texts: What needs to be considered when building a winter bike?

texts:
I have been thinking about making the ultimate winter bike.  Here are some of the things that I have been thinking about.  What else would you think about when building a good winter bike.
I am specifically building this bike for Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  The average January temperature is -10°C (12 °F) but it can get as cold as −30 °C (−22 °F).  I am interested in making a bike that will ride well in both urban and more rural areas.  It should be able to handle snow and ice.
Frame

Road frames generally have less clearance for wide tires, mud guards etc.
Even when the roads are mostly clear in the winter I often encounter snow filled streets and icy patches.  I am leaning towards a mountain frame because I think that it would be better suited to this kind of semi-technical riding.
I have never used drop bars in the winter before I really liked having a long handle bar.  I found that this really helped to balance on slippery roads.  Seems like if you want drop bars it is best to start with a road frame because adding drop bars looks like a pain.
Corrosion -  An aluminum frame will hold up better than a steel frame in the winter.  I think that the salt will do a number on steel, aluminum should hold up better.

Suspension
Last winter I decided that I want to get a new fork this winter without suspension.  In the summer I feel totally comfortable jumping off ledges on my bike.  In the winter I would not want to jump off anything that required suspension because in winter it is too hard to guess what the traction will be like when landing.  I also found that my suspension froze so even if I had wanted it it would not have helped.
Tires

Studs help grip on ice but will not help in snowy weather.
Wide tires help to float the rider on top of the snow.  If you want to have really wide tires you need to get wider rims.  You can find rims up to 44m wide.

Brakes
I love my disk brakes.  They are very reliable and I trust them.  I have not used rim brakes in the winter but I know when they get wet they grip less well.
Since I want no suspension and disk brakes it is tricky to find a fork.
Lights
In Ottawa the sun can set as early as 4:30.  To see and be seen serious lights are required.
Mud Guards
Last winter I did not use mud guards.  I found generally everything was frozen so I did not get too wet.  I think after I remove my suspension I may add some.
Conclusion

Aluminum Mountain Frame
Disk Brakes
No Suspension
Studded tires (wide if going in deep snow)

What else would you think about when building a bike for the winter?  I am hoping to get a used frame and used parts when possible and make the studded tires.


texts: I have a Shimano compact double on my road bike with an 11-28 Cassette (50-34 Chainrings).  I would like to change the cassette to 11-32.  Is that possible and if it is are there other components I need to change?


texts: Change my Shimano SIS rear derailleur of 7 speeds to a better one?

texts:
I recently broke my rear derailleur of my road bike it was a Shimano SIS 7 speeds, so I am thinking if I can get a better one like a sram or deore or I don't know.
Thank you for your help.


texts:
I use a gopro hero 3+ silver camera as a bike camera.  It works moderately well for this role.  Recently its started locking up and displaying this icon on screen.

Sorry for the potato photo, but to me that is a stylised icon of a bike riding away, from a low point of view.

Did the camera determine it was on a bike by vibrations?

Or am I seeing an image where its really something else unrelated to biking ?


texts: What is the difference between a 700x28c and a 700x32c and a 700x..c and so on?

texts: I'm semi-new to customizing bits of bike and when looking to buy some slicker tyres for the road I came across this 700x..c system. I've previously had a set of 700x28c tyres which were then swapped for some 700x32 and they fit! I also read a post about being able to fit any 700x..c tyre to the same rim. Whats up with this & what do the numbers mean?


texts: Would hydraulic disc brakes be easier on my hands than mechanical disc brakes?

texts: I ride MTB in a coastal town where all roads are dirt roads with lots of uphill/downhill. Nothing extreme, I just ride to relax and enjoy the landscape. I have mechanical disc brakes and after a 2-4 hours ride session my hands hurt (too much braking). I have never ridden with hydraulic brakes, but it seems to me that they will be easy on my hands. Should I change to hydraulics?


texts: What do I need to know when replacing my inner tube/tires?

texts:
Context:

The inner tube on my bike burst the other day, I took it home and salvaged another one from a bike that's been sitting unused in my garage for years.

The New(old) innertube inflates fine but when I inflated it I noticed that the inner tube was spilling out through a gash in the stitching of the tire.

I've temporarily replaced the tire with another that I had lying about but the ripped one was a semi slick and the one I've replaced it with is a mountain biking one, I'd prefer a semi slick tire.

I know I'm going to have to replace the tire as well.

The new inner tube seems spongier and I can't seem to get it to inflate as much as the old one.

I'm a relatively new to (serious) cycling, and this is the first time I've had to replace an inner tube or a wheel.

I mainly cycle on roads and cycle paths, the cycle path I use it just rough enough for me not to justify getting a full on road bike.

Question

What do I need to know in order to go into a shop and get the right replacement inner tube/ tire for my bike? I'm aware that there are different sizes of tyre (mine is 26") and there is another number which I assume is width (Old was 1.5"). Is this all I need to know?

Do I need to know anything about the inner tubes? I assume the size is the same as the tire, are there different grades or types of inner tube? Why would one be spongier than the other?


texts:
I have a brand new pair of silicone grips. Somehow, one of the grips got a crack. Its mostly an aesthetic issue, as no fragments of the grip where lost.

Is there any glue appropriate for silicone to fix the crack?


texts: What should I look for in a good pair of cycling shorts?

texts: I don't currently own a pair of cycling shorts. I just wear a pair of running shorts underneath some running leggings. I'm thinking of getting my first pair of cycling shorts, but as there are so many choices available, what should I be looking for? In terms of padding, is there some type of padding that is better (more durable, more comfort) than others?


texts: I need a new bike derailleur, which one?

texts:
I have a fairly old Specialized Hardrock Sport.
I want to get new derailleurs. Is there a specific one I should get. I'm not sure the one now is the original.


texts: Repurpose old android phone (without cell phone plan) as cycle computer with GPS tracking?

texts:
I upgraded my cell phone and now have a Droid X2 without cell service that I'm not using for anything.  Can I utilize my old Droid X2 phone (or any android phone without a cell phone plan) as a basic cycle computer, GPS Router Tracker, or Navigation tool? How will the capabilities stack up against a dedicated cycling GPS such as a Garmin 800?

I would be using this on the road completely data free.  However, I think the GPS functionality should still be functional, even without data service.  I should be able to access an internet connection at home to upload or download data to the phone as well as install apps.


texts: How do I know what is wrong with my brakes?

texts:
My brakes are not powerful anymore, it takes a few meters when fully pulling my brakes for my bike to come to a stop. Which means that the brakes'pads are touching the wheels but not enough.

So, my question is: how do I know if I need to change the brake pads or give more tension to the cable?


texts: Custom/universal clamp/attachment for light on rear rack

texts:
A long time ago i bought one of these lights from china

It is pure chinese crap. bought 2. one dead in a few days. Then i broke the two trays that i slide it to attach to the bike making them useless paperweight since they have a uncommon attachment tray that i can't find alternatives. Not to mention the included attachments are only good for seat-post installation, which is idiot, since the laser will be blocked by your legs! this thing has to be installed behind the bike.

Now i'm wanting to add that light to the bike again. And in the process, find/design a generic attachment for lights on racks. The back of the light is flat and has plenty of space. Also there is lot of space inside for me to use with fasteners and what not.

The rack i have is similar to this one:

It has a flat pane. With 3 holes.

Is there anything ready made that came with both parts? I can only find things for specific formats. I was wishing for something that I can just screw in a male plug in the back of the light and then secure the other female part on the bike or so.

I am dreaming with something like this, but that would also include the other part, also with screws.


texts: Upgrading From Ultegra 6600 to 6800 Help

texts:
My Ultegra 6600 shifters need replacing. My thought was to replace it with a new 5-piece 6800 set including shifters, front derailleur, rear derailleur SS, an 11-28T cassette and obviously a new chain.

Can I keep my current compact front crank set? I just replaced the bottom bracket.
Will the 6600 brakes work with the 6800 shifters?


texts: Rear wheel won't move or keeps falling off

texts:
This question is in regards to my X-treme trailmaker bike. I removed the rear wheel in order to replace the inner tube. However, I cannot seem to reinstall it properly. When I tighten the two nuts on each side of the rear wheel (pictures at http://imgur.com/a/cPNNE), the wheel no longer moves.

However, if the nuts are not completely tightened, the wheel falls out.

I thought the resistance may be from the disk brakes, but loosening that didn't resolve the issue. Any help would be much appreciated.


texts: What tools do I need to replace my bottom bracket?

texts:
I have an old 2001 Schwinn Homegrown Pro that I want to upgrade to a 10-speed drivetrain. I'd like to do it myself as a learning exercise, but I'm not sure what kind of tool I need to remove the old bottom bracket (or to install the new one, for that matter). The crank is a Deore XT Hollowtech FC-M751, but I am not sure what the bottom bracket is.  The original specs of the bike are at this page

http://www.bikepedia.com/quickbike/BikeSpecs.aspx?year=2001&brand=Schwinn&model=Homegrown+Pro#.Upj1FMRDspU

But it lists the bottom bracket as "unspecifed."  It's dark in color and has inside-facing splines, but there are no obvious markings on it.

So, what do I need in order to remove this?


texts: My trailer is attached to my roadbike with a weber coupling system. How much weight can I pull safely without breaking my frame?


texts: Buying a used higher quality bike vs a lower quality new bike

texts:
I'm in the market for a new or used bike in the $1000 range and am trying to figure out whether it is worth it to buy a nicer bike with better components if they are already used and worn.

For specifics the used bike i'm considering is a specialized tricross comp and it has supposedly been well taken care of and only ridden about 1500 kms. I know i like the tricross frame as i used to have one before it was stolen and the components (shimano 105s) are better than anything i would get in that price range new... But would they still be better or would i probably be replacing them soon? Or does it completely depend on the actual wear and maintenance?

Thanks


texts: How far do I “pull over” in a bike lane?

texts:
If I am riding down a marked bike lane on a road which is adjacent to the curb, and I need to stop for a very short time (e.g. to adjust something, turn on lights, or drink some water), how far should I get off the road?

That is: As a car driver, if I had to stop I would move onto the shoulder of the road, or otherwise as far right (US, drive on the right) as is safe for the vehicle. With a bicycle lane, there is no specific shoulder, but I can pick up the bike and move off the road entirely. Should I take the time to do so, even if there is essentially no traffic?

What if the lane is especially wide (e.g. if it is a bicycle lane to the left of parking space, but with no cars actually present), or if it is only a generously wide road without any markings?

