# Bicycle Secrets
**URL:** https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682
**Category:** Bikes
**Created:** [June 15, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682 "2014-06-15T18:14:13Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Tail\_Hook\_Lengthener](https://tarck.cc/u/Tail_Hook_Lengthener)
#### Post date: [June 15, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/1 "2014-06-15T18:14:13Z")
-The screws on your derailleur are usually JIS, but your screwdrivers are probably ISO. Switch to JIS screwdrivers, and you’ll stop stripping limit screws. Hozan makes some good one.
-Motorex makes Shimano’s lubricants. Their Bicycle Grease 2000 is the same as Shimano’s Special Grease, and Motorex White Grease is the same as Shimano’s SP41 cable grease. Motorex stuff sells for a fraction of what Shimano does, comes in much larger containers, and is generally awesome.
-Shimano’s new polymer coated cables make everything work better. I’m using them on my Campagnolo Record shifters by grinding down the heads to fit. Performance increase is notable.
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### Author:  [@catdrew\_f](https://tarck.cc/u/catdrew_f)
#### Post date: [June 15, 2014, 6:58pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/2 "2014-06-15T18:58:46Z")
these are good
i knew about the screws and cables, but the motorex stuff is great. I always liked it, but didnt know it was what shimano used for OEM
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### Author:  [@rancid\_burple](https://tarck.cc/u/rancid_burple)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2014, 12:28am UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/3 "2014-06-16T00:28:07Z")
Windex is the secret to everything on the bike.
A flat piece of something placed along the tail of the drops pointing forwards and elastic banded in place will assure perfect hood placement.
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### Author:  [@anomaly](https://tarck.cc/u/anomaly)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2014, 11:50pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/4 "2014-06-17T23:50:54Z")
Motorex++
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### Author:  [@Shortpants](https://tarck.cc/u/Shortpants)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2014, 12:34am UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/5 "2014-06-18T00:34:57Z")
> [@rauce](#):
>
> A flat piece of something placed along the tail of the drops pointing forwards and elastic banded in place will assure perfect hood placement.
Need diagram, my brain no make word pictures
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### Author:  [@rancid\_burple](https://tarck.cc/u/rancid_burple)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/6 "2014-06-18T00:46:00Z")
At the shop, we use a flat piece of aluminium about 40cm long with a little tab bolted on at the end. The tab hooks the end of the bar and an elastic band holds it flat along the tails of the drops. You line the tip of the brake lever with the piece of aluminium.
Like this:
I don’t know how mind blowing it is, but I’d never thought of it myself.
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### Author:  [@Dickason\_Daniel](https://tarck.cc/u/Dickason_Daniel)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2014, 12:53am UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/7 "2014-06-18T00:53:47Z")
I usually eyeball about a cm up from that. And use a spoke length ruler or a 32/36mm flat wrench or something.
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### Author:  [@Larry\_Winget](https://tarck.cc/u/Larry_Winget)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2014, 12:50am UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/8 "2014-06-18T00:50:58Z")
I’ve often thought about making a jig to do that where you could scoot the levers higher and mark your place. Apparently someone did a few years ago. Lulz at the price.
> **[BiciSupport offers lever alignment tool](https://www.bicycleretailer.com/new-products/2012/09/07/bicisupport-offers-lever-alignment-tool)**
>
> FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany (BRAIN) — We all know the customer (or employee) who frets about getting road bike brake levers positioned EXACTLY even on each side of the bar. Many mechanics have developed various jigs and measuring systems to position the...
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### Author:  [@Andrew\_Squirrel1](https://tarck.cc/u/Andrew_Squirrel1)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2014, 12:53am UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/9 "2014-06-18T00:53:59Z")
I feel like I found out about it in some Riv literature (video?) or maybe some Park tools big blue book.
edit: mebbe this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEUm3VzF\_Z0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEUm3VzF_Z0)
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### Author:  [@Tail\_Hook\_Lengthener](https://tarck.cc/u/Tail_Hook_Lengthener)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2014, 4:41am UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/10 "2014-06-18T04:41:17Z")
I’ve worked for a few shops that made their own. Pretty easy to do.
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### Author:  [@VT\_regularbike](https://tarck.cc/u/VT_regularbike)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2014, 4:53am UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/11 "2014-06-18T04:53:36Z")
It’s pretty easy to do with a good eyeball.
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### Author:  [@Shortpants](https://tarck.cc/u/Shortpants)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2014, 5:20am UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/12 "2014-06-18T05:20:09Z")
That’s the thing, I just eyeball and adjust if it’s necessary (most often not) . Its never been more than a couple of adjustments a few km down the road. But that’s not a big deal for my own bikes, I understand it being different for a shop.
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### Author:  [@circuithero](https://tarck.cc/u/circuithero)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2014, 5:38am UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/13 "2014-06-18T05:38:12Z")
I’ve been about this life.
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### Author:  [@JUGE\_FREDD](https://tarck.cc/u/JUGE_FREDD)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2014, 5:54am UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/14 "2014-06-18T05:54:16Z")
> [@VT regularbike](#):
>
> It’s pretty easy to do with a good eyeball.
with some bar/lever combos shit starts moving around as you tighten, and it really helps to have a gauge
I usually just do it off the bike with the bars on a table, no reason to do it in the stand if nothing’s cabled up
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### Author:  [@Shortpants](https://tarck.cc/u/Shortpants)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2014, 6:13am UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/15 "2014-06-18T06:13:07Z")
Fuckkkkkkkk, I hate shit that moves as you tighten it. Canti brake posts, I’m looking at you.
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### Author:  [@kevinwulf](https://tarck.cc/u/kevinwulf)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2014, 6:24am UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/16 "2014-06-18T06:24:30Z")
[quote=circuithero] 
I’ve been about this life.[/quote]
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### Author:  [@EuroJorch](https://tarck.cc/u/EuroJorch)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2014, 12:06pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/17 "2014-06-18T12:06:09Z")
[quote=JUGE FREDD]
I usually just do it off the bike with the bars on a table, no reason to do it in the stand if nothing’s cabled up[/quote]
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### Author:  [@VT\_regularbike](https://tarck.cc/u/VT_regularbike)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2014, 3:15pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/18 "2014-06-18T15:15:19Z")
I guess 90% of the time I adjust them they’re from a bike out of a box already cabled & wrapped so there’s that. I’ve used the table trick too but that usually takes longer than just getting one lever in the proper spot, getting behind the bike and using the top of the bars as an artificial horizon to make sure both levers get put in the same spot. I find I can usually do this faster than pulling out an additional tool to duck around with.
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### Author:  [@Andrew\_Squirrel1](https://tarck.cc/u/Andrew_Squirrel1)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2014, 6:57pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/19 "2014-06-18T18:57:20Z")
The ruler trick works just fine but it feels much akin to trying to hold a nut with needle-nose pliers.
Wrong tool for the job but it works.
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### Author:  [@b-roll](https://tarck.cc/u/b-roll)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2014, 10:25pm UTC](https://tarck.cc/t/bicycle-secrets/20682/20 "2014-06-18T22:25:10Z")
> [@EJ](#):
>
> nut with needle-nose pliers
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