Why are my wrists the first part of my body to start aching during a long ride? Most riders seem to say it's their groin, neck or lower back that starts hurting first after a decent distance has been ridden. For me it is my wrists.

I have no history of wrist pain (strains, breaks etc) so it can't be explained by that and I try to adjust my hand positions across my handlebars as often as I can.

My question has 2 parts:

1. Is there anything I can do to minimise pain in terms of riding position, gloves, exercises etc which will reduce soreness?

2. Why might this pain be occurring?

*I do all of my riding on paved roads on a road (Specialized Allez) bike.

As @Daniel has commented, and I agreed, you probably have a bike fit problem. We cannot be sure; the only way to find out for sure is to get a professional fitting done. Having said that there are still a few things you can try.

  While you say you try to adjust my hand positions, what positions do you use most?
  ...
  The Allez handlebar setup is one I just would not be comfortable with: not enough drop, the straight section of the drop is too low an angle, and the hoods are too low.
  ...
  @andy256 mostly on the hoods, I don't tend to use drops very often - only for variety.

There are several different ways of riding on the hoods. Try them out if you haven't already:

With the thumbs only on the hoods, palms vertical, fingers pointing forward touching the brifter.
You can easily operate brakes from this position.
With the thumbs only on the hoods, palms vertical, wrists high, two fingers wrapped under the hoods, similar to sprinting on the hoods.
You can operate brakes from this position, but not so easily.
With the base of the thumb on the hoods, palms near 45°, one or two fingers touching the brifter.
This is a common position, but it IMO it is the one that causes such problems.
You can easily operate brakes from this position.
Palms further back, with some fingers either side of the "horn" of the brifter.
You can not easily operate brakes from this position.
Good for variety. Can alleviate discomfort.
Palms further forward, resting on the "horn". Fingers forward, just dangling, palm horizontal.
You can not easily operate brakes from this position.
Good for variety, and gives more stretch.

The last two are clearly just for variety. They have obvious dangers.

There are other positions you can use for variety.

Hands at the end of the drops, arms almost straight. Your body position is not much different from having your hands on the hoods. You can't reach the brakes.
Hands further forward on the drops, just touching the upward curve. This requires a different wrist position, but may be worse for you. Some people can reach the brakes, but on the Allez I don't think you will.
Hands on the tops with elbows bent and tucked back beside your body. This can be uncomfortable at first but may grow on you. Your body position is still low.
Again, you're not anywhere near you brakes.
Sitting up more, with hands on the tops. Your hands can be close to the middle or wider to the corners. You'll find each position puts your wrist in a slightly different position.
Again, sitting up more, with hands on the corners. You can have your fingers pointing forward and to the inside, or have your thumbs on the bars with fingers underneath. These have very different wrist positions.
And finally, if you're really into relaxed positions and don't mind a little less control, rest your wrists on the tops, with hands dangling.
There are obvious dangers in this position.

These positions are not for everybody. Some don't work on a given bike, or with a given person's body. Bikes and people are all different. Try some of them and see if they help.

As with any on bike experiments, do it in a safe location.

I have not mentioned adjusting the brifter position. On many bikes I'd try that, but I don't think that would work on the Allez. But you could rotate the bars slightly to make the hoods angle up more. 5 to 10° should be enough to have an effect. I think changing the angle is more important than lifting them (everybody has their theory).

Finally, try taking one hand off the bars and shake it from time to time, then do it with the other hand.


Converting 3*7 speeds to 1*12 or 1*11 I have a 3 * 7 Shimano set. I would like to change this into either a 1 * 12 or 1 * 11. How much would the conversion approximately cost? I am new to the biking world, so forgive me if I am saying things imprecisely.
I am mostly going to be on the road or gravel trails.

The questions about the price is out of topic here because they are impossible to answer "universally", for the answer to be useful to more than one person, especially when no details about the existing setup are given. So let me instead outline a structure of the costs.
A new 1×11 groupset (cassette, chain, derailleur, shifter, front chainring, possibly front crankset, possibly new rear wheel) costs anywhere from 200 $/€/£ to 2000 and more, depending on what level of performance you want. An existing rear wheel may be sometimes preserved (again, we do not know your setup), but if you go for 1×12, you'll definitely need a new rear hub (essentially, a new wheel).
Smaller stuff, such as new shifting cables/housing, are worth as well, costing you maybe additional 10—30 $/€/£.
If you buy components online, add another 10—100 $/€/£ for postal services. If you buy at a bike shop, add implicit higher margin they have compared to online shops.
Then, there are installation costs. They can vary wildly: from zero if you are ready to learn the skills yourself, can loan specialty tools and have a lot of time to learn required skills, or have a friend that is willing to help you for free, to what price is for 1 or 2 hours of work of professional bicycle mechanic in your area.
Note that for these money, it is often possible to buy a complete new bicycle with entry to medium level of a 1×11 drivetrain. Selling your existing bike would even offset the cost a bit (I doubt that by much).
There are also cheaper wide range 1×10 groupsets (and even 1×9 and 1×8 by Microshift), which maybe are a better choice for upgrading an older bicycle.


Difference between "Track Frame set" and a "TimeTrial/Triathalon frame set" I am going to make a custom fixie bike (possibly with a front brake) that I will use to race on tracks and even commute with.

I have been looking at a Planet X frame, and they seem to have very high quality frames for decent prices.  But I am not sure if I should get the track frame or the time trial frame.  What are the differences between these style of frames?  The time trial frame is $150 more than the track frame, is it actually that much better?

I am going to put time trial handlebars on the bike.  I also plan to use a belt instead of a chain to cut down on weight and maintenance.

You seem like you want three different bikes all smashed up into one, and the result is not going to be good.

First, the time trial frame is not intended to be a track frame. If you're going to race at the track, use a frame and components that are designed for the track. For starters, the time trial frame will have a lower bottom bracket, dramatically increasing your likelihood of a pedal strike, which can be disastrous.

Second, bikes at the velodrome are not allowed to have brakes. Period. You will also likely not even be able to mount brakes on the Planet X Track frame.

Third, a belt drive won't really improve the reliability of a track bike. Track bikes use significantly thicker chains due to not having to fit between tightly-packed cogs in a rear cassette. Having raced a few years at velodromes, I have yet to see anyone snap a chain.

Fourth, you probably won't even be able to install a belt drive. Belts can't be disconnected/reconnected like chains can, so you will have no way to route the belt through the frame to mount it around the chainring and cog.

Fifth, aero bars are explicitly disallowed from any mass-start events at the velodrome. Unless you only plan on riding pursuits, you will need standard drop handlebars.

My advice? Save the creativity for your second bike. The fact that you have to ask this question tells me it's probably your first build, and you're very likely to end up with a frankenbike that's not actually what you were hoping, not race legal, and likely not even possible to build given the requirements / parts you've named.


Quick warmup before descent When going for a day ride, climb a hill, have a beer and a sandwich and then shread on the familiar path down - all is well and fun.

However, if I go on a after-work-and-sleep-in-sleeping-bag ride or a multi-day ride, it is common to begin the day with a rough descent. I have been sleeping on hard ground, my joints have been immobilized for 8 hours and on top of that it's the coldest part of the day.

In such a situation, what would be a good sub-five minutes workout to prepare my body for extended descent? I am also recovering from right shoulder and right knee trauma.

I'm 40, and have back and joint issues that make getting up in the morning hard work.  If I get-up-and-go its terrible for the first half-hour.  So here's what helps me:

Full flexion of joints.  That means pushing your limbs to the ir comfortable maximum extensions then holding for a few seconds, then a little further.  Nothing rough.
A hot shower - where possible.
Warmth - standing in a sunny spot helps a heap, as does pressing a hot coffee cup against sore muscles.
Food - eat your damn breakfast!
Water - hydrate!
Warmup ride - Do a short loop or gentle out and back to get limbered up.  Not going hard, just getting fluid into your joints and heating the muscles.
Clothing - consider wearing a tighter compression top and pants.  These will get your muscles up to working temperature sooner.
Sleeping clothes - don't wear the riding clothes while sleeping - you want to relax not be constrained.
Gloves - I wear some home-made cotton gloves that cover 2/3 of the forearm. Again these help with keeping warmth in.

Getting sufficient sleep helps immensely.  Whatever helps you get to sleep is good too.  A plain sleeping bag is better on a sleeping mat, and picking somewhere without rocks/sticks is best.  I've never tried a camping hammock but some people swear by them.


Replacing a lost disc brake pinch bolt While replacing the cable for my front disc brake, I lost the bolt and plate that attaches the cable to the calliper.
In this Park Tool guide, they call it a 'pinch bolt' — labelled E in the image below.
Unfortunately, searching for 'pinch bolt' doesn't come up with any parts that include the metal plate.
Does anyone know if it has another name? Or maybe it doesn't come as a separate part and I'm going to have to replace the whole calliper?
It's a Tektro Novela disc brake, this is the calliper I believe.
Thanks

The bolt is called pinch bolt, that's the standard name. It is a 5mm steel Allen bolt of 6 to 10mm in length, of the same type that is used with bottle cages. Alternatively a bolt with a hexagonal head may be used as a stop-gap. The loss gets a bit 'hairier' since you've lost the cable pinching plate as well. It might require some hunting for a suitable part or the need for some work to make one out of a washer.
The same type of cable pinching bolts and plates are used with standard rim brakes or with cable activated derailleurs, front and rear. Your LBS might have a bits and pieces box with a suitable replacement.
You may just want to check that the bolt doesn't protrude on the other side as to touch the body of the brake, in which case it requires some shortening!


Slipstreaming Passing Vehicles When I'm alone and plodding along the shoulder of a state highway, I like to stand up to catch a wind gust as large vehicles "fly" by me. The amount of "fun" I get from this is exponentially proportional to the size of the passing vehicle.  Unfortunately, I have a few concerns regarding my mischievous behavior.

Since my average speed is about 15 MPH [1], I'm typically only in the slipstream of the said vehicles for a short period of time. Does standing up for this short period of time actually give me a substantial increase in speed?

