number 6 is pretty accurate. I always put my allen keys somewhere they shouldn't be and then suddenly I can't remember where I put the 4 or 5 mm key when 10 seconds before, it was in my right hand. Can't seem to get this right
Global Cycling Network Different standards. How the heck is one supposed to know which bottom brackets are compatible with which cranks or why exactly the bar end plugs that came with your bar tape just won't fit into your handlebars...
Global Cycling Network I broke a 6mm Allen key once trying to remove old automatic pedals on my commuter bike. Fortunately I could get it with a 15mm pedal spanner, kicking into it with my full body weight as if I was starting a motorbike. I'm also guilty of forgetting tools because I have bikes in two places, at home and where I work and so many times I had to wait a full week to get those tools... Just like seized seat posts old bikes with a quill stem often get permanently welded because of water getting in the steerer tube. Last but not least I often have more trouble getting my back wheel back on than getting it out in the first place, because it's tight and not always easy to align on old bikes with horizontal dropouts...
I'll offer a free tip to you all, it's an aircraft mechanic's secret. Those bolts that you feel you are going to round out - go to your local auto parts store and buy a small tube of Valve Grinding/Lapping compound (the more coarse the better) and smear it around the end of your tool, say, allen/hex key/wrench for example. It will "super" grip those bolts, and may turn a seized/rusted bolt into a winner - rather than drilling and tapping (You can also use this paste on the end of your screwdriver for screws!). I'm fairly certain that Loctite offer a Diamond-grip product, however it is quite expensive and the valve paste will do the job at a fraction of the price. Also to GCN/Simon - Grease/anti-seize lowers the coefficient of friction - when you have grease on a thread it will be more tight than you thought - that 30NM may be 35+ with grease - Keep this in mind when tightening bolts so you don't strip them out.
I like these videos. They give the average joe just enough confidence to try some of these simple things, and when they mess it up, they bring it into my shop.
The pros more often have the benefit of mainly swapping wheels on bikes that are high-end. This means having a chain hanger boss on the chain stay, and having a separate derailleur hanger that doesn't interfere with placing the axle properly into the dropouts, so that the wheel is in perfect alignment before securing the axle. There isn't any reason a person couldn't rehearse these techniques, too. Practice makes perfect.
1. Trouble removing back wheel even in the lowest gear? Lower the tyre pressure first, it helps a lot. 2. Always, put your chain on the largest front sproket when removing pedals or undoing the crank arms. It could save you an awful lot of blood and pain.
A rear light mount also makes a GREAT "seatpost position indicator"! Just mount it all the way down at the frame, so when you remove the seatpost, you just slide it in until the light mount touches the frame again.
The same company that makes Simons seat also make a rubber ring that goes on the seat post and sits in place of using electrical tape. i.imgur.com/Cv82QAM.jpg
Similarly, I have the holder for my old-school U-lock on the seat post...I didn't think about it when I put it on, but it sure came in handy when I had to deal with the seat post!
Here is a tip to remove rounded allen head bolts: You can use torx keys in it. Torx keys are made in different sizes than the allen keys so you can find a bit bigger than the actual key that rounden up the head. The torx key is a bit conical, so it tightens up in the hole easily and its teets are biting into the head a bit with a little force. If it doesn't work you can just cut a line into the head and use a flathead screwdriver.
To keep headsets and BB pieces together - in order, I just zip tie them together. Keeps everything in order - especially if I'm not going to re-assemble until weeks later.
Great advice! though for me, it makes me nervous when one of my children are not complete. :) ...i did have my Nishiki "in a box" when i first restored it. I used baggies...and because it was older it was not too complex like today's bicycles. (its hard to mess up re-assembling old non-sealed bearings for example)
Great video! I've worked on my bikes since I was a kid. I remember taking the rear derailleur apart on my bike and not being able to put it back together. When my dad came home from work I showed him my mess and he quietly figured out how to put it back together : ) These days I get so focused when I'm working on my bike that I forget were I put my tools and parts. I sure spend a lot of time looking for things Lol
Messed up with an internal cable? Top tip is to use some cotton thread and a vacuum cleaner. The vacuum will suck the cotton through the tubing and then use this to tie to the cable and pull through. May sound far fetched but it works a treat!
I would add to the list a mistake that cost me hours of grief: pushing the roller pin all the way out when breaking a chain with a chain breaking tool.
This is great advice. I'm still relatively new to the sport but I've been into it for a couple of years now and it's easy to lapse into these simple mistakes. I find the GCN content has made what would have otherwise been quite difficult and daunting into something that's a lot more manageable. Thank you for helping this to become accessible!
The best thing for preventing parts seizing in place is copper grease, especially in any place where steel is contacting aluminium, e.g. pedals into cranks, clamp bolts into handlebar stems. Copper grease prevents bimetallic corrosion. It's cheap as well!
Definitely rounded bolts! Tried the drill method, recently, with no luck. But I did get it out by dipping an IKEA allen key in JB Weld and sticking it into the bolt head. Worked a dream! Now I'm just hoping I didn't ruin the frame threads with the drill...
Remember that using grease or anti-seize changes the torque/clamping force characteristics. If you need to use a specific torque, lubricate threads only as per the instructions otherwise you can easily over tighten the bolts.
#1 what grease to use : Canada you must use marine grease on bikes, wheel bearings, bottom brackets, brakes, cable housing exits. This is to stop rust and poor roads with debris from gunking your bike. 1200 km redid all wheels and bottom bracket that is how bad they got when opened up insane gunk even though the bike was clean.
Don't use grease on a seatpost. Grease is just oil and soap, it'll dry out and become useless. Use an anti-seize compound designed for the job, like copper slip (for metal), or Shimano's anti-seize compound. Grease is a lubricant. Anti-seize is designed to stop surfaces bonding.
Just a little alternative tip: put two small dots of a silver pen/marker at the edge where frame and seat post meat instead of the tape. Benefit: also very easy to find the strait forward orientation simply lining up the dots in angle and height!
i wasted minutes trying to get the rear wheel back into my E-MTB untol i realised that the deraileur was locked and thus unable to properly move out of the way.
