texts:
New to this site. Hope you can Help. I have been commuting on a hybrid for years. A nice CUBE with hybrid tyres with Scrader valve. The odd puncture here and there. Par for the course.

Now I have finally upgraded to a Willier Izoard, with race tyres and Presta vlaves.

First couple of trial rides no problem. Then this weekend I went to go out and realised that the tyres were fairly flat. I hadnt ridden this bike for around a month so I figures the pressure had just dropped.

So I topped up with air. Back wheel was fine took to 110PSI (Max 120). Did the same on the front wheel and went out riding. Within 10 mins, I noticed front tyre was completely flat. It seems the valve failed as I could pump the tyre back up but then as soon as it relased the air just shot out of the valve!

I had a spare tube with me but no pump or tyre spanners. Luckily, I bumped into a very nice Bulgarian chap who was preparing all his kit for a two month cycling holiday and had all his gear literally out in the street. This guy really knew his stuff and within minutes he had changed the inner for me (and way quicker than I could have done it by the way" Had the tyre pumped up (to 100 PSI this time as thats all his guage went to) and off I went.

Within another 10 mins the tyre was completely flat again. Once more it appeared as if the issue was wth teh Presta valve, and this time it would take no air in either.

I find it hard to believe that I would get two complete valve failures in the space of ten minutes on two seperate tubes, especially when it was replaced by an expert!!

Does anyone have any ideas what maybe goign wrong here? I am a bit of a Noobie to race tyres so would appreciate any suggestions? It is a brand new bike so I doubt it could be the rims, and I checked tyres for holes pinches tc, but it does seem to be the valve. Werid!


texts: I have a 2018 se big flyer and it has regular v brakes i was wondering if I could upgrade to disc brakes in front and back. I have look other places but no has anything to convert it.


texts: Is it safe to ride on cracked carbon rims (Zipp 404 Firecrest 2010 edition)?

texts:
I've got a set of Zipp Firecrest 404 Tubulars (2010). I went over a pothole recently but did not crash. It was a pretty big pothole. After going over the pothole, I heard a rubbing sound from the front wheel when braking. Continued the ride home (20Km) and inspected it when I got home. I found a crack on the side of the rim. The tubular tires look fine. At the point of the crack, there's no visible damage to the tubular tires or the other side of the rim. The tubular tires also still hold air perfectly. I've attached some pictures below. A couple of questions:

I don't think the crack is due to impact. It's probably due to the side grazing the pothole. There wasn't damage on the other side. If it's an impact crack, it would likely appear on both sides?
Is this repairable and worth repairing?
I've read many other posts and the classic answer is "is your face worth more than 1000 dollars for a new wheel". It's of course easy to buy a new wheel, but I'd like a more thorough answer on what caused this crack and whether or not it is still rideable from a scientific perspective.


texts:
I have a Giant 2013 TCX Advanced. It has a Rotor 3DF, 36/46 Crankset and a SRAM XG1190 11x28 cassette. I'd like to swap the cassette for an 11-40 or 11-42.

The guys at Wolftooth said: "..derailleur does NOT have enough capacity to handle an 11-40 cassette and a double chainring. You will have to be careful to not use small/small and large/large gearing combinations.."

Can I simply buy a new long cage derailleur, such as Sram Unisex's NX 1x11?

Edit:

Thanks David and..Ouch! Never realised that! So, to keep it relatively simple (and less expensive): my best choice to get to at least 1:1 is to replace the 36 crankset with, say, a 32 and the cassette with an 11-32? ...Again using the roadlink from Wolftooth? Do I need to replace the short cage? Can I replace the 36 with a 30... (and install the 11-32 cassette?).


texts: 179cm, 85.5 inseam and Cannondale Scalpel Team M

texts:
I am 179cm with an inseam of 85.5 so I fall into the L category just. I bought a Cannondale Scalpel team M and being very much close in between I listened to too many people and having ridden an M BMC FS02 I have decided to go for the M anyway. The Cannondale dealer here has not been very helpful. The bike is a different one than the BMC and there is a adapting time to it but would like to know if I should really go for the L as I haven't ridden it much and try get Cannondale exchange the frame.
Anyone could give me some advice based on epxerience or expertise?


texts: Separate hex keys vs. combined multi-tool for bike adjustments?

texts:
Are separate hex (Allen) keys better than a multi-tool for adjusting and maintaining a bike at home?

Some of the separated sets also have ball-ends for the 4/5/6mm keys:

Apart from Torx T25 screws for the disc brakes*, my bike has hex screws mostly everywhere — so a small multi-tool would do the trick:

In other words, if you had to pick one or the other:

Does having each hex wrench separate offer any notable advantages? What about torque (e.g. for pedals)?
For day-to-day purposes on a modern bike (where most screws are easily accessible), will the ball-ends be useful?

* In my case, I only need the Torx T25 to adjust disc brake pads — little force required.


texts: How can I get my spoke dimensions without knowing the dimensions of the wheel?

texts:
I would like to change 4 of my spokes on my back wheel. The trouble is that I dont know the model of my bike nor do I know if that wheel is original, in order to look up the dimensions of the spokes. Here are the dimensions of the tire though if that is to any help:

What would be your recommendations in my case? I am not very proficient at bikes, so please be easy on me :)


texts: With a bike featuring Shimano 486 Hydraulic Disc brakes and levers, what should I do if I wanted to maintenance them? I have no experience of brakes other than V-brakes so where do I begin? The front brake seem to work but the lever goes all the way down, the back brake doesn't work at all. The lever goes all the way down but the brake doesn't bite.


texts: How do I measure the size of my bicycle frame?

texts: From what point to where do I start measuring? I suspect the bike I'm trying to measure is a 56cm because I usually ride a 54 and this is slightly too big, but I want to be sure.


texts: How to protect myself when falling off the bicycle

texts:
Today was rainy in Palo Alto and I was driving home in bike lane. My bike slipped and I felt off my bike in a part of bike lane that was made of concrete instead of asphalt(here). I didn't injured and I am fine.

When I was falling down I didn't know how to shape my body to protect myself and prevent serious injuries. What should I do in situations like this?


texts: Does rear-shock placement affect suspension characteristics?

texts: I know that suspension type(Horst-link, Four-bar etc.) affects how a full-suspension mountain bike handles, but you can often see these same types of suspension systems used with different shock placement. Some have a shock that sits under the top tube, while others have the shock mounted at the bottom of the seat tube. Does this placement affect the suspension characteristics as well, or is the shock just placed where it is for convenience? And if it does affect the suspension, what kind of characteristics does the different placements give? As you can see on the pictures, both bikes have a Horst-link, but the shock placement is different.


texts: Shimano Steps 6100 loses power assist climbing hills

texts:
Having problems with bike losing power going up hill - 4 of last 5 rides.  About 400 miles on bike (BMC Alpenchallenge AMP Sport).  Have several 40+ mile rides with 4,000' of elev, so it works.  Now I'm not even getting 15 miles and have to turn around.  Randomly loses power while going up hill, but so far it comes back on after turning around and going back down.
No error codes yet.
Did have 1 ride last year where it stopped completely & took 45 minutes to come back on.  Found 4 W013 codes for that.


texts: Is there a way to merge tracks within a GPX file?

texts:
I have GPX files for local MTB riding areas.  In each area picture several connected loops composed of between say 6 and 12 named trails.  In my GPX files all of the trails are individual tracks.  Its really annoying because I have to load each track sequentially as I ride.

My desired outcome here is to have all of the tracks displayed on my Garmin at the same time so I don't have to keep loading them as I go.

So, three questions:

Is there a way to load multiple "courses" (this is how the tracks are represented on my Garmin 1000) onto the map simulatanmeously so I can load up the entire ride before I go and not have to keep loading the next course (track) while out on the trail?
If #1 is not possible, is there a way to merge all of the tracks into a single track inside the GPX file so they appear as a single course on the Garmin?
If #2 is the solution and possible, once I have the tracks merged, is there a way to add annotations on top of the track to mark the names of each trail (formerly there names of each individual track in the GPX file) so the labels appear on the map on my Garmin?

Thanks for any help on this!!


texts:
Is there a reference/source/method for definitively determining the width of a bicycle tire without actually having it in hand?

I ride a 2009 Jamis Aurora which came stock with 32 mm Vittoria Randonneurs.  I wore the rear tire through, so I did some research on new tires and the 35 mm Schwalbe Marathon Mondial sounded like it fit my needs.  Googling around forums, I gathered that it would be fine to put a 35 mm tire on the Aurora.  This turned out to be not true -- it seized up against the frame right away.  Interestingly, the contact was actually on the chain stay, not the seat stay.

I'm a little bummed out by that, but I put the Mondial on the front (which fit fine) and threw the (formerly front tire) Vittoria Randonneur on the rear.  Having now riden on the the Mondial, it makes  huge difference: it feels way nicer than the Randonneurs.  I want to know what I can replace my remaining Randonneur with, but am concerned about it seizing up?

For the record my rim width is 20 mm.

On a side note, doesn't it seems odd that a 'Touring' frame cannot support a 35mm tire?


texts: Does it make sense to complain to companies about bad driving?

texts:
On my commute in this morning I found myself in another situation where I was in conflict with another road user. (Briefly, a truck and I arrived at a roundabout at a roughly similar time, but I was into the junction marginally sooner and, crucially, had priority. He didn't/couldn't stop in time and only my emergency stop prevented a collision.)

So, naturally, I shouted at him, pointing out his faults. I know this won't help the situation but adrenaline and the rush of almost being knocked off aren't great ways to start a productive discussion. We had, as they say, a full and frank exchange of views which ended with my whipping out my phone and taking a couple of quick photos of his number plate and the company name from his door.

Realistically the police have better things to do with their time for this likely non-offence, but I did find the company's website and have filled in a 'contact us' form. I fully expect to not hear another word about it, I presume my complaint will be filed in the lunatic/whinging file and nothing will come of it.

The question here is what should we do in these situations? We could just put up with it, going gently into that good night, putting up with a genuine belief in some other road users that cyclists are not equal peers (cf. discussions about ignoring red lights and cherry picking rules).

Or if it's not serious enough to report to the police, am I just being too thin-skinned?


texts:
My bike has had an ongoing issue for a couple of months. Most of the time I pedal there is a constant squeaking noise (which I can't pinpoint but seems to be from the chain). This noise only occurs when I'm cycling on the big chainring and completely disappears when I cycle on the small chainring. The noise came back even after I got my bike serviced and changed chain (for general maintenance). The only solution I've found is to wet the chain with a hose before cycling but even then the noise will come back after an hour or so and it's obviously very bad for the chain anyway.

