texts: What are common causes of premature chainring wear?

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My bike mechanic told me today that my front chainrings are starting to wear out and I should consider replacing it soon (with my next chain replacement). The cassette is still in good condition and does not show any signs of needing replacement. The bike has 3000 to 4000 miles on it and all parts except the chain are original.

The specific reason for the visit to the mechanic was due to the chain dropping to the inside. The drivetrain is all SRAM Rival. There have been no other issues with the drive train. The mechanic seemed to think it was a bit unusual for the front chainring to wear out before the cassette, though it was not unheard of.

Are there any common causes (ex: lack of specific maintenance?) that would cause the chainring to wear out so much faster than the cassette?


texts: Beyond the chain, what other parts of the bike do I need to lubricate, and how?  Can anyone provide some guidance of how to get to the hubs, derailleurs, brake parts etc, that need occasionally lubrication?


texts: This piece came with a CCM tire pump and I have no idea what it is or what it’s for. Can anyone tell me? Thanks.


texts:
The bottom bracket of my bike was completely stripped to the point that when you push the left side crank arm, the right crank moves and you can see the bottom bracket lock move out the frame. The bike shop tried putting Teflon tape but it's temporary.
It's a 26' xc hard tail. For all I know both sides of the bottom bracket(square tapered) are stripped clean hence the Teflon tape put by the previous owner. Can I fix the problem by changing into a hallow tech cranks because it works like a thread less bb, or should I just buy a thread less square tapered bb?
Any suggestion on what to do?


texts: Higher cadence or lower cadence for long distance cycling

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I am going to ride long distance like 200 km on my hybrid. I am not sure if I should pedal in a higher cadence (a lower gear, pedaling more frequently) or a lower cadence (a higher gear, pedaling less frequently) for the same distance.  Or should I mix between both?

Can anyone please suggest?


texts: Please tell me what type of bike this is?

texts:
http://www.njuskalo.hr/image-bigger/mtb-bicikli/rog-kanin-dosta-novih-dijelova-slika-2716844.jpg

Weight...heavy ca. 17 kilos

Mountain?


texts:
I bought my bike just 2 weeks ago and I always hear a creaking noise coming from the bottom bracket area. I can hear it only when I press hard on the right pedal on the downstroke. It sounds like a repeated metallic click, if that does make any sense. I brought it back to the shop and they tightened the crank axle, switched pedals and shortened the chain but the noise is still present.
Do you have any idea? Today I have tried other new bike of the same model and they don't make this noise.
EDIT: I am not a technician myself and I don't really know how to fix this issue but I really appreciate your answer. I bought my bike at a Decathlon store a few weeks ago and this week I went there 4 times and talked to 4 different technicians and none of them could even hear any noise. They already "fixed" the front derailleur more than once (Only limiter screw) and it is working perfectly, so I think that's not the issue. Another one suggested that the chainring bolts could be loose, but on my bike there is none (The ring on the Rockrider ST 520 are attached differently)
The noise I am hearing is present only when I push the right pedal, so there is nothing when I don't pedal or when I use the left one. What I hear is a fast repeated metallic click and I have no idea where it is coming from.


texts:
I've notice that the business to business site AliBaba and it's more consumer friendly AliExpress website have a number of bike components for sale. They tend to be complete component groupsets and the like but are some quite reasonable deals, especially if you are building a bike from scratch.

I've used AliExpress before to purchase electronic components, which have been good quality and are what they say on the tin.

Has anyone used AliExpress to buy bike components and have they had any trouble? (quality, counterfeit etc.)

One benefit is that your money is held in escrow until you receive the item and aprove the payment so some safety.


texts: Why does my brake cable keep on coming out of my brake handle?

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I think I braked too quick on a slope and the brake cable came out of the brake handle so my front brake doesn't work.

What do I do to fix it?


texts: How can I tell if a rack and panniers will work with my bike?

texts:
I have a 2012 Jamis Durango Race and am interested on fitting it with rear panniers at some point.  However I want to be sure that they'll be compatible.  There seem to be mounting points on the bike but I don't know if these are standard across all bikes or not.

Do panniers and bikes come with standardised fittings so that any pannier will work with any bike?  If not, is there some kind of compatibility guide for showing which panniers can be mounted on this bike?


texts: Bending back a bent head tube - is it worth trying?

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I have a bike that was in a major front end collision (I T-boned a car). The frame is steel and the bike bent at the head tube, the welds seem to be fine. Pictures below.

I am fully aware the appropriate thing to do in this situation is never ride the bike again. However, I loved this bike, it was built by a very talented builder, and I would like to bend the head tube back and build it up as a townie, basically to cruise around to the bar and the corner store.

My plan is to put the head tube in a vice and use the frame as a lever to bend the head tube back. While I realize this is not something anyone should advise anyone to do, people used to straighten our bent steel frames all the time.

My question is, is there a world where this ever goes well? Or is this absolutely too far gone?


texts: My helmet had a bad fall. Is it still good?

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I just stupidly dropped my helmet on the floor from a quite high distance. I know (or rather, heard of) that motorbike helmets must be inspected in such cases.

Is it the same for bike helmets? How can I tell if it is still safe?


texts: In the photo below, what is the trainer that is attached to the bike?  Are these custom fab?


texts: I got a recommendation from an experienced tourer to switch to Schwalbe Marathon Plus endurance tires during summer and Schwalbe Spike something during winter. I like the Marathon Plus tires, despite them being a bit slow, because I don't want to get a flat in locations called no-where. I am not interested about product recommendations but rather how can I know a good endurance tire for a certain touring location? If you know that a road is poor for the next 1000 kms, is it a good idea to switch to wider tires with greater volume? Is there any objective way to test a tire in a random shop? I have noticed that sometimes some LBSs have old tires but time-to-time it is hard to say. So how can I detect a good endurance tires if my favorite tires cannot be found? By it I mean that I want more objective ways to select tires rather than just brand.


texts: How to build a combination hand & foot cycle

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My two-year-old daughter has a full right arm, a left arm that stops above where her elbow would be, no right leg at all, and a full left leg. We have found a product she can ride (the Amtryke), but it's awfully expensive.

The goal is to have a hand and foot cycle that is something like this product:  http://www.amtrykestore.org/AM-9XS_AM-9S-AM-9S_with_Bucket_Seat.html

We don't want to purchase that product due to cost... we are willing to build it ourselves in order to keep the cost down. Maybe we could collect parts from multiple used kids' tricycles?

We would be willing to purchase a bike if it were more in the $100 range - - the above product would be $400 for now, and she'd grow out of that quickly and need the $700 version. That's WAY too expensive for us!


texts:
I have this problem where my pedals seem to be able to be able to rotate on an axis perpendicular to the straight travel of the bike.  To take off the cranks, I need to get past a dustcap.  Unfortunately, the dust-cap looks like this:

That hole in the middle is supposed to be slot for a screwdriver, and I can't get it off.  Whenever I put enough force piece to move it (it's been cross-threaded) the metal deforms - it even feels soft.

Could someone please tell me how to get this thing off?


texts: Help Identify this new to me touring bike

texts: Just purchased locally.  Well outfitted.  Lugged steel frame.  27x1.25 tires.  Quick release front and rear, Center pull brakes. Shimano gears and brakes.  Serial number on the bottom of the head tube 7D02184  (nothing on the bottom bracket)


texts: Nice Work Shoes That Won't Get Messed up in Toe-Clips

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I'm a commuter and I'm looking for shoes that won't get totally messed up by my pedal toe clips.

I've been using something similar to these. Any other suggestions?


texts: What parameters should I consider when choosing a crankset?

texts: I have to change the crankset on the quite old bicycle. I need to order it online so what parameters should I consider when choosing the right chainset? It's used 7 gear bike and I don't know what type of crankset it has.


texts:
I am tempted in buying a Campagnolo Athena EPS groupset, but I am also eyeing the Shimano Ultegra Di2.

What are the pros and cons of both of these? And don't get me started with SRAM as well.


texts:
After 8 years; the hood of my brake levers is in pretty bad shape.
The bike is (I think) a Bruno 700c TOUR SOLO 2012

I'd like to replace the hood; but I have no idea what model to buy.
Any idea ?


texts: Is having a disc brake on a single speed bicycle a bad idea?

texts:
I talked to a bike shop that sells a lot of fixed/single speed bikes. I asked them if they could sell me a single speed with a disc brake on the front. The guys said no because:

It will be hard to find a frame that supports that
It is silly and not really needed and a waste of my money

If he is correct about the money part, then what would be a better place to put that money?

I bit of background: I commute year round, and I really like the stopping power i get on my mountain bike (with disc) during the winter / rain. I also tend to ride 20-25mph in Boston.


texts:
I've got a ~2007 Specialized Allez double with a Sora/Tiagra drivetrain that's gotten pretty worn from years of use. I'm thinking of upgrading it to the the latest 105 R7000. Would be my first time doing something like this. Any gotchas to look out for here?

I'm aware that I'll need new wheels/hubs as well for the 11spd cassette.


texts: Are Merino cycling boxers/cycling pants worth the cost?

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I can find boxers of various materials such as latex, spandex, nylon, cotton, merino -- now I am totally lost for the reasons to pay about 30 times more for Merino boxers. I am more interested in the material so I may find a cheaper alternative with different name to "bicycle pants". I am particularly interested in products that moves the moisture out and sure marketing like you do not need to clean them sound interesting but not sure whether just marketing (that way I would not need to carry too many extra pants).

Please, help me to find some proper cycling pants/boxer/things.

You can see here an expensive example in Merino.


texts: How do I change my disc-brake pads? How do I avoid letting the fluid out?


texts: Do I need to protect my bike from jostling around if I put it under the bus?

texts:
I'm rather new to the world of road biking, having only gotten my first road bike a few weeks ago. It's a (secondhand) carbon Fuji SST 3.0, I think from 2012 (not entirely sure).

As part of my training, I have to take my bike over to a teammate's house, where they have a trainer that I can hook my bike up to. To get there, I usually end up taking a bus. It's only a twenty-minute ride or so (each direction), but the roads here aren't in the best condition, and all the stuff in the bottom ends up bouncing around a bit, sliding around, and generally bumping around.

The space under the bus is something similar to this:

Do I need to protect my bike in this case? Is it bad for the bike to be jostled around like this? Am I at risk of snapping my frame?

