texts: How hot / humid does it have to be for cycle touring to become unenjoyable?

texts: This November, if restrictions loosen enough to allow it, I am planning on going on a month-long cycling trip from New South Wales to Queensland. That would mean I would be going deeper into the humid parts of Australia as summer picks up. Climate data says the average temperature at this time is a daily average of 28C at 56% humidity. How tough would that be for cycling all day in, assuming maximum precautions are taken with clothing, sunscreen etc.?


texts:
I tend to brake almost exclusively with my right hand. This usually means that the V-brakes for my left hand (rear) build up grime over time. Then when I come to use the brakes when I do need to stop more abruptly, it works fine, but it doesn't release properly afterwards, and I'll need to reach behind me and adjust the brakes again to get them out of their jammed or half jammed position. Getting them unjammed is sometimes more easily achieved by buying a whole new brake rather than working them into a 'released' state. This does not happen on the front so I can only assume it's due to the relative disuse of my rear brake.

What strategies can I use to prevent this from happening? I know it's not an issue with the brakes being balanced, and it's happened on more than one bike.


texts: Hello I have a quill adjustable stem on a Raleigh Royale. (The bike is an absolute dream to ride, wonderful seat and great gearing) My issue is that the handlebars wobble, both front and back and side to side. They definitely don't wobble at the face  plate area. I'm certain it's at the adjustable part of the stem. The bike is a Raleigh Royale. I've taken as many pictures as I can. Thanks


texts:
It's theoretically possible to win the Tour de France without winning any stages. But has this ever happened?

What about the other Grand Tours (Giro d'Italia, Vuelta a España)?.


texts: how to go from front suspension to full suspension?

texts: I got a bike for my birthday, a cheap one, 200€ 27,5 with front suspension, but I want a full-suspension bike.  My question is: is it cheaper to buy a full-suspension frame and move the parts to the new frame, or buy a new bike?


texts: What is a good replacement for a cable end cap?

texts:
I was adjusting the tension of my front derailleur cable and managed to pop off the cable end cap. The cable is now quite frayed at the end and I think it would be difficult to attach another cap.

What would work as a suitable replacement for a cap? I've read that perhaps superglue or duct tape could work?


texts: I have a bike that I want to sell but I have forgotten and lost all the info I had about it. It's a Trek road bike with 105's and some mods, like the head tube. It looks to me like the it was powder coated, or is that original? Anything you can tell me would be helpful. Thanks.


texts:
H, I'm pretty new to bike maintenance.

This weekend I tried breaking my chain to clean it. This went well up until I accidentally popped the chain pin out and as a result had to remove a link. This chain came with the bike and AFAIK was well fitted before. It's a near-new hybrid commuter road bike. It still rides OK.

My question is, should I be at all worried that my chain is now about 1.5" shorter? How much leeway would be typical in a new bike? What rules of thumb exist around chain length?


texts:
So I left my road-bike (Specialized S-works) into a local bike shop (that deals in Specialized) to have its service, the only problem it was giving me was a little chain rub because of the front derailleur not being adjusted.
Well, I thought it a good idea just to leave it in for a complete service anyway just to be safe. A week later I get a call to tell me that the bike needed some new cabling, the chain needed to be cut (apparently it was too long - though it was brand new), brakes adjusted and a new tyre ... ok so during the phone call the mechanic quoted me £100 ($127) which was fair enough, but while we were on the phone I asked could he take a look at the cassette because I thought there was a little lateral play on it so he said he would, great! Later on that day I receive a call to say the bike was ready and that he had taken the cassette off and found that it was just a little wear and tear and that there was nothing much they could do except clean and tighten it but that ultimately it would still have a little play in it but according to him that was fine, in addition to this he said he had cleaned the one of the hubs and replaced the bearings in the other (on the wheels) - and just to add they were very friendly when I left the bike in, mentioning that they would have to take the bar tape off which was fine by me because I had new tape in the house lined up and ready when they heard me say this they said "sure man throw it over and we'll pop it on for you np..." - said in such a way that made me think they were going to do it for free, like a favour or freebie.
Anyway, when I actually arrived at the shop to collect the bike they hand me the bill and it came to £368 ($469). I was completely shocked and when I asked the guy (not the mechanic he was on lunch) to break down the costs (like how did we go from £100 at lunchtime with everything nearly done to £370 just for looking at the cassette?!?!??!) he was a little woolly but went over all the costs anyway, and they are as follows:
Replace bar tape = £15
Cycle safety check = £40
Replace Rear gear cable = £15
Stainless gear cable = £8
Labour = £40
Tyre = £25
Replace rear tyre = £10
Adjust front break = £10
Gear out = £4
Replace chain = £20 (why? Can't you 'cut' a new chain without needing to replace it?)
Replace rear bearings = £40
Bearing = £15
Freehub body kit = £40
Adjust rear brake = £10
Replace front gear cable = £15
Total: £307 + VAT (£61) = £368
Does this sound right to you? I'm not a bike expert and I do like to do as much of my own repairs as possible but some of this stuff seems really overcharged/priced for what it is so I would love to get some external opinions on it because I'm thinking of ringing them to discuss it.


texts: storing bike outside - avoiding trapped moisture and rainfall (bike covers)

texts:
I just got a specialized tricross for riding in the city and going on short tours around Europe.

Unfortunately I don't have enough space in the corridor of the house so I will have to put it outside in the garden. In the UK we have a lot of precipitation so I want to get a good bike cover. I was wondering if anyone can recommend me a special kind of material or brand for a cover. I know that one of the main issues is condensation so I guess it needs to be a breathable material.

Is the Oxford Aquatex any good, does anyone have experience with this model or with the brand in general?

Any suggestions welcome! I want to take good care of my baby... :)


texts: I recently got clipless pedals and the LBS i bought the shoes at set up the cleats for me. After practicing to make sure i felt good about unclipping, today i did my first ride with the system 25-30 miles and about 2/3rds of the way through i found i couldn’t clip in at all. When i got home, i looked at the cleats and noticed one of the bolts came off each of the cleats? Is there any reason this might have happened?


texts: Is it true that the they twist small amounts as you hit bumps while you ride, and that's why they loosen?  Would gluing spoke nipples simply solve this problem?


texts: Can I use "normal" shoes/trainers with clipless pedals?

texts:
Is it possible to use regular trainers/shoes (i.e., withou cleats) with clipless pedals?

A friend of mine mentioned he does this all the time. However, I cannot imagine how this would work. Surely the area of grip would be far too small to get any kind of purchase on the pedals.

We both have Shimano PD-R540 SPD pedals.


texts:
I notice when I tighten my quick release it centres but when I tighten the boot side it starts to get out of centre.
Could it be my quick release??
I have a 2017 giant atx 2


texts: Using WD40 for cleaning (not lubricating..)

texts:
I plan on cleaning/re-greasing my rear derailleur this weekend, something I've never done before. I watched a video on youtube.. the guy wiped it clean first, then used a spray lube (dry I assume?!) to clean it.. I don't have a dry spray lube and wondered if I could just use WD40 to clean it, and then apply grease.

So two questions really:

Should I use WD40 to clean the derailleur?
After cleaning, should I apply dry lube then grease or just grease? If I apply dry lube won't the grease just slide off?

Cheers,
John.


texts: Brake lever clamp too loose for handlebars

texts: I'm trying to attach a new brake lever onto my handlebars, however, the clamp (circular part) of the brake lever that slides onto the handlebars is a bit too loose. I've tried to tighten it but because it's entirely made of metal, the clamp doesn't tighten much on the handlebars. Right now I haven't put the grips on my handlebars yet. How do I resolve this problem? Will putting a roll of handlebar grip between the handlebars and the brake clamp help secure the clamp? Thanks.


texts:
Worked on my first disc brake bike yesterday.  It was a full-suspension BSO with cable disc brakes.

The rear wheel had two broken spokes, and they where threaded such that I could not replace the spokes without removing the disc (and the cluster).  When it came time to remove the disc, five of the screws holding it were standard Allen head screws, but the sixth was a "Torx" style splined head (which required a run out to Home Depot to fetch a set of Torx bits).  The screws were all same diameter, length, and thread.

Was there any reason for this one odd screw?  I saw no evidence that the disk had been removed previously.


texts:
I (think) I know the answer to this, but I wanted to get others' takes on it.

Riding a loop with no wind, vs. riding the same loop with wind (such that half the loop, you get a headwind vs. tailwind for other half).

Does this equal out, or does the wind version use more energy/power to maintain the same overall time?

I actually don't mean keeping the same speed over the whole loop, but the same time around the whole thing. Thus I'd expect speed to drop while heading into the wind, and increase the other way.


texts: Differing tire sizes on tread and side wall

texts:
While working on my bike the other day, I noticed that there's what appears to be a tire size on the tread. It says 27.5x2.35

Thing is ... this is a 29 inch tire. It also says so on the side wall, along with the respective ISO number (60-622)

This is a Schwalbe Hans Dampf that was factory-fitted on the bike by the manufacturer (Cube).
Full tire details as per Cube:
Schwalbe Hans Dampf, Addix Soft, Kevlar, Super Gravity, Tubeless Easy, 2.35

The front tire is a Schwalbe Magic Mary that has no such marking on the tread, just the correct details on the side wall.

Can someone explain this? An error in the mold in the Schwalbe factory perhabs? Or maybe the numbers mean something completely different?

It's not at all a problem for me. I know for a fact that this is a 29er bike with 29 inch wheels. I'm just curious.


texts: What other parts might need replacing if I replace an old freewheel gear set for a modern freehub cassette?

texts:
I currently have a pre 1970s 10 speed Claud Butler. Perhaps back then men were real men but there is no climbing gear. Since I mostly do touring this is a bit of a problem. Finding a new freewheel gear set with a climbing gear has been tricky due to their rarity in shops. One suggestion from a salesman was to change out the old freewheel gear set to a newer cassette freehub gear set.

When changing to Shimano's new cassette freehub (which from what I gathered from the jargon in the shop I visited was the new standard) I know that the wheel will need replacing (right?). That isn't perhaps so much of a concern since I am missing a spoke and should perhaps replace that regardless.

I am concerned that this upgrade might spiral out of control in terms of labour and cost. What factors about the upgrade do I need to consider to minimise the amount of other components that I need to change? For example, in a typical upgrade like this would I also be expected to buy a suitable new rear derailleur and chain? Will the swap affect my chain ring and front derailleur?