If anyone has any solutions they would be very appreciated.


texts: Can a non-cylindrical grip be better for jumping?

texts:
I'm learning to jump my mountain bike.
I've noticed that when jumping, if I "death-grip" the handlebar, my hands can actually twist around the handlebar. This happens in both the ascending movement, and after impact when finishing the jump.
Such twisting feels sketchy so I'm inclined to avoid a death-grip.
But the alternative, namely placing the index fingers over the brake levers, while it gives me a better grip with no twisting, has the obvious danger of accidentally braking the bike as I land the jump. I don't deliberately brake the bike on landing, but it's easy to have that reflex.
So I was thinking, why not get a grip that is non-cylindrical? I've seen a few such models. They seem to be marketed as "ergonomic" grips.
An example would be the GP series from Ergon.
Is it a good idea to get non-cylindrical grip for jumping? Should I get a better technique instead?


texts: What should I look for in a new front wheel for my heavy body?

texts:
I broke my second front wheel last night when I hit a dip that rose too quickly on the far side. The wheel didn't get a chance to redirect the force upward before all my weight went behind it.

I'm a big guy, 300+ lbs, so I need some sturdy wheels. Especially in the front. From what I am reading so far I should go for a wheel with a wider inner width. The Mavic CrossOne 29er wheel that I broke is 19mm.

I ride a 2014 Specialize Rockhopper Comp 29er. It has been an awesome bike for the most part. The only problem I have been having is the wheels really. I don't want to keep replacing them. I really like the tires that came with it. The Ground Control 2.1" tires.

Please help me figure out what I need to do to find a wheel that can survive my heavy butt. What do I need to look for in a bike?


texts: Cycle training to prepare for first racing season

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I wish to improve as a cyclist, I have a goal that I want to start racing by next summer.

I want to know what is the best start I can give myself in or order to prepare.

The hard part, it's coming into winter and my cycle computer broke.

What is the best training I can do to get race season?

I plan on doing an 90 min hill climb route after work twice a week.

I'm very green to all this so be gentle :)


texts: Is it practical to switch from tubeless to tubes every few weeks?

texts: Part of the allure of a gravel/cyclocross bike has been the possibly of having a "do it all" setup.  I recently purchased a gravel bike with 38c tubeless tires on it, and I also have a set of 30c tubed/clinchers.  I don't have any experience with tubeless but from what I've read they seemingly are a bit tricky to get setup compared to a clincher.  If I have the right equipment (air compressor, sealant, levers), how practical is it to switch between tubeless and tubed depending on the terrain I plan to cover that week?  Ideally one complete swap every month or so, tubeless knobbies for most training (16mph/25kph) and tubed slicks for events (20mph/32kph).


texts: Are v-brakes universal in size (kids vs adults)?

texts:
Took my 5-year-old out for a ride today and the front brake pipe / noodle (?) popped out of the folded steel retainer. The retainer (not sure of the correct name) was splayed open and definitely needs replacing. Had to do a temporary fix.
I would like to avoid a cheap / low quality replacement and purchase brakes of a standard I'd expect to see on my own bike, and in any case it's getting plenty of use as he can now easily do 15+ miles. As it's only a small bike (Frog 43 with tyres labelled 14 x 1.5") I'm unsure whether I should be looking for v-brakes specifically made for a kids bike. The same question would apply to the brake pads they may come with.
I'm guessing Shimano may have something suitable. I'm UK-based if anyone has a direct suggestion.
Update: measured arm length at 108 mm centre-to-centre.


texts: Who's the manufacturer and what year was this tandem bike manufactured?

texts: The previous owner said this could possibly be a Schwinn:


texts: In what ways is a dual pivot brake better than single-pivot?

texts:
How exactly is a dual pivot brake better than single pivot?

Is it the travel, mechanical advantage, or what?


texts: Why does my front derailleur not work when it is cold?

texts:
When it is warm outside my front derailleur works just fine. But when it gets colder (40F) the lever on the handle bar does not catch and I can move it without any resistance the whole way without the derailleur shifting.

Update: The wire is not moving and the shifter is a Shimano Deore.

Any idea what can cause that and how to fix it?


texts: SRAM Red 22 crankset & 10 speed cassette

texts:
I have a 2010 SRAM Red 10 speed groupset on my bike, and I have just changed the front crankset to the latest SRAM Red 22 compact; I will also add a new KMC KMC X10SL chain.

The Front derailleur no longer shifts the chain off the large and small properly so I have also ordered a SRAM Red 22 YAW front derailleur to fix this problem.

My big question is this: will I now have issues with the rear PG1090 cassette? Should I buy a new 11 speed cassette, shifters, chain, and rear derailleur to bring everything up to snuff or will the front derailleur be the end of my problems?


texts: What are the rules about take a bike on the London Tube?

texts: Can I take a bike on the Tube (underground) in London, if so how much does it cost?


texts: Where can I find a complete table of sprocket and with chain/hub/sprocket spacer width combinations?

texts:
For example:

number of speeds  chain width  hub width  spacer width
1
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

There are various tables (for example on https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-spacing.html) but I haven't found one with all the data, showing what combinations are possible.


texts: How can I rent a bike in Paris (France) for a short time?

texts: Is there a system in Paris that will let me rent a bike to get across town, if so how does it work?


texts: Very loud cracking/creaking sound on the bike?

texts:
On bumps a very loud click sound comes from somewhere on my bike.

When I have my weight on the seat and there is a bumpy road, it's a scary loud noise since 2 days. It developed slowly since one month until it has become a scary sounding fraying cable / floorboard sound.

I touch my hand on the top tube and I can feel little hammer hits inside the horizontal top tube when i press back/down on the seat post, as if the top tube is generating a stretch stress sound.

Front forks and head tube and bearings seem perfectly sound, checked them. The crank is fine. The back is fine.

Has anyone encountered something similar?
How can german Aluminium MTB make scary crack sounds?
What zone of a bike can do that?


texts:
I have been working on a 26" folding MTB, and its coming together slowly.  The rear wheel has a band brake and for the life of me I can't get it to work well.

I have no experience with this kind of brake.  Nearest I've worked with is a drum brake on a tandem, and drum brakes on a car.

 Band side of brake.  When actuated, the silver lever on the upper left rotates, and the band is pulled up and right.  Since the other end is fixed by the rusty rivet, the band has to take a shorter path and decreases in circumference thereby tightening on the drum.

 This is the drum which is attached to the wheel hub.  It is threadded onto the non-drive side.

So when braking under no-load this brake works perfectly and stops the suspended rear wheel quickly.  When riding, this brake has a barely-perceptible slowing effect, and absolutely nothing if its a downhill grade in any way.

I have tried a light sand of the drum to remove any glaze.  I've also sanded the band lightly but its soft so didn't want to tear it.

Also I've applied an electrical cleaner spray called Contact60  That also made no difference to braking.   The band appears to absorb the spray

So far I have not applied "brakleen" because the band is soft and am worried about it absorbing into the band, rendering it contaminated permanently.

What else can I do to improve this brake?  Or should I simply replace the whole thing with a conventional rim brake ?


texts: Original Shimano Deore components all around.  Shimano MF Z012 5-cog freewheel.  Biggest cog is 30 teeth is worn out, chain skips,  and that cog needs to be replaced. Rest of cogs are ok.  Are compatible individual 30 teeth cogs still available as new parts?  Source?  If not, what's the recommended solution?


texts: Just curious what DIY setups have worked for removing crown race from a steerer tube?

texts: I have a great solution for installing a crown race with just plain PVC pipe, but am really flummoxed as to how to remove a crown race from carbon forks without purchasing a specialized tool or driving 30 miles to my closest bike shop? Any DIYers out there that have found a consistently workable solution? One that does not involve flat-blade screwdrivers...


texts:
I've noticed a small puddle of light oil beneath the rear wheel of our Rohloff-equipped tandem. I'm told that a small amount of leakage is normal and I'm not worried about that.

The issue is that a lot of it falls on the rim and the tire. Obviously it's bad news on the rim for braking, so I'll be wiping it off and possibly cleaning with diluted degreaser.

My question is: is exposure to light oil likely to damage the tire? I know some rubbers can be sensitive to certain chemicals, so is hub oil/bike tires (in this case Schwalbe Marathons) such a combination? I would've thought someone else would have had this problem if so, but I'd like to check.

More generally, are there any products/chemicals should I keep away from tires for fear of degrading the rubber?


texts: Widely available cassette cogs: recommendations?

texts:
I'm trying to determine what are the most widely used/available cassettes and corresponding cogs. I don't care much whether they are high-end components or low, though I expect the low-end ones to be most widely available since they will be found on low-end production bikes sold in the thousands. Durability is of greatest concern to me, with things like weight being a decidedly secondary factor. The chains in use on the wanted cogs will be 3/32.

Background on my question. I know how these cassettes are constructed and have taken them apart, having done quite a lot of bicycle mechanicing in my lengthy bicycling career (of over 50 years). I also know the economics of buying full cassettes as opposed single cogs: I'm prepared, if economic concerns so dictate, to buy whole cassettes to get just the cog I need from each one, though I don't like the idea of just chucking the rest of the cassette into the garbage.

I have a very specialized project for which I will need a reliable source for cogs for some years to come. The project involves further modifying the complex drivetrain of my custom-built recumbent tandem trike (delta). My idea for the modification will involve using single cogs at either end of the jackshaft on this bike, in place of the cassette/freewheel that are now attached there. The gearing will instead be moved to the rear drive wheel, possibly to an IGH hub like a Rohloff (the only IGH hub, it seems, rated for tandem use). The cogs I will be needing will probably be in the 22-26 tooth range, though I still need to do some more detailed calculating to determine what size will be optimal for this project. Obviously, I will be needing to replace those cogs periodically over the bike's lifetime, so having a ready supply for some time to come will be important.

Input on widely available cassettes/cogs (brands, models) will be appreciated.

