Are these tires worn out or was it rather a manufacturing defect? On both of my tires (conti 0101442 or 0100175, can't remember), I got a fissure running almost uninterrupted all the circumference. It's not in the middle, but rather shifted to the left, on both of them.

They are two or three years old. The bicycle is stored on a wheel hook, tires do not touch anything. The shelter is fume-free.

I wonder what is it likely: wear, manufacturing defect, over-pressure?

Edit: Thanks for all the replies. They reminded me that the tires were sold folded several times. I'm not saying that it led to the defect, though. I tended to inflate to the upper pressure limit (and never bothered to compensate for afternoons warmer than mornings etc)

It looks like age/exposure related failure from what I can see. If it is a defect the shop where you purchased them may pro-rate them on new tires. If they do this it would be a good will gesture on their part. I worked in the retail automotive tire world and it is nearly impossible to get a defect related replacement from the manufacturer. They blame under /over inflation, road hazard, sun exposure etc.


How do I choose a bicycle fork? I'm putting together a bicycle on a budget from a frame I was given and various parts from a bike with a broken frame. The only part of any expense that I really need is the fork, and I want to get this via an auction (likely Yahoo auction Japan).

The frame itself is a women's Scott Tacana. Something like this:

I'm not necessarily looking for shocks, I really just want something cheap that fits. Are there different diameters, tube lengths etc, that I need to be aware of?

There are only a few measurements you need to be aware of when purchasing a new fork, particularly if you're avoiding suspension.  If you don't need suspension, don't get it - it will only add cost and complexity, and a cheap suspension fork will be much worse than a rigid fork.

The basic measurements you need to be aware of are:

Headset type.  Not truly a measurement, but there are two types of headsets - threaded and threadless.  The photo you show is of a bike with a threadless headset; the fork's steerer tube will be a smooth, unthreaded tube and the headset is tensioned with a bolt from the top and the clamping action of the stem.
Steerer tube diameter. Also two main options, 1" (25.4mm) and 1 1/8" (28.6mm, also known as 1.125" or 9/8").  Nearly all threadless headsets use 1 1/8" steerers. You can verify that the frame you have is for that size by measuring the inside of the head tube, it should be 34mm.  If you already have a headset installed, you can verify that the inner diameter of that is 28.6mm.
Steerer tube length. If you are purchasing a new (or "uncut") fork this is extremely unlikely to be an issue, but on a used fork you'll need to check. The steerer tube needs to be long enough to extend above the top of the headset with room for the stem to clamp fully.  Too short and it can't be used with that frame.  Too long isn't an issue, since you can easily use spacers and/or cut it to length.  If you measure your stem clamp, your headset, and the length of your head tube and add a few mm for a safe margin you've got a bare minimum steerer length you'll need.
Wheel size and brake type. The bike in the picture has 26" (559) wheels and is designed for cantilever or v-brakes. The position of those brake mounts is specific to the wheel diameter, so you'll want to make sure it's for the right size wheels.  If you switch to disc brakes, you can omit this concern, but not entirely, because of...
Axle-to-crown length. This is the distance from the center of the axle to the top of the fork crown, just below where the steerer tube starts. The frame's geometry was designed around a certain distance here, and changing it dramatically will alter the handling by increasing or decreasing the angles relative to the ground.  For mountain bike forks this information is more difficult to come by than for road bike forks, but if your bicycle originally had a suspension fork the rule of thumb for rigid is to find a fork that is "suspension corrected" for the amount of travel your bike originally sold with.  In the case of the Scott Tocana it looks like most models shipped with an 80mm suspension fork, so an 80mm suspension-corrected rigid fork should keep things normal.

Basically, given the bike you've shown, if you look for an '26-inch fork, 80mm suspension corrected, 1 1/8" uncut steerer, v-brake posts' you will probably find something suitable.


BCD consideraton, does it matter? I currently have a Shimano 5700 10 speed double 53-39 t crankset with BCD of 130 mm (http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-105-5700-double-10sp-chainset/rp-prod50439?gs=1&gclid=Cj0KEQiA-NqyBRC905irsrLr-LUBEiQAWJFYTkxMA9a_E1fL6-t7-aTW19bkJuJg-JSW1YW7l4VlWooaAuNz8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds).

Can I change to a Shimano 110 mm BCD cranks of 53-39 t (http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-105-5800-11-speed-double-chainset/rp-prod116491)? That's 11 speed but I don't think that will matter. The reason to change is I want to try a 165 mm length crank instead of 170 mm on current.

The BCD shouldn't make any difference to how the cranks work, just which chainrings you use. As long as the BB matches the cranks go ahead.


Is there way to fix a disc brake rotor if slightly bent? Rear disc on my Acid 2016 is little bit bent so while riding it makes a strange noise when that part of disc comes through the caliper. Is there any way fix that or should I buy new disc?

Yes. Disc brake rotors can warp a little in use, or get bent from impacts and straightening them is routine maintenance.

The basic procedure is to find spots where the rotor is bent inboard or outboard, and carefully incrementally bend it back. There are tools made for this purpose (e.g. Park tool DT-2) but the job can be done with a large adjustable wrench.

There are many tutorial and how-to videos that show you how to perform the procedure. Here's one from Park Tool.


Replacement for an old FD-M760 front derailleur I've got a bent FD-M760 front derailleur. I'm wondering what the best replacement would be?

Shimano used the same actuation ratio for all rear derailleurs up 9 speed on mountain bikes, and I'm pretty sure the same holds for front derailleurs. That means you can use any  8 or 9 speed front derailleur to replace a 9 speed M760.

I'd go with a FD-M4000 Alivio or FD-M3000 Acera if you want a new unit. Older 9 speed derailleurs will work if you can find one in good condition.

Note you'll need to match your mounting type: braze-on vs clamp-on; and top of bottom pull. If clamp on you'll need to know your down tube diameter and may need an adapter.


Is it possible to run standard mechanical shifting on a Scott Foil Premium frame? The Scott Foil Premium is the highest end frame available from Scott Sports, and it is designed to run an electronic drive train, routed internally.

The original reports were that this frame would be available to run either a mechanical or electronic drive train, but that information appears to no longer be available.

I would like to run mechanical Campagnolo Super Record on this frame. The question is, does the frame have the necessary cable routing and cable stops for a mechanical drivetrain, or is it electronic only.

I am interested in the Foil Premium, in part because of the graphic design, but I don't want to order the frame, and then find out I can't run the drive train I want. I could play safe and order the Team Issue, but I don't like the color as well, and I may want to run electronic at some future date, so I like the flexibility of the Foil Premium, if it works.

It will likely take a physical examination of the frame to answer this question accurately.

This is the Scott Foil Team Issue, which is designed for mechanical shifting, for sure.

The Foil Premium frame does not have the factory routing for mechanical shifting. It is designed for Shimano Di2 or Campagnolo EPS electronic shifting only.

I was able to modify the frame successfully to accept normal cable routing, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you are very confident in your skills with drill and dremel. And of course it voids the warranty.

Edit:

To respond to a couple of requests for more information in comments, I've added some detail about this frame mod.

To be clear, this very much voids your warranty, and requires precise and careful work to avoid destroying the frame.

FYI, my mod was successful, but was very risky. I literally had to cut a large hole of a very specific shape and position in the BB shell.  I also had to drill a hole through the pre-molded cable stop section at the head tube, as well as through the chainstay by the rear derailleur.

The holes needed to fit these parts and be very, very precisely placed in the frame.

I was able to make a pattern out of paper and take very careful measurements From a Foil 10 frame. Without that ability, I would not have been confident enough to do this mod.


How can I carry a heavy bag without a rack? I want to buy a heavy 20kg bag of rice and bring it home.

The problem is that I only have access to a bike without any rack or formal way to store bags. The bag is too big to fit in my backpack. The distance is about 3km from the shop to my home.

I am using a Bixi (Shared bike in Montreal). There are stations near both my home and the store.

How can I safely carry heavy and bulky items on a bike without a rack?

Depending on your backpack you may be able to lash it to the outside.  I've carried bike wheels this way. I've also carried 10-15kg backpacks while riding, so know it takes some care.  You might have to ride quite gently but that's OK over 3 km.  I'd probably have the sack sideways across the backpack, rather than vertical, as it's less likely to slip between the straps.

Buying a bigger backpack might be a good idea if this is going to become a habit.

The backpack I used has straps on the outside running from bottom to top, so a big load can be held between them and the backpack itself.  An additional side-to-side strap/rope is a good idea.  If you think it feels like it's started moving, get off and have a look.

Alternatively, don't take the bike, walk with the sack on your shoulder.


Rim with fewer spokes for 24" rim I know you are not supposed to recommend any particular brand.

I saw a bike with some pretty neat rims. (The brand rhymes with Wreck)

They had far fewer spokes than most bikes.

Are they stronger and stretch less?

Can you buy just the rim for another brand of mountain bike.(the front rim)

I have 24" rims.

Thanks.

Rims are designed, built and drilled for a specific number of spokes.  The engineering that goes into the rim thickness, profile, and use case depends in part on the number of spokes.

I've seen a pair of 96 spoke wheels (which was build for a lowrider and was mostly for show)
I've owned a 48 spoke rear wheel on a touring/racing tandem- two 90+ kilogram riders need extra load support
I ride a 36 spoke rear on my road bike, because I value reliability.

On the other end, lower spoke count wheels exist but they tend to be built on special spokes.

16 spoke front wheels are common on road-racing bikes.
Spinergy wheels had 8 carbon "flats" functioning as spokes.
Some fancy wheels have 4, 3, or even 2 spokes, but they're a lot more complex than the conventional metal wire spokes we're used to.

There are disk wheels made out of one piece of carbon fibre (this is not wheels with covers over normal spokes)   These might be construed as one single spoke, as wide as the wheel is around.  But that's getting extreme and expensive.

Why?  The lighter your bike, the faster it is.  Removing spokes saves weight (but the remaining spokes have more work to do, sometimes requiring to be thicker negating weight savings.)

