Rear Suspension Setup So the situation is, about six months ago I got myself my first full sus trail bike Trek Fuel ex7.  For the most part, loving it.
Over that time I've had a number of spills, the most recent resulting in a trip to A&E.
I might be grasping at straws here a little, but most of these spills have followed the same pattern.  Basically, when the rear shock is under heavy compression for say going off a drop off my bike kind of squirts forward out from under me.

While I'm sure this is probably largely caused by my own poor technique, I'm beginning to wonder if I don't quite have my suspension dialed in quite right.  I'm pretty happy with the say I've got, seems around 20ish% but I have no idea about the rebound settings.  I've used the recommendations from Trek but really don't have any idea if it's right for me.

So, is this a rider problem, or could/would incorrect setup be contributing?

Likely a a better rider would have stayed on, and there is work to do on you technique, but your suspension should not miss behaving like that. Your comment about rebound settings strongly suggests to me that will the route cause of the problem.

Sag is at the very best a starting point. Once you have the sag correct, you have a 'stake in the ground' to start tuning the suspension. The other settings are perfect for the average rider. The average rider has 2.5 kids, 13 feet a white picket fence and 1.2 dogs, my guess is you are not average :).

Have a look at this video. MTB Suspension Setup - How To Get It Dialed In 10-Minutes

The sag sets the amount of support the suspension offers - too little and you bottom out, too much and you don't get to use all the travel and don't get the benefit of it. Rebound sets the rate the suspension comes back after being compressed. Too fast rebound and you experience what you have had happen - the bike 'bounces' and you loose control (on the front the wheel lifts and it gets sketchy, on the back, you get flicked up, which with weight back and too straight legs could be turned into forward surge ). Too slow rebound and the shock /fork has not recovered before the next bump. After a few bumps, you have run out of travel.

The idea is get the rebound of the front and back balanced so the whole bike lifts evenly. You also need to get it so it rebounds just fast enough to recover, without being so fast it lifts wheels off the ground.

If anything, set rebound slower than ideal, and speed it up until you feel its too fast, then wind it back a notch or two.


Too heavy for Trek Checkpoint SL5? I've been doing some reading about all-road / adventure-ready bikes and I'm leaning toward the Trek SL5. I weigh 265lbs and the official specs say the total weight limit for bike, rider, and cargo is 275lbs. What would realistically happen if I end up getting the bike and ride on it for long distances over time?

You may start breaking spokes in the rear wheel after putting some miles on the bike. That seems to be where the effects of load shows up first.
You can plan to mitigate this by budgeting for a new rear wheel. If this is the bike you are talking about it has 28 spoke wheels. You'll want a 32 or even a 36 spoke replacement wheel, hand built.
You don't have to get the beefier wheel straight away, but when you break a spoke don't bother getting it replaced, more will inevitably follow. Upgrade the whole wheel at that point.


Is it possible to control two brakes from a single lever? Up until the start of the year, I was a keen road cyclist, I even dabbled a bit on here amongst the experts, but unfortunately in February I suffered a stroke.

I am gradually starting to pick things up again, one of which is a desire to get myself riding once more.

The stroke has left me with some damage, in particular it has paralysed my left arm and left me very unbalanced(!). I'm hopeful that maybe converting to a tricycle will help with the latter, but I have a question specifically about the former.

For the sake of this question, the bike I'm thinking about converting is about 5 years old, has brifters and dual pivot rim brakes. It shifts mechanically.

Now, I figure that it might be possible to rig something up, so as to allow me to operate the front derailleur with my right hand. An inventive use of a bar-end shifter, perhaps? But I'm at a loss as to how I can get the bike to brake smoothly, operating both front and rear brakes at once. One solution I can think of would be to control both brakes with the same brifter, and I was wondering, is this even possible in practise?

Also, I'm aware that an easier option, given my disability, might be to use an electronic shifter. In this scenario, I wouldn't even try to modify the existing bike, but would instead buy something new. But of course, current fashion dictates that new bikes commonly ship with disc brakes, and so I have a secondary question regarding how I might do this with hydraulic disc brakes. (Presumably, with mechanical disc brakes, the approach would be the same as for dual pivot brakes?)

Please note I'm not looking for a product recommendation here - I'm quite capable of doing this myself - but if someone can say "Yes, I've seen it done", and maybe suggest some search terms, then I would be grateful. As things stand, I'm not even sure what to look for.

Glad to see you're back!

You can use a Problem Solvers Cable Doubler 1:2 to pull 2 brakes with 1 lever. Its a little device which you hook up the two brakes to (assuming they have the same cable pull) with 2 sets of brake cables, then run something to the levers. This works for essentially any pair of cable operated brakes with the same cable pull.

For hydraulic brakes, there are some lever mounting strategies here, but I'm pretty sure the obvious solution (using a Y-splitter in the hydraulic line) won't work.

You also might want to look at this question for general one armed cycling stuff.

As for shifting, a bar end shifter is probably easiest, or shimming a thumb shifter. Depending on how your strength is distributed, an interrupter lever might be useful as well.


What could be the reason for stem this far away I own a bicycle similar to this one:

(I replaced the handlebars with straight one on mine)

I know that there were some weird designs back in '90s, but some reason probably exists for creating a bike with such a long stem. Doesn't it create uncomfortable riding position?

If the bars were rotated back, they would not be so far away. And, if you wanted to tuck down and get more aerodynamic you could reach the part of the bar that is further away.


Converting front crankset to a single type on a 18" Carrera Vulcan MTB bike I'm interested in converting my front crankset from 3 to 1 for simplicity.

I'm not sure where to start or what size to obtain? This is what I have... 18" Carrera Vulcan, 27.5 x 2.2, 2016.

Do I use a large or small crankset? How do I know the teeth measurement?

Do I need a chain guard or does a crankset takes care of preventing chain from falling off?

Thank you for your time

If you now have a triple front chainring, the best position for new a single chainring replacement would be the middle position on your current crank. It will likely to give you the best chainline for the extreme rear cassette positions (the smallest and the biggest rear cogs).

Regarding the number of teeth, it is up to you to decide, but use your existing middle ring tooth count as a starting point. E.g., if your current front rings are 42/32/24, the middle ring has 32 teeth. The new chainring should have 32 teeth or less if you often run steep uphill, or 34−36 if you focus on fast downhill. Note that if you do not feel comfortable using only your current middle front chainring (e.g. only using rear derailleur to change gears) already now, it means that the range of your present rear cassette would not be wide enough for you when you switch to a single front chainring. In this case, consider getting a wider range cassette as well. Be sure to match BCD on new and old stuff.

If you plan to get a new chainring which is marketed to prevent chain drops (often called "narrow/wide" chainrings), and/or if you have a rear derailleur with clutch, you may be fine without a chain guard (still recommended for riding rough terrain though). If you plan to get an old-school (cheaper) plain chainring meant to be used in single-speed drivetrains or one with ramps for front derailleur, you'll definitely need a chain guard.


Can a hybrid bike's stem be slammed to make it nearly as fast and powerful as a road or cyclocross bike? Can a hybrid bike's stem be slammed to make it nearly as fast and powerful as a road or cyclocross bike?

More aggressive positions are thought to improve power transfer. That means a better workout when doing HIIT.

With a lower position, we tend to be more aerodynamic. People often find that road bikes are a few km/h faster than hybrid bikes. A cyclocross bike isn't much slower than a road bike. It must be mostly aerodynamics that played a role.

Someone might want to do this because it's cheaper and prefers handlebar mounted shifters. A pair of STI shifters can cost a few hundreds of dollars while equivalent speed shifters may cost only one third that for non-drop style handlebars.

According to the following article, it looks like we need to select a stem with an angle and length that makes the handlebar height 5 to 10 cm below that of the saddle.
https://www.mec.ca/en/explore/fitting-your-bike

If I use the right stem so that the reach and handlebar heights are similar to those of road bikes, would it work? The stem may need to be longer than you can find in stores because there are no hoods to extend the reach.

Photo of my bike. The bike fitter used a long stem for a performance fit.

There is no absolute 'correct' way to get a lower more aggressive position.

You probably can get a lower, more aggressive position on a hybrid bike by adjusting the stem angle and length, but how much lower depends on the inherent stack and reach geometry of the frame. You are also limited by flat bars which obviously do not have the drop sections that allow a very low position. Flat bars tend to be a bit wider than drop bar hoods which also compromises how aero you can get.

There is not a magic vertical distance between the seat and handlebar, so forget the 5-10cm measurement. Just experiment with what you can do on your bike, and what works for you.

If you can get a significantly lower bar position, you may need to pull the saddle forward a little. Bikes with more upright riding positions typically have a slacker seat tube angle that puts the saddle further behind the bottom bracket.

Update added a few days later:

Be aware you are very unlikely to make your hybrid 'nearly as fast and powerful as a road or cyclocross bike'. The riding position is not the only factor. Hybrids have other design features that sacrifice speed for comfort and lower price: wider tires, lower gearing, heavier components, less stiff frames and wheels etc.


Did I pay too much for repairs on road bike? Should I have bought new? I originally paid $250 for a Schwinn road bike on Amazon 5 years ago. It's been a really solid bike, even though I know it's just a mass produced brand.

I didn't know any better and did no repairs or maintenance for 5 years and it made it through 3 triathlons just fine.

6 months ago I started commuting with it and so wanted to add on a rear rack and swap out the tires. Total upgrade cost was about $200.

Just this month I wanted to get a full tune up - $124. New chain, all new cables, new grip tape, new pedals, new brake pads, etc adds up to $320 total.

So I've spend $550 in repairs and upgrades on what was originally a $250 bike. Did I make a huge mistake and should I have just bought a new commuter or road bike from a decent brand for $700, or is it just fine to spend that much on repairs?

Bicycles cost money to maintain.  Even if you do all your own mechanic work, you still need to purchase parts.  That being said, more expensive bikes are generally more expensive to maintain at the level you bought them at.

By this I mean you can purchase a replacement derailleur (of roughly the same quality) for a $250 for perhaps $10 to $20.  If you had purchased a $2000 bike, that "same quality" derailleur may run you $100. The point being, if you had purchased a $700 bicycle up front and done no maintenance, you likely would have spent roughly the same amount of money or slightly more on repairs (based on your description).  More expensive bicycles and parts do not require less maintenance.

