texts: What type of bicycle would be the most suitable for riding in winter in the city?

texts:
Say you have any type of bike available (BMX, Trial, MTB, etc.) and you can ride them all on the same level, just for the sake of the argument. What bicycle would be best to choose to ride in the city (short distances, traffic, people) in a very bad winter condition (snow, ice, etc) and why would you make such a decision?

UPDATE

I'm asking this question because I have both a BMX and an MTB bike available and since I plan on riding a lot during the winter, I could go as far as buying another type of bike especially for that purpose. Both my BMX and MTB bikes are newly bought 2011 models, so they have all the today's features of a standard bike.


texts: How do I put grips on mountain bike handlebars?

texts:
I just spent the last 10 minutes trying to put a new set of grips on to my mountain bike handlebars..

The old ones came off fairly agreeably and I've got the new ones 80-90% of the way on, however, at this point both my hands are stinging from the aggressive twisting and pushing - I have tried gloves, but I feel it's best left till my hands don't hurt anymore.

Is there a tried and tested way of doing this? Or is there a knack to this that I am missing?


texts:
Some bike clubs charge annual dues or fees to join.

What do I have to consider when determining whether to join a club? Any clear tell-tale signs to avoid?

A more subjective question is: what is the point of joining a club, especially if you are going to be contributing an annual fee?


texts: How much light is enough for year round commuting?

texts:
I used a Cateye Single Shot for 5 years until it died. Now I use a Cateye Single Shot Plus that I picked up on Ebay for $50. It's noticeably brighter than the Single Shot, but with my new commute I'm finding I need something much brighter. Dead animals, collision debris, Mother Nature's debris, a faster road, and long stretches that aren't illuminated.

I've searching in vain to find any sort of lumen estimation of the Cateye Single Shot Plus, and I've read a number of critiques of the various candlepower to lumen conversions being flawed.

Have my eye on the Light and Motion Urban series--specifically the 800 Fast Charge. 800 lumens for $180 seems a good lumen/dollar ratio, and $180 is about my spending comfort limit. Put the Urban on my handlebar and move the Single Shot Plus to my helmet.

If money were no object, I'd get a pair of 2000 lumen L&M Secas--one for my handlebar and one for my helmet. However, I don't think I could successfully pitch $1,000 worth of bike lights to the wife.

Does this seem like overkill?


texts: Hydraulic disk brakes starts braking after pulling the half of the lever, how can I solve this problem with the brakes?

texts: I have upgraded from v brake which starts braking immediately after pulling the brake lever, but in my new bike the brakes starts much later after pulling the lever. What problem it may have? I am using a Tektro branded brakes.


texts: How do I check my steel frame for water ingress, and minimise the risk of rust?

texts:
I have a bottle cage on the upper side of my downtube, and yesterday I noticed that one of the screws has gone missing.  I don't know when this happened, but it could have been months ago.  I often leave my bike parked in the rain, so I'm now concerned that water has entered the downtube through the exposed screwhole and settled in the frame, which is made of steel.

How can I check if there is water ingress and minimise any damage?  My first thought is to turn the bike upside down for a few hours and let any water drain out, but is there a better way and/or more I could do?  I would like to stop any rust in its tracks.


texts:
I have just bought a used bike and the brakes were able to be pulled all the way to the handle.

However if I try tightening them even slightly they will rub against the wheels.

How do you fix this?


texts:
Serial number is F5065423 there's also another number is fw22107 I can't find it on the Internet. Need to know what year was it made.

Thanks


texts: Pulsating and screeching after changing disc brake pads

texts:
Please bear with me, as I am very new to bicycle maintenance.

I changed the brake pads in my front brake (Tektro Auriga on a Rockrider 540 bicycle), as I was unhappy with the braking performance and couldn't seem to improve it. It came with E10.11 brake pads and I changed them to P20.11 ones. (It should have come with A10.11, but that's not what I found ...) These had much better reviews on Amazon, with many people saying that the braking performance is noticeably better.

Unfortunately, now there is screeching and pulsating when using the brakes. What can I do to improve this?

I am certain that I did not contaminate the pads. I was very careful when changing them.

When changing the pads, I cleaned the rotors thoroughly with 70% propanol.

I performed the bedding-in procedure as instructed: Speed up as much as I can, then brake hard, but do not stop. Do it at least 10 times. I used some water on the brakes before bedding in, as suggested in this Park Tool video.

Strangely, if I pour some water over the brakes, then they become smoother and the screeching disappears for up to an hour. After that, everything is back to how it was.

After changing the pads, and for a second time after bedding in, I adjusted the brake calipers by loosening the screws, pulling on the brake lever and tightening the screws. The rotor looks parallel to the pads. The rotor is true, as far as I can tell.

I am quite disappointed about the outcome of this experiment in changing brake pads, and I would appreciate any advice on how to get rid of the pulsating, if not the screeching.

The only advice I could find on how to deal with this was to lightly sand the rotors, as well as the pads. I am somewhat reluctant to do that after reading that this could worsen the pulsating. I do not have the tool to remove the rotor, and I am worried that I could not do the sanding well enough while the rotor is on the wheel.


texts: Saracen Tenet 2 suitable for long distance

texts:
I've got some outings coming up which will need a few days of 100 mile bike rides, this isn't something I'm going to do all the time but I'd like to the option to. I've been looking at road bikes and tried a Saracen Tenet 2 2014 at my local bike shop.

I really like it but I'm not really sure looking at the specs if it will be up to the work? I do really like it but I don't have much experience this area.

Here is the spec list:-

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/saracen/tenet-2-2014-road-bike-ec060482

Something's which I've noticed:

doesnt have disc brakes, is this a big deal?
sora gears set seem to be well reviewed
carbon fork keeps this bike light?

Any help people can give me in the right direction would, be greatly appreciated!


texts: Lowering the gearing on a Shimano biopace double

texts: My bike has a 52/38 Biopace pair on a 5 bolt 130 crank (Shimano 105). I want to reduce the pedal load because I'm getting older and live in hilly Wales, UK.  I have bought a 42/28 Biopace pair. Unfortunately the smaller ring has a bcd of 74. I would like to know how to fix the smaller ring. Presumably I need a spider or a new crank. I am expecting to use the existing Shimano front derailleur (FD 1055) which has a 14-tooth capacity. Is this feasible ?


texts: Why such a dramatic drop in power when the handlebars are lower than the seat?

texts:
I have done long rides with the bar 10+ cm below the saddle without getting a sore back, or anything.  Thing is, when I do, my average speed is 2 - 4 km/h SLOWER than when I have the bar higher up.

I do know you lose power as you get lower.  Weird thing with me, is that if the bar is lower than about 4 cm below the seat -- and I mean by just 5-10 mm -- my speed/power drops like a freakin' rock!  (I'm talking as much as 3+ km/h slower up a 10% grade!)  Any idea why such a dramatic drop in power?

My bar is only 53 cm from the seat, which seems awfully short to me, for someone who is 186 cm tall.  (If I increase that reach just another 5-10 mm, I also have that same sharp power drop.)  I do know my torso is shorter than normal, given my 91 cm inseam, but still.  I think I have reasonable flexibility -- I can touch the floor with my fingers while bending over.  I do know when I had the seat lower and/or further forward, that caused additional power loss when getting low, but I think I have the seat figured out now.

UPDATE:  Today I fooled around -- yet, again!!! -- some more.  Discovered that if I concentrate on flattening my back while leaning forward, I can actually go FASTER than the more "relaxed" position (when the sudden power loss occurred).  (Sorry, not too familiar with anatomy . . . that's the best I can describe it.)  As noted in one of the responses, this "leaning forward" motion did require moving the seat 5-10 mm forward to get to what seems to be optimal.  I'll see how the "new and improved" position works tomorrow.


texts: Effects of longer and higher stem on rider position/comfort and handling

texts:
My first road bike, and the bars feel a little low and a little close. What would be the effects of switching to a stem that is 10-20mm longer, and either the same angle so the bars are slightly higher, or angled slightly up so the bars are more noticeably higher?

Is there a formula for moving bars away and up to maintain comfort/reach, similar to when moving your saddle up/down after change the fore/aft position, or is it just based on rider perception?

I guess I’ve always thought of an aerodynamic position as being about getting low down, but stretching out must achieve a similar end and help to get horizontal forearms, a flatter back etc?

edit – this has come from me feeling like I could stretch out more on the hoods and still be comfortable, and the drops feeling too low to maintain a comfortable position without feeling it in the lower back. I have 86cm inseam and ride a 60cm bike, but long upper body and arms hence thinking of a longer stem.


texts: Is there any problem with running tubeless on non-tubeless rims?

texts:
I have Fulcrum 5 DB wheels, which are not tubeless ready. My previous wheelset were tubeless compatible and I've been impressed with running tubeless.

So my question is: Assuming I can mount my tubeless tyres on the new wheels and can get them to seal and not leak air, is there any reason I shouldn't run these wheels tubeless? Is the rim going to 'hold' the tyres less tightly and cause roll offs? Is there something else going on with tubeless compatible rims that I've missed?

My tyres are Schwalbe Pro Ones


texts: Various sources indicate that when climbing to slide back on the saddle. In about a month I plan to attempt Whiteface Mountain with its 13 km at an 8% grade. If I manage this climb I will be at my limit. Should I move my saddle back for the climb?


texts:
I have an old Huffy from my uncle that he bought at around the 90s and I'm thinking of restoring it and maybe upgrade some of the parts. But Huffy doesn't seem to have any much information for bikes over 10yrs old. Here's a photo of the bike.

Obviously, I need to strip the paint of rust that's accumulated and clean it. But I'd like to know what I can do to see if any current generation parts I could use. I'm planning to convert this into a commuter or maybe a road bike (not to be raced). I would guess that I need to replace the whole drivetrain. Maybe fit in 700c wheels or something similar? Brakes need replacing as well, since it used old caliper brakes, I'm guessing that I can use some modern brakes? I suppose the headtube needs some work as well. Basically, I'm only planning to keep the frame and the fork.

Hoping somebody could help.


texts: help me identify/find more info about bmx forks with this symbol - &

texts: Trying to find out as much as I can about these forks and the logo. Originally the forks were grey and had a big sticker of this symbol ( & ) on one side. As you can see in the picture there is a small engraved & symbol on the bottom of the forks,but when I looked it upon google I couldn’t find anything. Any/all info anyone can help me find would be greatly appreciated !!


texts:
I have been looking at sizing guides because I'm contemplating ordering a new bike and found out that I'm the totally wrong size for the bike I actually have.

