Foot position on pedal I regularly race Duathlons and Triathlons. When I am off the bike and running my calves are like rocks for the first mile. I have been told to try to flatten by foot and not "Point" my toes down.

I use Speedplay pedals.
I have regular Specialized Road shoes (Stiff soles)
I ride a road bike (Gary Fisher Cronus)

My question: Should I always try to pedal flat and without my toe pointed down?

I think most people find the bike-to-run transition quite difficult while the legs adjust from going in a circular motion to running. Particularly for longer distance courses.

Here's an interesting article from a renowned triathlon athlete/coach:
http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2007/01/cleat-position.html

The article discusses the merits of putting your cleat towards the rear of your foot / under the arch vs the more traditional ball-of-foot location. Having re-located the cleat to the arch of his foot, Joe (the author) found that his performance improved.

Moving the cleat towards the rear of the foot engages the larger quads and glutes muscles, taking the strain off the calf and leaving you fresher for the run.

So perhaps you should give it a whirl? The article references a Speedplay adaptor that enables this cleat position, though I haven't seen it myself. As comments underneath the article identify, there may be a need to adjust your position on the bike as pedalling with arch of your foot will bring you forward slightly.

Edit

There is at least one other question on this forum that relates to this topic: Why not place the cleats further back on the foot?

I've added some of the information contributed by others here (as well as some more of my own thoughts/interpretation) that I think is relevant:

There is an increased risk of your toe colliding with the front wheel. However, this is only really an issue when turning at low speeds.
A mid-foot cleat/pedal position may be more suited to steady-state events (TT, Triathlon, etc), rather than for sprinting or criteriums where rapid changes of pace occur. Not sure whether there is scientific reasoning to support this, or if it is just some riders' preference.
Moving your cleat in this manner (or any other significant change to your ride mechanics, for that matter) is likely to require time for your muscles to adapt to the new position. Incremental changes are likely to reduce the risk of injury associated with changing your ride mechanics.


How to reuse a rim after the brake edge has been damaged My chain fell of and got stuck a few days ago (i ride fixed gear) and made a real mess of my back rim.

I noticed 2 marks on the brake edge of the rim where the chain scraped along.
they are not very deep (under 1mm) and 1-2cm long.

Is there any way i can make the rim brakable again, without having to change my brake pads once a week? Since the incident i haven't been using the back brake because of this...

Assuming that the rim is thick enough still for safe braking, what I'd do is take the tire off the wheel and lightly sand/file the edges of the marks until they're level with the rest of the braking surface. I wouldn't sand/file until the marks are gone since that will likely give warbling and possibly remove too much of the surface. I'd recommend sanding in the direction of the brake travel.

There is also this question which the asker has outlined all the normal choices as well:

"Leave it and let it smooth out with use. May take some time and wear down brake pads faster.
Lightly sand the worst offending parts with high grit abrasive paper.
Fill the damage with expoxy (or similar) then sand.
Replace the rim (would it worth the labour cost?)"


Alfine 11-speed - what is needed to install it? What are common problems when installing? This is an expensive and heavy hub but I'm looking to build a new wheel and strip the rear derailleur off my old Trek MTB. It already has a fixed Ritchey carbon fork and front disc and is a nice commuter, I just hate the grindy noise of a gritty derailleur so I want it gone to create a low maintenance wet weather bike. In the summer it's this, unmodified. Both bikes get a complete strip, clean and lube when they need it but I want to cut down on the time spend doing that - the IGH-carrying Trek will go out on wet days and the road bike in the sun.

I've googled plenty on this. There just aren't many pages up though, and none I can find that gives the whole fitting process. Shimano's PDF installation instructions are pretty dense and don't point out the important bits that a real person would need to know. I've read enough about performance to know it isn't perfect (and I would probably prefer a Rohloff) but it's going to solve my muddy, gritty bike path problem.

Buying it from an Australian store is pretty much out of the question given that it will easily cost hundreds more - importers gotta eat I guess but not at my expense and not at such a ridiculous markup. Sheldon Brown's pages, among others, have me keen to buy all the parts and build the wheel myself. Ordering all the parts is the time gate and failing to order something that later has to be sourced will lead to a frustrating wait of more weeks and paying an extra large shipping cost while another order is placed.

What I need to know is exactly what is required to fit the Alfine system to an existing bike. The hub is sold as one unit, the shifter another. The chain ring is sold separately too. Then there are one or two different small parts kits available which seem to be harder to get.

What will I need to buy (part numbers if you know them)?

What parts will be troublesome to fit?

For those of you that have experience installing these: Have you used one of these hubs and did you go through the process of sourcing, fitting and adjusting this hub yourself? What did you improvise/overcome/improve during your fitting? When done did you feel you had done it perfectly? Compare the complexity of this task (Alfine system and adjustment) to a conventional derailleur...

edit: if what you are looking for is a grease-free solution for your belt-drive bike, these are not questions you should be asking. Alfie 11 hubs leak oil and make your belt just as greasy as a chain. I'm hearing from many people "mine too". One store tells me the extra tension on the sprocket when using a belt with this hub makes leaks all but inevitable. Shimano have had mine twice for extended periods for service and can't fix it. I am massively disappointed in this product, wish I had bought the 8-speed that uses grease rather than oil bath internally.

2018 edit: Spot Acme still running nicely, but now with drop bars, TRP Hylex brakes, new wheels. I've given up worrying about the Alfine 11 leaking oil on the belt, it's inevitable.

I've not set up the Alfine 11 specifically, but it's quite similar to it's less-geared cousin.  You might also consider the Alfine 8 - it's rather cheaper and is a well-regarded hub with only slightly less total gear range.

In either case, the main things you'll need will be the hub (the SG-700-L is for disc and rim brakes), a 26"/559 rim of your choice, and spokes to match. In addition you'll need the Alfine 11 small parts kit, which includes the anti-rotation washers and other bits needed for installation. It's kind of annoying, really.

Alfine hubs also don't include a cog, so you'll need to to select one. You can continue using your current crankset, using only one chainring.  The Alfine is rated for a ratio of 2:1, so a 16t cog would work well with your 32t middle chainring and give you a good range of 26" to 107". (107" is ~50kph at 100rpm cadence).  If you want to consider other gearing options, check out the Sheldon Brown IGH gear calculator. One note for installation, the Alfine has a fairly narrow chainline, so you'll probably want to line up with the middle ring. You can remove the inner and outer chainrings; replacing the outer with a simple bash ring / chain guard can be a nice touch.

As noted in other answers, you'll probably need a chain tensioner since your bike has vertical dropouts. The Alfine Chain Tensioner or the Rohloff Chain Tensioner are both rather good, basically just being derailleurs with stiff springs and no cable adjustment. If you feel like getting hacky, you might be able to succeed with a magic gear, especially if you're willing to do a little filing. Running the chain through a tensioner adds a little bit more drag and a little bit more slop than being able to tension it directly, but otherwise should be fine.

Lastly, since you've got flat bars, you'll want the Alfine SL-S700 rapidfire shifter.  Since you don't have the integrated shifter-lever pods, it should be a simple swap.

Installation should be fairly straightforward, since it's mostly removing stuff: extra chainrings, current derailleurs and shifters, rear wheel.  You'll install the wheel using the "vertical" antirotation washers (8R/8L, green & blue), install the shifter and chain tensioner, run the chain and then cables and housing.  There's a bit of adjustment but the techdocs do make more sense when you have the hub in front of you - you're basically adjusting cable tension to line up the pair of yellow lines that mark the middle gear.

On the retail side, I'd recommend looking at some of the big German resellers - I've dealt with Starbike and Hibike and somehow they seem to undercut Shimano pricing pretty reliably (something about buying directly from Shimano Europe without a distributor? I don't entirely understand it); I just ordered a dynamo hub and it was cheaper including euro-shipping than I could get domestically in the US even from the deep discount sites online.


LED headlight eating away at power output of USB charger I have the following setup:

Shimano DH-3N72 hub dynamo
cycle2charge.de USB charger
LED headlight and taillight, both capacitor-backed

The headlight and USB charger are both directly attached to the dynamo. The taillight is attached to the headlight so that the switch on the headlight switches both off.

With the lights on, the USB charger hardly gets any power. My phone will show that it's charging only after some time (presumably once the capacitors of the lights are fully charged) and only if I'm going fast. If I switch off the light, it takes a much lower speed for the phone to start charging.

I do understand that the lights reduce the amount of energy available to the charger (also the manual of the charger says so), but I am surprised that the effect is this significant even with LED lights. Is that really due to the power consumption of the LEDs themselves, or is this effect due to inefficient circuitry or some kind of voltage regulator? (My hub dynamo came with a regulator device, which I didn't install. It is meant to be hooked up in parallel with the lights and is apparently some kind of ballast. In a setup with two incandescent lamps, if one of them fails, it is supposed to prevent the other from burning out.)

A hub dynamo is typically rated at 6V/500mA, and most lights will use all of that. Modern LEDs give you a lot more light from that power, but it's still nowhere near as much as the high powered battery lights you can buy (so if the manufacturers could get more power into the lights they would probably offer it as an option).

So the extra power you're getting into your phone comes from the "sometimes you can get more power" part of the dynamo specification, not the guaranteed part. In reality most dynamos will go well over 6V once you're moving at a reasonable speed, and the regulator you haven't installed is mostly to prevent incandescent lamps from burning out when that happens. With LEDs a better regulator has to be built into the lights because LEDs are more sensitive to the exact voltage/current they get.

This answer gives more links to information about how much power you can get.


Seat tube dents from Front Derailleur band-on. Is this gonna get worse over time? I just noticed it on the seat tube yesterday.
Looks like a front derailleur clamp mark though I'm running a 1x setup (my LBS might've tried something on it before I purchased).
Just worried about the structural integrity and safety of the frame. I mean if it's not gonna be worse, I can live with it.
It's a VO PolyValent Gen4, btw.

It's fine, no issue at all on a 4130 bike. Could have been caused by putting an FD on a weird diameter tube that was close to but not quite 28.6. It's safe to ignore.


