Can I use WD40 and generic bicycle oil to maintain my MTB drivetrain? For years I've been using WD40, a brass brush, a rag, and some generic bicycle chain oil. My chain has no visible damage, and I have no problems with it. This is for a somewhat cheap MTB that sees everyday use for commuting.

What oil? I don't even know, and I don't believe it comes with any specifications. It is the absolutely cheapest I could find on eBay, it costs less than 1 USD including shipping, for 50 ml.

Is there any problem with doing this? If so, what is the problem? It seems to work great for me, contrary to what seems to be popular belief and advice found in professional (or not so professional, I have no idea who actually knows what they're talking about) maintenance videos?

The steps outlined e.g. here

             are incredibly elaborate, they involve among other things, using a modified pair of nailbrushes to sandwich the chain, just to make sure that it gets cleaned properly. It also stresses how important it is to degrease it first. It also mentioned how you must use hot soapy water to clean it. It also suggests using aerosol lube before applying the actual chain lubrication. It is mentioned how you should use grease, and is this the shot where he painstakingly applies it to each link of the chain, by hand? Finally, it says it is not essential (which means, it is a really good idea to do it, you just don't have to) to dismantle your drivechain every time you want to clean it. I don't do any of these things, at all.

I use a worn brush and just rather carelessly scrub a bit at it, removing obviously large chunks and lager pieces of debris. Then soak it in WD40, wipe it off with a rag, use copious amounts of the cheap oil and then off the excess again. I've never had any issues. This is also where it gets to way below zero, there is a lot of salt on the road, often a lot of rain. The bicycle is stored indoors most of the time.

This MTB has some cheap Shimano parts, Shimano M190 31.8, Shimano M191 42-34-24 CG, Shimano CS-HG30-8 11-32, and the chain is a KMC Z72.

Trying to improve my own knowledge about bicycles, particularly in care and maintenance, seems to quickly make me run into a wall of enthusiasts that are just on a completely different level. It is rather demotivating. If there is indeed something wrong with what I do, it would be nice to know exactly what the problem is, and what I can realistically do to improve it. Because, doing what is suggested in that video, I think, is completely unrealistic to almost everyone except enthusiasts.

You're basically using WD40 as degreaser (it's a very thin oil that will dissolve away thicker oily gunk) and then using chain lube as chain lube. This is fine, as shown by the fact that you've been doing this for ages and not had any problems.

The only thing I'd suggest is that there's no need to use "copious amounts" of chain lube. It doesn't take long at all to just apply a dot of lube to each link of the chain as thown in the video, then let it soak in for a  couple of minutes and wipe off the excess.  Alternatively, hold the nozzle of the lube bottle against the chain at one end of the rollers and use the pedals to rotate the chain once round, while dispensing a thin stream of oil, then repeat for the other end of the rollers. If your chain has a quick link or similar connector, you can use that to see when you've been round once. Ultimately, though, since you're wiping off the excess, the only question is whether you prefer to use less lube or less of your precious time.


Last no helmet ride in the Tour de France When was the last TDF where riders were allowed to ride with no helmet?
Was this mandated across all grand tours at the same time?

Helmets were entirely optional until 5 May 2003.
On 5 May 2003 the following rules were introduced https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090208/http://oldsite.uci.ch/english/news/news_2002/20030502i.pdf

During competitions on the road, a hard shell crash helmet shall be
worn. Except where there are legal provisions to the contrary, riders
taking part in international events for elite men of class 4 and above
may, at their own risk, remove their helmet during the final climb
when the finish of the event or stage is on or at the summit of that
climb, subject to the following conditions: 1) the climb in question
is at least 5 km in length, 2) the helmet may not be removed before
the start of the climb,
3.2 Rider taking the start without the required helmet

Elite men's road races in class 4 and above 200 to 10 000 [CHF fine], plus 50 points deducted from the UCI individual classification [a TdF win is 1000 points]
Other cases: start refused

3.3 Rider removing the obligatory helmet during an event

Elite men's road races in class 4 and above 200 to 10 000 [CHF fine], plus 50 points deducted from the UCI individual classification
Other cases: expulsion from the race and 100

Therefore helmets were mostly compulsory, but elite riders could remove the helmets legitimately on a climb, however they had to be retrieved immediately by a team member.
This rule was certainly in place for 2003 & 2004 https://web.archive.org/web/20040804001045/http://www.letour.fr/2004/docs/reglement_us.pdf
This was changed either on 1 August 2004 (post 2004 TDF) or 1 January 2005
https://one2onecad.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/uci-bike_-equip_-regs_.pdf

Except where legal provisions determine otherwise, riders taking part
in UCI WorldTour events may, at their own risk, refrain from wearing a
helmet during individual time trial races taking place entirely on a
mountainous course. Every discussion regarding the qualification
«entirely on a mountainous course» will be decided by the
commissaires’ panel.

This meant that organisers COULD designate a climb where helmets were not required, but this was not necessarily the case.
It appears from video evidence that for 2005 helmets were optional on certain climbs, but from 2006 onwards this was no longer the case.
The provision was deleted entirely from 1 January 2015
http://web.archive.org/web/20180716223921/http://www.uci.ch/mm/Document/News/Rulesandregulation/16/80/73/1-GEN-20150313-E_English.pdf


What Changed with Shimano Hyperglide-C? Shimano's HyperGlide-C (11-speed), are the hubs backwards compatible?
Can I put an 8/9/10-speed cassette on a Hyperglide-C hub?
Can I put a Hyperglide-C cassette on a Hyperglide hub?

Sheldon Brown to the rescue: "Shimano uses the trademark "Hyperglide-C" to designate a system with an 11 tooth sprocket. The "C" stands for "compact". These systems are used with smaller-than-usual chainwheel sizes, or on bicycles that have a small drive wheel, or to achieve higher gears.

Due to clearance problems, the cutaway between the splines on 11-tooth sprockets only goes halfway through the sprocket. The matching splines on Hyperglide-C bodies don't go all the way to the outer end of the body."

To summarize: Hyperglide-C cassette on non-hyperglide C body gives wobbles (which you can correct with a 1 mm spacer).

In the reverse case, you can remove some spacers from your cassette (if you have them) to get it to fit (though I'm not really sure when this case would practically occur).


Are there tugnuts made to fit forward facing horizontal dropouts? Are there tugnuts meant to fit forward facing horizontal dropouts such as those on a Surly Cross Check, All City Space Horse, or Salsa Cassaroll which won't block rack and fender bosses and keep wheel from sliding forward during heavy pedaling or skid stopping on fixed gear setups?

I was able to use a surly tuggnut tensioner with my cross check frame with semi-horizontal, forward facing dropouts.  No slipping after that. The end of the tensioner bolt bolt nested in the opening on the rear of the dropout where the long wheel positioner bolt would be installed.  It would likely work on most bikes with this style of semi-horizontal dropout.

Looks like this:

The newer Surly Hurdy Gurdy chain tensioner is actually designed with the cross check dropout in mind (and should work with most semi horizontal dropouts). It's not going to get in the way of rack and fender mounts like the tuggnut. From surly's site:

  Hurdy Gurdy is another nifty device that keeps a rear wheel from slipping forward in the dropout under pedal load. It’s designed for our Cross-Check’s semi-horizontal front-loading dropouts, and will also work on many other similar dropouts.

Hurdy gurdy looks like this:


What tips do you have for making temporary "get me home" repairs? I do some mountain biking in remote parts of wales. I usually carry a minimal tool kit: pump, spare inner tube, and multi tool.

I'm wondering if you have any temporary 'get me home' repair tips I might need one day for when something breaks?

You should also have a survival bag, mobile phone, whistle, torch and small first aid kit as well as a map and compass.  Remember it may be you that is broken not your bike!


Can I use any screw for my derailleur limiters? I need new limit screws for my rear and front derailleur. Bike shop wants to charge $5 for them when they probably cost $0.05 each. Can I just get my own screws from the hardware store or do derailleurs require specific screws? If the former, what measurements/etc should I look for as far as the shaft and threads are concerned? Also, what kind of thread locker should I get?

I was once quoted by a retail plumbing supplier $16 per "fancy screw" for a shower fitting, and needed 6 of them.  They were M3 grub screws with a pointed end, so not large.

Instead I went to a specialist bolt-and-fastener shop and got 10 of them for $0.48 each.

So your screws have certain parameters that must be met

Length
thickness
thread pitch
thread form

And some parameters that are optional, or variable.

Head format - philips/JIS or flathead or hex head or torx, or a thumbscrew, or a bolt head....   Make sure its some tool that is in your multitool
Head width and depth - doesn't matter as long as you have enough room for it.
Material - Stainless Steel would be advisable, but other steels could be workable too.  Titanium may save a gram or so but would be expensive.  Aluminium is too weak for this application

For a B tension screw, the end that faces the frame is relatively unsupported, and should be approximately rounded off so it doesn't bear on the hanger with a sharp corner.    For Limit screws they press on steel lugs inside the mech.

Other than all that, any competent screw shop should be able to sort you out.  Only downsides are that they may be wholesalers who want to sell by the hundred or by the box/pack.   Also they may not do cash sales, so check first.


Different types of down tube shifter mounts I wish to adapt down tube friction shifters to my frame. As shown in image 1, the frame is equipped with eyelets for this purpose.

Image 1 My down tube

Image 2 shows the shifter in question (I assume this is the correct order of the rings). Note how parts D and E have a snake-eyed shape---intended, I presume, to prevent external rings from rotating as the lever itself is turned.

Image 2 My friction shifter parts

My problem is that parts D and E find no match in the frame's down tube: the eyelets are perfect cylinders, with no protruding "slot" at the tip to fit the rings' snake-eyed shape. As a consequence, movement of the shift lever inevitably and almost immediately removes any friction in the system by loosening the external bolt (part F). Slippage prevents high gears from holding.

Two questions arise.

Can anyone recommend an easy fix/tweak to the problem?
Does the barrel's cylindrical shape suggest what specific tension shifter model I should look for in case answer 1 is negative? (The frame is a French C.N.C., from the 1960s I believe.)

Thanks!

Edit

Shouldn't eyelets look thus? (Note the shape, but also how the picture below's is longer than my frame's eyelet.)

