Touring on meal replacements (Soylent or alternatives). Anyone tried? Thoughts, impressions? Has anyone tried going on a bicycle tour fueled by meal replacements like Soylent or alternatives?

Can you carry more food like this, could it give you more range, or open up areas of the map that don't have good food or food at all?

Open to any thoughts and impressions on the topic.

Just living off that stuff requires your digestive system to adjust, so if you try it you should build it into your diet well in advance, and as a major component. Don't forget to take into account how much extra you need compared to a typical lifestyle.

It can't really save you any weight compared to other dehydrated foods, as a gram of carbs is a gram of carbs (same for protein or fat) , but it might save you some bulk compared to something like ramen (with whey powder drinks on the side). For all dehydrated (i.e. lightweight) options access to water is critical.

A further thought is that if we accept that these are perfect/balanced/complete nutrition as they claim, then complete for what? Your energy needs when touring will go up (assuming you're ordinarily fairly sedentary), but not all your micronutrient needs will (to some extent your body can adjust these), and fibre could go either way.  Sodium needs will depend on how much you sweat, which in turn depends on you and the climate as well as the effort level.

On the other hand I was reading recently about a solo tour on remote roads fuelled by ramen. Even though he didn't really have enough, I got the impression he was sick of the stuff after a week.

There are advantages to these products: they don't need cooking, saving time and fuel.  In the extreme case that could mean not carrying a stove or cooking pans (prepare it in your water bottle).  However in most climates I reckon most people would want the ability to have a hot meal or hot drink, and if you're relying on finding water, boiling it is a good idea (though I'm told that  unflavoured Huel is disgusting, maybe water treatment tablets would improve the flavour!).

Overall I can see a role for them as part of a diet plan, so long as you've got good access to water and get on with them.


Pain on the sides of my feet I've been having pain on the sides of my feet (outside about midway back on the foot(. I was wearing a pair of Sidi's size 43. Went to a Specialized 44. Still have the pain, so I'm thinking it's something else, like how I have the cleats bolted on the shoes or even the pedals. How do I diagnose further?

Shoe fit and the stiffness of the last are the first things that come to mind.  I'm thinking you have a wide foot and cycling shoes are typically on the narrow side.

I've always had major issues with any shoe that was slightly too narrow for my foot.  I'd get cramping along the outside edge of my foot. It gets worse when the shoe becomes stiffer (It's just hell for me to wear X-country ski boots or hockey skates).  As cycling shoes are meant to be something akin to a block of wood, that means for me I need to be certain the shoe isn't too narrow or I'll be in pain really quick.

For my road shoes, the size is such that I actually have a slight amount of heel slippage which allows my foot to flex a bit more than what typically would be expected.  With my Mtb shoes, I go for the freeride type of shoes which don't give nearly the same amount of energy transfer but my feet are way happier at the end of the day.

I had a pair of Sidi shoes a few years back (Awesome construction) but found that even the Wide width was narrow and caused me pain after a few hours of riding. Specialized seem to fit narrow as well.  I've had to try on many a shoe to find a wide enough fit and usually I'm still left with having to go sockless just for a little bit extra comfort.

Get your foot sized by an expert and go from there.  If it's a width thing you'll know with numbers.  If it's something else then you can start to narrow things down.


Size question. Performance v Comfort I was checking some bikes on Decathlon (a large sports orientated chain store) and I found this size guide for some of their BTwin bikes. On their chart [pdf] that maps rider measurements to bike frame size they have some overlap. So for some measurements, you can have two bike sizes that will fit you and the recommendation is:

Larger bike if one desires more comfort
Smaller bike if one focuses on performance

My question: Is there any reason for this recommendation?

I dont know enough about bikes to realise if this question is too opinion-based, I hope not.

Look at the angle of the guy's back, that's the key  to why they say that. For performance, the back will be in a more horizontal position.

You need to be careful, though, how much faith you put into this sticker - if at all possible you should try both sizes and judge for yourself. Also, don't forget that different frames, with different geometries and tube angles, will also come into play. If you test the two sizes, and you still end up thinking that neither one fits you better than the other, at that point you could apply the smaller=performance/larger=comfort principle.

This advice is especially true for somewhere like Decathlon, which is a large enough store that a shop will probably have both sizes in stock (or could get hold of them if you ask).

I bought a hybrid bike from Decathlon many years ago, they had height versus size charts then, but I remember totally ignoring them and buying the size that they said was for someone a whole 15cm/6" taller than me, just based on how comfortable that particular size  felt when I rode it. I'm not saying that's how it would be for you and for this bike, it's just how it was for me - it's quite an individual thing.


Can a hybrid bike seat be used on a road bike? I'm new to road bike riding. At my local bike shop they fitted me for a Bontrager Nebula Plus to replace the stock seat that came with the bike.

The Bontrager website says this seat is designed for hybrid riders. It's hard to tell at this point if my post ride discomfort is from the seat or if I'm still just getting used to ridding. Is a hybrid seat like this suitable to be used on a road bike ?

Your LBS's advice should be fairly solid.  Saddles have a denoted usage, but it is not a strict prescription.  For example, my road bike is fitted with a mountain saddle (a Serfas Tegu) and it keeps me quite comfortable for rides of around 4-hours.

Using a hybrid saddle on a road bike is perfectly suitable, however you may require a narrower saddle to accomodate the more aggressive riding position (see Should I use a narrower saddle on my roadbike than I would on my hybrid commuter?); however your LBS has likely taken this into consideration already.

If you are still experiencing discomfort, then you may need to try a different size or a different model.  Saddles are highly personalized options on the bike, so it may take a couple returns before you find the correct one.  The position of the saddle on the bike is another aspect of comfort.  Some riders prefer their saddles at a slight angle, while others prefer it to be level.

Keep in mind with any new saddle there is a break-in period.  Typically you should put several hours of riding time in before making a conclusion--unless it is very uncomfortable right away.

Also, are you wearing padded shorts?  Padded shorts add a huge amount of comfort--moreso than more heavily padded saddles.  Typically you are better off with a good pair of padded shorts and a fairly firm saddle than you would be with "regular" clothes and a very cushioned saddle.

If you have any concerns go back to your LBS and try to find out who their saddle guru is.  Try to describe the discomfort you're having (e.g. are your legs going numb, do the insides of your sitbones quickly become sore, etc).  They may adjust the position of your saddle or swap the saddle entirely.


Shifter cable running beneath the bottom bracket without a sheath I am trying to solve the neverending issue of my derailleur shifting on its own by replacing the shifter's cable and its sheath to see if it not sliding properly could be the cause of the issue.

Doing so I realized that both derailleurs' cables run beneath the bottom bracket in two rails, without any sheath wrapping them. In this picture, I removed the front cable (that was running in the left rail) while the rear derailleur cable is in place on the right rail.

(yes I know the frame is very dirt, I just noticed. Never checked this thoughtfully down there).

I am wondering if this could be the issue of the friction, before installing the new stuff back. I noticed that that piece where the cables run into, can be replaced (though I don't know what to search for. By the way has that component a name?).
I am wondering this because the bicycle is quite old (it's a 2001 bike) and perhaps that has been superseded, and, most importantly, because I feel like I cannot lubricate those rails where a lot of friction must happen, because, being those so exposed, the grease down there would catch any kind of dirt and mud and probably make things worse.

Or maybe it's just fine as it is, with no lubrication at all, and I am totally seeking for the issue in the wrong spot.
Any clarifications about that piece of gear would be immensely appreciated.

Thank you very much.

Ghost shifting is generally caused by the frame flexing, not by friction in the cables.
Other causes can be a poorly fitting or too short cable housing. Something is causing the length of the cable between the stops to change.

Cleaning the cable run and using a teflon coated shift cable won't hurt and might alleviate the problem if it's a combo of bottom bracket flex and sticky guide. When this
is the cause the problem tends to be very intermittent and only occurs when standing
on the pedals to climb. However, as Daniel R Hicks suggests, check the frame carefully for cracks. An aluminum alloy frame of that age that has seen a lot of miles is at the end of it's usable life.

If you can't find any cracks, examine the cable housing runs carefully. The cable housing ends should not move at all in the stops when shifting or turning the handlebars. Check the derailleur hanger to make sure it's not loose.

The part you are looking at is called a Bottom Bracket Cable Guide, but your's looks
just fine. They rarely wear out, shift cables aren't under much tension, so a plastic slider is plenty slippery enough. On an old enough bike, they are made of metal.


29" Ascension mountain bike by Schwinn My freewheel stopped working. I can still pedal forward, but not backward. What's wrong with it?

If you have a freewheel (which it seems like you have on the BSO), and theres anything wrong with it, the solution is to replace it (if those directions don't work, you can try this method). In general, they're not user serviceable parts.

My guess is that you have some pawls stuck or something.  A stopgap measure that might work is dumping wd-40 or similar into/around the freewheel.

In any case, the repair will be the same -- buy a new freewheel, a freewheel remover tool and install a new freewheel on.


Trouble securly attaching panniers to rear rack I recently got new panniers (specifically these) because my old ones were falling apart and I have been having trouble attaching them to my rack. I've included some pictures at the end of this post to help with describing my issue. Specifically I am confused about using the bottom plastic hook that's meant to secure the bottom of the pannier to the rack. It is different than what I am used to from my old panniers but seemed like a common design when I was shopping so I didn't think too much of it.
However often I feel like the hook won't stay in place. A few times the hook has even come off the pannier altogether. The panniers didn't come with any instructions beyond the pictured "Adjustment Required Tighten Before Use". I assume that refers to this screw on the hook but I've tried tightening the screw regularly and it doesn't seem to help that much. Is there something I am missing?

The intention is for the upper clips to do most of the work of holding the bag on while the lower hook is there to prevent it swaying out.
The first step with setting up panniers like this is position the upper clips. Typically one sets them to just clear the heel while also spacing them to prevent any fore and aft movement.
Once that's in place, you adjust the lower hook. It slides fore and aft and appears to be flippable. The intention is to wind up with something where you hook the lower on first, then either drop or angle the clips down onto the top.
It may be necessary to go back and change the fore/aft position of the uppers to make the bags further back than ideal, but usually not.
If the screw is coming loose, that's its own problem. It appears to be a wood screw in plastic type thing. Repeat loosening if both the preload you've been applying is adequate and the threads are in good shape is not likely, but if that is what you think is happening then I wouldn't start with Loctite because it can crack some plastics; trying a longer screw to bite into fresh material if it looks appropriate or using natural threadlocker aka beeswax could both be reasonable to try.


