Weight of wheels vs. weight of tyres On my touring bike, about a year ago, I upgraded my tires from the low-end stock ones to better lighter ones.
The weight gain was 205g per tire so 410g on the whole bike, plus a few grams on the tubes that were smaller ergo lighter since I reduced my section.

This made a huge difference in the reactivity, and the overall velocity of the bike.

Now for my racing bike, I intend to replace the wheels from the heavy stock ones to higher end ones. In addition to features such as stiffness and so, the new wheelset will be 410g lighter and I will gain a few more grams with a cassette change.

So weight-wise, the gain is very similar, will the feel be similar as last year? since this weight gain is also done on moving weight

Depending on your ability level this might be noticeable or it might not. Pro racers are often able to tell when as little as 100g is added somewhere on the bike (or geometry changes by .5 degrees for example).

With switching wheels the weight loss is felt in a couple different ways:

Overall weight On a bike that only weighs, let's say, 28 lbs (12,700g) a loss of .9 lbs (410g) is about 3% savings. If your bike weighed 100lbs it'd only be about 1%, so the impact of general weight savings is dependent on light the bike is already.
Rotational weight Heavier wheels are harder to spin up and slow down faster. Reducing that weight will reduce these effects. However, this comes mostly from the weight at the edge of the wheel (tires, tubes, rims), so if the weight savings are coming from a lighter hub, it will be less noticeable.

As usual, these all depend on the specifics of the wheel, the bike, and the rider and how all three interact. If your looking at dropping whole pounds by switching equipment I'd do it, but if it's just to save 50g, then it's probably not worth it.


Suggestions for a commuter bike with 20 inch wheels and suspension? Got my Raleigh Shopper stolen (thieves are so desperate nowadays), and looking for a similar replacement.      Could anyone suggest the best search query to search for similar bikes (Raleigh, BSA, Puch all made variations of it at some point)?

My main question, though, would be whether there is a similar-size or slightly (24 inch?) bigger bike that is also step-through, commuter-ready (comfortable seat standard, mudguards) and has suspension? Smaller than 20 inch is too small for me, so Moulton is out.

I could go with a suspension seat on some vintage shopper but wanted to check if there is something modern that fits the bill.

Dahon mid range folders, and a lot of cheaper chinese clones, usually come with full guards. e.g. this: https://dahon.com/bikes/mariner-d8-2/
The steel frames are only a teensy bit heavier than aluminium, and last better - I have had both - steel would actually be my preference from Dahon.

If you are happy with 20" steering, then go folding - it's totally awesome, and sociable, to be able to fold your bike up, and easily throw it in the back of someones car for a ride home.

I am happy with the Suntour seatpost, much better than the tubular type. not sure if you can get it to match the long fat seatpost of a folder though. (needs very regular oiling, and oiling before first use).

Can't help with the mini ape hangers though.


2 speed shifter for three chainring set I just bought a A070 Shimano Sti 2x7 set for my bike which is 3x7.
Could I still install and use all three chainrings?
Or would I be limited to the two chain rings?

Yes - you have limited yourself to two front chainrings.  Most likely you'd choose the big and middle, leaving you a useless granny ring.  This could be removed for weight savings.

As a rider of a 3x7 who is also a poor climber, I love my triple and it lets be spin at 90 when a "modern" bike is mashing 60 RPM.

Consider returning the shifters and get what you really need, or go to a 2x7 and forgo steep climbs.  Or you might be able to set the shifter on small and middle rings, then use something else to pull the inner wire more so the shifter mech pulls out to the biggest chainring.  A wedge between frame and exposed downtube wire?  Would look silly.


How do you compare chainsets on MTB? Which is better? I'm looking at getting a decent mountain bike that will probably spend quite a bit of time on the road.
I found that the most common types of chainsetsare either:

Shimano Altus 2x9
Shimano Deore 1x10 (on the more expensive models).
SRAM SX Eagle 1x12 (on the much more expensive models).

When I compared the ratios of these three chainsets, the Shimano Altus seems to have lower low end speeds and higher high end speeds, so in general it seems like the better option to me.  Yet I can't understand why the 1x Deore and 1x SX Eagle are the more expensive options, aside from the weight loss, is there any other benefit to them or is this really just a case that the Altus is better? At least in terms of speed (which is what I am mainly interested in).
Am I missing any other important comparisons? Aside from weight and I guess it being easier to switch gears in a 1x setup (i.e. chain not crossing and stuff).

You are mixing quality with quantity (on this case gear range).
1x in a true MTB setting gives more than enough range for a majority of riders most of the time. MTBers on 1x tend to elect a chainring that gives the lowest low gear they need for climbing, and accept the limited loss of time that occurs the few times they are spun out at high speeds.  Reality is if a technical MTBer is going fast than spun out speed, they are concentrating on lines, jumps and landings, speed is far from a  priority.  The advantages (listed in the answer by @MaplePanda) out weight the loss of top gearing.
2x is useful for those who ride big hills on roads and need a low gear for climbing and a high gear for high speed descents, or weaker riders than need super low gears for hills. Until recently 2x has also been a viable choice for budget, but 1x is now avaible as some quite low price points.  The 1x fanboys often come with a 1 eyed view of its advantages, most of which suit experianced rider significantly more than inexperiacned riders (eg. Anyone thinking about Altus or SX is not a weight weenie, probably cannot afford a dropper and almost certainly buying a hard tail where there is plenty of room for a front derailluer)
There are many other group set options on bikes - if you cannot find what you like at the price point you can afford, keep looking.
In terms of quality, Deore is (IMHO) the best in the list you have given. Altus is considered too low quality for reliable operation MTB standards, but is suitible for road and occasional light offroad use.  SX Eagle is somewhere close to the Deore in quality - probably comes down to personal preference.


How much better are ceramic rims at wicking away water I assume the best advantage to ceramic rims would be the ability to shed water easier due to their relative flatness. How much better are they? Does it make that much of a difference when breaking?

I don't think it's so much that they wick away water as that there's more friction to be had when wet. I haven't personally had ceramic rims before, but everything I've heard and read leads me to believe that folks who ride often in bad weather prefer them once they've tried them, due to easier braking.


Can I just fit a cassette with more gears with the same derailleur? I've got a Boardman Road Sport which I use for commuting and doing reasonable length rides during the week etc. I have Shimano Claris as my rear derailleur and so is some of my groupset. I would like to upgrade my cassette to an either 9 or 10 speed to give me a greater variety of gears. To do this do I need to change my rear derailleur from 8 speed to Shimano 105 or something similar? Or can I just change my cassette? Do I also need to change my shifters as well?

If you want to change your cassette to something with more gears, then you will need to replace the rear shifter and possibly the rear derailleur.  A cheaper option would be to get a wider range cassette which still has 8 gears.  You'll have bigger jumps between the gears, but you'll have a bigger range of gears.  With a wider range cassette, you may need a new rear derailleur with a longer cage.


Shimano 105 5800 rear shifter: intermittent downshift jam, clears when held upside down First post here. I can't seem to figure out a strange problem with my right-hand Shimano 105 5800 shifter, which is only 15 months and a few thousand miles old.

Initial symptoms on the bike:
Intermittently, when attempting to downshift to an easier gear at the rear (larger sprocket), the large lever would jam just at the point where you would normally expect a click and a shift. No shift happens. This would occur, seemingly at random, in all rear sprockets. The feeling at the lever is the same as hitting the limit stop when you reach the biggest sprocket. Temporary, unreliable remedy: shift up first to a harder gear, then shift down two gears, and hope it doesn't immediately jam again.

My first thought:
Must be the gear cable fraying. These shifters have a habit of eating the rear derailleur cable inside the shifter mechanism. I've had that before, although the symptoms were different: that was a gradual degradation in shift performance, not a total jam. Anyway, I replaced the cable (inner and outer) for good measure, but the problem persists.

Further investigation:
I took the lever off the bike to check the mechanism function without a cable, and the problem is still there. The fault remains exactly as it first presented on the bike:

occasional jam when attempting shift to larger sprocket
shift to smaller sprocket always works perfectly, and sometimes temporarily cures the downshift jam

Most oddly, when the lever is held upside down (lever sticking up in the air), the shifting is perfect (at least, once you've downshifted to get it unjammed, it stays unjammed).

I have taken the bottom inspection plate off to have a look at the inside of the shifter, but avoided further disassembly (so far, at least...). The only thing I've done is clean it out and relube it.

Video:
Youtube video demonstrating

fully correct operation when held upside down
then turning it right side up, and successful upshifts
then the downshift jam occurs
then turning it upside down again; the downshift jam is maintained
lastly, an upshift restores fully correct (upside down) operation

Photos:
These are taken in the "jammed" condition (i.e. will not downshift).

Any ideas?

Yeah, the little plate that make you shit to bigger cog had an issue on mine, the spring was not strong enough and failed to grip... so, the shift would not work. `
Funny enough, I put a rubber to hold it tight and it's working well. I don't know for how long though...


Suspension Fork Axles I'm looking to upgrade my suspension forks from Rock Shox Dart 3 to something like Rock Shox Sektor RL.

A lot of the forks have either a 15 or 20 mm axle, or 'Maxle'. What does this mean? Will this require me to buy a new wheel/hub to accommodate for this? I currently have what I believe to be a standard quick release skewer...

Yes - if you change to a 15mm or 20mm though axle, you will need a new hub to suit. Keep in mind that bike carries that you remove the front wheel and use the QR will be not be useable as well.

Apparently the benefits of the though axle out-weigh the disadvantages of incompatible parts etc. However I would think hard before "upgrading" away from QR and only do it if the benefits are quantifiable. e.g. if "Mines bigger than yours" or "Mines 1/2 gram lighter than yours", "It looks cool and people think I must be a good rider cause I have a 20mm thru  axle" (looks can be deceptive) seems to be the main advantages for many people. Most people cite "Improved Stiffness", as they compare their old 10yo QR shock with their new 20mm Thru axle and point to the Axle as the only thing that changed. Reliability is often another stated reason - read Sheldon's pages on properly fitted QR's.

Don't get me wrong - if I was buying new, I would consider a Thru offering, but I would not upgrade to it - the cost of a new front hub on top of the the Sektor, you would get a much better setup putting the all the money into a better 9mm QR Shock (And reading Sheldon's pages on how to properly install a QR).


