texts: Buy or rent a bike in Europe for 2 week backpacking trip

texts: My wife, daughter and I will be traveling to Germany, Switzerland, Amsterdam and a few other areas in late July of 2018.  We will be traveling with what we can carry on our backs. I'm looking for suggestions on whether it is better to buy or rent some bikes that we can use and travel on the trains with while we are there.  I'm not against buying to have a better quality bike if necessary.  We are avid bikers currently so definitely want some decent quality bikes.


texts: Hi can anyone help with some advice. I have built up a 2007 specialized big hit 2 and fitted it with a 32t narrow wide chain ring as that is what I've been used to riding. It rides great it handles great...but today I have noticed that the lower edge of the chain grinds into the rear triangle with very little clearance. Bearing in mind I am running it with an E13 SRS 32 chain device and shimano zee short cage derailleur. Is there a simple way round this or do I need to run a larger chain ring for more frame clearance. Any pointers would be great thanks.


texts: Chain loses grip under load in higher gears

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When pedalling  in higher gears, the crank or cassette seem to completely lose grip for a second, then grip then lose it again. I could probably pedal all day in 1st and any front ring but when start to go in 6/7/8th it will do it.

This is not a gear change problem, all gears change perfectly and when the bike is on the stand everything works perfectly.

In order to try to cure the problem, the front and rear derailleurs have been renewed including cables, the chain renewed, the derailleur hanger also, but the problem remains.  I tried swapping the back wheel with known good one off another bike to eliminate the cassette, but the problem stayed the same.

The front crank has a tiny bit of play but the teeth look ok - none obviously more worn or broken than others - the biggest ring on the crank has been bent and straightened, not perfect but it has been working fine previously like that, plus the problem exists on the two smaller rings too.

Any help appreciated


texts: Should there be grease in my steel frame's tubes?

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I've taken apart a road bike from the 70s with a (french) ball bearing bottom bracket. Looking inside I found (what I thought to be) absurd amounts of grease in the tubes coming into the bottom bracket. I'm a bike work beginner and intuitively I would've thought that's excess grease pushed into the tubes, but the sheer amount made me wonder whether it's there intentionally - maybe to seal off the tubes/bottom bracket?

Also haven't found anything on it yet on Sheldon Brown's website, but that might just be my fault.

Thank you for your help.


texts: can only use right hand to brake reliably, due to disability - safer/possible to modify bike?

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I'm new here and hoping someone might have thoughts on this - had a look and couldn't find an answer elsewhere! Apologies for the kind of long question, and if it's silly, but any thoughts would be appreciated :)

My situation is this: I ride a simple hybrid bike just to and from work/uni most of the time, though I'd like to get a road bike one day. I  do also like "mountain" biking on flat trails but borrow bikes for this.

I have very mild cerebral palsy on my left hand side. It affects muscle strength and fine motor skills but only slightly. If I wanted to apply the rear brake, on my left handlebar, it's difficult for me to get up enough force quickly. (steering and controlling bike are totally fine)

I'm great at using the front brakes though, and it's never caused me problems before (I don't go that fast anyway), but I just started wondering, if I want to get a road bike or do more risky mountain biking, perhaps I should consider what's safest and whether modifications would be possible.

So firstly I'm wondering whether anyone thinks this is worth investigating, or if only front braking should continue to be fine.

Secondly, if I should try find a way to rear brake, does anyone have any suggestions? Is there any way to control both brakes from my right handlebar (I'm pretty quick and strong on my right, due to always having had to compensate for my left)? Also, when I was a kid, my dad used to find/make me bikes that applied rear brakes when I back-pedalled - is that a thing? (Google directs me to coaster brakes) But I can't remember if I also had a front brake on those bikes.

I'm not good at DIY, due to the lack of fine motor skills from one of my hands, so if I want to go the path of trying a modification I guess I also want to try work out what I'd get charged for it by a store here in Australia.

I may just be overthinking this, but I've always felt kind of nervous on road bikes (only ridden my boyfriend's a couple of times), so if I do want to get into riding one, I want to know I've got the best set up for me.

Thanks so much!

(also my injury tag  = disability, wanted to create the tag but couldn't due to being new. I felt it might be useful to link it to injury anyway in case someone looks there for answers on how to ride after an injury to a hand)


texts: Are there geometrical differences between framesets optimised for flats vs drops, other than top tube length?

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Question background:
I am on the cusp of buying a 'do it all' bike for commuting and light touring.

The bike i'm looking at (Genesis Croix de Fer 2015 model) comes with drop handlebars. I would like to use a flat bar with a slight rise instead and bar ends.

I am aware that replacing drops with flats (in addition to requiring new levers and shifters) will change the handling of the bike somewhat. I can see that the most obvious way this would be will be a shortening of the reach, due to the extra forward distance from where a drop bar is clamped to the stem to the hoods/drops. Looking at frame geometries can also see that framesets for bikes with drop bars tend to have a shorter top tube to compensate for this.

My personal experience of riding most bikes is that I feel more stretched out than I would like to be, and I have test ridden the Genesis Croix De Fer and felt this to be the case. (I think I have a relatively short upper torso/arm reach).
I appreciate that a stretched out position is good for racing, but I would actually like a more upright position - this bike will be used for commuting and light tourer, and may one day take a child seat. I won't be racing on it.

Given this scenario, it seems to be that swapping drop bars that the bike is shipped with for flats (with a slight rise) may well make the overall geometry and riding position of the bike more suitable for my needs.

My question therefore, is, are there any other problems this will cause? e.g. will the handling be significantly adversely affected?
I.E Are there ways in which framesets are optimised for drop bars OTHER than a shorter top tube, that I am not taking into consideration?


texts: Changing SRAM Apex brifters to flat bar - which is it possible to get hydraulic brake levers and trigger shifters to match?

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I've got a Tempest gravel bike from Planet X that came with drops and the Apex HRD groups. It works well but the whole drop handle bar positioning is a very literal pain -- I ended up with crucifying back pain while touring East Germany last summer.
I want to change to a Jones bar (like a riser bar but with greater choice of hand and body positions) yet can't find a simple way to transfer the brake and gear shifter. The only option seems to be to change the entire Apex drive train, which is very expensive.
Any advice?


texts: Installing gear cable guide on 80s Holdsworth

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I have this Holdsworth frame that I got repainted and am rebuilding with mostly modern parts - I recently realised that I'm not quite sure how to run the derailleur cables past the bottom bracket.

I have seen bikes from this era with brazed on above-BB cable guides, but this frame doesn't have them.

I then remembered my Btwin has a plastic under-BB guide, so I got one of those but realised the hole in the Holdsworth's BB cage looks too small to have any sort of screw in it, and looks more like a drainage hole.

(Also, even though the guide says "screw on type", it looks quite different from the screw on one on my Btwin, which has a split plastic nub which wedges into the BB cage hole when the screw is tightened. I'm really not sure how this one I got is supposed to be fastened - I looked up some diagrams on Shimano's site but they didn't help)

Does anyone have any advice on how I should go about guiding the gear cables? Thank you!


texts: What is the best technique for carrying a large box on my bike rack?

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FedEx has a large package for me, and it has me wondering--what's the best way to carry a large box on a bike with a rear rack?  What types of tie-downs, knots, etc should be used?

For context, this is a "regular" bike (not any kind of cargo bike) with a typical rear-rack.  The box is likely 12"x18"x28", and around 20 pounds and the ride is fairly short.  I'm looking for a simple solution that is primarily stable and secure; I can take a while to tie it on, and I can go slowly getting it home.


texts: cartridge bottom bracket bearing "hitch" or slight grinding feeling in one spot when the spindle is turned by finger pressure

texts: Bought a new no-name threaded cartridge BB with a titanium spindle recently, mainly out of curiosity. It's very light-weight but when I rotate the spindle gently between my fingertips there's a definite rough-spot, a hitch so to speak, at one point on the drive-side bearing. A novice safecracker could easily crack a safe if he got this much tactile feedback when turning its dial. None of the other cartridge BBs that I have (mostly IRD and Shimano) have this kind of rough-spot; they're perfectly smooth when the spindle is turned by hand. The Seller assures me the BB is not defective and that it will be OK with use, and he says his shop sells expensive Hope BBs that do the same thing. Is that true about Hope?


texts: What do I need to consider for a cheap wheel for a Specialized Tri-Cross to use on a trainer?

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I am wanting to buy a new rear wheel to make my life easier when wanting to use my turbo trainer, so I don't need to change the tyre on my current wheel every time I wish to go out/stay in.

My current wheel is an AlexRims Ace19 with a internal width of 17mm.

As this is my first time buying wheels, what would be some considerations for getting something cheap that fits the bill? I say cheap because I'm using a used adventure bike, so nothing is expensive in my setup.


texts: I've noticed that lots of courier companies prefer their riders to use messenger bags or backpacks.  When a rack does get used its often a porteur rack of the front wheel?  Does anyone know why these are the preferred tools of the trade?


texts: Which pannier racks give the best heel clearance?

texts:
I've just bought a new bike (Pinnacle Neon 1 2013) which has a 42cm chainstay.
Just to be on the safe side, I was wondering which racks provide more heel clearance than average?

I'll only be using it for commuting so I don't need something as substantial as a Tubus, but at the same time I don't want it to collapse after a few weeks use.

Any suggestions?


texts: What is MTB/roadbike specific in brake cables?

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Basically as the title says. Why won't a "roadbike" bike cable fit into an MTB, or vice-versa?
Consider this one. What would happen if this was mounted in an MTB (or any other kind of bike)?


texts:
My bike has a Rockshox Pike Select (FS-PIKE-SEL-B4). The front axle is a Maxle Ultimate with the following dimesions (as printed on the axle):
Size: 15x110 mm
Axle Length: 156,5mm
Thread Length: 9mm
Thread Pitch: M15x1.5

Now I wanted to replace this with a Maxle Stealth (I rather not have a lever flapping around), but I can't find one that has those exact spects. The closest one I found was
Size: 15x110 mm
Axle Length: 158 mm
Thread Length: 9 mm
Thread Pitch: M15x1.5

but the Axle Length is a bit longer. Will it fit?


texts: Puncture in SCHWALBE CITIZEN ACTIVE tire

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Does anybody know what type of tire is SCHWALBE CITIZEN ACTIVE? I have a tiny punctures in it and have no idea how to fix. May be I wrong but I think it is tubeless. Should I bring it to service or is it possible to fix myself?

