texts: Missing valve part from Marzocchi MX Pro 2003- how does it work?

texts: I'm trying to figure out if I can make a replacement part for an old pair of Marzocchi MX Pro 2003 forks. Its part of the rebound damping rod and is the metal bit in this photo on the top where the hex rod is sticking out. Does anyone have more info about this piece?


texts: Chain slips/jumps occasionally (with all new parts)

texts:
Several months ago I replaced all gearing parts and switched from an 8 speed to a 10 speed system. All parts were brand new.

After replacing I noticed the chain slipping occasionally. Though I drive for months now, the phenomenon first happened days after replacing all parts.

I had the derailleur cable tightened after several weeks and once more after several months (it was tight enough this time).

It happens

on the cassette (whatever it is)
without heavy load (not accelerating from stand, riding uphill, putting only slight pressure to drive slow)
with moderate and heavy force too
without bumpy road
not during shifting the gears
with front gear 2 and rear gear 3 - 8, front gear 3 and rear gear 8 - 10 (I rarely drive lower gears, can't say whether it happens or not)
at most once within 50 km
with the same rate after more than 1000 km
with the rear derailleur Dyna-Sys switch on and off

I can't

reproduce it (at will)
say whether it happens in all gear combinations or not
say what exactly happens (chain trying to change the gear or messing things up somehow on the gear) since I can't see it

I had two thoughts:

the joined link could be a little bit stiff (but I can't see any stiffness when spinning the chain in stand)
the derailleur is not properly justified (I had it realigned after several weeks and months, though must admit, I'm not a professional in doing this)

The chain is properly and regularly lubed.

Should I still assume a stiff link or the derailleur being misaligned? What could be another reason?

And no, this was not a mixed setup. I read this question on a new bike too, I already addressed the mentioned issue, I think.

Setup:

FC-T521 3 speed crankset
XT 10 speed cassette CS-M771-10
XT FD-T780-6 66-69° 3/10 speed front derailleur
CN-HG95 10 speed chain
Shadow Plus RD-M786 10 speed rear derailleur


texts: Sealed bearings characteristics for road bike wheels?

texts:
I have fulcrum racing quattro road bike wheels. I'm changing my bearings quite often since I noticed that in general they last around 5000 km (over winter). I'm usualy using SKF 61903 bearings from local dealer, i even used NTN bearings they both lasted around the same.

I noticed that bearing of the drive side of the rear wheel gets worn out much quicker than on a non drive side. I'm wondering is this due to higher forces from chain or there is a humidity and rust problems.

What parameters of the bearings should I consider when buying new bicycle bearings? Don't just say buy ceramic bearings. I'm sure that helps them not to get rusted that much since only bearing race can get rusty but still..:D

I noticed there is multiple choices when it comes to bearings. I know there are ceramic bearings, ABEC 1-X and also double lipped bearings,.... anyone with some more experiences?

What parameters are you looking for when buying new bearings for bicycle wheels?


texts:
I currently have a small bottle of red RockShox 15wt fork oil left over. As I no longer own a RockShox fork, this oil seems pretty useless to me. (Fox specifies different oil weights, and I can't figure out whether the oil would be ok to service my new 34 Rhythm fork. Preliminary research ranges from "usable in the lower legs" to "better safe than sorry, so use only Fox oil".)

Suppose I can't use the oil for the lower leg service of my Fox fork - are there any reasonable bike-related use cases for the oil? Probably the oil is too thin as a chain lubricant, right? Or should I rather try to find someone who actually needs it for his/her fork?

As an aside: There are loads of questions on the internet about the reverse case: "What oil can I use instead of the manufacturer-recommended oil?" But I can't seem to find an answer to my question.


texts: I have a bike which was bought in Germany in 1995. It has a super nice steel rear rack which, after 25 years, has no wear marks besides some scratches in the paint. Does anyone know which brand this is?


texts: Tyre has a 'dip' in it after fitting to rim

texts:
I'm riding with Continental Gatorskin/Hardshell tyres and they are quite tough to get on the rim.

After attaching the tyre and inflating I notice there is a dip in the tyre at the point where I had to lever it on to the rim.

I've tried deflating and re inflating the tube and trying to adjust the seating of the rim but the dip always seems to be there.

I notice the bump when riding and am a little concerned that at higher speed a little less traction might be an issue.

I'm hoping the tyre will eventually correct itself as it appears to be mishaped following the force required to get it on but might I have permanently damaged the tyre?

Does anyone have similar experiences or have any solutions? OR maybe this is normal when fitting very tight tyres?!


texts: Where to purchase a simple single-speed?

texts:
I would like to purchase a cheap (maybe around 200-300€) and spartanic single-speed racer-like bike. I don't need fancy extras - just wheels, a frame, and brakes (but please no backpadel-brake and with freewheel).

I want to have this kind of bike mainly for the city to be able to make some speed and have fun with it. I don't want the expense and maintenance of gear change on this bike. I don't want the fear of an overprized steal-inviting deceiver/poser bike. Simplicity wins.

Where should I search when I am looking for such a bike?

Second hand is an option.


texts: DIY computational fluid dynamics for aerodynamics?

texts:
Has anyone experimented with using consumer 3D software to do CFD-like aerodynamics simulations?
Specifically, I was thinking:

Setup the bike on a trainer (with rider)

Take a series photos, and plug them photos->3D model software (something like AgiSoft PhotoScan or such as any of these free applications)
This would hopefully give you a reasonable 3D model of the bike. Would likely require some cleanup, and possibly modelling of smaller elements if they are relevant (like spokes/chain)

Bring the model into a 3D package with a fluid solver (e.g SideFX's Houdini)

Simulate fluid (air) flowing around the bike model

Somehow extract useful numbers, measurements or possible position-adjustments from the simulation

With my limited knowledge of Houdini, I manage to make something kind of interesting looking, using it's fluid-solver's velocity visualiser:

What use could all this be? For example, could this method be used to:

see the impact various riding positions have on the flow of air (although I guess this is slightly hard to verify without a wind-tunnel)

you could theoretically estimate CdA by seeing how much the object is pushed by the fluid. This could be verified relatively easily with a power-meter, e.g with the Chung Method

Could there be any worthwhile insights gained from this? Could it be any more effective than the more elegant method of using a power-meter?


texts: Which disc brake pads do I need for Tektro Auriga?

texts:
I have Tektro Auriga Sub disc brakes and the pads need replacing.

The only pads for this make I could find online were discontinued. Do I need to get the same make, and if not how do I know they'll fit?

Disc brake pads looks like a minefield. There are so many makes and types. Are there any general things you need to look out for.


texts: When using a front mounted child seat, will it be better to size up or size down on a Mountain bike (I'm right on the boundary between sizes)?

texts: I'm buying a mountain bike and come in exactly on the boundary between medium and large women's frame sizes. I used to commute by bike in a city several years ago so fairly confident cyclist but would now be cycling on trails with my toddler. I'm planning to use a front-mounted child seat - probably the Thule Yepp Mini. Has anyone used this seat or similar seats and can recommend whether it is better to go for the larger or smaller MTB size to allow space for my knees while cycling, but also be able to reach around the seat to the handlebars? Covid restrictions mean I can't try it out in advance. Thanks very much


texts: Noticeable clicking from crankset or bottom bracket

texts:
A few days ago I began hearing a clicking noise coming from the crankset and I can also sense a slight hitch when the right crank is at its upmost position just when it's about to go down.

The interesting thing is that it only happens when pedaling. When i have the bike on the stand I cannot reproduce this no matter how hard I pull and bend the cranks in whatever direction.

I have already taken the cranks off and on again and re-tightened them but without any change. I am afraid that it could be the bottom bracket itself. Unfortunately I don't have the tools to tighten it or take it off.

I have already checked this page, but could only so far to get the cranks checked:
http://sheldonbrown.com/creaks.html#bottom

The bottom bracket is a Truvativ model.

The chainring is a Thimano model and has only one chainring (nexus hub shift in the back).

Is there anything else I could do or check for?

edit: I think I've tracked it down to be the bottom bracket. If I have the cranks at a certain position and bend them inwards, the clicking is quite noticeable even when not pedaling.


texts: Advice on buying a SCOTT SUB Sport 10 2014

texts:
I have been looking at the Scott SUB 2014 as a potential candidate for my cycle to Paris (approx 90 miles) and a cycle across the South Downs this summer.

Having such different terrains, I was wondering if anyone has any insight as to the quality of Scott bikes (never owned one before) and suggestions as to if you think this bike would be fit for purpose.

Would love to hear your thoughts, full spec can be found here.


texts: Rear Wheel Jamming on kids bike after Training Wheels

texts: We got our son a Hyper Metro bicycle from walmart for Christmas and I assembled it with no problem.  We also go training wheels for it and when I installed them, the issues began.  The rear wheel will spin and then eventually just jam and stop spinning suddenly.  I can spin it the opposite way and then it will spin the correct way again until it jams again.  Almost like it's tightening itself down and then just stops moving.  I loosened everything and thought that i had the problem fixed, and i pushed it around the driveway and then the nut on one side just fell off, so it definitely spun on the rod.  I'd like to get input and see if it's an easy fix before I go to a bike shop since there aren't any nearby.  Any suggestions?  Is it fixable?  Should i just buy a new rear wheel assembly?


texts: Upper pulley on rear derailleur (jockey?) very close to cassette?

texts:
Useful information:

The bike is currently on the smallest sprocket and smallest chainring
(smallest rings by pedals and rear wheels incase my terminology is
wrong).
Rear wheel is currently not centered.
I've been looking at the bike upside-down
The chain is the correct length, tension, as far as I can tell, is as it should be, and all other parts are correct
The derailleur was properly adjusted before the wheel was removed and then reinstalled, and neither the cable nor the screws (H,L, or the other one) have been touched.

So right now the upper pulley is very close to cassette (specifically the smallest cog on the cassette, where the chain also is right now). It is almost close enough for the pulley (well the teeth of the pulley I guess) to be engaging the same length of chain that is on the cassette.

Is this incorrect? Also, out of curiosity, would there be an issue if the pulley and the cassette were engaging the same length of chain?

The current position of the derailleur looks a bit like in the picture below, except with the upper pulley a little closer to the small cog on the cassette.

(Picture taken from http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.imdserve.com/images/news/2012/10/30/1351601204145-dusw1th1s7gr-960-540.jpg)

Thanks.

