# Almost Pro Bike Mechanic **URL:** \ **Category:** Pub\ **Created:** [October 3, 2013, 4:17pm UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868 "2013-10-03T16:17:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 34
**Author:** ![swuzzlebubble](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/swuzzlebubble/32/3766_2.png) [@swuzzlebubble](https://fixed.org.au/u/swuzzlebubble)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2023, 11:25am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/661 "2023-06-01T11:25:33Z")
> **[Login • Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsoDFRLLv8S/?igshid=NjFhOGMzYTE3ZQ==)** > > Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world. ---
**Author:** ![jaseyjase](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/jaseyjase/32/187_2.png) [@jaseyjase](https://fixed.org.au/u/jaseyjase)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2023, 3:13am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/662 "2023-06-10T03:13:56Z")
So i learnt why you shouldnt put a road crank meant for 68mm, on a mtb frame with 73mm spacing. after few hundred kms on the monster gravel, the crank worked its way off the spindle, minimal teeth engagement, hit a pothole, snapped tension bolt…5mms clearly is important. had to one leg ride back to the car 15kms on this mornings gravel ride. ---
**Author:** ![MikeD](https://fixed.org.au/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/ed655f/32.png) [@MikeD](https://fixed.org.au/u/MikeD)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2023, 12:39am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/663 "2023-06-11T00:39:02Z")
I heard of someone who “solved” this problem by facing their bottom bracket shell down to 68mm, but “now the crank arms hit the frame, what do I do?” ---
**Author:** ![heavymetal](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/heavymetal/32/69_2.png) [@heavymetal](https://fixed.org.au/u/heavymetal)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 2:51am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/664 "2023-06-19T02:51:21Z")
Just did a repack of the rear hub on the NFE cos it’s had an annoying small amount of lateral play. Got it all back together and on the bike, everything running nicely. Start to put tools away and find an orphan ball bearing on the bench… 😪 ---
**Author:** ![P\_N20](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/p_n20/32/177_2.png) [@P\_N20](https://fixed.org.au/u/P_N20)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 3:03am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/665 "2023-06-19T03:03:44Z")
Wouldn’t worry about it, leaving ball bearings out was one of the earliest weight weenie techniques. ---
**Author:** ![heavymetal](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/heavymetal/32/69_2.png) [@heavymetal](https://fixed.org.au/u/heavymetal)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 3:30am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/666 "2023-06-19T03:30:41Z")
good point. I’ve gone back in, taken out half the bearings and added a drop of sewing machine oil. ---
**Author:** ![jaseyjase](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/jaseyjase/32/187_2.png) [@jaseyjase](https://fixed.org.au/u/jaseyjase)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 3:18am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/667 "2025-03-18T03:18:34Z")
Installing some new Vittoria Randonneurs on the commuter, tube in, tyre on, starting pumping away. Max 65 psi ? no worries, pump pump. Gets to 50, ahh, still plenty, pump pump. next minit…BANG. Extra loud as was in the shed, that thing echoed like crazy. Turns out i didnt seat the tyre properly so the tube kind of ballooned out. ---
**Author:** ![jasonc](https://fixed.org.au/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@jasonc](https://fixed.org.au/u/jasonc)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2026, 12:20am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/668 "2026-06-18T00:20:48Z")
I took my 12 speed cassette off a couple of weeks ago. I put it back on and didn’t get to ride it for nearly 2 weeks. Riding it yesterday it wouldn’t change into gears 9 and 10. what the hell? It turns out there are 2 spacers in the 12 speed cassettes and they are different widths. Removed cassette, found the spacers and put them in the correct order, and it now works. Whose idea was it to have different width spacers? Far out. ---
**Author:** ![Zach](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/zach/32/3243_2.png) [@Zach](https://fixed.org.au/u/Zach)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2026, 12:40am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/669 "2026-06-18T00:40:36Z")
installing a Micro Spline cassette really tests your patience ---
**Author:** ![LDRcycles](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/ldrcycles/32/4310_2.png) [@LDRcycles](https://fixed.org.au/u/LDRcycles)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2026, 12:41am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/670 "2026-06-18T00:41:39Z")
Campagnolo did that on at least some cassettes. Maybe they still do but it’s way beyond my price range to know 😄 ---
