Tech Tip: Tightening Your Stem Bolts
August 14, 2018 by bmxnews.org Editors · Comments Off
This week in the Box Tech Tips series, Tyler Brown takes us through a bike maintenance step that every whip-wrencher should know: tightening the stem bolts properly. It’s easy to think “heck, just cinch ‘em up, and send the kid out there,” but THAT is where the “tips” part of “tech tips” comes in. Read more
Box Tech Tip: Fix The Hop in Your Chain
August 7, 2018 by bmxnews.org Editors · Comments Off
Before you take your race ride out for a spin on the track, give your cranks a quick-spin backwards. If it spins, then stops abruptly, your chainring may be off its axis a bit, causing an unnecessary tight spot in the chain.
In this week’s Box Tech Tip, Tyler Brown hops-to the task of helping you nullify that chain-hop.
It is, afterall, an imperfect world, so most BMXers won’t totally eliminate ALL tightness in the chain (because it can come from any-number of components, in combination). That said, you can use this tip to make every-effort to remedy what is fixable.
Equipment: Tyler is running a Box One M35 Crankset with a Rennen Designs 49t chainring and a KMC Chain.
Links
Box Brake Cables
July 23, 2018 by bmxnews.org Editors · Comments Off
In this week’s Box Tech Tip, a joint Product Spotlight feature. Tyler Brown upgrades your cable package. No, it’s not the one that slows down your training with reruns of Sponge Bob and Mystery Science Theater 3000. It’s the one that slows you down so you can go faster.
Be afraid of a frayed brake cable that has been crimped, and re-crimped; it will not give you the performance you need, and there’s a chance it could let-loose at the most inopportune time.
That’s why you need to replace your cable every-so-often, especially when you have to uncork the anchor bolt for a new wheel or other maintenance.
Here’s TB with the how-to:
Step One
Step Two
Tyler is using the Box Concentric Linear Brake Cable Kit (MSRP $19.99), which is the Rolls Royce of brake cables–complete with the necessary hardware, a cable housing in one of five colors (black, red, chrome, gold and blue), a cable with special PTFE-coating for super-slick stoppage. What’s PTFE, you ask? It’s a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene. Now you know.
Box also has the Nano cable, which is great for younger riders and weight-savers (MSRP: $9.99). Also available is the slightly-more-beefy Box Two Linear Brake Cable (MSRP $11.99), Links provided below to all.
Links
Box Concentric Linear Brake Cable Kit
Tech Tips: Stem Lock Installation
July 17, 2018 by bmxnews.org Editors · Comments Off
This week in the Box Tech Tips series, Tyler Brown cinches up his stem with a new Box Components stem lock. The process for this install is similar to many other commonly-available stem locks on the market, so what ever you’re running, you can get some installation wisdom from Mr. 316.
Check it out now:
This install vid will be especially helpful to those considering the Box version of the stem lock; Box has redesigned it. So what appears to be the top piece is now the bottom and the bottom piece is now the top. Sometimes, turning a design on its head is just what the doctor ordered to turn that BMX frown upside-down.
Check the link below for more info on the Box Stem Lock, and stay tuned for the next installment in the Box Tech Tips series, next week.
Links
Info: Box One Stem Lock by Box Components
Tech Tips: Crank-Down Some New Cranks
June 28, 2018 by bmxnews.org Editors · Comments Off
There’s almost nothing worse than an old, creaky, stiff-as-a-wet-noodle pair of cranks. However-much power you put down to the pedals, an out of date pair of crank arms and a slightly-twisted spindle will surely bleed your need for speed.
This week in the Box Tech Tips series, Tyler Brown has a new frame, ready to accept a spankin-new set of Box Vector cranks (including bottom bracket).
The process is virtually the same whether you’re building up a new frame or retrofitting your old-faithful for another go-fast season. Same goes for the cranks. Most pro-size cranks install similar to the model depicted in the video (with the exception of the bottom bracket tool). Mini cranks are a bit different with their “square-taper” spindle. We will get into that in a future Box Tech Tips vid.
