Durable and Affordable 20" wheel and tire combo for Bicycle trailer? I purchased an Aosom trailer a while back, and the wheels and tires are truly horrible.

So much so I only run light loads now.

I'm looking for 20" wheels that are either double wall alloy or vintage steel wheels.

I'm leaning towards used vintage wheels because they are cheaper.

My main problem is finding wheels that will fit on the trailer. All wheels that I see already contain a real axle. How do I remove the rear axle from the wheel?

Here are some images of the wheel and axle

Those are standard folding wheelchair hubs (the wheelchairs fold, the wheels pop off easily), and they're really not designed to work in bike trailers. Folding chairs are typically used at low speed and for comparatively short distances. Despite the weight of wheelchair users, in practice those axles will bend on a bike trailer at much lower loads than you would expect because of the dynamic nature of the bike trailer. You just don't see people riding wheelchairs off curbs at 30kph, or through potholes at 50kph... both things commonly done with bike trailers. So be careful or expect the bend axles.

You should be able to find higher-quality wheelchair hubs, but I have no idea how or where. What I suggest is measuring the axle diameter because I suspect it will be 10mm, which is a standard bicycle size. If it is then you should be able to get any standard bicycle hub that uses cartridge bearings (like your current wheels do) and fit the axle you have into them. Test fitting should be straightforward, so I would take a wheel and axle with you when you visit bike shops.

Depending on how committed you are you could just rebuild the wheels with better rims and spokes, or you could replace the lightweight pop-off axles and wheels with something stronger. That might, however, just shift the point of failure into the frame of the trailer. So you'll need to think about how strong the trailer and hitch is, and whether bending the axles really is a problem for you.

In my case I looked at those axles, thought "that's really cool", read up one other people's experiences, and decided not to go down that route. My current trailer has a 20mm through axle that runs right across the frame, but I also carry more than 100kg in it on a regular basis.


Ebike gear conversion I have a 29" mountain bike I'm going to put a motor on. I'm going to replace the back wheel with a 26" and my question is about the gears. I need two of them in the same side to freewheel independently one for the motor and one for me to pedal. and I can't find anything online telling me which kind of hub I should use. Can I just use a standard single gear freewheel hub and chuck two freewheel cogs on? I don't want to buy them then be stuck waiting a month for a new hub.

First, if you use a 26" wheel in back, you won't have any brakes as they won't reach (unless you have rear discs).

Second, because you mention that you want a sprocket chain on the left hand side going to the motor, I assume you're going for some kind of off-board solution.  These have been really deprecated with the rise in good hub motors as well as mid-drive solutions.

Update: you clarified that you wanted both the motor and the regular chain on the right hand side. As far as I know, there aren't any freewheels that are split so that they can take two chains that freewheel separately. The best you can do in this scenario is to use a regular freewheel and put a one-way bearing on the cog that's on the motor. It'll mean the motor chain will not freewheel -- but it'll also mean the cranks will move when the motor is moving (with the real possibility of breaking your ankles). The safer way is to use a flip-flop hub or disc-brake mount to put the sprockets on the left hand side using either a left-hand freewheel or a one-way on the motor. That way, the bike's freewheel will make sure that you can't break your ankles.

tl;dr It'd be so much easier for you to get a 29" hub motor wheel -- or to keep the current wheel and go mid-drive.

Not an answer to your question about left-hand sprockets so feel free to ignore.


Adjusting Shimano STI Brakes I just bought my first bike with Shimano STI Shift/Brake Levers. So far, I really like the feel. I cannot, however, figure out how to tighten the brake cables. I can find the barrels for tightening the shifter cables on the side of the shifter, but the brake cables go under the grip tape on the handle bars.

Bonus question: The smaller shift levers on both sides don't like returning all the way to their resting position, and require a nudge to get them back. As far as I can tell, they are just rubbing against the larger shift levers. I assume this is normal and that once I use the bike a little they will spring back correctly?

With Shimano STI brake lever and shifter combos, you have two options for where a barrel adjuster is placed.

An inline barrel adjuster can be placed on the cable housing, between where it leaves the handle at and the frame. This is more common with the shift cables than the brakes, but it is possible.

At the point where the cable enters the brake caliper.


Spreading a steel front fork Has anyone got tips on spreading an old steel front fork to fit a more modern hub? I've got minimal tools. I thought a car jack might be a good way to go..

This to be done with caution and patience. I recently did it using a long 3/8" carriage bolt that I purchased from the hardware store. I placed a washer on the bolt screwed on two nuts then another washer. Install the bolt in the axle notch of the forks. slowly move the nuts outward gradually spreading the fork. I did it slowly over several hours although I don't know if it is really necessary. You will want to go 3mm-4mm wider than needed as the fork will spring back a little when the bolt is removed. You must also be aware that the old style forks do not have the recessed seat ( known by some as lawyer lips) to retain the skewer if it comes loose.


How to improve endurance to increase ride distance? I have been riding my bike quite frequently since August 2016. I ride a Roadmaster Granite Peak 26'. Initially, I used to ride continuously for probably 7 miles or 8 miles. I used to clock averages of 12 mph (20 km/h) . Recently, I have started putting more effort into my riding and I clock somewhere between 13.5 mph to 14.5 mph (22-23 km/h). Also, I can definitely do longer distances(i.e. 15-16 miles or 22-24 km at a stretch) on my bike now without getting easily tired and a better average speed.

I wanted to increase my endurance more and would like to go on 20 miles-30 miles (32-50 km) stretch continuously with short breaks.

What are some ways I can achieve this goal?

  From https://www.walmart.com/ip/26-Roadmaster-Granite-Peak-Men-s-Bike/45089317

The best way to get better at riding is to ride. With that being said, to increase distance or speed, or both, the key is to not get complacent. If you push yourself a little bit each trip, you will do a little better each trip. There are apps available, such as TrainingPeaks, which provide you with a tool to create a training plan. Others, such as Strava, help to prevent complacency. You can see what others have done on a ride, and try to keep up or do better.

For distance training, the magic sauce really is putting in the miles. Pay attention to your cadence. Going at a higher RPM will allow you to ride longer, as your muscles won't fatigue as fast, but there is a cardio-vascular price to pay. Many say that around 90 rpm is ideal. I personally ride closer to 70, but I do start to feel it when I have a wicked climb later in a ride. Alternate your ride intensity. Take one day a week to crank out intervals, another day to ride at a low intensity and high cadence.

Think about your fuel. If you burn a few hundred calories in a ride, that energy has to have come from somewhere. Since it is ill advised to eat a big meal right before riding, think of fueling as something you do all day every day. Bring a snack with you on your ride, as well as sports drink in your bottles.

Finally, do not get discouraged. Approach each ride as its own event. The goal is to have a great ride. Sometimes the wind will be fighting you the whole way. sometimes you have a bad day. Think of all of the factors that go into a ride. Don't strictly compare times or speeds. A 7 mile ride with a 20 mph headwind is much different than a 10 mile ride with a 20 mph tailwind.

I will share a story with you. I started a new job about 2 years ago. I was riding my bike to work. It was a $100 super store bike. There was someone who I worked with that at one point in his life was a sponsored track racer. He saw me riding in one day, and we started talking. He asked me how far my ride was, and I told him about 2 miles each way. A few days later I overheard him making fun of me, saying I am not a real cyclist, my bike isn't a real bike. I decided that this will be my motivation. I started riding more, adding a loop around a block, or taking a detour on my way home. I kept riding, adding a little more at a time. He would continue to boast about his weekly 20 mile training rides. He would do his best to put me down over the distances I rode. Again, more motivation. A few weeks ago, we decided to race. Granted, he did not know that I had gone from 2 miles each way to over 250 miles of riding a week. We picked a 30 mile loop, he got on his $3500 full carbon racing rig while I hopped on my $800 alloy road bike, and set it up as a time trial. Needless to say, he has stopped talking at all about my riding.

The moral of the story is, keep riding, and enjoy the ride. If you don't enjoy what you are doing, you will stop doing it and never get better.


More or less skid patches for winter tires? Update: this question is NOT about how to calculate the # of skid patches. I've always used http://www.bikecalc.com/skid_patch_calculator for that and the math is sound.

So, I'm already thinking ahead to next winter to see what I could do better with my fixed gear winter commuter. I'm running a pretty conservative gearing with a deliberately odd-numbered cog (21T I believe) to spread the skid patches all over my rear tire (update: I'm running 44x21 so 21 skid patches, which is a lot). This winter I tried the Schwalbe Marathons and was pleased generally, but after only two months of daily riding, the rear tire looks like the tonsure on a monk's head: completely bald in the middle and treads on both sides.

Why? Because I have SO MANY skid patches that it's a pretty uniform wear. And I hear that the Schwalbes use a pretty soft compound so they wear fast.

So, I'm wondering, what if I switched to an even gearing with **LESS* skid patches? Like a 45x20 for 8 skid patches. Obviously, some parts of the tire would wear more... but others would keep their tread... Has anyone tried this and is it a horrible idea? Or is there some merit? Again, I'm focusing on WINTER riding where I might want to preserve a little tread for grip.

And yes I run a front brake.

To spread skid patches around the tire, you need to have chainring and cog that have mutually prime tooth counts, i.e. no common divisors. With a common 42 tooth chain ring, 21 is the worst possible choice because it produces a straight 2:1 ratio. If this did no seem to make sense, search for "skid patch calculator" to find interactive visualizations.

If you really want to avoid excessive tire wear at the cost of some style points, a front brake is great. Also, the current version of Schwalbe Marathons doesn't seem to wear that well.

Edit: After writing the answer, the question has changed. Having less skid patches is a good idea, if your aim is to wear the tire to cords faster. It will not help with braking because the tire has skid patch facing ground when you brake. It will also not help much with lateral grip, because the smooth patches will be even smoother.


What is the easiest way to fix a loose chain? Are there adjustments that can be made instead of replacing it?

