How much torque should a threaded headset resist? My flagship BSO has a threaded headset.

I recently discovered, to my surprise, that when I twisted the handlebars hard while restraining the wheel, I could move the stem. It isn't nearly loose enough to move while I'm riding, so I guess it's not a problem.

The top bolt was tightened as hard as I could get it with one of those little bike tool hex sets (lever arm about 3.5 inches long).

Are all threaded headsets like this, or is mine wonky?

Note that the large threaded locknut and top race on the threaded part of the headset has nothing to do with the connection with the handlebar, which uses a stem quill into the steerer tube (See the Sheldon's site for details).  You tighten up the top race/locknut only if you feel "looseness" between the handlebars/fork and the frame.

If you can move your handlebars separately from your fork, you have to tighten up your stem quill  more using that little hex bolt. Sheldon again has a wonderful diagram of the wedge bolt.

An allen key may not be giving you enough torque -- you may want to use a hex bit on a socket wrench or torque wrench. You'd have to give us the specs on the hex bolt for us to look up the appropriate amount of torque -- but it's certainly more than you could get with an allen key. But be careful of using a socket wrench as that may give you so much torque that you snap the bolt or split the steerer tube -- the use of a torque wrench is strongly recommended.

It sometimes helps if you can take the quill stem out, use alcohol to remove any residual oil off of the wedge. You can also rough up the outside of wedge a bit with a file.  Some people also use coarse grit (lapping compound) or carbon-fiber assembly paste to increase the friction and reduce galling risk.

You may want to grease the hole at the top of the stem quill where the wedge bolt enters as well as the surfaces between the quill and the wedge to reduce friction. If the bolt has a habit of loosening itself, you could use blue Loctite on the bolt threads.

But the main problem is that with BSOs, the tolerances are so poor that something is either too tight and galled into place, or so sloppy that no end of tightening will get you solid tight without breaking something else. And sometimes the drones at the factory do something truly idiotic like put a 25.4mm stem into a 26.00 steerer tube.


Rotor does not fit between pads after replacing the pads I was having rubbing noises and after taking out the pads I so they were completly worn out.

I have shimano r7070 calipers so according to their specs I found in a local shop the L04C as they did not have the default  L02A.

I did the following to replace them:

Extract the old ones
Clean with a spray designed for cleaning brakes.
Push the pistons with a lever for the tyres and later with a screwdriver.
Put the wheel.
Release caliper, press the brake lever, and tight it to recenter.

Well, I've done that multiple times and the disc is still pinched on both sides when I put the wheel on.
 All components are original from shimano and less than a year old.

Any Idea on what can I do?

Maybe the entire system was bled with the pistons not in its full retraction. So when you push in the pistons, you're actually just applying pressure to both the master cylinder and the diaphragm of the open system structure. (and compressing the air inside, if there are any)

Try opening the bleed port and screw in the oil funnel before pushing the pistons in. While you're at it, try to squeeze out any air that could be in the system. Then carefully plug the funnel, unscrew it from the port, and close the port.

Try squeezing the brake lever a bit but not too much and see if you don't have any sticky pistons. If they're stuck, you can follow this video:


How do I adjust V-brakes that engage too abruptly New bike and the front V-brake makes the wheel stop as soon as it is engaged. how should I adjust it to soften it up a bit. will adjusting the angle of the pad have an effect?

You can adjust the pads so that the leading end of the pads touches the rim first. That should provide a little more modulation as the area of pad engaged on the rim will then increase as the force on the brake lever increases.

You may also want to inspect both brakes to make sure the pad adjustment is correct. Park Tool has a great page that shows you how to adjust V-brakes properly.

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/linear-pull-brake-service


Why are my Shimano R540 SPD SL Road Pedals incredibly stiff to clip out of? I'm new to clip less riding. I just purchased and installed Shimano R540 SPD SL Road Pedals for my bike. I also got Shimano R064 SPD SL Road Shoes.

I have been practising clipping in and out indoors in the hallway using the walls either side to balance myself whilst on the bike.

I can clip in without too much difficulty, but find it extremely tough to clip out (even with the tension set to the lowest setting). I found that I am twisting and then almost yanking the shoes out of the pedals. I'm pretty sure this isn't how it is meant to be. If I attempted this on the road, I would fall flat on my face.

I have sprayed some lubricant on the pedals in the hope that they loosen overnight. But other than that I've been stumped as to what else I could do.

Appreciate any tips, helpful suggestions and advice on the matter.

Thanks

If you have the tension adjusted all the way down they should clip out easily. Two things to check:

Is the cleat tight on the shoe? If it can rotate at all, you won't be able to clip out.
Are you rotating your foot outwards to unclip? When I first got my clipless I tried to rotate in, and that doesn't work too well.


Freehub: why are the pawls on the inside surface not the outside? This might have an obvious answer but when I look at freehub designs, I always see the pawls on the inner member and ratchets on the outer member. Here is an example:

Has anyone ever reversed that configuration so that the ratchets are on the inner member and the pawls & springs on the outer member? If not, what are the flaws of such a design?

I am going to combine the comments into an answer - feel free to improve.

The main benefit is the larger circumference of the ratchet surface.

This means for the same torque on the wheel, there is less total force on the ratchets holding the freewheel. It also means there is room for more pawls, meaning less force on each individual ratchet. This allows smaller ratchets and pawls, meaning you can have more of them, meaning even less force.

Additionally smaller ratchets and pawls allow smaller angles before engagement of pawls locking the free hub - less slop when starting to pedal after free wheeling.  The smaller angle before pawls engage also means the pedals have less time to accelerate - meaning the forces and wear and tear on the engaging pawls are lower.

Having more pawls means the freewheel is more likely to operate if one fails to engage.

Conversely, a smaller diameter ratchet would be able to support fewer pawls, which would have to be much stronger or likely to be less reliable and engage less quickly when pedaling is resumed after freewheeling


Upgrading a entry level hybrid bike or purchasing a new better one I currently own a Trek Dual Sport 3 2020. I'm very happy about the versatility of the bike from a riding point of view, but also "accessorization". I'm mostly doing light trails (no jumps, but roots and loose stones) and road. I'm also planning a 800km tour — road and gravel.
But I'm not so much happy about the components. I have the impression that I'm using a bit harder that what the bike has been designed for, and would like to either upgrade it or buy a new one.
I've read many comments saying that upgrading an entry level bike is a money hole and money is better spend buying a new one, and I agree if speaking about well-defined categories or old bikes. It seems less categoric here, the options I see are:

upgrade it to better components;
buy a new bike from a similar category, but from brands that have better value for money (like Cube Nature or Giant Roam), and either resell the Trek or keep it for guests;
buy a new gravel/cross-country MTB: my main reserve is in fact that I would loose versatility: a gravel would be less capable off-road, and a cross-country less capable on-road (I'm sometimes doing the 2 in a single trip).

I have a couple of questions:
Option 1:

is "worth" spending the value of the bike in wheels and drive-train? (thinking about Mavic Allroad (S) wheels, SRAM Eagle NX/Apex drivetrain). The total cost - including the bike - would be a bit more than the highest spec'ed Dual Sport for slightly better components. My interrogation with this approach is about the suitability of the frame: if I have sturdier components and I keep using hard, there will be more fatigue for the frame.

Option 3:

is my assumption that I'll loose versatility correct? For gravels, I would think so because of the lack of suspension and the dropped handlebar. And for X-country, if I fit thinner tires and a 42T crankset, it would be possible to have a similar specs, but I noticed that for example Trek specifies that 32T cranksets are the max for their X-calibers, so it wouldn't be possible to install such cranksets. I haven't seen similar restrictions with other brands, but only a few are selling frames separately.

Upgrading an existing bike piecemeal is always going to be more expensive than buying a new bike with the specs you want, because manufacturers get components at a discount.
Regarding Option 1, upgraded components will not transmit more stress to the frame, if that's what you're asking. It is possible (but seems unlikely) that the frame was engineered with just enough safety margin to allow for light trail riding, but not more intense off-road riding. I wouldn't let that guide my decision.
The gravel-bike category is a broad one, and some bikes are more road-ish, others are more MTB-ish.
If you frequently cover both tarmac and dirt in a single ride, that sounds like a good argument for a gravel bike. Everything is a compromise, and you need to figure out what compromise you're most comfortable with.


Employer Duty of Care for cyclist The company I work for provides cycle racks for cyclists in a semi underground carpark that is open at one side. Several cycles have been stolen from this area and one colleage was attacked by a bike thief who he surprised. Another was threatened on another occasion.
The company refuses to install a gated caged area or secure entrance to the car park, does the company have a duty to provide a safe parking area?

Where I live the employer would have an obligation under law to "Take all practical steps", however, one practical step for the employer is to remove the bike racks, as these are attracting the thieves, thus, the employer has addressed the issue.

I do not think you want to go quoting various legislation at them. The better way is to sell the benefits of people biking (reduce number of car, healthier people- less time off work (careful here -  accidents can count against you, happier more lively people - more productive when at work.). Sell the benefits of not have low life-cruising company car parks (it's not only cyclists who will get attacked) - they might take a liking to the bosses car....

When you say they refused - how and what did you ask for? Did you leave room to negotiate, to did you demand a they provide a solution to your problem? Was the refusal from one person (say a low level facilities manager), or from the Executive/Senior management team?
A flat refusal with no good reason would seem unlikely to me.


Can I convert my v-brakes to cartridges? I have a Hybrid that uses v-brakes:

The brake pad has an attached threaded post and to change the pads I have to change the whole unit.

Can I change the pad/post unit to a cartridge type used on road bikes?

Maybe not this specific one, but similar:

or is the adjustment done in a different way? I know the whole pad/post ones have domed washers for adjustment.

There are plenty of cartridge pads for MTB v-brakes.
For example http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cartridge-V-Brake-Pads-with-Titanium-Finish-for-Shimano-XTR-XT-SRAM-9-0-Avid-/200719390579?hash=item2ebbced773:g:auQAAOSwJSJXGDxZ .


What valves are these? What valves are these, and why do each wheel have its own type?

The front one is Dunlop and the rear one is Presta. The rear rim is drilled for Schrader valve, which is thicker than Presta. I don't know the reason for this, but I suspect that whoever put the bike together just used the parts that were at hand without any planning.


