texts: Benefits and drawbacks of Dropper posts?

texts:
From what I've seen, the last couple of years saw a new product type come into light, and since its inception it has started to appear on bikes (such as this one, this one, or this one) as a stock item.

I'm talking about the "drop seatpost".

For the un-initiated, these are seatposts that are adjustable "on-the-fly", either by remote or a lever under the sadle. The idea is to allow the rider to find an optimal seat height to suit the conditions. This seems like a great idea, but what suffers as a result? I believe there is an inevitable weight penalty that would burden the gram-conscious amongst us, but what else might sway a decision for or against the purchase of one of these items?

I assume the potential problems will include weight, mechanical failure and cost, but what else might there be to the equation?

From what I have gathered these nifty looking contraptions come in a plethora of variations, and notable brands have created their own versions. I've seen them made by Fox, Rockshox, Crank Brothers, Specialized, KS
and Gravity Dropper. Perhaps there are others as well.

So in addition, what differentiates each of these models and brands? What are the pros and cons of each? Is there one that stands out as a clear winner in the field?

Any help or insight is warmly welcomed, so thank you in advance!


texts:
I have had four flat tyres in less than two months.

Some more information:

I've only experienced repeated flats since I started using racing bikes (two months ago).
I'm 194cm tall and weigh 74kg.
I have cycled several 80-140km rides in the past two months.
I only cycle on-road.
I avoid potholes / manholes / cracks etc as much as possible (but not completely).
It first happened on a cheap, unbranded second-hand racer.
I bought a much newer (mono-q) racer and experienced a flat tire after within the first 100km.
Even after getting a new bike with brand new tires, and having it all fitted professionally to my specifications, I'm still experiencing flats.

It's really perplexing. What might I be doing wrong?

Edit: mystery solved (for now). I think it's just a matter of me using the wrong tyres. The ones I was using are designed primarily for going fast, meaning they are apparently too thin / smooth to cope with small stones etc. Hopefully getting thicker and more textured tyres will solve this.


texts: How to build a Camping trailer, and riding across country with it

texts: I'm trying to build a camping trailer for my vintage Schwin Le Tour. I want to ride my bike across country and camp in this the whole way. I was wondering if anyone has done this before, and if anyone has tips for building one! Id really appreciate it!!


texts: Shredded bits of material under my trainer

texts: I'm starting to get a pile of what looks like tire rubber under my trainer. Could it be something else like dry chain lube coming off? Is this normal? Have I set up my trainer incorrectly? Do I just have to accept that my rear tire will need replacing in the spring?


texts: Why recover with carbohydrates, instead of with protein?

texts:
Many enthusiasts and intercessors talk about a superfast refill of carbohydrates after exercise. Why carbohydrates? You need those during exercise, but after? You also have a lot of recovery products that contains surprising amount of fat and carbos.

Pure protein to fill up your reservoirs. You can feel comfortable that your muscles are saved, all surplus of proteins (what body doesnt need) are converted to carbos/glucose by your body. Driving your body more empty of carbohydrates while a period of structured training, just makes it more comfortable with that balance and probably got a boost later on with filled reservoirs.

This Q excluding "wear out completely" exercises, which purpose is a maximum carboload before an important competition. The Q is more about the regular training purposed to build up stronger endurance while the season. I would buy many of the promoted products regarding recovery if it's for for spontanouos competitors and joggers that likely are well-rested between competitions and heavy exercices.

What are your ideas here?
How do you eat/fill after cycling?
Wo you know some references to pure protein theory (or evidence for the opposite)?


texts: I ride a Giant ATX 2. When my disc brakes started squeaking, I bought muc-off disc brake cleaner and used it on my discs and pads. It worked initially, but after 10km of paved road riding, the brakes will squeak when I brake hard. What's causing it?


texts: Why would a salty damp road be slipperier than the same road just damp?

texts:
I came off this morning* on a road I ride every day, in all weather conditions.  Last night was frosty so the road was salted/gritted, but there was no visible frost nearby, it had warmed up from the overnight minimum, and the road is quite heavily used, both warming it and grinding the salt into the surface.  But the road was damp.

So why would a salty, damp road be worse than the same road just damp?

More info, just in case it's of interest:

I was only doing about 20km/h and I've taken that bend faster in the wet before, on the same tyres when running late for my train. I was following a racing line (outside-inside-outside) so although it's a fairly tight bend my line wasn't tight.

I don't believe I just hit an oily patch. It felt slippery underfoot (walkable SPDs) when I picked myself up having slid a little way.  Also I take pretty much the same line every day.

It was about 8.9 km into this ride.

* I'm OK, and so's the bike.


texts:
All department store bikes, that I have witnessed, are mountain bikes. Many of them are even full suspension and some feature dual-crown forks.

Why the lack of BSO (Bicycle Shaped Object) road bikes?


texts:
Lately I have been using a head lamp, installed on my helmet, while commuting to work.

For improving safety, and considering that I have a bar fixture for a handlebar bag which is unused for my commute, I was thinking of having a 3D printed thingy to attach the head lamp to the steering bar via the fixture.

Is there any shortcoming on this?


texts: Chain loses tension on straight drop out

texts:
I have single speed bicycle with a straight dropout.

The problem I'm having is that over the course of a week, the chain loses tension until eventually, if I do not re-position the back wheel again, leads to the chain coming loose.

This is a minor annoyance while the bike is configured on its freewheel, however, it could be positively dangerous if I used the fixed gear.

What am I doing incorrectly?

Are there any spacers I can fit in to the drop-out to alleviate this problem?

Or perhaps it's the fact I'm using a multi-tool to tighten the bolts. Maybe I need a tool that gives me more torque?

Your advice is much appreciated.


texts:
For some reason, my valve caps keep breaking. I'm not sure if it happens while I ride or while my bike is not in use, but often when I take the caps off to fill the tubes before riding, I find one of the caps has broken in half like in this image:

What could cause this?

Other info: I fill my tubes to 95 psi


texts:
I am riding a 11-25 9 speed and want to swap to 11-30.

I have a 105 derailleur and a triple front crank.  Will the rear 105 take the 30t?  From what I have read, I think that since I have a tripe up front, the rear 105 should be either a medium or long cage?


texts:
Can someone help me, I currently have a 9 speed cassette on my road bike, I would like to get another pair of wheels with larger tyres so I can swap easy depending on where I'm going without having to take tyre off.
I have found a new set with the correct amount of gears and same brakes but the only difference it says its Freewheel gears. If I have the same number of gears will this work? (Cassette on one wheel set and freewheel on the other wheel set being used on the same bike set up)

Thank you in advance


texts: Can one use a 26" tube in a 27.5" tire or a 27.5" tube in a 29" tire?

texts: I upgraded my bike but have a bunch of old tubes lying around. Can I use them?


texts: What is the actual diameter of our current bicycle chain's rollers?

texts:
Wikipedia states that it's 5/16" (~7.9mm) while two or three sites list it as 7.75mm.

I'm a little bit confused. Does it differ in different internal width? Does it differ between singlespeed and derailleur chains? If so, I'd like to know the diameter of the derailleur chain's rollers.


texts: SRAM X01 Eagle 12s RD adjustment to work with 11s cassette + shifter?

texts:
I want to buy:

X01 eagle 12s rear derailleur
Garbaruk 11s 10-50 cassette

I have:

GX 11 speed gripshift
KMC 11 speed chain

How do you adjust the 12s rear derailleur to the shifter and cassette? Does it automatically adjust, and you just set the high and low limits where they need to be for each cog, and the shifter just moves 11 steps in between, or is there any trick to it?


texts:
Consider a SunTour XCR coil fork or any similar. Service manuals suggest "full service" every 30 hours of riding time.

I take that to mean removing the boots and re-lubing the stanchions.

However, this includes the removal of the grips, in order to remove the hydraulic front brake lever. I am worried that the grips are being worn out by this process, causing them to turn freely and thus be very inconvinient for rideing.

In this situation, how often should I service the fork?


texts: What is the best method to teach a young child to ride?

texts:
My daughter is just about ready to start to ride a proper bike.
I am loathe to get her a bike with training wheels/stabilisers, as just about every kid I see with them just relies on them and doesn't learn to balance properly.
What is the best method to get her riding properly?


texts:
I have a new rear wheel (Shimano Ultegra WH-6800) and the freehub has about 1mm-2mm of play in it. When the cassette is installed and the wheel is on the bike I'm getting a lot of wobble which is noisy and affects shifting. The cassette is installed correctly. All the spacers are in place as per the Shimano manual and the lock ring is tight. The wobble is so bad that the chain moves laterally while pedaling which is causing all the noise and slippage.

My old wheel had no play in the freehub at all. I've canvased my friends and one guy who's always had problems with shifting said his freehub had play but everyone else said their freehubs have no play. I've taken the wheel to the LBS and one mechanic said that there shouldn't be any play but another said that there is always some play and it seemed OK to him. There is also conflicting information about this on the wider Internet.

Is it common for a freehub to have 1mm-2mm of play?


texts: 50/34 vs 52/36 crankset for 11-32 cassette (shimano 105 5800FC)

texts:
Following up on this enlightening answer, I would like to know the differences between 50/34(compact), 52/36(mid-compact) and 53/39 (standard).
The cassette I am choosing is 11-32 to give me a wider flavour of gears but normally I don't use the lower(bigger teeth sprocket) gears, I've just trained like this. I put more power on small slopes rather than shifting down the gears. Thus, I was also thinking to go for 11/28 but then fixed 11/32 as my cassette.

What would be the best crankset to go with it? By default, its 50/34 but I can choose.

I am buying a cross bike from ROSE (DX-2000) and would mostly use it as a road bike for long distance (>100KM). I need a configuration where I can have the smallest gear possibility, in other words, I can put in maximum power and effort (which I miss in my current racing bike with Campagnolo Xenon 9 Speed set, I don't know the exact cassette configuration but its missing the few sprockets :D)

Thanks


texts:
Around 1-2 weeks ago I sent my bicycle to my dealer because my cassette wasn't moving properly when I examined it by turning my bike upside down and my shifter shifted 2 times instead of 1 and frequently lost tension while riding (felt like the 1st gear for a few seconds). This happened after I rode on rougher terrain and jumped multiple times on a small ramp made by me and some of my friends (it was around 30cm in height).
I went with my bike at my dealer for a bicycle overhaul. They found out that in the gears there was some thin wire (similar to fishing line) stuck in there. They got my bike fixed and I took it home.
It felt much more smooth and all the problems were fixed. Yesterday I took it for my first ride after the overhaul. I fell down after a failed jump attempt at my local skatepark and I'm pretty sure it didn't land on the derailleur side. Fortunately it worked perfectly just like before and it shifted properly.
Then I took it offroad where I jumped with it and rode it on a small pumptrack. The same problems started again. Shifts 2 times, loses chain tension, etc.
My bike is a GT Avalanche Comp 2019 (2x9 Deore).
How can I fix it?


texts: Considering a Trek FX 7.7 - What else should I look at that is similar

texts:
my Trek FX 7.5 was stolen a couple of days ago, and I'm looking to replace it with a 7.7.

