Low down, no good LBS blues

[Kevan]

I think clamping a frame tube is WAY more common with mechanics than clamping the post. Heck... thinking back to an old issue of "ProCycling", even the mechanics pictured, building up Telecom's brandy-new carbon Giants, were clamping the top tubes.

It's something we don't want to face, but in most cases, if the person is careful, the bike will survive unscathed. I'm not condoning the practice just stating the reality of the sit-che-ation.

[WickedWheels]

That goes back to steel frames of old. They were all strong enough to deal with the clamping forces. When I first started wrenching (10 years ago) we never grabbed a bike by the post. It was very difficult to adjust to the switch, once aluminum and carbon became more common, because you suddenly starting leaning over a lot more.

I am wondering if some of the bikes you saw in the stands were clamped that way lightly only to hold them up, rather than being worked on. It happens sometimes.

Depending on the work done, clamping a carbon post or even a frame will done no damage. Adjusting a derailleur or changing a tire will not put any force on the tube that's clamped. I've seen many GREAT mechanics clamp these lightly out of convenience (and consideration for their backs) to do such work. Of course, on nice bikes, they use something to protect the decals and paint from the greasy clamp.

Pulling out a BB or installing a crankset is a different story, of course. Any decent shop/mechanic will have "dummy posts".

BTW, next time you see this talk to the mechanic and tell him/her why they shouldn't do that. What you may consider a nice, expensive, lugged frame they may consider an outdated piece of junk that they've never heard of.

DTS and Eddie - are you doing the Foxy Century this weekend? this will be my first Century. Do you know anything about the ride any local knowledge.

Thanks

[Ozz]

Originally Posted by Ken Lehner

I own an aluminum tubed bike, whose seat tube and carbon seat post are aero shaped. The only way I know of to clamp this bike on my workstand is by the round top tube. What would you have a mechanic do with this bike?



Why is it safe to clamp a front derailleur to the thin-walled down tube on my Legend Ti, but not safe to clamp a workstand?

My $0.02:

Remove seatpost - replace with alloy one and clamp.

Fr Derailleur has equal clamping force all around tube. Also, there is very little bending or side force put on tube when shifting - relative to torquing a BB at least.

here is the fix, now the mecahics get the bike higher and do not clamp your frame.


http://www.parktool.com/whats_new/ne...ts.shtml#PRS20


Jim

Originally Posted by Oaklandhills

DTS and Eddie - are you doing the Foxy Century this weekend? this will be my first Century. Do you know anything about the ride any local knowledge.

Thanks

Oaklandhills: I posted a reply to this in the Rides/Events section, where it may be easier for others to find. Hope you enjoy the ride!

Picked up my bike today from the high end shop in town. No damage done, but the work was shoddy, and there was another bike clamped by its seat tube to the repair stand. Now I'm going to have to trash the bar wrap to re-route the cables. Apparently, the mechanic didn't know how Campy brifter cables are supposed to be routed on double-grooved bars, as he routed the derailleur cables over the top and to the front as if the bars were ungrooved. I was too relieved to have the bike back without damage to ask them to make it right.

Anyway, it confirmed everything discussed above. I'm doing my own work from now on, or hauling my bikes to Oakland or Sacramento if I can't.

[EPOJoe]

Have you found a decent shop in the greater Sacramento area, DTS? I've been to most all of them, and haven't been impressed. Downright scared by a few of them. The few good wrenches that I did know around here have vanished and been replaced with kids who barely seem to know what they're doing. I can't think of anyone around here who I'd really trust with my bikes anymore. Funny, I was actually thinking of trying some of the Davis shops

Originally Posted by EPOJoe

The few good wrenches that I did know around here have vanished and been replaced with kids who barely seem to know what they're doing.

That's exactly what happened in Davis. I'm now sure that three of our four bike stores have incompetent and/or lazy mechanics, and I don't think the fourth is likely to be an improvement, as it's focused on kids' bikes and hybrids.

Have you tried Steve Rex's mechanic in Sacramento? I haven't, but Steve himself is super, and I wonder if the tiny shop of a fine frame maker wouldn't be a better bet than a store. If not Rex Cycles, I'd go to Cyclesports in Oakland. Long way to go for a wrench.

Originally Posted by Ozz

My $0.02:

Remove seatpost - replace with alloy one and clamp.

It's not round, but aero shaped. I don't think my clamp would hold it. Also, I can't imagine having to buy a Cervelo aluminum aero seatpost just for my bike stand!

Hey EPAJoe, maybe if we pooled our resources we could buy enough beer to get terry out here from southeastern Mass.

Still trying to figure out how much they screwed up. Should the thicker cables go to brakes or derailleurs?

And I never found anyone here in Davis who could tell me if bearings in a 2001 Record bottom bracket are replaceable. Anyone have that answer? Either way, it looks like that job will be done in my garage.

[93legendti]

I tried to patronize a local shop (a Serotta dealer!) owned by a nice guy. In 1999, I took my Legend to have a threadless fork and headset installed. Within 10 minutes of riding the Legend after the repairs, I found that my stem was loose (at the hbs)and the front brake was loose. I tightened them and rode home. I called the "nice guy" to advise him they should check these tightness/safety issues more carefully and for what i was chraged expecting the bolts to be properly tightened before it left hsi shop was a reasonable thing to expect. His answer was "huh?"-- no partial refund, no apology--and no return by me. I go a little farther out of my way to another Serotta dealer--where they tighten bolts. The guy is still in business but I hear other people with similar tales... i.e. missing cog spacers when new cogsets were installed, etc...***?

[Big Dan]

I have a similar story to Legend's. Took a wheel to have a spoke replaced.
Next day I showed up for my wheel, quickly had it on the bike and out for a ride. Midway through the ride I was hearing a loud noise, like something was coming off. Well the cassette had come loose... So I realised that if I have to go home and double check all the work the LBS does on my bike, then I should do it myself...and that's what I do now.

[EPOJoe]

Originally Posted by dts

Hey EPAJoe, maybe if we pooled our resources we could buy enough beer to get terry out here from southeastern Mass.

DTS; It would probably be cheaper to buy a new bike than to spring for that much beer but maybe you could get this guy to drive out:
http://www.bikeshop2u.com/
I read about this in the Bee a few weeks ago, but I haven't tried him, so I have no idea if he knows his stuff. Maybe you can call and run a few questions by him, like "are the bearings in a 2001 Record bottom bracket replaceable?" and "Should the thicker cables go to brakes or derailleurs?"
If he can answer the questions, there's a chance he may know what he's doing .
I've been to Steve Rex's shop, but I never thought to ask if they did walk in wrenching. Next time I'm downtown, I'll drop in and have a talk with them about it.

What kind of stands are they using? I clamp by the seat tube all the time, 20 yrs later no damage. I do have a Cinelli stand, not a park. I won't use a Park stand, no control.

Remember the repair stand is to hold the bike in the air, not as extra long lever for your wrench. All forces put in one direction should be countered in the other direction with your body. Proper tool technique is lost.

And yes, many shop rats don't know anything.