Tire pressure with latex tubes: higher, lower, the same? I have just mounted a set of latex tubes to try it out - inside a set of s-work turbo cotton 26 mm on a regular roady.

You notice the difference immediately. The feel is just very different. In front of my first longer ride tomorrow, I would like to get opinions on the air pressure. From what I can glean in this and other forums, there seems to be some confusion or different opinions in regards to pressure in comparison with butyl tubes:

higher: you can run latex tubes at a higher pressure since the comfort is better. +100psi.
the same: it all depends on your weight and preferences.
lower: in order to get the most out of the flexibility in the latex ironing out a rough surface, run it at a lower psi.

I would love to get some opinions on this. Perhaps some trustworthy sites with recommendations for tire pressure.

I don't think your pressure should change based on tube material.

Raising pressure just means that you're subtracting out whatever benefit you're getting from latex.
Lowering pressure doesn't make sense because latex tubes are just as susceptible to pinch-flats as butyl tubes.

There are different schools of thought on what the "right" pressure is, regardless of tube material:

Use the highest pressure the tire is rated for, to maximize performance. I think this has been thoroughly debunked.
Use a pressure that gives you a certain "drop" (vertical deformation). The figure I've seen is 15% drop, which I think was first proposed by Frank Berto. This was thought to be a decent compromise between performance and comfort.
Use the lowest pressure that will avoid a pinch-flat, to maximize comfort.


What are the accepted hand signals for cyclists in the UK? see also "What are the accepted hand signals for cyclists in the US?"

From a UK government website I found the following document (linked from a page about the Highway Code for cyclists).

Signals to other road users (scroll to the bottom for cyclist information)

Essentially there are three signals for cyclists:

Left arm out - "I intend to move in to the left or turn left"
Right arm out - "I intend to move out to the right or turn right"
(Right) arm up and down - "I intend to slow down or stop" (very rarely if ever used...)

In reality you will find only the left and right signalling used by UK cyclists - any other gestures would not be understood by enough other road users to make them worthwhile.


Can you be ticketed for breaking the speed limit on a bike? Given that bikes aren't required to have a speed indicator, can you be arrested or ticketed for breaking the speed limit on a bike?

In the US, ignorance of the law, statute or conditions is generally not an allowable defense for violating the law.  If the speedometer in your car is broken, you can certainly still get a speeding ticket.  In almost all US jurisdictions bicycles are vehicles and subject to all the same laws as cars.

That's the long answer; the short answer is YES.


Where should I prefer and avoid cartridge bearings in a bicycle? All bicycle bearings, hubs, bottom bracket and headsets used to be cup and cone
bearings. However, recently there has been a trend to replace these with
cartridge bearings in new parts.
Is this a good path?
What benefits and drawbacks do cartridge bearings have? Where should they be
preferred and where should they be avoided in a bicycle?

I'll keep this answer short and simple.
Cartridge bearings from reputable manufacturers such as NTN, NSK and FAG will outlast their loose ball bearing counterparts assuming no maintenance is done.
90% of the issue arises when people do not use cartridge bearings from reputable manufacturers. As such, the argument that cartridge bearings are "unreliable" compared to their loose ball counterparts arises.


I'm a bit confused on bike shoe terminology. Particularly regarding Look KEO Plus Pedals - what is required to use them? I'm a bit confused on terminology.

Clipless pedals are the clip-in style pedals. Correct?
Then the cleat are the shoes you wear? Or are cleats just bottom attachments for any cycling shoe?

A used cycle I'm looking at getting has Look KEO Plus Pedals on it which says it comes with Cleats. The shoes the guy had didn't fit though. I'm not fully understanding if any bicycle shoe will fit the Look KEO Plus Pedal or if I need a particular cleat and/or shoe for it?

Terminology index - a list of bike part names and cycling concepts has a mention of Look Pedals but doesn't really go into any detail that would answer my question.

Cleats are the bottom attachment to shoes. Most road shoes use a 3 hole attachment, which is a standard size. Most pedal manufacturers have their own cleat style, but all 3-hole cleats use the same spacing as far as I know.

Your pedals may come with suitable cleats if you're buying them new, if not make sure you buy 'look keo' compatible cleats. There is another (old) style of look cleat that is incompatible. So long as it says keo you will be fine though.


Handlebars for an upright seated position After injuring my neck, shoulder and arm on a fall from my bike I need the type of handlebar that you see more commonly on a cruiser bike.  ie that is one that gives you anupright sitting position.  My bikes are a Merida 100d and a Specialized Ariel.  Does anyone know of a handlebar the can fit these bikes.
Erin

You can likely find bars the will fit, but keep in mind that you still want the bike to function which means moving over your shifters and brake levers. While you could probably do this as a DIY project, I'd really recommend going to a bike shop and at least getting some advice first.

The can help you select a bar that is the right diameter to fit with your current stem and talk you through issues like re-cabling (longer bars probably mean longer cables) and where/how to mount shifters and brake levers. You might end up wanting to change brake levers to a different type depending on bars.

Don't forget the you still need to be able to get on and handle the bike. You will be doing some strange things with the center of rotation for the bars. At low speed (...i.e. the speed cruiser bikes that normally have these bars), this is probably not an issue. But you get up to high speed on a decent and you might find yourself in trouble. Start slow and see how it handles.

Happy riding.


Help figuring out make/model/year of this bike? I am trying to figure out more info about this bike. It was painted by a precious owner, not the person selling it. I have not seen the bike in person, nor do I know much about bikes, but it looks like it has friction shifters? So based on this I guess that means 80's or earlier?

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

Given the bottom bracket type, the thin pressed dropouts and the type of seatbinding bolt used, this was not originally a particularly special bike.

It looks like a well-done refurbishment. Look after it, enjoy it, but if it gets bent or stolen, don't worry too much about saving it or restoring it again.


Chain really noisy near front derailleur on low gears but doesn't appear to be rubbing. In the four lowest gears (i.e the 28 cog end) when in both the big and small ring, loud noises can be heard coming from what appears to be near the front derailleur. I've uploaded a video of the noise here:

If I shift up from the 4th smallest gear then the noise goes away. I've checked to make show the chain isn't rubbing on the derailleur cage, and it doesn't look like it is. I've attached a picture of what it looks like when in the small ring and the 3rd lowest gear in the back. I even tried to set the low limit of the front derailleur so the cage moves in further towards the bike to see if it was in fact the cage, but that didn't seem to make the noise go away either.

is there something I'm doing wrong here?

Ascertain that the chain is not visibly touching the front derailleur.

Check that your rear cassette is fitted correctly; lock-ring is tight and the correct spacers used between sprockets.

Are you using a matching chain, chain rings and rear derailleur? i.e. are they  all 'n' speed; i.e. do not mix and match a 9 speed chain with a 11 speed cassette or derailleur.

Is your rear derailleur vertically aligned correctly, not subject to crash damage.

Assuming you're on Shimano, is the b adjustment screw of your rear shimano derailleur correct such that the rear derailleur does not touch the cassette?

Is you rear derailleur compatible with the large sprockets you have on your cassette?  e.g. a short arm rear derailleur may only support up to 25 tooth sprockets.

Do you have the correct length of chain to support the gear range you have.


Is it safe to re-use old spokes when re-lacing? Due to hub replacement, I'm rebuilding a wheel. Are spokes used for a 32h tri-cross laced rear disc hub re-usable for a second building or is it worth the extra $20-30 for new ones?

Generally yes. As Daniel points out, spokes wear and if you have a good number of miles on the wheels it's a good idea to replace if you have to rebuild.

A 3x build like you mention will have wear at the crossings as well as at the hub flange and at the rim. If you reuse you will be adjusting these wear points slightly, but only by a very small fraction and I would guess that the end result would be a higher chance of spoke failure.

Also, unless you are replacing with an identical hub, the dimensions will likely be different and will probably require a different length spoke.

Happy Riding.


Do I need to change my tyres for a week of riding around Loch Lomond I have a comfortable Viking bike with its original tyres. I off for a week around Loch Lomond and plan to cycle on the various tracks around the area... http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/things-to-do/cycling/cycling-routes/

Would these 700 x 38c tyres be suitable for the terrain in this area or should I get better tyres. If so which tyres would be best.

Light rides on cycle routes?  I think you're OK....just bring a spare tube and repair tools!


Disassembling Shimano integrated gear shifters (brifters) The up-shift lever (the long one) on my gear shifter for the front derailleur got stuck and now I'm looking for a way to disassemble it.

Is there a way to do it without removing it from the handlebars?

It took me 4 hours but I managed to disassemble the shifter and fix the problem. The cause was a broken spring inside the shifter. I replaced the spring, put it all back together and now its working fine.

Here's a rough description on how to disassemble the shifter:

Release the brake cable
Release the gear cable
Stick a 5mm allen wrench under the rubber cover on the outside of the shifter. You'll find a screw there. Unscrew it and pull the shifter back to remove it
Remove the brake cable pivot pin inside the shifter
Pulling the brake will reveal the screws inside the shifter. Unscrew them one by one
At this point you should be able to remove the plastic housing
Unscrew the big screw at the center of the shifter (it is the screw that holds the whole cog/lever system together)
Don't make the same mistake as me and make sure to hold the shifter together while you undo the screw, otherwise the whole thing will explode into a lot of small cogs, springs etc on your floor.

As other people here said, the hard part is putting it back together so try to do your best to memorize where each thing goes as you take them off one by one. Also try the method described by mattnz first, if it works you'll be saved a lot of hassle.

Hope this will be of some help to somebody.


What does the number 3500 stand for on my Trek bike? I know that the higher the number the better the bike. My dad has a 4200, so I was wondering what kind of improvments are made to make his bike better? And also what does the number 3500 stand for on my bike?

Over the past several years, Trek has been phasing out the __00 line of bikes.

The higher-numbered bikes are going to come with better components.

They've been basically giving non-number names (X-caliber, Marlin) and larger wheels to those bikes from the top down. All that's left at this point is the rim-brake equipped 3500. I suspect it will disappear shortly.


I buy and sell used bikes some have been repainted how can I find manufacturer if there are no identifying marks Need help identifying frames to make sure make model and possibly year

The short answer is that it's a lot of work and there is no one way of identifying every bike. Sometimes a bike impossible to identify.
Documenting all the things to look for that might help ID a bike would take a large book. Here is some high level information to get you started.