How to choose a front rack I am thinking about getting a front rack for when I am doing some touring.  What should I look for when determining if it will fit.  Steel or aluminum?  Better styles?

First decide what you want the rack to do. There are a few styles:

lowrider which hold panniers low down each side of your front wheel. Great for stability and load carrying ability but poor ground clearance. Most common rack for tourists on diamond frame bikes.
platform looks just like a standard rear rack, but over the front wheel. Great for strapping a tent or something lightweight on top as well as a couple of panniers. Less stable but more ground clearance. Occasionally used by mountain bike tourists.
porteur is a platform rack without pannier mounts, usually much larger than a platform rack. Occasionally extends up to the handlebars. Still mounted to the fork rather than the frame, so weight on these racks has a dramatic affect on stability. Uncommon for tourists, more an urban load carrying rack (often used by postal services).
frame mounted. Usually similar to a porteur rack but attached to the frame. Much more stable but now you get interference with cables and handlebars when you try to turn. On a diamond frame bike these usually attach to the down tube and headset. Rare. The real hard-core end, but usually if you're going to this length you'll build a load-carrying bike instead. David Hembrow sells both frame and fork mounted porteur racks (the frame mount ones are not easy to find outside of Europe).

I suggest looking mostly at low-riders, and I think the Tubus Tara is the one to get if you can afford it. In general, aluminium will be cheaper but not last as long, and racks built using both materials should weigh about the same.

If you want to build your own Alex Wetmore has a useful series of blog posts


I found this frame at a garage sale, and wanted to know if it was a GT frame if so what kind? The serial number I found on the bottom is GB06070827? Bike frame I'm wanting to build if it would be worth my time.

It's virtually certainly some kind of department store BMX. The welded-on pants-guard attachment points, the battleaxe-like dropouts (which did have their era on actual BMX bikes, but most of that time also overlapped with the ubiquity of 14mm axles), kickstand plate, and the threaded 1" steerer combine to point pretty decidedly in that direction.


What to do to quiet with this clunking, clicking, and banging front wheel A week ago I wiped out on some ice. When I got back on my bike I heard a new clicking that, as I rode, turned into clunking. It sounded random, not occurring according to a pattern, and it sped up as I pedaled faster. The only connection I made is that it seemed like it was related a bit to the roughness of the road.

I did a bunch of troubleshooting and figured out that it was the front wheel. The bearings were smooth, the disk rotor was clean and not scraping, the spokes were consistently tensioned. When I was squeezing the spokes, they made a noise where two spokes cross. You know the sound. So I decided to tighten the spokes and went for a ride. Noise persisted. So I decided to loosen the spokes. I made them really loose, like flopping-around-the-rim-goes-way-out-of-true loose. So I tightened everything back up to true, but not as tight as things were. The wheel is a lot quieter now, but it is still giving off some noise. Oh yeah, I lubed the nipples, so this isn't the pinging sound that twisted spokes sometimes make.

This is a double-walled rim, no eyelets. I do not see any bulges or cracks.

What else can I do? Do some wheels just make noise? (this is a cheap wheel - formula hub, generic rim, black spokes)

Well you won't believe this, but it was the seatpost in the seat tube. I replaced everything in the bike. Until the only thing left was the seatpost. And it makes total sense. The seatpost was totally dry. I figure it settled into one spot after a lot of years and the crash busted it loose, so the slight wiggling was creating a clunking that resonated through the bike.

The reason it was really hard to diagnose is that the bike is a fixed-gear so I can't coast. If I could coast I would have been able to realize that the noise didn't happen when my butt wasn't moving. But since my legs are always moving, I was always making the seatpost make the noise. I lubed the seatpost and the noise went away.


Left crank keeps coming loose Often when I go to school on my bicycle the left crank arm starts to loosen up after one or two really gentle jumps. When this happens I just tighten it with the tool I have in my backpack. It went on like this for almost two weeks after which after only one kilometer of riding it starts to creak very loudly and it also loosens up.

When I go to the repair shop, the worker just tightens it up and says it will work but after only one minute of riding it, it loosens up again. Please tell me how to fix this problem.

It is a square taper crankset where the crank is held on by a nut.

I’m assuming you have a square taper bottom bracket + crank arms?

See this answer: Square taper crankset develops play after changing bottom bracket

If you’ve been repeatedly riding with a loose crank arm it could be that it’s now damaged.

You could try tightening with lots of torque, grease on the square taper and threadlocker (e.g. blue Loctite, but in a pinch any kind of glue works) on the threads. A retaining compound (e.g. LOCTITE® 648) on the square taper is even better than grease.

If that doesn’t help, the easiest, surest solution is to replace the bottom bracket and crankset. A completely new Octalink crankset (which doesn’t have this problem) can be had for less than 30€ (+ bottom bracket for <10€).


I want to add a front caliper brake to a bike with only coaster brake - is this safe? The store says "Your bike would require drilling through the crown of the front fork in order to mount the brake caliper. This procedure would compromise the structural integrity of the fork, and isn't recommended."
Considering I think having only a coaster brake is maybe 7/10 safe, and my lack of muscle memory/confidence with it reduces to probably 4/10... how unsafe will that compromised fork structural integrity be? i.e. would I be better or worse off?
This is a 'ride to the shops' bike riden very sedately and doesn't get banged about in storage.
Edited to add photo (I can't take any more as I dropped the bike off with the store today - this was their emailed response after they'd looked at it)

This is common practice and many DIY types do that.
The problem for the shop is that by doing to work they become liable for the result, and if something does go wrong the general result is that your face hits the road, hard. That's expensive almost regardless of the details, and no bike shop wants to take the rsik.
Partly because a replacement fork already drilled is cheap compared to the labour cost of pulling the fork out drilling the hole/prepping a new fork, then reinstalling it. You're looking at about 30 minutes labour ($50?) and probably $20-$30 for a new fork. I'm disappointed that the shop didn't quote you for that option, which may mean they don't do that level of bike mechanicing.


Restoring a steel Japanese bike from the early 80s I recently picked up a Shogun 2001 touring bike from the early 80s. It's hardly been ridden and has a beautiful double-lugged frame with F&R racks, Al fenders and brazed-on threaded fittings for all of those those. It's an 18-speed with Shimano 600 DX brakes & hubs, Deore front & rear derailleurs & triple crank and some odd Deore pedals (see the pic). It even sported the original tires, w/the Shogun name, which are barely worn. But I have a couple of questions moving forward about bringing her back and upgrading.

I want wider handlebars -- 44cm. Where do I get those? What (stem) clamp size do I need to be looking for? Obviously it's not 38.1mm.
It has natural gum-rubber brake-lever hoods that are deteriorated. I want to replace these. What will work? I don't care about the color; synthetic black rubber hoods are fine.
It has braze-on downtube friction shifters. I want to install bar ends. What, if anything, do I need to be watching out for when I do this? Given that it's a 6-speed, do I have to us old ones, such as a set of Suntour 3090s? Or can I use newer ones that are 9 or 10 speed?
I've never seen pedals (see photo) that attach to the crank arms quite like these. There's a fat bolt spacer between the pedal and the crank arm, and they appear to be held on the back of the crank with a bolt. I don't object to these pedals but I'd like to know how to remove them if they ever need work. Can they be replaced with conventional pedals if need be?

I want wider handlebars -- 44cm. Where do I get those? What (stem) clamp size do I need to be looking for?

As far as I know, 25.4mm was pretty standard internationally for handlebars for a long time. You can probably improvise a pair of calipers by pinching the bars with a crescent wrench, then measuring the gap.

  It has natural gum-rubber brake-lever hoods that are deteriorated. I want to replace these. What will work? I don't care about the color; synthetic black rubber hoods are fine.

These are typically referred to as non-aero brake hoods.

  It has braze-on downtube friction shifters. I want to install bar ends. What, if anything, do I need to be watching out for when I do this? Given that it's a 6-speed, do I have to us old ones, such as a set of Suntour 3090s? Or can I use newer ones that are 9 or 10 speed?

I'm not sure about all models of bar-end shifters, but the Dura-Ace ones can be set in two different modes: indexed and friction. Indexed shifting clicks into place for each gear, and friction shifting requires you to manually fine-tune the placement of the lever. Obviously, indexed shifting will not work for 9/10-speed shifters to a 6-speed freewheel.

  I've never seen pedals (see photo) that attach to the crank arms quite like these. There's a fat bolt spacer between the pedal and the crank arm, and they appear to be held on the back of the crank with a bolt.

Disclaimer: This is purely speculation, BUT

I would wager that the bit you see on the back is actually a kind of large-to-small-diameter bolt hole adapter (not sure what it's actually called). I suspect you might be able to remove the pedals normally, and then unscrew the adapter from the back of the crank with a socket wrench.

(N.b. left pedals are reverse-threaded; i.e., righty-loosey, lefty-tighty.)


Can this rim damage be fixed or do I need a new rim? I somehow managed to ride over a screw that pierced through my tire and was long enough to reach the rim. It scratched the rim a few times (for as many wheel revolutions that it took me to stop the bike); see picture below. When I put my finger over the scratches they feel quite rough which will certainly not be good for the tube I imagine. Is there any way such damage can be fixed without having to replace the rim?

In the photo it looks like you have damaged the rim tape, not the actual rim. You should be able to replace it without touching the rest. The tape on photo says tubeless ready: if you are planning to go tubeless you should replace it with similar one, but if you plan to use tubes, any high pressure tape will work.


What is "height stroke" on a tire? I am reading a tire review at
http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/road-bike-reviews/schwalbe-lugano-2015
and it says

  the Lugano had a gigantic height stroke. Most tires have this, but the Lugano was awful, you will probably notice it on the bike. This is a sign of low-quality control.

and

  quality control seems to be low as the Lugano used for this test came with a severe height stroke. To keep the price low, they probably just don't bin the bad tires.

What is it?   This tire is very low-scoring so I think it is bad.

It means height variation, and it is a non-idiomatic translation.

Edit: As pointed out in comments, the translation is from "Höhenschlag", where "höhe" means height and "schlag" translates to blow, slap or stroke. It means specifically bicycle tire or rim that is out of round vertically. Lateral out of round is Seitenschlag.