Update: Tyre is attached to rim with some tape. Image below


texts: I have a 2012 Felt F95 (as shown at: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/felt-f95-2012/) and I wanted to upgrade the brakes to Shimano Ultegras.  I was wondering if these are compatible together.


texts: DNM USD-6 fork service intervals and procedures

texts: What are the good service intervals for the DNM USD-6 fork? How to understand that it should be maintained first? What are the recommended procedures for this?


texts: 4 punctures in one week, even after replacing tube and tire, what's happening?

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I've just had my 4th puncture in 8 days on the bike I use to commute to work. Same back wheel each time. I haven't had a puncture before in the 2 years I've had this bike.

After the first puncture I replaced the tube.
After the second puncture I repaired the tube.
After the third puncture I replaced the tube and got a new tire.
Two days later it's punctured again.

What's strange is that the punctures - tiny, like a thin needle - have all been on the part of the tube facing the tire. They have all been randomly spread around the tube with respect  to the valve. Both these seem to indicate it has nothing to do with the rim, and yet with a new tire it's still punctured...?

Any thoughts?

(I'm considering the possibility that someone is sabataging my bike while it's parked in my university parking, though there is evidence against this also.)


texts:
I’ve looked through this site and couldn’t find a question asking the same. Sorry if this is a duplicate. Also, apologies as I’m posting on phone.
Are there any bike light sets that don’t rely on the o-ring design to attach them to the frame?
I hate having to fumble with o-rings every day when taking my lights on or off to charge. I would rather have a design where the mount is attached to the frame and you simply slide the light into it to hear a click alongside a quick release. Does such design exist? Or something similar that doesn’t involve taking the whole thing on or off?


texts:
I'm trying to replace my rear derailleur on my cheap MTB. Chain is a KMC with a Z and NARROW on it. There's no master link so I bought a tool but i can't get it to push a pin out. Are the pins one direction?
Thanks, Justin


texts: How much should a wallet friendly entry level road bike weigh?

texts: Just bought the Merida Scultura 100 and it weighs 8.5 kgs. Am slowly beginning to realize the importance of bike weight when it comes to average speed.


texts: How can I remove very stuck headset spacers (alu/carbon)

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Working on a bike that has had significant indoor turbo usage, (i.e. a lot of sweat has run down the headset) and corrosion has bonded the aluminium spacers to the carbon steerer. The steering is stiff and notchy such that the bearings must be replaced, but the spacers are well and truly stuck in place.
I have tried getting some boiling water on the spacers, wrapping a boiled cloth on there, I spent a few hours dripping lemon juice down the gap (I think I read that on Park Tool), I've tried WD40 and have tried turning the top spacer with slip joint pliers (water pump pliers) as hard as I can, but no progress.
I will not want bang on the top of the carbon steerer any harder and the alu piece on top is proud because the bung is seized in place also (still functional). My experience and exploratory taps say that no amount of hitting on top will free this headset up.
How can I remove these very stuck spacers without damaging the frame or fork? I'm hoping for a proven answer because if I continue but damage the spacers further without getting them removed then I potentially make the bike unsafe and so unrideable.

Update:  I am still looking for an answer. Nothing forthcoming just yet. I'm thinking that somehow cutting through just the spacers, maybe with a rotary tool, would do the trick, a-la DavidW's answer in the first comment.  Maybe cutting not quite all the way through and then forcing the ends apart to pry them off. I asked in my trusted local shop at the time and they said they would do something similar but were too busy to take it on.


texts:
I've been riding my bike for quite some time now, and I've noticed I get a clicking feeling when I'm pedaling. I've tried checking the rear derailleur's shifting, tension screws and the derailleur hanger, and the bike still has the clicking feeling.

I don't hear the clicking sound but I feel it, can someone help me please.


texts:
My high shifter isn't shifting in gears 1-4 (5-8 are fine). I took it to a shop and they said I need a new shifter because it's in "really bad shape". No details or anything. Does it seem like they're pulling a fast one on me?

Thanks.


texts: Do cassettes and chains need to be replaced at the same time?

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Someone recently told me that if I replace my cassette I need to replace my chain (and vice versa) so that they wear evenly.

Is this true? And, can anyone elaborate on the reasoning for this a bit more? Why is it important for them to wear evenly?

Why does this not apply to the front chainring? Or does it?


texts: I recently purchased a brand new mountain bike with disc brakes. It's only been a few months of riding and the brakes have stopped working to the extent that I can still ride (with effort) while fully engaging the front brakes. They worked well at first, then became increasingly ineffective as time went on. I did get some oil on them once, but I thoroughly cleaned both pads and rotor with rubbing alcohol. I have constantly tinkered with cable tension and space between the rotors and pads but nothing has made any improvement whatsoever. I even went out and bought new pads which did absolutely nothing to improve stopping power. Are the rotors bad? Should I take it into a repair shop? What should I do to fix this problem?


texts: Best Way to mount Wald rear folding baskets to the rack on a Batavus Fryslan

texts: I just got these awesome Wald rear folding baskets as an early christmas present from my Girlfriend.  The hardware they came with will not fit on my Batavus Fryslan Rack.  What would be the best way to mount them?


texts:
I have an old Magura Julie disk brake. It seams that new pads are too thick for the brake. I already tried 2 different types. But when I insert the new pads the gap between the pads is completely closed. There's no gap left for the disk.

Re-inserting the old pads is no problem.

Are there brake pads with different thicknesses?


texts: Are seatpost shims safe to use - for the frame, seatpost, and the rider?

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Are seatpost shims safe to use from the perspective of the frame, seatpost, and the rider?

My concern is that seatpost shims only support the seatpost for a few centimeters - while a properly matching seattube will support the seattube for the entire depth. Would this increase stresses on the seatpost or the frame?

And would this be an argument for avoiding short shims and trying to get as long as possible?

Related but with no relevant answers: Is it safe to use aluminium seatpost adapter (27.2mm to 31.6mm) for a carbon frame?


texts:
Most biking accident stories (ignoring collisions) that I hear about involve squeezing the frontbrake too hard and flipping over, often when biking on a downhill.

Read, for example, this fellow's story:

  I commute to work a few miles on my bike in the city. Today someone
  walked out in front of me and I squeezed the brakes too hard and went
  over the handlebars. I suffered a mild elbow fracture because I put my
  arms out in front of me and the palms of my hands are destroyed.

In my own experience, I've also pretty bad accidents with the front brake:

  I was biking downhill (perhaps too fast), and hit the front brake. I
  then went flying Superman-style, while watching my bike turn at least
  three complete somersaults out of the corner of my eye. Not fun.

So, the question is -- why do we need front brakes? Since my accident, I've rarely (if ever) used my front brake, and I bike just fine.

I've also been very puzzled to rent bikes somewhere, and find that the bikes only had front brakes -- in my opinion, back brakes are much safer to use.

So what do we need front brakes for?


texts: Should I get a bike that's too small for me?

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I'm considering buying the 2010 model of the Pinarello FP2. They're substantially cheaper than this years model (~£700). However, they only have the 55cm frames in stock.

I'm 6ft tall, looking at this size chart it says the 55cm frame is suitable for people up to 5ft 9in.

Would it be advisable for me to get a bike of this size?

Is it going to cause me problems? Is it not such an issue? After all it's a massive saving but if the bikes unrideable (for whatever reason) then it's not worth it.


texts: Is this freehub a Shimano or Campagnolo type?

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I'm looking at purchasing a used Fulcrum Racing 5 wheelset to go with my Shimano 10 speed cassette.

The seller is unsure if the freehub is Shimano or Campagnolo but has provided pictures. Does anyone know which freehub this is? Will only the Shimano freehub work with my Shimano cassette?


texts: Can I use cartridge bearings on my wheel hub?

texts:
I have a vintage road bike, at the moment there are loose metal bearings in the hubs. Some of the bearings are missing. Can I buy cartridge bearings or do I need to buy loose bearings?

Thanks


texts: Can I put a hanger derailleur on a direct mount frame?

texts:
I have a road bicycle whose threads for the direct mount derailleur are stripped in the frame.

Is it possible to use a hanger derailleur instead? Are there other options?


texts: What is a good way to keep my tires from going flat easily?

texts: Title says it all, how do I keep my bicycle tires from going flat easily? I live in an area with a lot of sharp stuff (think glass shards, nails, cactus, etc)...


texts: Not enough clearance on road discs for rotor (rotor rubbing)

texts: I'm building up a 2014 specialized awol frame with fulcrum red power wheels and trp hylex brakes. I'm using the rotors that came included with the trp's. My issue is that there does not seem to be enough clearance between the pads. The rotor is constantly rubbing. I've removed the pads and reset the pistons. I've used the self centring technique (mounting the wheel then squeezing the lever before fully tightening calliper mounting bolts). All to no avail. It doesn't make sense that I don't have the clearance as I'm using the packaged rotor. Any suggestions?


texts: New bike, tubeless tire will not inflate

texts: I got a new road bike with tubeless tires. I can't get the back tire to hold air. I got the front tire inflated but for some reason, as I am pumping the air all I hear is it coming out somewhere from the tire. I don't see a hole. It was shipped from another state and it came  completely flat.


texts: How do I know which spokes to get for my wheel?

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I have a hybrid bike and under description for Spokes it says "Stainless PG"...but when I look for spokes there are a multitude of sizes, thicknesses, butted, double-butted, etc.!

How do I know what to get for my bike to replace a broken spoke?


texts: Can I put 700x32 tyres on my Avanti Blade?

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I'm kitting out my 2006 Avanti Blade for some touring in Tasmania, and the tyres need replacing. Currently they've got some 700x28's on there, but I want to go a bit thicker for touring in case I need to go off road at all. The bike is similar to this.

Will the frame handle these in the 32's?

Cheers,

James


texts: Derailleur out of alignment after cable snapped

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The front derailleur cable snapped on a friend's bike, she shifted it with her hand to a rideable position, and rode for a few weeks. She asked me for help replacing the cable, though when I replaced it, I realized it couldn't shift the cable onto the big ring, as the derailleur cage touches the inside of the larger chainring, instead of guiding the cable above it. [[EDIT: Touches the chainguard, as pointed out below]].

On visual inspection, it seems like the derailleur is installed too close to the chainring, and should be 1-2mm higher. The thing that seemed obvious to do, but very likely wrong, would be to unscrew the derailleur hanger at the frame, lift it 1-2mm, and reclamp it. But this is a 30 year old bike, where the derailleur surely has never been moved. I'm sure I'd be making things worse if I tried this.

