Derailleur installation adjustment method I recently installed a SRAM XX1 crankset on a mountian bike (first build) in the instructions they want you to:
1. Adjust for the high
2. Adjust for the low
3. Install the shifter cable
4. Adjust the B-screw
5. Put the chain on
6. Adjust high and low again.

I didn't find this to be particularly useful because I couldn't get the chain to align. I found out by talking to a few people that after I put the chain on, it was hard to align the shifter. I talked to a few people and they said after the chain goes on you should undo the shifter cable and then put it back on. After I did that everything worked perfect.

So I have a few questions:
Is there a method to installing derailleurs that works? Does it vary between brands? Are there any tricks I should know?

For B tension screw I suggest you to just have look at this video
 B tension adjustment
Steps to adjust your rear derailleur

Drop the chain to the smallest cog of your cassette.
Tighten the cable.
Loose the cable tention by turning the cable tention screw.
Align the upper pulley just benith the cog and slightly inward using the H high limit screw.


Can cyclists legally ride on the sidewalk? Can cyclists ride on the sidewalk? What if the road in question has no bike lane? If cyclists can ride on the sidewalk, does it matter which side of the road the sidewalk is on? I live in California - would the law vary by state or locality?

Are there other concerns outside of the legality to consider?

Safety

In general, riding on the sidewalk is more dangerous than riding on the road. There's higher risk from cars coming out of driveways than cars overtaking you from behind. Generally cars aren't looking for anything on a sidewalk moving more than about 3-4 mph, there's often visual obstacles (trees, sign posts, etc) so you're likely to be invisible to cars that might turn into you. Going against the direction of traffic gives everybody a bit less time to react to anything going wrong and puts you on the side car drivers typically aren't looking in.

If it's legal on a specific block, I might ride slowly (5mph, 8mph tops) for a block on the sidewalk to get to a spot where I can get onto the road properly. But be extra-aware of all driveways and side streets. I might also ride on the sidewalk for under 10 feet when coming off of the road via a driveway or curb cut in order to stop and lock up my bike.

Check your local laws

There is no statewide California law prohibiting operating a bicycle on a sidewalk, however California Vehicle Code Section 21206 allows local (county, city, etc) governments to regulate operation of bicycles on pedestrian facilities.

In other words, there is no California-wide answer to the legality. It may be illegal in the specific area you were riding, but legal on the next block over or legal on the other side of the street.

In the city I live in (in California), it's illegal in two defined "downtown" areas, but otherwise legal. In some cities it's illegal to ride on the sidewalk anywhere in the city.

Or perhaps it's simpler to explain that California Vehicle Code Section 21650(g) explicitly allows riding on sidewalks and through crosswalks, unless prohibited by local ordinance.


Upgrading everything to Ultra R8000 except for crankset which is Shimano Sora I currently am running full Shimano Sora.

The crankset is 34/50T. The cassette is 11-34T 9 speed.

If I upgrade all my components to Ultegra, this being the rear derailleur, cassette (11 speed) and the front derailleur. Will the Sora crankset still work with the Ultegra gears? I don't really want to spend $500 on a new Ultegra crank when the one I have now is fine.

I am purchasing the 11-34T Ultegra groupset.

In short, yes but not well.

The distance between the chainrings in a Sora crankset is different than the Ultegra crankset. So if you have an Ultegra shifter and front mech, you may experience some issues (chain rub, delayed shifting etc).

So it will work, but not as well as it should.

An alternative is to get a 105 crankset, or other crankset of similar dimensions (like a Praxis Works for example). You could always set it all up with your Sora crankset and see how it goes. But be prepared to get another, more suitable crankset. Maybe post a different question that asks which cheaper cranksets will work with R8000.


Durability of Seat and Chain Stays on steel frame touring bike I've been toying with the idea of mounting a dynamo on my REI touring bike. Model is ADV1.1 and it has a steel frame.

Dynamo attaches by a mechanism that clamps onto a seat stay and tightens with two bolts, but I also recently got spooked by stories here and here that similar mechanisms for kickstands run the risk of crushing the chain stays.

I don't have much experience with mechanically modifying bike frames, so how generally concerned should you be about fixing things to or modifying a bike frame for fear that it is damaged or weakened significantly?

And how much should this concern vary between different brands or types of bike, i.e. touring, mountain bike, etc?

Should the concern for kickstands and the chain stays carry over to the dynamo scenario?

Situations when the weight of whole bike + cargo (+ maybe a rider?) is concentrated on a small patch of kickstand's clamp and when a small dynamo clamps the same seatstay are really incomparable. In the first case it's a thousand Newtons of stress applied to a piece that was not supposed to be pressed in that direction, and for dynamo it's about five Newtons and the clamping force.

I would say just clamp your dynamo mount with a reasonable torque, or, if you are really paranoid, use a torque-measuring wrench and clamp according to manufacturer specifications. If it turns out to be loose at some point, simply re-tighten it.

Steel and aluminum alloy frames could sustain quite a lot of abuse of excessive clamping torque (but there is no need for it in the first place). If you make a mistake and instead of 4 N×m would crank it up to 20 N×m, it will still be OK. But I doubt that you will be able to achieve such huge torque with a typical size 3-6 mm allen key that is most likely used for the operation.

If your frame is carbon fiber, then a more accurate approach is recommended, as this material is more sensitive to clamping. However, I am not sure that there are many touring carbon bikes around.


Way to fix outward dent in rim? On a ride today I ran over a water run off too fast and have caused an outward bulging dent in both sides of my rim. The bulge is hardly noticeable to see or touch but I "think" I can feel it when riding. This rim is definitely on the way out as I've dinged it a couple of times now but want to ride it until I can get a new one put in the hub.

I've successfully removed inward dents but want to know if there is a trick to removing outward ones?

I cannot find a flat spot in the rim so hoping bending back to straight May work.

Get an adjustable wrench and a small piece of cardboard. Smash the cardboard as flat as you can and fold it over the bead of the rim- this keeps the wrench from gouging the aluminum rim. Adjust the adjustable wrench down as far as you can while still able to slide it over the cardboard that's protecting the rim. Now, very gently torque the dent back straight with the wrench- it won't take much effort.

This will work for small deformations only. If you see any further indication of damage after doing this, such as a crack in the rim, don't ride it.


Can Shimano Tiagra 9 speed levers (ST-4500) be used with 105 brakes (BR-5700)? I want to replace the non-Shimano rear brake that came with my bike with either Shimano 105 (BR-5700) or Tiagra (BR-4600) brakes, preferably the 105 model. The Shimano compatiblity chart says the 10 speed Tiagra (ST-4600) levers are compatible but the bike has the older Tiagra ST-4500 levers.

Will the ST-4500 levers be able to work well with these newer brakes or do I have to trudge off to eBay and try to find older Shimano 105s?

As long as you use a Shimano brake caliper designed for a road STI lever, which is any Tiagra, 105, Ultegra, or Dura-Ace, they will work not just well, but perfectly. There may be a performance difference, but there will not be a compatibility difference.

Even most 3rd party brake calipers will work just fine.

New additional information: Starting with the Dura-Ace 9000 and Ultegra 6800 groups, there are differences in the brake caliper design which require levers which match the design. They also recommend, but do not require, a specific type of cable to get full benefit from the new brake design.


Can I mix these SRAM Apex components with Shimano/Ofmega components on my bike temporarily? I own a Fausto Coppi vintage bike. Currently I have RSX shifters with Shimano exage 300EX front and rear derailleurs.

I am switching my whole setup to accomodate 10 speed. My new wheels fit well. I have just ordered a SRAM Apex mini set. This comes with a 10 speed chain, shifters, cassette, rear derailleur and brakes. I do want to eventually switch out the bottom bracket and crankset but I currently have an Ofmega 52/42 crankset. I also want to switch out the front derailleur as well.

I just want to know if this setup will not work or cause damage to components until I can replace the front derailleur, BB and crankset to match the Sram Apex set?

So to be clear this will be SRAM Apex rear derailleur, shifters, cassette and chain. But the mixed components will be shimano Exage 300ex front derailleur and Ofmega 52/42 crankset. This is strictly temporary but I just want to know if it'll work okay. Thanks

Proof's in the pudding, but generally you should be fine with this setup as long as the frame's OLD is large enough to take your new rear wheel hub.

The trick is to keep the front mech and shifter compatible with each other, and keep the rear mech and shifter and cassette compatible.

One interaction can be that the narrower width of the 10 speed chain takes longer to move chainrings at the front because the front mech's cage is for a wider chain.  For a beater bike you might squash the cage horizontally a bit, or learn to live with it.

Also the RSX shifter on the left of your bars will be mostly grey, and the new one on the right will be much more modern-looking.  A workaround here is to use a downtube shifter on the left for the front mech, and leave the left brifter as only a brake.  This was a thing in the 90s, noticeably some yellow texan.


UK Category 4 Road Racing I am seriously considering road racing, I am wondering what level of fitness I should get myself to before considering entering races. I intend to do TT races next year anyhow, but I was wondering what kind of level I would need to be so that I would generally stay in the bunch for the whole of a race.

Sort of answer I am expecting are be able to maintain 30kmh for 1 hour (on your own) or something like that, if that makes sense.

Try to figure out where the local racers do their training.  Ask your local bike store if they operate any training groups and if there are any racers in the group.  Go out with them on training runs to see if you can get a feel for where you stand in terms of fitness.  My LBS has rides once a week, and there are some racers that show up for that, but I don't see much of them after they leave.  I think this would be ideal, because even if you couldn't keep up, you could always hang back with the slower riders and have a good time.


Where can I go to change the vertical drop out for a horizontal drop out? I have an aluminum road bike frame that I want to use to build a fixed gear. My problem with this frame is that it has vertical drop out and no derailleur hanger. Fr

You don't necessarily need horizontal drop-outs to make a fixie. You could also get an eccentric hub such as this one.  This allows the chain slack to be taken up without using horizontal drop outs. They also have eccentric bottom brackets but I think they require a special frame.


di2 front derailleur braze on for 105? can di2 front derailleur braze on adapter be used to mount 105 derailleur?

Yes, this should be fine, as the front derailleur braze on mount is universal


How to keep glasses dry in the rain? Today in the middle of my ride it started raining and I could barely see due to the amount of rain on my glasses.

