texts:
What different kinds of bike handle bars are there?  All kinds welcome, the common and the nameless.

If possible include the pros and cons of the bar

One bar per post


texts: My daughter has sparkle and glitz 12 inch bike with stabilizers (training wheels). Since we purchased the bike every now and again the back wheel keeps spinning when she is pedaling. This seems to happen more when there is a bit of an incline.  Any suggestions what problem could be?


texts: Interrupter (cross) brake lever cable guide wedges?

texts:
Interrupter brakes require the brake cable to angle away from the bar to meet the lever at the proper point as shown in the picture below. You can see the handlebar tape doesn't carry on closer to the center because if it did, and was wrapped tight, it would put a harsh bend in the cable. But it seems the right tiny bit of molded plastic to guide the cable off the bar right into the interrupters at the correct angle (shown in red on the left) would allow you to wrap the tape nice and tight right up to where the interrupter levers clamp on the bar.

Is there such a cable guide wedge thing? If not, has anyone made their own? It would be nice to bring the handlebar tape nicely finished right up against the interrupter clamp.


texts: Liability Insurance - What if you break the law?

texts: Are there any insurance policies out there that cover you if you have an accident while say, jumping a red light or cycling the wrong way on a one-way road?


texts: Can i use a XT 8000 crank instead of GRX crankset

texts: I want to lower the gearing in a GRX 800 set up from a single 40 ring to a single 32 ring or use a XT M8000 crank with 32 ring.Im old and slow.Will it work


texts: Single speed dirt jump specific frame for general riding

texts:
I am in the market for a new bike and come from a background of mainly cross country (XC) / all mountain (AM) type riding but have ridden BMX also in the past. I'm not averse to standing up and only having one gear, being quite an aggressive rider I am quite open to the idea of 'less to go wrong the better'.

The area where I live offers varied terrain including; canal paths, nature reserves, dedicated blue route mtb trails and a bmx track. My last ride was a full suspension AM specific build but it was overkill for the area and I am looking at getting into more street/dirt jump/pump track related riding but still ride the occasional XC / AM ride (2 - 3 hours) to mix things up.

My question is;

Would a single speed dirt jump specific frame offer me the flexibility to cover XC / AM occasionally but still allow me to ride from A to B and do some park / dirt riding, or would I be better suited at looking at a 'hardcore hardtail'?


texts: How to prevent accidental unclipping while cornering?

texts:
I have less than 10 hours on SPD pedals. Unclipping is becoming more and more intuitive (I no longer fall to the side when stopping at a traffic light). While it still intimidates me to jump with clips, cornering needs to be done.

When I approach a corner, regardless if on asphalt or on the trail, I look into the exit, rotate my head, chest and hips towards the exit, stay centered on the bike, but tilt the bike.

My concern is that by rotating my hips I will accidentally unclip, dropping my foot to the ground in the most dangerous part of the turn. Do I need to worry about this, and if so, how to prevent it?

PS: My pedals are mixed SPD/plaform pedals and the shoes are Cube AM.


texts: What’s a good way to carry a kid’s bike on an otherwise full bakfiets?

texts:
I have a Workcycles KR8 bakfiets and the 3yo just got his first pedal bike.

We wanted to take him and his bike for a fifteen minute ride to the park where he could ride by himself, but chucking his bike into the front damages the box on the bakfiets, and won’t work at all when his infant sister comes along for the ride.

Has anyone seen a system for mounting kids’ bikes on a rear rack, or maybe off the sides of the box of a bakfiets? A Follow Me does more than we need and is quite expensive.


texts: Tubeless with liquid or inner tubes with liquid?

texts:
I am about to replace the worn tires of my Cube Acid 29". My question is what to choose among:

tubeless tires with sealant liquid, or
normal tires, with inner tubes with sealant liquid?

My most important factors are:

puncture proof, and
total kilometers and time resistance of the tires.

Let's put aside all other factors (grip, cost, ease of use, rolling ability etc), as my style of bicycling is low rhythm, no trails, but on unpaved roads with stones, thorns, roots, everything you face in a forest road.


texts: Bicycle spokes poking through rim, what can I do?

texts: I bought an old road bike, and after fixing it a little went on my first ride and ended up with two flat tyres. Replacing the front tyre was fine, added new rim tape repaired the tube and was good to go. The rear tyre however, has 3 spokes which are poking through the rim and I have no idea how to fix them. Is there anyway I can repair it at home or will I need to visit a shop?


texts:
My road bike currently has a nagging wobble in its rear wheel that I've been unable to determine the source of. I probably would not have noticed this had it not been for an unusual (and annoying) sound that appears when the wheel rotates.

The sound is hard to describe, but I'd have to say it has to sound like a low-pitch popping noise - quick, with sudden boundaries. It appears probably every 5 or 10 degrees of rotation and causes noticeable vibration in the frame. It is also worth noting that this is not an issue that gradually built up over time - it appeared after the last ride, so it is almost as if something wasn't squared properly when I reassembled the bike afterwards.

In attempting to find the source of this, I checked to see if the wheel was rubbing up against the brake caliper or if the magnet was making contact with the speed/cadence sensor - both negative. The lateral deviation of the wheel is really too small to be of concern (other than the sound), and the noise seems to be coming from the rear axle/freehub area.

What I most fear is that the wheel may be out of true - the bike, around its last ride, took a few not-so-nice rides to a local park in the trunk of my compact car. While none of the suggested questions really seem to be describing my issue, it seems like a common culprit of rear hub noises is the cone parts.

Given all that, I suppose my question is twofold:

Is there a way to either confirm or rule out the wheel true as the source of this issue?
If it is not the wheel true, what is this problem likely to be caused by and how do I go about fixing it?


texts:
I have bought my first dynamo hub wheel with Shimano DH-3N72 hub.

The axle of the wheel fells like if it is over-tightened a bit, it rotates with feeling of clicks.

Should I loose the cones in the hub OR I am wrong and this is just magnetic forces inside a hub provide me such a feeling?


texts: Changing 23mm tyre to 25mm - considerations?

texts:
I got a L size Opus Allegro 4.0 (2014) which came with Vittoria Zaffiro tyres 23-622 (700*23c) on an Alloy Shimano Asoo WH-R501 wheelset 622x15c. I'd like to fit a wider tyre to improve my experience and feel when I am on bumpy roads.

I'd like to know what parameters I should consider when I fit a wider tyre (say a 24 or 25) on the current wheels/innertubes and, what are the limitations of my current set up if I don't want to change all at the same time (i.e., bike frame, etc.)


texts: Prevent internally-routed cable housing from vibrating against frame

texts: The rear brake cable and housing are internally routed through the top bar of the frame. It rattles around when riding on bumpy roads and sounds annoying. What's the best way to mitigate this?


texts:
I have normal tube sealant that I want to install in my bicycle's tubes.

My bicycle's tubes have Schrader valves.

Will someone here please provide total-noob friendly instructions on how to do what I want to do? Thank you.


texts: Rear 700C tire on hybrid bike flat/deflating seemingly at random

texts:
I have a hybrid bike and I am having a very strange problem with deflating tires.
My bike has 700C 35/43 tubes
I have changed 3 tubes in the last 2 weeks because something very strange is happening.
Tube 0

That I had for a long time punctured
I found the small hole

Tube 1

I change the tube and pump it to the suggested pressure of 80-85psi.
I ride it for 1 day, check the pressure, it stays at 80-85
I leave it overnight, check the pressure, ride it for 1 more day, check the pressure, everything is fine
I leave it overnight, the tire is completely flat. I

Tube 2

I change the tube and pump it to the suggested pressure of 80-85psi.
I ride it for 1 day, check the pressure, it stays at 80-85
I leave it overnight, check the pressure all is fine, ride it to the supermarket, pressure is fine. Go in for 1-2 hours, come out, tire is flat.
I pump up the tire, ride home, check the pressure, everything is fine.
I leave it overnight, check the pressure in the morning, everything is fine.
ride to the office, check the pressure, everything is fine.
come out for lunch 3 hours later: tire is flat.

Repeat with one more change of tube. Same result. Completely random deflation.  I visually and tactilely inspected  the rim, the tire, the tape and cannot find any problem. The tire is not new, sure, but it is not bald either. Should I replace the tire? The whole rim/wheel (more expensive, also, the cassette is difficult to remove and I have never done it)? The whole wheel with cassette? The whole bike?
I am somewhat technically minded so I tried to understand but my observations essentially are useless as I can find no logical pattern. Has anyone had any similar experience?
Thanks!


texts: My bike Crank is making noise like Tuk, Tuk... once or twice when I pedal hard

texts: I get a sound from my crank as if something were about to break to pieces when I stand and pedal hard.


texts: What is the common "vocabulary" for the captain and stoker to communicate?

texts:
My wife and I recently rented a tandem for a day. I found that, because everything needs to be communicated -- starting, stopping, changes in cadence, shifting (which might cause changes in cadence), etc. -- we were talking continuously. This was good.

What I would like to have is a simple, efficient vocabulary for communicating the essential information. Does this already exist in the same way that riders communicate on group rides?

While I realize that we could just make up our own shorthand, if someone has already figured it out, that would be better.


texts: Bike lock bar jiggles in locked position -- indicative of weakness?

texts:
I've been using the same bike lock for a number of years now (one like, but not necessarily exactly the same as, this one). I noticed today that when in the locked position there is quite a bit of jiggle to the bottom bar. This may have always been the case to some extent, but either it's gotten worse or it's just the first time that I've actually ever thought about the implications of it. Is this a security weakness? Does it suggest weakness of the lock to any sort of attack more so than if there isn't a jiggle?

Correction: The lock I actually have is this one.


texts:
I wanted to go Campy 8 speed STI shifting and a 8 speed freewheel (not cassette) because I have good looking high flange hubs.

If I can't get a Campy freewheel what other will work?  If none, could I go down tube 'index' shifters (not friction) and then what freewheel could I use?

I have lots of hills here, I need something like 13/28 if possible.


texts:
I was working on my bike and was about to add some more tension to my SLX clutch mech. While trying to remove the clutch cover I accidentally rounded off the bolts, so I have no way of getting the clutch cover off.

What should I do, can I get the bolts out, can I buy replacement bolts?

Thanks in advance.


texts: No space inside the house, where do you store / secure bike?

texts:
I live in the UK. At my house, I don't have much space, I have a drive-way but no gate surrounding it. Here's an image:

What are my cheap storage options for a mountain bike (voodoo bizango).

Thanks


texts:
I had a minor run in with car early last month and my front wheel got trashed:

LBS says between labor, paying for the proprietary spokes (you have to buy for front and back as well I guess), and the possibility it can't be re-trued, I may as well just buy a new wheel.

