I den har posten vill jag dela med mig av erfarenheter av att vara nyborjare i cykel mek, och hur svart det ibland kan vara att salla det som ar ratt fran fel och det som ar bra fran mindre bra.
Jag namnde i en tidigare post (Girls basic tech night at Rock & Road Cycles) att jag forsoker lara mig sa mycket jag bara kan om mekaniken pa min cykel. Jag lar mig vilka delar jag behover, marken och modeller, jag lar mig att kanna igen signaler om att nagot behover bytas ut, och tids nog hoppas jag att kunna byta det mesta sjalv. Jag har turen att ha bra cykelpolare som inte bara ar bra cykelpolare utan ocksa generosa, hjalpsamma och talmodiga med alla mina fragor.
Eftersom jag fortfarande har mycket kvar att lara, sa maste jag ibland ta min cykel till en mekaniker da och da. Det hande till exempel forra helgen da jag hade planerat en lang tur i Port Hills men fick vanda da jag horde ljud da jag cyklade uppforsbackar pa lagsta vaxeln. Jag hade ny kedja (som jag bytt med hjalp av en polare), och vaxlarna var nyjusterade. Jag tankte att det kanske var vaxlarna som behovde finjusteras, eller kasetten som ocksa behovde bytas ut. Jag forsokte hitta varifran ljudet kom, men lyckades inte, sa jag stannade till vid en cykelbutik pa vagen hem.
Killen i butiken var sjysst nog att gora en snabbkoll pa min cykel, och han var snabb att papeka att jag bytt kedja och inte hela kittet: kedja, kasett OCH kedjeringar. Jag har hort, och last, att detta ar olika fran fall till fall: om man cyklat for lange pa den gamla kedjan sa kan det handa att kasetten har blivit nedsliten pa grund av den daliga kedjan, men ofta sa kan man byta kedja en eller tva ganger innan kasetten behover bytas ut. Kedjeringarna haller oftast langre an kasetten. Andra som tittat pa min cykel tyckte att kasetten sag bra ut och inte behovde bytas. Killen i cykelbutiken sa att man kan aldrig se om kasetten ar dalig eller inte, man byter ALLTID kasett nar man byter kedja. Han talade ocksa om for mig att jag redan slitit ut den nya kedjan, efter EN tur! Jag anvander Shimano XT, och det ar inga daliga grejjor. Det ar valdigt dyrt att byta hela kittet, och jag var tveksam nar jag gick darifran.
Jag gick till en annan cykelbutik och de sa att min cykel ar i riktigt bra skick. Kassetten ar bra, och de kunde inte hitta nagra som helst fel pa cykeln. De sa att byta kassett kommer inte att gora nagon som helst skillnad. Tyvarr hade de inte tid att ge den en grundlig omgang forran tva veckor senare...
Sa jag gick till en tredje cykelbutik. De tog sig an min cykel och konstaterade snabbt att det var bottom bracket och kullager som orsakade oljudet. Kassett och kedjering kommer att behova bytas ut nagon gang efter sommaren, troligen. Hittills ar jag valdigt nojd med deras jobb och service. Jag far intrycket att de ar arliga och valdigt kunniga. Jag kommer gladeligen att lamna min cykel dar igen.
Mitt rad till er som ar nyborjare i cykel mekanik ar att lasa och fraga sa mycket du bara kan, och tro inte alltid pa vad folk i cykelbutiker sager, aven om de verkar erfarna (om du inte har massor av pengar och inte har nat emot att spendera dem). Det kan bli onodigt dyrt, och du kanske anda inte har problemet fixat. Det ar vart att ta sig tid att kolla runt lite. Den har gangen sparade jag nagra hundra dollar pa att kolla runt lite extra.
With this post, I want to share some of my experiences when it comes to being a beginner in bike mechanics, and how difficult it might be to understand what is right and wrong and who to listen to.
As I mentioned in an earlier post (Girls basic tech night at Rock & Road Cycles), I'm learning as much as I can about the mechanics of my bike. I'm learning what components I need for my bike, brand and models, I'm learning how to recognize the signs of worn out components and eventually I hope to learn how to change most of them myself. I'm very lucky to have some good biking people around me, that not only are good biking people but also very generous, helpful and patient with all my questions.