Also, I often wear highly recognizable clothing and/or gear.  There may be a few non-cyclist motorists that recognize me.  I'm concerned that my act of standing up right before I'm getting passed could be perceived as "aggressive" behavior.  If I continue to stand up to maximize my slipstream from passing motorists, do you think I will encourage some motorists to dislike me more than they already probably do?

[1] - My maximum speed is 40 MPH but that's downhill.  Also, I can typically get up to 20 MPH on a flat way when there is a strong tailwind.

This seems perfectly fine.

Cyclists often stand up for various reasons, and there's no reason to think that it would startle drivers. They probably have no idea why you're standing up anyway. Some people may eventually realize that you stand up every time they pass you, but I doubt they'll be anything but mildly amused.

Actual drafting (riding behind a vehicle) can and does stress drivers out on top of being rather dangerous for the cyclist.

As to the speed effect, standing up will make you go faster if the air is moving faster than you are. Effectively putting this into practice has a lot of nuances though, and really should be a separate post.


Looking for alternate pants with 'snaps' around calf and/or shin area Right now I have a pair of the prana Zion Stretch pants with these little 'snaps' around the area described in title. This allows you to basically roll up your pant leg(s) (ideal for moving out of the way of the chain) and 'snap' them into place. 'Snaps' being pairs of mating buttons closed by applying pressure.

I am looking for something similar, that is, something integrated into the pant itself, as opposed to a separate 'ankle collar' for any pants you like.

For next to nothing you can install snaps on any pair of pants you want:

There are kits with anvils and presses and others with plier-type setting tools. Both work well and both are cheap. I'd suggest trying it out on a similar piece of material so that you can get a feel for how they work.

Here is a link for a cheap kit ($4.92 USD!)

If you're looking for more adjustability, you can sew velcro right into the cuff of your pants as well. (And while you're at it, you can buy reflective piping and reflective ribbon to increase your visibility.)


Avoiding being wiped out after work commute? I work ~15 miles from home and have made the decision to make the commute via bike. This is for a couple reasons. First of which being I don't actually have my license yet, second being that taking the bus actually takes longer, and third, that I'm getting my exercise AND commuting done at the same time.

I was initially doing this on a 45lb+ mountain bike with large tires and no pedal clips, but I recently bought a nice $700 road bike and have cut half an hour off the trip so that it only takes about an hour each way.

I don't so much mind the time it takes, even though it leaves me with little when I get back, as much as I do how tired I get afterwards. At work isn't too bad because I'm sitting most of the time anyway, but after I get home I've spent 8 hours at work, and two hours riding 30 miles on my bike, and I don't have much energy left to enjoy what remains of my time.

Diet is, of course, what I'm asking about here. I'm earning a modest pay and trying to put every penny towards college, so I'm not looking to reinvent how I eat, just make some switches or additions here and there. I've tried eating large amounts of pasta the day before, but still didn't see much improvement (I get the feeling I've misunderstood something about carb loading). I would drink more gatorade or other electrolyte-replenishing drinks, but I'm not sure where or how to buy them cheap and in bulk so the cost doesn't add up too much. The other thing I'm concerned about is protein. I'm probably not getting as much of it as I should be, but don't really know what to do about it. I've heard that people who weight train use whey protein - is that something bikers should do as well? If so, how would I go about taking it?

I'm relatively new to biking, so even the simplest advice would be appreciated.

The simplest advice is: just keep it up. Give your body time to adapt to the new workload you're putting on it, and it will get easier and easier.

For drinks, you can buy gatorade powder and mix it yourself at home. $19.49 for 9 gallons of gatorade is way better than paying retail price for a quart at a time.

As I understand carb loading, it's not something you can do for a repeated effort like a daily commute. The idea is to deprive your body of carbohydrates for a period of time, then binge shortly before an endurance effort. You can't really achieve a level that would be useful inside a repeating 24-hour period.

Lastly, don't sweat protein. It probably wouldn't hurt, but any benefit would be extremely minor for the workloads you're doing, and isn't worth significant effort or attention. Again, just keep up with the cycling and your body will quickly begin to adapt automatically.

Edit: Oh, and one thing that will help is to consume carbohydrates immediately after your commute. The human body absorbs carbs significantly more quickly after a workout, and uses them to replenish any lost stores. Waiting even a half hour greatly diminishes this effect, so the sooner the better. It doesn't have to be a full meal or anything; anything is better than nothing.


Can anyone identify this "Hummer" bike? I bought this bike from the thrift store the other day and have had no luck identifying it myself through web searches. The only things I know about it is that it's a womens bike, it's had a paint job it's a 10 speed, the main name on it says "Hummer",  and the smaller name on it says "brinkman". If anyone knows something about this bike it would be of great help! Thanks!!

Some components have clearly been replaced, but it looks a lot like a 1970's Schwinn Varsity Sport

More info here

The fork rake didn't look quite right, so I kept on googling and found an ebay advert with what claims to be a 1983 model that looks an even better fit


Chain skipping on MTB I've had my Trek 3900 for about a year now, and I replaced the chain about 3 months ago, but otherwise it's running with the same parts it came with (not counting tubes and tires).
I had to replace my chain because it had gotten really rusty from riding in rain/mud/water on trails, and had started skipping.

My problem is, whenever I ride, if I get above or below a very light pressure when pedaling, the chain skips. I was wondering if this could be caused by my chain, which has gotten a little rusty but not as stretched as the other one was, or if I might need a new cassette?

I just readjusted my derailer, but it still skips.

Does anybody know what could be causing this?

When your chain "stretches" beyond a certain point, typically .75mm per 4 inches links, it will begin to reshape the teeth on your cassette and chain rings.

At that point, replacing your chain will not help unless you also replace your cassette, and possibly your chain rings.

Check the answers on this question to see how to know when your chain is worn.

If your chain measures beyond 1.0mm per 4 inches, then you must replace chain, cassette and chain rings, or it will skip as you are describing.


Why do Mountain Bike helmets have visors? Visors seem pretty ubiquitous on mountain bike helmets, but not on road bike helmets.  Why do mountain bike helmets have visors? What purpose does the visor have?

One purpose of a visor is to shield the sun like a baseball cap.

There are many factors:

Wind resistance is not as big a factor on a mountain bike (slower speeds).
The more upright position on a mountain bike puts a visor more into
play.
On a road bike the rider is leaning forward and facing down and the visor can even block forward view.
A visor can help keep rain, sprayed up mud, or low branches off the riders face.
Mountain bikers think it's cool?


Why do track bikes vary between events? Watching the Olympics, I've noticed that track bikes seem to vary between events.
For example, in the Keirin, all the riders have bikes with a solid/disc rear wheel and a front wheel that has a solid inner but with gaps. In the Omnium, however, they seem to ride bikes with two complete disc wheels.

Some events also seem to call for aero bars on top of drop bars, some only drops.

I can see that these might affect how the bike handles, and favour either top speed or maneuverability, but, as I only have a basic knowledge of what each track event involves, I am struggling to piece together exactly why each event has its particular combination of components.

Is anyone able to give a run down of how what the features of the bike are for each of the main track events and why those features are ideal for that event?

Regarding handlebar selection, aero bars are only allowed in the pursuit (individual and team) and time trial events (1km TT, etc). All the other track events are drop bars only.

Wheel selection is a little more dependent on the rider's preference, though this is regulated as well; dual discs wheels are allowed for track time trials (essentially the same events that allow aero bars), while a deep section front wheel is always allowed.


Can I ride a triple front chainring with no front deraileruer I've managed to strip the threads on my front deraileruer mechanism.

Its off the bike now - can I ride it as-is until I locate a new front mechanism?

The chain does stay on the front chainring where it is placed manually, while stopped. (I'd not do this while pedalling, I like counting all the way to 10 on my fingers!)

If the chain falls off the outside it will get caught on the pedal or right crankarm, and if it falls off the left its on the chain.

...now to find a three-position front derailer with top swing and bottom pull and a braze-on mount.

This is generally a YMMV case -- some chainring+cassette+frame+rider combinations do OK with this, others really need a front derailleur/chain guide for this to work.

My suggestion to ride it without the front derailleur is to get the chain as straight as possible (put the bike on a stand, and try different gear combinations until you get the one that looks the straightest) and be smooth with your riding. This will probably be something like the middle chainring in the front and something in the middle in the back.


Updating my vintage Shimano 600 chain rings Will the chain rings support the new 7 speed chain? the new one will actually be new old stock: Shimano 600, 1983

I'm putting on a new 7 speed freewheel, chain and rear derailleur.

There are a couple different approaches. You can select basic, traditional-style chainrings similar to what came on it that don't have any shift-assisting ramps or pins, or you can put fancier indexed-shifting-friendly rings on it.

Traditional plain rings are often sold under house-brand type names such as Vuelta, Origin8, Dimension, etc. They're often fairly cheap, although fancier ones in this camp do exist, i.e. the laser-cut-in-the-US Salsa ones that were around for many years, or something like T.A. rings.

These sorts of rings are more or less designed to replace stock ones on older cranks such as Shimano 600s. They'll probably just work with a 7-speed chain with no issues and no need to mess with anything.

If you wanted to get ramped and pinned rings, which are more designed with 9/10/11-speed era chains in mind, you may run into issues with them being intended for narrower spacing, which may cause issues such as the chain wanting to rub on the large chainring when in many small ring combinations. Chain compatibility issues in this direction can almost always be solved by tuning the spacing with chainring shim spacers, such as the .6mm Wheels Mfg ones or a small stack of the .2mm FSA ones. And on that note, you may find you need them on the other setup too; chainring spacers are always handy to have when replacing chainrings. They're kind of the way to make things work when the "right" chainrings are no longer available or whenever you're using a chain type that's wider (aka older) than the one intended for the cranks or the rings.


Rubber sealing in the TRP Spyre brake cable I just got my first bike with disk brakes (TRP Spyre) and have problem using them. When I jam the front brake, I get very little stopping power. To compare it, when I jam the front brakes of my other bike equipped with Campy Athena skeleton rim brakes, I can easily fall over the handle bars.

