Our head Spin Doctor, Gaynor, likes to create challenges to test the Spin Doctor mechanics in our stores. Last week he created this tricky “old tools” identification quiz, although perhaps “old” is the wrong word – let’s just call them “seldom-used”. In any case, we thought you might like to play along at home, so here are 8 images to test your obscure bike tool knowledge.
Post your answers (or guesses) in the comments below. We’ll even give you some hints to get started: Tool #2 is actually parts of a tool (think steering) and Tool #5 is not a 4th hand cable puller (think wheel). Good luck!
All of our Spin Doctor mechanics keep up-to-date with the latest in bicycle repair and maintenance – earlier this month, a group of Spin Doctor mechanics from our Colorado stores attended an excellent refresher class at SRAM Technical University (STU) in Colorado Springs. At STU, our Spin Doctors received in-depth hands-on training from SRAM instructors on the latest SRAM products and maintenance techniques.
Here’s a group shot of our graduating team of Spin Doctors – we don’t want to brag, but their instructors did mention several times that it was the best bunch of students they’d had in a long time!
As you can see, STU looks like a science classroom, and the training was just as rigorous. It was a great experience for all of our Spin Doctors, as they learned to overhaul and maintain 3 suspension forks, one rear shock and Avid XX disc brakes.
Here’s Mark, a Spin Doctor in our Greenwood Village store, learning the finer points of Avid XX brake maintenance. Having your disc brakes properly set up is key to performance and feel out on the trail – disc brakes nowadays are quite robust, but a little maintenance and fine-tuning can make a big difference.
Above, Tim, a Spin Doctor in our Colorado Springs store, fine-tunes his brake-bleeding skill. In addition to disc brakes, our team also got the chance to tear down and re-build both front and rear shocks. The engineering that goes into modern shocks is impressive, but this is an area for maintenance that most folks neglect until it’s too late! Like other moving parts on your bike, suspension systems should be overhauled on a recurring basis, to replace worn parts before they become an issue out on the trail.
The trip to STU was a fantastic experience for our ColoradoSpin Doctor team, and they can’t wait to apply their fine-tuned skills in their home stores – although, as you can see below, they will miss the stunning view of Pikes Peak out the door of STU!
If you need some work done on your disc brakes or suspension (if you can’t think of the last time, then you probably do), or need anything else on your bike checked out, drop by your local Performance Bicycle store and let one of our Spin Doctors diagnose the problem. Our Spin Doctor mechanics are all highly trained and experienced, and ready to work on any make or model bike – from an entry-level road bike to your brand new full-suspension 29er.
Aside from your tires, the most critical and commonly replaced part on your bike is the chain. A worn chain reduces shifting quality and can dramatically shorten the life of your drive train. A worn chain lengthens as the internal bushings in each link wear. The now longer chain puts more pressure on each tooth on your cassette cogs and each tooth on your chainrings, so the teeth wear more quickly. The problem is simple, but so is the solution. If you periodically replace your chain, your expensive drive train parts will last longer and, with a little care, a lot longer. You’ll save money and the gears will shift better – a new Shimano Dura-Ace 10 speed chain retails for $69.99, but a Dura-Ace cassette retails for $264.99 and a new 53 tooth chainring costs nearly as much! Clearly, timely replacement of your chain will save you in the long run.
But, when should you change your chain? If we are keeping it simple, then replace your road chain every 1,500 to 2,000 miles or your mountain chain every 5-6 months. But these are only general guidelines – you are probably not the average rider. For instance, if you meticulously maintain your chain – keep it clean and lightly lubricated – and never ride when the streets are wet, weigh 135 pounds, and always sit and smoothly spin a low gear, your chain will last a lot longer than your 250 pound buddy who grinds a massive gear, rides everyday in a typhoon and doesn’t even know how to spell maintenance.
Clearly the rules do not work for every rider. The good news is that you can easily measure chain wear, and only replace your chain when it is necessary- when it’s worn. The easiest way is to use a chain wear gauge like the Spin Doctor Chain Wear Indicator. To use this tool, put pressure on a pedal so that the top of the chain is drawn taut, then drop the tool in place and read the results.
Spin Doctor Universal Chain Tool & Chain Wear Indicator
Don’t have a chain wear indicator handy? There is another way and all it takes is a 12 inch ruler. All modern chains have rivets every ½” and you are going to measure from one rivet to another one 12” away. Once again draw the top of the chain taut then align the end of the ruler (the zero inch mark) with the center of a rivet. Now note where the ruler’s 12 inch mark aligns.
If it is dead center on a rivet, the chain is as good as new.
If the rivet is less than a 1/16″ ahead of the 12” mark, then the chain is showing some wear but is still serviceable (this is equal to 1.58mm or .5% wear).
If the rivet is 3/32” ahead, start thinking about a replacement. Replacing it now prolongs the usable life of the cassette and chain rings (this is equal to 2.38mm or approximately: .75% or 2.29mm of wear).
If the rivet is 1/8″ ahead, replace the chain immediately and you may need to replace the cassette (this is equal to 3.175mm or approximately: 1% or 3.05mm of wear).
If you measure your chain and determine that’s it is time to replace your chain, it’s actually a relatively easy task to take care of on your own. The only tool that you need is a chain tool, like our Spin Doctor Universal Chain Tool, and your brand new chain. But instead of writing out the steps to replace a bicycle chain, we’re going to show you in one of our handy Spin Doctor How-To Videos:
If you need more help with your bicycle repair needs, head to your local Performance Bicycle store and set up a visit with your local Spin Doctor. Don’t live near one of our stores and need some technical advice? Get in touch with our Spin Doctor Tech Support team by email or phone – they are always ready to help with your technical questions.
Our head Spin Doctor, Gaynor, likes to create challenges to test the Spin Doctor mechanics in our stores. Last week he created this tricky “old tools” identification quiz, although perhaps “old” is the wrong word – let’s just call them “seldom-used”. In any case, we thought you might like to play along at home, so here are 8 images to test your obscure bike tool knowledge.
