Solar charger for iPhone whilst on a bike tour - is it worth it? Are there any feasible solar chargers for iPhone / or with a usb slot that will work or is a backup battery available. Best value (and something that works) is my priority. I found this brilliant link on crazy guy on a bike- http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=9258 However, since then I came accross 'portopow' http://www.portablepowersupplies.co.uk/ - which look great but I can barely find any reviews.

I have actually used both 2 different sized solar panels and a lithium backup battery on Ragbrai. Whether any of these will work for you depends on:

How many days long is your ride?
How sunny will it be and how much time will you have to do a solar charge?
How many devices you need to charge.

For solar charging. The first lesson is you can not charge your device with a solar panel while you are riding. Solar panels need to be pointed directly at the sun to provide any kind of real power. The little solar chargers you see advertised are utterly useless. They might charge a phone if they were pointed directly at the sun for an entire day (15 hours). The larger solar charger I have is 14" x 12" with an adjustable mount so you can keep it aimed at the sun. I could recharge my phone (when off) in 4 - 5 hours.

Small charger (useless)

10 watt panel (works)

What worked the best was a large backup battery. They are not physically large- just large capacity. (15,000mAh or more). I used this for an entire Ragbrai. It charged my phone once a day for 9 days with power to spare. Note you turn your phone off at night, plug it into the charger, and the charger automatically turns off when the phone is charged. The phone saves power by being off all night. Wake up, turn the phone on and it's good for the entire day and evening.

Sample 15,000mAh battery

You can fly with these batteries in your luggage and probably in your carry on luggage. But the TSA often makes up its own rules on the fly and might decide to confiscate one in your carry on. I would keep it in checked bags.

TSA rules

Note that it takes about 2 full days to charge one of these batteries. You should probably test charging all your devices at home to see whether you can make it on your trip. You also need to remember that your battery is just as dangerous as an equivalent sized container of gasoline. You do not want to puncture it or expose it to high heat.

If all that information is confusing, I only take my backup battery on Ragbrai now.


Different tension on one spoke I was plucking at the spokes of my rear wheel today which has an asymmetric lacing pattern. It's 2 spokes (both tangential to the rim) on the drive side along with a single spoke on the non-drive side. There are 7 of these triplets spread across the rim.

So in one pair of DS spokes, one spoke had a dramatically different pitch than the other spoke in the pair. This spoke also felt a tiny bit looser when pushed on.

Spinning the wheel and using the brake blocks as a reference, the rear wheel is slightly out of true. There is some lateral bias - but the runoff looks pretty tiny. Definitely not an issue even when running brake pads very close to the rim. This to me suggests that this should not be an issue. Blame me for being paranoid regarding an expensive wheelset that's almost brand new.

In any case, what are the chances of having this loose spoke pop in the future? Should I bring the wheel into a shop and ask for a truing? Do all shops check for even spoke tension at the end of a truing? I've heard of people who got their wheels trued only to end up with a cracked rim shortly afterward or popped spokes - presumably because the mechanic didn't bother to check spoke tension.

The spoke most likely to "pop" would be one of the other two in the triplet as they have to take more of the strain (making up for the loose one). If your wheel is still true, just tighten the nipple of the loose spoke until it sounds the same as the others. Do it gradually while checking this is not affecting the wheel trueness.


Help identifying an 80's Raleigh bike Imgur album link with captions for each image.

Shimano 600 groupset, 42 and 52 tooth up front, 2x6. Cinelli handlebars, Capagnolo downtube shifters, Mavic MA40 wheels, Shimano 600 brakes.

I was under the impression that it was a Road Ace or Competition 12, it seems to have a mish-mash of parts from the 80s Raleigh line. The cable guide under the bottom bracket is Raleigh branded too, no serial numbers anywhere. I took it to my LBS and the woman there pointed out the ornate looking lugs where the tubes of the frame attach rather than being just welds and I cannot find any info about this or which bikes had this. Any help is much appreciated.

It looks to me like one of the better Raleigh bikes from maybe the 80's.
The component group on it is not likely to be original at all, I would guess it was Campy, and someone "upgraded" to Shimano.

A note, there is no "correct" way, I am sure I'll be told, but on the rear wheel, having the skewer lever on the derailleur/hanger side would be something I would avoid.  I would recommend it go on the other side, and either "point" back or down.  ( many like to put it next to the seat stay, but I find it troublesome to use there, esp when it is cold and raining and such, unobstructed access is good ).


How to add resistance to my bike trainer? I use a crossbike (http://www.konaworld.com/jake_the_snake.cfm) on a bike trainer (https://www.amazon.com/Kinetic-Road-Machine-Fluid-Trainer/dp/B01KHE5B4S) and have the chain on the largest front ring and the smallest one on the back, but the resistance felt too low. What I can do to increase the load?

This is the powercurve for the Cyclops 2 fluid trainer

You can see that at 30mph on the trainer you'll need to be producing around 400 watts. Using this website

http://www.machars.net/bikecalc.htm

46x11 will give you 30mph at 90 rpm (which is a reasonable rpm for home training). 400 watts is like a Pro climbing l'Alpe d'Huez. Note also that the power curve is exponential, every extra mph gets progressively harder. At 35mph you are in the 600-700 watt range.

Fluid trainers take a while to warm up - 5 to 15 minutes but generally offer more resistance while they do.

So I agree with the other posters, your unit is faulty in some way. If not, you should contact a Pro team for a contract.


Waiting for Dropped Riders - Group Ride Etiquette For most casual group rides I've ridden, there are points where the lead pack pauses to wait for dropped riders (usually at the top of climbs).  When the last dropped rider has regrouped, the pack immediately starts off again.  I've always wondered why this is, would not the last rider be the one most in need of rest (especially if it's me!).  If time were an issue, why not just keep going leaving slower riders to go at their own pace?  If concerned about keeping the group together, why not slow down?

There is a lot to unpack on group riding etiquette and waiting for slower riders. Some people ride for social reasons and some people ride mainly for fitness so it can be difficult to balance everyone's need in a large group.

The system we use that I think works quite well is we tend to have about five groups of varying ability and we stagger these groups out over our ride route. The fastest ride is always a drop ride, meaning that no one waits. These are fun but they are intense as it is full on race pace. The idea is if you can't keep up you can always drop down into a slower group that will be arriving in a few minutes. All of the slower groups have a no drop policy. This lets  people filter to their ability and it seems to work quite well as everyone ends up finding their preferred group.

When you only have one or two groups, a no drop policy can cause more friction especially between those that are riding for social reasons versus those that are riding for fitness reasons. Everyone is here to ride, but some have little interest waiting around and socialize they rather do any socializing while on the bike and turning the cranks. For them the act of waiting is already considered a courtesy. They are simply looking to get moving before cooling off too much and are probably not  thinking about how tired the person catching may feel (or forget because they are rested).

Another  part of it is the HTFU (Harden The F%#@ Up) mentality that has long dominated road cycling culture.  There is the belief that suffering is to be expected and embraced.  As an extension there may also be an expectation that weaker riders should work to improve their fitness and or strategy (e.g., skipping pulls so they can stay rested for a climb) in order to stay better within the group.

As road cycling has been going more mainstream over the last decade or so there have been some growing pains over cultural aspects such as these ones.

Which ever way you slice it it can be difficult to meet everyone's needs especially as the size of groups gets bigger.  The best you can do is looking for a group that best jives with what you want out of cycling. For example, I actually look for rides that drop slower riders (and I have been on the receiving and giving end over the years) because I am specifically out looking for a challenge rather than a social ride.


Cable changing for Lapierre Audacio 400 Are there specific kinds of cables I should be going for? Specific tools that are must have to achieve this?

This review  shows the Audacio is a Shimano Tiagra groupset with rim brakes.

Brake a shifter cable and housings are fairly standardized, so you don't need a special type.

There is big difference between shifter and brake cables and housings. You absolutely must not use shifter cables/housings for brakes.

Brake cables have different ends for road and mountain bikes, so you need to make sure you get road brake cables.

Obviously you get to pick from different levels of quality from different manufacturers.

A cable cutter tool is needed to cut the cables and housings without squashing them. You do not want to use regular cutting pliers. I have found that a Dremel type tool with a metal cutting disc works well as it does not exert any force. It does melt the housing inner a bit though, so that needs to be cleaned out with a small drill bit.

If you have never changes cables and housings before then it's worth reviewing the proper procedures. Park Tool has great articles and videos. Here's a couple of links.

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/brake-housing-cable-installation-drop-bars

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/cutting-and-sizing-cable-housing

If you have the existing cables and housings on the bike don't take them off and throw them away, use them to cut the new housings to the correct length.


Repairing a bent bike frame, is it worth it? I have a bike with an incredibly bent frame. The bike itself I have tried to replace with other inexpensive bixes, but this one just had a certain geometry that I keep wanting to resurrect it. It is one of those give-away Schwinn Firenze GL 5000 road bikes from the 80's.

I continue trying to find a replacement as I am sure it will be cheaper (and the bike holds no sentimental value aside from the quality of ride); but for the sake of reference, how much would it cost to get a bike frame bent back into shape? I think this frame was likely an lightweight steel one, but referencing aluminum & carbon prices would be appreciated, too. (I don't know if it's even a viable solution, but wanted to at least crush the hope if it wasn't.)

If its "incredibly bent" then the answer is no.

Replacing a tube on a typical lugged steel frame will run you a couple hundred dollars from a good frame builder. It goes up from there.


Pass in the Alps that can be crossed by mountain bike? I'm looking for a pass in the Alps that I can cross with my mountain bike. I know that if there's a road, I could just use it, but my question is a little bit more special.

I'm looking for a pass that isn't very busy, for example if the main road uses a tunnel to cross the pass. Additionally, it should be worth the effort, e.g. because of the great view and landscape.

Get a printed map and look for the 'postal roads'...