Is it possible that the cage is bent somewhere else, and there's another way to adjust it? Photos attached.


texts:
I bought a pair of Ryde Andra 30 28" Rim(ERD=598mm) and Hope RS4 Road Bicycle Hubs(Rear/Front Specs, Front-Type(100mm), Rear-Type(130mm)).

I then used the prowheelbuilder spoke length calculator with the following results:

I have been learning a lot about hubs and wheels, but I don't want to mess up buying the wrong spoken lengths.

Did the calculator give me reasonable Spoke lengths? I couldn't find one with the HOPE RS4 Specifications, so I did manual inputs based on the specifications of each manufacturer.

I noticed the calculator has decimals in the result, but Spokes are sold as integers. If it's 289.8, should I get 290?

Also about material, what is recommended for a touring bike?


texts: Shimano Claris FH-2400 Rear Hub Dimensions

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I would like to purchase this hub, rim and suitable spokes, but I am not able to find dimensions of this hub necessary to calculate spoke size. I have checked usual places where such information can be found, but without success.

Does anyone own this hub, and has taken its measures?


texts: Need easier gearing. What would the effect of changing the chainring or cassette be?

texts:
My mountain bike is too difficult to pedal when the going gets steep.  I need an easier gear ratio.  Am I better off switching the chainring or the cassette?

I currently have:

A 30 tooth FSA chainring.  A 28 tooth ring is available that would fit my crankset.  See other question.
A Shimano 10 Speed 11-36 Tooth Cassette.  I haven't figured out the compatibility yet, but Sunrace makes several 11-42 cassettes.  They are around ~$80 (CAD) but may require special derailer hangers.

What would be the effect of choosing either of these options?


texts: Stationary bike "clicks" when pedaling - crank axle is moving sideways. How can I fix this?

texts:
I've got this stationary bike, a York C202, which has developed a problem - namely it "clicks" when pedaling. This is highly annoying, as there's nothing I seem to be able to do about it.

I diagnosed the fault as per: the pedal crank axle moves sideways by about 1mm every revolution of the cranks.

I have no idea how to fix it though. I was googling around for different types of bottom brackets, but this bike seems to use some custom one.

There's a nice diagram of all the parts involved on the last pages of the PDF manual.

The C Clips are inserted into grooves on the axle itself, so I can't move them - it seems logical that it should be possible to either move the bearings further apart (screw them out of the frame by 1mm) or put some "placeholder" between the C Clip and the bearing.

However - the C Clip rotates against the bearing, so it wouldn't be a secure fit for any contraption.

Can you advise? How can I fix this? I imagine I'd need some special tools for the job, which ones will I need?


texts: What's the shortest / easiest "granny gear" available?

texts: What's the range on granny gears - the innermost, smallest front chainring?


texts:
I broke my bottom bracket axle a few days ago, and when I removed the crankarms I discovered my old bike is using a cup and cone bottom bracket but more importantly the bracket shell is a bit odd. It is not threaded, the left cup is stuck or glued to it and goes all the way until the right side of the shell. On the right side it is threaded and allows the right cup to be screwed in it. I have included a few pics.

First pic is the left side of the shell, the broken axle is still there, you can see an hexagonal piece that screws around the left cup to secure it to the shell I guess, although the left cup is already firmly glued to the shell and doesn't really move.

Second pic is the left cup naked. You can see a little space between the shell and the cup all around it. And how it goes all the way until the right side of the shell.

Third pic is the right side of the shell. The left cup seems more firmly attached to the shell on this side. There seems to be some glue between the cup and the shell. The inside of the cup is threaded to allow for screwing the right cup.

Have you ever seen that kind of system? Is it safe? I was planning to clean the cup, clean the bearings (maybe throw some new ones), grease and replace the bearings, put a new axle, close and seal everything, and finally screw the crank arms. Is this the correct procedure to replace this kind of bottom bracket?


texts: Finding my physiologically relevant maximum heart rate

texts:
I've always believed my maximum heart rate was 198 based on my performance. I'm 24 years old, so 220-24 = 196, but I routinely hit 197/198 during hard efforts in many rides, and never exceeded 198. When I hit 198 I can barely sustain my level of exertion and have to ease off in short order.

Then one day I blew that number out the window when I sustained 202 for almost 20 seconds on a huge sprint effort. After the effort I had to get off the bike since I was dizzy and could hardly hold my head up and grasp the bars.

So, for the purpose of defining my heart rate zones, is my "max" 202 or 198?


texts: Can I ride side by side with another cyclist in Switzerland?

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When I ride on the road with someone (in the country), I try to ride on his side, and then when a car comes, I pull back in. This way, we can talk and have more fun during the trip.

Sometimes, I don't have to time to do this, and I get honked, or overtaken really close (like to give me a lesson), and I feel that I'm not in my right to be side by side with another bike.
Anyway, the Swiss law seems to be on my side but I feel it can be subject to interpretation.

What do you think? What do you do in my situation?

Here are the rules written on the Swiss Touring Club (TCS) website:

French

  Les cyclistes ne peuvent rouler côte à côte que dans certaines situations et pour autant que le trafic n’en soit pas gêné :

  Groupes de plus de 10 personnes
  Sur des itinéraires cyclables balisés ou des routes secondaires
  Sur les pistes cyclables
  Dans les zones de rencontre

  Excepté dans les situations mentionnées ci-dessus, les cyclistes doivent rouler les uns derrière les autres.

English

  Cyclists can travel side by side only in certain conditions, and if they don't disturb the traffic:

  Groups of more than 10 people
  On cycling itinerary and secondary roads1
  On cycling lanes
  In meetup zones

  Except in the above situation, cyclists must ride one after another.

1:This is where the situation I'm describing takes place.

So as you see, it is subject to interpretation. What is a "secondary road"? What do they mean by "disturb the traffic"?


texts:
I ride an SE Lager fixed.

How tight should the chain be and what is the best way of measure it? I have a chain tug so I can be pretty accurate in dialling in the right amount of tension.

I don't like to have much slop. Part of the joy of riding fixed is having a direct connection to the road. I like to have it adjusted so that there's no significant movement of the pedals when the bike is stationary. This often equates to about a centimeter of movement in the chain if I squeeze the top and bottom of the chain mid-way between the cog and chainring but it's hard to judge how hard I should be pushing to get that movement.

As always, Sheldon Brown has a lot of information, mostly about centering the chainring(!!) and recommends having the chain as tight as possible without binding.


texts: I am trying to determine the right frame size for myself before purchasing a hybrid bike. My height is 174 cm and I have an inseam size of 85 cm. If I go by the height it should be a medium frame between 43-47 cm but if I go by the inseam height, recommended frame size is 58 cm! Apparently, the latter is wrong but I wonder why there is so much difference between two calculation methods.


texts: Dynamo light without rear light connected?

texts:
I wish to repair a faulty dynamo light system however I am a complete newcomer to these systems.

I bought an old bicycle with a bottle dynamo ("Vitalux C 6V") connected to the rear wheel. There is a single wire connected from the dynamo to the front light. There is also a single wire leading to where the rear light should be, but the light has been removed, with the wiring just loose in the air where it should connect normally.

When I connect the dynamo to the tyre and spin the wheel the globe does not light up.

Is it possible to have this system functioning without connecting the rear wiring to anything? To what and how should I connect this wire if I need to complete the circuit?

The wiring at the from the dynamo to the front globe had been cut so to reattach it I stripped some of the coating and twisted about 1cm of the internal copper wiring together. Could this be the problem and would using a length of unbroken wire potentially resolve this problem?

Thanks for your help.


texts:
The general question: What should a reasonably fit cyclist do to prepare for alpine riding, and what adjustments should be made in route planning?

In my case I can do rides of 250 km+ with 3000 m of climbing, but I'll be staying within about 40 km (riding) of Col d'Izoard (~2300 m altitude) in a couple of months and hope to be able to take a bike with me. The major differences I see compared to UK riding are:

Incessant climbs (but I won't be in a hurry and will want to look at the views so can stop).
Altitude: At a similar altitude to the highest points I'm likely to ride, I recall that hiking was harder than expected for a few days. I'll have a week in the area, staying at ~1000 m so will aclimatise a little, but perhaps this isn't quite high enough to worry about anyway even though I live near sea level.
Warmer, drier air.

Compared to sea level and short sharp hills, I don't know if I should be planning shorter rides to take into account the conditions, or whether I should go for something like The 2017 Col d'Izoard Etape du Tour, and if so how I'd train for the latter on local roads near sea level.


texts:
Are there any resources or books that discuss bicycle geometry? I am looking for resources that would allow to get a rough idea of how relaxed or aggressive a particular bicycle geometry is, by looking at the manufacturer's geometry specs. I realize that it would only impart a very rough idea and that only a prolonged test ride and preferably long term use of the bike can impart a full impression.

I am mainly interested in traditional road  and touring bikes, but resources that address the same question in hybrids, and other bike styles are also welcome.


texts:
I have a bike with SRAM s350 172.5mm 40T chainset, SRAM GXP 68mm BB and 12x142mm through axle rear hub, which should make my chainline 49mm.
As I have knee issues I am looking for 165mm crank arms (with 38T chainring). On SRAM site I see that Force 1 and GX-1000 crankset should fit, but I have 2 (actually 3) questions:

Does Rival 1 also fit those specs? As it works with 135mm rear hub (as written on SRAM web), shouldn't it work with 142mm rear hub as well, as they are basically the same? Also the Rival 1 is a lot less expensive and is more than I need so I would prefer to get that.
Do You know is there ANYWHERE in Europe that I could get some of these as I have searched every website I could think of and no one seems to have 165mm crankarms available?
What other 165mm 38T are available that are comparable to Rival 1 in price and spec?

I know it's a lot of questions but they sort of tie in to one another..I guess? :)

Thank You.


texts:
I have an idea and I'm wondering if it's feasible.

For an upcoming recumbent cargo touring build, I wonder if I could say use an 8-speed hub gear connected directly to an identical 8-speed hub gear, or three hub gears 4*4*4, to get logically 64 gears.

What sorts of problems might there be?
I don't have any particular parts in mind regarding ratios, but does anyone do this?

Are there any good examples of how to do a high number of gears right?

