texts: Belt drive, rear sprocket can move sideways

texts:
I have (RieseMüller/Bosch/Nuvinci/center track) and the rear sprocket can move slightly sideways.

Is this on purpose or is there anything loose?


texts: Best option to get my cleats closer inwards to the crank due to a narrow stance

texts:
I recently bought a road bike and also SPD-SL shoes/pedals, but have not been able to find a cleat position that feels natural to me. After long rides the hamstring tendon that attached at the outside of the knee starts to hurt and I feel like it's due to my feet being too far outward away from the center of the bike. I think my hips are on the narrower side and thus my stance also is.
My cleats are already positioned maximally to the outside of the shoe. What I don't understand is that the cleats can only be adjusted sideways about 5 mm. How can such a small range be sufficient for people with legs/hips of all sizes?
My question is: what is the easiest way to get my shoes closer to the center of the bike.
Photo of my bike and shoes: I would like to move the shoe such that is almost touches the crank. This feels most natural to me.


texts:
I have a Cannondale M600 Red White & Blue.
My 7 speed Shimano integrated trigger shifter will no longer function.

I cannot tell the model

I cannot fix it nor find an identical replacement what other compatible Shimano shifters Can I use?


texts:
I recently bought a two wheel cargo-trailer without suspension, and I am quite happy with it.

My main issue is that it gets incredibly loud when carrying a crate of beer, especially an empty one.

Is there a trick to keep the noise down? I tried to wrap the crate in towels, but it does not really help.

Edit

Cardboard-dividers did not change a lot, compared to my towels. They did look pretty cheap, there might be better ones.

Tilting the crate 30 degrees in the trailer however, reduced the noise level substantially.


texts:
I transport my 15 Kg kid on a child-seat. I want to set a pair of panniers. Even if I could put them on a rear rack (I don't know if I can), would it be a good idea to choose a front pannier system aiming to balance the weight? I mean to do not have almost everything in the back part of the bike.

Without panniers my front wheel often takes off from the ground on slopy rocky paths. Is it worth it, knowing that I will lose some steering comfort with front panniers?


texts: Are drop bars suitable for winter commuting?

texts: I've been told by somewhat knowledgable people that drop bars aren't suitable for winter cycling in snow and ice. Is there any validity to this? If so, why, and which style of handle bar would be preferable?


texts: What child seat would fit an old model Gary Fisher bike?

texts:
I have a Gary Fisher zebrano, bought some time around 2000. It's in perfectly good nick and i'd like to get a rear child seat for it to take my little boy out on it  Unfortunately, my local bike  a shop thinks my old bike won't work with any seat currently on the market, due to the position of the brake cables and some 'pins' on the back wheel fork (sorry for novice description!). They thought any adaptation to fit would be unsafe. Apparently my bike won't take new model bike racks for the same reason.

I need an second hand child seat. Does anyone know a model name or anything that could start me off on eBay? Or a current model child seat that would fit? I'm not a cycling pro (sure i have given that away already!) and haven't really got a clue where or how to start looking for fittings or anything past blindly walking into a bike shop.

At the moment, it's looking like I'll need to buy a new bike for the sake of being able to fit a child seat!

Thank you in advance. Any advice appreciated!

NB. I'm not keen on seats that go in front of the cyclist for safety reasons. Also don't really like the idea of a trailer in London streets.


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  How can I improve my stamina?

I would like to improve my endurance while bicycling.
I'm especially interested in increasing my endurance while going up a slope (since right now I get tired very easily while doing this and have to stop to take a rest quite often).

What advice would you give me on this?
Do you know any good training program that you would recommend?


texts: how is the middle of a folded Brompton supported?

texts:
I have a Brompton customised by Kinetics and notice that when placed on its side the upper parts seems to be supported by:

at one end, by the frame hinge, and
in the middle (near the fork catch) by the front hydraulic disc brake caliper body pressing against the chainring guard.

There appears to be no other support, so if something is subsequently stacked on top of the bike, I'd guess it would stress the caliper and crank/chainring. Shopping-trolley mode with a loaded bag may also cause pressure between these parts.

How does a normal Brompton, lain on its side, support itself in the middle?
How much weight can sensibly be put on top?

The reason I ask is that I bought a chubby trailer which can hold the brompton but it provides no protection against something heavy being placed on top of the bag in transit. Given this problem with the custom Brompton I am curious as to how a normal Brompton behaves.
In case it make things clearer, I'm thinking of the brompton on its side being like a <, where the point is the frame hinge, the top is the handlebar side and the bottom is the rear triangle side. I'm trying to find out what contact point (or points) along the inside prevent a normal brompton flattening into -.
I don't have access to a normal brompton and have been unable to find detailed images of the inside of the fold. I'm fairly certain the middle isn't supported by the fork hook (that stops the fork moving outward, not inward). I'd guess the left fork blade eventually comes into contact with the right chainstay and that contact point provides the support but it would be nice to know for sure.

Here are a couple of pictures of my (not-very-clean) bike.
Despite appearances, the only places that the left side (front-of-hinge: fork,handlebars,etc) and right side (back-of-hinge: frame, rear triangle, etc) will be in contact when the bike is laid on its side are at frame-hinge and brake/crank (circled in red):

Close-up of the brake/crank contact point:


texts: Creaking which is temporarily resolved by tightening rear quick release

texts:
My commuter road bike (Pinnacle Arkose 3 - actually a disc-braked cross bike, fitted with mudguards) has an annoying and loud creak, associated with each turn of the pedals - there is a creak each time a pedal passes the 2-3 o'clock position, on either side.

It sounds like a bottom bracket creak, but I have replaced the bottom bracket and adequately tightened it, yet the creak continues.

If I unclip one foot and pedal one-legged the creak stops - this works for either foot. If I pedal very lightly at a very high cadence (e.g. 120 RPM), the creak stops.

If I pedal hard or sprint out of the saddle, the creak is louder.

If I stop and tighten the rear wheel quick release (traditional QR, rather than through-axle), the creak stops, but inevitably returns, often within a few miles.

So far I have tried/checked:

swapping in the QR skewer from my turbo trainer and this makes no
difference - the creak only goes away temporarily
checking the chain for wear - currently showing as 0.5% worn
checking the rear wheel is properly seated in the dropouts
tightening the bolts on the rear derailleur hanger, which
the QR skewer tightens to

What else can I try to resolve this annoying creak? It's driving me crazy! I'm also concerned it could be a sign something is under fatigue or close to breaking.


texts: Is it normal to stop so much because of thighs burning?

texts:
I've taken up cycling because of an operation I had in August 2015. My consultant made it clear I had to get regular exercise.

I thought cycling was probably one of the best exercises I could do.

I'm finding it so hard on hills, even a gentle uphill slope.
Very painful butt and aching, burning thighs.
The butt I can live with. But the combination of both stops me from wanting to go out.

My last ride was 17 miles. And 24 two days before. Combination of all gradients.
Not far into my ride, I hit a gentle uphill climb and my thighs started burning. I tried to ignore it but had to stop for a minute then go again.

It seemed I was resting longer than I was cycling. Probably about 10 revolutions. It seemed ridiculous.
I'll be 57 in two days time.

Is it because I'm new to cycling, and my age?
Maybe I'm doing too much? Is it normal and does it get better with practice?


texts: cleaning v-brake arms with riveted inner sleeve

texts:
I've got avid single digit 5 v-brakes, those with an inner sleeve riveted into the arm; the sleeve isn't supposed to move around the pivot, the arm itself moves around the sleeve instead. Arguably due to the salt in the street snow, arms are not returning to open position, as described here and here. How can I clean and lubricate those sticky surfaces of the arm and the sleeve, which are completely hidden even after taking the arm off the pivot (i.e. between "A" and "S" on the second image)? WD-40 (Germany) was not good enough. And I'm no smarter after reading the manual (from www.sram.com/service/avid/70).

PS: feel free to edit my English, I'm having a difficult time with mechanical vocabulary...


texts: Why are tires that fit 622mm wheels called 700C

texts: where does the 700 come from and what does the C stand for in 700c?


texts: Verenti Technique 2015 - Crankset upgrade

texts: My verenti road bike (Wiggle own brand) has an unbranded crankset which I am thinking of upgrading to a Shimano 105. Does anyone know if I will need to change the bottom bracket as well ?


texts:
I decided to change my bike's brake pads myself. My bike has the following brakes: Promax DSK-915. I contacted the online shop I ordered my new brake pads (and my bike last year), before purchasing, and they told me that these are suitable for my bike: Cox DBP-06.87-R Disc Brake Pads.

I got them today, but I have no idea how to put them on my bike, as the old ones I have are not rounded and have little hole that's used to put them in place.

Below you can see my old brakes. The "thing" (split pin/cotter pin) I circled in red goes in the little holes I marked with numbers.

I don't understand how I can install my new ones on my brakes:

Is that even possible? Or the online shop suggested I buy the wrong product? I am so confused.


texts: Is it ok to use a 9spd link on a 10spd chain?

texts:
I accidentally broke the master link (a.k.a reusable missing link) on my 10psd KNC x-10 chain.
Since I only had a SRAM 9spd replacement link, i used that to connect the chain.
I rode 30 Km without any issue, but is it a good idea to leave the 9spd link in place, or should i replace it with a dedicate 10spd link?


texts:
I've decided to change a number of brake cables on my family's fleet of bikes. I'm overwhelmed by the number of possible inners and outers.

What features should I prioritize? Stainless? Teflon-lined? Cost?

If it matters, I commute (ride ~five miles, daily, all weathers, urban), live in the UK, and have (or will buy) all relevant tools.


texts: Does the Shimano Tourney TX rear derailleur support an 8 speed cassette?

texts: I would like to upgrade to 8 speed. Does the Shimano Tourney TX rear derailleur support an 8-speed cassette.


texts: What parts do I need to use Di2 wireless shifting on a road bike

texts: Also what is the cheapest best way to buy them. I just want everything that is absolutely necessary for wireless shifting so no crank, drive chain breaks etc.


texts: Rear brake doesn’t grip/slips through and doesn’t stop the bike sharp or at all

texts:
I cleaned my bike about a month ago and since then I tried to fix both of my brakes.
I have hydraulic disk brakes (Tektro Auriga). After I replaced my pads, I was bedding them for over three days of consistent biking and braking on low and then high speeds, but it didn't work. I bled my bike more than five times, and it didn't help. I sanded those pads with 200 grid sandpaper and rubbed them with isopropyl alcohol. It fixed two of my pads - I guess because the front brake works fine (70-90% of the strength it used to provide), however, the rear ones don't.
The brake feels sharp, not spongy or anything (I bled it twice specifically), but it feels like it's contaminated with oil because when I brake, no matter hard or not, the wheel slides through the brake pads and stops very slowly. In rare cases, after 20-ish minutes of active braking (bedding in-like process), it starts squealing and bites just a tiny bit more, however, the very next day it appears from the very start e.g. close to no grip.
The only thing I haven't don't yet - burning or baking the pads.
BTW, I ordered new pads, but I still want to investigate why this occurred and how to fix it, because the pads which are used right now are two weeks old.


texts:
I have a pair of SRAM Roam 50 wheels (like this) with very excessive decals. I'm trying to remove them but no known method seems to work. The following methods have failed (= don't even scratch the surface):

Heat Gun
Plastic Razor
Isopropyl alcohol
WD40
Any combination of the above

The only method that has (very little) success is an old school razor (metal) - but that scratches the rim.
Is it possible that there's a clear coat on top of these stickers?
Has anyone encountered such stubborn rim decals and won the war?


texts:
If I get this commuter bike, should it have a kick-stand?