The fewer spokes on your wheels, the less disturbed the airflow gets as you ride.  32 spokes would cut the air twice as often as a 16 spoke front wheel.

Thinner spokes disturb the air less, and bladed/aerofoil shaped spokes are even better than round ones.

So the wheel you saw was probably a low spoke count racing wheel.   Sometime Cafe-bikes are low spoke count for appearance.

Downsides of fewer spokes means that there is less load carrying capacity, one spoke breaking can untrue your wheel suddenly to the point it won't spin (happened to me!)

And the spokes cost a lot more to replace.  I was paying $15 for a bladed spoke when a normal quality DTSwiss round spoke was about $2.

As for your bike, you can fit any wheel that matches your axle specifications and brake requirements, and fits in your bike without rubbing.  Do check that the wheels are rated to carry your weight plus your bike's weight plus anything you might carry in a backpack, plus some tolerance.

Note that you don't have to have matching wheels - for a year I rode a 12 spoke rear wheel and a 32 spoke front wheel, it just looked odd but worked fine.


How to tell if a bike is good before purchasing? Say there's no sales person in a bike shop and you are just looking for bikes.

The criteria would be a good bike to ride to work on side-walks(paved or smooth) and the occasional off-road on the weekends. Female user, small budget, but the bike should have a kickstand, a good seat, lights and a bell.

What are the things to look for before purchasing?

(In Norway, bikes aren't too cheap but the buyer doesn't feel comfortable buying the cheapest)

New bikes are usually good to go. The LBS (local bike shop) will usually allow you to bring it back after a months time in order to readjust and tighten things that may have come lose. Ask about whether this is supported or not. Also ask about the guarantee and its exact details.

Also you could ask for a test ride (even in the parking lot) to make sure that the bike works.

Generally the bike should:

have inflated tyres
have no loose parts (grips, bars, saddle, cranks, pedals, wheels)
have working brakes
be able to shift gears smoothly


How much more expensive are hydraulic disk brakes compared to mechanical disk brakes? How much more expensive are hydraulic disk brakes compared to mechanical disk brakes?

I'm asking this to determine which parts contribute to price differences across different models and brands. Is that a big factor? A general estimate would be also fine. And I'm comparing this in low-end mountain bikes.

Thanks

It depends on wether you are talking about disc brakes on a drop-bar bike or disk brakes on a flat bar bike. Hydraulic disc brakes with integrated shifters (on drop-bar bikes) are pretty expensive. Generally I made the experience that for the same price you can get a flat bar with hydraulic or a drop bar with mechanical (e.g. Bulls Daily Grinder 1 vs Canyon Commuter 5.0).

On flat-bar bikes the difference seems to be fairly small when comparing hydraulic vs mechanical disc brakes but this varies a lot, since there are also mechanical and hydraulic brakes of vastly different quality.


Brake levers for riding in upright position I'm trying to find out the correct name for the brake levers that are on a bike so that you can ride in a nearly upright position?  I had an old Schwinn 10 speed that not only had the regular brake levers on the drop down handlebars, but it also had a set so you use them when you're riding in an upright position? I'm hoping someone can tell me what they're called from my vague description?  Thanks

There are two sorts of brake lever that would suit this description - given mention an older ten speed you're probably remembering these:

Sometimes called Suicide Brakes, or secondary levers/safety levers or something similar.  They're not common any more because the braking effect is low, probably for mechanical advantage reasons.
Not recommended unless you're going for original-look.  I have one on my 80s bike and its just for show - I never use it.

The more-modern version is a Cyclocross interruptor brake lever like these.  Functionally they're similar, but pull the inner separately to the outer, they don't pull the existing brake lever for you.
These brake levers work fine, and function either in concert with dropbar brake/shifters  as pictured, or can be used as brake levers by themselves if you're on a flatbar bike.
Again, these are mostly cable-brake based, but there are also hydraulic versions of the interruptor brake.  Shimano's GRX groupset has them as an option.

Given you're looking for a new bike, this doesn't fit your need, but...
The third option is to either learn to brake with existing drop bar brakes, or look at upgrading to more modern brifters.  The difference there is that the whole hand position has improved over time, and now braking from the hoods position works much better than older dropbar brakes.
Compare these with the first photo and you can see how different the angles are.

See also Braking on a vintage road bike


What does this icon mean? I use a gopro hero 3+ silver camera as a bike camera.  It works moderately well for this role.  Recently its started locking up and displaying this icon on screen.

Sorry for the potato photo, but to me that is a stylised icon of a bike riding away, from a low point of view.

Did the camera determine it was on a bike by vibrations?

Or am I seeing an image where its really something else unrelated to biking ?

Yes, the icon represents the error "File Repair". Related to cycling I've seen others have these issues with mounts at times. In my experience, mount to rider is better than mount to bicycle. Check to make sure your mount isn't coming loose. Check the SD card too, just in case, although the camera should throw an "SD Card Error" if that was the case. Last check any recent created files for quality.


Front derailleur takes 6 clicks to shift gears, instead of 3 I've just stripped all cables and chain from a badly kept bicycle and replaced them.

I've correctly adjusted the rear derailleur and it works great.

However, front derailleur which only has 3 gears isn't working as expected.

It takes 2-3 steps on the gear to actually change 1 gears.
The range seems to be 1-6, instead of 3.

The gear is the type that is round, circular next to the handles.

This is normal. The procedure is called trimming.

It allows you to move the front derailleur cage a bit to prevent the derailleur cage rubbing on the chain due to the changing angle of the chain when shifting in the rear.


25-32mm tube work in a 38mm tire? Will a 700x 25-32 tube work in a 700x38 tire?

I just bought new tires that are 38mm but have a couple of new 25-32 tubes left from a different bike, can I get away with using these for light road use?

Paul

Yes, you can. They may puncture or leak easier than correct size, but there is no immediate danger if you can't get the correct size or want to save a very small amount of money.


How should I clean salt out during Winters? Pretty simple question but I think some recommendations would make my chains a bit long-lasting. So when should you do something to your salted chains? When the chains already look rusty, can you use water to clean the dirt out and then oil as a lubricant, or is it better to throw rusty chains into the dustbin? So how to maintain chains in good condition during winter? Oil every day, what about water? May water do even more damage to the chains if the metal has become very porous?

You can use water to remove the salt if it's bad enough, but immediately wipe off the water and generously re-lubricate the chain. You do not want to let the chain sit around with the salty water on it, as it will readily rust. So if you use water, just make sure the chain is completely dry afterwards, then re-oil it.

Metal doesn't really get porous, but AFAIK rust kind of does-- if the rust is that bad, you may want to consider cleaning the rust off with a toothbrush or getting a new chain altogether.

Oiling often in winter is a must. Some people use hot wax instead, but depending on your situation, that might be overkill. You may not need to oil it every day (if it still has plenty of oil visible on it, I don't bother with my chain).


How to route cables aroung the head tube? Consider this illustrative picture:

The cables are routed "across" the heatube. Id est the cable leaves the shifter, crosses the headtube and then curves back under the top or bootom tube.
I often see bikes set up like that, but not always. Sometimes, the cable leaves the shifter, makes a large curve in front and then returns under the top or bottom tube, without crossing the headtube.
Is there a right or wrong way? I have observed loss of paint and even frame damage from cables, rubbing against the head tube (on a Specialized hardrock).

There is no right or wrong way but it is designed to ensure that shifters work efficiently with the derailleurs. The route of shifter cable is determined by the cable routing and stops on the bike.

Using the Hardrock as the example there are two cable routes and a brake line route under the top tube. The shifter cables sits to the right of the the brake line and the order from the right is FD-RD-RB. The FD cable needs to sit on the right to allow the correct angle to run down the back of the seat tube. As the front shifter is on the left side and rear on the right in order to correctly seat in the stops the cables must cross the headtube from the handlebars. The FD and RD cables also cross where the top tube and seat tube meet.

By default the brake line is on the left, in many right hand of the road driving countries the rear brake will be on the right hand side and therefore you have no choice but to cross the head tube.

I have a bike that has no crossing at the head tube apart from the front brake line which doesn't rub. The cable set up from the right is RD-RB-FD. This actually causes more cable rub on the headtube than one that crosses.

I don't worry about cable rub, I own bikes to ride, not look good or retain resale value.


Elimination race tactics I saw a bit of the Omnium racing televised this week, and while most of the events are straightforward, the Elimination race seems to require far deeper tactics than the others.

This may be just because I have never taken part in one of these, but can anyone here explain how to approach an elimination race in the format used at the Olympics (ie a sprint every 2 laps, last one is eliminated)?

My simplistic view suggests staying in the middle of the pack is key, but that's not how any of the races panned out, with wild breaks at seemingly random intervals.

Staying in the middle is the worst thing to do as you can get boxed in unable to sprint your way out of trouble and the riders at the back can come around the top of you and drop you. You are reasonably safe at the front until there are fairly few riders left as it will be difficult for the whole group to come around you and you can sprint your way out of trouble. You are also ok at the back as you are in the slip stream of the group and can use that to slingshot the person in front at the crucial moment and sprint for the line. What you don't want to do is stay in the middle.


Smallest sprocket doesn't fit on freehub? I bought a second hand bike with a Campagnolo Super Record 11 groupset (the pre-2015 version). I have been experiencing shifting difficulty since I bought it, and took it to a mechanic. The mechanic advised that I should buy a new cassette and chain.
Today I removed the cassette. As soon as I removed the lockring, the smallest sprocket fell right off of the freehub body. I then removed all of the sprockets, and placed the new ones on.
The issue is that the smallest sprocket doesn't have space to go onto the freehub body properly - it will sort of sit on top and is able to spin. However, I can put on the lockring on and tighten it, and the sprocket seems to be ok after doing so.
However, I'm not sure whether its aligned properly, because it spins before I tighten the lockring.
The bike has Fulcrum Racing 1 rims. The hub is also fulcrum branded but I can't seem to find a model. I'm assuming it came with the rims. Could it be that the hub is made for 10 speed only?
Is this normal and to be expected, or is something wrong with my wheel?