I really liked the 7.5, so happy to stick with the brand and make, but thought I should consider other bikes that are similiar. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks,
Giles


texts: Tire slips off the rim when inflated to 8bar

texts:
I bought new wheels for my roadbike (shimano wh-rs80 which have c24 alu/carbon rims). I was mounting tires on them yesterday and inflated them to 8 bar (~116 psi). After a few moments (30 seconds or so), the tire started to slide off of the rim at a certain place, resulting in the inner tube to expand more than it could handle, and blow out.

I tried again with a new inner tube, checked that no part of the inner tube was stuck between the rim and the tire, inflated to 4 bar or so, checked again, inflated to 8 bar, BOOM. Same problem.

The tires are almost new continental GP4000s 23mm (a few 100 kms on a fulcrum 7 wheelset this summer) which were stored for a few months without using them. The inner tubes are also continental.

I checked the inside of the rim and can not see any damage or anything that looks odd. There is a factory installed rim tape in place, all brand new.

I had this twice with the front wheel and the same tire. I could try the rear wheel and/or the other tire to see if there is any difference, but I am a bit reluctant to potentially destroy yet another inner tube at this point.

Am I doing something wrong? Did I miss something given that these are new wheels?


texts: Any experience about radially-laced hub flanges actually breaking?

texts:
Most hub manufacturers forbid lacing spokes radially, mostly because there is less material in the radial direction away from a flange hole than in the standard 3-cross, tangential lacing.

(UPDATE: as it appears, the actual breaking point is the material betwen consecutive spoke holes in the flange, the spoke holes acting like a perforated-toilet-paper effect...)

I have previously laced a Shimano front hub radially and rode it a lot, and nothing happened. Some friends of mine have done the same in the past (allways front wheel, always XC mountainbike), and nothing happened either. Currently, I have just laced another hub radially, and I am pretty sure nothing evil will happen, but still there is some discomfort for doing a theoretically Wrong Thing.

So, I want to ask you about FACTS (disregarding what manufacturers say): is there any WITNESSED (by yourselves, not internet stories) evidence that radially spoked FRONT hub flanges have ACTUALLY BREAKED? Any photos, stories, or preferrably shop experience?

(ANOTHER UPDATE: as already mentioned, there are a lot of photos and stories about hub flanges broken with radially laced spokes. But, as it turns out, if the search terms contain only "broken hub flange", and not "radial", there are also a lot of photos and stories of broken flanges with standard cross-laced spokes. This makes me think of flanges braeaking for a lot of possible causes, but when this happens with radial spokes, it draws more attention and provokes some confusion bias about causality, relating the failure to the spoke pattern instead of other form of abuse or material wearing.)

Thanks very much!


texts:
I'm not too familiar with the correct terminology for bike parts so please bear with me.

I recently bought a mountain bike and have started to notice a loud creaking sound coming from the pedal/bracket area.  I have noticed that it makes noise when I put more pressure on the pedals from accelerating from a standstill.  I also hear the noise when I am riding while standing up.

Any tips, suggestions, or knowledge on the matter would be greatly appreciated.


texts: Can I put a 8 speed bike on a Elite Suito 11 speed direct drive turbo trainer

texts:
I have recently ordered an Elite Suito Direct Drive FE-C turbo trainer. The main use is for indoor, winter cross-training for my young son who's a keen athlete (we don't want to send him out in the dark on his own and I can't keep up with him any more) but I and my wife would like to use it too and we'd all like to use the same bike on the trainer. The tentative plan is to put my wife's step-through Dawes Discovery 301 hybrid bike on the trainer, as the frame is small enough for my son to manage and just about big enough for me (I might need to put a longer seat post in), so no frame swapping would be required.
The Dawes 301 has 8 cogs/sprockets at the back and 3 at the front, i.e. 24 speed. From a bit of googling, the rear cog (cassette?) on the bike may be a Shimano CS-HG30 11-30T, the rear wheel hub a Shimano FH-RM60 36H QR and the front cog (crankset?) a Shimano FC-M191 48/38/28T.
The specs for Elite Suito trainer include the following info:

"Compatible with 9, 10 and 11-speed Shimano and SRAM cassettes (not included), can be adapted for Campagnolo using adaptor TT14233 or SRAM XDR using adaptor TT14279"
"Compatible with 130 and 135 mm quick-release frames as well as 142 x 12 mm thru-axles, adaptors for BOOST 148 x 12 frames are available separately"

My question is, can I use this Dawes bike frame with the Elite Suito trainer and if so, what is the best way of doing this? For example:

can I take the 8 speed cog off the back wheel of the bike and use it to replace the 11 speed one that is supplied with the trainer; I'm guessing not because the trainer specs say it's only compatible with 9,10, or 11 speed cassettes but is there a workaround?
if not, what is likely to be the cheapest solution to get a basic, mid-size frame up and running with the trainer, e.g. would I need to swap out all of the drivetrain on the Dawes bike (front and rear cogs, front and rear derailleurs, shifters, chain) and if so, would it be cheaper to buy a compatible 2nd hand bike instead (if yes, what specs am I looking for)?

Apologies if my terminology is incorrect but I know virtually nothing about the technicalities of bike design and maintenance, as you can probably tell. Thanks in advance.


texts: Can I fit a modern internally geared hub on an old bike ?

texts:
I have an old Hercules frame that I have no use for but don't want to get rid of - I am in need of a new "town" bike for running around on, however I need something practical with a nice gear range... I like projects and building things, so the thought of building up my old hercules into a useable everyday bike has crossed my mind :) But... is it possible ?

I thought a Nexus or even Alfine speed hub would be perfect, however there would be a 135mm hub spacing required from such hubs, of which my frame is a lot smaller. Its a steel frame so I think I should be abled to modify / cold set the frame and increase the spacing to support a 135mm hub ... ?

Is there anything else that I should take into consideration ? should I worry about the bottom bracket and crack spacing ? can I also upgrade the bottom bracket and crank to something more modern on such an old frame ?

Thanks !!!!

Jon


texts:
I bought a Bell Road tire from Walmart. Since I haven't exactly had great luck with Walmart bicycle products, I looked up the reviews... not so great.

In their defense, they are 1.375, not 1.25, but still, the things couldn't stay on my bike... in a sharp, low-speed turn with minimal leaning from me, the bead just popped off!

Then there is the Continental Gatorskin tire with a much better set of review on amazon.  But, does it matter?

I know I'm being a little specific, but what I want to know is how do I minimize my chances of my tires trying to kill me?

I realize this may look like a shopping question, but I have to purchase tires that I use!

I'd appreciate any advice from guys who actually have enough experience to really comment on tires.


texts: Hello I'd like to show you my fork, is it compatible with shimano m355 non series hydraulic brakes?


texts:
I had the most bizarre experience of trying to determine what kind of nut I have.  I own a Schwinn Santis made by Pacific Bicycles.

The rear tire had a bolt and nut.

I took the nut to Home Depot and we determined that it was 3/8" diameter with a 24 thread count.  We used a tool they had to do this and I called Pacific Bicycle to confirm.

It kind of looks like this nut here except for one thing:

The width is not 9/16".

I tried a 9/16 and it was too small.  I tried a 10/16 and it was too big.  I called Husky and they told me they don't make a 19/32 with would have been about the right size.

What did end up working was a 15mm.

What I find confusing is the threading is using english units while the tool part is using metric units.

This is not a problem, I could just use an adjustable wrench, but more of a curiosity question.

Has anyone else seen something like this?  Why would they do this?

I do need to get a high quality caliper that can measure to this level of smallness.


texts: How to fix a rim, that bent vertically inwards?

texts:
The rim is mostly round, but in one place it's bent a little bit (3-5 mm) towards the center.

I only found manuals about fixing wheels that are wobbling side to side, but nothing about vertical bendings.

So my questions are - is it worth to fix it or it's better to just buy a new rim? If it's possible to fix it - how to do that - just by adjusting spokes or by removing them along with the tire and straightening the rim itself?


texts: Minimum chainring gap for front derailleur

texts:
On my city/trekking bike, I have a Shimano Alivio crankset FC-T4010. It was first delivered with 22-32-44 chainrings.
After a while I calculated that with a 38 chainring, I was able to ride 99% of the time. So I changed the first 2 chainrings, and now have a 28-38-44 crankset.
It is 99% satisfying, as I can do almost everything with the 38T chainring. It is on a 10s bike, with a 11-36 cassette. So I only need the 28 chainring on hills (especially on loaded bike).
But from time to time I am missing something larger than 38.
But, when I try to switch to the 44, the chain drops outside the ring.
The FD is for 8 speed (original configuration for this bicycle).
So my question : is it possible to adjust the front derailleur to get it work, or the 6T difference between rings is too low ?

Update:
Changed the crankset and front derailleur with :

FC-T6010 26-36-48
FD-T6000

And it works perfectly. It was just tricky to fit the chain case around all that, as it is designed for 48T max, and there is no margin at all.


texts: What is a good way to not have my hands/fingers freeze on bike rides in the cold/wind? I have a pair of gloves, but it doesn't fix the issue. Is there a better way than just to get a really thick pair of gloves that will be unwieldy.


texts: How do I know if it's worth restoring my bike?

texts:
I found myself in need of a bike, but buying a new one is out of the question. So two possibilities remain:

buy a used one for a low price;
fix one of my old bikes.

But here comes another problem (and my question): how old is too old? I mean, apart from comparing the price, how do I know that fixing a bike is just a waste of time and money because it's simply too old?

