For me, finally sorting a leaky stubborn tubeless tyre fit so it inflates and holds firm. I get pleasing thoughts picturing the perfectly coated insides of that rubber ring, seeing a line of white sealant rubberising and those damn bubbles gradually halted in their tracks.
Building bikes. Simple pleasure of getting it right.
After that most jobs done with the right tools.
Taking apart jockey wheels, getting rid of the crud and greasing them back up.
Was my little ritual on the day before a cx race last autumn, gave me that confidence that I'd prepped the bike as best I could and it was down to my legs.
Wheel building , starting with a pile of spokes/nipples a rim and a hub and finishing with something that can happily ridden hard over rough terrain.
Bleeding Hope brakes.
After being on Shimano for years, it's such a nice, simple process.
Like Mikewsmith, I find building up bikes very enjoyable, from gathering all the components to final assembly. It is almost addictive.
Other than that, I find changing gear cables generally satisfying* as there is a noticeable improvement between before and after.
*this does not include internal cables on Trek EX 9.8 29ers. I did [i]not[/i] enjoy that experience. Mostly due to my own ineptitude to be fair
Love hearing the pop when inflating tubeless tyres, also after replacing a gear cable and everything feels smooth.
Nipping up cup n'cones just so.
Spannering on someone's shonky steed, making it function and handing it back to its owner who thought it was a lost cause.
The stuff that the guy in the shop does for me.
I think bleeding a Reverb back to working order is up there in the satisfying stakes.
It's that moment of triumph when it starts going up and down again.
> Chopping the steerer. Something really satisfying about cutting something down for a functional reason.
> Packing things with grease- headset, BB & hubs.
Nipping up cup n'cones just so.
This.
Wrapping bar tape. Definitely appeals to my OCD tendencies.
Replacing the full transmission on my winter hack for the price of a round.
Just general tinkering works for me. Having 2 kids and a busy wife means time is scarce so 5 or 10 mins here and there is good.
Doesn't have to be much, check tyre pressure, bolt tightness etc.
Taking BOS heaps & turning them in to functioning machines with an EBay job lot of stainless cables, bulk roll of outer, ferules, & skilled hands. Done this for my boys School, they have a fleet of bikes & teach the reception children to ride.
Very gratifying.
New cables then getting the indexing spot on....click, click, click followed by some perfect bar wrapping.
Being the office spanner monkey and fixing work mates bikes in a lunch break.
Fitting a new gear cable and the gears shifting perfectly with no trimming necessary.
A recent satisfying event was being given a front wheel that was the same shape as a pringle (mates son Cannock ride) and giving it back next day tight and very reasonably true.
What stevied said!
Just standing in the garage for a few minutes has a Zen like affect on me!
In terms of bang for the buck, new cables or even just new inners.
I don't like shonky shifting so I replace regularly as it is, and once shifting starts to turn cack, I change it. Even then, what still seems OK for me, when replaced by new cables is like a light coming on.
I feel sorry for people who persist with shit shifting when the cost and time of replacing is so small. Equally - i feel slightly sorry for folks like the pro's, who have cables replaced 'every day' (OK maybe not every day but you know what I mean) and never get that 'Wow, this feels great' moment.
Yep, I'm with Stevied too.
Five minutes to give the chain a good de-cruding with a baby wipe and then lubing it again. What a deeply calming thing to do. And the sound of a smooth-running drive-train never gets old. Have been known to nip out to the bike shed at lunch to get this right - especially after a morning commute with the beginning of a squeak.
Changing bearings in Hope hubs with the right tools.
Cleaning the drive chain.
Taking the cassette, chain and chainrings off, really good clean, refitting.
Then going for the ride with the like new drive chain.
Regards
Denis
getting long grass out of a cassette.
My few....
Striping down some original M4 calipers I got off Ebay with sticky pistons. Cleaned those up with wet & dry and fitted new seals and a bleed.
Took me ages but they were spot on.
Sold them after!
Building up a frame is also satisfying, done a few of those.
So is getting the older front mechs spot on too!
I think all of those will be surpassed when/if I build some wheels though 🙂
A clean chain and clean shifting. Tyres at the right pressure
Never tighten bolts on a Sunday night, something will break and theres no chance of replacements for Monday morning commutes.
A good new build or cup and cone as above are very satisfying... Do love replacing a complete drivetrain and cables too.
Can't beat a full fork service to make me feel clever but for simple satisfaction giving the bikes a good wash is hard to beat.
Just fitted a new set of SPD-SL cleats. Very satisfying nipping them up and getting the position just right.
I just re-installed a serviced shock onto my Anthem. That was easy, not sure what I'm going to do with all my spare time.
Recent one was fitting new seals with a proper seal tool.
Also the time I made a detent spring for a Revelation out of an old pen, and fitted it, after losing the original. Perfect clickiness.
Definitely fitting tubeless tyres. POING!
Quite like suspension servicing just because it's relatively surgical, most bike work is basically dirty and compromisey- which I don't mind at all but it's a different feel
Clean transmission and new cables. It's like a new bike for (almost) free.
Bleeding Hope brakes.
Likewise, Avid/SRAM. I've been through more pain than anyone should have to in years past. But once it clicks it is such a simple and satisfying 10 min job. The pain came from not knowing they were actually goosed and a similarly satisfying and cheap fix was there.
new cleats
fitting bbs (bsa threaded, anything else is wrong)
removing chain, steeping in degreaser, removing cleaning and refitting cassette, lubing chain and refitting
building whels with new rims and spokes (not as fussy about used hubs)
Fitting new mech cables and getting the indexing spot on without tweaking the barrel adjuster does it for me.
going for a ride after with the new part installed or repaired and working correctly.
Completing a task that supposedly requires a special tool....without buying the special tool
Favourite task...wheel building
Most hated...trying to get the stem aligned with the front wheel
Wheel building, because it's so relaxing and satisfying.
Bleeding/working on Hope brakes, because it's so easy.
Working on coil spring Marzocchis, because I just love Marzocchi forks.
Washing the bikes after a muddy day on the trails.
Wrapping fresh bar tape. Both the experience and the results are highly satisfying 😉
I also love removing the entire cassette (after not cleaning it for 2 or 3 months) and submerging it in strongest chain degreaser I can lay my hands on and then scrubbing it with my toothbrush. And fitting a new chain at the same time - bliss!
Building wheels.....it's like bloke knitting.Almost transcendental (sat on floor half watching a film with a big mug of tea).