It doesn't really matter if your freehub body is made for 10 speeds, since Campagnolo has the same body for cassettes between 9 and 12 speeds. The body does not go through the smallest sprocket.
The splines on freehub body are not identical and there is one position where the cog fits properly. The lock ring should be not tightened if the cog is not in correct position. The easiest way to find the position is to rotate the loosely sitting cog. Once in correct position, it clicks into place.


What's this linchpin on hydraulic brakes I just got a new bike with SRAM Level Hydraulic disc brakes. After riding it home, I noticed both the front and rear brakes have a silver linchpin holding something in place. It almost looks like it's holding the pads in place, but also kinda looks like it's supposed to be removed.

Can someone tell me what this pin is doing, and was I supposed to remove it before riding the bike? If I'm not supposed to remove it, in what maintenance scenario would I ever remove it? If I was supposed to remove it, is it possible I've done damage by riding with it in place?

Thanks.

The cotter pin holds the pads in the correct position. It would only be removed to replace the pads when worn. For information sake the silver color plates are springs that help retract the pads away from the rotor when the brakes are released. They also prevent brake squeal by limiting vibration.


Can I use a 1" stem on a 1 & 1/8" steer tube? I have a Nitto Technomic stem that I'd like to use on a '92 trek 930 with the idea of converting it from a mountain bike to a poor man's expedition touring bike with drops.

I found this shim that would seem to do the job.

Has anyone tried this? Is it a bad idea? I can't think of any reason why, but that's why I'm throwing it out here.

I've done the opposite (but drop bars before and after), and have a quill stem adaptor to use a non-quill stem with a threaded headset. My fork is 1", but the adaptor came with a similar shim for 1 1/8" steerers. I've also used quill stems with threadless headsets, but only with matching sizes.

I don't see any reason the product you link to won't do the job it's designed for though.

To replace a non-quill stem with a quill stem you'll need something like
http://problemsolversbike.com/products/locking_headset_spacers, cf. "Threadless Without Spacers" at http://sheldonbrown.com/handsup.html#threadless

I assume you are replacing a 1 1/8" quill stem on your trek though?


What bottom bracket do I need for a decathlon rockrider 5.0 The bottom bracket on my Rockrider 5.0 has a little too much play in it so I figured it best to change it before I get a failure whilst I'm commuting. Does anyone know which bottom bracket I would need for it? Or advise on how I can find out? Also any ideas on what type of extraction/fitting tool I may need for this type of bottom bracket?
Thanks in advanced

I can't precisely tell you which one you need with a picture, and I didn't find a good one in the internet. The bottom bracket you need is either an OctaLink or a Square bottom bracket. You should be able to figure out just by looking at your bike.

Before buying you need to check both the shell and the spindle lengths, as you can see here.

It is really easy to remove and install a new one, but you will need to buy a crank extractor and a bottom bracket removal tool. These aren't tools you will use very much so just get the cheapest ones you can find. You will also need generic tools to unscrew the crank, but you can figure these ones out.

You can find detailed instructions on how to do this here, or just search for a youtube video. Before installing the new one grease the hell out of those threads so it won't be a pain to remove next time, and because that part is very exposed to the elements. Stupid elements!


How can I prevent glasses fogging when cycling in the cold with face covered Related to this question: need cycling eyewear, but fogging is a big problem but that is more focused on the eyewear itself, whereas I'm interested in the face covering material.

I cycle to and from the train station every day. Only about 20 minutes each way but in the cold that's still quite a time to have a freezing cold nose / cheeks. So I have experimented with scarves, snoods, balaclavas etc when it's cold. However all of them cause my glasses to fog up due to the hot air of my breath condensing inside the glasses. Contacts aren't an option for my type of vision; it's glasses or nothing.

I don't want to go for some separate cycling glasses or big goggles. I have enough stuff to carry with me as it is. But I am open to an alternative way of keeping my face warm.

What should I be looking for in a product that allows me to wear glasses and still keep my face warm?

I'm not necessarily after specific product recommendations, more about materials / equipment or a specific feature to look for that can solve this issue. Because currently my options are:

a) see where I'm going, but have a freezing cold face. Or
b) Be all warm, but not be able to see so well.

Should I look for woollen scarves? balaclavas with breathing valves? A different breathable material I am currently unaware of?

What you are looking for is a product that covers your face (to keep it warm) seals along the upper edge to your face (to keep breath from leaking up under your glasses) and uses a design to direct your exhalations away from your face (so your exhaled moist breath doesn't fog your lenses).

There are actually several products on the market designed to do these things.   Many people do cold weather outdoor activities (fat biking, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, etc) have these issues and they are attempted solutions in various manners.  Chemical lens treatments, electric heat and or air movement, and design directed airflow are all out there.  I'd suggest checking with a local sports store and seeing what they support/use/recommend.


Can I change a 26" to a 24" tire on a Huntington Schinn Women's tire? I recently purchase a  Huntington Cruiser by Schwinn. The standard tires are 26". I am new to cycling and am having a hard time finding information regarding tires and frames. I would like to change out the tires to a 24" to be more comfortable (I am 5ft and the bike is already at it's lowest on the seat setting). The frame sits fine and I feel comfortable with the angle, I just think smaller tires would help me out with balancing more.

Your 26" tires sit on wheel rims, whose diameter is probably 559 mm. 24" tires will not fit onto these rims; to use 24" "junior" tires you actually need smaller wheels, of a 507 mm diameter. These smaller wheels require a different frame.

Smaller rims require a different frame mainly because hardware related to the wheel which is mounted to the larger frame is at the wrong location for the smaller wheel diameter: this hardware includes mounting bosses for rim brakes and fenders. Also, on smaller wheels, the existing pedals will have less ground clearance; you might strike the ground when pedaling through turns.

(That's okay, because since for your height, you will probably benefit from shorter cranks anyway: see this crank length versus body height table on the Sugino website, according to which, a 152 cm person should consider pedal crank arms of 155-160mm.)

Luckily, your Schwinn Huntington Cruiser itself comes in a girls' size with 24" wheels. If the Schwinn Huntington Cruiser is your dream bike, all you have to do is exchange the adult 26" one for the youth 24" and you're set.

Though I strongly suspect you would be comfortable on the 24" version of the bike, is that really necessary? Smaller wheels will not help with balancing; that is, not with balancing the bicycle while in motion. I suspect that what you mean by balancing is that, while seated, you have trouble reaching the ground. However, this is okay; shorter people should not expect to be able to reach the ground from a bicycle seat.  For that matter, taller riders on a large bike should not either. If your feet can easily reach the ground while you're seated, it means your knee is too bent at the bottom of the pedal stroke, which means your seat is too low.

The proper bicycle technique is to get up out of the seat when you come to a stop and stand over the top tube, not over the seat. Then when you get moving again, get the bike in motion while briefly standing on the pedals, straddling the top tube. As soon as it is moving, get into the saddle. Your cruiser bike makes it easy to straddle the top tube because that top tube curves radically downward. This video demonstrates the techniques. Practice this starting and stopping technique until it is second nature, and you're not bothered by difficulty reaching the ground out of the seat.

A useful technique not shown in the video is to come to a stop to a raised object, such as a curb, where you can plant one foot without getting out of the saddle. When you start moving again, you give a good push with that foot, and push down on the opposite pedal with the other foot.

Even if you had the 24" version of the bike, you'd still want to adjust your seat so that you can barely touch the ground with extended toes out of the saddle, if at all.  I am 6'1" tall and actually used a 24" bike for quite some time! I used it for daily commuting, and even did a 200 km road trip with an overnight stay. Of course, I had to get an extra long seat tube for it. And, guess what, I could barely reach the ground with my toes from the saddle! That's what it takes for a proper fit. If the seat had been any lower, pedaling would have become inefficient. The leg has to be almost fully extended at the bottom of the pedal stroke. And since the bottom of the pedal stroke is still quite a ways from the ground due to the necessary ground clearance, that means the ground is hard to reach out of the saddle, regardless of how tall you are or what size bike you're trying to fit.


Creaky crank problem: Campag 11sp Athena crankset (Ultra torque) I have an awesome Ridley Noah carbon frame, fitted with Athena Campag 11sp groupo.

Recently it's been making a lot of creaky and "pop" noises as I ride up hills (putting more force on the crank arms).

I turned the bike upside down one day and noticed the same "pop" or "click" sound when I tried to jiggle the crank arms a little.

Could it be the UT bolt inside the hollow crank centre is loose?

I could not find any cracks or hairline cracks on the frame itself (but I could need an xray to see).

Any suggestions appreciated.

Thanks

This is a big question.

Clicks and creaks can be related to a good many things, sometimes the crankset and / or the BB, sometimes not.

Do the simple stuff first.

Check:

The cassette lockring is properly tight - it does need to be at the
correct torque, usually marked on the lockring iteself, typically 40
nm.
If it's a Campag wheel, that the end pieces in the axle are tight ... two 5 mm allen keys, one in each end, locked clockwise relative to each other.
The rear QR is tight - if it's some super-lightweight,
titanium job, replace it with something less fragile from a reputable
maker like Campagnolo or Shimano
Check the chainring bolts are correctly torqued. If Campag they use a T25 Torx key and should be at 8 - 10 nm.
Ensure that the pedal threads are greased and that the pedals are tightened to around 16 nm in the cranks.

Once you have looked at these areas, then the BB needs a look. First question - is it press-fit or screw-in type cups? From here on in, you are mostly looking at shop processes using the correct tools. Don't try work-arounds, they are very variable in their results.

First, drop the cranks off.

Remove the BB cups / press fit adaptors.

Measure the BB shell and check it is tolerance for width and if press fit, diameter.

If it's screw in, check that any movement you might have felt or seen is not a breakdown of the bond between the threaded BB insert and the frame itself - this can and does happen and it is not easily repairable in most cases.