My original guess: There are many German words that translate into "stroke", and one of them is "Hub". It translates to stroke in the same sense as "stroke" in  four-stroke engine. Other possible translations are "travel [of piston etc.]" or "(vertical) lift", and it is used in phrase "Hub- und Senkbewegungen" meaning "up and down movements".

Even though the company behing Bicycle Rolling Resistance is located in Netherlands, the name Jarno Bierman sounds German (well, Jarno is Finnish name but there are people named after motorcyclist Jarno Saarinen all over Europe), and Dutch language is closely related.


Can small pebble inside tire puncture the tube? Shortly after changing a flat in a dirt road near home, I got another one. This last tube got a very small puncture. Inside the tire I also found some small pebble (like 1mm or less in length), but no thorn or wire.

I wonder if this small gravel trapped inside the tire can puncture the tube?

If the pebble was sharp, it definitely could be the reason. Each time before you change the tube, check the tire from the inside for any thorns that stuck or (something that happens quite often) glass particles that left inside. Using sealant tubes could be another great idea if your main riding is off road (I think that without them I would be changing tubes two times a ride).


Uncomfortable saddle position on road bike. I ride a road bike three times a week (Bitten by strava bug)( I am 5'9" and use a 54 cm frame)

I installed my new pedals and am wearing my new cycling shoes for first time. I raised the saddle height few centimeters hoping to match the rise in height due to cleats.

Also, i moved my saddle towards the stem to accommodate the height change, for some reason my saddle is a real pain. I feel uncomfortable and have to focus constantly on setting myself on saddle rather than focusing on the road ahead.

I think this also is pushing me back in terms of giving my best on the road. I have tried using methods like leg seam length, knee slightly bend method to try adjust the saddle and it doesn't seem to work.

Has anyone of you also faced this problem and what did you do to fix it ?

Are your cleats "a few centimetres" thick? It seems unlikely! It's hard to imagine that your cleats put your foot more than a centimetre farther from the axis of the pedal than was the case with your old pedals, so the simple conclusion is that you moved your saddle way too far.


Can a 7 speed torpedo cable index a modern day 7 speed freewheel? I have an old cable from a 7 speed Torpedo internal hub and am wondering if it will properly index a modern day 7 speed freewheel or if it is way off.  Is there an easy way to check this?  Just measure how far the cable moves in it vs. how far the cable moves is my twist (grip) shifter 7 speed?

You've answered your own question.  It all comes down to cable pull, so use an accurate measuring tool like a vernier caliper, and see exactly how much cable is pulled per click.  Use a dot of white-out ("twink") to help measure accurately.

The cable itself is quite irrelevant, its the shifter on the handlebar that does the stepping, and the deraileur has a multiplier ratio.

There's a great table at http://blog.artscyclery.com/science-behind-the-magic/science-behind-the-magic-drivetrain-compatibility/  but it doesn't list IGHs.

Shifter cable pull (mm) * Derailleur shift ratio  =  Cog pitch(mm)

So if your cable pull was 2.9mm per click, and the 7 speed RD mech had a 1.7:1 ratio then it should fit a 7 speed cassette/freewheel with the standard pitch of 5.0 mm


Bicycle Storage Indoors I need to find a way to store my bike vertically parallel to the wall. However my ceilings are quite high so it would be difficult to lift it onto a ceiling mounted hook everyday. Is there anyway to have the hook extend further down or better yet a wall mounted solution?

If by "parallel to the wall" you mean in the same direction as it would sit if it were leaning against the wall then you would probably do well with a rack like I bought when I moved into an apartment last year:

This Delta Michelangelo Rack holds two bikes, requires only a single small screw hole in the wall to anchor, and does a good job of holding the bikes out of the way.  List is about $80 but I found mine on sale for around $55.  It also has a few clips/hangers for things like helmets.

I also have the pulley system recommended by @neil-fein,  but I find that if the bike is on the pulley, I rarely get it down.


replacing shifter cable housing? My rear cable housing got torn apart while I was tunning gears as you can see in the picture. I'm quite new to cycling so i'm not sure if i should replace the whole cable or just the part of the housing which got damaged?

Also if I'm just replacing the cable housing, do i have to cut the cable as there is a nut at the end of the cable which stops me sliding the housing out of the cable?

(just for your information i have shifting issues in the rear derailer as well: i.e., for certain gear combinations it sometimes overdo the gears when upshifting and downshifting. Maybe be this is related to a bad cable as well)

Its likely that your bad shifting is due to messed up cables or a misadjusted derailleur.

You can either cut the cable crimp off at the end of the cable with a pair of pliers, or pull it off with a pair of pliers.

As for replacing the cable housing, you can either get your bike shop to cut a piece of housing of the right length by taking your old housing to them, and cleaning up the cut with a file + awl so its flat and the hole is completely open, or you can buy housing kits from companies like Jagwire and cut it yourself (but you will need a bicycle specific cable+housing cutter like Park Tool CN-10 or a dremel to cut the housing properly). There is a nice tutorial on how to replace your housing here. Another good page on prepping housing is here.

As for replacing just the housing vs replacing the housing + the cable, its generally a good idea to just replace the housing + the cable, just because its not all that much more expensive and if your cable has some rust on it or has been damaged, it may lead to poor shifting even with new housing. I always replace the cable and housing together, just to avoid problems.

EDIT: I zoomed in on the picture. The cable is toast. Get a new cable.


Crankset fitting issues May sound like a dumb question bit here goes. Is it possible to run a 68/83 hollowtech crankset on a frame designed for 68/73? I can see the crankset fitting without issue as the crank axle is the correct width but the issue would be chain line after fitting. I know FSA produce crank axle spacers for my crankset (gravity MegaExo) but I can't see this helping chain line other then stopping the crankset having lateral movement. My build is a 2009 kona four deluxe with a 1x8 drive train currently setup with sram x4...but I've broken my crankset so if possible I'd like to use the one I have (gravity MegaExo 83mm) rather then fork out more money at the moment. Is there a way I can do this?

I'm assuming the crank you have is for an 83mm shell, i.e. it has a longer spindle than the common external bearing cranks for 68mm or 73mm (68/73) shells.

It sounds like you know this, but you can't space the cups this much and still have okay thread engagement. You could put some spacers there, usually up to 2.5mm per side, or on some BBs 5mm drive side/2.5 non-drive.

You could use spindle spacers to take up all the slack, and by making the cranks asymmetrical in the frame you could make the chainline correct, or correct-ish. This raises the question of extra leverage on the spindle since it won't be supported where it's designed to be, especially if all the spacers are on one side. That becomes an at your own risk thing. I suspect if it's a pretty burly spindle it would be fine for xc/trail type riding, but that's just a guess.

Since you're 1x you could also employ chainring spacers to help a little with chainline, maybe up to 5mm worth. (I actually don't know what the line is there before there are consequences. They come up to 3.8mm when designated for mid/outer position use. Use steel chainring bolts.)


Key Stuck in bike lock! My key has snapped off in my bike lock and I'm wondering if bolt cutters are going to do the job and if not what else will?

Its this lock that I have:

Angle grinder is the preferred tool of bike thieves.


Are out of date energy gels bad for you? I have some energy gel sachets that are a few months out of date. Do they contain anything that might be dangerous after their best-before date?

I don't think this is problematic. Those gels consist mainly of sugar which is a good preserving agent and are sealed air-tight which means they shoudn't get easily contaminated. So if none of the following conditions are fulfilled, I wouldn't mind using such a gel that is some months over their "best before" date:

The sachet hull is intact, i.e. there are no signs that unwanted air could have gotten in. Look for unwanted openings like deep scratches in the foil, rips, or signs that the package has been havily compressed or worked.
The gels have not been stored in extreme conditions. As long as they were at moderate temperature and not exposed to sunlight most of the time everything should be fine. Also having carried them in your backpack for the weekly ride in summer should not be a problem. I would be somewhat concerned if you had had them with you on a two or three weeks tour in hot climate.

So basically you should be safe and even if you have a spoiled one you should notice that as soon as you taste it – I don't think they will spoil in a way that you cannot notice but will get sick from it. If you are unsure or have to rely on your food on a longer ride do the following: Try one of them at home to see if it's OK and take other food with you on tour as well, so that you can leave the gels alone in case you are not sure about them.


What tools are required to replace a spoke? When out riding at the weekend, for the very first time, I managed to break a spoke on my wheel.

Because I've not done it before, and I want to get back out on the bike soon, this time around I am minded just to hand the job over to my LBS. However, I do like to do my own maintenance where I can, so was thinking about what tools I would need to be able to do the job myself in future.

I'm thinking I would need a spoke wrench, a truing stand and a spoke tension meter. But would I need anything else? Or are any of these items unnecessary?

As a follow on question, this was a spoke on the drive side of a rear wheel that was bought just 9 months ago as part of a new (and expensive) wheelset, and has done something like 1500km so far. The roads I was riding on were far from perfect, but I don't particularly remember hitting any potholes. Was I just unlucky or should I be concerned?

Update

I've now replaced the spoke myself with no hassle whatsoever. Thanks to all three respondents, every answer was good - a spoke wrench was the only tool required. I estimated the correct tension by plucking the spokes and made sure the wheel was approximately true just using the frame.

The only other thing to note was that, having decided to replace the spoke like-for-like, the particular spoke was very difficult to get hold of singly. In the end I ordered from an online shop in the US (I'm in the UK). I did approach my LBS but the best they could do was to order a box of 72 spokes for me which pushed the cost right up. I had a chat with the mechanic there who said that this was quite a common problem...

A spoke wrench is required, the stand and tension meter are optional but can make your job easier. You can use the frame of your bike and the brakes if you have rim brakes as your truing stand. If you have disc brakes you can use wire/zip ties wrapped around your frame tubes and poking toward the rim then trimmed to measure true (assuming the wheel is aligned in the frame.)

If you are replacing a spoke on a rear wheel you will likely need a lock ring remover and chain whip to remove the rear cassette.

