7 Secret Bike Mechanic Tips to Fix Anything (Even Yourself)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ต.ค. 2020
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I had a difficult time learning bike mechanics because most of the tutorials and guides only talk about the science of bike mechanics when there's an art to it that's just as important. Here are 7 secret bike mechanic tips to help you fix anything (even yourself). Rather than show you how to do one bike job, this overarching guide to bike maintenance, you'll be equipped with the basic skills to become a better bike mechanic (and better person).Learning bike mechanics can suck - 0:00Sponsor: Wabi Cycles - 1:07Good enough for me is better than perfect - 1:177. Respect the bike, respect yourself - 2:116. Bike mechanics ALWAYS take longer than you think - 4:55Is this the most infuriating bike part? - 7:355. Everything has a purpose - 8:584. Good lighting and angles are KEY - 12:103. Buy the best tools you can afford - 12:332. Know exactly what goes exactly where - 15:041. An oz. of prevention is worth a lb. of cure - 16:24Treat yourself. You deserve it - 17:59Sponsor: Wabi Cycles 18:15Patreon Fixie Famous Shoutouts - 19:17
Fixie Famous Shoutout:
StanStrong108
Ryan Witt
Julian Corona
Eric Avalo
Gio Dezera
kruucks
Singlespeed Shoutout:
nicodache
Gregory Tomlinson
Scott Palangi
Todd Brannan
epilektric
Chris
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#fixedgear #cycling
You were riding around with a dead cockroach on your bottom bracket the whole time? Now that's a bruh moment...
That's extra grams
@@__entiendo Haha, extra protein!
Getting that book
Here are three tips for becoming a diy bike mechanic:
1. Remember to always ignore manufacturer torque specs
2. Never use grease
3. Excessive use of force solves all mechanical problems
Always worked for me.
This is a deeply philosophical episode. Never looked this way at mechanics.
its kinda phony to be honest, its really not that complicated especially if you're riding a fixed gear bike. the only time it should be this complicated is if its wheel building, suspension service or doing a full custom carbon TT bike
Can't say how many times I have gotten pissy while working on something, put it aside for a bit, then went back and fixed it with an idea that I would never have come up with while I was being a cry-ass. Great content as always.
I also have a Wabi that is truly enjoyable. You were describing the creaking bottom bracket noise on the non drive side whether seated or not and not consistently making the noise. Like you, I am pretty aware of things that make that creak. Like you, after checking everything I replaced the bottom bracket and did a thorough job of cleaning, lubing and carefully installing it. After testing out my new BB there was that same #@%! creak. Deep in my gut something told me remove the seat post ( even though I knew that was a waster of time). Like you, I replaced my seat post with a nice quality post, mine is a Thompson. Like you, I cut it down a bit. What I found was the tube had rusted slightly from riding in the rain, etc. Once I cleaned off the inside of the downtube and the seat post: NO MORE CREEK! What a good day. I know you're very knowledgeable about these bikes but just had to share, maybe it will help. Good Luck, thanks for the videos. Jeff
Makes sense because the frame flexes under the torque of pedalling. And again it tends to sound like the bottom bracket or even the stem etc
Probably your best video yet, love the message, clearly you thought this one out through very well. Great work! I love this style of content. Mixing self development & cycling.
Never thougth that a video on replacing a bottom bracket could be so profound and motivating in life..this is top notch quality man thank you very much !
Wow, Zach, this is definitely my favorite video yet! This personal improvement mixed with bikes stuff is totally your wheelhouse.
This may be my favorite of your videos. Love the philosophical approach. And Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a great book!
one of the best and most helpful video on your channel. 💕
I love your philosophy, thanks Zach!
I’m so glad I watched this video it was very helpful thank you 🙏 Zack
Hey Zach! Great video!
Would you consider making a "What's in my Toolbox" video? It would also be awesome if you could show briefly how they are used and what other tools you plan to purchase to complete your tool set. I'm a longtime fixed gear rider but have never worked on anything except my saddle and handlebars.
