What is a good bike for college? I'm looking for a good bike for college. I need to be able to go across paved roads, brick roads, cut across grass- and possibly jump down 5-6 stairs.

This video is from the school I plan to attend:

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. My price range is $400-$600

Do I need a road bike? Dual sport? Mountain bike?

The most important thing for a college campus (and commuting in general in places where there are a lot of potentially not nice people) is to have a cheap bike and locking it properly - in particular, one that doesn't attract attention. Old and scuffed up bikes are best for this. I think an old mountain bike or flat bar hybrid (like a 80s/early 90s specialized hardrock/rockhopper or an old giant boulder is ideal) with a rack attached are pretty good options, along with some slick tires and lights and a helmet. The total for this should be around 210 dollars (lets say 150 for the bike + any work it needs done like derailleur adjustments, possibly new tires, etc., a helmet for 30 and lights for 30). Add 30 if you want a cheap rack, and another 40 or so for a decent lock (say, a Kryptonite evo mini, or if you're paranoid spend a bit more and get a Kryptonitefahgettiboutit). A U-lock is recommended - chain locks give you a bit more diversity for locking things, but they're too heavy to carry around for good ones (and most campuses which are bike friendly have plenty of places where you can ulock to). Fenders/mudguards may also be a decent investment for rain (though college students are a mess anyway, so I don't think it makes much difference). I don't think a road bike is necessarily a great idea given the short distances involved and the not necessarily useful geometry for commuting on most of them. However, if you do find one which you like, take it out for a spin and see how it does.

Ask around the community and see whats there for used bike shops and try to find a decent bike there - you'll also probably get some help on fit there as well. Jumping down stairs depends highly on the type of stairs, but it is too reckless behavior for most college campuses. If you are hitting a lot of bumps while commuting, a rigid bike with fat smooth tires or one with front suspension may be helpful (though, I think for 99.99% of commuters, rigid is the way to go). Stay away from full suspension (which you will only find on the Walmart level of bikes). Also, it is good to have non-quick release wheels + seat post.


How to ship a full suspension bike frame without the shock? I'm shipping a full suspension bike frame without a shock and I'm looking for a good way to ensure the seat post tube doesn't get banged up by the rear shock mount or triangle. In the past I have zip tied them together but this frame is in excellent condition and I'd prefer it to not get scratched up in transit. I have seen the plastic dummy bars, but I don't know what they're called and can't find one locally anyway. Does anyone have any suggestions for keeping the two halves stable in transit?

Besides all the other protection measures of wrapping and padding the bike's tubes, you can make a "fake shock" of wood. That is, measure the distance between the shock's eyelets, cut/saw a wooden "stick" from a board so that it fits inside the frame, drill two holes on its ends, and mount that stick instead of the shock. The same trick is used to place wooden blocks in frame's/fork's dropouts when the frame is transported without wheels so side side loads do not bend them.

The wood is an excellent material for the task, as it is firm and is easy to work on with almost any type of saw even by a person with little experience. Size tolerances can also be very wide — it won't make a difference if your fake shock is 5mm shorter/longer and ugly as hell.


Driveline Bottom Bracket I am thinking of replacing my Shimano Deore Bottom Bracket SM BB52 with a Driveline X Type instead.I want to know whether it is compatible to do so before I proceed.
Thanks,
Louis.

Googling for 'Driveline X Type bottom bracket' produces no useful results so it's impossible to provide direct guidance
Shimano Hollowtech II external MTB bottom brackets such SM BB52 as the are often described as "BB92" type, that is 24mm axle, ~92mm total width. (There are also Shimano press fit BBs that have these dimensions, and Shimano MTB cranks fit in either).
So, you need a Driveline BB that says it's compatible with BB92.


Can you identify this vintage MTB? I have quite a bit of experience with cycling in general mountain bikes especially. This bike got me stumped, it has a Titan racing stem, vintage Easton peregrine carbon str8 bars, Easton answer Manitou front shocks, headlock headset, deore LX groupset, and a seat post that has an "A" and a star and USA. The frame itself has a couple numbers under the bottom bracket but I haven't been able to come up with anything. Also on the under side of the down tube it has what appears to be an "easton" "E" stamped. Thanks for any insight!

My Google-Fu comes up with the 1991 Alpinestar Ti Mega.  It looks like they made an aluminum version as well. The tube shapes look to be about the same.  Might be a good starting point for you.


Does anyone still use the old Brooks-style saddles? About 30+ years ago I bought my first road bike.  It had an old (used) Brooks leather saddle on it, whose design probably dated back to 1900 AD.  To anyone who hasn't seen these,

they look like a they were inspired by horse saddles, but tinier.  The leather is rock hard, but once they get broken in are surprisingly comfortable.

Nowadays the saddles you see in shops are all high-tech, lightweight creations.  I had to search, but found some ads for Brooks on Amazon.  So:  does anyone use them?  Or are they outdated and anachronistic?

Yes, people still use them and swear by them.

I've seen them for sale in most of my local bike shops. The breaking-in thing (that they mold to your backside over time) is the big feature that everybody who uses one seems to love. They're very popular amongst the touring crowd, especially the B-17. Yesterday, I was volunteering at a huge road ride event and even saw some Brooks saddles on fancy new carbon bikes (though I think that was one with titanium rails).

Brooks' Website - where you can find out that the design dates to 1882 and that maybe part of why they seemed to somewhat go away and then resurge was that they were part of Raleigh and are on their own now...
Velo Orange's copies of Brooks saddles
Cardiff another company making copycat saddles


Crank removal tool broke. Before I buy another, what did I do wrong? In my (first) attempt to remove the crank arms from a bike, I broke the crank puller (Super B TB-6485). I applied more force than I was comfortable with, thinking the threads had perhaps rusted over time. When attaching the puller to the crank, I pulled back the driver a fair bit from the coupler, screwed in the coupler, tightened it lightly with a spanner, and then proceeded to turn the driver down as far as I could. I then applied as much pressure as I could, and I heard it snap. Uncoupled everything, and the two bits seen in images 1-3 fell to the ground.

What did I do wrong here? Can the tool be used without the parts that fell out? Should I have removed them beforehand? I'm honestly a little confused as to their function.

Thanks in advance. Images below.

You shouldn't use the little adapter that you can disassemble from the tool for a square taper crank. Check, but you should find that it has a larger diameter than fits through the square hole in the cranks. It is used for Octalink, ISIS etc cranks with a larger spindle.

What I think happened is you got a little way with the tool, then the adapter bottomed out against the crank itself (not the spindle). You were then effectively trying to pull the tool apart against itself, and succeeded.

You probably don't need to buy another. You should be able to use the disassembled puller to remove the crank, and the adapter should still work on suitable cranks, just not this crank or other square taper ones.


How to find a durable lock mount? I've had one Kryptonite D-lock for the last two years, and it's worked great. I typically don't ride with a pack, so I've used lock mounts (this kind) to keep it secured to the upright on my bike.

However, the lock mounts keep breaking from use after a few months: either the plastic shears off, the "lock-in-place" toggle gets stuck open, the strap breaks, or the tensioner screw's head snaps off some day when I'm trying to wrestle my lock out of the mount.

What kinds of lock mount exist that are durable? If none exists, how would you suggest rigging some mounting solution by hand?

I'm tired of buying new lock mounts, and don't like to lock around the frame of my bike: doing that over the long term has destroyed the paint on the bottom of my Y-brace and rattles around in my knees while I ride.

It's a little hipster-ish and affected, but tucked between your belt and your back/hip is actually the most secure & reliable U-lock carrying solution of which I am aware, and is actually much more comfortable than it sounds.  Just push the loop side down in between your belt loops, and the lock bar will prevent it falling through if you just cinch your belt up a little bit.  It's a quick and easy solution that won't wear out until your belt does.


What is the best technique for carrying a large box on my bike rack? FedEx has a large package for me, and it has me wondering--what's the best way to carry a large box on a bike with a rear rack?  What types of tie-downs, knots, etc should be used?

For context, this is a "regular" bike (not any kind of cargo bike) with a typical rear-rack.  The box is likely 12"x18"x28", and around 20 pounds and the ride is fairly short.  I'm looking for a simple solution that is primarily stable and secure; I can take a while to tie it on, and I can go slowly getting it home.

Most racks have a platform about 3"-4" wide and about 12" long.  Usually 20 pounds is well within the weight limits. This means that weight isn't an issue, but keeping the item steady is. Your package needs to be fairly stiff for this to have any hope of working, since the rack platform is so much smaller. A porteur-style large-platform front rack or a trailer would probably be better than a normal back-rack.

First recommendation: take a friend. This will be hard to attach with a kickstand holding up your bike (or the bike leaned up against something). It'll be easier if the bike is held straight upright and if you only have to wrestle one thing at a time.

I would place it so that it's low and is "wider" rather than "longer".  There seems to be a natural tendency to want to line up more with the rack, but in my experience that's actually less stable because so much hangs off of the back.

In other words, 12" as the "height", 18" as the length and 28" as the width.

It's likely that this is tall enough to bump into the seat, so it'll tend to be right behind the seat, which may mean you can't quite use all of the rack platform.

I would use compression straps or bungee cords, rops knots take too much technique and time to pull tight and if it's loose or can slip loose it will wobble too much. If it's straps you want something that has a buckling mechanism that you can pull tight and locks up well. If it's bungees you'll want to work out what the reasonably-stretched-out length is (usually about 50% more than the unstretched length).

Exactly how to hook things will depend greatly on the exact details of your rack construction, but there's always some way to hook things on.

Straps: 2 over 62" long, and 2 over 80" long. Likely that 6' and 9' are the lengths you can find.  Basically, long enough to go around the box front-to-back and side-to-side, with a little extra for going around some of the rack stuff and for pulling stuff tight.

Bungees: 2 with a reasonably stretched length of about 46" and 2 with a reasonably stretched length about 76".  (or combine bungees together).

Using the shorter straps or bungees, go from the front left of the rack to the back left of the rack with one, and front right to back right with the other. If the bungee is a little too long, try running through the rack and attach to the seat stay or something like that.  If you've done things right at this point, you should find that pressing on the far right or far left stretches the other bungee enough that there's a decent amount of resistance and the package snaps back.  It's important that these two be the same tension.