I had an epiphany (not the same thing as an Epiphone) once, and from then on, I've had a tool box for all my bike tools, and I also keep a few other odd tools in it, so I'm covered if I have to go to some kind of extreme on occasion. A large crescent wrench, Channellocks, and a vise grip can help at times, in a pinch. I mean, why risk damaging a nice bike tool on a cheap-ass Wamart special?
@@shaunbarnett2972 Oh jeez just stop. U are going to confuse people. Let me break it down for some people. 99 % of the time the end of the pedal has a L or R marking. R is drive side chain side. L is non drive side. R is tightened clockwise righty tighty. L is tightened anti-clockwise lefty tighty. The threads that are right hand threaded are higher on right hand side than left side when examined. Threads on left hand threading are higher on left side versus right side.
GCN has a video in regards to ‘things you shouldn’t grease’ and the seat post was one thing the bike mechanic said that shouldn’t be greased. He said “You need friction between the post and seat tube”. Although, he did recommend greasing the seat clamp.
I have a small wooden nightstand, sturdy with tools. And ALL my tools are in there, since I live in an apartment, and the basement is used for bike maintenance. I dont have super high tech bikes like you have, or most people watching this do have, but that tip is just really on spot. Knowing where you leave your tools is so important.
The electrical tape trick for remembering seat post height doesn't really work when putting your bike in a transport box, which usually requires lowering the saddle all the way....the tape would make that impossible. Use a permanent marker instead. Easy enough to remove the marking after the fact with a bit of isopropyl alcohol.
The only issue I've had was removing the rear wheel. I never knew why it was hard sometimes. Duh. Thanks. I have 1 toolbox just for specialized bike tools and parts. My seat posts are all aluminum so I mark it with a sharpie before loosening it. I use an impact wrench to loosen the freewheel on the rear wheel. It's much easier than trying to hold the wheel while reefing on your ratchet wrench.
When installing new pedals, or re-installing old, put grease on the pedal threads and the threads in the crank arm. This will properly grease all the threads.
great tip i came across from a fellow racer many years back. take your worn out or even new hex tools some come rounded at tips. square them off on a bench grinder thus preventing stripping bolts. 🤠
that´s right, i startet working in a bike shop some months ago, one of the first things i did, was shortening (therefor sharpening the edges of) the hex tools. Better do that, than grind a slit in every secound worn out bolt, to get it out with a screwdriver.
Fine if you are at home and keen on recycling. However, if working in the trade, just get suitable quality new ones and be willing to throw the worn ones away in the metal recycling. If you are a full time bike mechanic in a busy shop then you can get through a 5 mm Allen key every week. The time spent sharpening Allen keys is better spent on revenue paying jobs instead, i.e. setting up even more bikes for customers. Really you should have a slew of different Allen keys for different applications, not one Allen key can do everything. Sometimes you need more of a Y-wrench thing, sometimes the ball-head helps, most of the time though the basic Allen key does the trick and these are the ones that need to be replaced frequently without hesitation.
I was a shop mechanic from '82 to '97 and removing a seat post from an expensive frame was never fun. However, I discovered that if you chop the post then CAREFULLY make two vertical cuts down the inside of the post just enough to cut it in two you can then grab hold of the sticking up part(don't cut it flush) and pull it out, hone the seat tube and Bob's your uncle. Sorry, I'm a yank and couldn't resist that. 🍻
I'm constantly losing tools, but this helps: "Don't put it down, put it away. DON'T PUT IT DOWN, PUT IT AWAY." Yea, it takes a few more seconds, but it's right there when you need it.
for pedals. position the tool you are using at a point that allows you to pull it toward the crank arm by squeezing you hand together to make a fist. you never need to worry about slipping off the pedal again....same works for the BB nuts
Brilliant! Love it!! LOLOL! So THAT'S why my Lost Things end up on the window sill and my pockets are filled with pennies! Great video with great humor and great tips, thanks!
Hi there, had a seatpost problem, used coca-cola, a long piece of wood, an old inner tube and a cloth for frame protection, removed my saddle, fitted two round 10mm round steal instead, lenght 30 cm, put the wood behind the right side of the round steal, over my frame on the left side down to my bottom bracket, alongside the vertical tube. Than I fitted the inner tube around my bottombracket frame and the long wood and put al lot of tension on it, with a cloth between the saddlepost and frame. After that turnde my bike and filled the vertical tube with coca cola. After two days suddenly I heared a noise and I was lucky. The seatpost came loose. This trick helped me. Now days I remove my seatpost minimal 4 times a year, and refit it with special grease. No worries anymore. Good luck.
Ethan M As you brake you slowly wear down your pads, making them thinner. In an effort to create predictable and consistent braking feel the system is designed to compensate for this slow decrease in pad thickness. When you pull your brake lever it pushes the pistons/pads as far in as possible, and then only resets back to a fraction of the pistons actual range. This is so your brakes always feel 'dialed' (near instantaneous engagement). So when you don't have a rotor between the pads, and you pull the lever the pistons/pads get pushed in as far as they can go until they touch each other. Fix this by using a piston/pad spreader (flat head screw driver) to push the piston back in. Be careful if you try to reset the pistons if the pads are installed. Marred up pads make for terrible brake feel.
@@joeshmoe7967 True, I was fighting a caliper on a Honda not long ago because it didnt fit with the new pads even when I just pushed the cylinder all the way to the bottom. It took me about 5 minutes of struggling to realize I stepped on the brake to turn the car on with the caliper out
Thanks for your video mate I thought that I was going mental trying to put my BMX back together!I have spent many days looking for tools also! It's my first time I have ever put together a bmx so I look forward to your next post!!!