I don't know anything about the history or whys, but I have seen shifters by huret that match up with this type of mount (as @danielrhicks was getting at):

As you can see they have a square baseplate that acts as a stop for the shifter. I had always just assumed it was some sort of French standard that didn't last very long. I have also seen simplex shifters that have a similar design. Often times I've found these frames have a different thread pitch than shifters designed for non French frames as well, making it extra difficult to mount another shifter.

obviously a second, less than ideal option would be to use a clamp on shifter set lower on the downtube.

thanks, France.


How to fix front gear taking 2 shifts just to move onto next cog I was out on a ride yesterday and several times when I was changing up and down between big chain ring and little chain ring (I only have the 2 rings up front) it required 2 gear changes. The gears actually settled on an imaginary middle cog! How can I fix this?

I think Shimano integrated shifters ("brifters") for the front derailleur on a triple normally have 5 indexed positions: 1-3-5 are the main positions that match the chainrings and 2-4 are intermediate spots to avoid chain rub for some chainring+sprocket combinations.  If you give the front shift lever a short pull it will click once and the front derailleur moves one position.  Give it a full pull and it should click twice, moving two positions.

Normally going up to a bigger ring requires a 2-click upshift;  sometimes you need to give it a one-click downshift afterwards to eliminate chain rub if you're in a larger rear cog.  Going down a ring may only take a 1-click downshift, depending on what position the derailleur is in.  All of this is based on my experience with a triple, but should work the same for a double.

If shifting problems are more noticable going up to a bigger ring (needs more clicks than before) then this is probably due to cable stretch.  If you have a barrel adjuster on the front derailleur cable, try turning it counterclockwise (looking at it from the side where the cable housing enters it) to tension the cable a bit.

If the problem is when dropping down to a smaller ring, then either the cables are sticking somewhere (worn cables/housing) or the front derailleur is sticking (needs lubrication or has a worn spring).


Problems changing tubed flat on tubeless compatible rims I love my new gravel bike (Jamis Renegade Expat) (I do club rides and touring), but its tubeless compatible rims (WTB UST Tubeless) make it impossible for me to change a flat roadside by myself, which I can easily do on my conventionally rimmed other bike. I don't have the finger strength to break the seal, but even once that's done, it's easy to trap an edge of tube under the bead (even pumping it up a bit to get it out of the way). IME it takes at least 2 people (usually my husband and me), 3 tire levers and a half hour to change a flat on my TCS rim. So I'll probably change to tubeless since I've lost the upside to tubed tires: easier roadside repair. Yet everyone says tubeless compatible rims can be used tubed easily. Is anyone else having this problem?

Yes, breaking the bead lock is a common problem these days.
The biggest single trick to it is that pushing the bead straight in laterally doesn't do what you want. The design is trying to be very good at resisting that. Instead, try to drive it down and into the center of the rim well, and then give it an upwards scooping motion once you have some purchase. It still requires some hand strength.
Using your feet is fine if you have good technique and judgment, and on at least somewhat tough tires. (Basically any mainstream tire, but not something like a Herse/Compass). It's all about making sufficiently broad contact with both the tire and the rim, and being careful that you're not sideloading the wheel. You have to understand what will and won't hurt the wheel. There is probably always a nonzero chance of cosmetically scuffing the rim. I know it can sound unfortunate to have to think about doing this, but it's also a path to dealing with the tougher bead locks that most people can accomplish regardless of hand strength.
Other than dealing with the bead lock, installing and removing most tires on most tubeless compatible rims is almost always very easy and doesn't require great force or more than one tire lever. What is required is an understanding of how large the difference is in the diameter of the the rim well and that of the shoulder, and how to use the fact to your advantage. Once you have the two beads meeting in the middle all the way around the tire, you typically have plenty of slack to start one bead up and over the rim. But the nature of a tubeless rim shoulder area is that if you're not deliberate about getting the two beads into the middle, they won't sink into it naturally under force like on a non-tubeless, so it's something you must do on purpose. The same is true for installation; it's easy to get the last bit of bead popped over the side if and only if the rest of it is sunk into the middle.
Tubelessing the bike is fine if you want tubeless on its own merits, but I wouldn't recommend doing it on the basis of having a hard time dealing with getting the tire on and off. You probably will still have to do that sooner or later anyway.


Heavy Rider (300lb+) - Please recommend a 26" tyre to avoid tyre pinch I ride a hybrid on 26" rims currently fitted with hybrid tires.  As I am 300lbs+ the rear tire runs permanently deformed/flat and the rims ride over the rubber causing tire pinch.  Can anyone recommend the tyre tube combination that I should try to obtain that will stop this happening?

As a heavy rider personally, I don't have many issues with flats.

A normal tire on the high/maximum pressure works fine to avoid pinch flats.

The key is to check tire pressure every time you get on the bike. Even a day will allow a tire to soften 10 psi, and that will allow flats to occur.

Road hazard flats are not avoidable except by avoiding the hazard in the first place. :)

Edit: to be clear, my answer is that it is most likely that your existing tires are not fully inflated, rather than that a different tire is needed.


road bike frame size my wife bought me a used flat bar road bike for christmas. to her a bike is a bike, one size fits all. it was quite ovious to me that it was going to be way to large as it had a sticker on the frame with XL on it, and im 5'5"/ 5'6".

not wanting to sound ungrateful i gave it a try. lowered the seat nearly write down to get the correct reach ( leg straight with heel on the peddle at 6 o'clock.
the stand over brings the cross bar tight into my  crotch, but thats not a problem.

the ct of this bike is 56.5cm
the advised ct for me is 51cm. 50cm/52cm could also work.

so my questons are, can i say this bike fits me.
or am i riding at a disadvantage with this lare frame.

If the saddle position in picture is good for you, the frame is definitely too large. It's not the top tube you should worry about, but the handlebars are too high and forward which makes the position uncomfortable.

For comparison, I'm 6" and usually the frame size that fits is M.


Does there exist a non-electric bike that can go 60mph (95 km/h)? I recently ran into this article here where a woman bikes at about 184 mph (295 km/h). Now certainly there were some crazy ideal conditions here like an extra special bike and clothes, drafting behind a race car, and salt flats but that did get me thinking.

Would it be possible to make a bike that can go to decently high speeds without those conditions? Essentially a really good bike that has a LOT of gear levels so you can start with regular bike gear sizes and work your way up to something that could theoretically reach a very high speed.

Now 60mph is probably a bit realistic but what I am essentially wondering is what kinds of bikes are designed with the kind of gear system that would allow for the bike to both reach regular speeds and rather high speeds should the peddler have sufficient strength.

Now I would look to top races like the Tour De France to get an indication of what is possible here but I wonder if there are restrictions involved there that might be limiting that ability. So I suppose my question is: are there bikes that push the limits of human powered pedaling that can be started without driving behind a race-car?

Forgive me if this is a bit of a naieve question. I am fairly new to keeping track of what bikes are out there and what is possible here. I only ask because I am currently able to drive the highest gear on my bike (entry level 500$ bike) on a flat surface without much issue. I am trying to get a feel for what speeds may be possible should I find one with the "next gear up".

The problem with going 60 mph (assuming level ground, no wind, etc) is not gearing, which is an easy problem to solve. It's aerodynamics. Aerodynamic drag increases roughly with the square of your speed, and to get up to 60 mph on a conventional bike, you'd need to produce about 4000 W—which some sprinters can do for a few seconds.

So to go anything like that fast, you'd need to be in an aerodynamic HPV. The current hour record for a streamliner HPV is about 90 km, still short of 60 mph, although over sprint distances, HPVs have gotten up to 144 kph.

However, these would be completely impractical for mass-start events like the Tour de France, so you can't easily extrapolate to what a mass-start HPV race would look like, or what speeds people would achieve, because the bikes would need to be significantly different. Some of these record-attempt HPVs have no windows at all, and rely on cameras and TV screens for outward visibility; the ones with windows have extremely limited visibility. Riders are taped in, and could not easily get out to change a flat, for example.

Also, drafting plays an extremely important role in (conventional) bike racing. Because the benefits of drafting would be greatly reduced in HPV racing, those races would essentially turn into time trials.


Gearing change on Mongoose Malus I recently purchased a Mongoose Malus, I would like to change out the front gear so I have a true granny gear (ie really low gear) and am not concerned with the top end speed.

Where can I purchase and what is recommended and how difficult will this be? This bike is mostly used around the ranch at very slow speeds in sand, grass, gravel and rocky areas mostly not even on a path.

I can't find a clearly written spec page for this bike, but based on the picture your easiest change will be to swap out the cassette/freewheel for a 7 speed with a larger number of teeth.

The question is whether the rear derailleur can fit a larger gear.

You'll also need a new chain to add more links.

Your other option is to replace the whole front chainring assembly with a smaller one.   At this price point there's a good chance its a common square taper fitment, so you might even be able to rescue a smaller crank off a donor-bike.

You could even use a triple crank off a MTB but only hook the chain onto the middle or little ring.   This would be the most economical option, the only bike-specific tool you need is a crank puller.


If I can't find the hole causing a flat tire, do I need to replace the tube? My back tire got flat. If I pump it up now, it can hold the air for about 30 minutes to an hour before it's totally flat.

I took out the inner-tube yesterday, pump in a bit air and put it into water, trying to find a hole but couldn't find anything.

Could it be that the tire is too old and I must replace it?

EDIT: thanks to all your response. Beside soap water, I found out hot water is really helpful and that was what I used to fix my tire. There was a very tiny hole on the tube that I couldn't find when I used room temperature water.

Sometimes it can be hard to find a small hole. Sometimes it helps to mix water and dish soap together and either pour that over the partially inflated tire, scanning for leaks or submerging the tire in a bucket of soapy water.  The soap will bubble and make holes more apparent.  You also probably want to immerse the valve to see if the leak may be originating from there.

If the problem is coming from the valve, then you will want to go ahead and just replace the tube.


What are the most effective exercises to improve stamina and speed on my cycle to/from work? I have just turned 40 and despite running many marathons in my younger days I'm finding it hard to get fitter again after too many years at a desk. I have a reasonable racing bike which I use for my 60 minute commute occasionally (45 minutes to work, 75 home) but wondering what a good set of exercises might be to increase my speed and stamina.