It depends on what you mean by 'loose'... Chains stretch naturally over many hundreds of miles, and the stretching of the links is actually a good indicator of wear.

If, instead, it seems like there is a lot of slack or 'extra' chain, this is an indicator of one of two issues:

The chain is simply too long. All new chains (not already on bicycles) come longer than they need to be. If you recently replaced your chain, and didn't remove the extra links, this would cause the chain to be loose.
The dérailleur is not creating chain tension. If you find that the chain seems to sag at both the top and the bottom, this may mean that your dérailleur has lost some of it's 'springiness' and is not effectively creating chain tension. It's hard to determine without further details, but if this is the case, the dérailleur may need to be replaced.


What is my bicycle flange nut size? As stated in my previous question, I am still trying to find the size of my flange nut on my seatpost. I need a new one because the old one was worned out. I bought a 3/8-16inch g/8 flange nut off of ebay and it was way too big for the bolt. I have reposted the pictures over here and hoped that someone can help me determine the flange nut size and where to buy it. Btw, due to covid19, I am trying to stay home so I hope to be provided with online help. Thanks to those who previously answered my question and I hope for more answers here. Any answers or comments with be appreciated. Thanks!

The thread pitch looks too coarse to be metric. Since a 3/8-16 (3/8 inch diameter with 16 threads per inch) was too large I would speculate its' a 5/16-18 (5/16 inch diameter with 18 threads per inch). The standard wrench used with this size nut is 1/2 inch. This is a common size on older American made bikes.


Drop stem on endurance bike to get the geometry closer to road performance? So I'm planning to get this bike, possibly the later 2017/2018 model:

http://www.polygonbikes.com/id/bikes/description/2016-strattos-s3-black#spec

Which is a well known local brand and practically any bike shop near here should carry one.

Anyway, the bike has more of an endurance geometry, though I wanted a more aggressive one, they don't have one at this price range.

The question is, can I simply swap the stem to drop stem (negative rise) and move the stem down the spacers to get to a 'performance bike' position? or will it still be a different geometry altogether? I can't see much difference in the final position vs an actual performance bike, but I might have missed something.

If it makes a difference, I will be using this bike mainly for 'commuting' to work (I usually ride hard on threshold anyway), some climbing practice, and maybe a few amateur races just for fun.

Yes, you can get a more aggressive riding position by dropping the stem down on the steerer tube, and swapping the stem for one with a larger angle (and possibly a different length).

Bikes typically come with 3 5mm spacers, and swapping from a 6 to 12 degree 100mm stem drops an additional 10mm, so you should be able to easily drop the bars by 35mm.

What we cannot tell you is whether you will be able to get the bars low enough for you. I suggest that you use you current bike as a baseline if it is set up the way you like it. Measure its stack and stem rise, then compare that to the bike you are looking at. Also, go get a test ride if that is possible in your location, or at least sit on the bike and get a feel for the rider position.

There are other differences in steering geometry between the bike you are looking at and the higher end ones. The higher end ones have slightly steeper head tube angles and will have slightly quicker steering. Again, you will have to determine if that works for you.


How should I configure my tail-lights? I currently own a Cygolite Hotshot which I use with a rack mount in flashing mode. I also have a PDW The red planet which I keep on steady burn.
I wanted something brighter than TRP so I ordered a Niterider Sentinel 40 (which seems to be just like the Solas 40 just with laser lanes), the difference between that and the Hotshot is the diffusing lens on the Sentinel allows for a much larger light spread.

I ride at night on the shoulder (except when I go through intersections, then I'm in the right lane) of a semi-lit intercity 2-lane road where traffic goes at 80-110kph (~50-70mph).

Now I'm not sure which light I should use on steady burn and which in flashing mode. Would it be better for the steady burn to be the focused beam and the flashing to be spread out? Or the other way around?

I run The Bike Light Database (which started from a series of blog posts on this very Stack Exchange site). The Cygolite Hotshot and the NiteRider Solas are actually two of my top recommended lights, and I specifically recommend a setup similar to what you're describing.

From the recommended taillights page:

  Putting the Cygolite Hotshot on your rack or stay and the NiteRider Solas on your seatpost is a perfect combo. The Solas has better side-visibility, and on the seat post it can be better seen by traffic on your sides. In flashing mode the Solas serves as the attention-grabber and the Hotshot - which has better straight-on, long-distance brightness - is on steady burn.

A steady light is easier to judge distance by, so it's better to have the longer-distance light be the steady one. The more attention-grabbing flash is good to have on the wider angled light, so that you are more likely to catch the eye of drivers who are closer to you at an off-angle.

Here's an image from the page showing one of the recommended configurations, with the Hotshot below on steady and the Solas above flashing.

As an aside, I don't personally believe that laser lanes are effective at increasing safety. They seem like a real gimmick to me. Given the extra cost of the Sentinel taillight, you might be better off returning it (if you can) and just getting the regular Solas taillight, and then spending the money you saved on something different.


Options on converting away from the cotter pin cranks on bsa wayfarer bicycle The shell diameter I just measured it at 70mm but am unsure about the threading.

However considering both the fixed and adjustable cups needed a hcw11 to remove, am told it's likely it uses raleigh proprietary threading.

Some guidence on what am  looking for will be greatly appriciated

If possible converting to hollow tech II will be ideal as I already have an MTB  using that BB hence the tools required will be handy to have.

That's probably going to be an issue. Sheldon Brown has this page about BB standards:

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-bottombrackets.html

From that I'm guessing yours is probably 71mm x 1 3/8" X 26 tpi which is not going to be compatible with much of anything. I don't know if someone like Phil Wood makes cups to fit that size.


Campy index shifting I wanted to go Campy 8 speed STI shifting and a 8 speed freewheel (not cassette) because I have good looking high flange hubs.

If I can't get a Campy freewheel what other will work?  If none, could I go down tube 'index' shifters (not friction) and then what freewheel could I use?

I have lots of hills here, I need something like 13/28 if possible.

It looks like Campagnolo did make an 8 speed freewheel, but it seems like there isn't a good source for old freewheels or compatible cog spacing ones.

There are plenty of Shimano-compatible freewheels in 8 speed that are easy to find (made by sunrace among others), so this is likely what you're going to end up with. So, for the rest of the answer, I'll assume the freewheel is Shimano compatible. The same things would hold if you had a cassette.

In order to adapt the Campagnolo shifters+derailleur to work with the freewheel, you'll need to throw a JTek Shiftmate 1 into the mix. Or, if you're only getting the Campagnolo shifters and using a Shimano derailleur (<= 10 speed road, <9 speed mountain), you can use a JTek Shiftmate 4.

For full details on all configurations supported by JTek Shiftmates see this link.

Now, also note that you may run into some issues with putting the freewheel onto the bike.

While the threading of the freewheel onto the hub is going to be the same, you need 130mm rear spacing (which if you have a steel frame and have less spacing, you'll can spread the frame). You'll also need enough axle length to be long enough. You might also need to re-dish the wheel and maybe play around with some spacers. Also, note that 8 speed freewheels are more prone to breaking axles than lower speeds.

Depending on what you're comfortable doing at home, you may want to leave this job to the bike shop depending on how much needs to be done.


Cause and diagnosis of wobbling crankset/chainring I was replacing the chain recently.

When spinning the crank I noticed that the chainrings are slightly wobbling along the axis. I was able to see the wobbling with my eyes.

First check

I kind of verified the wobbling by holding a screwdriver next to the largest chainring's teeth. When spinning the crank it was touching the teeth when the right hand side crank was the bottom.

The wobbling was in the range of 1mm - 3mm.

I removed the crank from the bottom bracket. Then I pulled and spun the bottom bracket axle to verify it's not loose or grinding or wobbling itself. It was OK, no slackness, fluently spinning, no noise.

Note that, though it looked fine, back then I had problems fitting the new bottom bracket due to a damaged bottom bracket thread.

Fortunately I had a spare crank set at hand. I attached the left hand side crank at the right hand side. Now I had two cranks attached, none with chainrings. The idea was to match the cranks for their masses and eliminating any imbalance of the chainring crank compared to the left crank.

Then I gave the crank a hefty kick assuming that, if the bottom bracket were off-axis, the cranks must wobble, which I could feed and maybe see.

Holding the bike firmly perpendicular I felt no major wobbling of the bike. So I assumed the the bottom bracket is on-axis.

Not knowing how to further diagnose the problem I reassembled everything and finished the chain replacement.

Second check

After a couple of kilometers cycling I checked for the wobbling again using the "screwdriver method" (this time with the chain in place) and the wobbling appears to be gone.

Additionally I did another check with another method:

Pointing a laser beam perpendicular onto the chain's teeth "bottom land" orthogonal to the axis. Then I spun the crank. The idea was, that if the chainring was wobbling, the laser beam must "touch" the chainring plane.

This time I was unable to detect any major wobbling.

Other issues

Before dis- and reassembling the crankset I had a clicking sound for months when pedaling.

It only happened when putting force on the right hand side crank and only along the way from the crank arm was parallel to the ground to when the pedal was at the very bottom. (Inspired by one intermediate answer: it might have occurred when the force reached its minimum.) I narrowed it down by putting force on the pedals separately and at different positions (angles).

The clicking sound is gone now. Re-seating the cranks was on my to-do list for isolating the clicking sound anyway.

I also had the problem of a slipping chain covered in another question. Though it might was caused by another issue (mentioned in the other answers), that issue might be related to this one too.

Further: I now realized that a periodic scratching sound of the chain on the front derailleur arm may have had its cause in the wobbling.

What was wrong?

Could I have attached the crankset badly during the previous assembly? Is it likely that a octalink crank may misfit the axle (mounted at a non-zero degree angle for example)?

Is it unlikely that there was a wobbling in the first place that could have been cured by re-assembling? I mean, if there was a wobbling and a clicking that are now both gone, I find it very likely that there was definitively a fault.