I'm normal proportions and 5 foot 7, but according to the guide here

I should be 6 foot 2.

My issue is that my current bike feels very comfortable to me even though I can't stand flat footed if I stop the bike (just tried it now, I can only just put both feet on the ground at full stretch tip toes, it's a 29 inch wheel mountain bike if that makes any difference. Normally when I stop I just get off the seat and rest on one leg with the other foot on it's pedal. I have tried riding my wife's one which is a 26 inch and has the correct top tube length for me, but it feels horrible and I don't like the handling.

If I was to buy a big framed bike am I setting myself up for health issues in the long term, or should I just go with what's comfortable for me and not worry about it?


texts: Theoretical question about double drivetrain (both-sides drive)

texts:
If one were to take a single-speed flip-flop hub, and fit two identical freewheels, and couple them to two identical chainrings (i.e. two drive-side cranks, one on each side of the bike), you would have the world's heaviest and least efficient fixed-gear drivetrain. One freewheel coasts while the other drives. (The left-hand pedal would have to be fitted with a right-handed axle, and thread-lock used to prevent it unscrewing due to precession.)

Why anybody would want to do it is beyond me, but I am certain that this would work.

Now, bear with me here...

What if one were to do the same thing, but with a slightly larger chainring on the drive side, and a slightly larger freewheel on the non-drive side? (Obviously magic ratios would have to be selected for identical chain lengths.)

Would this provide a long gear for high top speed, yet provide a shorter gear for less strenuous leg-braking? Or would the freewheels somehow skip and bind?


texts: Are these tires worn out or was it rather a manufacturing defect?

texts:
On both of my tires (conti 0101442 or 0100175, can't remember), I got a fissure running almost uninterrupted all the circumference. It's not in the middle, but rather shifted to the left, on both of them.

They are two or three years old. The bicycle is stored on a wheel hook, tires do not touch anything. The shelter is fume-free.

I wonder what is it likely: wear, manufacturing defect, over-pressure?

Edit: Thanks for all the replies. They reminded me that the tires were sold folded several times. I'm not saying that it led to the defect, though. I tended to inflate to the upper pressure limit (and never bothered to compensate for afternoons warmer than mornings etc)


texts: How to adjust cable tension on Dura-Ace 7700 shifter

texts:
I have a Giant Defy 3 which came with Shimano Sora groupset. A friend gave me some older Dura Ace 7700 components in good condition so I'm upgrading most of the components including brakes, shifters, and derailleurs. But the barrel adjusters are different so I'm not sure what the best option is here.

The Sora shifters are threaded for a barrel adjuster but the Dura Ace are not. Instead, my friend's Dean frame has threaded bumps brazed onto the downtube, and the adjusters thread into there. I have never seen this style before. My bike has a regular holder on the downtube for the shifter housing but it's not threaded.


texts: How can I tell a bike is safe after a crash?

texts:
I was recently in an accident where a car pulled out on me. I hit the car around the front wheel and me and the bike went over the bonnet and landed on the road, the other side of the car. I was travelling around 20mph.

The bike is in one piece but I'm super-wary of it.

Several people have suggested getting the fork and frame X-rayed to check for fractures. How exact is this science? How certain can you be that the frame is road-worthy?

The bike has an Aluminium frame with a carbon fork and Alloy wheels.


texts:
I'm a novice in the process of restoring a 1987 Raleigh Equipe.

I'm managed to strip the rest of the bike but haven't attempted to remove the crank yet, can someone advise me on what tools I would need.

Thank you.


texts:
I replaced my Ultegra R8000 inner chainring from 36T to 34T. After installing, I made sure there was enough clearance between the inner chainring and the chainstay and spun it to make sure all is good. However, after today's ride, I realized that the chainring has gotten closer and scratched the paint off the frame. The components are fairly new, so there shouldn't be anything wearing out yet.

What could be the problem and what did I do wrong?

Thanks in advance.


texts: Brand new bike. Briefly removed the rear disc brake caliper, now it's too tight

texts: I have a 2017 Cannondale Synapse Carbon Disc 105 with less than 10 hours of ride time on it. (I got it in March as unsold stock from last year) I noticed that after I had ridden for a little while, the rear wheel started squeaking obnoxiously as I rode, even while coasting. After a bit of troubleshooting (i.e. removing the caliper), I determined the rear disc brake was definitely the problem; it was presumably misaligned or something. However, when trying to reinstall the caliper after learning this, I noticed the pads seem too close together, to the point where I had trouble fitting them back around the rotor. Now that I've roughly gotten the rear caliper into position, it is constantly rubbing against the rotor however I align it, and the brake lever feels much tighter. Again, this is a new bike with new Shimano 105 parts and I haven't changed anything out. What happened? How do I recalibrate the brake so it works properly? (If it turns out I somehow ruined something, I still have a warranty tune-up at my dealer where I can get it sorted out)


texts:
As a result of needing to replace a chainring ( Worn out chainring or missing tension ), I'm about to reinstall a crank, and would like to clean it before doing so.
Regarding the next picture, can I:

clean outer (1) with soap for dishes (rinse), and before installing it, apply a very fine layer of all-purpose grease (conforms DIN 51802,  DIN 51825 part 2 and NLGI-class 2, made for long term greasing of motor and machine parts, specially for fast moving bearings)

clean inner (2) with rinse and scrub it with a plastic brush designed to clean drinking glasses, then apply very little grease to the thread

remove (3) the sealing ring, scrub the black, flat surface (update: I thougt this black surface was grease mixed with dirt, but no, it is clean black-painted metal) with rinse until it shines, then apply grease to it and put the seal ring on again.

apply (4) Loctite 243 to the screws of the smallest ring, since it originally was super hard to open and had this green stuff in it? Loctite 243 is red, apparently it can be used everywhere on the bike (I've never used it in my life and have a new one unopened). The outer and middle ring had no green stuff applied and were not hard to open.

Specially (3) is what worries me a bit, maybe it is better to leave it as-is

Next two pictures, what and how should I clean and grease something there? I've labeled parts for you to make easier references in the answer. The bike has a SM-BB52 bottom bracket.
Right:

Left:

I'm a bit embarrassed about the dirty frame.
What are things I absolutely should avoid doing?
I do have "chain cleaner spray", "break and parts cleaner spray" as well as isopropanol 99.9% at hand.


texts:
I'm looking at buying a new single-speed chain and have pretty much settled on getting one of these two: KMC Z510 or KMC Z510 HX but can't figure out what the HX actually means.

The HX costs 37% more (£7.99 vs £10.99) and I'd like to know what that extra £3 actually pays for so I can decide whether it's worth it or not.

Any ideas?


texts:
I haven't been on a bike in years, and just picked up a used one to get into riding (2013 Specialized Hardrock).

The rear gears aren't shifting properly, it seems to only move between the 2 smallest, and I noticed that when the shifter shows it in 1st gear, the chain is actually on the smallest cog.  Am I right that something is wrong here?  And what's the easiest fix for this?


texts: Can I combine two pm break mount adapter?

texts:
I think about upgrade my shimano rear brake disc from 180 to 203 mm. The mount system is a pm 160 direct, meaning I currently already have a pm 180mm adapter.
Weirdly, I couldn't find an adapter for pm 160 direct > pm 203. According a few tables aparently the SM-MA-R203 should do the job, but on every store it's written that this adapter is only for 180 direct mounts, which confuses me.

Would it be also possible to combine my existing pm 180 adapter and the SM-MA-R203 one? Or which adapted would be the correct for a pm 160 direct > pm 203?


texts: Are Adjustable Stems With Reasonable Merit?

texts:
[Question overhauled after I realised it appeared snobbish, narrow and not in good faith, as pointed out by @gschenk . This sentiment originated due to a recent failure with a critical bolt mechanism which elicited wariness for all 'extra' bolts on bikes at large. Feel free to read the older version.]
This question is not exactly objective, of course, but I intend to get to know the objective merits or anecdotes of the lack thereof to find "reasonable cause" for classifying adjustable stems as either a 'pro' or a 'con'.
In judicial jargon, similar to establishing "reasonable doubt" with a jury.
Having no personal experience with this myself, I cannot possibly have a valuable opinion devoid of bias and speculation. Hence, I request your anecdotes, and opinions based on experience of using adjustable stems.
To be specific in terms of what 'merit' or reasonable cause' counts as, I'm curious about where they fall in the following criteria in particular , although of course, I remain open to other criteria :

Reliability & Durability
Cost & Value
Realistic Extent of Effect On Riding Posture
Unique Advantages Not Seen In Standard Parts
Level of Precision Adjustment Possible Realistically
Severeness Of OCD Possible (or Lack Thereof) Adjusting to the Ever-elusive 'Sweet Epot' (by a Finicky Rider)

How did I come to this question ? What's the original purpose and motivation ? As mentioned in my comment in reply to the aforementioned @gschenck :

...considering if they were a real advantage or a "meh" or if they were solving a problem that didn't exist ( a solid con in my book) when my friend asked me to recommend him a bike and there were two with basically the only component difference being one has an adjustable stem...

Also as mentioned in this comment :

...apologies for the unintended snobbish appearance.


texts: Would a 24 inch bent fork fit on a 20 inch frame? Is there even a 24 inch fork?  Would a 26 inch fit?  Also if it doesn't fit in could I just add to the 20 inch - would you be able to extend it making it look longer?


texts:
I have fingerless leather gloves which are smelling pretty bad and stink my hands up when I wear them. So I've been googling ways to clean them. Most methods seem to need exotic stuff like saddle soap or a washing machine.

What I have done is turned them inside out, scrubbed them with bath soap and sprinkled some dettol mixed with water on them and now they're sitting in the sun drying.

Is this a reasonable cleaning method? I need these gloves and shipped them in from Australia, can't buy another pair here. Anyone with a better method let me know, but nothing esoteric please.


texts: Is a seat post with an integrated pump a good idea?

texts:
I saw this http://www.premiumbikegear.com/biologic/convenience/postpump-seatpost.html and thought it seemed like a cool idea. But if it was really such a great idea, I would have expected to see more people using something like this?

Are there any major shortcomings from integrating a tire pump into the seat post?


texts:
I'm planning to get my first road bike as I have been putting a lot of miles into my hybrid. Did a century last Sunday. Altogether I have done around 5k miles on my trek hybrid. So I thought getting a road bike isn't too bad an idea.