100% agree with all the tips from 'Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' you expressed in your video Zach. I've been building my bikes (road, fixed gear, vintage, bmx, etc) including lacing hubs/wheels for a few years and it's definitely much more than just throwing random parts together & going for a ride. I've also owned and ridden motorcycles as well. There is a philosophical element to the process of bike, motorcycle maintenance if you have the correct mindset.
Man this was a super nice feeling video, loved it. Thank you
This is Grade A content. I already like most of your vids, but this is a step above. Bravo!
Incredible work Zack☝🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Great video. Looking forward to the update about the bottom bracket fix.
zach is the only channel i know about fixed bike that still alive till this day, thank you very much zach
Probably one of the best videos you’ve made in my opinion :)
Zen and Art of Motorcycle Maintenance might be one of my favorite books, but... WARNING, it can be a hard book to get through, took me almost 2 years of on and off reading to finish. It’s also about physiological issues, and philosophy, which can be a turn off for a lot of readers.
I have the same Nitto stem in silver, it's totally worth it, the finish is gorgeous. Great video Zach, loved it :)
Love that Nitto stem! and yes, that is a classic book!
Gracias por toda la información, se aprecia sr Gallardo
I totally agree about your philosophy on your bike. I love my bike and have spent money on upgrading the quality of items on it (Brooks saddle, Brooks bar tape etc.) because it makes the bike mine.
Never have I thought of cycling as a philosophical thing until now....Thanks! Now everytime I go for a cycle , I really appreciate all of the nuances in life
This video came in just at the right time, honestly. I have just bought my first road bike ever, which is a second hand Cannondale optimo with tiagra derailleurs. After a month of using it, I decided to clean the drivetrain and lubricate it. But man, before actually starting doing this I was unreasonably afraid. I literally feared the fact that I may break some component or stuff like that, even though I watched a couple videos on TH-cam on how to do it and, let's face it, it's not difficult at all, especially if you have the right tools. What I am trying to say is I agree 100% with you when you say that the mindset you are in will impact the work you do on your bike. I somehow managed to clean it, but I was so afraid through the entire process that I eventually got a headache. I still need to accept the fact that (at least some) bike components are durable and I am not handling an egg or something alike. :)) Thank you for your video! It really inspired me.
Subscribed Zach!
So sorry for not subscribing earlier bro you made it easier purchasing my first fixies thank again bro. keep up the awesome vids!
I actually recently started learning how to do maintenance on my fixie and I gotta say if I had seen this video before, it would've save me a lot of time and frustration. I assumed everything would only take 30-60 mins and I was wrong Everytime and I didn't want to rely on bike shops so I just bought cheap tools and ended up almost messing up important components
+1 for the state of mind. I was cleaning my drivetrain after I had a beer this weekend and the cleaning cloth got caught and pulled my hand in. Cut and broke my fingers, bad enough to go to the ER.
Yea I got my finger bit doing that too, and I was buzzed too. Never drink and work on your bike, learned that.
My fingers hurt just from reading this. I often picture this kind of thing happening, but ouch...
@@BanacaNation Yeah, I got used to working on it with a freewheel, because I was letting someone else borrow it. I forgot the drivetrain does not stop as fast without a freewheel. Not the type of lesson I wanted to learn that day 😅
@@ghosthogday I'm not going into the gorey details, but yeah, much ouch.
@BeboSaab than stay away from disk brakes too, they can do some damage too. I'll still ride fixed, just be more careful cleaning it.
Excellent. I'm going through that same thing and have been trying to find out from what heck happened. Talk about one of my bicycle and that 3 o'clock position and one in a while clicking but a lot of time. Now I know something about it. Thanks! One day soon, I want to rebuild this bicycle that I have mentioned over with all good and best equipments. You would freak out with this bicycle which I have found and picked it up and not too long ago.