This is basically what I could see

I have jokingly talked about using Rain-X on my glasses, but now it's starting to seem like a good idea.

Is there a way to keep this from happening or at least to a minimum?

The easy answer is a wide-brim hat or long visor on your helmet. This does work, at least at low speeds. You will have to experiment with options, as nothing like this is sold for this purpose as far as I can tell.

Over about 20kph the length of brim you need gets silly, and by 30kph you need half a metre or so (there are some velomobile owners that do this). But if you're willing to slow down, the brim will work.

I wear glasses, and haven't found a water-shedding coating that works well enough to be worth the hassle. In practice I use a clip-on visor on my bike helmet, extended a little so it's about 10cm in front of my forehead. That keeps the worst of the rain off. Then I ride fast enough that my glasses get wet anyway. But not as wet as without it.

The visor/brim also reduces the amount of water running down my head and into my eyes, especially as that always seems to wash stale sweat out of the helmet pads and that stuff stings. A sweatband or headsock helps there.


Pain on pinky toe joint from cleat setup? I recently got SPD cleats for my road bike and have watched a number of videos and read articles on how to set them up as best as I can. I seem to have them set where I can comfortably pedal with the ball of my foot, but after about half an hour or so I start feeling some pain in both of my feet, where my pink toe connects to my foot.

The red circle here indicates where I am feeling the pain:

My feet naturally toe out quite a bit, so I set up the cleats accordingly, but is this area hurting because I've set too much toe on the cleat? Or not enough? Or is it something else completely?

Cheers.

Assuming that your shoes are wide enough and your front strap is not too tight, try moving your cleat sideways towards the crank arm.

This will move your foot out a little towards the outside of the pedal and reduce outward pressure. It worked for me when I had a similar problem.

Also make sure that cleats are not too far forward. They should usually be positioned so that the pedal axle is under or slightly behind the ball of your foot.


Can I use chain rings that were on a 9 speed for my 11 speed cassette or do I need to get 11 speed chain rings? Essentially I am asking if I need thinner chain rings for the thinner 11 speed chain. Also, what is the max length chain I can get in 11 speed.
I am frankenbiking hard right now. Just want a better groupset on my sturdy, yet craptastic Fuji Nevada 1.9 frame.
Thanks, and be gentle, I have been riding forever, just now decided to learn about all the stuff I just took in to the shop to fix, or franken.
Thanks,
Jeff

Max length chain you can get: 500 foot from here http://www.bikeman.com/CH5052.html ... should be enough :D !
You may find shops reselling whatever length you want.
A 11 speed chain should work okay on 9 speed chainrings.
Keep up with frankenbiking, the fun is in the process and in the final result!


Squeaking / Chirping while pedaling I have a 2009 Specialized Allez Sport C2.

When pedaling (actually only under load, not when just turning the crank while it's on a stand) the bottom bracket squeaks or chirps. I first thought it was birds chirping;  then I realized they were remarkably regular in their chirping.  Then I realized it was my bike. The sound has definitely gotten worse over time.

What should I be looking at in terms of fixing this?  Do I need to replace the bottom bracket?

"squeaks" can come from a lot of places in the bike - they're transmitted surprisingly well - which helps them escape detection.

If it corresponds with pedal strokes, then you're probably looking at the following:

bottom bracket - regrease and tighten to spec
pedals - regrease and tighten to spec
cleats - tighten to spec

It's a process of elimination - e.g. see if it happens when you're only putting down power with one foot. Or see if it happens only when standing.

If it's not all the time, but only when you're standing, then it could be something in your steering (i.e. change in body position makes it worse).


How to get housing seated into shifter barrel adjuster I just picked my bike up after getting some work done. Shifting was a little off so I tried to adjust the barrel adjuster on the tiagra SL-4700 shifter and it looks like the housing has come loose :|

When I move the shifter to the lowest position the housing looks ok, but as I shift up the whole housing moves out.

When I tried to get it back in before and shift up / down it pushed the cable end out of the back of the shifter.

It looks like everything else is firm: the housing around the derailleur and the bottom bracket seem solid.

I haven't had this problem before. How can I get the cable back into position properly?

Thanks in advance!

I think that bit of plastic on the end of the housing is called the "ferrule".

If you have a spare and want to replace it you have to get the inner cable out which means cutting the cap off the far end of it (down by the derailleur) and pulling the cable out. Then you put another cap on the far end after replacing the ferrule.

The shifter end of the cable has a lump of metal permanently attached to it so it can't be unthreaded from that end.

I think it would also probably work fine to just clean it up as best you can and put a couple of drops of superglue between the housing and the ferrule. That way you don't need to take the inner out.


Identify bike manufacturer using the number 1857 and is made in England I have an Abeni badged track bike but the frame appears quite old. I am trying to ID the manufacturer.   I purchased it from an estate and the family said it had been in storage for about 20 years. That was a couple of years ago so I was thinking it was possibly from the 1980’s.
The number on the frame is 1857. Can anyone one enlighten me?

Update:

I might have traced back some info on it:

This forum talks of Healing track bikes and one user mentions the underside of his BB is marked G.R. 23 and England, with serial number marked upside down on the seat clamp.

From there I searched for images of Healing track frames and stumbled into this picture, which would match the headtube style. The lugs are different, but hey, this one is from the 1940's...

So my guess is that it's a Healing track bike as it indicates

  Importing bicycle parts Healing was quickly gaining a reputation for his quality and service among the cycling community[...]

Which would fit with the BB shell marked as made in England. The decals are definitely just fakery after a repaint.


Converted to drop bar and dual brake/shift levers and problems with front derailleur Hoping someone can help out here.
I had originally had a 2016 Kona Deluxe hybrid. Over the years I changed to bullhorn bars with the original shifters etc. I love this bike, but I wanted drop bars and brake shift levers now.
Yes I know I should just buy a road bike, but I like this bike and would rather spend the time doing this as I enjoy it.
The bike still has the original front and rear derailleur which was Shimano Acera 3x front and Shimano Alivio 9 speed rear.
I purchased the Shimano Sora dual levers, right 9 speed and left 3 speed.
I installed everything, installed the new cabling and have successfully got everything to work, including the rear derailleur.
However, I am having problems with the front derailleur. It almost seems as if the cable pull is not enough to make it shift. I can get it to shift from the 1st ring to the 2nd. or the 2nd to the 3rd. I even installed a inline cable adjuster to get fine tuning and nothing seems to work.
Question: Is there a different derailleur I need/new crankset or is there something I need to do to adjust the levers?
I was googling and trying to figure out compatibility was confusing. I just assumed because both Shimano they would be fine?
Thanks :)

You’re right on. The road shifters have different pull ratio, so you need to use a road front DR. A Sora triple front DR will likely work.


What is the process of adding a light to a Yamaha PW equipped ebike? I recently got a bike with a Yamaha PW system. The bike computer has a light on/off button but the bike itself has no light and I want to add one. How do I do this? From what I understand, I need a light cable, some sort of crank pulling tool to open the motor, plus the light itself.

My question is where can I learn about the detailed procedure for doing this?

Okay, so I did some research into this and here's what I found:

The Yamaha drive offers enough power for many, but not all, ebike lights to be connected. For example, Supernova M99 Pro won't work -- that's my favourite bike light. But lights like the Lupine SL S or Supernova M99 Pure work just fine.
To install the light, one needs to remove the protective plastic cover and undo two out of three bolts that connect the motor to the frame.

So I've ordered the light and the Light Cable to connect it to.

Update: did the entire installation process, here are the approximate steps I had to take.

Step 1: remove motor cover. Also the step where I get unpleasanly surprised that the bottom plastic motor cover has a hole in it. I wonder what idiot thought of that... this is where all the dirt and mud will accumulate. This is insane. Reminder to self: tape it over. Haven't seen this level of insanity from Bosch.
Step 2: unscrew two out of 3 motor bolts, loosen the third... also the step where I realize that those bolts are tightened with 22Nm of force. I did not, do not, nor will I ever own any instrument with a hex key that can apply 22Nm of force. This seems excessive and downright cruel and no, Bosch does not do anything as evil. Consequence: had to improvise a long handle for a hex key. Pretty sure I did not tighten it back to 22Nm, but I don't care. It's not going to fall off.
Step 3: connect Bosch LightCable to the motor (there's no ambiguity regarding the port or direction) and run it to the handlebar. This was also annoying because Haibike has these black plastic plugs where the wires came out and naturally, there's no space for extra light wire. Had to clip away some plastic.
Step 4: connecting wire to Luping SL S light... where I found out that Lupine does not mark the type of screwdriver you need for opening up the light. Furthermore, I watched their video where they suggested a Torx T5, so I ordered one, waited two days only to find that the light actually opens with a T6. Insanity! Also, they ignored my support request :( and when a manufacturer does that, well, they get blacklisted in my book.

To sum things up: the process of light installation is rather annoying, but manageable.


What does 'tubeless ready' wheelset actually mean I know this may sound daft or simple, but can someone tell me what is meant by 'The wheelset is tubeless ready' on an bike advert. I have asked in a shop and had 2 answers ranging from 40 pounds to 300 pounds to change the tyres to tubeless. Surely if the advert say's tubeless ready it means a simple and inexpensive conversion to make you tyres tubeless.

Any help is much appreciated.

The advert states' Answer Atac AM, 15x110mm/12x148mm, Tubeless Ready'

In the context of a new bike spec list or marketing copy, it's most commonly understood to mean a wheelset and tires that are both tubeless-compatible, plus the rims already have tubeless tape. It's ready for tubeless in the sense that all you have to do is unseat one bead, remove the tube, add a tubeless valve, add sealant, re-seat the one bead, slosh the sealant around, and go. Manufacturers have gotten pretty good in recent years at making this actually work as planned, i.e. the factory tape job is good. That's not an absolute given though; it's always a good idea to look at it and make sure the tape application and coverage are something you want to commit to.

What's a little inconsistent with the term still in my experience is whether the bike comes with valves in its goody bag. Some do, particularly if it's got a named prefab wheelset, but a lot don't, so if you for example want to make sure you're ordering everything you need to tubeless it right away, get valves too unless it says it includes them.