Upon closer inspection, it seems that I can not brake fully due to the rubber sealing (?) visible just below the barrel adjuster in the picture.

Is it safe to remove them? The TRP Spyre installation video available on their website does not show this part at all.

EDIT: To clarify some of the questions. The metal part with "Spyre" written on it is moving towards the fixed black part with barrel adjuster. By moving, it compresses the rubber boot. From the feel in wheel brake levers, I'd say that there is still movement possible, but the compressed rubber boot does not allow it as it is fully compressed.

The bike was bought in Wiggle, so no first month adjustments. I will try to ride a bit for pads to break in and then adjust the 3mm adjustment screw to see if it helps.

If the brake power is not very good, you should check the caliper alignment. The rubber sealing is certainly not the issue.

To do the alignment, it’s quite easy with the Spyre. Just release the two 5mm screws on the fork, ensure that the caliper can move from left to right, brake, then tighten the screws while braking.


Turn signal lights for bikes I am interested in buying turn signal lights for bicycles. I read something about here and in other websites, but I did not find answers for the following questions:

For the point of view of a driver, is it better to use a hand signal or if a turn signal light?
Is it safer? How much (are there any statistics)?
What are your personal opinion? I think a bit difficult to balance while making signals with my arm, so I thought about using these lights. Since cars are not familiar with bike in streets (where I live at least), I thought about using a super strong turn signal lights.
Do you recommend any particular type?

I'd recommend learning to do arm signals.

Arm signals don't run out of batteries, and are plenty visible in most cases. They're certainly bigger than the turn signal lights you could put on a bicycle (which as Moz points out in a comment, makes distinguishing the 2 turn signals a possible issue), and the distance you need to see a bike turning is a lot smaller than that which you need to see a car turning.You also have to worry about running wires from the back to front if you only have one power source (and the indicator switch isn't wireless) and worry about bags or other things obscuring the lights. Your handlebar area also becomes a bit more cluttered for a turn signal anyway, esp if you have trigger shifters. And you have to deal with the potential of the lights getting stolen.

At night, the primary value would be moreso the extra light rather than the fact that it was a turn signal light, and you can get that just by putting on a bigger head and tail light.

You'll get used to balancing while doing them after a few weeks of riding, typically. And in any case, you need to know how to do them when your batteries run out.

IMO, the primary use of turn signals on a bike is less-so that you know which way a turn is happening, but moreso that the drivers know the cyclist is going to do something and be prepared for it (a sentiment echoed by one of the comments).


Major Problem: 135mm rear spacing road touring frame with shimano 5800 11 speed cassette? I have a brand new traitor wander touring frame, it has 135mm rear spacing like a mountain bike (this is a road touring frame).  I bought 29er mountain bike disc wheels that were advertised as 11 speed.  After I tried building it up I realized that my brand new shimano 5800 11 speed cassette will not fit - the freehub is too narrow to accept the 11 speed road cassette.  The problem is I have these wheels and this new full 105 drivetrain.  what will be the cheapest way to make this work?  What shimano disc hub will fit a shimano ROAD 11 speed AND be 135mm wide AND be 32 hole?  Am i screwed?  I could just buy a new wheelset if there is one that will work (if it is cheap enough).

Is there a way to replace the freehub body on these m475 hubs? Where would I get a longer freehub body and would that work with the wtb sx23 wheels lacing pattern?

My last option would be to take my old shimano 5700 10 speed group off my carbon bicycle and use it on the the touring bike set up.  I then question whether or not I could use my new 5800 front derailleur with my old crank set and vice versa...

This is an under-publicized and very frustrating problem. It works this way because mountain 11-speed cassettes have their largest cog attached to the rest of the cassette in such a way that it's suspended over the hub flange/spokes and not taking up any room on the freehub body.

I have no idea whether any of the Shimano freehub bodies for any of their standard axle 11-speed road hubs hubs might be retrofittable to FH-M475. It's not impossible, because many of their hubs and freehubs are cross-compatible in a pinch. If it does work, the resulting hub will be some larger spacing than 135mm and will also have funny axle protrusion because of it. Also new Shimano freehubs for their nicer hubs can be kind of expensive. So it might be possible but it sounds like kind of a goose chase to me.

One Shimano hub that does what you want here is FH-CX75. Centerlock only. Last time I went looking for what you need, this was the cheapest reasonable quality option, but that may have changed. All sorts of cross bikes are coming at the moment with Novatec/Formula/etc hubs of this spec. Hope and White also have good upscale options.


Are cycling shoes comfortable as everyday wear? I'm currently traveling to work by bike. I intent to by a new sport shoes and discovered that there is such thing like special cycling shoes?

My question: Are they appropriate for wearing in the office, or I need to bring another pair of shoes and change before/after cycling?

EDIT: This seems reasonable for me (from Benzo answer).

"If your commute is short, you can always try your regular office shoes. They may not be 'optimal' for cycling, but you don't always have to have specialized gear to ride a bike. Do what works and what you're comfortable with."

Unless you're using clipless pedals, you really don't need much in terms of special shoes for cycling.  However, there are plenty of advantages to using clipless pedals,  so many people choose to use them.

The big categories of clipless shoes are:
Road shoes tend to have the cleat exposed and you walk on it any time you step. This is really bad for regular wear off the bike. These shoes are meant to be lite and used on the bike.

Mountain Bike Shoes tend to allow you to walk around a bit.  Some models resemble athletic shoes and some are more firm and the stiff soles make it hard to walk normally. However, you can usually get buy walking a bit in these.  I wouldn't want to wear them for extended periods of time off the bike if possible.

Urban Shoes (like Chrome and DZR) tend to look like sneakers and feel a lot more like regular shoes.  They still contain a cleat mount, but these shoes are designed to blend in like normal shoes and walk a bit better than most other cycling shoes.  I've worn Chrome and DZR shoes with SPD cleats around all day and didn't really notice much.  The soles are still stiff, so they are a bit different feeling than wakling around in regular shoes.

If you pick up a pair of clipless shoes, you'll still probably want to swap them out for regular shoes at the office if you're going to be there for a few hours or more.  Regular shoes are going to be more comfortable and your cycling shoes might be a bit sweaty.

If you're not planning to pick up clipless shoes, then look for a pair of athletic shoes that doesn't have a lot of flex in the sole when you try to bend the toe downward. A flatter type of tread on the bottom of the shoe will probably help keep you from sliding on the pedals as much too.  Skateboard shoes and Adidas Sambas are generally pretty good choices, but pick what works for you.

If your commute is short, you can always try your regular office shoes. They may not be 'optimal' for cycling, but you don't always have to have specialized gear to ride a bike. Do what works and what you're comfortable with.


Does splitting long endurance rides really affect the training effect of the rides? Does splitting long endurance rides really affect the training effect?

It's quite often not recommended to split the rides even though the total duration is the same.

Here are two examples. Assume that they exercise at the same endurance pace.

Athlete 1

M 30 min at 8:30 AM, 30 min at 5:00 PM
T 30 min at 8:30 AM, 30 min at 5:00 PM
W 30 min at 8:30 AM, 30 min at 5:00 PM
T 30 min at 8:30 AM, 30 min at 5:00 PM
F 30 min at 8:30 AM, 30 min at 5:00 PM

Total duration: 5 hours

Athlete 2

M 90 min at 8:30 AM
W 90 min at 8:30 AM
F 120 min at 8:30 AM

Total duration: 5 hours

Notice that the duration is the same.

Why longer but fewer sessions may be better

According to this article, having the workout done all in one go is more important for those who are well conditioned because recovery is faster.
http://www.intelligent-triathlon-training.com/-splitting-long-training-rides-.html

Fatigue increases RPE which may suggest an increase of muscle fibre recruitment. Recruiting more muscle fibres should mean that they produce more capillaries and mitochondria. It makes sense why running slower but longer can make athletes get faster. If the slow twitch muscles are refuelled during the 8 hours rest like between commutes, the fast twitch muscles may not get exercised because there wouldn't be a need to.

Does that work in real life? In real life, would athlete 1 be more likely to plateau sooner? Maybe experience sooner cardiac drifts during a longer workout or race?

Possible contradiction

According to some articles, it's ok to split up workouts.

https://www.sharecare.com/health/types-exercise/do-daily-exercise-at-once

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=118017&page=1

"Long" is subjective but those aren't really endurance training sessions. The 30 minute sessions could be completed on glycogen stores alone, and at least the 90 minute sessions after a decent breakfast. One way of thinking of endurance rides (events if you're thinking tri) is those where fuelling during the ride becomes important.

But there's a massive gap between general fitness advice for the unfit, as you've linked at the end, and training for competition or other challenges, as you've linked earlier. To me you've described athlete A's habit (or even commute) , and athlete B's training plan, as you say the pace is the same and an endurance pace.


What are the pros and cons of panniers vs messenger bags? I was shopping for new panniers and thought it might be worth it to also check out messenger bags as an alternative.  What are the basic pros and cons of each?

I started out using just a regular back pack to carry my stuff, this was quite hot on my back.  I purchased panniers a few years back, and I've been pretty happy with them.

The major problems I have are that the rack is always on the bike, even when I don't need to carry anything.  They are difficult to carry when I'm not on the bike.  Also, most panniers are sold in sets of 2, and I only ever use 1.

As far as messenger bags go, I've never used one before.  Is it that much better than a regular back pack?  I realize it isn't so high on the back, so it should stay cooler, but I'm not sure about having all the weight on me, and how that affects getting out of the saddle.

Let me know what your experiences are with each of them, and which you recommend.

A messenger bag is great when you:

Are not transporting a heavy load
Have to put items into the bag, or remove items from the bag very often.
Are doing short trips, or having to leave your bike a lot as part of a longer trip

A rucksack is great when you:

Wish to be able to easily carry the load while off the bike
You have to walk a long way after your bike ride, or use public transport
You wish to have both hands free when not the bike, e.g you need to carry the bike up stairs at the start/end of your trip

Panniers are great when:

You care more about the “on bike” part of the trip than the “off bike” part
A pannier can have a solder strap, but it still takes time to fit and remove the strap or tie it up so it does not catch in your wheels.
(You will need some sort of rack to fix the Panniers to)

A basket is great when:

You wish to transport a normal bag (or rucksack) on your bike
You like the fact your the bag can be removed quickly by you (and don’t mind that it can be removed quickly by others.
You think being “practical” is more important the being “cool”.

