OK, I'm amazed that a chain cleaning thread gets so much attention. But equally amazed that no one has mentioned my favorite chain cleaner, which is cheaper than citrus degreaser. I spray WD40 on the chain, scrub with a toothbrush (repeat) wipe with a rag and regrease with Prolink.

If you want to talk about dedication, I could tell you stories about the old days when I used to soak the chain in kerosene and later boil it in a coffee can full of motor oil, or alternatively paraffin (my cat once fell into the can of oil, jumped off the balcony in a panic and, although survived, was never the same afterwards). But I moved on and now rarely remove the chain from the bike, except in March to replace it.

Personally, if I fell in a giant can of paraffin, I would also leap off the balcony.

Thanks to all who chimed in! i have been generally following the white lightning-and-rag habit for a couple of years, and over the winter tend to get a new chain, more or less. but even with the most dedicated washings with the park chain washer, and pulling an old sock through the cogs, and disassembling the derailleur, i have always found that the chain feels a little gritty, and that i get that nifty black chain ring tattoo on my calf every time i get on the bike. plus, i hate that fred-like feeling you get when you pay the bikeshop to clean the bike, so i have been working on getting to the next level where two or three times a year i can tear everything down, clean it, and rebuild it without it taking all weekend. so, i'm gonna try putting a wipperman link on, and experimenting with some different greener solvents, and i will let you know how it goes...

Ahoy mates,

My friend Moffat and I were enjoying the food truck extravaganza at Grand Army Plaza today... wafel ice cream and other dinges were much enjoyed until --what the dinges-- Moffat could not locate the key to her Kryptonite lock. The trucks had packed-up and rolled-out by the time we ran into this glitch. We called Prospect Park Alliance to inquire about lost and found keys. Alas, only kittens had been found (anyone need kittens?).

The cable that's fit to the lock is a Kryptonite Kryptoflex cable, so I think that a serious bolt-cutting tool would have an easy time with it. I don't have any such tools... wondering if anyone has such a tool and/or other approaches to this problem.

Thanks,
Norm

My friend checked with Dixon's today and they said they couldn't help.

I think Kryptonite has a key replacement deal but I think you need to sign up for it when you buy the lock using the serial # they give you. May be worth contacting them to find out their recommendations.

two options

40" bolt cutter ($80-90)
http://www.google.com/search?q=bolt+cutter&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#q=bolt+cutter&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=kt&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=ivns&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=OUokToK1NM-ftwfT57GYAw&ved=0CFYQrQQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=8e28def4e90878f6&biw=1280&bih=671

battery powered angle grinder ($varies)
http://www.google.com/search?q=battery+powered+angle+grinder&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#q=battery+powered+angle+grinder&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=YFq&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=ivns&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=g0okTrDBGJKbtweKufXOAw&ved=0CHkQrQQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=8e28def4e90878f6&biw=1280&bih=671

if it's just a cable, you can get away with a cheaper bolt cutter

bring along a length of pipe for extra leverage

I register my keys with Kryptonite and write down the serial numbers for future reference. If you know the serial number, their key replacement is relatively painless, even if you didn't register. But perhaps it is too late for that. Let this be a lesson to the rest of you.

Anyone who hacks into my phone could probably steal all my bikes. I wonder if Rupert Murdoch remembers how to ride bikes . . .

thanks guys... my friend is checking with Kryponite, but we think the lock isn't registered (she bought the lock from another person).

Bolt cutter sounds pretty satisfying... she's trying to locate some tool of that description via her office maintenance crew.

-N

resolution: 24" bolt cutter ($19 @ Home Depot)... snipped the cable with ease.

Thanks for all your suggestions,
Norm

My rear brake rubs against the rim when the calipers are adjusted to be close to the rim and I pedal hard out of the saddle. I'm pretty sure it happens when I'm pushing down with my right leg, but I'm second guessing myself on that now.

I'm riding a 32-spoke Mavic Open Pro laced to a PowerTap. I'm not convinced the calipers are set too narrowly around the rim, as it generally comes back this way from the bike shop (and as everyone knows, no bike shop actually bothers to test ride their work). According to the guy at the shop, he trued the wheel and tensioned the spokes. I opened the barrel adjuster all the way and it still wasn't enough to stop the rubbing, and so I actually had to open up that little release lever used for taking the wheel on and off. I have a hard time believing I need TWICE as much space as the shop guy thinks, since he probably adjusts a lot of brakes.

So at any rate, what could cause my brakes to be so rubby?

Spoke tension. The wheel is not tensioned enough, such that it flexes under load.

SRAM Force....

My understanding is that I just need to loosen the 8 mm bolt on the non-driveside crank and that the surrounding retaining ring causes it to self-extract. Is that correct? And which way do I turn? I don't have any arrows on my cranks as I've seen in some instruction manuals.

