Category Archives: Cycling

Cycling, General Life

Wheelbuilding – Part 2

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This followup post to my first wheelbuilding post is a bit late given that the wheels have been laced, trued, installed on my bike and tested for months and several thousand miles.


Tools used for this wheel build

  • Minoura Tru-Pro 2 Truing Stand
  • Minours FCG-310 Dishing Tool
  • The green Park Tool spoke key
  • Park Tool tension meter
  • Linseed oil as threadlock
  • Sapim short nipple driver
  • HSS drill bit as reamer to remove swarf around the spoke holes in the rim

In use the tools did their job though but if was making a wheel building a profession I think a specialised reamer tool would have made the job easier.  I was a little concerned that with use using a drill bit I’d might make a hole straight through the rim

My spoke driver could do with filing so that the nipple on it is longer than as purchased. The aim of using one is to initially evenly tighten all the nipples before using the spoke key.  As the nipple is tightened using the slot on the rim the spine out of the top of the nipple driver will push the driver off the nipple when the spoke protrudes high enough up the nipple threads.  The problem I found with my driver with its short nipple was that if I tried to tightened up the all nipples to the point where the nipple driver slips off then, the last quarter of the nipples tighten up to the point where I can’t easily tighten them before the driver slips off them.It would be better to not to tighten the first few spokes up as much by filing the driver to make the shaft longer.  I have been tempted to get myself a screwdriver bit where the depth can be set but I haven’t quite persuaded myself it is worth it yet.

I find that using a single size spoke key is much easier than using one that has multiple holes.  It’s more comfortable to use and lighter weight when you drop it on your toe.

I used Park TS-1 tension meter to provide me with confidence that I have evenly tensioned the spokes.  Gross slackness I usually find with either plucking the spokes or when I come to tension a spoke that it is really easy to do up the nipple but I’ve yet to develop the skill to pick out by touch the slack spokes.

Having had to set up brake blocks for the last few years on rims that were worn, setting up new blocks on a new rim was a piece of cake in comparison.  The new rims were flat and true so it was very easy to get the brake blocks set up just off the surface of the rim.  I found when I applied the brakes were felt like they had really good stopping power.

In use this set of wheels have been great, I did put them on the stand to check how true they still were after a couple of thousand miles on them.  A small adjustment was required but nothing major and setting up replacement brake blocks on them after some wear was a quick affair.  I’m hoping they will last me a number of years before I wear them out.

Cycling

Wheelbuilding – Part 1

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After about 6500 miles the rear wheel of my trusty Dawes Horizon touring bike is failing .  Perhaps I’ve over tensioned it whilst trying it up in the past or perhaps it’s the bumps in the roads of London but it’s developing cracks round some of the spoke eyelets.  I’m not worried that there is going to be a catastrophic failure as the braking surfaces still look like their holding out but soon I expect that the spokes will begin to loosen and the wheel will drift out of true.

Initially I had toyed with getting new rims and putting them on to my existing hubs.  As I thought about it, it’s the perfect opportunity to upgrade my wheelset.  I’ve been told many times that putting better wheels on the bike is an upgrade that I’d appreciate.  After doing some internet searches my shortlist was down to Spa Cycles for Exal LX rims with Deore XT hubs for an economic option or  H Plus Son rims with Deore XT hubs for something lighter that would go really well with my stainless steel mudguards, silver pannier rack and silver spokes albeit more expensive.

My thinking was:

  • If I ever go travelling the world then I’d probably go for brand new rims at the time, at that point I can go for the Sputnik rims.
  • Given that my bike is normally used for commuting I felt that a lighter wheelset would be more useful at the moment.
  • Get the best hubs, Shimano ones with their cup and cones are easily serviceable and spare parts availability is good.  Deore XT are top of their range.
  • Spa Cycles had all the parts, ordering from them they could supply the correct spokes and avoid me having to order the hubs and rims first and then get the spokes once I’d measured the rims and hubs.
  • 36 spokes per wheel given I want something that is robust and there are plenty or potholes around I decided on 36 spokes per wheel, I also like symmetry.
  • Double butted spokes for the front wheel with double butted non drive side on the rear and single butted on the drive side.