So my question is...if I can scrounge up a couple spokes can I try and put them on and see if it'll true up myself? If so, have any spokes or know where I can just get three?? Can I use used ones?

Thanks!


texts:
From reading another thread I'm pretty sure a spoke snapped on my way home.

The bicycle was fine and then right after turning left the rear tire came un-centred and started rubbing against the frame so much that I couldn't pedal home.

Anyway I'm wondering what causes spokes to break.


texts: Keeping my ears warm while biking in the cold with a helmet

texts:
Biking in the Northeast has become a challenge lately because of the cold; my ears freeze.

I can't wear a hat (because of my helmet) - I never actually tried, maybe I can.

Sometimes I'll put my hood on and then my helmet on top of that, it looks really weird. (Helmets look weird, hooded helmets are a whole new level of weird.)

I'm wondering if there are any other solutions.

I normally have a single Bluetooth earbud in one of my ears as well, not sure if that makes a difference.


texts: How will swapping drop bars to butterfly bars affect bike fit?

texts:
I recently bought a Dawes Super Galaxy from the late 80s or early 90s. When I was researching bike fit beforehand I was told that swapping drop bars to flat bars can affect the bike fit since drop bar bikes are designed bearing in mind that hand position is further forward.
The bike came with flat bars which the previous owner had fitted and they're not that comfortable. Since I want to try touring I'm looking to fit handlebars which provide multiple hand positions, but I'd also like to maintain a more upright posture for commuting.
Will fitting butterfly bars return the bike fit more to what the manufacturer intended with drop bars?


texts: Rear wheel slipping out of slot after attempting a 180

texts:
So whenever I try a 180, I seem to put quite a bit of sideways force on the rear wheel when I land because I never make it the whole way. After the landing, it causes the wheel to come out of its slot. I’ve tried making the quick release more tight but the problem continues. Is the QR the problem or am I the problem?

FYI, I mean a jumping 180 not the one where you use the front brake and bring the rear wheel around.

It’s a Carrera Hellcat which is a hardtail bike and I currently don’t have any brakes on it either.

The bike still has derailleur gears, it is not a fixed gear or single speed.

It is a disk rear brake, with the caliper on top.   Recently my brakes have broken and I’m getting new ones in a few days so I’m in a state of no brakes at the moment.  All I’ve done to my bike is take off the brakes and the disk rotors.


texts:
I just purchased a new bicycle pump with a pressure gauge and after checking my tyres, inflated them to the top end of interval printed on the tyres (4.5-6.5 bar).

I'm wondering when the tyres should be in the lower range of the interval, and when the higher end is appropriate. Is it a question of weight? Type of terrain I'm going to ride?

The tyres in question are Schwalbe Kojaks, mounted on a light urban hybrid bike.


texts: 45 day old SRAM rear derailleurs jumps gears

texts:
have a 1x12 SRAM NX drivetrain on a fairly new full suspension MTB.
Been feeling great but yesterday it began skipping a gear when I shift. That is, if I start in 1 and click 4 times I wind up in 6th ring rather than the expected 5th.
The top and bottom limits seem ok because when I shift all the way through I do wind up on 12.
I know cables can stretch and I could bring in to a LBS but trying to avoid that.
I’m pretty handy with my bikes but derailleurs remain magic to me. Can anyone point me to a some easy advice or a great YouTube video.


texts:
Regarding BMX bikes, is there an easy way to determine what top tube length is most suitable for a person based on their height?

In my experience, most LBS only want to talk about BMX size in terms of wheels ("it's a 20 inch" or "it's an 18 inch) since they're mostly considered to be kid's bikes.


texts: Are the rear brake mounts on my Boardman Team HT post-mount or IS?

texts:
Boardman Team HT

Last weekend I broke the rear brake lever in a crash. I'm looking for a replacement brake disc kit for the rear brake, but I don't know what kind of mounting I've got. There seem to be two types, post-mount and IS (International Standard).

The shop I bought my bike from didn't have a manual when I bought it, I can't find one on-line, and the boardman website doesn't seem to have it or any contact info.

Which system does it have?

I'm pretty sure it's post-mount on the front as I've found a manual for the front fork.


texts:
I have a Lezyne Sports Drive floor pump.  It has worked fine for a couple of years, and it lives in my garage.  The handle is stored in the down position, so the cylinder is mostly empty.  The pump sits on the concrete floor.

 Mine has an older style of chuck on it though.

Today I went to use it while patching a road tyre, and pushing the handle was hard, and there was no air entering tube till the gauge hit 80psi.  The tube was not at 80psi - it was naked and maybe held 5-10psi.

I checked the schrader/presta adapter/pressure release thinking something was stuck in it, but that's just a threadded tube and was clear.

So I checked with the hose nozzle in my and it blew air with no resistance.   BUT it was very cold and my hand got damp.  Imagine a wet sneeze, but cold.

Aiming the hose at a clean dry surface, I gave it a pump and there's moisture visible.   30-40 pumps later the moisture is much reduced.

Questions

Does my pump have water in it?
How did water get in there?
How do I get it out?


texts: Why can't the gear ratio be something like 100:1? Is it practically possible?

texts: I am planning to develop a bicycle on my own for a competition. But the main requirement of it is that it must be able to develop a maximum speed. If I am able to cast the sprockets with gear ratio say 10:1 or something like 100:1, will there be any practical hindrance to it?


texts: Do kits that allow me to add lockout to my shock exist?

texts:
I have a (within last year) rockshox Deluxe R rear shock on my bike, on some hills I would like the added stiffness of a locked out shock. Do upgrade kits to add lockout exist or would I need to buy another shock?

(My bike is a 2017 Whyte g170)

Cheers all.


texts: Spoke tension is way off but wheel is true, How do I fix this

texts:
After truing my front wheel, it seems that it is laterally true.  However, the spoke tension seem very uneven, with a few spokes that are very taut next to other spokes which are more loose.  If it was a small difference, I wouldn't be too concern, but it seems a bit too big of a difference in tension that has me worried.

I have access to a tension meter and a pro-grade truing stand.

How should I fix this?

Should I loosen all the spokes and start from scratch or fine tune the existing setup?


texts: Are there any bus companies that take bikes and go between Washington DC and Philadelphia?

texts: Some googling turns up a chinatown bus company ("focus transit"), but I called and they no longer go to Philly.  Anyone else taking bikes in the luggage bay as of summer 2015?


texts: Should I worry about rain getting inside my frame?

texts:
I commute to work every day and lock my bike on the street.

I have a nice saddle so I remove my seat post and take it into work with me.

This obviously leaves a hole open to the inside of the aluminium frame. Living in London it often rains. Should I worry about raining getting into the frame by this hole and doing damage? And if so what should I cover the hole with?


texts:
I recently bought a Globe Work 2, and I'm digging it, but I'm at a loss for what is going on with my rear axle.  I took a couple of pics (below), so I'm hoping someone can tell me what I've got.

According to the spec sheet, I'm supposed to have "REAR HUBDouble-sealed, loose ball, dual-lock nuts, steel axle, QR, 32h", but that doesn't look like a QR to me, and I don't know what dual-lock nuts are.

So, any ideas about what this is?


texts: Can I use a shock pump to inflate a tube?

texts:
I know that shock pumps are meant for high pressure applications so that they can withstand high pressures needed by suspension shocks.

However, can I use a shock pump to inflate my tire in a pinch if I run out of CO2?  How would it compare to a standard mini-pump in terms of volume?


texts: How much of a difference will I notice going from a Mountain bike to a road bike?

texts:
I have a Mountain bike with 1.95 tyres on it. Most of the cycle path I take into work is fairly well paved/asphalted, I'm not going over any dirt tracks or anything like that although there is the odd bit of poorly maintained asphalt.

There are also a couple of hills that are steep but not long, for the most part it's fairly flat though.

How much of a difference would I notice if I bought a road bike for my daily commute?


texts:
I just bought a A070 Shimano Sti 2x7 set for my bike which is 3x7.
Could I still install and use all three chainrings?
Or would I be limited to the two chain rings?


texts: New chain, skipping off small sprocket in front when under load

texts: Got a new chain, for ten speed rear cassette. Slightly shorter than old chain, but can still reach large sprocket, large cassette ring, although tight.  Skipping off small sprocket in front under load.  Is there an adjustment possible or do I need a new front sprocket?


texts: Disadvantage of Hybrid Bikes on Mountains

texts: Everybody know that Hybrid bike can be used for mountain cycling. But I want to know what are the disadvantages if we do so? And what are disadvantages of using mountain bikes in cities.


texts: The drivetrain on my bike needs replacement, given the cost, do I just get a new bike?

texts:
Probably best to not go through the specific components on my bike, however, the sprockets, chainset, jockey wheels and chain need replacing due to excessive wear. Coupled with that, the cables are in need of replacement too. The rear rim is wearing a bit thin so a new wheel might also be prudent.

I have done some back of the envelope calculations and the parts bill alone comes to 2/3 the price I paid for the bike originally. Hence, do I just get a new bike? If I do, can I just throw the old one away without any qualms about wasting what is a nice bike, albeit worn out?


texts: Properly tensioning a belt drive with two tensioner

texts:
The other day I had to replace tires on my bike.

Having recently switched to a belt drive + gear hub, I have looked at some on line tutorial on how to remove the rear wheel in such cases.

Problem is that the on line tutorial showed the case of a bike with only 1 tensioner while my bike has two, one on the right side and one on the left side, so once I mounted the wheel back and adjusted the tension of the belt (I used the app suggested by the belt manufacturer to measure the tension) I found that the movement was no longer fluid.

I suspect that I didn't properly balance the tension between the two side, but I have really no clue on how to do it.

How can I correctly adjust the tension of a belt drive with two tensioner?


texts:
Need to identify this cool bike in hopes to restore it.

Serial # M3 G2058
Decals read: GT 4130 CRO MO, and TEAM on one
It appears to have been Chrome with decals and since painted over?

Thanks to all who try to help us.

BTW - Cool site!


texts: I don't know much about bikes. I've got myself an older Specialized Stumpjumper. I asked myself the other day while I was riding with +50km/h through the forest what the maximum speed is the wheel bearings will endure and if there is e difference between smooth roads and trails.


texts: Other than attempting to estimate whether a chainring or cog is worn and needs replaced by eyballing it, is there any way to measure the wear on chainrings or cassette cogs so you can determine whether they should be replaced?  What tools can be used to accomplish this?


texts: Internal friction in new Alfine 11 S7001-11

texts:
I just bought a new rear wheel with an Alfine S7001-11 internal-gear hub. Before installing it, I realized that it apparently has heavy internal friction. When the wheel is set in motion, it comes to a halt again after only a few seconds.
Since I have mostly used bikes with derailleur systems in recent years, I'm not sure if this level of friction is "normal" with internal-gear hubs, or if I received a damaged hub.
For an illustration of the issue, find a video with a comparison of the new wheel with the Alfine hub and my old one with a derailleur system via https://photos.app.goo.gl/5m6GG9HRmzLCeUyS9
Is the hub malfunctioning?


texts:
I have a 10 year old Trek 7300 FX hybrid which came with Matrix 750 double walled rims. "559 x 19" is marked on the sticker of these rims. The tyres fitted are 700 x 38C (622) - I'm assuming (should I be?) that the rim/tyre combination give me a 700c wheel?