Then run straps or bungees left-to-right around the package at the front and back of the rack.  If the "front" is too close to the front of the package itself slide it back a little as appropriate, of course. It's okay if these two are a little different in tension.

Essentially, I'm suggesting you run one strap/bungee on the right side like this:

One strap/bungee on the left side like this:

One left-to-right around near the front of the rack like this:

And one left-to-right nearer the rear of the rack (no picture).

Believe it or not, just both front-to-back bungee runs or the frontmost left-to-right bungee run is quite secure already, because any attempts on the part of the package to twist out of alignment mean stretching the bungee further.  Combining both means it's also impossible for the package to slide out of the bungees.

I would avoid any diagonal strap/bungee runs, those will tend to pull the package twisted which is less stable.


What are the differences between Specialized Targa and Henge? Namely I am interested in such data:

length
the width of the nose
I couldn't find a picture of Targa from the side -- is Targa (looking from side) a flat saddle? (Henge is not)
is the shell flexible or rather rigid (don't confuse with padding) -- for example I would say Specialized Romin is super rigid

Probably the only differences I know are the weight, price and overall look. So if you know more important differences, please let me know.

Thank you in advance.

So, today I got both saddles, and I can answer my own question :-)

Those saddles are twins, you know already about the weight difference (Targa is heavier), and the only difference I found which was not in spec is flex of the shell. Henge is very stiff (the shell, not the padding), while Targa is rather flexible.

And while I am writing this, I rode Henge Test 143, it is very comfy for male organs (three of them), however because its wings don't flex down, it constantly gets in the way of moving thighs. 130 version might be the better though in this regard.


Diagnosing buzzing sound when riding over uneven terrain I've got an old steel-frame road bike which has started making a very unpleasant and worrying buzzing sound when riding over rough/uneven terrain (e.g. roads with lots of fissures/cracks, cobblestones etc.). I've tried

(lightly) whacking the metal fenders with my hand
(lightly) dropping the bike on each wheel individually as well as together
shaking the bike vigorously
and hitting/spinning the quill pedals

but I can't seem to reproduce the sound when not riding. What might it be? What steps can I take to diagnose this?

Stop riding it immediately!

Remove both wheels and feel the rims for cracks.  Tap lightly all the spokes looking for broken ones.  Check the wheel for trueness.  Grab pairs of spokes and give them a squeeze.  You're looking for damage.

If both wheels seem OK then wash the bike and look for cracks under a strong light.  Look all round both the chainstays and the seat stays.  Since the wheels are off, you can look at the inside of the stays.  Then examine the inside of the fork too.  Finally look over the main tubes.

If you find cracks, take photos and post them here.

If you find no cracks, reassemble and see if the noise has changed.  If you have access to rollers, or a quiet road, try and reproduce the noise.  Try variations like this:

Coast while standing on the pedals - does the noise increase/decrease?
Pedal while standing - does the noise increase/decrease?
Pedal backwards - does the noise increase/decrease?
Put more weight on the back wheel (ie, put your backside backward, and your belly on the saddle - does the noise increase/decrease?
Put your weight well forward (that is, crotch to stem, like a steep climb)  does the noise increase/decrease?
Lean the bike hard while riding - put the saddle or top tube against your inside knee.  Is there any difference leaning to the left vs the right?

Quiet street required because you're not completely focussed on the road around you.   Use your best judgement.

If you have a riding partner consider asking them to listen and examine your bike while riding slowly together.

A process of careful elimination might help isolate what area of the bike is the cause.


Difference in brakes and switcher cables? I want to change all the cables in my bike. My knowledge in bikes is limited. As i found there are cables for the brakes and cables for the shifters. My question is: are those cables all the same? i.e. if I want to change the shifters and brakes cables, should I only buy two quantities of breaks cables?

Because I found these http://www.fahrrad.de/fahrradteile/felgenbremsen-zubehoer/clarks-universal-bremszug-komplett-kit-vorne/337558.html and I wonder if I should order two quantities or one of this and some other kind of cables for the shifter.

p.s. do I need to buy a cable for each brake handle? Does that mean I need to buy 2 just for the brakes and also 2 for the shifters? Viz, 4 boxes of that in the website?

Standard brake cables are 1.6mm thick and have either a cylindrical end perpendicular to the cable for MTB-style levers, or an inline stepped-cylinder (like a pear) for road-style levers.

Standard gear cables are 1.2mm thick and have a smaller cylindrical end, inline (cable enters circular face).

By standard, I mean both Shimano and Campagnolo use these gauges and end-styles and I'm not aware of any other variety used by gear or brake levers in current popular use...


What are the securing rings on the disc brake pads pin called? I've misplaced mine, and noticed the other caliper doesn't have the other one.

How important are these? I mean, do pads fail or come loose at times, without these safety feature present?
Is it possible to find a replacement?
What other components have those?

This is the back of a Deore M-535 caliper, where the pin is marked at the places it should have been secured,

Usually it's called a Retaining-Ring, poodle-ring or a split-ring. They will look something like this.

Special pliers are made for their removal and installation, but I usually just use needle-nose pliers.

I'm not familiar with that particular model of caliper, but I do think replacing the ring is probably important. In a pinch, you can tightly wrap and twist a piece of wire in the groove usually occupied by the ring to hold you until you get the right part.

Your local bike shop may have spares specific to that part. You can also try your local hardware store. In the screws and bolts section the will usually have bins of split retaining rings because regardless of the application, when you remove one the "springiness" tends to make them fling off into the tall grass and get lost (at least whenever I do maintenance).


Will I have problems maintaining a bike from the UK in the US? I'm moving to the US from the UK and am considering taking my fairly average hybrid road bike with me. It's nothing special but I quite like it and the cost of taking it on a plane doesn't seem to be too much. However, I'm concerned I won't be able to buy new parts etc.

Are sizes for things like brake pads, chains, gear sets, etc. common between the two countries?

Edit: Sounds like this will be fine. As suggested though, I'll add it's a lower-end Specialized Sirrus.

If it's from one of the big brands (Trek, Specialized, Giant etc.) then you should be fine. Only difference between one bought in the UK and one in the US would be brakes mounted opposite way round (i.e. front brake operated by left lever rather than the right), and maybe paintjob!


Searching model number of Shimano shifting lever On my daughters bike, the cover of the revo shifting lever is broken. The specifications of the bike say the shifting lever is SL-RS35, but when I look at images in the net, these look completely different. I uploaded images of the levers to http://imgur.com/a/6ESp1 Maybe someone knows which model this could be?

SL-RS35 is correct, there are newer versions however, there are many you can replace it with. Shimano uses a 2 to 1 pull ratio for shifters, Sram uses a 1 to 1 except for their entry level MX lines.

In layman's terms you will be fine with just about any twist shifter made for 3x7 speed, Shimano Tourney or Revo twist, Sunrace, or Sram MRX Comp

Compatibility should not be an issue with these entry level parts. There are also several on Amazon but I personally like to support my local bike shop.

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AShimano%20Revoshift

Here are some compatible Sram MRX shifter for sale online
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Drehgriff-Set-SRAM-MRX-Grip-Shift-7-3-fach-/181693382982?hash=item2a4dc50146:g:DMMAAOSwGiRTqtpz

Located in Germany :)


Brake pad rubbing the rim I have a v-brake mounted on my bike.
I can feel some stopping from the pads. If i spin the wheel, it stops because of one of the pads rubbing.
I can't find a setting where one of the pads doesn't touch the rim.
When I put less tension, the pads don't touch the wheel, but in that setting, the tension is too low.
I have played with the pad positions.
I have played with brake tension.
I have even played with spring tension, in order to adjust the brake movement. Both arms move at the same time.

What can this be? Bent rim?

Your wheel is out of true, this happens under normal conditions as spokes stretch.

You're going to need a truing stand, some lubricant, and a a spoke wrench. (I've heard you can use zip-ties attached to each side of your wheel fork, facing inward, then cut to size, but I don't think this makes for very accurate measurements.) Most bike shops I've worked with will let you borrow their stand for a few minutes. If not, find a co-op or make new friends.

Put your wheel in the truing stand and start by lubricating each spoke nipple. Once lubricated, use the guides on the stand to determine where the wheel has been skewed to one side. Select a spoke at that site, opposite the side of the skew, and tighten the spoke to pull the wheel away from the truing stand guides. Also lightly tighten spokes that are next to this initial position (but still on the same side) to even the strain on your spokes.

A word on which way to tighten the spoke - remember that you are probably going to view the spoke nipple from across the wheel axle - therefore the directions to turn for tightening is reversed from normal. Also, it is preferable to tighten spokes rather than to loosen them, as the main cause of a wheel being out of true is/are a stretched spoke(s). Even so, be aware that spokes can occasionally be over-tightened, it may be better to loosen a spoke to compensate for a wheel pulling to that side. As  you tighten spokes, you will hear lots of popping/straining sounds of the metal. This is normal, and may continue for a few miles of riding after adjustment.

As you adjust areas of the wheel that are out of true, slowly tighten the guides on the truing stand to find the next area that needs adjustment. Also be aware of the differences between getting the wheel perfectly in true, as opposed to good enough in true. You can spend an hour truing a wheel, but it probably won't be much better than it was 10-15 minutes in.

Re-install you wheel on your bike and adjust your brakes as normal.


