What do I need to change to avoid 'bouncing' in my bike seat at high RPM? I've noticed while cycling on my road bike that, when I try to pedal very quickly, I start to 'bounce' a little in my seat. As in I'm lifting off the seat a little with each pedal, so feel I'm not harnessing the full strength of my legs.
To avoid this, do I need to adjust my bike seat/handlebars? Or is this more relating to good cycling form? Or, perhaps, I just need to go up a gear at this point?

Always have in mind that: Due to the mechanics of a bike, pedalling fast doesn't always mean you are biking faster. In fact this is the very same reason why changing cogs of a crankset or cassette renders the bike easier or harder to bike uphill.
From your comment I would assume you may be pedalling too fast, i.e. you are not maintaining your cadence within your optimal "speed" (60-100 RPMs depending on your fitness, technique, etc).
As far as I understand - I am not a pro - when pedalling, you try to find a balance between strength and cadence. Bike too fast with little load on your legs and you will be bouncy, bike slow with too much load and you will exhausted faster than needed.
Therefore I would suggest you ask yourself: Are you using adequate load when biking "fast"?
If not, I would suggest you pedal a bit slower but with more load (be that by shifting the front or rear speeds).
Hope this helps


How can rear derailleur work the opposite way it's supposed to? I took a look at my friend's city bike's gears, as his rear gear shift levers felt almost completely "limp". Other (cleanliness and wear) issues aside, one thing that struck me as odd was that when I pulled the derailleur cable by hand, the derailleur moved outwards, i.e. towards the heavier gears. As far as I know, the derailleur moves towards the wheel when the cable is tightened whatever the model (here it was some standard Shimano). He told me he had bought the bike used, but the gears had been working during his time and he hadn't touched them.
How can that kind of "opposite" mechanics be possible?

There exist now rare Shimano Rapid Rise shifters, which have the opposite direction of action. Please check if the words "Rapid Rise" are anywhere to be found on the derailleur/shifter. Or at least knowing its model number, or having a picture should resolve the uncertainty.


Remove crankset when no bolts visible I'm sure this is a very common question, but I need to remove the pedals and crank from a CCM mountain bike frame - however, the pedals have no obvious bolts - the pedal arms simply bend 90 degrees into the crank. Im sure this bike was cheap enough that it wasn't designed to be disassembled, but at this point I'm more curious than anything else.

Is this a special tool required?

Crankset

Welcome to Stack Exchange.
You are dealing with a one piece crankset.  This Park Tool video shows the viewer how to get this done. More common tools to assist in this job is an adjustable wrench ("crescent wrench" is a specific brand and type of adjustable wrench but that phrase has morphed into a synonym for adjustable wrench).  A flat bladed screw driver.  A hammer. Needle nose pliers.  In the video, the gentleman uses a special bicycle wrench to remove that ring (it's a threaded cone nut). In your pic, you've got the hex lock nut loose.  The keyed washer remains in place and partially covers this cone nut. Note the slots in this piece.  You'll have to figure out a way to engage these slots so you can torque this piece loose and unthread it completely. You can use the screwdriver as a punch by positioning the blade in one of the slots and tangent to the ring.  Use the hammer to tap on the screw driver's handle so that you can "break loose" the cone nut's threads.  Once it breaks loose and starts to turn (to the RIGHT---see next sentence), you can come in with your needle nose pliers, engage both slots and continue to loosen until you can use your fingers to complete the removal.  Try engaging the slots with the pliers and attempt removal first.  These cone nuts aren't installed with a great amount of torquue, but time and corrosion may have frozen it in place and it may require a little "persuasion" to get moving. Make sure the keyed washer is off before all this. PLEASE NOTE: on this left side of the bike the pedal, locknut and and cone nut are LEFT HAND threads so to remove, one turns them CLOCKWISE.

In your question, your description of the pedal is a bit confusing.  Typically the pedal will thread into a hole at the end of the crank arm.  Often its a 1/2 inch spindle on these types of cranks but could be 9/16". (Metric equivalents are 13 and 15mm respectively).  There are wrench flats on the end of the pedal spindle where it joins the crank.  Sometimes the pedal is threaded and torqued tight by the use of a hex key placed in the hole found a the end of the pedal.  If you dont see any wrench flats on the outside, look to the inside--the end of the pedal spindle where it comes thru the crank arm for this hex-key slot.  Your pic just cuts off a view of this on your right pedal.


How much of a difference in workout intensity does riding a pedal-forward bike make? My wife has a pedal-forward frame that looks really comfortable to ride.  I have a older road/mountain hybrid that's a little hard on me and would like to start riding again to get a little exercise (and hopefully lose some weight).

How much less intense a workout can I expect if I move to a pedal-froward frame?

I take it your wife has an Electra 'Townie' style bike with the easy reach to the ground, the high bars and the pedals a little further forward than normal.

Sat down, in the saddle, these bikes do present you with a mechanical disadvantage going up hill as you have not got all of your weight over the pedals. Hence, when going up hill you need to be aware of that, to take a lower gear and inch your way up the hill much like how a recumbent cyclist has to...

...or get out the saddle and pedal with your weight on the pedals as if you were sprinting. Works the same as on a normal bike.

There is also 'easier' handling that is less twitchy but with a bigger turning circle with pedal forward design. So I don't think it is simply a question of workout intensity that you are looking at - ultimately you can put in as much or as little as you wants to...

Many of the 1950's design commuter bikes are effectively 'pedal forward', only when the drop-bar racing bikes with ten speed did the relaxed geometry of a classic 3 speed go out of fashion. You can refurbish an old 3-speed with some modern tyres to get the comfy riding style that the likes of 'Electra' offer.


Putting smaller wheels on a larger frame I have a bmx bike that support 24 inch wheels, is their anyway I can move down to 20 inch?

Putting small wheels on a bike designed for larger wheels will provide you with an array of design opportunities.

Here's a rough illustration of the objective

Let's go through some of the issues. (not intended to be an exhaustive list)

Brakes
Pedal ground clearance
Chain ring ground clearance
Gearing

Brakes
If the bike has rim brakes they would become inoperable with small wheels.

Options
- Go with coaster brake 20 inch wheels and only have rear brakes.
- Do some creative wielding and install brake mount points that would allow calipers / v brakes etc. to function.
- Rig disk brake mounts on the frame and build disk brake 20 inch wheels.

If the bike has disk brakes the best option would be to build disk brake 20 inch wheels.

Pedal ground clearance
Smaller wheels put the pedals closer to the ground. You'd need to find a crank that is short enough to provide the correct clearance. If the pedals only hit on while turning you could learn to pedal only while going straight and keep the crank parallel to the ground while turning.

Chain ring ground clearance
Depending on what you start with this may not be a problem. If you find that your chain ring hits you'd have to go with something smaller.

Another way to address ground clearance is with some creative frame modification. If you cut the frame so that you can move the bottom bracket higher and then wield it all back together you can keep your current configuration.

Gearing
Smaller wheels have the effect of making all your gears lower and reducing your top speed. This may not be a problem for your situation but it's something to keep in mind.

A project like this is a great way to learn about the interaction of design choices.


Spare wheel for indoor trainer use Just discovered this very useful site, now for my 1st question.

I have a nice carbon bike with ultegra 6800 11 speed  (11-32 cassette)
I wish to use this bike on an indoor trainer (on Zwift) but wish to minimise wear.
I planned to get a spare rear wheel (Shimano RS010) 11 speed hub and fit a trainer tyre.
To save money I would fit a 105  5800 (11 speed) cassette on the RS010.

Obviously then just change rear wheel depending on road or trainer.

Ques: Do I need to stay with a 11-32 cassette or will I degrade gear changes by fitting
maybe a 11-28 ?

Will I degrade gear changes by using the 105 cassette in place of the ultegra one ?

There is minimal wear on the existing components so mixing new & used hopefully will be ok ?

Advice and your thoughts appreciated.

You should be fine using a 105 cassette on the turbo wheel. There will be wear to the chain, cassette and chain rings, but provided the drive train is clean and lubricated then this should be minimal. Doing what you've suggested is a good solution. Try to make sure if you use the bike on the road then the drive train is reasonably clean before swapping onto the turbo wheel and if one cassette becomes more worn than the other then replace it, or you might then have problems and cause more wear on the chain.


What are the features that I should seek in cycling glasses? I am seeking eye protection for cycling. I don't know if I should buy glasses or goggles.

A frame that doesn't obscure your vision at all. Especially if you're cycling on the road, you want to be able to do a shoulder check without the frame blinkering you at all.

Also, glasses that fit quite close to your face are good because they reduce the chance that a bit of mud or an insect is going to get around them and into your eye.


Is a "run-bike" equivalent to a bmx bike with no drivetrain? My son is about to turn two and he really likes the Skuut Balance Bike, but is this functionally any different than a small Bmx bike with no drivetrain?

Update

Specifically, is a run-bike designed to be easier to balance (e.g. by changing the distribution of weight relative to a bmx bike)? by the way, I was thinking of bmx-style of equivalent size, not a true 20" bmx bike–

Since my original post, I have found that this type of bike is called a 'run-bike' and that they are made by multiple companies. However, I have never seen one in a regular bike shop.

Knowing the generic name, it was easy to find the wikipedia site and answer my own question 'no'. But I am still open to the possibility that there are differences.

I have found a related but distinct question on the best method to teach a child to ride a bike

Update 2

My son received a Kinderbike for his birthday. I decided on the kinderbike based on this NYtimes article and some Amazon reviews that suggested that the Kinderbike is of better quality than the Skuut.

Review

Indeed the Kinderbike uses 'real' (if cheap but sufficient) bike parts, including a real brake and headset. It even comes with a bell! I don't want to talk up the quality too much - while certainly better than what you might find at a box-store like Walmart (those bikes are often non-serviceable), but nothing like what you might find on an entry level adult bike. Out of the box, the rims were out of true, the headset was on too tight, and the tires smell like plastic fumes. But this is all fixable since the components are basically like a regular bike. The Skuut, on the other hand, apparently has plastic washers and cheap tires that make the bike overall not as durable. Although I prefer the aesthetics of a wooden bike, common sense chose durability.

Are you thinking to get a small BMX and take the drive train off instead of getting a run bike, so you can put the drive train back on when he's ready? Otherwise I don't quite understand the purpose of the question, sorry.