In your case, if you were happy with the performance of your $250 bicycle for five years before you needed to spend money on it, you may have been better off buying a new $250 bike.  ~$50/year for a bicycle that you are happy with seems like a good return.


2x front derailleur shifting adjustment for BB92 shell I have a bike with a BB92 Bottom Bracket and would like some input on adjusting the front derailleur to consistently move the chain between the small and big chain rings.

Front derailleur is a top-pull, high mount, SRAM X9 for 2x10 speed that is cabled to SRAM XX Gripshift front shifter. Cable tension is as tight as I can manage for the wonky cable routing and limited space.

Crankset is a Rotor REX 3.2 with ovalized rings (38/26T). Both crank arms were spaced according to Rotor installation instructions and would be physically unable to move any closer inboard due to chainstay clearance concerns.

Chainline looks to be 60mm to the outer chain ring from the centerline of the BB shell.

When attempting to shift from small ring to big; I can apply light force to the inside of the derailleur to complete the shift.

If I don't apply light force; the derailleur will move the chain toward the big ring, but will then only drag across the ramping pins. It physically cannot move any further outboard enough to catch and pull the chain up onto the ring.

I don't have enough 'reputation' to add a comment, but +1 on 'mikes' comment about the derailleur being too high. If the derailleur is a bolt-on (hard to tell from pix), maybe the bike was designed for a larger big chainring?

Also, if the limit screws are all the all the way out, you might have to pre-load the derailleur travel a bit before tightening down the cable clamp.


Why 9 speed front derailleur cannot handle 10 speed rear derailleur? Some people are using non compatible components on their bikes. For example, using Tiagra's old 3x9 speed FD (4503?) with a 10 speed RD. And it works.

So what is the point of saying "Dear customer, this Tiagra FD will only work with 9 speed RD's, never combine with a 10 speed one!".

The front derailleur doesn't care what the rear derailleur is and vice versa. The front derailleur is matched with the front chainring sizes, number of chainrings, mounting type of the front derailleur (a property of the frame) and the front shifter.

The rear derailleur is matched to the shifter (for indexing; the shifter is matched to the cassette), and the capacity required (which is dependent on the amount of chain slack it needs to absorb).

The point of saying that is so that you can get someone to buy a new front derailleur unnecessarily.


How much to eat and drink during a 50km ride? I want to try a 50 km ride for the first time, to be completed continuously one morning.

The most I've even done before is an 18 km (70 minute) each way commute (out in the morning and back in the evening).

When I commute I eat (breakfast, and late afternoon snack) before I ride, but I eat and drink nothing during the ride.

I guess that the difference between that and a 50 km ride is that, on the multi-hour ride, I ought to eat or drink something on/during the ride to replenish? How much should I eat and drink then, and when? Should I expect to take rest stops, and/or to go more slowly on average?

I'm wary because I think I've read that glycogen depletes at around the 2-hour mark, whereas my longest continuous ride to date has has been only 80 minutes.

50km isn't that enormous of a distance - and especially for someone who does 18km twice a day.  It sounds like your current pace would have you completing that in about three hours.  I'd bring a snack or two if you're worried about being peckish, but unless you're going all-out for a personal record or you skip breakfast you should have no issues.  Just keep turning the pedals, make sure you drink some water, and feel free to take a 5-minute stretch and snack break if you're feeling tired.


looking for Lightweight inexpensive children's bike (120cm) available in uk I'm looking for Lightweight inexpensive children's hybrid bike (120cm) available in uk for my six year old son. It seems to me at this age they don't need fancy brakes or lots of gears but would really benefit from the bike being as light as possible. But the lighter bikes I've seen always come with the fancy brakes and gears and a hefty price tag.

Does such a bike exist ?

Sadly the kids aren't the ones with the money, so some of the design of a bike is to appeal to the adult with the cash.  When I was a kid, single speed raleigh 20 was common, as were BMX.  You had to be pretty lucky to have a three speed, and only super rich people had ten speeds.   So the excess of gears is appealing mostly to adults.

If 120 cm is the height of your six year old, then that's about 10 cm above "average" so you're looking at a bike with 20" wheels.  Your son will be too small for a 26" wheel bike at this age, so expect this bike to be adequate till about the age of 10-11.  At that point he will be tall enough for a 26" wheel size but a smallish frame. Then somewhere between 15 and 17 he'll have stopped growing taller and that will be about the time to measure for a proper adult's size frame.

The point of all that?  Your purchase will have 5 years of use by your son at most.  So spending silly money on a specially lightweight kid's bike is a waste.  example: google for "carbon frame kids bike" and see how few there are.

Kids do tend to be a little rough on their toys as well - a lightweight frame will not endure being dumped, dropped, dubbed-on or used as a step ladder, as well as a "more robust solid bike"

There's no need to do this:

Because:


Will my road bike fit in the racks on a public transit bus now that I have put fenders on it? I ride to work most days.  If I'm getting a cold or something,  I sometimes hop on the bus. I save no time by riding the bus, so I rarely do it.

About a month ago, I installed Planet Bike full-coverage plastic fenders on my bike, a mid-80's Schwinn Tempo.  I've got the Hardcore fenders.  http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Bike-Hardcore-Road-Fender/dp/B002KCFSPI

I'm pretty sure that the bike racks on public transit buses are fairly universal, in the U.S. anyhow.  They appear to be the same on all of the transit buses I've used throughout California and in the Chicago area.  Maybe there are different ones--but in these two areas they appear to be the same.  http://bicycling.511.org/transit.htm

My question is this.  Will the fenders interfere with the bar that goes over the front wheel?

I haven't tried it because I don't want to inconvenience other bus users by futzing with a bike that might not fit.

Probably fine

I have a bike (Surly LHT) with 700c wheels, wide tires (35mm) and full fenders (I think same model, but next size up).  The local buses have 2 or 3 different types of rack, and it works on all of them. On some of the 3-bike racks it's difficult to get the arm over the tire in the middle rack, but the fender isn't really a problem; usually I can just move it to the front rack if it happens to be one of those busses.  I think this problem might have more to do with maintenance, since with otherwise identical racks some the arm pulls out far enough and some it doesn't.

One caveat: you have a choice between slowly damaging your fender by putting the arm over the fender, or possibly having a slightly less secure grip by putting it at the front tip of the fender.  On mine that bit of fender seems to be fine despite me smashing a bus rack arm on top of it frequently; worst case I could trim that off, since the bit of fender that sticks forward of the fork crown doesn't seem that essential.

Basically, the racks are designed to be able to handle the cruiser and commuter type bikes, and a road bike with fenders is a lot like that for these purposes.  There's a type of rack, but there's definitely some differences, so it's possible your bus bike racks are different somehow.


2-speed front derailleur - three possible positions? I have Shimano 105 7000 groupset on my bike. 2x11. For some reason I have 3-rd in-between click on my front derailleur. To get into that 3-rd position I need to shift into large chainring and then apply reduced pressure on FD lever. Amount of force should be just below chainring change threshold. If I do that - I get a smaller click and FD moves ever so slightly towards the smaller cog. If I don't do that - when I'm on bigger sprockets the chain rubs a bit and shifting RD becomes much more stubborn.
The question: is this by design? Seems strange but understandable. If so, what are some pros and cons of this?

That's the high "trim" position.
Most Shimano front road derailleurs have four positions: low, low trim, high, and high trim.
If your derailleur is properly adjusted, after you shift the front derailleur to the low-gear position, it will have a position somewhat outboard that can be reached by pushing the brake lever somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 the way to full shift.
And as you've discovered, there's a "high trim" position that can be reached by applying light pressure to the small shift lever to move the derailleur slightly inboard from its "high" big-gear position.
Those two "trim" positions allow cross-chaining capability without the chain rubbing on the front derailleur cage.


When shifting to the 1st gear the chain shifts up to 3rd derailleur(rear)! I am using 21 speed bicycle and the problem is that I am unable to shift the chain to the largest derailleur(rear)....the shifters are thumb press type there's no problem in pressing the shifter...when shifting to the 1st gear the chain shifts up to 3rd derailleur(rear)!

A stretched cable is one possibility. Has the cable been replaced recently? They stretch most when they're new.

A second possibility is that you removed the rear wheel and when you put it back on, didn't get it seated the same as it was before you took it off. That could change the position of the derailleur enough to make it impossible to shift onto the largest or smallest gear in the cluster.

A third possibility is that you need to adjust the high-low limit screws on the derailleur. Here's what Park Tool has to say about that... http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-adjustment


Is there any difference between silver/brown/painted bike chains? When looking at bike chains, I usually see silver, gray/brown, and painted options. Is there generally any difference between these in terms of durability, corrosion resistance, or smoothness?

Answer Minimal difference to performance or quality.

The coloured chain tends to be for single speed/fixies or BMXs or bikes without derailleur gears.  This is because the front derailleur has to push the chain around, so it rubs.  The rear derailleur guides the chain but pushes chain into the sprockets until it has to mount the larger cog.  So the pretty colours will get oily or chipped or worn.

So you're more likely to find painted coloured chains in 1/8 inch size, not 3/32 inch and whatever 10/11/12 speed bikes use.


Different tire and rim widths front and back - Why? Should I replace one? I just bought a Trek 7.2 hybrid bike on Ebay and got the surprise (didn't read the listing closely!) that the front and back tires and rims are different widths. I am wondering if I should give it a try or spend some money on making the front wheel be the same width of the back. Why would someone have different wheels? Here's the configuration I have:

Rims: (Front) Alexrims DA22, (Rear) Matrix 750,
Tires: (Front) Vittoria Zaffiro 700 X 25C, (Rear) Bontrager Select Invert 700 X 35.

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

It is ok to have different width of tires on front and rear wheels, I
have a thinner tire on rear wheel as the clearance is low and I
wanted to fit a full fender.
Why would someone have different wheels? -

It is quite uncommon for new bikes to have different width of tires
but used bikes can(as your's is). Perhaps, if the wheel was
damaged/stolen the previous owner may have replaced with what is
available/cheap.
If you plan to change the tire size, ensure that the rim can securely
hold whatever width of tire you are about to install and has enough
clearance for fenders/frame.
If you bring your bike into local bike shop, they should be able to
tell you if a certain width will fit your wheel.
Just a tip for comfort - 35mm tires will ride a lot smoother as the
pressure on 35mm will be approximately half of what 25mm tires
requires.