I went to a LBS and the mechanic told me it is better to get a Shimano 105 group set because it is a lot better than Claris. He mentioned how the transmission would be smoother. I'm NOT planning to buy a bunch of road bikes in future so in most cases this will be my only road bike even though I would keep my hybrid for my commute to work.
So do you think it is better to get 105 over claris?

Being a newbie in to road biking  would it make a big difference?
After doing a bit of research bikes with Shimano 105 is kinda expensive and getting a carbon bike with 105 is pretty much on the similar price range to getting the aluminum bike with 105.

So I'm wondering whether I should get a carbon bike with Shimano 105 or an aluminum bike with 105 or should I get just a cheaper one with Shimano Claris?

Please let me know if I should be looking into some other groupset.


texts:
I have an voilamart ebike kit, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q7FJ8ZY/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?psc=1
Is there an LCD display I can add to this kit, I've had my eye on this
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LBZ6KFN/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A18NQE175QQAZM&psc=1


texts: Dual position air, solo air, coil, rebound: what do they mean about forks?

texts:
Lyric is available as Dual Position Air/ Solo Air / Coil. What do those terms mean generally?

My speculations are leading me nowhere. If Dual Air means no hydraulic cylinder, how can the fork have Damping:    Rebound? Solo air is pretty clear, but what about coil - is it a coil in one boot and hydraulic unit in the other, or two coils?

On a related note, do there exist shocks with both air and coil spring in the same time? If so, what is the point? How can one discern them?


texts: Help in figuring out a replacement rear wheel for Huffy Savannah 27"

texts: I have a Huffy Savannah 27" bike that I bought about 6 years ago and need to find a replacement rear wheel.  The bearings went bad, but the rest of the bike is almost brand new.  The tire is a 700c x 38.  How can I find suitable replacement?  I don't care about brand, only that it will work with the tire.


texts: 1996 Mongoose size 19" Crossway 650 replacement size inner tube

texts: My bicycle has a label saying  size 19"  . What is the tire size for my bicycle  and the what is the  inner tube size?


texts:
I'm looking for a bell that will sit above a trigger shifter on a flat bar bike.
Placement is a safety issue: in this location I can maintain hands on bars, brakes, shifters and warn pedestrians at the same time.
I've tried a bell that sits next to the shifter and I have to take my hand off the bar to reach it.
Attached are photos of the old bell that broke, showing the dimensions & placement that I'm looking for. Unfortunately I've been unable to find a replacement that fits. The bells that I've found don't have a ~1.5cm gap between the clamp and the body of the bell, and only have a couple of MM clearance.


texts: I'm looking for a part that connects the saddle to the body frame of the bicycle

texts:
I recently removed the saddle because it was squeaking a lot, then I cleaned the inside and put oil back in, however I couldn't re-attach the bar under the seat to the body frame, then I used this clamp probably in the wrong place and then the hex bolt threaded so I can't get it off.

The bike is a Carrera Subway 2. I should get a new seat anyway, but how can I attach a new saddle and bar thing to the body frame? I don't know what's supposed to screw into here to hold the bar and the saddle in place.


texts: Which direction of dropout should I order for small parts kit for SHIMANO ALFINE internal hub gears

texts:
The bike I have is Raleigh Motus ebike 2018.
I have ordered a SHIMANO ALFINE SG-S7001-8 internal gear hub to replace the stock derailleurs there.
I need to order a small parts set SM-S7000-8. It comes in 3 flavours vertical, horizontal and standard.
I'm not sure which one I need.
If it has anything to do with the current cable run - that follows the chain stay to the rear of the bike and then does a 180 degree turn into the derailleurs. If it is the way the wheel slots in then currently the wheel drops out below down mostly at a slight angle towards the front on the bike.
Which part should I order?


texts: Modifying a bike for winter (on a budget)

texts: I have two bikes, a hybrid commuter with skinny tyres, full mud guards & rim brakes, then I have a 29er hardtail MTB with hydraulic disc brakes and off road tyres. Which would be best, for commuting (with a minimum modification cost) in the snow? (this is likeley to be a small-medium amount of snow, perhaps having been compressed by other vehicles/walkers)


texts:
I'm trying to swap the cranks on our Thorn tandem and would like to know what kind of crank extractor (if any) I need for the job.

Is there a way to tell from this photo, before I've taken it all apart?

EDIT: Photo updated after cap removed (sorry it's a bit blurry). Centre has a thread, is that what I'd screw into and pull?

For example, Thorn list several crank extractors.


texts: What would short distance training do for my endurance performance?

texts:
Due to limited time I've been working on short intervals (generally 1-6 minute repetitions) and the longest ride I've done in 4 months is 90 minutes which, while I've been pushing on the climbs, I still get home with a bit to spare.
Still riding 3-4 times a week, and seeing performance gains at these distances, generally measured in seconds and generally because I can maintain a higher pace for longer at the same rpm, i.e. pushing bigger gears for longer.
How might this training affect e.g. an 8 hour hilly ride, where I'll be pushing on but always within sustainable limits?


texts:
I suspect that the used bike I want to buy might have a tubeless tires, but one is flat. Is there any external feature to look at that would allow easily to tell this for sure?

I have no experience with tubeless tires and would not know how to replace it.


texts: Installing a lock mount on a carbon fiber frame

texts:
Let's ignore the question, for a moment, of should I install a lock mount on my new TCR Advanced.  But assume that I want to.

Given that the frame is carbon fiber, should I be worried about the forces the mount clamp will apply to it?  Should I be worried about the (perhaps unusual/unplanned) stresses the lock and mount will apply to the seat tube while I'm riding?

If we take it as a given that I want to have my lock mounted on the bike (and not in my bag), is there a better suggestion on how to do so than to use this on the seat tube?


texts:
Bike I got used and happy with the price for frame alone but I don't know the history.

Kris King hub with significant drag.
With cassette off and just a rim if spin it hard I get 5 revolutions.
I have a backup wheel and if I spin it hard I get 50 revolutions.
I can feel a lot friction in the hub.

What should I do?

It is laced up to some nice Velocity rims.


texts:
contact_patch_area = weight / tire_pressure

Is this true?

Wikipedia says "mostly".
This guy analyzed some automobile tire manufacturer, and although the info was self-conflicting, he concludes that it very much depends on tire construction, but the equation is for sure false. However, he bases some of the conclusions on the assumption that rubber acts as a constant-rate spring, which it doesn't.
This answer assumes it is true.


texts:
I'm building a dynamo hub wheel.
I see there's symmetrical and asymmetrical rim and not sure which one I should go with.
I'm using son dynamo 28 if that makes difference.

My front wheel has SRAM Level TL, 2-piston caliper, hydraulic disc.


texts: 9-speed Sora w/discs to 11-speed 105 - What Sora bits can I keep?

texts:
I'm planning to upgrade from 9 to 11 speed, Sora 3500 to 105 5800.

I'd like to keep my existing mechanical disc brakes, which I believe I can, but please correct me if wrong.

Also, if I bought the full 105 groupset with rim brakes (cheaper than set with hydraulics) and just sold the brakes, would everything else still work on my bike with disc brakes?

Lastly, other than brakes, what can I get away with not replacing.  Bottom bracket, shifters, crankset, FD?  Thanks.


texts: The road bike I'm planning on buying is only available in 49cm and 50cm. Will that be okay given that my height is 5'8/9?


texts: On my stationary bike the left crank is loose only at the top

texts: When I peddle, only at the top (pedal at it highest point) does the crank seems loose.  It feels like it skips a bit as I transition down.  It does not wiggle from left to right but only front to back.  Any suggestions?


texts: What tools will I need to remove sprocket/what type will I need to order?

texts:
I have a flip-flop hub on a single speed track bike.
I need to replace the rear sprocket (freewheel side) and chain.

Id prefer to give this a go myself, but

Not sure what tools I need to remove this
Not sure what freewheel I would need to order to replace it with.
(ideally a similar or upgrade.  + points for links to sites like Evans/ChainReactionCycles)


texts: Looking for info on replacing MTB derailleur

texts:
My previous derailleur went into my spokes and twisted up the hanger.

Bike is a early 2000s Minelli 7 speed.

How do I choose the best derailleur for rough off-road riding? I need one that won't budge too much since I plan trying jumps. I need something sturdy.


texts: What should I be doing a week before a long distance bike ride?

texts:
I have a 50 mile bike ride in 1 week.  I have been training for a while and I am trying to figure out, at this point, if I should be:

Training hard, doing a few long bike rides to get prepared
Resting and taking it easy.

I have heard both arguments (one saying to do a similar ride and others saying focus on resting)

Any suggestions for what to do a week before a big bike ride?


texts: Recommendations for inconspicuous helmet-mounted video camera

texts:
I'm looking for recommendations for a good, water-proof (or at least weather-resistant) video camera that meets the needs of recording general commuting rides. Some desirable attributes are:

Several hour battery life.
Ease of video download and erasure.
Ease of basic operation; the ability to turn on and off with gloved hands without looking, for example.
Inconspicuous and light when mounted; something that could go pretty much unnoticed on the side of a helmet.

I know there are quite a few new products in this category, but am having trouble coming by experiences of actual riders.


texts:
I've purchased some shorter cranks for my SRAM Force AXS eTap bike, and I'm trying to decide between learning and swapping them myself vs. bringing it into a LBS.
Pros of doing it myself:

learn for the future
save money on LBS costs (plus I'd have to pay for a cab there/back)
satisfaction

Cons:

My bike is very expensive and I'd hate to break something/have something go wrong on a ride
Would need to buy a larger torque wrench (not a huge con given I'll have one for the future)
Minor, but I'm slightly worried my small torque wrench isn't very accurate, I left it at 6nm for a month or so instead of the lowest setting

As far as I can see the process would be:

Loosen 2mm preload adjuster and unscrew
Take off crankset with 8mm hex
Take cranks off spider by undoing the 8 T20 bolts
Swap and replace bolts at 4NM (greased?)
Grease spindle and splines
Install and tighten again with 8mm hex at 54NM
Tap crank side with mallet and retighten preload adjuster, make sure no play
Would be great to get some opinions on how easy of a job this is for a bit of a noob. What to look out for/what parts will be hard/whether I've missed anything.

Thanks in advance!
These are the sources I've used to get the above info:


texts: Rear derailleur hitting spokes in 4 largest cogs

texts:
I did a big mistake and bought a cheap bike for casual use. On my first ride I fell down on to the right side of the bike. I am not sure if it is this fall or just that the bike is poorly assembled but as can be seen below the derailleur is not perpendicular and is too close to the wheel result in touching the spokes when I shift to larger cogs.

