What's the cause of this tyre cut? I am using Schwalbe lugano 700*25C for commuting, it's a almost brand new tyre with less than 500km. Recently I am starting to find some cuts around 1cm on my the tyre thread. Does anyone know what's the cause of a tyre cut? I inflate the tyre slightly above the max rated psi, is that part of the problem?

That looks like broken glass cut to me, you might find the remains of the sliver in the bottom of the cut. Over time that fragment will work inwards and eventually you will get a puncture.

That's left will be smaller than this, the sharp, flat edge that actually cut into your tyre then broke off:

This question has photos of a similar problem, where not getting the fragment out meant puncture after puncture. And this shows the punctures you get.

One maintenance task some people do is to get a sharp metal object and dig all the little splinters of glass out of their tyres. That does reduce the number of punctures, but in my experience it saves ten minutes of puncture repair for every hour or two of picking bits out of the tyre. It's not worth it. Instead I use puncture resistant tyres, which are heavier and slower than ones like yours. I probably spend an extra hour riding for every ten minutes of puncture fixing avoided... but I ride partly for fitness so that doesn't bother me.


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

No, lithium grease or similar grease compounds are in general not suitable for bike chains.

Bike chains need lubrication of inner surfaces between rollers. Chain lubes contain solvents to reduce viscosity enough to creep into these gaps. The solvent dissipates and leaves a high viscosity oil.

The surface does not need extra lubrication. It is best to remove all chain lube from it to prevent dust and grit adhering to the chain. Eventually it would get into the chain rollers and increase wear.

Lithium complex grease is good for mounting parts. For example seat posts or screw threads. It can serve as an allround grease to server the purpose of anti seize compounds and bearing grease. There are a few components, like suspension forks, that must not be lubricated with lithium grease though.


Need help identifying an old bicycle, unusual frame I was recently given a bicycle by an Italian restaurant, the owner had brought it back from Italy years ago and used it as wall decor. I have since replaced the chain, brake etc. However I am very curious as to how old it is, what it is, or any information. The decal says "Freyus" but when I search for it I can't find anything remotely similar to this bike. Does anyone know anything about it? I have done a web search and index search of the bike frames serial number and it has turned up nothing.

http://s23.postimg.org/l922ca617/image.jpg

Looks like a generic beach cruiser - not very old either.  The brazed lugs on the downtube suggest it was a geared bike, converted to single speed.

The V brakes say its no older than the 90s, and probably post-2000.

Its doesn't appear to be anything specifically Italian.  Still if it rides nicely, then ride it.   There's likely no museum or vintage nature there.


Is this a cracked frame? Here's a pic of my Rocky Mountain Altitude 750 2014.  It's the area where the top tube meets the down tube / Bottom bracket.

Is this a cracked frame or just cosmetic problem?

Thanks

Yep, that looks like some pretty extensive cracking.

I'm sure this is obvious to you, but do not ride this bike as the frame may fail catastrophically.

Update:

Sorry your three year old frame failed. I would not expect a full suspension frame to fail in that time. You may want to contact Rocky Mountain to see if they will do anything about it.

On the other hand, kudos to you for being able to ride the bike hard enough that you broke it :-)


Zerostack headset fit I am looking to get a ZeroStack headset upper and have found the right size in terms of diameters.  However, different models of headset reach different depths into the cup on the frame.  Should the headset depth fit the cup perfectly?  Is it acceptable for the headset to not reach the bottom of the cup?

The frame is an Orange Elite 2012. The depth is approximately 12mm.

That is a semi integrated head tube to be used with semi integrated head set, a fully integrated head tubes machining is different , it would have a precis depth and an 45 degree angle to it , in order to match fully integrated bearings and yield a exact final bearing depth . When useing a semi integrated system the cup or race you press into the head tube takes the place of this precision machining of the head tube.


What happens if you neglect front suspension maintanance? My bike has front suspension, which I have never done any maintenance to, and I don't plan to do so in the future either. I've owned it for 10 years now, and it's kinda stiff by now, but other than that, no problems. I don't really need the suspension since I don't off-road - I just want it to hold up and not leak any oil. Will a fork with suspension do that without maintenance?
The fork in question is Suntour NEX 4610 V2.

It will seize which is why you are feeling the stiffness you are right now. It will also probably handle rough roads less effectively.
I would recommend doing the maintenance and that way you could get another trouble free decade out of it or just keep riding it until the wheels fall off of it figuratively speaking.
I am surprised the fork seals have held so long, but at this point I think the fork oil is thicker and probably helping the seals keep the oil in place. I doubt it will leak oil unless a seal breaks from a catastrophic failure, which is hard to predict.


Where to find a good bicycle-trailer lighting system...in Canada We have a child trailer (like this--link has better side/rear view but requires flash) and want to be seen by cars when biking at night.  The little red blinking bike lights available in our area are terrible: even the expensive ones break very easily, turn off after going over the slightest bump, etc.  I am having a very hard time finding a product, by a company that ships to Canada, meeting all of the following requirements:

has amber/yellow/orange-coloured lights (apparently the only legal all-direction light colour with which to decorate your vehicle)
made of LEDs or other low-power lights, preferable in a strip or rope of some kind, minimum 2ft long (must stretch at least across the back of the trailer)
meant for outdoors--lights and at least part of the wire going to the battery pack must be rain-proof
operable down to, if not below, -10 degrees C
powered by rechargeable batteries (e.g., one that uses AA batteries is not a bad choice)
bright (we prefer to be seen from afar for 8 hours over being weakly lit for 80--so most battery-powered Christmas lights don't seem to fit this)

Also, the following would be very nice:

already put-together (I found many sources of LED strip lighting but then we'd have to borrow a soldering iron and get our own battery pack and seal it ourselves)
not cost-prohibitive (there are lots of places that have nice lights but even for a DIY solution, it's either 2 overpriced half-metres or the next level up is buying 5m which is way too much)...$40 plus shipping would be nice.  I guess we could spend up to $80 after shipping but really...we're replacing dollar-store lights here.

I came so close to finding something, but the few options that fit all criteria were made by companies that did not ship to Canada (thanks for telling me only once I reached the checkout, and not allowing this as a search criterion even when logged in, Amazon...)

There's also the one product "exclusively licensed to Chariot", StrideLite:

...but apparently it's terrible, which you can pretty much tell just by looking at it.  It doesn't light up the back at all, which is often the part you'll need to make more visible.

Any suggestions?  This is getting frustrating, and I'm surprised at the lack of solid options I've come across so far.

I buy all my bike lights from http://www.dealextreme.com - they are in HongKong but have free postage to Canada.

You are just buying the same made in China stuff in the shops direct from the makers in China.  Avoid the very cheapest stuff (destined for a Dollar store near you!) and check the reviews.

edit: specifically for your trailer you can't beat this superflash from mec

edit2: Lights switching off is normally a problem with the batteries not the switch. The flashing LED lights are microprocessor controlled and a fraction of second interuption in power resets the CPU. Check the batteries are a good contact, especially rechargeables which are a tiny bit shorter than Alkalines. You might have to bend the battery clips to make a good contact.


Safest way to slow down a bike quickly if both sets of brakes fail This may sound like a crazy question, however today in the wet my rear brakes decided to stop working effectively. It has been pouring rain here which makes the problem more apparent.

I managed to get to work unscathed, but was wondering what is the best technique if I were to get in a situation where I had no brakes (front or back) and was heading downhill.

Try and zig-zag; throw the bike and just take the worst of it early on; immediately turn sideways in one direction or roll into the gutter.

What is the most effective, least damaging and most safe effective way of doing this?

BMXers in some places put the shoe between rear tire and frame, just where the rear brake normally is attached to the bike. I've never done that, because I used to run knobby tires (ouch!), and nowadays I care a lot about brakes.

You really should avoid this situation, because many times there would not be much to do.

I would guess, a good alternative would be to turn sharply while leaning the bike, and then skidding the rear tire sideways. That is already difficult to do in a planned way, what to say when you are frightened...

A good thing to do is follow the advice "brake early, brake often", so you don't have to find out your brakes are not working only when is already too late.


How do i tighten the steering on this type of head? I have acquired a bike (new), but from the shop (supermarket), the steering
seems to have no effect on the wheels, i thought it was a minor issue i could solve when i got home by tightening, but iv had no luck so far,,
, the bolts at the sides are for the handle bar, i tried turning the lock nut (discolored in the pics), but nothing is happening. Im now thinking of taking it to a repair shop, is this the right move?

Its a quill stem.

Remove the rubber/plastic cap from the top and you will see a bolt head, which needs tightening (probably hex). Don't over tighten it.


Why are most tyres black? While looking for new tyres that would fit my bike from a design point of view, it turned out that none of my color wishes could be fulfilled. Most tyres on the market are black, with a handful of exceptions (some mentioned here)

There are headsets, clamps, brake levers, saddle posts etc. available in all colors, why not tyres?

The highest volume use of carbon black is as a reinforcing filler in rubber products, especially tires:

  Practically all rubber products where tensile and abrasion wear properties are crucial use carbon black, so they are black in color.

Two of the pictures of 'orange' tires show that while the sides of the tire are orange, the tire is black 'where the rubber meets the road'.


Shimano Acera Shifters - How to remove gear cable I need to change the front derailleur gear cable on my bike. I've removed the cable from the derailleur itself, and now need to detach it from the shifter on the handlebars.

On my previous bike, which also had Shimano parts (I think Tourney), when I had to do this I just unscrewed two screws on the top side of the shifter, the cover easily came off, and I could then access the cable.

On these Acera shifters, there are also two screws at the top, but after unscrewing them the cover won't pull off. I've tried this on both shifters with the same result. It seems I need to unscrew or do something else, but I'm not exactly sure what it is.

Rather than try to yank off the cover and end up damaging something, I thought I'd ask here if anyone knows how to correctly remove the covers on these shifters.

Thanks for any help.