Note that each time you break a spoke, the others become a little more fatigued, and a little more likely to break. Over time you may find yourself breaking spokes with more frequency. My rule of thumb is that if I've broken 5 spokes on a wheel I get it rebuilt, or at the very least professionally trued and tensioned.

Like most things the late Sheldon Brown is a great resource as is http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/wheel-and-rim-truing.


Why do cyclists prefer messenger bags over backpacks? Ok, I know form sometimes follows function - and things can be even more funnily irrational when fashion and trends come into play - but what's the lure of the cyclist's messenger bag?  I see them everywhere, and can't help but imagine them to be a big pain in the lopsided way they hang on a single shoulder, not to mention the strap-over-the-head maneauver required to take one off, becoming even more awkward in tight quarters like say a small cafe.  But there they are, ever popular.

People who enjoy using them tend to be quite passionate about them - and I doubt it's limited to just the style of the bag. Having little experience riding with backpacks or messenger bags, I ask, why do you choose to ride with one over the other?

I spent the last two years as a backcountry ranger, in Northern California.  There, I wore a backpack almost every day.  Now I am a bicycle commuter in Sacramento and I choose panniers first, a messenger bag second, and the backpack a distant third.

There are three reasons why the backpack is my last choice in this list.

Any bag I carry ends up being full.  I don't know how that works, but my bag is always full of something.  A full backpack rides higher on my back than a messenger bag.  This raises my center of gravity and throws me off balance more easily.
It doesn't matter how gently I ride or what the temperature is, by the time I get to work I am soaked with sweat.  With a backpack, I sweat even more because there is less airflow between my back and the bag.  The messenger bag, which rides lower, covers less of my back and I sweat a little less.  Or maybe I just dry out quicker.
Backpacks with hipbelts and sternum straps are designed to move weight off of one's shoulders and onto the hips and torso.  This works great if you are in an upright, walking position.  When I'm in the drops on my roadbike, a hipbelt is nothing more than a hinderance and a backpack-sternum-strap, though more useful, sometimes tends to choke me.  Weight is again transferred to my shoulders and back, which causes me some degree of pain after a while.  Messenger bags--at least those that are well designed--have a strap which rides diagonnally across the sternum and which functions better in the riding position to transfer weight to the torso.

Panniers are my first choice, though, because they better solve all of these problems.  They are completely off of my back and pretty low on the bike.  For longer rides and for my daily commute, I generally use panniers.

Not all of my bikes have a rack, though.  I have ridden my bike from Sacramento-to-the Bay Area wearing a messenger bag.  I wouldn't have tried it with a backpack.


How do you switch grip shifters from shifting as if they were on the opposite derailleur? I was replacing cables on grip shifters recently and when I put them back together they acted as if they were on the wrong side. By that I mean the front shifter (3 chain rings) were shifting 7 times and the rear shifter (7 speed) was clicking 3 times. I was baffled at this and did not know what was wrong. Is there a way to change them back?

It sounds like you have accidently mixed up the cables and routed the front dérailleur cable to the rear shifter and vice versa.

You can change them so that the front shifter goes to the front dérailleur pretty easily. Just swap them at the shifters.


What's the easiest way to add gears to my single speed? I recently bought a single speed - a Charge Plug Racer, and I realise I've made a mistake - too many hills on my commute and I need a smaller gear to help me up the hills. It's pretty hilly in my area.

I still like the simplicity of the bike, but cannot get up all these hills!

What's the easiest way to add a gear?

Depending on what you want, you might just be okay lowering the current gearing.  It comes with a 42t chainring and a 16t freewheel, and switching to a 17t or 18t freewheel will decrease your overall top speed somewhat but make it easier to climb up those hills.  If you want to have the option to swap for a harder gear when you're planning a mostly flat ride, you could either install a different sized freewheel in place of your fixed cog (on the flip side) or get something like a White Industries DOS 2-speed freewheel.  In either case, you'd change gearing by loosening the rear wheel and moving the chain position by hand.

If you want to switch to a true multispeed bike, you've got a couple options. Easiest might be to purchase a new wheel built around an internal gear hub.  Your rear dropout spacing is 120mm, and there are a few hubs that come in or can be reduced to near that width - notably the Shimano Nexus 8 Red Band, the SRAM P5, and several of the Sturmey Archer hubs can be made to work.  You could also look into getting the frame cold set to a wider dropout spacing, which would open up more IGH options (the Alfine 8 being a great one) as well as conventional multi-speed cassettes - though you'll need to get a derailleur hanger chain tug, like those made by DMR.


Quill stem bolt is covered I've just got a new bike (ordered online). It came all assemebled except for the handlebar stem (quill type) which is completely sideways. I believe I need to loosen the stem bolt and reorient it, however, the problem is that the stem bolt seems to be covered. There is a cap, I've removed the cap but I do not see the bolt. Any idea how I should fix this? Thanks.

The most likely scenario is the plastic cap was inserted to far. Using a drill bit slightly smaller than the access hole, slowly drill into the plastic plug. Drill just deep enough to go through the plastic when you hit the bolt head stop. Use an "O" riing pick or a dental tool to pull the plug out. If you can't raise the plug try to insert the correct size allen wrench through the hole you drilled and loosen the bolt a few turns. Tap the top of the allen wrench to loosen the wedge. Completely remove the stem. Unscrew and remove the stem bolt and push the remains of the plug out.


How to degrease a bicycle frame? I have a carbon frame which I'm worried I will scratch the paintwork on. I know the basics of cleaning paintwork without scratching it, using two buckets, one to rinse and one to wash with, grit guard, etc.

However, the first step is usually to degrease. On my chain I'm pretty brutal and tend to soak it in WD-40, I basically don't care about the chain that much, see: Can I use WD40 and generic bicycle oil to maintain my MTB drivetrain?

The frame is a different matter though, it isn't a wear and tear part, and I don't think I should spray WD-40 directly onto the frame. I know that spraying WD-40 onto a car's paintwork will ruin it over time --- it will supposedly look nice at first, and then sometimes start to flake off.

My question is simply what type of degreaser I should use? I'm not sure if I'm allowed to ask for a specific product, so maybe I should phrase it in a way where I ask what type of product I should look for? I'm sure this would be relevant to others too, carbon frame or not, all type of paintwork can be ruined if using the wrong chemicals.

Are there any special considerations with a carbon frame? It wouldn't surprise me if painting a carbon frame is more difficult than a steel or aluminum frame, hence requiring a different type of paint, which requires different care for when degreasing it?

Citrus degreasers work well. They can be washed away with water.

If you are going to spray your chain with WD-40, try making some shields with cardboard to keep it off the frame, brakes, wheels, tires etc.


How do I use retro drop down handlebars with no hoods? The preface this, I am just going to say that I am awful on a bicycle.

I have recently gotten a bike that I love, it's beautiful, and I love riding it, however the drop handlebars have no hoods so the brakes are on the tops, and I have no idea where to put my hands. I want to keep them as close to the brakes as possible because of the heavy traffic in London, and because I am not quite confident enough to be able to move my hands back in to position quickly. The problem with this is that because my hands are so close together I have less control of my bike, and I'm worried that I'm going to fall off.

Does anyone have any recommendations about what I should be doing, or am I going to need to get some new handlebars?

The Bike is a Cooper Revival 2012.

You have the option of purchasing a product such as this:

These are secured to your drop bar where your brake hoods would normally reside. They provide a hand position on the ramp of the bar without having to use drop bar brake levers. They also can install directly over your tape (but it will eventually ruin the tape, so ideally you'd install them and re-tape everything.) While it would be the cheapest and easiest option, it doesn't address the issue of your hands being away from your brake levers (which is a very important feature when riding in traffic!)

The existing brake levers are Tektro RL720s. They're known as "interrupter" levers because they are generally installed in tandem with drop bar brake levers and they interrupt the housing, creating two sets of brake levers at two different hand positions. You could purchase any aero levers and install them on the bar along with the 720s (they need to be aero levers where the housing runs under the handlebar tape). This would require some housing and new brake cables, but it would solve both the hand position and brake access issues you've posed for ~$40.


What is the significance of tire minimum pressure? Its quite intuitive that tires have maximum pressure figure - inflate it more and something could explode. Furthermore, it is common knowledge that under-inflated tires result in snake bites.

What puzzles me is that all tires indicate minimum pressure.

This could be somewhat justified about DH tires, which tend to be produced with thick sidewalls and thick soft thread pattern, resulting in reduced  pinch flats (among other advantages). However, on different cross-country tires I have seen minimum pressures from below 2bar to 2.7bar at least. Is this just marketing or does the number mean anything?

Furthermore, how can the manufacturer know what the riding terrain and rider's style is? In my opinion those affect chosen tire pressure a lot more than sidewall thickness.

The minimum pressure is an estimate that will most probably work for the majority of people in generic riding conditions. Not going below the minimum pressure may prevent:

loss of control due to insufficient traction
pinch flats
burped air in case of tubeless
tyre unseating
rim bending on harsh hits
tyre carcass premature wear
rotation of the tyre/tube combo within the rim (can cause tube valve failure)

Of course, that number just an estimate. An aggressive rider, a heavy rider, or a really rough terrain may require higher than the minimum suggested values.


Old bike - Chainring bolts I have an old "Favorit" racing bike from Czechoslovakia and I'm missing some bolts on the chainring. I went trough some bike shops and couldn't find a replacing one. The bolts diameter is slightly smaller on mine which make the new unable to fit.

I would like to keep the "style" of my bike as intact as possible. I can see two options here:

Find a website with such old chainring bolts (if anyone got any tips here, I've been pretty unlucky so far)
Make the hole in the chainring slightly bigger (by using a file?).

What would you recommend? Would option 2) be even possible?

Thanks in advance!

I recommend against filing out the bolt holes. You will not be able to get to holes round enough with a file and the bolt surfaces will not engage with the crank properly. You could try drilling the holes slightly bigger but I'd still be worried about getting the hole diameter accurate enough.


In what sense are UCI Pro teams 'national' teams? This page on wikipedia lists the UCI Pro teams and has a column listing their Country. It is sourced from this page on the UCI official site. What significance does this hold? Clearly each team doesn't have an obligation to only include riders from that country.