The problem I have is that the freehub on the rear has gone (there's a crack on the inner cone section covering the bearings) and so it's not freewheeling without locking the chain up, and I'm thinking about a new hub and spokes versus a set of new wheels. Looking at the hassle versus cost savings, it seems that Amazon will provide a decent set of wheels spoked, hubbed and tyred for around £60 whereas a wheel rebuild might save me about £10 to £20 on that amount.

Any ideas?


texts: Where to get new front brake release for Fuji Sports 12

texts: Any suggestions for where I can buy a new front brake release for my Fuji Sports 12 bicycle?  What is the part formally called so I can search for it?


texts: What is this simulator like device called?

texts:
The following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I13wJyUZL_4 has a man limp to a bike (a Pinarello) leaning against a wall, climb on to it and ride the bike for a good minute to a minute and a half, while remaining stationary. My question is:

What is the simulator like device called? It looks like a bike treadmill, but what is it called?
How does the bike remain stationary on that device for all speeds? I would imagine that the bike would be stationary for only higher speeds, but that does not seem to be the case.
What are these devices used for?

Any insight on the above is most welcome.


texts: Why can't my rear shifter shift into low gears?

texts:
I have an entry-level Trek mountain bike bought several years ago, with a Shimano derailleur. It's been hanging in my garage for the last few years, taken down only a few times for rides. I just did a ride with some hills, when I noticed it wouldn't shift into lower gears. It feels like there's so much tension in the cable that I can't physically move the shifter below gear 5.

After spending hours this afternoon looking at bike repair videos and questions here trying to isolate the issue, I've found or done the following:

the derailleur hanger is straight
I can manually move the derailleur to the lowest position and it shifts down to the lowest gear fine
I've cleaned out the shifter with WD40, and when I relieved the tension in the cable by taking it out of the little cable holders between the derailleur and shifter (sorry don't know correct terms); with the tension gone, the shifter moved easily between gears 1-8
when I had the cable unclipped as above so it was loose, I was able to move the cable housing up and down the cable easily; it didn't seem dirty or much friction, although I noticed the rear gears and derailleur were pretty dirty

It hasn't had a tune up or any self-service in years. It just seems like there's so much tension in the cable that's preventing it from shifting down below gear 5. Also I noticed even when I can shift down from 8 thru 5 that the derailleur looks like it's barely moving. This is just when it's sitting still, although while moving I didn't have much trouble shifting between 5-7.


texts:
I need to replace  the 3 hall sensors in this 36v 26" hub motor for ancheer bike.
I purchased the 41F/0H41/SH41/SS41F/S41 Bipolar Hall Element Sensor TO-92UA
but it is bigger and does not fit. i squeezed them in to make them fit but they dont work. motor does not respond to these they are the wrong model. anyone can suggest which hall sensors might work. the originals are lableled 4010 1724
and nothing like this exists online. ancheer also doesnt know.


texts: Brake pads constantly touching the rotor because piston is not moving back

texts:
I recently replaced the brake pads on my hydraulic disc brake. The brakes are a Tektro Draco 2. Now the new pads are constantly touching the rotor.

This is how it looks like with caliper unmounted. Notice the left piston is constantly sticking out:

I tried spreading the pistons with a spacer. I left it in there for 3 hours

But still, the left piston comes out again. I'm thinking about buying a service kit to bleed the system. Will that help?


texts:
I.would like to know what psi should I be maintaining in the tires to ride a mountain bike on normal roads

Thanks


texts:
I have been wondering about the different types of spider (or direct mount chainrings) to crank arms and was surprised that I could not find anything spot-on about it.
I kind of know that BMX direct mount chainrings attach to crank arms differently but I am curious about the "other" types.
There is a profusion of information on the spider to chainring mounts - the outer mount (e.g BCD 110) - but not much on the inner mount - the spider to crank arm mount.
What are the different standards in place when it comes to how the spider mounts to the crank arm ?


texts: Can a (relative) beginner adjust spacing on a 501 cromo road frame?

texts:
Have acquired a cheap old Peugeot road bike from ebay; nice cromo frame, but it needs a new rear wheel and unfortunately I didn't check the dropout size before buying.

It has an OLD of ~120mm, but I am finding it very hard to source any new or second hand wheels that would fit that, and most of those that do seem designed for fixed sprockets. There are plenty of seemingly 'cheap and cheerful' wheels with 135mm hubs that would otherwise be perfect.

Sheldon Brown's article on frame cold-setting makes it sound easy, but I'm worried it'll be hard to adjust each side to be exactly 7.5mm further out and keep the wheel central, even using the string method.

Has anyone got practical experience of this? In addition, will there be any other effects on the running of the bike I've missed?


texts: Why is there a stitched hole in the back pocket of my new jersey?

texts: I just finished a charity ride and found that the brand new jersey bought for it has a hole in the back center pocket.  It is neatly cut, with stitching around it to prevent fraying, so I'm sure it is a feature rather than a defect.  What is the intended purpose?


texts:
After some trial and error (see another post of mine), I finally settled in on getting a carbon hybrid bike.  I want carbon because it is lighter and I want a hybrid because I prefer a flat bar (just don’t prefe to ride with a drop bar).
I would like to know if anyone had recommendations in the $1500.00 to $2000.00 range.  Here what I found that looks good:

Trek FX Sport Carbon 4: https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/hybrid-bikes/fitness-bikes/fx/fx-sport-carbon-4/p/32262/
Giant Fastroad Advanced 1: https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/fastroad-advanced-1-2021
Cannondale Quick 1:  https://www.cannondale.com/en-us/bikes/active/fitness/quick/quick-1

Interestingly, the Trek FX 3 Disc looks similar to the Cannondale (aluminum frame, carbon fork), but I have no idea if the Cannondale Quick 1 is any better the FX 3 Disc.
Any suggestions are appreciated.  Thank you for your help.


texts: Help Identifying what derailleur hanger I can use

texts:
I bought this frame and have no idea what type of derailleur was on it.  I have the back wheel and it has 8 gears. I feel this is a legitimate question and none of the other similar questions answered my question.  Please don't close this question I really need help with this.  Is there one I can use that is held on by the axle?  The question that was identified as a duplicate did not show which type of hanger or where I could buy one.

Thanks,
Paul


texts: What are my options for correcting a bent aluminum fork?

texts:
I have a Cannondale ST700. A few weeks ago, I had a head-on collision. At first glance, the bike was fine. But the next time I went to ride it, it pulled to the side when I turned. Turns out my fork is bent backwards (although it is bent evenly). The bike shop thinks it's bent about 5-15mm. I've ridden it 3 times since the accident and it doesn't feel as stable.

The first image below is of the same model bike that I found online. The second image is my bike. Notice how my fork is clearly leaning backwards.

Obviously this isn't safe. What are my options for fixing it?

Can I just bend the fork forward a little? (It's an aluminum fork)
If I need to replace the fork, how can I identify a fork that will work with the bike?
The bike has a headshok (it's the back, ring about 1" long between the headset and the fork). I don't really care about losing it, but does it prevent me from putting on a "normal" fork?


texts:
I have one road bike that I use mostly for commuting, sometimes for fast alone rides and infrequently for group rides.

I was thinking that since most of my riding is alone I should put my tri bars back on my bike.  I had an extra set of drops in my closet so I chopped them off to make some bull horns.  I now have a sweet set of tri bars.  I just need to pick up a set of bar end brakes and I will be all set.  There is only one kicker:

Since every once and a while I want to do a group ride I would like to be able to swap out my tri bar setup for a drop bar setup.  Preferably I would like to keep the brake lines on my bike and just unattach the lines from the break leavers.  I had an extra stem lying around so I can just pull out the step from the head set and volla!

Went to my LBS to pick up some bar end brakes but this is what they told me:

With all bar end brakes you have to run the brake line under the tape so you could not switch out the bars without retaping your bars each time.  Anyone know of any bar end brakes that the lines run NOT through the bar tape?
Switching between bars frequently (once or twice a month) will cause major wear on your bike and you should pick one thing and stick with it.

Is there any truth to either of these statements?  I am somewhat skeptical.


texts: How can I keep my chain from falling off the inner chainring? (specifically, from getting stuck in the bottom bracket)

texts:
I've got a mountain bike which occasionally drops the chain off the lowest gear, and then the chain gets stuck in the bottom bracket.  This happens while pedalling.

Once the chain is there, it takes either a lot of pulling (potentially bending the chain), or removing the crank to get the chain out.

Either way, it's a pain when it happens on the trail.

Note: I'm not talking about chain suck.

And I've seen products like the Deda dog fang chain watcher and Jump Stop, anyone have any experience with these?


texts: What tool is needed to adjust this headset on a children's bike?

texts:
My daughter's bike has a threaded headset, and I don't know what tool I need to adjust it. As you can see from the picture, there are the following parts in the stack:

a knurled ring, which presumably isn't very tool-friendly
a ring (with a diameter of 35 or 36 mm) with three notches spaced equally apart (I'm not sure whether or not this is permanently attached to the knurled ring)
a standard six-sided nut, which I assume I can loosen and tighten with an ordinary crescent wrench

It looks like I'll need some sort of special tool for the ring with the three notches. What tool will I need for adjusting this headset?


texts: What's the name of the tool to bevel bar ends?

texts: I noticed the mechanic at my LBS used a tool to smooth out and bevel the end of the steering tube after cutting it. It looks like a useful tool to smooth out the edge of bar ends as well. It's round and has a cone inside, what is it called? I don't have a picture unfortunately.


texts: Why do my front wheel/disc brakes squeal/moan when NOT braking

texts:
1 year old Trek 520 with mechanical disc brakes.
When I am pushing the bike around, both with and without loaded panniers, the front wheel frequently makes a low pitched "squealing" sound--almost a moan.  With the front of the bike lifted off the ground, the wheel spins freely, with no apparent interference.  There is no noise or any apparent problem.  The noise appears to be accentuated when the wheel is not aligned with the bike--ie, turning left or right, but it can happen whether straight or turned.
The brakes seem to work fine.
There is no obvious sideways play in the wheel.
Since the brakes seem to work fine, and the noise doesn't happen when riding, I've been riding anyway--but I'm concerned that there might be some brake issue or something else I'm not thinking about.
What else should I be thinking about/checking?


texts: Wheel size for heavier rider, larger vs smaller

texts:
I am a heavier rider, whilst still reducing, I am over 120kg or 260lb.