Before re-inserting a stuck seat post what should I do to the steel/alloy surfaces? After several days and great effort I've succeeded in removing a stuck seat post (alloy post in a steel frame). It's actually in a reusable condition.
Before trying to re-insert it, what should I do to the steel/alloy surfaces - apart from a proper layer of grease!
I need to lower the height of the seat.
e.g. Should I try abrasive materials to marginally diminish the diameter of the seat post?
Update...
Took the bike to a proper bikeshop and got the seat tube properly measured to confirm that the seatpost was the correct size.
That seatpost had been in the bike, fairly high up - for 30 years. The diagnosis was that the miles of usage had caused the seat tube to be fractionally compressed, causing the problem with the seatpost. I'm not convinced about this - surely it would require tension to cause a tube to get slightly narrower?
So I've ordered a 26.6mm post to replace the 26.8mm one.
The old seatpost:-

I would not advise reducing the seatpost, nor widening the frame's ID.   A close fit is a good thing for a seatpost.
Instead, clean the seatpost using your preferred solvent, and allow to dry.  If its not smooth, a very light buff with medium/fine sandpaper would help, but you're only taking off the bumps.
If the post has nicks or damage, then you may need to do some localised hand filing and then sand smooth.
As for the steel frame, it likely has iron oxide in the seat tube, AKA rust.  I would start by using a small ball of rag or a cotton ball on a stiff wire, to "paint" the inside using a rust reformer.  I personally use a Phosphoric-acid based product called "Rustbuster" but there are many other options.
Your aim here is to chemically inert the rust, and replace it with a more-stable oxide.    Do note this stuff will dull paint, so wipe up.  It will also dissolve your skin, so gloves, and use it outside, with eye protection.
I'd lay the bike on its side and work the inside of the tube.  Then flip the bike and do it again.  This should minimise chemical getting down onto the bottom bracket and bearings/races.  If you have a cartridge BB, this is much less of a problem.
Leave the product to cure as per label - mine takes anything from an hour to a day depending on how thick the rust is.  A bike tube will only have thin rust.
Then get a suitable 10mm or 3/8" wooden dowel, and cut a slot in the end.  Slip a piece of folded sandpaper in so that as you twirl the down in your seat tube, the abrasive rubs the inside.  Mount the other end in a drill chuck and "whiffle" the inside of the tube while moving the sandpaper back and forth.  It won't take much.  Then give the tube a clean with some air or tap it upside down to get all the dust out.
On refitting your seatpost, use grease or similar.  I have a copper/clay based product that works well, and repels water too.  You only need a thin layer, and only as far up the seatpost as will go in the frame.
Prevention Often I've found the reason for seatpost corrosion is water in the wrong place.  The two ways water gets there is either

Rain/road spray/fog/sweat/etc dribbles down the outside of seat post and wicks down inside the collar, and/or
The bike has a slotted hole in the rear of the seat tube for the clamp to compress.  This slot collects road-water thrown up by the back wheel, where again it wicks into the joint.  This is worse if your area uses salt on winter roads.

Mitigations could include fitting a rear mudguard/fender, reducing water ingress by adding grease to the area, or fitting a short piece of old inner tube over your seatpost and then down over the interface to the frame (once your saddle height is dialled-in of course.)


Can a 120mm fork be mounted on Specialized Myka? I have this fork available: RST Gila T8 (120mm travel option).

The 80mm XCT fork on a 2-year old Specialized Myka is getting worn.

I am considering installing the fork. Here it is explained that fork travel is not important. What is important is axle to crown length.

However, I am unable to find that information. What is the Gila Axle-to-Crown length? What is the maximum permitted for the Myka? Does it depend on the style of riding?

Most 120mm forks have a similar axle to crown height and it's more or less 40mm higher than the axle to crown height of typical 80mm fork. There are of course differences between models, but not really enough to matter.

Typically hard tail frames are designed around a range of fork sizes. 120mm would be long for an XC frame that came with an 80mm fork. I doubt the manufacturer would recommend this, however lot's of people do those kinds of swaps without significant issues. It is pushing the design limits of the frame, and if you're pushing the limits of what the bike can do, you may run into problems.

That big a change will affect the geometry and handling of the bike significantly. It will slacken the head angle, raise the front handlebars and also rotate the seat tube backwards. These are all great if you want to go downhill fast, they are all bad if you want to climb uphill fast. It will also lengthen the wheelbase and make the bike a bit more difficult to handle in tight corners at slow speeds.

Setting the longer fork at a lower sag value ( i.e. 25% vs the more typical 20% recommended for XC use ) will help limit some of the geometry changes.


How difficult is it to install internal seatpost drop cable housing in 2018 Specialized Epic Comp? My 2018 Specialized Epic Comp (Aluminum) has a 24 mm threaded bottom bracket.  If I remove the bottom bracket will I be able to route the cable housing down the down tube (there is an opening in the frame for a cable housing), around the top of the cavity where the bottom bracket was and up the seat tube?

Or will there be some sort of tube or housing where the BB was that will still prevent me from routing the cable housing up the seat tube?

I've never run a cable this way, but I would imagine that it depends on the bottom bracket. (You already know that, which is why you're asking!)

Here's a quick look at a bunch of different models of cartridge style bottom brackets from Google Images:

From this quick look, we can see that there is a differential between the internal diameter of the bottom bracket shell (into which you screw the ends of the bottom bracket) and the diameter of the bottom bracket cartridge's "waist". For some bottom brackets, like the third and fourth ones in the second row (Velo Orange and RPM respectively), that diff is pretty small, so there won't be a lot of room between the cartridge and the frame. For the top left and top right ones (Sugino 75 and Shimano UN55) there appears to be more room. Whether it would be enough to run cable housing without putting too much pressure on it, I can't say - again, it would depend on your particular bottom bracket.

If you were able to replace the bottom bracket with the old cup-and-cone style, there'd almost definitely be room, but I can't imagine it'd be easy to find one that fit your particular bike :)

If this is your bike, I found an instruction manual that will help. One of the instructions says to "Work the housing over the bottom bracket shell and up the seat tube until it exits at the top of the seat tube", which indicates that yes, your particular bottom bracket should accommodate this cable run. Note that according to those instructions, you run the cable itself first and then to run the housing over it, which is a bit counterintuitive but it makes sense once you absorb the whole process.


How to install safety levers So I have an old super le tour and I want to install a set of safety levers on it (trying to bring back the original look) I cannot find an guide online so does anyone know how to install them?
Dia compe brakes.

"Safety levers" are more commonly called "suicide levers" -- they are hazardous to use and make the operation of the regular brake levers more problematic.

A better choice, if you feel you need something along these lines, are "interrupter levers", also called "in-line brake levers" and "cross levers".

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/in-line-brake-levers


Replace bottom tubes of Marzocchi fork with rigid tubes? I have a KHS Montaña Comp mountain bike with 26" wheels. It has a Marzocchi fork that is completely shot, both left and right side of the fork.

They hold no air, even spews oil and air if I move the suspension with my hand.

I looked up youtube videos about refurbishing, but in the videos, the top has a hex-nut that lets you take out the valve, but mine do not have that. I'm afraid that refurbishing this model Marzocchi is beyond amateur mechanic level? Professional refurbishing is probably expensive?

Since I use the bike for street riding, I want to replace it with a rigid fork. And I wonder if I can just replace the two bottom legs from a springed tube to a simple rigid tube that holds my wheel?

That way, I don't have to take off the entire fork assembly.

Or do I have to completely remove the whole thing, where it attaches to the steering and the frame?

I think the Marzocchi fork is an after-market part, I bought the bike used, and I don't think this bike came with one from the factory.

They look pretty hi-tech though, they have some dials at the bottom going 1-2-3-4 which the Marzocchi forks I see online do not have. Not sure what they are for, damping or stiffness setting?

Oh, and the bike has a rim-brake, which I guess complicates the whole matter even more, as not all forks support that?

UPDATE: I measured the Stanchions to be 24mm, and it appears that the model is Marzocchi XC500.

It wouldn't be a "simple rigid tube", because it would have to include dropouts and brake mounts. And it would also have to fit into the existing fork's crown. Where would you get such a thing? I don't think Marzocchi, or any other manufacturer, makes it. If you're handy with a welder, you could fabricate it yourself - but at that point, you might as well just make a whole new fork.

Just replace the fork. It's not difficult. Make sure that the crown-to-axle distance is similar to what you had before, otherwise it may screw up the handling.


Gearing on drivetrains I am running a tiagra compact 50/34t front with a sora 12/32t rear,

I am still finding the long steep hills a problem, is there a alternative available without going tripple. IE lower front chain rings.

Your only alternative is to get a crankset with a different BCD (bolt circle diameter). You have a 110mm bcd, and while it is possible to use a 33t gear on
the front, it won't help much and they are difficult and expensive to find.

IMHO, if 34/32 is not low enough, then by far the most straightforward thing to do is go to a triple.

However, that is not your only choice. You could try using various 2x cranks from the MTB world. The problem there is the large ring size is limited and getting the
shifting working correctly can be tricky. 42/28 is probably the best you can do, although with some searching you might be able to get a big ring up to 48t. Shifting that big a gap will also present problems.

There are these cranks which offer a compromise btw Road and MTB doubles.

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/components/cranksets/grand-cru-50-4bcd-crankset-mkii.html

They have a 50.4 BCD and can use chainrings from 28t to 62t. The problem is they don't shift quite as smoothly as more modern chain rings with ramps.

Middleburn also makes some double cranks with BCD smaller than 110,

http://www.middleburn.co.uk/products/cranks/road-touring-cyclo-x

Surly's Mr Whirly cranksets also come with "spiders" that could be used to
create a smaller crankset up front.

http://surlybikes.com/parts/drivetrain/mr_whirly_crank

Lastly, you could consider expanding the gearing out back. There are Mountain Cassettes that go up to 42t these days. You'd likely need a new rear derailleur, I'm not sure about the shifting.

http://www.pricepoint.com/Brand/Wolf-Tooth/Wolf-Tooth-42T-GC-Cog-for-Shimano.axd?gclid=COvqhoaY9cACFcRbfgodLz0AwQ

All in all, going to a triple is by far the simplest and will actually get the gears you need. All any of these solutions provide is at best 2 more lower gears.

I highly recommend switching to a 110/74 triple with something like a 24/36/48.
If you do get a "road" triple with the standard 30/42/53 gearing, swap the inner 30 for a 26t.


Decoding internal gear specs I am looking at a bike which describes the gears as:

  3 speed internal geared hub, 42t front and 16t rear gearing.

What does the latter spec (42t/16t) describe?

You have to have a chainring in the front attached to the crank and a cog on the back attached to the internal gear hub to use an internal gear hub (IGH) (and the chain goes between the chainring and cog, as on a usual single speed bike).

An IGH drivetrain installation looks like this:

(Looks just like a single speed from the outside with a 42t in the front and 16t in the back in the case of the bike you're looking at).

