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Basic Home Mechanics Tool Kit

December 07, 2021Damon Blackband

Basic Tools

I have listed an ideal basic tool set-up which will allow you to undertake all of the basic bike repairs and servicing covered in the Pedal Lincolnshire basic & advanced certificate courses. Whilst these listed tools aren’t always the most expensive or coveted options, they are all high-end brilliant examples of professional level tools that will grace any mechanics workbench and last many years of heavy use.

Allen Keys – Buy the very best you can afford, or you will end up damaging expensive fasteners and fittings. Both hex and torx sets

Example: Silca HX-TWO Travel Kit

Hex wrenches: 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10mm

Torx® wrenches: T7, T8, T9, T10, T15, T20, T25, T27, T30

Screwdrivers – 4 Basic screwdrivers are the backbone of any bicycle toolkit (2 x slotted and 2 x cross head, although the large crosshead should really be a JIS (Japanese Industry Standard) Cross head which is slightly different to a normal phillips cross head and works better on many Asian components)

Phillips #0 & #2

Flat blade 3mm & 6mm

Examples:

Vessel Megadora 900 P2 X 100 (JIS for derailleur adjustment)

Park Tools Flat Head 6mm & 3mm

Park Tools cross head #0

Cable Cutters – One of the most used items in a mechanics tool box and one tool that needs to remain sharp and accurate and of very high quality

Example: Felco C7 wire cutters – The best of the best

Needle nosed pliers – Ideally a pair of both traditional and needle nosed but for most jobs needle nosed are preferable

Example: Park Tools NP-6 Needle Nosed Pliers

Chain whip – To enable cassette removal for replacement and cleaning

Example: Wolf Tooth ultralight Chain Whip Removal Tool

Cassette Removal Tool – Many variants out there for both Shimano/Sram and Campagnolo cassettes, Abbey Tools make a ‘dual headed Crombie Tool’ for both but its expensive!

Example: Park Tool FR-5.2 (Shimano/Sram)

Chain Tool Splitter – A high quality chain tool in the range of 5-12 speed is ideal and with replaceable pins even better

Example: Park Tool CT-3.3 - Professional Chain Tool

Pedal Wrench – Long and strong with plenty of leverage and good grip

Example: Lezyne Classic Pedal Spanner

Chain Link Pliers – To undo and fasten chain quick link connectors

Example: Super B TB-3323 Connecting Link Plier

Tyre Levers – Strong and precise with locking ability are the best, never use steel ones

Example: - Pedros Tyre Lever Pair (the best)

Chain Link Holder – A little gadget for helping join chain links (predominantly Campagnolo and older style chain connectors)

Example: Lifeline Chain Connector Aid

Cable Crimping Tool – To securely and neatly finish off those cable ends to stop them fraying

Example: Elvedes Endcap Crimping Tool

3-Way Hex wrench – Whilst not essential it is one of the most used items in any professional mechanics tool kit 4/5/6mm heads

Example: Pedros Y Hex 4/5/6mm key

Small Hex Drivers – 3 X small hex drivers for gear adjustments, Garmin mounts etc (highly useful and time saving)

Example: PB Swiss Tools PB 8205 Series SwissGrip Screwdriver Hex 2/2.5/3mm sizes

Chain Checking Tool – Essential for checking on chain wear and preventing further drivetrain damage

Example: Park Tools CC 3.2

Torque Wrench – Essential for adjusting delicate carbon interfaces and fittings (2-16 range for most jobs and larger one for bigger jobs – Bottom Brackets etc)

Example: Effetto Mariposa Giustaforza II 2-16 torque wrench

Scissors – Essential for cutting bar tape and cable ties etc, buy a good strong long lasting pair

Example: Crescent Wiss Heavy-Duty Tradesman Shears 254mm (10in)

Picks and Prodders – Essential for retrieving internal cables and opening up cable outers etc (beware of magnetic ends on some so you don’t drag and drop tools onto expensive paint jobs!)

Example: Park Tools UPSET Utility Pick Set

Lubricants, assembly pastes, anti-seize and chain lube – The 4 main staples of any mechanics bench. Almost every threaded item needs either assembly paste or anti-seize and all bearings and chains need lubricant to perform efficiently.

Examples:

Park Tools PPL-1 Polylube 1000 lubricant for bearings and headsets

Park Tools ASC-1 Anti- Seize Compound for Bottom Brackets and pedal threads etc

Park Tools SAC-2 Supergrip Carbon and Alloy Assembly Compound for handlebars stems and many other fittings

Chain Lube – An essential to keep your drivetrain running smooth and quiet and for the longevity of the moving parts. Wet and Dry and All-Weather, bewildering choice that depends on your riding styles

Example: Smoove Universal Chain Lube (Along with ‘Squirt’ offers fantastic protection and with minimum mess and collection of road crud etc)

Bike -Packing adventures

July 12, 2021Damon Blackband

Bike-packing - Turning a weekend into an ‘Adventure’

For a few years now I have been enjoying bike-packing adventures with friends around our beautiful country - the cycling equivalent to ‘credit card touring’.

