Problem Solvers - Make It Work http://problemsolversbike.com Problem Solvers manufactures compatibility solutions and helpful tools for bicycle mechanics and DIY enthusiasts. Whatever the bike part, we‚ve got a solution for you. en boliver@qbp.com Copyright 2012 2012-05-08T18:49:54+00:00 The Quest for the Perfect Tool Box http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/the_quest_for_the_perfect_tool_box http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/the_quest_for_the_perfect_tool_box#When:18:49:54Z Years ago, when I was working as a mechanic for professional cycling teams, I was spending hundreds of days on the road each year and I lived and worked in hotel parking lots.  One of the unique challenges of that job was constantly balancing the requirement that you have everything you need when you need it but nothing you don’t.  It’s one thing when you’re with the team truck and size and weight aren’t really an issue, but it’s another thing when you’re flying to some remote town in Argentina for the start of a week-long stage race and you have to carry everything you’re going to need for yourself, 8 professional athletes, and anything else that might go wrong with the bikes, the team car, or god knows what else.  And how do you keep it small enough and light enough that you can move it around without throwing your back out?  Well, the answer is that you’re probably going to have to build your own.  And that’s exactly what I did.  I used off the shelf tool boxes and tools for five years and while everything performed just fine and I was never unhappy with them, I was always a little bummed out about how much everything weighed and how it seemed like there was a lot of wasted space in the box and unused slots in my pallets.  My philosophy was simple:  I wanted to build a tool box that could handle any bike repair that I’d be likely to encounter on a road bike that didn’t require the use of a vice and had enough tools in it so that I could build a brand new bike with an uncut steerer tube and still be completely self-sufficient.  Also, throughout the course of my time working on the road, it wasn’t uncommon to encounter the odd car repair (which was generally the result of someone running into something) every once and awhile too. Now, this ain’t no how-to post.  You’re all a lot smarter than I am so I won’t assume any of you need to be educated on the best practice of putting stuff in a box, and there are far too many individual tools to list out here, but my hope is that some of these photos will be a conversation stimulator and maybe inspire some others out there to waste their time in a similar fashion.  For this box I found a suitably sized Pelican case and a large blank sheet of carbon fiber, which I cut to the correct size and then mocked up what the pallets would look like, as seen in the photo below. Once I had all three pallets that I planned on making mocked up, I built the pallets based on my template and everything was good to go.  Here’s the result of said mocking uping: And the resulting decrease in size.  The tried and true C.H. Ellis box in all of its portly glory sitting next to the svelte and highly visible new box.  I’m not a doctor, but that looks at least 33.3% smaller.  Also, don't cut large amounts of carbon fiber in flip-flops.  Trust me, it's a bad idea. Now I ask you, dear readers, what’s your idea of the perfect tool-box? -Ben Years ago, when I was working as a mechanic for professional cycling teams, I was spending hundreds of days on the road each year and I lived and worked in hotel parking lots.  One of the unique challenges of that job was constantly balancing the requirement that you have everything you need when you need it but nothing you don’t.  It’s one thing when you’re with the team truck and size and weight aren’t really an issue, but it’s another thing when you’re flying to some remote town in Argentina for the start of a week-long stage race and you have to carry everything you’re going to need for yourself, 8 professional athletes, and anything else that might go wrong with the bikes, the team car, or god knows what else.  And how do you keep it small enough and light enough that you can move it around without throwing your back out?  Well, the answer is that you’re probably going to have to build your own.  And that’s exactly what I did.  I used off the shelf tool boxes and tools for five years and while everything performed just fine and I was never unhappy with them, I was always a little bummed out about how much everything weighed and how it seemed like there was a lot of wasted space in the box and unused slots in my pallets. 

My philosophy was simple:  I wanted to build a tool box that could handle any bike repair that I’d be likely to encounter on a road bike that didn’t require the use of a vice and had enough tools in it so that I could build a brand new bike with an uncut steerer tube and still be completely self-sufficient.  Also, throughout the course of my time working on the road, it wasn’t uncommon to encounter the odd car repair (which was generally the result of someone running into something) every once and awhile too.