On the outside of the shifter (where the levers are) there should be a single screw. Put the deraileur in the first gear (the gear with the least tension) and remove the screw. Then simply push the cable out.


Shifter only uses first 4 gears I've got a Shimano trigger shifter on an 8 speed derailleur. It only allows me to use 4 of my 8 gears. I can adjust the derailleur so that it is the top 4 or the bottom 4, but the shifter just won't click through the rest. It clicks 3 times and then acts like the rest of the gears don't exist.

I've tried adjusting the derailleur. Seems to work fine. I can even get the bike to shift by pulling the cable manually.

I've sprayed a ton of WD-40 into the shifter. That definitely improved the shifting speed and smoothness, but no affect on clicking through the rest of the gears.

Does anyone know what is happening or to fix it? When I opened up the shifter case, it does not look easy to mess with...

Thanks for the help.

If you pull the inner wire by hand while spinning the pedals, does the rear derailleur move the chain to all 8 cogs on the rear cassette? (suspend the bike in a workstand or hang from something with a rope to make this easier)

Does the shifter (the part on the handlebars) click through 8 different positions as you press the buttons?  Can you feel it pulling the inner-wire a little on every click?

Sounds like the shifter unit is pogged up and some of the pawls inside are not latching into the teeth.  You could try disassembling it, clean all the old lube out with a degreaser/petrol and then re-lube and reassemble.  I've done this with brifters and it was hard work but fixed the problem.

If that doesn't work, you're probably up for a replacement 8 speed shifter... not too expensive new.  Your local bike coop might be able to help too.

Fit a new inner cable while you have the chance - they're cheap.


Is this a crack on the carbon frame? I have just noticed this on the top of my saddle bar and where the seat post clamp is. Is it a crack probably caused by the saddle pressure?

Doesn’t look like a crack, looks more like a  surface void that formed during the resin injection molding. These types of imperfections are not uncommon, especially on the inside of the frame where you can’t see them. Less common to see them on the outside as they are usually caught in quality control inspections.  While they are not ideal, as areas with voids will be somewhat weaker than areas without voids (depending on the size and depth of the void), they are not critical like a crack.


Can a threaded headeset be converted to a threadless headset I just want to ask a burning question in my mind. I still ride a bike that uses threaded headsets, I was wondering if I could use the tightening cap of the headset as the base of the whole thing then use spacers and a star nut and top cap to lock everything down?

I of course have tried the adapter systems, and I do not like how it feels, so I was wondering if I could do what I said above.

Thanks guys!!

UPDATE:

My fork is relatively new and has alot of extra steerer tube because I haven't cut it down yet.

Latest update:

So I went to the bike shops around my town and got to buy a shim or whatever they call it. Also bought the star nut and top cap for the bike. I made them do it for me, and it looks quite good now.. Will be posting a pic later when I get home.

Not sure why you would attempt to use a threaded headset as a threadless headset - other than trying to save on something which you can't.

The stem and top-cap assembly of a threadless headset are integral to securing the fork into the frame. Whereas a threaded headset secures the to the fork using a large nut.

There is nothing to stop you buying retro one inch fork, threadless headset and stem. That would be the safest way to do it.


Sunscreen for Riding What type of sunscreen is best for long road rides? I'm thinking sweatproof, non-greasy, non-smelly. Ideally it would be a 'low risk' and 'safe' according to something like the EWG or Good Guide, since I don't like putting nasty chemicals on my body.

The goal is something that lasts a long time (think 4 or 5 hour ride in the hot sun) while sweating, without running into my eyes/mouth/onto my hands.

Experiences?

I'm a pasty white guy in the antipodes, and I burn like a sausage on flaming barbeque.

I much prefer cloth-based sunscreen. That adds cooling as well as sun protection, and doesn't leave a greasy residue that has to be washed off. Getting sunscreen to stay on areas that are hot, sweaty and being rubbed is not easy and rarely effective. My preference is not to ride when it's that hot and sunny, leave early or arrive late instead.

If I can't do that I wear long sleeves and a hat, with full coverage gloves as well. With a nice floppy hat and a hood or hat-flap it's only my face that's actually exposed [1]. I find this is cooler than being exposed and using suncreen, which in Australia can be handy (cycling when the air is much above body core temperature is unpleasant). For my face I do find I need something on my nose and occasionally lips, which is I dislike. But when I have to I use baby beach products, usually a stick. I figure anything designed to stay on an infant at the beach will work for me, and since I'm using a tiny amount of it occasionally the cost isn't really relevant.

I look for tradespeople's clothing because that usually works better than cycling clothes. It's generally fluorescent, hard-wearing and affordable as well as SPF 50+, plus it's designed to be worn by hot sweaty people. Also, you get pockets. Finding long pants in lightweight fluoro can be tricky, but they are made (at least in Oz).


Kids bike rear derailleur change I am not too technical when it comes to bikes, but I wonder about the change of rear derailleur.

I bought my daughter a second hand good shape bike for good money Cube Acid 240 disk with Altus 7 speed derailleur. I wonder if it would be possible to change the rear derailleur from 7 speed to 11 speed SLX? I wonder if it is possible, and if yes how much do you think it would cost (I assume changes will need to be made not just the derailleur but the more things on the bike) and whether it makes any sense?

Thank you in advance.

An upgrade to the drivetrain on this bike is very likely not possible.

A 7 speed drivetrain either has a old-style freewheel, where the sprocket cluster and ratchet mechanism are in a single unit that threads on the hub. These can't be upgraded to more sprockets.

The hub may have a newer style freehub design where cassette sprockets slide on a splined cylinder, but 7 speed freehubs are narrower than those designed for 8 speeds or more.

The wheel might have a 8+ speed freehub and a 7 speed cassette installed with a spacer, but this is unlikely.

When answering questions about upgrading the drivetrain, most of the time my advice is that's it's not worth the cost. Separate drivetrain components are expensive, changes in one place have a knock-on affect that require other components to be replaced. Sometimes the entire drivetrain including shifters, crank and rear wheel need to be replaced (although not in your case). Also, you don't get the full benefit of better quality components when they are installed on a lower quality frame.

Personally, as this is a kids 24" wheel bike I'd leave it alone and save the money for your daughter's next bike.


Good goggles over glasses for a small head? I have a pair of prescription sunglasses that partially wrap around my face, but when I ride (mountain biking and commuting), dust and debris still end up in my eyes, and after twenty miles, my eyes are watering. I am looking to get a pair of goggles that can fit over my glasses, but I don't want to order a pair that won't fit my head (I'm 5'3"), and I have yet to find a goggle review that mentions a small size. I have a cross-country helmet, so they'd be sitting directly on my face. Are there any recommendations? I am looking to get a pair for under fifty dollars.

Safety Glasses.

I no longer bother with prescription sunglasses, I have multiple pairs of Uvex safety glasses that fit nicely over my glasses.  There are multiple lenses that filter all UV, come in different colours, etc.  I also have a pair with clear lenses that I use when it's particularly dusty or dirty.  (e.g. I sometimes ride over a very busy bridge)

If you do go with some sort of safety glasses, you can either find someplace online that sells them or look for a local safety/industrial supply company.

Here's some more Uvex-specific information, I'm sure other brands would also work:

The glasses I use are the Uvex Genesis with Espresso Lenses.  The Gold Mirror lens looks cooler (both are 100% UV) but the gold surface finish is more fragile.  The lenses on these and many other safety glasses are interchangeable so if you want another colour or need a replacement, you don't need to buy the frame.  OTOH, the frames are not expensive so it's possible to have multiple shades for different conditions.  (The last pair I bought last year was about Can$35.)

Uvex has a smaller series called the Genesis Slim that might meet your need for a smaller pair of glasses.  They don't have as many colour choices for lenses, but both of the "Grey" choices block 100% of UV.  This page has PDFs of reference info: which tints are available for which frames, details of the different lens tints.


How to handle motorists' dangerous behaviour with an impassable group? I rode in a Velowagen (1) with over 300 cyclists on the national bike route in Switzerland, while on a narrow countryside road a few cars began piling behind us and one of them started trying to pass in an increasingly aggressive manner. At some point the left lane was free for a few meters and he started accelerating with the intent of klaxxonning (honking/blasting the horn) his way into getting a free lane as fast as he was moving. (2)

To avoid a potential accident, my hotblooded reaction was to get in front of him and brake to force him to stop. After that and me nearly being run-over, the driver got out, almost started a fist fight, and a shouting match in French and Deutch followed between the two very angry of us, which very slowly allowed for a de-escalation and a safe distance to the convoy.

In a similar situation, where a cyclist mass is blocking the road and drivers getting violent, how can the motorists be handled in a way that minimizes the risks ?

(1) A Velowagen is a big group of diverse cyclists going to a protest in another city. Includes every kind of riders : lycra, commuters, coursiers and families with children, so the global speed is around 15-20 kmh. The goal is not to intentionally block the road but to move across the country on the intended bike routes to keep the convoy safe.

(2) While most cyclists were in the correct lane, a few were in the wrong lane to pass or because the group was very dense)

Don't create the situation in the first place. Every large event I've ever been on would either have the roads closed down, or send the riders out in waves so as not to create a situation where a car would have to pass so many cyclists at once.

Obviously the guy in the car was in the wrong, but there are still things that can be done to prevent the situation in the first place. Forming a defacto blockade on the road isn't really in anybody's best interest.


Bottom bracket compatibility After two LBS's, a blowtorch and a tyre shops impact driver I finally have my bottom bracket out. It an aluminium frame if that makes a difference.
On the drive side some of the thread is gone, although not so much that the socket can freely be pushed in.
Would I need to move to a threadless bb or could I force the drive side in to retread/lock into remaining threads?
Picture of the drive side:
https://ibb.co/6WJN24P
Also, this is a 68x127.5 bb. Would a 68x127 work? If I have to go threadless, the yst 127mm is far cheaper and more available. I just don't know if enough thread is "gone" for it to fit in. Also the non drive side is almost fine.
I should add that sending the frame to a specialist retapping shop would simply not be worth it for this bike!
EDIT: The bike is an old Dawes 401 with a rockshox gps fork that has failed but functions as a solid fork now. This bike also requires new cables and perhaps new shifters. I know it would probably be better to just switch to a new bike but I feel it would be a big waste to scrap this.