P.S. I need the cogs to be completely flat to attach them in the manner I'm envisioning (they will bolt on rather than sliding over a splined central cylinder), so I'm ruling out freewheel cogs, which have a bit of a lip around the threaded hole via which they attach to the freewheel body. I'm located in the U.S., btw.


texts: I have several bikes and use them more and more in bad weather. I have no problem with rust on the chain, but I am seeing little bits of rust in the various hex bolt heads on the bike. What can I use to remove this rust and how can I prevent it from happening again. Note I ride things like Ragbrai, so keeping out of the rain, or drying the bike right away is not an option.


texts: My bike's front suspension got stiffer on its own

texts: Yesterday I was riding my bicycle and realized that my front suspension got stiffer than a month ago. I tried locking it then releasing, adjusting the stiffness but it's still not the same as before.


texts:
I can ride on flat at high gears all day without a problem I usually go way faster that most of riders. But once it comes to hills I die... My heart beat rate jump up my stamina go away and I get tired in seconds. Even older folks that barely have any cadence on flat can beat me on hills. I need to get down from my bike , take a break and keep on foot. Because once on bike again my heart rate will go crazy again and I will get tired in seconds.

I am doing something wrong ? I always go to the lower plate and lower cogs on climbs but if it is too steep even the lowest one kills me.

I drive a lower end hybrid bike. It have I belive 14-28 (7 rings) rear cassette and 28/38/48 front gears. How much it matters compared to how fit you are ? I mean 1:1 relation it is should be more that enough to climb.


texts:
How do I remove my old (Shimano Sora) brake/gear levers and replace them with new (Shimano 105 5800) levers?

(This is the bike if you want to know more components details).

As a note, I'm asking about step-wise instructions on the technique/method, not technical issues like going from 9- to 11-speed as covered here (Upgrade Shimano Sora shifters to 105)


texts:
I have a CAAD 10 disc frame and want to find the right wheels to match.

I've seen that the Maddux RD 2.0 rims come with many complete bikes for the CAAD 10 but can't find much information on them.

What size should I be looking for to match this frame?

Thanks


texts: How should the chain be routed on this deraillier?

texts:
I feel dumb asking this, but how should the chain be routed around the cogs on this deraillier?

I had to split the chain and then put it back on. I didn't pay attention to how it went round. This is not the right way (below) as the chain is extremely slack.


texts:
I have a project bike. I made it myself from bits recycled.   It is currently a single speed, although I'm thinking of adding gears to turn it into a bit of a commuter/excercise bike.

Before I do that, I really need to sort out the fit.  It doesn't seem to fit me, or even itself very well.

Bike dimensions - 51cm seattube, 50cm top tube, chain stay 41cm.   tires are 700x32.

The problems:

The bike has a seat tube length of 51cm which seems right for me at 5'6.  When i sit on it my leg is straight at the bottom of the stroke, However there is virtually no standover room.
the bike seems pretty cramped horizontally, that is the handlebars seem too close to the seat.  in fact i'm not sure if the top tube is long enough.
The front wheel, despite being the right size to line up with the brake, seems to be way to close to the downtube, and as a result clips my toes sometimes when I'm pedaling. Does this bike even fit itself?
both wheels are pretty tight through the brake.  That's probably because of the chunky tires.

What have I done wrong? How can i get the bike to feel a bit less cramped?


texts: Is there a benefit of lacing trailer wheel spokes radially instead of crossed?

texts:
Reading a review of a bike trailer one of the commentators noted that the wheels were laced radially:

It is a 16" wheel. Does this configuration have some advantage making it a good choice? I always had the impression that wheel spokes were crossed for greater robustness.

Cynically I suspect this could just be a way to make the wheels a little cheaper - but cheaper doesn't necessarily mean inferior, or does it in this case?


texts: Front disc brake noise only at high speed

texts:
At a high speed (about 50km/h, but not sure exactly, as I don't have a speedometer) the disc starting to noise like it is touching the caliper/pad. At low speeds It doesn't noise and it's rotating free - it doesn't touch anything. It's hydraulic discs.
Is it a known issue for disc brakes? Or should one to replace the rotor / caliper?
What should I check for (all components are tighten well)?

Edit:
It's front disc 180mm rotor. The noise is when going straight.

2 Edit:
@ Vorac & starnger thanks for comments and answers, but it's looks like it's not the situation:
The noise is starting at some speed, and do not get louder it's the same all the time. The caliper and rotor are well adjusted (few shops checked it). The noise is even if I do not touch the brakes at all.
And it's not about lightly touching the pads - the bike is in use every day, and thou it's not downhill, it supposed to be already gone.
By the way, it's relatively new Merida bike, so the brakes should be in good condition yet.


texts:
I have a Kona Rove ST, with a 40 teeth gear wheel and a 11-42 cassette. It's all SRAM. Here is the technical description.

It's ok for now, but I'm often using the smallest ratio (40x42) so I don't have any margin. Hence, I'd like to have a smaller gear ratio. To make it more complicated, I like my biggest ratio just fine, but I guess I'll have to compromise and lessen it.

But lowering my smaller ratio seems quite complicated and/or so expensive. So I thought I could just change the gear wheel for a smaller one. It seems straightforward to replace it with a 38 teeth one, but I'm not so sure for a 36 teeth one.

So my questions are: is it worth it to replace my gear wheel with a 38 or 36 one, and if so is it easy to do so? (especially for the 36 teeth)
Or is there any other solution that would work?


texts: Last no helmet ride in the Tour de France

texts:
When was the last TDF where riders were allowed to ride with no helmet?
Was this mandated across all grand tours at the same time?


texts: How to mount TT shifters and TT brake levers together?

texts:
I am starting a new project to build a custom bike with bullhorn handlebar. It'd most likely be made either with road or hybrid type of frame. I am planning on having both front and real derailleurs, and brakes (writing all this because, you know, fixies :) There are many unknowns/choices (obviously!), but I am really struggling with one detail in particular: shifters and brake lever mount to the bullhorn handlebar. I was searching a lot and came across this bike:

This is way aero for my taste, but check out that brake lever/shifter combo on the right side of the handlebar. Does anyone know what these components are? I searched Vision's site, but couldn't find TT brake level with opened top to which TT shifter could be mounted. And the lever doesn't look to be crosstop one; so I am really confused.

Does anyone know how can this be done? Thanks!


texts:
My 2007 Ghost AMR 5700 developed a crack or fissure at the upper end of the headtube. I do not know whether it developed over time or whether there was a specific event leading up to it; it looked like that when I discovered it first.

Still, everything else on it is in good condition. The bike obviously is not worth its weight in gold, but it would be a bummer just to throw it away.

Questions:

How on earth can a crack develop at that point (it's about 10:30 o'clock when viewed from the sattle)? I am riding slow and methodically on single trails, I don't race downhill, and am pretty sure that I never once "punched through" the front suspension (sorry, don't know how you would call that in english); I do tend to not put my full body weight on the handlebar anyways for the sake of my wrists. The location just seems a bit arbitrary. Or is that a common place for these kinds of injuries, for some reason?
The bike is the entry level of the AMR line from Ghost, it cost about 1700€ (?) in 2007, and the parts are certainly not high-end, but appropriate to my needs; I like the bike as much today as in the past, and have not tried other fullies since then, so have no comparison anyways. That said, would you say it makes sense economically to look for a new frame (Ghost or different brand) and move everything over? I do have a family member who built his own road bike for a world tour from scratch, so the necessary know-how and maybe even most of the tools should be around, although he has no experience with suspension.

But I have no idea how to select a proper frame, and frankly don't want to make this my "project" for the next year. I guess I'm asking how hard it is to find a fitting frame, or how easy it is to botch the choice. It would only make sense if the result would be able to run single trails again (not crazy downhill with lots of jumping, I'm not getting younger).
I don't even dare to ask, but will do so just for completeness: would a competent welder be able to fix that crack, and would you trust your own life to it afterwards?

The crack itself:

The specs from their 2007ish paper catalog:


texts:
Hi sadly my gear is broken. Now my idea was to remove the gear and shorten the bicycle chain to make the bike a fixie. It's a bike with 7 gears at the back wheel and no gear at the front.
What do you think is this possible? Which gear should I select for a fixie. I guess the feeling without the gear is different than without the thing to move the gear.


texts: I recently starting riding again (stopped for 10 years) and am having balance problems when starting.  Using the proper starting technique causes me to wobble and lose my balance, tho' I haven't fallen yet.  As a result I've got my saddle low to the point where my toes touch the ground and I have too much bend in my knees.  Knees don't hurt, but I know this is not the right way to ride.  Any suggestions other than switching to a trike?


texts: Good tires for road riding in winter weather?

texts: What are some good tires to install for riding the roads in snow, ice, other winter conditions? Besides letting some pressure out for better traction, what tires should I use?


texts:
I need to cut a cable, cleanly enough that it can be inserted in its housing.

What kind of cutting tool do I need for this?

I probably won't be using it more than once every few years, so cheaper options are preferred.

Also, tips to make sure the cable does not get disorganized when cutting would be appreciated.

Note: This question is not about cutting the housing.


texts: I bought a Huffy electric bike but I don't have charger. The person at pawnshop where was bought said I can charge it with a car, like jump start.


texts: Cheap clothes for 50 km per day in the summer

texts:
I am considering of paying DeaxExtreme's clothes, because they are rather cheap and seem to be rather good in the summer.

I would like to have a cloth that keeps me warm as it rains and as I cycle 50 km/h maximum. I am therefore considering of having a fleece and ECWCS level 1 layer under the given cloth, just in case when it gets cold. I should definately keep a scarf to protect my throat with the given cloth.

Are DX's clothes worth the money?

I am wearing at the moment polo trousers with elastic boxers and a jacket with fleece underwear which does traps water inside. Continuous chafing and the wet jacket are my main problems.

The temperature range is often -10 - +36 C from the morning to the day temperature in the summer. The weather is often windy. I am living in many countries such as Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany and France.

Is there any clothning that breathes and blocks wind well?


texts: Can an untrue wheel cause up down jerks?

texts:
I've noticed during a ride that the back wheel was giving me unpleasant up-down kicks (sort of like a weight was added on a section of the rim). I realised later that it had maybe 2-3 mm of left right wobble but the about of up down movement doesn't seem too significant (I should mention that I can only do visual inspections).

Can this up-down kerk be caused by that left-right uneveness?


texts: How to fix the tension in these shifters?

texts:
I have these shifters in my old bike and it has problems with the gears because the shifter for the front gears doesn't change the gears at all. It seems like a tension problem. So I need to make the tension higher but I have no idea how to do that because I'm not experienced in bikes at all.

