texts: Cockpit tech: ANT+ Power meter → Android phone?

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Question
Has anybody had any success getting ANT+ only equipment to talk to Android apps?
I'm only talking about a situation in which the Android phone specifically has ANT+ capabilities; obviously if there's no ANT+ radio it would be idiotic to expect it to happen.
This might be the wrong SE to ask a question like this, since it's not so much about cycling per se but about data-exchange-protocol interoperability... I just figured that somewhere out there, someone else will have encountered the issue.
The background below lays out the main details.
Background
So I recently bought a set of wheels with a CycleOps PowerTap Elite+ hub, as a (relatively) cheap alternative to buying pedal- or crank-based power meter. My current bike has "near-vintage" Dura-Ace 7700 throughout - including pedals and cranks - and I didn't really want to switch anything out.
I knew that the hub was ANT+-only (no BLE), but I have an ANT+ dongle (for my PC, for Zwift) and my phone purports to have an ANT+ Radio Service and an ANT+ plugin manager. An ANT+ testing app claims that the phone has all the appropriate ANT+ functionality (HAL; Radio; USB; Plugins).
My phone detects the ANT+ ID of a bunch of Wahoo, Garmin, and other devices (e.g., speed and cadence sensors), but they are all dual ANT/BLE and they always connect using BLE.
When Zwift starts on my phone there's a little ANT+ icon next to the Bluetooth icon, and both are pulsating.
Same for the PC, except that on the PC Zwift usually connects to speed and cadence meters - and my KickR - using ANT+ rather than BT.
When I first put the wheels on, I tried to pair them with the Wahoo android app, but the app didn't find them. Nor did Zwift, on either phone or PC - despite the pulsating ANT+ icon.
My Garmin Edge 500 found the wheels no problem, but I hate the lack of screen real-estate on Garmins - I have terrible eyesight and pretty awful on-bike coordination, so trying to switch screens by button-pressing is a recipe for an ironic death...  give me a 6.5" screen and swipe-changes and I'm less likely to die.
Plus uploading to Strava from an Edge 500 is a GPITA (Gigantic Pain In The ... Aorta), whereas from Zwift or Wahoo it.just.happens. The lack of screen and awkward functionality rules out, e.g., getting a cheap used Edge 510.
I would really like for my phone to be able to 'see' my PowerTap hub, without getting the hub upgraded to ANT/BLE - assuming that's still possible. It used to be possible, and might still be; I've seen one ebay ad for the 'Powercap' (which fits all G3 & GS Hubs including Pro and Elite model hubs that have been upgraded to the G3 style cap - that has stopped me from pulling the trigger until I work out what this 'upgrade' to the cap entails; the cap's just a threaded bit of plastic).


texts: How can one estimate drag for a bicycle?

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I am curious how to estimate drag for a bicycle. This has two different framings:

Find the amount of power required to ride at a certain speed. That is, when one is traveling at a constant speed, the power added to the system (with my effort and/or coasting on a descent) equals the power subtracted by aerodynamic drag, rolling resistance, ascending, deflecting objects thrown by spectators, etc.
Find the amount of pushing force required to maintain a given speed (again, the pushing forward equals the pushing backward at constant speed). The most obvious example is aerodynamic drag, which one can feel “pushing” back when one is riding at speed.

Online calculators and formulas exist, but they assume coefficients of rolling resistance or aerodynamic drag, or assume that I can provide these coefficients. How do they make these assumptions, and/or how can I make those estimates myself?

(Credit goes to R. Chung for urging me to ask, in the commentary of this question.)


texts: How to find track/Keirin races when travelling?

texts: I'm going to be in Japan for a few weeks in January and was wondering if there are any Keirin races I might be able to attend.  Do they run year round? How would I go about finding a schedule?


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I'm about to teach my daughter how to use clipless pedals and got wondering if there were any advantages of pushing off from a start with the left leg or right leg. Is there any difference?

To add a bit of context. She'll be mainly bunch riding with a school group using a road bike on sealed roads. We live in a country where traffic drives on the left hand side of the road.

Edit: Thanks for the answers. A couple of my own thoughts are: 1) in athletics, there are analogs of "no right answers, whichever feels right". For sprint starting blocks, a simple test is: relax and push the person forward. Whichever leg is extended to arrest the fall is the back leg in the starting block. It's nice to have an informal test like that. 2) camber of the road: our roads have a reasonable camber, and I tend to ground my foot on the lower side of the camber: would it be better to ground the foot on the higher side of the camber?, 3) if most of the bunch uses one leg, would it be better to do the same so that you all lean toward the same direction when you stop at lights etc.


texts: For example, seen on the Reid Cycles website


texts: Shimano GRX (or similar) and a flat bar - possible?

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I've got an old MTB hardtail GT Avalanche 1.0. Now it has SRAM X7 (3x10) crankset (but used in 1x10 setup with a nw chainring). This bike is my commuting and "road" bike.

With 36t chainring on the front I can't seem to ride as fast as I hopefully could with a larger one. So the question is: is it possible to install a road (or road-ish - like GRX mentioned in the title) double crankset and a derailleur on this bike? I want to leave flat handlebars in place in order not to make the geometry too strange.

Or, can I somehow use a double derailleur with a 3x crankset? Since I never use granny gear on this bike and don't like 3x mechs.


texts: What is the difference between different types of disc brake pads

texts: I've seen several different descriptors for disc brake pads: Metallic, Semi-Metallic, and Organic.  What is the difference between these types of disc brake pads?


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I have a pair of 16" plastic wheels on a scooter-bike that is slowly being refurbished.  The brakes have been tweaked to remove slop, and I have fitted new cables and brake levers.

The brake blocks are a bit old and I can hear them sliding on the plastic rims, so replacement seems in order.

Question What brake pad types are most suitable for plastic rims?   Pads for CF are supposed to be "gentle" on the rim, which is not really needed here.

Note this is not carbon fibre, it really is plastic.

I've searched the site and we have no answers about plastic wheels at all.

I have tried fitting some single and dual pivot road bike calipers but they just don't have enough reach, so I'm stuck with these stamped metal ones for now.

Edit - more detail, and photos with some decent zoom.

Closer shot of the wheel in question  The back is identical, cos there is no cassette.

Closer photo of the wheel's brake track.   Seems to be curved with age and/or wear.

Here's what looks to be the underlying problem - the pads are old and hard and are also intended for alloy wheels.

Finally - some clarification on the "Adult" in Adult scooter.  I'm 185 cm tall (6 foot 3 inches) and I can ride this with both hands on the handlebars, while standing straight.   Its not a kid size.  Also, I'm 9x kilos and this carries my weight fine.  It goes off a normal kerb/curb okay, but not up one because of the small wheel size.

I'm not sure what the style is named, but I've referred to it as a Macklemore scooter, and my calls it a Scooterbike.

Update - have replaced the pads with new ones.  The caliper arms were quite bent too, forcing uneven wear in the original pads.  Once brakes have bedded in, will compare braking.  If no better, will source some replacement 16" rims, probably two front wheels from kid's bikes will do


texts: Very nonstandard question: Is there any way to widen a tire by combining it with some other tire (cut and re-glue)?

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Brace yourself - this is not normal.

I have an old 22" rim (37-501, 22x1-3/8) and all I can get is skinny tires for it. But I'm an idiot and I really want a wider tire on that rim. I want it so bad I am grasping at straws for ideas.

So here's the thought:

Get a new tire (22x1-3/8)
Get a new BMX 22" tire (which is NOT gonna fit my rim)

Cut the skinny one's beads off with about 1" of rubber above it.
Cut the bead off the BMX tire very low.

Glue BMX tread to old-school beads.

Viola! a 2" wide tire for the old 22" rim.

Yeah, I know this is nuts. But CAN it be done and become whole again?

Maybe, just maybe, someone here knows if this has ever been done. Please let me know.


texts: Every time I move my handle bar left or right the wheel turns in different direction

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I crashed my bike and now every time I push on the front wheel a little, or if I turn the handle bar a little hard the wheel turns in the other direction.

What could cause this and what can I do about it?


texts: Thinking of upgrading my brakes to these, is there an issue with "mushy" braking?

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I want to get these in combination with new levers for my bike, but under the description it says:

"Use of these calipers with standard SLR enabled STI and brake levers results in a "mushy" brake response"

I've got a simple, single-speed bike, I'm not sure how this will be an issue? All of the reviews seem great, and they're the only reasonably priced shimano brake calipers that are black to match my gear.

Maybe I'm missing the mark completely and these brakes aren't even meant for a bike like mine, if that's the case can anyone recommend some affordable brake calipers that I can upgrade to?


texts: Returning to bicycling after a long hiatus

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Does anyone have advice for someone who is returning to bicycling after a multi month hiatus.
This is my followup question to Bicycle Storage.  Before the pandemic, I was biking 20 miles per day every day.
When the pandemic hit, I just stopped.  At first, I was doing a few pushups every day.  But soon, I just stopped exercising.  I did not even leave my house for months.  For the last six months, I have been doing basically no exercise (Despite this I have dropped weight because my appetite has gone way down.)  I suspect I am just weaker and in poorer shape than I was when all this started.
I would like to resume biking soon.  I am planning on starting with a shorter ride and working my way back to 20 mile rides.  Are there any other tips or tricks to consider?


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I just bought a used bike but I'm unsure of the condition of the brifters (Campy Chorus 10 alloys). When set up, the brake lever is pulled outwards by the brake cable, away from the shifting pedal. As a result when the bike is stationary, the shifters look like this. I don't think this is right... does anybody have any tips on if this is how they're supposed to be or if there's a broken component in the shifters causing this?

Thanks,
Chris!


texts: Why is the British version of "tire" is "tyre"?

texts: I saw someone spell tire wrong, so I edited it and it was rejected, because he was British. Is there a reason why British people use tyre instead of tire?


texts: Can I replace the front front derailleur with chain guide?

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My front derailleur (Shimano LX T670 / 34.9mm) has been stuck on the highest gear for a couple of weeks now which has got me thinking about how little I use it. To save weight could I replace my front derailleur with  some sort of static chain guard/stay to keep my chain on the same chain ring? Does such a thing exist for three speed chainsets (Shimano T780 48Ax36x26 with chainguard)?

I am not ready to completely convert my bike to a single speed just yet as I imagine I could install the front derailleur back on if I decide to go on a more adventurous journey compared to the daily commute where its not needed.

