[aravind.anand]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

This is literally my saddest experience on any set of wheels, all my enthusiasm down the drain.

A man who does touring on a 100 cc bike, when people around keep calling larger engines 'insufficient' for touring on highways certainly needs no advice.

When I decided to try cycling for fitness, my first worry was to understand if I would really put it to good use, or waste it like the numerous other impulsive purchases that I have made over the last few years since I started earning. So to figure this out, I asked my sister in law, who is a pro at cycling for some advice. She suggested that I rent a cycle and ride along with her on a weekend to find out if I actually enjoy cycling or not. So I rented a bicycle from Track & Trail, and they sent me a beautiful Bianchi roadie, which was unbelievably light, beautiful and impressive to look at, even when parked. We started rolling early in the morning to catch the sun rise at the beach and hardly 1 km after we started I tried to accelerate and the chain gave way ! We cursed the store for the way they had maintained the bicycle, and pushed it all the way back home. So that was 600 Rs. down the drain!

Then I decided to buy a cheap, used bicycle from OLX, and to my surprise I found a Hercules ACT 110, which coincidentally Ninjatalli had posted about here on our forum a couple of pages back. Went ahead and purchased it for 4k, and spent about a 1000 for maintenance and now she is rolling along smoothly for a week now.

So yes, I understand the frustration, but just don't give up. Especially for a man with your kind of perseverance, you should keep pedaling through !

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

Then I decided to buy a cheap, used bicycle from OLX, and to my surprise I found a Hercules ACT 110, which coincidentally Ninjatalli had posted about here on our forum a couple of pages back. Went ahead and purchased it for 4k, and spent about a 1000 for maintenance and now she is rolling along smoothly for a week now.

Great news Aravind! I'm glad that you picked up the bike. Do post some nice photos as well as your initial impressions and what all you've got done on her to make her a daily roller.

Just one question I had from Ninja's description of rust. Its an alloy frame right? Coz the ACT also came in a steel frame version called the ACT 110 Plus or the ACT 110S.

Cheers, Doc

[aravind.anand]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Great news Aravind! I'm glad that you picked up the bike. Do post some nice photos as well as your initial impressions and what all you've got done on her to make her a daily roller.


Just one question I had from Ninja's description of rust. Its an alloy frame right? Coz the ACT also came in a steel frame version called the ACT 110 Plus or the ACT 110S.


Cheers, Doc

Will certainly do. I din't do it yet, as the owner of the bicycle is yet to be decided

Issues the bicycle had when purchased:
- The left pedal was broken by the previous owner
- The bicycle make a screech-screech noise with each pedaling movement (no noise when free wheeling)
- The brake pads were way beyond their useful life, so bad that I had to use my shoes to stop it during my first ride home after buying it.
- The rear gear shift housing's plastic cover is missing, while the front gear shift housing is in a really bad shape too.
- Only 2 & 3 on the front gear set is being engaged. The smallest one doesn't engage at all
- Front tyre has decent tread left, but has lots of cracks on the side wall and probably has to retire very soon.

Things I have sorted:
- Got new aluminium pedals from Decathlon and had a DIY replacement.
- Miraculously the screech-screech sound also vanished! Thankfully the noise was from the pedals, not from the bottom bracket as I originally thought.
- Front and rear brake shoes have been replaced with spares from Decathlon again. Was a really fun DIY, where I finally got to understand how those brakes work.

The frame has been badly bruised over years of use (abuse!) and lots of exposed aluminium, but thankfully no rust. There is however rust on the steel handle bar.

Immediate needs:
- A decent air pump - suggestions for a cost effective air pump please?
- Side stand - Decathlon?
- Bell - local cycle shops?
- Reflectors - local cycle shops?

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Cheers, Doc

Originally Posted by graaja

Do not let the mistake of a mechanic to ruin your interest in cycling. Use this as a learning experience and continue with cycling. You will never regret making cycling as one of your regular activities

Originally Posted by bhp_maniac

Don't worry friend

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

So yes, I understand the frustration, but just don't give up. Especially for a man with your kind of perseverance, you should keep pedaling through !