When I say ‘bike-packing’ I am not referring to the practise of ‘cycle-touring’ where you laden up your bikes with tents, sleeping bags, cookers and everything else you can possibly ram into a dozen clunky pouches, which ultimately ruins the ride and makes riding your bike a complete misery, not to mention those wet, miserable sleepless nights in a cold and depressing tent.

Bike fully loaded with waterproof jacket at the ready if needed.

I am referring to travelling light with the bare minimum stuffed into a lightweight tail pack and then overnighting in a lovely pub with rooms, bar and restaurant which makes the whole experience an absolute pleasure.

So, what do you need?

A normal road bike with normal tool caddy & water bidon.

A lightweight waterproof tail bag and possibly handlebar bag

Minimal overnight gear - shorts/t-shirt/ flip flops/ toothbrush/ mini chamois cream & other medication etc

A spare set of riding gear if more than one overnight stay otherwise just new socks and jersey

Waterproof/ wind proof/overshoes if rain forecast

Credit card, phone, charging leads, mini bike lock, gps device.

Top tube bag if required

How does it work?

Chose a 2/3 night out and back route (Strava premium has a brilliant route planning tool that allows you to input a start & end point chose road surface type and wether to minimise or maximise elevation, and then searches through zillions of ride data to suggest the routes that most local cyclists use - heat map tool)

Book a pub/hotel for Fri night with parking for the weekend and a pub/hotel with rooms and restaurant and bike storage for the Sat night and book a table for supper too.

Thursday night - fit bike with tail pack carrier and load up tail pack etc

Check the bike over and make sure it’s clean, serviceable and the tyres are pumped up

Friday - after work load up the car and drive to pub, overnight and dump travel clothes in car

Sat - cycle an enjoyable route to pub with coffee stops and lunch en route and arrive in time for a rewarding beer before supper.

Sun - After breakfast load up the tail pack and cycle back to the car on another scenic enjoyable route with coffee and lunch stops then drive home.

A mini adventure carrying the minimum of gear on an exciting and scenic route where a fully laden bike would fear to go.

**Blackburn Outpost Seat Pack 11ltrs**

Fully waterproof and easy to fit and remove waterproof bag once at hotel. Stable and hard wearing too.

Topeak Frontloader Handlebar Pack 8l

With an air release valve this can be compressed between normal drop handlebar road bikes if travelling for more than one night.

Lezyne Hard Caddy 2.2L Bar Bag

For shorter tours an d overnight stays the Lezyne Hard Caddy can give you that extra bit of space for easy to reach items and onside snacks etc or somewhere to stuff your arm warmers, gloves and windproof etc if required.

Tour of North Yorkshire

Ripon to Barnard Castle via Bedale & Richmond and returning via Reeth, Leyburn & Masham

Tour of Norfolk

A fantastic circular route around Norwich and the Norfolk Broads

Rutland Water weekender

Lincoln to Wing near Oakham via Cafe Velo Verde, Belvoir Castle and Wymondham Windmill. returning via Corby Glen and Sleaford.

Tour of Lincolnshire 360

A 3-day tour of the Lincolnshire border

Tour of the Isle of Wight

3-days exploring the Isle of Wight

Tour of the Chilterns

two days cycling around the rolling hills of the Chilterns including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang windmill

Lincoln-York-Lincoln

A fantastic 2-day adventure catching the train from Metheringham to York then cycling to Cave Castle hotel Spa for night then cycling over the Humber Bridge back to Lincoln

The ‘Perfect’ tool caddy

July 06, 2021Damon Blackband

The ‘Velocity Rogue 3’ Tool Tote is possibly the ultimate grab bag / tool caddy for any mobile mechanic / plumber or electrician. With a 3yr warranty this extremely well made and hard wearing tool bag is the epitome of form and function, with dozens of pockets, a removable carton for potions and lotions and a padded back, handle and carrying strap this is the dogs do-daas of tool transportation and ease of access. My search is over!

Possibly the last tool caddy you will ever buy

“what lies beneath”

May 23, 2021Damon Blackband

Alloy handlebars suffering sweat corrosion

The salt from excessive sweating will corrode your headset bolts, bottle cage bolts, can corrode aluminum alloy in handlebars and can affect the paint on your frame. Riding outside on the road is less of an issue because sweat evaporates more easily and the force of the air rushing by keeps the sweat from settling easily. However, on a turbo trainer, everything just runs right down off of you and on the bike and floor below.
Sweat can build up on and under the bar tape if you let it and slowly eat away your alloy bars causing them to eventually fail when under load! (See picture of one I uncovered today from a Lincoln COBL owners Cannondale Super Six Evo)

Replace the bar tape at least once a season, it will give you time to inspect the bars for any corrosion. It's most likely to happen where there are scratches in the anodized coating. In between rides, you can use a bit of water and tiny touch of dish soap to clean, be sure to rinse well

You can buy sweat guards which cover the headset and top tube to protect the other parts of your bike or you could just drape some towels over them when turbo riding.