Ultimately, is it possible to buy components that will be reasonably compatible with my old components, and how do I identify compatible components?


texts:
I'm fixing up an old bike I bought in Belgium. Not sure about the exact brand/year.
The bottom bracket axle is branded "Flandria". It's a cottered axle. I want to replace this with a square taper bottom bracket. Details of my current bottom bracket:

frame is 70mm wide (where to bottom bracket goes)
threads are 24tpi, both sides screw in clockwise
bottom bracket diameter is 33.9mm

I tried fitting a British style bottom bracket first (excuse my incompetence :) ).
That didn't screw in because of the thread direction of course.
The right threaded end does screw in easily, therefore my conclusion that it's 24tpi.

After that, I tried an Italian style one. The diameter of this is too large, so doesn't fit into the frame.

It can't be a French style bottom bracket either, as the frame is 70mm wide.
My information source:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-bottombrackets.html

Any ideas?


texts: Can you add oil to a hydraulic disc brake reservoir without bleeding the brakes?

texts: Is it possible to add oil to the hydraulic disc brake reservoir to increase the stiffness of the lever, without bleeding the brakes?


texts: What is the cheapest and easiest way to add a power meter to my Diamondback Haanjo 4? It has a Praxis M30 BB and a Praxis Alba crankset. Thanks!


texts: What kind of bike is this? Looks like it says Tornado. I love the handles - what kind are they?


texts: Removing spray paint to reveal frame's factory paint job

texts:
I have a frame that I'd like to sell. To avoid it being stolen, I covered it in tape and spray paint. I rode it for 5 years in London and this worked very successfully. However, I'd like to make it look nice again.

The original glossy paintwork seems to be well preserved under the matte paint I put on. Is there a way for me to strip off this layer while leaving what's underneath?


texts: If external bearing BBs are better, why use traditional ones?

texts:
Related:

What are the benefits of external bottom brackets?
An outboard BB includes any BB which uses the same BSA or Italian threading as older style BB's, but places a larger bearing outside the frame, rather than a s,Allen bearing inside the frame. This increases BB stiffness and durability, while reducing weight. - zenbike

So if external bearing BBs are better, why don't all bikes use them? I have never seen a low-end bike with external BB. Are they inherently harder to manufacture? To install?


texts: Any drawbacks in using long-travel forks with huge sag instead of regular XC fork?

texts:
There is a trick which some cyclists use. Instead of the regular fork, let's say 100mm, they put a fork with bigger travel (140-160mm). Then they pump pretty low pressure so the sag is huge and the new fork has about 100mm of actual travel. This gives extreme plush.
Technically, the result is a 100mm fork with huge negative air chamber. A little heavier than the original one.
Is it actually notably softer?
Will such a fork resist strong bumps as good as normal 100mm?
I'm not advertising this and never tried by myself, but I received such recommendations. What I really like to hear is your personal experience.


texts: Swapping 1994-95 Diamond back sport response components out

texts: My Diamondback sports response is from roughly 1994-95, The Shimano STX shifters are completely done on it. I would like to not purchase a new bike seeing that nothing is wrong with this frame. Is there a new model of shimano shifters that would work? or any suggestions on swapping out all the components for this bike?


texts: Converting triple crank to single or double

texts:
I got triple crank (44-32-22) and 3x9 speed drivetrain. What will I need and is it possible to remove some of the chainrings and convert the crank to single or double?
Will I need new parts or adjustements?
Thank you in advance! :)


texts:
Background

I have been riding a single speed bikes over the last few (8) years in both flat (Perth, Australia) and hilly terrain (Brisbane, Australia). I love riding single speed. It has become part of my identity.  I used to joke that I'll get gears when I'm 40. I am 39 now.

I estimate that I ride 5000km/year now.

I am considering switching to a geared bike in big part because I'm concern that it affects my knees and the symptoms will appear in few years.

I don't have knee issues of any kind at the moment and I can get to top 10% of riders on Strava on many segments. Top 20% is often easy. What I am trying to say here is that I like to push and ride as hard as my abilities allow me and that I am fit.

My daily commute involves few >10% gradient short hills (<60s effort) and I like riding these hills up. I go longer way to work to ride more hills.

Ocassionaly I ride a 7% gradient hill with about 9 minutes of effort. It's hard and rewarding.

I often take pleasure (after) riding hills seated with low to sometimes very low cadence.

There is quite a lot of opinion out there about knees and the effect of low gearing.

Question

What is the truth about knees and using low gears (i.e. low cadence, high pressure)? Is there a consensus about its negative effect on knee health especially long term?


texts: Suggestions for a commuter bike with 20 inch wheels and suspension?

texts:
Got my Raleigh Shopper stolen (thieves are so desperate nowadays), and looking for a similar replacement.      Could anyone suggest the best search query to search for similar bikes (Raleigh, BSA, Puch all made variations of it at some point)?

My main question, though, would be whether there is a similar-size or slightly (24 inch?) bigger bike that is also step-through, commuter-ready (comfortable seat standard, mudguards) and has suspension? Smaller than 20 inch is too small for me, so Moulton is out.

I could go with a suspension seat on some vintage shopper but wanted to check if there is something modern that fits the bill.


texts: What is the next step in teaching my child to ride?

texts:
This is related to - but I think it's sufficiently different from - the question about how to teach a child to ride.  My 8-year-old daughter can ride her own bike, but she's a bit wobbly, especially when she's pushing hard on the pedals, so she's currently limited to fairly flat, uncrowded routes.

I'd like to know what's the best thing to focus on teaching her next.  e.g. should she practice riding uphill and back down? or should I try to get her comfortable pedaling standing up?


texts: 5 arm cranksets versus 4. Which is better and why?

texts:
I'm looking to buy a Sora triple crankset. Shimano make two types, one eith 5 arms, and the other with 4 arms1. Which should I get and why would that be a better choice? I'm a slow-ish rider. I'm 50 and speed is not a priority. But I'm planning a long ride in Asia and Africa next year. Which of the two chain-ring types would be a better choice for spare parts and any other considerations? Note: the 5 arm crank has a P.C.D. of 130 compared to 110 for the four arm crank.
Editor's note:
The 4-arm R3030 crankset, below, is described as having a 110/74mm BCD.

The 5-arm R3030-CG, below, is described as having a 130/74mm BCD.


texts:
I'm just saving and restoring a Miyata bike from ca 1990. I think the model was called Sport Cross but I cannot find it in any old catalogues. I find the model but the info doesn't quite match up. For example I can find a Sport Cross from 1991 but that one is with 700c wheels and mine is for 559 wheels.

It's a butted steel frame and all I know is that the fork is CroMo. The stickers on the frame is too worn out too see.

Any ideas?


texts: Can I put bullhorn bars on a bike with hydraulic disc brakes

texts:
The most comfortable bike I've ever owned was a road bike with bullhorn (aka pursuit) bars. I actually had a pair of STI levers on it, mounted upside down (with the handles pointing forward). They looked kinda scary, but they were really good that way - I found it was much easier to use the levers that way than on normal road bars.

I've since moved on to a flat-bar road bike with hydraulic disc brakes. So my question is - is there any way of getting bullhorn bars going with the current setup - ie hydraulic levers and mountain bike style gear changers. I could conceivably turn the brake levers upside down again and then get bar end shifters for the gears. Would that work?

Or is there an off-the-shelf solution?


texts: How to mount a derailleur hanger on this frame?

texts:
I have acquired an older Pegasus, model unknown. Guessing by the decaying decals it might be something like Atlas. Bike is in poor neglected condition, but I will try to put in on the road to see how it rides and then decide if I dump it or do some more work on it. It came with a Suntour AR II rear derailleur. The frame has simple dropout and bike came with some sort of generic deraillur hanger. The problem is that when I release the quick release the hanger with derailleur comes loose along with the wheel. Below are some pictures. As you can see the derailleur has no clear way of mounting to the frame. The frame does not have any hole that aligns with small the in the hanger. The hanger has on the backside a little edge that aligns it with a dropout as seen on the picture.
Options I considered were:

1. Drilling a hole in the frame and then cut a thread for the bolt. Which thread should I cut in that case to be "universal" or compatible with bolts that are used for that purpose?

2. Puting a bolt through the small hole in the hanger and through the dropout. Use a big washer and a nut on the backside to fix the hanger in a dropout semi permanently. I would then fix wheel axle with quick release as usual. Down side of it is, that the axle would be moved forward in dropout by about 14mm.

3. Try to find a suitable hanger. No luck so far. Through Google I have found a picture of a hanger that might do the job.

What would my best or simplest option to mount that hanger?


texts: How to remove a threaded bottom bracket?

texts:
How to take this thing off? I think this bike is from West Germany. What tool do I need and is there a screwing direction trick? Thanks!
(I am taking this off to repaint)


texts:
I have a road bike (Cannondale Synapse Alloy 6). I bought it this past March. In addition, I purchased an inflator. It came with, I presume, a 16g cartridge. I haven't had the need to use this yet. I understand that one of these can put 130lb of pressure in a 27" tire. My tires are designed to hold 105-110lb. I don't want to overinflate my tire. How do I know when I've put 110lb of air in my tire? With my floor pump, this is no problem. I set the pump to 110 and I can't put more in when I reach this amount. I don't want to blow my tire out with one of these cartridges.

Thanks for your help.


texts: Do my Shimano 7900 Dura Ace chainrings need replacing?

texts:
Basically today I had a bizarre suggestion; someone told me that my Dura Ace 7900 crankset (a 53 chainring) needs replacing because some teeth are worn from use.

I ask myself, is that possible? I've had Dura Ace before and the only thing I've heard about changing every once in a while is the (rear) cassette.

What do I have to do? Change my chainring, buy a new one for 200 euros?
I believe it is impossible for people to buy cassettes and chain rings every year. I am not a pro cyclist to ride many thousands of kilometres a year!


texts: Grand Tours - Total Ascent (By stage, particularly the giro)

texts:
I'm looking for information on stages of grand tours, particularly the upcoming Giro.

I can find details of total distance by stage, and the amount of ascent on the key climbs of a stage, but I'm interested in the total ascent and distance by stage.

I can work it out for myself, if I can find an appropriate file with the route in. For example a GPX, KML, TCX etc, but I can't find them either.

Has anyone found a source for this information?


texts: I recently bought a used bike from a police auction that had a nasty cut in the frame (presumably caused by a angle grinder or something similar). Should I be worried about the bike's structural rigidity? If so, what should I do to mend the frame? I thought about wrapping a piece of aluminum around the damaged area and bolting it down with metal ties, but I'm not sure how much that'd help.


texts: Mixed pair of sintered and organic brake pads for disk brakes

texts:
I am researching for a new road bike for myself, trying to identify the must-haves from the nice-to-have features.

Disk/Disc brakes are on the must-have list, but the descriptions of brake pads are confusing.