Thank you guys for the kind words and motivation.

Got her back earlier today and she runs like clock work with the new chain installed, though I've been advised to bring her back in 1.5 month intervals for tune-ups, the first two being free and the rest charged at 750~1000/- per service.

But I would be following the tried and tested route you guys go with and would start reading up on how the system works so that I would not have to return to the store.

While looking around I stumbled upon this source which I feel is a treasure chest of information for a newbie like myself.

How a Front Derailleur Works

How to Adjust a Front Derailleur

How a Rear Derailleur Works

How to Adjust a Rear Derailleur – Limit Screws & Indexing

They also provide advanced troubleshooting tips for the respective derailleurs;

Front Derailleur - Advanced Troubleshooting

Rear Derailleur - Advanced Troubleshooting

As a safe practice I now make it a point to shift the gears at the front only when when the gear at the rear is on the 4th cog, plus goes without saying that I've come to terms with having to develop the skill of shifting in advance which is something I'll have to get a hang of as motorcycles have really spoiled me.

Plus another pointer I've received is to avoid shifting under load as that can cause the chain to slip.

Going along the road I'll try to add pointers that I pick up as I believe it would help put many beginners like myself at ease.

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

A decent air pump - suggestions for a cost effective air pump please?

Firefox store in TVM a.k.a JusyBuyCycles, showed me a foot pump that costs 650/- it also comes with a PSI gauge, which is definitely a VFM if you'd ask me.

Unfortunately I couldn't buy one as they did not have a piece for sale due to overwhelming demand, though they'd promised me that they'd ensure stock is available by next week.

Any pump for that price is indeed a steel especially considering that it comes with a gauge, definitely beats my 150/- hand pump and 300/- gauge combo.

Though the 150/- generic pump has also been reliable in getting pressure back on both motorcycles and cars without fail.

Edit:

I just realized that I once used to ride the updated model of the ACT 110 which was christened Neo, the front derailleur was a living hell to set up and sadly we didn't have to the point info like the kind available in the videos posted above during those days i.e circa 2011.

I would suggest you take extra caution if you're of the heavier kind like myself, I distinctly recall riding over a small rut after which heard a small crunch from the front end, after that day no matter what we did the front end would not run right.

Also do watch out for rust, though alloy some parts are very prone to rust. My cycle had to be scrapped after barely a few years of use of which it was left unused for longer stretches which lead to the rusting.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

the front derailleur was a living hell to set up and sadly we didn't have to the point info like the kind available in the videos posted above during those days i.e circa 2011.

Sorry for the double post but I just recalled this info and I believe it is critical.

The derailleurs on the Hercules Neo a.k.a ACT 110 had adjustment screws that were as soft as butter, so please make sure to use the correct screw driver pitch else the heads would deform even before you realize somethings off.

[graaja]

Hi All,

Just wanted to share with you all that I finished my maiden half ironman in Goa on 13th January. This involved 1.9km of open water sea swim, followed by 84km of cycling (it is supposed to be 90km), and a 21km run. I have written a travelogue of this event in the below link.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...elly-fish.html (Fitness Vacation to Goa – A road trip, a triathlon and rendezvous with jelly fish)

[joe1980]

Originally Posted by graaja

Hi All,

Just wanted to share with you all that I finished my maiden half ironman in Goa on 13th January. This involved 1.9km of open water sea swim, followed by 84km of cycling (it is supposed to be 90km), and a 21km run. I have written a travelogue of this event in the below link.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...elly-fish.html (Fitness Vacation to Goa – A road trip, a triathlon and rendezvous with jelly fish)

Wow! That was impressive! Was that 89 km done in one stretch? Did you have to pause in between? I just bounced back from an ACL injury and managed to drive a stretch of 40 km's on my Mountain bike, but even that was a bit hard to manage and here you are doing a Triathlon! Man! Damn good!