What should I consider for changing my choice from "fix it" to "buy it"? Rust? Other things?


texts: I have a '13 Trek MT-60 for my son that uses a Shimano Tourney derauilleur with a 6 speed revo shifter.  The problem he had was that the shifting with it was incrediably stiff, even for an adult.  I figured it was the shifter and I replaced it with a 7 speed SRAM Gripshift Max that I pulled from my bike.  It was a really easy shift for me so I figured it would be an improvement for him.  However, the downshifting is still really stiff.  Now I'm wondering if I need to look at the derailleur itself.  Other than coating it in lube and hoping it works, is there anyway to adjust the spring tension on it?  Would going to trigger shifters like basic Shimano EF-51 work for a young kid?  He has a Islabike as well and has no issues working the SRAM grip shifter on it.


texts: what features do I give up if I buy the mechanical disc brake caliper costing one fourth that of another manufacturer?

texts: I've always had rim-brakes on my bikes but now I'm assembling a bike with a frame that has disc mounts only. What features or qualities am I sacrificing if I opt for the $40 mechanical disc brake caliper over the $160 one?  Reliability?  Longevity?  Lightness? Shorter stopping distances? Easier installation and adjustment?


texts: Does anyone know if you can charge a Garmin Oregon GPS from a bicycle hub dynamo with the optional rechargeable batteries? Thanks Karl.


texts: I am completing the rebuild of a BBS01 electric bike mid-drive motor from Bafung.  Would like to lubricate and protect every part properly before reassembly. Should I lubricate the clutch and if so with what lubricant?  I have read concerns about slippage in a lubricated clutch.  Thanks in advance!


texts: Source for statistics from pro cycle races

texts: I've been searching all over the web for statistics from bike races, starting with the Tour de France because it is the largest. Stats I have been able to find include each stage's winner with their time. I'm just wondering if anyone knows a good resource for pro cycling stats like time per km or per segment within the stage. I'm pretty curious about the riders performance at certain parts of the stages.


texts: Can I use a 9s front chain ring with a 10 speed chain and cassette?

texts:
I have mistakenly bought a 9s 44T front chainring to replace a worn one.
It's for the correct chain type (HG).
The original was a 10s 44T.
I have a (new) 10s rear cassette and (new) 10s chain.
(CN-HG95 + CS-HG81-10 11-34)
Will it work or will the tooth spacing be incorrect?
I don't want to ruin a new chain / cassette.


texts: Creaky crank problem: Campag 11sp Athena crankset (Ultra torque)

texts:
I have an awesome Ridley Noah carbon frame, fitted with Athena Campag 11sp groupo.

Recently it's been making a lot of creaky and "pop" noises as I ride up hills (putting more force on the crank arms).

I turned the bike upside down one day and noticed the same "pop" or "click" sound when I tried to jiggle the crank arms a little.

Could it be the UT bolt inside the hollow crank centre is loose?

I could not find any cracks or hairline cracks on the frame itself (but I could need an xray to see).

Any suggestions appreciated.

Thanks


texts: Magura HS33 brake pads strongly pressed against rim, despite adjusting screw fully open. Too thick? Wrongly installed?

texts:
I have a Magura HS33 with EVO2 mount bought some years ago.  I replaced my Magura HS33 brake pads.  I have turned the brake lever adjusting screw as far open as it gets, but the brake pads are too far inward.  Normally, when I turn the adjusting screw as far open as possible, there is about 1 mm space between the brake pads and the rim, but now there is no space at all, to the extent that the wheel is completely stuck.  Is it possible that the brake pads are too thick?  Or has a recent bike servicing messed up the brake installation?  Can I adjust the "reference width" of the brake cylinder somehow?

Rear brake cylinder, overview

Brake pad pressed against rim, closeup

Brake lever adjusting screw closeup


texts: Can I use a Shimano 105 10 speed BCD 130mm 52t chainring as a replacement in my 9 speed tiagra triple crankset?

texts:
I currently run Tiagra triple 9 speed crank, 50/39/30
The BCD on the 50 being 130mm.
I'd like to replace the 50t with a 52t to make it 52/39/30.
I'm looking at a Shimano 105 52t chainring but it says it's intended for a double crank and 10 speed drivetrain.

But you think I can make that ring work in my setup?


texts: What does error code 30 signal on a Bafang electric unit?

texts:
A year or so back I bought an electric cargo bike online. The company I bought it from is since then no longer in operation. Since a few weeks every now and then the display shows a wrench symbol and the number 30. At the same time the battery charge indication indicates an empty battery. The bike is still normaly operable. I think this is some sort of error code.
Unfortunately I don't have any manual for the electric components of my bike, so no way to find out myself. I visited a few local bike repair shops, and no-one is familiar with the brand of electric assistance my bike has, and are unable to provide any help.
The label on the electric unit states "Bafang", which I guess would be a Chinese brand.
Does anyone know what this error 30 could mean?
Here is a picture of the error:
Doing some more googling I identified this part as the Bafang DP-C07 display unit.
As asked in the comments here is a picture of the motor:


texts: Why did my last trip give me a bum blister?

texts:
I don't do a lot of MTB tracks, but there's a team event coming up soon and I'm doing some flat single-track to prepare.

After two 15 km laps I have a blister on my left butt-cheek, right at the top of the leg.

I normally wear tight cycling pants with a pad made from coolmax (the orange stuff) with normal pants over the top. That is normally okay for road.

Questions: Is there a difference between padded pants for MTB vs road cycling?   Why else would I be getting blisters when the same clothes on the road are fine for 80+ KM trips?

I'm using look road clips and road shoes, mostly because I already have them.
Its a 21" hard frame - no front or rear suspension.  I suppose you'd call it a hybrid or commuter frame.
Saddle is a relatively thinly-padded Giant brand that is mounted flat.

No, I'll not post a picture of my injury.


texts: Max weight of child, for rear bike seats - why is it always (seemingly) 22kg?

texts:
I had a rear child's bike seat on my old bike (which was stolen, boo hoo).  It was a Yepp Maxi and was the kind that sits on a rack, rather than being mounted to the seat post.

The maximum weight of child rating for both versions (rack mounted and seat-post mounted) is 22kg.  And, this seems to be the maximum child weight for all rear seats.  I don't understand how something mounted on a rack can have the same maximum weight rating as something attached on a diagonal bar to the seat post (which I'd be more worried about breaking) - surely it depends on how strong the rack is?  If the rack has a maximum weight of, say, 50kg, then I'd feel very confident about putting a bike seat on it with a 22kg child in it.

The fact that it seems to be 22kg across the board, which is slightly under fifty pounds, makes me wonder if this limit is set not due to any properties of the seat itself but rather due to some regulation.   I'm much less worried about breaking a regulation than I am about cycling along with my son and the seat falling off, or something.

I understand why we have regulations but often they are very "dumb" in the sense that they don't take other factors into account:  for example, maybe some tests were done with an average bike and rider and found that any greater weight at the back made the bike too prone to tipping backwards.  This wouldn't take into account the size of the bike (XL in my case) or the weight of the rider (100kg in my case), which might mean that the bike can hold a heavier child at the back without tipping.  This is pure speculation on my part, anyway.

Does anyone know why this limit seems to be so consistent across different makes and designs of child's rear bike seat?  thanks


texts:
I'm installing a Sram GXP English-threaded bearing set in my 68mm bottom bracket.  It is replacing a Shimano Ultegra-level HollowTech II bearing set.  The crank set I'm installing is a Sram  XX 42/28, replacing an XTR 44/32/22.

I would like to center my chainline on the big ring and reserve the small ring for climbing the steeps.  The Shimano bearing set had three spacers (usually two on the DS and one on the NDS but I was reverse of that for derailleur reach reasons).  The Sram bearings come with two spacers and the instructions say one on each side.  The Shimano bearings have fewer threads on each cup so if I put both Sram spacers on one side I still have more threads available to insert into the BB than were available on the properly installed Shimano.

I asked Sram tech support about making the spacer adjustment (without referencing to the competitors set-up).  I received the pat answer of non-liability "don't think outside the box with our products."

Considering the observations I've laid out, it seems reasonable to go ahead an use the two spacers on one side without worrying about stressing the bearing and/or bottom bracket, unless, for instance, the Sram cup material is of substantially inferior material.  Any opinions?


texts:
I am upgrading a vintage 10speed, new chain was purchased. The new chain was a couple of links shorter than the original that I removed. I currently have the new chain connected with a piece of wire. See picture below:

It seems that it fits, I had the chain on both lower sprockets, front and rear and it seems to function fine when I move the chain on different gear combinations. Once I remove the piece of wire it will be a little tighter but it seems there is some play in the length. The rear derailleur just moves if I increase or decrease the chain length slightly. Just wondering if this is correct, is there some degree of flexibility in terms of how long the chain can be ? Does the new chain have to be the exact same number of chain links as the old one ?


texts:
I want to convert a 1-piece crank triple chainring to a double. Do I need to worry about the chain line? Do I need a spacer of some sort?

Is this a simple swap of the chainrings?  If not, what size (inner/outer diameter, width) spacer would I need?

Reasons, or what I'm trying to accomplish:  I want a higher gear ratio.  I recently converted an old junker "mountain-style" bike to an ebike with a conversion kit.  I find myself "running out of gears."  I counted the big ring at 42 teeth.  A quick perusal of ebay shows 52/40t double chainrings for 1-piece cranks.  So I want to swap out my current 42/x/x triple to a 52/40 double.  The ebike is driven by a hub motor, so I don't need to worry about the higher gears putting more strain on the drivetrain.

Alternatives: The most straightforward option would be to swap in a 48t triple.  This is the fallback option.  I'd prefer the higher top-end of a 52t if possible. Another option is to replace the 6-speed freewheel, but I haven't found one that is geared "bigger" than currently equipped 14t.  I've read that 7-speed freewheels are an easy upgrade, but I have an indexed twist shifter, so that route also involves a shifter change.


texts: Dimensions of Mudguard suitable for Fuji Absolute 1.9D 700mm or26.5 inch tyre

texts:
I am looking to buy online mudguards for my Fuji Absolute 1.9D hybrid bicycle. The TIRES are    Vera CityWide, 700 x 28c, 30tpi w/ Phalanx flat protection (26.5 Inch diameter)

Please let me know the optimum dimensions of the mudguard that will protect me from dirt but at the same time do not look too bulky on the bike.

Thank you in advance for your help


texts: In the local hardware store I found this ultra cheap lithium soap fat. Can I use this for lubrication of my bicycle chain?


texts: Bike GPS computer with real-time elevation profile

texts:
I'm looking for GPS bike computer (for road bike) for affordable price and with reasonable battery life. I don't care about brand, I just basically need 2 functionalities:

map which is shown on the display and I could move along the route and generally work with the map during the ride
elevation profile which can be shown during the whole ride and which is real-time, so I can see if I am in the middle of the climb, on the top, etc.

