Part of the Week: Shimano Coaster "D" Type Brake Shoes 2831000

This part of the week is small but mighty!
These are the Shimano brake pads for their "D" type coaster hubs, part 2831000. You will need two per hub and are cheap enough to replace whenever you repack a Shimano coaster D hub. And who knows, maybe you want to race on one of these Shimano coaster brake hubs, like the nuts over at atomic cycles. Yes, you'll probably need to repack it every year for the event. Be sure to watch their videos and check out their photos.

Part of the Week - HMW127 Sturmey Archer Sprocket Spacing Washer

This week's part of the week... might look weak... but this is truly a special washer in vintage cycling. Sturmey Archer's HMW127 is a sprocket spacer for their internally geared hub sprockets to adjust your chainline from the rear hub. However... it also happens to be the perfect size to space an English or French bottom bracket. Just install it between the bottom bracket shell and the bearing cup... and there you have it. It will move the bottom bracket to the left or right depending on which side you install it on. Works with square taper style and external out-board bearing style.  And many of us know how a poor chainline can wear parts out faster, lead to a noisy drivetrain, and worst of all - cause chain suck.

Part of the Week: Raleigh Spoke Rim Nipple Washers PMW399

Nipple washers are something we rarely see in the cycling industry these days. They are a wheel building product of from the past, but are making a return with some carbon rims. These little washers are curved and sit on the inside of the rim so the nipple pulls against it instead of the rim. They disperse pressure from the spoke tension and prevent that spoke from pulling through or damaging the rim. If you've ever seen non-eyelet style rim fail at the spoke hole with cracks or deformation, then you understand how that can be the demise of a wheel.