Riding to my teammates house isn't an option - the roads aren't safe for cyclists here, so I'm stuck with the bus.


texts:
I got my first flat a month ago and it was a snakebite flat. I got it by hitting a small bump on the road with low tire pressure.

Since then I keep getting flats after a few days of riding. Every time I switch the tube and it's always tiny holes. I checked for anything in the tire, the rim seems fine and I always ride with the tube completely inflated ever since.

This is my 3rd flat now. I even tried switching tube brands. I'm pretty sure I installed them correctly.

Any idea why this is happening?

This is the tire:


texts: What are good sites/places to buy/sell bike parts for older bikes?

texts:
I've been wondering is there a marketplace to buy/sell/get original parts for bikes no longer made? I have a Bridgestone X0-1 Hybrid (the weird looking one with mustache handlebars) and I want to either restore it to original like new condition (or might just sell it) but I haven't really found a good place to research this. Any ideas?  I've tried ebay, but either its a whole bike (I don't need that) or never the parts I need!

Thanks,
Mike


texts: How to clean an stone-stricken carbon MTB without doing damage to the carbon....?

texts:
My carbon MTB have got some damage (not cracks) to the paint from stones from the wheels, so I want to clean the damaged specks out, and put on som protection.

First of all, will it damage the carbon if I clean out the specks with benzine or oil, and then afterwards use some de-greaser, I do suspect some of the specks does go all the way in to the carbon-frame itself....

Second, after having cleaned the frame I want to put on some protection, I have thought about buying some dedicated folium for it, but have also thought about just putting on some gaffertape.

-So my question is, will the glue on the gaffertape do damage to the carbon....?

Bjarke


texts: Upgrading drive train for Cannondale Trail 6

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I am planning to upgrade cassette, rear derailleur, chain rings and front derailleur of 2016 Cannondale Trail 6
I am looking for 11-36 or 11-38 10 speed rear and 2 speed front.
Which model I need to select the cassette, derailleur and chain-ring set? I understand I have to change the shifters too.
Shimano XT range would be appropriate? My ride is offroad and onroad mixed daily and long rides (~60 KMs) weekends.
Any 10 speed cassettes will fit on my 8 speed free hub?
Or considering additional expenses, I am even considering 1X10 combination. with 33/32 T front with neat profile with no front derailleur . I feel when I ride with middle ring front and all the combinations on current 8 speed rear, is good. I guess my current middle ring could be 34. Will I miss the highway riding comfort with single ring in front? For lower spectrum I should be okay with 36T low end at rear


texts: My MTB tires say "Inflate to 50 PSI". Can I inflate them a little more for commuting?

texts: I bought this MTB for commuting. Yup, I found out later that I should get a road bike instead. Too late. Not planning to use on rough terrain. Can I inflate the tires more than the manufacturer recommends? If I can, how much?


texts:
I am looking to get a ZeroStack headset upper and have found the right size in terms of diameters.  However, different models of headset reach different depths into the cup on the frame.  Should the headset depth fit the cup perfectly?  Is it acceptable for the headset to not reach the bottom of the cup?

The frame is an Orange Elite 2012. The depth is approximately 12mm.


texts:
I like having my front brakes very close to the rim (see image) as it makes it much easier to brake, especially when on the hoods or long descents.  I recently swapped to Continental GP4000 25mm tires on Mavic CXP 22 rims and the tires seem to be much wider than my previous stock Felt All weather 25 mms.  When I want to take the wheels off, I need to loosen the brake cable in addition opening up there brake calipers. This is of course very annoying and seems abnormal to me.

105 shifters
Shimano calipers with no model number


texts: I wish to get fit, therefore should I have a heavy bike?

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A lot of people seem take up cycling to get fit, and they'll talk about how light their bikes are.

However, as I understand it, a heavy bike uses more energy to pedal it. Should someone that wished to get fit find a very heavy bike?


texts: Pre-load of suspension forks on one side only

texts:
I have a question about suspension forks that have a pre-load knob only on one side.
I believe having it on one side only is not uncommon, and the other side is often equipped with a lock-out knob.
My question is: why is there a pre-load knob only on one side. Particularly for rather simple (low-end) coil suspension forks having only one knob seems to imply that you are pre-loading only one of the two coils in the fork, while the other spring would remain unchanged.

1) Is this assumption (that only one of the two coils gets pre-loaded) correct?

2) Why is it done like this? (Would this be done to have the "sag distance" still be covered by the other coil?)

3) Doesn't pre-loading only one of the two coils cause an unfavorable asymmetry?


texts:
I'm considering putting together a cyclocross type bike together for fun and variety.

Is a typical road frame suitable for this? And, what do I need to consider in terms of sizing?

On sizing, it seems that I may need a smaller frame than a frame sized for road biking. I'm making the assumption that a somewhat smaller frame would be more anatomically "friendly".


texts: Why is Shimano's 105 groupset called 105?

texts:
The current road lineup is
Claris / Sora / Tiagra / 105 / Ultegra / Duraace

105 stands out as odd because its a number.  Is there some special meaning ?

Research

105 was released in 1983 as a 6 speed groupset under the name "A105 Golden Arrow"
At the time Ultegra was known as "600" so some consistency in a 3 digit number.   Dura Ace was always called Dura Ace, and Ultegra got its name in 1997
MTB groupsets have always had a name.  There are no numbers for the groupset as a whole, though each year's revision has a model number.

Conjecture from the web

105 is the reverse of 501, which came from Levi's Jeans, popular in the late 80s in Japan and matching the "workhorse reliable" nature of the 105.
105 reads as "SOI" or "501" when rotated 180 degrees.  But SOI is not a Japanese nor English word, like Dura-Ace ( Duralumin alloy + Ace 'best') or Ultegra = ( ultimate" + Integrity)
In the late 80s Shimano introduced SIS shifting and SLR braking.  At this time many groupsets were stopped, like the 200GS, 300GS, 400GS, 500EX, and Exage.  New groupsets with SIS/SLR replaced them over time.

So why has "105" persevered ?


texts: RevoShift doesn't move cable between 6 and 7

texts: I have a Shimano RevoShift 7 speed (indexed), that has trouble shifting between 6 and 7th gear.  I disconnected the cable for a test, and I see that for the other gears, each click moves the cable about 2mm.  But between 6 and 7, the cable only moves about 0.5mm.  Is there a way to fix this?  I do hear clicks for all gears.


texts: What is the impact of changing to a smaller chainring?

texts:
My road bike has a Campagnolo Veloce gearset. It's running 53 and 39 tooth chainrings. I have a 13-25 10sp cassette.

I find that a lot of the time when I'm cruising, I'm on the big chainring and in the 3rd or 4th largest gears on the back. There is a fairly significant chain angle. Because of this, the chain is a bit noisy and I'm sure it's stressing the drivetrain a little. Also, when I need to drop down a gear I quickly need to drop onto the small chainring which necessitates significant adjustments on the rear.

I'm thinking of changing the 53 chainring to a 50t. I am happy to lose a little top end speed.

According to my theory, dropping a 53t to a 50t will reduce my gear ratio by 1.06 (53/50). Which would be the equivalent of switching from a 17t on the back to an 18t. Assuming this is correct, it's not going to have a very big impact, but it might be enough to make it worthwhile.

I know there is an option of using a 3 chainring crankset, but I think that will be a bit too expensive and still won't solve the core issue of getting the right sized large chainring.

The other option is to change the cassette but I can't see many that would really make much of a difference. If I could get a 15-25 that'd probably be about right.

My questions are:

Will the change mean I need to change or adjust the front derailler, the rear derailler or  the chain?
Will there be any other impacts I haven't thought of?
Any other ideas to solve the problem?

EDIT: I can't seem to find a 135mm BCD 50t chainring. I asked my LBS and they said no go. ChainreactionCycles don't have the combination I want. Can I get a 50t 135mm BCD campag chainring? If not, what can I use as an alternative?

EDIT: I've found that BBB make a campag compatible chainring that looks like a good option

EDIT: As indicated here the BBB chainring doesn't fit. Looks like a proper compact crankset is my only option now.


texts: What is the difference between Time-Trial and Triathlon bikes?

texts:
Time-Trial and Triathlon bikes differ from normal road bikes in that they are designed for maximum efficiency when riding alone (not in a group).

What, then, is the difference between them? Would there be something wrong with using a TT bike in a triathlon, or vice-versa?

There doesn't seem to be an objective difference between the two, and I often see them lumped together as a category. Is there a significant (if any) difference between them?


texts: Lowering my Tour bike gearing to MTB gearing

texts:
I am going on cycling tour on the Himalayas through Tibet, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan on my Araya FED touring bike. Now I am thinking in changing my gear, crank which is SR-SUNTOUR XCT 48-38-28T×170mm w/Guard and my Cassette is SHIMANO CS-HG31-8 11-30T 8 speed, to very low gearing 10 speed. Would Changing to Shimano XT M782 3x10 setup (22.32.40) with an 11.36 cassette, help overcoming for many hours everyday for 3-4 month cycling the Himalayas? I think I have to change derailleurs, chains and more.

Pleas I need some advise from mountain climber cyclists ( I come from very flat country,Denmark) , what groupset would give me the best range and lowest gears for climbing? Thanks beforehand.


texts: Upgrading straight handlebars to drop handlebars

texts:
I have a two-and-a-half year old Giant FCR 3 (with a road-bike-like frame and thin tires; it's somewhere in the loosely-defined "hybrid" range) that I use to commute to work, twenty-five miles round-trip, once or twice a week. The bike has straight handlebars, and having gotten used to the idea of commuting via bike, I'm interested in upgrading to drop handlebars. It looks like I'd need new break/shift levers to go with the handlebars; the whole upgrade looks like it'd run a couple hundred dollars. This is a sizable fraction of the original cost of the bike, which leads me to wonder if I'm better off saving my money for a new bike that's a little better adapted to my use.

Is upgrading my bike's handlebars a reasonable investment?


texts: Cyclists that are out to get your Strava KOMs - should I challenge or?

texts:
A comical question more than anything, but yeah a personal one as well.

One "clown" recently took a KOM I've had for over 2 years, and he did it fair-and-square. No argument there.

However, he argued with me that I had that KOM because I drove a car, yet I've got proof I rode over areas that a car cannot go on, and I don't own a motorbike.

So he went on a vendetta and took out all of my KOMs! Bloody hell!

Ok, so he's faster than me. So what?