If that is you're idea I'd suggest that's probably not a good idea. It's going to be difficult to find a BMX small enough for a two year old to easily put their feet down and run, and you're paying for extra components (chain, cranks, pedals, brakes) that you don't need. Unlike an adult bike those components aren't likely to be easily removeable, and it's likely to be a lot heavier and more clumsy for your son to use.

A run bike is going to be focused on what is most important at that age - teaching balance - and everyone I know who has had one has enthused about how easily their child was able to transition to a bike with a drive train after having a run bike. Also, because they tend to be quite well made and not abused, there's a healthy market in them on ebay, so you should be able to sell it relatively easily when it's time for the first proper bike.


Any good 18 speed gear shifters for drop handlebars? I have an Apollo Envoy hybrid bicycle. I'm planning on converting it to a road bicycle. I will buy a stem adaptor, stem, and new dropped handlebars.

The thing that really confuses me is the gear shifter and brake levers. It seems like most shifters are made for 10-speed bicycles. I can't seem to find anything about 18-speed gear shifters.

Since I'm on a budget, are there any good 18-speed gear shifters for drop handlebars?

Any input would be very useful.

You have several options:

integrated shifter/brake units (brifters) which are modern road bike style.

bar end shifters. These are not brakes

Downtube shifters - these would be common on bikes from the 70s and early 80s.

Stem shifters - a relocated downtube shifter, mid 80s to early 90s.  Image is a single, but duals were common.

rotary - this one I've never seen.  It appears to be a MTB style "web-of-thumb" rotary control on a bracket mounted to the stem.   Could be unique to Rolhoff IGH.

Another option is to not go to drop bars, but to shorten your existing flat bars.  Its cheaper, but you won't get the variety of hand positions that a drop bar will give.  Its also impossible to revert, once you've cut some off there's no going back.  However you can use the existing controls, just shuffled inward a bit.

Any gear lever system you get will be either indexed or friction.  If its indexed, it has to support the number of cogs on that end of the bike, probably 3 for the front chainring / left hand shifter, and 6 for the rear / right hand shifter.

If you chose a friction shifter, then its up to the rider to get the chain into the right place, and then friction holds the lever.  Bar end shifters are often friction based.  Brifters are always indexed.

Please do let us know what you ended up doing.

EDIT OJS makes an excellent point - road brake levers for caliper brakes than V-brake or a centerpull brake or a cantilevered brake; they will require more cable pulled than a caliper brake.  So you may be fitting rim caliper brakes to your conversion as well.  Does the frame have mounting holes straight over the tyre?

If you have hydraulic disk brakes, then this is getting really expensive quite quickly.  Cable-operated disk brakes may or may not work with road brake levers... the cable pulled to activate them must be the same as the flat-bar brake levers.

So my suggestion is - don't.  Look for a road bike that is like your requirements, and buy it.  The red one in the first image is my bike, which cost $123 NZ.  So I have a MTB still for towing the trailer or for wet weather or for biking on anything a little rough.   Remember, N+1 is the correct number of bicycles to own.


new 9-speed chain fails after 4 weeks and ~240 miles About 4 weeks ago I installed a new SRAM PC-971 chain on my Surly LHT. This morning I've noticed that one of the outer chain link plates started to pull away (to spread in a way that the pin is not engaged with the outer plate). My previous chain had failed in exactly the same way, but it was 50% worn according to a chain stretch checker. While riding this bike on a daily basis for over 6 years, I've never had this happen before. Does anyone have any ideas of why the chain is repeatedly failing in this fashion?

Drivetrain details:

RD: Deore XT
FD: Tiagra, triple;
Cassette: SRAM 9-speed, 11-32t (reasonably worn, but not skipping yet);
chainrings: original to the
bike, reasonably worn, the teeth don't look terrible yet.

You might not be installing the pin correctly. It sounds as if you did not reach the seating point or past it. Here is an article on Shimano chain installation (See drawings). http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/chain-installation-derailleur-bikes


Uneven inflation of a new inner tube? I bought a new inner tube and when I tried to inflate it, the tube got unevenly inflated (check picture). This is the first time I'm installing a tube by myself so I don't know if this is normal. Do you think this is this a production defect, or did I do something wrong while pumping the tube? Can I fix it by myself?

Yes you did something wrong. You are supposed to put the tube in the tire and mount it on the rim.

If you inflate a balloon you will see similar behavior.  After you have stretched a tube IN the tire the behavior outside the tire will change slightly.


Creaking from cranks/spindle. How to fix? Recently the cranks on my bike started to creak.
I checked with my usual "bike-bible" Park Tool. They recommended dis-assemble, lubricate, re-assemble.

So I did that.

Remove cranks.
Remove spindle.
Clean.
Lubricate.
Reassemble.

No, the creak is still there.

(To find out the source-area of the sound I had a friend riding the bike slowly while I ran alongside listening. And the sound where coming from the area of the bottom bracket/cranks. I am happy no neighbor saw me...)

For each revelation of the cranks there are two creak-noises.
If I, when on the bike, push down with both feet I hear a noise. Turn 180 degrees without pressure, push down again and there is the noise again.
If I am "too soft", low pressure there are no sound.
Since I have clips I have tried to only work with one foot to keep a constant load during a revelation, there where no detectable sound then.

Anyone have any idea what is wrong on the bike?
And how I should fix it?

/Leif

There are many possible causes of creaking. But Deemar has the most likely reason in this case - the cranks are loose on the axle. Think about how a creak is produced. It's one item sliding over another. But instead of sliding it's repeatedly sticking then jumping. The amount of movement might only be a fraction of a millimetre. The OP would have noticed if the cranks were really loose. But in this case the looseness may be at the microscopic scale.

You can easily test this without having to run alongside the bike. Get on the bike with the brakes on and your shoulder against a wall. Rotate the pedals so the cranks are horizontal and bounce up and down with your weight equally on both pedals. This twists the cranks and axle as far as possible in one direction. Then rotate the pedals to a position 180 degrees from that (the other foot forward) and do the same. This twists the assembly as far as possible the other way. Repeat the procedure listening all the while for creaks. Testing in this way avoids many other sources of noise such as wheels, chain, seat, etc. Take care. If something breaks or your foot slips off the pedal you'll hurt yourself.

When new the cranks have a square tapered hole which fits exactly onto the tapered square on the axle. As Deemar says, if it has been wobbling for a while the hole will be damaged and you may never get a satisfactory fit. On my bike I fixed it (at least for now) by carefully reshaping the inside of the square holes with a file and cleaning the square shaft on the axle. Then I assembled it with grease. To get the parts to bed in together I applied the following procedure repeatedly. Bash the crank a few times with a soft hammer. Bounce up and down on the pedals as above. Retighten the bolt. Eventually the soft aluminium crank took up the shape of the hard axle and the creaking was completely eliminated. You will probably need to do this for both cranks.

Remember that the amount of movement between the crank and axle may be so small it's imperceptible. You may not see it moving. But you will be hear the result when you do the pedal bouncing test. On my bike the noise was really loud and infuriating and now it's completely silent. I will re-tighten the bolt periodically. If it loosens again I may have to replace the cranks and bottom bracket.


Tool for shimano bb-un26 Bottom Bracket What tool do i need to dismount a shimano bb-un26 bottom bracket?

Will a Park Tool BBT-22 work?

The Park  BBT-22 should work, but if you don't already have one, you might find the Shimano TL-UN74-S cheaper.


How Can I Prevent Slime Barrel Pumps from Clogging? I work at a bike shop that Slimes tubes.  We have both pre-filled Slime tubes as well as a keg of Slime that we use to fill tubes on customer request.  Unfortunately the tube connected to the pump for the keg of slime seems to clog on a regular basis.  So much so that we've had it clog multiple times within the day.

Does anyone have a recommendation for preventing this?  Any special secrets as far as diluting the material or positioning/modifying the apparatus for the Slime keg?

I have no way of knowing if this will work with Slime but I have done something similar in industrial applications.

You will need a "T" fitting and two shutoff valves. Install the valves on to the "T",one on the bottom port of the "T" and the other to a side port. Install the side port valve on the Slime hose as close to the pump as possible. Connect the remaining Slime hose to the remaining side port of the "T". Attach a compressed airline to the bottom port valve.

To fill a tire shut off the bottom port valve. Open the side port valve. Fill the tire as you did before. When your done shut off the Slime pump and close the side port valve. Open the bottom port valve and apply enough compressed air to blow the remaining Slime from the Slime fill hose. The Slime in the hose that is between the pump and the valve should stay liquid as it has no exposure to air.


How does one wear leg warmers without them sliding down? I seem to always have my leg warmers fall down. They seem a little tight, and I wear them under my bike shorts. Are they any tips to keep up around my thighs instead of my falling to my knees?

So I would suggest a good pair of leg warmers with a nice grip on the top, however this still doesn't mean that they wont slip.

Shaved legs where they are connecting to is a good way, but a good pair of bib shorts with a grip on the bottom helps.

I found my Merino leg warmers would slip even though I had them under my bib shorts, so I made sure I didn't have them pulled too tight, and they were a good few centimeters under my shorts.


Slotted cleats for SPD shoes Does anyone make a cleat, or an adapter that would accommodate a cleat, that has a slot for use with old style caged pedals that use toeclips & straps, that fits 2-bolt SPD style cycling shoes?

I did find these

http://www.yellowjersey.org/tocleat.html

And Yellow Jersey is exactly the kind of shop you'd expect to find that stuff.
The one in the image is for Road shoes, but I think could easily be adapted to
SPD shoes with some work with a dremel tool.

They say they will make a custom cleat for just about any shoe. You do realize that because SPD shoes have the cleats embedded in the outsole, you'll need to at least grind a slot in the tread of the shoe.

It occurs to me that just grinding the slot in the tread of the shoe and then
grinding off the tabs on a standard SPD cleat would get you pretty close to
what is required.


Installing a rigid fork on a commuter MTB Motivation:
This answer says that installing a rigid fork on a frame, designed for a suspension, changes the geometry. Most answers to my question about rusted-out suspension recommend installing rigid suspension for riding in the rain and snow.