Why is 53/39 known as "standard" for road bikes? In common cycling parlance, 53/39 is referred to as "standard" gearing for road cranksets, and most mechanics or experienced cyclists will understand that if you say you have a "standard crankset", you have a 53/39.

Why is this the case? Who or what caused cycling to specifically adopt 53/39 as "standard" (rather than 52, 51, 50, etc)?

Most bikes nowadays ship with a compact crankset, since manufacturers recognize that the majority of cyclists have difficulties turning over a 53T chainring. However, that only explains why 53/39 is not shipped as standard equipment on most bikes, it doesn't explain how 53/39 came to be referred to as "standard".

As to the "ego/testosterone" explanation, that explains why some cyclists upgrade from compact cranksets. However, there are cyclists that are more than capable of turning a 53T chainring and, therefore, their reasoning for using a 53T does not involve ego/testosterone/posturing. Additionally, this explanation doesn't really explain why 53T is the "standard" big ring, rather than 54T or 55T.

A comment on a previous question sparked this (apologies to that user as I can't seem to find their comment now).

There's a short answer to your question and a longer fuller answer. The short answer is that a common standard for road cranksets is 130mm BCD (bolt circle diameter). The smallest inner chainring you can use with 130 BCD is a 39 (as Kibbee has said, technically you can get a 38 tooth 130 BCD chainring although that doesn't leave much metal between the lower edge of the teeth and the mounting holes). Front derailleurs and rear derailleurs can handle a change in chainring size of perhaps 13 or 14 teeth smoothly and reliably without a problem; larger differences than that can be handled but usually not quite as crisply or reliably. That's why larger front chainrings are often 52 or 53.

Some bikes with triple chainrings can use a much smaller BCD. The old TA Cyclotourist crankset favored by randonneurs could use a small chainring of 24 teeth. However, when the BCD is very small the chainrings must be stronger to prevent warping since there is so much distance from the teeth to the mounting holes at the crank.

Track bikes use a 144 BCD because track riders often use large chainrings (and, of course, only a single ring in a fixed gear set-up).

A relatively recent standard is 110 BCD cranksets that permit a small chainring of 34 teeth. This is often paired with a larger chainring of 50. That is a difference of 16 teeth, which is right on the edge of smooth and reliable shifting with current chainring and derailleur designs. As Rider_X has noted, this recent standard was enabled by new designs that allow for stiff chainrings.

So the BCD determines the smallest chainring that can be used, while the derailleurs put a limit on the largest increase in teeth from small to large chainring that can be handled smoothly and reliably.

Note that two different chainring-cog combinations may have the same gear ratio (for example, a 48-24 and a 36-18 both would have a gear ratio of 2.0). If they have the same gear ratio, then at the same bike speed, your cadence would be the same. Since the bike speed is the same, the power reaching the ground must be the same. So gear ratio is the same, speed is the same, cadence is the same, power is the same -- but chain tension will be different. At the same cadence, say 60 rpm for simplicity, the chainring will make one complete revolution per second. That means that a 48 tooth chainring will move the chain 48 links (or 24 inches) per second, while a 36 tooth chainring will move the chain 36 teeth (or 18 inches) per second. Since the same power must travel from the crank to the rear wheel, the force transmitted through the chain must be higher for the slower moving chain. As an aside, this happens to have been the way that one bicycle power meter worked (the Polar chain speed and tension power meter): it had a sensor to measure chain speed, and another to measure chain tension.


How do breakaway helmet accessory mounts work? I've seen it said that when mounting things such as a light or camera on your helmet you want a breakaway mount so that in the event of a crash the helmet slides along the ground rather than snagging on it.  What is it about these mounts that lets them break away?

My Light and Motion helmet light has two built-in weaknesses that seem designed to fail on impact, tearing the light away from my helmet and not allowing any impact torque to transmit through to my neck:

The light and battery plastic mounts (the plastic-to-plastic connections) are intentionally weak and will pull away with very little force
The velcro that connects the mounts to the helmets isn't very strong and would tear if there was greater lateral force on them

I haven't tested the breakaways in an accident (and don't hope to) but I can say that the light and battery have released when I've hit them on low ceilings in my garage, to my chagrin.


Which tool for fixing wobbly crank? Any idea what kind of tool should I but to fix the loose left crank on my bike? I found this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Park-Tool-CCW-5-Crank-Wrench/dp/B0012Q5XAS but not sure if it's gonna suit. Or is it enough to buy only nut driver?

The Park tool will work. A 14mm socket and a ratchet will also work. If the crankarm  has been loose for some time there is a chance the movement has ruined the crankarm by distorting the square hole. I would attempt to tighten the bolt then see if the arm still wiggles on the crank axle. If there is no movement, ride for a few days then recheck the bolt tightness and for wiggle. If everything is good recheck in a week. then after 30 days. If everything is still tight you should be all set. It is a good idea to check the drive side while you are at it. As the bike looks fairly new I would recheck all the hardware, stem and bar clamps, pedals, wheel QR etc.


How do I fix a dent on my frame? I suspect that something has pierced my frame. At any rate, I have a dent in my bike frame. I would like to avoid the possibility of corrosion, with minimium cosmetic trade off. So, how do I go about fixing the dent?

EDIT

I have since noticed that nothing has pierced my frame. However, there is corrosion.

Here is the frame spec:

Frame Material: Steel

Frame Size: 17-18

Frame: Voodoo Black Magic butted thin wall heat treated Cro-mo frame

If your frame isn't pierced through, I wouldn't bother with it much.

Apply some paint of correct type (I'm no expert, consult your local home improvement/paint shop) to stop further corrosion. You might want to remove the existing rust with a fine sandpaper before putting the paint on (again, refer to the manual of the paint or consult the shop).

I think there are even some special paints for fixing car finishes available in car shops but that might be a little too expensive.

The important thing is to prevent direct contact between the bare steel and water / air humidity if you don't want the rusting to progress.

EDIT: A cheap solution might even be a waterproof and airtight adhesive tape.


Alternatives to Long Drop Calipers Anyone have a clue what type of brake I can fit to this front fork?

The reach to a 700C wheel would need to be 80MM (do you even get calipers this long?) and the only brazing on the fork is this weird looking bottle opener thing so no option for canti's etc........stumped!!

A BMX caliper such as an Odyssey 1999, Dia-Compe Bulldog, ACS Boa, or any number of others would work. Published reach for the 1999 is 74-95mm and and 86mm for the Bulldog. Some of these brakes are pretty respectable in terms of power/performance, and a lot are garbage. Watch out for weird oversize pivot bolts on some of them.

Other solutions where the reach should be good but that probably won't work very well with a narrow road rim: Odyssey Pitbull and Pitbull 2 roller-cam brakes, or a 990/u-brake adapter and a standard modern BMX u-brake.

Edit: Some of the longest and fanciest of the fancy rando long-reach centerpulls may also work, barely. Compass lists their brake as 65-80mm. However, if it did reach, it would probably be the best brake you could get on there.


Fixed gear conversion - hub spacers I am converting my 80s steel peugeot to a fixed gear. I have purchased most of the parts an had a wheel built onto a SS hub.

Now, SS hubs are narrower than road hubs - 120mm vs 130mm (although I think my bike is 126mm as it was a 6-speed). The axle on my new hub is plenty long enough to span the rear fork but the hub itself is too narrow.

I've been to a local chain bike shop to see if they stock dedicated spacers but they can't help. I essentially need 2 3mm spacers to bridge fill the extra width.

What's the best way to sort this? I can try a LBS but would a 3mm nut that screws onto the axle suffice? If I can find such a thing...

You can just spring in the dropouts. Its only 3mm on each side, a steel frame will easily bend that much. Just put the wheel in place, then tighten up the nuts on each side.


Tektro Novela MD-M311 mechanical disc brake replacement I have bought an electric mountain bike with Tektro Novela MD-M311 mechanical disc brakes and love the bike; however I find the brakes squeal quite badly, and I am looking at replacing the rotors and calipers only with another mechanical disc brake. Can anyone suggest a better mechanical disc brake available?  I can't switch to hydraulic as the handles have electronic switches in them.

You are going about this incorrectly. Although some brakes are more prone to squealing than others, replacement is expensive and rarely needed. Brake squeal is a function of the brake, frame, rotor and wheel interaction, so there is still no certainty a new brake will fix the problem.

I won't go into details as solution to squealing brakes is well covered elsewhere, however things to try are

Bed brake properly
Align Calipers
Clean contaminated rotors and pads
Organic rather than metallic pads
New disc rotors

As mentioned already - if a new bike take it back to the shop and ask them to look at it.


New mountain bike feels sticky or grinding when pedaling While pedaling my relatively new mountain bike Hyper Bicycles 26" E-ride Electric Mountain Bike bought from walmart.com), I feel a bit sticky or grinding feeling for a short part on each crank rotation. I noticed when I initially open the box, there were one or two small metal balls (~2mm diameter) fall out, not sure where it is from. Is this sticky or grinding feeling related to loss of the bearing balls? Or the new bike just needs to be lubricated?

More information on the type of bike you have and maybe a video of the grinding would aid in diagnosis.
As Argenti says - the easiest thing to do is to take the bike back to the shop if that's possible.
I'll take a shotgun approach.
I'm going to assume you had a bike delivered to you in a box and did the final assembly.
If you have a front and / or rear derailleur:
Things to check for intermittent grinding while pedaling:

front derailleur rubbing on the chain
rear derailleur not adjusted correctly

EDIT 1: If you can get the rear wheel of the bicycle off the ground, pedal with your hand and listen for where the sound is coming from. My guess is that it's coming from the rear derailleur.
If you have a bike with a chain guard the chain might be intermittently rubbing on the chain guard. EDIT 1: You have a ring type chain guard that usually does not rub unless it's badly bent.
If you were missing bearings in your bottom bracket you would be getting constant grinding while pedaling and the bearings would be larger than 2mm. That size sounds more like a headset bearing.
The bearings are probably not related to the intermittent grinding/friction issue.
If the bearings do belong somewhere on your bike you need to figure it out before serious damage occurs. I've seen some strange things show up in a box along with a bike and it is possible that the bearings don't belong to your bike.
There are four places bearings should be on a bicycle:

Front hub
Rear hub
Bottom bracket - crank EDIT: looks like a sealed BB so it should be fine
Headset - where the handlebars and fork come together
Pedals
See the Terminology index

On a new bike bearings are usually adjusted too tight. It's best to pull the wheels and check hub bearings, they should spin smoothly with no play. Slip the chain off the crank - it should spin smoothly with no play. Pick up the front of the bike and check that the handlebars move smoothly with no play.
That's all I can think of but hopefully this will get you pointed in the right direction.
More information or a more specific question will enable a more specific answer.
EDIT 2: Pedals
On most of the Wal Mart bikes I've worked on some adjustment is possible.
Here is a diagram of a pedal that might resemble what you have.