My commute is about 16 miles on reasonable roads, with about 4 miles being in the city, and an altitude difference along the run of about 150m with home being at the higher end, so I guess the specifics of my question are around whether I should try alternating sprints and coasting frequently, or whether I should focus on a single pace for the entire journey.

There's nothing bad about maintaining a steady pace but at some point you'll want to increase that pace. For a while you will be able to improve significantly by just informally "trying harder" and getting more skilled with the bike. After a while, however, you will plateau and it will seem like it is impossible to get much faster and you'll wonder how people on mapmyride (for example) can do the same route at unbelievable average speeds.

Of course it is possible to get much faster! And the most effective way to do it is with some type of regular interval training. This same concept applies to all endurance sports. The idea is that you have to push your exertion to at or above your lactate threshold to stimulate improvement. It is the aerobic analogy to lifting weights.

I am not going to attempt to lay out a program, but roughly it is going to be a series of efforts that last a couple of minutes with a few minutes of rest inbetween. During those intervals you really have to max out to get the benefit of the workout. A "real" interval workout is HARD and draining. It is not something that you'll want to do everyday.

Alternatively, just riding with fast group will do the same (albeit in a longer time) as guys tend to naturally compete and "put the hammer down" at every opportunity.


How to keep my hydration pack tubes and valve from freezing? I like to ride with a hydration pack when I mountain bike in the winter since all sorts of nasty stuff gets tossed up at my bottles.  However, I've had issues with the tube or valve getting clogged due to the water inside freezing during rides in the low 20s Fahrenheit (roughly -5°C). It's really hard to deal with this issue while you're out in the woods.

Is there anything I can do to prevent this from freezing so quickly?

The trick is to blow the water back up the tube and into the reservoir right after you take a drink.  This will keep your tube and bite valve from freezing.  This works well even at below freezing temperatures when skiing.


Front and rear derailleur compatible? I'm struggling and need help!

My front derailleur which is 3x9 speed got damaged. Shimano Acera 9-speed, 34.9mm clamp, low-mount, top-swing, dual-pull

but I'm thinking to upgrade it with a Shimano XTR M980 3x10, top swing, dual pull, 28.6/31.8/34.9mm

Would it be compatible with my rear derailleur 9 speed?

thank you for helping

Front and rear derailleurs have no interactions, so there's no concept of direct compatibility between them.

Rear derailleurs have to be compatible with the rear shifter, cassette, chain. Front derailleurs have to be compatible with the front shifter, crank and chain. Obviously there is some interplay between the front and rear drivetrain.

I don't think that a 10 speed triple derailleur will work well with a 9 speed triple shifter and crank. Shimano changed actuation ratios (ratio of cable length pulled to cage movement) on 10 speed MTB groups.

I'm not sure that an old M980 derailleur from 2010 is really an upgrade anyway. Any benefit of a better front derailleur would be completely masked by the performance of the lower level shifter. Safer to get a current Shimano 3x9 Alivio or Acera front derailleur replacement.


Shimano chainring compatibility (7400 vs. 7700)? I have a 2003-era 9-speed Dura-Ace drivetrain, FC-7700 crankset (cranks are 175mm; rings are B-type, 53/39, 130 BCD).

I recently came across a brand new 7400-series B-type 53t chainring. Does anyone know if this will work as-is on my crank? Or should I expect any degradation in shifting performance?

Thanks in advance,

Al

tl;dr

yes it will work, as long you use a 7700 inner chain ring. Otherwise you might encounter some skating due to the smaller 9-speed chain.

  "9-speed" Chainrings
  When the move from 8- to 9-speed took place, starting with 1997 Dura-Ace, a very slight change in chainring design occurred. Shimano was concerned about the potential for the chain to "skate" over the teeth of the small chainring.

  "Skating" occurs when a narrow chain is used on a crankset intended for a somewhat wider chain. In downshifting, instead of the chain meshing properly with the teeth of the inner chainring, the side-plates of the chain can ride along the tips of the teeth of the small ring, causing a momentary "freewheeling" forward. If you are foolish enough to downshift the front while standing up, this skating could conceivably cause you to crash.

  The difference between "9-speed" cranksets and older models is only in the inner chainring. The teeth on a "9-speed" inner ring are slightly displaced to the right to better accommodate the slightly narrower chain.

  Shimano will tell you you need to replace the inner ring when converting an older bike to 9-speed. Their lawyers say that covers them if you're clumsy enough to hurt yourself due to "skating" and, besides, they make a nice profit selling the chainrings.

  My advice is to not worry about this, and not to routinely replace the inner ring when upgrading to 9-speed. This type of "skating" is very rare, and mostly only happens if you're in top gear front and rear, then decide to downshift the front before downshifting the rear. There's no situation where this is a rational shifting sequence anyway.

Source: https://sheldonbrown.com/dura-ace.html#chainrings

Sidenote

Skating can also happen when you don't properly mount the inner chain ring. Since the tooth are not exactly in the middle, mounting the rings in the wrong way will cause additional spacing between the outer and the inner chain ring. This spacing is enough for the chain to slip between them.
https://www.landrys.com/images/library/large/shimano-deore-xt-m8000-11-speed-inner-chainring-198501-1-11-1.jpg


Two wheel sets, one bike - best approach? I've got a mountain bike that I occasionally ride on the road,  when I do I like to put on slick road tyres but it's a pain changing the tires each time.

If I buy a second set of wheels what is the best approach?  Do I need to change cassette, and chain etc each time?

If you are running V-brakes then you will need to make sure your second set of wheels have the same rim width as your existing set. Otherwise the brakes may not line up properly.

Your complete shopping list:

Wheels
Cassette
Spoke Protector (highly optional!)
Rim tape x 2
Tubes x 2
Tyres x 2

When swapping the wheels over the gears should not need re-adjusting each time. You can also go for a different range, e.g. smaller closer ratio more suited to the commute. Your existing wide-ratio chain length should work fine. Depending on the level of wear of the chain you may want to get one of those too. You can check how far the chain has 'stretched' by putting it on the outer chainring and then pulling it at the point nearest the front. If this pulls forward 5mm or more then it is worn. This is a rule of thumb, you can get the posh tool for measuring chain wear or measure it with a ruler.

The other main benefit of two wheel sets is that you can service one set properly without being bereft of your bike. Not many people do it for mountain bikes, road bike owners tend to do this more in practice. The crucial thing to get right is the rim width, if your bike is a recent model then you can sometimes get replacement wheels from that bike manufacturer rather than have to get something specifically built up. Obviously if you are running disks then any wheels will do.


Should I drink more water the day before a tough ride? A town near my home has a (moderately hilly) 50-mile bike ride in the summer every year. Last year on the ride, someone told me I should have been drinking significantly more water the day before to "pre-hydrate", as my body was expending more water due to exertion and heat than I could recover by drinking.

Is this true? Should I drink more water the day before a tough ride?

(For reference: this is the route)

"More"  - more than what - if you are already an '8 litre a day' person, no it will not help. If you are like me (too much coffee, drink when I am thirsty), an extra couple of litres spread evenly over the day will be a good thing.

Be careful not to over hydrate as it will change the balance of electrolytes in you system and could lead to problems such as cramping. A litre extra over a day won't be an issue, but more than that, use a proper electrolyte drink (Not the lolly water sold at supermarkets as 'sports' drinks - if it tastes good, its not electrolyte).

Watch out for too much water causing you get up for the toilet all night and miss out much needed sleep.

In summary - a little more than usual is probably good, too much more is not so good.


Should my foot be able to step flat on the ground, when I sit on a bike seat? I was wondering, for a correctly sized mountain bike, or hybrid, should I be able to place my foot flat on the ground, when I sit on the bike seat?

For a standard bike in normal use you should not, from the seat, be able to touch the ground (without leaning, or except, perhaps, on extreme tip-toe).

A standard diamond frame (with horizontal top bar), for road use, should be sized so that you can stand flat-footed over the top bar with a "comfortable" margin (but no more) between the bar and the stuff above the bar.  (A bike used off-road will generally be a bit more compact, and, of course, the top bar is often not horizontal.)

The seat should be positioned so that your leg is almost fully extended at the bottom of the stroke (the knee should not go perfectly straight).

One way to fit the seat height is to have someone hold the bike while you pedal backwards with your heels on the pedals.  With your heels on the pedals the knees should go perfectly straight at the bottom of the stroke, but with no need to rock side-to-side to maintain contact with the pedals.  (Once you switch to using your toes on the pedals in a normal fashion the proper almost-straight leg extension is obtained.)

Off-road, and for stunt riding, generally the seat will be a bit lower, and some may find it convenient to lower the seat a bit for city riding.  But be aware that a too-low seat puts significant strain on the knees and can lead to knee injury (especially when combined with riding in a too-difficult gear).


How to maintain Suntour XCR Air RL-R (remote lockout air/oil) front fork? My bike is fairly new (1000 km) however I am worried about accumulation of dirt/scratches on the front fork.

I've looked at Suntour foam rings however could not find anything.

Is this because Suntours do not require maintenance like FOX / Rockshox or is there another reason?

Any half-decent fork requires maintenance, the air variety of XCR not being an exception. True, Suntour does not seem to publish XCR-specific docs compared to other higher priced forks like Auron or Axon, but there's a general fork manual available. Some relevant quotes from it:

  MAINTENANCE PLAN

  after every ride: Clean the fork tubes and dust seals and maintain with an oily cloth / check stanchion tubes for scratches

  every 50 hours: Maintenance 1 (at dealer)

  every 100 hours or once a year: Maintenance 2 (at dealer, ideally before winter time in order to protect all parts from the effects of weather by proper greasing)

  MAINTENANCE 1:

  Check function of fork / check torques of mountings screws and nuts at dropout (10 Nm) / check
  for scratches, dents, cracks, discolouration, signs of wear and signs of minor corrosion (maintain
  with oily cloth).

  MAINTENANCE 2:

  Maintenance 1 + disassembly / cleaning the entire fork inside and out / cleaning and lubricating
  dust seals and slider sleeves / checking torques / adjusting to the riders liking.
  Before disassembly, check the slider sleeve play of the fork. To do so, apply the front wheel
  brake and gently push the bicycle back and forth at the handlebar stem shaft. Replace the slider
  sleeves if the play is too big (more than 1 mm at the fork brace).