The question:
What changes to the feel of riding should I expect when changing a low to medium (80-100mm) travel suspension fork for a rigid fork? My bike is this one:

Unless the correct fork is chosen , the bikes geometry will change. A rigid fork built for a bike designed for rigid forks has a smaller axle to crown measurement than a suspension fork. If your bike is designed for 100mm travel suspension, and you put "any old" rigid fork on, the front of you bike will be 100mm lower than it is now. Even if you correct this in the Steerer/stem/handlebars, this will be enough to upset the rake and therefore alter the handling of the bike.  (refer @Benzo for the answer to this problem)

The bike will (should) be significantly lighter with the benefits that go with that.

If you are riding smooth pavement, the changes will be you feel more bumps, and need to use you arms to absorb and control the front of the bike if you hit small bumps in corners. Tyre choice and pressure becomes more important, as does attention to the surface ahead of you. The big gain is that you bike is more efficient - no soft squashy absorbing energy in the front end (even locked out suspension moves) - you will go faster.

Off road riding is a completely different ball game. If you are used to suspension and riding bumpy ground hard, you will need to change you style. Expect a few prangs along the way. When riding suspension, you weigh it in corners and let the shocks hold the front wheel on the ground over the bumps. Without suspension, the same technique will lead to the front wheel bouncing and loosing traction, with predictable consequences..... You need to learn to let your arms become the suspension, and your arms need to control the front wheel no only in direction, but "height" and "pressure on ground". The term "loose" takes in a new meaning. It requires more skill and concentration, and far more attention to detail than riding a suspension setup give, as well as being physically harder, but also in some ways, more rewarding.


Should I care about brands of tires? My MTB is due for a tire replacement. I'm also trying to get into long distance biking. Budget is a big concern right now but also I don't want to have to replace my tires so soon.

Is it worth getting the cheapest tire? Not really doing cutting edge stuff so proprietary lug design or w/e don't apply I think. I do want some slicks.

Very cheap tires are likely to have little or no puncture protection. Unless you're riding under very optimal conditions, slightly higher quality tires are worth it when you consider the time/cost of replacing or patching punctured inner tubes.


How much do ball bearings wear? I have a rescued bike with rear Maillard Helico Matic hub. I decided to replace the ball bearings and removed the old ones. Cages, balls, and cones looked ok. I measured old balls and they were cca. 3,7mm in diameter. I looked around on the intewerbs and found this site with the picture below. The hub on the picture looks exactly like mine. Well, the decal has a bit different graphics but by eyeballing everything else is identical. The picture says that this hub takes 5/32" ball bearings, which is bigger than my measured 3,7 mm by about 0,2 mm. Is it possible for ball bearings to wear this much?

When bearings wear down, they tend to wear unevenly. They pit and chip and generally come out of round. The races tend to look equally rough if they're the same age as the bearings. If all is looking to be in fairly good shape, I think it's far more likely that someone has previously serviced the hub and used slightly smaller bearings.


Chain getting stuck between large chain ring and front mech when changing into big ring 15+ year old Scott MTB. When changing gear from mid to large chain ring the chain gets pinched between the mech and the large chain ring. Tried adjusting the max min screws, problem persists. Old bike so wondering if the price to get a new chain set that will fit presumably non-standard bottom bracket will be worth it. Thanks in advance

So what's happening is the chain is not climbing the inner edge of the big ring as the derailleur cage pushes it outboard.

I'd suspect worn chain and chainrings, but I'd work through a systematic front derailleur adjustment process to see if I could get it working before buying new parts. The derailleur may have been rotated, or the cage bent slightly.  Park Tool has great videos for derailleur adjustment with a set of steps to go through, here is the front derailleur one.

You should be able to change chainrings, not the whole crankset. FYI the bottom bracket standard from 15 years ago was BSA threaded shells with cartridge bearings (outboard bearings just arriving at this time I think?) which is still very much in use and available.

If you do end up replacing chainrings and chain you should replace the cassette as well. And for good measure replace the cables and housings so you have a completely refreshed drivetrain that will shift well.


What tool is needed to remove a Shimano HG-50 freewheel? What tool is needed to remove a Shimano HG-50 freewheel from the wheel hub? It looks like a 12mm or 13mm Allen key. Will this do it or is there some detail I have missed?

EDIT:

This is an HG 50 Cassette.

This is an exploded view of a Shimano freehub showing the 10mm or 12mm allen key used to remove the freehub from the hub shell. I believe this is the allen you are referencing, but it need not be removed to remove the gear cluster.

Instructions for removing either a cassette or a freewheel can be found here.

If it is truly a freewheel. then this is the appropriate tool, the Park FR-1:

If you need a cassette remover, then this is the appropriate tool, the Park FR-5:

along with this one, or a similar chain whip:

I hope that is helpful.


Can you replace bottom bracket without removing chain or front derailleur? Can you service (i.e. fully remove and replace) a Square Taper English Threaded Bottom Bracket without removing the chain and/or front derailleur? Ditto for other BB types if the answer varies by BB type.

Picturing it in my head, the drive side crank arm will take the chainrings and therefore chain with it as it is pulled, but the front derailleur wants to keep the chain where it is. If you manually pop the chain onto successively smaller rings, and then right off the smallest one as you pull the crank arm, then I think the chain will just hang off the derailleur, out of the way, giving you full access to the BB.

Am I missing anything?

Thanks.

Yes, it will come off okay.  There is no need to remove the chain or FD to access any format of BB.

You can either drop the chain off the Right side of the big chainring with your hands and let it hang from the FD to the lower wheel, or you can shift to the smallest chainring/granny and then lift the chain so it rests around the BB housing.

The FD has to clear the large chainring in its normal positions regardless of gear choice, so won't collide.

Either way will work fine, but you will get dirty.

Just try it, you're overthinking possible problems.

The real bear comes in trying to undo BB cups, especially if they've been on for a while.  Or you have weird left/right threads and not sure which way to turn it.  The right tools help hugely here.

The only thing I can think of in the way would be a chainguard.  They generally have to be completely unscrewed/bolted to access the chainrings.


Should the tightness of the QR skewer (rear wheel) affect the freewheel The tighter I fit my rear QR, the less freely my rear wheel spins. It’s very noticeable.
Problem is that when I have the QR quite loose I tend to get a creaky noise from the rear axle under load but when I tighten it, the creak goes away but the rear wheel doesn’t freewheel as loosely.
Is this normal?
Thanks...it’s a 2016 Giant Defy (carbon frame, disc brake - and no, the brakes aren’t rubbing).
Thanks people - pretty much I suspected; that the hubs might need a bit of a service. I have taken them apart myself and given them a good clean up (this is after I had noticed the problem which is no worse since I reassembled the hubs - it's a Giant SLR Wheel System which I think has a DTSwiss 360/370-type 3-pawl hub with cartridge bearings, so maybe something in there has got worn out. Looks clean and nice though. I'm about 17,000 kms on these hubs without a proper service - although I did pay for a full bike service last year, I suspect they had a look, spun the wheel and thought it was OK so did nothing.
I can fairly easily unscrew the hub end caps though but I also read that's how they should be put together - not too tightly screwed in.
I guess I could try taking it all apart again - but probably better getting someone who knows what they're doing to have a proper look.
Thanks again.

You just noticed that quick release tightness affects the bearing preload.
If your hub has cup and cone bearings, you can adjust the bearing preload so that you are able to tighten the QR skewer to maximum tightness without the bearings being too tight. This is one of the advantages of cup and cone bearings and part of the reason why cup and cone bearings are preferable for hubs. Use cone spanners to adjust the bearings. You can measure the required cone spanner size with vernier calipers. Instructions for adjusting the hub bearings.
If your hub has cartridge bearings, there's little you can do. The tightness of these bearings cannot be adjusted.


Public Transportation Bike Rack Size I have TX36 E bike. Had no idea when purchased that the overall length is 6 feet (183 cm)  which is probably 6 inches (15 cm) longer than most bicycles. It does not fit into both front and rear tire slots. I have been using a heavy duty strap to secure front wheel.

It has no been brought to my attention I will no longer be able to put my bike on a rack. My problem is I am a disabled veteran and have no other way to get around. Looking for suggestions. I thought about a smaller wheel I could swap out for transit purposes only but axle widths are not the same. I thought about lengthening my control and brake cables that would let me spin handlebars and wheel 180 degrees. anyone have any ideas?

Trying to spin the front wheel around may help but the stock image shows a light which will get in the way.   Also, I doubt you'll save 15 cm that way - the rake on most bikes is far less than that.

Changing to smaller wheels is unlikely to help either (though a creative thought) - your pedals will be closer to the ground and you're more likely to strike the pedal on the road surface.    You have disk brakes - if you had rim brakes then this would be impossible.   Ultimately, reducing the wheel size will not help because it does nothing to shrink the wheelbase.  That is - the axles are still in the same relative place.

Positive options

Ride your bike instead of taking the bus.  Perhaps you could buy a second battery to add to your range?
Consider the adage about "throwing good money..."  It could be time to sell this bike and buy one that matches all your needs - ie fits on a bus rack.

As a disabled person, are there any sources of assistance you can tap into to help fund this?  Not familiar with your country.

Good luck!


Can anyone identify the model/year of this Montgomery Ward bicycle? Can anyone identify this Montgomery Ward bicycle? The only markings I've found are pictured.

 .

This is a vintage Montgomery Ward, reverse pedal brake, now I could be wrong on this but the serial number C71967 that is on the rear stays is manufacture date, C=March, 71=1971, 967=where it was made, the actual serial number of this particular bicycle is located on the head tube, where the front fork is inserted, it should start with the letters HC, followed by 7 numbers, hope this is of some help, also the reflector on the front wheel might not be of this bike, I believe the ones that came with these bikes are the red and yellow mounted on a black oval body that slide and snap on to the spokes, yellow for the front wheel, red for the back wheel


Is it safe to ride on a cracked rim? Doing my monthly inspection & clean of my wheels last night and I was shocked to see a crack around one the spokes as they enter rim.  It is a rear wheel (Shimano R600 I think).  I had obviously been riding on it for a little while, so I was wondering if there was any urgency in getting the rim replaced, or can I wait until my next visit to my LBS?  I currently do only around 100km per week.

if the crack is at the spoke bed, and hasn't spread to the side of the rim yet, it's probably not going to explode immediately (if it's on the sidewall, tire pressure can cause it to burst, which will almost definitely make you crash).
However, there's a good chance that the spoke will eventually pull through the rim, and there's also the fact that once aluminum starts to fatigue and crack, the damage tends to spread relatively quickly, which means the rim could fail on you entirely, probably without any additional warning.
You didn't say when you next planned to visit the LBS, but I'd recommend taking care of it within a week or two at the most.


