Shimano ST EF51 Shifters – Cantilever Brake Compatibility
Shimano ST EF51 Shifter/brake levers are good shifters and can be gotten pretty cheap on ebay/amazon, etc. But there are some questions about whether they are compatible with cantilever brakes. There are actually two different types of EF51 shifters. With 2 finger grip levers and with 4 finger grip levers. Only the 4 finger grip …Read more »
How To Make DIY Dropout Alignment Gauge Tools
I show how to make and use homemade tools to check and straighten bent dropouts on a bike frame. Only use these types of tools to straighten the dropouts on a steel or cro-moly frame. Do not attempt to bend the dropouts on an aluminum, carbon fiber or any type of frame other than steel …Read more »
How To Fix Rapid Fire Shifter – Shimano Alivio Repair
I show how to fix a RapidFire/trigger shifter that won’t catch/shift, in this case, a Shimano Alivio ST MC10 shifter, but the repair is similar for most trigger shifters. The common problem is the pawls get gunked up and don’t move smoothly. They generally just need to been cleaned and lubed so that the pawls …Read more »
Overhaul Vintage Italian Bottom Bracket
I diassemble, clean, replace the bearings, lubricate and re-assemble the bottom bracket on a 1974 Atala road bike. I also replaced the cotter pins which required filing new ones. Here is my video on making a cotter pin press:
Straightening A Bent Derailleur Hanger
When shifting the rear derailleur up to the biggest cog, the cage was hitting the spokes. The cage seemed to be angled in compared to the cogs. I checked the derailleur hanger with my Park Tool DAG 2.2 Derailleur Alignment Gauge and found it was not straight. I used the tool to straighten the hanger. …Read more »