texts:
I just received the Retrospec Speck 20".

I'm a 69 y.o. 5'8, 160 lb woman and thought this simple bike would be easy to ride (single gear with rear pedal backward brake).

I could not ride it because the handle bar had me going 1 to 3 ft left or right despite my efforts to keep it straight. A friend, who doesn't like these bikes in general) thinks the straight handle bar is a big part of the problem.

I'm thinking of returning it but it is easy for me to fold & keep in my trunk (my last bike was stolen from our buildings bike room). Would you know if the handle bar can be changed on this bike?

I know a front brake can be added and would do that as well. Thanks for any advice.

  Stock image of this bike


texts:
I have a giant anyroad 1 2015.  It has this as components
Crankset    Shimano Tiagra, 34/50
Cassette    Shimano Tiagra 11x34, 10-speed

That is 7 cogs in the cassette, and 2 cogs on the crankset.

Is it normal for the derailleur to make noise when the chain is on the smallest cogs? It also happens a bit when the front derailleur is on the smallest cog, and the rear one is on the second-smallest.

Yes - I understand you're not supposed to do this - your chain should try not to twist. My question is this - is this normal? Or is it just a poorly installed/adjusted derailleur?  My rationale is that it should be 'silent' on any combination of gears since the bike was built to do this.


texts: No locked off youth gearing restriction for road racing British National Series/Championships

texts:
Can anyone correctly confirm (by providing a link to the exact rule in British Cycling rulebook), if the use of locked off gears is permitted in Youth (A, B and Junior) National level series or championship road races? We have had experience of different rulings this year, 2017.

I cannot find any reference to this rule on the British Cycling website, but have found reference to it on a forum that didn't specify any country, and also a page on US Youth Cycling.

UPDATE: Further advice/comment we have received is that there is a International/UCI (race) ruling stating that youth (A, B, Junior) level are not permitted to use locked off gears, and that the full range of cassette/rings must be within the limitations of that category. Whether British National Series events are included within this appears to be on a race by race basis - and the best advice I can give anyone reading this post is to (a) check well in advance of any race what the ruling is to be applied on the day and (b) you may as well go out and buy from the start the correct limited gears.


texts: Removing the crank arm (square taper) on a Chinese (PooBoo D 577) stationary bicycle

texts: In trying to remove the crank arm, I found that the threaded "business end" of the standard crank arm puller has a smaller diameter (1-2 mm) than the crank arm opening, so there is no way to engage the threads.  Does anyone know of a crank arm puller that has a larger diameter threaded end?


texts:
I have an old threaded headset and quill stem. Recently I overhauled the headset; replacing the bearing sleeves with loose bearings (filled to max and removed 1 bearing). The stem was also found to be too large to fit back in, and was replaced with a proper fitting one by a bicycle shop that specializes in older used bikes.

Now when I am riding I get this strange gyroscopic effect while riding (see this post for similar issue)

When riding in a straight line I can feel a push and pull to one side or the other, as if a ghost is steering my handlebars in millimeter amount, but enough to notice. It almost feels as if my headset is drunk, wobbling around in circles. A similar feeling would be turning your neck in circles as if stretching your neck... just not as intensely.

I've tried loosening the headset to the point where when I pick up the bike the handlebar smoothly drifts over to one side from the weight of the wheel being picked up.

Does it matter if the quill stem is tightened or loosened after the threaded headset is adjusted? I don't think it does.

I'm lost here! Please help!


texts: How can I replace an oversized Chater-Lea bottom bracket with cotterless cranks?

texts:
I'm building a tandem at the moment. The frame appears to be threaded for a 1.45" Chater Lea bottom bracket.
I'd like to fit a modern bottom bracket. Any ideas? Here's my ideas so far:

Threadless cartridge bottom bracket: Shell ID is probably way too big for these, but maybe make a sleeve to go inside? Will that give enough grip?

Machine a counter bore for press fit bearings: Doesn't leave a lot of material left on the BB.

Drill the ID of the cups to accept a JIS spindle: No idea how I'd calculate what size balls to use. Also cups are really hard so difficult to machine?

EDIT:
I should clarify, the question in hand is about the rear BB, which has a shell width of 74.5mm. Chain tension is not an issue, since the front BB is eccentric and I'm sure I've got a solution for that.


texts: How is the quality of carbon wheelset from taiwan?

texts:
Recently I read from some websites, it sells taiwanese carbon wheelset,
How is the quality of the carbon rim, spokes and hub from those wheelset made in taiwan ?
I didn't see any brand name, so it's blank name,

Spesification :
Size       :700C full carbon wheels 20mm deep in clincher
type       : road bicycle wheelset
material : 100% carbon fiber
finish:     3k clear coating finish
cassete body:  shimano 8/9/10 speed or campagnolo 10/11 speed.
Hub      : Novatec hub A271SB/F372SB,sealed bearings,front 2,rear 4
               (black/red/white colors are available)
Nipple: aluminium (black/red/silver colors are available)
Spoke : mac aero 494 spoke from cnspoke from taiwan(black)
hole :Front 20H   Rear 24H, special hole also can be ordered
weight:  1430g +/- 30g each pair
including Skewers and brake pads

Thanks


texts:
People say (for example here) that disc brakes are relatively heavy, giving this as a reason for not using them.

How much heavier than rim brakes are disc brakes? Is the extra heaviness in the brakes, or in the stronger rims, tires, and/or forks?


texts:
How can I identify the make and model of a chain?

I need to take a chain off and clean it.  (It's a new-to-me used bike, and I'm giving everything the once over.)  The chain doesn't have a master link, so I'm going to have to break it and add a master link.  To do this, I need to figure out what kind of chain it is so I can get the right master link.

(It might make sense to just get a new chain given relative prices, but I'd rather keep the chain I have because this is my knock-around bike and I don't want it to look new, I want it to look not worth stealing.)

Looking at the chain, it says KMC, NARROW, with a stylized Z.  The bike is a 3x7 department store bike.  The rear cogs say Shimano MF-TZ21.

Here's a picture.


texts: Why doesn't Shimano use shadow technology on road derailleurs?

texts:
Shimano has been using their 'Shadow' technology on their high-end mountain bike rear derailleurs (> Deore) for many years.  In addition to the benefit described in the images below (from here), Shadow derailleurs have a more direct housing routing near the derailleur, which results in a lot less cable friction, and therefore, better and smoother shifting.

Why doesn't Shimano use this technology on their road rear derailleurs?  Interestingly enough, SRAM also went out of their way to avoid direct housing routing near the rear derailleur when they came out with their road derailleur, even though they'd been using direct routing for many years on their mountain bike derailleurs.


texts:
Lately I am wearing my helmet also on my daily commute to work.

Of course I don't wear it while sitting at my desk, and it sits on a drawer next to the window, where in the afternoon it is exposed to sunlight with little or no air flow.

Can this lead to long term damage of the helmet? The helmet shell is white.


texts: Disk Brake shudder felt through fork and frame

texts:
I have a muddy fox storm and when I use the front brake, it starts to shudder starting from the wheel and working up. It isn't that bad if I do it gently. Also, this is only a fist bike so I guess it doesn't matter if these things happen?
Thanks


texts:
Is it possible to replace a compact 50T chainring from my Sram Force set-up with a 50T Red chainring, they both have the same 110 PCD so I don't see a problem, does anyone know if I'm wrong?

Thanks


texts: Can you use bicycle boulevards for effective interval training?

texts:
Using commutes for training can be a time saving idea. Let's say biking to work takes you 5 to 10 hours a week. That's plenty of time for exercising. Why not use that time to actually get fit which has many benefits?

Intervals are usually required for if you're looking into breaking the plateau. With frequent stops, maybe power meters make staying in our target zone easier.

If your only options are bike boulevards, greenways, trails, and low volume residential streets, can you effectively train? Safety is important. There's curbs, roundabouts, stop signs, yield signs, downhills, major street crossing, etc which can cause interruptions.

The intervals include anaerobic, VO2 max, threshold, and sweet spot. Some workouts say to do 20 minute threshold or sweet spot intervals, and others say to do VO2 max for a few minutes.

I'm doing sweet spot base training, and I plan on doing general build.

How much interruption is too long? Can I just aim for 40 minutes in the target power zones and for the rest of the ride recovery zone? It's likely to be interrupted 20 times by major street crossings. Each intervals might last 2 minutes followed by half a minute of waiting for the lights to change. Maybe they can be used for mini recoveries.

Can workouts also be split? Say your commutes are shorter or you're busy. You might split your workout throughout two or more rides or days, or use your breaks at work or school for your workout. For example, if you 4x10 or 6x10 intervals can you do 2x10 in the morning and 2x10 in the afternoon, or 3x10 on Monday and 3x10 on Tuesday? It's commonly agreed that you can split workouts without compromising health benefits but would you hinder gains in endurance or rely more on glycogen?


texts: Is front-suspension a false-economy for cheaper bikes?

texts:
I'm a 30 year old male looking to purchase my first non-department store bike. I haven't biked in more than a couple years.

My use-case is 90% asphalt (inner-city, occasional low-speed highway) and ~10% trail. Trails would typically be flat, straight, with few serious bumps. The bike could see very occasional heavier use.

I've seen several arguments against the use of front suspension forks on Hybrid bikes in the $0-$500 range, with arguments levied against them including:

They lack lock-out at this price point, making city/uphill travel more difficult.
They add weight to the frame.
They limit speed.
They require maintenance.
Its another moving part that could fail.
They're ultimately unnecessary for this use-case.

Of these arguments, speed is probably the one that I can most easily disregard, as I am not looking for high top-end speed. On the other hand, if a suspension fork at worst won't hinder me, I would see no real point in avoiding purchasing one.


texts:
first post here. Getting in to road cycling, bought an old Ross 294S steelie with downtube friction shifters. Want to switch to a brifter system. I’ve watched a bunch of vids and googled but can’t find exact info I need.
I’m pretty sure the group set currently is Shimano SIS, the drivetrain is 2x6. So I bought new Shimano Tourney 2x7 brifters, bar tape, cable stops, etc. Then I realize oh man will the 2x7 brifters even be compatible with a 12 speed? I thought I could just have a ghost gear on the 7, but now I’m not too sure and I don’t want to cut cables until I know. Also would the ‘friction’ element of the downtube shifters matter? I think the SIS has capacity for index shifting... I watched a guy on Youtube put 3x7 on a Trek 14 speed and he had a ghost 3.
If any other info needs to be had let me know. Any help appreciated ahead of time. Cheers!


texts: When Should I replace the rotors on disk brakes?

texts:
I've probably done about 20k on the rotors I bought the bike with. They still work fine, but are visibly worn and slightly grooved from me not replacing the pads soon enough a few times.