This is a picture for the shifter I have.


texts:
I've just moved to Edinburgh, and I understand that the land reform act 2003 lets me cycle on most land, excluding certain places like some highways or ministry of defense land. Does this mean I'm within my rights to cycle on the pavement, as long as I'm not behaving in an "antisocial manner"?
 I presume I can't do so on the land directly next to a highway, but what about paths set in from the road?


texts: I've noticed that in a lot of bikes (though certainly not all), the seat stay and the down tube are parallel or nearly so. Is there any structural reason why a manufacturer might make that choice or is it a more or less arbitrary choice?


texts: What should I look for in a torque wrench?

texts: It has come to the point where I need a torque wrench for installing things on my bicycle. What should I look for when purchasing one?


texts:
I'm beginning to see manufactures making carbon hubs and am wondering if they have the potential to perform better than conventional metal hubs or if they are just a way to save a couple of grams of weight, possibly at the expense of performance.

 Edit:
These are the hubs I was originally asking about, manufactured by enve.  They have a full carbon shell and flange.  The flange is not drilled, the holes are molded as such.


texts:
I have a neighbours daughters bike to fix at the moment. The freehub is totally seized. I've removed the freehub from the hub itself, but can't identify it nor have I see any like it. It doesn't have a separate locking screw and screws into the hub itself.

It looks similar to a DMR, Halo, or Sun freehub but it's only a cheap hub. The one that looks closest so far is the DMR. Yet the DMR has what looks like an aluminium bit at the end of the thread:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=7685

Pictures of the freehub are here: http://imgur.com/a/V11ef#0


texts: Can this crack in the steel chain-side dropout be welded?

texts:
I have a thru-crack on the driveside dropout near where it meets the chain stay.
The bike is an early 1980's steel frame Trek mountain bike.

See pics.

Bike rides fine otherwise and I have invested a lot of love (and sweat) in cleaning it up...

If it can be welded simply and securely (at minimal cost), I will keep it -- otherwise I guess I have no choice but to throw it out.

(Note that I don't think Trek had a lifetime frame warranty in those days, plus I no longer have the receipt — it was a present from my parents).


texts: I see lots of cadence-related questions on here where people cite fairly specific cadence rates.  How do you calculate your cadence exactly?  Do you just set a one-minute timer on your bike computer and count them manually?


texts:
What am I getting out of a $55 chainring vs a $25 one? Are more-expensive ones longer-lasting, or more lightweight, ...?

This is for a $700 single-speed, to give you an idea of quality of bike I'm currently using (e.g. Not some $3000 professional racer)


texts: Fender/mudguard that detaches with front wheel, is there such a thing?

texts:
I have a Carrera Tanneri Cyclocross Bike identical to this one with 700 x 35c wheels.

I got some mudguards with it that were a bit too wide so I changed them for some generic plastic ones that fitted in between the forks and then hung freely following the curve of the tyre.

The problem I have is that when I store the bike in the car, the front wheel has to come off leaving the mudguard sticking out. The heat inside the car was sufficient to deform the plastic mudguard so much that it fouled the tyre and had to be chucked away.

Is there such a thing as a mudguard that detaches with front wheel?


texts: How do I cut hydraulic brake hose without expensive tools?

texts:
I've seen some expensive hydraulic hose cutting tools.
I just want to cut the two new brake hoses I have now, so I don't want to buy an expensive tool.
I want to do it myself, and I don't mind spending some money for a tool to do it, but not $100.

I've read that cable cutters are not suitable (I have proper cable cutters).
Also, I'm guessing what is critical is getting a nice clean square cut (ie exactly perpendicular to the hose length).

What is my best option to do it myself, if I don't have the expensive tool?


texts:
Are there any advantages in having a 700x25 tyre over a 700x23 when using a cycle trainer?

If you are "training", resistance is surely not a huge deal breaker. I assume cycle trainer tyres last a fair amount of time.

If it is just a way of transferring energy to a roller, I assume a bigger tyre will do that more efficiently.


texts: handlebar setup/selection to mitigate wrist pain on multiday rides

texts:
On my first multi-day bike tour the only physical trouble I had after a several long days on my bike was pain in the wrists.

My current touring bike setup has drop bars with a long fork. I chose the setup so that I would have a couple different positions to ride in, though in practice I generally keep my hands in palm rests on the brake levers.

I'm sure preference can be up to individual preference/physiology, but I was wondering if there were preferred handlebar types/brands/positions/setups known to be good for addressing wrist pain.

Alternately, is there an ideal wrist position (or other strategies) I should look for, regardless of gear?

Thanks!


texts: What is this stamped metal piece that fell out of a new hydraulic shifter?

texts:
I’m finishing setting up a new bike, and right as I finished bleeding and shifting around the left shifter (r7025), this little stamped steel bit fell out.
It’s about 11mm in diameter and 0.5mm thick. I have no idea where it came from beyond “somewhere in the left shifter’s mechanism.” I couldn’t see anything obvious on the right shifter that looked similar and was hoping someone could ID this thing and might know where it fits back into the assembly so I don’t have to mess with it more than necessary.
For reference: it fell out as I finished positioning the brake lever after bleeding. It doesn’t seem especially related to anything hydraulic.


texts: Is there a minimum weight limit for mountain bikes for USAC riders who are not UCI?

texts: Basically the title is the questions, but to repeat is there a bike weight limit for riders who belong to a national association such as USAC, but are not riding for UCI points or registered with UCI? Or is it the same as the UCI limit?


texts: Which removal tool do I need for this 16t bottom bracket?

texts:
The bottom bracket that you see in the picture has a strange 16 teeth profile (3-1-3-1-...).
I had this bike built a few years ago and I don't remember what model the BB is. I wonder what removal tool I can buy to remove and replace this BB.

I will list other components around the BB, which may help to identify the model:

track Miche Primato Advanced crankset (JIS)
Mash Work frame with BSA BB threading

Edit: After dismounting the BB, I have its manufacturer/model information: VP Components VP-BC73.


texts: Mechanical Shimano Deore Disk Brake - How to fix lack of bite/grip

texts:
I have a frustrating issue with my MTB and want to ask how I can go about actually diagnosing this issue.
I have a MTB Shimano Disk brakes. These are mechanical and one pad is pushed into the rotor and then onto the inner pad.
I had found that the braking on the bike had become weak, at best. So I bought some new brake pads by EBC and replaced them.
The thing is, the braking is still very weak. Basically, I am tightening the brake and walking the bike on the ground I am still able to rotate the wheel, showing that the pads are simply not gripping the rotor tight enough.

I have tightened the brake cable (at both ends), which doesn't seem to do much.
I have tried to realign the brake housing mechanism (by unscrewing the top and bottom allen screws) and tightening the brake and then retightening the screws.
The wheel rotor does not state any requirements for brake materials.

But I'm lost... I think I need to tighten up the pressure piece that the brake actuates. But I can't find any advice about this (here and youtube). I did find an allen screw that looked like it worked on the pressure mechanism but results were inconclusive.
I have read a multitude of posts on here about fixing shimano brakes (including here and here) but can't find anything that gives me any ideas for solving this issue.
I am suspecting that I could maybe try and put something on the caliper to stop the spring/brake mechanism travelling on the caliper, which it does a little.
I am also aware that disk brakes do need to be used hard for 40+ times to wear in, but the thing is this appears to be the same issue (or symptom, at least) that was on the older pads which have been used extensively.
Update
Extensive testing and "bedding in" of the new brake pad, and reading the answer by Swifty, raises some flags for me: that the issue is completely that the pads themselves do not exert enough pressure on the rotor to stop its rotation.

The pads do seem to significantly bend and flex the rotor.
The pads possibly do not yet have enough friction/grip from bedding in but as stated, this issue seems to be that the pads are somehow bending the rotor which causes a delay in the braking mechanics.

The cable tension is absolutely fine. The pads at rest are very close but not touching the rotor.
The issue is that as the braking system only moves the outer pad, this is pressing the rotor and then pressing the rotor towards the inner pad, with visible movement (several mm).
Update 2
After comments with Chris H, I have had a nose around at the mechanism and found a screw for tightening the fixed pad nearest the wheel. This looks promising. It feels like there's more grip and riding this morning (day 2) with this is better, not perfect but definitely better.
Pictures
BELOW: Loose view. Brake is not triggered:

BELOW: Tight view with brake triggered:


texts: Chainring rubbing frame after tightening cranks. What should I change?

texts:
Bike details:

Singlespeed (steel)
Square taper threaded BB
58/19 ratio (hence huge chainring rubbing the frame)
130mm bcd 5-bolt crank/chainring
Mileage on cranks: several thousand km in all weather (tropical climate)
Riding purpose: commuting, ~125km per week, with sporadic longer rides.

Background info:

I have this ridiculous tooth count due to component availability at the time of setup. Initially, there was a clear gap (around 1-2mm?) between the chainring teeth and the frame. All was good.

Almost two years and thousands of kilometres later, the cranks started to get loose (creaky on downstroke). After having to tighten the bolts twice over 2 weeks, I removed the cranks, cleaned and lightly greased the spindle (yes, I know, this is a point of contention too) and crank holes, and re-installed them (I do not have a torque wrench... let's just say they're tight enough but not too tight).

Now the chainring rubs at certain crank positions. Visual inspection of the crank arms shows no cracks/damage.

Possible solutions I came up with:

Get a BB with a longer spindle (cheapest; sounds the most short-term; fit may be affected; chainline may be affected; crank arm wear and tear may bite me later).
Change the crank arms (so far, impossible to find online. I tried CRC, Wiggle, bike24. The others have very expensive shipping to my place. Haven't asked LBS yet.).
Change the chainring and cog (expensive since I'm running a White Ind ENO freewheel; crank arm wear and tear may bite me later).
Change the chainset/crankset and cog (bloody expensive, and I haven't been able to find a singlespeed square taper 52t (for 52/17) chainset online, meaning the arms and ring will have to be bought $eparately. Haven't asked LBS yet.)

Suggestions? Any input is welcome.


texts:
I’ve been having some bottom bracket (BB) woes. Noticed a click on the top of the left pedal stroke so decided to re-grease the BB. Took it apart cleaned and re-greased everything, then put it back together.

Roll forward a week. I notice that my cranks sticking here and there, it gets progressively worse on the ride. I get it home and off the bike notice my bike has turned into a rain-stick (this provided no calming effect).

Queue another strip down of the BB.
Upon inspection, I found all the bearings on the drive side were out of the cage, which now would no longer hold them. I pinched the cages with pliers to secure the ball bearings back in place, re-greased & repacked.

I lifted my bike out today for my cycle to work and jingle-jingle; LOOSE BEARING!
Cycle to work was sub 3 miles so risked it.
Want to take care of this ASAP, so my questions are:

1. I figure I am over-tighting the bottom bracket, causing the damage to the cage, however what else could cause it?

2. What size bearings does an Italian threaded BB take?

BB info:

Campagnolo Italian threaded
plastic sleeve is in two parts, the smaller part pushes into the
other.
2 caged bearings from memory 8/9 bearings in each cage.
Two screw-in cones, one locking.

