texts:
I just bought a 21-speed hybrid bike (Wal-Mart grade Schwinn) and to try to customize/simplify things (other bike is a fixie road bike), I removed the front deraileur and bought a new single-speed front crank (Origin-8 Track/SS Crank) from my LBS. By local I mean 1hr away.

Got home, did the swap, and put the chain back on, and it doesn't fit on the chainring correctly. I measured my chain and the links are the standard 1/2", but it seems like the teeth in the sprocket are slightly longer than that; eventually as the chain goes around the ring, the rollers come out of the "valley" between teeth and a roller ends up on the tip of a tooth. (Photos below)

The shop is closed for the weekend and it's driving me crazy trying to find an answer. From my understanding, all bike chains have a standard 1/2" link length, it's just the width that varies. Anyone have any ideas?


texts: Frame dropout cracked, what can I do? (Allied Alfa Disc / carbon)

texts:
The frame thru axel hole/dropout cracked while using my wahoo kickr trainer.

Is this crack dangerous?

If it is, what can I do?


texts: Trying to figure out the Brand/Make of this bicycle?

texts:
Got this from a friend hand-me-down style.
Got some work to do on it to make her roadworthy.

But it's been painted, and I can't see a logo or name on it anywhere.
Steel Metal Frame. That's about all I know.

Any ideas?


texts: YouE planetary motor is having problems how do I pinpoiont the problem?

texts:
I was riding then I turned a corner went to turn the throttle suddenly it makes a loud grinding noise and is unable to accelerate.

I got the motor open and it can only start turning when I roll the motor backwards a bit first (forwards on the ground).

It rolls smoothly, planetary gears stay still till it makes a loud bang like something is catching then dead. It never takes longer than 10 seconds tops. At high speed the planetary gears move suddenly in a jerky motion but also the motor dies whenever there's too much of a jerky motion.

Magnets are not loose or falling apart. There is no debris in the hub it is clean and well greased on the gear.

Can it be fixed? Any advice on how to make it work properly will be greatly appreciated.

[EDIT WITH NEW INFORMATION]

I disconnected the hall sensor to see if the motor would still function.

When I disconnect the 5 pin hall sensor plug the motor acts like a magnetic lock when I turn the throttle, it freezes the wheel in place. After a few seconds the controller stops feeding power to the motor. I can do it again once I reset the throttle and twist again. I am beginning to suspect the controller seeing how the hall effect sensors do emit information to make the motor time the controller to work properly when they are connected until the power fails with or without the sensors. The power fails at about the same amount of time per try.


texts: Alternative options for Trek FX 7.1 brakes

texts:
Around four months ago my parents bought me a Trek FX 7.1 for my birthday while I was at work.  At first I was fairly excited and happy with it over my old Supercycle which served me well for the past ten years.  However, once I started riding it I came face to face with a few issues.

The breaking is weak and needs a stopping distance of around 7-8 feet.
The vibration is violent once you hit gravel road surfaces.
The tires cannot handle small curbs at relatively high speeds without going flat.
The tires lose traction on wet surfaces causing me to lose control and damage the bike.

I tried having my brakes adjusted but the stopping distance is still rather long (5'5" - 6'5") considering when you need to stop in an emergency situation.  Now since there is no front fork suspension it has quite a violent vibration especially when the tires are fully inflated within the optimum PSI pressure range.  In regards to the miniature curb, both my tires burst while I was going at a relatively fast speed before impacting that few inch high curb.  It's rather annoying to have to slow down just to ride over it safely.

So as of now, I am looking for some professional or just good fellow cyclist advice on what I can do to improve the brakes, tires, and vibration issues.  I'm sure replacing the front fork would be idiotic so I would not even go there, and I clearly have no space on my bike for any form of disk brakes.

Thanks in advance.


texts:
(I recently got an old Favorit road bike (made in Czechoslovakia) and started restoring it. In order to give the frame a new coat of paint, I need to strip it down from everything.)
I'm stuck with the quill stem. I'm not sure how to remove it because it's impossible to just pull it out and there are no screws holding it. There is this long screw about 7 inches long that I took out but it doesnt seem to affect anyway the quill stem. So how can I remove it (if it's even possible)?


texts: Any benifits of upper level bibs for a fat long distance XC biker?

texts:
Skinny road bikers are all praising their Castelli/Assos bibs. Specially long distance riders.

I'm 188cm/106kg and my normal ride is something like 100-120km, 2500m gain, 8-9hours in saddle almost not-stop.

I'm quite happy with cheap fake Castelli bibs from China (17 euros or so). I was that happy with some lower level components until I replaced them with upper levels. More joy actually.

Its easy to get reviews for components but not that easy for clothing. Specially clothing dedicated for long distance XC.

For example I can get Castelli Soprasso tights for around 125euros w/ discount which is not much higher then wiggle's dhb brand.


texts: Should the laws be amended to allow cyclists to run red lights?

texts:
Ignoring the question of whether or not cyclists should or should not break the law by running red lights, should the law be changed such that cyclists are somehow exempt from stopping and waiting? For example, the Idaho Stop Law provides that cyclists may effectively treat stop signs as yields and red lights as stop signs.

Has this question been discussed before?  Has there been evidence presented that suggests that this is a good or bad idea?

Is this sort of legal change in cyclists' favor? Is it something we should fight for, or will it cause more harm than good? What are the arguments in favor and against such a change?


texts: Do riders bodies go numb after hours of riding?

texts: When talking to people who don't bicycle themselves, I've noticed that every time I mention bicycling long distances, people seem to think that your body goes numb, like it does when you run long distances. Does it? Is it in any way related to how fit the individual is?


texts: What is the difference between race/road and cx bikes?

texts: The only differences I know is that road bikes are often lighter and uses different set of brakes. But what else are the main differences?


texts: How to open Gazelle Orange c7+ chain case?

texts: I would like to open it because I feel a touch while pedaling and gear changes are not smooth. Is there any video or manual to show how to open chain case?


texts: My son won this bike at work, and never got a chance to use it before moving for a job. He has asked me to sell it but I don't know anything about it or how much it's worth.  Any help would be appreciated


texts: What's the most secure type of bike lock that costs less than $30?

texts: I already have the cable cable kind with the combination lock.  It just seems cheap and easy to break into.  Is that sufficient or are the U shaped ones better?


texts: How to repair a broken steel frame, at the rear drop out /chainstay location

texts: I have a Raleigh technium , recently broke at the rear dropout. Angelo had a post w a picture of a broken rear dropout and commented, that this failure on a steel frame was totally repairable, btw...Would really like to fix mine!


texts: Is it safest for a group of cyclists to ride in a single line?  Is it required for cyclists to ride in a single line in a narrow bike lane, or can they pass on the left in open traffic?


texts:
I had a small crash and the other day I checked my bike for damage. I found that there is very small leak on my brake hose where it meets the lever.

I tried pushing the lever but nothing came out so can it leak only for one day and then it stops?

My brakes are Shimano BR-MT200.

Thanks in advance


texts: For a long (25mile each way) commute, what kind of bike should I look at?

texts:
I'd really like to be able to commute to work. It's a long way though - 25 miles away. Too far for every day, but maybe I can cycle it once or twice a week.

I tried it on my old mountain bike a couple of times and it took me 2 hours each way, and I was very tired. I'm hoping a new bike might make it more do-able. I really can't decide what kind of bike to get though. My route has about 10 miles in the city, and 15 miles on country roads.

I'd like something reasonably light. Hybrids look a bit on the heavy side. Full on road-bikes look a bit too aggressive, and I don't think I'd like the drop handle-bars. Something like a more relaxed road-bike with flat bars would be good, but on digging through the web I'm having trouble finding anything that looks like that.

Can you recommend a suitable bike that would fit what I'm looking for?

I'm in the UK and could spend up to £1000 for the right thing.


texts: Are all vintage bikes difficult to work on?

texts:
I have had a couple of vintage bikes (from the '80s and earlier) and all have been absolute nightmares to work on: They always seem to have weird dimensions which aren't available anymore or in the area (e.g. Imperial sizing for bolts and threads or weird sizing for shift cables) or parts which don't even exist anymore (e.g. rod brakes). Furthermore, not only is it a pain for me to work on them, but most repair shops I go into won't even touch them because they can't get the parts necessary to fix them.

At the moment I am fed up with dealing with the above-mentioned vintage-related problems and problems from newer albeit cheap bikes, which I've also had in the past; Based on my frustrations with older and cheap bikes, it seems all old bikes are a pain to work on-- is this true? On the other hand, is a "proper" modern bike such as one from Cannondale, Trek, Genesis, Surly, Salsa, Kona, Specialized, Fuji etc. with e.g. brifters and cantilever or disc brakes going to be more enjoyable to work on, or are they just as annoying as old bikes? In other words, does working on bikes just suck in general?


texts: Front Mountain Bike Cable Disk Brake Is Too Snappy on First Pull

texts: When I grab my front disk brake for the first time on a ride after my bike has sat for a while it will buck me forward.  Once it bucks me it works great.  I have tried cleaning it with disc brake cleaner but I have not seen any improvement.  Any help is appreciated.


texts:
There is still a lot of salt on the roads in Ottawa, Canada, but I am thinking about starting to use my road bike instead of my mountain bike because the snow is mostly gone.  (At least temporarily).

My mountain bike is aluminum so I have not been worried about it rusting/disappearing.

My road bike that I want to start riding is made of steel so I am more concerned.  What can I do to protect it from wet salty roads?

My steel road bike currently has a good paint job with few to no chips.  I was thinking before I take it out the first time I might spray some greese onto a rag and give it a quick wipe down.  I am not sure if this will be effective or a good idea so I would appreciate any feedback possible.

Should I begin riding my steel bike now while the roads are still wet and salty or should I wait until summer and/or get a temporary winter/spring bike?
If I am going to ride my steel bike what can I do to protect it from the wet salty streets?


texts: Chain size designations e.g. 1/2 x 3/32 : how to measure?

texts:
How is the second number, e.g. 3/32, determined? Do you measure:

a) the thickness of the spacer between the inner links

or

b) the distance between the inner links

I have an older bike and don't know if the chain is 3/32 or 4/32 (i.e. 1/8). It could be either. The spacer itself is 3/32 thickness and the distance between the links is 4/32.


texts: Can I use a road bike stem on my mountain bike?

texts: I've got a XC mtb which 1. I'm trying to cut the weight off , 2. I want a bit extra reach. I've got a longer road bike stem made by 'Deda' (I think Planet X)? and I was wondering if it will be strong enough for XC mountain biking use?


texts:
When I got my bike built, I chose a 60mm-long stem. It's a single-speed bike with front and rear cantilever break (cyclocross model.) After riding on the bike for a couple of months, I have decided the stem is too short and I want to replace it with a stem that's 100mm long.