How do I know when it's time to get new rotors (apart from by finding out the hard way, of course)?


texts: What is the advantage of a "compact crankset" vs changing a chainring?

texts:
It seems that I'm old (my last good bike had a 5-speed freewheel and shifters mounted on down tube braze-ons - they were indexed, though!), and I've been out of cycling for quite some time.

I've seen several references to a "compact crankset" and questions like this one asking about replacing the whole crankset just to change gearing. Back in my day (get off my lawn you meddlin' kids!) I would have (and, occasionally did) simply changed a single chain ring to one with a more or fewer teeth to change the gearing.

Why would one now change the complete crankset instead of buying a single new chain ring? Does it bring specific advantages to the table, or are replacement/different size chain rings simply no longer manufactured? (The cynic in me says that means more profit for the manufacturers.)


texts: Frequent punctures, is my weight the problem?

texts: 2 road bike. The rear tire keeps popping. I have replaced the rear rim and tube. Every time I go for a ride I inflate the tire to around 70-80psi. I am on the heavy side (310 lbs). What are my options. A stronger tube if they make one. Or a different bicycle in which case what do you recommend?


texts:
I was criticized for having a blinking red light facing forwards on my handlebars (in addition to a White headlight). What is wrong with this? It was nighttime in Manhattan. Isn't more always better when it comes to being seen?

THANK YOU FOR THE ANSWERS, my mistake has been corrected. Best wishes to you all.


texts: Does the chain direction make a difference?

texts:
Recently, I helped a friend install a new chain on her road bike, and for the first time read the instructions for installing one. It seems to claim that there's a forward direction, and that it actually makes a difference.

Does anyone know if that's actually true? My LBS (which I love dearly) just replaced my chain, and I thought it was installed it backwards. The new chain, if it makes a difference, is a Dura-Ace, 10 speed, CN-7801.

Does it matter? Do I care enough to reinstall it?


texts:
The whole rim/tire size thing baffles me.  I have a Specialized cross bike that has DT Swiss rims (622x 14). The tires are Tracer Sport (700 x 33). I would like to get a pair of slicks for longer road rides as I cannot afford a whole new wheelset at the moment.

Best I can tell, there is no such thing as a slick tread in that tire size, so what is the range of tire sizes I could get for those rims?


texts:
I recently bought a wheelset that supports 11sp and 10sp casettes. The wheelset came with a 2ish mm spacer. I have previously owned a 10sp wheelset that had a 1mm spacer.
I have been told that for 10 speed cassettes I'd need both spacers on the new wheelset, so I put both of them on.
It worked for a while until the wheelset developed some (unrelated to this issue) noise so I took it off the bike, but then I  had serious trouble getting the wheel back into the dropout.

Not only did the new wheelset with the spacers not fit into the dropouts, the alignment of the wheelset was off and I couldnt even turn the wheel because it was rubbing the chainstay.
The old wheelset without the casette on the other hand would fit just fine so I thought something was wrong with the new wheelset and sent it back.
Now I wanted to put the old wheelset (which is my trainer wheelset) back on with the casette and only the 1mm spacer.
The problem is that much like the new wheelset I couldn't event get the old wheel into the dropout, so I took out the spacer and it fit first try.
I've used the old wheelset with the spacer in the past and I'm not sure not what I'm doing wrong.
The new (already sent back) wheelset had other issues, but I want to know:
Does this issue indicate a bigger problem with the bike or will I be fine without the spacers ?
What spacers do I need to use with 10sp or 11sp wheelsets ?
What could be causing these problems ?

I have made sure that the length of the hub is compatible with my frame, so that should be not an issue.


texts:
My brother bought a second hand bike. He’s now looking to buy shoes. But we are uncertain what type of cleats he needs.
Is there some sort of guide on how to identify the pedals?


texts:
Just got a pair of tubular Vittoria Rally road tyres. They look perfect but the problem is that the valve is 42mm which is no good for my new awesome 50mm rims. Above all the valve core is not removable so the extenders I've got with them are useless.

The question is if there's any mean to extend the valves up to 60-80mm in this situation or should I return it back to the shop?

Thank you in advance for your advised.


texts:
Whenever I talk with old wrenches about wheelbuilding, they always seem to talk about double eyeleted rims as the pinnacle of strength and quality. However, it seems most modern, high-end rims have no eyelets at all, let alone doubles. The only models still in production that I know of with double eyelets are basically 15+ - year - old designs (Ambrosio Nemesis, Mavic OP & A719).
While the principles behind double eyelets make sense to me, and they definitely make building a wheel easier, AND they look super cool, I'm sure there is a reason they are no longer widely used. Is it because new stronger alloys and fabrication techniques make the extra weight of double eyelets unnecessary? Is it something to do with alloy nipples (I can't see how this would be the case)? Do you miss them? Do you wish they were more common in new designs?
If anyone has some technical data on the benefits of double eyelets please share!
thanks.


texts: How can I find replacement part for Mongoose scooter?

texts:
My daughter broke the quick release hinge bolt (I have no idea what to call it) on her Mongoose scooter.

Where can I go to find a replacement part or at a minimum, what is it called?


texts: Low power while maintaining high cadence

texts:
I just started using a Tacx Smart Flow in combination with TrainerRoad to try maintaining and getting up my fitness level over the winter.
My problem now is that TrainerRoad tells me to keep a power level off around 60 in my workouts while having a cadence of around 80-90. When i have a cadence of 80-90 i'm either over a power level of 60 or in a very low gear and are bouncing around on the bike to keep the cadence. If i try to keep a power level of around 60 im mostly at a cadence of around 60.
Is there anything i'm doing wrong or should i just ignore either the power level or the cadence?


texts: What causes the different types of tire skidding noises?

texts:
Short: What mechanisms are relevant to the production of that noise and what are their parameters?

Up until a couple of years ago, I had only ever heard a quite, low, rubbing sound when the tires skidded on asphalt.

That was all on relatively standard sized tires (i.e. 28") and bicycles (i.e. upright non-folding or anything).

Now on my recumbent with 20" wheels when I brake sometimes I hear a loud screeching sound like on a car.

This happens when the wheel is skidding (i.e. speed difference of tire and ground somewhere between 0 (excluding) and forward speed), but not locked up (i.e. wheel not turning at all, speed difference of tire and ground equals forward speed). If it's locked up completely, then the sound is the quiet low rubbing noise I'm used to.

I haven't been able to pinpoint exactly what causes the different sounds. Maybe it's the asphalt type (new one seems to promote screeching?), pressure (lower=more?), wheel size (smaller=more?), wheel width (wider=more?) or braking technique (the noise mostly seems to appear when I get it just right and am only almost skidding).

What I can say is that I've been riding disk brakes for years and those specific disk brakes for some fewer years. I have readjusted them, changed pads, had annoying noises appear, made them go away again. This never seemed to change the screeching noise I described above.


texts: Should I consider buying a velomobile as my daily commute vehicle instead of a bike?

texts: What are the advantages/disadvantages between a (possibly electric) velomobile and a regular bike when in daily use?


texts:
I recently buy my first Quarq Dfour power meter to replace my crank Shimano Ultegra 6800. but I have the problem that the quarq spindle its too short ( 106 mm quarq vs 109 mm shimano ultra ). I don't know if I buy the correct quarq ( GXP or BB30 ) and I don't know if I need change my bottom bracket ( actually I use Kogel Press Fit BB30 to 24 ceramic.)

I want use the quarq but I don't know how fix this issue.

Do I need change my actual bottom bracket to another ? ... que quarq dfour its correct for my frame ? ( my bike is a Felt IA2 2016 ) ...


texts: What tool do I need to remove this bottom bracket?

texts: Would I need a three-notched tool to remove this?


texts:
I found an aluminum bike in the trash and it seems like it has been exposed to the rain, especially because some of the metal is slightly rusty.

The frame is a different thing, because altough it is made in aluminum, it has worm-like bright shapes, with a small relief (when I pass my fingers it isn't as smooth as the rest of the frame).

This:

So, my questions:

Is this "rust"? (I know aluminum doesn't have corrosion like steel does, but this is IMO somekind of corrosion).
Is this a damaged in a point that it is dangerous to use it again?
Can I solve it? (I tried sanding a small bit and it takes care of it, of course the shine is gone in those bits).


texts: What is the best time to cycle during the day (traffic)?

texts:
I started cycling a year ago and I have a favourite route for my time trial training since it is very hilly. However, I cycle on a major road (just outside town) and thus I like to cycle when it is less busy- both to avoid annoyances of having to come to a complete stop at roundabouts/traffic lights, as well as reducing the chances of getting clipped and in general being subjected to dangerous driving.

I live in the UK in a medium sized town, I believe around 120k~ people. So during rush hour, it's completely impossible to ride consistently anywhere. Since I am not a morning person, I have resided to cycling mostly in the evenings, around 8-9pm. But sometimes I would prefer cycling during the day so my question is the following:

What times of day do you usually find traffic most suitable for road cycling?

I realize that traffic varies, but there are still some general patterns that I wonder about: public holidays, Sundays, weekends in general, school-related traffic and so on.


texts: Removing surface rust from my Eggbeater pedals?

texts: So I did a couple of wet rides last month, and I guess I didn't dry the pedals as well as I should have.  I have Crank Brothers Eggbeater pedals, and I noticed a bit of surface rust on them that I'd like to remove.  What are my options, considering that I can't really disassemble the pedals, and they have a large number of surfaces that are hard to get to?


texts: My rear MTB tire keeps rubbing on this thing that holds the front derailleur whenever the rear shocks are compressed to a certain amount

texts:
I just bought a dual suspension MTB. I have pumped up the rear shocks to the correct pressure, but whenever I’m doing jumps the rear tire just rubs against the thing that holds the cable for the front derailleur. You can see the paint is chipping a bit from the tire rubbing.

I have no idea how to fix this, the only way for me to stop the rubbing is just to harden up the rear shocks so it doesn't compress as much, or just to remove the front derraileur and cut the thing that holds the cable. Is there another way to fix this?


texts: When using a ptfe & paraffin waxed chain, does the casette require any lube?

texts:
I'm going to give chain waxing with PTFE and paraffin a shot as I'm sick of filthy dirty hands when I get a puncture.
I've read quite about about the process of cleaning the chain and applying the wax and PTFE.
What I'm not clear on is do I put any lube or spray on the rear cassette and front crank?
I imagine with no oil they will get rusty eventually, but oil will negate the clean chain benefit of waxing?


texts: "Creaking" noise from headtube/handlebar

texts:
I have a steel frame (Columbus steel, made by Dancelli), and when I put weight on the ends of the handle bar, I hear a creaking noise from the headtube. It might not be the handlebar because I tried applying force on the headtube while holding the top tube and I heard the same creaking noise.

