hpatraininglog

So I took my ICAN Triaero Graro out for a little spin.

After swapping wheel sets about, tyres, cassettes and then trying to index the hell out of my Chinese all-in-one piece cassette with my Chinese rear mech.

One can dream – something that is supposed to be so easy, literally took days to do.

The WheelTop electronic mech and levers are supposed to be so easy to use. However, trying to get the gears to change smoothly was a difficult experience.

Loads of faffing around with the app, taking it for rest rides, coming back to the garage to faff some more, then more test rides.

I thought I had it sussed after a few days.

So I took it on a proper ride. For 90 minutes. With intervals.

This is where we discover that I had in fact, not sussed it.

The gear shifting isn’t perfect, but then what can I expect when I’ve bought the 12 speed, 11-46 from AliExpress….

But after a few intervals, putting some torque through the pedals, the bottom bracket area is making some horrendous crunching, grinding noises.

GREAT.

I finish my session. Report back and the plan is to take half the bike apart to give it a proper clean in that area. Something that it turns out, should have been done MONTHS ago.

So back in March I did a race called Battle On the Beach in South Wales on Pembery Sands. As the name suggests, it’s on a beach. With lots of sand.

Well this sand made its way in and around the seal of the bottom bracket and into the frame.

Off came the crank set. Next unscrew the bottom bracket. Thank goodness its screw fit and not press fit otherwise I would be screwed.

After initial inspection, it turns out that half the beach is in my bottom bracket.

Ideal.

So I give it a good clean, re-grease and put it all back together again.

I take it out for another training ride. Guess what. No more noise!

Who knew a clean bike was also a quiet one. I’m just glad I don’t have to buy a new bottom bracket…

Lesson learned, if there’s sand in a race, it WILL get everywhere.