c/bicycle-mechanics

Veteran mechanic told me to use grease on pedal threads, now I am dealing with creaking after 3 months

Had an old timer at the local co-op swear up and down that putting grease on pedal threads was the only way to go. I followed his advice on a customer's aluminum crank set back in June. Now the pedals are creaking like crazy and I can't get them to stop. Anyone else had this issue or am I stuck pulling the cranks and cleaning everything out?

Park Tool spoke wrench broke on a simple wheel build - wasted $25

I bought a brand new Park Tool SW-0 spoke wrench to true up a rear wheel I was building up. On the third spoke nipple, the little tab inside the wrench just snapped off. I wasn't even cranking hard, just normal tension. Now I'm stuck with a useless tool and a half-finished wheel. Has anyone else had this happen with the smaller sizes, or did I just get a lemon from a bad batch?

Took me 5 years to realize I was greasing pedal threads the wrong way

Saw a guy at the local co-op wipe his pedals down with alcohol before installing them and it hit me that I'd been trapping grit inside the crank arms this whole time, anyone else make that mistake?

That one shift last Tuesday where every single customer wanted me to rebuild their bottom bracket on the spot, no appointment

Three of them showed up within an hour, and the last guy actually got mad when I said it would take until Friday because I had four other repair tickets ahead of his, has anyone else had a day where the shop just turns into a walk-in repair free-for-all?

Just dumped $80 on a chain whip that bent on the first cassette

Bought a no-name brand chain whip off Amazon because I was being cheap. First time using it to pop a Shimano cassette off my commuter bike, the pins bent on the second turn. Had to borrow my buddy's Park Tool one to finish the job. Anyone else get burned by budget tools that just fold under light pressure?

Grease fittings on road bikes - old guard says avoid, I got burned

So I had this debate with a veteran mechanic named Pete who's been building wheels since the 80s. He told me grease fittings on bottom brackets and headsets are just a way to sell more tools, that they actually attract dirt over time and cause more wear. I argued they keep water out and let you lube without tearing everything down. Well, I followed his advice on a 2014 Cannondale Synapse I was rebuilding for a customer, skipped the fitting, used regular grease. 6 months later the customer comes back complaining about creaking and I pull the crank to find rust spots on the cartridge bearings. Pete saw it when I showed him and just shrugged, said your mileage may vary. I'm thinking of switching back to fittings on my builds, but part of me wonders if he has a point for dry climates. Has anyone else dealt with this grease fitting vs. no grease fitting debate, and what did you end up sticking with?

The debate on greasing pedal threads before installation

I read a post last week where a guy swore you should always grease pedal threads to prevent seizing, but my old shop mechanic said it can cause the pedals to loosen over time on aluminum cranks. I've been greasing them for years with no issues, but now I'm second-guessing myself. What's your take on this?

Customer told me my spoke tension was way off - checked with a tension meter and he was right

Switched to wax-based chain lube and my drivetrain stayed clean for 3 weeks straight

I used to run wet lube on my commuter bike and after 2 days the chain would look like a muddy mess. Cleaned everything off, degreased twice, and put on some Squirt lube. After 3 weeks and 150 miles, the chain still looks almost new and no black gunk buildup anywhere. Anyone else seen a big drop in how often you have to clean stuff after switching?

Took a chance on a used stand from a retired mechanic, best $40 I ever spent

I met this older guy Gary at a bike swap in Portland last spring. He was selling off all his old shop stuff. He pointed me to this beat up Park Tool stand and said "that thing held up through 20 years of me dropping chains on it, you'll get another 20 easy." He even showed me how to fix the clamp wobble with a rubber shim. It's not pretty but it works perfect. Anyone else got a hand me down tool that just won't quit?

Had to pick between a $15 chain checker and a $4 ruler...

I was doing a tune up on a customer's bike last Tuesday and needed to check chain wear. Grabbed my Park Tool checker and it said the chain was fine. But I had a weird feeling so I grabbed a steel ruler and measured 12 inches pin to pin. The ruler showed way more stretch than the tool did. Turns out the cheap checker was off by like half a link. I went with the ruler method and saved that guy from ruining his cassette. Anyone else had a tool let them down like this?

I finally fixed a stuck bottom bracket with a pipe wrench and a prayer

Working on a customer's bike in my garage here in Spokane last week, this old Schwinn had a bottom bracket that was seized up like nothing I've seen. Tried the proper tools, even soaked it in PB Blaster for two days. Nothing moved. Finally grabbed my 24-inch pipe wrench from the truck, put a cheater bar on it, and gave it everything I had. Popped loose with a crack that scared me half to death but the threads were fine. Customer was thrilled. Anyone else ever had to resort to brute force on a stubborn part?