The elevation profile is actually most important for me, but it looks that it's not standart for bike computers. I don't need heart rate and different fancy analysis as this my watches already do. I saw Garmin Edge, but people are often complaining about the ClimbPro function there and maybe I would prefer Open street map.


texts: Is an IP68 rating sufficient to protect a phone during a 12 hour ride in heavy rain?

texts:
I would like to bring my IP68-rated phone with me on long rides where the weather might be very wet.
As I understand, IP68 means it can withstand immersion at a depth of 1 metre for 30 minutes.
However, does this also mean that the phone will be fine for extended periods in very wet conditions?  Can I keep it in a waterlogged pocket for 12 hours? Or on the handlebars in extended heavy rain?


texts: Cost of converting to tubeless tires on MTB

texts: What is the cost range for converting to tubeless tires on a mountain bike?


texts: I was told it was an American rally but have been unable to find anything of that make. It was originally in chrome and has for some reason V brake lugs at the back.


texts: How to remove dried vulcaniser from cotton clothes?

texts: Months ago I changed a tyre on my utility bicycle in street clothes.  An unfortunate set of vulcanising stains are now on street clothes I'd like to wear more often.  How do I remove dried vulcaniser from medium weight cotton cloth?


texts: Old bike - what can I use for crank replacement?

texts:
The LBS doesn't have anything in stock to replace the crank on this bike :

What is this type of crank and does anyone still supply them?


texts: 3 week old brand new Montra Rock 1.0 front gears don't change as well chain slips frequently

texts:
I bought a Montra Rock 1.0 MTB 3 weeks back, I use it mostly on city roads.

For the past 4 days I have noticed that the front gear does not change. It stays on lower gear and if try to change it chain slips frequently and there is a rattling sound at pedals.

What is ideal front-back gear combo for city roads?


texts:
I just fixed my first puncture on a recently bought Hardrock (Evans)and discovered that the rear hanger is not attached to the frame.  This made refitting the wheel a bit of a struggle.

There is a hole through locating stud so should it have a bolt going through it?

Cheers


texts: How to pick the brake cable housing size?

texts:
I am trying to buy new brake cable housing for my road bike, but got confused about the sizes. I was going to go for this one (5 mm diameter). Which should nicely fit around a 1.6 mm brake cable.

However, Googling a bit further revealed there are also 3 mm, 4.9 mm or 5.5 mm diameter variations available.
Is there any difference in functionality and performance between these sizes?
Google search hits for reference:

Note: the question is similar to this one (What is the difference between brake cables and derailleur cables?). But there is no information about brake cable housing size in there.


texts: I've got numerous bikes, bike frames, wheels, etc.that I'd like to donate

texts: I have many old bikes, parts, specific tools, etc. Where can I give them to?


texts:
I inherited a Motobecane Nomade with no derailleur. I am trying to replace the missing derailleur and chain. I was given a Shimano SIS Tourney rear derailleur long cage and front derailleur and shifters that I was like to mount on the bike.

Two questions:

Is that derailler feasible for this bike?

I have a PC 1051 10 speed chain. Will that work or can I use a KMC X8.93 6 7 8-speed chain or is some other chain is needed. If so what?


texts:
My road bike has Shimano 105 brakes, circa 2003. Today, I removed the shoes from the front brakes, unscrewed the "fixing screws", and slid out the pads, so I can put in new pads.

Somehow, for one of the shoes, I misplaced the small part that sits inside the shoe, in front of the pad, that has the threads to receive the screw that mounts the shoe to the brake. I've scoured for it, couldn't find it.

Any idea where I might find such a part?


texts: What things do I have to consider when planning to switch parts from one frame (old one) to another frame (new one)? Will all the parts transfer? What items may need replacement because they won't fit?


texts:
I bought a new bike few months ago and it cost me 375€, which for the most people it is a lot for a bike, but it is really cheap in bike world. I already have some problems with my seat (and seatpost). I changed it but I still getting problems. A good quality seat even for casual riding can easily get up to 100€ or more. The same goes for almost every component. That made me ask: How much you must spend in order to have decent bike?

In a sense decent enough to not have to change any component (which at the end makes your bike more expensive) and have a good experience on it.

Is there a minimum price or some frontier like: starting from this price you are getting real bikes?


texts: Shimano Tiagra 4700 10 speed lever only shifting 9 gears

texts:
I have a Shimano Tiagra 4700 10 speed group set.

I can only get 9 gears working - the shifting is smooth with no jumps but one gear is missing, either at the top or bottom depending how I setup the rear mech. If I disconnect the cable from the rear mech and then hold the cable by hand I can feel the shifters click through 8 times - one click too few!!. So the problem seems to be in the shifter, as if there is something blocking the shifter from turning that last slot.

Could it be a faulty shifter? Is it easy to take them apart to check?


texts: Bent Chainring causing chain to attempt changing gears

texts:
I was riding my road bike last night when something strange happened.  I stopped at a stop sign.  (I didn't have time to slow down so I was in my highest (fastest) gear.  When I started I had to press a lot of power into my pedals to get the bike moving again.  I was pulling up on the handle bars to press more power into the pedals.

A minute or two later I noticed that my bike was trying to change gears on me.  I have non indexed shifters so I expected that I was just between gears.  I adjusted the leavers but could not find a spot (in my current gear) where the chain was not trying to shift.

Upon further inspection I noticed that my biggest front chainring was slightly bent.  I am not sure if posting a picture would be useful because it is hard to see when it is not spinning.  It seems like it is bent maybe 2-6mm towards the frame of the bike.

Questions:

Do you think that I bent my chain ring while pedaling?  It is possible that it was bent before but something else is now causing my problem (although I don't know what).  Is it possible that I bent my chain right by pedaling hard?
What is the solution to this problem?  Can I take a hammer to my chain ring and pound it back into shape?  I think that if I do this AND it was bent by hard pedaling then it is likely that it will just be rebent by future hard pedaling.
If I need to replace the chain ring how complex is this task?  Is this something relatively easy that I could do at home or do I need to take it to my LBS?  If I take it to my LBS how much should I expect to pay?


texts: Things to consider when upgrading crankset

texts:
I am considering upgrading my crankset, or rather I am considering considering to upgrade it.
I would like to gain a few teeth since I am permanently riding on the 48/13-15 making the 38 pretty useless.

I currently have this: Suntour NEX, 48/38/28.
If I were to upgrade to something like : http://www.rose-vpc.fr/article/shimano-pedalier-fc-2303/aid:417044 what should I consider? Do I need to buy a new bottom bracket as well?
Will my derailleur require any update apart from raising an inch higher to accomodate the 4 extra teeth?


texts: Broken glass on the bicycle path, what to do?

texts:
Often I find myself driving with my racing bike on the dedicated bicycle lane in my city. The problem with these bicycle lanes is that there is a lot of broken glass (once every few kilometers). Normally I spot it quite late, drive through the glass, and hope for the best in not getting a puncture.

My question is as follows: How can I minimize the chance of getting a puncture while driving through glass?

I am not really looking for material advice, but rather for tips on how to drive through the glass (i.e. does it help to redistribute weight, speed up, or slow down), and does it make sense to check your tires after driving through the glass (as this answer suggests: What is a good way to keep my tires from going flat easily?). This far, I've not gotten a puncture there, but I would like to keep it that way!


texts: Is it possible to charge an ebike from a 12V solar powered battery?

texts:
I would like to use an electric bike while doing wild camping with my camper van. So I won't have a 220v source for days, possible weeks at a time. I am wondering if I could add a battery in my camper, add a 150W solar panel, and then have an converter to 220v to charge the bike. Question is, can a 100 Ah battery (standard for campers) charge a 500WH ebike ? With the losses from the converter. 150W solar will charge that battery, so I am good on that side.
I guess what I don't understand with a 500Wh battery, is for how many hours the battery can output 500W, or does it meant it can ouptut a max of 500W for one hour, or for instance 250W for two hours ?
If it's 500 W for one hour, then a 100 Ah 12 V battery would have 1,200 Wh of energy stored, so I can easily charge that ebike once daily..am I on the right track here ?


texts: What is the recommended type of tire for riding on wet pavement?

texts: I am commuting in rainy Seattle, and the rain has started.  Right now I have Continental Gatorskin tires on my commuter, but yesterday I noticed I was braking to stop the wheels and skidding quite a bit on wet roads.   I know I can gradually adjust braking on front and back to come out of the skid, but I was wondering if i should replace my tires to get a little more grip.  My LBS seems to think thin slicks are fine however.  Is there a study or data on tire types on wet pavement?


texts:
I am currently riding Conti GP4000S tyres, in 700x23mm version, inflated at 115 psi.

The grip is great, the (light)weight is amazing. I have punctured twice with them (in 1500 km) which is more that I would hope, but I can live with that.

Still, when I look at my tyres, I see minor cuts on the tread. Nothing major but let's just say that any time I am stopped at traffic lights, and I look down, I can see at least a "wound".

Do I run the risk of increasing the number of punctures? are those tires really too road-training-oriented to use them for commuting?

I like Continental, I like the 23mm format, I like this (lack of) weight. So I was considering 4Seasons which are a few grams heavier but offer an extra layer of protection against puncture.

I have plans for a long ride (~150 km) and would want to avoid more than 1 puncture in the day.


texts: Does the value of an old bicycle depreciate if old tires replace with new ones?

texts: I have a 1969 Columbia Newsboy Special that I have had for many years and I have never replaced the tires. Got the bike out of the garage and pumped up the tires to ride and the front tire poped. Rear tire still good. Will replacing both tires depreciate the value of the bike if I ever decide to sell it?


texts: Shimano/third-party rotor compatibility with low end hydraulic brakes

texts:
Shimano say that their lower end hydraulic brakes (e.g., BR-M365) are compatible with 'wide' rotors. See http://productinfo.shimano.com/#/com/2.0?acid=C-461&cid=C-460 for details.

Wide rotors are those numbered below 60, e.g., RT54. Narrow are those higher than 60, e.g., RT66.

The wide rotors (i.e. those below RT60) are made of low-quality metal and claim to be incompatible with metal pads.

What are some third-party, etc. options for getting better quality rotors?


texts:
I recently acquired a second-hand Hub gear hybrid bike. It only has 3 gears.  I know little about bike mechanics but would like to try and understand more.

When I cycle the gear shifts between gears but I feel no difference whatsoever in the changes. I did notice when I go downhill it's almost effortless to pedal, as if in 1st gear and when I am going up the hill the same gear will make it really hard to pedal, as if in very high gear. I don't really understand why it would "change" without me actually shifting anything.

I appreciate there's physics involved but this isn't it. I'm sorry if this sounds really basic but it must be something to do with my bike mechanics so if anyone has any answers for me that'd be amazing.


texts: I have a 2 year old Diamondback bike with gears that have already rusted while living in the desert southwest.  I'm not sure how or if they can be cleaned.  Also, was something I should have done to keep them from rusting?  Any advice would be helpful!  Thanks


texts: Carrera Virtuoso Road Pro 2008 Tyre identification

texts:
I don't suppose anyone knows the make and model of this tyre? These allegedly came as OEM on all Carrera Virtuoso Road Pro circa 2008, the Black and Blue Road Pro model. This has been bugging me as I cannot find ANYWHERE the model of these tyres, and I found these ultra-grippy compared to any other tyres I've used.