A luggage carrier / rack is great:

When you wish to fix a bag or box onto the back of your bike
Unlike a basket you need to use straps (sometimes build into the rack) to fix the item to the rack.
You are less likely to get laughed at with a rack then a basket.
So it takes longer to fix something onto a rack then put it into a basket, but also it is harder for someone else to remove the item.
(Panniers are fixed to a rack; this is covered under the pannier section)


I have a Dahon Mariner, can I replace 20x1.6" tyre with 20x1.79? I have a Dahon Mariner Bike. Can I replace a 20 x 1.6" back tyre with a 20 x 1.79" tyre as I can't get hold of a 1.6?

Yes and no.
The width of the tyre is like clothes sizes. What they state is not an exact fit. A brand's 1.79" might measure 1.9" wide and a different brand's 1.79" might measure 1.65".
You need to have a look at your current setup, check how much extra space you have and decide whether the new tyre will fit. Again, if you think it might be a tight fit, having a wider than stated tyre (virtual 17.9" measuring 1.9") may not work.
Having mudgards also affects what width tyre you can use.
So I suggest you look at how much room you have to increase tyre size, and take it from there.


Velomobiles and UK Window Tinting Laws? Are Velomobiles exempt from UK Window Tinting laws ?
I know they are Exempt from speed limits, as speed limits
only apply to Motor Vehicles. Is it the same with the Window tinting laws ?

Yes, window tinting law only applies to motor vehicles.
https://www.gov.uk/tinted-vehicle-window-rules

editing in legal definition of vehicle as per your subsequent question:

  Statutory Instrument 1994 No. 1519: The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994 stated that a ‘pedal cycle’ was defined as “a unicycle, bicycle, tricycle, or cycle having four or more wheels, not being in any case mechanically propelled unless it is an electrically assisted pedal cycle of such class as is to be treated as not being a motor vehicle for the purposes of the 1984 Act.”

http://www.bikehub.co.uk/featured-articles/cycling-and-the-law/

A velomobile isn't a bicycle, by virtue of having more than two wheels. It is however a pedal cycle.

Additionally this means that you can have a couple of pints at the pub and ride it back home without having to submit to a breathtest or risk your driving licence AS LONG AS you are not unfit to ride through drink, or pedalling furiously...


cranks for a JIS bottom bracket My bike is a 2016 Brompton, I am thinking to swap current cranks. Current BB possibly is this one (a JIS square taper), model: stronglight jp400 119 mm.

http://brilliantbikes.co.uk/brompton-bottom-bracket-cartridges/849-brompton-bottom-bracket-jis.html

According to this doc, For Brompton, ISO cranks are not compatible with JIS BB
http://bromptonjunction.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/ds-crankset.pdf

So will this crank fit the BB? This seems to be a shortened Shimano crank (Altus).

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/thorn-110-74-pcd-125-mm-alloy-crankset-silver-prod237/

The new crank need to be at exactly where the old ones are on the spindle to not to affect the folding.
Are all shimano square taper cranks fit JIS BB? Also the link mentioned it's a triple, how that will affect the chain line, if I just install one chain ring (Brompton needs only one ring)?

JIS, short for Japanese Industry Standard, is by the far more common and is the one used by all Japanese manufacturers including Shimano. As far as I know, the only manufacturers that still produce ISO cranks are Specialites TA and Campagnolo, and the latter only for track bikes.

Triple crank chainline is measured at the middle chainwheel, so you can use the number as it is.


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

This is a sticky one to tackle. Firstly, we don't know the terrain you're riding in, we don't know if you're going to commute to work/school/college/university and we don't even know exactly what your budget would be. As for a Single-Speed, why specifically? You could lose weight on a road racer or a mountain bike, or even a BMX.

Anyhow, if your budget is low, you can look on eBay and try your luck, or you could perhaps buy a bike from a local bike-shop that has been refurbished. I personally always buy refurbished bikes because they're a fair bit cheaper than new.

For a cheap bike, don't go for ranges like Sports Direct or Tesco's or any other superstore bikes like that, as they're usually badly made and have little to no grease in any bearings, which is very bad! Just look at BikeMan4U on YouTube to see what I mean.

A fixie with a Flip-Flop hub would be good, as it gives you a choice of what you'd prefer to run around on.


Are my cable disc brakes knackered? Well, I bought a bike called "Iron Horse" and the bike has front and rear mechanical disc brakes. The brakes, upon inspection, have no writing at all (The manufacturer was too scared to put their brand name on them...).

Since day one, they have been absolutely terrible; Back brake only locks the wheel when I let weight off and the front brake would sooner have me hit a car in front than actually do any noticeable braking. I'm aiming to be able to lock the front brake to the point that pulling the lever makes me flip the bike like on my road bike, and the back brake cause wheel lock-up with merely about 30% action.

Cabling routing and length seems fine to me, brake lever is not bending, nor is mount for it. Caliper mount is nice and sturdy and does not move no matter how much I clamp on the brake. The pads are not half-inserted, nor are they worn out. They're brand new! Pads are not contaminated, pads are equal distances from the rotor on either side of the caliper, cable is tensioned so that the brake is pulled 15% of it's total action before pads contact the rim. The rotor is arrow-straight. The wheel hub where the disc attaches is not damaged in any way nor weakened considerably.

I've never worked on disc brake bikes, so my question is; Do all mechanical disc brakes have this much difficulty stopping? Is there something big that I'm missing? Is there a particular thing causing this? Could the pads be a bit duffed? Is there any type of pad I should try out on my bike (different compound, etc) or any specific modifications I should try?

And finally, are there any really, really risky bodges that I can try out to immediately bolster braking power? (Anything I do on the bike is not your fault, but my own.) Give me a really risky method of making the brakes powerful instantly and I'll give it a shot! :P

Usually what causes this (literally no braking, firm lever feel, lever nowhere close to bottoming) is an error in brake setup or adjustment wherein the brake caliper's armature is being pulled to the end of its range of motion before full braking power is reached, or in some cases before any braking power is generated.

This can happen either as a result of incorrect setup or by compensating for pad wear exclusively by way of the cable barrel adjuster without adjusting the stationary pad.

To determine armature bottoming is the problem, see if you can use your fingers to directly push the armature as far as it can go. If possible, try turning the wheel with your hand while doing so to ascertain no braking is happening. Or just undo the brake cable anchor; if the arm was obviously near the end of its range of movement, that's probably been the problem.

Most mechanical brakes perform their best when adjusted so that the armature starts out near the beginning of its range of motion. The mechanical advantage characteristics of the brake change throughout its travel. So when setting up a brake, always try to get the arm as close to that point as you can while still having all the slack pulled out of the cable.

Usually adjusting a generic mechanical disc brake with this issue is going to involve undoing the cable anchor, possibly installing new cables if the old one either won't be long enough with the arm starting down in the right spot or has more of a crimp than is safe to have in the system (usually mechanical discs are pretty good about the latter point), loosening the caliper mounting bolts, dialing in the fixed pad adjuster, re-positioning the whole caliper more inbound towards the wheel such that the moving pad starts out closer to the rotor, then re-fastening the cable anchor and doing final adjustments.

For a brake with pad adjusters for each pad, resetting the barrel adjuster and extending the moving pad in may fix the acute problem, although it probably won't be enough to get the arm back to its intended starting position.


Do you recognise this bike brand? I've bought this MTB second-hand a couple of years ago, the vendor told me the brand, but I can't remember. Does someone recognise this logo?
I haven't found any swiss bike brand starting with "p" with this logo.

Some googling suggests there's a brand called Price which claims to be "swiss-made"

from https://bikeswitzerland.com/our-new-swiss-made-touring-bikes/
which lead me to finding this head tube badge image

Their website is at http://www.price-bikes.ch/ and is bilingual


Can a Shimano XT (mountain) hydraulic disc brake caliper be used with an Ultegra STI road brake lever? Specifically, is the XT BR-M8020 mountain caliper compatible with an Ultegra hydraulic road brifter like like the ST-R8020 or ST-R8070?

I have confirmed that they both use BH90 brake hose ("high power" rigidity). If I just ensure to use the right fittings for both sides of the hose (the banjo bolt from the SM-BH90-SBLS hose kit, and the straight brifter connectors from the SM-BH90-JK-SSR hose kit) can I be confident this is safe?

I'd heard that recent Shimano road and mountain hydraulics of the same hose (BH90 vs BH59) were mostly cross-compatible, but I just read that even inside the upcoming XTR M91xx series of mountain brakes (which both use BH90 cable), Shimano recommends a totally different mountain brake levers for the 2-piston XTR brake (the M9100) vs the XTR 4-piston model (the M9120). Why would you need a different brake lever for these different calipers with the same size hose? How could you know which post-mount caliper (the M9100 vs M9120) would work with an STI ST-R8020 brifter?

(As background, I'm looking for a good, strong post-mount hydraulic disc brake for the front of a tandem with drop bars. I will be upgrading the Shimano STI brake lever / shifter at the same time I add the hydraulic brake.)

Shimano recommends a totally different mountain brake levers for the 2-piston XTR brake (the M9100) vs the XTR 4-piston model (the M9120). Why would you need a different brake lever for these different calipers with the same size hose?

The key is that there are two brake options available: "race" and "trail". "Race" features 2-pot calipers and lever without Servo Wave™, which yields different modulation curve (more linear?). The "trail" version is 4-pot and with Servo Wave™ levers, which has more of an on-off modulation.

As far as I know, all Shimano calipers/levers have very close displacement/pressure values to be deemed compatible. On one hand, I did not hear about incompatibilities between any pre-9100 parts, and on the the other there's a lot of reports of mix-matching working with great success. Unless there are reports stating otherwise, I'd bet on compatibility trend. In the end, calipers are not that expensive to experiment with and there are cheaper options (BR-M520, BR-M640).