Steel rims responsible for slicing tubes? I have an old Giant dutch bike and it has steel rims. Since I'm a big boy I felt that the 60PSI on the tyres is not enough and pumped my tyres to the maximum of 85PSI which is what my Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres were supposed to be able to take in. It was great, riding was so much easier all of a sudden! Not the slowest guy on the road anymore, really fast if I wanted to in fact! I loved it.

Unfortunately a few days after I came to find one of the tubes neatly sliced. The tyre untouched. I wasn't sure what had happened but walked to work that day and planned to bring it to the workshop asap. When the day came I exited my house and found the other tube sliced in the exact same way.

I have meanwhile talked to lots of people. Some say it has to do with the steel rims even though I can't make any sense of that. I have also encountered people that said I just need the right tubes and tyres and it shouldn't happen anymore.

I'm now thinking of either buying a new bike, exchanging the wheels(which would be more expensive than the initial price tag of the bike) or give new tubes/new rimband and maybe different tyres a shot?

Does anyone have experience with this sort of thing or any sort of input?

this didn't help: Tire popping out of rim when inflating tube

OK if the tire was blown off the rim then I highly suspect that is the whole story.
When the tube leaks out the because tire bead has come out the tube will burst and you will see a slit.

A tube outside a tire cannot take much pressure.

Most likely when you went from 60 to 85 psi it was enough pressure to push the tire off the rim (bead).

I have seen this with some older bikes.  The rim is a little small.
Look for tires that run small and run at lower pressures.

You might also have a mismatch like a 27 on a 700c.

A Schwalbe Marathon Plus is a pretty hefty tire and tend to fit a little tight so this is kind of strange.  But it did happen after you went to 85 PSI.
Maybe give it a try again at 60 PSI. Even if you get a new bike you would have this as a backup.


Swap 7-speed for 9-speed I have a Giant Defy 9-speed road bike, and a thief stole the front wheel. I found a good deal on a set of used Bontrager (Edit: Mavic Aksium) wheels, so I bought them as a set. I want to swap both wheels so that they match, and also because the new wheel is 72g lighter. Probably a higher quality wheel overall. The trouble is, it's a 7-speed.

I know how to change a cassette, but I've never changed a hub. I can see that the 7-speed hub is smaller, so 9 gears won't fit. Can I move the 9-speed cassette over? I'm guessing there might be some kind of compatibility issues, but I don't know what to look for.

Edit: I just realized the Mavic hub has a spacer behind the cassette, which can be removed, leaving enough room for 9 sprockets. But now the locknut doesn't quite tighten all the way, it looks like I need to add a spacer of less than 1mm.

This is why you do the research before buying (and why wheels get stolen).

If you really want to use the 7-speed wheel, you can leave out one cog from the cassette and use derailleur limit screws to prevent it from shifting outside the cassette.


Can I use a hybrid bike tire on my mountain bike? I got a Merida Matts 20 D frame size 18. I want to use a hybrid bike tire. Can I? The current tire is 26*2.1

Do I also need to change the rim?

So long as the tire diameter (rim size, as stamped on the side of the tire) is the same, and the width is no more than about 30% wider or narrower than the original, and so long as the tire doesn't create interference problems with the frame or brakes, it should be fine.

So in your case you need a tire labeled 26, with a width of roughly 1.3 to 2.8.  But likely if you go much wider than your current tire you'll experience interference problems.

Whether the tire is labeled "hybrid" or "mountain" or even "road" makes no difference. (Though certain types tend to come in certain sizes -- you won't find many 26 inch racing tires, eg.)


Benefits of toe grips/toe straps I'm considering getting some toe grips or straps for my bike.

What are the benefits of these over normal pedals?

The main disadvantage to either toe clips or (even moreso) clipless pedals is that until you get used to them you're likely to have a few rather inelegant falls (like pulling up to a stoplight and just falling over).  There are other cases where they can contribute to falls (or exacerbate falls that would have occurred anyway), particularly in off-road conditions (which is one reason that off-road bikers often don't use them).

To me (being partly disabled) the main advantage is that I expend less energy keeping my feet on the pedals.  This isn't as trivial as it sounds: Without some sort of retention system you must constantly work to keep your feet centered over the pedals -- get off-center and your foot slides off.  Of course, people mostly manage this unconsciously, but it still takes considerable effort/energy, especially when you're tired or struggling against a hill or headwind or whatever.

The ability to "pull" on the pedal and gain energy on the upstroke is probably not significant in the general case, but can be important when you need a brief burst of power/torque.  More important, and somewhat related to the previous paragraph, is the fact that you can extend your power stroke slightly, beginning a few degrees earlier and ending a few degrees later.  You don't get more peak torque, but you do get more energy per unit time.


Quick release and tires moving in the frame? I have a Schwinn Boundary 2017 and it came with a quick-release front wheel. I noticed that no matter how tight I put the skewer it would be in a different position after extreme braking.

The bike shop guy told me that the fork is originally for a 10 mm bolt on axle with the splined washer that secures it. Sadly a front quick-release is as we all know 9 mm and rear is 10 mm. This front axle is allowed to move side to side under large lateral forces and the quick-release axle hits the bottom of the lip on the fork which is about 4 mm. Not a lot but it’s enough to offset the wheel in the fork by dang near an inch and makes it impossible to keep my front rotor aligned properly.

I shrugged it off for about a year then my pads wore to the bone and I replaced the pads and disks. I upgraded from 160 mm rotors to 180 mm and the axle now moves way easier due to more leverage from the rotor. The rear axle had a similar problem but just recently I used aluminum spacers and put them in my mounts to fill the gap between the axle and frame. It has worked for the back, it no longer has movement or at least an unnoticable amount.

I did the same with the front... only it made the front even worse, it just made it move easier and pulled the greatly bonded epoxy holding the spacers in.

I wanted to know if anyone else has had this problem, if there's anyway to fix these two axles because im about to get some grippy Maxxis Minnion DHF tires which will add to the problem and I would like to fix it before then.

The clamping force should be what keeps the axle in place, not the drop out. As you found out hub brakes, such as disc brakes, put more stress on quick release skewers than  rim brakes. While drop out design can help (e.g., forward facing), this ultimately is a failure of the skewer clamping force.

Unfortunately, not all skewers are created equal and many bike builds use cheap skewers.  In fact, most quick release skewers I have used are deficient in this regard allowing the front wheel axel to deflect under heavy braking. This is one of the reasons thru-axles have  become so popular for disc brake applications.

That said, quick release can still work if you get the right skewer:

High quality
Internal cam design

Shimano skewers (Deore and above) tend to be some of the best in terms of clamping force. See if you can track one down for the front, a better skewer for the rear isn’t required as the braking forces are different.

Note that the bike was spec’d from the factory with a quick release.


Why do I lose so much power/speed in an aggressive position? I've heard many cyclist say they can go faster (and are more comfortable) with a large bar drop.

If my bar is more than 5cm below the saddle (even by 5mm) -- or if I increase the reach -- my power drops at least 20% (3-4 MPH slower up a 10% grade).  Is this because my torso is 10cm+ shorter-than-normal compared to my legs?  Or, can it be because my hips are large for a guy?  (Isn't a large pelvis/hips one of the reasons that woman tend to need a more upright position?)

Could it be that the saddle position isn't ideal?  (If I lower or move the saddle rearward from my current position  -- about KOPS & HOP -- the opposite occurs:  I'm slower when upright, then gain power as I force myself into a long, low position.  But, comparing the 2, the more upright, higher/forward saddle is noticeably faster then the aggressive, lower/rearward saddle.)

Is it simply a matter of "getting used to" a lower position?  (If I lower the bar 5cm, and just continue riding that way, will I eventually be able to put out the same power I did while more upright?)

I've had SIX bike fittings done over the years, every one making me LESS comfortable and SLOWER, so there's no way I'm spending more money on that.  (Every fit was completely different.  One had the bar 52cm from the saddle, another set it at 59cm!  One had the saddle 6cm behind BB, another had it 12cm back!)

Since I live and ride in the mountains -- I live 600 ft up the side of one! I'm MUCH more interested in power/efficiency than I am in getting aero (if I need to be more upright to climb as fast as possible, so be it -- but it would be nice to be reasonable aero -- lots of descents, too! -- if I could do so without the power loss.

I've heard many cyclist say they can go faster (and are more comfortable) with a large bar drop.

I think this initial assumption is somewhat faulty. Most riders will find they are less comfortable and can make less power in a forward, aggressive position. I certainly find that to be the case myself. (I'm a reasonably fit rider who can hang with the A group on local rides.)

You may just need to accept that your anatomy and strength just don't allow for a aggressive riding position. If you are riding in hilly terrain and are concerned with making your max power, set up your bars in a less aggressive position that is comfortable for you and just ride on the hoods. You can get in the drops on descents where max power output is less important compared to getting more aero.


What are the metal shavings in my bottom bracket from? I opened up my FSA BB30 bottom bracket to find metal shavings all around. I opened up the bracket to try to find the source of a creaking sound, I’m guessing this is it - but I’m not quite sure what to fix/replace based on the metal shavings.

Some possibilities:

The seat tube or theoretically the head tube was reamed after the bottom bracket was installed, either at the factory or during assembly or service.
A little deposit of cuttings somehow got lodged in the seat tube or down tube from any of the many manufacturing steps that could create them, perhaps sticking to the inside of the tube with the help of some cutting fluid, and they made it all the way through the process but came loose over time once the bike started being ridden.
Some kind of simple brain fart, or laziness, or apathy, or some combination thereof on the part of whoever reamed the shell or seattube or assemeble the BB/cranks at the factory.
One corner case scenario that's theoretically possible with all cartridge bearing bike components is the bearing seizes due to extreme wear, alignment, fit, and/or quality issues (maybe some other factors too) and the spindle, axle, or bearing bore they're supposed to have stationary contact with is now a dynamic contact, which will start wearing away material, in this case from the crank spindle. If something like that did happen here I'd have no idea how the material got lost in such a shaving-like way, but I've seen weirder

It's not necessarily connected to the creak in any way. BB30 is simply prone to creaks.


Feet slip off flat/cleat hybrid pedals when it's wet I have those hybrid pedals that allow for both clipping in with cleats, and riding on flat pedals with ordinary shoes.