Sheldon Brown
There is a cap in the middle on the end of the pedal. With a little creativity is it possible to remove the cap (they are usually pressed in, on nicer pedals they are threaded in). With the cap removed there is a:

nut,
keyed washer
bearing cone
ball bearings

The nut locks everything in place. Remove the nut, adjust the cone then put the lock nut back on and tighten everything up. It takes me a few tries to get the pedal to spin smoothly with no play.
About 2mm could be the size of a pedal bearing. If the bearings came from the pedal it's easiest to replace the pedals.
When removing pedals the left hand pedal has a left hand thread (turn clockwise to remove) and the right pedal has a right hand thread (turn counter clockwise to remove)


How to disassemble this v brake arm? I have managed to repair 10yr old diamondback hybrid as different parts fail. I even disassembled the rear wheel to replace few spokes. But I cannot figure out how to disassemble the rear v-brake arm. (I already replaced the front.)

In the second image you can see the regular bike bolt on the left. When I unscrewed that the arm came off. But looks like the bolt doesn't directly connect to the frame and there is something else (a boss?) between the bolt and the frame and that came off with the bolt.

The new brake (Shimano Mountain Bicycle V-Brake - BR-T4000 - Rear) is exactly like the old one, but does not have this extra piece. So I need to dissamble that from the old brame arm and reuse.

So far I have tried soaking in wd-40 and also freezing the whole thing and then heating the boss(?) but neither worked.

Also noticed that this piece is tubular and has threads inside. A regular bike bolt fits in there and probably it goes all the way. So screwing something into that doesn't give me much grip either because it turns the same way.

Any ideas other than 'take it to the bike shop'? Thanks.

The reason I need to replace the brake is that the small metal rod which pushes the brake away during releaseing the brake broke.

Looks to me like you've managed to unthread the brake boss from the frame.  That's not part of the brake lever.

Normally you'd undo the dome-head silver bolt visible on the left side of your photos.

If you stick a 5mm allen key/hex tool in that bolt, and mount the allen key in a vise would be a start.  Then you need to grasp the thread and undo it without damaging the thread.... that's difficult.

One "dirty hack" is to find two nuts of the same thread and internal diameter.  Thread them on fully and cinch them up against each other as hard as you possibly can.  Then put those two nuts in your bench vise tightly, and use a long arm 5mm hex tool to lever it off.


How do I repair a broken chain on my old BMX bike? I have an old bmx and my chain broke yesterday. I bought a new chain from WalMart.  It is 300 links for 1 speed but I don't know what is the bmx speed (gear); it was rusted but I fixed it up.  I left my bmx at a program that opens tomorrow but I'm afraid its the wrong chain.

That chain should work OK. 300 links means probably a halflinks chain. Most BMX bikes are 1 speed and many use half link chains.

You will need a chain breaker though to get the length right.
To get the length right, count the old links - DO NOT measure the actual length of the old one as the chain could be worn (stretched).


Dura-Ace R9100 Bottom Bracket With A Dura-Ace FC-7900 Crankset? I have just purchased a Dura-Ace FC-7900 crankset and I am trying to find a good, readily available bottom bracket to pair with it.

With Shimano's Hollowtech II and Octalink II technologies, will the Dura-Ace R9100 bottom bracket work with the 7900 cranks?

I appreciate any advice.

Cheers,
Smithy

Yes, all road Hollowtech II bottom brackets and cranks are cross-compatible.


Bicycle left outside for over a year. Possible to save? Two years ago I was knocked off my bicycle by a car and was too scared to cycle for a long time, and left my bicycle outside uncovered for over a year. That was a mistake.

Now, WD-40 applied to the chain did not help much. The chain still won't bend. I think cleaning it won't be possible, I will replace it. But how about the rest? I have no idea what I will have to do to make it work or if it is even possible. Do I have to replace anything else apart from chain and cables?

These are the bicycle specs.

You don't have pictures of the bike, but honestly, theres not much you need to worry about. Pump up the tires and make sure they hold air. Check that the brakes work (may need new pads, cables). Add a new chain and you're likely good to go.

A lot of bikes live outside their whole lives (in rain and snow) and aren't worse for the wear.


How do you measure return on investment (ROI) for an electric bike? As we consider an e-bike vs. a car purchase, I'm trying to assess return on investment (ROI). My cost factors are, in order of priority, time, money, and carbon footprint.

My commute

I travel 20 miles daily, 5 days/week, over moderately hilly terrain in a temperate zone with four-season weather.
I drive a ten-year old car that gets 45 mpg and has low annual maintenance costs.

Car costs

The car trip takes 20 minutes on avg., so time cost is 40 minutes/day, 178 hours/year, or 37 days in 5 years.
At a fuel cost of $2.30/gal, daily fuel cost is $1.02, or $267/year.
To buy another car like the one I own, according to Kelly Blue Book, I would pay $3,250. For sake of argument, I'll assume the car will last five more years.
Insurance costs are $552/year.
Maintenance costs include oil and filter changes and unexpected repairs. On average this has been about $800/year.
Cash outlay the first year is $4,869. Subsequent years would be $1,619. Estimated five-year financial cost is $11,345.
Estimated carbon footprint is 2,296 lbs of C02, or 11,480 lbs in 5 years.

E-bike costs

Testing e-bikes, trip time is ~40 mins. Daily packing prep time, a shower, and a clothes change add 25 mins. Normal time cost is 105 minutes/day or 467 hours/year.
Because of weather, I can't bike-commute daily. Of the 267 work days/year, I'll Uber on 30 of them. At 20 minutes per trip, Uber time is 20 hrs per year.
Adjusting for Uber, annual time cost is 435 hrs, or 90 days in 5 years.
With moderate motor assist, I consume approximately 300 Wh of electricity daily. Cost per kWh is $0.13, so fuel cost is $0.04/day or $10/year.
Speaking to local bike shops, the high side of annual maintenance costs is ~$150.
The e-bike I'm considering costs $3,000. Adding high quality waterproof panniers ($150), a pump ($20), tube ($5), seat post bag ($10), rain jacket ($100), lock ($50), and clothing ($300) brings the kit cost to $3,635. I will not add additional insurance.
Uber costs $22/trip, so 60 trips per year (30 days) is $1,320.
Adjusting for Uber days, cash outlay the first year is $5,115. Subsequent years would be $1,480. Estimated five-year financial cost is $11,035.
For the bike alone, estimated carbon footprint is 110 lbs of C02/year. Adjusting for Uber rides (265 lbs/yr), that translates to 363 lbs/yr, or 1,813 lbs for 5 years.

Over 5 years, the car is >2x better in terms of time. The e-bike + Uber mode breaks even with the car in terms of money. The e-bike + Uber mode produces less than 1/6th the CO2.

I'm not surprised about the time or carbon footprint, but I thought the finances would look more attractive. Where am I making incomplete or unsafe assumptions, and how should I modify these calculations?

It's only so expensive because you are going for the most expensive bicycle option on the market.  One could easily buy an $800 bicycle and spend $1000 on retrofitting a motor and battery and end up spending a lot less on the bike, or you could just ride the $800 bicycle without the motor, and save even more money.  You're spending as much on the bike as it cost you to buy a car, plus you are using Uber when not on the bike.  Most bicycle commuters will use public transit (bus or subway) when the weather doesn't permit riding. You aren't going to save much money when you spend $3500 on a bike and related accessories.


Footrests for stoker I have a Schauff Pittsburgh 2002 26"  tandem which has the standard tandem drive train setup (timing chain on the left) and Shimano Deore components with 3x8 gearing.

The tandem has become my partner's and my single mode of escape during the pandemic. Because of our different heights and the sizes of the seats, he can only ride as stoker and I only as captain on this tandem. Unfortunately due to an injury, he currently needs to take it easy and can't pedal. I might be able to pedal us both around for some short trips out of town. I am aware that having two freewheeling mechanisms on a tandem is super complicated and expensive.
So, is there an easy/cheap and reversible/temporary way to either:

Somehow disconnect the stoker cranks from the drive train, such that they either spin freely or are fixed, such that the stoker can use them as footrests
Provide a different and comfortable way of adding footrests for the stoker, possibly with the pedals removed.

As mentioned, simply removing the timing chain and switching seats isn't possible for us.

I solved a similar issue on my tandem. Measure the frame tubes. If you are lucky you may find one of them is the same size as a handlebar stem. In my case I bolted a 1 1/8" x 1 1/8" stem in an appropriate area for a foot rest. I then cut a straight (no sweep) 1 1/8"  handlebar to about 14" long and installed it in the stem, I then added handlebar grips so my stoker's feet won't slip off and to make mounting the bike easier. The stoker can pedal as long as they can, then take a rest without cranking.


Replacing bottom bracket I have a giant fastroad, 2016 model, the BB is a FSA mega exo (bb30 press fit).
I think from the noise it is making that the BB is starting to wear out, I have done approx. 2000 miles in all weathers.
Reviews for this BB do not give good feedback with many people finding them failing after a short time.
Is there a more reliable bb30 BB that would be compatible with this bike?

BB30 and Press Fit 30 (PF30) are technically different types of BB Standard. Yes they both use 30mm bearings and 30mm spindle cranksets but the difference is that PF30 bearings are contained inside cups and these cups are pressed into the frame. This means that the two standards are not interchangeable.

Also, i have a horrible feeling that the FSA MegaExo actually uses a 24mm Spindle which will further limit you options unless you change out the whole crank.