In this case, the chainring is 42t and the cog in the back attached to the internal gear hub is 16t. This choice of chainring and cog determines the gearing achievable by the internal gear hub. Roughly speaking, when in the middle of the 3 speeds, your gearing will be determined by the 42/16 combination. Then, the low will drop it around 25% from that while the high will increase it around 33% from that (typically; the numbers may vary for your particular model).

I'd recommend looking at this page by Sheldon for more details on how IGH's work and related things.


PF30 cup came out of frame, can it be pressed back in or should it be replaced? I have a carbon bike frame with a PF30 bottom bracket. The bottom bracket suffers from creaking when applying high pedaling forces (high for me that is).

I removed the crank to check the state of the bearings, and to see if the crank axle has been under-rotating in the inner bearing races. As usual the crank needed to be tapped out of the bearings with a soft-faced hammer. Unfortunately, the axle stuck in the drive side bearing and the plastic PF30 bearing cup and bearing came out of the frame.

Obviously the force was applied to the inner race, but I was not tapping the axle very hard, so I don't think the bearing was damaged.

Can I press the cup back into the frame, perhaps using some retaining compound, or should I replace the cups (which will mean replacing the bearings I believe)? My concern is that the plastic cup has been deformed by being extracted and is now undersized.

Once you get the bearing and cup off the spindle, you can assess the state of the bearings a little. Turn them with your fingers while pushing hard in both the radial and lateral directions. This kind of test isn't perfect because the loads applied in use are so much higher, but sometimes it can reveal notchiness or roughness that lets you know you'd be better off replacing them.

Unfortunately, between the creak and the ejection of the cup, it's likely that the bore on the frame is either oversize, roundness-challenged, or both. You could check it with calipers if you want. Any such issues can have an adverse effect on bearing life, as the creak indicates the cup is moving a little which in turn means the bearing alignment won't be ideal. If there's no or minimal wear or roughness detectable, on a personal bike I think it's fine to just re-use it and see what life one can get out of it. While it's convenient I would lift the bearing seal and degrease and re-lubricate it, but that's optional. One nice thing about doing that is once you get it clean and re-check how it feels, you can get a better read on whether any roughness or notchiness was caused by contamination versus damage to the races.

On the other hand, it wouldn't take much perceptible wear for me to just replace it while it's out.

Retaining compound is a good idea and hopefully it will eliminate the creak.


How do you protect the underside of your brooks leather saddle? I'm new to leather saddles and I'm working on breaking mine in. I'm using a Brooks B17 Narrow.  I use clip on fenders with my bike when the weather is bad. However, sometimes I get caught in the rain, or hit puddles on otherwise dry days.   I know that I need to apply proofide to the top of the saddle to protect and condition it, but I'm not sure what to do about the underside.

What strategies are recommended for protecting the underside of your leather saddle?

Would applying proofide to the bottom be appropriate to help protect it? Other suggestions?

Brooks recommends applying a layer of proofide to the bottom of the saddle. However, you should not wipe this layer off after it sets. Just leave it on, and it will protect the underside.

Personally, I also recommend fenders for a bike that you plan to use frequently in the rain. This will also drastically reduce the amount of water that splashes up into the underside of your saddle. However, only a "permanent" full-size fender will really provide this protection — removable ones don't protect the seat tube, and the spray from water hitting that is the primary source of the water that gets under the saddle.


How close do I have to be for effective drafting (while commuting)? I commute and want to draft another bike, but still have room to stop when someone opens a car door in front of the rider in front of me. At what distance does drafting significantly reduce drag? Are there factors other than following distance that influence drafting efficacy (wind direction, etc)?

This is not a question about whether the drafting while riding through urban environments is a good or bad idea. I know that it is probably a bad idea.

My opinion:

I don't believe you can effectively draft and have enough time to stop.  I don't know the exact aerodynamics (and I suspect it's affected by speed and wind), but if you watch any paceline or peleton, they're never more than a couple feet (about half a meter) behind the rider in front, often only a few inches (centimeters) behind. With a crosswind or larger groupings, they're even likely to have wheel overlap (where the front part of the front wheel of the following cyclist is next to the rear part of the rear wheel of the lead cyclist).

You can really only draft safely with the cooperation of the lead cyclist, who needs to signal back to you before starting to stop.

Do the math:

Let's put it another way:

If you're going 15 miles/hour (25 km/hour)
That's also 22 feet/second (6.9 m/second)
And if you're following 3 feet behind (1 meter) (a bit far for drafting)
You have 0.136 seconds (0.145 if you take the metric rounding version) to react to something that causes the lead bike to need to brake suddenly to avoid colliding.
If you're 2 feet (2/3rds of a meter), you have less than a tenth of a second.  If you're 2 feet and 20mph (32 km/hour) you have about 1/14th of a second to react.

Less than a sixth of a second to figure out that the lead bike is braking and to start braking, and that's assuming your brakes are as good or better than the lead bike's brakes.  If the lead bike has slightly better brakes (or wider tires, or grippier tires, or even just pulls the brake levers a bit harder than you do), you may simply have no reaction time available and a collision will be unavoidable.

In other words: you definitely can only safely draft with the full cooperation of an experienced lead cyclist who won't brake unless they've warned you or being rear-ended by you is better than whatever they're about to run into.  If you were going to go by hazards, they'd need to warn you about upcoming hazards and you'd need to pull back to 10 feet (3 meters) or more.

Avoid the door zone

Additionally, you should simply stay entirely out of the door zone so that opening car doors aren't much of an issue.  It's not unheard of for car doors to open very fast with no warning, so that nobody has enough time to avoid hitting the suddenly opened car door. I haven't checked the laws of every single state in the US (and definitely not outside the US), but in general the area that parked car doors can open into (the door zone) constitutes a hazard that you're not required to ride through.  When a bike lane is in the door zone I'll either ride the line on the left of the lane (if that's outside the door zone), or simply ride in the right wheel track of the car lane next to the bike lane.


What kind of portable pump should I carry when riding on a fat bike? However, I just got a fat bike with 4.5in tires. I know that my portable hand pump takes a long time to pump mountain bike tires due to it being optimized for high pressure / low volume.  What type of portable pump should I carry in my toolkit when riding on the fat bike for emergency repairs and adjusting air pressure out on the trails away from the car or home?

I have/do carry an Lezyne Allow Drive pump.  I have spent a lot of time pumping fat tires in really cold temperatures and although it's not as quick, it's compact and packs well.  That Lezyne floor version doesn't look too bad, but it is still a bit big to pack for my tastes.  It looks like they have a specific HV hand pump out that is designed like their others.

I would recommend against ANY pump with ANY plastic parts if you ever intend to ride in cold weather.  I have seen far to many pumps (like the Mountain Morph) that have plastic parts get brittle in the cold and snap.  Being able to pump up a tire in two minutes less doesn't mean anything if the pump breaks.  I would only ever recommend pumps for cold weather that have a non-plastic screw on attachment and no plastic structural parts.


Motorists misjudge bicycle speed This question is probably a little too location-specific but I hope it attracts some good answers
Okay, here we go...
Most cities in India do not have dedicated paths/lanes for bicycles
We are expected to ride our bikes on the roads sharing space with a variety of vehicles
(Except for expressways, where two-wheeled/three-wheeled vehicles are prohibited anyway)

In my experience, most motorists are pretty good at estimating my speed when I cruise under 25 kmph
But I often cruise at 35 kmph, occasionally touching 40 kmph for short distances

Some motorists, especially people riding motorbikes, cut me off quite close when they overtake me from behind
Sometimes, motorists attempt to overtake me and realize that I am moving at only a slightly lesser speed than them, after driving in parallel with me for several metres

This is even more common on roads which are 2-lane undivided carriageways

The other scenario equally common is oncoming traffic, where one vehicle is trying to overtake another assuming they can finish the maneuver before they cross me

I solve this problem by occupying the entire lane and slowing down as necessary
The difference is that both the oncoming traffic and i can see each other and we can make each other aware of our intentions

The question is how can I warn the drivers intending to overtake me, that I am moving at faster speeds than an average commuter?

It is interesting to note that I get more attention and consequently more space when riding with a helmet and bright coloured t-shirts on weekends but not when I am riding with normal work clothes

PS: I finally decided to post this question after increased vehicular traffic in my area made these kind of encounters almost a daily affair
Please feel free to edit/comment for clarification

That's a hard question to answer because there is no real official way to solve this issue, and it's often up to the driver to estimate your speed, you can't really do anything about this.

One way to show motorists how fast you're going would be to highlight part of your bike like the wheels or the pedals, to actually highlight how fast they are spinning. Fast spinning wheels and pedals make you thing "This guy goes fast".

To do so you could try to wear yellow overshoes (I don't know if you can find these in India, we have these in France), and your feet will instantly pop out. You can also just put reflectors on your pedals or install colored pedals, but it's harder to notice.

For the wheels, you can also try to put reflectors on the spokes so that it gives it a reference point that people will see spinning. Some people just put stickers on the spokes though.

Finally, as you mentionned your gear can induce the fact you're going. If you look "legit" with a helmet and proper cycling gear, people will unconsciously admit the fact you are going fast. Wearing bright clothes will also help you being noticed by drivers.


Replacing bolt and nut I want to change my bolt because it is rusty.  I am concerned that something bad will happen if I remove the bolt completely.

Can someone please tell me if it is okay to remove this bolt completely?

There are three bolts in the picture and all are rusty.

Your quick answer would be helpful to me.

From the picture that seems to be the brake lever clamp. The bolt can be removed, cleaned or replaced and reinstalled with no problems.

Make sure to note the position of the lever in case it moves or falls off when the bolt is removed. You can then position it properly when you re-install the bolt.


How to pour tubeless sealant without removable core valves I have an Ultegra UST wheelset and tubeless tyres on them. After suffering some punctures I decided to run them with a tubeless sealant. The problem is that the sealant's manual instructs you to remove the valve cores and pour the liquid through the hole but my rims came with standard integrated valves. I ended up removing part of the tyre off the rim and pouring the liquid through the slit and then quickly using the pump to seat the tyre back in the rim. However, for some reason this is apparently not quick enough as it results in some considerable amount of the liquid spilling out.