Note: I'm not riding the bike as it currently is (nor have I yet tried). I've been working on it (and am almost done, just have a bit more to do like center the wheel and lubricate some parts), but I noticed this and decided to ask, in case I did something wrong or need to adjust the derailleur.


texts: Are there any tricks or pitfalls in timing gear changes?

texts:
I have noticed that my bike sometimes changes gears incredibly smoothly—quietly, quickly, very little 'jolt' through my pedals—while other times I get a rough, clunky change. I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to ensure smooth changes, or at least reduce the rough changes.

I don't think there's any adjustments required, as I've had it serviced a few times, and the gears all work (no jumping between them, no really slow changes).

It's generally not a huge issue (I'm commuting not running time-trials) but it can be a bit of a surprise (never good to have your foot slip) or can sometimes cost a lot of momentum when going up-hill.

I'm still getting used to my slightly wider-spaced chainring (new bike is 34/50, old one was 28/38/48), so shifting on the chainring seems to have the potential for the worst changes, but even shifting up/down the 9-speed cassette varies between smooth and harsh.

So I'm wondering if it's a case of timing the gear-change with my cadence? Or do I need to put more/less force on the pedals before/during the change? Or are there other tricks to it? And when I get to the limits of the cassette, is there a trick to smoothly shifting on the chainring & cassette when going up-hill to avoid a sudden ratio jump and loss of momentum with it?


texts: I want my mudguard(for cycle) in style but I don't have paint.  When I search web it is very costly.  Can I do it with water colour or fabric painting? Or there is any other paint but it should be below 500 rupees / $7 USD / 6 euro


texts:
I know that head tube angle affect steering, but does seat tube angle affect maneuvering somehow? As long as I compare a few models, they are between 72 and 74 degrees, and greater the frame smaller seat tube angle. So I guess difference by a few degrees doesn't have considerable effect.

Here're the comparisons.

Specialized geometry
Trek geometry


texts: 38mm Front 60mm Rear Clinchers Pros and Cons

texts:
I have to note at first that I'm new to road cycling. I cycled mostly as a commuter before.

I'm looking into upgrading my wheelset. I read some very good threads here on choosing the right wheelset and I got more or less clear idea on how to choose the rim depth. But one thing still remains unclear to me:

I understand that deeper the rim more aerodynamic advantage you get. But at the same time you can be blown off your path with a decent blow of a cross wind. What if I use 38mm (or less) deep rim for a steering (front) wheel and 60mm (or even more) for a rear wheel. Apparently I could preserve bike control abilities and gain additional aerodynamics. Looks like a perfect win win solution. But why wheel manufacturers never sell this kind of wheelsets then?

Can you please explain what is good about this combinations and what is not?

Have a good day!


texts:
My mother is trying to get back on her bike after years of knee problems + surgery, which so far has gone ok, but she has had some trouble with climbing hills. She's thinking that she should try to get some lower gearing on her bicycle. She currently has a "road triple" with a long cage derailer and a (relatively small, in my book) 11-26 tooth rear cassette.

I figured that with a long cage derailer, she should have plenty of flexibility in downgearing her cassette (with a new chain, of course). She took it to her local shop though, and they insisted that she couldn't downgear any more than to a 28 tooth cassette. When I called to ask about it, they said that even if she replaces her derailer, "with a triple it just won't work". I wasn't able to get more details, just a repeat response, even after I asked if the issue had anything to do with taking up chain slack or chain length on the large front + large back combo.

Every source I've found about the issue doesn't mention anything very triple dependent. Sheldon's site seems to think that shops are generally overly conservative on their downgearing recommendations, but that page seems to expect a bike with a double chainring.

What are the usual limiting factors on a downgearing conversion? What specific concerns should we have with a triple in front? How can I figure out how large a cassette I can get away with? And what ill effects can she expect if she violates the advice of the shop and puts a larger cassette on?


texts: Setting up a bicycle for someone with restricted knee articulation

texts:
My father, now in his 70's, had a left knee replacement several years ago. He has limited movement in that knee - probably about 85 degrees on a good day. His knee can extend fully, but cannot bend as much as it should. As a result, he cannot pedal a bike he cannot get his left leg over the top of the pedal stroke.

He is desperate to get back onto a bike, he knows he won't be ripping up the road and winning races like the old days, but wants the freedom to go for a slow easy rides.

Does anyone have suggestions as to a solution to the problem. We don't mind spending money if we know the solution will work, but he can't afford to throw big money at wild ideas that may or may not work. If we find a solution, a new bike is likely.

We have access several mountain bikes in a range of sizes to trail ideas, and we have all the tools and skills to build bikes up from parts and rearrange things as needed.

EDIT:
Thanks everyone - all great suggestions. What am am going to do is got tto the LBS and get hold of a cheap set of short cranks for around $30- probably from a kids bike, in the 120-150 size range, and see if he can ride that. Depending how he goes, I'll try a standard right crank and a short left crank. If all else fails, we will go for the Power Cranks

UPDATE: In case anyone else has similar problems.
Got some 152mm cranks for $30. Set an old  mountain bike up with the seat as far back as possible. The old man is able to ride reasonably comfortably, now has a smile from ear to ear - any suggestions how to remove it - doesn't fit with the grumpy old man image :)

Has got me wondering how many people with minor knee problems would benefit from short(er) cranks.......


texts:
Should I choose the 1/3 Century or Metric Century for my first organized, supported group ride?
In one week I will participate in my first organized ride since buying my road bike in May. The longest training I've done is 28 mi averaging 14-15 miles/hour on chip sealed roads with maximum elevation gain of 800 feet. Both routes will be similar terrain and elevation change.


texts: How practical are clipless pedal shoes on a long bike tour?

texts:
In the last years I did a couple of long bike tours. So far, I always had platform pedals with pins on my bike and I've worn "normal" shoes. For my next tour I'm considering clipless pedals. I have only recently started to work with these type of pedals. So far, I suggest that SPD pedals would be the best choice. My concern is that I don't want to take a second pair of shoes with me and that the SPD pedal shoes are not good for walking and being in nature in the evening and morning.
Are there SPD pedal systems with shoes that are practical enough for that? With practical I mean:

They are nice to walk
They are robust against weather
The cleats on the shoe are robust (I'm going to be in areas without a proper bike shop)
The pedals are robust too

In general, I'm not sure if it makes sense to use SPD pedals on long bike tour. Is the performance increase worth it? Or is it more clever to use platform pedals with either pins or a strap as they are more fail-proof?


texts: Finding other riders for a cross country tour for charity

texts:
I'm in the early stages of planning a long distance bike tour, and I am looking for people to ride with across/around the country during the summer months.

If you have suggestions on how to find people to ride with, I would appreciate it. Thank you for the read.


texts:
I have bought a new pair of road bikes.

I am a triathlete (Sprint mostly) and I am interested to know, what computer should I buy now? wired or wireless?

I mainly do not like wireless things (I don't do wireless accessories - they tend to fail on you when you most need them).

The reasons I may consider which type to buy will be:
- Price (wired usually lower)
- accountability - (wired will less fail)

I can only think of why NOT to buy a wireless computer, and would like to know your inputs as well please.


texts: Determining make model and year of bmx frame

texts:
I'm restoring a 20" bmx frame and would like to know maker, model and year so I can restore to original as possible. There are two numbers on the bottom of crank housing.

                     MBI-2325
                     294558

is on top and

                     WIU253
                     P0153D

is on bottom.

Thank you for your help!


texts: My bike seems to all of a sudden developed a creaking sound when I pedal. It appears to be there in every gear. Bu t I noticed it appears to only happen when I put pressure on the left pedal. What could it be ?


texts: How is the quality of alloy sprocket 10 speed sprocket?

texts:
I saw at ebay, 10 speed cassette compatible with shimano, it's very light 103 grams, but the material is alloy with ceramic coated, it says, the cassette can be used up to 3000K, is it true? or may be more than 3000K, because if it's 3000K the age for me is only about 3 months or less riding.

Have any of you ever used one ?

Thanks


texts: Can I fix an inner tube if the valve has been pushed inside?

texts: I can't pump my bike tire because the valve of the inner tube has been pushed inside, where its not visible anymore. Is there a possible way for me to fix this or should I buy a new inner tube?


texts:
I think the time has come to replace my rear cassette, it has begun skipping in a certain gear. I'd also like to give myself a bigger granny gear (something like a 28 or 30 would do). I haven't done much in the way of maintenance/buying new parts before so am after some advice.
Bike - Bianchi ML3 Alloy Reparto Corse.
The current cassette is a 9 speed.
Rear derailleur Shimano 105
Front derailleur Tiagra.
Chainset is 105 (looks like 53/39 which I think I'm happy with).
Shifters 105 brake-mounted.

So I guess chain will need changing as well, and possibly chainset (it has done a reasonable number of miles).
My question is - when I'm looking at cassettes I see there are a few 9 speed options, eg HG 50, PG 950/970 SRAM, Ultegra CS6500. I'm happy to pay a bit more for something decent. I guess what I have now is SRAM, but I don't know for sure! I very much doubt it's Ultegra. If I did go for the Ultegra would that mean I have to buy an Ultegra chainset too? And what about the derailleurs & shifters, would they need to be changed to Ultegra as well? I don't know what combinations 'just work'. And what about Dura Ace etc?
I am looking at 9 speed because I seem to remember someone saying to me that 9 speed is the most my frame will accommodate, I don't know whether that is right. I can't find any frame specs that tell me that information which is really annoying (maybe I'm looking in the wrong place).
Thanks for the help, apologies for the noob questions.
Guy


texts: Shimano 9 Speed Cassette with Microshift Advent 9 Speed Road Shifter

texts: I fancy setting up my old but amazing Cannondale F1000 with a dropbar and corresponding road shifters.The only affordable system I could find for that is the Microshift Advent 9 group. I'm happy with their SB-M090 shifters as well as the RD-M6195M rear derailleur, but do not looking forward using their massive and heavy 11-42T cassette. Now I wonder whether the Microshift 9-speed RD-M6195M derailleur would work with a less heavy Shimano 11-32T cassette like the XT CS-M770? Does anyone have experience or insights whether that combination would work?


texts: Bicycle Storage: Does Kvartal method need studs (or other suggestions)?

texts:
Does anyone know how http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ikea-kvartal-easy-unobtrusive-137753 was done? Do I need to get them into studs?

Here's some photos of my laundry room, I thought it would fit length wise but because of the water heater it doesn't. I'm trying to figure out another solution.