As a rule of thumb
The less information you have to start with the less likely it is that you will be able to identify the bike.

Per the original question - there are no identifying marks.

Is it worth identifying?
Some bikes are not worth the effort of identifying.
If it's a department store bike it does not matter which brand of department store bike it is.
Here is a link to a previously asked question on how to identify department store bikes.

Let's assume it's not a department store bike - what are next steps.

What kind of bike is it?
For a BMX / Freestyle bike BMXmuseum.com is a great place to do research.
Mountain, Gravel, Hybrid, Road and touring bikes - with a little experience you can roughly identify a year range the bike may have been made and then work with Google images to find a picture of a bike like the one you have. If the frame you has no distinctive features it will be very difficult to identify.

Possible distinctive frame features.

lug work
frame design - anything besides the standard diamond frame.
tubing - oval shaped, tapered etc.
fork crown
Fork or frame drop outs

Here is a forum thread discussing a wide variety of ways to identify a bike.

Bike parts
If the bike has parts on it the brand / model names of the parts can help you identify a bike. You can search for bike makers that used the brand / model of part that is on the bike. The newer the bike is the less distinctive parts are to particular bike makers. There just aren't as many bike parts makers as there use to be.

Stolen bikes
Finally, there are many stolen bikes out there. It's always good to run a serial number through the Bike Serial Numbers database to see if it's stolen.

This answer is intended to be a start on the answer. I'm sure others will have valuable tips and tricks.


Shimano Inter-3 Hub coaster brake maintainance When I brake with my Shimano Inter-3 hub coaster brake it makes a loud screaming sound. There is an indication on the hub where you should lubricate it but I do not get it, there is no hole/opening to the hub. Can anybody point me at the right direction? Do I really have to open the entire hub?

I tried to lubricate it with normal chain oil from the outside (I know it's not the right one) but had no success.

One I dealt with, I think a 3C40, that came in with a complaint of squealing while braking turned out to have had broken chunks coming off the part known in the Shimano exploded drawings as the "Driver Unit", which was replaceable. Based on that I recommend just opening it up, ideally after getting some of the Shimano internal hub grease. It's a little fiddly but not very technical, and Shimano's instructions are good. If you really want to try to address it with minimal disassembly, you could probably get some grease to reach the pads by taking off the left side locknut and cone/reaction arm. The pads reside just a little further in on the left side.


Shimano Di2 Bleed Screw problem My bleed screw has become damaged and I need a new one. My shifter is Shimano R8070 which according to the spec, the part number should be Y00898030, the screw turned up but it is too small, as in the thread is too narrow, please can anyone identify the larger size screw part number ?
The original is on the left, the new one on the right.

EDIT: 0
Sorry, the part number I ordered which is too small is Y00698030. The one I removed was a 2mm hex key which I had to drill out.
My bike is is 2018 Cannondale Synapse Di2.
Still struggling to identify the right part.

which spec are you looking at? source/link? I cannot find any reference to that part number online. the correct part number is Y-0C6-98030, which is two characters away from your non-existent part number
https://si.shimano.com/api/publish/storage/pdf/en/ev/ST-R8070/EV-ST-R8070-4248B.pdf
this is for current D-A/Ultegra levers
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/gear-spares/shimano-duraace-str9120-bleed-screw-oring-y0c698030/
there is also https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/gear-spares/shimano-105-str7020-bleed-screw-oring-y0f398030/
which is Y-0F3-98030 for current 105 & Tiagra levers
the same -0C6- and 0F3 are used respectively by RX800 ('Ultegra' level) and RX600/400 (105/Tiagra level) series
Older levers use
Y-8V3-98010 (R785/RS685/RS505/RS405/U5060/U5010)
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/brake-levers/shimano-xtr-blm988-bleed-screw-oring-m5-x-47mm-y8v398010/
Since there appears to be only three possible designs, one for all older road designs (2.5mm hex key), and a '105/Tiagra' (2.5mm hex key) and a Dura-Ace/Ultegra screw (2mm hex key) for newer designs, and you have given a non-existent part number, then it stands to reason that you have ordered the wrong part.
Is your existing screw a 2.5mm or a 2mm head? And how about the new one?
edit:
with the addition of the 'My bike is is 2018 Cannondale Synapse Di2.' to the OP my guess is that the lever as revised from ST-R785 DI2 (2017 MY) to ST-R8020 (2018 MY). Probably you have ST-R785. I would not refer to 'model years' but look at the actual components fitted, as they change during the year often. the shifter model number will be marked on the body. In this case you need Y-8V3-98010


What could be the reason for chain skipping My chain is skipping only on the smallest sprocket, and it skips with every crank turn. The chain is not stretched. Also, chainrings are almost new. Could this freewheel be the reason, it doesn't seem worn out to me (although it's old):

The reason was the sprocket after all. Changing the freewheel resolved the issue. I had some problem finding a service which has the wrench for that old Sachs/Maillard freewheels. Replaced it with standard Shimano 6-speed, and everything works smoothly now!

Thanks all for help.


What should I be concerned about changing out wheelsets on a Ritchey Cross bike? I've got a Ritchey steel cross bike with cantilever brakes and 28mm+ cross tires; could I run a different wheelset with like 25mm road tires?  What do I need to be concerned with (brake alignment...what else)?

So long as the hub width and rim diameter (e.g. a 700c rim is replaced with another 700c rim) are the same, and the rim is designed for rim brakes, there is nothing to be worried about. If you were moving to a larger tire, you'd have to consider clearance, but a smaller tire will clear wherever a larger one will. The new wheel set should have appropriate rim width to support the desired tires.

The brake alignment won't be a problem assuming you're sticking to the same rim diameter -- the rim width might change a little bit between the wheels, but this is just a tiny re-adjustment of the brakes as usual (if necessary).

The bike will drop in height a little bit as well if you move to smaller tires -- you wouldn't notice it from 28 -> 25, but if you had 40->20 or something, you'd notice.


Cross-Bike for my size / weight I'm 183 cm / 100 kg (220 lbs) and was thinking of buying a bike. I was looking at the following models:

Trek Bike 7.4FX (http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/city/fitness/fx/7_4_fx/)

and

Giant Escape RX3 (http://giant.co.jp/giant12/bike_datail.php?p_id=00000044&action=outline)

Are these two models strong enough to hold me?
I am planning to ride the bike on roads only, but maybe a dirt road or a road with cracks or even holes once in a while. Are the tires strong enough?
The tires are 700-32C. Can I say the wider the tire the stronger?
I am not sure about the absolute weight limit. Can you find it? Is it 125 kg / 275 lbs? (Maybe I want to put some stuff on it. That's why I'm asking.)
If I need a weight limit to up to 136 kg / 300 lbs, do I need to consider a mountain bike?

Thanks in advance ...

B

A mountain bike is not going to be inherently stronger.
If anything a larger frame triangle is stronger.
On a mountain bike you have a long seat post that is a point of failure.

I don't recall seeing weight limits posted for bikes.

Consider a touring bike as they are designed to handle a load.
Or an expedition bike.
I would go with a high quality steel or titanium bike.

Some wheels will post weight like Stans posts weight for some of the wheels.

And larger tires do take more weight.  You always see larger tires on touring bikes.  Weight = contact area X psi.  A larger tire generates a larger contact area with less deformation.  A larger tire protects the rims.  The wheel still must bear the weight but the rim is cushioned from that ding associated with pinch flat.

With light use I suspect those bikes would be OK.

From Trek up to 300 should be OK.
Is there a weight limit for your bikes

If you are targeting 300 lbs then consider some more expensive bikes. Like a Salsa Vaya or even more $ a Moots Routt 45.


When using a front mounted child seat, will it be better to size up or size down on a Mountain bike (I'm right on the boundary between sizes)? I'm buying a mountain bike and come in exactly on the boundary between medium and large women's frame sizes. I used to commute by bike in a city several years ago so fairly confident cyclist but would now be cycling on trails with my toddler. I'm planning to use a front-mounted child seat - probably the Thule Yepp Mini. Has anyone used this seat or similar seats and can recommend whether it is better to go for the larger or smaller MTB size to allow space for my knees while cycling, but also be able to reach around the seat to the handlebars? Covid restrictions mean I can't try it out in advance. Thanks very much

Some things to consider (I'm certainly not an expert!):

Your toddler's weight, sitting high in the seat, will tend to make the bike top-heavy. Your legs are what will keep the bike from tipping over sideways, so a lower or slanted top tube (lower standover height) will make it easier to plant one or both feet on the ground.
Different bike models will have different seat-tube to steerer distances, which will affect your knee/Thule clearance as you mentioned. It might be worth looking at the men's models as well as women's models to find something you're happy with.
There are some reviews that mention the Thule limiting steerer movement to the sides on some bikes; maybe that's actually a good thing?
You or the bike shop can easily modify the bike, for example with a shorter/longer or differently angled handlebar, to suit your needs better.


Which grease to use when servicing RST suspension fork I would really need an answer because my forks got really stiff and I want to service them.

The user manual says "Do not use Lithium grease"

Slick Honey, Slickoleum, SRAM Butter or any other branded bicycle fork specific grease/butter is ideal. Although expensive, you purchase and use such small quantities its probably not worth worrying too much about looking for alternates.

Alternates if you want to go down that path would include any motorcycle fork oil seal lubricant. A general purpose automotive grease will probably dissolve in the fork oil so is not particularly ideal, but will probably work fine if you service your forks regularly (I would not use it)


How to cross major road 3 way intersection I'm curious about the best way to get across this intersection. I will be traveling north (top of the picture is north), and want to turn left at this light. Path indicated by red arrows. As can be seen there is a bike lane on the far right. However since there is no road on that side there is not a light to allow traffic from the west.

I'm not sure which stage of the stoplight cycle would be best to attempt this. The road has a speed limit of 50 mph and is fairly busy so getting to the turn lane could prove difficult. I was wondering if any of you more seasoned riders could recommend any other course.

