Today's Bike Ride

[anthonykay]

Yes, my Mum lives in Riva. She was born in nearby Arco, spent adulthood in Milan (I was born and grew up there, very ugly place, only good thing of Milan is that it's 3hr drive from MtBlanc to the West, 3hr drive from the Dolomites to the East, and 1hr drive from other mountains to the north). After retirement she went back to Riva. All my life I visited Riva/Arco regularly, but it was always only visiting family. Nothing wrong with that, but wow it was dead boring just watching my mum playing cards with her sisters and chatting football and school with my cousins. It took me long to realize that since gorgeous mountains are there, when you are in the area just better make use of them.

I've just had a look around Riva on Google Streetview. Very impressive, how the mountains rise so steeply from the edge of town. Looks a very pleasant town, as well.

[Gambatte]

I've just had a look around Riva on Google Streetview. Very impressive, how the mountains rise so steeply from the edge of town. Looks a very pleasant town, as well.

In fact, the opinion of the locals is that Riva is a gorgeous place because of the Lake. I always found it slightly odd that being so near so beautiful mountains they actually praise the lake. But they probably have some points:
*) the lake attracts more tourism, beach, sailing, surfing, and generates more wealth
*) In northern Italy you are always near the mountains. But not always a quarter mile from a big beautiful lake.
*) And although the mountains around Riva are great, you only need to drive 1-2 hr to be in the most beautiful mountains in the world. Mt. Baldo is good. But come'on it's not the Marmolada, or the Civetta, or the Lavaredo Peaks or the Sella Group or the Vajolet Towers. So of course, in Riva it's the lake that stand out.

[Graham Breeze]

Thirty four miles (1400ft) following the R. Wharfe to Weardley then up the hill by the Harewood Estate to go round Eccup Reservoir, round the playing fields of The Grammar School at Leeds, across The Alwoodley Golf Club, then along Wigton Lane and Alwoodley Lane where the mansions can go for, well, several £millions - after all, if you have a full size Palm Tree in your front garden in its own glass Palm House you can't expect cheap - and back through Bramhope etc.

It's a ride I do when I want to see how the other half struggle by.

[molehill]

32k and 700m ascent. 6 miles from home I had just hit tarmac again (thankfully and the bottom bracket thingy appeared to disintegrate. I pushed it up the last hill and then free wheeled and gently peddled home.
Be no more biking for a while till me and youtube fix it.

[anthonykay]

I once had a bottom bracket suddenly fall apart. It's the only time I have missed out on a fell race due to transport failure.

[molehill]

That sounds most unusual, as they're usually very reliable. When you've found out please let us know what the problem is/was

Will do, this is only a guess as I have no idea about bike mechanics and never seen a bottom bracket in my life 🤔.

Came out forestry, started on the road uphill and there were funny noises from the bracket immediately followed by my peddles acting like a drunken sailor with massive play in them and some crunchy noises. Presuming bearings gone wonky or come out? Perhaps something has just come undone?
Pushed up the hill and then it was mostly downhill or flat for next 5 miles home so gently peddled in.

[molehill]

40 years ago bikes had loose ball bearings in the bottom bracket cups, and some had cages to hold the bearings together. If the cage split then this could cause a sudden slackness in the area; Tony Doyle lost a major British race when this happened to his Campagnolo (NB Graham) bottom bracket.

I haven't seen a bottom bracket with loose ball bearings for over 25 years, as they've all been sealed bearings - even on cheap bikes. It may be that yours is loose bearings, but I'd doubt it.

Opening up the bottom bracket is quite difficult, and there is a special tool which will depend on the model. This actually might be a bike shop job. If you intend to do your own bike mechanics, (which may be advisable because of your locality as much as the cost), it would be worth buying the relevant tool. Graham will hate me for saying this, but one of the reason I stick with Shimano is for compatibility - I have the removal tool and it also works for the very cheap far East products which copy the design

Thanks for the advice, I'm going to give it a go and think I have the tool for the job. Couple of years back I bought a cheap "set of bike tools" which includes that bottom bracket gadget. Most of the tools I gaze at wondering what they are for - here is another one to try out! Will be slowly building up my tools, need torque wrench first, but a mate round the corner has absolutely everything for when I am stuck.
Washed the bike off and on its stand outside to dry before taking into shed, predictably it is p****ng with ☔.

[Daletownrunner]

40 years ago bikes had loose ball bearings in the bottom bracket cups, and some had cages to hold the bearings together. If the cage split then this could cause a sudden slackness in the area; Tony Doyle lost a major British race when this happened to his Campagnolo (NB Graham) bottom bracket.

I haven't seen a bottom bracket with loose ball bearings for over 25 years, as they've all been sealed bearings - even on cheap bikes. It may be that yours is loose bearings, but I'd doubt it.

Opening up the bottom bracket is quite difficult, and there is a special tool which will depend on the model. This actually might be a bike shop job. If you intend to do your own bike mechanics, (which may be advisable because of your locality as much as the cost), it would be worth buying the relevant tool. Graham will hate me for saying this, but one of the reason I stick with Shimano is for compatibility - I have the removal tool and it also works for the very cheap far East products which copy the design

I used to love taking apart the bearings on my road bike as a kid and repacking them and putting them back together, a great grounding in basic mechanics after my old man had shown me how to do it. I remember my first ever sealed bottom bracket, a plastic FAG one which cost about a fiver and lasted about 2 months it gave up the ghost somewhere around Middleton in Teesdale although in its defence I was able to get home as the threads stripped from the ends and the whole thing turned in the bottom bracket

[Graham Breeze]

I used to love taking apart the bearings on my road bike as a kid and repacking them and putting them back together, a great grounding in basic mechanics

Which red blooded boy didn't?

I once spent 6 weeks in the steam loco. works of a coal mine during which we replaced the white metal bearings on one of the engines. I was 19, it was a wonderful experience and I still remember the fitter's name.

[Daletownrunner]

Which red blooded boy didn't?

I once spent 6 weeks in the steam loco. works of a coal mine during which we replaced the white metal bearings on one of the engines. I was 19, it was a wonderful experience and I still remember the fitter's name.

Just remembered I used to do my freewheel as well, knock the end cap off and repack it, a piece of cotton to hold the pawls in while you slotted the top back on, I think I’ve got an old Maillard block in the shed, I might knock it apart for old times sake although I probably won’t be able to see the ball bearings now