Or should I raise up and take him head on?

Do we really care about KOMs that much? Is it all meant to be friendly competition, or do some of you actually defend these things to the death?


texts: Standing to pedal is extremely tiring - should it be this difficult?

texts:
I've gotten back into riding fairly recently. I used to ride a bicycle a lot when I was younger - the single-speed, steel-frame deal with coaster brakes. I'm now riding a Fuji hybrid.

When I was younger, standing to pedal was the thing to do. However, now when I do it, I can't really sustain it for more than four seconds, literally; my quads ache and I feel as though I have absolutely no endurance for this. This happens not only on hills, but on flat as well.

Sitting to pedal has been alright for the most part. I'm able to climb hills in low gear (even though I'm really not good at it yet) and I can pedal well on flat ground. Standing is just a different story, as it takes it out of me so incredibly quickly that it's an almost useless technique.

Am I doing something wrong? Might I need to adjust my handlebars to be higher or something? (My saddle is at a correct height, but perhaps when I stand, I'm having to lean too far forward to keep my hands on the bars?) Or is this common and it's something I'll just need to get over with practice? Don't get me wrong - I know that these things do come with time - but it doesn't seem to make sense that I get tired standing to pedal even on flat ground...

Thank you.


texts: Childrens' bike if I want to put my feet down?

texts:
I am a very short adult (61 inches; 155cm), who has not been able to get the hang of sliding off the seat and back on at stops (especially on hills). I really just want to be able to stop and touch the ground with the balls of both feet, but I do understand that on a regular bike, you can't do this and have the seat at the right height for pedaling.

Could I solve this situation by buying a children's bike, and then adjusting the seat up really high? It seems like with smaller wheels (maybe 24"), the part the pedals mount to at the center should be closer to the ground, so there will be less of a difference between "leg distance touching ground" and "leg distance at bottom of pedaling". Could this solution work?

Also, are there other solutions in the a-broke-student-could-buy-this-on-Craigslist price range that I should consider? (Something with gear shifting, my commute involves a big hill.)


texts: Is stem cap redundant after tightening stem bolts?

texts: Is it right to think that after the preload is set, and the stem bolts are tightened, the stem cap becomes redundant? Will the preload be held fixed by the stem? If so, does that mean the stem cap can be removed after preload is set?


texts:
I recently in the past year have had problem my front tire. It is about 3 years old and this year it has had about 3 tube replacements, many patches, and recently (in the past month) a new front rim replacement.

At first I just replaced my tube then it popped soon after so I checked the inside of the rim for loose things that may cause it to do so and didn't find any so I put a new tube in. It occurred again so I bought a new rim and tube. Not even a month later the rim is bent slightly and the tube has gone flat.

I don't now what to do. I don't ride it on rough terrain and I have been riding the same way and bike for two or three years now. Please try and offer suggestions that I could try. Thank you


texts: How can we calculate the efficiency of the Siva Cycle Atom generator?

texts:
The Atom is a bike electricity generator made by Siva cycle and launched via kickstarter.

I was curious about how this generator compares to others (eg. hub dynamo/generators) in the market in terms of efficiency.

Quoting from the siva cycle FAQ:

  How much resistance does the Atom add to riding?

  The resistance is very small, and is proportional to how large your charging load is. At full generating capacity, it is akin to riding with your tires at 70 psi instead of 90 psi, or pedaling up a 0.3% grade. In our use around town, it is very difficult to tell that it’s on the bike.

I think the full load on the generator implies drawing 1A of current through the USB port at 5V so thats 5W of output assuming perfect voltage conversion.

Is it possible to calculate the efficiency of this generator using the above information?
How much power would 0.3% grade take away compared to 0% grade?

Thanks!


texts: Can you use non-UST tubeless ready tyres on a UST tubeless rim?

texts:
Is it possible to use mountain bike rims which use the original UST (Universal System Tubeless) standard for using tubeless tyres with tyres that are tubeless ready, but do not conform to the said UST standard?

Namely, I am thinking of getting Mavic wheels which are, naturally, UST (Mavic created the standard along with Michelin and Hutchinson), but since the choice of UST-certified tyres is quite limited, I intend to use other tubeless ready tyres (specifically, by Maxxis). I am already reasonably sure that this is possible, so, assuming I'm correct about this, I am especially interested in how well it performs. Anybody used or seen such combination being used? Is sealant neccessary?


texts: Could road rims be damaged by using v-brakes?

texts: I once heard that road rims aren't strong enough to deal with the force of v-brakes, is this true? What about your standard cantilever brakes?


texts: Find out where long distance/endurance riders stopped to sleep, from spot trackers?

texts:
I'd like to participate in Tour divide.
One of the hard part is planning where to sleep.
Especially hard when you have to research those from abroad. (I'm from south korea)
I realized they carry a tracker (spot tracker) for safety purpose and it's broadcasted and you can see them online (http://trackleaders.com/)
Wonder if I could find out where they slept (it could be out in wild, or it could be a proper lodging) from the spot track info?
I'm aiming for the record (you dream big!) and wonder if there's a way to find out where those top performers slept. :(


texts: How to increase the brake force of my drum brakes

texts:
I have a Gazelle city bike that has a badly braking front brake. It's a drum brake as depicted here and here.

When I squeeze the brake levers fully it doesn't touch the handlebar, so that's not the bottleneck.

How can I improve the braking power of such a drum brake?


texts: How to get a decent workout on a mid sized, flat parking lot?

texts:
I'm looking for a way to have a bicycle based workout in the middle of the COVID-19 quarantine.

I do not own a roller trainer of any type, nor materials good enough to make one myself. In my country there is a full(ish) lockdown and I cannot go out for training.

I live on a building complex that has a mid-sized parking lot but it is almost completely flat.

I'm searching for a way to increase resistance to the bike to get a meaningfull training out of a 40-60 ride.

The first idea thar I have is to put a rubber band to depreess the rear brake lever to make it act as a drag brake. (disk brake) (Would it damage or excesively wear the brakes pad/rotor?)

Another idea is to put some sort of "fins" into the rear tire to make it generate air drag (Maybe attached to the spokes perpendicular to direction of travel).

The goal is to get a decent workout at a moderate speed, the parking lot is not big enough to accelerate a lot, and does not provide a loop path, (I'd be like making a 'C' shape going back and forth.) Also, as it is a parking lot, I do not want to go full speed to avoid hitting or scaring a neighbor who may be walking to/from their car ans suddenly pops up in front of me.

The fins idea could also be adapted to a simple stand that lifts up the rear tire to make it trainer like.

Any additional ideas on how to get a workout are appreciated. I'd also appreciate anecdotal information if you wave opted for such an approach sometime.

I'm DIY oriented and Currently I have with me a bike with street tires, and a bike with mtb tires. A spare worn out wheelset and some tools, and I cannot go out shoping for parts, materials nor extra tools.

EDIT: Here I cannot buy online parts nor other goods than food or medicine. There is simply no such comerce stablished in this country. Any online buying I've done involves shipping to a P.O. Box and paying a second carrier to bring it from USA to my country. Currently such service is not active as only health/food/journalism workers are authorized to move on the street.

I did read some applicable ideas on this answer: https://bicycles.stackexchange.com/a/61837/2177


texts:
I own a 2015 Specialized AWOL Elite and love it except when I am fully loaded and lumbering up a pass.

I'm looking for a way to get more range without completely replacing my drivetrain. This Adventure Cycling article perfectly describes my situation: THE DRIVETRAIN DILEMMA.

Currently I have

the stock FSA Omega 30/39/50 MegaExo crankset paired with
9-speed triple Sora 11-32 front/rear derailleurs and shifters.

I'm confused about STI vs MTB indexing on Shimano 9 and 10 speed shifters. I am considering swapping out the crankset and rear derailleur with a

FSA Afterburner 26/36/48 crankset and
9-speed Deore rear derailleur with an 11-36 cassette

My question is will these new components work with the original Sora front derailleur and shifters?


texts:
Nice to talk to you all again. I've been refurbishing a classic women's city bike for my girlfriend (vintage French - the bike not the girl ;)  it's shaping up groovy. The primary problem I'm encountering is the brake calipers. They refuse to stay centered. I adjust them so the pads are centered and equidistant from the rim and on the first pull of the brake lever everything seems to be ok. Two or three pulls later one pad (specifically the one opposite from where the cable is fastened) remains on the rim, while the other continues to move freely. Part of the problem is that the outer housing of the cable has some play aka doesn't remain static. However I notice upon visual inspection that one calpier (the one that becomes stuck on the rim) simply doesn't move as freely/ an equal distance and the other. I've tried adjusting both the hex nut from behind the brake stay as well as the outer nuts with little success. Short of simply replacing the whole mechanism, is there something I'm missing here to solve this?
Ps tried uploading a photo I took with my phone but it was to large for the text box does anyone have a quick fix for that as well?
Btw the bike is a late 70s Peugeot
Again thanks a lot for any input and happy roads :)


texts: How to replace a tube with only one quick stick?

texts:
So what is the correct number of quick sticks to swiftly change the tube? I had always thought that the answer is of course 2, but :

  I can do it twice as fast with one Quik Stick as you can with a
  handful of levers. – Daniel R Hicks


texts:
My bike is a ClaudeButler CapeWrath D24, with Shamino Alivio gears front and back. I was thinking it would be good to upgrade these to something like Shamino XT, at least on the front to start with.

1) Is this something I can do?
2) Can it be done incrementally?
3) Do I have to get certain rings to go with XT? Can I have alivio on the back and XT on the front?
4) Looking at Wiggle and searching for Shimano XT there are a lot of items.  Do I need the whole XT range, i.e. shifters, cassette, chainrings, front and rear derailers?

Is there a bit issue with doing this in bits, or just front or rear, or leaving the front shifters as they are?

