xcapekey

hey

xcapekey

oops..hit enter too soon..

going on my first mini tour and am assembling some tools....i've heard of people turning their seatpost into a chainwhip...sounds ingenious and better than lugging a big tool around....

anyone have instructions and pics of how to do this? can't quite visualize how to attach the chain and still allow the seatpost to enter downtube....

thanks in advance!

jjvw

HEY!

Do you mean rotafixing? The chain is placed around the BB shell, not the seatpost. It works great on a track cog and ought to work fine on a freewheel. I assume you are traveling on a geared bike?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotafix

Cyclist0094

Harris Cyclery sells(or at least used to) a cool little tool called a cassette cracker for about 20 bucks. I tried it once and it works pretty well. But the method demonstrated below works every time too.




Start with a 2-3' piece of web strapping( a shoulder strap from a pannier,handle bar bag or a belt works also), tie a knot in one end.


Jamb the knotted end of the strap between the two low cogs and then wrap once around the cassette to the right or clockwise


wrap the loose end around the tire and rim several turns to hold the strap in place


Place cassette wrench or socket on lock ring and turn, The strap will tighten around the cogs and the rim keeping the cassette from turning while you apply force to remove the lock ring

NoReg

Very clever.

Bekologist

QBP currently stocks and sells the Stein Hypercracker mini cassette tool. Unbelievably small and light.

Velonomad's illustrated method is pretty choice as well.

Visionquest

That's GREAT!!! is this posted in tips and tricks??? it should be!

hoogie

i made my own lightweight compact gizmo for removing the cassette on tours ... it works so well i use it at home as well

bear in mind that some of the links need updating, but you get the picture how easy it is to make and use your own ...

i have also thought about using say 8-10 links of chain, and attaching a loop of brake cable long enough to reach the ground, then you can place a foot in the loop to hold it as you turn the cassette removal tool ...

hope this helps ...

Rowan

The penny has dropped... I can't seem to get graphics working on threads at the moment, so I apologise if this is repeated...

But I think the OP is referring not to seat post, but chainstay, as the stop point for tools such as the Stein lockring remover (the Stein actually recommends using the derailleur hanger as the stop point to avoid deforming the stay tube).

I bought one in Australia some time ago. It's small, and probably slightly lighter than the old hypercracker.

I think hoogie has pix of his homemade job that is simply a Lifu or similar tool with a lever with the lever cut off and the end shaped to engage the chainstay.

From what I remember, the original hypercracker stopped production about three years ago, and that is why I pounced on the Stein at around $60 Australian when I saw it.

More useful than a kevlar spoke, in my opinion, because it leads to a permanent fix.

(Oops, hoogie beat me to it).

Bekologist

Hypercrackers- sorry, the Stein Mini Cassette Lock tool - are in the 2006 QBP catalog. I bought one last month.

It's smaller than a silver dollar and lighter. And you don't have to bring a cassette tool, wrench for the tool OR chain whip with the Hypercracker. I wouldn't use one around the home shop though, just on tour.

its not for use against the hanger, just the frame, Rowan.

directions clearly state, in caps, "DO NOT LET THE MINI TOOL REACT AGAINST THE DERAILLUER HANGER DURING INSTALLATION OR REMOVAL OR FRAME DAMAGE MAY OCCUR!"

Rowan

I think they may have changed their instructions, then. That's one specific I do remember when I bought it... I have a steel frame and dropout, so I don't suspect there will be any problems. I also would not use it against a carbon stay!

xcapekey

hey

xcapekey

damn computer keeps posting before i'm ready ...anyway, velonomad, thanks for the tip...i tried it on a few of my wheels and it worked great.....on some, the lockring was too tight so i had to break it open with an actual chainwhip and tool....which leads me to the question, how TIGHT should cassette lockrings be?

some people have told me just bit more than fingertight...seems to make sense as the freewheel doesn't look like it will reverse itself to undo the cassette lockring...

Rowan

Bit more than finger tight isn't adequate; I've had rings loosen at that spec.

You need more than that, but as you point out, not so much as to make it impossible to undo without a chainwhip. I think the recommended torque is 40Nm... but I usually give it enough to "jump" over the serrations twice and leave a white indentation on the palm of my hand from the spanner (held about six inches away from the lockring tool). I can't be any more specific than that.

If you are using a Stein or hypercracker, there does need to be caution against overtightening because the "lever" you are using is at the extremity of the tyre, and that makes the torque huge. If overdone, it could be enough to damage the tool or the chainstay.

sth

Brilliant idea Velo. I gotta give this a try.

I read Hoogies website report of his homemade cassette tool a long time ago and have been on the lookout for a Lifu or similar tool ever since but I cant find anything thin enough.

Both are great ideas

Erick L

Various Hypercrackin' tools:

Stein
Hoogie's homemade
Mark & Juliette's homemade
Next Best Thing II (Click "Hard to finds")

Cyclist0094

As Rowan mentioned in his reply a couple or three notches past *tight* is about right. Shimano gives a range of 30-50 nm(22-38 ft-lb), 50nm is IMO a lot of torque for that lock ring and will be a knuckle buster even with a chain whip. I normally don't use a torque wrench on the lock ring but checking mine with a torque wrench I came up with 27nm (21 ft-lb). I have never had a lock ring loosen.

Losligato

I tried out a Stein Mini Cassette Lock Ring Tool before setting out on this trip to be sure it would work in a pinch.

It broke. While I like the design, the force required to remove a lock ring is more that the tool is able to withstand.

Losligato

Oh...that reminds me. We met a guy cycling from Europe to Bangkok who had to replace a few spokes on the cassette sids of the rear wheel (the reason one would most likely need to get the cassette off while on a long tour).

He simply used longer spokes, cut off the nipples on the hub end, fed them though the hole, crimped the spokes around the hole, then tightened them up on the rim side. It worked long enough to get him to a country with a proper bike shop.