Does having bigger wheels mean less effort pedaling? Assuming that we are using a fixed-gear bicycle and width of the wheels are the same, I wondered, does having bigger wheels mean I need to less effort to get from point A to point B in an urban setting? I'm thinking based on the formula for circumference:

Where r is the radius of a bike wheel. Additionally when looking at this gif for a vertical visualization of circumference:

It appears that having bigger wheels will get you from point A to point B in an urban setting with less rotations by the wheel, but does that also mean I need to work less to get there? What about uphill? Does having bigger wheels help/hurt biking uphill?

Assuming a completely smooth road and neglecting the weight of the wheels, it makes no difference: you still need to do the same amount of work. Essentially, larger wheels give you a higher gear ratio, so doubling the diameter of the wheels would mean you'd only need to turn them half as many times, so you'd only need to turn the pedals half as many times, but you need to press twice as hard on them.

But, in reality, there are limits to what you can do. If you need to lift 100kg of wood, it's easier to lift 10kg at a time, even though the total work done is the same as when you lift the whole lot at once. Similarly, you'll be more physiologically efficent (and comfortable!) pedalling with certain ranges of cadence and force.

Bigger wheels roll over bumps better. As an easy thought experiment, consider a pit whose width is equal to the diameter of your wheel. Obviously, the wheel will fall right into the pit. But if you consider a wheel with twice that diameter, it will only drop a little way into the pit as it bridges over it.

In practice, though, there aren't a whole lot of wheel sizes to choose from.  Either you get a folding bike with small wheels, or you get a non-folding bike with wheels about 62cm/29in in diameter (or about 56cm/26in for mountain bikes).


Joshua X1 Rear Sprocket I need a rear sprocket for a 1997 Joshua X1.  Are they available anywhere?  I live in North Carolina.  If not does anyone buy the MTB for parts?

Looks like it has a freehub and 7 speed shifters by default. So you just need a 7 speed Shimano cassette (note the difference between a cassette and freewheel), which you can find at your local bike shop pretty easily or online.

The default is a Shimano-compatible (made by Shimano, SRAM, IRD, etc.) 7 speed 11-30t cassette. Your LBS probably has some laying around - according to Sheldon Brown's site, that exact cassette is no longer made, but there are several other close ones like this.

You need some tools for replacing a cassette, so it might be cheaper (and it is like a 5 minute job) for your LBS to do it.


How do I use this style of hitch rack? I recently got this rack for free. Someone down the street had left it outside with a “free” sign. How do I actually use it? Do I need to buy straps to hold the bikes down? Am I missing a part? It seems like the bikes would immediately bounce out of the indents without any retention.

Yes you must get something like a strap to hold the bikes in place. Something that you can tighten down to retain the bike and will not loosen. Nylon webbing straps with a tensioner are usually supplied with the rack when new.

A bike lock could do double duty in retaining and securing the bike, but something that can be tensioned is preferable. Consider a strap and a lock for true zen-like peace of mind.

Bikes on these kinds of racks are surprisingly stable, but must be secured; when transporting anything on our vehicles we must ensure very little can go wrong.


To what extent is grease interchangeable? There is a confusing variety of greases for various bike parts out there. I wonder if I can just disregard that and use a 'one-size-fits-all' grease (if such a grease exists?

Some greases really are special. But in other cases the grease doesn't really matter. Since so many companies just say to use their approved grease, it can be hard to tell apart which applications are really special and which ones don't really matter.
There are some applications where you should only use the approved grease and using the wrong grease really will cause a problem. This includes roller brake grease. This is critical to use the exact grease specified, and unsafe to substitute anything else.
Also, some frame couplers specify special fluoro-compound grease, and it's best to follow the instructions or potentially ruin your frame from thread galling.
Any carbon parts like carbon seatposts should use grease recommended by the manufacturer or for the application.
Internal gear hubs usually use oil, but it's important to use the correct lubricant. Some hubs like the NuVinci hub literally are designed around the special oil they use. For other hub types, the grease doesn't usually matter.
On the other hand there are a lot of applications where the grease doesn't matter that much. In that case I use boat trailer bearing grease, or if something lighter or cleaner is needed, white lithium grease. These include things like most steel threads including pedal threads, steel seatposts and quill stems, brake pivots, wheel and headset bearings, crank splines, cassette splines, etc.


Could I use a 30 tooth chainring with my current crankset? a few months back I installed a 34 tooth narrow-wide chainring in my Santa Cruz Bronson. I decided to install the 34 tooth chainring, basically, because I couldn't fit any other smaller chainring using my current crankset.

You can see my current build in the following picture:

I use a "standard 73mm threaded BB" GXP (or that's what Santa Cruz website says).

How could I change it to a 30t chainring?

Do I need to buy a new crankset? If so, do you recommend direct mount cranksets (in case I need to switch it to another side of chainring in a future), and, does any GPX-adapted crankset work?

UPDATE: my crankset BCD is 104

The key measurement for chainrings is the Bolt Circle Diameter (BCD). If you imagine those four bolts being points on the circumference of a circle, then the BCD is the circle's diameter. As always, Sheldon Brown's site is a good reference  here (and his crib sheet will help you work out your bike's BCD).

So having found out your BCD, any shainring with that BCD, and with the same number of bolts, should fit onto your existing crankset.

Now, you also need to consider how wide the chainring is. If you imagine the chain going around the chainring during cycling, what you're looking for is to have a perfect fit as the chain feeds into the teeth.

The problem is that there are two common chain widths out there: 1/8" (generally used by track bikes, some fixies, bmx, probably others) and 3/32" (generally, any bike with a derailleur, including road bikes and mtbs). So when you're looking to buy a chainring, it will generally be spec'd either 1/8 or 3/32 to denote the chain that it is paired with. Without getting too bogged down in detail, the best combination is where both chain and chainring are matched, although you'll get away with a mismatch, as long as the chain is wider than the ring.

Now, you say that your BCD is 104, and point to a chainring that might be a good fit. Certainly the BCD is a match. Also, while that url doesn't say explicitly 1/8 or 3/32, it does say that the ring is compatible with 9/10/11 speed drivetrains. In other words, with a geared bike. So you can deduce that it is a 3/32 ring, and should therefore fit with your current chain.

Lastly, note that if you are going to fewer T, you may need to shorten the chain.


Crack on Carbon Frame? I see a crack on the carbon frame of my bike

https://www.dropbox.com/s/flqrue2plzyqki9/DSC_0118.JPG?dl=0

The bike is around 4 years old but I just notice the crack line now.  I think there was always some kind of a hairline crack just a few months after getting it.  Its about 3/4 away around, but is it paint or more serious ? the picture is not the best.

What are my options going forward ? do you start to look at a replacement frame, send it to be fixed  ? (its a Cannondale Super Six 105 Carbon 2012)

According to Cannondales website they offer limited lifetime warranties on their frames. They also have a passage that states"The specific warranty covering your Cannondale bicycle is governed by the law of the state or country in which it was purchased, and applies only to bicycles purchased from Authorized Cannondale Retailers". That said my first stop would be the dealer that you bought it from. I would stop riding it until they check it out. You don't want a warranty denial due to the fact you rode it damaged. If you get an unsatisfactory response I would seek a second opinion from a shop that specializes in carbon frame repair. I believe most shops don't see enough frames to form a valid opinion. Or they fear litigation (rightfully so) and make a judgment for safety sake.  You may save a few coins if you disassemble the bottom bracket so they can get a look inside the shell.
  I had a Cervelo R3 with a similar looking flaw. After having it checked by a shop (Hot Tubes) that does custom builds and frame repairs. They determined it was stress cracks in the paint. That was several years ago and it has not gotten worse.


BB92 (Shimano bottom bracket) with SRAM 30mm crankshaft (X01 or XX1 BB30)? The frame that I want to build has BB92 bottom bracket hole.

The drivetrain I want to use is 1x11 SRAM XX1 or X01 with 30mm crankshaft (BB30)(edit: also available GXP).

There are ways to fit it - directly pressing these bearings (or similar from other manufacturers) into the frame so the 30mm shaft will fit.

The question is will it fit also length-wise (will length of shaft be compatible) or same spacers are necessary and is the solution a good one (prone to squeaking, no bad experience with such setup etc.)?

Edit:
Other possibility is to use GXP X01 or XX1 crankset. Since those spindles are stepped it wont work with BB92 shimano bottom bracket, but will fit with GXP BB92 press-fit bearing cups (which is similar solution to the firts one)

Which solution is the better one?

BB92 is also known as PF41. The shell width should be 91.5mm and the inner diameter should be 41mm.

30mm:

According to SRAM's 1x11 frame fit specifications, the inner part of the XX1 "spider" sits 45.5mm from the centreline (Dimension W1). The equivalent dimension is 43.5mm for X1 cranksets.

MTB BBs compatible with Hollowtech 2 should have a fully-assembled width of 96.5mm. Road HT2 BBs should have a fully-assembled width of 91mm.

It won't be possible to fit SRAM 30mm cranks to a BB92-spec frame without permanently modifying the frame. There are various systems which use a 30mm diameter axle and greater lengths, including Rotor, Hope, and eThirteen.

GXP:

Many brands produce BB92/PF41 bottom brackets for GXP cranksets, but this combination is not common so many retailers won't have them in stock.

Hope offer converters to allow GXP axles to be used with their 24mm bottom brackets. These should not be used with Shimano BBs as they already have a plastic "top-hat" spacer between the bearings' inner casings and the axle, whereas Hope use bearings with a 24mm.


Can these shifters be fixed? Scratches? I got into an accident where my handlebars got bent. They are very firm and do not seem to budge with force, but I'm a small guy. Can they be fixed? Can I do it myself? What tools would I need? How much would it cost for someone else to do it? Is this considered major damage, or something minor?

Additionally, how difficult would it be to fix these scratches/marks?