(I am looking for a safety and politeness perspective, not regional traffic laws, though if there is a general trend in law on the matter that is also useful information.)


texts: What are the round things near the main front cog?

texts:
This bike in this picture has two rollers near the front sprockets. The chain goes through the lower one and not the top one. I've no idea on their purpose vs other bikes that don't have them and notice that they make a lot of noise.

Questions

What are they, what are they typically used for?
Are they needed?
What would happen if if remove them?

Please refer to the image below


texts: Will running hydraulic brake levers upside down affect performance

texts:
I purchased a pair of tektro draco disc brakes recently. They arrived with the hydraulic lines setup moto style, with the longer line run for the left brake lever and the shorter run for the right brake lever.

I wanted to switch it to have left lever / front brake, right lever / rear brake.  So, I just swapped the levers to the opposite side, but now they point resivoir end down.  The only issue I have with this setup is that i have to loosen the levers and rotate them around the bar to bleed them with the reservoir facing up.

Will this cause any performance issues with braking?


texts: I have a Trek 3900 Mountain bike that had a serious creaking problem whenever I would pedal.  I found that the ring that holds the Shimano sealed bearing was really loose.  I tightened it up and it helped somewhat.  It loosened up again and I put loktite on the threads and really tightened it up but it is still creaking a little.  The bearing cartridge seems fine.  Any ideas?


texts: Is it better to have less flywheel weight on exercise bikes?

texts:
Is the workout quality better when using an exercise bike or trainer with less flywheel weight?

With less flywheel weight such as a bicycle on a trainer as opposed to spin bikes, coasting is harder. This should make it easier to learn to pedal smoothly and not coast which are encouraged. Because our muscles work longer, it seems like it's more effective for improving our endurance for the same workout duration and getting more exercise out of the same amount of time. We might expect working our slow twitch muscles more and using our fast twitch muscles less.

If dead spots make it an issue, can shorter cranks or oval chainrings be substitutes for flywheel weight?

Update:
When I say pedalling smoothly, I meant in terms of power output throughout each pedal stroke.

With a smoother pedal stroke, would it actually decrease normalized power?


texts:
I've had this problem for some time now, both of my disc brakes on my MTB barely work, when i pull the front lever for example i can still push the bike very slowly. They have been properly setup like the tension in the wire and all and the pads seem to have plenty left on them. I have tried cleaning the pads and discs with rubbing alcohol and the problem still remains. Any ideas on what i could do would be appreciated.

Update
So I decided to try and buy new pads and after going up and down a local hill a few times and bedding the breaks in, in a few minutes I managed to be able to do an endo. Still unsure why the other pads behaved as they did as before I installed the new ones I compared the new and old ones and the old ones had pretty much the same amount of compound left on them.


texts: Who has the right of way crossing a shared pedestrian crosswalk / bike path? (USA)

texts:
I pass this intersection (and others like it) at least twice per day on my way to work and I'm still a little unsure who should stop for whom. The little yellow star indicates the "bike path", which is made for bikers and pedestrians to share, but the signs don't mention bikers, instead saying "State Law/Yield/To Pedestrians/In Crosswalk":

When I'm waiting at the edge of the crosswalk on my bike (it doesn't indicate I should/have to dismount), cars do one of two things:

Make eye contact and stop before the crosswalk to let me cross on my bike
Don't make eye contact and go through the crosswalk while I wait for them

I don't mind either scenario (I would rather give the car the right of way, personally). Can anyone say definitively what a driver should do when there's a biker (mounted) waiting at the edge of the crosswalk?

The fact that mounted bikers are not considered "pedestrians" is why I'm confused. Pedestrians and unmounted bikers have the right of way without question here, I think, because of the wording of the sign. By the way, this is in Boulder, Colorado, USA, in case this is one of those "varies-by-locality" situations.


texts:
I have a soon-to-be-unusable bottom bracket on a 2016 Stromer St1.   I believe the cause is bearing failure.

I cannot find the exact replacement online (BB-7420: BC 1.37 x 24 T: Shell 73 : spindle 138.5).

Obviously the easiest option is source a replacement from Stromer but since I am not happy with the life span of the OEM I would like to upgrade if possible.  I am just not sure of my options here and I don't want to pull apart the bike until i have a solution in hand, as I commute to work on it.


texts: Needed training time or speed for each category of racer

texts:
What type of training time or average speeds are needed to qualify for each category of racer? I realize that it can varry based on a hilly or flat route so lets assume a time trial of 40km that's relatively flat.

An example might be:

Cat 2 = 20+ hours a week of training and an average speed of 40km/hour on the time trial.

I'm not sure where to set my goals for my first racing season and figured a good place to start was to see where I fit already with training time and speed.


texts: Bike attached to TACX flux smart trainer makes a clunking house and chain feels like skipping

texts:
I have a bike which I use as normal as well as cycling indoors with my tacx flux smart trainer (direct drive, take the back wheel off). Without the trainer, my bike runs smoothly with no issues.

When it's connected to the trainer, it makes a clunking noise then it feels like the chain slips (the tension loosens, like i'm pedaling but the back wheel isn't moving) and it goes 'clunk, clunk, click' and after the click it rides fine for a bit then I have the same issue again. Sometimes this happens under high load but not always, sometimes it just happens when cycling at the same level. Whilst it feels like the chain is skipping a gear, it isn't. I've filmed it and it doesn't move.

I've bought a new cassette for the trainer, it has the same number of gears (9), however, it has 29 teeth instead of 27 on the largest sprocket. I was told this wouldn't be an issue.
I have tightened my cassette as hard as I can and it isn't loose when I shake it around on the trainer.
I have checked the derailleur and it is aligned perfectly with the cassette and the gears shift without issues.
I have taken the free hub out and put some lithium grease on it but with no luck.
I have measured the chain at a bike shop, they confirmed it was not stretched.

What can I do next? What could it be?

Videos of this happening,


texts: Do Shimano disc brakes need post mount spacers?

texts: I am switching my rear Avid Elixir brake for a Shimano XT one, but I am a bit unsure about mounting the caliper. The Avid brakes had spacers that put the brakes in the right position for the 160 mm rotor I am using, but the Shimano ones do not come with any spacers. The Shimano manual says to mount the caliper directly to the post mounts, without any further explanation for different rotor sizes. So is mounting the caliper directly to the post mounts correct for a 160 mm rotor, or do I need any spacers as with the Avid brake?


texts: I am planning for a Ultra distance (~230 km) cycling. I don't own a good bicycle for that and when I was checking rental bicycles (Road bike & cross bike) one of the shopkeeper suggested me to take cross bike saying that rate of the risk flat tire of Road bike is more than of Cross bike because of the thin tire. I didn't understand the logic. Could anyone explain the logic behind this?


texts: Presently, I am riding a women's Trek road bike. I ride mostly flat roads and sidewalks, approximately 125 miles/week.  My bike is 6 years old and I need a new bike.  I felt this bike was too high maintenance for me as I averaged a flat at least once/month and often spent $300. at my yearly check-up, replacing the chain, cassette, etc.


texts: At what point does one need to replace a chain ring on a mountain bike?

texts: The large chainring on my mountain bike is missing a number of teeth on one side (apparently the side I like to go over rocks on). Is it harmful to the drivetrain to ride without these if I'm not having issues loosing the chain?  At what point should i replace the chain ring?


texts: I have a 3x10 speed MTB. Will it be a upgrade or a downgrade to move towards a 1x10 and will I be able to easily ride above 60km per hour as I can with the 3rd gear in front?


texts: Use 105 crankset on 9x2 Sora equipped bike

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Want to ditch my basic square taper FSA Vero (50/34) crankset on 9x2 speed Sora drivetrain (2018 Devinci Silverstone 2) in favor of 105 compact crankset. I will attempt to get one in 50/34 not to mess up gearing.

First of all because it's FSA square taper, secondly 105 is lighter and I can get it locally used in great condition.

Obviously I have to replace the crankset and BB  Potentially reuse BB (RPM, Square taper JIS) and FSA crankset in my old Raleigh rebuild, but this is separate story...

Asking if it is possible, if Yes what I have to take in account when doing this.
Thank you


texts: Can I replace 27.5x2.25 tire with a hybrid/road tire?

texts: I am new to cycling. I recently got Jamis Trail X with 27.5x2.25" tires. This is a bit hard (not easier) on city roads. I was thinking about replacing the tires with max 1.5" wide hybrid or road tires. I researched a little bit and learned that 27.5 is not actually 27.5 rim. It's 26.5" or 584mm in diameter. My question is, can I replace these tires with any 584 or 650b tires?


texts: Electric bike chain skipping on smallest sprocket

texts:
I recently bought a BH Lynx 6 electric mountain bike and so far have been having struggles getting it riding well. After getting it here and setting it up I found that in the highest gear (smallest sprocket) I would have the chain jumping / skipping while riding. It was worse at higher power outputs and things like climbing hills, but it would do it occasionally on the flat too. Shifting down a gear I had no problems. The bike has a Shimano Deore XT 1x10 drivetrain.

I tried adjusting things with no luck, but did find if I backed the b screw out a ridiculous amount that seemed to fix the problem. But at that point I could only use 8/10 gears so not a great solution. I gave up at this point and took it to the local mountain bike shop that also sells electric mountain bikes. They did a tune up and adjustment and gave it back to me with exactly the same problem. I took it back to them and pointed this out, and then worked on it some more and told me that the issue was that the chain was too short and they put a longer chain on saying it would let them get more chain wrap.

I picked it up this time and it did indeed seem fixed. Later that day I went on a ride and it was great for the first 5 miles and then it started up again even worse than before. Now it did it in the top two gears instead of just the top gear, and it also seemed like the chain was grabbing the next sprocket on occasion too. It was also doing this with gentle pedaling on the flat even with the motor off. I limped home and rode around the block a few times trying to verify the chain was indeed catching the next sprocket, when it caught the next sprocket and sheared off a link and broke the chain.

So now back to the shop, and they told me this time the issue was that they didn't use an "ebike rated chain" which they had to special order. That came in and they called and said they've adjusted it as best as they can but that the issue is that the smallest sprocket just doesn't have enough teeth to handle the torque of the motor and that it's a design flaw and there's nothing they can do. I find it hard to believe they'd sell bikes with this sort of flaw, and the motor isn't that powerful. Plus I was able to get it to do this with the motor off while standing on the pedals up a gentle hill, so I'm not sure how the motor power could be the issue...