Having the fork blades aligned I got a classic steel road bike, gazelle tour de France, and one of the fork blades was bent in the frame direction, some two centimetres, after a crash. I read here that this can be realigned, I'd like to know if this is something that can be done at most bike shops and what price should I expect to pay. Thanks.

2cm seems like a lot to attempt to fix this way. I would not trust this repair to just any old bike shop, but find one that specializes in working on older steel bikes. I'd expect to pay for about an hour of labor at whatever is the going rate for the shop.

I have attempted to do this kind of repair on a fork myself following Sheldon's directions and it's not that easy. Even a relatively minor alignment tweak is difficult to get correct.

The other alternative is to contact a local frame builder and see if the fork can be rebrazed with the correct alignment, or manipulated in some other fashion. Every hand built bike requires this kind of tweaking, so the builder will at least have a lot of practice.
I would only go this route if the bike is especially unique in some way. It will require
repainting the fork and likely cost a lot more than just finding another similar fork on Ebay.


What is on the handlebars of this bike? Sadiq Khan, the current Mayor of London, was spotted riding a (strikingly regular) bike around in May 2020.
What is the contraption attached to the center of his handlebars?

Looks to me like Shimano CI Deck gear indicators. They connect to the shifters with a little cable that pulls a dial to tell the rider what gear they're using.
https://si.shimano.com/pdfs/si/SI-6XJ0A-000-ENG.pdf
From the user's view:


What factors affect the price of a chain? Just like most bicycle parts, chains have a pretty wide price range. What are the factors weighting in on the price of a chain ? (Other than width/bike-compatibility characteristics)

Material: The material of which the chain is made of affects the price greatly. Titanium chains, while not common, are ridiculous in terms of price. Often, in terms of material, it is the 'finish' of the chain that can affect its (claimed) performance and thus its price. For example a DA 7700 chain is nickel plated, DA 7800 has a zinc alloy etc etc. These are claimed to increase life span and reduce corrosion

Weight: As posted above, the less you get, the more you pay.

Technology: Hollow pins, unidirectional chains that improve chain pickup etc. can increase the price of a chain as well.

Lastly. Name. Campagnolo is still silly expensive for being a chain that is no better than that (arguable, I know) of comparable brands.


Bottom bracket mysteriously squeaking Somewhere from the non-drive side of the drivetrain is coming loud squeak when I pedal hard.

The story is long. First I threaded the BB-ES25 incorrectly, and had to spend half an hour with a file to remove the 2 outermost threads (Conclusion: Never torque anything into aluminum with a wrench. Torque it by hand, then tighten by wrench.)

Then I installed my octalink crankarms, but lost the washer between the non-drive side fixing bolt and the crank arm.

After a couple of weeks, the BB lockring came loose, getting stuck against the crankarm and forcing me to carry the bike home.

After tightening it a lot*, another week passed and my non-drive side crankarm fell off. I tightened it a lot after that.

Recently I purchased a torque wrench and re-tightened everything. The BB lcokring to 70Nm and the crankarm fixing bolts to 50Nm.

There is still squeaking, and I guess it is not coming from the left pedal. What could be wrong now?

Conclusion:

After fixing the torque values, a week passed and now the creaking is just a memory.

Never just tighten one side if a bracket if it isn't tight enough yet. Always do this:

Untighten the lockring which is not fixed to the bracket (mostly left side).
Tighten the bracket inside the frame very, very tight, while the lockring sits at its place very loosely.
Tighten the lockring again.

It sounds like you may have tightened the lockring, while the bracket wasn't tight enough in the frame yet.

Also, let someone hold the bicycle. In this way, you can push your tool tightly in the lockring while using force on the tool.

And mind that the pedals on the cranck need grease, the crancks on the bracket needs grease, and the bracket inside the frame also need grease. Any of these parts can start to squek if no grease is used.


Help ID this Chris King NoThreadSet Color Can anyone help me ID the color of this Chris King NoThreadSet? And what year this color was offered?

Source: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/us/en/chris-king-steelset-headset/rp-prod2035

From Chris King: This is their SteelSet (stainless steel version of their popular NoThreadSet) in Brown. They release limited quantities every year.


How can I adjust index shifter so it doesn't skip the second chainring? I recently replaced my chain and cassette on my commuter bike.  It was a first time operation for me, as I am a new to doing bike maintenance.  That part seems to have gone fine.  While I was at it, I decided to adjust my front deraileur since it was rubbing a bit in certain gears.  I seem to have messed everything up while I was playing with it.

The guide I was reading said to adjust the lower limit and check that it doesn't rub for the whole range of gears on the rear cassette.  By the time I had concluded that there was no way that was going to happen and I would just have to avoid silly front/rear gear combinations, I'd messed up everything.

When I do a single full up-shift click on the shifter, the deraileur moves far enough to take the chain from the smallest chainring to to the largest chainring, skipping over the middle one.  The little window on the shifter says "2", and it won't go up to "3" since I've maxed out the high stop on the deraileur.  Downshifting drops it all the way back to the small chainring.  If I disconnect the cable from the deraileur with the only tension being me holding the other end of the cable, the shifter works like I'd expect.  It nicely clicks through 1-3 and back again.

It seems to me that I twiddled something that makes the shifter pull more cable with each click than it used to, but I can't figure out what that might have been.  Alternately, I've done something else completely knuckleheaded.

The bike is a 2008 Raleigh Cadent FT2 with ST R225 shifters.  Except for a spoke and the afore-mentioned chain and cassette, everything is stock.

Can anyone help a newbie figure this out?

You went at it backwards.  First thing to do (after backing off the limit adjustments a bit) is to adjust the barrel adjuster so that you can hit middle gear, then adjust the upper and lower limits so that you hit the outer two without going too far.  Then you can "tweak" the barrel adjuster slightly so that you minimize chain rub at the rear without upsetting clean shifting to the middle gear at the front (then "tweak" the limits again).


Two broken teeth in Shimano 105 crankset I have just received my new 105 7000 cranksets from a reputable seller in Aliexpress and I believe there are two broken teeth perhaps cause by mishandling of the shipment company or poor wrapping of the groupset components. Do these affect the performance of the shifting and do I have to bother sending these back?
Measured the rest of the teeth are around 5mm and these 2 are 4mm now.

If it was mine and I damaged it riding, moving, storing etc. I would try to de-burr the edges and see how it shifted. In your case any modifications you make means you own it. Contact either the shipper or the vendor and forward the pictures to their claims dept. If you exhaust all avenues and are stuck with it, try repairing it then install it. If it works  to your satisfaction monitor it for premature wear. If the shifting seems less than optimal replace just the large ring and it should work like new one.


Headphones with low wind noise? I have some Sennheiser PMX70 headphones that I quite like, in particular because the around-the-neck design allows me to quickly drop them down onto my neck and out of my ears.

The one thing that I don't like about them is they create a lot of wind noise, which makes it hard to hear both what I'm listening to and ambient noise.  Can anyone recommend headphones of similar style with low wind noise?

For discussion on safety of cycling with music, see this question.

I use a pair of the basic Apple ear buds that came with my iPod Shuffle for riding.  I've found that they put out "ok" quality sound (not as good as my Sennheisers), but the open-air design of them lets a lot of road noise through, as well.  I can hear almost any car coming up behind me (including hybrids), and can hear about 90% of the bicycles coming up to pass as well.  As for dropping them down around your neck, I usually take my ear buds out and slip them in the neck of my shirt.  They might look like funny little lumps on your chest at first glance, but it is obvious what they are after you notice the wires.

I would certainly steer clear of anything with "noise canceling" however.  In the case of ear buds with rubber tips, the rubber is intended to seal out outside noise, like cars.  Bad idea.

I would also suggest perusing this question about safety concerns.


What do you wish you knew you before you bought your first nice bike? I am planning on purchasing my first nice bike ($500-$1000, nice to me is not a walmart bike) and am cautious due to the Dunning Kruger effect.

I have never had a bike not from walmart before, and while there are buying guides out I still feel uneasy. I have spent hours researching bikes and the parts, but I know there is some knowledge that only comes with time and experience. I just don't know what that experience is.

Here are some general questions that I haven't found answered online yet.

What are things on bikes you now consider a gimmick/weighted too heavily in your bike choice? (Brand?)
What aspects do you prioritize less? (Type of brakes?)
What aspects do you prioritize more? (Mounting holes for addons?)
What do you regret or surprisingly like about your purchase?

I am sorry if this is opinion based/not a specific question. With my lack of experience I do not know what questions I need to ask.

1-Year Update

Here is a brief update on my thoughts after buying a bike. For those curious it is a 2015 Trek DS 8.3 (Mix between road and off-road)

Biggest mistake: I wanted a bike that could do everything so that I wouldn't end up limiting myself in the long run. While what I bought works rather well as an everyday road bike, I always have the front suspension locked and don't need the disk brakes. It works well enough as a road bike, but in hindsight I should have focused solely on a road bike instead of something that was just good at everything instead of great at what I use it for 99% of the time.
Biggest plus: The DS 8.3 has a lot of mounting options for fenders and racks. This has proven very valuable as I am now in the position to be able to bike to work and it gives me plenty of options to add racks for my lunch and computer. I value mounting options a lot now as it allows me to highly modify my bike if I want without needing a new bike.
Biggest surprise: While better bikes perform better in general, they have much smaller tolerances and thus need more detailed care. I needed to learn to do a lot of the maintenance and upkeep again as what I knew was too vague to do it well. This also means that the day to day upkeep is slightly more. This may not be a surprise to many, but it was something I hadn't thought about at all.
Shifters, Derailers, and Brakes: When I was shopping I was initially overwhelmed by trying to decide which components were better than one another. In the end I don't have strong feelings for any of my components, they all work fine. I have ridden other bikes with different components and while they perform slightly differently, in the end they have never affected my enjoyment.

