What is the name of the part between a wheel hub bearing and the fork, and where can I find a replacement? I have a mountain bike (2017 Orbea Loki 27+ H30) and at some point I've lost the piece of the front wheel that fills the gap between the bearing, and the fork. As a result, the front wheel has play side-to-side, and is not able to be corrected as usual by adjusting the QR axle or hub. The wheel is a SunRingle Duroc 40 with Boost spacing.

I took the bike to a local bike shop and they said I need a "hub spacer" and should contact the bike manufacturer (Orbea) for a replacement. I emailed Orbea and they did not provide me with a part number but assured me that it's a "standard part" and should be easy to find. I tried searching for "hub spacer" in combination with my wheel, but wasn't able to find anything like it.
What is this part called, and where might I find a replacement?

I think you are referring to an end cap. On some hubs, you can actually change out the end caps to accommodate either quick releases or thru axles (and for those, you can get end caps for 15mm or 12mm axles). Many older hubs don't have end caps, but many current generation disc hubs do, because road bikes sometimes don't use 12mm front and rear axles. Hence, the end caps may be detachable, and yours appears to have detached.
In an earlier version of this answer, I had missed the fact that Sun Ringle now supplies complete wheels. You should be able to approach either an Orbea dealer or Sun Ringle itself for spare end caps. Hopefully, Orbea just misinterpreted the term “hub spacer” when you asked the first time. When you say that, I would tend to think of the spacer supplied with some Shimano cassettes for use with certain free hubs.
The hub appears to have Orbea's own logo on it, so I the company should stock the appropriate spares - and their dealers should be able to order them from Orbea. Hence, if you're near an Orbea dealer, you could ask them.
However, the name for the wheelset that you gave does correspond to a Sun Ringle wheelset. I previously thought that company only made rims, but they also have a wheelset by the name you indicated, and they have spares for their hubs. Hence, you could also contact Sun. However, the link I provided does have a different looking hub, so you would need to tell them that you're after a previous hub model. In my experience, companies in general will usually have spares for older versions of their product, although this isn't guaranteed. If you approach an Orbea dealer, they might not be as familiar with all the smaller spares that the company stocks, and it might be a bit more difficult for them to locate spares for older models. Remember that there might be a large number of stock keeping units (SKUs) involved. If you approached Sun Ringle themselves (or more likely Hayes Corporation, their corporate parent), they should be able to help also.
Last, if you're in the US, Hayes appears to list Quality Bicycle Products (QBP) as a dealer; QBP supplies just about every bike shop in the US, so any shop might be able to search their inventory if you and they can identify the hub in question.
A tangent: why is all this so complicated?
This complexity stems from a classic make or buy dilemma. Many wheelset manufacturers or bike companies that have a captive wheel brand have OEM hubs. In context, they might buy the hubs from an OEM company and brand the hubs and/or wheelset to themselves. After all, making hubs is not exactly a simple business. If you are, say, Cannondale Bicycles, you specialize in designing bikes, not designing hubs. Hubs are quite complicated, so most entities in the bike industry buy them from specialty manufacturers. These arrangements are pretty common, they are not underhanded. Frame design usually operates similarly (which is why I said that Cannondale specialized in "designing" bikes, not necessarily in making the bikes in their own factories; I know that Trek made its top end bikes in the US at some point, but I think they no longer do so). For rims, I know for sure that Enve's factory is in the US, but most other prominent rim suppliers probably supply the designs to a Taiwanese or mainland Chinese factory. Back to hubs, Bitex and Novatec are two Taiwanese companies that supply a lot of OEM hubs, FYI. In contrast, DT Swiss does make (or at least design, but I don't have specific information here) both rims and hubs.
Alternatively, more sophisticated wheel companies might supply a design or design parameters to a factory, which would make the hubs for them; in that arrangement, the intellectual property for the hubs would rest with the designer (but NB: hub spare parts like freehub bodies and endcaps might be common to the hub manufacturer). My understanding is that at least some higher-end captive wheel brands use this arrangement. There are many boutique hub manufacturers as well, and very few of those firms make their own rims - and when I say “make”, I do include cases where they design their rims but contract with a factory (usually in Taiwan, sometimes mainland China) to make the actual rim. Last, in some cases, it can be confusing as a company might use multiple OEMs for their wheel lineup. I think that at least some of Bontrager’s entry level carbon wheels use Formula as the OEM hub maker, but I think their higher tier wheels may be the company’s own design, possibly contracting with DT Swiss for the hub internals.
Back to the question, in the (unusual) case where you knew the actual OEM manufacturer for the hubs, you could see about trying to get spares for those hubs. You usually wouldn’t call up Bitex or some other company in Taiwan, but individual wheelbuilders often use those hubs and would know where to get spares. If you were dealing with an identifiable wheel manufacturer, like Roval or Cadex, you could approach a dealer for the brand - however, note that those two firms are captive brands to Specialized and Giant respectively, so you'd really be talking about dealers for those bike companies. They are under the same corporate umbrella, and many Specialized or Giant bikes come specced with the captive brand's wheels. Captive brands may be managed independently from the parent brand; I recall that Cadex definitely doesn't share its management with Giant. However, I can't readily identify the OEM for those hubs. I know that at least some of Hunt Wheels' wheelsets used Novatec as the OEM supplier, but not all of them do - I think I heard that Hunt was contracting for proprietary hub designs, but I don't know their manufacturing partner.
In your case, I don't think that Orbea has its own captive brand, even though the company's own logo is on the hub. I suspect they may have contracted with Sun to supply the wheelsets and paid them to have the hubs branded to Orbea.
Also note the comments on this answer and the main question: it may be possible to have an endcap machined or 3D printed for you, although I don't know how much this would cost. Since this is your front hub, the endcaps should be symmetrical, and you could use or supply the opposing endcap as an example.


What to do with the white plastic tube in Dahon city vybe c7a? Just got a Dahon city vybe c7a:

It has a white plastic tube at the bottom, what should I do with it? It seems to prevent the seat pole from sliding down.

The seat clamp prevents the seat from sliding down. Not a plastic tube of any kind.

My hunch is that it's meant to be taken away. It's there only for some packaging purpose.


What bike is recommended? My car broke down 2 weeks ago so I bought a used bike off offer up so I can commute to work 8.30 miles there and another 8 back (50 min ride) I bought a used Avalon and it worked fine for 2 weeks. The gears started to fail the chain would come off. A few days ago the front wheel started to wobble and today I got a flat. I am looking to purchase a bike and would love to hear your thoughts. I don't know what to get. I only have $200 to spend & I need it by tomorrow. I don't ride the bike on the street I ride it on the sidewalk but there are some areas where I have to ride it on grass/rocky dirt areas. I also have to tackle 3 hills.
P.s  I am. 5''4 and weight 230lbs

Use a local bike shop (LBS) who can give you good advice and proper servicing.

Don't be tempted to get a big that is too big for you; reach is more important than height. I often see people over stretched. Also go for a bike that is well built rather than a Walmart 'bargain'.

Good bikes last for years and years and are fixable. Modern bikes with decent wheels and brakes are often cheaper than buying an old boneshaker. Spend the extra for reliability and make sure you get a decent lock so it isn't stolen the first time you turn your back.

Keep you tires properly inflated (60 psi minimum) and take advantage of your LBS's track pump for a top up every 2 weeks or so.


Should the laws be amended to allow cyclists to run red lights? Ignoring the question of whether or not cyclists should or should not break the law by running red lights, should the law be changed such that cyclists are somehow exempt from stopping and waiting? For example, the Idaho Stop Law provides that cyclists may effectively treat stop signs as yields and red lights as stop signs.

Has this question been discussed before?  Has there been evidence presented that suggests that this is a good or bad idea?

Is this sort of legal change in cyclists' favor? Is it something we should fight for, or will it cause more harm than good? What are the arguments in favor and against such a change?

Maybe (or not), at some stop signs: but not at stop lights

This sounds like an opinion question so I'll answer it that way.

I think it would be okay to allow bicycles to roll through stop signs on residential side streets.  After all, a slowly rolling cyclist is likely more aware of their surroundings than a fully stopped motorist.

Busy multi-way stop intersections?  Probably not a good idea.  Here in Ohio at least, motorists have no idea how 4-way stops work.  We cyclists would be killed within a week.

Stop lights, no way.  Stop lights are usually reserved for higher volume roads and treating them as a stop sign would be dangerous.

That's all from a safety standpoint.  From a public image standpoint, I think cyclists should obey all traffic regulations to the letter.  I have seen far too many kamikaze cyclists cutting in front of cars, riding on sidewalks and not signalling turns.  That kind of behavior just fuels anti-cycling sentiment.

Cyclists should share the road, not expect special treatment that could promote motorist backlash.


What is a better gearing combination for downhill? One of the tracks I've been riding recently is testing both my skill level and my bike. The track is a combination steepness and roughness that makes it significantly different to what I've previously riden. The track is probably more suited to an AM FSR but I'm riding an XC hardtail.

The frequent chain slapping and rear derailleur bouncing around has led me to question what the best gear ratio to ride is and if this will damage my drive train.

Is it better to ride downhill in the larger chainring (42T) on a lower gear with a tighter chain or in the middle (32T) in a higher gear assuming the ration at the end is roughly similar?

I ride a hard tail over all sorts of terrain. Generally I ride on the middle chain ring in these situations. Its less to do with the mechanics, and more to do with whats possibly coming up, and fast + reliable gear selection. When on the large chain ring, you can get caught out by a short (or long), steep uphill, and not be able to get a low enough gear to climb it just changing the rear cluster.
I reserve the large one for easy predicable ground, or tracks I know really well - for instance sealed/gravel roads, manufactured fast tracks with sweeping / bermed corners where speed is all important, and you are unlikely / have no need to slow down below about 20km/h.

If the track is steep and rough, I am unlikely to run out of cadence before 'balls' - if you find you (like many others) have a "lower center of gravity" than me (i.e. smaller brain and/or bigger balls), and you run out of cadence, then go for the top chain ring. Also the chain can be dropped far more easily off the top chain ring - although on a well tuned bike this should not happen.