Removing spray paint to reveal frame's factory paint job I have a frame that I'd like to sell. To avoid it being stolen, I covered it in tape and spray paint. I rode it for 5 years in London and this worked very successfully. However, I'd like to make it look nice again.

The original glossy paintwork seems to be well preserved under the matte paint I put on. Is there a way for me to strip off this layer while leaving what's underneath?

Here is the best-case scenario:

the finish you applied is a single-component lacquer or enamel of some type which dries purely by evaporation of the solvents, not by a chemical reaction. No "hardener" was added to this when applying, and it's not a type which reacts with humidity or oxygen in order to further harden.
Whereas, the factory finish underneath is a reactive finish which hardens by "cross linking of the polymer": it is a two component polyurethane, powder-coated epoxy, "UV cured" stuff or some such.

In this situation, a solvent (e.g. acetone + toluene/xylene lacquer thinner) should take off your paint, while not attacking the factory paint. Try it in an inconspicuous area of the frame like the bottom of the bottom bracket (if you painted there) or chainstays.

Do not use anything abrasive: soft cotton cloth only, soaked in solvent. Use rubber gloves and work outside. Situate the work piece downwind relative to yourself, or wear a respirator.


What is the difference between a 700x28c and a 700x32c and a 700x..c and so on? I'm semi-new to customizing bits of bike and when looking to buy some slicker tyres for the road I came across this 700x..c system. I've previously had a set of 700x28c tyres which were then swapped for some 700x32 and they fit! I also read a post about being able to fit any 700x..c tyre to the same rim. Whats up with this & what do the numbers mean?

In short - the 700x25C is a French nomenclature for tire size meaning tire diameter of 700mm and tire width 25mm and C is the width of the rim (A is very narrow, D is wide). Thus the number between "x" and "C" is the tire width in mm.

For more information you can read a section on tire sizing on Sheldon Brown page.


Installation of a shorter stem I want to install a shorter stem onto my mountain bike, can I just swap them out or will I need to get the star nut replaced or reset?

As long as you're putting on the same size stem (steer tube size, not length), which you should be doing unless it came with spacers/shims, then yeah no problem.

If the clamping area is taller, you may need to get a longer bolt to reach the star nut, but then you'll also have some stem above the steer tube and that's no good either. Odds are though that you'll be just fine switching over.


What's different in women's specific chamois cream? What's the difference between regular chamois cream and women specific chamois cream?  If my partner also rides, are there disadvantages to both male and female users sharing the women specific type?

In many cases, the difference is just related to the scent.

However, some standard chamois cream has menthol or some other "icy hot" chemical, which some women find a bit "strong" for their sensitive bits.  Many women's creams use something milder, like peppermint oil.

Mad Alchemy lists some of the major ingredients in their chamois creams:
http://www.madalchemy.com/


Am I required as a biker to use the bike lane on the right side of the road? The following is a google maps image of a busy intersection I need to take during my commute:

Traffic mostly comes from 2 sides: the South and the West. At the time I pass this intersection, there is a lot of traffic from both sides. There are bicycle lanes on both sides. Most traffic from the south heads west (about 4 in 5 cars) and most traffic from the west heads east (again 4 in 5).

When I come from the West and need to go via Diepe Roet (that small curvy street to the South), there is a cycling lane up to the intersection. However, I find it hard to judge the traffic situation, because there are usually 4 or 5 cars waiting from either side, and they don't usually use their indicators properly. There's also not enough illumination to completely cover the intersection.

The solution I've found is to head north along Heistraat. If it's not yet dark, I try to cross at the Frans de Cortlaan, which doesn't have nearly as much traffic. However, there's not much light there either, so if it's dark (in the winter), I drive another 50 meters or so further North. There is a school there with clear illumination on both sides, no perpendicular streets, a long speedbump and a zebra crossing. Both crossings are in my opinion far safer to cross, because it's much easier to see oncoming traffic in both ways. After having had an accident in the dark when crossing at the marked intersection, I rarely cross at that street, except during the holidays when there's no school traffic.

However, I need to drive on the left hand side bicycle lane for this, and I'm not quite sure how dangerous or legal this is. I'm not the only cycler who does this on that intersection, and I feel like I got enough justification to do it. However, if I get into an accident, I could get into trouble for not following the normal flow of traffic.

Is driving against the flow of traffic an appropriate maneuver to counteract the danger on that intersection?

Riding against the flow of traffic is dangerous and illegal.

If an intersection or a set of intersections does not permit you to ride safely, walk your bike.


How do I determine bottom bracket size I got a cheap old bike I fixed up and I want to install a mid drive motor but the ones I found require a specific bottom bracket size and I don't know what size bottom bracket I have.

The wheels are 700 x 23

I found this diagram online which I hope will allow me to determine the size of the bottom bracket by measuring the width of the shell.

I found out that the bike is an old Centurion.  I was not able to find any series number engraved on it anywhere so I haven't been able to determine the exact model or how old it is but just in case anyone wants to know; I concluded that the bottom bracket size is 125x 68 but that a 127 size also works.  Thanks to the mechanics at IMartin in Los Angeles who took the whole crank assembly apart to measure the bracket when I asked them if they knew what size it was.


What target heart rate or power do people use when commuting by bike Biking to work is good exercise. It can make it easier to meet our exercise needs.

When commuting by bike, what heart rate or power zones do people usually use?
What's a recommended target? Should we try to get to work as fast as possible or at a more relaxed pace? Do the commuters decide it based on feel?

Which days should we do sprinting? Should we have similar schedules every week?

An example of a schedule with the zones can be helpful.

Let's say you work full time and you want to break the plateau. You want the kind of fitness improvements that make you bike to work faster and improve race times.

Update Dec 20
Possible fitness goals: Faster commuting times, faster cruising speeds, 30 km/h feels easy, faster sprints to decrease missing green lights, being able to outrun wolves and bears. Getting to work faster on a bike means less need for driving to work or e-bikes!

If intervals are done, does that mean the next day must be zone 1 to be fully recovered to train hard enough for your next interval session? Is the fat burning zone good enough?

I would claim, without data so just thinking about my experience with the world, that most commuters are not targeting heart rate or power, they are just trying to get to work.  Some want to get there as fast as they are (reasonably) capable of and some are wanting to get there at a reasonable pace that does not require a shower. Many just want to get there.  There must be some who try to combine sophisticated training with commuting, but those are few.


Replacing non-standard pedals on an exercise bike I'd like to replace the pedals on my "Pro Fitness" recumbent exercise bike, and use clipless pedals instead (MTB or SPD). I tried to replace them, but found the diameter on the crank hole is too small for the pedals I had lying around (SPD and flat). Could I replace the cranks? I only see cranksets for normal bikes online.

9/16"x20tpi is the predominant modern size, and 1/2" also exists. On bicycles, 1/2"x20tpi is virtually always only found on one-piece cranks, but exercise bikes can do whatever. They are almost certainly 1/2".
1/2" cranks do not typically have enough material to be tapped to 9/16", but they're also not typically a 3-piece design as pictured. If yours did, this could be a way to do it. To cut new threads in a crank, extreme care has to be taken to have them stay on-axis, because any small deviation is easily felt by the rider. Doing that well, for me at least, means taking the cranks off and putting them in a vise so the angle the tap is going in can be monitored easily from all sides. If you go to a shop for this and they need to take apart that cover and whatever is under it to get the cranks off (unclear if that's the case), I would expect to pay a bit.
You can get 1/2" to 9/16" adapters. They are incredibly hokey, garbagey products, because they jack your Q out by something like an inch per side. But this is the cheap, simple way of getting clipless on it. Grease the threads and tighten them very well, because another reason why they're complete trash is they make the interface work with more leverage and flex than it likes.
The third route is figuring out a model from one of the SPD clone manufacturers that can have a 1/2" spindle from the same company hacked into it. I have not done this but I do know that those companies are not in the habit of having multiple spindle profiles when they don't need to, so I bet you could make it work if you figured out the right specimens. In other words, you're looking for a looseball VP or Wellgo or whatever set where everything from the thread shoulder onward is the same between it and some obtainable 1/2" spindles.
If the BB interface is a standard one, which is not a given, you may be able to replace the cranks altogether. You would need a captain crank on the right side, or one made from a left crank via helical insert. This is probably the most contrived and expensive way of doing it.


When to change disk brake pads I was wondering how to tell when your disk brake pads need replacing.  My front seems to be not stopping as quickly as it used to, or as I would like. I know this could be road grime build up, but I am not sure the indicators for replacement time for the pads.

You should just pull the pads out and see how worn down they are - or if they are really dirty. Sometimes it helps to get some rubbing alcohol and clean the pads and rotors.


Indexed rear derailer shifts two cogs for each step I'm trying to troubleshoot poor shifting issues on a mountain bike that appears to have been built out of the spare parts box…

The current problem is "instability" on the rear derailer – the chain bounces around and is very hard to get to settle into gear. The original setup was a SunRace M40 derailer paired with SunRace twist grip shifters and a Shimano 8-speed cassette. The chain measures closer to 7-speed than 8-speed (0.285" a bit over 7.2 mm).

On the SunRace website the M40 derailer is described as being 7-speed. So I figured that I might have found the problem (7-speed indexing steps paired with an 8-speed cassette), so I tried fitting an NOS SRAM 5.0 8-speed twist grip shifter (which, according to the instructions that came with them, are Shimano compatible). However, after reading @Chris in AK's comments below, and failing to find any definitive marks on the shifter, I actually measured the cable travel using the information I found in this article on drive train compatibility and it looks like the SRAM grip shifters are ESP (1:1) as the cable movement is slightly more than 4 mm / click.

The good news is that the shifting seems to be more stable, the bad news is that it reliably shifts two cogs for each clink (e.g., I move the shifter from the 8 position to the 7 position and the chain moves to the #6 cog).

Any ideas about what could be going on?

I would check the SRAM grip shift that you purchased.  SRAM makes grift shifters for both their own derailleurs and Shimano's.  The actuation ratio on those shifters is different.  SRAM uses a 1:1 ratio for their high end stuff.  Most of Shimano's is closer to 2:1.  The SunRace website you linked to lists the M40 as 2:1, meaning you'll need a SRAM grip shifter with 2:1 actuation.