Currently I have a 8ring cassette, can this be changed incrementally for a 9 or ten?


texts: Would a moist cloth wrapped around the nose be reasonably effective as compared to an anti-pollution mask?

texts:
On looking at the prices of masks and filters, I figured that it could eventually get rather expensive for me. Moreover, there's an article in a newspaper that these masks don't really help:

  Don't be fooled by safety masks (Sep 30, 2001)
  According to a
  two-year painstaking study conducted by a group of researchers in the
  department of chemical engineering, Indian Institute of Science, no
  mask being sold in Bangalore is effective against the most common and
  harmful pollutants: carbon monoxide (co), sulphur dioxide (so2),
  suspended particulate matter (spm), oxides of nitrogen (nox). The
  study, commissioned by the council for scientific and industrial
  research (csir), has been examining all the material used in the
  filters inside the plastic masks. To their utter dismay, researchers
  found that people using these masks are being fooled beyond
  imagination. says senior scientific officer Mr.J.R. Mudakavi: "we have
  tested more than a dozen such masks available in the city's markets. I
  am sorry to see that none of them informs the buyer what it is
  effective against, what load it can take, if the filter is recyclable,
  et al". The most injurious of all, CO, is not filtered by any mask.
  sulphur dioxide is absorbed by some filters to some extent, but given
  its concentration in the atmosphere, these masks are effective only
  for 2-3 hours. no user is told that if the filter is washed it can be
  used efficaciously a few more times. one of the dreaded pollutants is
  spm (small particles from industry, stone crushing, construction
  materials, exhaust, etc) which when inhaled in large quantity gets
  deposited in the lungs and can cause silicosis.

Ok, so if even the anti-pollution masks can't filter out CO or SO2 properly, then that leaves the danger of the particulate matter which in my opinion, could be prevented with just a cloth wrapped around the nose and mouth.

Not a thin layer of cloth. A cloth where the folds form a couple of layers over your face and nose. If this cloth is moistened a bit, shouldn't it be effective against particulate matter.

For a short ride of maybe 30 minutes, won't a simple cloth be more cost effective and offer a reasonable amount of protection against pollutants?


texts: Is it harmful for a hydraulic brakes bike to be put upside down

texts:
I have heard that bikes with hydraulic brakes should not be left upside down. If they are, 15 minutes should be allowed before the bike is used.
Is there any truth in this? What process could be happening?
I am asking this because I sometimes leave my bike upside-down overnight, to remove any water from inside the frame. Today I noticed some oil on the inside of the lever of my BR-M445L.


texts:
I think there is a subjective feeling of "newness" to a bike which is straight out of the box. What is it mechanically and aesthetically that creates that?  What can I do to prolong, preserve or restore this state?

N.b. I know of course that simply maintaining the bike goes a long way to doing this, but is there anything specific that can be done?


texts: In what sense are UCI Pro teams 'national' teams?

texts:
This page on wikipedia lists the UCI Pro teams and has a column listing their Country. It is sourced from this page on the UCI official site. What significance does this hold? Clearly each team doesn't have an obligation to only include riders from that country.

What is the source of the association between teams and countries?


texts: Which downtube friction shifters work with 2021 Campagnolo 11-speed cassettes, and how well?

texts:
Another question from a few years ago asks about Shimano 11-speed derailleurs; I have a related question about current (2021) Campagnolo equipment - I'd like to understand what downtube (friction) shifters will work with a Campagnolo 11-speed derailleur.
What is the cable pull required between top and bottom gears, and is it the same as for 8/9/10-speed systems? I thought that the total derailleur travel was the same, just with narrower spacing between gears, but I see that Dia-Compe make a dedicated 11-speed shifter with a larger diameter for greater cable-pull.
How well do friction shifters work with Campagnolo 11-speed cassettes (if at all)? And which ones?


texts: Calves overcoming glutes function, is this a set up problem?

texts:
I've noticed that I usually become really tight calves while my gluts don't work at all. It is specially so when I accelerate in my singlespeed while I'm stand up or when I climb.

Sometimes I get my hamstrings to fire a lot, even too much so that they are even close to cramp but the gluts do not work. It is only when I'm in a hard workout (high speed, over 30km/h on average when I feel that the gluts fire and the calves are more relaxed)

Is there a common reason for that? I have adjusted my saddle height so that I can more or less have a straight leg when I have the heel in the pedal and a not completely straight leg when I am pedaling, I can reach comfortably the handlebar (bullhorn) in it's many positions.

But I still have this issue. I specially get the inner (medial) side of the calves tight.


texts: Will my road bike fit in the racks on a public transit bus now that I have put fenders on it?

texts:
I ride to work most days.  If I'm getting a cold or something,  I sometimes hop on the bus. I save no time by riding the bus, so I rarely do it.

About a month ago, I installed Planet Bike full-coverage plastic fenders on my bike, a mid-80's Schwinn Tempo.  I've got the Hardcore fenders.  http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Bike-Hardcore-Road-Fender/dp/B002KCFSPI

I'm pretty sure that the bike racks on public transit buses are fairly universal, in the U.S. anyhow.  They appear to be the same on all of the transit buses I've used throughout California and in the Chicago area.  Maybe there are different ones--but in these two areas they appear to be the same.  http://bicycling.511.org/transit.htm

My question is this.  Will the fenders interfere with the bar that goes over the front wheel?

I haven't tried it because I don't want to inconvenience other bus users by futzing with a bike that might not fit.


texts: Why is my Diadora Traccia's rear tire rub against the frame

texts:
Recently I took out my bike (Diadora Traccia) from storage (Basement) and started riding it in the new season. To my surprise, the rear tire began to rub on the frame whenever I pushed the right pedal. (Sorry couldn't get good camera angle for video to show, but the basic idea of the issue is when pressure is applied to the right pedal, the tire wobbles to the left and rubs against the frame making a car-exhaust type noise) Upon closer inspection (Taking the rear tire off), I discovered the following:

The right-side's bearing cover comes off whenever removing the tire (Image)
The right-side axel comes out (Image)
The left-side axel is wobbly (Video)

I've already tried to realign the wheel, leading to no avail.

Does anyone know how to even begin repairing this? Your help is greatly appreciated

TechMaster04


texts: Upgrading my cockpit- brakes, stem and bars for longer reach

texts: I want to upgrade my cockpit so that I have a longer reach. I currently use it as my city bike. Its an old vintage HR bates frame. Currently the stem is a little short. I want to change the bars - flats, curlies or something else? What brakes are recommended?


texts:
I need to replace the bottom bracket bearing on my fixie. I plan to get a Shimano UN26, but I note that there are a number of different sizes. The sizes seem to be expressed as 68-110, where 68 is the shell width and the second number varies according to the table below, from Shimano's tech specs.

I assume the second number relates to the width somehow.

How do I measure my existing bearing? Is it length from end to end of the axle? Given that the only tool I have for this is a ruler (no calipers) what's the best way of measuring my existing bottom bracket to ensure I get the right size?

Update

I removed the bottom bracket and it had "103" stamped on the axle. I also measured and it was exactly 103mm from end to end. So it looks like the measure is the length. I went to my LBS and they assured me a 107mm (coincidently the shortest one they carried) would be fine. I installed it and my chainline is marginally out (I guess by 2mm). So I'm going to try to find a 103mm from somewhere else.

Thanks!


texts: Can anybody help me identify this bike? It's a Claud Butler with Reynolds 531 steel - that's all I know.


texts: Finding a replacement crankset (and maybe a bb to go with)

texts:
I am in need of replacing my crankset on my hybrid discovery 401 - although all that is left of the 401 now is the frame and the bb/crankset.
it has a sealed bb 113/68 square taper.
I am struggling to find a triple crankset on the web that would suit, as all of them seem to be hollowtech or some other bb type.

What I am unable to work out is if any of these whizzy new types are going to fit my frame.. or what I need to check to know.
I have removed the existing bb hence knowing it's measurements. it is threaded only at one end, and all the pictures on the wiggle or wherever for different types of bb seem to have threads on both ends.
I use the bike to cycle to work each day, about 20 miles round trip, it is a 24 speed bike currently, and i have some fairly nice shifters and thus need s 3 sprocket crankset.
I also take one of the little ones in a hamax seat, or both of them in a trailer thingy.

Can anyone offer some assistance?
An square taper bb seems to be about £10 so not a bank breaker, the newer hollowtech or whatever are a little more expensive and don't necessarily want to change it all up, but finding a crankset that is square taper, and for a hybrid rather than a mtb is a nightmare. along with not really being sure on what teething to go for..

any recommendations or links happily received

Thanks

Nat


texts: The stem on my bike is at roughly negative five degrees.  If I were to flip it upside down, thus making it positive five degrees, might I be putting pressure on parts of it that were not designed for pressure?


texts: When to buy an enduro bike: autumn or spring?

texts:
At what time of year can I buy a bicycle for the best price?

Here is some more information for my specific case.

I live in Bulgaria, and as the bike needs to be tested, purchasing from abroad is not an option.
It is early autumn now, and the prices have already dropped, that is 20% off Trek bikes, and other bikes have fallen e.g. 5000BGN->3500BGN; 12000BGN->8000BGN
Budget between 2000-4000BGN (I would like to stay away from the steep region in the price/quality chart, but still have the money for a good bike)
Scott, Trek, Specialized, Giant, RAM, Shockblaze are the most prominent brands here i.e. most bikes in the shops are from those brands
Target riding stile is climb+trail, climb+ski track downhill (summertime), maybe ramps later
The showroom bikes that are at reduced cost seem not ridden at all, probably due to the high cost
From the moment that I make the decision, it will be probably around a couple of weeks until I try most bike shops locally and choose a model
I will not be riding this winter, however storage in an apartment is not an issue
The bike will be used only for MTB, I have a separate commuter bike

I am worried that at early spring, when the new models arrive, the old promotions might be dropped. Those promotions are quite substantial. At what point (now or in spring) would I be best off, buying a bike?

Quick currency converter: 4 392BGN == Trek Slash 7


texts: Do Shimano Nexus hubs lose efficiency as they get older?

texts:
I ride a 5 year old commuter bike with a Shimano Nexus 8 internal hub gear, that's done about 20,000km.

I'm not sure if I'm imagining it, but it seems like my bike has lost a considerable amount of mechanical efficiency recently. I now seem to be the slowest bike on the road; everybody passes me and I never overtake anyone, despite keeping the types pumped and the chain lubed. I don't ride any other bike, so it's hard to benchmark, but it feels like the hub slips a little inside as it operates, compared to the feel of a derailleur.

Engagement and changes is still 100% reliable in all 8 gears however.

Is this a known problem with ageing hub gears? Has anyone had this kind of experience before?


texts: Can I leave a suspension fork upside down?

texts:
I currently have my mountain bike disassembled, I broke a tire and needed some space in my room. The frame is resting upside down on the saddle and handlebar.