The whole point of this would be to be able to drive the bike up anything from a long ridiculous 30% grade at walking pace to an easy 100km/h on a straightaway with fairing. Is that feasible using a large number of gears?


texts: Can a 2cm lower ETT and 3cm lower stack make a big difference

texts:
I have recently been testing two mountain bikes: one with a 44cm (~17.5") frame, which I bought second-hand and one with a 45.7cm frame (~18"), which I bought new but want to return it as I like the second hand one better.
My question is: given the fact that the smaller one has 60cm stack, 40.5cm reach and 58cm effective top tube, while the larger has about 63cm stack, 41cm reach and about 60cm effective top tube, is it possibile I would not be able to tune the smaller one to fit similarly to the second one (e.g using a stem extender and/or angled stem to raise stack..)? Or should I be able to make them feel pretty much the same, in which case I can return the bigger one without regrets?
I like the equipment, looks and lower standover of the first one better, but I get some pain in my wrists, hopefully because of the placement/width of the handlebar and also some pretty annoyig middle-back pain.. However, the larger one does not really cause this pain, but I get more butt pain, ankle pain..
I also want to mention the smaller bike has 27.5" wheels, while the bigger has 29". I seem to like 27.5 better, though I only tested on road and a short gravel uphill road.
I am 180cm tall with a 78-79cm inseam.


texts:
I recently upgraded to a new bike (Tarmac 2019) and got a size 58. I also got a bike fit by a local fitter. When we finished the fit there were a few tweaks including moving the saddle up several cm (74cm total) removing all but a 1cm spacer under the 110mm stem and moving the seat about .5cm forward.

After the fit one of the comments he made was,"You're somewhere between a 56 and  58 with this model frame."

For some reason this has haunted me. I know the reasoning for "downsizing" on a frame, you can get more aero and the frame is lighter. But should I actually worry about this? All the reading I've done says that it would be too big if was swapping out the stem for a 90mm or having to get a seatpost without an offset which I didn't need to do. Any opinions or thoughts whether I should be concerned that the bike is too big are appreciated.


texts: Safety guidelines for cycling in traffic

texts:
Please post your safety tips for cycling/commuting that should help you get to your destination place in one piece.

I came across a nice printed guideline a few years ago when working as courier, it was posted on the wall in the base and covered many common road situations. Recently I tried to look it up on the web but with no luck, so I thought that placing a community wiki question here could be beneficial for many commuters.


texts: Secure front fork when mounting on roof rack

texts:
I would like a way to secure my front fork/handlebars so they are always pointing directly forward when I load my bike on my roof rack.

It makes it hard to get the fork on the fork mount when the fork is turning as I struggle to get it up there.

Does anyone have an idea how to do this?


texts: Is it possible to loosen or crack the tire when I change a broken tube?

texts: If I don't use the proper tools. Last time I used spoons to take out the tire.


texts: How to adjust hydraulic disk brake lever reach during bleeding?

texts: During a crash I have bent my adjustment knob on Sram Code brakes and now after bleeding the lever is a bit too far away for my liking. The knob is bent and can't be turned. If I'll reduce the pressure in the system will it do the same as turning the knob out to make the lever closer? If so, is there any recommended procedure to reduce the amount of brake fluid in the system?


texts:
I own Scott Voltage YZ 25 for around 10 years. I've been using it daily (city ride mostly). Around 6 years ago, my original saddle, and seat-post were stolen, therefore I had them replaced, but not with the original parts. Here is the old picture of my bike with the original seat:

This year, as I gained some weight, I heard that my saddle would crunch when ever I'd put some pressure on it (road bumps, etc). What I did to "fix" it, was just strengthening the screw connecting saddle and seat-post. It was fine, as it didn't crunch anymore.

Almost two months ago, tragedy happened. As I was riding home, my saddle suddenly broke, and I instantly fell and broke my fibula bone (was left with a metal plate in my foot). When I examined what exactly happened, I saw that the screw which was holding the saddle and seat-post broke in half.

I never thought that this can actually happen. Was I able to prevent it?

My main question is, which seat-post and saddle would you recommend me? Something that would be considered safe, and something that can handle 100kg. (220lbs)


texts: Why exactly did Boardman manage a further distance than Wiggins?

texts:
In light of Bradley Wiggins' recent hour record of 54.526km, I heard a lot about how Chris Boardman has the absolute record of 56.375km. What I didn't hear and (hence my question) what I want to know is exactly what features in Boardman's (now illegal) bike enabled him to cycle further in the hour.

All reports of the event just explained it as 'technical differences and riding positions.'

Can anyone break it down into a decent explanation?


texts: How brake pad dust/residue affect braking and rim life?

texts: You know the dust that's left on the rims' groove after a while, does it have any significance in braking or rim life? When washing the wheels I just realised that the dust must be coming from brake pads but couldn't figure out whether or not I should wash the wheels more often to keep it clean. Will I make the pads and rims wear out faster if I clean more often?


texts: Can I use a Center Lock hub and disc brake rotor in place of an ISO hub?

texts:
I currently have a regular ISO disc brake hub and rotor on my front wheel. I'd like to replace it with a Shimano generator hub, but all Shimano hubs use Center Lock rotors instead of ISO. The Center Lock to ISO adapters seem really hokey, so I was thinking I could just get a new Center Lock rotor of the same size.

I don't know how to tell if the left-to-right alignment of the rotors is the same between the two mounting standards. Will this work without any additional adapters or modifications?


texts: Trek Domane and undamped motion with Isospeed?

texts:
Being a car guy and autocrosser, I'm familiar with suspension systems and the necessity to find a balanced spring/shock combination to create the best possible compliance, ride quality and performance in the suspension.

So I can't help but think that the Isospeed technology on the new Trek Domane is a little odd as it's essentially all spring and no damper.  Aren't you going to essentially have undamped motion while riding? For example, you can see the bounce in this video...

I haven't ridden one of these bikes yet, but I'm not sure if a short test ride would be enough to make a proper assessment.

And I know this isn't exactly a conventional spring.  So I suppose my question is if there's anything about Isospeed that gives it some sort of damping characteristics to minimize excessive bounce?


texts:
In this answer : link

  (With regard to tires, there seems to be a widespread belief that the mountain bike tires will grip all kinds of surfaces better, including asphalt: in other words, that they are safer. This is quite unfortunate. Consumers should be educated, for the sake of their own safety, that smooth tires provide the best grip on a wet road, in addition to offering a smoother, quieter ride with less rolling resistance).

Kaz point out that smooth tires are the best choice on wet roads.
For me a smooth tires is a slick/flat tire with nothings to evacuate the water. how about aquaplaning ?

I'm fond of MotoGP and motorsports in general and I've never seen a slick tires on wet asphalt.

If we look at this wikipedia article

  Wet roads severely diminish the traction because of aquaplaning due to water trapped between the tire contact area and the road surface. Grooved tires are designed to remove water from the contact area through the grooves, thereby maintaining traction even in wet conditions.

Which is about wide tire (wider than bicycle's ones).

So why, for the bicycles, smooth tires would be better on wet floor ?
Is this from the thickness of the tire ?


texts: My chain is catching on a part for which I don't even know the name

texts:
A couple of days ago I was riding my bike and when I hit a hill and was shifting down through my gears, the chain slipped off the gears. I hopped off the bike and walked it back home, flipped it upside down, and got the chain back on the gears. I figured maybe I was shifting too quickly through the gears or something.

Yesterday I went out to ride again, and shortly after I started - this time on fairly level ground - the chain slipped off again. I put it back on the gears again and rode a bit farther, but yet again it slipped off.

This time when I took it back home (and yet again got the chain back onto the gears), I tried to carefully troubleshoot what was going wrong. I noticed that my troubles always started when I tried to take the left shifter to 3rd (it's an 18-speed mountain bike) or 1st. When shifting to 3rd, it wouldn't transfer to the gear (stayed on 2nd) and when going to 1st it would come past 1st next to the pedal hub. It might help for me to mention that the right shifter was going through all 6 back gears just fine through all this - so I was getting the idea that my problem had something to do with the left shifter only. After manually applying the chain to the 3rd gear, I slowly turned the pedals and noticed that the chain was rubbing up against and sometimes getting stuck on the part in my photo that I've highlighted with a red circle and for which I unfortunately do not know the name (since I'm a bike noob).

My best guess as to the function of this part is that it supposedly helps guide the chain into the front gear set (at the pedals) - but in my case it seems to be interfering with the chain's movement. My questions are as follows:

What is this part's name and function?
Should I remove it or adjust it?
How can I best go about this?

If I had the money I'd just take it to a bike shop and watch them fix it, but I'm broke so unless they'd do it for free that's unfortunately not an option. As I've already indicated, I'm a total novice at bike ownership so I'll appreciate helpful, constructive replies. I look forward to getting this resolved so I can get back to riding. Thanks for your time.

--------------------- EDIT ---------------------

Operating perhaps prematurely, I tried adjusting the positioning of the derailer to stop it from inhibiting chain movement. I noticed the whole assembly was attached to the post via the screw highlighted in the following picture:

I carefully loosened this screw and then very slowly rotated the derailer away from the chain until it had about a millimeter or so of clearance. I then tightened the screw and tested functionality. Now the pedals ran smoothly with the front gearset in 3rd. I took the right shifter down a couple of gears to verify its continued functionality (all was well), and then I tried taking the left shifter down to 2nd. To my dismay, the chain transferred to 1st gear instead - so I believe my configuration is still amiss.

Here are two better shots (with the bike in upright orientation, post-adjustment) of the derailer:


texts: Why do cyclocross/touring bikes seem to have longer top tubes than road bikes?

texts:
After using some online fit calculators, I was looking around at some bikes and frames. Surly says to pick one based on the effective top tube, for which a recommended length for me is 53.5 cm. Some shops have told me to ride a 54 cm frame, others 52 cm, mostly just based on standover height. I have been sampling some bike geometry and noticed that CX/touring bikes sometimes tend to be very long for their height:

| Bike            | Purp | Size  | Eff. TT |
|-----------------|------|-------|---------|
| Surly Straggler | CX   | 52 cm | 54.6 cm |
| Jamis Quest     | Road | 51 cm | 53.0 cm |
| Giant Defy      | Road | Small | 53.0 cm |
| Jamis Aurora    | Tour | 53 cm | 55.2 cm |
| Jamis Renegade  | Adv. | 51 cm | 53.2 cm |
| Jamis Renegade  | Adv. | 54 cm | 55.1 cm |
| Jamis Bosanova  | Tour | 51 cm | 54.0 cm |
| Jamis Bosanova  | Tour | 54 cm | 55.5 cm |
| Soma Smoothie   | Road | 52 cm | 53.0 cm |
| Soma Double-Cr. | CX   | 52 cm | 55.6 cm |
| Soma Double-Cr. | CX   | 46 cm | 53.1 cm |
| Trek Domane     | Road | 52 cm | 53.0 cm |
| Trek 720        | Adv. | 52 cm | 53.8 cm |

So, for example, if I wanted to get a Soma Double Cross, by the effective top tube recommendation, I should go for the 46 cm frame? That seems tiny. By the top tube recommendation, Surly doesn't even make a Straggler small enough, but the extra 1 cm could be handled with a smaller stem? Is there a reason the CX/touring bikes are relatively longer? Wouldn't that result in a less upright, and therefore less comfortable position for long rides?


texts: How to attach maps, etc to handlebars of a Boris Bike? (London bike hire scheme)

texts:
How can I attach maps (or any routing tool) to the handlebars of one of the Boris Bikes (i.e. the 'rental' bikes in the Barclay's Bike Hire Scheme) in London?