How do you lock your recumbent? I have a pair of recumbents and I have difficulties locking them safely when I have to park them in the street for long period of time.  The conventional wisdom is to use a U-lock to attach the frame to a strong fixed point. With a recumbent this is very difficult because:

the width of the seat will move the frame away from fixed points,
the frame itself sometimes has no closed loop like the diamond frame of upright bicycles.

On my Nazca Pioneer there is a small closed loop on the rear stays so I manage to secure it with a foldable lock. This is weaker than a U-lock but it is the best I came up with. But on my Challenge Seiran SL, which has no secure point, I am still looking for a safe way to lock it.

How do you manage this?

Nazca Pioneer:

Challenge Seiran SL:

You could get some Pitlocks or other secured skewers, and then use a standard U-Lock/Folding lock on your rear stays.  I'm not sure if Pitlocks fit a recumbant properly or if you want to trust your entire bike to them (rather than just the wheels) but it would probably be OK. Also, you could use a U-Lock between the seat and the front fork (possibly with some security bolts instead of standard allen key bolts). Something in that position would probably be quite difficult to remove.


Suddenly it is harder to pedal This is related to a previous post, but I thought it best to just start with a new post.

My local bike shop installed an 8 speed indexed shifter on a Huffy MTB which has a 6 gear freewheel.

About 2 weeks later, it started being harder to pedal when in several of the lower gears.

I had to stop several times to move the derailleur and chain a little to get home.

Could that possibly be caused by having an 8-speed shifter with a 6 speed freewheel?

(My bike shop is awaiting a Shimano Tourney Tx50 3x6-speed Thumb Shifter Set to replace the 8-speed shifter.)

If you noticed the chain chattering on the sprocket, then yes, it could be caused by using an 8-speed shifter with a 6-speed freewheel. With indexed shifting, all the drivetrain parts are designed to work together, and if you've got a mismatch--as you do here--you can expect the shifter to pull the chain out of alignment with the sprocket.


What length do my spokes need to be for DT Swiss hubs and rims? I'd like two build a couple of wheels based on DT Swiss hubs.
https://www.bike24.com/p2380232.html ( H24PNCDBR28SA3232S )
https://www.bike24.com/p2380225.html ( H24PACIXR28SA3228S )
Using XR 331 27.5 rims
An I'm trying to order spokes for them using DT Swiss calculator https://spokes-calculator.dtswiss.com/en/calculator
But DT Swiss website and documentation is garbage. I cannot understand what these hubs really are. Are these 240 DBCL straighpull? Or are they 240 EXP2020+? And what does DBCL even stand for?
Would appreciate any help, thank you

They are straight pull and Disc Brake Centre Lock. You can take measurements when you have the hubs if you are uncertain.


what are the widest 700c available(with kevlar)? Is it possible to put wider tires on the wheels I have?
(original wheels on a Giant hybrid...GX-02 622 x 19)

I have 700c x 38mm(Schwinn kevlar tires now). I would like something similar...TIA

Yes, it is generally possible to install wider tires that those which came with a bike.

The limiting factors are the clearance available in the forks and frame. The chainstays/bottom bracket area is usually the most constricted area.

The rims will also have a maximum size of tire they can support, but the frame clearance is likely a more limiting factor.

If you have 38mm tires now, you can probably step up to 40 or 42mm.


Is there any rule of thumb for comparing lights rated in lux and lumens? Currently, I'm using a front light rated at 35 lux on my bike. This is just about bright enough for my riding, but I'd like something a bit brighter. However, most of the lights which might be brighter are rated in lumens, rather than lux.

I'm a physicist by training, so I know the difference between 1 lux and 1 lumen and that you can't compare them directly - but that doesn't help me as I do need to compare them somehow. Is there any rule of thumb or something that I can use to work out which lights are actually brighter than my current light, or does the beam pattern of lights vary too much for this to be a sensible comparision in any way at all?

I don't think you're going to be able to do any reasonable conversion, since lux without a distance is meaningless. It's likely that the manufacturer has picked lux specifically to make it sound impressive, or possibly even to make it hard to compare.

Here's a nice description of the (optional) standard: http://www.led-resource.com/ansi-fl1-standard/. One of the possible measures in that standard is the distance at which the light is 0.25 lux. Another is the candela (peak beam intensity). And, of course, there's always lumens (total output). Lumens seem to be the favorite.

Instead of trying to compare the brightness of your current light, I recommend visiting this great light comparison site (which originally started from some posts on our blog): https://www.bikelightdatabase.com/

In particular, the beamshot photos on that site are super-useful. There can be big differences between lights that use the same measurement (usually lumens) and being able to look at what that looks like on a stretch of road is amazingly helpful.


Are rusting screws a sign of cheap/bad material? I noticed rusting screws at a ~ 1 year old bike and rusting screws at another bike after a few months, where the screws were part of a replacement (front gear ring package).

Both bikes were usually placed in rain protected places when possible.

Thus the question: Is this normal? Or do I have to change my bike dealer?

I mean, are not stainless screws standard? Or are they too expensive?

Stainless steel is rust-resistant not rust-proof, especially if the bike sees the outdoors a lot, it isn't uncommon for screws to get a fine sprinkling of brown spots. The good thing about screws is that they can be easily replaced.
If you were very enterprising you can probably replace your bolts with titanium ones. They don't rust in the same way as steel does at all. However, they are usually weaker than the equivalent steel bolts, so we would not recommend replacing bolts like the stem or seat clamp bolts without careful research on high-quality titanium bolts. If you do this, be sure to research titanium material grades; commercially pure titanium is likely too weak for structural bolts, whereas grade 5 (aka 6/4 titanium) is probably what you would want for these bolts. For reference, most titanium bicycle frames are made of grade 9, aka 3/2.5 titanium. The numbers for grade 5 and 9 reference the proportion of aluminum and vanadium in the alloy.
Painted components (like your bike frame) are naturally rust resistant because the paint prevents contact with oxygen, which means that the metal can't oxidise and also explains why its not a bad idea to touch up on large paint chips or scratches with touch up laquer.
ADDED a quick wikipedia glance explains that while stainless steel gets covered in rust, unlike regular steel the rust is passive meaning that it will just stay there (looking unsightly). With regular steel, rust has the nasty habit of eating away at the metal (it is an active oxidation site). The rust on stainless steel behaves like a coating that prevents further oxidation.
Additionally, see comments by @cmaster: not all steel bolts are stainless, particularly on lower-cost bicycles.


Shimano integrated shifter/brake, model ST-2200 The question I am asking is on the Shimano ST-2200 (Claris) shifter brakes. Are the actual levers made of plastic?

Yes, plastic. All the levers on all the ST-2x00 STIs are plastic.


Which kind of crank arm for my bottom bracket I'm trying to make my indoor bike smarter by fitting a crank arm power meter.
The bottom bracket is a Tange bc 1.37x24t. Apparently it is of the English kind which is the most common.
Since there are many different models (Shimano, Cannondale, etc...) for the same kind of crank arm power meter, I would like to know which is more appropriate for my bottom bracket.
Thank you

It is correct that you've got an 'English' or 'ISO' threaded cartridge bottom bracket; this refers to the interface between the BB and the frame. But you also need to consider the interface between the BB and the cranks. This has what is called a "square taper" spindle, and because the bike world is filled with competing standards, there is more than one standard for square tapers (which determine the angle of the taper and how wide it is at the seat). It looks like Tange BBs use a JIS square taper, which is widely used. So you would look for cranks that have a square broach in the middle, and that specify a JIS square taper.
But here's where we run into trouble. This kind of bottom bracket, where the spindle is separate from the cranks, is an arrangement called a "three-piece crank" and was used on all midrange and high-end bikes up until about 20 years ago. Today, most high-end cranks are based on a "two-piece crank" design, where the spindle is permanently bonded to the drive-side crank (this is lighter, and because these use larger spindles, they're also stiffer, although that may not provide any real-world benefit to most of us). As far as I can tell, all power-meter cranks are based on two-piece cranks, so you can't use this bottom bracket with one.
So if you are set on your plan of using a crank-based power meter, you'll need to replace the bottom bracket with an English BB designed for two-piece cranks, which is just the bearing cups and bearings. Something like this:

Note that you'll need to make sure that the BB fits the cranks. There are  different spindle diameters used in two-piece cranks.
The easy alternative would be to use a pedal-based power meter.


Using Miche pistard wheels with brakes? I just bought a pair of Miche Pistard track wheels to upgrade my fixed gear bike. Stupidly, I did not consider that since the mainly are designed for track use, that they may not be designed for use with brakes. Will I ruin them if I try to use them with brakes?
I would be ok with some cosmetic damage if it’s still safe to ride...

I did some googling and don't see the answer spelled out specifically, which is typical for anything Miche.
Don't do it. It's reasonable to assume for a wheel like this, a racey track set with no visual indication of a brake track and with graphics where a brake track would usually be, that the wall thickness has nothing to give safely. For dedicated track wheels that's a feature, not a bug.


10 speed cassette/derailleur, but only getting 8 clicks? I've got a 2013 Giant Escape 0 Hybrid with a stock 10speed Shimano Deore rear derailleur.  My wife was riding the bike the other day, and somehow managed to shift in such a way that it popped the chain off the rear cassette and jammed in between the sprockets and the spoke protector.  Luckily no damage was done.

After putting the chain back on, I put the bike up on a stand to check/tweak the derailleur alignment.  The small sprocket and the large sprocket are properly aligned.  I can shift up and down with almost no problems; I seem to skip the third gear.

If I take the rear wheel off and click the derailleur, I only count 8 clicks; not 9.

I'm not sure what that means.  Nor am I sure how my derailleur can be properly aligned on the smallest and largest cogs, hit all the shifts except for one, and yet miss an index.

Is this an alignment issue?  Is there a problem with my shifter?  Is my derailleur whacked out of position?  How/why could I be "missing" an index?

If you are skipping gears, I suggest the cable tension need to be reset. Shift to the smallest cog, undo the bolt fastening the derailleur cable and then refasten, ensuring there is just enough tension to hold the cable tight. You should then be able to accurately shift up one gear at a time and go through all 9 clicks. It may take a few attempt to get right, and you should test it with different front gears selected. Also check for worn cable or housings.

