Mechanics and Fixing Any Questions Answered

Just 104? Most 104's that I know of are actually triples with a 64mm BCD set of blind bolt holes further in on the spider like this.

@ffm
Cheers

Can I use any flat bar levers with mechanical disc brakes?

if they're v brake compatible. canti / road pull doesn't work* very well at all

*i think the road version of the bb7 will work with those types of levers

Depends on your calipers, as said bb7 road, spyres or anything designed for road or drop bars will want short pull levers, if they're MTB calipers like bb7 MTB or spykes then you want v brake long pull levers, or ideally, throw them away and get some hydros.

Amen to that

JTEC SHIFTMATE QUESTION:

Got this winter hack with Campaq Xenon 9sp groupset and fitted Shimano Sora 9sp flat bar shifters and Jtec Shiftmate 3. Anything to be aware/know to ensure good shifting in this combo?

EDIT - After a couple of outings - a bit of iffy shifting, either up or down, also depending on if in small or large front ring. Do I need to shorten the cable (as one in the pic below) further perhaps ? Anyone using the gadget?

Cheers

1 Attachment

Another straw poll…

Brand new bike build, you’re adjusting the road calliper brakes, do you:

a) Clamp the cable and use the adjustment barrel on the calliper for fine tuning;
b) Clamp the cable and use the barrel on the lever for fine tuning;
c) Turn the calliper barrel 1/2 turn, (manually close the calliper), pull the cable as taut as possible, clamp it, then screw in the barrel to give the system slack;
d) (manually close the calliper), pull the cable as taut as possible, pump the brakes as hard as possible, re-clamp cable, repeat, then use barrel adjuster to fine tune; or,
e) (manually close the calliper), pull the cable taut as possible, pump the brakes as hard as possible, re-clamp cable, repeat until fine tuned, without using the barrel adjusters at all.
?

E, and same for front mech.

Probs should be said... If you can set up a front mech without the barrel adjuster, you'll never need to adjust it.

Start by turning the barrel adjusters all the way in and clamp the cable while squeezing the calliper against the rim. You usually only need adjustment in one direction (tighter).

Barrel midway, clamp brake cables all the way in, open to your desired clearance with the barrel and still all the barrel to go once it inevitably stretches.

squeezing the calliper against the rim

Ah yes, I meant to include that in c, d and e.

What @Netakure said.

without using the barrel adjusters at all.

This.

“Barrel adjusters are for customer adjustment” was something I was told when I first started in the cycle industry and it’s stuck. Even though I’m my own customer most of the time now.

Same same

e. The important part is to pull the lever as hard as yuh can to pre-stretch the cable and compress the outer housing, then the rider can use the barrels to take up the pad wear. Personally I like my levers with only a very small amount of pull but I’m sure most people don’t like that.

Personally I like my levers with only a very small amount of pull but I’m sure most people don’t like that.

Given my experience with tendon injuries, coupled with the lack of sufficient adjustment on most brake levers*, I’ve tried to set up new brakes with 1 full turn of the calliper barrel so that I can quickly adjust to a customer’s smaller hand size (also using the reach adjustment bolt). Good results but frowned on by my peers. (Shrug)

*Sold two bikes to a couple where he was 6’ 5” and she was 5’ 4”, massive hand size difference.

Does anybody know of any reusable quick links for track chains?

My KMC z1 track chain came with one.

I think you can find them separately as well, try eBay or SJS?

Not sure they sell the spring clip ones separately. I wonder if the snap-on ones are genuinely non-reusable or that's just not advised?

I've got a spare 1x10 groupset which I'm trying to use as much as possible of on a frame I bought recently on here (Kona Sutra). I've quickly hit the limits of my knowledge when it comes to the cranks/BB. The old frame the groupset came off has a 68mm BB shell. The new frame has a 73mm BB shell. I assumed I'd need to sort out a new BB but realising the cranks (SRAM Rival) may also not be compatible as the spindle may not be long enough. The BB is GXP but I don't know any more detail than that (and there's no sign of any spacers from previous build). Does anyone have any words of wisdom on whether I'll be able to use either the BB or cranks on this build? Cheers!

You’ll find out pretty quickly if you can’t use them :)

I haven’t worked with these cranks for ages but I suspect it’s a no - the axle length is specific to 68mm bbs.

Pretty sure the BB will be fine, no 2.5mm spacers for road cranks in a 68mm shell, no spacers for MTB cranks in a 73mm shell or 1 spacer each side for MTB cranks in 68mm shell. Cranks will be no good though as they need a 68mm shell and you may as well get whatever BB suits the new cranks you want rather than trying to match to gxp.

Isn't the axle length the same, you are just spacing the BB on a 68mm shell?

Road ones don't have spacers on a 68mm shell, just a shorter axle, I think that goes for the 1x road stuff too, although if they were on the old frame with spacers then maybe not.