texts: How to remove handlebar end plug (probably expansion type)?

texts:
Earlier this year I acquired a second-hand Cannondale Trigger 2014, that was used just twice but standing around for quite some time. Today I wanted to change some things about the cockpit and as a part of it, tried to remove the grips. Not having seen any "sophisticated" end plugs ever I just untighted all screws and then tried to pull the grips and endcaps free - no luck. With admittedly few thoughts I kept turning the middle screw and managed to get it out all the way. Only later did I realize I probably shouldn't have done that. I can clearly hear the counterpart moving inside the handlebar. On the second grip I tried to do it right, but that just results in the middle screw being loose, the counterpart still being connected, but it's still mysterious how to get the entire plug out. The screw is the only thing I can pull on, but that just pulls in the counterpart and expands the plug, i.e. getting it stuck even more.

I can't find any specific details online or in the manual about this handlebar plug/cap or even any instructions, how to "normally" remove those types of plugs. I know options to remove them destructively, so that's not what I am looking for.

In "normal operation", how would you remove this handlebar end plug?


texts:
When I pedal my bike, it make a very loud noise.

I put a video so you can hear what it sound like:

https://streamable.com/e5jl8

Further info:   I tried all these steps to try to fix the problem and nothing worked:

degreased the chain with a degreaser and cleaned with soap and hot water.
lubricated the chain
replaced the bottom bracket with a new one
greased around the bearings
greased the pedals.

Do you guys suggest another thing I can do ?

Problem solved:
The noise was coming from the right pedal, i changed both pedals and the noise is now gone.
Thanks for help guys


texts:
I noticed that my back tyre was losing pressure -- on the order of 70 psi down to under 30 psi in three days. (I pumped it up and left the bike alone for those three days.) I thought it had a small puncture, so I took the tube off and examined it very carefully, dipping it in water to find any leaks. I did not find any.

After remounting the tube and filling it up, it is currently (after four days) holding the pressure well.

Is this something to be worried about? Temporary valve malfunction or something else?

EDIT: Now, one and a half weeks since the last pumping-up, the tube had indeed again lost much of its pressure, though the pressure loss was quite a bit slower this time. I am betting the cause is a badly applied patch. (How can I find which one it is?) Should consider just replacing the tube.


texts: Day off work so I didn't use my bike today, left it in my garage with nothing there to cause any damage.  However later today I walked into my garage to collect some supplies and a loud bang followed by a hissing sound (air going out) came from inside. When I checked my back tyre had lost all air in it. Does anyone know why this may have occurred?


texts:
I have a used a carbon fork i'm looking to sell (I bought it used and never ended up using it).

When I bought it, it was meant to be tapered 1 1/8 to 1 1/4 (1.125 to 1.25).

I'm measuring it (with measuring callipers) before I post the ad:
The top of the tube is exactly 1.125" (as expected), but I found the bottom was 1.326", which is a bit different from the 1.25 I expected (but it's way below 1.5 to think that I had the wrong specs of the fork).

Could someone shed some light on this, please?

Is this normal for a tapered 1 1/8 - 1 1/4 fork? Or is it a defect or something?

I wanna make sure I'm selling a good fork that matches the description.

Thanks in advance.
Khaled

PS. There's no crown race on the steerer. This is just the steerer on its own.

PS2. If it's any help/relevance, the fork is for a Cannondale CAAD10 (don't know about the year).


texts:
I have a v-brake mounted on my bike.
I can feel some stopping from the pads. If i spin the wheel, it stops because of one of the pads rubbing.
I can't find a setting where one of the pads doesn't touch the rim.
When I put less tension, the pads don't touch the wheel, but in that setting, the tension is too low.
I have played with the pad positions.
I have played with brake tension.
I have even played with spring tension, in order to adjust the brake movement. Both arms move at the same time.

What can this be? Bent rim?


texts: Front derailleur will not sit properly on large cog without chain rub

texts:
I bought a Vilano Commuter bike ( 3x7 speed ) a while back and recently upgraded the front derailleur, crankset, brifters, pedals and rear derailleur to tourney A070 components. However, I can't seem to get the front derailleur to sit on the large cog with no chain rub when the rear derailleur is on the smallest cog.

The cable is as taught as it could possibly get and the inline barrel adjuster is also on it's most tense setting. I'm at a loss trying to determine why the FD won't make it passed the largest cog, the FD H limit is as loose as possible and the L limit is sitting as close to the small cog without chain rub ( ~1mm ) when on the largest rear cog.. am I missing something here? Do I have BB that is too elongated?


texts: I got a flat/puncture on my bike tube, how can I fix it myself without going to the nearest bike shop? What kind of equipment would I need?


texts: Compact crankset, how to use and criticality of cross chaining

texts:
I have a road bike with 50/34 compact crankset and 12/27 10sp cassette.

While I don't think I could run a 53/39 one given the hills I happen to climb, but sometimes I get the feeling the right gears are precisely close to the cross chaining limit.

I get the feeling when riding on the 34 that it is always too easy unless I ride on the 12/13/14t cogs, or when on the 50, that it is too hard unless I get on the 21t cog...

I mean, when on the flat, I feel better on the 50 as I could get faster spots when smaller cogs will definitely be better, but when riding at ~25kph, it just feels like I am all the time "in between"...

Any tips?

Also, given that the crankset only has two rings, is the cross-chaining less of an issue than on a triple?


texts: Pinion gearbox + Gates belt drive - what are my options for 36-hole rear hubs?

texts:
I currently have a touring bike with 36 spokes front and back, in the front with a SON 28, in the back with a Shimano Deore XT hub. I plan to switch my frame and I'm currently considering switching to a Pinion P 1.18 or C 1.12 gearbox with a Gates Carbon belt drive.

I thus researched what my options are for Pinion-specific single speed rear hubs, and Pinion itself only offers 32-hole rims. Also, the DT 240 are also 32-hole only. It currently looks as if my only option is a Deore XT or DT 540 Tandem hub with spacer rings to keep the rear sprocket in place. I've also found BMX-specific hubs, but I'm unsure if they are suitable for my needs, as I'm unsure if they have a freewheel ratchet mechanism.

Although I might change rims (26" -> 28"), it would end up silly having 36 spokes in the front and 32 spokes in the back. Do you know of any other options than standard hub + spacers? I should mention that I'd like to keep my 36-hole SON 28 and also not lace without using all holes, mainly because Roger Musson advises against that.


texts: Tips for amending apartment/condo bylaws around bike storage

texts: We are proposing a bylaw ammendment that would allow residents to bring top end bikes to their units. (This after several top end bikes were stolen from our 'secure' bike room.) The challenge we face is educating residents on the difference between top-end bikes and commuters. Most residents group bikes into one category and feel that our public bike room is sufficient. Has anyone tackled this issue with their strata and could share tips on ways to inform/persuade the masses, many of whom do not bike. We need a 3/4 vote to pass this ammendment. Thanks!


texts: the standover height on my bike is a but tall. I can touch the ground, but I touch the top tube as well. Any ideas?

texts: My dad recently bought me a new bike. I am 158 cm tall, and the bike is 53 size frame. I can comfortably ride it (without cleat pedals), but when I stop/finish my ride and try to get off the bike it is a bit of a hassle, as it is a kind of big for me. I can touch the ground when standing over the bike, but I don't know how it is going to be with cleats. When I stand over the bike, I touch the top tube. :/ Any ideas or tips?


texts:
I think I bent the mech hanger (right term?) on my Schwinn MTB. Now changing gears is hard. I'm trying to better understand my options. What I understand so far as to what I can do:

Look for a new mech hanger for this make/model
Try un-bend (using force) to correctly align hanger

From my visual inspection, the bend looks slight, yet has a big impact on the gear. A few pics:

I'm biased towards a do-it-yourself solution, if possible. Thank-you.


texts: Can I put a road bike tyre on a mountain bike?

texts:
I am finding it difficult to ride a Mountain bike, I feel that it may be more comfortable to change the tyre to that of a road bike, which are thinner in size.

Please advise if I can do so.


texts: Do all or virtually all rear derailleurs actually have linear actuation ratios?

texts: Adapter devices such as the Jtek Shiftmate and Wolf Tooth Tanpan are designed with the notion that the actuation ratio of the rear derailleurs they're being attached to are dead linear. So, for example, by multiplying a shifter's input pull by an appropriate new ratio, that shifter will act exactly like it has a different cable pull in terms of what click-to-click position the guide pulley winds up in. Is this actually exactly true though? Are their examples in the past or present of RDs that use substantively nonlinear actuation rates?


texts: From Trek to Surly - advice on frame size

texts:
I have a Trek FX7.3, frame size 22.5 inches. I'm looking to swap the frame out for a Surly Cross Check. Has anyone done a similar build? Also, what frame size would you recommend that I go for?

Just an idea at the moment - I'm not too sure how compatible more of my parts would be with the Cross Check frame.

Cheers!


texts: What tool can I use to tighten SRAM GXP bottom bracket without removing the cranks?

texts:
I'm looking for a tool, if it exists, that would allow me to tighten my bottom bracket (SRAM GXP, 16-notch 44mm) without removing the cranks. I have seen a few tools that look like they might work, which are similar to the BBT-9 but with an opening; they are open (C-shaped) instead of closed (O-shaped).

For example:

Shimano TL-FC32 and a couple other, cheaper, seemingly identical clones. For this style, what is the minimum separation of the opening? (This is the primary constraint. It seems like an obvious application of this tool but I see no claims or specs.)
Park Tool HCW-18 almost pin-spanner style. For this style, are there any compatible?

Applications include simple laziness, testing or temporary tightening the BB before/without removing the cranks, for similar disc brake lock-rings, etc. My primary application in this case is merely grasping the BB cups to adjust an eccentric bottom bracket in lieu of a pin-spanner, and in the process trying to purchase a more flexible multi-tool.

As a counterpoint, is there a good reason not to do this (e.g., potential damage to spindle, etc.)?


texts: Is there any guide or what should I know to assemble a bicycle from parts instead of buying a complete new one ?


texts: Mercier road bike - biggest tire/wheel possible on frame

texts:
I have a fixed-gear/single-speed (Mercier Kilo TT; http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/kilott.htm#specs; http://www.cyclesmercier.com/geometry_tt.html) road bike with 700Cx23 tires; I'm basically looking to ride using a bigger tired, something more fitting for cyclocross or more "rugged" terrain.

My main issue is determining what the max size tire my frame will fit. Does it vary widely by frame? Is it universal? I'd like to go up to at least a 700Cx32 with better treads...