I can't pinpoint where the noise is coming from ... is there a way to find that out and fix it?

Many thanks!


texts: I searched the internet and this forum and couldn't find anything about this. I recently took off my rear wheel to change the tire and tube. Upon returning it, it shifts fine (no falloff or skip) however it's backwards from what I remember. The last person to do anything to my bike was a very experienced friend. He tuned it up and replaced a rear axle and returned it, I haven't done anything since. I distinctly remember the most resistance being when I had 3 on the left (front gears/crank) and 7 on the right (rear cogs) for a very long time. And when gearing down to ride up hill, visually I would see the chain on the smallest of the rear cogs. Now the smallest rear has the most resistance and reads out as 7, but the internet and other bikes tell me this is perfectly normal. I can't understand how this is mechanically possible and I'm starting to think I fooled myself somehow, or it's an alternate dimension paradox. Genuinely curious if anything like this is possible, not trolling you. It's a 2007 Norco Scrambler with stock shimano shifters and cassette


texts:
I badly fractured my shoulder in a car accident and have limited mobility in my right arm after the repair.

Is there a way for me to safely bicycle on city streets with one arm? Can I modify my current bicycles -- or, are there forms of bicycles, recumbents, or trikes that are designed to be safely operated with just one arm?

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


texts: How many chain links do I need for my chain

texts: I have a 2017 DaVinci Django mountain bike and I am planning to upgrade my cassette to a 11/46 from 11/42. I would like to buy a new KMC chain. How may links do I need?114 or 116? Maybe it’s a different number. Can you help?


texts: Shimano 105 FD-R7000-F front dereailleur chain rub

texts:
Recently purchased a new Cube Attain GTC 2020 road bike, it came with :

Front Derailleur -  Shimano 105 FD-R7000, 31.8mm Clamp
Rear Derailleur -   Shimano 105 RD-R7000-DGS, 11-Speed
Brake System - Shimano 105 BR-R7070, Hydr. Disc Brake, Flat Mount
Crankset - Shimano FC-RS510, 50x34T

All seems good, however I've noticed the chain is rubbing on the front derailleur when using the 50T ring on the first 5 gears.
This I take it is due to cross chaining, i know it's not advised to use the opposite sides of the cassette but are they all like this ?

Note : I don't get any chain noise or rub when using the 34T ring in any of the 11 gears on the cassette.

So my question is this - can the front derailleur be adjusted to eliminate the chain rub on the 50T ? or will this effect the indexing on the 34T ring ?

I've read through the PDF from Shimano and they say chain noise is normal, really? can you only use the whole range on one chain ring ?

PDF image below along with the front derailleur.

I'm aware of the high and low screw adjustment but don't want to tweak anything if it's going to throw the indexing out of alignment on the 34T ring.


texts: Why is there so much friction on my rear wheel?

texts: With the chain detached, when I spin my rear wheel it slows down really quickly (2 turns?) as if the brakes are lightly on.  The brakes are well clear of the wheel though.  Any idea what it might be?  The bike is about 2 years old and I have not done any maintenance to the bearings, so I'm wondering if that might be it.  But I have no idea if those are really the symptoms.


texts: What do I need to change to avoid 'bouncing' in my bike seat at high RPM?

texts:
I've noticed while cycling on my road bike that, when I try to pedal very quickly, I start to 'bounce' a little in my seat. As in I'm lifting off the seat a little with each pedal, so feel I'm not harnessing the full strength of my legs.
To avoid this, do I need to adjust my bike seat/handlebars? Or is this more relating to good cycling form? Or, perhaps, I just need to go up a gear at this point?


texts: Can I replace post mount disc brakes calipers with flat mount calipers?

texts: I have post mount TRP Spyre calipers, how can I upgrade to flat mount Ultegra calipers? are there adapters available? I've only seen adapters for flat to post.


texts: Little play in the front suspension fork (RockShox Judy T2 long travel 98'(?))

texts:
I've just restored my 98' Kona Caldera, but I left the fork like it was since it seemed to work smoothly enough. Considering I would like to not mess with a fork (like everybody), even if I've done some time in the past with some other spring fork with success, after some rides I feel some play of the tubes inside, especially under front braking. It's not super severe, I tried to make a video but it's invisible by eye, it's probably 1/4 mm of play and not so easy to replicate. It seems a minor issue but this doesn't give me too much confidence in some trails and in some high speed descend, so what should I really do? Is this supposed to work like this since it's an old technology, or it's not working correctly? When it compress it's not super smooth, but I would not even call it grindy... So I don't really know what to do. Do you know if there is any oil inside this model, or some guides to refeer?

UPDATE
After your suggestions I decided to take a look... Honestly they were quite easy to disassemble, I think this is an example of a good build fork (no talking about the performance here), it's light (1.5kg) and easy to maintain, inside it was pristine, no sign of dirt anywhere, which for a 22 year fork is just amazing (I don't know how it has been used, I bought the bike some months ago from a guy who doesn't really know something about). I discovered the origin of play, is here supposed to be a foam seal?

Since I'm cheap, I decided to make ones from a foam package which seems surprisingly similar to the kind of foam you find in the forks.

This seems to have solved the play problem, just for info mine mesures 1cm height and 3.5mm width (with a +/- 0.5mm margin, not really precise). I cut the length while I was putting in place, so I don't really know. The nice thing is that this foam made the fork less pogo-stick feel, and more proper actually by adding a little bit of rebound. Never tried an High-end fork, so can't really compare, but it works better. At the time of the disassembly I was expecting no oil, but surprisingly there was very little oil, so little I tough it was put here by mistake because on the web it was impossible to find any info about that. For now I just put some teflon grease and it seems to work better than before, do you think is that safe to use? Would oil make it work better? Which oil I should use? I should also replace at least one elastomer, take a look here...

Where to buy a proper replacement without braking the bank? I don 't really want to use in hard trails, but I can find a cheap replacement I would be happier.


texts: Derailleur and back wheel alignment issues

texts:
I've got a very old used bike. It has a bunch of issues I'm trying to fix at once: the derailleur is not keeping the chain tight only in certain gears, the back wheel wobbles slightly and over time gets pulled forward to the point of rubbing against the frame.

I took the wheel out and determined that there is probably some minor wobbling coming from something being off with the bearings but I decided not to take it apart, just live with it and try to put the wheel back pulled further back and somehow fixing the derailleur/gears issue too.

I figured out that there is one specific configuration when everything seems to work, see it on the photo below. (Note, the axle needs to be completely pulled back on the side pictured, but on the other side slightly more forward than that, that's the only way to have the wheel aligned with the line of travel at the middle of the frame). In this angle, the derailleur is able to keep the chain tight for all gears.

The issue is that now if I start pedaling or shifting gears, eventually the derailleur is forced to rotate counter clockwise and the axle is pulled forward so that I'm back at my original issues. I just can't seem to figure out how to maintain this specific position

How could I solve this?

Edit: I'm adding below a second image from a different angle

Update:

Thank you for all the comments and suggestions! Based on them, I plan to do the following:

Fix wobbling of the wheel by replacing bearings so that I'll be able to move the wheel forward
Replace the derailleur hanger and the mounting bolt attaching the derailleur to it
Use axle nuts instead of the regular ones and remove washers from the axle
Replace cable housing and possibly the chain too

To do the above, I'm having two new challenges:

How to unscrew the super tight and somewhat rusty current attachment of the derailleur to the current hanger? (see picture below)
Where can I find a suitable replacement mounting bolt that would allow me to attach the derailleur to the hanger so that it can pivot? (see part #2 and connecting parts in David D's answer)


texts: I have a 72 Fuji S10s frame and front fork and all the headset parts to reassemble. However, I'm missing the barrings and I'm not sure of what the correct size barrings I need.


texts: Will Shimano B01S brake pads work with m675 slx

texts:
I recently started cycling regularly again after 3 years or so and need to change some parts. It's infuriatingly hard to find information on compatability for parts now that CRC can't sell Shimano stuff. All I get when searching this in Google is 10 different listings from sellers on amazon, eBay, and who knows what else.

Anyway, B01S is half the price of J02A, and I definitely don't need the fins. Does anyone know if B01S will fit on M675 slx brakes?


texts: is the dry blue manufacturer-applied threadlocker the "stick" version?

texts: I bought some blue threadlocker in a little squeeze tube, and it is a very runny and drippy liquid.  Is the substance that comes pre-applied to screws and is dry to the touch just the "stick" version which has hardened in the air? Or something different?


texts:
I just bought the Wahoo Kickr, but I have a compatibility question. I have a Trek Madone 4.7 fitted with a Shimano 105 11-28, 10 speed cassette. Just when I think I understand whether I can make this work, I get myself confused again. Will the Kickr cassette work with my existing drivetrain?
If it won’t work, I was going to buy a 10-speed cassette to put on the Kickr, but instead, I’m thinking of upgrading my bike to an 11-speed cassette (plus shifter, chain, etc.). My husband’s bike is an 11-speed, so I was thinking it would be better to keep the cassette the Kickr comes with.
Is there a way to make the 11-speed cassette work with my 10-speed setup? Sorry if my question is confusing!


texts: Laws against electric assist bicycle with energy recovery?

texts: Is an electric bike like this required any special license. The power applied comes from the collected kinetic inertia from going down hill or stored from the rider then the stored power can then be applied while going up hill or to go faster. Are there laws restricting bikes like this anywhere before I buy one?


texts: Out front attatchment for mobile phones/GPS

texts:
I'm looking for a case to mount my android as a GPS device.  I find that a lot of cases require attaching off centre (thus taking unecessary handlebar space), or have very bulky clips that don't fit around the stem, (and anyway, I like to have my cyclecomputer on the stem) or on the top bar, which often obstruct my legs or gets knocked.

Has anyone seen a mobile phone case which attaches like the Garmin out front system? (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garmin-Out-front-Bike-Mount-Edge/dp/B0096855IO) which looks like it'd do a good job of keeping the GPS at the right position for reading, without obstructing the operation of the bike.