Pedal Lincolnshire

April 28, 2021Damon Blackband

Pedal Lincolnshire is an informative website showcasing the best cycling services and advice for those living and cycling in Lincolnshire. www.pedallincoknshire.co.uk

Dry Doddington leaning church and Wheatsheaf pub

Inner Tube Sealant

April 15, 2021Damon Blackband

Inner tube sealant (NOT tyre sealant) - The difference:

Whilst every manufacturer will sing the praises of their tubeless wheels and bike set-ups, the truth is that for road bikes ‘with high tyre pressures’ they just don’t work! For mtn bikes ‘high volume low pressure’ they are great, for road bikes ‘low volume high pressure’ the sealant does not get enough time to seal the hole before being ejected all over the bike, road and rider ha ha (I’ve witnessed dozens of such scenarios).

There is also the faff of trying to seat your tubeless tyres after filling with sealant as unless they are new and you are very lucky requires a compressor or tubeless air-can type pump, and often the skill and dexterity of a brain surgeon to install the valve core without loosing air pressure and unseating the tyre bead. Numerous people including myself on events and rides have had to fit an inner tube to a tubless tyre which deflated and this is a right mess!

The answer (maybe) - Inner tube sealant, squirted into the inner tube by simply deflating the tube, removing the valve with the simple supplied tool, squirting a couple of ounces into each tube, replacing the valve core, inflating, spinning the wheel and done! Took me 10 minutes to prep both wheels and - no mess, no fancy pump and so simple a triathlete could do it.

The verdict - It works! I installed the sealant and set off on an adventurous 100k ride through some very stunning quiet lanes complete with pot holes, thorns and even a section through a farmers field to avoid a road closure! I did notice a slight sluggishness to my accelerations but overall for most people the additional weight to the rotating mass would not be noticeable. On returning home I was aware that my front tyre was feeling slightly bouncy and there was definitely some air-loss from my usual 100psi which confirmed that I had suffered a puncture, my tyre was now 60psi, but the inner tube sealant had worked! No mess, no faff and even if it had failed I would still have just had to replace the inner tube as normal and inflate with my CO2 canister which is still only a two minute job for an experienced rider.

For many people this solution could be just what they need to give them that little bit more confidence to venture further afield without worry. It’s obviously not infallible but it certainly works in my experience.
Gravel riders and mtn bikers should still probably stick to their tubeless setups, but for roadies, this is definitely worth considering, especially in winter or on challenging routes and roads.

Another observation is for those running really tight wheel/tyre combinations then this liquid magic might just save the day when tasked with the near impossible task of changing an inner tube on a cold winters day with a seemingly impossibly tight tyre removal, or for those with weak thumbs etc.

Wheel Skewer Alignment

April 02, 2021Damon Blackband

Today’s top tip - Wheel Skewer Alignment

As tempting as it is to line up your skewer quick release levers with the forks or chain stay on your bike - BEWARE! There are hidden dangers and pitfalls to this little thought of practise.

How many of you have attempted to undo a quick release lever with cold fingers that is flush against the fork or seat stay? I guessed not! It’s a nightmare if the lever is ‘overtight’ and the amount of chipped and scratched paintwork I’ve seen caused by desperate cyclists resorting to levering them open with their multi-tools is testament to this action!
Always position your levers with a view to easy access and opening in case of punctures! (Please don’t bore each other with aero drivel or accident safety - it’s irrelevant tbh)

There are exceptions obviously; bolt through axles, positionable skewers and odd shopped dropouts etc - the message is the same however, always consider how you will remove them safely with tired, cold, wet fingers!

99% of bikes - keep both skewers on the left side of bike and remember to occasionally remove and lightly grease the spindle to prevent rusting!

Do not overtighten traditional rim brake skewers and for disc brakes always follow reccomended torque settings to avoid disc brake rub!

The incorrect way to lock off quick release levers

The safe way to lock off quick release levers (if you want to safely release them again with cold fingers!)

Toolbox Wars

February 18, 2021Damon Blackband

Bit of toolbox husbandry - decided to keep my most used ‘small tools’ in a handy tool roll and then the smaller ‘medium use’ tools that I kept in my Park Tools tool box I’ve cut into foam and divided into 4-layers that fit snug inside the Park Tool Box. Other daily use tools, oils and lubes etc in a tool bucket and remaining less used specialist tools in a tool chest. Hopefully this will keep me best organised and better accountable. #toolboxwars

Bicycle Husbandry (cleaning)

February 03, 2021Sean Drury

As a Bicycle mechanic I have learnt that it does not matter what bike you own, unless it is kept clean, well serviced and in good running order then cost, technology, aero and mechanical gains etc all become irrelevant!

