[Sixty Fiver]

I decided to take the new girl out for a spin to the coffee shop this afternoon; she's an early seventies Sekine Black Panther (10 speed cruiser) and as always... the frame bag with my tools was strapped on in the event I needed to adjust something on the "new" ride..

I rolled down to the coffee shop (a gathering place for cyclists of all kinds) and met a young lady with an equally ancient "Hustler" ladies 10 speed that was having shifting issues so I remedied that with the application of some lube and adjustment of the shifters and while I was at it, lubed the chain, brakes, and deraileurs. I also tightened up her kick stand since it was wiggling.

I also had coffee with one of the regulars, (a 78 year old guy named Ray who rides a new Trek hybrid) and he told me how he had attended the bike fair yesterday and was pretty thrilled that he got a free tuneup on his bike. He was less thrilled when we were pulling out as he found that his wheels had seized right up and would not move an inch.

Upon inspection I found that whoever had adjusted his brakes had set them so closely to the rims that the heat of the day and the direct sun (it's in the high 80's) had expanded the rims / brakes enough to lock everything right up so neither wheel would turn.

Ray told me the guy at rhe bikefair (supposedly a competent mech) had fiddled with his brakes for over half an hour (which is a bad sign) and I found that besides the badly spaced brakes, the front cable was badly re-routed, and the adjustment screws on the levers were out as far as possible. Dialling them all the way back wasn't enough to release the wheels so I actually had to loosen ther cables at the brake. This only took about 5 minutes.

It seems that the tools I carry generally get used to fix other people's bikes when they have issues on the road and I even earned myself a free coffee as a thank you for the brake adjustments.

 

[mtb_biker]

Upon inspection I found that whoever had adjusted his brakes had set them so closely to the rims that the heat of the day and the direct sun (it's in the high 80's) had expanded the rims / brakes enough to lock everything right up so neither wheel would turn.

Wow i've never heard of that happening before. at least you had the tools to fix the bad brake adjustment.

 

[Sixty Fiver]

I never leave home without my frame bag/ toolkit and although it's small, I can pack a lot in it. It has a multi tool, small crescent wrench, chain tool, tire levers, a tube for whatever I'm riding, locking pliers, brake and shifter cables, lube, and a mini pump.

I have never encounted a brake issue like this but I guess with the new and completely dead true wheels and new brakes coupled with a screwed up set up that left almost zero clearance between the brake and rim and the heat it was the right recipe for a heat induced seizure.

I wonder what would have happened if this occurred when one was riding ? I can imagine how it would be to have one'e brakes suddenly tighten up and turn a regular pull into one that would send you over the bars or lock up a wheel.

I might have to try setting up a wheel and brakes like this to see if I can replicate the event and it promises to be even hotter tomorrow than it was today.

 

[cobym2]

Basically same experience, but on trail. A happened upon a guy who broke his der. hanger and had no way of shortening his chain to make it a 1 speed. My chain tool to the rescue.

 

[donboyfisher]

i stopped recently to help a guy adjust his front mud sheild on his fork. turned out he never had a 3mm allen key small enough for the bolt.

2 mins later, it was sorted.

It was only as we both started cyling on that he laughingly commented " you'd think that being a bike shop owner would mean i carry the right tools eh? "

 

[Sixty Fiver]

It was only as we both started cyling on that he laughingly commented " you'd think that being a bike shop owner would mean i carry the right tools eh? "

That's pretty funny... one would think that at the very least, anyone who rides would carry a multi tool for making those on the road adjustments and when one owns a shop they should know to be prepared.

This reminds me of the chap I met one day who was dialling in his new Specialized full carbon road bike (worth 10k) and apparently, he didn;t have a mutlti tool to adjust his brakes when they went offline.

I have one multi tool for the shop, one for the toolbag, and one that lives in my hydration pack / backpack as I know the day I leave home without it that will be the day I need it. I am also never without my little adjustable wrench as I ride some vintage bikes that don't utilize allen keys for anything and lack those handy quick release hubs.

 

[LyNx]

I'm the same, take along a saddle bacg filled with the necessary tools to get me back home, but normally end up adjusting/fixng others rides. The list is long of what I've fixed on other people's bikes, 2 worst being ... bad shifting= loose XTR derailer mounting screw, derailer about to go into spokes and noisy/creaking rear=loose suspension pivot bolts, rear flexing like madd. I generally change flats on the rides I go on, 'cause most people just seem to make such a job of it when in actuallity it should only take 5 mins or so.