Update

While the FD is only 155 grams I do enjoy finding ways to save weight here and there, before you know it it's half a KG lighter. The problem with leaving it on is that the spring has rusted into place almost at mid shift, this causes the chain to rub the side of the chain guide which produces an annoying sound and causes it to occasionally jump to the middle chainset.

For now I have simply removed it but in the past on a different bike I suffered from chain jumping which is what I am trying to avoid by using a chain guide.

Thanks


texts: Does drafting a rider slow that rider down?

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Possible Duplicate:
  Does drafting cause resistance to the lead rider?

Would the lead rider notice any difference if there was another rider drafting behind them?


texts: Steps to remove Ultegra and install SRAM Force disc brakes with internally routed hose

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I have a CAAD12 disc with Ultegra, but I prefer SRAM, so I have got some nice new Force levers & calipers that I need to fit. This is my first experience with disc brakes.

The front setup isn't a problem, as the cable is all external, but the rear brake is a bit daunting as the hose is internally routed. Another concern is that the SRAM levers come ready connected to the calipers, with the fluid already in them.

The steps as I see it are:

Disconnect Ultegra caliper.
Drain hose - or can you get like stopper or bung to keep the oil inside?
Attach string to end of hose and pull back through (or some other method to help guide the new hose back through the frame)
Disconnect SRAM caliper
Drain hose? Or again can you plug it somehow?
Easily feed hose through frame in one go without getting cross
Install caliper & connect hose
Bleed brakes

I've missed out fitting the levers as that's a given. My main worry is getting brake fluid everywhere, and if it is possible to somehow plug the hoses up whilst I'm feeding them through the frame?


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Whilst replacing my pads I made the mistake of pulling the brake lever,  which pushed the piston too far, and thus lost loads of fluid.

I've searched online for the type and quantity of fluid to replace it with, but I cannot find anything specific to my Specialized Hardrock.

What kind of fluid do I need?
How much will I need for one brake system?
I've included picture of top and bottom of system for conformation of fluid in and out? Fluid in, I think;
fluid out.
could someone point me in direction of a video on replacing the fluid on this specific bike?


texts: I am planning to tour and would prefer highly visible panniers and handlebar packs.  Also waterproof.  Do racks come with panniers? Suggested brands please?


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I have an old Peugeot Vagabond. It's been sitting out in the New Mexico weather for more than a few years. I'm wondering if it's worth trying to fix up, or if I should just go get a new bike?

I tried to get the chain off (yes, with a chain tool), but it's not going to come off without considerable effort. Both sprockets are very rusted. And the derailers. I know I'll need new cables, brake pads, cable tube things. I'm pretty sure the rims are still true-ish, but I'll probably need new bearings. The handlebars also are significantly stiff when turning. I'm thinking the only thing still salvageable is the frame.

Ask for more pictures if needed.

(Please suggest appropriate tags. I tried.)


texts: How to use SKS multivalve adapter with dunlop valve?

texts: I have the SKS Rennkompressor with the multi valve head. How do I probably use the head with a dunlop valve? I cannot get the dunlop valve fixed with the multi valve head.


texts: When turning a corner my rear wheel touches the brake pad, is this normal?

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I replaced my brake pads about a week ago and today I noticed that, when turning (or generally under lateral force), the rim touches one of the brake pads (depending on which way I'm turning.

I hadn't noticed it before but today was the first wet day so maybe the sound was louder because of this.

I don't notice myself slowing down at all, but don't really want to be unnecessarily wearing down my brakes.

The brakes aren't super close when released, maybe 2-3mm on each side.

I would expect a certain amount of flex in the wheel, but as I built the wheel myself I just wanted to check that this wasn't a problem with my build (though its already done 1000 miles probably so it cant be too bad!)

There would be room to widen the brakes slightly if this is all that might be required.

When stationary and holding the wheel and applying lateral force manually I can make the rim touch either brake pad without a great deal of effort.

Any input appreciated

Thanks!


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I have recently been restoring a Btwin Triban-500 road bike, given to me from a friend who had let it sit around for a few years. I've rebuilt the bike sparing no expense, new inner tubes, cables, levers, chain, cassette and everything else has been thoroughly cleaned (with dish detergent, degreaser and re-greased).

It's been a fun project and I've currently got the brakes and rear derailleur connected. I've taken the bike for a spin around the block and I'm not happy with the braking power. I've got the brake cables tight and the pads are adjusted (i've done the same on my V-brake cheapo mountain bike and that stops quickly!). When I slam the brakes on the wheels lock up(front and back) but I take longer to stop than I'm perhaps used to. I mentioned my cheap mountain bike and those brakes are sharp (despite being cheap V-brakes). I've previously owned a hybrid with hydraulic discs and even half the lever was enough to violently throw me over the bars, I strive for brakes that powerful!

In comparison to my mountain bike, I'd say I take an extra half second to stop (I did a very scientific test past a street lamp). It worries me because the mountain bike is one of the cheapest rubbishest bikes from Halfords, surely the road should stop before it?

The mountain has 1.95 wide tyres and the road has 23mm tyres, will the reduced rubber be making a big impact (less friction) stopping the bike? or should I be able to get the rim brakes to perform just as well as the cantilevers?

Thanks


texts: Swap Shimano/SRAM freehub for Campagnolo

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Through my work I am able to get a set of freewheels pretty cheap (less than 100€). I know they are not super special but they are still an upgrade to my current ones.

Here are the wheels:

https://www.bike-components.de/de/Mavic/Cosmic-Elite-UST-WTS-Laufradsatz-Modell-2018-p57945/
https://www.bike-components.de/de/Fulcrum/Racing-Quattro-LG-Laufradsatz-p44852/

Now the problem is all the wheels I can get are for Shimano/SRAM cassettes but I have a Campagnolo 10-speed. So my questions are:

How difficult is it to change the hub on the new wheels to Campagnolo hubs and would it be possible to just simply swap them out for the freehubs on my current wheels?

Thanks in advance!


texts: Which tube size to prefer if several options apply?

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I have 40-622 (a.k.a. 28x1.5") tires, and Schwalbe offers
two different sizes of tubes - their models "17" and "19" - as applicable for that tire size.

Ok, either one would surely fit well. But apart from weight difference (150 vs. 220 grams), is there any reason to prefer one over another? Is it better to have as small & light tube as possible? Or perhaps a bit larger and heavier one would be more durable, as it wouldn't be stretched as much? Err on which side?


texts: How does a pump push air into the tire and take in air from somewhere else? Why doesn't air spill out from the edges of the hole where the long thing goes in and out of the tube? I'm a complete noob to pumps.


texts: Independent drivetrains on tandem bicycle

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On a standard tandem frame, is it possible to build a tandem bicycle with independent drivetrains for the two riders? Is there a custom frame builder that would build a tandem like this?

I'm aware of the half-recumbent tandem that has independent drivetrains, but I'm specifically interested in the classic/normal tandem frame.

EDIT: By independent drivetrain, I mean that I would like each rider to be able to coast independently of the other. The cadence can remain constant between front and back when both are pedaling.


texts: optimum frame size for very small 5'2" female

texts: I have a lady friend who's interested in getting into road cycling. The smallest frame sizes I've seen so far in the market are 48 and, in one instance, a 47. Is this about the most common and/or smallest starting point for frames for these riders? She's average weight (around 100lbs). Any recommendations on frame size would be appreciated.


texts: Does changing gear relation produce different speed at same applied power?

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When you are starting the ride, I potentially believe ("know?") that with a smaller plate(cog with fewer teeth in the rear cassette), you obtain more velocity than with a bigger plate(cog with more teeth, in the rear cassette), applying same human power consumption on both cases. In first case (the correct way of starting the ride), the chosen plate radius is small, so it weights less and offers less resistance.

Once bike is running at a normal speed on flat terrain and gear's start resistance has been overcome, I want to know if I will get more speed with a smaller tooth rear cog than with a bigger cog, applying same human power consumption on both cases.  Changing relations would of course mean I should ride faster of slower in order to waste my same power in all cases, basically because the different resistances of the plate, which depends on its chosen radius mostly.

So let's say I want to be using 200 Watts. Would different gear relation setups affect the output speed?

If my statements above are wrong in first please, correct me.


texts: How to identify a MTB for heavier riders?

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I'm looking to buy a bike for the 140kg (300lbs) fat me in order to lose some weight. My height is 1.80m (5' 11'') and my standover height is 79.5cm (31.3'').
I really do not like exercising in any other way, so I thought of trying this. I am fully aware I have to combine exercising with a good diet.
I am a total beginner when it comes to bikes, but I would like to go mainly on roads and occasionally on a field which has some holes and maybe some mountain trails (not very hard I guess), which is why I would want a MTB.  I have a couple of questions:

Some brands offer a warranty for riders up to a quoted weight (example, Diamondback's limit is exactly 140 kg)   Is this common and are there any caveats ?

Is it true that air-based suspension is better for heavy riders than coil based suspension?

Do forks have weight limits too?

Can bike frames really bend under my weight? I know this is brand-model-specific, but is it possible this could happen?

I found a bike but it is definitely not rated for my weight (110kg from a warranty card I saw) and I cannot tell if it would hold.  What are the risks of riding a bike that is not rated for the rider's weight?


texts:
I need some advice on properly adjusting the front derailleur (shimano -tourney) of my bike.

I did watch youtube videos and stuff on the internet but was not able to adjust it properly.

When I attach the wire to the derailleur, either derailleur becomes too tight or too loose, making the gear dysfunctional. Though I tried to fine tune through the two screws, I was unsuccessful.

Any video or any recommendation is highly appreciated.

Thanks


texts: Vintage Sealed Hub Maintenance Questions

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Trying to do hub service for the first time...

I have removed the locknuts on both sides. I'm checking to see if I should be able to hammer the axle out because it's firm.
Is there supposed to be a seal on the drive side? Because there was none.
The seal on the non drive side can be safely removed how?


texts: Anyone know who made this bike? See head badge pic

texts: Can anyone help identify this Bike? I could not find a manufacturer stamp or date only the headbadge and Suntour accessories. Thank you.


texts: Hybrid e bike suspension or no suspension

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I am 64 and just taken up cycling again after a very long lay off. I ride purely for leisure and a mix of tarmac, canal tow paths and old railway tracks. Having looked at a number of e bikes i am getting confused as to the best ones to shortlist.
Considering the Boardman HYB 8.9e (no front suspension) or the Scott Axis 20(front suspension). Obviously getting hold of any bike at the moment is a challenge but I am seriously leaning towards the Boardman as it is lightweight and would put bigger tyres on to compensate for lack of suspension. Any help appreciated. BTW. I am about 175lb and 5ft 10'


texts: What does the brake adjuster nut do? Sturmey Archer S2C coaster brake hub

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Looking at the schematics of the sturmey archer S2C hub I noticed this part:

2     HMN425    Brake Adjuster Nut (Xylan)

And I was wondering, what does it exactly adjust? Does it adjust the brake power? Or just the position of the brake arm? Or something else brake related?


texts: Can I put a 10 speed 11-36 cassette on a Road Bike with a 50/39/30 crank?