In an ideal world we would all have a bike for every occasion, unfortunately this isn’t always possible and we often find ourselves utilising the same bike for any number of on-road / off-road scenarios in both summer and winter; therefore a good cleaning and servicing schedule is vital if you want to keep your bike in good condition, and more importantly in good mechanical shape and functioning at its best for many years to come.

Bicycle Husbandry can loosely be split into two necessities - Cleaning & Servicing

Cleaning:

The requirement to keep your bike clean and shiny and aesthetically pleasing which in turn will keep the ‘love alive’ and the desire to ride ‘strong’, it is also vital in keeping highly technical and essential componentry clean, lubricated, protected and functioning at their best for as long as possible

Generic cleaning kit - Muc-Off seem to be the benchmark brand although there are plenty of other options…

Servicing:

The requirement to ensure that every component on your beloved bike is functioning perfectly and is lubed, greased and exchanged when worn, so as best to keep the bikes components all running in harmony and not detracting from each others performance

With a little skill, a lot of love and some relatively cheap expendables, it is feasible for anyone to keep their bikes clean; Servicing your bike takes a bit more skill, some expensive tools and a lot more technical knowledge - depending on your bikes complexities! (neglect either and both your enjoyment and your bank balance will suffer)

Bike servicing - whilst there are dozens of ‘YouTube mechanics’ out there it is often the case of ‘a little knowledge can be dangerous’. Some jobs are relatively simple with the right tools and a bit of mechanical acumen but even a simple error can… — Bike servicing - whilst there are dozens of ‘YouTube mechanics’ out there it is often the case of ‘a little knowledge can be dangerous’. Some jobs are relatively simple with the right tools and a bit of mechanical acumen but even a simple error can have expensive consequences on today’s highly technical and expensive bicycles!

Cleaning your cycle should be time factored in when planning your ride, 30 minutes added on to the end of your ride for cleaning your bike is all it should take to keep your bike performing at its best. Whilst everyone will offer seemingly contradictory advise on how best to clean your bike and which products work best, and which components should be cleaned with this or that bottle of Unicorn tears, there are a few simple guidelines to ‘how best’ clean your bike:

What not to do:

Do not leave your bike wet after a ride for more than 12hrs or it will start to corrode and rust!
Do not get any oil based products on or near your disc brake pads or disc rotors
Do not spray degreaser onto your chain or cassette whilst fitted to the bike or on or near any bearings - it will destroy them! (There is a dreadful advert by Tru-Tension bike degreaser advocating spraying their degreaser on your in-situ cassette - Do NOT do this!)
Do not use a power hose to spray your bike down and keep any forced water pressure away from bearings.

An effective routine: (For general road bikes)