As I use my bike for cycling around the city, I mostly use the flats.

What I'm I'm finding though, is that when it's wet my shoes will slip of the pedals. I think it's because the clip in parts are slightly raised above the flat area.

Any suggestions for mitigating this?

As you have observed, to get good traction for flats (especially in the wet) the pedals have to be grippy. To be able to rotate to enable the release of clipless shoes, the flats have to be slippery. Making the pedals grippy will mean unreliable release when using clipless.

Whatever you do, do not try to fix it with DIY solutions such as grip tape, screwing plates onto the pedals or into the leading edges (sticking up)  - You will improve the problem you have, but likely create a worse one - you might well find yourself under a B-Train or off the side of a trail and down a bluff when you cannot release in a hurry.

Solutions are to accept the compromise solution, try the combination flats one side, clips the other which solves this problem (but generates others such as the pedal is never the right way up.), or commit to either flats or clipless.

Personally I think the commitment to one or the other is the best solution.

This question (and many others) is worth reading if you want to consider other options.


Are there reasons not to use always the max level of assistance? I'm using an electric bicycle to go to work. My goals are:

Not to arrive late
Not to sweat (too much)

My bike, like most e-bikes I guess, let me choose the level of electric assistance that I wish. I understand that the range is longer with a lower level of electric assistance. But in my case, this is not relevant. My battery can take the whole commute regardless of the level of assistance.

Is there any reason I should not use always the maximum level of assistance? For instance battery or motor damages/heating/...?

Assuming you have a good quality electric assist bike from a major manufacture. The manufacturer provided the max assist setting, so they intend for it to be used. It's a safe bet the bike is built to take the max assist torque without sustaining damage or accelerated wear. If the manufacturer believes sustained use of max assist will affect the bike, it will say so in the manual, so check that.

The one thing I'd be mindful of is battery life. General advice for laptops, phones and other portable devices is that deep discharge and heat degrade batteries and shorten their life-spans. If your commute is short, and the battery capacity is adequate for max assist both ways, that should not be a problem. I'm not sure about how discharge rates affect battery life - if I find info on this I'll update this answer.

Otherwise I say go ahead and use max assist. Yes, more torque and speed will wear bearings, chain, etc. proportionally faster, but using the assist is what you bought the bike for, right?


Rattling bottom bracket I broke my chain catcher, so i replaced it. but after assembling everything back on to the bike, i noticed that there's some rattling noises in the bottom bracket. Does that mean that i should buy a new bottom bracket?

Maybe there is a problem with the bottom bracket, maybe you re-assembled something incorrectly, maybe there is something else loose that is rattling.

Check the bike for rattles and loose components by holding it by 10-15cm above the ground and dropping in onto its tires.

Check the bottom bracket is re-assembled correctly.

Turn the cranks by hand. They should feel smooth with no 'notchiness' or roughness. Try to move the crank axle in the bottom bracket shell, there should not be any movement or play.


Will an ACS 13T X 3/32 Crossfire freewheel fit an All-City Standard 130mm Hub? Will an ACS 13T X 3/32 Crossfire freewheel fit an All-City Standard 130mm fixed/free Hub?   I am attempting to setup a goldsprints setup using a very large front ring and a small rear freewheel. I'm not sure whether a freewheel this small will thread on to these hubs.

No. Freewheels that small use a smaller diameter thread intended for BMX hubs. The smallest freewheel you're going to find for that hub is a 15T. I believe ACS makes one in 15T called Claws that fits a standard hub. Cheap and it works.


Tubular tire on hooked rim I just bought a new (second-hand) bike (Orbea Asphalt sport) and I was looking at the tire and found out it was a tubular tire, a Continental Grand Prix, but on the sides you can read 'only mount on a hooked rim'. Is it possible for a tubular tire to be mounted on a hooked rim?

Tufo makes tubular clinchers.  Clement made something similar in the eighties, called the Ritmo, I believe.  I don't think Continental does, I'm pretty sure they're just regular clincher tires.

You can ride tubular tires on clincher rims in an emergency, but they'll roll off the wheel if you're not very careful in the corners.


What advise for using spacers on MTB rear forkend I have a Cannondale MTB frame I'd like to make a cruzer by adding a Sturmey Archer 2-speed kick shift. The SA axel length is 162mm and the spacing is 116mm but the Cannondale spacing is 135mm (remember this is an aluminum frame so it's not flexible). This doesn't leave a lot of room for the nut!

In my mind as long as I can get the chain rings to line up and tighten the bolts I should be good!?

Sheldon Brown has a good page on frame adjustment - I especially refer you to his instructions on aluminum (and carbon) frames - DON'T

As long as you can get the nuts on far enough that axle thread is visible, you will be OK, however, at 13mm for the frame, washer and nut, I will be surprised. You might be tempted to use a smaller spacer and compress the frame. I have no idea how much would be consider too much - 1, 2 5mm? I would have a guess 1 or 2 is fine, but 5 might be pushing it.

You should be able to get the chain line correct by changing spacers, however it might also mean redishing the wheel.

How do you plan to adjust the chain tension. Are the dropouts on the frame horizontal?


Where Can I Legally Ride Off Road in the UK? As it says in the title, where can I ride legally ride my mountain bike off road in the UK?

In England, Wales and NI You can legally ride in lots of places:

On any bridleway
On any Byway open to all traffic (BOAT)
Restricted Byways (Used to be called RUPPs)
Permisive Bridleways
Dedicated MTB trial centres (of which there are now lots)

The first three categories of path can be found on your OS map, although the definitive maps are held by local area councils and the OS map can (very rarely) be wrong. Permissive Bridleways are open to bikes but are not often marked on maps, they are there with the permission of the land owner and aren't a statutory right of way.

In Scotland the rules are differnt and much more liberal - if there is a trail then you can probably ride it.  There is a good overview here as to the position in Scotland.

A good way to find your local routes is via your local cycling club if they have an off road section.


Road bike very twitchy when standing in the pedals? First time test riding a road bike yesterday after years on ATBs. Loved it.

But when powering up a hill I'm used to standing up. So did that instinctively, and immediately found I had to sit back down because the steering became like a unicycle - guessing my CofG was a way forwards of the steering axis.

Is this that

the specific bike I was riding is the wrong size for me?
I just can't do that on road bikes?
I can do that, but need to learn a different position to what works on an ATB?

Riding out of the saddle is a totally valid way to ride, you may just need to practice more. I remember having much the same reaction to my first road bike.

Almost all road bikes are twitchier/have faster steering than mountain bikes.

Mountain bikes are typically designed to be very stable to stop ruts, roots, and rocks from throwing you into a ditch or off of a cliff.

Road bikes are designed for nice flat, smooth tarmac and don't really have to worry about these obstacles.

Even within the road bike gamut, you'll find that the stability can vary wildly. A bike for touring will be very stable but one designed for criteriums will likely be the twitchiest of the lot.

I can't comment on the sizing, if you're test riding at a shop, why not try something bigger or smaller?


Head bearing lock nut thread on a vintage english bicycle I want to replace the bent forks on my 1950s Humber bicycle (made by raleigh)with another thats too long between the head bearing and the fork crown and will be need to be cut and rethreaded.My question is what size dye  will I need to put back the thread on the shortened 25mm tube ?
The origonal forks are obsolete so buying new is not an option.

You really should measure it to be sure, using a thread pitch gauge and caliper, but if it's made by Raleigh in that era it's probably 1"x26tpi. The frame bore and original stem OD are probably standard dimensions (30.2mm and 22.2mm respectively), and if they are then you can just use a new standard ISO 1" headset along with a new fork that takes standard 1"x24tpi threads.

I've avoided doing this judiciously enough that I don't really know the practical details, but it's common to hear of attempts at extending threads by very much using common dies and a handle going pretty rough.

Basic 26x1-3/8" replacement forks are still available new. In the US, any shop can get you this one. It will have the standard 24tpi threads, so if your headset is 26tpi it will need to be replaced.


Do new wheels usually come with freehubs? I was looking around for new wheels and thoroughly confused about the common approach to freehubs.  Do they usually come with the freehub or do I have to actually put that on?  If they do come with it, why in the world do none of the listings actually say anything about sizes?

Specifically, I was looking at this http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product2_10053_10052_541505_-1">listing which shows one in the picture, but does not give any specs.

Wheels that take a cassette (Road, Mountain Bike, etc) generally come with a freewheel hub. Generally these are Shimano/SRAM compatible or Campy compatible. If it doesn't say, you can just about bet on Shimano/SRAM compat.

The wheelset you linked to does and is Shimano/SRAM compat.

Wheels for fixies/tracks/single speeds usually do not have a freewheel sprocket (or a fixed cog). If it doesn't say, chances are it's not included.


Bottom bracket replacement advice needed for BBright BB386EVO I've got a Giant TCX SLR2 (2015) according to the spec sheet it has:-

Crankset: FSA Gossamer Pro Cross, 36/46

Bottom Bracket: FSA MegaExo

The other day I noticed the bottom bracket isn't sounding so great and needs replacing. Having read around I've seen a lot of issues with this BB so want to replace it with something better and possibly upgrade/change my crankset at the same time, possibly for a Shimano 105 HollowTech II 34/50.

The problem is I'm struggling to get my head around which bottom bracket I need. I think I understand the relationship between crank and bracket,  it's which ones will fit my frame.

Any advice, suggestions or links to useful articles greatly appreciated.

To add to the confusion, the crank actually says 'For BBright BB386EVO'. Am I right in thinking this is not MegaExo as stated on the spec sheet?

This frame either uses a BB386 Evo "standard" or a Pressfit 30 "standard". You can determine which by measuring the width of the frame at the BB shell. If 86.5mm it is BB386Evo. If 68mm it is Pressfit 30.

If it is a Pressfit 30(68mm shell) this BB is a direct fit for the Shimano crank without extra spacers. this is the PF30 version of the BB30 bottom bracket that @bikebum listed in his answer.

However, based on the markings on your existing crank, I believe it is BB386 Evo.

  To add to the confusion, the crank actually says 'For BBright BB386EVO'

That means that it is a pressfit(non-threaded)frame, with a shell width of 86.5mm, and an outside bearing race(cup)diameter of 46mm. The inside diameter of that bearing cup is 30mm.