Options in order of preference:

Another route.
Stop on the south side, wait for straight though (north/south) traffic to stop, choose your time to cross contending only with single right turn lane out of PonyExpress Parkway. (Turning traffic is slower, minimizes damage if you get hit). If you don't make it all the way across before lights change, you are in the left turn lane for the next phase.
Be assertive and use the left turn lane but only if its a cycling friendly town. problem with this move is at 50MPH, if it goes wrong, it goes badly wrong.

Also Lobby local authority to make it safer. They have gone to expense installing cycle lanes, so they should at least give you a fair hearing.


How can I make a weather-proof bike? Suppose want to park my bike outdoors all the time. Conventional wisdom is that you should park a bike under cover, but suppose that's not an option. What should you do?

Maybe sealed cartridge bearings would be better than cone-and-cup?

Maybe belt- or shaft-drive, or at least a full chain guard to keep rain off the chain?

Maybe a treatment to protect the tire rubber?

Steel frames are strong and durable, but can rust; aluminum would be a better option. (Carbon fiber or titanium won't rust, but these are expensive enough not to want a bike left outside for security's sake.)
An internal hub is sealed and will eliminate most drivetrain problems, especially if you don't use a front derailer. In addition, cleaning an internal-hub-only drivetrain is faster than on a traditional dual-derailer setup. Downsides: A bit more expensive, and removing the rear wheel to change a flat is a little more complex.
A chain guard isn't a bad idea, but a lot of the gunk that gets caught in the drivetrain is kicked up by the tires. Full fenders will go a long way towards keeping your drivetrain (and you) clean.
As icc97 has recommended, a stainless steel chain might be helpful, but replacing a chain is very inexpensive if you do it regularly.
Anything made of leather will not wear well (mostly saddles, grips, and bags) so you would do best to avoid it on an outdoors-dedicated steed.
Attachment hardware, such as screws holding stuff like racks, fenders, shifters, brake levers and so on will rust. It's a good idea to keep an eye on this, cleaning or replacing as needed. Screw threads will sometimes also rust, so keep an eye on that. Also, frequent cleaning in general will help enormously.

Much of the above can get expensive. If you don't ride far or fast, there's the opton of finding a cheap, used bike and replacing it at the end of the season; used bikes can be found fairly easily if you're not picky.


Is this freehub a Shimano or Campagnolo type? I'm looking at purchasing a used Fulcrum Racing 5 wheelset to go with my Shimano 10 speed cassette.

The seller is unsure if the freehub is Shimano or Campagnolo but has provided pictures. Does anyone know which freehub this is? Will only the Shimano freehub work with my Shimano cassette?

Google image search for 'Shimano Freehub'

Google image search for 'Campagnolo Freehub'

Comparing images, I'd say that is a Campy freehub. Shimano Hyperglide freehubs have shallower splines.

Personally I'd be a bit cautious about a seller that doesn't know or can't provide details about the wheels.


How can I extend my rear rack backwards? My pannier rack/carrier is not long enough and consequently, if I want to pedal with the tip of my feet, my heel touches my bike bags.

I have seen that Basil sells a "carrier extender" (see there), which is primarily aimed at using bags with children seats. I'm afraid that this carrier extender will go too far in length in the rear of my bike whether it's safe to do so. Does anyone know its dimensions?

If you have other suggestions on how not to be disturbed by my bags, I will gladly hear them too.

That phenomenon is called "Heel Strike" and its really annoying while riding.

I managed to extend my rear carrier rack.  The purpose was to line it with plastic to make a pseudo mudguard rather than add more pannier length.

Mine had a plastic part across the rear which popped off, so I used two convenient lengths of brass pipe to extend the side rails, and simply inference-fitted the whole lot back together.   Worked for my need, but did not move the carrier clamp backward at all.

Your other option is to extend the "arms" that fasten to the seat stays.  If they were longer, the whole rack would be moved backward.  Being more extended it will be wobblier though, with more leverage on the mountings.

However I think you should be looking at your Panniers first.  It probably has two clips at the top and a third centered and toward the bottom.  Something like this:

The lowest clip goes near your rear dropout, which is a fixed location on the bike.  The two top clips are also somewhat fixed in they have to be evenly before and after the bottom clip, and share the load.

If you extend your carrier rack, it won't move your pannier unless you change the clip locations as well.

So the red one pictured above can be adjusted with screwdriver to move the hooks, or you might be looking at saddlebags that look something like these, which clip under the carrier's clamp and are held on by equal weights on both sides.

Other options could include

to put stuff on your carrier rack, not beside it.
front-mounted basket for carrying items
small items can go in a saddle bag (dangles under the saddle, often used for tools/spares)
diamond frame bag where the items sit inside your main triangle, in a cloth retainer. (not always possible)
Bike jersey pockets - they generally have three large/oversized pockets for carrying stuff
backpack - horrid things on a bike but universally available.  Bad in an accident.

Finally, consider not carrying the thing at all - I have a work computer and a home computer and I do not move either one about.  Instead I use VPN over the internet to control one from the other, should the need arise.


When carrying a lock on body, which statistical data and experiences to consider re: safety concerns With a custom-built bike in somewhat higher price regions, I now ended up with a high-security u-lock, which is also very heavy-weight. I also own a heavy-weight chain lock. For several reasons and specific occasions, it would be more practical to carry these locks on my body instead of attaching them to the bike.

However, when thinking about accidents, and the corresponding forces of heavyweight metal, and the comparative weakness of my bones, I would at least like to know which variant of carrying the u-lock (like corresponding holsters, in - or attached to - a backpack, ...) or the chain (over one shoulder, or like a belt, ...) has the least "damage expectancy". My research, among others with the German Cyclist Club (ADFC), did not reveal anything specific ... apart from the obvious, that any lock will damage your bones less if attached to the frame.

To be honest, from time to time I am even afraid of the keys in my pocket, should they take some funny stance on a fall and happily pierce through my leg/waist. But that's not what you asked...

I would take a look from the other side: assuming that there will be a hit, where would it be less dangerous?

I would say that a metal object hitting your abdominal area is not going to be funny: too many things that can get damaged: spleen, liver, kidneys, ribs, pick one. So, take out holding it around your torso.

Arms and legs are less dangerous, if you accept a broken bone or a concussion.

Probably safer is a backpack: the most plausible scenario in which you will hit your back is on a flip over, and in that case I hope you wear a helmet. The backpack itself might soften the blow.

I once happened to flip over (a branch got stuck in my front wheel) and luckily my backpack went between my face and the ground. But I just had water and food in it, not a metal object.


What’s wrong with the bike My boy uses a bike for work all was fine until yesterday when he went to use it the pedals and chain go around ok but the back wheel doesn’t move

Daniel is right - it sounds like the mechanism in the back that allows coasting, has failed.    This means the chain is driving the cogs forward, but there's no connection between the cogs and the hub of the rear wheel.

There are no good fixes short of replacing the rear freewheel or freehub, depending on what the bike has now.   A deep clean and relube can help, but it may not, and even if things improve they soon deteriorate again.

To test this, take the back wheel out of the bike, and rotate the cogs by hand.  Yours will probably turn both ways, when they should only turn anti-clockwise.  When you try to spin the cogs clockwise, they should not move at all.

The replacement you need will depend on what you have.  Either show us a photo of the cogs when the wheel is out of the bike, or just take it to a LBS and ask for a new freewheel.  Its not a big job to fit to your wheel, but does take one or two special tools.

This is fixable.


Do tubed tires fit all rims, or is there anything I should watch out for? My bicycle is about 25 years old and for the past decade has been sitting out on my balcony (dry, but outside temperature, which around here means from -15°C to +40°C or so). Lately I've been thinking about reviving it. Once I take it out for a spin I'll know what else I need to fix, but for now the obvious thing is the tires, which don't hold air at all anymore.

I wrote down the size numbers I found on them - 26x2.125 - but I don't know if they are tubed or tubeless. I suspect they are tubed, but I won't be able to tell until I dig the thing out. And it would be nice if I had the replacements ready by then.

So, my question - If I go into my LBS and buy the first tubed tires that I see with matching numbers on them - what's the risk they won't fit?

If it's 25 years old, it's a tubed tire. 26x2.125 is a very standard MTB tire from that era. If you get any MTB 26" tire in the 2.2 to 1.5 in range that should work just fine on your bike.

For any tire made in the last 20 years there should be an ETRTO number on it as well, this is a number like 50-559. Its' designed tire width and rim diameter. So 26 x 2.125 would be 26 inch ( or 559mm ) rim and 2.125 inch width ( or ~55mm width).

I would put some money in your budget for new tubes as well.

For more on tire sizes check out Sheldon Browns Tire Sizing Guide


Does spin class prepare you for a long bike ride? I need to train for an upcoming bike ride and i wanted to see if attending a spin class 1-2 times a week (45 min course) would be appropriate way to prepare for a long bike ride (50 - 75 miles)

Regular aerobic exercise is definitely of value for preparing for a big ride. Spin is a good preparation in conjunction with some outdoor rides, but it is not a substitute for riding your bike on the road.

The feel of the bike, the balance, the momentum, and the environmental and traffic factors will have an effect on your fitness as well, some of which may be purely mental.

If time is limited, try spin 2-3 days a week, and build up your endurance, but also do at least one longer outdoor ride each week. If you're riding 50 miles, you need to plan to be on the bike for 3-5 hours when you do the actual ride.

Build up to where you can handle 3 hours on the bike easily, and you'll do fine.


Repair fork or get new one? Right now, I have a pretty old and terrible fork: 2006 Manitou Axel Elite 100. It's leaking oil like crazy, and I've almost eaten it a few times because of how easy it is to bottom out the forks. I pretty much have to ride with lockout on.

So my question is what would it take to repair them so that they are usable? Would it even be worth it?

If I just need to get a new fork, what should I get? I haven't needed to upgrade anything for a while, so I'm out of date on everything. I really don't want to spend more than $150, but I'm fine buying used. Is there something besides Ebay I should look?

If your time isn't worth much and you like to tinker (like me), at least take your current fork apart and see if there's anything you could do to improve it's situation.

That said, based on your description of it's problems, I think you should buy a new one. And I actually mean new, in this case. Normally it's better to buy a used bike than a new one, but with something that's as age-sensitive as a suspension fork, I'd buy a new one (and take care of it, maybe get a stanchion boot).

As to what fork you should get... take note of the specs of your current fork (brake options, wheel size, stanchion size, travel) and get something similar. $150 will get you something decent.