I have looked up videos on youtube and they seem to about bent derailleur hanger. However the gear system shown on you tube seems to be different than what is at my bike and I am not sure if it is really applicable in my case.

Any pointers on how I can fix this myself. I am  not keen to approach LBS since they will not been keen to work on this bike being cheaply bought etc.

Side view of the gear


texts: What is the typical lifespan of a set of clincher wheel rims? I know there are a lot of variables, but roughly? To be specific I am looking at a set of Mavic Open Pro rims with 2000 miles on them. I don't have them in person so I cannot judge the wear of the break surface.


texts: Post head-on crash w/ another bike, shifters no longer shift

texts:
Hi everyone on bicycles StackExchange,
I had a head-on crash with a drunk guy who rode his bike into mine and since both shifters stopped shifting. the right hand shifter clicks but does absolutely nothing in moving the derailleur at the back. The left shifter barely clicks and also does not move the front derailleur at all. The cables (something, I gather, responsible for moving the derailleurs?) are relatively loose. How might I approach this problem? Like what are the steps you would take to verify X and then Y, and then Z to diagnose this?
Here's a video I made to demo the problem

Here's a video showing the pulling of the shifting cables manually.

Thank you very much!


texts: How many teeth should be on my chainring?

texts: I have a seven speed cassette and 3 speed chainring how many teeth should there be on the largest chainring. I am asking because I think I need to get a new chainring.


texts:
I commute to work on a Marin San Rafael on roads over a mix of flat to steep roads. My bike came with "700 x 35c with Puncture Protection" semi-slick tires:

In the bike shed at work I noticed another bike had slick tires, without any tread. After doing a little research online I found these tires:

I'm wondering whether or not it's worth changed my existing tires for these. My main desire is faster, easier riding on the road. Will these (or similar) tires provide less rolling resistance over the default tires I already have?


texts: Cyclist vs Van. Who is wrong in this scenario?

texts:
I often find that some drivers disregard cyclists right of way, and as a result put cyclists in danger.

For example, when a cyclist takes their right of way, some drivers ignore this and assume the cyclist has no right of way and should swerve to avoid them. Its almost as if they are thinking "vehicles over cyclists in every scenario".

See this animation:
https://jsfiddle.net/mdegt3ez/

Explanation:

Point A.

Cyclist obviously looks over right shoulder (assumes driver has seen this).
Does not indicate with right arm, due to keeping both hands on handle bars to turn right safely.

Point B

Driver sees cyclist turning right.
Does not slow down, instead maintains speed/accelerates to around 3ft away from cyclist.

Personally I think the driver should have slowed down as he would for a vehicle turning right. But when we politely exchanged fight worthy words in the middle of the road, he exclaimed "where was your signal to indicate".

Who was right in this particular situation? Did I have right of way, and whose fault would it of been if I got hit?

What can be done by cyclists who are put in danger by careless driving? If you note the number plate, is there a fine for the driver? Do you need video proof?


texts:
I got a vintage bike to commute with (I wanted a heavy one for the exercise) and I was hoping for a flat so I would have an excuse to spend money on a puncture resistant street tire to replace the knobby tire.

After more than a year of hoping for a flat, I got one. While inspecting it I noticed I had two small pieces of glass in the knobs, but the flat turned out to be on the valve neck.

Also, when I took the old tube out, it had what I guess is a Kevlar layer protecting it. I'm not really sure what it is; it is just a brown layer on top of the tube.

It is "glued" to the tube thanks to the amount of time they were together, but it peels off easily. Also, you can see the flat where the valve meets the tube on last pic.

If it is a puncture protection, I must say it was doing a very good job. And I will probably buy regular cheap slick tires and reuse that and be happy with not wasting expensive material every time the rubber wears out. In fact I will continue wondering why tire manufacturers even insert that layer on the tires at all! Unless someone with more knowledge here has an argument against that layer and in favor of modern puncture resistant tires.


texts: Figures on accidents involving cyclists where motorists are using cell/mobile phones

texts:
I am trying to get hold of some figures for accident rates where either, ideally just cyclists or, just general road users & pedestrians, are involved in accidents (or reported near misses) because a motorist/cyclist has been using a mobile phone. I would like (if possible) to have information regarding Sweden and other countries where cell phone use is not banned, and in countries where it has been banned such as the UK.

As a cyclist who lived in the UK and now lives in Sweden I notice a considerable difference in my "near miss" rate, and the vast majority of my near misses here come from phone users (and bus drivers, but that was the same in GB!). If I can get some statistics I am going to look in to campaigning my local politician and having cycling friends in the area note down their near miss rates (how many kilometers per evasive action).

Examples of the sort of nice stats I'm looking for:

xx% of accidents involving cyclists in Sweden are suspected or proven to be due to one or more parties involved using a cell phone at the time of the accident.

Since banning the use of cell phones the overall rate of accidents involving cyclists has decreased by xx% in the UK, and those involving cell phones has decreased from aa% to bb%


texts: On which weather conditions should I choose my bicycle with studded/spike tyres?

texts:
I've recently bought a new bicycle for my daily commuting and fitted my old bicycle with studded/spike tires as a dedicated winter commuting bicycle. (They're Schwalbe "Winter" tyres, not "MarathonWinter" as I initially wrote on Twitter. I'd have bought MarathonWinter, but they're not available in 16".)

Now I wonder when I should choose which bicycle (both are Bromptons), especially under which weather conditions?

I've seen and read When are studded tires necessary?, but on the one hand the question's focus is a little different and on the other hand, none of the answers really answers my question.

A little background:

Two years ago I had a self-caused bicycle accident on a dry and sunny winter day due to snow melting, flowing over the street and there freezing immediately again.
I've thought about using studded/spike tyres for quite a while and after that accident I'm sure that there are cases where they would help.
I live in a hilly city (Zurich) and there are a few weeks per year with snow and icey conditions, usually in January and February.
I have been convinced that riding with studded/spike tyres all winter long is a bad idea if most winter days are probably fine for normal tyres, so I've come to the two-bicycles solution to be able to decide on the right tyres without any time penalty for switching wheels.
Since my commuting bicycle is a Brompton with six gears and dynamo hub, switching wheels in the morning depending on the weather isn't an option anyways.
When I fetched my winter Brompton from the mechanic and did a test drive with the studded/spike tyres, I noticed that they're really loud and that indeed will only ride that bicycle when necessary.
I don't care about rolling resistance or possible speed. My daily commute is a inner-city ride of about 5km.

So far the winter was really dry and there was no need for studded/spike tyres.

But when should I switch to my winter bicycle with studs/spikes? My current idea is the following:

When there's snow or snow mud on the streets. (Deep snow is seldom and usually gets cleaned up rather fast, but there's often still a thin layer of slippery snow mud on the streets, especially if the city runs out of gritting/thawing salt.)
When the previous days were rainy and the weather forecast talks about freezing temperatures. (→ chance of water freezing over)
When a sunny day follows cold and snow days to avoid the case where I had my accident two years ago.  (→ chance of water freezing over)

Are there any other conditions on which I should use studded/spike tyres? Or am I overcautious due already having had an accident on unexpected ice? E.g. many years ago I easily survived this kind of weather with normal Schwalbe MarathonPlus tyres.


texts:
Got a bike 3 weeks ago. It now slips gears WITHOUT shifting. only slipping when I pedal hard or uphill.. It shifts good. I weigh 250lbs.

edit: with a new derailleur


texts: Hybrid bike how much should I inflate tyres

texts: Hi I just bought a hybrid bike btwin riverside 3. It has 28 inch tires and weights 15kgs. My weight is 75kg. How much should I inflate my tires. And how often should I refill?


texts: I did some work for my neighbor and he gave me some cash plus a road bike. I've used it for about 3 years but I was wondering if I could upgrade it a little. The chain slips off some times and it's got lever shifters. I don't know anything about road bikes so I was wondering how upgrading the front and rear derailleur works. I found original parts but they are 300$ plus. I just want reliable and affordable. Also the wanting to upgrade the crank and other little parts. All I know is it's an Italvega Nuovo possibly 63.


texts: Why do most mtb forks place the arch in front of the stanchions?

texts:
Similarly to the pictured below RS Pike, most fork manufacturers place the ark in front of the stanchions. This has proven to be a terrible solution when riding in muddy (or actually anything different than asphalt) conditions:

on each rotation, the tire grabs some mud, dust, sand
the first (and only) thing, standing in the way of the accumulated muck, is the fork brace
the brace scrapes the mud
the mud accumulates on the conveniently located flat areas behind the brace
the stanchions work to push the contaminants into the bushings and seals
the mud builds up indefinitely, instead of just falling to the ground

Why not place the ark to the rear of the stanchions, like DT Swiss do?


texts: Does Campagnolo have a groupset model number system?

texts:
With Shimano it is easy to find compatbile parts in a groupset because they will all share a model number system.

For example, Shimano 5800 series will consist of:

FD-5801 Front Derailleur
FC-5800 Crankset
RD-5800 Rear Derailleur
etc.

Does Campagnolo have a similar system?

It can be quite confusing since names such as "Chorus" are recycled between years; "Chorus 10 speed" is not enough to indentify a groupset.


texts: What groupsets are compatible with my bike?

texts:
Question

Speaking generally, what things do you need to check about your bike (e.g. rear hub width and type, braze-on vs clamp on front derailleur attachment points, etc) in order to determine what groupsets are compatible with it?

Background/ specific example

I have a 2010 Specialized Tricross. It came  stock with a 3x9 Shimano groupset with Tiagra shifters & front derailleur, and Deore rear derailleur. It's got about 10,000km on it now, all original parts (yes, I should have replaced the chain and casette long ago but that's a discussion I've already had elsewhere).

I am interested in upgrading the whole groupset, and am leaning towards Shimano 105, 10 or 11 spd. It feels like anything more than that is overkill for this bike. However, I'm not clear if I can just buy one of those groupsets and expect everything to play nice with my frame or are there a bunch of measurements I need to check against first. The only thing I can think of is crank length which I would match to the existing ones.

I'm hoping any answers are generic enough to apply to others in the same situation, but feel free to use my Tricross situation for examples :)

Thanks.


texts:
It is on the dropout of my new tarmac, one month old.

The shop owner said "It's normal for this side to crack it might be from the chain"

But when I did test the chain it didn't touch the frame (there got 5mm gap between). But I don't know exactly that when I ride.

So has this happen to anyone?