[graaja]

Originally Posted by joe1980

Wow! That was impressive! Was that 89 km done in one stretch? Did you have to pause in between? I just bounced back from an ACL injury and managed to drive a stretch of 40 km's on my Mountain bike, but even that was a bit hard to manage and here you are doing a Triathlon! Man! Damn good!

Thank you for the kind words

Yes. The 84km was done with no breaks except for a couple of stops to refill my hydration bottles with Enerzal.

[aLY]

Hello all,

Have few questions on buying a road bike.

After lot of research, decided to buy Montra Unplugged(2018) and paid an advance amount of 5k to TrackNTrail, Chennai (Guduvancherry Showroom).

1. I'm 5'2", and the TrackNTrail proposed XS (48 CM) frame? will that look too small? I don't want to ride around on another small machine, I already have a Jaguar folding bike.

2. TrackNTrail is not keeping words on delivery date. They keep changing the date saying that it is shipped from factory. God knows why it is taking so much time? - even though the TI factory is here in Chennai.
I have already extended my budget from 20K to 26K, to buy Montra over Triban100. Do you think it is better to add another 5K and buy Triban500 (or Montra Celica, if available)

Guys, let me know your views.

[aravind.anand]

I am getting a hang on bicycles after more than a decade, and thanks to Strava, despite riding alone I still have some sort of motivation to keep pedaling. I have covered a little 100 km in the last 10 days since I brought the ACT 110 home, which coincidentally should be the highest in one single month in my entire life!

Right now I am averaging a shade over 20 km/hr for my hour long rides, and I am pretty sure that the biggest limitation here is myself and not the bicycle. But I also noticed that since the terrain in and around Chennai is pretty flat, I am on the largest gear at the front, and mostly toggle between 4,5,6 & 7 on the rear gear set. And despite being a novice, there are few portions where the gradient helps me get to speed and I can definitely feel that the gearing is too short and I could have been faster there if I had a taller gear ratio.

Does it make sense to replace the 14T-28T rear freewheel with something lower perhaps a 11T-28T freewheel to improve the top speed? This I feel will take the ACT 110 much closer to the roadies - of course, only when the rider is able to ride at those levels

Also, I am trying to remove my focus from speed, and just try and ride more and get consistent with at least 15-20 km everyday. Any pointers on how to improve and get faster?

[Aditya]

Originally Posted by aLY

1. I'm 5'2", and the TrackNTrail proposed XS (48 CM) frame? will that look too small? I don't want to ride around on another small machine, I already have a Jaguar folding bike.

A 48 cm frame should be perfect for you. Frame size matters. Get a frame to big or small and you could have pains and even injuries.

2. TrackNTrail is not keeping words on delivery date. They keep changing the date saying that it is shipped from factory. God knows why it is taking so much time? - even though the TI factory is here in Chennai.
I have already extended my budget from 20K to 26K, to buy Montra over Triban100. Do you think it is better to add another 5K and buy Triban500 (or Montra Celica, if available)

Both the Celtic and Triban 500 are lighter and have better components than the Unplugged. They are obviously better bikes. If I was in your place, I would extend my budget.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

Right now I am averaging a shade over 20 km/hr for my hour long rides, and I am pretty sure that the biggest limitation here is myself and not the bicycle. But I also noticed that since the terrain in and around Chennai is pretty flat, I am on the largest gear at the front, and mostly toggle between 4,5,6 & 7 on the rear gear set. And despite being a novice, there are few portions where the gradient helps me get to speed and I can definitely feel that the gearing is too short and I could have been faster there if I had a taller gear ratio.

Does it make sense to replace the 14T-28T rear freewheel with something lower perhaps a 11T-28T freewheel to improve the top speed? This I feel will take the ACT 110 much closer to the roadies - of course, only when the rider is able to ride at those levels

What you said is perfectly true. But in my experience, unless and till you get the legs, on a heavy-ish hybrib, 48-11 becomes almost unusable on flat gradient or above, and only comes to your aid to help you avoid spinning out on fast descents. Which I'm guessing isn't very common in Chennai (having many Strava buddies in Chennai, I marvel at their feeds and how flat everything is ... lol).