Is it likely that I can easily swap the two stems, or will I have to mount longer cables for the brakes?


texts:
Winter is coming! Last season I put my road bike in the garage and just rode my mountain bike all winter. Something strange happened: my suspension fork froze. When spring came everything unfroze and was a-ok. Questions:

Should my fork freeze when it is cold outside?
Do you like having suspension when it is below freezing?  I mostly just do road/logging roads.  There are not really any trails where I am.  I don't see too much value to suspension in the winter.  Comments?
If you want to use suspension in the winter do you need a special fork or can you service your fork somehow?


texts: Increasing speed and reducing effort on steel MTB on the road

texts:
I have a low end steel MTB, which is heavy by itself, and I also a heavy man weighting in at 100kg, and on my MTB I have knobby dirt tires.

As you can imagine, riding on the road any faster than 20km/h is a pain. I would be satisfied if I could cruise at 30km/h easily, which I can't now. I'm finding comfort in 20km/h.

What do I need? Road tires? Loose weight? Get more fit?

I was thinking on purchasing a set of Schwalbe Marathon tires, in 26x1.75 size for my MTB to potentially lower the rolling resistance and go faster.

Currently I have Kenda tires, made for the dirt in the 26x2.10 size. These tires also sound horrible, making a lot of noise on the pavement.

How could I increase the speed of my bike?

Also, at what pressure should I inflate my current Kenda tires to potentially go faster? I currently have them at around 60PSI.


texts: removing broken mudguard/fender bolt from eyelet

texts:
A couple of years ago I tightened the bolt attaching my rear mudguard/fender to the eyelet at the hub and it snapped, leaving a 5mm long section of bolt stuck in the thread. Since then I've tried various things to get it out, all ending in dismal failure. So I've had to use the less effective type of mudguards that are strapped to the stays with cable ties.

I tried:

Getting at the small amount of protruding metal with small pliers: not enough metal to grip it
using a threaded bolt extractor of this type: there wasn't enough thread exposed on the other for the extractor to get a grip
Trying to drill into the middle of the bolt: the drill bit broke!

Any ideas appreciated!

The frame is aluminium. The bike is audax/sportive type.

Update: I tried everything suggested, except the blowtorch, to no avail. So I gave up and got a new frame, something I 'd been thinking of doing for a while as it has been showing its age.


texts: What could be the reason for stem this far away

texts:
I own a bicycle similar to this one:

(I replaced the handlebars with straight one on mine)

I know that there were some weird designs back in '90s, but some reason probably exists for creating a bike with such a long stem. Doesn't it create uncomfortable riding position?


texts:
I use a Wahoo RFLKT+ computer. It has a built in backlight for night riding, but to conserve the battery the light times out after a while (30 second default). Since I have a hub generator, I'd like the light on continuously when riding at night.

During the day the display is reflective, so I'm thinking that an LED shining on the display might be able to light it.

I'm wondering if anybody has done something similar and has suggestions for wiring and placement of the LED. The wiring seems like it would simply require adding an LED in parallel to the headlight/taillight with a currently limiting resistor, I'm not sure sure about how to effectively place the LED.


texts: Determining the correct chain length (52/36 with 12/29 11S cassette combination)

texts:
I have a Campagnolo Record groupset on my road bike where I want to replace the chain. My combination is 52/36 crankset with 12/29 (Chorus) cassette. I got a Campagnolo Record Chain 11-speed for this operation (this product).

I'm on a DIY mentality recently and trying to follow instructions given from Campagnolo official YouTube channel videos, GCN Campy videos and the manual came in the box. However, I wasn't be able to adjust the height as it was defined on the 3 sources, where the distance between lower sprocket's chain and the lower chain should be between 8 to 15 mms (when the chain is on the bigger ring and the smallest on the cassette). For my instance, this distance is way wider, maybe 2 to 3 cms.

To define better:

So I didn't see that as a big problem, guess the chain can make it with a couple of links missing, however when I put the chain on the small ring on the crankset, then the chain is too loose, it's simply swinging in the air.

So my confusion here is that it is already a short chain when it's for the big ring but it's too long for the small. What way should I follow to determine the correct length in this case?

PS: The latest bikeshop shortened my old chain and since then, I wasn't be able to use the biggest cassette with the big chainring (I know I shouldn't, but even if I went to that gear accidentally, the RD would stuck and I had to take the rear wheel off to fix the problem) and also my FD wasn't working properly since the short chain was causing much tension and it wasn't be able to move the chain to bigger ring when say the grade is more than 0. So I can't take the old chain as a ref.


texts:
anyone know of good options for a remote/virtual fitting service?
I'm not looking for an app, but rather personalized fitters that have moved to remote during Covid.
Thanks.


texts: Cold causing squeak in disc brake system?

texts:
I took my bike in recently for the usual periodic overhaul. One set of brake pads was replaced, brake cables (relatively new) were lubed, all that good stuff.

Since then, both front and back brakes (so, one with brand-new pads, one with older) have developed a periodic once-a-pedal-cycle squeak... but only when it's cold out (roughly, freezing or under). I took the bike inside today, and it didn't squeak at all on the start of my ride afterwards, but was just starting to squeak again as I got home.

On the back brake (worse squeaker, new pads), I can stop the squeak while riding if I squeeze the brake just a tiny bit -- not quite enough to engage it.

Bike has non-hydraulic disc brakes, carbon drive with Alfine IGH. Brake effectiveness is fine.

Ideas for what's causing this and how I can make it stop? It's maddening.

Similar but not identical: How do I get rid of the noise on my Hayes Stroker Trail brakes


texts: How to keep my testicles from freezing on a recumbent

texts:
I wonder how to keep my testicles (plus part of the perineum) from freezing. I ride a recumbent, which is making it worse because it exposes those parts to the wind much more and I use unpadded tights (i.e. no isolation from the padding). I have seen the question about pants in general but the problem is that those are overkill: expensive, hard to find, too warm (watertight but not breathable is not acceptable), not tight/aerodynamic or a combination thereof.

What I'm searching for is an additional layer to combine with my usual tights. I'm searching for solutions which are good in the -15°C to +10°C range where at the low end my legs would be comfortable in long tights and a long warm base layer and at the warm end short tights only.

This is my bike, if it's relevant:

Flevobike Greenmachine with under seat steering. I lowered the seat angle a fair bit.

Clutter removed from central question text: I was cycling at ~+5°C in light rain wearing warm woolen socks, short tights, standard shirt, vest and summer gloves when this problem occurred to me. My testicles were uncomfortable during the ride, then briefly hurt a lot when warming up again back inside. I should have worn something to cover my ears, but apart from that and my testicles I was perfectly comfy - I'm an extreme cold weather person.


texts: I put a 2.1 tire on rim that usually uses 2.0. When I pedal the rim bends on the sides

texts:
My rear wheel bends and my bike frame is getting beaten by my rim.

Does your bike have quick releases? Did you tighten them correctly.

Yes it has quick releases and I don't think I tighten it corectly. I don't know.

Can you expand on what is bending ? Or is it that the wider tyre now
rubs on the frame ?

The rim with the tire are bending together but when I stop pedaling the rim and the tire are almost in the center.
With the 2.00 tire everything is normal but only with the wider one(2.10) is bending.

Likely its always done that but now, with the wider tire, the
clearance is too small. How much gap between the frame and tire where
it rubs?. Also the bending you describe could be frame flex more than
wheel flex.

First, no before it was not moving when I pedal. With the new wider tire it has like a a half centimeter from the frame on the one side from the other it has 1 centimeter so I think maybe there is a problem with my tightening I am not really sure and even when I put it in the center where on the both sides it has a 0.7 gap, it bends again on the side and again it has half centimeter from the frame on the one side from the other it has 1 centimeter again.

Is there any bearing play i.e. can you move/wobble the rim sideways with the
bike suspended in the air?

Now I was testing to see if it wobble and it turns out that the axle is sideways  and on the other side is like this
Any ideas what's wrong?


texts: What to look for when buying bicycles for children

texts:
I have young children (5 - 7 years old), and having taught them to cycle on some really cheap bikes, I am looking to get them something more road worthy with a view to cycling to school with them. (~1 mile).

I looked briefly at a chain store (Not my regular local bike shop but closer to home), but was disappointed by build quality - The bikes were about twice as heavy as my own racer, the bearings seemed a bit rough, and the final assembly seemed to have been performed by chimpanzees. Even if I bought these, I think they would require a lot of tweaking after purchase and a lot of maintainance.

What should I look for when buying children's bikes? Are there any check lists that anybody can recommend? With regard to weight, is it normal for them to be so heavy? Why are the tyres on children's bikes all so wide? (~2 inches across) - I would imagine that the lower weight of a child would make thinner tyres a better option?

Thank you.


texts: I'm trying to identify this brazed steel frame I came across. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


texts: Data to convince teenager that blinking rear light is worth the "uncool" factor

texts:
I've read the topics on flashing vs. steady lights, but my question is even more basic:

Is there any data to support my contention that a flashing rear light will significantly increase the safety of a rider in the DAY time?  I know as an automobile driver I certainly see them sooner, but that's purely anecdotal.

My 14-yr-old, raised on a cul-de-sac with what I would call a "less than stellar" sense of urban traffic, naturally thinks blinky lights on the back of your bike make you a loser.  But while he is a teenager, he's smart and logical enough that if I had some convincing data on accident rates, he'd probably buy it.

Try as I might, I've been unable to find much!


texts: I want to buy a bicycle for losing weight. I need a single speed one, though my budget is Narrow (like too narrow). Please help me what type of bike should I buy.


texts: Chain coming off with internal hub gear bike - why?

texts:
I have a Raleigh Caprice bike, about 7 years old, with sturmey archer 3 speed hub gears. There have been some problems with the hub gears in the past 9 months, which have been fixed by a mechanic.

Recently I had a puncture, and since taking the back wheel off to fix it, the chain keeps coming off and refusing to stay on. There is an unexpectedly loud 'bang' noise when it comes off.

I thought maybe I had not put the wheel on correctly (despite having done it several times before), so today I checked it all over.

There's no problem with the alignment of the wheel, the chainline looks fine, the chain isn't excessively worn and doesn't appear to have any stiff links and the wheel seems to be true. I put all the components relating to the hub gear back just as I always would before, and all the bolts seem adequately tightened. The chain is a bit mucky, but I don't think excessively so.

