Bicycle tyres

[Stat Brother]

looks like I need to buy a few bits then . no point buying inner tubes without a little pump . anyone got any good recommendations for a good pump for the bike ? I have a decent one for home . also my tyres say MAX psi 110 .is that what I should pump it up to or a little less ?

That's what it says, then 110 it is, you'll need a TNT detonator (as described on here) with gauge pump.
You'll save time and money, in the long term, using it.

Wet road would be the only reason to lose some pressure, in an attempt to gain grip, but even that's a fairly moot point.

 

[CheeseRolls]

No idea how I ended up with that spelling of goo though. Must slow down on the train booze.

Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk

 

[Nottseagull]

Slime inner tubes for the Downs. No guarantees but they can keep you riding through some punctures.

Basically there is green gue inside the tube that is forced out and can then seal the puncture hole.

Asda sell these, I think they are only £4.
Also Poundland sell inner tubes believe it or not! They don't stock 20" though (our Poundland is also frequently out of stock of the others.)

 

[dannyboy]

That's what it says, then 110 it is, you'll need a TNT detonator (as described on here) with gauge pump.
You'll save time and money, in the long term, using it.

Wet road would be the only reason to lose some pressure, in an attempt to gain grip, but even that's a fairly moot point.

have one of those , a bontrager charger i think . was thinking of one to strap to the bike if i get a puncture on the road. i heard crank bros were good

 

[Nottseagull]

Just need a couple of spoons

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

Don't use spoons. You can get a puncture repair kit containing a couple of levers from a pound shop. They may be plastic but they'll work better than cutlery!

 

[perseus]

I have an old Pashley tandem and the valves are neither shrader or presto. They require the old style pump that had the rubbery bit that packs away in the handle after use. Do you think I can find one of those pumps Not yet!

On Foyle's War they had the modern inner tube valves on the bikes! I have got a 1939 bike and I have kept the old inner tubes.

 

[Stat Brother]

have one of those , a bontrager charger i think . was thinking of one to strap to the bike if i get a puncture on the road. i heard crank bros were good

I think mines a Topeak.
For me a puncture on the road becomes all about getting it fixed enough to get home, instead of getting the pressure back to carry on.

 

[Was not Was]

looks like I need to buy a few bits then . no point buying inner tubes without a little pump . anyone got any good recommendations for a good pump for the bike ? I have a decent one for home . also my tyres say MAX psi 110 .is that what I should pump it up to or a little less ?

For a pump, I would recommend one that pumps air in on the 'backstroke' as well as forwards. I was amazed how much more quickly tyres inflate with this sort of pump. called 'twoway' or 'dual action' or something like that.

 

[Nottseagull]

have onerd crank b of those , a bontrager charger i think . was thinking of one to strap to the bike if i get a puncture on the road.

Why do you need a good one to carry on the bike? The better it is, the higher the chance of getting it nicked. I have a track pump at home, but only carry an old, cheap pump on my travels for that rare puncture.

 

[Was not Was]

Why do you need a good one to carry on the bike?

Well you have to take the lights/panier off to carry with you when you stop and lock up, so why not the pump as well?

 

[dannyboy]

quite like the look of this little puppy

Topeak Rocket Micro AL Pump | Evans Cycles pump


can anyone help with my gears related question from earlier ? seems it got lost in the pumps, tubes and goo debate

 

[H block]

Just when you think NSC is getting old and stale you get a little beaut like this on bicycle inner tube valves.

 

[Stat Brother]

quite like the look of this little puppy

Topeak Rocket Micro AL Pump | Evans Cycles pump


can anyone help with my gears related question from earlier ? seems it got lost in the pumps, tubes and goo debate

I'm waiting for Pantani to reply, so I can then say:-

'yeah that was what I thought too'.