Also, for a 7 speed, 14 is the lowest you can go. In the 8 speeds and above you get 12 and 11. But that too only in cassettes. And the ACT is an old school fixed rear wheel with a threaded hub that takes a screw-on freewheel. You can of course do a lot ... but its not cheap, and the gains from gearing are usually marginal at best. Though bikers love going there first!

The really biggest bang for buck gain for your cycle would be a set of faster smoother rolling stronger and much lighter wheels. But big dinero there as well. More than what you paid for the bike. Quite a lot more. For one wheel.

Also, I am trying to remove my focus from speed, and just try and ride more and get consistent with at least 15-20 km everyday. Any pointers on how to improve and get faster?

Read this ....

http://www.coach-hughes.com/

Its been my go-to goldmine.

Cheers, Doc


P.S. Where are the photos?????

[varunanb]

Originally Posted by aravind.anand

Also, I am trying to remove my focus from speed, and just try and ride more and get consistent with at least 15-20 km everyday. Any pointers on how to improve and get faster?

To get this a habit start riding in groups. Groups will help u rise early and get on the saddle consistently. If you need help in identifying a group PM me I'll help you with local groups. I ride along the OMR - ECR and south Chennai regions. Last few weeks we have awesome weather to ride and make use of it till it lasts.

When you ride regularly, you will get a better understanding of gears and your speed gradually increases. Once you put in some miles you can think of upgrades. Till then enjoy your bike.

[bugatti]

I won't name the shops in this detailed account of my bike repair. Some others might have had better experiences; therefore, I don't want to unnecessarily tarnish the shops. Had written all this down in a notebook sometime (5 months back) but have updated it till jan 2019. On request, typed it up and posting here. Thanks for the motivation. @ebonho & @ninjatalli

Bought the Hercules ACT 110 for 4k in June 2017 from a friend of mine (I’m the 3rd owner). He was the 2nd owner, having bought it about 8 years back for 5k (the price for a new bike then was ~9k). So this bike is now in its 10th year.

Even in those days, he did not even use the bike much, it wasn't fully maintained- so in a way, the level of repairs this bike underwent was to be expected.

Fixed the bike purchase, went by cab to Silkboard, picked up the bike and rode it back through the ring road.

Took the bike to Shop 1. Gave it for service (I had not owned a cycle since 2002. I had no clue what was wrong and how much it would cost, so I thought a full service should fix most issues. Picked it up a day later. Some spokes were missing in the rear wheel so they added that. Got new alu alloy pedals (Decathlon was selling the same pedals for 499 (100 less).

Cost- 450 +600 (pedals) ~1050

The bike did not feel good to ride.
Started using the bike, went for 25k & 50k rides Sunday rides with a cycling group. Realized that this bike was in bad shape, even after service.

The chain came off on the 25k ride and other issues- gear shifting, brakes etc. Riding this bike beyond 5k was next to impossible. Was hesitant whether to go back to Shop 1 for further repairs (wasn't satisfied with their service and product pricing).

Found another shop (Shop 2) that looked OK. Went there, the guy was initially rude to me (I told him specifically what work I wanted done, he got angry, said, that is all part of service and said, take it elsewhere). Left with no option and embarrassed, I asked him about service and other costs. He said, many parts have to be changed, all the bolts (they were rusting), hand grips, and cables +cable housing. I told him I’m fine with the costs only if the bike is properly repaired.

Damages ~2500.

After this service, I thought the bike was OK but still had some niggling issues (the front crank was bent, the RD wasn't shifting well).

Went back to Shop 2 a few days later because, when riding the bike up inclines, there was a creaking sound coming from the pedal area. Was told that the bottom set (bottom bracket) had to replaced. So got that done, and some other minor work (rear tube replaced).

Damages 450+ 200 = 650

This solved the creaking issue, but created another major issue for me. The chain was falling off when I was in the smallest ring (in the front crank- 42/32/22). This was happening because the bottom set was wider than the one that was there originally. So the FD was shifting too far or too little.