This is the wall I was hoping it would fit across:

It doesn't:

Here's the wall I think I think the Kvartal method or something similar could work on. Without someone to take the photo for me I couldn't get one, but if I bring the bike up so the handlebars and seat are against this little corner piece then it does fit before the water heater (similar to the kvartal link). I'm just concerned because the stud on the inner side is too close to the corner for the handlebars so I wouldn't be able to drill into a stud.

Think doing it without being in studs will work? Or anyone have another idea that might work?

Edit

This is what I was going to try using instead of those actual Ikea pieces - Blue Hawk Large Storage Hanger from Lowes:


texts: Which Shimano pedals have reverse threaded bearing adjustments?

texts:
I was attempting to tighten the bearings in my Shimano PD-M530 pedals. I've done this procedure several times before on my other pedals, and I've never had issues before (M737 and M980). For some reason, the drive side (right) pedal's bearing adjustment ended up being reverse threaded, and I stripped the threads on the locknut trying to remove it. The other pedals I've adjusted (see list above) all had regular threading on both the left and right pedals. Similarly, all the online guides describing SPD pedal service I’ve read or watched say that bearing adjustment is normal threaded.
What other models of pedals are reverse threaded on the bearing adjustment? I don't want to destroy a perfectly good (and expensive) set of pedals again.


texts: Options for fully lined bulk cable housing

texts:
I perform maintenance on 3 personal bikes, and often friend's bikes (a few per year, usually).  One of the most common tasks is replacing shift/brake cables and housing.  I live in Boston, winter is brutal, and the bikes I maintain are used in terrible conditions as a means of transportation, so they must be reliable.

I'm interested in finding the cheapest, most effective way to have bulk housing that is fully lined or sealed.  It would be incredible if there was a type of housing that could be bought for cheap enough that could be used for both brake AND shifting, such as Jagwire's 5mm compressionless brake housing.  Right now I just use cheap bulk/shifting cable rolls, unlined, and I'm tired of having to replace the cables so much.

Any suggestions welcome!

EDIT:

Jagwire and some other companies make a 5mm compressionless brake housing.  Since it's compressionless, but strong, I was sort of hoping that there was a cheap alternative, and that it would work with both brake and shifter cables, even if the shifter cables have an internal extra 1mm to move around.

It seems that the best way to weatherproof the system is to just use full length housing.  I have seen cable setups before where the cable in between the housing stops has a liner as well, implying that the housing inner liner is separate and meant to be run through the housing like the cable.  I was basically wondering how those work, and if you can get that setup in bulk, but they seem to be pretty complicated and have a bunch of different cable housing ends for different.

I think I will buy some bulk lined cables to do full length housing runs.  I may try getting some jagwire 5mm compressionless brake housing and try to use it with shifters, and will report back with results.

Thanks for all the input!


texts:
My kid's bike has some gears that aren't working properly (rear derailleur). They "slip". That is, he's pedaling along and suddenly the gear slips, as if it is going to change gears, but doesn't actually change gears. This happens repeatedly. It doesn't just slip once and then stay, no, it continues to do it over and over again while pedaling without making any adjustments on the gear selector.

Another interesting symptom is if I try to keep track of which gear it is supposed to be in, and which gear it is actually in, I get a table something like like this:

Gear it's supposed to be in - Gear it's actually in
1 - 1
2 - 1/2
3 - 2/3
4 - 3/4
5 - 4/5
6 - 5

... where the "/" indicates that the gear state could be one or the other, sometimes depending on whetheur it was shifted into from the higher gear, vs shifted into from the lower gear (shifted up or down) and/or the two gears it is slipping between.

How do I go about tuning them?


texts: What's the loss of effective output, with a worn chain?

texts:
I was just bought a new fine ultegra chain for 10 speed road race bike. This is actually the first new chain for this not so old bike. I am a fan of statistics, measuring power with a power unit on my time trial bike, and so on.

Let's focus on this worn chain.

It ran for about 1000km, so worn you nearly can do a 270-360 degree bow with it. How much effect are you losing between a completely new chain and a worn but (which is the point of comparison) accurately cleaned and re-oiled chain?

I mean, look at a cleaned oiled chain, fitting well with the current sprockets and not skipping cogs. Where is the power going away against a new firm, chain?

How do I measure?
Can I proof any other important winnings?

And (which I may have to point out) together with which kind of use.. I mean, the differences in a low-efficient 200km tour may be negligible compared to a 30km Time Trial where one may average 350 watt in 40 minutes.


texts: I bought a Campagnolo Zonda C17 recently and noticed how quiet the ratcheting noise was. My friend owns a pair of Zondas but his one is really loud. why is mine silent? i use a 15 cassette.


texts: What tire should I put on my road/commuter bike to prepare for a New York winter?

texts:
I have a road/commuter bike (Specialized Tricross) I use for commuting daily in New York City.  The roads here can be quite harsh, with everything from leaves and branches to glass and potholes.  The roads here gave me plenty of flats on the stock tires, so I replaced them with 28mm Continental Ultra Gators, and haven't had a flat since.  I already have full coverage fenders with mudflaps on, and they've been very helpful on rainy days.  Now winter is approaching and I'm wondering whether to swap out the tires.

I rode in winter here last year, so I'm familiar with the challenges, but I'm not perfectly satisfied with how my current setup performed.

The issues are:

About 60% of the time it's really no different from the rest of the year, just colder.  A significantly heavier or knobbier tire would slow me down on these days.
About 10% of the time you get flurries or light snow that doesn't stick, and the smooth tread on my tires makes turning a bit dicey, but otherwise manageable.
About 10% of the time there is some fresh snow on the ground, and turning can be very challenging, but going straight is fine.
About 10-15% of the time there is older snow on the ground, mixed with patches of ice.  I am able to proceed in a straight line at a slow and steady pace, about 10-12 MPH, occasionally getting off for steep hills and sharp turns.
5% of the time conditions are such that it is completely unrideable, and I end up walking the bike home if I happen to have ridden it to work in the morning.  I will often avoid riding in the 10-15% conditions mentioned above to avoid being faced with these conditions later in the day.

Do I need a completely new bike for the winter (or should I just take transit 20% of the time), or will putting on different tires help?  Another possibility would be to buy a new front wheel with a very wide tire, and switch out wheels on bad weather days.  Has anybody tried this out?  Would I be OK with a smooth tread on the back?


texts: A two successive wheel trailer ; would it work? (followme-tandem)

texts:
TL;DR Why does the followme-tandem have the kids front wheel off the ground?

I'm looking into the followme-tandem, which attaches a child's bicyle to the back of an adult's bike to make a trailer-bike. The child's front wheel is elevated from ground. I deduce from the manual that the connection swivels up-down around the adult's rear axis and left-right around a joint between the bikes.

I'm wondering why the product is designed to raise the front wheel in the air?

Would the bikes be difficult to ride if also the kid's front wheel would touch ground?

(The reason I ask is: I doubt I could support the extra weight in addition to the child seat and panniers I'm already carrying on my rack. So, could I not set up the follow-me so that the front wheel is in contact with ground, thus not needing vertical support?)

EDIT: Answer to my specific problem: There is no need to worry about supporting the extra weight. As long as the tandem is connected directly onto the axis of the parent's bike, the trailer produces no torque around the back axis! The weight goes directly to the wheel.


texts: Can I recover a non-saved activity from my Garmin Forerunner 110?

texts:
I went on a 40 mile cycle today and just went to upload the activity to Strava and realized I must've pressed the wrong button and I didn't save it.

Is there a way that I can recover the file?

I can see multiple .fit files from today (Running.fit, Settings.fit, Device.fit), all with last modified dates of today, but they're only 1kb and so clearly not big enough to store my ride. My activities folder also has a last modified date of today (but no activity in it).

Is there ANY way possible I can recover the ride?


texts:
In my dry northern climate rubber tires get dry and crack especially if I was lazy and left them out side.
This happens overwinter where they seem to freeze dry but in summer too if I've left my bike in the sun.
If the crazing is in a small area on a relatively new tire can it be repaired? ( Like filling it with rubber cement?)


texts: I think I have installed my new rear deraileur incorrectly, can anyone give me some advice

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I have replaced the derailleur on my daughters Dawes Academy 26, but I think it looks wrong.
On the lowest cog (gear 8) the derailleur looks like this: enter image description here:

I assumed that the derailleur should be more verticle. Also the small cog nearest the wheel seems to be nearly touching the rear wheel cassette.
The derailleur is a Shimano Acera, which was a like for like replacement. I also replaced the derailleur hanger too.
It does seem to work, but we haven't been for a proper ride. I'm concerned that once we are out it something will go wrong.
Can anyone give any advice?
Thanks to everyone how has replies so far.
Re. the chain is the original so it shouldnt need reducing.
Re. the B-screw here are a couple of photos. Not sure how useful they are. TBH adjusting it doesn't seem to do much.


texts: What's the power loss to a squeaky chain?

texts:
I've got an almost new chain, but forgot to oil it before today's ride. It would probably have been fine except for repeated dunkings in muddy water early on. Later in the ride it developed a noticeable squeak. Although I carry oil, I didn't particularly want to add oil on top of filth, and couldn't really be bothered (an ill-judged route led to a fair bit of walking/wading so time and cold were both sub-optimal).
But in hindsight, could stopping to oil the chain have actually got me home sooner? Was I wasting loads of power?
I ask in a general sense, but my setup is Sora 3x9, on a heavy tourer (and not very aero with extra bottles on the forks).


texts: Which winter road cycling shoes are rated for sub-15° F weather?

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Most of the road shoes I've found only seem to be rated to around 25° or so. Living in New England I'd like something colder. Does anyone know of road shoes rated for colder temps?

(They'll be used for commuting and weekend road rides)

Update: I have new Neoprene booties (Pearl Izumi Elite Barrier Shoe Cover) but find that they're only comfortable down to about 25°F or so.


texts: New Trek 1.5 wheels need to be trued after 2 rides, normal?

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I took my new Trek 1.5 out for 2 spins after I got it and the front wheel is running a few mm off true. The back is too but it isn't that bad. I rode it approx 35km.

I stupidly didn't check the wheels to be properly trued when I left the shop but I didn't think I rode it that hard.

Is it normal for new wheels to need to be trued after bedding in or could they have been off true from the factory? Do I have to be really paranoid about every little bump in the road?