Edit: Nexus 4, weather proofing needed! (thanks)

Thanks


texts: What is the best gear combo for me on road bike?

texts:
I've got a 2011 Specialized Secteur Elite with basic sram apex groupset.
It has the following specs:
10 speed 11-34t cassette SRAM APEX
50/34t chainwheel SRAM APEX
Currently running 700c with 25m tires
I am looking to upgrade the groupset to either the ultegra or the 105. A majority of my rides are longer (>30miles) that are relatively flat with a few hills.
I'm 6ft and weigh in about 215lbs right now.
What I am stuck on is the gear combination for my new groupset. I want to be able to go faster for longer. Obvisouly my weight plays a role so I am focusing on slimming down:) but i am currently averaging about 17mph on my rides and I want to aim for >20mph.
Based on all of this, what gear combination should I go for on my new groupset to be able to ride faster for longer? 53/39, 52/36, 50/34, 11-28, 11-30, 11-32, 11-34???


texts: Deore RD M592 with old school shimano trigger shifter

texts:
I have an old school Devinci Coyote (2002) whose Alivio rear derailleur is having trouble shifting properly. I was wondering if I could replace it with a new Deore M592 without having to change the trigger shifters (tight on the budget).

Searching on the internet seems to hint that shimano has been sticking with the 2:1 pull ratio for a long time and this could possibly be a direct drop in without much adjustments. But I would love to hear your opinion on the derailleur and the compatibility before I pull the trigger on the purchase.


texts: Tire and rim sizing, tubeless conversion?

texts:
I am looking to shave some weight off my wheels. I am currently commuting on a 26" MTB.

The ETRTO size of the rim is 559x22 and the tires are 559x54. As my commute is through the city center, I want to change to slick tires.

The question here is will the 559x42 slick tires fit on the rim?

Also, can I go tubeless with "Stan's NOTUBES" conversion kit?


texts: How to build surge brakes on bike trailer?

texts:
There are a couple of pretty good answers in How to make a cargo trailer?.  After looking at those, at the answer to What are the safety concerns of a high vs a low mount trailer hitch? and doing some other research, it seems that heavy trailers have significant safety issues around braking.

All the references I found so far indicate solutions that involve disconnecting the bike's rear brake and connecting the cable to trailer brakes.  This solution has issues of its own (mainly around not going to the trouble).

There is common solution often used on rental automotive trailers, called a surge brake.

When the tow vehicle slows down, the trailer pushes against the vehicle and that force applies the trailer brakes. In automotive solutions this is done with hydraulics.

After thinking about this a while, and noticing there are many inexpensive used kids bikes with manually applied brakes integrated in the rear wheel.

Are there any proven approaches to using surge braking on bike trailers, either with used bike parts or with new purpose constructed parts?


texts: I have had experience on a couple of mountain bikes when I could not adjust the disk brake caliper positions far enough left or right to keep the pads from rubbing the rotor a little. Is this common and/or normal? Is there a something I'm missing, or should I just bend it a little?


texts: Finding a road bike for 5'2'' girlfriend

texts:
Last year I bought myself a used (although almost never ridden) road bike from around 1985.  I love the bike.  It is reasonably light and I love the diamond geometry.

My girlfriend wants to get a used road bike but we are having a hard time finding anything on Craigslist, Kijiji, etc.  I think that this is mostly because of her height.  She is about 5'2'' so I think that she would ride something like an 18'' (46 cm) frame.

I have thought about looking at bikes with low top tubes or mixte but I think that they are heavier and more flexible than diamond shaped bikes.

So here is what I am looking for:

A 18'' inch frame (give or take)
A diamond shaped frame (lighter, less flex)
Used ideally from the 80s or 90s so that the bike is under $300 for a reasonably well made bike.  (A newer bike would be great as well however I think that it would be out of the price range).
Road frame with drop bars

Does this bike exist?  If so why can't I find any online?


texts: Is is safe to use WD40 as a matte paint protector for a carbon bike?

texts:
I like to take care of my bicycle and clean it regularly.

After a deep clean I would use Muc-Off Bike Protect to protect and preserve the matte paintwork. This works, but is pretty expensive. I do notice the distinctive WD40 smell when rubbing this solution into the frame, forks etc...

I wonder if the branded Muc-Off spray is essentially a similar formula to WD40 with the addition of a higher price tag or is there something in the Muc-Off formula that isn't present in WD40?

I am concerned that if I use WD40 on my new carbon frame and forks to preserve the matte paint job, it could ruin the pain job?

Has anyone tried to clean/preserve the matte paintwork of a carbon frame with WD40? If so, what were the results and would you recommend it as a cheaper alternative to the Muc-Off product?

Muc-Off Bike Protect link: https://muc-off.com/products/bike-protect


texts:
The SM-RT53 rotor should be used together with resin pads. If it is
  used with metal pads, the pads will wear out very rapidly.

from Shimano BR M-416 disc brake manual

How do I know if a rotor is compatible with organic pads prior to purchasing? Is it true that all rotors are?

How do I know if a rotor is compatible with sintered pads prior to purchase? Why not every rotor?


texts:
This question has been nagging me for ages.

I've read a lot of Sheldon Brown's site and actually tend to use bikes from the 70s-80s because they're more economical for daily use and especially for a student like me. But I've noticed that some of his opinions can be controversial (his discussion of "lawyer lips"), can fly in the face of industry practices (that all leather saddles, 'properly cared for', are better than any plastic saddle), questionable (that the Peugeot UO-8 makes for the greatest touring bike of all time) and then, sometimes, his opinions seem on a troll level, which I can't think of any examples off the top of my head, but have caught myself falling prey to them. A lot of his material is either very enlightening (his discussion of brake usage) or helpful in that you simply can't find the topic anywhere else on the web.

So the question is, is Sheldon Brown's site really the one-stop for all knowledge pertaining especially to older bicycles, or should he be taken simply as a prolific writer who wrote on a great many topics and should be taken with a large grain of salt? I guess the real question is, how much do bike mechanics especially and others depend on his work, or is it simply a convenient online resource for people new to the sport?


texts: How to tell what length of chain to get?

texts:
I am replacing the chain on my road bike soon.  How do I know how many links to get?  Does it have to exactly 114 or 116.  Or is it not a big deal?

I ordered a 116 link chain.  Will I need to shorten it?

Thank you.


texts: Can I put a 700 x 35 tire on a Cannondale Quick 2 that has a 700 x 28 tire?

texts: I usually ride roads with my 700 x 28 tire, but want to do a trail that has a multitude of surfaces.  So can I put a 700 x 35 on this bike?


texts: Preventing my trunk-mounted bike rack from being stolen

texts: I am new to all this - got a bike as a retirement present and bought a Saris Bones 2 bike rack. It seems to me as it is just clip on it could be stolen while I am happily off riding my bike - is this a serious risk or am I just being paranoid? If it is, any solutions?


texts: How long do new tyres last off the bike?

texts:
I'm thinking of buying 2 identical sets of tyres for my bike, one to fit immediately, and one to keep in the house as a replacement set when the first ones fail.

I'm assuming that this could be anywhere from 12–24 months, maybe more.

Will the second set of tyres still be in good condition after having been stored for that long?

And as a follow-up question, what are the best conditions to store them?


texts: Topeak rack - rear light bracket is annoying

texts: My wife has a Topeak Explorer rack.It has an bracket on the rear for a light or reflector. It is useless to mount any of the rear lights we own and is ugly. Anyone find any use for it or cut it off? I really like the rack and bag mounting system but loathe that weird metal bracket. Topeak appears to sell a light for it, but not a very good one IMHO. Thanks for any answers.


texts: Would a backpack or cargo rack be better for commuting?

texts:
Right now I use a backpack to hold all of my supplies including spare tubes, pump, patch kits, tools, my change of clothes for work, etc.

This is the backpack I use:

It's about as comfortable as a backpack can get without getting into the hiking backpacks with frames. Altogether I would say it weighs no more than 10 lbs max. The muscles in my back get slightly irritated during my commute.

Would it be more comfortable to use a rear cargo rack on my bike instead? Will adding more weight to the bike change how the bike rides and feels?

EDIT:
After doing some research I came across this article that explains the different methods of carrying your gear on commutes and how it affects your body. It's worth a look.

EDIT #2:
Having tried both for a couple of weeks now, I can say that (for me personally) the backpack is the better way to go given the relatively light weight I have to carry.

If you do use a backpack, make sure that the straps are tightened enough so that it's positioned higher up on your back and to the point to where there is little to no movement on your back. This makes a world of difference when it comes to comfort.


texts: How do I find a replacement Seat Post Binder screw for CAAD8

texts:
I was in my garage getting my bike ready for a ride, tightening up the seat post binder when I noticed it said 5NM on it so I decided to grab one of my cheap Harbor Freight torque wrenches from my automotive toolbox 2 feet away and I'm guessing that wasn't a great idea as the bolt wound up snapping.

Does anyone know the size of the screw? If I go to a local bike shop will they be able to sell me one? Do I need to know the exact year, size, anything about my bike other than make/model? Will I need a whole new seatbinder?


texts: What does an expensive wheel have over a cheap wheel?

texts:
I'm looking to get a new front wheel at the moment for what is (supposed to be) an inexpensive commuter bike. My question is what's so good about a £100 wheel vs a £25 wheel?

The cheapest option my usual port of call had available was over £100. I appreciate that these guys only stock good quality stuff but I just don't have that kind of money to invest right now.

I then found this on Amazon at a fraction of the cost. I have no doubt that it's a worse quality wheel but what practical difference does that actually make? Is it just the weight? Are there safety concerns?


texts: How should I train for a century while still commuting by bike to work?

texts: I'm going to start training for a May gravel century at the end of March. This is my first century. I plan to follow this training schedule here: http://www.kintera.org/htmlcontent.asp?cid=54755. My concern is that I commute by bike to work, which is 6 miles each way. Tuesday through Friday's rides will be on a stationary at the gym over lunch, which means I'll be also riding two separate 6 mile rides on those days. On one hand I'll be putting an additional 12 miles in. On the other hand they won't be consecutive miles and will be broken into 3 different rides those days. Should I adjust the training miles to account for this, or just ignore my commute miles?


texts: Would "fat" tires help me learn skinnies/log rides?

texts:
I'm relatively new to mountain biking, and am considering purchasing a new, less expensive bike to help me learn to ride wooden obstacles (skinnies, curved bridges, etc.) without fear of damaging my "good" mountain bike in a hard fall.