Damaged Handlebar

Undamaged Handlebar

Marks/Scratches

The first question is "is the handlebar actually bent?". Brake levers/shifters are just clamped onto the bar, and the clamp may have just slipped. It's not clear from the angle of the picture that the bar may be fine but the clamp on the brifter slipped. You can peel back the hood (back to front) and adjust the clamp if this is the case).
If it is the case that the handlebar itself is actually bent (which I think is unlikely; if this was the case, the brifter would likely be toast), I'd just buy a new handlebar. The stress of bending the handlebar back may increase the likelihood of failure. Plus, handlebars are not very expensive or hard to replace.
As for fixing scratches on shifters, you can buy just the name plate if you want, but if the shifters work fine I wouldn't bother. The part numbers are Shimano Y-6KD98030 and Y-6RR98030 for the ST-5600 levers (look for the exploded view of your shifters on Shimano's website). Then you can find the parts by searching the web for a few bucks.
Finally, I'd give the whole bike a once over as if I was considering buying it used if anything else is wrong, for some peace of mind; there are a ton of questions on buying used bikes on this SE which you can look at for what to check.


Should rotors have no rub at all? I just installed a new front disk brake and the rotor rubs a bit once per rotation.  If I take the rotor off and place it on flat surface, it seems totally flat but once installed I can see/hear it rubbing onto the installed disk brake caliper once a rotation.  It's enough friction that it's making the wheel stop spinning pretty soon compared with when spin it with the brake off(not sure how to quantify it)

Is this normal?

(The new brake is an hydrolic Avid 7 Elixer and it replaced the original (also hydrolic) Avid 7 Juicy that came with the bike.  It's the original rotor.  The fork is a Lefty and therefore there's not any adjustment to be done on the wheel.)

Some rub is OK. No rub is optimal. Normal riding can bend the rotors, so the "no rub" situation never lasts forever. This can be fixed though.

You can adjust the caliper to reduce rub (or completelly eliminate it). The bolt holes are not very tight so you can play around with offseting the caliper accordingly. Just unscrew the 2 allen bolts a bit and start playing around with offsets. Looking through the brake pads and disk to a bright coloured floor (e.g white) makes this process very easy.

If the space of the pads is not enough to allow zero rub then you can try to straighten the disk. Use a clean rug/paper towler to grab it and give it slight push or pull on the spot it's bent. Never touch the rotor with your hand because the hand has a bit of oil which can reduce the performance of your brake.

The fact that your brake is new doesn't mean that it should be 100% rub free. There is a small possibility that the hub 6 bolt platform is slightly off. So a new disk will always look bent when rotating between the pads.


Why do track cyclers start slow? I was watching the Olympics today and happened to catch track cycling (sprint). I understand that they have fixed gear bikes which is a reason they start slow, however, I did not understand why they did a lap or a little more at a very slow pace, then proceeded to pick up the pace for the second lap, and finally sprinted on the last lap instead of just going full out from the get go? What is the strategy behind this?

They don't start slow because they are on a fixed gear (track) bike. They start slow because they are trying to coax the other rider into starting the sprint for the finish line before they do. The advantage is typically given to the rider behind the other because you have not only the element of surprise, but you also get a draft off the person in front.

These riders walk the line of not starting their sprint too early and thusly fading at the end...and allowing the other rider to get the jump on them and losing the advantage of getting in their draft.


Road bike raises my heart rate more tahn my MTB? I own a HRM that I use during most of my rides and I noticed that I manage to push myself to the limit when I ride my road bike but not with my MTB. My max HR is always higher with my road bike, my average HR likewise. Is there an explanation for this?

Heart rate is not an indicator of effort - its an indicator of fitness.

The best tool for measuring effort is a power meter, but they're not cheap.  Everything else is an estimate of power, rather than a measurement.

Your heart rate and your breathing rates will rise as your muscles demand more oxygen.

Could be your cadence is higher on the road bike and you're spinning, where-as you're mashing on the MTB which leads to different muscle fibres being used.


Do road bikes use the same width headsets? I know that most commonly MTB's use 1 1/8" steerers and older non-suspension bikes use 1" but I don't really know anything about the width of modern road bikes.  Do they now use 1 1/8" or do they use a different width?

Most modern bicycles, be they road or mountain, use 1 1/8" threadless headsets.  You will occasionally find bicycles, particularly in the lower cost ranges, that will still use an old 1" threaded headset and a threaded quill stem, but these are becoming more and more rare every year.


Bullhorn handlebars or extension grips? I use my hybrid bike for commuting and casual trips, and comfort is important to me.  I am therefore looking to upgrade my handlebar to the bullhorn type, as this greatly increases comfort and reduces strain on my wrists. However, well-made handlebars can be quite costly, and I see that "extension grips" exist that can just be put on a regular handlebar.

Obviously the handlebars need to be trustworthy, and not be prone to "slip" as I put my weight on it. Can the less expensive extension grips do the job, or should I opt for a whole new handlebar? I value comfort and safety more than price, but if all else is equal, price triumphs, obviously. The kind of extension grips I am looking at are attached at the bottom of this question.

If I opted for a whole new handlebar, I would still need to get one of these ergonomic grips for the horn-part of the handlebar, as the handlebars sold seem to mostly just be the metal bar itself. So I am leaning toward just getting grips to equip on my current handlebar, provided that they last and are safe to use.

So, will such handlebar grips provide me with long and safe service, or is really a whole new handlebar the only way to go? Preferably I want something that can be re-used when I someday buy a new bike.

Source: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/se/en/ergon-gp5-grips/rp-prod35359

I'd give the bar ends a try. They give you a hand position or two more depending on model, and they're relatively inexpensive. Plus, I've never had slippage with my Ergon GP3's -- the clamp mechanism is excellent.

With new bars, you have to make sure that the clamp diameter of the stem matches the bar's clamp diameter, and the grip area diameter matches the shifter + brake clamps. There are some that 23.8mm (mostly used for road bars) and others with 22.2 mm (mostly used for flat bars) for the grip area.

As for bullhorns being bare metal, you wrap them in bar tape, just like drop bars for the road.

I'd also play with other adjustments on the bike, such as saddle position, bar height and stuff (an adjustable stem or quill stem if you have one makes this easy). You may be riding in a bad position or something which is causing the discomfort.


What are good sites/places to buy/sell bike parts for older bikes? I've been wondering is there a marketplace to buy/sell/get original parts for bikes no longer made? I have a Bridgestone X0-1 Hybrid (the weird looking one with mustache handlebars) and I want to either restore it to original like new condition (or might just sell it) but I haven't really found a good place to research this. Any ideas?  I've tried ebay, but either its a whole bike (I don't need that) or never the parts I need!

Thanks,
Mike


Can someone help identify my vintage bike frame? I don't know a lot about bikes and bought this frame about 5 years ago in Montreal. It was repainted and looks like an old touring frame. It is very light steel, very low (close to the ground), doesn't have the original fork (1") and the bottom bracket had to be ordered from an italian manufacturer.

The photos are not great, but as I didn't know what to shoot exactly, I thought I'd give it a try.

Can someone help identify this frame?

Back in the day, the quick way to tell the road-race style bikes from the road-tour bikes was to look at the wheel clearance.  The race bikes would have very little clearance (~1cm) between the rear wheel and the frame, and the touring bikes tended to have closer to 5cm.

This is why from a distance it looks like a touring frame, but up close you can see that the positioning screws in the rear dropouts are missing, and the wheel settles into a location much further back than it should.  You can see the scratches in the dropout from the original wheel position.  You might want to replace those screws.

In any case, it's not a touring bike.

The Italian BB thread is a big clue.  According to https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-bottombrackets.html there were a few French makers that used Italian threads as well.


Best Gearing for a very fit but on his way out 52 year old Firstly, I'm no beginner.
I've just bought a so called good bike from a major retailer.  Why would a "good" bike come with "beginner" gears?  Chainring 50-34 with 10 speed cassette 12-28.  I enjoy terrain that is similar to turbo training.  That is, get into a rhythm and fight to maintain it for as long as possible, changing gear one tooth to maintain cadence on slight up hills or into wind.  I will never opt for up and down big hills.  Not my idea of fun!  I enjoy hitting high speed and maintaining that....  But at 52 I'm not getting any stronger with time.  I'm thinking of switching to 12-25 just because it has more gears in the middle range.  but I now probably need a 48 on the front so that the ratio 3 +/- 0.3 is in the exact middle.  Can I get a 12-21?  What's the point of the smaller chainring?  All gears are duplicated except those at end of range which I will never use?  Why not remove and decrease weight?

I use Sheldon Brown's Gear Calculator whenever I'm looking into gear ratios. For someone who doesn't ride any big hills I would think that 50/34 - 12/28 would be absolutely ideal. You could go 1x and get 98% of a 50/34 with a 44+10/42. See SRAMs pocket guide

50-12 tops out at about 33mph definitely not something that mortals can sustain for very long on a flat road.


Installing New 2020 Rockshox Reverb C1 Dropper Post I bought a brand new Rockshox Reverb C1 dropper post off of ebay and it came in the wrapper with the hydraulic cable housing already connected to the lever. My problem now is how do I route the cable housing through the frame on my carbon frame? The port on the frame is formed to route the cable housing. My problem is that I can't figure out how to remove the new 2020 flat barb is on the end of the hose. That needs to be remove in order to put the hose through the frame. I tried to unscrew the barbs at both ends but they won't budge. I can't imagine that a brand new product would involve hacking up the cable housing and cutting the barbs out.

Just had the same problem, tried some force but no good. Then tried the torx tool which came in the box, fit perfectly in.
Clamped the hose and unscrewed, the barbs are threaded into the hydraulic hose!


What is the difference between race/road and cx bikes? The only differences I know is that road bikes are often lighter and uses different set of brakes. But what else are the main differences?

Cyclocross bikes will have a slightly different geometry. More like a relaxed road geometry with a higher bottom bracket than a road bike typically. You'll be stretched out a bit less and more upright. Cross frames also will have wider tire clearances for 32mm to 35mm tires, but it varies by model as some can fit 38mm to 45mm tires.

Traditionally, brakes tend to be wide profile cantilever brakes for good tire clearance and less chance of clogging with mud on cyclocross bikes.  However, disc brakes are now readily available on many cyclocross bikes.  Road / Racing bikes tend to use caliper brakes which have better modulation, but typically have small tire clearances, which may be too restrictive for cross tires, especially when they are covered in mud.