Rims:
Bontrager Tubeless Ready
Tyres:
Bontrager R1 Hard-Case Lite, 700x23c


texts:
I'm looking to try and identify the year this bike was built. Currently struggling to add photo's.
I will try and add some more in a minute. The frame number of the bike is 14246
Many thanks
Wesley


texts: What are the steps required to revert from STI shifters to friction shifters?

texts:
I'm curious about trying friction shifters out for my commutes – especially since I had a shifter cable mishap recently that cost me a lot more time than it should have.

My commuter is a '70s road bike on which the previous owner upgraded the stock downtube shifters to STI shifters. In other words, the frame accepts downtube shifters already, but they aren't there. As far as I understand it, the basic procedure would for a permanent conversion would then be to

Install a pair of friction shifters on the frame again.
Remove the bar tape to be able to
Replace the STI shifters with regular brake levers.
Install (??) the shifter cables in the friction shifters.
Cut the shifter cables shorter.
Reapply bar tape.

If I just want to try this out, could I skip step 2, 3, 5 and 6? And just have the friction shifters pull the cable when it's still attached to the STI shifters? (With full knowledge that this will make the integrated shifters ineffective.)

Would this be a lot of work to just try it out? (Assuming I am able to get a hold of a pair of friction shifters.)


texts: difference between rack mounts and fender mounts?

texts: is there a specific way that bike builders build mounts/eyelets for racks for panniers and eyelets that hold fenders? I'm specifically thinking about eyelets on the rear dropouts. I know that if a manufacturer doesn't want a rack at all he or she won't put mounts on the seatstays, but is there any structural difference between the two?


texts: Will the same lock ring fit 11T or 12T ring, SRAM cassette?

texts: I am currently running Sram PG1070 12-28, but would like to upgrade to 11-28. I can get 11T cog for pretty cheap, but I saw I might also have to get a different lock ring then. Is that true, or could I use the one I am currently using? Thanks!


texts: What should I do when my rear derailleur cable guide is too narrow?

texts:
I am installing a modern groupset on an old frame. The frame has a rear derailleur cable guide like this:

The problem is that the gear cable housing ferrules are too large for the braze-on, causing the cable to sit at an awkward angle.

My gear cables are 4.1mm (standard Campagnolo 11-speed, I think). The braze-on has an inner diameter around 3.9mm.

How should I solve this?


texts: When is using a suspension fork worth it?

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I've recently picked up biking again since my childhood years, so I'm quite the newbie. I've figured out most of the features I'd need so far but I'm at a loss at this one.
Why would you pick front suspension?

In my case, I'll be commuting 5 miles each way every day, 1/2 through paved road and 1/2 through gravel trails with a ~200m stretch of moderately bumpy off-road.


texts:
I have a Whyte T-129s and the lever on the maxle is now very loose when putting the wheels back on. It no longer holds in place - is it possible to fix this?

EDIT this is a maxle - its a thicker axle, at 15mm or 20mm up from the 9mm of a QR with a skewer.  This adds stiffness and strength.


texts: Top men's and women's winners Olympics mtn bikes

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Of the podium finishers in the men's and women's mountain bike race in Rio, what bike brand & models did they use? Which rims?

There has been a big debate over 26, 650B and 29er inch rims. 4 years ago, during the men's race remember seeing different Rim sizes. However during this race they seem to be the same size. Does anybody know what size won out in the rim wars?
I also noticed that if my memory serves me correctly for the top women finishers they had hard tails. But for the men's the top finishers used full suspension bikes.

From four years ago London, the racers indeed did use different rim sizes. So how about Rio?


texts:
Do I understand correctly that Scott Aspect 700/900 series use the same frame and the difference between the 910 and 960 are in other components?

https://www.scott-sports.com/global/en/product/scott-aspect-910-bike?article=265276008
https://www.scott-sports.com/global/en/product/scott-aspect-960-blue-orange-bike?article=265284009


texts: How do I translate this tire description into English?

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On my tire is printed the following:

  25-622 (28 x 1.00 - 700x25c)
  6.8-8.0 Bar, 85-115 psi

I think I know what some of this means but am not sure. BTW, this came standard on my 2012 Cannondale Synapse 600 Alloy bike.


texts:
I have a Trek 720 disc which came with a 2x11 Shimano 105 drive train setup.

When it's fully loaded for touring going up steep hills is just too hard - I'm barely heavy enough to push the pedal down.

My idea is to put a triple on the front.
I've found all these Shimano 105 triple components available so hopefully compatibility should not be an issue:

Triple 10 speed 5703 Chainset
5703/5700 Left shifter
10 speed 5703 Front derailleur

My concern is that the chainset and derailleur specifically state 10 speed - and I want to use them with an 11 speed cassette. I also plan to tour in some potentially quite remote areas so reliability is a priority for me.

Do you think this setup will work ok?


texts:
I've decided to upgrade to road tubeless. Hutchinson sells both "Tubeless" and "Tubeless Ready" tires. According to Hutchinson' website, Tubeless Ready means that (in addition to having a special bead) the tire's tread is air permeable and will gradually lose air, so sealant is needed, not just to seal punctures, but to slow the loss of air.

Their Tubeless tires, on this other hand, have a butyl lining that prevents air loss. Although a sealant can be used to seal punctures, it's not required.

My question: Do tubeless tires -- the tires that have a lining -- hold air as well as tires with tubes? (Note, my car's tires don't have tubes and they hold air quite well.) I ask because I need my tires to stay pumped up, and not go soft overnight the way they usually do on my mountain bike.


texts:
I'm restoring another old bike of mine (20 y.o).
Want to repaint the bike, but I need to remove all the parts.
Trying to remove the old rusty fork but have no idea how to do it.
I tried to remove the hex nut with wrench, but it didn't even move at all.
Trying to hit it with rubber mallet, but still not moving at all.

Any idea?


texts: Are out of date energy gels bad for you?

texts: I have some energy gel sachets that are a few months out of date. Do they contain anything that might be dangerous after their best-before date?


texts: Truvativ 1x front chainguide - what's wrong with this?

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I've been asked to inspect and fix someone's bike.  Its a heavy full-suspension Kona "Stab Deluxe" downhill monster from 2006.

The main fault is that the chain gets stuck between the front chainring and the chainguide.

It is a single 36 tooth chainring branded as Saint, with Hussefelt cranks and a 4 bolt Truvativ crank.  Not sure what the BB is other than external.  Seems to be stock/original components.

There's also a trailing lifter wheel vaguely like a jockey wheel but without teeth, so seems to be a tensioner but has no tension, perhaps best described as a keeper?

 Normal position

 Rotated forward by hand.

 Outline showing support system in the back.

My gut feeling is that the whole mounting bracket should not rotate like this.  From below I can see threads of the external cup (?) housing between the BB case and the chain keeper's support plate.

There is a lot of scoring and worn-off plastic inside the chain guide itself, suggests this has been loose or wrong for a long time.

Question What's wrong with this setup?  And how do I fix it?


texts: Bottom bracket removal, what is this part?

texts:
I have a new (old) bicycle, and I am in the process of disassembling it.

I arrived to the bottom bracket (with a cottered crank), and unscrewed the ring without problems, but then I'm faced with a part that I don't think I've seen before (circled in yellow in the picture below, the part next to the frame with the threads and a strange "groove").

I've disassembled several BB, but this is new to me (normally I have a nut and unscrew it, I bet this may be another kind of nut), and I don't know if this can be removed and how?

Is this something that I can unscrew, and does anyone know of the technique/tools to do it?

(By the way, the other side has the same part, but as far as I can see there is no thread (visible at least))


texts: Can a bike with an internal bottom bracket be retrofitted to have an external bottom bracket?

texts: External bottom brackets have been appearing on higher-end bikes in the last few years.  Can older bikes with bottom bracket shells that come stock with square taper internal ISO 68mm or oversized ISO 73mm bottom brackets be retrofitted with external cups when it comes time to replace the bottom bracket?  I am well aware that the cranks will have have to be replaced, too.


texts:
I do a 35km return commute into a big city. Almost daily, someone tries to run me over.

Just in the past month I've experienced the following:

I filter to the front of the traffic, wait at the front of the bike lane, and the car behind me who is not blocked at all, because i'm a meter over to the left into the bike lane, makes a sharp turn into my lane to deliberately drive into the back of my bicycle, while the lights are still red. I have to do an emergency takeoff and left turn through the red into a side street to get away.
cycling along a major road in the bike lane at night with bright flashing lights at the front of my bike and red light at the rear. I ride past a side street where someone is waiting to turn right, and as I'm directly in front of his car, he slams on the gas and pulls out, narrowly avoiding cleaning me up.
Going through a roundabout, in the middle of the lane, lights on, broad daylight. Following about 20m behind the car in front of me. Again, go past a side street, and the driver pulls out at full speed just as i'm going past him. Only narrowly avoid getting run over because I scream out some sort of profanity at a voice breaking volume and he backs off slightly.

How do you deal with attempts on your life by people who are more focussed on eating their macdonalds and throwing their cigarette butts out the window than the safety of other road users?


texts: Are there special concerns traveling by plane carrying Air shocks?

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Are there any special concerns or precautions to take when traveling by plane with a bike that has air shock or air fork?

Is it necesary to take the air out or is it safe to leave them as they are?

By the way, the tires need to be deinflated?

Details: I'll be traveling by air with a bike that has a Marzocci Bomber MX Pro, that has air springs. My fear is that pressure changes may affect the shock. Also, and I don´t know if I will be near a bike shop at my destination.


texts: How to carry a concealed firearm on a bike?

texts: For those of you that happen to cycle through rough neighborhoods and are able to do concealed carry of firearms...  Wondering what you wear to conceal them that works well while cycling.  Obviously the standard cycling outfit isn't going to do any good whatsoever...  Various back/fanny packs seem like they'd be inconvenient.  Most jackets that would work fine while walking would tend to "ride up" I'd think.  Just curious as to what works and what doesn't work.


texts: Chain length when swapping between cassette sizes (11-28 and 11-23)

texts:
Currently I am running a semi compact 52/36 up front and a 11-28 at the back. I'm planning on getting a 11-23 cassette for criterium races, and have the 11-28 for hillier rides.

Will there be any issues with chain length when swapping back and forth between the two? If I leave the chain length as is (optimized for a 11-28), will I run into any problems when putting the  11-23 in?


texts: Suspension seatpost for mountain biking?

texts:
I've seen several seatposts on the market with suspension built into them such as the Thudbuster, Redshift, and Kinect and was wondering if anyone is using one for mountain biking?

Is it worth the money and does it improve the ride quality?