I've also wanted to pick up a snow bike (or "fat bike"), but can't really justify the cost considering my area gets, at most, 3 or so snowstorms per year. But looking at these two issues together makes me wonder: would the wider, lower-pressure tires on a snow bike make it easier to learn correct technique & feel for riding on slick, wooden obstacles? What would be the benefits/drawbacks of very wide vs. standard-width MTB tires in this scenario?


texts: How to properly attach a "tag-along" bicycle

texts:
I have a tag-along for my son that wants to join me on some rides. It's a great way for father-son bonding. He's 7yo.
I've attached the collar of the tag-along to my seat post, and tightened the four bolts. However, without instructions (2nd hand tag-along), I only tightened them hard enough so I cannot move the pinion by hand that's attached to the seat post.

When I connected the tag-along itself, I had to align the holes with the pinion so that I can slide in the quick-release pressure lever and hold everything in place.

However, when we went riding and I started to turn left or right, the whole tag-along "bent" downwards throwing my son off it!

The pinion attached to my seat post was simply not tight enough, and it would turn left or right in the direction we were going, but this caused the other moving parts of the tag-along to follow it, resulting in the tag-along turning on it's side and throwing my son off!

Obviously I've made it tighter, but it may loosen over time.

Any recommendations or tips on how to properly secure a tag-along to the bike itself? I am tempted to drill a 10mm hole through my seat post and the pinion to tighten the lot, with a proper bolt.

Thanks


texts: What is the usual value of a Fit bike pro bmx second hand?

texts:
There are some photos of the bike http://imgur.com/a/rIozR

Can I get a rough value of it?


texts: Should my pedal be this shape or is it bent?

texts: I took my pedals off my old bike to grease them and I noticed that they were both splayed outwards on the outside edge.  This means that either they sit on the top of the axle cup (if that is the name) on only one side.  If they are in place on the outside cup the inside edge rolls round the nut of the axle.  I wanted to replace the dust caps to stop them gunking up inside but it would cause them to sit in this position.  Are they bent, should they be like this? If they are can I just bend them back?  They need replacing at some point but I can't do it at the moment.


texts: Bike computer that logs all data to smartphone

texts:
Is there a cycling computer that logs all data on your bike and can output that data to a smartphone in a meaningful way?

The issue with something like a Garmin Edge and Strava is the notion of "workouts". Besides times I'm actually working out, I ride my bike everywhere, and though a 1.5km ride to get groceries seems negligible, in a single day I can get 20km of these short rides in.

Ideally, something like a good old Cateye Velo 7, which logs as soon as movement is detected, but can sync all the data to my phone where I can see graphs and all the good things modern health apps provide.


texts: Rear derailleur hitting chainstay (video in the post)

texts:
I filmed a little video of the process: https://youtu.be/ejJsIWrrFTU

Does anyone know how to solve the problem? Apart from attaching piece of rubber to the chainstay? It is really annoying, because if terrain becomes even a little bit rough, like messed pavement with pot holes and cracks, there is always that rattling sound. I heard that SRAM RD's are better and do not hit the chainstay. I'd like to stick to 9 speed if possible. I am currently running 1x9 setup. As you can see 9 speed cassete alivio or acera (not sure on this), Deore - RD, and Acera shifter. I want to upgrade to 1x11 eventually, but for the time being I just don't have much money to spare. I was thinking about buying SRAM 9 speed for ~60$, will it help? Will it work with my shifter? Are there any other solutions?

Thanks


texts: I want to ride a bike, but its dangerous for me to have weight on my arms

texts:
I ride about 6 miles a day to work and back.  I would like to ride more, but because of a bum shoulder I am increasingly getting into dangerous situations and I want to give up riding.

I have a Giant bicycle that I got used off a guy.  It's a fine bike, but the angle is such that all my weight is pressing down toward my hands.  I have dislocated my shoulder at least five times from things that should not have even caused a problem (e.g. I ran over a walnut and my shoulder dislocated.  Another time a dog barked and the startle made my shoulder dislocate.  Both times I fell off the bike in the middle of the street).

Hopefully in the near future I can get some surgery to rectify the shoulder problems.  But I am looking for a bike that I can use for getting to work and back, with a more upright seating position that would put the weight on my butt, not on my arms.  I would also appreciate a bike whose gears do not ghost shift while going up a hill.  Any suggestions for what I should be looking for in a more suitable bike?


texts: Identifying features of a mountain bike specific to a tall and heavy rider?

texts:
I recently found some local bike trails that have everything from flat gravel to dirt bike jumps. I'm looking for a bike that can hold me through off road biking. I don't plan on doing any jumps or anything, but definitely offroad trails.

I've looked around a bunch and haven't been able to find many bikes that have an actual weight limit listed.

I'm hoping to find something around the middle of the price range, but I know most things for heavy guys tend to be a lot more expensive.

I am brand new to biking so any and all tips are very much appreciated!  I'm 6'3" (~190cm) and 325lbs (~147kg).


texts:
I have a 3x9 gearing installed and I've noticed that the chain broke, by failure of master link, twice within 25 km. Interestingly, the failure was perpendicular to the direction of motion:

What am I doing wrong?


texts: Imported time-lapse from bike ride does not sync with G-Metrix data in VIRB Edit

texts:
I have imported a time-lapse (1 frame/sec resolution) video from my GoPro Hero4 into VIRB Edit.  It's from a 96 minute bike ride, which shows up as a 4 minute video.

When I import G-Metrix (GPX) data from my Garmin Fenix 5, it does not align with the video.   It sees it as a 4 minute bike ride.

How to make VIRB Edit properly recognize the video as a time-lapse?  Or how do I "compress" the GPX so that it matches the video?


texts: Tried to tighten the brakes, won't grip at all

texts:
I have a big problem. I know I could get this fixed with a mechanic, but really want to learn how to do it myself. I tried to fix (fool around) with my brakes a little the other day. The brakes are Shimano Nexave BR-IM70-R rollerbrakes.

I loosened the "thing" that connects the cable to the actual brake pads, but when I tried to fasten it again the brakes don't grip at all. That is to say, when I pull the lever at the handle, the cable is pulled, but doesn't grip the brake at all.

I have tried watching videos online, but none of them seems to deal with this problem. Also, I have tried to find the name of the brakes, but I am unsure where to look at the bicycle. Hope that someone would be able to guide me on the right path

Here are some pictures:


texts: Different tone of lens in glasses for bicycle

texts: I bought yellow glasses for bicycle, and one lens has little bit less tone (more lighter). Is this defect?


texts: Where is the proper location to measure the tube size?

texts: I need to replace a tube in my bike. I know there are many tire sizes. I bought 26', assuming that my bike was that size, and realized when I got home that I didn't even know where to measure from. What is the correct location to measure in order to get the correct size of tubes?


texts: Cane Creek "universal" hoods and Shimano 600 (BL-6400) lever compatibility

texts:
Does anyone happen to know know if these Cane Creek "universal" hoods are compatible with these vintage Shimano 600 (BL-6400) levers?
It's okay if they don't fit quite perfectly or if I have to trim them a bit to get them to fit.


texts:
I bought a Hopper 20" Folding Electric bike. This is basically a white-branded Viking E-Go bike when sold via Tesco UK.

But I am quite tall so I need a longer seatpost for it to be comfortable to ride. How can I go about finding a replacement seat that would go higher than the default one?


texts: Why front derailleur is rubbing crank arm?

texts:
Last week I realized that when I am on the big ring, crank arm touches front derailleur slightly. If I try to fix that with limit screw, then chain does the same (if I am on rear smallest gear). So it seems that there is not enough space between chain and crank arm for my front derailleur and I can't understand why.

My front derailleur is 1.5-2mm above from big ring and it is quite parallel to it. There is no bent or damage on front derailleur.

My components are;

Ultegra r8000 front and rear derailleur
Cassette 11-32T (shimano 105)
Ultegra chain
Ultegra r8000 crank set (52-36)
Bike is Canyon Endurace Al (components were ultegra 6800 few months ago)

So if you have any idea about how to fix it or what is the problem here I would like to learn.

By the way I have right arm only Stages Gen 3 power meter on crankset, but it seems irrelevant to me.

FD out most
FD outmost 2
Best adjustment possible


texts: Someone on Craigslist is selling this Kinetic bike trainer for $100. I was interested when I saw the title, but I thought Kurt Kinetic trainers were green and this looks wrong. Is this a knockoff?


texts: The gash is about 3 inches long. Should I toss the tire or should I keep it?


texts:
I ride a road bike with carbon frame and fork an hydraulic flat mount disc brakes. A fews days ago the front disc was slightly rubbing on the braking pad, so I readjusted the position of the braking saddle (loosen mounting scews, pull brake, thighten screws back accordingly to producer manual Nm). This worked fine and the rub is gone and hasn't come back.
However, when I put force on the handlebars - and thus the fork - like pulling handlebars when restart after red light stop or when ridding out of the saddle, there is a slight rub when applying force. It immediatly stops rubbing when ridding "normal".
So should I be concernd about this/reajust the brakes? Or is this just the fork flexing under pressure and nothing to worry about?


texts:
I wanted to buy a bike and started checking for one online. I went through some nice ones on Aliexpress.com but the price is very suspicious to me. It's not just the price but also the free shipping via those expensive shipping companies.

Can someone (especially someone who understands Chinese) tell me if those are real bikes?

Check THIS link as an example.


texts: Full suspension or hardtail for offroad in South Wales

texts:
I mountain bike in the hills of South Wales. I am due a new bike and have been riding a 17kg full sus for a few years now. I mostly ride 15-20 miles every week (hopefully more when the summer arrives) of moderatley technical terrain and the occasional trail center and big ride. I'm of average skill and a fairly hefty guy at 14.5 stone and often give the bike a good few knocks and abuse.

I cannot decide whether to buy a full suspension or hardtail bike. My budget is £1000. There are a few half decent full sus' bike around for under this with the current sales. Also a load of really good hardtails. Can anyone point me towards something suitable?


texts: Is it possible to move my rear derailleur so that it does not touch the chain?

texts: My chain is touching part of the rear derailleur. Is it possible to move the derailleur so the chain does not touch it?


texts:
I have a 29" tire on my mountain bike and want to know if
I can I use or switch to a 27.5" mountain bike tire?


texts:
I am 180 cm tall and I recently bought a Talon 3, with large frame and tire 29 through the website. I searched and I found that large frame is good for me. When I wanted to pick it up, I found it seems large for me and when I seat, my toes just touch the ground. Can I know if it is ok and I should replace it with another bike? I am new and I am not familiar how large my bike should be and what tire size is perfect.
Thanks


texts: Bike ideas for cross-country - trail biking. I am 6ft & 85 kg

texts:
What style of bike would you suggest for cross-country trails for a beginner? Think mud and gravel trails (in a coffee estate).