  How could you know which post-mount caliper (the M9100 vs M9120) would work with an STI ST-R8020 brifter?

What Shimano "recommends" and what actually works are not necessary same things. Shimano is a conservative company bound by legal responsibilities. If you want 4-piston calipers to pair with STIs, take a look at Hope RX-4 SH (explicitly compatible, I run these) or Shimano calipers mentioned above.

As with all things new, there's not much feedback, you might as well get that caliper and report results here as an answer.


Are new Shimano shifters compatible with old 600 Arabesque derailleurs? Does anyone know if I can use new gear shifters, especially integrated road bike shifters, with vintage a Shimano 600 Arabesque rear derailleur? Will the pull ratio of the shifter and derailleur match? Also, should I stick to Shimano or could I use Campagnolo, SRam, etc.

Update:
I have a 9-speed modern cassette and the my frame was stretched to fit it.

Additional question: do you think the 600 will handle a 9 speed cassette?

The problem is that if you're running a Shimano 600 system, you've probably got a 5 or 6 speed drivetrain and the lowest number of speeds on a modern brifter [integrated shift+brake lever] is 7 (the Shimano Tourney brifters are 7 speed). So you'd need either downtube shifters, bar end shifters, or stem shifters (all of which likely will operate in friction mode unless you can find a Shimano compatible one which matches the number of speeds you have with the cable pull matching Shimano). I believe the cable pull is the same as modern <9 speed Shimano rear derailleurs though.

Campy and SRAM usually have different cable pull and they wont produce a brifter which is 5 or 6 speeds anyway so you're stuck with friction mode (generally, mixing manufacturers causes problems and requires pulleys to adjust for cable pull).

Another option is (since you likely have downtube shifters) are Retroshifts, which are a way of taking your existing down tube / bar end shifters and attaching them to a brake lever. This removes the problem as well.


We offer our riders shared helmets. What sanitizing spray or barrier product can we provide alongside the helmets? We are lucky enough to have four shared bikes at work, which are available for any employee to ride.

Due to New Zealand's compulsory helmet laws, we must provide some shared helmets. Some people don't like that idea, but it's not reasonable to ask them to provide their own if they don't have a bike.

What's a helmet-safe anti-cootie spray ? Isopropyl alcohol ?
Or should we be providing disposable hairnets like go-kart tracks offer to their patrons?  Disinfectants/deodorants like Dettol or Febreze?

Related - there is a bike rental scheme in my city (a bike-share system) and they also must provide helmets for riders.  There is a periodic clean of the helmet when the bike is serviced, and they claim that happens 3 times a week   Often these helmets stay in the bike's front basket instead of being worn, but they live outside

I'd be wary of using IPA because it may affect the glues used in the helmet, even if it doesn't attack the foam in any obvious way. And the manufacturer  would probably advise against it (and many other disinfectants).

I doubt a hairnet would help, as forehead sweat is probably the biggest issue that will get complaints (I suspect people will react more to unpleasantness than any real risk of catching anything).

With regards to headlice, the CDC say

  Spread by contact with clothing (such as hats, scarves, coats) or other personal items (such as combs, brushes, or towels) used by an infested person is uncommon.

but how uncommon is another matter (other authorities disagree,  but anyway headlice die in a day or so off a person).

Ringworm (actually a fungal infection tinea capitis) may be more of a worry, but it's not common in adults to start with.  Disinfectants can stop it spreading.

I don't know how maintenance of the bikes and helmets will be arranged, but I think passive or minimal-effort solutions are probably going to be best. Some ideas:

Just having plenty of helmets so they've got time to dry out thoroughly should help.  It will cost more upfront but will extend the lives of the helmets so won't cost much more in the long run.  Storing them where they'll dry quickly is a big step in stopping them smelling.
Cheap helmets with little or no absorbent padding over the foam part will be able to absorb less sweat, and shared helmets won't fit everyone very well anyway.
If you get better helmets with removable pads, someone can wash the pads -- but who? When? Where? (I have tried laundry bleach for destinking but find a good soak in homebrew sterilser most effective).
Regular users of these bikes (perhaps cyclists who for whatever reason don't bring their own bike to work) may be encouraged to use their own helmet -- perhaps a bulk-buy discount could be arranged. This would reduce the load on the shared helmets. I keep an old helmet under my desk, and would lend it with the bike I keep near work.


Removing WD40 from disk brakes - possible? So I was stupid enough to get a fair bit of WD40 on my disk brakes. I tried cleaning them by removing the wheel, cleaning the disk (with soap) and to spray soap in between the brake pads and wiping it with a small cloth.

However, the brakes still squeak like crazy. Does anyone have suggestions on how to fix this?

I went to a bike shop and they told me I would also need to replace the rotor disks, is this true?

You should get rid of the pads and buy new ones. You can clean the disc with cleaning alcohol or brake cleaner. Just be sure to also clean all holes from the inside as there might be some oil left.

Afterwards bed in the new brake pads and you are good to go.


Sachs Torpedo 3 gear vs. SRAM T3 vs. SRAM i-motion 3 gear Various webshops use the following names:

Sachs Torpedo 3 gear
SRAM T3
SRAM i-motion 3 gear

There are many inconsistencies in what exactly they call them, and for a long time I thought it was exactly the same product, but now I know that at least Sachs Torpedo and i-motion 3 gear are different. I don't know how though, except that the shifter looks different, and the shifters are incompatible.

I don't know how T3 fits in, maybe it is the same as one of the others.

What are the technical differences between them? Any reason to buy one over the others? I am tempted to buy the Torpedo because I hope it will last longer, since family's bikes with Torpedo lasted forever in my childhood.

The webshop I'm buying from is selling both Sachs Torpedo and SRAM i-motion 3 gear, I asked them for the difference, but they were not really helpful.

SRAM acquired Sachs in 1997.

The main visible difference between the (Fichtel &) Sachs Torpedo 3 hub and the SRAM T3 is that the SRAM T3 comes in an aluminium body, whereas the Sachs Torpedo 3 comes in a chrome plated steel body and the brake design has been changed (but is compatible). There apparently was a successor model to the Sachs Torpedo 3 called Sachs Spectro T3 in between the SRAM T3 and the Sachs Torpedo 3. Around 1996 the coaster brake mechanism was changed by Sachs. So the timeline is:

~1977: H3111 (Sachs Torpedo 3) -> ~1996: MH3111 (Sachs Spectro T3) -> ~2000 MH3115 SRAM T3.

For the (Fichtel &) Sachs Torpedo 3 (H3111) speed hub see:
http://www.scheunenfun.de/f+s_h3111.htm (German)

For the Sachs Spectro T3 (MH3111) and the SRAM T3 (MH3115) see:
http://www.scheunenfun.de/sram-t3.htm (German)

So those mentioned above are internally compatible, at least if you're willing to replace some parts.

I am not exactly sure about the i-motion 3, but SRAM states that it is the successor of the T3 hub (see http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/pdfs/sram-internal-gears.pdf) it has a different shifting mechanism (a broken cable leaves it in low gear (opposed to high gear on the T3) among and some other differences, as far as I can see (see http://cdn.sram.com/sites/default/files/techdocs/sram-techmanual-my10-gearhubsystems-english-reva.pdf) and the internals are not compatible with the t3.

Some people have had problems (broken axles) with the i-motion 3 hub, whereas the old Torpedo hubs rarely break, which should be the case for the T3 as well, as it is mostly the same design (see http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-394516.html).


Are there any tricks or pitfalls in timing gear changes? I have noticed that my bike sometimes changes gears incredibly smoothly—quietly, quickly, very little 'jolt' through my pedals—while other times I get a rough, clunky change. I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to ensure smooth changes, or at least reduce the rough changes.

I don't think there's any adjustments required, as I've had it serviced a few times, and the gears all work (no jumping between them, no really slow changes).

It's generally not a huge issue (I'm commuting not running time-trials) but it can be a bit of a surprise (never good to have your foot slip) or can sometimes cost a lot of momentum when going up-hill.

I'm still getting used to my slightly wider-spaced chainring (new bike is 34/50, old one was 28/38/48), so shifting on the chainring seems to have the potential for the worst changes, but even shifting up/down the 9-speed cassette varies between smooth and harsh.

So I'm wondering if it's a case of timing the gear-change with my cadence? Or do I need to put more/less force on the pedals before/during the change? Or are there other tricks to it? And when I get to the limits of the cassette, is there a trick to smoothly shifting on the chainring & cassette when going up-hill to avoid a sudden ratio jump and loss of momentum with it?

3 basic tips

Try to be predictive in your shifting. Don't wait until you really need the next lower gear to change gears. Try to do it before your cadence drops to where you're mashing on the pedals
Ease up on the pedals when shifting. If you missed on the first tip, then let up on the mashing very briefly during the downshift. This will aid the chain in transitioning from one cog/chainring to the next. With some practice you can even get the timing right to where the chain will climb (or fall) during the least powerful part of your pedal stroke (6oclock/12oclock-ish) during sprint (or just normal) pedaling
Don't shift the front and the back at the same time. Try to drop the front chainring first and stagger upshifting in the back by a split second. This will help reduce drivetrain issues like dropping your chain and chainsuck.


Axle adjustment in Atom drum brake? I have a tandem with a drag brake in the hub of the back wheel.  It works perfectly, providing a steady drag when descending.

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

Details:

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

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

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

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

Answer Yes its a standard cup and cone axle.

I had to unbolt the reaction arm from the chainstay, and unbolt the brake cable from the activation lever arm.  This was simple.

Gotchas though - you have to remove the drum brake completely, and the inside cone is recessed so its hard to get a cone spanner on it.  Best method is to get the inner cone and lock nut in the right place on the axle, and tighten them together and then do the drive-side cone.

Hub with locknut and spacer removed.  Notice there's an awful lot of spoke holes on this thing, I could fit double the number of spokes!  :

Drum/hub with brake removed::

Drum shoes, view from the inside.  They're not a great fit with some parts worn smooth and other parts never touched the drum.  Activation is incredibly simple-the shorter arm is pulled forward by a brake cable, which rotates the shaft.  There are lobes on the shaft that push the brake shoes apart, and against the inside of the drum.  When the cable pull drops, the two beefy springs pull the shoes back off the drum.