I want to understand possible faults and causes I should look out and avoid in the future.

May the misalignment, if there was any, have permanently damaged the crank or the bottom bracket?

Since I had trouble with the bottom bracket thread, might the bottom bracket be misaligned by some millidegrees?

Setup

Crankset FC-T521 (octalink)
Bottom bracket BB-ES51 (octalink)

Edit: added a little more explanations and clarifications to observations and questions

For me, that clicking sound nails the diagnosis - the only thing I have ever seen that causes that is an issue with your bottom bearing - either it isn't tightened up enough, or the bearings are worn and can slip. As you put maximum torque on a pedal, a loose fit on your bearing allows the crank to force movement in the bearings outside the bearing race. They can then click back in as pressure is released.

This matches up with having a "wobble" in your chain ring.

Tightening things back up can very easily have solved your issue - although be aware of any future problems, as the time you spent with the clicking noise would have induced more wear. I had this problem many years ago, and ignored it (I know...) and by the time I got round to looking at it I had to replace a number of components that were damaged...


What might be causing rear casette to creak? So I'm a bike noob in terms that my bike is certainly new, and since I bought it I've had problems with it.

So this time, I've figured where the problem comes from, it's the rear casette exactly, once it's under load, it makes a creak sound, which at high speed, sounds like a click, and in the past used to be just a click, very loud, it has been reduced to a softer creak now; let me make a timeline of important events.

It was clicking awfully and louder, when on load.
The bike shop changed the freewheel.
It started creaking softer, still would click at fast speeds.
The bike shop changed the pedals, bottom bracket.
Nothing happened, it was still the same if not worse.
I started playing with the rear cassete and derraulier, it got better for a little while; it got fixed the day it rained, somehow.
Creak/click is coming back, I found a way to replicate the load, and it replicates the sound, definitely the cassette; even grabbing the casette and rotating it with your bare hands makes the same sound; I was not strong enough with only one hand to do it in the video.

What do you think it is? should I complain for the 7th time in the bike shop but this time tell them exactly what it is? anyway the more information the better, so at least I can talk with property.

Here's the video where I show my homemade attempt.

Also I'm surprised this is exactly the same exact sound that it does when I climb (thanks youtube):

             this is 100% the same.

It sounds like you have isolated the issue to the rear wheel, and probably the rear hub.

I doubt that that cassette or it's attachment to the freehub body is the cause of the problem. It may be the freewheel assembly, or the hub bearings, or even a crack in the hub body.

To rule out the cassette, you could replicate the creaking using a chainwhip tool as show in your second video, then remove the cassette and see if you can replicate it by torquing the freehub body. It sounds like you don't have the tools to do this though. Do you think you could you work with a repair technician at the bike store and have them use a chain whip tool demonstrate the creak with the wheel out of the bike?

You say the problem has existed since you bought the bike. Were all the previous unsuccessful attempts to fix the problem performed for free by the store you bought the bike from? (In order to make good a faulty product that they sold you) If so, you can try requesting that they replace the entire rear wheel, or at the very least the entire hub. You may or may not have success depending on how long ago you bought the bike and warranty it came with.


MTB Manufactures and Upgrade-ability I'm looking to purchase a new bike in the intermediate level and I'd like the option to upgrade all if not most of the parts over time.  That said, I've read some concerning articles [sic] and I want to make sure I don't get locked into a narrow selection of proprietary only upgrade options.  In my research I've gathered that I should avoid Specialized and Trek as these manufactures tend to employ a lot of proprietary parts, but I've not yet come across recommendations for manufactures that are easy to upgrade down the line.

So my questions is this: Which manufacturers (and if applicable models) are easy to upgrade?

  I just don't want to find myself in a situation where I spend good money on a good frame + average kit and later find that I can't build on the frame I invested in.

The linked article is a bit more of a rant than anything scientific.  High end $5000 bikes, especially road bikes, are not built to last - they are built light to go fast and trade durability to do so. A frame does not make a bike - in fact on a $5000 bike, a new frame will cost maybe $1000 - hurts and expensive, yes, far from a write off. Buyers of $5000 bikes understand this. Mid-range bikes are less likely to suffer the same problems as people tend to keep them longer and expect them to last. These bikes are mass produced in high volumes - so plenty of spare parts are manufactured, and held in stock. One way to save money as a manufacturer is not hold spare parts, so cheap bikes tend to have parts problems as well but these bikes are rarely worth the labour cost for a repair anyway.

Parts compatibility and vendor lock-in are not a problem in the cycling world, it was an effective monopoly for so long, and is still a duopoly, all parts are relatively interchangeable. The main mounting points etc on frames are all standardized (there is often more than one standard, so getting the right parts is important).

If you search other posts asking similar questions you will see my personal opinion is that upgrading a bike over time is a very expensive proposition and never gives a good bike for the outlay. Parts are expensive to the extent that it is no uncommon to buy a new donor bike to upgrade a frame, rather than buy individual parts - purely because it is much cheaper.

Best option is buy the bike you can afford today, and live with it till you can buy a better one. Buy a better quality used bike, of even better, last years model on 50% discount (The main difference is usually colour) rather than pay sticker price for this years model.

To alleviate your fears about parts availability, stick to big brands, stay away from chain stores, and consider a bike is a collection of distinct, easily replaced parts - unlike say a car.


Can I use Shimano Ultegra 6800 BBR60 Bottom Bracket on 105 groupset I have currently have a Shimano 105 (5700) 10 speed triple groupset. However the bottom bracket has started clicking and creaking leading to the end of its journey.

Am I able to use this Ultegra as a replacement?

I am not 100% sure but I think my current bottom bracket is this one

Any hollowtech II bottom bracket should be compatible with your crankset. For the frame, you will need to make sure you get the proper thread. Most frames will be BSA thread. Older Italian frames will be Italian thread. If your frame is Italian thread, both bearing cups will thread on clockwise. If it is not, the drive side will thread on counter clockwise. Pay attention to the spacer arrangement on your frame and install the bottom bracket with the same arrangement. Should just be a pretty simple swap.


Shimano TZ rear derailleur cable entry at strange angle causing wire rub I have a cheap (but very nice!) secondhand bike I bought that I am slowly servicing/repairing using YouTube, forums etc.
I am stuck on the rear derailleur, I can index it properly and it shifts fine, but if you see the attached photo the angle at which the cable goes from the barrel adjuster to the pinch bolt is very sharp and the cable is rubbing against the barrel adjuster. What am I doing wrong?

The bolt is mounted onto a moving part. As the cable pulls, the parallel plates will pivot around so the bolt becomes in-line with the adjuster.
The tension on the cable is greater when you're in the easier gears, which is also when the cable is straightest.


What is this "recumbent" trainer? In the photo below, what is the trainer that is attached to the bike?  Are these custom fab?

The guy using it apparently is Hans-Henrik Oersted who was sponsered by chinelli. The company recently did a rerun of two jerseys to honor him.
The picture can also be found on cinellis website about the jerseys so i wrote a request for information to their customer service.
They answered it is a handmade trainer build especially for Hans-Henrik Oersted in the 80's. It was never for sale.


A DIY question / handlebar / build I'm looking to replicate the montage in the photo, which involves attaching an epoxy beam to a bicycle handlebar (it's a science project), as I show in the drawing.  The beam must be very well fixed to maximize its vibrations.  do you have an idea to achieve this?

I think your sketch is great.  However use slots instead of holes for the screws, so you can tune the length, to aim for a resonant frequency at the speed you want to ride.
Simplify it by using two saddle clamps instead of the pictured round thing.
Saddle clamps are often used for securing pipe to a wall.
One of your main problems will be rotation over time - the front will drop down like a cheap headlight.  If your handlebars are steel, then consider drilling into them and using one additional bolt to prevent rotation.  You could also weigh as much behind the bars as you do in front, so they are "balanced".
You can hang the beam below the bars too - it doesn't have to be on top. Mind out for knee-strike though if its off to the side.
Lastly does this need to be on the bars?  You could secure the device to the stem so it points straight out the front in the middle, which gives more material to buttress the unsupported arm out the front.  This might help with cable snagging while turning.


Replacement crankset SRAM 3x for 10 cogs I recently changed the cassette/cogset and chain on my mountain bike (10 cogs, SRAM 2011 or 2012). The chain rings are worn out and when I stand on the pedals the chain slides pretty unpleasantly. To change more than one chain ring would cost me more than to buy a new crankset so I want to go for this option, however, I've got a fairly old unused crankset 3x for 9 cogs (Shimano Deore AFAIR). Will that crankset work with the 10x chain and sram shifter? If not, is a Shimano SLX 3x crankset for 10 cogs compatible with the SRAM shifter?

Chainring to chainring spacing does generally become less over the different speed generations. There is no exact standard for it. As for the actuation of the shifter/FD, I believe in this case how it works is that the 9 and 10 speed triple Shimano and SRAM shifters pull the same amount, and there's a very small difference in the actuation ratio of the FD to go along with the difference in ring spacing.

Usually combinations like you're proposing here work fine, but it's in the area where nobody can really tell you 100% in the abstract that it will. Carefully test that the chain can't drop between rings, but I doubt that will be a problem. If you encounter any problems, what it's likely to be is that the system doesn't have enough total throw, i.e. you can't adjust it so that the chain doesn't rub on either the inside of the FD cage in the lowest gear or the outside in the highest gear. You may be able to either use an alternate FD cable anchor position or bend the FD to overcome this. Using a 9s FD isn't a good solution because then the cage width doesn't match your chain.

The SLX 3x10 crank should work totally fine presuming no snafus with ring size/FD compatibility.


Can spoke j-bend be too long for hub? I have antique hub where i put new spokes and spoke j-bend appears to be too long (This picture spokes are only hand tightened)?
Original spokes j-bend was shorter compared to new.