So with the chain falling off often, I had to ride carefully taking care not to shift to the smallest ring in the front. Managed to use the cycle for 2-3 rides and gave up.

I tried to get bike repaired at Shop 3 but they gently suggested I try somewhere else as they didn't deal with Indian bikes (rightly so, their service is really costly and getting work done there would have added up to the costs). However, to buy the original, quality parts that I need for my Hercules & road bike, I trust Shop 3.

Searched for another shop (Shop 4). This was not too close by and at most times, there was much traffic enroute to this cycle shop. Finally, paid a visit.

There, the mechanic told me that the bottom set was meant for a single speed Hercules (and not a geared bike like the one I had). So the bottom set was replaced (they generously offered me an original shimano for only 950 instead of 1200, little did I know that the original bottom set is available for only Rs 650). And had the brake pads replaced and some minor gear tune up done. Also had the chain and cassette changed.

The bike felt better now but the feeling didn't last long. You see, the shimano bottom set they put was also of the wrong size (I didn't know it then).

Damages ~1750/-

I was using the cycle for errands (around March 2018) but the difficult shifting didn't give me enough confidence for longer rides. I had gotten a road bike a few months back and was using that for the longer rides.

To fix it, I decided to use the online service of fixmycycle.in and the person came over (these guys are stationed at Shop 4 and its 3 other branches across the city). It still didn't fix any of my issues (chain falling off, FD not shifting well). So unhappily continued using the bike, only for errands.

Damages ~499

Since I had a working bike, I became a bit lazy taking it back to Shop 4. I did some research online and found out the specifications of the bottom set that is installed in the Hercules (saved it in screenshot from choosemybicycle.com). I had a feeling that this shimano bottom set was close but not the right size..just a mm or so wider than the original.

In the interim, found out about Shop 5 from one of the members of a whatsapp cycling group, and decided to give it a try.

Gave my road bike for servicing at Shop 5. It rode fantastic. I had a brevet the next day, finished it strong. Was really happy with Shop 5's quality of service and pricing.

I could have taken the Hercules to Shop 5 but I felt that whatever the issues, Shop 4 had to fix it (since the bottom set installed was wrong, it had to be replaced by Shop 4 at their cost. Why should I pay from my pocket for a 3rd bottom set, when it's not even my mistake?)

I had acquired another bike to donate to some place, so had fixmycycle come over for the 3 bikes (single speed hercules, Hercules act 110, & road bike).

This repair too didn't fix my Hercules. The guy who came over (since he was from Shop 4), mentioned that the bottom set was probably the wrong size- I knew then that I had to pay a visit to Shop 4.

In between, I went back to Shop 1 for some brake adjustment and front crank work. The service person there, instead of truing the slightly bent crank, bent it even more. Brought it back to the house and parked it. Did not use it at all.

Work and life piled up, a month went by. A friend of mine wanted to start cycling, I helped him out with the selection of the cycle and service (he picked up the Hercules ACT 110 too @ 5k).

For his bike's service, we decided to meet up at Shop 4, I would get my bike work done at the same time. Friend and I show up at Shop 4 at the same time. He gets his bike serviced. The shop owner isn't convinced about having put in the wrong size bottom set. However, at my insistence (I show him the screenshot); he removes it and measures it with a Vernier caliper. The shimano bottom set they've put in is of the wrong size. He agrees to replace it with the correct size for a nominal cost (I wasn't too happy about the cost but let it be).

I had, some months back, picked up new brake calipers from Shop 4 but couldn't install the rear set as some of the bolts were really stubborn. So got those installed too at this repair. Got a new front crank, after the damage caused by Shop 1.

Damages ~1750

With good springy rear brakes and the correct size bottom set, working crank, shifting and braking was much better. Rode it for another month or so.

