I've decided to start a new series here that I'll call "Stuff I've Learned Recently".
The intention is to share exactly that. I often find solutions to problems, or simply learn something new about bicycles, bicycle mechanics, or running a community bike shop. In the case where this knowledge may be arcane or even unique, I often think it's a shame that these techniques and perspectives may be lost. I've considered doing a YouTube channel, but that's more effort than I have to spare. I'm fond of this list and what it represents, so perhaps it can be useful here.
No promises on the frequency of posts in this series. They will happen as often as I experience revelations. Many of these bits of knowledge may be already understood by some, but unless most of you already know these things, please try to refrain from "I already knew that" replies. I'll be sure to only post things which I think most readers will benefit from. I'm sure these posts will impress some readers, while impressing upon others exactly how much I hadn't already known. This is okay. Mostly this is a way of speaking what probably otherwise would be unspoken.
Other are encouraged to contribute their own entries to this series - but please title them all the same (Stuff I've Learned Recently) for easy searching.
To kick off the series, here are the first entries:
- High pressure tires (with tubes) require high pressure rim strips. If
a common rubber rim strip is used with a deep-v rim, the tube may herniate into the spoke holes even if the rim strip is in good condition and properly centered. There may not even be a tear or rupture in the rim strip itself at the point where the blowout occurred; the tube can simply push the rim strip aside as it bulges into the hole and ruptures. So make sure those road tires get cloth or thick plastic rim strips!
- Replacing a broken spoke doesn't always have to mean removing the tube
and tire. If the spoke breaks at the flange, you can simply unthread it from the spoke nipple and thread the new one back in without ever removing the tube or tire.
- Some e-bike hubmotors feature freewheels whose inner castellations
(for interfacing with the socket) are very deep, requiring a very long socket. In some cases the depth may make the castellations difficult to see, making it seem that the freewheel wasn't intended to be removed, similar to some department store kids' BMX sprockets that ship with no castellations at all. However, the castellations are usually present, and a Park FR 1.3 socket will reach them most of the time. The socket may need to be reamed progressively with a large stepper bit at the hexagonal end in order for the connector of the motor control/power cable to pass through. There are also direct-from-china sockets that are especially long that can work, but they also may need to be reamed.
- This one's an old revelation, but nobody but me seems to have
discovered it, so I'll document it now: When applying torque with a pipe wrench to a seized seatpost to turn it, in cases of extreme seizure the force applied to the jaws will crush and tear the post itself away from the frame, rendering the post inaccessible. This crushing can be prevented by cutting off the seatpost two or three inches above the frame, and stuffing the hollow center with a solid iron rod of the appropriate diameter. As the seatpost is tempted to buckle under the torque of the wrench jaws, instead it braces against the iron core such that greater force can be applied. I have alternately used chisels, rebar, punches, and various bits of scrap metal to stuff seatposts with the appropriate diameter of rod in the past.
- This one's also old: some innertube punctures only leak at high
pressure, and my not leak at all when inflated and listened for, or placed under water. Outside of a tire, innertubes can only reach relatively low pressures when inflated before completely exploding.
Thats about all I can think of for now. Cheers! I hope this was interesting or useful, or both!
~cyclista Nicholas