Finding Elevation Change, any method So, I think it'd be cool - for goal setting for example - if I could keep track of my elevation change.

The problem is, the local cyclocomputers I looked at seem to use barometric pressure to determine the change.  This is fine, unless some weather is moving in, which happens not infrequently in the Midwestern United States.

Or do some of them try to use an inclinometer, your speed, and some math you learn in Calculus II to keep track of your change?  That would seem more accurate!

I could try to use a GPS meter, but those things are expensive -  and based on back when I had service to my smart phone, not guaranteed to match my car's odometer for distance even - I've read from some other riders that the distance varies at least slightly from local measurement on a bike as well.

Alternatively, let's say that I ride along a known route.  Is there any good way of plotting that route for elevation change?

Thanks!

The simplest on-the-road solution is to get a detailed paper (walker's?) map with contour lines. In the UK, Ordnance Survey provide these, for the USA you could try Omnimap.

Alternatively, there are plenty of online tools, like freemaptools.com which use Google Maps. You click on a point and it gives you the elevation.


Regular front road wheel for a single speed bike I recently crashed my Kona Paddy Wagon ruining the front wheel completely. All the single-speed/fixed-wheel dedicated wheels I was able to find are crap, and I don't want to spend too much time purchasing individual components and having someone build a wheel for me.

I was thinking of buying a standard road front wheel with a skewer and QR. I assume that would work as long as the O.L.D. is correct (100 mm in my case)?

Thanks!

There's no such thing as a 'single speed specific front wheel'. I think what you mean is you are looking for a front wheel with a threaded axle that is fixed in the fork with nuts, rather than a quick release. Such wheels are used on inexpensive department-store type bikes as well as quality single speed or fixed gear machines.

My guess is that you are finding replacement wheels aimed at the former type of bike which will will indeed be cheap and heavy. As Andrew Henle said in a comment look for track wheels. Also look for SS/fixie specific online stores.

Update:

You may have a problem with a quick release hub wheel as (I believe) threaded axles are 10mm diameter whereas front QR axles are 9mm and will move in the 10mm wide dropouts.

Front threaded axles are SAE 3/8" x 24tpi which is 9.6mm outside diameter.


Dahon Boardwalk 6 conversion I wish to convert the 6sp to an 8sp.

Which model Dahon has the best 8 speed wheel unit to change the existing 6s speed wheel?

Also, what 3 speed hub gear would fit with the 6sp/wheel unit?

Cheers.

You don't need a Dahon specific wheel to upgrade from 6 speeds to 8. Bicycle wheels (like practically all bicycle components) are very standardized.

What you need is any wheel with:

The correct rim diameter
Acceptable rim width for the tires you want to use
Correct hub width/dropout spacing
8/9/10 speed freehub (slightly wider than those used for 7 speeds and below)

A difficulty I can foresee is that Dahon 6 speed bikes might use an older style 120 or 126mm wide hub rather than the now standard 130 or 135mm. An 8/9/10 speed hub that takes a cassette  will not be available in that width. Dropout spacing is very easy to measure with a ruler so you should check what you bike has.


Correct setup of Huret rear derailleur I've got (what I think is) a Huret Eco rear derailleur which seems to somehow get "stuck" in an "open" position when shifting on the front chainrings, i.e. the return spring somehow stops "working" and the huge amount of slack in the chain resulting from this causes the chain to fly off the chainring; How can I ensure that my setup is "correct" for this model? When in its "stuck" position, it looks like in the following pictures:

In the pictures above, the retaining spring is highlighted in red. While the derailleur is stuck in its "open" position, if I gently push the derailleur arm forward with my hand, it then "snaps" closed, keeping the chain properly taut:

What could be causing the derailleur to get stuck in this way, and how do I fix it?

The tensioning or retaining spring, the small black loop in the last image, at 4 o'clock on the upper jockey pulley, should be clipped behind the protrusion on the cage that is visible in the top left corner of the red frame on the second image. The spring has probably lost tension from age. Putting the spring on that second notch will increase the tension. (The instructions are also included with the link provided / the pink image has the instructions in French, Flemish, English ...)

The job of said spring is to turn the cage clockwise and to tension the chain via the lower jockey pulley.


Squeaky noise coming from rear derailleur or jockey wheels I have this horrible squeaky noise coming from my rear deraileur area. It only happens when I pedal. Watch below for the video.

Sounds like jockey wheel squeak to me.

Although keeping your bike clean is generally a good thing, it does have some negative side effects like washing away grease and lubrication on your moving parts.

As part of your regular maintenance tasks you should be periodically replacing the lost/contaminated lubrication from your moving parts, in this case, likely to be your jockey wheels. Here is a GCN Video on how to service your jockey wheels


Where to find a 14.4 mm long and 16.9 mm wide hub cone? I was servicing my bike's ball bearings in my wheels when I noticed that the rear hub cones need to be replaced, as they are heavily wearing down. I looked online for replacement hubs but none fit the dimensions I need, maybe because the rim I have is an Alex Rims TD 24. As per the title, the cone hub is 14.4 mm long and 16.9 mm in diameter. Anybody have any products that would fit my needs? I assume once the product is found, finding the other side (the one on the cassette's side) would just be a matter of getting the same size but for the other side.

If you visit your local bike shops, there is a slim chance to fund a replacement. On the other hand, the most reliable and time-efficient solution is to replace the whole axle. In my region, the options are an Weldette unit for about 7.5 EUR or a M-Wave axle for about 2.5 EUR. Do ask around.


Easy to take care and maintain bike I never had my own bike. I don't know it's pluses or minuses. Now I need to use one so have to get one. Please tell which brand is easy to maintain, not costing arm and leg to have. Easy to change wheels, rubber part etc. Thanx!

Items reputed for making a bike easy-maintenance:

Internally geared hub (ie no derailleurs)
Enclosed chain case to keep the chain clean
Puncture resistant tyres (which can still puncture, just less often)
Somewhere clean and dry to store your bike at room temperature

NOTE the only bikes that are zero-maintenance are rentals/bike loan schemes, and race bikes that come with a team mechanic.  Both cost money.

Items reputed to increase maintenance requirements

Super light race bikes
Suspension on bikes, both front and rear
Derailleur-based gears
Rotary grip-shifters for changing gear
Bikes stored outside in the rain and cold


Puncture resistant tire vs puncture resistant tube When would you use a puncture resistant tire vs. a puncture resistant tube?

My choice would be based on my current need. How often are you getting punctures? How efficiently can you make repairs? Are you commuting to work where the delay from a flat repair results in lost wages or potential job loss? Then go with puncture resistant tires. Then add the flat resistant tubes if needed. If your tires are fairly new but prone to punctures, I would go with new puncture resistant tubes based solely on the cost. If I needed new tires and was primarily concerned about punctures I would get puncture resistant tires then add tubes if needed.


Inexpensive 1x10 gearing? Can I use a single speed crank (like a Shimano Vee) paired with an 7 speed rear derailleur and 10 speed 12-32 rear cassette to make an inexpensive 1x10 gearing, for non-technical trail riding?

Is there something special about the more expensive components that are devoted to 1x gearing?

Dedicated 1x systems do have some specific features:

11 or 12 speeds
Derailleur able to handle a super ratio cassette (at least 11-40)
Narrow-wide chainring
Clutch system on the
derailleur.

You can definitely cobble together parts to make a 1x10 (or 1x9) system. A Vee crank will most likely be fine. 12-32 cassette is reasonable (11-32 would be OK too). A 7 speed derailleur won't work.

You'll want to consider your overall gear ratio spread vs size of the ratio steps. Trying to run a cassette with a too-wide range means you'll have big jumps between gears, and requires a derailleur that than handle the largest sprocket size. If you settle for a narrower range cassette (sacrificing either high or low ratios, depending on what size chainring you select) gives you more derailleur choices. A narrower range cassette also means the derailleur has to deal with less slack chain when on the small sprockets and hence less chain slap.

The rear derailleur does not care what crank you use, or the chainring size. Just select a crank that fits your bike, gets the correct chain-line and has a bolt pattern and diameter that will take a chainring of the size you want. Narrow-wide chainrings are a good idea for better chain retention.

You need a derailleur compatible with a 10 speed shifter. For Shimano 1x10 you will have to use a 10 speed derailleur because Shimano 10 and 11 speed MTB groups use a different derailleur actuation ratio than 9, 8 and 7 speed groups.  The derailleur also needs to be able to handle the largest cassette sprocket


How to prevent Alfine 8 from "skipping"/"slipping under load? I bought a nice belt-drive bike with an Alfine 8 hub. While I love everything about the belt, the Alfine hub gives me grief: under high(er) torque - think fast acceleration from a stop at a light - it skips/slips for about half a rotation and makes a lound cracking/crunching/slipping noise.

This happening in gear (i.e. not connected to gear changing).

I brought the bike back to the dealer and he replaced the back wheel incl. the hub. The new back wheel is behaving better but it still slips/skips under load.

My dealer thinks this is normal. I never experienced that on any bike and not on my old Nexus 8 either.

Questions:

Is this normal?
If not, what can I do to stop it?

Thanks so much!

Alfine owner here whose hub is slipping after having changed gear. The Alfine is extremely susceptible to misalignment in the setup. There are two sets of yellow markers that need to be aligned. One can be adjusted using the gear barrel adjuster.

https://aseasyasridingabike.wordpress.com/2013/02/01/a-simple-guide-to-adjusting-a-shimano-nexus-hub-gear/

The other needs to be adjusted when the hub is set up. Sheldon Brown's extremely helpful web site indicates how you can achieve this.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/nexus-mech.html

You will also need to tension the belt to the appropriate tension as mentioned in my comment and here:

https://www.montaguebikes.com/folding-bikes-blog/2016/03/adjusting-belt-tension-with-eccentric-bb/

Finally, the gear cable must be well greased as any stickiness will cause the gears not to drop in properly and skip/crunch etc. Unfortunately, I'm now of the opinion that the gear cable needs greased every 3-6 months, which is not the level of servicing I'd envisaged when purchasing! That said, it's still easier than replacing entire chain sets.


