Fluid for chain cleaning

Joel Mayes wrote:

I'm constantly see people at the how've had their bikes stuffed by
mechanics at their LBS, often really dumb things like a lady who came
in on an old single speed with coaster brakes saying the chain was
constantly droping and leaving her with no brakes.

Apparently the problem started after she went to her LBS 'cause the
tyre was rubbing on the mud-guards. Rather then adjusting the stays
the mechanics shifted the wheel forward in the drop-outs.


Mere beginners!

The so-called mechanics at the shops local to me would have fitted new
mudguards, and when that didn't work, recommended a different rim/tyre
combination.

After that the time honoured routine of "they all do that", "it's not
the brand we stock because of this very reason," etc.etc.


My "new", old bike, bought for sentimental reasons a couple of weeks
ago, is a 1990 Miyata 721A. One of the reasons I bought it is that it
was still fitted with the tyres it left the factory with (albeit
perished beyond use) and that you could still clearly see the mould
flash in the centre of the tyres - in other words it has been in
storage and never ridden.

In the course of changing the wheel bearings I damaged one of the
dustcaps, against my better judgment I attended my LBS on Saturday in
the hope of buying a new one. They didn't have one that fitted over the
cone, but would sell me a whoe new axle assembly, complete with dust
covers for $20 - a nasty looking "universal" axle assembly at that.

I decided to look wider and passed on it, not because I'm lousy and
didn't want to spend $20, because the replacement parts were clearly
lower quality. (I've since made a dust cap out of the pull out top from
a bottle of auto trans fluid - took me all of 5 minutes, most of which
was "painting" it black with an oil pen.)

Anyway, the LBS sales droid's comment "Probably not worth spending that
much on a cheap rim". I suspect that the dollar cost of a Miyata 721A
in 1990 dollars, translated to 2007 Pacific pesos would add up to a
sizeable pile of moola. For that little insult that displayed a
consumate lack of knowledge as to what are "good" versus "cheap" rims,
and the $23 they burgled for a universal brake cable means that I shall
never darken their door again. I only needed one cable as I had another
in stock as spares, it still had the price tag from when I purchased it
a few years back, $1.76.

I accept that things have gone up a bit, inflation, award wages for
PFYs and even the need to aircondition bike show rooms to keep the
punters happy, but there is no way on planet Earth that a ordinary
quality universal brake cable costs $23 other than where the LBS
concerned has the jolly rodger hoisted high.



--

On 2007-02-12, Blue Heeler wrote:
Joel Mayes wrote:

I'm constantly see people at the how've had their bikes stuffed by
mechanics at their LBS, often really dumb things like a lady who came
in on an old single speed with coaster brakes saying the chain was
constantly droping and leaving her with no brakes.

Apparently the problem started after she went to her LBS 'cause the
tyre was rubbing on the mud-guards. Rather then adjusting the stays
the mechanics shifted the wheel forward in the drop-outs.


Mere beginners!

The so-called mechanics at the shops local to me would have fitted new
mudguards, and when that didn't work, recommended a different rim/tyre
combination.

After that the time honoured routine of "they all do that", "it's not
the brand we stock because of this very reason," etc.etc.

Novices!

I once had V-brakes fitted to a drop-bar touring bike by a Fitzroy LBS
this of course needed two of those do-hickies that change the mechanical
advantage of the lever. Not only did they fail to re-tighten two bolt
when they refitted the rack they left the nylock nut off the bolt that
holds the do-hickies to the frame.

The same place was also the last LBS to service my partner's bike before
we met. A year later I give her bike a clean 'n' grease only to discover
there are no bearings in the top race of the headset. Not a single one.

Cheers

Joel

On Feb 12, 8:18 am, "Theo Bekkers" wrote:
Blue Heeler wrote:
Now, if you can actually show me a "citrus" cleaner that cleans as
quickly and as easily as kero, and doesn't cost more than 3 times as
much - I'll buy it.

That's a pretty safe bet. I use a 50/50 mix of kero and degreaser, cleans
better and quicker, washes off easier, costs a little more, but not three
times as much. It's not citrus though.

Theo

Be very careful of 'degreaser'. The standard ones (not talking about
citrus) are harsh alkaline agents, I'm led to believe. Whatever they
are, they destroy the anodised finish of shimano parts (haven't used
it on my Campag). I use kero. The 'oily' finish is desirable. Compare
it to petrol or white spirit, which strip the oil right away.

Donga