You cannot use a 'threadless' bottom bracket in a threaded shell. Perhaps you are thinking of two-piece bottom brackets designed for press-fit frames that thread together and are designed to eliminate bearing misalignment and creak. These only work because they fit very accurately into the press-fit bearing cups.
The 127[.5] measurement refers to axle length. Each crank model requires a different axle length to get the correct chainline. 0.5mm will not make a difference.
What I'd do is have the BB shell faces faced to give a clean flat surface to the flanges of BB to butt up against, and clean the threads as much as you can will a wire brush and pick. Install the BB with a generous amount of thread locker.


Can tire sealant be used in anti-decubitus cushion? I know this is odd question because it is related to wheelchairs (which at least have two wheels :) and use of sealant.

Anyway, my father in law use anti-decubitus cushion (similar to the one picture) in order to prevent wounds from prolonged sitting in his wheelchair. However, there are frequent punctures which are hard to fix. These cushions are also very expensive so he is trying to avoid buying new one (current one is just few months old).

Cushions comes with few self-adhesive patches but those can't be applied very well to narrow surfaces between cells. I've even tried to use bike tire repair kit (patches and glue) but glue doesn't stick to material from which cushion is made (some kind of coated rubber).

I was wondering if tire sealant can be used in this case? Are there any other products or advice how to solve this problem?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

I'll do my best to help with my knowledge of sealant, and this was too long to comment.

Sealant MIGHT work.... but it may cause more issues than it fixes.

My main concern would be getting it from cell to cell, as in a tire or tube it is easily distributed along the entire tire/tube, whereas this look would take some work to get it all the way to the other corner from that of the valve. Also it depends on the size of the hole or puncture as sealant is made for relatively small holes. (1/4" to 1/8" depending on brand)

Also it may impede air from getting to some of the cells if it gets clogged up, it's hard to tell how large the airways between the cells are from the image.

The other kicker is sealant does not last forever, in a tire or a disposable tube it can be removed if it begins to clump or harden, or the tube can be easily and cost effectively replaced. Where as this, you have said is semi-expensive so if the sealant clogs some of the airways and cells no longer inflate you are kind of stuck with a defective cushion that will then put more pressure on certain areas.

Further more there is not much to get it to the top of the cells, so it will collect in the lower regions, and if there is a puncture near the top of a cell, may or may not do anything.

If you have an older one you can try it on without losing too much i would try that. Otherwise it may cause more frustration than it fixes. Hope this helps.


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

I'm going to give chain waxing with PTFE and paraffin a shot as I'm sick of filthy dirty hands when I get a puncture.

Carry a pair of disposable nitrile gloves if this is your only reason for waxing. A lot less hassle!

I've read quite about about the process of cleaning the chain and applying the wax and PTFE.
What I'm not clear on is do I put any lube or spray on the rear cassette and front crank?

You should actually strip all oil and grime from the cassette and chain ring(s).  Wax adheres best to very clean metal. Oil contamination will cause the wax to break off of the chain surface earlier, requiring more frequent waxing.
Typically what happens is that the chain transfers a very thin layer of wax to the cassette/chain ring. The reason you don’t wax these components ahead of time is that the drive train has reasonable tight tolerances. The layer of wax takes space. Adding wax to everything will throw off the tolerances and shifting performance.  Just stick to waxing the chain and all will be good.

I imagine with no oil they will get rusty eventually, but oil will negate the clean chain benefit of waxing?

If you are using higher end components they usually have some sort of coating that prevents rust. You may get spot rust on lower end cassettes/rings. This is usually superficial as chain rub removes most rust on the chain cassette/ring interface.


FSA GOSSAMER ROAD CRANKSET with BB7800? Can FSA GOSSAMER ROAD CRANKSET be used together with BB7800 Dura Ace from Shimano?

No. Although they appear to fit together, they're slightly different. I made this mistake once (except the other way round - shimano chainset in FSA BB) and knackered the BB very quickly. FSA BBs are pretty cheap and easy to get hold of though.


What is the maximum tire pressure? I have a Trek FX3 with Bontrager AW1 Hard-Case Lite, 700x32c and I would like to know what the maximum tire pressure is? The reason I ask is when riding at higher speeds and turning it feels like the back tire is going to come off.

I found this article on bontrager tire pressures but it is unclear which precise model of tire I have as there is no combination of AW1 and Hard-Case Lite?

UPDATE

I inflated the tires to 85psi and the issue has gone away (they were at 55 psi).  Went on a 40 mile ride and noticed a significant improvement in the bike performance and stability.

Thank you for the help.

The maximum tire pressure should be written on the sidewalls. Often the embossed lettering is hard to read, shining a flashlight at an angle can give you the contrast to make it easier to read.


How can I determine what these tire specs mean? I am trying to build a space frame bike from the n55 project.  They have some pretty cryptic "designs".

What do these lines mean?

  FRONT WHEELS 24”x1.75 equipped with a reinforced axle (M12, 8.8) for
  one-sided attachment,

from their deign pdf here.

I'm actually going to be using this wheel for a trailer and the trike.

I googled a bit and could not figure it out.

I believe 24 inches is the diameter and 1.75 is the width in inches.

But what about the M12 and 8.8 parts?

The axle is reinforced for strength because it only mounts on one side.

Commented Link Picture

Eventually will be this:

Yes those are the tyre diameter and width in inches. M12 is a kind of metric thread, 12mm in diameter and 8.8 is a strength rating. I guess the axle is a piece of M12 threaded rod.


compatible Shimano 3 speed left shifter (model: ST-EF51-AL)? I have a Carrera Subway Limited edition 2014 with V brakes. The front gears don't shift any longer since I recently got caught in a lot of rain. I've been told by a cycle repair that I need to change the left shifter plus the front derailleur.

The original left 3 speed shifter, model is: Shimano ST-EF51-AL, isn't been sold any longer apparently and I cannot find it on the net.

Is there anyone that could suggest what left shifter could I buy instead that is compatible with this model?

That's just a mountain Shimano triple flat bar shifter with a V-brake lever.

You can buy any left hand shifter which is marked for triples from the Shimano mountain lines: Tourney, Alivio, Acera, Altus, Deore. You may need a separate brake lever, which has to be sold for V-brakes and flat bars (it will look like the existing brake lever). Microshift also makes compatible ones, as does SRAM under their Attack! line. You can also use a friction shifter (cheapest option, eg. Sunrace SLM10).

As an example, you can use the Shimano Acera SL-M310 shifter combined with the Shimano Acera BL-M421 brake lever.

Go to your local bike shop, and they should have a ton of these parts on hand.


2018 Tour De France - schedule with start times? Is anybody aware of a source for a 2018 Tour De France schedule, including start times?  I can find many sites that have the schedule per day but none seem to include the start times for each stage.

The Official Tour de France website has this information. Alas, it's unlinkable but:

Select "Route 2018" from the top menu bar.
Click the stage you're interested in.
Scroll down to just above the map, where you see "Sport Side"*.
Click "Time schedule".

Times are given in local time, which is CEST (GMT+2).

* The TdF website has always had somewhat idiosyncratic English. I don't know why they don't just get a native speaker to write their English content.


Derailleur mounting position I'm adapting a derailleur to a bike by welding it onto the dropout.

By looking at other bikes it seems to me there is not a very strict specification for where the derailleur hanger goes. It seems to vary.

Is there a range of placement with respect to the axle that I should observe? Is it ok to have the hanger in front of the axle, instead of behind it?

Welding is probably a bad idea - for several reasons.

Heat changes things - no doubt you have welding skills, but you'll know that relatively thin metals warp and bend and change their temper.   The thin metal of a derailleur will not take nicely to significant heat.  You also risk upsetting the thin-walled tube of your chain and seat stays.

1b. Many aluminium bikes are of a grade that can't be safely re-welded.  Eg, The 7005 grade is heat-treated after building, and re-heating it later will remove that leaving a softer section.

You're going to be limited to like-metals.  A modern derailleur will have aluminium construction with steel pins/axles.  An older or cheap/nasty derailleur will have more/all steel contstruction.   I'm no expert, but welding aluminium to steel isn't going to work, so at that point you'd need to braze instead.
Replacement - derailleurs aren't really high wear items and generally last tens of thousands of kilometres, but they do suffer damage in falls, and simple rough handling can whack the mech against things like rocks, other pedals, etc.   Having to grind off a derailleur to replace it would be a lot of work
Mechanical Fuse - in theory the hanger will bend before the frame breaks - this should allow damage to be reduced if there's something caught in the chain.  For me a hanger saved my frame when the chain snagged the derailleur and pulled it around the wheel and forward to the front derailleur.  Without a separate hanger, the frame would suffer more in an accident.
Function - almost every rear derailleur in the last 50 years uses a series of pivots to get the jockey wheels close to the rear cogs.

There are Seven total... four pivots in the parallelogram, and one in each jockey wheel.  But the extra one is in the middle of the hanger's retaining bolt, and its not just a simple bolt

Heck its not even a simple pivot, instead its a spring-loaded pivot and I suspect this is the bit you want to weld to your frame.   This pivot point allows the entire rear mech to rotate down-and-aft as the chain climbs up to bigger cogs.  Without, the jockey wheel cage will start to hit the cassette, OR you have to weld it on so far backward that the chain will be extra long and slack.

Solutions

Instead of welding permanently, look to making a hanger.  Depending on the age of your frame, it could be a generic $5 item, or if its custom then they start getting silly-expensive.

