A bike story
Jun. 17th, 2003 09:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
azekeilThis morning I rode into work, late, as usual. I was very disappointed that my removal of some excess brake fluid had not stopped the brakes from rubbing. I worried about the damage I could be doing to my bike as I rode and cursed as I subsequently rode the wrong way, past the expensive petrol station. I pulled in and spent a tenner of the fifteen quid I had been lent by ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
chocojon, leaving me with a few quid to get lunch.
I decided to ask to borrow some tools, to see if I could release the pressure on the pads. After regaling the handiman with the woes of my expensive MOT I realised I had let out too much brake fluid. Now I was in serious danger of getting air in the system, which would mean more expense and hassle to bleed it. The handiman admired the bike and so did the station manager who had come out for a cigarette break. He looked strangely likeyaruar.
Anyway, the handiman asked if I'd like some brake fluid to top it back up. I hesitated, realising I hadn't enough money to pay for it. The handiman noticed my hesitation and so did the station manager, who offered it to me for free. The handiman reiterated his offer for which I was very grateful, which seemed to cause the station manager to go an odd beetroot colour. How strange. The handiman then helped me figure out the sequence to try to test the system to see if my efforts had been successful or not.
Unfortunately, it hadn't. So I rode to work anyway, later than I was before. A few discussions later in the kitchen and I learned that the cause was probably stuck pistons, and the solution was to rebuild the calipers. More expense and effort. Discovered that a new seal kit for them is nigh on fifty quid! So, not much use.
After talking tofiendster I decided to try cleaning and regreasing them once I limped the bike back to Cheltenham. Starting as soon as I got in at six, I was done by quarter past eight. To my utter delight it worked! That's the first time I've had a mechanical problem and managed to sort it out myself :)
Just after the trip up I checked the temperature of both the discs themselves and the calipers. The discs were obviously hot but not burning and the calipers were cool. So hopefully that means the fluid is OK. The bike has been test-ridden and all is well - so far, so good :)
Now for the rear pads on Friday :)
chocojon, leaving me with a few quid to get lunch.I decided to ask to borrow some tools, to see if I could release the pressure on the pads. After regaling the handiman with the woes of my expensive MOT I realised I had let out too much brake fluid. Now I was in serious danger of getting air in the system, which would mean more expense and hassle to bleed it. The handiman admired the bike and so did the station manager who had come out for a cigarette break. He looked strangely like
yaruar.Anyway, the handiman asked if I'd like some brake fluid to top it back up. I hesitated, realising I hadn't enough money to pay for it. The handiman noticed my hesitation and so did the station manager, who offered it to me for free. The handiman reiterated his offer for which I was very grateful, which seemed to cause the station manager to go an odd beetroot colour. How strange. The handiman then helped me figure out the sequence to try to test the system to see if my efforts had been successful or not.
Unfortunately, it hadn't. So I rode to work anyway, later than I was before. A few discussions later in the kitchen and I learned that the cause was probably stuck pistons, and the solution was to rebuild the calipers. More expense and effort. Discovered that a new seal kit for them is nigh on fifty quid! So, not much use.
After talking to
fiendster I decided to try cleaning and regreasing them once I limped the bike back to Cheltenham. Starting as soon as I got in at six, I was done by quarter past eight. To my utter delight it worked! That's the first time I've had a mechanical problem and managed to sort it out myself :)Just after the trip up I checked the temperature of both the discs themselves and the calipers. The discs were obviously hot but not burning and the calipers were cool. So hopefully that means the fluid is OK. The bike has been test-ridden and all is well - so far, so good :)
Now for the rear pads on Friday :)