One LBS said "no": they explained that stands are difficult to attach, weigh a bit, don't stay on well, and/or scratch the frame.

I've never had a bike without a stand. A lot of my parking will be locking to a post-and-ring device like this.

If your bike doesn't have a kick-stand:

Why not?
How do you park it without one? Can you just lean your bike up against whatever you're locking it to? If so, doesn't it roll and fall over easily? Do you only/mostly park it in the kind of rack where you push a wheel into a vertical slot which holds it upright?


texts:
I have a CX bike that i would like to put on a turbo trainer. The bike is Boardman CX Comp.

The question i have is what turbo training tire could i put on my wheels Mavic XM319?

My current tires are Schwalbe Tyrago Kevlar Guard 700 x 37c what tires could replace these?

What tire options do i have and am i limited to what turbo trainer i can use?

I have yet to try any tire and i have tried to google to get an answer but dont fully understand the reply.


texts: I've been given this bike that needs attention.  I have found no information on the web about a Raleigh "The Mission" bicycle that matches this type, though there's lots on the more recent rock hopper.  I'm wondering about its age, make up, market, -any information really.  It looks like it might make a good commuter for a small adult, which I'll have on my hands soon.


texts: What to buy when looking for a low maintenance city bike that allows sportive riding

texts:
I just want to replace my good old 50€ used Peugeot City Bike, that has served me well for the past year, but has some problems (like ribbed Steel Rims) that are hard to overcome.

I want something that is very low maintenance, can be ridden in winter and in rain without needing much oil on the chain and brake maintenance. The brakes need to be very good, for fast but controlled city riding ...

I would include fenders, lightning, a luggage rack, the usual accessories. For shifting i am thinking about an internal hub.

I am still unsure which brakes i should choose. There are some low maintenance roller brakes, but how is their braking power? Should I keep using rim brakes despite their lower performance in winter? I guess disk brakes are not appropriate for low maintenance...

I am also not sure about staying with the good old chain (encased, so it is protected from dirt) or if i should switch to belt drive. Is the belt drive really worth the extra money, or is it just a marketing fad?

My Peugeot had drop bars, but I guess I will drop them for standard city bike bars.

So question is: What should a bike that is to be bought for shopping and riding in the city consist of? Anything I have forgotten or not considered?


texts: Campagnolo drivetrain compatibility and noise

texts:
My bike has 2009 Campagnolo Veloce 10 speed drivetrain. I recently changed the cassette (still Veloce 10 speed) and chain (campagnolo Record 10 speed). I assumed the fact that the chain was in the Record series wouldn't matter since it's still 10 speed.

However, I can't get the new setup to shift well. If I tune it so that it downshifts smoothly, it's noisy while pedaling (unless I exert a small force on the upshift lever). If I tune it so there's no noise while riding, it won't downshift properly.

Further reading of the Record chain says it's "Ultra narrow" so I'm wondering if that chain isn't compatible with the rest of the Veloce drivetrain.

Is my issue adjustment or compatibility?


texts:
I made the mistake of pulling my brake leaver whilst the wheel was off, so the piston came out, and I lost quite a bit of oil.

I pushed the piston back in, and proceeded to follow the bleed procedure for these brakes but I am having problems.

When I loosen off this bolt, about 1/4 turn, and inject the oil, all the injected oil appears to flow out of the thread shown within the red circle in the picture attached.

I've also tried sucking oil out of the top with a syringe but it doesn't seem like the system is open.

Could the loss of fluid be causing some kind of air blockage?

Could I have pushed the piston in too far,  as there is no oil behind it now.

Should I try and force oil from the top down?

I havn't got loads of oil to spare,  so I don't know what to do.

Please advise on refilling entire system, and if this is same procedure.

Thanks.


texts: Is there anyway I can fix this for it to function properly again, or am I gonna need a whole new shifter? The lever is cracked and broken at the collar where the hex bolt threads in so I'm guessing I'm screwed because it obviously won't shift now it just pops off the bottom of the trigger shifter


texts: Can anyone tell me how pedelec sensor in PAS bicycles work?

texts: While doing a literature review I found out about pedelec sensors (while googling some sensor to find torque applied by the rider). Is anyone who has used it willing to share the mechanism and can you briefly explain the mechanism?


texts: What could have caused a rear derailleur to end up in the back wheel suddenly?

texts:
This is a similar question to What exactly happened to my rear derailleur? but with some significant differences.

My bike had recently been serviced (about 3 weeks/500 km previously). All that had been done to it since that was a little tightening of new brake cables and oiling the chain the day before a planned big ride. The RD seemed fine when I oiled the chain.  Over the first 100ish km of the ride (link includes pictures of the aftermath) I'd used the full range of gears, front and rear.  On a gentle uphill, at least a few seconds after changing down, there was a nasty noise and the back wheel locked up.  I barely unclipped in time and got off to find the RD tangled in the spokes and wedged against the seat stay.  After two failed attempts to set up and emergency singlespeed conversion (snapped chain) I got the train and a lift home. No spokes broke at the time but several are damaged (two snapped after about another 150 km with a borrowed rear mech).

All parts were present including the B screw and both cage/axle screws (though one was torn out of its thread) and the mounting screw was still firmly in the hanger (which despite being solid steel was quite bent).

I've started putting the bike back together,  but what should I be looking out for either as I reassemble it, or before a ride -  I've got a tour coming up.


texts: screeching/grinding sound when coasting at speed

texts:
2003ish Cannondale six13, all Ultegra.

Frequently, but not always, when I'm coasting at a fast pace, usually down a hill, the bike will start making this hideous screeching/grinding noise.  It is silenced if I rotate the pedals a bit, but might start up again immediately.  I'm reasonably certain it's coming from the bottom bracket.

My questions are:

If it is the bottom bracket, why would it be making this sound?   Can the existing one be serviced to fix this?

If it can't be serviced, should I just get a new bottom bracket and install it, or could it be something else?

Since I cannot reproduce this off the bike, what should I look for if I take things apart?

Thanks!


texts: My front dérailleur doesn't shift into the big ring neither in the small one. If I pull the shifter nothing happens

texts:
I have a Shimano Sora groupset and my bike is 1 year old. I already tried everything with the limit screws and the cable tension but now nothing moves when I pull the shifter.

I'm not sure how to identify the problem and I don't know how to find out if the cable is broken.


texts: How does a chainstay length affect a mountain bike performance? (wrt: 26", 650B, 29r)

texts:
The trade offs for 26" through to 29" with respect to rolling resistance, contact patch, obstacle rollover, etc... have been well discussed. However, it occurs to me that as the rear wheel gets larger the clearance eventually requires the chain stay length to increase to accommodate the wheel.

How does a chainstay length affect a mountain bike performance?


texts: I recently bought a bike for the first time in 10 years and after riding it for a couple of days the rear derailleur curled up like an insect ready to die. Is there any way I could fix that or am I gonna need a new shifter?


texts:
Straight-pull spokes have been around for awhile on MTB wheels, but mainly just on very expensive wheelsets (Mavic Deemax for example).  Recently the better wheel component manufacturers have been getting in on this by selling straight-pull spokes and compatible hubs individually, and they are generally considerably more expensive than the 'normal' variety.

However in my many years of snapping spokes they have never snapped at the elbow (the 'weak' point straight-pulls are supposed to address), they always break in the centre - presumably because the double-butting process has moved the weak point there.

So my question is this: Are straight-pull spokes worth it, or are they another expensive marketing gimick to solve a problem that doesn't exist?


texts: What bicycle to buy for commuting to work and for leisure (Aberdeen)

texts:
I'm new to this forum and I hope someone can help me out.

I have recently moved to the UK and I like to cycle. I'm looking for a bicycle with a small budget.

I would mainly use the bike for commuting between home and work. For this reason, I think I would like to have mud-guards on the front and rear (and possibly a cargo-rack), to be able to get to work without getting too dirty. The roads are generally good (asphalted), but sometimes, I'll have to take the side-walk and some of the roads are badly maintained (i.e. a pure road bike will probably damage quickly). Furthermore, it will be slightly uphill and downhill and one way will take about 40mins (google-maps). This will on average be twice a week.
Every once in a while I would also like to us the bike to just tour into the country (yes, it's in Scotland) on a Sunday. This will likely be once every two months.
Based on this, I am thinking about getting a hybrid bike, a touring bike or a cyclocross bike.

Now I have three main questions:

what type of bike would you advice (any others that I'm overlooking, advantages, disadvantages)?
do you have examples in or around Aberdeen for GBP 150-200?
what size of frame and wheels should I have, if I'm 1.82m tall (6.0')


texts:
is it easy enough to change a spoke on a rear wheel? It is not on the side of the chain ring.
Thanks

Ian


texts: My left knee will only bend 90 degrees. This makes it impossible to ride my bike as the knee needs to bend more than this on the upstroke. Is there a way to shorten the stroke circle so the knee will not have to bend so much? Will this make the motion too unbalanced?


texts:
I'm looking for online suppliers of carbon road framesets, the major online retailers Wiggle, Evanscycles and Chainreactioncycles don't seem to have much choice available (~<10 each) with low diversity in brands.

What other (reputable) suppliers are present in the online market that have a large range of products to chose from? Or do framesets tend to be bought directly from the manufacturer?

I ask because most brands are missing entirely and some (e.g. Specialized) only have one or two of their frames available through these sites, yet they don't sell them directly, therefore I think I'm not looking in the right places. (I am based in Sweden if you want to limit it to Europe/European delivery)


texts:
I just upgraded from a hybrid to a gravel bicycle (Fuji Jari 2.3). My hybrid (a 2000 Giant Cyprus) had a hydraulic suspension seat post and a generously-padded comfort gel saddle. I have a weakened lower spine due to recent surgery on the vertebrae (L4-S1) so I want the ride to be kind to it. I have found the gravel bike to really hurt my butt and back when I go over bumps, so I put on the Thudbuster ST. However, I've found that its instant rebound makes the bumps hurt just as much, if not more. Anyone found that?