There are 'postal roads' in Switzerland that are closed to normal cars. These go over some high passes that are just not wide enough for regular traffic. They are called 'postal roads' because only the post bus goes on them. What is amazing about them is the descents - you can ride 'TdF' style without really worrying too much about what might be around the corner... Well, you still have to worry about that but you don't have some stalker of a motorist pissing you off from behind or that obligation to skirt the side of the road.

As well as the postal routes there are some mountain roads that run one-way only, alternating which way the traffic goes. These are really good because you know that only the cars that you let go in front of you are ahead and there is nothing coming the other way.

Off the top of my head I cannot remember any of these glorious roads and I would have to phone a friend to remind me of where they were. I did a few going West-East in the German speaking parts of the country. For me as a cyclist they were what the Nurburgring is to a motorsport enthusiast - well, better than that, actually.

There are also the roads closed when the pass is not passable, that will be winter time for those, probably not what you are looking for.

Then there are those towns that you can only get to by cable car and train. These are fully tooled up to take bikes and no adverse weather stops a Swiss train from not running on time. They really do have a different way of getting around that you will only get your head round by taking some of these options.

Although surrounded by gigantic mountains without a definable pass, Zermatt is one of the few places that is of particular interest to a cyclist. It is accessible by road yet is car free. Cars have to stop five miles or so further down the road and thereafter it is buses, taxis and bikes.

Currently there are some financial implications to visiting Switzerland. The exchange rate and their 'safe haven' status means that your money does not go very far there. You might want to look into staying over in Youth hostels as they are all very clean, well presented and more affordable than those chalets that the skiers stay in.

I am not sure where to start online for finding the legendary post roads. I used a proper map last time rather than 'google maps'. On proper maps the post roads are identified clearly. They were well worth the effort and helped me avoid those hellish motorway-roads full of big lorries carrying really useful things like yoghurt half way across Europe.


Will 27 x 1 1/4” tires be too wide for an old bike that came with 27 x 1 1/8” tires? I am restoring an 1970s Schwinn bicycle. I bought a new wheel set but I have the old ones with tires for reference. It originally came with 27 x 1 1/8 tires and I’m wondering if 27 1 1/4 tires will be too wide and not leave enough clearance.
I can get 27 x 1 1/8 ones if necessary, I’m just seeing more options for 27 x 1 1/4 and wouldn’t mind a wider tire if it’s not a problem. Thanks for any advice!

In lieu of more information about the bike, the best answer is probably not, but maybe. You can find some examples of bikes that came with 27x1-1/8" that also max out at that size, but they are not very populous relative to ones that could fit a little bigger tire. As always with questions like this, it all depends on the exact tires and rims in question anyway, because there is variance in the actual size among tires that bear the same nominal size, and among inflated width among different rim widths.
Also since you have the old tires, you're in a better position to figure it out than us. Mount them on the new rims and install on the bike. You probably have choices in dropout slot position that can affect clearance. Measure the inflated width and height. Most 27x1-1/8" tires run pretty true, i.e. 28-29mm wide on the sort of rim they're intended for, approximate inner width 15ish and outer 20ish, or a little bit wider and shorter if your new rims are chunkier, like if they're more replacement wheels for bike boom 10-speeds with their 22-23mmish outers, to which a more typical 27x1-1/4 also runs pretty faithful and lands about 32-33mm wide and tall, or narrower and taller on a slightly roadier rim. From there you can make the inferences needed to figure out if the "average" i.e. pretty true to size 27x1-1/4 will fit.


How do I know the model of my Shimano Torney SIS Index Rear Derailleur, I have a Vertical Henox T3 bike? I had a vertical henox t3 bike which I hadn't ridden in a long time I changed gear and the derailleur bent into the wheel spokes and the derailleur is now bent and doesn't work properly. The derailleur is a shimano tourney sis index but I don't know the model. Can anyone help?

The first part to note is how the derailleur is bent. Is the frame aluminum or steel? If the former, is it just the hangar bent? (steel bikes typically don't have a derailleur hanger)

If the cage is just bent, you can take it to your LBS and they have a little tool to put in so they can easily unbend it (or you can do this with an adjustable wrench at your own risk, though i don't recommend it for people without experience).

If its just a hangar, you can spend the 5 dollars or whatever on a new hangar and be done wtih it.

If you do have to replace the derailleur, just get another shimano derailleur like a new tourney (these go for about 10 dollars) or acera unit - the rear derailleurs are pretty much all the same and the cheapest one will do in your case it seems (tourney again). Or check your LBS - they're likely to have a cheap one in their parts bin that fits. Then you can follow sheldon brown's advice to set the high/low limits and do adjustments.

Since the derailleur went into the spokes, I'd also get the wheel checked out.


Wheel squeaking at slow speeds and slight play in the wheel bearings, related? When I am pushing the bike or (lately) cycling slowly, I can hear/feel a slow squeak/skreech from the front wheel. I can feel it through the handle bars, and it isn’t quite the sound of brake pads rubbing. A while back when I started noticing this noise, I only really heard it when pushing it backwards or when pushing it at an angle. I also noticed that the front wheel has a bit of left/right play when I hold it and push it side to side. It does not make any noise, and rotates freely, when lifted in the air and rotated.

Are the play in the wheel axle and the noise related? Do I need to tighten the cones? Or should I grease them first?

If there is noticeable play in the wheel bearings, they are worn or need adjusting. Noise is most likely related to this.

The difference when rotating the wheel forward or back, or off the ground is due to the different loads on it.

You first need to figure out what kind of bearings you have in your hub. Cartridge bearing should just be replaced. Cup and cone style can be disassembled re-greased and adjusted (or replaced if they are worn out).


How do I make my bicycle as ugly as possible without affecting the riding qualities? I live in a city known for extremely high rates of bike theft (Prague, Czech Republic). I'm therefore looking to make my bicycle appear as cheap and ugly as possible to deter possible thefts.

What are the best ways to do so, which won't affect the quality of the cycling?

popular techniques in approximately increasing order of cost include:

dirt: mud, road grime, let them cover any shiny parts
stickers
pad bits of the frame with old inner tubes held on with duck or gaffer tape
apply spray-paint in ugly or mismatched colours (optionally after keying or stripping the original paint). Then put stickers over the top
cover any desirable decals or etched logos with paint or stickers
strip some of the paint off entirely and re-paint in mismatched colours
even more stickers
strip some of the paint off entirely and, if steel, allow to rust a bit before clear-coating over the rust

you can also clear-coat over stickers if they're not that weatherproof
cosmetic damage to non-functional parts (scuff or cut the saddle, scuff
levers or bars, choose the brightest bar tape you can and get it really dirty looking)


How should I adjust fenders/mudguards that catch on the tires? I've just received my brand new "urban" bicycle, one that comes with pre-mounted, full length aluminium fenders/mudguards.

However, on the front wheel there is no clearing at the back end of the fenders, and the fender catch on the tire while rolling, and the bicycle is not usable until that it adjusted.

I'm addressing this problem with those I've bought it from, but that is a online shop outside of the country I live in, so I can't just take it back.
[UPDATE: The shop will cover costs (up to a limit) at a local repair shop to fix it, hurrah!]

The fender is in its highest position, so it cannot be moved any higher above the wheel. The fender is aluminium, which is a hard material, but very difficult to bend.

What is your advice to me? How should I go about to get proper clearance between the fenders and the tire?

Here is a pic I found on the web of the bike, hopefully giving some overview of the front wheel and fenders:

I do not have that many good ideas, but here are my thoughts:

bending the fenders - but I am afraid that I might break them. Also that  might not give me enough clearance
bending the bracket that attaches to the frame. That is even thicker aluminium.
putting it into a local repair shop
buy a new set of tires that just have a smaller circumference

Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks!

Front Fenders typically mount using a mounting bracket at the fork crown and a couple supporting members from the fender to the fork legs themselves.  Since you are dealing with a bike that was presumably designed to utilize the fenders you have, I would suggest that if the rear of the fender is rubbing, detach the supporting members attached to the fork legs (one on each side) re-position the fork crown bracket such that the rear does not rub... (note it is not too uncommon to have to bend the bracket a bit to get the positioning you need)  Then re-connect the lower supporting members.


How to give away lights to cyclists without lights? My objective is simple enough... I want people to be safe when out riding.  Too often on my way to work I often see cyclists in the dark and rain without lights.  When I see them I try and offer them an extra light I keep handy, just in case.

The problem is I have only been successful two times over the course of a full year. Most of the time, male or female, young or old, I am told that they either have one some where or they forgot their batteries or some other crazy excuse.  I have even offered free batteries to no avail.

One time it took me running into the same fellow three times on a dark forest track before he would accept an old set of trail lights I had kicking about. (And of course the next day my newer replacement lights died - talk about Murphy's Law!)  The only other time, I felt like the person was begrudgingly allowing me to mount a light on their bike (they were riding in the dark down a busy rural road with no street lights).

In theory this should be a simple exercise, but I am failing miserably.
I know my approach is important so I focus on being friendly and non-judgemental (no one likes being called out).  I don't tell them what they should or should not be doing, I only talk about how the conditions make it hard to see and that I have some lights they can have.

Question

What is going on here?   Am I missing some sort of psychological/human nature angle? Should I be taking a completely different approach?

Note: I am unclear if the bicycles stack is the most appropriate stack for the question, but figured I would give it a go here first.

Update

I wanted to thank everyone for their ideas and feedback.I am currently shopping the idea of a central light give-away with various local sponsors. The best target will be in the area around the major city I live in as it has the highest density of cyclists.

That said, I actually work out in a smaller community, which will likely be missed in any give away due to the lower volume of cyclists.  So I am continuing to work on my technique for the ones I encounter here.  Tonight I was able to give one to a older stealth cyclist who refused me in the past (and who was actually the impetus for this post).  I just extra time striking up a conversation and was  a bit more persuasive in my sell job. Also I made an extra effort to communicate that there were no strings were attached (mainly in my tone and some small comments about the origins of the lights - Moᶎ's "unknown provenance."  I will also see if a small light gift certificate is an easier give-away.

We have had much more success advertising it and doing it through a local bike shop or bike group. Once each, so far, that I've done.