Looks like you need to set the limit adjuster also, there are two small Philips head screws that do this. They prevent the derailleur shifting past the largest and smallest sprockets.


Reasons NOT to buy a used groupset I've spend covid times in Asia, and getting ready to go home soon.
For the last several months here, I rode an old Cannondale Synapse with a Claris groupset - not amazing, but I really liked the frame, and it's actually the first indexed shifting road bike I ever used extensively.
Back home I have my old Klein Performance (circa 84'), with the original Suntour Superbe groupset, but I busted its front derailleur before leaving. I want to upgrade its groupset to a more modern indexed one, thinking of buying used on ebay before flying back.
I've always bought used bikes, so I'm looking on ebay for nice finds.
The options I'm more interested in are old Dura Ace 7700 9s, and old 8-10s Campagnolo Chorus. or Campagnolo record if I can get a good deal.
But I realize that I'm not sure how much wear and tear should come into consideration...
Assuming the chainrings are in good condition (no shark fins etc), can I expect a 25 year old derailleur to operate smoothly enough to be happy with it? Or will I be better off spending the same money on a new Shimano 105?
Other relevant questions - 1. Should there be any issues fitting these relatively-newer components on my old frame and wheels? (the Klein has old Wheelsmiths, I'm not sure of the model, I'll try to post a pic).
2. is there an easy adjustment I can make to use the Campagnolo groupset, or will I have to buy Campagnolo wheels to fit it?
TIA

Twenty-plus year old STIs that really and truly have much life left are rare and expensive.
The 7700 STIs are much more serviceable than most, hypothetically. They allow some make-one-good-one-from-two-bad-ones type stuff to be done where it's not practical otherwise. In practice most of them are trashed by now.
The wear parts on pre-Escape Ergo are all replaceable, hypothetically. In practice the world is getting dry of a lot of that stuff.
You ask about derailleur performance in particular. The age per se isn't what matters, but rather how worn it is. A slopped out RD-7700 is garbage compared to a new RD-R7000. Comparing apples to apples, NOS to new, it's hard to get away from giving a subjective answer there in my opinion, but few reasonable people would find anything to complain about either way. 7700 is longer wearing. More reasonable questions would be what are your gearing needs and do you want something closer to period-correct.
The bike is aluminum, 37 years old, and has a 126mm freewheel hub. It's got light construction for its time in terms of tube choice but it also has monster dropouts. If you want to change the group you're buying a 130 wheel, and then you're going to flex its axle and/or add to the already-considerable chance of frame failure. People do all of those things and it can result in a rideable bike. Whether you want to is up to you. You're buying a Campy wheel if you want Campy and Shimano otherwise. Meanwhile the freewheel hub you've got is one of the nicer ones ever made.
If just getting STI on the Klein is what you really want to do and you're more or less happy with the gear range you've got, you could consider keeping the cranks and wheels, getting new 2x8 STIs, a new 7-speed Shimano 11-28 freewheel, an 8-speed chain, a Claris or Sora 8-speed double front derailleur, and whatever pre-11-speed-road Shimano rear derailleur you want. Running 8-speed STIs as 7 is fine and was once condoned by Shimano themselves.
Finally, there are some Kleins that epitomized the 80s crit-geometry-on-everything trend. If your bike is like this, ie sub-405mm chainstays, then getting the FD rub-free can prove tricky no matter what you do with a more modern group.


Are high racers safer due to enhanced visibility compared to low racers or classic recumbents? Naively, I would expect that a high racer is safer in traffic than a low racer.  With the rider higher up, she or he should be more visible compared to being closer to the ground.  Considering that safety in traffic is the main reason holding me off from riding a recumbent, I wonder: is there evidence that a high racer is safer than a low racer, considering visibility in traffic?

In my experience, a higher bike will be seen easier and sooner than a lower bike.

I have had multiple riding events where I've been blocked or obscured by vehicles so another road user (driver) makes decisions based on what they know and what they can see.   If you've not been seen, you're not part of their decision.

Likewise, being lower provides a worse view, and therefore less information on the surroundings for the rider. I've had one night ride on my mid-height bent where it was also foggy, and could not see the road surface before it passed out of sight below my bottom bracket (front bracket?)  I ended up riding off the road into the gravel because the edge of the sealed road was not visible.

On the flip side, I have a strong but unsupported belief that once my recumbent has been seen, the observer is much more likely to notice me and change their actions if required.

The human brain has "layers" that roughly correlate to the embryo's stages of development.  For simplicity, the "reptilian" brain deals with autonomous stuff like balancing, walking, breathing, etc, while the "simian" brain is under willful control where you start thinking about breathing etc.

A road user while driving might observe a regular cyclist, and that information might never rise above the reptile level of brain.  The reaction is autonomous and doesn't bother the active thinking processes.

Observing a weird bike immediately kicks the thought up to management layers, where the simian brain has more of a reaction in the conscious space.

  tl;dr the lower the bike, the harder to see but once its been seen you're more likely to be considered by a driver.

I would not use a recumbent for primarily Central Business District (CBD, urban) riding.  My commute is basically 50% rural farmland, 30% residential, 10% park, and 5% dense city so I can ride 30+ minutes without stopping.   Recumbents like to just keep going, and a city environment doesn't encourage that at all with traffic controls and pedestrians.   Dooring near-misses tend to be more common when I'm on the recumbent too, but that may be observer bias (I ride the bent 95% of the time now.)


What are the advantages of the different clipless systems? In the past I have used the Look road pedals and the SPD system, however I know that there are many other systems, including some that work purely on magnets.

What are the advantages of the various systems, and when would you recommend them?

I have used SPD and Crank Brothers (I have a set of Mallets on my mountain bike, and Candy SLs on my road bike). Both the Mallet and the Candy are built around the egg beaters.

I have to say I greatly prefer the Crank Brothers.

Entry/exit is very easy.
They have a decent amount of float, which is great for mountain biking, because it allows you to move around on the pedals if you need to. It's not as great for road biking, but I have the cleats on my road shoes set for the "less float" and the easy entry/exit makes it worthwhile.
No tension screws to adjust, and fewer moving parts to maintain. Just a spring, basically.

This is not to say that the SPD system is bad. Your mileage may vary.


Rear hub freewheel and casette I am having some issues with my drive trainsystem. I have changed my chain after quite a while (shame on me) with a new one, that i sized exactly on the same number of links as the old one. When pedalling however, when putting a high pressure on the pedal the chain skips.

My issue is, whether the chain is not sized properly (since I havent had this issue before) or is there a problem with worn casette cogs or the freewheel.

I get a from-factory setup of Sram casette and probably Shimano hub (not sure). The cogs are quite loose on the freewheel as you can see on the picture. I dont know if this normal, but would expect to hold firmly.

I usually ride on tough gears, so I dont know if the end of the freehub is demaged by this as you can see on the picture, or it is the design of the freehub.

Talking about the cogs, once again I dont know if they seem to be worn, or the edges are not sharp  and look like this by design.

I would very much appreciate your advice on whether the cogs, or freehub have to be changed or it is probably just an issue with the chain length. Thanks in advance ! :)

Martin

EDIT:
I just made a video to demonstrate how loose the cogs are. Even after tightening the lock, one can still rotate the cogs on the freewheel. Is this normal ?

My loose cogs on freehub (video on Youtube)

EDIT 2:
I also post the picture of the fron chainring. Is this worn to much, or you think this is more probably causing the chain skipping, than the rear?

Are you worried that the cogs skip on the hub? I'd consider this extremely unlikely.

The most likely reason is that the old chain has worn down the teeth of the cassette, especially when you ride on small cogs because the same load is distributed over fewer teeth. If you happen to have the old chain around, measure the length over 10 elements (see my comment above): if 10 elements are longer than 25.9mm (from pin to pin), the old chain damaged the cogs and you need to replace the cassette. The chainring in the front is often still good because it has more teeth and wears down slower.

The image shows the interaction between a new chain and a worn-out cog. It is from technical documentation by Rohloff.

Having watched the video, I do think that the cassette is unusually loose. While it would not cause the chain to skip, it will damage the hub. I found this discussion on this site relevant: make sure to tighten the ring that holds the cassette in place. A mix of road and MTB components could be the root of that problem.


How do I fix stiff dual-pivot brakes? I have Shimano 105 Dual Pivot brakes on my bike. They are pretty old (~7 years), and, although I ride the bike very regularly, I do not use the rear brake much and it has become stiff. (By stiff, I mean that the brake does not fully spring back open when I release the lever.)

Previously when this happened, I took the brake off, cleaned it, and then oiled and adjusted the pivots. I used bike chain oil (wet lube). This worked well, but the brake went stiff again pretty quickly so I'm reluctant to do it again.

Does anyone have any tips for a long lasting repair? Should I be using bike oil? Is it worth fully dismantling them (is this possible/advisable?).

This is a rear case that I would use WD40 or even engine degreaser on a bike part. Remove the pads, drown the brake in one of these and work it till its free. Might be worth removing from bike and soaking in a bath.

I would no dismatle it unless the above did not work.

Once the part is moving freely it will have no lube on it. Clean it with hot soapy water, dry it out and use a dry lube rather than a wet lube -  it won't attract the dirt. Alternately use a wet lube but regularly re lube it.


Can a bike wheel be damaged if it's hit by a mop? I can't keep my bike inside my flat, which is why I used to keep it in the staircase of my block.

The problem is, the janitor mops the staircase every day and I'm afraid he will hit the wheels of my bike with his mop.

I'm about to collect my bike from the repair service. They had to install a brand new wheel, because the old one was bent so badly it was almost unusable. While my bike is not new or expensive at all, I still don't want this to happen again.

Granted, my bike was subjected to an even worse mistreatment than just the janitor's mop, which was probably why the wheel got broken. But still, is it possible that this mop has contributed in benting the wheel?

Should I take measures to protect my bike from janitor's mop or may I ignore it?

I doubt the janitor could unintentionally damage the wheel with the mop by impact -- you don't use much force when mopping, and it would likely just turn the wheel or shift the bike a bit if it was hit. If someone drove their boots into the wheel or something, that could cause damage.

One concern is the chemicals used in the mopping. Certain chemicals (e.g. ammonia) can attack rubber and cause it to degrade prematurely. Depending on the concentration and amount of use, this may be a non-issue.