I'm feeling pretty stuck at this point, and it seems like the shop has given up. Short of just not using my top gear, does anyone have any advice on what I might be able to try?


texts:
Has anyone ever tried to use Cross Top levers as your only braking method (ie not just as an interrupter for the drop levers)?

I'm guessing it wouldn't work as you need the cable to go straight through the lever but thought it might be possible to jerry rig a cable clamp / nipple of some sort

Thoughts


texts: Why are riders allowed to draft behind cars in Grand Tours?

texts:
During one of this week's stages of the Giro d'Italia, Richie Porte had a 'technical' issue with his bike that caused him to lose a number of minutes from the peloton. It was of significance as it was less than 10k from the finish and as a result was always going to be difficult for him to regain the time lost on the other GC contenders.

His team mates obviously did their best to pull him pack to the rest of the group. This included the whole team drafting behind one of the Team Sky cars for a period of time.

My question is: Why is this allowed?
Surely he/they are gaining an unfair advantage over the rest of the riders.

Addtionally:

Would it have been the same if he'd have fallen off 10k from the start line?
Would he have been allowed to do so if he was two minutes in front of the peloton when he crashed?
How is it decided what drafting is appropriate, and what penalties are handed out when it is deemed the riders gained some advantage they were otherwise unentitled to.


texts: English vs Italian bottom bracket - chainline considerations

texts:
I'm planning a new build and for the first time, I'm working with a frame that requires an Italian bottom bracket. My question isn't specific to the build, but a general question about chainline.

Given the same crankset, say Shimano FC-6400, the corresponding English BB would have a 113 mm symmetric spindle (i.e. 3H or D-3H), while the corresponding Italian BB would have a 115 symmetric spindle (i.e. 5H or D-5H).

Why would the spindle lengths be different at all? Why wouldn't the Italian BB spindle have the bearing shoulders further apart by 2 mm while keeping the 113 mm length? Would the chainline not increase by 1 mm in this case? If so, how should this be accounted for?


texts: I am on a road bike and when I descend quickly going downhill and lean severely into tight turns I almost feel a ringing crunchiness type feeling and it seems like one spoke is receiving more stress than the others.  It only happens when I am turning left as well... Not sure how to explain it further but wondering if anyone could diagnose what is going on from this amount of information.


texts: Is it safe to use aluminium seatpost adapter (27.2mm to 31.6mm) for a carbon frame?

texts:
I have Cane Creek Thudbuster Seastpost (aluminium) 27.2mm x 400mm which i want to use for a bike with a carbon frame (31.6mm seat-tube).

I'm thinking about getting a seatpost adapter/shim from 27.2mm to 31.6mm, but I'm not sure if that's not going to damage the carbon frame. Shim itself is ~80mm in length.

Is it safe to use?


texts: ...why do male cycle commuters outnumber females?

texts:
I haven't been able to find any usable statistics but from my observation of cycle commuters men appear to out-number women by around 10:1

This is in a relatively bike friendly city, at least by North American standards (Vancouver Canada).  In my office, a downtown mixed office building, there are no women commuters.

There are many more women cycling in road clubs at the weekend and lots of women committed to cycling groups and promoting cycling.

Is there any reason why women don't commute by bike and is there anything that can be done to boost the numbers?

(rephrased to make this a more useful question - rather than a friday afternoon thing)


texts:
I got myself a bike with Shimano di2, but I am new electric gearing. I have a problem, that Front derailleur (left shifter) is not working. Clicking any of the buttons on the left shifter, does nothing. There is no sound of gear change attempt, no lights come up on the junction box.

Right shifter (back derailleur) is working fine, I've already done ~100km on my new bike using only gears at the back. If I longer press right shifter, junction box indicates green battery light, so I assume that the battery is fine.

Seller forgot to bring me a charger, so I will not have it for at least couple days more.

I tried checking if any of the cables are unplugged, but:

Cable on the left shifter hoods (under the rubber) seems to be plugged in
3 cables going into junction box under the stem are plugged in

I took a short video that shows what happens when I try to interact with my left shifter, it is hosted on dropbox. Sorry for the mud, it has been raining.


texts: My bicycle is pictured below; you may notice that the front tire is wider than stock, and I'm intending on replacing the rear similarly whenever it needs to go.  The challenge is, I want fenders so I don't have to worry about getting caught in the rain, but there is not enough room between the fork and the front tire.  Do I need to find a creative sheet-metal fabricator, or is there an off-the-shelf option of some sort?


texts: Does anyone make a cleat, or an adapter that would accommodate a cleat, that has a slot for use with old style caged pedals that use toeclips & straps, that fits 2-bolt SPD style cycling shoes?


texts: What are the differences between Tiagra and 105/Ultegra chainrings

texts:
There is quite a big price difference between Tiagra and 105/Ultegra chainrings. Do the more expensive ones last longer? Is there difference between performance? Is the weight only relevant difference?

For what it's worth, all my current components are Tiagra (triple/10).


texts:
I recently acquired a set of wheels that have a 7 speed freehub. the freehub is not long enough to accommodate an 8/9/10 speed cassette.

After reading Sheldon Browns post on 9 of 10 on 7 ..

  Any 7-speed Shimano Hyperglide Freehub will actually work with 8 or 9 sprockets, without any modification! What you need to do is to use 8 of the sprockets from a 9-speed cassette, with the 9-speed spacers -- or 9 of the sprockets from a 10-speed cassette.

I am hoping this means I will be able to take a 10 speed cassette, remove the smallest sprocket and end up with a 9 speed cassette that will fit my 7 speed hub.

I would like to know if this is actually possible, if anyone has done this and knows it works? - and also, with this configuration, will I be able to use an indexed 9 speed shifter + chain and the spacing be okay?


texts: What size frame size will best fit me, 36" inseam

texts: What size road bicycle frame is recommended for someone with a 36" inseam?


texts: Hole cover under bottom bracket: what is it and how do i screw it back in?

texts:
So I got curios what is behind this cover and had a look. Turned the bike upside-down, unscrewed it and took it off. When trying to screw it back in, I realized that there is nowhere for the screw to go into. It kind of holds when I just push it back in, but doesn't leave me with confidence that it won't fall out on the road.

How do I re-attach it? Did I drop something inside that I need to get back out, if so how?
And what is it even for? I can't see the internal cable routing and I only found information about drain holes for water, but that should be the small one and shouldn't need a cover.
Is there a name for it? Did not have any luck with my google-fu.

Bike is a Cube Cross Race C:62 SL Teamline 2019 if that matters.


texts:
I have this bike:

http://www.bikebarn.co.nz/2015-merida-big-nine-20d-white.html

I want to swap out the forks for some rigid forks.

Please tell me what specs I should be looking at to get the right fit.

Thanks!


texts:
I've bought a 25.4 mm bullhorn for my fuji feather 2013, and I tried to install it.Then I've realized that my quill stem is for 26 mm handlebar.
Are there any ways to install 25.4 mm handlebar into 26 mm quill stem?


texts: My square taper crank was partially extracted in accident. What to do?

texts: I was trying to learn how to track stand and I had a strap on my left foot.  I failed miserably and I tilled over then since my foot was in the strap my left crank got pulled out.  What do I do to fix it.


texts:
Recently got my first bike with drop handlebars.
After riding around for a while, I noticed some neck/trap/shoulder strain.
I have tried adjusting the seat height, but I think the next best solution might be increasing handlebar height.
I have been trying to figure out the best ways to test into a good handlebar position that reduces strain:

Turning the handlebars up slightly to bring the hoods closer just rotating them slightly in this direction -

Getting an adjustable stem and using it. So I have seen adjustable stems online - looks like Ritchey makes some of the best ones - are these okay to use on a road bike? I found one that matches my handlebar diameter but I’m not sure if it will fit the steerer head tube (name?) width. Any recommendations on how to get the head tube diameter without pulling stuff apart? I know my Headset Cap is 1 1/4”.

Getting an adjustable stem to find the right angle and then buying a stem at that angle. Is this a waste of money? Am I better off with #2?

Getting a Steerer Tube Extender? I just found out about this and it seems like a monumental task compared to installing an adjustable stem. Is it more trouble than it’s worth?

I’m curious if I’m missing any options here. I’m new to bike maintenance and am curious about cost/complexity/effort. I have most basic tools but would probably need a torque wrench if I’m going to be messing around with parts like the stem, head tube, and handlebars


texts: misaligned wheel - could this cause problems?

texts:
Last summer I was on tour with my Trek 520 when my rear rim cracked.  I found a bike shop, and they rebuilt the wheel with a new rim.

Recently I noticed the wheel was off center relative to the frame by about 1cm.  I did some basic measurements with a string to confirm the frame wasn't bent, and inserting the wheel backwards confirmed it was the wheel.

I brought it to a bike shop and they attempted to redish it.  When I picked it up the guy told me the spokes had to be adjusted unusually tight, and he was only able to correct it by so much (it's still slightly off center, but hardly noticeable).  He guessed the wheel may have been built incorrectly last year (i.e., left spokes on the right side and vice-versa), although I don't see how that's possible since the spokes weren't removed from the hub when it was rebuilt.

My question in all of this is:  Was the bike shop guy talking BS and could the off center wheel or tight spokes cause problems?


texts: What are the dangers of the tyre/inner tube bursting?

texts: Is there a danger if the tyre or the inner tube suddenly burst?


texts: Would silica gel inside my bike frame be effective in preventing corrosion?

texts:
I ride my bike in all weathers, and I'm concerned over the possibility of rust forming inside the frame and going undetected.

I can't easily obtain FrameSaver or the like, so I'm thinking of dropping a packet or two of silica gel desiccant inside the seat tube of my steel-framed bike. I'm concerned that its effect won't last as long, or that it will be rendered ineffective should a small amount of water pool inside my frame after riding in the rain, soaking the gel packet.

Does anybody have any experience with using silica gel packets to prevent corrosion? Does it do a comparable job to corrosion-preventing sprays?


texts: Can I mix brands of chain and missing link

texts: If I stick to the same speed (e.g.  do not mix say 9 speed and 10 speed), can I mix the brand of chain and missing link safely. For instance, can I use a Shimano missing link on a KMC chain, or should I only use KMC links on KMC chains and SRAM links on SRAM chains?


texts: What type of lever of a hydraulic rim brake is this?

texts:
What is the manufacturer and the model of this brake lever of a hydraulic rim brake?