Cheap generic claw hanger for a generic bike of the `80s.

These are cheap, and readily available.  You only need one, and it slides into the drive-side dropout that looks like a long slot, like this :

1b. If your frame had an integrated hanger like this then just use it to mount the derailleur.  Easy!

If someone has cut off an integrated hanger like this, then just use the claw adapter as per the first option.

OR if you're a great welder, consider reinstating the hanger and fabbing the missing metal, hole and threads to attach to standard hanger bolts.  Do notice the wee lip at the bottom, that is for a screw to push on.

If your frame is more modern and doesn't have long slotty dropouts, like this:

Then you will have to either buy the right hanger, or engineer somethign that fits the interface in your bike's frame.  I needed a Cannondale one and it cost me $40 NZ (roughly 30 USD/ 25 euro)  There are silly amounts of different styles!

Does your bike have track-ends like this:

If so, your only option to add gears is to use an internally geared hub like a Shimano nexus 3/7/8 or Alfine 8/11 or a rohloff 14 speed, or one of the smaller 3 speed gear hubs.

A frame with trackends tends to be too narrow for a modern wheel with cassette, so only has space for one rear cog.

I guess you could try designing and fabbing a hanger for a bike with trackends, but its a lot more than straight welding.

An IGH is a great solution here, but again they're not cheap and they look like motors.  But you can even get wireless DI2 capable ones for a sleek appearance and "I've got electronic gears" bragging rights.

Emergency hanger - these aren't great because the derailleur is held on by the wheel skewer/nut/QR, so its prone to move around.

However this would have saved me a long long walk had I carried one.

Again notice it has the same large hole with threads to take the main pivot bolt on a derailleur, and it has the step for the B tension screw to land on.

Last option is the easiest, but doesn't get you gears.  It is possible to run a bike with exactly one rear cog, and to pick the size based on your pedal cadence at full speed.  This is called a singlespeed and might be as simple as fitting a cassette with one cog and a lot of spacers, like this:

Chain tensioning might be fiddly if you lack long slots and can't mount a chain tensioner where the derailleur would go, and that loops us back around to the start.

In short: Welding on a derailleur is bad, so don't.


Selecting a drivetrain for touring bicycle I am planning to build a touring bike with a Surly LHT frame. I'm looking for some advice on selecting a drive train.

My requirements are:

Reliability - I am planning on doing weeks or months long tours.
Ease of repair if necessary in remote locations, including in the developing world.
Ability to get parts in the future, I am building it to last 10+ years.

On my current bike I have a Shimano 7-speed drive train. I am quite happy with that. I tour around the UK over all terrain without problems. But 7 and 8 speeds are becoming less common now. I don't fancy going above 10-speed, it doesn't provide any advantage but make it less reliable.

Should I go for 8 or 9-speed? If so what drive train group set is good?
Any recommendation will be appreciated.

As other posters already mentioned: Rohloff seems the way to go...Super reliable and sturdy, but: hard to service for yourself "on the road".

On the other hand: if you have a Shimano (most common) 9 or 10 speed Deore XT drivetrain, it will also be hard to find (and thus service) spares in the middle of Africa..:)

If cost is no subject: forget the Surly (albeit a nice platform), and go for a rim-brake Pinion bike.
Why?:
Super reliable, more then enough spread in gears, it enables you to switch wheels (obviously not possible with Rohloff without losing your gears..) and the rim brakes don't make it a pain in the A@% when your wheel is broken and you want to use an alternative..

Maybe not the straight forward answer you were looking for, but if "the Ultimate touring bike" is required this might be the ticket!


What's this noise? Is it from my crank? I have recently been riding bmx, racing to be more specific. I ride around my neighborhood a lot when im not at the track and have noticed this loud clanking noise. I didn't know where it was coming from at first. Thought it was maybe the pedal. But then I started paying more attention to it. It happens on my right foot when I pedal. This happens about every 10-15 minutes and sometimes I don't get it for an hour or two. When I was at the track I was standing up at the gate with my right foot forward. Then it happened. I was simply standing there and it made the loud clank noise, but then I found out where the problem is.(sort of). When it happened my right foot went down one crank. My foot went foward with out the tire or bike moving. What's the problem? Will it cause future damage? My guess is that the crank is slipping and not engaging. I have a 3 piece cliq crank. I'll try to discribe the sound a little better. It sounds like your hitting the bottom bracket with a rock or tapping it with your finger.

I've had similar problems (clicking on the right side down stroke) before, and it is probably the bottom bracket.  But the first thing to do is to check and make sure that you don't have a loose bolt/ nut somewhere.  This could be in your pedal, the crank, or somewhere else in your drivetrain.  If you make sure that everything is tight and it still doesn't go away it's time to try replacing your bottom bracket.  It's a pretty easy fix, but does require a special tool.  http://sheldonbrown.com/tooltips/cartridge.html


cartridge bottom bracket bearing "hitch" or slight grinding feeling in one spot when the spindle is turned by finger pressure Bought a new no-name threaded cartridge BB with a titanium spindle recently, mainly out of curiosity. It's very light-weight but when I rotate the spindle gently between my fingertips there's a definite rough-spot, a hitch so to speak, at one point on the drive-side bearing. A novice safecracker could easily crack a safe if he got this much tactile feedback when turning its dial. None of the other cartridge BBs that I have (mostly IRD and Shimano) have this kind of rough-spot; they're perfectly smooth when the spindle is turned by hand. The Seller assures me the BB is not defective and that it will be OK with use, and he says his shop sells expensive Hope BBs that do the same thing. Is that true about Hope?

The normal  "feel" of new cartridge bearing bottom bracket is a uniformly smooth roll that is quite resisted by the presence of grease within the cartridge body. One does not normally feel any grinding or a spot where there is any increase or decrease in the smooth but resisted turning of the spindle within the cartridge.  Thus, I would be suspect of your cartridge BB being abnormal in some way that makes an area of the rotation rough.  I have no experience with Hope BB's, but based on their reputation for high quality bike parts, I'm confident in saying that Hope BB's, like Shimano, maintain tight tolerances with quality materials and do not normally have a "rough spot" in the rotation of the spindle when new.
A rough spot, grinding, or excess play of the spindle are indicators of excess wear of a cartridge BB.  A new BB with any of those symptoms would indicate a defective product.  The lack of brand name is a dubious finding as well.  I would seek remediation through the policies of the sale site with the goal of returning the defective BB and getting money fully refunded.


I keep getting flats I have been getting flats every 20-30 miles for the last 2 months. This has caused serious inconvenience to me, as bicycle is my preferred mode of transport to work and class. Details of the situation:

Hybrid bicycle  (Specialized Globe 2007 -- 5,000 miles ballpark on it)
Only rear wheel is flatting
Rear wheel is 622x19C rim
Tire is 700x35, Kenda 700 35-42 inner tube
I just replaced the whole rim and spokes, for $60 (I had a lot of broken spokes and the rim was out of alignment badly). However the flats keep coming.
Tire pressure suggested on the rear wheel is 30-60 PSI
I run the pressure between 50-60 PSI
I weigh 212lbs. and I carry up to 30 extra pounds of load (backpack etc.)
The holes in the inner tube are usually single tiny punctures.
I never find anything in the tire like glass or anything
The tire seems to have been worn very quickly (it seems kind of like a cheap tire).

Is the tire a possible cause, or is it possible that some misalignment in the hub (Shimano attached to an 8 speed cassette) is just messing things up?

This is driving me crazy... maybe I should buy a new tire and run the pressure much higher?

Run the pressure lower?   buy some specialized kind of inner tube?

I would really do anything to avoid having to patch flats every other day!

**** THANKS EVERYBODY, I BOUGHT AN ARMADILLO FROM SPECIALIZED... NO FLATS IN 2 WEEKS **** I think the pressure was way too low on the piece of crap tire i had before ... armadillo is solid!!

Are the holes always on the tread side of the tube?  Do you often go over curbs or other large bumps with the bike?  The possibilities are:

you're damaging the tube when you change/patch it
you're running over a lot of thorns/tacks
you're getting "snakebite" flats from running the pressure too low
someone has it in for you and is "helping" the tire go flat

In any event, for that much weight on a road bike 60psi is the minimum you should be running -- I run 90-100 on my 700C-35s.  You should get Kevlar-belted tires -- much more puncture resistant -- and get tires that are rated to run at least 80psi.  And I'm wondering if 35s aren't a hair wide for 19 rims -- that may be contributing to snakebite punctures.


Would rim brakes help a slightly bent rim? After recently falling and bending the rim a bit I was wondering if forcefully applying the brakes while in motion help it straighten a bit?

Might be my imagination but it seems much truer than right after the fall after constantly applying the brake.

The short answer to the question is, no.

Consider and compare the braking force to the other acting forces, and which would overcome the other; drive side and non-drive side spokes pulling radially and laterally on the wheel (this can be quite a high amount of force when adding all of the spokes together. It takes all of your weight, as well as any impacts you sustain while riding.) Rotational force and momentum is another major factor, and it is often at or well above your weight. The amount of force that a road caliper can apppy (or any caliper) is well below any of these other forces. A disc brake may be an exception, since I've heard of extreme circumstances in which a disc brake could actually rip a hub from a rim, but that has little to do with the lateral true of a rim.

Another component, directly related to you question of being "in motion", is that the braking power of most calipers is not perfectly symmetrical, because of caliper design or because of imperfect setup. With these asymmetrical and off-center forces, the rim is often pushed to one side creating a high/low tension in the spokes between either side. The asymmetrical and off-center force also create a certain amount of twisting in the wheel that has a similar rotation as that of the nipples threading onto the spokes.

In essence, braking always has a deteriorative effect on trueness.


How to remove non drive side cap on Vision 35 wheel There is an annoying squeak coming from the bearing on the non-drive side of my Vision 35 wheel. I had the lbs replace the bearings 4 months ago (the wheel was only 5 months new at that time) at almost the cost of the wheel itself. So to avoid spending more repairing the wheel than its actually worth, can someone tell me how to remove the cap on the non-drive side.