Sintered: with metal in the pads, better in the wet and for heavier riders, and transits more heat than resin.  Longer lasting

Resin or Organic: Non-metallic, porous, worse in water.  Much better initial grab, quicker wearing

My question is: Are there any compelling downsides to running a sintered brake pad and a resin brake pad inside the same caliper/calliper?

Resin pad will be worn out before the sintered one - so buy two sets of resin pads per set of sintered pads.


texts: Will I have problems maintaining a bike from the UK in the US?

texts:
I'm moving to the US from the UK and am considering taking my fairly average hybrid road bike with me. It's nothing special but I quite like it and the cost of taking it on a plane doesn't seem to be too much. However, I'm concerned I won't be able to buy new parts etc.

Are sizes for things like brake pads, chains, gear sets, etc. common between the two countries?

Edit: Sounds like this will be fine. As suggested though, I'll add it's a lower-end Specialized Sirrus.


texts: Does leaving a flat for months damage the wheel?

texts: I've left my road bike standing on a flat tyre for at least six months. I'm going to replace the tyre and tube, but I want to check first if I might have damaged the wheel


texts:
i woke up this morning to my suspension feeling really odd. It is really hard to push down and stays down until I lift my wheel off the ground. What makes it even weirder is that it is making a noise like some air leaking.

What happened and how can I fix it?


texts:
I am looking for an air compressor and wish to get one which is not under or over powered.

I am looking at one in a catalogue which has the following attributes:

40 Litres/min free air delivery
1hp motor
Direct drive design (what ever that means)
8 Litre tank capacity

I wish to fill tyres at home for my hybrid bikes and mountain bikes up to 60PSI. I will be using a product call "Prestaflator", which is the air trigger with guage and presta valve connector.

I am not asking about floor pumps.


texts: Can I swap a shimano free hub body for a campag one and be able to attach it to the existing Deore hub?

texts:
I want to convert my Surly Cross Check into a Campagnolo set up. The problem I am having is i have Shimano Deore Hubs on Mavic rims at present. I would rather not buy new wheels, so I am looking at the possibility of swapping the free hub body to a campag splined one free hub body.

I am finding it difficult to get answers to the question if I can swap a shimano free hub body for a campag one and be able to attach it to the existing Deore hub or if I need to replace the complete hub for a campag one?


texts: Chain skipping on new freewheel and chain setup - What went wrong?

texts:
BACKGROUND NOTE: The bike is a 1992 Univega MTB that originally came with 6-speed SIS with a triple chainring. I removed the SIS shifter when it broke, and went with a friction shifter.  The bike is used as an all-purpose commuter/errands bike; I was having no problems with the "old-tech" setup other than a worn chain, and I have no plans to change the friction shifter on an old bike.

OLD SETUP
6-speed Sunrace Freewheel (straight-cut, 14-28); 6-speed chain (don't know the type).

NEW SETUP
7-speed DNP Epoch freewheel (beveled or ramped cut cogs, 11,13,15,18,21,24,32); KMC Z50 chain (1/2" x 3/32", 6-7 speed). The KMC chain box says "Indexed."

BOTH SETUPS USE:
Long-cage rear derailleur (Shimano Exage), triple chainring (28,38,48; Shimano Alivio, 18-24 months), and friction shifters.

THE REASON for the change:
chain wear and skipping, wanting two faster cogs and a lower hill-climber cog. The new chain was adjusted for length using the chain adjustment equation on Parktools web site.  After installing the chain, I doubled-checked and eliminated any chain kinking.  The rear derailleur is adjusted and shifting well with the new setup. When I re-installed the rear wheel, I placed a thin washer between the right-side axle nut and the dropout for chain clearance on the 11-cog but it might not be necessary.

THE PROBLEM:
The new chain is intermittently skipping in a "skip-forward" or half-shift" motion; less so when riding casually, more so when riding under load; less so on the 48-tooth chainring, appears to be more so on the smaller chain rings.

What's wrong with my new setup?


texts:
I bought a power meter. I understand that you should do an FTP test to work out your threshold. But until I have time to do this, could I take a reasonable guess from a recent 35 mile road race?

These are the graphs from Strava, for the estimated distribution, it says average 230W. Is this a good starting point? Or should I go higher or lower, or should I ignore the graphs because Strave is just trying to guess it from speed/hr.

Edit - same course but ridden with power meter:

I raced the same course again, here are the same graphs from strava. It was a much windier day, and my finish time was just under 3 minutes slower than the last race.


texts: Is standing up and pedaling on multi-gear bicycles a bad idea

texts:
After reading  While pedaling standing up, bike crank gives in as if shifting, what is causing this? , I was thinking "one should probably not be standing up to pedal under normal circumstances". Is this an accurate assumption?

I remain seated while pedaling but I am not sure if it's right, or how to justify why one should not stand, other than it may be unsafe due to unpredictability in the drive train.

Instead I shift gears to make the bicycle easier to pedal so that I can remain seated at all times.

Should we remain seated at almost all times when on a multi-gear cycle? Why?


texts: How do I adjust the Marzocchi Dirt Jumper 3 (mtb fork)?

texts: The fork has no labels on the adjusters. I don't know what's what. I checked their website for manuals, and they always mention removable top caps. But as you can see in the photo that these are not removable. I've tried turning them both ways. They only turn, they don't move up/down.


texts: Campagnolo: Can I run an 11 speed chain on my 10 speed chainrings?

texts:
I have a bike with 10 speed front derailleur and chainrings.
The cassette, rear derailleur and shifter will all be 11 speed.
Can I run an 11 speed chain on this? Everything is Campagnolo.
Thanks


texts: Disc brake producing noise after a crash

texts: After little crash I'm hearing strange knife-like sounds from my disk brakes, but the wheel and brakes doesn't look damaged. What should I do?


texts: Insurance that covers the original price of the bike

texts:
I'm a new cyclist and new to this forum; hi!
I forgot to mention I live in the UK.

I am going to get a cyclocross bike from Evans for just less than £1000 and accessories. I'm mostly concerned about my bike here though. {Though if accessories can also get covered, then great!}

I spoke to the Evans guy instore and he said their insurance likely (he wasn't too sure) covers the price of the bike when it gets stolen and not the original price. As I understand, this is exactly how car insurance works as well. Others I have spoken to have said the same, that this is the norm. And Halfords unfortunately don't even offer any kind of insurance. At least that was what the employee instore said.

So I pay £1000 now and 1 year later, if it gets stolen and I pass all their rigorous checks to prove I'm not ripping them off and it was actually stolen, they will insure the price of the bike as it is when it gets stolen. This is disappointing to say the least. I would at least hope they'd offer price-matching gift cards for a new bike. This is how I'd expect insurance to work. Is this unreasonable? (Not a rhetorical question).

Does anyone know if I can get a price-matching insurance from a third party? Is this even offered anywhere? If not, why not? I'd hope with the high crime rates insurance policies would be more considerate of cyclists' wallets. I don't want to get £400 for a new bike if it ends up getting stolen. You can't even get an average cyclocross for that much, maybe a really low quality one. Plus, this kind of policy would just deter others from becoming cyclists. Maybe unless security was to improve but that's a different issue.

Can someone please shed some light on this?


texts: 24" MTB Crankset Truvativ E300 3.0, 42/32/22 Right arm replacement?

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I just got a Marin 24" MtB the right crank arm is about 1/2 stripped from the pedal not being fully tightened before riding.
I tried doing an internet search and I only see left crank arms.  is it possible to use a left side on the right drive side?
Not sure what the numbers mean  42/32/22 ?
I think the arm lenght is 165
I was hoping that 1256A1 would be a good part number to find the right crank arm.  I am pretty sure this is a 3 piece crank.  not definate as this is new to me.
I saw some videos on retapping the threads .. i have a tap and die set i borrowed from tool library but the videos suggest special "bike crank" taps.  I dont have a vise either at this point in my apartment.
is there a safe way to get the crank arms off without a puller?    when I was young  bikes didnt need all these special tools.   wow! things change
thanks


texts: V brake tension adjusted by bending a wire

texts: enter image description hereI have v brakes with a stiff wire which you bend to adjust the release tension, as opposed to turning a screw. I love this system, it's such an instinctive way to adjust the tension. Anyone know what this system is called as the brake units are getting rusty (it's an old bike) and I'd like to replace them?


texts: Are there rules for how many riders can be in a World Tour team?

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Pro teams take nine riders to a grand tour, and fewer riders to other races. Of course, not every rider will ride every race.

Is there an upper limit to the total number of riders a team can have at any given time?

Alternatively, is there another mechanism to keep the relative strength between the teams in check?


texts: I have a Specialized bike that I haven't been using that I want to give to my sister. It's been sitting in my basement for about 5 years stored upside down. When I brought it up to my shop to do some maintenance I noticed the shock (RockShox Psylo) was leaking oil. I googled around to see how hard of a job this is to do myself and it looked pretty straight forward as there weren't any special tools. I did read that some shocks have specific specs for oil and this shock is a bit old so I don't know yet if I will be able to dig those specs up. Should I attempt to fix or should I have a tech do it?


texts: Will 8 speed shifters work on 6 speed cassette?

texts: I currently have a Shimano tourney 6-7 speed rear derailleur that is pulled by some 6 speed downtube index shifters, and a 6 speed Shimano cassette. The shifting is perfect. But I want to get some Shimano Sora STI shifters, they're 8 speed. Will the shifters work with my cassette?


texts: Is it normal for disc brakes to smell of burnt plastic?

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So, a new bike, Avid Elixir 5 180mm front and rear. My second ride was on a short dirt road, 340m denivelation.

I held the brakes (mainly the front) more than 50% of the time, as the road was too steep for my skills.

At the end of the descent, there was slight smell of burnt plastic, coming from the front calliper.

What has caused this and is it at reason for concern?

On another account, a couple of Tektro Augura smelled severely of burnt plastic at the middle of the descent (another bike, another rider). She finished the descent and has not seen ill effect since (well, the front braking is not as good as before, but no idea if this is since that happening or later).


texts: Why is the steering so twitchy? Steel 90's MTB fork

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EDIT/UPDATE: I've removed the fork and don't see any sign on impact/damage. Mabye folks on here can spot something that I can't? I think I'll put a new fork on, as I don't see any signs of damage to headset or frame. Still baffled as to how it got so bent. I feel like I would have noticed this last year when I built it up..

I rebuilt this Peugeot last year with modern drive train. Never really rode it and had it stored in the basement - I've gotten it out recently and somethings seems off.. The steering is very twitchy, and I'm not at all able to ride with no hands without promptly tipping.

Visually, the fork appears to be sitting in a far more relaxed position. I have been reading about trail and rake but can't totally wrap my head around it.

Whats going on here? Is my fork bent or is something else out of wack? I've looked up other images of the same frame model and noted that mine definitely seems off.