I am puzzled because it's connected to a Magura hydraulic rim brake caliper, and there is a 11 on it - so I always assumed that it is a Magura HS11. By web  search, I could verify that it is actually not the HS 11 - but I couldn't find the real one. (Specification `11' directs reliably to the HS 11...) Does anyone know this type?


texts:
During the Olympics the commentators made a big deal about the need to maintain very specific atmospheric conditions in the velodrome, including having airlocks to enter and exit the building.

They stated that the atmosphere is very warm, and humid.

Why are those precise conditions needed for velodrome events?

My suspicion is the high temperature lowers the air density and thus lowers wind resistance but that's purely a guess.  I've no idea what the humidity levels would do to help, surely that would increase the air density again!

Also, with such high temperatures, is there a danger of athletes overheating?


texts: What should I expect from a GPS logging device?

texts:
During the last years I do a lot of mountain biking tours. To record this tours I currently use my Android phone and a GPS tracker application. I'm happy with it, but the problem is, the battery life is not long enough for whole day trips.

So I thought about buying a real GPS tracker device. I don't want to use navigation or routing but just tracking. So my problem is, I don't really know what are the important technical specifications I should look for.

For example: Is it important how many Gps points a device can store? I read values between 10'000 and 20'000 but how many do I need?

There are lot of similar questions like the kind of GPS module, the method to define the height, etc.

I need the device for my mountain biking tours. This means no cities or things like that, almost all offrode. The duration can vary from 1 hour to the whole day, but I don't think it is a problem if I have to reload in the evening.


texts: What trigger shifters would be compatible with my Nexus-8 internal gear hub?

texts: I've looked at similar questions to this and the only shifter that is brought up is the Shimano Alfine SL-S503 8-speed shifter. Are there any other compatible shifters (preferably trigger-shifters)?


texts: Does riding a cyclo cross bike carry a large aerodynamic penalty when compared to a road bike?

texts:
During club rides I find myself getting dropped by riders with the same weight and power but the main difference is that they are riding road bikes and I am on a cyclo cross bike (with road tyres and wheels).

Is it my position on the cross bike or is it almost impossible to make a sensible decision with out knowing my co efficient of drag area?

The current bike I have is a merida cyclocross 3 with cantilever brakes (pictured).


texts:
I am trying to understand how to use Swain HR to Power equation in my case. Here is a calculator where one can vary the inputs and see the various outputs based based on the equation: http://www.cyclingpowerlab.com/VO2maxPowerRelationship.aspx

Suppose my 20min HR is 183bpm and 20min Power is 280W. If I select an efficiency of 22% and set VO2Max to 4300ml the HR and Power align, 183bpm vs 280W, also another point on the graph is aligned for me and that is 171bpm with 250W.

Is this the right way to use equation or I should have data from a 1h test?

Thanks.


texts: Can the iBert safe-T-seat be safely mounted behind the seat post?

texts:
I have the iBert front-mounting child seat. I've used it previously attached to my street bike as in the below image, but between the straight bars and the shifter triggers, I had to mount it so low that my knees knocked against it while riding, which is a non-starter.

I recently acquired a long-tail cargo bike with cruiser-style handlebars, which I intended to use with the iBert seat. Unfortunately, the stem is fixed-height and does not have the 3/4" straight length between the frame and handlebars required for the T-bar mounting post (see the maker's website).

However, the seat post is adjustable, so I thought I might be able to simply mount this seat in the rear instead. Most child seats are rear-mounted, the seat post seems as durable as the stem, and in this configuration the seat won't be moving side-to-side as it does when attached to the stem.

I can't find anywhere on the maker's website that this is explicitly prohibited or warned against. I have emailed them, but the response I received was that they have been purchased by another company and "appreciate your patience" while they go through that process - no response with respect to the mounting locations. I also don't see anything online that addresses whether it's a reasonable "hack" to mount the seat this way. The mounting bar is a simple assembly with two bolts that I'm sure I'll be able to physically attach to the seat post, high enough to clear the rear rack. What I'm not sure of is:

Is this likely to damage the bicycle?
Is there reason to think this would be unsafe for my passenger?

I am also not sure if the legs of the seat will interfere with the rider in front; assuming it's safe enough for the passenger and the bike, I can test that out on my own.

The bike is equipped with a sturdy double-leg kickstand, such that both tires are in contact with level ground when the kickstand is deployed and the bike is stable for loading/unloading.


texts:
So I don't have a clue about bicycles. I wanted to replace the tires on my bike but couldn't figure out the size. So I went to a local bike shop where they showed me tires that would fit my bike. They gave me an estimate, I left my bike with them and went on my merry way. I called on the day they said that they would start the work just to make sure that everything was cool. They said that everything was fine and told me it would be finished the next week. When I came to pick it up they increased the cost by adding these implements. They did this to get enough relief on the brake cable so as to install the new over-sized tire. Is it in the bike shop culture to do this kind of thing without fist contacting the customer. Now, in the future when I plan to replace the tire with the original size I am afraid I will need to learn the skill of brake cable installation and need to pay for more parts/cables. Please see the attached photos.

Any help would be much appreciated. Also, I told him that I didn't have a clue about bikes, period.


texts: Is losing power when pulling Shimano GRX lever a bleed problem?

texts:
Recently I had an accident on my bike, and my front brake 11-speed,  front brake GRX 600 shifter isn’t braking well anymore.
The shifter took a bit of damage in the fall. Initially it didn’t shift, and I had to bend the edge of the lever arm (under the “X” of the GRX logo) outwards to stop it fouling on the inner shift lever. Shifting is fine now , but there are problems with the hydraulic brake.

The brake seemed fine. Pulling the lever it feels firm and brakes confidently. The problem is that the brake power fades and the longer you pull the lever the more it pulls in to the handlebar. Over a fairly short descent the lever can be pulled past the bar and the pads aren’t pressing on the disc anymore. Releasing the lever and squeezing again gives another firm/confident brake, which then eases off again.
My first thought was that this is a bleeding issue, so I picked up a bleed kit and gave it a go. This didn’t solve the problem, so I went through the bleed process again, to no avail.
There’s a good chance I’ve just failed to bleed it correctly. The handlebars are ridiculously aggressive gravel bars, so rotating the shifter to the correct position to “burp” it was a challenge. Also, I noticed a few tiny bubbles in the syringe of mineral oil (it was new).
Do the symptoms above sound like a bleed issue, or something else? All the advice I’ve found on the internet about air in the system and bleeding seems to suggest braking will be spongy but “pump up”. That’s not what I’m experiencing.
It’s seems impossible to get hold of Shimano GRX components at the moment, so I’m really keen to fix this even if it just holds me over until it can be replaced.


texts:
I just got my ever first road bike, Revenio 3.0. I'm so excited. Already got my ever first road bike injury as well - those damn cleats are hard to unclip, springs on those shiny new pedals are too tight.

Anyway, I've noticed that when both rear and front shifters are on their lowest gears (rear - all the way to the right, front - all the way to the left), the chain brushes right side of front derailleur and makes that 'whoosh' sound. That's not right, isn't it? I'm thinking if it's something very easy to adjust, and I can do it myself, or better to take it back to the store?

Also, can you guys tell me about common problems of bikes of this series or Raleigh road bikes in general that better to know?


texts: Using a 9 speed cassette with a 11 speed shifter

texts:
I've just bought a turbo trainer and I'm looking to buy a new cassette/wheel/tyre to use to save the ones currently on the bike and make it easier to change between my bike and my girlfriend's bike too (easier than changing the tyre all the time).

I have a 105, 11 speed set up - will this work with a 9 speed cassette on the turbo trainer wheel?

thanks


texts: What do I need to make this new fork aesthetically pleasing?

texts:
I needed to replace my broken Bontrager Satellite Plus carbon/aluminum fork on my '05 Trek 1000. I chose this Q2 carbon/ aluminum fork

as a replacement because the few Satellite Plus forks I was able to find online had their steerers cut too short or were unacceptably marred for the asking price.

The unforeseen problem with this Q2 fork is that the crown seat is larger by 5 mm than the current lower headset, an Aheadset semi integrated, and therefore sticks out ridiculously past the the circumference of the lower head tube. See photo. What can be done to better mesh the new fork's crown to the head tube of the Trek?

I've been reviewing headsets and the SHIS system but I can't seem to hook up what is needed here.  Will a "conversion " crown race work? What exactly (in SHIS nomenclature) do I need if replacing the entire lower headset is the best option?  Lastly, is the crown seat diameter commonly expressed --perhaps termed something different--in the sales information of a bicycle fork? This was quite the oversight on my part having paid particular attention to steerer length, axle to crown, and the rake figures when choosing from the pool of 700c, rigid road forks.

According to Sheldon Brown, the crown seat can be milled down to proper size.  However, I could never get comfortable with the idea of tearing into that beautiful clear coat, let alone riding on a reshaped fork, so this is not an option here.

Some numbers (in the "for what it's worth" column). All are millimeters.

46.6 new fork's crown race seat diameter.
41 old fork c.r.s.
42 OD lower headtube.
37.6 OD Current  crown race  (a 30 ID) taken off the old fork.

Looking down the head tube with the new fork slipped in. Crown race not installed but current race would have no coverage beyond the current lower headset].


texts: Why does my bicycle steer funny and feel unstable when I have a heavy load in my Bob Yak trailer?

texts:
I have an Electra Townie 7D Tall which I use to pull my Bob Yak trailer. If I have say 30 lbs (16 kg) in it, my steering will be shaky and not feel very stable, especially at slow speeds.
Why and what can I do about it? I have used the trailer on other bikes with the same sensation.


texts: Do cyclocross/interrupter/touring brake levers reduce brake performance?

texts:
I have bullhorn bars, with a Tektro cyclocross lever and a TT style bar end lever as well, operating rim brakes. The calipers are Tektro dual pivot. The pads are cartridge style pads (I don't have the exact make and model with me right now).

This is the closest photo to my setup I could find. I have bullhorn bars rather than drop bars, but it shows the way the cyclo levers interact with the bar end levers.

I've been having trouble with braking performance, particularly in the wet. The levers don't bottom out (as I'm careful to keep them adjusted), but even squeezing very hard the bike doesn't pull up very quickly. I should also mention that I've tried removing each lever and haven't noticed any difference (although it can be hard to compare different days and different conditions).

I've had 3 different bike shops tell me that the problem is having both brake levers. They claim that it introduces too much flex into the system and braking power is reduced. I was very skeptical until all 3 people told me the same story independently.