What does A/V mean on an inner tube package? I've got a bike tire that says "(32-630) 27 X 1 1/4" on it.

I've got also got an innertube that says "700X18/23C -27X1 A/V".

I'm trying to figure out if the innertube is the right size for the tire.  I gather that my tire has a 27" diameter and a 1 1/4" width.  It seems that the innertube is designed for a tire that's 27" by 1"... which seems like it's not the right size.  But is that correct?  Or will the innertube fit?  And in either case, what does A/V mean in this context?

Many thanks,

D

Schrader valve/Schrader tube
aka "American valve" or "Automotive valve"

The Schrader valve consists of a valve stem into which a valve core is threaded, and is used on virtually all automobile tires and most wider rimmed bicycle tires. The valve core is a poppet valve assisted by a spring.


Help me build a 2x11 crankset with a 40t/42t big ring and bashguard I'm in the process of sourcing parts for a new MTB bike. The frame supports e-type top swing front derailleurs, and 92mm pressfit BBs.

And I want to have a 2x11 crankset with a 40t/42t big ring and 28t small ring, and a bashguard, because the resulting gear ratios fit my riding needs perfectly (I have an old bike with a 42x28 crankset and a 12-36 casette). Also, I want to avoid grease marks on my pants and legs, hence the bashguard.

I thought this would be easy, however it seems lately the industry has shifted to adopt either 1x setups or 2x with 24-34 to 28-38 cranksets that don't support bashguards. That doesn't really suit me, not only because of the missing bashguard support, but because the highest gear, 38x11, is just a tad smaller than my current 42x12, and I still have room for improvement.

What I'm considering ATM is

Build my own crankset sourced from parts on Aliexpress, because, although I find some chainrings on other online stores, I can't find a crank that supports bashguards. And Aliexpress is loaded with offerings, but I don't quite understand the specs, and I don't know how to check whether the specs of chainrings and cranks are going to be compatible both between one another, and the BB. So how do I build a compatible crankset?
Taking a cheap Alivio or lower-end crankset with a bashguard and remove the smallest chainring. I might end up with a 40t/30t crankset in that case, but that's acceptable. Are there trade-offs here, and if so, what are they?

I'm overwhelmingly inclined to go with 1., but still considering 2., and alternative solutions are welcome; I just want a Shimano-compatible 2x setup with a top gear greater than 42/12 and a bashguard.

BTW, I'm aware the front and rear derailleurs have capacities when it comes to min/max sizes of front chainrings and the difference between the smallest and biggest one; I've found compatible derailleurs.

Regarding removing a ring from an lower end triple crank. That won't work: the two rings you are left with will be biased toward the outside of the bike; the spacing of the rings on a 8 or 9 speed crank will be too wide to work well with an 11 speed chain.

You should check that you frame has chainstay clearance for larger rings. This can be a problem on newer bikes that are designed for small chainrings.

To select a crank that is compatible with your frame you need to consider two things, the bottom bracket standard and the chainline.

You say you have a frame that takes a 92mm pressfit BB, that's either a BB92 compatible with Shimano 24mm axles or a 392EVO compatible with 30mm axles. See here for a summary of BB standards. If you  have a 392EVO and you want a Shimano crank there are adapters to step down to 24mm axles, or manufacturers like Wheels Manufacturing sell BBs that adapt from a frame BB geometry to a crank BB geometry.

Chainline is connected to the rear hub spacing. Wider hubs require wider chainline. Manufacturers specs will tell you what chainline a crank provides and rear spacing (sometimes called OLD for over-locknut-distance) compatibility. As an example Shimano provides extensive and detailed specs. Here is the MTB cranks spec page.


What harm results from riding with a stretched chain? Due to sheer laziness, my maintenance amounts to an annual trip to the LBS.  After moving, my new LBS suggested that I replace my chain immediately, before it destroys the drive train.  What they didn't mention was that it already had, so I needed a new cassette within a week, because the chain slipped under pressure.

The next year, they checked the cassette before recommending a chain replacement, and it was already getting worn, so I decided to stay with the current chain at least as long as it takes to pay for a new cassette in the chains I'm not purchasing every thousand miles.  At about three thousand miles a year, it shouldn't take all that long.

Now, though, I'm concerned that I might be causing more problems than just cassette wear.  Might I have to replace the chain ring, too?  Am I setting myself up for other potentially expensive problems?  Is the chain likely to break in the middle of a ride within the next year or two?

This is always a controversial topic, with some people arguing on both sides, but in my opinion you should replace your chain when it reaches the official "worn" state (as indicated by a chain stretch gauge).  If you let the chain go the sprockets develop a "hook" and will begin "sucking" the chain.  In addition, shifting performance will suffer.

If a chain is replaced when it first reaches "worn" status, without letting it go too long, the sprockets will not have taken a "set" to the stretched chain and reasonably good drivetrain performance will be retained.

Failing to replace a worn chain results in more cluster wear, more chainring wear, and an increased risk of both shifting difficulty and thrown/broken chains.

You will of course eventually need to replace your cluster and chainrings.  My experience is that you need a new cluster about every five chains, and new chainrings about every two clusters.  Generally when cluster/chainring wear reaches a critical point things go to pot pretty rapidly in terms of shifting problems, slipping, etc.


Should I grease a carbon fiber seat post? I was reading a recent question when I saw this answer:

  You should absolutely grease your
  seatpost (unless it is carbon fiber).

Why should I NOT grease a carbon fiber seat post?

As the person who made that claim, the reason is that allegedly some greases can attack the epoxies found in some carbon fiber applications, causing a breakdown of the CF structure, and causing expansion which will jam the post in place.

The epoxy will otherwise not corrode, so it's not necessary for that purpose. The manufacturers also recommend you do not do it.

I have a carbon fiber seatpost in a steel frame that I greased a long time ago before I learned about this and it isn't stuck, but I might just be lucky.

And of course, if you use a grease specifically designed for carbon fiber applications it negates all these claims, for they refer to the run of the mill stuff.


Is my Shimano Deore SLX dérailleur a medium or long cage? I have a Scott E-Genius 730 Plus and would like to replace the rear dérailleur (the probable cause of difficulties described in my last question). It's a Shimano Deore SLX Dyna-sys unit, it's for a 10-speed cassette, and has a code RD-M7000 stamped into a metal part of the body. The drive system does not have a front dérailleur.

I have found a Shimano Deore M6000 Shadow+ 10 Speed Rear Mech, which I assume would fit. It asks me whether I want a medium or long cage, and I don't know.

I was hoping I could find a Bill Of Materials ("BOM") for my bike, perhaps by looking it up on the Scott website by its frame number, or scouring through the supplied CD-ROM and manuals. None of these have provided much information, other than basic brand information that I already know. I have also looked at the Shimano website, but this does not seem to provide measurements (e.g. see this product).

The cassette is 11t to 36t, so based on this answer I have these calculations:

Maximum Chainring Difference = 0 (there's only one chainring)
Maximum Cassette Cog Difference = 25
Total Drivetrain Capacity = 25
Maximum Cassette Cog = 36

Based on the Total Drivetrain Capacity, that would point to me being able to use either Medium or Long (my Maximum Cassette Cog exceeds the 34 limitation, but that answer is nine years old, and some comments indicate that 36 is pretty normal).

Of course Medium might be good in relation to ground clearance, but I might be tempted to go for Long if that's what I have already. What cage size do I have, and is there physical measurement data available that I could have used to answer this question for myself?

That linked answer is great, but the lengths of derailleur cages have been increasing with successive generations, so those figures are out of date now.

You need to consider the size of largest cog which the derailleur is compatible with and compare the specs of the individual units.

Counterintuitively, the longer cage is actually compatible with the 36 tooth large cog you have, even though this 36 is smaller than many around today. The medium  cage M6000-GS is suitable for cassettes where the largest cog is a 42T, while the long cage M6000-SGS works with cassettes where the largest cog is in the range 32-36 teeth. If you were choosing between these two, then you would choose the SGS long cage

There's every likelihood that your bike currently has the RD-M7000-10-SGS for the same reason (also its the 10 speed one).


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

Sounds like the cable is not routed properly. Unhook the outer going into the brake level and slide it way from the brake lever - the lever should be free. If not, pull the cable and see that its moving freely all the way to the the brakes.


Using a brake noodle on the gear cable? I'm working on adding a front derailleur to a folding bike that started as a 1x setup.

Today I got a front derailleur mounted, and realised that I need some form of cable stop for the inner cable.  There is nothing on the frame already.

Given my FD is a bottom-pull, I will also need to bring the inner cable up from below, which means wrapping it under the Bottom Bracket housing.

Can I use a brake noodle to deal with the turn under the BB? If not, why not?

I have to use a full-length of housing from the shifter downward.  If that terminates at the noodle, which will both turn the inner cable upward, and leave the inner cable aiming at the FD clamp.  In theory I can get away with cable ties to secure the housing for most of its length.

Either e flexible cable like this:

Or a traditional hard noodle like this:

Gear cable is thinner than brake cable, so will fit through perfectly well.

The only downside I can see is aesthetics or tradition, if you prefer, which does not matter at all.

The flexible versions might be too “soft” and change slightly in length when the cable is tensioned during shifting. They also have a tendency to straighten under load. Shifting cables and housings have to stretch/compress as little as possible for best shifting experience.

This is also critical for your DIY installation: If the “effective length” of your cable housing can change (e.g. because you are using zip ties as cable stops which have some give) it’s going to ruin your shifting performance. That being said, for a 2 speed front derailleur you might be able to get away with your plan for using a continuous shifting cable housing all the way to the bottom bracket and a rigid brake noodle at the end.


How to I make my rim brakes stop making loud ugly noises ? I just bought a new bike today, and I took it out for a test ride and the brakes just make a super ugly and loud noise when I use them, my brother says I just have to break them in , but some of my friends say I have to get new brakes ? Anyone help

After greasing my chain, some grease got on the rim of my tire.  It made a terrible noise while braking.

Sand grains that has gotten stuck in the brake pad can also cause screeching noises.