If you decide to get something new, Amazon, Ebay, and your LBS are good places to look.


What happened? tube blew the rim? Had a puncture today, removed the tube, patched it and made it home.
Obviously since I only have a mini-pump I could not inflate it to my 8 bar usual pressure.

When home, I took the wheel upstairs to inflate it with my big pump. Inflated it to 8 bar and put the tire aside to mount it on the bike tomorrow.

A couple of minutes later: BANG and when I looked, I saw this:

Seems like the tube exploded (not exactly around the valve but not far from it: you can see the cap on the far right in the second pic) and blew off the "clich" part of the rim.

What could have caused this? the tire is a Conti 4S that can handle 8 bar, the tube is a Schwalbe standard tube that does support 700x23 dimension. The rim was a Mavic Open Pro...

Sucks,... did not feel like buying a new wheel now :(

This kind of failure is typically caused by excessive wear on the brake surface of the rim.

Every time you apply your brakes, you are polishing small amounts of metal away from the rim. Eventually, the rim gets too thin and weak, and will crack, like you have seen in your photo, from the normal inflation pressure of the tire.

In general, this means tht the rim has been used beyond its life. If it is a new, or lightly used rim, it may be a manufacturing defect.


Electra Shifter (Revoshift) is hard to turn My wife has a hard time turning the Revoshift grip on her Electra Townie 7D due to arthritis issues in her hands. Is there a way to help with this issue?

I recommend getting a rear Shimano trigger shifter.  This would mean getting both a trigger shifter and a grip because I think your current grip is designed for the Revoshift shifter.

The part I'd recommend for this use is the shimano acera 7-speed trigger shifter, which costs about $15, if you're in the US.

If you are mechanically inclined, it's pretty easy to do the work yourself, and it's a lot of fun when you get it working.

If you're not mechanically inclined, bring it to your LBS to install.  This will save you the effort, and you eliminate the chance of irritating your wife for breaking her bike.


Shimano RS785 hydraulic disc brake caliper will not reset Brand new RS685 lever and RS785 calipers.  I installed the front with no trouble.  Shortened line, bled, ready to go.  The rear, however, was a problem.  I shortened and bled the line same as the front.  The first pull of the lever felt normal and came about half way to the handlebar.  The lever would reset but the caliper would not.  I had to wait about 4-5 seconds as the caliper slowly reset allowing another lever pull.

I have extensive wrenching experience and have used hydraulic brakes for a long time without ever seeing this issue.

Air in the line?  I bled the system again.  Same result.

Sticky caliper?  Unlikely as they are new but possible so I pushed the pistons out ~4mm, wiped them and lubed them with mineral oil.  Reset the pistons.  Bled the line.  Same result.  Lever pulled in but caliper would not reset.

Now I totally purged the line.  Drained the oil and injected brand new oil from the caliper bleed port up to the lever.  Problem was I had to push on the syringe with ~30 pounds of force to get the oil flowing up to the lever.  This is not normal.

Clogged line?  Seemed to flow from lever to caliper but not caliper to lever.  I detached the line from the lever and pushed oil from the caliper up through the line with no trouble.  No excessive force needed.

Bad lever?  Each pull and release of the lever rest quickly and oil level rose and dropped at the now exposed connection port just as I expected.

Called several local shops and best suggestion I got was that the tension spring on the brake pads could be too weak.  So I switched the front and rear springs.  No change.

The original line as it arrived from Shimano was mounted to the caliper and had a barb installed at the lever end but not connected to the lever.  The barb had some kind of white seal over it apparently to keep the prefilled oil in the line.  Looks sort of like white Teflon tape.  The front line had the same thing on it.  It was extremely thin and appears intended to simply burst open after installation allowing oil to flow through the line.  This mysterious white seal is not mentioned anywhere in the installation guides I read.

When I pushed oil up through the line with a syringe I could see a little flap of the white sealing material flop open and closed like a heart valve.  My theory is that this little flap was able to open back into the line allowing oil flow toward the caliper when the lever was pulled.  But it could not as easily open toward the lever when the caliper tried to reset the line.  This only occurred when the line was attached at the lever.

I replaced the entire rear hose with a new kit including new connecting bolt, olives and barbs (part SM-BH59-JK-SS).  This had no little white seals on the barbs.  Refilled and bled the line (again).  Perfect.  Brakes work just as they should.

This was an incredibly frustrating issue and perhaps my experience can save someone else a bit of heart ache.

If anyone has another theory as to what caused this I'd like to hear it.  But replacing the hose fixed my problem.

Thank for your detailed description and analysis of the problem.

I had similar symptoms with RS785 levers and RS805 callipers. I tried everything. Extreme force on syringe would only get a little oil into the shifter bleed funnel. Oil would not flow freely from the shifter funnel to the calliper with the bleed nipple open. Operating the lever would force oil down but not freely. Calliper pistons were slow to return, so the first pull on lever felt sort of OK, pulling immediately again and it felt hard.

I was not aware of the seal on the J-Kit (Easy Connect) system until I saw this photo which got me searching and I came across your post here.

You are correct. I disconnect the joint and a minute flap of white sealing material was causing the problem. I removed it using a needle and  re-bled the brake. Here is a picture of the removed flap with needle on a 5mm grid.

I did not have to replace the brake hose. The rear brake is working perfectly and feels the same as the front brake.

As to what caused it. I can only speculate. I wanted the brakes on my new bike swapped with Left = Front, Right = Rear (same as US, in NZ they are opposite). LBS swapped by changing over the Easy Connects. Assuming the brakes were operating correctly prior possibly this was partly to blame. In addition they introduced air and did not re-bleed the brakes so maybe that also aided the material flap in moving.

Another thought is that the seal was thicker due to manufacturing or material defect and did not burst but stayed intact.


What are these cable "unions" called The Moulton bike can be taken apart for travel (just using it as an example, I don't have one).  The cables that run from the handlebar to the rear triangle are not single continuous cables but are made of sections which are connected together by a sort of threaded "union" of some kind.  What are these cable-union-devices called?

Not sure if there is a tradition term for these. At the time of writing I found Some products simply called cable splitters or separators and Ritchey quick disconnectors


Mixing Ultegra or 105 left crankarm with Shimano Sora support I'm interested in buying this power meter: https://pl.aliexpress.com/item/XCADEY-Bicycle-power-meter-Crank-power-meter-Bicycle-GPS-Computer-Garmin-Edge-Bryton-IGPSPORT-Support-ANT/32798182129.html. I have a Sora set in my road bike and I 'm wondering if a left crankarm dedicated for Ultegra or 105 would work with Sora crankset support of do I have to replace the whole set?

Almost every Sora crankset from the past six years will be compatible with either a 105 or Ultegra non-driveside crankarm. To check if your crankset is compatible, you need to see if it's a hollowtech II model. These have the 24mm spindle attached to the driveside crankarm, while the non-driveside arm is then mounted using two bolts and a cap on the end of the spindle once the crankset has been put into the bike.

The Shimano Hollowtech II page here should help you identify whether your crankset is Hollowtech II. If it is, then you're safe to order that power meter, because it will fit just fine.


Problems indexing gears I have a Boardman CX Team 2014 with some indexing issues. It's running a Shimano Sora ST-3500 9 speed shifter with a Shimano Sora rear mech.

The gears had not been running all that smoothly and, as I was changing the bars, I figured I'd also re-cable everthing with new housing. The gears are now shifting a lot better, but there is a small problem with the indexing on the rear derailleur.

When fine turing with the barrel adjuster I can get wonderfully smooth shifting on the smallest 4-5 cogs, but after that it gets a little less smooth.

Can anyone give me some pointers on what to check to get it working smoothly?

EDIT:

Photo showing cable connected to rear mech

B-tension issues rarely pop up spontaneously. Once it's set, you usually don't have to ever touch it unless you change to a much larger or smaller cassette. Unless you messed with it already...

I see the scrapes on the derailler and think your DR hanger is probably bent. This can cause irregular shifting issues like you mentioned-- good in the lows but bad in the highs, or vice versa.

Or, your cassette/ chain might be worn out. Do you usually ride in the big cogs? If so, those will be the first to wear out and they might not shift right, while the unworn smaller cogs still have the sharp ramps to shift well.


Cantilever Power Hanger I have bought an old mtb with cantilever brakes. Front has regular yoke and works just fine.
Problem is in the rear, where there's a Power Hanger bolted into the frame just above the tire. It looks like that:

only not on the fork.

Brakes are very soft, movement of pads is uneven, they are unable to lock the wheel no matter what.

I'm wondering if this hanger is properly mounted, should it move while braking or should it be bolted tight?

I can't imagine how this device would work. I already found that it's based on a bell crank but I can't see how it applies to braking. How, physically, would movement of one arm cause the other to get closer to the rim?

It needs to be bolted tight to remain attached, but the hanger is mounted on a collar so is always free to rotate as it’s designed to.

So yes to both, when it is bolted tight it is still free to rotate.

Normally a brake housing fits into rigid frame stops. These stops resist the force of the outer cable so all the cable force pulls on the brake where the inner cable is clamped. In this case, because the power hanger can rotate, when the cable contracts, the right brake arm moves as normal but the power hanger moves too (clockwise). This pulls on the secondary cable attached to the left brake arm, so both pads move towards the rim.


Tighten crank arm on Reynolds 531 Hi all,

I've got a Dawes Imperial (Reynolds 531 frame) and the crank arm is loose. None of my standard impact drivers fit. Does anyone know what I need to use to tighten it?

Thanks,
Tim

I'd use a 14 mm socket to undo the nut/bolt.  Then you need a crank puller tool to lever the crank off the bottom bracket axle.

Daniel's point is correct - are you positive its the crank/arm to axle that is loose?  Its more common to have misadjusted bearing cup/cones in the bottom bracket, and the whole pedal-structure wobbles.


What is the actual size of a 26x1.5/2.2 tube? I've got some spare Specialized "Airlock" inner tubes that are size 26x1.5/2.2. That means 26 inch rims, but what does the 1.5/2.2 mean? It fits 1.5 to 2.2 width tires or something else? Curious what this kind of size specification means.

Secondly, will it be advisable to use it on my bike that has 26x2.1 tires?