Having spoken to Spa they persuaded me that the Deore LX hub would be a better option as in their view it us more durable.  As it was also slightly cheaper I took their advice.  Having been informed about this I’ve now found several articles comments where people have come to favour the steel LX hubs over the alloy XT hubs;  Travellingtwo, Woollypigs   and YACF.  Given that in the past I’ve had a hub acquire a large groove in the cup due to a broken bearing I’m not too worried about the future cost of having to replace the a broken hub as long as it is smooth running in use providing I don’t need a new hub every week commuting to work.  I did have some agonising over their suggestion to put a 32 hole rim on the front instead but felt that for a little extra weight and cost in spokes it would be easier to try and more likely to survive the potholes on the roads I travel.

Now time to put to use the wheel truing stand I bought ten years ago for the purpose.  It’s just taken me longer than expected to wear my wheels out and require its use.

Cycling, General Life, London

Cycling London

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For the last 8 months I’ve been commuting the 9 mile to and from my workplace in Victoria by bike as often in an attempt to get some physical activity into a day that otherwise would see me sat down most of the time. My steed has been my trusty dark blue Raleigh Magnum All Terrain Bike I’ve had since I was 17. Decked out with mudguards and a pannier racks makes it practical animal to get me and my trappings there and back again rain wind or shine. So far this I’ve clocked up 1,300 miles this way. Not bad considering the effort it takes to get moving.

The journeys have taken its tool on the poor animal. To keep her going I’ve had to put new tyres on, replace the chain and rear cassette. At the moment I’ve been forced to take the train everyday again as the rear hub has worn out and now the freewheel, freewheels in both directions when I turn the pedals. I think though the regular exercise has improved my level of fitness. I don’t think it’s resulted in me loosing any weight though.

My girlfriend is not too pleased with my antics and thinks that I’m doing a madly dangerous thing. She’s arrived at this opinion, having not ridden around central London on a bike on a regular basis. Another problem here from the perception of a risk garnered from reading about accidents in newspapers. Each time a newspaper has a story about a cyclist being killed her concern grows.

For me it is all business as normal as cycling. Growing up each year I would venture further afield in the Kent countryside . Inevitable I came across busy roads that had to be negotiated and I didn’t want to remain boxed in doing circles on the pavement near my parent’ house.

Cycling

Road Morph – A better bicycle pump

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Over the years I’ve had a number of bicycle pumps.  Normally these have been of the standard straight tube design with a hose to connect to the tyre though I have had mini pumps and straight tube ones without a hose.

The quality of the straight tube type hoses has been variable.  The better quality I have had have been the Zefals.  The lowest the no name Wilkinson ones.  The problem I have with these is that I am usually unable to get the tyre to the pressure I would like consistently without wrecking the hose.  My current Zefal has gone through about 3 tubes this year.  At least it’s not the pump I damaging but it’s a worry to think that I might wreck it out on a ride and be forced to cycle home.

I’m no fan of the straight tube ones that clip directly to the valve owing to the fact I very good a managing to split the tube where the stem meets the main part of the inner tube.  Avoiding flexing the stem I’m sure is one of the best ways to avoid that.

My first romance with the Topeak Road Morph mini track pump was 4 years ago where I found the combination of the hose, pressure guage, quality build ease of use made it outstanding to use.  It’s been the only pump I’ve not written off in use.  Unfortunatley this one was lost by a friend.  In the meantime I went back to using Zefals and I’ve tried a Halford mini track pump but the Zefals I keep breaking the flexible tubes and the Halford mini track pump I broke on a cycling holiday in Cheshire forcing me to ride on an under inflated tyre until I could find another bike shop to buy another Zefal.

I’ve just gone back and purchased a replacement Road Morph.  Again I’m back with a pump that does what it needs to use, is easy to use and I’m not worried about breaking my inner tubes.