It has me wondering whether a reasonable alternative is to just put back the rigid seat post the bike came with but use another generously-padded comfort gel saddle. I'm going to use the gravel bike for longer distances on roads than I ever did with the hybrid, but in my town, there are a lot of tiny pot holes and cracks and bad repairs on the roads, hence the need to smooth out the bumps.


texts: Why should I choose 36 or 32 spokes (or another number)?

texts:
I have to change the rims of my bike and I have to choose between 32 or 36 (or 48 or any other variation). I never thought about this until now and I feel it's kind of a dumb question, but I don't have a clue if this has any perceptible impact or not.

So far, I understand that more spokes means a stronger wheel, but also more spokes means a little bit more weight. Despite that, a spoke weights almost nothing so I think that's not a practical difference to take into account.

Is there anything else? I ride a single speed bike mainly for city commuting, so is there any practical difference between choosing 32/36 spokes (or another number)?

Thanks a lot people!


texts: Restoring BSA bike - replacing rear wheel and freewheel

texts:
I'm trying to restore an old BSA bike. I want to salvage a Sebco freewheel from a very messed up wheel.

I want to know what do I need to remove it. Am a newbie home mechanic so I know nothing.
Since I have to replace the rear wheel, can I swap the single speed freewheel for a 5/6 speed freewheel. It just makes the bike a little more ridable for my sister.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rLsmWk7X0t6Y54s32

https://photos.app.goo.gl/6OEXYSrs8BnFOkmF3

I was planning to replace the rear with the one in the link. Is this possible?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/352025038637?chn=ps&dispItem=1&adgroupid=46343423714&rlsatarget=pla-327268230718&abcId=1128926&adtype=pla&merchantid=7285664&poi=&googleloc=1006912&device=c&campaignid=856845593&crdt=0


texts: How to avoid showering twice when cycling to and from work?

texts:
I'm at the stage where even a light cycle to/from work raises an appreciable sweat.

I shower when I get into work,  but I'm sweaty when I get home too. How do I avoid showering twice a day?


texts: Screwing reflectors to pedals - what washers do I need, and where?

texts: I have Shimano M324 pedals on my bike, and I decided to buy the optional reflectors (Shimano Y41B98010). They arrived with no fitting instructions. There are 4 reflectors, each with 2 threaded "prongs" to engage the pedals, along with 8 nuts, 8 split washers and 8 flat washers. How am I supposed to fit everything? What order do the washers go, and on which side of the pedal? Am I supposed to use all washers? It all looks very fiddly. Including a few photos for a little clarification.


texts:
I think Mr. Fusion seems perfect, except they don't recommend it for carbon seatposts
https://porcelainrocket.com/collections/store/products/mr-fusion

Q : Why is Mr. Fusion not recommended for carbon seatposts?
A : Some folks tend to get a bit ham-fisted when tightening bolts on
their bicycles, and Porcelain Rocket cannot be held responsible for
damage to expensive carbon seatposts, due to over-torquing of the
clamp bolt.  The clamp bolt is meant to be tightened to NO MORE than
4Nm.  This is about the same torque that you would apply to MTB brake
levers; tight enough to hold the stabilizing rack in place reliably,
but not so tight that the rack cannot rotate on the seatpost, in the
event of a crash. If you do decide to install Mr. Fusion on a carbon
seatpost, this is done at your own risk.

Does it say long as you don't tighten the clamp bolt too tight, you should be fine? (English is not my first language and can't say for sure what the above lines means)
Has anyone used Mr Fusion on carbon seatposts ?


texts: Rode on a flat tire - how do I check for possible damage?

texts:
Took quite a fall today while riding, big divot in a gravel path right over the peak of a small hill. After replacing the chain and doing a quick inspection, I resumed the 10 mile trip to the car.  I did not press on the tires.

I noticed for the remainder of the trip that traction was suboptimal, which I thought was due to the fact they put down fresh, but finer than normal gravel. Anyway, towards the end of the trip I had a major traction issue while doing a slow turn which made me scratch my head, and turns out the rear tire pressure was 0. I have no idea how long or short it was like that.

What should I keep in mind to restore that wheel to safe, usable condition?


texts: Purpose of 'bore' on spoke nipples - why are spoke nipples not threaded through their entire length?

texts:
I noticed that (most) spoke nipples have a thread which does not run through the entire length of the nipple. As can be seen in the image below some of the length of the nipple has no threads (and is called a "bore" apparently).

This left me with some questions:

What is the purpose of the bore?
Wouldn't the nipple be stronger with longer threads? Are there disadvantages to using longer threads (/sacrificing some of the length of the bore to add more thread length)?
Is the amount of thread the same on longer/shorter nipples and is the difference between these different lengths of nipples just in the length of the bore? If so (if thread length is the same)...what is the advantage of using longer nipples?
Are there spoke nipples where the thread does have a longer length (thread across the entire length of the nipple)?

Thank you for any input, it's greatly appreciated :)


texts: Does anybody manufacture extra-wide (3E/4E or EEE/EEEE ) wide road or mountain biking shoes?

texts: I have mutant-wide feet and it's generally impossible to find comfortable shoes for any occasion. For the most part my only options in life are New Balance. I'm cycling a lot lately and would like to take advantage of cleats. So, does anybody actually manufacture 4E shoes? I'd rather not try stretching them out with mink oil/boiling water/wooden shoe stretchers and the pain from narrow shoes can be pretty excruciating. My google-fu is coming up with a few dozen forum discussions with no real solutions.


texts: How does a bicycle tyre and wheel affect its performace and speed?

texts:
I have 700 x 38c wheels on my bike. While reading online I found that wider tyres have lower rolling resistance at the same inflation pressure than narrower tyres but they will be a little heavier and will offer more aerodynamic drag. I am not bothered about the weight because it won't make much difference if I am riding mostly on flat ground --  aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance drag are far greater sources of drag than that caused by the direct increase in weight of the tyre.

Considering that, I am not sure which will perform better on the road. My online research shows that wider is better.

What are the other factors of a wheel (like untrue wheel) that contribute to performance of a bike.


texts:
I wrecked my current wheel set in a crash and am considering purchasing a set of Campy Hyperons from a friend. AFAIK the wheels are stock and haven't been tweaked in any way.

I would like to know if I can use my current SRAM PG 1071 cassette with these wheels or if I'll need to also buy a new cassette to play nice with the Campy hub.


texts: What is the difference between brake cables and derailleur cables?

texts:
What is the difference between brake cables and derailleur/shift cables? When I look online for replacement cables I see "brake cables" and "shift cables."

From the images they all look the same.

Furthermore, what is the difference between mountain bike specific cables and road bike specific cables?


texts:
In the middle of one ride my bike started making clicking sound from the rear.
And I can't find the source since that.

Here is a video of it:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/RZKb7C3L76TbnMVF7

As many times suggested on this website, I tried adjusting L, H, B screws as well as cable tension and it didn't help. The sound is most noticeable on the lowest cog, but somewhat present on all.

Bike is one month old and it is built on Shimano 105 R7000. Chain is KMC X11EL.

Any advice please?

P.S. when separated, neither hub nor chain make any sound

UPD: I took the bike to the shop. After some time they said that the problem is with the hub and they fixed it. However they didn't give me the details about the fix.
After I came home - I found that nothing is fixed and the sound is still there. It just wasn't noticeable in shop's ambient noises


texts: I'd like to take my old tandem and make it a trike with dally tires and rims on the rear. Has anyone done it. Thanks


texts:
I have a bike with Shimano XT disc brakes, model BR M775, which have too short brake lines for my new stem.
So I want to replace them with longer brake lines. But when I go shopping for brake hose, there are many different ones. Shimano LX, XT, XTR, Saint etc.
I realize I have to get plain hose without banjo bolts, but can I use any of the Shimano ones?
And are there any 3rd party ones worth considering?


texts: Shimano front-derailleur with 28.6 Clamp

texts: For my new Shimano M780 based gear I need a pull down (or bottom pull) front derailleur with a 28.6mm clamp for a 3x10 without direct mount. All the derailleur I have checked do not have a 28.6mm clamp. Are there not produced anymore? And if so, what would be the solution?


texts: How to best determine if a bike will fit without riding it

texts: I would like to get a Surly Cross-Check but the local bike shop doesn't stock them. They have suggested a 56cm, but I am concerned about the top tube length (I am more legs than torso). Are there proven ways to figure out whether a bike fits other than riding it?


texts: Remove bearing cartridge on a Formula RX-142 hub

texts:
I am trying to replace the free hub side bearing cartridge on this Formula RX-142 rear hub.  It came stock on my 2018 Fuji Jari 1.7 and was not available after market and I can’t get docs on it.

Do I just push forcefully from the opposite side to force the cartridge out?  I’m trying to avoid needing to buy a new hub and wheel set so I don’t want to damage the hub.

Update:  here’s a better direct view


texts: Clicking in a certain gear with SRAM drive train

texts:
I have a new bike with exactly the same problem and same drivetrain (SRAM GX) as shown in this video:

             (not my video).
When pedalling with the chain on the 5th smallest cog, there is an irritating clicking sound. It is not loud enough to be heard on a busy road, but it is clearly audible when out in the quiet of nature. The cause is clearly visible in the video: one tooth on the 4th cog will pick up the chain and drop it back.
I live in a country where I do not speak the local language fluently, and I cannot get anywhere with the local shop. I gave up on trying to make the problem clear to them. I'm basically on my own.
What would you do?
Is it a good idea to just ignore the problem, and hope that it will go away once that tooth wears down? Will ignoring the problem cause damage (e.g. premature wear)? Should I try to push a warranty claim (I expect it not to be easy)?
It appears to be a rather common problem. There are many references to it online. The only suggested solutions I could find were to bend or grind that one tooth, neither of which am I ready to try.


texts:
I've been serious about riding for the last year however have taken a while to save up. I want a bike that I can rely on. I ride on average 7/8 hours a session.
I'm 20 year old male and 182cm.


texts: should the chain be uniformly tight on a fixie?

texts:
I have a Continuum fixie. I try to tighten the chain and in some areas the chain is nice and tight and when I rotate the pedals in other areas the chain is loose.  My question is should I be happy with it being tight in some areas and not in others?
Thanks
Sheila


texts: Four spokes on backwheel of Riverside 500 ebike just snapped when I was going uphill. Anyone else had this problem or know why it could have happened?


texts: I have a question about saddles. I bought a mountain bike 2 days ago. I thought it would be better to ride a bike rather than going on a walk in these Corona days (for exercise purpose). My bike is MOSSO Raceline 29" alloy frame. My weight is 138kg and my height is 1,95 cm. Bike shop guy recommended me this bike because I am overweight. When I ride the bike, the saddle gives me a lot of pain to my butt. I read forums, they say you'll get used to it in 2 weeks but I am not sure because of excess weight. I checked on the internet that there are some gel saddles (Selle Royal). But I am not sure which one will be comfortable and suitable for me. Please consider that I only ride on the bicycle on the road (not going mountain or unbalanced terrains), I use it like a road bike. If anyone has any saddle purchase experience can you please share it with me? Thanks for your help guys.


texts: Do I need to have this thread screwed all the way in on bottom bracket BB-UN53

texts:
I'm restoring a 1994 Mongoose Switchback (which I've had since college so I'm unreasonably attached to it). When I was removing the bottom bracket, a Shimano BB-UN 53, I cracked the plastic non-drive side shell, which is apparently super common. At my local bicycle co-op I picked up several cups that look like they would be the same, but they're not exactly the same - the cup depth that sets onto the cartridge body is shorter, and their overall depth is slightly greater.