When I have the bike on the stand, I can turn the pedals and change through all the gears without problem. But when I try to ride it, the chain comes off. The first time today it came off as I moved the pedal backwards slightly to get it in the right position, but after I put the chain back on it happened again without any backpedalling. I think the chain is sometimes coming off at the front and sometimes at the back.

What else should I check or try? Could the internal hub gear be at fault?

I also thought I should check the cog that holds the chain at the front (chainwheel?), but I didn't really know what to look for. It did look a bit dirty/greasy but the teeth looked the right shape.

I'd be really grateful for any advice!


texts:
I bought a new bike for my 3 year-old. 12.5 inch tires, "yida" seems to be the brand name.

My earlier research suggests that some bike tires have date codes, in the form of circles with an x in it, with either dots and or arrows. I found vintage decoders, which didn't help.

Does anybody know of a good site that has bicycle tire code dates?


texts: Please describe what an integrated bottom bracket is

texts: The article on bottom bracket terminology at Park Tool and the Wikipedia article do not say what an integrated bottom bracket is and other resources online assume the reader already knows what one is. What is it? How does it differ from a BB that is not integrated? What is "integrated" about it?


texts:
I just saw this guy called Jason Rourke breaking the record of 112.94mph (181km/h) on his bicycle. I wish I could have such a bicycle to ride, but I have never ridden a racing bicycle with gears.

I want to use the bicycle for the 26-30mi commute that I do everyday and if it is a racing bike it could potentially save time. But I have some doubts/questions:

Do these cycles really produce speed of around 60 - 70 km/h? If so, where could I get them?
Are these stable at these high speeds of about 50km/h?


texts:
My husband and I like to take our 3.5 year old daughter for bike rides and she rides in a trailer. But the problem is that she is sitting idly on a calm, mostly smooth ride on a bike path surrounded by beautiful scenery and she often falls asleep! Her head bobbles around and even slight bumps put stress on her neck.

I need some way to help support her head or somehow allow her to lay or recline safely in the seat. Is there some kind of hack or product I can use to help her? I think ideally her trailer seat would recline, but I don't know if something like that exists.

I'm not comfortable with the seats that mount onto the frame of the bike because I feel they are not very safe for a number of reasons. If I fall or hit something on the bike, the trailer stays upright and of course she has a helmet anyway. But a fall with a mounted seat could be much more dangerous for her.

Anyone have ideas/suggestions for how to keep my little one a little more comfortable (without compromising safety) in the trailer on long rides?


texts: Is there more than one type of tapered steerer?

texts:
I have a set of forks (Rock Shox XC/30/TK on a Focus Black Raider 2.0 2012) that measure 30mm at the bottom and 28.6mm at the top, (or 1 3⁄16" to 1⅛" in pre-enlightenment measurements). So they're tapered, but they're not 1½" to 1⅛" like a standard tapered steerer.

So are they tapered or straight? I am looking for a replacement because the dampener popped out of them and I need to know what to be looking for.


texts:
I have a Shimano RD-M510 rear derailleur that needs both jockey wheels replaced.  Were can I find them for this older unit?
Jerry


texts: Prostate-friendly Saddle and Sitting Angle

texts:
I am a 65-year-old male and every day I ride cycle for an hour for workout.

Lately, I hear a lot about cycling causing inflammation of the prostate gland. And I have difficulty in complete emptying of the bladder when peeing.

Some of the precautions suggested are

using prostate friendly saddles and
prostate friendly sitting angle.

Could someone please suggest the right type of saddle and sitting angle so that my prostate doesn’t get inflamed?

Thank you in advance for your help.


texts:
Most bolts to mount accessories and minor parts to bikes are M5. A good example are bottle cage bolts. Components are often attached by M5 and sometimes even M6 bolts (eg long bike in quill stems, threadless stem preload).
Even the worst property class of an M4 bolt offers tensile strengths of at least 3.5kN, that is way in excess of what is needed for a bottle cage or a stem bolt.
In soft materials ripping off inner threads is a concern and may occur well before the bolts fail. However, it is not clear at all if wider bores are stronger. The minimum thread engagement at least is smaller in narrower inner threads.
In case of rivnuts, and braced on threads, smaller diameters might cause less stress concentration in bike frame tubes (see mattnz's comment).
What are the reasons that speak for large bolts?


texts:
I cleaned my wife's 1999-vintage mountain bike, and because no good deed goes unpunished, I seem to have caused a problem in the process.

This bike has a Shimano Deore 9-speed drivetrain with trigger shifters. Starting from the smallest cog, the trigger shifter for the rear derailleur can downshift through the first three gears correctly; after that, it needs to rotate back for the ratcheting mechanism to reset. That's where it goes wrong: the pawl apparently won't engage with the ratchet wheel, and the trigger swings freely.

I've been brave enough to remove the housing over the mechanism and blow some compressed air in there, which did not fix the problem. There are enough small parts in there that I'm reluctant to go further without some guidance (if it's possible for a home mechanic to fix at all).

I see that I can apparently buy a replacement for about $24, so if the correct answer is "replace it" I won't be too broken up.


texts: I tried to change the crank set on a bike brought over to the USA from Europe, assuming all bike chains were the same. The original chainring had 40 teeth and I wanted to try one with 44 teeth. The new chainring had a larger diameter as I expected, but I thought the separation of the teeth at the circumference would be the same. Well, I was wrong. The chain links simply didn't fit the spacing of the teeth on the chainring - after a half dozen teeth the chain was not sitting on teeth at all. Is there a difference between chains in the US and Europe?


texts: Skipping bolts on seatpost , please help?

texts:
Couple weeks back I bought this aluminium single-bolt seatpost .
Now, just 20 days later, the nut that tightens the the mechanism to fasten the saddle rails to the seatpost is skipping around and not tightening.
Why ?
I was testing new saddles on this seatpost, so tightening/loosening. Then, after I got done testing, I tried to put in the chosen saddle.
When I tried to tighten and fasten it, instead of the bolt moving into the rectangular nut, it got stuck and the nut started to move along with the screw, causing the entire upper metal plate to spin and get stuck as I tightened. This had happened a couple times before too. So, I tried holding the metal plate in place with my fingers while tightening this bolt to keep the upper plate straight. Impossibly hard, and I wasn't able to stop the metal plate from turning.
So, I presumed lightly oiling the screw system should help, thinking it has seized. I went ahead and put a couple of drops of oil in there. Now beyond  certain (very loose) extent, the nut and bolt would just skip and slide and rotate around but not tighten anymore. Frustrated, I though that the oiling was a mistake, so I removed the plates, bolt and nut assembly and degreased it thoroughly and properly with a brush and degreaser.
I reassembled the plates, bolt and nut but it's still skipping and not tightening.
I seriously doubt that the bolt is worn out from such light use.
What is the solution ?  I'm so clueless and haven't been able to ride at all since days now...
EDIT :
Link to close-up, labelled pictures of the parts of the seatpost for your understanding of their condition and quality : Here.
I confirm through careful observation that the bolt's thread seems damaged, and , from the observation of others here , also that of the nut's.
This damage causes the skipping and sliding, and I will be going to a hardware store and getting a new nut and bolt or just one depending on which is needed.
I am not sure but AFAIK both the bolt and nut appear to be aluminium.
Over-tightening might have been the likely issue , since at sensibly tight levels, the clamps failed to hold the saddle which would slide noticeably under climbs . Hence, I had regularly over-tightened it (like a true Jeremy Clarkson gorilla-with-a-spanner) and these cheap screws & bolts just couldn't take it.


texts: Shimano 11 speed road shifters with 10 speed hub?

texts:
is it possible to use Shimano 11 speed road shifter with 10 speed hub/cassette?

if yes, how?

I have a set of Shimano Hydraulic 11 speed shifters but I don't want to upgrade hub to 11 speed. Is it possible to use the shifters in some way?
Checking online on compatibility I realized that pull in shifting is quite different between 10 and 11 simano road.

Thanks in advance!


texts:
got into a slight accident at home and my saddle has slid off my seat post. It looks like the rear bolt is now bent out of shape and the front bolt won't tighten at all into the nut. I wasn't sure where I could find spares for these, as I don't know precise lengths or whatever – all I know is that a 5mm Allen key is what I need for fastening these.
Does anyone here know why my bolts won't fasten, and where I could get some spares? Thanks!


texts:
Commuting by an MTB, there is a trail at the local park, that is partially blocked by a tree. It has fallen over the trail, forming a triangle with the living trees on the sides. The highest point is maybe 10cm higher than my saddle height.

How can I ride under the tree (at speed), without dismounting?

My best try has been tilting the bike severely to the side, and crouching onto the outside pedal. Still, I hit my backpack and fell. Other attempts have been even more miserable. What is the correct technique?


texts: Can a cyclometer be used with any bicycle?

texts: I just want to know if a cyclometer can be used on any cycle or just on those made for racing or touring. Thanks for your answer in advance.


texts: Trailer hitch between a bike and trailer?

texts:
I want to make a bike cargo trailer.  It seems to me that making the hitch will be one of the most difficult parts so I opened a separate question for this.

How would you attach the trailer to the bike?  Would you attach it at the seatpost (high) or near the wheel axle (low).  How would you allow the trailer to pivot both up and down and side to side?

See also: How to make a cargo trailer.


texts: Does new chain on old cassette damage chain?

texts: I know that a new cassette can be damaged by and old chain. What about the opposite? Can a new chain be damaged by an old cassette?


texts: Pedaling at different gear ratios on flat terrain: what's the point?

texts:
I have seen many cyclist pedaling at different gear ratios on the same (flat) terrain and cruising at (roughly) the same speed. They move quite fast, but when I look at how fast they pedal, I realize that the gear ratio is much lower than what I'm used to set for same speed and same inclination. To attain the same speed, I must use a higher gear ratio, but somehow they manage to use a lower one by pedaling very fast.

Is there an advantage in cycling this way? How do the different training gear ranges affect my fitness in the aspect of power vs. speed? (Power - fitness in climbing uphill, Speed - highest speed at no inclination). I have attempted this technique, but I find it quite difficult to balance and have a good grip of the bike.


texts: Internal hub gear suddenly stopped shifting

texts:
I have never had an internal hub gear bike before, so I don't know much about them.

My issue is that all of the gears stopped working suddenly when I was just riding the bike. The bike has 5 gears, everything was working fine, but one time when I was riding, the gears suddenly just broke. Now, when I change gears on the handlebar, nothing happens with the actual gears, it just stays in the same gear.