Tubes expand quite a lot as they are inflated - Try pumping one up on its own and see how quickly if expands (don't over do it unless you never want to use the tube again.). The way tubes and tires work, the tube holds the air in, the tire prevents the tube expanding.

The 1.5-2.2 means the tube is suitable for a tire 1.5 up to 2.2 and is ideal for you 2.1 tire.


Tools and spares needed to repair a chain on the road I'm increasingly riding long-distance randonees/audaxes and I'm pretty confident I can fix most simple things which might go wrong with the bike. However, I've never done anything with a chain apart from clean it and would like to be prepared enough to be able to effect some kind of repair if it broke, even if I ended up single-speed.

I have an 11-speed Campagnolo Chorus chain. I'm considering getting this chain tool, but what spare pins or other kit would I need? I'd prefer not to carry a whole spare chain due to the weight and space.

Replacing your chain at regular intervals is by far the best maintenance money you can spend on a bike. Generally what goes wrong with a chain is a "stuck link" and
the chain tool you have can fix that. Either by slightly tweaking the pin to loosen the link or by taking the link out altogether. If you do need to take a link or two out, avoid attempting to use the big/big gears. Generally there is no reason to carry a complete spare chain, only enough stuff to remove a link or two
and put the chain back together.

Some chains require special replacement pins. Check with the manufacturer. Exactly what's required varies between 9,10,and 11 speed chains.

For chains that have quick links, the quick links can break. Carry a spare quick link. You can use this to make repairs quick and simple. You can have more than one quick link in a chain w/o problems.

For the new narrower chains, I am not confident about reseting existing pins using any chain tool that you can carry on a bike. This is why I only use chains that have a reusable quicklink.

I'd think about switching to a chain like this in your case. Makes any on road repairs much simpler. However, I don't know of any 11 spd chain links that are
reusable.

I've done a bit more reading on 11 spd chains and I would definitely add a few spare used master links to your kit. KMC makes them and from what I read the old school method of pushing the pin back in just not safe with the very thin plates used to get chains narrow enough for 11 spd. KMC claims their quick links will work with any 11 speed chain.


Deore XT Power Crank I have an Ultegra Crank set. I also have a Deore XT 175mm left side power crank. Can I use this on a road bike?

Maybe.

Two considerations:

Is the interface between the crank and bottom bracket the same? It seems they would be if both cranks have a Hollowtech II 24mm spindle. Googling pics of FC-R8000 and FC-M8000 cranks the interfaces look the same.
Do the cranks have the same pedal offset from the axle? I.e., how far outboard does the crank arm push the pedal? You should be able to compare the crank arms directly.


Adding gears to my grandson's 12" bike My grandson has the kind of bike you pedal backwards to brake, and he goes riding with me on my days off.  Yesterday, he asked me if we can convert his bike because we have looked everywhere and no one seems to have a gear-shifting bike for someone who is 8.  The Problem is that he is having trouble keeping up with me and wearing out a lot earlier because of the hills.  Are there bikes with 18" or less wheels that shift or is he still too small for that kind of riding?  I am pretty sure that I can figure out how to mount the gears and get a small derailleur just to learn how to shift and I am pretty sure I can change his brake system to the handlebar levers, but not sure it would be so wise, if I could just get his parents, who are willing and more financially able, to replace the bike with one that is built to be a dirt bike and not a trick bike frame with attachments to help him go faster.

I am pretty sure it is possible and I may even be able to make it just like mine but not sure how cost effective it is if he can just buy one.

I am still learning what different bikes are called.  But he is about 3ft tall and his bike is getting too small for him.  His current bike has 12" wheels.

If your grandson is that young, he's likely to have trouble keeping up with you no matter what bike he's riding. It may be that it's your expectations, not his bike, that should be modified.

It seems really unlikely that you could retrofit a derailleur onto his current bike. A frame that small won't have room for a wider rear-wheel assembly. Mounting rim brakes would be tough if the frame isn't already set up for it. Even if you did succeed, he'd still be driving it with eight-year-old legs and an eight-year-old's heart and lungs.

Might you consider a tagalong bike, mounted to your bike? Your grandson might balk at this if he's used to his own separate bike, but it would ensure that he keeps up with you.


What are the differences between a horizontal suspension and vertical suspension MTB? Currently, I've got a hardtail mountain bike and love to upgrade to a full suspension one. But when web surfing, I found out there are two types of full suspensions:
1. Vertical Suspension

2. horizontal suspension

I'm curious to know the differences and pros and cons, between these two types. I just YouTubed and don't have any strong opinions so far :)

The position of shock mounts is only one variable of many of the rear linkage design. It does not play an isolated role but really is tied to everything else.
You might have missed that there are many other designs. The upper mount can be on the top tube as well:

Or really, in many other places, like in-line with the seatstays:

Or pretty much hidden just outside the main triangle:

The shock can be placed at almost any angle, or even sometimes upside down, if such a design is deemed to fulfill the purpose of the particular bike.
There are frames with multiple holes to allow adjustments or longer/shorter shocks to be installed.
With so many factors in play, it is simply recommended to try a bike to see if you like the feel.


What size innertube for 35mm tires? (or: get innertubes on the big side or small side?) If you had 35mm tires (Schwalbe marathon supremes to be specific) would you get innertubes speced as 28-35mm or 35-42mm? Or whichever is cheaper?

Either will work.

Use what your prefer.  Smaller will weigh a bit less and be easier to install.  Larger won't have the tube stretched as much, so hypothetically could survive a puncture better.


Dura Ace 7700 rear derailleur will not fit into hanger I am in the process of building up a Cannondale CAAD4 Saeco team frame using Dura Ace 7700 components from the same era of the frame. I am learning as I go along, so I apologize if these questions sound stupid. I have found a Dura Ace 7700 rear derailleur short arm but it does not fit into the hanger tab that is currently on the bike. Is there a way to change the screw on the derailleur itself or replace the hanger tab? (It looks like it is an added component).

Practically all derailleur hanger bolts are M10x1.0mm, so it's strange that the derailleur bolt will not screw into the hanger.

Possible reasons:

The thread in the hanger is damaged
The bolt thread is damaged (but from the pic it looks OK)
It's a hanger for a Campagnolo derailleur which uses M10x25TPI - but that's very close to M10x1.0mm, you should at least be able to start the bolt in the thread.

Do you have another bike to try the derailleur bolt in?  Perhaps obtain a M10x1.0mm bolt from a hardware store and see if it fits the hanger.

Googling for 'replacement derailleur hanger' should get you some results. Currently Wheels Manufacturing offers a wide range of replacement hangers and provides a search by bike brand. Start here.


is this a good bike? I haven't ridden a bike in many years. I am looking at this Trek bike, but I'm not sure on the model so I can't look up any info on it. Can anyone identify it for me please? And also, let me know if it's a good bike to start off with? The guy said it's in excellent condition, and ready to ride.

It is a women's Trek bicycle, i can't read it from the image but the model is more than likely one of those teal words on the frame. Google Trek and then those words and look for an image that looks the same.

More than likely basic components but if the price is right and you like it a bike is a bike. If there is rust on the chain or crankset it is not in "excellent ready to ride" condition for someone who does not know how to service it.

Trek is a reputable brand but that appears to be a low level model, not that there is anything wrong with that. There should be a serial number on it, possibly the bottom of the frame by the crank, that may also lead you to find the model and year if you then search that serial number.


Refurbishing 1994 Trek 950 I would like to strip down and replace components on my old 1994 Trek 950 mountain bike, primarily to replace the drive train, brakes, shifters and wheel sets. I would like to go from a 3x8 to a 1x11. What constrictions or constraints do I need to be aware of? Any advice?

At minimum you require:

new hub in your rear wheel that will take an 11 speed cassette.  May be cheaper to buy a complete new wheel, but 26" and 11 speed hub would be relatively rare combination
new cassette, 11 speed
new 11 speed derailleur with the same mount as your current one
11 speed chain
single front chainring and spider and cranks to suit your current bottom bracket interface, which is probably square taper.
11 speed shifter for the bars

Probably wise to replace your shifter cable inner and outer while doing this - they're cheap.

You may need a new bottom bracket cartridge that fits whatever interface your new cranks have.

You can probably continue to use your pedals.

Price all that up as new parts, and you could easily exceed the cost of a nice non-BSO MTB.  I'd strongly recommend you fix up this nice old bike as-is and just ride it.

There's nothing better than riding your old bike and keeping up with a modern bike, except for passing and dropping a modern bike.


Need help choosing compatible rear derailleur, cassette & chain I just "inherited" a bike that has no rear derailleur or chain.  It also looks like the cassette is pretty worn, so I'm thinking about replacing that too.  I've looked around on the forum and I think I'm on the right track, but I'd love to hear from someone who knows what they're talking about (I don't).  Here are the specs...

Front chain ring - RaceFace 22-32-42
Front Derailleur - shimano XTR (at least 10 years old)
Shifters - Shimano xtr (also old)
Current rear cassette - Shimano hyperglide - 12-32 8 speed - worn and looks ready to be replaced

Here what I'd like to buy. I chose it mostly because it's inexpensive.  I'm trying to do this for under $100.

Shimano HG 51 cassette 11-32T
Shimano CN HG50 Chain
Shimano Alivio RD-M410

I've read on the forum that the chain and cassette are compatible - I just want to make sure that all these bits and pieces work with the other parts on my bike.

Everything there looks like it should work together all right. If you are replacing the drive train components here, you may want to get new cabling for the shifters as well.

Any 6/7/8 speed chain should be fine on this setup. The cassettes also seem equivalent.

I'd worry about the condition of the old shifters due to the age, they should be compatible though. However, Alivio rapid fire shifters can be had relatively cheap you need to replace them if anything is wrong with the old shifters.  The original XTR stuff was definitively higher quality when new.


Method to remove and prevent rust on a Reynolds 531C bike frame? The frame of the 531C Reynolds tubing is rusting, What is the most appropriate method to remove and prevent the rust? Would it be removing the rust and repainting? If so could you like me to resources to understand step by step?

