An ode to the stubborn part install...

[FlashUNC]

We've all had to deal with it from time to time. Last night for me it was a Chorus FD. Darn thing just did not want to go on easily. What should have been a 10 minute job took nearly an hour.

Either cable tension or angle of the cage, it just did not want to shift evenl without a ton of fiddling.

What's everyone's nightmare part install story? The iob thst should have been simple, but turned into anything but?

[weisan]

Bottom Brackets get the GRAND prize.
Used to be the cassette (removal) but once I get the technique down, it's a walk in the park compared to BBs.
Seatposts can be a problem too if operator's error. :D

[benb]

Bottom brackets seem to be all about the quality of the frame.

I could thread a BB into my Serotta with 2 fingers right to the end and then just torque it down.. amazing compared to most of the frames I've owned, although you just don't install a BB that often. (Then again, that frame never creaked, I had a Trek that didn't have a very good BB shell and it always wanted to creak.)

Cable friction seems to get me every once in a while. That and discovering for the Nth time that Shimano has found a way to make shifters and your new rear deraileur incompatible.

Rear wheels that are dished strangely forcing you to have to change the limit screws..

[Dead Man]

Cantilever brakes.

http://hypixel.net/attachments/rage-face-jpg.18977/

[buldogge]

I agree 100% with this statement...

I only have them on (1) bike...but that is enough...I work on them (and their v-brake brethren) constantly on crappy bikes volunteering at the co-op..yuck.

-Mark in St. Louis

Cantilever brakes.

http://hypixel.net/attachments/rage-face-jpg.18977/

[sandyrs]

Paul MiniMotos have a reputation for easy setup, but when I went to install them on my CX bike (my second time installing the brakes, first time took 20 minutes), it took me two hours to get them even close to aligned.

[summilux]

Cantilever brakes.

http://hypixel.net/attachments/rage-face-jpg.18977/

Yup. Yup. Yup. I wrench everything except this. $10 at the LBS to adjust cantis is $10 well spent.

[tumbler]

Mine is entirely my fault, but has happened more than once.... trying to use this god forsaken tool to remove the crank... and forgetting to loosen the pinch bolts first. Lots of despair and cursing, followed by a reminder that I'm just an idiot.

http://www.wigglestatic.com/images/shimano-tlfc16-med.jpg?w=430&h=430&a=7

[josephr]

Mine is entirely my fault, but has happened more than once.... trying to use this god forsaken tool to remove the crank... and forgetting to loosen the pinch bolts first. Lots of despair and cursing, followed by a reminder that I'm just an idiot.

http://www.wigglestatic.com/images/shimano-tlfc16-med.jpg?w=430&h=430&a=7

The Park BBT-10 makes this job easy-peasy! :banana:

[JAllen]

I did a tune up for my father-in-law's friend. He's very new to biking and had a Walmart Schwinn Discover... the whole "bike" was a stubborn part! But I'd have to say that the V-brakes were something out of a Hellish nightmare. I'd take my chance with decent quality cantis any day.

In general though, I think I would be happy to never have to work on center pull brakes ever again.

[tumbler]

I may pick one of those up since that tiny plastic ring is a major pain to hold steady and turn without stripping the cap or the tool. Although, when I remember to loosen the pinch bolts first, it generally comes off without too much hassle.

[oldpotatoe]

Getting the thru bolt pushed in, thru the front of lever guts, while the hood is on, while getting the shift lever center spring into the wee slot. Challenging but remove hood, much easier.

[KJMUNC]

for some reason Campy front derailleurs have been a huge PITA the last few builds.

A close 2nd is threading Campy cables through the shifter into the channel to allow for behind/under handlebar cable routing. That little bend requires just the right amount of bend to the cable....which I've found basically impossible on a cable if it's already been used/cut.

[merlinmurph]

Even before I saw the other answers, I was thinking of canti brakes. This goes back 25+ years to my first mt bike. Major PITA.

[jds108]

for some reason Campy front derailleurs have been a huge PITA the last few builds.

A close 2nd is threading Campy cables through the shifter into the channel to allow for behind/under handlebar cable routing. That little bend requires just the right amount of bend to the cable....which I've found basically impossible on a cable if it's already been used/cut.

This. I've just given up on trying to thread a used shift cable through there. I bought a pack of 10 cables so that I won't run out of 'em.

[cdn_bacon]

Centering Zero-gravity brakes....


which is why mine are Campy now:D

[zzy]

For me it's internal cable routing. Some frames were just not designed with regards to the person building it. Cantis take second spot.

[mod6]

For me it's internal cable routing. Some frames were just not designed with regards to the person building it. Cantis take second spot.

Second the internal cable routing. The rear derailleur cable on my Niner RDO is an ass ache to replace. Need to practically take the rear swing arm off to thread a new cable.

[choke]

Removing a Regina freewheel. The end cap on the axle was larger than the inside diameter of the FW tool so I had to disassemble the axle to get the FW off of the hub.

[pinkshogun]

cone adjustment from a mid/late 80's Schwinn front wheel with that safety tab built in to the axle.

[Columbus SLX]

New shape centaur 10 ergos on my Cinelli. Cable routing was a bitch on those. Then, because I used leather bar wraps which go on while the ergos are off the bar, getting the alloy bolt to thread correctly on to the clamp band stud. Misery.

[El Chaba]

New shape centaur 10 ergos on my Cinelli. Cable routing was a bitch on those. Then, because I used leather bar wraps which go on while the ergos are off the bar, getting the alloy bolt to thread correctly on to the clamp band stud. Misery.

...and REAL easy to strip when you have to mount them that way......