Numpty IM Bike Thread

Replacement arrived this morning - thanks anyhow DB. I decided that the thread wasn't too damaged on the old one so rode it last night (with new fasteners. 5Nm reached easily). Will change it out though for the sake of safety,

I have some thoughts on root cause, certainly as the old stem was tightenend it seemed to creep up the steerer.

I'm confused now, is it the thread in the stem thats stripped or the screws that have sheared ? Stem "moving up the steerer" have you got the correct spacers in place ?

The stem thread was nicked whilst drilling ouyt the sheared fastener.

All correct spacers in place.

IC - what happens when it's all tight, you hold the brakes on and you rock the headset back and fore??  it shouldn't move at all if it's set up right.  if there's any play then it's the headset that's not tight enough (but never overtighten) or you don't have enough spacers - even 1mm missing will make difference.   or it still could be the star nut moving during use 

FB - when it is all tight, there is no play. So I'm happy (with new stem now). Ensured there was enough space under cap to pull the lot together. I checked to torque on the steerer bung (not SFN) and it was where it should be. have moved a spacer above the stem too.

What I found t'other day was I could preload the cap (no play in HS), tighten the stem clamps, and it would be loose again. It's possible that with the stack loose there was adequate clearance under the cap, but when tensioned the clearance reduce causing the top cap to contact the steerer. The stem used to be the top-most item in the stack following my bike fit last year.

yeh - you need a tiny gap between the top stem component and steerer so the cap can be pressured down to pull the whole stack together.

see how it goes

Ok I will readily admit that this question is nothing to do with road bikes

I have recently bought this bike for my 'commute' to work

 And yes, I have gone and got the wicker basket for the front

However, because I have the basket (one of those that are bracketed to the handlebars so the basket itself is detachable), I cannot have front lights on the handlebars.  So I have bought a retro-style bullet light that attaches to the bike with a swan-neck bracket through the hole in the front fork.

This is what it looks like fitted....

 I am not 100% sure that the light is not pointing too far down, but there is no way I can change its fitting as the swan-neck bracket is too short for it to be anything else.

I have googled all night trying to find a stockist of a longer bracket but am not coming up trumps.

Does anyone have any ideas as to where I can get a slightly longer swan-neck bracket from?  Failing that, any ideas how I can slightly raise the light so that it's not pointing to the ground so close to the bike?

Thanks

You actually bought that bike??

Yes, I did and I love it!

Have always wanted a good ol' sit-up-and-beg style bike but could never jutsify adding another bike to the collection.  But walked into Halfords one day to buy some windscreenwipers and came out with the bike

Schmunkee - The List Fairy wrote (see)

Yes, I did and I love it!

Have always wanted a good ol' sit-up-and-beg style bike but could never jutsify adding another bike to the collection.  But walked into Halfords one day to buy some windscreenwipers and came out with the bike

Typical woman! I bet it was in a sale too. How much did you save by buying it? 

Great bike.

Have you tried mounting the bracket at an angle so that the back of the light goes to the right of the frame?

Alternatively these look a bit longer:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fixation-bracket-dynamo-front-bicycle/dp/B002VEBPE8
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/schmidt-short-stainless-steel-headlamp-bracket-for-mounting-schmidt-e6-prod15353/

Or offset the mounting with this:

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/headlamp-offset-spacer-prod572/

You really need to take that to a tri one day!

Don't know if it would work but with a longer bolt you could put something between the bracket and the fork as a spacer - a couple of nuts maybe - looks like you might be able to get enough room from that without fouling the brake caliper.  Not ideal maybe but worth a thought.

Thanks all for the ideas.  I think my forst fault was I was googling 'bullet light bracket'.  When I googled dynamo bracket I got loads of hits.

For now, I have gone with popsider's suggestion and put a plastic washer between the forks and bracket.  It has given me an extra bit of height, but the true test will be when I take it outside in the garden later to check the range of the beam

Thanks again for your help, Guys

Iron Muffin wrote (see)

Great bike.

Thank you.  I knew another lady would appreciate it. 

I will be bringing it with me to Tenby

Hello

Recently the back sprocket has started to jump between gears when riding and there is a clicking noise coming from the back when peddling, on examing the cassette I can feel a little bit of play when I jiggle the cassette. 

Would the cassette need replacing or would it be the rear hub that needs to be replaced?

Cheers

Could it not just need tension on the cable? I had a freehub that wore out but it slipped in a gear rather then jumping between gears?

Don't have the kit but a mate does. Will pop the wheel out tomorrow to have a look.

The cable tension seems ok, I'll prob take it into the LBS to check it out save me breaking things I suppose.

A little bit of play in the cassette isn't unusual - assuming that the lock ring holding the cassette on isn't loose it could be the cassette on the freehub body or play in the freehub itself (or maybe something else!).  

Even if there is play I reckon it could be something else causing your problem so I'd do what matt suggests and adjust the cable tension first, also check the cable is running free and the wheel is straight in the dropouts.