And how do I know if my frame has cracked or not?


texts: Brake line is unwound can I cut part off?

texts:
Putting together new bike and then brake line got frayed (just one piece) going pretty far back and cannot thread it now. Can I cut the one frayed piece or does that ruin the brake line functionality?

Thank you


texts: What is the optimal way to draft in a group of two cyclists?

texts: How often should a person on the front get off and go behind the person in the back when there is only a group of two? Every minute? Every 10 minutes? When there are several people, a paceline is quite straightforward, but I don't know what would be the equivalent with two people.


texts: What should I consider when looking at a recumbent trike for commuting and winter riding?

texts:
AS part of my investigation on my bike replacement, I'm starting to look at a trike. I like the idea of a trike as it looks to be much more comfortable, much faster, but also much more expensive (in general).

My purpose for the bike is for my commute to work (~30 km per day). This may not sound much, but I also want to ride in the winter time (snow and ice). A trike looks to provide better stability and safer as well.

Looking at the net, there look to be two competing styles: either two wheels at the rear like the Kettwiesel Allround, or two wheels at the front like the Greenspeed GT1.

For those who have ridden these trikes, what is your advice?


texts: New, cheap mountain bike: What's most likely to break?

texts:
I have a very cheap (less than USD $100), new mountain bike I'm about to break in on a 2-4 hour ride on a mountain trail. I'd like to be prepared for equipment failures or problems - can anyone suggest what's most likely to break (or have problems) first?

I already have a spare inner tube (and pump!) to handle a punctures, and expect to have a sore rear end, anything else?

(thanks for the articles warning about cheap bikes - I should probably add that I will use this bike only once a year at most, and can't afford a better one anyway - if not for cheap bikes I'd just be walking. For anyone coming across this question considering buying a very cheap bike, see the link posted in the comments and make sure you know what you're getting into!)

Update:
Thanks for the answers so far. Thought I'd do a quick post-mortem for anyone interested. I went on the ride (Oaks fire trail, very scenic, good fun - Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia).

I managed to escape without notable failures on the bike, though I think the cheap suspension fork had already seized up and the derailleur only changed gears when in the right mood.

In our group of 15, we had 3 flat tyres and a broken chain (all on $1000+ bikes, oddly enough - maybe they were just riding them harder).

The most unexpected problem was with replacing punctured tubes on the expensive bikes. The tube valve hole in the fancy rims wouldn't fit the spare tube's  larger (standard car size) valve, and many pumps couldn't fit the fancy tubes (to re-inflate them once patched).


texts: Clipless pedals: Why clipping in so darn difficult?

texts:
I do understand that this question been asked million times, and million people have million different opinions and it's all down to personal preferences, yet I am struggling and need to find a solution that would work best for me.

So there's no question - clipless pedals are better. I knew that when I was buying my bike and now I have "Look" pedals, and of course I had to learn to unclip them safely without falling.

I can do that now, but clipping the cleat back into the pedal is my biggest pain. The pedal's back-side is heavier than its front, so it allways dangles upside-down and I have to keep kicking it with my toe, until it rotates back to its normal position. And even after that I usually struggle to get it clipped. And in the city it's a huge problem - sometimes, I have to roll without clipping it till a next red light. And very often that sucker ironically clips right before the light. Also the "Look" cleats are made of plastic and they definitely will deform over time, making it even harder to use.

Yesterday I even thought about installing a regular pedal for one foot, but then decided it's a bad, bad idea and I don't really want that.

Can you guys tell me if I should definitely try using SPD-SLs? Are they much better? Can someone who actually had experienced both systems (and maybe older SPD as well) can tell me that I would benefit from spending another hundred bucks and more? Or there's a way to train myself to clip without even having to look down and this is a newbie's problem and I will forget about it very soon, after maybe fifty thousand stops and after replacing forty pairs of cleats?

Also I noticed that I prefer to unclip my left foot and stand on it, so my left cleat is going to wear off faster. Are left and right cleats are the same? Can I just keep replacing one cleat (although I noticed they always sold in pairs)

And Look cleats are not compatible with SPD-SL, right? What about shoes? Would I need to buy another pair of shoes as well, if I decide to switch?

UPD: Switched to SPD. And I gotta tell you, it feels significantly better.

Yes, I don't care that these XT 785s are meant for mountain bikes,
I don't care that they almost twice heavier than my KEOs,
I don't care that KEOs were almost twice the price i.e. maybe of
better quality.
I don't care that SPD is older technology than Look and SPD-SL

After all, like Genghis Khan's adviser said once to his son:

  It is possible to conquer the world sitting in a saddle but impossible to rule the empire from it

That said - riding a road bike is not always about speed, it's also about comfort. Maybe advocates of asymmetrical pedals would disagree, but I love my new pedals, they are awesome. Also I think now I understand why my previous pedals company called "Look" - you damn can't clip them in without looking straight at your foot


texts:
I want to buy a Shimano hub dynamo, but I'm encountering problems getting a bike shop to commit to installing it for me if I buy it. So I have a couple questions that I'm hoping some of you guys might be able to help me out with.

Can a wheel be rebuilt replacing the old regular hub with the dynamo?  Or does this require a new wheel to be built?  (I've heard once that it's difficult to rebuild a wheel with a rim that has already been built before).
If you can rebuild a wheel, and the hub is a bit larger in diameter than the old hub, do the spokes need to be replaced/shortened, or can they be still be used?  Is there some guideline or rule of thumb about the length of a spoke as long as they're all consistent?
Is the installation of a hub dynamo the same as a standard hub?  I know that the hub has a lot of moving parts inside, but it seems no different on the outside, and I wonder if there are special steps or considerations when installing.

I appreciate any info anyone can give me!  I feel like these bicycle shops have simply never had any experience with a hub dynamo and their first reaction is just "no".

Edit: As a side question, does anyone have any experience with wheel building?  Is this a straightforward process?  This is something I wouldn't mind learning how to do.  Is this the kind of task where you can destroy a wheel or two in the learning process, or will I just need spend more time adjusting to get it right as I learn?


texts: Attacking during a race when your competitor has a mechanical failure?

texts:
This question was spurred by the incident that happened during the 9th stage of the 2017 TdF when Fabio Aru attacked Chris Froome right as he experienced a mechanical problem with his bike.

The breakaway group lead by Aru was eventually halted by other riders who maintained that they should wait until Froome recovered from the mechanical failure before attacking.

What are the unwritten rules in this type of situation?  Is it considered bad sportsmanship to attack in this situation, even thought it's a race?  Would a win in a this situation, having not stopped, be tainted in some way or recorded differently?


texts: What do I do when I don't trust my LBS to repair a problem they caused?

texts:
I have a Sturmey Archer 3-speed hub on an ex-single speed. I got a flat on my way to work and couldn't ride any more. So I jumped on the train and took it to the bike shop near work (the shop who fitted the hub was too far from my work) to get them to fit a new tyre and tube. They've generally seemed pretty knowledgeable and competent when I've used them in the past.

When I picked it up, they'd removed the changing cable and shaft (sorry, I don't know what this is called) that triggers the gear change from the hub and when I pointed it out they didn't even think that was a problem. So I assume they aren't exactly familiar with Sturmey Archer hubs.

Unfortunately when they re-fitted the axle nuts they cross threaded it. So the nut was completely stripped and now I can't properly thread a new nut onto the axle, as the thread on the axle is also damaged.

My first thought is to take it back and get them to fix it. But if the fix necessitates a new axle, I don't trust them to do the work. So I guess I should ask them to pay for me to return the hub to the shop I bought it from so they can repair it, but I doubt they'll agree to that.

What is a reasonable expectation? How should I proceed from here?


texts: Why do my tires always deflate between rides?

texts:
I realize this is a topic that’s been posted about a few times, but please forgive me for adding a new thread anyway just to make sure I’m not missing something. I don’t know much at all about bicycle maintenance or modern mountain bike tires.

Every time I want to go for a ride, I have to inflate my tires. It’s been that way since I bought the bike brand new (Giant Talon 2) and continued even after confirming there were no leaks.

The same problem, albeit to a much lesser degree, occurs with my 2nd bike that uses the older style standard valves (the main bike uses the Schrader-style valves). The only variable I can think of is the temperature of my garage, which can get mighty warm here in Phoenix with air temperatures hitting 40-45 degrees C (104-113 degrees F) The bikes are hanging from a hook on the wall with no weight on the tires.

Can the extreme heat in my garage actually change the shape of the tubes/tires, thereby permanently changing the seals, causing a slow leak? If the answer is yes, is there any kind of solution?

It is a gigantic pain in the butt to have to pump up the tires before every ride, even if only 24 hours apart. I’ve never had the tires get low during a long ride, so however it’s leaking, it’s very slow.

Thanks in advance for any advice you might be able to provide.


texts: FSA Omega MegaEXO Press fit BB 19mm removal (non standard BB86)

texts:
Has anyone removed a 19mm spindle (Omega) Press fit bottom bracket without destroying it in the process?

I have watched http://www.fullspeedahead.tv/video/7006668/installation-of-megaexo-crankset-on and the tool mentioned #EE056 can't be found anywhere on the internet.

That link is now broken. The best places to look seems to be http://www.fullspeedahead.com/support/technical-information-instructions/

I am not even sure that is for the 19mm version rather than the standard 24mm.

I understand I can take a punch/screwdriver and hammer it out of my frame, but the BB only has 1000km on it and I would like to reuse it in the winter.


texts: Which tire is compatible with DT swiss c 1850 wheel

texts:
Currently my bike Canyon Inflite SL7.0 has dt swiss c 1850 spline wheels which using Schwalbe 33-622 (28x1.3) size tire which is hard to find in India.
Also, I have done 50T chainring conversation on my bike. And use my bike only only Road. Is it possible to fit any lower width tire like 27mm ? Currently it is 33mm width.
Can you please suggest any alternative tire, or is it even possible to use a different brand tire on DT swiss c1850 spline wheels ?
Thank you.


texts:
I have a few questions about the Y-Foil frame (beam frame)

Firstly as far as i have seen, there is no rear suspension system, does the fact that there is no seat tube offer suspension and dampening, or is the frame to ridged and strong to do that?