Ive used the 2 5mm allen keys to remove the drive side, but can't figure out how to go the one step further.

Cheers

Hubs with a 5mm on each endcap work one of a few ways:

Each end of the axle has a larger Allen fitting hiding below the endcap that's used to get the opposite side off. This is pretty
common.
Wrench english is required to gain control over which one breaks
free. It's unfortunate this exists but it does. There are some hubs
where one end but not both have a hidden fitting, as above.

There are also some hubs where after removing one, the other, or sometimes either endcap, the whole rest of the axle assembly can slide or get bonked through. In some cases in wrench English designs, this afford the ability to grip the axle to get the other endcap loose.

I believe the shouldering configuration on a Vision 35 axle is such that with the right endcap removed, the freehub body will slide off the right side and the axle will slide out the left. I don't recall whether there are wrench flats in the end of the right side of the axle but if there aren't and if the wrench english approach doesn't work, another plan could be gripping the axle somewhere that cosmetic markings won't make any difference such as as the center with a close-fitting circumferential clamp or pedal/axle vise of a soft material, i.e. Park AV-5 or a damper service tool that happened to be the right size.


Recommendations for clipless pedals that can be used with regular shoes Does anybody have recommendations for clipless pedals that can be used with regular shoes?  I only have 1 bike, but I use it enough that I think clipless pedals would offer a nice advantage.  However, I want to be able to just hop on my bike with any shoes, in the event that I'm just biking a short distance, and going to be walking around a lot.  I suppose I could get shoes that are more walking friendly, but I think it would suit me more to have pedals which accomodate both clipless and regular shoes.

I've been using Shimano A530 pedals for that purpose. Mountain SPD-compatible clip on one side, with a nice wide flat platform on the other.

I've also used the old Shimano M324 pedals, but prefer the slightly lighter weight and lower profile of the A530s.

Note that other foot retention systems, such as PowerGrips and the like, will work with all shoes (such as winter boots) and many existing platform pedals.


Should spoke tension be measured before or after adding a tube and tire? I built my first set of wheels and measured the spoke tension when I finished. They were all uniformly tense at about 100kg of force.

Once I put the tire on, that measurement went down a little, to about 90 kg -- makes sense, I guess: the tube and tire must compress the wheel.

But the drop made me wonder if the measurement to pay attention to is before or after the tire is added.

Jobst Brandt's definitive text "The Bicycle Wheel" has this to say on spoke tensioning:

With tensioned wires as spokes, the wheel can support loads only to the point where its spokes become loose. At this point the wheel will collapse. Therefore, for greatest strength, spokes must be as tight as the rim permits.  Structurally the
rim supports spoke tension as an arch that is compressed by the inward force of the spokes. The load limit for most rims is far less than what the spokes could deliver if they were tightened to their breaking point. So in a conventional wheel, it is the rim that limits wheel strength, not the spokes. A rim can be subjected to spoke tension near its elastic limit because, during use, almost no net tension increase occurs.
In practice, however, spokes should be slightly looser than the maximum the rim can sustain, because at maximum tension, failure of a single spoke can severely deform the rim.

Given that strategy you should not tension the wheel based on any additional compression from the tire and tube, since getting a flat could result in rim deformation or damage.

"The Bicycle Wheel" provides the equation for the decrease in spoke tension under tire constriction, if you're curious.  His measurements on a 36-spoke wheel with spokes at roughly 100kgf and a 25mm tire with 45-degree cord at 115psi give a reduction of total wheel compression from about 5700N to about 5300N.

In practice you should verify that your spokes decreased in tension evenly; if they didn't you should ensure that you properly stress relieve the spokes and retension them.


Motorising a bicycle. Can anyone advise on the best way to motorise a bicycle apart from electric motors? I think I would like to fit a small two stroke engine.

Buy a petrol kit off ebay and follow the instructions.   At that point you fall in a gap between cyclists and bikers, where neither group wants to know about you.

Or buy a new bike designed as an ebike.   Or buy a nifty-50 scooter/step through motorbike.

An electric assist motor is a better idea, the kits cost about the same.  Main difference is you're consuming power to charge, instead of burning petrol+oil.

Electric is much quieter too, whereas motorised bicycles are incredibly loud because of the small mufflers.

Electric kits tend to replace your front wheel, and have a battery bag that hangs on the frame or goes on a rear carrier, or inside a pannier or basket.

Good thing about electric is you're still a cyclist.

Here's my adventures with such a kit http://www.electric-bike-kit-forum.com/post2249.html


Campagnolo Athena 11s front-derailer alignment I am having a world of trouble trying to get my FD aligned properly and shifting properly from small to large cog and back again, especially when riding up hills.

When on the flat, they change fine, but when I apply force on the pedals at a sprint or when going up hills, the chain won't shift from large cog to small. Obviously I am in a pain trying to pedal up a hill on a 52T cog! Yet on the bike stand everything looks and performs fine.

Could it be that by the force of my effort to pedal harder, I am actually "bending the bike" to the right (crank cogs on the right) slightly, which in-turn increases the gap between the chain and the outside FD cage from touching the chain to force it off the big cog? It's the only explanation I can come up with. Or maybe my cranks are bent? Or my FD is bent?

Looking from above, there is a slight gap increase to the rear of the FD as compared with the front closer to the center of the crank. But very, very slight.

I have the same model front derailleur and have experienced the same issue.

It is unlikely that the bike is bending enough under pedalling force to cause this (unless the frame is broken or cracked). More likely it is a problem with the front derailleur, and the extra chain tension from pedalling hard exacerbates it.

Now, obviously if there is damage such as a bent front derailleur cage then this could affect the shifting. But if the problem has just started happening from normal use, without the bike being involved in any recent crashes or mishaps, then you probably just need to service your derailleur.

The manual has a section on maintenance that if followed should resolve the problem. Here are the main points along with some of my own observations:

Check the derailleur is clean and moves freely. When I suffered this problem there was grit in the moving parts, preventing the cage from moving all the way to the lower lower stop when downshifting. One way to verify the smooth action of the mechanism is set the derailleur to the small chainring and carefully pull at the cage with your fingers. It should move smoothly, with the spring pulling back quite firmly against you towards the seatpost. I find spray lubricant (e.g WD-40) to be very effective at displacing grit and freeing the mechanism, followed by a drop of oil at each pivot and some grease on the spring to keep it lubricated.
Check the shifter cable tension. Excessive tension can prevent the derailleur from sitting tight against the lower stop.
Ensure the derailleur is correctly aligned. You mention that there is an “increase in gap” at the rear.. I can't gauge how significant this is without seeing it, but the manual does state that the outside of the cage must be parallel to the chainrings. If it is too far out of alignment it can definitely affect the shifting. Also check the vertical alignment: the gap between the large chainring teeth and the cage should be 1.5mm to 3.0mm.
Check the adjustment of the lower limit screw. With the chain on the small chainring and largest sprocket, there should be a 0.5mm gap between the chain and inner face of the FD cage. I find it is best to do this with a bit of tension in the chain, as sag in the chain affects the size of the gap there.


Exposed cord on bike tire - replace? The gash is about 3 inches long. Should I toss the tire or should I keep it?

Definitely replace it.

At this stage, with the rubber delaminating from the case, it could come apart at any time. It's dangerous to use.

Near the bottom of the picture there are some bare threads. It is at that point the tire should have been replaced and perhaps only used in an emergency.

PS I see from the picture that the rim is quite worn. It's not far off needing replacement also.


Kryptonite Flex frame bracket slides around a lot I had my Krytonite mini for a few years now, and I remember installing the Flex-frame bracket on a bike frame which I left outside when I got it. I had a go at removing it recently and put it on my Mint MTB frame and now I'm very unsatisfied with how it slides from side to side when standing and generally backwards.

It seems the rubber running inside the strap has perished and no longer keeps any kind of grip. Would I be able to go to a hardware store and get a piece of rubber that will really keep it in the same place? Do these things actually work with performance oriented riding?

I am going to conclude that this design is poor, is overcomplicated, it only has a flimsy piece of rubber for a strap which doesn't meet with the other elements (namely, the nylon strap and the metal fastener which sit around it) properly in order to achieve a consistent grip, and the rubber doesn't last long. The rubber leaves marks all over the frame as well. I can invent a solution myself that will work better than this Kryptonite thing, which imo only suits bikes that you aren't worried about scratching and aren't going to ride too hard. Any solution needs to mount to at least two tubes on the bike to ensure the lock is held with sufficient rigidity.

The rubber will perish inevitably after a few months outside and then it will be useless, and even before then it still didn't work entirely satisfactorily for when you ride the bike hard up a hill, where it will nudge slightly out of whack, sometimes knocking the knees.


Derailleur guard on road bikes? I live in an area with lots of debris, dodgy paving, and rain, and to make matters worse, I fall down sometimes (I know!). The main things that get damaged, of course, are the brake handles and the rear derailleur. The brakes aren't so bad since the cinch just needs to be scooted back into place, typically.

On the other hand, the rear derailleur is a bunch of fragile, lightweight dangly bits sticking further out than anything on the rear of the bike, and takes a special tool and time out to bend back into place.

The question is, is it worth buying a derailleur guard like this one for a road bike, or am I going to get noob status, ruin the frame instead, or weigh down the wonderfully light frame?

Given that a replacement rear derailleur (Tiagra) would run me 30-50USD and the guard would cost 5-10USD, it seems to be more effective to get a guard. On the other hand, this bicycle co-op raises a serious concern about the axle:

  We have to admit that we are ambivalent about derailleur guards. While a derailleur guard is useful in theory, the fact that the wheel track nuts or QR secures it in place causes misgivings. A derailleur guard can't help but interrupt the interface between the frame and wheel nut. This means that the wheel nut will be less secure, and a less secure wheel is potentially more dangerous than a whacked rear derailleur. Having said that, derailleur guards are usually reserved for kids' bikes where the rider will probably not have the strength to loosen a wheel while riding.