What could be the issue, and how to fix it?


texts:
I have a GRX810 2x groupset and thinking about changing the shifting system to eTap but stick to the braking system and the crankset. I tried to get any information for the GRX group but could not maybe since it is quite new.
Could anyone help me out here?


texts: pedal crank moves and tries to slip off the axle

texts:
I changed the bottom-bracket in my mountain bike two years ago, the problem was that the bolt on the crank on the non-drive side was continuously getting loose, to the point that I had to stop and tighten it again every mile.

With a new BB the bike was all right, and it worked fine for almost two years (I wasn't using it that regularly though). Until last week, when it started having the same problem again.

The BB is a part of the bike that usually lasts forever, so I'm not really convinced about changing it again, because the current one lasted so short, I think there could be some other problem in the bike, that causes the BB to wear faster. But I haven't got a clue about what that could be.

Does anyone have experience or thoughts about it?

thanks,


texts: Reinforced pin replacement with a missing/quick link

texts:
Usually, when breaking a bike with Shimano reinforced pin, the general recommendation is that you find the reinforced connecting pin but then move to another pin, a few links aways.
It is the "original pin" connected to this "other part of the chain" that will be pushed out of the chain, effectively breaking the chain.
As far as I understand, the reason for that is that the reinforced connecting pin relies on mechanical deformation of the receiving plate in order to stay in place. So far so good.
However, what happens when someone wants to break a Shimano chain to install a KMC or a Wippermann quick link?

Should they break the reinforced link? or

Should they break one of "common" pins?

Reason would tell me: Break the reinforced connecting link as that external plate holding the reinforced pin (which I assume is the part subject to deformation) will be discarded as part of the missing link install.
However, I could not find instructions confirming this.
Would anyone know?


texts: Is it usual for grease to contract in cold weather?

texts:
I bought the 16oz size PolyLube 1000.  When I first opened it it was full to the top.  A couple weeks ago, I opened it again and found it collapsed in the container, shown in the picture.

Is it normal to collapse so much?  It was warm when I first got it, and it was probably packaged at room temperature, but now it's around 30F.  Maybe there was an air pocket, released as the grease pulled away from the sides of the container?

I've only used a volume of about five stacked quarter-dollars (two hubs' worth) dabbed from the top in the middle.


texts: Are there safety differences in helmets with ce marking?

texts:
I am considering to buy a helmet for everyday use in Munich (Germany). Most of the time, I will wear it when I go to work. I go to work at any weather.

I want to have a helmet which has a light in the back so that cars have an easier time to see me.

Even when I only take this, the price differences are huge:

Shinmax Fahrradhelm mit LED-Licht: 29.99 EUR
KINGLEAD Bike Helm: 34.99 EUR - mentioned here; not sure if that means anything
Uvex City Light Fahrradhelm: 113.65 EUR

This is a huge price difference. uvex seems to be a well-known brand, so I could imagine that you pay for the name. Abus is another brand I noticed. Is the price difference only the name?

For about 15 EUR I can get plug-in LED lights for helmets for the back. When I look in shops, most helmets for adults start at about 60 EUR (Sport Schuster, Globetrotter, Karstadt Sport starts at 40 EUR, Sport Bittl). This again makes me wonder if a helmet for 30 EUR which additionally has LED can and is sold from China (via Amazon) has some serious flaw ... and if it is possible for me to actually notice that when I have it.

edit: How much should I spend on my helmet? does only partially help as it focuses on the US. It does not even mention the ce markings.


texts: No return spring in SRAM Rival 1 brake lever?

texts:
I bought SRAM Rival 1 mechanical brake lever and a Sram Rival 10 speed brifter. I'm used to brake levers having return springs as well as brake calipers. The Rival brifter indeed does have a return spring, but the Rival brake lever does not. The lever floats freely without a braking cable.

Is this by design, or have I received a faulty unit?


texts: Suitable bicycle grease for aluminium and steel materials?

texts:
I hope you enjoy your day.

A few days after of using my bike I have some troubling feeling about it. I can hear a cracking sound or something similar, and on the internet I found out the cause.

I concluded and was hoping that the problem is only the seatpost.
But I've found another one. When I pedal, the bike also create a cracking sound, especially when pedalling too hard. I hope that with a little bit of cleaning and lubrication I would be able to fix that.

But sadly again, sometimes I also hear the sound when I brake too hard.
I hope it's gone.
For now, my seatpost is slipping when I seat on it.

My questions is: since my bike frame is made of an aluminium, what kind of grease should I use?
In the shop that I visited only "Ceramic" or "Teflon" were available. Which one is most suitable? Please remember that my frame is aluminium and the seatpost is steel.

Which grease is suitable for two different materials, in my case aluminium and steel?

I found those on the internet and they are available in my local bike shop:

http://www.finishlineusa.com/products/bicycle-greases/ceramic-grease-advanced-bearing-lubrication
http://www.finishlineusa.com/products/bicycle-greases/premium-grease-made-with-teflon-fluoropolymer

Little hard to find:

https://www.parktool.com/product/anti-seize-compound-asc-1

Which priorities should I take into consideration given the choices above?

Thanks


texts: How much assembly is required when an LBS orders a bike?

texts:
I'm looking to order a Marin Lombard Elite from my LBS but I want to replace the FSA BB and crankset with Shimano or SRAM parts, and change to a 52/36.

When my LBS orders it, does all of that come assembled from the manufacturer usually?  If the former, I'll just take it home and swap everything out myself, but if the latter, then I could bring them the parts when I place the order and they could just swap them in when they build it.


texts: What are the key components to compare and contrast when deciding between hardtail mountain bikes?

texts:
Trek Stache 7 vs Cannondale Beast of the East 2

I'm trying to decide between what seems to me as almost two identical bikes.
One is made by Cannondale while the other is a Trek.

They are both priced the same.
What are some of the key components that I should compare to help me make my decision?

Any suggestions or recommendations are welcome?

I’m open to all Ideas.

Thank you all so much in advance.


texts: Greasing a roller brake in a difficult spot!

texts: I have a Gazelle cargo bike with Shimano Nexus roller brakes. I know these need to be greased fairly regularly. Unfortunately the bar from the carrier is right on top of the hole for adding the brake grease. Does anyone know of some sort of bendy tube or a way of getting the grease in the hole without dismantling the whole of the front wheel. I'm not mega bike savy so I'd not feel very confident about unscrewing the whole lot to apply the grease. Thanks in advance.


texts: New Shimano m615 rear caliper fails and stops biting the rotor after 30 seconds of extreme downhill

texts: I never had this problem with my Hayes stroker trail. It only seems to start working after I stop for a minute or two. I am riding 30% grades so a lot of force for the short time period, then the brake softens up to the point where it loses 90% of the braking ability, and I can only use my front.


texts: What are the absolute essentials a cyclist should own?

texts:
Context:
My bike shop includes free servicing as a standard with a new bike. I don't need such thing and live too far away. In lieu of waiver I can get €100 of stuff from the shop.

Best bike problem ever: I need to decide what to get for free form the bike shop...

Can anyone advise on what they would consider to be absolute essentials as a road/touring cyclist?


texts: Should I remove the chain before installing new rear derailleur?

texts: I want to put a new Sram X7 instead of killed one, should I open the chain (if I have no chain lock) or it's better to open the derailleur?


texts: Bike options for winter commuting in the mountains

texts:
I live in the mountains of Vermont and bike 3 seasons a year on my trusty cyclocross bike. This year, I'd like to commute year round, through winter. My commute involves some steep, 10-18% climbs on dirt, gravel, and pavement with icy and/or unplowed snow. I've been debating about trying 2 different winter commuting setups:

Winterize my current cyclocross bike. This option has the obvious advantage in that it's cheap, since I already own the bike. I was thinking about swapping out my Schwalbe Racing Ralphs (700×33c) and going with the widest possible tires I can fit, probably 700x40 with studs.
Buy a fat bike. I've seen a lot of people talking about how much fun a fat bike is in the winter and how good they are for commuting. My main concern is the weight and climbing ability of these monsters on steep winter ascents/descents. Does this seem like a good option for my commute? I like this option because I could keep cycling through the winter, but this also involves buying a whole new bike.

Any opinions/experience is much appreciated. Thanks!

More specifics

My commute is 7 miles with ~2300 feet of elevation change. There are two short, but steep climbs with rolling hills interspersed throughout the rest of the ride. I'm mostly worried about the steep morning descents in bad weather and trying decide which bike option would give me the stability I need. Hauling a heavy fat bike up the hills is less of a concern, but climbing weight is still important to me.


texts: Can pedal-based power meters be used as flat pedals?

texts:
I would like to collect as much data as possible about my daily road rides so recently I am considering pedal-based power meters such as Faveor Assioma or Garmin Vector 3.
However, I don't want to wear those clipless shoes; I prefer to use my normal shoes and I am willing to lose some accuracy for that.
Is there any way I could use a pedal-based power meter with my normal shoes?
******** Update: 2 years later! ********
After reading the comments and answers here and thinking more about it, I realized fixating on power pedals wasn't necessary! so I got a Stages crank power meter for a reasonable price and started collecting power data about my rides without having to change pedals which was ideal for my case.
I am happy with this choice. I am not a professional rider nor I am using this information to enhance or adjust my training. I just want to keep track of the power I am exerting on each ride and attach it to my Garmin/Strava rides. For example, sometimes I feel extra tired so I check my performance compared with other rides. I found out that feeling tired most likely means I was putting less power (not more!) and it usually means I didn't eat well or get enough sleep etc. Another thing I found was when it becomes windy I feel I have to exert more power but checking my stats later I didn't find that I was putting more power so it looks like the wind is making it difficult for me to handle the ride and slowing me it but doesn't mean I am putting more power.


texts: Ultegra 6800 chainrings and Claris r2000

texts: Does claris R2000 crank arms can fit ultegra 6800 chainrings?


texts: How is cornering on the road different than cornering on dirt?

texts:
The general advice about cornering is to lean the bike, not the body, to put pressure on the outside foot, and not to brake or brake only with the rear brake if absolutely needed.

--me

There are differing cornering techniques for road vs mountain bike riding. I would say that cornering on dirt is much more dynamic than on pavement.

--joelmdev
Supposing that what I am saying about cornering on dirt is correct, how is cornering on (dry) pavement different?