Picture below:


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Does anyone know if these work together? I see there are dedicated iPhone +altimeter apps for the iPhone, but I can't find info if there is an altimeter built into the iPhone that works with these Endomondo/Strava apps.

So my fear is that my gps is not tracking the correct altimeter information. Should I be worried?


texts:
This is a Peugeot UO 8 from the 1970s. My problem is recently when moving to the largest gear the chain slips and eventually it will come off the front crank. When researching the problem it seems like the derailleur on my bike is in a different position than ones I see online (red lines). Is my derailleur broken or just needs adjustment?

There is clearly damage to the two plastic gears in the derailleur too which I figured could also be causing me problems.


texts: Is it normal to feel like I can't breathe while trying to ride at a challenging pace?

texts: I have been riding for about 3 months now, and when I try to keep a faster pace for about 15km I notice that my legs are not tired or burning, but I get hyperventilated and my hearth beats quickly. I know that this is very common since I'm a beginner and I'm not super fit, but I have chronic sinusitis, and I was wondering if maybe that’s part of the problem. I feel that my nose closes and therefore I can’t breathe enough air. Should I just keep training and it will get better? Should I schedule a doctor appointment? Do more cardio?


texts: I'm trying to identify, or find similar, parts on the bike in this video, specifically the front (three spoke) wheel, frame, and handle bars.


texts: Can I use the quick link from my old shimano chain to my new shimano chain? Or the old link will cause any problem? I have to say that no damage is visible  in that old quick link. Both 2x11, same model.


texts: Converting Mountain Bike for Road to complete in 33 mile mini triathalon

texts: I have a very good mountain bike and like to ride trails.  I recently signed up for a mini triathalon that requires a 33 mile road ride.  I don't want to buy a new bike, so I was thinking about buying a new set of rims and swapping them out for this race.  Not very experienced with converting, so looking for some help on solutions.  Don't want to spend a ton of cash on this either.


texts: I got a 27.5" fork for my 26" bike, what size wheel should I run?

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I have an Ellsworth AM bike that's running a 26" rear wheel. I just scored a great deal on an x-fusion sweep fork that's 160mm travel (same as the frame) but for a 27.5 wheel.

I am in search of a new wheel for it, and I wasn't sure if I would be better off running 26" wheels all around, or if I would be better off running a 27.5" wheel up front with a 26" wheel in the back.

Just looking for some advice before I bite the bullet on a new wheel.

Thanks!


texts: Is a powered car tire inflator suitable for road bike tire inflation?

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I'm switching to road cycling. My diminutive and portable pump will likely be a pain to get 120psi. Rather than get a foot pump with either a built-in or an external pressure gauge, I'm thinking of simply getting a pump for car tires that doubles as bike tire pump.

Despite the brand of the model I'm considering, it doesn't actually include batteries.

I have two questions.

Is this feasible? Can one fit a Presta valve on a pump such as the one pictured? A Presta valve is not listed among its paraphernalia. (I'm assuming the Schrader valve is identical on cars and bikes.)

The upper limit of pressure of the pump pictured is 120psi. This matches the needed pressure for the road bike tire. But it would have been nice if the pump were to exceed it ever so slightly.

Would a pump rated at 120psi be sufficient for a tire needing 120psi? Or, conversely, is it a big deal if a road bike tire is inflated at only 115psi (because the upper limit is a theoretical, not actual, upper limit)?


texts: What is the average CdA to Weight relationship of a professional Road cyclist?

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As Body mass increases so does its volume resulting in a higher CdA causing more drag. However CdA does not increase linearly with mass. Are there any posted weight and CdA comparisons out there for pro riders?

I need an average CdA preferably for a road cyclist of a certain weight although TT data is also welcome.


texts: Catching train on return trip in Sydney Australia

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I'm building up to do Eastwood to Kariong and within the next two weekends I am going to ride Eastwood to Berowra.

Because there isn't much for me to do when I get there and I don't want to ride the whole way back I am thinking I will catch a train back to Eastwood. Considering the road travels alongside the train line it will convenient for me to jump on the train.

I am wanting to find out how much trouble this is:

Does taking a bike on the train in Sydney usually go without problems if it is done on the weekend?
Any problems carrying a bike through the turnstyles and down onto the platform?
Where is the best place for me to stand in the carriage once on a Sydney train with my bike?
Any issues with the security guards?


texts: Do I need to change my tyres for a week of riding around Loch Lomond

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I have a comfortable Viking bike with its original tyres. I off for a week around Loch Lomond and plan to cycle on the various tracks around the area... http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/things-to-do/cycling/cycling-routes/

Would these 700 x 38c tyres be suitable for the terrain in this area or should I get better tyres. If so which tyres would be best.


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Does anybody have a suggested "warm up" procedure for a small 1/4" drive torque wrench?  I've searched the internet and found surprisingly little on this topic.

Here is how I've been doing it so far:

1) Set the torque wrench to a setting at the bottom of its range, ex. if the torque wrench range is 2 Nm to 20 Nm, set it to, say, 3 Nm (it should go without saying that the wrench should have been stored at the min value on the scale, 2 Nm in our example).

2) Find a bolt that is at least substantially more, for example at least 5 Nm, and gently / smoothly turn the wrench on that bolt until it clicks (without the bolt moving of course, if it moves something is seriously wrong, have your torque wrench recalibrated or use a different one).  Alternatively you can put a bolt in a vise and click it on that.

3) Repeat perhaps 5 to 10 times, waiting a few seconds in-between each to allow the internal lube time to spread out.

Is this an acceptable warm up procedure for a small 1/4" drive torque wrench commonly used on bikes?  Does anybody have a different suggested procedure?


texts: Shock absorbing handlebar tape - recommendations?

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Any recommendations for shock absorbing handlebar tape?

I have a very harsh bike with drop bars (cheap alum frame and HD wheels, frame limits tires to 28mm) so I'm doing what I can to minimize the harshness (short of getting a new bike).  I will be getting some padded gloves but I won't always be using them.

I'm a commuter/day tripper.  I think I've dialed in my positioning well enough, the only thing that hurts after a couple hours is my hands, and I do move their positions.


texts: Hydraulic Brake Loud Noise and Vibration

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I have a shimano br-m446 installed in my MTB, i recently replaced it with new pads, my problem is that it is squealing so bad, with a mild to moderate vibration during braking in downhills. and it's really really annoying.

I haven't placed anything on them, i clean my rotors with water and laundry detergent i don't know if that causes the problem.

if so what should i do?

thanks.


texts: Cyclocross Rim Wearing with Rim Brakes and appropriate Solutions

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For Reasons that are not to be discussed here i did choose a cyclocross frame without disc brakes mounts and i am going to train/compete with Canti Lever Brakes.

Obviously, with all the mud and dirt that gets stuck to the wheels, the rims will wear off a lot quicker than the ones one my road bike (which maily rides pavement).

What are precaution i could take to prevent the rims from lasting less than one season?
Are there any recommendable cyclocross wheels where i can more or less easily exchange the rim once it is worn off?


texts: How to commute by (electric) bike in excessive heat

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I am from India and this is beginning of summer. I rented an electric bicycle for daily commute during winter but now it is difficult to do during summer screeching heat. What should I do to continue my cycling activity in summer while being eco friendly?

Updated: My office is 12km in one direction and it is not having much traffic. I generally leave to office at noon and it takes me 30-35 minutes to reach.


texts: My pump got little rusty from rain. So i tried gear oil on it. But now its not pumping, just sliping all the way down. Is it because of oil or the valve is damaged? I tried removing the oil with detergent. But its not working.


texts: Why do the majority of people on an ebike ride at a fairly low cadence?

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Around the place where I live the electric bicycle is gaining popularity and it's easy to pick those on such bike from far away not just from posture (rather stiff upper body even on steep hills) but also from their cadence: for some reason the majority (I'd estimate more than 90%) of the people I see on an ebike ride at a rather low cadence. It's hard to estimate how low but I'd say something like 30rpm; in any case: lower than any other cyclist on a normal bicycle no matter what type. So I've been wondering why and I cannot really figure it out (nor if they all do it for the same single reason). I don't really have the guts to just ride next to one and ask, also because I'm afraid to get frowning faces and answers like 'no idea'.

I was thinking it is maybe just as simple as 'because they can'. Maybe they all just think 'if it works ok spinning slowly, why spin faster'. But to me this is counterintuitive as even when I don't have to output a lot of power I'd still go for a decent cadence rather than a lower one as it just seems to work better and science seems to agree with me. And in any case I wouldn't go as low as they do. So I was thinking maybe they all were told to ride like that in the shop and/or there is some technical reason related to the whole drive system? Like it is more beneficial in terms of power usage or so? Or the bikes are just built with less gears and favouring the higher ratios?


texts: Why is my chain slipping/dropping on the smallest chainring when pressure is applied?

texts:
Why is my chain slipping and dropping on the smallest chainring when heavy pressure is applied (hill starts mostly)? It seems to be worst when the chain is on largest two cassette cogs.

The bike just came back from a full service at a reputable LBS after
a collision with a car, this issue wasn't apparent after the
accident and appears to be a result of the recent changes/service.
There is no (excessive) chainring wear. It looks as good as new.
Cassette, cables and chains are all new and fitted by the LBS and shifting is perfectly smooth.
The cassette was changed from 28-12 to 25-11. Chain is correct length and 10spd which is appropriate for the bike and is properly tensioned.
Rear and front mechs are both aligned and limited correctly, hanger alignment also fine.
No frame damage, the LBS assured me of that.

Am I missing something, I am completely baffled and frustrated as to what is causing this.


texts: Are road caliper brakes usually compatible with any model of lever/STI shifter?

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I have a Specialized Allez 16 (2011) road bike with Shimano 2300 STI shifters and no-name brand caliper brakes. The brakes have always felt a bit mushy despite my best efforts at adjustment/replacing pads, so I'm thinking of upgrading them, perhaps to Shimano 105s.

I am under the impression that more or less any model of road caliper brakes can be used with any kind of brake lever/STI shifter. Is this correct, or should I be worried about compatibility?


texts: What considerations are there around replacement of cable-actuated disc brakes with hydraulic-actuated calipers?

texts:
I have a Dawes Discovery 401 hybrid bike that was fitted with QuadQMD-6 mechanical disc brakes.

I like the bike but the brakes are beginning to show signs of wear and direct replacements are not available. So I was thinking of replacing the calipers with hydraulic ones and converting the cable-operated system to a hydraulic one.

I'm pretty handy with a spanner and would like to try this myself.

Is it easy to convert from cable to hydraulic and what bits would I need for adapting the cable runs? Is there anything else I need to consider?