I recommend try to make sure there is no debris around the brakes.  Also make sure the rim is very clean.  Scrub it down to remove all oils, greases and debris.


Does the term "domestique" have negative connotations? As far as I understand, the cycling term "domestique" (referring to a supporting member of a professional cycling team) comes from the French word for "servant". According to Wikipedia, it was first used in cycling as an insult: "He is unworthy. He is no more than a domestique."

Is the cycling term "domestique" still pejorative? What are its connotations in modern cycling? Do racers refer to themselves as domestiques, or would they prefer to be called something else?

To an extent, yes it does have negative connotations.

  The word was first used in cycling as an insult for Maurice Brocco, known as Coco,[4] in 1911. Brocco started six Tours de France between 1908 and 1914, finished none of them, although a stage he won in 1911 caused the coining of domestique.
  -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestique

In road racing, if you are young and unproven you often get your start as a "domestique" on a team.  You are the cycling equivalent of the chore boy. The job of the domestique is to sacrifice his or herself for the leader and team.

If one of the stars an your team needs some food, you have slip out of the peloton, and go back to the support cars pick up the food, then work your way back up to and through the peloton to deliver the goods.  Likewise if you are in a situation where either the domestique or the star gets water, the star wins out.

If the team is worried about a break getting away, it will often fall to the domestique to set the pace and do all the work to close the gap.

Basically, the domestique is an expendable asset of the team.  Their final race ranking is of little to no concern, other than to remain in the race so that they can provide their services.

That said, as you prove yourself as a domestique (ability to ride hard and survive) you will be given more opportunities,  eventually working your way up in the team.  If you are a fan of the sport, following the domestiques may give you an idea of who may be the upcoming stars.


Tire direction on Miami Sun tricycle The tires on my Miami Sun tricycle have chevrons that point in the opposite direction and the label on the side wall which reads drive direction.
Do I align the tires using the chevron or the arrow stamped on the side wall ?

I would generally default to the drive direction indicated on the side wall of the tire.

I know folks that run tires opposite of that recommendation for specific reasons (traction gains at the cost of rolling resistance), but generally, the manufacturer knows what they are doing when they put that arrow on the sidewall.


Understanding the bike geometry through riding Though this question has been asked a lot of times, and there are very good answers out there, all the answers talk about the effect of individual parameters in isolation. That is, they take trail, and then talk about it's effect on handling. Then there is wheel base, seat tube angles and the rest.
The problem is, all these parameters (trail, angles, stay lengths, etc.) have effects on the bike that overlap. For example, seat tube angle affects weight distribution on the bike, which (after a long convoluted path) affects handling, so does trail, stem length and wheel base, and though these parameters are not entirely independent, is there a way to understand the principal contribution of each of these parameters on the ride quality mainly by riding coupled with some intuition?

What would be some good examples of test cases to assess the impact of these parameters?

My aim is to be able to ride a bike, and exactly pin point to the changes that need to be made in a particular order to meet certain expectations.

What would be some good examples of test cases to assess the impact of
  these parameters?

Build a testbed bike that has adjustable parts covering the different parameters you care about. Instrument it appropriately and measure the changes to the factors you care about as you vary the parameters. This is necessarily vague because there are upwards of 10 variables that affect more than 10 output parameters. This is the reason your question is being marked as "too broad".

For example, a number of people have built bike frames with variable headset angle and attached front forks that have variable axle offset. That allows much experimentation with rake and trail. But the outputs measured are typically "how it feels", because it's very difficult to measure the second and third order effects you're likely to care about, especially since the primary measurements (typically 6 axis acceleration) are very noisy.

Another reason your question is too broad is that each of the questions implied above has been the topic of multiple PhD research projects, from "how do I smooth the output of my accelerometer" to "how much slop is acceptable in the bearings of my headset".

  My aim is to be able to ride a bike, and exactly pin point to the changes
  that need to be made in a particular order to meet certain expectations.

If you can't precisely specify the expectations it will be impossible to meet them. You need numbers here, and both precision and accuracy. Ending up with "head angle must be 78.24°" means you need a minimum of four significant figures at every stage right from the expectations. So "I require not more than 4.123N of input force at the centre of the handlebar grip to maintain the centre of mass in a straight line path when hitting a 45.01° barrier 100.4mm high at 12.62m/s" would be an example of one test case or "expectation".

There's a book called "Lords of the Chainring" that analyses all these factors in combination, and it is arguably the definitive work on the topic (I don't think it's as complete as the author does, but there is nothing better that I'm aware of). The author used to teach an engineering course in the subject and has extensive experience both theoretical and experimental (from years of students experimenting and reporting results).

I have a copy and have used it to design bikes, but I decided that in most cases it was more effort than could be justified for my garage builds. I still use it to get an idea of the desirable values for a particular design, but I've also discovered that I can comfortably ride bikes that are on the fringes of what Bill says is stable. This might not be true for you.


Recurring flats on new bike I have had four flat tyres in less than two months.

Some more information:

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

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

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

I see three possibilities:

Your tire pressure is too low and you are getting pinch flats. As a reference point, with 25mm wide tires and your 74kg weight I’d use at least 6bars (600 kPa) of pressure, better 6.5 or 7. Refill every week or so. Usually with pinch flats you’ll have two holes in opposing sides of the tube, like a snake bite (hence why they are also called snake bites).
Spoke ends or burrs are poking into the tube. Check that the rim tape is seated properly and nothing is sticking out of the rim. Also check that  nothing is sticking out of the tire. Sometimes the piece of glass which caused the previous flat is still sticking in the tire.
Bad luck or lots of sharp debris on the road. You could use more puncture proof tires, use tire sealant or go all the way and go tubeless.


Mountain bike not shifting properly I have taken my mountain bike to 2 different shops to have my gears adjusted.

They do not shift properly and end up "clicking" instead of shifting into the  correct gear.

I have had 2 shops adjust the bike and the adjustment never lasts more than 3 or 4 days.

My chain and all components are very clean.

Is there a fix for this problem?

It sounds like after the bike has been in the shop the gears work correctly for a short time, but then the indexing goes out again.

In my experience, the most likely cause of this is poor quality cables.  Usually after cables are fitted they stretch and need the tension adjusting, but after this tend to be problem free.

However I have had experiences on a cheaper bike where the cable would just keep stretching - in the worst example it took 3 months of being adjusted twice a week before they finally started to behave.

I highly recommend learning how to index gears yourself as it's fairly easy to do and saves you a lot of time/money going to the bike shop.

GCN do a whole range of bike maintenance videos, here's one for adjusting the rear derailleur:


Help me identify my classic frame Can anyone identify this classic frame?
I don't know if this frame I got is generic or branded. I got no signs of any brand except for the Brev Campagnolo drop out and a raised C-69-E under the frame.

It looks like a well made steel frame that probably has good quality butted tubing and seems to be quite racy with a fairly tight geometry. Looking at the Campagnolo dropouts doesn't tell us much as they were in a long production over decades. The sloping fork crown and the recessed brake nuts date this to being an 80s or even early 90s race frame. The seat stay/seat tube interface is pretty standard and the lugs look like unmodified generic parts from some lug makers catalogue so the frame could have been made by any number of framebuilders that used to churn them out either under their own name or rebranded for a shop to sell (like Dave Russell in Slough as the first example that comes to mind). The fact it has very little lettering or numbering means it could have been a custom job, or the other numbers could be lost. Whatever the real answer, it's a good quality frame and should be a great ride.


Subtle click on left Shimano 4700 STI brake lever when applying brake while moving forward I have a set Shimano Tiagra 4700 levers/shifters on my Niner gravel bike (RLT 9 1 Star) and lately I noticed when moving forward, at speed or slow, there is a subtle click when pulling on the left side lever for the front disc brake -- no matter how light I pull. If it's of any relevance, the brakes on this bike are the stock SRAM BB5 Mechanical disc, Road version, 160mm Avid rotors. The bike is new (just picked it up May and I have about 210 miles on it). I'm not noticing any effect on braking performance but just wondering if this might be a potential problem.

I noticed this after going on a somewhat long ride a few weeks ago with moderate bumps, paved and unpaved as well as loose gravel surfaces. Could this be debris or sediment trapped somewhere in the components? I'm not all that familiar with disc brakes yet so any ideas/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Edits from comments:

The lever is quite solid on the handbars and no wobble at all.
The click seems to depend on forward motion while riding. I've tried to replicate it by turning the bike upside down, then spinning the wheel and pulling on the brake lever -- no click, even if the wheel is spun backwards.

Sounds like it could be one of several things:

Loose headset. This is the most probable as it's not uncommon to need to re-adjust the headset as the bike breaks in a little, and it also fits with it being the front brake that's causing this and doing it a little bit with any amount of motion, but not otherwise. You can google "loose threadless headset" and get all the info you need about the topic, but the fast way of determining that it's the headset versus anything else (pad play in this case) is standing beside the bike, locking up the front brake lever with one hand, putting your other hand's fingers right over the gap between the stationary and rotating parts of the headset, and using your body weight to rock the bike forward and back, feeling for any undesirable movement at the gap. Check both the headset uppers and lowers. Lifting the front wheel off the ground a couple inches and dropping it is also a pretty good test on a rigid-forked bike that's not too junked up with accessories, although if there's any clunking you have to then differentiate whether it's from the headset or front hub.
Play from the front pads moving in the caliper. Most or all disc brakes have some degree of this, but usually the amount you can feel while riding is on the very subtle side, and it's also not usually an acquired problem, i.e. it stays the same for a given brake or set of pads. If you determine that this is what it is, there's nothing you can really do about it.
Theoretically, loose caliper or rotor bolts. Easy to check, and you'd be getting brake rub.


Does drafting cause resistance to the lead rider? I know that when riding close to another cyclist, I expend less energy to go the same speed. But does the Conservation of Energy "law" mean that the lead cyclist is going to expend more energy to allow me to expend less?

(i.e. Is there a physical reason to get angry at someone drafting behind you? Does riding in their slipstream cause drag for them?)

No, on the contrary the lead rider also gets a boost.

The reason to be unhappy about someone drafting you is that they're too close to be able to react if there's a problem - if you go down they will run over you.