I think the psychology behind refusing a gift from a stranger is much as Criggie says. You're some random dude approaching people at night offering second hand lights of unknown provenance. Why are you doing that? What's going on? Especially because you're also criticising them "you, the idiot without lights, stop and let me tell you how to do it properly". Yeah, nah.

FWIW, I have your same issue with chain lube. Occasionally I'll ride up behind someone whose bike is in mortal agony and say "I have chain lube in my pannier, wanna stop and let me fix that noise for you" and hardly anyone will accept.

The first time I was involved in a lighting give-away was when the Critical Mass fund I kept had more than a thousand dollar surplus and I decided I should do something with it. Critical Mass is an anarchy, so it really was my decision. While chatting with the owner of a bike shop at Mass we came up with the idea of buying a bunch of cheap-but-reasonable lights and giving them away. We talked to the local cycling promotion bureacrazy and they agreed that given 6-12 months to get themselves organised they could help promote it. We declined. I handed over the cash (my $1000, about $500 from the shop for lights that wholesaled at ~$5/pair when bought by the boxful), the shop ordered some of boxes of lights, I printed up a few posters and we put them up in the shop and along the bike route we were targeting. Then one winter night we set up a stall on the footpath next to the bike route, got 3-4 people to man it, and gave away about 300 sets of lights over 3 nights. We explicitly didn't stop people getting more than one set, but we did refuse a couple of people who were obviously going "free stuff, give me everything".

That was very popular, and was sufficiently effective at promoting the bike shop that the owner went "I can spend $500 on a 1/4 page ad in bike magazine, or $500 on free lights... the lights work much better". Even people who didn't need or want the free lights thought better of the shop for the give-away.

So a couple of years later the shop owner did a deal with the cycling promotion unit in the local council or state government or somewhere (I wasn't involved with that bit). The promotion people advertised it and put in half the light fund, the shop ditto, and we/they gave away another few hundred lights (I helped with this bit). The location was picked to suit the promotion people, but it was busy and also the site of a new cycle route. Again, very popular and effective.

The difference is that we had an official-looking banner and multiple people, plus the signage/people were known entities. People will take a free gift from a local businessman, or "that guy from Critical Mass" who they see regularly, much more willingly that someone they've never seen before. It's about attributing motivation. "it's a bike shop promotion" or "that guy is nuts about bike community" is easy and people will just run with it. Having to think about why you're trying to press lights on them is hard.


How Can A Faster Rider Aid A Slower Rider On A Long Ride? For the context of this question, two people are trying to get from point A to point B (and back) where the only viable means of transportation is bicycle (and a tandem bicycle / electric bicycles are not available).  The distance between the two points is 20km (40km round trip).  Preparation time is limited, we could go visit point B next week, but it is unlikely we'll ever find ourselves in this part of the world again.  The bicycles we do have available would be rented, mid-ranged commuter style bicycles.

We'd both like to make this trip.  One of us is a daily commuter (15km each way) who is used to longer rides of 40-50km on the weekends, the other rides rarely and has never gone more than 3km at a time.  Even at a slow pace, 40km would be far more than this rider could do comfortably.

What tips/techniques (if any) are there that would allow the stronger rider to complete the trip as comfortably as possible?

Thanks

Novices I've ridden with are surprised and pleased that I ride behind them.

They set the pace
I can watch what they're doing
I can ride close (enough to talk) without being too close (i.e. without colliding)
I can recommend which gear they change and when
I keep car traffic off their tail (e.g. by my using arm-signals to the car to say "slow down" or "please overtake", and by riding closer to the centre line than the bike in front of me does, etc.)


Dual electric/pedal bikes to solve pedalling effort issues I prefer the good old pedal bike. For obvious reasons, I cannot get to the office sweating, and I have no time to shower before I get into the office.
I have no issues biking uphill and steep road segments. However, the electric bike has changed all of that. In addition, the bike seat had to be lowered to suit my height, and pedalling when the knees are bent too much is not a great idea.

Details of the problem: My bike has a rear-wheel built-in electric motor. It cannot be connected or disconnected. I can either turn the system on or off. However, that does not solve the problem. In my experience, pedalling with an electric bike is much harder than with a regular bike. I can pedal a bike uphill with a reasonable speed. However, an electric bike is even hard to start pedalling from zero, and even maintaining the same speed as the motor is not longer than a minute. After some time, I had to walk and pull the bike. My bike has a gearbox, but that means I can walk faster than pedalling. In comparison, I can achieve a slightly higher speed with a regular bike, so fitness is not the issue.

What I tried to do: I tried to check the gears for too much friction, but the wheel turns fine and slows down reasonably when I stop pedalling/throttling. I tried to see if my extra effort can be used to charge back the battery, but it took much effort for too long, and I think it didn't work because the throttle was off. In addition, I don't know if it makes much difference because the battery takes few hours to charge.

Any solutions?

Would I use a throttle to allow charging back by pedalling or going downhill? (Regenerative braking, not perpetual motion machine).
replacing the battery with a capacitor to improve efficiency of regenerative braking? The idea is to do biking sport, but storing excess energy for commuting to the office without pedalling and sweating.
Any e-bikes with an outboard engine which can be engaged/disengaged to the wheel?

Not sure if I understand your question correctly, but I take it you want to ride unassisted during training/recreational rides?

I don’t have much experience with electric bicycles but as far as I’m aware the motor often has its own free-wheel and therefore should contribute very little friction/resistance when it’s not running. The disadvantage of such a free-wheel equipped motor is that regenerative braking is not possible. So if you remove the battery the only major disadvantage of an electric bike should be the mass/weight of the motor and charging controller. With front wheel drive it should even be possible to swap the whole front wheel+motor for a normal wheel relatively quickly.

Of course many electric bikes come with “comfortable” seating positions, heavy frames and other heavy parts. This doesn’t help when you want to ride unassisted.

Regarding

  the bike seat had to be lowered to suit my short stature, so that I
  can put my feet on the ground when I stop.

It shouldn’t be necessary to reach the ground while sitting on the saddle. Get in front of the saddle just before you stop and you should be able to reach the ground just fine. There is only one requirement for saddle position: It should allow you to ride powerful/efficiently (and without damaging your body). You should never lower it to reach the ground or move it front/back to compensate a long/short top tube.


Experience with welding Titanium frame? My Litespeed Tachyon, a 1996 model, of which I am the second owner, (So Litespeed will not honour the warranty) has now developed its 3rd crack.

First was in the seat tube above the deraullier and I got that welded successfully in 2005 and have been riding it ever since.

Turns out the bottom bracket, and the right side of the rear stays have developed cracks.

I am trying to find a welder in New Jersey who will weld Ti, and will probably try it, since they charge about $50-100 to do it.  (My big delay is that I have to take off the chain ring for him to get at it, and I keep forgetting to bring my crank puller to remove the chain ring off the bottom bracket.)

Anyone else done this?  My first experience worked pretty well.  Trying to decide if I should do it again.  I am too cheap to buy a new Ti bike, and I have to say, I love Ti as a frame, and am completely happy with the bike otherwise.

(I have now cracked a Ti seat rail, a seat tube, a Ti front stem (twice!), and now two more places on my Ti frame.  Perhaps there is a hint here.  I am a big guy, but this is Ti!  It is strong stuff!)

I think this question has gone a while without an answer because it's a little unclear what you want to do... do you want to do it yourself? Or by 'experience with welding' do you mean 'experience with having welded'?

Either way, I don't have an answer for you, because I don't have direct experience welding titanium, nor do I know any welders in NJ, but I do have some tips for you:

There's nothing wrong with being a big guy and riding bikes--trust me, I know many people who do it. However, it's important to realize here that most of the higher-end bikes you've ridden haven't been designed with you in mind at all. They're designed for the cyclist who weighs twice as many pounds as he is inches tall, because that's where the market is.

And sure, titanium is technically a stronger metal than steel, but yet again, even your titanium bike is designed for the same person your steel bikes have been designed for.

Here's my suggestion: Before you spend another $100 with a welder, think about this: for the approximate price of an average new titanium frame, you could have a custom frame made from steel, but with you and your size in mind: oversized tubing, reinforced lugs, maybe even a double top-tube*. The bike would be specifically designed for you (it's been done before) and would not fail like your previous experiences.

There's lots of framebuilders in Philadelphia and New York--it can't hurt to ask around. Hope that helps!

* An aside: I actually think they look pretty cool. I'm a really tall guy, and I'm looking forward to the day when I can buy a custom-made bike that actually needs one. =]

Image Source.


Why does my brake cable keep on coming out of my brake handle? I think I braked too quick on a slope and the brake cable came out of the brake handle so my front brake doesn't work.

What do I do to fix it?

The brake outer cable and ferrule most probably popped out of the barrel adjuster on the brake lever.

This can happen when you panic brake if your brakes were a little out of adjustment -- basically you pulled in a ton of inner cable while you were saying "ohhhh mmmyyyyyyy" and then when you let go of your death grip, the inner cable went back out and as your brake liners were a bit sticky, brought the outer with it.

You should be able to pop the outer cable back into the barrel adjuster with just some arm strength. Backing the barrel adjuster all the way back into the brake lever (or on the brakes itself) will help. Many brakes also have a detensioner mechanism which is designed to make it easy to detension the brakes (so you can take the wheel off).

Once you get it back on, to prevent it from happening again:

Adjust your brakes so that you don't have to bottom out your levers in order to get maximum power <== most important
If you have the dough (US$5-15), get new brake cables (inners, outers) - this will prevent the stiction that makes it easier for them to pop out.

If you do #1 properly, #2 should be unnecessary.


Can't shift to small chainring While riding yesterday I could shift into the big chainring, but to get back to the small chainring, I had to dismount and press on the chain with my hand (I'm not talented enough nor inclined to learn how to do this with my shoe while riding).  It's an eight year-old triathlon bike and there was plenty of slack in the cable when I tried to shift.

What could be wrong?

The derailleur was sticking.  A bit of lubrication and all was good again.


