Carbon Fiber Clear Coating And Repair Guide

FYI : A gentleman has written a nice guide to clear coat carbon fiber for your bike project. He titled it like so : "Comprehensive Guide To Clear Coat Techniques For Carbon Fiber". Apparently, all you would require is some 60-70 dollars worth of materials, free time during your weekends and lots of patience. The guide also goes over protecting a paint job that you may have and may also help you assess whether surface scratches on carbon fiber parts are worth worrying about. Want to get rid of them? There's a solution for that too - polishing using buffing and polishing compounds. I hope you will enjoy this and even try some of his tricks and methods.

Hope you're all keeping well and happy. Email me with any queries or interesting topics you come across.

Ciao.

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Strange and Interesting Manufacturer Instructions

While the disgraced cyclist Piepoli crosses into ridiculousness and says he cheated in his moment of "weakness", I bring some interesting manufacturer warnings and instructions to your attention today. You may have come across this, and most of you may have not. Most of you may not even religiously follow these instructions but suffice to say, they're still out there. Lets see what a few of these have to say about performance bikes and components (click pictures to zoom) :


1. SRAM Red Ceramic Bottom Bracket Requires Monthly Maintenance :


The much celebrated advantages of ceramic bearings fall victim to its apparent need for re-greasing every '100 Hours of use'. Excuse me, but does that sound a little strange to some of you? Any serious racer these days can log in 100 hours of riding in maybe a month and a half. Two to be conservative. Top athletes will rake up that mileage and time in about 20-23 days (think Tour de France). Such an overhaul periodicity is kind of ridiculous. Thanks be to ceramics. And the statement on "dry conditions" also seems a little vague to me. SRAM should have defined what is 'dry' according to their definitions. Most people do ride when its dry, don't they?


2. Campy's Ceramic Bearings Cleaning Schedule and Storage Under The Sun :

10 speed bearings

Campy's 10 and 11 speed ceramic bearings need maintenance on an average of every 5000 kms. For their 10 speed bearings, they tell you to consult your mechanic to make a schedule that's best for you. Oh, and don' t miss the text in bold above. You are not to store or expose its high performance ultra torque crankset to high temperatures. Apparently, the composite will die a slow death under the sun. I thought better of the longevity of resins. but I don't discount this possibility. I have blogged before about the resin being the environmental weakling in carbon fiber composite. If you see any discolorations on your carbon fiber bike (like yellow marks), take a minute to think about what you're exposing the bike and its components to. For more information, contact your bike's makers directly.

11 speed bearings

3. SHIMANO's 7900 Bearings Info Missing :

There is no information put up in Shimano's tech docs site for the BB-7900 so I can't see what Shimano's new bottom bracket maintenance schedule is like. Its been a good one or two months since 7900 groupset came out to market, right? If you're purchasing this component, you might be really guessing as to what periodic panacea it needs to run well. Just a heads up to users, bike shops and retailers. You may not want to do anything that's not recommended in written by them and then find out its too late. Unless you get the manual with the bottom bracket when you purchase it.


4. Shimano 7900 Crankset Needs Torque Checking Every 60 Miles

Shimano's top of the line Dura Ace crankset needs to be checked for torque every, say what, 60 miles? Kinda stupid. Does that mean pro riders riding 100+ miles a day have to get off their bikes and check torque readings at some point in between? I don't think Campy or SRAM say this in their manuals.

Well, I wouldn't say its a bad idea calling this out and in this case, the manufacturer might be really cushioning for the extra safety. But it doesn't make sense if you apply it to certain situations.


5. CAMPY 11 Speed Chain Cleaning Advice :


I know a lot of people who swear by the fact that the best way to clean a chain thoroughly, inside out, is to remove it and leave it in a container of an appropriate cleaning solution for some time. Its getting easier these days to do that with these nice connector links on the chain. I may have done this with my chain a few times. However, Campy's super 11 speed chain does not take such abuses. Do not remove your chain for cleaning and lubing. Period. Just ride your bike with all the dirty eyesore like a good boy.


6. Campy's 11s Chain Opening Advice :


This is getting strange. If you open your delicious looking Campy 11s chain once more than twice, you're opening yourself to a world of trouble. Heads up.


7. Galvanic Corrosion In Campy 11s :

For those of you rich cyclists living near the seaside or riding your carbon toy long periods in the rain, heads up. Your equipment might be swallowing more salt water than it can gulp. Ultimately, galvanic corrosion will show its ugly face and lead to failure. This isn't really anything new. In the past, a lot of carbon bike parts failed due to this mode of corrosion between the Aluminum and the graphite interface. As you may know, both these materials are spread out in the electrochemical series of reactivity. That means their corrosion capacities are different. I think there is a standard most bike manufacturer's try to meet that specifies there must be some sort of an insulator, like fiberglass for example, embedded at this interface to prevent corrosion. I don't know where to look for this standard online (anyone know?). However, Campy still gives you their warning regardless. Galvanic corrosion is real, folks. Take this seriously.