Is there any weird trick to doing it effectively? Note that "buy different valves" is not going to be considered an acceptable answer (even though I may consider upgrading eventually.)

Pulling the tire from the rim is the easiest way.

If you want to avoid spilling any sealant, have a friend or stand hold the wheel off the ground so the tire can keep its shape.

I've seen people use a needle & syringe on the internet somewhere, but that doesn't strike me as the best idea. I like my tires sans holes to start with.


Has bicycle gearing become 'easier' over the last few decades? If you look at a 10-12 speed bicycle from the days before indexed gears you have a 27"/700c wheel with a 42/52 chainset and a 14-28 freewheel. At the time such a setup was standard for High Street bicycles.

Nowadays your affordable bicycle has 24-30 speeds. Typically you get a 26" or 700c wheel with a 44/32/22 triple chainset and 8-10 gears on the back with a range going from 13 to 32. Put it into the smallest gear and pedal at a reasonable cadence and you get to travel at slower than walking speed. Push it into the big gear and you are a long way short of the 52/14 gear of granddad's bike.

Clearly technology has advanced and you can have lots more gears across a bigger range. However, has there been a trend with affordable 'High Street' bikes towards lower and lower gears?

Have we collectively learned to pedal quicker?

Have market forces resulted in 'easier' gearing?

I think gearing has become more "complex" over the last few decades, but I wouldn't say its become "easier." Material weight of the frame and parts have gone down on affordable bikes, which translates directly into a lighter bike under the average rider. Also, There are a number of people who believe that a higher cadence isn't a bad thing:

http://coachlevi.com/cycling/high-vs-low-cadence-pedaling-speed/

Also, most mid-level road bikes have a large cog of 52/53 and the rear cassette will go down to 12. so thats pretty close to your granddad's ratio!


Does it harm if my bike to leave it in a workstand for 2 weeks? If my Process 153 hangs like this in a workstand for two weeks does it cause any kind of harm?


What is the benefit of a larger disc rotor? What real benefit does having a larger rotor give to braking performance?

Additionally is my assumption correct that you callipers don't actually change in size, just the rotor and the adapter need to be be changed?

And for the bonus point while I'm here, what benefit does moving to a 4 pot system give over a standard (2 piston) calliper?

Simply put a bigger rotor provided better braking, and a four pot caliper provides better braking - better meaning more, and more control (Everything else being equal).

For the same force between the disc and pads, a bigger rotor generates more torque on the wheel - i.e. more stopping force. It is running though the pads faster, generating more friction for the same pressure, more stopping power, and as it has bigger surface area, is dissipating more of the generated heat, meaning the disc and pads run colder. So, for the same caliper and brake pad, a bigger rotor generates more braking for the same pressure or the same amount of braking for less pressure.

The disadvantage of a bigger rotor is weight and as its larger, more prone to warping and distortion.

This applies to all disc brakes from bicycles to aircraft......

For a bicycle, there comes a time where you have "enough", and quickly get to "too much" - with high quality equipment its a surprisingly small disk for most people. Big disks a more prone to warping and damage, which is a good reason not install them unless you need to.

Heat buildup is not normally a problem but low end pads can suffer fad. Small rotors don't typically over heat on bikes (Tandems and loaded tourers might manage it). The main advantage is more breaking for less pressure - so you get more control and feel, and your braking hand tires less (If you have ever done a 1000ft vertical descent in technical tracks on crap brakes you know the feeling)

A 4 pot caliper provides advantages of more and more even pressure, meaning better braking. Also as there are usually larger pads - more heat dissipation can be achieved.

Note: A 29'er would usually need a bigger disc than a 26" wheel for the same stopping power.

Don't forget the pad and disk material - these can make a bigger difference than size, but its not as visible. Do not go to big discs and 4 pots unless you are already at the higher end of the quality spectrum.

Edit: I recently saw some discussion regard discs on road bikes, and some basic physics indicate over heating is a major problem with hydraulic disc brakes and descending large heights (100's of meters vertical) causing the fluid to boil. Extra cooling from a larger rotor would help, but is likely to be just a small part of the answer.


Bike build recommendation Im planning to build a gravel bike and I already have the following:

Flared Drop bar
Tiagra STI R7000
10S Deore M4100 Sprocket 11-42
700c Rims
Marin Alps Series Frame

What other components should I buy so that it wouldnt have any problem if I put it in all to my frame?
Im stuck with what RD and Hub should I buy so that it will be compatible to what I already have.
Thank you for your answers!

The Deore M4100 cassette is a 10-speed cassette. It goes to any Shimano splined freehub body but you need an additional 1.85mm spacer if the freehub body is intended for road 11-speed cassettes (MTB 11-speed does not require the spacer). You choose the type of hub based on the frame, for example:

130mm over locknut diameter quick release hub
135mm over locknut diameter quick release hub
142mm M12 thru-axle

Shimano makes many good hubs for all attachments, for both rim and disc brakes. Select the spoke hole count to match your rims. Since you already have the STI shifters, you no longer have the choice of selecting either rim or disc brakes, you must use what you already have. For the front, you have a choice between hub dynamo or no hub dynamo; as a user of a hub dynamo I can heavily recommend it.
Are your shifters R7000 (meaning they'd be 105) or Tiagra (meaning they'd probably be 4700)? R7000 shifters are 11 speeds so not compatible with a 10-speed cassette so you have to change either the cassette or the shifters; changing the cassette is cheaper. 4700 is compatible with a 10-speed cassette but requires a rear derailleur intended for the standard 11-speed cable pull ratio. So I suspect the rear derailleur should use the Shimano road 11-speed pull ratio.


Is there a significant difference between the new all-mountain/trail and classic cross country helmets? There is a new niche of "all mountain" helmets, like Fox Flux, POC Trabec, 661 Recon etc. They feature closed, rounded backward design, and claim to protect the brainstem better. I ride all-mountain technical singletracks with a little of drops and lots of rockgardens, should I invest in a new AM helmet, or there is a minor difference between them and the common XC design?

I would look for evidential based information regarding brain stem injuries these helmets could/would have prevented, preferably published in medical journals, that a standard helmet would not. I think you find it fairly thin on the ground.
(If anyone has such evidence, I am happy to retract this answer)

The reason I say this is if you look at a typical/older style helmet, the rear extends a long way back. To suffer a brain stem injury that these new fandangled shapes would prevent, you would need to a hard hit from a protruding rock (or similar), that wedged under the typical helmet. I cannot easily visualize the mechanics of a bike fall that these helmets would protect you against that a normal helmet does not.

A falls that do happen and none of these helmet designs protect against -  face plant - need a full face. Stick through the ear - full face again.

One I have seen a photo of is a stick through the eyeball - Helmet didn't help....

Give the limited protection either style of helmet offers for side and facial injury, my guess is they a not much more than a marketing gimmick. Would I buy one - yes, if the premium was not high and it fitted me at least as well as another style, but I would not upgrade an otherwise good helmet for one.

However, I am also not inclined to bow to peer pressure and buy things because they are cool......

Edit:
I might have to retract this answer, after reading this report on a coroners inquest into a cycling death......

  The man who found her said her helmet had been pushed to the back of her head and damaged. The chin strap was across her mouth.
  Holmes said he had bought the "top of the line" cycle helmet overseas for more than $200.
  Forensic pathologist Martin Sage said conventional cycling helmets provided little protection from impact to the rear of the head.


Brake oil came out of the piston of my Tektro hdc 300 and the brake is not functioning. What to do? One day, I tried to disassemble my hydraulic braking system (Tektro HDC 300) having a goal of dipping the brake pads in alcohol. Well, I had somehow managed to separate the pads and the spring like metal object. But at one stage, after I squeezed the brake lever for a couple of times, one of the two pistons came out and all the oil got spilled... now my brake doesn't work at all. How can I fix it?

It can be noted that I feel no resistance while pressing brake lever? Is this normal under this circumstance? Will I have to change the whole brake set, or will just refilling with oil be enough?

If you are going to do it yourself - you will need a hydraulic brake bleed kit.
You basically need to replenish the fluid in the hydraulic system.
This will either be mineral oil or Dot brake fluid.
Check with your brake manufacturer which it is.

There is a technique and procedure to bleeding brakes as well. Weigh up the cost of doing it yourself - or just paying an experienced cycle mechanic to do it. Its a fairly standard job and shouldn't take long at all - especially if it is only one brake.
Most hydraulic brakes are maintenance free - in that the system is sealed and air does not get into the system.

Unfortunately, you found to your cost - by removing the pads and pressing the levers - you popped the pistons out of their seating (and seals) which leaked all the fluid from the system. A tip would have been to wedge something between the pistons of the padless caliper - in case you accidentally knocked or pulled the brake lever.


Which dual-platform clipless pedals allow for the least amount of movement between the pedal and sneaker I am trying to decide between the A530 or PD-M324.  I am interested in hearing from folks who have used both.  Weight isn't the most important factor in my decision, so I would go with whichever model is grippier.  If they're more or less equal in that department, I would be inclined to go with the A530 since it's a bit lighter.  I wear flat-soled sneakers most frequently.

I've looked at this thread, which provides suggestions on how to improve the grippyness of the A530 (leading me to believe that they are somewhat slippery):

How do I make the platform side of a Shimano PD-A530 multi-purpose SPD pedal less "slippery"?

I have a Set of PD-M324's in my box of bits. Plenty grippy, to the point unless you are extreme down-hilling or free riding I doubt you need better. I have double sided caged SPD's with a cage similar to the look of the A530, also in my box of bits - no where near grippy enough, especially when wet. They are good for MTBing when you are unclipped alot - when learning SPDs or technical ground and lack of confidence, but now I am riding less technical XC I do not need them.

Its not possible to make a grippy pedal that also has an SPD - how would you rotate to  release the clip?  Single sided pedals are a great idea that does not work very well most of the time for most people. Inevitably the side you want is facing down when you put your foot on the pedal. You cannot be certain, without looking, which way it is, so you cannot rely on the pedal when you need it quickly. They are OK for casual riders and might work acceptably for roadies who are not stopping a lot for traffic, but for me, and others I have spoken to who have tried them, they are just frustrating.