Here are pics of my spindle:

Brev. whatever that means


texts: First shift up after shifting down only moves as I'm releasing the lever not on both the click in and click out of the lever like the consecutive ones

texts:
Video of Issue: https://imgur.com/nY8s4Z0

I have just been given my dad's old bike and was looking at fixing it up. However, it has a shifting problem where it shifts down the gears perfectly fine but on any gear, the first upshift after a downshift only shifts halfway.

I have noticed that when it shifts properly when you click the lever in it moves a little and then when you release it moves the rest of the way this however doesn't happen on the first upshift after downshifting.

You can see and hear in the video when I click it in the first time nothing moves and then when I release it moves halfway. Then on the next upshift it moves on both the click in and the click out of the shift lever. Then I move it back down and it shifts down fine on both downshifts but then the first shift up only moves when releasing the shift lever and the second one moves on squeezing the lever and releasing.

I noticed the first click in sounds different to the rest as well almost like it's trying to click it and just slipping.

I would take it to a bike shop but due to the lockdown they won't be open here for at the very least another 4 weeks and id like to be able to ride it in the meantime.

I have tried indexing it at least 10-15 times and all of the consecutive shifts up and down work perfectly its just the first shift up after shifting down doesn't. I watched heaps of tutorials I could find but haven't seen anything about this half shifting problem anywhere.


texts:
I have a tandem with a drag brake in the hub of the back wheel.  It works perfectly, providing a steady drag when descending.

QUESTION: Can I simply treat it like a normal rear wheel with cups/cones, and adjust the axle, or do I have to be careful of the drum brake's innards?

Details:

ABOVE: Drive side of axle - there is 4.5 mm of thread exposed, plus 1.5 mm of cambered slope.

ABOVE: Left side of axle, showing barely 1mm of axle through the nut and the visible bit is not threadded.

Left side view - showing drum brake arm and reaction arm.

I wish to fit this trailer hitch, which goes on the left side of the rear wheel axle.  It is 3 mm thick plate.


texts:
I mostly used conventional sneakers for cycling  and never wore bicycle shoes in my life. At this moment of my life I decided to level up a bit. I've built myself a road bike and now I'm looking into proper footwear. It's a whole new world for me and I'm completely lost. My first impression is that there are several types of pedals, cleats and shoes and you have to choose the right ones in order to fit them all together.

I'd really appreciate a brief consultation on how to choose a proper footwear gear. Which pedals play good with which shoes and/or cleats and how to buy the right combination?

Thanks guys! You're the best!!


texts:
I've got a seven day cycling session in the Alps coming up in about a month. Unfortunately, I've not been great about getting on the bike in the past month (or even the past year, to be honest). From many years of cycling, my fitness is still quite good — enough that I had a great double century last month, before I took a month-long break. But I'm still far short of where I'd like to be, especially in the climbs.

What can I do over the next month to maximize my climbing endurance for this trip? On average, a day will be about 8kft of climbing, with the biggest day being somewhere around 16kft. Should I be focusing on long-distance riding at endurance pace? Hour-long hill repeats? Something else? If you had a month to prepare, what would you do?


texts: What type of brake is this? Adjustment questions

texts:
Is it a side pull brake? I am trying to match this brake to the Park Tools videos on YouTube. This brake seems closest to a side pull brake in this video, but that video mentions a double nut at the front of the brake which this brake lacks. Is this brake just a slightly different style?

I was also having problems where the rear brake would would squeeze and clinch the rim, but then would not release. One possible problem I saw was the housing line near the rack:

As is, the rack is directly in the ideal housing line. Can the rack be moved to the "inner" holes? Or should the housing just be shortened to reduce housing motion near the rack during braking?

Front brake:

I plan to replace cables and pads! Any thoughts on adjustment techniques, or where I can learn more?


texts: What should I look for when buying a bike from an auction?

texts:
I'm going to an auction to look for cheap gems. Each bike is shown only very briefly and the bidding starts immediately. No hands-on inspection is allowed.

What should I pay attention to when trying to decide how much / if to bid? Are there some immediate signs that I should look for that either hint to the high or low quality of a bicycle?

I don't know brands very well and the brands here in Finland might be different from other countries. However, brands I should look for or avoid are welcome, but any other more general external indicators for quality would be better.

I know this is similar to What should I look for when buying a used bicycle? but I think the situation is different enough to merit a separate question.


texts:
I have sun ez3 trike,it has rear freewheel with the largest being 28 teeth,can I put a mega
range with 34 teeth on it,and do I have to change the deraileur.Objective to make hills easier.


texts:
Broken rear derailleur.

What do I need to look for to replace a RD-TX30?


texts:
Can't seem to get to the bottom of this. I have an 1997 Marin Eldridge Grade. I use it mostly for touring. The chain jumps or skips. It doesn't Jump down to a smaller sprocket. What the chain does seems like it could be several things.
1.It could be riding up on the sprockets
2. It could be riding up on a chainring
3. It could be a pawl skipping.
The problem is, pretty much everything is new.
New LX chainrings,New chain Probably a Whipperman Connex 808, 8 sprocket XT cassette, and a new freehub.
It doesn't skip/jump all the time and i think it is more inclined to do it at moderate load. It seems to be getting worse.
I've been a cyclist for 43 years and can sort most things out myself but this is doing my head in.

Chain is not jumping up and or down sprockets so not changing gear. It is riding up on teeth of sprockets or chain rings. I have already stated that chain is new.
Shifter and Derailleur are Shimano XT.
No stiff links in chain.


texts:
I have a Mongoose XR-150. Just brought it from Craigslist a month ago.

Suddenly while biking today, the rear wheel got jammed. It just stopped moving, however hard I tried to pedal. Immediately after this, when I tried pedalling, the pedal moves but none of the wheels move with it. There's a weird tension on the pedals though.

I would really like to get this fixed as cheaply as possible. Does anyone have any ideas/advice?

Thanks


texts: What Supporting Muscle Groups Should Be Strengthened?

texts:
Various sites recommend a variety of exercises to strengthen a cyclist's core (back and upper body).

bicycling.com recommends aerobic type exercises with an exercise ball.

t-nation.com recommends weights, rowing machines, and other curious exercises.

I'm having some difficulty knowing which ones are most important, and/or if some are redundant etc.

Therefore I ask:

What supporting muscle groups need to be strengthened?

In what order of priority should those muscle groups be addressed?

What is the optimal strength to maintain for each of the groups?
By optimal strength I mean how much effort (10min 3x wk for example) do they need? If it depends on how much biking then please answer for a nice spectrum of distances such as 60mi/wk, 150 mi/wk, 300 mi/wk.

Given that information I should be able to research the various recommended exercises to determine which are redundant and which are of primary importance.


texts: When not in use, How should I store my tubeless tires?

texts:
I have a bike setup with tubeless mountain bike tires.  I tend to ride about 20-25 PSI.

How should I store my tubeless tires? Does it matter what pressure I store the tires at between rides? Should it be Higher/Lower/Same than regular riding pressure? Any differences for 'Ghetto Tubeless' setups done with a splayed tube and sealant vs UST? Any difference for tubeless fatbike tires?


texts: Swapping wheels and cassettes with Shimano GRX 600/800

texts:
I am in the market for a gravel bike. I plan on getting a second set of wheels for road rides. This bike will most likely have Shimano GRX 600 or 800 2x and an 11-34 cassette. Assuming the rear derailleur is set up properly for that cassette, I'm curious if there any issues having an 11-28 cassette on the road wheels to get closer ratios:

Would any derailleur adjustment be needed when swapping?
Would a chain sized for the larger cassette work with the smaller one?
What is the maximum difference that would likely operate satisfactorily?

Most of the trails out here are quite rough and steep, so there isn't an ideal tire or gearing for both road and dirt rides.


texts: Seatpost mounted luggage rack on carbon frame

texts: Planning on taking my carbon Ribble to Wales to go play in the valleys.  Need to carry limited luggage from point to point.  Looking at a seatpost mounted rack like the Topeak RX beam, but wanted thoughts on whether this is a good idea on a carbon bike?  Have an alloy seat post but don't want to damage the carbon seat tube.


texts:
A couple years ago I rode through the winter (took last winter off) and am looking to resume. My bike got hammered during the New England winter though, especially the hubs. Other than a regular rinsing before putting the bike away what should I be doing specific to winter-proofing my bike as much as possible?

Update: To address the duplicate flag, I'd like clarify that I'd like answers to be focused on maintenance - NOT on winter products.  I have everything I need to ride safely and comfortably to 0° F but I'm looking for help and suggestions on how to keep my bike running smoothly in this weather.

Thanks


texts: Using "disk-only" rim (proper sidewalls) with rim brakes

texts:
I have an unneeded disk wheel. The rim is "disk-only", but it has sidewalls just as though it was for rim brakes. The sidewalls are painted though and not machined. (I even suspect it's some older model re-labeled with "disk-only".)

What can go wrong putting it in a rim-brake bike? After a few first slowdowns, while I take some care, the paint wears off.

Can sidewalls of "disk-only" rims, while looking just like their old rim-brake-compatible counterparties, be significantly thinner or otherwise unsuitable for using with rim brakes?

I'm looking for facts, not guesses or hypotheses (which I have more than enough myself :-) )


texts: Annual technology gap of high end road bikes

texts:
Somewhat general question. Could someone give me an idea of how much of a 'technology gap' there is between annual models of high-end road bikes (~$2000)? Specifically:

Which components generally see the biggest improvement each year?
In what sense is carbon fibre technology improving? What does this mean for your average non-pro (but enthusiastic) rider?
Some sort of guestimation of when we can expect to see electrical gears on high-level road bikes as standard.
Do like models necessarily improve every year?


texts: Front brake lever will not stay tightened

texts:
I have a 2011 Trek Cobia with Hornet brakes. About an hour and a half into my trek through the woods this morning I noticed that (once again) my left brake lever was hitting my knuckle when I fully compressed it. I had noticed it compressed too far two days ago so I adjusted the position with a 2 mm allen wrench. I notice that the brake lever is also closer to the handlebar than before. These are hydraulic disk brakes.

I've had this problem before, a few months ago I noticed that I could compress the brake lever almost all the way to my handlebar, which was unusual (this is all with the left lever by the way, my rear brakes are fine). Eventually my front brake lost all power and compressed fully to the handlebar with no resistance.Since I was relatively new to mountain biking I just took it to my LBS and they bled the brake. A few minutes into my next ride the same thing happened. Note that the brake stayed fully functional until I used it. I got that same LBS to bleed the brake again, but alas, my brake lost power again. This time I took it to another bike shop to bleed it for a third time, and it stayed. I had no problems on any future rides.