There is way too much space! Tensioning the spoke is going to stress the bend into opening the angle and you risk several failures. The spoke may break at the bend. The spoke-hole will be ovalized or break open through metal fatigue. There's also the risk of the wheel going easily out of true.
Put a stainless washer on the spoke first before threading it through the spoke-hole to compensate for this lack of material thickness of the flange of your hub. It's quite a usual procedure.
I've mentioned stainless washers (with stainless spokes) because introducing another a different material may cause electrolytic corrosion


What are the directions for removing the bottom bracket bearing caps? I am trying to re-purpose a Mongoose MTB frame I was given. The crank axle is "wobbly" within its housing.  I want to get into the housing to replace the bearings, but can't for the life of me, remember the directions to remove the end caps!  I know from experience that if I get the direction wrong I'll end up tightening the cap!  Pics would be advantageous, all help appreciated.

Parktool has the directions you seek in this nice howto

and

Note that this works fine for English threaded BB/frames (so with the majority of modern bikes). If you were to ever work on a classic Italian or french bike with Italian threads, the directions would be reversed on the drive side.


What bottom bracket do I have What type of bottom bracket do I have?

I'm looking for a video on how to service my bottom bracket but I'm not sure what type I have.

I have a Cannondale CAAD8 from 2011 with a Shimano 105 groupset.

Here are some photos:

The crankset is a BB30 FSA Gossamer with a 30mm spindle. There are four bottom brackets that will fit this crankset which might be in your bike. Thes are BB30(68/42), BB30a(73/42), PF30(68/46) and PF30a(73/46). To determine which one you need, there are two things to measure. First measure the inner shell diameter. 42mm is BB30/BB30a, while 46mm is PF30/PF30a. Measure the shell width to determine if yours is 68 mm or 73mm. If it's 68mm, then you need either the BB30 or PF30 (as determined by previous measurement). If it's 73, then you need either the BB30a or PF30a (as determined by previous measurement).


Replacement MTB rear derailleur I need to replace a Shimano Deore RD-M531 rear derailleur which has a long cage (9 speed cassette). I can replace the derailleur no problem, but my knowledge isn't great and am just not sure what to replace it with. This is an old bike and I would be happy with second hand to minimise costs. I would buy the same but none available on line. Any suggestions?
Thanks
Matt

Shimano Deore RD-M591 is a comparable part which you can still find -- this is probably what I'd use. If you want to go a bit cheaper, Shimano Acera M360 will work too.

You can use any 7-9 speed Shimano rear derailleur to replace another 7-9 speed Shimano rear derailleur provided it has the appropriate capacity (*) for your setup (at least big chainring - small chainring + big cassette cog - small cassette cog) and largest cog rating, since the cable pull is the same. 10 speed onwards has a few more cases.

(*) Capacities tend to be conservative -- you can usually exceed them by a bit if you don't use absurd gear combinations.


Combining a Dynamo hub with a single speed geared hub setup In theory, can you build a dynamo hub, say a SON, with a fixie/single speed gear, all mounted in the same hub and wheel? I will be building a touring rig with an extra wheel trailer and I would like to generate power on the trailer hub but also have it as a backup front OR rear wheel in the case of a disaster.

I was going to boldly say "no-one has made a rear hub dynamo" but then I did a google search and I'm glad I didn't say that, because I would have been wrong.

Shimano make the FH-C810 which despite the FH suggesting "front hub" is actually short for "freehub". In full it's the "Shimano Nexave Di2 FH-C810" (page via searching their site for the short code). It's 8/9 speed compatible, and seems to be fairly commonly available online. Sadly I don't think it will take a disk brake directly, only the non-user-serviceable roller brake. ProblemSolvers make an adaptor that will let you fit a disk.

A company called SunUP make a dynamo that attaches to the spokes, and they sell it mainly as a rear wheel dyno but also show it attached to a trailer. The advantage of that appears to be that you can fairly easily pull it off one wheel and mount it elsewhere. The disadvantage is that it mounts where a disk brake would go, so you're forced to use rim brakes.

I strongly suspect that you could build a SON dyno into a rear wheel by making a fixed gear cog or freewheel assembly that bolted onto the disk rotor mounts. You could probably whip one up on a lathe in less than a day. That would give you the advantage that you could use that wheel as front or rear in any bike, albeit at the cost of the rear wheel being mounted off centre. The disadvantage is that SON would rightly laugh at you if it broke, and of course you'd void the warranty the instant you did that.

You could easily fit a single speed adaptor kit to the Shimano, although changing it to fixed would again void the warranty. Quite why you'd want to fix a touring rig including a trailer I'm not sure, the only people I know who've toured on fixies have regretted it, and most have gone to gears very quickly (after less than 1000km). Towing a trailer with a fixie is challenging, I did it once when the guy who started it got sick so I swapped bikes with him. Would not do it if I didn't have to.

For remote touring I would be more inclined to rely on solar, unless you're touring a long way north (if you were that far south you'd be paddling not pedalling). A bottle dyno won't work, and I suspect you really want disk brakes. I would also be inclined to use a Rohloff if you want reliability, but I think you'd need to be slightly nuts to take three of them (one in each wheel). Buying a set of the Shimano rear hub dynos is quite practical, with the minor limitation that you're only going to be able to have a 9 speed cassette (you may already have decided to do that for reliability reasons). The guy I know who's riding the Canning Stock Route is using derailleur gears (although he is also meeting a bit of traffic, so it's perhaps not as uninhabited as its reputation would suggest).


Safety guidelines when using MTB clipless pedals on a road bike Yesterday, I went for a ride and my legs felt really great (hadn't been cycling for about 2 weeks) so when I was climbing on a hill, I decided to go on a full blown sprint and unfortunately... somehow my leg got released from the pedal and on the push down, my foot hit the ground and that was enough to get myself flying over the bars.

I got used to the regular road bike clipless pedals and that never would've happened with them, what should I do in order to not fly over the bars again on my next sprint?

I use the clipless MTB pedals on my road because the extra I had really helped me with my knee.

Solution:
It's quite apparent that the springs were just too loose.

I can now lift the bike with the shoe on it easily.

This answer is for SPD pedals, which are the most common MTB pedals. Other systems do not have multi release cleat, and some don't even have adjustable springs.

First: make sure you do not have multi-release cleats. They are designed to release when pulled up hard enough, and can be distinguished by letter "M" stamped to them. If the cleats are too worn to tell whether they have the marking, it's probably best to replace them anyway.

Second: Adjust the release spring tension so that the pedals are easy to unclip but not any looser. Too loose pedals may release unintentionally.

Third: If these do not help, it's probably time for new pedals.


Arm protection from the sun I want sun protection for my arms.

I bought these from a bike shop.

They fit VERY tightly to my arms.

When I wear them, they cause me to sweat about twice as much as wearing a long sleeve polyester shirt.

Is that normal ?

They're basically arm warmers. They have to be close fitting to stay in place. I suspect you're not sweating as much more as you think, but it's not evaporating as quickly - her way you can easily end up sweatier.

Some arm warmers/sun protectors are better than others - thinner and better at wicking sweat away. So you may have been a bit unlucky. Light colours are also helpful in the sun, but I'd rather use suncream even if that means carrying some and topping it up. I found that using sleeves like yours as sun protection left me with little gaps that kept opening up where they met my jersey sleeves, and I got sunburnt there. Yours may fit better.


Optimal Intensity training ratios I have used my googlefu now but I don't come up with any good research articles.

I read that a lot of elite riders train mostly on low intensity, is this the case and why?
To increase fet oxidtion, and endurance muscle fibers and decrease the risk of injury?

This article says that it is not good (in isolation) in higher levels:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_slow_distance

I also read something about 85/15 rule of race pace (85% of youre training should be lower then race speed and 15 % of the time at faster speed).

Long slow distance is great for building up a strong aerobic base (circulatory and respiratory systems), if you have the time. However, unless you choose good rides it can be boring and few people would consider doing it on an indoor trainer.

For those who don't have that time, there's a century training plan in Chris Carmichael's Time-Crunched Cyclist and most people would consider a century long-distance.

However, if you're not so concerned about getting a great time, then the amazingly-simple way to train for longer rides is to go out and ride, each time slightly increasing the distance. A bit more detail on long-distance riding is given on YACF.


Disc brake rotor wear limit What is the wear limit for a disk rotor?

You will need to measure the thickness of your rotor to determine if it needs replacing, then check that against the manufacturer's recommendation for minimum thickness. I think your rotors look like Sram ones,  but I may be wrong, so I'll put the specs for other brands as well. Sram rotors should be replaced by the time they get worn down to 1.5mm thick. For Shimano rotors, it is 1.6mm. Magura recommends replacing at 1.7-1.8mm depending on the model of rotor. Hope have a limit of 1.4mm. Hayes should be replaced at 1.52mm.


Front pannier and child-seat balance I transport my 15 Kg kid on a child-seat. I want to set a pair of panniers. Even if I could put them on a rear rack (I don't know if I can), would it be a good idea to choose a front pannier system aiming to balance the weight? I mean to do not have almost everything in the back part of the bike.

Without panniers my front wheel often takes off from the ground on slopy rocky paths. Is it worth it, knowing that I will lose some steering comfort with front panniers?

I have ridden with children about that weight on the back; there is no way I would consider adding more weight to the rear of the bike. If you worry about the effect of front panniers on steering, I can only presume you have experience riding uni-cycles if you are considering adding rear panniers.

An option to consider would be panniers on the rear and a child seat on the cross bar. This provides many advantages over a child seat on the back, however it requires a largish bike frame - something I did not have.


New chain for old bike I came into possession of an old Mongoose 3.5 that I need to buy a chain for. Unfortunately, I know very little about how to properly purchase the correct chain for a bike I can find very little information for. No bike shops around here are available to service it.
The bike has a rear cartridge with 7 speeds and a pedal cartridge with 3 speeds.
I am also not sure if I need to replace anything else. The rust on the derailleurs looks like it can be scraped off and I can clean the rest of the bike.