I now always ride with my SPD's. If I was to start riding sneakers/street shoes, I would go to a caged SPD, and wear the slippages, but those rides would be down to the local store with the family. If you are not prepared to wear the slippages, go to proper platforms and discard the SPD's altogether, or swap pedals when you want to change styles.

How badly do you want SPD's? Have you considered getting some SPD compatable sneakers/street shoes?

If you do go ahead with the single sided pedals, I recommend the PD-M324, but consider something like the M647 (Clips both sides with cages).


Are pedal overlap bikes normal? I received a GMC Denali road bike today, and it doesn't look like the pictures displayed online.

The problem is that the front tire overlaps pedal, and I found it very dangerous.

So my question is, is this normal? Or should I get a refund?

The fork is fitted the wrong way around. The brake caliper should be in front of the fork, not behind it. The way it is, the bike will be very, very hard to ride because of the negative rake, making it very nervous. The negative rake is also the reason for the pedal overlap. Normally, you should at most get some toe overlap.

Loosen the bolt in the top of the stem, turn the fork around 180 degrees (it will only go clockwise because of the brake cable to the front brake) and tighten the bolt when the stem and wheel are aligned.

Thanks to @MichaelT, here's a picture of how the fork is supposed to look like:


Slight wobble/"drift" in chain due to crankset? A few months ago I replaced the bottom bracket on my 2002 Fuji Finest. After reassembly I noticed the chain "wobbles" slightly when pedaling. You can see in this video the chain drifts toward the outer edge of the derailleur during rotation.

I assumed the issue is caused by one of two things: 1) the BB; 2) the crank.

Here is what I've attempted so far:

I had another, new BB available. Thought maybe Bracket A was wonky. Both are Shimano square taper brackets new out of the box. I replaced bracket A with bracket B, reattached the arm. Still wobbles.
I had a spare, new crankset available out of the box. Thought maybe Crank A was bent. I tried Cranks A and B on both brackets A and B (so combinations of AA AB BB BA). Still wobbles.
I reseated both cranks on the BBs. The bolts are on tight and the crank itself feels solid. Still wobbles.

At this point I'm a bit stymied. I accept that the bike is rather old, and the bike still functions just fine (I've put a few hundred miles on it since the BB replacement). My main concern is the wobble may get worse if not addressed now.

Any thoughts on this? I appreciate the insight of the more technically adept!

The amount of wobble shown in the video is fairly typical, for better or for worse, which is not to say it's a good thing or that the FD adjustment can necessarily be free of rub in all combinations and under variable load with it. You don't have to worry about this getting worse if you leave it alone.

For what it's worth, you can multiply your "AA AB BB BA" set by four, because the rotational position that a crank is mounted on a spindle determines how bad the total wobble is, and making things truly as close to perfect as obtainable requires you to test all of them. I don't recommend actually doing this in most cases, but it is true that one position will be the best, possibly to an extent that matters.

The nature of runout in a square BB spindle is that the mounting orientation 180 degrees different will distort the chainring the same amount the other direction, meaning that one orientation's error might stack with any imprecision in the crank in a way that maximizes the effect, but mount it the opposite way and the two could cancel each other out and look great.

For cranks with rings mounted on different sets of bolt holes, i.e. most triples but not most doubles, you can observe whether all the rings are moving in unison to draw inferences about whether a given bit of distortion is coming from the spindle or the crank. And of course, even on a double, you can compare what's happening between the two rings to infer whether you're looking at error in the spider tabs or the rings themselves.

Spider tabs can also be trued. Before doing so it's important to do some kind of testing or measuring to make sure it's not the BB or chainrings that are causing your problems.


Are Shimano 105 R7000 STI levers compatible with the older R5800 deraillers? My bike currently has Shimano 105 5800 components (shifters, rim brakes, derailleurs), and I've recently discovered that both my shifters are wearing out.

The derailleurs seem to be in good shape, though.  I'd like to just upgrade the shifters to the newer R7000. Will they work with the older derailleurs and rim brakes?

Short and easy answer - yes.

Shimano compatibility charts show ST-R7000 shifters are compatible with FD-5800 front derailleur and RD-5800 rear derailleur. All Shimano road rim caliper brakes are compatible with each other.

http://productinfo.shimano.com/#/com/3.7?cid=C-453&acid=C-455


Posture on mountain bike long term I have been looking at sizing guides because I'm contemplating ordering a new bike and found out that I'm the totally wrong size for the bike I actually have.

I'm normal proportions and 5 foot 7, but according to the guide here

I should be 6 foot 2.

My issue is that my current bike feels very comfortable to me even though I can't stand flat footed if I stop the bike (just tried it now, I can only just put both feet on the ground at full stretch tip toes, it's a 29 inch wheel mountain bike if that makes any difference. Normally when I stop I just get off the seat and rest on one leg with the other foot on it's pedal. I have tried riding my wife's one which is a 26 inch and has the correct top tube length for me, but it feels horrible and I don't like the handling.

If I was to buy a big framed bike am I setting myself up for health issues in the long term, or should I just go with what's comfortable for me and not worry about it?

Further to the above comments:
Your bike size sounds about right - see here:
Evans size guide
Stand over height is that you can stand over the top tube with your feet flat on the floor and raise the front wheel off the ground. When seated on the saddle you should be able to touch the ground with toes and possibly ball of your foot on one side at least. Look also at having your leg only slightly bent when your pedal is at the bottom of its stroke.

Before ordering a new bike visit a few cycle shops and try different frame sizes and wheel sizes. Mountain bike wheel sizes go from 26" to 29". Some riders prefer a frame on the larger size and some on the smaller size. "Feel" although it cannot be measured is a good indicator of a bike that is right.

Having a bike that is too big may not cause any noticeably negative effects, but handling and efficiency may never be as good as you would want.

k


Fitting a vibration-proof bell for drop bars I have a bike with drop bars which I need for commuting, but I live in a city which is not only full of idiots† both on foot and on bikes themselves (thus meaning going bellless is idiotic), but also full of broken paths and cobblestones.

I've now lost two bells due to them vibrating enough to the point of coming apart — I try to screw them together after every few rides, but at some point they just come apart while riding and I lose the bits needed to put them back together:

Issues

Bell: Unfortunately, the screw head holding the whole thing together slowly becomes looser over time, making the bell function worse and worse and even becoming somehow "out of tune" making it not work well even when tightened with one hand while riding... and then when riding over lots of e.g. cobblestones, I hear it go ring-ring-ring while loose and then it stops ringing... forever. Screw head gone missing.
Bike: I've got drop bars with old brake levers which can hardly be used at all from the hoods, meaning that I spend all my time in the drops and thus that the bell has to be accessible from the drops.

How can I fit a bell to my bike which is durable enough to survive lots of vibration and yet still be easily accessible from the drops?

†In this regard, possibly the only places in the world which can safely be called idiot-free are all in the Netherlands or Denmark.

If your screw head is actually a nut, like the picture looks like, replace it with a nylock nut. If that is not possible, thread lock fluid like blue Loctite works nicely.


What is a "gram" of drag? Bike components or upgrades are sometimes quoted as saving some number of "grams" of drag.

How can a gram, a unit of mass, be used to quantify drag, which is a force?

And for extra credit, why is this a useful way to quantify drag?

You're exactly right, drag should be measured in units of force, like Newtons. However, although there are small differences in the gravitational constant across the surface of the Earth, a reasonable rule of thumb is to assume it to be constant. Accordingly, drag force in Newtons is proportional to kilograms by a constant term very close to 9.8 m/sec^2, so 1 N of drag force is approximately equivalent to "100 grams of drag."

That said, I try not to use "grams of drag" and instead use Newtons of force. But, as you've undoubtedly seen, many others (including bike manufacturers and wind tunnel operators) do use "grams" so in order to promote effective communication, I'll switch to using a term I know they'll understand.


Building from scratch vs. buying new What are the pros and cons about building a bike from scratch vs. buying it new?

The pros of buying pre-built are the cons of building your own.
Each approach is born of very different requirements.  That is, the person who is actually likely to build their own is very unlikely to buy off the shelf and vice versa.  (I assume that 'build from scratch' also covers getting the LBS to do it for you to your specification).
I would caution everybody thinking of building their own that you will get much better 'value for money' if you buy pre-built.  A $1000 pre-built will get you much higher quality parts than a $1000 build your own.  This disparity seems to reduce the sillier the price becomes at the high end.
You will need access to some specialized and expensive tools (thanks Gary!) and the skills to go with them.
There is, as always, an intermediate stage where you source everything yourself but have the LBS do the trickier jobs like headset pressing, bottom bracket cups and steerer tube cutting/star nut pressing.  Just remember that your LBS is a business and needs to make money - so buy the parts from them if you want them to fit them!
Buying New
Pros

Integrated package
Lowest cost
Guaranteed that all the parts will fit and work together
Just go pick it up from the bike shop and you can ride
Don't need to know as much about bikes
Possibility to test ride (usefulness varies, often takes a while to get to know a new bike)

Cons

No choice of components
The color frame you want is either too cheap or too expensive!
Often component compromises are made to reach a price point
You don't get to choose what factors to optimize for

Build Your Own
Pros

Get exactly what components you want
You can choose what to optimize for
You can get your frame color
You choose what compromises you make within your budget
Every part is chosen for a reason and you get to spend hours researching it
The incredibly deep satisfaction you feel building a bike from scratch
Knowing that nobody else is riding a bike like yours
You may need some very specialized (read expensive) tools and you end up with the ability to use them.

Cons

You spent hours researching every part
Building wheels from scratch is not for the faint hearted, but it is rewarding
It's the most expensive way I can think of to get a bicycle
You may be more prone to 'overprotective parent syndrome'
You may need some very specialized (read expensive) tools and the knowledge to use them
You must be comfortable filing and sanding and abusing your frame (think headsets and bottom brackets)
You will make mistakes with part compatibility
It takes a lot longer to get riding
Only feel how the bike rides after spending a lot of time end money, although you can often find people with similar bikes to test ride (see above)


What considerations are important when purchasing a new chain? Are there any special types out there or are they pretty much all the same?