I've done many hours of research online over a couple of days, but I just cannot find any information on these tyres, or even people who sell these.

Anyone who can help, or anyone with one of these with these tyres, please, please, please help! Thankyou all in advance.


texts: How can I fit this bottle holder to this bike?

texts:
I want to fit this bottle holder on my bike but the attachment seems too thin for the frame tubes. I believe this is a universal bottle holder and my bike isn’t of unusual size or tube girth. Am I missing something here or this just won’t fit?

P. S. Unlike my mountain bike, this bike (Claud Butler Legend) does not have pre-drilled holes for accessories on the frame.


texts: Is there anything special to pay attention to when preparing a bicycle for powdercoating?

texts:
I am thinking of having an old bike powdercoated to spruce it up a bit.

What do I need to do to prepare the frame? Remove all components? What about stickers and decals? Some kind of chemical etching dip?

It is an aluminium MTB frame.


texts: A mixte frame with bcn stamped on front, 224 stamped on bottom of frame, Mafac racer brake calipers, Simplex shifters, Suntour derailleuers and hubs, Weinmann brake levers.


texts:
Is it possible to install a Campagnolo Record 11 speed mechanical rear derailleur on a bike that is otherwise equipped with a Sram Force 11 speed groupset?

Has anyone ever used a similar setup and if so, how did it shift?  Were there any problems in mixing the two brands?


texts:
I need some 5 ray rims but the ones I find on the internet are way too expensive, so I decided to "roll my own" by creating a 3D model and having it machined from a piece of aluminum.

I've chosen to go with 20x2.125, or roughly 500mm in diameter and 50mm in width, tires for my rim. I'm looking at the nominal section widths of the standard and for this size tire I see that a size of 21C, 23C, 25C rim is required. Nowhere is mentioned what C stands for tho. I assume it's from crotched but I'd like a word of comfort on that. So basically this means that my rim's inner width (the one labeled 19 here) must be between 21 and 25 millimeters?


texts: Is this an abnormal rate of spoke breakage?

texts:
I just broke a spoke and this is the fourth spoke I've broken in the last 12 months.  This one was very puzzling because it came at the very end of an easy 30 mile (48 km) ride.  I was pedaling very slowly into my driveway when it snapped.

All four have been on the drive side of the rear wheel.  This is a Specialized Allez, one year old, with factory wheels.  I weigh 175 lbs (79 kg) and ride about 2000 miles (3218 km) per year.  Just recreational riding on good road surfaces.

Is this an abnormal rate of breakage?

And if it is an abnormal rate of breakage, what should I do about it?

EDIT:

I took the wheel into the LBS today. They didn't seem surprised by 4 broken spokes in a year, but everyone else is, so I'm going with everyone else. The mechanic checked the tension and they were all correct with one slight exception, so that's not the issue. The wheels are factory wheels and not exactly top flight. The spokes are 1.2 mm rather than 2 mm, so pretty thin. And they're 28 spokes per wheel, so that's cutting it even thinner from what I can gather.

Rebuilding the wheels is $125 each, so that's just not worth it. I can find much better wheels for not much more, so I'm on Amazon looking at wheels while trying not to deplete my life savings. (What some people will pay for wheels boggles the mind.)  I'll have them fix the spoke and check the tensioning so I can sell them and ride until I get replacements.

Gotta buy the tools and learn to replace spokes and true wheels....


texts: How to remove rust from unpainted parts?

texts:
I would like to remove rust from some old parts such as cassette, bolts, and nuts.  Most of the rust is just surface rust, and I would think there would be a good technique for doing this.

Besides using steel wool, I have heard of either using ultra-sonic washer or an acid bath.

What is the best way to accomplish this?  I would prefer to stay away from chemicals.


texts: I ride a Hero Sprint, with tire size 26 inch. The wheels are thick and become slow, given my cycle's weight. Is it possible for me to switch to thinner tires? If yes, what are the plus and minus points i might receive?


texts: Sturmey Archer SRF5W lateral axle adjustment

texts:
I have some irritating Long-Shen rear dropouts (deep semi-circular lips around the outside) which are causing problems with fitting a Sturmey-Archer SRF5W internally geared hub.  I would like to shift the axle from the left to the right and would like to know if this sort of lateral adjustment is even possible.

I've looked at Sheldon's instructions for dissassembly and am loathe to take the hub apart unless it's even theoretically possible that it will work.

Anyone had any experience with SA hubs in doing this?  I have about 1cm spare on the left that I'd like to have available on the right by shifting the whole hub body over to the left.  Thanks.


texts:
I have purchased a new bicycle, it is a clasical one (downtube shifters etc). I want to use it for commuting. Some guys told me that it might be a collectable bike and maybe i should try and find a bike colectioner before ruining it as beater bike.

I have posted picture of it here.
http://imgur.com/a/ugTnS


texts: Picking a crankset for a 107mm BB on a downhill bike

texts:
I bought a downhill frame (Commencal DH Supreme 2012) that I want to build up with parts myself.
Now I'm trying to pick a suitable crankset for the 107mm bottom bracket. Having a hard time finding anything. It seems like not even the Saint group supports 107mm BBs. Where should I start searching? I'm not looking for specific advice but I need to find a place start or maybe I'm not getting it right with the specs.


texts: How to determine the minimum tire pressure if the manufacturer does not?

texts: Some tires only have the maximum pressure written on them, stating nothing about the minimum. For soft and comfortable rides, the recommendation is to inflate them to lower pressures, but then how to avoid under-inflation? Should we just not overthink it and stick to a reasonable value, such as 80% of the maximum pressure? (That's what I would estimate based on a few pressure charts I have seen.)


texts: Terry front wheel (ISO 520 vs 540), big difference?

texts:
Preamble
I'm building up an old early 80s Terry Precision bicycle. Most of my time has been spent researching and sourcing the front wheel. It's a smaller frame which uses a smaller front wheel for shorter women. I learned that many small Terry frames use an ISO 520 24" front wheel so I went hunting around for that. None of my local LBS could source any 520 parts. I found a couple of online retailers that had the 24" road rims (i.e. not 24" BMX rims, typically ISO 507) and tires/tubes. I bought two rims, two tires, and three tubes for future spares.

I built the wheel recently and noticed that the brake reach on the front was about 20 mm more than on the rear wheel, which is a standard 700C (ISO 622). I realize now that the earliest Terry Precision bikes used the even-less-common 600A wheel size, or ISO 540.

Question
Now I'm in a strange situation where I have invested quite a bit into a slightly wrong wheel size. At worst it will sit 20 mm lower in the front and I'll need to find a longer reach caliper brake for the front rim. Is that a problem?

Side question: does anyone know any companies that sell ISO 540 road rims (and tires/tubes)?

This whole front wheel situation kinda rags on my otherwise purist Terry restoration so I'm not sure what the best course of action is to proceed.

Edit
Turns out that ISO 540 is the size of some wheelchair rims today (along with 507). Has anyone ever used a wheelchair rim for their bike? Where can I find one?

P.S. I know these are many questions and that's against SE guidelines, but to be clear, the main question I have is whether or not using my ISO 520 wheel would be a big deal.


texts: Wheel rigidity, is it noticeable and should I care about it?

texts:
I have a friend who shopped for Aero wheels recently and I heard a lot of talk about how this wheel was more rigid than that wheel and so on.

While I understand that a more rigid wheel should have less loss of energy, can it really be felt? I have entry level wheels and I don't feel any "softness". Is the rigidity of a wheel something that makes a difference only when you're a racer and want to shave off a few tenths of seconds?

(I guess it can be something important for heavily loaded touring bikes, but I'm more interested in "racing" road bikes.)


texts: I weight about 40 lbs (18 kg) more than the weight limit for the trike I can afford

texts: I want to get an adult tricycle because I have balance problems, but I think that a triking/biking would be a good way to help get my weight under control. I weight about 40 pounds more than the advertised weight limit for the trike I can afford. How bad is the risk? I wouldn't be biking too fast. Just a couple miles a day.


texts:
I have just picked up my bike from a full service - all parts were taken apart, cleaned, lubed etc. My ride home was really nice and quiet, and then I realised: my freehub is now completely silent.
I have read elsewhere that this could be a bad sign, and that the grease has gotten into the pawls? Should I be worried?
Any advice would be very much appreciated!
Thanks,
Ben.


texts: How to make a kid's bike easier to pedal

texts:
My daughter has a hand-me-down 16" wheel bike, and she finds the pedals very difficult to turn. The bike currently has a single-speed coaster hub on the back. Is there any way to replace the rear hub/wheel with something that has an easier gearing?

I'm aware this could cost more than the bike is worth, but other kid's bikes seem to share this problem. Could it be an issue with chain tension, or are there other ways I could fix this?


texts: How to get a replacement crankset gear for Dahon P8?

texts:
How can I get a replacement crankset gear for Dahon P8?  It is a 52 T with 5 screws.

I searched shops here in Belgium, but they have only an expensive whole assembly.


texts: Should brake lever move if you press the (V-brake) calipers together?

texts:
The "normal" way is pretty clear: you press the brake lever, it pulls the bowden, which then forces the V-brake calipers together.
However, the question is: should it work also the other way round? I.e. should manually pressing the calipers together also cause the bowden to slide inside the housing, and hence pull the lever on the handle bar?
Case in point: yesterday I replaced my front brake calipers and bowden/housing on my bike, and observed the mentioned behaviour (which I am 99% sure was not the case previously). The brake lever does not go all the way, but it does move considerably (I would say 20-30% of all the way).
I can interpret this in two ways:

I did something wrong during the process (maybe not fixed well enough something, which should have been fixed?). In particular, I am concerned about the lever being too lose (I intended to replace it as well, but unfortunately, the replacement I bought turned out to be too small.)
Since the bowden/housing is new and greased, maybe the bowden can just slide more easily, so the force, instead of bending the housing (which was probably the case before), makes the bowden slide smoothly, up till the lever.