I tried cobbling something together:

but I kept dropping my smart-phone (it nearly got run over by a taxi!) and to be honest the screen's too tricky to follow on busy London streets. I've ended up just using a hiking map holder and the print-out of the suggested route from their cycle journey planner:

but this feels a tad eccentric.

As you can see from the first of those pictures the handlebars are not an easy shape or cross-section to mount to. They are based on the Bixi cycle rental system that operates in Montreal and other Canadian cities, if that helps.


texts: I have a 1997 Gary Fisher Tassajara that got a complete overhaul and tune-up at a bike shop a year ago.  (to the tune of $180, but some of that was new tires- I'm the original owner)  I ride between 4 and 8 miles on logging roads and easy dirt trails several times a week, and didn't have this issue until late Spring.  The slipping started infrequently, but has gotten much worse in the past two months.  It doesn't slip in the highest gear, and I can sometimes find a lower one that will work for me- but other times I end up having to put the chain back on mid-ride.  I'm a little worried about the chain or gears actually breaking while I'm out in the wilderness alone, so have limited my backwoods trail-taking until I get this issue taken care of.


texts: Pedal thread gone SRAM 150/100 chainset - what can be done?

texts:
I recently bought an Eastway FB3.0 road bike (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/eastway-fb30-2014/) for commuting and the pedal thread has gone on the right hand pedal.

Am I right in thinking the only solution is to buy another crankset?

The problem is the crankset (SRAM 150) on the bike doesn't seem to on sale anymore. Ideally I'd like to go to a shop in the morning and buy something similar in price and fit it.

If I was to get a Shimano cranset, I assume I would also need to replace the bottom bracket. Is this possible? And is it an easy thing to replace?

Cheers


texts: Chain skipping despite new cassette and chain

texts:
My chain keeps skipping loudly. Replacing the cassette and chain had no effect. I also zeroed the derailleur to the 5th gear of the cassette and it shifts smoothly. I have also replaced all ball-bearings and assorted fittings at suspension joints. The freehub seems to work properly. I feel it may be due to frame flex, since I ride a full suspension MTB (poison bikes) and it has noticeable frame flex when pedaling. Undesired gearshifting happens when I turn. I have replaced aluminum washers at the main suspension joint near the bottom bracket several times and this solves the problem for about three months. Has anyone experienced this and have another idea how this can be fixed permanently?

Details: 27 gear MTB, full suspension

UPDATE: Jan 9th: I replaced a washer in the Suspension tightening it up a bit and reducing Frame Flex but the problem persists albeit slightly improved. Based on Responses here I have been watching the chain and noticed that it sometimes bunches up when coasting (not pedalling) -- it seems that the cassette keeps moving despite the pedals being stationary.


texts:
I noticed after mounting some new tyres that part of the side wall, just above the bead, seems to have been damaged while I was fitting them (see photos below).

These tyres were especially difficult to mount, even with the bead seated in the rim's bead well all the way around.  So tight, in fact, that the only way to get the bead out of the well and seated under the bead hook was to pump it up to a much higher pressure than I would ride it with and wait for it to "ping" into place.

I think it's this process that ended up causing the damage you can see in the photos.  The tyres in question are these (folding version).

Have I compromised my tyres, or should I not worry about it?


texts: Convert MTB mechanical disk brakes to hydraulic

texts: I want to convert my mechanical disk brakes to hydraulic. I don't know what size calipers to get. I plan on using the same rotors.


texts: How old is this rear steer skip tooth tandem?

texts:
How old is this Tandem
Rear Steer
Skip tooth
??


texts: Is there a master link for single speed chain that will fit in Shimano chain tensioner?

texts:
I've got a bike with planetary hub Shimano Alfine 8-speed and this chain tensioner. It uses single speed chain. However master link on the chain I bought (similar to this pic) is too wide to fit in the chain tensioner. Is there another master link that will fit? Where do I buy it?

Edit: I made a mistake when I purchased chain with 1/8 inch width, my cog and everything else are made to work with 3/32 inch chains.


texts: carbon vs aluminium frame vibration absorption? bumpiness?

texts: is there any data/measurements of any aluminium road bikes vs carbon road bikes wrt to vibration. it is widely stated that carbon is a smoother ride, but the best i can find out on the subject is people saying it is 'slightly' smoother. any thoughts?


texts: I am a new cyclist who is on my 2nd year of biking. I bought a cheapo Schwinn MTB at Walmart to start with but now I want a real road bike. I currently have $2k saved up and am looking into a Specialized Secteur Exprt Disc which is aluminum. I did pick up a carbon frame bike at the shop and although it is lighter, not by much. How sturdy are these carbon frames? From what I've read they can crack if you get in a tumble, and at that point you are done. Vs an aluminum frame will more likely than not be OK. I'd have to spend over $1000 more to get a carbon frame and as good components (Shimano 105 or above) so I don't know if its worth it or not. I'm just a casual cyclist who likes to go on long solo rides for fitness/fun.


texts:
I've gone through 3-4 wahoo HRM this year. They start off fine but then start reading 40-50 BPM after a few weeks. Does anyone else have this issue? Should I just get a more expensive / higher end HRM?
Thanks!


texts: I recently purchased a 2015 Salsa Vaya 3 and am mostly using it for commuting. I can't seem to find any reliable source of information that explicitly says if I can or cannot support a kickstand.  Does anybody know if this is possible?


texts:
What are the advantages of upside-down (USD) forks vs traditional forks?

I have read they are 'better', 'stronger', etc., mostly in the context of motorcycles.

Some high end downhill bikes use them as well as some cross country bikes I've seen (that are equipped with RockShox inverted suspension), like this:

According to Wikipedia:

  Conventionally, the fork stanchions are at the top, clamped to a triple tree (also called a triple clamp or a yoke), and the sliders are at the bottom, attached to the front wheel spindle. On some modern sport bikes and most off-road bikes, this system is inverted, with "sliders" (complete with the spring/damper unit) at the top, clamped to the yoke, while the stanchions are at the bottom. This is done (i) to reduce unsprung weight by having the heavier components suspended, and (ii) to improve the strength and rigidity of the assembly by having the strong large-diameter "sliders" clamped in the yokes.[2] The inverted system is referred to as an upside-down fork, or "USD" for short. A disadvantage of this USD design is that the entire reservoir of damping oil is above the slider seal so that, if the slider seal were to leak, the oil could drain out, rendering any damping ineffective.

The article mentions reducing "unsprung weight" as an advantage, what does this mean and why is it advantageous?

Quote from yamaha-motor.com.au:

  On inverted forks, the large outer tube of the fork is clamped in the
  bike’s triple clamps and the sliding inner tube holds the axle and
  front wheel. By locating the large diameter tubes in the triple clamp,
  the inverted or upside down fork have their largest and strongest
  parts combatting the highest stress.

  This arrangement gives the forks high rigidity, which improves their
  response by reducing the side loading of the internal bushings
  (sliding surfaces). This kind of response is particularly important in
  high performance applications. Most inverted forks use cartridge-type
  damping systems.

  Also, since the damping mechanisms are now held by the triple clamps,
  unsprung weight is minimised. Reducing unsprung weight is one of the
  biggest contributors to quality suspension performance, particularly
  for featherweight motorcycles like the YZ series or R1 and R6.

They also mention reduction of unsprung weight as one of the biggest advantages, as well as reduction in side-loading as another advantage.

The only disadvantages I've read about are the aforementioned oil leakage issue and a possibility of greater change of nicks on the stanchion from road debris.  Are these valid concerns on a bicycle?

Are there any other pros/cons to an USD suspension setup on a bicycle?


texts: How long will Ultegra 6800 parts be available?

texts:
With the recent release of the new Ultegra 8000 groupset, is there an official word on how long Ultegra 6800 parts will be available?

Is Shimano still manufacturing Ultegra 6800 parts?  Or have they stopped producing 6800 and it's only a matter of how long resellers inventories will last?

Is there a way to somewhat reliably estimate the likelihood that, for example, an Ultegra 6800 50/34 170mm chainrings will be available 6 months from now?  A year from now?  2 Years from now?

For those with substantial past experience, with the release of a new Shimano groupset, how long do resellers still usually offer the previous group for?


texts:
My bike has the old center-pulled brakes. Unfortunately the ropes for both brakes (front and back) broke, and I had to replace them. Now the small helper-ropes have no friction anymore on the main rope, resting on the mudguards, and providing almost no pulling power for the second brake. Why do the new ropes not provide friction anymore (aka are too thin), and how can I fix that?
Edit: Photos:


texts: Swapping STIs for barends -- what issues are likely to arise?

texts:
I'm planning to swap shifters and brake levers from one bike to another. One bike is a randonee with STI brifters, and the other is a Surly Long Haul Trucker with barends and separate brake levers. Both bike have 9-speed drivetrains, and are less than two years old.

The Randonee is my bike, the LHT is not; a guy I used to ride with has agreed to the swap. (I prefer barends, he prefers the STI shifters.) The ideal way to do this would be for us to both bring our bikes to a mechanic and have the shop do the swap on the spot, if we can find a time that works for all three parties involved.

Are there any potential pitfalls I should be aware of? I'm assuming we may have to replace some cables -- one bike is a larger frame than the other -- but are there any mechanical issues that are likely to arise? Are there any parts I'm likely to need to replace?


texts: What type of tires can prevent goatheads?

texts:
We have a lot of goatheads1 in our area, and they have a tendency to do something like this to bike tires:

Unfortunately, I ride a road bike (specifically a Kona Dew), so I have much smaller, thinner road bike tires. Is there any type of tire I can get that is resistant to goathead thorns?

1 aka Tribulus terrestris, puncturevine, caltrop, cathead, yellow vine, goathead, burra gokharu and bindii.


texts: How to calculate the capacity of a rear derailleur

texts:
It's easy to calculate what capacity of a rear derailleur will be needed based on the size of the big and small chainring and the big and small cog. What about the converse question, how to calculate the capacity of a derailleur?