I'd advise to contact the venue you bought the bike from and even SR Suntour itself for further details.


Should I rotate the tires on a (grown-up) trike? I have a recumbent tadpole trike (though maybe this would apply to any style). Its two front wheels have a few degrees of inwards lean. The rear is of course perfectly vertical.

I've read in another question that for bicycles its not generally needed to rotate tires, and that any uneven wear may not matter much.

But on a trike the tires aren't changing their angle to the ground... and I think all three would normally wear differently.

Should I rotate them? Or reverse them? If so, how many miles would be a good rule of thumb?

Would the answer /advice be any different if there was no inward lean?

Swapping the tires around (or if they have some sort of quick release axles, the wheels) isn’t going to do any harm, and will prolong the useful life of the tire if they are contacting the ground at an angle.

How often to do it is hard to tell. Depends on how many miles you ride / week, mass of you plus bike, roads surfaces etc. I’d probable swap tire around when I begin to see some wear.


Putting rear hand brakes onto a 16" Diamondback Jr Viper I'm trying to add rear hand brakes onto a 16" bike for my son.  I've seen other online versions of the same bike model (Diamonback Jr Viper) with hand brakes; which makes me think I should be able to get it done.  Would anyone be willing to give me some advice for a good, easily activated hand break for a child (average sized 5yo, but on the weaker side of the spectrum). Of course, I know that I've only been talking about the handle; but, I would ask for your recommendations for the whole break system.  Planned use is very average; 1st bike, riding around the neighborhood...

It looks like to 20" version of the bike comes with a rear linear pull brake, but the 16" has a coaster brake. This is common practice with kids bikes as children young enough to be on a 16" bike don't have enough hand strength to operate a brake lever effectively.

I looked into doing the same thing when my daughter had a 16" bike, but found that it is not workable. In general there is no place to mount a brake caliper on a 16" bike. There is often a seat stay bridge with a hole in it but it is intended to mount a fender. The hole is too far away from the rim to mount a caliper.

My advice would be to save your money for the next bike you get your son when he grows out of the 16".


Are chain-drive gears 'ridiculously' efficient even when dry of oil? Allegedly chain-drive gears are something like 99% efficient when well oiled and something like 98% efficient when without oil.

Personally I do not like the noise a dry chain makes, this has a 'I must be going slow' psychological effect on my riding so, even if I am not going slow, I think that I am. For this reason I never drive with a dry chain.

If the efficiency gains of an oiled chain are minor then that means the main reason for oiling the chain is to reduce wear/prevent rust rather than efficiency/speed. This is why I would like to know the efficiency of a chain when oiled as well as dry.

Comparisons against other drive mechanisms and their efficiency, e.g. bicycle shaft drive, automatic car transmission are also of interest to put the oiled/dry chain in context.

If the efficiency gains of an oiled
  chain are minor then that means the
  main reason for oiling the chain is to
  reduce wear/prevent rust rather than
  efficiency/speed. This is why I would
  like to know the efficiency of a chain
  when oiled as well as dry.

As explained in the IHPVA paper linked in moz's answer, apparently lubricating the chain makes little difference for efficiency, so yes, it's mainly to "reduce wear/prevent rust".

However, you should note that the IHPVA paper apparently used a new chain in mint condition. It may well be that the lubrication does not make a difference in this case. Still, an unlubricated chain will corrode much faster than a lubricated one, and corrosion does make a huge difference in efficiency (as it increases internal friction).

So in practice, lubrication include efficiency, though indirectly (by preventing corrosion).


High-quality commuting bike with "women's" frame My wife wants a high-quality commuting bike (riding almost an hour each way five days a week). However, she wants it to be compatible with skirt-wearing and, as a result, refuses to have a frame with a normal top-bar.

Is there even such a thing as a high-quality commuting frame with the low top-bar of a women's bike?

If you and she are willing to throw down on a custom, I can personally recommend Violet Crown Cycles. Otherwise, consider the Rivendell Betty Foy/Ivan Gomez or building up a Soma Buena Vista... but she might actually do fine picking up a mass-market step-through that fits well (Electra, Jamis, and Trek have models worth looking at) and upgrading the components as desired.

For a ride that long, I would actually recommend against a Dutch bike; something speedier would likely be better. Believe it or not, an upright posture is not necessarily ideal; I find that a more forward-leaned posture keeps long skirts from blowing back and up in headwinds. (There are other ways to deal with this. The headband-round-one-leg trick works.) Avoid crank-forward/"flat foot" designs for this reason.

I will disagree with Batman above regarding durability. Though I've seen that claim many a time, I have yet to see anyone with a horror story regarding a mixte or step-through frame falling apart or anything similarly catastrophic... or even bothersome, for that matter. I've gotten along just fine with both my step-throughs; if they flex more, I don't notice it.

My somewhat ornery but experience-driven suggestions for skirt-friendly bikes:

Fenders (minimally a rear fender)
Chain guard. Chains like to eat skirts, as well as deposit grime on them. (Consider a belt drive, rare though they are -- lack of grime is one of the things I dearly love about mine.)
Disc brakes and/or a skirt guard on the rear wheel. Rear rim brakes LOVE to eat skirts; I lost two dresses to my Electra Townie in my early days with it because of this. (Check Etsy for aftermarket fabric skirt guards.)
Internal gear hub if she likes really long, full skirts. A skirt-eating derailleur is a long shot, but depending on the hanger configuration, it could happen.
Decent carrying capacity. I don't mind carrying a messenger bag while in a dress, but she might, especially on that long a ride... and even I (fifteen minutes door to door) sometimes sling mine into a pannier.
If the bike she picks only has one set of braze-ons for water-bottle cages (which is common for step-throughs), I recommend adding a handlebar cage mount; these are easy to find aftermarket (e.g. this one by Velo Orange).

And for bike-friendly skirts and dresses:

Pencil skirts longer than just above the knee are Right Out. Forget it. She'll tear it to pieces trying to pedal, no matter how it's gored or slit.
Shorter skirts can work, but wear bike shorts underneath. (If she's going to do that, though, why not just wear the shorts and change into the skirt at work?)
Full skirts work fine if she avoids skirt-eating chains and rim brakes. (The Victorians did it -- so can we!)
Maxi-style straight dresses work fine if the material has some stretch, such that knees don't leave unsightly "dents" in it.
Camisoles, for any dress neckline that isn't reasonably close-fitting. If she prefers an upright ride, this isn't necessary.

Good luck! I'm not sure the perfect bike for this use-case exists in the mass market (that's why I went custom), but she ought to be able to find something that doesn't compromise too much.


E-Bikes - Is it bad for the bike to run out of battery? Today, I ran my e-bike out of battery for the first time. Interestingly enough, the bike didn't actually turn off, but automatically moved the mode from "Eco" (light pedal assist) to "Off" (no pedal assist). The screen stayed on, telling me my MPH, etc, so clearly, the bike wasn't completely out of battery.

I continued to pedal with the screen on until I got home. I then plugged the bike into its charger.

Is this bad for the bike? I can't find information anywhere about this... even in the bikes manual, it says nothing about it.

I called the company that made the bike, and they seemed to be uncertain, but ultimately said it wasn't a big deal... they actually suggested it might be good for the bike to do this?

Is running an e-bike out of battery bad for the bike?

Most rechargeable batteries have a certain voltage threshold below which they will get permanently damaged. Li-ion cells should never drop below 3.0V (slightly higher at 3.2V for LiPo). Smart batteries have integrated systems monitoring remaining voltage and will have a way to at least tell you they're getting too low.

In your case, it seems the system has a way to shut off electric assist but keep low-energy functions going for some time. I'm surprised the manufacturer could not give you a definitive answer, but I would expect the battery to be fine.

If you can get the specifications of your battery pack, you can divide the total voltage by the nominal voltage of one cell. For li-ion, that's 22.2V in a 6S pack so 6 cells of 3.7V in series. Multiply 3.0V by 6 and you get 18.0V. So if your E-bike has a display with remaining voltage and you're still above 20V, you shouldn't have a problem. If the system's smart, it will cut off the assist well before it gets to a critical point anyway.

Just make sure to recharge the batteries and not let them low when in storage.


Why would a manufacturer change chainring sizes drastically between years? A friend was just showing me the 2010 Cervélo S2 specs, as well as the 2011 S2 specs, and the Ultegra line, at least, changes from a 53/39 chainring set in 2010 to a 50/34 set in 2011. This seems like a pretty steep difference, especially given that the more expensive Red and Dura-Ace lines for 2011 keep the larger chainring sizes.

I can't imagine someone spending $4,000 on a bike being that put off by a larger chainring set  than someone spending $5,000 enough to cause customer demand to change the size.

Well, in 2010 there's the S1, S2 and S3.  S1 is lower-end and has 50/34.

In 2011, they dropped the S1 and there's only the S2 and S3.  (based on what's up on their website right now)

The lowest end of the line is probably considered something like "entry level" or at least "not for racers", so it gets the "slower" chainring setup.  They've kept the chainring size on the cheapest bikes in the line the same, they just moved the labels for what the cheapest bike is.

And it's probably all about marketing and whatnot, nothing to do with any real solid technical reasons.


Can I change to bigger tires? I have tires that are fitted to my bike and are 2.1, because of this my rim is quite thin. Will I be able to change to 2.4 tires or will my rim be too thin. If so can you suggest a good rim size?

Generally you can fit a range of tire sizes on a given rim.

You might be able to put a 2.4" tire on your rim, but you should research the rim manufacturer's recommendations for tire sizes that will fit your specific rim.

This compatibility chart from WTB suggests that a rim with internal width of 25 mm (measured across the inside of the rim sidewalls) is the only one that can be used with both a 54-mm tire (2.1") and a 60-mm tire (2.4"). Again, this might not agree with your rim's manufacturer.


new rear wheel: buy parts separately, or get from cheap bike? I need a new rear wheel for my mountain bike, and I'm wondering which of two options will be the least bad option:

buy this $80 bike from walmart and use the rear wheel from that
buy the cheapest new wheel ($34), freewheel tool ($8), chain whip ($9), cassette ($13), and chain ($8) from Amazon

Both options end up costing me basically the same amount, ~$75. The cheap Walmart bike option might be nice because it would give me some other spare parts. Any advice?