The number one rule back in 1967 at Schwinn technical school in Chicago by Mr. Stan Natan was....... "Never put tools in your pocket"... !!.. NEVER ..!! 45 years later I still live and work by that rule which has saved me and all shop workers thousands of working hours. Why? Say there is one special tool in the shop and a mechanic puts in their shop apron pocket. Suddenly the other worker needs it and spends 10 ~ 20 minutes looking for it, while all along it's in your pocket. When I worked in a major bike shop in LA back in the 60s ~ the early 80s, if you were caught putting tools in your pocket it would easily get you FIRED! So even in your own private garage shop, learn not to do it. With Love, Dan
If you've already stripped your bolt, you can get them out by placing a rubber band inside the groove and pressing ni with the tool head. The rubber will naturally get a good grip without damaging anything else, just takes a little hand pressure
Great job and strangely entertaining . Keep it up. One tip I have is using those creepy blue rubber gloves your doc uses to avoid getting hands covered in gunk..and keep your bike clean .Toothbrush is handy for cleaning those hard to reach areas. have fun riding.
I need to learn and remember which fittings are reverse threaded. I spent too much time trying to undo my left pedal before realising that all my efforts were in fact tightening it. Bottom bracket ditto
@@coast2coast00 Thanks for that. It's counter-intuitive as that direction is the way the pedal is rotating when you're riding so, if the pedal was a little loose, it would continue to loosen. Most fixings are designed to tighten during normal use
Sipping a latte in a fancy bike shop with a coffee bar overlooking the repair room, I watched a mechanic struggling to remove a pedal for 15 minutes. Smiling I said “ try turning the wrench the opposite direction to relieve tension on the threads”. The look on his face when the pedal unthreaded was priceless…
Once you remove the lockring, place a finger on the axle while sliding the cassette off the freehub, thus moving the cassette to your finger. Point your finger up while carrying the cassette to the bench, and you should be fine.
mybike is 40 years old and the seat post is not ceased, especially with newer bikes made of composites or light alloys. Never heard of ceased seat posts until this video. Even one bike we pulled out of a creek after years in there, the seat post came up quite easily.
On my commuter bike I've rounded the NDS crank bolt on my mid-level FSA crankset TWICE. I've rounded maybe one other bolt in my life, some I think something is going on with the design/material on this crankset. Very annoying, $10 to replace the bolt. Stuck pedals: long again tried to remove a stuck one with bike in small ring. I gouged the heck out of my arm when the pedal finally moved. I'll NEVER do that again. So stupid.
Made the mistake of using Harbor Freight Allen wrenches and rounded a small bolt. Luckily I was able to remove it with a high quality Allen key that has chamfered ends made by Husky. Highly recommended.
I aint ever worked on bicycles. But i have 20 years experience working on cars, industrial equipment, motorcycles. And using a thread locker will make your bolts harder to remove. And if everything seizes. Copper anti seize is affordable (well was affordable considering inflation) and works very well for making sure parts to seize together.
Re seat position I just bought a new ebike and it has a "ruler" etched in the side of the seat post, that way all you have to do is memorize the number on the "ruler" when you take the post out. The rails under many seats have similar markings to tell you how far forward/back the seat is positioned. There are two problems with electrical tape to mark a seat post: it's not waterproof and will fall off if you ride in the rain, and it leaves gunky adhesive residue which is hard to remove and can cause the seat post to get stuck. Also it can migrate/slide out of position over time. I would use a cable tie instead. Greasing threads is a great idea, in fact the manufacturer of my rear rack (Ibera) recommends greasing all bolts when installing their rack.
Rather have a tip for a seatpost than keeps creeping down. Tried all I can thing of. Cleaned both post and frame. No joy. Friction paste. Same. Wrote KTM numerous time. No solution. So far, the best have been adding a layer of packing tape to the post. But it still drop a cm every 2-300 km. It's carbon frame and post. Use trq wrench. And even tried to go 2 NM above the printed value (as high as I dare) Any tricks???
Maybe try a very small amount of thread-lock adhesive, the removable kind (Loctite Blue), and be sure you know the exact placement of the seatpost height.
The thought had come to mind. But I'm afraid it will act with the resin in the CF and cause something that will lead to loss of frame warranty. Considering I'm on frame number 4 (first 3 cracked in the first 6 month!), I'd hate to lose warranty....
If grip compound doesn't work Is the post the correct diameter? Maybe you could try foil tape instead of packing tape or even make a shim out of something like a coke can? Or perhaps fit a collar to the seat post itself to create a shoulder which butts up against the top of the seat tube when the saddle is at the correct height ?
Sounds like a manufactures issue. I have a 10 year old Cervelo Soloist LE that used to creep down. That Park Tool compound worked perfectly. Is your's an aero post or standard? If standard maybe try a cheap alloy one from your LBS? If it still happens Post a video to KTM's Facebook page? Did I mention I have a Cervelo Soloist LE?
Yeah, you'd think KTM would stand up for their product, but unfortunately I'm stuck with a dealer, that don't seem to care. And they want it to go through them. So a warning for you all. Stay way clear of freeflowbikes.com. They now have a new name, eurobikeshop.com. No wonder.
"How to remove seized post" Get an half-ton filled of stuff heavy-table. -Have a very fat Vice screwed in it. -Get an extra guy that his only job is putting more weight on the table. -Get 2 more guy just to pull the dam tube. Done. It's what i have done. And the table was still moving even though it was this heavy.
I've removed corroded seat posts from many bikes that other people have abandoned... without the use of heat (blowtorch, MAPP, etc) the trick is open and remove the clamp bolt, prise open the seat tube AMAP (as much as Possible!) and introduce some good penetrating lube, such as Plus-gas WD40 etc, and LEAVE for several days to penetrate. add some more daily. Then, if it possible to get some large water pump pliers on the top of the seat post (with the saddle removed) clamp the frame or get a strong friend to hold it for you, and start to turn the seat post back and forth. if using EXTREME FORCE doesn't move it, support the bottom bracket on a very solid wooden block, and hit it repeatedly with a club hammer! (2kg+) add more penetrating lube at each attempt, it's likely you will have moved it slightly even it no sign. usually, it will eventually start to turn/move, then you can withdraw it. 😃
I didn't have the plastic tubing for the internal cables, so I tied a piece of fishing line to the old cable and pulled it through. Then, you can tie the line to the new cable and pull it back through the opposite way. It worked pretty well. Nice to have options... Thanks for the vid!
It seems crazy to say this but if you are a 100% novice be aware that each pedal screws on/off in a different direction. This got me when I was about 10 trying to take a pedal off. Seems obvious when you know but why would you know.