Some more thoughts:

On the old rear brake caliper, this does not work. The bowden for the rear brake has 3 sections: the first one, which runs from the lever to the top tube of the bike is inside a housing. Then, it runs "naked" (without any housing) below the tube, and the last section (which connects to the calipers) also has a housing. If I press the rear calipers together, then the wire slides up to the "naked" section, but then it bends at the "covered" section of the front.
In case the answer to the original question is "yes" (i.e.: yes, with a well-greased bowden,  pushing the calipers together should move the lever), can this be used as a test to tell if the bowden needs greasing ("press the brake calipers together: if the lever does not move, you need to grease the bowden")? And if so, would this test work also for the rear brake, or only the front brake? (In case of the rear brake, I can imagine that due to longer bowden, and the covered/naked sections, the force will always cause the cable to twist at some point before moving the lever, no matter how smooth the bowden runs inside of the housing.)


texts: Fulcrum Racing 5 LG freehub replacement - drag

texts:
I just replaced a Fulcrum racing 5 LG free hub.  Once it was all together, it seems a bit tight.  With the bike on the stand, when I spin the pedals, and release, the pedals continue to rotate. So the free hub is not spinning as freely as I would expect.
I did not disassemble the entire axle and hub; I just removed the worn free hub from the drive side, and replaced it with a new free hub.  So, no changes, other than the free hub itself.
Will it loosen up? Is this related to the pre-load on the non-drive side of the axle?  Anyone have any experience with this?


texts:
I hope you're all safe.
I'm looking to upgrade my Triban rc 100.
It includes Shimano Touney groupset and Microshift x7 cassette.
Currently, the groupset that attracts me the most is the Shimano Tiagra 4700 2 or 3x10 and a compatible back wheel.
However, I'm want to ensure that I can mount this groupset on my bike.
Therefore, I would like to know if this groupset would be compatible with my bike frame.
Could someone please help in discovering this, as well as other considerations I have to take into account before upgrading?

Thank you in advance for your time.


texts: I have a Giant mountain bike front hub from a Giant P-XC2 wheelset with the inscription "12,23-12" on it. What do these numbers mean?


texts: Quick release and tires moving in the frame?

texts:
I have a Schwinn Boundary 2017 and it came with a quick-release front wheel. I noticed that no matter how tight I put the skewer it would be in a different position after extreme braking.

The bike shop guy told me that the fork is originally for a 10 mm bolt on axle with the splined washer that secures it. Sadly a front quick-release is as we all know 9 mm and rear is 10 mm. This front axle is allowed to move side to side under large lateral forces and the quick-release axle hits the bottom of the lip on the fork which is about 4 mm. Not a lot but it’s enough to offset the wheel in the fork by dang near an inch and makes it impossible to keep my front rotor aligned properly.

I shrugged it off for about a year then my pads wore to the bone and I replaced the pads and disks. I upgraded from 160 mm rotors to 180 mm and the axle now moves way easier due to more leverage from the rotor. The rear axle had a similar problem but just recently I used aluminum spacers and put them in my mounts to fill the gap between the axle and frame. It has worked for the back, it no longer has movement or at least an unnoticable amount.

I did the same with the front... only it made the front even worse, it just made it move easier and pulled the greatly bonded epoxy holding the spacers in.

I wanted to know if anyone else has had this problem, if there's anyway to fix these two axles because im about to get some grippy Maxxis Minnion DHF tires which will add to the problem and I would like to fix it before then.


texts: Dakota 20 - How do you show remaining route distance on dashboard?

texts:
The Dakota 20 is pretty awesome, but I can't figure out how to get the remaining route distance to show up on the trip dashboard?

the official Manual from Garmin doesn't mention anything about this.

Thanks in advance!


texts: Specialized bike store or general sports shop

texts:
I plan to buy a new bicycle.  Is it better to buy it at a specialized bike store or at a general sports shop?

In case it matters, I live in Vienna, Austria.  I know very little about bicycles in general.   The bicycle is intended to be used in the city to get me to and from work, and so does not need to be fancy or sophisticated at all.  Better can mean cheaper, better quality, more reliable, more likely to find what I need, and/or other aspects that may be relevant.


texts: Why are disc brakes rare on road bikes? (circa 2010)

texts: Window shopping for road bikes, I can't see many that have disc brakes. What are the reasons for this?


texts:
I had a little spill after stupidly riding in the dark through a park (my light had just broke the same day), and I didn't have enough time to react, leading to a head on collision at about 27km/h with a small wooden post - I ended up ok, but my bike had some noticable problems like the brakes being in the wrong places afterwards. Ok, no problem, easily readjusted with my trusty allen keys. But then I noticed that my front fork had seemingly been bent backwards.

Before :

After :

Noticable that the front tire has been bent back - anything I can do about this, or is this a case for a mechanic?


texts:
The shifter cable broke on the way home from work. The break was inside of the dual lever assembly. I was able to fish out the cable end. But, with a new cable, I am not able to get the shifter to work properly.

Any tips on dis-assembly and re-assembly of Shimano dual levers? Specifically,
ST-6600. I found the techdocs on the Shimano site, but rather obtuse. Tips appreciated.


texts:
I found this bike being sold on Mercari and fell in love with it! Unfortunately, the item was deleted and I was unable to get a hold of it.
I’ve been researching everything Free Spirit (lots of adult multi-speed and bmx bikes) and can’t find this specific model or even something similar.
It was listed as a “kids bike,” single speed, and I’m assuming coaster brake. It was never confirmed if it’s a 20”.
Thanks for your help if you have any info


texts:
I just bought this bike a Raleigh Professional 10 speed, I am trying to ID year. Serial number is hard to read, maybe 00Y00672.

I am excited about this bike 10 Speed. Any help would be appreciated.


texts: What size are the nuts holding the front wheel?

texts:
I am trying to install a front wheel on a bike - the axle of the wheel is threaded, but I'm having trouble finding out what size thread it is, and what nut can go on this. The size of the thread on the axle is the same as an 8 mm screw, but a standard M8 nut (with 13 mm hex) does not fit on it. Do bikes have some special kind of nut there?

If I look at the thread, and at a standard M8 screw, the thread on the bike axle is a bit more dense then on the screw, but I am not aware of existence of two kinds of M8 nuts, so far every M8 nut I've seen fits every M8 screw.


texts: Uneven tension on Gates Carbon Drive belt

texts:
I tried using the iOS app to check the tension on my Gates Carbon Drive belt (centre-track, CDX I assume as it's driving a Rohlof) and I could not get a consistent measurement over the length of the belt. It varied between 35Hz and ~70Hz.

How is this possible?*
Is the belt ruined?
Is this what is causing the belt to make horrible noises and the spokes of my rear wheel to loosen, such that I've had to go around and tighten them three times within the space of a week?

[*] Might it be caused by "rolling the belt on" to the sprocket in direct contradiction to the Gates manual which says "don't do that" (pages 4, 16, 17)?


texts: Today I was trying to pump my bike tire using mini pump. It has presta valve and after pumping i found that I've bent the valve core by about 5 to 8 degree angle. I tried to bend it back enough for it to be somewhat straight. My question is, should I replace the core? Should I be worried?


texts: Rear rockshox thru axle. How to remove it if skewer got broken off?

texts: Hello, im new here, how can I deal with this issue any suggestions? Thanks in advance.


texts:
I've got some questions about cycling and gear that I need!
So I'm planning a route through North and Republic of Ireland in April, and the route will be about 430 miles. I don't cycle often, but I do some day rides once or twice a year. My last ride was about a year ago, and I was able to cycle for 35 miles that day, and I'm planning a similar route this weekend just to get back into cycling bit by bit.

I'm asking more about the gear I need, also because I've never cycled in cold weather before (Californian living in Scotland--help!)-I've got Viking Spirit Road bike, good Ulock, lights/reflectors, basic patch kit and pump, helmet and compass.

I know basic bike maintenance like patching a tire/tubing, removing and putting back a wheel/tire.

I'm planning to get gloves, padded shorts, a rack and side sacks.

Do you think this equipment will suffice for a 2-3 week bike trip?
Also, what else do I need to know for a trip like this?

Any information is appreciated for this.

EDIT: as preparation I'm cycling this weekend for 110 miles over 3 days. And i'll be doing trips like that for the coming weeks before the 400 mile trip.


texts: Can I swap my front 2x chainring on my MTB to a ~46T chainring?

texts:
The type of cycling I do means I'm never really presented with mega-steep climbs.
I used an online calculator and worked out I never really use gear ratios below about 39, which on my MTB at the moment is gear 1 at the front and 6 at the back.
I was thinking about going for a really large chainring at the front and removing the front mech.
If I were to use a 46T chainring, this would give me a minimum gear ratio of 36.5 in the lowest gear, and 112.9 in the highest gear, which is much more appealing for me, as opposed to my current max gear ratio of 88.4.
Currently my bike has a 11-34T cassette at the rear and a 36-22T double chainring at the front.
I want to know if this would be possible. I am prepared to replace the cranks as my bike has a very low end Prowheel crankset on it at the moment. I have read a bit on this site and have seen that potential problems could revolve around the rear derailleur not being able to handle the longer chain I will be needed if I were to do this.
Is this possible? Thanks a lot


texts: Should I be able to 'manually' rotate the headset?

texts:
When I wrap my fingers around my roadie's headset, I'm able to 'rotate' some parts of it freely around.

Should this be happening? If it should not be happening, what is causing this and is it dangerous? The bolt that attaches the stem to the headset near the topcap (not sure if that's the proper way to describe it) is tightened, so it won't be due to a loose bolt.


texts:
How do you drink while riding?  What would you tell a new rider who is having difficulty getting a drink without stopping or slowing a lot?

Assume the bike has bottle cages in the usual places, and we're not talking about hydration bladder backpacks.

Question is purely about getting liquid into the mouth, not what should be in the bottle.

Inspired by this comment  https://imgur.com/gallery/o95PAOs/comment/1167254453


texts: Is it worth buying used bikes of old models?

texts:
I am going to buy a road bike, and my budget is about 1300$.

And I'm faced dilemma:
1) new 2015 (next year) road bike, for example Merida (aluminum frame, shimano 105, carbon fork)
2) used 2009-2010 road bike, for example Bianchi (carbon all, system fsa, ultegra 6600, mavic rims).

By photos it seems that the old bike is in a very good state (without scratches, etc), new supplies (chain, cassete, brake pads)

So, if we assume, that the state of bike is good indeed (attentive care, etc), then, is it worth buying 5-year bike?
Technologies progress nowadays, so difference in 4-5 years is a huge gap, or it's OK?


texts: Gears shift perfectly when suspended on rack, but not on the ground?

texts:
So I had recently solved some issues I was having thanks to the community. I re-tuned my bike on a suspended mount and everytning looks great. On the ground, all of the gears work smoothly except for shifting into 8th gear (8 speed rear derailleur). The chain hangs on 7th and won’t jump. On my bike rack it shifts perfectly after properly setting the high limit screw. The only way I’ve gotten it to work on the ground is backing out the high limit screw more (small turns), but the shifting is sort of a jolt and it occasionally overthrows the chain and derails it (...bad joke).