(Don't tell me not to fall down so much; I'm a lost cause ;)

What I would be concerned about is that derailleur guard creates a lever for bending the rear triangle of the frame in a fall. A frame is much more expensive than a derailleur. Kids bikes with derailleur guards are generally heavy steel bikes and kids don't weigh that much.

Bikes come with replaceable dropouts for exactly this reason. It's a sacrifice part to avoid damaging the more expensive frame. Road bikes aren't really designed to be crashed multiple times.

If you're really hard enough on a bike that this is an issue for you, I would seriously consider switching to an internally geared rear hub. The cheapest way to do that would likely be to buy a new bike. Plenty of nice commuter bikes out there now that will likely stand up to the abuse.


How to carry sunglasses, so that I can easily put them on or off? Has someone discovered a way to carry sunglasses, so that they can be put on or removed while riding?

I have tried two approaches, and both have drawbacks.

Carrying in a pouch, attached to the shoulder ring of the backpack results in scratched lens, because of the vibrations.

Carrying in the chest pocket of a jacket is possible only when it is sufficiently cold to wear a jacket.

My backpack is large and with a lot of options for hanging equipment on it, so maybe some kind of attachable box or external pocket?

If you are lucky/careful with your combination of sunglasses and helmet, you can store them quite securely in helmet's vents, which makes it easy to put them on/off with a single hand:

(quite hard to find a decent picture of this, screen-capture is from the Vuelta a España 2013, stage 14)


Rear gears not shifting between 6 and 7 I've just replaced the rear derailleur on my kids bike. I've fitted the biked with a Shimano Altus.
The issue I am seeing is the shifting between gears 6 and 7. When I move from  7 to 6 the chain does not move onto the next cog. When I move from 6 to 5 it moves to the next cog and then continues up with each gear change. So effectively when I'm at 1, the chain is on the second last cog.
When I shift from the gears from 1 to 7 the same behaviour is seen. So effectively when I move from gear 5 to 6, the chain has already moved onto the last cog. So when I move from 6 to 7 the chain just sits there.

What do I need to do to ensure that the chain moves from the smallest to the next cog when I move the gear from 7 to 6 ?

Most probably the cable is too loose so that the derailleur is resting against the high (outer) limit when in the highest (smallest sprocket) gear, and there is slack that the shifter needs to take up before moving the derailleur to the next sprocket.

Shift the derailleur to the smallest sprocket and make sure the shifter is on the highest gear setting, turn the barrel adjusters in to their slackest setting, undo the cable pinch bolt and pull the cable with a pair of pliers to take out slack and do up the pinch bolt again.

If you have trouble getting slack out of the cable, a trick is to change gear to the second smallest sprocket, then without pedaling click the shifter back to the highest gear so the chain stays on the second smallest sprocket, then re-tension the cable as above.

There are plenty of how-to videos for bike adjustment and repair. Park Tool Company does some really good ones. Their rear derailleur one is here.


Tips for packing electrical cables near Giant Quick-E bottom bracket I've been having major trouble getting all the cables back in after removing the bottom bracket electric motor from my Giant Quick-E.

It's a rat's nest down there. There are cables coming from the seat-tube, cables coming from the downtube and cables coming from the Yamaha electrical motor, combined with many connectors.

I physically don't have the space to tuck the cables away when reinstalling the electric motor.

Does anyone have any tips?

In the image, both red circles have to align. Perspective might be a little confusing, it is taken facing the bottom of the bottom bracket, with the drive motor pivoted out of the way on a single bolt, held in place by a strap.

Regarding the tie wraps in the picture, the guys who assembled the bike at the Giant assembly line clearly also had issues getting the cables all in there, because they broke two connectors closing it up. Yes I could replace them, but the copper is intact.

Cable ties/zip ties can add bulk.  You might be able to recover some volume by changing them out for thin tie wire, looped exactly the same way.

Second thought - there's a lot of wire in there.  Can you shove any of it back into the tubes from which it comes?

Lastly, there are some black cables on the lower-left of your image.  Looks like they might tuck into a recess in the underside of the housing?    Try to methodically back-fill starting at the least accessible wiring, and then work outward covering your first efforts.

TBH it looks like a difficult task, and I don't envy you.  Work with lots of illumination, and perhaps a selection of push-tools and pliers.  Take your time, and see what you can achieve.

And if it is just not going together, shake it harshly while pressing the cover closed, exactly like the factory did!


Are road bike saddles more comfortable in the drops? I have a Specialized Ruby and recently bought a the Ruby Expert saddle to get into racing (crits and gran fondos). The saddle is comfortable and pretty much disappears when I'm riding in the drops, but is uncomfortable when I am riding on the hoods, which is most of the time. Is this normal or a just bad fit?

I rode it yesterday for 30 miles with a medium chamois.

It's not normal. Road bikes are designed for the hoods to be as comfortable/sustainable as possible.

If your rear is more comfortable when you're in the drops, you should probably try tilting your saddle back a bit.

However... consider the possibility that when you are in the drops:

The discomfort in wrists, neck and back are greater.
Like you said, you spend less time there.

These could reduce your awareness of saddle discomfort.

As with any saddle discomfort, you should pinpoint exactly where you feel pain, and make a change that reduces pressure there.


Attaching frame pack — velcro straps or fastex sliders? I am trying to build a frame pack similar to Apidura and came to a question — why do they use Fastex sliders only at the bottom of the bag and attach top of it (which receives most part of the load) with Velcro straps.

In my experience straps are not very reliable and can unfasten accidentially; in humid and dirt conditions their fixing power drops — does not look like very good choice for attaching things to bicycle frame, but still they use it instead of more trustworthy latches. And not only they — small bags from noname vendors, lamp batteries are attached the same way.

Is there something to be concerned about using fastexes? E.g. did you have any negative experience with them?

I would be more tempted to use metal slot-rings to let you double the velcro back on itself because the rings reduce the force on the velcro at a small cost in weight and complexity. Friction fasteners tend to slip when used on tubes. That is probably why they're not used for the load-bearing straps.

Those fasteners rely on friction caused in part by the pressure of the fixed end lifting the non-release side out so the other end presses down on the looped-back portion. When you wrap one round a tube they often slip because that pressure is missing.

In the diagram the orange is the strap which comes in, goes under the release tab, under the blue "wrap bar" that's actually part of the one-piece fastener, then comes back over that bar and under the tab. Pressure down where the red arrow is results in friction where the red oval is. That's what holds the strap. But if there's no matching support/pressure underneath, there's not much friction and the strap slips.


Thu axle mount for bike lugage rack I would like to mount a luggage rack on a bike that has no mounting holes and a thru axle.
Is there an adapter that I can use to replace the thru axle with something that provides attachment points?
My bike: Trek Domane SL-5 gravel, with disk brakes and a 12 x 1.75 x 160 mm thru axle.

Yes. We try to avoid specific product recommendations here, but in this case, I know of only one option, from the Robert Axle Project. Please note that this looks like a real PITA when you need to remove the rear wheel.
There are a few racks designed to use the rear wheel's quick release as a mounting point, but I haven't seen any of these updated for through axles. If one were adventurous, one might try milling out the openings in the mounting plates or fabricating new ones. Again, inconvenient whenever you need to remove the rear wheel.


Steel vs Aluminum Spokes and Rims I'm looking at a couple of cruiser bikes on Craigslist.  I want to take them to my beach house for guests.  How can I tell if the rims and spokes are steel or aluminum?  The steel spokes on an expensive cruiser recently started rusting and popping and I don't want that to happen again.

You want stainless spokes and aluminum rims. As suggested in the comments you can check the rims with a magnet – and also by appearance steel rims will probably be shiny. But steel rims are kind of rare, most likely you'll have aluminum on any reasonably priced bike.

For the spokes it may be hard to tell with a magnet. I think the easiest way to tell would be to look closely. Stainless spokes will have no finish and will be "good looking" – no, or minimal rust (sometimes steel from machining will leave some residue that will rust, but it will be superficial, color but no significant oxidation). Steel spokes will have some kind of surface finish to prevent rust. You can probably see the finish and some rust or minor damage to it. Finally look at the heads of the spokes. Name brand spokes like Wheelsmith, DT, or Sapim will be marked. Wheelsmith uses a 'W', I think DT uses 'DT', and I'm not sure about Sapim. If you see one of those marks it is a decent chance that the spokes are stainless – as long as they aren't the dull gray of a galvanized (zinc coated) spoke.


Is 1x11 better than any 2X10? I am upgrading from a Shimano tourney bike and newbie so please be nice to me .. lol :)

I ride trails and easy bike paths and some roads. For cross country - Semi road/ Semi mountain type riding, which is better? - A 1X11 SRAM/Shimano system or do I need 2 gears in front with a front derailleur? Considering ease of pedaling, shifting and more slower shifts in gear, isn't a 2X10 set up better?

Thanks

Neither system is better than the other. In some situations, 1x is better, in others, 2x is better. As cassette range expands, effectively because the largest cog is getting bigger, the advantageous of 2x (or 3x) are decreasing. (SRAM just released a 1x12 with a 10-50 cassette, which is probably the nail in the coffin of 2x in the top end gear sets on MTBs).

As a  rough starting point, if you are regularly using you lowest gears, and other times your highest gears, a 1x is probably not for you. if you ride flattish terrain, or are a strong rider who climbs well, 1x is a candidate. The NX and XT cassettes are 11-42 giving a gear range of just 380% vs a typical 2x of 11/36 and 24/36 giving 470%  (although 11-46 are available giving 420%)

A large reason for popularity of 1x in Mountain bikes comes from full suspension frame builders. By loosing the front shift, they free up space around the already crowded bottom bracket area. This is a very high stress area of the bike, throw in pivots for full suspension and life gets difficult. Removing the derailleur and it goes from 'impossible' to 'nearly impossible' to make a better frame.