I weigh 85 kg and am 6 feet tall and am looking to spend ~2k USD.

Mainly I am confused about the following aspects:

Cross country or trail or full suspension.
Brakes (should I go for both disk brakes on both front & back).
Rim size
Kind of gears

I have done some basic research but am quite confused with the wealth of information online. Sincerely appreciate some pointers in the right direction.


texts: Can I upgrade V-brake to disk brake for Cannondale Quick Cx 5

texts:
I have a Cannondale Quick Cx5 with V brake.
I'm wondering whether I can upgrade to disk brake?


texts:
I picked up this very cool 96-97 GT rage from Craigslist with the intention of restoration- a few rusty pinch bolts, spider eggs in the brake hoods, grinding bearings and pitted races, and all the good stuff that comes to a bike living outside for 5 years.

I was excited to get my first aluminum frame for the project as I knew it wouldn't be rusted like steel would have. (It spent a lot of time in the rain.) It wasn't for another day until I found hairline cracks forming under the seat post clamp and around the GT rear stamp. I suspect the clamp was over tightened at one point, but it was very normal when I got to it and the little slit cut into the back of the tube isn't squished or malformed which I've seen happen on steel frames that were over tightened.

How long will the frame actually last? It's a GT so it's got the triple triangle so I'm not worried about my seat stays coming loose or my seat post falling into the tube. Should I be? I know fatigue cracks in some places means it's time to trash the frame, but I'm not a pro racer and I ride pretty lightly. I'm interested in other people's experiences with aging aluminim and possibly hearing thoughts aside from putting it on the curb for trash day.

I can feel the cracks with my fingernail but they're too small to actually fit my nail inside.

I've read 7005 aluminim cannot be repaired since it requires heat treatment. I love this bike because I love 90s and GT (and its so hard to find tall frames that aren't 70s gas pipe builds)
but I'm not sure it's worth being a money pit. Are there other repair options? Does drilling cracks actually work? Can I permanently install the seat tube?


texts:
I'm riding fixed gear with H Plus Son SL42 rims and Schwalbe Lugano.

I'm thinking about changing my tires to be able to ride in snow/wet roads, but in the H Plus Son site I don't see the maximum size tire that I can fit in the rim.

Given the following diagram, what's the maximum tire that could fit?

I've seen some Schwalbe that look good, but they are 700x30C and 700x33C...


texts: Dealing with cars harassing cyclists in the US

texts:
Tonight as my partner was out riding a car swerved over to the fog line as it passed and laid on the horn before speeding off. While most of the driver around here are extremely courteous something like this happens to one or the other of us several times a year. For the most part we're just thankful that the car only came close and annoyed by the powerless feeling in response to what seems like harassment. Usually the car is gone before we can get a plate or other good identifying information.

So, the question, is there anything worth doing in response to incidents like this? I'm wondering about things like:

Reporting to police
Using a helmet camera or something like one in hopes of capturing the plate
Letters to the editor of local papers


texts: How is a frame designed for an easy step-thru?

texts:
My question is very specific towards bikes which have a curved top-tube. How is it decided that a particular

height of the top tube above the ground for a set of people in a certain height range is good enough to allow easy step through? Is there any biomechanical aspect to it or is it simply decided based on a survey conducted among a large number of people in that height range?

Or is it decided purely on aesthetic reasons?

I am trying to come up with such a concept, but I am simply unable to find any strong basis for determining this particular parameter.


texts: What are the pros and cons of front and rear suspension?

texts:
I'm buying a bike for delivery in the suburbs, I need to go over grass/dirt/sidewalks, and sometimes drop down over the kerb back onto the road, and it will be sunny most of the time but I also need to be able to ride in the rain.

I'm trying to decide whether I need front/rear suspension or both, but I can't understand how to decide and what the differences are.

Does suspension reduce acceleration? Does it reduce max speed? Does it reduce braking power? I understand that it's a trade-off somehow and I'm willing to make this trade-off if it has some benefits, but I don't understand what the pros and cons are.

Also, what's the difference between front and rear suspension? And how do I decide whether I want 1 or the other or both? If I want 1 do I always want both?


texts: Chain length and cassette tooth count relationship

texts:
A little context first: I'm going to be riding in the French Alps and plan to tackle some of the classic climbs (Alpe D'Huez, Galibier, etc) next month - I currently have a Campagnolo Athena 50/34 (compact) chainset paired to an Athena 11 speed 11-27 cassette on the rear. None of the drive-train components are anywhere near worn enough for that to be an issue. Additionally, the rear derailleur cage is able to deal with the full range of the 11-29 cassette so this is also not an issue.

What I am considering is swapping out the 11-27 cassette with an 11-29 to give myself a little extra in terms of 'safety gears' - better to be overgeared than undergeared in my opinion!

My question is this: will I have to replace the chain when replacing the cassette, for example due to chain length?

My reasoning is that since I will only ever use the 29 tooth on the cassette with the 34 tooth chainring, that chain length should not be an issue. As above, the chain is not in need of replacement due to wear, so that is not part of the consideration. Perhaps I'm missing something?


texts:
I have a hybrid bike which has dropped handlebars with Shimano Tiagra dual brake/gear levers.
The front mech is a Tiagra triple ring and the back mech is Shimano Deore XT (9 sprockets)
I have developed back problems and now need a more upright position when riding and am hoping to convert my bike to a flatbar.
Can anyone help in identifying the options for compatible Gear Shifters.
Thanks in advance


texts: What causes the threads on bike pedals to become stripped?

texts:
Is there something I can do to prevent my bike pedals from wearing out? And what causes the threads on a bike pedal to wear out?

I have a 4 year old Raleigh road bike with just regular open pedals. After 300 miles of riding, I had to replace the pedals because one of them broke off when the threads on the arm that the pedal screws into wore out.

The bike repairman offered to send the pedal out to be re-threaded but that would have taken a week and cost more than just replacing the pedals.

Any suggestions or recommendations?


texts: How do the adjustment barrels on a gear cable work?

texts: I have a Shimano Sora derailleur on the bike I just bought with a triple chainring in the front. Right up by the shifters there is a sort of barrel adjuster on the cable. It doesn't seem to do anything when twiddled. When I was fiddling with the adjustment at the other end, and disconnected the whole cable by accident, this adjuster was separated from the cable covers on each side. I couldn't figure out at all how it was supposed to work. There didn't seem to be any threads, or screw mechanism to make it grow or shrink when adjusted. Yet it clearly does something. Can anyone explain what, and how?


texts: Sprayed Lubricant on Hydraulic Brakes, how to clean?

texts:
I was spraying some lubricant on my chain and accidentally sprayed on my hydraulic brakes and it affects my bikes braking power massively.
How do I clean this off?


texts:
I have a 26 inch 24 speed mountain bike.
When I get another bike, can I re-use the Sunrace indexed shifters on the new bike?
It would be a 26 inch bike also.


texts: What are the differences between road rims/wheels and hybrid?

texts:
I recently purchased a carbon fiber wheel for my bike. It turns out the wheel isn't right for my hybrid bike for a number of reasons: brake availability, hub diameter, rim width, etc.

So now I'm on the market for a performance rim that will fit my hybrid bike. But I don't know, when looking at the specs for a rim/wheel, what I need to look for to ensure this is the right wheel for my bike.

What are the specs / measurements / features that determine whether a rim is designed to fit a road bike vs. a hybrid/commuter bike?


texts: Damaged my cog while taking it off. Is there any possibility of repairing it?


texts: Is China dumping cheap spokes on America market?

texts: My Raleigh dealer told me my spokes keep breaking because China is dumping spokes made with cheap metal on American markets that rust from the inside.  I'm being charged $100 US dollars to swap Chinese spokes for American spokes on the front wheel only.  He says this is a problem across the country, but especially here in NE Florida.  What should I do?


texts:
I am from Mumbai, India. And as some of you might be knowing, it is a pretty crazy traffic on roads here. Many times, it so happens that trucks, cars etc. may force you to get off the road while you are riding (there might be other reasons like dogs, children playing, cows etc.) And that drops you to a level about 3-10 cm lower from the main road.

My question is, whenever one tries to get back on the road, climbing 3-10 cm road height, while being parallel to the road, almost surely makes the bike skid and makes rider fall (head in the traffic position).

The problem is worse when it is 'mumbai-rain' raining!

Getting off the bicycle - climbing back on road - riding, can't be a solution. Traffic is way too crazy to allow you doing that.

I ride Trek marlin 29er, But I have put slick (700c-35) tires on it, so it doesn't have good grip sideways. And many of my friends ride locally made cheap bikes, which certainly-certainly do not have good grip on the road whatsoever.

So what are the techniques one should use for this kind of problem?


texts: What is the name of the manufacturer of this Chinese made bicycle?

texts: I have a Trac (no 'k') Forever 200 bicycle from China (complete with Chinese writing on it). Any idea who the manufacturer is? Is this bike common in China? I can't find anything online about them.  Thanks.


texts: 27 inch tires significantly harder to change than 700c

texts:
I've got a newer road bike I use for my longer, faster weekend rides (700c tires) and a 70's Sekai that I use to ride with my son, and to run errands (27" tires).

I have no problem changing tires/tubes on the 700c set, but I always have a terrible time changing the 27" set. I usually end up pinch-flatting the tube while trying to wrestle the tire/tube onto the wheel.

Am I doing something wrong? Does anyone else have this problem?


texts:
Should a chain be lubed each time after riding in the rain*?

What about a 100km mudride (occasional water up to the hubs)? Should I stop in the middle of the ride to re-lube the chain? If so, is it essential to wipe the chain? Note that wiping with a piece of paper will be much less effective than with the cleaning device at home, so some mud and sand will be pushed into the rollers by the oil.

Can dry chain be felt somehow, instead of relying on mileage and weather observations? How to do it?

* - many lubes are marketed as holding a film for months


texts: Why won't the front derailleur change into the largest gear after changing cranks?

texts: We changed to a longer set of cranks (same make), and have tightened the crank as tight as it will go without stripping. There is still a space of approx 2mm between the crank and the lip on the bottom bracket (can't remember whether that gap was there when  we took it off. ) But now the front derailleur won't change onto the largest gear,  and the adjustment is at its max. We cannot tighten the bottom bracket either.  Any ideas,  please?


texts: Road bike's Crank & Cassette on a MTB, what's the catch?

texts:
MTB's cranks usually have a 42 or 44T where as Road bikes range up to 53T.