First, note that if you're using indexed shifters that you need to match the number of cogs on the cassette to the shifters.

Cheap wheels are normally not worth the money -- you'll have trouble keeping them true or from failing, especially in a difficult situation like mountain biking.

On freewheels and cassette installation, I'd suggest reading this link from Park Tool.

Freewheels are used on cheaper wheels, and are only really good for <=7 speed systems. They do sell a few 8 speed freewheels, but they were essentially phased out due to axle breakage. To install a freewheel, you simply need to have some grease on the threads of the freewheel and screw on the freewheel to the hub by hand. Riding gently for a few miles will tighten the freewheel all it needs to be. To remove the freewheel, you need a freewheel remover tool (compatible with the freewheel being removed) and a large crescent wrench to turn it (or better yet, a bench vise).

For a freehub system (which uses cassettes), which is used on better 7+ speed wheels (and all 9+ speed wheels), you need the cassette tool (compatible with the cassette you're going to use) and chainwhip and a large crescent wrench to turn the tool for removing the cassette. To install it, you do not need the chainwhip.

Also, if you don't own a chain tool, you'll need one to install the chain (or at least shorten it appropriately).

My recommendation is that you look for a used wheel or a cheap wheel from your local bike shop. The parts you've selected won't work together, since cassettes only go on compatible freehubs whereas the wheel you've selected is designed for freewheels (and you've selected a freewheel). That will be a much better use of 75 dollars.

As for out of the two options you've given (not recommended), if your bike is 7 speed or less, I'd be marginally more inclined to buy the wheel and a freewheel and a small container of grease (multipurpose grease like the stuff they use for cars will work fine). If its 8 speed, and you're really on a budget, you can use an 8 speed freewheel. Otherwise, you're going to have to go with a cassette wheel, and that you have to go to the bike shop or find a wheel with a freehub. But I'd really recommend using a bike shop or spending a bit more money on a wheel, since fixing low quality wheels is not cheap at the shop (which you'd likely have to learn or pay the shop to do with such a cheap wheel), and wheel failure is not fun.


Rear wheel slipping out under load My commuting/cyclocross bike (a Surly Crosscheck) has a problem.

If I tighten the quick release skewer to a normal level, sort of firm to close it, then if I step on the pedals hard at some point, the rear wheel basically comes right out of the dropouts.

To keep the wheel actually in the frame, I have to cinch the quick release down hard enough that I get a bit concerned about ever opening it again. The springs get mangled.

This is a somewhat recent development and appears to be getting worse. Any ideas?

I had a similar problem on my Pugsley, though it was under braking (discs) that I was kicking the wheel around in the dropouts.

After talking with the guys at my LBS, I learned that I wasn't putting enough force into the quick release.  They said that a good, tight, clamp should leave an imprint of the lever on your palm when you close it.  It will be difficult to open, but not horrible.  This measure of tightness has served me well so far.

I would also check to ensure that your clamping surfaces are clean (get rid of any excess lube which may have seeped in there).  You can also look at the skewer itself to ensure it is a high quality skewer.  The type of clamp (I don't know if the older style even exists anymore, but I do run into them from time to time) can make a difference as well as the roughness of the clamping surface.  For a while I was using a pair of Surly Tuggnuts which have a smooth surface facing the frame which made my problem even worse.


Shimano front derailleur - tensioning, can't move shifter I am trying to fix the front shifting on a bike (not my own, family member). The original reported problems were inability to shift into 3 (largest), combined with a tendency for the chain to come off when going into 1 (smallest). Essentially, it was stuck in range 2, and I discovered it also would not go from 1 to 2 (after manually putting chain on 1).

I believed the problem would just be a case of adjusting the limit screws, which is something I've fixed in the past. However, this did not improve the shifting - while the derailleur appeared to be in position, the chain would still skip against 2 when going from 1 to 2.

I proceeded to read around a bit and then started to adjust the cable (it's a  bottom design, at least I think that's the right terminology) to increase the tension, but still it would not shift properly.

Along the way I've tried various combinations of cable tension (at barrel and at nut) and limit screw adjustments, and still not had a positive impact. Really I should have probably sought help earlier on - I'm out of experience and I can't think of a way forward now. I think I've made it worse so far by adjusting the cable.

The symptoms right now

The front shifter allows me to keep rotating it beyond "1" (i.e. off the scale), I'm not sure if this was happening before I started fixing the bike, or if I caused it, or if it's even a problem.
When I move the deraileur manually, without the cable attached, it does appear to align properly such that getting both 1 and 3 should be possible
The gap between the outer derailleur and chain when in 1 (smallest sprocket) seems to be acceptable and aligned with pictures I've seen
I try to attach the cable again using pliers to keep it taut; after doing this, the shifter is sometimes so stiff I can hardly turn it; other times, it essentially works, but only from 1 to 2 (will not move beyond 2). In this instance, the derailleur moves, but not enough for the chain to actually jump onto 2.

Unfortunately I think I've got myself into a position where I've deviated so far from the original problem that it's hard to tell what's going to improve the situation and what will make it worse.

At present, the front shifter doesn't work at all. With the cable attached, and reasonably taut when in 1, I can move the shifter between "0" (as mentioned, the shifter seems to rotate off the scale...) and "1", and observe the cable moving at the derailleur, and  some derailleur movement. However, I can't move the shifter past "1", and in any case, nothing I'm trying is actually moving the derailleur sufficiently to change the gear.

Where do I even start? I don't feel like this should be a complicated problem to solve, but I could really do with an "explain like I'm five" overview of things to try to 1) reset all the components so they work individually and 2) work together so front shifting works properly and is fully indexed.

I don't know enough about bikes to say what shifter it is except it's Shimano and has GripShift Max twist shifters on the handlebars, and they are indexed 1-2-3 with three distinct clicks (as opposed to my own bike which is labelled L-H and has no distinct clicks).

Best approach is to start from scratch following a procedure so you know you are not making things worse.

There are a few youtube videos that walk you through the procedure. My favorite is Park Tool Company’s as it’s the easiest to follow and includes checking height and yaw. (Link at bottom.)

Before attempting the adjustment, make sure the cable and housing is properly inserted into the shifter body and and the guides on the frame.

Another thing to do is check the shifter is pulling the cable properly, and the cable is running freely independent of the derailleur. Disconnect the cable from the derailleur, grab the cable and put some tension on it (a set of pliers can be helpful), then turn the front shifter through it's clicks. You should feel the cable retracted and released.

Front derailleur and shifting adjustment is pretty tricky, so don’t feel bad that this has got the better of you.


Are axle end caps usually on both ends of the front axle? After changing my front tire I noticed the thru axle wheel only has an end cap on one end. Is this normal, or have I lost one of my end caps?

You probably lost one. I’m not aware of any design that only uses one end cap, especially when the whole point of having end caps is to convert the hub axle to a useable interface between the hub and fork. Without an end cap, you just have the bare axle exposed. It might also be the wrong length too; some hubs can be converted between boost and non-boost spacing (110 vs 100mm) by switching end caps.


Rear derailleur adjustment I have a 7 speed Shimano derailleur. It shifts really good from 1 to 6 but when
I try to shift from 6 to 7 it just doesn't want to shift. Can someone help me?

The problem here seems quite obvious, you have to tweak the H screw on the back of the derailleur. You have to unscrew it just until you are able to shift down to the last gear. Don't unscrew too much, because the chain will escape out the last gear, since the shifter rely on that stop screw.


Tires explode way under rated pressure limit I'm restoring my dad's old Jeunet racing bike from the seventies.

First thing I did was buy two new tires. The old ones looked still OK, but wanted to take no risk with 40 year old rubber. The new tires have exactly the same size as the old ones, and a pressure limit of 6.0 bar.

To make sure, I also bought two new inner tubes.

Then I started pumping the rear tire. The aim was 4.5 bar. It exploded at about 4.3 bar! The tire was thrown off the rim, but undamaged. The inner tube showed a large gash at the valve. I checked the rim for any spokes or other sharp objects that might be protruding into the tube, but couldn't find any.

Then I tried pumping the front tire, this time I put in earplugs. SAME THING! Explosion.

Could someone please tell me what's going on?

You say that you have a large gash in the inner tube. And you say that the tire was thrown off the rim. I assume that the thrown off tire was the cause, not the result of the explosion.

The point is that it's only the tire that is expected to counteract the force of the pressurized air, not the inner tube. The inner tube is for sealing only. Thus, when the bead of the tire jumps out of the rim, this will instantly kill the inner tube: it's simply not designed to withstand the resulting forces. So, the question is: How can the tire jump out of the rim?

You say that you are refurbishing an old 70s bike. Afaik, there have been different ways that tires attach to the rim. I think I recall reading something about rims which were flat on the insides of their sides. Such rims would require tires with very strong beads. There also was a system where the bead was somehow clamped into the rim.

Thus, I would suggest to check the form of the rim. I may be wrong, but if you don't find a small bulge on the inside of the rims edges that holds the bead in place, that's most likely your problem.


is the dry blue manufacturer-applied threadlocker the "stick" version? I bought some blue threadlocker in a little squeeze tube, and it is a very runny and drippy liquid.  Is the substance that comes pre-applied to screws and is dry to the touch just the "stick" version which has hardened in the air? Or something different?

It is hard to say for sure how threadlocker gets pre-applied on bolts at factories (most likely not by hand, but who knows).

However, its polymerization happens after contacting the metal, not because of drying on air.

From the Wikipedia article:

  Most thread-locking formulas are methacrylate-based and rely on the electrochemical activity of a metal substrate to cause polymerization of the fluid.

A somewhat counterintuitive property of threadlocker is that it "dries" in airless conditions.

  Typically, thread-locking fluids are methacrylate-based, and cure anaerobically.

If the fluid is left in an open container without any contact with metals, it will remain liquid.


Cantilever Brakes - Cyclocross I've recently purchased a Cyclocross bike that's been great so far.  I use it to commute and race.  However, I don't find the cantilever brakes that came with it satisfactory.  I'd like to switch them out, but am not sure which would be best for what I do.  Right now I have Tektro CR720 Retro-Style Cantilevers.  They don't seem to have much stopping power.

Any recommendations on an upgraded brake.  I'll stay with the cantilever, but need something with more stopping power?  Might I just need to switch out the pads?