If the BB insert all looks tight and immobile, chase the threads. If possible without touching the carbon, face the BB shell so that the cups are definitely coming up against flat, square surfaces.

Re-fit the cups with grease, Loctite 247 or copperslip on the threads and tighten to between 16 & 24 nm. Loctite requires lower tighteneing torques.

Reassemble the UT bearings into the cups with plenty of grease in the cup itself. Ensure the clip on the RH cup is fitted. Ensure the wavy washer is in place. Ensure that the central bolt is locked to between 42 & 60 nm.

If press bit BB, is it true BB30 or BB30 PF or some other variation?

If it's true BB30, remove the adaptors, clean and degrease everything, and refit the adaptors with Loctite 641. Reassemble the bearings and cranks as if with screw-in cups (see above) once the Loctite is dry (normally 24h) and see if it creaks. If the cups were the issue, this will fix it. Campagnolo have always recommended Loctite on their press fit cups but the recommendation has been largely ignored.

If it's BB30 PF or some variation on the same, the adaptors will be pressing into a carbon base not alloy, so they again need to be taken out, everything degreased a suitable activator (Loctite 7649) is applied to the carbon and the adaptors are then refitted with Loctite 641. Reassemble the bearings and cranks as if with screw-in cups (see above) once the Loctite is dry (normally 24h) and see if it creaks. If the cups were the issue, this will fix it.

There are a vanishingly-small number of riders for whom UT is just not the right system - some are so untidy in their pedalling style that they can side-load the whole assembly and induce an odd click or creak, but for 99.999% of users, proper and careful assembly and taking the steps outlined above will cure any and all noise.

HTH!

Graeme

Head Technician

Velotech Cycling Ltd, Campagnolo Main UK Technical and Service Centre.


"wound" on the tire side The other day I was stopped at a traffic light when I felt my bike moving slowly forward. Did not pay really attention, thought there was a slight slope, so hit the brake and voila.
But it did not stop moving and I realized an idiot in his car was pushing me!!
I should have gone and yell at the guy but I freaked out: he is enough of a psycho to push a cyclist, who know what he can do...
So I deflected to the sidewalk to check the bike...
He was pushing on the rear mudguard and on the rack... the mudguard was bent just behind the crankset so I straightened it and it looked like the bike was fine so hopped on and finished the ride.

Only later I noticed that the contact of the mudguard on the tyre while being deformed left a "wound" on the side of the tire.
Cannot post a picture, sorry, but it looks like the integrity of the side of the tyre was compromised and one can see the fibers inside.
It does not "leak", the tube cannot be seen or anything but I hate it...
Is the tyre fragilized enough to increase significantly puncture risks? could it "explode" and cause a more serious accident?
Does it need replacing? I hardly think so,... but well...

I would ask myself the question: "Even if it looks like the tyre is ok, do I really want the hassle of the thing blowing 10 miles from home - even if there's only one chance in a hundred - and then having to change the tube, hoping it doesn't re-puncture, all the while freezing your ** off? And probably in the dark too. And even then, when you get home, having to replace the tyre in any case."

Compared to the price of a new tyre I know what my answer would be. (I should probaby add that tyres in general are more susceptible in thev walls, which would sway me even more.)

Congratulations for keeping your cool by the way. Your logic seems totally sound in terms of this guy being a psycho but very often adrenaline wins hands-down over rationality.


Sprocket touching the biggest cog no matter B screw...how do I fix? My Shimano rear derailleur was destroyed, for some reason got into the rear wheel, so I had to buy a new one. Hanger was a little misaligned but I think I fixed it.

I bought the new derailleur, changed cable and housing, the chain was pretty new.

All installed, checked L and H, and I noticed the derailleur was a little close to the cogs. but worked fine in all the 6 smaller cogs.

When I try to go into the biggest cog, no matter the B screw, the sprocket is touching the cogs (with the chain in between) making a weird noise and sometimes it cannot even get up there.

The first derailleur was a Shimano TY500 6-7 speed. I ordered another one, a Shimano Tourney RD-TY300 6/7-Speed  but is doing the same thing!

The rear cassette has a biggest cog of 34T

I'm running out of options... only I can think is replacing the hanger to see if that is the issue.

Both the TY-300 and TY-500 are rated for a large/low sprocket of 28T to 34T so they are both within spec.   There are no other variants, only the -SGS long cage is available.

https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/component/tourney/RD-TY300-SGS.html

https://bike.shimano.com/en-AU/product/component/tourney/RD-TY500-SGS.html

I'd strongly suggest checking the the hanger alignment before spending more money on replacement parts.

You need a bolt that fits the hanger (possibly salvage this from your old destroyed unit) and a longish flat rigid bar, and something to measure down to the rim.

The measurement of the offset to the rim needs to be as accurate as you can, but within 10mm at the rim should be adequate.

The other option is that your B screw is damaged, bent, not pushing hard enough, or the stop is broken/damaged/missing.  A clear and well-lit photo of your frame and hanger would help show if this is the problem.


Is a powered car tire inflator suitable for road bike tire inflation? I'm switching to road cycling. My diminutive and portable pump will likely be a pain to get 120psi. Rather than get a foot pump with either a built-in or an external pressure gauge, I'm thinking of simply getting a pump for car tires that doubles as bike tire pump.

Despite the brand of the model I'm considering, it doesn't actually include batteries.

I have two questions.

Is this feasible? Can one fit a Presta valve on a pump such as the one pictured? A Presta valve is not listed among its paraphernalia. (I'm assuming the Schrader valve is identical on cars and bikes.)

The upper limit of pressure of the pump pictured is 120psi. This matches the needed pressure for the road bike tire. But it would have been nice if the pump were to exceed it ever so slightly.

Would a pump rated at 120psi be sufficient for a tire needing 120psi? Or, conversely, is it a big deal if a road bike tire is inflated at only 115psi (because the upper limit is a theoretical, not actual, upper limit)?

Buy a floor pump, also known as a track pump, instead of an automotive accessory.

A track pump will take about the same time to top up your tires as a small car compressor, and has an advantage of not needing electricity at all.

You still need the on-bike pump for punctures while riding, but in the garage at home a track pump works very well.  I ended up carrying a smaller track pump on my bike instead of a minipump.

Do get one with a gauge - doesn't matter if its analogue or digital but estimating tyre pressure by squeeze isn't ideal.  A track pump will last you decades, where the small tyre pumps tend to fail in a few years.

Incidentally - I've tried to use my big track pump to add some air to a car tyre, and after 10 minutes I'd raised it from 20 PSI to 22 PSI.   If you want to inflate car tyres as well, get both.  One pump will not do both jobs well.

My car tyre compressor stalls out at around 70 PSI  despite being "rated" for 175 PSI - there is no way it can pump up a road tyre and if I did, would have to finish it off with the hand pump anyway.


Rubbing disc brake caliper Finally I bought my new hydraulic disc brakes (Shimano M-446) and installed it on my bike . It was a little difficult to adjust the calipers  , because the space between the pads is smaller than on my previous brakes (Hayes Stroker Ryde). But finally I had managed to align them properly and went for a test ride . When I sat on my bike I heard the rotors rubbing but only on cornering and turns . I got out of it and rotated the wheel but everything was OK when. What a mystery ? Why the rotors are rubbing only when I am sitting on the bike ?

There could be some play in the axles. Lift the wheel and try to wiggle. Another explanation might be a 'soft' fork. Also check the tightening of the quick releases, a quarter turn of the nut might bring some change.


Buying first hybrid bike; better to put $ into components or disc brakes? I'm looking to replace my 2008 comfort cruiser with a fitness style hybrid. My budget allows for maxing out at $500 (on the new fitness hybrid bike itself). I ride rails-to-trails with the kids, charity rides, and would like to commute to work on occasion (15 miles round trip).

Ultimately the decision comes down to bike feel, but with the limited budget, am I better to put my money into upgraded components or disc brakes?

Typically, you don't need disc brakes on a bike which lives on the road or other nice surfaces. The primary advantage on the road is that you don't have to deal with wheel true-ness as much, and that they look cool. For wet weather riding, they can stop you a bit quicker, but with properly adjusted V-brakes, you can stop pretty damn quickly once you learn to feather the brakes. Discs also cost significantly more than rim brakes, and lower quality disc brakes (which you'll get in the ~500 dollar price range) will perform about as well as decent rim brakes. Your rims will last longer with a disc brake, but this is rarely to never an issue with a hybrid rider who doesn't put very high mileage.

The disadvantages of disc brakes are many -- for example, the front fork will be heavier since it needs to be more robust to handle the forces of disc brakes, and they weigh more than most rim brakes (weight weenie-ing isn't a big deal on a 500 dollar bike). Also, you'll have to take a lot of money (probably 20% of the budget) for the disc brakes, versus well less than half of that for rim brakes.

I think this article from John Allen makes a good summary with a nice point-by-point list of advantages and disadvantages. Generally, for most people, the rim brakes in this price range are the better choice and enjoy the better components all around (these days, you'll probably get 1 level up in the drive train and a carbon fork, which is nice). And your dollar will go a lot farther on a used bike than a new bike (another post recently described a used Trek 7.5 FX for ~450 dollars, which would be a fantastic non-disc option for a hybrid).

If you do want to get discs in the future, you do need a disc compatible frame and fork (excluding solutions like BrakeTherapy), as well as hubs on the wheels, so if you think you'll want them in the future, you probably should just buy the disc brake version (or buy the non-disc version, sell it and then buy a disc bike).

Side note: Hybrids generally have two distinguishing options between models from a given manufacturer: with/without suspension and with/without disc brakes. Generally, you should choose no suspension (unless your doctor tells you otherwise (i.e. you have severe back problems)) and fit decently large tires, and without disc brakes since for most riders they wont see an advantage unless the disc brakes are high quality and their riding conditions require it. Usually, cheaper hybrids run mountain bike groups on a flat bar setup, while more expensive ones run road bike groups on a flat bar setup. You also get carbon forks after you spend a bit of money, which is nice.