This doesn't make sense to me. The cable is not interrupted and using either lever doesn't seem to compromise the brake line in any way. When you use the bar end lever, the interrupter is closed and I can't see any flex in the lever. When using the interrupter lever I don't see how the bar end lever can be causing any flex either.

Can anyone explain how having both levers would compromise performance?


texts:
My wife recently upgraded her pedals to LOOK carbon and we were very nicely walked through all the different types of pedals from $100-$400.

I was amazed to see how hard it was to spin the cheap pedals (Is $100 cheap?)

She settled on the $250 version.

My question: Will it really made a difference for pedaling or are the more expensive pedals just lighter and smoother? I am thinking that the $100-150 would have been fine. The friction created by the cheap pedals can't be that much where it actually encumbers your riding?


texts:
Next year i would like to commute by bicycle. I need to buy a new bike, but i don't know if to buy a roadbike or a cyclocross bike.
I live in a more rural area where not every road is tarred perfectly and there are several "gravel highways", expecially on the shortest distance to my workplace (about 20 km). Now there are several solutions:

Buy a roadbike and stay on the roads, where the distance is significantly longer (about 25 km).

OR

buy a cyclocross bike and ride on each kind of street.

Personally the problem is not the distance, but the time i need to commute, especially in the mornings.
So, is a roadbike that much faster than a cyclocross bike so that it's worthwhile to take a longer distance to commute and be even faster?


texts: What are the differences in mountain bike hubs (With wheelset recommendation)?

texts:
I'm possibly getting a disc brake, 2013 Specialized Camber 29er without the wheelset. I was looking on wheelbuilder to see how much a wheelset might be (to save weight over factory replacement), and I'm a little confused by the different types of hubs available. They have ISO, center pull, straight pull center lock, and then various different brand versions.

I will be doing a lot of trail riding, with some racing (Barnburner 104, Whisky 50), so enduro/cross country/marathon, primarily more towards the marathon side. I'm not big into downhill and extreme technical.

What type of wheelset should I be looking at, and how does that affect the hub that I choose?


texts: Can I add a gear to my Tourney 14-34T freewheel

texts:
tl;dr
Is there a way to easily add a smaller chainring to a tourney 7 speed 14-34 freewheel without replacing the hub/wheel

Details:
I have a 13" Fuji Women's Adventure 3.0. I've been shopping for a road bike; however, at my short stature (4'8"), options are limited to none. I did find one (Specialized Sirrus Sport step-through) all others were too tall for me to stand over.... but the Sirrus doesn't have the drop handlebars I want, and I don't want to spend that much on a bike and still have to make changes.

The 13" Fuji, although more of a MTB, is the perfect size for me. I'm in the process of adding dropbars and upgrading the appropriate components for compatibility purposes - Shimano Claris 8 x 3 shifters/front derailleur and avid shorty canti brakes. However, it currently has a Tourney 7 speed 14-34T freewheel. Adding the 8 speed shifter opens up the idea of upgrading to 8 speeds, but I'm wondering if there's a way to add something smaller to the existing freehweel - like 11t or smaller - short of upgrading to a freehub and cassette.


texts:
How do I adjust the rear gears of a bike that will not change to higher gears?
It is stuck in lower two or three gears.


texts: Does spin class prepare you for a long bike ride?

texts: I need to train for an upcoming bike ride and i wanted to see if attending a spin class 1-2 times a week (45 min course) would be appropriate way to prepare for a long bike ride (50 - 75 miles)


texts: Help a new biker with bad fitness to become a bike commuter

texts:
I am interested in biking [and always has been] and I want to start biking lot more for fun. It's been long time since I biked when I was in high school and I lost touch. At this point of time, my fitness is terrible and please don't ask about my stamina. I want to fix that by biking to my office which is close to 8 miles from my home. That's a long distance for me to start covering from the day one so I am planning to take it in phases. First, I want to start biking to nearest public transit [a mile] and keep increasing from there. I need some guidance so that I don't cause more trouble than good to myself.

What is a reasonably priced bike that I can buy [first/second hand] that can make it easy for me to bike? I want to be able to bike on that in trails or parks as well so I am thinking of a mountain bike.
How much distance should I start biking on day one and how fast should I increase that distance so that I can bike to my office without using any public transit?
What sort of care should be taken to ride in cold weather [-1 C] and during night time?
What other suggestions would you like to give a new biker?

Thanks for taking time to read and respond!


texts:
I've acquired a Raleigh Suntour (circa 1990s) frame which I am re-fitting. I need to refit the headset and so I need to know the dimensions of the steerer column. The frame had a threaded stem.

I've measured the external diameter as about 22-23mm (so about 85-86% of an inch). I measured it by applying measuring calipers to the outside of the steerer column i.e not the cups for the ball bearings.

I've looked at various websites (such as Parktool) about standard threaded headset sizes and they say they range from one inch to one and a quarter. So even the smallest standard is quite a bit larger than my measurement.

I've checked my measurement several times and I'm sure it is about right. Do I have a steerer with an obsolete measurement or have I made some silly mistake.

Thanks in advance

Chris


texts: Damaged Carbon Steerer Tube, repair/replacement?

texts:
I cracked the top of my 2007 Schwinn 1 1/8 fork black label steerer tube.
What kinds of repair are available? Should I just buy a new name-brand carbon fork, e.g., Canondale, GT, Trek on ebay?


texts: Can anyone help me identify this touring bike?

texts: I found this LL Bean Touring Bike on Facebook marketplace, the price looks pretty good and the owner said it was around 15 years old. I know that at some point, but not very recently, LL Bean Bikes were made by canondale. Can anyone give me any information on this bike?


texts:
I don't ride particularly fancy bikes, but I do ride in New York City, so I'm interested in securing the components on my bikes without using a ton of locks. Most security bolts products cost a bunch of money, though.

Anyone know of affordable sources for security button-head or socket-head M5 and M6 bolts, or M10x1mm nuts, especially in stainless steel? McMaster-Carr only has them in English thread.


texts: Why is one screw in V-brake a lot tighter?

texts:
I noticed that whenever tuning my V-brakes, I always have to tighten one of the screws a lot more than the one on the other side. I was wondering why this is the case. Of course this means the spring on one side is working a lot more than the other one. This difference seems to get larger very slowly.

I even bought a used bike a few years ago and the brakes were so bad I actually had to use holes in different positions to install the V-brakes (one in the middle, one in the bottom). Worked well enough, though...

So is there anything I am doing wrong when tuning the brakes? Is there a problem if I change one of the screws by a longer one if necessary?

I usually leave one screw untightened and just tighten the other one as necessary, to minimize tension.


texts: Rattling of a Shimano Nexave roller brake

texts:
In a suspended fork I use a Shimano Nexave BR-IM75-F roller brake and the cooling disc of the brake is not tighly fixed on the hub and it was like that since I got the roller-brake installed. I'm not sure whether this is "by design" or a fault. Opening the brrake side of the hub didn'r reveal nay way to make the fit tigher.

Anyway, It works fine for stoppping, but when I go over rough terrain the disc seems to rattles a lot, which creates quite a bit of noise. - Not nice!

Any idea what I can do?

Here is a picture of the Brake (I hope it helps understanding the situation!):


texts: New derailleur - shifts up smoothly, or down - but not both

texts:
I've just replaced the rear derailleur and cassette on my bike. I have Shimano Tiagra 9 speed shifters. The cassette is now a 9 speed 11-32 and the derailleur a Sora RD-R3000-GS.

I've set the limits on the derailleur, but I can't get the indexing right. Either, it shifts perfectly going up but won't then drop from the 32 to the 28 ring. Or, it shifts perfectly going down, but won't then rise from the 11 to the 14 ring. I've made as small an adjustment as possible, and yet there doesn't seem to be a happy middle ground.

I've also cleaned the cable / applied bike oil and the mounting point is not bent (following the advice in Why does my rear derailleur's indexing work for either the high or the low gears, but not both?)

What am I missing?

Thanks!


texts: How bike computer wheel circumference change affects speed

texts: I have a cateye stealth evo+ bike computer and have been using the standard 700/25 wheel circumference that is listed in the instruction manual "2096". The value has been changed to 2143 using the rotating wheel method(stem to stem) while on the bicycle. The  wheelset and tires are the same. Will this increase or decrease my actual and average speed.


texts:
I really need your suggestions.
The situation is bellow: I have bought brand new one "Specialized Rockhopper Sport 29" 2017 satin navy-hyper" in a official dealer of Specialized.

When i arrived at home, just for interest rotated bicycle and checked the spinning... during the spinning i noticed that pedal and cassette was shaking - confused, went back to shop and asked them for change but they told me that this is totally normal and there is no bicycle without this.

Maybe it is a hub problem and thats why it shakes.

Still wondering, need your advice, should i take care about it or it is normal?

Here is the video:

Youtube:

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/236250012

Please consider the fact, even when i touch to cassette it is obvious that it shaking really.

Thanks a lot.
Look forward to hearing from you people.


texts:
I'm looking at a bike for sale on Likessale. It seems way too good to be true, based on a Google search for prices for the same bike. Has anyone bought a bike here or can verify whether or not this is a scam?

I looked up likessale.com on WHOIS, and it appeared to be registered only a week ago. It seems fishy that there are reviews from before that.


texts: Hill climb Time Trial pacing strategy for short steep hills?

texts:
There are several hill climb events in my area towards the end of the year, from august onward. Most of the hills are no longer than 0.8km long and well above an average 6% gradient. The main ones I will be targeting are three climbs ranging from:
 0.7km, average gradient of 7% (and a max of 14%), personal best is: 2:25

 0.5km, average gradient of 10% (and a max of 13.5%), personal best is: 1:51

and finally the local leg breaker (its hardly Colombia where I live I know):
 0.8km climb with and average of 13% (and a max of 15%), personal best is: 4:44

If I am warmed up correctly could I race each of these time trials in my respective power ranges of

1 minute (434W)

2 minute (374W)

3 minute (346W)

4 minute (340W)

5 minute (336W)
or would I stick to my ftp (220W) for the duration of the climb?

Sticking to functional threshold power is my current strategy but found it hard going just because of the steepness of the climbs.


texts: Do I need to protect my leather saddle from the sun?

texts:
Most questions about leather saddles seem to be about keeping them dry, but what about too dry?
I just bought a new bike with a Brooks B-17. I've applied proofide and I will be getting a cover to protect it from the rain (it's stored outside unfortunately). However, currently it's extremely hot and sunny where I live. Should I be getting a cover more urgently to protect the saddle from hot sun?


texts: How can one maintain cycling fitness as one ages?

texts:
As I approach my mid-50's, I'm looking forward to a few more decades of cycling if all goes well. How can one avoid and/or mitigate age related issues in order to maintain cycling fitness?