 

[Stat Brother]

not meaning to hijack the thread but as there are some bike nuts on here i thought id throw in a quick question . i have just got back in to riding in the last couple weeks after a year ( bit ridiculous as i really enjoy it) . anyway the last thing i did to the bike before i put it away was get it serviced by evans on their service the new bikes they sell thing . having not ridden it for a year the gears are changing less than smooth even though it ws serviced. is this normal ? have the cables slipped or something in that year? i put lube on the gear parts and chain etc . is that just cos its a fairly low end bike and that what i should expect from gears on this bike . its a trek 7.3 by the way.

I guess the obvious answer is the year of inactivity has 'stuck' the moving parts.
Less smooth sounds a lot better than 'noisy' 'grinding' 'crunching' 'jumping' etc.
Liberal use of oil, grease, even WD40 (not my favourite product) plus a decent amount of use might go some way to fixing the problem.

Personally I wouldn't play around with the gears/cables/derailleur until your really sure you've ridden it in, and it's still not happy.

 

[Pantani]

quite like the look of this little puppy

Topeak Rocket Micro AL Pump | Evans Cycles pump

can anyone help with my gears related question from earlier ? seems it got lost in the pumps, tubes and goo debate

On pumps, for me this is the daddy of on bike pumps Topeak Mini Morph. Anything with a little tube to stick on to the valve is better, so you are not furiously pumping up directly on the valve and bending it out of shape.

 

[Pantani]

I guess the obvious answer is the year of inactivity has 'stuck' the moving parts.
Less smooth sounds a lot better than 'noisy' 'grinding' 'crunching' 'jumping' etc.
Liberal use of oil, grease, even WD40 (not my favourite product) plus a decent amount of use might go some way to fixing the problem.

Personally I wouldn't play around with the gears/cables/derailleur until your really sure you've ridden it in, and it's still not happy.

You should have waited for me to reply SB. WD40! Hang your head in shame.

Other than that sounds about spot on, unless some water has got inside your cable outers, then a cable change might be needed. Hard to tell without unattaching everything though unfortunately.

 

[Stat Brother]

You should have waited for me to reply SB. WD40! Hang your head in shame.

I know, I know, I did caveat it.
The bike NEEDS something/anything to feel loved again, even if it's only a quick knee tremble with a yellow and blue can.

 

[NMH]

Well he must be running his bike shop very poorly then. Both the bike shops I have worked in employed two full time mechanics who spent most of the summer months turning away work because they did not have time to do it. From their point of view would you rather do a full service at more than £100 plus parts, or fix a puncture for £20? Plus any bike that enters a bike workshop must be fit to ride when it leaves, this means that the mechanic must make sure it is road worthy before it leaves. Often not the case when someone comes in who cannot even fix a puncture themselves. I would ask respectfully that you do not claim that what I said is a load of bollocks when I clearly know a lot more about bike shops and their policies with regards to repairs than you do.

Well I know about business, and any bike shop that "turns away repairs" and won't hire another person to pick up the work, is not a very smart business!
If it does cost an excessive amount, they only have to explain why and what the extra attention is about - not send them off to another business who will undoubtedly cultivate a whole lot more custom from your 'reject' repairs!

Whatever YOU say about knowing better - I've run my own business for over 20 years and know what looking after/increasing customers is about, and it certainly isn't about turning their small routine repairs away because they aren't worthy of your time, that's for sure.

And you are also saying that the bike shop I went to, IS prepared to - and has time to - attend to these simple (and I mean simple) tasks where your businesses weren't.
If he tightened the bearing race in the hub or oiled it into the bargain it would take an extra minute and he could just say he'd done it gratis or added that it might be something that needs looking at "next time you are in". Customer service.

 

[Pantani]

Well I know about business, and any bike shop that "turns away repairs" and won't hire another person to pick up the work, is not a very smart business!
If it does cost an excessive amount, they only have to explain why and what the extra attention is about - not send them off to another business who will undoubtedly cultivate a whole lot more custom from your 'reject' repairs!