Are slick tires worth it for commuting? I commute to work on a Marin San Rafael on roads over a mix of flat to steep roads. My bike came with "700 x 35c with Puncture Protection" semi-slick tires:

In the bike shed at work I noticed another bike had slick tires, without any tread. After doing a little research online I found these tires:

I'm wondering whether or not it's worth changed my existing tires for these. My main desire is faster, easier riding on the road. Will these (or similar) tires provide less rolling resistance over the default tires I already have?

Yes, definitely -- if you're riding on mostly paved roads, switch to bald-ish tires. Rolling resistance is huge and equates directly to effort, though as you start going really fast it is dwarfed by air and gravity of course. Per the graph here:

However, one caution: road tires tend to be skinny, and you probably want fat-but-bald tires instead. If you go from a 35mm wide treaded tire to a 25mm bald tire, you will feel a lot more bumps.

So in summary: bald, for sure, but don't sacrifice too much width/comfort in the process.


Cannot get chain link out My chain broke so I decided I'd fix it.
Don't have a tool to take apart the chain so I tried hammer and a nail over a wrench to no avail. Messed up the chain pretty bad too.

Is there such a chain where these are welded? I smashed this thing with a hammer as hard as I could right in the center with a nail and it didn't even so much as budge.

Also I think my chain is a power link if that makes a difference

I will get a dedicated tool but I'm just baffled at that.

Do I get a new chain or just sever a couple links and get replacement pin?

I'd get a new chain and use a chain tool next time.

The links have rivets in them which are hard to push out without a chain tool (and other tools can weaken the chain leading to failure, especially with a cockamamie way like you're trying). Given that a cheap chain tool is 10-15 dollars it's a worthy investment relative to the cost of a replacement chain.

In the second picture, the second vertical link from the top is a quick link. You push the plates together (perpendicular to the table) and then push them in opposite directions (parallel to the table in the direction of the chain).

You will need a chain tool anyway when you get your new chain in order to size it appropriately; this link will give you appropriate directions. And if you have to install a special rivet (e.g. Shimano) to close the chain, you'll need a tool (*).

(*) On lower speed chains / old days, people used to push the rivet out partially then re push it back in to close the chain. It is now recommended to use the special closing rivet or a quick link, depending on what the chain manufacturer suggests.


Risks/problems of a short chain I've put a new chain on my bike using method 3 from Zinn's art of road bike maintenance to determine length:

  "Wrap the chain around the big chainring and biggest cog without going
  through either dérailleur. Bring the two ends together until the ends
  overlap; one full link (Fig. 4.7) should be the amount of overlap
  (Fig. 4.10)..."

However, I didn't notice that my fingers must have slipped at some point because I remeasured the size after breaking the surplus pieces off & the overlap was gone (facepalmed myself with a greasy hand at this point).

How big of an issue is this likely to be? What are the problems associated with an overshortened chain? Realistically, should I be running down to the bike shop and buying a second chain in as many days (whilst trying to pretend I hadn't)?

I rarely (if ever, I dislike cross-chaining) end up on both the big cogs and chainring at the same time therefore the chain & rear dérailleur would rarely be under maximum possible tension. I'm aware it's not a good idea to re-add links and given I'm about to head to the Alps I don't want a weak chain!

To quote Sheldon Brown: "If the chain is too short, it will be at risk for jamming and possibly ruining the rear derailer if you accidentally shift into the large-large combination. Never run with a chain that is too short, except in an emergency." (I will say that depending on if your chain is short enough, it can happen in combos other than large-large.)

Here is a good article on sizing chains.

If its a new chain, I wouldn't hesitate in breaking the chain at a different link and adding some of the extra links back to it. But you really should get the chain to be of the right length before riding.

Also, for what its worth, the easiest way to size a new chain for a bike which hasn't had a cassette/chainring size change occur is to start with the old (properly sized) chain, and use that to size out the new chain. Much less annoying than sizing the chain from scratch.


Drive chain swap clarifications Been thinking about upgrading my drive train, however, I'm not sure if I've fully understood the compatibility part and wanted to get some more clarifications. Currently have an Advent X (10spd) and my hub is a Shimano FH-TX505 with HG freehub. My questions that I had are:

Can a 12spd (11t or higher) fit on a HG freehub? On the Shimano website, it say 8-10spd, 11spd mtb. However, some cassettes such as the Garbaruk 12-Speed HG Cassette, state they work with the HG hub?

Can you change the freehub? Again, the wheels I have use the FH-TX505 hub. I know there's a specific compatibility between which hubs can actually be converted but I couldn't find much info on this specific one. My guess is no but I'm really not too sure. Oh, the hub is also (not too sure) QR 10x135, not sure if that matters. Side note: I mainly care about this because I was hoping to get a speed lower than 11t (10 or even 9) as I have been toping out a lot. I guess upgrading from 30t to 32t chainring might be another option...

If Q2 is no, then is there anyway for me to get a wheel set with XD or micro spline freehub? I've been looking around for wheel sets for QR 10x135 but the ones I've seen all use HG.

Thanks!

First, it seems as your goal is for a higher ratio on the top end of your gearing so that you won't as easily "spin out"--require such a high RPM to maintain or gain bicycle velocity that it's physically impossible to maintain or achieve such a high RPM.  The fact that you are using a 30 tooth chainring infers that you are on a mountain bike.  That it has a QR 10x135mm rear hub infers it is an older mountain bike or some form of hybrid bike.  In either case--and for many other compatibility and cost reasons--moving to a 12 speed cassette that may have a 9 tooth high gear sprocket to achieve that higher ratio will not work because a 135mm spaced hub has no room for over 11 cogs.  As you realize, you require a MicroSpline free hub for 12 speed Shimano cogs and your current hub is not likely to be compatible for one. There's no point in researching that due to the incompatible spacing to begin with.  Note, as well, that going to an 11 or 12 speed rear will require a new shifter and rear derailleur since a 10 speed shifter has only enough detents (9) for 10 cogs and a 10 speed derailleur is not directly compatible with 11 and certainly 12 speed systems. There is quite a bit of expense there, even if you had a compatible hub and frame spacing, when a bigger chainring will achieve the goal as well.
The easiest--really the only-- way to get a larger, faster top end gearing ratio is to simply replace your current 30 tooth chainring with a 34 or 36 ring.  Thirty-two tooth ring won't achieve much gain in your high ratio.  Probably wouldn't even be noticable.


Tiagra ST-4720 on Trek 920 Disc (2016): front derailleur problems I've upgraded my Trek 920 Disc (2016) bike with Shimano Tiagra ST-4720 Dual Control Levers.

At the same time I've also replaced the disc brake calipers (Shimano BR-MT420) and the rear (Shimano Tiagra RD-4700-GS) and front derailleurs (Shimano Tiagra FD-4700-B).

Everything works well, except for the front derailleur which does not seem to move enough. Meaning that the chain either remains in the lower or higher gear and changing gear is - if possible at all - very rare.

In other words, I have the impression that the spacing between the two front chainrings (of the SRAM S1000, 42/28T crankset) is too big for what the front derailleur is capable of doing.

I suspect a compatibility issue between my front derailleur and the chainrings/crankset. I have tried to look up some specifications about the chainring spacing and the maximal movement of the front derailleur but without success.

Any suggestion on how to make this last piece of the puzzle working would be highly appreciated!

The derailleur is designed for a FC4700 chainset, which from the specs below (x3-x2) is about 7.8mm. If the SRAM chainset is not wildly different from that then I don't suspect the spacing, and SRAM and Shimano chains and cogs are usually sympathetic.

The range of the front chainrings (42-28) is 14 teeth, within the 16 teeth gap the FD4700 can manage, but the 42 tooth is lower than most road derailleurs are specced for. The old road Tiagra (4600) was specced for 50 tooth minimum, but I can't find spec for 4700. 42 does seem like a bit of a stretch outside the minimum value.

So I don't suspect the gap between the two rings, but I do think the low tooth counts are a potential issue.

Beyond that, the newer Shimano front mechs are more involved in how you set them up, you need to eliminate user error in how you set it up. Particularly the limit screws.

Is the derailleur at the correct height and angle?
Did you set up the support plate?
Did you set up the converter correctly? https://si.shimano.com/pdfs/dm/DM-FD0002-05-ENG.pdf
Did you route the cable correctly?
Cable tension and limit screws? I would back off the limit screws to see if that helps, before setting them up again.


Should I repack the hub bearings on new wheels with quality grease? The wheels in question are inexpensive ($100/pair) alloy wheels.

If the answer is "yes", do you have an recommendations for grease? Currently I'm using "Finish Line Grease with Teflon" for most of my lubrication needs.

You may want to just open them open to take a peek to make sure that: 1) they are actually packed with grease to begin with and 2) that all of the bearings are actually there.

With cheap hubs, missing grease and missing bearings are not unheard of. But if a quick peek yields lots of grease and a full set of bearings, I'd tighten up the cones and pedal away.

[New]  p.s. Just a quick note that asking which the best grease to use is sort of like asking which operating system is best: Windows, Linux, or MacOS (or FreeBSD or AmigaOS). You can't go wrong with whatever the LBS has (Pedros, Park, or even FinishLIne). I tend to be a quirky FreeBSD type and use Magnalube, a weird specialty lube which no one else has heard of.


Are cranksets generally interchangeable? My crankset is worn down and needs to be replaced. Can I take the intact crankset from an older, broken bike and mount it on my newer bike? If it matters, both cranksets are Shimano (different models), have 3 chainrings and 48 teeth on the largest one.

I'm mainly worried that the horizontal distance between the chainrings might be different, which would make accurate shifting impossible. As far as I can tell they seem to be equal, but it's pretty hard to measure them accurately. Also I imagine there might be other things to take into account which I'd never think of.

No, cranks are not generally always interchangeable, but you probably can transplant the crank from the broken bike.