I don't want to spend a fortune but would like a decent set.
Rotors: 160mm
Mount: post.


texts: How can I be visible in the dark when I'm signalling a turn?

texts: My bike and I are fairly visible at night--white light in front, red light in the back, bright yellow fenders, reflective tabs and a light on my helmet.  I use hand signals to alert motorists when I'm turning... but I don't think they can see my hands in the dark.  Is there anything different I should do when I'm signalling a turn in an unlit place?


texts:
I have a 2010 Kona Paddy Wagon which I use for commuting and I'm tired of riding with a heavy backpack (I need to carry a laptop). The bike has only one set of eyelets, which I currently use for mudguards.

If you Google around, there are some pictures of Paddy Wagons fitted with both mudguards and a rack, and they all look like using the same eyelets for both accessories.

Any Paddy Wagon owners here who use racks? How do you mount them to your bike? Do you use the same eyelets as for mudguards? Or maybe there are some other options?

Note that I don't want to use any racks attached to the seat post, they're not strong enough for my load.


texts: Is there such thing as a freewheel that doesn't click?

texts: The clicking sound of the freewheel on my singlespeed when it's coasting is annoying for me, so I flipped over my back wheel and rode fixed for a few months in blissful silence.  But having to pedal all the time even when going downhill, over bumps and around corners, was probably even more annoying - so today I am flipping it back again to the freewheel.  Then I wondered, is there any such thing as a silent freewheel hub that I can buy?  If so, what's the search term I'm looking for?


texts:
I have tried the classical plastic pedal extensions as in the picture. I have tried riding with one foot, but it was a little bit hard pulling up. I was wondering if anyone knows of an extension for a one-off legged person riding a bike. I thought the following would work:

Any ideas?

Also, there would have to be a mechanism for ensuring the biker did not have a bad fall in case the bike became unbalanced and the biker fell on the side the biker had no leg. How would you prevent this? Would you just attach small-child-like accessory wheels on only one side as follows?

Maybe the back supporting wheels might be enough, otherwise the biker could not turn the front wheel.

Maybe some sort of mechanical spring plus other components would be needed attached to the front supporting wheel, sort of as follows, although the picture is not a good one:

How would you do it?

Does something like that exist?

Thanks.


texts: Will increased weight make me go downhill faster?

texts:
I have had this question for a while. I want to know how I can get down a hill as fast as I can. So, I was wondering if increasing the weight of a bike increases the speed on downhill stretches, or will it just slow me down because of rolling resistance, drag or other factors?

I am talking long stretches here, and long, 10-30% hills. I have also checked the road surface, and there are no bends, and I can easily see if traffic comes along. It is very rarely used for traffic anyway.

Thanks

EDIT: I would also like to factor in things like rolling resistance in this question.


texts: Using 5wt suspension oil as lower leg bath

texts:
I did a lower leg service on my Rockshox Revelation RC3 2016.

Problem is when I added oil to the lower leg on re-assembly I used 5wt oil instead of 15wt oil.

Will the 5wt oil have enough lubricity to keep the forks from damage until I do them again in a couple of months or should I crack them open again and drop in some 15wt.

Id prefer to not cycle the crush washers if its a nice to have rather than needed.


texts: I have just bought a cheap cycle for regular use (Kross Bolt 26"), but it comes in single speed. Can I put a 1×6/7 gear set in it?....the same model (28") comes with 21 speed gear set-up. How much will a cheap gear set cost?


texts: Trying to figure out what brand this bike seat is. Thank you very much for your help!!


texts: Cannot locate mysterious crunching/grinding noise

texts:
I've seen other posts on this general subject.

My BB seems tight, new chain installed by bike shop, gears all checked ... I am second owner of this Raleigh so no knowledge of past usage or maintenance ... could it be BB bearings?  Cannot detect what or where noise comes from ... any ideas?


texts: How does a chain get filthy and how can you stop it from getting filthy?

texts:
For the record, my chain looks a lot filthier. I hate cleaning bikes beyond anything. I don't clean my training bike very often, because it's only got cheap compenents and I do not care much if they don't last very long.

All that filth has to come from someplace so I was wondering if someone could specifically suggest from where, how and from what direction all that filth emigrates onto my chain and why it chooses to stay there. And then maybe I, or anybody else, can come up with a genius idea of how to stop the filth from making it's way onto my chain in the first place so nobody will ever have to clean it again.

Something like this maybe. You get the idea.


texts:
I'm 191 cm tall and I want to buy UPTEN ZERO, the problem is the biggest frame size is "L" and is adapted for (173cm - 185cm) only, my question is it ok to ride a small bike? dose it effects me or what are the consequences?
Thank you


texts: Changing tyre size on a Specialized Vado 3

texts: Hi I have Vado 3 Specialized ebike with 700x47c tyres fitted. Need to change soon. What are your thoughts on downsizing to a 700x38c tyre to reduce road friction and improve rolling on tarmac?


texts:
I have asked a lot of questions here, and most of times, the answers that I get is related with having a good quality frame. But, in my nation, store owner (or mechanics) hardly give any detail regarding any frame, they just see the price and judge a frame as good or not so good.

How exactly to select a good quality frame?

I ride a typical MTB, for commuting, offroad riding, road or touring as well.

I am expecting in terms of material, weight, welds and other relevant areas (which is obviously dont know of).


texts: I've been trying in vain to remove a rear cassette that I myself installed about a year ago.  I may have over-tightened the lock ring and now I can't remove it no matter what position I hold the wheel-chain whip-wrench combination.  Any advice on what to do to get this cassette off (short of going to my LBS)?  The wheel is relatively new and the cassette is very new, and the reason I want to remove the cassette is to replace a broken spoke.


texts:
Did anyone tried using yaktrax ice-traction device for shoes when using bicycle (with flat pedals)?

I have noticed that often very large risk of falling in icy conditions is when mounting dismounting, and yaktrax seems like it could be of help in such situations. Anyway I am concerned if yaktrax might tangle into the pins of the pedal and lock my feet.


texts: Chain vs seatstay with a 50T Chainring - BMX frame

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I plan to put a 50T chainring on my bmx but I am afraid to have an interference between the chain and the frame.

Does anybody know what is the critical distance between the seatstay and the chain so as to have no inteferences between the two during riding ?


texts: I have a road bike (2013 Schwinn Tourist) with a sealed bottom bracket (107mm spacing) with a square taper and triple chainwheel (48, 38, 28) assembly that is one of the inexpensive riveted types.   I want to upgrade to a crankset that has replaceable chainwheels.  Can I use any crankset of my choice?  If not, what are my choices?


texts: How do I maximize my upper body workout from riding?

texts:
I often hear people say “your bike is a whole-body gym”. I know my upper body workout will never be close to the workout my legs get, but so long as I’m a bike commuter, I figure I ought to get as much as I can out of it. I have a Trek 8.3DS, flat handlebars, no bullhorns, no upright grips.

How do I adjust my riding style/choice of bike/choice of equipment/types of rides to maximize whatever upper body exercise biking can give me?


texts: I purchased a "new" bike from my local bike shop that is five years old--should they have disclosed this?

texts:
The bicycle is a Moots Mooto X RSL.

I bought the bike in June 2017 and just learned when I registered the frame that it was manufactured in 2012.

The tag on the bike showed that the price as offered was about 30% less than the original price. Big discounts for last-years stock are common. Such a discount is usually less than 30%.

Typically Moots are made-to-order, but through a dealer network; this bike was offered for sale as a complete bike though I suppose it is not uncommon--i.e., someone orders, pays the deposit, but does not return to take delivery.

Last week, when I registered the frame with Moots, I learned that the frame was manufactured in 2012 (and assembled and shipped to the LBS in that year).

The components--which might be original, I don't know--are about the same age; for instance, the particular XTR component set was discontinued in 2013.

I purchased this as a new bike (I don't think this LBS sells used bikes in fact); I don't know for a fact that this bike is used, but the fact is that it was five years old when I bought it.

So for instance the resale value of a 2012 model versus a 2017 is substantial.

Should the LBS have disclosed the fact that this bike was a 2012 model--given that I bought it in 2017 from a shop that only sells "new" bikes?


texts: Is the lack of activation in sore calves indicative of a poor stroke technique?

texts:
I know this is a funnily named question, but please bear with me.

The pain was new.

My calves were incredibly sore - it was painful to walk (Likely owing as I had to walk up stairs - I probably did more than 10 stories pacing a coworker literally half my weight among other issues.  I'm heavy.)

I couldn't rotate on my heels during my stride at all.

Despite this, my cycling was just fine.  I didn't feel my calves nearly as much as when I tried to stand up and walk!

How much should I be using my calves during my stroke?  I do have straps on my pedals.  Does the fact that they didn't hurt when I was making my normal cadence suggest I'm not using my calves as much as a cyclist should?

Thanks!


texts: Do GPS computers always need online account

texts:
I am looking to buy a GPS computer. I have looked at Giant's NeosTrack and Garmin's Edge series. Looking at the manuals, it is not entirely clear to me if you have to set up an online account. I would rather not because I value my privacy. The main thing I would like to do is transfer my routes between computer and device. I have no need for services like Strava

Does anyone have experience on setting up these devices, or recommend one which does not require an online account?


texts:
I bought a new frame (online) intending to build up the bike. It will be used for recreational rides on gravel/dirt paths mostly.
The frame has an English-threaded bottom bracket shell. I happened to have a new I.R.D. BB manufactured by Tange Seiki in Japan, 68x127, which I'd bought for another bike and never used. The BB shell's threads were clean, I applied a thin layer of Park anti-seize to them with a toothbrush, and then gently threaded the BB in by hand, first the drive side and then the non-drive side.  Everything was smooth as butter, no cross-threading, so I torqued them to 40Nm.
On the non-drive side, between 1 and 4 o'clock, the outermost threads of the cup are proud of the BB shell face by 0.56mm (at 2 o'clock) whereas on the 7-10 o'clock side of the shell, the cup sits pretty much flush with the face.
There's bare metal on the face of the BB shell, so I assume the BB shell has already been faced.
Is 0.56mm sufficient imperfection to try to rectify?
Is it possible the axis of the threading is itself askew?
I don't have the bike built yet, so I can't say if this is affecting the pedaling.


texts: Can I fit a 26x1.25 tyre to wheel with current tire 26x2.1

texts:
I've just bought a tacx turbo trainer and want to get a tacx training tyre for my mountain bike.

Can I fit a tacx 26x1.25" training tyre to my wheel with current tire 26x2.1" ?