I was comparing some short-cage rear derailleurs I have lying around, and I noticed that the cage length and pulley sizes varied enough that they probably had different capacities.

Related question: is there a fairly comprehensive place to look these up?


texts: Riding into a headwind faster than my top speed - how is it possible?

texts:
Recently we've had some pretty strong winds here -- today the weather forecast said 20mph gusting to 30mph, but a few weeks ago the gusts were supposedly over 40mph.  The forecast direction was within a few degrees of into my face in both cases.  The day it was gusting to 40mph (from a baseline of 30mph), just walking into the wind took considerable effort more often than not.

Even allowing for the wind funneling along the road etc. we can perhaps  knock a bit off that wind speed, but even so, I was making headway into the wind.  I know what riding at 30mph on the flat feels like, and 40mph downhill (in still air).

By these speeds, rolling resistance should be irrelevant compared to air resistance, shouldn't it (especially as I'm on flat bars)?

How is it possible to make enough headway into a headwind equal to your maximum riding speed that you can still stay upright? Lets assume 5mph ground speed into a 30mph wind (and flat ground).


texts: What are the original components to a 1953 Schwinn Paramount?

texts: I have a 1953 Schwinn Paramount that I inherited and have been riding as my daily commuter.  I think most everything is original, but am not sure. Where can I find out what the original components should be, and any idea of its value?


texts: Putting Shimano SORA STI Shifters on Touring Bike with Deore Derailleur

texts:
So I just bought the 2015 Fuji Touring Bike and it came with bar-end shifters. I do a lot of city riding so having STI "Brifters" is really convenient in hilly city traffic.

The problem is my Fuji Touring comes with a 9x3 Deore rear derailleur and a Altus front derailleur. The only 9x3 STI brifter I could find was Shimano Sora.

Now technically the Deore/Altus groupset is for mountain biking and the SORA is for Road bikes. Can I put the SORA "Brifters" on the the Deore/Altus  groupset?

My Fuji Touring Specs Here: http://archive.fujibikes.com/archivebikes.php?prodid=3591&prodname=Touring

Thanks!


texts:
My free hub body has cracked and im looking to replace it. I have discovered it uses a 14mm hex key to remove. I cannot find a freehub body for sale that matches m785.

Will a "m760-m765" body fit my "m785" hub?


texts: Converting crankset from 28-38-48 to 30-39-53

texts:
My current front setup is a 28-38-48 crank with Deore XT shifter & derailer. In addition to a FD-443 and top/bottom-pull converter, what else will need to be purchased for proper shifting?

Also, yes, I do notice chainline issues on the 28 and 38, since it doesn't like 2-3 (on 8-speed), by which I mean chain-on-derailer action.

Note: the reason for the FD-443 is because "Shimano does make one model of front derailer designed to work with "road" (52-42) chainrings and RapidFire upright-handlebar shifters, the FD-R440 model." (http://sheldonbrown.com/front-derailers.html). The triple in the FD-440 series is the FD-443. As it's bottom-pull instead of top-pull, a top/bottom pulley converter is also needed.


texts: How can I find the year of these Giant XTC 2 bikes?

texts:
New to mountain biking so please forgive my ignorance. I’m trying to figure out the year of these bikes and having trouble as the components don’t match what I’ve been able to find doing online searches. Ultimately trying to figure out how much these are worth. Also if they are worth keeping and upgrading components?
Giant XTC 2
Serial under the frames:
gf880474 / gf870317a
WTB bike seat,
SRAM X-5 Shifter,
Rock Shox Dart 3 Fork,
WTB Crossroads tires,
MX4 disc brakes,
One has Shimano the other has Truvativ cranks


texts: Recommendation for trainer tire 28 x 1 5/8 x 1 3/8

texts:
I started with a 700x32c Continental Hometrainer tire.  It seemed to work out OK at first, but in the last few times I've had to switch between my commuter/road tire and the trainer tire, it seems to have become more and more difficult to get the tire even around the rim.  Tonight, I was putting it on, and I have pretty much given up.  There is about a 6-8 inch section that is definitely not seating the bead to the rim, no matter how much I carefully work the whole tire around the rim as I inflate it.  I've checked the inner tube, and it is not twisted or anything.  It seems that the tire is simply small for the size of the rim for which I've gotten 28 x 1 5/8 x 1 3/8 commuter tires.

I'm looking for a recommended trainer tire to get as a replacement.  I've searched via Google and Amazon, and there don't appear to be any direct 28 inch sized tires for trainers.  Any suggestions?

Regards,
Bruce


texts: Does it takes longer to cycle a route with a mountain on it comparing to the same distance without a mountain? What is the cause of that?

texts:
Imagine you cycle 100km. On one route there is a mountain 100meter high on an other route is not a mountain but a straight way.

Usually it takes longer on the route wiht a mountain. One reason for that is that the time you spend going up the mountain is far more longer than going down. So at average you will go slower.

But how is it possible that with a moutain where the advantage of going downwards is equal to the disadvantage of going upward, at least regarding the objective obstacle.

Perhaps has something to do with the human body, but I can't see how this works.


texts:
We recently brought a road bike for my sister in law and we took her out on a quick test ride (only about 1km and SLOW). The next day she complained (a bit, mostly my brother being over protective maybe) about her rear.

Question is, how do I know it's normal and she just needs to get used to the saddle, or if it will cause discomfort in future.

The bike path in question isn't well maintained so had a fair few pot holes. Also my brother informs me that my sister in law is a woman (never checked myself, and evidence supports this), so I am aware that she would need a lady's saddle, which I hope came with the bike.


texts: Road Bike or Hybrid Bike For Paving Stone

texts:
I haven't got any experience for these bikes. I want to buy a bike but I can't decide because I will use on paving stone. For example here.

I'd like to buy a hybrid bike however I saw this
bike in Decathlon and I fell in love with it. This situation confuses me. Which bike type should I buy ? Hybrid or road bike ? Will I have a problem by road bike on paving stone ?


texts: Bosch eBike wiring diagram, where to find?

texts:
My RieseMüllerPackster80 refused to start today.
I guess there is a bad connection somewhere but as all I could do was plugging the battery and computer in and out, I am not wiser whether cabling has come loose, the computer has decided to end its life or something else.
Hence I'd like a wiring diagram so I can track that at least the wiring is OK.
I have searched the Internet but to no avail. Anyone knows where to find a wiring diagram for a Bosch Intuvia Active/Performance line?
I am primarily asking for the cables going throughout the bike
but also for the connectors at the computer.


texts: Is it better to have a slightly big or slightly small bike?

texts: I'm planning to buy a Scott Speedster S30 (This is my first road bike) and I'm looking at the size chart. I'm around 177 cm tall, and this fits exactly in between the M and L section. Just wondering, in general, is it better to choose the bigger or smaller option?


texts:
At the end of January this year I purchased a power meter in an attempt to improve my training and general speed. I also performed the obligatory barrage of tests for 5 second, 1 minute, 5 minute and functional threshold power.

The results where not unsurprising but my peak one second power was. On two different occasions I recorded a 1853 watt peak and 1618 watt peak (with two weeks separating each tests). Upon seeing this I almost sent the power meter back as I just assumed the numbers were way out of my league and thus wrong. Some one later told me not to focus on the actual number as its of very little consequence when compared to other peoples?

At the time I had just finished 7 cyclo cross races and later on found out that my Shimano cranks (and stages power meter) had the wrong bottom bracket (causing the cranks to 'rock' from side to side) which could be the reason for the anomalous results. I then went into training my early base period and left training my sprint until a week ago. The highest peak test I have achieved since return is 1213 watts, would it be sensible to think I can retain that peak power again or is the possibility of those two peaks being bad data just too high?


texts: 50km for someone who has no experience cycling long distance

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I'm considering cycling along a sand dune which is 50km. The bike path is mainly flat. The longest I've riden on a bike is probably less than 1 hour. I do occasionally cycle within the city but it's just short distances. I was wondering if 50km will be too much for me? And will an e-bike help?

Jessie


texts: My new tubeless tyres wont stay inflated

texts:
I had some new tubeless Sendero gravel tyres put on my 650b HUNT wheels. They refuse to stay inflated. Both of them. I am guessing the sealant has not been properly distributed by the bike shop? Any solutions or recommendations on what to do next would be welcome.
Thanks.


texts:
I've been riding my Lespo single-speed since April, and been contemplating whether to change my handles to a drop bar:

Any advice if changing to a drop bar will have a dramatic effect on my fitness and overall riding experience? I usually ride an hour at around 15-20 km, on a village road terrain with some hills and humps.

My current handle bar is a Truvativ World Cup riser bar.


texts: I picked up this bike at a swap, and plan on restoring it.  However, I cannot find anything on the bike to identify what it may be (other than the design on the rear rack).  There is no serial number or any other identifying marks.  Does anyone have any idea what the make and model could be?


texts: Differences between male and female road bikes?

texts:
My girlfriend would like to take up road cycling and join me, but hasn't had a road bike before me. So, I'm gleefully eyeing up an excuse to go bike shopping :-)

I'm used to the idea that road bikes are also offered in 'women-specific' frames - not as in the old style with the lower crossbar, but a different geometry to an otherwise standard two triangle frame. When reading up, it seems this can be significantly a smaller frame - which wouldn't be an obvious benefit for her, because we're both 5'9 give or take and fairly similarly proportioned.

I know why women-specific saddles are a thing, but they're an easy swap at a friendly bike shop. Is there any other reason why a 'mens' frame wouldn't be perfectly good for her?


texts:
My road bike comes with 25 tires. They both seem to be slick smooth ones with little resistance.    Recently I had couple of punctures in the rear and I decided to change the rear tire to a 23 which was more puncture resistant and better grip.

Is there a problem in using 23 in the rear and 25 in the front?


texts: Can a 21 speed Shimano Tourney groupset get converted into a 7-speed?

texts: I currently ride a 3x7 Tourney bike, which I’ve upgraded moderately and it is riding nice. I’d like to know if I can somehow replace my 3-crankset for a simple one, and also get rid off the front shifter and its cable.


texts:
It looks that the derailleur hanger is reverse and I've tried to check for a new one to replace and it seems to be very rare.