Apologies for the scatterbrain wording, let's hash this out whilst I browse the similar questions. Thanks!


texts: structure of rear wheel to support cargo trailer

texts:
Some years ago I used a rear carrier with a bundle buggy lashed on to carry stuff around.  I had a problem with wheel wobble.  I thought a rebuild as 4 cross (instead of std 3 cross) might help.  The guy in the shop where I bought the spokes noticed a cracked rim (actually both front & back).  After I rebuilt the back wheel 4 cross with a new rim, the wobble was gone.  Don't know if the 4 cross fixed it, as I don't know how long the rim was cracked.

I am thinking of building a cargo trailer, and am wondering if anyone has any knowledge on whether rebuilding a wheel to 4 cross for the additional stability it may bring (the old bike is long gone) is worth the effort for short trips with 50-60 lb of freight.  the trailer would be attached to the rear axle, not the seat post.


texts: I'm planning a company charity ride to Dublin and was wondering how hard the route was and how many days to expect to take?


texts: How do I stop my rim brakes making a squeaking/squealing sound?

texts:
I bought a Schwinn Frontier Sport few months ago and started riding happily. After a few weeks my front rim brakes started creaking. It's so annoying in public places. My rear brake doesn't produce any sound but isn't as powerful as the front brake.

The retailer says cleaning would solve the front brake's issues and I got it cleaned, but nothing changed. Is there something I can do something myself to fix this?


texts: Safe countries for touring (without having to take public trasport all the time) in EU?

texts:
I discussed today foreign ambulance guys and they told stories about sliced bicyclists in an  ex-communist country. The country in itself is not special but rather the fact that it lacks proper roads for cars, it then again means that it is blatantly dangerous ride the zig-zag roads along with 100km/h speed limits or more that are not even designed for such speeds.

So I want to gather here countries that do not have such problems. I planned my road along such zig-zag road with Google Maps but after hearing the story and seeing the conditions, I decided to get a local bus over the dangerous area.

Before I continue towards South, I would like to know which countries to avoid inside EU.

Resources

European Long-distance-paths here
European Cyclists Federation here, some paths suggested
Some research done from Europe

Related questions

political aspect and safety in long-distance bicycling here
evolution of bicycle infrastructure, trying to investigate how/why bicycle infrastructure evolves here


texts:
I've got a Giant Revolt with a OverDrive tapered steerer (1 1/8-inch top to 1 1/4-inch bottom), and am thinking about replacing the fork with a shock.

If I used a shock with a 1 1/8-inch non-tapered steerer, can I just replace the bottom bearing?

Or can I add a tapered spacer and convert the straight steerer to OverDrive? Has anyone tried this?


texts: What's the longer-valve, metal-ring inner tube style called?

texts:
I have an innertube for a Chariot stroller that apparently came from Europe, and the local bike shop people couldn't find one in their catalogs that was both the right size and having the thing I'm trying to describe.  I want to search for it myself but don't know what it's called.  It's a longer than normal valve, and has a washer-like thing (metal, but thicker than a washer, and threaded) that you spin down the valve until it locks the valve in place to the rim.  (We need one because we're going through innertubes like crazy--whenever you pump up a Chariot with the compact style pump we have, it wears the crap out of the valve.)  They could find it in the skinny Presta valve diameter but not in the standard valve diameter.

What's it called?  (And if you happen to know, where in Canada can I order one?)

Thanks,
Kev


texts: How to treat rust spots on a steel frame without stripping the paint completely?

texts: I have a 1974 steel French road frame and most of the original paint is still intact. However, there’re quite many 1-2 cm surface rust spots. I also recently had one of the lugs partly re-brazed and the guy who did it removed most of the paint around the lug. How can I treat the rust spots and that area where the paint was removed without repainting the whole frame? What solutions can I cover only those specific spots with after removing the rust from them to prevent rusting (if possible, without using paint – I kind of like the look of frames with places where bare frame is seen)?


texts:
I took my bike for a service recently and was told it needed so many repairs that it was more cost effective for me to replace it.

One of the repair jobs was to replace the wheels due to worn rims. The shop told me they were so dangerous that they refused to replace the brake blocks - which were also dangerous - for fear of causing extra wear.

I am happy to replace the bike but this is a bad time to do so. I'm looking to move house and my eventual location may impact what kind of bike I buy. I'd like to ride on my worn rims until then.

The rims have a groove to indicate wear. The groove is still visible but it has become very shallow:

I've sorted the brakes for now by tightening the cable. But realistically how safe am I riding on these rims and for how long?


texts: I want to buy a new frame that supports Direct Mount. Now I read that Bottom Swing is preferable for hardtails. At the same time, it was also mentioned that Bottom Swing is mounted higher onto the saddle tube than Top Swing. Are there two versions of Direct Mount to accomodate these few centimeters height difference, or do the top and bottom swing "Direct Mount" front derailleurs position their "Direct Mount" screws at different heights internally, so that I don't have to worry about compatibility?


texts: My wife's bike recently got scraped up and the paint got scratched down to the frame. It's an alloy frame. Should she be concerned about rust or any kind of damage? If so, do we need to get it repainted? There are about three scratches, each about half the size of a dime.


texts: What makes a great kids city bike? (and where can I find or how can I build one?)

texts:
I have two children age 6 and 8. In good weather we often ride 10 or 20 miles in a day to school and misc activities. I'd like to get them city / commuter bikes but almost all of the kids bikes I can find are BMX, MTB, or beach cruiser.

However we mostly ride on paved surfaces and these styles aren't as efficient as a hybrid or 3 speed with narrower, higher pressure tires. I'd also like them to have fenders, racks, and water bottles. But I can't find such bikes at stores I've visited in the US or online.

What type of bike would be a good city commuter bike for kids? I am happy to extensively modify what is available, but am not sure where the best place to start would be.


texts: What rear brake should I get for a Surly Steamroller?

texts: I recently acquired a Surly Steamroller (fixed gear bike). I want to ride is as a single speed for everyday use. I changed out the rear wheel and got one with a flip-flop hub. I'd also like to add a rear brake but I'm not sure what will work. The Surly website states that standard reach post mount calipers are compatible but that's for the current model. My bike is a number of years old. The other problem is that there are no stops for housing. Any suggestions for my best option(s)? Thanks.


texts: Most Crucial Gear/ Accessories for a (Road) Cycling Beginner?

texts:
Some background information on myself before I get to the question:

I've decided to get in to cycling both as a hobby and because I need the activity. (Though I'm honestly driven more by the former - I've always enjoyed riding since I was a kid.) I already have a bike that seems decent to me (for someone in my position), but I'm also a newcomer and don't know that much. It's a 2004 Cannondale R800. When I was about 15, my dad and I each got one to start together. Long story short, we had some demotivating initial experiences with the clipless pedals, moved shortly after, and soon the bikes were (sadly) forgotten.

Now (~6 years later), I'm looking to actually get into it, and it seems that there is a lot of "essential" gear I should buy. I have somewhat limited funds (as a student), and can't do it all at once, so was hoping for some guidance in both what I absolutely need to get, and what would be more ancillary. Also, recommendations on around how much I should be spending on different items would be helpful. For example, I know headlights can run anywhere from $10-$1000+, but I don't know what the sweet spots between performance and value are.

I live in a fairly rural environment in a university town of ~21k people. There is a decent bike shop in town considering the size, however their focus is much more casual/ kid-oriented.

What I do have:

Jersey (longsleeve + shortsleeve)
Cycling Shorts
Cycling Shoes
Helmet
(Small) Saddle Bag
Pump
Emergency Patch Kit

Things I don't have, but are on my radar to acquire (at some point):

Headlights / Taillights
Cycling computer / heart monitor (I do have an Android phone that I know can facilitate this point.)
Additional clothing, though nothing particular at the moment
Gloves
Tool kit

I'd like to be fairly serious about it, though training for self-improvement, not competition. I'm planning to gear up to riding my first century this September.

Tell me if there's any more information I need to add, and, thanks!


texts: Finding store selling SM-PD64 reflectors for the Shimano Saint PD-MX80 flat pedals?

texts:
I've bought the Shimano Saint PD-MX80 flat pedals. According to the user's manual, an optional reflector set is available for them. In Shimano's dealer's manual one can read that the reflector set is called SM-PD64 (according service instructions). However, I didn't succeed finding a store selling them (I could not find it neither on ebay, amazon, froogle nor several bike shops I know).

Does anyone has some suggestions on finding stuff which is obviously sold not so often (preferrably a store shipping to Germany)?


texts: After fall bicycle feels really slippery

texts:
I fell pretty bad this winter, and after that (even now without a trace of snow where I live) I feel the bike really slippery, mostly the front wheel. Riding on slightly uneven surfaces makes me feel I'm going to slide to the side, and side wind also feels I'm losing control of the bike.

Bike is less than a year old and I only commute with it, no long distances.

Could it be a technical problem or a confidence issue?


texts:
I am about to ride a 300km brevet, and the plan is to let the faster bike alone at home, and go with a heavier one, for a lot of reasons, and one of them is the riding position on the fast one makes friction against the saddle a long-term problem. Besides, it is fixed gear and since I cannot stop pedalling, the problem is even bigger.

I have seen people talk about the wonders of chamois creams and powders, and I am planning to use some. But since I tend to have a traditional approach (and to be very skeptical about fancy advertisements), perhaps using some traditional home-made solutions could become an interesting exercise in self-sufficiency.

Some folks told me from experience that corn starch makes an excelent sweat-absorber, and also helps the skin to not suffer from friction.

Some folks told me from experience that solid vaseline might be useful, too.

How can I make my own chamois cream?


texts: Derailleur Configuration - Anyone ever seen something like this?

texts:
Can't find anything on Google because I guess I don't know what search terms to use.

I am wondering if anyone has ever seen a derailleur setup like I have drawn in the picture. It is NOT for installation on a normal bicycle, but a normal derailleur takes up too much room below the gears and will not work for what I want to do.

(Using a small wheel in larger frame - I have lost all but 4" from gears to ground.)

Please advise on this 'central sprung gear' idea - if you've seen it, if it would work, etc.)

OH_ That three-gear center assembly would slide back and forth sideways on shafts to allow chain alignment.


texts:
My Son's bike has slime inner tubes.  The bike has been sitting in the garage since last summer and the front tyres valve now seems blocked.  Its has what feels like 15-20 psi in it but I can not get the valve to let any air out or take any more in.

I have no idea at this point how to get it to unblock the valve so I can use it again.  For that matter I don't know how I could get the tire off as it has a reasonable (not ridable) amount of air in it without slashing the tyres (nice kings 2.2 which are pretty new).

I have tried putting the pump on it and putting a bit of air into it to try and clear the blockage but that didn't do anything.