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I have a road bike with a Shimano 10 speed 105 group (2007).  It has a triple 50-39-30 crank. I want to put a 11-36 cassette maybe the Shimano Deore XT CS-M771 10-Speed Cassette  (Note: I can’t find an 12-36 cassette for sale).  The way I understand capacity  I would need 45t (50+36=86 30+11=41 86-41=45).

First is the shift ratio of my 2007 Shimano 105 10 speed shifters compatible with the derailleurs listed below:

The Shimano Deore XT RD-M772-SGS Shadow Rear Derailleur appears to have the 45t capacity but is rated for 34t max cog.

The Shimano XT RD-M780 Shadow Rear Derailleur SGS is rated for a 36t max cog but only has a 43t capacity.

Harris Cyclery list their Shimano XT RD-M772 Shadow SGS Rear Derailleur Top Normal as having a 36t max cog, this may be an error or what they have successfully run.  They want full list price of $129.95.


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I need to take out my rear shock but one of the 2 allen bolts that is holding it (the upper one) has been rounded.

I've been told about various ways that such a bolt can be taken out including:

hammer a torx in and unscrew
drill a line using a dremel and unscrew with a screwdriver (I don't think the latter will work, the bold is too tight)
hammer a larger allen key in and unscrew
drill the hell out of the bolt (I don't want this because I'm afraid I'll damage other parts of the link (bushings etc)

What do you propose for this case?


texts: Tandem team with large height disparity - possible?

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My wife and I would like to start riding tandem. I've been reading about it and am worried that we are not physically eligible.

She's 165cm, I'm 195cm...

I've considered buying a baby trailer and just cramming her into that along with the snacks and drinks, but she would rather prefer to be at the head of the convoy.

Are there tandems suited to pairs like us?


texts: Rim cracks on spoke adjustment holes, how much should I panic?

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So I have a RODi Rims SKORPION rim and I've noticed that there are cracks on the holes for spoke adjustment. They all appear to be on the left side of the bicycle and I'm not sure if they were here before or not. On some holes, cracks are bigger and on some other holes, they are smaller. Some holes don't have them at all. I'd say that in total, around 90% of the holes have at least some cracks.

Is this a cause for concern or not? The rim is around 11 months old and I think I've passed around 1200 km with this rim.


texts: XTR M960 Crank to Stages power meter compatibility

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I want to buy a Stages power meter but my MTB has an old XTR M960 crankset. I wonder if a Stages XTR M980, M985, M9000 or M9020 left arm meter can be installed replacing the left crankarm of my old M960?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!


texts: Can I fix or replace the quick release lever on my thru axle?

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I've got a problem with the quick release lever on the front thru axle of the bike I use for a short commute (a several-years old Motobecane Fantom Cross Outlaw, FWIW).

The last time I tried to remove the front wheel to fix a flat, I had trouble with the lever on the thru axle. The lever would just spin, and no force was being applied to the axle itself. I fiddled with the mechanism to try to get it to engage properly, but nothing seemed to work. I even tightened (and eventually removed and re-installed) the tiny screws on the sides of the lever. Still no luck. Finally I had to use pliers to turn the axle and get it off.

Once I got the wheel off the bike, I played with the lever mechanism some more and it seemed to be working again. I put the wheel (with new tube) back on, and the lever worked fine until I'd gotten the axle just barely tight enough. Now it's refusing to engage again, and I can't either tighten the axle further or loosen it up.

Anyone have an idea as to whether this is fixable? I've already tried tightening the screws that are on either side of the lever mechanism. If it's not possible to repair, can I replace just the lever, rather than the entire axle? I'm also open to replacing the quick release lever with a setup that would require a wrench to loosen/tighten. Thanks in advance for any advice!


texts: Can a bike have both Schrader and Presta tires?

texts: I have Kona Dew 2018 and the front tire has a Presta valve while the back tire has a Schrader valve. Is it common to see bikes have different valves for each tire?


texts: What are the negative consequences of not bedding in disc brakes?

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It's common knowledge that disc brakes need to be bedded in. But I've never heard or found a description of what happens if you don't bed them in.

Given the number of BSO's that now have disc brakes, and the likelihood that 99% of those never get bedded in, I'm guessing that the consequences can't be too incredibly dire.

But what are those consequences? Reduced braking power? Uneven braking power? Squealing brakes? Reduced lifespan of pads and/or rotors? Are those consequences long term? Or do the brakes "naturally" bed in with regular use and the consequences are only short term?


texts: The shifter dosen't want to shift to the lower gear

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This is a new shifter and derailleur but only can shift to the highest gear and won't shift back to the lower gear.  How can I fix this?

I already changed the cable housing but when I pull the shifter cable with my hand the derailleur works and I don't know if the problem is the derailleur or should I increase the cable tension?

And I think I should increase the tension because it can shift to the highest gear smoothly and quietly.

I been asking, and watching many videos and still can't fix this.  I try and try but still have no idea why don't work.

If someone have been experiencing this problem before and know how to fix this please help me.


texts: Help to find the right tyre for my Scott ebike

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I bought a bike just over a year ago and towards December I went into my local Halfords looking to replace my tyres and was told that my wheel size (he checked on the tyre that is currently fitted which says 28x1.75) is very old and they don't stock them any more. I thought this was very strange since it was bought as a 2019 version ebike but I contacted Scott, the bike maker, and was told that the size is actually 700 x 47c so I should find something in that size - they even suggested a tyre to me which was 700 x 45
My question is this, my current tyre which was on the bike when i bought it is 28x1.75 and Scott is telling me that i should put a 700x47c tyre on my bike as that was what they were made for. From my research it looks like these sizes are similar however there does seem to be a difference... Would this even work?
Also if my bike was made for 700x47c tyres, can anyone imagine why I'd be sold one brand new, just been built in the cycle shop (Cycle Republic) with different tyres?
To add a little more confusion to this (for me at least) the rims which the tyres are on say that they are 622x25c!
This has had my head spinning for days trying to figure out all the numbers. Can anyone please give me some insight?
My desire is simple, I have a set of tyres on my bike which are 28x1.75 and ideally i would like to replace them with something like a mtb tyre (as the tyres on my bike currently are) yet the problem is I can only find slick road bike tyres which is not what I want as I often go off road on my ebike. I have run the tread down on my current tyres so they almost look like road tyres as well now, so I'm urgently in need of a new set.


texts: Replacement for discontinued Schwalbe Tyrago

texts:
Schwalbe appear to have discontinued their Tyrago range of tyres from what I can tell.

The rear tyre on my Boardman CX Comp needs replacing as it's showing wear and has little tread left for grip. What supersedes it as the closest direct replacement or a good alternative? (I cycle on-and-off road, nothing too serious; the Tyrago seemed to cope well unless it was particularly muddy up hill.)


texts: What's a good bike for daily use in New Orleans? A flat city with lots of potholes and bad roads

texts: Something under $500 that is relatively unbranded.


texts: What are the times and costs involved in assembling a rideable bicycle from a salvaged frame?

texts:
Let's assume I bought a frame for XXX eur/usd/gbp. It usually is a steel frame from late '80s/90s, or an aluminium frame from the early '00s.
The frame is of decent quality, it does not present relevant damages and it comes with a working bottom bracket and headset.
How much time&money (parts cost only) are needed to build a complete bicycle out of it?
A little definition of specs: the bicycle should have some kind of general use, i.e. running errands and short tours, so I foresee assembling it with mechanical rim-brakes, average 2" tires (the frame itself may have 26 or 28 or whatever size wheels, 32 or 36 spokes according to what it can be found cheaply at the scrapyard/ bike co-op), average 3 x 8 gears. Optionals: mud-guards, hub-dynamo, rack.
Ideally, the answer to this question will be the default answer to question like:
Muddy Fox Pathfinder 90s MTB and it should not include specific products recommendations, but it should make self evident that one has to rationally compare the frame acquisition costs to all the successive costs (considerations if XXX is too much are then left as personal, opinion-based, evaluations).
ps: I do not exclude writing myself an answer in the (not so) near future, although I imagine a collective, community answer would be very nice: please don't race to answer.


texts: How can I make myself and bike more visible during the day?

texts:
How can I make myself more visible during the day?

Maybe something to put on my helmet (so it's easy to remember).


texts: Presta to Schrader valve adapters that don't screw on the valve core

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Do any exist? I want to easily use a gas station compressor without worrying about popping my valve core out when I unscrew the adapter after use.
No, I don't want to "just use Schrader-valve inner tubes".


texts:
I want to make the most of this feature, and use it for navigation on pre-planned courses. I have used it two times now, and the experience was much different. The first time everything was ok, sometimes marked me off course briefly while I was riding on course but nothing terrible.

Second time, it was way off. It would show me on different location compared to the route very often. Very often the view was zoomed out too far, and it was not clear where the turns are as everything was smashed together. I am not sure what caused this difference in experience.

My question:

What steps do I need to take to make most of the courses feature?
Is there a way to avoid manually adding waypoints to turns, so that I can get turn directions? If not, what are the most reliable tools for creating routes with waypoints ? Any tips for these tools ?

Finally, I saw mentions of manually setting the zoom level on the course, but no clear description of how to do that.


texts:
I just picked up a cheap wheelset to replace the wheels on a vintage bike. The old bike had a 5 speed freewheel (I think. The model printed on it is shimano-ug).

The new rear hub is a shimano fh-rm30 8 speed freehub. Is it possible to either remove a some of the gears from the cassette and replace them with spacers to make it a 5 speed. Or does a 5 speed cassette exist that could be installed with a few spacers?

What would the best option be to making this work?

EDIT:

Old wheels were 27 and new ones are 700c so no issues on brakes


texts: Why does reducing bike weight have such an impact on speeds?

texts:
I am trying to understand the physics of bike weight.  I have just made a switch from an 11Kg road bike to an 8Kg one (obviously there are many more factors and differences between the 2 bikes other than weight), and have noticed the benefit of reduced weight.  However I am not sure I understand it.

Let's say for example My combined weight is 8+75 for a total weight of 83Kg.  The difference between this and 86Kg is minimal, but is does make a difference seemingly beyond what I would expect.