MegaExo is a brand of bottom bracket made by FSA, not a measurement standard.

Any Pressfit 30 BB kit, like the ones from SRAM or Wheels Manufacturing will fit the frame. Nothing else will fit.

To fit a crankset, you either need a BB386 Evo crank, as you have now (also known as the "long BB30"), or you need a spacer kit to adjust he diameter of your frame's required standard of 30mm to the crank you want to use.

Since the Shimano crankset is designed for an 86.5mm frame, you only need to adjust the ID of the bearing cup to 24mm Shimano standard.

A Wheels Manufacturing 24mm to BB386 Evo adaptor like this one does the trick.

FSA makes a good BB reference poster here.


What do I need to know about fitting new wheels on a bike? My girlfriend has had the wheels stolen from her bike. I'd like to replace them, but we're working with a limited budget so I'm going to do the work myself and source the parts second hand.

I've done a basic bike maintenance course but beyond that I'm relatively clueless. I know that the new wheels need to be 700C's, and that the new rear gear cassette needs to be 7-speed (I guess because that's what the gear shifters are) but I have the following questions:

Will any 700C wheel work with any gear cassette? From browsing eBay it seems that some of the wheels are specified as working with 7-speed or 8-speed cassettes?
The first question aside, will any cassette screw on to the mounting on the wheel I buy, or are there different threads?
Should I buy a free wheel or a cassette? I'm not even sure what the difference is!

There are a number of factors to consider when buying a new wheel set:

Wheel size, there are many different wheel sizes to choose from, modern road bikes are generally 700c and mountain bikes 26, 27.5 or 29inch. There's also a number of legacy, children's and specialty sizes.
Rim width, rim width determines how wide a tire you can run and is determined by seat stay and chain stay clearance. If you have a road bike you may be able to fit wider cross tires if you were so inclined.
Axle width, the width of the rear drop outs, generally 135mm on road bikes but older bikes may be less, 135 or 142 for mountain bikes. Front widths on mountain bikes are either 100 or 110.
Cassette size, you need a hub (unless using a free wheel) that is spaced for the cassette you'll be using. There are 7, 8/9/10 and 11 speed free hubs. A 7 speed cassette will fit an 8 speed hub with a spacer.
Cassette type, shimano and sram require a compatible hub, campy requires a different compatible hub.
Brake type, rim brakes need a specific rim, disc brakes and coaster brakes require a specific hub.
Axle diameter, on Mountain bikes there's 9mm QR and 15mm and 20mm thru axle on the front and 10mm QR, 10mm bolt up or 12mm thru axle on the rear.

Everything thing else such as material, number of spokes or valve type is user preference.


Brake response is spongey post-brake lever upgrade I have just performed an upgrade of brake levers on my Plug Racer, from the original cross-style levers (top mounted, possibly Promax 239A models) to Cane Creek 200TT bar end levers, connecting them to the original Tektro R538 brake calipers. The change of handlebar position entailed the installation of new cabling and housing also.

The response I get when braking has changed significantly post-upgrade, with a very spongey action. Having done a bit of research into why this might be, it would appear to be an excess of mechanical advantage in the braking system (as discussed by Sheldon here and here), a result of the new levers being of a short-pull type, and the original calipers requiring a long pull.

I haven't been able to confirm the 'pull' characteristics of the components in question however (the 200TT manual just says "200TT brake levers are compatible with caliper brakes", and instructions for the R538s are not available from Tektro), so before I go and look for a compatible set of brake calipers, is there anything else that might cause spongey action in the braking system?

You get more sponginess for one of two reasons:  More mechanical advantage (meaning the lever must move farther to move the pads a given amount) or more flex somewhere -- either in the levers/pivots, or in the cable and it's mounting.

(The cable mounting can be an unsuspected source of flex if the cable doesn't approach the mount squarely and the first bit of lever motion is "spent" just forcing the cable to line up.)

There's also a psychological factor -- activating a lever in a different direction or with different parts of your fingers can seem to have more/less flex.


Why does a loose pedal destroy the crank threads? Can someone cite with sources the process by which a loose pedal pretty quickly destroys the crank arm threads necessitating a helicoil repair?

I'm interested in how the thread on the crankarm gets destroyed in these cases. Shouldn't the pedaling action tighten the pedal back onto the crank if Sheldon Brown is correct?

Once loose, the pedal spindle will describe a cone as the crank rotates. This concentrates force at certain points in the crank threads, leading to damage.

Top image shows the pedal spindle in the threaded hole in the crank. The threads are fully engaged and tightened, and forces are distributed. Note there is space between the male and female threads (somewhat exaggerated).

Bottom image show what what happens what the thread is loose. The spindle can move around in the threaded hole in response to changing pedaling forces, and forces get concentrated at the red dots.


Different brand shifters Recently my Shimano rear derailleur broke. I have Shimano Tourney front derailleur, and Shimano easy fire shifters.

Will there be any problem if I put SRAM X5 derailleur? The front is 3 and the rear is 7 speed.

It won't work. The two systems have different cable pulls.

Buy a SRAM (or Friction) shifter if you want to use the SRAM derailleur or buy a Shimano derailleur.

Either option is about the same cost (though if one is cheaper, the Shimano derailleur will probably be the cheaper one). You just need a 7-9 speed Shimano derailleur with sufficient capacity and cog sizes -- the Altus M-310 8 speed derailleur looks to be about 16 USD at the moment, which is probably adequate.


Are helmets with chin guards safer than those without? I do trail riding with some technical elements, and I have decided to upgrade my normal helmet to some sort of a full-face helmet.

I have seen some sturdy-looking helmets, which resemble the motorcycle ones (example). However, their ventilation looks bad, so I don't want these. I am interested in the lighter variant, which looks like a normal helmet with a chin guard attached to it (example) - chin guard may or may not actually be removable.

So, if I get the latter type of helmet, do I get significantly better protection, comparing to non-full-face helmets?

Specifically, will it protect me from a direct face-plant?

Is there a significant risk of the chin guard snapping and hurting me?

Does it matter if the chin guard is made of metal or plastic?

I wish they had them 20 years ago when I was much younger and rode much more difficult terrain, with much less respect (aka fear) than I now have. (I ride mostly technical XC, not downhill).

As far a protection goes, if the choice is a traditional light weight helmet or one like this, you will be better off with this. It is not an alternate to a down hill helmet.

Negative internet commentary on these tends to come from Downhill riders who do not believe they offer any real protection. As far as down hill riding, they are correct. They also tend to be good enough not to fall off on easy ground, and know how to fall if they do, so see no benefit over a light weight helmet.

However, I have seen some pretty horrendous injuries (google "Bicycle face plant") from riders face planting on paved and easy gravel roads. Most times its inexperienced riders doing silly things, rarely an experienced rider getting taken out by someone/something. These helmets are ideal for a XC rider who wants to keep his teeth and pretty looks, but is not prepared to spend hours suffocating under a heavy downhill helmet.

Will it protect you from a face plant - For XC and road riding, face plants injure the face, its messy, painful and scars last a lifetime, as does the loss of teeth. Your face will be protected.

Risk of chin guard snapping - at that point it would have been your jaw.... if you expect to fall off that hard, get a down hill helmet. If it does snap off, it has certainly done its job.


What should I consider when looking at a recumbent trike for commuting and winter riding? AS part of my investigation on my bike replacement, I'm starting to look at a trike. I like the idea of a trike as it looks to be much more comfortable, much faster, but also much more expensive (in general).

My purpose for the bike is for my commute to work (~30 km per day). This may not sound much, but I also want to ride in the winter time (snow and ice). A trike looks to provide better stability and safer as well.

Looking at the net, there look to be two competing styles: either two wheels at the rear like the Kettwiesel Allround, or two wheels at the front like the Greenspeed GT1.

For those who have ridden these trikes, what is your advice?

I've commuted in the pacific northwest for two winters, and have equiped my bicycles with snow tires, mudflap extensions, and sewn bright yellow waterproof blankets to cover up my Xtracycle deck. A lot of my inspiration has come from the Winter Riding forum on bikeforums.net. I cannot provide model information, but possibly these some areas to consider:

are you considering a recumbent orientation because of chronic back or neck problems?
A recumbent position might actually reduce core strength, or it might place stress on the wrong part of your back
storage and transfer at home and destination: do you want your trike stored curbside in all weather? Trikes are slow to fold, unwieldly to carry, probably more difficult to maneuver up stairways or elevators, and...like cargo bikes, not intended to be put on a bus...or maybe even trains
orient your budget towards all the gear you will want to outfit your trike with for wet weather commuting, plus ice plus snow. Studs are important for ice, studs don't help with snow, fenders don't help with snow, but you want them for anything wetter than slush
visibility: flags, extra blinkers
commuting plus cargo? Consider aluminum "Pelican" cases for secure alternatives to panniers
recumbent seats in wet weather often need to be covered with trash bags because the ones with foam pads become sponges
snow and trikes is much higher friction than snow and bikes. General wisdom for up to 7" of powder is thinner tires (19-23mm) cuts thru powder with the least friction
clearance: if you have mobiliy issues, a higher trike will be easier to mount and dismount; if you do trails or want to clear snow mounds, clearance will help. This might dictate your tire size.
maintenance and support: some trikes come with rear suspension (springs or shocks) and those, like on MTBs, wear out and can be degreased in the rain; many bike shops do not want to support recumbents because its a fringe market and their suppliers don't stock parts for Catrike, Rans or Sun, you might need to be your own mechanic
try before you buy: I own a  used Rans Tailwind and I commute on it, but it's a hassle to make normal bike parts, like pannier racks, fit on them. I didn't know how many options there were for recumbents and I ended up with an ill-suited commuter: it turns out I wanted a short wheel-base recumbent and possibly a non-foam seat plus a windshield so I wouldn't be so bothered by the rain. If you have a local 'bent dealer that can help you setup different models with a wet weather loadout, you'll likely find a quality model that suits you
attachment points: can you attach extra battery pack and lamps for an extended lighting system, computer/iphone/gps unit
electric boost opion: Lightfoot cycles is an example of a 'bent manufacturer that does recumbent e-assist bikes, there are others. If you have significant hills to climb and you're used to standing on your bike pedals, that's something a 'bent takes away from you

Best of luck in your adventure finding your future commuter!