TLDR My advice from the experience is get a bike that is really focused on what you will be doing, not what you are considering doing. Find a bike that has mounting holes that will support varying uses down the road. Don't worry about all the details, find one that you like as a whole. Finally learn to take good care of it and be prepared to spend more time maintaining it.

Prioritize more:

Tires -- the bike must allow me to use the tires I want to use.  I used to have a road bike that did not allow any tire wider than 25mm.  Any bike that cannot use 35mm tires is useless to me.  Some people are still under the illusion that narrow tires are fast, wide tires are slow; there is a bunch of research that indicates this is not true for tires up to 40mm, and at the relatively low speeds most people ride (<25mph).  Wide tires allow you to ride on all surfaces without worrying about gravel, bumps, railroad tracks, bridge grates etc.
Fenders -- if it's too hard to install decent fenders, I am going to hate riding when it's wet.
Gearing -- if your highest gear is a bit too low, you're not giving up much. In the rare case (downhill+tailwind) where you could use a 53x11 gear for a few seconds, you'll just go a bit slower.  If your lowest gear is too high, there are some hills you can't climb, and other hills that you can climb only with great difficulty. To me, this suggests that overall lower gearing works better.

Prioritize less:

Weight -- if a bike weighs 0.5 pounds less, but is uncomfortable on longer rides, that really limits my enjoyment.
Pretending to be a racer -- unless you are actually going to use the bike for racing, resist the temptation to pretend you're a racer and need the lightest wheels and the shortest wheelbase.  In practice, this is not useful for most people (heavy riders end up damaging superlight wheels, etc.)  Before you decide that compact cranks are for wussies and get a 53/39 crank, think about how much you're really going to use that 53/11 top gear. How fast would you have to go for that gear to be useful ?

Surprisingly like:

Internal cable routing -- I can attach a Revelate "Gas Tank" bag to the top tube, put it on any kind of bike carrier on the car, and easily carry it on my shoulder without cables on the top tube getting in the way


Where I live, winter weather can reach -50 °C (-60 °F), with gale-force winds. How can I bike in these conditions? I've seen other posts here about winter cycling. But I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.  Here, our winter weather can reach -50 °C (-60 °F), and we can also experience gale-force winds.

How can I bike in these conditions?

As one comment has indicated, you may need to evaluate if cold this extreme is even safe to ride in. If you determine that is is, there are several issues you'll need to address.
There are a lot of questions here about winter cycling. I went through question with the winter tag. Here are some of the ones applicable to your situation:

Breathing may be a problem in extreme cold. The traditional solution of putting a balaclava over your nose and mouth and using large goggles may not be enough protection. The question How to prevent breathing issues during extreme cold has an interesting answer about heat exchange masks.

A scientific Journal, Chest Journal, published an article about the efficiency of heat exchange masks on asthmatic subjects during cold weather exercise. They found that the heat exchanger masks were at least as effective as pre-treatment with albuterol in preventing decline in lung function.

Seeing will prove to be a challenge, and glasses or sunglasses will almost certainly prove to be not nearly enough eye protection from the freezing wind. Suggestions for winter cycling glasses? suggests that downhill MTB goggles, or maybe ski goggles will work. (Be prepared for reduced peripheral vision with any goggles.)

Tire selection in the winter is a bit of a black art. Whether you get fat tires or studded tires is largely a matter of the terrain: Lots of snow, or lots of ice? The question Fat or Skinny Tires for Winter Riding? has a great overview of the issues involved.

I think the arguments are as follows:

Fat: You can float on top of the snow and you don-t have to go through it. You have a larger contact patch with the ground.
Skinny: Will find it's way through the snow to find some pavement to grab onto.
Studded: Works great on ice but has no effect on snow/slush/other stuff. (Note never tried studded tires so just speculating).

Of course, you want to wear the proper clothing in winter. The traditional advice is to dress in lots of thin, breathable layers, but with temperatures this cold I'd not take any chances. There are many questions on this site tagged winter and clothes; I'd read them all. Talk to fellow cyclists and see what they wear. Start with short rides until you're confident that you're staying warm enough. Frostbite is a real danger!

Gloves are important; your hands freezing up an hour from anywhere warm can be a disaster. I'd not skimp on these, possibly layering multiple glove if need be. I've personally never found a single glove warm enough to handle even New Jersey winters, and always need to layer. You might want to look at lobster-claw gloves, cycling mittens, or bar mitts. Gloves with pockets for warming packs are nice, but do nothing to protect your fingers from being frozen. Also see: What gloves work well for winter riding?

Shoes should be warm, and also windproof. You'll need to layer socks, possibly even getting boots a size too big to fit them. What your options are here will depend greatly on whether you use plain platform pedals, toe clips and straps, or clipless pedals. Personally, I prefer plain platform pedals when riding on ice, removing clips and straps for ease of dismounting in an emergency. But I've heard good things about riding clipless on a fixie in the ice. (I'd be afraid to try it, personally.)

Most bike helmets are designed to cool the head as well as provide impact protection. However, since you'll be wanting to hang on to heat, I'd investigate helmets specifically for cold weather. See: Using a ski helmet for winter biking, Why don't cyclists wear all-encompassing motorcycle-style helmets?.

Freezing weather can be tough on bikes, particularly if there's road salt in your area. Cleaning a bike in winter presents special challenges. See: How do I clean my bike in winter? You'll obviously be cleaning your bike indoors, not washing it down with a hose outdoors!


What natural features and governmental conditions contribute to a bicycle friendly town/city? I enjoy bicycling the most in cities that provide separate lanes for bicyclists - Portland and Boulder come to mind. In addition to bicycle lanes, what other governmental/civic actions ensure a  safe and desirable environment for bicycles?

Also what are the natural characteristics that contribute to an ideal bicycling location? For example, some coastal cities may have extensive bicycle lanes and paths running parallel to the ocean, making them terrific place for rides.

Are there specific conditions or circumstances that make some towns bicycle unfriendly?

Down vote notwithstanding, here are some thoughts:

Living in Boston and bicycle commuting both 4- and 3-season for 15 years, I'd say there at least four factors, governmental, NGO, population, and environmental.

The NGO aspect would be - how many organizations there are, and how actively do they advocate on behalf of cyclists. In Boston/Cambridge/Somerville, and Massachusetts at large there are at least two, Mass Bike, and The Boston Cyclists Union. I'm not a "joiner" so it's possible there are others, say, Bikes-not-Bombs, that have a different agenda, but still, a degree of visibility, and advocacy.

Because Boston metro has a very significant student population, and conversely tight parking situation, many people ride bicycles. By way of sheer numbers, organizations have a significant number of folks they can represent, as well as interest and energy to recruit from.

The governmental aspect would be, how interested in alternative transportation is the current state and local administration? Is there a "Bike Czar" appointed by the city that acts as liaison to facilitate communication between constituents and DOT, or the mayor's office. How interested is the city or state, in facilitating alternative modes?

Beyond that, how conducive to cycling is the geography, and the weather? The Dutch live on flat land in a maritime environment that tends to favor the widespread adoption of the bicycle. Combine those with the impossibility of parking and you have something of a perfect storm. Portland if I'm not mistaken, has a similar maritime weather pattern, as does Boston. An educated population, and short distances to major areas helps as well.

On the other hand, Minneapolis is frigid and spread out, but there is a huge cycling community. They have a significant "rails to trails" movement to re-purpose unused arteries that run far and wide. Native infrastructure matters.

Boulder has a larger hippy/ hipster/ outdoorsperson population that take to the bike.

So, sitting here pondering it, you get the sense there are many factors at play.

Ride it like you stole it!


Can having a valve too short cause punctures? I recently got two punctures in two weeks on my rear wheel. I use the carrera tdf with the kenda tyres supplied. The inner tubes I used were both quite short at the valve to the point that I could only just pump it up with my hand pump.

I would tighten the lock nut so that the valve was secure but I noticed before doing this that as pressure was released from the tube the valve would sink deeper into the rims. I was worried that this sinking effect due to decreased pressure would cause the inner tube to rip next to the valve if secured with the lock nut.

Can anyone offer an answer?

Short answer: Probably not.

Long answer: While it is technically possible to construct, a scenario, where a tube with a presta valve would get damaged,because the valve is too short/the rim is too deep, in my opinion it is highly unlikely that this is what's causing the problem. The lock nut is great to facilitate pumping your tires, but not needed once the tube is inflated. Like many other road cyclist I know, I don't even install it. I and I have never had an issue because of this.

Generally you should look for tubes with a longer valve if you feel like the one you had was too short. AFAIK know they are available in three lengths. If you are experiencing recurring flats, you should investigate whether it always occurs in the same place and carefully examinate rim(and rim-tape coverage), and the tire.

It's not unusual for the source of the issue(for instance a shard of glass) to be inconspicuously stuck in the tire.


Are any anti-theft GPS trackers dynamo powered? I am considering an anti-theft GPS tracker for my bicycle, but I am worried about battery life.

Are there any that recharge from a hub dynamo?

I use this product:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Spybike-Bike-GPS-Tracker-to-spy-and-pretect-your-bike-with-ease-New-bike-tail-light/32251529357.html
Since this is a tail light, it is less suspicious as a GPS tracker. You can simply charge and remove the USB cable as well.
(One thing to notice since this product is not inexpensive, I epoxied the screw just to be on the safe side :D )

For anyone without a USB 5V DC port from your dynamo hub:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BICYCLE-DYNAMO-USB-REGULATOR-PDA-PHONE-USB-CHARGER-M172-/370935357198?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item565d785f0e

Tigra Sport Bike Charge Power Conterter

or.. just search google for "Hub dynamo USB" if you are not from the UK :D

and for anyone who loves DIY to make your own AC-DC regulator:
https://parttimetinkerer.wordpress.com/2011/11/12/charging-usb-devices-from-a-hub-dynamo/


Can I convert a road frame to a mountain bike? Some years ago, I picked up a Cannondale R3000 and moved all the components to my current bike as an exercise in bike building, never repeated (in fairness, the Cannondale fit me a little better but my beautiful 1998 Klein has such a sweet, sweet paint job...). I've been putting the frame on Craigslist off and on for a few years, but no one seems to want to pay what I'm asking. Regardless, my current MTB is an all-mountain beast that I bought before I knew my riding style, and I'm thinking of picking up a more cross-country steed.