That would totally depend on your wishes for this bike. Also it looks like this isn't the only spot that has corroded. On the tube going to the rear axle there are also plenty of darkers spots. They could be dirt, but might as well be rust.
If you want the bike to stay as original as possible I'd suggest to grind down the rust untill shiny bare metal shows, and covering that with some good coats of clear paint. That way you can maintain the most of the original finish. You could alternatively try to find a paint in a matching collor.
If you want the bike to be in the best shape possible it might be wise to completely strip the frame from all paint, and respray it completely. In this case you can use a chemical paintstripper to get rid of the current paintjob, and respray in a color of your liking.


What type of ebike motor would work best for a 13” tire? I want to drive a yard cart with a motor / battery.  The cart has 13” wheels and weighs ~200 pounds loaded.  I want to walk behind it, so I’ll need to be able to control the speed between 1-3 mph.
After looking at different options, I think using an ebike motor is easiest solution. Is there an ebike motor that I could couple with 1:1 ratio and have enough torque?
Ideally, the motor / gearing would freewheel to still allow manual operation.  The more 'rainproof' the solution is, the better...
So far: adapting a freewheel to my wheel hub(s) is the best solution I have.  If I use a 20T BMX style freewheel and a geared motor with a 9T gear, max speed would be ~9 MPH, but I'm thinking I will be controllable...

Good afternoon,
Whilst I appreciate you prefer to use bicycle parts, you may find it beneficial to search for scooter or wheelbarrow hub motor/wheel. The benefits of which would be - they're water tight, they're simple (a nut to hold the axle at either side is all you need to secure it) and they have lots of tread.
You can also run it using a motor controller which has a "walk assist mode" - this will disable the throttle and lock/limit the speed to around 6km/h, alternatively as previously discussed - physically impede a thumb throttle to limit input.
A 36v "hoverboard" battery would be fine (and small), all the torque is at the bottom end of these motors so that's not something you should worry about.
If you're looking to run more than one motor simultaneously - that's not something I have ever successfully accomplished, it is possible you can just disassemble a hoverboard - use  the footplate pressure sensors to turn the motor controller on when you grab the handles, the gyroscopes as the throttle - so the cart accelerates when you lift the handle(s), each of the wheels to drive one side of the cart.
** In fact, don't do any of that, I think just invented something!
All of these things exist, regrettably I am unsure of the rules in relation to posting links but if you're still looking, let me know.


Fatigue Considerations: Over-tightened Front Derailleur Dent I'm looking into purchasing a used bike to get into touring/bikepacking. There is a particularly low price Soma Double Cross Disc bike I've found on Craigslist that I think would be perfect... with one caveat. As you can see in the image below, a clamp on derailleur was over-tightened on the seat tube. My question is this: should I be worried about this too much? Would this be an easy fix for a frame builder?

Obviously, I have to go take a look at the frame and ensure that there is no cracking. This would perhaps entail removing the paint. I'm also going to consult a couple of shops in my area to get some professional opinions. In my mind, this shouldn't be a big deal on a CrMo frame. It's obviously going to reduce the life of the frame, but for a mere $500 I think I'm okay with that.

Personally I'd stay far, far away, it's not worth the risk. Especially as you intend to load the bike up for bike-packing.

Cracks are not the problem. Structural tubes are severely weakened when they are buckled inwards too much. That looks like too much to me. Also, such deformation is likely to have work-hardened the steel.

The only way to repair this would be to replace the whole seat tube - which would cost more than the frame.


How seriously should I take the maximum pressure rating of my cyclocross rims? I own a very nice cyclocross bike that I use for daily commuting. It is currently fitted with relatively wide cyclocross tires (Continental Cyclocross Race 35-622) that I inflate to 4 bar (58 psi).

Since those tires are nearing the end of their lives and because I'm mostly riding on paved roads, I'm considering to switch to road tires (e.g. Continental Grand Prix 4000S II 28-622). However, I now noticed that my rims (DT Swiss XR 400) have a sticker saying "maximum tire pressure 4 bar" next to a pictogram showing a rim apparently broken at the weld. That pressure is of course hardly enough for any narrow road tires.

My question is now how seriously I should take this limit. I have a hard time imagining how too high pressure would break the rim and how exactly it would fail. Sheldon Brown mentions on his page that maximum pressure ratings are often rather arbitrary and he encourages experimenting, but he's talking about tires there, not rims.

I am willing to risk voiding the warranty on my rims or causing premature wear. But I would like to avoid the risk of catastrophic failure in the middle of traffic.

DT Swiss publishes the exact document you are looking for:

Manuals page / RIMS / Tire Pressure/Dimension (PDF)

The document specifies the maximum usable tire pressure based on rim and tire width. More narrow tires allow for higher pressures. For example, the rims in the question (XR 400, inner width 18 mm) are compatible with tires ranging from 23 mm width at 9.0 bar to 60 mm at 3.2 bar.


Is it good practice to wave following cars through when safe? When I am being followed by a car that is unable to safely overtake, I would normally take the lane and adopt primary position as recommended, making an obvious move to secondary position once it is safe for them to overtake.

Sometimes the car doesn't immediately try to overtake and may miss the opportunity to get past me, even though it is legal and, in the cyclist's opinion, safe to do so. If I can see further around the corner (being further ahead) that the road is clear, should I wave them through, or leave the decision up to them?

I'm interested in safety and legal issues as well as avoiding irritating motorists for the good of cyclists generally.

Never. I drive a school bus (and ride a bike, of course - but never at the same time) and when bicyclists wave me through, I ignore them. There is no way that they can truly judge the space that I need without running into an oncoming car or them.

Same goes for when I'm in my car. I trust my own judgment. If it means that I am driving behind them for a bit, so be it.

On my bike, I keep enough space between me and the curb and let them make their move. What if I wave them on, they hesitate, and then go after the golden moment has come and gone? Or if they pass a little too close because they are nervous? At worst, I'll stop and let them pass.  As we all know, folks in the cars don't make the best calls but better than me making it for them.


Bike Rack (w/hitch) - Any easy-to-remove anti-wobble bolts/pins? I've just purchased a hitch for my car and the Allen S535 bike rack.  It comes with an anti-wobble bolt that is screwed onto the hitch but it is very time consuming when I need to remove the rack off the car.

Is there any solution besides using the anti-wobble nut/bolt?

For my Allen rack, I decided against using that bolt.  My hitch has 2 holes in it for securing, and the smaller one is the same size as the bike rack.  I ended up just getting a locking hitch pin from a local store and it works fine.  I believe that the pin I got had a sleeve that fit over it for the larger, more commonly used hole.


flight deck st 4400 shifter replacement flight deck st 4400 shifter not working. I have sprayed it and a man said is was US. What other shifters can I use new or used. I do not need the electrics cheers Steve

It's my understanding that all Shimano shifters below 11 speed ([except ST-4700][1]) use the same cable pull ratio. This means you can use any Shimano 9 speed rear brake/shifter unit.

Tiagra ST-4400 obviously and ST-4500, and Sora ST-3400 and ST-3500.

The newer Sora may be as good as the older Tiagra. Some googling and looking on Ebay may yield a replacement matching ST-4400. Or you maight choose to upgrade both brake/shifter units.


Is there a way to make activity wristbands read bike rides more accurately? Is there a way to make simple activity tracking wristbands like the fitbit work more accurately during a bike ride. Currently I wear the wristband on my wrist, but the rides tend to read like barely any exercise is occurring during these sessions. I believe these devices act more like a pedometer. Would wearing them on an ankle be more accurate?

A decent amount of bike computers have bluetooth or ANT+ on them, which you can connect to your phone or whatever and read out (as a work around). Apps like runkeeper can also track distance based on GPS roughly.

To quote the fitbit people:

"All Fitbit trackers are optimized for walking, running, and general household and lifestyle activities.

It will not be as accurate for activities like biking, but will record steps if you wear your tracker.

For increased accuracy, go to http://www.fitbit.com/activities or click the "log activity" icon from your dashboard to manually log activities like cycling. This will allow for a more accurate estimated calorie burn to be included in your daily totals. Our online database of workouts makes it easy to save and access your favorite activities. For detailed information see How do I log or record an activity?"

Wearing on ankle may work better, but you'd need to check against a cycling computer or something to see how it works. Alternatively, just use something else like Runkeeper or a bluetooth/ant+ cycling computer or enter stuff from your cycling computer in manually after a ride.


Roadbike with aluminium wheels in mountains. Is it safe? I'm planning my upcoming trip to ride real mountains in Spain on my road bike. So far I used Mavic Ksyrium aluminum wheels but mostly on flat areas.

I'm not confident with going downhill on this wheels because when I do downhill my wheels becomes hot from braking. I'm using clincher with tubes inside and standard Shimano brake pads. Should I be worried? Is it safe for inner tube?

I'm asking because I've heard a story about exploding inner tube from heat :(

I was thinking about going tubeless but never tried this on my current set and I don't want to experiment until its needed.

When people talk about blowouts from braking heat, they're usually referring to latex tubes being used with rim-brake carbon clincher wheels. This combination can indeed lead to blowouts on long, fast descents if you aren't careful. I used to run latex tubes with my carbon race wheels, but after having two tube blowouts, I switched back to traditional butyl tubes and never had the issue again. If you're concerned about heat, just ensure that you're using butyl tubes, not latex.


How to select cog for emergency single speed conversion with a broken derailleur I broke the rear derailleur on my surly karate monkey recently.  I had the bike setup 2x9. I decided to try and get home by converting to single speed via trail side repair (made easier by the horizontal dropouts on the bike).

I put the chain on the big chainring in the front, figuring the front derailleur would hold it in place. I pulled the chain out of the derailleur, shortened the chain so it would not be routed through the derailleur, and I tried to find the straightest line in the rear, and selected the 20t cog to place the chain on, this was the 4th cog in from the end of the cassette.

I pulled the rear wheel backwards to tension the chain as much as possible. I had already been using a chain tensioner (surly tuggnut) to keep it stationary, so I screwed that down to keep the rear wheel from slipping under pedaling.

However, after a short time, the chain started to upshift on the cassette. It went up a cog and jammed, shifting the non-driveside forward, pushing my tire in to my chainstays. this was difficult to fix, because I had to remove the tuggnut and undo my very tight quick release.

What's the best practice for positioning the chain in the rear to avoid auto shifting and jamming like I'm experiencing?