If the term is being used for a wheelset, I would take that to mean it comes with tubeless tape. For a tire, it just means it's a tubeless compatible tire. (If you look around and read old things you might see some reference to "tubeless ready" meaning a tire with conventional non-sealing sidewalls, as opposed to UST tires with their extra sealing layer for use without sealant, but nobody really cares about distinction anymore.)


Would longer axle to crown be ok? I have a Trek 820 2014 26 inch for which I had the lbs convert to rigid fork. The original suspension fork was a suntour m3030 which the manufacturer states has a 63mm travel for my bike size. I lost that fork so I have no idea what the length of the axle to crown of that when I’m seated.

My current fork is actually a decent and durable but has about 375 mm axle to crown. I have my eye on a surly 1x1 in which the 100mm travel corrected axle to crown is 413mm. My fork has a trail that I don’t know the measurement of. So does this surly.

My issue is that my shoulders and neck get easily uncomfortable where I have to sit up on my bike(holding my grips with my fingertips) from time to time on only a 10 mile ride. Doing no hands is twitchy, very sensitive to movements so great care is needed when drinking on the go. I have a different bottle now though so I get to drink only during stops, or stop myself to drink, but still, the fact is maneuvering needs good focus.

Additionally, I have thinner tires now that accommodates 1.8 in tubes. I had no ride problems with the tires on the suspension fork, nor probably the rigid ones.

My question is will a higher front make the ride more comfortable for my shoulders and neck? Could the bike tolerate that change in height structurally?

You should not try to adjust your riding position by messing with the steering geometry. Riding position should be adjusted by replacing the stem with one that is longer or shorter of has more or less rise.

However, it sounds like you need a longer fork anyway. 375 mm axle-crown sounds far too short. I put a rigid fork on a 90's 26" wheel MTB that only had 40 or 50mm travel and the axle-crown was 420mm. I suspect you have steepened the head tube angle too much which is why the bike steering is too fast.

It's possible to make an estimate of the crown-axle measurement of the original fork by making some relative measurements on a high resolution image of the bike knowing the rim diameter is 559mm. The Trek archive page of the 2014 820 is here which provides just that. I estimate the axle-crown is is more like 460mm.


Big tires are rubbing in certain conditions so how can I fix my rear wheel play issues? I have a 2007 Tarmac Expert Double with a
Mavic Kysrium Equipe rim spoked to a Mavic Kysrium Equipe, 24 hole, Mavic QR rear hub.

I recently upgraded to 28mm tires from 25mm and I had the rear wheel recently trued so rolls smoothly and clears all the stays.

However, when I climb (out of seat) or make sharp turns, the tire rubs on the sides of the seat stay.

When I press on my rear wheel to the left or right, it gives enough to rub against the brake pad as well as the sides of the seat stay. If I loosen the brakes the tire rubs a bit more on the right side than the left.

Gooling around shows that my hub might be going bad given that I have put about 5-7k miles on the bike.

Is this repairable? Does it make sense to buy a new wheel? Can I just replace the hub with a PowerTap and new spokes? How dangerous is it to ride with so much play with the wheel.

Unfortunately 28mm nominal tire width can be too larger for many modern road bikes. Note that actual measured with depends on many factors including: internal rim width, tire construction, tire profile, tire age and wear, inflation pressure. As such, one combination of tires and wheels can work while another may fail if you have tight clearances.

It is also impossible to build a bicycle and wheel set without flex.  As such, there needs to be a minimum safe tire clearance. Just because the wheel spins freely in the stand does not mean there will be appropriate clearance for actually riding the bike, especially for heavier/stronger riders.  I would suggest assessing how much clearance is available with 25 mm tires (perhaps(typical max clearance on many road bikes).  If the clearance is already tight (e.g., less than 1 cm) then going up to 28 could be a stretch.

The more recent version of the tarmac (e.g., disc version) can clear 28 mm, but I doubt older rim brake versions can.  It is best to ask the Specialized Help Desk to get an official answer.

Question of Hub Play

All wheels, will have some side-to-side flex so it is unclear whether or not there is a problem with the hub. Typically, if the bearings have developed play the wheel moves side-to-side with a very light touch, if more force is required it is likely wheel flex.  5-7000 miles is not a lot of mileage, but this also depends on the conditions they were ridden under.


How do I know if mudguards will fit my 2009 Carrera Kraken? With the nice (and muddy!) weather coming up, I'd like to get some mudguards, but I'm really unsure of what will fit my bike

I have a 2009 Carrera Kraken, no modifications.

I will probably buy them from ebay since there are cheap ones on there, which fittings/style of mudguard are good?

For your bike I would probably recommend a 'moto style' front fender that uses an expansion fitting in the steerer tube to remain fixed in place. My reason being that it does not look like you have eyelets on that fork for easy full fender installation.

http://bontrager.com/model/06254

A seatpost clamp style rear fender is my recommendation. Again, it looks like a full fender set w/ struts would be difficult to mount to your bike (not impossible, just a little finicky) and quite frankly, it would look a wee bit weird to put a full fender on the rear and a moto style on the front. Just sayin'.

http://bontrager.com/model/06255


Can storing bicycles upside-down damage hydraulic brakes? I usually store our bikes for the winter hanging upside down by the wheels from the rafters. I would assume that I can't do this with a hydraulic disc brake bike: am I correct?

From Shimano Service Instructions:

  When turning the bicycle upside down or on its side the brake system may have some air
  bubbles inside the reservoir tank which are still there when the reservoir tank cover is
  replaced, or which accumulate in various parts of the brake system when it is used for long
  periods. The M755 disc brake system is not designed to be turned upside down. If the bicycle
  is turned upside down or on its side, the air bubbles inside the reservoir tank may move in the
  direction of the calipers. If the bicycle is ridden in this condition, there is the danger that the
  brakes may not operate and a serious accident could occur.

  If the bicycle has been turned upside down or on its side, be sure to operate the brake lever a
  few times to check that the brakes operate normally before riding the bicycle. If the brakes do
  not operate normally, adjust them by the following procedure.

  < If brake operation is sluggish when the lever is depressed >
  Gently depress the brake lever several times and wait for the bubbles to return to the
  reservoir tank. It is recommended that you then remove the reservoir tank cover and fill
  the reservoir tank with brake fluid until no bubbles remain.
  If the brakes still operate sluggishly, bleed the air from the brake system.
  (Refer to "Adding the brake fluid and bleeding air".)


Which pannier racks give the best heel clearance? I've just bought a new bike (Pinnacle Neon 1 2013) which has a 42cm chainstay.
Just to be on the safe side, I was wondering which racks provide more heel clearance than average?

I'll only be using it for commuting so I don't need something as substantial as a Tubus, but at the same time I don't want it to collapse after a few weeks use.

Any suggestions?

Heel clearance is more of a pannier issue than a rack issue (as some noted in the comments). Most high quality panniers have adjustable hooks you connect to your rack, and you can usually shift the hooks to provide sufficient heel clearance. This is something you should more take into account when buying panniers. Good examples of brands that allow you to set them up to provide heel clearance are Ortlieb and Vaudé. Both are rather high-end, but they are also nearly 100% water proof.

Regarding your comment about racks collapsing: If all you carry in your panniers is whatever you use during a workday this shouldn't be an issue for the first few years of use. I have had racks break, but only after cycling thousands of kilometers on all types of hard surfaces with full camping gear.

I don't have any specific rack advice. I always just buy whatever the nearest bike shop to where I am is selling. I have good experience with Cordo, topeak and Bor Yueh rear racks and lowriders. Always the models mounted to at least the axle, I've never tried any of the seatpost mounted models.


Where can I find tech documents for Mavic 500 RD hubs? There is a dedicated tech page for older Mavic Products. However, it's access restricted. Is there any other page with manuals and tech docs for Mavic 500 hubs?

User mavic-com
password dealer
It has to be noted that the 500 series hubs are probably older than the content of even this old website (which has products going back to the mid/late 90s e.g. the original CrossMax)


Shimano 11-Speed Freehub onto 10-Speed Hub I have Dura Ace 7801 10-speed wheels.  Can I install a Shimano 11-speed free hub onto the 7801 hub?

No for a whole lot of reasons, the most decisive of which is that the 7801 hubs are among the only (along with WH-6600) ones Shimano's ever made that use a drive ring in the hub shell to engage the pawls, as opposed to the pawls and the ring they engage being all internal to the freehub body. In other words the design is completely different from any of the 11-speed freehub bodies.

The hub design from WH-7801:

An 11-speed FH-9000 Dura Ace, for comparison:

If this is one of the 20-spoke carbon 7801 wheels that take standard nipples, you could just swap in a new hub.

As for the larger discussion of whether this is possible with Shimano hubs:

Among the Shimano hubs that use a standard M10x1 axle, until 11-speed came along there was a frequently re-used, semi-standard 10-spline attachment scheme for the freehub body, so in many cases there is some freehub body interchangeability, at least in a pinch as there are some other considerations involved to make it work well. (The nonstandard/oversize axle hubs, which are numerous at this point, generally all need the exact replacement freehub body, although there may be some exceptions or hack possibilities now or in the future.) However, the 11-speed hubs using standard axles that have so far been released, FH-5800 and FH-CX75, use a version of the same design that has 15 splines on the hub shell instead, meaning no interchangeability with a shell with only 10 splines.

FH-5700, 2nd generation of 10-speed 105. Freehub body attachment representative of many other Shimano hubs:

FH-5800, 1st generation of 11-speed 105:


I have bike tires that read 26 x 1.95. Does that mean I need a 26-inch tube? I ask because my front tire's inner tube got torn and I needed to replace it.

It was 26 x 1.95 as well and I bought a 26 inch bike tube and it was too big -- inflated it would hang 2 inches off the rim and would not fit within the tread/tire part itself, and I am certain it's a 26 inch tire.

Did you inflate the tube off the rim or without a tyre?  they stretch when inflated naked.

Read the tube side it might be a 27.5 in the wrong box.


Is my Schrader valve spoilt? (Tried searching this forum for this question but I couldn't find a question of the same type)

Hello, I've been trying to pump my front tyre but to no avail. I could easily pump the back tyre but not the front.

Picture of the front valve at the top,
The second picture is a grainy picture of back valve but what's clear to me was that the valve was "extended"(I could see a longer section)
Thanks!