First, do both bikes have 6, 7  or 8 sprockets in the rear cluster? If so, they use the same chain width and the spacing between the chainrings will be the same. Same deal if they both have 9 sprockets. (As you mention the chainrings are riveted to the crank I think you probably have a lower number of sprockets).

The cranks need to have the same chainline, but MTB triple cranks almost always used 47.5-50mm so they should be compatible in that regard.

Older or lower end 'three-piece' cranks use a bottom bracket that includes the axle and are threaded into the frame, the crank arms fit into a square or splined taper on the end of the axle. Newer 'two-piece' cranks incorporate the axle into the drive side crank and fit into bearing cups either threaded or pressed into the frame.

As you mention your crank has fixed chainrings it's certainly of the three-piece type. I assume the donor bike is the same. If you tried swapping the cranks only you may run into trouble with the axle interface being different. Also different model cranks generally require a different length axle to get the correct chainline, so the bottom bracket axles may be different lengths. You can get around this by swapping the crank and the bottom bracket together

The only other stumbling block is if the bottom bracket shells are different widths, On older MTBs 68 and 73mm wide shells were both used.

Check that the donor bottom bracket bearings are not worn out of course. Note that special tools are needed to pull the cranks off the axle tapers and to unthread the bottom bracket cartridge.

Here are a couple of Park Tool videos that include removing and installing 3 piece cranks and bottom brackets.

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/how-to-remove-and-install-a-crank

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/bottom-bracket-removal-installation-threaded


Does it matter if I let my brakes drain when when taking system apart? I'm going to be taking apart a Clarks Skeletal Hydraulic Brake system to try and identify what's wrong with it (trying to remove/unstick a piston), so I was wondering does it matter whether I just disconnect all the fluid cables to the caliper and let them drain, and then do a bleed/refill later?

Most videos I've seen of doing a brake fluid bleed, the system is usually still quite full of fluid, and I can't think of any reason why not but I thought I'd ask whether there's any problems with just emptying the system out.

I think this is mostly a problem in the bottom of the calipers where a hose becomes a reservoir filled with fluid, and perhaps that can get air in there. What I have done in situations like this is to make sure a block is in the caliper and squeeze the brakes a few times before opening the ports to bleed. My theory is that will do it's best to fill the fluid into the air pockets and get the air to come to the top. Of course, it's hard to see inside the actual line so hard to know. Bleeding from the caliper then gets the air out of the line. It's worked for me and given non-squishy levers in the past.


11-speed cassette, freehub and wheel compatibility I have two wheels and two 11 speeds cassettes. With one combination of cassettes and wheels, shifting is reliable. With the other combination, the position of the cassette relative to the derailleur is clearly incorrect and I get a lot of chain noise and spontaneous shifting.
The parts I have are:

Giant P-R2 rear wheel
Shimano 11-34 cassette, CS-HG700-11 (I think)
Campagnolo Calima C17 rear wheel
Shimano 11-30 cassette, 105 R7000

Shimano 105 GS long cage rear derailleur
Combination 1 + 2 is what came with the bike, and works fine. When I disassembled it, there was a shim between the largest sprocket on the cassette and the wheel side end-stop on the freehub body.
Combination 3 + 4 also works fine, without a shim, on the same bike without altering the adjustment of the rear derailleur at all.
However. I want to use the old wheel with the new cassette (1 + 4), indoors on a turbo trainer, and the new wheel and the old cassette (3 + 2), on the road.
Neither 1 + 4 or 3 + 2 works satisfactorily with or without the shim - either I can't get the nut thing to engage the threads to hold the cassette on, because the shim pushes the cassette too far out from the wheel, or without the shim the cassette is too close to the wheel and I can't adjust the derailleur such that shifting works with both wheels.
Questions:

Should I expect combinations 1 + 4 and 3 + 2 to work?
Should I need a shim?
If I do need a shim, is there a particular width or part number I need to look for?
Am I missing something obvious?

Thanks

Although the dimensions of the freehub may be the same, and two cassettes may have the same spacing. The hub dimensions will not be the same.
So the position of the freehub in relation to the frame is difference between wheels. A difference of just 1mm in freehub shift is massive in terms of the way the rear mech aligns to the cassette.
Similar issues have been noted when using direct drive traininers, the gears will be perfectly aligned to the cassette on the wheel, but when you mount the bike to the trainer, the cassette is in a different place in relation to the rear mech, so shifting is not correct on trainer.
There is no work around for this, every time you want to swap rear wheels, if the freehub is in a different position in relation to the rear mech, the shifting will be off and it will need to be re-aligned to the new rear wheel. This means that the old rear wheel will not be aligned anymore.
In terms of combination 1+4, there shouldn't be an issue here. It might be worth taking it to a mechanic to have a look. Without seeing it, it's hard to know what is wrong.
I suggest you make the bike work for when you will use on the road, so have the gears set up for the new wheel and old cassette (ie wheel 3 + cassette 2). And then just be aware that the shifting will not be perfect on the turbo traininer with the old wheel and new cassette.
Edit from comment
Thanks to Weiwen Ng for pointing that that the CS-HG700-11 cassette uses the "10 speed" freehub body. This explains why there is a shim where the 105 R7000 uses the "road 11 speed" freehub body. This could also factor into the shift of cassette cogs in relation to the rear mech.


Cygolite Expilion Battery Replacement Did anyone take apart the replaceable battery of the Expilion headlight?
I assume it contains a 18650 like battery, but some have a protection circuit built in and some not.
Any knowledge about the type of battery? The lamp might even fit a thicker battery with higher capacity.

If I mill off the bottom part of the holder, can I pull out the battery, or is it tightly molded into the plastic shell?

The word is "repacking" where you swap out the rechargable batteries inside a pack.   Generally speaking the pack's design does not make this easy, but its not impossible.  Its normally done at the end of life for the batteries, so after 500-4000 charge cycles.

Note this is quite different to fitting primary cells (ie disposable batteries) that you can throw away once they are discharged

First budget for a replacement battery, in case you stuff up the original one.  Can you afford $40 for the new one?

Then closely examine the pack.  There will be a seam somewhere, either at the end or down the side where the original battery was inserted.  If you're positive its an 18650 then the hole will need to allow that size through.  18mm in diameter and 65mm long.

Crunch up the seam in a bench vise, they're normally built with an inside and an outside clip.  You want to compress the "inside" part of the shell.  Then use a wood chisel directly on the seam.  A light but sharp tap with a hammer should pop the seam without damaging the old battery.

Figure out how to get the cell out, and eyeball it.  Its probably unlabelled.

The battery on the left has protection, the cell on the right probably doesn't. The rim you see is a small circuit board that does the voltage sensing.  You need the same kind as you removed.  Its possible the voltage protection circuit is built into the plastic housing already, and two of them in series is bad.

The vent holes around the positive end are NOT a sign of electric protection.  Instead they're vents for any gas buildup.

Reconnect your new battery to the wires, reinsert in the housing, and test.  Then use superglue to close and seal the housing.  This will be a one-time repack, it should give you another couple years of usage.


Is a tire patch kit really necessary for urban commute? I'm cycling for urban commute, on well-maintained roads and bike paths, Vittoria Randonneur "puncture resistant" tires, and at no point on my ride am I more than 1/2 mile (usually within 1/4, I bet) from a bike shop.  I also presume that I'll never be without a wallet and cell phone and am in a city with good public transport.

Given that, is there really a reason to bother carrying a patch kit or extra tube with me?

Well, to answer this, there are a couple things to consider.

1)  What are the hours or operation of the bike shops?  Do you plan to ride when the shops aren't open.

2)  Are you sure that all the bike shops will always have your tube size in stock.  Seriously, you think they would always have 700x32 in stock, but I've had it happen enough times that it's annoying.  Not to mention the number of times I've settle for using presta when I'm really supposed to be using schraders.

3)  How far do you really want to walk, and what is the penalty for being late?  Walking 800 m (1/2 mile) could take around 10 minutes. In that time you could have already changed the tire. Do you lose pay when you get to work late? If this happens too much will you be seen as unreliable, and get your shifts cut?

4)  How much does a patch kit or extra tube and a frame pump really slow you down?  A patch kit can easily be stored in those bags that go under your saddle, or in your jersey pocket.  A pump can be mounted on the frame, and you probably won't even realize it's there.

Personally, I don't think there's much reason not to carry a pump and spare tube.  Although it does seem useless at this point. I ran over a broken beer bottle on the weekend and heard and felt the glass crush underneath my tires. Thanks to gatorskins and tuffy tape, I didn't even have a flat.  I seriously question why I should bother.  But then 3 months ago I had a valve fail.  It's almost never the case that I get a flat from an actual puncture, but usually from pinch flats or other unexpected things.  I don't think I've ever had to use my allen keys on my commute, but I still carry them. That being said, the day you have to walk a mile because you didn't want to carry something as small as a tube and pump is the day you're going to rethink why you don't carry one.


Shimano 105 rear shifting issues I'm disappointed with my new Cannondale and it's 105 group, I expected this to be a major upgrade from my previous trouble free bike with the bottom end group set. It's done about 500 miles, had new cables, a new chain and rear derailleur re-alignment and numerous adjustments over the 5 service visits between 2 dealers and it still doesn't shift smoothly every time. Over a 2 hour mixed terrain ride it will miss-shift several times.

It seems to be mainly an issue with the 3 black colored gears in the center of the cassette, regardless of small or big chain ring. Sometimes when up or down shifting the lever clicks as normal but the chain does not move to the adjacent gear, click again and it moves and stays there until the next shift. Other times I would down shift in anticipation of a hill, the chain appears to have moved, but when I stand it slips.

Both of these issues happen randomly and spoil my riding pleasure, does anyone have any thoughts on what the issue might be?

Assuming that the cabling is clean, that the derailleur is nicely indexed and well alligned, the derailleur hanger not bent, and the chain correctly moves lateraly +/- 4mm for each gear up or down, then I would have a look at the distance between the upper jockey pulley and the sprockets.

The distance should be on all sprockets less than 25 mm and more than 12 mm.
I suspect that your distance is slightly too high, meaning that the chain has too much room and can flex.