Tyler breaks it down in three bite-sized morsels:
Crank Installation #1
Crank Installation #2
Crank Installation #3
Give your feet a firm handshake with the track via some new cranks. Now that you know how to navigate the install yourself, it’s easier than ever. Check the links below for more info on the vector cranks, and to order-up a set if you’re in the market.
Links
Box One M35 Crankset (172.5mm – 180mm)
Box One M30-M Crankset (145mm-155mm)
Tech Tips: Don’t Break Your Brakes
June 19, 2018 by bmxnews.org Editors · Comments Off
Yes, it’s true that you won’t win races by slowing down, but you also don’t avoid that dude’s back wheel when setting up the high low, without a little dive-conscious tap on the lever for pinpoint clearance. Then, it’s all sunlight upfront, straight on to the stripe.
This week in the Box Tech Tips series, Tyler Brown takes us through dialing in your calipers, Cali style.
There are three videos to this part of the series: Replacing and installing new brake pads, adjusting your V Brake arms and Adjusting brake pads.
Installing new brake pads
Adjusting the V-Brake Arms
Adjusting the Brake Pads
You should be checking the free-rolling motion of your back wheel every-so-often, because if your brakes are rubbing, you have an onboard drag-devil slowing you down. But, as Tyler just demonstrated, a few turns of the ol Allen wrench, and some proper maintenance, and you’re rollin smooth, in perpetuity.
Links
Box Tech Tips: Changing a Rear Cog
June 12, 2018 by bmxnews.org Editors · Comments Off
Changing your gear at the races is always a harrowing task. The pressure is on to get to practice, or before your next moto is called to staging. So, it really helps to know exactly what you’ll be facing when you pull the wheel off and start spinnin those wrenches.
In this week’s Box Tech Tip, Tyler Brown takes us through the process of changing a cog.
The process is somewhat the same on most brands of hubs–you’ll need to purchase a “chain whip tool,” which holds the cog in place as you use the next required tool–which Tyler refers to by it’s given name: a “bottom bracket tool.” Don’t let that fool you, it plays double duty here on the back wheel as well, to loosen/tighten the locknut that holds the cog on the hub.
A Chain whip and Bottom Bracket tool are essential parts of your BMX toolkit, so pick them up at any online vendor, like Amazon, Chain Reaction or similar.
You’ll probably invest $30-$40 on those tools, but NOT having them when you need them is one of those moments when you’d pay triple for them, so best to get them now.
OK, now that you have some of that primer, here’s the demo of the quick-and-easy process.
If you have a complete bike that is on the entry level, price-wise, your back hub may use a “clip ring” to hold the cog onto the hub, in which case, you can probably get away with a couple flathead screwdrivers to coax the ring out of its groove, then back on. Give it a look before buying those “essential” tools noted above, to ID which format your hub uses.
Still others don’t use a cog at all, but a “freewheel,” which threads on to the back hub, and requires different tools to remove. We’ll cover that in a future tech tips feature.
Links
Make a Date With Your Plate
June 4, 2018 by bmxnews.org Editors · Comments Off
This week, in the Box Tech Tips series, Tyler Brown covers the often-onerous task of applying a new cover decal to your number plate. The techniques demonstrated can also be used for applying numbers or any other decal to the surface.
Box Brand Manager, Phil Maxwell gives us a little backstory Read more
Box Tech Tips: Grip Replacement Finale
May 29, 2018 by bmxnews.org Editors · Comments Off
Last week, we covered the initial steps to replacing your grips. In this week’s double-feature, Tyler Brown shows us the rest of the job, before heading out to the track. For the non-mechanic, the weekly Box Tech Tips video helps to demystify the various swaps and upgrades you might want to make to your race bike.
Grip Install #2
Grip Install #3
Visit the Box Components website (link below) for more information on the products shown (Box One Lock On Grips and Box Hex Lab Carbon Mid Brake Lever). You can now also purchase directly from the Box website, if you so choose.
Links
Tonight! Cafe Willoughby Holeshot Challenge
November 6, 2017 by bmxnews.org Editors · Comments Off
News has been a fan of Sam Willoughby and Tyler Brown’s “Cafe Willoughby” show since the early days.
Over several episodes of talking about how to improve pro BMX racing as a spectator event, the guys developed a concept that would be spectator friendly, and Read more
