Mechanics and Fixing Any Questions Answered

How the hell has she done this?!

I think the pictures tell the story - the chain seems to have been pulled out of position during a multiple shift to a much smaller cog, and then the missing part of the cage got ripped out. Somewhat surprising though, maybe there was a manufacturing defect in the cage, at the lower point of the missing bit?

Freewheel cassette tool question. I’m trying to remove a Shimano MF HG20 freewheel and swap for the freshly arrived Sunrace MF M300 with my normal cassette tool I’ve always used for disc rotors/cassettes from shimano.

Is there a specific tool I’m needing here, are there variants of the 12 spline tool?
It appears to be the standard 12 spline to remove both but it won’t quite fit on either

There's a Shimano freewheel tool you want for the freewheels instead of the cassette tool for the cassettes, it's deeper with thicker splines.

are there variants of the 12 spline tool?

Yes, the freewheel tool has a smaller OD although the minor diameter is the same as the cassette lock ring tool. I suspect the splines were made deeper when aluminium lockrings started to appear. It's a small difference, but an important one when you can't get your lockring tool into a freewheel body 🙂

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You can temporarily bodge a freewheel tool in a cassette lockring with some force if you're stuck and want a new tool soon, tends to be too shallow for the locknuts the other way round, but if you can remove them you'd probably succeed in removal of freewheel or splines.

I just recently removed a Shimano freewheel with a spare cassette tool - I just ground down the last couple mm a tad until I could hammer it in, and held it there with the wheelnut. Worked fine, still good for cassettes too I bet, since it'll insert past the tickled bit

Thanks all, new tool promptly ordered and fitted spot on. Still needed the time honoured trinity of penetrating oil, small blow torch and a breaker bar to remove the old one!

My friend has had her handlebars and shifters stolen. I can help replace those, but annoyingly they've also taken the compression ring and cover, and I know very little about headsets.
The bike is a 2018 Cube Cross Race

It seems to be a weird mixture of cartridge bearing bottom and cup and cone on top.
I think this is the replacement part from Cube - link

Does anyone know if the replacement parts can be found easily or does it need to be a whole new headset? Are there any cheaper alternatives to the Cube part linked above, if indeed that is the correct headset?

Cheers 🙏

Edit: now that I've had a closer look. The headset on the Cube website does not have the cup and cone style bearing in my pictures. What is this odd headset?!

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May as well replace the whole top unit for a cartridge type. At least then you'll be sure it all fits together nicely.

Yes, could do - did not know that was an option.
I can’t tell if this black bit (the upper race?) is part of the headset or frame. Can I find a cartridge bearing that will fit on top of it, or do I need to pop it out?

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What is this odd headset?

Looks like a semi-cartridge ZS44. Pull the cup out and measure, if the head tube ID is 44.0mm then you can lob any ZS44 upper in there.

Looking to recreate what this person has done on their cross check - remove a downtube boss and make a small secure hole a bit closer towards the seat tube for internal lighting. No painting needed.
Any idea how much someone might charge for this?

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One of these?

https://www.tweekscycles.com/fsa-no-10-1-1-8-inch-threadless-headset-fsa141-2270/

or do I need to pop it out?

Yes

You need something like this for the top I reckon. OD 44mm and for 1 1/8" steerer (top part).

https://www.bike24.nl/producten/219597

Bought a special thru axle to fit a trailer hitch. For some reason, the design makes the hitch sit about 25mm away from the frame, which seems unnecessary and a bad idea (extra leverage?).

Any thoughts?

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Nah, it's all good mate.

For some reason

Probably to make sure it clears anything on any frame, if it's a generic product.

Bought a used pair of wheels, rolls straight and everything seems tight.

But did notice a few of the drive side spokes are a bit mangled. Anything to be worried about?

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Looks like a chain went behind the cassette and mangled some spokes. The bottom one needs replacing.

Building up an On One big dog MTB frame with boost spacing at the back, but struggling to figure out what chain line the chainset should have. Will a 52mm chain line work? Which helpful Merlin have a reasonably priced Shimano set in stock, or do I need to spend a bit more to get 55mm chain line.

Pretty sure I was using 55mm chainline Deore cranks on my boost Honzo and it ran fine.

I found the spindle on the cranks was too long even for the 73mm shell with the correct spacers so I’d stuck an extra space on the nds so I might not even have been getting the full 55mm chainline.

52mm was the standard boost spacing. It was only with the new SRAM T-type stuff that the move to 55mm really happened. Shimano will run absolutely fine with 52mm.

Excellent, thank you both

Can anyone help me workout which jockey wheels I need for a Red 22 etap derailleur? I'm sure some of the BBB fit but, as ever with SRAM, there seems to be no info online. And no, I don't want the £125 genuine ones.

Cheers