Excellent vid! Cheap tools will also round out your bolts due to tolerances being off, stick with Park Tool. BB photo is great, a shop put mine together wrong one time.
I've got the Topeak Ninja P Mini Pump that fits inside the seat post. It comes with a rubber indexing ring that fits EXTREMELY tight on your seat post where it enters the frame, allowing you to pop it back in to the exact same position every time. The rubber indexing ring is handy for all jobs requiring seat post removal, not just for using the pump.
I mark my seat posts permanently. On the drive side. Ronded nuts: use the right wrench or socket. Use the 12 point end of the wrench when you can. Vice grips or bench vice to get them out. Hex bolts: easy outs. The drill is already there. Stripped hex wrench: cut off the stripped end.
Yesterday, I spent something like 5 hours trying to change out pedals. The pedals on the bike required an allen wrench tool....spend 2 hours searching for the right sized tool.....I put the pedals on so I know I had the right sized tool......but could never find it. Then another 45 minutes searching online for the manual to identify the size allen wrench I needed. Then drove to two bike stores in the area and neither had the right size unless I spent a butt load on an entire set. Then off to the hardware store to see if I could buy a single 8 mm allen wrench.....drove to two hardware stores and had to buy an entire set of allen wrenches (a lot cheaper than at bike store....but not the handle grip type). Finally home, get out the 8 mm and 2 minutes to remove the pedals. Putting on the other set of pedals required either a 6 mm allen wrench (which I already had) or a parker pedal wrench (which I already had)....so greased the threads of other pedal set and put those on. Done. Pedals replaced and it only took me close to 5 hours! LOL
Good video. Once brought second hand bike and fella said he had left Look pedals on as it was not worth removing them. Soon found out why as non drive side people was seized on and he clearly did not realise that it was a left handed thread.
Here are six incredibly irritating bike maintenance mistakes that we've often made.
What's your number one bike repair frustration? 👇
number 6 is pretty accurate. I always put my allen keys somewhere they shouldn't be and then suddenly I can't remember where I put the 4 or 5 mm key when 10 seconds before, it was in my right hand. Can't seem to get this right
Stuck pedal! My friend had it once, and even today he had that one pedal on old bike.
Global Cycling Network Different standards. How the heck is one supposed to know which bottom brackets are compatible with which cranks or why exactly the bar end plugs that came with your bar tape just won't fit into your handlebars...
not having a workstand... the fucking worst
Global Cycling Network I broke a 6mm Allen key once trying to remove old automatic pedals on my commuter bike. Fortunately I could get it with a 15mm pedal spanner, kicking into it with my full body weight as if I was starting a motorbike. I'm also guilty of forgetting tools because I have bikes in two places, at home and where I work and so many times I had to wait a full week to get those tools... Just like seized seat posts old bikes with a quill stem often get permanently welded because of water getting in the steerer tube. Last but not least I often have more trouble getting my back wheel back on than getting it out in the first place, because it's tight and not always easy to align on old bikes with horizontal dropouts...
I'm 15 so my saddle is always too low the next time I go for a ride
Ryan Ford the sake here
This is very funny. Solve that you lovely wanks.
Ryan Ford I’m 58 so my saddle is slightly too high for the next ride.
My bike back wheel machine is broken,how u help?
@TeamUSASportsFan No shit, boomer.
I'll offer a free tip to you all, it's an aircraft mechanic's secret.
Those bolts that you feel you are going to round out - go to your local auto parts store and buy a small tube of Valve Grinding/Lapping compound (the more coarse the better) and smear it around the end of your tool, say, allen/hex key/wrench for example. It will "super" grip those bolts, and may turn a seized/rusted bolt into a winner - rather than drilling and tapping (You can also use this paste on the end of your screwdriver for screws!).
I'm fairly certain that Loctite offer a Diamond-grip product, however it is quite expensive and the valve paste will do the job at a fraction of the price.
Also to GCN/Simon - Grease/anti-seize lowers the coefficient of friction - when you have grease on a thread it will be more tight than you thought - that 30NM may be 35+ with grease - Keep this in mind when tightening bolts so you don't strip them out.
TheApothecaryAus that's helpful thanks!
Which kind of grease do you suggest?
I will try this. Thank you - sincerely a bike mechanic.
What a fantastic idea!!
Ill spread the good news.!! Lol
Half of my time working on the bike is spent looking the tool I JUST HAD IN MY F&%$#ING HAND a second ago!
Then find you are still holding it
I hate that.
Every damn time! 30 minutes sometimes. Then find it in the most obvious place!
Check your pockets.
stinsniper last place you looked :)
I like these videos. They give the average joe just enough confidence to try some of these simple things, and when they mess it up, they bring it into my shop.
that would be me ...
I am always fascinated how fast the pro mechanics can change back wheels!
The pros more often have the benefit of mainly swapping wheels on bikes that are high-end. This means having a chain hanger boss on the chain stay, and having a separate derailleur hanger that doesn't interfere with placing the axle properly into the dropouts, so that the wheel is in perfect alignment before securing the axle. There isn't any reason a person couldn't rehearse these techniques, too. Practice makes perfect.
Get a Chainlift. It's a snap.
I took off mine 3rd with ease.
I always tend to over tighten.
1. Trouble removing back wheel even in the lowest gear? Lower the tyre pressure first, it helps a lot.
2. Always, put your chain on the largest front sproket when removing pedals or undoing the crank arms. It could save you an awful lot of blood and pain.
A rear light mount also makes a GREAT "seatpost position indicator"! Just mount it all the way down at the frame, so when you remove the seatpost, you just slide it in until the light mount touches the frame again.
The same company that makes Simons seat also make a rubber ring that goes on the seat post and sits in place of using electrical tape. i.imgur.com/Cv82QAM.jpg
Similarly, I have the holder for my old-school U-lock on the seat post...I didn't think about it when I put it on, but it sure came in handy when I had to deal with the seat post!
just put a cable tie round the post, or if the post is anything but black then just a couple of small marks with an indelible marker pen...
Smaller riders might not benefit from this advice, the light can be obscured by the wheel.
I use another thinner seat clamp. If by any chance mine fails, it could save my knees also.