The way I understand the boost is that a solo rider is effectively dragging around a volume of low pressure air - you push the air out of the way creating a high pressure volume in front of you, but that displaced air doesn't magically close in behind you, it flows out then flows back, creating a "missing air" volume behind you. If something fills in that space you don't get sucked back into it as much. There's a mention on wikipedia chain gang (riding) which links to the exploratorium article but not to a primary source that I can see. That explanation is common and makes sense, so I've never chased it further.

Here is a link to a wind tunnel video which shows that the lead rider receives a small benefit from having a drafter.


What's the best way to shield a rider from the wind in a group (most aero position in the group)? Yesterday I caught up with a much stronger rider who was struggling with an injury but really wanted to finish.  Moral support aside, we tried to get him on my wheel on the flats (which happened to often have a headwind, so even at 20-25 km/h it was well worth it). Up and down hill it seemed better to go independently. But we met up with some other friends so there were 4 of us in total.  This gives a few more options.

The rider in question was tough and I'm sure could have done it without help, but in another club/context I could find myself trying to look after a rider who was in real need of an easy ride back. In case it makes a difference, let's assume from yesterday that we're happy (and practiced) with riding pretty close together, but not race-peloton close

How can  we  best position ourselves (in a small group) to shield the injured rider?

When you're in font of the rider that you want to help,  then the more aero you are, the less shelter you give.

Riding in a low body position, head tucked and arms narrow makes it easier to ride at speed, but means that you aren't puching through the wind as much for the rider behind you.

You'll want to sit as upright as possible, arms a little flared with your head held high to push as much of the wind as possible, with the added bonus of this slowing you down as well. If you really want, you could even unzip the jersey a little to have it flapping in the breeze a bit.

The last thing that can make a huge difference is how you pace the effort. The rider sitting in will generally get more of a draft the faster you ride. This means that when riding the flats or downhills, you can go about as hard as you want, then on the climbs you just ease up to a comfortable pace for him. In a headwind, it is very easy to hold a wheel, whereas a tailwind will make it far easier to drop him.

You also want to absolutely minimise surging when you ride. When you want to accelerate, gradually ramp it up rather than jumping away and putting a gap into him. Things which make it much harder to sit on are weaving about while riding or getting out of the saddle regularly, throwing your bike back. If you hold your line and make a hand gesture before getting out of the saddle, then the rider behind can sit much closer to you safely.


Shimano Ultegra chaninrings on Truvativ Elita Tandem crank I'm attempting to replace the chainrings on my Cannondale Road tandem. The crankset is a Truvativ Elita Tandem (52-39 10 speed big/middle ring). The new rings are Shimano 6603 52-39 rings.

I swapped out the rings without issue. I've also replaced the cassette and drive chain.

The chain runs fine in the big ring.

The problem shows up with the chain on the middle ring and on the three smallest cogs of the cassette. In those gears, the chain skips frequently. It appears to try to jump up to the big ring, then falls back down, a couple of teeth back on the middle ring. It is skipping more than once per chain cycle, which I think rules out a problem with the chain.

Watching the chain closely it appears what is happening is that the chain is catching on the little shifting helper nubs on the inside of the big chainring.

It is not the derailleur causing the chain to shift. I've made sure the derailleur is not touching the chain. The same thing also happens on the bottom of the chainring if I backpedal.

Is there any reasons these rings would be a problem on this crankset? Any other things to try?

I can't say for sure if the chainrings work on that crank in your particular configuration. It sounds like they should.
Keep in mind that road triples are inherently troublesome (though some might disagree with me) and require a little more mucking with to get adjusted. If your front shifter doesn't have trim/half shifts between full shifts, you may need to let out the cable on your front derailleur a little and actually let the chain drag slightly against the cage when in those extreme gears on the cassette. This will keep the chain off of the shifting pins of the big chain ring. Not real awesome but it might be the best you can get away with on your current setup.
It also sounds like your chainline is not optimal. Are there any spacers between the bottom bracket shell and the outboard bearing cups? If so, you may need to move one to the drive side. If not, don't add them.
Worst case you may need to go back to Truvativ rings. Hard to say for sure as it's always difficult to diagnose bikes over the internet.


Purpose of partially filled in rear drop out I have an old MTB frame that has the drive side rear dropout partially filled in as if it was part of the original forging of the dropout.  And, I have seen this on a few other frames -- even different manufacturers.

Clearly it was done to limit how far back the axle can go in the dropout but the question(s) is(are):

why does the frame maker want to control this detail?

why is it only on the drive side?.

=== edit ===

To clarify...

This is not the bike in question but it is an example of what I mean. My apologies to the site where I found this -- it was not copyrighted.

What you more often see is that the derailer hanger is a separate piece that bolts into what is the filled-in space in your picture.

But this is for frames that are designed for the axle to fit only that far back.  Generally these are less than top quality frames where having both dropouts match exactly would make it obvious that the frame wasn't quite true (since the wheel would not center with the axle all the way back).

So with one side filled in you are forced to tighten that side, then slide the other side forward or back until the wheel is centered.  They make it look like a "feature" that facilitates alignment.


How to avoid the road bike physique Due to a house move I am soon to become a road bike commuter with approx. 18 miles to cover. I could do with loosing a few kgs but am worried about developing the emaciated physique so apparent in many of the road bikers I see. How can one avoid this? Is it simply a product of the high endurance aspects of road cycling over longer distances, or a combination of that and excessive dieting? I have been a mountain biker for over 10 years and have found that it helps one build muscle mass in the upper thigh and arms and shoulders. Any advice on how to avoid the skinny road biker look would be greatly appreciated.

This would be a great problem to have for most of us roadies. Simply eat more if you find yourself losing more weight than you care to lose.

You can alternatively balance with more strength based exercises like lifts, pulls, rows at the gym or elsewhere.

Or cake.


Coaster brake heat management and lubrication I've heard that coaster brakes can reach high temperatures, so it desirable to use grease designed for high temperature applications.
My questions are:

Would a grease labeled max 220 °C be good enough? Or it can get much hotter?
What happens if the grease is not good enough? Will it liquefy and drip out of the hub?
How should you use the brake when going downhill to avoid overheating? Is it better to use it in short bursts, or continuous but not very hard braking?
How hot can it get exactly? A chart showing the heating and cool down rates would be interesting, but I don't think anybody has done the experiment, it's hard to stick a thermometer in the hub (maybe doable with a temperature camera sensor?).

Most people who aren't using a manufacturer grease are using a high temp automotive grease. I'd suggest looking at the manufacturer's recommendations and following them; brakes aren't a place to save a few bucks. 220 C seems low for the type of grease; people have failures with high temp automotive greases which often rated for 100 C+ higher than that on tough descents.
Brake fade, loss of braking. Brake might be smoking and ruined. Loss of grease and dropping of the grease is the least of your problems at that point given the fact that you're probably in for a not so nice crash.
You need to give the brake adequate time to cool off. This means controlling your speed by modulating your brakes (use in controlled bursts). You should also have 2+ independent brake systems which you can alternate with. If you use continuous braking over a long descent, you're just going to build up heat and have brake fade. Unfortunately, coaster brakes are prone to this in long descents making them not ideal; my advice is not to take a coaster brake bike on long descents. All brake systems will fail if overused.
Pretty damn hot ; an old article but probably still quite relevant. You normally only see coaster brakes on kids bikes and bikes which are used in low load leisure systems (e.g. beach cruisers), where this would not be a problem (not going very fast, not braking very hard for prolonged periods of time).  See (1). Measuring this on the surface of the hub wouldn't be too hard (thermal camera), but internally, you'd need some work.


Ceramic rims and KoolStop brake pads I recently had a rim failure, my LBS is offering me a ceramic rim.

Assuming I go for that; I currently have KoolStop salmon brake shoes. I see they make those in green specially for ceramics.

Can I keep my salmon shoes and get a set of greens for next shoe-change? or do I need to get the green asap?

I've had Mavic rims with Ceramic braking surfaces - They are brilliant, far better braking power - especially when wet and they last forever.
No specific brake blocks are needed - I just used standard Shimano blocks.
Thoroughly recommended.


r9000 Dura Ace inner chainring vs r7000 105 I just bought a Dura Ace 53/39 off Craigslist. So now I'm buying a DA 50t outer chainring (and selling the 53t).
As for the inner chainring, is there any difference besides price, weight and style between a DA inner chainring and its 105 counterpart? Are they otherwise compatible, functionally the same and roughly as durable?

There are component tables on the tech website you can look up, but the short answer is yes, it will work as intended for shimano manufactured rings.
People seem to wear out the 50 outer ring quicker on Road as it's used considerably more than the 34, so don't worry about durability too much. Keep your eye on chain wear like normal to extend ring life.


Replace 27.5 x 3" MTB tires with 27.5 x 2.1" Recently I bought a new MTB, a Frog Xtream Vantage.

After two days of riding I realized a 3" tire size is too heavy and slow to ride. So I thought to replace the 3" tires with 2.1" regular MTB tires.

Does that work? Will there be any damage to the rim?

Also, will it improve my speed?

It mostly depends on the width of your rims. If, for example, your rims are 50 mm wide (internal bead distance), then 2.1" tires (nominally 53 mm wide) would sit very awkwardly on them. Instability at cornering and overall tire stability are likely to be problems. There are answers on this website about best tire width/rim width combinations, look them up if you are interested.

A better move would be to find tires which are just a bit narrower (2.8" or 2.6") and have lighter casing, or just plain lighter. The tires that you have right now may be just excessively heavy because they are cheap.


What is the markup on bikes sold in stores? What is the general markup on bikes sold in stores, specifically bikes sold in bike shops, i don't care about the markup in stores like wal-mart or target.

This can vary a good bit based upon the brand, quality of bicycle sold, and the agreement reached between the shop/brand. In general more volume=better deal, higher end=lower markup percentage (but higher dollar amount as the overall cost is higher as well).

A high margin would be 40-45% (66-80% markup), low end would be around 20% margin (25% markup) in my experience (as an employee). so for a $500 bike a 40% margin is $200, $300 original cost to the shop. In markup terms, a $500 bike that costs $300 wholesale is 200/300 = 66% markup.