What's the best way to lift a bike onto a storage hook? At work we have hooks attached to the wall so that we can hang our bikes from the front wheel. They're effectively the same as these:

I see heaps of people struggling to lift their bikes onto the rack, getting dirty and greasy because they're having to kind of 'hug' the bike to lift it up high enough.

I've got a neat trick for lifting my bike on to the rack which I'll post shortly, but I wanted to hear from the community if anyone has any tips or tricks.

The trick is to use the strength in your legs plus leverage to lift the bike. It is so simple I can hang my bike up one handed.

Lock both front and rear brakes
Walk backwards, resulting in the bike being vertical in front of you, with you standing behind it holding the handlebars
Feathering the rear brake, manoeuvre the bike in location below the hook. The seat should be just in front of your knee or lower thigh
Put one knee/thigh on the seat and flex that leg at the hip, raising your knee. This lifts your bike vertically with almost no effort required.
Place it on the hook and you're done!

I've shown this technique to a number of people who have been instantly impressed with how effortless it is. It feels a bit weird the first time but very quickly feels natural.


Can non-tubeless-ready MTB tyres be used to go tubeless? I'm trying to understand whether it's necessary to buy a new tyre marked as tubeless-ready in order to go tubeless on my new MTB.
Initially, I thought that going tubeless simply requires a sealant, tubeless-ready rims (or rims properly prepared with tape) and valves, and furthermore greatly benefits from having an air compressor at hand for easy assembly.
However, upon closer inspection of the description of the bicycle I bought (Decathlon's Rockrider E-ST 900), the following is stated: "TUBELESS READY rims: you will need tubeless tyres, Presta valves, and puncture sealant".
I didn't expect I would have to purchase new tyres, retailing at ca. EUR 50 each. Is it really necessary to buy tyres marked "tubeless-ready", or is the above list of requirements (i.e. valves, rims, sealant and an air compressor) sufficient for making tyres tubeless? If so, are there additional comprises or preparations to be made when using ordinary (non-tubeless-ready) tyres?
On a side note, the tyres on the specific bicycle I bought are of the type Taipan Koloss (Hutchinson), 27.5x2.8in, and according to the manufacturer's website these tyres are already marked "tubeless ready", which introduces additional confusion.
Another note, I noticed there are a few similar questions, but they do not seem to address the need of tubeless-readiness of tyres in particular.

In general:
It is beter to have tubeless ready (TLR) tyres, but the large volume MTB tyres often work well even when not explicitly TLR. It is much less sensitive than road tyres. However, it should not be a supercheap thin model, that obviously would not hold the air. Also, wired models are less likely to seal well.

To your specific bike:
Decathlon does sell some of the bikes with tubeless ready tyres (e.g., the gravel Triban). And it is the case with your bicycle too. If the manufacturer says it is TLR, there is no reason not to believe them. It is also confirmed at the Decathlon page for the tyre https://www.decathlon.co.uk/taipan-kolos-mountain-bike-tyre-275-x-28-id_8511989.html
Most better quality tyres for MTB are TLR, because it is a must these days. MTB really needs tubeless for good performance.


What are these tools in this bike maintenance toolkit? I finally got around to replacing my bike's cassette, and towards that end (and expecting to replace various other consumables in the future) I decided to shell out for a Rose All2gether toolkit:

I'm puzzled by what exactly some of the tools in the kit are, namely: the big wrench below the chain whip, the thing in the upper right corner, the truncated triangle below the cassette tools, and the thing next to it. Also, the small wrench opposite to the chain tool has a 90 degree protrusion at each end.

Here's a close-up of the smaller mystery tools:

The triangular one has channels running through the other side from the corners to the opposite edge, with a circular depression machined out of the other side.

Here's a closeup of the end of the small wrench:

the big wrench below the chain whip

Is for removing the cups on shimano hollowtech II bottom bracket.

http://www.madegood.org/bikes/repair/remove-a-shimano-hollowtech-bottom-bracket/

the thing in the upper right corner

Is for screwing in the preload cap on a shimano hollowtech II bottom bracket.  The preload crap is screwed in to the non drive side crank to keep everything together before the crank is tightened onto the spindle.

http://www.madegood.org/bikes/repair/fit-a-shimano-hollowtech-crankset/

the truncated triangle below the cassette tools

Is a spoke wrench - each of the 3 sides fit a different size of spoke as per the numbers on the corner.  You fit the side over the spoke nipple and the spoke can be tightened/loosened as required.

and the thing next to it.

That's a crank puller for removing cranks from an internal bottom bracket.  There's a cap you unscrew with a hex wrench and then that tool screws into the thread the cap was screwed into.  You then tighten the other end with a spanner which pushes the black bit through and pulls the cranks off.

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/crank-removal-and-installation-three-piece

Also, the small wrench opposite to the chain tool has a 90 degree protrusion at each end.

This is for removing chain-ring bolts.

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/how-to-change-chainrings-video-42644/


How to remove broken bolt in Chain Tug? It is now stuck very hard because I used apparently too much force to tighten it, how would you take that out? The bolt is in soft aluminium frame so it can be quite tricky thing to do. Some bolt removal tool?

Related question here with the chain-tug -suggestion.

Unless I'm missing something, you should just be able to remove the chain using a chain tool, and then slide the wheel back in the dropout.  This would free the chaintug from the back of the dropout, then you could rotate it down out of the way and be free to slide the wheel forward and remove it.  Once the wheel's out, take the chaintug off the axle and have the full suite of machine tools available to drill out or otherwise remove and replace the broken bolt at your leisure.


Is it safe to attach a flashlight to a helmet? Everything I've found online discussing this has focused on the benefits and dangers of attaching a metal mount to the helmet, on which a flashlight would be attached.

I'm using a soft mount (specifically paracord), and I was unsure if the flashlight itself presented a hazard in a crash.

Here is a shot of the flashlight and how it's attached:

Front view, showing placement. It's offset so it's aimed a bit better at were I'm looking.

All of the mounts from reputable manufacturers thatI’ve looked at are either rubber or Velcro or have a quick release that’s designed to tear free on impact.

Paracord is incredibly strong - some have a tensile strength of over 200 kg /550 pounds.

The concern is that your head might hit an object (such as a low tree branch) and the light or mount will snag on it, whipping your head and neck back. The neck vertebrae don’t like this motion.

Also, in an accident the helmet is designed to slide along the ground preventing torque to the head. Your paracord might also snag and cause the helmet to torque your head.

Note it would take a freak accident for this type of injury to occur. An individual might be fine with accepting this type of risk personally. A manufacturer who has domestic assets that could get seized in a lawsuit might not be willing to accept the risk, thus they err on the side of caution. On this forum, we can’t say “it’s fine” — that’d be negligent but we could say that many people would find the risk acceptable but ultimately it’s your call.

Tl;dr: ideally, you’d want your mount to have a full break-away design.


Choosing a handlebar width Are there any rules/tips to choosing a handlebar for your bike?

I live in a big city, and I've seen fixies with really, really narrow handlebars (presumably to avoid hitting pedestrians?)

I personally like the way wide handlebars feel (especially when riding fast), and I'm wondering what, if any disadvantages there might be to having a ~28" bar on a non-sus mtb for city riding.

Let's unpack that a bit.

The first consideration is control.

Do wider or narrower bars give better control? Narrow bars mean that small movements cause larger direction changes, wider bars mean you have to move them more to steer. The amount you need to turn depends on your speed. If you're doing 30 kph (~20 mph) then you need only small steering adjustments, but if you're weaving through stationary traffic you could be making much larger turns.

On a road bike where you'd often be riding faster, it turns out that the most comfortable width is around the riders shoulder width. But you'll notice that roadies tend to have less fine control at low speeds. On MTB's, people often want wider bars to get more control in heavy conditions. Wider bars also give better control at low speed. So the minimum width for a MTB has the inner edge of the grips at about armpit width. As a matter of preference you can go wider, but as you do you should shorten your headstem to compensate.

The next consideration is traffic.

Are you the kind of rider (like me) who rides through gaps between things (cars, cyclists, poles)? If so, then narrower is better. (I suggest to never ride close to our between pedestrians, they are too unpredictable).

So, the downsides of wide bars

they upset your bike fit, so you should use a shorter head stem.
they limit the size of gaps you can ride through.


Planning on building a fixed-gear/single-speed from an old Schwinn World. What new parts will I need? I think I want a flip flop hub, to keep my options open. If I get one off amazon, do I need to buy a freewheel and fixed-gear cog as well, or will those come with the hub? Also, does the hub have to be specifically sized for my bike, or are they universal? I'm trying to learn how to do this, but it's hard not knowing anyone around who has done it before. Any info would be appreciated.

Fantastic ! Building a fixed gear conversion is a lot of fun.

tommy_o gives a great list of all the parts that go on a conversion, but when I try to imagine what it's like to have an old bike that you want to hack on, I think it's helpful to imagine what you'll have to change about your bike, so I'll give that a shot.

As long as the existing bike is in decent shape, you actually have a lot of freedom in deciding whether to get new parts or reuse existing ones. At a minimum, though, you'll need a new rear wheel, and then from there it gets more and more up to you.

Wheel

You can either buy a wheel, or build one yourself. I've found that buying is actually cheaper, but I think it's a good exercise to build at least one yourself to see how it's done. Either way, like tommy_o mentioned, you'll need to pay attention to the size of the rim that you want to get. If your bike has 27" wheels and you decide to get a 700c rear replacement, then you'll need to be ok with having different size wheels, or you'll also need to get a new front wheel.

If you decide to build, you'll need to buy :

hub
rim
spokes
nipples
rim tape

You'll also need a spoke wrench, but that's a good tool to have around anyway.

I highly recommend reading a copy of The Bicycle Wheel by Jobst Brandt. The obligatory Sheldon Brown link is also in this section, because his description of wheelbuilding is a great read.

Hub

For the hub, there are indeed different sizes, both in terms of axle length and flange size. However, for the axle length, there are really only a few different standard sizes, so you should be good to go with a road hub.