I wish RUclips had been around 30 years ago,I have had to learn all of the tricks the hard way. By trial and error. All the tips on here were spot on.
It was. We just had nothing to watch it on.
Here is a tip to remove rounded allen head bolts:
You can use torx keys in it. Torx keys are made in different sizes than the allen keys so you can find a bit bigger than the actual key that rounden up the head. The torx key is a bit conical, so it tightens up in the hole easily and its teets are biting into the head a bit with a little force. If it doesn't work you can just cut a line into the head and use a flathead screwdriver.
To keep headsets and BB pieces together - in order, I just zip tie them together. Keeps everything in order - especially if I'm not going to re-assemble until weeks later.
Same trick works well for cassettes.
Great advice! though for me, it makes me nervous when one of my children are not complete. :) ...i did have my Nishiki "in a box" when i first restored it. I used baggies...and because it was older it was not too complex like today's bicycles. (its hard to mess up re-assembling old non-sealed bearings for example)
brilliant
brilliant
use a sewing machine thread + a vaccum cleaner to guide it to the exit. Then attach it to the new cable and pull.
great idea
Gold medal. How did you think of that,its genius.
The fact that Si said permutations instead of combinations makes me very, very happy.
My inner nerdiness concurs.
Great video! I've worked on my bikes since I was a kid. I remember taking the rear derailleur apart on my bike and not being able to put it back together. When my dad came home from work I showed him my mess and he quietly figured out how to put it back together : ) These days I get so focused when I'm working on my bike that I forget were I put my tools and parts. I sure spend a lot of time looking for things Lol
Messed up with an internal cable?
Top tip is to use some cotton thread and a vacuum cleaner. The vacuum will suck the cotton through the tubing and then use this to tie to the cable and pull through.
May sound far fetched but it works a treat!
I would add to the list a mistake that cost me hours of grief: pushing the roller pin all the way out when breaking a chain with a chain breaking tool.
This is great advice. I'm still relatively new to the sport but I've been into it for a couple of years now and it's easy to lapse into these simple mistakes. I find the GCN content has made what would have otherwise been quite difficult and daunting into something that's a lot more manageable. Thank you for helping this to become accessible!
The best thing for preventing parts seizing in place is copper grease, especially in any place where steel is contacting aluminium, e.g. pedals into cranks, clamp bolts into handlebar stems. Copper grease prevents bimetallic corrosion. It's cheap as well!
Definitely rounded bolts! Tried the drill method, recently, with no luck. But I did get it out by dipping an IKEA allen key in JB Weld and sticking it into the bolt head. Worked a dream! Now I'm just hoping I didn't ruin the frame threads with the drill...
Remember that using grease or anti-seize changes the torque/clamping force characteristics. If you need to use a specific torque, lubricate threads only as per the instructions otherwise you can easily over tighten the bolts.
#1 what grease to use : Canada you must use marine grease on bikes, wheel bearings, bottom brackets, brakes, cable housing exits. This is to stop rust and poor roads with debris from gunking your bike. 1200 km redid all wheels and bottom bracket that is how bad they got when opened up insane gunk even though the bike was clean.
Big thank you for tip on removing back wheel. Didn't know this! Thank you, you've prevented further future frustration. 🙏🙏🙏👍🙂
Si you made the 1 biggest maintenance mistake whilst making a video about maintenance mistakes - you wore a white shirt!!!
Alanis - now that's irony!
Remember Jamie Hyneman from Mythbusters? Always wearing white shirt never got dirty. Thats how pros do it.
Maybe they should test the myth that bicycle grease has nano particles that are super attracted to my white shirts?
christopher beattie white, bright yellow, orange and red etc.
Apron cancels that out.
Don't use grease on a seatpost. Grease is just oil and soap, it'll dry out and become useless. Use an anti-seize compound designed for the job, like copper slip (for metal), or Shimano's anti-seize compound. Grease is a lubricant. Anti-seize is designed to stop surfaces bonding.
PeowPeowPeowLasers A good grease will work just fine - IF you clean and regrease the parts every 6 months or so, depending on your weather conditions.
yep I use only degreaser to clear any grime every time I adjust seat/service the bike :)
You might have to use carbon grip if it's a carbon post in a carbon frame.
Ask a bike shop what do if you don't know they know the best thing to do
William Keys listen mate :P
Just a little alternative tip: put two small dots of a silver pen/marker at the edge where frame and seat post meat instead of the tape. Benefit: also very easy to find the strait forward orientation simply lining up the dots in angle and height!
"Most bike maintenance jobs are relatively straightforward."
And here I am taking ten minutes to put on my back wheel.
In my line of work, "fairly straightforward" is another way of saying "you're f---ed."
i wasted minutes trying to get the rear wheel back into my E-MTB untol i realised that the deraileur was locked and thus unable to properly move out of the way.
As someone who was new to cycling not too long ago I do remember the seemingly awkward or impossible tasks of removing and putting in the back wheel
sometimes you get it in in a flash, other times it takes so long and gets you all greasy for your efforts
Can't lose tools when you're the tool.
haha! very funny! i think most tools don't know they are tools. self-awareness is elusive for them.
acesofthesky What about when you're a tool? ;)
mick2d2 all these years and I'm still lost at life
I had an epiphany (not the same thing as an Epiphone) once, and from then on, I've had a tool box for all my bike tools, and I also keep a few other odd tools in it, so I'm covered if I have to go to some kind of extreme on occasion. A large crescent wrench, Channellocks, and a vise grip can help at times, in a pinch. I mean, why risk damaging a nice bike tool on a cheap-ass Wamart special?
acesofthesky that explains why I never lose tools
You forgot to mention the one very important thing when talking about removing left pedals: Remember that the left pedal side has a left-hand thread!
I go with Back off.
Actually you need left hand thread on the right hand side, and right hand thread on the left hand side.
@@shaunbarnett2972 Oh jeez just stop. U are going to confuse people.
Let me break it down for some people. 99 % of the time the end of the pedal has a L or R marking. R is drive side chain side. L is non drive side. R is tightened clockwise righty tighty. L is tightened anti-clockwise lefty tighty. The threads that are right hand threaded are higher on right hand side than left side when examined. Threads on left hand threading are higher on left side versus right side.