Assuming I could equalise the total weight by carrying a pack or particularly heavy bidon/saddle pack) such that the combined weight could be the same, why is the lighter bike always seemingly faster?

I have read something about rotational mass, which seems to indicate that it's nothing to do so much with your combined weight as perceived through gravity, but with the equivalent lifting effort of the moving parts, namely your wheels, and in fact it's wheel weight that is the major factor because your are in effect having to lift half the wheel in order to produce forward momentum.  Is this a sort of gyroscopic affect whereby the easier it is to turn your wheel the faster you go?


texts: Can I use my Endurance bike for my first race?

texts: I recently got into road cycling, my first and only bike purchase has been a Scott endurance bike. Now that I am getting more and more comfortable on a road bike, a couple of guys I group ride with, are encouraging me to try road racing. I have been to a couple "Intro to crit racing clinics" and am thinking of entering my first CAT 5 race. My question is when beginning to road race, is an endurance bike ok to use? or should I consider purchasing a race bike?


texts: Friction Shifter Rear Derailleur, Not Holding Low Gear

texts: My 86' Raleigh 10 speed with friction shifters insists on not holding the lowest gear. If I hold it in the low gear, it will stay but the moment I remove my hand, it goes back up. I'm assuming it is a bent derailleur because it theoretically shouldn't resist a gear that much... I have fiddled with all the adjustors, but nothing is changing the problem.


texts: Fit a chainguard when there is a front derailleur

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My bicycle has a front derailleur. It's a hybrid. I use it to commute and would like to fit a chainguard.

Is there any chainguard that can be fitted when there is a front derailleur?


texts: What is my bottom bracket spindle length?

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I have this ubiquitous cheap Wal-Mart bike (http://www.walmart.com/ip/26-Roadmaster-Granite-Peak-Men-s-Bike-Black-Green/45089317z), which has a square taper bottom bracket.

I'm trying to buy a new crankset (http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-Tourney-FC-M131-Crankset-42-34-24/dp/B000F5HXHI), and it requires a 123mm bottom bracket. I can remove my left side crank arm but nothing else, so I'm having trouble guessing the spindle length. Anyone know? It's not listed in the manual either.

The closest approximation I got was by measuring from the tip of the left spindle to the centerline of the bike. That's 82mm. But if you double that, that's 164mm, which seems to be quite a bit more than any bottom bracket that I've seen.


texts: Can I remove dropper seatpost of the Lapierre Edge 327 plus?

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I recently bought a Lapierre Edge 327 plus mountain bike, that has a dropper seatpost that can be adjusted from the left handlebar.

I want to remove the seatpost when I park the bike in "unsure" places, but I am not quite sure that I can remove it.

I actually tried but at some point the seat tube is "blocked", and the adjustment works with compressed air (I guess), I am not sure I should try more to remove it.


texts: How to select cog for emergency single speed conversion with a broken derailleur

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I broke the rear derailleur on my surly karate monkey recently.  I had the bike setup 2x9. I decided to try and get home by converting to single speed via trail side repair (made easier by the horizontal dropouts on the bike).

I put the chain on the big chainring in the front, figuring the front derailleur would hold it in place. I pulled the chain out of the derailleur, shortened the chain so it would not be routed through the derailleur, and I tried to find the straightest line in the rear, and selected the 20t cog to place the chain on, this was the 4th cog in from the end of the cassette.

I pulled the rear wheel backwards to tension the chain as much as possible. I had already been using a chain tensioner (surly tuggnut) to keep it stationary, so I screwed that down to keep the rear wheel from slipping under pedaling.

However, after a short time, the chain started to upshift on the cassette. It went up a cog and jammed, shifting the non-driveside forward, pushing my tire in to my chainstays. this was difficult to fix, because I had to remove the tuggnut and undo my very tight quick release.

What's the best practice for positioning the chain in the rear to avoid auto shifting and jamming like I'm experiencing?


texts:
I fixed an old three speed bike and I have an old 3 speed Shimano shifter. The cable was rusted and I thought if I open up the shifter I can clean the cable and make it work. Unfortunately I unscrewed the screw of the shifter and everything fall apart but I still have the parts and now I can't figure it out how to connect it again. There is a ball inside.Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks, Iris


texts: Life metrics for v-brake pads (time to replace, time to change)

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I ride my bikes quite frequently and need to use the brakes slightly harshly (because of the traffic light changes and cars at my front) as I approach some gradients worth 40 degrees downhill. My regular commute culminates to approximately 4 miles (with gradients and 5 days a week) and 0.25 miles (with gradients and 2 days a week). I have used simple tuning to maintain the v-brake positions along my front and rear rims and cable tensions for the brake cable (by adjusting the nuts near the brake levers). However, it seems that they don't stay put for more than a month or two. Additionally, I noticed this morning that my rear brake pads are almost worn out (broken and cracked edges). My question is, how do I determine how often the brake pads needs replacements? It would be fantastic if someone points suggests any side-effects such as brake cable wire damages and replacements etc.

Also, I recently puchased this set of pads with housings. Does anyone know if it is any good? My current brake pads are naked i.e. without any housings.

Thanks a lot!


texts: Kenda cyclo cross 27 x 1 3/8 fit on 27 x 1 1/4 rim?

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Will the kenda K161 cyclocross tires (27x1 3/8s) fit on a 27x1 1/4 rim?

I havent been successful at finding this question on here or on google, apologies if it has been asked a million times.

Thanks!


texts: Back wheel jumping out of rear dropout with child transporter

texts:
Some days ago, I was riding my bike towing a child transporter. I was going steep uphill and put quite some force on the pedal. Suddenly, I heard a loud snapping sound and the back wheel was blocked. After dismounting the bike, I found that the back wheel actually had jumped out of the rear dropout. I have a Shimano Alfine with a solid axle and had no tools with me to tighten the axle nuts.

Luckily, nothing worse has happened than that I was standing in the middle of a forest below 0 °C with my two year old daughter in the child transporter and a bike with a loose back wheel. The way back to civilization was not too far, so we managed all right, but I would like to prevent this from happening again.

I have been using the child transporter on a regular basis for a year now, and nothing similar happened before. I recently (two weeks ago) switched to the Alfine hub from a derailleur setup which had a quick release (might be relevant for this case). I am very sure that I had tightened the axle nuts enough when mounting the back wheel.

What I suspect is that the force exerted by the child transporter in this steep uphill passage was big enough to rotate the bracket holding the shaft of the child transporter counterclockwise, thus partly loosening the axle nut and releasing the back wheel.

Now my questions are: Do you think that this explanation is correct? Have you made a similar experience? And most importantly: What can I do that this will not happen again? Thank you for your help.

Update after comments and Chris H´s answer below:
I had a closer look at the bracket as well as the green washer on the left side, see photos below. The bracket has some grooves on the inside which are probably meant to increase friction when mounted directly on the dropout without washer, like when using a quick release. The green color from the washer is rubbed off where it was in contact with the bracket. So there is evidence that there was some movement going on and that this is probably the critical spot.

Update after doing some further research: The way I mounted the bracket on the axle of the back wheel together with an internally geared hub is not how it is recommended by the child transporter manufacturer and should not be reproduced by anybody. Instead, they have an adapter which replaces the axle nut on the left side for this purpose (https://www.thule.com/en-gb/accessories/thule-internal-hub-hitch-adapter-shimano-_-20100797). This is the way I will go, and this should be considered when changing from a derailleur setup where there are no washers to an internally geared hub which needs the non-turn washers.

Now some photos in order to support the descriptions above:
To give a detailed impression of how the child transporter is attached to the bike, here are some photos. First an overview of the situation:

Close-up of the bracket holding the shaft of the child transporter:

How the bracket is mounted on the left side:

How the back wheel is fixed on the right side:

Inside of the bracket holding the child transporter shaft:

Green washer after having been used in contact with the bracket:


texts:
How do I train / fool my body to go anaerobic for intervals?

I entered my first cyclocross race a couple weeks ago and have since been training on the course.

What I found during the race and my training is I get gassed (can not even talk) on the first lap but after that I settle in and breathing is just heavy.
But my times lap to lap do not change.
Day to day I will get different lap times as I am trying out different set ups and the ground may be softer or harder but in a session in the 6 laps the times will be within 3 seconds.

I am in a health study and take a treadmill every 6 months.  At a certain level the Dr will tell me this is your target training level and it is not very hard.  I have trained my body for that level and it is kind of stuck.  They did not tell me I could not train at a higher level - just train at least 50 minutes at that level of higher.  Dr told me he would rather I went with perceived exertion rather than heart rate.

Also I live in a large flat city where I don't have road routes that I can readily do interval type training.  We have some bike paths but with turns and other riders it is just not safe to ride full out.

At the gym in a kick boxing class of other interval type training I do gas out.
On the bike I seem to have some type of governor.

Lets just start with the last lap.
How do I train / fool my body to go anaerobic on the last lap?


texts: What does vulcanizing solution in patch kits consist of? Can I buy it?

texts:
I have a pile of old patch kits for inner tubes that are complete except for the little tube of "vulcanizing solution" that comes in patch kits. With time, these tubes crack, or have a cap fail to seal perfectly, and dry out completely. I would love to be able to buy a larger container of solution.

Vulcanizing solution appears and smells like rubber cement but I've seen suggestions that rubber cement simply contain similar solvents and/or polymers. None of my patch kits describe the chemicals in the vulcanizing solution tubes.

What is vuncalizing solution made of?

Can I obtain it in quantitites larger than a tiny tube in a patch kit? Could I make it? Can I at least obtain larger quantities of the little tubes?


texts: How to remove an older Shimano Hollowtech crank?

texts:
I'm getting some creaking in my crank/bottom bracket and a good first step towards fixing this is to remove and clean the cranks and chainrings. If I still have the creaking, the BB is almost certainly the problem. However, I've hit a roadblock; I've got the big and middle rings off, but I can't remove the crank arms to get the small ring off the bike.

Looking up Shimano Hollowtech cranks isn't giving me any help, I don't have the Hollowtech II crank and all those direct me to loosen bolts that aren't on my crank arms. Can anyone identify exactly what crankset I have? How can I safely remove and clean all this?