Great video. Great tutorial on how to deal with strange sounds on your bike...or anything for that matter. And a truly beautiful book. I highly recommend the audio version read by Michael Kramer. I had a print copy of this book on my “to read” shelf for over 25 years. Then about twelve years ago, I picked up the beautiful deckle-edged 25th anniversary edition at the bookstore in Yosemite. That copy sat on my “to read shelf” for another few years before I found the audio version on Audible about 6 years ago. I listened to it while riding all over West Marin. Recently, I listened to it again while riding all over West Marin. I’ll probably do it again someday. You’ve captured much of what there is to learn in that book, even as you hardly scratched the surface. And that is the beautiful thing about great books. Thanks!
still blows my mind that you only have one bike. i totally caught that n+1 bug when shopping the local used market for my first real build. 10 years later, i'm outta storage space :-(
Apparently the secret is to spend an unreasonable amount on every single part, then you won't be able to afford more bikes. $200 bucks for an alloy seatpost to fit an equally overpriced seat that can't be used in the rain... $130 for a BB that consistently fails...
THANK YOU!
"This is an opportunity for me to work on myself, and approach the problem with curiousity instead of frustration."
Not shown: Zach punching a bag with "Curiousity" printed on it
Nice work.
I love the intelligence I feel at peace watching your videos man, God bless you x1,000
This was a really well made video.
The black shirt looks good. Also I could see you getting into oldschool mtbs, building a clean 1X or with chuncc tires. They're cheap fun and bulletproof.
I can attest it helps to know and understand ones self in terms of fixing one’s self. It def helps in terms of being at peace/fascination with problem solving
Nice video bro
I have one question
I bought a bike rockrider 520 but I wanted to to Change it from 3x8 to 1x8 without changing the crankset is it possible to do it
And Can you give me some advices how to chose the right single Geer speed
So now you're ready for Pirsig. I can feel you're growing ... And becoming great, or just a man, that is... Great. When coming through a depresion, greatness is to be expected a lot of times. Remember this day if harder times come back. Cheers
Great book, just completed it a few months ago.
If you do find that your creeking bottom bracket comes back, I had a similar issue and my LBS chased the frame threads on the bottom bracket and the problem was fixed.
Lots of factories skip this all important step. This is what professionals do before the frame is assembled. How can they ever expect the bearings to function the way they should?
Production bike quality has mostly turned to shit in the name of profits and greed!
Mr Troll It All! I can see why you don't go to bike shops. AKA Mr Know It All
@BeboSaab it didn't cost me anything and the lbs mechanic was able to complete it while I was standing there. In and out.
This is ur best video. congrats.
I still don't know why you lube the outside of the chain. You should be lubing the inside since that is the surface that contacts the gears.
Love your content sir! Waiting patiently every week for it. I got a geared bike with internal gear hub which is heavy as hell but thinking about getting a fixed gear bike. Unfortunately here in Germany we don't have those good beginner bikes available. A good bike with 28mm tires and 32mm clearance starts at 800 Euro (8bar fhain).
Oh I can buy State Bike Black Label V2 here online for a reasonable price.
I mean you could also buy a cheap used bike and switch the wheels to fixed gear wheels
@@plainvanillamiscellaneous6884 Funny I actually did a conversion of some old beater, just for fun. Didn't pay attention and bought one with vertical dropouts. Today I managed to block the freewheel so it's now fixed, gonna try that out. Looking to buy a bike from State Bicycle, either 4130 Core or Black Label V2 - not sure yet. Black Label will be available in Q1 2021.
@@maxkrug2000 that's dope, I just picked up an old bike for 10 € too and I'm gonna try to convert it soon
Great video all facts all true. This is why I own multiple bikes so if one breaks down or still under construction due to the unexpected I can use other bike in my stable .
The problem I have with that is then I have to fix several bikes when they add up
@@yardsalecycles True it can get even stressful. Twice I had all of my bikes except one in good working order.
@@MisterSal9895 last time I had to fix 5 flats and that was just a start
@@yardsalecycles So did you end up down sizing your fleet? I just end up putting "puncture resistant" tires on all my bikes and it definitely reduced the chances of getting flats. I'm pretty sure I'm losing 1-2 MPH of my top speeds because puncture resistant tires have slightly higher rolling resistant but that's the trade-off.