The new standard rear wheel size for disc cross bikes seems to be 135mm, so it's the same as mountain bike disc hubs. Non disc cyclocross bikes tend to have rear hubs which are spaced at 130mm, the current road standard hub spacing.

Tires on a cross bike are going to be different as well.  Road bikes will typically have skinny 23mm to 28mm slicks.  On a cyclocross bike, you will typically have knobbier tires which may not last as long and provide more rolling resistance when compared to road tires, which is a tradeoff for having better handling on dirt / grass / mud.  You can always swap out tires to match whatever style of riding you prefer. Depending on how serious you are about racing, you can find both cyclocross and road tires available as glue on tubular tires.  However, some people have been adapting mountain bike tubeless technology and mounting cross tires as tubeless to run lower pressures for better offroad handling. It is not common to use the mountain bike style tubeless setup on a road bike, and generally not desirable.

Road bikes and cyclocross bikes tend to use STI shifters and similar groupsets (chainrings / cassette / derailleur combinations), however sometimes people prefer to use bar-end shifters for cyclocross (or retroshift shifters which mount bar end shifters on brake levers).  Additionally, some cyclocross bikes have an extra guard on the outer chainring to prevent injury when mounting / dismounting frequently. These guards are typically not as heavy duty as mountain bike bash guards.

Cable routing tends to be different on cyclocross bikes due to the need to shoulder a  bike during the race, so under the top tube routing is typically avoided.  Sometimes 3 cables on top of the top tube or internal cable routing strategies are used.  Often times full housing will be used to help prevent cables from getting contaminated with mud as easily.


How secure are Security Wheel Skewers like Zéfal Lock'n'Roll? I'm looking for a reliable locking system for my wheels to prevent being stolen, specifically for the front wheel as I always attach the rear one together with the frame with the U-lock.

I look for something easy, not an additional wire or U-lock. I found several systems ranging from 15€ (Zéfal, Point) to 36€ (HexLock - this is pretty cool and seems secure to me).

Back to Zéfal Lock'n'Roll - wouldn't it be possible to break it just with a pliers, using it to unscrewing the nut at the other side of the lock? It seems a plain nut to me and even don't have cone shape to avoid to be caught and unscrew with the pliers.

So do I am right? Anyone can confirm it? Is then more secure than a plain nut?

Reviews state that its pretty easy to break into.

To quote the road.cc article above:

  In locked mode, attempts to prise them open with my hands proved reassuringly futile. However, a wander round the web suggested they were readily defeated using heavy-duty pliers or a magnet… The latter worked but I later discovered slight play in the skewer permitted this. Fully home and it wouldn’t budge but pliers demolished them in 48 seconds, freeing the front wheel Similarly holding the acorn end with pliers and rotating the cam also induced release. Configuring each so they open in a different position might slow ignorant, opportunist thieves to the point they go in search of easier pickings but regrettably the existing design is too easily overcome.

If you want a quality product, look at something like Pitlock skewers which are pretty difficult to grab onto, and can also be installed for things like seatposts and stuff (Pitlocks have been around for years and are generally well regarded).

Alternatively, lock your wheels properly with good quality U-locks or chains. For example, if you catch the rim in the rear triangle of a standard diamond frame, you can't remove the wheel from the bicycle or the frame without cutting the lock or the rim (which is extremely unlikely to happen).

One thing about security is that bad security looks very close to good security a lot of the times (and assessing good security is often based on trust; if Bruce Schneier says a computer security system is good, you might feel okay about it; if Joe Schmoe on twitter says so, you probably wouldn't put any stake into it). So, do your research on any products that you may consider buying from quality sources.

Also, be aware of your threat model. If you live in certain areas, things like these aren't going to be worth it cause the threat of people stealing wheels is negligible. In other areas, it may be redundant with the locking strategy you always have to employ. Anyway, things like security skewers and bolts are for relatively casual thieves; remember that you need to avoid them walking away with the whole bike first.

I'm always cautious with things off Kickstarter, but the idea of Hexlox looks similar to the Pitstopper from Pitlock; the question is if one (or both) of the implementations are acceptable in quality. In any case, both Hexlox and Pitstopper look inferior to the original Pitlock system IMO (but I haven't done any tests with either of them). The Point system doesn't look very secure either and I've never heard of the company either.


Can an untrue wheel cause up down jerks? I've noticed during a ride that the back wheel was giving me unpleasant up-down kicks (sort of like a weight was added on a section of the rim). I realised later that it had maybe 2-3 mm of left right wobble but the about of up down movement doesn't seem too significant (I should mention that I can only do visual inspections).

Can this up-down kerk be caused by that left-right uneveness?

Yes.  It's possible.  Newly laced wheels often have "flat spots" where the rim is out of round.  Generally you round and dish the wheel before you start trueing it.  It's possible that the wheel has a flat spot that you are feeling.

However, there are another possibilities to include bad tyre mounting, improperly secured wheel (axle), bad tyre and assorted drive train issues.  It may be best to have a mechanic or experienced home maintainer check it out.


Seized brake caliper nuts Servicing a mate's bike. The brake caliper nuts were already rounded off. Tried all the hints to remove without success.

Agreed to saw off the calipers as new ones were needed anyway. Got this done and removed all parts apart from the nut. Both the front nut, inside the fork and the rear in the frame are currently immovable.

Soaked in wd40 and tried screwing in a bolt from the front and tapping to loosen - without success. Any further hints or advice??

I'm guessing your brake nuts look something like this, except they're completely recessed in the frame and all you can see is the hex socket on the back

Good news is there is no threadded part here that connects to the frame.  They will be rusted/stuck in place, or there's some possibility that the installer used some kind of thread-locker product and its come out the front and set onto the frame/fork's metal.

I'd start by removing the wheels for easier access.
Then hang the bike so the nut is vertical - start with the back one cos its shorter, so the seat stays are horizontal.
Get some blue-tack or something similar, and bog around the hex socket to retain the oil. Arrange a rag to catch any drips.
From the brake caliper side, squirt in some penetrating oil, like Liquid Wrench, or another brand.  CRC and WD40 are a poor substitute for the correct stuff.
And then leave it for a couple hours.  Come back periodically and give it another squirt.  (you can also do the front one, but the angles are all wrong so it probably drip straight off)
Next day (or longer, I've done this for a week on some car stuff!)  fit a longer bolt and thread it into the nut from the top.    Tighten till it bottoms out on the inside of the hex socket.  If it pops out the other side fit a nut as a locknut and tighten that against the underside of the stuck nut.
Then try and twist the stuck nut loose.  Don't shear the temporary bolt!  No cheater bars!
If that doesn't move it you're definitely facing some goop.  Some of the thread lock products weaken under heat, so depending on your frame you can try some gentle heat from a hair dryer. Don't exceed "comfortable holding temperature" on anything made of carbon or aluminium - it shouldn't get any hotter than "summer's day sunlight"   If your frame is steel it can take a bit more heat but be careful.
Finally, try a sharp tap on the end of your temporary bolt.  I've had excellent results from using an automatic center punch.  You'll want the brake bridge well supported.

I thought of suggesting an impact gun with a suitable 4/5/6mm hex bit, but there's really nowhere to get that into the back nut.  The front would be easier cos you can turn the bars to increase access.   Risk here is stripping the hex socket.

If you're feeling creative, building a puller from scrap may be a good solution.  It depends if you have the nuts that allow a bolt to match the thread to enter through the hex socket.

Last resort is to know when the bike's beaten you.  There's absolutely no shame in taking it to your LBS and asking for help.

And do keep your mate in the loop as well, let him make the final decision on what to do   - its one thing to damage your own bike, its an entirely different thing to damage someone else's.


Adult vs kid's bicycle for a tall kid? My daughter is 11 years old. She is growing fast and for her age, she is quite tall (154cm). Her bicycle is too small for her now so I'd like to get her a new one.

The question is: should I look for a kid's bicycle for her or would it make more sense to get a normal bicycle; maybe something like a XS size? My guess is a frame size of 48 ~ 50 cm should be right for her. Do kid's bicycles have anything especial besides being maybe simpler when it comes to using gears, etc? Would an adult bicycle be too complicated for her?

Her old bicycle is an Islabike which is around 9 kg and comes with SRAM X4 Gripshift (32 tooth chainring with 12-32 wide range rear cassette). It was simple enough for her at age 7, when bought it.

You are correct that there isn't anything intrinsically different between bikes designed for preteens and adult bikes. Kids bikes tend to have lower end, inexpensive components and drivetrains with a single front chainring only.

A adult bike will come with multiple front chainrings and front derailleur and shifter, so your daughter will have to learn to use those as well as the rear gears, but that isn't particularly difficult. Less expensive mountain or hybrid bikes will come with a triple front crank, if you want to simplify gear shifting  to start with put the chain in the middle ring just shift the rear gears.

One concern would be the wheels may have quick releases instead of nuts on threaded axles, which might become unsecured with obvious bad consequences. The quick releases would have to be tightened enough so they couldn't be undone easily, and your daughter would have to know to not ride the bike if one or both come loose.


Anyone know the pull ratios of Zee 10sp and XT 9sp Mechs? I'm putting a bike together from a load of spares and I'm having difficulty getting a shifter and derailleer to play well. I think the problem is the Zee mech. Does anyone know the pitch/pull ratio in MM of the XT shifter compared to the Zee shifter? Ideally an answer 'from the horses mouth' would be good as I've read all sorts of conflicting info.

Shimano’s Dyna-Sys (10 speed MTB) products are only compatible with components in the Dyna-Sys lineup, from XTR to SLX. They are not compatible with any other parts. Use of a Dyna-Sys derailleur with 9-speed shifters is contraindicated.


Throbbing in outer quad above knee I have been riding a bike that is in all honesty meant for someone much smaller than me.  I have raised the seat quite high and got it far back enough that my spine is in proper posture while I ride.

I notice (during the day at work) a throbbing pain in my outer quadricep just above the knee.  I have been riding much more in the last few days (roughly 2 hours per day) and perhaps it's just part of being in my 30s adapting to this increased demand.

Or is it a symptom of bad leg posture that could lead to something worse down the road?

As others have said, and as you said, the frame is probably too small for you which can cause pain and a bad time in general on your ride.