Times being tight and all, is there anything preventing me from building out the Cannondale road frame as a mountain bike? Obvious [potential] answers (e.g., tire clearance) are good, more involved ones (e.g., frame robustness) are too. I'm trying to get a picture of what might lie ahead in this venture.

If you want to use it for "proper mountain biking" (however you define that) the answer is almost certainly no. You won't be able to fit wide enough tyres to give you decent grip, and punctures are likely to be a problem. Additionally, the geometry will be all wrong (if you put straight bars on it you'll probably feel quite cramped without a long stem, which will make the handling wierd). That's without getting into the strength issue - Cannondales have always seemed quite fragile to me (but that's an opinion only, never owned one).

However, if you want something for blasting along relatively smooth forest trails that aren't muddy, fit the widest grippiest tyres you can and give it a whirl. Despite what I said about strength in relation to proper mountain biking, road bikes are surprisingly strong provided the forces are applied to them in the way the bike is designed. A few small bumps are unlikely to break it assuming you're not a large rider, you don't try jumping and you don't crash. It'll be a very different experience from a proper mountain bike, but on the right trails could still be a lot of fun.

Ultimately though for proper cross country mountain biking you do need a mountain bike (or a cyclo cross bike). I'd suggest trying ebay with a reserve price to find out what people are prepared to pay for it. Second hand aluminium road bike frames aren't that desireable any more, even if they did have dura ace on them when purchased, simply because carbon frames are so much cheaper. However, second hand mountain bike frames are also pretty cheap, and a couple of hundred dollars towards one from selling the R3000 frame is infinitely more than nothing if it's just gathering dust.

Hope this helps.


Purpose of fork with single bidon mount and no eyelets? I saw a fork that had a single bidon mount on each blade, midway down, and no eyelets on the dropouts. I don't understand the use of this. I was under the impression that any front rack would need an eyelet for mounting the bottom of the rack. Alternatively, a bottle cage needs a pair of mounts. So what's the function of this? Seems that there must be some other kind of mounting hardware. What is it?

Here's my representative sketch:

The mount is for pannier racks that sit low on your fork. In the absence of this mount I have seen a bracket used, but this is more secure. The rack also mounts using the front axle.


Upgrade to disc brakes I just got an older bike - a Schwinn Paramount Series 7 PGD OS bike.  It has 26" wheels.

What is required to convert to disc brakes? Any suggestions on which kit is best to get?

Are there any problems I might have with the conversion?

The photos I have seen on line indicate this bike lacks a frame mount for the rear brake caliper. The fork also lacks a mount. It will be most likely be cost prohibitive to attempt modifying the frame. You would need road specific disc calipers if you will be using drop bars, a disc wheelset, rotors, and cables as the old ones will likely be too short. If you are unhappy with the stopping ability the money would be better spent on quality brake pads.


cyclist's palsy: how long does it last I recently did a long ride and didn't move my hands enough. The pinky and ring finger on my right hand went numb and the webbing between thumb and index burned and ached.
Two weeks later I still have some of these issues. There is a ton out there about how to prevent ulnar neuropathy. But how long does it typically last?

"Cyclist's Palsy" shouldn't happen at all. Find someone competent to help you fit your bike. My first suggestion is the nose of your saddle it too low causing you to lean forward and put pressure on your hands. Whatever the cause, you need to find it and fix it before you do permanent damage.


Help to Diagnose a Problem with Northrock XC6 Mountain Bike I have been fixing up a Northrock XC6 bicycle.

Symptoms:

Chain clunk when trying to start moving. It feels like the chain is slipping. It only happens under load, I cannot get the same symptom by running the wheel by itself. This makes it impossible to get started. However, the same problem does not occur when at higher speeds.

Background:

I just installed a new derailleur, new chain, and new pedals. I needed a new derailluer because a similar problm happened and bent the old one and broke the chain.

What is wrong with my bike? Thanks!

Cassette sprockets are highly worn and chain is slipping off of sprocket teeth, or (and more likely I think) the freehub freewheel mechanism is slipping, either due to pawls not extending properly or damage to pawls or body.

Sometimes freewheel mechanisms get gummed up with dried out grease which makes the pawls stick. Liberally applying solvent can sometimes unstick them, but I'd look into disassembly and regreasing.


Shimano DA9000 polymer cables It's time to replace my shift cables on my road bike and I'm thinking of spending the extra and investing in Shimano Dura Ace 9000 polymer cables.

Has anyone experience of these? I'd appreciate your thoughts, particularly on whether the shifting is any better over standard cables and if you think they are worth the money.

I run Ultegra 6700 and can't think of any reason why they wouldn't be compatible.

Regarding installation/maintenance:

I understand that when you install them you need to scrape the polymer off the cable where it is clamped down upon by the rear derailleur - Is it simple enough to scrape off without making a dogs' breakfast of it?
They are pre-lubed with silicone grease - in the future will WD-40 suffice to keep things moving smoothly?

Couple of points:-

Firstly, yes they are compatible.
Yes they do shift better of standard cables, this is due to cable drag. Cable drag is basically the friction between the inner and the outer. This friction causes slower and less accurate shifting. The polymer on the inner decreases the coefficient of drag between the inner and outer, this increasing shift performance. Now that seems like a lot of marketing BS, but having used both, I would now always opt for the new polymer cables.
Next to having to scrape the polymer off, this is easy and honestly, just clamping the cable breaks it away. Its pretty fragile stuff.
Next to your point of using WD-40 to keep things running properly, WD-40 acts as a degreaser, this actually strips the silicone grease off, and will dramatically decrease shift performance and cable life. You would be better off not trying to lubricate the cable at all rather than using WD-40. Lubricating the cable with a touch of silicone grease however is well worth it. When I clean or service bikes, I put a touch of silicone grease where the cable exits the outer at all points. This helps two fold, firstly it stops water/dirt getting into your outer, secondly it will work its way into the outer and help keep them lubricated.


What kinds of tools do I need to do bike maintenance, e.g. adding a rack? I just got a new Trek 7.2 for commuting and getting around town. It's a great bike but I want to add some stuff to it like a rack. I am fairly handy and have more or less a full toolkit in my apartment - do I need any special tools to do bike maintenance and also for adding things like a rack? Or will normal screwdrivers & wrenches do the trick?

(added from a comment) At the moment, I hope to mainly fix flats (but hopefully won't get too many of them) and set my bike up for commuting (adding a rack, lights, potentially bike computer).

The mainstay tools are really wrenches and allen keys, certainly these will be all you need for something trivial like fitting a rack.

But the more you get into things, there are a myriad of different tools around, often which can be used for one and only one task. For example if you want to get the cranks off you need a crank puller, of which there are a couple of different types. To change a cassette, you need the right lockring (possibly a half-a-dozen or more of these). A special tool to break a chain (you replace chains relatively regularly, compared to other maintenance). Another too to swap out a bottom bracket, a rig to check how true your wheel is.....

The good news is that you're not (certainly as an individual wanting to maintain your bike) going to want all of these tools at once - they can be collected over time. And if looked after they pretty much last forever.

I don't know whether you'd count these as tools (I would) but I'd say it is definitely worth buying, up front, tyre levers and a pump, so you're able to change a tyre and repair a puncture. These, unfortunately, are the most common tasks you'll need to perform.


Do new hubs need to be adjusted prior to use Do new hubs usually come adjusted, or one needs to adjust them prior to use. I have a new Shimano Claris hub, and it does not seem to be as smooth rolling as my previous Tiagra hub. Should I try to adjust it, or leave it as is?

Most lower end hubs do not come perfectly adjusted from the factory.  A quality LBS will have a step in a bike build process that checks and/or adjusts the hubs accordingly.  It can be hard to adjust a hub that is unbuilt and between that and machine assembly, they are often close, but not as good as they can be.

If you are feeling vibration, I would guess they are too loose and look into adjusting them as soon as possible to prevent damage.


What to look for in a Beginner Unicycle Motivation: I'm a casual cyclist (I ride around 4 miles per day, to school and work and back) but I wanted to get into unicycling to casually cycle through parks and the like; nothing too extreme, but just to be able to take it on a bus and cycle around the town.  I was unsure of what to look for in a beginner's unicycle, though.

Main Question: What types of things should a beginner unicyclist look for in their first unicycle?  Is it worthless to buy a unicycle labeled as a "beginner's unicycle"?

I browsed the other unicycle thread, but it didn't explicitly apply to people just starting to unicycle.

If you are an adult, I would say that you will be more comfortable using a 24 or 26" wheel versus the 20" wheel which is mainly for trick riding.  Especially if you want to commute a bit the larger wheel will come in handy. Once you are comfortable on a 24 or 26" wheel, you may want to graduate to a Coker or big wheel cycle for getting around fast (I can average 12 to 13 mph for over 20 miles) Go to unicycle.com and look under commuters and you will find some really nice cycles.  I used to ride a 42" Tom Miller big wheel from The Unicycle Factory and switched about 10 years ago to a 36" pneumatic tire Coker.  I have made many modifications over they years so that now the only Coker item left is the tire but it's a great cycle.  I hope this helps.


Comparison of flat bar road bikes, cyclocross and hybrids for city and occasional dirt roads I am looking for a new bike with following properties:

comfortable for commute, promenades and fitness in the city and outside with occasional bad roads (dirt roads with some tree roots, bumps) and rough cobblestone
more or less light (I expect to go upstairs with it in hands often)
upright posture preferred if possible

The thing is, I don't want to buy a compromise that tries and fails to be everything -- hybrids are seen this way in some articles I've read.

So I am looking at the three categories I mentioned in the title. Can you give a comparison of the three? What can you advise? Are my criteria too broad?

That is pretty much what a CX is designed for.  They carry nicely as most CX courses have a carry section.  If you are going to be road heavy you can get touring tires like 28 - 35 mm.  For cobble stone go 35 mm.

Check for take 35 mm as some pure race will only to up to 32 mm.

I prefer the drop bars as more positions and can go into the drops for aerodynamics but most riding is on the hoods.