For the flange (which only matters if you're building a wheel), pretty much anything will do, but the flange will have a significant impact on the length of the spokes that you'll need. I always take my rim and hub to my local bike shop and get the folks there to cut spokes for me, since it seems like some sort of black magic.

Drivetrain

Once you've got a new rear wheel, you need to connect it to the pedals. At a minimum this means you need a cog on the rear wheel (typically hubs do not come with cogs), but depending on what size you get, and personal preference regarding the chainring, you might also need a new chain and chainring.

Cog

You'll definitely need a cog, the gear that goes on the rear wheel. You should also get a lockring.

Getting the cog is actually a little tricky, because it turns out there are two different widths of bicycle cogs, and they are not interchangeable. (There are actually two different widths of bicycle chain, but the chain, chainring, and cog all need to work together.) The wider setup, usually seen on track bikes, is 1/8", and the narrower one is 3/32". Here you'll need to decide if you want to stick with the 3/32" setup that's already on your bike, or move to the 1/8" ; again, mostly this has to do with personal preference, but be aware that whatever you pick will affect your options for the other items.

If you get a flip-flop hub, you should probably get a freewheel cog as well as a standard thread-on one. Typically the freewheel cog has a higher tooth count than the fixed one, since you won't need to pedal like a rabid gopher while you're coasting downhill on your freewheel side.

Chain

You'll definitely need a new chain if you go with a 1/8" drivetrain.

Sometimes it's a good idea just to get a new chain, even if you're sticking with the existing sizes. New chains are really nice.

Chainring and crank

There'll already be a crankset on your existing bike, which can probably be used just fine for a conversion (provided it works with the chain/cog). There are a couple things to think about it however :

You should make sure that one of your existing chainrings has a tooth count that you can use with your rear cog. The important thing here is the ratio between chainring and cog : a lower ratio makes acceleration easier but limits your top speed. Also if you plan on skidding, it's easier with a lower ratio.
If the chainring you want to use is on the inside of your crankset, then you might want to remove the outer chainring so your pant leg etc. won't get torn up on it.

Also, on a fixed gear, the length of your crank could be important : If you're taking a tight corner, you might lean over far enough that the bottom of the crank scrapes the road as the pedal turns, which can lead to a wreck. You can get a crankset that has shorter arms to avoid this, though if you're not into tight cornering it might not be a problem. It's something to be aware of though, since you never really know when you might need to pull an emergency maneuver.

Other stuff

Once you've gotten the rear wheel and drivetrain set up, you're technically good to go. You can opt to switch many other things on your bike, but chances are that it already has a seat, headset, fork, handlebars, etc.


My hydraulic Hayes brake lever comes down and clicks, and it doesn’t retract? My Hayes “Purple” hydraulic brake lever doesn’t work. I thought the reservoir was empty, so I put some brake fluid in and it didn’t work. The lever comes down too far with no response to the brakes, then sorta clicks. What should I do? Any suggestions would help a lot because I am going biking soon.

Either the mechanical linkage to the piston is broken - which would explain the lack of return force, but if the lever is not loose and appears to be pushing the piston then the problem is in the hydraulic system.

The lever not returning indicates you have a bigger problem than just needing a bleed. If you lost substantial amount of hydraulic fluid you should be able to see a leak.

I think you have no option but to take it to a good bike mechanic for diagnosis and repair, or replacement.


What is a good roof-rack configuration for optimal gas mileage? I have a standard 2 bar roof rack (such as Yakima or Thule) with interchangeable and move-able bike / ski racks. I often carry 2 bicycles. Which will give me the best (least worse) gas mileage on my car:

Both bikes as close together as possible, or on opposite edges of the roof?
If together, centered, or on one side or the other?
Front wheel on (full upright) or front wheel off (fork mount)?

From my experience frequently carrying bikes, skis, roof boxes, and even 55 gallon drums on my roof rack, I've found that they pretty much all give a hit to the gas mileage, but the configuration doesn't really matter as long as you don't do anything ridiculous.

However, a fairing helps cut down on noise tremendously.


Rear index shifting not staying in middle gears I have replaced a chain (SRAM PC 830) and 7 speed freewheel (Shimano MF-HG37) on the back of my daily commuter bike about 300 miles/ 3 weeks ago with the same models.  The old parts lasted me 4000 miles, and until recently, the new ones have been fine.  Now I'm having issues of my chain not staying in "6" gear and jumping to 7 (the smallest).  I can shift to and from it ok, just that it will jump in a few revs.  All the other gears work fine.  If I move the shifter a little bit it will go back, but within a few revs jumps right back down.

I have played with the high and low set screws since I'm also swapping wheels frequently too.  I had a axle break, switched to a backup wheel, went back to the repaired wheel, and then back to the backup now.  Through all that everything worked fine until the last swap.  The backup wheel is a identical replacement with the freewheel and tire transplanted.

I tried to adjust the barrel nut along with the "b" screw.  Both had no effects, but I didn't move them very far.  I haven't found the time to try to clean the derailleur yet, but when I swapped the chain I gave the bike a good cleaning, wax, and lube bath.   I'm worried that I missed something in the derailleur or it just got dirty since.  Jockey wheels are clean and secure, but have 5k miles on them.  Front derailleur selections also had no effect.

The derailleur model is a Shimano Tourney found a 2008(ish) Schwinn High Timber with the gripshifters.  Laid down 3k miles ago where the derailleur was scratched and banged up the limit screws but no effect on performance.

Something to keep in mind, it's not unusual for a SRAM chain to not play well with a Shimano cassette. A lot of times you'll get lucky and the two will work well together, I used to run SRAM chains with my Shimano cassettes all the time without much trouble. But there are just some combinations that just cause problems, even intermittently from run to run.

Or, you said you gave it a lube bath, I wonder if you managed to displace the grease inside of the derailleur.

When my rear derailleur just won't cooperate, I use my two favorite articles to troubleshoot and properly lubricate and adjust it. Study these thoroughly and meticulously and you'll likely happen upon your solution:

http://sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-overhaul


Minimum chainring gap for front derailleur On my city/trekking bike, I have a Shimano Alivio crankset FC-T4010. It was first delivered with 22-32-44 chainrings.
After a while I calculated that with a 38 chainring, I was able to ride 99% of the time. So I changed the first 2 chainrings, and now have a 28-38-44 crankset.
It is 99% satisfying, as I can do almost everything with the 38T chainring. It is on a 10s bike, with a 11-36 cassette. So I only need the 28 chainring on hills (especially on loaded bike).
But from time to time I am missing something larger than 38.
But, when I try to switch to the 44, the chain drops outside the ring.
The FD is for 8 speed (original configuration for this bicycle).
So my question : is it possible to adjust the front derailleur to get it work, or the 6T difference between rings is too low ?

Update:
Changed the crankset and front derailleur with :

FC-T6010 26-36-48
FD-T6000

And it works perfectly. It was just tricky to fit the chain case around all that, as it is designed for 48T max, and there is no margin at all.

If you look at the design of a Shimano FD, you will find a channel in the middle
https://www.renehersecycles.com/trouble-with-sti-triples/
Your FD will be similar to this one

If you review the Shimano triple FD specification, then you will find "Applicable Top-Mid tooth difference ", which for MTB type (FC-M) is typically 10t, and for trekking type (FC-T) typically 12t.
In your case you have 28-38-44t, which is a 6t gap.
This will not work well because the channel is positioned for a middle ring 12t smaller than the upper ring.
In the case of FC-T4010, there are two offerings - 48-36-26, or 44-32-22. A derailleur such as FD-T4000 which you might have fitted, is specced to work perfectly with both - they are essentially the same thing, just 4t further down.
A 6t gap is not in spec at all. Here it seems like you might do well switching to 48-36-26, but that would mean three new chainrings.
https://si.shimano.com/api/publish/storage/pdf/en/ev/FC-T4010/EV-FC-T4010-3661.pdf
Note that the chainrings are sold in sets, in that the 36t chainring is designed with ramps & pins which will pick up from a 26t ring.
In the past Shimano made 8-speed 48-38-28 chainsets such as FC-M361, which you could also use, or switch the chainrings from those onto your bike. But you won't get 44-38 to work well.
Note also that if you have an 8-speed drivetrain and a 9-speed chainset (which T4010 is) then the 9-speed chain is narrower, and the FD cage would be narrower  also. So depending on the FD that you have (8 or 9 speed), you would want to use:

9-speed FD with 9-speed chainrings and 9-speed chain and 8-speed cassette (RDs have no 'speeds')
8-speed FD with 8-speed chainrings and 9 or 8-speed chain and 8-speed cassette

It's not clear which chainrings you have purchased, but if you purchase a 48t chainring for a FC-M361 chainset, then it will pickup well from a 38t chainring, however these are 8-speed chainrings which are possibly not ideal if you otherwise have 9-speed chainrings fitted. However you'd want to replace the FD for a suitable '10t top-mid' type, such as FD-M313 (which is 8-speed cage)
Instead of replacing with a 10t-type FD, you could also fit a whole new chainset; in this case note that you have an Octalink BB (which is essentially an obsolete system Shimano introduced to save weight over square taper, and replaced with HT2), and e.g. T4060 is HT2 (new BB required), and T3010 is square taper (BB also required, but good-quality cheap square taper BBs are going to become harder to find, so this is not ideal).  If your BB is reaching the end of its life than you might go for HT2 as a replacement; if it's not, FC-T4010 48-36-26 would be a straight swap with no BB change needed.


Where can I buy a Bianchi Pista Concept? I would like to buy a Bianchi Pista Concept 2005...2009 like this one:

http://velospace.org/node/24912

Where can I find this bike in London, UK? And what should I check before buy it?

Also, How much should I expect to pay for?

Thank you.

This is only a partial answer, but the Bianchi dealer locater shows several dealers in London. I'd call around and find out what the ballpark is in terms of cost.


How much does a typical cardboard bike box weigh? Exactly as per the title. This is surprisingly hard for me to google.

I found one estimate of about 10 pounds, and the tech at my LBS "guesses" that a standard 30 x 8 x 53 box weighs 2 pounds. For long distance shipping, that much of weight difference can save a lot.