Any suggestions or tips on what to look for? Nothing appears bent, bolts are tightened, wheel is true, and bike is tuned. I’m seriously scratching my head.

Thanks


texts: Medium size cargo solution for road-bike for commuting

texts:
Currently I use a touring bike with rear rack and a single panier on my 15km commute. In my panier I carry a full set of clothes including shoes, a small coat and a towel. I want to start using my road bike on my commute because it is a better bike in almost all ways except for the cargo situation.
The panier I use is an ortlieb back-roller classic. It is huge, it is completely waterproof, and I fix it to my bike in one quick motion. I'm looking for something that matches or improves on most of those characteristics but fits on a road bike.
More specifically, I'd like to find a cargo solution for my road bike that:

is at least 15-20 litres.
is waterproof in standard setup (no rain-covers).
does not interfere with my biking.
attaches and detaches with minimal effort.
(bonus points) is aerodynamic.
(bonus points) looks good

I've tried a backpack, but that violates point 3 and (somewhat) 5. Also, it is sweaty and bad for my back. I've been looking into the various bags that attach on top of a rear-rack such as the ortlieb trunk bag and the topeak trunk drybag but they are too small. Topeak has bigger models but those have a strange compartmentalisation, and they are not waterproof (since you can buy separate rain covers).
I'd like to avoid the asymmetry of a single panier, and I'd also like to avoid attaching a full rear-rack to my roadbike. Seatpost-mounted rack is fine though.

Edit (2014-12-01): In the end I decided to go for a backpack, the ortlieb packman pro 2 to be exact. Reasons:

100% waterproof
some bike-friendly features (notably, some ventilation on the back)
Exactly the size I need.
Quicker and better ease of use than all rack-mounted or seatpost-mounted solutions I could find.


texts: Using a Sram 22 group with 10 speed crank

texts:
I have a SRAM Red 22 group set that has a standard crank (53/39), and I also own a SRAM Red 10 speed crank with compact chainrings.  I'll be doing some climbing soon and would like to use the compact that I have already.  I can't swap just the chainrings due to different BCD sizes (130 on the 22 and 110 on the 10 speed).

Can I use the Red 10 speed crank (and compact rings) with the rest of the Red 22 group set, or do I have to bite the bullet and buy compact chainrings?


texts: MTB Cassettes- are they universal to wheels

texts: Are cassettes all standard as fare as fit on the wheel?  For example, can I can swap out a new Shimano for my old SRAM without looking at specifications for fit?


texts: How do I put a lower seat clamp on my Alinker walking aid?

texts:
I have a walking aid called an Alinker http://www.thealinker.com/

It looks like a bicycle but it has no pedals and any bike shop can service it.

My issue is the seat it's a older style so has 2 bolts under the seat  mounted on the rails and I accidentally unscrewed all the bolts and the triangle shaped piece came out. I have the piece flipped upwards and its on the bottom of the rails. Can anyone here explain how to put this piece in the correct way. I am attaching a picture of my Alinker and the part in question.

I don't know much about bikes so please explain in easy terms.


texts: Chain hops off cassette sprockets when I stand-pedal

texts:
When I pedal while standing, the chain hops off to a smaller cog. This happens when I "tilt" the bike, as we do when stand-pedal. I am not really sure why this happens, but I think the chain is loose. Is the solution to get a new chain, or is there something I can do?

I lean against getting a new chain, since my current one is ugly and rusty (I have not maintained it very well over the winter!)


texts:
I built an 'Urban Mountain Bike' and I sometimes like to take it off drops. Accordingly, I cut the 'nub' that sticks up above the top tube so that the seat can be removed without a scary open pipe waiting for my sensitive parts.

The problem I'm having is in relocating the seat post clamp beneath the top tube. I have cut a vertical I shape under the top tube in the steel frame so that it can collapse into the post. If I remember correctly, it's a 28.6mm OD seatpost with a 31.6mm or so OD (a bit more now with a coat of Herculiner).

Right now I'm using 2x Problem Solvers cable clamps, but I cannot get them tight enough to stop the seatpost from dropping a bit, and if I go any tighter I'm in danger of stripping them out. I'd also prefer a quick release to be able to take it out without an allen wrench.

Does anyone make Quick Release clamps that split to get around my top tube?

The best I can find so far is this, but I have to lose any quick release features:

Does something like this exist already, and I'm reinventing the wheel? Or is there some way I could use two quick release levers on the split clamp?


texts:
I am planning to go on a 2 week touring trip in a few months and I'm looking for some bags/panniers to buy.

What are your recommendations regarding the capacity of the bags (considering the length of the trip)?

Also, do you have recommendations for any specific bag?

EDIT:
I will pass through towns or villages each day, so I don't need to carry a lot of food/water. I will be carrying a tent and a sleeping bag, some tools and clothes.


texts:
I have rim brakes on my mountain bike that's outfitted for urban duty.

Two weeks ago, I noticed that my rear brakes were weaker and louder than normal. I found that, although my pads still indicated 1/16" of wear left, the metal "internal" part of the brake had become exposed.

I immediately replaced the pads.

Since I installed the new pads, about every 40-50 miles I'll notice my brakes suddenly get noisy and weak. I'll get off my bike, and find a little metal chunk in one of my brake pads. After I dig it out, my brakes behave normally again.

I'm pretty sure that it's not from junk on the road. This never happens when I'm riding my other BSOs.

My rim looks and feels (to my finger) fine.

It seems like my rim is shedding metal bits. Is this the case? And, if so, what can I do to stop it? I've tried wiping my rim with a rag, but it hasn't made a difference.

Edit: I forgot to add that this is happening with both rims, not just the rear one that had the worn pad incident.


texts: How can you remove logos from a bike frame?

texts:
I'm trying to remove all these annoying labels from my bike. On the main frame there is one big logo, but I'm not sure if it's a sticker or not. The frame is black, but it's very cheaply made, and the logo is a bit higher, but between the letters it gets lower again. Is there some laser techique to get logos like this onto a frame? Or are that also just some weird kind of stickers?

Anyhow, how shall I go about removing the logo without damaging the underlying varnish?


texts: Ultegra 6700 Left Side Crank with SRAM Red

texts:
I'm considering buying a TT bike that has a full SRAM Red group.  I'm wondering if it's possible to use my Shimano Ultegra 6700 left-side crank in place of the SRAM Red crank.

Why?  I've got a Stages power meter in the Shimano crank that I use on my regular road bike.  One of the main reasons I went with the Stages meter was the flexibility of swapping the crank across multiple bikes.  So, naturally I'd like to use my power meter on the TT bike by just swapping it.

I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts on using the two systems together!

EDIT/UPDATE:
I ended up buying the TT bike.  As the answer below says the SRAM crankset is not compatible with the Ultegra crank.  So, I bought a used Ultegra crankset and put that on in place of the SRAM one.  There was a spacer on the left side of the bottom bracket that had to be removed in order to get the Ultegra crankset to fit.  I just tapped the bearing out, removed the little sleeve and tapped the bearing back in, took about 10 minutes total.

The new hybrid SRAM-Shimano drivetrain functions perfectly, I even swapped out the big ring from the SRAM set for the Ultegra one (SRAM ring is a 55 which I like having on the TT bike).  It looks a bit wonky with the mismatched crank/ring combo but everything works fine!


texts:
I've got a bike that hadn't been used in a while until a couple weeks ago, it was in a place where it gets direct sunlight (I'm trying to fix that) and as a result some things like the seat have spoiled.
Anyway, I inflated it just fine and have used it several times since then. About a week ago, another bike's tyre exploded (my guess is sun + overinflation); I spent a while trying to inflate that one to see if I could spot the rip, unsuccesfully and then just lt it be.
Since then, I've been unable to inflate the first bike's tyres due to major resistance (I guess the valve on the pump is not working properly)
Today, I was trying to inflate it before going out when I noticed there are bits peeling or being shaved off the side of the valve and I'm wondering whether this could be dangerous?


texts: Locking Skewer slipping from rear wheel dropout

texts:
I recently purchased new locking skewers (Kyrptonite WheelNutz) and they're slipping out of rear wheel dropout with little force. I've noticed they have zero bite on the nut compared to other skewers.

More pictures:

http://imgur.com/a/7FP4k


texts:
New to cycling and have no idea what size inner tubes to buy for my particular bike.

Following dimensions on tire:

  N28x1.75*36H

  622*19c

Seems to me this is an unconventional wheel size? Was on Wiggle and most tubes seem to be 700x25c.


texts:
I just installed a new Alivio M4000 rear derailleur to replace a Tiagra derailleur on 1X-converted road bike. It looks wildly misaligned to me and shifts terribly.

The hanger is perfectly aligned. The first link of the derailleur seems aligned, but the second link doesn't, and cage seems skewed even further.

Does this look defective? Or have I installed it poorly?


texts:
I saw this in my local supermarket, as they are having a cycling event on at the moment. I was thinking this would be quite useful if I had a puncture away from home, the car or bike repair shop, or in case of an emergency, as let's face it, who wants to repair a tyre at night in the pouring rain? I certainly also do not want to ride with a flat tyre, as it can destroy the tire and wheel rim.

This is what I am talking about:

What pros and cons are these to these sprays?
If I used this, would I be able to repair the puncture, and reuse the inner tube afterwards?
Do they actually work? (Implies 1!)
It is "temporary", so how far could I cycle before I have any more problems?

Note: I am talking about the sprays in general, not specific brands (e.g in the image)

Edit: Also, I would not want to remove the tyre at all (i.e. so I do not want to carry a spare tube). I am talking about its effectiveness as a "quick fix".

Dead link: http://www.baileysbigstore.co.uk/carmotoring/carmotoringpics/cycletyrefix5292.jpg

Possible contenders for "similar product"


texts: Are carbon fiber rims susceptible to fatigue?

texts:
While reading this question's take on the wearing out of aluminum rims used on bikes with disc brake systems, the inquiry was projected further to include carbon fiber, disc brake rims.  Do carbon fiber disc brake rims ever wear out through fatigue?

Also, do the nipples have any additional support (from material other than carbon fiber) at the rim to deal with the concentrated forces there?


texts: Insurance for carless cyclist in California

texts:
I am a bike commuter without a car in California, that seems to be such an unusual  combination that it is difficult to find insurance.

I have health + disability insurance, my bike is worth less than $1000. I don't own property and don't have a homeowner's or renter's insurance, nothing worth to steal.

I'd like to get liability protection for the case that I cause an accident.

What type of insurance do I need? Am I overlooking something else I need to insure against?

Update:

I talked to a couple of insurance companies (Allstate, Farmers, Geico) and asked for umbrella insurance, all of them were initially very dismissive of the idea to insure someone  without a car. All three told me on the phone there was no way to get a non owners auto insurance, they absolutely needed the type of my non-existing car and the VIN.
They also told me that you cannot get umbrella insurance if you don't have auto insurance.