However, if you are worried about your bike to this level, consider storing your bike elsewhere.


What if I choose replacement tires narrower than my current tires? I have been looking for some tires I could buy but I couldn't find exact numbers (My current tires are 27.5 x 2.8)

I found one which was 27.5 x 2.10 or should I get one which is 27.5 x 2.1 Both of them are the same price but I don't know which one to get, can you please tell me?

2.8 is bigger than 2.10.

When you run a bigger tire, you have to worry about the tire rubbing on the frame or fork.

Running smaller tires are usually simpler.

Tire sizes have to be appropriate for the rim width; wide tire on narrow rim could have some control issues/sloppiness (and if you had rim brakes, that could also cause some rubbing). Narrow tire on wide rim could increase risk of damage from hazards. See this page for details: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html


Determining front & rear derailleur compatibility I have a 2009 Kona Dew and I'm just wondering how to figure out what front and rear derailleurs are compatible with my bike.

Do I just have to find a matching Shimano part that fits 8-speed gearsets? It seems like most of the front derailleurs at Jenson USA seem to support 9-speed only, same goes with the rears too.

Front and rear derailers are essentially independent -- so long as the two derailers can function with the same type chain they can work together.

Derailer "fit" basically involves 4 factors:

The amount of chain that can be "absorbed" by the arm (rear derailer only)
The index "pitch" of the derailer & its shift lever -- how far it moves in one step (indexed derailers only)
The total distance the derailer can move in and out (adjustable to a degree)
The angle that the derailer describes as it moves in and out

The amount of chain that the rear derailer arm can "absorb" between the most extended chain position and the most "relaxed" is generally specified as a number of teeth, being the difference between the sum of the teeth on the largest front and rear sprockets and the sum of the teeth on the smallest front and rear sprockets.

A sprocket cluster has a number of sprockets joined together with a certain "pitch" -- the distance between sprockets, as measured from (to pick one point) the outermost surface of one sprocket to the outermost surface of the next sprocket.  The "pitch" of the derailer/shift lever must match this sprocket cluster pitch or the derailer will never be able to be adjusted to shift between sprockets.

The total distance the derailer must be able to move is the index pitch times one less than the number of sprockets in the cluster.  Eg, for 5 sprocket cluster with a 5mm pitch the derailer must move 20mm from innermost to outermost.  Note that most derailers can be adjusted with the high and low limits to 2 or 3 different numbers of sprockets.

The angle is a little more complicated, and also not always well documented for different derailers.  The rear cluster on a mountain or touring bike generally has a wide range of sprocket sizes and hence the angle that the derailer movement must describe relative to the axle is fairly steep.  A racing cluster, on the other hand, would tend to have sprocket sizes very close together (only one tooth difference in the extreme case), and so the angle relative to the axle is fairly shallow.  Derailer specifications may state this quantity as a range of sprocket sizes, or a range of teeth (or may omit it entirely).

(Obviously, "angle" is also an issue for front derailers, and here the acceptable sprocket sizes should be clearly spelled out.  Your standard front derailer may not handle that super-small granny gear, for instance.)

Most 9-speed derailers can be adjusted to work with an 8-speed cluster, so long as the 8-speed cluster is using the 9-speed pitch.  Unfortunately, the pitch of 8-speed clusters is not cast in concrete, but in most cases it's the same as 9-speed.


how to remove broken grommet from recumbent seat (without damaging mesh)? summary: Note this question

is not about installing a new grommet: I know how to do that
is about removing a grommet, so that I can install a new grommet in the already-existing hole

details:

I have a 25-year-old SWB mesh-seat recumbent that still works quite well, but

is showing its age, in that various non-standard parts are needing replacement
its manufacturer no longer supplies replacement parts

One thing I'd like to replace is its seat, but for now I'll settle for replacing its broken grommets, mostly to prevent further damage to the seat. The broken grommets are currently all on the left side (facing) of the upper part of the seat:

(Note also that the rear/underside of the grommets are also broken similarly.) Here's a detail of 2:

The grommet holes are presumably still in good condition, though that will presumably not last: see lower grommet in above detail. I have grommets and install tools, so can presumably install new grommets in the grommet holes ... if I can get the old grommet pieces out. (FWIW, I have some replacement grommets that appear to be the same sizes as the original, but one will not fit over the existing/broken grommet.) How to remove the old/broken grommets without damaging the grommet holes?

Note also that I do not want to cut new holes (which I also know how to do) if there is any way to remove the old grommets.

Some things I have tried and rejected:

Prying the old-grommet pieces up with a small/thin screwdriver. I can't get any purchase--those old grommets are very firmly seated into the mesh.
Pulling the old-grommet pieces off with needlenose pliers. That kinda works, in that I can pull off very small pieces (i.e., the width of the needlenose) of the old grommet. Unfortunately, in addition to being tedious, this also leaves a jagged and convex edge where the piece has been removed.

After looking at half dozen videos the easiest means seems to be a Dremel or highspeed die grinder. Using a small diameter stone or steel burr make repeated passes around the inside of the grommet hole. Take care to not let the grommet to get hot enough to melt or burn the fabric. It is not necessary to grind all the way through, just remove enough material weaken the crimp.


What is the purpose of the channel in my seat? What is the purpose of the channel in my seat? Is it just for comfort or does it have some medical benefits?

The purpose of the channel in a bike saddle is to reduce pressure to the perineum, which can cause numbness and other long-term problems. This is a matter of both comfort and health, although not everyone is affected. Individual body type, saddle design, bike fit, and riding style work together to make saddle fit a very personal issue.

On a related note, some of the worries about erectile disfunction seem to be overstated, though this is still an open area of research. See:
Saddle Seats and Erectile Dysfunction - The myth Exploded.


Any companies out there that given a carbon frame could replicate it? I snapped my frame and I really liked the bike setup I had. Is there a company out there that will make a carbon framed based on one provided.

Your best bet is to get out a tape measure and compare your current bike's measurements to all the geometry charts on the internet, then buy something comparable. Also, depending on the age of your bike look for a similarly-sized model from the same manufacturer. Carbon frame molds are expensive & time-consuming to build so some companies use the same mold for multiple seasons, swapping out the components. Finally - you "snapped" a carbon frame and there is no warranty support? That's pretty rare, unless you're not the original owner. At the very least most manufacturers have a crash replacement program where you get the same/newer model for ~ 50% of retail. Check it out.


Identical looking saddles feel very different I resumed cycling after a +20 year break and I was having problems with the saddle. At first I thought it was my weight and being unused to cycling (I would get discomfort and then numbness after about 90 minutes, which wasn't nice).
I persisted and got my weight down and rewarded myself with a fancy Olmo bike. And it felt like the saddle wasn't even there. I even managed an 11 hour ride without any discomfort.

The saddle on the Olmo was a Selle Italia SL Gel Flow. I used to race on a bike with a Selle Italia SLR, so I got a SLR Gel Flow that was the same length and width as the SL Gel Flow and put it on my commuting bike. And no change.
So I thought maybe it was the bikes and swapped the saddles. Nope - it wasn't the bikes, it was the saddles.

I bought a new commuting bike that had a Selle Italia C2 Gel Flow. And it was okish. I could manage the commute into work (about 75 mins) with no trouble, but any longer wasn't good.
The C2 suffered in the Glasgow weather and the cover started coming loose, so I got a Fizik saddle and it is like the SL - extremely comfortable.

So I am baffled about the Selle Italia saddles. They look identical and I've measured them every way I can think of and they are the same, except for the weight. They seem to have the same amount of give on the surface.
But when I actually sit on them they feel very different. I don't understand it at all.
Incidentally, the Fizik is pretty much the same shape as the Selle Italias, except without the gap in the middle.

I am baffled by what is going on with the saddles. Does anyone have a clue as to what is behind this?

I think it is the difference in stretch, a slight different of angle in 'give' will make a huge difference in how they fit you.

It is often but not always that the more expensive saddle is the better one.
I have had a very cheap (4 $US or less) that I used without problems for all its (rather long) life.

People who use saddles with a gap will often tell that those work very well for them, but not for all people.

So I am afraid it will be a case of try and change if it does not work out.
If, as you have, you find one that fits you, try to get one for each (new) bike.


Is it possible to commute 34 km (21 miles) daily? My work is 17 km (10.5 miles) from home and I am wondering if it's possible to commute daily by bike. I live in the Netherlands so the roads are bike-friendly. Google predicts it takes 52 minutes (one-way).Do you think it's an accurate prediction?

I am 25 years old, weigh 80 kg (176 pounds or 12.5 stone), and I am 183 cm (6 foot 0 inches) tall.

That's similar to my old commute (a bit further but flatter), and I didn't cycle regularly when I started. The Google estimate is probably reasonable for the second time you do it, though may not reflect rush hour traffic. The first time will probably take longer due to unfamiliarity (a trip when it doesn't matter if you're late is helpful) and eventually you could be noticeably quicker.

You might get away without a shower in winter, if you're prepared to set off cold, but in summer it's another matter. Mild wet days are also sweaty. Is there a shower available?

When I started bike commuting that sort of distance it was quite tough. Having rest days in the first few weeks helped, and I found that a protein bar or flapjack immediately on arrival in the morning made the return leg (and the day in work) easier


Is the ticking of a free spinning wheel related to its quality? I have often noticed that, whenever a race bike is running with free wheel (so no active pedals movements), I can hear a distinct "tick tick tick tick" coming from the rear wheel, sounding more or less like a speedy clock.

That doesn't happen neither on my cheap city bike, nor on my more expensive tourism bike. Is it a matter of proper lubrication, or is it also an indirect index of how good the gear is?

I would guess that if I hear a sound, some energy is being spent to generate it, and that energy comes from the bike motion. Therefore I would assume that a better bike with lower resistance would be more silent.

No.  Expensive hubs that roll well can be loud or quiet.  Cheap hubs that do not roll well can be loud or quiet.

There are numerous factors that go into the sound that a hub makes while freewheeling.  Among them are design (engagement points, engagement design, etc), the shape and design of the hub (the sounding chamber to some extent), the material the hub is made out of, the amount and type of lubrication in the system, the drive train running the hub and lastly the build of the wheel itself.  All that being the case it's not possible for the average cyclist to listen to a hub and determine it's quality.  A skilled mechanic may be able to listen to a specific brand and model of hub that they are familiar with and have some idea if is in good working order, however, that is a level of expertise you'll rarely encounter.