Upgrading a heavy duty bike I have been using my bike for about 10 years for daily commuting and occasional traveling. It is a "trekking cycle" with a flat handle bars. I use it mostly for road riding, i.e. on streets and paved ways.

At the moment, it has original Shimano Deore LX shifters which are totally worn out. I am emotionally highly attached to frame/handlebar, etc. so I think upgrading is the way to go for me. This time it will be a major overhaul, i.e. I would like to exchange everything related to shifting / gears, and also rim/spokes, bottom bracket, hub.

I am now wondering which components to choose. I want to assemble things myself, so I am 100% familiar with the setup. I have been told that maybe an SRAM x7 group might be good, as it should be easier to work with with its 1:1 ratio.

Are there limits to the brakes/brake levers that I can choose? Must they "fit" the shift levers?
Are there problems I do not see? I.e. when switching from a shimano to a SRAM shift group?

PS: Hope this is all understandable, English bicycle tech vocab is not one of my strengths (yet).

Well, going SRAM means new shifters and new derailleurs (and while you're at it, you may as well install all new cable housings and cables). Depending on your hub, you may need to get a new hub (or more likely, a new rear wheel) to fit a 9/10 speed cassette that the current x7 group uses -- however if you have an 8/9/10 speed freehub already, you should be good to go. Note that the # of gears in the front & back have to match what your shifter expects.

As for brakes/brake levers, depending on what levers you have, you may need new ones (if they're in the same unit as the old shifters, for example, you need new ones). You're free to mix and match the brands of brake levers with the shifters, but you may find that the proprietary clamp systems (e.g. Matchmaker/i-spec) will give you better positioning of the shift and brake levers than mixing and matching.

I don't think SRAM or Shimano will be "easier to work with" -- go with whichever one you prefer (usually dependent on brand loyalty/how you prefer to shift).


What causes my front wheel to twist when I apply the brake? I have a 2005 Specialized HardRock Sport with disc brakes.

When I'm slowing down from a reasonable speed with the front brake, I noticed that the top of the front wheel appears to deflect sideways toward the disc.  I can't tell when I'm riding but I suspect that the whole wheel is twisting.  This doesn't seem to be safe to me, and I'm don't remember that happening before when I ride.

I tightened the QR on the front already.  What else could be the cause of this or where should I start to look?  Or has it always done this and I never noticed before?

I'd take a close look at your dropout and your QR skewer.  The rotating disc exerts an upward force on the disc caliper, which tends to want to push the dropout up and away from the axle (or as normally stated, pushes the axle down and out of the dropout).  Some calculations at Jules & James' comprehensive site computes the force generated to be as much as 3800N.

To achieve a 6mm offset at the top of the tire you'd need the axle to move about 1mm within the dropout. Try spinning the wheel in a bike stand with the skewer loose enough to allow free sliding but not wheel ejection, and see if you can replicate the same effect you're seeing out in the real world.


Why does this bike have bosses on the bottom of the down tube? What can the bosses on the down tube, next to the front wheel, be used for? The only thing I can think of is a mountain bike style mudguard, but I've only seen ones that clip on.

Evans' Cycles website.

Click to zoom in:

I would have to assume those are the...

  Extra Features:
  Tyre clearance for up to 700 x 45c with full mudguard and rack mounts

...that are mentioned on their website. Too far apart and to close to the tire to be anything else really.


How can I transport a Madsen bike? I just got a Madsen bike for my wife, and now I am looking at how best to transport it.  I have a Suburban with a roof rack.  The bike is 88" long with the handlebars turned, and I don't know if I should try to find a hitch-mounted carrier or a roof-mounted.  Anyone tackled this?

The Madsen Bike is a cargo bike with a large bucket over the rear wheel.

I doubt it is going to work on any rear rack. You may be able to install two roof racks end to end or buy an extra long one for tandems.
http://www.rackattack.com/product-pages/thule-558p-tandem-carrier.asp?utm_source=google&utm_medium=product-feed&utm_campaign=google-products&utm_term=100558P&gclid=CKf7rrWemboCFdAWMgodllgADg

Additionally, it should fit inside the Suburban.
Another idea would be to stand it up on top the truck after installing some sort of board. The huge kickstand should hold it up and just stabilize it with straps. Headroom will likely be a problem so it might also work to set a blanket down and just lay the bike on its side and strap it down that way.

I have a front load cargo bike and don't drive it often but when I do need to I just throw it inside my station wagon.


Is it possible to see distance to a waypoint, along the current course? I have a course created on GPSies that has a couple of waypoints, in this case it's pit stops, along the course. When I transfer it to my Edge 1000 through the new files folder I correctly get both the course and the waypoints.

However, once I start to ride along the course I can never see how far it is to the waypoints. All I can see is where it is on the map, or if I wish, I can stop the course and instead navigate to the waypoint.

I can also see how far away the waypoint is if I list all saved waypoints (called locations on the Edge 1000) along a straight line.

I'm I missing anything? This should be a very common usecase for long rides with pit stops, like organised races where you can refill water.

According to the Edge 1000 PDF manual download, there is a data field called Time to Next which should give you what you want. The manual says this gives you:

  The remaining distance to the next waypoint on the route. You must be
  navigating for this to appear.


Service/maintanace of Manitou fork and shock I'm doing complete overhaul and service of my bike and it is time to service Manitou Minute fork and Manitou Radium shock. They both work fine but they have never been serviced (at least for two years as long as I have this bike, and I think they are 2012 or 2013 models :). Problem is, there is no specialized service for Manitou products in my country and there are no replacement parts available.

My options are limited to taking my shocks to Fox/RockShox service but they have no replacement parts for Manitou and I guess I can expect they'll be able to clean all parts and change oil.

Should I send my shocks to such service (cleaning, changing oil and returning old parts) or it is waste of money and risk of something going wrong?
Or, should I continue to use shocks as they are now, until they stop working properly? What are the risks and problems I can except if I don't service shocks for such a long time?

Edit: (Since the question might be unclear): Is it better to do improvised service of shocks or no service at all?

There's three basic reasons to service your fork:
(1) it's not working correctly and something is broken
(2) it's working poorly and needs service to replace worn parts
(3) it's working fine and you want to keep it that way, i.e. recommended service interval

If it's #1 and maybe #2 you're kind of in a bind if you can't get replacement parts. The most common issue is worn or torn seals leading to leaks or air/dirt infiltration. You can't fix these and sizing is usually proprietary. If you're interested and confident you might as well take it apart to determine the issue. Just remember a poorly working fork is still better than one scattered in pieces around your shop!

If it's #3 you can likely do this service yourself without issues. The most common and frequent service is going to be replacing the oil and giving it a good clean. I'm not familiar with this particular fork but the damper assemblies are typically (a) complicated, (b) require semi-specialized tools (picks, lock-ring pliers, etc) and (c) don't need frequent service.

IMPORTANT!
I Don't know if you have the air or coil sprung version, but if air you must remove all pressure prior to taking the fork apart! The Minute (air version) uses air in both the damping and spring - 2 separate schrader valves to relieve pressure.

As a general rule of thumb if you're having mechanical issues (play in the fork, "clunking", lack of travel/return) it's likely adjustment/tightening or something is broken/worn (bushings tend to wear and then do a poor job). If it's sticky, or sounds "wheezey" it's probably lubrication and seal related - this is within the realm of the do it yourself-er.

One final tip - often suspension uses crush washers and other "one time" sealing systems. If you don't have any spare parts be very careful when taking out bolts so you can hopefully match anything you'll need.


Do 7-speeder and 21-speeder have similar minimum range of gear-inches? I want to buy a entry-level folding bike for slow-speed commuting, involving 20 minutes ride going over a steep hill of 1500 foot (500 meters). It is concrete 'normal car road', not off-road.

What gear-inch value should I look for in choosing a simple beginner bike suitable for the given task.

Would a 6-speed folding bike with 20 inches wheel and xxx gear-inch value be adequate? That is, have enough 'low gear' to comfortably-and-slowly going over the hill and no need for more expensive 21-speeder?

The simple answer is no (to the 21 speed vs. 7 speed question having similar minimum range).  The better answer is yes if the single front chainring matches the # of teeth of the smallest chainring on the 21 speed.

Remember that with a 20" diameter tire, even a 1:1 ratio (20 gear inches) is a decent hill climbing gear.  For example, on my 21 speed bike, I have 26" diameter tires and a 24/28 lowest gear so that is about 22.3 gear inches so if you had say a 34/34 setup (with 20" tires), your gear would be even lower than mine.  To beat 1:1 on a 20" tire I would need 24/32 gearing on my bike which is possible but would cost me some money to get.  I would say shoot for 20 gear inches and go from there.

Whoever recommended borrowing someone else's bike and testing that first seems like good advice.  That will give you a baseline to tweak your gearing from.

What you may want to try is gear the bike so you can normally make the hill in the 2nd to lowest gear, thus giving you 1 more bailout gear for when you are extra tired.  Condition yourself to be able to make it up in 2nd gear but you will have the assurance of having 1 lower gear.  For example, instead of a 34/34 setup being your lowest gear, you can make it so you have 28/28 as your next to lowest gear, then you will have 28/34 as your bailout gear, which with 20" tires, would give you about 16.5 gear inches.

Finally, yes I think if  you don't go ultra low on the lowest gear, then a wide range 6 speed should also suffice for normal "flat" riding and coasting downhills.  For example, 28 teeth in the front and 11,14,18,23,28,34 in the rear would give you a gear inch range of 16.5 low to about 51 high.  Just F.Y.I. (and for reference), my favorite and most used gear on my 21 speed is 34/20 which with my 26" tires gives me 44 gear inches so even if your smallest cog is 13 (not 11), you will be at 43 gear inches in top gear, good for a leisurely 9 to 10 MPH (14.5 to 16 kph) pace comfortably.

Good luck!