Does one lean with the bike?
Does the bike stay more upright?
Is the pressure more evenly spaced among both pedals?
How can one get feedback when the (front) tire is about to loose traction?
What does "dynamic" mean in this context?
Is it customary to place the inside foot on the road in order to have three contact points and prevent tipping/sliding out?
Is the weight of the rider evenly spaced (chin over stem, butt over seat)?
Is standing up to gain additional "acrobatic" space i.e. freedom to more one's weight around rapidly ever used?
What about slippery pavement - water, snow, sand?


texts:
I'm planning to invest into a Alfine 11 set (both hub gear and crank+front cog(45)).
I'm also looking for solution for chain guard for Alfine cog for commuting. I've found Curana brand that makes good chain guards for Alfine (C-Lite that makes possible to use original Alfine ring and chain guard together), although I'm not able to find online dealer to buy one.

Would you recommend any online store to buy Curana stuff?
If it is not possible, would you recommend other good chain guard for Alfine?


texts: Why should I prioritize top tube length over stand over height on a CX bike?

texts:
I purchased a 50cm CX style bike from an online retailer.  After assembling the bike and filling the tires, I found only had around 1" of stand over in bike shorts.  Since I will be commuting on the bike and using it for transportation around town, my preference would be for something with greater clearance over the top tube for the following reasons:

Saftey - being able to dismount quickly in an emergency situation
Clothing choice - I won't be wearing bike shorts when commuting or riding around town
Cyclocross - I do plan on riding the bike off-road, so more clearance would be better on uneven ground.

Now to my question: I emailed the retailer asking for assistance selecting a smaller size, but they "strongly recommend" sticking with the 50cm frame stating it would be "perfect" and that the top tube length is more important than stand over height.
What is the thinking behind this advice?
UPDATE
I kept the bike and am overall pretty happy with the fit. I've used it for commuting, long distance rides and a few races.  It's also survived a collision with a bus and lived to tell the tale.  Luckily, I wasn't seriously hurt.  I can also attest that the stand over height didn't make a difference in that scenario.


texts: How fast can a cyclist accelerate from a standing start?

texts:
I'm less interested in the empirical answer to this question and more interested in the theoretical physical dynamics that govern this.
I understand that the rider applies some force to the pedals (which could also be thought of as a torque given the length of the crank arm),but the answer isn't simply F=ma because there are gearing ratios involved. In short, I'd like to know the process of calculations by which one could approach this problem and determine the maximum acceleration of a rider.
I suspect some assumptions will be necessary:

Max force applied to pedals = rider weight (this is probably not quite correct if using clipless pedals but probably fairly close?)
Optimal gearing ratio is available
Let's assume a relatively instantaneous problem regime, i.e. a 2-second standing start or something like that

If more information or assumptions are needed, please advise. I'm also open to migrating this to say SE physics if that's a more appropriate place for it.


texts: Will I notice the benefits of changing wheels?

texts:
I've got a 2010 Specialized Tarmac Comp. The wheels are Mavic Aksiums and are pretty well known to be dam heavy (but sturdy)

I'm seriously considering swapping them for something like Fulcrum Racing 3's, that alone should save around 500g

I've never ridden another bike and never changed wheels before so will I notice a reasonable difference and do you think its worth swapping them for something like the Fulcrums?

Interested in peoples opinions pros/cons.

I weigh 80kgs ride a mixture of flat to very hilly terrain and approximately 80-100 miles / week


texts: I have an Apollo Radar MTB and its chain is beginning to look like it needs replacing seen as its worn. However after going to Halfords (as Apollo and Halfords appear to be together) and buying a new chain and measuring it to length and fitting it, it appears to slip off on every gear. I have set up the limit screws and adjusted the cables accordingly but to no prevail. Any tips on where I'm going wrong? Many thanks.


texts: Can anyone identify which Specialized Diverge model this is? It was built in 2017

texts: I I am thinking about buying this bike, but the owner has no information about it. No specification sheet. Can anybody identify which bike model this is?


texts:
What are the advantages of buying plastic over metal tire levers? (or vice versa).

Which ones are easier to use?


texts:
I cycled through a plastic bag and it bust my rear derailleur apart. Photo attached. My bike is a Raleigh Equipe road bike, which looks like this: https://www.ecosia.org/images?q=raleigh+equipe+road+bike#id=EFEC15345FC6211574940A99C94FF6014623E79F

I have just bought this replacement rear derailleur: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0044DGH2E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1  and having received it, I think that it might be a bit too big and chunky.  I also just noticed that amazon said it is for mountain bikes.

I think that rear derailleur capacity is around 24 (it's difficult to properly count).

Have I bought the wrong rear derailleur? If so, how do you find a good one for my bike.  I wouldn't want to spend too far north of £35.

Thanks bike people.  You're all very kind.


texts:
The front shifter is a Shimano integrated brake-and-shift assembly. The front derailleur "groupo" is Shimano SIS. I can pull the cable to make the derailleur shift into third but the shifter doesn't have "enough throw" to do it via the shifter.

Pulled the cover off and threw some lube in it and it appeared to look just fine, but didn't take the closest of looks before having to shutter the shop.

First and second work just fine. Shifts up, shifts down.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.


texts: Recently I got my bar tape, brake cables and brake levers changed, but when I picked up the bike I noticed that the brake levers were to low (at the tip of the drops) is there any way I can put them in the right position without damaging the bar tape or the brake cables?


texts: Should I buy a new bike rack if my current one has been bent?

texts: I recently bought a bike rack from a well-trusted store to fit onto my schwinn circuit bike. Just today, however, I had accidentally bent the bike rack. It wasn't horribly disfigured but it was lopsided to the right to the point that its left stand was pushing up against the rear wheel. I took it to a local shop and the person there, who did manage to reposition the rack to its normal place, recommended I buy a new one, saying it is practically dead.  Therefore, I headed to the bike shop where I actually bought the rack and explained the situation. Upon their own inspection, however, they told me everything seemed okay and that as long as no part of the accessory was actually broken and only bent, then it wouldn't be necessary to buy a new one. I myself don't see any faults with bike rack, although I am somewhat of a novice when it comes to the biking scene and have no knowledge of repairing bikes. Should I keep the bike rack and save the money or should I buy a new one?


texts: Fork light mount on road brake pivot bolt - safe?

texts:
Is it safe to put the front light mount designed for the fork (as pictured below) on the road brake pivot bolt?

I know I'd need a longer recessed nut. What makes me worry is that the steel wire loop of the mount is not flat.


texts:
I bought a new bike about a month ago. And it made a strange sound from the first ride , I thought the sound was because it was new and will disappear with time but it didn't. The sound is like a sudden collision of the chain with the gears and it lasts for about a second and happens when I am pedaling under pressure ( for example pedaling up hill ) so I filmed the rear part of the chain in slow mo.

Some important points:

the derailleurs are fully adjusted and the shifts work fine
I tried using WD 40 on the gears but didn't work
the rear derailleur hanger is not bent
the slip happens every about 5 minutes on straight roads and about every 30 seconds on uphills
At the point of the sound, the pedaling feels very easy for that second ( almost no resistance at all )

Thanks


texts: campagnolo wheel on shimano or sram drivetrain?

texts: I have a road wheel that has Campagnolo splined hub and 10 speed cassette.  I'd like to know if anyone has any experience running a Campy wheel on Shimano/Sram drive train?  I know the measurements of the cassette sprockets are a bit off but wondering if you can get acceptable shifting performance.


texts:
On my latest ride I managed to put a cut in the sidewall of my front tyre (Specialized S-Works Purgatory 26x2.2"). The sealant (Stan's No Tubes) didn't manage to seal the cut, presumably because the sealant lines the tread and not the sidewall.

While I was out on the trail I re-inflated the tyre and lay the bike on its side to seal the cut. Everything seemed fine until I got on the bike to ride it again, as the tyre rolled it deformed slightly and opened up the cut again. I managed to get home but had to re-inflate the tyre a couple of times to get there.

This post suggests the use of a Tire Boot but on the Park Tool site it suggests that it is only good for tubed tyres: "...in any tubed tire...".

As you can see, the cut seems fairly minor but the sidewall is quite thin, is there any chance of repair or is it time to invest in some new rubber?


texts: I need to replace bottom bracket on a 1991 Peugeot bicycle. What size should I measure when shopping for a new part? Size A is 140mm, which seems to be a rather strange size. Do I need to include the thread in the measurement?


texts: What could cause an inflated tire to be "untrue" on a true rim

texts:
I just bought a new set of tires (Continental UltraRace 25-622 700x25c) for my bike, which has rims Rigida 28 x 1 5/8 x 1 1/8 - 700c.

When I inflate the inner tube (both a Schwalbe 28" 18/28-622/630 and a Bontrager 27x7/8-1, 700x18-25c, and for both sizes to pressures 2 and 4 bars) the tire doesn't inflate in a symmetric way. The final result is that the whole of the wheel is not true (i.e. a perfect circle) even though the rim is.

What could be the cause for it? The natural answer would be the difference in size between rims and tires, but the old tires (Wolber 25_622, 700 -25c) didn't have such a problem.

Thanks in advance for your help!


texts: Consequences of under-tight cassette ring?

texts: I have a torque wrench that goes up to 24 N⋅m but as far as I understand a cassette ring should be tightened to about 40 N⋅m. What is the consequence of tightening the cassette ring to 24 N⋅m instead of 40 N⋅m? Will it damage the bicycle or make the bicycle unsafe?


texts: Vibration and wobble after replacing chain

texts:
I'm having a bit of trouble getting my back wheel on after replacing my chain.

There is a wobble once per revolution. It wobbles such that, if viewed from above, it appears to spin straight for most of the revolution then veers to the right briefly then back to straight.

Further, if I spin the wheel fast enough the entire bike vibrates a LOT. It is fixed-gear so the crank and chain are spinning at this time as well.

My procedure was as follows:

Spin wheel to confirm there is no wobble before starting any work
Break old chain off with chain tool
Connect new chain around frame (but not over the cogs yet)
Loosen both nuts on back wheel so I could get the new chain on properly
Put chain on over the cogs
Tighten non-drive side nut so front of back wheel is angled a little away from drive-side
Tighten drive-side nut with half-inch slack in chain (in each dir. vertically)
Loosen non-drive side nut, let it land where it wants to, re-tighten
(The last three steps were following this guide

My searching so far suggests that the wheel may be out of true, but I believe it wasn't to begin with -- is it possible my procedure above caused it to go out of true?

Is there anything else I can check?


texts: I'm thinking of removing a brake(front or back) to reduce weight and simplify my bike. Which brake is most expendable? Its your average fixie road bike.


texts: Why don't frame manufacturers ream/face their frames?

texts:
Before building up a new frame, it's crucially important to ream/face the headtube and crown race seat (and the bottom bracket, if using press-fit cups). You should also ideally chase the threads of the BB and the derailleur hanger.