Any input would be appreciated.

Well configured cantilever brakes should give you good stopping power. Start by making sure that the braking surface and the surface of the pads are clean. You can clean the braking surface with steel wool, and the pads should just need to be roughed up with a coarse sand paper.

Make sure that your pads aren't below the minimum wear line.

Cantilever pads are harder to adjust than most other kinds of bicycle brake pad, but the principle is the same. The pads should rest one or two millimeters from the rim when not engaged. See here for a better run-down on how to adjust them than I could supply:
http://sheldonbrown.com/canti-trad.html


CDF touring build with mtb crankset and road shifters I want to build a genesis croix de fer bike. The usage of this bike will be touring, with rear and front panniers, for an approximately 6 month autonomy travel.
I am starting from zero, so there are no constraints of preexisting parts in my inventory.
My goal is to have road shifters, with a double crankset. Since I will carry around some weight, I'd rather have a small crankset; a deore 38 / 24 seems ideal.
Now I am kind of lost on how to achieve this.
What cassette should I get ? A deore too or can any 10 or 11 shimano cassette fit ?
Which derailleurs do i need to get; do i need the mtb rear and front ? Or can I mix both ?
And lastly, which shifters would be compatible with all this ?
I know that's a lot of questions, but I'm kind of lost on all the possibilities.
Thank you !

What you're describing is a "mullet drivetrain", that is, road shifters with mountain derailleurs & gears. There are a lot of variations on this. Here's a guide. Note that some   of these require third-party adapters to make them work.
Some of these permutations offer a lower gear than you might need or want. Another alternative would be a gravel drivetrain. Shimano's 2x11 GRX, for example, could be used with a 30x46 low gear, which is very low for riding on pavement, even fully loaded.


BB86 bottom bracket with BB386 crankset? This is the markings on my bottom bracket. Will it fit BB386 crankset like the FSA Powerbox?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/fsa-powerbox-alloy-road-abs-chainset/?curr=SEK&dest=14&prevDestCountryId=14

Thanks!

There is a good guide on existing bottom brackets standards.

An excerpt from it: "The BB386 EVO cranks are compatible with almost every BB shell standard (BSA, BB30, PF30, BB86)," says Jason Miles of FSA. "We currently make bottom brackets and adaptors for BSA, BB30, and PF30 frames and are working on BB86 bottom brackets.

So look for a proper adapter. It seems that this is what your are looking for. Note that you will need a bike shop's help with installing it as it requires to press away the existing BB and press in the new one.


Ordering correct spoke nipple size I've got some spoke nipples on a rear wheel which are stripped, and I'd like to replace them.

I've measured the thickness of the spokes and they have a diameter of 2mm, which correspond to 14-gauge from what I've gathered on the web. The length of the nipples is 12mm.

I ordered some DT swiss spoke nipples, which were marked as 14G 12mm, but when I received them it was written 2mm x 12mm on the box, where the 2mm isn't the thread diameter of the spoke onto which the nipples thread, but the diameter of the flat faces used to tighten them. Obviously, they didn't fit onto the 14G spokes.

What is the standard way of giving the size of spoke nipples, does 14G mean they thread onto a 2mm spoke or is it the size of the spoke tool needed to tighten them?

Thanks for any advice!

14G and 2mm are synonymous concerning the spoke thread. It should just fit.
The flats should have a distance of 3.23mm.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoke_wrench


Touring with kids - tag along and kids trailer behind same bike I am wondering if anyone has experience of pulling tag-along and then kids trailer? Would that be possible to tag a kids trailer to a 20 inch tag along?

Sounds like a bad idea. The biggest concern would be how the setup would act under hard braking, especially when going down an incline. There will a lot of mass to stop which means your stopping distance will be very long. Additionally the trailer and tag-along chain will be unstable under braking and may jack-knife.

Update:

If you are going to try this in a controlled fashion as Criggie suggests in his answer, Make sure your brakes are in good shape and properly adjusted first. Having a pro mechanic at a bike shop inspect and set them up would be a good idea.


Hybrid recommendation (tight budget) I'm looking for an entry-level hybrid bike to ride on weekends. My budget is ~£230, I been looking on ebay, amazon, halfords..

Those two look good to me for the moment:

Forme Brute from Ebay

Viking from Amazon

But my knowledge about bikes is limited, so any suggestion would be appreciated.
Cheers.

Don't overthink it.  For casual weekend riding a 40-year-old Huffy will be quite serviceable.

It's important, if you possibly can, to actually ride the bike you're thinking of buying, to check it for fit and comfort and to get an up-close feel for "fit and finish".


App to find the shortest route with the least amount of climbs? I want to go from point A to point B avoiding climbs, but also take the shortest route possible with the fewest climbs.  Does any mobile app exist that can find the shortest route and with the lowest sum-total amount of elevation change between two places?

Strava has this feature in the route planning tool.

In the header, you can see it has toggle switches for popularity (pretty nifty if the area is new to you), min-elevation (what you're looking for), and manual.

Here is an example of how it works. The below route is between two points in Palos Verde, CA - a notoriously hilly (fun) area.

Min Elevation OFF:

Min Elevation ON: Here's the route with the same end points and the feature turned on -- a savings of 348 feet of elevation gain, but an extra 2.5 miles of riding.


What are the differences between new Nexus 7 speed hub (SG-C3001-7), versus old (SG-C3000-7)? From the outside shells seems to be different, but are there more important changes inside that influence durability or efficiency?

I don't know what the actual changes are, but the newer C3001 hubs are now listed by Shimano as being e-bike approved, which implies a ratcheting/drive mechanism that's more suited to the higher force inputs of a mid-drive assist system.


Play in rear wheel hub I've got some play in the rear wheel hub, which makes the wheel move sideways a bit. Here's a video: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1EpXNE9YYdzwxotgWbCeWi2DM9FOlmY7A

How can I fix this? Do I have to disassemble the hub?

Your hub looks like a serviceable cup and cone types, so you will be able to fix the problem.

You will have to disassemble the hub, but it is not a difficult procedure. You will need some special tools - a chain whip and cassette lock ring tool to get the cassette off, and possibly a cone wrench.

There are many resources available online that can guide you such as this Park Tool Company article.

You may need to simply adjust the bearings, but you should check the amount of  wear on each bearing component and replace if necessary.


Biking in the winter more difficult? I have two kids (about 70lbs/30kgs combined) whom I during the summer frequently took biking in a trailer (once I got them used to it, say a dozen trips this summer or slightly more).  I biked 5+ miles round trip with them without significant difficulty; I'm not in great shape, but I was generally able to get up over 10MPH when I had a decent flat straightaway, and didn't need to stop (biking 3 miles in a residential setting with frequent stop signs/lights in 20 to 25 minutes).  I typically bike in the 2nd forward gear, 4-7 rear gear (4 is for starting from a stop usually, then I go up to 7 once I'm at speed assuming I don't immediately stop again).

I hadn't biked for a couple of months perhaps, when I suddenly had a need to bike ~6 mi round trip to take my older son to preschool and younger to daycare.  This was on a suddenly cold day, below freezing - around 10˚F/-10˚C.  I checked my tires visually and by feel, and they seemed fine (the bike was stored in an unheated garage, but it probably did have a 20 or more ˚F buffer from the outside given this was the first day of real cold weather).

I made it half a mile, in 2nd and 1st forward gear, completely out of breath and almost vomiting.

I saw at least two problems: one is that it was as if I had shifted to 3rd forward gear, as far as how hard it was to use the gears - I couldn't go at all in my normal gear range.  Second was that the cold air seemed to have significant effect on my lungs even after not very much exertion.

Are some of these issues things I can do something about, or is biking in the fairly cold impossible for someone of my skill level?  Is the chain oil wrong and not functional at lower temperatures?  Is the 70lb weight on the back of my bike making a bigger difference (due to air pressure in the tires or something)?  I'm not taking into account ice or snow here - this was the first cold day of the winter, so just simply cold (this was during the 'polar plunge' or whatever silly name they gave it this year).  I know exertion in the cold is a different beast than exertion in the summer, but this seemed a level of magnitude harder than I anticipated.

I have a hybrid with factory tires, ~$400 USD bike when new (now 2-3 years old), probably has maybe 200 miles on it total.  No particular maintenance done recently, just usual tire airing.

I bike all winter long, down to -30°C, there are some definite tolls to your bike at colder temperatures. Unlike a vehicle that warms up after the engine has been running for a while, bikes stay cold when you ride them cold. There are two things I notice the most, air pressure is definitely one of them; cold air shrinks, and low tires drag, so if you're riding dry roads I would certainly check to your pressure. Normally I don't put extra air in my tires, because up here the cold is usually accompanied by snow, and low tires give you better traction. The other thing I notice when it gets really cold is the grease in my bearings gets thicker, and as a result my hubs don't roll as fast. Pick your bike up and give the wheels a spin, you might find that they slow to a stop a lot quicker. I notice it in my headset too, but that doesn't affect speed.

One thing I've done to avoid drag due to thick bearing grease is to actually replace the grease in my wheels with Phil Wood Tenacious Oil. I tried it out as an experiment one year, and I've never had problems with it since (I kept checking inside the hubs for a while expecting to find them dry and rusty, but Phil's oil lives up to it's name; it's tenacious).

Of course the best thing to do is to not push yourself, compensate for the conditions, leave a bit earlier, find a new gear range that you can maintain a comfortable cadence in without giving yourself a heart attack, and just plough along. If the conditions are miserable already, there's no sense in making yourself more miserable.


Orders of the washers on threaded-stud brake shoes So today I changed my v-brake brake shoes on my old MTB to put cartridge brake shoes.

I noticed that the order of the washers was different on both brake shoes.
On the newer one the brake arm was touching both convex washers, on the older one it was touching a concave and a convex.
Here's a picture:
I know that you can swap the big and small concave washers to adjust the angle of the brake arm, but is there a specific order for the concave and convex washers ?

On this Park Tool page we can see multiple different washer orders.

Does it depends on the brakes? Does it permit some fine grained adjustment? Does it matter?

I think it doesn't really matter.  As long as you have the two curved surfaces of the orange/grey washer pairs together, then they function as one adjustable washer.