Is there any workaround to change it with a regular hanger?


texts: Are both sides of a Avid rotor the same?

texts: i've got a Cotic Roadrat, and the disc mount on the fork is on the right hand side (as you're seated).  However, the front rotor of the avid BB5s (road) i just bought can only be fit on the left fork if I am to follow the installation instructions to the letter - ie rotation must follow the arrow, and the writing must be facing outward.  Can I use this rotor on the right hand side? That is, keep the rotation correct, but have the writing facing inwards?  Are both sides the an avid rotor the same? I assume its the direction of rotation that is the important bit, and not the surface.  Thanks, PB


texts: How to replace a spoke on a rim with no spoke holes?

texts: Tubeless ready CX-R1 felt wheel. The spokes are sealed from the inside. How and what tools do I need to replace the spokes?


texts: Can I install an 8 speed sturmey archer hub on a dahon folding bike

texts: Can I install an 8 speed sturmey archer hub on a 6 speed dahon folding bike ?


texts: Shifter cable running beneath the bottom bracket without a sheath

texts:
I am trying to solve the neverending issue of my derailleur shifting on its own by replacing the shifter's cable and its sheath to see if it not sliding properly could be the cause of the issue.

Doing so I realized that both derailleurs' cables run beneath the bottom bracket in two rails, without any sheath wrapping them. In this picture, I removed the front cable (that was running in the left rail) while the rear derailleur cable is in place on the right rail.

(yes I know the frame is very dirt, I just noticed. Never checked this thoughtfully down there).

I am wondering if this could be the issue of the friction, before installing the new stuff back. I noticed that that piece where the cables run into, can be replaced (though I don't know what to search for. By the way has that component a name?).
I am wondering this because the bicycle is quite old (it's a 2001 bike) and perhaps that has been superseded, and, most importantly, because I feel like I cannot lubricate those rails where a lot of friction must happen, because, being those so exposed, the grease down there would catch any kind of dirt and mud and probably make things worse.

Or maybe it's just fine as it is, with no lubrication at all, and I am totally seeking for the issue in the wrong spot.
Any clarifications about that piece of gear would be immensely appreciated.

Thank you very much.


texts: What does the term pannier really mean? Does how the bag is hung matter?

texts:
This question drew my attention to pannier here. I just thought that panniers are things that hung on bike. The Wikipedia definition with Google gives:

  A pannier is a basket, bag, box, or
  similar container, carried in pairs
  either slung over the back of a beast
  of burden, or attached to a bicycle or
  motorcycle.

So can I call every bag that hangs even a little on a bicycle a pannier like a handle-bar bag? Or is it essential that it is in pairs? I have panniers-looking side bags but they are not really in pairs rather separated similar bags, I bought them separately. So what are really panniers? Do they need to be attached to one-another or can they be separated? What about if I lost one, is it still a pannier or is it a piece of pannier? When I have a small bag like triangular bag or something else hung from the bike, is it a pannier? Probably not, is the proper idea to think about panniers like a bags on a donkey i.e. rather large bags?


texts: How useful/valuable is internal cabling?

texts:
I'm in the market for a new bike. I'm not a club rider but a utilitarian one: I commute on my bike, visit friends and run errands. On average I probably ride 2-4 miles per day, almost entirely on good roads. Very occasionally I'll ride on a rough track like a riverside path.

I picked the model I was interested in and asked a cyclist friend if he'd go for that, or a more expensive version. The extra money buys:

An aluminium fork instead of a steel one
A few extra gears
Internal cables

The extra gears are of no value to me. I tested both in the bike shop and couldn't tell the difference between aluminium and steel forks on a good road surface, which is where I do almost all my riding.

That leaves the cables. I can see that internal cables look much neater, but my friend says they'll save me money on cable replacement because they won't get dirty from road spray working into the internals.

The price difference is £100. Are they really going to save me £100 over the likely lifetime of the bike (let's say 10 years)?


texts: Front hub conversion Shimano HB-M756L XT to Thru-axle

texts:
Has anybody converted a Shimano HB-M756L XT Front to a 15mm thru axle?

The problem is that my bike fork has 15mm holes for thru axle but I have a new/nice set of QR wheels. I need to either convert the hub (change the bearings and etc) to a 15mm and use my original thru axle or use two spacers in the fork holes in order to fit them and use QR.


texts: Are there any manufacturers of steel road bikes today?

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Is there any major bike manufacturer that still makes steel road bikes today?
The frame of my old Bridgestone got cracked and the crack is too close to the alloy BB lug for me to be able to weld it. I need a new training bike and it has to be steel because aluminium goes bad too quickly on local roads and I've seen way too many carbon horror stories.
Also, it needs to a major manufacturer because I won't get other stuff here in my country.
PS There is a supply-demand problem with second-hand steel bikes. Only lower end steel frames are sold second-hand and then too at the cost of aluminium frames.
PPS I've already checked the websites of most major manufacturers, nothing there.
Edit : Seems that I forgot to mention that I need something that feels similar to my racer. Judging from some internet trawling, both touring and CX frames feel different and wouldn't make good training bikes.


texts: Can anyone tell me what bike logo this is? Cant seem to find it


texts: Is there a technique/tool to assist with rear derailleur high, low, and index alignment?

texts:
Everything I read gives this picture like this:

Yet the reality of this alignment, it can be somewhat difficult.  Is there a better technique or tool to help get the high, low, and index shifting alignment perfect?  Or is visual vertical alignment the only way?


texts: How does expensive cranksets affect the performance?

texts: I never upgraded my 3 speed Suntour XCT302 I got with my Cycle 7 years ago. It seems to work well and I don't find the need to upgrade it anytime soon in the future but what I wanna know is how do expensive cranksets affect the performance? Initially, I thought it was some marketing gimmick and I didn't bother much but lately, I have found cranksets that are ridiculously priced. I do wanna mention that I am a beginner and I don't have much experience with cycle parts so please forgive my ignorance. Thank you!


texts:
I am moving my pedals from one bike to another, and removing them caused a lot of frustration.  I had greased them before hand with some basic automotive grease, and the threads were still greasy when I finally go the pedals off. I made sure that I was turning the pedals the correct way.
Is there a specific product that I should be using so I don't have to use a 6 foot cheater bar to remove them later?  Should I just make a habit of loosening and retightening them more often so that they don't get too tight? Did I maybe tighten them too much when I installed them? I understand that pedals are self tightening due to the way they are threaded, but it seems that often they are really hard to remove.


texts:
As a continuation to Why is it important to have good saddles? I would like to know: Are there non-expensive saddles that are safe for men's health that you can advise.

A slightly different question, are there saddles that are safe for men with urology problems? For example, this is what I found in the mentioned question.

  Fortunately, there are several types of seats that can help alleviate that pressure and prevent injury. Look for seats with a split saddle, or one with a space in the area that would normally press into the perineum.

This means that there are such saddles, but can you mention any models?


texts: Can a SRAM GX 2.1 run with an 11-42 tooth cassette?

texts:
I have a Trek X-Caliber 8 from 2017 and it has a 2x10s drivetrain. I want to switch to a 1x, and I don't really want to move to a 11s derailleur.

So, what I would like to do is to upgrade my SRAM GX to a SRAM GX 2.1 because they are pretty cheap, and my SRAM GX doesn't have a clutch system. Beside this, it really needs a service, and maybe a new spring because it doesn't hold slack anymore. And to put a 11-42 tooth cassette. But I'm not sure if it will work without a goat link/road link. I don't really know if I can get a goat link in my country, because I can't find it at any of the bike shops, and it would be really expensive to buy one from the Internet.

I know people had questions like these about 3 years ago, but I didn't find any clear information. Some of them said it works with no problems, some of them said you need a goat link/road link, other said you need a longer B screw.

If this won't work, I may be searching for a SRAM NX 11 speed derailleur and get a 11 speed cassette.


texts: Are there rim brakes for road bikes compatible to Shimano hydraulic brake levers / brifters?

texts:
Are there any rim brake calipers with road-style mounting compatible to Shimano hydraulic brake levers, specifically ST-U5060?

are Magura ST-06 / ST-08 compatible?people combine Magura disc callipers with shimano levers succesfully, dubbed "shigura", but I couldn't find a hint of anyone having combined ST-06/08 with any other lever. I guess they're too uncommon for this.

I'm looking for a way to have both shift- and brake levers on a triathlon bar's horns, like this question or this question. To my knowledge, there's only:

the ST-U5060 that's only for hydraulic disc brakes
a combination of brake levers clamping on the horn outside and SRAM shifters
-I couldn't find the brake levers.
drop bar brifters on the horns (which results in an awkward angle of the levers on my particular triathlon bar)


texts: Are children's helmets with styling less safe?

texts:
In a couple well received answers to a recent question it is suggested that sliding on the road is an important consideration for helmets.

A number of children's helmets now are available with spikes or ears or fins that would seem to have a meaningful impact of the ability to slide.

Are these helmets less safe?


texts: Is there a downside to spoke protectors?

texts:
A few weeks ago, the derailer on my touring bike caught on the chain and ripped itself off the frame. (See the link below for more info on the incident.) The spoke protector was cracked in half by this, which says to me that it did its job: stopping the derailer and chain from damaging the spokes. (The wheel was out of alignment and needed truing, but it still rotated.)

In the future, these "dork discs" or "pie plates" (as some like to call them) are going on all my bikes. My question: Aside from looks and the weight, is there any downside to having one of these on a bike?

Sheldon Brown on Spoke Protectors
More detail about the incident where my derailer broke
For fun: Pie In The Sky: A World Without Spoke Protectors


texts:
I'm cleaning out most of the bearings on my new (second hand) bike.

I'm replacing the grease inside the pedal bearings and I was wondering.

How many ball bearings should be inside? I thought there had to be just enough to fill the full circle, but a friend of mine told me I should fill the circle to its fullest and then remove one ball.

The reason, he said, is that else there is to much pressure on the bearings.

Is this true? And is it true for all the bearings (say, the ones in my hubs)?

And also, I'm putting vaseline (the yellow heavy-duty variant) inside the bearings – is that a good idea?


texts: Do I need to be concerned about a carbon frame if I attach a bike trailer?

texts:
We have a bike trailer with the hitch attached to the rear axle. The frame of my wife's bike frame is part carbon (right around the rear axle), which I understand is more brittle than other materials.

I would think most forces associated with accelerating and braking go through the wheel and would not affect the frame much. Do I need to be concerned anyways? Does anybody have experience with a carbon frame and a trailer?


texts:
I could really could do with a hand here, I'm currently restoring a old Raleigh Milk Race bike which has friction tube shifters fitted. I want to upgrade the rear derailleur but I'm not sure if I have to buy a certain type. It has a SunRace one fitted, and the front one is a Shimano one.