As far as chain slap and derailleur bounce - I ignore it. Its a mountain bike designed to be used and abused. If you want, you can get neoprene coves for the chain stay which will quieten it down, or wrap it in duck tape... I have never heard of derailleur damage caused by slap, but that is not to say it does not happen.


Can't remove 6mm hex pedal I've ruined two hex wrenches trying to remove my pedal.  I actually got one off after blasting it with a hot-air heat gun for a while.  The other one remains stuck and Yes, I'm turning it the right way.

I tried penetrating oil as well as the heat gun.  (Side Question:  Can my heat gun hurt the steel crank arm?)

What is my next step?  I've got an extra crank arm somewhere so maybe I cut my losses and go with that new crank arm.

Lesson for all of you:  use anti-seize compound when assembling!

Stuck 6mm-only pedals can be a very tough situation, unfortunately.

Presuming an aluminum crank, heat, either from a heat gun or torch, is a method some mechanics go to quickly here. The idea is the different materials expanding and contracting at different rates thermally shocks the corrosion free. Personally I'm squeamish about this and never do it on other people's bikes, out of fear of metallurgical consequences (ruining the heat treatment etc) that might not be obvious. That said, it's a pretty common practice and probably unlikely to bite you in any meaningful way.

I tend to soak it in some kind of penetrating oil for at least a day. Lately I've been using Finish Line Chill Zone, which thermally shocks it using cold. I put a plastic bag around the pedal, rubber band it around the crank, and position it so the threaded part is being bathed in oil. This also contains the mess and smell, which is nice.

To do the actual breaking free, what I do if possible is clamp a 6 poking straight up in the vise, put the crank on top of that, and try to find some way of applying massive leverage to the crank, usually via a Park FFS. I've also clamped the cranks using smooth jaws and rags, but this is pretty likely to do some kind of marring to the cranks anyway given all the force involved.


How can I remind myself to lock a rental bicycle at the end of the ride? In city where I live, shared bicycles have a wheel lock, which is unlocked by a mobile app what starts the rental period and which has to be locked manually by pushing the lever back to locked position to end the rental.

It already happened to me twice that if there was something or someone distracting my attention when I was putting the bike onto its stand and taking my backpack, I forgot to lock the bike and the rental period continued running.

What habit (maybe purely in my mind or maybe even accompanied by a physical token?) can I develop which will effectively and early remind me about the forgotten operation of locking the rental bike at the end of the ride?

(More information about this particular bike sharing.)

Counting Method

Count the number of steps you must perform at the end of the ride and then refuse to leave the bicycle until you have done all the steps.
For example - End Of Ride Steps:

Park the bike
Lock the bike
Get the backpack

That's three steps.
When you are ready to leave the parked bike you have three things you must do. Don't leave the bike until you have done the three things.

Acronym Method

Create an acronym of the different things you need to do at the end of the ride and refuse to leave the bike until each letter is identified.


Is it normal that I find it hard to skid? I'm big on bicycle repairs and whipping vintage bikes back into shape.
As such, I took an old Raleigh road bike frame and made it into my very first fixed gear bike.
So far, loving the experience of ridind fixed gear, however I've been trying to learn to skid for a few weeks now and I can't seem to do it, I push really hard but the bicycle just jerks to a stop, no skidding except in rainy weather (but then my skids whip all over the place).
I'm running a 42/12 gear ratio (I know, it's huge but it's all I could scavenge parts-wise) and a 700×28c slick michelin back tire, and I'd like to know if it's normal that I'm having such a hard time skidding?
Also everyone on the internet seems to be running much lower gear inches than me, yet I personally find it fine for my daily commutes in the city. Should I just invest in a new chainring and cog?

Thanks to all those who take the time to answer!

I assume that by "riding fixie" you also mean "riding brakeless", or at least trying to master stopping without using brakes, only using your legs and modulating your weight. Changing the gearing is also a way to make it easier or possible, as I will try to show below.

To make any wheel skip, the friction between a tire and ground must exceed a critical value for friction force Fgliding. Below that value, friction force is defined by equation F = µN, where µ is a constant coefficient depending on the surfaces in contact, and N is reaction force, which is equal to the weight loading that wheel.

Under the drivetrain braking, the deceleration force (== tire/ground friction) will be equal to the force your legs apply to pedals multiplied to a constant. This constant is defined by your front and rear teeth count, cranks length and wheel radius. Basically your drivetrain is a lever, to which you apply one force at one end and get a transformed force value at another end. You cannot load your pedals more than you weight (more or less). Thus, your legs and body can create a limited amount of equivalent stopping force at the rear wheel, let's say Flegs.

If Flegs < Fgliding, you will be unable to skid. You'll still be decelerating, but the rear wheel will be turning while rolling (not sliding) over the ground. Because it is a fixie, pedals will also be turning "against your will", forcing your legs to obey their rotation.

To make it skid, you'll need to either 1) increase Flegs, or 2) decrease Fgliding. To affect the former value, gain weight or change your gearing combination. To affect the latter, you can either reduce µ, which is exactly what happens in the rain, or reduce N by unloading your rear wheel.

To illustrate it a bit differently, if you throw your rear wheel just high enough so that it does not contact the ground at all (N= 0), your will be easily able to stop its rotation with legs while it is in the air: a wheel's inertia is obviously less than that of the whole bicycle + yourself. When the wheel lands back to earth (N > 0), it will be stationary (relatively to the frame), while the ground at the contact point will be moving relatively to it (because the whole bike has not yet stopped). This non-zero relative speed between the ground and the wheel's contact point is the definition of skidding: instead of rolling, the wheel slides. The re-obtained non-zero friction will cause the wheel to gradually start gaining its rotational momentum again; but that cannot happen instantaneously. It will continue skidding until the speed of its contact point becomes zero, at which point it has again regained its full rolling contact and speed.

This is exactly what happens when braking a mountain bike over an uneven terrain. The bike "flies" for short moments from root to root, stone to stone. Wheels' rotation, while in air, is halted/slowed down by applied brakes. Upon landing wheels produce this "skrrt-skrrt" sound of spinning back while skidding for short periods.

Given that there is a small negative gap between values of rolling and sliding frictions, this state of the wheel gliding can be made "stable", not temporary. If you find a sweet spot where the rear wheel is loaded just enough so that Flegs = µN, you will be able to skid continuously until a full stop.

Sheldon Brown describes the same physics behind the process, while giving a bit of details on how to place your body and pedals to unweight the wheel: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html#skip . Pay special attention to health warnings he gives about doing it on that page: "Heavy-duty resisting is widely reputed to be bad for your legs, and to be counterproductive for building up muscles and coordination for forward pedaling."


Measuring fork steerer diameter I've acquired a Raleigh Suntour (circa 1990s) frame which I am re-fitting. I need to refit the headset and so I need to know the dimensions of the steerer column. The frame had a threaded stem.

I've measured the external diameter as about 22-23mm (so about 85-86% of an inch). I measured it by applying measuring calipers to the outside of the steerer column i.e not the cups for the ball bearings.

I've looked at various websites (such as Parktool) about standard threaded headset sizes and they say they range from one inch to one and a quarter. So even the smallest standard is quite a bit larger than my measurement.

I've checked my measurement several times and I'm sure it is about right. Do I have a steerer with an obsolete measurement or have I made some silly mistake.

Thanks in advance

Chris

It turns out I was measuring in the right place (steerer) but I was using my new vermier caliper incorrectly. I've tried again and the steerer is about one inch. Apologies and thank you for all your help


Tips for dexterously handling bike lights with winter gloves I've got some battery-powered LED lights which are mounted using the typical "click-in" bike mounts somewhat like the one pictured below:

Unfortunately, I've got the fine motor skill of an elephant. This in combination with wearing thick winter gloves, being tired during/after riding and everything being wet and slippery means that I drop bike lights a lot. Somehow, I think that I might not be the only person to have these struggles in winter, so what can I do to attach/detach/carry bike lights in winter without dropping them? — I can't leave them on because they will get stolen. The temperatures are often below -10°C, which means that taking my gloves off even for a few seconds is extremely painful and they go numb... and then my hands are even more useless than before.

For similar fine tasks, silk inner gloves are ideal. They are very thin but add a noticeable amount of warmth. Their real benefit comes when you remove the outer gloves and have essentially bare hand dexterity with some insulation. Then you just have to get your timing right to minimise the amount of time your outer gloves are off.

Some people use latex or nitrile gloves in a similar way but I find them too sweaty.


Bottom bracket sizing I have a square taper BB which has started squeaking.

When I took it out to see what size I have, when I was putting it back in I noticed that when I tighten it to a level which to me felt reasonable, the shaft became noticeably more difficult to turn.  I slackened off a bit (and still tight enough to ride just fine) and then it was OK.  The BB I have has not suffered any issues with slack cups, at least to my knowledge.  Though it has given up the ghost after maybe 600 miles.  Whether that's due to incorrect fit or poor quality I don't know - but it's some no-name cheapo.

The BB i have is 68x118mm.  I'm considering whether getting a 68x115mm might be a good idea given the above, or whether I should get the same size and go not to so tight.  What do you think?

Also, it looks like the Shimano UN55 is the only game in town - are those any good?  Is there a realistic alternative?  I haven't been able to find any brands in that price bracket that seem worth a try.

EDIT:  Looks like I left the most important info out - I didn't realise this was of relevance at the time of initial post  1.  The BB is a sealed cartridge type.  2.  The chainset is actually a Gates belt drive.  The belt tightening mechanism is through a split BB casing - i.e. the BB sits inside an eccentric alluminium case inside a split BB casing in the frame.  This allows me to move it left and right and so changing the BB size will not affect the chainline.  3.  I can't make out the existing BB make and so have no idea what the correct torque for it would be.

Thanks in advance.

Old-fashioned cup and cone type bottom brackets have one adjustable cup, with a lockring. The adjustable cup lets you set the bearing tightness, too loose and there is play, too tight and the spindle won’t turn.

With a cartridge B.B., the bearings are self-contained and the cups are installed to a given torque which is normally pretty high as bike parts go. When the two sides are tightly installed, the spindle will turn freely. There is no finessing or adjustment of either cup required.