Any ideas please?


texts: I am looking to upgrade my racer, I currently have a Bottecchia racer from the mid-80s and it has 14 gears.  While looking around for newer racers I noticed that a number of them had 20 gears while other ones had 27 gears.  Since I live in Berlin, so pretty flat although with the occasional hill, what would be the recommended number of gears?


texts: Single speed crank chainline calculation

texts:
I apologise ahead of time for yet ANOTHER single speed chainline/crank compatibility question.
I have a Genesis Day One 2013. According to online sources the crankset for this bike is the Driveline TX-13.
The specs for this crankset are (according to the current Driveline website):

Length - 170mm
BCD - 130mm
Chainline - 45mm
BB Axle - Square (103)

I have measured my bike, and it has the following relevant dimensions:

135mm rear hub spacing
45mm chainline (measured from centre of seat tube to centre of chainring tooth)
68mm bottom bracket housing width
110mm bottom bracket spindle length

This doesn't make sense to me because the Driveline website gives a 45mm chainline on a 103mm spindle, but I have a 45mm chainline on a 110mm spindle. Have I misunderstood/miscalculated something?
Maybe the P1 designation on the Driveline website indicates that the current model is different from the 2013 version used on  my bike?


texts: What kind of portable pump should I carry when riding on a fat bike?

texts: However, I just got a fat bike with 4.5in tires. I know that my portable hand pump takes a long time to pump mountain bike tires due to it being optimized for high pressure / low volume.  What type of portable pump should I carry in my toolkit when riding on the fat bike for emergency repairs and adjusting air pressure out on the trails away from the car or home?


texts: Can we fit an 11 speed cassette to new Shimano XTR 12 speed hub?

texts:
I'm looking for a very silent hub. Upon searching, I came across with Onyx hubs which definitely has no sound. I really like it, but my budget doesn't. So I've searched a little more and found Shimano's new 12 speed XTR hub with Scylence tech which cost half the price compared with Onyx. My problem is, it's 12 speed with new Microspline freehub body. I have an old XTR 11 speed setup.

So there lies my question, can I fit an 11 speed cassette to a XTR 12 speed hub?

I know there's a spacer but I only see an upgrade from lower speed to higher like 11 speed to 12 speed not downgrade 12 to 11.


texts: Installing new threadless headset: how to set the crown ring and its rubber ring?

texts:
My old headset was loosy and feeling very instable.

So I removed it, I got this:
and I'd want to install it.

I am wondering what is the right way to install the two pieces on the right. I know the crown ring (second from right) has to be installed on the fork (I removed the old one). But I don't know what to do with the plastic ring. Should I put it before the crown ring? Should I put it afterwards? What is its purpose?
(actually I am having and hard time realizing how everything works since the ball bearings are sealed and they don't have to slide on the crown ring itself).

I bought this PVC tube to install the ring, for reference:

And I think to hammer it down with it.

Thanks for your help!


texts:
I recently got a new bike (below). It's rather latest technology for me. I got it assembled from a supermarket, but had to do almost all the adjustments myself.

I don't know what I did wrong with the front disc brake (Tektro hydraulic something), but when I ride the bike it starts rubbing against the pads occasionally. A bike shop said that it's wind and that's okay, but I can't stand the noise... Now it seems like it has totally moved out of place today as it rubs against the pads when I spin the wheel while not even riding. Did I not tighten bolts enough? Maybe it was the rain and water that made me hear the disk rubbing today?

Another question is what to do when your front derailleur doesn't switch from gear 2 to 1? From 2 to 3 and the other way around it works great. It is probably not necessary for normal rides as gear 2 in the front is already really damn low, but I would still love to have it perfectly functional for bragging rights. ;)

Do you think the bike looks feminine? I really think the colors look totally fine as the purple is rather dark and I have a white seat.

Thank you for all of your answers, you are helping me learn!


texts: is it compatible the left crank arm of ultegra 6600 with ultegra 6800?

texts:
I would like to buy a power meter and the nearest I found to my shimano ultegra 6600 crankset is the ultegra 6800 left crank arm. It is the same size though.
many thanks


texts:
I own a road bike with a SRAM Red 10 speed 110 BCD crankset and chainrings. I am upgrading the bike to the SRAM 11 speed shifters, cassette, chain and derailleurs.

Do I have to buy a whole new SRAM red 22  110 BCD crankset or can I just get the Red 22 outer and inner chainrings to fit my current 110 bcd arm?

In other words, will SRAM 22 Red 11 speed 110 BCD chainrings fit on a 2012 SRAM Red 10 speed crankarm?

thanks for all the responses. i realize that my terminology may be misleading. i actually wish to upgrade to the 11spd chainrings. what i needed to confirm was if they will fit on my my current red 10 spd spider arm i.e the hole dimensions are the same. if not i will have to buy the complete new crankset which is an additional US$226 vs just the chainrings. what i will do is purchase the small 11 spd ring which is less expensive and confirm that its holes match my spider


texts: Period of adaptation between a mountain bike and a road bike

texts:
I am a casual rider and I am starting to consider switching from a mountain bike to a road bike. My main concern is that I don't ride enough to adapt to a road bike and thus is not worth the switch.

Because of the different position, new muscles will probably be used, I may not be flexible enough, etc. I will need some time to feel as good on a road bike as on a mountain bike. How long will it take if I only ride once a week 40-70 km (25-45 mi)?

I am aware that it depends a lot on the cyclist, my question is more about whether it will take 2 weeks, 6 months, or if it's not enough to get used to a road bike.


texts:
I have pushed the hydraulic pistons fully out, but after a single firm squeeze of the brake lever, they ride slightly too tightly, such that rear wheel doesn't spin freely. It rubs a little bit. How can I permanently adjust the pistons to a wider default set point whenever the lever isn't being squeezed?

Bike is 4 months old, so brakes, rotors, and fluid should in theory be new enough, and visually look good.

When I finely align the brake, then manually push the pistons out, the wheel spins very freely. It's only after the first firm squeeze that it goes back to lightly rubbing.


texts:
I do a bit of cycling these days, as in nearly 50 km a day.

I do a ring-route. And, there is a mild slope, safe enough to sprint on, and roughly 2 km long with at a worst-case 400 m line of sight visibility without any turn.

By the time I get there, I am a bit tired as I have to climb an ascent to get there.

Should I keep pedaling on such a slope or just sit, steer, control the cycle and then use the momentum in the later part to go another mile or two without much exertion, or should I pedal on the slope so that I can carry on with that momentum over a longer distance.

P.S.: Usually I am not too tired to keep pedaling there. So, I can continue to pedal.


texts:
My wife has a 1980 Schwinn World Tourist that has a good frame and is mechanically sound.  The rims have developed rust on the rims even though it is in the garage.  Is there a good way to remove the rust or any rust remover that works well on chrome wheels?  Please do not recommend Coke and aluminum foil.  I have tried that and it does not work (I used the same method shown on You Tube videos).
Granted, the bike is not worth much, but with the rear baskets, it looks like the "wicked witch of the West's" bike and has character.


texts: Removing old fashioned saddle from seatpost

texts: I've been searching for instructions on how to remove my old saddle from my seatpost. All the videos/guides I've seen have been about the newer kind of clamping mechanism where just one bolt needs to be loosened with an allen wrench. Mine is different- there are two bolts on either side of the saddle and none of my tools seem to fit. (It's an HL Aluminum Micro Adjust 27.2 X 300mm). How can I remove it??


texts: What inner tube size to get for my road bike?

texts: I want to get some spare inner tubes for my new road bike, but I'm unsure what size to get. On my tire it says the size is 700 x 25c and I know that 25 is the max width of the inner tube. So should I get 700x20-25c or 700x25-32c? I'm guessing 700x20-25c would be the safer option, correct?


texts: I bought the bike used, so I am not sure what chain lube was used in the past. I used Tri-flow Superior Lubricant once but may wish to experiment with other lubes in the future (Finish Line Teflon, White Lightning Epic Ride, Finish Line 1-Step). Are the different lubes compatible with each other? Should I use Finish Line 1-Step in between? I do not wish to degrease the chain each time, or for that matter ever, unless I absolutely have to. BTW it is a road bike, and it is now seeing about 70 miles a week.


texts: Suspension not compressing on Rockrider ST520

texts:
I have an almost brand new decathlon rockrider st520 (bought it 3 weeks ago) and noticed if I preload the bike the suspensions just don't compress. They will compress only if you hit the front brake and push down on the handlebars.
I got it for my birthday and I use it just to cycle around my town and go to school, so I don't go on trails.
My friend has the older rockrider 520 and his suspensions compress way easier even while you're on the bike. Also, the bike has a weight adjuster for the fork and nothing else.
Could it be a problem of the suspension or is the bike just made like that?


texts: How high should brake levers be on drop bars?

texts:
How high on the curve of the drop bars should brake levers be placed? Also, how does the angle of the drop bars affect the brake position?

If these settings are dependant on body shape and physiology, is there a way to work out the optimum position for a given person?


texts: What kind of frame and brakes are these?

texts:
I just bought a bike and I can't figure out what kind of frame and brakes it has.

I found that the derailleurs were made by DNB Japan somewhere around 1960 and that the handlebar is french (Guidonn Phillipe), but other than that , this bike is a mystery to me.

The brakes only have a logo on them and the frame has only a number and a logo on the back. Underneath all the black paint, in the front, is a sticker but there is no way I can peel just the paint without damaging the sticker...

I would love to know what frame I am dealing with because the bike (even though it has seen better days) works great and I would like to take a shot at restoring it.


texts:
I'm hoping you can help me! I moved to a place with little soundproofing and neighbors below and next to me who complain about noise at night. Due to my schedule I can only exercise nights indoors and I love cycling so I decided to get an exercise bike but it needs to be quiet.

Based on what I've learned so far, I want a belted spinner with magnetic resistance. I'm shopping on Amazon since I need to use their card for this but I'm having a hard time finding this combination. I'm willing to forego a spinner and get a regular upright but I don't want to sacrifice magnetic resistance or belt instead of chain.

Also, I'm short (5'2) so it needs to fit me and I don't care about consoles/programming options/etc. I never use them. I came down to these:

http://www.amazon.com/Sunny-Health-Fitness-Indoor-Cycling/dp/B002CVU2HG/

http://www.amazon.com/Schwinn-140-Upright-Exercise-Bike/dp/B00275R1TY/

Or the 120 model.

Sunny reviews mostly complain about noise saying it's loud because it has pads for resistance and a chain drive where the chain slaps against the side of it or something but it's the only one I saw on Amazon in my budget that didn't have a lot of "defective" complaints.