Hang your bike in a simple mechanics stand, these can be simple stands if only to be used for cleaning purposes and can be had for as little as £41.60 from GoOutdoors, but the better - more stable ones are from £140 upwards for something like the Park Tool PCS-9.2 which is also suitable for home mechanics tasks.
Gently wash the whole bike and tyres over with plain hosepipe water to soften the mud and grime (avoid bar tape and shifters, use a damp rag for these)
Spray the whole bike (apart from bar tape & shifters) with a general bike cleaner such as Muc-Off Nano Tech Bike Cleaner (For bikes fitted with electronic gears you are advised to cover these parts in clingfilm or another such water-shield for this stage and clean only with a damp cloth) Leave cleaner on for no longer than 5 minutes before next phase.
Agitate the tyres and stubborn grime with a soft brush ensuring the Muc-Off is foaming up and doing its job! use a soft cloth or ‘pastry type’ brush to get into delicate or intricate places
Rinse off the whole bike with plain water as per step 2
Use a soft microfibre rag with a small amount of Muc-Off cleaner to remove any remaining grime and run over the whole bike with a clean microfibre cloth to clean all the intricate parts, paying particular attention to the wheels, hubs, spokes, underside, chainset etc. ensuring the bike is left spotless from all angles!
Clean the chain by running it through your fingers using a thick rag to remove any excess grime (easy in a bike-stand). If you only occasionally use your bike in the rain or wet then it makes much better sense to lubricate your chain with ‘dry wax’ lube such as the outstanding ‘Smoove’ lube, this will dry dry and not pick up all the road grime and turn your chain and gears into a black oily mess!, Dry wax will last for up to 4-5 hundred kms between re-lubing intervals and will stand up to the odd brief shower or wash, only needing re-lubing after a heavy downpour or a few heavy washes. it can be cleaned using a dry rag with only the jockey wheels in your rear mech requiring an occasional scrape with a small flat bladed screwdriver if excess wax builds up. If you ride all-seasons in persistent rain and wet roads then wet lube will probably be required, the cleaning of your drive-train using wet-lube will require either the removal of your chain and cassette using special tools to degrease, or a device such as a ‘chain pig’ to clean in-situ.
Using a gentle ‘bike spray’ such as ‘Muc-Off Bike Protect’ which dries dry and non-sticky, lightly spray your whole bike including all metal parts, gears, chain rings, rim brakes, wheel rims, hubs, spokes, exposed cables, saddle bolts, bearings etc etc, this will drive out moisture and lubricate and protect at the same time. If you have disc brakes then remove wheels and clean rims with a dry rag and ‘Bike Protect’, and cover the disc brakes with clingfilm or similar to shield the disc pads from oil (Do not put oily fingerprints on disc rotors or pads at any stage as once contaminated they cannot be cleaned - despite ‘Mental Dave’ putting them in the oven or sanding them down)
Remove all excess ‘Bike Protect’ with a clean dry microfibre cloth before spraying disc brakes and rotors with ‘Muc-Off Disc Brake Cleaner’ or a similar ‘Disc Brake Cleaner’ and wipe off with a paper towel, Rim brake alloy tracks and pads can be rubbed clean with a paper towel sprayed with ‘Disc Brake Cleaner’, carbon rims and pads should be treated the same as disc brake pads and rotors and removed and cleaned separately.
Once the whole bike is clean and dry and sprayed with ‘Bike Protect’ / Disc Brake Cleaner’ then using an Aerosol Grease with a fine delivery tube such as the WD40 Grease 400ml use this to lubricate gear mech springs, jockey wheel bearings and rim brake pivot springs, avoiding getting on anything else! If your chain is now clean, shiny & dry but lacking the waxy feel of a dry-lubed chain then slowly rotate the cranks and apply a light lube of wax to the inside rollers of the chain for one turn only. wipe off excess with a dry rag and then leave to dry for a couple of hours.
Check that everything is still functioning by running through the gear changes in the bike stand and checking the brakes are functioning correctly. (Bike Protect will not effect brake pads and rims on alloy wheels like it will disc brakes, if in doubt or you have a steep descending ride planned then avoid spraying the brake contact points with ‘Bike Protect’ - Bike Protect has no adverse handling effects or noise when used on MY rim brakes and after the first couple of braking actions has all but vanished!

The spotless winter (all year) road bike Riding in winter can destroy modern road bikes with their intricate designs, hidden cables and electronic gears etc. A good Titanium (rustproof) frame with traditional alloy rim brakes and external cables is … — *The spotless winter (all year) road bike*
Riding in winter can destroy modern road bikes with their intricate designs, hidden cables and electronic gears etc. A good Titanium (rustproof) frame with traditional alloy rim brakes and external cables is perfect in not only function and form but also in longevity, cleanliness and equally easy to service and maintain!

An effective servicing schedule:

For those that routinely clean their bikes and average less than 500km per month or less than 6000km per year

Bronze Service - 6 monthly (basic check and adjust)

Silver Service - 12 months (clean & degrease drivetrain etc)

Gold Service - 18 months (full strip-down, clean, lube & rebuild)

For those that routinely clean their bikes and average more than 500km per month and more than 6000km per year

Bronze Service - 3 monthly

Silver Service - 6 monthly

Gold Service - 12 months

Obviously for extremes outside of these distances or a poor cleaning schedule then please readjust accordingly!

Bicycle Emergency Tool Kits

January 21, 2021Sean Drury

Every cyclist should be able to facilitate a roadside repair for themselves or others for any number of common roadside scenarios. At the very least - change a punctured tube and repair a snapped chain.
Along with acquiring these basic skills every cyclist should equip themselves with the basic tools necessary for themselves or other passers by to assist them:

Tool caddy (bottle cage style are far easier to look after and use)

ToPeak XL tool caddy Two inner tubes (one in tool pouch and one in rear pocket perhaps) — ToPeak XL tool caddy
Two inner tubes (one in tool pouch and one in rear pocket perhaps)

CO2 inflator & 3 x gas bottles

Silca Basic sprung loaded trigger style (basic model)

ToPeak Airbooster controllable CO2 inflator

Fit for purpose multi-tool (either with chain breaker or without)

Silca ‘Venti 20’ all in one multi tool with chain breaker

Brooks MT 10 basic multi tool (must carry a separate chain-breaker tool)

Silca Tredici 13 basic multi tool (must carry a seperate chain breaker)

Chain tool if not on multi-tool

Park CT-6.3 chain breaker (peens Campagnolo chains too)

Chain quick-link (appropriate to your chains speed)

KMC Power Link compatible with 11-speed Shimano and Campagnolo chains

Tyre boot (can use trimmed piece of old tyre wall if necessary)

Park tyre-boot (alternatively a cut up old tyre wall can be used instead)

Self sticking puncture repair kit (just in case)

Park self-sticking puncture repair patches

Rubber gloves

Length of gear cable with nipple to replace snapped gear cable (to allow a single selected gear to be chosen in case of snapped cable)

12” of gear cable with nipple attached to enable rear mech to be set to appropriate gear in case of snapped gear cable.

