jambco984

The Lynx helicopter simulator is harder to fly than the apache, IMHO.

I love the expert brigade.

Why downgrade his achievement by moaning and stating, "I know better".

I doubt he cares what we are saying about him anyway.

My wife makes a cracker.

Takeaway the carnation milk an add fresh milk.

Delicious

BZ my good man.

Ahhh.

The beautiful game!!!!

The only half decent shop in Sukhothai is the LA Bicycle shop.

It is in the main town not far from the night market and the bridge near chopper bar.

Head past chopper on the right go over the bridge, go past the big temple on the left and it is just before the traffic lights on the right hand side a yellow sign saying LA Bicycle is outside can't miss it.

Edit. Read that you have been missed that on the first read.

Chiang Mai it is then as I am 100% no more decent shops.

Italy sounds nice, one place I have missed on my travels. Malta is the closest I came to Italy

Stop making me jealous will you

Here she is in all her glory.

I will be Mr Maintenance from now on. I will admit being clueless and ignorant before but no excuses now.

The front cog was in good condition so I didn't replace it, is that wise?

I have a new rear cog and chain and the LBS man said it was fine as it was.

I asked before I left for him to check my front brakes as they had been sticking. I had you tubed and looked hard to fix it. According to the fella my wheel wasnt alligned if that is the correct word to use. I did go over a fair sized rock and nearly stacked it at about 30kmh so that could have buckled it maybe? What do you reckon?

Thanks for taking your time to help me out as always.

I will await your arrival and standby with payment.

Where are you now?

Well.....

I have been to get my bike fixed and I am happy to say that my new

Shimano Megarange 34T. CS-HG41T 8ao is the mutts nuts in that the problem has gone away.

500 baht for the rear cog and its an upgrade on the old one, maybe slight but an upgrade. It was the only 8 speed cog the shop stocked and I didn't fancy waiting another week.

I asked about a Wipperman Connex but he doesn't stock them. He did have quick release reusable links for 9 and 10 speed bikes, he is fresh out of stock of the 8 speed apparently and they will take 2 weeks to arrive... maybe??

If you're home before then Mike maybe if you have time you could pop into your LBS and check for me as you're a top chap

Thanks for all your help folks and I hope I can be of some use in the future.

Darren

Check with your LBS regarding replacing indi,vidual gears. If you're counting like me with 7 & 8 being the smallest gears then you may be in luck. Shimano provides replacement gears for those small gears. Once again you need to check with your LBS to see if they have/can order replacement gears. I 've done this several times with my Shimano XT cassette. You also need to check to see if the chain is worn out. The LBS should have a gauge to measure the wear. Park tools available herein Thailand hastwo different gauges to handle this task. You will quickly wear out any new gears by using a worn out chain.

The bike shop replaced my chain, he got his tool out and decided it was knackered. Fair shout I say, he says 600 baht. I didn't know prices so I thought 600 baht was a decent price for a chain, looking at some online I seem to go into things with my blinkers on

He didn't suggest getting a new rear cartridge he just checked all was lined up and smooth but as the bike was fair sh**e high that could be why he didn't bother.

My rear cartridge is a 7 piece fixed and a single 8th gear not 7th and 8th individual, only 8th, so I reckon I need both parts.

When I took it off there was the 7 gears a single small (8th) gear and the locking piece.

I haven't been out on the bike for 2 weeks because of this, I have new cycling boxers waiting to get a good ride which is naffing me off.

When I replaced the chain on Saturday I had a quick up and down the street when I got home and it was still missing 8th.

Then I gave it a cleaning and 7th started to miss just as much as the 8th before the mucking out.

Any thoughts on distance out of a non-expensive / decent well maintained cog and chain?

Thanks as always.

Poor old mate jambco,

having a lot of bike problems - but hope your motor is running well! You really need a pal to give you a coupla hours hands-on mech. session.

The rewards from such - that warm/fuzzy feeling - make up for all the frustrating hours expressing expletives and getting dirty.

The chains for 6/7/8 rear clusters/cogs are (used to be) the same width. 9-speed comes in two widths. 10-speed different again.

After 600km, your drivetrain should be just wearing in, not stoofing up. I recently replaced my chain + 9speed cluster in Chumphon - not from the cheapest source. Shimano chain 1200B, cluster (11-34 tooth) 600B, magic link 90B. I reckon the old set-up had done 5000km.

I use some derailleur I pulled of a dead bike. I have never had a prob with rear derailleurs, apart from the usual crap flying up from the road and trying to stuff the springs everytime you ride through puddles. I think you have to use a name gear shifter with a name derailleur, but Shim chain compatible with SRAM cluster and v/v.