What is the source of the association between teams and countries?

The association is based on where the license holder of the team is located. Garmin Sharp is listed as USA since they are based in the US. Omega-Pharma (OPQS) has their license held by Esperanza bvba, which is based out of Belgium so the team is listed as being from Belgium, etc.


Identify a 70's road frameset I'm at a loss on the manufacturer of this frameset, any ideas are appreciated.

Its previous owner claims it is 50+ years old and was bought in Chicago 46 years ago.

Bike has Nervar Star crankset, Pivo bar and stem, and Simplex gear change. Also a French saddle. Frameset as shown with Campagnolo drops, wrap around stays, long point lugs, and flat crown.

My first clue was from the serial number which started with a J. The French derailleur also pointed me to this direction: I took a guess and searched for pictures of Jeunet frames.

Then, browsing a bit I saw this forum which shows many pictures of similar models where the lugs are exactly the same, similar dropouts and forks chromed. My guess; it is a Jeunet 620 or a very similar model.

Edit:

Well, I looked a bit more and found this catalogue. If you look at the course (racing) section, their top of the line model for that year is called 570-10 (10-speed 570). The marking on the dropout might be just that, the model number. Identifying the year, now, that's something else.


How to open Gazelle Orange c7+ chain case? I would like to open it because I feel a touch while pedaling and gear changes are not smooth. Is there any video or manual to show how to open chain case?

There is another model in a video on YouTube, i would image the removal process is similar. It appears to take a little prying, then a couple screws and that's about it. i would inspect the chain cover closer and see if there are any obvious tabs or seams that separate or if there are any visible screws from the inside (through the wheel)

Here is the link:

 Gazelle Chain Case Removal


Strange long squeal sound when I pedal hard - how to track this down? It's kinda hard to describe but there's a sound coming from somewhere on the bike when I pedal hard - I can't figure out where it's coming from. It's sort of like a high pitched pig squeal. It started happening randomly really and hasn't stopped since. If anything, it's been getting louder.

Any ideas on what it could be?

How can I narrow down where the sound is coming from?

This sounds like a bottom bracket bearing.

Check for looseness in bottom bracket by wriggling your pedals. Do they move in ways that they should not?

When the bearing housing fails, you both lose the glide of the bearing and also introduce bits of 'shrapnel' into the bottom bracket which rub and squeal with each crank, as the bracket deteriorates further, the noise and friction will increase. However, at some point, you'll grind all the shrapnel into shavings and will have scored the interior of the bottom bracket such that there will be more room and it will become easier to pedal and quieter, though it will still be far more difficult than a working set of bearings.
Bottom brackets are easy to inspect and replace.
Good luck with the repair.


Would like to custom-build a bike but I'm not sure on what parts to buy Currently I have a 2011 Trek 3700 (no disc brakes) and just this year have gotten into riding mountain bike trails and would like to have a bike better suited for doing that.

I'd like to keep the budget under $1000 (using Trek Mamba as a target) but when I'm looking for parts online, I seem to come across the most expensive options for each part. I'm a fan of Shimano but willing to use other brands if the price is less but the products are still comparable to one another.

As for specifics for what I'm going to be using it on, it'll be public mountain bike trails (off-road, of course) so nothing too demanding but still find a need for disc brakes and given my height, 6'6" roughly, a 29er seems to be the better option and would prefer a hardtail.

Unless a budget of $1000 is just unreasonable for a DIY....

Thanks in advance!

Upgrading parts is likely to be the most expensive way to get the bike you want. Depending where you are, second hand is the way to get a good bike for the lowest $$$, provided you are careful. The next least expensive option is to go for an end of season new bike. In the end, it costs a lot less if you use the proceeds from selling your old bike rather than upgrading it.

29'ers  (I have one), give quite a different ride to a 26. Try one out to see if you like it, however if you stay hardtail, I think it's a good way to go. If you are a heavy 6'6, consider the 29'r has longer spokes and the wheels are therefore weaker than a 26 (all else the same). As I am under 70kg (150lb), its not something I have to worry about. Also think about the shock - is it stiff enough for your weight, although the only thing that makes a significant difference at this level of bike is more money, and unless you are over 250lb you should be OK (Trek states 136kg max fro their bikes).

The Mamba looks like a reasonable fit for you in terms of budget and the riding you propose - it will hold up with OK quality parts, I imagine a bit heavier than ideal, but it won't be a dog either. Trek make good bikes and have a good reputation (where I live) for support - which is important.


Pirelli Cinturato Velo on DT Swiss R500 Has anyone used Pirelli Cinturato velo tubeless setup on DT Swiss R500 rims (I'm thinking the 35C version)? Or maybe other DT rims with similar profile, and if so, how does it work? I'm a little concerned as these rims don't have the typical "double hook" profile as some other tubeless rims have.
Here is an image of the rims, the left one is the Vision Tubeless rim, with bigger hooks on the sidewalls and bumps on the base.
The right one is the DT R500 in question, it has much smaller hooks and no bumps, still is a tubeless rim.

Thanks for any insight!

I have not used the tire / rim combination you specify.
The DT Swiss website has information on recommended tire pressure and dimensions that include information for a tubeless setup indicating that tubeless is manufacturer supported (with caveats) for the R 500 rim.
Tire Pressure and Dimension PDF
Rims - User Manual

3.1 FITTING THE TIRES WITHOUT A TUBE
DT Swiss recommends the use of the separately available DT Swiss Tubeless Ready Tape and DT Swiss tubeless valves. The DT Swiss Tubeless Ready Tape must be used in the
width appropriate to the rim. For further information visit
www.dtswiss.com.
DT Swiss offers no functional guarantee for the
tubeless system since we are unable to exert any influence on the
tires and sealant used.
NOTE Potential damage to the rim from
unsuitable sealant fluid!
• DT Swiss recommends sealant fluid not
containing materials which increase corrosion. If in doubt, you must
contact the manufacturer.
• The rim base must be inspected regularly
for corrosion damage. If there is visible corrosion, the rim must not
be used further.
• In the case of corrosion clearly caused by the use
of unsuitable sealant fluid, DT Swiss declines any liability and
warranty whatsoever.

Make sure that DT Swiss Tubeless Ready Tape and a DT Swiss tubeless valve are mounted.
Put sealant fluid into the tires. Comply with the instructions of the sealant manufacturer.
Assemble the wheels according to the manufacturer's specifications. → We recommend using soapy water or installation fluid.
Pump the tires up to their maximum approved pressure. → The lower of the pressures specified for the rim (see table at start of this
user manual) or tire applies.
Check the tire bead seat. → The tire bead must contact the rim evenly around its entire circumference. → Have the tire bead seat
checked by a professional if in any doubt.
If necessary, reduce the tire pressure to the desired operating pressure.


Tyre replacement for Rockrider 300 I have a rockrider 300 which has tyre measurements as 26*2.0 and tube measurements as 26*1.75-26*2.12. According to the catalog they are semi-slick tyres. I want them to be even slicker.

I have looked up a btwin tyre online which measures 700*25 which is compatible with tubes measuring 700*18 - 700*25 and 700cc or 28 wheels. I am not sure what any of this means and if its a good for my bike in terms of measurements.

Can someone please give me a range of measurements of tyres and tubes that I can buy which can fit my rim.

Ah the wonderful world of tire sizes, where nothing is what it seems! There are multiple size systems (French, fractional, decimal, ISO), and only ISO/ETRTO, the "international standard" is (somewhat) consistent. Unfortunately, many people don't use the ISO/ETRTO system.

The definitive guide to tire sizes is Sheldon Browns' site:
http://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html
The only thing I would like to add to the mighty Sheldon:

Avoid any tire with fractional markings (such as 26 x 1 1/4) like the plague, unless you are 100% sure what you are doing.

On to your question:

Your current tire: 26 x 2.0

This one of the most common MTB sizes, measured in inches:

26 in. diameter, 2.0 in. width.

Equivalent ISO = 599mm (diameter) x 50mm (approx. width)

Your new Btwin tire: 700 x25c

700 is a French size often used for road/racing cycles. Since the French like their millimetres, a 700 x 25 means "700" diameter, 25mm width. To complicate things, the French "700" is not the same as the ISO diameter...

Equivalent ISO  =  622mm (diameter) x 25mm (width).

Since the diameters are not the same, your new tire will not fit. There is also a large difference in tire width (50mm for the old tire, 25 for the new)

General tire selection advice:

1) Get the ISO diameter size right first. This is the only measure that can be somewhat relied upon.

2) Check tire width & rim compatibility.
Get the diameter size right first, then check the tire width. Small/skinny tires will not fit on very wide MTB rims. Fat tires will not fit on narrow rims. Measure your rim width. Sheldon Brown's site has a table that shows rim width vs. tire width compatibility.

From personal experience, I have established these quick and dirty rules regarding tire width:

Racing cycle wheels: 23mm - 30mm (but the wider tires probably will rub the frame)

City bike wheels: 30mm - 47mm

MTB wheels: 35mm- 60mm


What are the advantages of having a aluminium frame? are there any advantages that an aluminium body brings to the tables over carbon frames?

I suppose you mean "apart from price"?

The other important differences are:

Lightness: Carbon is generally lighter, but not always.  It is possible to buy alu frames that are lighter than some carbon frames.
Comfort: Generally, alu bikes are stiffer and less comfortable than carbon bikes.
Strength: Simply, metal bends and carbon breaks, but both can be repaired equally successfully these days!
Price!!  Generally, like for like carbon frames will be more expensive.

The real questions is "will a carbon bike make a difference to YOU".


What are the effects of different types of rear shock installation on full-suspension bikes? I've been looking at full-suspension mountain and trail bikes lately, and I've noticed that the rear shock can come in a few different configurations:

It can be installed roughly vertically, between the seatstay and the downtube. E.g. Norco Range A7.2.
It can be installed nearly horizontally, also between the seatstay and downtube. E.g. Diamondback Atroz Comp.
Finally, it can be installed between the seatstay and the downtube. E.g. Norco Revolver 9XX.

What are the effects of these different configurations, and why does it seem like that last configuration is so much more expensive (on average) than the other two?