Gap between lower headset cup and fork. Is this likely to be a problem? Yesterday I had a headset and fork fitted by my LBS. Lacking the specific tools or knowledge, I thought it better to leave this job to a professional; as a consequence of my inexperience, however, I have no idea whether they've actually done a good job.

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

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

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

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

Thank you for your help.

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

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

There is a part missing, commonly the gap is filled with a simple plastic ring which works ok as a seal. Either this wasn’t supplied with the headset, or was lost by someone before it could be installed. If I had a headset without this seal, I wouldn’t be surprised if it wore prematurely as extra dirt got in.
Seen in the bottom left of a photo of the current model is the missing ring which would seal the gap.


Tape or grips for bar ends? I've just added a pair of bar ends to my handlebar. I feels surprisingly good, except that they are too thin, compared to my grips.

Are there any options to make them more comfortable? Maybe I can put a bar tape on them? If so, should I look for some specific type of this tape?

This is a picture of them if it helps.

Adding bar tape to the bar-ends is certainly possible. What kind of tape you want to use is determined by your preference. There are both thin and thick types available. If the bars still feel to thin after applying a layer of tape you can try double-wrapping them.

Drop bars are wrapped from the ends towards the stem, with the starting end of the tape tape tucked into the end of the bar, secured with the end-plug. You may have trouble getting thick tape into the end of the bar-end as they are of somewhat smaller diameter than drop bars. The other end is simply secured with tape.

Direction of wrap is important, force from the hands tends to be downwards on the outside of the drops section of drop bars, so you will want the direction of wrap to be downwards on the outside also.

This Park Tool video may help you.


Is taking a bike TRAILER on SF Bay Area Rapid Transit permitted? My partner and I were considering purchasing a Burley Travoy (http://www.burley.com/products/cargo-utilities/travoy.cfm).  We thought we might do this because we like to get groceries at Rainbow in San Francisco sometimes, though we live across the Bay in Oakland.  It seemed like the Travoy would be easier to get on an off the train (with a bike) and easier to keep out of the path of other passengers than our Burley Flatbed...  but is this even allowed?  It says NOTHING about trailers in any of the BART literature.

Is there anyone out there who has tried taking a trailer on BART?  Did you get hasseled?  Are there other transit systems that have a policy on bike trailers?

I also contacted BART via the customer service email listed on the BART website and received this answer while out for the holidays:

  Dave,

  Bike trailers are permitted on BART, with the same basic restrictions as bicycles (no bikes in the first car, or on trains passing through downtown San Francisco, Oakland or Berkeley during rush hours).  The only additonal restriction would simply be extra awareness, as you will be using more space then a regular bike, and to avoid crowded trains, even if it is not during the restricted hours.  Thanks for choosing BART.

  Operator #6
  BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit)
  Transit Information Center
  Tel. 510-465-2278 (live operators)
  6AM to 11PM - 7/Days"

Hi,

I called BART and the person I spoke with was very nice and quite informative.

So, first thing is that you need to follow the standard BART bicycle rules. Basically, there are a number of bicycle restrictions regarding peak commuting hours. You're pretty much committed to following those rules.

According to the rep I spoke with, during "non-peak" hours, you may or may not be allowed to use a trailer. The station masters will look at the length of your set-up. So, during low demand periods, you're probably ok if your trailer and bike are detached and compact as possible.

So the message I got is this. You will not be able to commute during peak hours with a trailer. You're probably ok with some trailers during non-peak times; except at times when a big event is occurring in the city.

I'd suggest that you pick an off-peak time when it's not terribly inconvenient and try out your bike trailer set-up. Also, according to the BART rep, if you're organized about things and your trailer is basically a large piece of luggage, you're probably good to go during the off-peak hours.


Can I reconnect a normal chain with a quick link I have just mounted a chain, but I did it wrong and need to take it off. I have no more joining pins, but I have some spare quick links for this chain. Will they work even though the chain didn't come with them?
It came with a joining pin. I am asking because I don't want cut the chain for two inner ends and then realise it won't work.
Also, how can I mount them, if possible?

You did not mention the type of your chain, but yes, quicklinks normally also work for other brands. SRAM quicklinks are known to work for Shimano chains etc.
Be aware that you must use 9-speed quicklinks for a 9-speed chain and similar. The widths differ so the the number of speeds must match.
You can solve some problems with wrong chain installation also by opening the derailleur cage (small screws), reinserting the chain, and closing agai. Under tension it could be tricky, though. Definitely take the chain off the crank first.


Can I fit a compact cassette with a long cage derailleur? my bike currently has a combination of 50X34 crankset and an 11x32 cassette and it looks like my rear derailleur is a long cage. I'm buying new wheels and I want to take the opportunity to try and buy a more compact cassette, maybe an 11x30 or 11x28. My question is, will I have problems with my current derailleur? Do I need to make some modifications?
Thanks in advance

Unlikely to cause any problems. A long cage R7000 (Shadow type) is rated for 28-34t cassettes. The short cage is rated for 25-30t, so going from 32t to 30t or 28t would be fine.
Expect to need to make normal adjustments for the new cassette, but it should work fine.
Of course it depends which precise RD you have, and since you didn't say I can't be 100% certain.


What pedals should I upgrade to for racing on the road and possibly track? I currently have SPD pedals on all of my bikes. I've stuck with them so far as they worked relatively well and I couldn't justify having two types of shoes.

I can justify two types of shoes now.

These pedals/shoes/etc would be for my road bike and likely used on the track as I am going to spend a bit of time at the local velodrome this winter. My primary criteria is probably strength, with price second. I'm a sprinter and saving money is always good. Weight doesn't really matter at this point.

The Look and Shimano road pedals look good, but they have a number of different models across the board. Any suggestions or ones to stay away from?

I would recommend the Look Keo Classic pedals if you are not hyper-sensitive to the weight.  They offer a carbon version if you decide to spend the extra bucks for the lighter version.  Popular and well-liked pedal with the extremely common Look cleat style.

I picked my pair up from probikekit.com, they had the best price at the time and offered free shipping but YMMV.


What is the point of pedal straps? What is the reason for pedal straps? They look as if they are more awkward and I can't see what the benefits are.

I can't remember the last time my feet slipped off my mountain bike, so why would they on a road bike?

There are a number of reasons for using either toe-clips (pedal straps) or clipless pedals:

It allows you to pull up as well as down, increasing the efficiency of your pedalling. This is something that you need to work at to get full effect from, as it is not a natural motion to most people. In Cadel Evans' book "Close to Flying" there is talk of a bike he uses for training that has a "freewheel" mechanism for the cranks which forces you to practice lifting the pedals as well as pushing them.
It positions the pedal under the ball of the foot giving you better leverage. While you don't need straps or clipless to do this, it does help keep your foot in the right place.
It helps to stop your feet coming off in rough ground while mountain biking.
It gives you more control over the rear of the bike allowing you to lift and shift the rear more easily. This makes it easier to bunny hop, and helps with controlling the bike on rough ground.


Using degreaser on a bike frame? I recently did a big clean up of a bike that I bought and when I was washing the bike there were specs of dirt on the frame that I couldnt remove, I tried a soft brush, Muc off bike cleaner and (water obviously), but the dirt wouldnt go, but I have some motorcycle degreaser that I could spray leave and then have a got at wiping that off, but I was wondering if that would damage the paint and if so, what could I use?
Thanks
Charlie

You will want to look at the active ingredients of the degreaser to see if it contains any strong solvents.  You will also want to consult your dealer or manual for the type of paint coating on your bike.  The name degreaser is a bit of a misnomer; it contains an oil that dissolves oils within the medium which allows a majority of the dirt to slide away.  However, degreasers leave a thin layer of oil no matter how much water you spray on it which is why you cannot paint over degreased surfaces.
Solvents only leave a film of solvent which eventually evaporates into the air, leaving a bare surface.  However as they generally have high chemical energy, these are what can pull off finishes.
I would try low abrasive dry cleaners like baking soda or bleach powder (Comet) first as it will slightly abrade and maybe even polish your paint rather than risk dissolving it.
See Applied Science's video for details on different cleaner types application which is extremely useful in more than just cleaning vehicles.


How to decode tread patterns? I'm searching for new tires for my MTB, but I'm lost with the many options available, even within a single brand (like Maxxis). Under "Mountain" category alone, Maxxis lists 22 diferent tires, every one with many variants by size, compound and bead, while the only visible difference for me is the tread pattern.

I understand that big knobs are better for mud, and small/none ones are better for hard surfaces, but how you translate the tread pattern (beside knob size) into handling characteristics? Can you look at a tread and says what it's good for? Is "climbs and brakes with authority thanks to the opposing parallelogram center tread design" (Maxxis Advantage) just marketing speak or it's for real?

Ask the guys you ride with and also complete strangers you meet on the trail, what they use and why. My guess is 9/10 times it was on the bike already, or it was on special.

I have ridden for years, have a range of tires I have tried. Some I have liked better than others, mostly its a trade between speed, traction for braking and acceleration (not my strongest point anyway) and cornering.

A tire is a compromise of the following

weight
cost
Straight line performance (one and/or both directions)
Cornering (Predictability and maximums)
Puncture resistance

Add to this the types of terrain being ridden (the list gets bigger)

Rock
Dirt
Sand (soft)
Hard pack
Pavement

Then add

Wet
Dry

If you are a casual weekend warrior like me, you got to the LBS, ask them for a tire for the trails you regularly ride (which they should know) and hope they gave you something half decent.


Kashima coat or not? I have some Fox Float 32 Evolution 140mm travel forks on my 2015 giant trance. I ride very aggressively and it's a bumpy ride down a lot of the tracks I do. Keep in mind I do technical tracks, over roots, drops etc.
Today I rode a bike with 150mm pikes and I didn't feel a thing at all.
I'm wondering if getting kashima coat on my forks would:
1. Make them less bumpy (smoother)?
2. How much would it cost?
3. Would it just be more worth saving up for some pikes?