Schwinn's reviews mostly complain about some kind of defect that causes you to not be able to pedal and a grinding noise right out of the box and needing get it replaced immediately for both models. I think the 120 is magnetic but don't know about the 140. Those problems seem worse to me than the Sunny issue but since I'm buying it to AVOID noise and prefer magnetic resistance, it ends up making this a toughy.

Unfortunately no place nearby has any bikes for me to try so I'm flying blind. Any thoughts on these bikes or any others you know of that would fit what I need for my budget? Even if it's not on Amazon, please let me know it and I'll research it and find a way to get it if I can. Also, I'm not interested in using a trainer, only standalone exercise bike. Thank you!!!


texts:
I have perfectly ordinary standard-pull brake levers on my bike. When the temperature gets below 20F or so, the left-hand one seizes up, not wanting to pull, and not braking well if I force it. Once the temperature warms up a bit, it's fine.

Diagnosis? Cure? I'm pretty sure the actual brakes are fine, and the cable looks okay too.

(If there's a duplicate, feel free to kill this one; I looked but didn't find an exact symptom match.)


texts: What is the cable pull of Tiagra 4700 10 speed? What is the actuation ratio?

texts:
It is well documented that Tiagra 4700 is not compatible with other 10 speed parts, and uses a different set of ratios. But what are those ratios?

What is the cable pull of a Tiagra 4700 10 speed shifter (ST-4700-R)?
What is the actuation ratio of a Tiagra 4700 rear derailleur (RD-4700)?

The 4700 cassettes do appear to be compatible with other 10 speed components.

Shimano provide a compatibility chart, but that is only useful within the Shimano product line.

Here is my attempt.

Cable pull * Derailleur shift ratio = Cog pitch

(Supposedly) 4700 uses 11-speed cable pull, which is 2.7
The cog pitch for Shimano 10 speed cassettes is 3.95
So 2.7 * Derailleur shift ratio = 3.95
And we get 1.46296


texts: Can I use a 7 speed shifter on an 8 speed cassette

texts: I am currently upgrading my mountain bike and have bought a set of wheels that accepts 8,9,10 speed cassettes but my previous wheels used a 7 speed freewheel. If i install the new wheels with an 8 speed cassette would having the standard shimano 7 speed trigger shifters and 7 speed derailleurs cause a problem or would it work fine?


texts: Can I get a wheel dished without the bike?

texts:
I broke a spoke on my rear wheel, and ended up messing with it a bit too much - I may need to get it re-dished.

If it's a common market model bike, can I simply take the wheel into my bike shop, instead of the whole bike? Will it work when I bring it back home?

The problem is I can't ride it in because the disc brake is scraping on the caliper.


texts: How long does it take for one to get settled on a new saddle?

texts:
I recently switched from a Selle Royal Seta T1 saddle to a Shimano Pro Falcon Anatomic saddle with a cut-out. It's lighter, wider (152mm), and has lesser padding than my previous saddle. The first ride I did with it was 100-km ride, in which I was on the saddle for around four hours. Apart from pain around the sit bones area, it was comfortable. To date, I've ridden 163km in total on the saddle, so three times in total, but every time I have ridden it, my sit bones have hurt.

I am wondering in general how long does it take for a saddle to break in, so to speak. Or, is this a case where this particular saddle isn't right for me?

I'm a heavy rider at 88kg, and I ride mostly in the saddle. I chose a 152-mm wide saddle because it more closely matches my sit bones measurement, which came around 15cm.

Thank you.


texts: Where can I get a new steer tube or 1 1/8" 6061 Aluminum Rod Stock?

texts:
I have an Anti-Gravity fork that features a removable steer tube, but it is a threaded fork. Where can I buy a threadless steer tube to clamp into it to convert it? All I can find are threaded steer tubes or steer tubes pressed into a specific crown.

Here's a picture of the fork: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/files/antigravity_fork_728.jpg . When viewed from the rear, by loosening two bolts I can remove the steer tube (it's already 1 1/8"). Do most forks not do this? Why aren't these more common?

This seems like it would work just fine: http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=6997&step=4&showunits=inches&id=71&top_cat=60 , 1.125" OD, with 0.065" walls for a 0.995" ID would that be close enough to put the threadless cap inside?

Essentially, I'm looking for two things:

1) Where can I get the 1" ID 6061-T6 Aluminum, and

2) Why can't I find this by searching for 'threadless steerer tube'?

Here's a picture of my fork specifically.


texts: How to improve one's bike handling skills?

texts:
Are there any time tested ways to improve one's bike handling skills?

Outside of regular riding (road) are there certain exercises one can do to increase body awareness on the bike, improve coordination, and increase balance?

Are there any exercises one can do off of a bike to increase handling skills and balance while on the bike?


texts: Rear dropout adjustment screws on fixed-gear conversion

texts:
I have a Surly Cross-check that I absolutely love and adore to pieces. I've also converted it from a geared bike to a fixie and am wondering if I still need the adjustment screws (see picture, in case you don't know what I'm referring to).

The issue I have right now is that my chain is a bit slacker than I want it to be, but with the current position of the adjustment screws, I can't move the rear wheel any further back in the dropout. Are the adjustment screws necessary at all on a fixed-gear bike, or are they only needed when you've got a derailleur system? I'm a bit clueless on them, this is the first non-vertical dropout bike I've owned.


texts: How do you determine which cassette lockring tool you need?

texts:
I'm looking to order the tool to remove the cassette lockring on my bike, but I'm not sure which tool to get.  Is there a way to tell just by looking at it, or do I have to look it up using the make and model of the cassette?

EDIT

While I was looking for a more generic answer, specifically I have a Shimano CS-HG20-9 Cassette. Seems to be a freehub style, and probably takes FR-5 tool. However, I wanted to know if there was a way to know for sure that the tool will fit, so I don't waste time ordering the wrong tool.


texts: Repairing a twisted front rim in emergency?

texts:
The front rim got somewhat twisted. I do not have here the rimmer or the small tools to adjust the pins. According to my friend's version, the outer tire and the inner tire are in fine condition. The twisted rim apparently resulted from riding the bike with plastic bags inside the tire about 10km due to a flat. I think the story of fine-conditioned inner/outer tires sound too good so there may be more problems with the tire. It is at least a fact that the tire rim is twisted.

Some emergency tips to adjust the rim?

is it easy to do a rim with proper tools on the road?
can I use 26" rim to the front wheel and 28" rim in the position of back tire?
can the 28" bike use 26" tires of the proper width? The bike has outside derailleur and rim brakes.


texts: My bike wheel was recently stolen and I found this old Bontrager AT-550 wheel in my shed. It's a 29er from my research and I'm wondering what size tyre would fit that would be decently smaller than the current tyre. My bike is a hybrid with a 700cx42c back tyre and the front tyre is 29x2.2 and it would look ridiculous to have a big tyre in the front and small one in the back. I'm sorry for mixing the units the measurement but I'm new to this and would appreciate some help. Thanks!


texts: Can I use Deore RD-T610-SGS derailleur on my road bike with 105 shifters, it seems like cable pull isn't right. Shifters are on 2007 Specialized Roubaix compact.


texts: Is it better fitness-wise to ride at the maximum gear?

texts:
I just wanted to know if I will be doing more effort while riding at the maximum gear all the time, rather than changing gears constantly.

My commute is an hour long, but I want it to be tougher on the muscles, I've tried going at the maximum gear all the time but I'm not sure I'm doing more effort by it.

Could someone confirm?


texts: What caused diagonal cuts in the sidewalls of my tire?

texts:
I noticed some strange damage on my rear tire, where there appear to be diagonally cuts going around the entire wheel.  I have no idea what might have caused this damage.  I first saw it a few months ago, but didn't think anything of it because I had just replaced my tires with these relatively fancy Panaracer kevlar tires so I figured they should hold up for at least a year.

Anyway, just a few days ago I felt my rear tire bumping and when I looked at it, I could see the tube is starting to bulge out slightly through the cracks in the tire sidewall.  The front tire is completely fine, but it's starting to look like I have to replace the back tire.

So my questions are, has anybody else dealt with this issue before?  Any ideas what might have caused this damage?  Am I indeed correct that the tire needs to be replaced?

The first picture has the most severe scarring, the second picture shows how it extends around the entire wheel.


texts: Are flat handlebars stable at high speed?

texts:
I live in a mountainous area, and so there are lots of opportunities for descending at high speed. I currently have a bike with drop bars, and when in the drops, I feel very stable doing this.

I am now in the market for a new bike, and I'm thinking I might like to switch to flat bars. However, on my current bike, I feel quite unstable on the tops at speed. Can the new bike (it is a custom frame) be designed to feel and be stable at high speed (say, over 40 MPH) with flat bars?


texts:
I just got a 16 tooth and tried to put on the old chain, BUT while it fits on the pedal cog (46 tooth), it does not on the rear cog. How can I solve this? a different cog in the back or a different chain? (on the rear cog, the chain has bigger "holes" than it should, so it doesnt fit...)
Thank you so much for any advice...!


texts: Which parts should I pick for the ideal reasonable road bike?

texts:
I am shopping for a new [hypothetical] bicycle and want to pick the absolute best parts I can. I read a lot of internet advice, most of it from bicycles.stackexchange.com, which taught me a lot. How does this list look?:

The bicycle shall have a carbon frame, fork, handlebars, and wheels. Chromium molybdenum steel, aluminum, and titanium are out of the question. I have a $100000 X-ray machine at home ready to use for inspecting the bike.
The bicycle shall have disc brakes, but with a QR skewer wheel attachment system. Thru-axles will most certainly eject your wheels into low-Earth orbit the instant you even touch your brake levers.
It shall have a ludicrous number of gears, like 3x12, shifted by brifters. Bar-end shifters are a disgrace to the cycling community. These gears should be spaced as closely as possible to minimize the gaps between gears. Having fewer than twelve cogs in the back is a crime against humanity.
The tires will be Schwalbe Marathon plus in as narrow a width as possible. This is to minimize the risk of punctures. Of course, these will be set up tubeless. GP5000s in 32mm width are for losers. Having tread on these tires will save you half a watt at 45km/h.
The wheels will be made of carbon fiber as previously mentioned. They will have the fewest number of straight gauge spokes possible: 16 spokes laced radially in the front and 20 in the rear. Having 36 spoke wheels with DT SWISS Alpine III spokes is ridiculous and you will break spokes in no time. The hubs will be from any brand other than Shimano, and must not use cup-and-cone bearings. The rims must not have double eyelets, let alone eyelets of any sort. In the event that carbon rims are unaffordable, hard anodized single-wall aluminum rims are an acceptable compromise. Aluminum nipples are a must too.
The bicycle shall have provisions for at least three bottle cages because it is important to carry water on any ride regardless of duration.
The front light shall be mounted on the handlebar and be powered by a battery. A fork-mounted light powered by a dynamo hub is not aero.
After modelling a crashing cyclist as a falling rod, I have come to the conclusion that the rider will not wear a helmet because wearing a helmet is not aero. Cracking your head open during a crash is simply extra weight reduction.
SPD-SL, Look, or Speedplay pedals will be used. Regular SPD is for commuters and joeys.
The cranks must use an attachment system other than Hollowtech 2. HT2 is the worst invention ever to come to cycling.
The chainrings on this crankset must be made of untempered 6061 aluminum. 7075T6 or T651 is the work of the devil.
Finally, the bicycle should be right at the UCI weight minimum: 6.8kg. We all know that the lighter a bike gets, the more durable it is, and also the more aero your wallet gets.