Best bet, take it to an LBS who will ID the BB for you and offer some good alternatives


trek road bike puncture and then gears stop working advice needed? I wonder if any one can help me I have a trek road bike, I have had it several years and it has always worked really well gears changing well and never had a puncture.

A couple of weeks ago I went out for a ride and back wheel went bang and had a puncture. I took back wheel off and replaced inner tube and put back wheel back on.

I started cycling again and every thing seemed fine then I heard a strange snapping sound and when I tried to change gears right shifter would not work so could not change gears. I had to ride home with one gear.

When I got home I checked bike and found out gear cable had snapped.

Today I replace broken gear cable and other gear cable. I decided to change brake cables as well.

When I had finished every thing was working well all gears were changing smoothly, brakes working fine.

I decided to take it out for a ride to test. Every thing was going well then I heard a bang again another puncture. I took off back wheel replaced inner tube, pumped up and put wheel back on. I Started riding and every thing seemed fine gears changing fine.
2 minutes later right gear shifter stops working again.

I have checked over bike and gear cable has not snapped it is fine. gear shifter just does not seem to be working the levers for going up and down dont click when moved they just move around and do nothing.

Have I done some thing wrong when I changed the gear cable. Left shifter is working fine. and as I said after I changed gear cables both shifters were working fine and gears were changing smoothly until puncture.

Why do my gears suddenly keep stopping working each time I get a puncture.
and any advice on what I can do to try and fix.

Im beginning to think im jinxed my last bike a carrera kept getting continual punctures every bike ride some times two or 3 times in one ride. I tried replacing inner tubes and tyres. but it made no difference so gave up in the end and bought the trek which has been great until now.

Sorry if this is long any advice would be much appreciated

thanks in advance

The lever not clicking when moving makes me think your shifter could be broken, but that does seem like an unlikely coincidence.

Shifter broken test: The way to test this is follow the cable down from the shifter and at the first place where the cable emerges from the housing, put your left hand under the bare cable and pull on it so there is tension on the cable.  With your other hand, shift up and down.  The clicks may get more audible, and hopefully you can feel the cable tighten and loosen with each shift.  If you feel the clicks in the cable tension, your shifter is fine and you can move to the next steps.

Housing popped out of cable stops test:  The way to find out is first "shift" your shifter into the hardest to pedal gear to release cable tension, then follow the cable from the shifter down to the derailleur.
Check that the beginning and end of all the little plastic-covered pieces of housing are in their cable stops (the metal cylindrical pieces attached to the frame that hold the housing in place).
If one of the housing pieces has popped out, pop it back in and it should shift again.  You may need to manually push the rear derailleur cage towards the spokes to release the tension so you can get the housing back in.

Cable slipped test: Another possibility is the cable has slipped and pulled through the derailleur fixing bolt (the bolt that attaches the cable to the derailleur).
In this case, you would again "shift" the shifter to the hardest to pedal gear to reduce cable tension, loosen the bolt, pull on the end of the cable till there is no slack and re-tighten the cable.  The shifting should begin to work again.

It should be one of those cases, although a piece of housing could have splintered and you'll see small wires popping out of it.  If so, replace the housing.

Worst case, take it to a bike shop :)


Rear Bike Rack for Full Suspension? I have a Giant Warp DS3 and id like to get a rear rack but am struggling to find anything decent & compatible.
is there such a rack?

2001 Giant Warp DS3 from Bicycle Blue Book.

You can get racks, what you get will largely depend on the load. The two styles that work are a seat post mount rack or once that clamps to the seat stay. Seatposts often have a low load limit, and can be prone to swinging around, but are generally very popular. Using on on a carbon frame would have to be done with caution - ensure a long seat post insertion.  For heavier loads, a frame mounted rack such as the Thule Pack'n Pedal is best.

A post rack puts all the extra weight on the rear suspension, so has the advantage its suspended, but you might need to adjust shock settings for an ideal ride. A rear triangle mount is un-suspended weight, and will not affect shock settings as much.


How do I remove the freewheel side of a flip flop hub? I've got one of those flip flop hubs, and I need to remove the freewheel side and either service or replace it as it has started slipping really badly. What tools do I need?

You need a freewheel removal tool.

That looks to me like it will take an FR6, but you should measure first if you're planning on buying. Although, this will likely be the only time you ever use it unless you open a bike shop.

Your local bike shop will almost certainly have one of these and be able to whip it off it no time. They might not even charge for such a small job.

Sheldon brown has instructions on the rest the removal. Basically, you just need to put the tool in a vice, place the wheel on it and turn. He recommends using a quick release skewer to secure the tool, but you have solid axles so just be careful.


How can I develop my abs while I ride my bicycle? I have a mountain bike, and I wonder if I can develop my abs if I take my bike to work everyday.

Since cycling doesn't put your abs through a large range of motion, you're not likely to develop your abs by only biking to work. However, depending on how in shape you are, you will probably notice that your overall fitness level increases.


How can I upgrade to a better gear range? I have an old, second hand road bike but in good condition. I'm doing a lot cross country cycling and the struggling uphill with the current gear set up.

This is what I have:

Sora RD 3300 derailleur (total capacity: 29T; largest sprocket 27T; front chainring tooth difference 14T)
Sora Flight Deck 2x8 shifters
CS-HG50 12-23t cassette
52/42 chain rings
Hub: don't know

what I've been considering is:

Only replace the smaller chain ring to a 39T (or do I need a whole new chain set?)
Only replace the cassette to another 8 speed or 9 speed (if hub compatible) up to 25 or 27t
Replace both cassette and chain ring(s)

What is the most effective and cost effective way to upgrade this set up?
Would the shifter and the derailleurs work with a 9 speed cassette as long as I stay on max tooth range?

Thanks!

No, your derailleur won't work with 9 speed casette. Well, it could work on 8 sprockets of the 9, but that won't help you.

You certainly can buy a new 8 speed casette from the Claris line (or MTB) but you cannot take just any, you cannot go over your derailleur capacity and over the largest sprocket size supported so you are out of luck for the modern 32T casettes. Unless you find a good deal on a more recent 8-speed RD (like the new Claris 11T-32T, however, it is also sold as  11-28T, 12-25T, 13-26. The 28T is one tooth over your RD but might still work.).

Changing one chainring should work, check it is a compatible one. That would be cost-effective. If you have the Sora 3300 FD, it has the capacity of 15T, so with 52 big ring you can go to a 37 small ring.

Otherwise, you could always buy a whole new crankset, for example, a compact one (50/34), those are the most common and certainly would bring you a better gear range. But I am not sure about the 16T difference with your front derailleur. There are two versions of RD3300, one is SS and one is S
GS. One supports the front chainrings difference of 14T, the other 22T. If you have the GS (total capacity 37T), you are good to go, but with SS (total capacity of 29T) the shifting might have some problems.

Again, better to take an 8-speed one from the Claris range, or an older 8-speed Sora. But, buying a new crankset will be the least cost-effective. Unless you find a good deal on something older (but better unused).

This kind of crankset would be a good candidate https://sprockets.uk.com/shimano-rs200-8-speed-compact-chainset-black-170mm-34-50t/ (I mean RS200, this specific 170 mm might be too short for you). But for the SS version the difference is officially too big.


Do one-sided clip-in pedals have a bit more friction and inefficiency than alternatives? Moving from old style pedals years ago, to when I took up cycling again more recently, I noticed a difference when oiling the bike, while doing maintenance.

After oiling an old style pedal, I would always flick it to see that it rotated more freely due to the new oil.  It would do several rotations and take a few seconds to slow down.  But doing the same with my newer clip-in pedals, they only do a few turns.

Is this due to the one-sided pedal (Shimano LOOK pedal design) having a weighted end?  That is, does this pedal slow down more quickly after it is flipped, due to it's asymmetrical pedal weight distribution?  Or, do people think there would   inherently be more friction in such a pedal?

Likely two things.

Bearing seals will slow down free spinning. In actual use the added resistance from the seals is minimal and the seals ensure the bearings remained greased and in good working order despite the weather conditions (e.g., from dry and dusty, to wet and gritty).
SPD-SL are weighted so that the single sided pedal platform faces you (i.e., the rear of the pedal settles in the downward position), making engagement after a stop much easier.  Without the weighting the pedal would likely present either side (cleat platform or backside) when you start pedalling making consistent and easy cleat engagement a no go. Anything that is not evenly weighted will not spin as freely as something that is balanced (e.g., unbalanced loads in a washing machine). In use the uneven weighting isn't an issue as the pedals orientation remains static in use.

In short, the test you derived for old style pedals worked well for them, but hold less meaning for newer Shimano SPD-SL road pedals.


V-Brake brake blocks non-centred posts I just bought some Clarks CPS301 Brake Blocks (V-Brake brake blocks). The threaded posts are positioned slightly off-centre, towards the front. This is different from my old, unbranded ones where the posts are dead centre. Why is this? What are the advantanges or disadvantages of the off-centre posts? My bicycle is a Ridgeback Meteor commuter bike. The only possible explanation I could find is in the comments of this post.

The slightly off centre, forward position of the mount post is (IMO) most likely designed to optimise the brake force vs. pull and force distribution ... also relating to "toe-in".

Typically when fitting brake blocks of rim brakes you 'toe-in' the leading (front) end of the pad slightly so that this part makes contact with the braking surface first. This way the rest of the block is pulled on to the braking surface by the twisting force due to the rotation of the wheel. This also helps to reduce the necessary force/travel applied to the brake lever to bring the whole block in to contact with the braking service and progressively through the braking motion.

The slightly forward position of the mount is no doubt due to a calculation the optimal position for the force point action on the pads with regards/consideration of these other forced involved, providing the quickest and strongest application of brake block to braking surface.


How to ensure security of panniers when touring I'm planning a cycle tour carrying baggage in panniers on the bike. For at least some of the trip, I'll be alone, and when I need to go into shops/cafes/toilets, I can lock up the bike, but the panniers themselves will be unsecured.

What is a workable way to prevent the panniers and/or their contents being stolen while unattended.

This trip will be in western Europe.

I went on two bike tours in 2017 and 2018 around North America, for 3000+ miles each, and this is what I did to secure the panniers to the bicycle:

Nothing.