The recommendation of Calvin Jones of Park Tool for a trail/road-side conversion to a single speed is:

If you have multiple chain rings, put the chain on the 2nd-to-largest chain ring.  I.e. if you have two chain rings, this will be your smallest.
For the cassette, put the chain in a straight line back from the chosen chain ring.  If in doubt, use the smaller of the two choices.
Join the shortened chain outside of the rear derailleur, and as tight as is reasonable.

This setup will give you a versatile gearing that you can get going without blowing out your knees, and neither the chain ring nor the cassette will be likely jump down to a smaller gear.


Restore decals of vintage Kestrel 4000 Does anyone know a company that specializes in reproducing vintage bike stickers.  I have a Kestrel 4000 that I would like to restore.  The bike manufacturer has none. I have heard back from one 3rd party company and they could not help me.
(Victory Circle Graphix)

If you can create the graphics there are many online services that will create custom stickers or decals for you.

Presumably creating the decal images in the first place is the difficult part. Perhaps you can search for images of the original decals online.


What is the best treatment (not prevention) of saddle sores What is the best way to treat saddle sores?

Loose clothes, Gold Bond medicated powder, or Moisturizer?

What seems to help reduce the painful symptoms of saddles sores once you already have them?

I know how to prevent them, so I'd prefer to focus on what to do after you find yourself with this problem (like after you decided not use use chamois cream).

Take a few days off. Keep the area clean and dry.
Try diaper rash ointment or maybe Aloe Vera and perhaps something like neosporin or OTC acne ointment.
Cover affected area(s) with bandaging… such as a hydrocolloid or semiocclusive hydrogel dressing. Personally, I'd use this along with an anti-bacterial ointment. This especially if you aren't taking days off.

The goal is to avoid infection and speed healing. You don't want boils forming.

For the DIY folks... diaper rash cream is primarily zinc oxide +- an anti-bacterial/anti-fungal ingredient carried in something like petrolatum. Some also include hydrocortisone Enjoy.


Cyclocross vs road bike I am thinking about getting a new bike.

I have a MTB but I am sort of petrified of road riding (cars pass way too close). I have found a nice Specialized Cyclocross bike.

I wanted to have a bit more practice and I do own a Trainer but can I fit a cyclocross on a trainer?

Most trainers on the market today can do 26", 29" and 700c. Specialized's cyclocross bikes are 700c, your trainer will likely be able to handle it fine, but check the manual (*).

A trainer won't help you gain confidence riding in traffic though -- you'll just have to practice riding in traffic, which is the bigger problem here.

(*) Your trainer may have specific recommendations, e.g. no carbon fiber bikes in the trainer or something. Read the documentation.


How bad is a bent rim, how to deal with it and how urgent and dangerous is it? I've recently learned how to bunny hop. It's definitely a lot of fun. I've repeatedly tried doing a 180 (with no success). It mostly ended up having the rear wheel lifted, the bike rotated 90 degrees and landed perpendicular to the starting point (either with the front wheel lifted or stationary).

This obviously causes a lot of stress on the rims...

And soon enough, I started feeling vibrations from the rear wheel at high speeds when not pedaling. I've inspected the rear wheel and found out that the rim is bent pretty badly, but not enough to cause noticeable drag or any anyway noticeable affect my ride.

How dangerous is it? Can it make me fall, lose control or anything like that? Can I keep it until I feel comfortable jumping (and not practice this activity on the new rim)?

Can it be fixed in a bike shop (maybe by bending it backwards?), or the only way to fix it is to replace the rim?

If I have to replace the rim, how difficult is it to move everything else (disk brakes, gears)? Do I need to 'calibrate' the rim or anything of this sort?

And generally, anything I should know before walking to the shop and ask for help so they won't rip me off?

The bike is a Specialized Pitch Pro 2010 (Enduro full suspension). I don't really know, but I assume that the rims are aluminium (by look and feel). I believe these are the original rims on on the bike, the DT Swiss 445D, 32-hole.

Riding a slightly bent rim is typically not dangerous. I've continued to ride bent rims on my bikes for many months. Eventually, it may get worse, especially if you are learning 180's or how to jump. The bend is a weak spot that can get worse if you land on it with the same side loads again. From your description, it sounds like it isn't a giant bend— you can only feel it vibrating at high speed, and it isn't bent enough to contact your frame or otherwise disrupt how your wheel rolls.

It could be dangerous if the rim is cracked at all. Usually a rim only cracks under extreme damage, or after months of riding it bent, and at that point becomes much weaker. A cracked rim could collapse under load, or especially harsh impacts like landing jumps. Inspect your rim again for cracks around the bend just to be sure.

Usually, a bike shop can fix your wheel. Most bicycle wheels consist of the rim, spokes, and a hub at the center, with a bearing and axle that connect to your frame. The spokes actually give your wheel most of its stability. It's similar to a suspension bridge, where the rim is not super strong by itself, but with tension from the spokes it becomes much stronger.

If your wheel is this type, a bike shop can "true" your wheel by tightening and loosening the spokes around the bend. They have special tools to help get your wheel back in true (straight) by making minor adjustments on the spokes throughout your wheel. Usually truing your wheel doesn't require new parts, it just requires labor, and should be under $50. Also, a good wheel true can make your wheel stronger, so you might have less problems with it in the future.

This does depend on the type of bike and wheel you have though. Cheaper rims can be harder to fix, and if its bent too badly to be trued, you may need a new wheel.

When dealing with the bike shop, simply show them your wheel and ask if it can be trued. If yes, they'll tell you a price and when they can do it. If not, you can ask them about new wheel options. Replacing just a rim with your old hub and spokes is very labor intensive, which is expensive. It sounds like your wheel should be truable. But if it is not, the shop will want to sell you a new wheel, because it simply isn't practical usually to replace just the rim.


Is it possible to compensate a short sized frame by adjusting seatpost and stem? Could you achieve the same position you would have on a bigger frame by raising seatpost and stem? And how could I adjust those to "simulate" a bigger sized frame?

There isn't always one size frame which fits a person well in a given model line of bikes (there may be 2 or more - probably 2 if someones on the border of sizes). In some cases, you can get multiple models to fit by swapping out stems and seatposts and saddle and handlebar adjustments or swaps. However, this is highly dependent on the particular model of the bike and the rider.

The best solution for this sorta problem is to get a bike fit, which may show its not even possible. Otherwise, you have to just play with it on feel, which can get a bit expensive if you don't have all the parts on hand already. Pretty much all you can do though is put a longer stem, possibly raise and lower it, use wider handlebars and adjust the saddle angle+ position a bit further back (which may be easier with a different seat post).

The biggest things you have to do are get the effective top tube right. Then you have seat height and angle and handlebar height and stuff. Its not exactly a science though so you have to play around with it.


Do you know of tubes that are fully flat-proof? I am looking into whether there are inner tubes that are fully flat proof.  Do you know how much they would affect performance and comfort?

Yes, they're usually solid rubber and they're very heavy, hard to fit and have a lot more rolling resistance than you're used to. Companies like "airless tyres" make them, and I suggest trying to fit them yourself before taking them to a bike shop and paying whatever they ask to have them fit the solid tubes.

You can also get puncture resistant tubes that have thicker walls than normal tubes, and while they are heavier than normal tubes they're nothing like solid tubes. They also don't work very well. You're better off with puncture resistant tyres.

Finally, you can get sealants that you pump into the tube that will leak a little then seal, like Slime. Tubeless tyres use a similar sealant, but swapping to tubeless is a major change and there are many sites describing that process


How do I lubricate my chain? I know I should lubricate my chain regularly. I got some lube at my LBS; how should I apply it? Do I just drip some on one spot, and turn the pedals around a few times to spread it out? Drip it all over the chain? Do I clean the chain first? How can I tell if it needs lube, or if I've put enough on?

Clean the chain first - see this question or this question.

If the chain has a master link I like to start there just so I can keep track of which links I have lubed easier.

Usually you should shake up the lube, especially if it is a 'dry' or 'wax' formula.  Then drip 1 or 2 drops on the rollers of each link.  Lube on the outside of the chain is basically worthless unless you are applying a 'wet' lube for weather protection.  More than one or two drops on each link will be too much, and will drip a lot of lube onto the floor or ground where you are working.

Pedal the chain backwards and get every link.  When done run the chain through all the gears. Let the chain sit for a few minutes then using a clean, dry, lint-free cloth, wipe the excess from the chain, cogs and chain rings.


Cartridge wheel bearings - is there an inside/outside? I'm replacing the bearings in a standard single speed wheel. I've got 6000-series bearings and I can't find info on whether there is an inside/outside.

Among bike parts manufacturers, the norm by a very wide margin is for there not be sidedness. There are exceptions, such as hubs that use sealed cartridge angular contact bearings, but I believe those always have different color seals on each side, and there's not very many companies that use them. And there are some cases such as Campy freehubs where you remove one side's seal before installing it.

As I understand it, the seal (closure) type code you see on the seal of a bearing describes the type of sealing used by the closure it's inscribed on. I believe that in all cases, if it says the same thing on both sides, you don't have to worry about sidedness.


What should I plan for on a sea-to-summit ride on Mauna Kea, Hawaii? I've driven up to the visitor station but not up to the summit - what are the road conditions like beyond the visitor station, where can you refill water, and should I prepare for anything beyond a leg crushing day?

I'll be starting on Kona (west) side, in September, and am expecting about 6-7 hours of straight climbing.

Here's about all I know so far;

  Mauna Kea, Hawaii, HI

  This mostly paved climb is perhaps the largest
  rideable climb in the world.  The first 34 miles are paved, then 5
  miles often loose cinder gravel, and then 3 final miles of pavement.
  The first 28 miles up Saddle road from Hilo gains only 6600 feet at
  modest grade, tapering off to almost flat in the saddle between Mauna
  Loa and Mauna Kea.  Turning off onto Mauna Kea Access Road is a real
  shocker, as you are now faced with sustained 17% grades at high
  altitudes.  The Fiets index for this climb is off the charts at nearly
  30.  It’s a combination of net gain and high altitude driving the high rating.  Like Haleakala, views are too good to describe with words.
  Many of the world’s most powerful telescopes are at this summit.

ref: http://www.northeastcycling.com/Favorite_Climbs.html

Thanks

I think this long post by Martin Hoff also indicated by jurgemaister in a comment tells you everything you need. You can find some more info in the comments on individual attempts people did of the segment on strava. The main takeaways I got from the article are:

You need two bikes (a road bike and a mountainbike) or a dirt-road suitable bike.
You optimally have a support vehicle driving along with you for food/drinks/extra clothing/emergencies/the way down/nice pictures/the second bike.
If support isn't an option you need to pack for a really long hard day in both winter and summer climates. Even if you are very fit. Use panniers mounted on your bike, a backpack carrying enough stuff will probably break you.
Mauna Keau tops out at over 4K above sea level. How fit will you be up there? How used are you to high altitudes? Altitude sickness might be an issue, strenuous activity will certainly be very hard.
You need low gearing for the steepest part. Install a mountainbike crank-set.
If you take one bike you probably want knobbly tires on it.