The good folks at Bike Radar have already covered this in pretty good detail in a two part article:
Part 1 and Part 2

There's also a chunky thread on the Pinkbike forums that has pictures and descriptions of loads of different setups:
Pinkbike - Basic Full Suspension Types / Reference With Pictures

In regards to price, it is not the suspension setup making the difference, it is the quality of the components.


Mountain bike front derailleur won't shift up I didn't use my bike for few months. Now the front derailleur won't shift up.
Basically, when I shift to the second gear I hear a "click" then the chain is stuck between the first and the second gear. Futhermore, I can't shift to the third gear I don't hear the "click" and the chain is still stuck between the gears.
The derailleur cage seems fine to me. The cable is not too loose.
this is my first time I try to repair my bike myselft. I don't know what else should I check.
Edit: The chain is not really between the first and the second gear. The chain is more like half on the first gear and half not touching any gear. It feels like the chain is not high enough to reach the second gear.
Edit: The derailleur should be 2mm above the outer chain gear, but mine seems to be 0.5mm above. I don't have the tools today to test it. Maybe this is the problem?
update:While pedalling if force a bit more over the second gear using the shifter on handlebar I can get on the second gear then 2 to 3 works like a charm.

First follow the cable run from the shifter to the derailleur and check the cable housing is properly inserted in the shifter and all frame stops. If the housing is not secured the shifter cannot pull the cable to activate the derailleur.
Check the derailleur has not been rotated on the frame. This is easily done by bumping the bike into something. The cage should be parallel to the chainrings
Detach the cable from the derailleur, tension the cable a little by pulling on it with a pair of pliers, work the shifter and make sure it shifts through all gears and pulls in and lets out the cable smoothly.
With the back wheel of the ground, manually pedal and carefully push the derailleur cage out to make sure it will move between the smallest and largest sprockets. If the derailleur range is too limited check the limit adjustments and look for anything jamming the parallelogram.
Reattach the shift cable and follow a guide for derailleur set up and adjustment. Park Tool has a good one.


Why do my disc brakes squeal when wet? Picture the scene... It's just been raining and you are getting ready to commute home after work, you cycle out on to the tarmac, the scent of fresh rain on hot tarmac fills your nostrils, you notice a pedestrian push the button on the traffic lights up ahead, the lights turn red and you gently squeeze your brake to stop before the line but at the same time your brakes let out a horrific squeal frightening the pedestrians and ruining your street cred.

What's the deal? why do my disc brakes squeal when its wet, and is it possible to prevent this? Is it more common for disc brakes to squeal and why?

I am currently riding a Scott Aspect 30.

They squeal because water acts as a mild lubricant. That's why things are "slippery when wet" ;)
The water makes it harder for the pads to grab onto the rotors. They'll grab for a small fraction of a second and then let go again, and they do this really fast. Imagine the squeaky sound that a your finger makes when your run it over a smooth wet surface, or the sound your shoes make on a tile floor when you just came in out of the rain. Same sort of thing, only constant.
With bike brakes and disc brakes especially, the braking surface (the rotors for disc brakes, the rim for rim brakes) will find a harmonic resonance and thus the really loud tonal squeal.
All brakes have the potential to squeal, especially when wet. I wouldn't worry much about it unless you find that your braking power is being significantly reduced. In such a case, try some different compound pads. Metallic pads are generally considered to be superior in adverse conditions but they're also loud as hell in the rain/mud.
Everything is a trade-off, don't ya know?


Is it possible to add speeds to single-speed bike? I found this cool cheap single-speed bike on amazon http://www.amazon.de/Fixie-Singlespeed-Viking-Farben-Auswahl/dp/B00BCKQ8AS/ref=lp_235171011_1_1?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1422793944&sr=1-1

However my problem with it is that it is single speed & I would like to have 27 speeds. Is it possible to do that manually? i.e. to buy speeds and add it to the bike? I would why they didn't do it themselves!

If you want a 27 speed bike then buy one.  It is not cheaper to add speeds to a single speed or fixie bike.  Lots of stuff is not compatible including axle spacing and real wheel.


Hydraulic brakes, cold causes 0% braking capacity Its recently been cold, around 0 degrees C at night, where my bike is stored in the outside shed.

Ive replaced the pads, and bled the brakes around 6 months ago.

When taking out my bike it has 0% brake capacity initially, and the levers touch the handle bars without stopping the wheel.

After pumping them for around 5 minutes, they sharpen up to around 40%.

Then they jump between working (40%) and not (0%) randomly over the next 10-20 minutes.

What could the issue/fix be?

Should I re-bleed the brake fluid, replace the o-rings, or keep the bike indoors?

Should I be able to store my bike in a shed at low temperatures without the brakes breaking?

Thanks

I would say that you've either got air in the lines or perhaps moisture in the brake fluid. Assuming that mechanically the brakes are good.  I would completely drain the brake fluid and replace it with the manufacturers spec fluid and bleed it properly.


Fork replacement for '95 Schwinn Moab I let one of my son's friends take my circa 1995 Schwinn Moab Elite onto local trails and they came back with the shocks blown and parts of the spring assembly missing. I need to replace the front fork.

I took the following measurements:

steerer length is 210mm
thread length is 40mm
steerer diameter is 1" 1/8
travel is 50 or 60mm, certainly not 100mm
26" wheels
the bike has rim brakes

I am not sure what the "crown race" is and how to measure it. Do replacement forks come with bearings or will I be using the old parts?

I found this one online that seems to have the right dimensions - will it work?

I'm not a 100% sure however I think the 'spring' in those forks was actually elastomers.

The linked Suntour fork appears to have the correct steerer type (threaded) and the steerer is long enough. A big problem though is the axle to crown length of the fork as it is 100m travel. It is likely that the Suntour fork that you linked to will be significantly longer than the originals. This can lead to undesirable handling and more importantly could cause the head tube to snap off the frame due to the increased loads. The Amazon listing shows the axle to crown length of the Suntour fork. Measure yours and compare the values. To measure extend the fork to its full length and measure from the centre of the axle to the underside of the crown race.

The crown race sits on top of the fork's crown and runs against the bearings. In the top down picture is is the stepped silver circle between the steerer and the dirt on the crown. You do not need to measure this as it is part of the headset. In the linked fork the crown race measurement of 30mm is the same as 1" 1/8.

You can reuse the current bearings. To do this you will need to (carefully) remove the crown race from the current forks and fit it to your new forks.

In my opinion it will probably be easier to find a suitable rigid fork than a replacement suspension fork.

If you do replace the forks I suspect that the original Marzocchi item might be worth attempting to sell on. In my country (UK) there is a strong market for retro parts, even broken.


A month in Italy (May or June) on a bicycle - advice needed I'm going to travel in Italy by bike for 1 month, from the north (Venice) to the south (Sicilian) and back to Rome.

I'm not professional, but also not a beginner. I need some help information about my route.

Can you recommend some popular routes and camping stations in Italy?

In northern Italy (Verona, Venice, and so on)
Near Rome, the capital of Italy
Route from east to west side of Apennines
On Sicilian

Are there any sites with roadmaps you recommend? Can you recommend some specific map creators (not GPS, unfortunately), and where can I buy such maps.
Is there any preferred way to travel with bicycles then we are not using them (on train, on bus or something)?

ad 1 and 2: I'm not really aware of any completely researched cycling routes from Rome to the South. These guys (in dutch) have almost all guides that I know about. (click "Zuid europa" and then "Italië" to get to their italy selection). The "fietsgidsen" section has some books in dutch and german that are reasonably easy to follow just from the maps without working knowledge of dutch or german. They also carry a very comprehensive selection of maps suitable for cyclists. The European Cyclists Federation also has some nice routes, I don't know how far into the south though.

ad 2: The Touring Club Italiano maps are by far the best for cycling in italy.

ad 3: The train is by far the best option for alternative transportation. Italy has a pretty extensive train network. Take the time to buy tickets, make sure you tell them you're taking bicycles. Sometimes you'll have to buy a bicycle ticket, sometimes you won't, they are not very expensive. Busses usually don't have the cargo capacity for bicycles, but this may vary by locality. This looks like a good site to get an idea of the italian train system.


Carbon or paint crack Does this crack look cosmetic or structural to you? It's tiny hairline thick.
UPDATE: I took the bike to trek store and their technician looked at it (I think he simply did tap test) and said he beleives it is only paint crack.

This isn't an area I would expect to find a purely cosmetic crack from normal riding forces. that leaves damage from an outside force, or a manufacturing defect in materials or workmanship.
If the bike has been in a crash, impacted, clamped by the top tube in a work stand, or if the crack's location is consistent with the handlebars turning forcefully into the frame, or some other outside force, or if you don't know the full history of the bike and you're thinking about buying it used, I would err on the side of caution and assume the damage is more than cosmetic.
If the damage is not due to an outside force, but rather the result of a defect in materials or workmanship (e.g. issue in the carbon layup), and you're the original owner, go get that warranty. If not, and you haven't already, I would recommend you talk with the shop anyways, as you might get a loyalty credit for the non-warranty damage. this looks like a model year 2016 or 17 Boone 7, but I'll also note that subsequent (used bike) owners of model year 2020 and newer bikes are covered for three years from the original retail purchase, with the original proof of purchase.
If you're asking because you haven't bought the bike yet, I would assume that it sustained more-than-cosmetic damage from an outside force, and proceed with your negotiations, if you still wish to buy it, as though the frame will need repair or you're buying for the parts.
Edit: Since you already own the bike, and you got it used, I would tread with plenty of caution, since I'm told carbon fiber can sustain structural damage without showing any visual signs, but that's a function of my risk tolerance, which may differ from yours. Even if you can't rule out structural damage, you can still check for affirmative signs of damage with checks like the coin test, feeling for "give" when you push on it, and monitoring the crack for changes or growth over time. The traditional spiel from a liability-conscious bike shop is that we can't be 100% sure it's safe to ride from a simple external examination, but that doesn't mean that everybody in your position immediately stops using the bike altogether.