All you need is a 7-speed chain. You’ll have to shorten it by a few links after purchase (they’re sold excessively long for funkier gear arrangements), which should be done with a specific chain tool. This tool will also be needed in order to remove the current chain.


Is the lateral brake disc position standardized (and, if so, to what tolerance)? I am thinking about getting a second wheel set for my CX bike to be able to easily swap between road and off-road tires (and possibly run a tubeless setup). The bike is equipped with 12mm through-axles (front and back) and flatmount brakes.

I am wondering (assuming same disc diameters): Would the disc rotors be exactly[1] in the same place laterally, or would I have to adjust the brake caliper position after changing the wheels?
Would it make a difference if I got the same/different brands or models of wheels/hubs?

[1] exactly: close enough, so that the brake pads don't rub on the rotors ;-)

In my experience the answer is kinda yes. You won't need to re-align the calipers with every wheel change, but you will likely need to adjust the brake pads. Hydraulic brakes make the process easier since they are self-adjusting. On bikes with mechanical disk brakes you will likely need to adjust the pads with every wheel change.

In theory, every 6 bolt rotor and centerlock hub should put the disk in the same place and plane so that this should all just work. In practice the tolerances for disk brakes are so small that even slight differences will cause the disk to rub on the pads. There are two main reasons for this.

Brake disks aren't flat and don't stay flat over time.

The surface you mount the brake disk on isn't flat.

Centerlock was created to help with the second problem, they do seem to be a bit better at staying interchangeable than 6 bolt. The only way to overcome the first is to get good at brake disk truing and work to get the disks on your rims all the "same".

Having said all this, you can get your wheels "good enough" that swapping wheels can be pretty straightforward. But it's unlikely that will happen out of the box and keeping the rotors true enough to keep your wheels swap-able does take some ongoing maintenance.


Can I attach a rear cargo rack directly to the seat clamp? I'd like to install a rear cargo rack on a bike that doesn't have eyelets for the top attachment. Would it be a bad idea to attach the rear rack stays to this seat clamp that's welded onto the frame, so that they're held on with the same bolt as the seatpost?

Alternatively, I could remove the seat clamp with a dremel and replace it with a seat clamp that has rear rack attachment points included, like this one:

What do you think?

Before dual eyelets on the seatstays, using a single strut going to the seatstay bridge was common. Most racks either have the holes in the center for this or can be drilled. Then you flatten out a twisted strut with a vise or pliers and put a 90 degree bend in it at the end. Fine for all but heavy loads and much neater. And presuming this is some kind of racy 90s GT hardtail like it looks, it probably has short chainstays and you wouldn't really want to put a heavy load on it.
Doing what you propose could also work. It would need extra long struts on many bikes. If the struts are really long, the triangulation from having two of them might yield little or no stability advantage over having just one running to the bridge, which will be much closer. I would do that last before the above or just running p-clamps on the stays.
Using this area as the upper strut attacment point is good to do on really small bikes when it's the shortest run for the strut(s). That's when anything else would be a contrivance. So that's the good application of the rack-mount collars or of doing what you propose.


Is a self cleaning lube enough for chain maintenance? I've been trying to figure out what I should use when cleaning my bicycle chain.  When I first purchased my bike, I knew I needed to lube my chain when i did regular maintenance.  I purchased some White Lightning Self Cleaning Bicycle lube, which suggested to me that I only needed to put that lube on the chain and everything would be fine.

I recently purchased another brand of lube, and it didn't say anything about self cleaning.  I've read in several places that a degreaser is needed and a cloth and some soap to clean a chain properly, and then lubing takes place afterwards.

If I buy White Lighting self cleaning lube (or another Wax based lubricant), do I need to go through the regular chain cleaning steps(of de-greasing, soaping, greasing/lubing again)?  or can i just lube my chain and go?

It depends -- on the lube you use, the type of riding you do, and how much of a maintenance nut you are.

The "drier" the lube you use, the cleaner the chain will stay (though "dry" lube does not protect as well against moisture).
If you ride on roads, and rarely ride in the rain or slop, you need less chain maintenance.
Some people have to have their chains spotless, others can tolerate a bit of grime.  Keeping the chain spotless probably adds 5-10% (over "moderate" maintenance) to chain and sprocket life (though you can overdo it and actually make things worse).  But that extra 5-10% life is not that significant.

One important thing to do, after lubing, is to use a rag to wipe the outside of the chain.  This removes a lot of grime and also removes excess lube that will attract more grime.

I generally use a chain washer system about once a season (and when I was commuting regularly I'd use it about once a month).  Others do more, less, or none at all.

(FWIT, I also generally use a Teflon or wax-based "dry" lube, though I used to switch to something heavier when I did winter riding.)


MTB Sizing. Saddle at the very bottom to reach pedals perfectly. Go one size smaller? So im buying my first MTB. Its a Scott Scale 930. With the size M i get the perfect reach to the pedal with my heel. But only when the saddle is set to the very lowest/bottom. Should i get a size S instead? My height is 171 cm.

Thnx

If you have to put the saddle all the way down, the frame is too small large. You need to have a comfortable clearance between the top tube and your crotch when your feet are flat on the ground - especially on an off-road bike, since you'll often have to dismount in a hurry. There are other aspects to getting a proper fit, but this is something you can't get around.

Also, if you're on the short end of things, I wouldn't recommend a 29er. They do make them in small sizes, but in order to get a smaller rider into a reasonable riding position between those two big wheels, they have to make some compromises with the geometry. You'd be better off with 26" or 27.5" wheels.


I don't know what kind of bike this is. I need the name of this frame before I trade somebody I need help identifying this bike.
I've tried looking up the colors, tried looking up the logo but can't make out what the logo is. Please help

Its a BMX - but couldn't give a specific brand.

The front or back wheel appears to be a different colour and at least one of them has been replaced.

In addition the tread pattern on the tyres is different, so one of them may be newer than the other.

The gearing looks very small - both the chainring and rear cog look quite small, but that might be partially the white-painted chain.

Also the rear brake is interesting - it appears to be a U brake or a centerpull brake.  There doesn't appear to be a front brake at all, so it may not be road legal (depends where in the world you live.)

The front reflector looks like an afterthought, and the rear one is mostly obscured by the saddle and the rider.  However their presence suggests its for road use.

So it looks like a relatively modern BMX bike intended for road use, but its not a stunts or trials bike.


How do I bring an old bike up to speed? I'm an adult that is new to biking due to a triple whammy of a childhood aversion to effort, my family moving to a town on the side of a mountain with steep roads, and my bike getting run over by a neighbor (I gave up riding around age 10).

I didn't buy another one until my wife got me involved riding with her.

I bought it from a guy on Craigslist.  He's had it in a storage unit for at least fifteen years, though possibly more.

The thumb shifters are unlabeled and don't have set stopping points for the gears. I can rotate the lever all the way around a 200 degree arc, the chain switches gears depending on where they're pointing.  They seem to have hints of rust on them.

The bike rides fine, though there is a slight grinding while pedaling unless I get the shifters just right, but as I can't tell where to stop them, this is difficult.

My wife loves to ride and I want to get better at it so we can enjoy it together, I'm just worried that my bike isn't safe.

What can I do to make sure it's safe and reliable?  I know nothing's been oiled or maintained for the previously mentioned time period or since I've bought it.

It's a KHS, so it could be as old as 36 years, but I really have no idea how old it is.

UPDATE -

I took a bunch of pictures.  I hope they can help you identify things better.
Sorry about how much scrolling is required!

Restoring the bike is a great way understand the bike.

My history is similar to yours. Gave up bikes around 10. Wife want to me ride with her.

I got a top of the line bike on CG for peanuts. of course, it was top of the line around the 90s :)

cleaning

start by REALLY cleaning the bike. simple green and brushes. don't be afraid to wet the bike. just avoid the seat if it's leather. and no water inside the tubes.

shifters

I'd start replacing the shifters for indexed ones. getting the same brands will usually work. but will require a lot of research to match them with the rear derraileurs (the gear shifting thing on the back).

Another option is to just keep the ones you have (friction shifters) and feel the gears changing. Even with modern bikes, this is still the norm with the front gears, so no harm on going that route also. Plus, restoring and fine tunning the bike your self will make you 'know' how to feel the gears better.

UPDATE: i take that back. i kept my friction ones on my bike and rode the wife's bike with cheap indexed ones a few times. the friction are way better. also when the freewheel needed replacement i can get any number of gears i feel like and don't worry :). Indexed ones are better for changing on a whim. but are either freaking expensive or will require constant fiddling. friction are just install and forget. love them. unless you go expensive indexed. but i'm a cheap bastard.

Wheels

if it has Sealed bearings in the middle of the wheel you are fine. Those last a life time. It's that axle on each wheel. just turn them. if they keep rotating without ratling noises, you are fine. if they just turn a couple times after you roll them with your hand. you need new ones.

also, if they wooble when you turn them. they need truing. that's the only skill that does not pay off to learn your self.  $15 at a bike shop and the wooble is gone.

If they rattle, dont' spin, wooble. just get new wheels.

cables

inspect them all. pull them with your hand via each housing. if there's any drag. try to fix it (i did fix my rear derraileur cable by cutting one broken thread that was pointing outwards and so dragging in the housing. good as new now). If it's a brake cable, spew out the $7 and get a new one with new housings.

WD-40 into all cable paths also help.

brakes

Begin by checking that they still have plent of rubber.

Also check your wheel rims for damages.

you have to loose them and tighten them as close as possible to the rim. in a way that they are slightly curved against the wheel, with the BACK of the brake touching the wheel. the front of the brake is the front of the bike. it should look like: \ || /
you should be able to touch the rim with some <15% of travel of the brake. the rest of the travel should be extra pressure for breaking power. Play around a lot with this. there's several places where you can adjust your brake.