But why don't manufacturers (e.g., Surly) do this before they leave the factory? Surly in particular mentions that they do in fact face their head tubes, but they do so before painting the frame, requiring new frame owners to re-face them.

Why wouldn't they just do this before shipping the frame out? It seems like a no-brainer.


texts: Freehub disengages and then rengages — what is the issue?

texts:
I have a Hope Pro hub and shimano freehub body with 11 speed cassette on my MTB. Recently when pedalling on occasion the resistance in the pedals disappears (like the chain has come off). It seems as through the freehub has disengaged. When I stop the freehub and pedals re-engage and I can continue for another few miles or so. It has only started happening recently ... never had this before.

Any idea what is happening. Do I need a new freehub body or do you reckon a service will do the trick?

Thanks all.  I'll take the freehub off and take a look.

The thing that is odd (to me) is that I'll be pedalling and suddenly it will freewheel. There is no sound -- it is like the pawls suddenly retract ... i would have thought when pedalling it would have been hard / impossible to retract?


texts:
I have come to believe that the major skill when riding singletrack is scanning the terrain. After any turn there could be a hiker, a fallen log or just a boulder that you didn't memorize during the last pass. From then on, the reflexes, embedded in the muscle memory, kick in and braking/turning/dabbing/hopping occur.

I attempt to look as far forward as speed dictates, and not to get fixated on obstacles. Still, the perpetual concentration becomes tiring after a couple of hours.

Any tips on both how to both improve scanning at high speeds and how to become less fatigued by a whole day of riding?


texts: isn't a fixie without a full chain guard a safety hazard?

texts:
Yes, I know it would totally ruin the clean lines and the uncluttered, (well maybe just a discreet front brake), looks, but I've never seen this question asked, much less answered.

A chain guard does more than protect the chain from wear. While fingers are unlikely, I could see sticks and brush, or a piece of clothing getting stuck. When that happens without freewheel the entire mass of the rider and bike times velocity squared would be utilized to crush the obstruction.

Am I exaggerating the risks or is there something fundamental I'm misunderstanding?


texts:
I bought this bicycle second hand two years ago. The previous owner did not mention the model or year.

I messaged a Norco customer service representative. He couldn't pinpoint the model or year, but said it was probably from the early 90s.

The serial number of the frame is: Y9N3724

The wheels are not original.

Here is a link to an imgur album of more pictures: https://imgur.com/a/cO7NsPi


texts: Searching model number of Shimano shifting lever

texts: On my daughters bike, the cover of the revo shifting lever is broken. The specifications of the bike say the shifting lever is SL-RS35, but when I look at images in the net, these look completely different. I uploaded images of the levers to http://imgur.com/a/6ESp1 Maybe someone knows which model this could be?


texts: What are the potential causes of my fingers going numb when riding?

texts:
My fingers get numb quite quickly when riding. I'm a novice and not sure to what this can be due. I've tried gloves but they didn't help. I've tried added different handles to be able to switch positions more often; it helped a bit but it wasn't sufficient. I have an hybrid bike, a Minelli Revolution, if that changes anything. Currently looking to invest on a better bike though I'm afraid the issue will stick...

Are there specific adjustments on my bike that I should be tweaking to resolve this problem? It's really killing the joy of going for longer rides and I wish I could enjoy myself!


texts: Does new chainring require change of other parts?

texts:
I'm thinking about changing my 2nd chanring to a smaller one (2 chanring setup). I hear most people recommend to change the chain when changing the cassette.

Hence my question: should I expect to change other parts (chain? other chainring? cassette?) if I change my 2nd chainring?

Thanks


texts:
I want to convert my bike to a 1x drivetrain (and move to a dropbar). It's a Commençal Le Route from 2013, full specs are here: mostly a 2x10 SRAM Apex Groupset (34/48 at the front, 11/32 at the rear).

The parts I'm planning to buy are:

SRAM Apex left brake lever
SRAM Apex 10/11 right lever
Specialite TA One 110mm (in French, sorry, to sum up that chainring is advertised as a perfect fit for a conversion)

Are SRAM Apex parts backward compatible? How do I know if the angle of the chain is going to be fine? Should I just go for a full 1x crankset?

Best


texts: Will replacing 26" suspension fork with rigid 29"

texts: I have an old Nashbar mountain bike with a suspension fork. I would like to replace the fork with a rigid one. The suspension fork weighs tons and is too squishy since I ride it mostly on trail paths. Since the bike has disk brakes I am hoping that an inexpensive 29er fork will make up for the height added by the suspension fork, keeping the handling about the same. Any thoughts?


texts: Uneven friction in front hub after rebuild

texts:
I serviced my old mountain bike after 6 years of use. This included replacing balls and regreasing the hubs of the bike. When I tightened the lock nut on the front axle and checked for wobbling the axle felt like it was okay (no wobble). And when checked if the wheel turned freely, the wheel turned smoothly for almost a full turn but I'm getting enormous friction at one specific angle.

I've loosened  the nuts to check if the hub was overtightened. Then friction disappears but wobbling comes in instead.

My front hub is a Shimano HB-RM60. I've replaced my bearings with 3/16" ones.

I've disassembled and reassembled all parts twice, but couldn't find what causes the friction at that particular angle. Now I am not sure whether I cross threaded something or something is in bad condition (like a cup or cone). Is there any advice I could take to check it?

Update:

Apparently my axle is bent. I think this is my problem.

Update 2:

I've replaced my axle with the new one, lubed and packed up everything. Now the wheel turns smooth constantly.

An addition to answer is, after checking cup and cones, check the axle too.


texts: mechanical disc brakes and bikes with internal cable routing

texts:
One review of TRP Spyre that I read said the brakes didn't perform well until the reviewer installed compressionless-housing brake cable. Is that the general consensus?
Jagwire says their compressionless product is "Perfect for full-housing, high-performance bikes with mechanical disc or rim brakes".  Do I understand "full-housing" correctly to exclude bikes with internal bare-cable routing? If the bike has internal routing, would standard brake cable be the way to go, and if so, would TRP Spyre be a waste of money on such a bike?


texts: 52/15 fixed gear ratio - what should I change to?

texts:
I have a 52/15 gear ratio and I find it sort of difficult to pedal.

I'm wondering what I'd need to switch the chainring/cog sizes to that would allow for me to not remove any chain links.

I'm assuming I'd just make up for the difference, for example: if I switched the chainring to 48 the cog would need to be 19 in order to match??

I don't want a drastic difference because I like the control I have when going down hills.

With the current setup the wheel sits in the drops, with the chain is completely tight, and leaves about 5/8" of room I could move the wheel back to (if I were to change the sizes and needed to use the extra real estate)

The area I ride is mostly flat with some moderate hills (none i'd consider steep)
I have a 40 tooth chainring lying around that I could use if that'd be a good fit.

I'm new to swapping out ratios and I'm going to order the parts online, so i want to make sure it works.


texts: Bushings vs bearings - maintenance difficulty

texts:
I consider purchasing a full suspension bike with a linkage using bushings, instead of bearings for the pivots (Ghost Path Riot). A review says:

  The bushings are said to wear out quick, two to three new sets should be in your tool box during a full season of racing, but it makes for a very light and compact frame design.

I don't care to maintain my bike a bit more, considering that bushings cost less then bearings. But I know that changing bearings in the rear linkage requires a set of tools (presses for each bearing diameter), that's it's among the small number of repairs I don't do it myself. Is it the same with bushings, or maybe they require a cheaper generic tool, so I could invest a few bucks and replace them myself?


texts:
I have a saddle rail that has popped out.

Does anyone know how to get it to go back in?


texts: What are the differences between men's and women's bike frames?

texts:
Why do women's bikes have a diagonal bar in the frame instead of a horizontal frame? Is this the only difference?

Sorry if this has been asked (but I cannot find it by searching) and I also just cannot think of a reason why.


texts: Rear Derailleur Cage Plate Catching Chain at Lower Pulley

texts:
Just got a new Felt (Z85, 2015). Was adding oil and cycling through the gears of the rear derailleur when the chain got caught on the lowest gear.

It appears that the cage plate is catching at the lower pulley. See the attached pictures.

Is this a straightforward fix or should I take it to the store.

Thanks!


texts: I commute daily on a road bike with Shimano Tiagra STI shifter/brake levers. The rubber hoods are pretty grimy and getting sticky, torn up and unpleasant these days. Repair and replacement of pretty much everything on my bike seems very straight-forward, but I can't figure out if these parts can even be replaced, much less how to do it. Ideas?


texts: How to gauge pressure w/ Presta valve and Schrader adapter?

texts:
I've bought a floor pump which doesn't have a Presta nozzle, only a Schrader one, and it comes with an Presta to Schrader adapter included. The pump has an integrated gauge, up to 160 psi.

My bike, currently, has one tube with a Schrader valve and another with a Presta valve. I've pumped them both with success, however the gauge only works with the Schrader valve.

To pump the tube with Presta valve, I removed the cap, loosened the nut, pushed the pin to let most of the air out of the tube. Then I "screwed" the adapter on the valve, connected the pump and pumped. Is my pump or adapter broken, or am I using the pump in the wrong way?


texts: Brake cable housing will not stay in barrel adjuster on lever

texts:
As you see the housing won’t stay in the barrel adjuster on the brake lever. When I brake it just comes out. I can pull it out with my hand anyone know how to fix?

.


texts: Why do my handle bars wobble from side to side?

texts: I am a gramma with my first electric bike.  When I ride I notice my handlebars and wheel tend to flip from side to side a lot.  Is this because I am out of practice riding or does something need readjusted?  It is a Nakto Skylark 22" ebike with no shifting gears.  I am 5'2" over 200lb.s and generally riding on uneven side walks but it also happens when I am just going straight.


texts: Rotor does not fit between pads after replacing the pads

texts:
I was having rubbing noises and after taking out the pads I so they were completly worn out.

I have shimano r7070 calipers so according to their specs I found in a local shop the L04C as they did not have the default  L02A.

I did the following to replace them:

Extract the old ones
Clean with a spray designed for cleaning brakes.
Push the pistons with a lever for the tyres and later with a screwdriver.
Put the wheel.
Release caliper, press the brake lever, and tight it to recenter.

Well, I've done that multiple times and the disc is still pinched on both sides when I put the wheel on.
 All components are original from shimano and less than a year old.