I find I get pain in the Vatsus lateralis (outer quad) either when I am using too much quads all around and need to creep forward on the saddle and pull more with my hamstrings at a higher cadence, or, my posture is poor and my knees are collapsing toward the inside of the bike during the pedalstroke.

If it's a real problem that you can't solve yourself without some third party perspective, I'd recmmend a professional bike fitting. They aren't cheap, usually a couple hundred dollars, and it's takes a few hours of your time. Some places will even have shims and heel cups for your shoes to get a really nice fit.

If you still have pain after a couple weeks riding out from the fitting I'd see a doctor.


650b for small rider? I'm considering getting a bike for my friend; she is interested in riding road/gravel with me, doesn't own a bike of her own, and doesn't know too much about what's available.

She is about 5 feet tall (1.5 meters) and 100 pounds (45 kilos).  I believe a 47-49cm frame would be a good fit for her.  Considering her small stature and the small frame size I was thinking about a set of 650b wheels.

It seems there has been a trend of 650b fitted bikes recently and that the wheel size is slowly creeping back into the market.  One of the advantages is that one can fit a wider, taller tire without worrying about clearance or modifying frame geometry. I got to thinking that outfitting her with a 650b wheel set might be a viable option with some advantages over a 700c wheel set.

My question is what are the advantages and disadvantages of fitting a petite rider with a 650b wheel set, in comparison to a 700c set.  I'm especially interested in bike handling, tire fitting, and frame geometry implications and considerations.

I personally am a fan of the 650b movement. With a 650x47b tire, you get approximately the same rollout diameter that you get with a 700x28c. So as far as the distance per revolution, you are about the same with a 650bx47 as you would be on most road bikes. The benefits start with increased air volume. This leads to a much softer ride.

If you are talking about a conversion from a 700c to a 650b on a bike, there are very interesting things that happen to the geometry. Your bb drop will be greater, so clearance could become an issue. with a lower bb, however, comes a lower center of gravity. This could increase stability through corners. Another consideration is that most bikes designed for a certain sized tire. By changing that, you could affect things such as trail. A decrease in trail would help in low speed handling, but could greatly hinder higher speed stability.

One last consideration for converting a 700c to 650b is braking. If the bike has discs, then no worries. If they are v or canti brakes, then the reach may not be great enough to have the pads make contact with the braking surface on the wheel.

http://ridinggravel.com/components/wheel-comparison-650b-vs-700c/

There are some bikes road type bikes that are designed with the 650b in mind. Some are children's bikes, but if the rider is small, a children's bike could be easier to control.


Why is the front brake always on the left? You often signal on a bike like you signal a car, with your left hand. This lets most people keep their good hand on the handle for steering. Some of my friends, though, signal with their right hand so they can quickly pull the front brake if they need to. Why aren't bikes made with the front brake on the right side, so you get both good steering and emergency braking?

Emergency braking with one hand off the bars will end in tears regardless of which hand is on the bars. Skilled riders can steer accurately with either hand and often use their less dominant hand to steer while grabbing food or drink or making adjustment to clothing and bike.

So is your suggestion safer - I believe its debatable, and even if it is, the difference is pretty marginal - how often does a rider have to pull an emergency  stop while signalling, and more importantly, of those cases, how often would it make a difference to the outcome? What is less safe is riding a bike that is configured differently from what you are used to, hence the convention. If you have ever had the joy of pulling an emergency stop on a bike wired "the wrong way" you will understand what I mean.

Where I live, convention is different to where you live, however, only a few riders think enough about to worry, and fewer have a need to deal with it. Those that do learn to either adapt to new bikes quickly or reconfigure their bikes to suit them.


What are good ways to dry shoes? I ride through the winter in the Pacific North West and get soaked about every other ride.

What are the best way you've found to dry your shoes?

I've found that stuffing them with wadded up newspaper works well to draw the moisture out, but if I don't swap the paper out every couple of hours, I just get damp newspaper that smells of mildew.

An ideal solution would be passive - in that I would set the shoes up and then just grab the dry shoes a day later for my next ride.

From a theoretical point of view, there are some possible methods to take water out of a fabric object, such as a shoe:

"Replacing" the water for another, faster drying liquid and letting it evaporate;
Squeezing the water out directly by compression and twisting (not usually adviseable);
"Force field" like gravity and centrifugation;
Capilary action (which is what the newspaper does);
Thermal action (sun, heater);
Wind action (free-air, fan).

The last two increase the rate of evaporation, the first by increasing the internal energy of water, the later by reducing the relative humidity of the air layer close to the fabric.

Then (always theoretically) one possible way to dry a shoe quickly would be to force-circulate warm, dry air inside a newspaper filled shoe that has been previously centrifugated/squeezed after being rinsed in warm water with a bit of alchohol.

The problem that still persists is how to actually implement this air heating and circulation without a complicated device or combination of devices...

I use to put newspaper inside as you described, but for the first three stuffings, I squeeze firmly (stepping over if necessary) so that most the moisture is mechanically removed. Then I put extra, dry newspaper and leave the shoes hanging in the open air. Unfortunately, depending on weather conditions, this not always work.


Where to get gear shifter for 31.8mm handle bars? I'm based in the UK and have bought some new handlebars that are 31.8mm for a hybrid 8 gear bike.

My old handlebars were smaller in diameter so my old gear shifter won't fit. No gear shifters online actually say the diameter of the handlebars they're made for. Is there a standard diameter for mountain bikes and road bikes? Can someone link me to an example 8 gear shifter that will fit 31.8mm handlebar?

Any help really appreciated.

22.2 mm (7⁄8 in) is the standard diameter for the brake, shifter and grip area of MTB handlebars.

I think you bought a bar that was designed for bar-end shifters only. Easiest way out of this is to swap the bar for one that allows shifters and brakes to be mounted on the area between the stem and forward turn.


What kind of upgrades to a BMC AC02 hybrid? I bought a hybrid bike about one month ago. It's a BMC Alpenchallenge AC02 Tiagra. Have been having a blast on it to the point of considering to eventually get into road bikes

Full Specs can be seen here:
http://www.bmc-switzerland.com/int-en/bikes/lifestyle/mountainroad-alpenchallenge-ac02-tiagra/

Chainwheel:
Shimano Tiagra, 50-39-30T

Cassette:
Shimano Tiagra, 11-34

Tyres:
Continental Sport Contact II, 35mm

Rims:
DT SWISS R522D

So the question is, if you were to do some upgrades what would you get?

I plan to get a road bike in 1.5-2 years time. In the mean time I'd like to use this one to train (likely uphilly stuff like http://www.cycling-challenge.com/col-de-la-faucille - over 1000m altitude). In terms of improving performance/handling/speed what kind of sensible upgrades can be done for a budgeted $500 tops?

Thanks in advance, would much appreciate your inputs!

The best upgrades would be a set of clipless pedals, compatible shoes, and some nice cycling clothes and helmet. And maybe a good set of lights. You can carry all these over to your next bike.

Another nice upgrade is a bike repair stand and a basic bike repair toolkit.

Finally, a good GPS bike computer or GPS watch will set you back a few hundred dollars.

I think you get the idea. There are no "upgrades" to an essentially new bike itself that need to be made. Only buy things that will encourage you to cycle more (Strava premium membership!) or that you can take with you to the next bike.


Best option to upgrade 7-speed bike to higher gears I have recently bought Giant Escape 3 hybrid bike that came with:

Shimano FC-TY501 28/38/48 chainset 8/7/6-speed compatible
Shimano Tourney RD-TY500 7/6-speed rear derailleur
Shimano MF-TZ31 14-34T "cassette"

I find the gears are too low for my needs. I don't use the smallest chainwheel and I don't use the biggest sprocket either.
I thought I could quickly solve the problem low-cost by upgrading to CS-HG41 11-28T cassette but once I got round to removing the block it turned out that the "cassette" on the bike was in fact a freewheel. Bugger!
Apparently Shimano used to make FW726 11-28T freewheel but they are nowhere to be found.
How to solve this pickle? I'm thinking my options are:

Replace the wheels with a set that comes with a 10 speed freehub, since replacing the hub alone would probably be close to the price a new wheelset if you consider the fitting cost and I wouldn't do it myself. Get a spacer and fit my CS-HG41 onto it.
I'm perfectly fine with having 7 gears at the back and this would give me an opportunity for a further upgrade in the future should I ever needed it. It also seems the least fuss option.

Replace the existing triple chainset with a double 34-50T compact or 36-52T semi-compact crankset (e.g. Shimano FC-A070 or maybe even FC-2300 both matching the existing chain and bottom bracket)
The frame seems to have enough clearance for such upgrade but I guess I would have to replace the front shifter and possibly (?) the front derailleur too.

Does it sound like the right approach? Can you think of any other options?

Adding two or four teeth to the largest chainring will not improve you high gear very much.  Right now your highest ratio is 48/14=3.429.  Going to 52 will get you to 52/14=3.714, which is not much of an improvement.  It is better to focus on the rear, where 48/11=4.364

Going to a new wheel set you need to check that the wheel is the proper width for the frame.  The space between the lugs might be 126,130, or 135 mm.


How can I find my wheel size I was wondering if anyone could help me find out what size rear wheel I need to buy as a replacement (wheel is EXTREMELY out of true) as I cant seem to find it.

Bike: REACTION HYBRID HPA PRO 400
Tyres currently on bike: 28 x 1.65 - 700 x 42c

Thanks in advance,
Dan

This is actually a mountain bike, despite the name (hybrid referring to having a battery, it seems).

You need a 700c (29", ISO 622) rim with a 135 mm OLD hub (a mountain hub spacing) and mounting for discs (your existing rotors are centerlock, so unless you want to use a different rotor or adapter, you should get a hub with that). Width compatibility is another thing to look for -- very wide tire on very narrow rim and vice versa are not good combinations. The freehub should be compatible with your cassette.

Note that a wheel that looks extremely out of true can often be made to work well with a bit of adjustment -- unless you're sure the wheel is a gonner, I'd try that first.


Why is the front brake lever on the right if you 'drive' on the left and vice-versa? I live in the UK and I expect my front brake lever to be operated by my right hand. However, I recently went on a friend's bike that had the brakes 'back to front', which would be the 'right way round' for people in Europe, North America and everywhere else that drives on the right.