Here's what I did in testing - while the picture is rough and the angle is exaggerated, both ways of stacking the washers works fine.  Theres a third way where both the grey concave washers press against the arm, and a fourth where the orange washers are both on the right side (ie a mirror of the left image here)

For the sake of consistency, I'd do the same thing on both sides of the wheel, but even if they were opposite I doubt you could notice a difference.

Edit: Here's the official instructions from Kool Stop about MTB brake blocks.

So they specify the convex washers should be by the brake arm, and the concave ones should face them, which is the right-most image in the earlier pictures.

Curiously, the order of the other washers is based on their thickness and the rim/frame/fork's requirements.


Novatec Hub D041SB and Novatec Hub D042SB What's the difference? I dont understand what is D041SB and D042SB can someone explain to me?

I'm a little worried I might be missing something, but 41 is a front and 42 is a rear.


for a single-speed conversion, is it always necesary to change bottom bracket? I want to convert my old raleigh, which has 3 chainrings on the front, into a single-speed. Do I have to replace the bottom bracket? I keep hearing conflicting things.
Thankyou.

You need one of four things:

An eccentric bottom bracket. Like these
An eccentric hub. Like these
Horizontal dropouts. Like these
A chain tensioner. There are a number of different types.

You only need one of the four, but these are the only ways to get the chain tension correct on a single speed. (I should say "almost only." Blind luck works every so often.) Additionally, as others have mentioned, a chain tensioner will not work with a fixie.

It's also possible that your spindle is too long or too short to get your chainline correct. If that's the case, you'll have to get a new bottom bracket with the correct spindle length even if you already have an eccentric hub or horizontal dropouts. It's usually possible to position the chain rings on the inside or the outside of the crank's spider and get it correct, but not always.


Bike fitting experiences I just recently went through a Specialized BG Pro-Fit (was about $200), and have to say that I'm super happy with the results and experience.  The fitter was telling me about some others out there that cost a lot more and take 4+ hours and are more technical, or use more hardware, ie: lasers, though, I could not find them online with some simple searches.

Does anyone have any good experiences with others, or know of any others, and If you've done the Specialized BG Fit, did you like your results?

Edit: The BG Fit site goes in more detail

There are several good systems. I'm a certified BG fitter, as well as certified with the retul system. You're familiar with the BG system, as you've already been through it.

Retul is a system which uses power measurement and body position sensors on a 3 dimensional wire frame (virtual) reproduction of your bike and body. It allows an experienced fit specialist to see the skeletal body position without the intervening tissue interfering with the process. The power measurement is individualized to each foot, which means that efficiency can be improved and equalized, and you can see in real time how a body position change affects your efficiency on the bike.

In my opinion, they are both good fits, performed by a skilled bike fitter. A skilled fitter can be defined 3 ways:

First, your fitter should ride a bike. Now, experienced fitters are often the older guys in a shop, so they may not be fast or aggressive riders. They may even be fat. But they still need to ride, to be able to feel the way new bike styles and fit ideas affect the way a fit should be done.
The fitter needs to be experienced at bike fit. Preferably, years of experience. Learning to properly fit a bike is a time intensive process. It is best accomplished by an apprenticeship with an older, experienced fitter, in combination with classroom education on new tools and techniques. It is ok to be fit by someone who is learning, but it will take more time and you should expect more trial and error in the process.
The fitter needs to be willing and able to examine the method of fit he is using and modify it to fit the needs of the rider. Meaning, a skilled and experienced time trialist needs a very different body position than a first time roadie looking to do a century in 6 months. A fit must take into account the fitness, experience, and intent of the rider. A fitter who fits everyone the same way is unlikely to do well for all of his or her clients.

So, to get back to the original question, there are many good fit systems, but what works best for you will depend on your intent, experience riding, and your fitness.

The BG fit is a great option for riders who are more interested in comfort than in efficiency. There is a balance point where comfort and efficiency meet up. That is what a well performed BG fit will find. But, there is a point where a racer, who is generally more interested in efficiency and power than in comfort.

There is a certain amount of pain and suffering that is expected of a rider who is looking to maximize performance, which will come at the price of a loss of comfort. The Retul fit does a great job of maximizing performance, bu the "comfort" zone it looks for is peak performance without actual damage to the body.

Both fit styles in the hands of an experienced fitter can be tuned to the rider. I find that quite often, though, there is bit of "I drank the Kool-Aid" mentality with fitters who have the classroom training, but not the flexibility or possibly the experience to recognize that every fit must be individualized to the rider.

So, I guess, what I'm saying is it is worth checking out other styles of fit, but it should be a style and a fitter which fit with your intent on the bike.

Make sense?


Sudden gap between disc brake and pads? I had adjusted my disc brakes (Tektro Spyre-C) in such way that the gap between discs and pads were tiny (just enough to slide a sheet of paper).

Recently when I rode through a forest, there was a heavy rain and the front disc started ringing and creaking. The latter could be the effect of sand, the first one -- a cone? I took a look but because of the rain I could not see a thing. I figured out I pull the lever gently and wipe out anything that is stuck around the disc.

It worked. Too well. After a while I realized I had to pull the brake lever up to the handlebar to stop. When I get to home I noticed the gaps between disc and pads are much bigger.

I removed the pads now, they look ok (the contact/braking surface is around 2mm thick on both), the spring which separates them also looks healthy, I don't see I lost something, so now I wonder what happened? If I a not mistaken to make the gap bigger the only way is to adjust the screws which set the initial position of the pads.

Unless the pads were skewed in some way when I bought the bike and this rough ride "fixed" them. But then how it is possible for pads to be skewed in the first place and if it is a case why all (around 1500 km) braking so far didn't show or fix this?

Can anyone tell what could be the problem? Or what problem I have now I am not aware of? I am asking about it as well, because all I see is to do is to put pads back and adjust the screws to have a gap tiny again.

It sounds like what probably happened is you did the kind of ride where the brakes are exposed to enough wet grittiness that significant pad material is lost over the course of one ride. This is also kind of the hallmark disadvantage of organic pads, if that's what you have. The 3mm pad adjusters primarily exist to compensate for pad wear, so that's what you should be doing to narrow the gap again. The idea is that eventually when the pads are all the way worn, you can then screw them back out and not have to adjust anything else for the new pads.

Another element to this can be that any initial error in parrallelism between the pads and the rotor will also result in the gap widening quickly as they break in and wear into a more parallel state, which you would also use the adjusters to correct. Some amount of this is inevitable although you want to avoid it as much as possible with good initial adjustment and prep. It's unlikely you experienced much of this here unless those first 1500km were somehow in very mild conditions without much need for the brakes.


If a lane is going to expand should the left lane be taken prior to the expansion? This is US law and roads.
Drive on right side.
Speed Limit is 45mph (72kmh)
And as @Benedikt Bauer pointed out solid white lines are not supposed to be crossed.
In the morning though there is very little traffic here. It will be heavier on my way home but then its not a left turn.
I'd also point out that this isn't nearly as far as Street View makes it appear with their wonky lens. I was hoping to snag a photo this morning myself but didn't catch the red light. From the shopping center entrance to the main intersection is 500 ft according to Google.

Pretty sure while making the screenshots I figured it out but I'll ask anyways since I went through the trouble. I don't plan on taking this Left for a long time, if ever (I'll either go Pedestrian to get across here until I'm more confident or take a different route). But this is the most direct route from my place to work.

The issue is the road goes from 2 lanes and then gets a right turn lane and a left turn lane into shopping centers. Then after that it expands further to have 2 left turn lanes, 3 straight lanes, and 1 right turn lane. That's where I need to make the left.

• 2 lanes getting ready to expand with the turn lanes into shopping centers:

• This is the shopping center intersection. The light further in the distance (500 ft in actuality) is where the intersection is. Cars would typically get in the second lane (not the left into the intersection but the one after that) and then as they cross the intersection get over into the turn lane. You can see this is what the SUV is doing in the picture. I would think this would then be the safest way for cyclists to do it as well but would have to take that lane so cars getting into the left don't cross into me:

• This is the main intersection where I need to make the left. So I need to be in the right left turn lane (2nd lane from left):

• Here is a Satellite view by request. I labelled the left side is the area I'd be approaching from and the top is where I need to get to.

• Finally, its a bit hard to see but this is what it looks like from the light at the shopping center in the morning. You can see there's very little traffic at this hour and I'd actually have to leave 15-20 minutes earlier by bicycle so there would be even less.

What would be the best way to get in to the left lane? I've seen cyclists there so I know it can be done, just never seen the whole process. I'm thinking after writing this:

get into the left lane right before the shopping center intersection when its still 2 lanes.
staying right in the middle of that left lane forcing cars to slow
down behind you if there are any cars. (Of course only taking the lane when there is ample time for the car to slow down)
Get over into the (right-most) left turn lane once across the shopping center intersection.

Is this how you all would do it?

Simply: no. Move over only once there is a left turn lane. My preference is to arrive there towards the start of the left turn lane because that’s what other road users are expecting.

There are two parts to the answer. First, the law allows you to use the left turn lane, and in most places requires you to do so if you make that turn. But it also requires that you keep to the right as far as practicable, which means not moving into the left lane in anticipation of the left turn lane.

Second, safety. Your idea of crossing as a pedestrian is the best way if you’re not confident. Better is to ride across the road you’re on, then stop and wait for the lights to change. When they do, start riding when it’s safe, even if you haven’t walked all the way across that road.

When the road is that busy, I’d be looking for gaps in the traffic and trying to move when those occur. A lot depends on your speed relative to the motorists. (edit) So if you can, cross those lanes when the lights are red. Stationary cars rarely hit anyone :)

When there’s a big difference, even experienced cyclists will often fake hook (see below) or pedestrian across. But if you can sprint up to a near-enough speed, or the motorists are kind to cyclists, it’s usually quite feasible to switch lanes over to the turn lane. I find signalling works a lot of the time, and it’s worth trying. Put your arm out, see if someone slows down.

There are a few useful guides on how to do this. The one from the Canadians seems reasonable, and this guidance seems sensible

Note that in some places hook turns are legal. They’re common in Melbourne, Australia and are used in a few cycle-friendly cities around the world. Some people like them as a cycle safety measure, but in my view they’re insanely dangerous unless motorists are expecting them. If someone “runs the orange” they will hit anyone making a hook turn. Motorists do that a lot in some places.