Specs:

Novara Randonee touring bike, circa 2008
Bottom bracket: Shimano Octalink (as per this, so maybe?)


texts: I want to upgrade the components on my bike.  I want to start with the crankset.  I'm just sourcing parts/tools at the moment. It originally came with 113mm spindle sealed cartridge. The bottom bracket shell is 68mm English.  Can I upgrade to Shimano, Campagnolo, or Sram components?  I know it would most likely be cheaper buying a new bike but I can't do that at this time.  Thanks.


texts: Do I require a washer/spacer/shim between a hub's cone nut and lock nut?

texts:
When replacing the cones for a front hub with new ones, is it okay to tighten the lock nut directly against the cone nut?  Or must I use some kind of spacer / washer / shim in order for some other reason than spacing?

The reason I ask is that I am replacing the cones on a front hub that was correctly spaced at 100mm.  The old setup has

Lock nut - Washer - Cone nut - Hub/Cups - Cone nut - Washer - Lock nut

The replacement cones I got match in the old ones in all ways except that they are slightly wider (i.e. take more space of the axle).  So, instead of getting two more cones ($20 more dollars!), I figured I could just leave out the old washers and leave the setup like this, which would be spaced about 100mm:

Lock nut -      New Cone nut - Hub/Cups - New Cone nut      - Lock nut

So, would this be alright?  Does the original washer play any other role than just making the spacing correct?


texts:
It's 2013, and bike sharing has finally made it to New York City. Of course, the branded cruisers aren't the most speedy bikes on the road. They weigh a whopping 45 pounds, and their third gear - their lowest gear - isn't nearly low enough, making pedaling down even a slight slope practically useless.

Still, you can get moving if you pedal furiously... and if you pick out the right bike.

During a test conducted by New York Magazine, bike messenger Danny Koniowski hit a top speed of 27.5 mph on a Citi Bike. He did so only after picking out a choice bike.

  After inspecting and rejecting the first two Citi Bikes he came across at a Citi Bike station on Canal Street near Sixth Avenue — one for having misaligned tires and the other for being, in Danny’s professional opinion, “a piece of shit” — our test-rider finally settled on a suitable specimen.

I squeeze the tires before I choose a bike, but what more should I do? How can I quickly inspect my next Citi Bike to make sure I've picked a well-tuned cruising machine? Or at the very least, a bike that's not "a piece of shit"?


texts: Gear lever fouls on bracket mounting the assembly to the handlebar

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The lower derailleur gear lever on the right side of the handlebar fouls on the mounting bracket securing the whole gear/brake cable assembly to the handlebar. At present, I cannot change gear with that lower lever. I guess the lever has been bent inwards on impact with something.
Should I try to bend the lever away from the bracket so that it can move freely, or is there another way?


texts: Is this regular chain/pulley noise or is there someting I should check/adjust?

texts:
Extra images

I'm 99% certain the noise is coming off one or both of the derailleur pulleys, but not sure if it's to be expected or if it's irregular and something that should be fixed?

Edit

Just remembered - I tried removing the back wheel (including the cassette, obviously) and the noise persisted, so it's 100% certain coming from the pulleys. I just can't determine why, but I wouldn't be suprised if that's how it's supposed to sound.


texts: New grinding type noise occurring intermittently most when coasting and stops when resume pedaling. Speed doe not seem to be a factor. Appears to be coming from the front of the bike.


texts:
I'm considering getting a bike for my friend; she is interested in riding road/gravel with me, doesn't own a bike of her own, and doesn't know too much about what's available.

She is about 5 feet tall (1.5 meters) and 100 pounds (45 kilos).  I believe a 47-49cm frame would be a good fit for her.  Considering her small stature and the small frame size I was thinking about a set of 650b wheels.

It seems there has been a trend of 650b fitted bikes recently and that the wheel size is slowly creeping back into the market.  One of the advantages is that one can fit a wider, taller tire without worrying about clearance or modifying frame geometry. I got to thinking that outfitting her with a 650b wheel set might be a viable option with some advantages over a 700c wheel set.

My question is what are the advantages and disadvantages of fitting a petite rider with a 650b wheel set, in comparison to a 700c set.  I'm especially interested in bike handling, tire fitting, and frame geometry implications and considerations.


texts:
I'm a complete beginner cycling and I've recently started 3 times a week commuting on a hybrid 8 miles to work and 8 miles back. On the way there is a 5% gradient hill about half a mile long which is great fun to whizz down at 30mph on the way to work. It really puts a smile on my face!

It's not so fun on the way back though! Every day I end up having to get off the bike and walk up the steepest part of the hill as I find my legs just give up the ghost - despite my bike having 27 gears, and I've used them all.

What can I do to train to get up the hill? Is it just a matter of keep on trying or is there something specific I can do to help me conquer this hill? I'm assuming it's just my poor level of fitness that means I can't keep it up. It doesn't help that I'm 220lbs - which is why I have started cycling to get that number down as much as possible. Any tips greatly appreciated

For reference the bike is a Giant Escape 1 (2016)

Chain ring: 26/36/48 and cassette 9/11-34
Gear Calc here


texts:
Today I encountered a puncture. I pulled the tube, ran my fingers around the inside and outside of the tire carefully looking for the offending object, found nothing, so concluded it was probably a pinch flat (I had just hit a pothole).  I installed a new tube, being careful to seat it properly to avoid pinches, and re-inflated.  Within seconds the second tube was flat.  That being my only spare tube and my only CO2 cartridge and it being dark and a very long walk home, I called the sag wagon (aka my wife).

Back home, I removed the tire from the rim, turned it inside out, inspected carefully, and found nothing.  Ditto with the rim and rim tape.  And, I should add, these are virtually new tires and rims with barely a hundred kilometers on them.

When I looked at the second tube that failed, I found this:

Those slices are directly opposite the valve stem, and a careful re-inspection of the tire and wheel at that location revealed nothing.  But as you can see, they're quite large slices.  I might suspect a faulty tube if it were just one slice, but two?  That seems extremely unlikely to be a faulty tube.

I know no one can tell me exactly what happened, so my question is what are the possibilities?  What the heck could have made cuts that large that occurred without even riding on the wheel and which couldn't be felt with my fingers on inspection?


texts: Why am I breaking Pitlock spring washers so frequently?

texts:
I'm hoping some pitlock users out there can help me out. I've installed these on a pair of new bikes to add some protection for some expensive wheels. They seem to be a decent deterrent. My problem is that I can't seem to remove them without splitting the thin, notched spring washers that sit beneath the pit nut (and engage its grooves).

I've been super careful to press in on the socket/pit when loosening to try to depress those sprung notches. I've also got the hardware on correctly (nylon washer, etc.).

I've seen no internet trail of failure for these things, so my assumption is that I'm the problem, but I've busted 3 now despite trying pretty hard not to, and I'm still trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong. I've watched Pitlock's YouTube videos of install/removal, and they're pressing the same way I was during removal (thumb on socket, fingers behind stay, squeeze in, and rotate with tool). Doesn't look like they're cranking that hard.

I have installed about the same as they do and explain in the instructions (finger tighten, then 1 to 1 1/2 turns with a lever/tool). I don't think I've overtightened them, and in the last couple of re-installs (with the partially wrecked washers, since replacements haven't arrived yet) I've been erring on the side of a bit looser yet.


texts: How to lace a 36 hole 4x9 grouped spokes?

texts:
does anybody have any information on how to lace a 36 hole 4x9 grouped spokes?

I am thinking to buy a set of rims of this make, but I am not sure how to lace it.
Can I cross the spokes or do I have to lace them straight to the hub?

Is it suitable for disc wheels?

All help highly appreciated!


texts: What parts of a bike could potentially be harmed by degreaser?

texts:
I'v been using citrus degreaser to clean my bikes for years. I usually get a gallon jug of it from the auto parts store, and it lasts a long time. I use it for cleaning the drivtrain, either using a chain cleaner or by soaking the chain overnight. I've used it with a rag to clean the rims. I'll sometimes even use it to scrub a nasty bit of dirt or grease off the frame. However, some of the discussion in this very good question has got me wondering:

Are there parts of your bike that can be damaged by degreaser? Obviously, keep it away from the bar tape or a leather saddle, but what mechanical parts could be harmed by citrus degreaser? Also, are there types of degreaser out there that are gentler and could be more appropriate?


texts: How can I tell if a chain has a master link?

texts:
I need to remove the chain on my internal-hub cruiser to clean it (i.e., no rear or front deraileur), and I'd rather not remove my back wheel if I can avoid that. What do I look for to find the master link?

Edit: Unfortunately, there's no differently-colored pin, and running my fingertips over the chain (both sides) didn't help. Do I have a one-piece chain?


texts: My shifter shifts only one gear up and down

texts:
I just was on a ride and all of a sudden I could only shift one gear up and down (in this case it was the 10th and 11th respectively the 21th and 22th). If I try to move the shifter further up (so up to the 9th and further) it blocks I cannot do it same problem with down shifting.
At home I tightend the shifter cable at the rear derailleur and now I can shift the 6th and 7th gear but nothing else. If I try the shifter does not move as above.
Any idea what the problem might be. I have the Grx 810 Group and the bike is about 5 month old, so it is not a brand shifting system.
Any help is welcome so I can get back on my bike.


texts: Biking across a four-lane bridge - Why was I wrong to bike across the bridge?

texts:
I am an avid bike-rider living in Spokane (Washington State). Spokane is a fairly large city, with many bridges built across the Spokane River. One such bridge is the Maple Street Bridge, which was built in the late 1960s and four lanes set to 45 miles per hour and a caged sidewalk on the west side.

In the summer of 2015, I was riding my bike in the right-hand southbound lane, and my presence in the lane angered many of the drivers on the bridge. The speed limit on the bridge is 45 miles per hour, but when a driver encounters me, s/he becomes enraged and flies past my bike faster than the speed limit.

I lost track of how many times people screamed at me as they passed after the fourth time. Also one man drove so close to my bike that his car's wing mirror brushed my jacket. I consulted my Grandmother about the incident later and she told me that riding a bike across the Maple Street Bridge is illegal. However, I thought biking on sidewalks is also illegal, and the City of Spokane is pretty good about letting bikers know via signs where they can and cannot ride a bike. I did not see any such warning sign while approaching the bridge, and the approach to the bridge is about one quarter of a mile long.

This bridge as I have mentioned only has one caged sidewalk on the west side. Once I am on the bridge deck, I cannot turn around and I cannot enter the sidewalk because of the cage.

Why was I wrong to bike across the bridge?


texts:
I have watched many video clips on YouTube on this topic. Also, seen couple of pros do it without clipped pedals. But I just cannot lift the back tire up.

How do you hook your feet on to the pedals and pull it up? The pedal slips and i always end up getting an seriously blow to the knee.


texts: Motobecome Mirage (I think) made in France

texts:
I am trying to put this bike back into use.  The cassette is not freewheeling.  Does that mean that the cassette is locked up, or do some bikes not have a freewheeling cassette?