Let me know your thoughts. Thanks!


texts: How long do Garmin's cycling GPS devices take to get an initial GPS lock?

texts:
I've been using a CatEye Stealth 50 GPS device to record some of my longer rides. I've not been using it for commuting though because my commute is only ~30 minutes, and the CatEye takes 3-5 minutes to start recording data. I don't want to add 10% to my commute time just for GPS lock :)*

Would upgrading to one of the Garmin devices like an Edge 500/510/800/810 make a significant difference in initial lock time? (I'm somewhat spoiled by my cell phone and car that achieve locks almost instantly)

* That said, the CatEye was only $150, and at that price I couldn't be happier with its performance.


texts:
I'd like to understand more about how the design of a bike affects its speed (assume a normal, two-wheeled bike with gears).

Can I assume that weight has little effect, on level ground, except when starting and stopping? If not, why not: what is the effect and how big is it?
Are the two biggest factors wind resistance, and tire rolling resistance?

Can you point me towards data for the above:

Rolling resistances for various types/sizes of tire at different speeds
Wind resistances for different rider positions at different speeds

Specifically how much difference is there between e.g. a 700x23 mm tire, and a 700x32 mm tire at 90 psi?


texts: I have a early 1960’s Schwinn Corvette with a tire size of 26 x 1 3/4 S7. I can find the tire replacement but not the inner tube replacement. Can anyone help me ?


texts: Campagnolo Athena 11s front-derailer alignment

texts:
I am having a world of trouble trying to get my FD aligned properly and shifting properly from small to large cog and back again, especially when riding up hills.

When on the flat, they change fine, but when I apply force on the pedals at a sprint or when going up hills, the chain won't shift from large cog to small. Obviously I am in a pain trying to pedal up a hill on a 52T cog! Yet on the bike stand everything looks and performs fine.

Could it be that by the force of my effort to pedal harder, I am actually "bending the bike" to the right (crank cogs on the right) slightly, which in-turn increases the gap between the chain and the outside FD cage from touching the chain to force it off the big cog? It's the only explanation I can come up with. Or maybe my cranks are bent? Or my FD is bent?

Looking from above, there is a slight gap increase to the rear of the FD as compared with the front closer to the center of the crank. But very, very slight.


texts: Is there a ulock mount that uses the bottle cage openings?

texts:
I found one that a guy made I think with 3d printers or something but seems like an excellent solution.

I have a carbon frame bike and I don't want to use traditional ulock mount at the top because it creates a stress point by compressing. And the bottom section of this bike is too thick for the holder.


texts:
I'm trying to sell a 4-bike hitch on craigslist.   One thing I'm unsure of is whether or not it's tailored to universally fit on all cars.  I'm worried because if it's too specific, a few people who own those cars will buy it, but if it's universal, it should be okay.

What is the standard for hitches? Are they universal? Or are they custom fitted to support different vehicles?


texts: What pedals should I upgrade to for racing on the road and possibly track?

texts:
I currently have SPD pedals on all of my bikes. I've stuck with them so far as they worked relatively well and I couldn't justify having two types of shoes.

I can justify two types of shoes now.

These pedals/shoes/etc would be for my road bike and likely used on the track as I am going to spend a bit of time at the local velodrome this winter. My primary criteria is probably strength, with price second. I'm a sprinter and saving money is always good. Weight doesn't really matter at this point.

The Look and Shimano road pedals look good, but they have a number of different models across the board. Any suggestions or ones to stay away from?


texts: Why are derailleur jockey wheels commonly made of nylon?

texts: Almost all derailleurs seem to come from the factory with nylon jockey wheels . What is the rationale for the use of nylon (rather than alloy or aluminum)?  Is it merely weight savings (which would seem to be trivial given the size) or is there a functional advantage to  nylon/plastic?


texts: I seem to have amassed a huge collection of bike parts. Some parts are old and need a specialist market so I don't think that ebay is the best marketplace for them. How can I sell on / give away old bike parts so I know that  I'm getting the best price and/or reaching the right audience.


texts: Replacement brake pads for SRAM Force 1/CX 1

texts: I'm looking to replace the default pads that come with the SRAM Force 1/CX 1. I can't tell if they're metallic or organic. I ended up purchasing the organic version https://www.competitivecyclist.com/sram-road-disc-brake-pads-organic, but they have a high pitch squeal. I cleaned the disc beforehand with isopropyl alcohol and bed in the pads on the first ride. If the original pads were metallic, would the rotors not be compatible with organic pads? The rotors still have ton of life in them, so just looking for a brake pad that works correctly, or any other fixes.


texts: Determine age of Raleigh sport womens bike

texts:
DA 45169 under bottom bracket
Raleigh ladies sport Steel emblem on front Raleigh Nottingham  England,


texts: Do you need to ride gentler with a dynamo hub?

texts:
I am going to purchase a dynamo hub and the way I like to ride is carefree abandon - going offroad, up and down curbs, straight through potholes, etc. My bike is a 90's rigid mtb with road tyres (26").

I like to do pretty much everything on this one bike and want the convenience of dyno lighting as well, will I have to be more gentle with a dynamo hub because it has delicate electrics?

I only found one thread elsewhere from some people who suggested that the SON Delux would be the best choice for rough riding: http://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?t=18685

However, the two I am looking at are Shimano's 3n80 and Shutter Precision's PV-8, which are not quite as well built.


texts:
My son is now 6 years old and has outgrown his small bike. There is a bike available from his elder sister but it is pink colour. This pink bike might work for him for a year or two before he outgrows it, but he might want an other colour.

I am wondering if there is a simple way for me to paint it over with a red or black colour without removing the existing paint ? I would like to keep it on the cheap side, around 10 or 20$.


texts: What type of brakes are best for mountain bike racing?

texts:
Disc brakes are more expensive than v-brakes, but in a heavy rain they will break down. V-Brakes are becoming harder to find, but they're much easier to maintain and don't break down as easily.

What kind of brakes are best for mountain bike racing?


texts:
Anybody know if you can attach a kid trailer (example: https://www.buybuybaby.com/store/product/burley-bee-bike-trailer-in-yellow/1061738171?skuId=61738171) to an EBike? I have a huge hill to go up to get home and would like some help. I'm worried I might break the bike with the excess weight or it won't be able to accommodate the trailer.

Thoughts?

Anybody done this?


texts: Why do peope think the upright postion is comfortable?

texts: Since my dad bought my first bike when I was a kid I tended towards a leaned forward position. I don't mean hands on the drops position, just a more leaned forward one. Skip forwards for almost 30 years and I feel the same. Yet I keep hearing that the upright postion is supposed to be the more comfortable one. What am I missing here?


texts: Name of a certain modern rear-derailleur part at upper end of pivot

texts:
Some derailleurs, particularly "old style" drop-out-mounted ones have a pivot whose upper end is a kind of combination joint: it has a bushing that allows the pivot to rotate, under spring action, and that joint also has attachments for the pivot's parallelogram members.

Newer style direct-mount derailleurs (but even new drop-out-mount ones like the Shimano RD-TX55) elongate this upper joint of the pivot into a small member. The rotating bushing is on the upper end of this member (rotating around the mounting bolt on the DM units), and the parallelogram members attach at the lower end of this member.

Does this member have a special name? Is it considered part of the pivot, or are only the parallelogram arms "the pivot"?

For that matter, does the original "combination joint" have a name, and is it considered separate from the pivot?


texts:
I need easier gear but I already got 34/50 and 11-32 (11 speed edition), I read online it's possible to use long cage derailleur with 34 cog.

Shimano doesn't make 11-34, so I was thinking of buying 11-34 from the previous edition 10 speed cassette and drop 11 and have 34,32,...,12

Any advice on such setup? Is there a difference in the cogs width?

Jed


texts:
I have been getting flats every 20-30 miles for the last 2 months. This has caused serious inconvenience to me, as bicycle is my preferred mode of transport to work and class. Details of the situation:

Hybrid bicycle  (Specialized Globe 2007 -- 5,000 miles ballpark on it)
Only rear wheel is flatting
Rear wheel is 622x19C rim
Tire is 700x35, Kenda 700 35-42 inner tube
I just replaced the whole rim and spokes, for $60 (I had a lot of broken spokes and the rim was out of alignment badly). However the flats keep coming.
Tire pressure suggested on the rear wheel is 30-60 PSI
I run the pressure between 50-60 PSI
I weigh 212lbs. and I carry up to 30 extra pounds of load (backpack etc.)
The holes in the inner tube are usually single tiny punctures.
I never find anything in the tire like glass or anything
The tire seems to have been worn very quickly (it seems kind of like a cheap tire).

Is the tire a possible cause, or is it possible that some misalignment in the hub (Shimano attached to an 8 speed cassette) is just messing things up?

This is driving me crazy... maybe I should buy a new tire and run the pressure much higher?

Run the pressure lower?   buy some specialized kind of inner tube?

I would really do anything to avoid having to patch flats every other day!

**** THANKS EVERYBODY, I BOUGHT AN ARMADILLO FROM SPECIALIZED... NO FLATS IN 2 WEEKS **** I think the pressure was way too low on the piece of crap tire i had before ... armadillo is solid!!


texts: How to maintain Suntour XCR Air RL-R (remote lockout air/oil) front fork?

texts:
My bike is fairly new (1000 km) however I am worried about accumulation of dirt/scratches on the front fork.

I've looked at Suntour foam rings however could not find anything.