GCN has a video in regards to ‘things you shouldn’t grease’ and the seat post was one thing the bike mechanic said that shouldn’t be greased. He said “You need friction between the post and seat tube”. Although, he did recommend greasing the seat clamp.
also, to further avoid stripping bolts remember to always use the flat (non balled) side of a p-handled allen first (and only, if possible).
I have a small wooden nightstand, sturdy with tools. And ALL my tools are in there, since I live in an apartment, and the basement is used for bike maintenance. I dont have super high tech bikes like you have, or most people watching this do have, but that tip is just really on spot. Knowing where you leave your tools is so important.
The electrical tape trick for remembering seat post height doesn't really work when putting your bike in a transport box, which usually requires lowering the saddle all the way....the tape would make that impossible. Use a permanent marker instead. Easy enough to remove the marking after the fact with a bit of isopropyl alcohol.
The only issue I've had was removing the rear wheel. I never knew why it was hard sometimes. Duh. Thanks. I have 1 toolbox just for specialized bike tools and parts. My seat posts are all aluminum so I mark it with a sharpie before loosening it. I use an impact wrench to loosen the freewheel on the rear wheel. It's much easier than trying to hold the wheel while reefing on your ratchet wrench.
When installing new pedals, or re-installing old, put grease on the pedal threads and the threads in the crank arm. This will properly grease all the threads.
this video quite literally describes my whole experience while trying to fix my bikes. I guess there's a world of things to learn.
great tip i came across from a fellow racer many years back.
take your worn out or even new hex tools some come rounded at tips.
square them off on a bench grinder thus preventing stripping bolts. 🤠
coldforgedcowboy
i just make hex tools 2mm shorter every few years
that´s right, i startet working in a bike shop some months ago, one of the first things i did, was shortening (therefor sharpening the edges of) the hex tools. Better do that, than grind a slit in every secound worn out bolt, to get it out with a screwdriver.
coldforgedcowboy I’d end up with a scratched nose in that case!
Fine if you are at home and keen on recycling. However, if working in the trade, just get suitable quality new ones and be willing to throw the worn ones away in the metal recycling.
If you are a full time bike mechanic in a busy shop then you can get through a 5 mm Allen key every week. The time spent sharpening Allen keys is better spent on revenue paying jobs instead, i.e. setting up even more bikes for customers.
Really you should have a slew of different Allen keys for different applications, not one Allen key can do everything. Sometimes you need more of a Y-wrench thing, sometimes the ball-head helps, most of the time though the basic Allen key does the trick and these are the ones that need to be replaced frequently without hesitation.
I was a shop mechanic from '82 to '97 and removing a seat post from an expensive frame was never fun. However, I discovered that if you chop the post then CAREFULLY make two vertical cuts down the inside of the post just enough to cut it in two you can then grab hold of the sticking up part(don't cut it flush) and pull it out, hone the seat tube and Bob's your uncle. Sorry, I'm a yank and couldn't resist that. 🍻
when the head of the bolt for an allen key is worn out, you can try to use a torx key, sometimes it works, sometimes not, but you can always try it ;)
I had this problem with one bolt of my cleats. Bolt head in Look cleats is strong as butter
Jarne De Prins take to bike shop mate if happens to 😂 haha
chistopher barret, not if I just want to change brake pads, way to expensive in the bike shop.... ;) I hate those little bolts...
Jarne De Prins )
Yep just hammer a similar size in and it'll grip enough to come out!
I'm constantly losing tools, but this helps:
"Don't put it down, put it away. DON'T PUT IT DOWN, PUT IT AWAY."
Yea, it takes a few more seconds, but it's right there when you need it.
for pedals. position the tool you are using at a point that allows you to pull it toward the crank arm by squeezing you hand together to make a fist. you never need to worry about slipping off the pedal again....same works for the BB nuts
vonpupees yep
When taking pedals on/off, I always put on a pair of my leather work gloves. Just in case of a slip, and.....
I watched your video on how to get a seat post unstuck, it helped a lot! Turns out someone jammed a much larger seat post in.
Brilliant! Love it!! LOLOL! So THAT'S why my Lost Things end up on the window sill and my pockets are filled with pennies! Great video with great humor and great tips, thanks!
but...but...isnt that the Purpose of window sills?! ;]
Hi there, had a seatpost problem, used coca-cola, a long piece of wood, an old inner tube and a cloth for frame protection, removed my saddle, fitted two round 10mm round steal instead, lenght 30 cm, put the wood behind the right side of the round steal, over my frame on the left side down to my bottom bracket, alongside the vertical tube. Than I fitted the inner tube around my bottombracket frame and the long wood and put al lot of tension on it, with a cloth between the saddlepost and frame. After that turnde my bike and filled the vertical tube with coca cola. After two days suddenly I heared a noise and I was lucky. The seatpost came loose. This trick helped me. Now days I remove my seatpost minimal 4 times a year, and refit it with special grease. No worries anymore. Good luck.
dont squeeze hydraulic brakes when wheels arent on bike
True for ALL hydraulic brakes on any craft. You usually only do it once in your life.
What happens?
Ethan M As you brake you slowly wear down your pads, making them thinner.
In an effort to create predictable and consistent braking feel the system is designed to compensate for this slow decrease in pad thickness.
When you pull your brake lever it pushes the pistons/pads as far in as possible, and then only resets back to a fraction of the pistons actual range. This is so your brakes always feel 'dialed' (near instantaneous engagement).
So when you don't have a rotor between the pads, and you pull the lever the pistons/pads get pushed in as far as they can go until they touch each other.
Fix this by using a piston/pad spreader (flat head screw driver) to push the piston back in. Be careful if you try to reset the pistons if the pads are installed. Marred up pads make for terrible brake feel.
@@joeshmoe7967 True, I was fighting a caliper on a Honda not long ago because it didnt fit with the new pads even when I just pushed the cylinder all the way to the bottom. It took me about 5 minutes of struggling to realize I stepped on the brake to turn the car on with the caliper out
Helpful for the ACCESS high school bike repair class, Ride Again.