All the advice concerning regular drivetrain cleaning is top stuff. I get slack, riding in the rain most days... keep on cycling, AA

I being a novice have been a bit of a wally and not done too much maintenance until something has gone wrong. I have been very Thai about the maintenance (wait for it to break then fix it).

I put all my problems down to being a daft a**e and not looking after my bike, lesson learned for sure.

I got proficient at the cleaning side of things on Sunday just gone and I have found all I need on youtube so far.

I will hit a different shop that I mentioned in a previous post and quiz the guy and watch him like a hawk for some extra knowledge. Unfortunately my mate who I go out with sometimes has a cheap and nasty mtb and doesn't look after it and he seems to just keep going.

Theoretically speaking, if I had taken my maintenance more seriously and kept a tight ship with the cartridge and chain. Riding on dirt tracks but nothing hardcore just getting the km's down, few puddles and red dust etc...

How many km's would at a guess of course this set-up have done?

I did 600km and by the looks of it 7th and 8th are shot.

Regards

Darren.

Hi Darren

I think the cassette is an ok model but the derailleur is a lower end Shimano model. Much depends on where you ride and the distances involved.

You will find that the higher end Shimano components will operate smoother for the most part, are lighter and I would say more durable, but will cost more. You'vegot to fin a LBS you like and de elop a relationship with them for good service and pricing.

If I were you I would replace the entire set with an Shimano SLK model. I'm not sure of the pricing for these components as I use the XT model. The cassette cost me about 2500THB but with care will lasta very long time. I also use a Shimano XTR chain and clean it often. I use a Connex link ffom Wipperman wnich is the easiest link to remove and install. No tools are necessary. All you have to do is grasp the chain on both sides of the link and push them together forming the letter Z. The link will come right apart. Installation is even easier as all you need to do is line up the holes with the pins and push them together.

It's just what was on the bike when I bought it from the bike shop in Sukhothai.

Like I said earlier I don't mind spending a little extra to get a nice set-up but wont spend a fortune just yet.

I am pretty naffed off at the moment as I haven't been able to get any riding done for 2 weeks, it's making for a slugish and sleepy me .

How's your jollies going? Hope you're making the most of it.

With a Shimano Altus 8/9 speed rear derailleur

Thanks for the replies chaps. It's sleep time soon so don't have time to be "in-depth"'. I will get onto it tomorrow.

I checked the cassette earlier and on the sides it says I'm running.....

I think a ......

Shimano Hyperglide HG.

CS-HG 31-8.

What does that mean? I guess the 8 is the speed? Clueless folks.

Does that make any sense? That cassette has done me 600km ish. Does that sounds right?

How much roughly would the exact same cassette cost me? I don't want to spend a fortune but don't mind paying for a decent set up.

Thanks for the info as always thanks.

Darren

Sorry my fault. I should have warned you that these shops are usually pretty busy on the weekends. I steer clear of my LBS in Udon on weekends unless absolutelt necessary.

Master link: First you need to make sure the chain is clean before installation as there is not much clearance to work with. Next you need to make sure the link is compatible with your chain. 9 speed chains are not the same size as 10 speed chains and there fore need a different link. I did a bit of research and it appears the Sram link is considered a one timeuselink on a 10 speed chain which isnotwhat you want. I have used KMC links in the past and found them quite easy to remove once you get the crap off thechain. You must squeeze the KMC link side plates while pushing the link ends towards each other. The two halfs of the link wil come apart at that point. I have since found the Connex link by Wipperman is the easiest to use. The one thing you must remember is that it can only be installed one way oryour low gear will skip. Www.connexchain.com

If what you have is the Sram link then you are going to needa chain breaker to get it off. I had the same

problem with another link and that's how I got it off. Once off trash it and buy the KMC for now. Check with the local shops to see if this link isavailable

(look at theweb site for a description). If you cannot find it and can waituntil I return from Our Europena

holiday on 10 July I'll be happy to buy a few for you and send themtoyou. Something to keep in mind - a 10

speed cassette uses a smaller chain which may impact the strength/longevity of the chain when compared to

a 9 speed. Remember a cheap cassette may no5 be the best for the type of ridi gyou'redoing.

Another hint - buy 2 chains and alternate them on your bike to increase the longevity of the cassette. Another good reason to have a connector installed on the chain. I usually swapt chains every 500kms unless I'm on a tour.

I hope this helps.

When you sent the stand I gave it a good mucking out. First real clean in 400km Im bad I know.

I did oil it and give it a little wipe at 200km but not a lot.

It was ok until I cleaned it lol.

Now it has become a problem

Will take a look this evening or tomorrow morning

if it has never been cleaned there is a good possibility that when you did "muck it out" that the dirt you knocked off was hiding the wear, insulating between worn chain and sprockets. could also be cable stretch, though

Sounds good mate.