The problem of the spindle getting hard to turn when you tighten the cup, therefore, is not normal and indicates a problem. Hopefully it means the B.B. is worn out and replacing with a new one will solve it. I would try this first and see what happens.

As for B.B. sizing, 68mm is the width of the shell, you can only use a 68mm B.B.

The length of 118 mm is the spindle length. It determines the position of the cranks, outboard from the centre, and therefore, chainline. Make sure you understand this term. If 118mm gives the bike the correct chainline, then 118mm is the correct size and you should replace with the same size. Spindle length (118mm) is independent of (any) cup adjustment.

Trying to avoid commenting on a given product, you might ask yourself if the only game in town arrived in that position by being crap... probably not.

Update:
As you have a belt drive, achieving the correct position of the belt is critical, so you must use the correct size spindle, ie 118mm. The eccentric bottom bracket just allows you to adjust the belt tension, the B.B. dimensions are fixed.


Is it possible to use a tailgate pad and hitch mount rack at the same time? I'd like to carry up to 5 or 6 mountain bikes on my truck. I have a hitch mount rack for 2, but need to find a way to carry at least 3 more bikes to take the whole family biking. Does anyone have experience using both and tailgate pad, and a hitch mount rack at the same time? I'm not sure if it will fit or not, and would like to have some more confidence that it will work before I buy one. That way hopefully I won't have to go through a painful return process if the experiment is a failure.

You have a truck with an open utility bed?  You can put at lease half a dozen bikes in there, the problem is getting the bikes to not damage each other.   Some people build racks inside the bed to hold bikes, alternate front and rear facing, and then hold them down with rope or a strap.
The tailgate covers are more for getting bikes out quicker when shuttling up a climb where the riders won't/can't ride up.
The other problem is how do you intend to carry five people in a ute - is it a double cab with only a token-gesture load bed ?  If so, the smaller kids bikes can go in the bed and the two biggest bikes can go in the towball hitched rack.


Painting the rims of single speed bike I've recently purchased my first fixed gear bike from another rider and the rims have faded from orange to pink and I was hoping to restore it back to orange. However, after looking online, it doesn't seem nearly as easy as I thought. For the specific bike, what are some considerations for durability? Thanks for any help whatsoever!

To do a proper job, get them blasted and powder coated.  This won't be quick or cheap.

First, price some brand new wheels as you want them to look.  This dollar-value is your hard upper limit, to compare with the costs of repainting.  No point spending more than this on your old wheels.

Disassemble wheel. You want bare naked rims with no spokes.  Store the loose parts safely.
Get it sand-blasted with glass or walnut or some other suitable abrasive.  This will clear the old coating off leaving bare metal.   Take the advise of your blasting company on the material.
Get it powder coated in bright orange or whatever colour you like.  Talk to the powder coating company about protecting the brake track if you intend to brake on it.  Otherwise powdercoat the whole thing.  This will take days to cure and harden.
Rebuild your wheels, true them, fit up and ride.

Other options might include getting your nipples and spokes powder coated too.  If you do this, buy some spares and get them coated at the same time, cos its not worth coating one spoke later.  Again, protect the threads from the coating.

Do please take before/after photographs and add them to an answer later.


How to carry a bike box from the start to end of the trip? I'm planning for a cycling trip from Srinagar (starting point) to Leh (Ending point) approx 450 kms. Going to Srinagar in Flight and coming back to my city from Leh via flight only. So, I have to pack my cycle properly in cardboard box. I can take my cycle to Srinagar in a bike box and I will need to use the same box while returning from Leh. For that I have to carry the it from Srinagar to Leh somehow. There is no courier facility in that place. Can you suggest me how can I take it?

Some possibilities:

Some searching suggests there's at least one bike shop in Leh. You
could call ahead and get them to save a suitable bike box for you.
You could scrounge some suitably big pieces of cardboard once there
and either buy or bring some packing tape. Properly reinforced, boxes
"made" this way are totally fine for shipping bikes in.
Finally, many airports have bike boxes for sale. The disadvantage
with them in my experience is they're usually the enormous type that
are intended to allow minimal disassembly but are very expensive to
actually fly with.


Recovery from a cycling mishap I took my bike for the first ride of the season yesterday and unfortunately it was pretty short. As I was cycling through the rear gears I hear a plinking sound and then a large clunk. I stopped immediately and went to inspect the back wheel where I saw the following carnage:

The plastic shroud that holds the return spring for the lower pivot was broken and the spring had been ejected.

The pulley cage was crushed

Two spokes were damaged, one snapped at the base of the rim (nipple?) and another snapped off at the hub.

I suspect that happened where is the L limit screw was dialed in too far and the pulley cage was hitting on the spokes (thus the plinking sound) but when a spoke mounted reflector passed by it put enough force on the derailleur to break the shroud and mess up the pulley cage as well.

With the why and how aside I'm looking to repair the damage so I can go on cycling!

I'm fairly new to bicycle maintenance so I'm trying to understand this piece by piece. I obviously need a new derailleur, probably a higher quality one this time around. Is there anything a beginner should be aware of when buying a new one? Besides the minimum and maximum tooth sizes.

Secondly, is it possible to buy just a few replacement spokes (I've been mostly looking on Amazon Canada)? Should I replace all the spokes at the same time?

Thank you!

I recommend you take the bike to a bike shop and let them deal with this.

Yes, you can get individual spokes, but they need to be exactly the right length, which is determined by the specific hub and rim you've got, and the lacing pattern.
You probably do not need to rebuild the wheel with all-new spokes, but if you do, it will probably be cheaper to buy a readymade wheel.
Lacing spokes and truing wheels is not exactly a black art, but it is an art about which entire books have been written. You'd also need a freewheel-removal tool to get at the drive-side hub flange.
I'm a bit concerned that the spoke nipples damaged the rim at the spoke holes where they pulled through. And it is possible that there are other problems that only an experienced eye will be able to spot.
It's possible the derailleur hanger is bent.
Your new derailleur will need to be compatible with your shifters and your freewheel. I'm guessing that will limit you to a Shimano Tourney.


Are CO₂ tire cartridges reusable for multiple tires? I need to inflate near flat tires for four bikes. This looks already laborious, so I started to think about CO2 cartridges I have seen in the bike shop. While looks somewhat expensive, would be OK if more than one tire could be inflated with the same cartridge.

Can a single cartridge be used to inflate more than one tire, assuming that all bikes are standing nearby? How many regular (road, not racing) tires could it inflate from close to flat condition?

CO2 cartridges are fine if you use them in the intended way: Roadside emergency. Otherwise they are a terrible waste of energy, resources and money. Normally a single cartridge is just enough for one tyre. You will also lack means to control the pressure that you put into the tyre. Which is OK in an emergency where you just need to have it inflated and eventually be able to move on and get home

In this case, you better invest into a decent track pump with a pressure gauge that you will get for a dozen or so cartridges plus applicator.

Note: a cartridge is for one-time use only. If you inflate the tyre and store the cartridge in your saddlebag because there is still some CO2 left, which is difficult to estimate anyway, the cartridge will empty completely within the next few hours. The system isn't that well sealed against leaks of the remaining gas.


Poor braking after rim change I got a mid-80's Puch in great condition, and I replaced the original front wheel (steel) with a newer, aluminium one. But after the switch I have noticed that it doesn't brake as well as before. What could be the problem? Do the brake pads need some time to "break in" i.e. to align with the rim surface better?

Just to note, it's the old style caliper brake, the pads can just be moved up-down and I aligned them well with the new rim.

Aluminium rims should give superior braking performance, as mentioned in this answer (Steel vs. Aluminum Wheels) and this blog (steel vs. aluminum wheels).

Check out the shape of the rims and how the brake blocks make contact. If the brake blocks are not in full contact then you will need to adjust them. See also @Batman's suggestion. That could involve further vertical adjustment of the blocks. Make sure the blocks are adjusted to be as close to the rim as possible without touching when the brakes are not applied, so the maximum braking effort can be applied.

Also check whether the calipers are moving as the pressure is applied (avoid riding the bike for this, if you can, because of the obvious danger). Because of the better grip the blocks get on the aluminium rims, it could be the old calipers are not rigid enough for the new job required of them.

If further adjustment and gentle riding does not rapidly improve the situation, invest in new brake blocks. After that, welcome to the expensive world of upgrades: new brakes, new cables, new ...).


Broken glass on the bicycle path, what to do? Often I find myself driving with my racing bike on the dedicated bicycle lane in my city. The problem with these bicycle lanes is that there is a lot of broken glass (once every few kilometers). Normally I spot it quite late, drive through the glass, and hope for the best in not getting a puncture.

My question is as follows: How can I minimize the chance of getting a puncture while driving through glass?

I am not really looking for material advice, but rather for tips on how to drive through the glass (i.e. does it help to redistribute weight, speed up, or slow down), and does it make sense to check your tires after driving through the glass (as this answer suggests: What is a good way to keep my tires from going flat easily?). This far, I've not gotten a puncture there, but I would like to keep it that way!

There are three approaches you can use in combination.

Preparation

Tough tires - people have their favorite puncture-proof tires. Kevlar reinforced tires work pretty well.

Hard tires - pump your tires to close to the maximum pressure written on the side wall. This definitely reduces punctures, and can be combined with puncture-proof tires.

At the time

You limit your question "reducing punctures while [riding] though glass". Obviously, if you could avoid the trash you would.

You cannot always go around the trash. If you are able, you could bunny hop over it. This is also not always possible when commuting, due to lack of time, heavy traffic (including other bikes) limiting your options, or carrying a pack or panniers.

Slowing down is often also not an option when commuting because of following traffic.

After the fact

Brush your tires. It should be acknowledged that there are some who are squeamish about this. But it is very effective at removing foreign objects from your tires. In 35 years since I learned to do it, I've never (seriously) hurt my hand. Of course you should wear gloves. Most gloves have a reinforced patch across the palm to the base of the thumb for this purpose. (Many people mistake this for extra padding :-)

Don't wait: as soon as you hit the trash start brushing your tires. The more revolutions your tires do, the more the trash gets hammered into them. So brush them strait away. It doesn't help to stop to do it; firstly, it interrupts your ride, but mainly because by the time you stop the damage is done.