I can't identify my bike... Serial number ACM05F006119 20 inch bmx? Help me identify my bike please. I have a 20 inch aluminum BMX bike with the serial number ACM05F006110   I believe from the 80s?

Serial number is quite useless, but still, a bike with a similar serial number can be seen here:
https://bikeindex.org/bikes/633505

Serial number may be similar by chance, or it may come from the same factory.
If your bike is similar to the bike depicted there, you may have got a bmx branded MCS, unlikely it is from 80s, likely to be some mass produced aluminium thing similar to a bicycle. The bike in the picture above is from 2005.
Check this models gallery:
https://bmxmuseum.com/bikes/mcs/
to see if yours is similar to any of them.


What is the difference between DOT brake fluids? I know that the two main categories are the mineral oil (Shimano, Magura) and the DOT type (Avid, Hayes).

But what is the difference between the DOT 3, DOT4, DOT 5.1?
Which one should I choose for average mountain biking?

From Wikipedia:

Part of the difference is boiling points:

               Dry boiling point   Wet boiling point
DOT 3       205 °C (401 °F)     140 °C (284 °F)
DOT 4       230 °C (446 °F)     155 °C (311 °F)
DOT 5       260 °C (500 °F)     180 °C (356 °F)
DOT 5.1     270 °C (518 °F)     190 °C (374 °F)

3, 4, and 5.1 are glycol-based, and must be changed periodically, as it absorbs water. 5 is silicone-based and does not need to be replaced.


Fork is noisy sounds like metal parts are loose I have an old road bike.
It's suddenly very noisy around the fork section and the headset.
I've checked and everything around the front wheel seems perfect. However, i month ago i tighten the headset so i'm suspecting a bearing got loose and now jumps around inside.

Is that even possible? if so should i just buy a new headset-set ?
Would love your input thank you.

So I was wrong about the loose part in the headset. Changing the front wheel fixed the problem.
I tried fixing the old wheel, and one bearing jumped out straight away as I opened the hub. I think that was the loose part.


How to find correct size inner tube My tyre says 700x38 on the side of it.
what size inner tube would I need for the wheel? I've ordered a 700x35 inner tube but it seems a little too big for it?

That will be fine.

38 is the measure of your tyre width.
Most inner tubes can be used in a range of tyre widths eg 38-43 (it should say on the box)
They all seem a bit big and flappy until the tyre is on and it's pumped up.

Be careful not to pinch any of your inner tube between the edge of the rim and the bead of the tyre.


How to clean a grimy old bike frame? It's a 1950s eatons glider , used to be my great uncles. Sat in the garage since the 80s and now it's mine. Finally. Haha , but the paint just won't clean up. I've tried soap and water with a toothbrush , spray nine, that's all I got lol any tips ? I want to bring it back to as close to perfect as possible , already did the chrome up and it looks great , the banana seat is great as well, just the paint left

How exactly to clean it depends on the type of dirt, so try to figure that out first.

If it's just regular dust, possibly mixed with moisture and some grease/oil to make it sticky, regular household cleaners should work well. Try to get something mildly (!) abrasive, such as a metal cleaner (used for cleaning stainless steel metal sinks) with a mild abrasive component.

The dirt could also actually be a different paint (maybe someone tried to repaint the frame at some point?). That will be a lot more tricky. Solvents would likely remove the original paint too; here your only option is probably to gently work with sandpaper.

Finally, there are special erasers for cleaning hard surfaces. They look and work similarly to pencil erasers, but are harder, to clean away stuff that is difficult to remove. They should be available at stores for household goods, or at hardware stores.

Note: Do not use oven cleaner - it is meant to be used on enameled surfaces, and will strip off paint (it is actually a fairly decent paint remover).
Thanks to andy256 for this warning.


What power meter would work on my bike? I have a 2015 bike with a Shimano 105 group set the cranks are 172.5mm and behind the crank is says the following. I’m relatively new to cycling and want a power meter please help cheers

This is a big topic. This is the best place I know of to do research. Fair warning, even "cheap" power meters are expensive, although Sensitivus might be changing that.

There are several places where power can be measured on the bike:

The crankarms (probably most common)
The chainrings
The bottom bracket
The rear hub
The pedals

These all measure power based on the same principle: a strain gauge. Power also can be estimated using gadgets that measure your aerodynamic drag and correlate that to your speed over the road.

With the pedals and crankarms, you can get single-sided or double-sided, one being much cheaper.

Pedals are easy because there aren't really compatibility problems, but you'd better like Look-style pedals—I don't think there are any other pedal systems available with power meters, although Speedplay has been acquired by Wahoo, so that might change.

Crankarm-based systems are pretty straightforward: there are some that are add-ons to the same kind of cranks you're using now, and you can even send your current cranks off to a couple of companies and have them put power meters on them.

Obviously a rear-hub power meter needs to be built into a wheel. Again, that's very straightforward to install (and if you've got multiple bikes that can take the same type of wheel, this is probably the easiest way to move a power meter between bikes).

Bottom-bracket power meters are fairly unusual and bring with them all the compatibility questions that you'd expect from the plethora of BB standards.


Suspension compromise for urban use I ride an eBike in New York City.   About 80% of the roads I ride are relatively smooth and 20% pretty bumpy.  On my non suspension bike the 80% is great but the 20% is a bit painful.

I understand the cons of suspension (expensive, brittle, slows you down, heavy) but having some way to smooth out those bumpy roads would be very nice (on a new bike).

Are there certain types of suspension options that would minimize the cons while allowing you a break on the bumpy surfaces?

The biggest con I would like to avoid is the slow down of speed on smooth surfaces!

Apart from going the high-tech route of a front suspension with lock-out, you can also try to get wider tires. The slow-down of wide tires is not that big, but they naturally even out high-frequency bumps. The wider the tire, the smoother your ride gets on the rough roads. Maybe, that's all you need.


What should be my first upgrade? I've been planning to upgrade my Foxter Evans 3.0 (Low budget Bike) to
lessen it's weight. What should I replace to lessen it? Also I'm a 5'11 person
and my frame is a medium. Should I consider replacing the frame due to incompatibility of my height? I only have $400 budget.

Below are the specs:

24 Speed Gears ! ( 8 x 3 Set Up)
Epixon Fork -- new fork
Shimano Gears
Oversize Bar and Stem
Heavy Duty Alloy Frame Square Tubing
27.5 Bike 5'4 to 5'10
Great Affordable Entry Level 27.5 BikeSpecifications:
Frame: Foxter Alloy 6061 Thick Frame Square Tubing 27.5
Fork: Foxter Suspension with Lock Out
Handlebar: Foxter Oversize Alloy
Stem: Foxter oversize Alloy
Shifter: Shimano 8 Speed Shimano Altus
Brakes: Shimano Hydraulic Brakes
Front Derailleur: Shimano Tourney
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Tourney
Crank: Foxter Steel Triple Chainwheel
Cogs: Taiwan 8 Speed
Tires: CST Jet 27.5 x 1.95
Seat Clamp: Quick Release
Rotors: Shimano Rotor Discs

Thank you for those who will answer.

As everyone above points out, you'll pay double or triple to upgrade piecemeal.  Save up buy a whole bike.  Used if you have to.

The two items that I would consider are NOT on your list:

If you are at the upper limit of your seat height, you might consider getting a longer seat post.  It's hard to pedal if you're not getting good leg extension.  (The frame is probably also too short for your torso+arms, but the legs matter more.)
Clipless pedals and shoes.  Your feet will thank you.  Plus, you can carry them forward to your next bike.

You can also upgrade tires once these wear out.


How to convince fellow cyclists to follow the rules, like stopping at red lights? I'm basically a year-round cyclist in Toronto, Canada. The popularity of bicycling as a form of transportation and commuting here has been growing over the past few years, and I'm generally happy people doing things to encourage the practice.

However, on my travels I often see cyclists blowing through red lights, at both minor and major intersections. I also see cyclists blowing past the open doors of the streetcars/trams that we have in Toronto: by law vehicles (which bicycles are) must stop 3m/10' behind them. I mention this as I have a friend to got hit by a bike when getting of a tram and ended up with a broken arm, and often see close calls.

Personally I don't see the point in breaking the rules, as the light is going to change in 30 seconds anyway (I usually end up catching up with these folks a few blocks down the road). One of my concerns is that by acting this way they "ruin" the reputation of more reasonable cyclists, and give the activity a bad name.

There are also the folks who ride the wrong way one one-way streets, even though there's another street going that direction a few tens of metres down the road (the blocks are fairly close together in the urban parts of Toronto--basically a grid). These may seem like small things, but it gives a certain perception of cyclists that is not entirely positive.

Does anyone have an effective strategy for convincing these folks to obey the rules? Is it worth approaching them and talking to them at all?

(This is assuming that they're reasonable people, i.e., people who listen to reason and logic.)

Coming from Vienna, Austria where most of the people are known to be rather grumpy, I would recommend to avoid talking to people directly. I have made some rather bad experiences with this approach and very few successes.

I have read a Book about Psychology named "Die Kunst kein Egoist zu sein" by Richard David Precht, and as I remember he states something interesting:

  Everyone tries to maintain a good self image.  So, in the moment
  someone decides to break a rule, that someone declares for himself
  that this rule does not apply for him in this situation. For example,
  when he runs a red light, he already made the decision to, and in the
  same moment made an excuse for his action, to have a clear conscience.

So, in my Opinion, in the moment you speak to him, you break his peace of mind. I think he won't be to happy about it. He already made the decision, and in this moment you are in a bad position to talk to him.

So to convince folks to obey the rules, there should be better education for bicyclists (handouts, information, courses) as well as better infrastructure (like having crossings where you do not have to wait for one traffic light as a car but three traffic lights as a cyclist).  This can be reached if cyclists unite and advocate for this. If some cyclists know the rules and follow them, other cyclists will do the same. So be a great example! Our bicycle union in Austria has some flyers to give to cyclists, where a basic description of important rules is included. I only give these to people I know or people that look like it is their first day on a bike, but that also might be an option.

There will always be some gung-ho cyclists, but at least for me I am lucky that this people do not steer a car with the same gung-ho attitude.