I've thought a lot about this and already engage in several practices. I'm sure that I can always learn more.


texts:
I've got a big old "ding dong" bell which has got a metal bracket and a screw for affixing it to the bike rather than the more modern "clamp"-style attachment:

How does one attach this properly to the bike?-- The screw isn't long enough to meet the "washer" (not sure what it's exactly called) which lies against the handlebar inside the U-shaped bracket, so when the screw is tightened, the bracket is still loose and the washer of course falls out since it doesn't have anything holding it in place.


texts: If I use an 8 speed bar end shifter with the TT bar on my Allez, will I need to change any other parts of the drive chain?

texts: My current bicycle is a 2013 Specialized Allez C2. It has an 8 speed rear cassette. I'd like to put in a TT handlebar. It's a given that I'll have to change the brake levers, as well as the shifters and associated cables. Now, I spoke with a repair guy at Cynergy Cycles, and he said that there are no 8 speed front end bar shifters, so pretty much the whole drive chain would have to be replaced… I looked it up and found only one: a Shimano Ultegra SL-BS64 Shifter. Would that pretty much do the job? or would anything else need to be changed as well?


texts: Is there difference in quality for disc brake rotors?

texts:
I am on the hunt for new rotors for my mechanical disc brakes, as the old are too twisted now and the brakes can't be adjusted without the disc rubbing the pads.

What is the difference between the cheapest possible rotors and several times more expensive "series and branded" ones?


texts: Are all chainring compatible with all chain?

texts:
I want to change my drivetrain on my bike and i found everything except the chainring. So I was wondering if I could choose any chainring.
Thank for yours response.


texts: installing a 700-18-23C tube on a bicycle

texts: When installing a 700-18/23C tube, does the nut on the valve stem go inside the tire (unseen once the tire is on the wheel rim) or outside the rim (so it is seen among the spokes)?


texts: Are saddles supposed to bow inwards when sat upon?

texts:
One common theme I've noticed among saddles is that when I sit on them, they bow inwards at the middle where there's no support from the rails.

In order to compensate for this, I find myself tilting my saddle back a bit farther than I'd like it to be, so that my weight stays on the sit-bones. If I don't tilt the saddle back, I end up sliding forwards.

I once had a really horrible BSO saddle that suffered heavily from this effect. When I sat on it, it basically became a banana. I ended up jamming a block of wood between the rails and the bottom of the seat, and it fixed the issue. I've since upgraded to a better saddle (Velo), but it still does a bit of this.

Is this supposed to happen?

Edit:

I ended up solving this buy moving my saddle back. It kept me from sliding forwards and allowed me to nose the saddle down to level.


texts: Why are my quill pedal cages "wobbling"?

texts: The plates and connectors on my old quill pedals "move around" in relation to the pedal axle itself: In the photo below, I'm pushing the pedals to opposite sides to show how the pedal cage "distorts". The fact that the plates and these connectors are loose in this way causes them to "wobble" while riding, which means not only that the pedals move around a little bit while riding but— more importantly— they make horribly annoying metallic rattling/squeaking sounds when riding.


texts: How to protect bike frame mounted on the carrying rack?

texts: The ropes I fix the bike with on the rack and the rack itself (although covered with a plastic layer (an old inner tube) make marks on the frame. I would like to avoid using extra pads, sponges or foams that always gather dust and dirt or fall off the correct place. Is there any special trusty method?


texts:
The specifics:

Have an older Litespeed Vortex (2005) frame.  I think back in these days the super skinny 20mm tires were in vogue.  Anyways it seems like the frame might be super optimized towards these skinnier sizes?  I put 25mm tires on and now when I'm out of the saddle on the downstroke I can hear an ever so faint rub for a second.

How dangerous is this situation - can I try tightening the quick release on the back wheel down super tight - or possibly something else?

Thanks :D


texts: My rear disk brake doesn't lock in place. Don't know whether hydraulic or mechanical

texts:
My rear brake does not work (disc brake) MTB for anything.  It does not skid or even stop for that (brand new) What should I do?

I went to my local bike shop in India and he told me that disc brakes (rear) don't work well because the wire goes all the way to the back of the bike and gets twisted in the process.

I am 13 so I don't know much about disc brakes.  How can I make it lock easily?  How do I check whether mechanical/hydraulic?


texts:
I've been searching through craigslist for a road bike, and I ran across a decent-looking Raleigh Supercourse that's the right size and price ($300). However, neither I nor the current owner have any idea what year/model it is. Could you guys help me identify it?

The specs (that I know of) are:
Shifters: Shimano RX100
Rear Derailleur: Shimano 105
Front Derailleur: Exage 500LX


texts: Can someone help me identify this bike frame?

texts:
I just scored this bike out of a storage unit auction. I've seen very similar frames like it before. I own a Transition Sentinel myself and my guess is that this is a Transition Scout but it has a few differences in the suspension and other subtle differences through out.Can someone help me?? The storage was kinda shady and full of alot of questionable items but totally worth the $100. This was just 1 of a few bikes from this unit. The frame is sanded down and any trace or brand names or serial numbers are grinded or sanded away. If I could get it back to the owner I would but I've spent days now trying to identify this bike accurately.
It's a GX build most likely. A TRANSITION Bike. ROCKSHOX suspension AND shocks. SRAM components. A GIANT saddle. The frame definitely looks like a Scout but the year is very important. I've compared it to all the years from 2015 to 2020 and still no exact matches. Any Transition experts or someone with a better theory or guess?


texts: Graber bike rack installation on Honda Accord

texts:
I have Graber 2 bike rack.
While installing I noted top narrow side of Graber arm rest on top of the trunk and bottom wide arm rest on rear bumper.

How safe it is to carry bikes like this ?
If Bumper strong enough to hold 2 bike weight ?
Note that car is 17 years old.

Thank you,
V


texts: can someone identify the year this bike was built?

texts: The serial # is D6 9704 75M01 it is a trail 5. At least the decals on the bike say trail five. Thank you


texts: Hydraulic Disk brake piston not fully retracting

texts:
My front disk brake's piston doesn't fully retract.  While I can ride the bike, the brake is slightly rubbing.  (IE, if I just spin the wheel with my hand, it'll go around about one and a half times and then stop.) It's definitely slowing me down.

If this fixable?

The advice I got was that it's not worth the trouble and to buy a replacement set.  The current brakes are Avid Juicy 7s that are about 7 years old


texts: Can you brake and operate gears at the same time with MTB Dual Control levers?

texts:
The videos I saw so far show that with the same lever you can brake or change gears. OK.

But can you do it in the same time? For example you downshifting, lever is pressed down, can you start braking (pulling lever) without letting it go up?

Or in reverse, you are braking, you pulled lever already, can you also push it down without releasing the pull (braking)?

I have in mind MTB DC levers.


texts: Replace jockey on old XT RD-M750 or change out to RD-572?

texts:
I picked up a 2006 3x9 dual suspension MTB with XT RD-M750 rear derailleur and SLX Mega 9 shifters.  The RD has a cracked ceramic jockey wheel.
I'm converting to a 1x9 with 28T chainring (for smaller kid) and keeping the old Shimano 11x34T cassette.  Would this new setup get smoother shifting with:

Replacing the the jockey wheel on old RD-M750 or
Replace RD-M750 with RD-592 Shadow SGS?

Thank you for the feedback. The derailleur is still functional and I didn’t notice side to side movement.
The bike is a fixer upper for a growing kid who will likely outgrow it in 2-3 years. I’m on a tighter budget and opting to get new jockey wheels and some tuning on the derailleur. Then swapping out the 175mm crank that’s way to big for a 4’9 kid. Hope it works well enough to keep him interested in riding.


texts: Is it ok to use an inner tube that is slightly too large for the tire?

texts: My hybrid bike tire measurement says 700x35c. I ordered a replacement inner tube stating it was 700x35-40c but when it arrived it is actually 700x38-45c. Could I still use this or will it cause a problem, e.g. with my brakes?


texts: Fork bent on a flat pack bike - what to do?

texts: I recently made a big mistake and bought a 27.5 Orkan 21 spd. MB. The box was beat up and the front forks where so bent and I couldn't put the front wheel on. Amazon gave me a full refund and didn't even want the bike back lol. Should I trash it or buy a new forkset?. P.S. put out real money and bought a real bike.


texts: Help Identifying This Custom Sprayed Specialized...?

texts:
Can anyone from the pictures identify this specilized frame? Im assuming its a Specialized FSR of some description as its been re-stickered at some point? Serial number has been sprayed over so cant really tell. Any help is appreciated.

Regards
Luke


texts: How many chains before the cassette is replaced?

texts: If you change your chain at recommended interval (using wear indicator), how many chains should you get through before the cassette is replaced?


texts: Can I switch 44 teeth Chainring to 50 teeth


texts: What kind of upgrades to a BMC AC02 hybrid?

texts:
I bought a hybrid bike about one month ago. It's a BMC Alpenchallenge AC02 Tiagra. Have been having a blast on it to the point of considering to eventually get into road bikes

Full Specs can be seen here:
http://www.bmc-switzerland.com/int-en/bikes/lifestyle/mountainroad-alpenchallenge-ac02-tiagra/

Chainwheel:
Shimano Tiagra, 50-39-30T

Cassette:
Shimano Tiagra, 11-34

Tyres:
Continental Sport Contact II, 35mm

Rims:
DT SWISS R522D

So the question is, if you were to do some upgrades what would you get?

I plan to get a road bike in 1.5-2 years time. In the mean time I'd like to use this one to train (likely uphilly stuff like http://www.cycling-challenge.com/col-de-la-faucille - over 1000m altitude). In terms of improving performance/handling/speed what kind of sensible upgrades can be done for a budgeted $500 tops?

Thanks in advance, would much appreciate your inputs!


texts: How do Traffic Lights Notice Bicyclists?

texts:
This totally unrelated reply raised my question about traffic lights.

I am starting to think that my chinese head lamp is a magical instrument, every time I go near traffic lights they turn green. It is hilarious to drive in heavy-traffic and just that you get green lights! Perhaps just a placebo feeling so I want to know how your traffic lights behave to you when you are driving within other traffic? How do they notice you with/without lights?