8. Campy Technical Website Review :

If I didn't wholeheartedly put the finishing touches to my Campy stab today, it'd be unfair to a lot of people. For all the next dimensional revamping they did on their new Record line of components, you'd think the imagineers of Campagnolo could spare a little time to make their website look better. Or even organize material in a better way, to say the least. I spent a good 2-3 minutes to look for something in particular on their technical instructions site and that kind of thing can piss anyone off. Looks like Shimano and SRAM are doing much better in website design.

Web 2.0 Vomit?

If you guys have come across any strange or interesting warnings and instructions, do pass it on to me if you can. It doesn't matter if its historical. Let's see if we can add to this list.

Bicycle Tutor : Repair Videos Par Excellence

We can sit here and argue about all the good and bad things technology has been giving us cyclists every other day we open our eyes.

But some of the most mundane, personal issues we have with our bikes is repair and maintenance related.

Getting to work on the bike yourself is perhaps the most personal avenue we can take to know our equipment more. You'll get to know what works and what doesn't, why this was designed this way, what can be improved about that design simplicity wise and so on and so forth. Hey, there's a reason for everything.

For the many uninitiated in bicycle maintenance and repair, its easy to get lost in a host of books and online literature.

I'm not saying they're necessarily bad, but they have their downsides as well. Think about it. Do you really want to read 3 and a half pages worth of information just to repair something small?

Do you want to buy that expensive repair book over the counter and then find out that you're still lost?

Time and money is really worth something these days.

And don't we all learn better by doing, or watching people doing something?

Visual learning is a really powerful tool and the internet media is quickly catching up. And if we discard some of the junk videos we have on YouTube and so forth, we can start to talk business.

Alex Ramon is one of the latest movers and shakers in this field. Those of you who don't quite know him might still have come across the young and growing Bicycle Tutor website. Alex is the owner and the calm yet friendly face in all of the videos.



Now you can all play around on his site but quickly, here's what I really like about BT :

1. Quality : Videos are super crisp and clear. Alex has taken a good initiative with his knowledge of video production and editing.

2. No Nonsense : Everything is absolutely to the point and concise. Some of the techniques may be slightly different from what we commonly are more familiar with, but it works well.

3. Communication : The site is built like an open forum. Written instructions complement the videos. Every video is almost like a blog post, in which users can immediately put in their comments after viewing. This is good because it adds depth to the material in each tutorial. Alex is also fairly quickly to respond to emails and he's among the few I've seen who actually acknowledges your time and effort in writing to him.

4. Presentation : Not all cyclists are in America or in the U.K. You want to hear good, crisp and simple tutorials in English. The presentation is very methodical. Everything has a step by step procedure to it. Thats how you learn. This site has the international focus.

In all, Bicycle Tutor is raising the bar on repair tutorials.

For a sample, here's one in which he talks about bottom bracket overhaul. Click here if the video does not open.






Putting all my thoughts aside, I was lucky to catch up with busy Alex this past week and so, posed him a few questions. My questions and his replies follow. Enjoy the read as you get to know more about this young man and his background.




Q. Your full name?

Alex Ramon.



Q. How did you get into cycling, Alex?

I've loved bikes since I first learned to ride one. Growing up, I was a motocross and BMX nut. I did a lot of dirt jumping and vert riding at the local skatepark, but my real passion was flatland freestyling. Unfortunately when I was a teen I injured my hips and had to give up the sport. As an adult I discovered gears and started commuting to work, which I've done ever since. I also love cycle-touring with my camera as much as possible. Whenever I get the chance I also love fooling around on a unicycle.



Q. Where did you work as a mechanic and how many years of experience do you have?

When I was 16, I got my first job at Cap's Bicycles in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. I learned a lot as a salesperson, but I was always envious of the mechanics and longed to get behind a wrench. In the end I left because I disagreed with the way they operated (kind of like a McDonald's for cyclists).

A few years later I moved back to Kitimat, BC and applied at a local shop called Rock N' Road Bicycles. They were desperate for a mechanic and hired me on the spot. Les Dunlop, the shop owner, had a day job and needed someone to run the shop for him during the week. He took me under his wing and taught me everything he knew about bike repair and good customer service. I spent several years as the shop manager and mechanic before I felt the need to move out of town. It was very sad because my leaving forced them to close the shop. Les still repairs bikes out of his house on a casual basis.