Your valve has slipped partially inside the hole in the rim where it exits. Normally it's on average about 1-1/2" outside the hole. You'll need to inspect the valve body to see if it's cut. You can't put a pump on it because the main body of the valve is stuck. First fix the valve body position, then inspect... Here's how to fix:

Deflate the tire about 90%.
Grip the tire where it meets the rim and pinch it together with your fingers. Do this for the circumference of the wheel. You want the bead of the tire the part closest to the rim to release completely.
Now grab the tire in one hand and the spokes in a another, hands about a foot apart.
Gently pull your hands together in opposite directions. The goal here is to get the flat tire to slide on the rim, straightening the valve. You don't need much about 1/2" to and 1".
Use your fingers to jiggle the valve back and forth to get it to pull fully out from the rim hole. Optionally use pliers but take care not to crush the valve cap threads. If it helps put a valve cap on to pull up and out.
Here's your answer --> With the valve position fixed you can now visually inspect the valve. If you see cuts on the side of the valve body you might have a valve flat that air will leak from.
Fill the tire back up taking care to keep the tire bead on and no inner tube bulging out from the rim.
If you saw cuts in step 6, jiggle the valve and make sure you don't hear air escaping. If you do the valve is damaged, replace inner tube. Optional: A bit of slightly soapy water works here too. Cover the valve body with soapy water. If you see bubbles leaking, that's bad, replace tube.

It's always good maintenance to keep your tires pumped up to pressure. Pay more attention to this if the bike has been sitting a bit. If you ride with low pressure the tire can slip on the rim giving the condition your valve is in. Good luck! :D


How important is a correct frame size for a Mountainbike? Various frame size calculators on the internet spat out 19" for the size of a hardtail mountainbike frame that suits me. The local bike shop insisted 19" is way too small; he only had 21" sized models. I've never ridden a Mountain Bike in my life and I'm only used to handlebar-saddle drops of up to 20cm and ultra long stems. I've test ridden one and due to my lack of judgement I can only describe it as hopping onto a Harley Davidson Chopper, except that the steering was incredibly sensitive and prone to speed wobbles.

According to my research the difference between 19" and 21" is a ca. 1.5cm gain in toptube length and wheelbase. So after correcting with a shorter steam the net difference is a more volatile steering and a longer wheelbase.

I like a stable road bike on a downhill so I am an enthusiastic endorser of smaller frames coupled with very long stems on road bikes. How does a more volatile steering affect a mountain bike on a trail? Since the handlebar is almost twice as wide as a roadbikes, is speed wobble an actual threat for mountain bikers?

I have ridden MTB for years, an fit between most manufacturers 17" and 19".

I enjoy tight technical Single track, and get bored quickly with long stretches of trail when time from A to B is solely a measure of physical fitness (hence I am not a road rider). I also tend to stick to short 1-2 hour rides.

I ride 17" bikes. On the fun stuff, I am more agile and able to really throw the bike around and respond to conditions, at the expense of a bit of power and a slightly cramped cockpit.  On the larger bikes I am more efficient and more comfortable when pacing out on straight roads for long periods of time.

Think of the difference between sizes like a sports car vs a limo. For a blast around a windy road, take a sports car, for an eight hour drive down the interstate, take the limo. Choose the size that suits the riding you will do most often.

One question I would ask about the shop and salesman - are they MTBers or road riders. In my experience, roadies a more likely to 'round up', and put you on the bigger bike and MTB'er will 'round down' and put you on the smaller.

Take the smaller bike for a test ride on the road and see if the cockpit feels cramped. Take the larger bike for a ride and see if you are stretching to make tight turns. Imagine being in a tight turn and being thrown off balance, could you move your weight to correct it. Can you hang you buttocks off the back of the seat and still have bent arms - as needed when going down steep hills.

I hesitate to make a recommendation counter to that of an expert you have visited. Find another bike shop, preferably one that specialises in MTB's and seek a second opinion.

As far as adjustments, modern MTB 'theory' is shorter stems and wider handle bars for stability rather than long stems.


What are the reasons for and against wearing a bicycle helmet? This is a tricky question to ask correctly. One attempt has already been closed as subjective and argumentative. There is no one correct answer, for sure. However, there are interesting reasons that I believe are worth recording here.

Ideally include supporting documentation/research. I will vote up for quality of answer, not based on whether I agree with the answer.

For: If you fall on top of your head, it will protect it (also side impacts if wearing a full-face helmet while riding downhill mountain bike)

No, this is not an overly simple reply. It's what it's designed for, it's what it does well and it's why you should wear one.

Feel free to edit with documentation about head protection, but I think the number of people on here (myself first) who can say "I fell and my helmet saved my head" are worth any research.


What kind of jersey for summer heat and sun? With summer on its way, I'm looking for kit that I can wear in the summer to keep myself cool.  My typical routes don't have a lot of shade. What should I be looking for?  I know I am going to want a full-length zip, but what else?

Are there jerseys that are designed for this?
What about types and colors of fabric?
Is it better to wear long sleeves to keep the sun off, or short to allow sweating?

This is a matter of personal preference. I live in a hot climate. I've worn everything from sleeveless jerseys with perforated backs to long-sleeved jerseys in hot weather. My current preference is for long-sleeved jerseys, in order to get the added sun protection. There aren't a lot of lightweight long-sleeved jerseys, but there are some, and some advertise their SPF ratings.
Some clothing manufacturers advertise "coldblack" jerseys (black, but intended for hot weather). I've never tried one, and I'll admit I'm skeptical they'd be comfortable. I always wear lighter colors.
Jerseys are designed to wick sweat and breathe well. Modern performance textiles are pretty amazing.


Why front derailleur is rubbing crank arm? Last week I realized that when I am on the big ring, crank arm touches front derailleur slightly. If I try to fix that with limit screw, then chain does the same (if I am on rear smallest gear). So it seems that there is not enough space between chain and crank arm for my front derailleur and I can't understand why.

My front derailleur is 1.5-2mm above from big ring and it is quite parallel to it. There is no bent or damage on front derailleur.

My components are;

Ultegra r8000 front and rear derailleur
Cassette 11-32T (shimano 105)
Ultegra chain
Ultegra r8000 crank set (52-36)
Bike is Canyon Endurace Al (components were ultegra 6800 few months ago)

So if you have any idea about how to fix it or what is the problem here I would like to learn.

By the way I have right arm only Stages Gen 3 power meter on crankset, but it seems irrelevant to me.

FD out most
FD outmost 2
Best adjustment possible

Pic 1 shows that the outside plate of the FD is unnecessarily far out. It should just be a hair away from the chain when in big front and rear small. You'll have to adjust the limit screw quarter turn by quarter turn, so that the chain climbs on the big ring and does not rub against the outer plate. Also the outer plate should be parallel to the big ring.

On some bikes this adjustment can be a fiddly process requiring lots of patience. Also on YouTube check the videos from several pages like GCN or Park Tool.


Preventing staining of clothes when carrying bike Is there any reliable way to carry a bike (of non-insignificant weight) without ruining the clothes one's wearing?

I live in a part of the world where millions of people ride in plain clothes every day and also do "mundane" stuff like carry groceries on their bike on a 5-10 minute trip. For this reason, I'd like to know how to carry a bicycle without ruining my clothes in the case that I absolutely need to carry it.

It might be a facetious answer on the face, but seriously - why are you carrying your bike at all?
Do carry a working mini-tube, pump, two tyre levers and whatever you need to get the wheel completely off if its not a QR (ring spanner, perhaps allen key, maybe special tool for IGHs etc)   Some people like disposable gloves for the hand protection.   Replace the tube, clear the cause, and ride on.  Remember to patch the tube at home, or replace it if its dead.

If you truely have to walk it is to simply wheel it.  Take extra care rolling over kerbs/curbs or any other edges.  The sidewalls of your tyre will be okay for a bit as long as you're not riding it.  Any road bike under 15 kg with clincher tyres will be okay rolling on the tyre for 5 km.

You've done something where it just won't roll.  If its the front, haul the front wheel off the ground in a vertical wheelie and roll it on the rear.  Hold the handlebars and use the rear brake if you need to.
3b. If its the rear that is wedged (and this is much more likely) then slip right hand fingers through the top of the wheel and carry it just off the ground.  Use your left hand for steering or put your left hand on the saddle and push it with "no-hands" steering   You're on the bike's left away from the chain.

Both wheels are buggered, and it won't roll at all?  Cyclocross carry, which is either like this:

or with the shoulder further back in the triangle, and the right hand on the fork or wheel rim or through to the bars.  These ones needs shoulder padding pretty quick, so whip out something cloth or a newspaper.

Note all carrying should be done from the non-drive side of the bike.  If you get sore, swap sides but spin the bike as well so you're still on the non-drive side and now the bike is facing backward.


How do I go about choosing a bike for commuting? I am absolutely lost in the world of bicycles!  I have long ridden a MTB, but now I am a good 16kms(10+ miles) away from work.(where I wish to commute too) and i just need more speed.

I'm confused by bike talk around "geometries", I want a bike that will handle pretty rough roads/bike paths but one that is a lot quicker than a mountain bike.

It would be great if I could use my bike in amatuer level triathlons or cyclocross style racing, but it needs to be comfy enough for day to day riding.

Any ideas where I should start?  I want to spend less than US$2000.  I'm a 6ft guy with average reach

You are asking a lot from one bike - commuting on rough roads, triathlon and cyclocross (CX)!

I would choose a hybrid bike (like a Cannondale Bad Boy, though there are many to choose from) based on the following characteristics:

Larger 700c wheels that make them more efficient/faster than a Mountain bike.
Wider rims and tyre choices that make them stronger than Road/Racers.
Flat handlebars similar to a Mountain bike for a more upright position.
Good range of gears to handle varied terrain.
Often have suspension forks for comfort (though if too cheap, can be more hindrance than help).
When fitted with disc brakes, have good stopping power.

A hybrid bike would be a good fit if the majority of your riding is going to be commuting and comfort is a key driver in your decision. It will be quicker than a mountain bike (assuming 26" wheels and knobbly tyres), though not as fast as a road bike.

A road bike would be faster still, but a more aggressive aero riding position to get used to and you'd probably wreck the wheels riding CX. A CX bike could give you a position similar to the road bike, but is also designed more with racing than comfort in mind. I think CX is a bit more specialised and therefore I speculate you are likely to find less choice and possibly higher prices compared to other bikes of a comparable specification.