Well I found the shop in Ubon and found it useful for what I wanted. Although the owner seemed interested in selling bikes and interested in helping customers who where spending lots more money than me.

I got what I think is a SRAM link for a 100 baht.

Needed a new chain at 500 baht.

My wife asked him to check the rear cartridge was still ok and useable. The shop owner said it was fine so I left, the road was very busy so I was unable to test it there in my flip flops

I got home and found the same problem.

Today I took off the rear cartridge and gave it a good clean the 8th gear is worn and unusable, I couldn't see it for all the muck it had gathered. Won't be letting it get like that again.

I cannot get the SRAM link off it seems tighter than a tight thing, any advice?

I have watched lots of YouTube videos but they aren't helping.

Cheers

yeah, if you replace sprockets you pretty much have to replace chain as they wear together.

i wouldnt do much business with a bike shop that tells you otherwise.

Hello there my TV app hasn't been working of recent, same old problems, not loading up and then uninstalling itself. Similar with my work internet, bag of crap.

I am only free really of a weekend and don't much fancy making a special 100km round trip during the week.

I will head into town again this weekend and see what I can see. There is a shop called Yudee Cycle and the young lad and his family are genuinely nice and willing to help. The other chap at MT only seems to care about pound signs.

If I cannot see what you're talking about I will call on your help when you get back from your jollies in Europe, thanks Mike.

My bike is a 24 speed so 8 on the back and 3 on the front.

The rear derailleur says on it that it's a 8/9 speed so I guess I need the smaller link, am I correct in assuming this?

My rear cartridge configuration is a solid block of 7 and 8th gear is a stand alone cog. How much do these start and go upto, price wise? Do you think it's better to upgrade to single cogs? Or a better mixture of cogs, I tend to use 8th quite a lot as I'm sure I should do.

Yeah I feel 'mucking her out' has caused the wear to show itself more.

I will try this other bike shop as I said the family and especially young chap seem very nice and willing to help.

As you can guess I am a biking novice so need all the help I can get.

I am learning slowly but surely and your stand you sent me Mike has helped me to do lots of things that I would never have done otherwise. This is my list of things I have done,

Removing the rear cartridge and cleaning it (Used Kerosene, is that ok?)

Checked the brakes and tweaked them to what I think (and youtube video) is the right setting.

What else can I be doing to have a happy ride and happy bike??

Regards

jambco984

Sent from a pain in the a***e internet connection. I hope my copying and pasting have worked well and everything is in the correct order.

Sorry for the late reply.

I found crystal's shop on Saturday and enquired about making me a simple cotton shirt.

You did mention that he wasn't cheap and at prices starting from 950 baht I was shocked. Back home no problems I would pay that in a flash.

I was in Hua Hin 18months ago and paid 500 baht per cotton shirt, have the prices really doubled from tourist trap walking street Hua Hin to Ubon small shop?

Anywhere else?

I will have to use them if there is nowhere more reasonable.

Or wait for a trip to CM, BKK or HH.

Thanks.

 

 

 

When you state “making” the shirt, I presume you have already purchased the cotton elsewhere and are just want the tailor to cut and make you a tailor-made shirt. Shops in Ubon normally charge between 300-600 baht for making a shirt. Lots more if it is silk.

 

It also depends on the design, long vs short sleeves, and the fabric.

 

If, however, the price quoted to you was including their cotton, then I think 950 baht is very reasonable for a tailor-made shirt. No doubt you can get shirts made in Ubon using the shops fabric for 500 baht. I go to a shop in front of Radjaphat University and get alterations done to trousers like lengthening or taking in. But no way would I let this shop make me trousers or shirts. Their craftsmanship is very ordinary to say the least.

 

If you get a shirt cut and made at Crystal you will look like a gentleman. Get it cut and made anywhere else, you will look like a bloke.

I will take onboard this glowing recommendation and head back there.

I saw only going to take a sample of the material I would like using.

950 baht doesn't seem a lot I suppose.

Are you on a commission?

:D

Sent from my GT-N7000B using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Sounds good mate.

Well I found the shop in Ubon and found it useful for what I wanted. Although the owner seemed interested in selling bikes and interested in helping customers who where spending lots more money than me.

I got what I think is a SRAM link for a 100 baht.

Needed a new chain at 500 baht.

My wife asked him to check the rear cartridge was still ok and useable. The shop owner said it was fine so I left, the road was very busy so I was unable to test it there in my flip flops

I got home and found the same problem.

Today I took off the rear cartridge and gave it a good clean the 8th gear is worn and unusable, I couldn't see it for all the muck it had gathered. Won't be letting it get like that again.

I cannot get the SRAM link off it seems tighter than a tight thing, any advice?