That said, I did take some precautions.

Whenever possible I locked the bike in a highly visible location, preferably with some security cameras pointing at it, and preferably visible inside the restaurant or shop.

Bicycle in sight outside Arby's, Altoona, IA, USA

On several occasions I decided not to stop at a place where I couldn't find a place to lock the bike where I could keep an eye on it or where there wasn't a camera pointed at it.

Once or twice I noticed someone showing much more than the normal curious interest in the bike, and all it took was for them to realize someone was watching them and they moved on.

I always brought the bike inside wherever I stayed at night, including directly into my hotel room.

Bicycle in hotel room, Niagara Falls, ON, CA

Most of the really valuable stuff (laptop, etc.) I had in the backpack strapped to the bike above the panniers. When I had to leave the bike, I was able to easily remove the backpack and take it with me. It also had a change of clothes and some other emergency stuff in case something did happen to the bike.

I never had anything stolen, though I admit I might have just been lucky.


I can't find a fat tire inner tube, any help would be appreciated I am having trouble finding a fat tire inner tube 20" x 2.8 or 20" x 3.0
Please let me know if you have any idea where I can buy one or can you point me in the right direction.
thank you.

You don't reveal where on the planet you are looking Bernard!

For example in Australia the main bicycle wholesalers have both 20x3 and 20x4 readily available. I'd imagine if you are in Europe or North America it would be similar, so you just need to ask your lbs to order it in for you. It's unlikely to be a stocked item as it's a slow mover.

A motorbike shop may also have them but they won't call it 20"!  To them it will be about 14" or 15". Just show them your old one or the tyre.

Not a lot of people know that bike tyre sizes in inches are given by the approximate outer diameter, whereas motorbikes and vehicles go by the tyre inner diameter or wheel OD, hence yours is called approx 14" to them. HTH.


Crunching/grinding chain noise I repaired a puncture in the back wheel of my bicycle and had some trouble re-attaching the wheel to my bike. I finally did it but now the chain makes a terrible crunching noise when I pedal forward, apart from when I'm in the first gear. I don't know what I've done! Everything looks like it's been put back correctly.

Question: Help!  What have I done wrong?

I hope it's fixed by now! But if it's not, most likely the wheel is not seated correctly. Take it out, and make sure the derailleur is pushed back so the chain loops around the cassette from the top in a counter clockwise direction.

If in doubt, I'm sure you can find a youtube demonstration showing you how...


How to avoid riding on a gravel on the road sides? + Riding through traffic lights I'm commuting to work almost every day. The roads on my way are quite thin so I have ride on the edge of it. But there is usually some gravel and it's quite hard to ride on that especially when riding up the hill. I don't like riding on the gravel but I don't like blocking cars behind me. What should I do?

Other thing is riding through the traffic lights. While waiting for green sign I'm not sure if I should be in row with cars or just wait on the right side of the road so I don't take much space. I don't like taking a lot of space as cyclist but also I don't want to be in danger if some driver doesn't notice me when I'm on side of the road.

Any tips that will make me feel better riding on these roads?

Depending on your local regulations, claiming the lane might be illegal (it is here where I live, for example). So, my advice would it be to ride on the right side of the road (assuming that right is the driving side), but not getting too close to the curb because of the debris, gravel, car doors etc. When you see (and hear) someone behind you wanting to overtake you, just move some to the right (and optionally give him a sign with your hand).

However, don't go to the right if you see that they can't overtake you safely, i.e. if the road is too narrow there, or if you see a car coming from the other direction.

On the traffic light, claim the lane! That will prevent drivers cutting you from behind, while it doesn't bother no one (you occupy less space than a car, and they are not waiting for you, but for the light anyways). When the light opens, and you pass the intersection, return to the right part of the lane.


Why aren’t these Shimano PD-M980 coming apart? I’m trying to give my pedals a clean and regrease. The left pedal came apart as expected, but the right one’s threaded sleeve refuses to separate from the pedal body. I’ve unthreaded it as much as I can, but the spindle still hasn’t separated. Trying to further loosen the sleeve just results in it spinning within the pedal body. Has anyone experienced this before? How do you fix it? I’m considering using some bolts to act as a press, ripping the few remaining threads off.

Edit: Here’s a comparison with the internals of the left pedal. I’m not sure how the sleeve got shoved so far up the spindle. As you can see, there’s not that many threads remaining, so I don’t think forcefully ripping the sleeve out would cause too much damage.
Furthermore, when I try to remove the stuck right pedal, I can’t feel the thread doing anything. Usually when you try to remove a bolt after it’s all the way out already, you can feel the bolt climb a little bit before dropping down again. It’s hard to explain. Here, it feels like I’m just turning a round peg in a round hole. I can’t detect any climb-drop behavior.

Problem solved! I realized that the sleeve should not be able to press itself up the spindle like it did in photo #2. I clamped a set of vice grip pliers between the sleeve and the spindle’s flange to stop it from press-fitting itself into the spindle. It came out after that. I will inspect the whole assembly for damage since the hardened steel spindle is significantly larger than the aluminum sleeve.
Edit:
To conclude this saga, the bearing disassembled itself while still pressed into the pedal body, which is terminal. There is no way to remove the bearing cup, which was supposed to be press-fit in and out via the black threaded sleeve. It was worth a try though!


Crank type for an old peugot I'm renovating an old Peugot and need to replace the crank. It takes a clotted crank however I'm not sure on the size. I brought a crank previously and it didn't fit, I couldn't get it on the bike because it didn't slip on.

The amount of teeth required I'm ok with, more concerned with getting the crank on the bike.

Photo attached

The easy solution is to rip out the old bottom bracket, put on a modern JIS/ISO bottom bracket. Velo Orange makes some with french threading and threadless (if the threads are stuffed).

Then find your favorite square taper crankset and put it on.

Keeping cottered cranks is extra work since the "right way" to do things with cottered cranks requires a bunch of tools nobody has anymore.


What caused diagonal cuts in the sidewalls of my tire? I noticed some strange damage on my rear tire, where there appear to be diagonally cuts going around the entire wheel.  I have no idea what might have caused this damage.  I first saw it a few months ago, but didn't think anything of it because I had just replaced my tires with these relatively fancy Panaracer kevlar tires so I figured they should hold up for at least a year.

Anyway, just a few days ago I felt my rear tire bumping and when I looked at it, I could see the tube is starting to bulge out slightly through the cracks in the tire sidewall.  The front tire is completely fine, but it's starting to look like I have to replace the back tire.

So my questions are, has anybody else dealt with this issue before?  Any ideas what might have caused this damage?  Am I indeed correct that the tire needs to be replaced?

The first picture has the most severe scarring, the second picture shows how it extends around the entire wheel.

Yes, you are right that the tire must be replaced.

No, the tires are not defective. This type of cross hatching is caused by age and weather deterioration. It appears like diagonal cuts because the weave of the cloth start breaking threads, and they are woven diagonally.

The tire is either at least 3-5 years old, or has been stored in a climate which speeds dry rotting. In this case the tire appears much older than that.

It is generally seen most obviously on tires which have tan side walls, as this one does. The tires with black side walls do the same thing, but it isn't as visible or as quick to happen.

A tire has a shelf life of 3-4 years, even if not ridden. I realize you said that you'd replaced them about a year ago. That could be climate affecting tire life, or it could be that they were old stock on the LBS shelf for some time before you bought them.  If you see crosshatching, or your tire feels papery and dry, rather than like rubber on the side wall, replace them. A blowout at speed is a dangerous thing, and a year of use is an acceptable lifetime.

FTR, this tire is either a Panaracer Pasela, or Pasela TG. In it's narrowest form, a 700x23c they recommend a 100psi maximum. If this is as it appears, a 26 x 1.25 or 1.5, that pressure recommendation drops to 60 psi. Could possibly be a 700x38c which would be a max pressure of 90 psi.


Shimano Chainring Compatability In my previous question we determined that I probably need new chainrings. I was/am planning on replacing the chainrings, and leaving the original crank.

Now this bike is running Shimano 105 FC-5600 kit.  I refer to the Shimano drive-train compatibility chart here which says that that the FD-5600 front derailleur needs FC-5600,FC-5650,FC-R600 or FC-R550 front cranks.

Since I have to replace it, I wouldn't mind upgrading to a Ultegra-level chain-ring. According to (my reading of the chart), this is not possible. (which seems strange, I would have thought any 130BCD chainring with the same screw type should work. Is there a problem with derailleur clearance or something?)

1) Is this correct?

2) If so, is there a compatibility chart with other brands? (FSA/SRAM - obviously Campy wouldn't work!)

Thanks in advance

The current Ultegra chain rings are in fact physically compatible with the 105. They do not look good on the 105 crank, however, because when Shimano redesigned the Ultegra and DuraAce level cranks to their Hollowtech II design, the made the chain rings hollow as well.
Th point where the chain ring meets the crank arm is noticeably thicker, and shaped quite different on the Ultegra chain ring and crank, compared to the 105.
This is the 105 FC-5700, which is newer than your FC-5600.

This is the Ultegra FC-6700, which compares to the FC-5700.

See the extra shape and thickness where the chain ring bolts are? That is why they do not list Ultegra rings as compatible with 105.
You can physically bolt them up, and they will work, but they look bad, and you don't get most of the benefits of the Ultegra ring, (mainly added stiffness), without the whole crank.
A set of Ultegra rings will cost 150 dollars, and a whole crankset, including rings will be around 250 dollars, so it might be worth just doing th whole crank, if you're interested n upgrade.
Otherwise, just stick with the 105.


What are working Proofide alternatives? I bought a new Brooks flyer and applied the first layer of Proofide that came with the saddle.
Considering the price of a full can of Proofide - and also because I am the kind of person who likes to try new stuff:

Are there any Proofide alternatives that worked in your experience (and did not ruin that expensive saddle)?

Did anybody try coconut oil? Will it spoil?

Thanks for your experiences!

Edit: I know that the price of Proofide is still very low in comparison with a new saddle - so it probably makes sense to buy it, but I am still curious for other experiences.

There are other brands of leather saddle wax I would consider, but I would be careful about trying random leather conditioner products. If you make the leather too soft you can permanently wreck the saddle.