For the front tire, place your palm (near the base of your thumb) gently on the top of the rotating tire, in front of the brakes. The tire surface must be moving away from anything you could catch your hand in. You only need to keep it there for a few seconds, enough for one or maybe two revolutions of the wheel. Sometimes you feel a slight bump when you have successfully removed something from the tire. Usually, you'll feel nothing.

The back tire is a bit harder to brush, because you have to reach down to an awkward place and if you have to look it means you're not looking where you're going. So you'll want to practice this skill before you use it in traffic. Again, brush your tire in front of the brakes, in front of the back stay, where the tire is moving away from the brakes. Because of the low clearance between the back tire and the down tube on most race bikes, you need to be careful not to let you hand get pulled down into the gap. That hurts. Also avoid poking your finger into the spokes. That hurts too.

After reading this you can see why some people avoid doing it. Just be careful while you are learning, and practice before doing it in traffic. It's a valuable skill to have.


Can I fit a 105 crank arm (stages) to a Claris 2400 crankset? I currently have a Specialized Secteur with a Shimano Claris 2400 crankset (compact). I'd like to buy a Stages power meter but they do not sell Claris crank arms.

Can I simply put a 105 crank arm on a Claris crankset?

Not a modern 105 - Claris cranksets are octalink, 105 cranksets are hollowtech.


Is "touring bike" a common term in the USA? Just researching some bikes online and, being from the UK, I cannot find any bikes on US websites called 'touring bikes', as we'd commonly call them in the UK. By this, I mean bikes which come with front/rear racks for panniers and (usually) drop handlebars, along with a steel frame for extra durability but a bit more weight.

I have seen gravel bikes come up a fair bit but am not sure that they are the same thing as many don't appear to have front/rear racks.

I have done Google Image and Pinterest searches but I'm still confused.

Any clarification would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Steve

It seems that the manufacturers themselves may be a bit confused as to what to call them.

Starting from a known set of bikes that I (and you) would consider touring bikes, I found:

The Trek 520 is categorized under "Adventure & Touring Bikes"
The Surly Long Haul Trucker is under "Touring" (someone got it right!)
The Kona Sutra is listed under "Road / Gravel"
The Specialized AWOL can be found by a search, but doesn't show up in any category listing!

(Cannondale makes a bike they claim is a touring bike (the "Touring Apex 1") but it's an aluminium frame, so I discount it.  But they also don't have a proper category for it, and it only shows up in the total listing of all road bikes.)


Hollowtech BB and chain casing I will have to replace my crankset to switch to a 26-36-48 one.
It is on a BSA 68 mm aluminium frame. I have a chain casing on this city bike (MTB converted to city).
Is it a problem to use a Hollowtech BB with the chain casing bracket ? The bracket used to be tighted between the frame and the BB (octalink or squared).

There is an issue with putting anything between a Hollowtech bottom bracket cup and the frame.
A cartridge bottom bracket is not very sensitive to its position being changed relative to the frame shell a little by the chain case mounting bracket. The axle just gets moved slightly towards the drive side.
The hollowtech cups are more sensitive to their position being changed, as they need to be the correct distance apart to match the length of the axle on the crank. If you put something between the cup and frame the cups may be spaces too far apart and you will not be able to fit the non-drive side crank.
However, mountain bike cranks are typically made for 73mm frame shells and MTB bottom brackets are installed on 68mm shells with two 2.5mm spacers. You may find you can omit the drive side spacer to make room for the chain case mounting bracket.
If the bracket it less that 2.5mm in thickness you may need to find thinner spacers to make up the difference and get the correct cup spacing.


How can I measure what is a relaxed geometry frame? I would like to know If a frame would suit me for really long distance riding (100-200km). I have read about the stack to reach ratio, which for example for one of my bikes that is comfortable for me is 1.52. But most of what I find in the road/single-speed segment is way lower. I also have a bike that is not comfortable for long rides (Polo Williambsburg) but I can not get those measurements online. Both where professionaly fitted.
But I have no been able to find a table which classified those stack to reach ratios and in some places they say that is not an indicator for anything.
How can I measure a new frame without trying it (online) to know if it is adequate for me by just looking at the geometry charts?

Stack and reach are consumer-friendly ways of doing what you're looking for, but are limited both by how widely adopted they are and to an extent how universally defined they are. A more foolproof way is to use any 2d CAD software. Model the bikes you know are working or not working for you. If you lack a record, or a record you trust, of any of the geometry, take a photo and get angle numbers that way, and just use a tape measure for lengths. Then you'll be able to model other frames/bikes and see if the position options they offer will work.
One of the tricks to doing this is answering the question of whether you can recreate your saddle setback but without having, or needing to create, an accurate model of your saddle and seatpost. Everything else is easier to express as a bunch of lines, but knowing whether you're going to be able to get the exact fore/aft position you want relative to the BB center when you're looking at bikes with different seattube angles in practice sometimes requires a measured guess of whether there's a post out there that does what you need, and then a willingness to buy that post. This comes up with Brooks a lot, where getting them far back enough can be difficult.
Use a very basic CAD software. It's easy to find one where the learning curve is steeper than necessary for this purpose. You just need some angles, lines, and circles.


installing brand new cartridge brakes, something seems fishy So I am installing a brand new cartridge brake pad assembly on my mountain bike. I noticed that the brakes have a left and right written on them so i install them properly. What seems fishy to me is that the cartridge slides in from the back of the bike.

This means that if i were to lose the pin holding the cartridge in place, next time i were to apply the brakes the cartridge would probably be pulled out of the holder because of friction.

This is the part that seems very counter intuitive to me. If that hole was in the front of the brakes, this scenario would never occur. This also leads me to believe that maybe the LEFT and RIGHT markers are suppose to be flipped.

The brake labels are correct, please don't ignore them.

When you're moving along the top of the wheel, where the brake is, is moving forwards. When the brakes touch the rims, the rims are trying to pull them further forwards, were the holes in the front, they'd be pulled straight out.


How to replace a tube with only one quick stick? So what is the correct number of quick sticks to swiftly change the tube? I had always thought that the answer is of course 2, but :

  I can do it twice as fast with one Quik Stick as you can with a
  handful of levers. – Daniel R Hicks

I only ever use one tire lever.

Deflate the tube
Use the lever to pull the tire lip over the rim opposite the stem
Slide (with a little force) the lever around the rim until the entire lip is free
Keep the other lip in the rim and remove the tube
Slightly inflate the new tube and place it in the tire
Shimmy the tire into place
Start seating the lip from the stem and work around to the opposite side
Use the tire lever (if necessary) to pry the lip back
Inflate the tube and make sure the lib is clenched all around

I suppose that there could be a reason that this is the wrong approach.  There may be a reason that using two levers is better.  BUT, I always use one and haven't noticed a problem.


Unknown Balfa Road Bike I have a Balfa road bike which I cannot find any information on or pictures anywhere.
I would like some help identifying the bike model, the original parts, and the frame.

What I have found so far:

Cycles Balfa was founded in the early 1990 and based out of Canada. Cycles Balfa was sold to Procycle group in 2001.
Balfa BB7 mountain bike was the jewel bike of the company and looked to be the prime focus of the company.
2006 was the last BB7 produced by Procycles group and the Balfa name was no longer used.

Pictures of the Balfa road bike:

I have yet to see any road bikes made by either company.
Any thoughts?

Brifters plus quill stem suggests around 1997 or 1998 vintage.

The rear brake bridge formed like a front fork, instead of two full seat stays up to the seat post... that's quite unusual.   Makes the smallish frame look even smaller.

I'd guess its a 7, maybe 8 speed on the rear, can't see in the photos.

The front fork has relatively little rake (curve) on the legs compared to older bikes, which also suggests late 90s.

That's a gorgeous bike - you should look after it and will enjoy riding it.


Can a double rear derailleur work? I was wondering instead of a long cage rear dearailleur (RD), what would happen if 2 rear short cage RDs were used instead?  I realize the 2nd one might cause some mounting issues but assuming there was a proper bracket to hold it in place, could they somehow be synchronized to pad out or take up similar amounts of chain but about half each so they don't need to angle as much as a single?  For example, if the same cable passed to both of them but there were calibrated to shift one rear cog each laterally, but individually would only take up or pad out enough chain for half a shift, so that combined they would make a complete shift but with half the travel/deflection or whatever the proper term is when it moves.  If they were both identical RDs (with same spring tension), would they automatically share the chain takeup/padout equally (half each) or would the system be biased more towards one than the other?

I am not suggesting this is a good thing to try.  I am just asking if it is possible and what problems may occur as a result and if it would actually work.

The reason why the RD has that bend in it is because it is what tension the chain in every single cog in the cassete. Also if it does somehow work. The length of your chain will increase, because it will have 2 cages to go through.


What are the disadvantages of more suspension travel? Having some suspension travel is always nice, but what disadvantages are there for the bikes handling as the travel increases? This question applies to both to full and front suspension bikes.

Although this isn't explicitly part of your question, I'll go ahead and throw it in as it's one of the most important factors to consider in terms of increased suspension if you plan on pedaling your bike- the basic principle behind propelling a bike is to convert a mostly downward force (pedaling) into forward momentum (the drivetrain turning the back wheel which in turn moves you and the bike). The more suspension you add, the more difficult it becomes to transfer the energy of pedal strokes into the drivetrain. The better circles you spin the less you'll suffer from this, but the fact remains that even with clipless pedals the majority of the power input to the drivetrain is coming from your glute, quad, and calf pushing down on the pedal during the powerstroke. Extra suspension soaks this up- it's like running on a trampoline.

Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about how additional suspension affects handling... after we briefly cover the benefits of adding suspension travel. Additional suspension will not only smooth out bigger, abrupt bumps (rocks, roots, your riding buddy that crashed in front of you, etc), but it will also smooth out more gradual terrain changes at higher speeds. Additional suspension basically allows the bike to track better and for the rider to maintain better control of the bike over rougher terrain and at speed. More suspension also helps the bike and the rider absorb bigger drops. Combined with a slacker headtube angle and longer wheelbase (all 3 tend to come as a package) you're also given a larger margin for error; mistakes that may have sent you over the bars on a cross country bike may be recoverable on a bike designed for bigger hits. These benefits come with tradeoffs, however.