The way to adjust this is by loosening the B screw, as described on this page.

I had the same problem on a 105 derailleur on one of my bikes. B screw was loosened to the max, and I was still too far from the sprockets compared to my other bikes. I managed to file the part of the derailleur hanger touching the support of the derailleur where the B-screw is, to shorten this distance even more. Now it shifts very well.


Hybrid bike change to road bike I have a Sirrus Specialized road bike with flat/straight handlebars and a Carrera TDF 2014 edition. As much as I like it, I must say that I prefer the Siruss' frame. It's light and aero. I want to swap my Carreras handlebars and the STI levers onto my Siruss.

Are the STI levers on my Carreras compatible with the V-brakes on my Siruss? Are there any problems that I need to think about before I do the swap?

No, road brake levers are not compatible with v-brakes. If you're dead set on switching to drop bars on a bike with v-brakes, you'll need to either switch the brakes to cantilevers or use a travel agent to correct the pull ratio. Personally, I'd just switch to cantilevers. I've never used a travel agent, but I've heard they can be finicky.

There's also a question of shifting compatibility. The first thing to check is that the brands match. Sram and Shimano are not cross compatible, so if you have one on one bike and the other on the other, you'll have problems.

The second thing to check is the number of gears. Ideally, you want the same number in the front and the rear. If they're different you'll have problems.

You also need to know if the mountain components that are most likely on your hybrid are compatible with road shifters. If it's all 9-speed Shimano, you should be good. If it's 10-speed Shimano, you're going to run into compatibility problems. One more thing to mention with Shimano is that they have sometimes used hybrid specific front derailleurs that work with just fine with mountain shifters, but sub-optimally when mixed with road shifters. Sram 10-speed is all cross compatible between mountain and road. And I don't think Sram even makes 9-speed stuff anymore. If they do, I'm not sure whether or not it's cross compatible between mountain and road. Someone else, feel free to edit it in.

I know, you practically need a flow chart to keep it all straight. If in doubt, check with your LBS.

It's also worth pointing out that your position on the bike will change. Road levers will put you leaning farther forward on the hybrid. It'll be enough to be noticeable and possibly uncomfortable. You might be able to correct with a different stem, seatpost, and/or seat position. But be aware if you start messing with the stem you're going to change the way the bike steers.


Are there any drivetrain components designed and sold to last longer? If a chain is only supposed to last 2000 miles, a rear cassette 5000 miles and a chainset only 10000 miles, then, at a modest 100 miles a week you are going to go through 2.5 chains a year, a new sprocket set every year and a new chainset every couple of years.

Doing this near-constant refurbishment properly (and paying workshop rates) will mean paying for the bike twice-over in the first two years (or thereabouts).

I have seen components advertised as lighter/stronger/funkier, but, as of yet, none have caught my eye due to their extended 'service life'. Are there any parts sold with 'service life' part of the USP?

If not, why doesn't anyone want extended service life? Do none of us look past the thrill of having a new bike and look for something that will last?

This doesn't help with the longevity of parts, but if you are doing 100 miles per week, you may want to learn to work on the bike yourself, and invest in your own tools.  Let's face it, at 100 miles per week, you'll probably be working on the bike at least a couple times a month (bearings, brake adjustments, flat repairs, etc).  So why not add in the tools to do your own drive train, and lower the cost down to parts alone?

For your drive train, you would need a good set of hex wrenches ($19.95), a chain breaker ($15.95), a cassette tool ($5.99), a chain whip ($21.95), and a crank puller ($13.95).  After tax, this would come out to ~$78 (according to JensonUSA.com), but would give you everything except parts you need to do the work.  I have a hard time imagining that this wouldn't pay for itself within the first year of regular maintenance.

I would also invest in a chain cleaner, as they can increase chain life depending on your usage.


Rim tape blows out in the same spot The rim tape on the rear wheel has blown out a couple of times in the same spot. Luckily, while parked. Is there an issue with the rim that needs to be fixed? What can be done to avoid the problem from reoccurring?
The wheel is a Giant SR2. Always run at 100psi, the recommended PSI range is 85-115. The first time it blew it was tubeless. After that it has been run with inner tubes.
The only puncture of the inner tube is at the spoke hole that has lost its rim tape.

I would suspect that your rim tape isn't up to the job of spanning those nipple holes against the pressure of your tubes.  Tubeless's big selling point is lower pressure, but your tube is double that pressure.
Additionally, those holes do look quite large - visually they are almost out to the ledges.  It may be worth searching the web to see if this brand/model of rim is known for puncturing here.  It might be a model that uses plugs over the nipple holes, but they haven't been fitted.
After you peel off the old tape, I'd suggest deburring the holes with a fine needle file or deburring tool or similar, for peace of mind if nothing more.  It doesn't take much effort.
My personal preference would be for the rim tape that comes as a loop, not in a roll.  Most of the major tube manufacturers make rim tape, and it should be sized for your rim diameter and width.  This stuff is stretched over the rim and will shrink back down to a tight fit, so it can't slide around the rim.  You can stack rim tape to a point as well, as long as it doesn't interfere with the tyre bead.
Example (not a product rec):


inconsistent STI indexing I have an 8 speed system with 12 year old Sora STI's. Other components of system have been recently replaced.

All shifts up and down are fine except that 4-3 does not shift, only produces gear clicking noises.  The slightest extra touch of shift lever completes the shift.  Attempts to adjust cable tension to resolve always affects other shifts adversely.

Has anybody got any suggestions on likely cause please ?

The first diagnostic step from where you are is make sure the little screw on the front of the lever is snug, then disconnect the cable from the RD, pull away the housing from the lever, confirm the cable is intact and not jammed/fraying inside the shifter, and gently tug on the bare cable as you shift back and forth through the gears. If it feels normal there, including the 3-4 shift you're having trouble with, then the shifting problem is of the mundane variety, i.e. excess cable friction, hanger alignment, tweaked derailer, improper setup, etc.

If it isn't shifting correctly even as you're tugging on the bare cable, you need to figure out if it's a broken spring or other internal part or if it merely needs cleaning and re-lubrication. It's usually obvious if something is broken, but if not you can do the clean/lube step first. There are different ways of doing this, but the quick and dirty one is just flush it good with silicone spray lube, working the pawls back and forth with a pick if they're accessible, and also putting a dot of grease on the pawls if possible in emulation of new STIs. If it's not broken that will make it work again about as reliably as anything else. Alternatively, a more perfectionist approach is unscrew it from the mount, take the hood off, and put the whole thing in an aqueous parts washer without agitation, and then re-lube in a similar fashion as above.

If it's broken, you should probably throw it away and get another one. If you want a really questionable new hobby, you could try to track down a donor to steal parts from and do this.

The good news is that just getting another replacement used right ST-3300 or new Claris 2400 is pretty feasible and cheap. If you get another one of the exact same shifter, you can play the trick of unscrewing the old one from its mount and putting the new one in its place without even having to redo the tape or brake housing.


Modifying Bikes 101 - Help (1988 Bridgestone City Limit CB-2) 1988 Bridgestone City Limit CB-2:

Can I modify my bike with other parts or will that make it all funky? I know little to nothing about bikes but REALLY want to put some new parts on my bike. HANDSOME cycles makes a frame that is somewhat based off of some of the Bridgestone models and I was curious if I could save money and just swap out parts and keep my frame. (could totally not be possible)

If anyone has any tips to make this bike kick ass let me know. I really dig gear hubs over derailleurs and am wondering if I could throw one on there.

I found the original spec sheet linked up top but it is SUPER hard to read and other information about this bike is hard to find.

Bike parts are relatively swappable -- there are standards for wheel sizes (This uses a regular old 26" (ISO 559) wheels), frame spacings, etc.

This frame has vertical dropouts, so using a hub gear is not easy -- you'd need to use a chain tensioner to use it (in some cases, you can find a perfect front and rear combination to avoid this). You'd also have to respace the rear triangle to accomodate a modern hub (which can be done with a plank of wood, carefully).

Also, swapping out parts can quickly get expensive. It's a cute bike to begin with, so I'd leave it mostly stock and make sure things are working well (e.g. good brakes, etc.).


Does the Shimano Tourney TX rear derailleur support an 8 speed cassette? I would like to upgrade to 8 speed. Does the Shimano Tourney TX rear derailleur support an 8-speed cassette.

Any Shimano 7-9 speed rear derailleur will work with any 7-9 speed Shimano shifter. To upgrade to 8 speed, you need an 8 speed Shimano-compatible cassette or freewheel which works with your rear wheel, 8 speed shimano shifters, a 7-9 speed Shimano rear derailleur and a Shimano road front derailleur if you have road shifters or a Shimano mountain front derailleur if you have mountain shifters.

The rear derailleur needs to have appropriate capacity and sprocket size tolerances for the gearing you want to run, and the front derailleur has to be matched to the number of chainrings, size of the jumps between chainrings and chainring sizes. Both have to have apppropriate mounting as well, obviously (tourney comes with a claw adapter in some cases; most modern frames don't need it).

So, yes, you can use a Tourney rear derailleur with a Shimano 8 speed shifter, but you have to make sure the rest of the components work. That being said, upgrading from 6 or 7 speeds to 8 speeds usually doesn't improve anything (esp. with low quality parts like Tourney).


Adjusting rear derailleur - shifts to lower gear, but not to higher Well, it will shift to a higher gear, but it takes two clicks of the shifter and it skips over a gear when it does shift. With one click the chain hangs on the current gear by the slimmest if threads. It's quite amazing really.

This is a new derailleur, a Shimano RD-M410 Alivio SGS, on a cog set that predates index shifting. Could that be the problem?

I have tried adjusting the barrel adjuster, but that doesn't seem to have any effect (on this problem).

Also, I put bar-end shifters on the bike, so the cable seems a bit short.

Edit

The cog set has 7 gears, but the shifter has 8.

Thanks.