When I thread them on, the bottom bracket seems very well secured, but there are still excess outboard threads from the left side cup. Aesthetics aside, is that mechanically acceptable? Or alternatively, is there a type of cup that I can use that won't have this problem, or is there a way of cutting the one (cutting a millimeter off the inboard side?) that I have so that there is no excess threading?

Obviously easy answer this question is "just buy a new bottom bracket dude, they are cheap", but I just want to see if there's a way of completing the rebuild with the things that I have (or without wasting this bottom bracket that is otherwise functional).

Original left hand side cup , would go completely flush if it were not broken and I could fully torque it:

Another plastic Shimano cup that sticks out when fully seated:

Metal cup same deal:

The three left cups I have in profile view:


texts: How to fix a metallic bicycle basket to the back rack?

texts:
I've been using plastic cable connectors, as can be seen in the picture below, to hold a bicycle basket fixed to the rack.

However, they loosen up every couple of months. What would be a better solution (easy to do, and more durable)?


texts: What are the main improvements in suspension technology in the last 10 years?

texts: How much has bicycle suspension technology evolved in the last 10 years? I am thinking about both rear and front suspension. What have been the major breakthroughs that all bicycle manufacturers are now using, and what sort of improvements have there been to suspension forks from 2002 vs. 2012 as an example?


texts: Does a spinning class fixed wheel bike affect real world form?

texts:
I just had my first spinning class and hadn't realised it was going to be a fixed gear bike, when the instructor was asking us to get out of the saddle (or half out) the necessary technique felt very unnatural and much more 'bouncy' than what I would do climbing a hill on a road bike.
Does that mean bad things about my real world form or are they just very different things? And if so will a lot of spinning change how I ride?


texts: Are all skewers compatible with all bikes?

texts: I'm switching from a 1999 Rock Hopper mountain bike to a new Jamis Aurora road bike. I want to move my cheapy security skewers over to the new bike, but they look a bit different from the skewers the new bike came with. Are all skewers compatible with all bikes, or are there different types?


texts: What is the proper placement of the feet on the pedals when viewed from the top?

texts:
When placing my feet on the pedals with the balls on it, the outer part doesn't fit the pedal anymore. If I moved the foot backwards, the pinky would not be on the pedal anymore.

I wonder if that is an issue or no problem at all.


texts: can I use a 10 speed brake lever shifter If I have a 7 gear cassette

texts: I'm restoring an old Myatta 1000 and want to use a brake lever shifter that I have. It is a 10 speed shifter and I have a 7 gear cassette. Can i use this?


texts: What are my options about my rear shock?

texts:
I have a sort of rare Totem Shockman 29er bike, which as far as I know is assembled in my country by another brand as a lower entry point bikes. Through the two years I've had it I replaced some pieces for better ones, and now I was thinking about the rear shock; it has a stock KS Exa Form 290 coil shock (http://www.kindshock.com.cn/en/product.asp?id=164&show_list=1) which measures 150mm eye to eye and has 30mm of travel, which is not terrible but it's not entirely good either and had to send to my local store yesterday because of very loud creaks on it. Having only 150mm eye to eye, I have a lot of questions:

Is there any coil shock better than this one that would fit?
Should I pick an air shock instead? Would that be worth it and a noticeable difference?
Would a RockShox Monarch RL (152x31mm) fit properly despite the few mm difference?
Is it possible to fit something slightly larger, let's say 165mm shocks or would that be bad for the frame or the bike in general?

Sorry for all the questions, I was a complete rookie when I bought this bike and I'm still learning a lot every day, and thanks for your help.


texts: I've recently bought a 1980 Raleigh Royal I have some questions. (brakes & pannier)

texts:
will a 29er rack fit 27x1 1/4 wheels, I've been looking at the axiom streamliner range as the frame has no specific mounts, although it does have an anchor point on the rear dropout.

The brakes are Raleigh branded weinmann alloy centre-pull as are the levers. However from the top of the hoods the levers feel very stiff, particularly the rear brake (left). Is there anything I can do without taking them apart? I.e. silicon spray into the pivot.


texts: What are the metal shavings in my bottom bracket from?

texts: I opened up my FSA BB30 bottom bracket to find metal shavings all around. I opened up the bracket to try to find the source of a creaking sound, I’m guessing this is it - but I’m not quite sure what to fix/replace based on the metal shavings.


texts: What is the size when folded of the ORI M9 or Mezzo D9?

texts: ORI M9 and Mezzo D9 seem to have the same frame design. Does anyone know the dimension of these bikes when folded?


texts: Will riding cobblestones and rough streets kill my cup and cone hubs?

texts:
I live in pittsburgh, and we have some hills and streets which are belgian block, brick, poorly paved and pocked with potholes. It can be very jarring, but I still find myself flying down these streets running 700x28c tires at 100psi and I'm not a light guy at 200lbs.

Is this abuse going to damage my loose bearing cup/cone hubs?


texts: Is it safe to use a bike tire that was on a wheel that got tacod?

texts:
My bike recently got into a crash (I was not on it) and both wheels were taco'd. Is it safe to take the tires off and use them on a different wheel?
What could go wrong and what should I look out for?


texts: Can I use shimano 6700 chain rings on my shimano 7400 crank set?  I am upgrading the drive train and would like to keep the crank if possible.


texts: What size would be appropriate for me? I'm 173 cm or 5 feet 8.11 inches tall. The frame sizes I'm getting are 16 inch or 17.5 inch

texts:
I'm looking to buy the Hercules Roadeo A50 bicycle. (Hercules Roadeo A50)
I'm confused about which size I should get : medium (16 inches) or large (17.5 inches)
I looked up some conversion tables online and I found out that the suitable size for my height is about 16-17 inches. This makes it even more confusing.
I am a 173cm or 5 feet 8.11 inches


texts: When on the I brake I get a pulsating feedback on my rear brake lever. I checked to make sure the wheel is true, and also the dish, which is ok.I re-checked the torque on the caliper bolt and adjusted it to 9Nm. The tire also has no bumps that I can see or feel. Any ideas?


texts: How much of a difference do Toe Pedal Clips make in comparison to Platform Pedals?

texts: I am a novice cyclist, using my bike to travel to work with a round trip of about 15 miles in moderate to heavy traffic. I have been thinking about upgrading my bikes platform pedals to a set of pedals with toe clips. (Clipless pedals are probably out of the question because traffic is too heavy). My question is whether I can expect a performance boost (in terms of my average speed) by doing this, and if so how significant it is likely to be. (based on studies / past experience of other riders)


texts: Why participate in an organized century ride when I can ride the route on my own?

texts:
I have never ridden a century ride before. This June, a friend and I plan to ride our first: The Montauk Century Ride. But I'm wondering, why should we commit to paying $100+ to ride this route in relatively heavy bike traffic, from a starting point not chosen by us, on a day that could be rainy for all we know? Why not ride the route on a day chosen by us? It seems to me riding on our own might provide a more convenient experience and more meaningful challenge.

What am I missing here?


texts:
I ride my bike at least 4 times ( 4 * 10 miles ) a week.

Is there any bike insurance which covers both bike and life?
Is there any bike insurance which also covers rental biking?


texts:
Had a puncture today, removed the tube, patched it and made it home.
Obviously since I only have a mini-pump I could not inflate it to my 8 bar usual pressure.

When home, I took the wheel upstairs to inflate it with my big pump. Inflated it to 8 bar and put the tire aside to mount it on the bike tomorrow.

A couple of minutes later: BANG and when I looked, I saw this:

Seems like the tube exploded (not exactly around the valve but not far from it: you can see the cap on the far right in the second pic) and blew off the "clich" part of the rim.

What could have caused this? the tire is a Conti 4S that can handle 8 bar, the tube is a Schwalbe standard tube that does support 700x23 dimension. The rim was a Mavic Open Pro...

Sucks,... did not feel like buying a new wheel now :(


texts:
I've personally never ridden on Latex inner tubes.

If I get a puncture on a latex tube I'd prefer to be able to fix it, given they're a lot more expensive than regular butyl tubes.

My research suggests

No, nothing works, you need to replace the whole tube whenever it punctures
No, but you can knot them to isolate the hole and then reinflate for the ride home, where you replace the tube.

and

Yes, with regular tyre patches and vulcanising fluid,
Yes, with regular tyre patches and rubber cement
Yes, with latex patches cut from another latex tube, and rubber cement
Yes, pre-glued patches (ie "stickers")

But for everyone claiming one of the solutions works, someone else says that it doesn't work.

Is it possible to Patch a puncture on a latex inner tube?  and is the patch permanent or only a get-home fix ?


texts: Mountain bike, one road bike tire. Front or back?

texts:
I have a road bike tire and was going to put it on my mountain bike since I use it to commute to work.

Should I replace the front or back tire? Which will give me the better performance?


texts: Is this normal for my new Cannondale Synapse Alloy 6?

texts:
I purchased a new Cannondale Synapse Alloy 6 in early March. I have roughly 250 miles on it. After the first 100 miles I took it back to my LBS to have it adjusted and tightened up. Before I did this, it would creak a fair amount when pedaling hard or shifting my weight around on the bike. The 100 mile adjustment didn't seem to help this. I know my LBS actually did what they were supposed to do because I watched them. I can't really tell where the creaks are coming from, but it's in multiple places. One place it seems to be a bit noisy is in the crank.