Thanks

Matt


texts: Why are emergency inflation cartridges filled with CO2?

texts:
Why aren't they filled with ambient air using air compressors? Isn't compressing ambient air cheaper than generating CO2? If it is, then those cartridges would have two benefits:

Cheaper to manufacture
CO2 filled tires deflate on their own far quicker than ambient air, so using air will mean, once you inflate your tire with a cartridge, you will not have to inflate it again when you are back home.


texts:
My scooter calls for "#6 and #5 Allen key", I can't figure out what sizes (in inches or mm) these translate into.  I know I need to buy an allen set, but wanted to make sure it has the two sizes I need before purchase.  I think this may be 5mm and 6mm, but thought it was a really funny way to phrase that, so I was hoping for confirmation.

http://www.sidewalkerusa.com/pdf/willy-assembly.pdf

The #5 Allen key is for the brakes and #6 is for the handlebar.


texts: New rocky mountain soul 29 making creaks by the bb

texts: Not to sure what it's coming from I don't have the tools to take the crank off or adjust the bb. The funny thing I don't get is that the creak is gone the next time I ride my bike then when I may go over a root or something and hour and a half into my ride the creak comes back then get progressivly worse the more I pedal. Then the harder I pedal the sounds gone. The lighter I pedal the sounds there. Th e only side it comes from is the left. I dont get it at all. I'm. It really bike inclined which is odd since I work as a vehicle mechanic. Any one have any suggestions.oh and the bb is a shinamo un-26 sealed square tapered bearing. And the bike is 2 months old


texts: stiff gears and chain coming off while pedalling forward (hub gear)

texts:
So I recently replaced the back wheel's tyre on my bike. Got it all fitted back on again, and the chain and everything are in place as they should be. However, changing up gears has become very stiff indeed, and as soon as I get on the bike and start pedalling, the chain snaps off from the wheel and wedges itself in a gap.

No idea what the cause is - I slip the chain on by pedalling it a bit indoors (without sitting on it), but as soon as I get it outside and peddle for a second, it comes right off. The bike is about 10 years old, hasn't had much use until the last few months (when I've been riding it every day), and had never seen any reparations until I replaced the back tyre.

I'm fairly sure I've messed something up while putting the tyre on. I don't really know much of the terminology (wikipedia calls my gears 'internal hub gearing'). The gears seem to be attached to the wheel itself, rather than the bike frame (which seems different to the videos I saw on the internet), so I had to remove the chain and unhook the gear changing wire thing from the wheel to remove it.

Sorry for the vague information - anyone got any ideas?


texts: Do road bikes use the same width headsets?

texts: I know that most commonly MTB's use 1 1/8" steerers and older non-suspension bikes use 1" but I don't really know anything about the width of modern road bikes.  Do they now use 1 1/8" or do they use a different width?


texts: Can a bicycle with 26x1.95 tires on magnesium alloy wheels be upgraded? Say 26x2.10?


texts:
I have a hatchback-style Vehicle (2007 Ford Focus) and a KHS Urban-X Bicycle.

Are there any standard styles of mount that work best in this situation?
Can you recommend any in particular or point me towards particular styles?

Thanks!


texts: What's the correct position to assemble eliptic (Biopace, Rotor, etc) chainrings?

texts:
If you take a regular, "classic" road chainring (130bcd, five arms), you have five possible positions to assemple it in the crank arm. This can even be used to "rotate" between different positions over the chainring lifetime and get a more homogeneous teeth wear.

But with elliptical chainrings, there should be only ONE position, shouldn't it? I mean, it was designed to have the larger chainring radius in a given position, so the question is: which position was it designed to work best?

Aditional question: would it be possible/wise to "tune" the performance for a given riding style, possibly going "against" what the manufacturer designed? It looks like RotoR and Biopace have different theories about that...


texts:
I'm looking to get some NOS hubs to use with a screw-on singlespeed freewheel, the ones I'm using right now are far from perfect and I will not be able to rebuild them (the hub body itself is worn on the rear).
The seller says these are Ursus brand. Were these any good?


texts:
I have an almost-new New-Old-Stock Shimano Alfine11 internal geared hub in the rear wheel of my bike.  Its on 300 km now, with a first oil change due at 1000 km and then yearly or every 5000 km after that.

There seem to be two ways to lubricate them

Remove the drain screw, let the oil all dribble out into a catch-bag, and refill.
Undo the entire guts of the hub and dunk it into a big jar of lube for 90 seconds, then reassemble.

Option 1 needs a 50mL bottle of oil, probably good for one change at a cost of $21 USD

Option 2 requires a Shimano kit with code Y00298010 which costs $115 USD and has 1L of lubricant.

That tin is 1 litre, so its twenty times the oil, so each oil change is 1/4 the price of a single bottle.

I will probably ride enough to need an oil change every 6 months.

What other reasons for choosing one over the other other than straight price?   Lifespan of the opened tin?


texts: What kind of handlebar should go on a fixie to sell it?

texts: I've seen fixies with mtb handlebars, sawed-off mtb handlebars, drop bars, and bullhorns.  The fixie I built has drop bars, but I'm wondering if I should change that if I want to sell it.


texts: Does a fat tire ride softer than a skinny one at the same pressure?

texts:
Fat tires are associated with good bump absorption. Is this due to their fatness, or is it due to the low pressure with which they can be used?

If I pump a fatbike tire to 120 psi (yes, that would be absurd), will it still absorb bumps better than a 23mm tire at the same pressure?


texts: To learn fixed gear, better start with high gear and then get lower, or the opposite?

texts:
I am wondering if it is better to start to ride a fixie with a relatively low gear, and as experience comes, switch to a higher gear, or if the advised practice would be to start with a higher gear, and then perhaps change it to a lower gear.

I know you need to be strong to go uphill with a high gear, but you also need experience to go downhill fast with a low gear, so which would be considered more "expert"?

EDIT: I am not planning to ride on a track, rather on open road with rolling terrain and possibility of hills (not extra-steep, I care about my knees).


texts:
My old bike which I inherited from my sister back in the 80s. Would love to do this up for my children, maybe get it sandblasted and resprayed. But would love to find the replacement stickers and maybe new tyres if possible.

Anyone help identify it?

Have looked up the number and websites for a couple of days now but cannot find a match?


texts: Removing square taper bottom bracket cartridge after stripping notches

texts:
I have hit an extremely non-cooperating drive side square tapered bottom bracket cup.

I used a 8x1mm threaded rod to secure the tool in the cup before using the double-wrench tip to have a two feet long leverage. Someone else held the bike so that I could go full force, but the notches gave up. The tool was so tightly inserted that the bottom face of the cup got scratched as well. Penetrating oil had been abundantly put in there before and gravity had two hours to make it do it's job.

The force was applied clockwise.

So, here I am, looking for ways to drill, grind, file, cut or destroy this thing.

I think the first thing to do would be to have a way to remove the spindle and bearings. Then, the cup could be cut or filed.

Thank you for any help!


texts: Why is my Hope XC freehub locking when the quick release is tightened?

texts:
Recently I found that the freehub on my Hope XC rear hub won't rotate, but only when the wheel is in the bike and the quick release is tightened.

I've removed the freehub (which slides off easily), and serviced the pawls and springs.

I thought perhaps tightening the QR pushes the freehub against the lip seal, preventing it from rotating.

I spoke to Hope, who suggested that it might be that the internal spacer has worn. However, when I insert a small washer behind the spacer and install the wheel again the freehub still locks, despite there now being a visible (though small) gap between the freehub body and the lip seal.

Here's a link to the exploded diagram:

http://www.hopetech.com/webtop/modules/_repository/documents/XCRearHubExploded.pdf

The spacer I'm referring to is item number 5. The seal is item 11 - the 11 nearest the right (there are two).

The behaviour is the same with the cassette removed.


texts:
I've seen a lot of answers here about building a fixie specifically, but I'm looking to build up a road bike.  I currently have a Surly Pacer frame and fork, a Richie handlebar and stem, and that's about it.

Can anyone recommend a series of videos or a website that would help me navigate some of this?  I know I will probably have to have the help of a professional eventually, but I want to learn as much as I can before that.  I plan to go to the swap meet that our cycling club holds every February for used parts, and I want to go in educated.

Any advice is helpful. I've done some searching around but haven't found anything that looked particularly good.


texts: How can I raise my handlebars when there are no spacers above the stem?

texts: I have a threadless setup with no spacers above the stem.  What is the simplest way to raise my handlebars?


texts: What's the strongest way to bond a cable stop to an steel frame?

texts: I have a steel single speed bike and want to add a rear brake. All is good expect there is no cable stops on the top tube. I want to bond two cable stops to the under side of the top tube.


texts: Fast touring bike / Roadbike with touring capabilities

texts:
I am looking for a bike as primary transportation in the South Bay area.
My commute is 5 mi, I like to do overnight trips on weekends and use
the bike for shopping, which will involve occasional trips not longer than 30 mi.

My budget is $1500, but I would not mind to spend less in order not to worry
too much about theft and maybe even get a second bike.

I went to a lot of bike shops, but they seem to be geared
more towards racing or mtb, very few bikes even had rack mounts.

My current favorite is the Novara Randonee 2012
http://www.rei.com/product/816068/novara-randonee-bike-2012
but I am not 100% sure it is the right bike for my purpose.

My concerns with the Randonee are:

-Main concern: Bar End Shifters. I've never had bar ends, but I have the feeling that they
are unsuitable for traffic. I have to go through a few streets with heavy
traffic I don't feel too comfortable in, even without taking my hands off the
brakes. I like integrated shifters.

-Minor concern: The Randonee is not overweight (29 lbs), but a bit too heavily built for my
purpose. I won't do any tours of more than a few days, most of my use will be running errands and doing tours (not races) with friends who have mostly cross or road bikes. I don't want to be the slowest.

Are these proper concerns? Did I overlook anything? Does one get used to the bar ends?

Other bikes I looked at:

-Novara Verita, $1200: Goes in the right direction, but sitting was uncomfortable
compared to Randonee, and they weren't able to identify the problem in the shop.

-Fuji Cross 3.0, $800:
400318">http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1094122_-1_400318
I have doubts about the canti brakes, especially when wet.

-Salsa Vaya 2, $1700: BB5 disc brakes probably better than brakes on Randonee, far too expensive

-Fantom Outlaw, $999:
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/outlaw.htm
Cheaper version of salsa, but bad idea to buy without trying it out.

Anyway, these four only have double cranksets with a lowest ratio of 36:32, I am not
sure this is low enough.

Bikes I read about but that I didn't see in any shop: Specialized Secteur,
Surly LHT, Trek, Surly Cross Check

Are there other bikes I should look at that
-take a rack and fenders
-have reliable brakes for all weather use in traffic
-preferably have integrated shifters
-low enough gear


texts:
Is it possible to change from road tyres to commuter tyres on a 2014 Giant Defy?
Thanks


texts: Is there an online bike map for the Grand Rounds bike trail in Minnesota?

texts:
This one is solid but not detailed.
This is just the south loop.
This says it's "available at the Longfellow House in Minnehaha Park and at rec centers and refectories along the route."
Google just shows a place.

