Our bike workshop can be very busy in the Spring and Summer. From changing chains to checking brakes and fixing punctures there are many small repairs that can be essential to maintaining a safe bike. In this story Keith tells us about fixing accidental mirror damage.
A few weeks ago my bike fell over and broke the mirror
Unfortunately plastic like this is difficult to glue back together especially if it will be subject to being moved and knocked. Therefore in order to fix this I took the decision to fit a bolt through the middle, in addition to gluing it.
In order to do this, I dismantled the mirror as much as possible to make it easier to work on. I then drilled through the broken plastic joint and counter-sunk one end to accommodate the head of the bolt. I think filed the other side to provide a flat surface for the bolt to rest on. I glued it in place with 5 minute-expoxy glue and fitted the bolt to hold it in place. Once the glue was dry ground back the excess bolt to ensure there are no sharp edges.
Once the glue was hardened which took a bit longer than 5 minutes due to the low winter temperatures. I then reassembled the whole mirror and fitted it to the bike.
It was necessary to adjust the mirror to make sure traffic is clearly visible and go off cycling with it.