The two most common sizes are 3/32" and 1/8"  Generally you would use 3/32" for bicycles which have dérailleur gears (road/mountain bikes).  As for length I believe they are all a stock length and you'll be very unlucky if you find it is too short.  You will need to specify how many speeds your freewheel or cassette is (6/7/8/9/10 speed).

You will obviously find lots of variety in quality/weight/material/price etc when you know which type of chain to look at.


Cycling shorts: comfort vs bacteria / fungus? I picked up endurance cycling a few years ago (30 - 100 km rides), and bought a few pairs of padded lycra shorts because that's just the thing to do. I wash them after every ride -- at least soap in the shower, if not a proper machine load -- but I'm finding that I still get a flare-up of jock itch after every ride that takes a day or two to clear with medication.

Over the past week I've been trying the experiment of riding without the padded lycra; just normal shorts, and have had no jock itch whatsoever. I'm also pleasantly surprised that I don't really notice a comfort difference with pad vs no-pad; I guess my sit bones have hardened up :)

Questions:

Is this normal / expected?
Is there something else I should be doing pre-ride to reduce jock itch?
What is the point of padded lycra, and is it worth putting up with infections?
Should I just throw out my lycra and wear simple running shorts instead?

Normal detergent should be enough even with cold water. I do have sports wash but don't use it every time. Getting stuff properly dry (ideally not machined-dried if you want it to last) is crucial though, and keeping it dry for a while seems to help too. Some sports fabrics can feel dry when they're not completely.  Washing stuff out in the shower is a bit of a last resort - OK when touring but not really enough, and hard to get the pads dry in a reasonable timescale.  I'd rather wait a day until I've got enough stuff to fill the machine.

I didn't bother with padded shorts until I was doing 70km pushing hard, and now up to about 4 hours saddle time even cheap foam-padded ones are adequate.   You seem to be in a similar position, so you could try buying another cheap pair or two, and always thoroughly (machine) washing them and thoroughly drying them.  Store your existing shorts thoroughly washed and dried. If you start pushing the distance further you might find you need (gel) padding after all.


Please help me identify this bike (Staiger MTB) Please, help me identify (i wanna know "the model") this bike you see at the picture.

Thank you so much, guys!

Initial answer:  Google says that Staiger is a German bike company.  http://www.staiger-fahrrad.de/

Curiously, none of their current range has any resemblance to your frame shape - that weird shortened toptube is quite unusual.


Park MTB at work without Kickstand This might seem like an odd question but I am really wondering. Up to now I used my trekking bike to commute to work and I never had any issues to leave it in the bicycle floor parking rack due to its factory default kick stand.

However I just bought a new mountain bike (XC) and I found out today that its tires barely fit into the bike stand. I had to apply brute force to get them in and out. In addition, it wobbled around and I had to use a tension belt to keep everything in place and from falling over.

Questions:

Could this have any negative effects on the tires? (I am taking the bike every single day to commute and I leave it for 9+ hours. I would like to use the MTB at least half the time.)
Is there any more elegant solution to this problem rather than using brute force / tension belts apart from adding a kickstand and than putting the bike next to the rack?

I would like to avoid a kickstand for the reasons mentioned in other threads such as here. Right now I am considering adding a kickstand and removing it after work if I decide to take a detour through rougher terrain.

P.S. Please note that I have seen plenty of mountain bikes lying on the ground after work in the past. (Due to wind or people bumping into them etc..) However I would like to avoid this if possible.

We had those parking stands at my old workplace. They suck:

They make it impossible to lock  both the frame and a wheel with U-locks.
Fat wheels don't fit.
If they do fit, if someone or something (like a strong wind) pushes on your bike, it'll easily taco your wheel.

You should petition for better bike stands that are more secure.

In lieu of that, you could:

park your bike up against the wall and perpendicular to the stand, and use two u-locks to secure your front wheel and frame/rear wheel (even then, you'd need a pretty big u-lock to make it to the ground from the bottom bracket/rear wheel). You would take up about five parking places and might earn you some enmity
do the above, but remove your front wheel and lock it and the rear wheel and frame with a bigger U-lock
take your bike inside. When they complain, complain back about the parking stand
Find a nearby lamppost or parking meter
Get a folding bicycle


You just had an accident, what's next? This question pretty well covers what to do when you collide with a vehicle.    But how do you best handle the following situations:

You are a biker and you hit a pedestrian
You are a biker and you hit a biker
You are a biker and you hit an inanimate object

You are a pedestrian and a biker hits you
You are driving a car and a biker hits you
You are an inanimate object and a biker hits you

You are a biker and you fall over in the middle of the road and everyone laughs at you

Does the answer change if you are at fault vs. not at fault (assuming you can make an educated guess)?

You are a biker and you hit a pedestrian

I've never done that, but in many places you are legally required to stop and render assistance.  Also, it's the non-a**hole thing to do.

  You are a biker and you hit a biker

Again, stop, make sure the other person isn't hurt and doesn't have any mechanical trouble that'll stop them from riding.
If there is an injury or either party thinks it necessary, exchange contact info and/or wait for a responding officer.

  You are a biker and you hit an inanimate object

If it's someone else's property, like a car or a mailbox, and there's damage, leave a note with your contact info.

As Johannes points out, in some jurisdictions, a note might not be enough.  You might be assumed to have fled if you don't make an attempt to contact the owner or file a report with the police.

  You are a pedestrian and a biker hits you

In many places, the cyclist is probably at fault since there are no highways for bikes where the pedestrian isn't assumed to have right-of-way.

Ask for contact info, and offer assistance if the cyclist is injured.  If the cyclist leaves the scene without stopping, remember details (what the cyclist looked like and was wearing, their frame color and design), and file a police report.

  You are driving a car and a biker hits you

Same as in a car/car collision.  Stop, render assistance and give a report to any responding officer if either party is injured or thinks a report is necessary.

  You are an inanimate object and a biker hits you

Impotent rage.

  You are a biker and you fall over in the middle of the road and everyone laughs at you

I've done this.

Pick yourself up, and declare that you meant to do it.  Ride off pouting.  Realize your wheel is now out of true.  Stop.  True it enough with the wrong size nipple wrench until it stop scraping against the fenders.  Ride off pouting again.


Speed and distance for a beginner I'm 26 and haven't ridden a bike since I was 15.
I decided to start again and purchased a nakamura crossland, last Saturday, to get back into action.
Last Sunday, I did 17km in 50 minutes on a mostly flat road. I didn't want to start too hard, afraid to hurt my legs. In the end the only thing that hurt was my butt, I probably need a better saddle.
I was wondering what distance and speed I should aim for as a beginner, in order to improve my stamina.

P.S. I decided to purchase a bike to lose weight and enjoy the countryside. Maybe it's relevant for choosing the right distance.

A few simple tips:

Whether it's cycling, running or any other physical activity the more gradually you build up your mileage, the better off you'll be in the long run. A good rule of thumb is don't increase your time or mileage by more than 10% a week.
Carrying on a conversation with someone should be difficult but not impossible. If you can't carry on a conversation you're probably pushing too hard.
Consistency trumps volume. 3-4 short rides a week will do more for your overall fitness than 1-2 longer riders each week.
We can not get grace from gadgets. It's easy to get sucked into buying ever newer, shinier and lighter parts. However, if you think these things make a big difference you're fooling yourself. Keep in mind when you're pedaling up a hill you're not just pedaling a 14 or 20 or 25 pound bike. You're also carrying your weight and the weight of anything you have with you (such as water bottles). When you look at a combined bike and rider weight of 170 pounds or more suddenly saving 30 or 50 grams is a minuscule difference. I've wrenched for several professional racers and trust me, most of them couldn't care less about their bikes.
Do invest in cycling shoes and clothes if you're going to do longer rides. Cycling shorts - whether the baggy style or the lycra type - are designed to reduce friction. Cycling shoes with clipless pedals are more efficient and also safer (once you get used them - which takes some practice).
Don't forget to drink. It's easier to get dehydrated while riding than in most other activities. You're moving faster so the sweat evaporates faster and that fools you into thinking you're not sweating that much.
Enjoy riding. I've seen people who bail on a ride because they couldn't get Strava to work. That's insane. Ride because you want. You're not a pro, your paycheck doesn't depend on how fast and how often you ride.


Can a headlight battery be reconditioned if it won't hold a charge? I have an older CygoLite headlight that I used for commuting for a couple years.  It's been in storage for about 12 months, and now it seems like the battery won't take a charge.  I think its a variation of a NiCad battery, not lithium. The battery looks like this:

Is there a way to recondition a battery or do I just need to replace it?

Note - I have plugged the light assembly into another similar battery and it works, so I know it's not the bulbs.

The battery is probably shot but the battery pack can be rebuilt.  An outfit like "Batteries Plus" (in the US) can do it.  Or you can generally do it yourself if you're fairly clever (though getting it professionally rebuilt is better because they have the right spot welder, etc).

(It would be nice if the light mfgrs would use standard tool batteries rather than their own designs.  It would be fairly easy to build an adapter to hold one in a water bottle cage, eg, and then replacements would be readily available and you could use the tool charger.)


Help identifying folding bike Can anyone identify or provide any info about the make, model, etc. of this folding red bike, with a 20-inch rear smaller front wheel?

The only markings found on the bike:

Partial answer - you are looking at a frame design known as "crank forward" or "semi-recumbent"

The backreset is an integral part of the "seat" because the rider pushes against the backrest to power the pedal, and cannot raise themselves off the saddle and onto their pedals.  The rear suspension makes it a bit more comfortable given you can't unweight for bumps.

I'm going to hazard a guess that its an asian-source bike, and probably aimed at the elderly.


How do I calculate the diameter of a chainring from the number of teeth? Simply knowing the number of teeth on a chainring can we determine an accurate diameter?

A chainring is an n-sided regular polygon where n is the number of teeth.  The side length s of the polygon is the distance from tip-to-tip of each chainring tooth.
The formula for radius of a regular polygon is:

(source: mathopenref.com)
Using zenbike's 12.75mm above for s, we get 107.61 for the radius, or 215.22mm for the diameter, which is very close to his approximation.
Comparing the two formulas shows that the length term, as expected, can be eliminated. This leaves us with:
1 / sin( pi / n ) vs. n / pi
For large n, those terms converge, introducing an error of just .12mm when n=53. It's a bit larger as n gets smaller, differing by .64mm for n=11.
For all practical purposes, I'd just use s * n / pi, even for the smallest cog you'll come across it'll be within a millimeter.