I have broken many spokes on the rear of my 26er sub-$500 mountain bike. Broken at the elbow. There could be many factors for this from being a cheaper bike to not maintaining the spokes. This is just background for this question.

I am going to purchase a new hard tail bike.

Given a choice of the same bike brand and model coming in either 27.5 or 29 where the wheel is also the same brand and model. Which is going to be a stronger wheel and less likely to break a spoke and last longer?


texts: Would Putting BMX Bike Brakes on my Road Bike be Ok?

texts:
I am a bit of a bigger guy (260lbs) and I'm not too confident with riding my bike at higher speeds just yet. Mainly because I feel as though my brakes, (Stock V brakes that came with my Specialized Sirrus) are just not beefy enough to adequately perform under the stress I put on them.

I do not ride my brakes. I try to use them only when necessary. But I am a bit bigger than other people, and I feel like my pads will wear out faster because of that, as well as feeling like I'm putting them through too much.

The other day I was at my LBS and I noticed a set of BMX brakes that seemed a bit more sturdy. The pads were twice as thick as my ones I have now. The brakes appeared to be caliper brakes, and just appeared to be better than my stock v-brakes.

My question is, given that the sizes matched and I technically could switch them if I wanted too, would that be the best option? Or should I simply buy some larger pads and maybe change my brake cables?

(P.s. Unfortunately I don't have the model of my current brakes or the ones I saw at the shop, I was just looking for some general advice.)


texts: Can a Shimano XT (mountain) hydraulic disc brake caliper be used with an Ultegra STI road brake lever?

texts:
Specifically, is the XT BR-M8020 mountain caliper compatible with an Ultegra hydraulic road brifter like like the ST-R8020 or ST-R8070?

I have confirmed that they both use BH90 brake hose ("high power" rigidity). If I just ensure to use the right fittings for both sides of the hose (the banjo bolt from the SM-BH90-SBLS hose kit, and the straight brifter connectors from the SM-BH90-JK-SSR hose kit) can I be confident this is safe?

I'd heard that recent Shimano road and mountain hydraulics of the same hose (BH90 vs BH59) were mostly cross-compatible, but I just read that even inside the upcoming XTR M91xx series of mountain brakes (which both use BH90 cable), Shimano recommends a totally different mountain brake levers for the 2-piston XTR brake (the M9100) vs the XTR 4-piston model (the M9120). Why would you need a different brake lever for these different calipers with the same size hose? How could you know which post-mount caliper (the M9100 vs M9120) would work with an STI ST-R8020 brifter?

(As background, I'm looking for a good, strong post-mount hydraulic disc brake for the front of a tandem with drop bars. I will be upgrading the Shimano STI brake lever / shifter at the same time I add the hydraulic brake.)


texts: Can you use Shimano 11 speed chain pins on a 10 speed chain?

texts: I want to purchase a spare pin for my Shimano Ultegra 10 speed chain.  Looking around I can only see 11 speed pins for sale.  Can I put these into a 10 speed chain?


texts:
I’m building a set of bikes for my wife and I. Both are Surly Bridge Club frames, and we’ll initially be running WTB KOM Tough i40 rims with 2.8in Schwalbe tires.

I purchased some DT Swiss Revolution 2.0mm spokes to build the wheels. But I’m now questioning if these are too light.

I’m about 200lbs and we plan to carry some load on our bikes, mostly in frame packs. Mostly on gravel trails, 2-tracks, and similar.

I’ve never broken a spoke, even when riding the full Great Divide, across South America, or on any daily rides, using a mix of wheels with one being a 28 spoke.

Does anyone recommend against using DT Swiss Revolution 2.0mm spokes for this use? Should I move up to Alpine III or something in between?


texts: Bottom Bracket on a Trek CrossRip Elite 2015?

texts:
I'm wondering if anyone can tell me what size bottom bracket would have originally come with the 2015 Trek CrossRip Elite?

Their bike archive doesn't have any BB detail.

I did find these two StackExchange posts, and both point to a 68mm BB, with the latter more specifically identifying 68mmx110mm. That'll probably do, but I wanted to see if anyone had exact information about my bike before proceeding.

Thanks!


texts:
I am trying to find good quality but not exorbitantly expensive platform pedals for a road bike. I tried Shimano SPD, but ended up concluding that for me it was more of a deathtrap. I did end up falling with the SPD; fortunately the only injury was to my pride.

Any suggestions as to a good quality, lightweight, road platform pedals. I would prefer to keep it under US$ 100.


texts: I just finished building a single speed bike and I think my chain line might be a little off.  Is there a tool or trick to sighting the chain line?


texts:
I've bought an old second hand bike frame and I'm trying to build it up into a road bike. Things have been going quite well, but I've got a bit confused by the seat tube. At the top of the seat tube in the frame, there's the text "θ 261 E" (it might be 264 - the "1" is a little bashed up). I assumed that meant I needed a 26.1mm seat post, but they seem impossible to find.

I also used a pair of calipers to measure the inside of the tube and it seems to be about 25.5mm (presumably it might squeeze down to less).

Does anyone know what this marking means, and what size seat post I actually need?

Many thanks.


texts:
I would like to try the drop handlebar on my touring bicycle that has V-Brakes, and Shimano 9x3 speeds. Are there drop handlebar levers (integrated shifters would be great), that have correct pull ratio for V-brakes?

If there are brake levers but no shifters, where would be a good place to put my existing (deore shifters) on the drop handlebar?


texts: Where do you leave your bike on cafe stops and water breaks?

texts: Where should I leave my bike on longer rides when stopping at a cafe or going into a store to get water?  Do you carry a lock in your jersey? Leave it outside?  What is a good lock?  What should I do so my bike doesn't get stolen?


texts: Can absoluteBLACK's 48/32 sub-compact chainrings be mounted on the Quarq DFour (for 4-bolt Shimano chainrings)?

texts:
When I bought my Quarq DFour for Dura-Ace 9000/Ultegra 6800/105 5800 chainrings last year, I had planned to mount my o.symetric 50/34 chainrings. However the asymmetric shape of the inner ring couldn't be mounted due to a ring of some sort on the crankset.
Luckily, I had a pair of absoluteBLACK 50/34 oval chainrings collecting dust which could be mounted and works like a charm (although I still prefer the shape of the o.symetrics).
I'm planning a mountainous 4,000 km ultra endurance race, and hence want the following gearing: sub-compact 48/32 chainrings and a 11-34 cassette (or 12-34 frankensette).
Since I couldn't mount the inner o.symmetric ring, I'm afraid that the inner absoluteBLACK 32t ring won't fit. Will it?


texts: How can I keep my bike safe in my garage?

texts:
I just got a brand new bike.  I keep it in the garage, but my wife has a habit of leaving the garage door up.  Right now, there's nothing in my garage that I can really lock the bike to.

How can I keep the bike at my house instead of in the hands of a thief?


texts: if i use qr adapters will it make my 135mm wheel to a 142mm or will it stay the same

texts: I have a 142"mm hub now but it is worn out and i need a new one. I found a 135"mm hub but it is a thru axle but i need a qr. can i use adapters and will they make it wider and closer to my original 142"mm wheel?


texts: I need suggestions for the most economical bike models that can accommodate my weight. I am 5' 8" (172 cm) and weigh 310 lbs (140 kilograms).  I would like to begin riding a bike for exercise and to commute to and from work. I plan to ride mostly on paved roads at least 6 days a week. I would like to ride approximately 50 miles (80 km) per week to start. I'm interested in road bikes as well as other bicycle types.


texts: Type of Shimano "PlusMinus" (slot & Philips) screws

texts:
Shimano uses a screw type that is a mixture between slot and Philips (PH):

There's a "PlusMinus" screw type for electrician equipment like manufactured by Wiha :

(Source: Wiha)

Are the Shimano screws officially PlusMinus types? Are they officially Philips (PH) compatible?


texts: Can't setup shifting on Shimano Nexus 7 after unscrewing wheel

texts:
I had to unscrew rear wheel to replace inner tube. I haven't fully detached it, just to the moment I was able to replace tube. After reattaching wheel I can't setup gears shifting (that's my first time actually). As I read in different guides I need to rotate adjusting barrel until markers are matched on speed 4, but using this barrel I'm able to match it only near speed 2.

What else should I adjust? Or have I done something wrong (maybe reattaching wheel)?


texts: I have huffy canyon mountain series bike. It is an old one. Can I raise the handlebars on it? I saw videos on YouTube about it. But all the videos have new bicycles with allen key screws. My bike is old. It has old hexagonal screw at the handlebar is about 20 cm long. Please help.


texts: How can I fix panniers that have got holes in

texts: I've got some Crosso panniers that have got quite a few holes in. I once fixed a drybag backpack with patches of leather and industrial strength glue which worked like a treat, but I've forgotten what glue it was (it came in a large tin and I spread it on with a knife)- it was in the textiles department at the uni I was studying in. Any advice / links / tricks would be great.


texts:
Every year I travel home to Nice, on my own, from a European capital with my bike ex. Paris, Salzburg, Naples, etc.
Last year I started off from Madrid, and this year from Berlin; both of these trips took me nine days (~1500 kms).

I ride a Giant Defy Advanced bicycle equipped with disk brakes and Zipp 303 wheels.

My current saddle, ASTUTE Skylite, replaced the original Fizik saddle that came with the bicycle; I was told that most manufacturers equip their bikes with 'lesser' versions of saddles in order to trim the overall cost.

Previously I rode a TREK fitted with a Selle Italia saddle.

Sizewise I'm 1,72m and 68kgs

I wear an Assos T.Cento bib designed for long distances (purchased 2015) and apply copious amounts of Assos chamois cream

In preparation, during the year, I cycle once a week 60-80k with at least a 500m climb

My main difficulty during these trips is my back side

The sit-bone area becomes swollen with a sore on each side which gets understandably quite painful; Compeed and Doliprane/Neurofen are my only recourse

Each evening I wash my clothes with shampoo in my hotel room

Having adopted a vegan diet I have also chosen to avoid leather based products.

I'm still searching for THE saddle that will allow me to pursue such trips without the suffering.

I'm currently considering a Brooks C15 (or C13 145) saddle

Should I accept that it is the mileage and duration of these trips, or even lack of preparation, that are to blame for my plight and will remain thus whatever saddle I may choose ?

cheers


texts: ergonomically sound seat types or features?

texts:
Are there seat types or seat features that are ergonomically better for certain kinds of ailments such as lower back pain, knee pain, etc.?