If it is locked, will I possible be able to disassemble and repair it?


texts: Bike Rack from Apartment's Underground Carpark Removed - Is building management liable?

texts:
My question is somewhat similar to  Whole Bicycle Rack Easily Removed! Is the provider liable?, however, in this case, it was from my apartment's bike rack, which is managed.

I live in an apartment building that is managed by Meriton. We have access to a secure underground carpark, that is normally only accessible by swipe card. My road bike was locked up in one of the bike racks that are provided in this carpark.

This morning, I discovered that thieves have apparently unbolted the entire rack, and taken my bike (but left two other bikes on the rack there):

I reported it to building management immediately, and apparently they're aware the racks are removable, and nothing was done to secure the bolts. My question is, is there anything I can do to hold the building management liable, based on their installation of the rack?


texts:
As I have explained in my previous post here I have changed my rear shifter cable and housing. But I'm still having issues with shifting gears smoothly.

It overshifts at particular gear combinations or doesn't shift into the right gear. For eg., when I'm shifting to a lower gear from 5 to 4 it skips 4 and goes to 3 straight off. But this is not a problem when upshifting, meaning it shifts from 3 to 4 correctly and 4 - 5 correctly. I tried tuning/indexing gears but if I fix that particular issue above, it stops shifting into from 7 to 8 or some other gear combination stops working correctly.

As for the bike it's a GIANT Cypress which I bought used off online. It's got shimano acera gears. I have cleaned and lubed the drivetrain but shifting doesn't Improve. I have just attached a pic of the rear cogs just for you to see the condition of it, if that helps the least.

could this be a problem due to the chain? or derailleurs? or something else? Anything I should try before replacing anything or taking it to a bike shop?


texts: Compatibility Look-Keo/Look/SPD-Sl Plates & Pedals

texts:
i got some old Look Road Pedals (see picture).

Now i found plenty of Cleats for cheap, but they all are for either Look Keo, Delta or SPD-Sl.
Are those compatible? Did anything change from the old Look Pedals to the new Keo Pedals that could cause problems?

What cleats can i use?


texts: I currently run Shimano SG-B-53/39 chain rings coupled to a 9 speed 13/23 cluster. If I was to change my cassette to a 9 speed 11/32 would I need to also change my derailleur?


texts: Front tire skidding, resulted in a crash, any advice?

texts:
I have been cycling my whole life, and for about a year I have been doing 25km a day, without any problems. I got new Vittoria Rubino 23s tires a few weeks ago and I had no problems for 3 weeks since, then I have had two crashes in the last two days.

My front wheel skidded in a pretty slow corner (I wasn't leaning much in either of the cases). Fortunately, a few bruises and cuts, without any cars behind me at the time.

The tire pressure was 110psi front, 115psi back. I was just wondering whether anyone could give me some tips or share their experiences with Rubino's.

Thanks, I really appreciate any feedback.


texts: I am looking at buying an electric bike (possible the smart ebike) -- these are not cheap. So I began to look at locks and stuff and -- these are ridiculous! 3.5-4kg even 6kg for a chain?? How do people take these things with them? I heard you should wear them like a belt but I can't quite imagine how would that work without bruising myself with the chain not to mention the padlock And then the suggestions go for two locks so I guess I would need another monstrously heavy U-lock as well. Really, how do people with multiple thousand dollars bike protect their ride when they park it in front of a cafe, cinema, school?


texts: What is the difference between the unbranded-cranks found on the Motobecane- USA- Mirage Sport vs the FSA Vero cranks(sometimes LSC) on the Motobecane-Record or Grand Record? Are they basiclly the same thing quality wise?


texts: Understanding science of speed difference between two bikes

texts:
I have two MTBs and one is slower than the other.

Bike1 has Deore derailleurs and a double chainring with 10 sprockets and Shimano hubs. Which has a great speed irrespective of the gear combination.

Bike2 has Acera derailleurs with a triple chainring and 8 sprockets with acera and Quando hubs.

The second bike is much slower than the first one in terms of speed.

My question is, apart from physical strength, which is more important for speed, a hub or drivetrain?

I want to upgrade my bike. Can anyone guide me to get more-or-less the same speed. Both bikes are from same brand and almost identical in terms of dimensions and shape.

Please help me to understand the science.


texts: Switch to a larger sprocket on child bike with coaster brakes

texts:
I bought two used bikes for my children, both with 16 inch wheels.  I was surprised to see that one child has to pedal much faster to go the same speed as the other child, and discovered the two bikes had different sprocket sizes.

Is is common and reasonable to replace a smaller sprocket with a larger one, or should I just try to find a different bike?  I assume I will also have to replace the pedals and chain.


texts: What is neuromuscular endurance in the world of bicycling?

texts: I read the term neuromuscular endurance perhaps something related to having your brain not accustomed to high speed pedalling. I'm curious as it is related to bicycling cadence and I'm working on that.


texts: Name this small red plastic bicycle part

texts:
Please help me to identify this part. The pictures show rear wheel.

UPD: It is more like an adaptor to connect to the bicycle.


texts: Bottom bracket making noise, should it be fixed now or can I wait until regular maintenance?

texts:
My bike has been ridden 4 months / 2000 miles and is no longer completely quiet.

About a month ago I noticed a whispering noise like a wire brush sliding across a cymbal. It happens on the power-down-stroke, in any/every gear, so I think it must be the 'bottom bracket' or something close to that. A noise (creaking) is now happening on both strokes (both feet).

No one mentioned bearings when I asked How much does bike price correspond with maintenance needs?

A co-worker said it needs fixing when the pedals are 'loose' (which they aren't).

Can it wait another 2 months / 1000 miles or so until its first regularly-scheduled twice-annual in-LBS service?

Or is it a case of "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," and I should ask someone to maintain it a.s.a.p. before it gets (irreparably) worse?

Do they even need maintenance, or are they just replaced sometimes?


texts: Is there any way that I could easily and affordably (under $US200) add a motor to my bicycle, so that it would move both by my pedalling and with the help of the motor?


texts: Multi-city bike rental in Europe (NL, BE)

texts:
I'm considering a bike trip in Europe, primarily the Netherlands, over a week or two. But I'd rather rent a bike (in fact, two) than bring mine all the way from Australia.

Are there any options for 'one way' bike rentals, so that I would hire a bike (a relatively decent multi-speed one, kitted for touring), say, in Amstrerdam and drop it off a week later in Brussels? While normal for car rentals, I haven't heard of such options for bikes...


texts: What maintenance to do after buying a brand new road bike?

texts:
I've just bought a new GMC Denali road bike.  I've put it together, but riding it has revealed that there are a few things that need to be fixed, such as the front-side brakes being too loose.

Is there a common list of maintenance and adjustments to be made to the bike before I should start riding it regularly?  Or should I just ride it and fix the adjustments as I find them?


texts: Frame manufacturer not covering crack as saying it was crash damage

texts:
My Ti frame developed a huge crack in the frame a week or so ago. A pain I thought bit it'll be covered by warranty...

The frame builder is now saying that it's crash damage.

I really really doubt it's crash damage.

I have fallen off this bike twice, once I went into the back of a slowing cyclist, the other my front wheel came out from under me and I slid along the ground.
Both of these were nearly 2 years and around 10,000 miles ago.

What can I do? It's my word against theirs.

They said that scratches on the hoods mean that it's been crashed! Those scratches are 2 years old when the bike slid along the ground. Scratches on the frame are from when I leant it against my garage wall and it fell over. They can't use scratches to determine if it's crashed.

Absolutely fuming about this, I hope some of you guys can help.

I live in the UK for your information.

Some pictures:


texts: How to mount Galaxy S3 on a mountain bike

texts: I want to mount my Galaxy S III on my mountain bike. I already use a case that suites me well, so I don't want to go for another case. What I'm looking for is a mounting system which will mount my phone with it's case on to my bike securely and by that I mean really secure, because I ride pretty rough terrain regularly. I really like Rokform, but it requires to switch to their case plus it's very expensive (around $100 for the whole solution), I'm planning to spend not more than $30 on this. So to put it short I'm looking for a universal solution, that can securely house and mount Galaxy S III in it's case on a mountain bike.


texts: I was given a vintage touring bike recently. It's steer tube badge says D-114 made in Japan. I can't find any info on it and was hoping someone may have some info on the brand or bike.


texts:
They are black and blue, are not light, however what is one?

Have you had any experience of using one?


texts: Should I adjust rear derailleur as my chain seems too close to each other

texts:
I am learning to replace chain and freewheel (So far so good). After I put new freewheel and new chain on, the chain are too close to each other at the back now (as you can see in the photo).

I think I need to adjust rear derailleur, is it right? Or maybe the chain wasn't installed correctly ( I cycled around and think chain install seems not too bad).


texts:
I just bought a used mountain bike, and it seems to be slow.  Pedaling seems like very hard work, and at a normal casual pedaling rate, I can only reach 4-5mph. If I pedal like I'm being chased by a lion I can get up to 10-11mph for a few seconds.

For reference, I can run a 6-minute mile, so I can run faster than that.

I'm thinking it's probably the bike, because the chain looks dirty and the wheels make scraping sounds as it moves.  (I don't know if it's scraping against the brakes or something needs oil, etc.)

How can I fix this?


texts: Is it normal my disc rubbing with no tightened QR and to stop when I tighten it? Or it should not rubbing both times...?(Because now when I tighten the QR the disc starts rubbing in one of the pads. It is not rubbing when QR is open) Also is it normal my front tyre to be closer to one of the legs of the fork(not centered) when wheel is all the way in the dropouts?


texts: Can outer tyre (casing) punctures/cuts be fixed?

texts:
My flatmate got his tyre stabbed. With a knife, it seems. (The bike was tied to a staircase railing in the building and was obviously in some maniac's way. Though there was plenty of room around. And another bike next to it.)

Is there a way to fix the cut (it's quite big, some 2 centimetres)?

EDIT:

Here are some photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/oulsuugvjaihta2/a3tiZm2BEp


texts: Front suspension or full suspension mountain bike

texts:
I'm considering buying a mountain bike and have narrowed it down to two models (make and model aren't important for this question).  One model is a full suspension bike (front and back), the other is front suspension only.

What are the advantages/disadvantages to going with a full suspension vs front suspension? (I'd prefer answers from people with experience riding both types of bikes.)