Secondly, i am having trouble understanding where the advantages come from and why it was banned. I understand that while made from carbon fiber and the shape of the tubing would mean it is lightweight and aerodynamic, but ofcourse a frame with a seat tube can also be designed with those 2 aspects. so what advantages does having no seat tube provide?


texts: My light doesn't seem to work well, after 15 minutes of work it starts to switch to lower settings and shutting down. My guess is that I need to add the thermal paste that might be quite old (3+ years). I can't figure out how to get to the LEDs themselves, the only thing I was able to disassembly is the rear driver cover. Could someone explain how can I reach those LEDs?


texts:
I've recently converted into 2spd crankset so I've bought a new 2spd road lever. I'm really struggling now to tune the front derailleur. Could you please assist me by answering this questions:

Why the shifter does 2 clicks instead of 1 when you go up? Is that normal? It's 2spd shifter isn't it supposed to have only 1 click? And at the same time ...
When I do one click up with the shifter the derailleur moves but always seems like not far enough so I need go up for another click, which leads to ...
When I try to go down the gears and I release the shifter that was clicked 2 times it goes all 2 click at once and the derailleur makes this ugly very loud clutch back to the first gear. It doesn't sound right at all.

Can you tell me what am I doing wrong here? I guess I'm missing something very important here, but I don't know exactly what.

I watched bunch of youtube instructions on how to properly tune a front derailleur, but I still facing the same problem over and over again.

Thank you in advance, and please ask if the question is not clear enough.


texts:
I dusted off an old steel frame french road bike (circa 1980) and have been enjoying the summer riding so far. Unfortunately I managed to snap the chain on it. No big deal, put a measuring caliper on it and read off 1/2" pitch and 3/32" width. Went to the local bike shop and picked up a cheapo SRAM chain and put her on.

Now the chain skips every 2-3 revolutions. It turns out the pitch isn't 3/32" but slightly smaller, causing the chain to slip. This leads me to think that the old french chains are a non-standard size. Or has the original chain stretched over the years? Is there any way of finding a replacment chain for it or do I need to update the chainring/cassette for something more modern and compatible? Seems a shame to do away with the original parts.

Anyone out there have experience of doing up old french bikes and may have some knowledge?


texts: Upgrading stock front derailleur - Will Shimano Deore work with 3x7 gearing?

texts:
I'm looking to upgrade the front derailleur from a stock DNP-brand (the ones every big-box BSO has) to a nicer Shimano. The goal is to reduce play and flex while switching, allowing a tighter adjustment and crisper shifting on the front chainrings.

I think I want the Shimano Deore line, durable and stiff but nothing fancy, except that the full Deore groupset is based on a 10-speed rear cassette, while the bike currently has a 7-speed cassette and I'm not in much hurry to upgrade the full groupset (the only real problems I'm having with the bike are centered around this front mech; the other components, while by no means high-end, are getting their job done).

So, will a Deore FD-M610 work with the wider chain of a 3x7, 42-32-24 setup, or do I need to be looking elsewhere? I don't have exact specs on the chain at the moment, so I assume it would be the "standard" width for a 7/8-speed cassette which is in the 9/32" range.


texts: Pannier rack restricting dérailleur movements

texts: I fitted a pannier rack to my bike and the placement of it caused the rear derailluer cable and housing to be pushed outwards slightly, increasing the tension in the cable, I guess. The derailleur will move between 7 of 8 gears however the cable is now too taught to get the derailleur moving to the biggest gear. It is also tough to get the derailleur moving between gears without skipping them. I've tried replacing the gear cable only. The cable housing has remained the same length. Would increasing the cable housing length help or is this simply a case of the pannier being incompatible with my bike?


texts: Fixing up a rusty old Rallye mountain bike

texts:
I bought a Rallye mountain bike from Facebook Marketplace last year and did most of the major overhauling then as well. It was covered in mud, gunk, rust, had broken pedals, etc. So I had replaced the grips, pedals, brake cables and scoured as much rust off of it as I could.
Now that I've finally had time to work on it again I've found it's rusted again (it's been sitting outside exposed to the elements, I know it shouldn't be kept out there). The brake handles are cracked worse than they were when I got it so I ordered a new pair since it prevents me from actually using my brakes they're due to arrive in a couple days, and I haven't been able to shift since I've gotten it so I'm trying to figure out how to get the derailleurs working again, there's significant slack in the cables.
In all honesty, I'm a bit of a newb pertaining to bikes but it seems simple enough since I've gotten a handle on the bare basics. Any and all help or listed resources will be awesome.


texts: Which size spoke tool. Currently size 14

texts:
I have this spoke tool. The number I use on this tool is 14. I use it on a hybrid mountain bike.

.

I want to get one which is easier to use but I do not know which size.

Here are the available sizes.
For 3.20mm/80 ga./0.127" nipples, black vinyl coated.
For 3.45mm/80 ga./0.136" nipples, red vinyl coated.
For 3.30mm/80 ga./0.130” nipples, green vinyl coating

My guess is the red one in the middle. Hoping for someone to confirm my guess.

Thanks you

Edit by Moz: Bounty offered for a conversion chart or link to one. Those numbers seem more or less consistent on the three of those tools I found, so somewhere there has to be a reference to the expected sizes (unfortunately theres +/- .1mm wear on the ones I have as they're old and cheap). The suppliers I've found all just say "fits all sizes" and don't list what the sizes actually are.


texts: I know there are better rain-forecast sources than "hourly forecast" websites. What's the best such source?

texts:
When biking, I'm not so concerned about how the temperature will fluctuate. I'm much more concerned about whether or not it will rain.

I sometimes wonder about two things: Will it rain in my city? If so, when?

Please teach me the best way to find answers.

Note:

Please don't point me to the local weather services' "hourly forecasts". They're too vague for me to completely understand, as detailed in the small print below.

My government's weather service is called Environment Canada. They publish a probability of precipitation (POP) when the likelihood of rain or snow is "maybe". They say it's the "chance that measurable precipitation [...] will fall on 'any random point of the forecast region' during the forecast period". This is confusing. But, taken together with the relevant Wikipedia article, it's understandable.

Some other weather services offer "hourly forecasts" for my city. But I don't understand their stated POPs. I did a Google search which led me to a post by Trigonal Planar. Here's a Trigonal Planar quote which I have modified to reflect my current guess at what hourly POPs mean. "The chance of rain [during] a particular [period] is 20%. But during the [period], certain hours are more or less prone towards producing said rain." This is still too confusing.

So, if you point me to a weather-forecast website, please point me to one where I can find a clear definition of each included element.


texts: Does my rear tubular tire need to be replaced? It still holds air but I am concerned about my ride safety


texts: Do narrow tires puncture more frequently?

texts: Does a narrow bicycle tire puncture more often, or does it requires more attention regarding its maintenance and servicing?


texts:
Can I fit a throttle to a pedal assist Viking Gravity ebike?
If yes what is needed other than a throttle?
Thanks


texts: Rear derailleur moves to much for each click - tried everything

texts:
Two years ago I build a bike (flat bar) with SRAM 1x11. Around a month ago the rear-derailleur broke (guide pulley broke).

I bought a new rear derailleur: Shimano 105 RD-5800-GS.

After installation shifting got bad. The rear derailleur moves to far for each click, so sometimes it changes two gears for one click. It only takes 8 clicks to move the chain from the inner sprocket to the outer - and only 8 clicks to move it back. In other words it seems like the derailleur moves around 5 millimeters instead of 4 millimeters.

I have another bike (road bike) with Shimano 105 5800 group (2x11). I tried to take the wheel and the rear derailleur from that bike to the bike with the problem. It did not help - problem was the same.

I bought a new shifter: "Shimano XTR SL-M9000-R Rapidfire Plus Shifting Lever - 11-speed". Problem was still the same after installation. (Cable was also changed).

I bought and installed a new derailleur hanger. Problem is still the samme.

I have not had any crashes.

I think I have tried everything. Any ideas, what can I try ?


texts: How to attach mini-pump to valve on kids' bike with no space to manoeuver?

texts:
I bought a new, unused mini-pump from Ebay, here:

https://bit.ly/2HbbYRW

From the enlarged views, you can see that the pump works with both Presta and Schrader valves.

For two kid's bikes, I can only get the pump to fit one valve out of four. For the other three, I seem to be screwing forever, with no mating.

Here's some info.

I use the Schrader setting. So the valve end of the flexible extension is screwed fully in.
The pump fits my car (UK)
All caps fit easily on all bikes.
A cap from my car fits all valves on both bikes.
All the caps from the bikes fit my car.
All caps, including the car are countersunk. So roughly 4 pitches of thread are missing. This makes the cap self-centering, so it's easier to start the thread, even if the attitude is slightly incorrect. I think If the threads on the flexible extension had been countersunk, I might have succeeded.
The flexible extension is not as flexible as they were 50 years ago. Those extensions could easily form an "S" shape. There's not much space for my fingers (but more space than with a chuck). The reduced flexibility of the current extension means that it's difficult to angle the knurled end such that the axis of the knurling is inline with the axis of the valve. So the angle is offset by about 2 or 3 degrees, which is enough to prevent the threads from mating. I suppose a stronger guy with leather-tipped fingers might be able to do it.

I would be grateful for any advice on how to fit the pump to the valve.

Thanks.

Edit:  All the above info about car caps and bike caps was to prove that I have a schrader valve rather than a presta valve.

But I've just seen photos of these two valves here, and there's absolutely no resemblance (as many people probably know):

http://sheldonbrown.com/gloss_u-v.html#valve

So, based on these photos, my valves are definitely schrader.


texts: Modern Retro-design (Peugout-mixte) bicycle for girlfriend

texts:
My girlfriend would like to buy a bicycle, though, she's marveled about these old Peugout Mixte bicycles. These seem to be very hard to find. So, I am wondering if there can be found any modern bicycles that somehow match her  taste. Which brands should I search for, given that we're living in Europe (Portugal)?

Edit: Finally, my girlfriend decided to get a Peugeut. She insisted that she wanted this and not any other bicycle. The reason for this choice was that the Peugeut is a city/road bike hybrid.

I wonder why aren't there manufacturers focusing on this mix anymore, specially for girls....


texts: Squealing/whistling noise that gets higher-pitched the faster I'm moving

texts:
My bike has started making a high-pitched whistling noise when I get moving and I'm not sure what's causing it, though I have a suspicion.

It starts happening after a few seconds of pedalling
It gets higher-pitched the faster the bike's going
It's dependent on the speed of the bike, not how hard I'm pedalling

I tried pushing the bike along a short distance and couldn't hear it but I might just not have been going fast enough.

So, that suspicion about the cause. When I got it out of the bike shed at work last night, the seat and handlebars were covered in some kind of dust. A colleague realised that it was probably from the work in the car park that day - someone was cutting into the road surface and apparently kicking up a big cloud of tarmac/concrete dust that could've easily gone through the widely-spaced slats of the bike shed.