Can I use a narrowide chainring on a double rings crankset? I would like to go touring using my narrowide chainring, but I would like as well to put a smaller chainring (the infamous Grannie) so that I could have it as a last resort in case of really hard climbs (considering that I will carry a lot of gear while touring for several months).

Do you think I will be able to shift gears on the crankset with a front derailler, considering the narrowide chainring?

There would be a 50% chance for a narrow chain link to sit onto a wide tooth during a transition from the small ring to the big ring. This would result in chain misplacement and imminent failure under load [thanks to @mattnz for figuring that out].

Narrow-wide is all about chain retention, while what one needs in a front double by definition is chain derailing easily and reliably.

My suggestion is to have a proper double chainrings. Given that you'll be touring, you'll need to consider possibility of repairs, and finding a new regular chainring would be much easier than a fancy narrow-wide one.

You can also have two front chainrings but no front derailleur. In this case, gear switching happens by hand: stop, throw the chain from one ring to another, and move on. Provided that you do not plan to use the granny gear often, it may turn out to be a viable option.


Does stripe in Selle Italia saddles form a channel? NOTE -- I am NOT asking about saddles with hole (cutout).

Some saddles from Selle Italia have very distinctive stripe, take for example Selle Italia SL:

The question is -- does such stripe form some kind of channel? I.e. is the area softer (here it is denoted by black) than the rest of the saddle (here in white)? Or maybe it is embedded (the surface is lower than the rest of the saddle)?

To answer your question, no. The leather/lorica/covering has no bearing on the shape of the saddle. They make a lot of versions of each design specifically for bike manufacturers with custom designed coverings in addition to their standard covering design.

They make quite a few saddles with grooves, without grooves, with and without cutouts. It's not entirely clear which model this is from your image or description as they do not have an "SL" model on their current product listing. They do have an "SLR" line and the shape appears to be of the "SLR monolink" variety which has both a non groove and groove model within it.

As stated above in the comments, it's best to go to your local shop and ask that if they do not have the item in stock, that they order one for you. Most will oblige because they can send items back if they are in unused condition. Some will ask for a deposit as a "holding" fee to ensure that you don't ask them to order a bunch of stuff and never come back.


Trek 520 (2021) saddle dimensions Does anyone have dimensions (width) for the stock saddle that comes with a Trek 520 2021 model?  The Trek website simply describes it as "Bontrager Evoke"

There are several different Bontrager evoke saddles.
A quick search turns up the Evoke RL, Evoke RXL, Evoke R, Evoke 1, Evoke 1.5, Evoke 3....
It is difficult to know what changes were introduced between models or exactly which model is on the bike.
According to trekbicyclesuperstore the Evoke RL is 138mm wide
According to sweetpetes.com the Evoke 1 OEM saddle is 138mm wide
It's been my experience that published numbers may or may not represent:

Reality
How I would have measured it
So a grain or so of salt may be needed.


Bottom Bracket on a Trek CrossRip Comp 2016? I'm trying to change my crank set from a FSA Vero 602 50/39/30 set to a FSA Gossamer Pro 386ABS 48/32.  I have the new crank set but I need to know what my bracket shell standard is.  I was wondering if anyone out there has a Trek CrossRip Comp 2016?  Would you happen to know if the bracket Trek used on these bike was the same and if so, do you know the bracket standard without me taking it apart.  I am currently using the bike on a trainer and really don't want to tear it down to find out.  I would like to get the bracket before I do this.

According to the Trek tech site the 2016 Crossrip Comp was outfitted with a VP Components 68mm x 110.5mm Square Taper Bottom Bracket.

The BB standard for this bike is BSA-Threaded (See linked chart for more details)

Suitable replacements are

BB Shimano BB-UN26 68 x 110mm
BB Shimano BB-UN55 68 x 110mm

With the only difference being the quality.

Any BSA Threaded bottom bracket that is for a 30mm spindle would work. BB 386 is just a longer standard than the BB30 standard with the same 30mm diameter.

This one should work for your crossrip.

NOTE You WILL need 30mm spindle spacers which would sit outside of the bottom bracket, as the 386 EVO spindle is much longer.

Also expect the life on these bearings to be much shorter as they will be further away from the bike, due to external cups, with smaller bearings then usual (BSA Threaded(smaller shell) -> BB30(bigger spindle) doesn't leave a lot of room for bearings!)


Any hints at this noise? Cannondale supersix:

Tried to replace the crankset
Replaced the bottom bracket with a new one
replaced the pedals
overhauled the headset

The noise only manifests when a relatively higher torque is applied and it doesn't matter if seated or standing. Moving the weight around the bike while pedaling doesn't have any significant effect on it either.

Thinking about replacing the wheels and QRs and the derailer as soon as I can get my hands on spares.
I thought that the noise is so specific and strong that maybe it is a recognizable one so I can ask for a shortcut.

Update: tracked down to the wheels for now. Spare wheels make the creaking go away.

If the noise appears when you create more torque it's almost certainly bottom bracket or crank related. You can get creaks in the rear wheel but they tend to manifest in lower gears because that's when the torque on the rear hub is highest.

Cannondales are fairly notorious for creaking in the bottom bracket. The problem is that the bearing cups are slightly oversize which allows the outer bearing races to move. Bottom bracket bearing replacement would not necessarily fix the problem as the cups remain oversize.

Chainring bolts can also creak so remove, grease and re-torque those to rule that out as the cause before purchasing more expensive parts.


Can Garmin Edge 500/510 and 800/810 be charged while riding? Extended battery life is very neccesary for using the device on long brevets and multi-day endurance racing.  Can Garmin Edge cycling GPS units 500/510 and 800/810 be charged while riding via external battery pack like or USB dynamo charger?

Can you plug in while riding?  Are only certain devices able to charge the unit while it's recording / navigating?

Just verified that the 510 can be attached to power while on/in use. It continues to operate. When the external power source is removed, it will give a message to that effect, but does not power down (like the nuvi/car versions do).

Note that you (obviously) have to open the weather seal to plug in power.

Also worth noting, the 510 will go into a different mode when you plug it into a computer. Unsure if it will continue to record, but the screen shows the computer attached so suspect not.

For long trips like you describe, a device like these http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=phone+battery+backup
should do the trick.


Shimano Tourney rear derailleur 34t support? I've just change the freewheel for a 34T and I also changed my rear derailleur for a Tourney 7sp (i run friction shifters).

I would like to have a bit more distance between the cogs and the derailleur. But I cannot. What am I doing wrong? Or are there any trix?

That's just what the combination of the 34T rear cog and Tourney derailleur looks like. Here's mine, using the 38T chainring:

Using the 28T chainring doesn't move the top derailleur pulley any farther from the cog, so using a longer chain won't make any difference.

It doesn't seem to cause any problems for me, though I don't use the 34T rear cog very often: it's too much of a jump in gear ratios from the next one down, which is a 24T.

However, I don't have the same model of Tourney derailleur as you. Your derailleur looks like the RD-A070 and Shimano's compatibility listings indicate that this is only compatible with freewheels whose largest cog is a 28T.


Crank-arm fell off *after lube* Background
I've had my bike for several years and it's been fine with moderate use, but this summer, I ended up using it a lot (I rode almost 200km in less than three weeks).
Problem
It started squeaking pretty badly, so I sprayed some lubricant around all of the joints (pedal, crank-arm, etc.) then took it out for a spin. On that very first ride after the lube, the left crank-arm nearly fell off; I though the pedal broke, but when I stopped and checked, the nut had come loose. I managed to use my keys to tighten the nut and repeat every block or two until I got home.
Attempted fix
At home, I used a 14mm socket wrench to tighten the nut, but it keeps coming loose. I've resorted to carrying the socket-wrench with me when I ride and stopping to tighten it about ever kilometer.
Research
I've read some stuff about the holes in the crank-arm wearing out and worn nuts and how Loctite isn't a solution and such, but none of them mentioned lubrication. My issue started immediately after I lubricated the area around the nut, so logic would dictate that it allowed the nut to slip. I've included a photo (fig.1) of the crank-arm hole and nut. To my eye, the hole doesn't look worn (I assume the bulging around the edges is intentional), but the catch-teeth on the nut do seem worn/flat.
Question
Anyway, I'm wondering if lubrication is indeed the problem and if cleaning the lubrication off (and maybe applying a mild adhesive like Loctite or just hairspray) would suffice.
Appendicies
Figure 1: Crank-arm hole and nut

Your crank arm is toast.
In my experience, if a square taper ever gets loose while riding, even once, it's done. Retightening the bolts buys you a few miles at best but it'll loosen up again before long.
I think the connection to lubrication is coincidental. You said the problem started after you applied lube, but that's not true. You did that because it was squeaking badly, meaning the problem was already underway. When it began to squeak, its demise was already imminent. Spraying lube did nothing to speed up or slow down the process. Additionally, the taper should be lubricated lightly when installing.
The problem was an insufficiently tight crank bolt, possibly from the day it was bought. When you replace the crank, make sure that bolt is tight. While others disagree, I find it cannot be overtighted as long as you use a normal sized driver, and that you don't have gorilla strength. Give it some muscle so it stays put.
Additionally, stop riding with that crank immediately, or you also risk wrecking your bottom bracket spindle too. BB spindles are made from hard steel, so they're not one-and-done like the crank arms are, but they can be worn down too if careless. If that happens, no cranks will fit snugly, and you'll wreck another crank arm, or more.