Second step is to adjust them in a way that when you press the brakes, both sides touch the wheel at the same time! there's usually a screw on the side to control that.

make sure that NO other cable housing goes UNDER the front brakes cable.

And I can't stress this enough: test drive the bike on a straight run EVERY time you adjust them. mostly now that you are getting to know things.

bearings

bike has serviceable bearings in the cranks and in the freewheel (the thing that rotates the back wheel when you are not pedaling). usually your freewheel will be dry, cranks are almost always fine. check it by rotating the wheel and leaving the cranks still. if the chain is dragged to the front at slow rotating speeds, you have to grease/change the freehweel. I'd only change if the cogs are worn out.

you will need a spanner tool to open those.

derraileurs

You will hear about them a lot. it's the pair of gears on the back that change the drive gear on the rear wheel, and the guide on the front that change the drive gear on the cranks.

It the easiest part to restore and adjust. If they do not move sideways when you press with your hands, open them up, clean, and grease the hell out of them. It's easy. was what took less time for me. but everyone will say the opposite.

when they are moving easily when you press them, read the parktool's article on how to adjust it. http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailler-adjustments-derailleur

more

There's probably more than I can remember now... but all in all it took me around a week and a half. And around $50 in tools/greases/new chains. I didn't have to replace any component or cable yet. And now i love to ride. I go to work every day riding.

now, to fully understand what you are doing, read:

http://sheldonbrown.com/

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help

The last link will point you to several expensive tools. I only need them to work on the cranks and remove the freewheel (you don't have to remove the freewheel unless you will replace it, i didn't know it back then). I got the tools asking around at work, one guy had a nice kit i could borrow.


3x9 speed to a 1x9 speed conversion I want to convert my 27 speed 3x9 to a 1x9. What do you recommend for chainring and cassette combinations? What are the cautions?

To figure out what cassette and ring size to get, the best approach is to use a gearing calculator to play with the options in comparison to what you need or would like based on your experience with bike's current gearing and how it's working for you where you ride. With 1x conversions the usual question is how much high end you can accept losing to get the low end you need or want.

The cheap way is to figure out what ring to go with based on the above and then get a narrow-wide ring of the right BCD to achieve it. Do all chainline measurements up front and use chainring spacers, a different BB spindle, and/or an offset chainring as applicable to achieve perfect chainline.


Gear ratio formula to work out driven gear I have been looking for a formula for two days now to calculate the diameter and how many teeth my driven gear needs.
The driver gear is 14 teeth and RPM will be 7104 (Motor KV x Batt Voltage). This driver gear will have a timing belt attached to the driven gear. How do I work out diameter and teeth needed for driven gear?

In most jurisdictions, e-bikes must not provide assistance above a certain speed. One way to achieve this is by using a freewheel mechanism and configuring the controller to never exceed the motor's max RPM.
In the EU the max assisted speed is 25 km/h, which is about 7 m/s.
A typical hybrid bike might have a 700c rim with a 1.5" tyre, giving an overall diameter of about 700mm, so a circumference of 2.2m.
This means your target wheel speed is 3.18 Hz (revs per second).
7104 rpm = 118.4 Hz
Your ideal ratio would be 118.3/3.18 = 37.2327/1
There is no way you're using a 555 tooth wheel gear. (37 x 15 = 555)
At this point you have two options and may need to use both:

Use a planetary gearset to implement a 2-stage reduction, a 9:1 gearbox would allow you to hit 37.2 overall with a 62 tooth gear at the wheel (9 x 62/15 = 37.2). If you're using a standard size RC or powertool motor (e.g 700 series), you can probably buy off-the-shelf gearboxes that just bolt on.
Use a different motor with a lower Kv.

The calculations above assume you want the lowest possible gearing for maximum assistance at low speeds. This is most helpful in an e-bike. I haven't made any consideration of the motor's torque curve or efficiency curve.
Most commercially sold e-bikes use a mid-drive arrangement: the motor is connected to the crank, so the motor gets the same gear reduction as the rider. This is beneficial because the motor would only need to be efficient across a narrower range of speeds, e.g 50-100rpm vs 5-25km/h. With a brushless motor your controller can apply field weakening to continue delivering max power beyond the motor's base speed.


Tapered fork into 44mm head tube? I have a MTB Ghost SE 2000 frame which has a 1 1/8" head tube. I just measured it and it has a 44mm diameter top and bottom.

I want to replace the stock fork. However it is hard to find non-tapered forks at a good price. My question is, is it possible to put 1,5" tapered fork into this specific head tube? Maybe with some special headset?

Bike detail: http://www.ghost-bikes.com/bikes-2013/bike-detail/se-2000/

Yes, Cane Creek makes a headset bottom for exactly this problem. I've used it on my MTB and it has worked just fine for over year. It does require that the original frame use zero stack or interior headset. But it looks like yours does.

Note: in the general case with a true 1-1/8" ( i.e. 34mm interior diameter, exterior headset cups), there isn't enough interior space to use a tapered fork.

From the Cane Creek Headset FAQ.

Cane Creek was the first headset company to offer a tapered solution for 1-1/8" head-tubes. Called XX-44, this bottom assembly enabled the use of 1-1/8" to 1.5" tapered forks on straight, 44mm head-tubes. This gave consumers more options, and frame designers more flexibility when creating the perfect ride.
Due to the popularity of the design, the EC44/40 (External Cup for 44mm head-tube, 40mm crown race seat) Bottom is now available in both the class-leading 40-Series and the premium 110-Series of headsets. This tapered solution fits 44mm head-tubes only; a "traditional" 1-1/8", 34mm version is not available.
Please note: Nominal insertion bore depth for 44mm head-tubes is 9mm. EC44/40 requires an insertion depth of 15mm. Park Tool Reamer 788 should be used with the supplied spacer to reach the 15mm bore depth for EC44/40 Bottoms.


What can I replace a Shimano SL-M760 shift lever with? My right-hand Shimano SL-M760 9-speed shift lever broke, and unfortunately I can't seem to find a new one online (I'm in Germany).

I'm a bit overwhelmed by the number of Shimano 9-speed shift levers available: SL-M370, SL-M390, SL-M580, SL-M590, SL-M770, SL-M970 all seem to do pretty much the same thing.

Differences in quality notwithstanding, could I use any Shimano mountain bike 9-speed shift lever to replace my SL-M760, or are only particular models compatible?

After Batman's comment ("Any 9 speed Shimano mountain shifter will work as a replacement. All Shimano 9 speed both mountain and road have same cable pull.") I went ahead and got an SL-M590. It works perfectly well as a replacement for my SL-M760.


Do good tires lessen the chances of your innertube bursting? I have only bought my bike for a month and a half and within this time span, my innertube actually burst 4 times. The bike itself is relatively cheap so I doubt that the tires are of good quality.
I am currently considering changing my tires to better ones so as to not waste money on tubes anymore, but do tires really lessen the chances of my innertubes bursting/puncturing?

Its extremely unlikely for an inner tube to just burst.

It sounds like you are suffering from punctures.
There are two types of puncture; the first is an object penetrating the tire and inner tube, and the second is a 'pinch' puncture where an impact causes the inner tube to be pinched between the tire and rim.

Many bikes (even expensive ones) come with poor quality tires as standard, and yes, changing them can make a big difference to penetration punctures.
No tire is 100% puncture proof, but something like a Schwalbe Marathon Plus is very close, but is heavy and can give a harsh ride.
Continental Gatorskins are favored by many as a good compromise between puncture resistance, rolling speed and comfort.

Pinch punctures are usually caused by hitting an object (such as a pothole) with too little pressure in the tire.  Adding more air to the tire (don't go over the maximum limit) usually prevents these.


Creaking sound when pedaling [audio clip included] Something is creaking on my Cannondale while pedaling with force. It is easier to hear in low gears, when climbing. An audio clip tells it better than any literal description, so here is a recording of me climbing a steep slope: Recording
You can hear it starting from second 7. I held my phone over the crankset.

If it matters, I run Shimano 2×11, FSA MegaExo BB, DT Swiss 350 rear hub. Drivetrain elements such as chain,chainrings,cogs, pulleys are thoroughly cleaned to look and work as new. Some months ago I cleaned and lubed the BB, chainring bolts and pedal threads. The creaking is also happening while standing, so it’s not seatpost related. Yesterday I also lubricated the rear wheel nipples(WD40) and also placed a drop of lube on the contact points between the spokes, with no results.
Any ideas ?

I found the culprit(most likely): it was the cogs digging into the freehub body, as seen in the post here. I imagine the cassette lockring wasn't tight enough. The recommended torque is 50Nm but since I don't have a torque wrench that big, I've tightened it how tight I believed was enough, last time I removed the cassette.
At the time of removing the cassette, I've also greased the derailleur hanger bolt and contact surface, and the skewer, but I believe the noise came from the cassette.
Sorry for wasting your time !


Cyclocross bike frame considerations I'm considering putting together a cyclocross type bike together for fun and variety.

Is a typical road frame suitable for this? And, what do I need to consider in terms of sizing?

On sizing, it seems that I may need a smaller frame than a frame sized for road biking. I'm making the assumption that a somewhat smaller frame would be more anatomically "friendly".

A typical road frame could have these issues for cyclocross (CX):

tire clearance -- cyclocross tires are a bit bigger than typical road tires (especially with the small knobs typical on CX tires)
brake style -- you'll want some kind of brakes that aren't clogged up by mud. Road bikes often have caliper brakes that hug the wheel fairly closely, while cyclocross bikes usually have cantilever (or sometimes V-brakes).  Disc brakes are recently allowed in CX and seem popular on the higher-end bikes.
frame style -- a lot of newer road frames have a compact geometry where the top tube slopes down to the seat cluster.  Cyclocross bikes generally have a straight top tube so that it's easier to pick up the bike and carry it with your shoulder under the front of the seat cluster.
handlebar height -- not as important, but cyclocross bikes generally have slightly higher handlebars since aerodynamics aren't very important in cyclocross
gearing -- typically run a little lower.  singlespeed is popular (but probably puts you in a different class than geared racers)

There's some even more minor things, like some CX bikes have a slightly higher bottom bracket than road bikes to make it easier to get over rough terrain and cables are probably routed away from the muddy side of the bike.