I am left-handed and therefore used to finding things designed to be best operated with the right-hand, e.g. the controls on a lawnmower.

What are the reasons for the brake lever convention on a bicycle? It seems that the front brake is more important for controlled braking, in the UK we have that worked by the right hand, which makes sense. For countries that drive on the right that means the back brake has the 'handed-ness' advantage, rather than the front.

I also like to be controlling my speed with the front-brake when making a right-hand turn, however it is not possible to do this when signalling. A left turn is not so important to stick your arm out for - drivers coming the other way and behind don't really care if the sign is not made for a left-hand turn, whereas a right-hand turn really should be indicated. So, from that perspective, the brakes are the 'wrong-way-round' for me.

Can someone kindly guide me through why the brakes are wired up so and any historical origins of the convention?

I believe the reason is that the hand signals used to indicate braking generally involve using your 'road side' hand. In countries that drive on the left, this is your right hand and vice versa.

The back brake was considered the 'safer' brake to use during this pre-braking time when you're indicating that you will brake but haven't necessarily started braking yet.


What are some red flags to look for when buying a used road bike? I will be buying my first road bike (after 15 years with the same mountain bike) and I have found many for sale on Kijiji. When I go look at the bikes, what should be some red flags that turn me away from them?

I have already researched brands, but are there warning signs when looking at the bikes?

Make sure that the frame is not compromised. Looks for cracks or big dents, or any asymmetry in the forks.
Make sure that there is no rust through the paint anywhere. If there is any chrome, make sure that any rust is only on the surface.
Make sure that the seatpost isn't seized. This is pretty easy as you can just loosen the seatpost bolt and give the saddle a squiggle. If it moves, you're golden.
If the bike has a quill stem, make sure it isn't seized up. This requires loosening the stem bolt, and whacking it with a hammer or preferably a soft-ended mallet.
Check that the bottom bracket and hubs turn smoothly. If the motion is stiff or jerky it probably means the bearings or races are shot, and that they'll need work.
Ensure that the cables work. Try the brakes and try the gears.
Check the braking surfaces. Most wheels will have an indicator groove along the center of the braking surface. If this looks quite worn it means that the wheel is on its last legs.
Don't worry about dust. Dust is a good sign, in my opinion. It means that the bike was probably stored indoors and by an owner who didn't use it much. These are good things.
Don't worry too much about brakes pads or tires. You can replace those fairly cheaply.
Some old road bikes have really gummy brake hoods that can be a pain to deal with. This isn't really a deal breaker though.


Disc brake pads - steel vs aluminium back plate I am looking at a set of Organic Disc brake pads. The brake pads come with a steel back plate or as an aluminium back plate. Why would I choose one over the other?

Some Tektro calipers use a magnet to retain and position the brake pad. The magnet is part of the caliper piston so the pad backing material would have to be steel.Most hydraulic brake pistons are aluminum to reduce weight and resist corrosion.If your pistons are aluminum I would use the aluminum pads due to the possible corrosion caused by the disimilar metals (steelpad against an aluminum piston).


Can I put a 2.3 mountain bike tire on what now has a 2.10 tire. 26 inch I do see room for a 2.3 in front but in the
rear, I don't think I could go any higher than 2.20 or 2.25. Both rims currently have 2.10 tires on a 2006 Santa Cruz Blur

In terms on the rims/wheels, you certainly can.
In terms on the frame and forks, you have to make sure that you have enough clearance for the tyre, plus extra room for the wheel to wobble a bit (wheels/tyres distort during normal use, how much depends on wheels, brakes, frame etc) and room for mud/dirt/ other things.
You also have to consider whether the front derailleur (if you have on) will hit the tyre during use.
I would personally not use a tyre if the clearance on each side is 5mm.
EXTRA:
Wheel wobble link 1 They have issues with tyre rub, possibly due to weak wheel
Wheel wobble link 2 They have issues with tyre rub after increasing tyre width


What is the drag / power lost to a safety flag? I have a recumbent bike that has a safety flag on the top of a thin pole, so it flutters around higher than and after my head.

How much power am I losing to this flag that could be used to power my ride forward?

How can it be measured as a wattage ?  Sadly I don't have access to a power meter or a wind tunnel.

If the pole is a flexible one, you can do the following:

Choose a windless day
Ride past a second person at a known speed
Let the second person take a picture while you pass
Repeat immediately in the opposite direction to capture the effect of the remaining wind.
With the bike still, pull the flag back, measuring the force somehow. You can use a spring scale, or just hang a bottle with different amounts of water on a string, connect that string to the pole, and run the string over pulley or a round, smooth piece of metal.
Take more pictures of how you are pulling the flag back.
Compare the pictures of the bend pole while riding with the pictures while pulling the flag back.

With this method, you get the force that the flag exerts on you while riding the given speed. Now simply multiply with your speed, and you get the power that's drained by the flag.

Note: Work with the correct units. 1kg weights 9.81N, and if you multiply the force in N with your speed in m/s, you get Nm/s = J/s = W. Just make sure that you convert the inputs to the multiplication correctly.


How big can I drop safely on a mountain bike I have an 80 mm front shock (fork) and the back shock says it's 3 inches. What size jumps can I do without ruining the bike or shocks?

This depends on technique, rather than equipment; Trials riders regularly drop several feet on rigid bikes.

You should use your legs to absorb the shock of landing to reduce the work done by the suspension, just as you would when jumping down from a height without a bike.


Do I need to replace my rims to move up to a larger width tire? I have a 1965 Schwinn Speedster that has 26 x 1-3/8 rims and tires.i have more than enough room to run larger width tires, I'm just not sure if I need to replace rims?

You're in a bit a predicament because of the age of your bicycle. If I remember correctly, your rims are S6 (Schwinn's designation), and therefore are ISO-597mm. This size was used by Schwinn are their mid-range to high-end bicycles in the 60s and 70s, and on a few British bikes. It is not compatible with nearly every modern tire. However, Kenda does make a 1-3/8" tire in that size. It's not bigger, but it could be a viable replacement when they inevitably need to be.

If you want a better selection of tires to choose from, I'd recommend taking it to your local bike shop. They'll be able to assess how you'd like to proceed. You'd likely be replacing your rims, and possibly the whole wheels. The prices could range widely and will depend on your area, so I don't want to comment on that.


Why are my pedals not in the correct position Why are my pedals not in the correct position? one is up the other is pointed forward. they should be 1 up and 1 down. Huffy Rock Creek Shimano

Because they are installed wrong. You can remove one crank using crank puller and install it in correct position, or take it back to shop.


Cannondale Topstone Tiagra Upgrades - Musts, Must Nots, and MustArd It's been a while since I last rode a bike but having bought a Cannondale Topstone Tiagra only a few days ago and finding the hidden streets and valleys of a town in which I've lived for many years I've reignited my passion.

Outside of riding my head has been frazzled by research into how to improve my bike and essentially gear up towards bikepacking with a journey from North to the South of England (Carlisle to Bristol 380 miles)

Certain articles recommend switching the Crankset of the Tiagra. I've read about the Selle Anatomica seatpost as a seat to save your perennial, Dropbars, Tape and everything in between.

Any recommendations? Musts, Must Nots and MustArd.

We can't tell you what upgrades you should make, because we are not you. We don't know what your preferences or priorities are, what kind of rider you are or what riding you want to do (apart from knowing you have a long distance goal in mind).

Go ride the bike. Make a training plan for your long distance ride. Go ride the bike more. Figure out what works and what does not. Decide where your money is best spent. Consider that money may probably better spent on gear and accessories (clothing, shoes, computer, tools etc) than on bike upgrades.

Addressing some things you mentioned:

Replacing the FSA crank with a Shimano one. Yes you could do this, but why? Is the FSA crank actually deficient? Crank sets are relatively expensive so see my point about where to spend money above.

If long distance riding is your goal then switching out the saddle is a definite possibility. Stick with the stock saddle and see if you have problems with it first though. Saddle choice is unfortunately down to experimentation with different brands and models. You also want to make sure you saddle is set up right for you, some people like a little more forward tilt than others.

If you are thinking about a suspension seat post, good saddle fit and adjustment is far more important for 'saving your perineum'.


Can't shift to highest front gear I've been trying to propely adjust front gears in my bike, but failed to do so. I can't make the front gear to shift to highest gear. I can make it work when testing the bike while it's lifted, but can't make it work when actually riding it. I've followed this tutorial, but it made no effect.

Should I go to a professional bike service, or is there something more I can try doing myself?

Front derailleur adjustment can be tricky. It's worth following a step-by step guide.

I follow Park Tool's process. The process recommends adjusting the derailleur position so it is parallel to the chainrings, but I find I need to toe-out the rear of the cage slightly to get reliable upshifts to the big ring on my bike.


What mistake might I have made while truing this wheel? I bought a spoke wrench and tried to true up a wheel (for a heavier rider 220+ lbs.)

However, as soon as they got on, there was a chinking noise, and the brake rub I had just fixed resumed (albeit slightly.)

I used the motion of the brake pad (I had one pad rubbing on the rim) as the stand.  There was still a slight hop in it.  I wasn't systematic, but, whenever there was too much deviation in one spot I would tighten or loosen the spokes a few times until it was fairly straight.

Does anyone know the most likely error in my process?  Thanks.

Wheel truing is an iterative process.  The "chinking" noise is where the spokes cross and they are moving relative to the other one.

I'm guessing you trued the wheel but the spoke tension had not been relieved - and when it did relax, the rim went a little more out of true.

The fix is to stress the wheel sideways somewhat, by:

Gently laying it on the ground and press opposite sides of the rim
Ride it a little
Grab pairs of spokes in your hands and give them a solid squeeze.

...and then to continue with the truing.  You also want to check wobble, vertical displacement, and spoke tension.  Alternate around, working on the worst thing to make it better but not perfect.   There's little point in fixing one area of the rim perfect, then adjusting another bit which puts the first bit out of whack.

Another gotcha with using the brake pads as a truing reference is that the rim may not be consistent width.  A rim that has taken an impact may be bulging or widened, which can put your measurements off.

Truing with the tyre on can also make it harder to get that very last bit out.  For a quick improvement its fine, but to do a really nice wheel you want the tyre/tube off.  Some people will even remove the rim tape.