I would think that for the $1100 I paid for this bike, it should be absolutely silent. Is this normal for my type of bike?


texts: How can i calculate the power in watts on an indoor trainer

texts:
I am trying to calculate the power needed to hold a steady speed on an indoor trainer, so as I can train using power in watts. I set the bike up and put the crank at 90 degrees, then put a weight of 2.695kgs on the pedal to overcome the resistance, just on the verge of moving. The faster you pedal the more power is needed.

The crank length is 175mm
The weight to overcome resistance is 2.695 kgs (converted to Newton’s 26.429)
Cadence is 80 rpm


texts: Upgrading from 50/34 to 50/39 with Shimano Sora?

texts:
I have a road-biased hybrid that came with a compact 110mm BCD 50/34 Shimano Sora crankset and chainrings. I'd like to upgrade the inner ring to 39, but I'm having some trouble figuring out what to buy.

I initially picked up a Vuelta 39T "flat" model, but I can't get a clean shift from 50 to 39; the chain slides into the space between the rings, then floats on top of the cogs in the bottom ring, before finally meshing. This occurs when I'm at around 20T or smaller in the rear, regardless of how I've adjusted the front derailleur. The stock 34T Shimano chainring seats immediately. Somehow the Vuelta cogs never seem to line up properly when the chain comes down.

Do I need to replace both chainrings? Or do I need a Shimano model of the 39T? If so, from what generation (e.g., would a from chainring designed for an 11-speed chain still work with this 9-speed Sora?)? Shimano's compatibility chart seems not terribly helpful for this one. My current plan is to upgrade the whole crankset to a 105 5800, but I'd rather not if I don't have to.


texts: Why are my Shimano R540 SPD SL Road Pedals incredibly stiff to clip out of?

texts:
I'm new to clip less riding. I just purchased and installed Shimano R540 SPD SL Road Pedals for my bike. I also got Shimano R064 SPD SL Road Shoes.

I have been practising clipping in and out indoors in the hallway using the walls either side to balance myself whilst on the bike.

I can clip in without too much difficulty, but find it extremely tough to clip out (even with the tension set to the lowest setting). I found that I am twisting and then almost yanking the shoes out of the pedals. I'm pretty sure this isn't how it is meant to be. If I attempted this on the road, I would fall flat on my face.

I have sprayed some lubricant on the pedals in the hope that they loosen overnight. But other than that I've been stumped as to what else I could do.

Appreciate any tips, helpful suggestions and advice on the matter.

Thanks


texts:
I was checking some bikes on Decathlon (a large sports orientated chain store) and I found this size guide for some of their BTwin bikes. On their chart [pdf] that maps rider measurements to bike frame size they have some overlap. So for some measurements, you can have two bike sizes that will fit you and the recommendation is:

Larger bike if one desires more comfort
Smaller bike if one focuses on performance

My question: Is there any reason for this recommendation?

I dont know enough about bikes to realise if this question is too opinion-based, I hope not.


texts:
This is a Shimano Tiagra ST-4500 shifter. More explicitly the problem is with the Tiagra Double controlling the front derailleur.

1) The barrel adjuster is hard to use because all parts around it seem to move when I turn it. Only when I firmly hold one part of the adjuster and turn the other, it does what it's supposed to do. 2) When relaxing the cabling I can simply pull the outer casings out everywhere like shown in the picture.

Compared to the rear shifter which currently looks more solid (and where the adjuster is usable as one is used to it) this feels like a mess. How are these components usually kept together? Does something need glue? Or lube?


texts: I’m new to cycling. I bought Giant Contend AR 1 road. It seemed to be normal the first time I rode it but the second time the chain felt like it was loose. Excuse my ignorance on bike stuff. I really don’t know what the problem is. Or is there a problem at all? Is this normal? On the video I didn’t change gears.


texts: aluminium fatigue how to know if some thing is going wrong?

texts: I have an early 00' road bike with aluminium frame. I have read some stuff about aluminium having life expectancy of ten years. What it exactly means? I cant see any thing wrong in the frame (there are some crack noise coming from stem) how I can know if my frames have problems ?


texts:
I have a Van Nicholas Astraeus Titanium bike, and recently had problems with removing the seatpost. The aluminium shim oxidised itself to my frame. I took it to the bike shop, and in our efforts they crimped the top tube when clamping it into the bike stand, as put it in super tight as we were going to try and hammer the seatpost out.

I'm rather upset at my once beautiful bike is now tarnished. Do I have any hope of fixing this? Would painting the whole frame, and using filler on these 'dents' work?  Can't actually believe I'm writing this, absolutely gutted.


texts: Road shifter to Mountain Bike derailleur compatibility (Example: SRAM x7)

texts:
I am wondering what's involved in switching out Mountain Bike (MTB) shifters to integrated road shifters while keeping the rest of the MTB drivetrain (derailleurs, cassette, etc.) unmodified.

Note that I am not interested in bar-end/ friction style shifters as is popular on touring bikes. I'm already aware that's an option. So below, by road shifter I mean integrated shifter/brake lever like Shimano's STI or Sram's double-tap.

A similar question was asked here but the answer focused on the derailleurs and didn't say much about shifters.

I'll ask this question in three parts (feel free to only answer one):

Generally speaking, do all MTB derailleurs have some road shifter with which they would be compatible? Or if you were planning on buying a MTB with the aim of switching to road shifters, would you need to be careful about your initial choice of MTB drivetrain? I.e. can you just buy whatever bike and build you like, then find the road shifter that will work with it? Or do you need to restrict yourself to a subset of MTB derailleurs for which you can actually get compatible road shifters?
What are the criteria for finding a road shifter that will work with a particular MTB derailleur?
For a specific example, and to clarify why I'm interested in this, I want to get a fat bike but because of some wrist problems, I have trouble with flat bars but no trouble with drop bars (where I usually ride on the hoods). In the price range I'm looking in, I'm seeing that a lot of fat bikes are built with Sram 1x chainring and x5 or x7 rear derailleur. I would like to know if there is an integrated road shifter/brake lever that would be compatible with this rear derailleur (and also mech disk brakes, e.g. BB7). I picture putting this setup on a flared drop bar like a Salsa Cowbell or Woodchipper.

Thanks.


texts:
What's the size of ball bearing on WH-R550 hub, is it 1/4" for the front one and rear one ?
Can I replace them with 1/4" ceramic bearing ?

Thanks


texts:
My "Googling" haven't exactly yielded many results with people having such obnoxious issues with destroying tires as I do. In short, I destroy such a high number of tires that its becoming one of the most expensive "consumable" in this hobby. And these tires are of the "Most durable and expensive" ones, so I'm not cheaping out on these.

For example, sometimes a tire will last for only 3 rides like my current "minions dhr" that I just bought and destroyed (rear tire), but front tires also goes quickly. I'd say average life expectancy for a tire would be 10 rides (if I'm lucky). The tires end up having minimal wear to the threads, obviously, so I often have to bin what looks like new tires.
The kind of punctures i get are those that the sealants wont fix, typically larger ruptures/slashes. I'd like to clarify, these are tubeless tires running no inner tube.

This might be a silly question altogether, but I just thought I should ask, and if someone are having similar problems...

Is it "normal" to go through a tire this quickly, or am I being unlucky/doing something seriously wrong?

I follow a lot of mtb-vloggers, and I just had to "laugh" when "BKXC"(Good YouTube channel! ^^), said he wouldn't buy Schwalbe tires as they wore out in just 3 or 4 months. Well, I'd consider myself being lucky having a set of tires past a month...

I understand that there are a multitude of parameters that can affect the longevity of said tires, but here are some to hopefully clarify things:

Rider and riding style: I'm on the heavier side, being at 215lbs(95kg), equipped. I Usually pick the cleaner lines, avoiding sharp rocks, etc. I dont't exatcly ride super hard either.

Bike type: This is a 2018 Remedy 9.8 (basically an enduro type of bike, with 160mm fork). I don't feel like I can push this bike to its limit.

The area in which I ride (Norway, near the capital -- woods with little elevation), usually has a lot of roots, occasional rock gardens, although singletrack is scarce. Also typically wet, "swampy".


texts:
I have been after a Bianchi Via Nirone 7 for more than one month and an half without much success. The main reason is that they don't produce many 47cm frames, while 47cm would be my optimal size.
In the meantime, I ordered also a Cannondale CAAD Optimo 48cm and it fits fine, it's arrived in the shop ready to be brought home. But I really want the Bianchi. The problem is that the cheapest 47cm upgrade that I can do with a Bianchi is the double of my budget (Sempre Pro).
At this stage I'm very exhausted and temped to go for a via Nirone 7 50cm frame even if is going to be slightly too big for me.
I already quickly tried the 50cm via Nirone and the hip isn't very stable, I do some small overstretch.
If I go for a 50cm frame I need to cut 2cm in the seatpost (seatpin). So, the saddle would be slightly lower than handlebar.
However, watching the geometries of Bianchi Via Nirone 7 50cm and Cannondale CAAD Optimo 48cm I don't see much big difference. My leg inseam is 70cm and height is 159cm.
Bianchi Geometry:

Cannondale Geometry:

By the way, I did two 50 mile rides on Trek Domane, the first with a 47cm frame and the second with 50cm, and I felt more comfortable with 50cm. (But there wasn't any need of cutting the seatpost - I put it at the lowest position).
Trek Geometry:

Would would you do in my case? - Any advice?


texts: How long should a well maintained chain last and what can I do to prolong its life?

texts:
I commute on a fixie. I'm using KMC Z410 chains.

Every evening if it's wet I wipe and re-lube my chain, using ProLink lube. Every weekend I remove the chain, soak it in kero, brush it with a citrus degreaser, allow to dry and then re-lube.

My current chain is 2 months old (about 800km) and is over .75 already so I think I'll replace it this weekend. Mind you, it is winter here and it's been pretty wet most weeks. Also there is a lot of fine sandy grit on the paths I tend to ride.

I read questions like this and am amazed how long people's chains will last. I don't mind replacing the chain often as it's a cheap chain ($15) and I want to protect my chainring and cog.

Is there anything I'm doing wrong with my maintenance regime? Is it surprising that my chain isn't lasting that long? Or is everything okay and I should stop worrying about it?

Update: I relaxed my maintenance regime. I just wiped down and re-lubed occasionally. The chain was very quiet and smooth. However today, after just 20 days and 353 kilometers, it's already over .75!!! I checked the chain guage on a new chain and it is definitely indicating that the new chain is under .75. Why am I burning through chains so fast?