Could that dust (presumably gumming up some lubricated part) be the cause of this noise? If so, where should I focus my cleaning?

If not, any ideas what it could be instead?


texts: Switching to touring bicycle: Performance considerations

texts:
I'm using a road bike more than 2 years for holiday tours and commuting.

Merida Scultura 903
Shimano Tiagra groupset (50-34, 12-28)
8-9 kg
700x23 tyres

Now i have plans to switch to touring bike. Expected:

VSF TX-Randonneur
Shimano 105 groupset (50-39-30, 11-43)
14-15 kg (with tubus etc)
700-43 tyres

I am really wondering about performance / speed change? Does anyone experienced this kind of process? Typically my speed is 30/32 km/h in flat roads.


texts: Which chain should I buy to replace the one on my Specialized Rockhopper 2016?

texts:
I own a Specialized 2016 Rockhopper Expert and the chain is slightly twisted and needs to be replaced.

This bike has 10 rear gears and 2 front gears. The specifications indicate the chain is a "KMC X10, 10-speed, w/ reusable MissingLink".

I searched for a replacement chain but only found KMC chains with 114 links. The one I own has 110 links. Should I go with a chain such as the KMC X10EL Silver?


texts: Can old, stiff friction shifters be made serviceable?

texts: I've got a few friction shifters knocking around but all seem so rough as to be impossible to use on a bike. Are they meant to be like that or can a service be done on them to get good use out of them?


texts: Which grease to use when servicing RST suspension fork

texts: I would really need an answer because my forks got really stiff and I want to service them.


texts:
I have a tripod for my SLR camera that I want to carry on my bike. It's just a generic tripod like this one, but if I strap it to my top tube it rubs against my legs while riding (and it's slightly too long for that).

I do have a pannier rack, but I haven't been able to attach it in a way I'm happy with yet. Do I have any other options?


texts: How to remove pedal bolt with round, smooth head

texts:
I'm trying to take the reflector off of some old French track pedals but can't remove one of the bolts holding the reflector on because the bolt holding the reflector onto the pedal rotates with its nut and it has a smooth, round head with no screw drive at all, so I can't find a way of producing any torque to remove the nut by holding the bolt in place. I even tried "clamping" the bolt head with some pliers by putting the head of the bolt against one jaw of the pliers while the other jaw was against the inside of the pedal itself, but the bolt still rotated freely even when applying as much pressure as possible with the pliers.

Additionally, when I removed the plastic reflector from its metal housing (which I'm trying to remove), a rusty thin strip of metal fell out (highlighted in green in the photo); Is this possibly some clue to removing the bolt?-- I had no problems removing the bolts on the other pedal, but I'm unsure of the internal "configuration" of the reflector, i.e. if the other reflectors on the other pedal also have this weird metal strip thing. However, I'm reluctant to remove the other reflectors to check because whenever I take anything off of this bike, there is a very good chance that it'll break in the process and I won't be able to get it back on.


texts: What is the meaning of multiple front derailleur clamp measurements?

texts: I am putting a front derailleur on a Surly Long Haul Trucker frame. I know from the LHT specs that the front derailleur clamp diameter should be 28.6mm. However, for the Shimano Deore front derailleur that I want, the online shop gives me the choice of "28.6mm/31.8mm/34.9mm" and "28.6mm/34.9mm". What is the meaning of these multiple measurements, and does it matter which of the two I choose if both include "28.6mm"?


texts:
I have bought Shimano SPD pedals and MTB shoes recently. After riding for a while with cleats I decided to go back to regular pedals as I had trouble getting used to the SPDs:

With cleats power is decreased dramatically. It's became much harder for me to stick with fast riding group.
After riding, muscles are aching.
It's became more difficult to pick up speed at the start.

Most likely that's because others groups of muscles are working. However, more than one month passed and I feel like I am still much faster with regular shoes. With regular pedals I used to ride with middle of the foot over the pedal. That is the main difference.

One more thing - uncomfortable feeling in my knees. However, cleats position are set up completely fine, according to multiple instructions and tutorials.

I'm wondering, if anyone have ever faced with same issue when starts to use cleats. What changes can you suggest trying to alleviate the problems I have described?


texts: I'm about 3500 miles into a long tour, and the other day we noticed a few of the wheels between my own bike and some other guy's were starting to warp pretty noticable. With the help of someone more versed in maintenance we tightened some spokes to true them against the brake pads and gave them all 1/8 turn on the advice they were a little loose. Another few days riding revealed in the course of this fix we warped the rim a little from circular (radially untrue?) so I did my best fixing that a little. My only worry is in somehow making the bike unsafe to ride since I'm new to truing wheels. On the road and without a means of measuring spoke tension, does it seem excessively risky to eyeball the tensions like this? My main worry, reasonable or (hopefully) not, is I'm somehow crippling the wheel and it will give out catastrophically at high speed or something. Is this fear founded at all? I'm curious how the wheel would fail if I'd messed it up.


texts:
I'm trying to replace the bottom bracket assembly on my 98' trek 820.  The current one grinds and needs replacement.

The bracket that came in it is a shimano bb-ct92.  I've looked online and can't find it for sale...what should i do to replace a minimum of parts and get this bracket changed out?

The dimensions are 68x116, but apparently because the front derailleur attaches to the bottom bracket, or complicates things.

Any suggestions?

Out of curiosity, how difficult/costly would it be to move to a normal style derailleur?  One that would allow me to use a standard style bottom bracket?


texts: Bicycling 36 km per day in city traffic is feasible?

texts:
I am planning (still in planning phase since last 1 month :( ) to use bicycle as my commute to and from office.

My office is around 18 km away from my home. Almost half the road will be full of traffic. Everyone in my family has already told me that 36 km per day will be too much and I wont be able to continue cycling for long time.

I am aware that initially it will be tough to go 36 km per day but I think after month or so my body will get used to it.

So I am wondering how much km do other people go per day? What are your experiences about cycling? and 36 km per day is too much distance?

Update : Finally I bought one cycle against everyone's suggestion (family members and friends) and started cycling to the office. I must say it is a tough job to start cycling after 10 years but I am enjoying it. It takes me almost the same time to reach office. On my motorcycle I used reach office in 40 minutes and on cycle it takes me around 50 minutes. Dust, pollution and other people yanking horns from behind is the biggest headache for me now. I hope that I will get used to it :)

Thanks everyone for your encouragement, suggestions and answers.


texts: Bottom bracket cup doesn't fit on non drive side

texts:
I'm replacing the crankset and bottom bracket on my old steel frame road bike, which looks like this one, so I'm guessing it's from around 1985.  I picked up a 68 mm square taper bottom bracket and found that I couldn't fit the non drive side bottom bracket cup in.  The drive side is fine, but the other one can't fit in at all, even with all the other parts removed (to ensure nothing was getting in the way).  The old one (from a cottered crank) fits in fine and rotates without problems, and there doesn't seem to be any deformation or damage.  Do I simply have the wrong part? Is the possible the part is defective?

Here is a picture of the bottom bracket. I don't have calipers so I couldn't get a decent measurement, but the left cup seems bigger, and the pictures seems to confirm this.


texts: Do belts on belt-drive bicycles stretch under load and spring back? Reputedly they don't stretch over their lifetime

texts:
Does a belt on a belt-drive bicycle stretch under load and then elastically return?
The only current manufacturer I know (Gates Carbon Drive) claims the belt does not stretch over its useful lifetime, but my question is does it stretch under load and then return?
I have read some forum posts (can't find them now), that say they stretch under load, so are no good for power applications such as single-speed racing. This argument would not seem to hold up since Gates now have a single speed racing team and they've won some races.

Does anyone have any factual information or practical experience that can answer whether the belt stretches under load and elastically returns?

A related question is if there is some slight elasticity would that help prevent the damage that can be caused to internal hubs from changing gears under heavy load?


texts: I recently purchased two Maxxis Hookworm street tires. There are no rotation arrows on them. Does this mean it doesn't matter how they are mounted on the wheel?


texts:
If anyone has done this before, I would like to know whether a bicycle ride from Delft to Rotterdam is hard (approx 15km).

I don’t know what to expect since the Netherlands is flat, but still.


texts: Installing a new Shimano compact crank on an older bottom bracket?

texts:
I would like to know if I could install a new Shimano compact crank on an older bottom bracket that has a center bolt extraction system? Do I need to change the spindle in the bottom bracket? Do I need a new crank extraction tool for the new crank system?
Thanks Mark


texts: Is there a ranking of bicycle manufacturer brands in terms of quality?

texts: How much does actual branding weigh in these days when it comes to buying a bicycle of an established brand (i.e from a bicycle store)? Or is it all about the components and the brand is just a label?


texts: What's a good website for logging cycling trip data?

texts:
Whenever I go cycling I reset my bike computer (measures distance, speed, time, and various statistics based on these quantities, such as average speed) and set up my Polar training computer (measures heart rate, time, and various statistics based on these quantities, such as average heart rate).

When I get back I log basic statistics---date, duration, route, average speed, max speed, heart rate info, and a short description---into an HTML file that has gotten rather large.

I've been wondering whether there's a site, with nice user interface, that would allow me to log these data online? Ideally one would be able to see the aggregate distance and aggregate duration within various time periods, etc.; it would also be good to be able to log routes on a Google maps-like map which one could then share with others.

I realize this question is only tangentially related to cycling; still, this seems to be a relevant place to ask the question.


texts: Is it possible to replace this quick release part on a Motiv Rockpoint?

texts:
My son has been using this bike, and the other day he came home with a bolt that had come off. I checked it out, and it looks like there's also another part missing—the other end of the quick wheel release. I assume it's the same as this one on the front.

Is there any way I can get a replacement? I think it's maybe just called a "quick release nut", but are they at all standard? It doesn't look like this bike is even sold anymore, so could I just buy a generic one (or even the whole quick release assembly if necessary)?


texts: Swapping chainrings on old ultegra crank

texts:
I have a 2002 Ultegra 9-speed triple with 52/39/30(?) chainrings. I swapped out the inner two chainrings twice and kept the original crank and 52-tooth ring. The 52t ring only gets used going downhill and weighing in at 134#, I don't put much pressure on it.

Are there ultegra quality replacements available, or do I need to update the crank+rings?


texts:
I'm building this frame from the ground up:

https://www.deitycomponents.com/cryptkeeper_frame.html

The specs for the headset say:

IS 52/40 Lower Bearing (Tapered Steerer)
IS 52/30 Lower Bearing (Straight 1 1/8" Steerer)

In my research, I've found that IS stands for INTEGRATED ANGULAR CONTACT.