So far I am under a impression that more tooth, means more speed. Same goes for cassettes, lesser the tooth more the speed.

But, nothing is as it seems, I want to know what are bad things I expect when I take this move? Is it that bad, that it would be simply better to forget about it and move on?

My main intention is to create a super fast MTB, where possible.

  Please Note: I am not a expert on crank & cassette


texts: Is it difficult to do a post-break-in wheel tune-up?

texts:
I've heard that when you get new wheels you should put a couple hundred miles on them to let everything get set in and get an initial stretch, then do a tune up.

Can I just go by feel and tighten the spokes that seem a litte lose?  I don't think the wheels are untrue, they're heavy duty wheels.  Are there any tricks to this initial tune up?


texts:
I have seen videos of people riding wheelies and letting go of the handlebars.
I have tried doing the same but I have no idea how to do it.

I can ride wheelies easily on my mountain bike.
I am well in balance and not accelerating but everytime I try to let go of the handlebars, the front wheel just goes back down. To keep the wheelie up, I am constantly pulling the handlebar towards me to keep the balance.

So how is possible to ride a wheelie without pulling the handlebars?


texts: Help with setting up Windsor Kensington bike on CycleOps Mag+ trainer

texts: I love biking and know basically nothing about bikes. Could somebody walk me through what I need to do to set up this bike with this trainer? I have no idea how to attach the skewer to my wheel. Thank you!


texts: Looking for the brand of this bike - like the style and color. Only have the photo


texts: What kind of tire should I purchase for use on a bike trainer?

texts: I am in the process of acquiring a bike trainer (likely CycleOps Fluid 2) for winter conditioning.  Most of the reviews and other information I have read suggestion that a regular road tire will be damaged or quickly worn out on a trainer.  What type of tires or specific models/brands should I look for use on a trainer?  Should I get a different rear wheel/tire that I change out during the winter conditioning season?


texts: How hard is it to disassemble and reassemble a bottom bracket?

texts:
I ride an SE Lager. It's a pretty cheap and crappy bike. I've had to replace pretty much everything on it due to wear/breakage.

The only area I haven't tackled is the bottom bracket. I can confidently remove/replace/tune all other parts of the bike, but I'm not sure what is involved in the bottom bracket. I'm pretty keen to just pull it apart and check it out, even if it doesn't need replacing right now, so that I'm confident I can do it when it does need replacing. Plus I'm curious and think it'd be fun :)

According to the spec, the bottom bracket is "Euro cartidge sealed bearing w/Alloy Cups". This doesn't seem very informative to me.

Questions:

Will I need any special tools to remove and replace the bearings?
What should I look for when I do get it apart?
How would I go about getting replacement bearings? Do I need to take the whole bike to the LBS or can I tell what I'd need (size/specifications) without needing the bike there?


texts: Which shifters are compatible with dura ace 740x?

texts: I've read that Shimano updated the cable pull ratio on their other series early on but not for Dura-Ace until 1997 with the 7700. Which downtube shifting levers are compatible with their 7400/7401/7402 deraillers?


texts: Shimano SIS Rear derailleur fixing problem

texts:
I have the shimano sis rear derailleur which needs fixing. I took it off the wheel while I was fixing the puncture in the rear wheel. Now I am not able to fix it. It keeps coming off when I am pedaling especially while going on the hills.

As you can see the fitting end is not a ring. So it comes off easily. Also there is small bolt, not sure what it name is, is blocking the derailiuer going fully into the axle.

I need help please. Until this is fixed, I cant use the bike.

Thanks in advance.


texts: Need help identifying a vintage road bike, possible Benotto 3000

texts:
I have this bike that I bought at a local store, I'm from Costa Rica> The manager sold it to me as a Benotto, but I can not find anything that tells me that it is apart from the stickers. The headtube lugs have a form that I have not been able to find in any other type of vintage bicycle. Is it simply a generic frame of the 80s?

On the bottom bracket shell it says only JSP 251


texts: I have a schwinn ranger 24" with a tourneyTX derailleur, what options/alternatives do I have to change the rear derailleur?

texts:
I am not sure what derailleur options I have available to me here. I don't know the specifics are to get a rear derailleur that fits this bike. I am not too familiar with bikes or what parts I can and cannot use. I couldn't for instance, go to the a department store and pick the first rear derailleur I see off the shelf, right? It would have to be the right specs. My question is what are the correct specs for this bike to find an alternative rear derailleur? The current one I have has broken gears. Aside from that the rest of the bike is in overall good condition, just need a new derailleur.

Thank you


texts: I havent ridden a bike since I was a kid. And now I just purchased a second hand one to go to and from work and I found the seat like sitting on a block of wood. It was horrible! What is the best seat to get? I was going to get a large padded one but now after reading some posts saying they were no good, i dont know what to do. I know nothing about this. Please help me. Thanks!


texts: What is the proper etiquette for overtaking a horse?

texts: What are the general rules when encountering a mounted rider (on a horse) on a trail? I understand if we are approaching each other I would dismount, move to the side of the trail and allow them to pass. However if we are traveling in the same direction and I am overtaking them (say going down hill) how would you alert the rider and not startle the horse? I have not yet come upon a rider on my regular trails but I have noticed an increase in road "apples", so I know it is inevitable.I have heard that dismounting is important as the horse may not recognize you as a person due to the unusal movement(from the horses perspective).


texts: What is the risk of bottoming out a fork?

texts:
What are the risks of allowing a fork to bottom out, could this cause damage to or worse a catastrophic failure of the fork?

I'm wanting to increase my preset sag to  around 30% and believe I should be fine with 120mm of travel on relatively tame XC single track. However the pressure for this is significantly under the recommended psi for my weight.


texts: I have cyclocross bike with alu frame (Focus Mares). It is currently running on Continental Cross tires which are  around 400g. I mostly ride it in city and sometimes go for weekend tours in countryside, but also on solid roads. Now I thinking on putting Schwable Marathon Plus 37-622 tires on it which are around 960g. Is it fine to do that? I get more robust tires, but at the same time solid weight increase. Will it make any bad impact on frame reducing its lifetime for ex.?


texts: Could I use the Ogio Mach 5 bag for cycling?

texts:
I commute to work by bicycle and had a recent incident that involved Supermanning over the bonnet of a car and landing on the tarmac. I'm a software developer and carry a high-end laptop with me which was damaged in the fall. A motorcyclist friend recommended the Ogio Mach 5 which is designed for motorcycle riders and has a hard shell. I'm thinking of using this for cycling.

Has anyone here had experience of this bag? Do you think it would suit cycling?
Otherwise, any other hardshell bags out there that would carry a 17.3 inch laptop and suitable for cycling?

My thinking is that MTB riding position is similar to some motorbikers so it could work well.


texts: Rear wheel stuck after taking off nuts on axle

texts:
As in the title. I was trying to do some repairs after my derailer snapped and damaged the bike. When taking the rear wheel off (to get to the fender) the wheel got stuck in place after taking the lugs off one side.
The other lug is too tight to remove, (using my wrench is stripping the nut) Does anyone know of any fixes?


texts: MInor (I think) dent in top of Orbea Alma top tube - frame ok or no?

texts:
UPDATE: My lbs mech / owner (same guy) looked at it this AM, says it is good to go, 'ride the hell out of it', he 100% backs it up. And FWIW re: the specifics of this frame and why it's purely cosmetic, he tells me that the top of the top tube, in that area, isn't the load-bearing part (the sides of the top tube are where the material's beefed up and takes the load). Which makes logical sense to me, for this frame anyway (I wouldn't speculate about other frames, I think frame-specific knowledge is key here). The sides of the top tube show zero signs of the impact, no bending / warping, etc etc. Good to go.
Anyway, thanks to all for the input, much appreciated! Ride on...
-cw
2015 Orbea Alma alum frame top tube, looking front left to back right. This pic gives the best angle on the contour - the sides of the top tube feel unaffected by this dent, and you can see from the black center line bisecting the tube that the majority of dent is on the left from the left shifter pod, so what you see here is the worst of it I think. Any general impressions regarding whether I have killed this frame or not would be much appreciated, thank you -


texts: Which gears not to use in a 2 X 9 gear bike

texts:
I am new to biking. I bought a hybrid bike with 9 gears at the back tire and 2 gears at the front. For reference lets say gears at front (chain ring) are numbered 1-2 and gears at back are numbered 1-9. As the numbers increase the the cycle becomes harder to pedal (for both front and back). For example if you switch from 1 to 2 at front cycle is harder to pedal. And if you switch from 2 to 3 at back tire, the cycle is harder to pedal.

Now my question is this. Are there certain gear combinations, I should not be using. Can you write those combinations down for me like (1 back, 5 front). So I can use that for reference. The particular problem I am having is that when I am at around 7-9 at back and 1 or 2 at front the cycle starts making a weird noise. Is it normal? Any other combination I should not use?


texts:
I bought it this way without the seller noting the issue, so experience from riding with these is zero. Rims are Ritchey Girder OCRs. The crack is pretty small, but noticeable, and I will be running Maxxis DTHs on it, so I will pretty much load the inner tube with 70-80 psi or maybe even more. The crack runs unto the inside of the rim. The brake surface is still thick and deep and I doubt that it's worn out its lifespan.
I just want to know if I can still use these in the long run without compromising safety. I know a crack on a rim is stating the obvious and if I'm skeptical, it would be smart to just buy a new rim, but I'm in need of a well functioning bike as the pandemic restricts public transportation, and buying a new rim just doesn't fit my budget right now.
If I can repair these, how would I proceed? These rims are too beautiful to let go, and it would be nice if I can do something about it.
I shined a flashlight through the crack and it seems that light does not seep through it, if ever that helps. I will inspect it further to see if the crack I saw from the inside is just from the paint and not the aluminium. By any chance, if it is just a deep surface scratch, will the rim still be usable for a long time or so? If it helps, I won't be using v/u brakes.
Picture of the supposed crack in the inner part of the side wall:


texts: City bikes-- frame sizing for smaller cyclists

texts:
I'm a 5'1" woman looking to purchase a classic bike for transport/leisure. Unfortunately here in the London and in neighbouring cities/countries, I can only find 17"+ frames available. Most sizing charts recommend 15" for me.

Perhaps I have more flexibility given that I'm not properly sizing for a road/mountain bike or anything. Would a 17" frame be ok? I don't want to strain my knees or risk back issues.