Does this sound about right?


texts: Differences between Biopace and Rotor cranks

texts:
On mountain bikes of a certain age, "Biopace" chainrings are ubiquitous. These chainrings are (purposely) not circular.  It seems that most people today agree that Biopace rings didn't live up to the hype.  They were a fad, and they're no longer popular.

Despite this, a new type of non-circular chainrings, "Rotor cranks", are currently in vogue. Professional road riders use them.  What are the key differences between rotor cranks and Biopace?  In other words, how can Biopace be bad and Rotor cranks be good? Or are they both bad or both good?


texts: I got it out an old farm shed in Mt Pleasant, South Australia. It has a Mansfield seat, and an Eadie coaster rear hub. All I can find out about the frame is that it says Blake on the front. I'm looking for help identifying the model or at least getting a rough idea of the age.


texts: My new MTB wont shift into 7th gear or the smallest cog as some call it.I made sure it was in the 3rd cog on the left side to avoid chain crossing.Also there is a weird noise coming from the chain at the 7th setting on the shifter.


texts: Freehub has notches worn into it: is it OK?

texts: I bought a pair of second-hand wheels, and after removing cassette noticed these notches on the freehub. Is the freehub still in OK condition?


texts:
This happened today in L.A. county in los angeles (just outside culver city). I was walking my bicycle down the sidewalk on the left side of the road, saw the green light and white pedestrian icon. I hopped on, and proceeded to bike down the crosswalk slowly. A man was stopped at the red light looking left for about five seconds. I assumed he was waiting since he probably saw the pedestrians behind me and the white light. He turned right without looking right and collided with me. My bike slammed against the road, and my leg twisted a bit. I had some scrapes and scratches but I didn't land on my head. I got his information and a couple of people saw it.

He apologized, and admitted that he didn't look before turning on red.

I read online that it's illegal to cycle through a crosswalk at an intersection, and that it also wasn't illegal. (so which is it?)

My bike has some damages and i want to get my foot checked out, but what is exactly is the law in this case? I was walking and then once it was green with the pedestrian icon, i hopped on and cycled.

Thanks


texts: Pinch flats: hardtail vs full suspension. Differences?

texts: I ride a hardtail, and I wonder if a full suspension prevents pinch flats in the rear wheel. I don't get pinch flats; but I want to know what to expect from a hardtail vs full suspension. I'm a heavy man (100 kgs) and like to go fast (60+ k/h) in bad dirt roads (not downhill), and my main worry is getting a pinch flat (or blow out). I use 40 psi in my rear wheel (26x2.10).


texts: How to equip a bike to avoid parts being stolen

texts:
I'm looking for a bike (road bike) in Paris, to move around and avoid train and subways. The only thing that I don't want, is to see my bike stolen a week after I bought it.

What are the good ideas to keep it's bike when riding in town ? What equipments can be put to avoid parts to be stolen (like the seat, the wheels etc.) ?

EDIT

Are there any cheep brands that sell bikes with equipment that cannot be taken from the bike ?


texts:
So, I converted my road bike from downtube shifters to STI brifters, and I noticed that the cable housings don't sit properly in the downtube cable stops, do you think that would be a problem ?

EDIT:

Yeah, I think that the housings are for brakes.


texts: What pressure should I run my Mountain Bike tires at?

texts: Should I run my mountain bike at the suggested PSI/Bar on the tire/rim?  Or should I run it a bit lower?  Or is it more about conditions?  Should I run lower if I am running on softer terrain?


texts: Can my bike be recovered from the rust monster?

texts:
First question here, and please note that I am a total bike virgin, other than the fact I can (just about) ride one.

Last year I bought a Felt Q520 (I think) the 2009 model, secondhand that had been virtually unused. It's been ridden a few times (i.e. 3) and stored in a room in my flat for about a year, and then moved to a damp understairs outside cupboard thing for about 6 months.

I've just moved house, to somewhere where I can use the bike, which I plan on doing heavily as I loved it when I could ride it, but it is quite rusty. The chain, the err, gear disc things, the front disc brake all have varying degrees of brown rust. (and both tyres are flat :( )

So, after that essay, my question is: Can my bike be saved with a good intensive clean with some magical product I am not aware of? Can I do it myself easily or should I take it to a bike shop, and, most importantly, will a bike shop charge me the earth for it?

Thanks for any help in advance!


texts:
I found a discarded 'mongoose alta' frame and an 'araya - japan' front wheel. It's missing the rear wheel and the seat (no seat post either)

Looks like the gear change is still in very good shape...

All these missing parts will add up. How do I know if it’s worth fixing  this bike back up or not?


texts: How often should one service headset bearings?

texts: How often should one disassemble one's headset and service the bearings, assuming it's a fairly new road bicycle with sealed cartridge bearings and is ridden every day?


texts: Hi all while I'm pedalling I get clicking noise I feel it in the left side of pedal I change the pedals I thought that may of been the problem  but it's still there but funniest  thing is if I stand up on the bike while pedalling  the noise isn't  there any ideas?


texts: What is best for your brakes when stopping at the bottom of the hill?

texts:
You are at the top of a hill and want to stop at the bottom. What is best for your brakes so you don't wear them down:

brake continuously; or
brake when you reach the bottom?


texts: Shimano 105 brifters - rear shift jumps multiple gears

texts:
I have a Specialize Roubaix that's about 10 years old with the Shimano 105 component set. I've started to develop a problem in the rear derailer where when I shift to a higher gear/smaller cog, the shifter "jumps" multiple gears. Happens whether I'm on the middle or big chainring in front. And yes, I know it's jumping multiple gears because it takes multiple shifts to get back into the gear I started from.

This seems to be the opposite of the stickiness most people complain about. :) Any ideas on how to address it, short of replacing the shifter? I've already replaced the cables, adjusted shifting, checked the chain for wear, etc.


texts: Choosing a long-travel cross-country fork

texts:
I ride hard-tail cross-country for recreation (Specialized Hardrock with disc brakes). Recently, my fork got damaged and now I am looking for a replacement. My current(now previous) fork has 80mm or 100mm travel, I'm not sure.

My goal is to make the bike a little bit more "down-hilly". I believe that this can be solved by a long-travel fork, for example 140mm. The goal is to both improve the suspension and change the geometry to compensate for the slope of the trail. However I am completely at loss as to how to select a new fork.

Does the fork travel correlate with the total length of the fork arms?
What other characteristics are important? There is significant variation in prices, although the longer travel seems to cost more. My target price is about $220


texts: Finding the right bottom bracket crankset combo

texts:
I need to change my bottom bracket and crankset. But I'm not sure what to buy.
I know it's an eccentric botton bracket and I still need one because I use the internal gear hub Shimano Alfine.
My preferred crankset is the Shimano Alfine FC-S501.
What do I need to buy additional to the crankset? Can you suggest an eccentric bottom bracket?
Or would you suggest a different crankset?


texts: Where did I go wrong with this frame painting procedure?

texts:
I just painted a bike frame (steel) with the steps outline below. However, every glancing contact with a rough surface immediately strips paint from the frame and I can see the metal shining through. This is the second time I've made this experience. I had expected that DIY paint may not look as great as a factory finish, but I had at least hoped to have it be durable enough that I don't need to worry about scratches every time I lean the bike against something.

Removed one layer of old paint with paint stripper
Removed second layer of paint (not affected by stripper) with sandpaper. Down to bare metal in many places, but not everywhere.
Wet-sanding with 1000 grit for the entire frame to make it easier for the primer to hold firm
Clean with water, dry with towel and air, then use brake cleaner (supposed to leave no residue) and alcohol (the kind you can use for cleaning or making fires or whatnot; 'Spiritus' in German). I was hoping this would remove all grease from fingers and such
Apply 1-2 coats of primer
Let it dry for 24h
Wet-sand frame again with 1000 grit
Wash, dry, clean again, same as above
Apply base coat in 2-3 coats, letting it dry for at least 30 minutes between coats (paint is supposed to be non-sticky after 5-10 mins, dry after 20-30 mins, fully cured after 24h)
Apply several clear coats (same intervals as 9.)

The primer, paint, and clear coat are linked here (in german).

Now I realise this is about the cheapest spray paint you can get, but I had hoped that I did the procedure correctly. The frame has been resting for about 12 hours when I scratched it, but I don't think it'll get much harder, judging from my other frame I painted.

Hypotheses:

The alcohol I used for cleaning wasn't good
I should let each coat of paint dry 24h before painting over it (doubtful)
Paint is shitty

Where else could I have gone wrong?
Here are some pictures of the finish. There are some spots where I wasn't careful enough and it looks like some white powder stains the section, but over all I'm pretty satisfied.

Here is one of the two spots where I touched the frame against a stone wall. It's not well visible here, but it looks very silvery as opposed to gray (the primer color), so I think it's down to the metal.

One shot from the bottom. The gouges are an artifact of insufficient sanding, not of the paint job I think.


texts:
Is it ok to use a Nexus 8 speed grip shifter with an Alfine 8 speed hub?
The Alfine shifters seem to be all trigger shifters is that correct?


texts: The pump needle broke off, leaving the base in the nozzle. How to remove the stuck base?

texts: I was using this bicycle pump to inflate a ball. I inserted a needle pin to the nozzle, but the needle broke off after trying to insert it into the ball. The base of the needle pin is now stuck in the nozzle. What is the best way to remove the stuck base?


texts: Is there a recycling program that accepts unrepairable inner tubes?

texts:
The local bike shop, not the wealthiest operation, has a pile of dead inner tubes growing on the floor. I'd love to discover something where used inner tubes are repurposed, melted down, made into something else. Similar to how e-waste is harvested and repurposed.

