TECH | BUSH MECHANICS
» Depending on the type
Spook and Erica at a bush mechanic
workshop at Trail’s End Bike Hotel
screws “inwards”/tight, until
gear is “jammed” on a specific
gear (“righty tighty, lefty
loosey”), alternatively, release
or cut gear cable
» Force the derailleur to your
chosen gear and find a twig
or stone to insert into the
derailleur mechanism near the
spring, this will jam it in place
REPLACING BRAKE PADS
» Pack a slightly used set of brake
pads in your spares stash.
Reason being, the pistons will
have pushed out and if you fit
a brand new set of brake pads,
they will rub against the rotors,
causing drag and resistance
» Remove the wheel from
bike frame
» Undo the pin or bolt that keeps
the brake pad/s in place
» Remove old brake pads, with
the spring in between the pads
IMPORTANT
» Remember the position of
the spring and pads and
replicate
» Do not pull your brake levers
when there is no wheel in
the frame – your pistons
128 | MTB | tech talk
will close down and you
will not be able to put the
wheel back in
» Replace pads and spring
and secure with pin or bolt
» Put wheel back in bike
and spin to check rolling
resistance
» If you cannot get the rotors
to fit back between pads,
use a flat screwdriver, knife
blade or flat object – make
sure the tool you’re using is
clean and not oily or greasy
» Insert between the
brake pads and pry them
open, gently
If brake pads rub
against the rotors:
» Undo the caliper bolts
(bolts that tighten brake
caliper to frame/front fork)
» Pull the brakes fairly hard
» Now retighten the caliper
bolts, one at a time,
alternating between the
two bolts to ensure the
washers don’t move about
» Release brake levers, spin
wheel and check that the
wheel spins freely
of spoke, you might be able
to remove it. If not, just bend
it around the nearest
attached spoke
» Be careful not to puncture
your rim tape while removing
the broken spoke
» You might want to loosen the
spokes on either side of the
broken one to help straighten
a buckled wheel
» If the wheel is tacoed to
the point where it won’t fit
through the fork or frame
don’t be scared to use your
full body weight with the
wheel laid flat on the ground
and the buckle point against
the ground, then try to push
down on either side of the
rim. If that doesn’t work, you
opt for brute force and bash
the rim against something to
try and true it enough for it
to roll freely again. You’ve got
nothing to lose at this stage
BENT DERAILLEUR
HANGER
» The derailleur hanger is
intended to bend in the
case of a big hit to prevent
damaging the derailleur
» The easiest way to see the
bend is to crouch down
behind the mech with the bike
standing straight, pry gently
using the distance and angle
from the wheel as a rough guide
» Bending the hanger reduces
its strength significantly, so
be careful not to cause
further damage
» Your gears may still be clicking
and clunking but hopefully this
is enough of a fix to get you
moving again
DAILY CHECK
If you are making use of a
mechanical service, your bike
will usually be stored in the
official bike park. It’s in your
best interest to check the
following each morning before
you start your stage:
» Wheel axles/quick releases
are tight
» Tyre pressure
» Stem bolts
» Gears are running smoothly
» Chain is lubed (we know it’s
messy but ensure you use a
specific “wet lube” if it is going
to be a wet day)
So, don’t let a broken down
bike break your spirit. Every
recovery from a breakdown
deserves a celebration of your
resourcefulness. Turn your bike
upside down, crank the pedal
and hold your bottle cap to the
knobby tire as it spins. Popping
that cap will ensure that your day
just got that much better.
Daisyway Coaching Systems was founded in 1999
and has been involved with the Absa Cape Epic,
in many different roles, since the first race in 2004
EPIC/SPORTZPICS
BROKEN SPOKE