Keep in mind this is not profit. Many bikes take an hour or more of labor to assemble, and this is before factoring in base costs of space, utilities, tools, etc.


Pedal axle measurement? Could somebody please tell me what the numbers 19 and 12 mean that are stamped on my pedal axles?
I’m looking to buy new upgraded pedals for my new Scott aspect 940 but need to know the right diameter.
I hear a lot about 9/16 inch and half-inch, so are those numbers 19 and 12 telling me the exact diameter?
As you can tell I’m a bit of a novice any help would be appreciated.

You have the normal standard omnipresent pedal type with a 9/16 inch thread. If the size is not specifically indicated, it almost certainly fits. You canfirm it by some crude measurement.
The manufacturer speaks about a 7 mm boron steel axle, but that is hidden inside, it is not the thread diameter.
The number on your pedal might be a date of manufacture or some batch number.


Fork bent on a flat pack bike - what to do? I recently made a big mistake and bought a 27.5 Orkan 21 spd. MB. The box was beat up and the front forks where so bent and I couldn't put the front wheel on. Amazon gave me a full refund and didn't even want the bike back lol. Should I trash it or buy a new forkset?. P.S. put out real money and bought a real bike.

Your bike (27.5 Orkan 21 spd. MB) sells for less than US$150 and is shipped flat packed. This puts it firmly in what we call BSO or bicycle shaped object territory.

At US$150, it’s hard to find a repair that isn’t going to cost half as much that the bike is worth. You might have the best success going to a bike coop and finding a used fork for $10-20 (or free) and learning how to repair it yourself.

Or you could just donate the bike to the bike coop and they’d use it for donor parts. Or give it to someone as a project bike. The reality is that to get to the US$150 retail price point, the bike is value engineered to the hilt (likely $50 total landed) so is built with the absolute cheapest components and as a result isn’t  worth much. The reason amazon refunded your money is that the shipping back to them is more than the bike is worth.


Campagnolo Record Headset I need some help, or suggestions

I have a Campagnolo Record 1" steerer threadless headset, that it is supposed to go on my Cinelli Proxima project.
The problem is that when I received the frame and headset I realized that it was missing its "crown race".
I tried to look online, but it is quite tricky to find one, and expensive to buy on itself, just because people selling these components, even when they are old and used, try to over price them.

Do you know how I could find one, what is the best way to find these kind of components?

Could I use a generic crown race, or the contact angle of the bearing would be different?

For what I know if the caged bearings are just the same as a normal generic headset, both should roll on a generic crown race, it should not be like for sealed bearings which need a precise angle.

I really appreciate your input!
thanks

They are crazy expensive but still in production and/or available new. (Which is to say you can just order one). It's not just gouging at the retail end. As with many Campy parts they're just plain expensive.

I highly recommend not messing around with mismatching the crown race. That's true of most headsets because while you may be able to find something that seems to engage the bearings, the race and the cup are designed together to seal correctly. So you might be able to come up with something that physically works, but a cheap new headset would likely be better in practice.

In this case, while you're correct that if it's a generic 5/32"x16 caged bearing in there then a mismatched race for a headset that uses the same bearing probably won't have any bearing contact issues (not an absolute because the balls do have some wiggle room in their retainers), the headset you've got doesn't use a generic lower bearing. It uses a special Campy one with 3/16" balls.


Tire is losing air but inner tube seems to hold air I got a flat on my back tire and bought a new innertube. I put it on my bike, filled it up but it lost all air again within minutes. I took the new tube out, pumped it up to find out where the hole is, but I couldn't find a hole and the tube didn't lose any air.
I installed the tube again and the tire went flat within minutes. I repeated this process a few times with the same result.
My bike is an E-Bike and I am reluctant to take it to a bike shop because in my area they charge some extra money for E-Bike repairs.

Just check the tube more carefully, some holes are very hard to spot. Put it into the water and look for bubbles. You must fill the tube and press it. Try hearing any hiss when pressing the tube in the air. There could still be a thorn in your tyre, we have many similar questions. It does not matter if it is an e-bike or not.


Creak in bottom bracket, resistance while pedalling backwards My one year old Breezer Beltway 8+ (Gates carbon drive, eccentric bottom bracket) is starting to cause problems. Sometimes when pedaling forward, usually, but not always with high pressure, I hear creaking from the the area of the bottom bracket. What’s more, when this happens, and I then start to pedal backwards, it not only creaks, but I feel resistance.

When I remove the belt, and turn the cranks on their own, the bottom bracket does not rotate freely, in either way.

What do these symptoms indicate?

Answer Your bottom bracket is stuffed.

The cheap AND the correct fix is to replace it outright.  All I found on the web was that this bike has an "external bearing system" bottom bracket, which could be any of 9 different standards.

The replacement has to match the crank interface too, which could be ISIS, Octalink, or square taper.

Specialised tools for this - you might need a crank extractor, which forces the two crank arms off the bottom bracket spindle.  Then you need a special wrench to undo the visible round bits poking out the side.  They may be threadded or they may be pressed in.

Lastly you may require a press to push the two halves together or you may get away with using the special wrench to thread them back in.

You'll also need grease or copperslip, and standard workshop tools.

Would be cheaper to get a LBS to do this if you don't own or want to own the tools.  And a BB should last you at least 10,000 km.


What is the logo gear worn by non-commuter cyclists? I live in the suburbs where there are many routes for road cyclists to go for rides.  I assume these cyclists are riding for fun and/or exercise and/or to train for some kind racing events.  Sometimes they are alone, other times they are in pairs or small groups.

Many cyclists have big logos on their shorts and shirts.  What are on the logos?  Where do they get them?  I don't see these in the online bike equipment stores.  I can only guess that these are associated with professional racing.  In any case, it seems that casual cycling folks don't have normal access to big-logo gear.  Where would I get some?

(I don't mean to sound judgemental, but I see it a lot but don't know where the gear comes from.  I am curious about biking communities and what they wear.  I am interested in hearing from those who wear such gear.)

There are different types of logos which get worn for different reasons. Bike clothing may include logos associated with:

Clothing manufacturers: An otherwise plain jersey will often include the logo of the manufacturer. This is common for athletic clothing in general.
Employers: Companies often make jerseys with their logos that (presumably satisfied) employees can wear to show spirit.
Sponsors of professional teams: Fans of professional cycling teams may choose to buy articles of clothing that are replicas of the official team uniforms. These items include the logos of the companies that sponsor the pro team.
Local clubs or teams: A local cycling club may have their own un-sponsored logos. Organizations can order custom kit in much the same way people order custom t-shirts or team bowling shirts.
Sponsors of local clubs or teams: A local cycling club may have team apparel that includes logos of the local bike shop and other local companies that sponsor the team. These items may be offered at reduced prices or even for free to club members.
Races or organized rides: Some races and supported rides give or sell participants commemorative jerseys, which may serve as a memento or badge of honor.
Advocacy groups or messages: Cyclists may wear clothing to show support for a message or for an advocacy or non-profit group. For example, jerseys may include designs featuring the "share the road" message.
Abstract design: Jerseys and shorts may feature designs that are designed to just look good. For example, one manufacturer sells jerseys featuring an imaginary team and based on professional kit from  50 years ago.


Is it possible to reattach the v-brake spring/pin arm? I was fitting new brake pads to my (mini) v brakes and stupidly pushed one of the arms very far inward to get easier access.

The spring (actually I'm not sure I mean spring, the pin/spring that pushes the arm back from the rim) either popped out or snapped, I couldn't tell which.

I couldn't really tell where it was meant to reattach or screw back in. Does anyone have a diagram or such showing how it should attach? Or can anyone explain how it should be attached?

I do not believe it's a model with multiple holes for different tension but I could be wrong.

It is completely loose now and the brake arm has no tension.

The brakes are very similar to these Tektro RX5 brakes unfortunately the manual on that page doesn't mention adjusting/refitting the spring.

I'd start by unhooking the inner cable, like you're about to take the wheel out.

Then unscrew the big silver bolt that goes into the brake boss on the chainstay(rear) or fork(front)

Slide the brake arm off and inspect the spring.  If spring is in more than one piece, you'll need new ones.  Replace both springs to keep the tension close to even.

If everything looks okay, undo the good brake arm carefully and inspect how it goes together.  Reassemble the bad one repeatedly till you get it working right.

Don't forget to use blue locktite/thread locker on the two big bolts.


How much easier is cycling compared to walking or running? I'm thinking of taking part in a cycling event, I'd like to do something that's about as challenging as running a half marathon (13 miles / 21 km). Approximately what distance should I be looking at?

I think in principal this could be worked out with a heart-rate monitor (if I had one):

Walk or run for (say) 15 minutes, note the heart rate and the
distance traveled
Cycle for the same length of time with the same
heart rate and note the distance traveled

I know calorie counts vary quite a bit, but a rough ballpark for cycling at a 20 mph pace is 450 calories per 15 minutes according to this calorie calculator.

Running a 6 minute mile is expected to burn a similar 450 calorie count on the same calculator with the same settings.

So, if you do the math, and the calculator is assumed to be reasonably accurate, then 5 miles on a bike at 20mph, is roughly equivalent to 1 mile run at a very fast pace.

Running a half marathon, which is 13 miles, and ignoring any difference due to endurance of effort, 13 miles at full pace running could be assumed to be a similar effort to 65 miles on a bike, in a very general sense.

This is dependent on fitness, body weight, and many other factors.

The best method to work it out would be to measure power expended, but I don't know how to do that for running, and to be accurate, you'd need to do it yourself, and for the full distance of the half marathon.


Why do my tires always deflate between rides? I realize this is a topic that’s been posted about a few times, but please forgive me for adding a new thread anyway just to make sure I’m not missing something. I don’t know much at all about bicycle maintenance or modern mountain bike tires.

Every time I want to go for a ride, I have to inflate my tires. It’s been that way since I bought the bike brand new (Giant Talon 2) and continued even after confirming there were no leaks.