You can choose the best tyre width/tread/compound and pressure for the job at hand:

For roads and cycle paths, a smoother rolling tyre inflated to a higher pressure. Possibly some puncture protection if the roads are on the rough side.

For triathlon, you could select narrower slick tyres pumped even harder for less rolling resistance. Perhaps consider some clip-on aero bars. I've seen a right mix of equipment out there - people on very cheap full-suspension bikes with knobbly tyres doing triathlons, but I think they like the challenge and make things hard for themselves!

For CX, you could pick a slightly wider tyre with a more knobbly tread and perhaps run at a slightly lower PSI if you need more grip.

Hope this helps!


Should I rather treats single spots to conserve the original paint or go for a repaint with a restoration project? I'm working on a '76 Peugeot PL8/E and am debating whether I should leave the paint as is, give all the small spots manual treatment or try to restore by getting it repainted/decaled. There are some bigger spots (rear brake bridge, dropouts, fork end, chain stays) and a number of smaller chips all over, e.g. the top tube. I want to prserve the bike for long time use, as most functional parts are still fine. Concrete questions would be:

Will the rusty/blank spots be a functional problem down the line?
Will power coating work well with the steel frame?
Is it possible to treat all the small spots where the paint came independently to preserve "the original"?

picture: complete frame + fork

picture: drive side chain stay

picture: rear brake bridge

picture: original paint nose?

fork end - funnily enough, the fork appears to originally been meant to be a different colour (they also
sold the model in orange)

Answering your numbered questions first:

Will the rusty/blank spots be a functional problem down the line?
A: Bare steel will rust. It needs to be covered in some way to prevent corrosion.

Will power coating work well with the steel frame?
A: Powder coating is an option that will work well on a steel frame. Here is a Sheldon Brown article that talks about the work involved in a full paint job and the different methods.

Is it possible to treat all the small spots where the paint came independently to preserve "the original"?
A: Yes, it is possible to touch up problem spots, protect the bare steel and look nice. Here is a link to a professional bicycle frame touch up expert (not a recommendation) to illustrate what is possible in the world of touch up.

Full repaint or touch up? It depends on your preferences.
When making this decision keep in mind that no matter what you do a bike that is ridden will get scratched - it's inevitable.
Here are two ends of the decision spectrum...

I'm trying to maintain the originality of the bicycle as much as possible - touch up.
I don't care about originality and I'm willing to do what it takes to get a fresh paint job - full repaint.

In my mind a full repaint is a last resort.

It's time consuming and difficult to do right on your own.
It's expensive to have someone else do it for you.

Looking at your pictures my evaluation is that you can do some touch up / spot paint work and remediate most of your issues.

I would not repaint the fork end. The paint will be scratched again when you put the front wheel on. At most a clear coat.
the brake bridge is bare steel so it needs to be protected but it is also hidden so a clear coat would do the trick.
Drive side chain stay is a candidate for touch up. Or, possibly a chain stay protector.


Why is an old chain unsafe? I recently took my bike in for a service and the mechanic urged me to replace my chain, potentially at great cost (might need a new wheel). He said it might jam or pop off. He couldn't explain to me why my safety might be threatened but repeatedly asserted that it would be threatened.

So, why exactly is an old stretched chain a safety issue? How exactly might I be more likely to crash because of this?

A worn, stretched chain will accelerate wear on sprocket and chainring teeth. There will then be a greater chance that the chain will slip off of and override the sprocket teeth as you apply a power stroke through the crank. When this happens the pedal and your foot suddenly slips downward, which could throw you off the bike, especially if you were off the saddle and standing on the pedals.

A new chain is not usually regarded as a 'great cost'. They are not cheap but not expensive either. There's no reason you need a new wheel, unless there are other problems of course. You probably do need a new cassette though.

Whether you need to replace the chain and cassette depends on your situation, your bike and how you ride. If you have a quality bike, do a lot of miles and want an efficient drivetrain you absolutely should replace it. If you do a few casual miles occasionally and are not experiencing any problems you can probably get away with leaving it as it is.


Jaqwire KEB vs Shimano DA Brake Cables Looking to replace my brake cables/outers on my CX bikes (105 brifters and TRP Spyres brakes). Both outers (front and rear) run the full length (shifter to brake) on my CAADX so there’s a lot of outer there (i.e. lots of potential for compression). Looks like I can get a decent price on some Jagwire KEB (road pro) cables/outers, but also heard that it’s hard to beat Shimano DA cables (and I can get those for even cheaper). Haven’t seen much about Shimano cables for disc brakes online but it seems like a good cable is a good cable. Has anyone tried/compared both? Any thoughts?

Only use compressionless brake housing on mechanical discs if you want them to perform well and avoid problems with bottoming the lever against the bar. Shimano brake housings, even Dura-Ace BC-9000 as far as I know, are all the conventional spiral design. I've put KEB-SL housing on many Spyres and other mechanicals and it works great.


Packing bikes to send overseas I just bought two bikes in Australia and I'm wondering the best way to pack them and ship them to my country. They're sitting at a relatives house right now.

I'll probably send by ship due to cost so volume is important. Unfortunately my relative is not great with tools and doesn't know anything about bikes and has never even ridden one, so I'm trying to work out something simple and easy.

My idea at the moment is to remove the front wheels and lower and turn the handle bars. Lower the seat as far as it will go, remove the outside facing pedal, and put the bikes side by side facing different ways.

Is there a better way? How should I go about protecting the wheels/spokes during the packing?

Cost, volume, and ease are my main concerns, these are cheap mountain bikes and my guy isn't mechanically inclined to the extent he'd probably have to borrow a spanner rather than own one. Already shipping will probably cost more than the bikes did.

I'd suggest using a bike box (there are reusable ones sold and cardboard ones similar to the type of cardboard box that a new bike comes in). A bike shop should be willing to part with a box that a bike they're selling came in (and maybe pack it themselves) for some small fee.

This video shows how to pack a bike in a cardboard bike box:

Essentially, the steps  are some variation of the follwoing:

Take off the pedals
Take off the wheels
Take off the handlebars (this can be done by pulling out a quill stem or removing the face of the stem) and put them parallel to the top tube; Do not disconnect the cables
Take out the seat post
Put a spacer in the dropouts for the fork
Put the bike in the box with some padding

The bike sans wheels will fit in the box, and the wheels will fit on the sides. The seat post and pedals can be shimmed around the bike.

When you get out, all you should need to reassemble the bike is a small crescent wrench and a few hex keys (take everything out of the box, put the wheels back on, put the handlebar back on, put the pedals back on -- no faffing with derailleurs or brakes if they were properly set before packing).


What should you do if you find a bike that appears to be stolen? What should you do if you find a bike that appears to be stolen? Should you turn it in or just leave it alone? Occasionally I'll see a bike that appears to be abandoned, which I assume to be stolen for a joyride then tossed. It's possible that the true owner just left it by the side of the road, but it's also possible that it was stolen and by reporting it to the police I can help the owner recover it.

This morning on my ride to work I saw a pretty nice looking cruiser tossed in the ditch. I decided to call the sheriff and the dispatcher who answered the phone basically said "What do you want me to do about it?" She said she'd send a deputy to pick it up, but pointed out that if the owner left if there, it would be gone when they came back. Based on the location and time of day, I really doubt the owner left it there. Still, she made me feel pretty dumb for just calling it in.

My thought is, what's the probability that the bike actually was stolen AND the owner reports it stolen and gets it back, vs. the probability that the owner just abandoned it in a weird place? Is it likely enough to be returned to the owner that it's worth turning it in, or am I just wasting everyone's time?

If my bike was stolen I would report it, but that doesn't mean everyone will. Also, if a bike was unlocked outside a business, or in someone's yard, I wouldn't assume that it's stolen. I'm talking about finding a nice bike ditched in a poorly lit area that's inconvenient to walk to, in a high-crime part of town.

As private citizen you cannot do much more than reporting it to the police.

If it was stolen and the theft reported, the legitimate owner may have it back.

If it was thrown away, there is the chance that the police will arrange the removal.

(Both points strongly depends on the country where you are located. In some places police officers may simply laugh back at you for reporting a suspected stolen bike, but again, if you take it you are breaking the law, too)


Is centering axle by eye good enough? I took apart my shimano m770 front and rear hubs, and removed both (!!) cones on each axle. When reassembling everything I ran into the issue of re-centering the axles (so that the rims run in the middle of the fork/frame). What I did was centering the wheels by eye as good as I could, but I'm sure I'm still 1-2mm off center. What I wonder is, if this will cause any problems (I use rim breaks) or if it's totally fine?

(Re-worked this answer completely because I forgot at first that M770 hubs have nonstandard axles).

First of all, under almost all circumstances, you should leave the integrated cone/axle unit of hubs like this alone, other than maybe the fringe case of making one good one out of two identical bad ones or something weird like that.

I'm assuming it's clear that you must find some way of getting the drive side cone permanently re-attached to the axle, because it doesn't mechanically lock in place like a standard axle. Epoxy in the threads, etc.

The approach I would take here is try to find witness marks on at least one of the cones or the axle that show you about what the original thread engagement was on at least one piece of it when the drive side cone was originally affixed to the axle. Combine that piece of information with the knowledge that the over-locknut dimension is 135mm and you should be able to make everything fall into place.

Alternatively, if Shimano's EV diagrams were 100% to scale, down to the representation of the thread pitch, counting threads on the diagram would get you there pretty closely. I suspect they might be that accurate but I'm not really sure.

But to answer the specific question, nothing is getting put out of alignment in terms of the wheel/rim relative to the frame or brakes if you eyeballed it when putting it back together. It just means that one piece has a little more thread engagement and the other has that much less. In extreme situations that could present its own issues in terms of the parts being properly secured and the threads staying in good shape, and hypothetically as a result of the strong, full-thickness part of the axle being in the right spot, but in this situation 1mm probably won't make any difference.


I have a 2nd broken spoke after 300km on a new bike, is it the wheel or me? I am new to riding. I rode as a kid but stopped for many years. My Physio recommended riding after a leg injury while running, so I went down to the local bike shop and brought a new bike. I am now 100kg (220lb) so I need the fitness. Bike is a lower-mid level hybrid bike costing AUD$550 (Malvern Star Sprint 1).