Since I still have a long way to go, it is necessary for me to take the bike to a bike mechanics now and then. This happened last weekend when I planned a long ride in the Port Hills but had to turn around because my bike made noises when I rode on the lowest gear, only uphill and with pressure on the pedals. I just had the new chain put on it (with the help of a good and very helpful bike friend), and the gears adjusted. I thought it might be the gears that still needed a little fine tuning, or the cassette that also needed replacement. I tried to localize the noise but couldn't, so I took it to a bike shop close to where i live, on the way home.
The guy in the shop was nice enough to have a quick look at my bike, and he was quick to point out that I had changed the chain and not the whole kit: chain, cassette AND chainrings. I have heard, and read, that this is case dependent: if the old chain has been used for too long, then the cassette needs replacement as well, otherwise you can change chain once or twice without changing cassette. The chainrings usually outlive the cassette. I had other people telling me that the cassette looks good. The guy in the bike shop told me that you can't tell if the cassette is good or not, you simply just change it when you change chain, ALWAYS. He also let me know that I already worn out the chain, after ONE ride. Note that this is Shimano XT, so no bad components. To change the whole kit is very expensive, and I felt doubtful when I walked out from that shop.
I went to another shop, and asked for advice. They said that the bike is in very good condition, and the cassette is fine. Changing cassette wouldn't make a difference whatsoever. They couldn't find the problem though, and didn't have time for anyone to give it a proper look until two weeks later..,
So I went to a third shop. They took on my bike, and were quick to find out that it was the bottom bracket and a few bearings that caused the noises. They also pointed out that the cassette and chainrings will be fine for the rest of the season. So far I'm very happy with their work and service. They seem genuine and very professional, it really seems that they know what they are doing and I will happily leave my bike there again.
My advice to those who are beginners in bike mechanics, read and ask as much as you can, and don't always believe what people in bike shops say, even though they seem experienced (unless you have unlimited money and don't mind spending them). It might end up unnecessarily expensive, and you still might not have your problem fixed. It's worth spending some time to have a good look around. This time a good look around saved me a few hundred dollars.
Jag namnde i en tidigare post (Girls basic tech night at Rock & Road Cycles) att jag forsoker lara mig sa mycket jag bara kan om mekaniken pa min cykel. Jag lar mig vilka delar jag behover, marken och modeller, jag lar mig att kanna igen signaler om att nagot behover bytas ut, och tids nog hoppas jag att kunna byta det mesta sjalv. Jag har turen att ha bra cykelpolare som inte bara ar bra cykelpolare utan ocksa generosa, hjalpsamma och talmodiga med alla mina fragor.
Eftersom jag fortfarande har mycket kvar att lara, sa maste jag ibland ta min cykel till en mekaniker da och da. Det hande till exempel forra helgen da jag hade planerat en lang tur i Port Hills men fick vanda da jag horde ljud da jag cyklade uppforsbackar pa lagsta vaxeln. Jag hade ny kedja (som jag bytt med hjalp av en polare), och vaxlarna var nyjusterade. Jag tankte att det kanske var vaxlarna som behovde finjusteras, eller kasetten som ocksa behovde bytas ut. Jag forsokte hitta varifran ljudet kom, men lyckades inte, sa jag stannade till vid en cykelbutik pa vagen hem.
Killen i butiken var sjysst nog att gora en snabbkoll pa min cykel, och han var snabb att papeka att jag bytt kedja och inte hela kittet: kedja, kasett OCH kedjeringar. Jag har hort, och last, att detta ar olika fran fall till fall: om man cyklat for lange pa den gamla kedjan sa kan det handa att kasetten har blivit nedsliten pa grund av den daliga kedjan, men ofta sa kan man byta kedja en eller tva ganger innan kasetten behover bytas ut. Kedjeringarna haller oftast langre an kasetten. Andra som tittat pa min cykel tyckte att kasetten sag bra ut och inte behovde bytas. Killen i cykelbutiken sa att man kan aldrig se om kasetten ar dalig eller inte, man byter ALLTID kasett nar man byter kedja. Han talade ocksa om for mig att jag redan slitit ut den nya kedjan, efter EN tur! Jag anvander Shimano XT, och det ar inga daliga grejjor. Det ar valdigt dyrt att byta hela kittet, och jag var tveksam nar jag gick darifran.
