Crank bolt /cap keep getting loose

Wheels of Happiness

After this post cleaned the crank axle of MTB, regreased this, the crank bolt cap, m20 kept getting loose.   Although this post followed to tighten the pinch bolt well first, tight, the end cap get loose.   I tried putting teflon on the thread.  But still the same.

I have to tighten the same after every ride?

Worked the whole afternoon getting my TI MTB in tip top condition.

Wheels of Happiness

On my bike ride to Wawa, I noticed the shifting to be hard.   The headset problem has been solved.  Now its the time to look after the drive train.  These were the things I did:

1.  First, this post disassembled and soaked the rd and fd in degreaser and cleaned them well.  Then the oiled the pivot points.  However I could not get the main spring have the proper tension.   I could only get

the cage to 90 degrees vertical not at horizontal.  Therefore the chain was slack  II tried a dozen times to get the tension of spring back.

2.  I researched at YT and found out that I have to rotate the cage clockwise by at least 180 degrees.  This I could not do since I observed the part that attaches to the cable gets into the way.  (You will be surprised that I was not thnking outside the box.  )  It looked immovable.  The only way out is to move the spring by other means.   I gave up on my DIY and went to the bike mechanic,   He proposed creating a tool to rotate the spring.  Later on he found like solving a puzzle that the parrallelogram can be moved and the cage can be rotated 180 degrees.  Voila.  I gave him P50.00 for the effort.

3.  Then I found out that the cable inside was rusted.   So I had to replace the outer too.   And so I looked for  full length shifter cable and I found one.  My waterloo there is inserting the cable at the changer.   I entangled a cable before.   I had smooth sailing this time.   I replaced the outer at the last 20 cm portion of the cable near the RD.

4.  It took me 4 tries to get the cable to the right tension.  And I had to adjust the limit screws.  The bike would not shift to the biggest and smallest gear.   

5.  Then the rd would not shift back to the lowest gear.  I found out that the upper pulley was hitting the chain stay.  So thats where the B screw adjustment came in.  I scewed in the B screw to clear off the chain stay.   

Perfect.  Now the Ti MTB is a Ok.   But was tired.   Finished at 7:00

Why do you need so many tools and inventory of parts to have a DIY home repair?

Wheels of Happiness

I have noticed that to get a repair done you need so much tools, fluids, and parts to get a repair done.   I noticed that too with mechanics.    You need hex wrench, a screw driver, pliers, cutter, oil, detergent, glue to get a repair done.   

You must also keep old parts for spare screws, washer, wires so that you can complete a repair

After a repair is completed the number of tools and stuff you employed for the repair does not show.

(Answer:   there are a number of steps you need to complete-- from removal of old parts, cleaning, deburring, sand papering, and reinstallation to get the job done.   You need a different tool for each of the step that is why)

Cleaning and regreasing of Campy crank

Wheels of Happiness

I met Mario Toledo, my best mechanic,  yesterday at a mountain trail road and hastily I consulted the campy crank, (the bearing of which was just replaced)  which has not be been rotating smoothly.  He advised that I should disassemble, clean, and regrease.

Which I did today.  Removal of the 10mm crank bolt (and reinstalling is a challenge).

True enough the crank axle is dirty and the non drive bearing is a little bit sticky.  So I cleaned the crank axle the bearing, and the crank shell. Generously regreased the bearing and the axle with synthetic lighter grease.   How could they all be so grimy after just three months?   Its good that the bearings were still in good shape.

Now the crank now turn faster and smoother.  I must have lost 10-15 watts with the dirty 

Ano gawa? Eto linis ng xt brake calipers

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines

April 5, 2021

The PNP and PUSO guys are hellbent on stopping bikers from moving around (to prevent them from getting and or spreading the virus)  It is really best to stay at home.  

So I am here in the house making kuting2 to my bike.    The last vid I saw concerned cleaning the  brake piston at the calipers.   

It involves 

1.  Removing the caliper from the  mount;

2.   Removing the pads;

3.   Putting a 4 mm hex tool jam the piston as you press the lever down to force the piston out but not much (as the 4 mm jams the piston)

4.   Clean the edges of the piston as they come out with cotton buds tip wet with alcohol.    

5.   Press the piston back to the flush position using a plastic tire lever (why plastic - so as not to wreck the fragile alum piston)

5.   Repeat the process several times  (6x) to exercise the rubber rubber seals  of the piston.

6.   Push back the piston with the  tire lever and reinstall the pads. 

What should result?   A more efficient clean brake caliper.   