So, on to the problem at hand. When I noticed the problem two days ago (just in my room) I readjusted the position of the lever with a 2mm allen wrench (as stated earlier) and I also decided to reposition the entire mechanism relative to my handlebar so I could get an easier reach and so my wrists would drop more, making going over obstacles easier (saw it on a video on YouTube:

            ). The reason I bring this up is that I may have merely noticed the brake lever compressing too far and touching my knuckle when I used it because I just raised the brake lever. So I'm not sure if this is a new problem or not.

I have never noticed any discharge on any part of my front brake system, not on the cable, not below on the caliper, not by the brake lever. Could there be a small enough hole that lets air in but doesn't let liquid out? I'm going to reposition the lever again with the 2mm allen wrench and see if it happens again. Do I need to take apart the housing, could there be a "screw loose" or something along those lines?

Thanks for your patience, I feel like I rambled on a bit, but I just wanted to be clear and give all the relevant details I could.

P.S. I have no money, so going to the bike shop is kind of unavailable at the moment.

Thanks for any help!


texts:
I have recently bought a house and found this bike in the garage. I'm currently thinking of giving it a full service, but I'm not a super expert on it and therefore I'd maybe like to take it to a shop. That said, if I take it to a shop, they'll charge me about £50 at least, and if the bike is a really cheap one, then I may not bother...

Is it worth getting this bike serviced by a bike shop? What servicing will the bike shop do that I cannot easily do myself


texts:
I have a Kona Rove ST (specifications here).

I'd like to change the drop bars by flat bars (it will be better for the travelling I'm planning, but that's not the point). But I don't know what shifters I should take (if only there are some compatible, but I'd guess so).

I'm not that concerned by the weight, so I prefer the cheapest of the shifters if the only difference is the weight.


texts: Determine which cage length on Shimano Ultegra 6800

texts:
How can I determine which cage length is on my road bike? I have a Shimano Ultegra 6800 groupset, with 11-28 casette and 52-36 chainrings.
I found this resource, however, I measure 60 mm between the jockey wheels...
https://www.mantel.com/blog/en/derailleur-capacity-maximum-techcenter/
I also checked the Shimano website, but with no success.


texts: I have a Yukon Giant mountain bike, serial number GN2L7542. I would like to know the year it was manufactured and how much it is worth.


texts: Need some experienced eyes on removing cog/rear wheel mechanism

texts:
I've looked all over the net and can't find the proper tool or D.I.Y tool to take this apart. It's a single speed (with a ratcheting mechanism), and I'm trying to take it apart to make it a fixie.

In the inner ring thingy, I counted 9 splines, and on that outer ring I counted 6 grooves. I compared all of this to park tool pictures, but did not find anything fitting.

Home solutions and advice are welcome.


texts: How much does non-ideal frame size matter?

texts:
I have an opportunity to buy a barely-used Allez Elite for a very small amount of money (around $100). However, its frame size may be slightly different than the "ideal" size for me. If this difference in size will make the bike uncomfortable on extended rides, I'd rather purchase a different one that fits well, even for more money.

Based upon my height and leg length, I ought to be using a 55cm bike frame.

How much smaller/larger of a frame can I use before it will be uncomfortable? +/- 5cm? More? Less?


texts: Difference between 3 campy 80mm deep section wheels

texts:
Currently, three 80mm wheels are listed in Campagnolo's websites, but I can't fully see what's exactly the difference between them.

BORA ULTRA 80
BULLET ULTRA 80MM
BULLET 80MM

I guess BULLET 80MM is a cheaper version of BULLET ULTRA 80MM (using aluminium in places or what else), but no clue between the first two.  So, while I've not made the hardest research ever, very little (or even no) info available on the comparison of them.


texts: How do you evaluate and choose chain lubricants?

texts:
Terms such as wet/dry/xyz/winter/summer/autumn lubricants are not well defined. I find it very hard to determine which bottle is worth buying, spray, bottled, wax, parafin, purple, green, Y (other things) -- now, my brain encountered a stackoverflow.

Can one measure objectively which oil is more appropriate to a particular usage case?

Help Questions

Which properties to look for in chain oils?
Are there standard terms by which to judge chain oils?
Is there an index of different properties in oils that would cover things such as viscosity?

I must confess the topic is more like a research type of question and hence hard to attack directly. Things such as soft matter/dynamics research require computing power, numerical analysis, statistics and understanding of the inner structures. For unknown souls, you may like to watch directly into the dragon's mouth here. Do not think that this question is solved even if I accept an answer.


texts: How do I know whether my bike can use disk brakes?

texts:
I have a Gary Fisher bike (wahoo I believe). I think it's considered the entry level Fisher mountain bike.
Could I put on disc brakes as opposed to using the standard  brakes on this bike?

Standard brakes are the rim brakes.

Thanks
Carlos


texts: How bad is a bent rim, how to deal with it and how urgent and dangerous is it?

texts:
I've recently learned how to bunny hop. It's definitely a lot of fun. I've repeatedly tried doing a 180 (with no success). It mostly ended up having the rear wheel lifted, the bike rotated 90 degrees and landed perpendicular to the starting point (either with the front wheel lifted or stationary).

This obviously causes a lot of stress on the rims...

And soon enough, I started feeling vibrations from the rear wheel at high speeds when not pedaling. I've inspected the rear wheel and found out that the rim is bent pretty badly, but not enough to cause noticeable drag or any anyway noticeable affect my ride.

How dangerous is it? Can it make me fall, lose control or anything like that? Can I keep it until I feel comfortable jumping (and not practice this activity on the new rim)?

Can it be fixed in a bike shop (maybe by bending it backwards?), or the only way to fix it is to replace the rim?

If I have to replace the rim, how difficult is it to move everything else (disk brakes, gears)? Do I need to 'calibrate' the rim or anything of this sort?

And generally, anything I should know before walking to the shop and ask for help so they won't rip me off?

The bike is a Specialized Pitch Pro 2010 (Enduro full suspension). I don't really know, but I assume that the rims are aluminium (by look and feel). I believe these are the original rims on on the bike, the DT Swiss 445D, 32-hole.


texts: How does Slime coagulate and seal holes in tires?

texts:
How do tire tube sealants like Slime coagulate and seal holes?

They can't coagulate like blood, because there's air already in the tube and they'd solidify. It also can't be in contact with moisture as there's a lot of moisture in tubes as well.

What's their sealing mechanism?


texts: Replace Viner Settanta seat post securing wedge

texts: My seat post wedge has been removed. There seems to be loads of different styles and shapes depending on the make and model of frame. Does anybody know if any other makes will fit it as having trouble sourcing one. Planet x may have some in a month but that means the bike is out of action for ages


texts:
I'm planning to get a pair of pedal-powered head & tail lights to get my husband as a gift.

He commutes ~11mi roundtrip every day to/from work. In summer, he rides a Cannondale touring bike. In winter he is riding a very old Mongoose he has had since he was a teenager (that one will eventually be replaced).

We live in Buffalo, NY so he rides through all weather you can imagine and of course snow is the worst. He currently uses a couple if cheap lights that run on rechargeable AA batteries and he has to charge them every few days.

So I want to get him a pair of lights that are powered by the pedals. I have looked online and I'm so confused by what I find. I don't know what are positive features, what is important, what to avoid ... I know it's important that they work well in the snow and other inclement weather as those are the most important times to be as visible as possible as to see as clearly around you while riding.

Can you advise me please? Or least tell me what I should be looking for and why? And [added by editor] is replacing his battery powered lights the best way of doing the job?

What specs are important. What's a good price range. Any information will be helpful.


texts: Measure seatpost diameter on frame / Raleigh granada 1986

texts:
Yesterday I saved a Raleigh granada frameset from 1986. It's in ok condition but without any of the original parts.

The plan is to build it up with leftover parts. So no original restauration on this one.

I tried to figure out the seatpost diameter by measuring the hole in the frame with a calliper but I couldn't be sure it was a 27.0 seatpost. Do you know? Or are there any other more reliable way to measure?

Sorry for the bad image but that's all I got. It's just drying up after being carefully cleaned.


texts: Switching a 11 speed cassette+wheel with a 8 speed freewheel+wheel. Any compatibility issues?

texts: I'm trying to get a pair of training wheels to swap out for my race wheels. I dug up a pair of freewheel compatible wheels and I'm trying to buy freewheels now to fit the bike. The bike's drivetrain is 11s (Shimano Ultegra) but it looks like freewheels only go up to 8s. Would these be compatible with my bike? If not is there an easy way to make them work?


texts:
I just recently got a single speed with a flipflop hub and got the bike shop to switch it to the fixed cog.  While riding around, the gear came loose on the back hub and almost flung me off so I had to bring it back to the shop to get them to tighten it.

Does anyone use any thread locking fluid on the rear wheel gear to keep it from slipping on the hub or will tension from the lockring keep it secure enough?

And if anyone has used thread locking fluid, did they have any problems getting a polymerization reaction to occur due to a low electrochemically in the hub/cog due it being made from aluminum or some other lightweight material?


texts: I have a Trek 26" Y-frame with beat-up, hardly functioning, yellow generic front fork. I'd like to replace the fork with a Rockshox Yellow Quadra or a Judy. Will they work on my bike? Thx


texts: What should I carry on day trips for emergencies?

texts:
While commuting or touring I use a off road trekking bike with racks, a water-proof bag and some tools in case of flat tyres.

In my day trips I prefer my fitness bike and I want to be "fast and light" so I have no racks and bags. In my saddle minibag I have only a multitool and a tube. What else should I carry (e.g a pump) and with which way?


texts: Matching Rando bag and seat-attached saddle bag?

texts:
What companies make matching sets of rando bags (with a clear map pocket and opens toward the rider) and seat mount saddle bags (not panniers) made from waxed canvas, duck cloth, or other non-synthetic material?

I've found only one http://www.acornbags.com that seems to have completely matching sets that meet my requirements. Are there other companies?  I've checked out velo orange but their offerings are poorly matched as they have 3-4 different brands which don't look great together and no larger saddle bags that match the one rando bag they offer. Zimbale bags looked promising, except their front rack bag doesn't have a map pocket and opens away from the rider...

