Garage Night

So thanks for all the emails asking if we’re planning to do more episodes. The answer is yes. We’ve been just been quiet over the (northern hemisphere) winter because it’s just been too bloody freezing to hang out in an unheated garage drinking beer, spannering bikes and waving a camera about.

But we’ve all been busy with our own projects. I decided to paint the ugly front subframe on my Cagiva Elefant 750 and touch up the engine side cases and belt covers, which the dreaded ‘previous owner’ had allowed to get into a horrible state. That snowballed into painting the whole engine, which meant taking the heads and barrels off, so while I was at it I did the valve shims – finally conquering one of the tasks most feared by the Ducati home mechanic. If you have a two-valve desmo Ducati there are videos here and here that break the job down into a fairly simple procedure, complemented by a pretty decent write-up here (read carefully though – it does get a bit out of sequence at one point). Basically you just need to be methodical and stay on top of the measurements. And don’t drop anything down the oil return holes! Continue reading ‘It’s alive! Here’s what we’ve been up to lately’

G’day Garage Night TV watchers. Just a quick note to say we’re taking down the forum for the moment, just to simplify the site.

It’s still easy to get in touch and discuss bike fixing stuff. Just post a comment on an episode, or if you want to pick our brains you can email garage@garagenight.tv

- Waz

I’m not quite sure what it is, but my nerves are jangling. Maybe it’s the sunnier, longer and marginally warmer days we’re having in these parts as a nasty winter slackens its grip at last. But more likely it’s my inner biker emerging from a gloomy winter of hibernation.

Through the cold months I’ve actually been questioning my biker side – staring forlornly at my partly dismantled Cagiva with lots of cruddy bits that need attention, inwardly lamenting my lack of proper workshop facilities at home, juggling working on the bike with family life, and even asking myself whether the bike thing is worth my time any more.

Waz's way of getting through the winter - a vintage Dawes King Pin bicycle from the 1970s. Lesson learned: 1200 grit wet and dry paper soaked in WD40 is great for removing that fine speckly rust from old chrome

I ploughed my way through the winter on my folding bicycle, a veteran Dawes King Pin from the 1970s that someone on Freecycle gave me. I’ve been riding it partway to work and back each day, and actually I’m hooked on cycling now. I even got to put some of Trent’s know-how on wheelbuilding into action by replacing five spokes and truing up the rear wheel. All this pedalling must be doing me some good too, because despite my age carving a deep furrow through the upper 30s I just bought a pair of the same size Levi’s as three years ago. Continue reading ‘Can’t wait to get spannering again – and maybe do some riding too!’