Is this because Suntours do not require maintenance like FOX / Rockshox or is there another reason?


texts: Front wheel DT Swiss C1800 vs CR1600, is it worth the extra bucks?

texts:
I have to replace my front wheel (700C, disc brake, QR), and I'd like to take the opportunity to upgrade it. My current OEM wheel has a manufacturer weight of 1310g…
It's for a gravel DIY e-bike, usually with some luggage. I'd like something light (considering my price range), yet quite robust. My current tire is a 700x38mm, but I may replace it with 40~45mm.
So far, I'm considering the DT Swiss C1800 (130€) or the CR1600 (190€). The CR1400 (280€) being a bit too expensive.
The C1800 and CR1600 seem to be very similar, the main difference being the hub (370 vs 350). If it were for the rear wheel, I'd pick the 350 hub without hesitation as it's much better. But for the front wheel, I don't know if there is significant difference.
So, I'd like to determine if the CR1600 is worth the extra 60€ over the C1800.


texts: How should I lubricate my Shimano freewheel?

texts: I have a Shimano freewheel (MX-30) that came with my bike from new.  Unfortunately the internals got all gunked up and it stopped working (never engaged and became free both ways).  I have bought and fitted a replacement part, but I would like to know how I should lubricate / maintain the freewheel so that this does not happen again.


texts: Solar charger for iPhone whilst on a bike tour - is it worth it?

texts: Are there any feasible solar chargers for iPhone / or with a usb slot that will work or is a backup battery available. Best value (and something that works) is my priority. I found this brilliant link on crazy guy on a bike- http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=9258 However, since then I came accross 'portopow' http://www.portablepowersupplies.co.uk/ - which look great but I can barely find any reviews.


texts: Which measurements are most important to consider for tall men?

texts:
I am 6'8" and 255lbs so my figure is a bit between Kevin Durant (not as skinny) and Lebron (in shape but not as muscly). For smaller bikes such as what you would find in Wal-mart, I frequently see bike weight limits of 200lbs or so despite me still being able to still ride the bikes without any noticeable issues other than my knees hitting the handlebars. I thought bigger wheels (27"+ or 650b) would help, but I still see this weight limit which is absurdly low IMO as I'm a pretty skinny guy.. I saw another bike that had a suggested limit of 300lbs, but the recommended height limit was 5'7-5'10. Then I found another bike which claimed to support up to 6'3 and 220lbs, but the bike frame was smaller than all of the others at 17" where the others were set at 18".

Because I'm looking for bikes under $500 so that I can ride around my neighborhood, I'm going to have to compromise in some size aspect but am not quite sure which size aspect matters the least: bike frame size, recommended weight limit, or wheel size. I saw other questions about tall riders but nothing specifically addressing this aspect.


texts:
I am trying to figure out why my chain is catching with each revolution.  You can see it in this short video
[


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I'm a fairly inexperienced (and out of shape) rider who has recently moved to Seattle, a very hilly area. I used to ride a Fuji Traverse (hybrid) in my original hometown, Tallahassee (which also has some hills). The Traverse had a triple chainring, and I found myself using the granny gear a lot on hills. In fact, I'd even sometimes switch down to the big climbing ring in the rear on steeper hills. (Edit: Checking my Strava, it looks like these grades were 7-8% on average.)

I'm buying a new bike now that I'm here in Seattle, as I didn't bring the original with me. I'm looking at entry-level road bikes, but these bikes tend to have double-chainrings. I am aware that triple chainrings usually have gear ratios allowing for an easier time with hills.

Should an inexperienced rider facing hilly terrain buy a bike with a double chainring, or should they always stick with a triple?


texts: ideal chain replacement for Redline monocog 29er

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I have a Redline Monocog 29er and I'm replacing the drive train.  The bike's purpose is to be abused off-road.  For the new chain, I'm debating between the SRAM PC-1 Single-Speed Chain  ($6.39)  and the KMC Z610HX ($15.76)  I'm wondering what, if anything, the more expensive KMC chain would offer?  Would it wear longer?  Is it stronger?  Will the cheaper one snap when I'm standing up and cranking hard?

Some forum posters recommend just using an old worn one off of a geared bike??  Is that advisable?


texts: The master link that came with my chain won't fit

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I have this master link that came with my chain (Snap On type). In the first picture it is distinctly the one on the left - not a spring clip.

Try as I might - it doesn't seem to be long enough? Do I need to use those funky chain pliers for it? How much can I compress that link? Thanks.


texts: Play in headset with no upper bearings on a tandem bicycle

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I have a half recumbent tandem bicycle. The front fork headset (under the front cyclist) is loose: I can feel some play when I put the front brake on and try to move the bicycle front and back. I tried to tighten it with no success. I disassembled it and was surprised there was no upper bearings. Could this be normal, given the bicycle geometry (not much clearance between the front seat and the headset and no need for a stem) ? I found some kind of seal which was torn out. Could this explain the loose headset ? Any help would be appreciated.

NB: the bike frame is from Bilenky (viewpoint) but the set up was done by another company.


texts: I'm going to take my bike with me on a plane. Do I really need a special bike travel bag to have it transported safely?

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I have a road bike that I want to bring with me to the place I will be flying to.

I know that there are bags that are designed especially for this kind of situation: the bike travel bags such as the one shown on the picture below.  But, as they are expensive (that one costs £250 for example) I would like to evaluate all the alternatives (if any) before I go ahead and spend so much money with something that I would use once in a blue moon. How could I prepare my bike to be taken on a flight if I don't own a bike travel bag?


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I am trying to find a suitable pannier rack for my Cube Cross Race, but due to weirdly placed eyelets I can't find any.

Can you recommend any that would fit?


texts: What to do If your pedal are squeaking and are not straight?

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I have a dtb and the pedals aren't straight they are kind of bent It seems that something is broken in the place where they are join.

update: It's moving sideways and the outer bolt are quite slanty You know not tightened properly And when I shake it It feels something is broken inside


texts: i will be honest.  I am nearly 50y/o and not in tip top shape either. I have not owned a bike since I was 12y/o. I want to buy a bike. I am looking at the cruiser bikes.  Most come with coaster brakes.  I am not sure what to buy. I am new to biking, so I don't know.  I have heard more positives about handle brakes but also heard a lot of things could go wrong, and what if I get stranded somewhere? What would I do? Please advise.  Sorry if I am rambling.


texts: How long will a battery last in a Garmin GSC 10?

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My relatively new Garmin GSC 10 Speed/Cadence unit has started losing connection to my Garmin 500. I'm assuming that the battery is running out, since I'm still using the original that came with it. I have done about 35 hours of riding.

So I am wondering: how long should a CR 2032 battery last?

I know this is a little subjective and will depend on ambient temperature and to a lesser extent speed and cadence for transiently illuminating the LED each pedal stroke/wheel revolution. But generally, how many hours can I expect to get from a battery?


texts: Race organizers: how much does it cost to put on a stage race?

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Background: I recently competed in the Tour of the Catskills in New York. Unfortunately, this year was the last year that this event will be held, due to financial stresses. I'm not very familiar with the costs associated with hosting a multi-day stage race - about how much does it cost to put on a similar stage race?

By "similar", I mean a 3 day stage race, consisting of a time trial, two road races, chip timing, leaders' jerseys (GC, KOM and points - at least 63 total @21 jerseys/stage) and multiple category races (5, 4, 3, P/1/2) for both men and women.

I'm having a difficult time finding resources online that give any sort of estimate for the costs of organizing bike races. I found this site which gave the numbers for a one day race (~$3K), but not only was this post from 5 years ago, it didn't look like the race had timing or leaders' jerseys and is not a multi-day event.

What's a typical cost (estimate) for this type of event?

Edit: I'm not looking for an exact number. I just want a ballpark answer; something to give me an idea of the financial resources it takes to run one of these events. For instance, even saying something like,

"I ran a road race last year with chip timing and it cost us $X. We didn't have leaders' jerseys, but a custom jersey costs about $Y. Therefore, for a stage race, you could expect to spend about $3X + $63Y"

would be really beneficial to me and anyone looking into hosting a stage race, since this information seems to be very difficult to find for cycling races.


texts: Why did the hydraulic disc brake stop working when riding down a steep mountain?

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I rode my mountain-bike with a bicycle trailer attached. Three kids (age 4 to 8) were inside the trailer (trailer made of steel). We went down from about 500 m above sea level to 150 m above sea level with an inclination of around 15 to 20 %.

My hydraulic disc brakes (Avid Juicy 3 with 180 mm discs) got very hot and something began to smoke and stink. When I was at about 250 m above sea level I stopped the bike, because the kids were complaining about the bad smell.

When I wanted to continue the ride, the front brake didn’t work at all. I could easily pull the brake lever with no resistance! As if the cable was broken and the fluid inside was gone. I stopped again. It was in the evening (dark), and I couldn’t find anything.

I continued the ride very slowly, only using the rear brake, pulling the front brake lever again and again to understand the problem. The more often I pulled the lever the resistance to pull it grew and the brake started to work again.

To summarize the problem: The brake stopped working completely after I had stopped the bike (but before it was working like a charm, only with a bad smell). And started to work again, when I pulled the lever a few times.

Now the questions:

Why?
What happened?
Since then the brake is working as usual again. How is that possible?


texts: What is the reference unit  of the kgf reading on the Park spoke tension chart?  Is it kgf/cm?


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So helpful folks here helped me get the cog and lockring off, and now I'm stuck with this. I looked on Park's website again for "removal of freewheel" help, but mine didn't fit with any of the methods. No hex wrenches, screws, bolts or anything. The ratcheting mechanism just seems sort of...on it.

There's two notches (picture below), screams "two-pronged tool" but I'm starting to think this wheel simply cant be converted to a fixed wheel. New rear wheel perhaps?


texts: Require seatpost size of Dahon Vitesse D7

texts: I have a Dahon Vitesse D7.. Have lost the seat post. Can you let me know what is the size of the seatpost  will fit to the mentioned model


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Does anyone know a company that specializes in reproducing vintage bike stickers.  I have a Kestrel 4000 that I would like to restore.  The bike manufacturer has none. I have heard back from one 3rd party company and they could not help me.
(Victory Circle Graphix)


texts: Is my right DI2 shifter bad? It will shift "up" but not "down"

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The left shifter and front derailleur work fine.  The right shifter works fine if I shift to a smaller gear; the bike does not respond if I shift to a bigger gear.  I plugged into my PC and from there I could shift with the rear derailleur; so I assume that is not an issue.  I have had the bike about a year and it never had an issue until now (so, not a connection loose from assembly anyway).  I have not unplugged/replugged any of the connections yet as I understand I would need a special tool for that.  I would guess that if the shifter connection were the problem, then the bike would not shift either up or down.  Anyone seen this?  I hope I don't have to replace the shifter.  (R8050 system, gravel road bike w hydraulic disc brakes)
Thanks


texts: SRAM i3 coaster brake only activating after multiple turns backwards

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My son's bike has a SRAM i3 internal gear + coaster brake hub. It has recently started sometimes only activating the coaster brake after backpedalling a good one or two full revolutions. When in this situation, it sounds somewhat clunky or grindy when the brake finally activates. However, sometimes, it kicks in straight away. I haven't found a solid pattern to when it works and doesn't, but it seems that the brake is more reliable in gear 1 than in gear 3, though I might be wrong about this. Can this adjusted/fixed, or do I need to replace the mechanism?

EDIT: After experimenting with the brakes and gearing with the bike in a stand (previously I had been trying while riding it) it seems that in gear 1, the brake always works fine. In gear 3, it requires almost a full rotation backwards before the gear engages. While in gear 2, it's somewhere between - about half a rotation.


