cost of replacing it.

Servicing it may not restore it fully as there's an increase likelihood of developing a play.

Do you guys service your external bb's?

1 Attachment

Quick smear of grease will definitely sort that one out...

Being a complete clown I seem to have mistakenly bought flat mount juin tech brakes for a bike that uses post mount brakes.

The good news is I think flat mount brakes can be made to work with post mount bikes with adapters. Obviously first preference would be to just use the right calipers in the first place, but there we are. Does anyone have any recommendations and other bits of input about sourcing adapters? I have found a product by wolf tooth that looks promising.

Livid with myself for not making sure what kind of brakes the bike was specced with, lesson learned.

oh and accordin to https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/a-flat-mount-disc-caliper-on-a-post-mount-frame-theres-an-adapter-for-that I'd also need to swap the 160mm rotors for 180mm ones because the adapters increase the requirement by 20mm.

might just sell the calipers tbh.

Do you guys service your external bb's?

I have done but,

a) as others have said, they’re so cheap it ain’t worth it.
b) I’d have said the ‘saving that’ boat sailed a fair few river crossings ago on that one.

Yes I understand that this one is far gone and also understand that for bike shops it's cheaper to replace the whole BB.
But still if I would've put some grease under that seal a few months ago to keep the water out it would probably be still alive now.

Nah, just get a new one, the seals/tophat spacers aren't really designed to be removed and reinstalled so there's a reasonable chance you'll break them trying. If you want to service things you could get a wheelsmfg or similar with replaceable bearings, but even then that servicing should be replacing the bearings. You could avoid getting water in them in the first place by not washing or riding your bikes, mine last ages and I don't do either.

Are bike shops in a place where I take in a bike and a new groupset I bought online and just say " I will pay you to remove that SRAM shite and make it rain Shimano" and everybody is cool like Fonzi?

Can bike shops bring in full Shimano groupsets?

Nah, bad etiquette unless you know the shop well and it's not available.

Do: Bring cookies, bread, baked goods, beers etc. Keep them sweet.

Don't: Say how much less you got the groupset for, that's the main reason why bike shops fold.

Yeah, what makes you think otherwise?

Every local that I've asked about bringing in anything, including components, has stated month long minimum waits plus shipping charges over and above. That's for one thing; they'd laugh me out of the shop if I requested an entire groupset.

Thought that might still be the case. Looks like I'm buying a bleed kit.