@@MisterSal9895 lol no I ended up buy a few more since then (2 weeks ago) I'm up to 30 ish bikes 10 or so are ready to ride the rest are projects I'll get to eventually 😅
Wow. You really make bike mechanics seem hard. I like wrenching on my bike because bikes are so simple it’s therapeutic
He makes wrenching seem fun
Knew reading Zen & the art of Motorcycle Maintenance 30 years ago would come in handy
I love tinkering on my bike but you are right,be patient and take it to a pro when you are out your depth.Why did you cut the seatpost anyway?
If I wasn't subbed already, this video woulda been the one to make me. Great stuff 👍
Creaks and noises are some of the most difficult things to diagnose on bikes for even professional mechanics. Most people assume its the bb because so many are so bad. But assuming that will send you down a rabbit hole of more assumptions, frustrations and misery.
Always Start with the simplest things such as pedals, dork discs, chainring bolts, grease on cassette bodies, saddle clamps and rails etc. I've even found loose derailleur hangers to be a cause of noise!
Every single bolt and every metal to metal contact point on the bike should have a coating of grease, antisieze, loctite or fiber paste where applicable.
These are all things that get overlooked or ignored on production bikes.
Remember that noise and vibrations can travel around the bike. Carbon bikes and wheels are like speaker boxes and noise can travel.
To diagnose any problem you must be methodical, patient and persistent.
I ride single speed and decided to try out fixed. Rode it for a few days, got straps, learn how to skid and was learning to track stand when i decided it wasn’t worth it. I just didn’t like riding fixed, i have to ride much safer and while that’s supposed to be a positive, I love single speed because i feel safer while riding dangerously.
R u even try fixed gear with brakes? It more fun tho, imho
@@adityajonathanmamahit2889 i kept my front brake on all the time, even when i learned to skid, i kept it on just in case. Eventually i forgot it was there but a still didn’t enjoy it riding fixed
Hey, i have a doubt about
bottom brackets, why all the times in fixed gears they use square taperd ones and not the hollow one´s. I have understood that they have better performance over time. Sorry for my bad english i am from Argentina. Love your content!
“There’s two ways to do things: ‘right’, and ‘again’. Woot woot 👍
Love my Enduro XD-15 external bottom bracket. Spent way too much but is so buttery smooth! Made in the USA!
Zach from the sound you’re describing, make sure that the fixed cup is really tight. You want to make sure it’s more than hand tight. Usually I give the tool on the cup a couple hits with a rubber mallet to get it just a little tighter. That might solve your issue. (Coming from a bike mechanic)
Yes!! There are even purpose made tools to get a fixed cup good and tight!! I machined such a tool for myself.
Another pro mechanic here! The BB SHELL also needs to be threaded properly and the ends of the shell need to be faced or the bearings won't function as they were intended to. This is super important for loose ball units!! This is what professionals do BEFORE they assemble a frame.
The head tube must also be reamed and faced and the crown race seat on the fork must be milled. Not to mention the frame's alignment should be checked.
I seen 'renowned' custom builders skip or 'forget' this stuff.
These steps are important because the entire frame assembly can become distorted from heat during welding. Even if the paint was removed on these areas, NEVER assume it was done properly.
Many shops forget these steps because many modern 'plastic' frames don't require or even allow these steps. Many low skill shop 'mechanics' don't even know what or where these tools are!
Have you thought about the crank arm installation on the bb spindle? You might want to read this article on the Sheldon Brown site. www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/installing-cranks.html
You're the Matt D'Avella of bikes. Liked and subbed
Sugino makes a cartridge bottom bracket I use one and it's amazing
Yes! Setting up loose ball bearings is an Art... a temporarily perfect, Art🤬
Also, if you wanna ride soon and it ain’t broke, Do Not fix it!
Practice makes perfect! Its really not that hard. I learned when I was 9 years old fixing a coaster brake hub. 50 years later, I'm still doing it! Just overhaul your junk more often. That's a good habit! Practice makes perfect!!
I purchased a new Aventon Level E Bike in Mar 2022, it has the cheap
zoom fork, after about 2 weeks the front fork makes a clunk sound when
going over some bumps and it's
pissing me off, it does not do this when it's locked out though, does
anyone know what the issue is? Or even an upgrade fork the would fit
this bike? Thanks John
Could you please review the Unknown Singularity complete? I have been wanting to see this bike reviewed on TH-cam but I can’t find any real reviews. I am starting away from buying the Framset and other things separately because it is my first fixed gear bike. If you please could review it and help others like me decide whether this is a good first fixie I would greatest appreciate it.