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It is hard to prove non-existence, but as far as my research goes, there is no carbon frame available for belt drive systems like Gates. My guess is that this is due to the requirement to be able to open and close the frame during belt installation. However, at the same time, carbon frame manufacturers claim that they can tailor a frame's lateral & etc. stiffness by layer density, fibre orientation and the like.
So my question is what is the exact reason why belt drive systems are not available on carbon frames?

...of course, I'd also be happy if my research turns out to be incomplete...


texts: On frame geometry: does it matter so much?

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I bought my MTB without much thought, really. I wanted a hard tail but thats about it. Now I'm researching on whether my bike is appropriate for xyz application. I've been looking at frame geometries.

Since I don't jump off cliffs or race (even for PR), other than changing the tires and maybe getting a more expensive fork for modest drops, I don't understand the significance of differentiating between cyclocross to endurance road to performance road to touring and all that.

My bike is for general commutes but also for daytrips and future whatever. Definitely 3-4 days touring. Maybe some offroad but nothing crazy. Am I missing out?


texts: Can tricep pain be cause by having a smaller bike frame?

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Some context, my boyfriend bought a used carbon frame bike because it was a good deal, I feel like recent tricep soreness is caused by his biking on a bike that is too small for him or wrongly positioned. He doesn't want to admit it. So far he has changed the stem and moved the saddle back.

I just wanted to confirm here if its the cause so I can have him see a professional fitter or something. The bike is a Kestrel Talon 4 years old. 55 cm (21.5")

He is 5'10" (178 cm) tall and about 190lbs (86 kg) and not very flexible. Longer legs than torso.

He claims that the next size up is too big for him


texts: Is it possible to fit this Tioga Mc Groove saddle on my bicycle?

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See images here.

The bar the new Tioga saddle is mounted on is a bit thicker than the one the original (terrible) saddle is mounted on and won't fit as is.
I can take the old saddle off its bar no problem but it seems like the new saddle's bar can't be removed without removing the clamp.  The nut with a slot for an Allen key (it's actually not, it's slightly bigger than a certain Allen key size) is unbelievably solid; it will not budge, which leads me to believe it's not intended to be opened.
I took out the metal bottom inside of the plastic bar with an Allen key.  Insides there's a removable spring and deep inside (inside the plastic) it looks like there's another thing to be opened with an Allen key but it's hard to tell.  Even if it was, I don't know what kind of tool is able to open something like that down a shaft.
I tried a lot of other pointless things, including heating up an Allen key so it would expand enough to fit properly; I'm pretty desperate at this stage.

Do saddles vary for different size slots (i.e. different bikes)?
Is it possible at all to fit this saddle?  If so, how can it be done?


texts: Can I use 25.4mm bullhorn brakes on a 26mm handlebar?

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I've got a 26mm bullhorn handlebar but it seems like many stores sell bullhorn brakes that are for 25.4mm bullhorns.

Will this 0.6mm make much of a difference? Would it be okay to use the 25.4mm bullhorn brakes on the 26mm bars?


texts: Increasing reliability of a hardtail MTB

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What affects the reliability of bike more, better suspension or heavier tyres?
I have bought a hardtail (Rockrider ST520) with 80mm front travel and 27.5 x 2.0 all terrain tyres.
The bike is meant for slightly rugged trails but I intend on taking it out on some fairly rough ground, it will probably hold as I am only 60kg but what upgrades are possible to increase its strength and reliability, should I invest in a better fork or heavier tyres?
I'm a college student so finances are how you would expect them to be.


texts: What tool should I purchase in order to replace the bottom bracket in my Giant Defy 3?

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I'm changing my front crankset from Gossamer FSA 105 to Shimano 105 FC-R7000 in my Giant Defy 3 road bike from 2015...

I kinda stuck on removing the bottom bracket as I'm not sure which type of tool should be used for that sort of job... Could anyone point me to the right tool for removing the bottom bracket? Please see attached photo of my bottom bracket. Thanks in advance!


texts: Mountain bike tires vs. road tires - from crushed limestone to pavement

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I've had my mountain bike for three summers now and I love it.  I bought it for the ability to ride on different terrains and build endurance.  Since my primary goal is weight loss and cardiovascular health, I've found that I ride mostly on paved surfaces during typical rides.  I do often ride on bike trails for long endurance rides.  These trails consistently have crushed limestone surfaces, as well as pavement.

I've considered purchasing road tires due to my extensive presence on pavement, but how well do road tires perform on crushed limestone and/or tightly packed gravel?  Do road tires sink a little on crushed limestone, causing lots of friction?

I don't want to spend the money on the conversion just to find the answer on this question.

I will be riding on paved & crushed limestone/gravel during the same ride.


texts: Shimano FC-M521 middle chainring replacement

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What exact torque should be applied to secure the double gear fixing bolt (Y-1FM98020) ?

And what tool is usually used to fix the nut without damaging it while tightening the bolt?


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I have a road bike lying around in a garage in California. I would like to use it here in Illinois. However, there's no one out there who can disassemble and pack the bike for me in California, ALTHOUGH there's someone to open the garage :-).

Is there a service that disassembles, packs and ships the bike for me? Or at least disassemble and pack the bike so that I could use a pickup service myself?


texts: Mounting the front light on the frame instead of the fork or the handlebar?

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I've had my front light mounted on the handlebar for the last 4 years or so. I never liked the bulky look and more importantly, how it jumps around in a response to my handlebar movements (if I'm on a rocky road avoiding obstacles and people are walking in front of me, it unnecessarily scares them).
So to have the front light point in the general direction of the bike instead, I'd have to mount it to the front of the frame somehow, like this:

Problem is, I can't find any lights on sale that'd be compatible. I even found wheel axle mounted, but not frame mounted. Is there a reason? Is this a bad idea?
This discussion mentions how frame direction lags behind where you're looking at, but I won't be cornering this fast in these seemingly extreme conditions, so shouldn't be a problem.


texts: What are the advantages and disadvantages of a cycling desk?

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I just came across an article about a cycling desk (never knew that such a thing existed). This past year, I gave up a traditional desk for a standing desk and have been pretty happy with the results, but getting in some extra miles during the work day is very, very intriguing.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a cycling desk, compared to a standing desk? (The increased activity of cycling over standing is obviously an advantage.) Would I be moving around too much to get work done, or is this a non-issue? What about the posture of sitting on a bike saddle all day? Can the movement of cycling be distracting? How does it compare to a standing desk with a treadmill?

Does anyone have any experience with a cycling desk? And is it possible to be productive while cycling, or is that an unreasonable expectation?


texts: 11-speed cassette, freehub and wheel compatibility

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I have two wheels and two 11 speeds cassettes. With one combination of cassettes and wheels, shifting is reliable. With the other combination, the position of the cassette relative to the derailleur is clearly incorrect and I get a lot of chain noise and spontaneous shifting.
The parts I have are:

Giant P-R2 rear wheel
Shimano 11-34 cassette, CS-HG700-11 (I think)
Campagnolo Calima C17 rear wheel
Shimano 11-30 cassette, 105 R7000

Shimano 105 GS long cage rear derailleur
Combination 1 + 2 is what came with the bike, and works fine. When I disassembled it, there was a shim between the largest sprocket on the cassette and the wheel side end-stop on the freehub body.
Combination 3 + 4 also works fine, without a shim, on the same bike without altering the adjustment of the rear derailleur at all.
However. I want to use the old wheel with the new cassette (1 + 4), indoors on a turbo trainer, and the new wheel and the old cassette (3 + 2), on the road.
Neither 1 + 4 or 3 + 2 works satisfactorily with or without the shim - either I can't get the nut thing to engage the threads to hold the cassette on, because the shim pushes the cassette too far out from the wheel, or without the shim the cassette is too close to the wheel and I can't adjust the derailleur such that shifting works with both wheels.
Questions:

Should I expect combinations 1 + 4 and 3 + 2 to work?
Should I need a shim?
If I do need a shim, is there a particular width or part number I need to look for?
Am I missing something obvious?

Thanks


texts: Can big drop-offs and rocky descents be handled by 29er with 120mm

texts: Looking to buy the new Whyte T-129s. Other bikes I've looked at (Trek Remedy, Orange 5, Lapierre Zesty) have 140+mm of travel whereas the Whyte only has 120. Will this be an issue for riding off large drops and over rocky descents? In other respects (fit, looks, spec, price) the Whyte seems fine, but concerned as to how capable it is going to be.


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I've got (what I think is) a Huret Eco rear derailleur which seems to somehow get "stuck" in an "open" position when shifting on the front chainrings, i.e. the return spring somehow stops "working" and the huge amount of slack in the chain resulting from this causes the chain to fly off the chainring; How can I ensure that my setup is "correct" for this model? When in its "stuck" position, it looks like in the following pictures:

In the pictures above, the retaining spring is highlighted in red. While the derailleur is stuck in its "open" position, if I gently push the derailleur arm forward with my hand, it then "snaps" closed, keeping the chain properly taut:

What could be causing the derailleur to get stuck in this way, and how do I fix it?


texts: Loose axis of Shimano Deore FC-M591-S Hollowtech II

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I noticed that the right arm (drive side) of the Shimano Deore FC-M591-S Hollowtech II is getting loose. The right side has the axis attached to it as shown in the image.

When I take off the left arm (non-drive side) I can see the axis moving up and down within the frame. I tried tightening the connection with the crank lid tool which helps somewhat. The set is from April 2011.


texts: Hydraulic Disc Brake (how to choose correct model)

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I recently broke off the lever of my front brake and am looking for a replacement lever or front brake. Need some input/suggestions from more experiences riders.

Some of my questions:

What are the (dis)advantages of multiple pistons (for example a 4 piston caliper) better than less pistons?
Would cooling fins be recommended? (I don't ride downhill but do brake hard and often)
Is there a way to find the piston size/lever 'leverage ratio' without having to ask each manufacturer?

I originally had a Magura MT4 which I was very happy with but I fell and the lever (more specifically the fluid reservoir) broke in half (due to it being made of plastic). If I could get something similar in terms of braking power which is a bit more robust (not made of plastic) that would be great. Alternatively I could install something similar to this to prevent the lever from breaking/snapping (I believe they're called "lever guards"):

The bike is very heavy (e-bike), approx 45kg and fast (70kph) so I need very good braking power. With the MT4's I could do a stoppie (riding on front wheel only) with 2 fingers on the lever.