Any Idea on what can I do?


texts:
Got some new bicycle tyres yesterday (CONTINENTAL COMFORT CONTACT 700 x 32c CITY COMMUTER ROAD) The tyre I fitted to rear wheel seems to have a bulge in sidewall. Took it off, looks ok inside. It feels perhaps a bit thinner where its bulging. The tube seems a bit big for the tyre but I doubt this could cause it?!? and the front is ok with same tube. Previous tyres were 35c.

The bulge is perhaps 10mm diameter and 1-2mm deep. Not very visible but immediately feel it if rotating the wheel.

They were from an ebay shop and arrived twisted / folded in half so as to be much smaller to post - wire bead type. They seem to spring back into normal shape when unpacking them, no visible damage. I assume the folding may have stretched/torn a cord?

Edit, I did remove, inspect, rotate and refit the tyre. The bulge was in the same part of the tyre, so its not the tube. I inflated to about 65psi.  Recommended on the label is 70, max 85.

I did see the other post, but that is showing a used, damaged tyre, rather than a brand new one. Thanks I will be sending it back.


texts: Mountain Biking with Heavy Rider and Rigid Bike

texts:
I ride an early 90's Trek MultiTrack 700. It's a completely rigid, Cro-moly frame with 700c wheels, and, except for a new rear wheel (double wall rim) and cassette, all of the components are original. I want to begin riding some basic MB trails. Nothing fancy, no jumps or DH riding, just basic hardpack trails. However, I'm 6'2" and 235 lbs. Will a fully rigid frame withstand the abuse of roots and ruts with a rider of my size? Or will I constantly be buying new rims, or risk breaking something more vital? According to my LBS, suspension forks for this style of bike are pretty much nonexistent, so if I need shocks, I'll wait until I can invest in a new frame.
Thanks for your help!
Edit: I rode my first hardpack yesterday, and it was a blast! I'll get a better feel for technique as time goes on, but the bike seemed to handle it like a boss.


texts:
I am not familiar with track cycling at all but was wondering what type of bike computers, if any, are used in track cycling (in competition as well training)?

I am assuming that at least in training some people will use bike computers in order to keep an eye on speed, cadence and possibly power but I have read somewhere that in some velodromes the use of bike computers is discouraged as it is seen as a distraction and thus a potential cause for crashes? I would be grateful if somebody who has track experience could shine a light and "what is usually done", i.e., would I be able to take my road set-up (Garmin Edge 520) onto the track without getting funny looks?


texts: adding bullhorn handlebars, what about shifter and rear derailleur?

texts:
I am changing to bullhorn handlebars and I'm having some difficulty figuring out what sort of derailleur and shifter I should get. I would like to use a 9 speed bar end shifter as I currently have a SRAM X5 1x9 drivetrain running 11-34 - 9 speed cassette with a 42T chainring.

I will be mostly commuting and I don't want 'bottom of the barrel' as far as price but I also don't want 'top of the line' professional components either.


texts: Replace my stock crankset and cassette for a 22-32-42t crankset and a 11-40t cassette on recumbent trike?

texts:
I am leaving on a coast to coast tour starting in Florida and ending in California this November.

I have a Catrike Expedition with a 30-39-52t Truvativ Elita and a 11-30t cassette with a 26" rear wheel. This gives me a granny gear of 24gi.

I want a super low granny gear. I never use the largest chainring as I do not like to go fast down hills, in fact I sometimes apply brakes if going too fast (over 20mph). I want a granny gear of less than 15gi and I know this is ridiculously low but I want it. Can it be done and work good?
I also have a chain gobbler for my boom. Will it help my situation any?


texts: Good 9-speed cog configuration for touring and which low-cost quality cassettes?

texts:
Alert: this cassette conf cannot be used in all touring locations because of poor support. I use it only in 1st world countries.

The largest cog at the back is about 12-14cm. The length from hole-to-hole-opposite is about 10.5cm. The length between adjacent holes is about 7.86cm. The hole is the thing by which the cogs are attached to the bike and there are four holes. "Mega Drive Train" is written on the cog-thing. The derailleur-thing is LX Deore Shimano. I upgraded to a new chain PC-951 but it jumps a lot with cogs 2 and 3 (did not jump that much with the streched old chain). So I want to upgrade to new cogs/cassettes. The cog configuration is:

Back

largest cog: 32 teeth
smallest cog: 11 teeth

Front

largest cog: 48 teeth
smallest cog: 26 teeth

so how can I know which cassettes I can buy? I can find a variety of cassettes advertised for "11-32 cassette" but 26-48 returns none in eBay, perhaps a calculation err (any fast way to recheck?!).

Can I change the number of cogs?
If I can change the cog amounts, are there some tables to look for good tested configurations?
I have no clue why just these cog amounts were selected to my Crescent Sport bike. What would be a good cog configuration for touring?
Which cassettes and cogs would you recommend for low-cost quality choices (a bit like SRAM PC-951)?


texts: My v-brake lever (just one) is stiff. What's wrong?

texts: After tuning my brakes a lot (I was learning how) I noticed suddenly my back brake got really stiff. Does't really matter if the cable is loose or not, the lever itself feels really hard to pull when comparing to the front brake. What could cause this? The cable (since I don't mind cycling when it's raining, maybe it's rusty? but I got the bike for like 3 months) or the lever itself?


texts: Indexing 6 sprocket rear derailleur, having trouble reaching largest sprocket

texts:
I'm trying to index my rear gears after replacing my 6 sprocket freewheel. I've set the limit screws fine, but I didn't have enough play in the barrel adjusters to make much adjustment, so I undid the clamp to release the cable, tightened both adjusters up then let them out a couple of turns, then reattached the cable finger tight.

I'm finding, though, that I can get the smallest cogs to change okay, but by the time I reach the lowest gear, it won't move to the largest cog, just this awful clacking of gears, even though by eye the jockey wheel is in line with it and the b tension gives plenty of room, about 1cm.

I thought I was meant to tighten the cable with the adjuster to amend this, but nothing makes a difference, I feel like I need to loosen or tighten the cable overall with the clamp bolt, but I don't know which way to go, am I doing something drastically wrong here?


texts: How can I inflate Presta valve tires using a Presta compatible pump without bending the valve stem?

texts:
After my $20 floor pump from the hardware store gave out. I bought a rather more expensive one rated to 160 PSI. The pump has a metal nozzle on it, with a Schrader opening on one end and a Presta opening on the other.

I find closing the Presta side of the nozzle requires an extremely large amount of force. It seems like I get a much tighter seal with it, and that I can go to higher pressures as a result. However, because it requires so much force to close I have ended up bending the valve stem every time I use it. Ultimately I've gone back to using the Schrader adaptor I had for the old pump, along with the Schrader side of the nozzle, which is much easier to close.

Is there a trick to closing a purpose-designed Presta nozzle? Is my pump defective somehow?


texts: Buy second-hand bike in or near Frankfurt

texts: I'm travelling to Frankfurt, Germany in the next month and I'll be staying there for three months, because my trip is related to work, I'm trying to know how to get a bike that I can use to commute, (My daily commute is to get to Bad Homburg) taking into account that my german knowledge is almost none (even thought I'm learning by myself right now), and I don't know how english (spanish or french) comunication is in the aforementioned city. I'd like to know what are the best known places in or near Frankfurt to get a second hand bike. It doesn't have to be a pro one, nothing fancy, I just want something useful at a reasonable price.


texts: Can anyone help me with what kind of bike this is?

texts:
This is definitely an old bike, lots of modern work done to it but has original frame. The serial code on it is just under the seat at the back of vertical part. It’s HBK 367 25PC. The front badge simply says ‘bsp made in holland’ And also on the front it says "hand made steel frame"

I’m looking to sell the bike and don’t want to get ripped off.


texts: Where can I find a 9mm x 26thread axle nut?

texts:
I have a Gravity Swift 2 that I got off Bikesdirect.  Somehow I lost the left front axle nut.  I have been to two LBSs and neither of them have (or have even seen) an axle nut this size.  I e-mailed the company and searched on Google but haven't gotten a response back yet.

Is there anywhere to find a nut with these specs?
If I can't find this nut, will I have to replace the wheel(s)?


texts: Felt carbon steerer compression plug removal

texts:
How do I remove a compression plug (aka. expander bung) like this one?

Most guides I could find assume that there's a 6mm hex Allen opening that allows tightening/loosening the plug (example pictured below) but that's clearly not the case with mine.

I read there are designs that require screwing in the bolt partially and hitting it with a hammer until the expander's loosened but I'd rather ask first. The → REMOVE and INSTALL ← markings seem to suggest that there's another way to remove it.

Note that the 2mm gap visible on second picture was caused by the plug being loose enough to be pulled up when tightening the top cap - the spacers can rotate freely and the whole fork gets slightly loose after a few days. Adding another spacer only caused the plug to slide out a bit further so I'd like to anchor the expander properly.


texts: What are some recommendations for a trainer to get better at going uphill?

texts:
Right now, I have a Specialized Epic Expert '07 and a set of Bike Nashbar Rollers. It is pretty fun to roll and watch a movie, but it gets boring fast and never feels safe.

I was looking into different trainers to do something different and actually work towards a goal which is getting better at hills.

I have been looking at Tracx Vortex Smart T2180, Kinetic Fluid Trainer Rock 'N Roll Smart, and CycleOps FLUID² but it seems that there are so many nuances from each.

I have a Garmin 520 and do not have a power meter on my bike. I understand that the Tracx is the most smart, but does not provide the road feel of a fluid trainer. The Kinetic is great for getting out of the saddle and getting those extra muscles working out, but it uses a non standard connection to broadcast stats.

Is there something out there that would be quiet to use, provide the most road like feel, have the ability for smart functions that my Garmin 520 can use, and get me better for going uphill?


texts: Mavic crossmax freehub doing strange noise at high speed coasting

texts:
MY MTB is fitted with Mavic Crossmax 26" wheels (early 200x model). The freehub sometimes makes a strange noise when coasting at high speed that stops if I pedal forward once. In the past, spraying chainlube at both ends of the hub solved the problem. I tried that again this time and the issue is not happening that often, but it still does occasionally.
Is there something I can do other than take it to a repair shop?


texts: Resources for finding dirt roads for planning gravel grinding rides

texts:
What are good resources to use to find dirt roads, fire roads, gravel roads, or disused paved roads for planning a gravel grinder or ultracross style ride.