There may be too much slop between the bottom bracket cups and the the bottom bracket. Try wrapping the cups with teflon plumbers tape to get a snug fit.
have you ever tried teflon tape on the bottom bracket its ghetto but works
You're supposed to hold down the non drive side preload to stop it from moving then tightening down the lock ring
Love you man but you got to manage the brooks tension screw. keep the leather healthy. Get the Brooks tension spanner and maintain that glorious piece of art.
What do you think about the Miche Pistard air crankset?
+Zach Gallardo hey Zach love your videos but thought I’d jut share a tip that might help you with the bb adjustment. If you use your hcw4 pin spanenr tool to hold the cone still while cranking down on the locknut/lockring, you shouldnt have any problems. Cheers
Extremely good content. More like this would be great (as long as you keep it real without replacing the brooks with your skull! Too many fallen youtubers...)
So what was the point for the new stem? Just looks and fixie points?
Bottom bracket needing adjustment is always where my mind goes when I hear a knock or a tick or a squeak or something during a pedal stroke. So many times I have been wrong when it's turned out to be my clipless shoe just rubbing weird, loose pedal, or (on a geared bike) the front shifter cable hitting the crank, or part of my toe strap clipping the crank. There have been times though, when it really has been the bottom bracket. At least with fixed gears, the list of potential problems is narrowed, and you'll never have to worry about messing with press-fit bottom brackets either.
Hey zack,,,,,,, are you back in the states..??.?.??.?.?.?,,,,,,what’s the gearing on the bike,,,,,(help)...building one with all the left over Dura ace parts....
That was inspirational :)
Hey Zach, great video yet again! Are you planning on selling those sweet Reasonably Dangerous bike stickers? Would be dope :)
Tip number 8. Dont cut your seat post to short and crack your frame.
I think that since your bike is fixed gear, more than likely there is a hole under your bottom bracket where the cable guides for a front and rear derailleur system would normally be screwed in. The roach could have crawled in there and fed on bearing grease until it was too fat to get out and then eventually died of thirst or whatever complications could have been caused by eating that grease.
As a professional bike mechanic, a bottom bracket knock in a particular position is almost never the bottom bracket. Check your chainring bolts are tight first. If it keeps going use a vernier caliper or micrometer to check the chainring bolt holes. One of them might be oversize.
After that check your axle tension on the rear wheel. It sounds totally absurd but it's amazing how often this causes a noise under load that is directly linked to crank position.
If your bottom bracket is making the noise, the fault should be clear when it is disassembled.
I had the same bottom bracket and mine did the same as his among other problems. It's a poor design. I worked on it and had 2 different shops work on it and it never went away. Replaced it with 2 different square tapered brackets since then and never had an issue.
My favorite bottom bracket is a cheap (plastic left cup) Tange jis square taper. Why? because they are always buttery smooth, the threads are smooth, the plastic cup reduces friction heat and (when covid hasn't shut down everything) they are always available on ebay and amazon. They are inexpensive so give one a try and be amazed. (limited supply right now due to covid)
I had the same sounds coming from the pedal area, checked everything. Cleaned my chain, checked and tightened all bolts on chaining. Thought that my bottom bracket is dying. It turned out to be a pedal to crank bolt being lose. I hate all extra noises, and sometimes I don't feel like riding my bike, because of them.
@BeboSaab Yes, how did you know?
Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance has little to do with a motorcycle, but the movement through life. A donkey would have been just as good a vehicle. A threaded interface can allow some movement of two parts and clicks and creaks. A change in temperature can affect the movement and noise. Engineers have described this situation. Has the bb shell ever been faced? I've had better luck with cartridge bbs You're right about stopping when frustrated.
+1 on facing, looks like there's still paint on the sides of the shell (15:13) its especially important for 3 part bbs
or else the lockring can be tight but only touch a small portion of the tube and move under torque.