Multi size spoke key

Tweezers to remove thorns

Cable ties (for any number of fix-it jobs)

Cable ties to facilitate any number of disasters

The above items form part of a basic on-the-bike tool kit which can be tailored to suit an individuals needs and style of riding / type of bike etc. Gas bottles are my personal choice of inflator respectably if group riding, however, a pump may still be chosen to be carried by those less experienced cyclists.

Aero vs Comfort

January 19, 2021Sean Drury

Aero road bikes may have dominated the news over the last few years, but all three Grand Tours in 2020 were won on traditional rim braked bikes as shown by Jumbo-Visma, on the Bianchi Oltre XR4, Ineos Grenadiers, on the Pinarello Dogma F12 and UAE Emirates on the Colnago V3Rs. All Italian, and all using much more traditional styling than the extreme aero bikes so favoured by the cycling press and the biggest manufacturers.

Colnago V3Rs 2020 Tour winning bike (more traditional than aero)

Traditionally Tour riders used super lightweight bikes for the mountains and then switched to more extreme aero models for the flat stages, and TT bikes for the time trials, however, design and technology has now come full circle and riders are now eschewing the extreme aero models in favour of ‘do it all’ bikes that are more focused on lightweight all day comfort rather than extreme aero profiling, such as the Colnago V3Rs ridden to victory by Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates and the new Trek Emonda’s and Specializeds Tarmac SL7

The all-new Specialized Tarmac SL7 is here and it’s just replaced the SL6 & the Venge

How does this relate to your every day keen amateur you may ask yourself?

As a bike mechanic and keen roadie, I am fortunate enough to be able to work on, and ride dozens of different models from all of the main manufacturers, and in doing so have learnt what features are beneficial and what features are pointless or detrimental to good engineering, design or comfort.

Where do I start? - probably with the old engineers adage of ‘cheap, light and strong’ - Pick two? Because all three are virtually impossible to find!

I can tell you what primarily makes a good bike:

A compliant frameset (Vertical-Compliance is a term to describe the comfort of a carbon fibre bike frame - good vertical compliance infers the frame is good at absorbing chatter from the road surface because of the lay-up of the carbon weave. In essence its a way of saying the frame is comfortable.
Wheels that are stiff, lightweight and aero and that meets the needs and expectations of the particular rider, a balance between strength, weight, and so much more.
Groupset choice is where the biggest variations can be found depending on a riders intentions - Road bike groupsets should offer seamless performance with crisp and smooth shifting, with durability also being an essential consideration

So, why isn’t every bike a comfortable and spectacular showcase of lightweight sprinting, climbing and descending prowess?

The answer lies with the survivability of a manufacturers business, or, the ever increasing need to keep selling bikes! Changes for changes sake, eg: press-fit bottom brackets - utter garbage and now many manufacturers have ditched them and returned to traditional threaded BSA bottom brackets once again!

Road, Gravel, Cross, TT, Adventure, Aero, Sportive, Mountain, Commuter etc etc, the list goes on and on and the decision making process becomes mind boggling to say the least!

I’ve just seen the latest gravel bikes which now look like the early mountain bikes of yesteryear ha ha

Let’s discuss ‘Road’ bikes, ie traditional drop handlebar ‘racers’ in old money.

Nowadays it seems that every new bike has to be more aero than its predecessor, cables hidden inside not only frames but also inside handlebars and stems etc, this isn’t ‘aero’ this is purely cosmetic, for the microscopic aero advantages of a few hidden lengths of cable for 99% of everyday riders zipping along at less than 30kph is practically zilch, yet the mechanical disadvantage of all those tight hidden angles and corresponding cable friction is more than noticeable at any speed, and will only worsen over time!

External cabling on a Titanium road bike - Gear changing perfection!

Internal cabling causes hidden problems and a servicing and maintenance nightmare, often necessitating the use of magnets, cable liners and additional workshop time to replace when compared to the slick, frictionless operation of externally routed cables which can be replaced in a matter of minutes by any cyclist with a few basic skills and rubbed over with an oily rag to stop them rusting away.

The epitome of bad engineering and poor cable routing for the sake of hidden cables.

My next bugbear of modern aero framesets is the non-compliant drastically profiled, stiff and unforgiving tube profiles so often created to save yet more imaginary milliseconds off a personal 40km best effort.

