Mechanics Tips (Women)

Now, any tips on how the hell I can get a freewheel sproket off with a (remover tool and) and fairly long wrench?
It's just not budging and keeps slipping out.
Sick of going to the lbs and asking if they can just loosen things for me.

Stick the freewheel remover in a vice and turn the wheel not the tool. The diameter of the wheel is a longer lever than a wrench => much easier. The only downside is you need a vice.

Deffo freewheel remover in a vice and turn the wheel - safer and greater leverage.

With bottom brackets, most pedal wrenches have a nice hole in them that you can get the crank bolt through - then through the bb tool to lock the splines in for the initial turn to get things moving.

Lock rings - always use the genuine tool with the axle pin for shimano (TL-LR15) as this is much easier...

Good quality tools help here also - a decent socket and breaker bar combo is invaluable for removing things like bottom brackets

Often its worth leaving something and coming back to it - use plusgas dismantling lube if something is really seized solid.

Just some general comments (from a guy who had bleeding fingers several times, just too lazy to grab the right tool or to cover sharp stuff).

Use a vice to clamp bike part or tool. This works in a safe way. Complete wheel of frame give plenty leverage. Also, it reduces the risk of slipping (tool out of BB cup / cassette lock ring, etc).

Allen keys are available in different length. Longer tools offer more leverage. However, most people use short keys.
Long time ago, Shimano supplied a piece of steel tube with a 6 mm Allen key for their handlebar stem, because a higher tightening (and loosening) torque was required. This trick (and tube) can basically be used for any Allen key and bike part. Just use a longer allen key (or any other tool), or make it longer with a decent piece of steel tube. It also keeps your fingers away from e.g. chain rings when working on cranks, chain rings, etc.

Use a decent pedal wrench instead of a normal (15mm) open wrench / spanner.
It fits on all pedals with flats for wrenches (normal spanners are too wide for many pedals), gives more leverage because of the length, keeps your hands away from the rings. Don't use the cheapest bike tools here, because the steel is really soft. Cheap tools ruined after 1st attempt. Campag, Shimano, Sugino, Park, etc. is all okay. Forget about no-name Taiwan/China/India sh*t.

Multi tools for emergencies only.

Use a pipe cutter instead of a saw for pipes (steerer, bars, seat post, etc, as long it's no carbon fibre)

-Always carry tweezers with you. Not only can you remove glass and other debris from your tyres, you can also pluck your eyebrows at any time!
-A make up bag doubles up as a handy tool pouch.
-A tampon applicator makes an excellent tyre boot!

hehe

Try holding the freewheel tool on by doing up the q/r track nut, then once the freewheel has budged 1/4 turn remove the nut or q/r so you can finish unscrewing the freewheel.

This did the trick, thank you very much!

. Don't use the cheapest bike tools here, because the steel is really soft. Cheap tools ruined after 1st attempt. Campag, Shimano, Sugino, Park, etc. is all okay. Forget about no-name Taiwan/China/India sh*t.

All tools used innappropriately can be ruined quite quickly. It might sound basic, but when using tools you need to be patient and precise. Like chain tools for example, I have been using the same one from a lidl multi tool set for around 5 years now.
It is weak enough to be destroyed on the first go if you are not careful, if things do not line up correctly, do not force it or things will get bent/broken.

D.Cheese recommended real pedal spanners in preference to normal spanners. I sort of disagree. Most average pedal spanners are made of flat pressed steel which is thinner than a regular spanner. This means the extra leverage of the greater length can simple lead to damaging the faces of the opening, potentially so badly its becomes unusable.

Professional pedal spanners are durable, but the extra leverage is only useful for removing siezed pedals. For installation a normal spanner is more than enough to get pedals on super tight. It is also made out of forged steel like a pro pedal spanner so is super strong & durable. Ive always used normal spanners, even when working in shops as a bike mechanic, to me they are much better.

You have to learn the right careful technique like this for everything, a headset spanner can mangle the edges of an aluminium headset. Any cone spanner can be easily destroyed by innappropriate use.

Basically, I dont thinks its about purchasing expensive specialised tools to guarantee sucessful bike mechanicery. But more so, learning how to use them.

Professional pedal spanners are durable, but the extra leverage is only useful for removing siezed pedals. For installation a normal spanner is more than enough to get pedals on super tight. It is also made out of forged steel like a pro pedal spanner so is super strong & durable. Ive always used normal spanners, even when working in shops as a bike mechanic, to me they are much better.

Agree totally with this. Most high quality spanners like Facom, Teng, Halfords Professional (thats not a piss take btw) have slim jaws that fit pedals well. Never owned a pedal spanner in my own tool set - simply not needed.

I do think that most 'specialist' bicycle tools are overpriced tat - for example you can get this http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=62927 for less than many pedal spanners, and it will last a lifetime. If it doesn't - there's a lifetime warranty backing it up.

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/pro139-16pce-metric-hex-torx-hey-set/path/screwdrivers-bits-hex-key-sets-2 is another great example. This 'specialist version' http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Pedros_Pro_Hex_T~L_Wrench_Set/5360049486/ is 20 quid more.