Do I need sensors to see real time data (speed and cadence) on Strava Live? I would like to see real-time data (speed and cadence, no heart-rate for now) on Strava Live on my iPhone 7. Do I need to install bluetooth sensors on my bike or it just magically works? If it just works, is it reliable/accurate or I should still install sensors and let it get this information from the bluetooth sensors?

Strava (Premium) can determine your speed using GPS data, although GPS can be less accurate than a dedicated sensor because it jumps around a bit.

There's no magic way to determine cadence without a sensor, except maybe counting it in your head.


Upgrading 20 year old road bike's groupset I own an Scott AFD 709 from the late 90s to early 2000s with an Ultegra 6500 group set. Would it be possible to upgrade to the newest Tiagra 4700 groupset (https://www.vanillabikes.com/products/shimano-tiagra-4700-groupset)?

Which kind of problems would I have to face?

The cassette should fit, as it is a 10 speed one, which is compatible
to the 9 speed free wheel hub.
The bottom bracket and chainset should fit as well.
Does the rear derailleur fit? Probably yes, why shouldn't it?
Are the brakes compatible? They look a bit longer...
My biggest fear is the front derailleur. The bike currently is currently brazed on. It is at the lowest position. Could it maybe fit nevertheless?

Here are some photos of the bike:

I agree with the folks who suggest that you stick to the 9-spd Ultegra, especially since it already has index shifting and "brifters" (you can brake and shift at the handlebar without moving your hands from the hoods). If it's looks you're going for, you can always clean up the parts, and if the anodizing is a bit worse for wear, you can always use some oxalis acid to take it off and polish the pieces to a mirror finish. Tiagra is second lowest on the Shimano line (above Sora) and Ultegra is still their second highest. The quality of the craftsmanship still doesn't compare, even in 20 yrs. There isn't much of a difference between 9 and 11 on the back, except that 11-sp components last shorter time because they are thinner and more fragile. If you do want easier ratios, why not swap out the front rings for compact ones? Just my 2 cents.


How much air loss over time is considered normal / acceptable for a hybrid tire? I'm looking for a rule of thumb as to how much air loss over time is considered acceptable / normal for a hybrid tire.

Surprisingly I have not been able to find much on this upon Googling.  In this post:

How long should a road tyre hold its pressure?

Two people with road bike tires in the 110-120 psi range stated they normally lost 5-10 psi per day.  This seems high, especially if closer to the 10 psi figure.

In my particular case, I'm running 700x32mm tires and the sidewall states "Min 35 psi, Max 75 psi".  I'm currently inflating every other day to about 75 psi (perhaps slightly higher, but always under 80 psi) and I find I'm loosing about 1-2 psi per day, which seems roughly normal but I'm really not sure.

I'm using Giant tubes I got from a Giant dealer so I'm confident I'm not using poor quality tubes, and the tires are Giant branded hybrid or "gravel grinders" that are relatively tough and in good shape so I'm confident I don't have a puncture or slow leak problem (wheels/tires/tubes all OEM/stock parts on a 2017 Giant AnyRoad CoMax).

How much is considered normal?

Tyres will always lose pressure over time, I would say that for cycle tyres 1-2 psi is closer to the norm for most including me. This is mainly due to the microscopic pores in the tyre/tube which air molecules escape through over time.

However don't forget that the air in tyres also expands and contracts with temperature, so on colder days tyre pressures will decrease slightly, and vice-versa on warmer days pressures will increase, it is considered that roughly 1-2 psi with every 10 degree increase/decrease in temperature is the norm here.

Natural deflation also occurs more rapidly the higher the pressure so as you reach a tyres max pressure it will deflate quicker, and thus to keep your tyres at max pressure you'll need to inflate them every couple of days due to the higher pressure loss rate.


What caused play in my freehub? I was getting my road bike out earlier and heard a clunking sound when I dropped the back wheel. I repacked the bearings in it ~200 miles ago, and the wobble felt like bearing play. However when I removed the wheel it was the cassette that wobbled, and when I removed the cassette the freehub moved from side to side inside the wheel hub. It was fine before I repacked the hub.

What on earth could have caused the problem?? Perhaps degreaser somehow got into the freehub and wore something down...

UPDATE

I followed you advice mikes, although my 10mm hex key was too small for the nut. Furthermore, when i grasped the freehub body to inspect the amount of play, it came off in my hand!

The bearing you can see aren't the 3/16" hub bearings but lots of tiny little ones that were packed inside the freehub. I believe the other half of the freehub, the part attached to the hub by a hex key, is still bolted onto the wheel.

The wheel is part of a bike from decathlon, which is still covered under their parts warranty. Would this damage be caused by a defective freehub or have I broken it somehow during my maintenance regime?

It is possible that the freehub has become loose from the hub. Remove the axle and bearings from the hub. Insert a the correct size allen wrench (I believe a10mm) into the non drive side. Tighten the retaining nut. If hub continues to spin you may need to use two wrenches. One inserted in the free hub  and one to tighten the retaining nut.


How to tell when to change steel front fork? I am riding a Dawes made sometime before 1974 and have read in a Swedish report (http://vti.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:694821/FULLTEXT01.pdf) that front fork failure is a not uncommon cause of sometimes serious injury. However, I cannot find any tips on how to know when to change my fork? All tips and advice would be much appreciated!

Forks are not a 'wear component' that need to be replaced periodically. Bicycle frame makes are clever enough to make their products sufficiently durable and it's not something riders generally need to worry about. That said there obviously are instances of frames and forks cracking and failing, but this is not the norm.

However, in your particular case, with an old steel frame, it's a good idea to periodically inspect it for any cracks that might be developing in any of the welded or brazed joints. On the fork you should look for cracks near the fork crown as that is where forces are highest.

As as aside, I haven't tried to put the document through Google translate yet, but there may be a slight misunderstanding. I think perhaps you are interpreting it as: bicycle forks commonly fail, leading to injury, when perhaps that should be if a bicycle's fork fails, injury is common.

Personally, I've never seen or heard of a modern bicycle fork catastrophically failing in regular use (crashes and extreme mountain bike riding are another matter).


Brakes contacting wheel after reattaching I removed the rear wheel (quick release) from my Trek bike to install a bike trailer hitch.  After replacing the wheel, the brake pads are rubbing.  I did over-tighten the wheel when I first put it back on.

I've tried jiggling the brakes around, removing the hitch, but nothing seems to work.

Something else that came up while trying to solve this problem.  I noticed that if I hold the brakes in just the right position to eliminate rubbing, the wheel seems to come in contact with the brakes once per rotation.  So, as a follow-up question, is this a symptom of a bent wheel?

With some bikes the wheel is not self-centering.  This is especially true on less expensive bikes with a separate derailer hanger vs one that is integrated into the frame.  If you look you can see that the left and right dropouts are not symmetrical.

In such cases you must manually center the wheel when you remount it.  The best way to do this is to install the wheel, place the bike on the ground with the quick-release loose, hook your hand under the rim near the brakes, and move the rim left-right until the wheel is centered between the brakes.  Then, while holding the rim, tighten the QR.  If the brakes do not self-center well enough to serve as a reference point you may need to sight between the tire and the two seat stays (rods from seat to rear hub) to center the wheel.

If, on the other hand, you have a bike that should be self-centering then either the axle is not all the way seated in the dropouts or you've somehow messed things up while installing the hitch.  Did the installation require disassembling the quick release?

The rubbing you describe is a sign of a misaligned wheel.  No wheel is perfect, but if its enough for you to notice the wheel probably should be aligned in a bike shop.  (If you recently bought the bike the shop should give you a "touch up" alignment for free.)


Fitting a 9-speed 11-50T cassette on MTB: which derailleur? I'm trying to understand if its possible to fit a 9-speed 11-50T cassette (found one on Ali) on my MTB. The plan is to go 1×9. The problem is that I can't seem to understand the if a specific derailleur can handle that.

The rear derailleur in mind is Shimano M4000 long cage.
Should I use a hanger extension? Will 11-42T be better for that?

Thanks for the help

https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/component/alivio-m4000/RD-M4000.html   says that derailleur will handle

Low sprocket_Max.    36T
Low sprocket_Min.    32T

ANSWER: You cannot run a 50 tooth cog with that derailleur.

You might be able to use a hanger extension, but that will make the small gears even worse.  Wolf Tooth's Roadlink allows up to 40 tooth, and Wolf Tooth's Tanpan says 44 or 45 tooth is the maximum cassette size supported.  Note these are for 10 and 11 speed.

If you're absolutely stuck on a 50 tooth rear cog, then you're looking at a SRAM 12 speed Eagle setup, which will not be cheap.  Cassette and shifter must change, and its very likely your freehub won't fit the cassette, and then the OLD will be too large to fit in your frame.  Not a good plan.


Please help identify this vintage SKIP bike. Thanks I have a friend who has this bike and he is having trouble finding any information on this bicycle.
I'm not trying to sell anything I’m more interested in the history of this machine.

I'd call it an 80s step-through frame, intended for a woman (denoted by the skirt guard on the rear wheel)
Three black cables show there are two brakes, and probably a 3 speed internal gear hub in the rear wheel.
Observation - there's a lot of seatpost and an awful lot of stem out of the bike - guessing this is a small frame and the current rider is quite tall.   Do check that the "minimum insertion" lines are not visible - if so then the stem/seatpost have to go down a bit.
I'd also guess that the bike had a stout front basket at some point.  That  upright stay on the front wheel is a lot more beefy than the other stay holding the rear of the front guard.  My suspicion is the basket clipped into the headlight holder and bolted to the small horizontal area over the front mudguard.
Can't put anything against the 35 25 stickers on the front fork - possibly some local registration scheme, or maybe an allocated bike park slot somewhere.
The tyres appear to have that reflective side strip, so they seem relatively recent, certainly not original rubber which would be tan on the side.