I wouldn't go with the smaller frame, as that'll likely be less comfortable, effectively lower handlebars, and probably less room for your shoulder if you need to carry the bike.

If you don't already have a bike you'd be better off getting a cyclocross bike with two sets of tires (one knobby and one smooth) and a second set of gears and converting it to a road bike part-time, instead of getting a road bike and using it for CX.

(I haven't raced cyclocross, but have watched a few races, including one a couple days ago and am starting to consider trying it out)


Weight saving between Sora and 105 I would like to know what is the weight difference between Sora and 105 group set.

Since nobody so far has posted weights, I'll leave "one" data in case it's useful for somebody.

                   | 105 5800 | Sora 3500 |
-------------------+----------+-----------+
Levers             |     486g |      496g |
Brakes             |     388g |      357g |
Front Derailleur   |      89g |      105g |
Rear Derailleur    |     234g |      246g |
Crankset           |          |      844g |
Crankset (with BB) |     808g |           |
Cassettes          |     269g |      343g |
Chain              |     257g |      270g |
-------------------+----------+-----------+
Total              |    2531g |     2661g |

105 is average weights with BB, and Sora is one actual weights without BB.
The sources of 105 are multiple shops (Not in English). I think they just list what Shimano claims but doesn't make it available online for whatever reasons.
The source on Sora is this blog (not in English too, but with photos of each part on a platform scale).
Actual weights will vary depending on the crank length, the gear size, the cassette combination, the derailleur capacity, or even quality of individual parts (yours may be slightly lighter or heavier than average).


Are there advantages of dedicated bike computer instead of smartphone apps? I do a lot of road biking. I have a basic Catseye onboard computer for my speed and odometer. But I also use my iPhone to track and record my biking. I've tried a variety of iPhone apps, the best ones being iMapMyRide and Cyclemeter.

As I get more serious with biking though, I'm looking around at the dedicated biking computers like the Garmin Edge. I'm trying to figure out if they are worth buying or not. Rewind the clock back about 5 years and I'd say definitely yes. But these days, with really awesome GPS-capable smartphone apps, I'm not so sure...

Take for example iMapMyRide. You can buy a cheap ANT+ adapter for your iPhone and then use any ANT+ device with the software. Speedometer, cadence, heartbeat sensor, etc...

Also with these apps it does optional Live Tracking so that when you are out on your ride, your spouse (or anyone you want) can look at a webpage and see your progress on a map. You can do this with the Garmin Edge apparently but I think Garmin charges $25 a year or something for that service.

So if I already have an iPhone/Android and I already take it on rides anyways (for emergencies), then is it worth it at all to get a dedicated biking computer? Just about the only advantage I can think of is that the biking computers are smaller (less weight).

Are there any outstanding advantages to dedicated computers that I'm unaware of?

I recently thought that my smartphone would replace my bike computer, but have come to the conclusion that the bike computer is better.

Here are the reasons.

One is that the phone is much larger.
Second is mounting. (Whether a suitable mount is available depends on the phone model.)
Third, and this is important... is that smartphones are not designed to sit out exposed to hot sun, extreme temps, and rain; all of which commonly occur in serious cycling.
Fourth is ease of use. My bike computer was specifically designed to sit on the handlebars with easy access to most all functions and in typical cycling conditions. The smartphone is not.
Fifth, my smartphone is important to my professional life. So, having it destroyed in a bike crash would not be good at all.
Sixth, definitely battery life; although I suppose this depends on the particular phone. (On a recent century+, my riding partner brought along 3 extra batteries and used them all, for his HTC Evo...and my bike computer was still humming along at the end of the day)

A few months back, I bought a smartphone handlebar mount and case which all looked fine in the comfort of my basement. Anyway, once on the bike and in real conditions, it was unusable. The worst thing was that in the glare of sun, I couldn't even see the screen. Also, changing functions was a pain because of the case. Anyway, I rapidly went back to my bike computer.

BTW...I do carry my phone with me and use Endomondo. However, the phone stays in my jersey pocket; but for typical ride data I use the bike specific computer.


Can / should you put a 28C tire on a rim with an ETRTO of 622 x 14 Setting aside the questions of frame and brake clearance for the moment, my question is whether or not I can install 28C tires on my rims which have an ETRTO of 622x14.  I currently have 23C tires on the bike, which is what the bike came with originally, but am thinking of moving to 25C or even 28C tires but am not sure if 28C is too wide for these rims.

And the next question is, even if it does fit on the rim will it create a safety or performance issue to put 28C's on these rims?

My goal is to move from my old school 23C's to something with less rolling resistance and that give a little more forgiving ride.  Just want to be sure I do it safely and wisely.

There's no issue with running a 28 on this width rim. In the decades of 23mm tires being the norm and virtually all road rims being 13-15mm internal width, many cyclists rode 28s since it's the widest size many such road bikes can take.

32 is also fine. 35 is about where issues with squirmy feel are perceptible.


sram cx1 without the sram cx1 crankset? I'm thinking of upgrading to sram cx-1 and discs for next season but would like to keep the current crank set based power meter I have.

Can anyone think of a reason why I could not use the current Shimano crank set I have with an 11 speed compatible single retaining chain ring designed for said purpose (like: http://www.hopetech.com/product/retainer-ring-110-pcd/) and would have to go with the sram cx1 crankset?

Strangely enough, everything seems to say that 11 speed plays nicely together - chain widths, etc.

The crankset area (since you're running a 1x11) is effectively independent of the stuff going on in the rear (where the CX-1 groupset has a rear derailleur, shifter, cassette, etc.). So, you shouldn't have to change to a SRAM CX-1 crankset (unless you wanted to make everything match for some reason).


Group of Bikes: Is 3x1 an option? I'm an RA for a dorm that is considering buying a number of bikes that would be owned by the dorm and lent out to students. I will be at least in part responsible for maintaining the fleet (about 10 bikes) so I was thinking it should have fewer things to break. I considered getting single speeds but I think students might want to be able to change gears from time to time (though there aren't many hills here).

I was thinking maybe a triple crank and single speed in the back might be an option. This would mean only a front derailleur so fewer parts to fix. Has anyone tried this? I couldn't find anyone online mentioning it. I think a 1x9 with a 34T chainring is the other option.

I don't think you can make a 3x1 setup work.

In order to have the chain change gears, there needs to be a mechanism to take up the slack in the chain. In a normal dual-derailer setup, the rear derailer does that.

You might be able to make it work with a chain tensioner, but I'm not sure if you can find one with enough range to do the job as well as a rear derailer.

Obviously you could do it with a rear derailer locked to the one gear, but that defeats the entire point.

A 1x8 or 1x9 would work fine, of course, since the only derailer is a rear derailer and it would handle the tension.

Another option would be to go with an internally geared hub (IGH). It's fairly common for "cruiser" and "town" bikes to have a 3-speed internally geared hub. That would give you most of the extra durability of a singlespeed drivetrain and allow for a very thorough chain guard (no pant rolling needed). Internally geared hubs often have a built in coaster brake, which would mean you'd only need a front brake. Even better would be a belt-driven internally-geared-hub bike (no chain lube!), but that requires a frame (at least dropout) built for it and would definitely be more expensive.


Canyon ULT and Wahoo Kickr Bought a wahoo Kickr in November and noticed a small chip to my canyon ultimate carbon frame. In January, Canyon announced the Ultimate was not compatible with Kickr. I'm dealing with Canyon and Wahoo, but curious if I should be concerned by the frame damage. Is this something serious? Bike is a 2021.

Timothy, I am not a frame specialist but I am an aerospace engineer with some knowledge of Carbon Fibre (CF). My advice would be to wait for the Canyon response, they may tell you that you have caused the damage through negligence but they should also be able to tell you the significance of the damage. Canyon are a premium supplier so I would expect them to make high quality light weight frames using the minimum amount of material through good design. During development, designers look to provide strength only where it is needed. Poorer quality producers will compensate for poor design by using extra CF and hence more weight. The drop out area is a high load area but some of the material may be to create an aerofoil form - you may be lucky. The damage should be repaired in any case, it will only get worse if left.  My concern in your case is that Canyon know that interference may occur (see Dan K link) but they have not changed the design, indicating it may be a very necessary part of the load path. Have a look here to see how a frame is made. It shows how the strength is only in tension and how the lay up process gives you strength in all directions.


Mixing GRX crankset with Deore groupset on 2021 Trek Dual Sport 4 I'm riding 2021 Trek Dual Sport 4. It has almost full Deore groupset, except crankset. Here is the full spec list:

Shifter: Shimano Deore M5100, 11 speed
Rear derailleur: Shimano Deore M5100, long cage, Shadow Plus
Crank: ProWheel alloy, 42T, 175mm
Cassette: Shimano Deore M5100, 11-51, 11 speed
Chain: KMC X11, 11 speed
Pedal: Wellgo Black

I'm really not happy with this ProWheel crankset (from my point of view, it is unacceptable to put this noname $20 crankset to the $1200+ bike), therefore I was looking for an upgrade from day 1. As I'm utilizing this hybrid bike as intended, riding 70% ideally paved roads and 30% light trails, 42T is a must for me, so I cannot put, for example, Deore XT crankset as it's only 36T at max. Hence, I've chosen a Shimano GRX 1x11-speed crankset (FC-RX810-1 to be precise). However, I don't know if it will fit and there is no reputable bike tuner around, just a few ready-to-go bike shops. So, could you, please, help me understand if I'm fine replacing just a crankset, should I replace anything else as well or maybe consider other options for 42T?
Thanks.