Additional suspension will cause "muted" handling- that is that the bike won't feel as sharp or as connected to the trail. It will not turn as quickly or as precisely. This is due to a multitude of factors that come along with longer travel bikes:

Wheelbase is longer because chainstays are longer. This is partially by design and partially because in order to make more room for more travel in the back, the rear wheel typically has to be moved out so it doesn't buzz the seat tube at the bottom of the suspension travel. Longer wheelbases make for bigger turning radiuses. Think of how much room it takes to turn a truck around vs a sports coup. You'll suffer the same sort of effect in tight turns. For a little more detail on how chainstay length affects bike handling, see my answer to another question here.
A slacker headtube angle almost always goes along with more travel. There are exceptions to this rule, but as you move from cross country to trail to all mountain to downhill and freeride bikes, the front of the bike will get more and more raked out. This stabilizes the bike at higher speeds but makes the bike handle "slower" at lower speeds. Slacker headtubes also make for more margin for error in terms of rider input through the bars, but in trade it takes more input to make the bike actually turn.
Weight increases. Bigger hit bikes use bigger tubes to make up the frame, more rugged components, and bigger, heavier duty forks and rear shocks. This is pretty much inevitable as it improves durability and stiffness. That extra weight equates to extra inertia that you have to move around under you, and in general that slows down bike handling.
More travel equals more time to change directions. One of the biggest reasons for this is that it takes a while to load all of that suspension up. You have to push against the shocks hard enough that they start push back harder than the forces of inertia in order to change direction, and this becomes especially noticeable in tight turns on long travel bikes. Other factors play into this, but suspension is the biggest one.
Brake dive goes up as suspension goes up. If you're not familiar with brake dive, it's when the front compresses down (and for full suspension bikes the rear typically comes up), which changes the geometry of the bike. The more suspension, the more dramatic the change in geometry under braking. Modern high end forks have a multitude of adjustments to combat this (slow speed compression adjustment, threshold adjustment, etc) but there's currently no technology that will fully make up for this, and the longer the travel in the front, the worse this will be.
As travel increases so does bottom bracket height which, as Vincent pointed out, raises the bike's center of gravity. Obviously this isn't a 1:1 ratio in terms of additional suspension and additional bottom bracket height, but it is pretty much unavoidable and does have an effect. As is the case with most of these points, there is typically some form of compensation for this. Some trail and all-mountain bikes come equipped with dropper seatposts (hit a lever on the bar and the seapost telescopes down) and DH/FR bikes have their seat height set much lower than a standard XC bike. Dropping seat height allows the you to drop your center of gravity, but ultimately your feet are on the pedals and that height is set, so the you will start out higher off the ground on longer travel bikes.

I'm sure you've noticed that I've talked a lot about other factors beyond purely the travel of a bike's suspension alone, but it is important to take into consideration the whole package as all of the factors mentioned here work in symphony to create the ride quality of a bike as a whole, and each factor attributes to the ride quality in its own way- both positive and negative. You can't consider suspension travel alone because you can't find a bike where all else is equal beyond travel. You can't take a cross country bike and give it 8 inches of travel and call it a downhill bike anymore than you can take an F1 car and add 3 feet of suspension to it and call it a Baja truck- Each is a purpose built platform in nearly every aspect.


gear shifting after changing cassette I've just changed a worn out cassette on my road bike (SRAM 8 speed 12-26T) and replaced it with a Shimano 12-25T 8 speed cassette.  Now it looks like my gear shifting doesn't work.  I can't get into the lowest gear, and there's a clicking sound when I try.  I know almost nothing about derailleurs.  What is my best option now?

As I stated in my comment,you need to rearrange your limit settings after switching the cassette, you can have a look at this video, if the limits are not set correctly the chain could either fall off the cassette or not being able to reach the smaller/bigger cog.


To learn fixed gear, better start with high gear and then get lower, or the opposite? I am wondering if it is better to start to ride a fixie with a relatively low gear, and as experience comes, switch to a higher gear, or if the advised practice would be to start with a higher gear, and then perhaps change it to a lower gear.

I know you need to be strong to go uphill with a high gear, but you also need experience to go downhill fast with a low gear, so which would be considered more "expert"?

EDIT: I am not planning to ride on a track, rather on open road with rolling terrain and possibility of hills (not extra-steep, I care about my knees).

In general I would recommend starting low. Your legs will go through an adjustment period and you may find that your knees get sore from a larger gear. After you've ridden for a few weeks pay attention to how you're riding. If you're in a hilly area are you struggling to get up the hills? Do you find that your cadence is regularly high enough that your hips are bouncing on the saddle? There are both indications that you should adjust your gearing high or low respectively.

It's can be cheaper to replace a track cog than a front chain ring so start with 16T in the back and then pick a chainring that gets you into the gear you're looking for. With any luck, if you do need to make an adjustment up or down switching the rear cog won't force you to change your chain length.


Can I fit a front rim brake to Vanmoof VM3? I have a Vanmoof VM3 bike that has a coaster rear brake and I want to add a rim brake. What size should I get or do you know one that is compatible to this bike?

If your bike looks like the stock photo, then possibly.   However you may need new wheels.
There's a bolt that passes through the fork from front to back, just above the mudguard/fender.  This would be where a caliper brake would mount, and the mudguard would be "pinched" under the nut, on the other side of the fork from the brake mech.
You would need a side-pull caliper which has enough "reach" to get out and over the mudguard, and then down to the brake track on your wheel's rim.
This fork would not support a V brake or any other style that bolts onto a pivot below the brake track.  A caliper brake like a tektro R559 would likely reach. (not a product rec, just an example of the style)

You'll also need a brake lever for your handlebars, and an inner cable and length of outer.   I'd suggest looking for a lever that can clamp around your bars without having to undo the fancy leather-like grips.  They may not survive being removed and reinstalled, so a brake lever with a two-part clamp will make it much easier.
However, before you start, look at your front rim and figure out if it has a brake track or not.  The brake track would be silver or possibly black, but would generally be flat and just inward of the tyre.  This is a rim brake track:

I suspect your bike's rims may lack this brake track because it wasn't designed to need one.  If there's no brake track, you need a new rim on your wheel, which may require a new front wheel instead.


What would be a good style of bike for Big Guys I am in need of help on purchasing a bike for a Big Guy. I am 6 foot and 365 pounds (that's 183 centimetres and 166 kilograms). I am trying to better my health and want to get more active by riding a bike. Because I am a big guy I am not sure what brand, style or size to get. When I am shopping around there are so many that look like I would just break.

I keep reading Fat Tire is a way to go but I want to be sure and get others opinions.

Does anyone out there have any recommendations that will not break the bank? Any help is very much appreciated.

Short answer, this isn't going to be easy.

Your first decision is abut Timespan. Do you intend to lose weight?

If no, you're going to have to buy a bike rated for your weight.
If yes, buy a cheaper bike and expect to break some parts of it.  Used is totally fine.

An average off-the-shelf bike might have a load rating of 90 kilo (200 pounds)  or 110 kilos (~250 pounds) and is therefore unsuitable for you at this time.

FAT BIKES are not designed for fat riders - instead the name comes purely from the 4~5 inch  (100-125mm) tyres and they are intended to float over sand and loose surfaces without loosing traction or cutting through.  A couple of fatbikes I found were rated to 200 and 250 pounds respectively!

I'd recommend a used bike with these features, and why:

A Rigid mountain bike (also known as a hybrid or commuter) because it has no suspension components to fail on you.
A bike with 26" wheels because they're common as dirt, and you're likely to use up a couple.
Commuter tyres which are relatively smooth (the knobbly ones are really only for offroad, and riding them on the road makes it less fun.  This can be an upgrade after you get the bike.
Steel frame is fine for your first bike.
V brakes not calipers and not disks (because disk brakes will make it harder to find replacement wheels when they bust)

Your main breakages will be spokes and punctures.  So as the need arises you will have to learn to patch tubes and change spokes, and true a wheel.  Certainly a bike shop will take money off you for doing this work, but its not hard and in the long run buying the tools will be cheaper than shop fees.

High spoke count wheels would be the single best thing you can find.  MTB wheels tend to be 32 spokes, with some 24 or 28.  Ideally you'd use a wheel with 36 or 40 or even 48 spokes purely to increase the load abilities.  Double-walled rims with eyelets for spokes are a great idea too.   Wheels built for tandems would work well on your bike, if they are the same size.  Heck you can even ride a tandem solo!

If you prefer to buy new, I'd avoid buying on-line for this - you would benefit from a conversation with your local bike shop.  Whereas a $50 or $100 used bike is usable and disposable once you've worn it out and ready to buy a better bike for your new weight.

If your weight is unlikely to decrease (perhaps medical reasons) then you might need to look at a trike purely for the increased carrying capacity of two rear wheels.  But they're less fun to ride and not cheap.

Don't take offence, I'm not trying to be harsh here - I started at over 110 kilos thanks to a sedentary office job and too many pies.

Since you're starting out, another tool that is very useful is a way to record your progress.  If you have a smartphone, look at http://www.strava.com/ for a recording tool that tracks your location and speed, and plots your times over user-defined segments.   Ignore the leaderboard - you're interested in your progress over time.

Remember to get padded shorts - you might think your backside already has padding and that's why you're riding, but its not that simple.

Links to read  http://chicargobike.blogspot.co.nz/2013/05/youre-not-too-heavy-to-ride-bike.html


Which road shifters will work with Shimano Deore (M)610 Groupset? I'd like to get the Shimano Deore 610 Groupset 3x10 but want to run drop handlebars with brifters (brakes & shifters combined) but it seems like this is almost impossible...

I've been told by one support person from the online site I'm buying from that I can use 105 brifters and front deraileur and this might be compatible. I've been told by another support person to just go Tiagra 4703 but I really would prefer V-Brakes (descending the Alps), the lower gear ratios (climbing the Alps) and the €100 saving of the Deore.