The fork itself is a Rock Shox SID Dual Air (pretty old model, I guess 2001). As this fork relies - to my best knowledge - only on air, storing it upside down shouldn't be a problem. Am I correct, what about other types of suspension forks?


texts: Upgrading to new hydraulic brakes - should I put same sized rotors on front and rear wheel?

texts: I would like to upgrade brakes on my bike but I have a dilemma / question - currently, on my front wheel there is 180 mm rotor and on back wheel there is 160 mm rotor. Is there any reason why bike manufacturer did this (is it assumed that bike doesn't need that much stopping power on rear wheel?). Would I gain anything by installing same sizes rotors (180 mm) on both wheels and is there any risk to bikes frame?


texts:
On a folding ebike with no suspension what’s the best addition to help with uneven roads bumpy surfaces etc?
Whats the best/valued part I could add for comfort please?


texts: Presta valve won't let air in on a new tube

texts:
During a ride I had a flat tire and used a brand new Joe's tube with sealant.
For the first time in many years of riding i was not able to pump air in. It appears that the pin inside the valve won't go in to let air flow. I've tried also with the tube out of the wheel but no luck.


texts: (How) should I wax my cassette along with my chains?

texts:
A while back I got myself a 5kg block of paraffin (this being the smallest the candlemaking supplies store had to offer) to wax my chains. Then it hit me that the cassettes I have been using are definitely of the non-stainless variety, and tend to end up with rust spots on the occasions I have parked my bike outside, and using oil to protect the cassette would defeat part of the purpose of waxing the chain.

So, I started wondering, could a cassette be waxed along with the chains to protect it from rust?


texts: Brake levers for non-cycling application

texts:
I would like to purchase and install 2-finger brake levers to operate the diff-lock and brake on a walk-behind garden tractor. Okay, it's not a bike but it is a two-wheeled vehicle. The most economical option appears to be to purchase brake levers made for bicycles, but I have some questions regarding their suitability.

There are two possible mounting points, with bar diameters measuring 34mm (1.34") and 21.7mm (7/8"), with the latter appearing to be a widely available option. Do brake levers exist that would fit the larger tube size? My research appears to suggest the largest size is 31.8mm and I presume this would not accommodate 34mm.

I have seen brake levers advertised as suitable for v-brakes, cantilevers, caliper brakes and mechanical disk brakes. This buying guide covered the main types but did not compare the relative cable travel. Could anyone suggest which type offers the greatest cable travel as this may be an important factor in making a selection. Even better, could someone measure the actual travel distance? I would do this on my own bike but it has hydraulic disk brakes.


texts:
I find that my knees are coming ahead of the pedals while I am on the aero bars. I am not sure whether this is right or wrong.
In the below image, I don't feel pain on my lower back for a long duration but I am seated on the edge of the saddle. This results in a painful pelvic girdle. But I am worried that my knee is too far ahead of the pedal on the horizontal crank arm position.

In the below image, I am seated on the middle of the saddle which brings my knee a little closer to the pedal. But I experience lower back pain after a very short time.

I am afraid, both the positions are wrong because both the positions bring my knee in front of the pedal.

Now my question is, where should my knee be with respect to the pedal or toes?
Also how to correct it (if wrong), should I reduce the stem length or bring my saddle forward? Invite other suggestions as well!
Currently the stem length is 100 mm.


texts:
I am building a wheel and it is (pretty much) perfectly dished

Spoke tension calculator measurements say:

However, my wheel required a lot of offset to get the dish correct. My park tool TM-1 verified that my tension is thus,

Non Drive Side Tension

TM-1 Reading: 16

Spoke Tension (KGF): 73

Drive Side Tension

TM-1 Reading: 20

Spoke Tension (KGF): 110

My rim manufacturer says:

Is 73 KGF too low to ride the wheel?If I keep proper dish I could probably only go up by 1 TM reading on both sides.

Here is a picture of the wheel if you care:


texts:
In clincher tyres, are folding tyres easier to put on and remove than the tyres with wire bead?
I was trying to swicth from decathlon resist+ tyres to Specialized Allsport and found it really really hard. I cant imagine being able to change a tube on the roadside with such a hard and difficult tyre.
I am a weekend/leisure rider for hobby. for that, if i get a ouncture on road, would a folded tyre be easy to take off and switch tubes than using a wire bead tyre


texts: Is it possible to construct an overnight shelter using a bike as the upright?

texts:
Next year I might find myself needing a lightweight touring/camping shelter, suitable for overnight stops at camspites and at the roadside.  One option is a single-hoop bivvy tent (example) but many of these aren't much lighter than my hiking tent, and they're rather expensive.  A hoopless bivvy bag seems more like emergency kit to me (with the exception of the Salewa which allows the hood to be lifted with a cord to a branch, fence, or bike). My choice is rather restricted by my height -I'm too tall for many of them.  We can assume a decent weather forecast before setting out for a few days, so some need for rain-proofing (and face cover) but not planning to be out in a storm.
As an alternative I wondered about getting a tarp, and using the bike itself (held up with guy ropes and possibly a kickstand) to lift the head end.  This would have the advantage of no poles to carry, making packing very easy. Has this been done before? Are there any plans in existence? I've got reasonable DIY/craft skills and equipment but not really for working on fabric beyond minor modifications.


texts:
So i just noticed that my rear wheel is not centered. I think it has been like that since i sent my bike for a service 6 months ago. The wheel is brand new
I also noticed a thing which looks like a spacer at the other side of the wheel

What if i remove that spacer thingy? Will it be centered or i will have new problems with shifting etc?


texts: Do your legs get tired faster when riding a recumbent trike compared to a upright bike?

texts:
In my quest for getting as much information as I can before configuring my recumbent trike, I was thinking if my legs would be get more tired as they are in a horizontal position?

In an upright bike, my legs would be "resting" on the pedals as they are on top of them.

In the recumbent trike, my legs would be in a horizontal position and my thighs would have to keep them up as well as providing the power to do the pedalling.

Are my assumptions correct?


texts:
First post here and also first time servicing my forks, which are 2006 Marzocchi Dirt Jam Pro.

I was wondering if anyone knows what kind of grease i should be using for the spring in the left leg. The manual I have been going off just says "smear the left spring with the recommended grease" but doesn't actually detail the recommended grease.

What is the recommended grease?


texts: Why don't race bikes have solid front triangles?

texts:
I know that cutting material out makes a bike lighter, but at some point there must be a crossover between weight and aerodynamics. Since tri-bikes and track bikes have more oval/flat shaped tubes, you'd think that closing off the entire front triangle would improve aerodynamics even more. And making it out of carbon fiber wouldn't add too much weight. See also the use of enclosed wheels.

So, outside of the obvious reasons of weight and the loss of a bottle cage, why wouldn't you want to do this?


texts: Freewheel replacement for a touring tandem bike

texts:
I have an older touring tandem bike that we use to go on long trips. The gear setup is 3x7. I noticed that we hardly ever use the smallest 3 cogs on the freewheel (of course together with the largest chainwheel). We also struggle on the climbs, so I would like to change the freewheel to help us on the climbs.
The freewheel setup is 13-30. I am thinking or replacing it with something like 16-36 or similar. The problem is that I haven't found a 7-gear freewheel with such a setup. The only freewheel with a better setup that I've found is the Sunrace MFM300 7DV. But the difference seems to be major only on the largest cog (30 vs 34).
This is the current freewheel:

Do you know where I could buy a freewheel with a better setup for climbing than this?
Or would you recommend that I do one of the following?

Change the chainrings - from what I see, I would have to
change all 3 of them, as the screws on the smallest chainring would
not allow changing it with a smaller one. Seems to involved for my
bike repairing skills.
Change the back wheel entirely to support a newer, cassette style type of cogs. One problem is that
the back wheel is also fitted with a drum brake on the left side, no idea how to
properly re-fit it on a new wheel. Also, I would like to keep as many original parts as posible on the bike.
Changing the wheel's hub to a freehub to support a casette. This has the
advantage that the bike will stay with most of its original parts,
but would be really involved. Again, might be difficult to impossible to re-fit the drum brake.

Advices welcome, I'm not an expert bike tehnician.
Chainring sizes: 54-48-40.
Current chainrings:

Chainrings' Bolt:

Update a few months later
I thought it would be useful for anyone having a similar question to have an update on this question after following the very good advices that I have received here.
What I ended up doing: I replaced the right side crank and chainrings for a lower overall gear. Unfortunately I couldn't replace just the chainrings, as there was no way to fit smaller ones on the existing crank. I only replaced the right side because this is a tandem and on the left side there's the connecting chain. Finding a complete tandem crankset is difficult and more expensive, but fortunately replacing just the right side of it did the trick. The only difficulty was finding a crank with exactly the same length as before.
I also replaced the chain, as it was very dirty. Unfortunately this led to the replacement of the freewheel, as the new chain was slipping on the old one. I guess it was also worn out.
Although I couldn't avoid an upgrade spiral, I managed to bring down the gear ratios so now we can enjoy more difficult rides.
Indeed, replacing the crankset was quite easy and I might actually do it again if I notice that we need an even lower gearing.
Thank you for the advices!


texts:
I am fairly new to working with bikes, and I have this vintage Nishiki Meridian bike, with a Cunningham design. I have tried searching online for this specific bike model but I cannot find much.
I am looking into restoring it. However, I do not know its worth and if it is worth it to restore it instead of buying a new bike.
It is rideable, the gear shifting is wonky so I would have to fix/replace that. I would also need to take it apart and clean every bit of it, and most likely completely replace the breaks as they are old.
Any help would be much appreciated in estimating if it is worth it to restore it or just to buy a new bike.


texts: Eye protection for child in bicycle child carrier

texts:
I'm finally at the stage where I'm about to install a front mounted WeeRide child carrier on one of my bikes, but one of the things I'm concerned about is eye protection for my child. I'm mainly concerned about UV protection in addition to dirt/stones hitting that area of his face. I won't be going off road at all so no bushes etc to be worried about and all journeys will be around the suburbs.

How have other people approached this? Have you opted for child glasses (sunglasses or clear lens?) or goggles or something completely different?


texts: Can anyone identify the model/year of this Montgomery Ward bicycle?

texts:
Can anyone identify this Montgomery Ward bicycle? The only markings I've found are pictured.

 .


texts:
23s come on almost all new road bikes, and tire selection is much better for 23s than other tire sizes at most shops.