Any particular atlases, online mapping resources, government departments to check?


texts:
My tourer has a dynamo front wheel, which is great.  It's so handy* that I ended up using it for most of my commuting over the winter, despite having a hybrid that should serve as my foul-weather commuter.  So I'd quite like to add a dynamo to the hybrid which does a few tens of km per week.  The budget simply isn't there for a new wheel** (or rebuild, but the rim is old) plus lights, but a bottle dynamo from a reputable brand is only around £/$/€12 and my tyres (marathon plus) already have tracks.

Bottle dynamo vs. hub dynamo covers some of it (longevity, tyre wear), but I'm interested in day-to-day reliability as opposed to longevity, i.e. can I just jump on and the lights work assuming I don't clobber it? In all weathers? I can with the hub system and this isn't addressed at the linked question.

* Clip-on lights (the vast majority of battery lights) get stolen where I park (and I can't change that) so have to be removed.

** I will downvote any answers that mainly suggest a hub dynamo.  I know they're better in many ways, I know you can get a wheel for ~£100 delivered, but that's too much. Unless there's an option that's similar in total price to a bottle, forget it.


texts:
I've watched several youtube videos on inflating bike tires. i have presta valves on mine.

When I the top is screwed completely on it works but i'm told this is just pressurizing the inside of my pump. When I unscrew the top to open the valve, the tire doesn't inflate at all. What am I doing wrong?

After opening the valve, I put the pump on the stem and push all the way down with the switch perpendicular. In this position I can hear air coming out of the tire.

Then I put the switch up so that it's parallel to the valve and the rest of the pump piece. Then I can hear air stop leaking and it seems ready to pump.

However, when I actually pump to put air in I can hear the air going everywhere except in my tire. What am I doing wrong?


texts: I'm thinking of changing my original Tektro Polygon rotors to Shimano RT66 rotors. Both use 6 bolts and 160mm size. Is this will be fine with my Tektro Auriga brakes? And will changing the rotors cause significant difference?


texts: Converting front crankset to a single type on a 18" Carrera Vulcan MTB bike

texts:
I'm interested in converting my front crankset from 3 to 1 for simplicity.

I'm not sure where to start or what size to obtain? This is what I have... 18" Carrera Vulcan, 27.5 x 2.2, 2016.

Do I use a large or small crankset? How do I know the teeth measurement?

Do I need a chain guard or does a crankset takes care of preventing chain from falling off?

Thank you for your time


texts:
I am currently riding an entry level carbon road bike (Fuji Gran Fondo 2.5, compact 50/34 crankset, 105 group, 12/30 10 speed, Oval 327 wheels, but I suspect the details are not important-you have all seen similar bikes on club rides)  My typical ride is 30 miles and 1500 feet of climbing (as reported by Strava, if I add up the hills they are not this high) in 2 hours, so I am not a speed burner.  The Gran Fondo is promoted as an "old guy's" (which I am) bike-the head tube is a bit longer (only 1/2 inch) than standard so you sit more upright, you get (my year, not now) the 30 tooth on the rear and the tires are 25 instead of 23.  Will another bike blow me away if I ride it a short distance (5 miles) on the flat?  How much time can I save at the same power input over the 30 mile ride? Let's pretend I have no budget limitation, I just want the fastest (easily available commercially) road bike for my use.  How much faster is it than what I have?  What would you look for? Don't send me looking for an 11 tooth on the cassette-I rarely use the 50/12.  You need to send me to a class descending hills faster first.

Added based on Craig Hicks answer:
I have inverted the stem, which probably counteracts the longer head tube of the bike I have.  I didn't notice any difference in comfort.  I could take a couple spacers out of the the head tube to lower the bars another inch.  I did a high end fit with my LBS with some comfort improvement but no speed.  I suspect the biggest speed increase I could buy would be race tires that have less rubber so less flexure loss on the road at a price of durability.  That is what I was looking for, what should I look for and how much would it speed me up?


texts: I own a mountain bike with mechanical disc brakes that seriously lack stopping power. I've tried tweaking things and replacing pads but always fell short on performance. I ride more on the road but sometimes offroad. I was just wondering: Does a fluid for making disc brakes "grab" better exist?


texts:
I'm 26 and haven't ridden a bike since I was 15.
I decided to start again and purchased a nakamura crossland, last Saturday, to get back into action.
Last Sunday, I did 17km in 50 minutes on a mostly flat road. I didn't want to start too hard, afraid to hurt my legs. In the end the only thing that hurt was my butt, I probably need a better saddle.
I was wondering what distance and speed I should aim for as a beginner, in order to improve my stamina.

P.S. I decided to purchase a bike to lose weight and enjoy the countryside. Maybe it's relevant for choosing the right distance.


texts: Hydraulic disk brake stops working when hot; back to normal after cooling - is this expected?

texts:
I have experienced a strange failure of my brake.

I was descending a steep smooth road, using only my front brake (my rear brake was broken; it was an unplanned bail from a route). I tried keeping the speed low, so i could jump off the bike at any moment.

After going this way for maybe 2 minutes, I stopped briefly to let some car pass (so released the brake for a few seconds). As I continued to descend, I pressed the brake, and surprisingly, its handle went all the way to the handlebar without doing any braking! So I immediately jumped off.

I didn't believe at first the bad luck I had, but then I pressed again and again on the brake (not while riding now), and gradually it returned to normal; after 1 minute it would give full braking force again.

So I wonder, is this an expected way a brake would fail while overheating? I heard that it would start to stink really bad before it became dangerous to ride, so I didn't worry about overheating.

The model of my brake is Hayes Nine.


texts: Practical cleaning routine for a commuter bike

texts:
I regularly (almost daily) ride my bike, often in bad weather. I mostly ride on roads, but sometimes through parks, forest etc. on unpaved surfaces. My bike is usually rather dirty, at least the lower parts, especially when the weather is rainy. I do have mudguards, but they can't keep off everything.

I would like to keep it reasonably clean, both because it looks nicer and to avoid unneccesary wear. On the other hand, I don't want to spend an hour every week keeping it clean.

So what would you recommend as a cleaning routine that strikes a reasonable balance? Just hose it down? Only wipe critical parts? Use some wonder cleaner?

And are there functional problems or increased wear due to dirt, or is it mostly an asthetic problem?

Related question (more about maintenance in general):

Periodic maintenance tasks for bike commuters


texts: Why are the rear wheels of time trial bikes disc shaped rather than having spokes?

texts: Won't having disk shaped wheels cause more wind resistance with crosswinds? What are the benefits of having these sort of wheels?


texts: What are Clarks 2P and 4SP cable housings?

texts:
Lots of websites stock Clarks cable-outers. Lots say which type -- but I can't find what that type means. Can you help?

I suspect 2P is a fairly standard brake cable outer (5mm, spiral-wound, nylon-lined) and 4SP is a fairly standard gear cable outer (4mm, straight-wired, nylon-lined). Is that correct? Are there also other types?


texts: Does ideal cadence depend on a rider's weight/size at all?

texts: As in the question,  do heavier riders tend to have higher/lower cadence and should there be any difference?


texts:
I am building a bike. The headset is in the head tube, and the next thing is to fit the stem and handlebar to the steerer. At this point, it seems I need some headset spacers in between the headset and the stem.

How many headset spacers am I likely to need? Or rather, how much total height of spacers? Is there any way to work this out other than trial and error?

The frame has quite different geometry to my current frame, although my body's geometry is not changing. Should I try to reproduce the space on my current bike?

Headset spacers are available in all sorts of combinations; would it be prudent to get something like a pack of five 10 mm spacers? Or a set of a 10 mm and two 5 mm? Am I likely to need more space than that? Less?


texts: How long between spoke adjustments on a mountain bike?

texts:
I have a mountain bike that's now about 18 months old. At the 12 month mark I took it for its first annual service. Since then there's been a problem with the front wheel coming out of alignment.

I've had the wheel re-trued a couple of times since the service now, it seems to need doing about once every 2 months. Obviously this regular attention is not a normal requirement for a wheel.

What is the normal period of time that you'd expect to pass between wheel alignment/spoke adjustment work? I'm riding the bike probably 20 miles a week on average on the road, with occasional weekend trips off-road. The wheel's gone out of true at least once without an off-road trip since the previous truing.


texts: What percent of crashes are due to bicycle failure?

texts:
I find myself avoiding steep/fast downhills. Not because I'm afraid I'll lose control, but because something might happen to my bike that will send me face-first into the pavement.

Are there any statistics on this?

Edit------

By "crash due to bicycle failure", I mean a crash that would not have happened if something hadn't happened to the bicycle. This would include, for example, pounding your bike over bumps, resulting in the stem breaking. This would not include losing control because you pounded your bike over bumps.

By "crash", I mean an accident serious enough to be documented. If you fall over at a stoplight because you couldn't unclip, that obviously won't be documented and therefore doesn't count as a crash.


texts: Heart rate during a ~1 hour individual time trial?

texts: I'm wondering about heart rate data during a flat(-ish) Individual time trial that takes a bit below 1 hour to complete at elite level, like the typical ITTs in TdF. I know HR alone is far from the big picture but I remember reading about average HR during marathons and variability was remarkably low, irrespective of finish time. So does anyone know the average/max heart rates of well trained cyclists during such efforts?


texts: Comparing 'upright-ness' across several endurance road bikes

texts:
I'm comparing the following endurance road bikes, all in 58cm or L:

BMC Roadmachine
Cannondale Synapse
Trek Domane
Look 765 Optimum
Specialized Roubaix

I'm 6'2" and recently recovered from a herniated disk and hip arthroscopy. Given that, I'm looking for a geometry that is "upright" in riding position.
How can I best compare or measure 'upright-ness' between these bikes?
I know the basics: shorter reach + longer stack == more upright. But those measurements actually seem to conflict here, and I'm not sure the degree to which other measurements may counteract them. For instance, the Roubaix has the longest stack, but also a relatively high reach and the shortest head tube length. The 'best match' seems to very widely by different categories/measurements.
Is there a slightly more nuanced way to compare this measure between the bikes shown here?


texts: Is it possible to change a painted frame into a chromish one?

texts: I have a fixed gear bike and I'd like to give him a fresh start. It's all painted in blue and I'd like to know if it's possible to obtain the chromish color on the links between the tubes (it's an old pist iron frame from the 70's) ?


texts: What kind of fork could i fit on my bike

texts: What's the max amount of travel you guys think i could install on this kind of frame geometry? I have the same bike as the image. It comes with a suntour 100mm fork and a really stiff rear shock coil. The bike is designed for XC, but i would like to hit some bigger jumps on it. Aluminium frame. The bike model is Berg Trailrock 100x