I love you guys, great videos! Almost all things in this video happened along my cycling life
when you yanked up on that seat post and yelled, I lost it LOL! I needed that. Rear derailleur issues all day. Thank you for making me laugh!
Put the stuff in the seattube and not on the post to avoid the excess spilling out when you put the post in.
Thanks for your video mate I thought that I was going mental trying to put my BMX back together!I have spent many days looking for tools also! It's my first time I have ever put together a bmx so I look forward to your next post!!!
Your workshop is cleaner than my kitchen.
Great advices. For stripped nuts and bolts I use a rubber band. My high school shop teacher taught me that.
you guys should do a series on getting strava koms in the alps
1.) Be in the Alps
2.) Ride up a mountain
3.) Ride fast... very fast
If you are like me and number 3.) is not possible. Find a corner to cry.
.
4) Hack Thibaut Pinot Strava account to remove his activities
An easy way to remove seat posts. Remove saddle and clamp seat post in vice and use frame as a lever to rotate.
The number one rule back in 1967 at Schwinn technical school in Chicago by Mr. Stan Natan was....... "Never put tools in your pocket"... !!.. NEVER ..!! 45 years later I still live and work by that rule which has saved me and all shop workers thousands of working hours. Why? Say there is one special tool in the shop and a mechanic puts in their shop apron pocket. Suddenly the other worker needs it and spends 10 ~ 20 minutes looking for it, while all along it's in your pocket. When I worked in a major bike shop in LA back in the 60s ~ the early 80s, if you were caught putting tools in your pocket it would easily get you FIRED! So even in your own private garage shop, learn not to do it.
With Love, Dan
3:27 made me realize my own mortality
If you've already stripped your bolt, you can get them out by placing a rubber band inside the groove and pressing ni with the tool head. The rubber will naturally get a good grip without damaging anything else, just takes a little hand pressure
You mentioned grease in this video a lot. What kind of grease would you recommend?
Great job and strangely entertaining . Keep it up. One tip I have is using those creepy blue rubber gloves your doc uses to avoid getting hands covered in gunk..and keep your bike clean .Toothbrush is handy for cleaning those hard to reach areas. have fun riding.
Copper slip for assembly, not grease!!
Basically, if its not meant to move use copper slip. If it is meant to move, grease.
Simple ideas for the organized mechanic. Good video.
I need to learn and remember which fittings are reverse threaded. I spent too much time trying to undo my left pedal before realising that all my efforts were in fact tightening it. Bottom bracket ditto
For the pedals, when the bike is wheels down, push the wrench down on the back side to loosen, push down on the front side to tighten.
@@coast2coast00 Thanks for that. It's counter-intuitive as that direction is the way the pedal is rotating when you're riding so, if the pedal was a little loose, it would continue to loosen. Most fixings are designed to tighten during normal use
@@simon4043no, the pedal actually tightens itself during normal use, that's why they're threaded the way they are.
@@greentoaster But pedals actually rotate BACKWARDS relative to the crank as you pedal forwards. Isn't that the same way you undo them?
Sipping a latte in a fancy bike shop with a coffee bar overlooking the repair room, I watched a mechanic struggling to remove a pedal for 15 minutes. Smiling I said “ try turning the wrench the opposite direction to relieve tension on the threads”. The look on his face when the pedal unthreaded was priceless…
Dropping your cassette when removing it ......... spacers everywhere.
Once you remove the lockring, place a finger on the axle while sliding the cassette off the freehub, thus moving the cassette to your finger. Point your finger up while carrying the cassette to the bench, and you should be fine.
mybike is 40 years old and the seat post is not ceased, especially with newer bikes made of composites or light alloys. Never heard of ceased seat posts until this video. Even one bike we pulled out of a creek after years in there, the seat post came up quite easily.
On my commuter bike I've rounded the NDS crank bolt on my mid-level FSA crankset TWICE. I've rounded maybe one other bolt in my life, some I think something is going on with the design/material on this crankset. Very annoying, $10 to replace the bolt.
Stuck pedals: long again tried to remove a stuck one with bike in small ring. I gouged the heck out of my arm when the pedal finally moved. I'll NEVER do that again. So stupid.
This channel helped me a lot as a newbie rider, thank you so much guys! And keep up the good work!
Thanks for the video really helped out alot :D
I know just about all of those mistakes! Well put together vid, quite funny too.
Thought Si was looking for a chain keeper after removing the back wheel - 6:00
Made the mistake of using Harbor Freight Allen wrenches and rounded a small bolt. Luckily I was able to remove it with a high quality Allen key that has chamfered ends made by Husky. Highly recommended.
You forgot most important one, how to adjust handle bar and stem perfectly straight with wheel. I think its most irritating one for me
I aint ever worked on bicycles. But i have 20 years experience working on cars, industrial equipment, motorcycles. And using a thread locker will make your bolts harder to remove. And if everything seizes. Copper anti seize is affordable (well was affordable considering inflation) and works very well for making sure parts to seize together.
I lost my allen wrenches for a year, I just found them in my fish tank cabinets
I hope you never lost them again
I own four sets. Newest is a week old. Eventually I've got to reach the point where I'm never more than a metre away from one.
@@RobMacKendrick a tidy person, I see.
Yep. Just found my misplaced penknife after 9 months, I feel your pain comrade! 🤣
Re seat position I just bought a new ebike and it has a "ruler" etched in the side of the seat post, that way all you have to do is memorize the number on the "ruler" when you take the post out. The rails under many seats have similar markings to tell you how far forward/back the seat is positioned. There are two problems with electrical tape to mark a seat post: it's not waterproof and will fall off if you ride in the rain, and it leaves gunky adhesive residue which is hard to remove and can cause the seat post to get stuck. Also it can migrate/slide out of position over time. I would use a cable tie instead.
Greasing threads is a great idea, in fact the manufacturer of my rear rack (Ibera) recommends greasing all bolts when installing their rack.
Avoid a mistake and never buy an internal cable bicycle! LOL
Such pain-saving advice as well as great comments from your subscribers, well done.