When taking it out of the garage for a ride after doing about 150km (90mi) on it I noticed the rear wheel hitting the brakes as I wheeled it and then the broken spoke. So I took it back to the store. They told me that it was 100% my fault and it wouldn't be covered by manufacturer warranty, and I must have hit a pothole or something. They told me that they will still fix it for free as a goodwill gesture and some tips about not riding off the tops of gutters (I didn't), avoiding potholes (I try), and taking off in too high a gear (strange to me but ok). The only thing I can think of that I could have done was a flat gutter that had a bit more bump than I was expecting but nothing I believe that could have caused that.

A few rides later, about 300km (190mi) on the clock, it happened again, broken spoke and a bent rim as I was wheeling it out (both times I didn't notice wheeling in, but I didn't really check). I have been trying to follow the advice but some potholes I didn't see, but again nothing that I think was hard enough to do damage.

I know if I go down to the store again, they are going to charge me for the repair as they say it was my fault again. If they do, it probably means the end of riding for me as I can't see how I can avoid damaging it. So is it my fault, am I riding wrong or something wrong with the wheel? What should I tell the store?

Edit: Thank you all for your great suggestions, this is a very welcoming community. I took it to another independent bike store that I found with good reviews to do a wheel rebuild. Talking to them they said bikes at that price point had good frames but skimp on the wheels to get the cost savings. He recommended that I get a completely new wheel as the rim and hub weren't that good either. I don't know if he was trying to upsell me but he seemed to know what he was talking about. Total cost AU$200 with installation.

Not enough points to comment, so here is an answer instead, based mostly on my own experience.

I've been using a bike as my main, if not sole, mean of transportation for the last 20 years or so. During that time, my weight changed a lot (from 80 to 130kgs (176 - 286 lbs)).
When I was 80, I nearly never broke a spoke (maybe once per 10 000km), and only after a big impact.

I began to break spoke significantly more often when I reached 95kgs. But it was very dependent on the bike. On some it never happened, on some other it happend more frequently (once per 3-4000km). On one (very cheap) bike, I even broke 5 spoke in 10 km without any kind of impact on the wheel.

At 130kg today, with a 400€ bike (Trekk 7.1), I broke spoke even more frequently, like once per 1000-1500km. Always on the rear wheel. I changed all the spokes on my rear wheel to more thick ones (I can't recall previous and current diameter though), and since then and 8000km, I didn't break a spoke once.

I spoke about it to 2 repairmen in a bike shop, both said it was just that my weight was too heavy for the bike.

So, to answer tour question, I think it's both you and the wheel. You just have a wheel with too weak spokes for your weight. It can be because of the base quality of the spokes, or because of a bad set up of the spokes tension though.


Help identifying (potential) 80's Aerospace Contour Raleigh frame I recently acquired a mismatched Raleigh and was wondering if anyone could shed some light on what frame it is specifically? I'm guessing it is 80's based on the fact that it has an '85 stamped 3 speed Sturmey Archer hub and (I believe) an 80's Raleigh badge. Also pretty sure the Union pedals are 80's too? I think it's an Aerospace Contour frame, since it has the oval shaped seat/downtube and forks (you can see how the round cable guides don't fit on the frame properly). I'm just confused as there is no derailleur hanger and I was convinced all the Aerospace frames had front/rear derailleur? There is also no sign of any braze-on cable guides whatsoever. The paint isn't original; it looks like a DIY job but there is no sign of an original colour underneath so there's no telling from that. It also has a really old Brooks saddle which could be original but I'm not sure.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,

Alex.

In 1984 Raleigh came out with "Aero Tubing" on the:

Record Sprint 12 (Reynolds 501, double butted aero main tubes)
Quasar 12 (Reynolds 501, double butted aero main tubes)
Pulsar 10 (18-23 high tensile aero tubing)
Team Cadet 10 (18-23 high tensile aero tubing)

All four of them had a rear derailleur mount on the drive side drop out.

None of them had:

Cottered cranks
Three speed hub
Upright handlebars
Leather saddle

All of them had

Braze on rear brake cable guides
Brazed on down tube shift levers
Brazed on front derailleur mount
Quick release wheels

There is no aero tubing in the 1983 catalog or the 1985 catalog so they only existed for one year.

I'm not sure what to tell you. Other than the oval tubing and a screwed on head badge very little about the bike or the frame (from what I can see in the pictures) matches the 1984 Raleigh aero tubing bikes.


Allen Coggan power profile table for Cyclo cross riders? If you were to create a power profile based on those seen in training and racing with a power meter by Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan. What would it look like a sprinter or an all rounder?

To help answer the question I have found an article which lists some of the power put out in certain zones by Ryan Trebon during a cyclo cross nationals race.

Rider weight: 80kgs

estimated ftp is: 415 watts or 5.19 w/kg (rounded up by .25, not sure if that's the right thing to do?)

Max power is: 1431 watts

The article goes on to state that he produces 'between 400w and 800w, or between about 95 and 190% of his FTP. He accelerated more than 120 times at or near 850w for 20 to 30 seconds (10.6w/kg). 120 times!'. To top it all off 'He goes on to produce 11 more maximal sprints at 1200+w throughout the race, ending with a final maximal kick within the final 500m of 1190w'.

Link to the article: http://www.cxmagazine.com/training-cyclocross-power-ryan-trebon-wattage-file

That's some wattage, but lower than Coggan's charts for an international pro road racer (5.78w/kg+ for FTP), I guess due to:

the fact that this is race data and not best efforts from testing/training;
and because perhaps it's less important for cyclo-cross riders as they don't tend to do as long climbs as you might expect in a Grand Tour.

Yeah, I agree with the comment above: probably closer to an All-Rounder; maybe a hint of Pursuiter in there too. Would need data for 5s, 1min and 5min maximum best efforts.


Hydraulic brakes with time trial levers? I've read that only mechanical brakes work with road bike levers (I'm assuming that means the type that goes on the front of drop bars). Is this restriction the case with time trial brake levers that go on the end of bullhorn handles?

The Magura RT6 and RT8 Hydraulic TT brakes have been available (if somewhat unusual) since last year. They are a solid system which is compatible with most current TT frames.  The RT6I've only seen as an OEM product.  The RT8 seems to be the retail version.

Hydraulic STI levers from Shimano are expected on display at the Taipei Bike Show, going on this week, and an announcement from SRAM is expected in late May.

The photo below is a pre-release Shimano Hyddraulic STI lever seen last February on Rabobank pro rider Michiel vd Heijden's cyclocross bike.


Is it usual for grease to contract in cold weather? I bought the 16oz size PolyLube 1000.  When I first opened it it was full to the top.  A couple weeks ago, I opened it again and found it collapsed in the container, shown in the picture.

Is it normal to collapse so much?  It was warm when I first got it, and it was probably packaged at room temperature, but now it's around 30F.  Maybe there was an air pocket, released as the grease pulled away from the sides of the container?

I've only used a volume of about five stacked quarter-dollars (two hubs' worth) dabbed from the top in the middle.

Looks like it was stored upside down at some point.

When you do this, the air bubble moves to the bottom and can take some time to return to the top.

See also, Nutella, Marmite and other viscous gloops.


Pedal: Platform came off axle which remained in crank I have Shimano PD-T780 pedals. I bought them almost new only a year ago and they aren't cheap pedals.

On one pedal, the platform suddenly came off, revealing an axle which tapers off towards its end and has threads at that end barely visible through the grease in the following picture:

The axle thing has a hex indentation on the side not visible in the picture which is used to screw it into the crank. The silver wrench ring (like a nut but no screw threads visible) attached to the platform is labelled "Tighten 10Nm" and I haven't ever turned it. I don't  know what it's for. Looking into the platform, I think bearing balls were visible. Maybe it's designed to come apart like this for servicing.

Here is an exploded view: I can't seem to upload the picture I extracted from this pdf. The two leftmost pieces of assembly 1 (the ring is rubber, a seal I guess) are on the crank, the other pieces are in the platform.

I was in something of a hurry, so I just stuck it back on and used another bicycle.

How do I properly reassemble this? And while I'm at it, should I add some grease?

I found a component diagram for these pedals here.

Here's the main diagram:

Looks like all the bearings are mounted onto the axle and secured with a bearing preload and lock nut at the outboard end. The axle and bearing assembly is then threaded into the pedal using the threads on part 2 - that's why the torque spec is printed on its shoulder.

Obviously the retaining nuts came undone. All the balls, cones, bushings and nuts should still be in the pedal body as part 2 should have stopped them from falling out.

If you un-thread part 2 you can get all the balls, cones, bushings and retaining nuts out. I'd do this over a tray or box to catch the balls and small parts that will fall out. You can then reassemble the bearings and, then thread the assembly back into the pedal body.

You could try re-inserting the axle, un-threading part 2 and see if you can withdraw the bearings etc on the axle.

Update:

You should examine the state of the bearings and cones to make sure they are OK before proceeding with reassembly. Maybe something seized which caused the retaining nuts to come undone.


Crash due to water bottle I have a little bit of a unique question here.
Does anyone know of a cycling crash that was caused due to the cyclist drinking out of his/her water bottle?

When I used to ride in a paceline a lot, I had a lot of issues with getting a drink of water while maintaining a straight line. So much so, those riding in the paceline complained. Since then, if I'm riding in a paceline, I wait until I'm at the end of the paceline to get a drink. With practice, maybe this would be less of an issue for me. If you're racing, maybe waiting until you're at the back isn't so much an option but in those situations you have to be very cautious when drafting anyway.


How to collect Shimano ALTUS parts together? So today this morning i was trying to shift with the front shifter, but after a while it was just shifting on nothing i mean was not working then i tried to push it hard and then everything came out. I've taken some picture to show you guys if i can fix it or it's totally broken ?
And if i can, can you help me out to collect them together again ?

Shifters are notoriously hard to reassemble, and if it came to pieces unexpectedly it's going to be hard to know whether you've got everything. You also don't know (until you've put all the effort in to try and fix it) whether the reason it gave you trouble in the first place is something you can fix. An Altus shifter shouldn't be expensive so it's probably best to replace it.