I replaced the broken off lever on my MT4 with a Shimano lever (not exactly sure which one, will add photo below) but for some reason I have to press the lever way way harder (on MT4 I needed 1-2 fingers with very little force to block front wheel (dry tarmac) and with the Shimano lever I need to press as hard as I can with 3-4 fingers and still can barely block the front wheel) to get the same stopping power (same caliper/hose, different brake lever).

Shimano lever:

I have tried looking for replacements online but could not find the 'leverage ratio' (leverage of the brake lever itself and the size of the piston in the brake handle) anywhere in the spec sheets for the models I've looked at. I am using a 180mm Magura brake rotor.

I think a downhill type brake would be the best option.

Brake Requirements:

a lot of braking power (block front brake with 1-2 fingers without much force)
Weight is no issue (they can be heavy)
price under 120usd/100eu if possible (if there is a big difference in quality/performance when going a bit higher budget please don't refrain from suggesting a bit more expensive models as well)
adjustable bite point/reach for bonus points
they do NOT need to be e-bike specific (no brake sensor needed)

Any suggestions are welcome/greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Original (broken) MT4 lever:


texts: mtb hubs why is his hubs louder but on paper they are the same

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My mate and I purchased bikes.   I got a Norco HT 2 and he has a Norco FS 3.
On paper we have the same hubs but mine is silent, and his is decently loud when coasting.  Why is that?


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Today I was riding with my road bike when I suddenly hit a patch of hot asphalt. The day before the one side of the road was already filled with a hard first load, so I didn't think much of riding along there again. Also there was traffic on the other side, so I didn't think about going to the left. After maybe 50 meters I felt that there was a sluggish kind of noise and there was steam rising from the ground.

The wheels looked fine as I checked them after the ride, but may they have suffered some substantial damage (security risk)?


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I'm looking to degrease/lube the chain, adjust disc brakes, clean, etc. at home, but don't want to get my hands dirty. (Zinger alert.)

Are there any special re-usable gloves for this kind of bike work?

I'm asking because the usual latex stuff won't likely last long, especially if ripped on something sharp.

Alternatively, will regular household gloves work? Or what about garden ones?

P.S. I mentioned the type of lubricant and degreaser I'm using to show that it's not corrosive and carcinogenic like the usual stuff; so in my case, I am only concerned with not getting oil and black smears all over my hands.


texts:
Since I want to build up a new bike with road or gravel handelbars and aerobars I try to get as much information about it as possible.
Now I have just watched a video where the person in it says (at 00:55) that it is not recommended to use aluminium aerobars with carbon handelbars. I am just wondering why that is (maybe because they want to sell more of the cost intensive carbon stuff). Both can make scratches on the handelbars but if you tap it both should not. Any ideas why this should not be recommended?


texts: What is a modern equivalent to "fir el 201" rims

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What is a comparable modern-day rim to these "fir el 201" rims? I believe they came stock on a 1996 Bianchi Eros.

I need to replace the rims, and I am trying to gauge the quality that I am used to in order to set a baseline in my search.


texts: Shimano front derailleur - tensioning, can't move shifter

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I am trying to fix the front shifting on a bike (not my own, family member). The original reported problems were inability to shift into 3 (largest), combined with a tendency for the chain to come off when going into 1 (smallest). Essentially, it was stuck in range 2, and I discovered it also would not go from 1 to 2 (after manually putting chain on 1).

I believed the problem would just be a case of adjusting the limit screws, which is something I've fixed in the past. However, this did not improve the shifting - while the derailleur appeared to be in position, the chain would still skip against 2 when going from 1 to 2.

I proceeded to read around a bit and then started to adjust the cable (it's a  bottom design, at least I think that's the right terminology) to increase the tension, but still it would not shift properly.

Along the way I've tried various combinations of cable tension (at barrel and at nut) and limit screw adjustments, and still not had a positive impact. Really I should have probably sought help earlier on - I'm out of experience and I can't think of a way forward now. I think I've made it worse so far by adjusting the cable.

The symptoms right now

The front shifter allows me to keep rotating it beyond "1" (i.e. off the scale), I'm not sure if this was happening before I started fixing the bike, or if I caused it, or if it's even a problem.
When I move the deraileur manually, without the cable attached, it does appear to align properly such that getting both 1 and 3 should be possible
The gap between the outer derailleur and chain when in 1 (smallest sprocket) seems to be acceptable and aligned with pictures I've seen
I try to attach the cable again using pliers to keep it taut; after doing this, the shifter is sometimes so stiff I can hardly turn it; other times, it essentially works, but only from 1 to 2 (will not move beyond 2). In this instance, the derailleur moves, but not enough for the chain to actually jump onto 2.

Unfortunately I think I've got myself into a position where I've deviated so far from the original problem that it's hard to tell what's going to improve the situation and what will make it worse.

At present, the front shifter doesn't work at all. With the cable attached, and reasonably taut when in 1, I can move the shifter between "0" (as mentioned, the shifter seems to rotate off the scale...) and "1", and observe the cable moving at the derailleur, and  some derailleur movement. However, I can't move the shifter past "1", and in any case, nothing I'm trying is actually moving the derailleur sufficiently to change the gear.

Where do I even start? I don't feel like this should be a complicated problem to solve, but I could really do with an "explain like I'm five" overview of things to try to 1) reset all the components so they work individually and 2) work together so front shifting works properly and is fully indexed.

I don't know enough about bikes to say what shifter it is except it's Shimano and has GripShift Max twist shifters on the handlebars, and they are indexed 1-2-3 with three distinct clicks (as opposed to my own bike which is labelled L-H and has no distinct clicks).


texts: Looking for suitable mudguard, based on tyre size

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Will my bike (tyre size 700 x 23) be suitable tobe fitted with this mudguards (universal 28” & 26”)???

Thanks all.


texts: Adjusting the pull/reach of STI levers with top-brakes (Tricross)

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Please excuse my terminology, I have a Specialized Tricross (2008) with Shimano Tiagra STI levers, and convenience brakes on the top of the bars, running through the same cable.

Naturally, adjusting brakes is easy enough, but I have a very sharp pull on the top brakes (flat bars, if I can call them that) - and my STIs pull almost all the way to the stop before even engaging.

Can this be a case of badly adjusted brakes? I asked my Bike shop to service the bike (minor service) - and it came back more or less like this, it's not dangerous, at all - but I like a very short pull on my brakes after a nasty TFCC injury that still isn't recovered.

I've checked the manuals for the STI levers (I expected some kind of internal setting I could crank on these, and have them take up the slack from the top-brakes)

Whilst we're at it, what's the proper name for these inline top-brakes?


texts:
Looking through the Trek archives, I see they have frame materials described as:

Alpha Black Aluminum
Alpha White Aluminum
Alpha Gold Aluminum
Gold Series Aluminum
100 Series Alpha Aluminum
etc

How do these compare to other manufacturers who list the alloy number (6061, 6069, 7005, etc) and double/triple butted?


texts: What factors to take into account when choosing a hybrid bike?

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I've decided I'd like to start commuting to work, but I'm not sure what factors I need to take into account when choosing a bike. I figured a hybrid bike suits my needs best, since I will be riding on the pavement mostly. So far, I'm taking the following into account:

Brakes - My understanding is that hydraulic brakes are the best, especially for where I live (Vancouver, which is a very rainy city)
Fork - I've been told carbon forks are expensive, but worth it for the shock absorption.
Cost - I've limited my budget at $850 CAD (about $650 USD)

What other things should I be looking into? The materials of the bikes I'm looking at are usually a brand name of aluminum alloy. Are there any notorious wheel manufacturers that I should stay away fromDoes the handlebar and derailleurs really matter?

Thanks.


texts: Brake oil came out of the piston of my Tektro hdc 300 and the brake is not functioning. What to do?

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One day, I tried to disassemble my hydraulic braking system (Tektro HDC 300) having a goal of dipping the brake pads in alcohol. Well, I had somehow managed to separate the pads and the spring like metal object. But at one stage, after I squeezed the brake lever for a couple of times, one of the two pistons came out and all the oil got spilled... now my brake doesn't work at all. How can I fix it?

It can be noted that I feel no resistance while pressing brake lever? Is this normal under this circumstance? Will I have to change the whole brake set, or will just refilling with oil be enough?


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So I recently bought a 2014 Specialized hardrock 26" disc XC hardtail.

I already taken it out on the trails. I've done research and found out that cross country bikes have less travel than all-mountain. I've already done a couple of small jumps but I'm afraid I'll mess up the bike really fast. Although my XC has double wall rims it still concerns me.

Can someone please let me know if I bought the right bike, and if it can handle jumps around 2 feet high?


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I ran a squeaky chain for a while on my bike and subsequently destroyed the chain and the cassette. Both were swapped out at the exact same time for a new chain and cassette.

Now I am afraid that the chainrings have been damaged. I suspect that the chainrings have been damaged because it's only been about two months with my new chain and I am not a frequent rider. I ride in almost pristine conditions - I ride on regularly maintained roads and have NEVER gotten a puncture on the road I put in most of my miles on. I only put about 500 miles (if that) on this chain. The path is dry and the only objection that one might be able to raise is that it's slightly dusty at some points. The only maintenance I've done is a few squirts of White Lightning Semi-Dry Lube after breaking in the chain. It came to me pretty greased up so I left it as is until I rode it for a fair bit before giving it a quick shot of lube.

So I'm pretty surprised that my chain looks to be pretty worn judging from a quick ruler measurement.

In the attached pictures I have lined up the 0 marking on my ruler with the end of a roller and from what I've read online, if a chain is new, the 12" marking of the ruler should be covering up most if not all of a roller. On my chain the 12" marking is barely covering up a roller. I've taken the chain off the bike, yes, but I've stretched it when laying it across the ground. Even on my bike where the chain has been tensioned, the 12" end of the ruler still fails to cover up the roller.

I also did an informal test in which I shifted the bike into the big chainring and pulled on the chain to see how many teeth I could expose. I saw at least 3-4 partially exposed teeth with this method. I read that if you can see more than half an exposed tooth, then your chain is stretched.

So:

Should I consider replacing the entire crank or just replace the middle chainring - the one I use 99% of the time? I have a Campagnolo triple crankset, 9 speed. It's also square taper.
Or should I just start leaving the chain on the big chainring which has seen probably no more than 5 miles (seriously)?
Is my chain really stretched? I read that some chains show a high initial stretch reading when new, but this isn't really an indication that they're done for. I have a KMC chain if that matters.