I do have front and rear racks with a platform, I'd prefer not to have to rely on having the rear rack installed unless I plan on touring. So, I'd prefer that the saddle bag be seat/seatpost attached only.


texts: Is it possible to upgrade a rear derailleur with an other model, same company Shimano and the same speed

texts:
I'm planning to upgrade my MBT bike for a real one, well entry-level.
Talon 3 2019, which comes with these specs for shifters and derailleurs

Shifters: Shimano Altus, 3x8

Front Derailleur: Shimano Altus

Rear Derailleur: Shimano Acera

I was thinking, maybe I could upgrade the rear derailleur Acera for this one :

Shimano Deore SL RD-M591 SGS 8/9 Speed Rear. Is is possible or maybe Alivio ?

Thanks I'm new to this world, I just love biking and the derailleurs make a huge difference, I want a good one! Thanks a lot


texts: I've been having pain on the sides of my feet (outside about midway back on the foot(. I was wearing a pair of Sidi's size 43. Went to a Specialized 44. Still have the pain, so I'm thinking it's something else, like how I have the cleats bolted on the shoes or even the pedals. How do I diagnose further?


texts: Left side of my foot -- 8 inches up leg numb?

texts:
First of all -- I know this isn't Medical-Overflow-Exchange, sorry.

But, I think my issue may be cycle related. I've been riding a lot lately, and actually just started riding Fixed again. And for about 3 weeks the whole left side of my foot and about 6-8 inches up my leg are completely numb!

I've read it could be related to my back, I've been cycling and when even not cycling carrying a sling bag for work; with a Laptop and a few notebooks in it.

Anybody come across this before?


texts: How bad is this fire damaged alloy frame?

texts:
I got this Shimano Ultra groupset bike for free, all I need now for it is shifters as the carbon and rubber melted in them and the original seat.

But now I am wondering if I can get away with it, I don't want the top/down tubes to brake off the head!

The cable adjuster on the down tube is a bit melted on this one if you zoom in:

Everything works great (Not to say I know if there's a good amount of lube in the head tube but it turns fine)  but what do you guy think is it too dodgy to keep aluminium that has all that darkening round the welds?

I know a lot will say biff it and I should at least get a new stem but please give me some disclaimer-ed thoughts for a proper like myself just wanting a bike that has better gears than Shimano tourney!

EDIT:

This is what concerned me: http://forums.mtbr.com/tooltime/repairing-fire-damaged-bikes-689507.html They tell the guy to ditch a bike with no viable damage!

It would be interesting for example to know what temperature it takes to melt the old bike seat completely of the metal guides and curl the shifter carbon leavers!


texts: I think I chose the wrong road bike size

texts: I went to a local bike shop a couple days ago and picked up a road bike. I think I chose the wrong size. I bought a medium size instead of a small. I’m 5’7 and I feel comfortable during the first two hours of riding and then the back of my neck starts hurting. The salesman told me that I have a long torso so I agreed to have a medium bike. Any suggestions to fit my bike better for me? I’m 22 years old and spent a ton of money for my bike and I really want to get the best out of it.


texts: Adjusting rear derailleur - shifts to lower gear, but not to higher

texts:
Well, it will shift to a higher gear, but it takes two clicks of the shifter and it skips over a gear when it does shift. With one click the chain hangs on the current gear by the slimmest if threads. It's quite amazing really.

This is a new derailleur, a Shimano RD-M410 Alivio SGS, on a cog set that predates index shifting. Could that be the problem?

I have tried adjusting the barrel adjuster, but that doesn't seem to have any effect (on this problem).

Also, I put bar-end shifters on the bike, so the cable seems a bit short.

Edit

The cog set has 7 gears, but the shifter has 8.

Thanks.


texts: Fixie/Single speed frame information for beginner

texts:
I don't want to buy a ready made bike because singlespeed or fixed gear bikes are way expensive due to their popularity.

I want to make my own bike, I haven't build a bike from scratch before. I want a light, simple bike, a fixie or a single speed, maybe a flip-flop. I am going to use it in city which practically doesn't have a single hill.

It seems that first step is to find a frame. What kind of frame should I get? How do I understand that a frame is compatible and good? When buying a second hand frame, what should I look for? (most common stress points to check, or similar...)


texts: Hoods for 1993 Camapaganolo Chorus levers

texts:
The hoods for my 1993 camapaganolo chorus levers need replacing.

Can anyone suggest some inexpensive hoods that would be compatible apart from a period Campagnolo part?


texts:
I am completely new to multi gear bikes, the last time i rode a bike was in 1965.
My question, what gear combination do i need to start off on level ground.
If i try to back pedal just a bit, to get the pedals at 12 and 6 o' clock to get maximum leverage to start off, the gears won't let me do it.
What combination will let me back up the pedals?
Thanks,
Mike


texts:
I just bought my wife an awesome Merida Juliet.  But our (existing) Hamax bike seat doesn't fit over the tire when mounted to the frame (just touches the back wheel) and mounted on the seat post the metal rods go over the saddle.

Is there a hack or some kind of adapter that will let detachable bike seats fit on "compact" bike frames?


texts:
I have a Stance 2020 27.5 MTB with Rockshox Recon front axle. My quick release lever will free spin when I try to lock in the front wheel.

I have "fixed" it enough by tightening the screw, this allows me to lock on the wheel by first screwing the axle in. followed by tightening the lever independently. - essentially locking them in separately.

I can now MTB but there is a horrible clicking, and my fear is that I'm ruining something.

Is there a better fix I can do ?

Thank you


texts: Front Disc Brake not braking to it's full potential

texts:
Today, I got a new disc for my front Clarks Hyrdaulic brake. Before the change, whenever I pressed my front brake, I could almost do a front flip but that's only if I pressed it fully. Now, when I press it fully, the lever goes all the way down but it feels like the tyre should stop but instead, it goes for slightly longer. It's almost as if there's grease on my brake pads but I know that's not the case.

So my question is, why did replacing the front disc cause my front brake to lose effectiveness? Do I need to wait it out cause it's a new disc or?


texts: Would a carbon fiber fork make a significant difference?

texts: I have a Giant Escape 2012 that i love.  I ride it more than my road bike. Ive recently switched from 32mm to 28mm tires and can notice the improved handling and speed. Is a carbon fiber fork a good upgrade? I'm mainly looking for upgrades to make my bike lighter. Also, what size would I need? I cant find my bike specs online.


texts:
I wanted to ask about proper tire pressure specifically for the bike I got.

The model is Oryx Volt 26".
Tires specs are: 26" / 2.125".
I believe Toronto Police used such bikes.
Recommended pressure written on tires is 40 - 65 PSI.
I drive mostly on roads and forestry parks. Don't have any mountains.
Weight 82 kg, 180 lb.

How should I inflate my tires?
To a recommended 60 PSI or so?
Should I inflate tires equally?

What confused me is that tire pressure articles I read on the web say that for mountain bikes tire pressure should be around 25 PSI.
But my tires have recommended pressure 40 - 60 PSI.

Thanks.


texts: Shimano Shadow vs Non-Shadow Rear Derailleur for Commuter Bike

texts:
I am considering upgrading the rear derailleur in my commuter bike since it has some considerable scratch damage and since I have to change the rear freewheel / cassette for some functional damage.

While looking at the entry level Shimano components, I started considering the Altus RD-M2000 / Acera RD-M3000 / Alivio RD-M4000 since they are still cheapish (at 20 something, 30 somthing, and 40 something USD respectively) and they are "shadow" (narrower profile and stronger tensor spring to reduce chain whips/bounce and have a lower chance of them "shifting in a bump" or coming off altogether)

Are the shadow vs non-shadow rear derailleurs better for bumpy commutes? (rather than just for downhill/way bumpier rides) Are the Altus / Acera / Alivio comparably durable? Should I go for the cheaper Altus one or the Alivio one if I can spare the extra bucks?


texts:
I need a whole new front wheel.

I have been around some of the bike shops in my city and found that the cheapest whole new wheel (wheel, tire, tube, tape) is about £55.

I also asked at the shop I bought my bike about getting a like for like replacement (i.e. the same make of wheel that I am replacing) and the guy helping me said that would cost about £100, probably a bit more.

The increase in cost is because the hub (sorry for my lack of expertise) is aluminium and the rims are double walled rims (which I think are sprint rims judging from the picture in the wikipedia article). He explained that double walled rims significantly increase the strength of the wheel, which is important when hitting potholes.

I have a hybrid bike, and ride almost entirely on road. I currently ride about 54 miles a week, and I'm hoping to increase that to nearly 90 once I'm fit enough, so I guess that's low to medium usage. The roads around here are fairly potholey, but I manage to avoid the holes most of the time.

This is the bike I currently have: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/escape.2/7090/43391/ (without the front wheel!)

Given the above, is the more expensive wheel worth the extra money?


texts: Bought used bike, Shimano derailleur does not work - how to repair or replace?

texts: So I'm new to biking and I purchased a really good bike at a reasonable price. It's a 7 speed bike and as you can see the derailleur is messed up. I'm not sure how to find one that will work. I found another Shimano Deore model: RD-M53P SGS. Can anyone tell me if this will work? If not do you know one that will? Thanks a lot.


texts: Alternating brakes on descents: is it really useful?

texts:
I heard from many sources (some of them on this site, e.g. on answers to this question here) that you should be alternating the use of your front and rear brakes.
Most people give as a reason that the brakes can cool better that way.

I have been mostly doing the same, but I never really understood if it actually helps and/or if there is a good explanation for it.

The way I see it: when descending we transform all our potential energy (at some altitude) first to kinetic energy, then to heat in the brake pads/rims/disks.

Does it actually matter if we first heat up the front brake a bit more, then the rear brake, then front again etc. compared to just braking evenly with both of them?


texts: Can I switch through all rear gears with a two chainring crankset?

texts: I'm very new with bikes, I just got my new bike since I was a kid like 25 years ago, I bought a Trek Marlin 7 2020 which comes with a 2 chainring crankset and 9 rear gears. I've been hearing that is not good to use the small chainring with the smaller rear sprockets and neither the opposite the biggest chainring with the biggest sprockets but some people says that with a 2 crankset it's safe to use all gears with any of the sprockets, so I'm very confused... In your experience what would be your advice? Thanks a lot!


texts:
I've got Shimano Deore shifters like the one on the picture

and XT rear derailleur.

The shifter and the derailleur work perfectly well, the chain and the cassette are quite new. Bit the problem is that the indicator is stuck on the "high gear" - at the right and is not moving.