How to clean white handlebar tape? I have bought not so long ago (about two month) brand new and the shiny white from my handle tap have become pretty dirty:

I am tempted to just change the tape to another color - that would be problem solved for me - but that would basically be a dirty hack. How can I clean the white tape and remove the dirt?

Grab some of the disinfecting wipes in the round containers that you normally use for kitchen counters, etc. I like the Clorox brand in the yellow (Lemon Fresh!). Wrap around bars and squeeze a bit as you twist/rotate in the same direction as the wrap.

With cork based wrap this is fairly effective. With some of the slicker surfaced wraps (Lizard, etc), it's downright awesome. If you start cleaning with the wipes on a regular schedule your wrap will get even cleaner over time.


TRP quadiem brakes - lever not in place Today I got my new YT Tues bike and I've noticed that front brake lever came off the piston and I have no idea how to get it in place if it is even possible? Is it defective or can I fix it? Rear brake works just fine...

You can see in the first picture that a snap ring is out of place. I’m not familiar with these brakes but I’d have to assume there is something very wrong that must be dealt with by a qualified mechanic or the manufacturer. You don’t want to mess around with brakes, especially on a downhill bike.

As it’s a new bike, take it straight back to where you purchased it and get it fixed or replaced under warranty.

as


What is the biggest component difference between a cheap road bike and an expensive road bike? I am shopping around for road bikes now, and I wanted to know what components to look for. I am not talking about the frame, carbon or otherwise, I mean types of shifters, brakes, cranks, rims, etc.

As with any other equipment, it depends on how much you would like to spend...

The main difference between a cheap and a better bike is the quality of the materials and the comfort/performance they provide!

I have several cheap bikes and two "better" bikes, the differences between these are:

better derailleur system, both the front and back, it makes a lot of difference!
better shifter (the cheap one has a thumb-type shifter, and the better has a shimano trigger-type shifter), for me having trigger-type shifter is a huge difference in comfort
better brakes (you could go for the v-brakes, but there are some flavors to choose from; you could also go for a disc-brake; also the brake levers can make a lot of difference also!)
tyres, normally the cheap bikes have sub-par tyres and tubes.
obviously the wheel (good rims, good spokes, I have noticed that indeed!)
the frame, weight, strength, shape (cheap frames can affect a lot on the way you ride, but honestly I've had cheap frames and loved them!)
seat, a good seat and seat post are important.
overall, good materials, that don't disintegrate after some time and resist (as possible) to the corrosion.

I may have forgotten something but this gives you an idea.


Can I Interchange Wheel Sizes On One Frame? So, I'm looking to see if I can build a bike and on the one hand I want to use 26" wheels, but at the same time, I want to use 27.5" wheels for another purpose. Is it possible to have a frame with a certain build (maybe a slopestyle or 27.5" enduro/downhill frame) that can use both 26" and 27.5" wheel sets? (I don't mean a combination of one 26" and one 27.5" wheels together on the bike at the same time, I mean one separate set of 26" wheels fitting on the bike and a set of 27.5" wheels that can also fit.)

Thanks very much!

If you use disc brakes with same size rotors, you can put 26" wheels on a 27.5" bike.

In fact, you can put smaller wheels on any any frame, so you could put 24" wheels onto a 29er

You need to watch for the a few things - geometry is going to be affected, and you may get pedal strike as the bottom bracket is lowered. In the case of 26" and 27.5", the difference is small - 26" is ISO 559, 650B/27.5 is ISO 584 - diameter difference is 25mm, or 12mm radius(BB height).

You will need to watch the axles style and length for the wheels - an array of mostly incompatible new standards have come out in the last few years so you will need to ensure the wheel sets match the frame/fork


Tire Continually going flat I have a Specialized Crosstour that is about 10 years old.  I rode it occasionally and never had a flat.  Then it hung in my garage for a couple of years.  When I took it down, the tires were flat and I couldn't shift.

It went for a tune-up.  Hours after getting it back, the front tire went flat.  There was a single small hole, so I applied a patch.  After sitting overnight, it was flat again.  The new hole was 2 inches from the previous.

I tried patching it again. Before patching, I inspected the tube & tire.  I couldn't see anything and didn't feel anything sharp.

The second patch went flat, so I took it apart, and wiped down the rim, rim strip, and inside of the tire.  Never did I feel anything sharp.

I installed a new tube this time.  This held for about 3 days, and then was flat again (I never rode the bike this time).  This time the hole was on the opposite side of the wheel as the previous holes.

In all cases, it was a single hole on the spoke side and I aired the tires to 95 lbs.

My only guess right now, is that I am causing the flat by pinching the tube when putting the tube in.  I air the tube up a little so it is round and am pretty careful when I put it in the tire.

I'm not sure what to do next and what could explain the punctures?

Update 1

I came home on Tuesday, and my wife had taken it to the bike shop to be repaired.  They didn't find anything and their new tube is still holding fine (3 days later).

I'm forced to conclude that I was causing the hole by my poor installation technique.

Update 2
The new tube install from the bike shop held for 3 days at about 30psi.  At least it was at 30psi before I aired them up to 95psi and rode 2 blocks on our street.

The next day, the front tire was flat again.  I haven't yet taken it apart to see where the hole is.

Final Update

I accepted Popup's answer because it seemed the most likely explanation.  I have replaced the rim tape with cloth tape AND used a thorn resistant tube.  I will do the same to the rear when I have an issue with the rear tire or tube.

As you point out that it's on the spoke side of the tube, my guess would be that the rim tape is off. (Or worn.)

I had a similar problem, where I got a puncture roughly every week, and it turned out that the rim tape was moving. It looked OK when I opened everything up, but must have shifted when I put it together.

However, don't do what I did, which was to cover the rim tape with duct tape. While it did stop the streak of punctures, it also meant that the next time I had to take it apart there was gooey glue stuff everywhere.

EDIT

Change the rim tape. - Even if it looks OK it might shift when you pump the innertube.


Why are axle cone nuts on the left side of a bike not reverse threaded? I recently discovered that the adjustable sealed bearing cartridges on my rear hub failed prematurely because one of the "cones" (cartridge shoulder nuts) had somehow tightened itself, putting undue pressure on the bearings. While I was warned that play will develop in hubs with adjustable cartridges as the bearings wear over time, I was not prepared for the opposite problem and thus did not realize what was happening until it was too late.

Because the left-side cone nut did not seem flush against the spacers and locknut when I took the wheel out, my hypothesis is that precession forces turned the cone nut clockwise as the hub turned counter-clockwise. This would have slowly moved the cone nut inward, away from the spacers/locknut. Searching "precession cone nuts" revealed a relevant thread, but I did not feel the conversation explored this topic fully.

While there may be flaws in my hypothesis, it does seem like cone nut threading would, as on bottom brackets and pedals, be an important consideration in hub design. Furthermore, while I am aware that axle locknuts should be tightened to prevent cone nuts from loosening, both nuts use a standard right-hand thread. I cannot, therefore, imagine locknuts do a very good job of keeping cone nuts from moving inward.

This brings me to my question. Why are axle cone nuts on the left side of a bike not reverse threaded? If this were the case, it would seem that precession forces would effectively keep cone nuts on both sides of the bike flush against their respective spacers and locknuts.

Cone nuts have lock nuts.  The lock nuts (in an ideal world) prevent any motion.

And, as you observe, precession in either direction is bad on wheel bearings, so there's no real point in preferring self-tightening or self-loosening.

(In fact, having both the same direction means that any slight "creep" in one will tend to be canceled by the "creep" in the other.)

Note that crank bearings and pedal threads are subjected to much more axial load (and more intermittent), and are thus more subject to creep.  Plus, cartridge crank bearing cups and pedal threads are self-limiting -- they will only tighten so far, regardless.  And often the crank cups do not have lock nuts.


Direct Mount with top and bottom swing? I want to buy a new frame that supports Direct Mount. Now I read that Bottom Swing is preferable for hardtails. At the same time, it was also mentioned that Bottom Swing is mounted higher onto the saddle tube than Top Swing. Are there two versions of Direct Mount to accomodate these few centimeters height difference, or do the top and bottom swing "Direct Mount" front derailleurs position their "Direct Mount" screws at different heights internally, so that I don't have to worry about compatibility?

"Top swing" versus "bottom swing" is defined by the position of the derailleur cage in relation to the clamp. There are indeed two completely different versions of direct mounts: high direct mount is for bottom swing derailleurs (since the derailleur is below the clamp), and low direct mount is for top swing. The two versions are not compatible.

Bottom swing is in general preferred unless there is a compelling reason to need the more compact size of a top swing; typically this is only the case on full-suspension bikes.

This is not to be confused with "top pull" and "bottom pull", which only reflects the direction of the cable entering the derailleur - from above or below. Both top pull and bottom pull (as well as dual pull which supports either) mechanisms can be found in both types of derailleur mounts.


Technique for self-adhesive puncture repair patches Is there any special technique for using self-adhesive puncture repair patches?

Today, I've had two different tubes fail within a minute of being inflated because the air pressure had split through the glue, effectively forming a little pipe from the puncture out to the edge of the patch. These were both patches that had been on the tube between one and three months, and I've had other patches fail the same way.

I figure I've not done anything catastrophically stupid, since the patches haven't been failing immediately. I've followed the instructions on the patches as closely as possible ("Lightly scuff tube with sandpaper. Peel backing from patch and press patch firmly onto tube. Tube must be clean and dry for patch to adhere." – that's it). They're decent quality patches (Park Tool GP-2).

I've never had any problems with old-school glue and patches. Is there something I'm missing or are pre-glued patches just useless pieces of excrement?

This kind of failure is basically the reason sticker-type patches have a reputation for not being reliable.

Scrupulously sanding the area and getting it as clean as possible (ie, with alcohol or other residue-free solvent, cleaner than anyone can probably get it on the side of the road) wards off the problem but doesn't eliminate it.

Sticker type patches are essentially bad products. You can't trust the tube long-term, so you really should change it back out when you get home, because if you don't you'll likely get another flat sooner or later when it fails.

Vulcanizing patches are superior. The system of carrying a spare tube and a vulcanizing patch kit, using the patch kit only if you get multiple flats in the same ride (should be a very rare occurrence), and patching your punctured tube when you get home so it can become your spare is popular and time-honored because it works and is cheap. You almost never actually wind up using the vulcanizing kit on the side of the road, and when you do it's no big deal because you've developed good technique. Vulcanizing patches make the tube as reliable as new, so it's fine to leave the tube in there and forget about it.