Perhaps your shifter cable can't slide smoothly. Shift to the tallest gear (smallest cog). Pop the shifter housing out of the brazed-on stops. Slide the housing back and forth and look for stiffness. Put some lube in the housing and slide it back and forth to distribute it.

Perhaps your derailleur hanger is bent. A bike shop will have a tool to easily check its alignment.

If either of these is a factor, then you will never be able to adjust your shifting properly.


restoring the finish of an oxidized polished aluminum frame? In the context of restoring the finish of an oxidized once-polished aluminum finish, is there anything better (easier) than 0000 steel wool with Marvel Mystery Oil? I am restoring an old Cannondale aluminum frame. Over the years, the environment has taken its toll. After renewing the driveline, I would now like to improve its appearance.

I think that polishing paste like Mother's Magnesium and Aluminum should be your first choice. If the result is not good enough, at least you will be sure that you didn't do any damage to the surface like you can do with wrong sand paper or metal wool. I would use sanding of any kind only when some scraping of the surface is necessary, to remove nicks and dents for example.
Last time I used bathroom cleaner Comet first which made the whole surface evenly gray, light and clean, I guess oxidation free. It was very matte but very evenly. Then I used Mother's Mag and it became shiny, not luster but nice.


Carbon Seatpost / Frame in Repair Stand I've got a Park PCS-10 repair stand, and just acquired my first carbon bike. Is there anything I should know about clamping either the frame or seatpost in the stand?

Being a few years old, the frame and seatpost are perfectly round and non-aero. Is it safe to clamp them in the stand? Do I need an adaptor? Or should I avoid clamping it in a stand entirely?

Thanks.

Park  Tool suggests contacting the frame manufacturer for advise,apparently different makers designate different clamping points.


Preparing road bike for a long trip I have the triban 520 C1 bike, size M, I'm 168cm high. I want to ride a 1000km brevet on this bike (divided into 150km-200km parts).

I already changed a saddle into the one from my old trekking bike, so it's much more comfortable than the default one. I also took M sized one instead of S so that it's more comfortable.

Ok, first things first - tires. Right now I have 25mm, these is the stock width. Should I change them? To 28mm, or 32mm?

Second - panniers. Can I put them on this bike? Which ones? What would be the impact on the comfort of riding?

How can I prepare my bike to make it?

Okay, so this is an aluminium-framed Sora road bike, with a carbon fork, from a European chain store, as shown here?

First of all, there should be no problem doing a 200km ride on that type of bike, its what its made for. And, you should be fine to do several of these rides in close succession. The bike doesn't have the greatest drivetrain, but for the rides you're talking about, it should be acceptable. So, other than generally making sure the bike is roadworthy, no special preparation is required.

You seem to be asserting that a larger frame will be more comfortable than a smaller frame. I'm not sure where you got that from, but it isn't necessarily true. The comfortable frame is the one that fits. That said, this bike looks like a compact frame so there's probably quite a large range where the frame would be considered an "acceptable" fit.

For road riding, 25mm is a perfectly reasonable tyre width. Try them out. If you think you feel too much of the road when you ride, a wider tyre will give you more of a cushion, but you need to make sure that the rims can take a wider tyre, and that you have clearance between the new tyre and your brakes/frame.

For your panniers, in your place I would contact Decathlon and ask them whether the bike will accept a rack. But be prepared, there is every likelihood that they will say no, and for sure I'd be very wary of trying to put a rack onto an aluminium frame (or front panniers onto a carbon fork, for that matter). But see what they say. If the bike can have a rack fitted, Decathlon will, I'm sure, be able to recommend something out of their range to you.


How to make a kid's bike easier to pedal My daughter has a hand-me-down 16" wheel bike, and she finds the pedals very difficult to turn. The bike currently has a single-speed coaster hub on the back. Is there any way to replace the rear hub/wheel with something that has an easier gearing?

I'm aware this could cost more than the bike is worth, but other kid's bikes seem to share this problem. Could it be an issue with chain tension, or are there other ways I could fix this?

Children's bikes are usually designed with easy gearing appropriate to children.
As Chris H said - they are not usually assembled by people who care that a bike is assembled correctly. From the factory it seems like everything is always too tight.

My guess is that there is something that can be adjusted to make things better.
Flip the bike over so it's sitting on it's seat and handlebars.
Pedal the bike and see how it feels. This will give you a baseline to know if you've made improvements as you adjust things.

Things that make a bike hard to pedal:

You are right to ask about chain tension. If the chain is tight it will be hard to pedal. You may be able to loosen the chain a little and feel an improvement immediately.
Rear wheel hub adjustment. With the brake disengaged the wheel should spin freely. If it does not you'll need to loosen the bearings on the hub.
Crank bearings. If the chain tension is OK slip the chain off the chain ring and feel how easy the crank is to move. If the crank is stiff you'll need to loosen the crank bearings.

Edit:
Adjusting Chain Tension
(When I started writing this I thought it would be a few steps - but it kept getting longer...)

There is the easier way and the slightly harder way to adjust chain tension.

The Easy Way

Remove the nut on the chain side of the wheel that holds the training wheel.
With the training wheel off loosen the nut that holds the wheel on.
At this point you may be able to squeeze the chain and get a little slack in the chain . Since you are only shifting one side of the wheel adjusting this way can put the wheel off center in the frame. That's OK as long as the tire does not rub on the frame. If you are able to get enough slack in the chain to smooth out pedaling without having a tire rubbing on the frame you are done - go to step 4.
If the tire is rubbing skip step 4 and to "The Slightly Harder Way" step 1.
Note: if you wanted to tighten the chain pull the right side (right side of the wheel looking at the wheel from the chain side) of the wheel toward you.
Re-assemble in reverse order.

If the tire is too far off center
The Slightly Harder Way (continuing from the previous steps)

Get the chain tension where you want it and tighten the nut that holds the wheel. This will set your chain tension.
Remove the nut that holds the training wheel on the non-chain side.
With the training wheel off loosen the nut that holds the wheel.
At this point you may be able to center the wheel and re-tighten the nut. If the wheel won't center - step 5

Picture of the non-chain side and the brake strap after the training wheel is removed.
 1. Loosen the screw that holds the brake strap (you may need a wrench to hold the nut on the other side of the screw).
 2. Center the wheel
 3. Tighten the nut that holds the wheel
 4. Tighten the screw that holds the brake strap
 5. Put the training wheels back on


Remove bearing cartridge on a Formula RX-142 hub I am trying to replace the free hub side bearing cartridge on this Formula RX-142 rear hub.  It came stock on my 2018 Fuji Jari 1.7 and was not available after market and I can’t get docs on it.

Do I just push forcefully from the opposite side to force the cartridge out?  I’m trying to avoid needing to buy a new hub and wheel set so I don’t want to damage the hub.

Update:  here’s a better direct view

Ideally you'll need a blind bearing puller to extract the bearing, most decent bike shops should have one handy.  There doesn't appear to be anything preventing removal of the bearing, so the indents are not for bearing extraction.
If you're lucky you can get in from the back of the bearing and simply punch it out with a hammer and punch, as bearings are simply a press fit.
The tooling indents are most likely for the freehub mechanism removal.  You may have to remove the freehub if you choose to go with the hammer/punch technique; they're not always easy to undo, as most designs tighten under pedalling forces.


Straight-pull spokes - worth it? Straight-pull spokes have been around for awhile on MTB wheels, but mainly just on very expensive wheelsets (Mavic Deemax for example).  Recently the better wheel component manufacturers have been getting in on this by selling straight-pull spokes and compatible hubs individually, and they are generally considerably more expensive than the 'normal' variety.

However in my many years of snapping spokes they have never snapped at the elbow (the 'weak' point straight-pulls are supposed to address), they always break in the centre - presumably because the double-butting process has moved the weak point there.

So my question is this: Are straight-pull spokes worth it, or are they another expensive marketing gimick to solve a problem that doesn't exist?

Yes, straight pull spokes are technically superior to traditional J-bend spokes.  The only reason that J-bend spokes are relatively more popular is because it's cheaper to machine a hub with simple flanges on a lathe.  Well-designed straightpull hubs typically cost more.

Note that a straight-pull spoke in generally can and should be tensioned higher than the equivalent J-bend spoke.  As always, build quality is key, and the average bike shop won't necessarily have the experience to do it well.  Nevertheless, in comparison to a J-bend, a straight pull spoke properly assembled onto a properly designed hub will:

Not fatigue as fast -- especially if a J-bend is not kept adequately tensioned. in other words, a straightpull spoke will not relax as quickly.
Eliminate spoke rubbing typical in most traditionally laced wheels.
be stiffer radially AND laterally than most traditional lacing for the same spoke gauge (though it is hard to do a direct comparison because hub and rim geometry varies widely)
Be lighter for the equivalent capability -- or, more importantly, will have less inertia due to the ability to use fewer spokes and/or narrower gauge butted spokes with no loss in stiffness & strength
Will last longer -- the J-bend spoke beds in, then frets and ovalizes the spoke hole, losing tension as the wheel wears in, as well as wearing out the hub.  In a straightpull spoke, there is much less motion & wear at the hub and nipple.

Bottom line: straight pull spokes, properly designed and built, will be lighter, stiffer, and require less truing than a conventional wheelset with the same number of spokes.

What are the advantages of J-bend spokes?  Price and parts availability.


What is this bottom bracket We were doing a volunteer bike repair clinic and came upon this bottom bracket that I've never seen before. It was on a trials bike and the crankset was destroyed but we couldn't find any way to service the bottom bracket and didn't have any matching cranks to replace it with. The bottom bracket was quite large and beefy and like like it would fit a one piece Ashtabula bottom bracket. Didn't end up fixing the cranks as we had no idea how to deal with this.

Looks like this is what's called a "mid bottom bracket". They seem to be common on BMX bikes. They use bearings that press into the frame. I found a video that shows how to remove and install a new one. It seems like the spindle should slide right out from the video but on the bike I was working on it didn't seem like that would have been the case, but I didn't really try to slide it out.