Should I replace it or can it be fixed?


texts: Tips for adjusting Shimano M355 hydraulic brakes

texts:
I have upgraded from cheap old front cable disks brakes and rear v-brakes to Shimano hydraulic M355's front and rear. I always adjusted my old brakes for a very tight fit (to reduce dead space between pads/rotor) thus shortening my lever throw.

As a sidenote, I know the M355's are the lower end of the hydraulic spectrum but i would have expected them to be better than my old lower end cable brakes. Also, I have bled both of these brakes twice in succession so air cannot be an issue

Q1.
With these new hydraulics there is a large space between the pads and rotor. The pads do auto-adjust correctly but not enough. Are there any tricks to modify this? (I have tried over-filling the system and it works briefly until the pads wear down a bit. However, i am unsure if overfilling could damage the bladder/diaphram in the lever)

Q2.
I have noticed that both the front and rear levers feel different when applying braking pressure. The rear feels nice and soft, yet firm and feels the same all the way through the stroke. It also provides good power. However, on the front, when the pads contact the rotor, you can really feel the lever go from soft to hard immediately. The front does not provide as much power as it should.
Does this indicate something is wrong? If so, what?

Sorry for the long paragraghs, just trying to give you all a clear picture.

Thanks in advance for any help


texts: Monster-cross build on the road, will it be fun?

texts:
Don't ask why, don't ask how much but this is what I'm aiming at:

29er entry level MTB with light Al frame stripped down
Carbon rigid MTB fork (for clearance)
Carbon drop-bar handle bars
35c tires
Road levers
Convert the 3x8 to 1x8 (46T x 11-42T)
Disc brakes

Since I've sold my road bike a year ago (after triathlons) I kinda missed the pure fast aerobic workout of a road bike but still have some gravel roads around me and wanted the versatility of CX/gravel to do some mellow XC around (for real off-road I'll use my friend's FS :) )

Gravel / CX market here is sooo pricy and I cannot get a good deal even on a used bike. So this beast would be way cheaper than that.

Me: 1.83m (~6'), weighs 95kg, Since I really liked the road bike aero position I thought about getting size M (17.5") as it will allow me to get low and forward on the handlebar.

My question is, would it be fun? would I go reasonably fast on paved roads? What do you think?

Thanks!


texts: Convert used road bike or MTB for touring?

texts:
I would like to convert a bike to a tourer and I have access to a load of frames.

I've seen people saying that mountain bikes convert well to tourers and haven't heard much on road bikes. This is confusing because road bike geometry looks waaaay closer to touring bikes.

My gut instinct is to convert a road bike since the geometry looks closer. What is better to convert?

Edit: My route is the west cost of the USA from Vancouver to San Diego. I am going to be fully loaded, a.k.a. fully self sufficient but I am investing in lighter gear.


texts: so I have some 9 speed campy shifters and a 9 speed shimano wheelset lying around, I'd like to know if they can work with each other so I can save some money as I'm planning on building/ upgrading a bike in the near future with these parts. So in short, is Campagnolo and Shimano in any way compatible with each other?


texts: Can the belt drive on a Trek 1st District be replaced with a chain drive?

texts:
I have a Trek 1st District bike that was given to me.

The belt drive is not very satisfactory. I have asked here about upgrading it to a newer version, but perhaps it would be better to set it up with a chain instead.

I would need to replace at least the chainring and rear sprocket. What about the rear freehub - is that special to the belt drive?

Are there any other points to be aware of converting a belt-drive bike to a chain-drive?


texts: Useful and accurate mapping websites: United Kingdom

texts:
What are your favourite regional online websites or blogs relating to mapping or routing that you find useful and accurate.

See also: What are the most useful or interesting cycling-related websites or blogs?

Please vote up or down based on the accuracy/usability of these services and post one website link at a time.


texts:
I have what seems like a really simple question, and yet I didn't manage to find the answer.

Why do track races require fixed-gear bicycles, as opposed to single-speed freewheeled bicycles? Is it purely for traditional/historical reasons, or is there any good reason for that requirement?


texts: Should I put a downtube guard on my aluminium enduro bike?

texts:
I am about to purchase a new Whyte G170s mountain bike. It does not come with a downtube protector to protect from rock strikes. Although the frame is not carbon I am wondering whether I should buy a guard or not. My last bike (a Trek Fuel) was also AL and came with a downtube guard included.

So should I get one or should my frame be OK with rock strikes?

Cheers.


texts: What should I use to wash cycling clothes?

texts: I know the labels say to use "delicate" detergent.  Well, how exactly do I know if its "delicate?"  I used to use Woolite, but then read somewhere that I shouldn't.  (Article didn't say why.)  So, what's best for cleaning them?


texts:
I have a 7 speed Mongoose Bike. The chain often falls off the front sprocket.  There is only one chain ring in the front.  Any ideas what to check for?

Thanks,
Paul


texts: I have author ronin 2019 and I'm wondering if this tubus rack suits to the fork of my bike. Did anybody use this front racks with similar forks?


texts: What is the quantifiable benefit of compressionless brake housing?

texts:
If you had a compressionless setup (cable disc for example) that you measured gave you 100 braking units (whatever unit that would be) when the lever was maximally activated, what would be the number of braking units for a coiled housing setup?
E.g. it would only be 85 braking units because the housing absorbs the rest of the lever activation?
Does coiled housing have a linear response to being compressed, or once it's been compressed a certain amount does it effectively act as compressionless housing from then on, like a concertina of paper that you can't squash down any further?
Would the 'spongey feel' that people talk about be captured in these measurements, or is that something else on top?


texts: automotive lubricants (ATF, manual trans fluid, or heavy motor oil) as bike chain lube?

texts:
Good afternoon,

I'm quite mechanically inclined (formerly an auto mechanic and currently an engineer) but relatively new to cycling.  Compared to other contexts I'm familiar with, I've noticed that bike chain lubricants, for example the Park Tool chain lube (https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-Synthetic-Blend-Bottle/dp/B000AOA290) or the Finish Line wet chain lube (https://www.amazon.com/Finish-Line-Bicycle-Chain-Lube/dp/B000WYCD5O?th=1) are very expensive per quantity compared to automotive lubricants.  I'm wondering if anybody has extensively tried any of the following as bike chain lubricant:

-Automotive Transmission Fluid (ATF)

-Manual Transmission Fluid / Transfer Case Fluid / Gear Oil

-relatively "heavy" motor oil, ex. 10W-40

In my general experience I've found that ATF is usually the best lubricant for almost any purpose, for example I've found that ATF lubricates air tools better than air tool specific lubricants.

I'm planning on trying ATF out before I spring for another bottle of Park or Finish Line chain lube.  Has anybody else tried any of the above for bike chain lubrication?


texts: Can I switch a single speed mag rim into a six speed?

texts:
I’m interested in getting mag rims for a hybrid bike that I own. Only problem is that mag rims come in single speeds not six. Is it possible to have mag rims modified to mount a six speed cassette?

The mag rims that I have are Skyway Tuff II single speed cassette.


texts: Is a Shimano Dura-Ace 7800 rear derailleur compatible with a Dura-Ace 7900 11-27 cassette?

texts:
Is the Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 10 speed cassette with a ratio of 11-27 cassette compatible with a dura-ace 7800 rear derailleur?

Some people say its fine but more important to me is what Shimano says on the matter. Some online retailers specifically state that the DA7900 11-27 ratio cassette is not compatible with the 7800 rear derailleur.

I believe that I saw on Shimano documents that it was not, due to chain wrap problems occurring but cannot find that material through google so am reaching out to you for help.

If you could direct me to material relating to this compatibility it would be very much appreciated!


texts: How to know what size of bike is suitable for your height and weight?

texts: There are many parameters when buying a bike, but the important one is the bike size. I want to know how to get the specs for the bike. Any good websites that help you in this regard?


texts:
I just bought a 20" Lotus Explorer for $200. The frame is Tange CR-MO and has Shimano components, the bike shop guy said it was a good frame. I don't know a lot about bikes; I'm just looking for a bike to get back and forth to school. Also theres a sticker on the fork that says "CR-MO uni-lite plus". He also switched it to single-speed and put new tires on it for me.

Any information about Lotus bikes would be helpful because I can't find much.


texts: BB86 bottom bracket with BB386 crankset?

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This is the markings on my bottom bracket. Will it fit BB386 crankset like the FSA Powerbox?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/fsa-powerbox-alloy-road-abs-chainset/?curr=SEK&dest=14&prevDestCountryId=14

Thanks!


texts: Deformed/uneven/bumpy wheel/tire/tube, how to diagnose or repair?

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My bike has a deformation in the rear wheel, almost surely not due to the rim.
At some point the tire has a "valley", causing it to bump instead of rolling smoothly. I'd like to understand if I have to replace the tire and/or the tube.
I checked the tube and it seems alright, I put it on recently and since then the wheel has become wobbly though. Both tire and tube are 700x35 mm, and they should be the right ones for the bike, since the tire is the original one.

Update: I've "played" with the tire, deflating and re-inflating several times trying to get it seated properly. Now instead of a "depression" there is a sort of sideways deformation.
Also in this case the rim looks straight but I can't get the tire to sit right. I tried to put it in place in any way I could think, what am I doing wrong?

I've found the problem
I didn't notice it before, but the tyre was worn out on the side, and the supporting structure was deforming. I solved the issue by buying a new tyre.


texts: Best solution for additional (dual) battery for E-bike

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I've marked a few possible places for additional battery mount.
What do you think is the most reliable place to mount battery in terms of ergonomics of the bike? Also, how to ensure the parts are having waterproof connection?
Model is OIO City Bike
Additional specs:
 Wheels diameter: 26 inches

 Motor: 350 Watt, brushless, maintenance-free

 Speed: 35 km / h

 Weight: 21 kg

 Load: 120 kg

 LCD Display (KBY-DISP KD21C): Indication of battery charge status, support level, speed

 Number of gears: 21

 Brakes: Disc

 Frame: Aluminum

 Battery: 36V 10.4Ah Li-ION


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This is my first bike ever assembled, I’m a total newbie.

I’ve just finished to put chain/cog and did my first try of chain tensioning. All components are new, but still I don’t understand why there’s so much noise when I pedal.

I’ve just put some lube to chain hoping it helps

Do you think there’s too much chain tension?
It was noisy even when the chain was slack, hope I bought the right chain!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/nTpEiKzsCfduMnRo6


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So, I wonder what happen if I replace my left crank with another right crank (either Square tapered or ISIS splined wouldn't matter).

What is the disadvantages apart from:
1) the pedal thread loosening over time (can be fixed using thread locking and hope it works..)

Please list any other problems I might have overlooked