Update: A little about me and my riding. I weigh about 88kg (195lbs). I ride fairly aggressively on bike tracks on the way to work (I almost never get passed). There are some hills so I am reasonably often out of the saddle and pushing pretty hard. I will take the old chain into a bike shop next weekend and let you know what they say.


texts: Possible to identify sprocket without taking the bike apart?

texts:
I would like to change the chain and sprocket on my Centurion Basic 7 speed, as I have read that it is good practice to change the sprocket when changing the chain.

It will be the first time I try something like this, and I therefore also need to buy the correct tools.

A large bike webshop told me that they couldn't tell me which items I needed based on the below pictures, and recommended I wend to a professional to have it changed.

From watching YouTube I suppose I need:

sprocket with 19 teeth
lock ring removal tool
sprocket removal tool

I'd like to be able to do it myself, so how can I figure out which model/sizes of sprocket and tools I need before taking the bike apart?


texts:
Photo attached. Does the front chainring should be changed?

[UPDATED PHOTOS]

In case if yes. Almost all that exists for affordable prices is made from aluminum. Is it significantly weaker than from stainless steel?
Any opinion about this chainring?
For example https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33017750885.html


texts: Upgrading SRAM PG850 8 Speed Cassette on Defy 4, must Be Compatible with Claris Shifters

texts:
I need to replace my SRAM PG850 8 Speed 11-32 Cassette & Chain on my Giant Defy 4 2015, due to general wear and tear, however I would like to upgrade to something a bit better though within budget (about £50).

*It needs to be Compatible with my Shimano Claris Shifters and Derailers.

Any suggestions or advice on what I should be looking for would be great. This is the first time I have replaced anything on my bike, so I have a limited knowledge of what parts go with what.


texts: How much longer will my 10 year old frame last?

texts:
My friends say it will last forever, and not to worry about it.
Online results show anywhere from two years to 25. I have no clue what to expect!!

Let me give some context. I bought a decade old Specialized Epic Comp for about $550. There are no real problems with it. I needed to bleed brakes and replace the rear wheel, but that's beside the point.

The m5 alu frame shows no signs of fatigue (eg, no cracks, dents, etc). Based on what the previous owner told me, I calculated that he has probably rode about 45 000 km on this bike.
Note that this an XC bike so I don't assume that there would have been much opportunity to abuse the frame.

So with all of this in mind, can anyone give me a rough estimate of how long this 10 year old bicycle frame might last?

Sorry if this question is too vague/specific or already answered to a degree. Im new to this forum .


texts: TdF: How does putting one team member in a break away help the rest of the team?

texts: In a race such as Le Tour De France, what advantage does a team gain from sending one team member into a break away? What does the rest of the team, including their favoured rider, gain?


texts: Why are electric bikes ranked on torque ratings?

texts:
A major ranking criterion for electric bikes is the torque rating of the motor.
Generally speaking, bikes/motors with higher torques are sold at a higher price than bikes/motors with lower torques.
As a follow-up of this thread, I get that having a bigger torque helps in torque intensive situations, like hill climbing.
However torque can easily be multiplied/demultiplied using gears between the wheel axis and the motor axis. For example, these gears can be dedicated (embedded in the motor itself) or in the transmission system of the bike.
So the torque that matters is the final torque on the wheel axis, not the torque output on the motor axis.
So, this implies two questions:

Use of dedicated gears to change output torque: Why is torque rating sold as a discriminatory constant of the  bike (especially for the price), where it's easy to just add a gear on the motor itself to increase the torque, at the cost of increased RPMs of the motor axis (as it's done on electric cars)?
Effect of the transmission system on the motor torque: Since motors can be hub motors or mid-drive motors, the motor is not at the same transmission step: meaning the same motor output torque will not have the same impact on the wheel torque.
For example, a hub motor with a torque of 50 Nm will provide a final torque of 50 Nm to the wheel. However, a mid-drive motor with a torque of 50 Nm, with a gear ratio of 0.5, will provide a final torque of 25 Nm to the wheels.
With this in mind, how to interpret the advertised torque for a bike with a mid-drive hub, since it's heavily dependant on the transmission?


texts: What advise for using spacers on MTB rear forkend

texts:
I have a Cannondale MTB frame I'd like to make a cruzer by adding a Sturmey Archer 2-speed kick shift. The SA axel length is 162mm and the spacing is 116mm but the Cannondale spacing is 135mm (remember this is an aluminum frame so it's not flexible). This doesn't leave a lot of room for the nut!

In my mind as long as I can get the chain rings to line up and tighten the bolts I should be good!?


texts: Why were press fit bottom brackets invented?

texts: What I've seen online says that it allows for lighter and stiffer cranksets becasue the axle can be a larger diameter. However, FSA sells BSA threaded outboard bearings compatible with BB386 EVO which has a 30mm axle. This leaves me wondering why press fit was even invented. Maybe it was invented so manufactures could sell us more stuff but even pros use it so there must be a decent reason.


texts: Wobbly wheel/hub even when I tightened the cones

texts: The wheel has a sideways wobble eminating from the hub. I tried adjusting the cones to the point its too tight but the wobble continues. Upon closer inspection there is play in the point where the freewheel connects to the hub. Its a 2006 shimano deore MTB hub. How to fix?


texts: How difficult would it be to maintain 17.5 Mph for an hour?

texts: Whats a good target speed to maintain inside a velodrome for an hour? I believe Bradley Wiggins maintained an average speed of around 35 Mph for an hour, how difficult would it be to maintain half that speed for a similar amount of time?


texts: V-brake / cantilever pad alternatives for carbon rims?

texts:
I've found these V-brake compatible brake pads rated for carbon rims:

SwissStop RX Plus Yellow King

Trickstuff (unnamed) http://www.trickstuff.de/en/products/felgenbremsbelaege_KL.php

Ice (unnamed)
http://www.dccycles.co.uk/ice-72mm-v-brake-pads-for-carbon-wheels-53558-p.asp

Paul Components (Kool Stop-based)
https://paulcomp.com/shop/service-parts/rim-brake-pads/

They're all some combination of expensive, unattractive, and difficult to find.

Are there any alternatives? Or some way to use standard pads with V-brake shoes (or adapt standard shoes to V-brakes)?


texts: I have an XX1 cassette, and broke the cog with 24 teeth, is this replaceable or repairable?


texts: How do you come to a stop without dismounting?

texts:
I'm an avid bicycler who has just moved to the city (Boston). As I (unlike many folks here) am unwilling to run red lights and violate traffic laws, I often have to come to a stop, dismount, and wait for the light to go green.

I've seen bikers, especially those in full kit on nice bikes, manage to come to a stop and stay on their bike, out of their saddles for some time. I can't manage to do this for more than a few seconds, and with spd pedals I am unwilling to try too hard lest I tip over and eat shit as they say. The best I can do is to brake hard while pedaling slowly, inching forward. This buys me a few seconds, given I am on level ground and I have room.

I ride a touring bike with panniers, so sometimes I don't have equal weight distribution laterally. Sometimes I do, and I've always wanted to learn how to do that stop and stand thing.

Is there any trick to it or is it just about balance and weight distribution? Should I be breaking hard on front and rear?


texts: What and where is the weeping port on Shimano MTB brake levers?

texts:
I understand that when you overfill some models of Shimano hydraulic brakes with oil, the excess will flow out of a one-way valve called weeping port, but cannot find any technical documents, pictures or videos that point out where this valve actually is. I suspect it is the conspicuous, but rarely mentioned, cannon-resembling big round ending on top of many Shimano brake lever models, which I highlight in the picture below.

The reason I am asking is because when I pushed back my caliper pistons to install new brake pads today,  a lot of oil suddenly squirted from this part of the lever. The lever became very soft of course, so I bled it and it felt fine, but the oil continued to seep (or, well, weep) slightly as I rode the bike later.
So, is this indeed the weeping port and how exactly should it operate? Does it just let the excess oil out after which the brake functions normally - as mine does so far, but with oil still flowing out very slightly - or should it be repaired?


texts: I want to put disc brakes on my bike but I do not know which type to put on


texts: What are the benefits of purchasing a complete bike from a respectable brand? (Road cycling)

texts:
I've been into cycling (almost) my whole life. I've been riding BMX for over 20 years and since 5-6 years I've been doing a lot of road cycling. I ride contests, crits, TT's,...

I've been looking to get a new road bike for some time now. I outlined some requirements that this bike should have. With that out of the way I started looking around for my options, there are a wide variety of bikes that handle my needs. But coming from BMX I am used to building my bikes from the ground up. Changing parts as they broke, building completely new setups,... The only complete setup I ever got was the bike that got me started.

Apart from price, what are the benefits of purchasing a complete bike from a respectable brand? Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 9.0 DI2 for example, this bike meets the requirements and falls neatly in my budget. If I would start building my bike it would end up parts wise like the Aeroad.

What not to take into consideration: I am technically able to build and maintain most bikes on my own. This should not be an issue.


texts: manufacturing debris inside carbon fork steerer tube

texts: I bought a 90mm compression plug so it would extend about 30mm into the bike's head-tube.  But when the carbon steerer tube was cut to desired length, the compression plug could only be inserted to 75mm depth. When I looked inside the tube, there was some immovable debris down inside it, apparently from the manufacturing process. I can't clearly make out what it is.  Is that a normal thing with carbon forks?  The obstruction begins about 9cm above the fork's crown.


texts: I have 6 stripped spoke nipples on my rear wheel. Last night I took the tire off, took the, for lack of a better word, rim strip off, and started to try to unscrew the nipple from the rim. Before I knew it I did more damage then good. Is there a special tool to remove spoke nipples that I am not seeing? What is the best tool for removing it if I can't get a screwdriver to work? I tried dropping some grease inside to help me take it out, but that did little if anything.


texts: Drivetrain, components of different brand

texts: Do all parts of the drive train have to be of the same brand? Can the chain be a different brand from the rest of the drive train? Cassette, crank, derailleurs?


texts: Around 4 months ago, I bought a Sigma 14.16 STS computer for my bike. I rode around 2500 km since then. Everything work perfectly until yesterday, when the computer just (almost) stopped displaying. What previously was a normal display, now has a couple of lines which change when pressing buttons, indicating that something is happening there and the computer itself works, but I still can't see anything. The thing was never put into extreme conditions (never colder than -8, never hotter than +20), I didn't try to drown it (even though it is waterproof and I used it in rain), didn't smash it against the ground (it never fell). Just the screen started malfunctioning. Anyone else ever had such a problem? What could be a fix?


texts: Does changing the clipless pedal float change the speed of disengaging?

texts:
A couple of weeks ago I had a crash that resulted in a broken ankle and quite a bit of soft tissue damage.  I hit a large, immovable object.  I was clipped in at the time of the crash with Shimano SPD-SL yellow (6-degree float).  There was very little time between the realization of an imminent crash and the impact to disengage.
I'm far enough along in my recovery to begin planning to resume riding.
Would switching to Shimano SPD-SL red (0-degree float) decrease the amount of time required to unclip?
The answer to Clipless Pedals - Float doesn't address the speed of twisting to disenage.


texts:
I ordered a Giant TCR Advanced 1 (2018) and it's on its way. I just remembered that I need to get a thru axle that fits my Smart Trainer (Tacx Flow Smart. Sadly I can not seem to find the measurements on Giant's website to order the correct one from Tacx's selection.