For example, perhaps cushioned seats might be better for absorbing shocks from the bike or firmer saddles could be better for stability.


texts: I'm attempting to identify the brand of bicycle that is shown in this picture.  Unfortunately these are the best quality I can find.  When I zoom in the letters are too grainy to see.


texts: Is it possible to replace the seat rails on a saddle?

texts:
My saddle's rails have become bent so that the saddle is askew. Rather than get a new saddle, is there any way to replace just the rails?

I assume bending them back is useless, as even if i could get them totally straight they would be weakened and just bend again.


texts: Real measurable benefit to ceramic bearings?

texts:
Is there a real difference between riding on ceramic bearings and riding on stainless steel?

How would you measure it? Does it require it to be every bearing in the drive train, or will each set of bearings replaced improve performance?

Does anyone have real world experience with them to relate?

Edit:

I don't know if it matters on the bike, but I saw this today. If this is an indication of the difference in the level of friction resistance ceramic offers, then I'm in.

In the video:

The left pulley shown is Shimano DuraAce, the middle one is Campagnolo Record 11 speed. All three pulleys are fixed to 5Nm of torque at the axle bolt. And all 3 three have at least 1mm of play at the pivot, so there is no extra tension on the bearings compared to normal install in a derailleur. There is a difference in movement of about 18 seconds of spin in the video. It's crazy.


texts:
Apologies making ANOTHER one of these threads...Anyhows:
Bought a bike third hand, frame has been stripped and painted. Trying to find make & model so I can get some offset bushings for the shock. I'm guessing this was either a custom build or a lot has been swapped out since, but just in case:

Fork: Rockshox reba
Shock: Fox Float RPL
Brakes/Calipers: Avid ELIXIR 5
Rear derailleur: Shimano XTR, 9 speed

One of the most identifiable things I could notice was the uneven chainstays.
Material is aluminium.
Serial (under BB) starts with "kcps00" if that helps at all.
Can take more pictures if needed.

Thanks!


texts:
Some I am not a frightful type guy, and this is still kind of new but last week I took a bad spill and am unsure what to do about it in the future.  For the record I am 51 years old and was training for a triathlon.

I was just on my way back from a ride, having dealt with heavy winds on the way out.  I was traveling about 20-22 mph when I went off the road into the grass.  I attempted to get back onto the road by lifting my front wheel kind of a front wheel bunny hop.  Instead I caught the edge of the road and rotated down.  I was clipped in, so I landed hard on my shoulder and subsequently head.

The resultant injury was broken ribs, clavicle and a punctured lung.  I will be out at least three months.  I was wearing a helmet that prevented any head injury thankfully.

Frankly I am a bit scared.  What should I do to avoid injury in the future?  I have taken similar spills as a kid, and not really been injured.  It really sucks as I am just 5 weeks from my tri, and I was going to crush my time goals.  Now I will have to go back to the drawing board for training three months from now.


texts: Installing SRAM X3 7-speed shifter with Acera derailleur : shifting stops at 4th cog

texts:
I've never installed one of these trigger shifters.  Here's what I'm doing:

Acera derailleur has chain on the smallest cog.
Mount trigger shifter on handlebar with its gear set to 7.
Run cable to and then through the rear derailleur.
Pull cable taut, gently, so the barrel-end is pulled into the trigger shifter and seats itself.
Tighten derailleur cable clamp.
Pedal the bike (mounted on stand).
Shift...shift...shift...shift.

The chain moves cog by cog up to the 4th cog and then the shifter trigger won't budge any further.


texts: Replace 140mm fork with 160mm on Remedy 7 27.5 possible?

texts: I'm Curious about whether it's possible or whether Remedy's frame is designed  for such a replacement. Some bicycles makes it possible to upgrade to longer forks. I searched in Google, some people say that it's bicycle dependent. So, who knows about it, can I do this with Remedy or it just doesn't matter?


texts: STI shifter sometimes doesn't catch in cooler weather

texts:
I've got a road bike with brake lever shifters, and it's developed a small problem with age: sometimes, the shifter doesn't catch the first time or two I push it. It'll move easily, with no resistance, since it's not actually pulling on the cable, then after a few tries, catch and work normally. The colder the temperature, the more often this happens.

I don't know how the mechanism works internally, so I'm curious what would cause this, and also whether it's (as I suspect) gradual wear of some part of the mechanism, and if it's likely to fail catastrophically, or gradually worsen.


texts: I'm building an All-City Space Horse with 700C Velocity Dyad rims and 45mm Velo Orange fenders. What do you think the maximum tire width will be that I can use? I'm thinking of getting Schwalbe Little Big Bens, but I'm not sure if that will fit.


texts:
I have wider feet.  I would like to find a clipless shoe that is on the wider side.  What clipless shoes offer multiple widths?  What clipless shoes are naturally wide?

I currently just have (standard width) North-West clipless shoes.  If I leave them on the looser side, they are reasonably comfortable.

Other notes:

Looking for something as stiff as possible.
Mountain clipless not road clipless
Keens are my go-to hiking shoe, because of their width.
As requested by batmat in the comments, my shoe size is 43 or 10


texts: I am looking to buy a new high end performance road bike soon along with a power meter. I'm looking at possibly a Shimano 105 or Tiagra groupset. However, stages doesn't make a power meter for Tiagra crank arms. Is it possible to ride with a Tiagra right drive side crank and a Shimano 105 left side crank? I know its a silly question and it probably wont work but all in the name of saving money!


texts: What's the proper science-driven way to treat mild scrapes/abrasions (that have a bit of dirt in them) from a mountain biking crash?

texts:
I tried to research this using search engines and found such a random variety of recommendations. Some were saying to make sure you have your tetanus booster while others were citing a study that shows the antibacterial properties of dirt/clay. It's hard to know who to believe.

How should one treat common mountain bike crash abrasions on their knee?


texts:
This question pretty well covers what to do when you collide with a vehicle.    But how do you best handle the following situations:

You are a biker and you hit a pedestrian
You are a biker and you hit a biker
You are a biker and you hit an inanimate object

You are a pedestrian and a biker hits you
You are driving a car and a biker hits you
You are an inanimate object and a biker hits you

You are a biker and you fall over in the middle of the road and everyone laughs at you

Does the answer change if you are at fault vs. not at fault (assuming you can make an educated guess)?


texts: I have a Mach One BMX, help me decipher its serial number

texts:
I have an all original (as purchased) GT Mach One, but I can not find typical info a serial number and other stampings usually provide. Can any of you steer me in the right direction to help decipher what my serial numbers say about my bicycle? I’ve listed them below so they’re easy to see and copy.
I bought it in 2001, I believe.  It was new, and of that year range.
The numbers are on the bottom bracket, each on one opposite sides as they appear below:

SICT00122
GE 2024


texts: I am trying to find out how loud the Nashbar Fluid Trainer is, as I don't know anyone who owns one. How loud is it, compared to other, similar trainers?


texts: How to ensure all muscles are engaged when pedaling

texts:
Forgive me if this is too subjective, however, I've been doing some mtb riding and noticed that it's always my glutes that fatigue first especially on climbs, talked over with my friends and they tell me it's the last thing to go.
I'm wondering am I spinning too low a gear or perhaps pushing instead of making circles. How can one ensure they are engaging all muscles through the pedalstroke?


texts: Converting a Bicycle without gears into a Geared one?

texts: I have a racer street bicycle without gears. I want to convert that into a geared one. For that I will need to modify the rear part of the frame where the wheel goes in. Is it advisable to do so?


texts: What length do my spokes need to be for DT Swiss hubs and rims?

texts:
I'd like two build a couple of wheels based on DT Swiss hubs.
https://www.bike24.com/p2380232.html ( H24PNCDBR28SA3232S )
https://www.bike24.com/p2380225.html ( H24PACIXR28SA3228S )
Using XR 331 27.5 rims
An I'm trying to order spokes for them using DT Swiss calculator https://spokes-calculator.dtswiss.com/en/calculator
But DT Swiss website and documentation is garbage. I cannot understand what these hubs really are. Are these 240 DBCL straighpull? Or are they 240 EXP2020+? And what does DBCL even stand for?
Would appreciate any help, thank you


texts: Rear derailleur cage bigger than cassette necessity

texts:
I use a Shimano Ultegra 6600 rear derailleur with short cage in a 11/28 cassette. The derailleur is at the end of its useful life and would like to exchange for a cheaper one, since I intend to exchange the complete groupset in the future.

I found a really cheap 105 5701 rear derailleur, but only the medium cage version is available, that is compatible with cassettes up to 30 teeth. If I use that medium cage derailleur with my 11/28 cassette, is it possible I'll have any performance issues?


texts: Keeping the bottom of your legs warm in very-cold-weather biking

texts:
I come from a country with a warmer climate,but am now living in the Netherlands. It's not that bad really, but in winter, it sometimes gets to -5°c / -6°c - and occasionally with strong head wind when I cycle to work. I'm also very sensitive to the cold, and can catch a cold very easily, so I need to cover up. I'm wearing street clothes, rather than cycling-specific gear.

Now, I'm doing that well enough - for the most part: Gloves, balaclava, winter coat with a head piece, wind-and-rain overpants (is that a word?), gloves and well-insulated shoes. So, I mostly stay nice and warm.

There's one problematic spot though: Where my shoe ends and my pant-like clothing begins:

None of it is long enough to "grip" the shoe, nor do I think I want it to be.
It's a shoe, not a boot (and I dislike boots); so not long enough to tuck the pants inside the boot/shoe.
If I wore two pairs of socks, one on top of the other, I would have a hard time fitting my foot into my shoe.

What do you do, or what would you suggest, to keep that tricky area warmer?


texts:
I need to replace the free hub shell that is on my wheel with one that will work with an 11-speed Dura-Ace cassette.  The current one is for Campagnolo.

I don't want to take the whole wheel apart, I only want to remove the part that the cassette goes into.

I took the bolt out.

And I took the bearings out.

Now what?


texts: How do I find out which channel size I need in my seat? I am male and want what is the healthiest choice.


texts: I am in the process of buying a new car and I want to fit a rack on it for my bikes. Are there any issues that I need to be aware of for fitting a rack to a car, or rather are their any factors that would make it impossible to fit a rack to a car? That would be a deal breaker for me.


texts: What Bottom Bracket for a 2007 Rush Hour frame?

texts: The stock rush hour bottom bracket is a FSA BB-7420.  Would a Shimano BB-UN54 that is 68 X 107mm work in that frame?


texts: What to look for in a (Cheap) MTB headlight for night trail riding

texts:
I'm wondering what to aspects to look for when buying a mountain bike headlight is for night riding on the trails.