There was another issue, the rear rim was not true (one of the spokes had broken and a few others were loose), and had some spokes (installed in the 1st service) that were not original (they were silver coloured and ordinary spokes). To install the black spokes (they are tougher and meant for double walled rims), I would have to pick up an entire set of 32 spokes. Checked with 4-5 shops, they didn't have them at all.

Another 2 months went by in this search, called up Track & Trail outlets and check if they could procure them (I was willing to order the entire set if required). Finally, through luck or whatever, Shop 1 has a servicing outlet (that is separate from Shop 1). I called them up, asked them if they had the spokes, they replied in the affirmative. Went there, placed an order. This was a week before diwali 2018. The spokes came in but with all the festival stuff, I was able to pick it up only after diwali.

Took the spokes and the bike to Shop 5 to get repairs done. The mech there told me that the repairs would cost nearly as much the service, so told him to do full service and was recommended to change the brakes (~1000/- for 2 sets). The rear rim also had to be trued. (Getting the service done instead of just the repairs was a good thing because many minor issues were sorted out this time.)

Damages ~2000

The bike rode much better. The mech told me that the shifting is slow and not precise because the cable housing was local stuff (put in by Shop 2). I had to procure original Shimano or Jagwire 4mm cable housing. This set off another round of searching, searched a few shops, Shop 3 said they could procure it, but I had to wait a week or so (this was dec 2018). They got the cable housing, I went back to Shop 5 and had it installed.

I also got new hand grips, had mudguards installed for the rear (btwin). After riding it for a few days, the shifting was better but not as crisp as my road bike. The mech told me that the chain I've installed is for low-end geared bikes, I should spend another 650~950/- for a Shimano or KMC one.

What I'm looking to change in due course 1) the rear stand 2) chain.

The bike runs quite well now.

Parts changed/added:
Hand grips (twice)
Bell
Many allan bolts (they had rusted)
Headset bearings (the one that connects fork & handlebar)
Front reflector
Mudguards
Brake pads (twice)
Brake calipers (front & back)
Cable housing (brakes & gears)
Pedals
Water bottle holder
Rear tube
6 spokes (rear wheel only)
Hub bearings
Front crank
Chain
Cassette

Parts not changed:
Tyres
Handlebar
Saddle
FD & RD
Rims


Total damages ~4k + 14k + lots of time over 18 months.
--------------

Shop 1- even a year later, the mech there has a lot of attitude (when I was looking for the spokes, I bluntly told the business owner about it the bad service I had received there and why I now elsewhere, he acknowledged it and asked me to give them another chance, he would assign another mech to the job- but I never went back because the other mech was at their other shop most of the time. I didn't have the patience or the interest to get sub-standard work done again). The owner and I had a long chat about how they could do better in sales. Shared a lot of thoughts (which he appreciated but I don't think they are able to do much- the oldies there are too rigid).

Shop 2- This guy takes the cake. First, he embarrasses people because they have specific requests. He thinks too highly of himself and his abilities (the single speed bottom set in a multispeed bike takes the cake). Even after going there 2-3 times, he was not able to resolve my issues. Washed my hands off him.

Shop 3- They are really good at service (for imported bikes) and for buying parts (they have an online site that is really well-stocked).

Shop 4- They are well regarded by many folks in that part of town. However, whenever I've gone there, I get the feeling that he's doing me a favour by serving me rather than it being the other way round. Because of the wrong size bottom set, I doubt their technical abilites too. Pricing is arbitrary, trying to gouge me off with higher prices when I get better quality at lower prices online or other bike shops (this guy gouged my friend too). I've had a chance to buy my road bike from this place but I didn't because my Hercules' issues weren't resolved by then. No need for me to deal with them for now.

Shop 5- This place has my favourite mech. The service charges are really reasonable and the quality of service is really good. I'm on friendly terms with the mech and have no hesitation trusting him. The mech doesn't force me/recommend me to buy parts from the shop, I can get it from wherever I want and give it to him, no judgments.

All this experience has taught me a lot about bikes and maintaining them. My friend's bike, purchased with my assistance, required just 1 service. I gave exact instructions on what, how and when; and it was done.