Feel free to ask questions! Cheers

I would

Make sure your sag is set correctly. See fork manual.
Place a zip-tie on your fork leg to act as a max-travel gauge, it lets you see how far from bottoming out you were on any ride and will aid you with tuning.
Play with the compression/rebound settings on your current fork. If ride is too harsh, reduce both.
If you are unable to smooth out the ride, or it is at the expense of a wallowy ride, have them serviced (new oil, seals as needed etc).
Avoid large-bill outlays on the current fork while saving up for a better fork in case you can't improve the ride enough. You fork (and bike) will have some resale value, but putting money into it won't increase the resale value.


Tacx Thru Axle for Giant TCR I ordered a Giant TCR Advanced 1 (2018) and it's on its way. I just remembered that I need to get a thru axle that fits my Smart Trainer (Tacx Flow Smart. Sadly I can not seem to find the measurements on Giant's website to order the correct one from Tacx's selection.

I read that it is a 142x12mm, but there are several in that list with that measurements and sadly I don't know which of these would fit. Can anyone help me figure it out?

thanks

EDIT Looks like the 2018 version (at least mine) has a quick release (I thought it had a thru axle) and I was able to use the quick release "axle" that was provided with the Tacx Flow.

The specs of the thru-axle that you need are here. The one that you need is T1707, which is 12×142 with a thread of M12×1.

The T1707 and the T1711 both fit a 142×12 mm with a thread of M12×1. The T1707 has an axle length of 162.5 mm, while the T1711 has an axle length of 175 mm. I couldn't find the TCR specs for this online, but since I ride a Giant Propel Disc, which has the same thru-axles as a TCR, I was able to take mine out of my bike to measure it. I found that it measured 162.5 mm (see photo). This means that the T1707 is the correct axle.


Helmet headband is getting wet from sweat I cycle to work on a daily basis, however I do like to also sweat a lot. Most of this is ok, I have a change of clothes and can managed, but when it comes to my helmet, it's a different story.

There is a headband around the helmet, which likes to soak up my forehead sweat, the problem is, this headband doesn't like to dry out and I can see it getting mouldy soon. I can't seem to removed the band, so I was wondering:

Are there helmets where this band is removable?
Are there alternatives, like wearing a headband underneath to soak up the sweat instead?

I've seen this post, but it's more talking about keep the sweat out of the eyes, rather than the helmet headband. Though the site does sell things called, skull caps, will that be suitable for soaking the sweat and then I can wash it? I need to find something that will fit under my helmet and prevent the headband from soaking up more sweat.

Most helmets (certainly the last 6 or 7 I've owned) have the pads held in by velcro so can be removed and washed or replaced. A lot of people I know wear either a headband or a "buff" (google it, it's a brand name) to help a bit with the sweat.

All that said, I'm surprised your helmet pads don't dry out. I also live in Luxembourg and I can ride morning, noon and evening and each time come back to a mostly dry set of helmet pads.


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

I can't comment but I would if I could. Bike thieves have a tendency to sand frames down. The fact that you live in Seattle, a city with many bike thefts coupled with  the fact you got a multi thousand dollar bike for $100 points towards it being stolen. You should check local classifieds for people looking for their bike.


Freewheel threading on Miche flip-flop hub I'm currently building a parts list for a new single-speed bike. In the process, I came across a nice looking flip-flop hub from Miche: The "Primato Pista/Strada"

I figured that adding the fixed sprocket is best done using a dedicated Miche carrier. However, for the freewheel sprocket, I'm confused. I read about Italian, ISO and British threadings, all being approx. 35x24 tpi. On the referenced website though, it states that the freewheel is 36x24 tpi, which seems too large for regular freewheel sprockets. I couldn't find any suitable sprockets online.

Is it possible to just use regular Italian freewheel sprockets on that hub (as for the fixed sprocket)? If not, where can I find suitable freewheel sprockets?

I have these hubs, I used a normal freewheel (1.37" x 24TPI) I had lying around from my old single speed build.
I'm 99% sure you also need a normal single speed / BMX / trials freehub. The 1% doubt I have is, that I don't know which model/year your hub is. And I don't know if they ever did a different one.
Worst come to worst, buy a freehub from a place which does refunds easily. That way, you can try to fit the freehub and if it doesn't fit, just get your money back.


How to fix handlebars that have virtually turned into a seesaw I have a Roadmaster Granite Peak Women's Bike. It was really cheap, but I'm not sure if this issue has to do with the quality of the bike or how it was put together. The issue is the handlebar has loosened and is like a seesaw because it slid out of the piece that holds it in place, the part in the red circle. However, they are not loose enough to just slide right back into place. How would I fix this? Thanks in advance]1

Cut a piece from an aluminum can and insert it.  Aluminum is soft and it will (hopefully) clamp in.


9 speed cassette and 7 speed shifter So I bought a new (used) wheel set for my mountain bike and it came with a 9-speed cassette. I currently have 3x7 rapid shifters, which presents an incompatibility. I'm wondering how to fix this problem. The way I see it my options are

Replace my shifter with a 9 speed shifter
Replace my cassette with a 7 speed cassette and an extra spacer.
Replace the spacers with 7 speed cassette spacers and remove some sprockets.
Get a 9 speed chain and roll with it.

I'm not sure what the best approach is but I'm wondering if anyone has tried number 4. I know that there will probably be issues wit shifting because the stops on the shifter are bigger than the travel between sprockets, by I'd like to know if it is manageable or not. Any advice? Failing that what is my best approach?

Option #4 won't work - the spacing between the cogs is different for 7,8,9 speed (4.34 mm for a Shimano compatible cassette for 9 speed, 5 mm for 7 speed Shimano). An index shifter is designed to move the chain over by a certain amount based on this spacing, which is why you have to typically match the number of speeds on the shifter with the cassette. Note that a 7 speed, 8 speed, 9 speed chain can usually be used on any of the 7/8/9 speed setups though (not necessarily optimally, but it usually works out with a bit of adjustment).

The cheapest solution is to just buy a 7 speed cassette and put it on, and is likely the best (#2). 7 speeds chosen appropriately is more than enough for almost everyone.

Disassembling a cassette is a hassle and its likely you won't get the spacing correct anyway, so #3 is out.

Option #1 is a decent option given 9 speed alivio or whatever shifters are not too expensive now, and you get a fresh set of cables if you buy a set of Alivio shifters. But, if you have brake-shift combined units, you may also have to buy new brake levers. Its also more work, but if your shifters aren't working too well, this is a good choice - there isn't much on the market for good quality 7 speed shifters anymore, so if you're going to be using the bike a lot, this may be a good choice (I just upgraded my 7 speed commuter to 8 speed because the shifters went).

To conclude, option 2 (installing a 7 speed cassette) or option 1 (installing 9 speed shifters) are the only ones which would work. Option 2 is cheaper (and I'd likely go for this if the shifters are in good working condition), but option 1 is a decently reasonable one as well (and is recommended if it looks like the 7 speed shifters will go).


Nexus shifter with Alfine hub Is it ok to use a Nexus 8 speed grip shifter with an Alfine 8 speed hub?
The Alfine shifters seem to be all trigger shifters is that correct?

The Jtek bar end shifter claims to work with both Nexus and Alfine 8 speed hubs, so I don't see why other shifters wouldn't.

A comment on this review of the Alfine hub backs that up: "Apparently the Shimano Nexus Inter-8 twist shifter can be used with the Alfine hub if you want to avoid endless button-pushing."


Building a 700c bike. Hub sizes Trying to build a bike on a cyclocross frame. So the wheel will be 700c. Need hubs. Fork size is 100x15 with thru axle. Rear drops size 142mm x 12mm thru axle also. So it means I need any hubs which will fit these sizes? Because I know that these standards are mostly for mountain bikes, and know nothing about how they fit the 700c wheels.

Thinking of buying a pair of Hope Pro 4 or a pair of DT Swiss 350s MTB hub for rear and front.

Thank you very much!

As long as the rim is 700c, any hubs with the thru axle dimensions you mentioned will work.

  Fork size is 100x15 with thru axle. Rear drops size 142мм x 12мм thru axle also. So it means i need any hubs which will fit these sizes? Because i know that these standarts are mostly for mountain bikes, and know nothing about how they fit the 700c wheels.

This is actually not quite true. 142x12mm is a common spec for the rear hub on current drop bar bikes with disc brakes. The vast majority of these bikes have thru axles. I think that many, possibly the majority, of drop bar bikes may have 100x12mm thru axles in the front, but 100x15 isn't unheard of.

Right now, I believe Boost spacing (i.e. 110x15mm front, 148x12mm rear) characterizes mountain bikes. I have no idea if drop bar bikes will adopt this spacing. Boost spacing improves the bracing angle of the hubs. It will increase wheel stiffness and strength. I'm a very light road and gravel rider, and I don't ride MTBs, so I have no idea if this performance gain is actually meaningful on MTBs. I have no idea if it will produce a meaningful performance gain for drop bar bikes, either.


Got a new cassette and chain, freewheel not working correctly I bought a new chain and cassette for my road bike. The bike is about 10 years old from estimation (9 speed shimano). I assumed I replaced all the parts correctly, but now whenever I stop pedaling, I feel some resistance as the free wheel is not working correctly. At slow speeds, the cassette keeps spinning when I stop pedalling, albeit with less force than the wheel. The casette is then blocked by the chain which causes the chain to skip, making a lot of noise. If I put my bike upside down and turn the pedal backwards, the rear wheel starts rotating backwards as well.

I've googled and the only suggestions I've found are about servicing the freehub part in the wheel. However, I never had a single problem with this, and the first moment I rode after replacing the chain and cassette, it started happening. Therefore it would be very coincidental if it is not related to the new casette. Any pointers?

EDIT: here are two videos I made, with the first showing that the wheel and casette are connected when the cassette is not turning or turning backwards, and the second showing the range in which I can turn the cassette.

You're on the right track with your Googling; the mechanism which disengages the drive when you pedal backwards (or coast) is plainly not working as it should. That is independent of the newness of the cassette or chain.

If you don't want to get into dismantling the freehub to clean and lube the pawls just yet, you could try your new parts with a known good wheel and see whether the problem goes away. If the problem disappears then you know it is worthwhile to overhaul your freehub.