Self-adhesive patches play to peoples' desire for a simple one-step solution, contrasted to how vulcanizing patches do require a degree of technique and care - keeping track of where the puncture is, applying a nice even patch of glue that's the right size and waiting long enough for the it to dry, comprehending at all that you let the glue dry and then apply the patch, handling things carefully so as not to contaminate the patch contact surface or the tube with skin oils, etc. A lot of people running around now just can't and won't jump through those hoops, and in that sense there is a place for self-adhesive patches, but what's unequivocally true about them is they don't save time or hassle once the need to change the tube out again later is factored in.


Problem during installation of Rockshox Reverb Stealth product I am following the SRAM official procedure on a very similar bike to the one reviewed. However, I am stuck at this part: unthread the hose from the remote's barb.

I just can't. I am holding the hose very firmly, 10mm away from it's end, and turning the remote counter-clockwise. The hose begins to twist and a 1/8 rotation is achieved only due to hose twisting, no rotation is observed at it's end.

Should I use pliers? Put something soft underneath? The product is brand-new, boxed.

After trying to unscrew the hose 3, I decided I need to unscrew 2. I used a wrench and it took me some time to realize this is different than in the video. One drop of oil spilled. I tightened it not very much, although probably more than original.

I tried with 1 turned all the way to either direction, but the hose doesn't come off.

@alex was right in advising not to use tools where no tools are needed. Similarly, it is easy to run frame BBs or brankarm threads by forcing the thread with a wrench, instead of by hand.

Somehow, I had made the hose hard to unscrew by overtightening 2. I loosened it up, held it with a wrench and rotated the hose by hand. This solved the problem.


Left crank has become loose and no longer stays on the bike The left crank kept falling off and I've kept on managing to put it back on but finally it wouldn't go. Think the threading is just absolutely kackered. So I ended up taking it to a shop to have a look at and a possible replacement crank. The only one advised to purchase was the Shimano FC-M622 175mm but it is near enough impossible to find and alot of places has discontinued the product. Does anyone know of any other cranks i could purchase instead of this one? Thanks, Tom.

Do you need a 10 speed triple? Any more recent replacement of M622 shoud work (Hollowtech II bottom bracket). FC-M6000 should be absolutely fine. You just need to choose a double or a triple, just choose the appropriate variant (M6000-2 vs. M6000-3).


Chain Wax Consistency I'm looking for some help on what is the right consistency for a paraffin wax based chain lubricant?

I followed ozcycle's guide as closely as I could. After ~200km of riding in the dry you could run your finger along the chain and get a thin black line of dirt off the chain.

The next few rides were after rain: the track was damp with small pools of water in some places but generally dry. The chain is still well below 300km since I waxed it and It took about a dozen paper towels before the drivetrain stopped wiping off dark black lubricant.

The wax based lubricant on the chain is a bit like a very heavy grease: it isn't really solid, but it's a lot drier than a conventional oil. There's definitely a lot less muck to remove using the wax too.

My question is: do I need to add more paraffin wax to the mixture? The impression I got was that the chain shouldn't really be getting a buildup of black greasy material on it.

I fully degreased my drivetrain before starting the waxing, the mixture is of only paraffin wax & paraffin oil. I dipped the chain and left it at a temparature a little bit above the mixture's melting point: not too hot, no solid skin.
I wiped as much excess from the chain as I could after dipping it. The ratios were based on attempting to get the consistency in oz cycles instructions videos. I probably ended up using a bit more oil than wax.

Update

I'm not sure the consistency is completely to blame. At least, I assumed the dark residue was coming from the road. It seems that in fact, the wax is coming out of my crockpot already discoloured...

Chain Waxing - Strainer / Colander / Other?

Summary

I have heard of people in the old day mixing in paraffin oil, but I personally have just used straight paraffin with good results. All the original testing done by Friction Facts only used solid food quality paraffin.  I suggest cleaning your chains again (i.e. strip off all oil) and using only straight food quality paraffin.

Detailed

I gave hot waxing a try after seeing how well straight paraffin performed in a series of controlled tests performed by VeloNews and Friction Facts (2013 and 2014; both results are in the linked document).

Those tests used food-grade paraffin (i.e. must be > 99.5 percent pure to be labeled “Food Grade”). I watched Oz Cycle's video and some reason he had been using paraffin from candles, which could have less pure paraffin and other additives (e.g. perfume) that are not ideal for chain performance. So the first potential issues could be that you are using sub-par paraffin. Second, Oz Cycle also claimed, without evidence, that since straight paraffin wax easily flakes away from a candle with his finger nail, it will flake away from your chain leaving metal on metal contact, and hence need for paraffin oil to soften the wax.  I find this claim dubious at best.

Let's look at the evidence. Friction Facts was probably the best source for detailed friction testing available to the public, before being bought out by CeramicSpeed. They had meticulous protocols and very accurate machinery, and didn't have any vested interest in the results outcome.  They were hired by VeloNews to find the best lubricant available, straight paraffin won hands down.  If straight paraffin simply flaked away from inner areas of the chain (e.g. the inner side of the roller) then the original Friction Facts testing would have immediately showed this problem as the 2013 testing also included extensive longevity testing.

From the original 2013 Velonews article:

  We  tested  eight  of  the  lubes  for  longevity,  simulating  a  single  dirty,  wet  ride  and  testing  efficiency before and after.[...]

  Once  again,  the  old  technology  of  paraffin  wax vanquished all comers.  In the longevity test, it was completely  unperturbed  by  water,  sand,  and  dirt; in fact, it was over 0.5 watts faster after being run for an hour in the grime. We believe that the wax needs to bed in a bit for maximum efficiency. And, since nothing really sticks to it, the goop was simply shed before it could slow anything down. The only other lube to increase efficiency after the dousing and dirtying was Park Tool’s CL-1.

and

  The fastest bike lube isn’t designed for your bike at all. In every measure, the most efficient chain lubricant is simple paraffin wax, sold in solid blocks at any hardware store.

After you hot wax a chain, excess paraffin may flake off the outer surfaces, but this doesn't mean it is flaking off on the inside of the chain where 1) space is very restricted and 2) where you need the lubrication to be.  If paraffin wax was flaking off from the inside of the chain, I don't think Friction Facts would have seen the stellar test. Given they were an independent testing body at the time, hired by VeloNews to get answers, I believe their results are credible.

The reason the straight paraffin wax likely does not flake away from the interior are for the following two reasons:

Getting the chain very clean (i.e., bare metal, with no residue) before waxing means the paraffin adheres strongly to the internal surfaces of the chain; and
The restricted space between the rollers and bushings means that wax that does penetrate into that area stays there as it has no where to go, especially in the hardened form!

As such, I suggest you stop using paraffin oil.  Re-strip your chains back to bare metal, and get some fresh food grade paraffin wax. Leave the candles for romantic dinners with your bike.

Bonus

A cheap and easy cleaning protocol I have worked out for dusty/dirty chains, as an alternative to an ultrasonic cleaner, is dumping the chain in boiling water and agitating roughly with a stir stick.  The temperature liquefies the paraffin and the agitation dislodges the old paraffin and dirt.  I then let the chain dry over night, before waxing the following day.  I usually do 2-3 chains in one go. This is a "poor man's" ultrasonic cleaner, without the ultrasound cleaner apparatus nor ultrasonic compatible cleaners.


Right crank (Drive side) on the left? So, I wonder what happen if I replace my left crank with another right crank (either Square tapered or ISIS splined wouldn't matter).

What is the disadvantages apart from:
1) the pedal thread loosening over time (can be fixed using thread locking and hope it works..)

Please list any other problems I might have overlooked

Well, you'd have a spider on both sides is one odd and annoying thing. Sheldon Brown has run the cranks in reverse on regular (non-bmx) bikes [In BMX, there is a reasonable set of options going both ways].

You'd also probably get a strange Q-factor as well given that the insertion depths are different for the right and left crankarms. This could be compounded if you happen to have a non-symmetrical spindle length bottom bracket.

(It should work in theory - why you'd want to do this in practice unless you were in the odd situation of having two good right crank arms and no good left crank arms is a mystery...)


Do deep rims increase the chances of falling in strong wind? In a group I follow there was a recent post from a fellow member who complained about how his deep rims (Fulcrum Racing Speed XLR 55mm, if it matters) caused him to fall down because of a sudden wind gust and how a car behind him managed to stop in time before driving over him.
I have no experience with deep rims myself, but I have the impression that the side area of a cyclist is still larger than the rim area, thus it shouldn't make that much of a difference.
Can deep rims increase the chances of falling because of wind?

Yes absolutely. The depth of a rim is directly related to the side-area, and a gust of wind will have more of an effect on a larger surface.
The largest wheel surface area is a solid disk, and even pros will prefer an open wheel to a disk wheel on a race day with a gusty wind forecast.
If there are a lot of sidewinds anticipated, an old-school box-section rim presents the smallest side-area to a wind, and will react the least to a sudden gust.

Consider also that a front wheel has two pivot points - the head tube and the ground contact patch.  The wheel's axle is not relevant to steering.   So there is more of the wheel/rim in front of a line between those two pivots, and a side wind will push the front of the wheel more than the rear of the wheel.
The result is a net turn away from the wind.  If the rider is not balancing and ready to react instantly, they'll find the bike turning under them without the rider's mass following, leading to a loss of control, a wiggle/swerve, and potentially a fall.   Not good in a pack!
The only correct action is to prevent the turn from starting.  You have to hold firmly onto the bars, and react immediately if there's a gust.  If you're watching the grass on the roadside, or other riders ahead, you can see a gust-front coming and brace yourself for it.  With timing and luck, you can even turn into the wind as it hits you, resulting in a net-zero steering change.
The other good choice is to slow down in gusty areas.  If your speed was halved, you'd have twice as long to react to the gust before overbalancing.  (very approximately).
Additionally, don't ride too close to obstructions, the edge of the seal, other riders, or cliff edges.  Having some more run-out room helps recover.
Deep rims on the back have less of an effect because they don't get involved with steering.  A solid side wind can push the bike around, but its not going to steer your bike into a co-rider or a parked vehicle, or off the road completely.