We have need for only so many rubber bands and so many bungees.


texts: How to install the cable for this rear derailleur?

texts:
For two months so far I'm trying to fix my bike. I bought a used bike and the shifting was not good. So I bought new cables and tried to make the rear derailleur work, but without any kind of luck. The front derailleur worked, except the rear. I'm not able to understand its mechanism. I have a very weird rear derailleur and non of the youtube videos is helping me because they all illustrate new rear derailleurs.

So my questions are:

1- How does this rear derailleur work?

2- How to install the cable for it?!

When I push the part illustrated in the picture, then the derailleur moves. However I don't understand how the cable makes that part moves. Because it doesn't move, regardless how high I make the tension in the cable!


texts: Bike for a shorter rider to do touring, daily commuting and light off-roading?

texts:
I want to buy a bike. These are the things I'm looking for:

frame that can handle weight and light off-roading (eg, sand, gravel, rocks, roots, but no big drops)
frame can accomodate fatter, treadier tires (for abovementioned off-roading)
road wheels fit for the weight involved in touring
drop bars
bolts for front and rear panniers
good for daily commuting too
fits a 5'4" (162.5cm) woman
around the 1000$ mark (give or take)

What kind of bike would be a good fit?


texts: not sure what kind of bb mount this is for a crank? It’s like this on both sides


texts: Finding the history of my 1980s Norco Bike

texts:
Where can I find a Norco catalog from 198X?  I bought a used Norco about 10 months ago and I am begining to get curious about the bike.  How good of bike is it?  How much did it cost new?  Where was it made?  Etc.

Anyone know where I can find an older, 1980s, Norco catalog?  Are there other resources that I could use to find out about my bike?

Meta: I don't think that I can post a picture of my bike here and ask for information on it can I?


texts: Netherlands: where to buy cheap bikes? (Police autions, cheapest towns)

texts:
We are a french couple visiting the Netherlands (starting tomorrow) by bike. We have few questions:

are there specific places / city where we have better chances to find cheap bikes ? (except amsterdam, since without bike it will be too big to start with).
we heard about police bike auction but according to some website it seems reserved to the community or people whose bike was stollen, at least in Amsterdam and Hardenberg (which is understandable). Do you know if they is a website listing all the police auction dates (we can go anywhere in the Netherlands to buy the bikes)? We did try googleing this "Fietsenverkoop bij politie + city-name" (translate with google translate) but we didn't find any info except for the auction in Amsterdam, Hardenberg (where being french resident we can't go), and Groningen (the next auction is too late for us)? Are there other keywords we could use?
what should we do if we find a good bike (not suspiciously cheap and from a private person : we found out about marktplaatz) without any serial number on it (in France there is no identification number on bike so we don't do if it's mandatory in netherlands to have a serial number, or if all the bikes have one). Is there a way to ensure it's not stolen? Would a photo of the ID card + the address of the seller will be enough?
are bikes cheaper in Belgium ?

Thanks a lot for your help!


texts: Will changing suspension fork travel change geometry of bike?

texts: Assuming that the sag of the new 120mm fork will be set to the same as the old 100mm fork and headset spacers will remain constant, will the geometry of my bike change moving from a 100mm travel fork to a 120mm of travel?  Is this as easy as adding 20mm to the height of the front end, or does the "height" vary by make and model?  Thanks.


texts: Shimano 105 ST-5500 gear sensor mechanism

texts:
I have a pair of Shimano 105 levers and would like to know what sort of mechanism is inside the shifter to track what gear it's on?

Is it a potentiometer? Or maybe small switches?

Also, does anyone know the pin-out of the 4-pin cable that connects the shifter to the Shimano's computer?


texts: Do DC HUB Motors For Electric Bikes use regenerative braking?

texts: Or do I need a special control circuit aside from the included electronics?


texts:
I have a kids' 18" bike with a fixed gear and a coaster-brake. I would like to replace the rear hub with a (preferably 3-)geared hub with a coaster brake as it is the kind of brake my kid is most comfortable with.

The problem I am facing is that it is an aluminium frame bike and it only would take a hub with 110mm OLD. Yet, all the hubs I am able to find are 116-120 (Sturmey Archer S2, SRAM T3, Shimano Nexus SG3C-41) or even 130mm (SRAM i-Motion) in width.

Is there any chance of modifying the Shimano Nexus or the Sturmey Archer hubs to fit a 110mm frame (e.g. by replacing the outer screw/lock nuts with narrower variants)?


texts: Disc brake equipped time trial bikes in grand tour

texts: Why did team Deceuninck–Quick-Step ride disc brake equipped time trial bikes in a relatively flat course through Brussels in stage 2 of the 2019 Tour de France?


texts: SRAM force upgrade from compact to standard 53-39

texts:
I have a SRAM force compact crankset and I want to change it to a standard 53-39.
Is it possible and how do I do it?


texts: Aero spokes strength on a family bicycle

texts:
I am building a new wheel for my family bike: there will be a kid seat on the back rack over the wheel. I picked up some cheap double butted flat aero spokes (not elliptical but flat).
From reading around forums these should be no different to a standard round spoke.

My question is this: is the double butted flat spoke weaker regarding the situation, not road/race but weight carrying?

Safety is important. No I am not looking for speed I got them as they were cheap clearance (Pro-Lite Gavia Aero Spokes).


texts: I want to weld or braze the pedal to the crank arm, but what metals are they?

texts:
I ruined the threading in my crank arm, and would like to weld or braze it back on, instead of buying a new crank set. It is a cheap old bike, so the result does not have to be perfect, but it should be cheap and durable.

I have welded on iron (an exhaust pipe and the like) in the past, and if this was just iron, I could fix it with no problems, but in this case it is not that easy.

Pedal arm: I think it is of aluminium. It seems light. Not magnetic. Looks like aluminium. I have no other guesses.

Pedal shaft: Steel, maybe even cast iron? I don't know how to tell the difference. It is definitely not aluminium. The material is stronger than the alu in the pedal arm, since the thread is intact. It looks sort of dirtyish / dark gray. Dark gray like some heavy parts in an engine which I believe are made from cast iron. Only slight rust despite a long life. Very far from the look of a stainless bolt.

Can you help me figure out what metals they are made from, so I can move on to finding the appropriate welding or brazing? Thanks.


texts: Rear disc calliper won't fit, disc mount bent?

texts:
I am upgrading my MTB to disc brakes.
I have disc compatible wheels and a set of Shimano M446 Postmount callipers and 160mm rotors.

Front fork is a Manitou who decided to jump on the Postmount wagon pretty early, so setting up the front was straightforward. Mount the disc to the wheel, calliper to the frame and align everything. Done.

The rear disc mount is 51mm IS, therefore I bought a Shimano rear IS to Postmount adapter.
I mounted the rear 160mm disc to the wheel and installed the wheel, making sure it sits nice and straight in the dropouts.

Trying to mount the rear calliper to the adapter, I noticed it doesn't fit. The adapter is a couple of mm too far to the left, so the calliper bolts will not fit. When looking from above, the disc and adapter are not parallel. The adapter itself is not damaged and is straight. The problem is with the IS disc mounts on the frame itself, they seem to be at a (slight) angle and not parallel with the disc. Using spacers to solve the problem is not an option, because of the angle between calliper and disc. As far as I know the bike has no crash damage and there are no signs of damage anywhere near the disc mounts. Probably something went wrong with manufacturing the frame?

In case of a steel frame I could carefully bend the disc mounts back to be parallel with the disc, however as this is aluminium I am a afraid of damaging the frame. What are my options? Can I attempt to fabricate asymmetric spacers that will cancel the angle difference?


texts: Can I estimate tyre pressures on a road bike?

texts: Can I estimate my road bike tyre pressures by pressing my thumb into the tyre? I don't have a tyre pressure gauge, and feel that the tyres on my new Merida Scultura are pumped too hard.


texts: Are freewheels and cassettes interchangeable?

texts:
My bike is rather old and needs lots of work. I am trying to understand how to replace things myself slowly other than through a professional (to save bit money).

A bike company said that I need a new cassette now (I agree), so I bought a cassette removal tool and removed it now.

On Amazon, seems a 7 speed freewheel is much cheaper than a 7 speed cassette. I am fairly confident that my current one is cassette, and just wondering if I have to buy a cassette or for the new one I can go for a freewheel? Will it be much more extra work for people without much experience?

many thanks


texts: How to correctly identify bearing cones for axles, to find replacements?

texts:
The cones of a bicycle front axle are quite pitted, and I decided to replace them. The Axle still is fine, I'd only need to replace the cones.
The problem I'm having is finding replacement cones. I'm not sure what sort of data I need to search for them.
So far I tried with the axle diameter (9.5mm or "Fg9.5", when measured on the thread), the length (11.75mm) and the OD (15.5mm) of the cone. The cone wrench needed for those cones is 12mm, I also tried searching using that, but I'm having very little luck. It seems most shops selling cones (including sellers on Ebay) refer to the bicycle brand or model name. However, the bicycle in question is an old, German ladies bike, around 20 years old.
I can't find any markings on the cones, and cones don't seem to be sold for a particular axle type (mine's a Fg9.5 x 136mm, but that one is nearly impossible to find).
I'm not sure I'm using the right combination of data to look for them, or I'm looking completely in the wrong way. Since cones are one of parts that wear quite quickly, I'd imagine there must be replacements but I'm having a really hard time to find them.


texts: I yesterday bought this bike from Offer up for $100 and want to know more about the bicycle. Can someone please help me get the model, type and year of this bicycle from the picture below.


texts: Is there a way to make activity wristbands read bike rides more accurately?

texts: Is there a way to make simple activity tracking wristbands like the fitbit work more accurately during a bike ride. Currently I wear the wristband on my wrist, but the rides tend to read like barely any exercise is occurring during these sessions. I believe these devices act more like a pedometer. Would wearing them on an ankle be more accurate?


texts: In which should I let my gears when not biking?

texts:
I heard from a friend I shouldn't let my bike "resting" with the combination biggest front ring and the smallest back ring because in his words "it keeps the system under tension".

Does it make sense?
How should I let the gears?


texts: Just bought 30 huffys cranbrooks for a bike rental business. WHAT PROBLEMS SHOULD I BE PREPARING FOR

texts: Be nice. I know these things are cheap. Just wanna be semi prepared.


texts:
I'm 16 this year and I commute to school on a regular basis on a second-hand Urata Avanteguarde (about 2-3 years old.) I kept getting flats on my rear tire, but by the time I has isolated the problem to a needle sized puncture in my inner tubing, I had already torn my tire beyond repair. I've already bought a replacement tire, but i wonder if it is completely necessary to replace the inner tubing? If not, what are the risks of doing so ?