Well, I need to explain how it works. I have head lamp with blinking white light and particularly when it is very dark, the traffic lights are clearly programmed somehow to detect the intensity variation of lights and then turn green. I have heard that emergency cars show some kind of special light to turn lights green for them. But I suspect whether the head-lamp contains some special light, it was the cheapest model I found from eBay.


texts: How to clean sticky brake dust from carbon fiber fork?

texts:
After having wiped by Specialized Langster 2017 carbon fiber fork with a water soaked cloth, there's still some sticky brake dust left. How do I remove that without harming the carbon fiber or the matte paint?

Can I use benzine (rensebenzin in Danish)?


texts: Recently had my Tifosi bike stolen so need to buy a new bike and preferably want cyclocross. I am considering buying the cheap Carrera Crixus and modifying it, but what upgrades would be recommended on it?Or, does anyone know of any other cheap cx bikes that are worth modifiying, or just to be bought new for around 400? Appreciate any help


texts: New wheels for my Specialized Allez Expert Z2

texts:
I want to upgrade my bike (Specialized Allez Expert Z2) with a new set of wheels because I think that those are the weak spot of the bike. Currently, it's equiped with DT Swiss Axis 2.0 wheels (I attached a picture of the bike where you can see the wheels too). Sadly, there is not a lot of information regarding this wheels available because I think they are a special version for Specialized bikes. Firstly, I want to aks with how much € I'd have to calculate to actually feel a difference between the Axis 2.0 and a new set of wheels? Would € 600 - € 800 be enough? If yes, which wheels would you recommend in this price range? The terrain I usually bike is flat to hilly but (currently) I'm not really biking in big mountains.
When I was searching the internet for the currently mounted wheels (DT Swiss Axis 2.0) I found the following data:
Front wheel: 831g - 880g
Rear wheel: 1036g - 1174g


texts:
I have bough a 2nd handed road bike recently. The seller said that the pedal could work as both platform pedal and clipless pedal.

Is it true? If yes, which system of clipless shoes can it work with?


texts: Why does the manual for the inner tube say the maximum pressure is 4.5 PSI?

texts:
I recently picked up a pair of Schwalbe Aerothan inner tubes which are made of plastic and very lightweight.  The manual for these tubes indicates that the user should not inflate past 4.5 PSI. Quote:

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE
[...]
Always use a suitable rim tape.
Inflate Aerothan Tube before assembly. Max. 0.3 bar/4.5 PSI. Inflating
to a high air pressure when not mounted may cause deformation and
damage to the tube.
Note: Aerothan Tube should not wrinkle.

My question is, how can this be possible?  Surely I need to be able to pump the inner tube at least up to the tire recommended pressure, which is 90-120 PSI.
Am I missing something important here?  I understand from other posts like Does the inner tube affect the maximum PSI? that inner tube pressure should not matter, but surely if the manufacturer warns not to go above 4.5 PSI, there must be something I am missing?


texts: Can I add a triple crank to my old signet centurion road bike?

texts: I have an old signet centurion 12 speed road bike. The bike is in very good shape.  I'm older now and want to start riding again without buying a new bike.   I would like to add lower gears to deal with the hills around me.  It current has a 170mm 52/42 custom (brand name) crankset.  Can I easily add a triple crankset to this bike to get the gearing I want?  Does the front derailleur also need to be changed?


texts: How to store tires in dry California summer

texts:
I found an excellent deal on some tires so I bought a few. I probably won't need them for a couple of years. In Southern California the winters won't drop below 30°F but I'm more concerned about how to store my tires during the summer. I do have a garage but I think during the summer it can heat up to high 90-degree temps in there.  Also, should I keep them wrapped up in anything?

I've read that people keep them uder their bed. Climate is probably 65°–80° average in my room and no sunlight gets in under the bed. Thoughts on that location?


texts:
Good Evening All,

Whilst I used to ride a bike on a regular basis around 15 years ago, I have no real knowledge of bikes.

I recently completed a Wiggle Ride, that my friends signed me up for, in Calais (50 miles) - half on a Giant hybrid heavy bike and half on a loaned carbon road bike (I still have pain thinking about that ride!)

That ride in Calais has prompted me to:
1. Buy a new lightweight bike.
2. Commute to work on a bike.
3. Get back out in the weekends and go on some on and some off road adventures.

Based on the three points above, I have been told a cyclocross or a road bike adventure would be the best fit.

I hope to purchase the bike via my cycle to work scheme and therefore have up to 1k to use from this scheme but I am happy to pay upfront an additional £500, taking the full cost to £1500.

A few friends, that are far more knowledgeable than I am, said the following brands are the main ones I should be looking for:

Giant
Specialized
Canondale

What would you all recommend in terms of make, model, group and type of bike?

Thanks in advance for your time and help :)


texts: Are bikes more prone to punctures after a spell of rainfall/flooding?

texts:
We've had an unusually wet winter and flooding has been a problem in my area. Now that the weather has improved and cycling is possible/pleasurable again I'm finding I'm getting many more punctures than I would normally. The kids too, on their bikes.

Is this just a run of bad luck or is there a connection with the wet winter? Has the flooding washed more debris onto the road? Perhaps this is a well known problem but I haven't noticed it before.


texts: Getting the correct road bike size, moving from MTB

texts:
Currently I have a Large Stumpjumper 2021 29er.
The size was advised by the shop I purchased it from. It was OK at first but I ended up having a bike fit to adjust a few things (slightly longer stem and get the saddle height/position dialed in) which helped a lot.
I am now looking at getting a Canyon CF 7.0.
The fitter is advising me to get a Large (based on measurements below),
however Canyon are advising to go with a medium.
My height is close to 180cm and 80cm inside seam.
Its not that I don't agree the fitter might be correct, it's just Canyon say the bike would be bike and I am not sure the best course of action or the differences I would feel going from the MTB to either sized road bike.
As its direct to consumer I am wary about purchasing a bike too large.
I've tried to look at the Geometry comparison on 99spokes.com / geometrygeeks.bike and while I can see the size differences I am not too sure what it would mean in real terms.
Fitter provided these measurements:

I do realize the main advice I'll get here is

I should discuss further with the fitter (I 100% will, just not
available at the moment)
Get a bike that I can test ride. (Wasn't possible with Canyon and no local stock of similar bikes or alternatives to try)

But I wanted to ask here if anyone's had any similar experiences with MTB to road or Larger bike than manufacturers suggested.
Or any general thoughts on it.


texts:
Why specifically would shifting between chainrings of one speed type with a chain of another cause problems?

As I understand it, all 3/32 inch chains have that as their interior width; the variance in chain speeds comes from their external width. Meaning I can put this 8 speed crankset on the 11 speed bike I forgot to get a crankset for, right?

According to this forum post I will run into problems if I try to shift between the chainrings...

is that just because of the difference in distance travelled by the different speeded front derailleurs? Meaning that if i used an 8 speed front derailleur I'd not have trouble


texts:
Can anyone identify this Raleigh bike?
And whether it's worth buying for $175?


texts:
I have a Giant E-Bike and I've just noticed that it makes a clicking sound when it is stopped, the front brake is applied and it's being pushed/pulled with the handlebars.
I've removed the brake calipers to check movement in the pads but this does not appear to be the problem.


texts: Are there very deep (>40mm) rims with at least 32 spoke holes?

texts:
I've been looking some days for different wheel options and it looks like it is really hard to find rims that fulfill the following:

Deep rims (40mm or more)
At least 32-36 spokes
Durable (reliable for touring)
Reasonably priced (range 400-600€ both)
Don´t have to be ultralight but not much more than 1kg.

I really like riding with deep rims but I found only pre-built wheels in the following two categories:

Entry level: Wheels have the aero form just for aesthetics and usually are pretty bad, low number of spokes, crap hubs... Around 100-300€ per set.
Really expensive wheels of carbon fiber starting at around 1000€ per set.

Why is not there something in between? Is not there enough interest for such wheels? I think I have just seen 2 o 3 models which could fit and one of them is hard to get from Europe.


texts:
After a serious crash that left my right hand with plates and pins installed, can anyone suggest a grippy pad for my rear XT disk brake? My hand strength is about 30% of normal.
Thank you.
David


texts:
Are there any "classic", highly regarded, or even little known gem climbs around Lausanne - within range of Lausanne, maybe maximum 60-80 km out so it could be ridden in a day with Lausanne as a base, ideally closer to Lausanne the better!

I'm not sure if this is off-topic, for me this is a cycling question and the help pages gave no guidance on this sort of question and similar questions appear to have been asked previously... List of UK hill climbs.


texts:
I have thought about few questions to ask to the shop keeper before buying a bike.
But would like to know from you experts, a complete set of questions like warranty period? Number of free services offered after sales?...etc.


texts: Turbo trainer compared to road / air resistence - Magneto Classic

texts:
For reasons I won't bore you with I have been confined to the garage for my training for the last six-seven months.

I have been using my road bike on a Cycleops magnetto classic (see: Here)

What I was wondering is if anyone had a feel for like for like gear resistivness compared to the road and air.

i.e. in the same gear this trainer is like riding on flat, 2% uphill, 1% downhill etc

I know its a pretty theoretical topic, I am just training for a centuary and will only have a few months road time before hand so trying to guage where I am.

Thanks


texts: How can I warm up/cook food while cycling?

texts:
I've been doing lots of long-distance cycling this year (150+ kilometers). With that much riding, there's obviously a need for some sustenance, and I'd rather not stop just to eat.

The protein/carb bars have been getting incredibly boring... especially for my second meal on the road, so I've been experimenting with different foods like sandwiches and soups in a thermos. That's worked just fine, but it got me thinking... is there any system that I could use to cook or heat-up food while I cycle?

It's crazy, I know, but when I was a kid, my father would cook food on the engine block while we drove... and I was thinking, that's almost a reason to start driving again :). Any thoughts on what I could do to heat-while-I-ride? Chemical heat? Electrical? Propane?

The latter (propane) seems dangerous and not so environmental friendly, but I suppose it couldn't be that bad?


texts: bar end shifters on drop bars - why not run the cables all the way to the stem?

texts:
The typical touring bike with drop bars and bar end shifters shoots the shift cable out the bar tape, right under the curve like so:

My bike is like this. It would be cleaner to run those cables all the way along the bars under the tape and have them come out alongside the brake cables. What's the problem with doing it like that? Too many curves in the cable makes too much cable drag?