Zach what do you think about aventon fixed gear bikes?
They're great on paper, but I'd avoid them due to some questionable practices: th-cam.com/video/oGmcZPTgw1g/w-d-xo.html
@@ZachGallardo I was thinking about buying one today
Good to know that I'm not alone in this sugino bb issue.
That's why I got a philwood bb instead
Make sure your BB threads are chased and the ends are faced properly by a professional shop. This is standard practice for any competent mechanic. Make sure the fixed right cup is very tight! Mount the right side crank and use that as leverage while you adjust bearing preload on the non drive side.
High quality loose ball BBs are great, but the frame needs to be prepared properly AFTER its welded. That's the only way they function properly. Ive got decades old Campy Record and Dura Ace loose ball units that are perfect after all these years. I take care of my junk and maintain it to aerospace standards because I have that experience.
A track bb is made for the track, not road riding, commuting or bad weather or dirty conditions. This is
(not so) common sense apparently! There are no seals or very minimal seals to keep out all the road junk, so you will need to overhaul it much more often. Seals are negated to optimize efficiency. On a regular ridden bike, there are much better choices such as SKF(best on the planet) , Phil Wood, Chris King or many more not nearly as expensive such as plain jane Shimano. A cartridge BB makes bb shell alignment issues less problematic. Why go crazy on a hidden component that's not reliable for 'regular' use?? Using high end track stuff on road ridden bikes may 'look' cool, gain 'fixie points' and impress other fools but it really doesn't make much 'sense' besides lightening your wallet.
Zach do a rivendale twine wrap
guessing SAC hasnt been kind to your BB. Slide to Oakland some time if you wanna get in your urban fix in. Maybe come out for the October Phixed King Expedition.!!
bottom bracket issue: replace the retainer ring with free steel balls. Problem solved.
Send that BB to Hambini so he can roast it
Loose as a wizard's cuff! Get a Phil square taper bb. Check the usual suspects like chainring bolts and spokes first. A little grease or WD might do it. Headset on occasion.
Ive found creaks from saddle rails, seatpost clamps, loose derailleur hanger bolts and dork discs, internal cabling and on and on. Most production bikes are improperly assembled. Wrenching in a shop, I can find mistakes and details missed or ignored on just about any factory. assembled bicycle. Many assemblers are paid by the bike so GO FIGURE!
Finding a perfectly assembled bicycle like I would assemble it is super rare. Its cause to take a break and have a beer!!
What's your take on belt drivetrain?
Belt isn't NJS compliants so don't expect Zach approves it.
My other bike has it and it's damn cool not to deal with cleaning and lubing it after wet ride. But as frame has to be really stiff for use with belt seems alu frame is mandatory. I've seen steel frames with custom installed seatstay splitters but never have got long term reviews if and how many adjustment issues has created. Steel frames also can be more light and flexy vs really beefy which could be OK.
@7:10 What's a derailleur?
Definitely had those days where I just wanted to yell and curse and throw my tools in rage but only momentarily. Once I take a Deep breath and relax then there's always a way to solve a problem. Gotta love my bikes running buttery smooth.
Damn I wish I had a fixie like yours dude 😇
Now I need a PAUL for my Brooks Swift
3 questions: would i be disgraced forever by cheating and getting a coaster brake hub? And would it be a bad idea to drill holes in my frame for a bottle cage? And is 52x18 bad for commuting??
apparently coaster brake maintenance is hell, i dont have a bottle cage either i carry it in my bag but im tryna get a triathlon saddle mount cage
super dope video definitely top 3. been subscribed for years too btw. hit that button yall! ✌🏿
At 7:11 SRAM front derailleur is too high ....NJS is very good stuff, if you are a professional Keirin racer in Japan....or, if you are independently wealthy
DO A REVIEW ON A AVANTI PISTA PRO!!
What's the difference between a fixie famous shoutout and a single speed shoutout?
100 fixie points
Nitto stem?
Thats nice
that toe strap looks good, what brand is it?
MKS fit-a double straps: amzn.to/354r6gT (affiliate link)