I have never bought one before, but I'm hoping to spend at most $50, is it possible to spend this amount and get a reasonable light, or would I have to spend more.


texts: Removing and reseating front wheel makes disc brakes rub

texts:
I have a brand new bike with Hayes CX Expert disc brakes. When I picked it up at the shop, they had dialed the front brake in nicely so it grabbed pretty quick (i.e. without having to pull it right to the handlebar).

I took the front wheel off to put the bike in my car to bring it home. I was very careful not to hit the disc rotor off anything or lay anything on it as I know they can get bent out of true.

When I got home I put the front wheel back on and re-tightened the quick release, but it now rubs slightly at one point when I spin the wheel.

I found I could fiddle with the barrel adjuster and inside pad adjuster to back them off a bit and stop the rubbing but now I have to pull the lever much further to engage the brakes firmly.

Also, when it does rub, it's only at one point in the rotation which makes me think the rotor is slightly out of true.

Finally, when I engage the brake and look straight down at the caliper, I can see the rotor flex ever so slightly sideways, almost like the pads are coming together at a slight angle relative to the plane of the rotor.

None of this seems to be an issue with the rear, and I have had the rear wheel off a couple of times as well.

What gives?


texts: What are the consequences of riding a bicycle tire backwards?

texts:
When putting a new tire on a bicycle, there is usually a note somewhere on the sidewall showing the direction the tire is supposed to rotate when you are on the bicycle.  However, the last time I changed my tire I already had the tire mounted on the rim and inflated before I remembered to check for this marking, and it turned out I had it backwards.  Rather than take the tire off and do the whole thing over again - or leave the tire to rotate "backwards", I opted simply to put the wheel on backwards, as it was the front tire and there did not seem to be anything dictating which side of the bike the quick release had to be on.

I have ridden about 20 miles so far without any issues, but I am wondering, what, if any, are the long term consequences of either this approach (riding with the tire backwards from the standpoint of the rim being backwards with respect to the quick release being on the opposite side from the back tire), or simply riding the tire in the opposite direction as labelled on the tire.  For the latter, I am wondering if it really makes any difference, because in my case I had to really search for the direction indicator as it was barely discernable.

I'm riding a road bike (touring geometry) and the tire itself is a long-life, hard casing type, as opposed to soft "performance tire" types which get flats more easily but are supposed to handle better.


texts: Can't find a rear replacement wheel 29" x 2.125 coaster brake - single speed

texts: Trying to repair my son's motor bike. He wore the brake pads down to the metal and damaged the rim. I'm trying to find a matching 29" x 2.125 - coaster brake - single speed wheel. I'm also wondering if a slightly narrower rim and tire would be compatible or would that cause any problems?? No luck in my search so far... desperate!.. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


texts:
So I have a Surly Pugsley which I love dearly.  I want to add a rack to it so that I can do simple "grocery getter" tasks on my way to and from work, but I'm afraid that standard racks will not work because of the special nature of the frame.

Are there any racks out there that will work with a Pugsley?  Are there any modifications that need to be made for them to work?


texts:
I started to bike again after 3 or more months of hiatus. I'm currently using a XXS Merida Scultura 300 (I previously used a Trinx R300 needed to upgrade because of the wrong geometry). Thing is I lost most of my stamina from my break (no exercise, lots of carbonated drink intake) and I also started using cleats which is kind of hard I fell a lot just from clipping out.

I am also a weekend rider. Since I go to the office every weekdays and got no more time to bike before or after work. I asked my friend how can I get back my stamina. What he suggested was to buy ankle weights and wear it every time. Do legs raise while in office and climb the stairs while skipping one step.

Question is, is this an effective method? Or you guys have more training methods while in office?

Edited: since Cadence isn't the question here but of endurance and to last more on biking long distance. Sorry question was written quickly in the office.


texts: My girlfriend's bicycle was vandalized by a neighbour. It seems like they banged it with a hammer or something right in the middle of the frame. Is this still safe to use?


texts: What is this adjuster in the shifting cable?

texts: In the shifting housing leading to my Shimano R7000 Front Derailleur sits an adjuster (see attached image). I could not find any documentation on the Shimano Website. Does anybody know (1) what this is, and (2) when to use it?


texts: Can I upgrade a Hercules Dirtrider 26" with gears and a disk brake?

texts: I found that dropouts are needed for derailleur setup & fork space>120mm...can I install any hanger or weld a dropout to the frame?...and also the fork end gap was around 105mm in wheel fitted condition.Can I equip 5 or 6 speed gear set in my mtb? if yes can I also mount disc brake?


texts:
I have a Cinelli Experience 2016 road bike with rim brakes that allows up to 28c tyres as per Cinelli's specifications. Somehow, Cinelli keeps mentioning it's fit for gravel as well.
I'm looking forward to gaining more tyre clearance by swapping the current 700c wheels with 650b or even 26 inch wheel. Having taken in consideration already the fact that I may need long reach calipers and even choosing an appropriate rim width to not bulge the tyre that much, I have run into the issue of finding actual wheels, given the fact that I need 650b rim brake 11s wheels in 2021.
Building my own wheels could be one option, but my first option is buying professionally made wheels. Most of the semi-compatible wheels have only 7s to 10s cassettes. My current Shimano 105 groupset is 11s and therefore, my questions are:

Can a 7s-10s wheel be converted to 11s by changing the cassette body?

Can a 11s groupset handle an 10s casette without much trouble?

Is there another option of fitting gravel/cx-like wheels on a road bike with rim brakes?

Having solved the vertical clearance, theoretically at least, what should be the minimum horizontal clearance from the sidewall of the tyre to the frame I should keep?

Buying a gravel/cx is out of the question for now. I'm perfectly happy with this particular bike, I just want tyres wider than 30c for riding in Eastern European citites with poor infrastructure and taking gravel paths in weekends.


texts: how long does it take to break in a brooks saddle (b17)

texts:
I'm going on a 2 week touring trip and looking to buy a comfortable saddle that will be make my rides pleasant and efficient.

I have about a month to break in the saddle.

How long should I spend breaking a brooks b17 before taking it on a touring trip?

Any tips to speed it up?


texts:
My latest "project" involves my bike, i.e. I want to perform a complete renovation of it. This involves changing rim, complete shift group, brakes, hubs, carrier etc, just keeping frame, seat post and handlebar & stem.

I wanted to start by stripping down my bike to those bare components, and while I was cleaning and oiling the seat post, I discovered a horrible stench from within the frame. This smell is best described as sewage ( hydrogen sulfide is the chemical behind that I believe).

Since that aluminum frame is roughly 15 years old and heavily used, I now wonder whether this water in the frame causes a risk to the frame?

PS: Please do not discuss whether do-it-yourself is appropriate here, building up the bike from its parts is part of the fun.


texts:
I have a Fuji Absolute 3.0 (about 2011) with a generic crankset. The triple chainrings are stamped with 'SAMOX'. It is a 30-42-52t set. I favour the middle chainring, which is now badly worn and needs to be replaced. I have also recently replaced the chain and cassette (8 speed).

The teeth on the largest and smallest ring are in relatively good order, and I have a tight budget, so my preference is to change only the middle ring. However, I can't find any SAMOX parts or any details about the compatibility, and I don't know anything about chainring specifications, bolt layouts, etc.

My other option is to replace the entire crankset and bottom bracket (there are occasional creaks and bangs, so it might be time to do so), but then I face not only the cost, but also ensuring the crankset will match the other components.

Does anyone know whether a Shimano or other 42t chainring will fit this configuration?


texts:
I've been running a non-brand name full carbon saddle for less than a year.  It lasted through a couple of crashes and 'cross season.  But when my usual ride stopped for coffee, I found out both rails failed.  When in alignment, the saddle held enough to get me home.

The break was right at the point where the Thomson Masterpiece clamp mechanism starts, not far behind the nose of the saddle.  Is there anything to be aware of about where the rails broke?   The seatpost is offset - does this mean I should be running a seatpost without an offset?

I expected the failure at some point, just want to be sure there isn't anything I'm missing before shopping for a replacement.


texts:
I have a bit of a disproportionate body. I am 176cm (5'9") tall, but my inside leg height is only 76cm (2'6"). I want to build a fixed-gear bike and I am looking for a frame of the right size for me. The plan is to use it to commute. All the track frames I could find are either low-pro, or with small backward sloping. And most of them are very compact, which means the top tube is short compared to the seat tube, which really doesn't fit my body. Of course, it is very hard to get a tailored track frame for a good price.

The only solution is then to buy a small frame and use long components (stem, seatpost). Is this a good solution or you can think of something else?


texts:
I noticed a misalignment between the two pulleys on a brand new Ultegra R8000 derailleur. It's less convincing on the photo than in real life, but still very much visible. I came across this discussion, where they start off with a similar observation, but switch to noise mitigation strategies pretty soon. I also came across this Shimano manual where the bottom figure on page 12 shows the bottom pulley at a slight angle with respect to the other one and the cogs, very similar to my photo. So while I've concluded that this is not a faulty part, I do wonder why they would design it that way. I would expect this to wreak havoc on the chain, compared to a perfect alignment, so what's the benefit?

PS: Both pulleys are firmly installed, don't wobble, and turn like they should.


texts: How easy are Parabolic v. Standard Rollers to use?

texts:
I cycle a track bike and want to do some training over the winter. After a bit of research I've decided to go with rollers.

I haven't used them before but I'm sure with a bit of perseverance I'll get the hang of it.

My budget is €400 max inc. delivery and I think that resistence will be necessary considering the lack of gears.

So far I've boiled it down to:

CycleOps Aluminium Rollers with Resistance Unit
Elite V-Arion Parabolic Inertial Rollers with Integrated Resistance Unit.

I like how simple the CycleOps look and the option of using outdoors but am mildly worried that the non-parabolic rollers will be a lot more difficult and that I wouldn't be able to watch tv etc. eventually.

Would you say that parabolic rollers only lessen the learning curve and are much the same as standard rollers after, or are they always easier?


texts: Proper dedicated ebike frame with motor in the middle or the diy swap the wheel approach

texts:
I'm interested in converting my carpe 40 into an electric bike.

I was wondering what are the pros and cons between having a dedicated ebike frame vs a DIY approach that involves a new front or rear wheel.

My current bike's rear hub has a modern freehub body with a cassette and not a freewheel.


texts: Shimano 105 R7000 left crank compatible with Sora FC-3550?

texts: Can I temporarily use my (power meter fitted) left crank Shimano 105 R7000 on my old bike that has Sora FC-3550 crankset? I assume that all Hollowtech 2 cranks should be interchangeable but I am not entirely sure Sora FC-3550 is actually Hollowtech 2. There is no mention of Hollowtech 2 on Shimano's page related to the product, although it certainly does look like it is the same thing (two bolts, typical star-like pattern of the plastic cover) and Amazon lists it as "Hollowtech 2". Has anyone tried it?


texts: Alfine 8 vs Alfine 11 Gates CDX chainline?

texts:
I'm considering replacing a Shimano Alfine 8 hub with a Shimano Alfine 11.

