Changing to rigid fork on C-dale Killer V 900 w 1.5 I have a 90s era Cannondale Killer V 900.,  Believe it has the Headshock fork with the shock directly below the headset.

I am converting the bike to an electric commuter (please dont hate me or just dont send me hate mail).  I have a few other bikes - just dont like to get to work sweaty.

The ebike motor kicks out so much torque the recommend a steel fork.  I am a noob on bike maintenance and its tough to tell much info on the boards.

Anyone have a recommnedation for me.  Based on what I have gathered  I can get a 1.5 to 1 1/8 conversion piece and get a steel fork.

Can someone confirm this?  Also not sure on if I get threadless or threaded and if any differences exist in lengths? (i.e. do I need some spacers or something else.)  Someone also mentioned that it might look goofy going from a 1.5 thick headset to a skinny fork - - oh well.

Anythoughts much appreciated - - as indicated I dont know much so any specific detail or product link is awesome.

Love this sight.

Thx
Tom
tom_mccarthy@me.com

Yes, you can use a 1 1/8" fork with a 1 1/2" frame. I did it on one of my bikes. You just have to get a special "reducer" headset. It doesn't look goofy at all - you can't even tell unless you look closely.

You'll have to get a threadless fork. Nobody makes reducer headsets for threaded forks.

Most new forks come with an un-cut steering tube - that means it's a few inches longer than most people need, and you have to cut it to the right length.

Make sure that the crown-to-axle distance is approximately the same as your old fork. If not, it'll change the bike's handling characteristics, maybe drastically.


6-speed bikes and 7/8/9/11 speed chains I hear varying things about chain compatibility.

I have multiple cheap bikes with 6-speed freewheels. These have 5.5mm sprocket spacing, whereas 7 speed freewheels had 5.0mm spacing. Later cassettes 9, 10, and 11 speeds have even narrower spacing.

That's all well and good, but for my 6-speed bikes, should I be seeking out a 6-speed chain in order to work best with them? It seems to me that the wider chain might be better for some reason such as grabbing onto the sprockets easier or being less likely to fall between them.

It's getting harder to find 6-speed chains. Many chains claim they are compatible with 6, 7, 8 speeds or even 6-11 speeds.

I'm not asking about what is strictly compatible or what will work, because that is listed on the package. I'm asking more about what works BEST. What compromises are involved in running "higher speed" chains on wider-spaced freewheels/cassettes? Is there benefit to avoiding the narrower chains on older bikes?

EDIT: The wikipedia link provided below had the key information that "Shimano used/uses the same chain for 6,7,8 speed designs". So, if the package says 6/7/8 speed compatible, there is no compromise at all, because from the beginning (at least within Shimano), the chains were exactly the same for those designs anyway. So, chains which advertise "6/7/8" speed, should probably be believed.

This does not explain to me why some chains are marketed solely as "8 speed", however.

Also, Sheldon Brown's website says "using a chain one size narrower than standard rarely presents any problem. Thus, you can use a "9-speed" chain with a 7-speed or 8-speed system, or a "10-speed" chain with a 9-speed system. This is not the ideal approach..."

Now I know there is no need, or even benefit, to trying to find "6 speed" chains, because they are not any different than 7 or 8 speed chains. However, chains which claim to be compatible between between 6/7/8 family and other speeds such as 9, 10 or 11 are not telling the whole truth.

The Wikipedia section on chain widths glosses over some history/is wrong.
Pre-indexing derailleur chains, i.e. what would have come on a 6-speed bike in 1980 and what many would call or label as a 6 or 5/6 speed chain, have a pin length of at least 7.6mm and usually around 8mm. New chains of this type are still produced and available but are not stocked very commonly in many places in the world. The ultra low end repair market is a bigger deal in some places than others. They can be replaced with 8-speed chains (most of which currently produced having a 7.3mm pin length) at essentially no detriment to performance. Here is a picture of one sold under J&B Importers (one of the largest US bike parts wholesalers) house brand:

Contemporary 6-speed freewheels for indexed shifting have ramping etc and are mostly designed to be used with 7.1-7.3mm (aka 8-speed chains). I don't actually know much about what happens when you put the above 1970s style chain on them because I almost never touch those. I believe it works to drive the bike as the spacing is still right, just the shifting is bad or suboptimal with an indexed shifter.
The "going a speed generation narrower is fine" line for more modern index 8-12 speed bikes is bad, overly broad advice that's parroted much too frequently. Doing so causes laggy shifting in back and the mismatch with front derailleur cage inner width usually causes compromised performance in front. There are some various situations people get in that lead them to do this, a big one being putting an n+1 speed crank on an n speed bike and finding that the n speed chain rubs on the big ring in the inner/middle-small combinations, but there's almost always a better solution. In my experience, the issues with this are a little less pronounced with 9-speed-chain-on-8-speed-bike than in the latter generation mismatches, and that's where the notion may have come from.


What should I be looking for when buying reflective lights for night riding? I would like to buy some reflective tape to stick on my wheels and to my frame to increase visibility at night.

From a look on ebay, it seems there's a variety of different types of reflective tapes with lots of different certifications and prices.

Can anyone tell me what the type I should be looking for that is most suitable to be stuck onto a bike?

Most reflective tapes are quite suitable. I've had good luck with 3M and Avery brands in general, but you need to strike a balance between cost and effectiveness. For example, SOLAS (safety of life at sea) tape is what is used on rescue buoys, life rafts, life vests... it is fantastically reflective and similarly expensive.

Other tapes have a finer surface, but still reflect very well. I would recommend only getting white tape as it is the most visible. In terms of placement, here are some ideas:

On the inside of your rims between the spokes. You'll have to cut individual strips that do not overlap the braking surface. (This is similar to Velocity's reflective rim coating except that it costs much less and you don't have to build a wheel around it.) Even better would be to cover one half of the rim so that when it rotates the effect seems to blink.
On the backs and fronts of your seat stays and fork legs.
On the backs and fronts of your crank arms to bring attention to your pedaling motion.
On pedals or toe clips for the same reason.
Your helmet and other accessories so you're visible off the bike as well.

Clean everything with alcohol or some other solvent (especially your rims) to help the tape stick. In my experience, you shouldn't expect to get the tape off so be confident about the placement.

Visibility is a great feature for night riding, but don't skimp on your lights! A bright headlight is an absolute must for any serious night riding as well as two taillights (one as a back up in case your primary goes dead.) Dynamo lighting is a smart investment if you're riding at night very frequently (but you'd still want to use a backup taillight.)


Reduce Resale Value to Avoid Theft? (Uglify) "Uglify your bike" was mentioned here as a theft deterrent.

I have a 20102009 Canondale F3 and I'm thinking about locking it up in Manhattan from time to time. I think that Uglifying will help.

How should one best uglify a bike? How would you do this without disassembling the bike? Would spray paint stick to the current paintjob, or would I need to use paint remover or to sand the current paint off? What about the components? I don't want to ruin the bike in the process of trying to keep it, but I would prefer not to remove all components and cables, etc.

Note: I know that having another beater bike and other options are great, but I'm trying to figure out how to ride my bike and keep it from being stolen (or even looked at).

Edit: I've removed a part on "Does anyone have any evidence that uglyfying does or does not work..."  It's now here.

The first thing is to note that vibrant, brightly-colored objects are by nature more attention-getting, so I hope your bike is not bright red, light orange, yellow or bright green. I have noted that gray bikes are less noticeable and even hard to see in some conditions. Dark blue, dark gray, pale or dusty white, and brown are also favorable colors to make a bike less noticeable.

I have seen many bikers disguising their machines by wrapping the frame, or parts of it using duct tape. Some types of duct tape are less shiny than others, and some have a rather weak adhesive that won't be too hard to remove. The advantage of duct tape is that being skillful, you don't need to take apart the bike.

With bikes that have straight tubes, you can find some PVC leftover piping that you can cut lengthwise in order to make a sleeve to be inserted around tubes. Depending on the pipe fitting it can even look very cool, but the point is, PVC is very easy to paint with spray paint or many other types, so you can "uglyfy" the pipe as much as you want, but you can remove it from your bike if you want. Having more patience you can make covers for the joints in the frame and make the PVC piping fit really well so it won't be obvious that it has a cover.

As for the components, you can cover then with a lot of materials, for example I use a sleeve made out of old inner tubes to wrap the crank arms, held in place with zip ties. I made that for protection actually, but it cleverly covers also the brand name tag. This very same technique can be used in chain stays, seat tube, handlebars hubs and even brake or shifter levers. Just make sure that the tube isn't "too black" nor shiny. This material can be almost invisible in twilight conditions and cluttered environments, so almost any other bike will drag more attention than yours.

For other components, like derailleurs, shifters, levers, I would recommend to partially cover them with "hot glue" and let the glue become dirty. The hot glue won't stick too hard on metal, so it will be easily removable. There are transparent and non transparent types, I recommend the latter as it disguises branding better. Use it wisely to cover badges and the like, but don't make it get into pivots or anything. You can stain the glue with black oil, grease or dirt making it look even uglier. You can add dirt and dust when the glue is still warm.

I give this advise based on experience and what I've seen other riders do in my city. I use some of these tricks, not all of them. I personally commute on a dark blue bike that is not so shiny, and most my components are matte black or matte gray and generic (so I don't have brand badges to cover). I have left the bike unlocked among a lot of motorcycles at my workplace and nothing has happened to it without making it look like trash ;) but I can assure you that this bike is hard to see, to the point that to myself, when I'm approaching the parking lot it's hard for me to find it from a distance, even knowing where it is!

Finally a note of advice on safety: Disguising your bike and making it less noticeable is dangerous in traffic, so make sure you use bright of reflecting clothes, reflective straps on ankles, elbows, wrists, etc, a bright helmet, a bright backpack or whatever you find useful, so you are easily seen by drivers and pedestrians! You can attach the blinking lights to your backpack instead of the bike, as long as they are correctly positioned and oriented, they will serve their purpose.

Good luck with your project!


Bicycle Socks for Road Rides There are so many styles of socks.  Plus there are always debates on the best looking socks for group road rides.  White, black, short, tall, logos, etc.....  Some old school road purists say that black socks are for mtb only.

How do go about picking the best style? Is there any reason to prefer one style over another? Are there other properties of socks that matter?

I strongly recommend socks that can breathe easily and that absorb and wick away sweat.  That means probably not cotton athletic socks you'd get in bulk at a warehouse store.

Personal preference determines the coloration and logos, and if you're worried about style, get socks that match your kit and your shoes.

Also if your alma mater has a cycling team, contact them and see if you can buy team socks.  You'll be able to show school pride wherever you're riding, and they'll be quality.


What's that thing at the bottom of the fork steerer? You know that slanted metal thing on the bottom of the fork steerer that can slide around? Like, the diagonal cut thing at the end that you insert into the hole when you assemble a bicycle? What is that part called, and what is its function?

I think by steerer you mean a quill type stem

The diagonal cut part is a wedge. It's pulled up by a long bolt that runs down the stem and locks the stem in the fork steerer tube.


Bicycle Frame: anodized Aluminium? I need help with identify what materials is this frame

I need to know if this is indeed aluminium? (weight 1.2 kg for 15 inch frame hybrid, is not ferromagnetic).
If it is, why would it have a few green/white rust, especially at the weldings/joints?

What is the material that has yellow/bronze color outside the frame? Is it a primer? Or anodized?

I would really appreciate your help and knowledge on this matter. I would really want to paint it, but I have no idea which primer I need for this frame (aluminium or anodized...)

Disclaimer:From other question/answer (I did have a look) I guess it is aluminium, but then the rust and the color does not match Aluminium characteristics and therefore, I would like to ask.

At that weight it is 99% Aluminum. This is also backed up by the sizing of the tubes, as Aluminum has a much lower density. At the sizing and thickness of the tubing for it to be Ti/Steel it would be a considerable amount heavier.

The uniformity and consistency of the yellow/bronze would lead me to think that this is most likely anodized.


How to pass another bicycle in a bike lane I bike to and from work in New York City, and I have noticed that while I stay very far to the right in the bike lane (literally on the line that marks the right most boundary of the bike lane), maybe about 70% of the cyclists who pass me do so on the right, despite the fact that there is more room on my left than on my right.

I was wondering...

Am I wrong to try to stay to the right?
What's the correct way to pass another bicyclist in a bike lane?
What else can I do to make it easier for others to pass me? (I would say I am an average speed commuter, and I probably pass about as many people as pass me)

*Edit: many bike lanes in New York City are on the left side of the road, and sandwiched between the side walk and parked cars

You're doing the right thing by generally staying to the right.  Nobody should pass you on the right, which is a bit dangerous because you don't expect it and because there isn't as much room.  (I'm speaking for countries where people drive on the right side of the road.  In countries where people drive on the left, then bicyclists should pass on the right, of course.  Also, as @g.rocket points out, if the bike lane is on the 'left' side of a one-way street as is common in New York City, that is to say on the other side from where it would be if the road were two-way, then one should ride on the 'left' and pass on the 'right'.)

The correct way to pass is to first announce your intent, either by ringing a bell or saying "passing on your left" or something similar.  Then pass on the left.

I think the best way to make it easier for others to pass is to be aware of your surroundings (a mirror helps), to stay to the right, and to ride predictably.  As @JoshCaswell notes, when you are being passed, resist the urge to move further to the right and just keep going in a straight line.  Point before you turn!


Drilling hole in aluminium frame I want to attach a pump holder to my aluminium frame. Can I drill holes in it ? I would then use blind rivets with some glue for waterproofing to attach the holder.
Is there a place on the frame where this would be better?
I know this question, but it is for carbon frames.

Do not do that. Although the question you referenced is about carbon fiber, the answer mostly applies. Aluminium alloys used in bicycle frames are quite fragile. Drilling may easily start cracks that will then spread under stress. Even if it does not happen, you weaken the frame unpredictably. Not only the warranty is gone, but you just don't know if it will fail catastrophically or not. And professional metal defectoscopy is too expensive for bike frames. (Yes, expensive X-ray machines are not just for carbon fiber even if some say so).
It is easy to use the bottle-holder screw holes. Many pumps come with these brackets as already mentioned by @Renaud. If your frame does not come with bottle mount holes, you can use other solutions based on velcro straps or something similar.


How do you install a bicycle pedal without a wrench? My bicycle pedal fell off today while riding to work. I don't have a wrench at work. How can I install the pedal again so I can safely ride home?

If you can get it to start on the threads by hand then you can tighten it enough that you should be able to ride carefully home. I've done this before, but its messy (as in, on your fingers).

The threading should make the pedal secure itself (or at least not back out) when pedaling forward, but might get wacky if you tend to backspin or goof off with your feet at intersections. Of course, if your cranks are on backwards...


What tactics other than 'setting an example' successfully encourage friends/family/others to become cyclists? We all know the scenario - you buy the girlfriend a bike, you spend a day servicing a friend's bike, you give an old bike to someone in the family or you spend time in the LBS helping a friend get a bike. Your motivation is out of genuine enthusiasm and in the hope that they will enjoy cycling, maybe to become a life-long cyclist.

As time goes by you realise that they have not really taken to the bike, it remains in the hallway/garage/shed and they still get around the old-fashioned way - walking, catching the bus or killing the planet with their noisy, cramped tin-box.

Although you daren't say it, you might as well have not bothered. They are not going to go cycling any more than a leopard is going to change his spots. No amount of logic or reason will change matters.

But...

...then there are some people you advise on a new bike choice that do get into cycling. Although they probably did not need you to help them get cycling, you still have played some part through 'setting an example'.

In other walks of life it is possible to have success at introducing a newbie to 'something better'. For instance, where you can find someone wanting help with their badly rootkitted computer you can take all day to pull out the viruses or spend half an hour with the Linux install disk. Invariably they don't have a copy of Winmare 7 or find any signs they have joined the Mapple Cult next time you see them - they have accepted a big change despite having to learn-new-stuff (which is hard).

Alcoholics Anonymous have '12 steps' structure and a dose of religion to wean people off drink. Ultimately A.A. face a similar problem to the lost-cause-of-cycling in that people are not going to change unless they want to, however structure works for some A.A. punters, in some cases, some of the time.

Clearly this is an open ended question with many answers. Personal anecdotes are welcomed, did a childhood gift of a bike, a bike-to-work scheme or the advice of a doctor work for you? Is there anything that we can learn from other walks of life?
Statistics and studies could also provide answers. Whatever hints and tips you have to help people take up cycling as a way of life are welcomed. Answers with lateral thinking, tips from other walks of life are also welcomed.

Please mod up the better, more insightful answers.

Sex.

Convert them one at a time, starting with the attractive ones. Only date potential cyclists, and slowly convert them while you date them. This tends to produce a solid conversion, because you have the opportunity to reinforce the positives and address the negatives over an extended period.

I've been doing this for a while now but it's a slow process, usually taking more than five years. The benefit is that I have a partner who cycles, but it isn't very good at producing a great mass of cyclists unless you import thousands of Dutch singles. In my case people have asked whether I only date cycling activists. The answer is no, the people I date become cycling activists (well, two out of two in the last 10 years have).


Rear hub repeatedly coming loose My rear hub keeps coming loose which causes the rear wheel to wobble.

I'm pretty sure that I know how to tighten the cones properly and I've also had the bike serviced in my local shop. Every time the wheel will be fine for about 100km and then it will start to wobble again.

What could have happened to cause this, and how can I fix it? Could replacing the axle, cone nuts and bearings help?

Either your cones are coming loose, or the bearings are absolutely fried.

I had this same thing happen to me when I was first getting into bikes.

The hub was loose, I tightened it, I went for a ride, the hub was loose again.

I finally got up the nerve to take the hub apart (yeah, I was pretty n00b back then). The cones and cups were damaged unbelievably. And a stray bearing was well on its way to eating through the axle.

You've had the bike "serviced"... did they take the hub apart?

If the cones are coming loose, you need to lock them in tighter and make sure that you're adjusting correctly (just loose enough that there's no binding. A little play is okay).

In the case that the cups and cones are completely fried (at the rate that the wheel is coming loose, they would be completely fried), you need a new hub.


How do I choose a light GPS device supporting Strava? Up til now I have ridden with Strava running on my mobile phone sitting in a special mobile phone holder which sits up on my handlebars.

Now I am looking for a better solution, both more aerodynamic for my new bike, and also with longer battery life (My present phone only lasts 2 hours with gps running).

How do I select the lightest / best device that runs Strava? It obviously needs to be GPS capable.

What features do I look for? Is it a smart phone? A smart watch? A garmin device?

The device being light, comfortable, reliable and able to record rides of 4 hours or more would be ideal.

Thanks for any suggestions.

The 'best' is fairly subjective and probably not compatible with lightest. For what it's worth I remember reading somewhere that the Edge 510 is widely used through the pro peloton.

I use a Garmin Edge 810 and would recommend it in an instant but it is possibly bigger than it needs to be if you're very worried about weight and size (I chose it for its navigation and live tracking).

On the smaller scale, the Garmin Edge 200 or slightly larger 510 might work.

Also the Cateye Stealth 10 (or 50 if you want Cadence) are supposed to be highly rated.

I'd be surprised if any of them struggled with lasting far longer than 4 hours. My 810 handles 5 hour rides with about 50% battery left and that's using bluetooth for live tracking for the whole ride.

The downside of a pocket type GPS tracker is that you don't get the data (like speed, cadence) in front of you while riding.


What 5 speed freewheels are compatible with a Sun Rims M13II rear wheel rim? I have a 1972 Schwinn Varsity.  I have purchased new wheel rims. Both the front and rear rims are Sun Rims M13II model rims.   I need to know what 5 speed freewheel will attach to the M13II rear rim hub?   Would the original Schwinn (5 speed Shimano MF-Z012, 14-17-20-24-28) freewheel screw onto the M13II hub?  I can't get the original freewheel off the the original wheel rim, but I would (or buy another one) if I know it will screw onto the new wheel rim.

Thanks!   Nick

Freewheel thread sizes are standardized to an ISO standard which is 1.375" x 24 tpi. See https://www.sheldonbrown.com/freewheels.html. That means any new freewheel you can buy will be compatible with your new rear wheel.

The original Schwinn freewheel might have a different thread (I'm sure others will correct me on this if I'm wrong), but if you are replacing the wheels it's a good idea to replace the freehub too.


How do you pronounce Ksyrium? Mavic make a wheelset called Ksyrium.  I can spell it but every time I go to say it, I come out with something different.

Does anybody know how to pronounce the name?

It's pronounced without the K, see-ree-um.

Source: a bunch of bike-shop-workers who seemed to know their wheels ;)


What do I do after a tubeless tire has been punctured and self-sealed? I picked up a puncture in my rear tire while out on my road bike. Quite a bit of sealant leaked out, but eventually the hole fixed itself with plenty of air pressure left in the tire to ride home.

I'm not sure how I should follow up on the puncture. Can I consider it "fixed" and reinflate the tire to ~100psi? Do I have to remove the tire and properly fix the puncture with a rubber patch? How can I tell whether I'm low on liquid sealant inside the tire, and if I should replace it?

If there is no debris still in the tire, then add pressure back to what you regularly run. If it holds, which it most likely will, then consider it fixed! Sometimes if the sealant hasn't had sufficient time to cure (or there is still debris) the hole will re form. In this case spin the wheel a bit so sealant meets the hole and wait for the sealant to do its thing. Let it cure a bit longer, then try adding more pressure.

If there is something still in the hole, you should remove it (to prevent further tire damage), then go through the above described steps to get the sealant to reseal.

The only time you really need to patch is when the hole is too large for the sealant to plug.

What do I do if it won't seal?

Check that you have sufficient sealant in the tire.
Is your sealant old (e.g., over 6 months)? It may have degraded to the point where it won't seal properly. In this case you will need to change your sealant.
Is the hole is too big?  If (1) and (2) do not fix the puncture then the hole may be too big.

Try adding a particulate (e.g., glitter) to your sealant, this can help plug larger holes.  Some sealants include particulate as part of their "formula."
The hole may simply be too large for any sealant to successfully plug. In this case you repair with tubeless tire repair kit. These are either a cord that you use to physically plug the hole or a special patch for the inside of the tire.

  Note:  Avoid using a regular inner tube patch as these are not designed to provide the structural reinforcement needed for a tire carcass.

Will the hole reform?

Maybe, but you will probably never know because the sealant in the tire will simply reseal.  The only time I have ever had an issue with previous punctures is when I tore down and scrubbed out the sealant from my winter tires which had a number of punctures.  The scrubbing removed the sealant plugs.  When I re-seat that tire I simply need to take a minute or two to reseal the old punctures.  That is about as hard as it gets.

How do I know I still have enough sealant?

If you set up the tires with sufficient sealant (e.g., 40-50 ml for 700x25) then there should be enough sealant  to handle multiple punctures which should get you through the 6 month window when you should refresh or change the sealant.  Otherwise if you get additional punctures, that do not seal, that may be an indication you do not have enough sealant remaining.  If your setup is mission critical (i.e., upcoming events or races).  It is a good idea to open up the tires and ensure everything is set up properly.


How do Mini V-brakes compare to cantilever brakes for Cyclocross bikes? I've got a surly cross check with straight bars, v-brakes, and mountain shifters. I was considering a switch to a drop bar setup for cyclocross racing so I have an alternative to my single speed cross bike. I'll be switching to STI shifters, so I have to replace my brakes since Shimano STI levers don't work well with the existing v-brakes.

I am considering a pair of TRP CX9, Tektro RX6, or Paul's Mini Moto.  These should be compatible with my STI levers. However, due to a lack of information about this, I need to know why I would prefer cantilever brakes to the mini-v option?

Possible issues I was considering:
Do mini v-brakes have to sit closer to the rim? Will this cause me to slow down more when my wheel goes through an inch or two of mud?
Are the mini v-brakes going to be as effective at stopping? Will the modulation be poor, causing me to OTB more often when I try to stop suddenly?
Is there a large difference in tire clearance between mini v-brakes and cantilever brakes?

If it matters, I tend to ride a lot in the northeast/mid-atlantic region of the US and it gets really muddy here, so I doubt most races will involve a dry pack course.  I also tend to get out on to real trails and ride on mountain bike singletrack from time to time.

Correctly set up V brakes don't make feathering any harder or easier than correctly set up cantilevers.  What you give up with V brakes is clearance--for things like mud.  If you ride in dry conditions, the V brake is likely superior.  If you ride a CX bike mostly on road or gravel, the V brake is likely superior.  If you ride in gloppy sticky mud, a wide-open cantilever will take longer to cake up...and will be superior.


Cause of broken spokes (pictures included) I never had this problem before. Two spokes on the drive side of my road bike's rear wheel broke at the J bend, and I'm trying to identify the cause. The wheel has 32 spokes total, made of steel, laced in a 3 cross pattern, and each spoke has a width of 2mm across all its length.
The first one broke when I accelerated hard at a green light, and the second one when I got home and squeezed the spokes with my hands to check their tension. I assume they were fatigued/damaged beforehand, and the rest of them are too, which will keep breaking if I continue to ride the wheel.
I didn't do any jumps, and I weigh 68kg (150 pounds). But I did lots of climbing (which shifts more weight to the rear wheel), descending (which puts lateral stress on the spokes when leaning into corners), accelerations, and some occasional gravel riding. The 35mm wide tires were always inflated to 65-85 psi.
1000km ago, the wheel got slightly out of true (2mm at most) after being ridden for about 1500km. So I trued the wheel, adding a bit more tension to the spokes at the same time. I don't have a tension meter, but it seemed pretty tensioned, similar to the other wheels I have now or had in the past (not all of them built by me) which never had any issues. The wheel remained true until the spokes broke.
I'm not sure whether the spokes are bad quality, the hub is, or both. The spokes seem to have bitten into / enlarged the holes in the aluminium hub, and I don't know if that's normal.
Is it fine to replace all the spokes, or is the hub faulty and is better to buy an entire new wheel?
Here are some pictures:

The grooves/enlargement shown at the hub are all normal.
The path to a wheel that doesn't break spokes is use premium quality spokes (DT, Sapim, and Wheelsmith are the usual poster children), set their line properly at the rim and hub, and stress relieve them properly during building. Fatigue breakages are almost universally the result of one or more of those things not happening.
Setting the spoke line is when in the early phases of building a wheel, the bends are manipulated to neatly wrap around the hub flanges, so that the bend area itself isn't floating unsupported. Stress relief is when the spokes are intentionally overloaded in tension to eliminate residual stresses at the bends that remain from forming them. If those stresses are left in place, the fatigue limit of the material can be crossed in those areas with the cyclic loading of the wheel from riding, which leads to failure. Spokes otherwise operate under the fatigue limit of the material, hence a well-built wheel being able to rarely or never break spokes in fatigue. (This is a paraphrasing of the explanation offered in "The Bicycle Wheel" by Jobst Brandt. It's proven true for me and many others. There is a lot more written on the subject on this site and elsewhere.)
It's likely that what happened here is your spokes were picking up fatigue at the j-bends all along from not being stress relieved and/or having their line set, and then increasing the tension exacerbated the problem, hence the breakages soon after. Increasing tension on a wheel that needs it is not a bad idea per se, but it does run this risk, especially since undertensioned wheels have a good chance of also having the above problems. Stress relieving once a wheel has been used extensively doesn't necessarily work because accumulated fatigue will have weakened the spokes some amount.
Fixing the wheel with its existing spokes may not work, because you have reason to suspect they've been heavily fatigued. The main paths to making it reliable are either rebuild with new spokes or replace it entirely.


How much energy is lost with a gravel tire compared with a road tire? I understand that around 20% of the energy while cycling is lost by the deformation of the wheels. I also understand that in smooth and dry roads people use plain tires (no tread pattern) as these tires will get more contact area with the ground, therefore needing less deformation in order to equilibrate the forces (with P= F/A).
Now based on that, I was wondering if there is any estimate on much gravel bike tires (with some light tread pattern) might contribute to the loss of energy compared with road bike tires (plain) for the same conditions (dry, plain and smooth road). Is the difference going to be substantial and noticeable, or just a small percentage barely noticeable in efficiency? or more generally, is there any study quantifying the loss of efficiency as the tread pattern gets more and more predominant?
In principle I would expect that if the tread is close to "plain" but with some light pattern it shouldn't affect strongly the performance, but I am not sure if this is correct.
I am an amateur cyclist, and I will use my future bike mainly on the road, with a 5 to 10% gravel, so I need to make a decision based on this.

I understand that around 20% of the energy while cycling is lost by the deformation of the [tires]

No not really. Rolling resistance will increase linearly with velocity while drag increases with the cube of velocity, so rolling resistance is not a fixed  percentage of total power lost. At higher velocity drag will completely dominate.

use plain tires (no tread pattern) as these tires will get more contact area with the ground, therefore needing less deformation in order to equilibrate the forces (with F=P/A)

That's not completely true. The tire carcase is is somewhat stiff and each tread block contacting the ground supports an area greater than its own cross section area above it. Because the forces are concentrated down trough the blocks the area actually in contact with the road is lower but each block exerts a higher pressure against the road surface.
There is additional power loss through greater flexing of the tire and tread blocks though so there is additional power loss compared to a slick tire.
A factor I don't think you have taken into account that gravel tires are typically wider than road tires and run at a lower pressure, which leads to higher rolling resistance.
I can't point to formal research but the Global Cycling Network YouTube channel has some some tests.

They ran with a power meter, on rollers:

28mm GP 5000,   90 PSI,   45 KPH   299W
28mm GP 5000,   70 PSI,   45 KPH   327W
40mm Terra Speed 70 PSI   45 KPH   449W
40mm Terra Speed 40 PSI   45 KPH   516W

The deltas were significant.


How to carry a large backpack on a bike rack? My 3 kids ride their bikes to school and carry 20 pound back packs stuffed quite large. They won't fit in any pannier I can find.

I've considered hanging them off the side of the pannier with bungies to keep them from shifting, and perhaps a sheet of stiff plastic to keep them out of the spokes.

Side baskets are too large for them to fit their bike @ the bike rack @ school.
I've also considered a very narrow basket on top of the rack but puts the center of gravity high, makes it harder to swing their leg over the bike, etc.

Looking for better ideas.

I too had this problem and found a somewhat unique solution. I explored using a pannier, but since I carry a laptop daily, I was worried about what would happen if the bike slipped on the ice and crushed my laptop bag (something that actually happened to me as a teenager)

Like you stated, baskets are too tall and cumbersome, so instead I found a 19 by 13 inch metal serving tray and mounted it with heavy duty rubber straps. It even matches the color of my bike panniers so I think it's a good solution. It's very freeing to be able to carry so much on my bike without the constant weight on my shoulders.

Since the laptop sits at the bottom of the backpack, I feel like the metal walls of the tray should absorb the shock of a slip or fall and protect it inside. So far I've received multiple compliments on this design. It's been over a year now on my bike and has held up well.


Is there a way to know what size of smallest chainring will be compatible with a given frame? I've been slowly changing a Devinci Milano I bought to be more like a touring bike than a hybrid. I've installed drop bars and sti shifters. Everything is working pretty well, except that I'd like to have a more road-oriented set of chainrings.

So I plan to swap in a standard road 52 - 39 crankset. Is there any way I can tell if it will fit? I realize it will take me five minutes to check, just wondering if there's a better way.

The Devinci Milano uses a standard 68mm English threaded bottom bracket shell.  This should be compatible with most road cranksets, so long as you replace the bottom bracket as well.


How to properly calculate wheel diameter (rim+tire)? Is it true that 26" rim actual diameter is 25.625"? How does tire size affect wheel diameter?
Is there any special formula to calculate wheel diameter?

You could calculate the effective diameter by measuring rollout and dividing that number by pi.  To measure the rollout start with your valve stem in the lowest possible position and make a mark on the floor next to the valve stem.  Ride the bike one revolution until the valve stem is at the bottom of it's rotation again and make another mark on the floor.  Measure the distance between the two marks to find the effective circumference.


Patch or replace tube? Is it worth patching a tube on a mountain bike, or just replace it with a new one?

There are a lot of 1/2" - 3/4" thorns here in Texas, and I use 26 x 1.95 tubes.

Any particular patch type/brand is better? Can you recommend any methods to cut down on punctures?

I think that it is definitely worthwhile to patch a tube for many reasons:

five patches go for about $5, lower than the price of a single tube (~$7).
a patch kit can be taped under the seat whereas a tube must be carried in a bag or pocket (and if in a pocket, remembered).
Given the ability to avoid flats almost entirely (e.g. using puncture-resistant tires, riding mindfully / carefully), I have never had to wait for a patch to 'dry', even the minute or two for the glue to set passes pretty quickly. Except when in a rush (e.g. a mountain bike race), it takes this much time to change a tube.
Tubes deteriorate more quickly and are more likely not to work when needed than a patch. For example, improperly folded tubes often crack where folded or at the base of the stem.

Despite my own advice, in practice I carry a spare tube in my pocket if one is handy.

On a side note, if you have neither a tube nor a patch kit you can

tie a knot in the tire where the hole is and stretch
ride home on a flat and risk damaging your rim
stuff the tire with grass or something else handy
hitch hike
call a friend/ family member


Bike computer wheel size setup I've gotten my self my first mountain bike, along with a Bike computer. This needs to be setup, but im really not sure how i do this. The wheel size of the bike is a 27,5 inches. The bike computer is a Bontrager Trip 100, that comes with the following wheel settings:

700:23, 700:25, 700:28, 700:32, 700:35, 700:38, 29:2.1, 29:2.2, 26:1.5, 26:1.9, 26:2.0, 26:2.1, 26:2.2, 26:2.3

One thing is what setting to enter on the computer, but im also unsure about where i should place the sensor and receiver on the wheel. I believe it must matter if i place the sensor and receiver near the center of the wheel, or if i place it need the edge.

Look at page 23 and 24 of the manual and follow the directions for measuring tire rollout. Measure your front tire and select the wheel size on the chart that has the closest measurement to your tire. There can be a big difference in the circumference of different brand/model tires even if the stated size is the same. Measurement of the actual tire circumference will give you the most accurate readings. As far as placement it makes no difference. As long as the magnet on the spoke triggers the pick-up it will count revolutions. The computer does the calculations to convert the data to mph, distance etc. My preference is to mount it as close to the axle as possible. On a mountain bike this keeps it out of the mud and away from branches.


What are the advantages or disadvantages of different spoke styles I see triathlon bikes with various different spoke styles, from normal wire to aerodynamically shaped blades to completely solid wheels, but I can't understand why there should be so many styles.

I can understand needing less spokes on an indoor track, as you won't get bumps, so I'm okay with that, but can anyone shed light on the decisions behind the other styles?

I have also seen this question on flat spokes but that wouldn't explain the wing like spokes or the solid wheels, would it?

Yep, there are various types of spokes, as already explained.  There are also various ways of "lacing" the spokes, and various spoke counts.

When picking a spoke lacing scheme, there are six basic considerations:

Strength
Flexibility
Torque resistance
Air resistance
Weight
Appearance/sex/stupidly spending money

Strength is determined by the number of spokes, how they are arranged, and how they interface with the hub and rim.  If you look at a normal "three cross" wheel, the spoke leaves the hub at an angle nearly tangential to the hub circumference.  This way the stress on the hub is minimized.  A "four cross" lacing (commonly seen on heavy touring bikes an the like) goes that one better and causes the spoke to be truly tangential to the hub circumference (plus the increased spoke length gives the wheel more "spring").

You rarely see "two cross" and probably never see "one cross" lacings, but "radial" lacing (where the spokes leave the hub at right angles to the circumference) is becoming fairly common, especially on front hubs of "mountain" or "cross" bikes.  Radial lacing places considerable stress on a conventional hub, and with radially laced wheels you'll often see the spokes reversed, with the nipples on the hub end, because the hub must be redesigned to stand the stress.  Additionally, both because a radially laced wheel is so stiff and because usually radial wheels have low spoke counts, the stress on the rim is higher, such that the nipples would be apt to pull through.  So you'll sometimes see the bent end of the (reversed) spoke engaged in a slot in the rim or some such.

Note that while radial laced wheels are stiffer against radial forces on the wheel, they don't resist torque very well at all -- if a rear wheel were to be radially spoked the torque of the drive train would cause the wheel to twist into a sort of spiral, hindering the transmission of power to the wheel circumference.  Similarly, if disk brakes were used on a radial front wheel the wheel would twist severely when the disk brakes were applied.

[However, it should be noted that some people like to lace their rear wheel with a cross pattern on one side and radial spokes on the other.  This provides the needed torsional rigidity while permitting half the wheel to be radial, but it's not clear that there's any real advantage to the scheme.]

Air resistance obviously increases with spoke count, and is affected by the profile of the spoke as well.  Although air resistance is important to pro racers because the top of the wheel is moving forward at twice the speed of the bicycle, it's probably safe to say that the air resistance due to spokes on a standard 32-spoke three-cross wheel would not be noticed by most average bikers, even at fairly high speeds.

The ultimate low-wind-resistance wheel is the disk wheel, of course, and there are other exotic designs with 1, 2, or 3 broad, flat "spokes" made of high-strength composites bonded to rim and hub.  But generally you'll only see the disk wheels on rear wheels because the disk becomes a kite if it gets cross-ways to the wind as would happen on the front wheel.

Weight is reduced by using more exotic materials (especially for the rim), and by reducing spoke count.  The more exotic the rim, the more intimately the design of the rim ties into the spoking scheme.  Some slight weight reduction is also possible by reducing the "cross" of the spoking (and hence reducing spoke length).

And, of course, sex.  Many of the above schemes (especially things like the low-spoke-count radially spoked front wheel with reversed spokes) have little practical benefit for the average cyclist, add cost, and reduce reliability.  (Ever heard one of those fancy high-tension spokes go?  It sounds like a gunshot.  And if one breaks you're likely dead in the water until you can get to a bike shop, whereas with a standard three-cross 32-spoke wheel one can usually "limp home" if a roadside repair is not possible.)


Why do my bicycle brakes get worse and feel more 'squishy" over time? My bike has disc brakes connected to the lever by cable. I've found I've been tightening the screw by the lever more and more to the point that there's not that much more room to tighten.

On most cable disc brake systems there's a moving pad and a fixed pad.  The moving pad presses against the rotor and bends it slightly towards the fixed pad.  The rotor is made of rather springy steel, and is probably where the feeling you experience comes from.

The barrel adjuster only addresses wear to the moving pad, but the fixed pad also wears in use. The rotor has to bend more to contact the worn fixed pad. This means that tightening up the fixed pad is necessary (about every other time I tighten the barrel adjuster on mine, but it depends on the pads and mechanism).  It can be a bit of a pain as it's not very easy to get at.


Am I able to replace the bolt in the hub to be quick release on a back wheel? I have this wheel and want to replace the skewer that it is tightened with to a quick release fitting is this possible?

The 'bolt' through the hub is actually an axle that is threaded along its length The wheel bearings are sandwiched between 'cup' surfaces in the hub and 'cones' that thread onto the axle.

The axle in this type of hub can be replaced if they get bent or damaged, they can also be replaced with a quick release type. The quick release type has a hole though it that accepts a quick release skewer shaft.

Replacing the axle is fairly straightforward, but requires making sure you get the correct length axle and re-assembling the bearings.

Here's a video from RJ the Bike Guy showing how to replace the axle.


How high should be the handle of a balance bike for a 35 inches tall kid? How should I decide about handle adjustment?

Handle is adjustable upto 20 inches.

In general you should adjust a balance/strider bike so that:

When sitting on the seat their feet are flat on the ground with a
slight bend at the knees.
The handlebars are at about mid-torso height.

I usually tell people to worry about saddle height first, then handlebar adjustments.


Flat pedal road bike shoes I have road shoes but would like to also get a pair of shoes for flat pedals that still look like road shoes but have grip for the flat pedals etc..  Can anyone please suggest anything, thanks :)

For flat pedals, here's my suggested preference order of shoe type:

A skateboarding shoe. They have flat grippy soles with more stiffness than most shoes.
A traditional bicycling shoe (intended for use with clips and straps).
A shoe made for any indoor sport. Indoor soccer shoes (like John Zwinck linked to in a comment), basketball shoes, etc. These will have a flat grippy sole intended for hardwood, that any flat pedal will grip quite nicely. Probably avoid anything "high top".
A shoe made for athletic activities on pavement. Walking shoes, running shoes, etc. These won't be as flat or as grippy as the indoor sport shoes, but will still be quite good.
Any athletic shoe. A shoe made for trail running will tend to have a fairly lumpy sole, but that may still work just fine on your flat pedals.
Any shoe. Face it, flat pedals work with any shoe you can walk in. Preferably something with a secured heel and toe coverage. I don't recommend it, but I've even done it in flip-flops with no problems.

Categories 2 through 5 all have available models that have that sort of futuristic aerodynamic look favored by clipless cycling shoes.

If you're doing long distance riding with flexible shoes and small pedals, you may find you get a bit of a "hot spot" where your foot pushes on the pedal. Stiffer soles and a larger flatter pedal platform can both help with this.

A high-end "BMX" or "mountain biking" flat pedal is much kinder to your foot than the traditional cage pedals that often come free with the bike. To me, the ideal is a thin pedal, just as wide as your shoe at the ball of your foot, with replaceable pins. Those cage pedals have small platforms with a sort of serrated knife edge rim.


Inconsistent shifting issues after changing wheel I recently got myself a cheap pair of 650B Wilkinson wheels to train on.   After doing 50+ miles over 8 weeks, I'm having shifting problems when I change over to my WTB knobbly.

The shift is inconsistent at best. I noticed it appears the chain is slipping. The chain indicator does say it's 0.75% worn. but my bike is fairly new. I probably done at absolute most 100 miles on that chain between the two  wheelsets.  I have tried playing with  the cable tension to no avail.

Why has it worn so quickly?

Do I just need one chain for each wheelset since ones a road cassette and the other is mtb?

There are many variables that you should look at when switching rear wheels, and wear is not really the first place to look, nor is the tire type.
The first area is the hub - are the hubs the same? I am going to assume that both wheels have the same number of cogs on the cassette (which eliminates the 8/9/10/11 speed differences), or you would be having other problems. Hubs can have slight positional changes, millimeters, for the freewheel, depending on the manufacturer, so the cassette will seat in a slightly different location on each wheel, relative to the centerline.
The second is the cassette. SRAM and Shimano cassettes have slightly different spacing, Shimano and Campagnolo have much larger differences in spacing - you want to stick with the same brand cassette for maximum compatibility. Also, road cassettes and mountain cassettes have narrower and wider ranges of gears, respectively...if you have a 12-32 on the mountain cassette and a 11-23 on the road cassette, you will have a load of extra chain when running the road wheels, and that can cause shifting problems.
When switching between wheelsets, at a minimum, you will need to make slight adjustments to the rear derailleur...or you will need to swap chains (or remove a section of the chain, which you can do easily with quick connects), it more than likely will not be a seamless transition.


Completely new to indoor cycling, is there a MUCH cheaper alternative to power meter that would be compatible with the RGT app? I'm planning to get a cheap, not-smart mag trainer, to cycle inside. I'm currently a stay-at home mom and I would like the cheapest, yet enjoyable app-wise, set up for indoor training with virtual riding. I really like what I read about RGT- no cost to use the app, BUT it seems like  you must have the equipment on the quite expensive end of the cost spectrum. Here is their site's compatibility explanation.
Am I right in this assessment? Is there some type of computer alternative to a power meter that you think could work with this app? I have NO idea what's out there apart from basic speed/cadence sensors which I cannot use for this app. I imagine that is because the virtual ride uses LOTS of specific data from your own ride to make it more realistic and awesome.
I imagine I will end up buying a basic speed sensor and use another app I have to pay for. (Yuck to paying a monthly price for an app. I'm super cheap). Before going that route, I wanted to see if there was any type of alternative buy that may pay for itself over the course of x number of months if I use RGT  as a free app vs. paying monthly for an app. I'm also happy to hear any opinions about the following apps which seem to have the journey cycling feel I would enjoy: Ful Gaz,Rouvy, Bkool, Zwift, another unknown to me, etc.
About my cycling, if it is relevant:  I am a casual cyclist who enjoys leisurely, outdoor cycling and I often seek out new trails. Before I was a mom, I did do longer rides (30-55 mi) so I think I will actually cycle indoors especially if I have a virtual path, BUT I am definitely not a hard-core cyclist trying to get best times. I'm not even looking for an especially tough work-out, although I am competitive in general and would be motivated most by a "self-competition"- something where I could see previous time on same course, etc. But on the whole,  I simply want to enjoy getting exercise regularly inside and, the kicker.... I would like to do it for about as cheap as possible.

You can basically use any trainer with a powermeter (I would call it a "smart trainer" but others do protest too much). The cheapest ones start at 200€, better ones, with a more accurate power meter, say 300€. There is no need to have a powermeter on your bike. These trainers are not that much more expensive than the copletely dumb ones. You are looking for Bluetooth or ANT+ connections. A powertmeter in atrainer is easier to make than a bicycle poweemeter and hence much cheaper. Bicycle powermeters cost as much as a whole trainer.
"Smart" trainers, or trainers with a powermeter in general, normally calculate the power you are performing against the brake automatically. Some are more accurate, some are less accurate. Some virtual competitions require only certain more accurate devices. But for a smart trainer you do NOT have to measure the speed of your wheel and have the RTG or Rouvy or Zwift or whatever other app to calculate your power from your wheel revolution speed. The trainer is calibrated and is giving you the estimate from its own powermeter - more accurate or less accurate, but its own automatic estimate nonetheless.
Also you do not need a subscription-based app for training with a smart trainer. A basic app is normally included and if not, there are alternatives available. It normally includes various power-based exercise programs.
You only need subscription for advanced features, especially for virtual rides and online riding with other people, for special training programs and related.
I won't do any product recommendation, there are many products. Some are using a wheel driven by your rear tyre (the basic ones), some have their own axle and cassette and you connect it instead of your rear wheel (direct drive). They use different braking mechanism (hydraulic, magnetic...) and differ in the level of noise and many other factors. You have to do some research yourself.
Weiwen Ng linked a nice survey of trainers https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/10/the-smart-trainer-recommendations-guide-winter-2019-2020.html You can do a web search and fine many other reviews and surveys.


2 cross pattern not going right on Front wheel build I need to make 2 cross spoke pattern (because lack of proper length spokes) for front wheel, i am however having some problem - green spokes stick out trough the rim ~4-5mm longer than blue spokes.
Blue spokes angle is -60 degree, green spoke angle is is +20 degree from the hub (compared to radial lacing).
Is this 2 cross pattern diagram wrong?

The top flange spokes in the picture are laced right, but the bottom is not. You need to make each pair of pushing and pulling spokes that follow each other coming from the opposite side flanges take consecutive holes in the rim. Take all the nipples off the bottom side, put the one I've marked in the hole I'm calling A, and then move all the other spokes on that flange the same number of holes down from where they were and it will be right.
Another way of thinking about why the angles are assyemmtrical as you describe is that the hub hasn't been able to have its "twist" done such that they can be symmetrical.


Gears reversed (17) after replacing back tire. Why? Gears reversed (1<->7) on the back disk after replacing back tire. Why?
Here are pictures starting with 2nd gear then going to 6th but the shift is actually reversed:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HDqZ5JPDCYPpNmTG9
Not an expert BTW.

It's not possible for the operation of the gears to change just by reinstalling the wheel, so it seems likely that you have just misremembered which way this bike normally operates, which is different to your other bikes.
The derailleur has a strong spring that pulls one way, so the shifter adds cable tension to pull the derailleur sideways, against the spring force. When the shifter releases the cable tension, the spring force returns the derailleur back in the other direction. They come like this from the factory and can not be reversed.
Looking at the photos as you have presented them the harder gears are the lowest numbers and the easy gears are the high numbers, so the derailleur is obviously a 'low-normal' derailleur and has always been. This is different to the majority of derailleurs you'll have experienced before.
I hypothesise that this is not your bike but a child's so your memory of its function is limited and impressionable youngster is not confident in their memory of it either. Or rather, now you have put the idea of it having reversed in their head, they are confidently incorrect.
If it's working then great, successful tyre/tube change. In the photos its not in top gear (1)... If it's not shifting fully into the hardest gear then this would indicate low cable tension (opposite to most DIY guides) or a misalignment of the derailleur, but otherwise functioning normally.


Flat mount brake caliper and rotor tolerances So I was finishing my build today putting all pieces together on my Diverge 52 carbon frame when something come to my attention: the flat mount SRAM Red hydraulic brake calipers can barely clear the wheel spokes (about 1-2mm maximum) using 140mm Centerline X rotors on my CLX 32 wheelset (centerlock). Decided not to risk a disaster I put those 160mm old Ashima 6-bolt rotors mounted on a Shimano RTAD-05 adapter, so the brakes now clear the spokes (about 4-5mm) and the rear one clears the chainstay by about 2-3mm.

Here's my question: since I have no other disc brake bike to compare, is it normal to have such tiny clearances on a gravel bike? My original project would be using a 140mm rotor, will it rub the spokes when pedaling out of the saddle or climbing?

tldr: my road disc bike has tight clearances too and nothing rubs, so "it works for me".

Tolerances are always hit and miss, especially when multiple parts are involved like with fork/caliper/hub/spokes/rim/rotor combinations. That's a lot of parts to multiply tolerances by. There are no standards for caliper to spoke clearance besides what original manufacturer deems appropriate. Some calipers might protrude further inside than others (TRP Spyre is notorious), some do not.

Here's some personal experience: my road disc bike has less than 2mm clearance between caliper and spokes, both in the rear (Hope RX-4 caliper, post mount, 140mm rotor, bladed spokes) and front (RX-4 flat mount, non-stock fork, 160mm rotor); rotor to fork is about the same; this did not cause any issues as of yet. To compare, clearances on my MTB are a tad bigger at ~3-5mm.

  Here's my question: since I have no other disc brake bike to compare,
  is it normal to have such tiny clearances on a gravel bike?
  My original project would be using a 140mm rotor, will it rub the
  spokes when pedaling out of the saddle or climbing?

Nobody can say for sure, it depends on various factors like your weight, pedaling style, power output, frame stiffness, if rotors are true or not, how stiff the wheels are, etc. You might want to confirm that no interference happens to be sure, but I think clearances you describe are on the lower end of acceptable and as long as nothing rubs in stand the bike should be fine.


Shimano 11 speed MTB cassette on an 11 speed road hub, which spacer should I use? I have a Shimano 11 speed mountain bike cassette and a Shimano 11 speed road hub. Without a spacer there is considerable wobble of the cassette, and I read that a spacer is required.
My wheels came with two spacers, that I measured with calipers at 1mm thick and 1.85mm thick.
Which thickness of spacer should I use?

For 11s MTB cassette on road 11s HG hub, use 1.85mm spacer.
Bike-Components.de lists the following:

1 mm: Thickness: 1 mm Application:

using a 10-speed (Road) cassette with aluminium spider (e.g. CS-7800, CS-7900) on an 8-/9-/10-speed freehub
using a 10-speed (Road) cassette on an 11-speed (Road) freehub (1 mm + 1.85 mm) Manufacturer Part Number: Y-1Z807000

1.85 mm: Thickness: 1.85 mm Application:

using a 8-/9-speed cassette (Road) and an 8-/9-/10-/11-speed cassette (MTB) on an 11-speed (Road) freehub
using a 10-speed (Road) cassette on an 11-speed (Road) freehub (1.85 mm + 1 mm) Manufacturer Part Number: Y-4T724000


How to build good jumps? Not sure if this is the right place for this... But I'm wondering how I can make 'good' jumps. I've made a few using a 1 tonne digger.

I had the tabletop with the pallet a gap at first but I made it a tabletop for more fun. They're okay to jump, but the problem is the landing is really soft and I've watered it, compacted it, done everything I can think of any it's still loose dirt??
So my question is how can I make reliable jumps?

You could probably rent a Wacker ( yes, that is the real name ) at a local construction equipment rental store. It is a tool that ground construction workers use. It is basically a really heavy steel plate that an engine sits on. The engine vibrates the whole machine and the weight and the vibration compact the ground very tightly.

You'd have to work in layers. Don't expect to compact the whole mound all at once. That is not the way it works.

The giant rollers on freeway construction sites do the same thing.


Why are cassettes replaced more often than front chainrings and derailleur jockey wheels? On a bike there are three kinds sprockets that the chain comes into contact with: the chainrings, cassette, and derailleur jockey wheels.
It seems that the standard practice is to replace the cassette for every 2-3 chains or so. Chainring replacement is heard of less commonly, and it seems they last much longer than cassettes.  Why is this so?
In fact, it seems counterintuitive since each (given a 2x10 setup) each chainring is used on average five times more than each rear cog.
I can perhaps think of a few possible reasons:

Rear cogs experience more wear since they are smaller, so there is much more force on each tooth.  (However, this doesn't apply to mountain bikes, where several of the rear cogs are bigger than the smaller front chainring)
(Edit: in fact, this really isn't the case for XC mountain biking with a lot of climbing, in which much if not most of the time is spent with a front:real gear ratio of less than 1:1.)

There is more wear and tear from the chain pulling on the teeth (rear) vs the teeth pulling on the chain (front)

Front chainrings are made out of more durable material.

Finally, there are also the derailleur jockey wheels, which no one ever seems to replace, except when replacing the whole rear derailleur.  I assume that's because they aren't a "load bearing" part of the drivetrain like the cassette and chainrings are.

To expand on Jahaziel's comment, and address your point that you have 5x as many cogs at the back (though anywhere from 3x to 11x is common):
You don't use all your gears equally.
Most pedalling on most bikes suited to their riding conditions is near the middle of the cassette, with the more extreme sprockets for the steepest climbs or fast descents/flats. You only need to wear out one commonly used sprocket to need a new cassette. In my case it's always the 3rd or 4th, counting from the biggest, depending on the bike, though if I get to the point where I can feel that, wear is very visible on some others. This will have fewer teeth than (most of) your chainring(s).
Tooth count has a double effect - fewer teeth in contact to spread the load, and each tooth encounters than chain more often.
On all my bikes, though probably least the MTB, the cassette gets dirtier than the chainrings - more abrasive grit.
I suspect a further effect of sprocket size beyond tooth count: a worn chain/sprocket combination that doesn't mesh well is likely to do more damage when the chain is bent more.
The jockey wheels last longer despite being small and plastic for two reasons: much less contact force against the chain to cause wear, and they don't have to be very good to do their job


How can I remove a stuck bottom bracket cup? I am repairing the bottom bracket of a US$100 bike with hard 2,000 miles (3,200 km). At approximately 1,800 miles (2,900 km) the bottom bracket made a crunchy sound, and after that there was a lot more play and friction in the bottom bracket.

I removed the cranks:

After opening the bottom bracket, I found that the bearings need to be replaced:

I removed the cup on the left side:

I was unable to remove the cup on the right side. The cup on the right side is not seated squarely in the frame. One side of the cup touches the frame, and the other side of the cup is 2.4 mm (0.094 inch) away from the frame:

I tried unscrewing in both directions using a maximum of 120 ft-lbs (160 N⋅m) on the wrench, but it didn't budge.

Another factor in this equation is wear on the spindle:

I have identified these options:

Install new bearings without trying to remove the cup.
Press the cup in so that it is square with the frame. I'm not sure if the cup is threaded or press fit, this would work better if it were a press fit.
Use more force to remove the cup.
Cut the cup out and replace it with a sealed bottom bracket.

To proceed with the repair I need to answer the following:

How important is squareness of the bottom bracket cups?
Is there a trick for fixing cross-threaded bottom bracket cups?
Are the grooves on the spindle too deep to function with this size bearing?

You're going to need to replace the entire BB.

The drive side cup is reverse threaded. (This isn't true of older bikes of certain nationality, but the nylon cable guide suggests yours is new enough for this not to be a concern.)

To answer your questions:

The squareness of the cups is very important for the BB to function.
To get the cup out without special tools, there's a few things to try depending on what's available to you. It would be a good idea to soak in some penetrating oil, just because anything you can do to reduce the torque required will help. If possible, clamping the wrench flats on the cup in a bench vise and using the frame as your leverage might be the easiest way to get it started. Another approach involves making a fixed cup removal tool out of a large bolt, nut, and washers, as explained by Sheldon Brown. This sort of tool usually works very well even on the most stuck cups, and is cheap to put together.

After you get the cup out, you'll have to address the condition of the threads, i.e. is some kind of thread repair going to be necessary to get the new BB in. More minor examples of cross threading, like where a cup got started cross threaded, usually don't require anything special here, but what you have could be pretty chewed up. Presuming you're replacing with a cartridge, probably the first thing to try is, after cleaning and greasing the threads, try to start installing it by hand (ie holding on to the splined installation tool) and, looking at it from the left side, keep it visually centered in the shell as you push with the tool, even as it wants to wander off axis. It may be rough starting and will probably go in rough, but that's not a dealbreaker as long as you can get good enough thread preload in the end.
All traditional cup and cone BB cups are made of hardened steel. If doing some repair of the threads is needed and paying a shop to just run a tap through it isn't in the cards, getting an old scrap fixed cup to use as a rudimentary chasing tap is something else you could try. (The one you have is likely too mangled for this). Doing the same with whatever new cartridge BB you get isn't necessarily a good idea because it might get damaged.
I'm not entirely sure what you mean about the grooves on the spindle, but that spindle is too mangled to be put back in.
Pressing on the cup would probably damage the threads further if it does anything, which it likely won't. Trying to just notch it over into place isn't going to work. To my awareness, this kind of thing happens when someone at the factory is going too fast with an impact tool.
Cutting it out down the middle given the hardness of the material and how easy it would be to cut into the frame threads is probably not very realistic.


How does a quill stem without a front bolt work? Looking at quill stems I noticed this rather curious one and I couldn't imagine how it secured the handlebars without an apparent bolt. Any ideas?

more images

At 10 o'clock there is a wedge that holds the handlebar. Taking off the plastic cap at the end of the stem reveals the bolts for tightening the stem and handlebar.


Strange logo on the frame I just bought this bike, but it seems like the frame is not Bianchi, all marks and texts are stickers. Also, there are quite a few logos on the frame. Does anyone know which frame this is?

Thanks!

I'm thinking it looks a lot like the Hans Lutz logo:

German manufacturer, ex racer...

I'm not sure he made just lugs, for Bianchi at that. So I think you're correct about it being rebranded. Silly really, the Hans Lutz I've seen is nice stuff!

Note the color of the frame too, very similar to that pictured. I can also vouch that the bidon holder mount holes on yours look exactly the same as those on the frame pictured here.


Do rubber bike pedals or rubber pedal covers exist? I'm in a position where bringing my bike into the apartment is my best option at the moment.  However, it is possible for metal edges of the bike pedals to catch the wooden edges of doorways.

To prevent damage, I'm looking for some sort of rubber bumper to put on the bike pedals, or else find bike pedals with rubberised outer surfaces to avoid damaging things they bump into.

Has anyone found such pedals or bumpers?

A short length of foam pipe insulation should do the job.  It's cheap, will fit into your pocket, and you can get it at any hardware store or plumbing supply shop.  You could also slide it onto your top, down, or seat tube for storage.

It looks like this:

Choose the size based on the type of pedals you use.  Platform pedals will require a larger diameter and clipless pedals a smaller diameter.  You want it big enough so you can easily slide it over the pedal but small enough that it stays put.


Mud Guard for 650c Triathlon Bike Frame I recently go my hands on a nice clean Titanium triathon frame. Together with my mechanic of trust I built up a sleek and fast city bike, using 650c wheels.

Since I ride throughout the year, I want to fit some mud guards to it. I've looked a lot of places, whether in bike shops around town or online (i.e. SKS). So far I haven't found anything for 650c wheels...
Another tricky issue is the lack of threads for fixing the bars. So ideally the guard should be fixable like this Crud Roadracer Guard Set. And of corse, the frame being built for triathlons, the geometry is rather tight so there isn't a load of space between frame and wheels...

I know it's a tricky question but I'm curious about any suggestions or tipps regarding a pair of mudguards.

Given that you don't have the eyelets and barely any tire clearance, you're going to want a clip-on seat-post fender (which you could also clip to the seat tube, probably):

and a mudguard that clips on to the downtube:


slow bike...is it the chain? I have two Specialized Langster (one brand new 2013 model (54 cm) and the other a couple of years old unique London model (52 cm)) - both are single speed. Got sick of getting punctures on my daily commute so on Monday I got Durano Plus 700x25c tyres - the bike shop owner said go for 25c as the 23c is good but for daily commuting he would recommend 25c - he did acknowledge you will go slightly slower but not that you will really realise.

Well, he was wrong and I have realised! Anyway, the problem is the London model seems to be a lot slower then the the one - both are slower now but the London one lot more.

I am able to really pedal the heck out of the London one but it just does not seem to go too far I know I can pedal more but there is no need as it just does not cope to go further (hope I am making sense as it is hard to explain!). Could it be the chain is just not good enough on the London model then the other bike? Or something else - there is nothing much else I can think of as it just has one chain and no gears and stuff - except for the new tyres??

One point - the chain is painted (as it is a unique London model) so could it be that? I only bought the London model two weeks ago and am only now riding it around now for my daily commute.

One note is that the gearing is different, assuming they're still stock.

The Specialized Langster London has a 42t chainring and 16t cog, the 2013 Langster has a 48t chanring and 17t cog.  With 700x25 tires that means they are 69.6 and 74.6 gear inches respectively.

What that means is that spinning at 100rpm, you're going ~22mph on the Langster and only ~20mph on the London.  So it will feel slower when you're trying to go flat out.


cold setting 3-speed road frame to 7 8 speed cassette So my old road bike has a 3-speed freewheel, dropout spacing is about 114 mm. I'd like to give it an upgrade and put a 7 or 8 speed cassette (maybe stick with a freewheel if 6-7 speed, I just want more range and less hustle)

Spacing of a modern cassette-type road hub is 130 mm. As the Sheldon Brown bible says cold setting is achievable but it doesn't say how many speeds you can go up. Many people go from 5 speed to 7 speed, or from 7 speed to 10 speed, but I couldn't find anyone on the internet who tries to go from 3 speed to 7 speed. My worry is that it is too much difference I have to spread apart and that it may damage the frame. My weight is on the heavy side and I don't want to end up with my teeth on the road :-P

To sum up, will it be safe to resize from 114 mm to 130?

Cold setting a 114mm to 130mm is significant. Usually the rule of thumb for cold setting is you can go up one step, such as from a 126mm to 130mm or 120mm to 126mm. A three speed freewheel bicycle is extremely rare and I'd personally leave it alone, it's just too valuable to risk destroying the frame.


Using different style disc rotors with the same brake calipers I currently have a set of TRP Hy/Rd brakes that came with 6-bolt style rotors.  I am interested in purchasing a different wheelset that uses Shimano's centerlock style hubs.  One wheelset would serve as my race wheelset, and the other would be for training, so ideally I would like to swap between the two with little trouble.

I am wondering if the current brakes I use would even accept centerlock rotors, and if so, is there an adjustment I would need to make that makes swapping between 6-bolt and centerlock a difficult process?

You've gotta try it out to some extent (e.g. at your LBS). But you'll likely be able to do it with some spacers, tweaking of the brakes and some fidgeting and appropriate part selection. If you do it right, you should have minimal/no adjustment between swapping the wheelsets.

It depends on the brakes and rotors you have. In some cases, the rotor will fit fine or need a minor adjustment in pad placement, while in other cases you won't get the rotor to be able to align properly or the rotor will be too wide and maybe have suboptimal braking (e.g. excessive pad wear or reduced braking power). You may be buying a Centerlock->6 bolt rotor adapter depending on the rotors you're planning to run or some spacers or something to get this to work.


Motordoping in film The Program In the film The Program, about the career of Lance Armstrong, there is a scene (at about 29:45 minutes) where his mechanic turns around something on his bike and afterwards he climbs up the hills like no one else.

So I have 2 question:

Did Lance Armstrong cheat to win his first Tour de France using some kind of motor?
Was it even possible in 1999 to hide such an effective motor in a bike frame?

I'm torn here between attempting to answer this question, and voting to close it on the grounds that you'll only ever get an opinion-based answer. But, to give the benefit of the doubt....

For the first part of your question, I'd say it was unlikely, but your pertinent words are "using a motor". He may well have cheated using other means, in  particular the blood doping for which he is now infamous.

This is largely because I think the answer to the second part of your qurstion is "no". I think that in 1999, battery technology was sufficiently primitive that it would have been impossible to conceal a motor, or that a motor that was concealable would deliver such negligible power as to be ineffective when it comes to increasing your speed. I mean, this is arguable even with 2016 technology - have a look at the size of a bettery on one of today's e-bikes, and you'll see why I say this.

I think you only have to look at mobile (cell) phones of the day to convince yourself of the limits of the technology. My gut feel is that any film you watched which showed motors was using lots of artistic license - if it contained a pile of syringes, I'd be a lot more convinced.


What is the technical name for the push-on type of wheels that are found on some bicycle trailers? The trailer wheels have their own axle that stays in place via a spring-loaded ball bearing.

(They are quite different from the various axles usually found on bicycles themselves; those have some kind of bolt or clamp at both ends and go into dropouts.)
They’re described in
wikipedia

Most trailers have a separate axle for each wheel, like those used on
a bicycle. These separate axles usually mount directly on the frame
using either threaded nuts, a quick-release mechanism, or some press
fit arrangement.

and in
this question

...a single sided wheelchair hub. They are light and designed so the
wheels are easily removable, which is handy for a trailer that will be
packed away often.

but is there an accepted name or term?

As various people have noted, wheelchair hub is the correct term for these one-sided, push-button release hubs.

It goes without saying that this type of mechanism is now being widely used in cycle trailers and recumbent trikes, but we still call them wheelchair hubs even though "real" wheelchair hubs have much shorter axles than are commonly found on trailers and recumbents (see image above).


What type of tires can prevent goatheads? We have a lot of goatheads1 in our area, and they have a tendency to do something like this to bike tires:

Unfortunately, I ride a road bike (specifically a Kona Dew), so I have much smaller, thinner road bike tires. Is there any type of tire I can get that is resistant to goathead thorns?

1 aka Tribulus terrestris, puncturevine, caltrop, cathead, yellow vine, goathead, burra gokharu and bindii.

I haven't tried them specifically with goatheads, but I've run through nails, staples, glass and just about anything else you could find in an urban environment on Schwalbe Marathon Plus ("flat-less") tires.

I have never had a flat over thousands of miles with their Marathon Supremes, either--and they're much lighter and better riding--but they're not as puncture-proof as the Marathon Plus tires.

Neither I, nor anyone in the group of hundreds of cyclists on a local Seattle mailing list have ever seen anything more puncture proof than the Marathon Plus tires.

Marathon Plus on Schwalbe's main site

Product listing from Schwalbe North America (distributor for North America).

They're available in a wide range of sizes.


How can I safely go downhill on an antique penny-farthing bike? I recently picked up a vintage penny-farthing (high wheeler) at the flea market and, after restoration, adopted it as my normal mode of transportation.

It works well for the most part, but going downhill terrifies me as I don't want to lose control and fall from more than a meter up.

Certainly this problem has solved before. How can I safely go downhill? Are there reliable braking systems?

Forget trying to use the brake to slow you down.  At best, the brake may shed a little speed if you're not travelling too fast, on the flat, but backward pressure on the pedals is the more effective way to lose speed (again, only really possible on the flat).  The brake will be 100% ineffective once you gather momentum and head downhill.  There is one hard and fast rule to follow:  If you can not see the bottom of the hill, or there are obstructions further down, which will require you to slow down or stop, then don't even attempt to ride down.  Dismount and push the bike downhill.

If the view forward shows the route to be clear, and you can see the bottom of the hill then it is acceptable (though not easy for a beginner) to raise your legs over the handlebars and rest them on top.  This keeps your feet out of the way of the madly spinning pedals.  You will not be able to spin your legs fast enough to keep up with the pedals, so don't try to - it will end with injury of some sort.

Ignore the advice about applying the brake gently to avoid going head-first over the handlebars.  You will never achieve this by using the brake alone.  The original spoon brakes are just not powerful enough, and certainly will not stop the wheel quickly enough to send you over the top.  "Headers" as they are known, are caused by other problems, such as the front wheel suddenly stopping because it has hit an obstacle, or become lodged in soft ground.


Help choosing between two frame sizes based on my dimensions I would really appreciate some help choosing a size of bike frame. I am stuck between choosing the large or the extra large.

I may go down the route of getting professionally checked on the bike, but there is every chance that since this is a frame company a long way from my house I won't be able to get it properly checked before I try and place an order, only testing on equivalent bikes. I have not decided if I am going for flat bars or drop bars, but more likely drop bars.

These are the bike sizes:

These are my measurements:

A: 186cm (6ft 1inch)
B:
C: 88cm
D:
E: 62cm (armpit to bottom of thumb as per picture)
F:

Any help would be really appreciated. My feeling is that the large is the right size, but from my preliminary reading it looks like the extra large may be closer?

Thank you

When in doubt, the best is to try the bike.

Dimensions are important from an anthropometric point of vue especially to prevent injuries and such. So in that perspective if you're kind of in-between sizes the choice will be guided by your sensations.

I know cyclists that prefer oversize and others that prefer undersize, it depends on how much you lean on the bike and that kind of factors.

So the best way to do it is to spot the extremities on your size spectrum and try bikes that match, you will feel what is natural for you.

I personnaly ride an old steelframe oversized roadbike and it's feels awesome.


Most favoriable collision with a car? How should I act before collision, supposing enough time? Suppose a car is going to collide with you. What can you do to minimise the consequences?

By collision I mean that it may be intentional or an accident. Anyway I am looking for tips on how to act in this kind of situation where the other vehicle probably has much larger total energy than you.

Suppose someone is about to drive over you when you are riding a bike, what is the best way to avoid this happening? During work time I see people driving too many times at too high speed up to pedestrian crossings, for example. Even though I am using lights and reflector vests they do not really help with this kind of situation.

I'm going to answer the "if a collision is going to happen" question, not the "how do I prevent collisions", because that's addressed already. What advanced cycling skills are useful for a commuter or city rider? and Techniques for minimising injury when falling or crashing? both have safety tips. Although a more general "safety equipment we should all have" wiki might be handy.

I'm also going to assume they're not actively trying to hit you. Although since about 1/3 of fatalities involve a drunk driver this may not be entirely correct.

Collision from the rear

Despite being one of the most feared collisions, this is also relatively rare (although disproportionately fatal) at about 1.4% of fatalities. If it's going to happen you're almost certainly better off riding off the road to avoid it - crashing into something at bicycle speeds beats being crashed into at motor vehicle speeds.

Collision from the side

If someone is going to drive into you from the side I really don't know what you can do. Lifting your legs above the impact zone or even jumping onto the vehicle might help, and at least reduce the chances of you being crushed underneath it. My focus would be on quickly deciding whether to brake to avoid it, or sprint to avoid it. Then do that. Avoiding the crash is always the better option.

Crashing into something

This usually happens when a motorist turns in front of you or crashes into something in front of you. The cliche "superman" crash, where you fly over the car leaving your bike behind. As with motorcyclists, the best advice is to jump, because if your legs hit the handlebars and break you'll be in a lot of pain for a long time. Better to jump over the car, land on the other side and lose some skin. I've done this a few times and cracking a bone in my shoulder is the worst that's happened.

The advice in the linked questions above is definitely relevant here. Wearing reflective and highly visible, abrasion-resistant clothing will help, as will cycling gloves and decent shoes. A helmet is also handy. I have dynamo lights that don't turn off and a blinking red light on the back of my helmet that I often use in daylight as well.


Upgrades to Carrera Crixus Recently had my Tifosi bike stolen so need to buy a new bike and preferably want cyclocross. I am considering buying the cheap Carrera Crixus and modifying it, but what upgrades would be recommended on it?Or, does anyone know of any other cheap cx bikes that are worth modifiying, or just to be bought new for around 400? Appreciate any help

Just buy the best bike you can get for the money you have. Component upgrades cost less money when bought as part of a whole bike, compared to being purchased and fitted separately.

As an example, the price difference between a bike fitted with 105 and one with Tiagra is a lot less than what a 105 groupset costs.

The difference can be defrayed by selling the original components as new take-offs, but it's a hassle and you probably still will not make up the difference.

If I were you I'd look for a used bike in good shape, rather than deal with Halfords level bikes.


Which road rear hubs have 135mm O.L.D., disc brakes, are quick release and have at least 32 holes? So, my Cannondale Synapse (2017) which I regret every day getting for causing so many different problems needs a new rear wheel. Its O.L.D. is 135mm, with disc brake, quick release and uses a Shimano 11-speed freehub. As far as I see, it's impossible to find such a wheel or hub and hence the question. The kind of disc brake is not important, I'm willing to change (6-bolt IS or CenterLock) and also building my own wheel. I want 32 or 36 holes because sometimes I carry heavy stuff and I am also heavy and I had to do lots of truing sessions with the current 28 spoke wheels (Maddux RD3.0). Do you think it's safe to ride with no rear brake? Because I could use perhaps a disc-brake-less wheel as a last resort.

A few solutions:

FH-RS505 (discontinued), which is road 11-speed (note: fh-r505 is 10-speed, so not particularly worth seeking out)
any 135mm qr disc freehub such as FH-RM35 and a specific MTB-compatible cassette i.e. CS-HG800 or CS-HG700, not a CS-R- series cassette. Or indeed any random MTB disc 135mm qr wheel, which you can buy cheaply with disc fitting, and the same cassettes
buy a DT Swiss or similar brand 142mm x ta and then replace the ends for the qr

https://r2-bike.com/DT-SWISS-Hub-rear-350-Disc-Center-Lock-Road-for-12x142-mm-Thru-Axle-Freehub-Body-Shimano-11-speed-Road
plus
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/dt-swiss-conversion-kit-12mm-to-qr-rear/rp-prod23858


Name this small red plastic bicycle part Please help me to identify this part. The pictures show rear wheel.

UPD: It is more like an adaptor to connect to the bicycle.

I believe the plastic part is similar to the one identified by number 21/22 in the diagram below. I don't have a name for it, though. I am also not suggesting that this is the exact model that is on this bike but I believe it is the same principle.


Springy Rattling noise on new bike I have recently bought a boardman pro 29er from Halfords (cycle to work).

I like it and I'm enjoying riding it for the most part however there is a noise.

Whenever I'm in a high gear (largest front cog, smallest back cog) and I'm at cruising speed, pedals moving but not too much force being applied I start to hear an intermittent rattly/springy sound. It's a hard noise to explain. It almost sounds like there is a loose spring tinkling against a spoke. It's a really difficult noise to pin point.

I've wiggled and shook everything I can get my finger on and cannot see anything loose. The only thing I noticed was the dérailleur clutch was set to the off position.

I plan on taking it back to halfords to fix after the weekend but I just wondered if anyone had any idea what this might be.

So eventually it seems I figured it out!

The chain was indeed vibrating like a guitar string at speed. This was caused by a couple of rear gears ever so slightly out of alignment. They shifted ok but I could see the chain was marginally catching on some rear cogs.

A small adjustment of the gears with the dial on the gear shift and a good grease of the chain and it was running silent :)


New Schwinn 700c (bike in a box) assembly I just got my bike delivered and having more difficulty than I thought putting it together.

After buying proper tools it should be okay. Aside from set up tips, does the suggestion about like lubrication for set up a must?

I cannot find any.

As stated in comments grease the pedals and seat post to prevent them from seizing.  Quill stem you might grease.

The bearings should come lubricated.

Pretty much any grease (except computer).  Bicycle grease is more for bearings but you could use it. If you are going to buy some just get general purpose grease.

Tip pedals are right and left.


Tiredness after long rides I did 140km ride 4 days ago, and 200km ride yesterday. After that second ride I was really tired. I didn't have any muscle sores, I averaged 25km/h, I could safely do more. But the whole body was in pain from ~8h on the bike alone. I was also feeling very tired and had to go to sleep early, and after 10 hours of sleep, I woke up tired as hell and right now I still can feel it, my head aches, coffe doesn't help etc.

I want to be able to do 3 such rides with 1 day breaks between, but I won't be able to do so if my regeneration will be that slow, and I will be dying that long after training days.

Is it normal? Is this trainable?

I am a long distance rider.  You don't sound unfit.  A few things to look at:

Diet.  Eating the correct food at the correct times greatly affects your performance and recovery.  Your post-ride recovery drink/ meal is as important as the ride itself and should be taking within 30min of getting off the bike.  Remember you're always eating for the next day.
Sleep pattern.  Consider whether you're getting enough sleep.
Heart Rate zones.  Are you pushing too hard too long?  Doing a 200km ride at 80% of max compared to doing it at 65% will also have a huge impact.
Health.  Are you getting or sick?  Maybe you're showing early signs of a cold or flu.

Otherwise get off the bike for a few days.  It may also be psychological.  Then start again with a lower HR, focus on nutrition and remember to have fun!


Older XTR cranks - replace or adapt? I've been using Shimano XTR cranks since my bike was assembled in 2002 (fc-m952?). I've replaced the rings a few times in the past (though not in several years) but it appears that these cranks were crafted in such a way as to preclude the use of off-the-shelf rings. As a result it seems to be rather difficult / impossible to find replacements anymore.

I'm in need of new rings again so it seems I have two choices:

Replace the whole set
Adapt using something like this - and replace with 'standard' rings

I don't know enough about bike parts and availability to make a clear decision.

Suggestions?

EDIT:

I should note that the shifters are also XTR of the same era so any replacement rings would need to be compatible

The shifters+front derailleur don't care about the type of chain rings you're using (just that they're sized appropriately and you're running a double/triple as you were before).

On the one hand, the adapter you linked is about 75 dollars + the cost of regular rings (which should work fine). On the other hand, replacing the crankset means a new bottom bracket (octalink v1 isn't exactly popular anymore,but its not hard to find replacement octalink v1 bottom brackets) and a new crankset.

I'd probably personally opt for the new crankset and BB, since I don't know about the reliability of these adapters and the price difference is pretty small (maybe 15 dollars). Plus, then, you don't risk someone putting a Octalink v2 BB on there some point and then ruining the crank.