It is a pleasure to work with decent tools - spend a little money on key items and they will last a lifetime. Often people who will spend fortunes on tat like carbon fibre headset caps will baulk at the price of a decent spanner or screwdriver.

Now, any tips on how the hell I can get a freewheel sproket off with a (remover tool and) and fairly long wrench?
It's just not budging and keeps slipping out.
Sick of going to the lbs and asking if they can just loosen things for me.

Do you have a bike stand, J? I can't loosen stuff either, without standing on tools and there's only so often that that's useful. Bike stands help, though.

prefer to have the bike on the floor when i hit/jump on it!

Take a rolling pin and tap round the edges of the lid.

too much work. hit it on the edge of the counter as suggested.

"For installation a normal spanner is more than enough to get pedals on super tight."......
never found it necessary to really get pedals super tight, they tighten themselves up when pedalling ! are if over tight ruin the crank and thread, and are a b*r*tard to get off !

Do you have a bike stand, J? I can't loosen stuff either, without standing on tools and there's only so often that that's useful. Bike stands help, though.

No, do want one though. No more buying of bikes stuff this side of emigration for me. Plan to have a full workshop once settled in Melbourne. Oh yes.

Have to second the vice advice. Even with my supreme male physical strength, clamp-the-tool-turn-the-frame/wheel has been the only working approach on bottombrackets/freewheels.

If your apartment doesn't have space for a bench vice, consider attaching one to the wall. That gives even better ergonomy. When not in use, attach a board to the vice to make a coffee table/conversation piece.

Always check the righthand/lefthand thread issue before applying insane leverage. Google the the righthand/lefthand thread issue.
Double check the righthand/lefthand thread issue.
Triple check ...

Agree totally with this. Most high quality spanners like Facom, Teng, Halfords Professional (thats not a piss take btw) have slim jaws that fit pedals well. Never owned a pedal spanner in my own tool set - simply not needed.

I do think that most 'specialist' bicycle tools are overpriced tat - for example you can get this http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=62927 for less than many pedal spanners, and it will last a lifetime. If it doesn't - there's a lifetime warranty backing it up.

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/pro139-16pce-metric-hex-torx-hey-set/path/screwdrivers-bits-hex-key-sets-2 is another great example. This 'specialist version' http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Pedros_Pro_Hex_T~L_Wrench_Set/5360049486/ is 20 quid more.

It is a pleasure to work with decent tools - spend a little money on key items and they will last a lifetime. Often people who will spend fortunes on tat like carbon fibre headset caps will baulk at the price of a decent spanner or screwdriver.

You are right on the money. A lot of bike tools are just stamped junk. I too have found the Halfords pro tools to be great.

I find that most stiff fasteners can be loosened with a gentle tap on the tool with a hand, rubber mallet, or a dead blow hammer. Use Plus Gas first on rusted fasteners (not so likely on a cycle). "Cheater" bars are fine but can move you too far away from the action.

Like all things working on your bike becomes better with practice.

No, do want one though. No more buying of bikes stuff this side of emigration for me. Plan to have a full workshop once settled in Melbourne. Oh yes.

don't forget there's one at our house!

Haulfrauds Pro is guaranteed for life too. I got given a socket set, and have replaced two items thus far - both 12+ years old - no fuss no quibble. Which amazed me, but there you go.

"For installation a normal spanner is more than enough to get pedals on super tight."......
never found it necessary to really get pedals super tight, they tighten themselves up when pedalling ! are if over tight ruin the crank and thread, and are a b*r*tard to get off !

Thats basically what I meant.

Spread an old sheet on the floor under where your working, to stop dropped ball bearings, washers, nuts etc rolling away and becoming lost

it will also collect road grease etc when you clean the chainset

otherwise that shit gets walked into the carpet all around the house

you know what, I really hate this thread.

Stelle

I am not keen on it as per my first post on this thread.

I am not sure of anything here that is gender specific.

Though I did misread your comment as "I really rate this thread"

Well, an excellent female mechanic taught me things she had learnt and been taught that were relevant to being female. It's not sexist, it's a fact.
I have learnt from this thread and I'm grateful, but I take your point.

If many are unhappy with it, ignore or merge perhaps.

Wicksie

What were these tips?

My view is that there are some strong and some weak people (irrespective of gender).

This thread lacks any tips such as bike set up specific for women (eg should saddles be angled differently to mens etc) so most of the tips appear to be about tightening/loosening parts which would be as useful for men as women.

But I am a difficult onion receptacle, so maybe I am just being contrary.

They were tips given in the real world, face to face, and mostly about body positioning.
I wondered if there were any more useful things women had learnt along the way, saddle angles perhaps. But you're right, it seems not.

Obviously you can't make a sweeping generalisation about anything, including men being stronger than women, but it's certainly true in some aspects. I'm not too proud to ask a man to undo something for me and don't consider myself a weak female.

Lets just call it Mechanical Tips then and take it out of the women's section perhaps as some of the above is useful if not gender specific.