I know I've got two issues, gear indexing and brake cable pull ratio but is there any brifters that will allow me to use Deore successfully without huge amounts of faff?

Thanks...

Unfortunately, you can't use 10-speed Shimano road brifters with 10-speed Dyna-Sys mountain bike drivetrains. They just have different cable pull ratios.

You're limited to a few options if you want to run drop bars with 10-speed Shimano:

Mount your existing MTB trigger shift on your drop bars. This means you have to take your hands off the hoods and drops to shift.
Get 10-speed Dyna-Sys compatible thumb shifters from Microshift. You must take your hands off the hoods and drops to shift.
Get 10-speed Dyna-Sys compatible bar end shifters from Microshift. You must shift from the drops.
Get Gevanalle GX brake/shifter kit, you must shift from the hoods using indexed bar end shifters mounted on front of brake levers.
You could try road brifters and a long cage road derailleur with a 10-speed mountain cassette. Definitely unsupported by Shimano. May be limited to 11–32 cassette instead of 11–34 or 11–36. YMMV.

However, you can mix and match road and mountain components with most SRAM 10-speed drivetrains. So you could use something like force shifters with X9 derailleurs with less trouble.


Which one is the frame number? I have two numbers under my frame, can you help me understand which one is the frame number? Is it the same thing as serial number? And what is the other one? The make of the bike is Leader Fox, the two serial numbers I can read are
DA2019292 and M1301617 (or MI301617 )

I want to register the bike on the website that helps in case it's stolen. Also, police would need this number too. So I only need some number that is unique within this bike model.

You will need to contact Leader Fox to answer this question.
The Leader Fox website does not have any information on which of those numbers is the bicycle serial number.
Here is a link to the manuals for their bikes.
Their manuals do contain information on the serial number for the motors on their e-bike which is not the same thing as the serial number for the whole bike.
Here is a link to their contact page


Choosing New Rims/Hubs & Assessing Size I have a 10 year old Trek 7300 FX hybrid which came with Matrix 750 double walled rims. "559 x 19" is marked on the sticker of these rims. The tyres fitted are 700 x 38C (622) - I'm assuming (should I be?) that the rim/tyre combination give me a 700c wheel?

The problem I have is that the freehub on the rear has gone (there's a crack on the inner cone section covering the bearings) and so it's not freewheeling without locking the chain up, and I'm thinking about a new hub and spokes versus a set of new wheels. Looking at the hassle versus cost savings, it seems that Amazon will provide a decent set of wheels spoked, hubbed and tyred for around £60 whereas a wheel rebuild might save me about £10 to £20 on that amount.

Any ideas?

Freehubs can be removed from the hub and replaced; it involves removing the axle from the hub and then loosening a fixing bolt with a 12mm allen key.
Visit your local bike shop and ask if they have any thrashed rear cassette wheels; if they're cool they'll give it to you free or next to free.  Pull the freehubs and hope to find something compatible; there are several different spline patterns.


How can I paint a kryptonite key? I now have 4 kryptonite keys on my key ring that I carry around for my family.  These are the ones with a black plastic bulb on the key's bow.  In order to make my life easier, I would like to paint it for easy identification.  What type of paint do I need to use along with techniques or other advise.

I used nail varnish, it sticks well to the plastic and is very tough. It's easier to apply than spray paint,  but a bit more fiddly and forms a thicker layer of paint. I also used it to mark the locks. You get bottles in the most absurd colours in a 1-pound shop in the teenage cosmetics section.


When turning cranks backwards, cassette locks up When I turn my pedals/ cranks the other way, my cassette keeps locking up causing my chain to slacken and I don’t know what’s wrong with it?

Edit: Assuming a standard bike, but take clues for internal gears or ebikes.
The rear derailleur keeps tension on the chain when you pedal backwards via a spring on the two jockey wheels.  If there is resistance that exceeds the force this spring exerts then the jockey wheels will shift forward, slackening the chain, instead of the system working smoothly.
This can happen from a number of causes:

Your jockey wheels have a ton of crud in them and need cleaning.  This is the most likely cause, particularly if you don't take good care of your chain.  Have a good look at them, and try to spin them by hand if you can get the chain off easily.
Your freehub is blocked up somewhere.  Try spinning it backwards while holding the chain clear with your other hand.  If it doesn't spin smoothly then you need to take it to your LBS to have it cleaned/greased/fixed.
Your bearings on the jockey wheels are shot.  Sort of the same as #1, but needs a new part.
Your chain is rubbing somewhere with a lot of friction.  I'm guessing you'd notice this, but I thought I'd include it for completion.
Something else is causing more friction than the derailleur spring can compensate for.  You should be able to find it by looking at where the chain is stuck?

Hope that helps some!


Spray new bike with teflon to repel dirt and moisture? I'm getting a new road bike.  Would a light spritz of teflon spray help in repelling dirt and moisture?  I wouldn't coat it completely, just focus on those dirt collecting areas, the undersides of the frame, the crevices on the brakes and derailleurs, etc. and of course not the brake surfaces.

It's an "internet bike" I'll assemble myself, so I don't have the guidance of an LBS for these things.

Back when I had a shiny new bike, I used to use car wax on the frame to keep the paint shiny, and at the time I thought it made cleanup easier because I could simply rinse the frame with a little light rubbing to get the dirt off. But I've never waxed my 3 year old commute bike and it's the same - rinse and a light rub gets the dirt off (unless it's greasy).

I haven't tried Teflon spray, but I'd be worried about it getting on the brake pads and rims, no matter how careful you are.


Does tire pressure matter when the bicycle is in the trainer? I keep my bicycle on a trainer in a 'cool' room during the winter months.   The tires don't seem to maintain pressure after days of non use.   Does this matter, and should I be checking/filling the tires often?   What pressure would be recommended?

Like car tires, bike tires can lose some pressure at colder temps (see: Why do tires "lose" air during the winter?) although I'd be surprised if your 'cool' room is cold enough for this to be a significant factor.

More likely, you are just seeing the normal slow loss of air pressure that bike tires experience all the time.

Since your trainer is a relatively "controlled" environment compared to a road, tire pressure is of less importance than it is on the road.  If your tire is under-inflated you really don't need to worry about a pinch flat or the tire coming off the rim as you corner.  Conversely, if it's a little over-inflated, you won't suffer bone jarring bumps or benefit from lower rolling resistance.

At worst, I think you might experience some accelerated tire wear.  Of course, my trainer seems to eat tires no matter what pressure I run my tires at...

Sheldon Brown has a nice write-up about Tire Width and Pressure which you might find interesting even though it doesn't specifically discuss tire pressure when using a trainer.

Edit:  I overlooked the What pressure would be recommended? part of the original question...

To me, the answer to this depends on what tires you are using.  My current tires have a maximum pressure of 120psi and I run them at around 100-110psi.  In the summer I check my tires and re-inflate before every ride due to the various reasons I've listed above.  In the winter, I only check the tires occasionally as there is minimal drawback to riding a trainer with under-inflated tires.


Only rear cross lever on bullhorns I'm newbie.

I have bullhorns with two TT levers.
For safety, I'm considering installing cross lever(s).

I'd like to install only the rear-wheel cross lever since:

Setup will be less clumsy
When my hands are on the handlebar tops, I probably won't be at high speed, as when I'm on the tips of the bullhorns.

What do you think?

Personally, I would install both levers for safety.

No matter how careful you are, eventually you will get in a situation where you need to perform an emergency stop when your hands are on the tops, even if you are travelling relatively slowly. (I have experienced inattentive pedestrians stepping directly into my path only a few feet in front of me.)

In an emergency stop situation you will want to brake with both wheels, and the front wheel provides more braking power than the rear.


crankset compatability I am wondering if I would be able to run the 105 5800 crankset with my 9 speed ultegra 5600 shifters/rd?  I don't have the funds to do the whole groupset at once, and I believe upgrading to 11 speed would also mean that I need to get a new rear wheel.

Some more info / related questions:  I have an 05 roubaix that has Ultegra 5600 Brakes/shifters and cassette/RD, and an fsa gossamer 52/39 crankset.  the front derailleur has 3 positions although I just have 2 chainrings.  the front derailleur shifts pretty terribly and the chain drops frequently when i shift down.  do most front derailleurs have 3 positions even when there are only 2 chainrings?  I set it up so that I can use the middle position to get away with some cross-chaining, but should I be doing this at all?

11 speed chain rings will be slightly narrower than 9 speed. So they will work, but it's not an ideal pairing. You should be able to keep your rear wheel and replace the 9 speed cassette with an 11. The dropout width hasn't changes, the gears have just got thinner.

Not sure what you mean by front derailleur having 3 positions. It swings through a fixed distance, it is the shifter that determines if there are 2 or 3 indexed points to stop at. A 3 speed shifter isn't going to work well with a 2 speed chain ring. But you try adjusting the lower limit screw to stop the chain dropping.


Is it safe to run disc brakes up front on a mountain bike that lacks a disc caliper mounting point in the rear? Upon sharing my thoughts in an answer to a Bicycle Stack Exchange question, I wondered about my suggestion to use a disc brake up front on a frame that, lacking a disc brake caliper mounting point at the rear and thus implying a lack of additional design considerations for disc brake usage in either the front or rear.  I've a lifetime bicycle tinkering experience, and I know I've heard of running a front disc brake though I can't remember actually seeing this setup.  So, given a bicycle, designed and marketed as a "mountain bike" but lacking a disc brake mounting point on the frame and also equipped with an after market, yet otherwise compatible, suspension fork which has both disc and rim brake mounts: would it be safe to run a disc brake (and rim, of course) in the front of this bike?  If not, why? Any considerations as to safety or viability between the two types of disc systems, hydraulic or cable-mechanical? (Above and beyond the lever, including the ability to use matching front and rear levers in a mechanical disc + v-brake set up).

A few years ago this was a reasonably common setup as sold. I've certainly ridden an e-bike set up that way, with v-brakes at the back and a mechanical disc brake at the front. I suspect this wasn't so much about stopping power as not needing maintenance between services, though in practice some adjustment was required even if less than at the back.