These weight adding ‘cosmetic’ tube profiles not only amplify every cable rattle, transmission and road noise but they also introduce yet more friction to an already compromised internal cabling nightmare, as well as making the bike uncomfortable to ride in anything but a straight short line and often result in the bike having the turning circle of the QE2! (Check the ‘For Sale’ sites and you will find dozens of unwanted ‘aero’ and TT bikes for good reason - sleek looks don’t always equate to speed, performance and comfort)

Hidden brakes - luckily virtually all manufacturers of non TT bikes have now ditched these failed innovations and reverted back to good old front and back traditional rim brakes where maintenance and servicing is easy, and the brakes aren’t hidden away in direct line of all of the road debris and spray thrown up from today’s ‘varied’ road services.

Hidden brakes - covered in road grime and hard to maintain

Discs or rim brakes? another much debated topic indeed! There are definite advantages to the foul weather stopping ability of good disc brakes, especially on mountain or cyclocross bikes in muddy environments, notably on long mountainous descents, but the additional weight of not only the hardware but also the beefier forks to handle the additional stresses, makes for an unnecessary weight gain for most riders, when modern rim brakes offer nearly just as much stopping power for 90% of the time!

(All three grand tours in 2020 were won on traditional rim brakes, and if you watched these pros descent at speeds of 50mph+ your confidence would most certainly be boosted!)

The additional maintenance, cleaning and associated costs are also a big reason for the majority of cyclists to stick with proven inexpensive rim brake technology, especially as over half the disc-braked bikes I service are already sporting contaminated pads and at up to £40 a set this can soon prove to be a costly and unnecessary expense, which makes a simple wash down an hour+ long mission!

Electric shifting ? Brilliant, a fantastic invention that generally works faultlessly, however, it only changes gear and trims the mechs, it’s then the same as any other manual groupset, and the running costs are astronomical when replacement parts are required! On extreme aero bikes it helps with cable rattle and friction but in general, despite its fantastic operation it will soon let you down, especially if you’re a high mileage rider in all weather conditions.

Campagnolo Super Record EPS ‘electronic shifting excellence’ £599 for the rear mech.

The advent of new Shimano 12 speed Di2 WiFi will hopefully cure many of the cable and battery related problems with current Shimano Di2 and make SRAM obsolete over night if the press rumours are accurate.

Deep section wheels ? The single biggest improvement to any bike so long as the bike is the perfect fit and the groupset is running smoothly, it’s most definitely the wheels!

Carbon or Aluminium? For everyday use a good lightweight aluminium sturdy wheelset, that is stiff but not overly stiff and has a long lasting reputable hub would be the perfect choice. Not too deep so as to add weight or be effected by crosswinds, but lightweight and sturdy enough so as to be fit for year round training. I would strongly recommend the Benchmark Campagnolo Shamal or Zonda models for everyday performance hoops.

Campagnolo Shamal Mille C17 Clincher aluminium Wheelset £800

For racing, posing and for Sunday best then a mid section 40mm carbon wheelset would be a smart compromise over an impractical 50mm+ set of rims which are unsuitable for even moderate wind speeds and most certainly will be a weight hinderance on climbing. 40mm gives a useable advantage for strong riders with noticeable stiffness (acceleration) from the best models and a definite speed-holding advantage for those that ride upwards of 30kph on average. For those lesser mortals then deep section wheels are merely cosmetic and will usually hinder your ride rather than improve it.

Shimano 9100 C40 Carbon clinchers - all round aero performance £1756

Cheap deep section rims such as those sold by Planet X and on eBay etc do not add extra stiffness (acceleration) and the cheap carbon fairing can cause more speed loss than a good stiff well made aluminium wheel. A good Sunday best wheelset would be the Shimano carbon C40 wheelset with an aluminium brake track

In summary, unless you can afford a bike for every occasion then avoid overly aero bikes such as Giant Propels and Canyon Aeroads and other extreme speed weapons, as their overall usability is seriously compromised unless you value all out speed over day-long comfort.

if you truly want mechanical perfection, time immemorial good looks and all day comfort then a traditional Ti, Steel or aluminium beauty with a mechanical externally routed groupset and high end aluminium wheels is the perfect road bike!

Van Nicholas Ti Eurus Campagnolo Super Record and Shamal Mille wheels - perfection indeed

The Do's & Don’ts of Bicycle Upgrades & Maintenance No 1

January 18, 2021Sean Drury

No 1 - Bearings

Anodised ‘ceramic’ pulley wheels - everyone has seen the advert or the demo example in some shops of a ‘ceramic speed’ jockey wheel spinning for ever? Nonsense, any new bearing with ‘non contact’ seals and ‘non greased’ balls will spin like this. (High quality ceramic bearings do not really need grease to achieve ultimate performance) This demo ceramic bearing is ‘unloaded’ which is totally unrealistic and without grease or seals, which is not suitable for everyday road use - only ‘track use’ (unless you are a sponsored super super elite pro)

Ceramic Speeds £379.99 marginal gain! And then you pair it up with ‘wooden’ tyres!