Hammock type saddles work by being stiff, not soft. The stiff saddle doesn’t sag much and therefore supports your weight across a wider area. The break-in period is critical as this where you add micro-tears to the leather to reduce any pressure hot spots (e.g., sit bones). Over time this stretching in high pressure hotspots evens out the pressure over the wide contact area, providing the custom fit these saddles are known for.

This works because:

The leather is stiff and can support weight without sagging much; and
The leather can still stretch in places with high pressure.

This indicates a fine balance between stiffness with some ability to stretch. Now soften the leather too much.  It will sag too much under your weight concentrating pressure in a central hot spot.  You can try and add tension to the saddle to the adjuster (which stretches the saddle), but there is only a limited range of adjustments so you may not be able to add sufficient tension, plus you will have effectively shortened the saddle life (i.e., less future ability to add tension).

Now realize most leather conditioners are designed to make leather soft, saddle waxes are designed to maintain stiffness and leather life by providing some water resistance plus a vey small amount of conditioners to offset the leather drying out.  The optimal blend depends on the leather grade used, which the saddle manufacturers should know.

Given that it is fairly easy to wreck a leather saddle if you make the leather too soft (e.g., riding for long periods if it’s too wet), this isn’t something worth playing with unless you are will to write-off the saddle or shorten the service life.


What do I need to know when replacing my inner tube/tires? Context:

The inner tube on my bike burst the other day, I took it home and salvaged another one from a bike that's been sitting unused in my garage for years.

The New(old) innertube inflates fine but when I inflated it I noticed that the inner tube was spilling out through a gash in the stitching of the tire.

I've temporarily replaced the tire with another that I had lying about but the ripped one was a semi slick and the one I've replaced it with is a mountain biking one, I'd prefer a semi slick tire.

I know I'm going to have to replace the tire as well.

The new inner tube seems spongier and I can't seem to get it to inflate as much as the old one.

I'm a relatively new to (serious) cycling, and this is the first time I've had to replace an inner tube or a wheel.

I mainly cycle on roads and cycle paths, the cycle path I use it just rough enough for me not to justify getting a full on road bike.

Question

What do I need to know in order to go into a shop and get the right replacement inner tube/ tire for my bike? I'm aware that there are different sizes of tyre (mine is 26") and there is another number which I assume is width (Old was 1.5"). Is this all I need to know?

Do I need to know anything about the inner tubes? I assume the size is the same as the tire, are there different grades or types of inner tube? Why would one be spongier than the other?

Basically you just need a tube that's the right size (diameter and width) for the tire.  And of course you need the right stem -- the thin Presta stem, or the thick auto-style Schraeder stem -- depending on what your rim is drilled for.

There are various grades of tubes, but you most certainly want just the standard grade.  Thin ones designed for racing leak down rapidly, while thick ones designed to resist punctures are really bulky and hard to deal with.

Be wary of a shop that doesn't have the right size tube (the range of sizes should be printed on the box the tube comes in) and tries to sell you what they have in stock.  While a "slightly wrong" size will often work, it will be hard to install and will be apt to not run smoothly.

[Also note that for a small cut in a tire you can often get away with using a "boot" behind the hole.  This can be a specially made piece of thin, flexible plastic, a piece cut from the sidewall of a lightweight tire, or even a piece of folded currency, if yours (as in the US) is fairly rugged.]


carbon vs aluminium frame vibration absorption? bumpiness? is there any data/measurements of any aluminium road bikes vs carbon road bikes wrt to vibration. it is widely stated that carbon is a smoother ride, but the best i can find out on the subject is people saying it is 'slightly' smoother. any thoughts?

Aluminum has gotten a bit of a bad reputation from the early generation of frames which were overly stiff. This is less the case today as manufacturing technology fixed most of these earlier problems, and bicycle designers can create formed aluminum tubes that provide compliance (i.e., vibration absorption) in one direction (e.g., vertical compliance) and stiffness in another direction (e.g., lateral for power transfer).

Aluminum frames are actually an alloy (mixture of metals) and the there are a number of different alloy composition available, with each having different metalergic properties (e.g., stiffness or compliance, strength, etc). Frame manufacturers tend to choose an alloy that suits the intended use of the frame so they will often use a mix of alloys across their frame lineup.

Tubing shape also has an impact on vibration dampening. Earlier generations of frames that were famous for being overly stiff used relatively straight tubing.  Modern frames often use hydro-formed tubes that have carefully crafted shapes to produce compliance in one direction and stiffness in another.

Essentially the compliance you feel in a modern aluminum frame was likely intended as a design feature by the manufacturer or the result design constrains such as cost.

Carbon is not a panacea for compliance either as the ride quality of carbon is directly related to the layup process (i.e., how layers of carbon fibre are compiled together with epoxy).  This is a very expensive and labour intensive process, where it is easy for manufacturers to cut corners in order to save money.  From the outside most (everyone?) cannot tell what, if any corners, were cut.   In the end the compliance of the frame is directly related to the manufacturing process, just as it is with aluminum.

Similar to aluminum the compliance you feel in a modern carbon frame is the compliance intended as a design feature by the manufacturer or the result design constrains such as cost. You will have to ride the frame to see how it performs.

Now if we go back in time to the 80/90's both the carbon and aluminum frames, which both employed relatively straight tubing (earlier carbon frames had straight carbon tubes that were glued into metal lug joints), then yes as a general rule carbon was more compliant.  If we compare modern frames (of similar quality - key point) from the same manufacturer with the same intended use case (another key point) then the gap in compliance will likely be quite small.

GCN has a good video overviewing a lot of the points mentioned above.


How to handle an attempted bike theft TLDR; I chased down a bike thief and caught her. Turns out she's a juvenile. She claims she mistook the bike for her own. The police say if we press charges, nothing will likely come of it because it's a he-said/she-said situation. What should I do?

Last night, my beloved racing bike got stolen off of the front of a Muni bus in San Francisco.

I'd been watching it like a hawk, and saw it as it happened. The driver did too. He yelled, "Your bike!" and opened the door for me, I dropped my stuff and took off after the thief. She was obviously having trouble keeping her feet on the tiny Speedplay pedals, and I managed to tackle her as she slipped. Two security guards happened to be right there, and apprehended her. Thankfully, the bus driver waited for me, so I was able to retrieve my laptop bag (and 40lb bag of cat litter — man, that would have slowed me down).

It turns out this happened right outside of the girl's apartment, and her mother and grandmother came out due to the commotion. The mother was genuinely and earnestly disappointed in her daughter.

The police told me given her story (she mistook the bike for her own) and lack of prior arrest record, it would be hard to take it any further than a police report. The problem is that in order to convict, we would need to prove intent, and that would be difficult to do. Having done some Googling since, as I (possibly incorrectly) understand it, the city prosecutor would be responsible for pressing charges and would probably opt not to do so.

Is that the case? And how should I proceed? I'm not convinced that pressing charges would result in a positive outcome (either if it wasn't successful or if it was; sometimes kids just do stupid shit and need an event like this to change their path). What would you do at this point if you were in my situation?

Press charges, and have the police issue a warrant to search for a bike similar to yours/ Investigate (Asking her mom/neighbors questions about a bike that may be similar)
If she shows up with one, you're out of luck, but it's probably not likely.
Additionally, there is no way she would be able to pedal away with a bike that doesn't fit her, so her height and physiology may also make your case.
I'd think that when somebody adjusted my seat height, I would notice.
Good luck!


Silencing a rattling u-lock I'm not sure if they're all like this, but my u-lock is a bit loose between the two pieces, the U and the bar. The provided mount snaps very very tightly onto the U, leaving the bar to fend for itself, so when I ride, any little bump makes the lock rattle. I believe the main source of the noise is the loose (non-locking) interface between U and bar; it's metal-on-metal there.

It's pretty obnoxious (and I feel like anyone I pass by must think my bike is broken), so if I have a bag I toss the lock in there instead. Sometimes that's not an option though, so I'd really love to stop the rattle while it's in the mount.

I believe it's one of these:

I expect that the little rubber rings are supposed to push up against the bar, and keep things held in place, but mine is loose enough that the right side wiggles around plenty.

Anything that will "bunch up" as Mathew suggests should work.  You can slip a piece of tubing over the end of the U, or some O rings, or wrap with electrical tape.  The object is not to have material actually go into the hole where the U fits, but to "bunch up" at the hole.

Otherwise, you could probably run a bungie from the loose piece to some frame member to keep it in tension.


Need a well-fitted bike for urban commuting I started cycling to work every day. The bike I'm currently using is a mountain bike with a tiny frame and has begun to hurt my back. So, I'm looking to purchase something new. I'll be cycling around a city. My distance to and from work is a 25 mile round trip.

I'm not looking to spend a gigantic amount of money. I'm wondering what type of bike I should be looking at? I really know very little about bikes so I'm sort of baffled by the many types e.g mountain bikes, hybrid bikes, etc.

What would you guys recommend? If it's any additional help I'm male and under 25.

If you hadn't mentioned "tiny frame" and back pain, I'd agree with mgb about minor changes to your existing bike instead of getting a new one.  It sounds like you need a bike that fits you and you have a bike that's too small. There might be a few things that could be adjusted to make a too-small bike work better, but it's likely you're better off getting a new bike that fits right.

We had a similar (not duplicate, I think) question a while back asking about a very similar round-trip distance, etc, you might find reading the question, answers and comments there helpful: What bike+equipment for a long daily urban commute?

A "hybrid" is a bicycle with smooth (road) tires and flat (mountain bike) style handlebars. There's a lot of subtypes that are also "hybrids" such as "commuter", "urban", etc. A lot of them are actually very similar to each other.

From what you describe, I think a good option for you would be a basic "commuter" with smooth tires, flat handlebars and the option to easily add a rack and fenders. It will have handlebars like what you're used to, but roll better (and faster) on roads.

I have a similar length commute and went with a "touring" bike. (basically a heavy duty road bike designed to be able to carry plenty of cargo).

The lower-end "cyclocross" bikes can make really good commuter bikes once you replace the tires. Cyclocross bikes are like road bikes with knobby tires (and often disc brakes). The lower end ones often have the stuff for mounting a rack and/or fenders on them.