What brands of repair stands are sturdy? I'm considering getting a repair stand, used if I can find one. Aside from the obvious (Park Tool stands), which ones are well-made? I'd like to try and snag a good one on an eBay auction if I can for very little money, but I don't want to waste my time with a piece of junk that will fall apart on me.

I have a Velomann V2500.  They are made in Italy.  The stand is great overall.  Very stable.

My only complaint is that the clamp is a little bit fussy.  Getting the bike into the stand is a bit of a pain.  (Once it is in no problems though).  If you where working on 20 bikes/day this would cost you endless annoyance however if it is just for your personal use I would defiantly say get it.

I think that a Parks Tools Stand would definatly be better quality but I only paid $109 (Canadian) for this stand.

In Canada you can buy it from MEC (they will ship internationally but it is probably cheaper to order it from somewhere else).


What causes frames to break at the (rear) dropouts? The drive-side dropout and rear axle have broken twice. It's an old-style freewheel, not a freehub+cassette. (I weigh around 100kg, and ride a lot, and have been touring on hilly, gravel roads, with 15kg camping gear on the rack.)

The bike is an old (20-25 yo) hybrid Malvern Star (model "Elite"), steel frame, with 5 cogs on the back, and a freewheel. About 2-3 years ago, the drive side dropout broke, along with the rear axle (QR). I got new dropouts welded in, and the QR axle replaced with a solid bolt up (for $172 AUD).
They told me the axle "wouldn't beak". After a year or so, the rear axle broke again (which the LBS replaced). Then, about 6 months after that, the drive-side dropout broke again (EDIT near the chain stay) - not the weld, but the dropout itself, next to the weld.

I ride everywhere, and did several wilderness touring trips during that time. They were "on-road", but hilly, gravel roads (Bunyip State Park), and sometimes they're corrugated, sometimes water eroded, and ther were some tree roots on a rail-trail once, which I (mostly) manage to avoid. I wouldn't think they'd stress the bike that much, and wheel rims are perfectly OK - even though single-walled.

The LBS said it's because the freewheel stresses the axle, and when it breaks, the angle of the axle stresses the dropout, causing it to break in turn. They said it's the only cause of the break, and would not happen with a freehub and cassette. Researching online, I see the freewheel design does stress the axle. The guy now maintaining Sheldon's site agrees that that's how dropouts break; a couple of source only say it "can" break dropouts - but most don't mention an effect on dropouts at all.

Is the freewheel why my drive-side dropout keeps breaking?

Would a freehub + cassette really "solve" this problem, or would it keep happening? I want to go on longer tours, and don't want to get stranded!

Is there another solution?

Many thanks for reading all this! :-)

tyres: Schwalbe endurance, 26x1.50, inflated to 100psi (which they are rated to). Supposedly somewhat puncture resistant; but I got one on every tour.

dropouts: The replacements were forged dropouts (originals were pressed dropouts). It looks pretty strong to me, it's about 4mm where it broke, and about 7mm where the bolt goes.

hubs: after second broken axle, LBS noted slight pitting on the hub where the ball bearings run. Wheels are "Joytech", new about 5 years ago. They were the cheapest ones ($80 AUD, IIRC), single alloy rims. They look very well made (to me). The rear was a QR.

You already more or less answered your own question.

The reason is that in a freewheel hub the drive side bearing is close to the center of the axle. This gives the forces from your weight and pedaling much more leverage to bend the axle than on a Shimano-style freehub where the drive side bearing is located at the end of the axle. When the axle bends, it twists the dropout, which can also break.

Some other brands of freehubs solve the axle bending problem with a thick oversized axle. This could work with a freewheel hub too, but I am not aware of anyone who makes that kind of hub.


Replacement chainring compatibility I have a Fuji Absolute 3.0 (about 2011) with a generic crankset. The triple chainrings are stamped with 'SAMOX'. It is a 30-42-52t set. I favour the middle chainring, which is now badly worn and needs to be replaced. I have also recently replaced the chain and cassette (8 speed).

The teeth on the largest and smallest ring are in relatively good order, and I have a tight budget, so my preference is to change only the middle ring. However, I can't find any SAMOX parts or any details about the compatibility, and I don't know anything about chainring specifications, bolt layouts, etc.

My other option is to replace the entire crankset and bottom bracket (there are occasional creaks and bangs, so it might be time to do so), but then I face not only the cost, but also ensuring the crankset will match the other components.

Does anyone know whether a Shimano or other 42t chainring will fit this configuration?

You can use another brand's chainring just fine, provided that the chainrings are replaceable (some cheaper cranksets are made such that all the chainrings are made in one piece). Assuming that is the case, you just need to measure the B.C.D. as shown here, find a chainring with the same BCD and number of bolts and number of teeth and bolt it on (there is a table of common sizes there).

Based on the bikes direct picture, it looks like it uses 104 mm 4 bolt chainrings, but thats the current version (so check it out yourself) - do the measurement with a ruler as shown in the prior link. EDIT: This may be a different bike - several different models come up on google for the same bike name. Do the measurement with the ruler.

Here are some directions on replacing the chainring. Note that you may need some tools you don't have (but for the big ring, you might be able to get away without removing the crank) to remove the crank (namely a crank puller; in a pinch you could use a mallet but I wouldn't recommend it).

Park Tool also has some nice directions on removing and reinstalling the crank, which you'll need to do in this case since its the middle ring.

Also, wearing out a chainring in 3 years is pretty quick for most people who ride a hybrid - chainrings typically last more than 20000 miles in my experience, even with cheap ones. I also wouldn't bother replacing it until it was causing problems.


Why are recumbent bicycles and velomobiles illegal in UCI bicycle racing? As stated in the title. However, the "superman" position is also illegal, and the question applies to that as well.

Motor racing will often lean on safety to explain why there are so many limitations to how a car can be built and configured. In Formula One, e.g. fairings are illegal - it can't go too fast, as it becomes "too dangerous" (which is of course not defined, but that's a different matter). Other reasons for different types of motor sports may claim that the cars (such as in SuperGT or DTM) cannot be too dissimilar from actual production cars. Sure they are heavily modified, but they aren't purely built specifically for racing from the ground up. However, even these modifications are strictly regulated, e.g. there are limits on practically everything to slow the cars down (anything from the engine output to aerodynamics to tires, active geometry, etc.), again for safety reasons.

Even though these are justifications perhaps not everyone would agree with, they are at least some form of justification.

Now, what excuse does e.g. UCI cycling regulations have for banning recubment bicycles?

It doesn't seem like they can use the safety feature. Would a recumbent bicycle or velomobile really be that dangerous? From what I understand, recumbent bicycles are legal to use in many countries and are sold openly.

What about not adhering to the real world, being too dissimilar from "normal" bicycles? That also seems strange, given that again recumbent bicycles are sold in the first place.

The only thing I can think of is that a recumbent bicycle or velomobile is simply too "weird". People don't appreciate the aesthetics of it. Perhaps they also don't learn to ride such bicycles, and are discouraged from trying them.

Is that the reason why such rules are imposed on e.g. Tour de France?

To a naive and rather inexperienced bicyclist myself, this seems very arbitrary and counterproductive. I would like to have more efficient bicycles in general.

However, again since my knowledge of bicycles is limited I hope there is a host of problems I don't think about that makes recumbent bicycles and velomobiles dangerous and impractical. I'm curious what they are.

Now before someone points out that a recumbent bicycle may have some disadvantages, I'm talking about in general. If a fully faired recumbent bicycle or velomobile has more advantages than it has disadvantages, then why are they illegal in racing?

This seems like a pretty good history of the circumstances around the UCI's banning of the recumbent. Your guess seems to be about right: recumbents were perceived as too weird. It's interesting to note that Faure had been racing on recumbents with success and official imprimatur for a while before they were banned. According to that article, there were safety concerns about fairings even back then.

The UCI has generally gotten more and more restrictive about what qualifies as a "bike" (although they have relaxed some rules after creating them—read the Wikipedia article on the hour record for some insight into the back-and-forth) and their current rationale is basically that a member of the public should be able to look at a racing bike and recognize it as a regular bike. There is certainly a chicken-and-egg aspect to this: if more people rode recumbents (or other configurations of bike), those would look like regular bikes. There is also the argument that achievements in cycling should be more attributable to the cyclist than the bike.

I can speculate about other factors playing into these decisions, but that's all it would be—speculation.


11 speed shifter levers on my 10 speed drivetrain Currently my Ultegra 6700 (10speed) shifters won’t shift anymore and I planned to buy a new shifter lever.
I’m planning to replace it with Shimano 105 11s shifter on my 10speed cogs and rd . Is it Okay to replace it with 11speed shifters on my 10speed bike???
Thank you for ur answers.

No, won’t work.
Edit: To be more precise: The indexing will be off. The 11 speed road shifters pull more cable for each gear step (each “click”). So you’ll have shifted through the whole 10 speed cassette after 8 or 9 clicks. You won’t be able to shift to certain gears reliably, there will be lots of noise and ghost shifting. Similar to badly adjusted cable tension or a bent derailleur hanger. A 11 speed rear derailleur also won’t solve it since the sprocket spacing is different (they didn’t just add an 11th sprocket).
11 speed road shifters have a different pull ratio than 10 speed (except for the Tiagra 4700 10 speed).
I suggest you try to find a Ultegra 6700 or 105 5700 replacement or change the whole drivetrain to 11 speed.
Edit: When changing to 11 speed in the rear you can probably keep the 10 speed chainrings, front derailleur and left shifter.


Attacking during a race when your competitor has a mechanical failure? This question was spurred by the incident that happened during the 9th stage of the 2017 TdF when Fabio Aru attacked Chris Froome right as he experienced a mechanical problem with his bike.

The breakaway group lead by Aru was eventually halted by other riders who maintained that they should wait until Froome recovered from the mechanical failure before attacking.

What are the unwritten rules in this type of situation?  Is it considered bad sportsmanship to attack in this situation, even thought it's a race?  Would a win in a this situation, having not stopped, be tainted in some way or recorded differently?

It's just considered to be bad sportsmanship to take advantage of another rider's mechanical problem. The underlying idea is that, as much as possible, the race shouldn't be determined by random strokes of bad luck. It should be won and lost based on riders' strength, bicycle handling proficiency, as understanding of race tactics.