You can often get good prices used as lot of racers upgrade every couple years.  And the bike is typically well maintained.  With 1x coming popular many people are upgrading and 2x is probably better for you. Sponsored riders get a bike free.  Your risk of crashed bike is not that high as hard crashes in CX are just not common.  Crashes are not common.


How to prevent chain looking dirty one ride after cleaning it! I try and clean my chain regularly and particularly when it's wet or dirty.

Despite my chain looking pristine clean once I have finished it often looks black and oily again after just one commute of 18 miles (on dry tarmac).

When cleaning my chain I use muc-off chain cleaner on the chain and the rest of the drive train and then I use chain cleaner in one of these gadgets to get right into the chain links.

Once that is all done I rinse the chain with a garden hose and I usually let it sit in the garage for an hour or so before I then oil the chain.

I wipe excess oil off the chain with a rag when I am done.

I think that possibly I am not removing the de-greaser properly or not letting the chain dry properly before applying the oil...

Any advice much appreciated, I love it when my chain is nice and sparkly but when it gets black and oily again straight away it's pretty annoying!

Thanks

Wiping off excess oil with a rag is good, but there will still be extra oil hidden inside the links in-between the roller and bushings.  This is what comes to the surface once you start riding. You can try spinning the drive train a bit (to bring this oil up) before wiping down a second time. Typically, you will need to wipe the chain off again even after a short ride.  Personally, I prefer a thicker oil, so that after second or third wipe to get the chain really clean I don't touch it again for a couple hundred km. A lighter oil needs to be applied sooner, meaning less time running clean.

Also, when you spray with water it typically takes longer than an hour to dry the water inside the links.  As such, when you are adding oil it may not penetrate as well due to water being in the system.  This could further contribute to the dirty mess you are seeing. Using solvents on the chain too early also removes the factory lube (typically a type of wax), which reduces chain longevity. In terms or real world use I measured a 30% reduction in chain life if you strip the factory lube out early. As the chain gets older, less factory lube remains and cleaning with a solvent becomes a non-issue.


Stuck pedal, I've tried everything I'm looking for suggestions, when basically everything has failed to remove a pedal. It's a pretty new bike (Trek 520). The drive side pedal came off fine, the non-drive side did not. I am aware that it has left-hand threads.
I initially used a 15mm pedal wrench, and tried with an allen key on the other side as well. Now, the flats on the bolt are completely stripped.

I used a metal file, to file new flats onto it. Then, I placed it on its side, and put a little WD40 into the bolt, so it could soak for about 30 minutes.

Then, I used a butane torch on the spindle, where it screws in.

After all this, I put an adjustable clamping wrench to it. The bike is upside down.

It stripped the teeth on the clamping wrench, without budging.

This is absurd. The only thing I haven't tried is a bolt extractor. After all of this, I don't have much faith in it.
It seems like I'm going to have to replace the entire crank. The one that comes with it is:
Shimano Alivio T4060, 48/36/26, 2-piece w/chain guard, 175mm length
However, due to high demand, and limited resources from the pandemic, this has been sold out everywhere for some time. :/
Edit: Update. First of all, thank you, the responses here have been awesome, this is a terrific community.
I didn't have access to a vice, so I ended up taking the bike to my LBS. We removed the crank arm, stripped the pedal down to the spindle, and put it into a vice there. Flash forward to three of us working it, two pushing off the wall, and using a foot to torque the arm, while another alternates a blowtorch, and spraying it down with penetrating oil to the point of slightly deforming the arm. Whatever black magic is holding this thing, it will not let go.
The Alivio crankset isn't set to be back in warehouses until June, so we ordered a 175mm, left Sora arm for $30.

I think your pedal is a lost cause.  Even if you did get it off in the current condition, reinstalling and later removal will make later-you hate current-you.
I would disassemble the pedal from the outside - remove the axle cap, locknut, cone, and bearings, then slide the pedal cage outboard.  You may have a second set of bearings inboard, or a bushing.  The bearings are probably separate, but might be caged.  These are all "spare parts" now.
Now you should have a bare metal shaft poking out the side of your bike crankarm.  It will be hardened metal, and probably chromed and oily.   I would use a grinder or a file to create two flat(ish) spots on either side of the widest part of your axle.  Don't need to be perfect, need to provide a place for grip.
Then I would use either a pair of stilsons (aka a pipe wrench or monkey wrench) or I'd put the bike horizontally with that axle pointing down into a secured bench vise.  At that point you should be able to use excessive leverage to back out the axle.
Think three times about which way you need to turn the axle.  It should be left-hand thread but that flips if you're working from the back-side.  Its easy to be tightening when you want to be loosening.

Once its out, examine both the internal and external threads.  Identify why it was so wedged, and whether there is damage inside the crank.  If you have a 9/16" 20tpi left hand tap then chasing the thread gently would be a good idea.  If the thread is munched, then consider options.
Finally, go shopping for new pedals.  Whether you want to stay with flats or go to clipless/cleats etc.
When you do install replacement pedals, use something as an assembly lubricant.  Grease at a minimum and is better than nothing.


Replacing rear derailleur on Murray 15 speed - Looking for parts I have an old Murray Ultra Terrain mountain bike; it's 15 speed and I had trouble re-mounting the rear derailleur to the frame. It's broken now so I'm looking for a replacement but I'm unsure of what would fit. Here's a photo of the other (non-drive side) of the frame.

From what I understand, the number of gears on the rear cassette, denote the type of derailleur replacement--in my case, 5. Is this correct?

Where can I purchase the best replacement derailleur for this bike? I prefer to order off Amazon but will look at other options.

Here's a photo of the derailleur:

I lost the original mounting screw and had to use just whatever fit...

Likely your Murray uses something like a Falcon 5-speed unit:

Here's an image of the derailer properly mounted:


Difficulty & Value of replacing suspension forks w disk brakes (for Touring) I need to replace my front suspension forks with hard forks (no suspension). My bike has disk brakes, a dynamo (that seems to attach to the wheel hub), and mud flaps. Are these sorts of things easily added to any non-suspension fork or do I need to find something specifically designed for these needs? If so, what should I look for?

The wheel should attach to the new fork with the current hub.

You just need to match the tube diameter and height.

You need to match the height for a bike designed for shock.  Like look at a Salsa Vaya compared to Fargo.  The Fargo comes with solid but can take a suspension.

You did not post the size of the wheel or fork but this is an example of fixed fork that replaces a suspension. OrgeFork

You need to match brakes.  Often they will support more than 1 brake type.  That Orge supports disc I think - most 29" most do.

And checked used.  Most people go the other direction (solid to shock).

You also posted a question on mounting a rack. Look for fork with mounts for fender and rack.  Why did you decide to not put a rack on the suspension?

As for if you are on a budget should you go ahead and put a rack on shock?
I would say yes use the shock and put the money into a nicer rack and/or nicer bags.
A decent set of bags is $100.
Put your lighter stuff up front.
A mountain bike with shocks for a road touring is not ideal but that is where you are.
As for a point of failure I would not worry about that unless you have an indication you shocks are failing.
If you can find a used solid fork with rack mount for $40 and can install it yourself then I would do it.  There is a Salsa Fargo fork on ebay right now that multiple attachment points.  If it fits your bike it would be nice.  I don't know how much of a budget you are on.


Tread wear on kids bike My girls have the exact same Nishiki mountain bikes. The purple one is actually a year newer but has significantly worse tread wear. Any idea why?

Kid bike tyres tend to be on the cheaper-end of materials and wear quite fast.  Most kids bikes end up where the rider out-grows the bike, so a long-life tyre is less important.  I suspect the newer purple bike has slightly lower-grade rubber in the tyre than the older bike.
A child's bike would likely does less than a hundred miles in its entire life.
Riding on a low pressure can also accelerate wear on the tread.
Another cause for rear tyres to wear is when the rider is a little hoon and does M4D SK1DZ which wear flat spots.  Do that enough and the tyre simply wears down in the middle.
However, I can still see tread blocks on both tyres - there's a complete carcass to wear through before that tyre needs replacing.   Also, the more-worn tread will be smoother and more comfortable for the child to ride due to its lack of knobs.  And it'll be faster/less effort required.
I see no need to replace that tyre, unless its getting a lot of punctures, or its cracking/crumbling.


Banged frame: Is it still safe to use? My girlfriend's bicycle was vandalized by a neighbour. It seems like they banged it with a hammer or something right in the middle of the frame. Is this still safe to use?

Unfortunately I think that level of damage with a big dent and buckled top tube will make the bike dangerous to ride. There's a chance that when a big bump  or pothole is hit the top tube will fold and dump the rider face first into the road.

Additionally, the head tube probably is not aligned with the seat tube anymore, which means the wheels are misaligned which will negatively affect steering.


Climbing or aero bike for a light rider? What is the better choice for a lightweight rider (173cm - 48 kg), lightweight climbing bike to get even bigger edge when climbing, or an aero bike to catch up the speed in the flat road?

Obviously I will 'need' to have both bikes in the end.

Generally, being light weight you probably have more of a deficit on the flats, which would point to an aero bike. That is your frontal area per watt per kg will be higher than a larger rider who is heavier, can turn out more watts and has a bigger frontal area but also has a  a relatively lower frontal area per watt per kg.  As such, an aero bike would addresses your main deficit, would likely provide a bigger overall gain.  Delving further into the details we can again see that an aero bike will likely provide the biggest gain in most situations.

GCN (who's test riders were former pros - i.e., spindly and light weight) tested a  scenario very similar to what you are asking. They compared a "climbing" to an "aero" bike over a time trial with a mix of climbing and flats.  They found an edge to the aero bike by about ~1.5%.

  Caveat: The results of course lack replication and are subject to confounding variables (e.g., potential weather differences, psychological effects due to the study not being double blind). The effect size may also depend on the brand of bike as not all "aero" bikes are equally aero.

One thing that was not tested in the video was simply putting on a set of deep section wheels on the climbing bike to see how much of the difference was simply wheels.  There are plenty of videos showing there are sizable gains to be had, for example GCN playing with Zipp 808s (embedded below). This again points towards aerodymanic gains being potentially more important.