Now, this ain’t no how-to post.  You’re all a lot smarter than I am so I won’t assume any of you need to be educated on the best practice of putting stuff in a box, and there are far too many individual tools to list out here, but my hope is that some of these photos will be a conversation stimulator and maybe inspire some others out there to waste their time in a similar fashion.  For this box I found a suitably sized Pelican case and a large blank sheet of carbon fiber, which I cut to the correct size and then mocked up what the pallets would look like, as seen in the photo below.

Once I had all three pallets that I planned on making mocked up, I built the pallets based on my template and everything was good to go.  Here’s the result of said mocking uping:

And the resulting decrease in size.  The tried and true C.H. Ellis box in all of its portly glory sitting next to the svelte and highly visible new box.  I’m not a doctor, but that looks at least 33.3% smaller.  Also, don't cut large amounts of carbon fiber in flip-flops.  Trust me, it's a bad idea.

Now I ask you, dear readers, what’s your idea of the perfect tool-box?

-Ben

]]> 2012-05-08T18:49:54+00:00 Michael’s Fixed-Gear Gentleman’s Roadster http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/michaels_fixed-gear_gentlemans_roadster http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/michaels_fixed-gear_gentlemans_roadster#When:17:23:35Z   I love to spot Problem Solvers products out in the wild, but it's even cooler when someone snaps a pic and sends it in. Bring 'em on:  "Recently I put the finishing touches on my fixed-gear gentleman’s roadster. I bought a pristine 80’s-era Univega frame for $20 from a fellow mechanic and neglected it for a little while…until now: But what to do about those pesky, unattractive shift bosses on the downtube? For just a few bucks I grabbed up a set of Problem Solvers Shift Boss Covers. And voila! A quick and classy solution to a problem that has plagued us since the dawn of the fixed-gear conversion." - Michael  

I love to spot Problem Solvers products out in the wild, but it's even cooler when someone snaps a pic and sends it in. Bring 'em on: 

"Recently I put the finishing touches on my fixed-gear gentleman’s roadster. I bought a pristine 80’s-era Univega frame for $20 from a fellow mechanic and neglected it for a little while…until now:

But what to do about those pesky, unattractive shift bosses on the downtube? For just a few bucks I grabbed up a set of Problem Solvers Shift Boss Covers. And voila! A quick and classy solution to a problem that has plagued us since the dawn of the fixed-gear conversion." - Michael

]]> 2012-04-16T17:23:35+00:00 J.A. Stein Mystery Tool http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/j.a._stein_mystery_tool http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/j.a._stein_mystery_tool#When:21:45:06Z   At the office, there's a wonderful, magical area we like to call the Free Table. Some folks drop off stuff they don't want and some folks find stuff they do want, and the circle of life continues. It was on one of my five daily trips to peek at the free stuff that I found this: And tried desperately to figure out what it was by placing on my hand it in different stages of dissasembly from multiple angles and taking pictures: Luckily the piece was stamped with a name that rang a bell: J.A. Stein, maker of kick-ass bike tools. I even asked Problem Solvers bike mechanic therapist and French poetry quotist Ben WTF it was, but (as per the usual) he just gave me this look: Turns out, as Ben later explained, this little doohicky is for removing a cassette lockring in an emergency-type situation. The splines sit in the lockring, the outer plate is secured by the QR nut, and your drive train works like a chainwhip. Sweet free table action! Here's a better explanation: "This tool secures the lockring from turning by locking it to the dropout so that when the cranks are turned with the bike in low gear the pedaling force will actually break the lockring free. It is designed primarily for emergency use. The tool can be used in reverse to be able to install the lockring as well." http://www.jastein.com/PDF/cassette%20lock%20inst.pdf   

At the office, there's a wonderful, magical area we like to call the Free Table. Some folks drop off stuff they don't want and some folks find stuff they do want, and the circle of life continues. It was on one of my five daily trips to peek at the free stuff that I found this:

And tried desperately to figure out what it was by placing on my hand it in different stages of dissasembly from multiple angles and taking pictures:

Luckily the piece was stamped with a name that rang a bell: J.A. Stein, maker of kick-ass bike tools. I even asked Problem Solvers bike mechanic therapist and French poetry quotist Ben WTF it was, but (as per the usual) he just gave me this look:

Turns out, as Ben later explained, this little doohicky is for removing a cassette lockring in an emergency-type situation. The splines sit in the lockring, the outer plate is secured by the QR nut, and your drive train works like a chainwhip. Sweet free table action!