I then moved to Victoria, BC, where I applied at all of the bike shops and was quickly hired at Goldstream Cycles. I only stayed there for 6 months as I didn't agree with their customer service philosophy. Basically the owner was a real penny-pincher and I found it difficult to work with limited tools and respect.

Soon after I left I was hired by Richard Miller at Fairfield Bicycles, which is where I had originally wanted to work. It was hands-down the best shop in Victoria (and possibly all of Canada). The focus was on customer service and quality repairs, and we were paid very well. We sold and serviced all makes and models of bikes: 3-speeds, electric bikes, hybrids, kids bikes, mountain bikes, recumbents, road bikes, touring bikes, tricycles, unicycles and anything else you can think of. All of the staff were well-trained and expected to perform all shop functions including management, sales and repair. Once every year Richard would always pick two of us to go to Interbike in Las Vegas. I'd say that trip (and meeting all those top-level industry people) was the highlight of my career.

After I'd been there for just over three years we all decided it would be good to open a second shop in town. I was put in charge of renovating and stocking the new shop. It took several months to set up, and by the end of it I was quite burnt out. I decided to move to Vancouver and get a higher education.



Q. Wow, very interesting. So in between all this, how did an idea for a tutorial website come about?

When I quit working as a shop mechanic, I finished my degree and was hired by the Vancouver Public Library. While it's been a great job, I've really missed working with bikes, and I started feeling like all of my tools and knowledge were going to waste. I did a quick domain name search for bicycletutor.com one day, and I was shocked to see that it was actually available! On a whim I bought a video camcorder and a more powerful computer for video editing. After recording and uploading the first tutorial, I was blown away by the response, and I realized that there were a lot of people looking for this kind of website.

All of the comments and requests I've been getting have kept me going since then. I look forward to covering as many topics as possible. In the future I'd like to get a proper studio with better lighting and video equipment. I'm also on the lookout for more bikes so I can cover the many different types of components. It's going to take a few years to get through all of the requests I've received so far, but the satisfaction that comes from helping others learn how to fix their own bikes is like nothing I've ever experienced!



Q. Lastly, how this site is supported? You take all the initiative so I'm curious.

So far this has been a solo project, and I've been paying for the expenses myself. I really don't mind since making money with this project is not a priority, although I do earn some small pocket change from the commissions on Jenson USA tool sales. I've also started offering download memberships which brings in a few extra dollars. My priority is to always keep the tutorials free for visitors.

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So make use of Bicycle Tutor and learn something new!

The PRO Mechanic

So you want to be a PRO mechanic?

Afterall, someone's got to do it.

Boy, how do I even start telling of the wondrous things they do?

Like a woman is behind a successful man, mechanics complement the riders with their talents.


You NEED the energy to go, whenever, wherever. "Problem on his bike? No problem. Where? Middle of the peleton? 12% gradient? No problem, give me the job."

When riders sleep, you prepare their equipment, wash their bikes, grease its bearings, lube the chain.


You know torque specs like they were on the back of your fingers. You inspect sprocket wear and remember everyone's favorite saddle height. Not a millimeter more, not a millimeter less.

Like the rider is fond of the bike, the bike is your baby too. You put it to function, gave it that white handlebar tape, put the shine on the chain and the gloss on the top tube.

You adorned her with cables and cut it to perfect length and saw that the brakes kissed the rim perfectly.

The words "straight", "length" and "centered" are not just some vague terms in an installation manual anymore. You deal with them every damn minute.

When the rider is ready for office, you are at their beck and call.

"Oh you don't like that saddle sir? No problem."

"Monsieur, special stem just for you. Here."

"Oh, too lightweight bike? F**k UCI. No problem, lets stuff some lead balls here. No, here will be better I think. More aero, no?"

You see, you need the creativity to CREATE. Your rider is your master, and you please him for the 100 mile arduous journey ahead with your tools, your head, your hand and your penchant to make shit work.

Yes, you make shit work while the rider makes shit happen. That, he will do during the race, and his legs will do the talking.

But if he fails, he will look at you and so will the team. The newspapers will spot you, a whole nation may be upset. Can you take the risk? Can you make shit work or will you put your reputation on the line?

At a time when commercial shelves have not seen a new arrangement, you create for your rider. Your handiwork is there for all to see in Huang's relentless Cyclingnews photos. You may be more at home with zip ties and duck tape than anything else, but it must work. It will awe some, it might be ridiculed, it might make the next big idea for a cycling component. What do you know?!


If you think only riders need fitness, you are WRONG my friend. Take a look at the picture below.


You must be ready to make shit happen, whenever, wherever. Fitness is important, yoga and core strengthening is the name of the game. Too much of a belly? BIG problem, sir! You're not going to fit through that car window. Better retire.