EDIT

To answer some of the questions looking for more detail...  The 2 bikes are roughly in the same price range, around $1000 USD (the full suspension is slightly more money), and my plans are to ride it primarily in some single track trails that are in the area.  There will be a lot of hills and rocks and such.  I doubt there will be any on-road riding involved.


texts: Can I replace 11 speed 11-40t with a 11-42t or 11-46t staying with Shimano XT family?

texts: Can I replace the 11 speed 11-40t cassette with a 11-42t or 11-46t? What other parts will be needed to complete job? I.e. new chain, long chain, spacers?


texts: Slime Smart Tube Exploded when I put it on mountain bike

texts:
I bought a basic Apollo Mountain bike from a charity shop today -

The only thing that seemed amiss was a flat tyre at the back.

I took care changing the inner tube and found the culprit a couple of thorns wedged in the tyre.

Anyway I was cycling soon after and heard a noise, looked down and then saw a bubble sticking out of the tyre, I stopped straight away but it was too late - with a loud noise the inner tube exploded.

It's damaged the tyre to the extent that the metal wires on the rim of the tyre were now exposed where it had burst out.

I popped the old inner tube back in wondering if this would now be a slow puncture now that the obstructions were removed, just hoping to be able to push the bicycle home at this stage.

The exposed damaged bit of the tyre on the very edge of the rim of the tyre was placed behind the metal bit of the wheel.

I pumped it up and a small bit of the inner tube is bulging out near the rim, I was able to push it home at least.

The bike looks as new and apart from this damage to the one tyre they are both otherwise in perfect condition.

I'm fearing the worst that I'll have to buy a new tyre, if so will it have to be a 26x of the same design? Is there any way to patch up a small part of a tyre?

What did I do wrong here,is it possible I over inflated the slime/self repair tyre? It was a very impressive exxplosion/implosion anyway.

Thanks for any tips


texts: Bladed spokes on drive side, regular on other side

texts:
Yesterday, I checked out a Cannondale Synapse with Mavic Aksium wheels. One strange detail caught my eye - the rear wheel had bladed spokes on the drive side, and regular, cylindrical spokes on the non-drive side.

Is this a feature or did the shopkeeper mess around with the wheels?


texts: How to safely remove pump off presta valve?

texts:
No matter what I try I can't seem to remove the pump off my threaded presta valve without injuring my hands on my wheel spokes.

I'm beginning to think I'm doing something wrong.

After unlocking, I just pull until the pump valve comes off.  Sometimes it is a fairly simple process.  Other times I have to use quite a bit of strength.  And the worse times I come in contact with the spokes and lose some skin.

Any tips would be appreciated. I own an Avenir Air Source Pro pump with a dual head pump valve.


texts: Is there a verifiable reason for the ubiquity of flat bars on bikes these days?-- if so, what is it? It seems that 90% of the time I see people riding a newish bike that isn't a Dutch bike/roadster, they are holding their arms straight out in order to grab onto some flat piece of metal covered in rubber. Moreover, if it's a typical "hipster" bike (i.e. an older frame possibly with newer components), even if it has drop bars, the brake levers are not typical "drop-bar-style" brakes but are rather mounted horizontally along the bar tops, meaning that the hooks are more or less useless because you can't brake from them, and the drops are even more dangerous because it's just not possible (for me at least) to quickly move from the drops to the tops quickly while keeping myself stable (My Google-fu doesn't seem to be good enough to find a photo of this phenomenon online).


texts: Play in Jockey wheels Sram X7 rear derailleur

texts:
I have an SRAM x7 rear derailleur only been using it a few months (through the rain) and the jockey wheels seem in a bad way. There's a lot of side to side play in them and the teeth look sharp when i think they should be squared off at the top, I think this is causing issues in a couple of gears which won't setup correctly. The rest of the drivetrains is brand new and seems to be working fairly well.

Given how expensive jockey wheels are, Is it generally worth replacing the jockey wheels in a derailleur at this point, or is it better to get a new derailleur. Seems a waste as I think its been on the bike for 4 months max.

Edit from comments:
Having examined this further. It looks like the reason its not quite shifting correctly is that the derailleur is slightly bent. The play in the jockey wheels is not excessive, but it seems to want to run at a slight angle away from the cassette


texts: My disc brake rotors have started to corrode. What can I do?

texts: For the last two weeks, I was using my bike heavily in rainy weather. I was cycling during rain for hours. Now I noticed that the discs of my disc brakes started to corrode. What can I do now? Should I just clean them? If yes, how?


texts: My pedals are forced forward when the back-pedal brake is on

texts:
I have to backpedal in order to brake. But when I do this, it works for about 3 seconds and then there's some kind of noise and my pedals start going on their own. The momentum of my back tire would push my pedals to keep going and I couldn't stop them with my feet.

I let my friend try riding it so he could see what it was doing and when he tried to backpedal, the seat came off.


texts: What kinds of brake designs exist, and what are their general pros and cons?

texts:
Here are the ones I'm aware of:

Center Pull Cantilever

Slightly better braking than side pull brakes.
No recentering problem.
Relatively rare

V-Brakes

Cheap to produce.
Similar in braking power to center pull brakes.
Relatively short service life before the resetting springs fail.

Cable Disk Brakes

Second best stopping power available.
Same kind of technology in automotive brakes, these work in wet or oily conditions.
Require stronger rims, forks, and tires to be used.
Relatively heavy.
Expensive.

Hydraulic Disk Brakes

Stronger braking than cable disks.
More complicated; more parts to break.
More expensive than cabled disk brakes.

Have I missed any pro or con, or any brake types here?


texts: E-bike battery doesn't work anymore, where do I get this specific one?

texts:
Can somebody tell me exactly what battery this is or where I can buy it? I appreciate any help a lot!
If you need more information, please let me know.

Edit:
This is the e-bike the battery used to. Does anyone know this e-bike?


texts: Is there a trick to inflating a flat tire with deep section rims?

texts:
I have a Schwinn floor air pump and its nozzle is the kind you push down and flip up the lever to connect. With a brand new inner tube installed I could not get it to connect with the valve as I have rims with a deep section, with these particular rims even inflated you only have the brass end of the valve showing.

Is there an easy way to inflate the tire with this set up?


texts: Why would someone steal my rear derailleur and hanger?

texts:
Yesterday while I was at work someone stole the rear derailleur and hanger off my bike. Everything else left alone.

Why would someone steal a derailleur? Seriously. Of all the parts.


texts:
I'm looking at options for new winter footwear and am split between buying new boots (must be look/3 bolt, which seems to constrain options somewhat) or buying covers, specifically the neoprene style which zips up the back and exposed ones' cleats through the bottom.

I'm weighing pros and cons and would like to get others' thoughts as to their own experience with boots vs. covers.  Also, I have wide feet and would need boots that fit accordingly (like a Lake wide or Sidi Mega) - not asking for a product recommendation but this constrains options and is an important consideration for me.

Covers

Pros:

Cheaper than new boots

Cons:

They must be taken on and off
Aesthetically, they aren't pleasing
Durability is a question

New Boots

Pros:

Durable
Possibly more cold & water resistant
More aesthetically pleasing

Cons:

Cost
Possibility of hard break in
Possibility of worse fit than ones regular shoes
Limited options for Look compared to SPD


texts: Best long distance padded shorts for tall man

texts:
sorry if this has been asked million times already...

I need an padded shorts that actually work for making my but stand 150km+ (around 95 miles) a day without hurting as hell after 2 days of riding.

Have in mind that:

I do not expect magic, just the best quality
I am 2 meters tall (that is around 6.6 foot)
I am willing to pay for this

My last longride was 335km in 2 days and I managed to stand it but it was not a pleassure for my ass, since it really hurted afterwards...

Thank you for help :)


texts:
https://vimeo.com/270962821?utm_source=email&utm_medium=vimeo-cliptranscode-201504&utm_campaign=28749

Guys at the bike shop recommended a bottom bracket change would fix the problem however it didn't. Do I need to change the crankset? Click sounds only appears when I pedal with my right side between 12 to 3 o'clock angle.

Thanks!

Note: if I pedal only on my left pedal, there will be no clicking sound.


texts: My lock was rusty and key snapped while trying to unlock bike so now its permanently locked

texts: I was trying to open the lock to use the bike, the key was jammed and I forced it so much it snapped so now part of the key is inside the lock and consequently the bike is locked and the whole lock is impossible to remove. What is the best procedure to follow?


texts: Spokes loose on a new wheel, is this expected or a bad build?

texts:
So a couple of months ago, I bought a new front wheel from the local bike shop. It's a 28 spoke wheel, rims are the DT Swiss RR465 and the hub is a 240s.

I put 500-600 km on it and noticed a rattle after a ride. After isolating it to the wheel, I noticed that 3 of the spokes were extremely loose with one of them basically hanging. (The nipple/screw thing appears to be inside the rim somewhere.

Anyhow, I'm pretty sure I didn't hit anything and I'm not a terribly large guy. Are there things that can happen to new wheels/spokes, stretching or coming loose? Or is this a case of the LBS basically doing a crap job of building the wheel?

I'm nearly positive I didn't do anything wrong here, but I'd like to know if there was any possible user error.


texts:
I've got an issue where my rear wheel is coming out of alignment. I can get it aligned just fine when seating it on the floor. When I close the skewer, everything looks good. I can bounce the bike up and down on the floor, free-crank it off the floor, and everything is still fine.
Then if I grab the brakes and put my weight on a pedal, I can watch the wheel snap back out of alignment.
I tried replacing the skewer with one from another bike, same result.
I do hear a lot crackling coming from the hanger (I believe), when I push and pull on it, and even when I close the skewer. I don't hear the same noise if I push and pull on the frame just above it. I can't see the hanger move, nor can I visibly see that it's bent, but I wonder if that could be part of the issue.
--UPDATE--
I swapped out with my road bike wheel and found that I cannot reproduce the issue with that one. Must be something with the hub or cups or whatever. Hopefully the bike shop can spot it.


texts: How are hub dynamo lights wired and why does a rear light cause the front to come on?

texts:
I have a bike with a Shimano hub dynamo, a B&M Cyo switched LED front (LED) light, and a B&M D-Toplight rear (LED) light.

With the rear light disconnected, things work as I expect:

When switched off, nothing happens when I spin the front wheel
When switched on, the front light comes on when I spin the wheel, and the standlight stays on when the wheel stops.

But when the rear light is connected:

When switched off, the lights still come on when the wheel spins, but not the standlight
When switched on, the lights and standlight come on.

In fact only one of the two wires needs to be connected to the rear light for the above to happen.