R.

Crank bolts are standard threaded, so clockwise to tighten and anti-clockwise to loosen

Ryan,
You should be able to find instructions on either the SRAM site or the Park Tool site.

I use a long torque wrench, the beam type to tighten and loosen my SRAM GXP crankarm. The force they recommend to tighten is basically "lots." It's hard to over-tighten.

Yeah, I got it done last night - I was pleased with how easy it was once I figured it out, the self-extracting thing is nice.

The second part of your comment is helpful. I don't actually have a torque wrench - but it sounds like you might say it's probably okay to just tighten it without one?

Pretty much. Some guys with gorilla arms might be able to overtighten a SRAM crank, but I think I'd have trouble over-tightening. So, yes, I think you're safe not using a torque wrench.

I have Rival cranks and they tend to work themselves loose. I was told that wacking the driveside with a mallet, right on the spindle area, will help the crank get seated against the bearings.

They still work themselves loose, but now it takes a bit longer.

FYI.

Crank whacking is a private thing. I'm not very comfortable comparing techniques.

Here's a short video showing ExoGrid tubes being made then Bill Holland building a frame with them, soon mine...

Go to http://vimeo.com/

and type 26685582 to the right of the above address (when I put the whole URL, it does not appear here...why ?)

I've been riding with Sidi Genius shoes for a couple of years now and my feet start getting sore after an hour. They fit, but they feel a touch too narrow. I've been too lazy to try something new and I hear great things about Lake. I'm specifically looking at the CX236. I can't find any local shops that carry them to try on, so does anyone know if they are a true-to-size fit or if they run narrow or wide?

I'm a 45

i won't be particularly useful, but i wear 45 wides. if you ride to piermont, i work at the shop and you can try mine on. also be aware lake's distro, veltec, who was our sponsor, has gone belly up.

So my experience with the CX236 they're pretty wide on the toes and on the heel as well. It fits my wide forefoot, and my high arch, but my heel slips out a little bit unless I am really cranked down, and after 60 minutes my feet get all tingly. So I have to be careful to balance foot comfort to power transfer.

Thanks for the info Mattie. Do you wear wide shoes (regular shoes) and is that your regular shoe size? I wear a 44 or 45 in regular shoes, normal width, so just wondering if I can order the same size for Lake.

In general I hear Sidi runs narrow and a lot of people with normal width feet find them uncomfortable. Just want to try something new and I like the BOA lacing.

Lake shoes are generally a bit on the wide side. The carbon sole ones even more so.

Hmmm. I have wide feet but didn't get a wide size in the cx236s. I found the toe box to be very tight at first, but with a good number of miles found the leather really molded to my foot and got more comofrtable.

ok, just in case you have been wondering about chains too much too... i got a wipperman, and it turns out that while the quick release link is kind of nifty, it is actually significantly wider chain , as much as .4MM, which doesnt sound like much, but it runs kind of klunky, and will not sit well on the 11 tooth cog. as well, athe plates are not shaped, in the way that the shimano HG/hyperglide links are shaped, so it is my suspicion that a wippeman and probably the sram as well, is bascially shaving the shape off the the teeth on the cogs and rings, albeit only a tiny bit at a time. i have to say that at this point, i think that it is best to stick with shimano stuff on shimano stuff, if you are running shimano.

as far as the pin is concerned, the pre-existing pins seem to pop into and out of place better than the replacement pin. however, in light of the thin swaging on the periphery of the hollow pins, it doesnt seem like a good idea to pop one in and out more than a couple of times. i have yet to have a chain break on me, but one did on jef this year, and he crashed in the park as a result, so i am kind of concerned about chain breakage. result, i think i will stick with the pre-existing pins in the chain, but might choose to race with a new chain and train with an older one. if i get that geeky.

for cleaning, i got a bottle of magical mystery oil, that wonderful and probably toxic product i recall from my youth. whats nice is the strong peppermint smell. its basically a light engine oil lube, but it does a great job of pre-diluting grease and gunk, without being a solvent. its nice to use as little solvent as possible. in any case the MM oil was great for a first stage chain and gear cleaning bath. i have yet to find a solvent i like, will keep you posted.

So I popped off my cassette to remove my wheelcover after the TT at Catskills. When i did so, the whole cassette body just slid off.

That's never happened before. There's a little o ring on the top that snaps into place, but I can't seem to lock it on.

Is something wrong? Or is this just normal and for some reason its never happened in the dozens of times I've swapped out a cassette on that hub?

This has been addressed elsewhere on the forum. The latest iterations of the better PT hubs have the hub axle endcaps snapped into place. This makes them easy to service, but also scares users not prepared for this. I'm guessing this is the case for you.