I read that it is a 142x12mm, but there are several in that list with that measurements and sadly I don't know which of these would fit. Can anyone help me figure it out?

thanks

EDIT Looks like the 2018 version (at least mine) has a quick release (I thought it had a thru axle) and I was able to use the quick release "axle" that was provided with the Tacx Flow.


texts: How to chose a right sized mountain (or all-terrain) bike for a kid?

texts:
Will a bike with 11" frame and 20" wheels be suitable for 120 cm high child?
Is there general recommendation about what should I pay attention to, when choosing a bike for a kid?

Will Kona Shred 2-0 or Ghost Powerkid 20" fit the requirements?


texts: Smallest sprocket doesn't fit on freehub?

texts:
I bought a second hand bike with a Campagnolo Super Record 11 groupset (the pre-2015 version). I have been experiencing shifting difficulty since I bought it, and took it to a mechanic. The mechanic advised that I should buy a new cassette and chain.
Today I removed the cassette. As soon as I removed the lockring, the smallest sprocket fell right off of the freehub body. I then removed all of the sprockets, and placed the new ones on.
The issue is that the smallest sprocket doesn't have space to go onto the freehub body properly - it will sort of sit on top and is able to spin. However, I can put on the lockring on and tighten it, and the sprocket seems to be ok after doing so.
However, I'm not sure whether its aligned properly, because it spins before I tighten the lockring.
The bike has Fulcrum Racing 1 rims. The hub is also fulcrum branded but I can't seem to find a model. I'm assuming it came with the rims. Could it be that the hub is made for 10 speed only?
Is this normal and to be expected, or is something wrong with my wheel?


texts: I ride road and MTB, but want to add a cyclocross bike and do long distance, all day adventures which would include 50/50 (road/off-road).  I am not interested in racing, but do want to participate in events, etc.  My question: What are the best tires to run on a CX bike under these circumstances?  Thanks.


texts:
There are spots on my rear tire that have developed rubber hairs, almost like the edge of the tire is shredding and the structural integrity is starting to go. You can also notice in the pic a waviness to the tire, which I’m thinking is because it is starting to deform.
I should also state this is a Raleigh used for hybrid road/mostly trail cycling.

What is this?
do I need to adjust something or is this normal wear and tear?
do I need to replace my tire and if no, how much life does it have on it from this?


texts: Vintage Peugeot pulls towards left when riding

texts:
I've bought a second hand old Peugeot, I really enjoy the bike, but I'm having a balance problem with it, pulls to the left when riding.

Could it be related with the handlebars? They are crooked.


texts: Are there any locking options that lock the drive train of a bicycle?

texts:
I've been looking into the different kind of locks available, and came upon this short documentary about bike thefts in London. Seems that just about any lock on the market can be easily beaten by a large enough set of bolt cutters. So I was trying to think of a better system, and I thought of something: Why not have locks that are built into the bike itself? Something that locks out the drive train in some way?

It seems that in the majority of thefts, the thieves are riding away on the bike. From about 10 minutes of pondering the question, it seems like a small hole could be placed in the crank axle without compromising the strength too much, and then you could incorporate the locking mechanism into the down tube. When the bike is locked, the cranks can no longer turn.

Searching on the internet yielded no results for locks that lock the drive train of the bike. Is it just an unworkable idea, or has nobody thought of it until now?

You would still have to lock the bike to a rack to ensure that someone doesn't just carry it away or put it on the back of a truck.  But it would make the bike that much less of a target if the thief knew that such a system was in place.


texts:
Can I add spacers to my cassette and crank to fit 3" tyres? The chain rubs on the tyre.

I’m running a hope hub with SRAM 8 speed cassette and saint cranks. Can I just buy spacers to pull the cranks and cassette out so the chain is away from the tyre?


texts: How do I know when it is time to replace the brake pads for caliper brakes?

texts: The title pretty much says it all. I think I need to get mine replaced, but I do not know how to tell.


texts:
It is tricky to start pedaling uphill, especially with some complicating factors out there. I want to learn the proper technique.
Saddle height
For any uphill, I put my saddle at "XC height", that is, leg nearly straight when the pedal is in it's lowest point. Is this correct?
White scenario
You are spinning up a steep slope, suddenly the rear tire shoots a large stone out and you loose control. You either have to get off the saddle and put a leg down, or tilt the bike at 45 degrees and put a leg down. In both cases the bike comes to a complete stop. How do you re-attack the slope?
If you try standing on the pedals for more initial power, the back tire will spin out on the loosely-packed dirt and gravel. To sit on the saddle is awkward, as the slope is adding to the saddle's height.
Black scenario
You are blazing down a 6 degree decline on an unknown trail, do a swithcback ... and are faced with a 500 meter barely rideable uphill. You try to switch gears, but do not succeed in time. Now you are at a totally wrong gear, some 10 meters up a hill, that you must ride up. What do you do?
What I do
White scenario:

Grab the handlebars
Put one leg over the bike and step on the far pedal, move it in 2 a clock position
Try to press the side of my butt to the saddle nose in order to apply some pressure
Gradually apply power to the pedal and slide back the saddle, praying that the rear tire does not spin out and to need to do the whole procedure again

Black scenario: ride back down.


texts: Seat clamp slid the seat down as I was riding, hurt my knees

texts:
So I was riding a community shared bicycle that many city's have that you can ride around for a small fee. While I was riding it, the seat clamp must have been loose and the seat was sliding down lowering as I was riding. I did not notice this right away until the seat eventually bottomed out.

After this happened, my knees hurt, and my right knee feels unstable when I squat down to pick something up or sit in a chair.

Could this have caused a knee injury? What forces would have affected my knees if the seat was lowering as I was cycling?


texts:
https://whitebikes.com/ax-290-ff-20/b/2461/
This is my bike and I'm planning to use suspension fork on it, I've converted it to ebike. My budget is approximately 100€/120 dollars. Do you have any recommendations what kind of suspension forks I should look at? I've heard that coil forks need less maintenance compared to air ones. I don't ride any hardcore mtb trails etc.
Some that I've looked myself 50-100mm travel ones are these reputable brands?:
Morzocchi txc 2
Zoom Vaxa 30 595S


texts: Raising handlebars using a stem raiser on B'twin Triban 500

texts:
I've just got a second hand B'twin Triban 500. The seat goes easily high enough, but I've not used a road bike before and the handlebars are far too low for me, even with all the spacers in place. I understand that the bike has a carbon fork. I'm looking at getting a stem raiser so that I can increase the handlebar height to a more comfortable level while I get used to the bike, and saw this one on Evans cycles, but it says not to be used for a carbon steering fork; does this mean I could not use it on my bike, and why so?

Similarly, I saw this one too; it doesn't mention not being used with a carbon fork, but should I assume that given the previous one?

Thanks!

EDIT: Turns out that a carbon fork doesn't mean a carbon steerer tube; thanks for those who commented! Any general tips regarding the situation are welcomed :)


texts: How fast does new technology "trickle down" to lower models?

texts: Is there a "rule of thumb" for how fast new technology "trickles down" from higher-end to lower-end bike models? Can you for example say that a mid-end bicycle frame or suspension fork is as good as the previous high-end, or does it usually take more than one generation for the technology to spread?


texts: Do Miche bottom brackets require a special tool, or is this one damaged?

texts:
I just bought a Miche Primato bottom bracket and tried installing it using Park's BBT-5 (the same tool I used to remove the previous bottom bracket, also Miche, but from 2008). The BBT-5 fit into the right hand side cup without a problem, but I had trouble fitting it into the left hand side. I noticed that one of the splines is different than the others. Is this normal, or is this part defective or damaged somehow?

The spline in question is right below "ITALY":

Thanks for any help, I'd like to be sure before I complain to the shop I bought it from.


texts: Sachs Torpedo 3 gear vs. SRAM T3 vs. SRAM i-motion 3 gear

texts:
Various webshops use the following names:

Sachs Torpedo 3 gear
SRAM T3
SRAM i-motion 3 gear

There are many inconsistencies in what exactly they call them, and for a long time I thought it was exactly the same product, but now I know that at least Sachs Torpedo and i-motion 3 gear are different. I don't know how though, except that the shifter looks different, and the shifters are incompatible.

I don't know how T3 fits in, maybe it is the same as one of the others.

What are the technical differences between them? Any reason to buy one over the others? I am tempted to buy the Torpedo because I hope it will last longer, since family's bikes with Torpedo lasted forever in my childhood.

The webshop I'm buying from is selling both Sachs Torpedo and SRAM i-motion 3 gear, I asked them for the difference, but they were not really helpful.


texts: Using normal square bottom bracket on crankset designed for E type?

texts:
I am building a LHT 26" and I am planning to use a square taper bottom bracket. Also want to have triple chainring with a small chainring 22T so bought the Shimano Alivio FC-M430, about the best crankset Shimano lets me buy these days for square taper and these settings. But I have realized this crankset is supposed to be used with an E type BB. I really don´t want to use this type of FD so my question is: Can I still buy a ´normal´non E type of BB (say UN55 113mm) for this crankset? Will the chainline be badly affected? Will I have to add spacers?
Many many thanks in advance!


texts:
I'm re-building an old bike frame but am stuck on the brakes.

There seems to be a lot of clearance between the frame and rim and normal size brake callipers wont reach far enough. Are there alternative brakes that I need to use?

I've uploaded a pic to help.


texts: I'm lost with all the names of bike parts flying around!

texts: Ok so I've been riding bike since I was as young as I can remember. Now I'm 18 and I've been given a fixie. But I know nothing about bikes I've always just ridden them and brought them to a shop when they broke. The fixie I have is basic and when people ask what ratio I run and other things like, "What cogs have you got?". I've tried searching online but I can't find a definitive guide to fixies. Can someone please give me a basic run down of how to improve my lingo and understanding of bikes.


texts: Ordered a pair of Fizik R4s a size too big. Will it make a difference?

texts: About a month ago I ordered a pair of Fizik R4 shoes, they recently came in and I was ecstatic that that looked so good IRL. So ecstatic that when I saw the 12 on the side of the box I didn't realize it was for the UK. I normally wear size 12 or 11 1/2 depending on the brand. Will wearing a complete size larger make a difference in terms of how many watts I can put out or put me at a higher chance of injury?


texts: Is it possible to pair wheel sensors with an Android phone GPS?

texts:
This is a 2 part question:

I have concerns over the general accuracy of a GPS device to calculate speed. Mainly because I will be using the device in Eastern Europe, and not sure on the accuracy of the coverage.
Because of this concern I was thinking of pairing an android based gps app to wireless sensors mounted on the wheel, much like you would do with a Garmin 800.