Manufacturers love 1x as it lowers the total cost and complexity of an installed drive train, and marketing love it because is something thats clearly 'new' and therefore must be 'better' Meaning there is cost saving to be had, that does not need to be passed on to the consumer as it can be sold as an improvement.

If we put those two aside and consider just an upgrade of an existing frame

2x Advantages

Bigger overall gear range
Closer spacing between gears (if same number of gears)

1x Advantages

Lower weight
Linear gears
Less cluttered handle bars
Fewer mechanicals - less things to go wrong, less adjustment

Keep a very close eye on costs - upgrading from Tourney means the bike was not really high spec to start with. Its likely a 1x11 gear set will cost more than the bike is worth, and provide no significant advantage over upgrading just the rear derailleur and shifter (Cassette, chain, shifter cables are really consumables).


What's the name of the tool to bevel bar ends? I noticed the mechanic at my LBS used a tool to smooth out and bevel the end of the steering tube after cutting it. It looks like a useful tool to smooth out the edge of bar ends as well. It's round and has a cone inside, what is it called? I don't have a picture unfortunately.

When the tubing is cut the cutting tool leaves a ridge in the inside of the tube. A reamer removes this rough edge or burr. It is hard to say if your mechanic used a bicycle specific reamer which may be part of a bearing facing tool or a generic deburring tool.


Keeping rim brakes centered Nice to talk to you all again. I've been refurbishing a classic women's city bike for my girlfriend (vintage French - the bike not the girl ;)  it's shaping up groovy. The primary problem I'm encountering is the brake calipers. They refuse to stay centered. I adjust them so the pads are centered and equidistant from the rim and on the first pull of the brake lever everything seems to be ok. Two or three pulls later one pad (specifically the one opposite from where the cable is fastened) remains on the rim, while the other continues to move freely. Part of the problem is that the outer housing of the cable has some play aka doesn't remain static. However I notice upon visual inspection that one calpier (the one that becomes stuck on the rim) simply doesn't move as freely/ an equal distance and the other. I've tried adjusting both the hex nut from behind the brake stay as well as the outer nuts with little success. Short of simply replacing the whole mechanism, is there something I'm missing here to solve this?
Ps tried uploading a photo I took with my phone but it was to large for the text box does anyone have a quick fix for that as well?
Btw the bike is a late 70s Peugeot
Again thanks a lot for any input and happy roads :)

Showing a photo of the brake calipers would help, but from your description I'd check such things:
Make sure that brake cable runs in Bowden housing freely. You can try lubricating it, but if there is any friction, no matter if from worn inner sleeve or frayed cable, whole set should be replaced.
Second thing is to check springs on calipers and their mounts. Sometimes plastic housing breaks and do not keeps spring properly. In such case some replacement is needed. But first check those springs adjustment. There are small screws at the bottom of calipers to increase "opening force" of caliper.


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

I tried:

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

Any ideas appreciated!

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

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

You could try slicing, with a dremel or similar instrument, a 'notch' into the bolt that would allow a flat edge to fit in.
Soak the bolt/area with a penetrating lubricant (PB Blaster or some such) or ammonia, let it sit and do its work for a few minutes (some folks recommend 24 hrs), and then attempt to 'tighten it through' the eyelet.

You could also try to heat it w/ a propane torch for 30 seconds or so and then try again to tighten the bolt through eyelet.


Foot shifting while pedalling I have been contemplating clipless pedals as the next logical step. So after a bit of research and reading this question and it's answers

I find myself a bit unconvinced mainly because nothing covers something I notice myself doing a lot.

I change my feets position on the pedals quite a lot for no conscious reason, it feels right when I'm going uphill and my feet get hot spots at other times so I change to another part of the foot for a while. Mostly I move them a bit forwards or back, but I also move them outwards sometimes. Particularly when coasting I change position. For the first six months I wore jandals (flip flops), but for about a month I've been using very cheap flat soled sneakers with a pretty rigid sole which work really well for me.

When zooming around a tight corner I also take my inside leg off the pedal as you do on a motorbike, I've never come off on a corner but it's a reflex action when leaning I think. I lean right over so couldn't pedal anyway without the pedal hitting the ground.

I'm pretty old and I don't recall anyone back in my younger days using anything but normal pedals, not that I'd have noticed.  I had assumed moving your feet around was normal, but now I'm wondering if I should train myself out of the habit. Possibly it's all in my mind, but making a small change when working hard on a hill seems to use the leg muscles slightly differently and give me a stamina boost (I don't stand in the pedals).

I'm not racing anyone except myself, I just commute, but I like speed and I like pushing my limits.

My question is, how important is it to keep your feet in one position on the pedals. How much of an advantage do you gain from doing so?

Clipless pedals are a matter of preference - you don't have to use them. There are alternatives such as "half clips" which might suit you better.

I've come to like mine, with mtb shoes and pedals that are designed to be rideable with clipless or normal shoes on either side. These allow you to ride in an alternative position (with the pedal under the arch of your foot if getting ready to stop, for example). It's often wet here and feet sliding around on the pedals can be a real nuisance. But since buying my clipless pedals & shoes I've also bought a pair of pedals with much better grip against the soles than my old plastic platforms, so you don't need clipless to keep your feet from sliding


Odd Sound Coming from my new Cassette I had a new Shimano 105 cassette and chain put on my bike by bike shop. When I exceed 25 mph without pedaling, I get loud screeching sound (and feel some gripping), when I pedal it clearly goes away.  What can it be? My brakes are not touching my wheels. I think it is my cassette but am open to any other ideas.

If it doesn't happen when you pedal ( and it wasn't like this before you took it to the shop ), it sounds like someone who worked on your bike at the shop managed to displace the plastic cassette guard that sits between the cassette on the spokes, or they somehow negatively affected the rear wheel hub. At any rate it, they didn't reassemble your bike properly. If I were you I would take it back to that shop right quick and make sure they fix it for you for free.


New build, front derailleur won't shift to outer cog I'm building a new bike using a Deore T6000 front derailleur with Microshift BS-M10 bar end shifters. I'm having trouble getting the derailleur to shift the whole necessary range and am looking for suggestions before I take it into a mechanic. The H limit screw isn't stopping the travel, since I can pull on the cable and have it shift to the large cog. I've read that if I can pull the cable and shift to the larger cog, the cable is too loose, but if I re-tension the cable with either a frame barrel adjuster or by pulling the cable, I may be able to shift to the outer cog, but the shifter cable prevents the derailleur from hitting the L screw and I can't shift back down to the inner cog. I've also checked my derailleur height and angle and it doesn't seem to make a difference. The parts seem like they should be compatible, but now I'm starting to wonder. Any ideas?

With the cable detached, chain on largest sprocket, set the low limit with the absolute minimum clearance from the chain. With the shifter firmly at the lowest setting (max cable payed out) attach the cable and use barrel adjusters to take any slack out so that movement of the shifter results in immediate movement of the derailleur cage. That should make sure the shifter can pull the cage far enough outboard to get over the big ring.

You may need to adjust derailleur alignment so that the tail end of the cage is toed out slightly to get it to kick the chain into the big ring.


Rotate or replace tires I ride a cross bike mostly on the road right now and my rear tire is wearing much faster than my front, which is to be expected. I found the following thread which I think is a similar question but not quite the same, Should I change both tires when I need to change one? which says to just buy one tire and replace the front tire with the new tire and move the old front to the rear. As this article says you want a good tire on the front for traction and safety.

My questions are:
If I am riding knobby tires that have been worn, wouldn't that just make them a little more road like and help with the road riding that I am doing?

Why it a bad idea to rotate tires instead of replacing the worn tire? I would like to stress that they are not "bad" just the knobs have been worn smoother or maybe that makes them bad.

Also, I don't use slicks because I do have short portions of several rides that I do which have short stretches of dirt and/or gravel.

Rotating tires on a car is usually done to even out the wear (unless you have specific front / back / left / right tires) across the tread - they'll often wear on the outside of the tread, so rotating them presents fresher tread to the gripping surfaces (i.e., they're wearing at the places that make the most contact with the road).

With a bike tire you shouldn't run into this problem (unless you make a lot of left turns, or a lot of right turns). "Rotating" in this case means moving the less-worn one (front tire) to the position where it'll get more wear (to the back) and replacing the more-worn one in the position where it'll get less use (to the front). This means you don't have to buy 2 tires when one gets worn (just one).

A couple of observations. If you play games with your tires (e.g., stickier front tire, deeper groove on the rear, etc.) you should obviously replace the tire with one with similar characteristics, so you won't be able to swap them around.

Typically, one replaces a tire when it either has a huge gash or has worn down to the point where there's a significant decline in the performance (i.e., no tread left or it's about to blow). If you're using knobby tires and you're wearing the nubs down you're correct in that they'll take on the characteristics of road slicks.

It's not necessarily "bad" to rotate them; if you can only afford one tire or the other one is perfectly good it means you can continue to ride without having to miss meals or rent payments. If you're still able to maintain the needed grip throughout your ride (road and gravel) there's no real reason to replace them if they're just a little worn. If, on the other hand, you're starting to have difficulty with traction, control, leaks, etc. it might be time to replace them.

An alternative to "rotating" your tires would be to buy a new set (if you can afford them) and save the less-worn of your two existing ones as a spare just in case you run over a chunk of glass or something.


Why do racing cyclists wobble when furiously pedalling? In all pro-cycling races, they start wobbling towards the finish line instead of biking steadily (e.g., in this video: http://youtu.be/wJE69beIIoI). Why do they do that?

Note: I have no experience with racing or a bike with handles curved to the front, so maybe a stupid question.

Not a stupid question. The simple answer is that they are throwing every ounce of leverage, weight, and power into the pedals and that much movement side to side is the visible result of trying that hard to move forward.