At 0mph, or 50 mph, you must be ready to get the tools out and make minute revolutions to his dérailleur barrel adjuster.

"Transponder sticking out! Aaargh, he's slowing. Quick, he's too unaero. Fix it!". Forget yourself for a moment and bring the real James Bond out.


"Rider down! Rider down!! Pedro, run get him!!!"


Can you run? Okay, good. Can you push him as he jumps into the saddle? No, not flat. I'm talking uphill. Like UPHILL, UPMOUNTAIN, not the puny crap roads you have in the States. Show me your triceps. Ah, its okay, but more work needed! Hit the weights, Pedro!


The office of the rider is on his bike. You go to your office, the team truck, to prepare his office, think about that!

No office means big holiday for everyone and everything is a waste. Catch the next flight back to headquarters.

Holidays during the pro season = BAD BAD BAD.

When in the truck, coffee can be your friend. Carry some cheesy music from the 70's and some Mozart too. All will serve you well.


Proper communication is absolutely essential. You can be the liason between a multinational bicycle corporation and your team. You can be the only one who understands the rider's language. Who knows...

You must listen to your rider and give him his heart's desire. Leave your subjectivities, likes and dislikes at home. Respect what they like, be at home with their eccentricities.

"What did he say he needs more on his bike?" Did you listen?

Not all riders are the same. One can be nice and zero work. Another will be so problematic that he will give you hell.

You must take hell with a smile on the face and an Allen key in hand. Ready for the challenge?

How about - Can you speak to that other mechanic from Iceland? Maybe the word for "help" might be a nice idea. Something like that you know...

Miscommunication can cause lots of bad things. Look below, need I say more?


The team entrusts you with its inventory. Only you must know where each thing is. You must be organized and have something for tidiness. This is not your high school days. Serious business here, my friend.

"Did you loose a cleat screw? No problem, here, I can find you one." This is the sort of reply that your rider expects, not : "Oh you know, you go climb that baby, haha, you'll be fine I'll search and give it you in like two days."

You must be ready to leave your mechanic role and be a friend in need, brother, mentor whatever you want to call it. Here comes your rider with a broken collarbone. Stage race, didn't make it. What will you tell him?


When the team van is raided, or that doctor is busted, you must be ready to fight for team integrity. You worked hard to prepare the bike for a rider who rides naturally. You didn't see pharmaceuticals. "No, not here officer!"

You see, this may be a funny/stupid/false/very true intro to a hard job, but in the end, mechanics are those special people behind the riders we know. Hardly in the press or the sports channel, these men of tool and grease help make the backbone of every successful team.

Riders are on camera, mechanics may be in team buses sitting humbly, cheering the "hard men of the road" on.

But they make shit work.

You bet.

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Radiographic Frame Inspection

Source : TAZ,WW Forum

Though X-Raying is mainly for medical applications, the famous ionizing electromagnetic radiation can also be put to use on composite frame tubes to catch any internal cracks or defects. It is attractive because it is a non-destructive means of inspecting a piece and the rays have good penetration capacities.

Shown in the pictures above is an Orbea Orca undergoing such a test. Take note that radiation can be damaging and only trained technicians can operate equipment.

This diagnostic procedure, along with others like ultrasonic, hydrostatic, dye penetrant tests etc are often used in the quality control stages of tubular type product manufacturing like tubing and pipes. They are also used in the aerospace and power generation fields.

Who says a bicycle can't make a visit to the doctor?

How to cut a carbon fork steerer

Ever wondered how to cut a carbon fork steerer to the length you want?

This neat little presentation from Alpha Q and BikeMan shows you how. Click Here.

Bike Tech and Repair

I've seen numerous bicycle repair do-it-yourselves from all sorts of people. Some address some issues better than others.

I won't waste my time going through each one of them. I'll put here what is my favorite.

This is Tony of the Youtube Channel Etape.TV. Some of you may have come across this, some may not. But you'll like the presentation and easy to understand tips. These videos, I have chosen, also pertain strictly to road racing bikes. If you were looking for something else, keep checking Expert Village or Youtube. I'm 100% positive you'll find plenty to suit your equipment.

I've put together a series of supplemental videos at the end to go over the repair issues once again from another perspective.

Anyway, here's Tony. Enjoy!


Replacing an Inner Tube



Gear Adjustment (Or Rear "Mech" adjustment as Tony calls it)



Brake Adjustment



Headset Adjustment




Supplemental

Rear Derailleur Adjustment - Lennard Zinn

Cranks,Chain and Bottom Bracket



Proper Chain Maintenance - RiverCity



Brake Pad Maintenance - RiverCity