It is not technically illegal to attack in this situation. Had Aru continued the attack, most likely the other GC contenders would have followed, but openly chastised him later.

That scenario actually happened at the 2010 Tour when Contador attacked while Andy Schleck was dealing with a dropped chain. Contador stated afterward that he was in a group, the group was going hard, and he didn't know about Andy's chain issues. Other riders and commentators said that he shot past Schleck so fast that he must have known something was wrong and roundly criticized him. Whatever the case, Contador took the yellow Jersey that day and held it until the end for the overall win. (CAS later found him guilty of doping, stripped him of o the title, and gave it to Schleck who had come in second, but that's a different story.)


Where does the third bearing go in my Dyno moto 7 cruiser headset? I have a "Dyno Moto7" cruiser made in 1997.  I removed the forks to paint the frame and there were 3 bearings that came out when the forks were removed. No one can figure out how the third bearing goes back.
I took it to a bicycle shop and they could put it together with the two bearings but can't figure where the third goes.
Does anybody have any information or experience with this set up?

Here's a dyno7 showing where bearings are.

A headset has exactly two bearings, because they preload against each other.  There is no place for a third bearing.
Possibilities

Somehow, someone used two bearing rings and somehow interleaved them.  I can't see this fitting and rolling at all.
there's some form of dust cap that has popped off and looks like a bearing, but the bike should would have identified this straight away
Did you take something else apart - like a wheel or the BB or even a pedal?  Theres a chance a bearing might have got mixed in, or even just picked up from another bike by mistake.
Assembly error - when the bike was put together, someone managed to loose a bearing and retainer down the head tube somehow, and couldn't be bothered fishing it out.
Spare - a previous owner intentionally stored a new bearing in there, under the headset cup.

If the steering is working fine with the two bearings installed by the bike shop, then roll with it. (literally!)

Later thought - does yours have the original cantilever brakes on the front wheel?  Could be someone's done something weird with the brake hanger, which was mounted above the head tube.
There shouldn't be a third bearing there - the hanger is clamped around the steerer just above the top bearing.   Better photo:


Skateboard, roller blades or? So this isn't precisely about bicycles but it's pretty close, right? Please point me to a more relevant Stack Exchange forum if there is one.

I am trying to optimize my daily commute. I usually walk slightly over a kilometer (slightly under a mile) to the station I depart from and about the same distance from the station I arrive at to my destination.

There are buses, but those are a bad option due to heavy traffic. I can rent a city bicycle for my "home - station" segment, but not for the other segment. So I settled on bying a... "personal transportation device"? (is there a word for it?)

There are lots of them on the market: skateboards, bikes, electric skateboards and electric bikes, roller blades, Skyrunners, waveboards and longboards, scooters... I need to pick one that is

Fast (my goal is cutting travel time, after all)
Small, so that I can take it with me on a train. Moscow Metro doesn't allow bicycles, because this.

What would be my best bet?

Boards are bad because you can't stop quickly.

Skates are bad because they're a pain to put on and take off.

I would go with either a heavy-duty folding scooter or a folding bike. Both are fast and reasonably small.


Consequences of driving a dynamo backwards My bike has a hub dynamo in the front wheel. Recently I have replaced the old fork with a used one I got from my local bike club. The new one has fixing points for the cabling on the other side of the fork. Because the hub has only one connector for the wires, it would need to be installed contrary to the indicated running direction.

I  recently saw this question, and it is partially answering my question. To follow up: How, if at all, does the dynamo change the situation?

The electric parts of the dynamo hub don't care. They're an AC generator and there's no concept of reversing the flow with AC.

However, the mechanical bits of the hub itself can be a problem. You don't indicate which manufacturer/model dynamo you have. The great majority of hubs are constructed such that they are expecting the wheel to turn in a certain direction in order to keep internal nuts and bolts tightened. Going in the opposite direction could lead to fiddly bits unscrewing themselves.

Where possible, I'd try to respect the directionality of dynohubs that have directionality. It would just take an extra length of wire or some zipties to snake the power cable around to the other side, it's worth that for the peace of mind to know that the hub won't self-destruct when you're going down a long hill.

Note: All Shimanos, all Sanyo, and older Schmidt/SON hubs are vulnerable to unscrewing if they are oriented with the power leads on the left (NDS) rather than the right (drive) side. Newer Schmidt SON hubs are flippable with the exception of the SON SL (below). When in doubt, ask your manufacturer/reseller.

N.B.: Some special (and expensive) dynohubs such as the Schmidt Son SL pair with specially designed forks so that no external wires are needed, but it also means you can't flip the wheel around or it shorts to ground. Assuredly that's not the case with you.


Shifters now that they are unavailable what can I use? Hey all thanks in advance for help on this matter.

I have a Diamondback mountain bike that uses shifter set Shimano ST-EF51-8R and ST-EF51-L 3x8 disk brake. Son broke them on a jump, apparently snapped gear shifters off. As Shimano used same model number on two styles of these. I am looking for levers for mechanical disc brakes and 4 finger brake handle (not the 2 finger one). Of course I have been looking for over 6 months bike season is almost here and there has been absolutely nothing available to purchase to replace.

so with that said is there a compatible set that I can actually find to purchase online that will work properly no problems decent quality and price?
again ty

I am in Windsor Ontario Canada so for now going to Michigan to purchase or possibly pickup an order is out of the question. Unless shipped USPS to canada less customs hassle USPS.

Ty all with the so much help and understanding in this. I have decided to go seperate brake shifter instead of combo unit. After a lot of help and so much research v brake does work with mechanical disc brakes. It was so confusing with all the reads at the beginning. Ty for the edit to make it more sense lol I'm bad at explaining things properly. Again ty all for the very much appreciated help info and ideas.

You do not need replacement combined shifter and brake units. Those were popular at one time but separate units are the norm now.

So you have two separate issues: Finding compatible brake levers and finding compatible shifters.

As other have said you need V-brake compatible levers for mechanical disc brakes. This should give you a wide choice and the ability to find 4-finger levers.

Literally any Shimano 3x8 shifters will work with your existing derailleurs. The expected sprocket spacing and derailleur actuation ratio (ratio of length of cage pulled to lateral movement of the cage) has remained constant for Shimano MTB drivetrains at 9 rear speeds or less. It would be nice to upgrade from the EF51 shifters but Unfortunately Shimano now only makes 3x8 shifters for their lowest level groupsets, but searching on Ebay might net you some earlier but higher level items.


How to remove a stripped bottle cage mount? I was taking off my bottle cage on my Specialized Secteur sport triple, and I found the mount was spinning with the bolt. (I believe it is called a rivnut but I am not 100 percent certain.)
Before I realised, the threads were stripped. I think I am clear on how to get it, but any tips would be good; the problem is there is a bottle cage in the way.
Does anyone know how much it would cost to replace or tighten the rivnut and "rethread" the threads at a bike shop? I am not interested in a clamp-style bottle cage.
I am fairly skilled in bike maintenance but don't want to scuff the frame and don't have the tools required.

If the threads in the rivnut are okay, you may be able to re-compress it using a matching threadded bolt and some matching nuts.   Or you can buy/borrow the proper compression tool.
A temporary repair might work to force some JBWeld down the sides, and have it essentially "glue" the rivnut in place.  This may last for ages or fail on the first ride.
If your rivnut is stripped, you'll need to remove it and replace with a fresh one. The problem here is that there may be enough damage to the frame that getting the old one out is hard, and a lack of "meat" for the new one to attach to.
The solution then is to silver-solder in a new threadded insert (not a rivnut)  This will doubtless marr the paintwork to some extent.
As for costs, we can't tell you.  Instead, ring up your LBS and ask directly about a bottle cage boss repair.
Lastly - do use antiseize compound or grease on your bolt threads in the future.  This is where it shines.


Help identifying problem with bike crankset/bottom bracket A few days ago I took a fall going down hill after hitting a large pothole. I fell on my right side, which if you didn't know is the side that contains the chain and gears on most bikes. Looking at my bike today, I noticed that when spinning the pedal the chain on the crankset makes contact with the shifter at a certain point in the rotation in both 3rd and second gear. furthermore when running the pedals in reverse the chain seems to slip at a certain spot.

So here's the question. I am having trouble identify the problem with my bike, I originally believed that it may be a bent crankset but due to the problem affecting multiple gears on my bike I am not sure that that is the case. The only other possible cause of the problem in my mind is a bent bottom bracket or frame and am hoping that you guys could walk me through identifying the problem and repairing it if possible.

I would start by trying to align the front derailleur. If the problem persists, drop your chain and check the chain rings to ensure they are straight and no teeth are bent. With your chain off, you can also check your bottom bracket/cranks. Make sure there is no wiggle in your cranks towards and away form your frame. This could be a sign of a few things. If the wobble is only on one crank, make sure it is tight. If the wobble goes through from one crank to another (if you pull the top of one crank away from your frame and the other moves towards your frame) you have more than likely blown up your bottom bracket.


Any good 80-90mm travel forks? My bike came with an 80mm travel fork. I haven't found any 80mm fork online; the lowest travel is 100mm. I asked the support team if I can install a 100mm fork in it and they said it would void the warranty since it's beyond the 10% allowable travel increase. I looked around and found out that going beyond the travel the bike came with would put strain in the head tube and change the bike's geometry.

That being said, are there any good 80mm travel forks out there that won't change the stack height, bb drop, and the head tube angle?

EDIT:
Following Klaster's answer, I found this neat little listing from rockshox. It lists the 30gold with 100mm travel as 473mm length and the sektor with 80mm as 474 length. According to the specialized page, my current fork length is 475mm (I assume this is the same is ATC). This means that either of those two won't change the geometry of the bike.

Yes, there are decent 27.5" 80mm forks. Generally, most of good forks allow to reduce travel, usually by a spacer in air spring.

For example:

Official product page of MRP Loop SL claims there's a 27.5" 80mm option available.
Manitou Machete has a 27.5" 100mm option with ability to adjust travel.
2013 RockShox SID service manual mentions travel adjustment in range from 80mm to 120mm for 27.5" model:

I'm sure there are more forks like that.