First, I'll give you an estimate on the weight of a cardboard box. Then, you can read the side notes at the end of this answer to see why the weight is a relatively irrelevant quantity.

EDIT: This link sells a bike box and lists the weight as 7.40 lbs. The rest of this answer gives you a way to estimate this, as well as tells you why this whole problem is irrelevant from a cost perspective.

According to this link, the density of cardboard is approximately 30-90 kg/m^3 or 0.03-0.09 grams per cubic centimeter.

Now, lets estimate the amount of cardboard in a box. Say each side of the box has thickness T centimeters, and the sides of the box are L,W,H in centimeters. Then, the volume of the cardboard in the box is 2*T*(L*W+L*H+W*H), so the mass of cardboard in the box is density*volume of cardboard or between 0.03*2*T*(L*W+L*H+W*H) and 0.09*2*T*(L*W+L*H+W*H) grams.

Now, lets estimate the dimensions of a box to ship a bike. According to this thread, the typical bike box is about L=130 cm long, W=18 cm wide and H=79 cm height. For thickness, to make the numbers a bit easy, lets say the cardboard is T=1 cm thick (this is significantly thicker than most bike boxes I've seen).

Plugging into the formula, we get a range of approximately 800-2500 grams for the box (1.75 to 5.5 pounds).

I suspect the thickness of the box is closer to half a centimeter (which would halve the estimate) and the density is probably on the higher end of the scale (but probably not 0.09 grams/cm^3). So, I'd guess the weight is closer to 3 pounds.

The simple solution is to take a scale, and a bike box and weigh it.

Side note 1: The dimensions from that thread are only slightly different from your box, and the values come out to be nearly the same.

Side note 2: With carriers like UPS and Fedex, the expense of a shipping bicycle is not primarily the weight, but the fact that a bike box has large dimensions, so it can count as an oversized package [and paying the LBS to pack it]. For small packages of the same weight, note that the cost of shipping will be significantly lower (go to the UPS shipping calculator and put in your source and destination with a small box, say, 10 in x 10 in x 10 in weighing 50 pounds versus a bike box weighing 50 pounds). UPS calls this dimensional weight, so for your bike box, it will charge you assuming that your package weighs ~75 pounds even if your bike weighs 10 pounds packed. So, I guess you can fill your bike box with some rocks or something cause you're paying for 75 pounds even if you don't use it anyway!


Can I use a Tubular tyre in a Clincher rim? Just tried it - my trekking clincher rim was too deep, so have to use 4 layers of tape to keep side out of rim, but then tubular started to travel forward even during slow acceleration.

Would you try to use glue on all 4 layers + tubular, some special tape or change rim ?

No surprise seller told me it is possible...

Would you try to use glue on all 4 layers + tubular, some special tape or change rim ?

Change rim

The more layers of tape and glue you introduce the less firm the tire is attached and the more weight you add to your wheel. You want your tire firmly affixed to your rim for turning, braking, acceleration (on a rear wheel) performance.

  No surprise seller told me it is possible...

Sellers say lots of things are possible.
Possible does not mean "safe", "performs well", "is recommended", "is best" etc.
Sometimes sellers do not have your best interests at heart.

It is also possible to use and angle grinder to cut down the walls of the rim. Then you would need less tape. Please don't do that. But, if you do we'd like video.


Why would a salty damp road be slipperier than the same road just damp? I came off this morning* on a road I ride every day, in all weather conditions.  Last night was frosty so the road was salted/gritted, but there was no visible frost nearby, it had warmed up from the overnight minimum, and the road is quite heavily used, both warming it and grinding the salt into the surface.  But the road was damp.

So why would a salty, damp road be worse than the same road just damp?

More info, just in case it's of interest:

I was only doing about 20km/h and I've taken that bend faster in the wet before, on the same tyres when running late for my train. I was following a racing line (outside-inside-outside) so although it's a fairly tight bend my line wasn't tight.

I don't believe I just hit an oily patch. It felt slippery underfoot (walkable SPDs) when I picked myself up having slid a little way.  Also I take pretty much the same line every day.

It was about 8.9 km into this ride.

* I'm OK, and so's the bike.

It turns out there's actually some rather interesting science behind friction in the presence of water and salt.  Various model systems demonstrate that salt solutions really are better lubricants than plain (distilled) water between rubber and other materials, and by enough to matter.
Unfortunately little if any work has been done on the friction between real rubber and real wet roads in the presence of salt.  But there has been some work on more idealised systems.  One of the clearest results is from Experiments on the Lubrication of Raw Natural Rubber E.L. Ong and A.D. Roberts J. nat. Rubb. Res,, 1(1), 41-50 (1986).  Table 5 (below) is particularly interesting. Betwen raw natural rubber and Perspex the coefficient of friction reduced from 4.1 when dry, to 2.6 when wet and 1.5 when wet with salt solution.  A similar trend was observed for rubber-on-rubber friction. In other words in this system, in salt water there's about 60% of the grip compared to clean water. Fom the caption, "Stickslip motion tended to occur and maximum friction coefficients are quoted" (my emphasis). It's not clear whether this is true for all cases or just the salt solutions referred to in the preceeding sentence.

My journal access doesn't extend to reference 3 from this paper, Rubber friction in aqueous solutions containing ions, T.P.Mortimer & K.C.Ludema, Wear Volume 28, Issue 2, May 1974, Pages 197-206.  But the abstract of this latter paper states:

In the case of water lubrication of black rubber at slow speeds and
low pressures the lubricating ability of water is shown to be enhanced
by addition of electrolytes to the water. It is thought that negative
ions from the electrolytic solution collect on each sliding surface,
repel each other and prevent the close approach of two sliding
surfaces. Thus a thicker water film exists between the sliding
surfaces than if the ion layers did not exist. The thicker film
results in a reduced viscous drag force, lower than can be accounted
for by conventional hydrodynamics.

The ~40% reduction in friction from the table quoted above is enough to negate a reasonable safety margin when it comes to grip.  Applying this to my case I suspect an element of bad luck came into play too: That some tiny slip became unrecoverable because the overall friction was too lowThis would be especially the case as dynamic (sliding) friction is expected to be lower than rolling friction, thus extra grip is needed to recover a skid compared to avoiding it in the first place.
Further Reading:

Rubber Friction in Aqueous Solutions Containing Ions
Friction of rubber on ice in the presence of salt
DLVO and hydration forces between mica surfaces in Li+, Na+, K+, and Cs+ electrolyte solutions: A correlation of double-layer and hydration forces with surface cation exchange properties
Effect of aqueous cations on friction between rubber and glass


Are frame changes needed to switch groupset from Shimano to Campagnolo? I want change the groupset on my Scott Addict R2 from Shimano to Campagnolo.  Is Campagnolo fully compatible or will I need to make frame changes?

I don't think you will need to change the frame, I looked at one of the bianchi series a while back and I saw the same frame (the Oltre - I can but dream) offered at different prices depending on the groupset. But the groupsets available were from both shimano and campag. There's variations with Dura Ace, Ultegra, Athena, Super Record etc. I can't imagine the actual frame would be different between these groupsets, otherwise surely it would have a different name?

Here's the link to that page: http://www.bianchi.com/Uk/Bikes/Bikes_List.aspx?RangeIDMaster=74825&CategoryIDMaster=74829

You may want to visit the Scott site, you may find something similar

However I can imagine you're going to have to change just about everything else, though, including wheels (well, as far as the freehub at least).


What's causing soreness in front upper thigh? I took off about nine months from cycling, then took my Specialized Crossroads Elite (upright comfort bike) to the local bike shop to be tuned up. They replaced the shock seatpost which was slipping. Now I notice that when I start riding, the center of my upper thigh, right at the hip crease, becomes sore almost immediately. This seems to be worse if I bend forward. Do you think this is due to:

the new seatpost and seat adjustments?
simply being absent from cycling for so long? (I don't remember this feeling after previous long absences, though)
too much flexibility due to lots of hip opener stretches in yoga?

Is there something I should do? Adjust the bike somehow? Or just build my muscles up through more cycling?

It's very difficult  to diagnose this kind of pain without being far more directly involved in the situation.

However, the immediate issues that come to mind are:

Check the level positioning of the seat. It is possible that either due to ineptitude or lack of care, when the saddle was mounted to the new post, it was not mounted in a position properly level to the ground. In some situations it may be acceptable to have the seat tilted slightly nose down, but most saddles are designed with the idea that they will be level to the ground when the bike is sitting on it's wheels.
Grab the saddle nose with one hand, and the aft of the saddle with the other. Does it rotate side to side more than 2 or 3 millimeters? That kind of movement can cause friction in unusual places. See to it that the tension on the seatpost is adjusted to minimize the play, or replaced with a better quality post, if adjustment is not an option.
Did you also change the saddle at the same time you changed the post? A wider saddle nose, or a wider seat cushion on a saddle can cause friction in the thigh area as well. If the saddle was not changed, and you didn't have these issues prior to the seatpost change, this isn't likely. But worth mentioning.
Make sure the saddle nose is straight in line with the top tube of the frame. If it is misaligned, it can cause friction or pain.
If none of the are the case, check the seams in your cycling shorts. A bunched or pinched seam can cause that as well, but then it would have nothing to do with the seatpost.

Let me know if that helps, or try to give more detailed information, and I will do my best to help.


What is year and model of my Diamondback? I have a Diamondback frame I'm guessing around 1984 or 85 serial # F4042789

Check out this thread, the bike in question matches "F4042" S/N portion with yours. According to messages, your bike was built by Formosa in Taiwan (F) in 1984 (4), so it's not Formula One, which was made in Japan. This post mentions that "Viper, Pacer 500 & Super Streak were available that year", but an archived copy of os-db reveals there were also Harry Leary, Super Streak, Super Viper and Viper.

To narrow the options down further, you can:

Visit all links above and see what matches your bike features the most.
Post photos here, especially serial number, dropouts, rear brake bridge. Full side shot would be good too.