Whatever YOU say about knowing better - I've run my own business for over 20 years and know what looking after/increasing customers is about, and it certainly isn't about turning their small routine repairs away because they aren't worthy of your time, that's for sure.

And you are also saying that the bike shop I went to, IS prepared to - and has time to - attend to these simple (and I mean simple) tasks where your businesses weren't.
If he tightened the bearing race in the hub or oiled it into the bargain it would take an extra minute and he could just say he'd done it gratis or added that it might be something that needs looking at "next time you are in". Customer service.

Should said bike shop also extend the premises so they can get in these extra £20 puncture repairs too? Workshop space is at a premium, as is the space to keep all the bikes that need repairing, actually repairs will always take presedence. It is not just about the work that the individuals put in but also about how much of the footage of the shop is used for the workshop and how much that area is making. So we now have time and space constraints on which potential repairs will be considered. It is in a businesses interest to best serve their customers by repairing their bikes when necesary. What if he had to turn away a genuine repair because he was all booked out with puncture repairs?

Most bike shops will not reject customers just because they cannot be bothered, but simply because they do not have the people to do it. There are a shortage of cytech qualified mechanics in this city mainly because it does not pay well enough, so why should they accept a job that will not earn enough to be worthwhile. I am sure in your business you would not undertake a job that did not leave you sufficiently renumerated. This is what a puncture repair is to a bike shop unless they charge £20.

You also make a point about just tightening a bearing race, or just oil the bearings. These 'little' jobs are part of the reason why a bike mechanic cannot just take a puncture repair. The mechanic has to check these things, has to check the brakes, has to check the headset, has to check everything on every bike that comes in to his or her workshop. If a bike goes in to workshop then the brakes fail the bike shop is liable, even if the bike was just in for a puncture repair. You need to understand this and for once admit you are wrong.

 

[Beeercan]

Should said bike shop also extend the premises so they can get in these extra £20 puncture repairs too? Workshop space is at a premium, as is the space to keep all the bikes that need repairing, actually repairs will always take presedence. It is not just about the work that the individuals put in but also about how much of the footage of the shop is used for the workshop and how much that area is making. So we now have time and space constraints on which potential repairs will be considered. It is in a businesses interest to best serve their customers by repairing their bikes when necesary. What if he had to turn away a genuine repair because he was all booked out with puncture repairs?

Most bike shops will not reject customers just because they cannot be bothered, but simply because they do not have the people to do it. There are a shortage of cytech qualified mechanics in this city mainly because it does not pay well enough, so why should they accept a job that will not earn enough to be worthwhile. I am sure in your business you would not undertake a job that did not leave you sufficiently renumerated. This is what a puncture repair is to a bike shop unless they charge £20.

You also make a point about just tightening a bearing race, or just oil the bearings. These 'little' jobs are part of the reason why a bike mechanic cannot just take a puncture repair. The mechanic has to check these things, has to check the brakes, has to check the headset, has to check everything on every bike that comes in to his or her workshop. If a bike goes in to workshop then the brakes fail the bike shop is liable, even if the bike was just in for a puncture repair. You need to understand this and for once admit you are wrong.

I completely agree, the shop i work in at the moment employs 6 full-time mechanics, of which i am one and up to 4 of us are in at anyone time. The amount of work required for one £40 service can range from anything from 45mins if the bike is a a really good condition, to over 3 hours if the bike is a shit tip. Punctures are a small job we never turn-away on principle (mainly there are 6 other bike shops in York all competing for these), however i can understand if a shop does turn away the work, on the Gazelle (Dutch bikes) we sell it takes ny-one 30mins to change an innertube thanks to the chaincases and hub gears and brakes, if workshop space and time is at a premium the £15 we would charge just has to be lost.

As for the pay for being a cytech technician it simply isn't great, i would say 80% of us accross the country are earning under £20k, as for the training it now costs £1000 to train an employee for cytech this is something that cannot be splashed out on by all shops as the economy has slowed.