So what's happening?  I thought I knew how dynamo lights were wired, but clearly I'm missing something.  I assume conduction through the frame is involved somehow.

This has happened on two bikes (with the same type of lights and dynamo); on one the guy in the LBS said the back light was faulty, and fitted a different one which fixed the problem.

Some other information: On one of these bikes, until recently there were different symptoms when the dynamo plug was wired the other way around (I swapped the wires at the dynamo).  It stayed off when switched off, but the lights were significantly dimmer than it should be.


texts: Is it normal for my derailleur cables to cross over on the down tube?

texts:
I've just picked myself up a Specialized Allez Sport 2014 road bike from Evans Cycles (UK).

I test rode the bike and I'm happy with the bike, but when I got home, and flipped the bike over to make a note of the serial number (for insurance) and I noticed that the derailleur cables cross over on the underside of the down tube.

The groupset on the bike is Shimano Sora, installed by the workshop at the Evans store, before I test rode it. Full specs can be found here: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/allez-sport-c2-2014-road-bike-ec052507

The is the first road bike I've owned with a Shimano groupset < 105 and I wanted to know if this is the normal way to route derailleur cables with Sora shifters?

I have owned a 105 groupset equipped bike in the past with externally routed cables and the cables weren't crossed over on that. My current race bike has internally routed cables, so I can't even check against that.

The potential issue I'm concerned about with the cables crossed over is that through rubbing against each other, they will wear more than they would normally. I'm also worried that the cables will be more likely to rub against the downtube, but I could just be being paranoid...

UPDATE: It looks like I'm not the only person to ask this question: http://forums.roadbikereview.com/components-wrenching/crossing-derailleur-cables-downtube-243700.html

It would seem (from the above discussion, at least) that this is not uncommon for Specialised bikes to cross over.

Still doesn't sit right with me though...


texts: Is it worth upgrading my wheels on a commuter?

texts: I'm looking at some Fulcrum racing 5 wheels but Im not sure if they would serve my daily rider better or my weekend bike. My daily work commuter is a Giant Escape and my weekend bike (mainly for fitness and fun) is a specialized Allez.


texts: I feel long rides exclusively in my quads, should my calf muscles be doing more work?

texts:
I notice a lot of cyclists with massive sculpted calf muscles, especially the kind that clearly ride as a life-style without worrying about minimizing body weight.

I've switched cities, and gone from a 7km round-trip commute to 25km round trip. I've been cycling hard as a hobby and often clocked 200km or more per week. After 6 months, I find that it's my quads that are getting larger, and my quads that are sore and tired after long rides, while my calf muscles feel hardly involved.

Does this suggest something wrong with my technique and/or posture? Should I be working to involve my calf muscles more?

Possibly relevant: I cycle with a pretty aggressive bent-over posture, on a touring bike with drop bars. I use clipless shoes and have been working on applying more power in the upwards-stroke. I ride with my seat relatively high, but comfortable and I'm certain I'm not over-extending my legs.


texts: How do I inflate this bicycle tire valve?

texts: I inherited this bike with this funny looking stem. Is this broken? How do I inflate it?


texts: what benefits does a road bike give over a regular mountain bike for casual cycling?

texts:
I'm a casual cycler, for recreation.

I have a carerra kraken, MTB with front suspension and wide tyres. I use this for forrest trails and local back roads cycling (normally do a 15mile or 30 mile route once a month, all road with several inclines)

What benefits would a road bike give me for countryside cycling? I've never actually used one and wondering what I would "get" out of investing in one


texts:
Lets get some things ticked off:

Friction shifting, check
Narrow stance cranks, check
2 or 3 spacers on the right hand side, check
Single chainring, check

(That's the context.)

Are there cassettes which can be disassembled completely and reordered?
If so, what type/what manufacturer/what time period/what product line?
If you take out cogs 6, 5, 3 from a 7spd cassette, is there a derailer capable of handling that range?

... Anything I haven't thought of?

edit: I just thought of something else... The spacers may not be such an easy part to get hold of. The spacing is all completely different. Would 4 7spd cogs + 3 of what might be called '7 to 8spd' spacers all fit together nicely on a 7spd freehub? This is what I'm not sure of.


texts:
I'm struggling and need help!

My front derailleur which is 3x9 speed got damaged. Shimano Acera 9-speed, 34.9mm clamp, low-mount, top-swing, dual-pull

but I'm thinking to upgrade it with a Shimano XTR M980 3x10, top swing, dual pull, 28.6/31.8/34.9mm

Would it be compatible with my rear derailleur 9 speed?

thank you for helping


texts: Camera alternatives for commuting (2014 version)

texts:
After a few near misses by cars and two mates actually being hit I want to start using a camera for taping video footage.

These are my requirements:

Long battery life (3h+)
Inconspicuous (absolutely no fancy GoPro-stuff on top of my helmet)
Small & lightweight
Reasonably priced (< 200AUS / 150EUR / 200US)
Reasonable easy to use (with gloves, in the rain, ...)
Good enough quality / angle for footage, but no further HD++ requirements
Stylish

I'm aware of these questions (Recommendations for inconspicuous helmet-mounted video camera, What is a good camera arrangement for city riding?) from 2010 & 2012, but with camera technology advancing rapidly, most recommendations and discussions are outdated as of 2014. I thought about adding to them, but think starting from a clean slate it beneficial for everyone.

After a lot of internet research I think I boiled it down to a handlebar-based setup with one of following cameras (for people with a larger budget, this looks like an interesting comparison of mostly more expensive models):

Tachion MicroHD:

1: 2.5h - 3: 96g - 4: 200US - 6: HD/125° - 7: :(

Liquid Image Ego:

1: 2.0h - 3: 70g - 4: 200US - 6: HD/135° - 7: :/

DogCam HD2:

1: 1.5h - 3: 62g - 4: 250AUS - 6: HD/135° - 7: :)

Contour Roam2:

1: 2.5h - 3: 144g - 4: 275AUS - 6: HD/170° - 7: :)

Contour +2:

1: ???h - 3: 155g - 4: 450AUS - 6: HD/170° - 7: :)

Polaroid XS 100 (identical to cheaper Easypix xtasy?):

1: 3.0h - 3: 136g - 4: 170AUS - 6: HD/170° - 7: :/

Kaiser Baas X80 Action Cam

1: 2.5h - 3: ???g - 4: 150AUS - 6: HD/???° - 7: :/

To finally come to my questions:

Does anyone

have experience in that problem domain / with one these models?
know about further alternatives?

Will try to update the question with further information...


texts: How many ball bearings inside shimano MF-HG20 freewheel top and bottom?

texts: help me fix the bearings in my freewheel. I need to know the number of ball bearings top and bottom in my shimano mf-hg20 freewheel, and what size are they?


texts: Cheap solution to vertical bicycle stand

texts:
I would like to know if there is a cheap way to put up my bikes vertically on a wall (like a hanger that I could put my bikes' wheels on).

I am doing this because firstly they are taking to much space just being parked there... Secondly I have heard people say that the tire gets destroyed if the bike is left for a little while unattended, which is the case.  I have three bikes that I use. The one is used every third day or so, the second one once in two weeks and the third one, almost never...

How do you suggest I build this vertical stand for three bikes for under $20? I have googled this to see if someone has found a way but I only saw some really complex stands and hangers, as well as expensive products.


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I have the triban 520 C1 bike, size M, I'm 168cm high. I want to ride a 1000km brevet on this bike (divided into 150km-200km parts).

I already changed a saddle into the one from my old trekking bike, so it's much more comfortable than the default one. I also took M sized one instead of S so that it's more comfortable.

Ok, first things first - tires. Right now I have 25mm, these is the stock width. Should I change them? To 28mm, or 32mm?

Second - panniers. Can I put them on this bike? Which ones? What would be the impact on the comfort of riding?

How can I prepare my bike to make it?


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I didn't know any better and I let degreaser drip into the freewheel body of my Shimano FH-RM65. Now it makes a terrible retching noise when it rotates.

How do I clean the inside of this thing?

I'm afraid to put load on it until it sounds quiet and happy again.


texts: I have a broken hydraulic caliper and am wondering if it can be fixed? Can I buy the half that the broken mount is on or would it be better just to buy a new one?


texts: Is there a simple way to hack a bicycle so it moves back and forth based on pedaling back and forth?

texts: Can we make changes in flywheel so that cycle can move back upon pedaling back?


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I have a Giant Defy 3 and I'm not sure how tight the seat post bolts should be. I don't have a torque Allen key. Is doing the two bolts on the ring that goes around the frame as tight as I can do them with my hands ok? It's an aluminium frame. I don't  I want to cause any damage to the frame.

Thanks


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I need to replace a hub bearing. On it, I can Read ZPL (manufacturer I guess) and 6200RS. 6200 seems to be a standard for (inner diameter x outer diameter x width) 10 x 30 x 9mm. But when I measure, I get 12.65 x 28.75 x 9.00 mm.

My measurement tool is accurate, I've tripled-checked it.

It is not because the bearing is worn out on the outside and inside, since the bearing fits perfectly on the axis and the hub.

I bought the bike second hand, it was imported from Tokyo, I live in France.

How do I replace the piece? I cannot find any bearing with similar measurements and a standard 6200 surely won't fit.


texts: Biking Tour Through the Alps: Via Claudia Augusta

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Ok I'll try to be brief. I want to take a bike tour from Tuttlingen, Germany to Milan, Italy. I am 21 years old, in pretty good endurance shape, but am not an incredibly avid biker by any means. At home, I own a $400 bike and go on 40-50 mile bikes every once in a while. Since arriving here a month and a half ago, I have either gone on a 6+ mile run or a 40km+ bike (ranging up to 70km) every other day. Also, my bike is pretty bad here, I bought it for 70 bucks, but I can average 15-16 mph on it on flats.

I am looking for information on the route "Via Claudia Augusta." In total my trip is 550km and I am looking to complete it in 5 days. Does anybody have first hand experience traveling through the Alps, or even this particular route? Every territory has some unique things you need to know, and I am looking for further information than I can find online that may help me complete this tour. Specifically, I'm wondering how mountainous (up and down) the route is. I am pretty sure I can cover 150km+ in a day on flats, but in the Alps I have absolutely no idea how far I could go. Can someone help give me some perspective on how much distance I would be able to cover using this route per day? Thanks.


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I have an Android smartphone, with GPS, accelerometer, 3G internet connection, and other features that seem useful for bicycling. Are there any good bicycling apps on Android?

One app per answer please; feel free to answer multiple times.