Are there real-life alternatives to the chain+derailleur combo? I was reading an article about the CeramicSpeed’s Driven concept and, while not interested in the efficiency part, the chainless system reminded me of something I was wondering for some time: are there real-life alternatives to the chain + derailleur combo?

By "real-life" I mean a solution which is reasonably commercialized. I realize that there is nothing obviously replacing them as I do not see them at my Decathlon shop but there may be something a bit less mainstream which is still in use.

My main concern is the complexity of the derailleur system  coupled with a chain which breaks - and all of this requires maintenance.

An analogy would be the engine in petrol cars together with the mechanics to bring the couple to the wheels vs a Tesla solution where a small, one-block electric motor sits directly on the wheels axis (Note: I am not thinking about replacing the power source (that is me) by an electric system, just to show how the complexity has been reduced in a tesla vs my regular car. I still want to pedal, less the maintenance and system complexity)

Belt drive + Internally Geared Hub is a popular combination.

Existing systems are based around a gates carbon belt drive. See the Breezer Beltway series bikes. Also Reeb Cycles began offering belt drives for mountain bikes when they first came to market.

Also, now there is a breakable belt system called Veer that doesn't require a frame cutout (though uses cogs somewhat different from older belt drive systems) which could be used in configuration with an internally geared hub (when their new pro-version comes out). Currently it appears to be singlespeed only.

Though this is still rather similar to a chain drive system, there is less regular maintenance needed to keep the drivetrain clean as wear is not as damaging on the belt drive system. Performance is different with an IGH hub though.

There are also shaft driven bikes which engage with a standard internally geared hub (instead of a cassette like mechanism). See related SE question with some detail. Any experience with shaft driven bikes?


Right of way for a raised crossing? The new Cycle Superhighway 3 goes through Hyde Park, London,UK on West Carriage Drive.
It contains a number of points at which pedestrians are evidently intended to cross, as the roadway and cycleway is raised.
Unfortunately, this is the best picture I have of one which was taken while CS3 was under construction: the raised segment of the crossing continues into the cycle lane.

However, I have noticed on my commutes that very few cyclists or pedestrians seem to know who has the priority at these crossings. They are not laid out like zebra crossings, as exist on some cycle lanes in london, which had led me to believe that the cyclists had priority, and the raised sections were advisory in nature to pedestrians, just like crossing islands are usually when not marked by a zebra crossing.
The highway code seems to me to be silent on the issue: it only mentions specific types of marked crossings, rather than generic raised crossings with no markings.
Who has the priority here?
As requested by one of the comments, this is what one of these looks like:

Both from West Carriage Drive in Hyde Park
https://maps.app.goo.gl/L3J2urZCehHJj1Uj8

The vehicular and cycle traffic has priority, since the crossing is not a zebra crossing and there are no traffic lights, which are the only situations in which the Highway Code talks about pedestrians having priority.

However, as you have noted, many people seem to be confused by the crossing, so you should be ready to stop in case a pedestrian does step into the roadway or cycle lane. Also, be alert to the possibility of motorists stopping and beckoning pedestrians to cross into your path and the possibility of a group of pedestrians blocking the cycle path because it was clear when they started to cross but now they're waiting for cars on the road.


Do quick release wheels require certain design in the fork? Basically, can a older (early 90's) American/SAE measured non-suspension fork take a quick release wheel?

I'm looking to rebuild/restore my old Huffy Fire Mountain MTB made around 1990*.  It has a non-suspension fork with a bolt on wheel.  I believe that the front hub is a Wald, but I would have to look again.  However, I'm going to replace the old steel wheels with some "good enough" aluminum ones with quick release axles from my LBS.  I'm asking can my current fork take the new wheel or is there other considerations I need to make?

Yes, it is a BSO but it is my buddy and needs some love.  Be nice for a spare as well.

Assuming the wheel fits into the fork, you can use quick release. As for your old wheels, you could find a same sized hollow axle and replace it or attach something like axle release to turn it into a quick-releasey wheel.

See this bicycles.SE thread as well. And Sheldon on how to properly use quick release.


Flying with your bike I am going away on a cycling holiday to the Alps and need to take my bike on the plane with me. Has anyone had experience taking bikes on planes and how did you protect your bike?

Can anyone recommend anything which will solve this problem?

There are two schools of thought.

1a) Bike box:  This is a hard shell, fairly large box that with wheels, pedals removed, and handlebars (disconnected at the stem) put to the side fits your bike.

From a safety of your bike perspective this is pretty protective.  I have used this approach flying within the United States, and over to Europe.

You will almost certainly be charged by the airline extra. At one time membership in the US's Mountain Bike association (whose name escapes me) had a deal with many airlines to waive the fee.

1b) Paper bike box: Sometimes you can buy these at airports (Call ahead), or else many bike stores will let you grab one from a new bike they recently assembled.  (I know taking Via Rail on Sunday from Ottawa to Toronto they sell them for $10 at the train station).

2) Bike bag: By using a soft bag, it implies to the luggage handlers, be gentle.  I know people who travel with bikes who swear by them.  Again wheels and pedals removed, to minimize size.

I am not personally convinced that luggage handlers at airports around the world really feel that way.

You will still likely have to pay an oversized luggage fee.

In both cases, many airports have different luggage carousels so it will probably NOT come off with your regular luggage, so look around or ask where that might be.  I have seen as nice as a specially marked obvious area, to an unmarked door you have to wait at.

Also, some smaller planes might not have room for your box or bag, so they might send it later, making you wait for it, depending on how your connecting flights work out.


Shimano 170mm FC-TY301 48/38/28 alternative I have a Marin Fairfax 2 bike and I’m new to biking. When the bike was assembled the right pedal was not properly put in and came off.it has ruined the threads on the crankshaft right arm.
I would like to replace the crank which is a Shimano 170mm FC-TY301 48/38/28. However, I cannot find this crank as it is out of stock everywhere. Is there an alternative I could use?

FC-TY501 is a straight swap according to Shimano's specs https://productinfo.shimano.com/#/lc/tourney/3x7, but you will need to get one the same chainrings you have now (e.g. 48/38/28 or 42/34/24).
Other options will work fine also, preferably those with 47.5mm chainline, but for proper front shifting either matching all three chainrings, or failing that smaller chainrings with the same gap and then move your front derailleur up/down, will be necessary.


Do I need new chainring bolts? Will a Race Face 'single' chainring be compatible with a sunrace cassette, taking into account both are designed for 10 speed 1x set-up?
Can I use the same chainring securing bolts as I currently have; being: Shimano SLX 2x set-up?

Thanks,
Cameron

As long as you have a ten speed chain it should be fine.
Presuming this is FC-M675 or FC-M677, use the 8.5mm bolts from the inner ring. The 7mm ones from the outer are below Race Face's recommended bolt length.


Suspension preload options I have a Schwinn GTX3 Hardtail with a M3010 Suntour fork. I looked up the model number on the back of the left leg and it is supposed to have a preload adjuster available. However, mine does not for some reason. I was wondering if it would be possible to install a preload adjuster or lockout if I buy the parts, even if it does not have them on currently. (Btw: The fork is the one that originally came with the bike model.)

The following exploded diagram for something called SR Suntour SF15-M3010-A-P-26-50 lists a "CONTROL ADJUST SYSTEM" as part number FKE007-11 . Depending on whether your fork is a compatible one or not, this might be the part your are looking after.


Why are steel bikes more expensive than aluminum? It's hard to find a chrome moly bike for less than $1000 these days.  Is it because it's actually less expensive to manufacture aluminum bikes these days or is the market for chrome moly bikes so small that economies of scale make aluminum bikes cheaper?

(I'll ignore the chain store things with two wheels and pedals, I refrain from calling those bicycles)

I ride a steel Hard-tail MTB, by choice, and found it easy to choose my bike - The choice was so limited it was a Jamis Dragon or aluminum...... I carry an extra couple of pounds over a similar spec, same price point aluminum bike. I traded my 10.5kg Aluminum framed MTB for a 13.5kg Steel......

Back in the 1990's the unwashed masses were taught that Aluminum was a superior material in every way, and most people still think so (Except those than can afford and want carbon). It does not rust, is lighter and stiffer and....)  Most people, even those that should know better, think weight is God when comparing bikes, and measure it's advantages in $/gram saved. It takes skill to build a reasonably weighted steel frame, whereas any idiot can build a respectably weighted Aluminum frame (with skill, Aluminum will be lighter than steel). Theres even a web site dedicated to weights of bike parts....

Look at the Q and A's here- how many people state that "steel rusts and is heavy" - most of them will never have ridden, let alone owned a steel bike (except perhaps one of those cheap chain store things). Perceptions are steel is "So 1908's ...."

Now look at the cheaper end of the market - these are not typically serious riders. These are Novices relying on advice from friends and Salesmen. The ONLY thing they can use to compare bikes in a shop is weight. Even if they go for a test ride, they won't feel the difference between bikes, let along the subtle difference between a steel and alloy frame in the shop car park. The salesman knows this - so he sells "Weight is everything", and harps on about how every gram is critical. The up sell to the next model is then easy - it's so much lighter, and only another $100......

So put this together, people buying steel frames are few and far between. Those that do tend to know bikes and want a reasonably good one. Theres enough of a market to build steel framed bikes, but those customers know what they want and will pay a premium for it. It's fairly small, so the profit needs to from margin, not volume. As the market is not big enough for a major competition between manufacturers only a few play in it, and they can set prices accordingly.

Thats my guess anyway - not based on any provable fact.......


Mongoose stamped vs. unstamped What's the difference between a Mongoose that has logo stamped on frame and a Mongoose with no stamp on it?

Newer frames tend to have serial numbers as a sticker rather than a stamp because it is cheaper. Having a stamped serial # or a sticker has almost nothing to do with the quality of the bicycle.


When Should I replace the rotors on disk brakes? I've probably done about 20k on the rotors I bought the bike with. They still work fine, but are visibly worn and slightly grooved from me not replacing the pads soon enough a few times.