Total novice at this, but I also measured my inseam in two different ways. 28.5" maximum if I want 1 inch of room while standing over the seat. 23" if I use the book method and allow 5 inches of room while standing over the seat. Seems like a lot of 17" bikes online lower down to 26" inseam height.

Many thanks!


texts:
I have a RockShox Recon Gold (100mm travel) fork, 2017 year of production.
I have made 150 hours service. Followed the instructions carefully, disassembled it, have cleaned everything, changed seals and foam rings, put the right amount of correct RockShox original oils into lower legs, damper, and air chamber.
Assembled it carefulle.
Then I pumped the correct pressure (85psi) into the piston.

After all that my fork stopped working correctly at all.
It now travels for only about 15mm, and then it hits some solid resistance as if a wall. Rebound is slow and makes weird noises.

What should I do about it?
Thank you.


texts: What to do about hypothermia on a long ride?

texts:
Recently, I had a long ride in winter, about 100km (62 miles) and was about 5-8 degree c (41-46F). I was wearing a windstopper jacket and basic cycling pants.

At later stage of the ride I felt legs aren't producing enough pedaling force and muscles feel quite painful and sore. And eventually I am home. Even though it was pretty warm, I still felt myself not producing any heat. I even tried putting myself into a hot shower and I was still shaking... And then I started to eat a lot. And It still didn't stop me from shaking...

And I then went to bed with electrical warming blankets and started to recover.

My question is, what are the symptoms and what should you do to avoid hypothermia in a winter ride. What if you are already suffering from hypothermia?


texts:
My local bike shop have one of these green nozzles that anyone can use to pump their bike. They say that only companies can buy those, but I would really like such for my blue compressor.

What I like about this type is that there is no tap that needs to be flipped like so many pumps have.

Does anyone know what such nozzle is called and perhaps online shops that allow for end users to buy such?


texts: Is it safe to bolt my single-speed chainring to the other side of the crank?

texts:
Background: I converted a 21-speed bicycle to single-speed by removing the derailleurs and installing a single-speed freewheel and crankset.

The chainline is no longer straight, and I would like to get it closer to straight. At the moment, I'm not ready to re-dish the rear wheel or replace the bottom bracket with a narrower one, and I am exploring more convenient options for adjusting the chainline.

I noticed that, although the chainring that came with drive-side crank is bolted to the outside surface of that crank, the inside surface of the crank also appears to be designed to accommodate a chainring. If I move the chainring from the outside, it reduces front chainline as desired, while still leaving adequate clearance from my frame.

My question is, is this safe? Am I correct in inferring that the single-speed crankset is designed to allow this? (I could not find any mention of this configuration in the instructions that came with the crankset.)

Here is how the crankset looks out of the box:

Here is the other surface that I think the chainring can be bolted to:

Here is how it looks after I move the chainring (on an older but very similar crankset):


texts:
So, I have this tire with a factory sealed bearing.  It has a few broken spokes.  TO get these off, I'd need to remove the freewheel.  Sadly, the "studs" on both sides seem to turn independently, suggesting the axle is broken.  As a result, I don't know how to brace the axle so I can unscrew the freewheel and get it off.  Or should I even ride it like that at all?

What I'm asking is, is this wheel repairable, or should I buy a new one?


texts:
I recently bought a bicycle, and have found the need to purchase a cargo rack to go on the back of it.

After scouring Amazon looking for a reasonable one, I’ve discovered that, while there are many “brand names” they all use exact same image/version of cargo rack.

Anyone have any suggestions?

If it helps, I have a disc-brake system on my bicycle.

Thanks!


texts: Can I upgrade brakes despite interface difference

texts:
At one point I had to replace my rear V-brake mech (at the wheel).  At first I tried a Shimano BR-M432, recommended by and bought from my LBS.  I brought it home to do it myself, but the more I looked at it the more it seemed like a bad fit.  In two significant ways, the Shimanos were shaped differently (see pictures) from the generic brakes that came with the bike.

The mechanic at the LBS insisted he could make them fit, but in the end I returned them.  Instead, I bought something off eBay that looked like it had the same design as the one I was replacing.  That's what I'm using now.

So my question is, was the mechanic at the LBS right?  Would the BR-M432's have worked?

(The reason I'm asking is my current brakes really could be better so I'm looking at this again.  I assume the Shimanos were more like a standard than the generic ones I have, meaning fit at the mounting interface will likely be a problem with any good replacement brakes?)

In the pictures you can see two potential problems, 1) the return spring mounting pin is shorter and 2) the brake body doesn't slide all the way onto the mounting post on the frame.  Together, these mean the return spring pin penetration is about 3mm or 4mm less with the new brake.  On top of that, the new one's return spring pin is conical on the end, not squared off, giving it even more wiggle room.


texts:
I'm starting to spec out a dynamo hub wheel build for light touring/randonneuring. Was planning on going with a Shutter Precision hub, but just stumbled on these Panasonic hubs on sale at Soma for $21. While that seems suspiciously cheap, they retail for around $100 at other online sellers, which is on par with the SP hub I have picked out (plus I know I've seen some pretty insane deals on Soma in the past).
Just wondering if anyone has experience with these Panasonic dynamos (in terms of overall quality, but also with regard to how serviceable they are).
Don't want to pass up a great deal just because I'm suspicious of a sale price, but obviously don't want to pay for a full wheel build with sub-par components.


texts: I'm planning to upgrade my drivetrain from Claris to 105. Can I still use my Claris crank with an 11-speed rear derailleur and cassette? Thanks.


texts: Why are single-speed bikes with disc brakes hard to find?

texts:
I've been looking around for bikes (decent frame & components), and find that hybrids do have disc brakes (hydraulic), but are never single-speed. While single-speed bikes typically have linear-pull brakes.

Why is that? Anything in the mechanics that would make the two incompatible?

(In my case, I'd only want a disc brake on the front — for commuting.)


texts:
I recently bought a bleed kit (for shimano brakes from shimano) and used it on my hydraulic brakes (successfully as far as I can tell). During cleaning up I noticed the syringe says it was for single use only. This seemed annoying to me at first (produces waste, requires to actually get new ones - shop opening hours / struggle with shipping companies …) so I was wondering what the reasons might be and came up with the following candidates:

They come from the same production line as medical syringes, where they really really shouldn't be used more than once. So the label is on it by default and the production company never bothered to figure out what actually happens upon multiple uses.
The syringe won't be clean after the first usage and the oil damages the plastic over long exposure, so you get traces of whatever comes out of that reaction into the oil, and the syringe won't work properly (piston not tight / piston stuck)
The oil attracts dust and dirt, so after storage I would contaminate my brake with "bike tool drawer dust".
I might not remember if I used a syringe for mineral oil or dot 5.1 / dot 4 and run into danger of mixing the two when using on a different bike, and all just because I tried to safe a few bucks on a new syringe. (or even worse, who says I only use the syringe for brakes? I might mix all sorts of liquids)


texts:
I can't for the life of me figure out how to get the freehub body off of this hub. Everything I can find online about the Vuelta hubs says that I should be able to stick a 5mm hex key into both sides of the axle and just loosen them, but this hub only has hex on the drive side. When I try to loosen that, only the non-drive side nut comes off. This is a 2014 Vuelta XRP wheel. Thanks for any advice.

Update: The second part of Nathan's answer was correct. When I put a 5mm wrench in the axle on the drive side as well as a cone wrench on the not lockring on that side I was able to remove the nut.


texts:
Next weekend there is a cyclocross race at a park near my house.
My first organized bicycle race ever.

I would like advice / links on strategy, rules, and protocol.

I am over 50, in good bicycle shape, and comfortable on trails.

I ride a bicycle daily and take a 45-75 minute workout ride at least 3 days as week.
So I am pretty comfortable with what I can do in 45 minutes.

My thought is to try and hold with the leaders as long a possible.
If it only 5 minutes then so be it but I want to know what that pace is.
How do I even know which riders are in my age group?

I suspect I will be lapped.  How do I deal with that?

This is a links to the event information   2014BCRCX2   register


texts: How do I adjust my 7-speed Shimano SIS indexed shifter not to miss out one of the cogs?

texts:
I have a 7-speed indexed twist-grip gear-shifter, but it was set up incorrectly: it has eight positions, the fourth is where the numbers start showing, and while it hits the top and bottom gears, it has an 'empty' click that takes it from top gear to top gear and it skips from ring 3 to ring 5 with just one click.

I've read the response to How can I adjust index shifter so it doesn't skip the second chainring? but this is a 7 speed shifter (masquerading as an 8 speed and a 6 speed), not a 3 speed, so I don't believe the answer there applies here.

It seems that the twister is giving too much cable for each click (like a 6 speed shifter) and has its own position limiters which allow extra travel (like an 8 speed shifter). I've fiddled with the top and bottom limit screws on the derailleur, and with the [barrel] that simultaneously changes where ALL the indexes locate, but while I can get it somewhat aligned for all sprockets, it still does the 'not quite engaging properly' thing for a few of them, and I still have extra clicks at top and bottom.

How do I reduce the amount of cable each click gives? There's an intriguingly yellow 'c-deck plus' sticker on the twist-grip that looks like it's hiding a screw, and a couple of tiny Allen key looking things that I'm guessing are holding the unit together.

Update: the shifter declares itself to be a 7-speed shifter on the front, and the part number bit towards the back reads 'Shimano SL-RS43-7 Singapore 22.2' which mentions '7' so... presumably it's a 7-speed.

I don't know where to find the serial number of the rear cogset..?


texts: 7 speed cassette on a direct drive trainer from freewheel bike

texts:
In 2011, I bought a cheap bike from Walmart.  It's done fine by me on the ride or two I take per year, but I'm looking to enhance my home gym a bit and was looking to grab a direct drive trainer.  The big thing here is I'm more concerned with being able to work out at home than I am with having a nice bike, and I'm looking to avoid the mounting costs of getting both a trainer and a bike.

The direct drive trainer I have my eye on has says it supports 9 / 10 / 11 speed cassettes - my bike only has 7 speeds on the rear wheel.  I was planning on buying a 7 speed cassette and just using spacers, but the LBS said that I might have issues with a freewheel vs freehub if the bike was that old and cheap.  Turns out he was right - I have a freewheel on the bike.

So here's my question - with a direct drive trainer, does it matter what the rear wheel has? I'm taking it off - my thinking was that as long as I get a 7 speed freehub cassette with spacing the same as my current setup, it should be fine.

Is that correct?