Edit: Minneapolis just posted this map which is pretty good.


texts: Front hydrulic disc brake keeps going soft

texts:
I have some shimano disc brakes on my mtb. I have noticed every now and then the front brake lever goes soft. so much so I can't even fit one finger behind the brake lever.  However pump it then I can just about fit two? It seems to keep happening as well.

What could be wrong


texts:
I'm looking to purchase my first cyclocross bike and just found a good deal from someone. It's a Cannondale CAADX tiagra 2015 with a frame size of 56 cm (top tube 56cm basically). I'm a little bit afraid it might be too big for me. My height is 180 cm (5'11) with an inseam of 82 cm. Do you think it would be too big for me, especially on long rides?

From what I've read, it seems that a 54cm frame would be much better for me, but this is a real good deal.

I can't test the bike, because the guy lives in another city.

Thanks!


texts: I want to convert my fixed gear 700c bike (raleigh rush hour) to coaster break bike. Can anyone recomend the best way to do this. Can anyone recomend a good coaster rear hub or coaster rear wheel?


texts: Is the XTR Di2 battery compatible with Ultegra Di2?

texts:
I'm considering installing an Ultegra Di2 groupset on a small road bike.  The space below the water bottle bosses is too little to install the regular road Di2 battery, but the XTR SM-BTC1 Di2 battery holder looks like a good option: http://bike.shimano.com/content/sac-bike/en/home/components1/mountain/xtr-m9000/sm-btc1.html

The question is, can the XTR Di2 battery actually be used with Di2 road shifters like Ultegra 6770 or 6870?  Or is there some other battery offering similar mounting options for road bikes?

One reason for optimism is that the XTR battery page says "Six E-Tube wiring ports with cable organizer," which sounds perfect since the bike in question has no space for an internal wiring junction down near the bottom bracket.

The page also says it holds the SM-BTR2 battery, which seems to be exactly the Ultegra/Dura-Ace internal battery stick that goes in a seatpost.


texts: V-brake caliper arm not retracting after hard braking

texts:
When breaking lightly it doesn't happen, however when clamping hard it gets stuck. Whenever I bring the bike to a complete stop I have to manually un-jam it.

Here's a video:


texts:
What are the arguments for and against bike lanes? Can anyone summarize the best reasons they're good for and bad for cyclists and automobile drivers?

For example, Are there some environments particularly suited for bike lanes? Are there some types of locales that would be particularly suited for them, where they wouldn't cause resentment?


texts: I have a Linus Roadster and it got scratched moving cross country. I love this bike and want to touch up the paint job. Has anyone had experience painting over scratches on bikes? Should I bother? Thanks!


texts: I need to find a way to store my bike vertically parallel to the wall. However my ceilings are quite high so it would be difficult to lift it onto a ceiling mounted hook everyday. Is there anyway to have the hook extend further down or better yet a wall mounted solution?


texts: Diamondback Century 2 (2015): What thru-axle skewer dimensions fit the original axle hubs? Lost the originals/internet search unhelpful

texts:
As the title says, I lost the original axle hub skewers (both front and back) while moving. I bought this bike secondhand over a year ago, and it's a 2015 Diamondback Century 2. Diamondback no longer hosts the product specifications and won't respond to my customer support request, for some reason. I can tell you the original axle hubs are in place.

I did find the product specifications of this model/year on REI, however, they only list the rear/front hub specifications as DB-24H (rear) and DB-20H (front), with no mention of the dimensions (in any way I would understand).

Could anyone help me understand better how to figure this out, maybe using the information from REI above? Also, any tips/direction on what brand/website would be a good place to find replacement skewers. I'm seeing a wide range of prices online and many of them don't even list their product dimensions.

Thank you!
John


texts:
Right, I guess inserting where they're made in the title would be a little politically incorrect but essentially the link below would give you the exact product that inspired the question :-
Cheap Carbon Rims

The target is to use those for a cyclocross-commuter steel bike that I am building. The typical use of such a rig would be for home-work-home commute on cycle tracks with a muddy stretch of offroad along the way (short cut smirk).

I am about 180 pounds (give or take) and have had history of taco-ing alloy rims before (MTB) - so the question would be : would you trust such a product for the above use?


texts: I recently put new tires on my bike, and in so doing, removed and replaced the wheels.  It seems that now my chain has more slack in it than before, and if I pedal backwards while in the smaller cog in the main set of gears the chain rubs on the deraillieur.  Is this normal?  Why is my chain more slack now that it was before, if the wheels are the same?  What shold I do to fix the problem?


texts:
If seatpost has nominal size of lets say 27.2, what is its actual size? Or other way around, if frame nominally accepts post of 27.2 what is the actual size of the bore in the frame?
Obviously both can not be 27.2 since it would not be possible to insert the seatpost, so what are actual dimensions?


texts: Which holes to use for mounting rear rack?

texts:
I just got a rack to mount on the rear of my bike frame, but I'm puzzled at which mounting holes to use. On the right side of the bike there's an obvious screw hole for mounting, but the corresponding spot on the left side has something in the screw hole so I can't use it. Hopefully you can see the silver obstruction in this picture -- mounting hole would be just above and to the right of the axle.

The other screws are holding on the disc brake, so I don't think I want to mess with them.

The bike is a Trek 3500, the rack is a Blackburn Local Spring Clip.

Looking for advice on how to proceed with mounting this.


texts: 9 speed SRAM X5 trigger shifter only clicks 5 times and skips through a lotta gears

texts:
Mongoose SX 6.5 26" Modified
Was originally a MTB but made it a Frankenstein hybrid build.
Just made the modifications this weekend and I thought it would go over smoothly.
Got parts from a Novara road bike that was due to be scrapped soon because of terminal frame damage.
Was working on it as I typed.
Don't have pictures because I was too flustered to grab my phone to do so.


texts:
I've previously used a very old, not maintained single speed bike, and after my father having recently brought a hybrid bike, it's been about 20 days since I've been riding it more or less daily, durations being upwards of an hour, at least. Sometimes even two. The single speed, I'd ridden for maybe a fortnight before the new bike came, but before that, it was more or less collecting dust.. So you know that I haven't been riding for too long now..
I average a speed of about 22-23kmph (~ 14mph) now, compared to a previous average of 15-16 kmph (~ 10mph). My previous recorded max speed was 31kmph and now on the new bike it's 56.5 kmph. The speed approximates are from whatever strava has told me. These approximates are on roads that are relatively flat, but don't allow too long for you to accelerate or keep your pace, I need to slow down for turns that I take so I'm of the belief that my average speed would otherwise be higher, if not for the turns. The roads also have embedded stone studs all over, the kind that ate put up on roads to allow motor vehicles to have a better grip.
Now, I ride with the saddle a little lower than it needs to be for my height (because my dad is shorter and I don't want to fiddle with it). I also can't make any structural changes or change the bike at all.
The bike is a Riverside 120. It has flat bars, a 36t single chainring and 11/34t cogs. It also has 35c tyres that are advertised as fast rolling.
Is there any way for me to be able to increase my overall average speed without changing parts? Any changes in posture? Should I try getting the saddle to my level and keeping the handlebars low to get a more natural riding position or would that be a problem because the bike doesn't have drop bars? Any other suggestions? I currently ride in the open chested posture that a hybrid is "supposed to be ridden in".


texts: SRAM GX1 comparability with double crankset

texts:
I am considering purchasing a bike with SRAM's GX1 11x1 gearing but I would like to switch it to use a double crankset.

Is the SRAM GX1 rear derailleur and cassette compatible with a dual crankset?

The bike says:

  This frame is compatible with both 1x and 2x drivetrain setups.  A removable direct mount front derailleur bracket allows for clean 1x build.

Edit: The Compatibility Map 2016 MTB Components is here.  Still trying to figure out how to read it...


texts: Adapter for a Shimano 7000 Crankset to BB30 Pressfit

texts:
OK. I am confused with all these BB standards. I'd appreciate it if someone points out the correct adapter for my Opus Allegro 4.0 with a bb86.5 monocoque running on a Tiagra 4600 groupset and FSA compact crankset (pressfit) to 105 7000 crankset (53/39T).
Apparently, the bottom bracket which will come with the groupset is SM-BBR60 which is a threaded BBR60 and won't fit anyway, so I thought I keep my current BBR30 pressfit and find an adapter for the crankset and then sell the SM-BBR60. I checked Park Tool guide, but they are just too many variations and namings. Living in Canada.
Edited. Added two more photos which might help.

!


texts: Unidentified items in bicycle tube repair kit

texts: What are these items in my bicycle tube repair kit for? I found them in several repair kits but I do not know what to use them for?


texts: Hydraulic disc brake - lever compatibility

texts:
I purchased a gravel bike with drop handlebars, mostly for commuting and maybe for some weekend bike camping trips.  I've only ever ridden mountain bikes with flat bars in the past, but I figured I'd get used to the drop bars.  After a month I'm realizing that drop bars are just not for me.  So I want to take my Jones Loop off of my MTB and put it on the new gravel bike.

The gravel bike had Micro Shift MTB bar end shifters so I picked up the matching flat bar adaptors for $40 and that will be a real easy 10 minute switch.  Now I just need brake levers but I can't seem to find definitive answers online about which ones will be compatible with my brakes.

I've never bled a brake line before but I'm confident that I could do it and its only another $20 for the line bleeding kit.  More than one blog says that there are not many compatibility issues with hydraulic levers when switching from drop bar to flat, but I can't find anything that says if I can just use any random hydraulic levers with these brakes.

The brakes on the bike are TRP Hylex hydraulic disc brakes.  From what I can tell, TRP only makes one flat bar hydraulic disc brake set and they don't seem to sell replacement levers.

I don't need top of the line parts, but I don't want to buy something that is going to break easily.  I found a store selling what look like very basic levers, Shimano BL-MT200, at $15 for the set.  I also found a list of other Shimano levers at varying price points, BL-M6000, BL-M7100, and BL-M8000.

My questions are:

Can I just swap out the TRP Hylex drop bar levers for these cheap Shimano levers?
Could I hypothetically use just about any random hydraulic levers? SRAM / Tektro / Shimano
Does it make good sense (would I notice a difference) to buy a more expensive lever like the BL-M8000?


texts: Chainline on a trek 660 fixie conversion

texts:
I am converting an old Trek 660 frame to fixie. It takes a 68mm bottom bracket and I'm putting in an SKF bottom bracket (like this) with both a BMX profile racing 110mm 46t and redline BMX cranks 165mm (like this).