This level of experience also helps with the road bike, especially when one is particular about having a well maintained and smooth bike.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

I just realized that I once used to ride the updated model of the ACT 110 which was christened Neo

Neo was not an update. It was sold alongside the ACT for a brief while. It was the ACT with a suspension fork (not a very good one ... which explains the crunch you heard) instead of the much nicer, sharper handling and faster curved steel rigid fork.

Originally Posted by bugatti

I won't name the shops in this detailed account of my bike repair. Some others might have had better experiences; therefore, I don't want to unnecessarily tarnish the shops. Had written all this down in a notebook sometime (5 months back) but have updated it till jan 2019. On request, typed it up and posting here. Thanks for the motivation. @ebonho & @ninjatalli

That's a really neat ACT you have there @bugatti! Beautifully kept and maintained. I can feel the passion and obsession!

This solved the creaking issue, but created another major issue for me. The chain was falling off when I was in the smallest ring (in the front crank- 42/32/22). This was happening because the bottom set was wider than the one that was there originally. So the FD was shifting too far or too little.

The triple crank of the ACT is a hybrid road crank. 48/38/28. Not an MTB one. What exactly was bent? The chain rings? The BB axle? the crank arms?

Since I had a working bike, I became a bit lazy taking it back to Shop 4. I did some research online and found out the specifications of the bottom set that is installed in the Hercules (saved it in screenshot from choosemybicycle.com). I had a feeling that this shimano bottom set was close but not the right size..just a mm or so wider than the original.

Can you share that screenshot here please for the rest of us ACT owners as well? 1 mm actually makes no difference. There is a huge taper at both ends that gives massive adjustability. The problem lies elsewhere I think.

He agrees to replace it with the correct size for a nominal cost (I wasn't too happy about the cost but let it be).

I had, some months back, picked up new brake calipers from Shop 4 but couldn't install the rear set as some of the bolts were really stubborn. So got those installed too at this repair. Got a new front crank, after the damage caused by Shop 1.

Damages ~1750

You got a new crank AND all of the above for just 1750? Just does not add up bro. How much as the crank for? Which brand? I hope you've not replaced an original TI crank with a low cost alternative. The crank is the heart of the bike.

There was another issue, the rear rim was not true (one of the spokes had broken and a few others were loose), and had some spokes (installed in the 1st service) that were not original (they were silver coloured and ordinary spokes). To install the black spokes (they are tougher and meant for double walled rims), I would have to pick up an entire set of 32 spokes. Checked with 4-5 shops, they didn't have them at all.

The ACT wheels have 36 spokes, not 32.

Another 2 months went by in this search, called up Track & Trail outlets and check if they could procure them (I was willing to order the entire set if required). Finally, through luck or whatever, Shop 1 has a servicing outlet (that is separate from Shop 1). I called them up, asked them if they had the spokes, they replied in the affirmative. Went there, placed an order. This was a week before diwali 2018. The spokes came in but with all the festival stuff, I was able to pick it up only after diwali.

Original ACT spokes are impossible to find. Not even TI could send me a set. I wrote and spoke to their top guys in Chennai.

Which brand spokes did you get? What was the price per spoke? I have been replacing spokes with the expensive Giant ones at 50 bucks a spoke. Some smaller shops charge even 100-200 bucks a spoke! Mad ....

Headset bearings (the one that connects fork & handlebar)

This will be on my list soon as well. What was the cost and which brand did you get? Specs?

You story and experience of going shop to shop, different shops for different things, attitude etc. is all part and parcel of riding an "Indian" bike and expecting "imported" bike standards, parts, service. I know it sucks. I get less attitude getting my KTM serviced. But that's the dysfunctional cycling and cycle shops scene in India. Short of doing all the work on your own, you have to go along and get the work done so that your bike can keep rolling. Without some hamfisted hathoda cchaap mechanic doing some irreversible damage.

Cheers, Doc

P.S. The front tyre has full circumference cracks. Regardless of the tread, you should definitely get a new set.