Mechanics and Fixing Any Questions Answered

Ok, well, I've a packet now so I guess I'll find out. How long are we talking between application and fail?

Now long is a bit of string? At low pressures in the summer a few hours of riding, higher pressures winter? Just long enough to have forgotten you’d used one! Having said that I’m still using a tube with one on after a few years of commuting. It’s moved, but is still holding on.
Just have a look on a review site and the first one says
you’d be better off dipping a tissue in honey

Well you were the one that said they eventually failed. Are we talking hours, days, weeks, months, years later?

I've found the Park ones to be a bit sketch in hot weather too (and damp forests, waves at McKenzie Pass though that ended up being a rim tape issue)

Yeah, they fail in hot weather, possibly due to the glue instead of vulcanizing solution used in traditional patches.

Yeah for sure. The Park ones also seem to have a limited life in this pissingwetchillyass country too though. Most of mine have eventually blistered and cracked through and had to be replaced with a proper patch. Still, the convenience of them means I'll keep using them on the road for the most part.

Within the week. Hot day mtb hours at best. Your mileage may vary.
The PT ones are as you say a bit twitchy in the heat at road pressure, but seem fine at the new standards. The slims are the opposite.

A bit of white spirit gets temp patches off quick as, so you can replace them with proper patches later.

So, I should be fine in Seville, where it's checks notes 38C in the shade.

Are Hunt hubs proprietary or could I find other brands of end caps that might work with them?

Need some Shimano HG end caps for a 650B Mason x Hunt rear wheel
https://www.huntbikewheels.com/products/hunt-650b-adventure-sport-disc-wheelset

Any other brands I could search for? Novatec or something?

Some of them are wheelsmith maybe, although that's always sounded rebranded to me, more deets on the model would be useful, they've used more than one supplier in the past.

Hiya, have got some cheap single speed wheels for an old Concorde frame, and the axle is too big for the front dropouts. Loads of info online about filing down dropouts to widen, but my first thought was to do the opposite and file down the axle a bit (prob cos I care less about the cheap wheels). Think I only need to flatspot the threads on opposite sides.

Doesn't seem to be any info online about this which suggests that it would be a very bad idea....??

Thanks in advance for any wisdom

Loads of info online about filing down dropouts to widen, but my first thought was to do the opposite...Thanks in advance for any wisdom

Wisdom of crowds not good enough for you? 🙂

First thing to do is measure. The Concorde should be 9mm, dropouts can close up from having the bike set on them with no wheel in place. Make sure they're a clear 9mm all the way, otherwise file them until they are so that any 9mm wheel will fit.

Axles might be 3/8" if they're horrible cheap wheels, if they are then they're not going to fit 9mm dropouts and you shouldn't enlarge the dropouts to fit. In this case, your first thought is actually the correct third thought - file flats on the axles to make them 9mm. Make sure your clock the flats identically on both sides.

My understanding is that they use Bitex hubs.

What do we reckon went wrong here, squad?

Was just riding along™ and went down a hill, applied the brakes and heard a loud crack.

20" wheel on an urban arrow cargo bike (loaded with 40kg). Wasn't going at a crazy speed at all.

I mean my best guess is that these hubs just aren't rated for this kind of load especially with how the flange seems to have sheared off the rotor side.

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They're often hubsmith. Which aren't as good. Superficially look similar but they're cheaper.

Was just riding along™ and went down a hill, applied the brakes and heard a loud crack.

20" wheel on an urban arrow cargo bike (loaded with 40kg). Wasn't going at a crazy speed at all.

And was this the hubs maiden voyage? How old is it? I imagine it has been subjected to a lot of use and abuse in its life. If not could be a faulty part.

Have seen a couple Rohloff flange breaks on those bikes as well.

Have seen a couple Rohloff flange breaks on those bikes as well.

First crack is the hub breaking, second crack is the owner fainting when they see their totalled Rohloff hub.

And was this the hubs maiden voyage? How old is it? I imagine it has been subjected to a lot of use and abuse in its life. If not could be a faulty part.

Certainly not. I don't have a mileage guesstimate but it'll be a few thousand miles for sure.

Thankfully the rohloff is OK. For now.

What do we reckon went wrong here, squad?

The usual mix of things. A bit of fatigue, a bit of stress corrosion cracking, a generous helping of that's effectively a fucking huge brake for a bicycle at I'm guessing ~40% of the tyre rolling diameter it's equivalent to running a 300mm rotor on a 29er. On a normal solo that's moot because you endo before you can use all the brake, but on a cargo bike with the front wheel much further forward of the centre of gravity, you can brake up to the limit of traction.

Yeah I have seen those hubs last for years on these exact bikes. But nothing lasts forever and if the spokes (replaced when they break anyway) or rim don’t go the hub will eventually.

Usually with lesser quality hubs the bearings go first and get trashed / the wheel gets rebuilt with a new hub. Maybe that is favourable failure to bearings that keep going and going until the flange itself breaks.

I used to work as a mech at PM and imo the VIA were the best front hubs (for bearing life), this is the first one I’ve seen fail, and it’s in quite a catastrophic way 😅

are there any campag whisperers in south london? i am failing to put my shifter back together , it looks simple but i don’t want to brake it trying anymore myself.

LBS found an end cap that works so we're good now. Thanks.

Rohan at Doctor D - http://doctord.co.uk/ - would be my first port of call. If he can't help, he'll be able to recommend someone who can.

thank you. Ps, the studs came, thank you very much!!!

Hi all, re-using an original shimano down tube clamp to hold a shifter cable boss.

The original lever bolts fit but look cludgy when used to retain the shifter cable boss.

Tried flange head M4 and M5 bolts but one is too narrow, the other too wide. Expect original is an imperial bolt as it measures 4.3mm at widest point. Does anyone know if there is an imperial standard used as keen to hold it in place with a dome head bolt that will sit tighter to boss mount guide & cover.

Cheers

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