Some things to note:

Consider drop handlebars (road bike) because the choice of handlebar positions can help keep your hands from getting tired on long rides. If you don't like them don't worry about it, though.
I would avoid any kind of suspension (some "comfort" hybrids have some). They don't do you much good on roads and on a cheaper bike it will just add weight and add one more thing that could break. Stand on the pedals with elbows and knees slightly bent when you see rough patches ahead instead.
A big heavily cushioned seat can be tempting, but will tend to press into the muscles that you're using to pedal, press into sensitive areas, and rub against things. A lightly padded seat that's just wide enough that you're sitting on it with your pelvic bones will be better for long rides even if it takes a little while to get used to it.
Try out the bikes. Most shops will let you try a quick ride around the block or something like that.


Do hydraulic road brake levers exist that do not include shifters or dropper post buttons? I have a single speed bike (Genesis Day One ~2013) with mechanical disc brakes.

I would like to upgrade to hydraulic disc brakes.

Do hydraulic road brake levers exist that do not include shifters or dropper post buttons?

Shimano & SRAM levers appear to all be designed to work with their geared groupsets. Magura don't appear to do road bike brakes.

Currently, TRP Hylex are one of the only drop bar brake lever (without gears) that has a hyraulic master cylinder. Magura HS66 is another, but these are pretty rare.

Other options include:

Cable actuated hydraulic calipers. These are connected by cables just like normal caliper but the hydralic master cyclinder is at the caliper end, so any drop lever will work. TRP Hy/Rd are the most popular version of these, but other cheaper brads also exist.

Yokozuna Motoko Cable-Pull Hydraulic Disc Brake

Cable actuated master cylinders. These as master cycliders which are attached to the stem or handlebars and are also actuated by cables, so any drop lever will work. Examples of this are Giant's Conduct and Hope Tech V Twin System

Giant Conduct

Hope V-Twin


Replacing rigid fork with suspension fork Can I replace a rigid fork with a suspension fork on a Mongoose  Alder bike. 27.5 .

If so, what particular forks? Under $100.00

Technically yes. You would need to get a fork with a straight steerer (looks like its standard 1 1/8") that was long enough for the frame, probably a 9mm QR dropout (although you wheel is a solid axle, not QR).  You would be best with a fork of 80 or 100mm travel or you would upset the bike geometry.

However, a fork will probably cost as much as the bike, and a good fork that makes the upgrade worth while will cost twice as much. Unless you have a fork from a donor bike or lying around, its not worth it as it would be cheaper to buy a used bike with suspension.


Evaluate hill gradient I mostly commute and have never had trouble climbing a hill sometimes by using my lowest speeds (or close to them).

How do I evaluate even roughly what grave %age I climbed?

What I mean is that I would love to tour someday in a real mountain-y region, and would like to know how to approach climbs like this.

For example, I see profiles with %ages as high as 10%. I know I never rode 10km at 10% but how does 10% look like? how do I know I won't be forced to give up after the first mile or two?

How about 5%? 7%? or the extreme 12.5% I see on some climbs?

I do have a GPS device that gives a reliable path of where I've ridden, but the altitude is not reliable to the profiles of my rides are not either.

There are various web sites that might help.

I use one called http://ridewithgps.com. You need to register on it but you can get quite a lot from a free account.

Does your GPS device output GPX files? If so, I think Ride With GPS can suck them in. If not you might have to put your route into the site manually (but this is easy enough).

But what you do get on your route is a display of the gradient (you hover over different parts of the route to see it).

For example, I did a quick ride yesterday afternoon, here it is:

I have a pay account with these people but I'm fairly sure you get this page with the free account too.

Any good to you?

Just added another image - didn't realise SE was going to reduce the main one so much. This is just a zoom of the bit with the tooltip. Note also the blue dot in the corner - this is the location on the google map which corresponds to the crosshairs on the elevation plot.


Chain length. how long or how many links I measured from the middle of each sprocket and it's 17 inches. Not sure what length of chain I should get

Usually there is just one length available with a bit over 100 links. Of course you have to shorten it so that it’s not slack on the smallest gear combination and not too tight (i.e. breaking the rear derailleur) on the biggest gear combination.


MegaEXO Omega BB and Hollowtech II crank compatibility? I have a Giant TCX SLR 2 (2014) with a FSA MegaEXO BB and FSA Omega crankset (46/36).

I just purchased a Ultegra 6750 crankset (50/34), can I run it on my existing BB?

If not, what BB do I need?

I have read online that it should work as is.

No, the Omega MegaEXO FSA system uses a 19mm spindle diameter and hollowtech II is 24mm.

FSA BB86 BB (For alloy cranksets) or Shimano BB91 Road Press Fit Bottom Bracket will work.


Can I run 2x10 XT Shifters on a flatbar road bike with 105 10 speed STI components? I want to run 2x10 XT shifters on a flatbar but still want use the 10 speed 105 components of the road bike would there be any problems?

You have a few options for replacing your STI shifters for use with flat bars (but not the XT shifters for the reasons in the comments):

 You can use Shimano SL-R780 Flat Bar Shifter 2x10SP shifters with 105 components on flat bars.

http://www.shimano.com/publish/content/global_cycle/en/au/index/products/road/flat_handlebar.html

You could get some 10 speed bar end or downtube shifters and use those with some paul's components thumbies.

http://www.paulcomp.com/thumbies.html

 You could get 10 speed bar end or downtube shifters and mount them on the downtube or stem with some problem solvers downtube shifter mounts.

http://problemsolversbike.com/products/downtube_shifter_mount1


How do I disassemble my headset? How do I know if I need to replace it I just bought a cheap frame off craigslist because I want to build myself a fixed gear bike.  When I turn the fork, it feels like there is sand in the bearings.  How do I go about taking the headset apart so that I can check the bearings.  What should I be looking for when I pull it apart?

(I know this is almost 2 questions, but they are so closely related, if needed, I'll split it up)

Crunchy headset == bad.

I'm assuming the stem is already out of the bike.

Measure the stack height before you take it apart.

If it's a threaded headset, you will need 2 wrenches. One to loosen the locknut an the other to hold the adjustable race nut steady.  You may need a specialty headset wrench to get at the adjustable race nut since they are very narrow compared to your standard adjustable wrench.

Once you have loosened the locknut, you should be able to unscrew it by hand and unscrew the adjustable race and slide the fork out. Caution: loose bearings may start to fall out.  Since you reported a crunchy headset, just replace the bearings regardless of the shape they are in. Pay attention to the bearing sizes on the top and bottom of the fork - they may be different.  Pay attention to how many bearings are in the top and bottom (hopefully it is the right number - though not impossible to figure out later). Maybe they are in a cage which is easier to handle but not as smooth as loose bearings when the headset is properly adjusted.

Once you pull everything out, clean it all off and look for dents and divits in the headset parts where the bearings rest.  Be sure to check the crown race too (it rests on the base of the fork)

If there are no dents or divits and everything looks like balls will roll smoothly on them, then grease the cups (don't worry about too much grease right now - excess will come out when it's reassembled), insert new bearings (they'll just stick to the grease) and reassemble.  The hard part is tightening the adjustable race and lock nut so that the headset is neither too loose nor too tight.

Tip: tighten the adjustable cup by hand until it is just snug and unscrew it 1/8 of a turn then screw on the locknut (don't forget any washers and spacers).  Use your wrenches to hold the adjustable cup in place while tightening the locknut.

Test your work by rotating the fork as if you were turning left/right and also by pulling the tongs of the fork gently back and forth as if you slammed on the brakes.  If it's not right, loosen up and try again.  Adjust how much you hand tighten - more or less according to what is needed.

If there are dents and divits, you will want to buy a new headset.  Remember the stack height measurement?  Now you will want to get a headset with the same stack height.  Hopefully your LBS has one that fits your bike because you are also going to want to go visit them and ask how much it costs to have them remove the old and insert the new headtube races.  If you buy it from them, it will likely be free.  Also you will need them to remove the crown race and pop the new one on.  There are specialized tools for installing and removing headset and crown races.


Can a 11-speed derailleur be used with a 9-speed shifter? Can a 11-speed derailleur be used with a 9-speed shifter
I want to buy a 11-speed derailleur and have  a 9-speed shifter so will they work together or not?

With Shimano, no. The cable pulls are different. You might be able to futz with a JTek Shiftmate to get something working, but the cost would be way higher than just buying a 7-9 speed rear derailleur.


loose brake calipers I have some dia compa ac 500 brakes on an old road bike. While the calipers are installed on the bike, with everything tightened, I can move (rotate) the calipers side to side with my hand. I've already searched online and there seems to be a lot of different suggestions and opinions ranging from using loctite to the idea that the hole in the frame/fork is "compromised".

Here's a picture for reference (mine are not exactly identical):
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rFnXZUx3BwQ/TFH3HR5jIhI/AAAAAAAABpI/_VXBnW0Yhdw/s1600/DSCF0446.jpg

The calipers are held to the frame/fork with a metal rod with threads, a (capped) nut that gets screwed in in the "front", and a piece of metal that screws on to rod in the “rear”. Tightening that front nut only seems to add friction between the callipers. So, for example, when I release the brakes, the callipers do not return to their original position. Tightening that piece of metal in the rear seems to make it more difficult for the callipers to move (rotate). I’ve tightened these rear pieces as much as I could.

I have no idea if these brakes have been assembled correctly. One had 2 washers between that front nut and the calipers, the other one didn’t. Are washers even necessary? Regardless, both calipers rotate can be rotated like I described before.

How is this problem normally solved?

UPDATE:

I meant to describe some negative symptoms. Why is it a problem?

It's a problem because they get off center as you brake. You get one brake pad rubbing against the rim as you release the brakes. So in other words, they don't retract evenly. Ideally, I would want the brake calipers to be an even, fixed, distance from the rim (not loose).

I thought maybe it was an issue of friction. I disassembled one and greased it. I also put lube on the inside of the cable housing. This didn't help.

What might also be a problem is the length of the cable housing. In the front, the housing definitely causes the calipers to tend to one side.

It might also be an issue of unequal tension in the spring. I'm reluctant on bending it though.

As Daniel R Hicks pointed out; that style of brake caliper can be a pain to work with, however there are a few things that you can do:

Make sure that the calipers can rotate side to side, they're supposed to be able to do this.