The same problem, albeit to a much lesser degree, occurs with my 2nd bike that uses the older style standard valves (the main bike uses the Schrader-style valves). The only variable I can think of is the temperature of my garage, which can get mighty warm here in Phoenix with air temperatures hitting 40-45 degrees C (104-113 degrees F) The bikes are hanging from a hook on the wall with no weight on the tires.

Can the extreme heat in my garage actually change the shape of the tubes/tires, thereby permanently changing the seals, causing a slow leak? If the answer is yes, is there any kind of solution?

It is a gigantic pain in the butt to have to pump up the tires before every ride, even if only 24 hours apart. I’ve never had the tires get low during a long ride, so however it’s leaking, it’s very slow.

Thanks in advance for any advice you might be able to provide.

First of all, do your tyres (tires) lose air at the same rate or are there noticeable differences, one going down faster? If this is the case the last paragraph may explain things.

All tyres lose air over time. However the bigger the tyre the longer it will take to notice the loss. And also the higher the pressure the faster the loss. Your car wheels have the same drop of pressure but because of the bigger volume and the comparatively lower pressure the drop is less noticeable. Still you're always advised to check air pressure each other month.

Pressure drop is mainly due to permeability of the rubber, let's call it like that, of tyre and inner tube which are constants for a specific type of compound. In the late 80s latex inner tubes came to use because they were very light and more resistant to perforation. The disadvantage however was that the pump came into daily use.

The quality of the seal of the valve plays another part. It is quite normal to top up a 25mm racebike tyre @100psi at least once a week. All Schrader (car type) valves have a removable core. For many newer Presta / Sclaverand valves it's the same. To do this you'll need a special, inexpensive tool. For some factory fresh valves the core isn't properly screwed in and may leak. It's always a good idea to check the tightness of the core, it could be a reason for leaks.


What is lever throw and cable slack? In a guide for adjusting Avid BB7 mechanical road disc brakes, it said:

  Only use the barrel adjuster at the brake lever to adjust for cable slack. For lever throw, use the outboard adjustment knob. For brake pad wear adjustment, use both the inboard AND outboard knobs.

What is lever throw?

What is cable slack?

Which of these should I use to dictate how far I have to pull the levers to come to a dead stop?

For the BB7, it is recommended to have the inner (wheel-facing) pad about 2 times further from the rotor than the outer pad.

Lever throw is how much the lever moves in total.

Cable slack is how slack the cable is, ie. how much you have to pull before the brake pads start moving.

Park Tool says:

  Squeeze lever to test caliper brake. Adjust lever modulation setting by moving pads inward or outward from rotor by using both pad-adjusting knobs. To maintain the 2:1 ratio, turn the fixed pad-adjusting knob twice as many clicks as the moving pad-adjusting knob. For example, if a looser modulation is desired, turn the inner pad-adjusting knob counter-clockwise 4 clicks and the outer pad adjusting knob counterclockwise only 2 clicks.

The throw will be controlled by the total gap between pads and disc. For a short throw, a small gap, pads screwed a long way in, for a longer throw pads further apart, pads screwed out.


Can I put standard drop brakes on a MASI drop handlebar? I've got a set of handlebars from a MASI Uno.

I'd like to know if I can put standard drop bar brakes, similar to these (ignore the interrupter brakes and bar end shifter for now).

The MASI bars have such a large drop, I'm not sure how well the brakes would work. I doubt I'll get a nice flat surface to grip the brakes while still being able to reach them from the drops. Has anyone tried this? Did it work?

The handlebars on the Masi Uno look like track-style handlebars, which were designed for the aerodynamic needs of track racing (in a closed, running-track-like loop in a velodrome) over the practical needs of a road bike. The important thing to note is that track bikes usually don't have brakes (see this article for why, with a fun sneak peek of "It's the Olympics; if the riders wanted to slow down, they wouldn't be there."), and their handlebar design reflects that. As Rider_X said, you could certainly put them on, but they might be uncomfortable depending on the size of your hands.

I would suggest adding interrupter levers for safety, and then potentially adding cross levers/mountain bike style levers on the very ends of the handlebars, where it's most flat. Here are some pictures illustrating the concept done on mustache handlebars:

If your goal was to be able to add brifters (integrated brake levers/shift levers), my suggested configuration might get awkward to use and you'd be better off just attaching them as you would on a road drop bar, and hope that the reach isn't too far. If you have large hands, this shouldn't be a problem.


1st road bike; wary of no-name parts? About to buy my first road bike. I keep things for a long time, so won't be upgrading the frame in 2 years. I will ride 2-3 time weekly, 15-40 miles each time. I'm deciding among three options:

Cheapest: Diamondback Century 2 for $800. http://www.diamondback.com/bikes-pavement-road-endurance-road-century-2. To be purchased online.

Mid-range: Trek 1.5 2013 for $1000. www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/2013/archive/trek/2013_1_5_h2_compact/  Ridden and comfy but not real zippy.

Higher end (for me): Cannondale Synapse Tiagra or 105 5 ~1200-1400. Comes with a professional fit.

The Diamondback is tempting, given the 105 components and the price, but it's got some no-name hubs and non-105 brakes. Is that worrisome? Any other thoughts on these options?

My first real road bike was around $1300 - so you are on the right track as far as spending. You do have to pony up to get a decent ride and components.

I bought a Bianchi, and the dealer is an hour away. I haven't had any issues, but now that I look back I should have bought a bike where I live, so I have dealer support and can get parts/merchandise easily.

Are any of the brands you mentioned local to you?

If I were to pick I'd go with the Trek for your first one. My bike has Tiagra and its been fine. I actually will probably upgrade to 105 when stuff starts wearing out. Having Tiagra gives me something to look forward to.


Replacement Forks for Giant Roam 2 2012 I would like to find an as similar as possible replacement fork for my 2012 Giant Roam 2. (They have rusted over time).

The full spec of the bike is here: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/roam.2/9330/49862/

According to that site, the forks I am looking are the SR Suntour NEX 4610 Lock-out.

However, I cannot seem to get them online anywhere.

Any ideas of what types of forks I can get for this? On a budget!!

Many OEM forks are not for sale directly to the public. This one very well may fall into that category. That said, there is no need to replace it with the exact same fork.

You just need to make sure to replace it with something that will fit. IE, the steerer tube is the correct diameter (probably 1 1/8", but you should verify before purchasing), that it is sized to accept 700c wheels & that it is made to accept disc brakes.
Something like on of these may fit the bill:

RockShox-Paragon-Turnkey-Aluminum-Steerer

SR-Suntour-NRX-Suspension-Threadless

sr-suntour-nrx-eld-700c-suspension-fork-electric-lockout-black

rockshox-paragon-gold-65mm-700c

Not to recommend any one over the other mind you.

For other options, I would just start googling "700c Threadless suspension fork".


How do I find the right derailleur (gear-mech)? I have a 9 x 3 speed mountain-bike. The derailleur got broken (and was since lost), I'm trying to find a new one. What do I need to go by to ensure I get a good fit? The rear-casette (sprokets) range from 11 to 32 teeth (there are 9 of them). Is this enough information?

Edit

It was noted that I also need to know the make of the gear-shifter, the one I have is SRAM

You'll also need to know the manufacturer, so that the shifters will be compatible. Most likely it's Shimano, or SRAM. It should be written somewhere on the shift levers.


Tyre suddenly gets tilted Hey guys i have a simple cycle .It do not have gears in it but today while cycling , my rear tyre suddenly gets tilted towards right hand side . One of the , the upper side is tilted towards right and the other side bottom part is tilted towards left hand  ..plz help me

The wheel nuts on the ends of the axle may have been a bit loose allowing the axle to shift a bit in the frame. Try loosening both nuts with a spanner, centre the wheel carefully, then tighten the nuts again (need to be good and tight). Then re-check that the wheel is running correctly.


Advantages / disadvantages of freecoaster and cassette hubs I've been reading a lot over the past few days about BMX, and last night I watched a few videos like this one. I have been seeing the words "freecoaster" and "cassette" around a lot, and I was curious what they were, so I looked them up - freecoaster does not require pedaling to go backwards, while a cassette hub does. In that video (around 3:08) I assumed that they were pedaling backwards just for "style" or whatever to make it look cooler - and after reading I think it is a cassette hub he is running.

What are the advantages of a cassette/freecoaster hub, and am I right to assume that if you take your feet off of either to do a trick that they will not keep spinning (provided that you press off of the pedals evenly and don't produce a spin)?

My son wanted to change his freewheel/cassete hub to a freecoaster hub so I did some research about 6 months ago and found this great YouTube video from Odyssey and RideBMX magazine all about freecoaster hubs.

As you said, the cranks will not move when coasting backwards. For my son, this is the real advantage and why he wanted the hubs. Landing a 180 out of a half pipe, his freewheel hub did not allow great control of the bicycle requiring him to spin cranks as he rolled backward (just like that trick at 3:08 in your video).

In the end it came down to money and we (he 12 year old) did not want to spend the money to get a new wheel with a freecoaster hub, you cannot just swap the axle/mechanism/insides of your freewheel shell with a freecoaster mechanism, you need a shell/hub that supports the freecoaster axle/mechanism.


Adjusting gear ratio I currently ride a single-speed converted bike (vertical drop-outs). I like the ride but feel that when I'm going for high speed on the road, I'm pedaling too much. Currently running a 18T cog on the rear and 42T on the crank, with a 2.333' ratio.

I'd like to increase the ratio and have a cassette on the rear hub, with a 16T cog. I'm wondering what's the best way of switching the chain to the 16T and keeping the chain tensioned.

Would it be as simple as removing one link from the chain or would the tension not be there?

As the 16T is one level down in the cassette from the 18T would the chain line be OK?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

EDIT: Here's a picture of the gearing setup to make it clearer:

If you poke around on the web enough, you'll find a "magical" gear ratio calculator somewhere. You input the length from BB to dropout and it spits out the
front/back combos that will work w/o a tensioner.

Try this one.

http://eehouse.org/fixin/fixmeup.php

It would be much simpler to change the front chainring, if you can find a magical
combo that matches what you want for a gear. There are also "half links" available that allow you to tweak the chain by less than a full 1 inch link pair.