 

[Sixty Fiver]

Lynx - I am guessing you have never had to change a tire on a '78 Raleigh Superbe... when equipped with the fully enclosed chain guard a tire change is an hour job.

I think a great deal of road failures could be easily avoided if people were competent enough to do a thorough pre-ride checks and carry those basics like a multi tool, tire levers, a spare tube and a pump.

 

[PetroBoy]

A week or so ago my little brother and I were on our way to his favorite DJ spot (I'm actually jumping there in my avatar). I didn't bring my tool bag because it's only a 5min. ride there on pavement, and it's pretty smooth once you're there, so I figured that since we were only going for about 45 minutes that bringing tools would only be dead wieght. And no sooner do we get within 50 yards of the spot and he stops me saying his tyre is flat. I always bring my mini-pump just in case and it's attached to the frame so it's with me. But the tube had slipped inside the rim/tyre in such a way that the valve was pressed up against a spoke so hard that I couldn'tget the pump to it. This was made worse by the fact that he has no quick release on his wheel. So I try valiantly (and violently) to slide the tube enough with my bare hands so that the valve will be once again able to accept a pump. Well it's only 20"er on a small frame so it didn't work out. We turn around and start walking home and I'm pi$$ed off to say the least. It's at least a mile before we're home and can fix this, and meanwhile my sister is late for soccer...

A few things were going through my mind at the time. First off, how did my brother not notice the flat sooner? Didn't he feel the bike getting wierd in the rear? Didn't he realize that when he pedaled it was getting more and more sluggish? And this sucked the most, just before we left I was still getting ready he was just flopping around outside doing nothing. And he's only 7-8 years old ( I can't remember now ) so yes it probably didn't occur to him give his bike a quick inspection. But wouldn't he be bored outside waiting and get curious about his bike?

Anyway after like 5mins. of walking I decide to see if I can try to fix the flat again (it was a slow leak BTW, so we could have limped home by stopping frequently to put more air in, which is what I wanted to do). Another 5-10 mins. go by and my 2nd attempt to get the bike going is to no avail.

10 or so minutes later we're home and I just want to fix this thing and get back out while there's still light. But my sisters still haven't left yet and I have to help them first. My mom sends me ahead of them to the field ( I can't remeber why now) and on my way back home I pass my sisters on thier way to the field...and the younger of the two has a flat! I'm in no position to fix it (it didn't seem that serious anyway since she still riding it and it's since been replaced by a new bike) and keep going home. I get home and my mom informs me that my sisters and I have been at the wrong field! She tells me the general (big) area where they're supposed to be and I assume where that is and get back on the SpitFire and race to them to tell them. I then lead my sisters to where I thought they were supposed to be. We're gone for like 15 mins. and can't find her team.

I get back home and find out that I missed part of my moms message "bring them to me so I can drop them off at the field"...

It was a stressful day and I don't think I'll ever go mtbing without tools again.

-PB

 

[LyNx]

Actually no I haven't, BUT you'd be surprised what you cal vintage/retro is consider normal everyday transport here. There are loads of those old Raleigh's being riden around on this island and they still make them and they are still imported here for transportation rides.

As for the toolkits, they're only useful IF you know how to use the tools in them, as lots of people have them and go,"well here's my tools, see if what you needs in there"

Lynx - I am guessing you have never had to change a tire on a '78 Raleigh Superbe... when equipped with the fully enclosed chain guard a tire change is an hour job..

 

[Sixty Fiver]

Kids don;t seem to notice that anything is wrong until the bike completely fails and my boys, who are 13 and 16 have not inherited the repair gene from me.

Perhaps they just take it for granted that dad is a pretty good bike mech and there's a pretty functional bike shop out in the garage. Sometime sit's like Frankensteins's lab as I am always experiementing with different rides.

I do keep their bikes in top running shape and most of their friends stop by to have bike work done which they often pay for by doing odd chores. I figure this is a fair deal as if I'm taking time from other stuff to fix their rides, they can handle the other stuff while I do it.

 

[PetroBoy]

part 2

I kind got cut short in my last post.

I get back home and find out that I missed part of my moms message "bring them to me so I can drop them off at the field"...

She told me what I did wrong, and left saying that she'd go find my sisters and drive them to the right field. That's when I finally had my chance to fix my brothers flat (took me forever and I lost the valve cap).

The reason all that has any relavence is had I brought my tool bag I would have DJ-ing and having fun instead of this major headache (plus I felt like ranting) and wouldn't have been screwed out of dirt riding for the kazilianth-time.

Again, the tool bag is most likely going with me every time from now on.

-PB