Thorough washing and disassembly of bikes needed after Marinduque viaje

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
April 12, 2018

                                                 Sobra kalawang noong Lunes at Martes


Although I sprayed silicone oil 2x on my Bianchi Freccia, the chain showed signs of rusting as I arrived home Monday.  On Tuesday, the rusting had affected the entire chain.  I sprayed water again (gagalitin ang salt spray further)  And then just as I was starting to remove the bottom bracket (ISIS type)  as I looked at the FB I saw an urgent PM from Jess urging us as per advice of supremo to service the bottom bracket and the axle hubs.  Di ko kaya ang sealed bearing. Sana Ok na.

I discovered too that the dust had caused looseness in the bearing of the BB and may get worse in next two months (due for servicing?)  I polished the races of the bearing with fine 2000 sand paper.  And hoped that the play will diminish.  (Diminish pero meron pa rin)

So far, with diesel and detergent as advised, the rusting of the chain stopped.  I hope others have serviced their bikes that came from Marinduque. Some fun, plenty of hard work after

Thorough cleaning of MTB today

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
June 4, 2017

I did not bike today.  I was tired from my sojourn at East ridge, and I devoted my time giving a thorough cleaning to the 3 MTBs I have.  I washed the tires.  Wiped clean the inside of the stays (they are not reachable so I had to remove the tires).  Fixed the valves that are rattling or loose with masking tape (I removed the bolt that can damage the interior. If you screw it tight, the valve separates from the rubber or gets loose and develop a leak)   I wiped clean the sprockets and then wiped tire black to the tires and the rim.

That is on top of cleaning the two cars we have.  Inside and out.   and even the underside of the car.  That was a lot of perspiration.   As challenging as a 4 hour ride

Year end bike cleaning

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
December 31, 2016

I did not bike today because I think I over reached yesterday.  And the weather did not look ok - there was a slight shower. I decided I would clean all my MTBs.  The Mosso pedalling was rougher and tougher than the others and inspection of the bottom brackets (the outboard type) look that they have plenty of grime.

So I took apart the Mosso crank first and found out that dirt and some fibers were jamming the shaft and bearing so it could not turn freely.  I cleaned the plastic bearings, put some motor oil and then lined them with grease.  I used 1,200 grit sand paper to clean the shaft and put some grease too.  Then I brushed the chain rings with kerosene, washed with water and wiped with dry rags to remove the grime on the chain ring.   Then I washed the tires with soap and water, trying hard to make the tires all black again (mud had stuck to the sides of the tire)  wiped the rim too. Then cleaned the chain too, and afterwards put some oil on the chain. I repeated the process with SAVA carbon and SAVA titanium.   I noticed that the fitment of SAVA carbon BB was ill made.  (Well Chinese technology)

The bikes were dirty after all.  The undersides which I did not see often needed detailed and thorough cleaning.  Only the bike owner, not the boys in your house, not the maida, or your wife or children can do this cleaning for you.  Only you

Or maybe your mechanic and wait for a week

No bike ride today, January 1, 2016; it is raining

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
January 1, 2016

I can not bike today. There is a light drizzle.  It is going to be cold and dirty ride if I do so now, if not dangerous because of slick road.  It was raining at 12:00 midnight.  This failed to dampen the massive fireworks display last night.  Wow they had money to burn, which I find rather odd if they worked hard for the money.   (It must have been several hundreds of thousands of pesos worth of fireworks.

Yesterday though, to prepare for the coming new year, I did the following to my three bikes (2 roadies and 1 MTB)

1. washed them thoroughly with soap and water and wiped them dry;

2.  replaced the bike pads of the SARS bike.  It was tricky, since I had to readjust the centring, the cable tightness, the alignment of the pads with the rim, etc.  It was a work for a mechanic.

3.  replaced the cable for the FD of SARS bike.

Now they are ready for the 2016 rides

Happy and prosperous new year every one.

Wheels of Happiness

How to clean lubricate bike chains

Cleaning the bike after riding through rains and the flood

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines | March 23, 2015

I spent much of the afternoon cleaning and  greasing the bike I used (a SARS frame with Ultegra groupset and FSA crank) It  had grime all over, the front derailleur wont work again because of the sand clogging the moving parts, there was sloshing of water inside the BB, and the grime on the cogs, on the front chain ring, and the pulley was too much.

Really cleaning your derailleurs can do wonders for its smart operations

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines   | March 7, 2015.



The front derailleur of my SARS bike (it is part of the Ultegra groupset before it was outmoded with the latest model) was malfunctioning,  It would not downshift to 39 once I clicked the smaller/downshift paddle.  I checked the STI and its cables and nothing was wrong with it.

I checked the front derailleur;  it was grimy and had some sand particles on it.   I sprayed WD 40 to no avail.

Thus I had to disassemble this, remove from the bike and had small watch screwdriver to remove the sand and soil wedged between the pivot of the shifter.   I had to repeat this 3x.  True enough, some grit is preventing the free movement of the derailleur.

I assembled the derailleur again and this time, it shifted efficiently.  I thought the derailleur was a goner.