This is intended to work as a self centering system.
Imagine the brake being set up off center(where one pad is much closer to the rim than the other). When you hit the brake one pad is going to the hit the rim first. In the case of the brake pivoting around the mounting bolt the other pad will be forced toward the rim. If the brake is fixed at the mounting bolt, then the frame will resist the force coming from the pad/rim interface, and you will essentially be braking with only one pad.
The mounting pivot usually consists of an acorn nut and locknut system. The locknut sets the appropriate pressure on the brake arms to eliminate play while allowing the system to loose enough to pivot smoothly.

Make sure all of the pivot points are smooth

Clean out the pivot points as best as you can and apply a little oil(chain lube works fine)
I wouldn't take the calipers apart, even if you know what you're doing, it's a pain and usually not worth it.

Finally, you can re-bend the springs to center the brake

This is best done with the Park Tool OBW-3
Bend the spring when the brake is mounted. Make small adjustments, and keep re-checking to see if the brake is centered. You want fatigue the spring as little as possible.
Be careful doing this! Old springs are usually oxidized and you can snap them when you re bend them. It is also possible to snap the washer that clamps down on the spring.


Sub-compact chainring sizes? I am looking for replacement chainrings for a mechanical, 2x Sram 11 speed drivetrain and was wondering if I can find chainrings anywhere that will fit the road bolt pattern of a standard crank but are smaller than 50/34 tooth size?

It's pretty easy to find 1x chainrings in smaller sizes for road and mountain, but Sram does not sell anything smaller than 50/34 for 2x sizes.

Does anybody make sub-compact chainrings in a size smaller than 50/34?

We shy away from specific product recommendations, but the question is a decent one and it's impossible to answer without mentioning specific products. So, here goes.

I assume that "standard crank" means 5-arm cranks with a 110mm bolt circle diameter (BCDs). Many manufacturers are moving towards 4-arm cranks with 110mm BCDs, but their chainrings may not be mutually compatible. (FYI, I believe Shimano started this trend with Dura Ace 9000.)

Not Many Options for "Standard" Compact Cranks

110mm chainrings are limited in their minimum size. For 110mm BCDs, 33 teeth is generally the smallest you can get. This is due to the physical limits of how small a circle can fit to that diameter. TA and Stronglight, both French companies, make various chainrings down to 33t. The links go to one retailer in the US who sells them. If you are in the US, I am not sure if Quality Bicycle Products, which is a major distributor for cycling goods, can get these specific rings. Wickwerks makes a 41/33t cyclocross chainring set for 110mm 5-arm cranksets, but this combination may not be good for general purposes. In any case, it illustrates the fact that you generally cannot get chainrings smaller than 33 teeth on a standard 110mm crankset. I believe this only produces a 3.0% change in gain ratio.

Some readers may think of the Praxis Zayante 110mm 5-arm crankset, which comes with 48/32 chainrings, and wonder if my statement above is correct. It is. Praxis' note on their chainrings says that the 48-32 set is only compatible with their own crankarms. I don't recall the specific reason, but they may have done some custom machining to the rings or the crank spider to enable it to fit a 32t chainring. I read this in one of their site's technical documents.

Absolute Black do appear to make chainrings with effective gearing of 48/32 for any standard 5-arm 110mm BCD crankset. The catch is that they are oval. Not all users may like them, and it is more difficult to set up your front derailleur. There are some claimed performance advantages for oval chainrings, and I believe Chris Froome used or still uses them. However, these claims aren't clearly backed by research.

If you just meant to change the outer ring, then your problem is much easier. Standard cyclocross double gearing is 46/36 teeth, with some riders opting for an outer ring smaller than 46. These should be easier to find. However, I suspect you are looking for easier gears. This would entail searching for road sub-compact cranksets, as detailed below.

Sub-Compact Cranksets

If you are willing to change the crankset and bottom bracket, your options expand. The Praxis Zayante crankset described above is one option. There are a few more outlined here, some of which have 46/30 chainrings. However, again, many of these options will require a new bottom bracket. I am not aware of any specific options compatible with SRAM GXP bottom brackets.

As you already ride SRAM, I'm compelled to mention that the SRAM DUB 12-speed cranksets have a 46/33t chainring option, but they are very expensive and I believe they require SRAM's own DUB chain.

You'll Need Other Options

Everything on a bicycle is a compromise. If you need lower gears, a wider range cassette is an option. However, it may require you to change your rear derailleur. Not all riders may like the gaps between cogs in group rides: you need to match the group's pace at a cadence you find acceptable, and you may find yourself wanting something between cogs. This may be less of an issue on solo rides. I believe SRAM shifters don't support triple cranksets, and you will need to revert to 10s Shimano or Campagnolo groupsets. Campagnolo's older Athena 11s groupset, released around 2010, had a triple version, and new old stock parts may be available from some retailers.


What are the differences between Tiagra and 105/Ultegra chainrings There is quite a big price difference between Tiagra and 105/Ultegra chainrings. Do the more expensive ones last longer? Is there difference between performance? Is the weight only relevant difference?

For what it's worth, all my current components are Tiagra (triple/10).

For most people, they're just a bit pricier. The weight difference is insignificant for almost everyone (excluding possibly serious racers).

As for durability, I'd expect its more of a function of maintenance rather than trim level. But I'd actually guess the "lower end" Tiagra part is probably a bit more durable since its probably got a bit more material on it.


modernizing shifters I want to replace my old lever shifters (Shimano 515) with something a bit more modern. Can I do this without replacing the front and rear derailleurs. And which shifter would be a simple, and or equivalent replacement.

Shimano never made a derailleur or shifter called "515", as far as I can tell. Perhaps you mean "SIS"? SIS stands (I think) for Shimano Integrated Shifting, which is indexed shifting.

The fact that you've only got five cogs in back suggests that you've got an old, low-end bike. You might find that upgrading your shifters will exceed the total value of the bike. I also don't know whether Shimano's low-end derailleurs are compatible with their brifters for indexed shifting. I'd take it by a bike shop and ask for an opinion.


How do we understand if caliper brakes can be installed on the frame? I have a hybrid bike and I am converting it to drop bars.

My problem is, as I am going to install STI's, I need to change brake system as well. I am using V brake types, how can I understand if I can install caliper brake or not?

1- V brake is mounted on holes on the frame, are caliper brakes' start-end distance(I mean the distance between those holes and the wheel touch point)  same with V brakes'?

2- Or, since my bike's frame is wider than a normal road bike(and using wider tires), is the distance between the mount holes OK or too wide?

This is the random v brake image http://bicycletutor.com/images/bike/v-brake-400x280.jpg I am asking about the horizontal and vertical distances here.

This is the most detailed image of my bike I can find http://www.sedabisiklet.com/images/products/3/622015171123_200.jpg, sorry I couldn't find any photos from behind or front, so I can't show you more details.

edit: Found some better pictures of my bike. Please check them.

back
http://i.imgur.com/Hj0ccPg.png
seems there is a hole like you mentioned. Not designed for mudguard (middle one, rear holes are for mudguards) I think

front
http://i.imgur.com/XccwDqP.png
there is a small hole there, under the cable

Caliper brakes attach differently to V brakes, they have one pivot bolt in the centre rather than one each side. In your first photo there's a bolt that is in the right place although it's there for a mudguard/fender not a brake:

A caliper brake actually needs a hole right through there, and has a long bolt that goes right through. On your bike there are two chainstays there, with a brake bridge across. The problem is that it might not be strong enough to take an effective brake, since it's probably designed just to hold a mudguard. It will look something like this:

At the front, your fork is probably drilled to take a caliper brake and that part will definitely be strong enough. If it's not drilled you can probably get away with drilling it.

One alternative is to use cable pull adapters, the most common model being "travel agent".

It's likely to be cheaper to sell that bike and buy another one that has drop bars, than to convert the bike you have. Even if you use second hand parts for most of it, the new extra parts you need will add up.


Suitable remedy for chain damaged by bike shop I've got a fairly old Dawes Discovery 301 (not sure of the year); earlier today I took it to a shop to have a replacement bottom bracket fitted. I rode it 2 miles home, and noticed a slight intermittent skipping feel and noise from the chain which hadn't been there previously. I didn't stop to investigate until I got home as both the noise and the feel seemed "minor" (learning point for me there). When I did, I found that one link on the chain had one side detached with the pin sticking partway out; the eyelet on the detached side is quite bent. I'd attach a photo but my camera has apparently stopped working. It's not an easy-open link or anything else fancy.

I'm concluding that the chain's been re-fitted badly. I plan on returning to the bike shop (not riding the bike!) and asking for a new chain to be fitted free of charge. I can clearly see the lettering on the links saying it's a KMC Z40, which I'm guessing is discontinued because I don't get any relevant-looking hits on a search. It's on a Shimano CS-HG30-81 cassette.

Questions:

1) Is my plan reasonable, or is it well-known for older chains not to re-attach well? I've measured the chain to look for lengthening due to wear (per http://www.bicyclinglife.com/HowTo/ChangeAChain.htm) and I believe it's at most 1/16th out at the 12-inch mark, so I'd say it's worn but not excessively so. The cassette doesn't "look" terribly worn either. I acquired the bike recently-ish from a relative so can't be sure about its previous use history, but I don't think it was massively punished.

2a) If 1) answers "yes", is there any specific type of chain I need to ask for? I ride on roads most days and on light off-road trails on occasional days.

2b) If 1) answers "no", please can you advise on an alternative strategy? I recognise this is subjective and calls for opinions, but I'd be interested to see what others think is reasonable in this situation.

I've used this shop before and always believed them to be reputable.

@Alexander is right, there is no need to break a chain when you replace a bottom bracket. So your hypothesis doesn't make complete sense, unless maybe they were doing other stuff to the bike?

So if you do take the bike back to the shop, odds are that that's their response.

I know if I got myself a new (second-hand) bike, I'd think about replacing the chain almost automatically. Same as something like brake pads. Just so you know where its come from, plus they're cheap enough its almost a no-brainer.

By the looks of that cassette its an 8-speed, so you just need an 8-speed chain (e.g. http://www.kmcchain.eu/?en/products/multiple_speed/8_speed_derailleur/). Really common, any bike shop will have one. If you decide to buy off the web and fit it yourself (easy enough, just need a chain tool, which is an invaluable tool to have in any case), actually KMC is a decent brand to go for anyway.