How do you make the handlebar stem straight? I adjusted my stem height the other day, and since then, the stem hasn't felt straight. I've attempted to straighten it a few times, but because I'm just eyeballing it, the handlebars don't quite seem right when I ride.

(I have similar problems when I try to straighten my saddle or brifters; is this hard for other people, too, or do I just have some sort of alignment-blindness? :)

Is there a simple way to make the stem objectively straight instead of relying on my subjective (and wrong) judgment?

A problem many hit when trying to straighten the stem is that they end up aligning the stem with the bike while the wheel is almost straight. A degree or two isn't noticeable until you are riding and then it really bothers you.

Instead of trying to align three things (bike, stem, wheel), turn the wheel about 45 degrees. Now align the stem (I generally do it with the wheel trapped between my legs and the bike in front of me) to the wheel. It's much easier to ignore the bike when it's not even close to in-line.

Happy riding.


Kenda Kwest 100 psi tires (presta valve) I am pretty new to bicycles.

Got my hands on Kenda Kwest 100 PSI tires with presta valves and I have a couple of questions about inflating them.

Using a floor pump, do I need to pump them a bit over 100 PSI? When taking the pump head off, it feels like the PSI drops a little bit due to airflow.
What's a good floor pump? I just moved and the movers lost mine.

Please kindly let me know. Thanks in advance.

The puff you hear when you disconnect is mostly air remaining in the pump hose, not the tire.  The tube valves are very fast to reseal when you pop the pump off.

Most quality tires have a range of pressures. Some controversy exists on the "best" pressure to run, the current thinking has folks running about 5psi under the upper limit.  As someone earlier alluded, Sheldon Brown's website is a wealth of vetted information.  Bike shops tend to have the bike pumps that last and work the best.

Personal note, I like a gauge up where I can read it without magnification or stopping my pumping to squat down to read it.  Glad you're riding.


Any idea what this bike is? We received this bike from a friend that was cleaning out their garage.  There aren't any identifying badges or marks, etc., except the ID# H990320629.  We tired to find a similar frame as seen here.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Its a Schwinn Lowrider with what looks to be 16" high-spoke count wheels.

It is not a limo lowrider or stingray lowrider, just a "lowrider"  The front springer fork (suspension) and high spoke count, and banana seat have been part of the design for a long time.

As for year - the model was available from the 1960s and is still available now.  Lack of front brake implies its not recent, or its from somewhere that a single brake is legal.

Note, the rearward seating position makes this a "semi crank-forward" bike, and it would be quite hard to ride up a decent grade because it would be tippy and light on the front wheel.


Will a white painted bike get rusty when stored outside? My parents want me to store my bike outside. It's white and the tire rims are green. I really want to keep the color looking nice.
I know that keeping the bike outside will cause rusting on the chains and cables, so I put a tarp over it and sealed it tight.
I live in Seattle Washington where the weather is mostly rain but during the spring and summer it gets super hot.
Am I storing my bike correctly?

The problem with sealing it tight is that water will get in, even just as humid air, then it can't easily get out. You'll get condensation, which will cause rust.

It's much better to shelter the bike so that rain can't hit it or blow in easily, but leave the bottom open so that water than run out. A motorbike rain cover would be ideal, but a tarp thrown over with a rope looped around lower down to hold it in place will be fine. Try to cover the rear derailleur and the chain when doing this, as those are especially likely to rust.

Note that it's a really bad idea to spray the chain (or anything else) with a degreaser like WD40 before you do this. You're better off buying proper chain lube and over-lubricating the chain and derailleurs before storing the bike for any length of time. That excess will better protect them, and then when you pull it out of storage add a little more lube, spin the pedals backwards 10-20 turns, then wipe the excess off (that replaces any volatile parts of the lube that have evaporated while it was stored)


Unable to get a tube replacement to last I am running into a consistent issue, my last two tubes replacement for the back tyre of my cycle got punctured same way at the neck of the tube.   I am beginning to think if there is something fundamentally wrong. I biked for barely 25 min after installing brand new tube from sunlite and there was a puncture at tubes neck.
The dimensions were 26x1.5-1.75 of the tube, tyre is 26x2. Bicycle is a Schwinn Frontier. Please suggest me what should be my course of action here?

There is a mark in the middle of the valve stem as if something has pressed against it:

Given that it was a fresh new tube, it likely means that it had been installed with the valve protruding at a sharp angle from the rim hole. Externally, it will look like this:

This is bad because the air pressure creates additional uneven stress to the rubber around the valve. Which, in turn, may cause a blowout at the end of the metal tube of the valve, or even tear the whole piece apart.
At the installation time, while the air pressure is not too high (but not zero), pull the valve up with hand to ensure that it sits at an angle as straight as possible to the rim surface. If it is already stuck, deflate the tire again and repeat the attempt.
While you are dealing with the problem and have your rim exposed for inspection, check that the valve hole is smooth on its edges both inside and outside:

Any sharp burrs left in it will rub against the valve, which will also weaken it and will create a possibility for a blowout.


Upgrade new bike to 11 speed or downgrade trainers wheel to 8 speed I am farily new to cycling and roadbikes in general. I have bought a ( last years model ) roadbike with an 8 speed casette in the back. I also bought an indoor trainer ( 2nd hand ) and got a spare wheel with special training tyre on it. However, the casette on the spare wheel is an 11 speed. I have tried to fit that wheel on my bike, but the 11 speed does not ride well on my 8 speed bike. I took it off to prevent any possible damage to the bike and or wheels.

Is it possible for me to simply take out 3 cogs from my 11 speed wheel, and thus make it an 8 speed? If so, how do I determine which ones to take out?
Or would it be better if I 'downgrade' my spare wheel to an 8 speed? Or upgrade my bike to an 11 speed ( but I think this will be to expensive for me right now )?

Keep in mind the bike is new, so the 8 speed casette is not even worn out. The 11 speed wheel is used, but looks in very good shape.
Also my budget is very limited. Thanks for any helpful tips

The spacing/pitch between the individual cogs of the 8 and 11 speed cassettes are different so if you want to make the training bike work properly with the 11spd cassette you will have to replace your right side shifter (shifter for the rear derailleur) with an 11 speed version or with a friction shifter. Also since (as pointed out by @Argenti Apparatus) the actuation ratio of 8 and 11 speed derailleurs are different, you will need to replace the derailleur with an 11 speed compatible derailleur. Removing a few cogs from the 11 spd cassette won't work due to the different cog spacing as long as you don't upgrade to an 11 SPD shifter due to the different spacing between the cogs. You can ride it but you won't be able to properly index it and the drivetrain will wear out faster and you probably won't be able to shift into some of the gears due to not being able to properly index it.

Do keep in mind 8 speed cassettes are a lot cheaper than 11 speed so the replacement parts (cogs or entire cassette, when the current cassette is worn) will be more expensive also.


Stepper motor for ebike In these days I'm going to design a e bike project. I'm going to use BLDC motor for that. but normally (according to my knowledge) there are two types of BLDC motors. there are, normal BLDC motor and stepper motor. my problem in can I use a Large stepper motor for the e bike?

Stepper motors have very poor maximum RPMs and dreadful torque at high rpm. Also, controlling stepper motors requires a special controller and it's hard to find high amperage controllers. High-amperage stepper motors are also very expensive.

There's really no advantage to using a stepper motor. You don't need its precision (you can tell a stepper to rotate CW 145 degrees then back CCW 32 degrees, but why would you need that in an e-bike).

Go with an appropriate brushless motor.


Converting Jamis Coda Comp from 8 speed to 10 speed? I have a 2013 Jamis Coda Comp hybrid with 8-speed Acera/Altus groupset parts.  I'd like to replace the whole drivetrain with 10-speed Tiagra. Is this doable? Anything I should be aware of?

Speaking just in terms of the mechanical aspects, it's usually fully doable. (The cost-effectiveness of such projects is often questionable at best, but it does depend.)

Potentially relevant ways that a hybrid frame can be different from a road frame of the sort those components would usually go on:

Large chainring clearance, ie on some hybridy frames you'd find a larger chainring would run into the right chainstay. In this case it starts out with a 48, so not likely to be an issue.  If any dealbreaker comes up with this kind of conversion, this is usually it.
135 rear spacing, not 130, putting the chainline out 2.5mm from what road cranks necessarily "expect." Usually this won't make a relevant difference, especially since chainstay length will be longer on a hybrid frame, which always mitigates some of the issues of suboptimal chainline. There are a lot of road disc bikes running around now with the same deal and it almost never makes any real difference, but there are some manufacturers (SRAM) that make a bunch of alternate spindle length road cranks for this reason.
FD cable routing. Some hybrid frames have their housing stops set up for top pull, which no road FDs natively accomodate. A clamp on seat tube pulley is usually the fix if its needed. I don't believe any generations of Codas are like this though.
FD barrel adjuster, or lack thereof. Road groups expect there to be one on the frame, which is usually not true of hybrid frames. The solution is to use an inline adjuster, which a lot of stock road bikes do now anyway.


Is it possible to use a two or three chainring with an internal hub? I have a Bullit cargo bike. It has a Shimano 39t chainring and a Alfine 8 rear hub. I was going to go for a Rohloff to get more gears, but the price is just getting stupid. I looked at the Alfine 11 but its lowest gear is reported to be the same as the Alphine 8 and I need lower gears to get me up hills. So I have now turned my attention toward buying a smaller chainring that will fit the 68mm HollowTech ii. But I have been thrown by the discussions about chain sizes. If I purchase a chainring with say an SLX 40,28T or Delore 38T,24T would this mean than my normal 1/8th chain would get stuck. fall off etc. And can you use a Deraillia shifter on a front chainring while keeping the rear hub? I am trying to keep my top speed but also obtain lower gears for the hills. I have used the Bullit to carry camping gear and my dog for many trips but now want to tackle some real mountains.

From what I've read about the Alfine 11 and 8, the lowest ratio is about the same, but the Alfine 11 has a greater highest ratio.  So you could use an Alfine 11 and a smaller front chainring.  Then your top gear would remain about the same, and your lowest gear would get lower.
Try this site for comparing gear ratios, I have found it to be extremely useful:
http://www.ritzelrechner.de

This link will take you to a comparison of Alfine 8 + 39T and Alfine 11 + 33T:
http://ritzelrechner.de/?GR=SA11&KB=33&RZ=20&UF=2125&TF=90&SL=2.5&UN=KMH&GR2=SNI8&KB2=39&RZ2=18&UF2=2125


Tadpole Recumbent Bike Correct Fairing Position What is the correct fairing position for a tadpole recumbent trike?  I have a HP Gekko 26 with a Streamer fairing.  Should the fairing be as far forward or as close to my pedal range as possible?  Should the trailing end of the fairing be high (inline with my head) or low (inline with my chest)?

Fairings are external body panels that help shape the airflow over you and your ride, whether it be an upright, or a recumbent, bike or trike.

So if you're aiming for more speed via better aerodynamics, then the fairing should be as small as possible AND smooth the airflow over you as much as possible.  This means as narrow as possible while not interfering with your pedalling.  It should also be high up so there is less vertical surface presented to the airstream (ie your face)

If you're aiming for comfort while commuting, then visibility is important, so a lower trailing edge allows you to see more.  Yes it will be not quite as good for slipping through the air, but a crash or an avoidable incident will slow you down more.

Length isn't really that relevant to aerodynamics unless you're getting side winds, where the surface area is larger because the wind is from the side.  There's a rule of thumb about the length of any tailbox which should be 6x longer than its maximum width to avoid stalling the windflow as it comes back together.

A final thought about trailing edge height - if you have a sudden stop that throws you forward, will you be better off with the trailing edge inline with your head or your chest?  Obviously not stopping suddenly would be best, but we don't always have that option.


How to prevent my front derailleur from rubbing on my back tire? Recently I tried adjusting my front derailleur (Shimano 6800) so that it wouldn't rub my chain when I was in the highest gear. After playing around with the angle as well as the limiting screws, I found that the chain will clear the derailleur cage, but only when the clamp bolt starts to rub against the tire.

Is there any way to fix this without getting new tires? I've already made sure the wheels were seated properly, so I'm sure that's not the issue.

For reference, the tires I'm running are WTB Nano TCS and the bike is a Motobecane Century Pro with disk brakes.

So after tinkering with derailleur position some more, I still couldn't get it to stop rubbing, that's when I had the bright idea to move the clamp bolt to the other side of the derailleur. Now I've got enough clearance that it doesn't rub against the tire and the chain doesn't rub against the cage. There's not a groove for the wire on the other side, but it seems to work just fine in the time I've tested it. It was a stupid idea, but I guess it works for now.


How worrying is damage to a carbon fiber frame near the bottom bracket? Last week on a ride my chain popped off the inner chainring and  managed to get stuck between the chainring and frame. I (probably foolishly) tried to work it free by yanking on the chain and that just got it wedged in harder. I took it to the shop and the repair guy is telling me that even though the damage looks superficial (there are some gouges near the bottom bracket where the chain rubbed against it), because it's a carbon fiber frame he can't guarantee that there won't be some major failure of the frame sometime down the road.

How concerned should I really be about this? I don't care about the cosmetic damage. How obvious will it be when/if the damage gets worse to the point of being a safety issue? Will there be telltale signs of a widening crack/tear that will give me some warning well ahead of time, or is there a risk of a random catastrophic failure?

I would be concerned. The bottom bracket is the most heavily stressed part of any bike, and carbon has a catastrophic failure mode--that is, you don't get any warning. One minute it seems fine, the next minute, you've got carbon-fiber shrapnel.

As a first measure, I might clean it up as best as I can, take some pictures, and send them to the manufacturer or the manufacturer's area rep to get their feedback.


Is there an easy to use app for tracking my cycling performance? (iOS or Android) I'm looking for an app similar to the Nike+ app but for cycling. I'm mostly concerned with distance, calories and average speed. Elevation tracking would be awesome. Does your recommendation pair with a desktop app as well?

There are many apps available for iOS and Android. Some of the big names:

Strava
EndoMondo
Runkeeper
MapMyRide
Sports Tracker

They all have a mobile application that tracks your ride and then uploads it to a central server, accessible via a website. The website often provides reports and breakdowns of your performance.

They also add elevation data, but I'm not sure how accurate it is.

Additional performance metrics can be added through the use of ANT+ compatible devices to allow monitoring speed, cadence, heart rate and many more metrics.

My personal favorite, having evaluated all of them, is Strava. It is free, has a unique feature of tracking "Segments" of your ride, where you can see your performance for shorter stretches of your overall ride, relative to your past performance and also to other riders.

See also:

What is a good iphone app for bikers
What map / navigation / bike direction apps are available for the iphone for commuting / urban cycling
Bicycling apps for Android [closed]


i used a secondhand e bike kit but i cant get it to work guys I put a secondhand e bike kit on my bike but it doesn't want to work its a 36volt 22amp the battery has full charge at out put of 42 volts hooked it  all up push the thumb control nothing i have been at it for days trying to work it out if anyone can help out would be good.  thanks jason

Can the connector on the motor be connected only in one orientation? (Is there a notch of some sort to prevent you from connecting it incorrectly?)

It looks like this connector is used for both the motor phase wires (3 of them) and hall sensor wires (5 of them). If you connect these incorrectly you risk damaging the hall sensors and the motor coils won't work correctly or won't work at all.

There are controller testers available online for example on AliExpress. They are quite cheap (approx 15 euro IIRC) and are perfect for your situation
 You can test the workings of the throttle
 Test your hall sensor and motor coils. Test the phase wire output of the controller etc. Makes it a lot easier to test.
-------

Link:
https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/4000327577472.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.aabf53e5ZgR3Xv&algo_pvid=f085ff01-8b80-48f2-bb35-60c9350f4f92&algo_expid=f085ff01-8b80-48f2-bb35-60c9350f4f92-3&btsid=0b0a187b15824111666037870e2379&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

You can use a multi meter to test the continuity of your motor coils (test two of the three phase wires relative to each other and check if they have continuity, if they don't one or more of your coils are burnt out).

Some controllers have both a connection for throttle and a connection for pedal assist sensor. Check if you have both and which you are using (can be checked by checking the wire colors and comparing with similar looking controllers online (most likely on Aliexpress, they often include some information on what wires do what)).

If you have both a fore mentioned connectors you could try connecting your throttle to the currently unused connector and seeing if this works.

Most controllers have a wire which you have to connect to either the battery positive or battery negative in order for the controller to turn on. In my experience this wire is usually a thin red wire. To which side of the battery you have to connect it for the controller to turn on differs from controller to controller. Check if this wire Is present and if it is check if it is connected. It is often called a 'power lock' wire.

Most controllers have an output for connecting a light or alarm which outputs a low voltage DC such as 12V DC. If this is present on your controller you can measure if there is a voltage across this wire/connector and if there is you know your controller is in fact turned on.

You can disconnect your throttle and on the connector (the side that is connected to the controller) connect the red wire with the non-black wire (usually there is a red wire for 5V, black wire for GND and one more wire which is the signal wire). When you connect the red wire with signal wire it's as if you're giving full throttle. If you connect these wires and the motor turns you know your issue is in the throttle (throttle is faulty).

Check if your controller has wires to connect the brakes (some e-bike brakes have switches in them in order to signal to the controller that you are braking). These switches are called ' brake cutoff sensors' (among other names) and usually stop power to the motor when you activate them by braking. Some of these switches are normally open and some are normally closed ('normally closed' meaning the switch is closed/circuit is closed when the brake lever is not pressed and the switch/circuit is open when the brake lever is pressed).
If you have a controller which works with 'normally open' switches and you've got a short somewhere in your brake sensor wires (causing the controller to think that you're pressing the brake lever) the motor will not have any power from the controller since it will think you are braking..
or if you have a controller which works with normally closed switches and you do not connect anything to these brake sensor wires it will be as if you're constantly braking (but keep in mind this type of switch is much less common in these types of brake sensors if even available at all).

Possible steps you could take to try and find the problem:

1)

Check if battery outputs voltage and if so if voltage is high enough (above nominal voltage of battery pack or at least above approx 3 volt per cell in series (you'll have 10 cells in series for a 36v nominal battery pack).

2)

Check if the controller receives power from the battery, either by measuring voltage at the bullet connectors or by poking a hole in the insulation with your multi meter prongs (in the battery plus and min wires leading up to the controller.

3)

Check if (if present) the output for the light/alarm has a voltage output (for example 12V DC or 6V DC. If it does you know the controller is turned on. If it doesn't check the 'power lock' wire, if it is connected properly, if it is damaged anywhere.

4)

Disconnect throttle and short red and non-black (signal) wire of throttle connector (controller side). If motor spins when these are connected your throttle is faulty.

5)

Connect 'learning wires' if available. these are usually two wires of the same color on the controller with 2 individual plugs (one male one female) which fit together. when you connect them together the wheel should start spinning. If this does happen (if the wheel indeed spins) you know your controller is turned on, battery isn't the issue, phase wires aren't causing your issue.

6)

Check if motor connector can be connected in multiple ways and if so if it is connected properly (especially the 3 phase wires, the hall sensor wires can be left disconnected for now for this troubleshooting stage).

Try some or all of these things and keep track of the results. Add your findings to your question and let me know when you've done so and I'll try and help you troubleshoot. It's a lot easier when I've got some info to work with :)
Good luck!


What are the steepest, highest, most miserable road ascents in the world? Lately, I’ve been “enjoying” pretty much every weekend a 9km, 650m vertical ascent near my home on my touring bike (the average grade is about 7.5%). The grueling ride has turned out to be a lot of fun for me, in a strange way.

I wondered what I might aspire to. Thus my question: what are the steepest, highest, most miserable road ascents in the world? I.e., what might be a fun long-term goal to work towards?

Road climbs are graded according to elevation change and overall length. The classifications start at "category 5" and go upto "category 1" and finally "Hors Category". Here's a list of "Hors" climbs from the Tour de France throughout its history. These are the hardest road climbs that are doable (at a non-embarrassing pace) by elite athletes.

Generally speaking, cat 5 and 4 climbs can be found in places with non-mountainous geography. Cat 2 through Hors climbs are hard to find in anyplace but very mountainous areas. If you do a cat 3 climb on a group ride-- it will be remembered and talked about. Going up a category usually means that both the grade and the distance is harder. I believe that hors category climbs are sometimes classified as such because of the conditions of the road (eg gravel/dirt is much harder at 15% than asphalt).

You can see informally categorized grades if you use the Strava app (it tells you the category of the climbs you did on recorded rides). If you're interested in challenging yourself this is an excellent way to measure and compare progress because top times are recorded for each categorized climb.

Here's an example of a ride with very heavy climbing yet "only" cat 3/4 hills, it was the Rapha 2011 Gentlemen's race (video). For non-elites, this would be a tremendous accomplishment.


safety of carbon fiber bonded to aluminum fork crown I recently experienced the failure of the carbon fork on my 2001 K2 Mod3 road bike at 20 miles per hour. Yes, I was injured. My question is the bonding agent that secures the carbon fiber fork to the aluminum fork as strong and durable as the carbon fiber or the aluminum. Also I have been told by a bicycle manufacturer that the workable lifespan of "high performance bikes to be less than 10yrs, which seems to not agree with the article on lifespan of carbon fiber bikes that gives them an unlimited lifespan. I have some concern because I like to purchase my bikes slightly used thinking I can afford a much nicer bike. Example, I just purchased a Serotta Legend Ti with carbon forks & seat stays, hardly used for $3000 but am now somewhat nervous about material failure. Whats one to do to know if a bike is safe?

Carbon fiber is a bit tougher to determine the safety of than steel or aluminum (where a thorough visual inspection normally reveals the serious flaws, along with checks of headset tightness and what not) - aside from a thorough visual inspection for cracks and damage all around, you really need a professional evaluation. Bikeradar has some tips for inspecting carbon fiber bikes - key points are bonding areas and essentially places where stress builds up and making sure the bike hasn't been crashed before. There are plenty of guides on buying used bicycles online and safety checks to perform on them.

As for lifetime, especially in the case of a high end carbon fiber bike, the lifetime is a function of how much it has been used. A crash can do a lot more damage to a high end carbon fiber bike than to a lower end steel/aluminum bike (due to likely higher speeds and weight savings). There was a previous question here which highlighted the lifetime of carbon fiber bikes (especially forks), which you should read. In particular, the article by Zinn is useful.


Which exact version of the Secteur is this bike? I recently bought a used bike off CL but it is too big for me, so I am trying to identify it to figure out a fair-market value for reselling/trade-in. Alternatively, if I could figure out how to make the bike fit so I didn't have to sell it, I would, but I think all components are as small as they could be already (notice the seatpost is all the way down... it still doesn't fit!).
The only identifying features of the bike are that it's a Specialized Secteur and that it's black with red highlights. Near the back wheel it says "enhanced aluminum alloy" on the frame and the wheels say "classic" on them. The fork has a bit of clear plastic. It has two front gears and (I think) 9 back gears. My best guess for this bike, looking at the Specialized website, is that it's a Secteur Double. I am also aware that the wraps, seat and drivetrain have been updated/replaced. Thanks for any and all help!

Given that Specialized tends to have distinct color schemes for different models and years, I'd say it's a 2013 Compact, which I think is the base model (higher models get 'sport', 'comp', 'elite' etc. appellations).

Bicycle Blue Book 2013 Specialized Secteur Compact.

Drive-train looks original except for the large chainring.

Bicycle Blue Book gives you a rough guide to value, but ultimately a bike is worth what someone will pay for it.

Update: There appears to be some damage to the drive side seat stay. At first I though the paint was just flaking but on closer inspection it seems the stay may be bent.

If the seat stay is in fact bent, buckled or dented do not ride the bike!! You would risk the back end collapsing or the rear wheel becoming misaligned and jamming.

If that seat stay is damaged I'm afraid the frame is trash. If someone one Craigslist sold it to you in that state you would have at least a 'moral' and perhaps legal standing to demand your money back, and may have been illegal depending on location.


Folding Bike tires going flat I have a Miele Compatto folding bike and the tire and rim size are currently 20" x 1.50. I find that the tubes don't last very long (at most 15 km) I get a lot of flats. Should I increase the tire width to a 1.75 width or possibly buy better more expensive tubes/tires?

Next time you get a flat, take the tube out but keep track of which is side is left and which is right relative to the bike (and mark it).  Inflate the tube, outside of the tire, to about 1.5 or 2x its normal diameter, then immerse it in a basin of water and find the leak.

A leak on the inner diameter indicates a missing/defective rim strip, or a spoke that has been dislodged and is poking the tube.  A leak around the valve is likely due to under-inflation or lack of care mounting the tire.  Two leaks closely spaced together near one side of the tube is "snakebite" and indicates hitting curbs, etc, while the tire is insufficiently inflated.  And of course, a leak from the valve itself is due to a defective valve or one where the core is not tightly screwed in.

You may also find leaks where you damaged the tube during installation -- especially likely if you used screwdrivers to mount the tire.

After you find the leak (and the cause is not obvious), place the tube, with the hole marked, alongside the tire and find the corresponding point in the tire.  Check from the inside (both look and feel it with your hand) for any piece of wire or glass or whatever that might be stuck in the tire tread and poking through.


Why won't tires go on my Velocity A23 rims? Recently bought the A23's. Wanted to see if the wider rims lived up to the hype of a smoother ride, better cornering, etc. After getting the wheels built by my shop, however, it appears to have been a colossal mistake! The problem: I can't get the tire on AT ALL!!!! Ended up with blood blisters on my fingers, not to mention probably coming close to getting a hernia, stroke, and/or heart attack trying to get the freaking thing on! Even a screw driver was of no use. (Only managed to get a tire on -- barely -- after taking off the rim strip and not putting a tube in.) Usually use Mavic Open Pros, could get the tires on those with no problem. Anyone know of a problem with these rims? Is it something inherent with a wider rim? (The inside depth of the A23 appears to be a mm or 2 shallower than the Mavic. Could that be it?) Or, could it be how the wheel was built? (I'm thinking maybe not enough tension.) Is there another "wide" rim I can try that is likely to work better?

From some rather small experience I had with the problems you describe, I could give you these advices:

The first time you install a new (never used) tire is always the worst. Every tire gets a bit more "soft" to install after it's used a bit;
When you are inserting the "last bit" of tire bead, you have to be sure all the rest of the bead is centered in the rim, so that it may sink in the deepest part of the rim and release some bead for you to use the levers and put it in.
It's VERY important you pay attention to the position of the valve. It should never be opposite (180°) from the "last bit" of tire you are installing, otherwise the opposite side of the bead will not be deeply centered in the rim;
Levers should be thin. That means they must be of a very strong material, preferrably engineering plastic. I use Schwalbes (blue ones) and they are very good. Some other levers I have sometimes don't work, in these cases only the Schwalbes do, but there may be other good brands around.

At last, it's not impossible that your rim and your tire (at least the particular ones you have with you) are incompatible with each other. I would recommend you try to install the same tire in another rim, and another tire in the same rim, to check where the problem is, before asking for replacement of a part that is actually OK.

Hope this helps!


Why do I keep getting cut looking flats? My flats are causing some deep confusion.

In the last year I've replaced at least 12 inner tubes because I keep getting flats. They are not puncture or pinch flats, they look like cuts to the tube, sometimes small incisions sometimes long gashes. They're always  the back tire on the side facing the hub and they're usually close to the valve.

Tubes only last a couple of rides and it seems to be getting worse. I took the wheel to a shop recently hoping to gain some insight into the problem and the guy replaced the rim tape and put a new tube in and it went flat on the walk home. I tried a heavier duty 'hybrid' bike tube, and that only lasted one ride. What happens is I'll ride it once or a couple of times and either during the ride or more often at home later, after the bike has been sitting for some time, I'll hear a hissss and it's flat. When I examine the tube there's a hole that looks like a slice near the valve.

Anyone have any clue what could be going on or what to do about it? I'm thoroughly confused.Could it be a poorly designed rim? I thought it had something to do with the rim being too narrow and that putting excessive pressure on the tube. Only thing is I can't figure out why it would pop when the bike is at rest.

Is the cut always the same distance around the tube from the valve?

If so then you have something wrong in your rim.  Use the punctured tube to measure where the damage is coming from... that will give you at most two positions, one in front of the valve hole and one behind.

I think you'll find a cause in this very small sector of the rim.

BTW - had you patched your tubes rather than replacing them, the punctures might have been reduced by the extra thickness of the patch in that spot.  And if they punctured again though the patch, then you'd know straight away something's wrong there.


Aerobar, why would carbon cost more than aluminum? I think carbon parts are generally more expensive to their aluminum counterparts.
I'm perplexed because aluminum version is cheaper and weighs less too?
What am I missing?

Example:
Profile design sonic ergo 35a costs $160 and weighs 559g
https://profile-design.com/collections/aluminium-aerobars/products/sonic-ergo-35a
Profile design supersonic ergo 35c costs $245 and weighs 673g.
https://profile-design.com/collections/carbon-aerobars/products/supersonic-ergo-35c

You may have been missing the different armrest offset ranges. I have relatively little experience with clip on aero bars, but I think offset, which is Profile’s term, relates to fore-aft adjustment. If I’m interpreting correctly, the carbon bars’ armrests can be positioned further aft. Perhaps this is a desirable characteristic that people might be willing to pay a premium for, but perhaps it is not (see Chris H's comment on this answer).
I suspect there’s nothing intrinsic about material properties that enables the carbon bars to withstand that more rearward position where the aluminum ones would fail. I lack experience with this type of product, so I could be wrong. But basically, this specification difference could just be pure marketing.
In general, carbon does dampen vibrations better than aluminum, and cyclists are willing to pay premiums for carbon handlebars. However, I am not sure how this plays in with clip on aero bars, which are clamped to your existing handlebars.
Last, as a side note, manufacturers’ specified weights can be off. Usually the mean actual weights are higher than what they specify. Also, there will always be some variance around the weight, I.e. each aerobar will vary randomly in weight. That variance can also be systematic. For example, aluminum rims are extruded through dies. Because of entropy, the dies wear slightly through their life, so the mean weight of the rims will creep up over time.
Your title implies a question about which to get. You could attempt to confirm this with a shop that deals with a lot of triathletes. They’ll be more familiar with this product as well as the specific brand than I am. If there’s a shop that has a lot of long distance riders, including randonneurs or bikepackers, they might also be familiar with clip on aero bars as many members of those community use clip on aero bars. At any rate, if the specs on Profile's website are factually correct, it is not clear if there are functional advantages to the carbon bars.


Does cycling tighten your butt? I feel a little painful during the first few weeks of commute with bicycle. Just wondering that does it make my butt tighter and sexier?

Since cycling is primarily based on leg strength, which is derived from all parts of the leg (including the glutes or butt muscles), then yes.

Here's a great graphic that shows some of the muscles used during a typical pedal stroke:

And basic anatomy tells us that the muscular system works together so it's virtually impossible to train one muscle exclusively without using others at least minimally.

Now, if you want to specifically target your butt, I'd recommend some supplementary exercises like pelvic tilts/bridges or walking lunges.


Removing the crank arm (square taper) on a Chinese (PooBoo D 577) stationary bicycle In trying to remove the crank arm, I found that the threaded "business end" of the standard crank arm puller has a smaller diameter (1-2 mm) than the crank arm opening, so there is no way to engage the threads.  Does anyone know of a crank arm puller that has a larger diameter threaded end?

It sounds to me as though the crank arm may well be threaded to the old french standard of 23mm as used on old Stronglight and TA chainsets, rather than the standard 22mm which is used by Shimano, Campagnolo, etc.
There are still crank pullers available for 23mm chainsets, I have one from VAR, since I have a couple of old TA Cyclotouriste chainsets on a couple of old bikes. The VAR puller is available from this location.
(I make no recommendation, as I have not used this supplier, other suppliers are available, Your experience may vary, etc...)


How to choose the right Citi Bike? It's 2013, and bike sharing has finally made it to New York City. Of course, the branded cruisers aren't the most speedy bikes on the road. They weigh a whopping 45 pounds, and their third gear - their lowest gear - isn't nearly low enough, making pedaling down even a slight slope practically useless.

Still, you can get moving if you pedal furiously... and if you pick out the right bike.

During a test conducted by New York Magazine, bike messenger Danny Koniowski hit a top speed of 27.5 mph on a Citi Bike. He did so only after picking out a choice bike.

  After inspecting and rejecting the first two Citi Bikes he came across at a Citi Bike station on Canal Street near Sixth Avenue — one for having misaligned tires and the other for being, in Danny’s professional opinion, “a piece of shit” — our test-rider finally settled on a suitable specimen.

I squeeze the tires before I choose a bike, but what more should I do? How can I quickly inspect my next Citi Bike to make sure I've picked a well-tuned cruising machine? Or at the very least, a bike that's not "a piece of shit"?

Typically you would want to do an ABC Quick Check - the information below came originally from the League of American Bicyclists site.

A = air

Inflate tires to rated pressure as listed on the sidewall of the tire.
Use a pressure gauge to insure proper pressure.
Check for damage to tire tread and sidewall; replace if damaged.

B = brakes

Inspect pads for wear; replace is there is less than ¼" of pad left.
Check pad adjustment; make sure they do not rub tire or dive into spokes.
Check brake level travel; at least 1" between bar and lever when applied.

C = cranks, chain and cassette

Make sure that your crank bolts are tight; lube the threads only, nothing else.
Check your chain for wear; 12 links should measure no more than 12 1/8 inches.
If your chain skips on your cassette, you might need a new one or just an adjustment.
Note - most of these bikes use Nexus type internal hubs, so just a visual check of the chain and a quick test ride should let you know what the condition is.

Quick = quick releases

Hubs need to be tight in the frame; your quick release should engage at 90°.
Your hub quick release should point back to insure that nothing catches on it.
Inspect brake quick releases to insure that they have been re-engaged.

Check = check it over

Take a quick ride to check if derailleurs and brakes are working properly.
Inspect the bike for loose or broken parts; tighten, replace or fix them.
Pay extra attention to your bike during the first few miles of the ride.

Edit: The comments seem to indicate that some people think this list if overkill. However, take a step back and remember... You are picking out a bike that doesn't belong to you, that you don't maintain and that really you know nothing about. True, you probably aren't going to measure the chain, or have a pressure gauge in your pocket, but I would spend MORE time inspecting a citibike before I ride off than I would a bike of my own. I am certainly going to look fairly close to see if anything is loose, broken, or way out of adjustment, and the mnemonic ABC Quick Check is an easy way to remember what to look for.


How much can a 700x23 inner tube stretch? I recycled my dad's road bike (about 20 years left in storage) so I bought a complete set of new wheels. "Good" hubs and rims, not quality brand though but I've been told they're good and that's what almost everyone in this country uses. Now the thing is that the first time I inflated the front wheel after a 1km ride it exploded due to over-inflation. After that I was so careful not to over-inflate that I under-inflated the rear one and got pinch flats. While trying to figure out what pressure I should use I came to realize that the tires are 28" x 1" 1/8 (700x28) and the inner tube is 700 x 18-23 which to me seems quite a lot. I should note that I weight about 85kg (something like 180 pounds I guess) and as I've been reading for that weight/tube size I should be putting about 116 psi and the tire is rated at 85 psi max.

I don't care much about pressure since I do not intend to compete, just commuting and eventual light-training in the city. To sum up: am I getting flats because of smaller sized tubes? Should I get bigger ones (or smaller tires)?
Any help is highly regarded!

Yes the tube size should match the tire size.   But a smaller tube will stretch.   Too big a tube may fold.

Max means max.  If the the tire says 85 psi max then that is the max.
If you weigh 180 then run the tire at or near the maximum.

Do not put 116 PSI in that tire.  Even if you have the wrong size tube pressure is still based on tire (not tube).


Downtube friction shifters for 11 speed I'm planning to build a steel lugged frame and equip it with downtube friction shifting. My question is:

Do Dura Ace 7900 downtube shifters come with friction mode? The left lever does not have a D-Ring for switching between SIS and friction mode according to my observation.  If not, which model of Dura Ace shifters offers friction mode?
Do downtube shifters have a predefined shifting cable travel so that the older DA friction shifters could not be used on 10 or 11 speed cassette simply because there is not enough cable travel?
Apart from Cane Creek, are there other manufacturers who offer aero brake levers?

(a) Friction is gone on the right on 10/11 sp dura ace (they apparently save a spring while doing this, which probably simplifies things a little bit aside from interest in this). Microshift BS-T10 bar ends are 10 speed, front friction with rear switchable, and you can probably mount them on the downtube with a bit of work.

(b) Other friction shifters should be fine.

(c) SRAM among others do.

I'd think going with a 9 speed system may be easier (you can find Dura Ace SL-7700 shifters with index+friction for cheap).


Rusty brake nuts & cables: Should I change my brakes or not? I have been using a used bike for a few months now and when I bought it it was in mint conditions. However, the winter has been really harsh were I live and since I drove every day to work with it some components have become rusty (even though I cleaned and greased everything upon me buying it). What worries me the most are the brakes. They are simple rim brakes attached with one long bolt to the bike frame. Almost every nut on them has become rusty and the cables have quite a lot of rust on them too. On the other end, the body of the brakes is clean and there is no rust on it.

Now I was wondering whether I should just get new brakes or maybe change nuts, bolts and cables. I saw that this latter is not really cost efficient where I leave, so maybe changing everything is not a bad idea afterall. But is it necessary? What do you think?

Surface corrosion on nuts and bolts isn't a safety issue, so you don't have to replace the brake calipers. As David D suggests you can clan this off with steel wool. I would carefully apply a thin coat of grease as I spraying WD-40 on bikes attracts crud and you certainly do not want to get it on rims or brake pads.

Rusted cables is another matter. If the cable is rusted the housing probably is too. The corrosion may impede the travel of the cable through the housing and affect braking performance. I'd replace the cables at least with good quality stainless steel ones. They are not too expensive. You probably should have a look at your shift cables too.


Considering a Trek FX 7.7 - What else should I look at that is similar my Trek FX 7.5 was stolen a couple of days ago, and I'm looking to replace it with a 7.7.

I really liked the 7.5, so happy to stick with the brand and make, but thought I should consider other bikes that are similiar. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks,
Giles

Both the 7.5 and 7.7 are great bikes. An alternative would be a Specialized Sirrus. I have owned 2 Sirrus' and loved them. I only upgraded to a Specialize roubaix so i could participate in competitive road biking.

The difference between the 7.5 and 7.7 is pretty big. 7.7 has much better road worthy components and will be several pounds lighter.


Layering (lower half) for long chilly rides I was riding all day on Sunday in temperatures that peaked a few degrees above freezing, but dry apart from the odd snow or hail shower.

It was cold enough to need layers. As I tried not to hang around outdoors, my top half was fine with just a short-sleeve jersey under bib tights and a long-sleeve jersey over, plus a buff round my neck, double gloves and home made wrist/forearm warmers. My legs and feet were fine too - 2 thin pairs of socks and pedalling effort. I didn't even need my shoe covers on.

But in between was an issue. I didn't want anything under the good chamois of the bib tights, I didn't want two layers of gel padding, but I wanted more insulation than just the bib tights. So I went for foam-padded shorts (the foam compresses quite quickly) over the tights. From an insulation point of view they were ideal - when they were in place, which was rarely. Every time I got going they caught on the saddle, and even just pedalling along seated they crept down. I think the problem is partly that cheap shorts don't grip, and expensive ones are normally gel. Loose-fitting stuff tends to get caught up and form lumps that rub, and it's nice to avoid the drag.

What are some tried and tested ways of layering for all-day rides in these temperatures? We've got a few questions on layers for cold commuting, but 12 hours door-to-door/200km is a bit different, and I expect the solutions will be, partly because of the need for something that works against the saddle. I regard minimising sweating as important; even decent wicking clothing gets cold fast if you're in the wind and damp with sweat.

For the kind of riding you describe, the best choice are windproof tights. You should look for the kind that has windproof membrane in the front, breathable fabric in the back and most importantly no padding. Underneath them you wear shorts or bib tights with chamois.

These are available from many cycling-specific brands, but the ones intended for nordic skiing work too.

If the membrane gets too warm, the next thing are winter running tights made of brushed lycra. Running-specific because they come without padding.