I am relatively new to road bikes, so I do apologise in advance if there is anything I'm missing out, or if this is a stupid question in general.


texts: What is the difference between a road bicycle tire size 700 x 23c and I 700 x 23

texts: I've been riding road bikes for years but really wasn't too aware that there appear to be two different tire sizes, for example a 23C and a 23. ( 700 x 23. And 700 x 23c )


texts: I was told by my bike shop that the bike I have can only mount a child seat at the seatpost. My son is 2 and I need a safe child seat for him. I have been having great difficulty finding one that mounts at the seat post online and I am reading that its not the safest if not mounted on the back as well. Any suggestions?


texts:
In the UK e-bikes are currently limited to a maximum of 250W assistance if you wish to use them on public roads. However, it seems that the motors do vary in terms of the available torque - from around 40Nm on some of the lighter e-bikes to 80Nm on those that are described as more "powerful".

Now clearly they are not more powerful as they putting out the same 250W max, but what I don't quite understand is what difference that extra torque makes.

I'm used to measuring my power output in watts and thought there was a linear relationship between power and speed, so I don't quite understand where torque comes into it, and what difference this makes in practise.


texts: Name in English of different parts and tools

texts:
What is the name in English of the part that has a set of dented wheels and goes attached to the center of the back wheel of a bicycle?

What would be the name(s) in English of the tool that allows to remove these dented wheels so that I can replace a broken spoke?

I have had bicycles all my life, but now that I left my country of origin buying tools and parts using a language that is not my mother tongue is a bit challenging sometimes.

(If anyone can provide the same names in French that would be even better).


texts:
My Mountain Bike ,about ten years old,Three (3) sprockets in front.
It backpedals (whizzz) But when I go to pedal there is no engagement - Pedals turn but sprockets don't move..But sprockets move when backpedaling.

  edit<- I searched Batman's & the other person mentioned for this "Duplicate question" but found none similar.
   It's Shimano parts , the pedal arm is white aluminum, the chaingears, is that the word for sprocket ? The Chaingear/sprocket where the chain rides on is Black Aluminum.
    When I look behind the assembly,Down at the crank axle,  and while turning crank by using pedal, A round circular part is turning with the pedal , But it is perfectly round and factory made like that ,Looks like a part of chaingear, It's also Black Aluminum, Maybe there's a catch or pin that's broke ?
  While I grasp the pedal and crank forward , both pedals turn as supposed to , But the chaingear/Big circular saw piece remains idle, It does not move ,
  But it moves when backpedaling, As does the gears on the rear tire..

      edit edit>>
        I proceeded to cross a peculiarly arranged intersection, I deemed the coast clear , 5 feet from safety my pedals gave out , I could pedal easily and freely but no movement on my front chaingear and as a result - No torque available to propel my rear gear into saving my life.
       A car whizzed around the corner and straight at me at the same time my 21 speed Mountain Bike with GTX tires Shit thine bed


texts: I noticed some small cracks in the paint on my aluminum frame bike. The cracks are clustered around the rear brake boss, and only on one side (NDS). The bike is from 2011 and has been ridden over 10,000 km. Just wondering if it's just cosmetic or something I should be worried about.


texts: Sociable quadracycle build. Disc brake rotor size?

texts:
I'm building a quadricycle. This sociable is planned to be around 120 lbs / 54.5 kg. The only "Guide" to proper rotor size versus weight is one I found from Magura. Average pilot/rider weight I figure to be around 200 lbs / 90.7 kg. This would add up to 520 lbs / 236 kg. Cut in half to use the guide sheet, (two wheels versus four), and I get total weight of 260 lbs / 118 kg.
Street or off-road use says 160mm rotors all around.
The other consideration I have to take in is, recumbents have most of the weight riding in the back, 60/40. During braking there is a weight shift I know, but does it go over 50/50 during hard braking?
160mm rotors just don't sound right/enough. And I am using duplex dual cable levers, one front, one rear.


texts:
I'm using from a long time TIME pedals (ATAC).
I saw that Mavic now is making pedals that looks like Time's.

Do you know if they are compatible?
Can I use cleats from Time (already on my shoes :) with pedals made by Mavic?

Thanks.


texts: What causes my front wheel to twist when I apply the brake?

texts:
I have a 2005 Specialized HardRock Sport with disc brakes.

When I'm slowing down from a reasonable speed with the front brake, I noticed that the top of the front wheel appears to deflect sideways toward the disc.  I can't tell when I'm riding but I suspect that the whole wheel is twisting.  This doesn't seem to be safe to me, and I'm don't remember that happening before when I ride.

I tightened the QR on the front already.  What else could be the cause of this or where should I start to look?  Or has it always done this and I never noticed before?


texts:
The other day as I commuted home a stranger gave me a helpful push as I approached the top of a steep hill. It was wonderful, and I immediately wondered if this is what an e-bike boost would be like.

Is there some way to calculate how many equivalent watts a nice push produces? Very curious to know if it's on the low end (20 or so) or the high end (200 or so).


texts:
I removed the stabilisers from my child's bike, but now when she rides there is a clicking noise and you can noticeably see the rear wheel wobble slightly, and the chain comes off frequently because if it.(wheel moves horizontally not vertically).
I tried tightening the nuts but then it makes the wheel very hard to spin/turn.
I'm assuming it is now requiring something to hold the axel n place


texts:
I am having trouble with my bicycle which is a Giant Terrago FS1.
I have posted a video on YouTube which might help to explain the situation better, as it might be better than words.

Due to the problem, my handlebars wobble and the suspension doesn't work. However, if the fork lowers are pulled forwards as in the linked video,  the suspension will work. Does anyone have some clue regarding what might have happened?

Here is the link to the video:

If you need any further details please do let me know.


texts: How to clean and brighten reflective wall tires

texts:
I have a set of Continental Touring tires with the white reflective stripe on the sidewalls, and they get pretty dirty with road and brake grime.  Normally I would clean with car soap and water but sometimes it doesn't get all the dirt off/make them look new.  It is also winter right now so it is harder to soap and water wash in the garage.  I did use a washcloth and clear water from bucket. It helped a lot but still a long ways off.  Is there a way that I can make the stripe clean and bright white again?

NOTE:  The reflective strip on these tires are a tape that is added to the tire.  I have another bike with different brand tires where they might be painted on.


texts:
I have a Topeak Super Tourist DX rack and an MTX TrunkBag DX bag, which fit together using Topeak's QuickTrack system - a dovetailed plastic foot on the bag slides into a metal channel on the rack.

Both are several years old. Recently, the combination has developed a wobble, where the bag seems to be able to move from side to side in the rack. The bag doesn't fall off, but the noise is annoying!

What causes this? Is the plastic foot worn, or is the metal channel bent?

Is there a cure for it, apart from replacing one or both parts?


texts: Broken rear brake - told it was unfixable

texts: I have an older model Trek mountain bike. I took it to the shop for an annual tuneup and they called me to say that the rear brake broke off the frame and that it can't be fixed. The entire brake is off the frame - is there really no fix for this situation?


texts:
Hoping you guys could help me. I recently bought SPD cleats and as mentioned in this forum I've been using spinning bikes to practice unclipping.

I've noticed that my right shoe is getting damaged with the cleat. As in it is grinding into the sole of the shoe and scraping it. I am having difficulty unclipping this shoe.

Strange thin is I'm not having this issue with the left shoe. Ive tried various spinning bikes and I have the same problem.

I'm afrain I'm going to grind a hole into my sole.

Please help. :-(


texts:
Recently my Shimano rear derailleur broke. I have Shimano Tourney front derailleur, and Shimano easy fire shifters.

Will there be any problem if I put SRAM X5 derailleur? The front is 3 and the rear is 7 speed.


texts: Ultegra R8000 groupset want to convert to flat bar shifter

texts:
I have searched but could not find any answers for my question.

I have the Ultegra R8000 mechanical rim brake group set on my road bike and I want to convert it to a flat bar setup.  I have searched google and it shows that the Shimano SL-RS700 works for the R8000? is this correct information? I don't want to purchase the shifters and brake levers if I end up not being able to use them.

Thank you in advance.


texts:
I can't seem to fit my bike pump onto my son's bike. The tires are too small, and there isn't enough of a gap to put the head of a bike pump on the valve.

Are there any valve extenders (not permanent) that I can use when I need to inflate his bike tires?


texts:
I have had a terrible time trying to remove crank arms from the square taper spindle. The tool used correctly just was forced out and stripped the threads. The left-hand side was about half off and I managed with some cutting to get it off. The drive side with hammering and cutting and even drilling so far has not yet been removed. On closer inspection inside the interface after some cutting, it seems that the two metals steel spindle and aluminium crank arms have almost been bonded together. What causes such a thing to occur???
Is it dry mounting? overtightening with pneumatics? I have noticed this is a feature on decathlon bikes as even removing the crank arm screws was very difficult and involved power tools. Is this a common flaw of the square taper system or is it an incorrect mounting procedure by the manufacturer? If I am to attempt to stick with this system and replace the crankset do I use anti seize mounting paste in future or grease or abandon such system for the external bottom bracket ie hollowtech.


texts: Do my large and small chainrings need replacing?

texts:
My drivetrain has 10,000km on it at the moment and the chain and cassette are more than due for replacement. The middle chainring looks badly worn to me and I'm going to replace it as well.

I'm wondering if I should replace the large and/or small chainrings as well, particularly the large which is more expensive than the other two combined.

The photos below should show the wear on all three chainrings. I'm hoping someone can offer advice on the large/small chainrings based on the photos.

If it helps, of the 10,000km on these chainrings, I would estimate less than 500km of that is on the smallest ring, and probably less than 2,000km on the largest ring. I'm mostly a middle-ring rider.

Thanks.

Middle and Large Chainrings:

Small and Middle Chainrings:


texts: Can anyone tell me the year of this Kona road bike?

texts: Or any details! I know it is an older Kona bike and would like to sell, but would like to provide buyers with details. Thank you


texts: Bosch 400Wh battery first led only is flashing and refuses to charge

texts: On a long trip with a lot of wind my 400Wh battery went empty.When i tried to charge it at home it refuses to charge. The first of the five leds is flashing. Strange because in the manual is written 1,3,5 leds or 2,4 there is nothing about only the fisrt one. Any suggestions?


texts:
On my bike for some reason [when changing gear] it some times skips a gear and stays on a gear I'm not wanting to be on.