The bike has a Gates CDX belt drive, and I want to retain the same belt, chainring and rear sprocket.

My understanding is that the Gates belt drive is very sensitive to correct chainline.

Assuming the chainline is currently correct on my bike with Alfine 8 hub, can I substitute an Alfine 11 without having to adjust the chainline?

Thanks


texts: Gear indicator on SRAM X5 Shifter shows wrong gear

texts:
I have SRAM X5 Shifters like this one:

The indicator is now showing the gear above the one I'm actually in, so if like the picture it shows a 2 I would actually be in 1 (the smallest chainring), a 3 showing means I'm on the middle chainring and no indicator means I'm on the biggest chainring.

I've tried searching for tutorials on overhauling the shifter in the hopes that these would include the gear indicator but all of the ones I've found seem to deal only with the actual shifter part of the array and not the indicator.

Does anyone know if it is possible to fix the gear indicator? Can you point me towards (or give me a run through) of how to go about fixing it if it's possible to do so?

Other than showing the wrong gear everything else about the shifter works fine.


texts: What's the deal with compressionless brake cable housing?

texts:
Ok folks, I'm confused and in need of advice.  On my commuter (touring) bike, I just upgraded my BB5's to BB7's.  In the process, decided/realized that I also need to replace my cables and housing (@mikes was right in his answer to a past question of mine).

In surfing the 'net I see that I can get compressionless cable housing or "regular" cable housing.  Compressionless seems to be preferred by folks interested in higher levels of performance.

That said, I have always trusted Sheldon Brown's advice on a variety of bike related topics.  He seems to say that compressionless housing is made for (and should only be used for) indexed shifters and it might be dangerous to use it for brakes.  However, there are several vendors (1),(2) who sell compressionless housing made specifically for brakes.

So, is Sheldon wrong?  Will I be introducing additional risk in my braking system by using them? Will compressionless cable housings make a significant difference in the performance of my mechanical disc brakes?


texts: Is it worth separating your vo2 max wattage's on the flat and hill climbs in order to provide clearer goals during training?

texts:
My watts per kg on hill 5 minute hill climbs seems to be 30 to 40 watts higher than what I can achieve on the flat. This is where I get dropped the most often during group rides and races.

My maximum 5 minute watts/kg on a hill climb is: 4.90
The average gradient of the slope is: 9%

But on the flat the maximum I have managed is: 4.37

I would like to add I'm not sure how to extract the data for just the vo2max intervals or whether that would be more useful or not.

Do I train each separately to give myself the best chance of improvement in each discipline?


texts:
I'm interested in changing my bike from downtube to flight deck shifters, however I'm struggling to find any 6 speed flight deck shifters. I have a suspicion they don't exist.

Thanks a lot.


texts: How does one wear leg warmers without them sliding down?

texts: I seem to always have my leg warmers fall down. They seem a little tight, and I wear them under my bike shorts. Are they any tips to keep up around my thighs instead of my falling to my knees?


texts: Replace disc brake pads for Huffy mountain bike

texts:
I have a Nighthawk Mens 18-Speed Mountain Bike. When it comes time to replace the disc brake pads, I saw that Huffy sells the whole brake caliper for $8.

It seems like it would be cheaper to just replace the pads, but I can not find them.


texts:
I am looking to replace the stock wheelset on my 2009 Jamis Aurora.  I'm looking to replace wheels because I have a number of spokes break over the wheel lifetime and now my rear wheel is only in true from my own periodic adjustments, which are needed with increasing frequency.  The LBS indicated that wheel replacement would be more economical than wheel repair.

For compatibility considerations, I am looking at the following variables

spacing (my stock hubs are shimano tiagras.  I think the spacing is 130mm for both)
tire diameter (700)
cassette compatibility (SRAM Powerglide 950, 9-speed, 11-32)
Tire compatibility (I current roll on 35 front 32 rear)

Are there additional variables that I need to consider from a compatibility standpoint? I'm looking at the Vuelta Corsa HD Road Wheelset because it is affordable and the reviews indicate that they're reliable.

Am I correct in thinking this is a compatible choice?  Are there other variables that I need to consider?  And is this a poor choice?  I know a lot of people advocate hand-built wheels.


texts:
The bike is a Specialized Camber 29, about five months old, from a shop about 220km away.

Something feels different in my ride, and I'm wondering what it is.

the rear goes sideways in sand much more often,
there's an different running sound from the rear tyre, at a different pitch than before,
the rear tyre is about 3mm taller than the front tyre, measured with callipers from the inside of the rim to the valleys in the tread,

After a flat rear tyre last Thursday, I took the wheel to a local bike shop 70km away, who took the initiative to insert the old tube as a covering for a new tube.  There was already a protective layer of some sort between the tube and the tyre.  The region is known for thorns, but there was no evidence that a thorn caused the flat.  I put the wheel back in.  I'm wary of blaming this event, because I don't have enough experience.

I ride twice daily for half an hour each time, on dirt roads, for about 6km.

I lack the tools and strength of hands to repair the wheel myself, and have no other riders nearby.

There's a possibility that my failure to maintain the suspension system may have caused the problem; but I don't know enough about it to tell.  It has been left alone for the life of the bike.

There's a possibility that recent light rain may have changed the sand.

The rotation markers on the tyre are pointing in the right direction.


texts: Is there something particularly wrong with exclusively riding a mountain bike in a city setting?

texts: I live in Davis, and I ride bikes simply for commuting around the university and around town. My last bike is a hand-me-down from my sister's friend over 6 years ago; it's pretty much on it's last leg. So my friend has offered to give me his relatively new mountain (?) bike from Walmart (high quality for Walmart standards). I must admit, I know next to nothing about bikes, and I really don't want to spend the time or money getting a different (road) bike. I just know this one isn't a road bike. Will it be sufficient, or should I look into something else?


texts: How did my rear freewheel become incredibly tight overnight?

texts:
I got a flat yesterday morning after a normal ride, walked my bike inside the house and propped it upside-down (like this) overnight.  This morning, I changed the flat and put on some brand new tires I bought last week.

When I take it out for a ride, I find that the freewheel is nearly locked up!  I can forcibly move it by dragging on the pedals and bunching-up the chain, but it's not easy.  I've tried adjusting the tension on my quick-release, but that doesn't seem to make a difference.

The freewheel on my SRAM S27 has always been tight (to the point of putting some slack in the chain when back-pedaling), but now I can't even coast!  How did this happen, and what should I do about it?

Edit - the next day:

I made my adjustments on Tuesday morning as I said in the comments, but after only a 15 mile ride the freehub was completely tightened back up again!

After looking into it a bit more carefully, I found a service manual for my wheels with some nice pictures.  Here's what I adjusted on Tuesday morning:

I apparently loosened the "end cap" from the threading on the axle.  Here's another pic of the whole assembly:

Unfortunately because it tightened right back up that obviously wasn't a very robust solution.


texts: Hub dynamo, maybe loose contact; maintenance?

texts:
I experience problems with my Shimano hub dynamo. A few days ago, I stood in the dark, without any visible damage.

Measurement prove that the dynamo does not deliver power.
I measured DC and AC current with a multimeter. Is this the proper way to check? As there is a power regulator included in the dynamo (legal regulations).I measured with a multimeter directly at the connectors of the dynamo, there is no real resistance; I am therefore not sure if this method can work.

Cables and connections away from the dynamo were measured to be in good condition.

I did another check of the dynamo with the light connected and I saw the light switching on initially and then fading out again, within seconds. I think there is still some life in it.

Then I bought electrical lights as a containment. Obviously, today the dynamo worked again. I figured the light intensity to vary when I ride across bumps. This points towards mechanical failure.

I ride every day ~30km in every weather, the dynamo has probably seen some 10k km. Currently, there is a lot of dirt on the roads and thus also at the hub. I could imagine that this can make a problem (:

I look for advise:

how to clean / maintain my current dynamo (it is claimed to be maintenance free and I am not very handy).
how to perform a more severe root cause analysis.

Edit

Varying light intensity due to bumps on the road point for me to mechanical failure of some sort. I consider changing the inner part of my hub as seen here. How difficult can it be to rearrange the bearing balls if I loose them?


texts:
I need to replace my Ultegra 6600 right hand shifter as the ratcheting system is gone. The rest of the groupset is all the same 6600 series.

I am having a hard time sourcing just a right hand side shifter and they cost more than I really want to spend.

I am having a hard time working out what shimano shifters are compatible.  I gather there has been a change in the brake pull length, so its critical that I get a compatible shifter for the 6600 brake.

Will a Tiagra 10 speed 5400 combined shifter/brake lever be compatible?

Is there a compatibility chart for the brake pull options?

Any suggestions appreciated.


texts: Hercules Mixte 5-speed hub repair spring

texts:
I pulled apart a 5-speed coaster hub on a Hercules bike. It has 2 cables, one on each side. After removing a few internal parts, I came to what appeared to be a spring that was just a mangle of wire on the innermost section of the hub. I cannot find a diagram for this hub, but what I have found is that it appears to be for loading the "chain" cable.
Any idea on where I can find a replacement part? I am in Frankfurt. []
[]2


texts: Can missing cage mount screws cause the frame to rust?

texts: I have a Cube Analog Disc 2012 bike, and recently discovered that I have no screws inserted in the bottle cage mounts. Is it possible for rust to form in this area? Also, is it possible for the water to enter inside the tube and develop rust on the inside (since there is no hole at the bottom of the frame, I believe water will remain inside until it clears off)?


texts: This is almost certainly very simply, but how do you undo the chainring bolts on the SRAM red chainset? I can fit a 5mm (or 8mm can't recall now) hex head into the black screws, but they just spin on the spot. I have tried both the front and back. Some seem harder to spin than the others, but I can't work out how to remove them.


texts:
It’s a Jamis Ventura Comp : https://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/BikeSpecs.aspx?item=23765
Thanks!


texts: Cleaning and lubing bicycle chain with diesel

texts:
For last 3 weeks I am using diesel for my cleaning and lubing my bicycle chain, so far I am not facing any problems.

Should I continue this or am I damaging my chains ?

Has anyone else using this method ?


texts:
I'm commuting an hour each way each day in summer now and it rains sometimes.

I have a GoreTex jacket which I bought 10 years ago for walking in. With additional inner warm clothes I wear it in temperatures down to -5C (23F). I can wear it with a shirt when cycling when the temperature is up to (i.e. below) about 15C (60F): it keeps me fairly dry; and if it doesn't (in a downpour for up to an hour) then at least it's wind-proof i.e. fairly air-tight i.e. insulating on a bike and can therefore keep me warm after I'm soaked and it's still raining.