Now I talked to my friend at my local shop and he says these older frames run 110mm. I've looked on the internet and I believe he is correct in that I can use a 110mm bottom bracket and use spacers if need be to get the correct chainline. But I've also read that I may wanna run a 113mm bottom bracket.

I was wondering if there were any gurus out there that could help me out? I know that it's only a matter of 1.5mm but I just wanna get it right because the bottom bracket I'm getting is mailorder only and $129, so I'd like to limit my mistakes on this build.


texts:
I am trying to figure out the right part to replace this bolt that broke.  It went through the rear frame of bike into derailleur to a shimano dyna sys II unit.  I believe it is a hanger bolt but the ones I find online don't look exactly like it as it has a smooth portion (where the break is) that I don't see on the online.  Please see attached photoS and help.  So lost.

Thanks


texts: Steel road bike with frame that hides cables

texts:
I'm trying to recall the name of a bike maker that I had found while researching steel bikes a few months ago.  Their bike had a frame that hid cables.  i.e., the frame had holes to run the cables inside.  If my memory serves, they are based in Portland or somewhere else in Oregon and their bikes came only in red.

I had really liked this bike, but now I can't recall their name.  Does this ring a bell to anybody?


texts: I nicked the tip of the taper on a bottom bracket spindle. Is it still safe?

texts:
I had to cut the crank arms off of a bike I'm working on. Used an angle grinder. Despite my efforts to avoid damaging the bottom bracket spindle, I nicked it in three places, all at the tip.

The bearings and surfaces are all dandy. Is it safe to use this with new crank arms?

  This is the worst of the three.


texts:
As winter approaches I am looking to upgrade my cycle lights. My commute takes me on an unlit section of canal tow path so I am looking for suggestions of a super bright headlight or cycle light that can illuminate the road ahead. Any suggesions? (UK Seller if possible.)

EDIT:
In response to the comments:

I would say my buget is under £50
I need to use it for 2 x 25 mins a day and then charge overnight is fine

UPDATE:

In the end I went for Akslen lights:

I bought an HL100 (no longer made but still available) the front and a akslen TL605 for the rear. Prices were quite good ~ 50 UK Pounds for the pair.

A year later they are still working fine, the front is quite good for lighting up the darkness, but as it points straight forward I intend to buy an Akslen Headlight this year as well.

I also have a pair of cheap lights (£1 each from poundland) which I use as a backup.


texts:
I'm a poor student and I bought a used bike. I don't have experience with bikes and I want to make sure that the bike is safe for me because actually I found the bike in a garbage container and the owner offered to sell it for 15 euros. Now I really need to be sure that it's safe!

I saw some videos on youtube to understand what gears are and so on and I found that the gears are working and the chain is switching correctly between the chainrings and the cogs. I also checked the breaks handles and I saw that the bike stops correctly when I press them. The rear breaks need a little adjustment to better stop the back tire.

The only thing I did so far is cleaning the bike. Actually I'm so happy about it that I go outside every few minutes just to look at it. I never had a bike when I was a kid but I know how to ride them :). But anyway back to subject!

Here are what I'm planning to do:

0- One of the breaks handles are not so tight, so it is safe to leave it?

1- Remove the rust from the chainrings, cogs, screwdrivers and other parts. (actually i have no idea how to do that and no idea how to do that in a cheap way, so I posted a question Restoring the original color of metal and chainrings)

2- Change entirely all the cables in the bike because I found them rusty.

3- The tires are completely damaged and I need to fully buy new ones. This is the most expensive thing ever to me since I realized I need to spend 25 euros on that.

So that is basically what I thought of for safety check but I wonder if there are other stuff I need to check or buy/change.

Here are some pics for my bike:

More pictures here: Painting a bike with minimum cost


texts: How to detach a cleat with a warped screw

texts:
So, the fastener on my old shoes broke beyond my ability to fix it. I got a new pair of shoes and am in the process of transferring my old cleats to those shoes.
The problem is, it appears that the hex slot in one bolt head is warped. The hex key I used to take the other screw out doesn't go in at all. I got the other screw out by sticking a socket wrench head in partway and hammering on it a bit, but no luck on this one.

What are my options for taking this cleat off?


texts:
I first remember hearing hate for presta valve caps in the video where Lance Armstrong changes a bike tire.  He says:

  See that little black thing?  Don't put that back on when you're done... ever.

I thought it was just a joke, until someone commented on a thread of mine (on a bike forum) and said that the valve caps are super lame.

Personally, I always leave my valve caps on because it keeps dirt off of the valve, and in turn out of my pumps.  Now, when I made that argument on the forum the other member commented saying

  I totally get the keeping dirt out. Coolness [of taking them off] far outweighs the logic of those little bastards. They have gone the way of wheel reflectors and dork discs.
  Any bling will be negated by presta valve caps installed.

Can someone please describe to me why there is so much hatred for these little things?  I get that they kind of resemble a guy's genitalia, but I feel like it's not really that big of a deal.


texts: 135mm rear end, 130mm rear wheel, Titanium frame

texts:
I'm looking at a Ti frame with a 135mm rear end, disc brake.  And I have invested in wheels for my commuter, which is disc brake... but a 130 mm spacing.

Is 5 mm enough of a concern -- impact to the frame, the disc brake setup -- that I should look for a frame with a 132.5 mm spacing if I want to be able to use wheels off my commuter?


texts: Tank tape for tire patching - Enough friction?

texts:
This topic has been cursorily covered by How can I repair a tyre with a deep cut? before, but less with empirical evidence. Tire patches as mentioned there are not available in my local bike shops anyway, so I'm considering using tank tape instead. (Temporary. Buying new tire anyway..)

Tank tape is certainly gluey and strong enough I think. And I've already read a few people swear by it as tire reinforcment against punctures. However I have a few 1 cm rifts in the tire sidewalls, so that would hold a few weeks at best. - Unless there's a special glue one could apply to the tire outside as well...(?)

My actual concern: I would have to cover around a 1/3 of the inner tire walls. How would that impact the grip between tube and tire? The tank tape has a rather smooth/sleek surface.

I would assume the tire sits firm on the rim hook, and is otherwise hold by the tube pressure. But I'm not sure how much of a (physical) influence (%) the friction between tire and tube has. Is there any danger if one is partially covered by more slippery tape?


texts: What bike is better 2010 Trek FX 7.5 or 2015 Trek FX 7.2?

texts:
My budget allows for maxing out at $500. The LBS sells the new 2015 Trek FX 7.2 for $450. I also found an excellent condition 2010 Trek FX 7.5 for roughly the same price. Assuming the used bike is in excellent condition with less than 300 miles of use, should I be worried about the 5 year model difference of the two bikes?

I'm upgrading from a 2008 Trek Navigator 3.0 that is too cumbersome for longer rides. I ride trails with the kids, charity rides, and occasional commuting.

These are the specs as specified by Trek's website. I realize the 2010 FX 7.5 has better specs but should I be worried about their age? Or with these bike components is usage more important than age?

2010 FX 7.5

Frame: FX Alpha Black Aluminum
Fork: Bontrager Nebula, carbon w/Clix dropouts
Wheels: Bontrager SSR w/Clix
Tyres: Bontrager Race Lite Hard-Case, 700x32c
Shifters: Shimano Deore trigger, 9 speed
Front derailleur: Shimano Deore
Rear derailleur: Shimano Deore LX
Crank: Shimano M443 Octalink 48/36/26
Cassette: SRAM PG950 11-26, 9 speed
Pedals: Alloy body w/alloy cage
Saddle: Bontrager H2 Flex Form
Seatpost: Bontrager Nebula
Handlebar: Bontrager SSR OS, 25mm rise
Stem: Bontrager SSR, 10 degree
Headset: Aheadset Slimstak w/semi-cartridge bearings, sealed
Brakeset: Avid SD SD-3 w/Tektro adjustable reach levers

2015 FX 7.2

Frame: FX Alpha Silver Aluminium, DuoTrap S compatible, rack and mudguard mounts
Fork: High-tensile steel w/lowrider mounts, CLIX dropouts
Front hub: Formula TK31 alloy
Rear hub: Formula FM32 alloy
Rims: Bontrager AT-750 32-hole double-walled alloy
Tyres: Bontrager H2 Hard-Case Lite w/puncture resistant belt, 700x35c
Shifters: Shimano Altus EF51, 8 speed
Front derailleur: Shimano M191
Rear derailleur: Shimano Acera M360
Crank: Shimano M131, 48/38/28 w/chainguard
Cassette: Shimano HG31 11-32, 8 speed
Pedals: Nylon body w/alloy cage
Chain: KMC Z7
Saddle: Bontrager SSR
Seatpost: Bontrager SSR, 27.2mm, 12mm offset
Handlebar: Bontrager Low Riser, 25.4mm, 15mm rise
Stem: Bontrager SSR, 25.4mm,10 degree
Headset: VP, semi-cartridge bearings, sealed
Brakeset: Tektro alloy linear-pull brakes, Shimano Altus levers
Grips: Bontrager Satellite


texts: Can I change my 7-speed rear derailleur to an 8-speed?

texts:
I bought a 2013 Cannondale Quick 6 Hybrid for my daily commute almost exactly a year ago, and I'm looking to give it some upgrades. It currently has a 7-speed Shimano Altus derailleur, and I was hoping to replace it with something a bit more "road"-y, like the Shimano Claris.

However, the Shimano Claris is an 8-speed derailleur while both my cassette and shifter are 7-speed. Also, I don't see anything saying if the Claris would work with the rapid-fire shifters (also Shimano) that I have on my bike right now. The chain is certainly 8-speed compatible, but that's about as much as I can be certain of at this point. If I wanted to switch out my derailleur to the 8-speed, what other parts and/or changes would I have to buy or make in order to make it work?

Thanks for all the help in advance!


texts: Electric road bike - Compatibility questions

texts: I am building an ebike on a road frame. I am using a Bafang G310 rear hub motor & 8 Speed Shimano cassette. I plan to use a long MTB rear 8 spd derailleur (either Acera or Alivio). For my crankset I have been considering the 105 Shimano FC 5700 Crankset OR the SHIMANO 2018 FC-5800 105 172.5 50/34 11-SPD BLK CT CRANKS. Can these be compatible with an 8 speed cassette? My frame is a Gosforth 931. Is there a set for 2x8 spd flat bar shifters that is compatible with both the rear mtb derailleur and 105s?


texts: Does height of bicycle affect the energy we put to ride?

texts:
I used a road-bike (gearless) and its height was even not reaching to my waist and I was becoming very tired even after 10 min. of cycling (in city). I remember I have read somewhere that angle of legs position affect the amount of effort.

Does height matter? If yes than how to get the best bike (in terms of height)