If you can help me please do so.


texts:
I have been trying to identify the front wheel on my all-road/gravel bike, which was bought second hand (the original wheels were replaced).
The only distinctive feature is a logo, accompanying the number "29", on the rim – see photos below.
Does anyone recognise this particular wheel or the brand's logo?


texts: How to determine correct bearing size for Quando hub?

texts:
I'm servicing the Quando hubs on my single speed/fixie bike. This hub uses a cup and cone type bearing assembly. When I removed the cones I noticed that one of them is chewed up badly at the end. I have good reason to suspect that the last owner may have used the incorrect bearing size when they attempted to service the hub. The cups still seem to be in good shape though. So, I want to replace the cones and bearings, and be sure that this time I'm putting in the correct sized bearings.

Given that I don't trust the size of the bearings that I'm taking out, how can I determine what is the correct size of bearing to use for this hub? Googling "Quando hub bearing size" hasn't turned anything up for me.


texts: Aero wheel on front, regular on back - why?

texts:
I've seen a lot of riders in the city, usually fixe riders or courriers, riding bikes with an expensive aero wheel on front and a regular, cheap-looking, un-aerodynamic alloy wheel on back.

Why would anyone do this?  The main reason I can think are that:

Ones budget is preventing one from getting another aero wheel.
It's just a style thing
There is actually some advantage to this setup

This question has a lot of relevant information and seems to point to the fact that bike handling will be much worse with this kind of setup, so I would probably eliminate the possibility of it offering some kind of advantage.

So is this just a style thing or what?


texts: I'm considering upgrading to an Ultegra groupset, found a very good price online, but I do not know what bottom bracket is in my bike. I have a 2015 Giant Defy 2, aluminum frame, and to me, this looks like a press fit bottom bracket. However, the technical documentation that I got when I purchased the bike from a local bike shop says it has a Shimano BB4600, which is a threaded bottom bracket and looks nothing like what is on my bike so far as I can see. The only press-fit option with this groupset available is the BB71-41B. Can someone tell me if this will possibly work with my bike, or how I would go about determining compatibility? Additionally, since the crankset on the bike now is a Tiagra crankset, would it be possible to just swap it out with the ultegra crankset and leave the BB alone? Thanks.


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

My mountain bike drive train has accumulated a dirt /oil layer from oiling the chain and then ridding in dirt and muck.

How do I safely clean my chain and gear so I can put a fresh coat of chain oil on?


texts: What's a good second lock option for around the frame and wheel?

texts:
I've seen a few people, specially bike messengers that use a main lock to secure their bike to a post/fence/etc. but also have a second smaller one to lock the other wheel around the frame.

Which is a good option for this second lock?


texts: How can I improve my downhill mountain bike as a commuter?

texts:
I have started commuting recently to work and university with my bike. It's not ideal, but as it is, I'm not willing to invest in a new one, hence why I'm looking for suggestions to improve my current one.

Weight is around 20-22kgs. The wheels are Schwalbe Big Betty Performance Line 26" x 2.40" on the front, Kenda Kinetics 26 x 2.35 on the rear.

On my way to work and uni I'm mainly on roads but do encounter some cobbled roads and uneven terrain. I previously used the bike on downhill trails.

As of right now, I'm averaging around 8-9MPH or 15KM/H. I'd love to get that up to 20KM/H.


texts: I have a Generic 1000 watt front hub motor and the front wheel keeps coming loose. What should I do? I think I have heard of something called a torque arm. Will this help?


texts: Lots of chain slack... Time for a new chain? Bad derailluer?

texts:
I got home from a short ride up the street today where there was a lot of clicking and skipping of chain links and when I got home I realized my chain had a ton of slack. After looking around on the internet, I tried moving the rear wheel back, but there's more slack in the chain than there is room to move the rear wheel back, so I'm stuck.

A cursory understanding of bikes and reading the internet suggests that it could be a stretched out chain or an issue with the derailleur. This is an old steel 12-speed Raleigh. Granted, I don't take the best care of it (not sure where I'm supposed to wash it and store it - I live in a small apartment), but I do depend on it.

Here's the picture of the state of things:


texts:
I have a MTB Ghost SE 2000 frame which has a 1 1/8" head tube. I just measured it and it has a 44mm diameter top and bottom.

I want to replace the stock fork. However it is hard to find non-tapered forks at a good price. My question is, is it possible to put 1,5" tapered fork into this specific head tube? Maybe with some special headset?

Bike detail: http://www.ghost-bikes.com/bikes-2013/bike-detail/se-2000/


texts: How much play in a spring suspension fork is normal or safe?

texts:
I have (had) a basic Suntour spring fork on my hybrid and when I took it into the bike shop a couple months ago I was told the fork was excessively worn and needed to be replaced. Long story short I went cheap and put a solid fork on it which it turns out massively changed the geometry to the point were I'm putting pedals into the dirt on bench cut trails, even without roots.

I still have the old fork and it's something near 2 inches taller than the new rigid fork. I believed the shop at the time when they said it was worn but now I'm wondering. Holding the upper and lower portions of the fork I can feel it shift slightly when I try to bend it but it doesn't move visibly that I can tell.

Is it still reasonably safe as-is, should I get new bushings from Suntour for it and see if that helps, or should I accept it as dead and spend the money on a new suspension fork that is the right height?


texts: Why is the Selle Anatomica X1 saddle rated for longer rides than the X2?

texts:
The X-series Touring bike saddles from Selle Anatomica are arguably the most comfortable bikepacking saddles in the world.
The main difference between the two is the frame, one is a chromoly frame and steel rails, the other is lighter with an aluminum frame that can be upgraded to take carbon rails.
Obviously it would be nice to shed some weight and get the lighter saddle with the carbon rails if you don't mind spending the extra money, but what confuses me is that the cheaper saddle is designed for cyclists who ride more than 100 miles per week, and the lighter saddle is designed for cyclists who ride less than 50 miles per week.
What I want to know is, why is the lighter saddle "designed" to go short distances?


texts: What is the max weight an MTB bicycle with a freewheel can handle until it starts putting high stress on the rear axle?

texts:
Of course the riding style matters. How hard you go on jumps etc.
I don't drive my bicycle that hard. Sometimes i do when im in the mood. My issue is that i am constantly braking my rear axles. It all started a year ago while i was getting heavier and started going off road. I weight 95 kilos (210 pounds). So far i've broken 4 axles and my current one is bent. I don't get the hollow ones with the skewers(quick release). I get the solid ones. I've heard that bikes with cassettes have more durable axles. But i am not planning on buying a new wheel.
So what is the max weight an MTB bicycle with a freewheel can handle until it starts putting high stress on the rear axle?
Is there any way to reduce the chance of braking and bending axles?


texts: Chain Noise I identified the problem, don't know how to solve it (chain/cassette?)

texts:
I bought a bike, second hand, yesterday. The bike looks quite new and it is ok, but I notice that with some gear I got a clicking noise. After inspecting the bike, I notice that the chain does not flow steadely on the rear cassette, and this make the clicking noise.
I don't know how to be more precise, so I uplodaded a video where the problem is quite clear:

             (second 5/6)

It seems to me that the chain is really close to the other disk (is it called cassette?), maybe because it is misaligned.
Of course this is not only about the noise, I am afraid that it will ruin the chain/bike.
Plus, if this is a serious problem, maybe I could just ask the guy I bought the bike from to take it back. However, I would be totally happy to solve the problem myself.

Please consider that I am a TOTAL beginner :)
Thank you!


texts: Did my bike shop con me into replacing both sets of Trek 7500 Hybrid disc rotors?

texts:
....  I recently purchased a Trek 7500 hybrid via Gumtree.   I was warned in advance, prior to purchasing, that both front & rear brakes were 'squealing' but concluded that this could easily be remedied.

The bike was purchased over 4 years ago & had rarely been used. Stored in a garage.

I tried 'de-greasing' & cleaning the disks and pads but this failed miserably ; I then took the bike to a local professional service provider who informed me that both sets of disks were badly 'burned' through excessive braking with damaged pads ?

I was then advised, that the best option was to replace both F & R Disks.  There was visual evidence of blue / black 'streak' marks on both the F & R disks but my lack of knowledge on this issue was obvious so I have agreed to proceed with the ordering & replacement.

Cannot help sense that I have been conned into this replacement ( estimated costs with labour circa £70.00 ) ;  any advice would be gratefully received.

Regards

Keni C


texts: How can I find out what's clicking on my bike?

texts:
I've got a relatively new (~ 3 months old) road bike and whilst I'm riding I can hear a clicking noise coming from the bike. It seems to be when I apply pressure to the left crank. The bike is a Specialized Allez 2016, shown here.

Rotating the pedals on the cranks by hand, there doesn't appear to be any grinding from dust/grit ingress. Applying pressure to the pedals whilst the bike is stationary, there doesn't appear to any noises. There's no play in the crank arms when 'rocked' side to side. Rotating the cranks by hand whilst the bike is stationary, I can't hear the noise. I've removed by stem wiped and reinstalled along with the headset bolt, making sure not to over tighten the headset bolt. Bottle cages and frame pump bracket are secure on the bike, too.

I'm running out of ideas other than it being a bearing issue with the bottom bracket or the bearings in the pedals, but after such a short period of time, I find it hard to believe that they could have gone already - I've only done coming up to 600 miles on the bike.

I'm not sure how I can ascertain whether or not the noise if coming from the BB or pedals if I can't hear it when the pedals and/or cranks are rotated whilst stationary.

Anyone any ideas what I might have missed or more importantly how to troubleshoot further?


texts:
I recently noticed that towards the end of my 6.4 mile ride to and from work, my hand and arms began to numb.  A friend recommended I try cycling gloves, so I purchased these from Amazon.  They do seem to lessen the numbness, but not prevent it entirely.

What's more, it doesn't feel like the pads hit my palm in such a way that it removes weight from the middle channel of the wrist, though the gloves seem to fit my hands without any slack.  How do you identify the right fit for preventing ulnar numbness?  And is it ever completely preventable, or do I just need to live with it to some extent?  If I am still feeling numbness, should I send the gloves back?


texts: I ride a MTB with Shimano components and increasingly when I pedal there is a slippage (no noise or resistance) occurring. Might I Need to replace the freewheel mechanism or is this just the sprocket/cassette that I am planning on changing soon anyway. Just trying to take the wheel off ONCE rather than find out after the sprocket change that the problem is still there.... Thanks!


texts:
Have a cube aim sl MTB and a kid trailer that's designed to attach to the rear bottom side of the rear triangle with a clamp. The problem is that the clamp is not big enough to safely attach to the bottom side of the triangle since it's quite square and big, as can be seen in the picture below:

Question: is it ok for the bike and trailer to attach the clamp to the seat stay since that tube is a lot slimmer.