A nice feature of the test is that it nicely illustrates the impact reducing your workload (e.g., drag ) can have on human threshold performance.  With the more aerodynamic wheels Simon could maintain the same pace (i.e., speed) as non-aero wheels, but a lower total power output. The lower power output meant he could complete the workload (i.e., fixed velocity of 41.12 kph) for a longer period.

Humans are lousy machines.  Our ability to do a maximal work decreases over time (e.g., maximal power for 50 minutes is less than maximal work possible over 20 minutes). Our ability to do maximal effort falls off exponentially relative to duration. Below is a figure that illustrates this concept (Figure 1). The theoretical maximal power (i.e., maximal performance) is expected to drop with extended duration. The critical power (CP) is the maximal power that can be produced indefinitely and is much lower than what can be done over a shorter time interval.

Figure 1. Theoretical maximal power output by length of time the power can be sustained.  From Golden Cheetah.

This gets us the crux of why an aero bike will likely lead to bigger gains. Any time you can reduce the workload (e.g., decreased drag) you can increase the amount of time you can sustain a given speed. At threshold, an increase your workload (e.g., increased drag) shortens the duration over which you can functionally complete that workload (i.e., shorter period you can maintain a given speed).  Because races are at threshold, this has important consequences.

Now the question remains, which is a bigger workload, fighting aerodynamic drag or the extra work required to pull more weight up a given grade.  I would argue that drag will often be the biggest component. As you can see as soon as you start to go faster (i.e., racing time trials) aerodynamics becomes a larger component of your total workload if we ignore gradients (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Proportion of total power used to overcome rolling resistance and aerodynamic drag over a range of speeds. From R. Chung: At what speed does Aerodynamics of a bike come into play?

Next we need to assess the gains of a lighter bike on a climb. If we compare the difference in weight between a climbing bike and an aero bike, the differences is relatively small compared to your total weight. Probably at most the weight of a water bottle (lets argue a 1 kg difference). Using Bike Calculator, assuming you are  light (i.e., 60 kg) a 1 kg difference in the bike weights would require a sustained grade over 10 degrees to see a difference close to 1.5%  in velocity (see Figure 3). This means you need long, steep, sustained gradients to generate the performance difference observed in the first GCN video. Few if any time trials are structured like this, which implies a climbing bike is actually a highly, highly specialized tool.  You can verify this in the field by doing test time trial with and without a water bottle to estimate the effect this weight has on your realized performance.

Figure 3. Difference in speed between a climbing and aero bike for a 60 kg rider and a bicycle weight difference of 1 kg. Bike Calculator was used for the calculations.

Finally, I believe psychology also plays a huge role.  If a bike feels better to ride you will often perform better on it because of psychological like effects.  In fact there is more and more emerging evidence that perception plays a huge role in realized fatigue and therefore performance in endurance sports (see Fatigue Induced by Physical and Mental Exertion Increases Perception of Effort and Impairs Subsequent Endurance Performance).  If the bike doesn't "feel" good, you have to concentrate more and this can negatively impact performance. This could go either way in terms of aero vs climbing bike.


Handlebar positioning and posture on Giant bikes I currently own a Giant Cypress.

I am looking at buying a new bike. I tried someone's Giant Roam. Although the seat height was a bit low for me, I felt like I was falling forward on the bike, whereas on the cypress I feel a bit more upright, which I prefer.

Is this just the design of the Roam? the info sheet says "Giant Connect, Low Rise" handlebars

So also looking at the Giant Cross City, wondered if that would be a bit more upright.

If the lowness of the handle bars something that can be adjusted? Or can I achieve a bit more upright positioning by getting a larger frame and setting the seat height on the low side?

Any advise would be appreciated.

The Cypress is a comfort oriented bike that has a deliberate high handlebar position and upright riding posture. Almost all other bicycle types will have a much lower handlebar position.

If you look at the Cypress on the Giant website, you can see the bars are above the level of the seat. On the Roam and Cross City they are about level. General handlebar height is built into the geometry of the frame, but the angle and length of the handlebar stem also affects it. Notice that the Cypress has a stem that raises the bar height considerably.

Handlebar height can be adjusted on most bikes, but only by a a few centimeters. It is possible to raise the bars more by swapping the stem for a 'riser' stem as seen on the Cypress.

The best approach is to visit local bike shops, test ride some bikes and find one that you are happy with. It's always best to buy the bike you actually want in the first place rather than trying to modify one after buying it.

A good bike shop will help you find the bike you want, and would probably be willing to swap the stem on a bike for a riser (if they have one in stock) for a test ride.


Tool for Cannonade Carbon Si Crankset Used a 3/8" hex key to remove the crank but the outer bolt needs to be tightened separately. Perhaps it's possible to tighten it with the crank off or do I need a special pin type tool. Its a ~2008 Cannondale Synapse Carbon. Hollow shaft running to the opposite crank arm.

You may be able to use a two-pin adjustable BB tool. That search pulls up a lot of images of the tool I'm thinking of, and they're available right down to $5 or so

(from my comment since we haven't got a better answer)


Is it possible to fit a 36 hole rim to a 32 hole hub? I recently had my rear wheel replaced because the old one was bent. Everything about the new wheel was correct except that the shopkeeper ordered a 36 hole rim instead of 32 one. Due to this he told me he had to fit a new hub as well. The problem is my bicycle came with high quality hubs and the one he replaced it with cost ~$3. My rear wheel is wobbling now and I suspect it's the generic hub. Buying a new hub will cost me twice the price of the wheel. Can I just reuse the old one with the new wheel

Theoretically? Yes. Practically? No.

the shopkeeper ordered a 36 hole rim instead of 32 one.

In most of the world this is his problem. You ordered new rim that will it your hub from him, so that's what you should get. Go to him, tell him you want what you ordered, that is a rim on your hub, or you want your money back and go to another repair shop  to make your wheel. If he opposes, then it is a question for sister site, Law Stack Exchange. But if you are in the European Union shopkeeper is on a losing position. I believe that's the case for most of the western world.


What factors determine stem length ? Recently I went to a local bike shop to get a bike fitting advice. After taking body measurements, I was given a frame size recommendation. According to that, seat tube size, top tube size and stem length are 500mm, 520mm and 45mm respectively. Since the stem length of 45mm is unrealistic, I was suggested a bike that have 500mm top tube and 65mm stem length so that the total length remains the same. My question is

(1)What factors determine stem length ?

(2)Can shorter top tube compensate longer stem length without any harm ?

Bicycle size is determined first by frame size, which is top tube length, seat tube length, and some more minor geometries like head tube and seat tube angle.  The primary determining factor for comfort on the bike is your reach measurement.

Although it is affected by various factors, like skeletal flexibility and the type of riding you do, ideal reach is generally considered to be the distance from your seating position, (where you actually rest on the saddle), to your hand position, (where your hands fall when placed in a neutral position on the bar), while your back and arms are relaxed and at roughly equal positions approximately 45 degrees each. Balance is what you are looking for here.

The stem length is a portion of the reach measurement.  That is, reach = saddle setback + top tube length + stem length + bar length.

Any of these factors can be altered to some degree to produce a correct reach measurement.  But there are other factors which affect this as well.  If your stem is too short, your steering will be too quick to react, as small movements of you body and hands will move your wheel too far, too fast.  This will make the bike difficult to control.  If you go the other way, with too long a stem, then your bike will handle sluggishly, and you might not be able to react quickly enough to an obstacle in the road.

Based on the measurements that you were given, I would expect that you are approximately 5 foot tall to 5 foot 2 inches.  I think that the shop is likely offering to adapt a bike in their stock to your size, rather than getting you the correct size.  If I am correct about your approximate height, you should be looking for a 47 or 48cm frame which will have between a 65 and 80mm stem on it.  If I am not correct, post your height and riding style, and we can give you more general advice on the correct size.  Best though is to find a shop which specializes in bike fitting, and get a second opinion. I am good at bike fit, but is difficult to accomplish well without having you in my studio.


What is the difference between Spray lubricants and non-spray lubricants? Some images about lubrication to which I am referring to here and image about parafin usage here.

Spray lubricant (like green bottle 450ml TF2) can be awkward to carry, not the case with  black tiny bottle TF2 or more here. If I can understand right, they may have different usage because of different penetration (speculation). Then, there is also non-spray lubricant called hot wax ala paraffin, instructions. And certainly innovative people have invented even more merry products. Which products do I really need to to keep my chains in good condition? The cheaper, the better. The products are not genuine substitutes due to their size, forgive me, and if I have interpreted right, you may need to heat parafin or I am just misinterpreting the picture.

When do you use spray lubricant and non-spray lubricants?
Which lubrication is the cheapest? What about the best with infinite time?
Is some of the lubricant bulk product so you could get it cheap perhaps parafin?

You want a lubricant that isnt sticky. If it is sticky, dust will collect on your chain and form the gunk you are used to. This means: no oil.

In my experience, spray lubricants can be more runny than bottled, because they can be formulated to evaporate the solvents more efficiently. It seems this is because the bottle seals arent that tight and the lubricant would dry out in the bottle. This leads to the chain feeling more dry when sprayed. I spray every few hundred miles.

Some spray lubricants are available in smaller, 150ml spray cans.

The 450ml spray bottles last for years. I ride a recumbent with a long chain, and after two years the 450ml bottle is still half full.

No experience with the paraffin thing. Unchaining a recumbent is no fun.

I used to use bottled teflon based lubes, but by now I am fixed on sprayed, because it isnt as sticky, and seems to last longer. Just cheap lubes may not pay, depending on the price of the chain etc.


Are curved aluminum forks safe? This is an entry-level road bike made by "Upland", a Chinese company.

That fork is aluminum. You usually only see steel (and sometimes carbon) forks curved like that.

The only reason you would have a curved fork is so that it can absorb shock from the road... but doesn't aluminum fatigue when flexed like that?

I'm contemplating getting this bike, because it's cheaper than a trek 1.1 (for example), while having better components.

The fork is a concern. I don't mind having a stiff ride (which you generally get from AL forks), but I don't want to take any chance of it snapping due to excessive work-hardening.

Any opinions?