Protect chipping frame from metal bike lock with Sugru What's the best method to stop a Kryptonite Mini d-lock scratching/chipping an aluminium frame? Stickers have already been applied as a first layer of protection.

Is there something similar to the LifeLine Rubber Frame Protector that could wrap around the metal parts of the lock to prevent metal—metal contact? Or is this wide enough to work by itself?

My second thought was to use Sugru?  In this case, what is the optimal pattern to apply this to the d-lock? I thought several rings around the circumference of the lock at perhaps 1 cm intervalz? Or would a spiral be better? Or just a line on the inner circumference?

Any protection must be applied to the bike, as dirt between the lock and bike will abrade both, but the bike is more fragile and valuable.

The only way to avoid dirt is to not use the bike. Stickers are good but have to be replaced fairly often. Cable ties and clear repair tape are also useful. I've used reflective tape on the seat stay of one bike where the D lock abrades the paint.

An old fashioned solution that works very well is to use an old inner tube on the bike, strapped or knotted in place


Use Brompton BWR 3-speed hub to create a full 700c wheel? I have been looking at getting an internal gear hub wheel for my commuter. I currently ride a fixie and I find myself wanting a lower gear at stop lights and a higher gear in straight aways. Basically I want two speeds: fast and something comfortable from a stand still while I get to fast. I would hate to end up adding a derailleur so I'm very interested in internal gears.

I have ridden several bikes with Nexus hubs and I'm generally underwhelmed with the gear ratio. I was researching hubs and found the Brompton Wide Ratio Hub (3-speed) which has a gear ratio of ~246% (according to Wikipedia and JohnSAllen) which is significantly higher than other 3-speed hubs. Normally the BWR on a Brompton bike would be paired with a 2-speed rear derailleur, which makes the ratio go to ~305%. But I don't care about that. I want the hub.

I can find the BWR for sale online, but as far as I can tell nobody has put one on anything other than a Brompton 20-inch wheel.  That seems like such a waste. So I'm wondering whether it would be insane/impossible to build up a full size 700c wheel with the BWR hub for use on my converted road bike commuter.

A Brompton rear hub has a non-standard over-locknut distance of 111 mm, I think. A single-speed bike probably has 120 mm. So you'd need to cold-set the frame.

Sturmey-Archer (which I believe makes the Brompton hub) also makes a 5-speed hub that has about the range you want, although from what I can tell, the OLD on that is longer than your rear triangle's spacing. So again, you'd need to cold-set the frame, although less violently. Their other 3-speeds should fit 120-mm rear spacing.


Failing hub bearings on a beater bike (freewheel) -- time to replace the bike? I run an old Raleigh Michigan that only does about 12 miles per week and lives outside a station mostly exposed to the elements.  While replacing the rear derailleur cable yesterday (it had almost completely frayed through) I noticed a lot of play in the rear wheel.  This must have developed over the last couple of months because I fixed a puncture about that long ago and it was OK then.

It's definitely the wheel bearings because if I tighten them the wobble goes away but the rotation becomes stiff and notchy.  It's a freewheel with a 6 speed cluster and a 3/8 axle.  A new hub (assuming I can get one to fit) would cost about as much as the bike is worth and I'd have to rebuild the wheel complete with rather rubbish steel rim.  A new wheel wouldn't cost much more -- except it would be a freehub so I'd need a cassette (I'd get something like a tourney 7 speed and only use 6 with my existing derailleur.  I'd also have to consider how to get a compatible axle.

I suspect the bike is fit only to be a donor bike or part of a frankenbike but I'm hoping I have another option.

A new 26" freewheel repair wheel starts at around $40US from a bike shop or Amazon, and there are also literally millions of used ones around, so even if it does need a new wheel, if it's an otherwise working bike then this shouldn't be the problem that totals it. The bike in question is old enough that it may be 126mm or 130mm in back as opposed to 135 like you'd find on most repair wheels, but that's an overcomeable problem if so, either by jamming up to a 5mm difference, respacing and redishing, or getting a 130 wheel.

As for fixing the hub, the first thing to do, before taking anything apart, is check to see how bent the axle is by spinning the left side with your hand and observing how warbly the right side is, if at all. That can easily cause a lot of resistance and bad feels in the hub, but if it hasn't been too bad too long the rest of the hardware might be usable, and a new cheap axle is only a few dollars. (Note that we're not talking about a nice one, ie Wheels Mfg. We're talking about the other kind, a generic unpackaged OEM-level replacement, which may even come with cones that may be helpful.) The next question is whether the cups and cones are totally disintegrating or just rough, i.e. heavily pitted but still have their basic shape. If the former you need cones or a new wheel if it's the cups, but if it's the latter then a new axle, new bearings, and new grease will generally be fine for a low-mileage bike.

If you do need new cones, old random freewheel hubs often use one of a couple different common basic shapes, and so cheap no-name cones often can be made to work, especially if you find a shop that has some different ones to choose from. This is actually the main application where cheap little generic "axle sets" such as the one linked to above can be useful. Determining suitable replacement cones and getting the hub properly set up with them is a larger topic; one place I know of you can read a lot about it is older free copies of Barnett's Manual floating around the internet.

Cones can be re-ground to an extent. You can get pretty sophisticated with it, but a very simple method is put the cone and a locknut on a nice straight axle in an electric drill such that the drill chuck is right against the locknut, so as the cone spins there won't be much run out. Find some kind of dowel or shaft of a diameter that matches the profile of the bearing, probably 1/4" in this case, wrap it in sandpaper or emery cloth, and clamp that in a vise. Hold the spinning cone up to it to resurface it. Go slow so it doesn't get too hot. You don't have infinite material to lose with this approach before the cone isn't the right shape anymore, but it generally works pretty well.


What kind of panniers is this tubus rack flange for? I was bolting on my Tubus Nova front rack and noticed that there were bolt holes on the bottom of it, and got to wondering what they are for.  The instructions are mostly in pictures and just show that it is to attach this little flange "for panniers".  I'm mostly familiar with Ortlieb-style panniers that clip on the top and a sideways hook below.  What kind of pannier attachment would use this sort of thing?

This would work with my pannier set. I have Axiom Monsoon panniers with a hook at the bottom that would fit right about there.


What is my bottom bracket spindle length? I have this ubiquitous cheap Wal-Mart bike (http://www.walmart.com/ip/26-Roadmaster-Granite-Peak-Men-s-Bike-Black-Green/45089317z), which has a square taper bottom bracket.

I'm trying to buy a new crankset (http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-Tourney-FC-M131-Crankset-42-34-24/dp/B000F5HXHI), and it requires a 123mm bottom bracket. I can remove my left side crank arm but nothing else, so I'm having trouble guessing the spindle length. Anyone know? It's not listed in the manual either.

The closest approximation I got was by measuring from the tip of the left spindle to the centerline of the bike. That's 82mm. But if you double that, that's 164mm, which seems to be quite a bit more than any bottom bracket that I've seen.

The only measurement for a bottom bracket you can do with the bottom bracket still on the bike is to do the shell width, which is the width of the frame where the bottom bracket installs.

In order to measure the spindle length, you need to remove the cranks and then measure the spindle length. There is no guarantee that the spindle is symmetric or the width of the cranks on both sides is the same. In any case, you'll need to pull off the cranks to replace them.


What is the problem with adjusting brake levers to end their travel "too close" to the handlebars? I've recently increased my cycling (as a form of alternate transportation far more so than a sport).  I got a nicely rebuilt old Schwinn converted to take STI shifters.  Now that I've spent the time to get more comfortable riding a road bike, I would like to get used to riding in the drops for better efficiency on longer rides.  My problem is that I have pretty short fingers.

Even the cross-top levers I got installed to help me get back to riding in a more similar position to my MTB when I was a kid are a little bit of a stretch.  When I'm in the drops, I can barely reach the brake levers at all as they sit (adjusted to leave just about two fingers of space when squeezed to the end of their travel, as is "correct").  Which leads to my real question:

What exactly would be the problem/danger with tightening the adjuster on my brake levers to bring them a bit closer to the bars where I might be able to reach them better?

The issue with having brake levers which have travel that ends very close to the bars is that, as the brake pads wear down, the brake levers will hit the handlebars before the brakes are fully engaged.

This can be mitigated by regularly inspecting your brake pads and adjusting the brakes to compensate for normal pad wear. You could have them that close if you stayed on top of the adjustment demands, but since the average rider does not adjust their brakes this frequently or pay as close attention to this, common advice is to avoid having the levers too close to the bar.


What purpose do the rubber 'hairs' have on new tyres? Up close you can see at least three 'hairs' of rubber from this picture from the side of my tyre:

Why do they exist? I've heard they are just a bi-product of the manufacturing process.

Note the technical term for what you are calling "hairs" is "vent spews."[1] As the name indicates, they are a consequence of an important detail of the tire fabrication process.

While liquid rubber is being injected or otherwise forced into the tire mold, air bubbles can form in the rubber or between the rubber and the mold. These bubbles can cause the finished tire to be weakened or malformed. To prevent that, tire manufacturers place vent holes in the mold to allow the air to escape under pressure. Necessarily, some rubber will get forced into these holes, forming the vent spews upon curing (which is the process by which the tire rubber converts from liquid to solid).

These vent spews serve no useful purpose in the finished tire; conversely, they can be removed without consequence.

[1] for some citations, see this ask.com post and this reddit post


Is there any other size tires that will fit on a 27 x 1 1/4 rim? I live in a city with plenty of cycling shops, but they are all out of 27 x 1 1/4 tires. Each shop gives me a different answer about the possibility of using a different size of tire. Can I fit a different size onto an old 27 x 1 1/4 rim?

You need 27 x (some number of inches given as a fraction). So 27x 1 1/8 would fit, 27 x 1 1/4 would fit, etc. Other sizes won't fit. As dlu's answer points out, an easy way to get this right is to ask for ISO 630 tires.

That being said,  27 x 1 1/4 tires are still made in plenty by brands like Continental, Bontrager, etc. so your bike shop should easily be able to order one for you in a few days, or you can buy them online.

See Sheldon Brown's page for details on how tire sizing for bicycles is a mess.