My fork is an 2014 Manitou Circus Expert (which is tapered)...

What exactly do these specs this mean?  Is the "52/40" a specific measurement?


texts: Clip-on to temporarily convert Look pedal to stand-on style?

texts: I have a road bike with look style pedals, and I am looking for an attachment I can clip-in to the pedals (where my cleats clip in) to provide a platform so that I can temporarily use ordinary shoes to pedal.  I find this convenient if I have to lock up/walk somewhere after so I can wear whatever walking shoes I want (I can't walk in my look cleats and don't want to convert to SPD).


texts: Why does the chain tension vary as pedals are turned?

texts:
I have a new single-speed bike (after purchase this year, it was unused in a garage for a few months), but as I turn the pedals, the tension in the chain varies noticeably.

What should I check, one-by-one, to find the source (and fix it)?

If not mitigated (I'm guessing it'll never be perfect), can it wear down the chain/sprokets faster? Cause any other issues?

More information, and bonus question:

I'm also having an issue that twice per a full pedal rotation, there is a click sound that seems to come from the bottom bracket. Not sure if related?


texts: How often should I check rear derailleur adjustments?

texts:
If I remove the (rattling)plastic disc  -

How often should I check the limit screws on rear derailleur?
If the shifter cable tension is less than optimal, would this be a possible cause to drive the chain in between the spokes and the rear cog-set?
Excluding the case of debris getting stuck in drive-train; are there any other adjustments besides above two and true-ness of rear wheel that may cause the problem of getting chain between cogs and spokes?

Derailleur in question is a Shimano Deore.

Update: Details- For mileage, I commute about 110 miles/week.


texts: Want to adjust/replace front fork suspension on a Next Break Point pro 26" bike. Has no access at the axle.

texts: Very 'low end' fork, bottoms are pinched at axle point, so no access there. Is there a way to clean, adjust these or is fork replacement my only option?


texts: Alternative to 5-speed twist shifter for Shimano Nexus 5-speed IGH?

texts:
I'm going to buy a SG-C7000-5D / SG-C7050-5D and don't want to use the twist shifter. Unfortunately there aren't many 5-speed flat bar shifters around theses days. I've searched for alfine shifters, but there's no 5-speed version, so also no corresponding shifter available..
Luckily I found the Shimano SL-5S50 for Nexus, but it's discontinued and I can't find it anywhere in Europe. Since the Indicator Unit (Black, Y-6WX98020) and 7-speed version (SL-7S50) are still available, the following questions came into my mind:

Can I simply swap the Indicator Unit of SL-7S50 with a SL-5S50?
Is there another 5-speed flat bar shifter that has the same "cable pull-distance"? Maybe even without indicator?


texts: How accurate are indoor trainer power meters?

texts: I recently got a Tacx Flow trainer, this being the first time using a power meter. For about 10 years, however, I have been doing monthly "uphill time trials," whereby I put the time into that formula which, supposedly, determines your power. (Mass X height of climb, divided by time (seconds) = Newton meters X 10 = watts.) For that, I've been averaging about 300 - 330 watts for around 13 - 14 minutes. Yet, on the Tacx, I've done just an 8 minute effort (for determining CTS training zones), and can only manage 250 watts. I realize neither of these is going to be as accurate as a PowerTap or SRM, but that seems to be an awfully large discrepancy, especially considering how its the shorter effort is so much lower. I know fatigue starts setting in, but on the Tacx, it seems like the resistance is gradually increasing, or some thing. Or, is it possible something isn't set up right? (Yes, I did put my body weight in.)


texts:
I just got a new Cannondale Trail a few weeks ago (March 2018) and it came with RockShox XC30 100mm travel 29" wheel front fork.  I'm heavier than the average rider so I need the XFirm spring for it.  A quick internet search found lots of sellers selling the 11.4018.010.030 part.  I purchased this and It's too short by about 2cm making my suspension travel substantially lower.  RockShox's parts guide reveals that it is for the 2012-2015 (A1-A3) XC30 shock.  The same parts guide lists a 2016 XC30 B1 shock and a different part number for the spring that I can't find listed at any store (11.4018.010.165) (edit: online, in the US).

I don't want to make the same mistake twice so before I ask my LBS to order this part.  Am I getting it right?  Is this the right part or is there a 2018 model year XC30 shock with yet a different set of parts?


texts: Pedaling overhead with front vs rear hub motor

texts:
When pedaling with the motor not working, would a rear geared hub motor give more resistance when accelerating or a front geared hub motor?

Given that the the torque from pedaling is applied to the rear wheel, making the rear wheel heavier might offer more acceleration resistance than adding the same weight to the front wheel (my reasoning).


texts: Something sounds loose but can't see what

texts:
I have a relatively new Boardman Pro 29er. It has around 500 miles on it.

I'm having a sound issue at the minute where at certain speeds a very loud resonating vibration type sound starts. I'm convinced it's coming from the crank or bottom bracket but can't be sure. It almost sounds like a loose guitar string.

It seems to be related to cadence more than actual moving speed. I'd say roughly 60rpm.

I've inspected my bike with my fingers for loose nuts and bolts, cable ends rubbing, cables rattling and I can find nothing.

What could it be?


texts:
I'm using a Devinci silverstone s.1 that's having trouble getting up to the highest/largest gear on the front.

I checked the tension and it didn't seem to make a difference. Read I should check limit screws next. Mine aren't labelled H and L but I thought I could figure it out from the chain's behavior but for some reason as I tighten and loosen each one I'm not totally convinced which is which.

There's one that's higher but closer to the lower gear and one that's vice versa.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1s19rrlvpe9foqx/file%202015-07-29%2C%2017%2040%2037.jpeg?dl=0


texts: Replace SPD pedals for road pedals... which system to choose?

texts:
I ride mostly two bikes: one for commuting/touring, one for training (and soon racing).

I ride SPD on the commuter and installed SPDs on the racing bike that I bought a bit later so I did not have to buy new shoes just for this.

Problem is that as Iam taking training/racing more seriously, I would not want to be limited in the choice of my shoes when I get to buy some in the future, and the only SPD compatible ones are either touring/commuting/MTB or very bottom-of-the-range road ones that have both the 3 road drillings and the 2 SPD drilling.
I want to be able to choose some shoes that have very road specific features such as lower weight and very stiff soles...

Plus, SPDs are fine for touring/commuting/MTB but if they're not commonly used for road training/racing, there has to be a reason...

So this all leads me towards a switch to road pedals...

Just wondering about the system to pick:
- standard Shimano SPD-SL that seems to be extremely standard, good value (both the pedals and spare cleats)
- Time? Look? Mavic? that seem to their fans
- Speedplay: I really like the 2 sided system and there seem to be good reviews but they're expensive, bot pedals and spares...

What should I pick?

Consider that I will continue touring and commuting with SPDs so, while I am ready to lose shoe compatibility on all bike, I don't want the transitions between systems to be too tough, hence my liking of the Speedplay system and its double sides ...


texts: I have a Sora 2x9 front derailleur, and a Tiagra rear derailleur.  I want to upgrade the Sora component.  Do I need to be concerned about anything other than getting another 2x9 front derailleur?  Thanks.


texts: What type of bike has the most similar feel to a stationary bike?

texts:
At the moment I cycle half an hour every evening, on a crappy indoor stationary bike.
BUT I'm pretty good, get some good speeds and distances etc.
I want to start cycling outside again, I want a bike similar to a stationary bike, one that rides similarly.
Maybe very few gears, or just one?
What would you guys recommend??


texts: Cycling uphill on a road - sitting or standing on pedals?

texts: When cycling uphill on a road, what are the pros and cons of cycling while standing up on pedal versus sitting on saddle?


texts: Will loose handlebars result in slower riding?

texts: I went for a ride this morning and my handlebars were loose. I now realize that it is unsafe to ride like that but my average speed was dramatically lower. Do you think it is because of my loose handlebars?


texts: What road double cranksets will work with a 108mm JIS square taper bottom bracket spindle?

texts: So far it seems like the Shimano Sante or Suntour Sprint cranksets are the only ones that would fit my bottom bracket spindle (I am hoping to keep both BB and spindle).  Am I missing any possible cranksets?


texts: I've recently had 2 bikes (Trek and Giant) of the hybrid style. The frame style was comfortable but both were difficult to change gears. When going up an incline, I would shift to a lower gear. The chain would slip, pop, clatter, and sometimes fall off completely. I took them back to the dealer who adjusted the shift cable but that did not correct the problem. I got rid of both of them. Is there a bike that does not have this shifter problem? thanks


texts: Do I need to refill sealant after puncture?

texts:
I got my first set of brand new tubeless wheels (Mavic Aksium Elite UST) and next day I had a somewhat large (it looks more than 4 mm) puncture.  The sealant did its job, but my teammates described it as a "beer flowing from my tire".

Now I'm worried that I might need to add more sealant to the tire, but I don't know how much and I don't want to waste whatever fluid remains inside, since it is totally new.  Any recommendations?

Also, is it OK to leave the tire with such a puncture as it is now?


texts: I have friction shifters and for some reason the front one gives me a bit of trouble. It tends to return to its most untensioned state. So say I want to shift to a higher gear, it will try to drop me back down to my lower gear. My guess is I might need to lube up the cable and shifter. Any other known solutions?


texts:
I was thinking about a patching tiny puncture I got from a metal sliver in the road.  I usually don't even attempt to patch tubes, I always carry a spare, put that on and recycle the tube and forget about it.

I was wondering if it would be feasible to fix a small hole in the tube by applying heat from a lighter until some of the material melted and fused back together.  Or even dripping some molten plastic or rubber over the whole if it were larger.

Has anyone ever done this successfully? I'm curious about butyl and latex tubes.


texts: Fox Float RP2 shock tuning (rebound, compression/velocity, boost valve)

texts: Does anyone have an experience with Fox Float RP2 tuning? I bought a used Giant Reign 2 2011 and it came with "L" - I guess that means "low" - "velocity tune" (earlier called compression tune). The velocity tune is supposed to correspond to the level of ProPedal. So that seems that the Reign has the smallest ProPedal setting from factory. I think I could use a greater level of ProPedal (2 or 3). I just sent the shock for an annual maintenance. Is it possible to change the velocity tune? Do you think it is a good idea. The guy from maintenance company told me it is not a good idea to change velocity tune on a particular bike because it could collide with a frame geometry.