Jag gick till en annan cykelbutik och de sa att min cykel ar i riktigt bra skick. Kassetten ar bra, och de kunde inte hitta nagra som helst fel pa cykeln. De sa att byta kassett kommer inte att gora nagon som helst skillnad. Tyvarr hade de inte tid att ge den en grundlig omgang forran tva veckor senare...
Sa jag gick till en tredje cykelbutik. De tog sig an min cykel och konstaterade snabbt att det var bottom bracket och kullager som orsakade oljudet. Kassett och kedjering kommer att behova bytas ut nagon gang efter sommaren, troligen. Hittills ar jag valdigt nojd med deras jobb och service. Jag far intrycket att de ar arliga och valdigt kunniga. Jag kommer gladeligen att lamna min cykel dar igen.
Mitt rad till er som ar nyborjare i cykel mekanik ar att lasa och fraga sa mycket du bara kan, och tro inte alltid pa vad folk i cykelbutiker sager, aven om de verkar erfarna (om du inte har massor av pengar och inte har nat emot att spendera dem). Det kan bli onodigt dyrt, och du kanske anda inte har problemet fixat. Det ar vart att ta sig tid att kolla runt lite. Den har gangen sparade jag nagra hundra dollar pa att kolla runt lite extra.
With this post, I want to share some of my experiences when it comes to being a beginner in bike mechanics, and how difficult it might be to understand what is right and wrong and who to listen to.
As I mentioned in an earlier post (Girls basic tech night at Rock & Road Cycles), I'm learning as much as I can about the mechanics of my bike. I'm learning what components I need for my bike, brand and models, I'm learning how to recognize the signs of worn out components and eventually I hope to learn how to change most of them myself. I'm very lucky to have some good biking people around me, that not only are good biking people but also very generous, helpful and patient with all my questions.
Since I still have a long way to go, it is necessary for me to take the bike to a bike mechanics now and then. This happened last weekend when I planned a long ride in the Port Hills but had to turn around because my bike made noises when I rode on the lowest gear, only uphill and with pressure on the pedals. I just had the new chain put on it (with the help of a good and very helpful bike friend), and the gears adjusted. I thought it might be the gears that still needed a little fine tuning, or the cassette that also needed replacement. I tried to localize the noise but couldn't, so I took it to a bike shop close to where i live, on the way home.
The guy in the shop was nice enough to have a quick look at my bike, and he was quick to point out that I had changed the chain and not the whole kit: chain, cassette AND chainrings. I have heard, and read, that this is case dependent: if the old chain has been used for too long, then the cassette needs replacement as well, otherwise you can change chain once or twice without changing cassette. The chainrings usually outlive the cassette. I had other people telling me that the cassette looks good. The guy in the bike shop told me that you can't tell if the cassette is good or not, you simply just change it when you change chain, ALWAYS. He also let me know that I already worn out the chain, after ONE ride. Note that this is Shimano XT, so no bad components. To change the whole kit is very expensive, and I felt doubtful when I walked out from that shop.
I went to another shop, and asked for advice. They said that the bike is in very good condition, and the cassette is fine. Changing cassette wouldn't make a difference whatsoever. They couldn't find the problem though, and didn't have time for anyone to give it a proper look until two weeks later..,
So I went to a third shop. They took on my bike, and were quick to find out that it was the bottom bracket and a few bearings that caused the noises. They also pointed out that the cassette and chainrings will be fine for the rest of the season. So far I'm very happy with their work and service. They seem genuine and very professional, it really seems that they know what they are doing and I will happily leave my bike there again.
My advice to those who are beginners in bike mechanics, read and ask as much as you can, and don't always believe what people in bike shops say, even though they seem experienced (unless you have unlimited money and don't mind spending them). It might end up unnecessarily expensive, and you still might not have your problem fixed. It's worth spending some time to have a good look around. This time a good look around saved me a few hundred dollars.
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