"Brown's Law Of Tire Sizing:

If two tires are marked with sizes that are mathematically equal,
but one is expressed as a decimal and the other as a fraction,
these two tires will not be interchangeable."

Sheldon has another interesting note: Very old (60's) 27" rims had straight sides versus modern hooked sides, so they can't run as high pressure. However, he says if you get a tire which says hook edge rims only, you can put it on an older straight rim, just not at as high of a pressure.

Finally, tubes for 27 x 1 1/4 tires are a different matter. You can use 700c tubes in 27 x 1 1/4 tires (The right size should be 700 x 28-32 ish -- the boxes will be marked accordingly depending on the brand).


Is my chain too long? I'm in the process of setting up a new drive train.  When using the smaller chainring and smallest sprocket (hence least amount of utilized chain), the chain brushes up against the bottom of the derailleur.

Should I remove a link or two until this no longer happens?

Edit: from your photos, yes, the chain is too long. In the large chainring-large cog photo it looks as though the derailleur arm could be pulled forward at least one chain link, possibly two.

My preferred method of finding chain length is to focus on the largest chainring-largest cog combination. If there's just barely enough chain for that everything will work, although the small-small combo may have a lot of slack. Park have an exhaustive explanation of various methods.

Too much chain is kind of annoying, but too little can break things. Trying to shift into the large-large gear when there's not enough chain will stop your pedals, so there's a lot of force involved. Since you're going into a lower gear at that point, it often happens when you're pedalling hard. Hard enough to snap the chain in some cases. But also to snap the rear derailleur if it can't accomodate the position required, and if you're especially unlucky you might snap off the derailleur hanger as well. This breakage often throws the derailleur into your rear wheel which both breaks spokes and can dump you on the ground.

What I suggest is shifting into the large-large combo and see if there is spare chain. Try pulling a link over itself so there's a wee Z formed in the chain. If you can do that there are extra links. Keep extending the Z until the rear derailleur seems unhappy, counting links. Now remove them. Remember you do need a little slack so you can get out of the gear - you're using the return spring in the rear derailleur to pull the chain off the biggest cog, and if there's too much chain tension it won't be able to do that. But as long as you can get into the gear you won't break anything (you just need to add a link back in, and maybe pull the wheel out to release the tension).

This ties into the "some gears man was not meant to use" discussion. In cross-over gears are the large-large and small-small ones, so called because the chain crosses over from one side of the crankset to the opposite side of the cassette. This causes extra friction and chain wear, and (almost always) those gears are duplicated elsewhere so there's no need to use them. So not being able to use the small-small combo because of slack chain should not normally be a problem.


Why are spoke nipples called nipples? Does anyone know the etymology of the term 'spoke nipple'? The wiki page on Spoke Nipple and even google doesn't have the answer.

Are there other threaded mechanical screws that are more like 'nipples'? Or did the end of spoked wheels at one point resemble nipples (say, for wooden wheels)? Why are they called 'nipples'?

In plumbing and piping, a nipple is a fitting, consisting of a short piece of pipe, usually provided with a male pipe thread at each end, for connecting two other fittings.

  - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nipple_%28plumbing%29

This is from the wikipedia entry on the plumbing and piping context of the word Nipple as suggested by Daniel R. Hicks' comment.

Can anyone elaborate on the etymology of this, or why this term for short pieces of pipe was used for spoke ends (perhaps proper piping nipples were used in the past)?


Change Derailleur on CX Bike I have a Giant 2013 TCX Advanced. It has a Rotor 3DF, 36/46 Crankset and a SRAM XG1190 11x28 cassette. I'd like to swap the cassette for an 11-40 or 11-42.

The guys at Wolftooth said: "..derailleur does NOT have enough capacity to handle an 11-40 cassette and a double chainring. You will have to be careful to not use small/small and large/large gearing combinations.."

Can I simply buy a new long cage derailleur, such as Sram Unisex's NX 1x11?

Edit:

Thanks David and..Ouch! Never realised that! So, to keep it relatively simple (and less expensive): my best choice to get to at least 1:1 is to replace the 36 crankset with, say, a 32 and the cassette with an 11-32? ...Again using the roadlink from Wolftooth? Do I need to replace the short cage? Can I replace the 36 with a 30... (and install the 11-32 cassette?).

You can't just get a derailleur and cassette to make this work the way you want. The components are designed as part of a system with parts that are designed to work together, at least according to SRAM.

You will want a rear derailleur that matches your SRAM Red shift levers.
According to page 2 of this chart:
You can get gearing of 11-32 or 12-32 with a range of front chain ring sizes if you use the mid length arm of the SRAM Red 22 rear derailleur. This would be a derailleur and cassette purchase (I'm assuming your bike came with a short arm rear derailleur) that would get you closer to your goal, but not all the way.

To get to 11-40 or 11-42 and have all the parts match you'd have to go with a different parts group.
According to page 3 of the chart linked above the Force 1 or Rival 1 shifter, long cage derailleur and cassette will go to 42.
You'll also need a longer chain.


Minimum space between square taper crank and bottom bracket I upgraded to a new square taper crankset on a single-speed drivetrain and now the gap between my crank and the bottom bracket is bigger. That's because the cranks taper shape is different from the one I had before and I haven't changed the bottom bracket. This (along with a different shape of the crank) made the Q-factor bigger. I wanted to reduce it, so I ordered a new bottom bracket with a shorter spindle. I checked the measurement already and it's going to be all good with chainstay clearance. The question is:

How close can a square taper crank be to the bottom bracket? How small can the gap in the picture be?

You can reduce the gap between the crank and frame to essentially zero as long as the crank does not rub in the frame. However, that is not really how square taper cranksets are supposed to be run.

What's probably happened is you got a crankset that is designed for a shorter BB spindle. Of greater concern than the gap is that your drive side crank with the chainrings is pushed outboard and your chain-line has been messed up.

What you need to do is find the correct spindle length to give you the appropriate  chain-line.


Will loose handlebars result in slower riding? I went for a ride this morning and my handlebars were loose. I now realize that it is unsafe to ride like that but my average speed was dramatically lower. Do you think it is because of my loose handlebars?

With loose handlebars, the primary thing which you should be worrying about is your face - its a great way to lead to a nasty crash. Don't ride with loose parts on your bike. Speed is the last thing you should be worrying about.

You likely went slower due to less control of the bike with loose handlebars making your brain hold you back on speed. Other factors such as environment or tired-ness may have come into play, but loose handlebars would make most people ride slowly and carefully [or better yet, walk the bike], avoiding any bumps until they could tighten down the handlebars if they weren't carrying the appropriate tools with them.

When you're riding intensely, you actually end up pulling up on your handlebars, which you can't do with loose handlebars so you can't ride as hard, so you can lose speed at the top end with loose handlebars.


Ferrule to mount hydraulic disc brake hose to frame Is there some kind of ferrule(or similar) that can be used to fasten a hydraulic disc brake hose to the braze-ons of a frame that used to have v-brakes? The hose is to thin to stick to the braze-ons, so I need something that will keep it in place.

BikeParts.com/problemsolvers has an adapter that converts cable stops into hose clamps the part# BPC317673.


how to remove through axle on raleigh 2.0? I have a Raleigh RX 2.0 cross bike with through axles and I'm having trouble removing one. On the rear wheel, when i try to unscrew it, the lever unscrews but not the axle. If I keep unscrewing, the lever will eventually come off. I've tried taking it off and putting a back on a bunch of times but nothings happened. Any input would be greatly appreciated!! Also its a very new bike, and is cleaned after every ride (just had the wheel off yesterday)

It seems that you have through axles front and rear, most likely 15mm (the Raleigh site is unclear).

The sequence for installing the wheels is shown on this Fox front fork page:

If you're screwing the QR lever around the axle you're almost certainly unscrewing something you shouldn't. Try closing the lever to the locked position, screwing it tighter, then when you meet resistance open it, screw another half turn, then close it. You should find it takes a little pressure to close, but still locks the wheel in place.

The animation and detailed instructions on the Fox site might help.


Failing to unscrew BB - what now? I have an external bearing BB, that I need replaced (It is quite badly rusted). I opt to do the repair myself. The bike is a Specialized Hardrock, the crank arms are SR Suntour.

Having removed the crank arms, I proceed to unscrew the plastic sealing rings of the BB. I removed the non drive side one. However, with all my strength, and a 30cm arm wrench I fail to produce any progress on the drive side cup. I am trying to turn the cup clockwise.

What is going on here? Am I doing something wrong? If I go to my LBS, is it probable that they will have a larger wrench?

I tried both techniques proposed here, but to no avail (I might have damaged the BB with the hammering).

The LBS had the tool for the job - experience. The guys put the wrench in a vice, calculated the direction to unscrew carefully, then put the frame on and just unscrewed the damn thing. The frame was providing large leverage.


Advantages of mounting bottle under frame I'm wondering if there are any advantages to mounting ones water-bottle on the bottom of the down tube, near the ground, versus on top of the tube.

I'm mainly interested in the advantages, or lack thereof, in the context of a road riding.

It seems like if you are riding a mountain bike or riding off-road, it could protect your frame from stumps, branches, or anything else that you could land on that is taller than the bottom of your down tube.  Also, I could see it helping to keep the center of gravity of the bike as low as possible, for mountain and road.

Are there any other advantages to mounting a bottle on the bottom of the down tube on a road bike?

Other?  I would not count protection as the first.  The cage is a lever and some edges.  A water bottle is not exactly an impact attenuator.  And you have the chain ring to get past.

You pretty much only see a third on touring bikes. It is the least convenient location but it is a third location.  Three bottles or a frame bag and one bottle.  Pretty much impossible to access while riding.  Typically don't have the clearance in the  bottom position for a long bottle.

Someone commented on pull downwards.  Notice I used solid loop cage below.

I give center of gravity zero points.

On a mountain due to a small triangle it is typically the second cage so naturally it is going to be more common on mountain.  Still the least functional position. On a mountain bike you can shake out a water bottle. I tried it on my mountain and gave up.

My best use of the last position is margaritas on Critical Mass. You give up volume to insulated containers. That is a large frame and that is 70lb dog.