I doubt this, but that was the reply.

I then looked into renter's insurance, and that does indeed cover liability for bike accidents, they confirmed this on the phone.

I found an insurance broker, who offered me renters + umbrella for $655 per year.
State Farm has a very high liability renters insurance for about $250 per year, both 1 million coverage.

I am still doubtful if 1 million liability coverage is enough.

In Germany you are required by law to have at least 7.5 mio Euro coverage for personal damage and 1 mio for property damage if you have a car, but that is the absolute minimum.
Most insurance policies have a limit of 100 mio Euro.

In principle the required product seems to be a renters insurance, or a non-owners car insurance for people who occasionally drive. The problem is that the insurance companies don't have much experience with the car-less cyclist and can't help much choosing the right product.


texts: Is there a way to know what size of smallest chainring will be compatible with a given frame?

texts:
I've been slowly changing a Devinci Milano I bought to be more like a touring bike than a hybrid. I've installed drop bars and sti shifters. Everything is working pretty well, except that I'd like to have a more road-oriented set of chainrings.

So I plan to swap in a standard road 52 - 39 crankset. Is there any way I can tell if it will fit? I realize it will take me five minutes to check, just wondering if there's a better way.


texts: Opening a Shimano Alfine 8 hub (large dust cover)

texts:
I’m dismantling my Shimano Alfine 8 hub to service the internals. I’m at the stage in the photograph but can’t turn the large black plastic dust cover, with <-tighten loosen-> on it.
The hub has been sat idle for a couple of years but is only three years old and from instructions I was expecting the dust cover to be removed by hand. Attempting to tap it round with a screwdriver only put the notch in the soft plastic visible at the six o’clock spot. (Won’t be repeating that).
If it won’t turn by hand, how can I remove this dust cover? Have I missed anything?
I see there’s a tool, the TL AF10 but it seems expensive for a one trick pony. Is there another way? With any more common tool, to try while I wait for the right one in the post of course.


texts:
I have a FSA Carbon crank where the thread/bolt for my pedal has become lose and wobbles.

In all fairness the crank has has 20,000KM on it. Can it be repaired, can I replace just the crank, or do I need to replace the entire crankset?


texts: Can lock on grips go with carbon fiber handle bars?

texts: How prudent is it to install lock on grips onto carbon fiber mountain biking handle bars? Are there some grips that will work and some that won't?


texts: Can I use long reach calipers on my cyclocross bike?

texts: I've got cx bike(Centurion Cyclocross 4000) which I currently use only for commuting and riding long distances on a road. Is it possible to use some longreach caliper brakes on it (e.g. Shimano BR-650 or Tektro R538)?


texts:
I am upgrading my mtb, an '04 Specialized Epic. Currently, it has a Shimano 9sp cassette on Mavic xm317 wheels, and I am looking to change to a 10 or 11 speed cassette. I am aware that I need to change shifters, derailleurs etc to get this to work, they are not part of the question.

My question is: With all Shimano components, is the limiting factor in compatibility the hub? Are there other aspects/parts which limit compatibility with newer cassettes?


texts:
I understand wearing base layers in the colder months, but I see cycling clothing companies (Castelli, Assos, Rapha, etc) also making undershirts specifically for hot summer riding. Given how lightweight and breathable some of the summer jerseys are (like Castelli's Climber's Jersey), why would riders want to add another layer during the summer?

What are the advantages to wearing an undershirt during the summer?


texts: Cause and diagnosis of wobbling crankset/chainring

texts:
I was replacing the chain recently.

When spinning the crank I noticed that the chainrings are slightly wobbling along the axis. I was able to see the wobbling with my eyes.

First check

I kind of verified the wobbling by holding a screwdriver next to the largest chainring's teeth. When spinning the crank it was touching the teeth when the right hand side crank was the bottom.

The wobbling was in the range of 1mm - 3mm.

I removed the crank from the bottom bracket. Then I pulled and spun the bottom bracket axle to verify it's not loose or grinding or wobbling itself. It was OK, no slackness, fluently spinning, no noise.

Note that, though it looked fine, back then I had problems fitting the new bottom bracket due to a damaged bottom bracket thread.

Fortunately I had a spare crank set at hand. I attached the left hand side crank at the right hand side. Now I had two cranks attached, none with chainrings. The idea was to match the cranks for their masses and eliminating any imbalance of the chainring crank compared to the left crank.

Then I gave the crank a hefty kick assuming that, if the bottom bracket were off-axis, the cranks must wobble, which I could feed and maybe see.

Holding the bike firmly perpendicular I felt no major wobbling of the bike. So I assumed the the bottom bracket is on-axis.

Not knowing how to further diagnose the problem I reassembled everything and finished the chain replacement.

Second check

After a couple of kilometers cycling I checked for the wobbling again using the "screwdriver method" (this time with the chain in place) and the wobbling appears to be gone.

Additionally I did another check with another method:

Pointing a laser beam perpendicular onto the chain's teeth "bottom land" orthogonal to the axis. Then I spun the crank. The idea was, that if the chainring was wobbling, the laser beam must "touch" the chainring plane.

This time I was unable to detect any major wobbling.

Other issues

Before dis- and reassembling the crankset I had a clicking sound for months when pedaling.

It only happened when putting force on the right hand side crank and only along the way from the crank arm was parallel to the ground to when the pedal was at the very bottom. (Inspired by one intermediate answer: it might have occurred when the force reached its minimum.) I narrowed it down by putting force on the pedals separately and at different positions (angles).

The clicking sound is gone now. Re-seating the cranks was on my to-do list for isolating the clicking sound anyway.

I also had the problem of a slipping chain covered in another question. Though it might was caused by another issue (mentioned in the other answers), that issue might be related to this one too.

Further: I now realized that a periodic scratching sound of the chain on the front derailleur arm may have had its cause in the wobbling.

What was wrong?

Could I have attached the crankset badly during the previous assembly? Is it likely that a octalink crank may misfit the axle (mounted at a non-zero degree angle for example)?

Is it unlikely that there was a wobbling in the first place that could have been cured by re-assembling? I mean, if there was a wobbling and a clicking that are now both gone, I find it very likely that there was definitively a fault.

I want to understand possible faults and causes I should look out and avoid in the future.

May the misalignment, if there was any, have permanently damaged the crank or the bottom bracket?

Since I had trouble with the bottom bracket thread, might the bottom bracket be misaligned by some millidegrees?

Setup

Crankset FC-T521 (octalink)
Bottom bracket BB-ES51 (octalink)

Edit: added a little more explanations and clarifications to observations and questions


texts:
I'm thinking about putting a bit wider tires on my mountain bike, but I'm having problems distinguishing facts from fiction about minimum required inner width rim for a tire. I have two mountain bikes with pretty narrow rims: 17 and 18 mm inner width. There are 2.1" wide tires (with tubes) on them and I had no problems. When I look at the tire manufacturer websites, e.g. https://www.maxxis.com/catalog/tire-468-140-minion-dhf, it seems that my rims are way too narrow for any of their tires. Their recommended inner rim widths start at 25 or 28 mm for a 2.35" tire I would like to get.
On the other hand, the rim manufacturer goes with much narrower requirements, e.g. https://cambriabike.com/products/mavic-xm-719-26-mtb-disc-rim?variant=32343195746378 claims that 19 mm inner width is good for 1.3" to 2.7" wide tires.
Is it safe to mount 2.35" or even 2.5" wide tires on my 18 mm inner width rims?
EDIT
I found this page with tire/rim compatibility chart, which is more lenient, but warns about sub-optimal performance of a wide tire on a narrow rim.


texts: Ghost shifting with a nearly fully rebuilt drivetrain

texts:
I’ve got an old Surly Crosscheck that’s been ghostshifting for awhile now. I’ve rebuilt most of the drivetrain to try to fix the problem to no avail.

I replaced the cassette, chain, rear derailleur, and cables but it’s still happening. The RD was originally a top normal Deore XT 9 speed, its replacement is a bottom normal XT 9 speed. The shifters are Ultegra bar-ends in friction mode (busted indexing).

It happens equally often when I’m really crushing it and when I’m spinning under low pressure. The chainrings are potentially bent/warped slightly? Their bolts are seized, haven’t been able to replace them. A shop bent them back to as close to straight as possible. I’m wondering if it’s the chainrings, or the bar ends not holding the cable in place, perhaps against bottom bracket flex (I’m 255lbs)?

Thanks for making it this far, I really want to figure this out—this bike has been with me through a lot over ten years, but this problem has caused a couple accidents and I’m shying away from commuting due to safety concerns.


texts:
I want to replace the front derailleur on my 2010 Kona DEW C62cm. Currently it has mounted a Shimano Altus. Unfortunately, I can not find a model number on it, which would made things easier.
There seems to be derailleurs for (61)63-66° and 66-69°. I tried to measure the chainstay angle on the bike and get to around 65° - with a large uncertainty. Because the value is so close to 66°, I wont risk to buy the 63-66° and then have the wrong type... However, it looks like 63-66° is the most common angle.
Is there another way of finding this angle or does the Altus should have a model number somewhere?
Can I get this angle somewhere out of the geometry table on the Kona website?


texts: How can I get started riding without spending a fortune (too much)?

texts:
I've just recently moved to a city (Seattle) where owning a car seems less appropriate than it has to me in the past.  Before, I lived in a far more suburban environment where biking was more-or-less just meant for trails and your "typical" bicycle was a $150-$200 one at the nearest Walmart or Target.  I'm apprehensive about dropping $500 (or more) on a bicycle currently, and I am really just looking for the best way to get started.

Do I really just need to drop $500+ on a new bicycle and deal with the elevated costs?  And if so, how do I even know where to begin on what type of bicycle to pick out, since it would more than likely be my primary mode of transportation?


texts: Shimano Claris shifter double/triple shifting up (when moving to smaller, harder cogs) on the rear derailleur

texts:
Although my rear derailleur is properly indexed it's suddenly started to double or even triple shift on an upshift - i.e. when moving to harder, smaller cogs on the cassette.

This happens whether I'm riding or even if the bike is completely stationary and I'm only moving the shifter in isolation - I can feel and see the display on the hood jump 2-3 positions.  It only happens in what would be the mid positions of the cassette - the very bottom gear and the top few gears aren't affected when I shift up from them.

Downshifts to larger, easier cogs are completely unaffected.

I've tried peeling back the brake hood and giving the mechanism a good blast of penetrating lubricant but to no avail.

Is this likely to be a shifter only problem and what if anything can I do to rectify it?