It will be fine, as it's just a one-by ring for 11speed. You could also use a sram apex1, a miche graf, or any number of other options.
You will also need the matching bottom bracket for your chosen crank.
Fwiw, most manufacturers spec a cheaper crank, wheels and/or brakes to meet a certain price point, to avoid cheapening the frame or headline components.


What kind of bike cleat is this with an arrowhead like logo? What kind of bike cleat is this with an arrowhead like logo?

Pretty sure Shimano SPD

Shimano SH56 SPD Cleats Multi Release

You need to match to pedals and it looks worn out


In cycling friendly cities, how do near-sighted cyclists who need glasses manage to bike to work or school in the rain? In cycling friendly cities, how do near-sighted cyclists who need glasses manage to bike to work or school in the rain?

When I say cycling friendly cities, I'm referring to cities such as Utrecht, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen which have plenty of bike lanes for people of all ages and abilities. Plenty of cyclists in Amsterdam cycle in the rain. Even in Vancouver, bike traffic can greatly decrease.

When glasses get wet, it can be very hard to see which makes it dangerous to cycle. It can also fog. Unlike windshields of cars, glasses almost never have wipers and defoggers unless they're novelty products or custom modifications.

Depending on the severity of the myopia, not wearing glasses can make it too hard to see which is also dangerous. I had pupil dilator eye drops and remembered that it was hard to see the white lane markings.

Is it possible that in cycling friendly cities:

Myopia rates are low
Contact lenses are used
Laser eye surgeries are used
Fairings are used
Having poor vision isn't that dangerous given the high quality cycling infrastructure
Glasses tend to have more advanced coatings so they're more rain friendly

I'm very short-sighted and couldn't cycle at all without my glasses on. I don't find any particular problem cycling in the rain, and I don't see how the cycling-friendliness or otherwise of the city would make any difference to that.

Yes, rain on my glasses degrades my vision a bit, but I've never found it problematic. Wearing a cap helps a bit. People say it keeps rain off your glasses but it doesn't; what it actually does is shade your glasses so that the light of the sky during the day or street lights at night doesn't bounce around so much in the raindrops, causing a bunch of glare.

Considering your possibilities:

  Myopia rates are low

Why would they be? Especially given that people move freely between cities. Doubly so in the UK, where the main cycling cities include Oxford and Cambridge, which have huge transient populations of students.

  Contact lenses are used
  Laser eye surgeries are used

In cities where lots of people cycle, they're doing it purely for transport and they tend not to do anything special for cycling (e.g., they cycle in whatever clothes they want to wear at their destination). Such people will wear contacts if they want to wear contacts, and have laser eye surgery if they want to have laser eye surgery but it seems unlikely that cycling will be a significant issue in that.

  Fairings are used

Not sure what you mean.

  Having poor vision isn't that dangerous given the high quality cycling infrastructure

There are plenty of people whose vision is bad enough that they can't cycle without corrective lenses, regardless of how good the infrastructure is. For example, I'm sitting about 5m from a row of parked bicycles visible through my office window. If I look over the top of my glasses, I literally can't identify what those blobs are. Even knowing that really they're bikes doesn't help me.

  Glasses tend to have more advanced coatings so they're more rain friendly

I've bought glasses in cities where lots of people cycle and cities where few people do; there was no difference.


Hi! Im looking to ID a rebuilt touring bike with serial number Just bouncing around the net looking for answers and I found this site. Hoping there are some die-hard bike historians among you :)

I bought this from a fellow who rebuilds and repairs bikes. He says it might be a Miyata but isn't sure. I have tried searching the serial number but no luck. If anyone has information or speculation as to the make/model/year of this bike, I am all ears! Thanks for reading :)

-Sarah from Montreal

It really looks like Miyata. I would advise you to look not for a serial number but for types of models of different years of release. Probably it will be possible to identify your bike.


kid's bike rear brake not having stopping power I recently bought a 2nd hand kids bike for my 4yr old. Prev owner replaced rear wheel with one having a freewheel and installed rear brake.
I've noticed the brake does not have any stopping power when my kiddo is riding however the brake stops the wheel when on a bike stand w/out any prob. I replaced the cable, pads, lever with new ones .. problem remains.
I can't install V-Brake at the rear as the frame does not support it.
I can't find a brake (better quality) that would be able to clear the tyre - seems like I need one that would have around 8 to 9cm reach.
Thanks for any suggestions,

Julius

Sadly braking at the rear wheel is relatively poor because of a combination of factors.

Kid's hand strength - your average 4 year old can't squeeze the lever as hard as a larger rider.  This affects braking at both wheels.
The brake lever's pull ratio is also often sized for a full sized brake so it has to move through a certain angle to pull enough cable to actuate the brake.  For a little hand the lever can be scaled down, but it still has to pull enough cable, and the brake calipers are not scaled down.  Notice you didn't have to fit a "kid sized" caliper.
Mass - the rear wheel's brake is never as effective as the front wheel's brake because the system's center of mass is higher than the axles.  As the brake bites, the rear wheel becomes unweighted, so is more likely to skid.
Cable friction and a longer run of outer - You've already addressed these.

You will generally find the small 12" wheel bikes to have a backpedal or coaster brake because kids have better leg power than hand power.
As such, kids can do "mad-skidz" with a coaster brake but not a hand brake.   Part of this is the body motion required to stomp on the rear pedal naturally weights the rear of the bike, while I've never seen a kid consciously do the same while hand braking.

You might try roughing the braking surface of the rim very lightly with sandpaper.
As an adult you should be able lock the wheels easily while wheeling the bike around while you walk beside.
Another test option is for you to try riding the bike and test the brake function.  If its really way small, you can sit over it and keep your feet on the ground rather than pedalling.
Do basic checks, are the brake levers bottoming out on the handgrips?  Are the wheels true ?  Can you take some of the gap out so the brake pad sits closer to the rim, but does not rub.
Good luck !   And remember, they grow up fast and will be on a bigger bike in short order.


Do I need to refill sealant after puncture? I got my first set of brand new tubeless wheels (Mavic Aksium Elite UST) and next day I had a somewhat large (it looks more than 4 mm) puncture.  The sealant did its job, but my teammates described it as a "beer flowing from my tire".

Now I'm worried that I might need to add more sealant to the tire, but I don't know how much and I don't want to waste whatever fluid remains inside, since it is totally new.  Any recommendations?

Also, is it OK to leave the tire with such a puncture as it is now?

Pull the valve core and poke a 2mm Allen wrench down to test the fluid level with the valve at the 6 o'clock position with the tire off the ground. You want "some" free liquid. How much depends on the tire size but I usually look for at least 3mm.

Some amount of sealant from a new installation goes to coating the tire and in many cases filling in the porosity of the casing. So if you find there's no free sealant and you're surprised you lost that much, that might be why.

How much free sealant you want is largely based on preference in terms of flat resistance versus weight. It's not a super exact science.

With the valve core removed you can inject more sealant using a commercial injector or various improvised tools.


Square taper bottom bracket tool doesn't always fit I bought as bottom bracket tool some time ago, a generic Shimano one. sometimes with some sealed bottom brackets from ZTTO it worked beautifully. Sadly in the process of restoring a 98' Kona Caldera, and also fixing some noises from the bottom bracket of my old road bike (photo attached), I've noticed my tool, which is supposed to be a Shimano compatible one, doesn't always fit. The Kona has a Shimano BB-LP26, and the drive side fit nicely, but the other support cup doesn't. Luckily it was finger locked and easy to clean and service. But the one of my road bike doens't fit in every side, it seems like exist an other Shimano BB, but I was not able to find anything on the internet.
Long story short in some BB it works nice, in others simply doesn't.
Do you know what's happening here?

I bought one of these tools.

The problem with it is 'cheap and nasty rubbish'.
The tool does not fit into the plastic cup (which in my case was an Octalink, not a square taper, not that it matters too much) on the NDS at all, but as you say fits into the metal drive side ok(ish).
I looked on Amazon and found many similar complaints for these cheap, poorly made tools.
I replaced it with a Park Tool BBT-3.2, which fit perfectly on both sides, and the plastic cup came out easily.
Shimano have two tools, the longer TL-UN66

and the shorter TL-UN74-S

Park Tool's BBT-22 & BBT-32 are respectively based on these.
There are many reports on the poor quality of generic BB tools on Amazon, which allows any random rubbish with little or no quality control to be sold (as do Ebay and AliExpress), e.g.:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Malayas%C2%AE-Bracket-Removal-Bicycle-Extractor/dp/B01HUOFXFA
There are lots of brands selling 'ISIS' BB tools, and any brand which is big enough to have a website, e.g.. IceToolz, FSA, Topeak, Unior, Weldite, is likely to care enough to make a tool that actually fits into the thing it's supposed to be fitting. My eyes suggest that the cheapo tool has splines that are wider than they should be to fit in the cup, but the real answer is 'it's poorly made rubbish'.
Photo for comparison:

Suggest to replace with any branded (real brand, not fake from some Chinese dropshipper on Amazon) BB tool
As it turned out my BB was rusted very hard into the bottom bracket shell. I eventually found a local mechanic (I am in Indonesia) who mostly works on cars, and he had a tool very similar to my cheapo one. I did not examine it closely, because I had already removed the NDS cup. However it is likely it is the same - it could be that it was a better version (perhaps not every such tool is as poorly made each other, even coming from the same factory). But I don't know, since we only were working on the DS. After pressing very hard against an unsecured BBT-32 I managed to damage the teeth as it slipped repeatedly. I would not recommend using any such tool without first fully securing the tool against the bottom bracket, as even a quality tool can be damaged in this fashion.
The cheapo type tool we secured using a long bolt through the bottom bracket spindle and washers. Since the BBT-32 has a wide opening, you need a larger diameter washer than you would for BBT-22 or similar.