Here's a better explanation:

"This tool secures the lockring from turning by locking it to the dropout so that when the cranks are turned with the bike in low gear the pedaling force will actually break the lockring free. It is designed primarily for emergency use. The tool can be used in reverse to be able to install the lockring as well."

http://www.jastein.com/PDF/cassette%20lock%20inst.pdf 

]]> 2012-04-05T21:45:06+00:00 Basement Workshop Episode 1: I bought a house http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/basement_workshop_episode_1_i_bought_a_house http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/basement_workshop_episode_1_i_bought_a_house#When:13:53:05Z   About a week and a half ago, I closed on a house. As I see it, I've signed up for a couple summers of intensive landscaping, six or so years of remodeling and a lifetime of debt. One of the projects I'm most excited about is building some great shop space in my basement. I figure some discoveries I make along the way might be worth documenting for the three people who have the RSS feed of this blog, and the one random visitor we get each week. It'll be a long and thrifty road, but here's what I'm starting with: I pulled out the suspended ceiling tiles to find what must've been some sort of Comcast technician training ground. By taking this ceiling out, I'll gain about 8" of headroom, which is pretty necessary 'cause my thinning hair was rubbing on the ceiling before.  How much you think this'll get me at the scrapyard?  

About a week and a half ago, I closed on a house. As I see it, I've signed up for a couple summers of intensive landscaping, six or so years of remodeling and a lifetime of debt. One of the projects I'm most excited about is building some great shop space in my basement. I figure some discoveries I make along the way might be worth documenting for the three people who have the RSS feed of this blog, and the one random visitor we get each week. It'll be a long and thrifty road, but here's what I'm starting with:

I pulled out the suspended ceiling tiles to find what must've been some sort of Comcast technician training ground. By taking this ceiling out, I'll gain about 8" of headroom, which is pretty necessary 'cause my thinning hair was rubbing on the ceiling before. 

How much you think this'll get me at the scrapyard?

]]> 2012-03-27T13:53:05+00:00 NAHBS 2012 Wrap-Up http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/nahbs_2012_wrap-up http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/nahbs_2012_wrap-up#When:21:47:44Z   I've decided that the rest of the internet is far better than I for a report on NAHBS, in terms of both picture taking ability and writing quality...and especially timeliness. Here's my "Best of NAHBS" list, or "The In-Focus Pictures" Creeeeeepy. More pictures on the facebook.  

I've decided that the rest of the internet is far better than I for a report on NAHBS, in terms of both picture taking ability and writing quality...and especially timeliness. Here's my "Best of NAHBS" list, or "The In-Focus Pictures"

Creeeeeepy. More pictures on the facebook.

]]> 2012-03-09T21:47:44+00:00 Thank You Frostbike! http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/thank_you_frostbike http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/thank_you_frostbike#When:13:30:02Z This past weekend was our big momma QBP's Frostbike event, and we had a blast. Thanks to all the folks who stopped by our booth to chat, give us ideas, and berate us for our questionable fashion sense.  This past weekend was our big momma QBP's Frostbike event, and we had a blast. Thanks to all the folks who stopped by our booth to chat, give us ideas, and berate us for our questionable fashion sense. 

]]> 2012-02-21T13:30:02+00:00 We Solve MOST Problems…but not Bedbugs. http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/we_solve_most_problems...but_not_bedbugs http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/we_solve_most_problems...but_not_bedbugs#When:17:50:22Z We're lucky in that our name describes exactly what we do. The one caveat is that there are several other "Problem Solvers" out there. Most notably, if you visit www.problemsolvers.com, you're greeted with a plethora of home improvement and decorating solutions. There's also a lot of "hard-hitting" Problem Solvers journalists at news stations around the country. Every once in a while, we get calls from very confused individuals: We're lucky in that our name describes exactly what we do. The one caveat is that there are several other "Problem Solvers" out there. Most notably, if you visit www.problemsolvers.com, you're greeted with a plethora of home improvement and decorating solutions. There's also a lot of "hard-hitting" Problem Solvers journalists at news stations around the country. Every once in a while, we get calls from very confused individuals:

]]> 2012-02-13T17:50:22+00:00 Bench Vises and You http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/bench_vises_and_you http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/bench_vises_and_you#When:18:47:27Z   (Image courtesy of Northern Tool) We had a dealer ask us, "what makes a good vise for your workshop?" He'd been looking around and just found too many options. Personally, I only ever use a vice for my steerer cutting guide and the occasional freewheel removal. Aren't they just big hunks of metal anyways? So I asked around the office, and this is what the folks had to say: Features: Minimum 6" capacity Minumum 2 screw locks on the swivel locking base (otherwise the vise can knock side-to-side V-Jaws are ideal for holding steerers and bars Rotating heads are a bonus Replaceable inserts/jaw covers are especially handy to avoid damaging parts Getting a machinist vise is probably overkill Brands: Wilton was the name heard most often, highly regarded as the best Snap-On is apparently for tool snobs Craftsman/Sears: less expensive, solid. More than adequate for the bike shop.   

(Image courtesy of Northern Tool)

We had a dealer ask us, "what makes a good vise for your workshop?" He'd been looking around and just found too many options. Personally, I only ever use a vice for my steerer cutting guide and the occasional freewheel removal. Aren't they just big hunks of metal anyways? So I asked around the office, and this is what the folks had to say:

Features:

  • Minimum 6" capacity
  • Minumum 2 screw locks on the swivel locking base (otherwise the vise can knock side-to-side
  • V-Jaws are ideal for holding steerers and bars
  • Rotating heads are a bonus
  • Replaceable inserts/jaw covers are especially handy to avoid damaging parts
  • Getting a machinist vise is probably overkill

Brands:

  • Wilton was the name heard most often, highly regarded as the best
  • Snap-On is apparently for tool snobs
  • Craftsman/Sears: less expensive, solid. More than adequate for the bike shop. 
]]> 2012-02-10T18:47:27+00:00 Eccentricity: Our E46 “Instructional” Video http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/eccentricity_our_e46_instructional_video http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/eccentricity_our_e46_instructional_video#When:19:06:16Z I had an idea to make an instructional video that wasn't boring, and to do it on the cheap. In true DIY fashion, we started with one concept and ended up with something completely different. Let's put it this way, the intro sequence is half of the entire video. Here is our install guide for our Eccentric 46 bottom bracket: Eccentricity from Problem Solvers on Vimeo.   Full instructions here.  I had an idea to make an instructional video that wasn't boring, and to do it on the cheap. In true DIY fashion, we started with one concept and ended up with something completely different. Let's put it this way, the intro sequence is half of the entire video. Here is our install guide for our Eccentric 46 bottom bracket:

Eccentricity from Problem Solvers on Vimeo.
 

Full instructions here. 

]]> 2012-01-27T19:06:16+00:00 Custom Wiring for the QR Nut Light Mount http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/custom_wiring_for_the_qr_nut_light_mount http://problemsolversbike.com/blog/comments/custom_wiring_for_the_qr_nut_light_mount#When:14:57:14Z   I love me some generator hubs and lights. I wanted to use my Alfine hub and Planet Bike headlight with our new(ish) QR Nut Light Mount, but the close proximity of light to hub left me with a boatload of excess wire (apologies for the fuzzy phone pics): I could've zip tied the excess to the fork blade, but that would've been mucho feo. Also, I was liking the idea of being able to take the wheel out without disconnecting the light from the hub. So, putting caution to the wind, I cut: Did some rewiring: And voila: Admittedly, I probably went a little too short. When I pop the wheel out, the light causes the QR axle to spin in the hub, putting a little stress on the wire. I'll strengthen with a little electrical tape. But otherwise, I'm putting this project in the "win" column.   

I love me some generator hubs and lights. I wanted to use my Alfine hub and Planet Bike headlight with our new(ish) QR Nut Light Mount, but the close proximity of light to hub left me with a boatload of excess wire (apologies for the fuzzy phone pics):

I could've zip tied the excess to the fork blade, but that would've been mucho feo. Also, I was liking the idea of being able to take the wheel out without disconnecting the light from the hub. So, putting caution to the wind, I cut:

Did some rewiring:

And voila:

Admittedly, I probably went a little too short. When I pop the wheel out, the light causes the QR axle to spin in the hub, putting a little stress on the wire. I'll strengthen with a little electrical tape. But otherwise, I'm putting this project in the "win" column. 

]]> 2012-01-16T14:57:14+00:00