The benefits of 25s and 28s are a better ride, more traction, and are more flat resistance than 23s. How noticeable is the difference in rolling resistance (in fact, some people claim that running slightly lower pressures allows for better rolling resistance on most 'real-world' surfaces)?

Are narrow tires only for time trials racers, or do they have advantages for the other 99% of riders?


texts: Can I run 2x10 XT Shifters on a flatbar road bike with 105 10 speed STI components?

texts: I want to run 2x10 XT shifters on a flatbar but still want use the 10 speed 105 components of the road bike would there be any problems?


texts: I want to get into this hub to lubricate the bushing. Every instruction I see on the Internet says to use a 5 mm Allen and a 17 mm wrench. But there is nothing to put a 17 mm wrench on. There is the internal nut, but I can't get a wrench on that; it is behind the hub shell. Do I have a different version of the wheel? Or am I missing something?


texts: Just a quick question but should the Kryptonite lock fall apart like this when it's open without they key in? To me it feels too loose but I'm not sure. Guess it locks anyways?


texts:
I just had my bottom bracket replaced on my road bike (Cervelo S3). I went for a ride and realized on the way back that the crankset was sliding right-left... That's not normal right?

Here is a video:

Thanks for the help!


texts:
I'm looking to start tracking my speed and cadence for my iOS app, Cycle Meter.  The app works great for distance, time, but is not accurate at all for measuring my speed.

So I'm thinking of buying a Garmin or a Wahoo speed/cadance sensor and wanted to get the community's opinion on the two.  I'm not worried about price.  More about quality, functionality.

The two in question are:

http://www.wahoofitness.com/Products/Wahoo-Fitness-Premium-Speed-and-Cadence-Bike-Sensor.asp

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=1266

Update:  been using the Wahoo one for a few weeks now and have to say that I'm very happy with it.  I've been in a lot of rain as well with no issues.


texts: Deep-Profile Carbon Wheels -- How to choose depth?

texts:
I'm doing research for a future purchase of new wheels (for everyday riding) for a 2012 Cannondale CAAD10 Ultegra. I want to spend ~$1000 (give or take $200 or so). In my price range I've found: Boyd Cycling, Williams Cycling, November Bicycles, and Soul Wheels (a bit over price range). They all offer similar wheelsets for a similar price. Are there any other reputable brands I should be looking at as well? I'm specifically looking at carbon clinchers.

I live in Sacramento, CA (very flat city), am 6ft tall, 130lbs.

Two questions:

Now that I've identified some different brands, how do I choose between the brands?
How do I choose rim depth (38mm vs 50mm vs 58mm seem to be the commonly-used ones)?


texts: Front wheel "shudder" or "pulse" when braking

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When I apply the front brake I can feel a "shudder" or "pulse" through the front wheel, fork and handlebars. It's faster when I'm travelling faster and slower when I'm moving slower.

I assume there's something wrong with the rim, causing the brake pads to catch (rim braking, not discs). But I've checked the rim carefully and can't see anything. There isn't any ledges and I can't see that parts of the rim are wider than other parts (although I haven't checked with calipers or anything since I don't have any). It's happened since the wheels were new. They're Charge Dish wheels. I've used multiple different brake pads and they have all had this problem (to varying degrees).

How can I diagnose and fix this problem?

Updates based on comments:

The bike is an SE Lager, about 18 months old. I'm running Conti GP4000S 23mm tyres.
I've spun the wheel and eyeballed the rim/pad clearance. I can't see any noticeable bulge, but I'm assuming that's what's causing the problem.
It's a large frame (I'm 6'3")

Thanks for the suggestions. If there is a bulge in the rim can I fix it, or do I need to replace it?


texts: What are the advantages (or dis-) of the GT triple triangle frame?

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Like this one, for example.  Is there any plus or minus to this frame design?

(I'm shopping for an 80s/90s steel frame bike and the GTs may be a possibility.  It turns out I kinda like a horizontal top bar for the look of forward motion that to me a compact frame doesn't have.)


texts: Why is the front brake lever on the right if you 'drive' on the left and vice-versa?

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I live in the UK and I expect my front brake lever to be operated by my right hand. However, I recently went on a friend's bike that had the brakes 'back to front', which would be the 'right way round' for people in Europe, North America and everywhere else that drives on the right.

I am left-handed and therefore used to finding things designed to be best operated with the right-hand, e.g. the controls on a lawnmower.

What are the reasons for the brake lever convention on a bicycle? It seems that the front brake is more important for controlled braking, in the UK we have that worked by the right hand, which makes sense. For countries that drive on the right that means the back brake has the 'handed-ness' advantage, rather than the front.

I also like to be controlling my speed with the front-brake when making a right-hand turn, however it is not possible to do this when signalling. A left turn is not so important to stick your arm out for - drivers coming the other way and behind don't really care if the sign is not made for a left-hand turn, whereas a right-hand turn really should be indicated. So, from that perspective, the brakes are the 'wrong-way-round' for me.

Can someone kindly guide me through why the brakes are wired up so and any historical origins of the convention?


texts: Website for getting bike-specific touchup paints?

texts: A while ago I came across a website that did touchup pens for a catalogue of old bikes, but I can't seem to find it now. I have a specific old bike that I want to check if they have, before I go to the auto-shop.


texts: How long does it take to be ready for a multi day ride as a newbie?

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I have not cycled much recently, done a few 30 mile rides in 2012 on mostly flat but nothing since and am out of shape now, not that I was in shape then!

The bike is a hardtail, but on road tyres.

I plan to start riding regularly from now, starting off with an easy 10 mile trip on the red routes, and slowly stepping it up every week to do more miles/inclines.

My goal is to cycle from Milton Keynes to just south of Manchester, total 150 miles, spread over 3 days so about 50 miles a day. It looks to be a good chunk of national routes, and very few inclines all the way, so I think it's a good goal.

Now a 50 mile mostly flat ride is fairly easy I'd say, I could do it pretty soon but it'd be hard and I wouldn't be up for riding again the next day. How long should I plan to wait before undertaking the task? I know it's hard to put a time frame on it as everyone is different, so I guess a better question is at what point should I be before attempting it? I.e. what should I be able to do cycling wise?


texts: If I ride 20 miles on my Road Bike, what is that equivalent to on a Fat Tire Bike? More specifically (and technically), I would like to know how far I would end up riding on a Fat Tire Bike using the same amount of Watts as I would use riding 20 miles on my Road Bike. Many thanks!!!


texts: I've recently had a bike donated to me by a friend so I can start commuting to work. It's a hybrid style bike, and uses 700x32C tyres. My ride to work is along a pretty bumpy, muddy canal path and my feeling is that the tyres currently on the bike are a bit too narrow for the terrain. I'm very new to cycling, and particular bike maintenance, so this might be a dumb question, but can I replace the wheels on the bike with something wider? If so, what measurements should I take from the bike to make sure I get something that fits?


texts: Tightening bottom bracket prevents crank spindle from turning

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I have a relatively new mountain bike with a Truvativ Power Spline bottom bracket.  I noticed that it was loose with some lateral movement in the crank arms, so I took everything apart and proceeded to tighten up the bottom bracket.
I tightened the drive side first and then moved round to the non-drive side.  As I tightened the cup on this side I noticed that the crank spindle became harder and harder to turn, even after just hand-tightening the bottom bracket cup.
The manual suggests a torque of around 38 Nm on both sides but if I do this my crank spindle will probably jam up completely.  In order to keep the crank spindle spinning freely I can only loosely tighten the bottom bracket, i.e. not tight at all.
Has someone experienced this and can offer advice?  How can I tighten up the bottom bracket and keep my spindles spinning? Am I missing something?
Thanks


texts: Can I use Shimano 105 rear derailleur from 11-speed bike with 10-speed Tiagra shifters?

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I have a 10-speed 2013 Specialized Allez Elite with Tiagra componentry (and an 11/28 105 cassette) and would like to install my old Shimano 105 rear derailleur in the back to replace the Tiagra one. The 105 rear derailleur came off a 2015 Roubaix which was all-105.
Will this work? I assume the Tiagra shifters' different pull ratios will simply result in the rear derailleur being pulled at... a different ratio. Will this setup run cleanly and shift smoothly? Are the chain widths slightly different between 10 and 11-speed as well? Is this destined to fail?


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We believe it is a 1960’s women’s 26” J.C Higgins from similarities I’ve seen online. Wanted to ask to see what value it may have

Misc. Pics

Dae Young Tires


texts: I'm working on a bike where the right shifter was not working and I replaced it. it's a 7 gear cassette and the problem now is that the rear derailleur would not shift down past 3. When I manually I moved it down it stays there. It does shift back up all the way to 7. Shift down and it stops a 3 even though the shifter keeps clicking couple more times.  Any ideas what is going on?


texts: How do I install a bike seat clamp properly?

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I recently moved, and had to take off the seat to my bike while I moved. I was surprised to find when I arrived and settled that I couldn't find the clamp to my bike seat. I managed to find a new bike seat clamp, but it's not obvious how I'm supposed to install it. What should I do? I've included a photo of my bike seat, without the clamp. Don't be confused by the bike behind it, the black seat post and seat and red body is the one I'm working on.

My bike is a GT avalanche, unmodified from the store.


texts: Click/snap sound while fastening brake lever onto carbon bar

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I was fastening Shimano STI levers onto Bontrager carbon drop handlebars yesterday, with my torque wrench set at ~2nm, and heard a short rather loud click/snap sound shortly after starting to tighten, probably well below 2nm at that point. I took the levers off, and inspected the area by shining a flash light on it and looking through a magnifying loupe, and also tapped the area with an allen key to see if there was any change in sound. It looks and sounds fine.

If not necessary I'd prefer not to throw them away, but I also don't want to take any big risks. Does it sound like my bars are a write-off?


texts:
I'm interested in how I would choose a chainring configuration, supposing I was either replacing mine or building a new bike for a similar usage.

I have a 50/39/30 triple chainring (& 10-speed cassette) on my Bianchi Volpe.  Rivendell sells a 46/36/24, with the argument that 50 is overkill, and if you're going to have a granny gear it should be smaller.

I buy that argument, but I spend 90% of my time riding 39 in the front and 15/17 in the back.  If I downgraded my middle to 36, then I'd have to ride smaller cogs in the back, which means it'll wear faster (I do ~2500 miles per year of city riding).  If I use the 46 then I'd be almost cross-chaining to get the same ratio.