At some point I'll re-cable everything - what would be the downside of running the shifter cables all the way to the middle of the bars under the tape to where STI shifter cables emerge?

(FWIW the way the cables come out as it is now, dealing with those cables when riding is a minor issue. But it's still an issue - there are times when you must open your hand to move it from here to there on the handlebars. Possibly the bigger issue to me is handling the bike when not riding, locking it up, etc.)


texts: Standing on cottered crank scuffs bearings?

texts:
I have single speed road bike, with cottered crank and my caged bearings wear out too often, could it be due to me standing on the crank (like elliptical trainer) pretty often e.g. when i need to go up the hill or accelerate fast?
Would replacing caged bearings with loose bearings make it withstand more load?


texts: Fixie: how to learn to ride: step by step

texts:
I've been riding a single speed to work on a daily basis for about 3 years.
I want to learn to ride a fixie.

I have a flip-flop, so my fixie ratio is 48/19.
I've installed straps (hold fast).

My first short ride near home was disappointing.
I was riding very slowly. I found it very hard to stop and get my feet out of the straps. I fell over to the side several times at almost zero speed.

Obviously, I'm doing something wrong.

I have many questions: What is the correct way to fall off the bicycle? Should I start the ride without straps? Should I learn bunny hop and if so, when? Do I need to learn track stand and if so, when?

Is there any step by step guide for people who want to enter a fixie world?


texts: Problems with spoke threads, and stressing the wheel

texts: I was building up a rear wheel with brand new spokes and nipples. I used linseed oil on the threads so that when it dries it hardens. When I stress the wheel/spokes the threads slip, causing the spoke to come out of the nipple, but it's can still thread the spoke into the nipple. Could this be because I didn't give the linseed oil a chance to dry a little bit. Or should I just use grease. These are just standard spokes you can get at the bike shop for a buck. Thanks.


texts: switching from 9-speed to 11-speed with a rear hub motor

texts: So I want to buy a bike with a rear hub keyde motor, which is only available with the 2x9-speed Sora groupset (probably 3500) in Australia. If I buy it, I might want to upgrade it to the 105 2X11 5800 groupset. I went into a bike shop and they said something about the 11 speed cassette rear hub being incompatible with a 9 speed cassette rear hub. So how would the switch work if the rear hub contains the motor? Here and here are pictures of the hub. Can somebody please help?


texts:
I am a new student in the US. I noticed that a lot of bikes were left with only a tire locked on a post. Therefore, I usually locked my bike on the water pipe outside my apartment. I put a U-lock between the water pipe and my bike frame. However, after I left my apartment for a week, it was gone!

Now I have got a new bike, which is an impressive red Giant. I was really worried that it will be stolen again. Can anyone help me by telling me what else I can do to keep my bike safe in that terrible area. Thanks a lot.


texts: Gap between lower headset cup and fork. Is this likely to be a problem?

texts:
Yesterday I had a headset and fork fitted by my LBS. Lacking the specific tools or knowledge, I thought it better to leave this job to a professional; as a consequence of my inexperience, however, I have no idea whether they've actually done a good job.

As far as I can tell, the crown race fits snug against the base of the steerer tube. When the fork is inserted, however, there is a gap of about two millimetres between the base of the steerer and the bottom headset cup, leaving the crown race exposed. My expectation was that the bottom cup would instead sit flush with the fork.

Scouring bike forums for answers suggests this situation isn't all that uncommon, with some offering makeshift solutions, like a strip of inner tube to keep out grime. Still, if someone wouldn't mind taking a look at my headset specifically, it might ease my mind somewhat. I've included a couple of close-ups below.

I've checked the orientation of the bearings, and they're definitely the right way up. The slight chamfer on the inside edge of the lower bearing fits nice and tight against the crown race.

The headset is a Tange Seiki RDC-82. I don't appear to be missing any pieces.

Thank you for your help.

Update: Ok, so I gave the company I originally purchased the headset from (the same place I bought my frameset at the same time — not the LBS that installed it) a call; they instantly knew what I was talking about, and assured me it was normal for this particular model. In hindsight, ringing them should really have been the first thing I did.

Still seems like a poor design in my opinion. Not only does it look somewhat unsightly, but the gap risks exposing the lower bearing to grime and dirt. A simple seal could have solved both these issues. Perhaps when I eventually come to replace the headset, I'll invest in something pricer/better quality.


texts:
I want to change my 50T chainring of my Shimano Sora FC-3503 crankset.

Do I have to buy the same one or other chainrings are also compatible with it?

If yes could you give me some light which ones ?

Thanks in advance.


texts: Cycling fast - and brakes don't work - what to do?

texts:
I hope this doesn't occur to any of us, but it can.

What must the cyclist do when he/she is cycling (too) fast and needs to stop or slow down immediately, but neither the front and rear brakes work at that moment (for whatever reason), and there is almost no way to avoid collision without stopping/slowing down?

Are there any recommended actions/maneuvers to try in order to stop the bike and/or avoid/minimize the potential dangers?

Well, a possible action is to try stopping the bike with one or two feet. What if they cannot reach the ground (i.e. the saddle is high)?


texts: What to put on or inside winter-SPD-boots to keep toes warm?

texts:
Where I live we have very cold winds blowing in from Russia's Siberia. It is freezing despite the fact that I have all kinds of extra winter clothing like commando balaclava, SPD winter shoes, ESS goggles -- but my toes are still freezing.

So what would you suggest I wear to keep my toes warm?


texts: Is it realistic to fuel a long ride with NO sugar?

texts:
On a 6 hr. ride, I will burn around 4,800 cals.

Assuming I start the ride fully carb loaded with around 1,500 cals in me, that means I will have to consume an additional 3,300 cals over the 6 hours, or 550 cals/hr.

Is it at all realistic  to try and do this during the ride using real food ONLY  (whole grains, fruits, veggies), with NO sugar (ie. no gels, powders, or energy bars, etc.)?
If sugar is a must, and there is no avoiding it, I would at least like to eat the maximum amount of real food, then supplement with sugar. So, what is the maximum cals/hr that the digestive system can metabolize into energy?

EDIT: Please see my answer below. Thanks to everyone for the great points.


texts: Barrel Adjuster Strategy - What's the best way to use barrel adjusters?

texts:
I was taught that barrel adjusters are to be used as an on-the-road way to adjust brakes or derailleurs. I think the exact quote was "Leave the barrel adjuster for the customer to use on the road"
When in the shop, at home, or whatever use tools to adjust brakes using cable tension and the cable anchor. Even with index shifting - don't use the barrel adjuster to remove obvious slack.
When maintaining a bike:

Screw the barrel adjuster all the way in - brakes or derailleurs.
Adjust the brakes using only the cable anchor and cable tension.
For indexed derailleurs get the cable tension right using the anchor bolt and then do fine tuning with the adjusting barrel

Are there alternative strategies for using barrel shifters?


texts:
I'm a commuter cyclist who didn't for the last 18 months really do anything to take care of his bike - though it was stored inside between rides.  Took it to the shop 12 months in for a service, but otherwise just pumped up the tyres periodically.  This was not very clever, I appreciate.

Having decided to start taking my bike a bit more seriously I decided to start by replacing the chain.  My old chain was rusted all over and made a slight grinding sound as I pedalled, so I imagined it was slowing me down by not transferring my pedalling to the wheels as well as it could.

Over the weekend I (eventually) managed to replace the chain with a new one, thanks to Youtube.  The new chain is exactly as many links as the old chain: I counted.

But now I could swear I am cycling slower, and my legs hurting more at the same speeds, than before.  I'm also commuting to work a few minutes slower than last week.  My bike isn't skipping gears, but it is making a noticeable rattling or sliding sound as I pedal (and not when I freewheel down hills).  It also occasionally slips, though not much.

Have I somehow made my transmission less efficient?  Or am I just going crazy?  And if it's the former, does anyone have an idea for what the problem might be?  Some Googling has suggested the cassette might need replacing too, but the fact I am changing gears fine makes me think that isn't the case.

Many thanks in advance,
Q

EDIT: While trying to implement the suggestions below I found the real problem, which would have been obvious if I'd uploaded photos.  I'd threaded the chain wrongly through the deraileur.  See attached photo, with the blue line showing the path the chain used to take (I've since rethreaded it properly).

My chain is still slipping under power, which I suspect is the worn cassette.  I'll replace that this weekend. But the bike feels much better now and my time into work this morning (with not great traffic conditions) was 20% faster than Mon-Wed.


texts: SRAM Rival brake caliper screws/bolts are rusty, how to replace?

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I have a full SRAM Rival groupset from 2011.  Having used it in humid and rainy places for a while, most of the parts are OK, but the small button-head screws (or bolts?) in the QR pivot for the brake calipers are quite rusty.  I guess the quality of these screws was somehow not up to the standard of the rest.

To be clear, I'm talking about a single screw per brake, whose head faces forward on the front brake, and backward on the rear brake.

Unfortunately, SRAM's maintenance guides do not call out these screws or dimension them in any way.  How can they be replaced?


texts: Why would one put tennis balls in the spokes?

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I see this once in a great while around the city: two or more tennis balls stuck inside the spokes, right up against the hub. It usually seems to be on older-looking mountain bike commuter/beater bikes, but I think I saw it on a newer fixie a while back, too.

Does this server some function to which I am not privy?


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My bike's adjustable stem keeps falling down. I tighten the nut as much as can but it seems no impact at all.

Is it the wrong nut to tighten?


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My bike uses Tektro Auriga M290 -brakes. They've been great, but few months ago I noticed that there was some air inside the system. I didn't do anything and continued to use my bike. Yesterday I find out that my brake lever had some brake fluid on it, so I think the lever might be leaking.

Is there any way I can fix this or do I have to buy new lever? Auriga M290 seems to be discontinued, so I can't get a new one easily. Could I use another Tektro lever, or even lever from another brand. Or do I have to buy new whole system?

I also don't know which lever/brake system to choose, because there are so many avaible. It would be great if you could recommend me some examples. My bike is a 28" hybrid bike, and I use it year-round, so the temperatures might be from -25C to 30C.

Thanks for helping!


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Just got back from a ride. On my way back, my rear tire suffered from a side wall blow out. The area that went looks like it has been completely shredded.

The area feels like it's been melted, with sticky melty rubber covering it.

The tire itself hasn't done 500km, I got it last summer, but haven't been able to ride much. There really shouldn't be any reason I know that the tire failed.

The tires are Michelin Pro4.

Just so you know, each of those fibers had come apart completely.