Rather have a tip for a seatpost than keeps creeping down. Tried all I can thing of. Cleaned both post and frame. No joy. Friction paste. Same.
Wrote KTM numerous time. No solution.
So far, the best have been adding a layer of packing tape to the post. But it still drop a cm every 2-300 km.
It's carbon frame and post. Use trq wrench. And even tried to go 2 NM above the printed value (as high as I dare)
Any tricks???
Maybe try a very small amount of thread-lock adhesive, the removable kind (Loctite Blue), and be sure you know the exact placement of the seatpost height.
The thought had come to mind. But I'm afraid it will act with the resin in the CF and cause something that will lead to loss of frame warranty. Considering I'm on frame number 4 (first 3 cracked in the first 6 month!), I'd hate to lose warranty....
If grip compound doesn't work Is the post the correct diameter? Maybe you could try foil tape instead of packing tape or even make a shim out of something like a coke can? Or perhaps fit a collar to the seat post itself to create a shoulder which butts up against the top of the seat tube when the saddle is at the correct height ?
Sounds like a manufactures issue. I have a 10 year old Cervelo Soloist LE that used to creep down. That Park Tool compound worked perfectly. Is your's an aero post or standard? If standard maybe try a cheap alloy one from your LBS? If it still happens Post a video to KTM's Facebook page? Did I mention I have a Cervelo Soloist LE?
Yeah, you'd think KTM would stand up for their product, but unfortunately I'm stuck with a dealer, that don't seem to care. And they want it to go through them. So a warning for you all. Stay way clear of freeflowbikes.com. They now have a new name, eurobikeshop.com. No wonder.
LPT: If your bolt heads are seriously stripped - you can try a TORX wrench to extract a bolt as a last resort.
"How to remove seized post"
Get an half-ton filled of stuff heavy-table.
-Have a very fat Vice screwed in it.
-Get an extra guy that his only job is putting more weight on the table.
-Get 2 more guy just to pull the dam tube.
Done.
It's what i have done. And the table was still moving even though it was this heavy.
I've removed corroded seat posts from many bikes that other people have abandoned... without the use of heat (blowtorch, MAPP, etc) the trick is open and remove the clamp bolt, prise open the seat tube AMAP (as much as Possible!) and introduce some good penetrating lube, such as Plus-gas WD40 etc, and LEAVE for several days to penetrate. add some more daily. Then, if it possible to get some large water pump pliers on the top of the seat post (with the saddle removed) clamp the frame or get a strong friend to hold it for you, and start to turn the seat post back and forth. if using EXTREME FORCE doesn't move it, support the bottom bracket on a very solid wooden block, and hit it repeatedly with a club hammer! (2kg+) add more penetrating lube at each attempt, it's likely you will have moved it slightly even it no sign. usually, it will eventually start to turn/move, then you can withdraw it. 😃
Guaranteed way to find a lost tool?
Buy a replacement.
I didn't have the plastic tubing for the internal cables, so I tied a piece of fishing line to the old cable and pulled it through. Then, you can tie the line to the new cable and pull it back through the opposite way. It worked pretty well. Nice to have options... Thanks for the vid!
But how much does that electric tape weigh?? 😂😂🤣
Not to mention the aerodynamic drag it creates.
Probably 3 nanograms...No bueno...That will slow one down 0.0000000001%
It seems crazy to say this but if you are a 100% novice be aware that each pedal screws on/off in a different direction. This got me when I was about 10 trying to take a pedal off. Seems obvious when you know but why would you know.
damn made it first to a gcn video at 1:23am local time
same time zone
You were 4th
same time zone here you from Asia?
Average Joe yeh mate
haxhxm o
Excellent vid! Cheap tools will also round out your bolts due to tolerances being off, stick with Park Tool. BB photo is great, a shop put mine together wrong one time.
The facial expressions are gas!
I've got the Topeak Ninja P Mini Pump that fits inside the seat post. It comes with a rubber indexing ring that fits EXTREMELY tight on your seat post where it enters the frame, allowing you to pop it back in to the exact same position every time. The rubber indexing ring is handy for all jobs requiring seat post removal, not just for using the pump.
Hah! I never lose tools. :D
Because i don't have any.
This is an OUTSTANDING video! It makes me laugh about my own stupidity 🤣 and gives me realistic solutions! Thanks!
I only clicked on this video to see if anyone else noticed the resemblance between this guy and Linus from linustechtips. Sadly, no one did
I mark my seat posts permanently. On the drive side. Ronded nuts: use the right wrench or socket. Use the 12 point end of the wrench when you can. Vice grips or bench vice to get them out. Hex bolts: easy outs. The drill is already there. Stripped hex wrench: cut off the stripped end.
Simon should make a video about 6 haircuts that everyone should avoid. Start with the one he's currently wearing.
Yesterday, I spent something like 5 hours trying to change out pedals. The pedals on the bike required an allen wrench tool....spend 2 hours searching for the right sized tool.....I put the pedals on so I know I had the right sized tool......but could never find it. Then another 45 minutes searching online for the manual to identify the size allen wrench I needed. Then drove to two bike stores in the area and neither had the right size unless I spent a butt load on an entire set. Then off to the hardware store to see if I could buy a single 8 mm allen wrench.....drove to two hardware stores and had to buy an entire set of allen wrenches (a lot cheaper than at bike store....but not the handle grip type). Finally home, get out the 8 mm and 2 minutes to remove the pedals. Putting on the other set of pedals required either a 6 mm allen wrench (which I already had) or a parker pedal wrench (which I already had)....so greased the threads of other pedal set and put those on. Done. Pedals replaced and it only took me close to 5 hours! LOL
Not wearing work gloves when working on a bike. Unless you like having greasy scuffed up hands and getting your skin pierced by sharp brake cables.
Good video. Once brought second hand bike and fella said he had left Look pedals on as it was not worth removing them. Soon found out why as non drive side people was seized on and he clearly did not realise that it was a left handed thread.
why would I wanna work on my bike?
when it breaks
helpful point about getting the back wheel off, thanks
I wish I knew about the electrical tape on the seat post, it still doesn't feel right after I moved it back in 1987.
Si's facial expressions never cease to amaze me. 😣😑