FWIW, a single speed bike means your almost always in the "wrong" gear. Any change you make will only change when you're in the wrong gear, not the amount of time you spend in the wrong gear. If you're not happy being in the wrong gear, just buy a derailler and a shifter.


Converting quick release to solid axle I want to swap out my front wheel (solid axle) with another wheel (quick release axle). Issue is, I DO NOT want to use quick release for various reasons.

I have tried janking out the quick release axle without luck (having seen a few tutorials online). Being a fool, I've scratched/damaged the hub/axle quite a bit. Using my common sense, I figured that there is a little ring on both sides that is stopping the axle from sliding out (see picture underneath):

You can't really see the damage in the picture above but I've quite messed up the metal/paint on the hub/axle on the other side.

How do I get this thing out if possible? (by removing the little ring perhaps? I tried but can't really get the ring out, it's on there tight with little room to work with)
Can I even put in a solid axle in this wheel/hub?

Crucial information:

Current front wheel is a Miche Pistard WR
'new' front wheel is a Campagnolo Khamsin G3. Even though I've almost obliberated the hub/axle, wheel seems to be spinning fine and true still.
I am a mere novice with no bicycle skills whatsoever but I am trying to learn.

Can I even put in a solid axle in this wheel/hub?

Probably not. The axles of QR hubs are generally not designed to be removed and replaced with a through-axle. Some hubs are designed for both retention systems and can be converted. This does not look like one of them. I've never seen a rim brake hub with a through axle.


Allen Coggan Table - Formula for a best fit to time frames I'm sure lots of people are familiar with the Allen Coggan Relative Power table that then relates your 'score' to what category rider you are.

My question is that given rides/segments/hill climbs are rarely exactly 5 seconds/1 minutes/5 minutes or an hour long, what formula is required to adapt a known relative power reading to each of these 'time-frames' for comparision?

For example:

I have a hill that took 8 minutes and 15 seconds to ride up and have a relative power reading of 3.23 w/kg for that effort. What would this reading be for 5 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes and 1 hour of effort?

Hopefully someone could help out :)

I believe you are asking two different questions: the first, how to use Coggan's Power Profile; and the second, given power at one duration, how to extrapolate and predict power at other durations.

But first, an historical aside: Coggan's Power Profiles pre-date the publication of his book with Hunter Allen so really should be thought of as Coggan's own. The Power Profile is an empirical summary: the top of each column is pegged to a "world-class" effort, the bottom of each column is pegged to a typical effort for an "untrained" but non-sedentary adult of normal health and fitness, and the range between the two were split into 40 equal-sized steps. The reason it was done this way is because Coggan lacked actual observed data on the true distribution of watts/kg in the population; he knew the top (="world-class" or "world-record") and he had a reasonable idea of the bottom but he didn't have a histogram of the actual percentages at each value of watts/kg in between. Importantly, the "category labels" were always considered to be just a labeling device to help readers understand the approximate levels -- Coggan had no specific data to support their semi-arbitrary assignment. In fact, in an early revision of the Power Profile Coggan removed the "category labels" because he felt that readers were mis-using them. There was great hue-and-cry and promises of good behavior and intelligent usage so he subsequently replaced the labels, though making them "overlap" rather than have sharp boundaries between categories as in his first edition. This is all preface to Coggan's intended and widely stated use of the Power Profiles: to identify relative strengths and weaknesses in a given rider's power. He intended that riders circle or highlight their watts/kg in each column, draw a connecting line between the highlighted values, then ignore the actual values and just look at the pattern described by the line. If the line sloped downward from left to right, it meant the rider was relatively stronger at short durations than at long, and either should work on "bringing up the right" or else exploit his (or, in later editions of the Profiles, her) skills as a sprinter. If the line was relatively flat, the rider was an "all-rounder." Importantly, the line was based on "best" efforts at those durations which would not typically occur during the course of a single ride but rather be pieced together from specific efforts from several rides. All of the modern cycling analytical software products can "extract" the best 5 second, 1 minute, 5 minute, and 1 hour efforts from your data. Some products can do so for any arbitrary length of time, for example 495 seconds.

So the bottom line for the first part of your question is that if you climbed a hill at 3.23 watts/kg for 8 minutes 15 seconds, you shouldn't use the Power Profile as a way to predict your power at other durations. The Power Profile wasn't meant for that purpose.

Which brings us to the second question: how, then, would one go about predicting power at different durations given power at one duration? This is a very common question but a full answer is complicated. That said, a simple answer (and the one that Coggan himself might advise) is to go out and ride a different duration and see what you can do.

The full answer from a modeling point of view is complicated because we have mainly two different "energy production pathways" to help us produce power (commonly though inexactly) called the "aerobic" and "anaerobic" systems, and we each fatigue and renew at different rates. Therefore, you would need several parameters in order to characterize a particular individual's power-duration curve, and there would be some (potentially, a lot of) error in the estimation. In short, at a minimum, you would need estimates of the parameters for "anaerobic" capacity, "aerobic" capacity, the actual work over time that caused fatigue, and for recovery from fatigue.

Coggan has recently hinted at what may be an empirical, non-modeling, approach. He has recently claimed that if given an estimate of a rider's FTP (functional threshold power) he can produce an estimate to within 5% of the rider's steady-state power at durations from 2 minutes on up.


Need assistance identifying new wheel options for Araya VP-20 26x1.5 ETRTO 559 This is very similar to the question answered for "Need assistance identifying new tire options for Fuji 4130" (by 0-Biker) and answered by "Argenti Apparatus" but I couldn't add a follow-up there.
My son was hit by a car that warped the wheel. It's an old bike but I would like to replace the wheel.
How can it state 26x1.5 when ETRTO 559 = 22"? So should I be seeking a 22 or 26" wheel, please? (And I guess it needs to be 1.5" wide (as it states, VP-20 26x1.5 ETRTO 559)?) (For interest, what does the VP-20 mean?)
Thxalot.
Pac

'VP-20' is likely just a manufacturer model number or similar.
On mountain bikes wheel and tire diameters are often referred to in inch sizes: 26", 27.5" and 29". Those measurements are nominally the diameter of the inflated tire. What they really mean is the tires fit wheel rim bead-seat diameters of 559mm, 584mm and 622mm. The ERTRO specification gives the rim bead-seat diameter in millimeters, in your case 559mm
1.5 is some form if measurement of the width of the rim, but it is unclear whether it is the outside total width or the internal bead seat diameter width. In any case a tire of a certain width will fit on a range of rim widths. See answers to this question What is the maximum or minimum tire width I can fit on my bicycle. You need a wheel with a rim bead-seat width that will work with the tire width you want to use.
Remember that you also need to consider specifications of the hubs. A front wheel with have a dropout spacing of 100mm. Rear wheels have different width depending on how old the bike is but could be 126mm, 130mm or 135mm.
An older bike may have a freewheel (sprockets and ratchet mechanism in a single unit that threads onto the hub). You can replace this with a wheel with a 'freehub' (ratchet mechanism in the hub, separate sprockets in a 'cassette') if the dropout spacing is 130 or 135mm.


Friction in newly installed bottom bracket I could do with some help on a bike build...

I've installed a BB86/92 Trivatuv pressfit GXP bottom onto my Production Privee Shan frame. I used a headset press and everything seemed to go smoothly.

When I insert the crank (SRAM X1) I can hear what sounds like a small amount of friction/rubbing between the spindle and the BB as I turn it. When I tighten the cranks they doesn't spin very freely, maybe 1 or 2 turns.

Finally after fitting the chain, I can't shift into the easiest gear. When I try the friction between the crank and the bottom bracket increases. If I try very hard to change up I can make it so I can't spin the cranks at all.

My best guess is that the bottom bracket is slightly misaligned and when I try to shift into the easiest gear the lateral tension on the crank is causing lots of friction between the spindle and the sleeve of the bottom bracket.

Any suggestions?

Sounds like a spacing issue, the cranks shouldn't bind at all.  They may have some resistance with new bearings, but not enough to noticeably feel in most cases. Check that you don't have excess spacers on the spindle and are just using the wavy washer.

The crank arm bolt should pretty much bottom out on install and the cranks should be easy to turn. (there is a black alloy spacer that is used for BB86 shells included with most SRAM gxp cranks/bb and is not needed on the BB92 install).

If that looks correct, have a visual check in the BB.  It uses a plastic shell and sometimes this can be damaged when pressing in and contact the crank spindle on install.  Next check that the bearing cups are not deformed where they meet the frame on the outside (ie pressed in too hard) which can cause the bearings to run out of alignment, again a plastic shell issue and can happen when using larger headset presses.

Worst case, replace the BB with something like a Wheels Manufacturing or Hope BB that use alloy parts throughout; these are much more reliable for press fit applications as they do not deform like the plastic ones.


Oil specs for the 2013 Totem RC2 DH DPA Does anyone know the oil specs for the 2013 Totem RC2 DH DPA fork?

On http://www.sram.com/rockshox/products/totem-rc2-dh the "Technical Manual - RockShox Front Fork Oil Chart - 2011 (44.85 KB)" only mentions 2 step (their previous system and not dual position air) and the latest PDF "2014 RockShox Suspension Fork Oil, Air, and Coil Charts (2.3 MB)" has all the forks apart Totem. I think that's because they are discontinuing Totem this year.

This is a link to the 2013 SRAM fork oil chart. It includes the Totem. It's a PDF of a fairly complicated chart, so I can't post the info directly. I'll try to summarize it later today.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByDywRkKVjrPeHRNVWJXS3ZhRzA/edit?usp=sharing

This is the updated 2013 pdf which includes the TOTEM RC2 DH DPA, listed as the 2-step.

It is confirmed by SRAM (owner of Rock Shox) that the 2-step and the dual position air use the same oil specs.


Is this a real vintage Bianchi Strada? I'm contemplating whether or not to buy a Bianchi vintage mixte bike. I was told that it's a 1986 Bianch Strada but I have never seen a serial number like this: 51027563 (all numbers no letters). Photos are attached below. If someone knowledgeable about Bianchi bikes could answer these questions it'd be of tremendous help!