I have watched lots of YouTube videos but they aren't helping.

Cheers

There is a decent shop that I have been to in Ubon. From the traffic circle to the 3 way intersection close to Tesco Lotus turn right and turn left at the first traffic light. The shop is located about 150m on the left. I hope these instructions are correct as it has ben a long time since I was there. The owner is a friend of the owner of my LBS in Udon Thani. I'm on vacation in Italy right now but I'll try to check the bicycle thaioand site ton7ght.

I asked a co-worker about this shop as she lives near where you are talking about (Airport area). She said it has relocated to a few left and rights away but not far. She gave me a map so I will check it out. She thought it was called "M Bike", there is a shop that you described on bicyclethailand and that is called "MT Bike", ring any bells?

As I said I will check it out and let you know my findings.

There is a decent shop that I have been to in Ubon. From the traffic circle to the 3 way intersection close to Tesco Lotus turn right and turn left at the first traffic light. The shop is located about 150m on the left. I hope these instructions are correct as it has ben a long time since I was there. The owner is a friend of the owner of my LBS in Udon Thani. I'm on vacation in Italy right now but I'll try to check the bicycle thaioand site ton7ght.

Many thanks.

Hope you're enjoying Italy my good man.

It's raining again here.

Sorry for the late reply.

I found crystal's shop on Saturday and enquired about making me a simple cotton shirt.

You did mention that he wasn't cheap and at prices starting from 950 baht I was shocked. Back home no problems I would pay that in a flash.

I was in Hua Hin 18months ago and paid 500 baht per cotton shirt, have the prices really doubled from tourist trap walking street Hua Hin to Ubon small shop?

Anywhere else?

I will have to use them if there is nowhere more reasonable.

Or wait for a trip to CM, BKK or HH.

Thanks.

I will try to find a bicycle shop again this weekend. The bicyclethailand.com page doesn't have many located in Ubon.

The few I have been to have been very low budget and crap TBH.

I hope I can find a half decent shop as I have done in other provinces.

The elusive Ubon bike shop.

I just can't find one. I have put 1 in my GPS it's near the airport so fingers crossed.

Agree with CobraSNT. Possibly also need to adjust the high/low set screws for rear deraileur.

 

To start work, organise a comfortable position for yourself. I throw a length of rope over a beam, tie a knot at about eye level, then hoist the bike so the seat is supported by the rope 

 

To take up the cable slack,

the hard way is to:

grip the free end of the rear gear cable in a pair of pliers.

Then loosen the nut holding the cable to the (rear) derailleur.

Then pull on the cable some, until it is taught but your are not causing the derailleur to move.

Then retighten (very firmly) that nut.

You will find a third and possibly fourth hand very useful for this procedure.

 

The easy way is to locate the adjuster mechanism where the rear gear cable stop contacts the derailleur,

and turn it counter clockwise (when viewed from the rear of the bike).

 

There are high/low adjuster screws somewhere on the derailleur, which may need a little tweaking.

The high/low adjuster screws delimit how far the chain can move laterally.

There are faint markings 'H' (high/smallest cog) and 'L'(low/largest cog) somewhere on the screw housing.

 

Shift the chain (front derailleur) to the second chainring,

move through all gears making sure you can get the largest and smallest cogs on the rear cluster.

 

As always, bicycle mechanics is best undertaken in the shade,

with access to munificent quantities of cleansing ale,

and usually entails the uttering of a litany of profanities.

 

If you would like some .pdfs with above procedures adequately illustrated, PM me.

Cheers, AA

Thanks for the info.

I have watched a fair few youtube videos on how to faff about with derailleurs front and back.

I have faffed about so much in fact that i havent been able to get out and about so don't know if I am still missing.

Pdf files would be great.

Are they of you completing the procedures or of you using expletives to convey your message?

This thread is worthless without pictures.

Yingluck wore red to her portly niece's wedding

 

 

 

 

I would. Lady in red looking good.

It's a wedding they are Chinese lets get over it.

WW is in Phiboon. Downstairs at the immigration office. I think you might have a really good time if you turn up without an attitude.

Never had an attitude my good man, don't understand why folks are jumping on me.

I ride approx 30km+ 3-4 times per week if possible.

Off road on red dirt, main roads and some tracks but the latter is minimal.

 

Yep, probably worn out the gear set with that much riding over 31 months. The symptoms you describe are exactly what happens when they wear out.

I said 3 ish months old not 31 mate, that should make a difference

I had a 30 second look at the rear set and played with it with no idea if I was making it better.

It has improved but extended use of 8th gear and it does miss if thats the right word to use "miss".

I was out for 25km tonight and its a marked improvement but still not perfect I will take a look again more carefully tomorrow.

Thanks for the help so far as usual great information.