Bike polo mechanics & fixing

The first one you posted, Cam, is like the double levers widely available in Paris. They are about E25, I think, from BMX shops that sell flatland stuff.

Cam,

I think Ali (otto) is running some ready made 25 quid off e-bay long pull dual levers and IIRC Jono posted a link on the ebay finds/upgrades thread not too long ago (too lazy to UTFS). Looks well made (LOOKS, not sure if they are proven to be durable). Might wanna speak to Ali to see if it's alright for polo abuse.

A friend of mine needs a favour. I'm posting in here because it has the highest concentration of friendly London people who know about bikes.

My friend is called Max and he lives in deptford, he recently bought a new rear wheel and needs to remove the Shimano cassette from his old one which has a broken freehub to put on the new one.

If anyone near Deptford has the necessary tools (shimano cassette remover & chainwhip) and wouldn't mind him knocking on your door, please let me know!

Tim

I think Ali (otto) is running some ready made 25 quid off e-bay long pull dual levers and IIRC Jono posted a link on the ebay finds/upgrades thread not too long ago (too lazy to UTFS). Looks well made (LOOKS, not sure if they are proven to be durable). Might wanna speak to Ali to see if it's alright for polo abuse.

Yeah, I gave that to Ali for Christmas, they're made in the same Taiwanese factory as the Promax ones, but are long pull, £25ish. That's what I have for you to borrow if you want Cam (Jack's dibsed it long-term).

Cam, for that money you cab get one of mine on thursday, that I'm getting to London

I've ordered the snafu cables already but you're right Jono, they'll only work for short pull which has been half the trouble with my set-up previously. Thanks for the offer of a loaner but I'll probably go a different route.

I've ordered a London mod and have a few levers kicking around that could be suitable. Josh is hopefully bringing his old double lever to Excel but I really want to get it dialed before Friday.

Rik, if you're bringing a lever anyway I'll definitely take a look over the weekend.

Cam, for that money you cab get one of mine on thursday, that I'm getting to London

Good news... :]

What's everyone using to attach heads to poles.
The ones John H is selling?
I find the wood technique keeps failing and the wood splits.
I don't want to apply too much weight to the mallet.

If you're using bolts down the shaft, which ones and where you getting them from?

Need some better ideas over here...

I used an M6 nut with a countersunk allen head bolt. Both bought from a local hardware store for pennies. They also sold the threaded rod for a few pounds.

I used a metal file to make a sawtooth edge to the bottom of the shaft to help it bite into the plastic and also drilled the hole in the underside of the head 0.5mm too small with the idea that the bolt would make a thread in it too.

The bolt is short enough that I could also put a screw through the shaft as I wasn't convinced the head wouldn't rotate but even in a totally mangled state, so far it hasn't budged.

I'm not sure who came up with the idea but it's pretty great.

i need a quick easy method for using with thin black pipe as i currently have no mallets!

I used an M6 nut with a countersunk allen head bolt. Both bought from a local hardware store for pennies. They also sold the threaded rod for a few pounds.

I used a metal file to make a sawtooth edge to the bottom of the shaft to help it bite into the plastic and also drilled the hole in the underside of the head 0.5mm too small with the idea that the bolt would make a thread in it too.

The bolt is short enough that I could also put a screw through the shaft as I wasn't convinced the head wouldn't rotate but even in a totally mangled state, so far it hasn't budged.

I'm not sure who came up with the idea but it's pretty great.

This is what I have started using, no problems so far!

Has anyone found any problems with changing heads on pero poles with the dowel method? About to put a new head on using old holes, probably a new dowel.

I'm not sure who came up with the idea but it's pretty great.

Otera came up with it "one nut, one pole" and Joel perfected it: http://leagueofbikepolo.com/forum/gear/mallets/2010/03/08/attaching-the-mallet-head-to-the-pole#comment-70545

Make sure the teeth are large/sharp, I've been converted from the dowel method... this is better so far (lighter, just as easy to do, holding well, etc).

On my first attempt the head rotated, I think jono hit the nail on the head when he said make the teeth large as I think I had to many little teeth, which ate the head rather than gripping it.

Since then it's been perfect. By far the best method I've seen. Light, solid, easy to reuse.

Does anyone have a 10mm allen key or a 10mm hex bit to attach to a torque wrench which I can borrow? It's for fitting cranks so needs to be long/have an extension rod.

Couple of beers as payment?

smaller nuts work, I use M4 which work on a rik pole and keep things thin & whippy, if that's what you like

Got mine in Clerkenwell Screws on John H's recommendation, they have a much better selection of countersunk bolts in different lengths than leyland. I filed at an angle so the spikes look like little pyramids and used a locknut in the shaft, zero movement so far and I lean on my mallet/hit the ground a good bit.

i need a quick easy method for using with thin black pipe as i currently have no mallets!

I dont see why the above method won't work on black pipe luca.. I am going to try it tonight. Other wise i always drill a small hole, ram the pipe up it the desired spot, drill through the pipe and pole, insert woodscrew. done.

works great on black hdpe, just dont countersink the screw hole, the screw will pull through.

Yep, mine is with black pipe (well harvey head... Same stuff)

Does anyone have a good source for the 7901 angular contact bearings used in Surly "New" hubs? I know 6901s would physically fit but they wouldn't last very long in a fixed polo bike.

I've tried a real bearing supplier in Manchester and was told "try a bike shop". The bike shops all said "Try Surly".

http://www.bearingboys.co.uk/

Try these guys

Couple on ebay from America so postage is high (and they will take ages)

Or

http://www.billys.co.uk/english/group.php?prod=bg-sealed-sur&PHPSESSID=t0doen4uedjt9gj6sjt06n9hi5
http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/148/bg15267/sealed-cartridge-bearings.html

as replacement for the surly bearings, you can get phil wood spec ones. instead of the 7901, they're the PW 901. same size. i have the same problem and am going to stay away from surly bearings in the future.

damn emyr if you posted earlier i could of picked some of those bearings up for you from billys and given to netto