Cars regularly get them wrong in Melbourne, but relatively rarely with fatal consequences, as you often get when a motorist hits a cyclist. You’re better to do a “fake hook” — ride most of the way across with the pedestrians, turn and stop in front of the cars that are about to get a green light. Technically, that’s illegal, but it’s safe and easy.


Reverb dropper post lever loose The lever to raise and lower my Rockshox Reverb Stealth 31.6 dropper post comes loose occasionally and can swing around 360 degrees. My seat is then stuck until I tight up the screw. When I re-tighten the screw, the lever works again and the dropper post works fine. However, I don't want to do this on the trail obviously. Does anyone know how I can prevent this problem from reoccurring?

Thanks

A drop of threadlocker such as Blue Loctite 242 on the screw will keep it from coming loose.


Do cyclocross/interrupter/touring brake levers reduce brake performance? I have bullhorn bars, with a Tektro cyclocross lever and a TT style bar end lever as well, operating rim brakes. The calipers are Tektro dual pivot. The pads are cartridge style pads (I don't have the exact make and model with me right now).

This is the closest photo to my setup I could find. I have bullhorn bars rather than drop bars, but it shows the way the cyclo levers interact with the bar end levers.

I've been having trouble with braking performance, particularly in the wet. The levers don't bottom out (as I'm careful to keep them adjusted), but even squeezing very hard the bike doesn't pull up very quickly. I should also mention that I've tried removing each lever and haven't noticed any difference (although it can be hard to compare different days and different conditions).

I've had 3 different bike shops tell me that the problem is having both brake levers. They claim that it introduces too much flex into the system and braking power is reduced. I was very skeptical until all 3 people told me the same story independently.

This doesn't make sense to me. The cable is not interrupted and using either lever doesn't seem to compromise the brake line in any way. When you use the bar end lever, the interrupter is closed and I can't see any flex in the lever. When using the interrupter lever I don't see how the bar end lever can be causing any flex either.

Can anyone explain how having both levers would compromise performance?

The only way that interrupter levers could make much of a difference is if the installation requires extra housing (which would compress under braking, increasing the lever travel for a given braking pressure). If you're not bottoming out the levers, though, that's not the source of your problem (and from the picture I don't see why the interrupters would require additional housing anyway).

I think Daniel R Hicks is correct here--your lever/caliper setup likely isn't giving you enough mechanical advantage. You're squeezing the levers as hard as you can, but you're just not getting enough pad/rim force for decent stopping power. You notice this mostly in wet weather because there's less pad/rim friction when they're wet.

Finger positioning on the levers is one thing that can make a difference--keep them as far away from the pivots as you can. On my drop-bar commuter bike, for example, I need to ride in the drops during wet weather because I just don't get enough mechanical advantage with my hands on the hoods.

You might also see better braking performance if you switch to softer brake pads, or rain-specific pads like Kool-Stop Salmon or similar, though I've read that the Salmons tend to chew up rims pretty quickly when it's dry.


Where do springs on skewer go? Where do the springs on a skewer go in relation to dropouts? And which way do they face?

My springs are conical but I can't recall which direction the cone pointed or if they were between hub and dropout or dropout and skewer end! Doh!

At the moment they are pointed out and between dropout and skewer end, but I need to fit a trailer hitch point.

From Sheldon Brown:

The lever goes on the non-drive side of the bike (i.e. the side without the gears). One spring should be on the non-drive side of the bike and the other spring should be on the drive side. The smaller ends of the springs should be pointing towards each other, towards the center of the skewer.

Since you asked this, I strongly suggest you read the "Installing a quick-release wheel" of Sheldon Brown's page (linked above).


Is there a ulock mount that uses the bottle cage openings? I found one that a guy made I think with 3d printers or something but seems like an excellent solution.

I have a carbon frame bike and I don't want to use traditional ulock mount at the top because it creates a stress point by compressing. And the bottom section of this bike is too thick for the holder.

This isn't a ulock, but it's the same idea.

It's a 0.9 lb bike lock made from Titanium. They cost $99 and come with a water bottle cage mount as shown.

TiGr® mini Bike Lock
enter link description here


Contradiction! Which back posture is correct for road biking? It might be a basic question but I have searched and find no same question.

The question is...

There seems to be contradiction about the back posture for road biking.

Some people suggest arch-backed is correct, but the other people say no no it's not.

Which one is more correct?

[Arch-backed is correct]

Source: https://cyclistzone.com/what-is-the-main-reason-behind-road-bike-neck-pain/

[Arch-backed is not correct]

Source: http://www.ilovebicycling.com/how-to-fix-back-pain-cycling/

The main issue with the posture images you included (shown again below) is that both positions represent extreme positions and both are likely problematic, despite one being labeled as correct. The image on the left has put the back into hyper flexion, over-recruited the lower abs and tilted the pelvis backwards, this position will likely cause breathing and back issues. The image on the right has contorted the upper back, splaying the rib cage open and turned off recruitment of the lower abs.  The contorted rib cage will likely impact breathing as well.

The one thing that image on the right got correct, is that your pelvis should be titled slightly forward. Ideally, you want the pelvis tilted slightly forward, with a smooth transition into a flattened back. A good example of forward pelvis tilt with a flattened back is the blue rider pictured in the next picture featured).  His pelvis is tilted forward (similar to the "correct (but not really correct)" image above, but he also has some mid back curvature with a smooth transition from pelvis to mid back. This makes it easier to engage your core muscles better to support your upper body.  Try sitting in a chair, bending forward a bit (while keeping your feet off the ground) and see how easy or hard it is to support your upper body when rolling the top of your hips forward or backwards. Flattening the upper back is also very important for breathing which we touch on further below.

This type of rider position is often seen in professional riders, and is explained in more detail in "Bike Fit" by Phil Burt (lead physiotherapist for British Cycling and a consultant physio for Team Sky):

POSTURE
Posture is the maintenance of a certain body position and requires appropriate joint mobility, joint/muscle coordination and muscular endurance.  Limits in any of these elements can result in postural irregularities.  Good posture on the bike required good flexibility through the hamstrings and the glutei muscles:  this allows the pelvis to roll forward, keeping the back in a straight position while reaching the handlebars.
One major factor limiting the back's ability to remain relatively straight while on a bicycle is thoracic immobility: lack of movement in the middle of the spine normally results in the spine flexing too much.  Excessive spinal flexion while on a bicycle will limit breathing and compromise your ability to stability your spine for torque production to the pedals.
-Phil Burt, Bike Fit

Breathing
A second key consideration in cycling is breathing, which can be impacted by posture:

There are both anatomical and bicycle limiters to ventilation. An example of an anatomical limiter to ventilation would be being too flexed through the thoracic spine (that is, bent forward), not allowing the ribcage to expand sufficiently.
-Phil Burt, Bike Fit

In both posture positions in the top photo, neither have a flat back, which will impact the effectiveness of breathing. In the photo on the left, the ribcage is flexed through the thoracic region as described in the quote above. In the second image on the right the thoracic region is again being flexed, but in the opposite  direction. This will again impact the efficiency of ventilation compared to a flattened back.
Not only is effective ventilation important, but inefficient ventilation mechanics can cause secondary breathing muscles to be over worked which can lead to pain.  (Breathing is incredibly important, your body will find a way to draw breath, even through poor mechanics if necessary, exhausting muscle not "designed" for such extended usage scenarios):

Ventilation for the endurance athlete is most effectively performed through diaphragmatic breathing, in which contraction and relaxation of the diaphragm pulls and pushes air from the lungs. Secondary muscles of ventilation include the inter-costals (between the ribs), the abdominal musculature, the trapezius, the levator scapulae and the scalenes. If diaphragmatic breathing is compromised these secondary muscles can become chronically overworked leading to myofascial type pain (i.e., pain between the muscle and the muscle covering). This is often seen in the upper neck and shoulder muscles.
-Phil Burt, Bike Fit

No there is no way to know whether posture and ventilation mechanics are responsible for the OP's neck pain, but I think both of the posture pictured in the top posture photos could lead to such problems.
Endurance position, same principle
Finally, race positions are obviously not the best position for everyone! Here is another example of pelvis titled forward with a flat back, but in a more sustainable "endurance" type position which have a higher front end stack and a more upright position:

The rider also has a good elbow bend, straight wrists, and relaxed shoulders. Overall, a great position.


freewheel removal tool for Shimano MF TZ21 I have a Rockrider 5.1 cycle with a Shimano MFTZ21 freewheel. In order to remove the freewheel, I purchased the Btwin tool kit. But the removal tool provided in the kit does not fit on my freewheel.

Here is a photo of the removal tool in the kit :

Here is a photo of my freewheel :

Here you can see that the diameter of the tool is a little too big to go in :

So now I am considering buying the Parktool FR-1 freewheel removal tool. But will it fit on my freewheel?

Yes, the Park FR-1 (or something compatible) is your friend.


SRAM Apex 1 crankset compatibility I have a Giant Revolt Advance 1 with SRAM Apex 1. The crank has 40 teeth. Which crankset should I buy if I want 32 teeth?

SRAM Apex 1x crank supports 44, 43 and 40 tooth rings. To get to 32 teeth you'd need a mountain bike specific crank rather than a gravel groupset crank I think.

Whichever crank you select should have appropriate chainline. Presumably you have a through axle, 142mm spacing rear hub. There are plenty of MTB cranks that provide proper chainline for that.

Apex 1x comes in either GXP for a 68mm wide shell or 68mm BB30/PF30 bottom bracket versions. What you'll need is a MTB crank that fits whichever of those two you have.

I note the SRAM NX crank supports 30 to 36 tooth rings and comes in GXP and BB30/PF30 variants and supports 63 and 73mm shells. If you have the GXP bottom bracket you may have to swap out the bottom bracket for a MTB GXP one that will fit on a 68mm shell with 2x 2.5mm spacers to work with that crank. I'm not sure how compatibility with 68 vs 73mm BB30/PF30 works, perhaps spacers are used on the axle. You can obviously look further into compatibility on the SRAM site.

Another possibility is to use a bottom bracket from Wheels Manufacturing or a similar product to convert from the frame BB standard to a different crank BB standard.