Good steel bearings from companies like NTN or NSK with non/low contact seals are the best option if you really are after that ‘marginal gain’. The moment you add grease to a ceramic bearing you negate ceramics true potential.

NTN or SKF are manufacturers of the best sealed wheel bearings in most professional reviews.

The other ‘no no’ is tacky anodised ‘alloy’ pulley wheels, these ‘eBay specials’ actually worsen the effectiveness of your derailleur, they add noise and friction! Shimano’s (for example) plastic jockey wheels are designed to reduce drivetrain noise and absorb it, most nasty alloy wheels make the drivetrain ‘sing out’ in agony! Most cyclists don’t realise either, that jockey (pulley) wheels are directional specific and have an upper (guide) and a lower (tension) specific wheel; The guide (upper) has lateral movement to allow clean chain pick up and the tension (lower) is static.

Ceramic bearings (not eBay rubbish) are fractionally smoother and potentially longer lasting in certain situations, but for the cost, they don’t really offer a good investment unless every other component on your bike is ‘top spec’ too

Ceramic open (caged) bearing (Campagnolo wheel hub)

Bearings need to be kept clean and lubricated, avoid getting degreaser on them (the horrendous adverts showing some muppet spraying degreaser onto the fitted cassette) and you need to avoid power washers near them too! (washed to death!!)

Sealed bearings can be regreased by carefully prying up the seal with a fine blade cleaning out with degreaser, drying and adding some quality fresh bearing grease, with a thin film being applied to the outside afterwards, open bearings are more easily serviced (so long as the cups and cones aren’t pitted) and their ball bearings can be easily cleaned or replaced, with the real magic being the fine tuning of the ‘cup & cones’ afterwards.

Servicing Intervals

Headsets - 6 monthly (especially if ridden in rain or on car roof in rain)

Wheels and bottom brackets - yearly, would be a good base line for servicing.

Jockey wheels kept smooth with an application of grease using an aerosol straw and a good removal of grime and crud with a fine flat bladed screwdriver every handful of rides is a good maintenance routine.

I would strongly advise the use of a quality wax lubricant such as ‘smoove’ (all weather) for keeping your chain clean and running silently, and remember ‘more is less’ when it comes to re-applying!

Smoove - probably the best all round / all weather value for money performance wax

As for bearing grease - all grease is waterproof and there are a myriad of options available. Ceramic bearings need a low viscosity grease such as ‘Ceramic Speeds’ own offering where as other bearings it depends on intended use and conditions, winter workhorses need a very hard working fully waterproof grease (such as ‘marine grease’), normal use bearings benefit from a med viscosity grease such as Park Tools polylube.

Do not mix different grease types ie Lithium/ceramic/ Teflon etc. Freehub body’s need a product specific grease to work efficiently (eg Shimano freehub special grease) and Shimano gear cables can benefit from their cable specific ‘special grease’.

Parks ubiquitous ‘polylube’, the most commonly used grease in any workshop

In summary - whilst ceramic bearings do have unique qualities - harder, rounder and rustproof etc, most, are actually ‘hybrid ceramic’ ie, a steel outer shell which can often be the bearings Achilles heel. Seals and grease can often hold back a ceramic bearings maximum potential and in the real world the benefits are so marginal that it’s often just the placebo effect that is generally really evident.

Would I upgrade to them? Yes and No, ha, in headsets that are easy to remove, clean and service, and which generally suffer from water ingress a ceramic headset would be a worthy upgrade.

Bottom Brackets? Probably No, a faff to maintain and easier to run a good quality steel BB and change it every year, especially if your bike is fitted with a threaded BSA BB which is the pinnacle of bottom bracket perfection

Hub bearings, probably yes, if having the luxury of a ‘summer only’ premium wheelset that never witnessed a hosepipe, let alone a downpour!
Pulley Wheels ? No! For these fast rotating high maintenance spinners I’d keep the manufacturers perfectly matched jockey wheels and keep them spotlessly clean and lubricated the same as my chain.

And for a final mention - Chains!!! ditch those ridiculous coloured models and stick with the groupsets matched chain. Apply wax sparingly to the inside rollers of the chain only and not all over the outside plates, especially if you’re using a gimmicky coloured wax that will soon clog up your pulley wheels and detract from your drivetrains performance.

About as ridiculous as it gets! Guaranteed to clog up your rear mech!

Damon’s Cycling top 10 ‘On-the-bike bits’

January 16, 2021Sean Drury

Over the years of being a Cycle Guide, Cycling Events Manager & Cycle Mechanic I have had the great fortune of working on, and test-riding hundreds of bikes using dozens of different tools and equipment. I have also tried and tested more items of clothing, gadgets and accessories than most people fondle in a lifetime!
Here are a few stand-out tool choices that I can strongly recommend: