Any issues with yaktrax and flat pedals Did anyone tried using yaktrax ice-traction device for shoes when using bicycle (with flat pedals)?

I have noticed that often very large risk of falling in icy conditions is when mounting dismounting, and yaktrax seems like it could be of help in such situations. Anyway I am concerned if yaktrax might tangle into the pins of the pedal and lock my feet.

Yaktrax and simila all increase the risk of a tangle. However, one must test with your specific shoes, cleats and pedals to see how high the risk of entanglement is. That risk must then be evaluated against the risk of slipping when dismounted.

Another alternative is to use studded shoes. They are harder to use together with toe clips than normal shoes because you can not slide your shoe on the pedal. The risk of entanglement, however, should be pretty nonexistent.

Instead of buying studded shoes you could also buy threaded studs such as these from Bestgrip and screw them into your normal cycling shoes.


Pain in my front shoulder muscle - suggestions? (Hybrid cycle) I ride a hybrid cycle to/from work each day (10 km / 6 US miles each way).

The handle bars are flat, and I ride with my thumbs gripped around the handle and 2 fingers close to or over the brakes (I feel safer).

Last year I rode every weekday without problems, but this year I am getting some pain in my front shoulder muscle on my right side.

I was doing 20 chinups and 50 pushups each day, so I cut these out for a while to see if it would help. I'm still cycling and still getting the pain. It hurts most when I sleep at night (I am a side sleeper) and when I wake up I feel the pain in a small area (front deltoid).

I am wondering if other people had similar pain and any suggestions?

Perhaps riding with my seat higher, or riding a racing bike would help, or even those little "verticle handles" that can be attached on very the end of my handle bars pointing upwards.

Maybe my muscle development was assymetric with all the exercises that hit the front (cycling, pushups) without balancing exercises for the back?

I'm 39, 6 foot / 86 kg and in otherwise very good physical shape.

Thanks for any tips / advice

PS. I'm a computer programmer by trade and use my right arm often during the day with the mouse.

DISCLAIMER: This is by no means a definitive answer, but one of the options you may want to look into. Also as this borders on a medical advice, this is only meant to give a kind of guidance, not a prescription.

So one way to deal with pains caused by a substantial amount of cycling is to get your bike fitted, i.e. measured to see if your seat post is high/low enough for you, your cranks are of correct length and so on.

In your case you may be leaning too much (or indeed not enough!), which could strain your back and/or shoulders, so it could be the case you need your stem shortened (or otherwise lengthened!).

I had my stem shortened from 100mm to 90mm due to me leaning too much and getting quite a lot of pain in my shoulder blades. However I've had my bike professionally fitted.


Have they ever made a bicycle with in-hub gears both at the crank and wheel? I've got a hybrid bike with an 8 speed in-hub gear. I chose it because I didn't want to worry about the chain coming off or adjusting the derailleurs. It's been pretty bullet proof and given me no issues. The downside is, of course, that I only have 8 gears.

I was thinking why don't manufacturers put another in-hub gearing system in the crank? Even with 2 speeds at the crank that would double the range of gears.

Any reason why no ones done this?

Its unnecessary from a gearing range perspective and adds extra complexity, I suppose. Number of gears, number of distinct gears and gear range are all different things. Having 63 gears over the same 5.26x range that a Rohloff gives isn't much of an advantage unless you actually find the Rohloff gears are spaced too far apart (very few people do). You get complex shifting for little benefit.

People have made gearboxes in the bottom bracket and crankset (e.g. Pinion, Schlumpf, among others). You could put these with a hub gear or a derailleur system, if you wanted to (in fact, the Schlumpf link before markets the Schlumpf as a partner for the Rohloff internal gear hub), but you're adding another level of complexity to your drivetrain which gives you one more point of failure. Add that to the fact that you can have CVT's or 14 speeds in an internal gear hub (IGH), and you have more unique gear combinations than you necessarily need to begin with. In your proposal, you would probably add a bunch of redundant combinations. And I don't think theres a market for it.

That being said, if you want to go crazy, you could try to beat Sheldon Brown's 63 speed, which combines an IGH with a multi-speed cassette and a front derailleur (*). But with proper component selection, these days, you can get more gears than you could possibly know what to do with for IGH drivetrains (using a single chainring, but you could use a front derailleur if you wanted to, with a suitable chain tensioner) or derailleur drivetrains (using 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 chainrings; there are extenders to do more than 3 chainrings on a triple ).

(edit) The issue is torque limits on hubs. Rohloff publish theirs, chainring:sprocket ratio of 2.5 for heavy riders and 1.9 for most people. Shimano and SRAM don't, but have been known to refuse to service over-torqued hubs. So you can put a Schlupf Speed-Drive on on Rohloff to get about 4 more gears at the high end (Speed drive 1.6x, Rohloff spacing is 13.5%, log(1.6)/log(1.135)=3.7).

You could combine an 18 speed Pinion with a 14 speed Rohloff to get 252 gears over a 33.4x range. But the Rohloff ratio limit means that with a small 406 wheel you'd have a bottom gear of about 0.8m.... and a top gear of 26.7m taking you to 144kph at 90rpm. That's the current world speed record (2017).

(*) On the Bicycles.SE chat, I worked out a realizable drivetrain using off the shelf IGH's and derailleurs and what not that had way more than 63 speeds. Unfortunately, I don't remember what the components were. But, if you really want to, you could buy the parts and put them together to have your proposal work.

(edit) Perhaps a quad chainring with 12 speed cassette and SRAM 3x9 hub, modified to fit the 12 speed cassette.


Cut off tubeless plug head? I use tubeless tires ranging from 30 to 40mm in width. When I puncture and the sealant doesn't cut it, I plug the hole with a Dynaplug.

On longer rides, I carry a spare tube (or two) just in case. It occurs to me that a tube inserted into a tire that already has a Dynaplug in it will instantly puncture, since it essentially inflates directly into a spearhead. Hence when I get home after plugging my tire (or, at the latest, when inserting a tube by the roadside), should I cut off the plug head on the inside so it will take a tube, or will this compromise the seal?

Yes, you should definitely cut the head out when you get back to your house, and then patch the tire.   Whether you want to install a tube, instead of continuing to run tubeless.


How can we calculate the efficiency of the Siva Cycle Atom generator? The Atom is a bike electricity generator made by Siva cycle and launched via kickstarter.

I was curious about how this generator compares to others (eg. hub dynamo/generators) in the market in terms of efficiency.

Quoting from the siva cycle FAQ:

  How much resistance does the Atom add to riding?

  The resistance is very small, and is proportional to how large your charging load is. At full generating capacity, it is akin to riding with your tires at 70 psi instead of 90 psi, or pedaling up a 0.3% grade. In our use around town, it is very difficult to tell that it’s on the bike.

I think the full load on the generator implies drawing 1A of current through the USB port at 5V so thats 5W of output assuming perfect voltage conversion.

Is it possible to calculate the efficiency of this generator using the above information?
How much power would 0.3% grade take away compared to 0% grade?

Thanks!

Taking 100kg of bike plus rider up a 0.3% grade generates a retarding force of 100kg*g*0.003=3N.  At 24 km/hr=20/3 m/s that is 20 watts.  If that is generating 1A at 5V, the efficiency is 25%.

Yes, I picked numbers that were easy to calculate with.  But I believe this is all marketingspeak and you shouldn't trust the numbers to an order of magnitude.

Note this claims the efficiency doubles if you slow to 12 kph. I suspect the efficiency is roughly constant and either the force decreases or the current available increases as you speed up


Can't change into the largest sprocket on rear derailleur I bought my first road bike recently, and I've noticed I can't change into the largest cog/sprocket on the rear derailleur because when I pull the shifter the chain is pushed into the side of the largest sprocket and not over any of the teeth.

If I (gently) use my thumb to push the arm (chain guide?) the chain will mount the largest sprocket but as soon as I let go with my thumb it jumps down to the second largest sprocket.

I'm guessing this isn't normal and somehow it hasn't been fitted quite right? Is there anything I can do to fix this or should I just take it back to the shop?

Just about any new bike you ever purchase will need a good tune up after the first 100 miles, not unlike a lot of cars or motorcycles. It's perfectly normal for most of the parts, especially parts under tension like brakes and cables, to settle and loosen a bit the first few times you ride the bike.

It's likely that the cable for the rear shifter has loosened a little bit and needs to be tightened, or the limit screw has settled. The shop you bought the bike from should have no problem performing the tune up for you, it's very common practice ( and if they try to charge you for it, hesitate to give them your business, the 100 mile tune-up should be complimentary ).


Mongoose Malus Chainring upgrade I have a mongoose malus. It has a 36t chainring in the front and a 7 speed in the back. If I wanted to have higher gears can I replace the front chainring?

This answer is based on wanting faster gearing, higher ratios.

To go faster you need to have smaller/lower tooth count cogs on the rear cassette, or a larger chainring.   Or both.

There is a physical limit of about 13 teeth for a freewheel and 11 teeth for a cassette.   There are BMX bikes and folding bikes that can go as low as 9 and rarely 8 teeth, but they require special wheel hubs.  SO if you're already on an 11 tooth small cof on your cassette, the only option is to upsize the front chainring.

Your main problem is clearance for a larger chainring.  Firstly it has to clear the right-side chainstay.  If that doesn't fit then you're out of luck.  Start with a cardboard template to see how much lager a chainring you could fit.

Then check clearance in all other directions - your breakover clearance (how close you are to the ground) will decrease.   Your front wheel will probably clear things, because it has to clear the pedal when in the forward position.  Upwards should be fine, but depending on your frame check all possible.

If your existing chainring is rivetted onto the crank spider then you're stuck, and will have to buy a new crankset.

Otherwise you'll need to find the BCD of your existing chainring.  Take it off  and print this PDF at 100%  then compare.  You will get an answer like 64, 88, 94, 96, 102, 104, 120.  If it doesn't match, check your printout was 100% scale.

Then buy the biggest chainring that will fit, that has the same BCD as your existing crank-spider.

Finally you'll need to add more links to your chain, so just buy one or two new ones.


What is the size of the front axle nut of the Supercycle Hooligan? I was riding my bike one day and saw my font wheel axle nut on the right disappeared.

I tried to find replacements but none of them fit, I don't know the size of the nut so I cannot find one that fits. I got some nuts that were similar size, but they were 24t so it didn't fit, online people are selling 24t and 26t so I think mine is 26t but I am not sure.

The bike is a Supercycle Hooligan with 24" tires. Measurements preferred in mm but inches is fine too.

Btw, if I cannot find any online is it a good idea to 3d print them? I have a 3d printer and I can print in PLA or PETG but not sure if plastic would be a good idea to hold the front wheel in place.

The zero-information answer is that you should take the bike to a bike shop. Axle nuts are, as far as I'm aware, a pretty standard size; a bike shop will be able to figure out what size you need and will probably just give you a replacemnt nut. Buy something to make it worth their while.

  Measurements preferred in mm but inches is fine too.

That's not how it works. If it's a metric size, you need a metric size; if it's an Imperial/American size, you need an Imperial/American size. It's not enough to say "Oh, half an inch is about 12mm and however-many threads per inch is about this number of threads per centimetre."

  Btw, if I cannot find any online is it a good idea to 3d print them? I have a 3d printer and I can print in PLA or PETG but not sure if plastic would be a good idea to hold the front wheel in place.

No, no, one hundred times no! Not remotely strong enough.


How similar are saddles made by the same company? I have a Specialized Phenom on my mtb that is very comfy and a Specialized saddle (standard one from an Allez) that I use on my commuter bike which is also comfy.

The Selle Italia saddle that came on my Cube road bike is not and I'm looking to replace it. Can I assume that all Specialized saddles are modelled around the same shape and will fit the same (for a given size/sit-bone width) and that if I have one the right shape, others will also be or is it a case of taking every model in its own right? Will be a while before I can get time to go to the LBS to try seats.

(I know it's not really what this site is for but does anyone have experience with Specialized Toupe saddles? Worth trying?)

The only thing that you might be able to bank on is the width of the saddle.  I know specialized in particular has different widths for the same model of saddle based on where you sit bones are.

Other than that, you will really need to try each saddle to know how it's going to feel.  I have the Toupe on my road bike and it's fine for a road bike but I wouldn't want it on my MTB.  It doesn't have as much padding as the specialized MTB saddles.

Short Answer: You have to take each model into consideration individually.


What is the difference between a threaded bottom bracket and one with press-fit bearings? What is the purpose of a threaded bottom bracket like the kinds sold by Shimano etc.? How does this differ from a design in which bearings, spacers and seals are directly press-fit into a bike frame? Are both options useable on the same frames, or do they serve the same purpose but for different frame constructions?

What is the purpose of a bottom bracket like the kinds sold by Shimano etc.?

The purpose of any bottom bracket (BB) made by any manufacturer is to allow cranks to freely rotate in the bottom bracket shell (part of the frame).

How does this differ from bearings, spacers and seals that are directly press-fit into a bike frame?

Different frames accept different types of BBs. Some of them are threaded into it, some are pressed into it. There are many incompatible designs of threaded BBs, and several incompatible types of press-fit BBs.

Are both used on the same frame, or do they serve the same purpose?

A frame is designed to accept either a variant of a threaded BB, or a variant of a press-fit BB. Seldom it is possible to modify the frame to accept a different type of BB.


Headset can't tighten enough without stiffening steering, damaged bearing retainers? I've just cleaned and regreased my headset (which is the stock Cane Creek headset on my bike). In doing it I've noticed that the bearing retainers are out of shape; they are not perfectly circular or flat. I have reassembled but now struggling to get the headset tightened appropriately; it's either too loose such that it knocks (wobbles when front brake applied and bike pushed back and forth), or too tight such that the steering is very stiff. I've followed the protocol for (dis)assembly in Zinn, and checked out the headset problems discussed here and here. I've also performed this job with no problems a few times before, but I guess I was just too heavy handed when cleaning the old grease off.

Could this problem be linked to the retainers being out of shape? What is the appropriate course of action?

If it could be the misshapen retainers: I'm not tempted to leave it loosely tightened, I think that has the potential to cause damage and make the bike unsafe. What problems, other than stiffer steering, do I face if I leave it too tight (both short and long term damage and safety considerations)? Is there a good way improve the shape of the retainers myself?

Or should I just get down the local shop and have them replace the retainers? Or would it be better to replace the entire headset, bearing in mind that it's seen 6 years of all weather usage over several thousand km's per year. I'd like to have an idea of what needs to be done to fix it so the shop doesn't try to rip me off (I just moved to this city and haven't found a bike shop I really trust yet).

should I just get down the local shop and have them replace the
  retainers? Or would it be better to replace the entire headset

Replacing the bearings and retainers is cheap and easy (you should be able to do that yourself), you just need to work out what size you want. Since you have all the parts, measure the size of the ring and the bearing diameter and match it up with what you see online. Then you have two options - take just the bearings to the shop and buy matching new ones (if you can get there easily without your bike); or ride down and buy replacements that match your measurements. I would try that first.

If you want to pay the shop to do it, it's not a complex job but fundamentally anything a mechanic does takes half an hour because of the time to get the bike up and look at it, then test ride and return it. So you're looking at half an hour times whatever they bill mechanics out at, plus the $10-$20 cost of the new bearings.

The counter-argument is that a whole headset is only $40, and you could upgrade to a sealed bearing one for little to no extra cost. If you have a few tools that's relatively easy, although a length of threaded rod and a few nuts that fit it makes pressing the new cups in easier. Some shops don't bother stocking replacement bearings because the price difference to the customer between just bearings and new headset is small, and the cost of someone coming back and saying "still ugly, new headset" is more than the profit on the job. Viz, the mechanic time is, say, $50 either way, but the bearings are $20 and the headset is $40. Is it worth paying an extra $50 if you're wrong to save $20 if you're right?

That equation changes dramatically if you're doing the work and the bike shop is easy to get to. Then it's purely $20 vs $40.

(edit) I disagree with the comment. Modern frames and headsets are designed not to need a viciously tight fit into the frame, so removing the old headset should take a few gentle taps with a drift rather than any real force. Older steel frames with steel headsets were often designed to be very tight and required considerable force to remove. With those it was sometimes necessary to re-ream the head tube to fit a new headset in. These days, especially with an aluminium frame, while it's easier to dent or bent the aluminium, you also need much less force to remove or insert the headset.

Doing the work yourself should be straightforward. I find that often I can twist the headset cup and work it out just with my hand, or tap it out using a drift just working round and round tapping the drift with a small piece of wood. Similarly, inserting the new one can often be done just by pushing on a piece of wood resting on the cup, but it's safer to use a length of threaded rod and some big washers or a couple of bits of wood drilled appropriately. The point of that is to make sure you're pushing the headset in exactly true so you don't deform the cup or score the frame.

This is another time when "if you find yourself using a hammer on a bike, you're doing something wrong". The hammer is essential if you have a proper headset removing tool but a bad idea otherwise.

http://www.parktool.com/product/head-cup-remover-rt-1


What type of saddle doesn't hurt the pelvic bone? I have been having issues with my pelvic bone when riding my bike. I have a very good bike, and the saddle is wide, but after riding 10 minutes my pelvic bone kills me to the point that I have to stop riding to rest it. I want to be able to ride more than this but am confused on which saddle to purchase. Some sites tell you to use a narrow seat, and others say a wide seat. What type of saddle should I look for?

Saddle comfort can be tough to get just right and is very individual. You might just have to try a few saddles out...

Sheldon Brown has a lot of great information about saddle comfort here: http://sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html

Are you just getting back on a bike after not having ridden for a while? Your backside has to get used to a saddle. If you haven't ridden in a while, do some short (1 or 2 mile) rides and slowly increase the distance. Try that before you try replacing the saddle.

Those short rides in the saddle won't just help your backside break into the seat, they'll help get your riding strength up, so that more of your weight is on your feet and less on your pelvis.

How wide or narrow a saddle depends on your anatomy, your flexibility, your riding posture and your riding style. Basically you want the saddle as wide as you need it to be, but no more. Any extra width is likely to lead to chafing or soreness from the saddle pushing into things.

Your pelvis has two knobs at the back of a triangle with the point forward (essentially). Sitting down on a stool or chair, you tend to have your weight on those knobs. If you're sitting with your lower back fairly straight, you'll want a saddle that supports those two knobs, probably with a bit of padding right there. If you have your pelvis rotated forward so that you're not sitting on those knobs and are instead resting your weight on part of that triangle, you'll want a narrower saddle. You want just enough that whichever pelvic structure you're sitting on is on the saddle, with fairly little saddle to the sides of that.

And don't just go for the saddle with the most padding. A lot of people like a little padding on their saddle, but too much padding will just sort of squeeze into all the other sensitive tissues down there, which can be uncomfortable and cause nerve pinching or circulation issues. Get a saddle with just enough padding.


Swapping MTB tires for more grip and less puncture, going tubeless: is it worth? I own a CUBE Acid MTB, which is mainly aimed at entry-level/XC riding, although (since this is the only bike I own righ now) I do ride it in somewhat more aggressive trails, almost enduro.

The bike has been running fine but I feel I could benefit from a new pair of tires, to increase grip/traction and to scare away most puncture and slipping thoughts, something that could withstand roots and non-plain terrain.

Also I'm still running tubes since my rims aren't tubeless-ready by default.

My bike has ETRTO 622x20 rims, with Schwalbe Smart Sam 2.25" front/back.

My understanding is that most rugged tires are 2.30" and up, while 2.25" tires are mostly a XC thing nowadays.

What tires could I mount on my bike?

Is tubeless achievable on my setup?

If yes, I won't convert right away, so a tire that could work on both setups would be great.

I am reasonably sure you can set up the wheels on that bike to be tubeless if you want. The key thing to look for is whether the rim join is pinned or welded. If it is welded then you can probably set up the rim with tubeless for MTB tire pressures.

I would only worry about "tubeless-ready" rims and tires if you are running smaller tires at higher pressures. For MTB riding one of the big advantages of tubeless is being able to run tires at very low pressures. You could easily go down to 20 psi. At that psi, I've had pretty good results converting to tubeless
with a wide variety of MTB tires. I definitely recommend going tubeless for any bike that sees a lot of dirt.

Looking at the spec of your bike I've found on the web, I'd guess 2.4 is about as big as you can go in terms of tire width and frame clearance. Without knowing more about where and how you ride, I can't make any specific tire recommendation. You can always put a tube in a tubeless or tubeless-ready tire. Ask around, I'm sure there is a local "magic" tire that riders in your area recommend. My general rules of thumb for MTB tires are :

Wider is better, but there is a limit determined by the width of your rims.
It looks like your rims are 20mm wide, I'd stick with 2.3's(55-622 ertro) at most.
Wider and knobbier on the front, smaller and less knobby on the back.
Drop the pressure in the tire until it's obviously too low, then slowly increase to find the right balance for where you ride. Ignore the PSI on the side of the tire.

For guidance on tire sizing and rim width, this is a good page.
Sheldon Brown tire sizing In my experience, that chart is very conservative, you can push the limit but much of the benefit of tubeless disappears if the rim isn't wide enough to support the tire well. You'll just get too much squirm at low pressures.


Why don't we see fork boots anymore? When I was younger, it seemed most mountain bike shocks had rubber boots on them, but now most seem to be "naked."

How important were the shock protectors that covered the exposed part of the piston - either the generic rubber boots or the neoprene "lizard" protectors? Did they make a difference for most riding styles?

Why has naked become the new thing? Is this just value-engineering?

And is there any meaningful difference in performance between the two?

Fork boots were used to keep dirt off the stanchions and help keep the wipers clean. Modern quality forks have wipers that clean better and last longer, and more abrasive resistant stanchions, so no need for a boot. Cheap forks don't put boots on because in today's market place, boots scream cheap fork

Dirt always manages to get behind the boot no matter how well sealed it is, this has several detrimental effects. Any dirt trapped between the boot and stanchion stays there and increases rubbing. The boot transfers dirt back to a stanchion wiped clean by the wiper.  To make matters much worse, and probably the reason they have fallen out of favor the most - the better the seal, needed to make them most effective, the harder it was to clean behind them. Few people could be bothered (or never even knew) to clean behind the boot. Given that, for a typical user, dirt trapped behind the boot is far worse than dirt a naked fork is exposed to.  Additionally moisture can be trapped in the boot, increasing the risk of corrosion on the stanchion, defeating the purpose of having the boot.

Boot may have an advantage in extremely muddy conditions provided  they are well sealed and removed for cleaning regularly. However, the effort is probably not worth the reward.


Why did Shimano eliminate the B tension spring on the latest rear derailleurs? While working on my bikes (a road bike with Ultegra 6600 groupset and a MTB with Shimano deore XT M8000) I noticed that the upper pivot on the Deore does not freely rotate. Looking at the exploded part fiches I confirmed it, there is no B tension spring and screw. Why is that? Why was it needed before?

There are no recent Shimano rear derailers without b-tension (angle) adjustment, other than maybe very bottom-end ones, but there are many where the look and location of it is different from older (namely pre-Shadow) models. RD-M8000 absolutely has a b-tension screw, although in the exploded view document they call it an "End Adjust Bolt" for no good reason.

Here is my understanding of the design goals and tradeoffs involved with sprung upper pivots:

The one and only reason you would want a sprung upper pivot is to maintain chain wrap and pulley/cog distance when shifting in front on a derailer where the guide pulley and cage pivot are offset (as opposed to coaxial as on most current MTB derailers, and including M8000). If you can make the cage pivot and the guide pulley coaxial, there is no movement of the pulley as the cage moves from shifting the front derailer. The reason for wanting the offset also has to do with getting sufficient chain wrap given the space you're working with and the gears you want access to. Were it not for this, all the spring would do is add chain slap, resistance, weight, and complexity.

The Shadow design, the larger pulley sizes now used, and the new emphasis on single or double as opposed to triple ring setups all create a dynamic where Shimano has decided they're better off without sprung upper pivots on MTB RDs. SRAM has done the same. There may also be an aspect to it where the sprung pivot plus offset guide pulley design gets impractial with very wide range clusters - I'm not sure of that but I believe it starts requiring a lot more offset to work.

It's nothing new. Despite being out of favor for most of the past 4 or so decades, there have been a lot of unsprung upper pivot rear derailers. The spring's necessity is something manufacturers have been historically on the fence about.


What adjustments can you do to prevent psoas tightness in an aggresive postion on a road or track bike? I have been paying attention to my own body and I feel that together with a sedentary job and not moving more than with the bike due to the COVID restrictions, I spend a lot of time in that shortened potion of the psoas which I'm sure will yield or aggravate problems around the hip like incontinence due to too much tension.

I have already had a fitting in the bike, measuring the pressure in the saddle, and how my knees and back is positioned.

But what can you do in a roadbike to prevent this issues on long rides in terms of technique while I'm riding? I had always heard about having activated your core, but I think this could also yield to problems because you are over tensing the rectus femoris and then together the psoas, and you don´t really ride relaxed? What muscle should be trainer to counteract this tightness?

I also think stretching is not enough to compensate for such a long sitting + also being in that position on the bike, so there should be something to pay attention while you ride so that al muscles act balanced, but Iḿ not able to find more information than just 5 generic stretches repeated over all websites.

In general I would like to now how to balance and check that the pelvic floor musculature works as it should during bike riding so that riding keeps being something healthy instead of aggravating being sit for hours.

When they say activate the core, they mean you should also actively use the muscles on the front of your belly and inside. Not just your back. It definitely does not mean you should be overstressing your rectus femoris or psoas.

Something has to hold your posture. Hands do some of the work, but also cannot take too much, because then they become tired and numb. So than the spine and the muscles around it take a lot of stress. Mobilizing the core means taking some of this load from the back muscles.

I recommend this one where the topic is discussed on an actual bike saddle in the other half of the video.

One has to use the abdominals to held the position, not just leave everything on the back muscles. The context of the video is the pressure on the saddle. But when you watch the pelvis and the lower back when he loosens the abdominals, you can also imagine the stress on the psoas.

There are many articles and videos about core exercise specifically directed to (road) cyclists. For example:

Getting those muscles stronger will enable using them for holding the posture and relieve some other parts. If you only look for stretches, it may not be enough for you.


What is this bolt called? It's part of my front axle and I need another one like this to keep the wheel on. Links to where I could buy one would be appreciated too.

The bike is a fatbike with suspension.

Bolt threads into this barrel which looks the same on both ends which becomes the axle. The screw itself is m10x1.25 with a fat allen key insert.

Searching for "Large head socket screw" gets close, but no cigar.
Also try 'cap screw'.

You need to know the thread, of course.

You may be able to replace it with a (rounded) socket button screw, eg. https://www.kayfast.co.uk/category/517/Socket-Screws

Update: Search Socket Pipe Plug, also described as Flange Plug and Blanking Plug - these look very similar:
https://www.accu.co.uk/en/flat-head-socket-pipe-plugs/177868-HPPF-M10-1-A4-BL

Or: Slotted blanking screw eg. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NiceCNC-Billet-Mirror-Hole-Blanking-Plugs-M10x1-25-Aluminum-Motorcycle-Universal-/303185376819 - interesting that these are also available with a left-hand thread.

You need not (necessarily) be wedded to the allen socket - an ordinary M10 bolt over the end, perhaps with a suitable washer, might suffice, for quick replacement.


Fixed gear Biking, how to ride properly? I Have been riding bikes since I've been 6 years old, and I don't mean riding up and down the street - I mean touring with my sisters for 10-20 Km. Later on, I really got into Downhill.

Over time I have collected an assortment of bikes and then I moved to America (from Germany). I could only bring one bike so I chose my Trek Full Suspension MTB. My bike got stolen.

I'm on a really limited budget, and I could never waste $300 on a really crappy bike from Walmart, and I can't afford a nice 2 - 6 thousand dollar bike. So I spent $430 on a Mercier Kilo TT fixed gear. I am incredibly impressed, it's a complete new experience of bike riding and I love it. However, I worry about some of the dangers of fixed gear if not ridden properly, how can I do it safely?

(This is my first fixie, and I really got it for it's simplicity and cheapness, I have ridden all sorts of Road Bikes and Mountain Bikes)

Put a front brake on it if you're using it on the street.
Don't get distracted and forget to keep your legs turning, this comes with practice.
Watch out for pedal strikes in tight fast corners, not sure how you can practice this safely.

Other than that, it's just like riding any other bike.


Chainline Alignment Front and Rear Although I have read Sheldon Brown's All About Bicycle Chainline article I'm still struggling to understand a key point.

If you are running a different chainline to the manufacturers (new crankset) can this be adjusted for in spacing of the rear axle? Essentially the question is, does the frame drive the chainline or the components and set up?

There's a number of things that affect and can be tuned to adjust chainline.

Bottom bracket shell width. If the bottom bracket is wider, the chainline is going to be further out.
Bottom bracket spindle length. A longer spindle can be used in a narrower shell to give the same chainline as a wider shell.
Crank sizing. Cranks are usually designed towards a certain chainline and mixing and matching these can alter it.
Chainring positioning. You can space out your chainrings to move them further from the crank spider.
Frame spacing, hub size & dishing. Using these you can build a hub that is farther to one side than the other and dish the wheel back to the center line.

Most of these adjustments are time consuming and a hassel, or need you yo carefully buy new parts. If this is bike has a derailler then your chainline is never going to be correct anyway and I wouldn't worry about it.

So, to answer your question, the frame tends to set a lower limit to the chainline in the front and an upper limit in the rear. With careful component choice you can always make a good chainline (most framebuiders are unlikely to stick a 73mm BB on a frame with 120mm rear spaceing, I would guess).


Non standard hub bearing? I need to replace a hub bearing. On it, I can Read ZPL (manufacturer I guess) and 6200RS. 6200 seems to be a standard for (inner diameter x outer diameter x width) 10 x 30 x 9mm. But when I measure, I get 12.65 x 28.75 x 9.00 mm.

My measurement tool is accurate, I've tripled-checked it.

It is not because the bearing is worn out on the outside and inside, since the bearing fits perfectly on the axis and the hub.

I bought the bike second hand, it was imported from Tokyo, I live in France.

How do I replace the piece? I cannot find any bearing with similar measurements and a standard 6200 surely won't fit.

Sounds like the bearing has the wrong dust shield.  Sizing lines up closer to an imperial(inches) sizing, 1/2"x1 1/8" x 3/8"ish.  The inside and outside diameters are close, the width is less important than the ID and OD as you typically have a preload adjustment on the axle.  Try a 1616-2RS (9.5mm wide) or a R8-2RS (8mm) bearing.

Alternatively, If the bearing is simply feeling rough, you can remove the dust cover with a knife, clean out the bearing with alcohol and repack with a marine grade grease.  This may improve the smoothness if the races are not too pitted/corroded and add a bit more life to the bearing.


Should mileage on a trainer be considered mileage on the bike? On my road bike, I have an old Cateye odometer and the sensor is in the front wheel. Therefore, when on my trainer, I can pedal away all day long and the odometer doesn't have any mileage added to it since the front wheel doesn't spin.

When I sell my bike someday, I want to be able to say "It has XXXX miles on it." But all the miles I put on it while on the trainer I can't keep track of. Is that negligible or do trainer miles not really count as mileage on the bike?

I recently purchased a Garmin setup where the sensor will be on the rear wheel by the chain stays, which would solve the problem but I just haven't put it on yet.

Most bikes I've looked at (and purchased) via craigslist and other online listings don't usually state miles, just condition. I think most bicycle owners don't have odometers.

The mileage I keep track of is more for my own knowledge and maintenance scheduling. Keeping track of when I change the chain, or how long tires last type of thing.

That said, I won't get another sensor that only works on the front wheel, as I like the feedback (speed, time, mileage, cadence of my workout) when I'm on the trainer.


The shifter for the front derailleur is "soft" in my vintage bike So I bought a used vintage bike. I just love the bike and it's awesome. However it came with one problem: gears problems. First of all I have very little experience with bike, especially gears (currently watching youtube videos to learn more).

The problem that I have in the bike is three folds:

1- The shifter for the front gear is soft, so there is absolutely no tension when you move it. So if you move it, nothing actually changes in the front gear at all. My question regarding this problem: could it be the shifter itself that is broken or could there be something else wrong? (i.e. like cable problem, or front gear problem itself). I'm trying to troubleshoot the problem.

2- I have never seen such shifters ever before, so if the switchers themselves are broken, are there still old school switchers like these? If so, do they have specific names so I can look them up online? Because when I search for "shifters", I only get the new popular ones!

3- The last problem has to do with the rear gears, the switcher doesn't switch to all speeds and I have no idea what's the problem.

Here are pics for my cool bike :D (so happy about it):

At first glance I see the problem you are having .

Those are NOT friction shifters . They are positron shifters .

Research Shimano Positron Shifters for a more definitive explanation

This was Shimano's earlier attempt at an indexed gear system.  Also known as "Positive Pre-Select" or PPS.

The main differences are that the indexing is in the deraileur rather than in the shifter on the handlebar.  As a result, the bowden cable is a full housing and has a thicker solid inner rather than a woven stranded cable.

Upshot - you can't just fit any old cables to the rear mech.  However its possible the front deraileur is just a standard non-indexed friction shifter.


Turbo trainer rear wheel movement I have a Vision Team 30 rear wheel with a Taxc tyre mounted onto a carbon frame bike.

I have recently noticed that the whole wheel sways from side to side about 1-2mm when I pedal. Is this normal for the wheel to have a bit of movement or should it spin in a completely straight line?

The wheel is centered on the the resistance roller and I have tried tightening the quick release but the wheel still moves.

If you mean that the wheel moves relative to the trainer roller when you are pedaling, that is expected. The trailer and bike frame will flex a little as you apply force to each pedal, which are of course offset to each side of the bike frame.


Words for "bicycle" far in etymology from "two wheels" In my native language for "bicycle" we use word "rower", that is not self-descriptive. It comes from UK company name "Rover".

Are there some examples in other languages when the etymology for local word for "bicycle" is different than etymology of word "bicycle"?

Edit: more detail about "rower" etymology.
Saying, that "rower" comes from "Rover" is small simplification. Both words have common ancestor in the name of the company product, "Rover Safety Bicycle". Rover was treated as proper name, otherwise it would be translated to polish equivalent of german "Wanderer".

Citation from wikipedia: "In 1885 John Starley made history when he produced the Rover Safety Bicycle".

Citation from comment in national dictionary by respectable linguist and lexicographer:
"Word 'rowerzysta' (pl. cyclist) (...), comes of course from word "rower", and indirectly from the name of british company „Rover”."

Citation from local bicycle advocatory group's page from Toruń:
"Because bicycles produced by Starley and Satton company become popular in Poland, its name become polonified and that's why we had rower "

Finnish: Polkupyörä ("treading wheel") or pyörä ("wheel") for short.

To disambiguate, and to endless confusion to non-hobbyists, the jargon term for wheel is kiekko ("disc"). Disc wheels are of course known as plate wheels or plate discs.


How do carbon fibre road bikes handle rough conditions? I'm considering buying a entry level road bike for around 2000€.

I'll use it for commuting every day 20km and for long rides up to 150km.

I'll try to use an older bike when it rains, but I'll have to ride the new one sometimes. Also, on my longer rides, I can't always find a road and will have to ride on unpaved roads or even some gravel.

I'm interested in some models like the Bianchi Intenso Centaur 11v, Canyon CF SL 8.0, or Stevens Izoard Pro, and I'd change the tyres to Continental Gatorskin 700x28.

Will occasional rides in those conditions destroy such a bike? My worries are not so much about comfort, but losing such a lot of money because something gets broken if those bikes can't handle it.

I currently ride a steel single-speed bike with the mentioned tyres, and I haven't had big issues in over 4000km with some bad weather with a lot of unplanned unpaved and gravel roads.

Carbon fiber road bikes are generally perfectly capable of being ridden on less than perfect surfaces without sustaining damage.

Obviously you want to avoid large obstacles such as potholes, rocks, kerbs etc.

28mm tires are definitely a good idea. Depending on how much poor quality surface you plan to ride on, you might want to consider looking for a 'mild' gravel bike that can take 35mm tires.


SPD-SL pedals uneven wear I have been riding my road bike for about 10k km on those pedals (shimano ultegra spd-sl) and it just so happened that the left one is now worn much more than the right one (check out photos).  You should look at the spring/cramp/lock (whatever the right word is:) ) part of the pedal, that black thing which doesn’t let the cleats pop out. Now my left pedal almost can’t hold the cleat in when pedaling , had to tighen it close to the max limit. It still holds but I don’t think it will last long. The right one, on the other hand, still does it perfectly and is almost not worn at all, after even that distance (there is no play/looseness, never tightened it yet).

Any advice would be nice! Such wear on the left pedal – did I gauged it right that the end is nigh for it? How much more can it last possibly? Is it real to by one separate pedal  (not necessarily ultegra)? Thanks!

I have managed to completely disassemble a pair of old pedal clips, looking vaguely similar to yours. If they are not handed, then you could simply reassemble them with the most worn clip on the other side.

This may not be viable if the clip is worn to the point of not working any more.   Essentially the same idea as rotating the tyres on a car, swapping front for back to even out the tread wear.


How much air pressure for dt swiss m3 shock Where can I find the air pressure/weight guide for DT Swiss shocks? Or do all shocks have similar guidelines as far as pressure and rider weight goes?

The usual way to do this is to use the sag as a guide. The geometry of your frame will affect the load on the shock and the pressure you need.

To do this, put a zip-tie around the shaft of your shock*, or use the little rubber band if it has one and push it down against the seal. Next get dressed for riding and gently sit on your bike.

When you get off you'll be able to measure how for the shock moved under your weight. This is your sag.

Most people recommend between 10 and 20 percent of the total travel for sag.

* Not too tight, you don't want to damage the seal.


Why are Avid brakes so difficult to bleed? I have bled Avid Elixirs 3, 5, CR, etc... I still have a hard time getting a "good bleed." I follow the instructions online, and via Avid's youtube video, I use the kit and it still takes me going through the entire bleed process 3 or 4 times until I give up and decide it's at least better than it was.

It's the design that makes them harder to bleed. Although an 'open' hydraulic system Avid's Taperbore resembles a 'closed' system, one that operates in a vacuum. The Avid system uses a small reservoir fixed amount of fluid in the system and a bladder around the master piston with air in it. Shimano and other brands use a larger reservoir with a bladder separating the brake fluid (in the case of Shimano mineral oil) and air. In both cases air is used to compensate for the fluid in the system expanding.

Because the Avid system operates in a vacuum it requires all air to be removed from the system and that is why you need the two syringe set, other designs simply require fluid to be topped up in the reservoir and air worked out. The Avid elixir system is further complicated by a design that traps air within the taper bore reservoir adding an additional level of difficulty when purging air.

Avids also use DOT 4 or 5.1 which is more difficult to work with than other fluids. Different brake fluids have different characteristics (boiling points, freezing points, amount of expansion etc.). Avid specifies DOT 4 and 5.1, which is a pain. The brake fluid is a solvent so you don't want to get it on your hands but it isn't going to kill you. DOT fluid is hygroscopic, it attracts water so although you can buy it in larger quantities cheaper than through Avid it doesn't have a good shelf life once opened and probably shouldn't be opened again.


Is running 46t front chain ring with an 11t on the back such a huge disadvantage for flat cat 4 crits? To flesh out the question with more (hopefully useful) information:

The average speed of this particular local flat criterium race is 47 kph (achievable with a cadence of 90rpm in 46-11) and a peak speed of 58.3 kph (achievable with a cadence of 115 rpm in 46-11).

In this instance it would be my first crit race, my expectations would be to not get dropped. I have raced cyclo cross before and consider myself to have a poor sprint. If I was to attempt to win a race like this I think I would have to be on my own.

whilst it seems achievable I assume I am missing something key here and there is a good reason why 53-39 on the front appears to be the most common gearing in racing.

Normally, I think most racers have a tendency to be over-geared, but in your case you may find yourself under-geared.  That said, if it is your first crit, just race what you have, the experience is the most important thing. I am also a bit suspect of the win off the front by a first-timer strategy.  If you have the opportunity to win, take it, but don't be disappointed if the race turns out to be much different than you are currently envisioning.

Anyway, some reasons why you may be under-geared:

Efficiency

When using a chain drive, Big-Small gearing combinations are not as efficient as Big-Big.   You could be putting your drive train losses as high as 5% running such a small gear on the rear cassette.  I suspect you will also be racing a cyclocross bike (which will be a disadvantage), the efficiency loss will be another disadvantage.

Surges

The pacing of a crit is not as constant as a time trial or cyclocross race.   Often there are very fast surges, and your peak speed can be quite fast if you choose to close the gap between groups. I am not sure where you got the peak speed of 58.3 kph (a friend I assume).  Speeds can change from year to year and by rider strategy.  Peak speeds of 60-70 kph are not entirely uncommon, especially if the course has a downhill section or there is a strong tailwind on the day.

A Note on Strategy

Riding off the front on your own in a crit is a pretty tall task.  Doing it at an average speed of 48 kph is pretty monumental.  That would put you into the realm of a top-end professional.

My honest advice is to skip this strategy altogether.  Rather focus on your position with in the peloton, keep moving up, and stay near the front, but don't ride at the front or off the front. Your goal should be not to do anymore work than is absolutely required to keep a good position.  Don't chase down breaks or initiate breaks.  Wait... as painful as that sounds.

Count your laps, know when you're 10 laps out, then start moving to the front.  Sit in until you are two corners out, then get ready to go, follow anyone moving up. Don't do anything more until you are 400 m out.  Then give everything you got and see where you finish, you might surprise yourself.  90% of sprinting is positioning, timing and reading the race.

Standard Gearing

Standard gearing is 53/39 on the front, simply because the speeds are much faster in a group than on your own.  That said, even in Cat 1/2 I only ever rarely used a 53x11, even in crits where the speeds can often average 55+ kph on faster courses.  A compact gearing (50/34) will likely be fine.


Creaking From Bottom Bracket I'm not too familiar with the correct terminology for bike parts so please bear with me.

I recently bought a mountain bike and have started to notice a loud creaking sound coming from the pedal/bracket area.  I have noticed that it makes noise when I put more pressure on the pedals from accelerating from a standstill.  I also hear the noise when I am riding while standing up.

Any tips, suggestions, or knowledge on the matter would be greatly appreciated.

Assuming nothing is wrong with your frame, your bottom bracket probably needs to be properly greased up and re-tightened to the right torque specification.

Frankly, unless you're interested in rolling up your sleeves, buckling down and familiarizing yourself with bicycle mechanics and purchasing all the necessary tools, just take it to your local bicycle shop and have them tighten things up for you.


Can I replace loose ball bearings with caged ball bearings in my hub? I currently have loose ball bearings for my hubs and I am wondering if I can put caged ball bearings in there instead. Can anyone let me know if they are better or worse than loose bearings.

Also I thought of asking this because I noticed my front wheel was making quite a bit of vibration when spinning so I opened it up and added one more ball bearing to each side as there were only 9 in each side even though I surely remember taking out 10 from both sides when replacing an axle in the past. After this, the wheel would not move at all as each ball would rub on eachother so I left it with 9 balls each side, but I still don't feel right about the fact that there is some space between each ball in the hub. This is why I thought it might be a good idea to switch to caged ball bearings. Is the space between each ball a problem or am I overthinking it?

Yes, you can get caged bearings to go in the hub. RJ The Bike Guy seems to have several YouTube how-to videos (hint: they have to go the right way round)

No, they are not better than loose balls. Caged balls are spaced out evenly, but have fewer balls in total which means fewer balls sharing the load, so they are said to wear out quicker.

With loose balls, you need to leave a little bit of room for them to move, so you’d put in one less than fills the whole cup. Given that caged sets typically have seven balls, if you put nine in loose then you’ll still have more bearings (better) than using a caged set. I.e. if you’re concerned about the space between balls, 9 loose is still preferable to 7 caged.

Some front hubs can take 10 balls, it depends on the design. You need to figure out which size your hub requires - presumably the majority of your balls are still the original size. If you can measure that then figuring out, or asking the LBS, or asking here in another question with photos, how many to put in, should get the hub running smoothly again.


Cycling communities organized rides in Leipzig , Germany in my country Dudes usually gather and make some Cycling groups , they usually organize rides during weekends periodically.

i'm planning to spend some time in Leipzig, Germany this summer and i know Germany has a lot of places which would be wonderful to cycle through.

i'm asking if i can find cycling groups that organize such things or trips using bicycles in Germany.

Check out the website of the ADFC bicycle club in Leipzig http://www.adfc-leipzig.de. The "Termine" link has a list of their events including bike rides.  Also the "Radtouren"link might be of interest to you.  Of course everything is in the German language.


Adjusting a triple front derailleur after removing largest chainring I have a touring/commuting bike with full Shimano 105 -- triple in the front.

I just removed the outer (largest) chainring and replaced it with a chain guard.

It's easy enough to crank on the limit screws to prevent myself from shifting past the middle chainring. However, the chain rubs the front derailleur in my new largest gear (42x11).

So I'm wondering what the best way to adjust the front derailleur would be. Ideally, I'd like to limit out the lowest shift so that I can take advantage of the trim shift that 105 derailleur and shifter have in the outermost position. Is that possible?

Another option is that I have a 105 double front derailleur hanging around. Perhaps that would be more appropriate.

Side note: I checked this question, but it's replacing the entire crank, while I have simply removed one of the chainrings.

The chain line expected by a double front derailleur is basically what comes with the largest two chain rings on a triple.  Since you are using the smallest two chain rings, the double front derailleur will not shift optimally.

Instead, I'd suggest keeping the triple front derailleur in place.  Using the limit screw -- as you already have -- is the best option.  Given that you are unable to use the trim shift, at the moment, I believe that you may want to back off the limit screw just a bit.  In doing so, you'll allow the front derailleur to move outward a little more, which should allow the trim to work properly.


Front wheel axle making clicking sound Recently, I realized that my bike front wheel axle is making clicking sound.
Now, i am trying to resolve the problem.

Do I need to put a grease(special oil),
 or I need to buy new front wheel axle,
or I need to change ball bearings.

I am a novice in this.

Lift the front wheel off the pavement and spin the wheel so that it moves freely. If you are hearing a clicking sound and/or the wheel visibly slows slightly in conjunction with the sound then you may have a bearing problem. You could open it up and repack the bearings. By repacking I mean clean out the old grease and put new grease on the bearings. There should be enough grease that the bearings don't fall out of their ring if turned upside down but no more than that. Do not use oil. Grease is what to use for bearings. Close everything up and reinstall the wheel. It should be a little bit sluggish for the first few spins because the grease is getting settled into place. Should be good to go from then on.
Make sure you inspect each bearing for damage/rust. If either is found then you need to replace the bearings as well. Good luck.


How do I install a bike seat clamp properly? I recently moved, and had to take off the seat to my bike while I moved. I was surprised to find when I arrived and settled that I couldn't find the clamp to my bike seat. I managed to find a new bike seat clamp, but it's not obvious how I'm supposed to install it. What should I do? I've included a photo of my bike seat, without the clamp. Don't be confused by the bike behind it, the black seat post and seat and red body is the one I'm working on.

My bike is a GT avalanche, unmodified from the store.

Position the clamp so that the open section of the clamp is oriented to the slot in the frame. If the frame slot faces the rear the opening in the clamp should also face the rear.


What is the best way to secure a bike on a bus bike rack? This question involved a bicycle stolen off the front of a San Francisco muni bus. Up to now, I never thought much about how vulnerable my steed is on a bus.

What is the best way to secure a bicycle on the front of a bus? Ideally it should not involve too much time to secure the bike or remove it, given that the driver and other passengers are waiting for you.

Put your lock through the wheel so the bike isn't rideable. It's harder to run carrying a bike than not, making it easier to catch the thief. Sure, they may break or bend a spoke if they try to jump on and pedal away, but if they do try that they'll come to an abrupt halt and be much easier to catch. The other advantage of that is that other cyclists can easily move your bike to remove theirs. You can also lock the bike before the bus arrives, speeding up the loading process.

Adding your own tie-down to the bike may be enough, since whoever steals it has to discover and remove that as well, giving you more time to get out and grab them. I suggest using it as the lock above - wrap an ocky strap through a wheel and the frame, hooking one end where you can get to it easily, then when the bike is on the rack attach that end to the rack. That way it's fast and easy for you while the bus is waiting, but slow and annoying for someone trying to steal your bike.

I use locking QR skewers on my bike, so I can lock my wheel to the rack and the wheel is already locked to the bike. But that takes time, and can mean I have to unlock and remove my bike in order for someone else to get their bike off, then I have to put my bike back on and re-lock it. I only do this at night or when it's a long trip, and after I've asked the driver. Usually they say yes, and often shuffle bikes so mine is on the bus side of the rack and won't need to be moved. I've had a driver wake me at my stop when we arrived because I was exhausted and had gone to sleep on the hour-ish bus ride. I made a note of that driver's name and rang the bus company to tell them how great the driver was, because Australia doesn't do tipping and positive feedback is rare enough that it's likely to count.

You could use a cable lock looped through the rack, and that's one of the few places a cable lock might actually work - the bus driver isn't likely to stop while someone cuts the lock off... unless they stop specifically so someone can because you're not supposed to lock your bike to the rack. But without locking the wheels to the bike it's usually difficult to lock the bike to the rack with a D lock.


Bicycle buying suggestions please! As of yet, like most other Indians, I've only ridden a single speed, which was brought for 4000 rupees, about 13 years ago.. Yes, it's still in use!
My budget now is strictly 13000 INR for the bicycle (since other things like fenders, pannier will add to the cost). I live in Kolkata (the roads aren't great here), and the bike will be shared between me and my dad. He will be using it for commute (about 10 kilometres one way), six days a week. I'm planning on using it for relatively longer rides (70-80 kilometres), half of it at one go, maybe an hour or two worth of a break and then back. I guessed a hybrid would be the best option for it.. The need is reliability, longevity and cheap maintenance.
Through my "research" (I'm a noob, as you may already understand) I zero'd in on Mach City Munich 21 speed. When I called multiple shops to enquire about its availability, I was told that it's not available currently (would take about two weeks still, if at all). I was also suggested that Montra Downtown is a good option.
https://machcity.com/munich-21-speed/#:~:text=₹%2012%2C285%2F-&text=This%2021-speed%20road%20bike,Shifters%20for%20quick%2C%20breezy%20rides.
https://montra.in/hybrid-bikes/downtown-2019/
Now, Downtown has disc brakes. I'm not sure, but the far I know, they just get the wheel coming to a rather sudden stop, and are also harder and more expensive to maintain. Aren't they?
Both have the same shifters and break levers (three finger) Shimano EZY- fire EF-51, but downtown has Shimano TY300 rear derailleur (TZ40 for Munich) and Montra has TZ500 front derailleur with no mention of what the front derailleur on Munich is. Munich has a steel body whilst Downtown has an alloy body (6061).
What I also want to ask is, say, I get the Munich itself, is it a good idea to swap components before I begin? I've never ridden a geared bicycle before! Or should I just simply get it as is at first and then after I learn a little, then swap, if at all? The rear derailleur on Munich is TZ40, and TX-35 is available online for 899 rupees (Amazon). Different websites told me that TX series is better than TZ series, hence the question.
Please suggest what to do! And also if anyone has any other bike they'd suggest I buy! (please also tell me how I'd be able to find the other bikes and also the reliability of the customer support). I'm not sure if I should be buying online either, I've read various reviews that talk about how much more they've had to spend because of multiple problems with the bike (broken rims, problems with the cassette, derailleur, etc).
I'm also unsure whether triple chain rings are a good idea and would like to know if I should swap them out for something else or if I should just get a bike that's got a single chainring.
Thank you in advance!

Product recommendations are off-topic on this site because they are geography-specific, taste-specific and quickly go out of date. However, there are several questions in your question that can be answered (and as such, they should have been submitted as individual questions to the web site in the first place). Let me address a few of them.

The need is reliability, longevity and cheap maintenance.

In these terms, nothing beats a single speed bike actually. There are fewer details to wear and to damage on it. A bike with internal gear hub comes next.

I'm not sure, but the far I know, they just get the wheel coming to a rather sudden stop,

Brakes in general are meant to stop a bicycle, and the faster they can do it, the better. It is up to their operator to control them properly; after all, you can fall off your bike even without brakes, being perfectly still. Any type of brake requires proper rider technique. There are a lot of materials about proper braking on the Net.

and are also harder and more expensive to maintain. Aren't they?

No, not really. Mechanical disc brakes are as complex in maintenance as mechanical rims brakes. Hydraulic disc brakes are even simpler in everyday's use, until you need to bleed them, and then it becomes somewhat tricky.

What I also want to ask is, say, I get the Munich itself, is it a good idea to swap components before I begin?

No, it is not a good application of your budget. New aftermarket components are more expensive to get than if they came with a complete bike (bike manufacturers get a huge discount on bulk purchases, compared to us mere mortals)

Different websites told me that TX series is better than TZ series, hence the question.

Both of these series are pretty much budget components, to be honest. It is very unlikely you will feel a difference between then. Instead, learn how to tune your existing derailleurs in order to get the best value out of them.

I'm not sure if I should be buying online either

Going with a second hand higher-tier bicycle is also an option; it may be more comfortable to use because of the quality of frame/components to start with. Unless you are 100% sure about the size of a bike you need, you should not buy online simply because you might get a too big or too small a frame.

I've read various reviews that talk about how much more they've had to spend because of multiple problems with the bike (broken rims, problems with the cassette, derailleur, etc).

These problems are not specific to the online/offline markets. It is up to the people who assembled the bicycle in the first place, and the customer service they provide. Make sure you buy at a reputable place in the first place, regardless of whether it is on the Net or offline.

I'm also unsure whether triple chain rings are a good idea and would like to know if I should swap them out for something else or if I should just get a bike that's got a single chainring.

Triple chainrings are usable; people have used such setups for decades. At the budget limit you have, it is unlikely you will find any new bike with 1× setup; a used bike, quite possible. 1× setups have many advantages: weight, simplicity and reliability, fewer components related to shifting. Their disadvantages are: price of new setup and replacement parts, single point of failure upfront, "sexier" look and as such proneness to being stolen.


Mixing 11 speed shifter with 10 speed front derailleur (Shimano) On my Specialized Rockhopper hardtail I run a Shimano 3x10 drivetrain.  The derailleurs are both XT with the front mech being model number FD-M781.  For an excellent price, I can get a new take off XT front shifter.  However, the model is SL-M8000-L (Left, front, 2/3 speed) and is marketed for 11 speed  systems.  So, with my 10 speed front crankset being Deore FC-M610 42-32-24, can I expect the M8000 front shifter to move the M781 front derailleur smoothly between the chainrings?  I've had excellent luck mixing Shimano 9 & 10 speed mountain front drive components and hope this will be the case here.

All signs point to yes. The differences between 10 speed chain width and 11 speed chain width are minimal (5.88mm vs 5.62mm) and although the spacing on the cassette is narrower for 11 speed the front chainring spacing is often the same.

Lennard Zinn says it'll be fine


misaligned wheel - could this cause problems? Last summer I was on tour with my Trek 520 when my rear rim cracked.  I found a bike shop, and they rebuilt the wheel with a new rim.

Recently I noticed the wheel was off center relative to the frame by about 1cm.  I did some basic measurements with a string to confirm the frame wasn't bent, and inserting the wheel backwards confirmed it was the wheel.

I brought it to a bike shop and they attempted to redish it.  When I picked it up the guy told me the spokes had to be adjusted unusually tight, and he was only able to correct it by so much (it's still slightly off center, but hardly noticeable).  He guessed the wheel may have been built incorrectly last year (i.e., left spokes on the right side and vice-versa), although I don't see how that's possible since the spokes weren't removed from the hub when it was rebuilt.

My question in all of this is:  Was the bike shop guy talking BS and could the off center wheel or tight spokes cause problems?

The bike shop that replaced your rim replaced it either incorrectly or with the incorrect part, I suspect.  At least some of the 2007-2008 Trek 520 shipped with Bontrager Maverick rims, featuring an offset spoke bed.  If they did in fact use the same spokes, and if they replaced it with a normal rim of appropriate ERD, the wheel will end up dished incorrectly the amount of the offset.  Similarly, if they laced the rim backwards, the wheel will end up dished incorrectly double the amount of offset.  The former is more likely, especially if you didn't get your wheel rebuilt by a mechanic who routinely works on Trek/Bontrager bicycles.

An off-center wheel will cause some odd handling characteristics, almost certainly not noticeable in normal riding conditions but you'll be able to tell that your wheels are not tracking in a straight line in low-traction scenarios, such as ice or wet grated roadways.  The more extreme the offset, the more noticeable this will be.

Otherwise, moz is absolutely correct about the rationale behind dishing and the ramifications of running spokes in too high of tension.  I'd probably ride the wheel locally until failure but I would recommend getting a properly dished and tensioned wheel built (possibly just rebuilding this wheel with the correct spokes) before going on another tour of significant distance.


Misaligned new derailleur? I just installed a new Alivio M4000 rear derailleur to replace a Tiagra derailleur on 1X-converted road bike. It looks wildly misaligned to me and shifts terribly.

The hanger is perfectly aligned. The first link of the derailleur seems aligned, but the second link doesn't, and cage seems skewed even further.

Does this look defective? Or have I installed it poorly?

Definitely something very wrong there.

The derailleur cage appears twisted around a vertical axis (the 'front' of the cage seems to be pointing outwards). A bent derailleur hanger typically rotates the cage around a horizontal axis (kicks the lower jockey wheel inwards). That makes me think the derailleur is bent rather than the derailleur hanger.

Do you have the old derailleur? Install that and see if the cage is parallel with the chainrings by looking down he chain-stay as in your first picture. If the old derailleur cage is parallel, the new derailleur is damaged.


Getting ride data from Bosch CX System Recently got a Cube eMTB with Bosch CX system installed. Love the bike, does well for commutes and some bush bashing over the weekend.

Being a nerd, I like my data. Considering the system already reads information as a part of its normal function (as well as Torque so I have heard) is there any way to log this to Strava/IPBike/other fitness apps?

Bosch uses CAN bus for communication between motor, battery, display.

There is no easy way to read data from it.

check out COBI.Bike it may offer some of features you want.

Else you can hack into CAN bus and read data yourself, the protocol was decoded on some german pedalec forums. (but as I remember there is no torque data in it)


How to protect underneath the frame? I've searched and only found this and this. But what I am really after is on a solution on how to cover/protect the underside of your frame.

I have a carbon road bike with mostly a white painted scheme throughout the bottom side and it's starting to show small chips already. Is there some form of transparent coating (think PU or some other stick on plastic) that I could use, later remove once too damaged and replace again to give my frame more life?

Any suggestion appreciated. Thanks

Get some Factory Effex Frame Protection Material, It's a vinyl that you just stick to you frame. You can get it in Black, Clear, or Carbon.


Help me buy a bike seat post I know that my bike has a 25.4 mm diameter seat post. So can I purchase any old 25.4 mm diameter seat post from eBay and expect it work with my existing bike seat? Here are some pictures of my existing seat post.

It appears that my bike seat has a little part that slips over the seat post .... I'm assuming that all I need to do is loosen the hex nuts on either side and the bike seat will let go of the old seat post and in the new one goes, right?

ETA: will this seat post work? Thinking of pulling the trigger on this one.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/XLC-Bike-Bicycle-Seatpost-with-Clamp-350mm-NEW-25-4-mm-Black-/221504900980?pt=US_Seatposts&hash=item3392b88f74

Nearly. The diameter does need to match, but you also need to consider the materials -- metal needs grease, carbon fiber doesn't, so combining the materials in the frame and seatpost shouldn't be done.

Also, note that different seat posts have different levels of adjustability - saddle angle and position, height (which connects to minimum/maximum insertion distance) to name some, so your seatpost will need to be adjustable enough to get a good fit for you.

As for saddles fitting on the seat post, most saddles will work with most seatposts as the rail width on the saddles is essentially standard.

So, I'd say make sure your seat post is metal if your bike is metal, carbon fiber if your bike is carbon fiber. Then, pick something with the same diameter and enough adjustability so your bike can fit on it (for most people, even a basic seat post like the Bontrager SSR seat post will work fine, though for nice saddles like Brooks, you will want something with a bit more adjustability).


Can't find right headset adjustment After a complete tear down and reassembly I can't seem to find the right tightness adjustment for my threadless fork / headset. If I loosen it to the point that the front fork turns freely, there's play in the system and every time I apply the brakes there's a small clunk (that annoys the heck out of me). If I tighten the top nut to the point we here there's no more play, the fork binds up such that the fork doen't turn by itself due to gravity when the wheel is attached, if you know what I mean - suspend the bike and tilt the frame and the steerer should turn on its own.

It's a horrible feeling riding with a steerer that's too tight, but the looseness is also pretty annoying.is there an adjustment I'm not doing right? My process is (after completely servicing the headset and bearings) to tighten the stack using the top nut, then tighten the clamping nuts, then slightly back off the top nut.

Just noticed this old question and I thought I'd try to close it out. I finally took the bike in and the tech tinkered a bit and ended up replacing one of the bearings. It's entirely possible that I had, in fact, installed it incorrectly, which wouldn't be too surprising considering I'm still learning.

Thanks to everyone for their comments!


Can't identify this bolt. Please help. Bolt from adjustable stem I found this bolt from my friends bike (from an adjustable stem).

And I need another bolt like this for my second hand bike because it didn't come with it. It would be much appreciated if you can help me with this. Thank you.

The black part on the top is just grease.

Looks like any standard M5 or M6 bolt. Go to a hardware store, find a nut that will screw on, and find a new bolt with that nut.


Which inner tube do I need to buy for 28 inch fixie bike? I have a 2018 FIXIE Inc. Betty Leeds.

https://www.fahrrad.de/fixie-inc-betty-leeds-white-694674.html

These are the sizes of the tyres:

Reifen vorne Marke: Kenda Typ: K-193 Größe: 28 Zoll Reifenbreite: 28 mm

(Tire front Brand: Kenda Type: K-193 Size: 28 inches Tire width: 28 mm)

and I am looking for inner-tubes here:
https://www.bike-discount.de/

Unfortunately, I did not see the description of the inner-tyres in the web-site.
Which one should I buy?

Thank you!

All you need to know the wheel rim diameter, tire width, valve type and valve length.

Google translate to English of what's written on you tire is:

  Tire front Brand: Kenda Type: K-193 Size: 28 inches Tire width: 28 mm

28 inches refers to the wheel diameter. This means a rim with a rim tire bead seat diameter of 622mm, also known as 700c (and 29 inches for mountain bikes).

Tire width: 28 mm means, well, the tire is 28mm wide. Typically tubes have a minimum and maximum tire width they will support.

See here and here for determining what valve type you have.

You need valves long enough to reach through the rim with at least a couple of centimeters protruding.


Am I unscrewing my pump incorrectly? I just bought a new mini pump (with a foot-stand and pressure gauge to get up to about 100psi), however, in order to get a good seal you have to screw the pump-head onto the valve.

The issue is, with the presta valves I run, when unscrewing the pump there's a long distance between the pumps seal breaking and being able to come free of the valve (letting it do its job), so if the tyre is up to 100/115psi it can often go back down to around 80 or 90 in the time I've unscrewed it.

Am I doing something wrong, or is it just a slightly awkward setup on the pump?

There are a few possible issues. First of all remember to unscrew the pump head carefully, but that you are probably doing already.

Also in case you have Lezyne pump you should use the Air bleed button to release air before removing the pump head. For other models see the pump's manual.

You should also note the following:

1) The pumps pressure gauges are far from accurate. Try to check the tires pressure with your fingers (in case of road tires with your both thumbs next to each other)

2) The hissing sound you hear when releasing the pump head is not the tire deflating, but air released from the pump.

3) With presta valve (if they have replaceable core) you need to be extra careful not to unscrew the valve core when unscrewing the pump head. If that is a problem you can use glue with the valve core to prevent unscrewing it.


Clicking noise from drivetrain under load So when I pedal under high pressure, one crank arm loudly clicks one time at position 1 or 2 (non-repeatable click) and when I continue, the other arm does the exact thing at the same position.
The click can only be produced once in a given arm before the other arm clicks under pressure at the said position, so the click alternates between the arms under pressure, once each.
The same thing happens when the bicycle is standing still while putting pressure on the pedals (holding the brake).
I hope my explanation is clear; it seems a bit wordy.
It is not the pedals or the crank arms themselves that are the culprit, coz I made sure they are properly tight.
I am using a sealed bottom bracket and I suspect it is the source of this.
What do you think is the cause? And if it's the BB, do I have to replace it?
Thanks

I've dealt with this quite recently.  It happens that the sound was coming from 2 sources, and I was hearing them together. At first it was a constant series of clicks, several per crank rotation.  My first step was to rebuild my pedals.  It was time anyway, so I figured it was a good time.  Rebuild complete, things much quieter, nice!  But not completely quiet-- instead of of the multiple clicks, I now had a single, quiet click.  That is from my crank.  I tightened the non-driveside (the only side that can be tightened on this type) and, voila! quiet.  Unfortunately, it seems that my particular crank has a known problem that requires this from time to time-- every couple hundred miles.  So, until I care enough to replace it, I'll be tightening it a little from time to time.


Why is my wheel going out of true after I mount and inflate the tire? I’m wrapping up my very first wheel build (rear wheel), and I noticed that the wheel is going out of true after I installed the tire. Before installing the tire, I had the wheel trued pretty well (within one millimeter in all directions). With the tire on, it’s now got a few millimeters of lateral runout. What could be causing this?
The rim is a 29” 28h Stans Arch MK3. The spokes and hub are generic, although I will mention that the spokes are significantly too short. I am replacing the rim, which cracked after a period of riding MTB with chronically low tire pressure (and thus many rim strikes.) The new rim is shallower than the old one, so the ERD is bigger. The tires are set up tubeless. I don’t presently have a tension meter, but I can tell you that the spoke tension is pretty even (squeeze method) and is comparable to the other three wheels I own, maybe a bit lower. I don’t want to overdo the tension, especially on a MTB which will see jumps and drops. I will borrow my friend’s meter and update the question.
Side question: why are the spokes not equally screwed into the nipples? Of course, there might be discrepancy between the drive- and non-drive sides, but on the same side, there’s a millimeter or two of difference. The wheel is true (without a tire), so why is there a difference?
Update 1: Deflating the tire brings the wheel slightly back into true. Dismounting the beads brought it most of the way back, although it is still wigglier than I remember trueing it to. It’s only lateral true that is affected; radial has been pretty much perfect the whole time.

More photos without the cassette:

why are the spokes not equally screwed into the nipples? Of course, there might be discrepancy between the drive- and non-drive sides, but on the same side, there’s a millimeter or two of difference.

That's a sign spoke tensions are not equal.
The fact that spoke tensions are not equal is a sign spoke tensions are low.
Increase your spoke tensions to the required level and equalize them.
Besides, how did you see that spokes are not equally screwed? Do you see the threads below the spoke ends at the rim? If you do, the spokes are too short. The only way that in a well-built wheel you can observe if spokes are equally screwed is to look at the spoke threaded end inside the rim.

Before installing the tire, I had the wheel trued pretty well (within one millimeter in all directions). With the tire on, it’s now got a few millimeters of lateral runout. What could be causing this?

Tire inflation pressure affects spoke tension. The more inflation you have, the less spoke tension you have.
To ensure this is not a problem, the tension of spokes before inflation needs to be as high as possible.


Body Hairs and Cycling? Still, another of problem most of the cyclist go through "Body Hairs". For guys with long hair all over the body, cycling is another way of punishing that guy (hopefully not me). Especially, the most problematic hair in my body are from thigh, they trouble be lot if not mitigated properly. I have tried shaving them, burning them (O.o) or other wild ways.

What is the proper way to get rid of the body hairs from cycling point of view?

Your options for temporary hair removal are:

Razor Blade: Pros - cheap, easy to do for most areas. Cons - you won't stay smooth for long, regrowth is stubbly, you can cut yourself.
Electric Razor: Pros - very cheap, very easy to do for most areas. Cons - you won't stay smooth for long, regrowth is stubbly.
Depilatory Cream: Pros - fairly cheap, fairly easy to do for most areas, reasonable results, stays smooth for a reasonable length of time. Cons - smells,  potential for chemical burns if you get it wrong.
Waxing: Pros - good results, stays smooth for a long time (probably a few weeks). Cons - can be painful, difficult to do yourself, expensive (and possibly embarrassing) to get it done professionally.
Epilator: Pros - very cheap, easy to do for most areas, good results, stays smooth for a long time. Cons - hurts like hell.


Turn bmx bike to 3 gear I have a 29” S.E  Big Ripper And I want to add 2-3 gears on it to ride hills . I don’t want to buy another bike but would like some ease in my older age .

You can buy basic 3 speed freewheels on eBay. With that and a claw-style derailleur you should be able to set up a 3 speed system. You might want to just get a different bike instead though.


How often should I strip my bike down? How often should I give my bike a full service? Strip the bottom bracket, clean and grease it. Strip the groupset and freewheel.

And what products (or type of) should be used for each process?

It's a road bike which I ride often over the summer (Saturday and Sunday club rides 40 - 70Mi) and commute on during the week. In the winter I get out when I can so it sees some rain / salt.

I personally think that it's a little subjective how often one would strip down a setup. I believe it really depends on riding styles, type & range of equipment and also sometimes events.

Riding Styles

I personally do freeride and XC. My FR (mostly street) setup receives more attention due to the abuse I put it through (I am heavy!) - though, I don't usually strip it down that much as compared to the XC. The XC has been through all kinds of mud, dirt and sand so naturally some of them get into areas where the sun don't shine (:)). I strip the XC down probably every quarterly but there are quarters that don't see much action where I didn't (eg really rainy seasons with no chance of heading for the trails).

Type & Range of equipment

Higher quality equipment usually would require less maintenance but that holds true only on some parts. Most modern rotational parts comes with sealed bearings so trying to clean those up for performance are pretty much futile (easier to just buy and fit a new one- like bottom brackets).

Events

You would almost always want to strip down and give a full service to your ride when you are nearing a race where it's critical that it performs flawlessly. Though do remember to do it a few days before so that you have a chance to readjust the fit/feel of your bike to you OR to change out parts that were found to have been damaged, worn out or need replacing (hangs on how much cash you have, parts availability and the like).


Any source for Shimano shoelaces? I have a pair of Shimano SPD-compatible shoes that have served me well and have a couple more years of good service in them.  But the shoelaces are about to disintegrate.

I've looked online and at several stores for replacements, but can't find anything to match.  The existing laces are round and relatively soft, whereas most round laces one finds are either thin dress laces or heavy, stiff boot laces.  The boot laces don't tie as easily and don't stay tied nearly as well.  Besides, I like the look of the original Shimano laces.

Has anyone found a source for the "real thing"?

I don't think that the exact laces are available under the Shimano brand, but the internet may prove me wrong.

The closest thing I have found online is oval athletic laces like these:

When I replaced mine I found similar laces at a sporting goods store, but I've seen similar sport laces at some of the big box stores as well. If you google "oval athletic laces" you should find a large number of online sellers as well.


Front wheel is not aligned and touching the brake line On my bike the front wheel is not centered below the handlebars, instead it seems to be more on the left side. Weirdly that's also the side where the disk brake is located and the wheel is touching the brake line.
How can this be fixed?
It's a Cube Travel Pro, recently bought from a private seller, so no guarantee.

[

First thing to do is loosen the quick release and make sure the wheel axles are seated all the way in the dropouts. If the left axle was not all the way in it would pull the top of the wheel to the left.
If the wheel is in the dropouts properly I have to conclude the wheel is built incorrectly, with the rim offset to the left. The hub does not seem shifted left and the disc rotor is aligned with the caliper. If the hub were shifted left as far as the rim you would not be able to adjust the caliper properly.


2014 RockShox Pike RC oil recommendation I'm getting a lot of conflicting information regarding the volume of oil for the lowers on this 2014 RockShox Pike RC w/ charger damper. Can anyone confirm the correct quantity of 0W-30? Is there a safer side to choose?

Service manual:

Recommends - Non-Drive Side 15 mL and Drive Side 5 mL

Nato Youtube walkthrough:

Recommends - 10cc or ml in both the right and left

LBS/Sram Dealer:

Recommends - 5cc or ml in both the right and left

The Service Manual or the Air/Oil chart from SRAM are your most reliable sources.  This is the same source a SRAM/Rockshox dealer should be using to provide you this information, so there is no reason your LBS should offer you different information.

As for YouTube, that source is only as trustworthy as the guy who made the video, and given the volumes you quoted, I’d say you should stick to SRAM support.

Make sure you are paying attention to model year, since different model years may require different oil volumes.

The air/oil chart for 2014 Rock shot suspension can be found here.


Mix SRAM eTap with GRX Group I have a GRX810 2x groupset and thinking about changing the shifting system to eTap but stick to the braking system and the crankset. I tried to get any information for the GRX group but could not maybe since it is quite new.
Could anyone help me out here?

It's unclear what you mean by 'changing the shifting system to eTap but stick to the braking system'. You can't separate the two systems.
If you change shifters you are changing the brake levers. Shimano and SRAM hydraulic brake levers and calipers are utterly incompatible as they use different hydraulic fluids (SRAM DOT fluid, Shimano mineral oil).
If you are replacing the shifters/brake levers why not replace the calipers too?
Shimano provides extensive info on all their bicycle products. Start here https://productinfo.shimano.com/#/. Specific GRX810 info is here https://productinfo.shimano.com/#/lc/rx810/mech_2x11.


Is there any objective downside to riding a women's bike as a man? I'm shopping around for a cheap, cruiser-style bike for my commute. As an example, AroundtheBlock from sixthreezero seems like it would fit my needs. However, the colors of their men's bike are really boring. The women's version has better colors, and I'm wondering, why don't I just get that one?

I had always heard that the primary difference with women's bikes is that the top tube is lower to accommodate skirts, and otherwise there isn't really a difference. While I don't wear skirts and don't have trouble stepping over a men's bike, I don't see how it would hurt either. Presumably it alters the mechanical properties of the frame in some way, but would that be noticeable enough for my intended use?

My commute is 2.5 mi long and completely flat. I am also an experienced rider and have no significant joint pain or problems associated with biking. I'm an adult man of average height and weight.

If the bike fits, ride it.

The average woman has different dimensions to the average man, so the make bikes with different dimensions to better suit the avenge woman and call it an womans bike (and, as you have noticed, they paint them a different co lour). Problem with all these averages is very few people (if any) are average and the range of sizes of men is significantly more than the difference in size of the average man and average woman.

Probably the biggest difference is an easy one to change, the saddle. You may want to go for a narrower saddle than the bike comes with.


How much is average annual maintenance of a mid-range electric bike? I'm considering buying a mid range e-bike for commuting (3 miles one way, all city road/bike lane). it's about £1000 to buy the bike, but how much is it to service the bike? I don't need an exact number, but some ballpark would be very useful. Is it less than £100? £100-300? or £300+?

Also, do e-bike repairs usually get done same day?

I have a Cube ebike with a bosch system. I have had it for a little over a year and done 5000km on it.

The expenses have been replacing the regular bike parts. Over 5000km I have had to buy

2 chains
1 cassette + chain ring
6 pairs of brake pads
1 handle bar grips
2 tires
1 bottle of chain lube
1 inner tube

I have used this bike about 50% on road and 50% on mountain bike trails. Your tires and brake pads would last longer on just road usage although thin road bike tires have less rubber and wear out even faster. Work out how much these parts cost to replace on your bike and you will have somewhat of an idea on how much it costs to maintain. Also factor in if you will be doing repairs yourself or getting a store to do them.

The actual ebike parts are a little hard to price. None of them have broken for me and I don't expect them to break any time soon but if they did they are very expensive and non standard. The battery is probably the most likely to wear out and a 400Wh bosch battery costs something like $800AUD

  Also, do e-bike repairs usually get done same day?

Depends what it is and how busy the store is. Something like a puncture repair will usually be done same day but a full service will be booked in usually a week in advance (but still finished the day you drop it off)


Shifting from a Tiagra BB to an Ultegra or Dura Ace BB? So after about 10,000 miles with my bike I bought in 2015 the bottom brackets have had enough. I need to switch them out, and considering they're quite cheap in retail and also does a lot of the heavy lifting I thought I could upgrade to a better series.

And here's where my problem is, I have no idea whether a BB I'm considering will fit the bike or not.

Here's the bike I have

It's a 2015 Nishiki Hyper Pro

The original Bottom Brackets are Shimano SM-BB4600, which seem to be the Tiagra series. (https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/se/en/shimano-tiagra-4600-bottom-bracket/rp-prod67221)

The Bottom Bracket I hope to upgrade to would either be

Shimano Dura Ace BB-R9100 (https://www.wiggle.se/shimano-dura-ace-bb-r9100-vevlager/)

Or the
Shimano BB-R60 Bottom Bracket (Ultegra, 6800/105 5800, Hollowtech II) (https://www.wiggle.se/shimano-bb-r60-vevlager-ultegra-6800105-5800-hollowtech-ii/)

Would you say these bottom brackets are interchangeable? And if so, for me who mainly use the bike for a high pace 12 mile commute (in sun, rain or snow) each day, what BB would you recommend? Never mind the price difference, I only focus on durability and performance.

There are three current Hollowtech II road threaded BB designs (different model numbers of identical designs also exist).

BB-RS500 - this is the 44mm 16-notch cup design and weighs 92g
SM-R60 - this is the 41mmm 16-notch cup design and weighs 77g
BB-R9100 - this is the 39mm 16-notch cup design and weighs 65g

These measurements refer to the diameter of the bottom bracket cup, which is only a concern during fitting/removal. The bottom brackets themselves all fit the same frames.

Technically only the R9100 is considered 'Dura-Ace', the others are 'non-series'. In any case they are all interchangeable - you can use BB-RS500 with an R9100 crankset.

In general weight savings are the primary driver of the higher BBs. It would not be reasonable to assume that they are more durable.

However Shimano advertise that SM-BBR60 & BB-R9100 use 'small ball bearings'. This is not necessarily a good thing, in that smaller bearings are weaker. However there are more of them. Still it would be reasonable to assume that the RS500 will be DIFFERENT in durability from the other two, but not necessarily worse.

My money would be on the RS500 if durability is a concern as the extra weight does not seem to be a bad thing in this context. It is possible there are design differences such as seals between the models, but I would not assume this without evidence.


The pros and cons of crank self-extractors I'd like to know more about the reliability of self-extracting crank bolts, but haven't found much information on how they perform (or how they don't).

My interest stems from touring and international travel, but also from practicality. It seems like a no-brainer to be able to remove your crankarms with a common allen key without having to carry around a separate crank puller (or using riskier emergency removal methods).

Beyond concerns of not being able to remove the extractors themselves (for lack of a pin-spanner), I'd like to know whether these have a history of characteristic failure. I haven't found anything in the way of recommending them or condemning them.

I know that FSA, Sugino, and TA manufacture these gadgets, but are they as good on a bike as they are on paper? Are they simply unnecessary?

I have them on my Ultegra equipped nine speed bike and love them. They are especially nice when cleaning up the bottom bracket and crank/chainrings. Just a couple of quick turns with an allen key and off the the crank arm comes and goes directly into the cleaner. I wipe down the bottom bracket area and reattach the crank arm and it's ready to go. Easy peasy, takes maybe ten minutes if that.


Fixed gear bike: when I stop the bike completely I can move the pedals back and forth very slightly is this normal? As the title shows I have a fixed gear bike, not sure if this is right though: even when the chain is tight as possible there will be what seems a loose spot and it makes it so that the pedals move back and forth slightly. For example, doing a track stand I can move the pedals back and forth slightly without moving the wheels, just wondering what might be the problem here, if anyone can help. It’s a Raleigh Falcon BTW so an old bike, that was converted to a fixie.

The chain should not be 'as tight as possible'. There should be some slack. If the chain is over-tensioned you will accelerate wear on it and the sprockets, and increase the possibility of snapping it.

There will be some pedal movement when the rear wheel is prevented from rotating, due to chain slack and the fact that the spaces between the sprocket teeth are larger than the chain rollers.