I'm looking for the following reply:

Is my concern justified, or will a phone based GPS be accurate enough to give me a realistic speed indication?
If my concerns are justified, can you recommend some ways to pair the wheel sensors with apps?
What general features should I look for in a phone to bring out the best of it for use as a cycle computer / gps.

Thanks in advance!


texts:
I've just bought an early 80s steel framed bike with unindexed stem mounted shifters. As I plan to use the bike for commuting, I'd like to change the rear mech to use trigger shifters.

I'm not so bothered about converting the front mech at the moment, although I assume it's a similar (if not easier?) process.

The rear dérailleur is a Shimano Tourney (couldn't see a date - it's not new though) and there are 5x2 gears. The gear spacing is definitely less than 10mm although I've only tried to measure it with a ruler.

I've read lots of guides about doing this conversion, but I'm a little confused about what I actually need to do in my case.

I think the rear dérailleur is fine and doesn't need replacing. And I think that all I need is some trigger shifters, but I'm worried about the indexing and spacing. I've read that faster triggers are less likely to suit the spacing, but I don't know why?

Am I on the right lines? Thanks!


texts: I'd like to be able to climb hills better: is it an option to increase the diameters of the largest gears on rear cassette?

texts:
I'm a beginner cyclist and I'd like to be able to climb hills better.
Of course there are many approaches to this, including fitness and technique. I am trying those, but on top of that, I'm thinking of 'hardware' options.
But I'd like to keep costs low if possible. One way I was thinking of is to buy a rear cassette that maintains the same width (in my case six-speed - as I want to keep the same bike frame), but increase the diameters of the largest gears. Is this possible?
The largest gear on my present cassette is 8.7cm. It is a freewheel if I'm not mistaken.
(photos included in case this helps)


texts:
I’ve done some research about crank length. When I’m riding full-gas my knee is starting to hurt but when I’m just chilling in group rides I feel alright.
My crank length at the moment is 172.5mm and I’m thinking upgrading to a shorter crankset. My inseam is 30 inches (762mm) and by the formula I found on the internet by GCN, I should have a 160mm crank length.
Is 160mm too short or should I just go buy the 165mm?


texts: Could someone help me identify this bike?

texts:
I would much appreciate it if someone could help me identify this bike? The decals says Viner, but I think the bike is from a different manufacture.

Here are some images:


texts: microSHIFT on front gears, how does it work?

texts:
Firstly, I do apologise if I don't get all the terminology correctly but I hope I'm still clear.

We bought a second-hand 18-speed bike that has a front gear system that I've not encountered before. It's called a 'microSHIFT' and it has a gradient whereby the rider needs to twist the shifter several times before a chain is moved onto a higher or a lower chainring. It's not just a matter of shifting from 1 to 2, there's several bars in between.

What is the purpose of this and how is it meant to be used correctly?


texts:
I just bought a brand new Canyon Endurace SL from the Canyon factory and started ridding it for about 10 days. On the spec sheet is only 7.6 Kg so I was pretty confident when a friend lifted it to check the weight. My ego and pride scatter to pieces when he said it was rather on the heavy side. And he was right, it does feel way heavier than I can recall.

Back home I get the balance out and check it for myself, and it displays something like 8.7Kg.

So where does all this extra weight comes from? My pedals are less than 500g a pair according to Shimano, a 40g bottle cage, two 35g lights for safety and a speed counter on the from rim (no more than 40g I assume). That doesn't sum to more than a Kilo. Can water get caught in the frame and/or rims after a wet day or a thorough wash? Did Canyon deliberately lie on the specs? Can my bike sneak out and feed itself over grease and power gels overnight?

I guess it's just my brain playing tricks on me...


texts: Can I make Shimano XTR Shadow 2008 work with road shifters and hydraulic disk brakes

texts:
I am getting a new bike (Giant Revolt Advanced 3) and because of GRX being completely out of stock I am not able to upgrade the GRX400 that comes with it. I will have to do it later. Since I have a Shimano XTR Shadow 2008 groupset in very good conditions, my idea was to mount this group but only with two chainrings. This way I can sell the GRX400 parts and not lose that much money since I do want to upgrade whenever becomes possible.
Now, my question is if there is any way of having brifters (Sora?) working with XTR 9 speed mechs and at the same time compatible with the existing hydraulic disk brakes (GRX400)?
If I must guess I think this may be an impossible mission but not Tom Cruise style, with some kind of workaround possible.


texts: What are the advantage of the different gear shifters

texts:
I have just buy for the first time a road bike (Boardman Team Carbon) after long years on hybrids bike and unfortunately due of a injury I didn't have much time to experience with it.

The bike has a SRAM Rival 10 speed gear shifter and I was wondering what are the difference between all the different type of gear shifters.

It would be good to know what are the advantages and disadvantages and if you have experience with it what are the optimal way to use them.


texts:
My kid trailer I have had for a few years has, in the past few weeks, been noticeably harder to pull.  I checked it over and I found that not only are my wheel cones are a little loose, that I can spin the axle with very little resistance.  When I say little meaning I can give the quick release lever a light flick and it will spin 4 or 5 times easily with the wheel in the vertical orientation (off the trailer).  I'm assuming that this is because the bearings are dry, and since anything I have rebuilt myself, the grease (park tools polylub 1000) will give some drag to keep it from free spinning.

I have pulled it for hundreds (if not thousands) of miles to this point without really any problem.  This summer it has been in the rain twice (~4 miles), but I noticed this new drag before.

Trailer (shaped object) is a Pacific Voyager II sold through Toys-r-us (best that I can tell).  I don't know the service history (assuming none) and I'm the 3rd owner.  When I got it I replaced the tires on it (20" Kenda road tires) and keep the pressure high (50lbs of 55lbs max).  At around the same time I also upgraded the hitch system to a standard Burley one so I no longer have the spring in the system causing tugging.


texts: Valve loses orthogonality in a tubular rim

texts:
I am having problems with the tubular tires I use in my everyday commuting in Madrid. The first sketch shows how I mount it, the second shows my wheels after some months of use.

It loses its orthogonality. As I am too lazy, I didn't repaired it and my tyres have a "bump" in the area of the valve. In this moment, one of my tyres is losing air probably due to the attrition with the rim in the area surrounding the valve.

It happend once before, so last time I decided to more-carefully follow the instructions of the Contintental glue I am using. Of course, they ask you to even apply several layers of glue before applying the final one, waiting 24 hours between each. I didn't do that, but I at least applied one layer before the final one and waited the asked times between tasks. I am also using the base coat for the rim of the previous tire because it doesn't look bad.

I would like to ask you if this is normal for you and what do you recommend to do to improve the gluing or mounting process. Next time I will try to follow ParkTool instructions for gluing tubular tires, which are not so different to what I was doing.

I was thinking that it may be cause of the extreme warm weather we have in Madrid City in summer. My commutes are 13km long and the road is burning. Air temperature is sometimes higher than 40ºC.


texts: Shimano Cassette 10 Speed Teeth Selection

texts:
I am planning to upgrade my drivetrain and I'm in the process of selecting the various components. My bike currently has a Shimano Tiagra CS-4600 10 Speed Cassette 12-28t.  I am looking to upgrade to a Shimano 105 5700 10 Speed Road Cassette. The 105 doesn't have a 12-28t so I was wondering based on the following options (below) what would be the closest to what I am riding now?

11-25t
11-28t
12-25t
12-27t

I am guessing the two in bold would be the closest options. Here's some additional info if it helps:

I currently have a compact 50/34t 110mm crank. Plan to upgrade from FSA to Shimano 105 5750 Compact 10sp Chainset (same ratios).
I live in a fairly hilly city (Seattle, WA) and ride mixed terrain hills, flats, gravel (short and long rides). Basically everything but steep mountain passes.
The existing 12/28t seems to suit me fine.


texts: if my height is 5'9" what mtb should I buy?

texts: I am rookie and I want to know about mountain bike and want to know that if my height is 5.9 which mountain bike works for me. So guys please help to know about mountain bike.


texts:
I'm riding a lot with my girlfriend. We just ride - no training or such. Yet I do like to train. The intensity I normally ride with her is not enough for any training benefit. I guess adding weight could be an option, but the problem is that we sometimes go on long flat routes so the added weight would have to be uncofortably huge to compensate (I don't think carrying a bag of bricks is a solution). Using brakes all the time is tedious and potentially unsafe but also will produce uneven power outputs resulting in uncofortable speed changes, also using up brake pads swiftly. Is there a way to make pedalling less efficient without making rides too uncomfortable/unsafe?
Bicycle type is gravel 46-30 / 11-34 with a very relaxed geometry


texts:
Am a little scared now.

It's a 700c rim am trying to build. Trouble is it's an offbrand Rodi rim so there isn't any official data I could use.

I measured between spoke hole to spoke hole and it came in at around 575mm.

I used two 270mm spokes took a measurement at the valve hole from J-bend to J-bend it came in as 44mm. Spun the rim 90 degrees then measured it came in as 45mm.
hence a 584mm ERD.

Edd spoke calculator tells me:

Spokes              36
Crosses             3
Spoke length left   278.5 mm
Spoke length right  277.3 mm

but the guy at the bike shop says these number are more typical of 650b.
However it's definitely specd to be a 700c rim as the tyres say so.

It's a deep sectioned rim though (time to use a guide spoke).

Should I just go ahead?


texts:
Is it possible to still purchase tubes for Continental 47-622 TravelMaster tires with 28x1.75 written on the side?
I had an old Rabeneick commuter bike (have no idea of the bike's age)  shipped back from Germany that I'm trying to put back together. I've never seen valves like these....they're not Schraeder or Presta.


texts: What to use to clean your chain (and cogs)?

texts: I've just tried cleaning my chain and cogs with some really hot water and washing-up liquid. I also used a toothbrush, j-cloth and a non-scratch scourer. After over an hour of some serious elbow grease I could shift some of the outer dirt and muck, but still can't get the base layer of grease off. What can I use to completely strip the grease and muck off the chain?