How do I know when it's time to get new rotors (apart from by finding out the hard way, of course)?

Normally the manufacturer of the brakes gives some minimum value for the rotor thickness. For higher prized brakes they often even provide some gauge that lets you easily check if the rotor is still thick enough.

Typically the minimum thickness might be somewhere below 2mm (I believe to remember that the absolute minimum for Magura discs should be 1.7 or 1.8 mm). But as said, this should be an information that should be in the manual fo your brakes.


Verenti Technique 2015 - Crankset upgrade My verenti road bike (Wiggle own brand) has an unbranded crankset which I am thinking of upgrading to a Shimano 105. Does anyone know if I will need to change the bottom bracket as well ?

It being an "unbranded crankset", I don't think anyone here could tell you that.  May be a good idea to change it anyways, as usually complete bikes are specced with the cheapest compatible BB, and as that is one of the prime spinning parts of your bike, upgrading it even a little usually goes a long way.


What to do when a car turns into a side road (etiquette)? If a car is turning right onto a side road and not an intersection, what must I do?

Perhaps I am 25 feet/7.5 meters (and another cyclist just passed the car that's turning right), should I

A) Try to speed up to clear the car?

B) Slow down to let the car pass?

I live in Ontario, Canada, and am also driving with traffic. Evidently the first choice is more risky. What if cyclists are behind me; what if there aren't?

As you're in Ontario the following references are official.

Look at the picture at the bottom right of Toronto's Understanding Bicycle Lanes -- here's an excerpt:

In summary, stop behind or pass to the left of the turning car.

I generally expect drivers to see what's happening out the front of the cars, but never expect them to know what's happening to the side of their cars.

In the illustration above, for example, I guess the driver is looking forward (at the intersection which they're turning into), not looking sideways (at the space between them and the sidewalk where it says "No").

Ditto at stop signs and stop lights, by the way. Especially if it's a truck, beware of pulling up close to the intersection squeezed between the truck and the sidewalk: because if the truck turns right without seeing you're there you'll be squeezed between the truck and the street furniture; so hang back in the bike lane away from the intersection (give them space to turn if they're going to), or even temporarily take the lane (occupy the car lane) behind them until traffic starts moving again.

See also this page, Car Bike Collisions | Motorist Right Turn, which says,

  Motorist turning right collides with cyclist travelling in parallel direction

  Key problems:

  motorist overtakes cyclist just before turning right
  cyclist tries to pass to the right of right-turning motorist
  cyclist riding on the sidewalk fails to stop and yield to turning vehicles at intersection

  To avoid:

  look ahead for turn signals
  watch out for drivers slowing down in preparation for a right turn
  stay away from the driver's "blind spot" (near the right rear wheel)
  do not pass right-turning drivers on the right
  use the road, not the sidewalk, to be more noticeable to motorists

What if cyclists are behind me; what if there aren't?

On a ski slope it's the job of people up-hill to stay out of the way of people down-hill. I reckon the rule's similar for cycling in traffic, not to mention driving, i.e. do what you need to and count on cyclists behind you (if there are any) to not run into you (I don't know, maybe that depends on where you are and how fast you're going).

But use hand signals when you change lane, and ideally also when you slow i.e. when you're about the brake, that's what you can do for them.


How is stem length (reach) measured? How is the length of a stem measured? Where does the measurement start and finish?

It sounds as though you are talking about what Sheldon Brown term "reach", which is

  normally measured center-to-center along the direction of the extension

So this does not take into account the angle of the stem, which could reduce the length forward that the handlebars extend by a small amount if they are on a large angle up or down.


why do my pedals keep turning when i freewheel? I've had my bike up on a stand to give it a clean.  As I was cranking the pedals to clean the chain, then let the pedals go,  I noticed that when the back wheel was freewheeling it would start the pedals turning by itself.  Why does this happen?
I also noticed that if I had the front on the little granny ring, and the back on the littlest sprocket that with the back wheel spinning, not only would it start pushing the pedals around, back there 'e also a fair amount of slack in the chain.  What does this mean?

The friction between the bearings, pawls and lubricant in a freehub or freewheel are usually enough to turn the pedals when the wheel is spinning. If you hold onto the pedal and the wheel freewheels normally, probably there isn't anything to worry about.

Of course, if the wheel stops freewheeling altogether or the friction to resist the wheels turning becomes noticeable, then inspect the freehub bearings and pawls. Increased resistance at the freehub/freewheel will often result in the rear derailleur being pulled completely taut when the pedals are stopped.


Would a Linus Roadster work on an off-road country environment? Would a bicycle like a Linus Roadster Classic handle well on an off-road country environment or would you recommend a mountain bike for this?

The Linus Roadster is not the bike I'd choose for rural poor quality tarmac, gravel roads or packed dirt trails.
The stock 32mm tires do give a bit more volume than standard road size tires to soak up bumps a little (they are about the the same size as cyclo-cross tires ) but they are slicks designed for paved roads. The main problems are the single speed drivetrain and rear wheel only coaster brake. (There's also the fact that the bike screams urban hipster!!!)
You don't need a full-on mountain bike for poor quality tarmac, gravel roads or packed dirt trails as long as they are relatively smooth without big bumps and holes. If you want flat bars a hybrid would work well. You don't need a suspension fork and tires 35-40mm wide with a medium tread pattern will be fine. If you want drop bars gravel bikes are ideal for these sorts or surfaces as well.


I think I chose the wrong road bike size I went to a local bike shop a couple days ago and picked up a road bike. I think I chose the wrong size. I bought a medium size instead of a small. I’m 5’7 and I feel comfortable during the first two hours of riding and then the back of my neck starts hurting. The salesman told me that I have a long torso so I agreed to have a medium bike. Any suggestions to fit my bike better for me? I’m 22 years old and spent a ton of money for my bike and I really want to get the best out of it.

Almost all road bikes have your torso leaning forward to some degree, meaning you have to hold your head up constantly. If you've never ridden a true road bike before, you've probably never had to do that. What's the longest ride you've done on a road bike before this two-hour ride?

Since you didn't mention your hands or arms hurting, you're probably not leaning too far forward.  Leaning forward (to get lower and more aerodynamic) can put more weight on your hands and can make your hands, arms, and/or shoulders hurt or go numb after a while, especially if you're not used to doing that.

But since you rode for 2 hours before things started hurting, your bicycle's size probably isn't too far from being correct.

So your sore neck is probably just from doing something for two hours that you're not used to.  There's a good chance you just need to ride more and get used to holding your head up.

As you ride more, you may find other fit issues.  You may have to get a completely different saddle, and it might take you three or four different attempts before you find a saddle you can ride without discomfort after some period of time.  You may find your shoes and/or pedal combination starts making your feet hurt or gives you hot spots (you'll know what a "hot spot" is and why it's called that if/when you get one....).  You may find certain brands of shorts have padding that rubs your nether regions raw.  As already noted, you might have your hands go numb after a while.  Welcome to cycling - that's all a part of it.

But it's important to note that you apparently had NONE of those issues in a two-hour ride, and you seemingly haven't ridden your new road bike for that long ever before.  So you're really doing pretty well, and in my opinion you probably don't have to change much, unless you've left something out of your question.

At least not yet...


Frame not faced for BB. Strip the paint or leave as-is? So I just got my new frame from the LBS. They were supposed to face the frame, but only faced the head tube (hopefully, can't check it since the headset is already installed.).

Sadly, they didn't face the BB shell.

I'm tired of bringing my bikes to LBS and getting them in a worst shape than they were before (tried 4 different), so I'm not gonna go back for facing.

I'm planning to install a square taper BB. I understand there's nothing like a properly faced BB shell, but no LBS here in Belgium seems to be willing to do that kind of stuff, saying "it's not necessary". So, which of the two following option is the best (or least worse, as it happens)?

keep the frame as-is and install the BB
strip the paint with a knife?

There are two things at play here:

The actual issue of the bottom bracket facing
The bike shop doing poor work.

With common square taper BBs, you are pretty much looking entirely at problem 2. With a cartridge bearing square taper BB, it's not absolutely necessary that the bottom bracket is perfectly faced. Most decent quality frames, even unfaced, have a shell that is consistent enough for cartridge bottom brackets though. Still, having the shell faced is a good thing to do, and if you are using other bottom brackets styles, such as a hollowtech type, then it is absolutely necessary.

However, if the shop said they were going to face it, you paid for them to face it, but they didn't, then they obviously need to do what they said they were going to do. Putting the wrong sized seatpost in is also a seriously bad move.

So really, your problem isn't one of whether to strip the paint or not, but is one of you need to find a better shop with better worksmanship.


loose spoke that will not screw back in Noticed that my rear wheel is pretty un-true and is hitting the brake pad / wont spin freely.

Decided that I would try to fix it myself before opting to pay 20 bucks.

There is one spoke that is completely loose. The problem is that one i turn the spoke it does not tighten, nor does it feel like its being screwed into anything.
(my spoke is straight all the way - i have this wheel)

Questions:
1. Can I fix this, or do I need a new spoke / bike mechanic
2. Does riding like this make things worse (aside for greater wear on my brake pads)

The spoke and nipple are turning together? This wheel uses straight spokes. Don't think it's likely, but the notch could be stripped at the hub, meaning there wouldn't be anything you could do about it besides get a new hub.

I think more likely your spoke nipple is probably stripped. Try to get another one from somewhere that is the same size as the ones already in your wheel, and try to replace the bad one. You just need to take off your tire and rim tape, and pull the bad nipple all the way out. Then get another nipple (2.0mm diameter) and thread on. See if it works. Could also be bad threads on your spoke.


Are presta valve cores universal? Is a Stan's presta valve necessarily compatible with presta valve cores from other manufacturers? Or do they all have different threads?

I always save the core out of blown tubes and have never had them not compatible.   At the bike store you just see one jar.  Might someone come out with non-standard - it could happen.


Can you tell me what the name of this bike is? This is my bike from the 1970's and now 49 years later I would love to start looking for another one. I do not know the brand. Can anyone help?

It has to be a Huffy Rail. The decal on the chain guard is exactly the same.  All the geometry, too.