It's too warm to wear in summer though, when biking. In a light rain with a temperature over 22C (70F), if I wore it zipped up I'd get soaked with sweat: and might as well, instead, arrive at work soaked with rain.

What can you recommend for a summer rain jacket? I'm guessing that options include:

'Breathable' (e.g. GoreTex) bike-specific jacket
'Waterproof', vented material
'Poncho' of some kind
'Nothing': instead, insulating clothes to regulate temperature even when wet (I have a pannier), and change of (dry) clothes at the destination.

I'm looking for something that will:

Last for an hour, commuting 18 km
Rainfall of 1 mm to (if I'm lucky) 5 mm per hour
Temperatures of 22C and above

I went to a bike store. One option there was a lightweight waterproof, with venting (e.g. in the armpits) for a bit over $100. Another option was a "GoreTex PacLite" for about $250, which doesn't have venting ("unlike cheaper, waterproof, doesn't need venting").

My uncle flippantly recommended a poncho; however the few people I've seen wearing one on the street seem to be riding at only about 10 kph, which would more than double my journey time: is that right, or can they be faster?

I was tempted to buy the GoreTex but it's expensive enough that I wouldn't want to regret the purchase, so I hoped to ask you. Can an unvented jacket be usable when zipped up and biking in warmer temperatures, if it's (for example) GoreTex? Are there good reasons for or against vents?

I have a pannier to carry it in when it's not raining (I use the pannier only for whatever spare clothing I may want to carry that day, and the U-lock); so light-weight would be quite nice but pack-ability seems less important.


texts: Do I really need a 90-degree arm/torso angle?

texts: I have tinkered excessively with my bike fit over the years.  I recently saw the fit suggestion that there be a 90-degree angle from the torso to the arm (while on the hoods).  Thing is, when I increase the reach to that point, my power output drops 20%+ for the same perceived effort -- which results in a 3 - 4 mph drop up a 12% grade.  (The max I can go at full power puts me at about 75-80-degrees.)  Yes, I know there's more to a proper fit than power, but if it drops that much, can that really be right?  Is that a position that just takes time to adapt to?  Or, is that just for a more aggressive/racing type fit?  (I ride 6,000+ miles/yr., but don't race.  And my house is 600+ feet up the side of a mountain.)


texts:
When I change the gear from 3 to 2 the gear shifter does not properly change the gear.  It will just move to gear 1 then it pops off.

I put the chain back but it still had the same problem.. I don't know what to do . Please help me.


texts:
The earlier question, here, raised this question about carrying water.

How do you carry water during touring? Do yo carry it in panniers, water-bags, bottles, containers or elsewhere? How does your carrier change in different location. You can see from earlier question that it is not trivial to get even clean water. So it sounds logical to carry a lot of water when you are in locations where water can be tight. In such case, when you get the water perhaps bottled water. How do you allocate it? Have you never thrown something away because you needed more room for water?


texts: Voodoo Bizango: Will the Schwalbe Marathon Almotion fit?

texts:
I have a Voodoo Bizango mountain bike. I don't do any mountain biking. I use this bike to commute to and from work in West Yorkshire (lots of hills). Once I've lost more weight, I'll invest in a bike more geared for tarmac, but not yet.

Today, I got a puncture. I want to take the opportunity to change the tyres because they are fat and feel very slow on the tarmac.

Will these fit? How do you find that out? I don't want to buy it and then return it when I find out it doesn't fit.

Here is an image of the current tyres:


texts: Other than spoke count, is there a strength ratings for wheels?

texts:
I need to buy a new wheelset for my bike. I need strong wheels: I am about 18 stone, carry a lot of luggage on the rear rack and go up and down kerbs a lot.

In other words, I need strong wheels.

I understand that spoke count is the traditional way to measure wheel strength, but it is not as good as it used to be because the material used to make the spokes is important, too.

Is there an objective number that can be employed? I don't mind spending a lot of money on wheels, but I want to know that I'm getting something good!


texts:
I've got this part on my bike:

A shimano nexus 7s shifter. The bowden cable's inner lining is worn after 17 years so I was trying to replace it. But what I can't find is how to disassemble the shifter and replace the cable from there. Is that even possible?


texts: Am I able to replace the bolt in the hub to be quick release on a back wheel?

texts: I have this wheel and want to replace the skewer that it is tightened with to a quick release fitting is this possible?


texts:
I'm building an SSCX bike around a Brodie Romax SS frame which uses a 135x12mm thru-axle at the rear.  I was hoping to be able to use a flip-flop hub so that I can run it SS for 'cross and fixed for some potential grass track races that may be being set up in my area.

Unfortunately I can't seem to find a flip-flop hub with TA support.  Closest I can find is these Phil Wood hubs but they use standard track bolts.

Is there any way to adapt this or a similar hub to my TA frame?


texts: Can someone help me identify the bike frame?

texts:
I have had this frame for a while now and I would like to restore it to its original look.

The person who sold it to me said that its a Sintezi, but that sounds wrong to me, all I know about it that it has Reynolds 501 chrommoly M tubing.

Also I would like to ask what would be the proper way to restore and repaint a frame like this.


texts:
What is this lump in the picture and how does it work?

I have another pump, which physically is the same but minus the bulge.  The one in the picture seems to perform better, ie less work to reach the same pressure.


texts: GT Chuck 1.0 component transfer to full full suspension frame

texts: I own a GT chucker 1.0 but want to upgrade to a full suspension. Would it be posible to transfer all the components (fork, wheels, disc brakes, crankset, drive train) to a full suspension frame (xc/all mountain full suspension frame)?


texts: Chain wear due to standing while pedaling

texts: Does standing up while pedaling increase chain wear (lengthen chain) faster than pedaling while seated?


texts: It is dangerous to bike with 5/36 spokes broken?

texts:
I've got an old bike (not a sport bike, just an old fashioned granny bike).

The chain was super loose so I have to tighten it, the tires are fine. The rear wheel, although reasonable aligned for how abandoned the bike looks has 5 over 36 spokes broken (3 on one side and 2 on the other). I am using the bike but I am a bit scared it can break down at any moment.
Is that likely or not at all?


texts: Two wheel sets, one bike - best approach?

texts:
I've got a mountain bike that I occasionally ride on the road,  when I do I like to put on slick road tyres but it's a pain changing the tires each time.

If I buy a second set of wheels what is the best approach?  Do I need to change cassette, and chain etc each time?


texts:
As I've mentioned before, I volunteer with a group called "Pedal it Forward" (under the auspices of the local Kiwanis club) to rehab donated bikes.  Most (discounting those that are already scrap when they come in) are given (after rehab) to "Christmas Anonymous" and other charitable causes, but when we get a really nice one we sometimes sell it to help pay for operating expenses.

We currently have a really clean, nice looking Cannondale Jekyll 26" full-suspension bike with aluminum frame.  The only problem with it is that it's completely missing it's rear derailer and hanger.  Apparently the parts were damaged, the owner took them off, and, couple of years later, donated the bike to get it out of his garage.

So, where would I find a derailer (and, more importantly, a hanger) to fit this bike?

I would guess the bike is about 5 years old.  "CAAD4" is printed on the side.  It has 2 speeds front, 9 speeds rear.  Disk brakes.  The front mech is Shimano Deore XT.

Serial number:

556284LK02351
IDMNJN    LG

Pictures:

So any idea where to find an appropriate hanger and derailer (or at least a clue as to what is "appropriate")?


texts:
Unfortunately, I know I'll be at a disadvantage in racing because I haven't been able to find or create a team, as all of the other people I know who are into cycling are men. I weigh 146 lbs, and my bike weighs 19 lbs. I can sustain 18 mph on my solo rides, some stats on some recent notable efforts of mine:
on a -3.8 incline I averaged 36 mph for 0,4 miles, about 325 watts in-the saddle, and another sprint, at 0% incline, I averaged 480 watts in the saddle for 0,2 miles. How might I measure up in a cat 4 peloton, especially without the help of a team?


texts: Is a 650B wheel good enough for a tandem?

texts: I'm restoring/updating an 1970 Fresh Tandem that has a 26" wheel (700D x 1.40) and I'm thinking about swapping the wheel set with something a little more modern and accessible like a 27.5" 650B because the frame clears it, provides a little more ride comfort and it looks nice on the bike. However, I'm a little concerned about the weight limit, we're a 300 pound team (135kg) and the bike weighs around 40 pounds. Am I making a mistake here? Here's a quick photo with both wheels on for testing. The old rims are 50 years old, the tires are extreemly difficult to find and I'm planning on swapping the freewheel with a 9-speed cassette anyway.


texts: Will a Shimano MTB 9 speed derailleur work with 10 speed cassette?

texts:
In general, what issues am I likely to run into, if I use a 9 speed derailleur with 10 speed cassette?  Is the chain width main problem?

I'm interested in Shimano XT CS-M771 cassette/XT M772 Shadow 9 Speed Rear Mech combo.  Will it work?

If it will, what flatcar shifter would work the best (indexed)?


texts: How do I know if my cone/cap/bearings need to be adjusted?

texts:
I have a custom road bike with (mostly) Shimano parts.  I love to ride but I'm not so strong on the technical side.

I have quick-release wheels; I regularly (3-4 times a year) put the bike in a bag and travel by train to a cycling destination.

When I did so, upon re-assembling my bike, I noticed there was a lot of "play" in the rear wheel left-to-right.  It rolls smoothly, but there is an intermittent....feeling.... as the wheel rotates when I am riding it.

The feeling is a feeling of some friction, but not enough to actually retard the forward motion of the bike or anything, just enough to allow my feet to feel it in the pedals.  It appears to happen once a rotation, as if I am going fast enough, I can't feel it anymore, but when I am going slow, there's certainly a pace to it.

I've heard anecdotally from a friend I may need to adjust my cone & bearings, as they may have become too loose.  Does anyone have any advice on how to do this, or things I should watch out for?  I'm trying as much as is possible not to ride until I sort this, but since I commute by bike, it's urgent.


texts:
I ride pretty aggressively cross country and trail in colorado, and occasionally will go to the bike park and do some jumps.

I recently bought a specialized hardrock 29er for my wife, who's a novice rider.  The price was right, and the bike is great for her.  The problem is I want to ride it sometimes, but the fork sketches me out.  First: it sucks compared to my fox fork on my 26" bike and second: I'm afraid it's going to break on me.

The fork is an 80mm SR suntour.  Does anybody have any suggestions for reasonably priced replacements? I don't want to change the geometry too much.  I think the idea is if i put some money into the fork, we could put it on her next bike if/when she decides to upgrade.