I'm inclined to believe it's a 1984 Super Streak because 5 out of 8 serial number symbols match.


Cantilever rear brake ineffective Front brake works fine.  Rear brake does not.

I took the bike to the LBS to have the rear brake adjusted and get new pads. I expected them to work great, BUT, brake is still not stopping the wheel as it should.  Bike shop guy said something about the pads have a "glaze" on them that has to be broken in by using them.

What other possible causes should I investigate ?

Easy things to check:

Pad not aligned  with the rim properly
Pads too far away from rim, requiring excessive lever travel before engagement
Excessive toe-out

You may also have too much flexibility in your brake cable and housing which limits the amount of braking force at the lever which is translated to the calipers. There's no obvious way to tell if this is happening, but if the housing and cable are old it's not expensive or difficult to replace them.

There a good park tool page on Canti brake adjustment, you can use this to see what the proper adjustment looks like.

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/cantilever-threaded-post-brake-service


Trainer tire selection (hybrid bike) I've been lurking for a couple months, but this is my first post and I still have a lot to learn.
Background
I inherited an old hybrid bike (Raleigh Dash EX) and an old stationary trainer, and I would love to find a suitable trainer tire to keep biking inside while it's cold and snowy.
This is my first time picking out a tire myself, so I need some feedback because I'm struggling to answer this question myself.
Here’s my rim (it's a 700c (622)), and the current tire (700 x 38):
What's causing some concern for me when picking out a trainer tire is the tire width.
When I've looked at trainer tires, they tend to be much narrower. Examples:

Vittoria Zaffiro Pro Home Trainer Fold Tire: 700 x 23
Tacx Trainer Tire: 700 x 23
Kinetic by Kurt: 700 x 25

The only one I can find of reasonably close width is the Continental Hometrainer Folding Tire (700 x 32).
Question
Does this mean that my best choice of training tire is the Continental because the others are so far off in width from my current tire?
Another way to phrase this agnostic of endorsing a brand/specific tire: If a tire with width 38mm currently works well with my wheel, would it be better to find a trainer tire with a similar width (e.g. 32+ mm) or does the width not matter enough here to make an impact?
I've seen some different advice involving this because 1) if I were on the road, that width difference has the potential to cause rim damage (source), but 2) because I'm on a trainer, the tire isn't really taking much load so it being a perfect width might be less of a concern.
Follow-up related question: I'm assuming with such a big tire width difference from the existing tire, it's likely that I'll need to assess if I need a new tube. Is that a reasonable assumption?
Thank you!!

What's the width of the rim? (Measure it.) So long as the trainer tire is roughly the same width as the rim, or wider, you'll be just fine. You don't have to worry about hitting the rim or pinch flats as you do outside.


How do you know if your wheel is correctly centered? I am from India and I have a one month old commuter bicycle. I have once tried adjusting front wheel using the quick release, but I haven't removed the tire. How do I know if the wheel is correctly centered?

If your brakes are rubbing, or the wheel is rubbing on the frame then you probably need to adjust the wheel or the brakes.

The quickest way to check is to use the brakes.

1) Pull the brake lever for the front wheel as far to the handlebar as it will go. It should be at least a finger width from the bar at full compression.

2) While watching the brake pads, the part of the brake touching the wheel, let up slowly on the lever until the pads are almost touching the wheel but not quite.

3) The pads should both be clear of the wheel. If one come clear first then either the brake needs adjusted or the wheel is not centered in the frame.

4) If both brakes clear the wheel at the same time then start turning the wheel slowly while continuing to hold the brake just clear of the wheel. If there's a problem with the wheel one side or the other will hit a brake pad.

You can take it to a shop if the wheel needs to be trued.


44 622 / 700x45c what tyres to buy? The marking on the existing tyre to replace is 44 622 /700x45c

On sites like https://www.schwalbe.com/en/groessenbezeichnung.html
44 622 corresponds to 700x42c and 47 622 corresponds to 700x45c , I am confused which number to trust and 44 622 also looks like rare tyre size as I can't seem to find any in UK.

Also how strict are these numbers +-1 size jump going to render me unable to put tyre on?

Some of the confusion relates to the fact that there are different but equivalent ways to measure tire sizes. The first tire measurement you mentioned 44 622 refers to the tire width of 44 mm and rim bead seat diameter of 622 mm respectively. The second measurement type (700x45c) is a 45 mm wide tire that also fits on a rim with a 622 mm bead seat diameter, the 700c is an old French sizing nomenclature based on the final external diameter being 700 mm for width class of tire (e.g., a, b, c widths). (The final outside diameter is affected by the widths, so the three widths would have different bead seat diameters in order to get a final diameter of 700 mm).

The differences in tire widths you are seeing (i.e., 42, 44, 45, 47) likely corresponds to the fact the final tire diameter depends on the combination of tire and rim widths (i.e., the same tire can have different final widths depending on the rim width it is mounted to). One standard may assume one rim width, while another standard likely assumes a different rim width.

In the end none of these nuances matter much as a frame that can clear a 700x42 tire will also likely clear a slightly wider tire (e.g., 700x47).  What really matters is that all of these must be fitted to a wheel with a bead seat diameter of 622 mm, which is the diameter used on your bike.


Trying to identify part name and correct bolt size my father-in-law sent us a bike, however one part was lost in transit. This is an image found online, but shows the part(s) in question.

What is the name of the toothed plate underneath the handlebars that secures them at a given angle? I originally thought that part was lost, but found it loose inside the shipping box. The bolt to tighten the plate, however, is still missing. I found a bolt that I thought would work, but the plate is still loose despite my tightening the bolt I have as much as I can.
So, and I'm hoping there is a standard here, what is the correct bolt size and length for that plate? In the event that I'd need to, is there an online source you'd recommend for buying replacement "locking plates and bolts"?
Thanks for your help.

I disassembled two that were readily available, one on a Giant and one on a Specialized. Both use an M8 x 18mm. The 18mm  length dimension did not include the head of the bolt. The total length was 24mm. I also noted both bolt heads were slightly shorter than industrial standard. Visually it looks like a bolt with a taller head would work but  1/2 head would  be exposed. Most small components of sub-assemblies aren't readily available the entire part would need replacement.  Although sometimes a local sop might have something in a stray parts bin. In your case since you only lack a bolt, any local supplier should be able to supply something that will work.


Recommendation for panniers used off the bike a lot I'm looking for panniers. I mostly just potter around town, and am not planning any cycle touring so my main criteria is that the panniers should be easy to carry around off the bike. Built in rucksack straps or a shoulder/cross-body strap would be good. Just a carry handle would not be enough for me.

You might consider:

Arkel Bug, which works as a backpack. Quite modern, sporty look.
Ortlieb Downtown, which has a comfortable shoulder strap.

You might check other products of those two producers, if you need a bigger/smaller cargo capacity.

Both of these panniers are very easy to attach to your bike. Perfect for your daily commuting needs and running errands.


Should I change V-brake pads if they are old and dry? Should I change V-brake pads if they are old and look a bit dry?

If yes, how I can determine if pads are dry enough, or not?

Just to be clear, the pads are not worn.

A rough rule of thumb is that if you press a fingernail hard into the raw edge of the pad, it should deform the pad and go in some.

If your brake pad is hardened by age, ozone, or UV exposure then braking performance suffers.

Your rims will also wear down faster because the pad is harder than it should be.

If the pad is black on the black bits (or a good healthy looking colour if its red or somethign else)  then that suggests its okay.  If a black pad is grey, or worse faded to light grey or white, then replace them.

For a bike I care about, I'd just replace the pads with known-good brands like Kool Stop and ride it.  For a bike that is only a parts donor, I'd throw the pads away and only store the bare brake calipers/arms.

If you choose to keep using old pads, then at the bare minimum pick all the detritus and debris out of the pad - you will be astonished at the amount of metal particles that the average brake pad can hold, and these metal flakes are what contribute a lot to rim wear.

I had an old 80s road bike for a short time, it had single pivot brakes and totally unworn but hardened pads.  It braked "okay" on the flat, but a hard brake when on a downhill led to some terrifying oscillations as the brakes grabbed and let go, as the fork flexed.   I ended up walking down that hill it was so bad.

Change your pads - they're important safety items.


What causes a wheel to suddenly go out of true? This morning I noticed that my wheel was suddenly out of true and rubbing against the brake pad at one point. My first guess was that I had broken a spoke, but all of them seem to be intact. A few spokes seem less taut than the others, but none of them are loose.

I don't recall hitting any major potholes. Is it possible for an obstacle to bend the rim without being a big enough obstacle for me to notice? Should I just true the wheel and move on with my life, or is there anything else I should be careful about? Other than a broken spoke, what would cause a wheel to suddenly go out of true?

If you haven't hit anything and you haven't parked your bike on a busy bike rack (other tires getting accidentally rammed into your spokes), the most likely culprit is a nipple vibrating loose.

You can see if this is a likely possibility fairly easily...one, maybe two, of your spokes will be noticeably loose...less tension then the surrounding spokes (compare to spokes on same side if a rear tire...can be different tension to each side).

If this is in fact the case, it's something to be a little bit worried about in that you shouldn't just true the wheel and go on. If a nipple is working itself loose you will need to do something to keep it from doing so again. Generally a nipple will only work loose if it's damaged or if there wasn't spoke prep (similar to loctite) on the spoke when it was built.

For damage you'll notice a crack upon close inspection or it may be "squashed"...no longer square...this happens when someone bottoms out the nipple while building it or in some cases of too much tension...this out of square can quickly lead to the nipple cracking. If this is the case, remove the nipple and replace. Retrue, check round and dish and get back on the road.

If it's just loose, you're (MOSTLY - see below) in luck as it's the easier fix. Loosen the spoke even more, add some STUFF (see below) to the spoke threads and then retrue, check round and dish and get back on the road.