If you could stay absolutely still, and input the same amount of force to the pedal, then more of that energy would go to moving forward, but you can't. It's a matter of balance and leverage.


I just bought a Giant TCX SLR 2, but I still have money to spend. Which parts should I upgrade? I am new to bicycling. I bought this bike because it had good reviews and ratings and it fits the area where I am living. I am not intending to use this in a cyclocross race, but maybe in the future. I still have money to spend, so which parts of the bike should I upgrade for the bike to function even better?

A good investment for someone new to cycling who starts with such a sporty bike is to get a good bike fit. Based on the findings of the fit a part that maybe has to be replaced, is the stem. As these come at different lengths but are not adjustable.

You need to get pedals as well. You may choose between flat pedals, clip-less road pedals and clip-less mountain bike pedals. Each have their advantages as well as disadvantages on a cyclo-cross bike. For the clip-less pedals compatible shoes are needed.

Criggie mentioned in a comment useful tools and accessories that you might need depending on your intended use.

But first of all, get accustomed to the bike and find out what you like to use it for, as this changes everything.

For instance, if you use it to practice CX on a lawn, five minutes walk from your home, you will not need spare tubes and tools on your bike. Conversely, if you ride long remote gravel roads, a days march from the next settlement, you will need to be very well equipped for all kinds of field repairs. In addition, each use case requires a distinctly different bike fit.


Can I use Danco waterproof grease sold for plumbing and faucets to lube seat posts and pedal threads? I have this tube of lube lying around, which is good for plumbing fixtures. If this is good enough, I don't have to go out to hunt for bike grease during shelter in place.

As long as there are no carbon fiber parts involved you should be fine. Carbon parts require a special compound, regular grease makes the mating surfaces slippery. That requires applying excessive clamping force which can damage the carbon parts. The grease you have should prevent any oxidation between the seat tube and the seat post.


Do I Install Tape or Valve First on a Tubeless Rim I've just unpacked a tubeless wheelset and I'm installing tape and the valve. Which goes first? The tape or the valve?

My wheelset is the DT|Swiss Tricon R 1700. And the manual says: "Mount the DT Swiss valve as shown in the picture. Make sure that NO rim tape ist mounted."[sic]

Having looked a bit closer, I see these are tubeless specific road wheels. These shouldn't need a rim tape at all.

Just, make sure no rim tape ist mounted, stick the valve in, screw it on and mount your tires.

PS. This has complete instructions on page 10.
http://www.dtswiss.com/Resources/Support/WHEELS/WHEELS-User-Manual.pdf


Full-face helmet/downhill context and short sightedness I am short-sighted and doing downhill. Until recently my setup was full-face helmet (obvioulsy) plus eyes-glasses (normal or sunglasses according to the weather). Until recently because I had a mud/micro stone projection in my left eye : now I have fully recovered but I don't want it to happen again, so I decided to wear goggles.

For short-sighted people not able as me to wear contact lenses anymore, I see that there are four options :

eyeglasses in the form of pool glasses, used for instance in basketball
wearing goggles over my normal glasses
having goggles glasses adapted to my view
having a "intermediate" setup where special glasses adapted to my view are put juste before the goggles glass

I was about going for the first option when I went to an optician specialized in sports, and especially in MTB. He ruled out

the first option because of almost immediate fog problem
the second option because of security in case of goggles glasses breaking impact that would then also smash my normal glasses etc
the third option because it cannot be done

and convinced me about the fourth option. (Actually I know several people that opted for the fourth option and that are really happy with it.)

So basically he made strong plastic glasses adapted to my eyesight that he incorporated to a plastic layer that went as a supplementary layer just between my eyes and the glasses of the oakley airbrak MX goggles :

I am not here to advertise for the goggles nor the setup, but for sure the goggles are worth the money etc, highly customizable etc, and the setup is really smart, provided my eyesight can adapt to the setup, as the optician warned me.

In fact, this setup has the following consequences :

distances appear a bit elongated in the center of the viewing range, and more elongated as you tend to the extreme left or right of the viewing range
consequence of the previous point : tracks slopes appear flattened, so flattened that I really feel a strong mismatch between what my eyes (with this setup) perceive and what my body (through feeling my weight attracted to the front) and equilibrum sense perceive.

These consequences implied a couple of big crashes, luckily without serious injuries, so that I concluded that no, my eyesight did not adapt to the setup. (A pity though, the setup being nice : solid, modular etc.) The end of the story is : I bought 100% accuri OTG MX goggle, designed especially so that there is place enough to put my real glasses under the goggles without my mose being compressed as it was the case with my previous all my previous goggles ...

But I am not happy with this, at all. So that I'd be really interested in knowing how other short-sighted riders deal with these problems ...

I've considered using some road-style wrap-around cycling glasses with inserts.  My goal was to reduce the eye-drying effect of a downhill or a cold ride.

The frames on the inside clip into the housing, so can't be worn separately because they have no temples.  If you take these riding glasses off you'll need a normal pair to wear or go without.

The front part should be a polycarbonate, so the same plastic as a workshop safety goggle.  Some have a set of interchangeable fronts for different colours, which may be useful or may be for show (colour coordination).

You would need to get an optometrist to commission lenses that fit the inner frame.  This is just like getting a new prescription for a new frame, and most optometrists would be happy with that however some get snitty if they didn't provide the frame as well, so you may have to shop around.   You should be able to get a print of your prescription details from your optometrist then take that elsewhere for a lens quote.

I've not done this myself yet - my present solution is to wear normal glasses and squint a bit more when the wind gets cold.  This wouldn't be a good solution for you.


Is front suspension remote lockout worth it? My old city bike is getting worn out and I'm considering getting a new and better bike. I will use it for my daily commute (paved road - very uneven in places) and the occasional trip outside the city on unpaved roads. I have decided that a cross-road bicycle/29'er is what I'm looking for. I have created a check list with a few points:

Large wheels (29'er/cross-road)
Good brakes (hydraulic disc brakes)
Front suspension with lockout
Remote lockout of the suspension

For the price/quality level I'm considering it seems that remote lockout is a very special feature. So far I've found a single model with remote lockout (the Trek 8.5 DS) but I'm still undecided if I want better brakes and suspension than this model offers.

I've never had a bicycle with front suspension before but to me it seems like a no brainer to get remote lockout. I expect to have the suspension locked on my daily commute, but I know several places on my route where I would think having an unlocked suspension would be nice.

What are my best alternative?

Keep looking for a bike that satisfy my needs including having a remote lockout? Being unsuccesful doing this made me come here for advice.
Look for a bike that satisfy my needs with the possibility of having a remote lockout mounted aftermarket? I don't know if this is possible without a significant cost increase which detracts from this solution.
Forget about the remote lockout and just keep it locked for my daily commute just as I do today where I have no suspension at all?

First off many forks have a remote lock out as an add on. Fox and rock shox especially. If it has a lock out, a remote lock out is likely available.

Secondly, a nice fork that is set up properly for your weight shouldn't need to be locked out all that often. I have had a variety of great fox and rock shox forks that i only lock on long, steep, grueling climbs where I am standing and pumping. This was more needed on a single speed. If you plan to sit and spin up a hill you dont need the lock out at all.

Out of the last 5 forks i have had, all had a lockout, but only one with the remote. While the remote is convenient, I have never found it difficult to reach down and lock out on the fork while riding.


How do you count the number of links in a chain? I thought this was a simple question but apparently there is some confusion - and it's good to have a basic question to refer people to.

How many "links" are in these short bits of chain:

Image A (the original image for this question):

Image B:

Some people thought the bit of chain was too short and was missing a set of rollers, or wasn't in a loop. Here's a longer length of chain -- exactly twice as long as Image A, in fact.

In your responses, try to make it clear whether you're referring to Image A or Image B.

Each set of "inner plates" is a link. Each set of "outer plates" is a "link."

In the photo below  you can see two whole links.

Thus to answer the question, Image A in the question above has 4 links. Image B has 8 links.

When you buy this box of chain that is labeled as having "120 links" and is standard 1/2" pitch, you should expect to get 60 inner links, 60 outer links, for a total of 120 links and it should measure 60" long:

Another way of thinking about links is that a "link" as a "place where a tooth goes" - thus if a chain wrapped completely around a 44 tooth chainring - it would have 44 links --  with 22 outer-plate-links and 22 inner-plate-links.

Another way to analogize is with a standard chain:

Everyone would agree that the standard chain image above has six links - each link creating one "hole".

Please note that there is a small but vocal group of people (including Sheldon Brown) who count a "complete link" as "one inner and one outer half-link". Counting "complete" links has the effect of halving the number of links (thus Image A would have 2 complete links, Image B would have 4 complete links, and that five foot length of SRAM chain would have 60 complete links).
Counting "complete" and "half" links as Sheldon does is non-standard at least as far as the industry is concerned. If someone starts talking about "complete" and "half" links when talking about chain length, you should clarify with them what they are talking about as you may end up with half or double the number of links you might otherwise expect.


What is a good way to weatherproof a bike outside So I've been going to college over in Michigan for the past few months, and I've always been worried about the condition of my bike. Back at home, I used to keep it in a shed to protect it from the elements. But now that I live in a dorm, my only option is to keep it outside on a bike rack; and it's already showing signs of rust. I tried bringing it into my room before, but space is VERY limited and I still ride very often between classes and on long trips. Does anyone have any ideas on how I could protect my bike from the harsh weather outside?

Just leave it alone.

If you have a steel bike and theres gaps in the paint, the rust is likely cosmetic, but you can carefully sand and prime and paint the area. Aluminum and Carbon fiber shouldn't have this problem.

Oil your chain regularly, and replace parts as needed -- your drivetrain will rust out quicker but that's the nature of it. Rain, snow  and salt tend to degrade your drivetrain quicker than nice conditions, but theres nothing to do about it unless you bring the bike indoors.