**Author:** ![P\_N20](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/p_n20/32/177_2.png) [@P\_N20](https://fixed.org.au/u/P_N20)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2026, 12:43am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/671 "2026-06-18T00:43:58Z")
Our version was [Almost Pro Bike Mechanic](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868) Can we merge threads? ---
**Author:** ![AL9000](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/al9000/32/7_2.png) [@AL9000](https://fixed.org.au/u/AL9000)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2026, 12:48am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/672 "2026-06-18T00:48:11Z")
beep boop 🤖✅ ---
**Author:** ![jasonc](https://fixed.org.au/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@jasonc](https://fixed.org.au/u/jasonc)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2026, 2:30am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/673 "2026-06-18T02:30:26Z")
it’s still a standard (HG?) casssette. just don’t comprehend the logic of different width, unlabelled, spacers. ---
**Author:** ![jasonc](https://fixed.org.au/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@jasonc](https://fixed.org.au/u/jasonc)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2026, 6:36am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/674 "2026-06-27T06:36:55Z")
I bought some Ti bolts for the shifter clamp. I have a spare pair of shifters so tried them in the garage. They fit. But my spares are r8070 (no, I’m not selling them). I have two bikes with r8070 shifters so they will be sorted when I change bar tape. The other bike has r9270 shifters. I’m unsure if they are the same. We need an aliexpress thread ---
**Author:** ![am50em](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/am50em/32/4294_2.png) [@am50em](https://fixed.org.au/u/am50em)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2026, 6:56am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/675 "2026-06-27T06:56:03Z")
Went to put new wheels in today but disc rotor was way out. Look closer and had it in back the front. Easy fix, front fitted perfectly. Rear needed a slight adjustment and tweak to straighten rotor. An [aliexpress.com](http://aliexpress.com) thread would be good. I have been buying lots of small parts as well as big things like wheels. Noticed on the rear brake that the pad pin spring clip was missing. Fortunately I ordered a pack of 10 a week ago. Should arrive early next week. ---
**Author:** ![jasonc](https://fixed.org.au/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@jasonc](https://fixed.org.au/u/jasonc)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2026, 4:24am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/676 "2026-06-29T04:24:09Z")
good news is the bolts fit the R9270 shifters. replaced the bar tape and bolts. ---
**Author:** ![am50em](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/am50em/32/4294_2.png) [@am50em](https://fixed.org.au/u/am50em)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2026, 11:55pm UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/677 "2026-06-30T23:55:57Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/rI8hzTPJjrw/maxresdefault.jpg "Tubeless tape without leaks and bubbles, how ?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI8hzTPJjrw) ---
**Author:** ![Carlin](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/carlin/32/18_2.png) [@Carlin](https://fixed.org.au/u/Carlin)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2026, 9:41am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/678 "2026-07-17T09:41:25Z")
Installed a star nut a little skewed on my son’s bike, with no proper tool for setting, and getting that sinking feeling as it goes a mm or two further with each tap. It was far enough out that the cap wouldn’t sit properly. Anyway it turns out that if you bend the top cap bolt just enough there is a sweet spot where it all evens out, tension the headset and away you go! ---
**Author:** ![Twizzle](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/twizzle/32/4407_2.png) [@Twizzle](https://fixed.org.au/u/Twizzle)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2026, 5:21am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/679 "2026-07-20T05:21:18Z")
Did that years back, but the bolt jammed in the nut in the star washer, the next time I needed to pull it apart the spring tabs on the washer stayed put but the nut spun. I had to dremel the top cap off, drive the whole mess futher down the steerer and put a new nut in above it. A messy and time consuming mistake. Luckily, it didn’t rattle. ---
**Author:** ![jaseyjase](https://fixed.org.au/user_avatar/fixed.org.au/jaseyjase/32/187_2.png) [@jaseyjase](https://fixed.org.au/u/jaseyjase)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 1:08am UTC](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868/680 "2026-07-21T01:08:55Z")
Replaced front brake caliper but forgot to tighten properly, did 50k of commuting and didnt notice anything oddly. Wasnt till i got home when i was swapping out skewers did i notice a ‘wobble’ in the caliper…yikes! [Previous page](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868.md?page=33) [Next page](https://fixed.org.au/t/almost-pro-bike-mechanic/62868.md?page=35)