It depends on how the fork is engineered for safety. While its plausible that the curved shape does add to some shock absorption, that is determined by the width and construction of the fork tubing. You could design a fork which was reliable and curved in aluminum or carbon or whatever, but the engineering wouldn't be the same as a steel fork. Whether the fork on that bike has been designed appropriately or not, is a different matter than if its possible.

You usually see it only on steel now, but older aluminum bikes have had that style (even mountain bikes), especially from Cannondale:

Jamis's Quest Comp Femme (and other bikes in the Quest line) currently uses that style too, for a carbon composite fork:

That being said, poor quality (and dangerous) aluminum forks have been made (the Viscount Aerospace pointed out by Brian Drummond in the comments is one example).

As for whether or not to get the bike, its sounds like you're not all that confident in their engineering, and to me that would be a definite no on buying the bike. I'd rather spend a few more dollars on a bike than on a broken face. If the Trek 1.1 is out of your price range, either find something used and nice or look at other manufacturers you can trust (if you go to brands which are well reputed, but not Trek/Giant/Specialized, you can likely save a decent bit).


Does removing spacers require a refit? As I get more and more used to my bike's aggressive geometry, I'd like to slowly remove the spacers. I have two right now and my LBS who did the fitting said you can remove them as you get more used to riding aggressively.

If I were to remove these spacers in the future, do you need to readjust any other parts of the bike to maintain a 'good fit'? Or will compensating elsewhere simply negate the effect the removed spacer will have (in terms of getting more aggressive/aero)?

Can I simply remove a spacer and be done with it? Or should I get a refit while removing a spacer?

No need for a refit, but I would have the bike shop do the work if they'll do it for free.  Normally the washer is just moved from under the stem to the top so no cutting of the fork steerer tube is required.


How can one estimate the length of a commute? How can a cyclist, new to commuting by bike and not all that experienced in riding, estimate how long a commute will take?

Answers will of course vary, and actually riding the commute will tell the tale. But are there any general guidelines to use to get an estimate? What factors will affect this? (Fitness, traffic, etc.)

Unfortunately, there is single answer to this question. In my experience, every route is unique, and will have variables that increase or decrease the transit time for a particular commute.

Traffic, seasonal weather, time of day for the commute, rider's fitness, and bicycle condition will all play a role in determining the time for a given route.

If you are regular cyclist, and have an idea what your average speed is on a fitness ride, using that as a basis to gauge how long a route will take is a good start.

When I ride a route for the first time, I gauge the time by average speed, and then if there is a deadline for me to be at the destination (i.e. I have to be there and ready for work at 9 a.m.) I take my fitness time, and double it.  That ensures that I have enough time to arrive, even with problems I don't foresee.  Then I add 15-20 minutes, to allow myself time to clean up and be presentable for work.

The next step is to ride the route.  If you are especially cautious, then informing your coworkers/employer that you are trying a new route to work and might be late, if you have unforeseen issues, is not a bad idea. Doing a test ride when you don't have a critical deadline, meeting, or even doing it the first time on your day off, is even better.

You will get used to traffic patterns, weather issues, and normal delays.  Even once you are certain of the normal time a route will take, it is a good idea to allow a bit of leeway for a flat tire, or an unforeseen circumstance.

I know that the answer you want is something along the line of x kilometers or miles will take y minutes, but that is not possible to gauge for you.  What we can offer, is ways to learn the time for your route, without causing damage to your life or your job.

I hope that is helpful.


Is there a difference between mountain and road stems? I see them advertised as being good for one or the other. Is there really a difference? Or is it just a marketing gimmick?

The biggest difference is strength. There are some road stems that will say they are not recommended for downhill/freeride type riding, but are ok for cyclocross. Road stems will also come in a larger range of angles.

Just be sure that when you are looking at stems, you match the clamp of the stem to your steerer tube (1" or 1 1/4" usually) and to the diameter of the bars that you are using.


How do I fix my rear axle? Bike was working fine. I was stopped at a stop sign, when I went to pedal it jerked and felt like my chain popped off, but it had not. Pedaling does nothing. The back wheel still rolls if I push it. It’s not locked up and the pedals and sprockets spin but rough now, and it makes a clanking noise. sounds like its coming from inside the axle - I can still use the brakes though. it’s a single speed beach cruiser with coaster brakes.

Most likely the freewheel mechanism in the hub has broken.

Unless you have the knowledge and tools to disassemble the hub you’ll
have to take the bike to a local bike store or mechanic.

If fixing the freewheel is not possible replacement of the whole rear wheel is likely the solution as replacing a hub requires rebuilding the wheel which has a substantial cost.


Switch to narrower rims on a hybrid? Following up on my original wheel issues question, I went to see my local cycling store to tell them about my problem.

I want to change rims and would like to have them support tires from 23 to 28mm. My frame is a hybrid one, perhaps a bit on the MTB-side, so I originally have a 17mm wide rim (supporting 25-38mm tires).

I did not have a lot of time but the guy said there were no rims to fit my needs and that at best I would be able to comfortably run on were 25mm tires...

Was there some kind of misunderstanding between us or was he making a valid point?

I would think that concerning the rim there must have been a misunderstanding. You should be able to run a narrower rim, and simply adjust the brakes, unless there is a reach issue with the brakes.

It's possible that the hubs on your wheels are MTB style, which have a different width than road hubs. You would still have the option of buying new rims and having them laced to your existing hubs if you are serious about running narrower tires.

That said - as a long time recreational rider/commuter - I don't see much benefit from running any tires narrower than 28-25 unless you are planning on racing (which isn't really a target use for your bike).


What are the parts needed to build your own fixie? I've always wanted to build my own bike and I figured that a fixie has the least number of parts.

Please post one part per answer. Please explain what I should be looking for in the part. Also please recommend a make/model and give approximate cost.

I know you asked for a single part answers but since the parts work together and one choice influences another, I don't really see how that can be accomplished in a useful manner. So I'm going to outline it all.

I'll start with the items that you need for any build.

Frame and fork. Preferably one with horizontal dropouts - more on that later.
Headset to attach the frame and fork.
Stem - note: the fork, stem, and the headset work together. They can be threaded or threadless. They must match.
Handlebars
Seatpost. The seatpost must fit snugly in the seat tube.
Seatpost clamp (Maybe. This is built into some frames.)
Seat
Front wheel. No specific requirements other than it fit into your fork without the tire rubbing. If you're using a front brake (and you should), you'll want the size for which the fork was intended. There are ways to make the brakes work on a wrong-sized wheel, but it's more hassle than it's worth.
Crankset
Bottom bracket. The crankset and bottom bracket must be the compatible with one another. The bottom bracket also be the same size and have the same thread type as the bottom bracket shell on your frame.
Pedals. As others have mentioned, you want your feet attached to the pedals. Whether you use toe clips or clipless is totally up to your personal preference.
Chain
Tires
Rear Wheel. This is where we start to get fixie specific. The rear wheel must have a hub that is designed to accommodate a fixed gear cog and a lock ring.
Fixed gear cog
Lock ring.

You need to make sure of two things: your chain line must be ramrod straight and you must have some way of making sure that there's tension on the chain.

Let's talk about tensioning the chain first. There are three basic ways to tension a chain on a fixie. You can use an eccentric hub, an eccentric bottom bracket, or horizontal dropouts. Horizontal dropouts are by far the cheapest, easiest and most common. An eccentric bottom bracket requires a frame that is designed for one and thus, is less common and more expensive. An eccentric hub works just fine if you have to use a frame with vertical dropouts, but it's easy enough (and significantly cheaper) to find an older frame with horizontal semi-horizontal dropouts.

Now, for making sure that chainline is stright. The only way I know of to do it is trial and error. Build the bike up, and then sight along the chainline. You'll be able to see whether or not it's straight much the same way you can sight along a pool cue and see a curve in it. If it's not, you can sometimes move the front chain ring from the inside to the outside of the spider. Spacers on the rear hub may get you somewhere too, but you can't go too far with those. If none of that works, you'll have to try a bottom bracket with a different spindle length.

Optionally: a front brake is highly recommended. In some places, at least one brake is required by law. If you have rear facing dropouts, a bmx style chain tensioner is really nice to have.


Tightening the bolts on training wheels for a child's Schwin bike My child is learning to ride his first bike and I have attached the training wheels to help him learn to balance.  I have adjusted them to be slightly off the ground so he can get used to the feeling of balancing.  My issue:  The wheels simply won't stay in place for longer than a single ride.  I notice that as my son rides and the wheels take his weight they slide up and then he risks falling on that side..

Beyond the risk of over tightening the bolts using an electric tool is there any other method of ensuring the wheels do not slip?

Simple answer - do the bolts up tighter.

Bolts for training wheels are pretty hefty, it's hard to over tighten them with a hand wrench.

If you don't have a suitably long wrench that will allow you to get the torque you need, you can extend the wrench handle with a length of metal pipe. Avoid using an adjustable wrench as these can round the bolt heads off. Not everyone has a length of pipe laying around of course. Any good bike shop will tighten the bolts for free or a nominally low charge.


Pedal kickback on an mtb, what is it? I have been hearing a bit about pedal kickback recently, but I do not quite understand whAt it is.

What is pedal kickback and how can I use it to my advantage (if that's possible).

Thanks.

On a full-suspension bike, the rear chain- and seat-stays are attached using pivot points. However, what attaches to the dropouts on the chainstay? The wheels. The chain's route is constantly changing as the suspension travel changes. If the suspension is fully compressed, the distance from the wheel to the pedal decreases. If the suspension is fully de-compressed, the distance increases. This essentially changes the amount of chain links between each side. If the increase is sudden, which the back wheel moving at a constant rate, it'll either increase the free-hub/wheel speed or will 'kick' the pedals back. It's an un-nerving feeling, but it essentially means that you're, in a sense, pedaling without actually pedaling as your force downwards is kind of amplified as though your gearing has temporarily changed. However, when the frame pivots re-extend, they usually over-extend before settling, undoing all that awesome work that the pedal-kickback has just done for you.

This is a painfully hard topic to explain in words, and is usually only suitable to be taught using illustrations and videos, so here's a photo I've found from the internet:

This image is from: "https://polebicycles.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Pedal-Kickback.jpg"

It's a bit math-y, but hopefully it'll help you understand how it works in a sense.