Ouch! I can’t believe I did that and a technical question

[BobbyP]

I just replaced the drive train on my fixie. I trashed my crank so I replaced it, the bottom bracket, cog and chain. I had it all built and as I was wiping the lube off of my chain I reversed the movement, my rag got caught on the chain and the next thing I new it sucked my thumb in-between the chain and cog. The cog punctured my thumb nail and oh I felt so dumb.

Well on with the question, as I was cleaning up I realized that I did not install the little plastic cylinder with the bottom bracket. (it is an old style non sealed bottom bracket made by Sugino) So here is my question, how important is the little plastic thing that sits between the cones inside the frame. I have not ridden it yet and not sure if I should take it all apart or wait till my first rebuild to insert it? What do you all think?

Thank you,
Bob

[slowtwitch]

Yeah, fixies can ruin your day in the stand!

The little cover deal is better in than out... but not a great system either way. May as well put it back assuming you have a bb that is open to other tubes. If the shell is totally enclosed (unlikely), you're fine without it.

st

[SteveP]

you can live without it.

[BobbyP]

Thanks ST

BTW I felt very lucky; when I started installing the bottom bracket I went digging into my tool drawer and actually found what had to be a 30 year old Sugino bottom bracket tool that fit the shape of the fixed side perfectly. I forgot I had it. I took a maintenance course back then late 70s and purchased a set of assorted wrenches that I still have.

[anomaly]

In my experience the plastic cup keeps more water in than dirt out...

I also have lost the very tip of a finger to a chainring back in my BMX days.

[Cookietruck]

if my fingers are near the chain the drivetrain is going real slow and my other hand it pretty much right on top of the tire ready to stop it.

[Scott G.]

Is there a hole drilled in the bottom bracket ?

[Too Tall]

Is there a hold drilled in the bottom bracket ?

What Scott said.
If there is not do yourself a favor and drill a 1/4" hole. Stick a yellow valve cap in it when you rain ride and leave it out other times. This advice comes from the man who invented FrameSaver and he knows a few things.

[BobbyP]

Good idea, we have one on the bottom of our spectrums.

[bbillington]

back when the SS/fixed forum on bikeforums was actually pretty interesting, there was a fellow who did some real damage to a finger while cleaning his chain. In my mind I can still see the picture :shudder:

isn't there a word filter on VS to eliminate the use of "fixie"? :-D

[boundgear]

If you use fixie than you must use shifty for bikes with dangly bits out back.

[giordana93]

I'll never forget this page of sheldon brown on fixed gears. as he so eloquently put it, "sorry to gross you out,... but this is a real danger" (his emphasis)
long live sheldon :embarassed:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html