The bike is a 7 speed.


texts: Fixed gear bike: when I stop the bike completely I can move the pedals back and forth very slightly is this normal?

texts: As the title shows I have a fixed gear bike, not sure if this is right though: even when the chain is tight as possible there will be what seems a loose spot and it makes it so that the pedals move back and forth slightly. For example, doing a track stand I can move the pedals back and forth slightly without moving the wheels, just wondering what might be the problem here, if anyone can help. It’s a Raleigh Falcon BTW so an old bike, that was converted to a fixie.


texts: SRAM force rear shifts go in the wrong direction when on largest cassette

texts:
I got a new bike about 6 months ago with SRAM Force on it.  It's my first time riding SRAM and I love it except for one thing:

If I'm climbing and my RD is shifted all the way up ( to 28-tooth ) and I try and downshift further, it allows me to click once and stops the 2nd click so I get an upshift instead.

Anyone know how to fix this?


texts: Can you open the trunk with the Saris Bones 2 trunk rack attached?

texts:
I'm looking into purchasing a Saris Bones 2 bike rack for daily use (driving part way, then biking the rest of the way to avoid parking fees), and occasional use on long road trips. I intend to keep it on the car most of the time. This is a trunk-mounted rack that bears its load on the rear bumper on two rubber feet.

My question is, can the trunk be opened if the rack is still attached to the car? Obviously without a bike mounted on it (but if it works with a bike mounted too, bonus). Will the feet slide off the bottom of the trunk when it is lifted, or is there enough grip for it to stay?

Details: I have a 1999 Volkswagen Jetta. Because the trunk is held open by hydraulic shocks and not the balanced hinges of most American cars, the trunk does not swing freely and must be pulled open and closed manually. Shutting it requires a bit of force (maybe ten pounds), so it can bear a bit of weight without slamming shut.

Apparently the Saris Bones is a pretty well-known and popular rack, so I'm hoping somebody can give me their experiences with it. I've been searching online and can't find a straight answer.


texts: Do forged alloy crank arms suffer from age-related fatigue?

texts:
Alloy does have not have a fatigue limit. Does that mean that forged alloy crank arms have a theoretical end of life? Should I worry about 40 year old crank arms?
Could someone with a little knowledge in metallurgy shine some light on this issue?


texts: How to remove slider legs from old rst suspension fork?

texts:
I want to clean and lube my old rst suspension fork.

So far I've failed to separate the slider legs from the frame to clean/lube the inside of the legs.  There is a 4mm hex bolt on the bottom of the slider leg. I tried to unscrew the bolt.  The bolts turn and turn and don't come out.  I had someone compress the fork by leaning on the handle bars, and tried to unscrew the bolts.  Bolts didn't come off.  I tried to unscrew the bolts with a 4mm bit and a respectably powerful impact wrench. Bolts didn't come out.

Batman suggested that I put a stick into the slider leg to immobilize it while unscrewing the bolts.  I'll do this and edit this question to let you know the result, probably this weekend.  Thank you, Batman.

Chris suggested that I hit the bolt with a wooden mallet.  At first, I thought that I would do this.  But this is an RST fork, and the hammer remedy is apparently for Rockshox.  According to bikepedia.com, my 2004 Specialized Hardrock Sport has an RST Gila TL fork.  Maybe I shouldn't hit the bolts as suggested.


texts:
I'm sorry for the stupid question, but I have a primer that works on steel but specifically says to avoid galvanized metals.  I don't really know how to tell if a metal is galvanized or what use-cases warrant galvanization.

Are steel bike frames typically galvanized?

Bonus question: how do you tell if a steel is galvanized? Is it that weird blotchy look that steel water pipes typically have?

Thank you


texts: Can you mount GRX FC-RX600 110/80 chainrings on a Tiagra 4700 chainset?

texts:
Has anyone mounted these https://www.bike-discount.de/it/comprare/shimano-grx-fc-rx600-2x10-11-speed-chainring-961783 on a Tiagra 4700 crankset?
If they will fit it's a LOT cheaper than buying the whole GRX crankset.


texts: What era/country/manufacture is this vintage step through?

texts:
During my search, I’ve learned that this question can be very irritating for many. I think it’s because the asker is looking to make a buck or a fortune and their curiosity is empty.
Although I’d love to learn that I’ve just stumbled on a gold mine, my curiosity is driven by not knowing.
I’m an enabler for my retired mother. She mentions to me bucket list items and I help her ideas come to life. Last year it was to ride a horse again. This year it’s to ride a bicycle. So here I am.
She requested a single speed, low bar, big comfy seat, sub $200 cdn. I ended up buying this vintage step through. All bearings , pedals, brakes check out good and smooth. I’m replacing the rear tire and tubes and seat. The bike has been stored outside for the past couple years and the seat is saturated and now in a bag drying with a large desiccant pouch. So far I’m into it for $150cdn. I paid the kind lady her asking price of $75 for the bike because of its working order. Another $75 for a big soft seat, two tubes and a tire and large desiccant pouch.
The steer tube badge is missing. Front hub says wald. Rear hub says  Rigida. No serial number under the crank. No other markings on the frame that I’ve noticed. What makes this one unique is the double top-bar.
Should I just tune it up and tell my mom that I bought her an old blue bike?
Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Matt


texts: Different tire and rim widths front and back - Why? Should I replace one?

texts:
I just bought a Trek 7.2 hybrid bike on Ebay and got the surprise (didn't read the listing closely!) that the front and back tires and rims are different widths. I am wondering if I should give it a try or spend some money on making the front wheel be the same width of the back. Why would someone have different wheels? Here's the configuration I have:

Rims: (Front) Alexrims DA22, (Rear) Matrix 750,
Tires: (Front) Vittoria Zaffiro 700 X 25C, (Rear) Bontrager Select Invert 700 X 35.

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.


texts: How to properly align the rear wheel to the bike (granny bike, single speed)

texts:
I have an old bike in which the rear axle is like you can see in the pictures below.

It has pedal-brake. I've been struggling with the wheel alignment with respect to the bike. Each time I put it in, I align it as much as I can making sure the chain is straight (the cogs are aligned) and then I press the axle nuts as much as I can trying to keep that alignment. After a bit of cycling the wheel moves a bit in such a way that the front and rear cogs are not properly aligned, making the chain to go off the cog very easily.

What am I doing wrong? How can I solve this?

EDIT: could this chain tensioners fit my bike?


texts: Left shifter is not catching/gets stuck when there is cable tension

texts:
I need help with my left shifter. When I have the cable attached to the derailleur and have even the slightest tension applied, the shifter won't shift to the largest cog (I have double front chainrings). It feels like the shifter is stuck and I can't push the lever in. But when the cable is detached and there is no tension whatsoever, the shifting works perfectly fine.
Some background to how this happened:
I was noticing some chain rub when I was on my lowest gears (small cog front and largest cog back) and I figured it was something that I can fix easily. I followed the GCN and Parktool video and detached the cable from the derailleur clamp. Then I adjusted the lower limit screw. I then reattached the cable, and from then I noticed that I couldn't shift to the larger cog. Both the GCN and Parktool video said to adjust the tension, and that's what I tried. From then, I spiralled into a rabbit hole. Worth saying that I had no problem shifting between the cogs before this.
What I've done so far:

Started all the way from scratch - derailleur and cage height is good
The derailleur is working properly, I can move it manually without
problem
Loosed the H-limit screw
Adjusted the cable tension - from slack to very, very taut
Pulled back the lever hoods- I saw that without tension, the shifting mechanism worked perfectly fine. It was going all the way around and pulling the cable properly. When tension was applied, it was getting "stuck", and can't push the lever all the way
Oiled the cable and checked for fraying. It looked fine.
Flushed the shifter with degreaser.

So now, I'm at the end of my rope. I just can't believe the shifter broke for no reason. Is there something I'm missing?


texts: Are bike saddles always removable from the saddle post?

texts:
I want to buy a mountain bike soon and I’ve been doing a bunch or research. I noticed that some bike saddles can detach from the top of the saddle post, while others get removed with the whole post. There are a couple of things I want to know. Can all saddles be detached from the top of the saddle post? Are saddles that detach with the post of cheaper quality?
that’s it, thank you


texts: What should I check with set up of a tandem?

texts:
Particularly with reference to hired tandems, or when you're first setting one up.

A bit of context:
I hired a tandem today and went for a ride with my wife. I've been riding for about 20 years, she rides very occasionally (once every couple of years). She's 30cm shorter than me, so she goes on the back and I go on the front - which means it's a bit harder for her to diagnose what's going wrong with the bike as she's unfamiliar both with the components she's looking at, and knowing what 'correct' feels like).

The tandem we hired was a bit of a tank: an old hack that gets ridden up and down a path in a park a few times every week, the gear shifters didn't work (and the indicators were completely worn off the shifters), brakes didn't do much apart from suggest the bike might slow down at some point in the future, usual sort of decrepitude, but as we were only going on a very flat bit of tarmac, none of that was a big issue.

When we were pedalling, there often seemed to be changes in how much feedback and force my wife was getting/putting through the pedals - sometimes it would feel that she was pushing much too hard on the pedals, and at other times she felt that I was upping the cadence without warning - which I don't think I was. Could this be caused by the chain betwee the front and rear cranks being misadjusted - and if so, what can I do to check that before riding the bike away from the hire shop?


texts: Cable/cord near brake level is extremely loose, brake doesn't work

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When I press my left brake lever, nothing happens. I looked and the cable is loose. It comes completely out of the little silver thing on the left side of the handle. (left when looking at pic)

The actual brake lever also moves too far.

(I am a literally newbie at this. I have NO idea whats' wrong and google isn't smart enough to help a bike idiot like me.)

Make/model = It's a V brake Shimano "V-Brake". For bike it's a Raleigh 4.5

Had my bike worked on again today and now THIS is an issue.... :(

Update: Picture of the area near the wheel. This is where I suspect I need to do something. This is where it is "really" loose.


texts: Cable pull, indexing of Shimano's IGH vs. deraileur

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What's the exact cable pull and indexing of

Shimano Alfine SG-S700
SRAM G8/9
Shimano ROAD RD-5800
SRAM Force Rear dérailleur
other...

The idea is to use ST-RS505 brifter with an IGH. Not entirely impossible as it seems.


texts: Can a 13 year old wheelie/bunny hop on a mountain bike?

texts: I have a regular sized Kona mountain bike and I've been trying to at least lift the front properly, for several months. Is it maybe that I weight 105 (only)? What techniques would you recommend for somebody like me? I know bunny hops are usually for BMX, but they're useful for MTB a whole lot, for example this channel gives tips on starting, but for adult sized bodies I would suppose. Thank you.