STUFF - You need to put something on your spoke's threads to keep the nipple from working loose under vibration. The purists will claim that only spoke prep should be used and that loctite will ruin your wheel. I disagree. I've built several sets of wheels when I didn't have spoke prep around and fixed many more and I'm happing using blue loctite (NOT RED). If you can find it green loctite is probably an even better choice. If you have money to burn, go ahead and pick up some spoke prep...it's good stuff, just pricey for someone who is not getting paid to build wheels. If you use blue loctite, just a tiny bit will do it. If you use spoke prep, make sure to let it dry a bit before tightening.

MOSTLY - I said that you were mostly in luck. The downside is that if there was no spoke prep on this spoke, there may not be any on other spokes. You'll want to check it. Some spoke prep has a bit of color and you can back a nipple a couple of turns and see (barely) a bit of blue or orange. Loosing a spoke during a fast decent can be very dangerous so if in any doubt take the wheel to someone who builds them and have it checked.


How do I adjust V-brakes as the pads wear? I have V-brakes and when the pads wear down, the brake needs adjustment.
Adjusting by undoing and tightening the cable is difficult, is there an easier way to adjust V-brakes to compensate for pad wear?

The rim brakes on my last bike had a barrel adjuster that did what you ask.  My new bike has disk brakes and they self-adjust.

The barrel adjuster here is the black cylinder on the right-side.  The brake housing/cable pass through the middle.  To bring the pads closer to the rim, rotate the barrel adjuster so it comes out from the lever's body by a turn or two, and then tighten the thinner lock ring in the opposite direction against the body.  Check the rim still rotates freely between the pads.


Cadence and speed monitor on rear wheel? I'm just wondering if you are able to put the cadence and speed monitors of the polar cs200 on the rear wheel for stationary training?

The Polar 200 user manual says that the speed sensor and the cycling computer must be no more than 30-40cm apart.

The cadence sensor attaches to the frame, near the pedals.

You could test how far away the speed sensor will transmit by just moving the computer away from the bike with the front wheel spinning. If it works at 1 meter distance, then putting the speed sensor magnet on the rear wheel and moving the sensor is worthwhile.

It could be that you'll need to juggle the orientation of the sensor and the computer to see how they work best.


Medium size cargo solution for road-bike for commuting Currently I use a touring bike with rear rack and a single panier on my 15km commute. In my panier I carry a full set of clothes including shoes, a small coat and a towel. I want to start using my road bike on my commute because it is a better bike in almost all ways except for the cargo situation.
The panier I use is an ortlieb back-roller classic. It is huge, it is completely waterproof, and I fix it to my bike in one quick motion. I'm looking for something that matches or improves on most of those characteristics but fits on a road bike.
More specifically, I'd like to find a cargo solution for my road bike that:

is at least 15-20 litres.
is waterproof in standard setup (no rain-covers).
does not interfere with my biking.
attaches and detaches with minimal effort.
(bonus points) is aerodynamic.
(bonus points) looks good

I've tried a backpack, but that violates point 3 and (somewhat) 5. Also, it is sweaty and bad for my back. I've been looking into the various bags that attach on top of a rear-rack such as the ortlieb trunk bag and the topeak trunk drybag but they are too small. Topeak has bigger models but those have a strange compartmentalisation, and they are not waterproof (since you can buy separate rain covers).
I'd like to avoid the asymmetry of a single panier, and I'd also like to avoid attaching a full rear-rack to my roadbike. Seatpost-mounted rack is fine though.

Edit (2014-12-01): In the end I decided to go for a backpack, the ortlieb packman pro 2 to be exact. Reasons:

100% waterproof
some bike-friendly features (notably, some ventilation on the back)
Exactly the size I need.
Quicker and better ease of use than all rack-mounted or seatpost-mounted solutions I could find.

I would really recommend re-looking at a backpack.  There are a large variety of packs out there and the drybag styles ones seem to get better every year.  I have found that a backpack is a more dynamic way to carry weight.  You might look for one with better airflow built into the padding section.  I find that if I dress just a little more lightly and have a pack with good airflow, "sweaty back" is a bit less of a problem.

If you can't find a drybag style pack that works for you, you could always look for a base pack that fits all your requirements and then just stuff a uber-light drybag in it.

Along those lines, you might also look at Revelate Designs new holster bag.  Essentially it sits under your seat and provides a secure place to stuff a drysack with ease of on/off for the drysack.  Your personal opinion will dictate whether it meets requirement 6 or not.


Help! front wheel brake doesn't brake (Shimano) when I squeeze my front wheel hand brakes, the lever goes all the way to the grip on my handle very easily. It feels like there is no force to it. On top of that, the brake pads do not move at all when I try to brake. what is wrong with it? Please help me.

Sounds obvious, but first ensure the cable is securely attached to the caliper by the pinch bolt.

Check that the brake housing that the front brake cable runs inside is properly fitted into the brake lever. If the housing has come loose the cable has nothing to pull against and will not operate the brake calipers.

If you have v-brake calipers, check that the curved metal 'noodle' is properly fitted into the caliper. The noodle can be popped out to spread the calipers to allow removal of the wheel.

It's also possible that the cable has snapped inside the housing, or the cable head has broken off.


How can I tell if a rack and panniers will work with my bike? I have a 2012 Jamis Durango Race and am interested on fitting it with rear panniers at some point.  However I want to be sure that they'll be compatible.  There seem to be mounting points on the bike but I don't know if these are standard across all bikes or not.

Do panniers and bikes come with standardised fittings so that any pannier will work with any bike?  If not, is there some kind of compatibility guide for showing which panniers can be mounted on this bike?

That particular bike looks like it has mounting points for a rear rack, which is the primary issue. In general, what you are looking for are the bolt holes or "braze-ons" usually just a few inches below where the seat stays connect to the seat tube, as well as ones above the rear axle on the dropout. If your bike doesn't have them, there are ways to mount a rack using various after market kits like this.

If you can mount a rear rack you will find that most panniers are "universal" in that they will mount to any tubular rack. There are a few pannier bags that are sold as part of a system and work only with one specific rack, so you will want to watch out for those.

The second issue will be the length of the chain stays. If the frame is somewhat compact, or if you have long feet, you may run into the problem of the back of your feet hitting the front of the bags while you pedal. This is usually only a problem on smaller frames and with larger bags like you would use for self-supported touring.

Because racks and bags change every season or two, you will likely not find a compatibility chart or site. Your best bet is to hit your Local Bike Shop and see what they have available.


Replacing Apex 1 crank arm with Shimano 105 I would like to buy a 4iii power meter integrated in a Shimano 105 crank arm.

On my bike I currently have SRAM Apex 1. Will this be possible?

Thank you!

Your question is a little ambiguous but I think you are proposing to replace the Apex non-drive side crank arm with a Shimano 105 arm with a 4iii power meter built in. That will not work, the SRAM and Shimano cranks use a completely different attachment method.

4iii do not seem to offer power meters pre-installed in a new SRAM crank arm, but they do seem to offer to install a power meter unit in a arm you send to them, and list some SRAM options. You could contact them and see what SRAM cranks they can install a meter in, perhaps a Force 11 arm (which I think would be compatible) if they can't do an Apex.

Another option would be to look for whole power meter crank that is compatible with your bottom bracket.


Is it possible to change to a larger and type of crankset from a one-piece Ashtabula style? I made an E-Bike out of a cheap bike. It uses those one piece cranks. I was wondering if I could get a bigger gear. The motor top speed is 36km/h and I would like to assist the motor while going at that speed. But as is, past 24km/h, it's too fast to allow me to assist.
With this types of crankset I never found anything different than that size gear. If I found some other crankset types would it fit into the frame's crank shaft? Is it standardized?
My bike has a 5 speed derailleur, 20inch wheels. The crank is as seen in the example bike image. Motor is front hub.

One piece cranks are used on inexpensive adult bikes so larger chainrings should be available as replacement parts. The crank-chainring interface is standardized. See Sheldon Brown's page on one piece cranks.

Note that the size of the chainring will be limited by the clearance between it and the drive side chainstay.


Can I run a dual crankset with a chain guide tensioner? We recently got a new mountain bike for my son via craigslist, it is a couple year old Transition Bottle Rocket and came with a E-Thirteen SS+ chain guide/tensioner.

He would like a lower gear for when we go up the hill to get to the good downhill trails.

Can we add a front derailleur and shifter to allow two front chain rings allowing a lower gearing for going up and one for when he goes down the trail.

He has a nice large 32 tooth on the rear cassette but still would like something a bit easier to spin up the hill

This is a common setup for many freeride bikes, as it allows uphill pedaling and a bash guard.  However only certain models of chain guide support this, and the one your son has doesn't officially (though it wouldn't hurt to try if you have a crankset to test; it might affect the derailleur ...).  The DRS is eThirteen's 'official' dual chain guide.


Could a slightly bent rear mech cable be the cause of poor shifting? I have trouble indexing my SRAM Apex 1x drivetrain. If I get it to shift correctly at one end of the cassette, it doesn't shift so well at the other end.
Sometimes I have to click multiple times at the DoubleTap shifter to make the rear mech move enough for the chain to jump to the next sprocket.

I have tried the usual, first of all the chain tension barrel adjuster at the rear of the mech. Also, I have tried removing the cable from the mech, changing the tension.
And fiddling with the B and limit screws. To no avail.

For context, the drivetrain has recently been moved from a few years old bike to a brand new frame by a seasoned bike mechanic.

Could a slightly bent rear mech cable under the BB be the cause of the poor shifting (see photo)?

And if so, can something be done about it - other than replacing the cable?

No, the 'bent cable' is not causing the problem.

As soon as the shifter pulls the cable the tension of the derailleur springs will straighten it out. It may be slightly bent when first installed but should straighten out in a short time.

The excessive slack you have in that cable indicates something is adjusted incorrectly. Presumably the derailleur is on the smallest sprocket and is resting on the high limit rather than being controlled by the cable and shifter. That would mean your indexing adjustment is off. I'd work through a rear derailleur setup process to fix that problem first. The Park Tool Rear Derailleur article and video is has a very clear step by step process.

If that does not improve your indexing, the next thing to look at is the derailleur hanger alignment.