So it sounds like this configuration would be bad for me.

However, I think a 46/30 double might be perfect.  That would pull the big ring in closer so when I'm riding on the bigger cogs in the back I hopefully wouldn't be cross-chaining.  It would wear slower because I'd be on more teeth.  I do a moderate bike tour about once a year and the 30 has worked fine for me so far (haven't done any mountains, but have done some steepish hills).

Does my rationale make sense?


texts: Upgrade from 7-speed SunRace to 10 speed Deore: can I use the same wheel?

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I got a whole Shimano Deore groupset 3 x 10 and would like to upgrade my good old Trek bike. Do I need to change the whole rear wheel now? It has currently Sunrace Megadrive Lock Ring Type cassette or rather a freewheel.
And if I need a new wheel, what should I get so that it lasts?


texts: Seatpost won't let me set my saddle "level"

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I recently changed my saddle and I've found I'm unable to get my new saddle level (as measured with spirit level).

The problem is the seatpost clamp - it has teeth on both the concave top of the shaft and the convex clamp part that fit together to prevent the saddle angle from changing. These teeth are quite large and they restrict the possible angles the saddle can be set at.

My previous saddle just happened to have an inherent angle that matched the seatpost, so I was able to set it "level" with the ground. I find with my new saddle, it is either slightly tipped forward or slightly tipped back. Neither are satisfactory - I need something in between.

Does anyone have a suggestion for fixing this (short of buying a new seatpost)?


texts: All gears shift smoothly, but won’t shift into 1st gear/large cog. Help?

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So I was tuning my newly acquired bike today and working with all 8 gears on the rear derailleur. I managed to properly set the high limit screw as well as cable tension so all gears shift smoothly from 2-7. However, when I try to shift to 1st gear, the derailleur won’t move and neither will the shifter. The cable tension is too tight. I also tried manually pushing the derailleur by hand and I can jusssssttttttt get it to shift into first, but it requires a lot of pressure. The only effect adjusting the low limit screw has had is that if it is too loose, it won’t shift from 3rd to 2nd. Tightening it anymore doesn’t shift it from 2nd to first.

I briefly inspected for alignment and from eyeballing it things look OK, but I am not too sure.

What are some things I can do or try and what should I be looking at if something needs fixing?

Thank you guys for your help.


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Is it feasible for an experienced single seat cyclist to serve as captain of a tandem bicycle and effectively "pull" the stoker behind as if the said stoker was riding in a trailer?

It's understood the said stoker will be required to maintain some cadence and balance, but it seems possible that a sufficiently skilled single seat cyclist would theoretically be able to compensate for significant stoker errors.  Additionally, I know it would help if the captain had tandem experience, but some experienced single seat cyclists may not have time to try out a tandem before pairing with an inexperienced stoker.


texts: Are there any post 2013 studies available that focus on the use of bike lights during the day to prevent collisions with cars?

texts: My cousin was recently killed when hit by a car from behind as he was cycling his road bike in the countryside in broad daylight. The accident occurred on a sunny day as he entered a shaded area of tree's. I am now looking at raising awareness of the benefit of using rear lights in the day and I could use some help please.


texts: How can I update the brake system on this vintage Universal La Riviera ladies bike?

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I would be really grateful for any advise on how to go about updating the brake system on this vintage Universal La Riviera ladies bike.

The brakes don't work properly so I can't safely ride it. The front brakes are very stiff and the back breaks have completely seized.

I tried to oil it but I think the rust damage is too extensive and it's probably too old to salvage. I'd like to install a new brake set but I'm not sure what kind to buy. Do I need the exact same model or can I change to any brake system? If I can use another brake system could you please let me know your recommendation and why it's better?

Here are some photos:

The back brake lever has seized with rust.

Front brakes function but very poorly.

Back brakes.

Back brakes.

The bike.

A friend donated this bike to me. From what I read of the company, the bike is probably from the 1980s. It's very rusty but the frame is sound, the wheels look fine and there's no problem with the steering. I recently put on a new chain and now pedaling is smooth. There's a problem with changing gears but everything's fine if I don't try to change gears. I only use it to go to my local shops a few times a month so I'm happy as long as it's functional and safe. :)

Many thanks in advance for your time.


texts: How can a beginner cyclist build up power?

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I am a 44-year-old guy, 250 lbs (yes, overweight). I have not been on a bike in over 15 years.  I just picked up a 12 Trek Marlin (Gary Fisher Collection) this weekend, and after riding for about 2 miles, I was done...

How can I build up my muscles and endurance so I can ride longer?


texts: Front brake is nearly impossible to squeeze, and and the brakes also wont release

texts: I'm having trouble with the brakes on a bike I just bought from someone used. The front brakes are pretty much impossible to squeeze with my hand, (and I played college tennis I have pretty decent grip strength) and basically nothing happens no matter how hard you squeeze. Also if you can squeeze the brakes hard enough they don't release, they stay stuck up against the wheels. I don't know much about bikes but I'm happy to answer follow up questions I have tried adjusting the cable longer and shorter, and I've tried adjusting the brake pads as well. Please help!


texts: Why does my Shimano Nexus 8i need readjustment after every gear shift?

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Since a month or two, almost every time I change gear my Shimano Nexus 8i becomes "unadjusted". I have readjusted it dozens of time but the problem persists. The gear is really easy to adjust (set it to fourth gear, adjust two lines so they line up by screwing a "nut" on the lever) but as soon as I have shifted the gear a couple of times the lines no longer line up (they end up being wrongly adjusted in both directions).
What can cause this? Dirt in the shifting cable (Is that the correct term? The "hose" that the wire runs into.)? How to fix?
I have seen this question but that situation is different. I can adjust using the barrel adjuster (which didn't work for Pedro posting that question), OTOH, my misalignment appear immediately after adjusting (which it didn't for Pedro).


texts: Pads in contact with disk when idle on my SLX L675 disk brakes

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I've recently bought a Nishiki Hyper pro which features the hydraulic Shimano SLX L675 brake system.

What I've found is that the pads on the back wheel breaks appear to be in constant light contact with the disk. The wheel turns with no effort what so ever on the front wheel, but on the back wheel you both see and hear that it's a constant contact between the disk and the pad(s).

I wonder if, and if so, how I adjust this? I've Googled and looked around but don't seem to find the correct info I'm after unfortunately.

Brakes:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bw1M3VAfJAdzQk5YWVRKY2NsSzQ

Lever:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bw1M3VAfJAdzXzlRMEVrX1R2OXc/view?usp=sharing


texts: Wheel squeaking at slow speeds and slight play in the wheel bearings, related?

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When I am pushing the bike or (lately) cycling slowly, I can hear/feel a slow squeak/skreech from the front wheel. I can feel it through the handle bars, and it isn’t quite the sound of brake pads rubbing. A while back when I started noticing this noise, I only really heard it when pushing it backwards or when pushing it at an angle. I also noticed that the front wheel has a bit of left/right play when I hold it and push it side to side. It does not make any noise, and rotates freely, when lifted in the air and rotated.

Are the play in the wheel axle and the noise related? Do I need to tighten the cones? Or should I grease them first?


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I mostly commute and have never had trouble climbing a hill sometimes by using my lowest speeds (or close to them).

How do I evaluate even roughly what grave %age I climbed?

What I mean is that I would love to tour someday in a real mountain-y region, and would like to know how to approach climbs like this.

For example, I see profiles with %ages as high as 10%. I know I never rode 10km at 10% but how does 10% look like? how do I know I won't be forced to give up after the first mile or two?

How about 5%? 7%? or the extreme 12.5% I see on some climbs?

I do have a GPS device that gives a reliable path of where I've ridden, but the altitude is not reliable to the profiles of my rides are not either.


texts: So as the title says my disc brakes are not locking up. They are gripping but not locking. My older brakes were leaking and i changed them with Shimano Deore BL-M596. I have searched online and found some things about pads. I checked for any contamination on my pads and my rotor but they seem to be fine. No oil or anything. How do i get them to lock? Thanks!


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I'm looking to get the Trek Domane 4.3 and debating between a size 54 and a 56. One shop I've been to told me I'm a 56 and another said 54. According to Trek's sizing chart I'm 56.
I am 5 9" with an inseam of 30.5". Which is the right size for me? Btw, I prefer not to replace any parts or make modifications to the out of the box setup. It should also be noted that I prefer comfort over performance.


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I am a beginner and I have a Trek Marlin 5 2020, it has quite a crap Shimano Tourney derailleur. I was wondering if I could swap it out with a SRAM GX DH 7 speed derailleur and shifter? Would it work with the existing ‘cassette’ which is a Shimano HG200 freewheel, 12-32 7 Speed from what I know, I may be wrong. Was wondering if it would work without having to change it to a SRAM 7 speed cassette meaning having to change the whole wheel to a freehub.
Please help me out, cheers :)
Chris


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I have an Ortlieb Back Roller pannier that has developed a rip about 6" (150mm) long along the lower rear inside corner – where the side/bottom joins the back (wheel side). It looks like this:

In the photo I've pulled the rip open, if I let the pannier relax there is just a small slit, as if someone tried to slice the pannier open with a knife.

Is this something that can be reliably repaired?


texts: What luggage carrying options exist for an e-bike

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I am planning to build a DIY e-bike for my work commute and have the electronics already figured out (which motor, ESC, battery).

After work I want to go directly to my other activities. Until now I simply threw a backpack or two into the trunk and it was no worry. But now I am not sure how to transport my equipment comfortably as I don't like wearing a backpack during cycling.

The bike I will convert does not have a pannier rack yet, so I am open for options. Are there some backpack mounts to the side of the rear wheel? Or some saddle bags one can use as a backpack? I don't know what my options are on this end.

My requirements are more or less simple:

waterproof storage for my equipment during commute
should have about 60l of storage volume (I used two about 30l backpacks before)
easy to take with me

Also I am not quite sure yet where to put the batteries (they are 3 cuboids, about 17.5 x 7.5 x 4.5cm and 1.3kg each). I fear they will be too bulky to be put inside the frame triangle and then also a bit unconvenient to remove for charging. My fallback plan is to put them inside whatever containment I use for my equipment.

I hope you can point me in the right direction, because I have no idea what bike luggage transportation options are out there. :)


texts: When should I start cycling again after a cold?

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I have a cold. A clogged head, congested sinuses and a sore throat, accompanied by a cough. It's been around for about a week.