That $15 Park Tool cable cutter I bought off Amazon two years ago

I finally broke down and bought a proper cable cutter after fighting with my old wire snips for years. The Park Tool cutter made clean cuts through housing on the first try, no frayed ends or crushed jackets. It cost about $15 and honestly saved me a ton of frustration on just my first brake cable job. Has anyone else had luck with cheaper alternatives that actually work for housing?

Old shop guy told me to stop greasing pedal threads, I didn't listen

He warned me grease would make pedals loosen up over time, but I kept doing it anyway. 6 months later I had a pedal fall off on a group ride - had to borrow a 15mm from a stranger to get home. Anyone else run into this or is it just me?

Had a chat with a old timer at the coffee shop about wheel truing

I was grabbing coffee yesterday morning before my shift and an older guy noticed my bike helmet. He asked if I worked on bikes and I said yeah, mechanics mostly. He goes 'you know, truing wheels is more about feel than sight, you can't learn that from a manual'. That stuck with me because I've been staring at tension gauges for months and my wheels still come out wobbly. Has anyone else found that you just gotta go by touch after a while?

I finally tried wax chain lube instead of drip on a gritty ride in Phoenix last month

I did a 40 mile ride through some nasty gravel sections and my chain was spotless at the end. With my usual wet lube I would have had to scrub off a black paste. The reapplication process is more involved, you have to take the chain off and dip it, but for that one ride it was night and day on cleanliness. Has anyone else found wax holds up better in dry dusty conditions?

Told me a tube of $15 grease was the same as the $50 stuff from a bike shop

I laughed at the auto parts guy until I used it on my bottom bracket and it's been smooth for 800 miles now, same as the fancy stuff, so what's the real catch here with cheap grease?

Finally tried Park Tool's cable crimper vs my old pliers method

Been doing cable ends with regular pliers for like 5 years. Picked up the Park Tool crimper for $12 last week after my buddy kept bugging me about it. Used it on a customers road bike shift cables and dang, the ends came out perfect every time. No more frayed strands poking my fingers. Anyone else switch to a dedicated tool and find it made that big of a difference?

Warning: Stop overgreasing your pedal threads

I see it all the time at my shop. People smear a ton of grease on pedal threads before installation. It's wrong. Pedals actually need anti-seize compound, not grease. I learned this after a pedal seized onto a crank arm last month. The customer's crank was ruined. $80 for a new crank plus labor. Grease dries out and hardens. Anti-seize stays put and makes future removal easy. Has anyone else dealt with seized pedals from grease?

Got schooled by a retired mechanic about chain lube

Been using wet lube year round for like 5 years. Old guy comes in with a creaky chain, sees my bottle. Says I'm basically sanding my drivetrain in the dry months. He was right. Switched to dry lube when it's not raining. Chain lasts twice as long now, no joke. Anyone else make that mistake?

Spent 3 hours trying to get a seized seatpost out of a 90s trek frame

Tried every trick in the book from penetrating oil to a pipe wrench to even clamping it in a vise, but it literally took me 3 hours of gentle heat cycling with a torch and careful tapping to finally break it free, has anyone else had a seatpost beat them that bad?

Watched my shifting get snappy after 3 hours of cable friction hunting

Had this old Trek 520 that shifted like trash for weeks. Figured it was the derailleur or the shifter but nope. Finally pulled the housing and found a tiny burr inside where I'd cut it too close with cheap cutters. Filed it down, new ferrules, fresh cable. Night and day difference just from that one fix. Anyone else waste way too much time chasing something stupid like this?

That bike shop in Portland changed my mind about wheel truing stands

Had a stuck seatpost that beat me for two days...

I tried everything on this old steel frame - penetrating oil, heat, even a pipe wrench. Nothing budged. Finally I remembered an old trick from a forum and poured Coca-Cola around the post and let it sit overnight. That did it... came right out the next morning with just a gentle twist. Has anyone else tried weird household stuff like that for stuck parts?

Why does nobody talk about how bad the chain lube situation is at that big bike shop in Denver

I was at the REI on Broadway in Denver last Saturday and walked through their bike section. Almost every single chain lube on the shelf was either completely dried out or had that weird separated oil look. Picked up a bottle of Rock N Roll Gold and it was straight up gritty. I told the guy at the counter and he said yeah they don't rotate stock often. Has anyone else noticed this at other big chain stores or am I just unlucky?