Comment by lostlogin | Hacker News Reader

Comment by lostlogin | Hacker News Reader

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My eye is twitching.

I was out on a bike last week - it’s easily the nicest possession I have and perhaps the nicest I’ll ever have, a Cervélo Soloist.

The front rotor starting rubbing the calliper after a fast descent. I happened to have the correct tool and went to adjust the calliper and immediately stripped the screw head. I went to three bike shops, but all were too scared to touch it.

I did as the my all said. I cut a slot in the screw with a Dremel and tried a large flathead screwdriver, but it still wouldn’t budge. So I made the sides flat and got it out with a massive spanner. Bike frame miraculously untouched.

Satan himself arranged for these shit screws to be put in that amazing frame.

Sounds scary! Was it an Allan key by any chance? I've done a fair share of bicycle repairs, and never had a problem after investing in a proper set of allan keys[1]. Several times I or friends have rounded the slot with a cheap tool, but fixed it just by trying again with the better tool.

Glad your bike was okay in the end.

[1] - https://wheelfanatyk.com/blogs/blog/wera-nails-it

It was a SRAM torx, which are incredibly soft and I had the correct tool with me. I don’t like SRAM brakes. I do like the electronic shifting though. My brakes are now using Shimano Allan keys. I do fanaticise about using Shimano brakes, for a true mongrel bike.

Oh, my hands are sweating just reading that. I think I’d rather land a 737 than take a dremel near that much Italian carbon.

Cervélo is not an Italian company, they're Canadian. Its name is partially Italian as it's a portmanteau of cervello (brain in Italian) and vélo (bike in French).

And like the rest, presumably made in China.

TIL. That’s funny, I’ve thought for 20 years they were Italian. Thank you!

Owned by Pon Holdings since 2011 (who also own Gazelle, Derby, Raleigh, Ghost, Santa Cruz), with headquarters in California.

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