I've stayed off the bike because I haven't really felt well enough to head out in the cold weather we've had this past week.

However, I feel like I'm starting to recover, and I'm itching to get back on the bike.

My question: At what stage do you get back on the bike? Does riding slow the recovery process (I've heard that the immune system can be suppressed by exercise)? Should I have just kept riding right through?


texts: How to clean brake pads properly to stop squeal?

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I bought a new MTB recently that came with TEKTRO HD-275 hydraulic disk brakes, after two weeks it has started to squeal, then I clean both front and back pads with Isopropyl alcohol and 120 sandpaper, now back wheel squeal is okay, but the front wheel squeal is still there?
What should I do? Replace front pads with new, or again clean with Water + Isopropyl alcohol + Rub more with Sand Paper?


texts: SRAM compatible 11 speed 12-25 cassette?

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I'm looking for an 11 speed 12-25 cassette compatible with a SRAM drivetrain, however I don't think SRAM makes one.

They list specs for their 11 speed cassettes as follows:

11-25: 11,12,13,14,15,16,17,19,21,23,25
11-26: 11,12,13,14,15,16,17,19,21,23,26
11-28: 11,12,13,14,15,16,17,19,22,25,28
11-30: 11,12,13,14,15,17,19,21,24,27,30
11-32: 11,12,13,14,15,17,19,22,25,28,32

Are there any manufacturers that make a 12-25 that is compatible with SRAM? I'd also be interested in a 12-** cassette as long as it has an 18 tooth cog.


texts: Techniques to increase average cadence for endurance-riding?

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According to the Wikipedia entry here:

  Recreational and utility cyclists typically cycle around 60–80 rpm.
  According to cadence measurement of 7 professional cyclists during 3
  week races they cycle about 90 rpm during flat and long (~190 km)
  group stages and individual time trials of ∼50 km. During ∼15 km
  uphill cycling on high mountain passes they cycle about 70 rpm.1
  Sprinters can cycle up to 170 rpm for short periods of time.[citation
  needed]. The professional racing cyclist and Tour de France champion
  Lance Armstrong is known for his technique of keeping up high cadences
  of around 110 rpm for hours on end to improve efficiency.

What are the techniques to improve cadence? I am not targeting this question to touring or long-distance but for endurance-riding, meaning training for longer-distance with higher HF and higher speed. I like to do short repetitions for about 10 minutes with high rpm above 120 but I am not sure whether it is ideal and I am not sure how much resistance I should add during such periods. What kind of exercises do you do? The exercises do not necessarily need to be even on bike, as long as they meet the goal to train endurance-riding with higher cadence over longer time.

I am not sure what the last sentence in the wikipedia means actually: to improve efficiency through cadence? Anyway, I am looking for ways to improve average cadence — perhaps it will improve my efficiency also, not bad thing at all.

Some Perhaps Related questions or Useful Info

How can I improve my stamina?
A-bit-fuzzy and targeted-to-runners article about "faster running and better long-distance results" (using short sprints with hills) but perhaps good training also for cyclists, here
Perhaps helpful about endurance and speed, also about running, question here targeted to younger audience. Not sure whether relevant to improve the cadence.
In running, they have a trendy thing called "barefoot running" or "neutral running", this answer here claims that it can improve the cadence at least for running, no idea whether something like that could work in riding a bike.


texts: Cheap Apollo forks: The fork suspension feels too soft

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I have a cheap Apollo brand bike which has very soft suspension and sometimes leaks brown rust coloured fluid if compressed hard enough. both sides have a plastic cap which prys open (not unscrewed) to come off.
Is there anything I can do to make the suspension more stiff?


texts: Columba folder w/mountain 10sp cassette & Sram X7 derailleur

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On my bike the derailleur mounting bracket (hanger) is held by the hub axle and therefore fills some of the dropout slot on one side and pushes the axle lower in the slot on that side. So the axle is braced in its recess on that side, but not on the other side. This can cause the wheel to go crooked when I hit a bump and it's hard to get the quick-release skewer tight enough to prevent it.

To me it seems like a dummy dropout-filler is needed for the other side to balance the support the mounting bracket adds  -- or else a solid axle core that can bolt the wheel on tighter. Where can I get such a filler or what are my chances to convert the hub to a solid core axle?


texts: Recently, my road bike's chain got cut, so i took it for replacement. A new chain was inserted and the shifting had a good transition. However, when i shift on the harder gears, i hear "crack crack noises" as if the chain is not well fit. I returned it to the repairman who still said he now fixed the problem but i still have the same issues. It seems he only tested the bike while suspended but not on actual ground. Is this because the new chain was too long ?


texts: Seatpost of a folding bike is always dirty, filed down by frame?

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I fold and unfold my Dahon Speed D7 at least four times a day, and each time its seatpost is being pulled up or pushed down the frame tube.

Problem is that the seatpost becomes dirty really quickly even on a dry weather. I suspect the aluminium it's made of is softer than the frame alloy and every time I move it up or down the tube it's being filed down a bit, and so the dirt is actually very fine chips of the seatpost itself. However, it hasn't been changing for a couple of years (shouldn't it already be polished enough by this moment?)

It's hard to tell for sure from the dirt look itself though. Is it possible for the road dust to get that quickly through the opening of the frame below? Would oiling the seatpost help or it would only make it worse (dry dirt is much more preferable to deal with than when mixed with oil)?

Maybe it makes sense to replace the seatpost with a steel one (not sure if they exist as a specific diameter and length are required).

Must be a common problem for folding bike owners, how do you cope with that?


texts: Tapered suspension fork on a 2003 Surly Karate Monkey frame

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Is there any way I can run a modern tapered 1 1/2" to 1 1/8" tapered suspension fork on a 2003 Surly Karate Monkey (Original frame style with V-brake and Disc Brake Mounts). I think it only works with 1 1/8" straight steerer forks now. Are there any headsets that I could install which would make my frame compatible with a modern tapered suspension fork?

FWIW, I'm currently running a Chris King No Threadset for straight steerer at 1 1/8" diameter.


texts: Carbon Fibre Frame Paint Chip from Stuck chain

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My chain got stuck between smallest chainring and carbon fibre frame.. The paint chipped in one place and there is a half mm scratch in another place..

What is the chance that it damaged the carbon fibre? In the chip think the carbon fibre is exposed.. It doesnt look damaged to..

I am planning to seal this with Araldite...


texts: Are there real-life alternatives to the chain+derailleur combo?

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I was reading an article about the CeramicSpeed’s Driven concept and, while not interested in the efficiency part, the chainless system reminded me of something I was wondering for some time: are there real-life alternatives to the chain + derailleur combo?

By "real-life" I mean a solution which is reasonably commercialized. I realize that there is nothing obviously replacing them as I do not see them at my Decathlon shop but there may be something a bit less mainstream which is still in use.

My main concern is the complexity of the derailleur system  coupled with a chain which breaks - and all of this requires maintenance.

An analogy would be the engine in petrol cars together with the mechanics to bring the couple to the wheels vs a Tesla solution where a small, one-block electric motor sits directly on the wheels axis (Note: I am not thinking about replacing the power source (that is me) by an electric system, just to show how the complexity has been reduced in a tesla vs my regular car. I still want to pedal, less the maintenance and system complexity)


texts: Should I grease pins when re-installing them on cottered cranks?

texts: I'm restoring a vintage Peugeot with cottered cranks.  When reattaching the cranks to the bottom bracket spindle, should I grease the pins or put them in dry?


texts:
This keeps me wondering. I normally see front and rear shocks on downhill bikes, but when it comes to touring, road, or mountain bikes, almost every one has only the front shock.

What is the reason for this?


texts: Should I use cheap or expensive lubricant?

texts:
I'm hoping for either a scientific paper that has looked into this, or at least some plausible statistics from enthusiasts.

This is definitely related to my other question Can I use WD40 and generic bicycle oil to maintain my MTB drivetrain?

However, even if that worked fine for me before, I have a slightly nicer and faster bicycle now, and I'm curious if there is anything at all to be gained from improving this.

If comparing the cheapest and "worst" lubricant versus the "best" lubricant for the drivetrain on a bicycle, what if any performance benefits can be expected? What about other benefits, or disadvantages, such as maintenance intervals, accumulation of debris and particles on the chain?

Basically, is this worth looking into at all?


texts: Geometry measurement, from where to where

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I'm looking at http://www.specialized.com/ca/en/bikes/road/tarmac/tarmac-comp#geometry and would like to know what "Seat-Tube Angle" means. For say the 56, I would assume that angle is like this

Where the horizontal black in parallel to the earth, the red is the bike frame and the blue is the angle.

Am I correct in my assumption?

Thanks!


texts: How often should I lube with Pedros Ice Wax?

texts: I'm a usa cycling road racer. I just got a recommended lube Pedros Ice Wax. I ride about 100 miles a week. How often should I lube my chain with it and how often should I clean it?


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I have just adjusted my spacers positions on my headset.
There origionally 3 spacers below the stem one larger than the others and none above the stem, then I took the 2 smaller ones and placed them above the stem, will this affect the gap between the steerer tube and the top cap, (even if that matters). As I am unsure because I was thinking as long as I have the same amount of spacers on the steerer tube then it doesn't matter, or is there importance to do with the position of the stem?


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I started cycling three months ago (with the intention of joining my work place's MS150 ride next year).  I have a big-box bike and a helmet, but aside from the chain breaker tool I needed in order to replace my derailleur, I have no other cycling gear or equipment worth mentioning.

I live paycheck-to-paycheck, and so I most definitely do not have the money fund this at the level that some readers are accustomed to.  Buying on credit is not an option.

My current plans are to save up for a new road bike from the LBS, hopefully getting it in time for the ride (which is nine months from now), and to purchase the most important items for riding as the money comes available.  I don't expect to have more than $20 to spend during any two-week period.

This all being said, what's is the recommended order for cycling gear?


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I have the Rotor PF4624 386 Road Bottom Bracket (C04-026-01010-0) in my Open U.P. Frame (BB386EVO pressfit 86.5x46mm BB shell) and need to remove it to install a Di2. I have read that some people pressed out the bearings only and ran in some trouble afterwards since they used the wrong removing tool. So I want to be on the save side from the start but do not know which removal tool I should use.
Can anyome help me here?
There is a side question on this. Is it possible to install the old bottom bracket or is that not recommandable?