A few maintenance questions...

[Dr Murdoch]

1. How often should I replace my rotors? What are the tell tale signs? Ive done approx 4k miles
1a. I have TRP rotors, can I replace with Shimano Ultegra whilst retaining the TRP calipers?

2. My bike has developed an annoying squeak, which I can't recreate when its on the stand at home. Chain is fine (lubed). Ive spun the wheels, pedals but can't get it to squeak unless i'm riding it!

3. My rear wheel has developed some play, do i need specific tools to tighten the hub (road bike)?

Edited by Dr Murdoch on Thursday 16th May 09:51

[anonymous-user]

1 do they have wear markers?

2. do you know where the squeak is coming from? It could, for instance, be your shoe on the pedal (i.e. not the bike really) or the bottom bracket or or or

3. depends on the hub. There are cone spanners for hubs with cones (thin spanners basically that enable to hold the cone in place whilst tightening the lock nut), more modern ones tend not to have that and it might well be that the bearings are shot and need replacing

[Matt_N]

1. Not sure
2. Check your QRs, dab some grease on the mating surfaces and retighten. Really common squeak.
3. If they’re cup and cone there will be some flat nuts on each end of the axle, gently nip them up. Some other wheels will have a small pre-load adjuster on the non drive side, loosen off the grub screw and tighten the adjuster up then retighten the grub screw. Others use preload from the QR, see 2. If not then the bearings are likely worn.

[Dr Murdoch]

Thanks for the help!

Is it easy to identify which bearings I will need. without taking them out and visiting a bike shop?

[Barchettaman]

Post a photo of the rear wheel - we might be able to discern if it is cartridge or cup n cone.

[feef]

2: Bottom bracket? Ive had one squeak but only under load and only in certain gears

[InitialDave]

On the squeak, is it every pedal stroke in the same position, only under lots of torque, only when seated etc?

I'd check your saddle is clamped properly, some slight movement of the rails in the clamp can squeak in a rhythmic way when pedalling that makes you think it's a rotating assembly doing it.

[Dr Murdoch]

feef said:

2: Bottom bracket? Ive had one squeak but only under load and only in certain gears

Symptoms are identical.

I replaced the BB last year, but have done about 1500 miles on it, so maybe it does need a change.

I'll try the 'free' options suggested above first, and if that doesn't work then I'll get a BB. They aren't fortunes.

Thanks

[InitialDave]

Remove and reinstall the BB first if you think it's that. Might just not be torqued up correctly.

[snobetter]

Every squeak sounds like it comes from the bottom bracket. On my all weather bike cleaning and greasing the headset usually solves the squeak which sounds like it's from the bottom bracket.

[lufbramatt]

Don't forget pedal bearings.. shimano especially have a habit of forgetting to put enough grease in stuff.

[bigdom]

On the squeak, pretty much as above. If only on load, likely to be BB or pedals, mine tends to do it on pedals (SPD), so a bit of grease on the spring. Assuming they're clip it, have you ever changed the bearing grease?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shimano-Pedal-axle-tool-T...

If BSA BB, I'd undo, regrease and chuck it back in. I tend to regrease the commuter every 3 months, more if a really wet period.

[Dr Murdoch]

Thanks chaps

Nope Ive never greased the pedal bearings!

[Usget]

My SPDs have an annoying squeak as well, nothing I do will cure it.

Leftfield suggestion - is your saddle coming slightly loose? Mine did that and squeaked like an angry mouse.

[Dr Murdoch]

Barchettaman said:

Post a photo of the rear wheel - we might be able to discern if it is cartridge or cup n cone.

Cheers Barchettaman

Here are the pics;

[GOATever]

snobetter said:

Every squeak sounds like it comes from the bottom bracket. On my all weather bike cleaning and greasing the headset usually solves the squeak which sounds like it's from the bottom bracket.

That said, I got a creak / crack on my Hybrid ( with a sealed cartridge BB ) and I sorted everything except the BB, as ( from experience) I find it’s rarely coming from the BB. I lubed the points where the spokes cross each other, the pedals, checked the seat, checked the stem, checked and lubed the QR skewers, and it still creaked and cracked. So I took the cranks off, and tightened the BB using a monkey wrench on the BB tool, with a 2ft scaffolding pole over the handle, and that sorted it. Sometimes it is the BB .

[deadtom]

Dr Murdoch said:

Cheers Barchettaman

Here are the pics;

that there is a cup and cone set up, you'll need cone spanners to sort that, and possibly also tools to remove the cassette (lockring tool, chainwhip) to fix that.

Alternatively, take it to your LBS and let them fight with it.

going back to your first post i think the only question not yet answered is cross compatibility of brake discs; are your TRP brakes a) hydraulic or b) cable?

a) yes it'll be fine
b) yes it'll probably be fine but you may need to adjust cable tension to compensate for a difference in disc thickness

This assumes that the rotors are the same diameter

[Dr Murdoch]

Thanks deadtom

So this is what I need?:



I'm not sure what size cone spanners I need, are road/gravel bikes normally a standard size?

[InitialDave]

Yes, that's a standard Shimano cassette locking on there, get a tool for that.

While obviously wanting to sell you their stuff (no problem with that,it's good kit), Park Tool have lots of great videos on bike maintenance and repair.
https://youtu.be/9KAaP7pbFV0

Also other channels like GCN:
https://youtu.be/SnwVHPgpgVQ

[Paul Drawmer]

A thread on here told me of this chain whip. MUCH better than a chain whip!
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/chain-whip-cassette-re...