Is this bike a 1986 Bianchi Strada?
Given this 8-digit serial number is this a real Bianchi bike (and not a knockoff)?

Warning: this answer is based on rumours, speculation and hearsay.

Serial numbers:  I don't think the Good Lord Himself could make sense of Bianchi serial numbers, so don't put too much weight on that as anything is possible.

Lugs and frame design/welds looks somewhat odd for Bianchi, in fact without the decals I would have guessed Nishiki.  Thankfully, there is a fairly persistent rumour that Bianchi subcontracted cheap frames from Nishiki due to production problems while they were moving production from Japan to Taiwan in the mid 80s. If true, this could be one of those bikes.

If this is the case, it's a fun bit of bike history curiosa.  As others have noted, the suicide levers on an otherwise mid-range equipped bike says it's probably a US-specific model


How do I estimate how long it will take me to ride my commute? How can a cyclist, new to commuting by bike and not all that experienced in riding, estimate how long a commute will take?

I have been riding for 4 days to and from work. 156km over over 4 days. I'd like to know what I should be averaging time wise. I am 203 lbs / 92kg, and somewhat fit. The ride is 13 miles/ 21km there and back with an elevation of 81 meters and I'm using a good standard bike.

Are there any general guidelines to use to get an estimate? What factors will affect this? (Fitness, traffic, etc.) How can I identify ways to get faster? (Routing, accounting for other delays, etc.)

Unfortunately, there is no single answer to this question. In my experience, every route is unique, and will have variables that increase or decrease the transit time for a particular commute.

Traffic, seasonal weather, time of day for the commute, rider's fitness, and your bicycle's condition will all play a role in determining the time for a given route.

If you are regular cyclist, and have an idea what your average speed is on a fitness ride, using that as a basis to gauge how long a route will take is a good start.

When I ride a route for the first time, I gauge the time by average speed, and then if there is a deadline for me to be at the destination (i.e. I have to be there and ready for work at 9 a.m.) I take my fitness time, and double it. That ensures that I have enough time to arrive, even with problems I don't foresee. Then I add 15-20 minutes, to allow myself time to clean up and be presentable for work.

The next step is to ride the route. If you are especially cautious, then informing your coworkers/employer that you are trying a new route to work and might be late, if you have unforeseen issues, is not a bad idea. Doing a test ride when you don't have a critical deadline, meeting, or even doing it the first time on your day off, is even better.

You will get used to traffic patterns, weather issues, and normal delays. Even once you are certain of the normal time a route will take, it is a good idea to allow a bit of leeway for a flat tire, or an unforeseen circumstance.

I know that the answer you want is something along the line of x kilometers or miles will take y minutes, but that is not possible to gauge for you. What we can offer, is ways to learn the time for your route, without causing damage to your life or your job.

I hope that is helpful.


Suggestions for braking with severe osteoarthritis in both hands I have severe osteoarthritis in both my hands and have had to give up cycling as I am unable to squeeze the brakes for safety. Are there any available options for braking, as I would like to get back on my bicycle for exercise?
I have a Cannondale road bike and have travelled around a lot of Europe on this bike. The handlebars have been raised to a high level allowing no pressure on my thumbs that are the most painful.

A coaster brake for the rear comes to mind as a main brake. Refer Sheldon Brown ), however for safety you need more than one brake.  A high quality MTB disc brake is designed for low force i.e. single  finger for normal use, and high end come with a vast array of lever adjustments so you can get the levers close to the bars to reduce the reach needed.
With Hydraulic disc brakes only need to provide hydraulic pressure from a hose to make them work, it may be possible to fabricate something that allows you to generate the required hydraulic pressure from something that suits you hand ability, you may find a specialist who already has such a device.


Snap a Shimano chain pin without pliers? I just went back to a Shimano chain. For emergencies, rather than using a missing link, I considered just bringing a couple of unused links and a replacement pin.  However, I don't want to carry a pair of pliers.

I have a Crankbrothers M19 tool set.  I think I might be able to use the #3 spoke wrench on the chain breaker to add a little bit of leverage but not much.  I might also be able to just use the end of the chain breaker but the opening is fairly large.  Anybody have any thoughts of how to snap the pin without pliers?

A quick-link type product is probably the fastest, easiest, and lightest option to repair a chain on the roadside. I personally have not had any trouble, including excess noise, when using SRAM's or KMC's quick link product on my 9 speed Shimano chains.

To specifically answer your question, use a couple of hex keys that are next to each other on the tool. Unfold the pair so that one key is straight out, the second just short of straight out. You now have the two keys forming a narrow "Y" shape. You'd use this to snap off the leading pin by placing the fully extended key underneath the pin right at the score of the breakpoint. Position the angled hex key on top just outside the line of the under-key.  Wedge the pin firmly--scissor-like--maintaining the hex keys relative positions of under the break point and on top & outside of the line of the under-pin key.  Grip firmly and twist the system such that the wedged pin is levered around the bottom key--and at the pin's break point.  Wedge, twist, snap.


Why is one cruiser easier to pedal than the other? We have two cruisers. Cruise One was purchased about 5 years ago, mostly kept inside, not rusted or anything, just hasn't been ridden much.
Cruiser Two is older; someone gave it to us. It is MUCH easier to pedal than Cruiser One. I rarely even get my blood pumping, even when I pedal uphill.
Meanwhile Cruise One feels like a workout on flat roads.
I've tried examining them to see what the difference is. Same size chain ring, same size everything. Cruise One does have a heavier frame, but not by much.
Any idea?

-brakes rubbing?
-quality of the tyres
-quality of the bearings


Inner tube - series of dot marks and a puncture, what has caused it? This is on the outside of the tube.  There is a series of small dots marks about 1-2mm apart, and one of them has turned into a puncture.

I've felt around the inside of the wheel, and the inside of the rim.  Everything feels normal.

I thought maybe the inner tube had turned, and the spoke had poked through, but the marks seem too close together to be caused by the spikes.

Anyone got any ideas?  I'm wondering if its safe to just put another tube in?

As the holes appear to be on the raised ribs of the tube wall, it seems something pointed was scraped over the tube.

I'm guessing the damage was done before the tube was installed. Tubes cant move around in the tire, and a tire really cannot move on the rim either.

Update: perhaps there might have been a small sharp object caught between tube and tire during tube installation, that migrated along the tube causing the scratch mark.

In any case inspect the inside of the tire very carefully, both visually with a good bright light and tactually by running you fingers over the inner surface. Small sharp foreign objects can be hard to detect if they are just poking out of the rubber surface.


How to install a chain that has a pre-fitted pin? My new chain (Shimano 5800 HG600 105) comes with a pin inserted in the outer plate as seen in the picture below.

The Shimano dealer's manual makes no mention of this scenario.

How to install such a chain?

Shimano 11 speed (5800) should be assembled with a Shimano chain connector pin. The pin is pushed through and the end breaks off.  9/10/11 speed chains outer plates are too narrow to reuse pins.  There is literally no margin for error.  You actually break part of the pin when you push it out, as such it won't stay in place if reinserted. A missed shift can easily pry the outer plate off the pin causing the chain to fail.

I suspect you were sold a used or pre-installed chain, where they pushed the pin partially as a "service" to you, but if you reinsert that pin in all likelihood the chain will fail at some point in the future.

Shimano chain connector pin

UPDATE

The online retailer (guessing chainreaction) may also be selling an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) chain:

  CRC supply OEM chains which have a short rivet pin partially inserted ready for use. Never had a problem since I learnt how to use this rivet. You have to be careful that you get it in the right position first time when using your chain tool, as there is no room for error, when compared to the long pin type of rivet. If you try to adjust the chain pin it soon comes loose.
  It isn't just a removed pin, as these are always too loose to use, as part of the rivet shoulder breaks away during removal.
  Mind you it's always handy to have another way of joining the chain if you don't get the pin right first time.
  I find that you have to just take your time when pushing the pin through the last bit to avoid going too far through.
  -- Forum Thread

I have never personally had access to OEM (equipment purchased by bicycle manufacturers) so I cannot confirm whether or not this is how the chains come.  Either way, the forum thread suggests assembling with these short pins can be difficult (other answers discuss how to do this).  You may wish to purchase a connector pin as this is how Shimano intends home mechanics to assemble chains.

To clarify this short pin may not be the same as a pin that has been pushed out on an assembled chain. But it is hard to verify what the OP has.


Can I use an outboard Shimano BB on a Trek madone ALR (alum.) with pressfit BB? my 2015 Trek Modone ALR road bike has a press fit bottom bracket.   compared to my 2012 madone, the bottom bracket has much more drag.
I always liked the Shimano Hollowtech outboard bottom brackets and would like to install one on my TREK ALR.
Is there a conversion kit for this purpose?
Thanks

No. The BB90 design puts the bearings the same distance apart that a normal external Shimano BB would, hence a normal Hollowtech 2 road crank being able to run on it.

It may be possible to make a BB386EVO adapter for BB90, but if so I don't think anyone's done it.


How do I prevent the Hydraulic Disc Brakes on my bike from rubbing? I recently bought a new Polygon Strada 5.0 mountain bike with Shimano BR-M355 hydraulic disc brakes and have had issues with the brakes rubbing. I fixed the rub but now it is happening again.

The fixing process takes time and I'm asking if there are any suggestions/ideas on how to prevent this from happening again.

Likely the brake caliper assembly isn't mounted quite parallel to the rotor and needs to be slightly adjusted. This is a pretty easy process that takes less then a minute to complete:

Using a 5mm Allen Key, slightly loosen but do not remove the two
caliper fixing bolts so you can move the caliper assembly
side to side.
Depress the brake lever so the rotor is being clamped by the pads
and then re-tighten the caliper fixing bolts to 6.0 - 8.0 N.m (53.0 - 69 in. lbs.)

If you ever need to remove the caliper assembly from the mounts (for instance to change your brake pads) you'll use a similar process to re-align the assembly to the rotor. In that case you would re-install the caliper assembly but only screw the caliper fixing bolts in part of the way and then follow step #2 above.